Aidan welcomed the family inside with a smile. “I wasn’t expecting you this early,” he explained whilst staring at Tammy, his eyes digging into hers as a warning. “The bungalow isn’t ready just yet.”

A woman in her thirties stood behind him, followed by a man with a mustache and a small girl who couldn’t be much older than seven; all fair-haired and friendly.

“That’s alright,” the woman replied, patting her daughter on the back. “We don’t mind the mess.”

Aidan threw a glance at the small girl and frowned.

“Sure,” he said before shaking his head. “But, I was pulling the carpets up. I hardly think that’s safe.”

The woman sighed, making her disappointment clear.

A grunt sounded from behind her and the man, presumably her husband, made himself known, stepping forward with courage and a cigarette in his mouth.

“You don’t need to worry about Grace here,” he explained, pointing to his daughter. “She’s a good girl.”

Aidan glared at the man with hatred. He said nothing, but Tammy could tell he already despised him.

A cloud of smoke later, the man coughed. “You smoke?” he asked, offering Aidan a cigarette.

“No,” he shook his head, taking the freebie anyway. “Smoking is disgusting.”

The man stared at him for a minute before blowing another puff of smoke in Aidan’s face.

His wife frowned, placing her hands over her daughter's ears.

Not the brightest of people, Tammy thought.

What was she hoping? That her daughter wouldn’t be able to hear the smoke?

Tammy hid her laugh as she watched on.

“I’m sorry for being a bother,” the woman apologized, pushing her way ahead of her husband. “We don’t mind the mess and we’ll be out before Monday.”

Aidan took another look at the girl, then at the father who was still puffing smoke from his mouth. “Fine,” he mumbled before ushering them all out.

As soon as the door closed, Aidan let out his true self.

“That guy’s a jerk,” he complained, directing his comments towards Tammy, who quite frankly couldn’t care less.

Aidan continued his speech, rambling on about the same thing over and over again.

Over and over again.

Over and over again.

Over and over again.

“Are you even listening to me?!”

Tammy nodded, but she was lying. Because, somewhere deep inside her mind, a clock was ticking.

She knew she hadn’t much time. Soon, the family who were renting the bungalow would be gone, along with all hopes of freedom.

Realizing the lack of response, Aidan changed his focus. “You best not be thinking anything,” he told Tammy, waving the cigarette in her face.

Aidan threw a glance at the cigarette in his hand and snarled. “I don’t even smoke,” he huffed, wrapping his fingers around it angrily.

Then, silence.

Although she wasn’t watching, Tammy could feel his eyes on her and her stomach tightened, almost like a warning.

His words replayed in her head as she internally directed them back at him.

Aidan had somehow lit the cigarette using his cooker. Not the safest choice in the world, but Aidan wasn’t the safest person.

“Got to try these things,” he had told Tammy as he placed the cigarette to his lips and instantly began to choke.

In hindsight, Tammy wished she hadn’t laughed, but at the time, it was impossible not to.

“I’m sorry, is something funny?” Aidan asked once he caught his breath. “I think I’ve missed the joke.”

He hovered around her, his eyes switching between the cigarette and her lips.

“Your turn,” he suggested, holding the cig out.

Tammy shook her head, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “I left high school three years ago.”

He let out a small, sarcastic laugh as he brought the cigarette to her mouth. “No, seriously. Your turn.”

Tammy pushed his arm away, narrowly escaping catching herself with the lit end. “I’m not touching that,” she insisted.

A smile came over Aidan’s face as he twisted the burning cig in his hand, playing with it and taunting her.

Before she had a chance to move, Aidan snatched her hand, tipping the cigarette slightly and dragging her closer.

In less than a second, the lit end was jammed down into her palm and put out onto her flesh, creating a stinging sensation that radiated up her arm, starting with her hand and all of the way up into her chest.

Aidan smirked as he pushed the cig down further, causing another searing pain to shoot through her body.

“I’ve always hated smokers,” he muttered as the light went out.