Anna's Visions

by Joy Redmond

  “Yeah, yeah,” Cody said, grabbing Jill’s left arm and Tori’s right arm and pulling them into the living room. He clung tightly to them as he said, “Tori and I were just about to go to bed. It’s late and I have to get up early and go to work.”

  He then gave Tori a fierce look that told her she’d better keep her mouth shut.

  As Tori felt Cody’s grip loosen, she looked into Jill’s eyes and said, “Yeah, that’s right. Jill, we can talk tomorrow. I’m tired and Cody needs his rest. If you follow me, I’ll show you to the guest room. We can talk all you want in the morning.”

  Jill stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “Actually, that’s sounds good to me. I’m pretty beat myself. It was a long drive down here.” She yawned again, and then continued, “But Cody is right. I showed up uninvited. I think I remember seeing a motel just a few blocks from here. I’ll stay there and see you in the morning.” She made a half turn.

  As she turned to go, Cody surprised Tori by saying, “No, Jill, that won’t be necessary.” He grabbed them by the arms again and ushered them down the hall to the spare bedroom. “You’re welcome to stay here. I think you’ll find it comfortable and the guest bathroom is right down the hall,” he said, gesturing with his head, and gripping Tori’s arm until his fingers dug into her flesh.

  “Thanks,” Jill answered sweetly. “It would be nice to sleep somewhere besides a motel. Again, I’m sorry I came so late without calling. Well, you two have a good night’s sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” She yawned again.

  Boy, she’s good! Tori almost giggled.

  Cody waited for Jill to close the bedroom door, and then through clenched teeth he mumbled in Tori’s ear, “Now let’s go to bed!”

  Tori let Cody guide her as if she were the lost sheep he thought she was. He locked their bedroom door, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the pill pouch. He handed Tori two Valium and one Quaalude. “Take them!” he commanded.

  Tori popped the pills into her mouth, but as soon as Cody bent down to untie his shoes, she rolled the pills off her tongue and slipped them under the mattress as she pulled back the bed covers. Then she changed into her night gown, and crawled into bed.

  Jill can’t sneak out and go for help because Cody has the deadbolts locked and the keys are in his jeans pocket. I’ll wait until he falls asleep. She didn’t move as she waited for Cody to fall asleep. She’d be able to tell because he always snored – but he didn’t make a sound. She figured he was waiting for her to fall asleep.

  “Cody,” Tori said softly.

  “What?” he answered in an amazingly gentle tone.

  “I’m sorry Jill upset you. I’ll get rid of her tomorrow and let her know that my place is with you,” Tori said with all the conviction she could muster.

  “Yeah, Tori, you do that.”

  Tori must have dozed off because she was startled when she felt Cody ease his arm from under her neck, lift his leg off her stomach, and roll out of bed.

  She partially opened her eyes and was surprised to see it was 6:00 a.m. She watched him dress and walk out of the room. She listened closely, scared to move too soon. She heard the clinking of glass and she figured he was fixing his orange juice. Then she heard the front kitchen door open and close.

  Orange juice to go? That was a first time – that she could remember.

  She waited a few more minutes and when she heard no more sounds, she jumped out of bed, hurried across the hall, and opened the door of the guest bedroom. Jill sprang from bed, fully clothed, her purse in one hand and the car keys in the other.

  “Is he gone,” Jill whispered.

  “Yeah, I heard the door close. We have to–”

  “Here you go, girls. Fresh orange juice.”

  Tori and Jill gasped as Cody walked into the guest bedroom, carrying two glasses of juice. “I have to make a run to Alabama today, but I thought I’d offer our guest some orange juice before I left.” He handed a glass to each of them, smiling as if playing the role of a perfect host.

  As Jill took a glass, Tori shifted her eyes from side to side.

  Cody handed Tori a glass and then pulled her into the hallway, kissed her cheek, and sweetly said, “Have a nice visit with Jill,” as he patted her bottom.

  “Bye. Have a safe trip. Love you,” Tori said as he turned to go. She stood transfixed, until she heard the front kitchen door open and close. She finally took a breath, then hurried to the master bedroom and peered around the curtains. She watched him get into the car and back out. With a sigh of relief she ran back to Jill. “You didn’t drink any of the juice, did you?” Tori looked at Jill’s glass.

  “No, I caught your signal. What’s wrong with it?”

  “He was being much too nice, which means he didn’t buy my cockamamie speech I gave him last night, which means he was trying to slip us a Mickey, and knock us out while he was gone. Thank God, you found me, Jill. Now I can finally get out of here–” Tori shook her head. “How did you find me?” Before Jill could answer, Tori said, “I know. Grammy saw a vision and she led you right to my door.”

  “Well, yes and no. I’ll tell you all about it when we get away from here.”

  “Yes and no?” Tori repeated, but she didn’t press Jill. “Okay,” she said, practically dragging Jill across the hall and into her bedroom.

  As Tori hurriedly threw on a pair of jeans and a pullover sweater, Jill asked, “What in the hell is going on here? Why haven’t you contacted anybody?”

  “It’s a long story. And like you, I’ll tell you all about it when we’re on the road. I’ve got a lot of questions and I know you do, too, but we’ve got to get out of here, fast!”

  Tori’s fingers fumbled and her hands were trembling, but she finally managed to get dressed. Then she grabbed a shoulder strap purse, and Jill had to run to keep up as they raced down the hall.

  Tori stopped abruptly and turned around. “I’ve got to get my dolls and picture albums.”

  “Are you crazy? Just leave them, Tori!”

  “No! He thinks he’s either knocked us out or killed us, depending on what was in the orange juice. I’m not going to leave my precious stuff here where he can destroy it. I’m not leaving my stuff!”

  She ran into the kitchen with Jill behind her, saying, “Hurry!”

  Tori grabbed a hand full of plastic bags from under the counter. “Come on. We’ll just throw everything into these and then we’ll leave.”

  Jill heaved a heavy sigh. “Well, let’s get them and go!”

  They hurried back to the bedroom and frantically began stuffing dolls and books into the garbage bags. Just as they were grabbing the last of the dolls, they heard a menacing voice from the doorway, “Going somewhere, my love?”

  They whirled around and saw Cody standing in the doorway, a gun aimed straight at them. He waved the gun and said, “Now, let’s all walk into the kitchen – nice and slow.”

  Tori couldn’t think of anything to say, and she knew instinctively that if she had said anything, it would have set Cody off, so she and Jill slowly walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway toward the kitchen.

  When they reached the kitchen, Cody motioned toward the table with the gun. “Now, sit at the table, girls. On the far side.”

  Tori and Jill sank into the chairs, their backs to the wall, their bodies trembling.

  Still holding the gun on them, Cody reached into the cabinet and pulled out a fifth of Jack Daniel’s. He placed the bottle in front of Tori, took a few steps back, and picked up a shot glass.

  “Pour,” he commanded, setting the glass on the table.

  Tori filled the shot glass.

  Cody reached for the glass, then lowered his hand and backed away as if he were confused. He paced the floor for a few minutes, running his hands through his hair, then grabbed the glass and tossed the whiskey down his throat. Then he slammed the glass back down and screamed, “Refill!” Sweat was running down his face.

  As Tori reached for the glass, Cody began
to pace again, taking his eyes off them for the first time. It was then that Tori noticed the ashtray filled with pills that Emma had placed behind the centerpiece on the table. As quickly as Tori could, her eyes never leaving his face, she grabbed several pills and dropped them into the empty glass. Then she poured whiskey over them and watched them melt. She looked at Jill and saw the look of terror on her face. It was a risk, but she had to take it.

  Cody stopped pacing, reached for the shot, and quickly tossed the whiskey and pills down his throat. He was acting strangely enough that Tori couldn’t help but wonder if he hadn’t already taken some sort of medication before confronting them.

  Cody’s eyes narrowed as he wiped his lips, slamming the glass back down, and yelled, “Again!”

  Tori was amazed that he again turned away from them and paced as she dropped three more pills into the glass and dissolved them with Jack Daniel’s. He was obviously distraught and trying to decide what to do with them.

  Tori held out the shot glass, which Cody grabbed violently and then quickly emptied. Then he deliberately set the glass down, as if he’d come to some sort of decision.

  His voice was calm as he looked down on them. “Well, well. What am I going to do with your bodies, girls?” He pulled out a chair, turned it around backward, and straddled it as if he were riding a horse. He pointed the gun at Jill and then at Tori. “Pow! Pow!”

  It was then that Tori noticed a strange looking object on the end of the gun barrel. Silencer? He wasn’t trying to scare them. He really was going to kill them. And knowing Cody, she figured he had carefully thought of a way to dispose of their bodies and nobody would ever find them.

  His eyelids began to droop as he nodded toward the kitchen clock. “Ten minutes, girls. Watch the clock. Meanwhile, I believe I’ll have another shot.”

  Tori refilled the glass, unable to add any pills because he was staring at her with ferocity unlike anything she’d ever seen.

  He looked up at the clock and said, “Eight minutes, ladies. Then we’ll have some fun. Meanwhile, give me another one, you redheaded bitch.”

  Tori refused to look at the clock. She wasn’t about to play his sick game. If he were going to kill her, he’d have to do it while she was looking straight into his eyes. Although she tried hard not to show it, her heart was beating so hard she thought it would explode.

  Cody bugged his eyes as if he were a child making an ugly face at a classmate. “More whiskey!”

  Tori filled the shot glass, but Cody’s hand fell sideways before he grabbed it. Then his head slowly began to sag until it hit the tabletop with a thud. His right hand slid from the table – then Tori heard the gun hit the floor.

  For a long moment, Tori and Jill just sat looking at each other, too terrified to move, but when Cody failed to stir, Tori finally slid out of her chair, picked up the gun, and motioned her head toward the door.

  Tori and Jill slowly moved around the table, and Tori stood beside Cody, the gun close to his temple, and whispered, “Get the keys out of his pocket and unlock the deadbolt on the door. Then go get the bags.”

  Jill nodded and eased her hand into his pant pocket, and pulled it back out with the keys. She unlocked the door, and then headed toward the bedroom.

  Tori closely watched Cody. He didn’t seem to be breathing. It took all the courage she could muster, but she gently touched his neck, feeling for the carotid artery. She didn’t feel a pulse. She gathered more courage and placed her hand on his back in the lung area. No movement. She held her hand under his nose. He wasn’t breathing.

  Tori jumped as Jill came back into the kitchen and whispered, “I’ve got everything. Come on, Tori. Let’s go!”

  One more thing,” Tori whispered. “Before we leave, go into the master bedroom and call Grammy. Don’t give her any details. Just tell her we’re on our way home – and make it quick!”

  As Jill ran down the hallway, Tori remained at Cody’s side, gun pointed to his head, ready in case he came to and decided to charge her, although she had no idea what she’d do if he did. The gun was getting heavier and Jill seemed to be taking forever to make a simple phone call.

  Finally, Jill came back into the kitchen and whispered, “Tori, Grammy says she had a vision last night, and we’re supposed to find a tin box – the kind people keep petty cash in. She says it’s in a small, dark room.”

  “What?” Tori asked, “That’s nuts! Let’s just get out of here.”

  “We can’t,” Jill said. “Grammy says it’s important. She says the box holds information that we need to know, and she said don’t leave until we find it.”

  “Oh, Grammy,” Tori said with a sigh. “You and your visions. There’s no small, dark room here.” Then a thought occurred to her. “Wait a minute! There’s a small closet in the hallway that I’ve never opened before because he keeps it locked. I think Cody keeps his hunting gear in it. Maybe the box is in there, but I really don’t see how that could be important to us. The important thing is for us to get out of her now!”

  “Tori, if Grammy says it’s important, then we need to look for it.”

  “Okay,” Tori said, her hand trembling, the gun seeming to gain a pound by the second. “You’ve got the keys. Go open it.”

  Again, Jill disappeared, leaving Tori with Cody’s lifeless body.

  Finally, Jill returned, whispering, “I found it, Tori! Here it is. Now let's get out of here!”

  Tori slowly backed away from the table and headed toward the door, keeping the gun pointed in Cody’s direction. “Okay, I’ll stand guard here while you take the bags downstairs. As soon as you’re done, let me know. Got it?”

  “Got it.” Jill grabbed two bags and raced out the door.

  When Jill came back, she picked up the tin box while Tori stuck the gun into her purse, grabbed the last bag, and followed Jill downstairs.

  They jumped into the red Pinto. “Go, Jill, go!” Tori yelled, looking over her shoulder toward Emma’s apartment. “Emma’s car is gone. She must have made her morning run to the donut shop,” she said, wiping sweat from her top lip. “Thank goodness! That means there were no witnesses.”

  “I hope I remember which way I came. It was dark when I got here last night. Things look different. Help me, Tori,” Jill said when she came to the front entrance of the apartment complex.

  “Take a right. I can guide you from there.” Tori’s mind had always been fuzzy when Emma took her out and drove around, but Tori thought she could figure out which way to go. She had to.

  Three blocks up the street, Jill stopped for a red light. She looked into the rearview mirror and heaved a sigh. “He’s not behind us. And what do you mean no witnesses?”

  Tori tucked her head and said, “He’s not behind us because he’s dead.” When the words came out of her mouth she felt as if her heart skipped a beat.

  “Dead!” Jill shrieked. “What do you mean dead?”

  “Dead as in not alive, Jill. The whiskey and pills mixed was an OD.” Tears ran down Tori’s face. “Oh, God! I’m a murderer!” she cried.

  Jill’s eyes widened. “Oh my God! What have we gotten ourselves into? If you’re guilty of murder, that means I’m an accomplice. Are you sure he was dead?”

  “He had no pulse and he wasn’t breathing!” Tori sighed. “The man is dead!”

  Jill looked at Tori briefly, and then patted her arm. “But he was definitely going to kill us, right? That means it was self-defense.” Her tone softened, as if trying to convince herself. “It was self-defense. We’re not murderers!” She paused a second. “But shouldn’t we tell somebody?”

  “Tell them what?” Tori said. “That the guy was going to shoot us so I tricked him into OD’ing on whiskey and pills?”

  Jill wiped her tears from her cheek. “We’re definitely not murderers, but it’s not going to look good when he’s found.”

  “Emma will find him. There won’t be any sign of a break-in or scuffle, and I’ve all of a sudden skipped town. It’s going to look bad f
or sure,” Tori said. Then she thought about Emma. Emma had tried to be a good friend to Tori and Tori knew that she probably wouldn’t have lasted as long as she had without her. Tori felt bad that Emma would be the one who discovered Cody’s body and would have to report his death to the police.

  Jill came to a four-way stop. “I don’t remember this. But I’m lucky I remember my name after what we’ve been through.” Before Tori could answer, Jill suddenly yelled, “Look! There’s the sign for I-75! Now we can start putting some distance between us and that beast!”

  “And the sooner the better,” Tori said. Then a horrifying thought ran through her mind. “The police will come looking for me. I’m going to get the electric chair! I’m going to hell! I’m going to fry. Oh, double cow crap! How am I going to get out of this?”

  Once they were barreling down the highway, Jill said, “This is no time for your dramatics, Tori. I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. You’re going to keep your head straight and your mouth shut! Now here’s our story. The last time we saw Cody he was waving goodbye and he was telling us to have a safe trip. Whatever happened to him after we left is anybody’s guess! Got it?”

  Tori looked at Jill in astonishment. Jill was right. And for the first time in their lives Jill was in control and telling Tori what was what. “Okay, I got it!” Tori said. “And when Emma finds Cody’s body, the only thing she’ll know is that he has a wife named Tori. She doesn’t know my maiden name, she doesn’t know where I came from, and I never mentioned your name either – I don’t think.” Tori drew in a deep breath, exhaled, and yelled, “Put the pedal to the medal!”

  Jill pushed the old Pinto as fast as she dared, looking into the rear view mirror from time to time. “Nobody is chasing us, yet. And that’s good. This pile of junk couldn’t out run a go-cart.”

  They laughed, but it was a nervous laugh.

  The miles rolled by in silence as the events of the past few hours sunk in. Jill finally spoke up. “You know what, Tori? Now I know what it’s like to look into the eyes of pure evil. I’ve never been that scared in my entire life.”

  “I know – but not even I knew how evil he was until he pointed that gun at us. He was going to blow our brains out – and not think twice about it!” Tori trembled at the thought. “He was the devil incarnated.”