“Boys, boys.” Ivy appeared, like an apparition, dressed in flowing white, her golden curls shimmering in the firelight. It was burning down already. “Let’s not fight.”
“You tell that punk-” Dylan said as he jabbed a finger in Jesse’s direction.
Ivy stepped between them, turned her back to Jesse and looked at Dylan. “We all need each other.”
Dylan whistled. “Here to do ‘im?”
Ivy glared at him. “Later. My boyfriend just died.”
“Thought you promised to do him if he did your little friend, the loser.”
She looked at Jesse. “You had sex with Evelyn!” She clamped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my god.”
“What’s with screwing her to screw you?” Dylan asked.
Ivy glared at him. “This is none of your business.”
“Well, I’ll do her too if it gets me you. I can hold my nose while I hump her.”
Ivy folded her arms across her chest. “You’re disgusting.” She turned and walked away.
“So I don’t get any?” Jesse said. “Geez.”
Dylan shrugged. “Guess it was just a pity fuck, then.”
“Yeah, well, at least I got some.”
Dylan snorted, got up and stomped off.
Things were quiet for a moment. Nothing but the crackle of the fire broke the stillness, until Ivy returned. “Thank god he's gone. I guess Evelyn’s not coming.”
Jesse grinned as he stood up and reached for her. “Guess it’s just you and me.”
She gave him a push. “He might come back.”
He was too quick for her. As soon as he recovered from the shove he lunged forward and pulled her up against him. “So let’s take it somewhere else.”
Even with the fire burning low and the bushes between them I could see the wicked grin on Ivy’s face and the way Jesse was looking at her.
I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, Ivy’s giggle was fading off in the distance as the bushes to my left rustled and they disappeared.
They had to be going to the hill.
I hadn’t even thought about following them until I realized I was already trudging down the path. In my pocket I felt the cold of the metal, and thought about Hunter McKenna, and what she’d said.
I could end this now.
The question I'd asked Ivy that Ivy had never answered. Deep down, I knew.
Hunter had left a number. Pick up the phone right now and… and what? Nothing. I didn’t know anything.
Ivy’s giggle drifted on the wind through the shadows of night, and then the sounds changed. They'd gone past the hill, around the far slope, to the old barn on the edge of the abandoned farm.
Grunting, moaning, wailing. I stumbled on something and fell forward.
I looked up, and could see them through the gaps in the walls, on the loft, by the broken railing.
Their bodies were silhouetted by the moonlight behind them that cut through the holes in the barn. Ivy’s flowing white skirt lay on the floor. Jesse’s head was between her legs, and she was arched back over something I couldn't make out, moaning so loudly I was sure they hadn’t heard me.
I'd been such a fool. Then Jesse was on top of Ivy. After a few thrusts, Ivy somehow worked him to the ground and straddled him as she pulled her clothes over her head, her naked white body glistening in the moonlight as her butt moved up and down.
God, she was beautiful. Awful, and beautiful.
***
A sound like a tractor filled my ears. Close my eyes and it sounded like something else. Like a razor.
The razor Ivy had brought to school that day, so long ago.
She’d told them to meet her in the corner of the playground, that she had something big to show them.
I'd looked around at the others: Jesse, Adam, Heather. They seemed interested in what Ivy was saying. I'd responded with the same enthusiasm, but secretly wondered what the big deal was.
Then Ivy lifted her head, looking up over me, and put her hands behind her back.
When I turned, I saw three girls walking toward us. They weren’t the kind of girls Ivy usually played with.
Not the kind of girls Ivy would consider part of her crowd.
What were they doing here?
The girl on the left had long, straight brown hair, and the biggest buck teeth I'd ever seen. She wore glasses with thick, black frames.
The girl on the right was shorter than me and had a crooked nose.
The girl in the middle was taller than anyone in their class, as skinny as a piece of straw, and had a huge head of hair that spiraled out in all directions.
The girls stopped walking when they realized everyone was watching them.
Ivy smiled. It was a broad smile. I thought she looked happy to see the three girls. There was a familiar twinkle in her eye.
“Oh, I’m so happy you decided,” Ivy said.
“Decided what?” Adam asked.
“They’re going to be part of our club, silly.”
His eyes widened.
“You know. Club Popular.” She lowered her voice for the name, like she was trying to make it sound mysterious and special.
“Oh, right,” Adam said. His face betrayed the truth. He had no idea what Ivy was talking about.
“Now,” Ivy started walking around the outside of the circle, behind Jesse, toward the girl with the buck teeth, “if you want to be part of the club, you have to be initiated.”
“Wh-what does that mean?” the short girl asked. Her voice squeaked when she spoke.
Ivy smiled. She was behind the tall girl now. “Well, first, we all have nicknames. You have to sit down, and we’ll make a circle around you, and give you your club names.”
The girls looked at each other, shrugged. They sat down.
I saw Ivy nod at Adam and Jesse, then at the tall girl she was standing behind. The boys moved around, one on either side of the tall girl, and Ivy passed Jesse the razor, which he kept behind his back. Heather and I knelt down facing the girls.
Ivy walked around, between them. “We all have animal names. Adam is Wolf.” The girls looked at each other and giggled. “I decided to break the rules and tell you that, but usually you don’t get to find out our names until you’re given yours.” Ivy’s tone had changed. She raised her head as she spoke, her voice serious. “Are you ready to receive your animal names?”
The girls looked at each other. None of them giggled, and they exchanged a few quick glances. I could imagine what they were thinking. Wolf wasn’t so bad. It made sense. Adam was a strong boy.
Finally, the one in the middle nodded. Ivy smiled, then looked at the girl on the right.
“You are Mouse.” Ivy reached into her pocket and stepped forward as she pulled something out. When she stepped back, I could see the clown nose she’d put on the girl.
Everyone laughed, including the other two girls Mouse had come with.
Ivy turned to the girl on the left. “You’re Donkey.”
This time, when everyone else laughed, Mouse and the other girl tried not to. Donkey’s face burned.
Ivy stepped in front of the third girl, then looked at me. “I’m not sure about her name. What do you think she looks like?”
“A mop.”
Ivy laughed. “Mop Top. I wanted animal names for all of you, but Mop Top is just too perfect.”
The girl glanced from Mouse to Donkey, then back to Ivy and said, “I don’t want to be Mop Top.”
Ivy looked surprised. “You don’t?”
Mop Top shook her head. “I-I want an animal name. Like everyone else.”
“Are you sure?”
Mop Top nodded.
“Positive?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. But then you have to go through with your initiation.” Ivy paused, and stared down at her. “This is your choice.”
“I know.”
Ivy nodded at the boys, and they both stood up. Adam grabbed the girl’s arms from behind and held her while Jesse
reached out to pass the razor to Ivy.
She shook her head. “You do it.”
He stared at her for a moment, then shrugged.
When Mop Top heard the whir of the razor she bucked and kicked and Adam had to sit down on top of her to hold her in place.
“N-n-o-o-o.” The girl sobbed. “Stop. Stop!”
Jesse sheared a huge mass of hair, and it fell down to the ground, beside the girl’s head.
She screamed.
Ivy grabbed the clown nose off Mouse and stuffed it into Mop Top’s mouth, then stepped back.
And they all watched while Jesse shaved the girl’s head as she lay pinned on the ground, face smushed against the leaves, a pool of her tears turning the earth to mud beneath her face as all her beautiful hair fell down around her.
When Jesse was done he stepped back and passed Ivy the razor. Adam glanced at Ivy first, then stood up and let Mop Top go.
The girl scrambled to her feet, her body shaking with her sobs, and she turned and fled. Mouse jumped up and sprinted after her with surprising speed, and Donkey waddled along after them.
“I guess she won’t be Giraffe after all,” Ivy said.
I looked around at my friends. They were all laughing. I laughed too, but secretly wondered what had been so funny.
When Ivy was called into the school office, Mop Top told the principal it had been her choice and that she agreed to have her hair cut.
Ivy had that kind of way with people. Always.
***
When I opened my eyes again, Ivy lay arched over an old trunk we used to sit on, breathing heavily. Somehow, I'd entered the barn and climbed up the steps to the far side of the loft.
I don't even remember how I got there.
Ivy was still naked.
Jesse stood in front of her and was zipping up his pants.
I uncovered my ears.
He’d used me. Screwed me like a dog so that he could come here and do… this. With my best friend.
Ivy stood up. They kissed.
“REUUUUUUU.” The sound that came out was senseless and guttural as I charged forward and crashed into Ivy. “How could you? How could you do that to me?”
She fell back with a thud, against the trunk. The dazed look in Ivy’s eyes didn’t waver as she reached behind her head and lifted a blood-smeared hand.
“What are you doing?” Jesse shouted. “Leave her alone.”
“Get off of me!”
Jesse forced his way between me and Ivy and pushed me back. “You didn’t do anything you didn’t want to, Vinny. You’ve got nobody to blame but yourself.”
I lunged forward and shoved him hard. His hands shot out from his sides and he managed to grab Ivy’s hand as a look of panic crossed his face. She yanked her arm back from him, the force causing him to reel backwards and he teetered on the edge of the loft.
Time slowed. Jesse wavered, his arms flailed in the air as he reached out for something, anything. There was a look on his face. It started as surprise. When he seemed to realize there was no solid ground beneath his feet, the look changed to fear. He stared straight at me for what seemed like the longest minute of my life, then fell. There was a thunk sound, like a watermelon hitting pavement, then silence.
The image of him there, clawing air, staring at me with a look of pure terror was seared on my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut but couldn’t shake it.
Ivy pushed herself up from the rock and stumbled to the edge. "We have to get out of here. Now.”
Oh god, Jesse! What had I done?
“Jesse! Jesse!” I ran to the edge and my eyes searched in vain for any sign of movement.
Hands grabbed my arm to stop me. I turned and looked at Ivy’s face, ghostly white in the moonlight.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “You can’t. You can’t help him.”
“You don’t know that.”
“It’s… it’s too late.”
“What if it isn’t?” I cried. “What have I done?”
Ivy tugged her arm. “Look, come on. We’ve got to get out of here.”
“We’ve got to help him!”
“We can’t. We’ve got to get out of here, Vinny
Ivy snatched her clothes from the ground and I felt her grip on my arm, felt her pulling me down the rickety steps, along the path, through the woods.
I killed him.
Eventually, Ivy let go of me and I sank to the ground, unsure of where I was or how much time had passed as I sat in silence, my arms wrapped around my head as I leaned against my knees, shaking.
***
"DS Wilmott, the prosecution might wish us to believe this account is nothing more than the nonsensical ramblings of a troubled girl who isn't even competent to stand trial for her own actions, or testify in court over the death of her own father." Solomon paused. "Is there any evidence that corroborates this account of Jesse's death?"
"Well, as you know, she did identify where Jesse's body was found, and the coroner did conclude that his death was caused by a fall, which was consistent with the height of the loft that Evelyn Shepherd referred to. Also, in the crime scene map drawn after Jesse's body was discovered, the presence of a trunk is indicated. The physical evidence is consistent with Evelyn's account."
"Consistent, but not conclusive?"
"No."
"And do you have conclusive evidence?"
"Tests indicated Jesse had engaged in sexual intercourse prior to his death, and further tests confirmed that he had intercourse with Ivy Dorn."
The murmur in the court was quelled with a quick rap of the judge's gavel.
"And is there any other evidence?"
"We have the video from the dug-out, from the night of Jesse's death."
VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR
- Buggles -
There was a different atmosphere in the courtroom as Ivy Dorn was led to the witness stand. The curiosity and sympathy the spectators had seemed to have for the young girl before had been replaced with scorn. Or was Hunter projecting her hopes upon the people around her? She tried to survey the spectators, but all she could see was the sea of people.
She couldn't focus in on any one person.
Once Ivy Dorn was recalled to the stand, Solomon introduced the video evidence.
***
On the screen, a time-dated video of two girls collapsing in a heap inside the dug-out began to play.
“I thought I was your best friend.” Ivy’s lower lip stuck out and quivered.
“You were with him!” Vinny’s voice was high-pitched.
“It had nothing to do with you.”
“I-”
“I can’t believe you’d think that of me.”
Vinny pressed her forehead against her knees. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
“I thought I was your best friend.”
“You were. You are.” Vinny lifted her head and held it in her hands, elbows now on her knees. “I just-”
“You know, it’s because of your dad. He never liked me. Never. He was always telling you I was bad. He tried to blame me for everything that happened.”
“Well, he wasn’t always wrong.”
“I don’t believe this. You don’t like me. You think I’m bad.”
“I never said that, but-”
“But what, Evelyn? You said yourself your dad was right.”
“No. I said he wasn’t always wrong. It’s not the same. Please. Please Ivy!”
“He hates me, Evelyn. Because I get along with your mother and he hates anyone who likes her and reminds him of her.” She tossed her head. “Your mother told me.”
“That’s not true. They both like Jesse.”
“He’s a boy. That’s totally different.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“You-you’re just being hurtful and cruel.” Ivy sniffed. “I can’t believe you’d do this to me.”
“I’m not doing anything! They’re the ones who said it.”
“But you belie
ved it.”
“I don’t know what to believe. It’s all so confused. I don’t even know what I’m doing here or why I said anything. Of course they lied. I know they did. Or maybe I didn’t even hear them right. Mother’s acting weird and the cops are asking me questions.”
Ivy asked, “What questions?”
“A-about Adam and Jonah.”
“What did you tell them?”
“Nothing. I don’t know anything.” Vinny rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand. “It’s all so messed up.”
“I just keep thinking that if I’d stayed, if I’d done something different the night of the party Adam might not have died.”
“Oh, Ivy, it’s not your fault. You can’t blame yourself.”
“You believe me, don’t you? I couldn’t stand it if you didn’t believe me.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… I don’t know what I was thinking. Everything’s just so messed up.”
“You believe me?”
“I do. Of course I do.”
“I just… I thought maybe… your dad… that you didn’t want to be my friend.”
“No. No. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. What have I done? What have I done?”
For a while she sat there, rocking back and forth with her knees pulled up against her chest.
“Oh Evelyn, it’s not your fault.” One solitary tear rolled down Ivy’s cheek. “You’re on those pills. And you’ve been drinking, haven’t you? You poor thing.” Ivy wrapped her arms around her, and together they rocked back and forth. “I’m just so glad I kept you away from the party.”
Vinny pulled back. “Wh-what are you talking about?”
Ivy didn’t let go of her. She reached out with a hand to brush Vinny’s hair from her face. “I just meant I’m glad you weren’t there.”
“I’m glad too. I’m so sorry about Adam and Jesse.”
“We have to be strong now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like after Adam. I can count on you to be strong, can’t I?”
“Yes,” Vinny said as she wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand.
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