by Amy Cross
“Okay,” Ricky said after a moment, “that was... unexpected.”
“It was my first kiss,” she told him. “Or at least, my first proper kiss. The first one I really wanted.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” he asked.
“The woods scare me,” she continued, looking past him and staring at the forest that bordered the road opposite her family's house. “Ever since I was a little girl, for as long as I can remember, I've looked out my bedroom window and wondered what might be living in there. I never see anything, but I always think I will when I take a look. When I was five or six, I crept out of the house one night and made myself go out there, just to face my fears. Somehow I'd managed to convince myself that it was safe, that everything was just in my head, but I got about five paces before I had to go running back home and...”
Her voice trailed off, before suddenly she opened the door and climbed out of the car.
“Thanks for a lovely night,” she said, pushing the door shut and leaning down to look back at him. “It was good to remind myself that there are people like you in the world.”
“We can do it again,” he replied. “How about tomorrow night?”
She shook her head.
“Got to go and see all your other boyfriends, huh?” he asked with a nervous smile.
“Something like that,” she told him, “and anyway, who said you were my boyfriend?”
“Oh yeah, sure... Sorry. Just a slip of the tongue.”
“Really?” she replied, suddenly seeming disappointed. “Is that all it was? A mistake? You don't want to be my boyfriend?”
“No! I mean...” He paused. “I don't know, do you think it was... I mean, uh...”
He swallowed hard.
“You're cute when you're confused,” she told him. “Cute as pie.”
With a smile, she turned and walked across the dark road, heading for the house. Ricky watched her as she made her way up the steps and into the front door, and finally he took a cigarette from his coat pocket and lit it. As he enjoyed a long, slow drag, he watched as a light blinked on at the rear of the house, and a few seconds later a car eased out of the driveway and turned right, heading off along the road.
Above, the stars still seemed brighter than ever.
***
“Seeing as it's your last time and all,” Michael said as he slammed the car door shut, “I figured it's only fair that we make the most of it. So instead of one hour, you're going to do four.”
“That wasn't the deal,” Rose replied, following him away from the car and toward the large barn at the rear of the Everham brothers' farm. “We agreed one more time, just a standard session. It's always been one hour.”
“We didn't go into specifics like that,” he told her, “and you know it. Besides, we were always talking about doing a longer performance some day, remember? You even said it yourself, you were up for the idea, so this is just gonna be you following through on your promise.” He stopped by the metal door at the side of the barn. “You have to keep your promises, Rose, 'cause you're only ever as good as your word. Haven't I taught you anything?”
“You've taught me lots of things,” she said darkly.
“That's my girl,” he added, patting her on the shoulder before knocking three times on the door. “Trust Daddy. Always. Anyway, you like the rough stuff.”
From inside, there was the sound of movement, followed by a series of clunking sounds as the locks were turned. Finally the door swung open and Scott Everham came into view, immediately muttering something unintelligible beneath his thick bushy beard as he stepped aside to let them enter.
“A pleasure, as always,” Michael told him, ushering Rose through the door.
Inside the barn, everything had been cleared away to leave a large, high-ceilinged space with a dusty concrete floor. A series of arc lights had been set up in the center, forming a kind of ring, while there was a rough-looking old bed shoved to one side along with a set of chairs and a bare wooden table. Cables snaked their way everywhere, running from the wall and connecting various monitors, cameras and assorted recording devices, while Scott's brother Luke Everham was sitting at a makeshift desk, typing something into a laptop.
“Almost ready,” Luke said as he glanced over at Michael. “I got your email, man, but it was a bit late to source some of the things you wanted. Turns out an old-fashioned cattle prod isn't easy to get hold of. Electric ones are no problem, but the one you specified -”
“As long as you got at least some of the things,” Michael replied, stopping at the desk and looking down at the laptop for a moment. “I don't want to plan tonight too much. Let's just start with a framework and keep the cameras rolling no matter what else happens, make sure it's fresh and spontaneous, you know?” He turned to Rose, who was hanging back by one of the cameras with a cautious look in her eyes. “Go with the flow, baby. That's the most important thing. Let's not hold back. Let's really follow our instincts and see where they lead us.”
“If we're really doing four hours tonight,” Luke continued, “the usual tapes won't be enough for continuous shooting.” He reached into a drawer and pulled out a disc. “I'm going to record everything onto one of these. This way, there won't be any breaks for tape-changing.”
“Don't screw anything up,” Michael told him. “I want every second captured. Believe me, we're all going to want to watch this over and over again when it's done. It's going to be an epic.”
“Relax. When have I ever made a mistake? I've been your tech guy for long enough, haven't I?” He looked at Rose for a moment. “Although I prefer it when I get a bit more involved. I figure with a four-hour show, you're gonna need a bit of cover. You know, to make sure you don't get too tired.”
“This is going to be our masterpiece,” Michael added, turning and walking over to Rose. With a warm smile, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “We've been building up to this one, Rose. This is the one we'll all look back on in years to come, the one we'll be so very proud of. Not that the other videos are going to be forgotten, though. I'll always enjoy watching them, even those first ones. Think about how many nights we've been here, how many times we've done this ever since you were...” He paused, as if the memories were almost overwhelming. “Do you remember the very first time I brought you here? Do you remember how small you were?”
“Yes,” she said darkly, “I do.”
“And do you remember how I had to show you what to do? It was all so new to you, but I held your hand and helped you, and I eased you in and eventually it really wasn't that frightening. Remember that? Remember how careful Daddy was to make sure you understood?”
She nodded.
“And all the other times since then... We've had some fun, haven't we?” There were tears in his eyes now, and finally he leaned closer and kissed the side of her face. “Are you sure this has to be the last time?” he whispered. “I can only protect you from the world if you're close to me. Don't you want to maybe leave open the possibility of -”
“You promised,” she said firmly.
“But we have so much fun.”
“You promised. Dad, you -”
“Don't call me that.”
“What do you -”
“Call me the other thing. The thing you know I like.”
“No.”
“Do it. And say it like you mean it.”
“I...” She paused. “I don't want to say it.”
“Oh, honey,” he whispered, holding her tighter, “you know how good it makes me feel. It sends a shiver right through me every time and it reminds me of when you were younger. Just say it one more time.”
“No.”
“Say it!”
“You promised this would be the last time,” she continued. “You have to stick to your word.”
“I guess,” he replied. “Your Mom's pregnant now, so maybe I won't need you so much longer. If you're not going to give me what I want, I'll have to find someone else, w
on't I?”
“No,” she hissed. “I mean... Daddy. I love you, Daddy.”
“Okay,” he said with a smile. “We'll play it by ear.” Taking a step back, he wiped away a tear. “For now we'll just have to do a really good one and go out with a bang, huh? I guess there's no point waiting any longer. Is the camera running?”
“Sure is,” Luke told him.
“No names. Remember that, it's important. And is all the other equipment ready?”
“Of course.”
“Then let's do this,” Michael continued, his voice trembling with emotion as he smiled at his daughter. “Pep-talk time. Let's go out in style, people! Let's really push closer to the edge than we've ever gone before. I know there are times when we sometimes hold back, but if this is the final time, we need to go out with a bang. Let's unleash the fullest force of our imaginations and our desires. And... And above all, people, let's all make sure we have fun! It's showtime!”
***
Sitting in his car, parked a few hundred meters back along the road, Ricky watched the barn as bright, almost blinding light continued to leak out through a few small gaps in the roof. He'd been watching for almost two hours now, and he still had absolutely no idea what the hell Rose was doing in there, but as he lit another cigarette he couldn't help wondering if it might be safe to go closer and take a look.
He knew she'd hate it if she felt he was trying to protect her, but still, he was worried.
Finally, opening the car door, he stepped out into the cold night.
As he got closer to the barn, he began to realize that he could hear voices from inside. He stopped at the point where the mud road turned off from the highway, and he listened for a moment to the muffled noises. Although he couldn't make out any particular words, he could tell that there were several voices, some of them raised and excited, some of them sounding more urgent. Now that he was closer to the building, he could also see that the light leaking out through the cracks in the roof was strangely warm and tinted red, almost like the lights that he remembered using for a few short films he and some friends had made a few years earlier.
Putting his cigarette out on the gate post, he dropped the stub and made his way forward, approaching the barn cautiously. The last thing he wanted was to intrude or to disrupt whatever Rose was doing; he was just worried about her, and he wanted to make sure that she was okay. Assuming he could listen in for a few minutes and make sure nothing untoward was happening, he figured he could go back to his car and head home. Even as he made his way around the side of the barn, he kept telling himself that his darker fears were almost certainly unfounded.
After all, this was Vantage. Nothing truly bad every happened in Vantage.
“Put them on properly!” a male voice could be heard hissing from inside the building. “Don't be a wimp, clamp them on all the way! No, not like that, look, like this. Really get the serrated edges into the skin. Do you think it's an accident I got the clamps with the biggest bite? There... see the blood? That's what I want! Now fix the other side like I showed you and let's not have any more stupidity.”
“Are you sure she's still -”
“Do what I tell you!” the male voice continued. “For God's sake, man! Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to try this! It might be my last chance!”
“She looks paler than usual,” said another voice. “Are you sure she didn't lose too much blood? Maybe we should let her rest for a few minutes. She seemed out of it. When she looked up at the lights, she was muttering about stars.”
“She's fine, look -”
With a slow sense of dread creeping through his body, Ricky stopped and listened to what sounded like human flesh being slapped several times, almost as if someone was being checked for consciousness.
“See?” the first male voice said after a moment. “Her eyes are opening, so she's fine! Her pupils are a little large, but that's nothing to worry about, it's probably just excitement. Now plug this in and stop wasting time!”
Ricky paused, his mind racing with possibilities. He wanted to believe that he was overreacting, that nothing like this could really be happening in a quiet town like Vantage, but at the same time he was starting to realize that he'd stumbled into something truly terrifying.
“Turn the current up,” the male voice continued. “Keep the camera running and really focus in tight here. I want to get every last bit of detail, really go in as close as you can on the skin and remember, she might jolt around a lot so you need to -”
Suddenly the night was broken by the sound of a horrified, panic-stricken scream coming from inside the building, followed by frantic voices arguing about what to do next. Frozen with fear for a few seconds, Ricky finally ran back around to the other side of the barn and tried to pull open the metal door he'd noticed earlier, only to find that it was locked. He turned the handle frantically, before banging on the front.
“Rose!” he shouted. “Let me in! Rose!”
The screaming continued, becoming more guttural after a moment, as if a hand had been clamped over her mouth. There were muffled voices now, as if people were panicking.
He tried the handle a couple more times before racing along the side of the building, desperately searching for another way to get inside as Rose continued to scream. In desperation, he tried to kick through the wall, only to find that the old barn seemed to have had its sides reinforced.
“Rose!” he shouted helplessly. “I'm going to get you out of there!”
Once he'd reached the far end, he stopped and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Bringing up the number for the Sheriff's office, he suddenly spotted movement back the way he'd just come, as the metal door swung open and a dark figure emerged from the blinding light inside. With the door open now, Rose's screams seemed even louder, as if her soul was being twisted in pain.
“Hey!” Ricky shouted, running toward the figure as he waited for someone to answer the phone. “What the hell are you doing to her, you -”
Before he could finish, the figure stepped forward and plunged a knife straight into Ricky's chest, piercing his heart perfectly. The phone flew from his hand and hit the wall before dropping down into the mud, and a voice called out from the speaker. Slowly, with a shocked look in his eyes, Ricky tried to say something, but all that came out of his mouth was a torrent of blood as he stared into the face of his killer. Finally, he slumped forward and the figure let go of the knife, allowing his lifeless body to fall to the ground.
From inside the barn, there was the sound of Rose's screams slowly dying down and becoming a kind of harrowed whimper until that, too, slipped into silence, followed by a man's voice calling for the camera to be kept running and for the lens to move closer.
Nearby, a voice was still shouting from Ricky's phone.
VII
Today
“Did you find it, Sheriff?”
“Good morning to you too,” Gorman replied as he limped across the road, with Michael hurrying to keep pace. Rain was still falling steadily, and the sky was rumbling as if the storm was waiting to return. Wincing at the pain in his hip, he was convinced he could feel the cold metal of the rods that had been inserted a few years ago after his accident. “No,” he continued, “I'm sorry, I'm still working on it. Don't worry, though, I'll get to the -”
“You've got to find it,” Michael hissed, stepping in front of him to bar his way. “It's been more than twelve hours! I mean, Jesus Christ, every second it's missing is another second when someone could be loading it up to watch! Don't you care about the fact that Rose is going to be humiliated all over again if anyone sees the video?”
“Michael -”
“It's out there!” he hissed. “Someone's got it, and why would they go to all the trouble of stealing it if they're not going to do something with it?”
“I've been following leads,” Gorman told him. “I'm sorry, there were a few false starts along the way but believe me, this situation has my full attention. Right now, a forensics
team from out of town is going over my office. Whoever broke in there, they have to have left something behind. A hair, or a flake of skin, or -”
“If anyone watches that disc,” Michael replied, interrupting him, “they'll know what happened to her!”
“I'm fully aware of -”
“And then there'll be questions,” he added, taking a step back as he stared at Gorman with a wild look in his eyes. “People are gonna start wondering what happened to Scott and Luke Everham, and to Ricky. Just because we know that the three of them were the ones who killed Rose, we can't assume that other people are going to see it the same way. If they realize what happened, they won't care that we were just trying to protect everyone from the truth. They'll come after us with everything they've got!”
“You don't need to lecture me on my duties and responsibilities,” Gorman replied, forcing himself to stay calm. “I know this is difficult for you -”
“You have no idea what this is like for me,” Michael shouted, taking a step back. “Believe me, you don't have a goddamn clue! To think of people out there watching that awful video, watching everything that happened to my poor little girl... You have to find it, and you have to find it today! You can't let people know. If Carey ever found out what happened to Rose, not just that she's dead but that she died in such a horrible way, it'd destroy her. This whole town would be torn apart! It's like we agreed, we have to protect everyone from the truth!”
“You can rely on me,” Gorman said firmly. “Have I ever let anyone down in Vantage?”
“There's a first time for everything.”
“I give you my word,” he continued, “that I will get that disc back, and this time I'm just going to go ahead and destroy the damn thing forever. I don't care what the consequences are for me, even if I end up having to resign or face charges for tampering with evidence, I'll... I'll put this right. I'll bury the truth deeper than ever.”
“You'd better,” Michael replied. “If that video gets out and people see what happened to her, it'll be your fault. You'll be as guilty as the men who did it to her in the first place! Just because she's gone, that doesn't mean we have to stop protecting her!”
