Posts by Laurel L. Russwurm

134

The leaves are a firey mix of red and gold alongside the daytime moon framed against a bright blue sky

Kate walks into the computer lab, settling into her usual spot between Oscar and Maggie. As she fires up her machine, Kate leans over to Maggie, “I just had the strangest lunch.” Kate says, quietly.

“Wait a minute. Isn’t this is lunch with Nick day? I don’t wanna hear anything kinky.”

Kate rolls her eyes. “The caf was a zoo so it was lunch with a whole herd.”

Maggie grins. “That’s why we went downtown. Much more civilized.”

“You may be better at planning than I am, Maggie, but I’m still better at digging up dirt.”

“Ooooh,” grins Maggie, “Sounds like I missed something good. What’s the scoop?”

Just then Jake and Krystal come in and Kate freezes. Maggie says, “What?” Following Kate’s line of sight she realizes the subject of the gossip has just entered.

Jake? The rapist? Hard to believe. No way. Impossible.

It’s got to be something else. Something with Krystal. How did Kate find out about Krystal? If anybody in CSIS had any brains, they’d be recruiting Kate. Begging her to sign on ’cause that girl would make an awesome spy.

Better keep it under wraps, it isn’t something Krystal needs spread around. Maggie taps her keyboard and Kate nods an acknowledgment. They can discuss it in a private IM chat.

Jake sets down Krystal’s laptop across the aisle in her usual spot beside Adam’s place. Maggie wonders where Adam is. It isn’t like him to miss class. This’d be his second time. What’s going on with that guy?

Krystal smiles brightly, “Thanks Jake.”

Jake says, “No problem,” with nonchalance belied by the tell tale grin spreading from ear to ear as he leaves the room.

Maggie sets up the chatroom while Kate settles in, firing off invites to Oscar and Kate to participate just as the professor makes her appearance. Krystal has been plugging in her laptop but looks up as Gates announces the class can use the time to do project work or meet with her for individual consultations.

As Gates settles in at her desk, Krystal roots through her bag and pulls our a tattered paper notebook and heads over to join the line that’s already forming She perches on an empty desk to reread some notes while she waits.

Maggie:
whazzup k8?

Kate:
You’ll never believe it. I had lunch with Adam + his pal Dave.

Oscar:
Right, Adam brought him along the other night.

Kate:
Dave has a weird story to tell. He grew up in a small town, everybody knows everybody, and kids from the nearby towns are bused to Walkerton for high school.

Maggie:
I hv work 2 do K8. This going somewhere?

Kate:
Big time. Seems a redhead named Chris from small town Paisley told people she was dying so they’d tell the guy she was hot for.

Maggie and Oscar exchange glances, then they all look over at Krystal talking to Professor Gates.
Oscar:
So he’d pity her and give her a tumble?

Maggie:
There’s never been any question that the blonde is out of a bottle. I thought it was a fashion statement not a disguise.

Oscar:
Jake argued with Jose whether it was real blonde.

Maggie:
Poor Jake.

Oscar:
What happened? She get the guy?

Kate:
Sort of worked, somebody told the guy, but instead of dating her he went to pray with her mom, and the mom set him straight.

Maggie:
Holy shit that’s… just…

Kate:
Sick?

Oscar:
Stupid, really. Y try it on again? Didn’t work the first time.

Maggie:
Different time, different place.

Kate:
Nick says this is way beyond a prank. Only a sociopath would try to pull a scam like this. Twice.

Maggie:
So Oscar told you?

Oscar:
Guilty

Maggie:
Just can’t keep a secret, can you Oz.

Kate:
Just as well. Y do u think Adam decided to cut.

Maggie:
Maybe this Dave guy is just trying to do her dirt?

Kate:
Can’t see any reason he’d have to lie.

Maggie:
Cold chills. I think I believe it. Need 2 hear it from her tho.

Kate:
I wanna confront her. This is my last class today

Oscar:
Can’t believe I fell for it.

Maggie:
It’s funny, we weren’t really friends until she was dying.

Oscar:
I rather doubt we were ever really friends at all.

Kate:
You guys believe it’s all been a lie? even without talking to her?

Maggie:
Yeah, I do.

Oscar:
How could you lie about something like this. Inconceivable.

Maggie:
You’d pretty much have to be a pathological liar to pull this off.

Kate:
Word Nick used was sociopath.

Maggie:
it’s not something that a friend would do, that’s for damn sure.

Kate:
She mustn’t think very highly of us.

Oscar:
I’ve helped her with a bloody lot of school work.

Kate:
Me too.

Maggie:
I guess between us we’re probably getting her pretty good marks.

Kate:
And poor Jake… it’s not just the mooning over her, he’s been like her servant, you know… She’s coming back. What now?

Maggie:
Shh then. Talk to her after class. I’m sure as shit am not leaving this room until I know for sure. And she isn’t either.

Oscar:
Sounds like a plan. Back to work kiddies.

Krystal resumes her seat and finishes setting up her work area. She glances at her friends, but they are all pretty wrapped up in what they’re doing.

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135

looking past a tree trunk into the autumn woods

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.

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136

a tangle of computer wires and cables

The computer class is breaking up and students are streaming out. Krystal is almost packed when she sees Oscar and Maggie with their heads bent together, already packed up. Oscar glances over at her, looking at her funny. OMG, he better not be thinking about hitting on her. She is so not into these pasty white geeks. Especially not arrogant jerks like Oz, thinks he’s so charming when he’s really only pretentious.

Kate slides into the seat usually occupied by Adam.

“What’s up?” Krystal asks Kate.

“Just wanted to ask you something.”

Kate glances around, pleased to see that the class has left them with the room to themselves.

“Sure. Just make it quick, I’ve got to get some stuff together for a meeting with my faculty adviser.”

Maggie nods her head. “It can be quick. I wanted to ask you…” Maggie studies Krystal’s face and decides to hit her with it full on. “How could you lie about dying?”

Kate notes that Krystal hasn’t even flinched.

Krystal says, “I didn’t lie to you. Why would anybody lie about something like that? You dragged it out of me, Maggie. And honestly, this isn’t in very good taste.”

Kate says, “Come on, Christine, if it didn’t work the first time why did you think it’d work this time?”

Krystal realizes the game is up. That fucking Dave. She knew he’d ruin everything. “It did work the first time. And it would have worked this time too if you boneheads would have told him. God what a bunch of losers I confided in.”

Maggie just stares at her in shock. “You… don’t think you did anything wrong.”

Krystal stares back. “Of course I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t take your money. I didn’t punch you out. All I did was take you into my confidence.”

“Yeah, it was a confidence trick alright,” agrees Maggie.

“No it wasn’t. I didn’t con you out of any money, I just I told you stuff that any real friend would have passed along to the man I loved as a kindness. But you couldn’t even get that right.”

Maggie just stares. “We were respecting your wishes.”

Krystal glares at her a minute before saying, “Bullshit. A real friend would have told Jose how awesome I was and how I needed him. A real friend would have helped me.”

Maggie shakes her head. “I guess you don’t understand respect. Any more than you understand about real friendship.”

Krystal laughs harshly. “You bitches just better be careful about spreading any slander about me. My Dad’s a lawyer and I’ll make sure you pay for it if you do.”

Maggie says, “The legal defense against slander is truth, and we have that on our side.”

Krystal glowers. “You think? I haven’t admitted a thing.”

“You told me that you were dying.” Maggie says.

“Isn’t everybody?”

“You said you had an inoperable brain tumor…”

Krystal stares at her. “Says you.”

“You did say that.”

Krystal laughs. “I think it would boil down to a classic case of she says she says in a court of law. It could go either way so you’d better not try it. My Dad would take you to the cleaners. Not that he’d get much out of you losers.”

Kate shakes her head ruefully. “Somehow, I have a hard time believing that. Especially since your mother busted you the last time. Even if your father really is a lawyer I doubt he’d risk his livelihood helping you commit perjury.”

“That shows how much you know.” Krystal stands up.

Maggie stands up too, staring at this woman she has lost sleep over, ached over, cared about, this woman she thought was a friend. Maggie says, “Do what you want, Krystal, Christine, whatever the hell your name is, but I won’t stand by and let you hurt anyone else with your lies.”

Krystal glares back defiantly. “You can’t make me leave Christie. I have the right to be here.”

“That’s up to you. But if I hear about you spreading any more lies I will bust you to the whole school. Understand?”

Krystal draws herself up. “You think? I got nothing to lose if I speak my mind. I might have to tell people about how Nick put the moves on me.”

Maggie is aghast at this threat but Kate laughs out loud. “Go go right ahead Christine. If you think you can find one person who’ll believe it more power to you. I think you’re just going to find yourself in a world of trouble girl.”

“You’re not such hot shit Kate. You’re just jealous of me.”

Kate snorts derisively, stepping closer to Krystal, getting in her face. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

“The only thing to ‘get’ is away from you losers.”

“You stepped over the line. You’ve been outed. Enough people know about your BS that any attempt at a smear campaign will backfire on you so big that you won’t have any choice but to leave the school. It might already be too late. You’re on probation. Step over the line and the sky will fall.”

Krystal glares at Kate. “You are so enjoying this.”

Kate grins, crossing her arms, “You know, I am, Christine. I am enjoying this.”

“What a bitch.” Krystal grabs her things and stomps out.

Maggie simply slumps back down into her chair. Kate turns to her friend. “Are you all right?”

“Yes. No. I guess … I guess I didn’t really believe it. Intellectually, yeah, sure. But emotionally? How could someone do something like that. I mean she is supposed to be our friend but it was all bullshit to get her the guy she wants? How could she do that?”

“Classic definition of a sociopath.” Kate says, “I think she made it pretty clear the only person she cares about is herself. We aren’t real to her.”

“You got that right. I saw it. But I still don’t hardly believe it. It’s incredible, she didn’t even really try to deny it.”

“She was expecting it, Maggie. I’ll bet you anything she saw Dave with Adam. That would explain why she skipped the meeting the other night. Lets just cut class. Go to a movie or something.”

“Or something. Hey, you know Stu said there’s supposed to be some great pinball palace downtown.”

“Pinball?”

“Yeah, they’re like really cool mechanical arcade games. They’re great ’cause you get to hit the machines.”

“That sounds cool. Where is this place.”

Oscar pops his head in. “Got it all.”

Kate looks up, “What?”

Grinning, Oscar says, “I made a surveillance video.”

“You recorded that?”

Oscar nods. “It may do no good in a court of law but it will provide excellent corroboration should Miss Krys try anything else.”

“We were thinking of calling it a day and going to play pinball. Wanna come?”

Oscar nods. “Sure. But first I think we need to find Jake.”

“Will he believe it?”

“He will when he sees the video.”

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137

a young woman's sad blue eyes, digitized

Jose looks down at Barbie’s form sprawled loosely on the muddy ground. She doesn’t look like much. He drops her stuff in the dirt and takes a seat on the stump. Feeling the stirrings of excitement. He lights a joint and watches her. He wants to take his time this time. Savor it.

He watches her breast rise and fall. Her breathing is regular. Bit of bruising on her neck, but nothing too bad. Mud in her hair. She’d hate that the most. Hell, she got off a lot easier than that red headed girl, and it was really Barbie he should have pounded that day.

He watches the smoke twist and writhe as it drifts upward, thinking that he can still walk away. Maybe she’d go to the cops. Maybe not though.

He looks at her face pressed in the mud. Clothes disheveled. Little bit of drool pooling in the corner of her mouth. This is the girl that’s had him tied up in knots for so long. So messed up he hasn’t been able to see straight for most of the semester.

He takes a deep drag and really looks at her. She was always happy to smoke his drugs but he always knew that she’d never really accept him. She’d never think he could be good enough for her. Golden girl. Princess. Cock tease. No account bitch is what she is. Doesn’t look so hot now.

He’s thinking he should maybe tie her up first. Immobilize her. He looks in her purse. All kinds of crap.

Not even dental floss. Gloves. Who knew the girl was such an idiot. Day as cold as this and her gloves are in her purse, not on her hands? Chocolate. Gum wrappers. Pantyhose? She’s wearing pantyhose why does she have more in her bag?

And the make up. Holy shit. The girl has a beauty parlor’s worth of crap in here. Perfume, paints, who knows what all these tubes and bottles are. Maybe when all the crap comes off she’s really a dog?

Thick wallet. Let the wallet go. Don’t touch it. He’s no fucking thief, no way. He upends the purse and watches with satisfaction as the wallet bounces and everything else spills out all over the ground. Tubes scattering, bottles bouncing, keys, a metal disk rolls away into a clump of dead wildflowers. Who gives a shit. He’s wearing his gloves. He’s no fool.

In fact, it’s a good thing he found out what an airhead this one was. Just think, he might have married the bitch and been stuck with her his whole life. She’s probably not even a real blonde like that Krystal. No way Jose. He grins to himself as he picks up her laptop bag, rifling though it. He drops the notebook computer into the dirt and pulls out the cables.

These ought to work.

Kneeling by her head, he grabs her under her armpits and drags her over to a sturdy young sapling at the edge of the little clearing. He wraps the power cord around one of Barbie’s wrists and then pulls her cold hand above her head. He looks at her face. Yeah, she’s still breathing. Just cold.

Stupid girl not to wear her gloves. He wraps the middle of the cord around a sapling and then pulls up her other wrist so he can bind it to the end. He gets up and goes back to the pile of girl crap laying beside the stump. He picks up the gloves, admiring the softness of the leather. Too small for him, for sure, but he thinks they might make a great gag. Keep her from making noise.

He looks over at her, with her arms stretched over her head like that, she’s certainly appealing. The coat is open, and the fabric of her dress is some kind of slippery shit. Doesn’t look warm. And look at those nipples poking up against the fabric. He reaches for the pantyhose, and carries it back to his dream girl. He runs his gloved finger along her lower lip and she shudders a little.

Tucking his finger into her mouth he pulls her jaw down and starts to push a glove into her open mouth when she spasms and her teeth clamp shut like a trap. Jesus, she almost bit his finger. He tries to open her mouth again but her eyes open.

Barbie’s icy blue eyes look at him.

“Jose, what…” she tries to sit up and she realizes that her wrists are bound. “Come on Jose, this isn’t a very good game. How about you untie me and we pretend none of this ever happened.”

“This isn’t a game Barbie.”

“Look, I didn’t mean to … give you the wrong idea, Lead you on, whatever. Jose. I really like you, I’ve always really liked you, it’s just, just, I’m just not ready to settle down. That’s all. I don’t want to end up married too young, that’s all.”

Jose crouches beside her. “You’ve played me all along. And then you just dump me like garbage. Is that what you think I am? Garbage?”

“No, of course not. I think you’re a great guy. Don’t you realize how much I like you? It’s not you that’s the problem, it’s me. Come on Jose, just help me up and we can start again, okay. Go get a cup of coffee. Sit down together and really talk about stuff, you know?”

“I think it’s too late for that.”

“Jose, come on, let’s give it a rest. Just untie me and….”

“And what?” asks Jose. “You’ll be my friend? No, Barbie, you were never my friend.”

“I promise I….”

Jose cuts her short with a short sharp blow to her midriff. As she gasps for air he stuffs the gloves into her mouth. She squirms as her breath comes back, trying to spit the gloves out while he in turn struggles to get the pantyhose tied around her head to hold the gloves in.

Barbie is wriggling sideways and pulling her knees up.

Jose realizes she’s trying to get her feet under her so she can stand. No way he’s letting her off that easy.

No way.

In a smooth motion he lets go the pantyhose ends and slams his palms squarely on her breasts. Shocked at the suddenness of the change in attack Barbie even stops trying to spit out the gloves for a moment, and Jose swings his leg over to straddle her.

Jose has been worried that he might not be able to get it up since his failure with Mouse, but his erection is enormous. Breathless again from his weight on her stomach, Barbie looks up at him in supplication. Now she knows his power.

With her pinned down he’s finally free to tie the god damn pantyhose. He can feel her subside as she realizes how helpless she actually is. Good. Oh, he thinks, this is so much better than the red head. The blonde goddess yields to him. What a rush.

He’s on fire, so he pulls his jacket off and casts it aside, then reaches down to unbutton her shiny blouse.

But the blouse is slippery, especially with gloves on, there is no way. Fuck it. Jose grabs the fabric and gives it a mighty yank.

Buttons pop off and roll away in the dirt. The blouse fabric slithers down her sides and out of his way, revealing a lacy little bra barely covering those amazing breasts that makes his heart race.

He bends down and rests his chest on hers in a parody of a hug as he forces his hands underneath her to unfasten the bra. He can feel her panting under him as her breast rises and falls, throbbing against his chest.

The snap gives and he’s about to sit back up when he feels an enormous searing pain in his shoulder, as if it’s on fire. He sits up and releases an agonized groan when the full load of pain hits. Glancing down he sees one of the gloves in the dirt, but the other one, now bloody, is still in her mouth.

She bit him.

Well, no more mister nice guy.

He rears back and punches her in the face.

He can feel the cheek bone give way and he smiles as her eyes flutter and roll back in her head. Jesus God he is dripping blood from his shoulder. First things first.

He needs to stop the blood. He looks at the pantyhose and decides they’ll have to do.

Jose pulls the damned pantyhose out from under her head again. After all the work to get it there in the first place.

Jose presses the big part against the ragged bite she’s ripped out of his shoulder then struggles to wind the legs around his arm. Although awkward to do with one hand he manages a rough knot and pulls it together by pulling one panty hose leg taut with his hand, the other with his teeth. Difficult but possible. This is starting to be more trouble than it’s worth.

He hits her in the face again.

That feels good.

Jose looks at the pathetic bra and grabs it but the damn thing doesn’t rip open, It stretches, He lets it go and it makes a satisfying sling shot thwapping sound as it snaps back against her skin. Jose can feel her body heat warming him where he straddles her. His excitement is rising as he punches her in the breast.

Again.

And again.

Suddenly he is hitting, beating, pummeling, bashing, striking, punching, slapping, rapping, pounding…

Blood is mixing with mud in the golden hair and he begins to sob quietly in counterpoint to the punches he’s delivering.
Why did she make him do this, he wonders.

She should have loved him and not been so selfish, he thinks, not for the first time.

Suddenly Jose feels strong hands grabbing his shoulders and pulling him backward off of Barbie.

As Jose is yanked to his feet the fingers connect with the bitten shoulder and Jose howls in agony. He whirls on his attacker with raised fists until he sees it’s Eric.

He relaxes and shakes his head. “Gee man, I almost took your head off. Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

Eric stares at Jose. “What are you doing?”

Jose shrugs, “You know Barbie has been giving me trouble. You can’t just let women stamp all over your heart, man. I mean after what Elsie did I think you can appreciate where I’m coming from here. We’ve just been working it out. You know how it is.”

Eric looks down at the twisted still form laying bound to the tree. The left side of her face is mush, and Eric can see that blood has been steadily oozing out of her ear for some time, forming a large puddle around her head.

Barbie’s bright blonde hair appears scarlet at the ends.

Eric kneels down beside her, looking for a flicker in her eyes, or the rise and fall of her chest. He feels for a pulse, but there isn’t any.

“Hey now,” Jose tells him, “Get your own girl, Eric. This one’s mine.”

“Jose,” Eric stands up and stares at him. “She’s dead.”

Jose shakes his head. “No, she’s just a little pissed off at me. The bitch is just punishing me is all. That’s one of the things we have to work out.”

Jose looks up at the sound of twigs breaking and leaves crackling and smiles.

“Hey Eric, there’s your girlfriend. Why don’t the two of you just run along and leave Barbie and me to work things out.”

Eric turns to see Amelia and Mouse pushing their way through the brush. Amelia and Eric make eye contact and Eric tries to signal her away but Mouse sees Jose and calls out, “Hey, Jose.”

But Mouse stops in mid stride as she takes in the bloody scratches on Jose’s face and Barbie’s limp form tied to the tree at his feet. Mouse lets out a blood curdling scream that splits the afternoon and seems to snap Jose out of his daze.

Jose tries to go around Eric, and although stunned by what he’s found, Eric holds up his hands, shoving his friend’s chest.

“What have you done? Jesus, Jose, you can’t just…”

But Jose pushes back. Eric stumbles backward, tripping over a tree root then falling down to end up sitting in the mud.

Jose ignores Eric, who stares stupidly up at him, Mouse weeping like a baby and Amelia dialing her cellphone.

Jose realizes there is only one course of action, so he scoops Barbie’s car keys off the ground. Fuck it, she won’t mind.

Since the students are ranged between him and the walkway, Jose opts for the path of least resistance and plunges the other way, into the underbrush. The woods gotta be easier than fighting his way through the assholes. Gotta get the car and take off.

Amelia watches him go, and she tells the police dispatcher where they are and that there’s a dead student here in the woods. Eric pulls himself to his feet and stumbles toward the girls. Mouse isn’t screaming any more but she’s crying. He pulls her into a hug.

Eric asks Amelia, “You called the cops?”

Amelia nods, “Yeah, now I’m calling the campus cops.”

“Okay, I’ll gonna call Boris.” While still cradling Mouse with one arm, Eric pulls out his cell with the other and fumbles one handed with the buttons.

“No.” Amelia says, “Don’t do that Eric.”

“I know you like Jose, but he’s gotta be stopped.”

“Not anymore. You think I give a shit about that rat bastard murderer Jose? He’s gotta be stopped but not by Boris.” Amelia starts toward him. “What do you think Bo would do if he caught the guy?”

“Oh shit. You’re right.” Eric disconnects, putting the phone away.

“We’ve been living with a monster.” Amelia shudders.

Eric looks stricken. “I can’t believe… that I could even know somebody who’d do this…”

“Maybe she’s just hurt…” says Mouse, but Eric emphatically shakes his head. Mouse looks at Barbie’s unnaturally still form in disbelief. “Are you sure?

Eric nods miserably. “Yeah, Mouse. I’m sure.”

Mouse starts wailing again, and Eric puts his hands on Mouse’s shoulders. “Hey Mouse, come on. Let’s get back to the path and wait for help to come.”

Amelia takes her hand. “Yeah. We have to go wait for them, so she doesn’t have to … to stay here.”

Mouse nods and pulls a handkerchief out of her pocket and scrubs her face with it, then follows Amelia. Mouse says, “Barbie is, Barbie was… she was so full of life always, you know?”

Eric looks at Barbie again, still trying to believe it himself. He tears his eyes away and follows his friends. They are all careful not to look back. Mouse snuffles as they struggle over the uneven mushy ground. “How could Jose do that? He said he loved her.”

“I don’t know Mouse. I guess he’s the rapist too.”

Mouse blanches, thinking about the time she spent with Jose and their one night stand.

But then Mouse hands Eric her handkerchief because he is weeping too.

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138

startled birds take flight in autumn

Jake climbs out from under the rough lean-to of branches he’s assembled to create the ‘hide’ he set up so he could photograph wildlife. The problem is that all the wild things took off when that girl screamed. He’s been dead still for probably ten minutes and there hasn’t been any sign of anything since.

But it’s just occurred to Jake that it might be another attack happening out there.

Right Now.

After all they never did catch the real rapist.

Jake starts back along the deer trail he followed to get to this spot. He’s pretty sure the scream came from this direction. The more he thinks about it, the more sure he is that that prick is actually attacking someone out there.

And the creep didn’t just rape Natasha, he beat the shit out of her too. Jake knows very well that he himself is not a big powerful guy. If he goes over there and tries to confront the rapist he could just as easily get beaten to a pulp.

Wouldn’t it be smarter, not to mention a better use of resources, simply to call the police? It would be a heck of a lot safer to get out of the woods and back to the Res where he can find help.

Somebody tough like Boris.

Until it hits him that might be Krystal getting attacked. Jake starts moving faster.

Then he starts to run.

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