I’ve Got You

CHAPTER 2

Eris gazed at Dorian. Wondering how and when her little boy grew so big. It seemed to her as if it was mere days ago that she first held him in her arms. And now here he was, 11 years old and learning to play chess. He looked up at her with his big blue eyes, and his dimpled cheeks smiling. “Is it check mate now, Mum?” he asked. Eris laughed.

“very nearly, but I can still see a couple ways to get out of it, so for now it’s just ‘check’, check mate is when there is no other way to save my king, or you actually succeed in taking him”. As Eris coached Dorian on the rules of the game, the faint smell of smoke kissed her senses from the kitchen. “s**t!” Eris cursed under her breath. “Stay here, baby.” She kissed Dorian on the forehead and rushed to the kitchen, leaving him to cheekily rearrange the chess pieces in order to achieve that ever elusive ‘check mate’.

Roast pork belly was Eris’s husband James’s favourite food, and it was currently burning away in the oven. Eris cursed the old kitchen timer that failed to go off and opened the oven door in haste, waving away the smoke with one hand, as she used her other, mitted hand to remove the offended dish from the blazing oven. Upon inspection the pork belly it self looked great, but the whole cloves of garlic and sprigs of rosemary had all but burned to a crisp, as had the potatoes. “Damn”. Eris shot a frantic glance at the clock on the microwave. James was due to be home any minute, she couldn’t save these potatoes and the only other side she had prepared were buttered corn cobs. That wouldn’t be enough. And the house! The house was still a mess from entertaining Dorian all afternoon. Eris gulped, keenly aware of how dry her mouth had become. Se didn’t have time to fix any of it. Forcing herself to take several calming breaths she reminded her self that it was James’s birthday. He was very rarely ever in one of his moods on his birthday. And maybe if they made enough of a fuss over him at dinner he wouldn’t notice the mess in the lounge room behind them while he ate. Maybe if she offered him intimacy he would forgive her this once for not having his favourite seasoned potatoes with dinner. Maybe if he took enough interest in all of Dorian’s hand made gifts he would forgive the mess if he did happen to notice. Eris nodded to herself reassuringly as she began plating up food and willed her knees to stop quivering. ‘It’s gonna be ok’. As she set the full plates around the table and put the birthday cake in the center of it all. She took the time to unbutton the first two buttons on her silk, moss green blouse -carefully chosen to match her eyes- and rake a hand through her fiery red hair, and called Dorian to her side at the table. Just as his hand folded with hers, the front door clicked open. Footsteps drew closer, and her husband James strode in to the room. His tie was still fastened around his neck and he had a warm smile on his handsome face. His sand coloured hair was slicked back nicely. Eris let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding in. He was in a good mood. ‘Thank God’.

“Daddy!” Dorian squealed, throwing himself into James’s arms.

“Hey mate. Have a good day, did you?” Dorian nodded, planting a kiss on James’s stubbled cheek. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks mate”

“Happy Birthday, babe” Eris chimed in. James handed her his briefcase and walked past her. There was no hug for her when he walked in the door, no kiss. Sometimes there wasn’t even a greeting. It had been that way for years. And although Eris would swear she was used to it, the indifference still caused an ache in her chest. It was a lonely marriage. But she had learned long ago never to press the issue. Voicing her displeasure at being treated like a live in maid by her own husband had earned her a swift backhand or two in the past. So despite the sting of the indifference, she simply smiled through clenched teeth and watering eyes.

“Smells smoky in here” James muttered eyeing the food set out on the table before him. “Just the juice from the meat. Some of it burned to the oven tray. That’s all” Eris lied, her smile faltering for a moment. James inspected the food and nodded “looks good”. Then he inspected her through narrow eyes. “Why do you look so nice? Where did you go today?”. Eris’s bottom lip quivered as she strained to keep the artificial smile plastered on her face, she smoothed down her pencil skirt and squared her shoulders. “Nowhere. I just wanted to look nice for you on your birthday.” Seemingly satisfied with this answer, James sat. Pulling Dorian in for another hug.

The family of three ate, they laughed, and they presented James with gifts. All in all it was a rare night spent in relative peace. It was the kind of night that gave Eris hope that perhaps her marriage was going to improve at least a little. Her marriage hadn’t always been this way. There was once a time in their relationship when she felt safe and loved. But for many years now she felt as if she’d been living in a cage. Taken out only when James wanted something and then shoved back in when he had no further need of her. She had nice clothes, a nice apartment and nice things. Of this, she was constantly reminded. But a gilded cage was still a cage. Nights like that night, where there were no cruel words, no fists thrown, and he had offered her some intimacy as they fell asleep in each others arms made her feel like maybe they could be the way they once were.

***

Eris woke to James shaking her violently and the sounds of chaos in the streets below their apartment. “Eris! I’ve got Dorian! Get dressed! Grab some s**t and lets go!”. Eris shot up, her heart pounding in her chest and feeling disorientated as her sleep tried to cling to her, leaving a heavy fog in her brain. “W-what s**t? What’s up?”. James grabbed her arm painfully and yanked her out of bed, throwing her naked body towards the wardrobe. “Anything! Clothes for Dorian! The passports! Dorian’s baseball bat! A knife?! Anything. Stop f*****g questioning me and just do it!”. Eris stumbled on unsteady legs, throwing on some black leggings and a tank top. She shrugged on a black denim jacket and her work boots. Grabbing Dorian’s school bag she threw in some spare clothes for him. Some bottled water and some trail mix. Grabbing her own backpack she threw in toiletries, wallets, passports, the baseball bat and ransacked the top cupboard for her dads buck 119 special hunting knife. As James hauled her and Dorian to the door of their apartment she grabbed their photo album from the entry table.

As James threw the door open they were greeted by three military personnel. All armed to the teeth. “James, what’s happening?” she hissed under her breath as she reached out for Dorian, who was on the verge of tears. “I don’t know. They said they’ll explain when we reach the base. But it’s not looking good”. Screams tore through the hallway of their floor. Looking down the corridor, they were greeted by the sight of their elderly neighbour, Mr Fern barreling down the hall towards them at a speed that should have been impossible for a man of his age. His mouth was foaming, and his eyes were dull and lifeless. Blood slathered over the front of his half naked and bruised body. Terror took hold of Eris. She froze in place, arms out-stretched to keep Dorian and James safe behind her. “They made it into the building!” one of the military personnel screamed. “They’re in the building! Get out!”

“GO ERIS!” James screamed, taking Dorian in his strong arms and sprinting on. Eris followed, as close as she could. Not daring to look back as the sound of deafening gunshots filled the small corridor. Dorian wailed “It’s okay baby, don’t look. Just look at daddy!” Eris reassured him as she ran behind them, following two of the military personnel. ‘Where’s the third?’

“Don’t look anywhere else, You hear me? Straight at Daddy!”

They rounded the corner and reached a fire exit. One of the military personnel threw it open and screamed down at a waiting jeep. “Three uncontaminated civilians on this floor!” He looked at Eris first, then at James “Get down those stairs and on to that jeep! You don’t stop. You don’t deviate”. James nodded and shoved Dorian in to Eris’s arms, taking the bag from her. Eris struggled with Dorian’s weight and size. But knwing he wouldn’t be fast enough if he were to put him down, she held on to him for dear life. Adrenalin pumped through her veins as she hurtled down the stairs with Dorian three steps at a time. Not daring to look around as the sounds of screaming, sirens, low growls, and several more gunshots assaulted her ears. She helped Dorian in to the back of the Jeep, hauling herself in after him. Shortly followed by James, who was white as a ghost as he settled in beside her. They were wedged between six others. She dared not look around her. Instead she looked at Dorian as he sobbed in her lap. “What was wrong with his face?” he whined between sobs. And truthfully, Eris had no answer. The man who had instructed them to get to the jeep was soon climbing in beside them and barking orders for the driver to take off. “What about the others?!” he yelled, fighting to be heard over the commotion. The man, -a Lieutenant- if Eris were to hazard a guess pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head.

“Contaminated”.