New Title 2

by Amy Cross

  “Bitch,” she whispered, before turning and hurrying to the stairs. “Get that fucking bitch back down here!” she screamed, clambering up the stairs two at a time and almost slipping back down before finally she stepped out into the kitchen, desperately looking around for some sign of Anna. A moment later, she heard footsteps once again running overhead, and she realized they were upstairs.

  Hearing the sound of a struggle, she raced to the hallway just in time to see Daniel tumbling down the stairs, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom with a loud cracking sound.

  Stepping over his body, she made her way up the stairs, while listening for any hint of Anna hiding ahead. When she reached the top she hit the light-switch, allowing her to see a little better, but there was still no sign of anyone.

  She waited, listening to the silence.

  “I know you're here,” she said firmly. “Sorry about locking the doors and windows, but we didn't want you running off into the forest, did we? Not like Karen fucking Lund.” She paused, before flicking the lights off again, plunging the corridor into darkness. Figuring that she knew the layout of the cabin far better than anyone else, Jennifer made her way slowly toward the first bedroom door, before stopping again and listening. At first she heard nothing, but finally she realized she could hear the faintest hint of someone sobbing in the next bedroom along.

  With a smile, she made her way to the next door and stopped for a moment before reaching out and gently pushing it open, revealing three empty beds in the dark room.

  “It's okay,” she said calmly as she stepped inside. “Even though you killed my brother, I'm not going to attack you in a fit of rage. I'm not that emotionally retarded. I'm just going to drag you back down to the basement and carry on with the plan. We still have a video to finish, Anna, and now I'm going to enjoy it even more.”

  Seeing no sign of anyone, she turned and looked around, and finally she spotted a trembling, naked figure curled up in the corner, whimpering with increasing desperation.

  “Is that the best you can manage?” Jennifer asked, taking a step closer with the knife raised in her right hand. “Jesus Christ, you're even dumber than I realized, and that is quite an achievement.” She took another step toward the corner, and now she was able to see the side of Anna's sobbing face. “You killed my brother,” she continued. “In case you were in any doubt, that means I'm about to make you suffer more than you can ever possibly imagine. All as part of the video, naturally. It means I'm going to drag your miserable life out for hours, maybe even days, and I'm going to come up with ways of hurting you that will go down in fucking history. By the time I'm finished, you'll be nothing more than a blob of bloody meat.”

  Stopping once she was towering over Anna, she stared down with a hint of pure disgust in her eyes.

  “I didn't...” Anna stammered, her whole body shuddering with panic and fear. “I didn't push him...”

  “Push who?” Jennifer frowned. “Daniel? Oh. So, what, he just happened to fall down the stairs, did he?”

  “It wasn't me,” Anna whispered, trying to curl up even tighter. “It was them...”

  “What the fuck are you on about now?” Jennifer asked. “Who cares? I'm going to make you scream the way no-one has ever -”

  Suddenly hearing footsteps coming closer, she turned and looked back across the room. As she did so, she felt something brush against her elbow and she turned again, this time toward the window. Still there was nothing to see, but she took an instinctive step back as she realized she could feel another presence in the room.

  In the corner, Anna was still sobbing.

  “This is getting stupid,” Jennifer said after a moment, turning back to Anna. “You're coming with me.”

  Reaching down, she grabbed Anna's bare, trembling arm. When she tried to pull her toward the door, however, she lost her grip and watched as Anna tried to curl into an even tighter ball.

  “What do you think's gonna happen here?” Jennifer asked. “The cavalry's gonna come riding to your rescue? That already kinda happened, and it didn't go so well for the cavalry, did it? Or do you think I'm gonna have a change of heart after you killed my fucking brother you piece of -”

  Letting out a sigh of frustration, she took a step back and then kicked Anna as hard as she could manage in the back. As Anna let out a cry of pain, Jennifer kicked her a couple more times, forcing her boot against her victim's belly until she felt the snap of a few ribs.

  “Get up!” she screamed, kicking her again, this time in the shoulder. When that didn't work, she kicked her buttocks and then her leg. “Get the fuck -”

  Feeling something bump against her shoulder, she turned and looked back, but there was still no sign of anyone else in the room. She waited, telling herself that she had to be imagining things, but she still couldn't shake the sense that somehow there was a figure close by, watching without being seen. Every shadow in the darkened room seemed to pose a threat, as if the shapeless gloom could suddenly shift closer and take human form.

  “Basement,” she sneered finally, turning back to Anna and reaching down to grab her bloodied arm, “and this time -”

  She stopped as soon as she noticed something shimmering across Anna's face. Unable to see clearly in the darkened room, she leaned closer just as Anna turned to look at her. Stunned, Jennifer stared into Anna's pained eyes as she realized there was another face flickering across Anna's, a mask of light. It took a moment before she recognized Marit's eyes and then, a moment later, she realized she could see a third face.

  Karen Lund.

  “Fucking bitch,” she whispered, before pulling Anna away from the corner and dragging her screaming, naked body toward the door. “Now you've got me so spooked, I'm starting to imagine things.”

  Once she'd managed to pull Anna toward the top of the stairs, she glanced over her shoulder, just to make sure that there was no-one following. She began to drag Anna down to the hallway, letting the girl's screaming body bump against each of the steps until they got to the bottom, at which point she pulled her past Daniel's motionless form and through into the kitchen. Deliberately not looking down at Anna's face, Jennifer hauled her toward the door that led down to the basement, struggling but determined to get her back to where all the knives and tools were waiting.

  “Just so you know,” she hissed, out of breath and exhausted, “you're really pissing me off now. All that screaming, all that -”

  Gasping, she felt Anna's blood-soaked arm slipping free from her grip. She turned just in time to see Anna crawling being the counter, as if she was trying to hide.

  “Seriously?” Jennifer asked with a faint, disbelieving smile. “What the fuck do you think that's gonna achieve, you dumb whore?”

  She stepped closer, already able to hear Anna's sobs, and after a moment she saw the girl's feet poking out around the corner.

  “You're really bad at this,” Jennifer continued, setting the scissors on the counter and then picking up a knife. “You know, if you wanted a chance of surviving, you shouldn't have fucked my brother last night. Everyone knows virgins have a better shot of getting away, at least in the movies. I mean, sure, we had to spike your beer a little to get your legs open, but you still -”

  She stopped suddenly as she caught sight of her own silhouette reflected in the dark window. Staring, she realized there were two other silhouettes right behind her, but she froze for a moment, not daring to turn and look.

  “This is dumb,” she whispered, trying to overcome her fear. Finally she forced herself to turn, but there was no sign of anyone else in the dark kitchen. “This is starting to mess with my head,” she continued, turning back and seeing Anna still sobbing behind the counter. “I'm gonna have to tidy this mess up alone,” she pointed out. “Do you have any idea how much work that's going to be? It's a good job I'm not some dumb little princess who's afraid of getting her hands dirty. Then again, I guess I won't have to share the payday with anyone, so there are upsides. And I always felt I was carrying t
he others a little.”

  Stepping around the counter, she saw Anna trying to crawl away. Smiling, she made her way closer and stared down at the trembling girl for a moment before leaning forward and pressing the knife's tip against her already ravaged skin.

  “Just so you know,” she continued, “despite all the trouble you've caused, you've been way more entertaining than Karen or Marit. And since there are hidden cameras all over the house, every moment is going to be included in the final cut of -”

  Suddenly something struck her from behind, hitting her hard enough between the shoulder-blades to send her stumbling forward. Tripping over Anna, she hit the wall and then fell down, dropping the knife in the process. She immediately turned and looked back, but there was still no sign of anyone.

  “What the fuck was that?” she whispered, wide-eyed with fear.

  Turning to grab the knife, she saw to her shock that it was now held in Anna's shaking hand.

  “Oh,” Jennifer said cautiously, “so you've got a knife. Big deal. Do you think you can actually use it against me, bitch?” She paused, before leaning closer and holding an arm out. “Go on. We're on camera, remember, so a little fight-back might provide some extra entertainment.” When Anna failed to make a move, Jennifer pulled up the sleeve on her right arm and then pressed it against the knife's blade. “Are you not even going to try?” she asked with a grin. “Are you that broken inside, are you that much of a pussy that you can't do it? Joe said he thought you'd been broken, but I guess he was wrong. Here, let me help you...”

  With that, she pressed her own arm against the knife and then slowly slid it down, causing the blade to slice through her flesh. By the time she was done, blood was dribbling freely from her wound.

  “You can't hurt me,” Jennifer continued. “Even when there's a knife in your hand, you don't have it in you.”

  She paused, before reaching out and starting to slowly ease Anna's fingers away from the knife's handle.

  “Come on,” she cooed, “let's not fool ourselves any longer. You know you can't get away, and you know I'm going to -”

  Before she could finish, and with the knife still gently resting in Anna's hand, Jennifer saw another flicker of movement in Anna's eyes, and once again she realized she could see just a hint of Karen Lund staring back at her.

  “How do you do that?” Jennifer whispered, leaning closer. “Fuck, how -”

  Suddenly Anna lunged at her, throwing the knife aside and grabbing Jennifer by the throat. Forcing her down, Anna climbed on top of her and screamed as she began to throttle her, squeezing as hard as she could manage while ignoring Jennifer's pained cries. Again, Anna's features seemed fractured, as if the faces of both Karen Lund and Marit were showing through, and she watched with two smiles and a scream as she saw that Jennifer's eyes were starting to bulge slightly as she struggled to breathe. Reaching up to push her away, Jennifer tried first to loosen Anna's grip and then to force her arms back, before finally placing her hands on the sides of Anna's face.

  “You...” Jennifer gasped. “You can't... You don't have it in you to...”

  Grabbing Anna's hands, she managed to loosen her grip just slightly.

  “You're not a killer,” she continued, staring up into Anna's eyes. “Listen to me. Ignore your feelings and focus on what I'm saying. You're not a killer, Anna, you can't kill someone in cold blood like this. Imagine the rest of your life, knowing that you were a murderer. You already killed my brother, but I bet that was self-defense, wasn't it? You haven't crossed that line yet. This isn't self-defense, not anymore. If you kill me, it's because you can't control yourself.” She waited, still trying to pull Anna's hands further away from her throat. “Are you really going to let this experience change you?” she asked. “Are you going to let it turn you into a cold-blooded killer? Because I promise you, once you step over that line, you can never go back.” Again she waited, and this time she realized that as Anna began to sob once again, her grip was loosening. “You're not a killer,” Jennifer continued. “I can see that in your eyes. You don't have the guts to defend yourself. How can any living creature care so little about its own life that it can't defend itself?”

  Slowly, she slipped Anna's trembling hands from around her throat and began to crawl out from beneath her.

  “You're really not capable of killing,” Jennifer continued, grabbing the knife and getting to her feet. “You haven't been broken enough yet.” She paused, as a smile slowly crept across her face. “I guess I should be impressed in a way, that you have some kind of unbreakable moral core in your soul. I'm not impressed, though. Just like I talked my weak-willed father into blowing his head off with a shotgun, I also talked you into giving up your advantage just now and letting me live. I mean... Wow, I'm good at this, huh? It's almost like a super-power.” She adjusted her grip on the knife, while watching Anna's shivering back and trying to pick the perfect spot. “Maybe with the money I earn from this video, I'll go to university and study to become a psychiatrist. I think that might be where I have a real talent.”

  Feeling something bumping against her shoulder, she froze for a moment. Just as she was about to dismiss the sensation, she felt it again, this time on the back of her neck. She glanced over at the window and saw not only her own silhouette, but also two others right behind her.

  “Weak thoughts,” she whispered, keeping her eyes fixed on the reflection. “Weak mind. I'm stronger than that.”

  She waited, but the silhouettes remained in place.

  “There's nothing there,” she continued, trying to stay strong. “I refuse to let primitive, superstitious fears run riot through my mind. I refuse to hallucinate this shit.”

  She watched the silhouettes for a moment longer, before taking a deep breath and slowly starting to turn.

  Karen Lund and Marit were standing right behind her, both bloodied and naked as they stared at her with rotten, dead eyes.

  “You're not real,” Jennifer sneered, meeting their gazes. “You're just figments of my imagination, and I can make you go away.” She paused, focusing on each of them in turn. “I refuse to let fear rule my thoughts. There's no such thing as ghosts, so you will fuck off right now.” She stared into Marit's eyes for a moment, before turning to Karen Lund. “I'm not the kind of idiot who cracks so easily.”

  Slowly, the two dead girls reached over to the counter, each taking a knife.

  “This is fascinating, though,” Jennifer continued, stepping closer to them. “I've even hallucinated a foul, rotten smell. Maybe I feel a little more guilt than I'd realized.” She smiled. “Ladies, even though you're not really here, I'll certainly give you a lot of thought once this is all over. You must have made a big impression, even on someone as smart as me.”

  Turning, she looked back down at Anna.

  “See?” she continued with a smile. “I'm so smart and so strong in the head, I even -”

  Suddenly she gasped as the blades of two knives sliced into her back, running straight through her chest until their tips were forced out through her chest. Staggering forward, she reached out and tried to support herself against the countertop, but when she looked down at the knives she saw that the front of her shirt was already covered in a rapidly-spreading bloodstain. Letting out a pained cry, she stumbled over Anna's trembling body before turning and seeing that Karen and Marit were behind her once again.

  “No!” Jennifer shouted as tears streamed down her eyes. “You're not real! You can't do anything to me, you're not really here! You're just in my -”

  Losing her footing, she slumped down against the wooden floor with the two knives still embedded deep in her back. She turned and began to crawl away, but after a couple of seconds she gasped and rolled onto her side. As she stared up at the ceiling, she became aware of two figures moving closer through the darkness, and finally Karen and Marit stood towering over her.

  “You're not real,” Jennifer stammered, trying but failing to get to her feet. “You're not, you can't be.” Turn
ing, she looked toward Anna and saw the other girl's fear-filled eyes. “You can't see them, can you?” she asked. “Please, tell me you can't -”

  Before she could finish, she coughed up a thick spray of blood. She tried once again to crawl away but she quickly slumped down again. As her breaths became increasingly difficult, she lay with her face against the floor and her eyes wide open, and after a moment she saw a bare of bare, bloodstained feet coming closer.

  “You're not real,” she whispered, “you can't be, you're all in my head. You're not real, I can make you go away, I'm too strong to...” She coughed again, bringing up more blood. “I can't die,” she continued, her voice sounding increasingly frail and weak. “Not like this, I can't die, I can't... This can't be happening, I'm too smart, I can't die. I can't, I can't, I... I can't, I...”

  Her voice faded for a moment, and she took one final, gasping breath before falling perfectly still.

  A few feet way, Anna watched in horror as Jennifer lay slumped next to the counter. After a moment, the bare legs of Karen and Marit stepped out of view but still Anna didn't dare turn to see where they were going. Instead she remained perfectly still, not trusting that Jennifer was really dead despite the knives that remained embedded in the other girl's back. She waited and waited, convinced that Jennifer would move at any moment, but as the minutes ticked past she began to realize that more and more blood was seeping out from Jennifer's chest, and that her glassy eyes hadn't blinked once.

  With tears still streaming down her face and her body still trembling, Anna began to crawl away before stopping and looking around the darkened kitchen. There was no sign of anyone else, but after a moment she realized she could hear a faint bumping sound coming from the basement. She immediately crawled to the back door and tried to pull it open, only to find that it was locked. Making her way back behind the counter, she hid as she heard footsteps slowly coming up the stairs, and finally she peered around the side and saw the police officer limping through the doorway.