Don't Tell a Soul

by Travis Szablewski

  "You stupid bitch!" Hunter screamed as he slammed Harper onto the backseat. Hunter turned on top of Harper, pinning her down.

  "Please! Stop!" Harper cried out as she looked around the dark backseat for a anything to fight Hunter off. Harper then saw it...a small ice scraper on the backseat floor.

  Harper snatched the ice scraper and swung it at Hunter, the end slamming into his face. Hunter screamed in pain as Harper quickly turned onto her stomach of the backseat and grabbed the backseat door handle. Harper quickly shoved the door open and clawed at the pavement below, trying to drag herself out from under Hunter.

  "Oh, no you don't!" Hunter screamed as he grabbed her legs in the backseat.

  "Someone help!" Harper screamed, her cries echoing through the trees surrounding the isolated road. Hunter shoved the other backseat door open, dragging Harper across the backseat with him.

  "Shut the fuck up!" Hunter snapped as he stood up onto the road, Harper's ankles in his hands. Harper clawed at the backseat as Hunter dragged her towards the open door. Harper then turned onto her back and slammed her feet into Hunter's stomach. Hunter fell back from the car, slamming onto his back onto the road. Harper quickly sat up and grabbed the backseat door, pulling it shut. She pressed the lock down as she crawled back to the other door, shutting it tightly. Harper then heard Hunter fire his gun...as the driver’s side backseat window busted open. Glass flew through the air, covering the backseat. Harper screamed in terror as Hunter reached through, pulling the lock up.

  "Get the fuck out!" Hunter screamed as he pulled the backseat door open. Hunter grabbed Harper's legs, dragging her across the backseat and out onto the pavement. Harper's back slammed onto the pavement as Hunter dragged her out. She could feel the glass shards slicing into her back as he dragged her across the pavement.

  "Ah!" Harper cried in agony as Hunter pinned her onto the pavement. She tried to fight. She swung and slapped and punched. He was too strong...

  "I guess right here, it is!' Hunter yelled as he pinned her hands above her head.

  "If you're going to kill me, just fucking do it!" Harper yelled as he spit up into Hunter's face.

  "What fun would that be?" Hunter asked, breathless, as he wiped the spit from his cheek. Hunter then grabbed the front of Harper's blouse and ripped it open, exposing her bra.

  "Someone help!" Harper screamed as she stared up at the dark sky above her. Hunter straddled her body, holding her town tight against the road. "Someone please!" Harper pleaded.

  "Someone please!" Hunter said, mocking Harper's cries. "The only person that can hear your screams tonight, baby girl, is me," Hunter said as he leaned down, biting hard into Harper's neck. Harper screamed in pain as his teeth dug deeper and deeper into her soft flesh. Hunter leaned up, staring down at her with his dark eyes.

  And that's when she heard it...

  BAM!

  Blood splattered onto Harper's face from above. Harper's mouth hung open in shock...as she stared up at Hunter on top of her. His face...frozen...his dead eyes locked on her. She watched as blood slowly trickled from the bullet hole in the center of his forehead. Harper stared up at him, frozen in shock and terror. Harper's body trembled as Hunter's dead body slowly fell off off of her and hit the pavement. Harper slowly turned onto her stomach, her eyes searching the dark woods around her as she grabbed Hunter's gun that laid beside her.

  But she saw no one...

  Just the dark, thick woods surrounding her.

  Whoever shot Hunter...was long gone.

  Girl Talk

  Harper picked nervously at her nails; the dried layers of turquoise slowly shedding off of her trembling fingertips. Officer Brent Warren stared back at her from the chair placed beside the hospital bed she sat up in.

  "You didn't see anything?" Officer Warren asked, perplexed.

  "If I did, don't you think I'd tell you?" Harper snapped back. Harper closed her eyes as she rested her head on the pillow supporting her aching back. Her eyes slowly flickered open, staring up at the blinding fluorescent light above. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what else you want me to say," Harper said as she tugged at the tight hospital gown constricting around her stomach.

  "Harper, if you shot him, you need to just tell me. I saw what he did you to that night at your house. Those emotions...that kind of trauma..." Officer Warren began.

  "I'm telling you! I didn't shoot him! He dragged me out of the car and I kept trying to fight him off. Then I heard..." Harper stopped as she felt her voice crack and her eyes fill with tears. "I heard the shot. I sat up and... I didn't see anyone. They must have been in the woods. It was so dark," Harper said, shaking her head.

  "What about your boyfriend?" Officer Warren asked.

  "Patrick?" Harper asked.

  "Do you know if he has a gun? He was very upset after Hunter attacked you the first time. Do you think he had anything to do with this?" Officer Warren asked.

  "Patrick could never hurt anyone," Harper said.

  "I'm going to have a unit outside of your house until we figure out what's going on," Officer Warren said sternly as he stood.

  "You think I did it. You think I'm lying, don't you?" Harper snapped as her eyes drifted up to him.

  "Right now, I honestly don't know. I mean, first you come and tell me about some missing babysitter. Now, two men you have had a connection with, are dead. Do I want to believe you? Yes. I truly believe you didn't have anything to do with Hunter being killed. But no one else is dying on my watch," Officer Warren said as he turned towards the door of Harper's hospital room.

  Harper rested her head against the soft pillow as she heard the door click shut behind Officer Warren. Why would someone shoot Hunter? It had to be connected to Delilah and Grayson. Whoever was doing this...wanted to kill Harper themselves. They weren't going to allow Hunter to take that opportunity away from them. Or were they protecting her? Maybe they wanted her to uncover the sinister secret of exactly what happened to Delilah.

  Harper's eyes darted to the door as it slowly opened. Patrick peeked around the edge of the door, a soft smile on his face. Harper quickly sat up as Patrick shut the door behind him and rushed to her side.

  "Thank God you're alright," Patrick said as he leaned down. They wrapped their arms around each other, tight and secure.

  "I was so scared," Harper cried. "I didn't even know what to do. I didn't want him to hurt you. I didn't want anything to happen," Harper cried as Patrick released her and gently held her swollen face in his hands.

  "Harper, stop. OK? You didn't do anything wrong. You should have told me," Patrick said, staring back into Harper's eyes.

  "I couldn't lose you. I couldn't lose anyone else," Harper cried as Patrick held her hand and sat into the chair beside the bed.

  "Where did you hide the gun? I can go find it. I can get rid of it," Patrick said as he ran his thumb gently along the top of her hand.

  "What?" Harper asked.

  "Harper, you didn't do anything wrong. You were protecting yourself," Patrick said quietly.

  "Patrick, I didn't kill him," Harper said, shaking her head.

  "Harper, that cop is gone. Just tell me what happened. I'll make sure this all goes away," Patrick said.

  "No!" Harper snapped as she yanked her hand away from Patrick. "I am telling you the truth! I didn't shoot Hunter!"

  "Then who did?" Patrick asked. The tone of his voice...it set something off in Harper. He truly believed she had shot and killed Hunter.

  "I don't know! The same person who killed Delilah? The same person who turned Grayson into a human Pez dispenser? The same person who kidnapped Rosie? If you don't believe me then you can just get the fuck out because Officer shit stick doesn't believe me and I really don't need this shit from you, too," Harper snapped, her fists white as she tightened them at her side.

  "You didn't do it?" Patrick asked once again.

  "NO!" Harper yelled, slamming her fists into the mattress.

  "I'm going out there," Patrick said as he stood
up.

  "What? Where are you going?" Harper asked, confused.

  "Out to the woods. Maybe they missed something," Patrick said as he made his way towards the door.

  "Patrick, no," Harper sighed. "Just let them do their job. The more we interfere, the more they're going to think we actually were involved. I don't want you to get hurt by...whoever is doing this," Harper said.

  "You get released tomorrow, right?" Patrick asked as he opened the door.

  "Yes," Harper said with a shrug.

  "I'll be here in the morning," Patrick said as he shut the door behind him.

  "Patrick!" Harper yelled. But he was gone. Harper let out a sigh as she rested her back against the pillow behind her. She winced, feeling the cuts on her back slowly stretch with the edges of her spine. Harper stared up at the ceiling. Her head was pounding. Everyone around her was asking questions that she didn't know the answers to. Everywhere she turned, she could feel this sick, twisted psycho watching her...anticipating her next move. But if it weren't for that sick, twisted psycho...she'd probably be down in the morgue instead of this terribly lit hospital room. What did they want from her? What did she do to deserve all of this? Harper's eyelids slowly fell...and all she could see...was Hunter's dead eyes...staring down at her...as blood covered her face.

  ***

  Harper zipped her jeans and began to fold the white hospital gown. She placed it gently on the bed as she limped towards the door of her room. She had finally been released. She didn't understand why they really made her stay the full night. All she had were a few cuts on her back, a twisted ankle, and a few bruises. It was all nothing a nice hot bath couldn't cure.

  Harper slowly inched down the hallway and towards the main lobby where she had to sign out. She then stopped...to see Vera's room. Her name printed on a marker board on the door. In all of this madness, Harper had completely forgotten about Vera being here, too. And then chills slowly rose along her skin as she remembered the horrific video...the proof that she pushed her.

  Harper grabbed the door handle, turned it, and walked inside. The heard a familiar high-pitched voice as she inched inside. Harper peeked around the door...to see Kyle standing next to Vera's bed. Kyle looked back, locking eyes with he.

  "I'm sorry. I should have knocked," Harper said softly.

  "Are you alright?" Kyle said as she rushed towards Harper. Kyle threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly.

  "Yeah, I'm fine," Harper said, short and stern. Kyle released her as she looked her up and down.

  "I heard about what happened. It was all over the news," Kyle said, shaking her head. Harper wanted to punch her in the face. All of this...was because of her. She couldn't keep her damn mouth shut. She just had to tell Hunter everything she knew.

  "That's wonderful," Harper said sarcastically as she moved past Kyle and towards Vera who laid in the hospital bed. Vera looked much better. Her bruises and cuts, now healed. Her leg still wrapped in the white cast.

  "You should have stayed here last night. We could have had a sleepover," Vera smirked, trying to lighten up the mood. Harper smiled as she slowly leaned down, hugging Vera tightly.

  "How are you?" Harper asked as she sat up.

  "Better now that I get released today! I'm am so bored here. The food is awful. I can't wait to go home!" Vera exclaimed in excitement. "Are you OK, though? That was crazy. I was so worried about you," Vera said, shaking her head.

  "I'm OK. I just...I don't know what to think right now. Hunter was...a monster. But I didn't want this to happen," Harper said softly.

  "Do they know who shot him?" Kyle asked as she stepped up beside Harper.

  "They have no idea," Harper said, shaking her head.

  "I'm gonna go get the car. I'm giving Vera a ride. Do you need one?" Kyle asked.

  "No. My ride is on the way. Thank you," Harper said, forcing a smile. Kyle winked and headed towards the door.

  "I just can't believe that," Vera said as Kyle left the room, shutting the door behind her. "I mean, that guy was crazy. I know this sounds horrible...but I think the world is better off now without him. I mean, he was sick," Vera said in disgust.

  "Enough about me," Harper said, smiling gently.

  "I'm sorry. You probably don't want to talk about it. But, just know...I'm here if you want to talk. That must have been really traumatic," Vera said, grabbing Harper's hand and squeezing it tightly.

  "So, I guess you'll really be spending a lot of time by the pool," Harper smirked, struggling to change the subject.

  "I'm taking some time off. At least until I get this removed," Vera said, motioning to her cast.

  "I'm thinking about doing the same. With everything that's happened...I feel like I'm going crazy," Harper said softly. Harper glanced back as Kyle stepped into the doorway of the room.

  "Car's out front. You ready?" Kyle asked.

  "Give me one more hug!" Vera said with a wide smile as she opened her arms. Harper smiled as she leaned down to the bed, squeezing Vera tightly. Harper could feel Vera's warm breath on her ear and neck."I just want you to know...that I remember everything," Vera whispered into Harper's ear. Harper's eyes widened as Vera's arms tightened around her. "I know that you pushed me. And I want you to know that you are going to regret it until the day you die. You think your life is so bad now...just wait. I'm going to make you wish you were dead," Vera whispered. Vera slowly released Harper. Harper stood up straight...her watering eyes staring down at Vera as a wicked smile spread across her face. "A little girl talk is the best, isn't it?" Vera smirked playfully as she grabbed her crutches that were leaned against the side table beside her bed. "See you around," Vera said coyly as she slowly swung her legs over the bed, placed the crutches under her armpits, and made her way towards the door.

  Harper slowly looked back...as she watched Kyle and Vera exit the room. A tear trickled down Harper's face. She could feel her sore legs buckling under her. Her life was over. In this moment, she wished whoever shot Hunter missed and hit her instead. Vera knew everything. And now...everything was on the line.

  You've Got Mail

  "Do you think that maybe Hunter is the one that killed Grayson and took Rosie?" Patrick asked as he stirred his steaming coffee; the cream twirling around and around into white circles. Vera knew. She knew that Harper had pushed her that day. What would happen if she went to the police? They'd probably assume that if she was capable of that, she'd be perfectly capable of murdering Grayson. Harper's life would be over in an instant.

  "Harper?" Patrick said softly as he reached across the table, grasping her hand.

  "What?" Harper said, snapping out of her trance. She kept having nightmares last night. She didn't sleep a wink. She just kept seeing Vera's face...twisted in terror...as she tumbled over the curb...and the car smashing into her. It kept playing over and over inside of her head. She had to tell Patrick now. There wasn't any more time. Any minute, the police could come for her; haul her away, never to see Patrick again.

  "Do you think that Hunter was responsible for all of this?" Patrick asked.

  "I don't know," Harper said as she glanced around the deserted cafe. They were the only two inside besides the barista behind the car. "I have to talk to you, Patrick," Harper said as her eyes slowly lifted, meeting his.

  "What's going on?" Patrick asked, leaning forward, concerned.

  "I'm pregnant," Harper said, holding her breath. She watched his eyes slowly widened. He slowly let go of her hand...pulling it to his side across the booth.

  "Are you sure?" Patrick asked softly.

  "Yeah. When I was in the hospital after Hunter attacked me, they confirmed it. The baby is fine," Harper said as she picked at the rim of the coffee mug in front of her.

  "Is it mine?" Patrick asked.

  "No. They said I'm roughly eight weeks. That's around the time me and Grayson..." Harper stopped as she watched Patrick's jaw tighten. Patrick leaned back in the booth, sighing as he stared up at the ceiling.

  "Are you go
ing to keep it?" Patrick asked as he wrapped his hands tightly around his coffee cup.

  "Yes. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I'd understand if you...if you didn't want to stick around. I know that this...this has nothing to do with you. I don't want to force you into this," Harper said as she fought back her tears. "I don't want to trap you," she added, wiping her tears.

  "Harper, I don't care who the father is. I could care less. Would I rather it be mine, sure. But I love you. I want to be there. I want to help you," Patrick said as he grabbed her hand across the table.

  "I can't ask you to do that. This isn't your problem," Harper said, shaking her head.

  "It's not a problem. I want to be in your life. I want to be in the baby's life. I've lost enough. I've lost my sister. I'm not going to lose you, Harper," Patrick said, shaking his head. Harper smiled softly through the hears that poured down her face. What did she do to be blessed with Patrick? He was so pure. So understanding. So full of heart.

  "I'm really happy to hear that," Harper smiled, tightening her grip on his hand.

  "I'd never let you do this alone. I'll treat him, or her, as my own. Hopefully him," Patrick smirked as Harper giggled. "Because I can deal with one crazy girl but I don't know about two," he added.

  "I feel sorry for you already," Harper laughed. "Thank you. Seriously. I'd be going crazy right now without you. You keep me sane," she added.

  "This is you sane?" Patrick asked sarcastically. Harper giggled along with Patrick as she slowly glanced up at the TV mounted on the wall behind him. She watched as the local news appeared onto the screen. A bold headline rose at the bottom beneath a news anchor. Harper squinted...struggling to read the headline as she slowly stood up.

  "LOCAL WOMAN MISSING!"

  "What are you doing?" Patrick asked as Harper moved out of the booth and towards the TV. Harper stopped a few feet from the TV...as a photograph of the missing woman slowly appeared onto the screen. Harper stared back at the familiar face. Her long, brown hair. Her tan, olive, smooth skin.