by Sasha Pruett
Chapter Ten
...I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
II Timothy 4:17
The suns early morning rays stretched out its glistening fingers touching the eyes of two young lovers, sleeping soundly in each other’s’ arms, peeking over the trees and running its heavenly light across the water to warm the sand. Jeremy awoke slowly, shielding his eyes from the brightness of the rising sun then turned to see Katherine cradled in his arms. It took a moment for the fog to lift from his mind allowing him to remember where he was. Rolling onto his side he gazed down at Katherine’s beautiful face and smiled. He regretted having to wake her, but he had to get both of them back home before either of their parents found that they were missing. He wanted to live to see his next birthday. With the clock ticking away he slowly lowered his lips to her cheek kissing her softly. Katherine bolted upright, screaming in terror, bashing Jeremy’s nose with her forehead sending tears welling in the boy’s eyes.
Her shrieks dwindled down as she looked around to see a calm lake and a beautiful sunrise, but her breaths still came in gasps as she recalled the face of evil that had haunted her.
“Jeremy! You’re alive!” Relieved she flung her arms around his neck and squeezed.
“Katie… I can’t breathe! Katie…”
Suddenly embarrassed she let go and sat staring across the lake desperately trying to figure out what had happened.
“What’s wrong? Of course I’m alive.”
Still confused, but more self-conscious than before she told him, “When you went into the woods last night and didn’t come back I thought you were joking around with me. You know, trying to scare me, but when you didn’t come back I got worried and came looking for you. Then this thing came after me.”
“Whoa, wait a minute. What thing?”
“It was a monster, a werewolf or something, but smart! It chased me into the woods and attacked me, but I hid in a cave and it couldn’t get me. Then it just left.”
Jeremy tried as hard as he could not to laugh. His father had taught him never to laugh at a woman when she was being serious, but it was so hard not to. What was she talking about? Werewolves. It was just too funny and his chuckles of laughter came through.
“Jeremy Theodore Kinsington! It’s not funny! I really thought you were dead!”
“I know. I’m sorry Katie. It sounds like you had a really bad nightmare.”
“It was more than a nightmare Jeremy. It felt real.”
All joking aside, Jeremy pulled up close to Katherine and put his arm around her, soothing her, “You know what must have happened?”
“What?”
“We must have fallen asleep right after talking about that couple that they pulled out of the lake yesterday and old man Farley’s cattle. That’s what must have given you the nightmare. I’m sorry I laughed. I didn’t mean it. I care a lot about you Katherine and I don’t want to mess that up for anything.” Where did that come from; Jeremy wondered. He was telling her how he felt, putting his heart on the line and without a second thought.
Any doubts about his admission were soon abated when Katherine looked at him and replied, “I care about you too Jeremy.” They held each other for only an instant before gathering their senses and their things.
“We’d better get out of here, and you’d better get me home before my father finds out I’m gone. I don’t want him to kill you before you can sneak me out again.” A coy smile played on her face as they rushed to gather their things and jump on his bike heading for home. A thousand thoughts danced through both their minds on the short ride to her drive, but none of them had to do with the demon from Katherine’s dreams. Jeremy let her off at the entrance to her subdivision and gave her one last quick kiss before speeding off to his own driveway and to what could be his impending doom if he had been caught, or worse; ratted out by his so called best friend. His paranoid best friend.
No noise came from the Price home, but Katherine was still cautious climbing back into the window she had escaped from. She peered all around for an attack from an angry parent before scrambling back into her room. She slowly opened the door to the hall and heard only the dull snore emanating from her parents’ bedroom. She had made it.
Jeremy on the other hand resided on the second floor and there was no crawling into his window since his escape tree had been cut down last fall. Luckily that didn’t matter this time. He walked right through the back door careful not to step on the squeaky board and sauntered silently up to his room. As he had expected both of his parents were still completely engrossed in the translation of the old book that he and his friends had found only days ago, oblivious to his absence. If he didn’t know that they both loved him immensely he would have been offended.
Katherine kicked off her shoes and slid from her sand ridden clothes leaving them crumpled on the floor by the bed. She reached for her favorite terrycloth robe lying across her still crumpled poster bed and headed for her private bath. Her room like most teens was her sanctuary. No matter how cold or nasty the world around her got, her refuge was the center of peace and it was spring all year round. Her walls were as feminine as the rest of her room with tiny pink roses on a white background that matched her bedspread and sheets perfectly, and the gentle breeze from her open windows made her curtains dance ever so slightly sending shadows waltzing across her moth colored carpet. The sun filled the light airy room, reflecting off the vanity mirror, scattering miniature beams in all directions.
Katherine stood in front of the bathroom sink and stared at the ghostly reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and purple, her hair was full of sand, and her body ached all over from her siesta on the beach. A warm and gentle breeze caressed her sandy face and the sunlight gently massaged her skin as the curtains fluttered from the open window beside her and for an instant she fell asleep nearly knocking her cleansers and lotions from their porcelain perch.
A long luxurious bath was just what the doctor ordered, but from the time her watch revealed her mother would soon be calling her to breakfast, so a brief shower would have to do. Katherine closed the lid to the stool and sat down, stretching her sore limbs, and perused the décor which matched the bedroom. She yawned long and hard then leaned over and pulled back the lavish shower curtain revealing the equally extravagant bath that was her Christmas present. It was large enough for two and extremely relaxing when the time permitted. She twisted the polished brass knob then relaxed against the toilet while waiting for the water to grow hot. Her head bobbed as sleep took over, and she succumbed for only a minute before rubbing her eyes and adjusting the temperature for comfort. She removed her watch and her treasured locket and hung the robe on its hook, then dragged herself under the rejuvenating falls. The lather from her loofah cascaded down her worn body covering the fresh bruises developing all down her lacerated back. On the floor of the bedroom by the window lay her clothes, torn, and dirty, with traces of blood soaked through the back, and a gash in the sole of her shoe.
*****
The warm gentle breeze fluttered curtains as it swept across the lake, scattering fragrant flowers, rustling fresh green leaves, and wafting clouds of dust and dirt onto the streets where it glued to the spot where only hours ago the bodily remains of Officer Frank Marshall had lain. Now only the tiniest amount of blood streaked sand and dirt lay beside the police car in the middle of the road. There was no further sign of the missing officer.