by Rusty Kontos
“They just threw that away?” Nickole asked. She was amazed that the school would just throw something that good away.
“Well I guess so. It was just sitting in a box out at the back door.” Sally answered.
“What do you mean, you guess so?” Nickole asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“Look, I saw the janitor set it outside the door. I went
over and looked in the box after he went back inside. I saw “Old Bones” inside. I thought he would be great for the hide out. So, I took him to the shrubs on the other side of the school grounds and hid him there. I came back yesterday and brought him home.” Sally grinned wide.
“Did you ask anyone if you could have him?” Nickole asked.
“Hell no! It looked like they were throwing it away, so I took it.” Sally answered, annoyed with Nickole’s line of questioning.
“Sally, you don’t know that for sure without asking.” Nickole pointed out.
“So what! I took him and he is mine now. So what are you going to do, call the cops?” Sally snapped.
“Don’t be silly. I was just saying you should have asked first, that’s all. You don’t have to get mad.” Nickole explained.
“Look, if it will make you feel better, I will take Old Bones back after we get through with him.” Sally smiled.
“Well, we do need him. I guess it can’t hurt to borrow him for a while. But you got to promise, you will take him back.” Nickole said seriously.
“Okay, I promise.” Sally agreed.
The girls discussed how they were going to set up the hideout to scare off Sally’s big brother and his friends. They sat on the little front porch of the tree house. Their legs hanging over the side, swinging in a back and forth motion in unison. They watched as the sun was going down, bringing in the night.
“I really love it up here,” Nickole smiled.
“Yeah, me too.” Sally replied.
“I wish I could just stay up here every night,” Nickole sighed.
“Yeah, especially when your father kicks your ass,” Sally laughed.
“Sometimes I think he hates me...” Nickole said as she wiped a tear from her eyes.
“Aahhhh, he loves you. That’s how fathers act. Look
at my old man, he kicks my ass at least three times a week!” Sally said trying to cheer her up.
Nickole gave a little chuckle as she said, “That’s because you are always cussing. My father yells at me if I don’t get him something fast enough when he asks for it. I get the belt if he thinks I did something wrong, which is most of the time. I am blamed for stuff my little brother does. Even when he knows Paul did it, he beats me with the belt saying I should have kept Paul from doing it! He never gives me a hug or tells me he loves me. I kiss him on the cheek to tell him I love him and kiss him goodnight before I go to bed, and he just grunts.” Nickole said with sadness in her voice.
“Hey, I got a great idea! Why don’t we ask if we can sleep out here this weekend!” Sally said trying to get Nickole out of her sad mood.
“We could try, but it is getting chilly at night. You know, summer is gone.” Nickole pointed out.
“Well, we can try, can’t we? Come on, it will be fun!” Sally gave her that puppy dog look.
“Okay, I will ask, but I think Mama won’t let me, but I will try.” Nickole smiled.
“Great. I will see if I can get my mother to talk to your mother. Maybe that way she will say yes.” Sally said with a very confident voice. It’s getting dark, I
better get home or I won’t ever be able to ask if I get in trouble,” Nickole said as she reached for the ladder and climbed down from the tree house.
“Nickole, wait... did you hear that?” Sally said as she strained to hear.
“I didn’t hear a thing,” Nickole said as she froze on the ladder.
“SSshhhhhh, Sally whispered.”
Nickole snapped her head around as she heard what sounded like footsteps crunching the leaves in the bushes next to the tree house.
“Can you see anyone?” Sally asked as her heart pounded in her chest.
“No, wait a minute, yes, I see someone. They are moving towards the back alley,” Nickole said in a low voice.
“Can you see who it is?” Sally asked.
“No, it’s too dark,” Nickole whispered.
“Come on, let’s get to our houses.” Sally said
with a little panic in her voice.
“You don’ have to tell me twice. I will see you tomorrow.” Nickole said as she hurried down the ladder. She waited at the bottom of the ladder for Sally.
Sally’s feet were now on the ground. Then it hit her. “You know what?” I bet that was my stupid brother. He is trying to scare us!” Sally said with a little anger in her voice.
“Well, he did.” Nickole said with a little relief in her voice. Then they both broke out into laughter.
“He’s going to get his share of scare next week.” Sally said with a devilish grin on her face.
“I’m up for that,” Nickole said in full agreement with Sally.
“We better go home now. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Nickole said. She waved to Sally as she ran toward
the back porch of her house. Nickole ran through the gate that led into her back yard and went into her house. Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table sewing. She looked up as Nickole came in the back door.
“Oh there you are.” I thought I was going to have Paul go after you. Come over here, honey. I want you
to try this on,” Mary told her.
Nickole’s eyes lit up as she saw what her mother was holding up. “Oh Mama, it’s beautiful! It looks just like a real witch’s cape,” she said, as she was trying on the cape.
“I made the dress, too.” Her mother said smiling.
“Wow, I am going to look like a real witch!” Nickole beamed.
THROUGH THE COVER OF autumn night, he made his way back to his car parked a block away. He kept asking himself when he was ever going to get his chance to be alone with his lovely red head. “She is always with the black haired one,” he said aloud to himself as he lit up a cigarette. “Maybe I’ll just do them both. Nah, I don’t like the looks of the other one. She’s not my type. Just be patient, Mikey boy.” He said as he rubbed his crotch getting excited just thinking of his next victim.
He started his car and drove off, deciding he needed to satisfy his need for sex. He headed for the Green Lantern club in LaSalle. He arrived thirty minutes later at the club. He parked his car and went inside. The club was full of people. He sat down at the bar. “Hey Mikey, how you doin’? Long time no see.” The
young bartender said shaking his hand across the bar. “Where you been so long?” He asked.
“I’ve been busy, you know...” Mike answered.
“You want the usual?” The bartender asked.
“Yeah, whiskey, straight up.” Mike reached in his breast pocket and took out his wallet.
“First one is on the house,” the bartender said as he poured the whiskey.
“Thanks Pete. Hey, any dolls come in by themselves?” Mike said with a wide grin.
“Yeah, come to think of it, the table over in the corner, next to the band stand. You got six to choose from. Some kinda bridal bachelorette party. The big blonde is getting married tomorrow.” Pete told him.
Mike looked toward the women. He looked them over one by one. Out of the six, one caught his eye. She was a cute, small framed redhead in her early twenties. He felt a sudden urge as he stared at her full red lips and perfect white teeth. He had a few more drinks, then he got off the bar stool to leave.
“Hey Mike, you leaving so soon?” Pete asked.
“Yeah, I got an early day tomorrow. See you next time I get in.” Mike told him as he waved and headed toward the door. He went to his car, sat and watched the front door.
All the girls came out a little after midnight. They were laughing and hugging one another as they said their goodbyes. They all came in
separate cars except for the bride-to-be and two other girls. He was only
interested in the redhead with full lips. She had come alone. He was thrilled when he saw her go to her car by herself. He followed her out of the parking lot, humming a tune to himself. He stayed a safe distance behind her as she pulled into her driveway. He stopped his car at a safe distance down the street. He watched her as she went into a nice two-story house. Then he saw a porch light come on. He saw an older woman greet her at the front door.
“Damn,” he said to himself. He was disappointed that she did not live alone. He waited for about one hour before he quietly got out of his car. He walked toward the girl’s house. All lights were off. He figured they were all asleep. He slipped on a pair of gloves and took out his lock picks. Once he had the door opened, very quietly he went inside. He put his picks back in his coat pocket. Then he pulled off his shoes and undressed. He took out a gun from his overcoat pocket. He screwed the silencer onto the gun barrel. Then ever so quietly, he made his way up the stairs naked. He stopped by the first door, put his ear close to the door and listened for a moment. He could hear sounds of a man snoring and the heavy breathing of a woman in a deep sleep. He turned the doorknob and went into the bedroom where the man and his wife lay in their bed, unaware that someone else was in the room with them. He eased his way next to the bed. He put the gun to the man’s head and pulled the trigger. Then he shot the woman next to her dead husband.
He made his way to the next room. He found a young boy about twelve years old sleeping soundly. He put the gun to the boy’s head and fired. The boy’s body twitched a little, then became still. The next room he came to was the room of an elderly woman in her late seventies. He put the gun to her head and killed her.
Then he came to the last room. As he walked over to the bed, he could see from the moonlight that was coming through the window, that the red-haired woman was not alone in the bed. There was a little seven year-old girl lying next to her. It was her baby sister. He pulled the covers from the little girl, picked her up in his arms and carried her to her brother’s room. He laid her in bed, next to her dead brother; he then shot her in the head.
He went back to the young woman’s room. She had
not stirred in bed at all. She had a little too much to drink. He pulled the covers off her, and then he clamped his hand over her mouth. She opened her eyes in a fearful fright. She tried to scream, but couldn’t. She felt the cold steel of the gun barrel against her head. She could not move as she froze with fear when she felt his naked body on top of hers. He forced her legs apart and was inside of her in seconds. Then he started talking dirty to her as ripped through her body as he forced his large penis inside her. Ripping and tearing her flesh. She thought it would never end. Then he reached his climax. He got off her. She just laid there in a deep shock and bleeding.
“Well, I’ll be damned. I just got very lucky. I got myself a real virgin,” he said as he was searching in her dresser drawers for a pair of hose. He found a pair of her hose, and then he tied her hands to the bedpost.
He went downstairs where he left his clothes and took out his knife. He returned to her bedroom where he tortured her until after four in the morning, then killed her. He left the house unseen by anyone as went to his car, carrying a glass jar. He hummed quietly to himself as he drove away with his prize back to his hotel room in Chicago, where he kept all his trophies from his kills.
Frank Mooreland, his wife, Emma, along with their three children, Frank, Jr., Cynthia, and the oldest, Sherry, Frank’s mother, Agnes, all murdered in their beds. Frank’s boss came over to see why he had not come to work. Frank was a bus driver for twenty years and had never missed a day of work. Frank’s boss was the man that made the bloody discovery in the house.
The police were horrified at the crime scene. They had never had such a violent crime in their town.
SALLY SAT AT THE KITCHEN table buttering her toast. Her mother sat a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her. “Thank you, Mom.” Sally said politely.
“You are welcome, my dear.” Sally’s mother smiled.
“Mom may Nickole and I sleep in the treehouse this weekend?” Sally looked at her mother with begging eyes.
“No, you may not!” Her mother said firmly.
“Mom, why not?” Sally whined.
“I said no, and that’s final,” her mother said as she sat down at the table.
“Aww, Mom, it’s not too cold outside yet. We will have our big quilts. Pleeeassssseee!” Sally pleaded.
“It’s not that, baby. I don’t want you out there all alone while there is a lunatic on the loose. No, I’m
sorry, honey, but it is for your own good,” her mother told her with a deep concern in her voice.
“Oh Mom, are you talking about that guy who cut out that lady’s heart?” Sally groaned.
“Where did you hear that?” Her mother asked surprised that her child knew.
“Everyone knows. It is all over school. He ain’t going to cut out Nickole’s and my heart. He killed a grown up. We are just kids.” Sally said with a little smile.
“That is right. You are a child and I am a grown up. I am your mother and the answer is still no! One other thing, you do not use the word ain’t. There is no such word.” Her mother said.
“I tell you what I will let you do. You can stay out in the treehouse until suppertime. You will sleep in your bedroom. Nickole can stay over if her mother tells me it is okay. Is that fair enough?” Her mother said as she waited for Sally’s answer. “Okay,” Sally
agreed in a disappointed tone of voice.
“Have you decided what you are going to dress up like for Halloween yet?” Her mother asked, trying to change the subject.
“I’m not sure yet.” Sally answered.
“Well, you better make up your mind, Halloween is next week,” her mother replied. “Nickole’s mother has already finished her costume. So, if you want me to make you one, I need to know now.” She informed Sally.
“You don’t have to make anything for me this year. I am either going to be a hobo or Frankenstein. I can wear something old of Dad’s.” Sally said.
“That sounds good. But don’t you decide at the last minute if you need me to make something for you,” her mother chuckled.
“I promise, Mom. Will you ask Nickole’s mom if she can stay the weekend?” Sally asked as she gathered up her schoolbooks.
“I promise. Now you get going, you don’t want to be late for school,” her mother said as she gave Sally a
peck on the cheek.
“Bye Mom.” Sally called out the door.
“Bye, Sweetie. Have a good day!” Kate called out after Sally. Her mom was shaking her head, smiling as she cleaned off the breakfast dishes and washed them. When she had finished, she went over to visit Mary, and had coffee and sweet rolls with her.
The girls spent the weekend together. They spent the time during the day in the tree house, chatting away about all the things they would do on Halloween. How they would scare Sally’s big brother and his friends on that spook-filled night. On Saturday, they went to the movies and had a great day together. They sat in Sally’s bedroom chatting until almost one ‘o clock in the morning until they finally fell asleep. The next morning, Sally’s family joined Nickole’s family in church. The girls were tired from being up so late, but they made it through the day.
CHAPTER FOUR
Halloween was here. Nickole and Sally were full of excitement. They had just come from school where they spent the last half of the day celebrating a Halloween party. Now they were at home getting ready for their big Halloween night of begging for candy and the excitement was building to get to the old tool shack and rig up the items to scare Sally’s big brother, Danny and his teenage friends.
“I will go to my house and take my stuff to my room and get Old Bones and the other stuff we need. I will meet you back here. “We can go to the hide out together.” Sally said to Nickole.
�
�Okay, I will be ready to go when you are. I can hardly wait!” Nickole said with a little giggle of excitement in her voice.
“Me, too. I will see you in a few.” Sally called back to Nickole as she hurried for her house.
“In a few!” Nickole called back as she skipped up the back steps to her house. “Mama, I’m home!” Nickole called out as she ran up the staircase to her bedroom.
“Nickole, slow down! Don’t run on the stairs!” Her
mother called out from the bottom of the staircase.
Nickole threw her books, costume, and candy on her bed. She quickly changed from her school uniform into a pair of pink pedal pushers and a blouse with pink and white print. She slipped on her old play shoes and ran out of her bedroom. As she approached the stairs, she slowed down to a walk as she heard her mother again, “Nickole, don’t run on the stairs!”
“Yes Mama, I’m sorry.” Nickole said as she walked down the stairs.
“What is the big rush?” Her mother asked as she met Nickole at the bottom of the stairs.
“I have to meet Sally. We got’s lots of things to do before we go out beggin’.” Nickole said catching her breath.
“We have, and begging,” her mother corrected her choice of words.
“I’m sorry Mama, I just forgot.”
“I think you forgot more than proper grammar,” her mother smiled at her. Nickole gave her a puzzled look.
“I don’t understand? What else did I forget?” Nickole asked.
“Did you do all your chores?” her mother asked.
“No Mama, I thought I would do them later,” Nickole replied.
“No Sweetheart. You will do your chores first. Then you can go play with Sally,” her mother smiled as she pinched Nickole’s cheek playfully.
“But Mama, Sally will be waiting outside for me.” Nickole replied.
“That’s fine. You go out and tell her you have your chores to do. She can either wait for you until you finish your chores or come in and help you do them. But your chores come first, and play comes later.” Her mother said in a stern voice.
“Yes Mama.” Nickole said as she pouted a little. She went out the back door where Sally was just arriving on her bike, pulling her Radio Flyer wagon tied on the back with a rope. She had two boxes tied on the wagon. One had Old Bones in it, and the other had wire, tools, and an old oil lantern.
