Smoke Stack

by Andrew Gruse

  “Don’t move,” Zack said. “I’m getting you out of here. Everything will be ok, no one is getting killed.” Zack pulled out the Ka-Bar and cut the bindings around his wrists quickly. Derek lunged at Zack, still in fear and not trusting.

  Zack grabbed Derek. He tried to calm him while Derek struggled in a panic. He flailed his arms, but Zack held them down. “Shhh, shhh, it’s ok Derek, I’m getting you out of here,” Zack repeatedly said while Derek’s mind tried to understand what was happening.

  Finally, Derek stopped struggling. “Derek, I’m going to cut your legs loose, but you can’t run, do you understand?” Derek stared at Zack. “Derek, I’m here to get you out. Your grandmother hired me to find you. We are escaping here together,” Zack said.

  Derek didn’t blink.

  “Derek, I need you to tell me you understand what is going on. You can’t freak out after I cut your legs loose, got it? We don’t have time. We have to get out of here. Do you understand me?”

  Derek blinked, and his breathing slowed.

  “Say you understand.”

  “Why should I trust you?” Derek finally said as Zack moved towards Derek’s leg restraints to cut him loose.

  “Because if I wanted anything else, why would I cut you free?” Zack slashed the restraint on one leg, leaned over, and slashed the other. Derek didn’t move. “Can you walk?” Zack looked at the doorway then around the room. Derek’s clothes were piled in the corner.

  “DEREK!” Zack snapped at him. “Can you walk?”

  “I don’t know,” Derek answered shakily.

  Zack grabbed the pile of clothes and tossed them to Derek. “Get dressed. Hurry. I don’t know how much time we have before they come back.” He looked at Derek. “HURRY!”

  More importantly, I don’t know how much time I have before they get to Julie.

  CHAPTER 51

  Behind a thick shrub, two men crouched low. One picked up his phone and waited for an answer. He sheltered the phone with his hands, so no light escaped beyond his hidden face. Finally, an answer.

  “We’re in position. What’s the status?”

  “The backdoor is unlocked, and so are the windows upstairs. I got the coast clear. Get them out of there quick.”

  “Oh, we’ll be quick enough. Just keep Orb away from here. We don’t need any interruptions, got it?”

  “I got it. Don’t screw this up. Get them to the lair and stay put until you hear from me. The good thing is other than Orb, no one will notice them two being gone. I’ll take care of Orb.”

  “Good. Over and out. This is going to be fun.”

  “Just make it silent and quick. Out.”

  They crept closer to the house dressed in all black, blending with the night. “Hey, do yours quick. I’ll take the PI’s bitch. We get them to the forest, then I’m coming back to blow this thing.”

  The other man paused. “I’ll have to get back to work.”

  “Which will be perfect. Once the girls are in the forest, no one will ever see them again. You should be on the scene here, though. You can meet us later after you’re done with this.”

  “Got it. I’ve wanted to do this to that teacher bitch since day one. Uppity snob. She’s about to get hers.”

  * * * *

  Derek stood from the small single bed. The thin worn mattress provided little cushion at all, and the springs sagged in the middle. His stiff and damaged body showed the effects. Derek held the wall, stepped forward, but his legs collapsed. Zack caught his arm and steadied him again.

  “Take it slow, but not too slow,” Zack said.

  They reached the door. “How do we get out of here?” Derek asked.

  Zack knew the second he saw the electrical cables. “We follow the wires. My guess is they tapped the wires at the farmhouse. Just like water: follow the path of least resistance.”

  Derek screamed in terror.

  Zack looked, and there stood Pigface, rage on his face and the bat in his hands. He lunged back to swing, but Zack had already let go of Derek and fired a right uppercut into Pigface’s stomach. It felt like his fist buried a foot deep in Pigface’s stomach, but it did the job.

  Pigface gasped for air and buckled. Zack quickly shot his knee into Pigface’s round head, grabbed Pigface, spun him, and threw his head into the wall across the tunnel. Pigface fell to his knees, his butt in the air. Not wanting to deal with Pigface anymore, Zack stepped forward like a field goal kicker and launched the toe of his boot into the exposed underside of Pigface’s crotch.

  Pigface yelped, let out a short bark, and puked.

  “Damn, I wish Andre could see this. He’d be impressed,” Zack said. He turned to look for Derek.

  Derek’s legs returned. He bent over and grabbed the baseball bat. He walked next to Pigface and swung the bat into Pigface’s back. The thud didn’t make Zack feel better or worse. He didn’t care.

  Derek let out a scream and whacked Pigface again and again and again. The fat mound of disgusting human took each crack of the bat with an ‘ugh.’ Finally, Zack stopped Derek after the fourth hit.

  “You’ve hit for the cycle, we have to go,” Zack said. Derek fought off tears, caught his breath, and let go of the bat. Zack threw it down the hallway and grabbed Derek’s arm. “Come on. Quickly.”

  Derek was weakened, and Zack realized he had to carry him. Zack hoped the strength would come back and held Derek up, so Derek’s legs dragged on the ground. They followed the cables until they disappeared into the earth ceiling. The tunnel branched to the right. Zack followed with Derek still hanging on to Zack’s neck and dragging along. Finally, they reached the end, but there were stairs. Planks of uneven wood laid upon the earth in uneven unlevel stairs. Atop it was black. Zack stepped up the stairs until his shoulder was against the roof. He pushed. It moved. He pushed harder, and he felt it creak.

  Either the door was more substantial than necessary, or Zack was weaker. Zack knew he was weaker but wasn’t going to let an inanimate object best him. Zack stepped up another stair, lodged his back against the heavy lid, and with all his might, lifted the door. Finally, he felt fresh air.

  The smell invigorated him and relieved him. With a final push, Zack shoved the door all the way open, and it flopped against a tree. Zack wanted to tumble, but he thought of Julie. He stepped outside, grabbed Derek, and pulled him out into the forest. Dark. Windy. Rain imminent.

  But it was freedom.

  Zack fell to his knees and realized they were just as deep in the forest as he was before. He couldn’t see the farmhouse or the edge of the woods or anything in the black cloud-covered sky. His sense of direction was lost.

  “Where are we?” Derek asked. “Which way do we go? Where are we?”

  Zack remembered the flashlight. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to Derek. “Shine it on those trees. Tell me which side the moss is.”

  Derek shone the light on the trees around them. “This side. The moss is on this side. What does that mean?”

  Zack got to his feet. He was guessing that way was north based on the wind. He guessed right. “That means we go that way. Stay right behind me. Step for step, got it? This place is booby-trapped, and one wrong step could kill both of us,” Zack said.

  Derek nodded. “I don’t know if I can make it. I can barely stand.”

  Zack frowned. “Ok, we do it the hard way. You aren’t dying on my watch. Now let’s go.” Zack picked Derek up at the hips and draped him over his shoulder. Derek was light but still heavy for the weakened Zack. But Zack wasn’t giving up.

  * * * *

  In the town outside a restored magnificent Victorian house with a massive garage behind it, Sheriff Barney Orbison stepped out of his police vehicle and pulled up his belt. He knew who might be in the garage in front of him. William Bloom wasn’t one of them anymore. But he said enough.

  Orb walked up the driveway, aware that cameras showed his arrival. Anyone inside the garage knew he approached. Orb was at a disadvantage. He took a deep breath
and knocked on the side door of the garage.

  The door opened fully, not the typical partial opening like usual. Bruce Perks stood on the other side. “Orb, what brings you here?”

  Orb’s gaze passed Bruce, and he saw Fred Tipton and Hank Oldsby inside at the bar. “Bruce, I’m looking for Weber. Have you seen him?”

  Bruce shook his head. “What’s going on, Orb?”

  “I arrested Bloom this evening. It seems the school fire was more than an accident,” Orb said. He took a deep breath. “I don’t suppose any of you here know anything about that, do you?”

  Bruce looked serious, turned to look at Hank and Fred. “Why would you think that, Orb?”

  “Something tells me mild-mannered old Billy Bloom wouldn’t have the stones to do something like that himself,” Orb said.

  Bruce invited Orb inside. He walked behind the bar, poured a beer for Orb, and put it on the bar. Orb declined. Bruce drank from his own beer, put it down, and stared at Orb. “Are you insinuating something, Orb?”

  “No, I’m straight up asking if there’s anything you want to confess to.”

  Bruce stared a moment. All three men stared at Orb, exchanged looks, and laughed after Bruce smiled and laughed. “Well, I figure this is as good a time as any, Orb,” Bruce said. “Me and the boys on the town board have been talking. And we put it to a vote. We don’t think the town sheriff is acting in the best interest of the town of Clyde any longer.”

  “Is that what you’ve been talking about?” Orb nodded and looked at the three men.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry, Orb. But you know we brought you in because we liked your parents. Good people, loyal to Clyde. But, looking at events over the past week or so, it doesn’t seem we can trust our law enforcement to do the job.” Bruce drank his beer. “People are scared, Orb. Lost faith. Know what I mean? They have no confidence in you. So, as the mayor and with the total agreement of the town board, we decided it’s time to make a change.”

  “How convenient,” Orb said.

  “Now we expect you to turn in your badge and gun, pack your things and walk away. Oh, you’ll get a month’s severance for each year you had on the force and a good letter of recommendation to whoever you pursue your next opportunity with,” Bruce paused and swigged more beer. “As long as you see things our way and just kind of, you know, disappear quietly.”

  Orb smiled. “If not?”

  “Well, we’d hate to drag you through the mud and link you to anything illegal. But we have a town to look after. As they say, the sum is more important than the parts.”

  Orb nodded. He knew Stack and his girlfriend were right. “Ag Cen is that important, huh? You’re not concerned about the life of that boy or of the PI?”

  Bruce smiled. “The official letter from the board will be on your desk first thing tomorrow morning. Why don’t you take the night off? Enjoy yourself. Plan out your future.”

  Orb nodded. “You know what, Bruce? Until the morning, I’m still the law around here. And if carrying out my duties means screwing you and this town, then so be it.” Orb walked back to the door, put on his hat, and adjusted the bill. “Until then, I’d advise you to get a good lawyer. Every one of you is going to need it.”

  CHAPTER 52

  Julie looked at the clock again. Midnight. She felt cold and alone in bed. The ceiling fan spun slowly; the low hum almost therapeutic, but her mind couldn’t rest. Zack’s absence was too much. If he knew, he wouldn’t have left. He’d be here with me now. I should have told him. But how could I? Zack was adamantly opposed to the very idea. And now I can’t tell him because he’s gone. This was all my fault.

  She curled onto her side and tried not to sob, but it was of no use. She heard thunder rumble outside and a flash of lightning through the window. Julie knew sleep was another futile venture.

  The wine Molly offered looked good and smelled good. But she couldn’t drink it. She wasn’t going to risk it. And she wanted to be clear-minded when she finally received news about Zack.

  He’d come back to her because he promised her. She told herself that repeatedly that it would happen. She knew he would. Especially after what happened last fall. She knew it.

  She rolled over onto her back and folded her hands on her chest, below her breasts. Zack often napped like that, and it drove her crazy. Made him look like he was dead and placed like that as if in a casket at a showing. But again, she realized thinking of his idiosyncrasies relaxed her. Where is he?

  She heard a creak in the hallway. “Molly?” Julie asked. “Zack?” Another creak. She felt herself shake. Legitimate fear. The feeling terrified her. She remembered the gun in Zack’s bag beside the bed.

  She moved to get out of bed, but a person jumped on her, pinned her down, and covered her mouth. The covers hindered her movements. Lightning flashed again, and Julie’s fear came full circle. The feeling she felt after she was attacked by Senator Rosler, the terror, the agony, every awful emotion all overwhelmed her.

  A scrawny man with yellow teeth, wiry brown hair, and an evil grin on his face stared at her. She recognized him from earlier. Marvin, the electrician, held a knife in one hand and covered her mouth with the other. He reached over to the nightstand and flicked on a reading light.

  “I want to see you, woman,” he said in a soft yet terrifying voice. “And you’re going to see me,” he said. “You’re a pretty little outsider. Bet you're better than the townies.” Marvin grinned at her and took the six-inch shiny serrated knife blade and ran it along her nose, removed his hand from her mouth, traced the outline of her lips with the knife and ran it down her chin to her throat.

  Julie didn’t say anything.

  “You can scream, but no one will hear. We’re taking care of your bitch teacher friend downstairs right now. You can fight, but you’ll die on this bed if you do. I don’t care,” he said. “You special. It’s been a long time since I been with a woman. Not my favorite, but you a special bitch,” he grinned and leaned forward to lick the side of Julie’s face. “The best part is we have your boyfriend.” Marvin laughed. “I cracked him across his face. He deserved it. You two was warned to not interfere in our business. We don’t like no outsider, and now we are showing you how we handle them around here.” He licked her face again. “You taste good. Let me feel you.” He ripped down the covers. Julie resisted, but the knife pressed against her throat.

  “Ahh, ahh, ahh,” Marvin said. “You don’t want your pretty throat slit, do you?”

  “I don’t care if you kill me. You’re never going to have your way with me!”

  Marvin laughed. “Oh, you’re feisty, too, aren’t you?” His hand slowly went down her chest and cupped her breast. He squeezed and rubbed it. “People always are tough before the first slice of the blade. Then they plead and beg for their lives. All I want is to pleasure myself on you. Treat you like the whore you are. Do as I say, and you might survive all of this. You understand me, bitch?” Marvin squeezed her throat with his free hand while he moved the knife down her blouse and stopped at her stomach. “One wrong move and your guts will soak this bed to the floor.”

  Oh, God, please, no! Not that. This isn’t just for me anymore. Please, someone, help me!

  Marvin kept his hand on her throat and kissed her face, her neck, and her chest. He grabbed her tee-shirt, pulled it tight, and sliced through it. Marvin pressed the knife against her stomach. He moved the knife further down. He cut the band of her panties with the blade and laughed.

  “Ooh, damn, girl! You got yourself one hot body! And this,” he tapped her panties with the knife, “ooh, I like that. Not my cup of tea, but for you, I’ll make an exception.”

  Julie didn’t say anything. Marvin moved to his knees; the tip of the knife pressed hard against her abdomen above her torn panties. She trembled but wasn’t going to give this man the satisfaction of saying anything.

  “Now we can do this the hard way or the easy way,” Marvin said. “Either way, it’s happening. Or you’re going to die a painful death
. Your choice.”

  Julie turned her head. She could see the handle of the gun sticking partway out of the bag against the wall. Too far to reach. A tear formed in her eye, but again, she wasn’t going to give this guy the satisfaction. She understood what it was all about: power. Weasels like him thrived on it.

  Marvin grinned wider at her and undid his belt. She looked away. Julie had a choice, she knew it and understood it. But Julie couldn’t. She had to survive this.

  Marvin shoved his pants down just low enough to expose his genitals. “Look at me!” He demanded.

  Julie turned her head away. She didn’t want to look at the gun; if he saw it, that would give him more power. But she couldn’t not look.

  “I said, LOOK AT ME!” He pressed the knife against her abdomen. She could feel the sharp tip of the blade. “I want you to see the last piece of man you’ll ever gonna see.”

  Julie forced a smile and laughed. She knew she’d regret this. “You call that a piece of man? I’ve seen bigger earthworms.”

  Marvin’s grin disappeared into an angry sneer. “You’re gonna regret that, bitch!”

  They heard a scream from downstairs. It was from Molly.

  Marvin turned his head, listened for a moment, heard a crash and thump like someone was thrown into the wall. Then silence. He looked back at Julie and grinned again. “Sounds like that tasty little mouthy bitch downstairs fought back.”

  He forced himself between Julie’s legs. She struggled to keep her legs closed, but the man had a knife against her abdomen, ready to press it into her. She knew the initial wound may not kill her if she got to the hospital quick enough. But it wasn’t her she worried about.

  “And she lost,” Marvin said and laughed. He rubbed his penis to enlarge it while he watched Julie shake but not look at him. “This is gonna be fun,” he said. “Even if you’re a female. Time for me to see what the fuss is all about.”

  CHAPTER 53

  Marvin leaned forward, one hand on the knife, the other on his member as he tried to guide it between Julie’s tightly squeezed thighs. “Don’t fight it, baby,” he said.