Denny climbed into the passenger’s side seat and looked at the box of donuts sitting on top of the dashboard. His stomach rumbled at the thought and he opened it carefully, examining the dozen sugar bombs sitting inside.
Patrick slid in on the driver’s side and gave a small smile. “You touch my raspberry filled ones, and I’ll rip your arm off.”
“Fair deal. It was my turn though, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, but you never remember. So remember tomorrow.”
Denny grabbed his pen and jotted DONUTS on the back of his hand. “Done.”
“Good. Let’s go deliver milk.” Patrick was normally the quiet one of them. It was kind of unsettling having him in a semi-chatty mood, but in a good way.
The truck lurched forward and did a slow crawl away from the loading docks. Not only was Patrick a careful driver but also a smart one; the number of glass bottles required that they take it easy over the rough spots.
Highlights for the morning trip included seeing Kimberly Montgomery run out to get the newspaper in her shorts—a treat, because even at thirteen the girl was built like a brick house and had an ass that was made for pinching—and seeing Mrs. Williams—all of twenty-five and a borderline exhibitionist, God love her—through the bathroom window as she was stepping out of the shower. Burt and Lacey Partridge were climbing into their Ford Festiva, and both of them waved as the truck went past. Burt was a bit of all right, even if he was the sort who was just as likely to glare as he was to grin. Lacey was a decent looking woman, even though the last few years had taken their toll on her. She had a sweet smile, but normally looked ready to rabbit if anyone tried to talk to her.
She still had her figure after four pregnancies, two of which had delivered nothing but heartbreak, and the two that survived the full nine months in her womb had come out as pretty as peaches. Heather, the oldest daughter, was slim and attractive. Her little sister hadn’t started developing yet, but Denny could tell she was going to be a looker one of these days.
He’d seldom seen a family so afraid to smile, but figured it was probably something to do with their religion. He’d never once seen any of them in church, not even on the important days, like Easter and Christmas.
Still one house and three good looking girls, even if he only got to see one of them, wasn’t a bad run. There wasn’t a female in that house he hadn’t fantasized about on a dozen or more occasions.
He has the good sense not to make any comments about any of the ladies in question to Patrick.
Then it was off to the Watersford Academy. Watersford was, as far as Denny was concerned, a promise of Heaven shown to one and all on earth. There were girls from all over the country and probably all over the world in that place and every one of them wore a short skirt. If any of them were unattractive, they hid them in a dungeon somewhere, the better to make the place appealing.
True to form, as soon as they parked, Patrick was heading for the duck pond. Sadly they were there at just the wrong time and all of the pretty little things he normally got to see running around were in classrooms.
Still, the day hadn’t sucked so far and maybe if he got really lucky, he’d still spot a few of them.
“Ain’t no law against looking, Denny. Not a single one.” He started hauling the first crates off the truck and onto the dolly. It was a big order because the weekend was coming up. Even if the school didn’t have classes there were plenty of kids stuck eating in the cafeteria for all of their meals.
III
Patrick scattered the bread quickly, watching the ducks waddle out of the water and attack the offered food like they’d been starving for weeks. Winter was just around the bend and they’d be leaving for the season soon. The Mayflower Milk baseball cap he wore kept the sun out of his face and he smiled, enjoying the mallards and the pekins and their antics.
There was a sign that clearly asked people not to feed the ducks. Patrick had special permission from the headmaster. He’d been feeding them long before the sign went up.
Not far away a group of kids was getting lined up for an excursion into the woods. He knew where they were going in a matter of seconds. They were dressed in their civilian clothes, every last one of them wearing long sleeves, gloves and thick pants with boots and socks.
There was only one place in all the woods where they were allowed out of the standard uniforms and that was the Witch’s Hollow. There were only twenty or so kids all told and there were four adults to supervise them. The reason was simple enough: damned near every plant that grew in that region was poisonous. Not all them would kill an unwary traveler, but even the milder ones would make them sick to their stomachs.
Patrick felt his insides tighten as he looked over the group. Was it coincidence that he had chosen that very morning to visit his mother, or was there something more involved? He couldn’t say, just as there was no easy way for him to decide whether or not the gathering in front of him had been planned by fate, by his mother or was simply a happy accident.
One of the students would be the one his mother had chosen. The thought gave him a thrill.
They were all younger students, not much beyond freshmen if he had to guess. The oldest wouldn’t be much more than thirteen or fourteen. Denny would have loved to see them.
Patrick pressed his lips together at that thought. If he believed for one second that the man had ever acted on his perverse thoughts regarding younger girls, he’d have gleefully castrated him. There was an even mix of males and females, most of whom were looking less than thrilled with the idea of a hiking trip.
Patrick studied them all and finally decided on three of the girls that would suit his mother’s needs. One was a willowy girl with deep red hair and perfect posture. She had obviously been raised in money and trained heavily in etiquette. The second was a blonde who cast her eyes on all the rest of the students with a decided air of superiority. She was used to being in charge and she was used to taking no flak from any of the others. He thought her very likely to be the one. The last was healthy and smiling and slightly gawky, but she was surrounded by boys who seemed to find her absolutely fascinating.
She was young, true, but she was also attractive and more developed than any of the other girls. Naturally the boys flocked to her; she was less of a threat to them than the other girls. This one was still smiling and shy. The other girls were migrating together, and while it was nothing that any of the kids seemed conscious of, Patrick suspected battle lines were being drawn.
As he watched, the adults called the children to order and prepared to be on their way. It was time for him to go too. There were still a few more places that were expecting deliveries and then they would be done and he could head into the woods. One of them, he marveled, one of those children will be marked before the day is through.
IV
Lacey sat perfectly still for most of the trip into Utica. The weather was nice and she savored it, rather than making any unwanted sounds. She had no choice, not really. Burt was behind the wheel and if she wanted to keep him happy it was best not to cause too many distractions while he was busy. Her husband was not a man who liked to be distracted once he’d decided he wanted to concentrate.
They were off to see her sister, Teresa, because Teresa said she had something to discuss with the two of them. That worried Lacey a lot, because normally Teresa and Burt didn’t exactly get along well. It was one of the many things in her life over which Lacey truly wished she had more control. There had been a time, back in high school, when her sister and Burt were very close. They’d actually dated for a while before Lacey came along and caught Burt’s eye.
Oh, and hadn’t that just caused a storm to end all storms? Teresa was furious about the whole situation. They’d fought and screamed and raged for almost three weeks after he broke it off with her little sister to hang with Lacey. The good thing about it was that they were flesh and blood relations and flesh always forgives flesh sooner or later. Still it had been years before they were really cl
ose again.
He’d been something back in those days, tall and strapping and twice as handsome as most of the guys she met. He was practically Prince Charming.
Lacey rested her head against the passenger’s side window and stared at the stretch of road in front of them, reflecting on the fact that his froggier tendencies didn’t show up until after they’d married. Oh, he was a fine provider and he could be wonderful when the mood struck him, but after they’d settled into a life of marital bliss, he just sort of started noticing her flaws more than he had when they were going steady and when they were engaged.
Suddenly it wasn’t cute when she forgot to pick up something at the Acme; it was a reason for him to get upset. At first he’d just scolded her. It was only later, when he realized she wasn't going to change that he started hitting.
Even that wasn't so bad in the very beginning. Now and then he might cuff her on the arm, but he apologized a few minutes later and did everything he could to make up for it for days on end. She tried to change, but some things just can’t happen overnight.
And then Thomas came into their world. That was the name they’d chosen for their first baby; Thomas, a beautiful young boy who stole his father’s heart. Burt had been like a saint throughout the pregnancy. If she needed anything at all, he was there for her, ready to help, ready to protect her, the way she’d always felt a husband should be. He doted on his son and he doted on his wife and for a very short time everything was perfect.
Then came the morning that Burt found Thomas in his crib, cold and lifeless. He was horrified and so was Lacey. The only consolation either of them got was that he’d died in his sleep and had not suffered as far as the doctors could tell. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was the verdict. Lacey was pretty sure that meant they didn’t really have a good reason for why her little angel stopped breathing.
It was months before Burt would even look at her if they weren't in public. He didn’t have to say that he blamed her; she knew it. As far as her husband was concerned, Lacey had let his son die.
That was a devastating blow to their relationship. Lacey was still trying to figure out how to broach the subject of divorce when Burt came back to being himself again, or closer than he had been in a while.
He came fully back to being himself when they discovered she was pregnant with another child. Heather was born into a family that seemed happy again, and Lacey made it a point to thank God every night. Heather was fair skinned with pale blond hair and the fair looks of her mother. She was happy and healthy and stayed that way. And if Burt was a little disappointed not to get a son out of the bargain, he tried his best to hide it.
A year after that, they conceived Melissa, who looked more like Burt than she did like Lacey. She had dark hair and dark eyes and a quiet demeanor. Burt called her his little scholar. And once again, if he was disappointed because he did not have a son, he hid it well.
They had two beautiful children and Lacey did her best to gain back her girlish figure when she realized that Burt wasn’t as amorous as he had been. She did the workouts and dieted and raised their little ones while she did her tasks around the house. Money was always a little tight, but Burt wouldn’t hear of her working. She had a more important job than any other as far as he was concerned: she took care of the children.
Lacey was never the stay at home type, but she understood where he was coming from and as long as he was mostly behaving himself she was happy enough. His work as an insurance adjustor kept him hopping and from time to time he had to leave town for conventions or to handle claims in the middle of nowhere, and she was stuck at home with the kids. She got a little solace on the Internet, looking at various news groups, etc., and she managed to get some time every week to spend with other moms when she started taking the kids to the park near the center of Beldam Woods. There was a playground and lots of kids that her little ones could play with. Some of the other parents there were stand offish, as if not being from the wealthier side of town was possibly contagious, but not too often. It was a small town and it was almost impossible not to know everyone else.
Her dieting and working out paid off and Burt started paying her attention again. It was a wonderful feeling to be loved, one she had almost forgotten about until he finally came around again.
He was loving and caring and doted on her right up until the time of the second miscarriage.
And after that he grew sullen. She’d been handling his brooding for over ten years now, and had grown accustomed to it. Lacey still kept herself fit, still tended to the house and to the children and still loved Burt. But if anyone had asked her if she was in love with him, she would have been lying if she said yes. She loved him, but that was hardly the same thing. There was no romance anymore and hadn’t been for quite some time. His passions were dedicated to his work and hers were simply left unattended. Twice, perhaps three times a year he would get amorous and she went through the motions because it was expected of her and it was easier than saying no.
Was her life perfect? No, but it was hers and it was all she had.
Out of the blue, Burt reached over and took her hand in his while he was driving, his rugged features calming a bit as a smile crept across his face. She smiled back and squeezed his fingers.
Maybe love wasn’t always supposed to be about passion. She thought about that as they drove. Maybe it was the small gestures that mattered.
V
They moved in rows of two, and somehow she managed to get lucky enough to walk next to Tim Bueford. Tim was cute, and he was nice, and she knew for a fact that Shannon Whitechapel thought he was something pretty special. Anything she could do to make Shannon’s life miserable was just payback as far as she was concerned.
And she was standing with him. She wasn't even sure how it had happened, but she was certainly happy about it.
Even if most of the time they weren’t talking, just making eyes at each other.
Erika was new to the school. She’d been transferred over at the beginning of the quarter when the old school had gone belly up. She didn’t know all of the details, only that she found herself very suddenly in a new place with new kids. Most of them took to her pretty well. There were a few exceptions, like Shannon. Shannon needed to be the head of the class at everything she did: for her school was a competition and for reasons unknown, Erika bothered the other girl. That wouldn’t have been a problem, but what bothered Shannon bothered most of her cronies in the class.
Something was going to have to change, and soon, or there was going to be trouble. Erika did everything she could to avoid conflict, but nothing was working and she had never been raised to take grief from other kids. So far they hadn’t actually gotten into any serious skirmishes, but she could sense that the other girl was getting ready to do something.
Mr. Humphries was going on and on about the plants in the Witch’s Hollow. They’d spent the last two weeks learning about adaptation and evolution and at least half of that time had been a detailed study of every plant in the Hollow. Nothing that grew in the area was known in other parts of the country and as a rule it seemed that the plants and fungi were universally ugly and toxic. She couldn’t bring herself to be overly enthusiastic about the whole thing until she saw the place for the first time.
It was amazing, a sight she’d never expected. Oh, they’d studied plenty of pictures of the plants but seeing them all in one place was different; it was like looking at chunks of a masterpiece and then seeing the different splices all put together.
The ground was dark with a scattering of different mushrooms and patches of strange lichen. What little grass grew in the area looked sickly or already dead. A lot of the trees in the deep pit of a place were struggling to survive and covered with heavy coats of ivy and layers of moss. The whole thing made her think of those old black and white monster movies she used watch on her father’s knee when she was very young, before he had remarried. It wasn’t pretty in the traditional sense but it made her feel good because of t
he visual association.
Mr. Humphries once again cautioned everyone about leaving their gloves on and not touching anything without getting permission, and then they proceeded down into the area.
There were twenty students and four teachers. Five to one odds. Something was bound to go wrong.
Naturally enough, something did.
VI
Patrick had to make a detour on his way back to the Beldam Woods. One of the orders had been put together the wrong way and he wanted to make it right as quickly as possible. Mayflower Milk had a reputation for excellence and rather than wait for the next day, he took the extra gallon of chocolate milk and two pints of cottage cheese to the Partridge house on his way. It wasn't really much of an issue anyway, the Partridges lived only a block and half away from his own place and he needed to drop the car off. He wouldn’t have need of it for the rest of the night.
He walked up to the tidy house and rang the buzzer, waiting patiently. He’d seen the parents leaving the house earlier in the day but for all he knew they’d gone shopping.
Melissa Partridge opened the door, her expression a little nervous. She relaxed when she saw who it was. She was one of the better kids in the neighborhood and he had already used her car washing and lawn mowing services on several occasions. He didn’t need his car washed and he was perfectly capable of mowing his own lawn, but she always asked nicely and she was a cute kid. Her older sister was nowhere near as eager to make money. Melissa wanted to save up for something special. He had no idea what that something was, but in the long run it would have meant nothing to him.
“Hi, Patrick.” She craned her head to look up at him.
“Hi, Mel. Looks like we forgot some stuff earlier, so I thought I’d drop it by.” He offered her the milk and cheese and smiled as she took it.
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