She’s Mine

a battle to fight the evil inside…

A short story by: Stanley Komarniski

Originally written 20230222 — revised 20260417

As John drove down a long dark road, he reached over and tapped his cell phone in the holder. Instantly it came to life with her picture on the lock screen. As he looked at the phone, it recognized his face and unlocked itself. He smiled to himself as he tapped the button that dialed her number! When he heard her answer, he only said “I am coming for you!” then hanging up on her. Then he continued down the long dark road that led to her house.

Isabella shuddered as she heard him say that. As she was sure that he had no idea what was waiting for him. She gave a tug on the chains confirming that they were securely fastened to the wall. A syringe was hidden in her sleeve, it contained enough to knock him out but not enough to kill him. She was ready for him! She felt he was the epitome of evil. She needed this to all stop tonight. ‘It would be him or me.’ She thought to herself.

What she didn’t realize, there are cameras hidden in the walls in various points of the house. John studied the image on his phone from the camera feeds and smiled as he said to himself, “That’s my girl!” He was willing and ready for whatever she planned for him. He would have the video recordings as his mementos when all was said and done! He was nervous though as she was getting tougher.

John knocked at the door, followed by his words “Honey open up!” It caused her to jump. She breathed deeply to calm herself. She asked herself, ‘Can I do this?’ She had to if she wanted to complete her need to escape from him. She was so sure he was evil incarnate. He must be stopped to prevent anyone else suffering from him. She had to catch him and make him suffer, and if necessary, kill him.

She opened the door and stepped back to let him in. As he stepped in and closed the door behind himself, she gave her sleeve a shake and the syringe fell into her right hand. He hugged her, then as she hugged him, she flipped the tip off the syringe and stabbed it into his rear and pressed down on the plunger. To sell it, he let the weight from his body slump into her arms, and she was convinced that the needle hit its mark.

Dragging his limp body into the next room was a bigger task than she had anticipated. She felt proud that she was able to do it. She fastened him with his arms in the chains. She had him and now, she would make him understand that she was in control. For all the hurt he caused her, she would make him pay!

In that moment all the stress of this experience, she came close to her not being able to handle it. She couldn’t hear anything besides buzzing in her ears as a migraine took hold and began to press against her heavily. She sat down and tried to focus her breathing. Saying to herself, ‘Yes breathe, just breathe and focus!” Her body was unconvinced as she stumbled into the next room and slumped into the armchair. As she closed her eyes, she felt sure that he was secure and would just close her eyes for a few moments. She allowed herself to smile at her success in capturing him. She took a deep breath and rested, for what she thought was a few minutes.

After the rest she finally found her focus, that she desperately needed. Slowly she opened her eyes and lifted her hand to see the time, two hours had passed! She was confused as she was sure she only closed her eyes for a moment. Still it didn’t matter as he would be out for a few more hours.

She walked back into the room where John was. To her surprise, John stood awake before her. He was still chained, but he was awake.

John just barely opened his eyes, only allowing enough light in to see her leave the room. When he was sure she was out of sight, he spit a handcuff key toward his hand. The key fell to the floor as he fumbled it. The shiny key sat in front of his feet mocking him. He remained still as he was afraid, she would have heard the key hit the floor. He remained very still until a short while later when he could hear her breathing heavily. He was in luck as she had fallen asleep. Slowly he slipped his shoe off and picked up the key with his toe. The difficult task of moving his foot up to his chained hand and dropping the key into his palm took everything he had. He allowed himself to breathe as he proceeded to unlock himself. He walked to the doorway and peaked around corner and saw her sleeping. He returned to the chains and left the appearance of still being secured to the wall. He stared and the doorway and waited for her return.

He thought deeply as to why he was doing this, shouldn’t he just leave before she was successful in killing him. He doubted himself and wondered if she would outthink him this time. As he was lost in his thoughts, he could hear her moving in the other room. He prepared himself for her return and stood up facing the doorway.

Isabella was shaken as she asked John, “How are you even awake? You should have been out for at least another 4 hours.” Isabella stared at John as confusion washed over her.

John smiled and spoke, “I knew about your plan. I have been watching you prepare to capture me. When I found out that you had gotten that syringe filled with that tranquilizer, I switched the syringe. What you injected me with was just a saline solution.”

“Why would you let me chain you to the wall?” The migraine returned as her confusion grew. She was not prepared for this! “I must make you pay for what you have done to me! You must suffer as I have suffered!” The migraine caused her to fall to her knees, and she clutched her temples from the pressure. She could only scream as she had a flash of memory of being chained to a wall and tortured. The abuse that she experienced came to her as powerful vision that overwhelmed her. She remembered the face of her abuser, but it wasn’t John. Why was she doing this to John? She tried to stand but shrieked as she fainted.

John shook the chains free from his hands, as he caught her in his arms. He slowly sank to the floor carefully cradling her. “Shhhhhhh…” was all he said as kissed her forehead and held her close to his warm body.

“What!??!?!” was all she could say as she sank into his arms covered in pain.

He sat there and held her gently. Again, she was out. He then carried her into the bedroom and placed her gently onto the bed. After covering her, he kissed her gently and whispered quietly, “I love you Isabella…”

She slept. He pulled a chair next to the bed and guarded her as she slept. He wondered what would happen when she woke up. He wondered if she would remember what she did and what had happened. He had gone through this over several times on the anniversary of that tragic moment in her life. When she was kidnapped as a young teen girl and tortured. He had the hope that she would remember this time and hopefully heal from the ordeal. They had been married for ten years. The anniversary day of her kidnapping would begin with her accusing him of torturing her and keeping her prisoner. Even though it was tough he loved her and hoped that one day his love would heal her.

His poor wife was still being held hostage by those memories. During these episodes with her, he could not convince her of who he was. He could only play along until the day had passed. He installed the chains on the wall, set up the cameras and watched as she planned and prepared to capture him. He did his best to subvert her plans. But there was one time when she was almost successful. He felt the struggle he endured on this day was worth it for the love he had for her. He just needed and wanted her to be free and happy.

As she began to stir, he moved to the bed and held her. She looked into his eyes and remembered who he was, smiling weakly at him. “I remember what I did to you! I am so very sorry that you must go through my pain!” She sobbed. Then in a rush of emotion and memories, she could see all the times that he stood by her as she accused him of being her torturer.

She barely said the words, “I remember all the times I accused you!” She cried as he held her in his arms.

“Why would you stay with me?” she asked sobbing.

He looked at her deeply and said, “because… I love you!”

This was the first time she had remembered. This was the first time she asked. Usually, she wakes up not remembering the hell from the previous day.

Quietly they sat, clinging to each other like their lives depended on it. They both sobbed there, not tears of sadness or joy, but of relief, love and happiness.

One year later. She clutched john in the morning and spoke, “I am safe with you. I no longer am afraid. The day still weighs on me, but I know with your love it won’t bother me that much. Thank you for staying with me and loving me with your presence.”

John held her close and felt such joy. The day had come when there was no yelling, no fighting, no accusations, only love. He declared, “I love you, lets just spend the day together and create a memory to erase the pain from the past!”

Isabella smiled deeply and nodded.

John whispered quietly to himself, “She is mine!”

Isabella upon hearing him, replied with her own statement, “Yes I am…!”