Melanie's Journey

by Michael Cross

  At the end of the competition Mark suggested we go out to dinner and forget about everything for a while and just relax. I liked that idea, but could not wait to tell him about the compliment I had received from my first round. I thought I could wait but I just blurted it out to him as quick as I could. Mark said he was impressed, which is exactly what I wanted to hear the most, and I thought I could share my self-examination with him later—most of it that is.

  We all went to the hotel to change, left in a hurry and parked the car near the state capitol. We planned on eating dinner, and then enjoy a walk around the central city area afterward as the weather was actually warm for being practically Halloween. We were up for a calm evening, or so we thought, yet fate would make it one of the most exciting that Nicole and I could ever have dreamed of.

  Chapter 15

  We had a nice dinner that evening at a little Mexican restaurant. I rather enjoyed the chance of being out, just the four of us. We left and just walked together around town. Salem is one of those pleasant little cities where you can walk around the state capitol, stroll through some parks and even walk down the business district with your friends and feel comfortable and safe. Mark and Daniel seemed to take turns joking around, often making us the targets of their humor, but I didn’t mind too much, well, when it was Mark, but Nicole, while quiet, seemed less amused.

  We all finally agreed to return to the hotel and started walking back to the parking lot where our journey had begun. For a while Daniel and Nicole dropped back to be together and so Mark and I were able to discuss how Salem was different than Eugene. It seemed so “middle America” while Eugene was something of a blend of life and lifestyles. He asked if I wanted to just drive down that evening for fun, but as it was nearly 10 pm and I said there wouldn’t be much to see except some 24 hour supermarkets. I told him I appreciated the offer though.

  Our walk had been long—it’s not until your return journey though that you start feeling your feet hurt, at least in dress shoes. We weren’t too far from the car when Daniel asked if anyone saw a public bathroom anywhere. Mark also commented on the need for such a convenience, but seeing no bathrooms anywhere they decided to take a trip behind some small shop and asked us to wait a minute.

  Nicole and I patiently waited for them to finish when, a moment later, a guy drove up in a big car and parked by the curb. I looked at the car and the occupant—the interior looked like something from a 1970s movie from where I stood and the driver looked like someone from a really bad rap music video. Nicole commented with extreme sarcasm, “Oh how really impressive.” Then the guy moved over in his front seat and opened his window.

  “Hey girls!” he called to us, “Looking for a good time… or giving it?” I thought the guy was pathetic but Nicole suddenly surprised me by walking up to the guy’s window and starting to talk with him!

  I couldn’t hear them clearly so I walked over to her and gave her a “What the…?” look. Nicole turned to me, smiled, and told me to do as she did and that now I could prove my acting ability. “What in the…what do you mean?” I asked to which she made a point to put on her cloves, motioning me to do likewise, I guess knowing I had a thin pair in my purse, and then said, “Not everything has to be planned my dearest, play along and this might be a more amusing night than you’d ever dreamed of.”

  I had no idea what was going on but I was hoping to see what she was up to. Then Mark and Daniel finally returned, after what seemed like an eternity, and they really looked confused. Mark actually seemed quite worried as well. I heard the guy in the car ask Nicole, “So, are those your men friends?” Nicole smiled at him and became extremely flirtatious, and then she looked around to see if anyone besides us were in the area. Her strange new persona became even more uncharacteristic of her. She started insulting Mark and Daniel, not really loud but enough for them to hear. Her words and voice both seemed to convey disgust at them—accusing them of being controlling and boring. As if to send out a code however she looked at Mark and said, “Our relationship is over! You hear me? Over! I planned to end everything later this evening anyway, but I wanted you to pay for one last, expensive date night you jerk!”

  Mark thought a second and it appeared to realize what was going on. He did not look too happy, but Daniel whispered something into his ear and then, after a moment of hesitation, started arguing with Nicole as if they had been a couple—later she would tell me he was trying to warn her not to do anything rash, or without a plan. She seemed unconcerned with what he had said. Daniel then came up to me and said that there was no way Nicole was going to alter whatever she had in mind, and that she knew the city really well, and I should go along with her. He rolled his eyes and asked me, “Just follow her lead and hopefully everything will turn out all right.” He then threw his hands up into the air as if he was frustrated with me. This was quite a drama I figured, but I looked, and I looked, but fortunately there was no audience. We were in an area where no businesses were open, and it was fairly dark—and the moon just coming over the horizon did not provide much light.

  Suddenly Nicole got really “mad” and took out a piece of paper and while writing yelled at Mark, “Here you SOB, here’s an IOU if you like for the necklace you bought me yesterday—maybe I’ll pay you back, and then again, don’t hold your breath!” This was now quite a show—it looked like a brawl was going to take place like in those reality police shows.

  Nicole grabbed my arm, drug me closer to her, and told Mark and Daniel to back off. The guy was noticeably amused and asked, “You girls need the company of a real man? I can take you away from these losers!” Of course his language was a bit more colorful, in the ghetto sort of way, but that was basically his message. He continued, “Go ahead and get into the car you sweat things and let’s go somewhere more interesting!” Nicole was noticeably breathing fast, as was I, but she showed no signs that she was acting at all. She merely asked me to not touch anything even with my gloves on.

  We got into the back seat and Nicole leaned over to the guy and asked if he knew where the old pioneer cemetery on road to the coast was. When he said he did, she asked him to drive there. “What the hell girl…are you totally crazy? Let’s go to my place and we can all have a night to remember!” Nicole laughed and said she had always had a fantasy about doing it in a deserted cemetery—at midnight with a guy and a girl. If he was not willing to help her out she told him in an arrogant tone “You can play my game or take us back to our dorms…your choice.” Our “friend” was only too eager to start driving out of town.

  Nicole asked him, “So, how many other girls do you employ?” He laughed, “I got several working right now—if the phone rings don’t worry, its just one giving their man some love and attention.” Nicole responded, “So could a couple of college girls make some money with you?” Our friend replied in a rather egoistic manner, “Hey woman, I ain’t paying you tonight.” Nicole replied, “No, you aren’t paying us, but I mean you know…I’ve always heard there’s money to be made!” He looked really happy, “Girls, you know you have to audition for the man and if I like what you have I’d be happy to open up some real opportunities to you!” I did not know Salem that well but we were heading away from the state capitol and the business district and were in the more residential area. I looked at Nicole and she smiled and winked and flung her hair back before looking at the driver again.

  I sat there wondering for the moment how I’d gotten into this situation—forgetting our little association and only seeing myself as a high school honors student in a car with a pimp, and driving out to what now seemed the most isolated place on earth once we were out in the country. To say my adrenaline levels were high would have been an understatement.

  We eventually drove off the main highway and parked in an isolated part of a dark back road. There was a hill which appeared to be the location of the small ancient cemetery. We all got out of the car and Nicole lead the way, me close to Nicole and our friend following behind. By now there was ample
light from the moon to illuminate our way through the surreal landscape.

  “You girls are really wackos—you know that, right?” Nicole answered him only by saying he had not seen anything yet—he responded with a laugh mixed with another obscenity. “Hey, here looks like a good place.” Nicole said as she found a clearing surrounded by headstones. “You sit here and wait—don’t do anything until we say you can, understand?” He said he did. Nicole continued with a commanding tone, “I have had this fantasy for a long time and that means I’m in charge—you grab? You move at all without being told, and you can spend the rest of the evening with yourself!” She then smiled, and walked to him with the confidence and style that could only be described as cat-like, came close to as if to kiss, but pulled away at the last minute. He responded in a deep voice, “You call the shots girl...you can be in control for now.”

  Nicole walked over to me and said in a low whisper not to worry at all, and that she had everything under control, and cautioned me that I had to play along or else it would be ruined. I said I would. Then Nicole looked at the guy and pointed to a flat grave marker that looked like a giant concrete domino and asked him to sit—he strutted over to it and complied with her wishes.

  At that point Nicole asked me to take off all my clothes and put them in a neat bundle over by another headstone she pointed at. It must have been evident I was going to protest as she took a domineering tone, “Bitch, get the clothes off or you’ll be sorry!” but she also nodded to me—she had something in mind, at least I hoped so. I began to undress, I did not even notice the coolness in the air at this point, and she likewise began removing her clothing. In just a couple of minutes there I was totally nude in a dark cemetery with the thought of “Now what?” The pimp made some sort of grunting noise and commented “Looking mighty good!”

  Nicole went over to the guy, giggled, put her finger on her lips and whispered, “shhhhhh” and reminded him not to do anything until she said he could. He agreed and then she walked over to the spot I had put my things, and finished stripping as well. My anxiety levels grew as I imagined all kinds of outcomes of this—and the last thing I wanted to do was lose my virginity to some disgusting pimp, yet I had faith that this was not what Nicole had in mind.

  She then came over to me, turned to him, and asked if he was having fun yet. “Oh, it’s looking real good girl, don’t let me stop you!” She then asked if he had any protection. He said he didn’t use that sort of thing, but Nicole said he needed it with us, and she would get some in her purse. After putting her purse on top of a gravestone next to her, she then told me in a soft voice, “Make this look real and it’ll work out just right.” And at that she firmly took my head with her hands in a “Don’t move just follow my lead” sort of manner, and started kissing me. I was stunned but in no position to protest—and at least her body was warm against mine. I remember thinking how totally awkward I was feeling kissing a girl, yet had to admit that while we were standing there it was very passionate. I was actually enjoying this new experience but at the same time I resented Nicole for that very reason.

  I lost track of my surroundings in those moments, and my inhibitions. I had never been kissed before and this intimacy felt forbidden but exciting at the same time. I could feel her breath on me and I opened my eyes momentarily to look upon her, and I remember I was thinking if I was doing it right. The moon illuminated Nicole’s face—her eyes were closed and it seemed she was lost in the passion of our embrace. I even thought about how innocent, how fragile, she looked at that moment. And what was going on in that mind of hers? I didn’t know why but at that moment I felt totally safe in her embrace and any concern for the immediate future disappeared—I felt the tension leave my body and I decided to enjoy the moment.

  After a couple of minutes she pulled away from me and turned to ask the pimp if he was having fun—he was quite enthusiastic that he was. She laughed and told him to be patient and then told him to get out of his clothes while she got out the protection. She started kissing me again and then stopped to whisper, “It’s time!” She then bent down and reached into her purse, and in a totally calm, and even graceful, manner she pulled out her gun, aimed it towards him, and as he almost had his clothes off, she started emptying bullets into his body. He tried to get up and run but he tripped on the pants around his legs. At this point she walked over to him and fired a couple more rounds into his back. When he rolled over and faced her, gasping for air, and with a terrified, desperate, look on his face she shot him twice more in the head. There was no reason to check his pulse.

  Nicole walked over to me, put the gun down, and embraced me and, in a soft but cheerful voice said, “Don’t worry, it worked out perfectly!” I was maybe in a bit of shock though. She looked around the area with a tiny key flashlight and I asked her, “What now?” She said we had to make sure there was nothing left behind that we didn’t want found. She also explained that we had been in little danger as he had been totally occupied with our activities, and once he started undressing the rest was easy. I asked what would have happened if the gun had jammed, to which she said she would have figured something out.

  Nicole shined the light on me and said, “Good, no blood splatter:” and then asked if she had any—surprisingly she only had a few drops on her legs which she cleaned off. She said she got the idea of removing clothing in a kill from reading about the axe-murderer Lizzy Borden. Blood stains on clothing can get you convicted real fast. In fact, even as I started dressing she waited to dress until she had scanned the entire area, and also undertake her rather ingenious plan to cover up any clues the cops might use when they found the body.

  Nicole first explained, “The one thing we have to do is make sure we leave no true evidence. Then we have to throw in a few things to mess up any investigation.” She then must have noticed I was still not as calm as her, “Look Melanie, pull yourself together—if we do this right there is no way anyone can connect us with this guy. Besides, there’s not much chance the cops are going to be all worried about a dead pimp.”

  As I realized she was right, and a lot more experienced at this, I got a hold of myself. “Okay, what do you want me to do?” I asked Nicole as she started going through her purse again. “Well, just wait….actually, look around and make sure we haven’t left anything and don’t leave any fingerprints on anything. Use one of those small branches from the bush over there and sweep any footprints—we were not here if you know what I mean.” I put my gloves back on and complied, but there were not many prints as the ground appeared particularly cold and hard, more so than the temperature of the air. Nothing could be left to chance though.

  “Now observe…the cops will look for any evidence they can, but we can throw them off pretty easily.” She took out a small sandwich bag from her purse and continued, “I was at the pool this summer and a little girl with bright red hair got it tangled up after showering. Her mother combed it out in the locker room and thankfully threw the strands onto the floor. I waited until everyone left, and then I picked up the tangled mess, rinsed it, and took it with me—never know when you might need such a thing.”

  She took the hair and then placed it around the still warm fingers of the dead guy. “There, now our friendly Salem Police officers will believe a struggle took place before the shooting.” I then replied, “And then they will be looking for a young woman with long red hair!” Nicole perked up and smiled, “Exactly! And even if they could get some DNA evidence from the hair it is highly unlikely the girl is in any of their crime records. This will be an expensive, and time-consuming dead-end lead.”

  Nicole put on her gloves and retrieved the guy’s wallet. She took all his money except for a 50 dollar bill which she rolled up like a cigarette and stuck it in his mouth. “Okay, when the cops come here they’ll find the hair, determine there was a struggle, and that some red head went psycho and killed him. The 50 dollar bill will seem symbolic of payment for a “service” so the cops will be convinced some prostitute di
d him in.”

  Nicole then took a piece of broken granite from a headstone and smashed it into his groin. “There, now the freaked out whore scenario is complete!” Nicole giggled a bit and then started getting dressed. She looked over everything once again and said, “Now the story is written of what happened here this evening…and it’s a great piece of fiction, but we are the only ones who know that.” She then finished dressing and motioned us towards his car, taking the original route just to make sure everything was perfect.

  I had not noticed but she had taken his keys as well as the money. When we got to the car she called Mark and Daniel and told them her plan—she seemed to be arguing with the person she was talking to, so I thought it was probably Daniel on the other end, and he probably was not happy. She hung up, looked at me, and rolled her eyes. Then she continued her mentoring.

  “Okay Melanie, here’s the only dangerous part—this car stands out in the country so let’s hope no rural sheriff is patrolling tonight.” At that realization I became a bit worried to say the least! “Daniel and I know of this great swimming hole close to here in which the water is really deep, so just in case we left any evidence in the car by mistake the water will erase it.” I supposed Nicole was sure nobody would go there this time of year and find the submerged car. Nicole joked, as we got into the car that she had never driven a big “pimp-mobile” before.

  As we drove for what seemed like an eternity of silence, occasionally punctuated by Nicole talking about how gross the guy was, we then turned down an old dirt logging road. After just a couple of minutes we arrived at our destination, a small black lake it seemed, and Nicole asked me to get out. “See? This is perfect. The road to the water is steep and the car will just glide in and sink.”