Although quite close to the roadway, the traffic noise is almost nonexistent due to the thick stand of trees. The path meanders through the woods, interspersed every so often with concrete stanchions bearing street lights. Even with cast off leaves providing a colorful carpet there’s still more than enough evergreen stuff to muffle sound. Except for the occasional crunching as people hurry along the path.
At least the stump is still here.
Oh look, all the cigarette butts have been cleaned up. Very thoughtful of the police. Still, given a choice. he’d be anywhere but here. But there really isn’t a choice.
Resting his elbows on his knees deep in the forest shadow he takes a drag on the joint he lit just a moment ago. He hears giggling and tenses but then relaxes. Just a bunch of girls.
He doesn’t want them. He only needs one. Just one. The one that’s got him by the balls and won’t let go. He draws on the joint, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs and letting it out slow, watching expelled smoke drift upward through the trees. Not too much foot traffic. It’s getting too cold. He rocks a little, rubs his arms. She should be along momentarily.
After all, it’s skive Thursday. Barbie always did cut the last class so she could get her salon hit. A girl needs to get her nails done.
He is breathing heavily now, the corners of his mouth twitching as he waits. The spliff is done. He carefully stubs it out on an empty matchbook, then places it in an envelope in his inside breast pocket.
Looking down, he sees they haven’t just swept, they’ve scraped off a layer of dirt from around the tree stump. He scuffs the bits of ash into the dirt. No DNA from ash. He smiles, tucking his hands into his armpits.
Footsteps. Glancing at his watch he knows it could be her. No talking. It isn’t like she has friends. An entourage maybe. Fans. High heels clattering. Good. He stands up. He can see her beautiful golden hair, floating in a cloud. Never dressed warmly enough for the weather. She goes around the curve of the path and he steps forward to follow her.
He’s ready. He knows it’s now or never. Increasing speed, closing the gap between them. He can tell just when she hears him, she tenses and increases her speed just a little. He smiles. How fast can you go in those stupid shoes though.
As he continues to close the gap he watches the way the heels make her butt move. Sensual.
Maybe that’s all it was. Shoes.
Suddenly she stops, and whirls around to face him, Her hand is extended toward him, arm straight. What has she got pointed at him… oh, mace. Time to play. He stops. Draws back, raises his hands in mock surrender.
“Hey, it’s just me.” he says. She lowers her hand, looking over at him.
Barbie shakes her head at her foolishness when she recognizes him. She smiles an automatic greeting. Good. She feels foolish. Guilty. Use it.
“Where are you going?” asks Barbie.
“I’m just starting a part time job. Um, could I…..?” He wiggles his hands above his head, reminding her she has the drop on him.
“Oh sorry, Jose.” Barbie grins. “Sorry, you gave me a scare.” She stuffs the mace tube in her pocket.
He shakes his head. “That’s okay. I gotta hurry if I’m gonna make the bus.” He fingers the scarf in his pocket as he starts to pass her, but she reaches up and touches him.
“I can give you a ride.”
He stops and turns to face her. “Okay.” He can feel his heart pounding. He looks down at her. She’s smiling up at him, lips parted. She’s so beautiful he can hardly breathe. He places his hands on her shoulders and bends down and kisses her. She responds with a passion that overwhelms him and for one brief shining moment it is enough.
The kiss deepens and she closes her eyes and pushes in closer to him, rubbing her body against his, hard, like an animal in heat. He’s tempted. Last week it would have been everything.
Not anymore. His hands slide across her shoulders and encircle her neck. Her eyes fly open when he starts to squeeze.
He can see the terror in her eyes… she has learned enough anatomy to know that this pressure will at the least render her unconscious.
He feels the power as he continues the kiss, but now it’s lost all pretense; it’s an honest straightforward violation as his lips block her mouth from screaming and his tongue retracts from the attack launched by her teeth.
Still, he maintains the pressure, keeping her mouth sealed. He notices that her hands have been scrabbling at him. The impacts of her ineffectual fists are muffled by the thickness of his coat. She tries to kick him, twist, pull away but he can see that she knows she’s losing it here… she is not getting enough air… her resistance is waning, her strength trickling away.
He feels triumphant as her ungloved hands flutter up toward him in supplication. He’s starting to smile when the fluttering hands transform into talons and rake the sides of his face. The sting is sharp, he can feel wetness on his cheek. Grimly he tightens his grip ignoring the pain and she slumps. Finally. He opens his hands allowing her to slip through his fingers, and fall into a rag doll sprawl in the mud.
He looks down at her laying there, legs splayed, skirt hiked up, undone jacket only partially covering her. He runs his palms down his cheeks and comes away bloody.
Bitch scratched him.
He kneels and slides his hands under her armpits, trying to get a grip, but at best it’s an awkward embrace. This won’t work. Instead, moves around to her side, sliding one arm under her neck, and the other under her butt.
Bracing himself he takes a deep breath and lifts. Once standing it’s not so bad. Still, they make this shit look so much easier in the movies. She smells just as good as ever, even if she looks a mess.
He stares at the woman cradled in his arms. She shudders and sucks in a breath. Not dead then. But still unconscious.
Good. Gotta get her off the path. For a brief moment he thinks he should have gone with her to her car. It’s too far now. She’s much heavier than he thought.
Back to plan A. He carries her dead weight off the path and back into the bushes. He lays her down on the clean patch by the stump, but he knows this is much too close to the path.
But first he has to clean up.
Jose hurries back to the walkway and gathers up her purse and her laptop. Some of the vegetation is looking a little too smashed so he gives it a bit of a fluff up with his toe before carrying her things back to be deposited on the stump.
