Read The Dead Saga (Novella Part 2): Odium Origins for Free Online Page A

thirty. I was just about to head to bed—once I’ve finished the kitchen, anyway.” I can’t keep the lament out of my words.
    Ken offers his boss a courteous smile, hefts his large frame out of his chair, and turns to me, looking me dead center so I know he isn’t messing around.
    “Susan, I want you to take that sweet ass of yours to the kitchen and make us some chocolate chip brownies. I won’t ask you again.” His nostrils flare as he adds on the last line, and it takes everything I have to not gulp loudly.
    He’s right: I don’t want him to ask me again. I remember the last time he had to ask me to do something twice. Still have the damn scar on my right palm from it. Who knew the bottom of a pan stayed so hot even after ten minutes? Besides, maybe I should just be grateful that the rest of his co-workers have left and there’s only him and his boss Phil left to cook for.
    I blink back from the painful memory, my palm feeling sore. “Sure, sweetie, I’ll go make some, I’m sorry. I’ll have to pop out to the store and get the ingredients though.” I smile at him, glad to see his anger subsiding.
    “Ken, it really isn’t necessary,” Phil says from the opposite chair as he puffs on a fat cigar.
    Ken has purposely let Phil smoke in the house, knowing how much I hate it, but I don’t say anything—I never do. I’ll just have to do an intensive clean tomorrow when Ken is out at work, because he hates the smell too, and he’s only allowing it to further aggravate me.
    I manage contain the groan of pent-up frustration residing in the pit of my stomach, and glance down at Phil. “It’s completely fine. I should have made them earlier today. Besides, they really are delicious, I’m sure you’ll love them.” I pat Ken on the arm, and he sits back down in his chair without another word.
    “There’s some things on the grocery list you should pick up while you’re there too.” He scowls at me, but instead of explaining that I was going to go tomorrow, I nod and smile.
    “Oh, and bring us some more drinks before you leave for the store.” Ken looks back at Phil and continues his conversation, dismissing me. I pick up their empty glasses and head back to the kitchen.
    I take back two fresh scotches on the rocks before I leave for the store, the time hitting just past midnight as I climb into our car. I drive through the darkened streets, the roads empty of anyone else stupid enough to be out at this time on a Tuesday night, and can’t help the stray tears that trail down my cheeks. I don’t even know how my life got to this, how I ended up in such a loveless marriage with a man I can’t stand to be around—a vile, overweight bully who loves to torment me.
    He didn’t used to be like this— we didn’t used to be like this. We loved each other once, before a freak accident forced Ken out of his job. He used to drive all around the country selling high end products to big companies, but after his accident, he ended up out of work for three years. For some reason, he blamed me. Or maybe he was just envious and jealous of me because I had a job. Either way, when he finally landed a decent job that would pay the bills he forced me to quit mine, insisting that we didn’t need my wage now and saying that he had to prove to everyone that he was still the man of the house after relying on me for so long.
    So now he’s bitter and angry, full of spite and hate for me, and I for him. I don’t even care that he hits me, that he mentally abuses me; after living the past two years with him bullying me, my resolve has gone and all I care about is making it through the next day without pissing him off some more. Anything for the easy life.
    I should leave him, yet for some reason I don’t. I’m still here no matter what he does to try and destroy our marriage. Is it the fear of him or the fear of the unknown that drives me back to him after all the abuse?
     

Two.
     
    The store is quiet when I arrive, and