by Shawn McLain
Ten Years Ago
Seven year old Elizabeth McDaniel watched her father greet other family members. Everyone was dressed in black, the room was quiet. The conversations were muttered, interrupted with sniffs and sighs. Beth hated the quiet, she hated the sad faces, most of all she hated seeing her mother at the front of the room as if asleep. Beth slipped out of the room when her ten year old brother Steve wasn’t looking. He was never very good at keeping an eye on his sister.
Beth slipped down a hallway, the silence here closed in around her, hurting her ears. Steve had found a vending machine earlier, bringing her her favorite candy. She wanted to see the brightly colored wrappers, see wanted to see any color other than black. She felt in the little purse she carried for some change. She hated wearing a dress, hated carrying the little bag, she hated being here.
At the end of the hall was a door. She could see it was open slightly, “just like Steve to leave a door open.” She frowned. She walked up to the door and opened it. She was looking down a set of stairs. Shrugging Beth held the handrail and made her decent. At the bottom of the stairs she found herself looking at two doors. She opened the door to her left. The room was full of caskets. Beth closed the door quickly. Frustration made her stamp her foot, why couldn’t he have left one of these doors open? Breathing fast she turned and opened the other door.
Beth stood in the doorway shaking from head to toe, a tear ran down her face. The room was brightly lit with a gleaming steal table in the middle. On the table was a young man, a large needle was in his neck another in the leg. Red blood ran out of one tube while a yellow liquid flowed in the other. Beth stared from the tubes to the head of the man. From mid-nose down everything was fine. The eyes and forehead were flattened, black blue and stained in blood.
“Yeah, ran into the back of a trailer. Completely smashed his face, died instantly. The mother wanted an open casket but I convinced…” A woman had appeared out of a back room Beth hadn’t noticed, she stopped talking immediately. A man emerged from behind the woman. He walked over to Beth and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Be respectful around the dead and do not fear them. For one day we will be them.” The man said in a soothing voice.
This did not have the calming effect he had intended. Beth began to scream, then turned at ran back up the stairs. She ran straight into the arms of her father. It took Mr. McDaniel several minutes to calm her. When she could finally breathe normally again Beth was looking through the open doors down the long rows of seat to the open casket. She clung to her brother’s hand as they made their way to the front for their mother’s funeral.
End of the Day
The sun had already begun its slow descent behind the mountains as the Jeep twisted along the familiar path home. Gravel spit and the back of the vehicle fishtailed as the driver jerked the wheel to regain the pavement. Dan had been feeling tired, lethargic and unwell for most of the day. His head was pounding and his mouth was a desert. Bile churned his stomach as he pulled onto the long wooded drive of the house he shared with his long time girlfriend.
Lisa put down her book and eased herself off the couch. She had been slowly recovering from the flu and moving made her want to throw up. A small smile crossed her face as she heard the familiar crunch of Dan’s old Wrangler on the drive. After such a terrible week she was happy to have him home for the weekend.
She made her way slowly from the living room to the kitchen. Pouring herself a glass of water she began to pre heat the oven. Thinking about what Dan could make for dinner, she paused wondered what was keeping him. He usually made it quickly from the car to her arms after a long day of work. He was always worried about her. She had been having health problems for months. After only a brief phone call over lunch, she expected him to be through the door already.
Dan stumbled getting out of the car, his legs betrayed him with weakness. His head felt as if it were about to split open then burst into flame. The pounding in his skull brought him to his knees. The only sensation greater than the blinding pain crashing through his brain, was the burning hunger in his stomach. He needed to eat. He had to eat.
Lisa looked out the front window the water slipped from her grasp shattering on the floor. Dan was almost doubled over. He stumbled, crawled, then limped onto the porch. She rushed to the door, throwing it wide, she was greeted by groans from Dan.
“Dan! Oh my God, are you ok? What’s wrong, honey?” She breathed, moving to catching him.
Dan looked up, eyes bloodshot, mouth hanging slack and drooling, the only thought screaming in his burning mind, “FOOD!” Lunging forward, he no longer recognized his love, he only saw prey.
His nails scratched at her bare skin and his teeth sank into her outstretched arm. Blood gushed over his teeth and chin while her screams filled the small house.
Terrified of the man before her, a man she no longer recognized. Lisa fell back slipping on the spilled water as the thing that had been her lover crashed down on top of her, clawing at her legs. She kicked at the door but Dan’s torso was already across the threshold.
Pain exploded through Lisa’s leg as Dan sank his teeth into her left calf. She kicked at his once kind face, a face contorted. Kicking free, she tried to regain her feet, desperate to escape. Pain hobbled her, sending her falling forward. The lamp crashed to the floor, stars exploded in front of her eyes and her head rang from slamming into the corner of an end table. The thought that she had always hated that lamp flashed through her mind.
Dazed she rolled over. Warm sticky blood streamed down her face from a deep gash above her eyebrow. The cut began to swell, obscuring her vision. Dan was on his feet, the side of his face bruised from her kick. Throwing a hand out, she found the overturned lamp. Dan’s gaze followed the trail of blood from his feet to her freely bleeding leg.
Releasing a long, low moan of longing, Dan shambled forward, his teeth bared. Using the couch to steady herself, Lisa struggled to her feet. She turned and swung the lamp. Blood and saliva splattered her face as Dan’s head snapped to one side from the blow. Glass and wire from the shade pierced one of Dan’s eyes. Stunned, he wildly grabbed for her. She swung again. “CRACK!” The lamp broke as Dan fell backward over the legs of the overturned table.
Lisa dragged her damaged leg as quickly as she could limp down the hall toward the bedroom. Not daring to look back, fear drover her forward. She could hear Dan getting to his feet. Throwing herself through the door, she slammed it shut. Trembling fingers fumbled for the lock. With every attempt the lock popped open. Panicked at its defiance, tears streaming down her face the lock finally clicked. She slid down the door slumping against it. Tears mixed with Dan’s blood as they rolled freely down her face.
Dazed and bloodied, Dan slowly clawed his way over the shattered table. The one eye that could still see followed the trail of blood to the bedroom door. Food was behind that door. Raising his battered body, he stumbled forward. His prize was behind this obstacle. Following the trail he approached the door. Cocking his head to the side he could hear weeping.
Pushing against the barrier, frustration filled him at its resistance. Raising his fists he pounded on the flimsy door. It rattled in its frame. Dan had been meaning to replace this for months, now he just needed to get through it.
“GO AWAY!” Lisa screamed as the door bucked against her. Her head was pounding. Her stomach was churning and her blood was pooling around her torn leg. She turned her head to the cracking sound coming from the frame and around the handle. He would be through soon.
“Go Away.” She said. The frame splintered and the door inched forward into the room. His frantic pounded mixed with
breaking wood and guttural growls.
“Go way.” She whispered as her head exploded in agony.
Throwing his weight against the broken door, it moved slightly against a heavy object then swung free. He began to raise his hands, and then paused. A low frustrated, mournful moan escaped his lungs as Lisa, slack jawed and hollowed eyed stared back at him.
Her moan met his. They turned and together, limping and staggering they wandered out of the house onto the porch. Darkness had fallen and the woods were barely visible beyond the pool of the porch light. Dead eyes stared into the darkness then at each other.
Slowly making their way up the long wooded drive they could sense it. Somewhere out there was food.
Last Date
Seventeen year old Beth McDaniel’s annoyance grew as Corey left the main road and turned down a side street. They were getting further and further from town.
“This is not the way to the theater.” She stated as Corey took another turn.
“It’s a shortcut.” He replied grinning.
“I know how to get to the movies and this isn’t even close. Where are you taking me?” She demanded.
“Relax this is better than the movies.” He patted her knee, an act that only added to her growing anger.
She wanted to see this movie. She had been anticipating it for weeks. She had agreed to see it with him instead of her best friend, a decision she was regretting more and more by the second.
The houses were getting fewer and fewer and the landscape more wooded. She began to recognize the landmarks. The large black barn that sat close to the road, the fork with the gnarled old tree with the huge branch pointing the way, this was not going to take her anywhere near where she wanted to be.
“Why are we out here? The movie starts at 7:30.” She huffed checking her watch.
“I wanted to show you something.” He said with that annoying smirk in his voice, that one that at first was so enduring now was just tiresome.
“I’ve been out here before. I know all about the Haunted bridge.”
“I know.” He smiled.
Something about the way he said it made her extremely uncomfortable. The smile on his face was illuminated by the dashboard light. I made him seem ugly and slightly creepy. “Seriously, I’ve been here before.” She was getting nervous, “We can still make it. You know the previews take forever.” She added hopefully.
“Come on, this will be more fun than some stupid fantasy movie.” Corey said, using what he thought was a sultry voice. It made Beth’s skin crawl. He pulled the car to the side of the road and flipped the lights off.
“I want to see this movie.” She replied backing further away as he advanced. One of his hands was gripping her knee the other was snaking around her shoulder. The harder he pulled her to him, the harder she tried to pull away. Unfortunately she was pinned against the car door. “Corey, Stop! I mean it I want to see this movie.”
“I have something planned that is so much better than…”
“Stop it right now! I told you once I won’t tell you again.”
Ignoring her demands, Corey leaned in and started kissing her neck. Beth pushed him off, he grabbed at her hands laughing. Annoyance was now starting to fight with fear. He was holding her wrists in one of his hands while his other was on the back of her neck pulling her toward him. Freeing her left wrist she grabbed his face, pushing hard away.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” He cried rubbing his cheek, her hand print still visible on it.
“I want to go home, now!”
Changing tact, he smiled sweetly, “Come on baby don’t be a tease. It’ll be fun.” He whispered leaning in again at her.
She pushed him back, angling herself with a knee between them. “Stop it right now! Take me home.”
“Oh, I’ll take you somewhere honey.” Before Corey could move more than a few inches… “Smack!” Beth’s hand connected painfully with Corey’s face.
“What the hell!” He screamed, massaging the spot where she had hit him.
“I said take me home right now!”
“You bitch! What the hell did you hit me for!?”
“I told you to stop!”
Anger flared in Corey as he reached over grabbing at Beth’s hands, “You don’t hit me, EVER!” He growled. Beth fought back, slapping his hands away and pushing him while fumbling for the door latch. “You think you’re man enough to hit me. Then I’ll treat you like a man!” The door popped open spilling her out onto the gravel road. His fist hit the seat where a split second before Beth had been.
Crawling over the seat, Corey grabbed at her feet. She pulled them out of the car and used them to slam the car door in his face. His face that appeared in the window a second later, was full of rage.
“Fine!” His muffled voice screamed through the window, Beth scooted further from the car, “Fine! Stay out here, bitch!”
He disappeared, but the engine revved. Beth scrambled to her feet and out of the road. Gravel and dirt spit from the tires as Corey sped forward. Shaking with anger, Beth watched as the brake lights came on and the car screeched to a halt. The reverse lights illuminated the road for a moment. The engine screamed as the vehicle swerved and whipped around, gravel shot out from the tires again. Beth stepped further off the road and shielded her eyes when the car spun and hurtled toward her. Mere feet away, the brakes locked up again screeching to a stop. Beth stumbled back away from the car. Corey got out, slammed the door and advanced on her. She stood her ground. Out of the car, in the open, she knew she could take him. He noticed her stance and faltered.
Beth had shown more than once she could take care of herself. The memory of a gym class when she had protested the sexism of girl’s sports versus boy’s flooded back to Corey’s mind. She had seriously embarrassed one of the school’s top wrestlers that day. Still, he was going to make it clear she was in the wrong. Pointing an accusing finger, “You said you’ve been out here before when I brought it up. What the hell is so important about a stupid movie?”
“What… huh… wha?” Beth sputtered in her anger and confusion. “I came out to the haunted bridge, so what!? What does that have to do with, with...” She couldn’t comprehend how her being out here before constituted it being ok for him to assault her.
Backing up with a look of contempt on his face, “Is that what you think this place is?” He sniffed his disdain, “You just missed your chance. You should stay with the geeks, not try to date outside your league.” He turned back to his car. Opening his door he turned and pointed at the other door. “Get in.” Beth stood her ground.
“I prefer to walk.” The disgust dripping in her voice.
“Just get in we’ll go see your stupid movie.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere with a pig like you.”
“Just get in the damn car!”
“No.” In the end, he had sped off calling her several names that ensured they would never speak again.
Now What?
The taillights faded away and Beth was left alone with three choices: walk home in the dark, call her brother or her best friend, Wesley Davidson. Her brother, Steve, would be at work and would be more interested in beating Corey to death instead of picking up his sister. He had never liked Corey and was very vocal about her choice of dating him.”
“Still an option,” She thought. “Maybe for tomorrow.” She decided on Wes.
She prayed he wasn’t too angry with her for going to the movies with Corey instead of him. She took a deep breath as she remembered the excitement they both had about the movie. Then she remembered the look on his face when she told him she was going to opening night with Corey instead of him.
“Yeah, hey cool, maybe we can see it some other time.” He had said in a too cheery way that told her he was highly pissed.
She cringed at that and several other things she had done, including but not limited to, ignoring him at school and laughing as Corey’s friends made fun of Wes. She really hadn’t been much o
f a friend to him since she started dating Corey.
Shaking the memories from her mind, she opened her phone and placed the call. She feared he wouldn’t answer.
The phone rang and rang again, “Maybe he had a date tonight. Maybe he was at the movie.” The thought caused her stomach to tighten. She realized it wasn’t because she might have to walk home or call her brother.
Wes finally answered, “Hey, didn’t expect to hear from you. What’s up?” He asked. She could hear the concern yet coolness in his voice.
“I…Wes…I need a ride. Can you come get me?” She asked, wincing as she did. She knew he was going to be upset.
“Yeah, sure. Where are you? You OK?” He asked quickly. He knew she was out with Corey.
“I’m out at Troll Bridge.” She said with a sigh.
She waited, silence, and then, “Why are you out there?” His voice was strained.
“Listen, it wasn’t my idea can you please just come get me?” She replied slightly angry.
“What happened? Do I need to bring Corey some gas?” He sneered the name.
“Nooo.” Her anger began to bubble up again. Taking another steadying breath, Beth hesitated then explained, “No…he…Well, he sorta left me here.”
“WHAT? ALONE? What the hell?” She knew Wes was now upset and she hated when he got all worked up. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He said and she heard him rushing and keys jingling.
“Ten minutes, Wes? Really?” She laughed. He would have to do a hundred miles an hour to get there in ten minutes.
“Stay on the phone so I know you are OK.” He demanded. She stood in the middle of the road listening as the engine on Wes’ third hand car struggled to life. She shook her head as Wes urged the car to start. Beth could almost see Wes as he gave a whoop when the engine finally engaged.
“Wes, I’m almost to the bridge. Honk when you get here. I’ll be by that tree with the big hole in it. You remember the one you said a gnome lived in.” She sighed as a tear ran down her face.