by TC Rybicki
The rest was a blur more because of the sheer terror that consumed her not her poor vision. There were screams and shouts in the distance, but she never turned around once. Willow ran like she was in a race. She ran for her life. The sticks and branches in the woods caught her and tore her barely covered flesh. She ignored all the pain and bruises and kept running. No doubt she was being chased. If JC caught her, Willow was certain he’d kill her. His entire way of life was threatened with her escape. The closer she got the Chadwyk’s, the more relief filled her.
“Help!” She started screaming ahead, but her voice was weak. “Dutch.” Willow assumed he knew she was coming. Hopefully, he was outside waiting for her. A terrible thought came to her. Sometimes when she didn’t show, they assumed she wasn’t allowed and left without her. If they left her tonight, JC would catch up. Willow had to run harder and faster. She tried to yell a little louder.
Her legs ached, she was slowing down, and Willow swore she heard someone behind her. She fought too hard not to make it out of the woods, but everything hurt, and she wasn’t sure if she could. It was total darkness not even the moon was out tonight, but she bragged she knew the way blindfolded. It was then Willow crashed into an object that shouldn’t be there. No, he caught her. JC would drag her back, do terrible things to her, and then kill her.
Her arms flailed in all directions. “Jesus, Wills! Stop it! It’s me, Dutch.”
That voice was heaven-sent. He had met her in the woods. Dutch didn’t leave, he came looking for her and found her. Her best friend saved her life. Now she needed to save his. JC would love to hurt him.
“Dutch. We have to run.”
They could barely see each other, but he touched her bare shoulder. “What happened? Your clothes.”
“Run, Dutch. There’s no time. He’s coming.”
She heard branches breaking behind them.
“Who did this to you?”
Willow covered his mouth with her finger and he knew.
“Oh, hell no. No way! I. Will. Kill. Him.” She collapsed and didn’t know what exactly was happening, but she felt comforting arms cradle her. Willow was running again, but it wasn’t with her own feet. Dutch carried her the rest of the way.
There were screams and crying once they made it inside. Someone was calling the police. Walt yelled to lock the doors. Willow felt warmth from a blanket. Nothing else was clear, her brain was so foggy, but one thing she remembered was Dutch never let go of her. “I got you, Wills.
“I lost my glasses.” That was the first dumb thing from her lips.
“It’s okay, we’ll get you new ones.”
“He’s going to kill me.”
“No, he’s not. I’ll kill him first, if he comes here tonight, but he won’t. You’re home. We’ve got you now, Wills.”
“I’m afraid.”
“Don’t be. I’m here. It’s me, Dutch, and you’ll always be safe with me.”
August 1999–6 months later
“Ready to take a walk on the wild side?” Doug held out his hand. Wills hesitated at first before she linked her fingers with his. She’d grabbed his hand on the pier before to jump into the lake without a second thought. Maybe tonight had a different connotation. He didn’t give the gesture much thought. It seemed like the right way to walk to the movies since it was their first night out alone. Doug had an innate need to watch over her and keep her safe. Willow had lived with his family almost six months. Everything was set in stone now. His parents had legal guardianship.
Tonight, was a celebration, so when his mother asked what they wanted to do, Doug blurted out. “Drop us off at the mall for dinner and a movie.”
Momma’s face fell, “Oh, well, I thought we’d all go someplace nice.”
Dad sided with Doug, “Awe, come on, Dawn. The teenagers don’t want their parents tagging along all the time.”
“I suppose, but tomorrow everyone’s staying home for a nice family dinner.” He and Wills agreed. Tonight, they hit up the burger place that was a little nicer than fast food and then walked across the parking lot to the movie theater.
Doug squeezed her hand to remind Wills he still had her. They were close from the beginning; no one denied that, but these last six months had been different. They were inseparable. Willow’s life completely changed. She moved in and started correspondence school right away to figure out where she was academically. He had to work most of the summer thanks to his father who got Doug a job at the marina because Walter had a friend in every walk of life. It wasn’t a bad gig. He had money in his pocket and got to be on the lake every day which was his favorite pastime. It was nice the marina was close to home. Wills showed up daily.
“You never told me what’s showing.”
“Lots of stuff, but we’re going to see Gladiator.”
“We can’t. We’re not seventeen.”
“Stay close, kid. I’ll show you a few of my tricks. That’s what I want to see, and no one will stop us.”
Wills elbowed Doug as soon as they sat down. “That’s your special talent? All you did was flirt with the ticket-taker. Please tell me all females aren’t so stupid. You’re not really calling her, are you?”
“Oh, I don’t know. She was kinda cute in a plain sort of way. I might. Next week, I get my ride, so we’ll see. I might get a few free movies out of the deal.”
“Yes, until the ticket girl and counter girl actually have a conversation. I can’t believe you got a free popcorn upgrade too. I could easily learn to hate you one day.”
“Says the girl scarfing down my free large popcorn with extra butter.”
Wills offered the bucket back, but Doug refused. She loved hot buttered popcorn almost as much as ice cream.
“Keep it. Just share, please. I turned on the charm, so you could have all that popcorn.”
She didn’t make any other remarks and now he was worried she was pissed. Doug leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I’m only teasing. Are you okay?” She nodded, but he wasn’t convinced. “Wills, do you want to leave?”
“No, you paid for our tickets already. I mean you paid for that PG-13 movie but still. Plus, Walt isn’t coming for us until midnight.”
“We could go inside the mall, hang out, do something else if you don’t want to see this.”
“I do. I just hope it’s not scary.”
“I doubt it’s scary, maybe a bit of graphic violence which is great. Just close your eyes if you don’t like a scene.”
The previews started about that time. He would leave with her if she wanted, but Wills leaned over to him that time, “Stay. I want to see the movie with you.”
She rested her hand on the armrest between them. Doug was no stranger to dating. This wasn’t a date; it was Wills. There was no reason to overthink things, so he stopped questioning the desire to hold her hand before twining his fingers with hers.
Dad told them goodnight and headed straight to bed. Doug suggested ice cream, but Willow told him he was crazy. She was too full of popcorn and dead tired. She didn’t understand a teenage boy’s ravenous appetite.
One bowl of chocolate chunk on board and a scalding hot shower made Doug finally crave his bed. The house was eerily quiet as he padded softly down the hallway. She completely caught him by surprise reaching around the corner like a thief in the night.
“Jeez, Mom, are you trying to give me a heart attack? What the hell?”
She thumped his ear. “Hush that language. It’s almost two in the morning, I wasn’t going to shout for you.”
“Fine, whatever. I’m going to bed. Sorry if I woke you up.”
“Douglas. Stop right there. You didn’t wake me. Is Willow asleep?”
“I’m sure she is. Why?”
“In your room?”
Fuck. Busted. They weren’t doing anything wrong, but both agreed they wouldn’t advertise their sleeping arrangements. He thought by now she’d be ready to stay in her own room, but nights were the toughest.
“Downstairs now. We nee
d to talk.”
“Momma, it’s not a big deal.” He explained before they made it to the landing. “She’s scared when it’s dark; it’s either nightmares or flashbacks.”
“It’s been six months.”
“And you’d feel fine after six months if some creep assaulted you?”
“You are this close to have your ass in a crack, young man. I’m about to wake your father.”
His mom swearing and mentioning his father were clues she meant business. He backtracked and dropped the attitude. A car was one week away from his future unless Momma changed her mind. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Well, neither did I. Willow is a young girl. Of course, she isn’t over it. That’s why I want to get her into counseling. You help her. We all know that, but a fifteen-year-old boy is not equipped to deal with this. She needs a professional.” She wouldn’t call him sixteen yet even though it was days away as was Willow’s fourteenth birthday.
“She doesn’t want to talk to a stranger. She told you.”
His mother went on to explain how boys and girls their age had no business sharing a bed. He blocked out most of the unwanted sex-ed talk, but phrases like peaking hormones were on repeat. Willow was fragile; Doug wouldn’t dare. He didn’t think of her like that. Although, something bugged him a few days ago. The guys wanted to know if she was his sister now. He gave them a firm no. The next question threw him, ‘can we date her since she’s not your sister?’ That was supposed to be their official bro code, no sisters and, cousins were optional.
They all knew he wasn’t happy with the question, ‘when she’s older, not a Freshman.’ Wills was going straight to Sophomore which only his family knew, which put her one grade under them. Why’d she kick so much ass in the correspondence course? Willow buried herself in her newest passion, schoolwork. It got her mind off stuff, so she studied well into the summer.
Uneasiness plagued Doug. His mother’s line of questioning made him have thoughts. He didn’t like where it was leading, so he finally got brave enough to cut her off.
“Okay, got it. I’ll go drag her ass out of bed right now and put a lock on my door.”
“Stop it. I’m not asking such a thing. I’m still the parent. Your father and I have boundaries that you need to respect. Have a talk with her or I’ll be happy to.”
“I’ll do it. She was already talking about moving back to her bed. She’s ready.” That was a lie. Willow never brought it up, and she wasn’t ready, but Momma wasn’t letting this go. Dad wasn’t involved yet, but his father would be if Doug didn’t do what he was told.
Doug stood at the foot of the bed. Wills slept sound; it was a good night. She didn’t always rest peacefully. His room buzzed from the fan on his desk. She craved white noise after all that rugged living. Her old cabin wasn’t exactly a stable structure. Hopefully, it was all gone now. He couldn’t bear to venture over for a look. The hippie clan was cleared out. JC was locked away for a good ten years. Doug wished it was forever, but he had money and a damn good lawyer according to Dad.
That was one of the shockers. JC whose real name was Jon Cripten inherited a small fortune from his grandfather. His cabin had secret rooms and every luxury in the world, but he’d somehow convinced a small collection of desperate people and junkies to live like minimalists. And above all, he was a huge perv. Unfortunately, Wills was the only girl brave enough to testify against him. Not only did she have to endure an invasive medical exam, but she had to rehash the night over and over to police and investigators for both sides. These were just a few of the reasons she had trouble sleeping alone—being alone.
Damn. He dreaded the conversation in the morning.
He gazed out the window at the lake glistening from moonlight. That was the one place that erased the bad memories. She was always happy there. He hated to see summer go as usual, but this was the worst he’d felt about it. Nothing would be the same after he turned sixteen. Doug felt so grownup that summer he turned thirteen, but after facing real grownup issues and college on the horizon, he knew for sure he and Wills were innocent kids that first summer. She deserved to still be innocent, but she wasn’t, and it pissed him off. It almost drove him to do something completely insane.
Willow’s sleepy voice startled him much like that night she saved him from himself.
“Last time I caught you staring out the window, you weren’t thinking clearly.”
“Oh, shit, sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you. I thought I was quiet.”
“You were. Too quiet. I’m used to your heavy breathing about this hour every night.”
“So, I was too quiet?”
“Exactly. What’s going on? You must have filled up on ice cream two hours ago.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not up to anything.”
“Well, good. Let me see your hands.”
Doug held up his hands after walking next to the bed, “No weapons of any sort. He’s in prison, and there’s no one I need to kill now.”
“I hope you never plan on killing anyone.” She grabbed both his hands. “These are lifesavers, remember?”
He huffed, “Yeah, we’ll see. I’ve got a long way to go.”
Wills patted the mattress beside her, “Get in bed and stop that doubtful stuff. It doesn’t suit you.”
He obeyed. It was hard to say no to Willow. “What does suit me? Words that make me appear cocky, arrogant, mouthy?”
“To name a few. Words that also mean strong and determined. That’s my Dutch.”
She added the my. It was the first time she said it.
“Can I be honest?”
“You always are. What’s this really about?”
“I wonder if it’d been better if you didn’t catch me all those months ago?”
“No, of course not. How can you say that? You were about to make a terrible mistake. It would have cost you your life or your future or worse. What would I do without you? You’re my best friend.”
All that money and the unwillingness of witnesses got JC a release while he awaited trial. Doug was furious. His father tried to explain all the legal jargon, and how he was positive Willow’s testimony was powerful. It would only be a brief time he’d be free. Wills was petrified those weeks. She tried to hide it, but he knew, so one night, he broke into two possessions of Dad’s. The liquor cabinet and the safe were off-limits.
After one swallow of liquid courage, Doug made the decision JC deserved worse than prison for beating Wills, touching her, and almost raping her. Those few hours before the exam, no one was completely sure about that part. As soon as Momma got a good look, it was her first thought and Willow was confused. She blacked out part of the time. He begged his father to grab a gun that night, but he refused since the police were on the way. They would handle it. Sure, they would. That’s why JC was set free during the early stages of the investigation. The night they remembered was the night Doug took a gun after taking a forbidden drink of his father’s favorite whiskey. He was ready to use it, and thanks to his grandfather, he knew how. Wills woke up and found him looking out his bedroom window.
That was the end of that. Willow was the victim, the kid, but she talked him down with reason when he was completely unreasonable. New evidence came up the next day. A tech got into two deleted hard drives, and JC was busted for good. He had unspeakable things on his computers and that was the true reason he got twelve years; the distribution of underage pornographic images was more damning than the frightened Willow’s testimony.
‘What would I do without you?’ She said that a lot since her attack. He would always be there for her, but Doug had to make a partial break. His mom was partially right during the earlier conversation. He couldn’t help the dreams he was having with Willow sleeping in his bed every night or the predicament it put him in many mornings. She was his Wills, but it wasn’t like that. He’d just as soon kick his own ass the way he wanted to beat all his buddies for the new way they all started to look at her. Doug tried to call her ki
d to make himself feel older, but that was a lie and he was saying it less.
The summer had changed her so many ways. Her mind was forced into maturity, but her body changes had been gradual. He barely noticed until she went skiing last week in her first bikini. His mom dropped the ball with that purchase and Doug let her know. Weird thing was Momma said Wills begged for it because all the other girls wore one and she was tired of standing out. Sure, Wills, you won’t stand out now, especially since you developed the biggest rack out of all the chicks that come over to swim.
“Did you fall asleep on me?”
“No, I was going to wait until the morning, but I guess it’s already morning.”
“The middle of the night kind of morning but go ahead. I’m wide awake now.” Wills was confused. They had an epic night. It was so much easier than a real date because there was nothing to prove or expectations how to end the evening. They were just themselves.
“Momma knows.”
“Knows what? That we saw a rated-R movie?”
“No, she knows you’re in here… in my bed. She knows it’s an every-night-thing.”
“Oh, no. Is she mad at me?”
“Come on, you know her better than that. She’s concerned though and says we need to stop or we’re going to have an awkward family meeting.”
“She thinks I’m being a huge baby?”
“Again, no. She thinks it’s a problem because we’re, uh, you know.”
“No, I don’t. Just say it. We’re what?”
“We are the opposite sex, Wills. I’m a guy and you’re a girl, and she’s afraid we’ll start doing stuff. That’s what she means.”
“Seriously? Wow.” He expected her to be so upset by this news, but she started laughing her ass off.
He covered her mouth, “Shush, do you want her busting in here thinking we’re having an inappropriate tickle party? I can’t believe you’re not upset.”