Along the Trail - 1. The Moon Shines Above

It has been a long journey on the trail through his life already at 28 years old. The trials and tribulations marked upon his soul. The strength to carry on when all seems hopeless is weary. For how much longer to endure what the universe brings to the table is unknown. The prospect of a reward is unknown. This is Ellis's story.

Being in a house far from prying eyes may sound like a good thing. It isn't for Ellis.

The sound of a plate crashing to the floor and breaking into a dozen pieces jolts Ellis from his work rushing to finish dinner for Adam before he comes home.

"God no! Not now!" Ellis cries out.

Seeing Adam's cat Kor now sitting where the plate was on the counter just moments before. Getting on his knees he scrambles to pick up the remains of the plate that was now on the kitchen floor.

"I hate you, you stupid cat!", barks Ellis at Kor. "Your going to get him to go after me again tonight."

Ellis has been trapped, more or less, for 2 years since he moved in with Adam. What started as a good beginning of a relationship has gradually morphed into pure hell. Adam's paranoia and jealousy took over. Four months since moving in, He accused Ellis of cheating because he wasn't getting home in exactly 20 minutes from work. Driving the distance from Elli's job in town to Adam's house deep into the forests of Belmont county in Ohio is not simple with the winding roads along the hilltops and into the narrow valleys that spreads out like a spiderweb. Very rarely would any sane person expect the trip to be that short even in the best of conditions. No matter how hard Ellis argued, Adam had to be right. That argument ended with Ellis's first time being beat by Adam. Not too long later Ellis's car "suddenly" died with the engine throwing a rod. There went Elli's only transportation and along with that his job.

As relationships like this go on, Adam goes to completely rule over Ellis like it's the 1950s. The abuse and flat out banishment of Ellis from the outside world has stripped Ellis from his previous self. The internet being locked to communicate with any friends or family. Ellis is a prisoner within the four walls of the house. A regular beating is always sure to come from Adam if Ellis hasn't done everything right, which is all the time. Ellis can't do anything to his standards.

As Ellis is putting the remains of the plate into the trash can, the front door opens and slams with a force to shake the walls to the rear of the house in the kitchen. Adam stomps into the kitchen and sees him with a shard of the plate in his hand with dinner ready and bubbling on the stove.

"Can't do anything right can you? You stupid fuck! I just lost my job because of you! You just have to ruin everything for me!: he yells at Ellis.

Before Ellis can react, Adam is slamming him against the stove along with a punch to the face. His glasses slicing into his face as they broke.

Ellis pleads to Adam. "I didn't do anything! Please stop!"

"Yes you did! You distract me with you always fucking up and being the fucking burden you are!"

Adam hits him again and again. The hits coming faster and faster. Kicks start as well. Not a word is spoken from Adam as he unleashes all his hatred and rage onto Ellis. Something in Ellis snaps as he's getting the worst beating he has had yet. Self-preservation asserts itself and Ellis shoves Adam hard across the room. Icy fear creeps into his heart knowing what he just did.

"You put your hands on me?!? You'll regret that you fucking whore!" Adam roars and charges into Ellis.

The pot of soup falls from the stove and spills on both of them, causing Adam to go the point of no return and grabs Ellis by the throat and begins to strangle him. Ellis knowing this is a fight for his life, tries to fight back by clawing at Adam's arms but is no use from being weak from the previous fights and Adam being double his size. The struggle goes to the floor and Adam is putting his full weight into crushing his windpipe. Ellis can't breath and dark spots start to cover his vision.

Ellis panically looks around for anything to get free from Adam's iron grip. The pot lays to his right in reach. Grabbing the pot and swinging as hard as he can, Ellis hits Adam in the face. The sound of metal hitting skull reverberates through the kitchen. Adam loosens his grip and he chance is there. Ellis scrambles up and runs out the back door as fast as possible.

He knew he didn't stop Adam just phased him for the moment. Ellis streaks into the trees hearing Adam giving chase screaming. Ellis blocks the voice out. Just the pure instinct to run and survive is at the forefront of his frantic mind. The area Ellis soon runs into is full of bushes and thorns that slows him down to the point that he is tackled from behind. Going down face first to the ground, cuts cover all his body. Ellis is turned over and sees Adam above him with a kitchen knife. No words spoken as Adams pure evil face looks down upon him as he plunges the knife into Ellis's chest. Blood blooms through his shirt. Ellis sputtering and in shock from what just happened, looks above him and sees the moon above him. As resigned to his fate he is calm as the moon shines bright bringing him the peace he's wanted for so long.

Before the next stab happens something big and dark slams into Adam and he disappears from sight. Adam's screams are heard along with snarls from something like a dog as if coming from the end of a long hallway as the blood pouring from Ellis drains him of life. Staring up into the moonlit sky beyond the trees, he feels his body becoming heavier as darkness begins at the edge of his vision. Seconds before the blackness that envelops his vision and consciousness completely, Adam's screams go silent.