by J. A. Howell
Instead, he turned and walked back to the SUV. I rolled onto my stomach, biting my lip to suppress the cries of pain that threatened to escape. I pulled myself up to my knees, leaning on my good hand before Jackson kicked me in the jaw, sending me flat on my back once more.
“Who’s pathetic now, bitch? Huh, Harley?” His hand gripped my jaw as he slammed my head back against the ground hard enough for me to see stars. I stared up into the darkening sky in a stunned daze. It was a beautiful night. It reminded me of the night I sat at my window painting. The pinks and the grays. The belief that I had finally escaped. Everything felt so distant now. I squeezed my eyes shut as the tears threatened. I won’t give him that. Not again.
Another sharp kick sent a jolt of pain through my ribcage.
“Who’s fucking pathetic now, Harley?”
I grinned as blood dribbled from the side of me mouth. “Still you.”
“Fucking cunt!”
A second later I heard a horrific snap accompanied by excruciating pain as a sledgehammer came down on my thigh and bone ripped through my skin. I screamed, the sound foreign and wild as it left my throat. Jackson tossed the sledgehammer back towards the SUV and stood over me as I writhed in pain. A satisfied smirk crossed his face and he licked his lips. With every bit of strength I had, I pulled myself onto my elbows and tried to slide myself away from him. I knew it was in vain but I refused to give up. I slid my back against the snow as the bones in my thigh scraped against each other and sent shooting bolts of pain through my leg.
“Really sweetheart, where do you think you’re going? You can’t get away. Still, I do love watching you try. Just like the other girls.” I watched Jackson pull a knife from his pocket and flip the switchblade open as he came towards me. In one swift motion he sunk the blade deep in my side as he climbed on top of me. He twisted it, shivering in pleasure as he watched the pain wash over my face.
“God, I’m going to enjoy this.” He moaned in my ear as his tongue flicked over my neck, “I’m going to get so much pleasure out of watching the life drain from your eyes. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even give you one last go while you’re still warm.” Jackson pushed himself against me letting his hips press the knife deeper. My stomach twisted with sickness, but I stared back into his eyes defiantly and spit in his face. If I was about to die, then I might as well piss him off just one more time.
“God, you’re such a stupid bitch!” His hands were around my throat in seconds, squeezing tight as I gasped for air. I was no longer afraid to die, only sad that the happiness I had found would be so short-lived. Sad that I would never get to see what could have become of Nolan and me, or the friendship I had with Aggie. Thoughts of Nolan, Aggie, and my mother flickered in my mind and my heart wrenched painfully along with the erratic beating in my chest.
As my fists pounded against his chest, I could feel my body giving out. In desperation my hand reached back, grabbing for something, anything. If I could just get one more breath, maybe I could still fight. My fingers brushed against something solid and I gripped it tightly in my fist. I can’t let him win. I reached deep within as I fought hard to hold onto consciousness and swung my arm as hard as I could.
Jackson’s grip loosened slightly and his eyes widened in shock as the rock connected with his temple. I had no time to waste. I swung again, adrenaline taking over as I choked and sputtered for air. The next blow knocked him unconscious, his body slumping over mine. That wasn’t enough. I swung again. And again. I didn’t stop until the rock - and my hand - were covered in his blood. Until I was sure he wouldn’t wake back up. I didn’t want Jackson to be able to hurt me or anyone else ever again. I struggled to push him off of me, his dead weight digging the knife deeper into my side. Somehow, I managed to roll his body from on top of me after several minutes, the snow giving way with a crunch beneath his lifeless form.
I reached down and my shaky fingers gripped the handle of the knife as the throbbing pain magnified. I yanked it from my side, garnering some relief before the blade fell from my hand. My eyes looked down at the wound to see my blood trickling into the snow beside me.
Just like Alannah told me.
This had been how it always would end, but at least I was able to stop it from happening again. Jackson was dead. He couldn’t hurt anyone else.
My head sank back into the snow, as I fought to stay awake. Cold crept through me as my eyelids threatened to close but I tried to keep my mind clear. I thought of Nolan again, of hiding in bed with him all morning. I thought of Aggie too, our trip to the farmer’s market. Ultimate breakfast. My wonderfully crazy hippie mother and the sound of her laugh. I would miss them so much. Staring up into the darkening sky with snowflakes sprinkling over me, I knew I would never get to see them again. I took a deep breath, flinching at the pain in my ribs, and let my eyelids finally close as the numbing cold slowly wrapped around me.
“Harley.” Someone’s voice called to me, trying to pull me back. “Harley, please stay with me!” I opened my eyes to see a familiar bright green gaze staring down at me. The black-haired boy I’d become so familiar with since I’d moved here.
“Brody.” I smiled up at him as his hand cupped my cheek. His eyes were wide and glassy with tears.
“Ya got ta stay with me, Harley. Don’t let go.” His voice was pleading. I breathed in deeply, noting how calm and how painless I felt.
“It doesn’t hurt. Why doesn’t it hurt anymore?” I felt completely at peace, but my words only seemed to trouble him. His jaw clenched tightly and I could see the fear nestled deep in his eyes as he looked over me. I grabbed his hand and tried to comfort him but it only troubled him further as a few tears ran down his cheek.
“I’m so sorry, Harley. I didn’t want this ta happen.” He gathered me in his lap, cradling me as his fingertips stroked my cheek. He felt so solid, so real, and warm. How could this be?
“Am I dead, Brody?” Even such a morbid question from my own lips garnered nothing more than general curiosity within me.
“Not yet. But ya don’t have much time.”
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
Blood In The Snow
“How many times do I have ta say it? Someone drove up and pulled Harley inta a black SUV!” I glared at the officer as he paced in front of me.
“Nobody else mentioned a car. Even so, that still doesn’t explain the gun with the dried blood.” The cop leaned over the table and I let out an exasperated groan. We’d been going back and forth for hours now. These idjits were so fixated on trying to pin another murder on me that they weren’t even bothering to stop it from happening.
“If I had used that on her, do ya think the blood would be dry? I told ya I took it from a drunken arsehole last night when he threatened her.” My teeth ground together as I rehashed the same story for the umpteenth time. I could feel myself tipping over the boiling point.
“Maybe you didn’t use it on her, but what about Claire Stevens? The marks on her face were consistent with that type of gun.”
“I told ya it’s not my feckin’ gun, and if it is related to Claire’s death then I suggest ya look for its real owner.” My palms pressed against the table. It was the only thing I could do to keep from hitting someone.
“Everyone knows you only got lucky.” He huffed, folding his arms over his chest. “Why don’t you just admit it, Nolan?”
“Why don’t ya do yer feckin’ job?” I stood up, anger erupting as I kicked the chair across the room. “There’s an innocent woman out there dying and all ya mother feckers can do is try and get me ta confess ta killin’ her! How ‘bout ya go feckin’ save her?”
“You need to calm down, buddy.” The cop went to reach for his taser, keeping his eyes glued to my every movement.
“Don’t ya tell me ta feckin’ calm down, ya dirty feckin’ swine!” I spit at him and he stepped toward me as his hand hovered over his taser. Before he could pull it on me, my body fell backwards, as if someone ripped control from me. The back of my head smacked agains
t the floor, sending me into dark nothingness.
“Nolan, we don’t have much time! Listen to me!” Hands grabbed my shoulders, shaking me against the floor.
“Brody?” I blinked, staring up at my best friend in disbelief, “What the feck are ya doin’ here? What happened?”
“There’s no time, Nolan! You have ta get ta Harley.” His green eyes were wide and frantic as he gripped my shoulders.
“But how? I don’t know where she is!”
“Just get ta the woods.” His voice was urgent. “As soon as ya wake up, run!”
“Nolan? Nolan, wake up.” Someone’s voice pulled at my consciousness as I lay on the floor. Gloved fingers pried my eyelids open as a penlight glared into my eye.
As soon as ya wake up, run!
Brody’s words came rushing back as I opened my eyes and looked toward the open door. Brody had given me an out. I couldn’t waste it. I kicked two of the officers back, shoved the one examining me on onto his arse, and made a run for the door. My heart raced as I ran into the next room – an office full of cops. They looked as bewildered as me, frozen in place and completely caught off guard. The cops from the interrogation room were scrambling to their feet behind me. I only had seconds to figure out an escape.
“Get him, you morons!” One of them yelled behind me. I looked to my side and saw the window and the railings to the fire escape then grabbed a nearby chair, shattering the glass before throwing it back at the cops. I was halfway out the window when one of them managed to grab my leg. Before they could pull me back in, I kicked back hard. A loud crunch sent the officer backwards cursing and with a bloody nose.
“What are you jackasses doing? After him!” Someone barked out. I looked out toward the woods that were behind the police station as I jumped onto the escape ladder. Run! My feet started for the woods as soon as they hit the pavement. Voices shouted after me as several cops spilled out from the station amidst the chaos of my swift exit. My feet crunched against the fresh blanket of snow as heavy sheets of white flakes blew against my face.
Dammit Harley, where are you? I strained to see into the darkness as my legs moved as fast as they could through the thick white. I had no idea if I was even running in the right direction, but I couldn’t stop. Behind me, I heard the cops gaining on me as their flashlights flickered, searching for me. If they caught me, Harley was as good as dead.
“Harley!” I shouted into the void of trees and snow, searching for any sign of her.
“He’s heading for the university!” Another voice shouted back behind me. Come on, Nolan, you’ve got to find her. I forced myself on, squinting as I caught the silhouette of the black SUV.
“Harley!” I sprinted forward, quickly closing the distance between me and the vehicle as my lungs burned from the cold air.
I slowed my pace as I finally spotted Harley just yards away.
“No! Oh, god no.”
I fell to my knees beside her as she lay motionless next to the body of her assailant. Her eyes were closed, skin and lips paled against her dark raven hair and the growing pool of blood around her. I reached for her, my fingers brushing her cheek. Her skin was as cold as the snow she laid in. “Ya can’t be dead. Ya can’t be...” Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as my hands encircled hers.
I’m too late.
“Hands behind your head, Finley!” A cop yelled behind me. I gently placed Harley’s hand back down over her stomach, then complied as I put my hands behind my head.
“We’ve got bodies!” Another cop shouted as my wrists were cuffed and I was jerked to my feet. Someone else leaned over Harley, checking her vitals. I held my breath and the world seemed to fade away as I watched them search for a pulse. Please wake up, Harley.
“We’ve got a pulse. Weak, but it’s there!” He looked up toward the other cops before calling for an ambulance on his radio. My breath escaped me in a rush as they pulled me back towards a police car. I hadn’t even realized I was struggling against the officer. A siren wailed in the distance as it headed toward us. I didn’t want to leave her side. I didn’t want these arseholes dragging me back for more questioning.
I pulled back against the officer behind me as the cuffs dug into my wrists, “Let go! Uncuff me!”
“Let him go.” An older officer sighed, obviously unhappy that they couldn’t pin something else on me. The other officer begrudgingly did as he was told.
“Christ, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” I rubbed my wrists after he removed the handcuffs, giving him a hard stare before the ambulance’s flashing lights came over the hill. I stood back, watching as the paramedics rushed to her and slid her onto a stretcher before carrying her to the back of the ambulance. I went to follow and one of the paramedics tried to stop me.
“I’m going with her.” I towered over him. He shrank back slightly, then hesitantly stepped to the side. I climbed inside next to her, sitting down by her head on an empty seat. In the light of the ambulance, the full extent of her injuries became much more visible. Her body was broken. One leg looked deformed, a jagged shard of bone sticking up through torn and bloodied jeans. They cut through the stained fabric of her jacket and I could see a large gash on her side as a paramedic quickly worked to suppress the gushing wound. I glanced back out to where I had found her as the cops covered the man’s body.
“That’s my girl, Harley. Ya put up a good fight, didn't ya?” I whispered as I brushed a snowflake from her hair.
Another paramedic slammed the doors shut as two worked on either side of Harley, one hooked her up to a monitor and ran an IV as the other slid an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. The ride to the hospital felt much longer than it actually was. I sat there, a helpless observer, unable to do anything for her but pray she would make it. Her breathing was shallow. The slow beep of the heart monitor pierced the air.
“Please hold on, Harley. Please don’t die.”
The ambulance doors were pulled open by waiting hospital staff as everyone rushed into motion.
“We’ve got a twenty-three year old female, unresponsive with severe blood loss and hypothermia. She has an open femoral shaft fracture and three broken fingers on her right hand, stab-wound in her lower left quadrant and bruising indicating broken ribs in both top quadrants.” One of the paramedics rattled off her injuries as they pulled the gurney out of the ambulance. I climbed out after them, wanting to follow, but an older nurse blocked my path, shaking her head.
“I’m sorry sir, you can’t go back with them.” I wanted to yell at her too, but she looked like she could be my grandmother.
“Is she goin’ ta be okay?” I looked past the little old nurse as they wheeled Harley into the Emergency Room. The old nurse gave me a shrug and a faint smile, rambling off her usual “We’ll do our best.” before following after them and leaving me standing there alone. My chest ached as they all rushed around her motionless body and all I could do was watch from a distance.
“Please don’t feckin’ die, Harley.”
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Waking Up
It felt like waves of darkness were washing over me. Every now and then the tide would recede. Familiar voices beckoned me and my eyes would flutter open, stealing a glance of bright fluorescent light and beige walls before nothingness pulled me under once more. I didn't know how long or how often this cycle had played out, but each time I tried to hold on a little longer. I tried to grab onto the familiar voices speaking to me and comforting me, but the shadows always seemed to win. Finally, the darkness receded completely and I opened my eyes, blinking up at the faded white ceiling tiles above me.
“Harley?” Nolan's hand touched mine. I slowly turned my head to him. Everything in me ached.
“Hey.” My throat was raw, not allowing more than a whisper. I tried to smile but my lips were cracked and dry. “I didn't think I would see you again.”
Nolan tried to smile but his expression gave everything away, like water rippling at the simplest touch. The dark circles under his eyes
told me he hadn’t slept in days. He studied me nervously as if I might shatter into a million pieces if he wasn't careful.
“I'm so sorry, Harley.” Nolan broke his gaze as he stared down at the floor.
“You don’t need to apologize.” I whispered and intertwined my fingers with his, urging him closer. He stayed where he was, sitting up straight as he thought over my words.
“Yes, I do. I didn't need ta yell at ya like I did and scare ya right inta his trap,” he sighed. “It's just that so many people in this town think I killed Claire, even after I was acquitted. I didn't want ya ta be one of them. I didn’t want ya ta know that part of me. I made a huge mistake, sleeping with Claire. Her and I had met one of the summers that my father took me down to Louisiana. I was just a teenager and it had just been a summer fling. I came home and lost touch with her, but then one day Brody introduced me ta his new girlfriend, and it was her. I knew I should have kept away. Brody was happy, and I was happy for him. But one night when Brody wasn't feeling up to going out, he told us ta go on without him. We hit up a few bars, and were drinking and having fun. Then we wound up back at Finley's after it had closed, the night she disappeared.” The words rushed out of him all at once. Just like me, he hadn’t expected to get another chance to say it. I squeezed his hand lightly.
“You don't have to explain it to me, Nolan.”
“No, I do. I wasn't even man enough ta tell Brody until it was too late. He only found out when they arrested me.” He hung his head, “Brody stopped talking ta me, and all this time I thought he hated me. I thought he believed what they were saying about me in the papers. I thought that was the reason he killed himself, but...”
“He died trying to clear your name.” I finished his thought as his blue eyes stared into mine, tortured and remorseful.
“And if it wasn't fer him. I would have lost ya. Even though he's gone, he’s still a better man than I ever was.” His eyes glistened as he squeezed my hand. “I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost ya. I just wish I could tell him how thankful I am for what he did and how sorry I am for what I did.”
