Tourniquet

by Chuck Buda

  And those who would stand in her way.

  Chapter 8

  She felt that it was all too easy.

  Zoe wondered why she hadn’t been able to control everyone like this before.

  The power.

  The blood.

  Zoe lapped up the flowing crimson as it ran in rivulets down Peter’s chest. Her mind traced the last few weeks. The First Cut had given her far more than she had bargained for. A silly fantasy had turned into her greatest achievement.

  It was all hers now.

  She felt the wetness running down her thigh. Zoe understood why businessmen and politicians craved the top of their professions. It wasn’t money. It had nothing to do with fame or glory.

  Power.

  Controlling the forces of nature around you.

  Sheep’s to slaughter.

  Zoe threw back her head and laughed. It tickled her to see so clearly now. The universe was simple, just as she had learned in physics class. Force. Action and reaction. Simple. He who controlled the force, controlled the reaction.

  She. Not he.

  Anger folded over her countenance, remembering how Spencer had tutored her to this point. Without his knowledge and guidance, Zoe wouldn’t have gotten here. It angered her to know she had needed him. She recalled a famous quote from Isaac Newton or some other tool from long ago. Standing on the shoulders of giants in order to see further than others. Spencer had been those shoulders, giving Zoe the power she so desperately craved.

  Zoe shrugged to herself. Regardless of his mentorship, Zoe was now the usurper. The one who would deliver the message. The chosen one.

  Her fingers crept between her legs in order to heighten the orgasm she felt closing in. The blood mixed with her own lubrication to provide easy access for her hands.

  Waste not want not, Zoe thought as she spied Peter’s erection. Even dead, his member stood against gravity. She climbed on top and inserted his still-warm flesh. Zoe ground her pelvis into the muscular lap of her meal.

  The distraction of how to take them all down staved off her orgasm. Should she round them all up for one maelstrom of destruction or pick them off one by one like a cheesy 80’s horror film? What to choose, what to choose. Ultimately, it would come down to convenience and what she stood to gain. Would the surge be stronger if she harnessed it all at once? Or would it build, layer upon layer, as she killed each one of them? And what about the cops? How could she do it without being caught? Certainly, the authorities would be hot on the trail. A killer on the loose in an upscale, bedroom community would be sure to gather a large dragnet. Local cops and the county sheriff. Probably the state police as well. Nothing would be held back in order to calm the fears of the wealthy citizens of this prestigious town.

  Zoe rocked back and forth. The sensations brought goose flesh to her legs.

  Even more reason to bring things to a head as soon as she could. Time would be a more formidable enemy than police or her dear old friends. The cloistering feel of the walls closing in around her made her nervous.

  And it brought her closer to the edge.

  She decided she would go after them one by one. She would leave bread crumbs, so they could come right to her. Leading the prey to the trap. Zoe could retain more control of the environment and the kills. Doing it all in one fell swoop would summon the end. Too much of a stage, calling attention and bringing the cops.

  The roiling in her belly traveled to her breasts. Her nipples perked, and the flush warmed her neck.

  One by one.

  Now she would have to figure out if she should cut off the head of the snake or pick off the low-hanging fruit first. Both had their merits. However, building up to the large payoff would increase her chances of unleashing the greatest amount of damage. And it would maximize her triumph over them all. Not just the losers she had called her friends at one time. But over the world.

  She came hard. Her hips bucked and writhed up and down. She swiveled and bounced upon the floppy corpse. A shiver ran up her spine and her fingertips tingled. Zoe pulled Peter’s hair and thrashed his lifeless head against the rest. Her breathing came in fits, gasping as the sensations loomed over her skin like a sea of ants.

  Zoe slumped against the washboard abs of her meal. She sniffed his essence and relaxed. Even though her body settled into the afterglow, Zoe’s mind continued to work. Time wouldn’t wait for her to enjoy each slaughter, so she had to make the best of it. Multi-task. Keep all plans in motion.

  She had a car and some clothes now. Zoe would have to improvise and use all of Peter’s belongings. At least, until the next conquest. Each battle would earn her new weapons and tools. Like a Roman warrior, she would keep the swords of the men she bested.

  Zoe used Peter’s slowing blood flow to paint her flesh. She needed battle paint. She struggled to free Peter’s garments in the tight confines of the car. It took some time, but she managed to wrestle off the clothing. The oversized shirt wasn’t as much of a problem as the jeans. Even with his belt, Zoe labored to keep the pants high enough on her hips to keep them from falling down.

  An idea sparked her interest. She realized how to drop her first bread crumb. And she had the perfect target for her next death. The path to her exalted glory laid out before her. Zoe chuckled again at how easy it all seemed. Her mind drew up the trail and the kills in the perfect order. Easy-peasy.

  She dragged Peter out of the car and slumped him against the back fender as she caught her breath. Like a hunter, she would use every bit of her kill. Nothing would be wasted. It would be a sin not to use the entire animal.

  Zoe stared at the stars above. Faint from the regional glow of New York City. But in stark contrast to the lampless dead end street. She couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the last time she would enjoy a brief moment of respite. Or if she would look back at this moment with fondness, from atop the pile of bodies that would bring her closer to her dark lord.

  Zoe reasoned it would be the second. She would rule over the living and the dead. Now she had to see to business. Zoe couldn’t wait to enjoy the spoils.

  Chapter 9

  Aiden hurried his pace to catch up with Ryan. His legs weren’t as long or strong as Ryan’s. He reached out his hand to halt Ryan by the shoulder.

  “Hold up. Shouldn’t we figure out where to look for Zoe instead of wandering around aimlessly?” Aiden took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves.

  Ryan ran a hand through his dark hair. Circling Aiden, Ryan kept moving his legs restlessly. “Todd wants us to stick to his plan.”

  “What if I don’t agree with his plan?” Aiden neared Ryan to force him to stand still. “I mean, it sounded good at the time. But now I’ve had a chance to think about it.”

  Ryan snorted. “Now you speak up, Poindexter?” His expression softened. “Sorry. What are you suggesting?”

  Aiden kicked a stone at his feet. He glanced around the neighborhood at the darkened windows, like gloomy eyes keeping morbid watch. “We can cover more ground in the car. It made sense for us to try to recreate her escape on foot, but we don’t know if she jumped in a car or met up with someone or...”

  Ryan laughed derisively. “Zoe doesn’t have anyone, dude. She is a loner. There’s no way she found someone else to take all her shit.”

  “Why not? We all did?” Aiden stated the painful truth. Ryan diverted his eyes. “Look, all I’m saying is we can save time by driving just like Todd and Jordyn.”

  They stood in silence, both boys trying to out-maneuver their quarry.

  “We need to think like Zoe.”

  Ryan chuckled. “How do we do that? Are you a fucking crazy bitch?”

  Aiden shook his head and held up his finger to prove his point. “No, but that would certainly help.” He rested his palm against his chin. “If you were Zoe, what would be your first move?”

  “I’d go hide someplace so I couldn’t be found. And I’d find clothes.”

  Aiden circled Ryan this time. “Not exactly. I don’
t think Zoe gives a shit about being dressed. She’s very comfortable with her nudity. I don’t think she would hide either.”

  “Are you fucking crazy? She’s not gonna go to the center of town and dance under the traffic lights.”

  “Ryan, you’re being too literal. I’m not saying she would be so obvious. But she would try to hide in plain sight. She can’t go home because that would be the first place we would look. So, she needs to stay on the move.”

  Ryan nodded as if Aiden’s thoughts made sense. “So, we just have to figure out where ‘plain sight’ would be.”

  Aiden sat on the curb. His leg muscles throbbed from all the adrenaline. He wanted to rid his mind of the distraction, so he could concentrate on getting into Zoe’s head. Ryan chided him for taking a break when time was critical. Aiden asked Ryan to sit down and be quiet for a moment. Ryan grudgingly went along with the request.

  His brain forced itself into dark corners, searching out the vile misdeeds and patterns of a sociopath. Aiden had no experience with this kind of situation, but he swore to himself he would avenge Leah’s murder.

  Leah.

  Tears filled Aiden’s eyes. He shook his head violently to focus his attention on Zoe. He would have plenty of time to grieve the love of his life later. Hopefully.

  Aiden dug deep. Where would Zoe go? More importantly, what does she need? If he could ascertain what Zoe was after, then he could back into her trail and her motives. What did Zoe want more than anything else? To control her friends. Worse, he reminded himself, she had rambled on about power and ruling everyone.

  What did that mean?

  Zoe wanted to overpower them, but she had failed. She had escaped, full of evil intentions and spells. The only way to take advantage of the...

  Aiden jumped off the curb. “I got it.”

  Ryan rose to meet Aiden’s gaze. His hands outstretched, begging for the answers Aiden had found.

  “Zoe needs to keep up her strength before it fades altogether.”

  Ryan blinked, a disappointed frown on his face.

  “The only way to maintain what she’s built is to keep it going.”

  Again, Ryan just blinked.

  “She has to kill more to feed the dark forces. That’s how Zoe will hide in plain sight.”

  “Dude, you’re totally confusing me here. So, she’s going to run around town killing people in the streets?”

  Aiden sighed. Without looking into Ryan’s eyes, Aiden responded. “Too literal, Ryan. Zoe is going to have to kill more people to finish what she has started. We just need to find the bodies.”

  “How the fuck do we do that? Do we get dogs from the police department?”

  Aiden grabbed Ryan’s shirt sleeve. “Come on. We need to get in the car and go now. You drive.” Aiden turned back in the direction they had traveled.

  Ryan complained behind Aiden, struggling to keep up with his pace this time. Aiden knew Zoe wanted to kill them all. She would either be coming for them one by one, or she would try to lead them to a place more conducive to a surprise attack. Zoe had to be smart enough to understand the group of friends didn’t do anything alone. They sure wouldn’t start now. Knowing this, Zoe would be forced to lure them into her snare to finish them off. And without getting caught. Aiden just had to find the clues. They would need to scour the area for people in trouble. Or worse. Dead.

  Aiden realized he silently wished he would find Zoe before the police did. He wanted to show Zoe what true evil was about. He would make her pay for what she had done to him and his friends. But most of all, for Leah. He found himself inventing new tortures and exotic methods of dealing Zoe her final blow.

  Who is the real demon? The killer? Or the one who is full of revenge in his heart and soul? Aiden ignored the holy war taking place in the recesses of his mind. God would judge him regardless of which path he ultimately chose. And that was fine by him.

  They reached Ryan’s car near Jordyn’s house. Aiden stole a glance at Leah’s house across the street. He wanted to ring the doorbell and inform Leah’s parents about the horrific news. The last thing he wanted for Leah was for them to learn of her death from the cops.

  They’ll find out soon enough, he reasoned. Aiden said a quick prayer as Ryan’s wheels chirped away from the curb in a hurry.

  Chapter 10

  At the center of town, red and blue lights flashed along the treetops, strobing creepy shadows along the street.

  Aiden tugged Ryan’s arm, imploring his friend to stop the car. Ryan obediently pulled along the parallel parking spots lining the shops. A vehicle straddled the dormant train tracks in the middle of the road. Both boys gulped and exchanged worried glances. Ryan parked, and they slowly exited the car. Keeping to the shadows along the trees dotting the municipal sidewalks, Aiden and Ryan neared the scene.

  Two police cruisers had the road blocked off from a couple of angles. An ambulance had pulled alongside the car parked on the tracks. A large truck with flashing lights arrived as they walked closer.

  Bergen County Sheriff. Crime Scene Unit. The stenciled letters drew attention to the fact that this wasn’t the scene of a car accident or a traffic stop. Something was seriously wrong.

  Two more Sheriff’s cruisers rushed into the area. Aiden signaled to Ryan to keep quiet as they looked on in suspense. Aiden wondered if this could be Zoe’s first clue. A shiver ran up his spine.

  Aiden jogged to a trellis adorning a tiny plotted lawn near the railroad tracks. He tried to see through the vines, but he was afraid to touch them, not knowing what kind of ivy was used.

  He strained his ears to see if he could pick up the chatter between the cops. It was difficult to make out everything, but he could piece some of it together. “Sick fuck.” “Killer.” “Hell to pay.” Aiden felt nauseated, knowing damn well he had stumbled upon Zoe’s trail. He had to find out more. There had to be a way he could get closer without the police catching him. Did they already know about Leah and what had happened? Were they looking for him and his friends? What if they assumed he was the culprit coming back to soak in the glory of his handiwork? What if they detained him for questioning? Then he would have to spill the beans and confess to everything The First Cut had been involved in. The role they had played in Leah’s death.

  Before Aiden could make a move, Ryan brushed against his shoulder. Aiden startled as he had been lost inside his head. He hadn’t heard Ryan’s approach. Aiden let out a deep breath to calm his nerves.

  “Think it was her?” Ryan’s voice quivered with fear. Aiden strained to see better.

  “Hard to tell. But my gut tells me this is too much of a coincidence. It has to be Zoe.”

  Aiden knew Zoe would be hell bent on maximizing her strength. She was power hungry, and the blood fed her energy. His stomach groaned with disgust at the limits to which Zoe was willing to take things.

  She’s fucking crazy.

  Aiden held up his finger to signal Ryan to wait where he was. Ryan nodded. Aiden glanced around and hustled over to a row of benches along the sidewalk. Within nearly fifty feet, Aiden took in the grisly scene. He bit back the vomit that threatened to announce his presence to the authorities. Aiden laid prone on the wooden bench, so he would remain out of sight.

  He peeked through the wooden slats of the bench.

  The old car was lit up by the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles. One of the police cars had its spotlight trained on the front of the abandoned car.

  A bloodied body stretched out along the hood of the car. It was nude and clearly a male. The erect member stood at full mast, reminding Aiden of the sickening pictures on the internet of dead men. Angel lust. At least, that’s what the captions read. Apparently, some dead bodies achieved erections in their state of rigor. Angel lust.

  Aiden swallowed more bile.

  The body was soaked in blood. It looked as if it had been painted in a blackened color. The sickest part was the missing head. Not quite missing. Aiden knew where the head was. It just wasn’t attach
ed to the body it had come from anymore.

  The head adorned the hood, positioned between the spread-eagled legs of the victim.

  Stuck on the hood ornament.

  The face tortured in an expression of anguish. Eyes wide open. Mouth twisted in a scream. Sticky dried blood styled the hair as if the wind still breezed through it.

  So much blood. Everything was covered in crimson. The windshield was splashed over in gore. Rivers of blood had flowed down the hood, cascading over the chrome bumper and grill.

  “We gotta get a grip on this before word gets out. DeVincenzo wants us to leave no stone unturned. Already spoke with the chiefs in Cresskill and Dumont. Everyone is on high alert.”

  Aiden closed his eyes and listened to the officers discuss the crime. The darkness behind his eyelids was a welcome respite from the horrors before him. Yet, the scenery replayed in his mind’s eye.

  From the conversation, Aiden determined the police were unaware of Leah and what all his friends had been involved in. They were treating the murder as a standalone event. No mention of related calls.

  Aiden felt relieved. If the authorities had no clue about Zoe and Leah, then it gave him more time to hunt her down. The only question remained, how quickly could he get to Zoe before more people died? He gasped at the thought of this hunt going on for days and he worried he didn’t have the energy to follow it through to its conclusion.

  “Did you hear something?”

  One of the cops shined a flashlight in Aiden’s direction. He squeezed himself into the wood as much as he could. The other cops responded in the negative. The flashlight beam which had licked the bench and sidewalk clicked off.

  This time, Aiden sighed quietly.

  He waited a few more minutes and then slinked back to the trellis where Ryan waited for him.

  “Well?”

  Aiden held up a finger to silence Ryan. He clutched Ryan’s arm and pulled his friend along, back to the parked car. Safely inside, Aiden answered Ryan.