by Chuck Buda
As they entered the doorway to the living room, Turner stared at the congealed dark stain along the carpet. His eyes rested on a man’s shape. The face and head were disfigured beyond recognition. He knew it had been Holden based on the fact it was his neighbor’s house. Plus the fair colored-skin and reddish mane of hair were enough to identify him. Turner felt relief wash over his body since the man who would want to kill him to avenge Leah could no longer come after him.
Rebecca.
Turner saw Rebecca and the state she was in.
He dropped to his knees and shrieked in agony.
Chapter 22
Zoe began to catch her breath. It had been a short jog from the park to the high school. It hadn’t been the distance that made it difficult. It had been the stealthiness. Even in the dark hours of night, several cars had driven along the main thoroughfares. Each time Zoe heard an engine approach or saw headlights in the distance, she forced herself to keep moving while clinging to the shadows to avoid detection. Zoe feared any one of the vehicles could be the authorities. Or worse.
Her friends.
Zoe required the surprise factor to ensure her success. If members of the group spied her, they would have the upper hand. The extra seconds before Zoe realized she had been made would allow the hunters to close the distance and, perhaps, corner her. On a battlefield of their choosing, rather than her own.
That wouldn’t suffice.
Zoe rested her hands on her hips. She slowed her breathing enough so she could speak without gasping. But she maintained her edge by allowing the adrenaline to continue pumping through her veins.
She saw movement out of the corner of her eye.
Zoe faded into the landscaping along the sidewalk to the building. She scurried up the Dogwood tree, narrowing her outline along the limbs.
She watched as the figures emerged from the tree line along the student parking lot. There were two figures. A tallish masculine build and a petite feminine figure.
Zoe grinned like a Cheshire cat. The couple was too far away to determine who it was. But her instincts informed her it was Todd and Jordyn.
Maybe she’s not so ditzy after all.
Zoe let them funnel through the empty parking spaces. She noticed they were careful to trail along the fence line and the landscaping as well. Zoe was proud of herself. She had put such fear into her friends, forcing them to tread carefully lest they walk into a trap.
They won’t avoid my trap anyway.
As Todd and Jordyn neared the Dogwood, Zoe decided to put her plan in motion. She mewed like a feral cat.
Todd and Jordyn froze in mid-step. Their heads looked up without finding Zoe.
“I wasn’t sure you would figure out my clue.”
Todd started forward, but Jordyn clutched his arm to hold him at bay. Zoe giggled to herself.
“This has to stop, Zoe.” Jordyn’s voice sounded throaty, as if she had been screaming at a concert. Raspy.
“It never should’ve gone this far. But Spencer pushed me.” Zoe paused. “He pushed all of us beyond our limits.”
“So you had nothing to do with it, huh? You fucking cunt.” Todd pointed an accusatory finger up the tree.
“Awww, Todd is mad. You should be mad at Spencer for turning a fun time into a bloodbath. I was as much a victim as you.”
“You’re fucking crazy, man. You killed Leah. And what about all that shit with Spencer and that speaking in tongues? You...”
Zoe cut Todd off. “I had to use what Spencer had taught me to protect myself. Against him. And Leah was collateral damage. The changes took over and I had no control of them once Spencer forced my hand.”
“We’re all fucked now, Zoe. You can run and hide but we’re all going to pay for this.” Jordyn folded her arms across her chest. “You have to come down and turn yourself in. With all of us.”
Zoe tilted her head back and laughed.
“Maybe she wants the other option.” Todd moved forward.
“And what option is that, Todd?”
“The one where I twist off your head and shit down your neck.”
Zoe purred. “Always mixing it up. What’s the matter, Todd? Are you all out of pimply-faced boys to beat up? Figure you’d try beating on some defenseless, weak women now?”
Jordyn restrained Todd. He spat at the base of the tree. “Why don’t you come down here and find out.”
Zoe smiled to herself. Her plan was working out perfectly. She had Todd angry and bordering on losing control. Now she needed to turn up the heat.
“You know, Todd. There’s still time to get away. Nobody knows where we are. We can all go our separate ways. Slip away to another place. Someplace where nobody knows about our sins. A place to start fresh.”
It was Todd’s turn to chuckle. “You actually believe that, Zoe? You can just put everything behind you and act like none of this happened? How would you live with yourself? How could you look yourself in the mirror? What lies would you tell yourself in the quiet moments?”
“Wow. Deep stuff. Who knew there was more than muscle and balls in that package?” Zoe mocked him. “I’m comfortable in my skin. It wasn’t easy finding my way. But insecure, immature high school emotions don’t matter to me anymore.” She scratched the tree bark with her fingernails. “Survival is all that matters.”
“I thought you craved the power.”
“We only crave what we want. What we need. I have the power now.”
Jordyn attempted to get Todd’s attention away from Zoe. Todd shoved Jordyn’s hand off his arm. Before he had a chance to verbalize his next volley, he began to apologize to Jordyn for touching her that way. Jordyn slumped like she felt heartbroken.
Zoe stepped right into the moment, taking advantage of the fortuitous spat.
“How did it feel?”
Todd and Jordyn turned back to Zoe.
“Huh?”
“I said, how did it feel?”
Todd sounded perplexed. “How did what feel?”
“How did it feel when you just threw Jordyn’s hands off you?”
Todd didn’t respond.
“It felt powerful, no? You felt the control. The surge of violence.”
Jordyn jumped in. “Don’t listen to her.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. Unapologetic life. Doing...being what you choose, when you choose it. No regrets.”
Zoe ignored the profanity that danced up the tree in her direction. Todd was becoming unhinged. He wanted to get his hands on Zoe. She had the high ground for now. Eventually, she would have to come down the tree to continue her wrath. But she would work her way down on her own terms. Once she had Todd and Jordyn where she wanted them.
And they were almost there.
Jordyn wrestled with Todd as he tried climbing the lower branches. She used her weight to keep him in place. Zoe enjoyed the scene. Todd foaming with rage. Jordyn playing the voice of reason.
Time to flip the script.
Zoe grinned and chuckled softly.
Chapter 23
Jordyn’s body ached. It had been a long night already. And here she was, fighting to keep Todd from making things worse. Their goal had been to find Zoe and stop her before she wreaked more havoc upon the town. Now, Jordyn felt drained. She no longer wanted to pay back Zoe’s violence. Instead, Jordyn wished the night would end. She was ready to give up and turn herself into the police.
“Why don’t you run off and enjoy your new life together.”
Jordyn felt Todd’s body release. The aggression dissipated as quickly as Zoe’s comment came out.
“It’s obvious to everyone. Except maybe you two.” Zoe’s voice drifted down from the tree. The torment in her tone no longer evident. It almost sounded as if Zoe were pleading with Todd and Jordyn.
Is she giving up?
“Jordyn, you’ve had feelings for Todd since second grade. Maybe even earlier.”
Jordyn reddened, thankful the darkness cloaked her embarrassment.
“No
w you have Todd. Take advantage. Go far away and never look back. You don’t need college. You have each other.”
Jordyn felt Todd’s eyes upon her. She looked into his eyes. Both breathing heavy from the struggle. Jordyn’s heart skipped a beat.
“We can’t. We can’t just run away now. They’re going to be looking for us. For what we’ve done.” Jordyn wished she could jump into Todd’s arms and walk off into the coming sunrise. Storybook endings weren’t real.
Todd brushed his hands off on his pants. Jordyn reached out and held one of his hands. She felt Todd give her fingers a reassuring squeeze.
“Yeah, you’re right. It wouldn’t have worked out anyway.”
Jordyn felt as if she had been slapped across the cheek. “What? Why?”
Zoe sighed. “It’s tragic. You love Todd with all your heart. And he has given himself to you.” Zoe paused. Jordyn wondered where Zoe was going with her new direction. “But he has feelings for someone else.”
Todd huffed. Jordyn felt his unease at her side. Jordyn grew agitated with Zoe’s bullshit. She began to re-think her stance on taking Zoe out.
“Todd has never been a one-woman kind of guy.”
Jordyn shot Todd a glance. He appeared to plead with her, his mouth open and his eyes begging her to ignore Zoe.
“You saw how he was with Leah. And your mother.”
Jordyn’s ire flared. She pictured Todd as he fucked her mother. The scene replayed in her mind. The thrusting. Todd’s hands all over her. It was Jordyn’s fault. She had placed her mother in between herself and the love of her life. All to get back at her mom for cheating on her father.
“That’s fucking low, Zoe.” Todd ran a hand through his hair. He clutched Jordyn’s shoulder. “Forget what happened.”
Jordyn wanted to believe Todd. But she was struggling to rid her memory of the orgies. The things Todd did with all of them. She was just a piece of ass to him, like all the others.
But he cares for me. I see it in his eyes. I felt it in his caresses. I’m more than just a fuck toy.
Don’t kid yourself. All eighteen-year-old guys are horn dogs. Pussy is pussy. He’ll leave you eventually. When your tits sag and your ass gets bigger.
Jordyn shook her head violently. “No. No!”
Zoe continued to pour gasoline on the fire. “Tell her what you told me, Todd.”
Todd gasped. “What? What did I tell you?”
“Remember? You said Jordyn was a great piece of meat but she wasn’t the type of woman you liked. You really liked someone more like me.”
“I never said that.” Todd turned to Jordyn. “She’s lying. You know what I think of her.”
Zoe laughed. “Classic. Trying to cover up the lies with more lies. You loved every minute we were together. Like a key in a lock. You loved being inside me. You always came back for seconds.”
Jordyn stomped her foot. “No! Shut up!”
“Jordyn, I swear. Who you gonna believe? Me? Or her? She’s trying to turn you against me.” Todd pointed up the tree. “I’m gonna fucking kill you, bitch.”
Jordyn circled the tree trunk. Everything was beginning to swirl. She felt dizzy. Sick to her stomach. Part of her brain suspected Zoe was trying to get her riled up. The other part of her mind reflected on the images of Todd and her mother. Both enjoying it way too much. Scenes of Zoe swallowing Todd’s seed. Their eyes meeting as she slurped up every drop. Todd’s intent to feed her every inch of his manhood. Jordyn squeezed her fists together.
“You gonna believe his shit over me? I’m your best friend since we were toddlers. We’ve been through everything together.”
“Shut the fuck up, bitch.”
Jordyn ignored Todd and Zoe. She knew it had been too good to be true. All her insecurities overflowed. She could never compete with the strength of someone like Zoe. And she would never be able to turn men to jelly like her mother could. Jordyn was pretty, but she was bland. Plain Jane. In the middle between drop dead beauty and a strong woman.
Todd grabbed Jordyn’s shoulders. He shook her out of her reverie. “Jordyn. Jordyn. Listen to me. She’s fucking with us. You know I care about you.”
Jordyn smiled through the tears which had been trickling down her face. Now she had the proof behind Zoe’s words. Todd had just said he cared about Jordyn. Brothers and sisters care about each other. Owners cared about their pet beagles. Friends cared about each other.
He doesn’t love me. If he did, he would have said he loved me.
Zoe was right.
Jordyn shoved Todd away from her. She screamed in his face. “You lied. You fucking lied to me.”
Zoe laughed within the dark tree top. Todd glanced up where the laughter came from. He swallowed and moved closer to Jordyn.
“Don’t do this. We need to stick together. It’s us against her. Remember?”
Jordyn shook her head. “I remember, Todd. I remember how I was never good enough for you. Until you were in trouble. Tonight.”
Todd held out his hands. “Jordyn. You know that’s not true. Please.”
Jordyn felt her eyes strain as if they were going to explode out of the sockets. The pressure behind them building with the rise in her blood pressure. Jordyn noticed the rage in her heart for the first time.
True rage. Something primal. An ancient aggression from within her reptilian cells. Latent and unevolved.
Waiting.
The time for it to be reborn had arrived.
Chapter 24
Aiden felt sick to his stomach. It had been hours since he had last eaten and the results of the evening’s violence churned in his gut. The bile threatened to reverse course up his throat. He took a deep breath and swallowed the distasteful tang.
Samantha sat along the curb. She continued to sob, her head lowered upon her arms, resting on her knees.
Aiden knew tonight had been harder on Samantha than anyone else. She had lost her baby. Her only daughter. A child she had carried in her womb for nine months. Someone she had helped nurture into a young adult.
And she was gone.
Aiden tried to shove away his own feelings of pain. He had lost Leah, too. But it wasn’t the same. It would never be the same as it was for Samantha.
Aiden pulled his cell phone out. He dialed Spencer’s number. The guy hadn’t checked in all night.
The line rang several times then went to voice mail.
Aiden hung up. He found Samantha looking up at him through sunken eyes.
“Trying to find out where everyone is.” He shrugged his shoulders as if apologizing for doing anything other than comforting her.
Aiden dialed Todd’s phone. He kicked a few pebbles on the macadam and paced in a circle as he waited for an answer. Again, he failed to reach his friends. No answer from Todd’s end either.
“What the hell? Everybody spends all their time glued to these friggin’ things. Now when I need them, I can’t find anyone.” He muttered under his breath. Aiden typed in Jordyn’s name. After J-O-R, he was rewarded with the pre-filled choice for her name. Aiden selected it and listened as the cell phone rang. Several rings and then voice mail. He almost tossed his phone across the darkened parking lot before he checked his temper.
“I think we should keep moving. Sitting here isn’t getting anything done. And nobody will pick up their phones.” Aiden scratched his head. “They’re either super busy on Zoe’s trail or...”
Aiden gulped at the words that threatened to end his last statement. His mind had concluded his friends could potentially be dead, like Ryan. The thought of such a possibility sent a chill down his spine. Could Zoe have gotten to the others like she had Ryan? Were they all dangling from trees or lying dead in their own blood, waiting to be discovered?
Aiden shivered.
Samantha wiped her runny nose. “I should go.”
Aiden gasped. “Go? Go where?”
“Home.”
Aiden moved closer to her. He read the anguish etched in Samantha’s skin. “Why? What are
you going to do?” He grabbed Samantha’s arms. “I need your help.”
Samantha pulled away from his clutch. She turned away, holding herself tightly. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea anymore.”
“What? I don’t understand. I thought you wanted revenge for what Zoe did to Leah?”
Samantha spun toward Aiden. Her anger painted across her face. “Maybe I’ve changed my mind. There’s been so much bloodshed already. Bringing more isn’t going to bring back my daughter.” Samantha screamed at Aiden before stifling herself with a hand.
Aiden huffed. He couldn’t believe Samantha’s change of mind. How could she go back home and sit on the sidelines while her daughter’s killer remained on the loose? How could she face her husband and son, knowing she hadn’t done everything possible to bring the killer to justice? And, if she went home, would she involve the police?
“You can’t leave me. If you go home, then I’m left to search for Zoe by myself.”
“You’re not alone. You have the rest of the group to help you. You don’t need me.”
Aiden felt the rush of his adrenaline heat up his skin. His face burned with hostility. “If you call the cops, Zoe might get away. And the rest of us go to jail. Is that what you want?”
Samantha laughed away her tears. “What I want has nothing to do with you and your little friends.”
“What about Leah?”
Aiden watched as the words cut through Samantha. She froze in place. He thought she began shaking like an Eskimo without a fur coat.
“How dare you. It’s because of you and your stupid little clique that my daughter is gone. Don’t you dare think you can pin this on me.” Samantha moved forward with aggression.
“I’m not.” Aiden ran his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. But you HAVE to help me. I can’t do this alone.”
They both stood in silence, the darkness clawing at their backs.
“Please. Help me find Zoe. Help me destroy the evil before it hurts someone else. We can’t stop now. There could be another Ryan...or Leah out there. We have to stop her before it’s too late.”
