Lights Out

by Jill Cooper

  Karen’s form pushed on, not stopping at the shoreline. She rushed onto the bobbing dock, the moorings the only thing stable in the blizzarding storm.

  Dawn was only a few hours away. Lights from snowplows passed by with dizzying irregularity. The accident trap I’d left on the south side of the bridge hadn’t held them long, but not many drivers crossed the two-lane bridge in the blizzarding storm. Why would you when most of the town was dark?

  A long thick shaft of driftwood had been unearthed by a lapping wave. I bent, grabbing its slippery base to use as a modified crutch. I limped onto the ramp to the dock, following Karen’s icy footsteps.

  She turned, facing me, but the dark of the night kept our faces hidden from each other. “I didn’t think you’d come. I’m taking the information to the cops and you’re going to tell Terri how your drinking cost her the life of her son.” Her words broke on a sob. “And then you’re going to tell her how you paid everyone to cover everything up, including me.” She turned, facing the water, her loose hair trailing behind her in the light of a truck. “If I hadn’t needed it for my parents, I never would’ve even considered it.”

  She thrust her finger into the air. “But I didn’t sign up for this. You said you were going to get help. You said you were going to set up a foundation in his honor…you said so many things. You can’t keep doing this. Terri’s son… He should’ve been the last. He shouldn’t have even happened. He wasn’t even the first and you know it.”

  My heart sank. Things were even worse than I’d suspected. How many babies had been lost? How many homes torn apart? The only reason I’d suspected anything was because I was so close to Sylvia, I’d known about her drinking problem. But instead of thinking she was capable of drinking at work, I should’ve demanded someone else. Even if I had to drive hours to get to Spokane or Coeur d’Alene. Anything.

  I should’ve done something else.

  My words hurt as they tried escaping my smoke singed throat. “It can’t be that easy, Karen. Sylvia can’t be forgiven that easily. Neither can you.”

  Karen whipped around, the tension in her hands and the lift to her shoulders screaming of her fear and recognition. “Terri.”

  I limped closer, pulling my sheath knife from my belt. “It sucks that you think you can rectify anything this late in the game.” I shook my head, blowing at the snowflakes attacking my lashes. “I’m going to take care of you and then I’m going to get rid of Sylvia.”

  She froze. Her fear stirred something inside me and while vindication coursed through my veins, regret laced my nerves with hyperawareness. If I had to choose between Sylvia or Karen, I’d kill Sylvia a thousand times over. But my plan was to get them all.

  And Karen was a part of “all”.

  Chapter 17

  Karen

  Terri had a knife and an unstable glower in her eye. Pupils wide, she advanced toward us. By my side, Sylvia’s hands splayed open and she backed up with a shake of her head. “You can’t do this, Terri. Please” Sylvia’s voice shook with the tremor and her head bubbled up and down like a doll, a drunk, stoned little doll.

  “I…I…didn’t mean to. It was a…mistake.”

  Even now she couldn’t apologize or take ownership for her actions. Even now she didn’t admit the truth. Terri was going to kill her and still Sylvia couldn’t cop a genuine moment.

  Didn’t mean she deserved to die. Or maybe she did, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I had to do something, but what?

  “I’ve had enough!” Terri hit the railing by our side with her knife. Cling, cling, it went. Metal bouncing off metal. She looked stark raving mad and it froze me in place as sure as ice.

  The sound drove Sylvia to weeping tears and she folded over into a ball, backing up.

  “You think you could get away with it all? You think no one saw through you? I saw. I knew. The truth screamed out in the dark, and it turned my heart black.”

  Sylvia backed up even further clutching her chest. She muttered and sobbed as if to explain, but she was running out of time. Space was limited. Soon she’d be backed into a corner, and Terri would have her.

  “No one believed me. I died that night on the operating table. I lost everything.” Terri’s mouth switched side to side, tears flowing from her eyes and saliva dripping from the corner of her mouth. She might have been a rabid animal, at that point her grief was so strong, it might have been true.

  “Everything!” She held her arm wide, as if she was going to make the final strike. Sylvia screamed her arms went up in front of her face, crisscrossed to defend the offensive blow.

  Maybe it was just. Maybe this is what was meant to happen, but what would that do to Terri? And her husband Clyde? Glancing between the two ladies, I knew I had to try to stop them. I was part of this mess; I was part of the conspiracy, my parents benefited from Terri’s tragedy. I was as responsible as the drunken doctor.

  Taking a deep breath, I stepped between Sylvia and Terri. I held up the palms of my hands to Sylvia and shook them side to side. “Stop! Stop and think about this, Terri. You’ll go away. Forever.”

  She laughed bitterly and her eyes were lined red. Terri was in a bad state almost like a junkie. If I didn’t find a way to stop her, she might never stop. “You think I care about that? You think I want to get out of this?” Through the blowing snow, Terri gritted her teeth. “Get out of my way!”

  This was Terri’s end game? Had she given up on everything? That couldn’t be true, it couldn’t. She had a nice home. A husband who loved her, so how could she just give up like this?

  “You’re in pain, I can see that. I’m sorry. So sorry. I should’ve come forward sooner, I know that. I was afraid. So afraid. I know you can never forgive me but let me help you make this right. Don’t kill Sylvia. But let’s turn her in together. This time, I promise to tell the truth. The whole truth. Please—.”

  Terri huffed. “Like I would ever trust you to tell the truth? I want her, but you’re next.”

  Sylvia screamed and scampered away. In her drunken state, she fell to her knees and her hands caught her in the cold pile of snow. She disappeared behind the veil of the blizzard.

  “Sylvia! Run! Get help!”

  “No!” Terri turned to where Sylvia had run off. I took the opportunity, to grab her wrists and we struggled. She did her best to gain her hands free, but I held on with a tight grip.

  “Terri—.”

  My footing was slipping against the slick peer. We spun in a circle, struggling—a give-and-take. Pull and tug, one winning and the other losing, only for our roles to reverse.

  “She’s getting away!” Terri’s voice was filled with pain. Longing in a deep insatiable desire for revenge.

  “You can’t kill her. It’ll destroy you.” The cold biting my cheek as water splashed up from the peer.

  Terri’s eyes lit up with a strange desire. It chilled my soul even more than the blistering snow, even more than the freezing cold temperatures. Terri had been telling the truth. She really did plan to kill us. She really did intend to go through with it. I was dancing with the devil and it laughed from behind her eyes.

  “What’s one more?” Terri shoved me hard and I lost my grip on her wrists.

  I yelped, my arm flailing to catch my balance as I lost my footing. My back slammed against the railing and the pain shot straight up to my neck. There wasn’t time to catch my breath as Terri charged and slammed my stomach with both of her fists. With a scream, I tried to grab onto her, but all I managed to do was grab her scarf.

  Right before I swung over the railing and fell into the nail biting cold water of Pend Oreille.

  The thin ice on top splintered around me as I smashed through. The water splashed up high as I plunged further into an icy deep depth. It pulled me down as if someone tugged on my legs, and like a stone I sunk beneath its churning surface.

  In the water, I wouldn’t survive long. But through the crests of the water, I could see Terri standing at the railing — making
sure I was dead. For now, the water was my safe haven.

  But how long did that last? How long could I hold my breath?

  When would my body start to freeze?

  Chapter 18

  Sylvia

  Particles of frozen water tore into the tender palms of Sylvia’s hands. She gasped in the cold air, still sobbing. Karen’s scream reached her, prodding her to pick herself up and run.

  She would just leave Karen to deal with Terri by herself. Why not? It wasn’t like Sylvia needed Karen around. Maybe this way Sylvia’s secrets would die with Karen. Because there was no way that Karen was going to survive over Terri.

  Sylvia couldn’t shake the alcohol in her blood. Trudging through the snow to the end of the dock, she forced her legs up and down when she hit the drifted snow along the fence. Run, girl, run.. Get going. Sylvia’s mind was disconnected from her body. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t focus.

  Another scream from Karen spurred her faster. She rushed, well she felt like she rushed. She glanced back, her hair whipping across her face in the wind. The blizzard was unforgivable. Just like Terri.

  Suddenly everything was quiet. As if even the wind stopped. Sylvia came to a halt. And glanced behind her. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she waited.

  What was she waiting for? Why wasn’t she running? She slammed her hands to her temples. Go, Sylvia, go. She turned, deciding not to wait any longer. Only death waited behind her.

  The sudden pause refocused her. Terri would come after her. There was no question of that.

  Sylvia would not make it easy for her. She had to run. Taking the path would only make it easier on Terri. Sylvia dove into the forest line just past the snow-covered beach. Fear tightened her chest.

  Her pants were soaked. And so were her shoes. She plunged further into the tree line, running but not really moving. She was up against a tree, the bark biting into her hands.

  “Sylvia.” Terri’s voice was closer than Sylvia had expected. How had she caught her so fast? Her singsong taunt curdled Sylvia’s blood.

  Where was she? How had Terri caught her so fast? In the forest line, the blizzard didn’t destroy what Terri was saying so much. Which meant that Sylvia’s movements would be a lot easier to hear.

  Her decision to jump into the forest line to hide was turning out to be a bad one.

  Under the protection of the tree boughs, Sylvia searched the dark, surrounding area for Terri. Why could she hear her but not see her?

  Sylvia didn’t want to be the next person Terri killed. She didn’t want to be there at all. When her life turned around so horribly? She had it all. A great practice, beautiful children, a husband who stood by her before…. When had everything gone downhill? When had she lost everything?

  Fingernails bit into the bark of the tree. She chewed her lip, anxious to get away but uncertain where to run to. Terri wasn’t going to let her get away.

  Could she run and attack Terri? No, she shook her head at the thought. She couldn't do anything of the sort. Terri was stronger. And she didn’t have alcohol in her. Sylvia regretted walking away from the food.

  A gust of wind blew through the forest area. Tree limbs shook, snow falling around Sylvia. A huge chunk of snow fell under her collar. She shivered almost screaming. She had to get out of there. She couldn’t sit there like a waiting duck.

  But where would she go? Was she going to die there? In the woods? Didn’t she deserve better?

  What did she deserve?

  Chapter 19

  Terri

  For some reason, watching Karen fall under the ice didn’t make me feel any better. In fact, the satisfaction I waited for that came with the judge and with the loser in the storage units never came. Maybe her apology got under my skin, or maybe the fact that Sylvia got away irritated me more.

  I turned from Karen and her disappearing face in the water. Finding Sylvia was my next objective. That was only the thing that mattered.

  My phone buzzed. Who was calling me now? Why hadn’t Clyde given up? Hadn’t he realized that there was no going back now? I’d blown up our house for crying out loud. Give it up.

  I didn’t even take my phone out. It wasn’t like I had given him any encouragement. One thing I used to love about my husband was his bullheadedness.

  Following Sylvia very far wasn’t an option. Even though the cold had numbed some of the pain along with the pain medication, my leg throbbed with every breath I took.

  But I knew that woman. She would hide before she would do anything else. And if she was as drunk as I thought she was, she wouldn’t be able to go far.

  Limping, I made my way to the end of the dock. Snow blinded me. There could be any way that her tracks would have been covered by now. But I looked anyway.

  A newly trudged ditch-style path led from the beach up to the trees a lot closer to the dock than I’d hoped.

  Sylvia would hide. I knew it, like a fox chasing a rabbit. I closed my eyes–maybe I could smell her.

  The slight incline up into the forest line about did me in. Would I be able to go further to do my job anymore with my leg being the way it was? I had this mission to complete. I owed it to my son. I owed it to my marriage.

  My lost marriage.

  My lost life.

  My lost child.

  My lost me…

  I worked my anger up, frothing and furious. I would find her. I would make her pay. Nothing would get in my way. Even her cowardice couldn’t stop me now.

  I called her name quietly. In the clearing of the forest, the wind didn’t reach deep. The protection of the trees gave the area a serene quality.

  Serenity I didn’t want.

  I wanted revenge.

  Now.

  I wanted to feel her, here, in my hands, as I ripped her head back. My fingers would close around her throat. My breathing quickened. I was so close to Sylvia. I knew she was there.

  It wasn’t like I didn’t know where she was. She had to be nearby. My phone buzzed again. Dang Clyde.

  I whipped the phone open. “Clyde, now is not the time. I’m avenging our family. Leave. Me. Alone.” I moved the phone, his pleading voice had a quality I hadn’t heard in a while. I searched the surrounding woods, the dark covering my view. And listened.

  “Terri.” He wasn’t hurried-desperate, he seemed almost resolute. “Don’t do this. I know you want revenge. But let’s get them the justice they deserve.”

  My jaw dropped open. I slammed the phone against my ear. “Are you kidding me? The justice they deserve? Do you have any idea what they’ve done? My son…” I broke on a sob. Why couldn’t he understand this? Why did the loss have to affect me so deeply?

  And not him.

  My anger toward Sylvia split. Half pointed toward him and half pointed toward her.

  I wouldn’t let any of his logic reach me.

  “I know. I know what they did. I think I know more so than you do. But this is the answer. I want a life with us. Let’s start over.” His pleading fell on deaf ears.

  I couldn’t change my course now. I was too far in, too far gone. “Clyde… Stay out of it. I don’t want you to get caught up in this. Not now. It’s too late.” I hung up the phone. If Sylvia had any brains in her head, she would’ve run while I was distracted. Something told me she was still nearby. Listening.

  I could handle that.

  Clyde’s call only whipped me into a further frenzy. I wanted to kill them both. Clyde…not really, but it helped having a direction for my angry compass to focus.

  I had loved Sylvia once. She was my best friend. Then she betrayed me. She stole my son. The only thing that Clyde and I really wanted more than anything.

  My son.

  “Sylvia, you might as well come out. I’m not giving up and you’re not strong enough to beat me.” My leg didn’t bother me. Sylvia didn’t have it in her to run.

  To my surprise, Sylvia’s voice was closer than I thought. “Terri, why are you doing this? I know I let you down. Why are you trying
to kill me?”

  In disbelief, I watched her step into the blizzard feet from me. Thrusting my jaw out, I slightly shook my head. “Are you serious? What is it with the stupid questions today? You know I am doing this. You killed my child with gross negligence and then you covered it up.” I took a deep breath. “You deserve everything that’s coming to you. There was a time I would’ve given you anything.”

  My laugh surprised me more than her. I slapped my good leg. I didn’t want a knife for this one. But I would use it, because the revenge I sought had to be painful.

  She wasn’t far from me–maybe five feet. If I rushed her, she wouldn’t see my weakness. If I took my time, she would feel like she was being stalked and she would also see my leg was damaged.

  I curled my fingers around the knife handle. I might not have wanted to use the knife, but it was the only way I would be able to get deep inside her. Cut her, the way she’d cut me.

  Her eyes widened. “Terri, please don’t do this. Please.”

  I smiled. I wasn’t getting turned on like I’ve been with the men. But hope blossomed in my chest, I would avenge him. I would. I had to. Sylvia’s death would be the ultimate revenge. The ultimate payback.

  I didn’t need Clyde anymore, not like I used to. But I needed this.

  Lunging would be the way to go. I jerked downward and then sprang at her, ignoring the sharp stabbing pain in my lower leg. She fell backwards easily, her movements slow and sluggish.

  Curling my fingers into the cloth of her shirt and jacket, I landed on her with an oomph. No more talking.

  But I didn’t go for the throat. I straddled her, ignoring my leg as it twisted and bent, the bone grinding. I could do this. I just had to get through it. The pain burst black spots in front of my eyes. If I pretended, the black spots could be intermixed with the blizzard. The storm could be causing my vision problems.

  Ignore the pain. Ignore it. Ignore it.

  I didn’t even grimace as I focused on Sylvia. She writhed underneath me. But it wasn’t strong. She clutched at my arms with hers fingers as if strangling, desperate to be free. But I hadn’t even started.