The Conscience of Annalise (Part 3)

Part 2

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about it," Malcolm lowered his voice as he spoke through the door. "Just think about how things would be if..."

"If what, Mal?! If you killed him?" Annalise snapped back. "No! No, I can't even believe...what is wrong with you?"

"I'm helping you Annie, can't you see that?"

Annalise shook her head adamantly. "I don't need any help from you. Get out."

"Annie..."

"Don't call me that!" Annalise shouted. "I liked you, Mal. I really, really..."

"I feel the same way," Malcolm replied softly. "Even more so. I thought you'd understand."

"Understand what? Understand that you want to kill my step-dad?" shot back Annalise angrily. "That you already killed somebody, that you already tried to kill me?!"

Annalise heard a light tapping as though Malcolm were typing on the door. "I didn't try to kill you."

"No, you just stabbed me with a fork..." Annalise scoffed as she wiped more tears from her face. "Please Mal, just go."

"What if he hits you next time?"

The question sparked a feeling inside of Annalise that caused her skin to go cold. Suddenly her hands were shaking. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about all those times you came home late or spoke your mind and Steve stood over you with a clinched fist," Malcolm replied. "I'm talking about him grabbing you by the arms and shaking you, screaming at you.."

"Stop it, Mal!" Annalise shot up from her spot on the side of the tub. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"We both know exactly what I'm talking about, Annie," he replied calmly. "How long until he finally snaps, hmm? Steve hates you..."

"No he doesn't..."

"He blames you for everything," Malcolm continued. "He blames you for what happened..."

"No, stop it Mal..."

But there was no letting up from the other side of the door. "He blames you for the accident. He thinks it's your fault for what happened to your mother..."

"Shut up!" Annalise suddenly lost control of her arms and began swinging wildly at the door. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

She attacked the door without reprieve for what could have been minutes until it was speckled red with her own blood. Malcolm's voice was muffled on the other side as Annalise could only hear herself hyperventilating. But his words became clearer as she caught her breath.

"Do you see how angry he's made you?" Malcolm said. "All these months of torment. Steve is just like Sawyer, Annie, maybe even worse. He makes you feel guilty about what happened, he wants you to feel guilty. It's okay to want him gone, you should want someone like that out of your life."

Annalise rotated her trembling hands, gazing at her bruised fingertips and bloody knuckles. What Malcolm was saying was...it was wrong in her head, she knew that. But she couldn't help but feel as though his motivations were right.

Her step-father had been like a demon ever since her mother died. He bullied her into blaming herself for everything wrong that ever happened in the house. He made her feel like she was crazy, like she didn't know what she was doing. Malcolm was right: Steve wasn't a good person and she had wished for him to just go away for so many months...

"Annie," Malcolm pleaded. "Annie, let me help you. Open the door. Please, Annie. Just open the door."

Annalise hesitated before reaching for the knob and pulling the door open.

Part 4