Demon

by Laura DeLuca

He didn’t appear entirely convinced, but he continued anyway. “At the party on Friday night, sometime after we left, Megan was … she was….”

  “She was attacked,” Frankie finished.

  Rebecca felt her world start to tilt. “Oh, God. You mean … she was….” She paused, unable to say the words. “By the same guy?”

  Justyn nodded, and Rebecca was glad he was standing beside her and had a firm grip on her hands, because she was sure her legs were about to give out on her.

  “There’s more, Becca,” Frankie continued, looking wary. “Justyn, I doubt that Quinn told you this part of the story, but I was talking to one of the chorus girls—she was there when everything went down and….” Again, there was a dramatic pause. Frankie looked at Justyn as though he needed his permission to continue.

  “And what…?” Justyn demanded. Apparently, this part was new to him too.

  Frankie looked just as stricken as Rebecca felt when he finally spoke again. “The police…they think that Quinn might be the rapist.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Rebecca couldn’t breathe. Her heart was pounding so hard, it was actually physically painful. Her mind was trapped somewhere between a lifelike flashback of the day in the woods and a picture of Quinn’s sweet, innocent face. It was a face she had seen shining with affection, maybe even the beginnings of love, every time he looked at Megan. It seemed impossible, inconceivable, that Quinn and the man who’d attacked her could be one and the same. When the possibility was presented before her, red dots started to flash in front of her eyes, making her dizzy. The panic was just about to consume her when Justyn wrapped his arms around her. Before her legs could give out completely, she allowed him to ease her into one of the theater chairs.

  “Becca,” Justyn soothed and sat down beside her, “it’s okay. You’re safe.”

  She nodded. “I know. I’m-I’m all r-right,” she stuttered.

  Just his presence brought her back to reality, though her throat still felt constricted. Justyn laced his arm around her waist, and it was like a security blanket—one that she clung to with an almost desperate need. She was so glad she was able to accept his comfort. Without him, she might not have been able to bear the conflicting emotions that were tearing her apart. Quinn was her friend. She didn’t want to believe he could hurt her … or Megan.

  “What makes them think it was Quinn?” Justyn asked.

  Frankie didn’t answer at first. He seemed unaccustomedly nervous. Rebecca understood why when she saw the look on Justyn’s face. The calm detachment in his voice didn’t mask the absolute fury radiating from his dark eyes. Rebecca could only imagine the thoughts of revenge that were formulating in his mind. She was certain if Quinn walked back into the theater at that moment, Justyn would have torn him to pieces with his bare hands. Frankie noticed it too. He knew that one wrong word and he would be signing Quinn’s death warrant.

  “Well, there are a few things,” he began tentatively, “the most obvious being that the last time anyone saw Megan at the party, she was with Quinn. He claimed that he lost track of her in the crowd, but—”

  “Wait,” Rebecca interrupted. “Megan was attacked at the party?”

  Frankie nodded. “I don’t know all the details, but apparently the guy dragged her into the basement. It had to have happened not long after your little scuffle with Livy. I know that was the last time I saw her.”

  “My God,” Rebecca berated herself. “Quinn said she was missing. I should never have left until I knew she was okay. What was I thinking?”

  “Don’t start blaming yourself, Becca,” Justyn told her firmly. “The last time we saw her, Megan was fine. There was no reason for you to think she wouldn’t stay that way when she was surrounded by all those people.”

  “When we thought we saw her, I should have made sure. But Quinn seemed so certain and I just wanted to get out of there … and aghhh,” Rebecca cried out in frustration. “It just doesn’t make any sense. Sure, Quinn was a little buzzed, but he seemed happy. And Megan was really into him. Why would he need to force himself on her?”

  Frankie shrugged. “I’m just relaying what the chorus girls told me. But there is more.”

  Of course there was more. Rebecca hadn’t had a complete nervous breakdown yet, and Justyn hadn’t gone off on a murderous rampage. How could there not be more?

  “What is it?” Justyn’s voice was still eerily calm.

  “One of the girls from last year … you know, one of the other victims.” Frankie cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the whole conversation. “One of them had been Quinn’s girlfriend too. Well, at least they had gone out a few times.”

  There was silence for about half a minute and then Justyn’s whispered voice, so low, Rebecca almost didn’t hear him.

  “I’ll kill him.”

  He said it so matter-of-factly most people would have thought it was just a typical, meaningless threat. Rebecca knew better. She saw his creased brows and tight lips. She was even sure she heard his teeth grinding. She knew he was fighting for control. She had seen him angry before, but had never witnessed this type of silent rage. Even when Debbie was waving a gun in his face, his anger had been more vocal. His silence terrified her. He never looked more like Sweeney Todd than he did at that moment.

  “Justyn.” Rebecca placed a hand on his arm. It was odd that their roles so quickly reversed and she was trying to comfort him. “Just try to calm down for a minute, okay? We don’t know for sure that Quinn did anything.”

  It was the truth. Really, none of it made any sense. From everything Rebecca had learned from the police, the guy from last year always attacked at random and always in some deserted spot. Yet, her case wasn’t random at all. She had been completely set up; from her bike being sabotaged to the trip wire. Now the guy grabbed Megan in the middle of a frat house with a thousand possible witnesses? Something just didn’t add up. The police had already been wondering about a copycat. It seemed even more probable after this case. Maybe it was even three different guys. The whole thing made her head spin.

  “Wow, Becca,” Frankie said, surprised. “I never expected to hear you defend Quinn.”

  “Me either,” Justyn agreed, still furious. “If he’s the one who hurt you, Becca, I will make him pay.”

  “Justyn, of all people, you know what’s it’s like to be falsely accused,” Rebecca reminded him. “After the mistakes I made last year, the last thing I want to do is jump to conclusions again.”

  She saw Justyn let out a deep breath and could almost hear him counting to ten in his head. “I know you’re right. I just can’t bear the thought of anyone hurting you.”

  “I know that.” Rebecca gave his hand a squeeze. “I appreciate the sentiment. But the only person we should be concerned about right now is Megan. Let the police handle the rest. Frankie, did you hear anything about how Megan is doing?”

  “Just that she’s still in the hospital and not dealing very well.” Frankie scratched his head, still looking comfortable. “Which is understandable, of course.”

  “I should go see her,” Rebecca said thoughtfully. “I’m sure she can use a friend.”

  Justyn nodded. “And maybe I should go pay Quinn a little visit.”

  Rebecca shook her head. The last thing she needed was to have to bail him out of jail for assault. “No way, Justyn. You’re not going within a hundred yards of Quinn. Not until you calm down.”

  Justyn looked like he was ready to argue, but he didn’t get the chance. Livy came around the corner with Chad and Scott not far behind her. Rebecca assumed whatever argument Scott and Livy had been having had been resolved since they appeared to be the three amigos again. She gave them a suspicious look when she saw them huddled together. Rebecca realized she must have looked as frazzled at she felt when Livy rolled her dark eyes.

  “What’s all the drama about now, Becca?” Livy asked with a sneer on her black lips. “Are you whining because your little friend couldn’t handle the big ti
me?”

  “Wish I had gotten a chance to handle her.” Scott laughed then sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “She had one nice set of…”

  “Shut the hell up, you ignorant pig!”

  Justyn threw his bag on the ground and rose from the theater chair with unmasked disgust in his eyes. At first, Scott was surprised by the brazen interruption, but it didn’t take long for the hateful look to be reciprocated. The tension between them became an almost physical thing as the two guys stared each other down.

  “Whoa! What crawled up your ass, bat boy?” Scott leered. “I’m getting a little sick of your righteous attitude.”

  Chad nodded. “That makes two of us.”

  “O. M. G!” Livy exclaimed. Her black skirts rustled as she moved between them for the umpteenth time. “I’m seriously getting tired of you whiny mamas’ boys and your hissy fits. Crater Face is still hanging around, and he’s stressed enough as it is. If he sees you guys at it again, he might just pull the plug on the whole show. I’m not about to let that happen. So stay in your corners and stop looking for reasons to pick a fight!”

  Rebecca almost rolled her eyes. Livy was the last person who should be trying to play peacemaker. It was only a few hours ago that Livy had practically declared war over Justyn. Nevertheless, she let it go. Like she said, Megan was the priority. She couldn’t be worried about Livy’s dual personality.

  “Let’s just go,” Rebecca told Justyn. “I want to get to the hospital before visiting hours are over.”

  Justyn nodded, but he wasn’t happy about it. No matter how wonderful he was in most respects, he was still a teenage guy who liked to hit things when he felt like he was losing control. Chad and Scott weren’t the real objects of his aggression, but they were certainly a worthy substitute. Rebecca managed to lead him from the theater without further incident—unless of course she counted the dirty looks the guys exchanged on their way out the door. Luckily, the only thing stronger than his need for revenge was his desire to keep her from getting upset. Still, Rebecca had to wonder if even she would be able to control Justyn’s rage once the real culprit was unmasked.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Rebecca’s hands trembled as she pressed the number two button in the hospital elevator. She wished for at least the tenth time since she walked in the revolving doors that she could have brought Justyn with her. She didn’t want to face this situation alone, but she knew Megan probably wouldn’t be ready for male visitors, if she was ready for any company at all. Rebecca had no idea what kind of reception she was going to receive.

  All too soon, the elevator reached the second floor and the doors creaked open. Rebecca stepped out into the hospital corridor and was instantly assaulted by memories. The mingling odors of sickness and waste and the constant sounds of moaning and beeping monitors all reminded her of her own hospital stay. It wasn’t that long ago that she had made her bed in one of those sterile hospital rooms. She wanted to forget that day and the feelings of vulnerability that came with the memories. Yet, somehow she managed to push her own fears to the side. Her friend needed her. She had to be strong for Megan.

  A few minutes later, she arrived at Megan’s door. Through the entranceway, she could see bouquets of flowers, brightly colored balloons, and an assortment of get well cards lined up across the window pane. They did nothing to alleviate the gloom of the hospital room. Suddenly, the words of the detective echoed in her mind. He had told her she was lucky. She hadn’t felt that way at the time, but when she peeked in at Megan and saw her staring blankly out the window, Rebecca finally started to understand how truly lucky she was to have gotten away from her assailant when she had.

  Megan looked terrible. There was no way around it. No way of sugar-coating it. No thinking, Gee, she looks good, considering. Rebecca noticed her own pale reflection in the mirror on the opposite end of the room. Her bruises and cuts were mostly healed. Only the deep cut on her arm was still tender. Megan looked ten times worse than Rebecca ever did. It was only her thick mane of flaxen curls that even made her identifiable. Her face was bruised almost beyond recognition. Her eyes were both black and blue, and her nose was so swollen, Rebecca was certain it was broken. Yet that wasn’t the worst of the damage. Both sides of her cheeks were covered with bandages, but patches of blood had seeped through. In her mind, Rebecca saw the glint of the razor blade she had managed to block. The absolute terror the memory invoked almost stopped her dead in her tracks, but she forced herself forward, shunning the fear and pulling strength from somewhere deep inside herself.

  “Knock, knock,” she called through the open door, doing her best to sound cheerful. “Can I come in?”

  Megan didn’t turn her head from the window or sound even remotely enthusiastic about it, but she nodded. “Okay, Becca.”

  Rebecca tiptoed into the room, feeling nervous and out of place. Megan still hadn’t turned to look at her. Her blue eyes were fixed on the window, even though the only view it offered was the black tarred roof of the hospital. Rebecca could only imagine what Megan was really seeing as she pulled a chair a little closer to the bed.

  “How are you doing?”

  Megan actually rolled her eyes, despite the fact it had to be painful. “How do you think I’m doing?” she snapped.

  Rebecca cringed a little. Of all the reactions she had prepared for, such bitter indifference wasn’t one of them. It was true that different people handled things in completely different ways. Rebecca tried not to take offense. If anyone understood the conflicting emotions Megan was experiencing, she did.

  “Stupid question,” Rebecca acknowledged.

  “How did you even find out?” Megan asked.

  Rebecca chewed her lower lip, not really sure how much she should say. “Professor Carter made an announcement at practice that you had left the show. Later, Justyn was talking to Quinn and…”

  “Quinn?” Megan interrupted. “Quinn was talking about me?” At first Rebecca thought she was excited to hear that Quinn was concerned, but then her bruised face twisted into a hateful scowl. “That bastard.”

  Rebecca avoided her eyes. She still had trouble relating Quinn to her nameless attacker, but Megan didn’t seem to have any doubts. The idea made Rebecca feel a combination of uncertainty and renewed panic. She considered again her idea that it had been a different perpetrator altogether. However, Megan’s cuts, which were the culprit’s trademark, seemed to discredit that theory. The man must have been getting either more brazen or more desperate if he was attacking girls in such public places.

  “Did you … did you actually see Quinn?” Rebecca asked.

  Megan sighed and turned her head away again. “No. I mean … the guy was wearing a mask, just like with you and the other girls. It was dark, and I was drunk. I actually started to feel a little queasy. I was afraid I might get sick in front of Quinn. So I went outside for a few minutes, hoping the fresh air would make me feel better. The next thing I knew, someone grabbed me from behind and….” She shook her head, as if that might shake away all the horrible memories. Yet, she didn’t cry. She seemed almost detached from the whole story. “I can’t be sure whether it was Quinn, but either way … if it wasn’t for him … if he hadn’t taken me to that stupid party or talked me into drinking so much … none of this would have happened.”

  Rebecca thought about arguing that it wasn’t fair to blame Quinn. She thought about telling her how despondent he was without her. But one look at Megan’s cold, detached countenance told her no words were going to salvage that blossoming relationship. For Megan, it was already over. The reasons didn’t have to be justified or make sense.

  “I’m so sorry, Megan.” She tried to reach for her hand. Even when Megan yanked it away, Rebecca didn’t give up. “I know how you feel.”

  Megan gave a sarcastic chuckle. “No, you don’t. You got away. Look at me, Becca! Just look at me! I lost everything! My boyfriend, my career, my face, even my innocence! It’s all just … it’s all gone! Everything
that ever mattered to me is gone.”

  Finally the anger gave way to tears. Megan sobbed into her pillow, her spirit even more bruised and broken than her body. Rebecca felt her own eyes grow moist. She desperately wanted to comfort her friend, but though she tried again to reach for her hand, Megan only yanked it away. Rebecca was beginning to understand the kind of grief she had put Justyn through when she had pulled away from him. Seeing Megan’s anguish, but being unable to help her, was even more unbearable than her own ordeal had been.

  “Megan, I know you’re scared and overwhelmed right now,” Rebecca whispered. “But this doesn’t have to be the end. I promise you, your face will heal and so will everything else. It’s going to take time, but you can’t give up. You have to fight back. Don’t let this monster take away all your dreams.”

  Megan shook her head, half angry and half desolate. “Don’t you see that it’s too late? He already has taken everything. I can’t stay at this school, Becca. I can’t walk across this campus every day and not think about….” She paused, unable to finish the sentence. “I just can’t do it. Honestly, I don’t know how you did it.” She shrugged and wiped her eyes. “I guess you’re just stronger than me.”

  “No, Megan,” Rebecca insisted. “I almost fell apart, but I fought back. You can too. You aren’t alone. I’ll help you through this!”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any fight left in me, Becca. I don’t even want to try.” There was a long pause before she finally continued, “I’m not just dropping out of the play. I’m dropping out of school.”

  “Oh, Megan, you can’t! You worked so hard! All those years of training and practicing, all the sacrifices you made … just so you could get here. You can’t just throw it all away!”

  “None of that matters anymore.” Megan’s voice was hollow.

  “But, Megan…”

  “I want you to leave now, Becca.” Megan told her flatly. “Please, just go. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”