In The Dark Where Madness Lurks(Laceyhopkins) I'm in the dark. My heart is beating fast. I can feel myself shaking terribly. My mind is running with horrible thoughts. What can I do? Nothing that's what. At least not at the moment. My boyfriend is coming for me. He's not the type of guy to be relaxed over. He hits me every chance he gets. Why? I don't know. I guess it's in his blood to be cruel. I'm huddled in the corner of the wall near a window which show's no sign of stars in the sky. Just pitch black darkness. I'm hoping the police will get here soon. If I am alive by then that is. I can hear my crazy boyfriend thrashing around things breaking glass along the way screaming out my name, "Roxie! You ugly, stupid cow! Come out wherever you are now!" I look down at my bare feet. It's so dark in the room I can barely see them. Alex never cared about my looks. He always thought I looked uglier than ugly itself. Tears roll down my face. I grip my arms tighter around my legs. I listen to him throwing doors open and yelling louder than before, "For God's sake, you are going to be sorry you've hid from me" he growled. I wince. I'm terrified to know what he means by that. Is he going to kill me this time? Maybe that would be best. I would be free from his devilish grips. But then again, I don't want to die. I just want a peaceful life. Can't I have that? I don't even know why I ever had anything to do with him. It all started in our senior year of high school which was a couple years ago now. I was getting things from my locker from my next class. When I had shut the locker door, I was startled to find a boy standing behind the door with his arms crossed and having such an innocent grin on his face. "Hello Roxie." I blinked a few times. How did he know my name? I had never met him in my life. He continued to talk to me, "So, I am new here and I have heard that you are very helpful." I blushed because just hearing that from this boy was weird but nice. So, I showed him around the school and then we started to hang out. He was soon on the football team which didn't surprise me none because he was big and muscular. Long story short, we started to date and I fell in love. But I didn't know that I would soon find out that I had fallen in love with a monster. A man that was crazy. Mad out of his mind to where he would be cruel to his own girlfriend. His true colors started to show. And do you know what colors they turned out to be? Black and grey. The darkest colors possible. Like his own self. And now it has all ended to here. With me shaking in fear and crying my eyes out. Huddled against the wall in a corner of a dark room. I hear him coming closer. I squeeze my eyes shut tight. where are the police I had called for on my phone just before it had died? They must come now if they don't want to see a dead girl. I had locked the door shut but I know that wouldn't last long with his muscular shape. I bowed my head and prayed silently. "Oh God, please protect me from all evil including the madness that has swept over my boyfriend. I don't deserve this. Please watch over me." Praying is all that's left for me to do. I just hope it's worth it. Alex's loudness is getting closer. Saying horrible things along the way, "Roxie, I swear if you don't come out wherever you are. I so regret ever being with you. I never really loved you anyway, I'm glad I cheated! Who would want to be with you anyway? No one that's who." As he said these words I sobbed. He cheated on me? I had no idea that he had but now that I know I'm not surprised at all. I now also know that he never really loved me. His actions showed it. Plain and clear. He had gotten through every room except the one that I'm in. When he found that it was locked, he raged. I grew frantic and looked around. There was no way out except the window but that was so high up. I could break my neck. Alex was banging on the door. "You come out of there right now or I will make my way in! I know you're in there Roxie" he raged. I never came out so he said, "Fine. If that's the way you want it!" Then I heard him stomp back downstairs. I thought he was gone but a few moments later he came stomping back upstairs and stood in front of the locked door. I thought he was going to push his way in but the next thing I know he hits something against the door making a cracking sound. My blood turns cold. My eyes now wide open. He's using an ax to get in I realized. What if he uses it on me when he's done with the door? My God he really is full of madness. I stand up against the wall and start to scream. "See? I knew you were in there you coward, he yelled. And now you are going to get what's coming to you!" He continues to chop away at the door as he rages and growls. Cursing and saying more horrible things about me. I continue to scream and shriek each time the ax touches the door. Then I go quiet. It's no longer dark in the room. Well it is but not as dark as before. I see flashing blue lights on the window pane. Finally! The police are here! I almost cry out in relief. I can hear them hits against the front door downstairs. They rush in and are yelling. They run upstairs. I hear Alex drop the ax and struggles as the police hold him down. I hear them take him away. He's still growling and raging out of the house. People come bursting into the ax marked door. I am still standing against the wall in the corner. A woman looks around the see's me and runs over. "Ma'am? Are you alright?" she asked with full concern. I looked at her and put on a trembling smile, "I am now" I said. So wherever you are, be careful. Never be in the dark where madness can lurk.

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