by Timothy Cox
She could smell the food, and it smelled good. Her stomach growled. ‘A few please.’
‘Shame you must be quite hungry, how long have you been lost?’
‘A few days.’ She coughed. ‘So Jessie. I can’t believe how lost I got. How far to the nearest highway?’
He nodded slow. ‘This place like a maze. People come in and never go out.’
Her mind thought it was a little creepy the way he said it, but she laughed. ‘I sure can vouch for that.’
He brought the plate over. ‘If you saw the signpost that said welcome to town, then all you need to do is go straight. Literally. Straight.’
‘Interesting, so I was heading the right way.’ She looked at the food and was surprised to find it so delicious looking. ‘Thank you very–’
‘This better Jessie?’ Phil asked.
This time Melissa looked. He was wearing shorts and shirt, nothing special, at least he wasn’t naked.
‘Sit down.’ Jessie said.
‘The food’s really good.’ Melissa said with food stuffed in her mouth. ‘Where did you learn to cook?’
‘My mom.’ He threw cutlery in the sink and slammed a few plates on top of others. ‘She died a long time ago, been taking care of my little brother here.’
She felt like asking him how she died, but opted not to. Phil was waiting for his food like a little kid, fork in one hand and a knife in the other.
‘Where’s your car?’
‘What makes you think I have a car?’ She said jokingly.
He walked over finding her response funny and laughed, he threw two plates on the table. ‘Well you didn’t come here by plane did you?’ He sat down and they all started eating.
‘I know stupid response. I’m just a little–’
‘Tired. Don’t worry I get it.’
‘I came here–’
‘Pass the sugar.’ Phil asked Melissa.
She gave it and watched him throw a heap of sugar over his egg. She looked at Jessie. ‘I came here by car.’
‘Where’s it now?’
‘It’s–’
‘On the road at Nest Exit. Drove past.’ Phil said.
Jessie slapped his brother’s arm. ‘Let her speak.’
She put the fork in her mouth. ‘Yeah wherever he said. On the road.’
‘Ok.’ Jessie said. Silence fell as they ate food. After a few minutes, he looked up. ‘I have some bad news and good news.’
‘Ask him what the bad news is.’ Phil said with egg in his mouth.
‘What’s the bad news?’
‘My brother here will take you out the forest to a highway station. But I don’t think we can help you with your car, you’ll have to get someone for that.’
She shook her head. ‘That’s fine, honestly, I appreciate the food and hospitality.’
‘That fine with you Phil?’
He bopped his head up and down.
(13)
She was sitting on a toilet in room as big as a closet. While relieving herself, she thought about everything: the forest, her car, her family, where she was now, and felt like she had enough. She couldn’t wait to get out and home. She looked for toilet paper and saw nothing. She stood up and heard commotion downstairs. And then screams.
‘What the…’ She pulled up her skirt. She stepped closer to the door to eaves drop.
Tell me where the bitch is or I’ll kill all of ya.
I don’t know who you’re talking about.
Don’t you fucking play with me–
We swear we don’t–
I give you one more chance.
I told you we don’t–
She felt like dropping to the floor and crying. She felt her breathing stop. All of a sudden all of the frustration she went through pales in comparison to what was happening right now. She shook her head as she listened to the screaming and what sounded like stabbing. What frightened her the most was the voice that spoke, because she recognized the voice, it was the voice of the man she picked up on the road.
A few minutes later everything was quiet. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved.
Melissa sat on the toilet not knowing what to do, this didn’t make any sense to her. All of this felt like a nightmare. She tried convincing herself that was she heard was nothing more than her imagination playing evil tricks on her. This was until she heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
Her fingers trembled so much that she had to hold them. She slid down the wall in a crouching position. She listened as each step got closer.
‘Here bitchy bitchy.’ He said. Making sounds like he was calling a dog.
She knew if she hadn’t relieved herself a few seconds ago, that she would have done so now. Her eyes scanned for anything to use as a weapon. She saw noth–
The door slammed open. He looked at her with hungry eyes.
She screamed at the person she thought was dead. She crawled backwards but he grabbed her leg. He pulled her out of the bathroom like he was pulling a child. He dragged her down the stairs not looking at her, only holding her leg. She tried kicking him away but it was no use, he had the strength of a demon.
When they were outside he turned to her. ‘You left me to die.’
‘No I didn’t!’ She screamed. Crying. Not understanding what was happening or what was possible. ‘I thought you were dead!’
‘No you didn’t you lying whore.’ He twisted her leg so hard that her knee broke.
Saliva flew from her mouth as the pain she felt was unbearable. By the look on his face, she knew he was going to kill her. She tried pleading with him while snot fell from her nose. He wasn’t having any of it. He dragged her across the grass towards the rocking horse chair.
‘I’m going to show you what I do to women like you.’ He wiped the dry blood on his face. ‘I’m going to cut you up into little pieces and feed you to the insects.’
Everything around her went dizzy. She saw the clouds turn yellow. She heard her heart beat so loud that it sounded like gongs. ‘Please–’ is all she could get out of her wet mouth. She didn’t know if he heard her, but he said something that made her think he did.
‘Think I’m going to eat your legs bitch.’
She opened her eyes and saw him put her leg over the rocking horse. Her eyes closed again and she felt like sleeping. The pain she felt was so intense that she felt like dying. She heard him walk away, only to return a few seconds later.
‘Open your eyes.’
Silence.
‘I said open your eyes!’
Something hit her leg. It made her bone crack. It made blood squirt. Her eyes opened. She saw him laughing with a hammer in his hands. She didn’t know what was more painful: looking at the weapon that just cracked her leg open – or the pain vibrating through her body. She screamed. He laughed.
He walked behind. He said something that – despite the pain – made her open her eyes. He was holding the hammer up. Waiting for the right moment. She saw the steel glint under the sun, and then his face coming into view; the shadow making his face clearly visible. He was smiling, his teeth showing.
‘Now it’s your turn to go burn in hell.’ He said. ‘I’m going to enjoy smacking this on your face.’
‘Please–’
He broke out in maniacal laughter and swung the hammer down.
(14)
The gun fired five times. Only then. Did he fall.
She only opened her eyes when she heard a familiar voice. When she did, she saw Phil carrying her. He was bloody himself, confused, just as she was. He told her to stay awake, he told her not to sleep. Everything went hazy, a whirlpool, time broke down into snippets of memory. When she regained consciousness, she was somewhere, a car, Phil’s car. She still heard his voice, saying don’t sleep, stay awake. And then she fell asleep, the bump of the rattling engine, cradling her to sleep.
Part one out on Amazon: US / UK
When mother said: “Don’t take stuff from strangers.” She was right.
But when you�
��re homeless, hungry, and cold, willpower goes out the window. This is the life of Jacob, a man that once had everything: the youth, a car, and even a girlfriend. But when the job market went sideways, he spiralled from everything to nothing. He now begs for money on streets to keep himself alive.
Then somebody appeared, not to give him change for food, but something else. Something that promised a hell of a good night.
Part one out on Amazon US / UK
Society had enough; people aren't stupid.
The rich get richer and the poor poorer. This is what happens when you stretch the temperament too far. Deep down they've had enough of running the hamster wheel. All they needed was a spark for everything to kick off: the stock market crash of 2015.
Things didn’t stop there; people wiping themselves out weren’t enough. It was as if Mother Nature wanted the job done. There's a disease on the loose. If you catch it, you have six months to live. Except...if you can find the cure.
We follow the story of Clinton Filosy: just a normal man with a heart-breaking past. And things, are only getting worse...
Part one out on Amazon US / UK
PLEASE READ GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION:
1) Earth has unlimited energy but limited resources.
2) If you turn twenty-one on the fifth year cycle – it is compulsory to join the Resistance.
3) It is law to study high-tech material for future preparation.
4) Failing to join the Resistance, if you qualify, will lead to severe repercussions for you and your family.
5) Earth needs you. Earth needs minerals.
Jack qualifies. He will be the third one to leave the family. It will be hard to leave the people he loves behind – but it’s for a good cause. He knows it. The earth is starving for minerals. Without the Resistance: earth will die.
But the universe is big. Full of, unknown things...