The Promise.

The 30 stories in 30 Days Challenge continues.

Jenny Walters had lived alone for the past six years. She’d become a bit of a recluse since her split with Roger. She thought they were in love and would be together always. He promised it, many times. But Roger changed. One night he told her he’d met someone else. He packed his bags and left. Since then Jenny had let no one enter her life. Three months later she moved out of her flat and into a small two bedroom house forty miles away. A new start was what she needed.

She worked from home. Freelance copywriter. Her work came in on email and went out the same way. She didn’t have to see or talk to anyone. She shopped on line and her banking was done electronically. She very rarely left the house these days. In the evening she would sit at the kitchen table and knit small items that she donated to the local Charity shop.

No cats, dogs or pets of any kind for Jenny. She didn’t want to get attached to anything ever again.

The day Roger left she made a pledge. She would never let anyone hurt her again.

It was 11am and the doorbell rang. Jenny ignored it and carried on tapping away at keys on her laptop. It rang again. She stood up and peered discreetly from the window.

Damn. It was the Postman and he’d seen her. He waived and shouted.

“Got a package for you!”

She shouted back.

“Just leave it outside. I’ll get it later.”

The Postman shook his head.

“Sorry. Can’t do it. You’ve got to sign.”

She groaned at the thought of having to speak to a stranger. She opened the door and tried not to make eye contact. The Postman gave her a small machine and asked her to make a signature with her fingernail. She did the best she could. He handed her the parcel.

“ Jenny? Jenny is that you?”

She glared at him. He looked familiar. And then she realised who it was. It hit her like a steam train.

“Roger? Oh my god. It is you.”

She felt faint and overwhelmed. She couldn’t catch her breath, it was as if she were drowning. She felt a hand around her waist and suddenly she was off the floor and being carried. She kept hearing the words.

“I’m here Jenny, I’m right here my love.”

Her eyes began to focus and she found herself sitting at the kitchen table. Opposite her was the man that she’d once loved. He was smiling and holding her hand.

“Oh Jenny. Jenny my darling. I made such a terrible mistake all those years ago. I tried desperately to find you but you’d gone. Now fate has brought us back together. I’ll never leave you Jenny. Never again. I promise.”

She watched him closely as tears rolled down his cheeks.

She stood up, walked over and gently kissed the top of his head. She held him close, his head resting against her stomach.

Very calmly she reached over and took one of her knitting needles from the kitchen table. Then in one swift action pushed the needle deep into his neck and kept pushing until it appeared on the other side.

He struggled for a few moments but she held him tight. There were twitches and gurgles but it took less than five minutes for the life to drain from Rogers body.

She let him go and sat down opposite him once again. She smiled.

“How very right you are Roger. This time you will keep your promise and stay with me forever.”