Chapter 1

With all the death, destruction and overall mayhem that has gone on recently, you would think that I would be somewhat prepared for what was about to unfold when I heard the wooden floor creak just outside my bedroom door, but I was still trying to strangle the last bit of breath out of my wife and the last thing I needed to do was feed the kids.

I muttered something to myself about the kids being little bastards as the shadow from one or both of their little feet passed under the door and across my wife’s still kicking leg. All I needed was another thirty seconds…

It didn’t have to come to this. I warned her that if she didn’t do exactly as I said, this was going to happen. Now look at what she’s done; she’s making me choke the shit out of her. Damn, my forearms are burning, how much longer do I have to choke this bitch before she just dies?

“Mommy! Daddy!” You could tell the kids weren’t use to the door being closed in the morning, because instead of going straight for the doorknob and twisting, they just slapped at the wooden door with the palms of their hands as they cried out for us. “Daddy! Maaaaaamaaaaaaa!”

Thank God I tied her hands behind her back as she was sleeping because I could hear her fingernails digging into the maple floors. Damn, she’s got some fight left in her…come on! Just die!

As the doorknob started to move, my heart rated picked up. I couldn’t let the kids see me choking the shit out of their mom. I’m a heartless SOB, but at the moment I still love my kids.

“Daddy will be just a second,” I said through clenched teeth. Just a few more seconds…

The door started to open and I instinctively jumped up to hold it shut with my foot. One of the kids must have banged their head into the door because after the thump Chris started crying. He’s always crying so I didn’t know if it was him or his brother who took the bump.

Maia gasped and sucked in a lung full of air. She turned her head toward me, took another breath and cracked a devilish smile.

This is going to be a long day.