“Want to get into something, then?” Greg asked Peggy Ann after she returned with his order.
“Absolutely,” she said.
He smiled, the things in his dreams last night long forgotten.
Chapter 5
The streets had been home for Bonnie Fletcher for so long that she couldn’t remember living anywhere else. Every day was a struggle to get by. Hoping to score at least a single decent meal a day was the goal of the sixty-year old woman. Her skin was weathered, matted, and shedding from stress and poor health. Her hair was thinning and gray. Held back by a filthy red bandana, it hung low just past her shoulders. The clothes she wore were the same pair of clothes she had worn for who knows how long. She smelled musty and foul, but who didn’t when you lived on the streets scrounging through trash to get by?
It was all she had. She had watched as people in the homeless community came and went. Some moved on to other, bigger cities. Others got lucky and moved on to better things. They had pulled themselves from the gutters and back into the real world. She had tried a time or two, but with the streets being all she really knew, it was scary. The world was a terrifying place. Not ready to leave her comfort zone, she had always just resorted back to what she knew. The streets were her home.
Surprisingly, over the last few years she had watched as the homeless community tripled in size. The economy was down. Sure, for a city’s homeless community to only be made up of about twenty or thirty people wasn’t a lot in hindsight. But when you looked at it compared to the total area population, thirty was a pretty big number. Grayson was a small town and although the homeless community was still small compared to some of the bigger cities, Bonnie was starting to feel a little claustrophobic. The economy was no excuse for how much it had grown in the past few months. She felt that the emergence of that new plaza was a part of the sudden explosion of homeless in the area. It wasn’t the plaza really, but the sudden influx of empty buildings in old downtown. Along with the pharmacy, the diner and a few other shops, a lot of the buildings were vacant as a result of relocating to the plaza. At least that was what she felt was causing things to get a little too crowded for her. There were more places available for the homeless to sleep or hide away during the day with all the vacant small mom and pop shops shut down.
Luckily, unlike a few of the other women in the underground community, she never had to resort to doing degrading things to get by. But, it wasn’t until recently that she had started having problems. For the most part, everyone left her alone. Most even had her back. But this new guy, Brian, was starting to get a little pushy. Not only had he kicked Elliott out of his sleeping spot, he was starting to get a little touchy-feely with Bonnie. Before, some of the others would have stood up for her. But now, they weren’t. Brian was a big guy that muscled his way into everything. He was very intimidating.
He’d taken Elliott’s sleeping place and no one had heard from him this morning. Brian had also taken some of the other men’s collection of cans. She found it amazing to see how heartless one man could be. Those people had been saving those cans all month so they could cash them for a decent meal or new clothes. Brian had just snatched them up and turned them in for a bottle of rum like it was no small thing. And he didn’t even make the alcohol last. If dealing with him was one thing, being around him when he was drinking was another all-together. He had no heart. No compassion. He was in it for himself and no one else. He was making things hard on all of them. The entire homeless community would be better off without him around. And now, here he was trying to force himself on Bonnie Fletcher.
“Quit fighting it, bitch,” Brian hissed, squeezing Bonnie by the wrist.
“Stop it,” she pleaded. “You’re hurting me.”
“Oh, come on, Bonnie. Quit acting like you don’t want it!” He shoved her down on the mattress.
“No. Please stop,” Bonnie whimpered.
“No one’s here to save you, bitch! So quit with the pity and enjoy yourself,” Brian snickered, taking off his shirt.
The mattress groaned under Bonnie as she settled into it, too afraid to move. It was stained with urine, flakes of dried blood, and God-knows-what else. Springs protruded from the fabric. The corners of the mattress were mangled to bits, the foam inside falling out where a dog had gotten hold of it. A line of cardboard boxes were bottom up next to the bed being used as a makeshift shelf. An ashtray and numerous empty beer bottles littered the cardboard table top. The far corner of the room had been devoted to a heaping pile of filth that one day might be of use. Over the years, Bonnie had collected various things like empty glass bottles, aluminum, and anything else she felt might make her a buck. The large pile of what she had yet to sell or trade was stacked in that corner. Roaches and ants squirmed to and from the pile, eager to eat at the junk. The room smelled of mold and body odor, but Bonnie was used to it. Ever since the Diner moved to the plaza she had taken up refuge in the quaint little dry foods storage room in the back of the old diner. As big as the diner was, it was best to stay in the back for fear of getting noticed, or even worse, kicked out. She was sure that some of the locals knew about it, but none of them had ever said anything. Hell, she wasn’t the only one living in some of the abandoned buildings. Just two buildings over, a family of four were living in the abandoned fabric store. Unlike some of the other shops that moved to the plaza, the fabric store simply just went out of business.
The storage room was dark. Only a little light seeped in from a window that Bonnie had covered with garbage bags and duct tape. The tape had long lost its stickiness and was allowing the black bags to give way in some areas. It gave the small room an eerie gray luminescence. Brian’s shadow stretched across the wall as he unbuckled his pants, a stupid grin still pasted across his face.
Bonnie grimaced as he smiled down at her. He was a monster. When he’d showed up at the back door of the old diner, she’d answered it expecting someone else. Elliot Racca, maybe, but it wasn’t. It was him. At first, she assumed he was there to boast about how much he had made on those old men’s collection of cans and then be on his way.
She was wrong.
Brian had let himself in. Slamming the door shut as he stepped into her rent-free home. He let her know right away what he was there for. She pleaded and begged. It was no use. He was going to get what he came for no matter how hard she try to sway him.
“You want my cans?” She whimpered. “I’ve got lots. I…I can get more.”
“Ha…” Brian laughed, flexing his chest. “I don’t want your damn cans. That’s what I got them two old boys for.”
“Here,” she cried. “Take this and just go!” Bonnie pulled a crumbled up twenty from her pocket.
She had found it in the grass by the barber shop a few days before.
He snatched the money from her and stuffed it in his pocket. “What else you got?”
“N-nothing, that’s it. N-now p-please, just g-go.”
The smell of rum wafted off him as he reached down taking Bonnie by the shirt. He tore at her blouse with all his might. Buttons popped free, flying into the air as the fabric gave way in his grip. She whimpered, trying to pull away, but he was too strong. He pulled her into him as he leaned over her. She squirmed, trying to pull back.
“Quit fightin’ it, old hag. I’ve gotten a piece of all the other homeless whores. Including the ones with men, they called hubby. Now I want a taste of granny, and I’m going to get it, you hear?”
Her sudden scream was cut short. Brian’s right hand lashed out taking hold of her throat. His grip was like a metal vice unwilling to slacken. He squeezed, shoving her to her back on the nasty mattress. She tried to scream out for help, but it did no good. Her voice was nothing more than a wheezing rasp of gasping breaths. With his free hand, Brian tugged at Bonnie’s pants. Tears ran down her cheek as he pulled the denim down past her knees. She kicked her legs in protest as Brian ran his hand up her thigh. She grimaced at his soft touch.
He smiled.
; “Come on, Bonnie.” His voice was softer now, more welcoming. “You know you want this. You can’t tell me you didn’t see this coming.”
She tried to protest, but couldn’t. She was struggling enough just to breathe with his big hand wrapped around her throat. The lack of oxygen was getting to her. Her head was feeling light and she was getting dizzy. The room started to spin out of control. Her face felt hot as she felt herself drifting away. She suddenly felt tired. Just before she blacked out, Bonnie felt him violate her, his broad shoulders leaning into hers.
Bonnie Fletcher passed out from lack of oxygen.
She wasn’t sure how long she had been out when she finally came back to the surface of consciousness. It must not have been long, because as her vision wavered in and out of focus, she could see Brian. In the darkness of the room it was hard to see at first, but as her vision returned and her mind relapsed what had happened, it all became clear. Brian was standing over her putting his shirt back on and buttoning up his jeans. The shit-eating grin on his face said it all. He had gotten what he wanted. Her hips were sore as she tried to sit up.
“Well, Bonnie, glad you decided to join us. Had me scared for a minute there,” Brian chuckled. “Hell, you missed out. I was good. You ain’t never gonna have better neither.”
“You’re a monster,” she quivered, covering herself with a ratty old blanket near the mattress.
“Is that so now, Bonnie,” Brian chuckled, clearly pleased with himself. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he seemed slightly out of breath. “I ain’t no monster. I’m just a man with needs. A man that knows what he wants and takes it. If there were more men like me, we would all have jobs, and you and I wouldn’t be out here livin’ the streets, now would we? If you ask me . . . I think there’s somethin’ goin’ on here in Grayson. I wasn’t homeless tell I showed up here. Shitiest mistake I ever made was comin’ here.”
“You sure it wasn’t made today?” Bonnie said, trying to sound stern. It came out afraid instead.
“You talkin’ bout us, Bonnie?” Brian asked, stuffing his hands in his front pockets to straighten them out. He pulled a can of Skoal from his back pocket, packing it intently. He opened the can, stuffing tobacco in the back of his mouth. As he spoke, his words were even more slurred than before. “Cause, last thing you want to do is make the biggest mistake of your life. I will fuck you up if I hear you was tellin’ others about our little affair. I don’t need the other homeless honeys catchin’ wind and gettin’ jealous.”
“A monster,” Bonnie said again, wishing he would just leave.
Brian laughed. “A monster, huh? Don’t tell me you are into all that shit, too.” Using a sarcastic tone and waving his hands in the air, he said, “Don’t look in their eyes!” His hands went slack at his side. “Don’t give me that shit. I’ve heard enough of it from all the other homeless crazies. Now I know you’re just as wonked out as the rest of these street sleepers, but don’t tell me you’re into all that nonsense, too. Hell, that Elliott friend of yours wouldn’t ever shut up about ‘em. Just between you and me, that was why I ran him off. He was givin’ me the creeps with all that monster talk. Hitchers this. Hitchers that. Well, that and he had the best sleeping spot in town.” Brian looked around the small, smelly room and smiled. “Hmm, I take that back. He had second best. You want to share your place with me?”
Bonnie just looked back at him, wide eyed.
“Ha…” Brian laughed some more, still thinking about it. “Don’t look in the eyes. That Elliott dude is one cracked egg. You know that?”
“Elliott’s my f-friend, and w-what you did to him . . . well.” She cringed, still very shaken up. Then her voice returned. “You’re a monster and that’s the truth. Now get the hell out of my home. And if I ever see you again, I swear I will go to the police and tell them what you’ve done. Now go!”
Brian sarcastically mocked shaking in his boots. “No. Not the cops, Bonnie. They’re so scary,” he laughed, his fingers shaking at his lips. “Hell, that Teddy boy don’t know a pistol from a pancake. His daddy, the sheriff, he’s just one big fat joke. As fat as they come. They ain’t gonna do nothin’ to help you or me. We’re homeless. Just a thorn in their sides. They’d more likely kick us to the curb of another town before trustin’ in a single word you say, Bonnie.”
Bonnie quivered back against the wall, pulling the tattered blanket up to her chest. Hearing him yell frightened her even more than she already was. She knew what he was capable of. She didn’t want to find out what else he might be willing to do to her if she made him mad enough.
“Aw, come one, Bonnie,” his voice soft again as he stepped toward her. “You know I’m just playin’ with you. We’re friends right? We’re friends. Friends can keep secrets. Right?”
As he knelt down on the edge of the mattress, drawing near her, Bonnie looked away. Her eyes met with the scuffed up white-washed wall beside the mattress. Brian’s shadow loomed over her like a taunting figure of impending doom. She swallowed hard, eager for him to just up and leave.
“Come on,” he said softly, reaching under the blanket. “Friends?”
Her lips clasped shut.
She couldn’t bear to look at him. He was a horrible excuse for a human being. People didn’t do this kind of thing to one another. They just didn’t. Her life had been hard growing up on the streets, but this was just hideous. Wrong. Her eyes watched the wall as Brian’s shadow crept across it drawing closer to her. She watched the shadow as his arm reached out to touch her face. Although she wasn’t looking at him, she could feel him. Feel him on his knees, skirting closer to her on the mattress. His hot breath beat against her face. The musk of sweat and rum filled her nose. Her heart tightened in her chest. She cringed, swallowing hard. The swallow was dry and hard, scratching the back of her throat as nothing went down.
“Please,” she pleaded, clutching her eyes shut out of fear.
The sound of something wet popped in her ear, leaving the scent of Brian’s alcoholic breath no more. The room flooded with coldness and the stench of sulfur and something rotten. Still, she didn’t want to look. The mattress quit moving under her. Brian had stopped drawing closer to her, but she could still feel him hovering over her. She could still feel his weight on the mattress. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Still focused on the wall and Brian’s shadow; Bonnie gasped. His shadow was overwhelmingly larger than before. A long waving limb like shadow stretched out across the large mass of black against the wall like a thin worm. The sound of slopping sludge and wet grunts filled the room. It wasn’t until she heard the clicking of chattering teeth that Bonnie gripped herself to look.
She did, and then she screamed!
The thing that was on Brian’s back was hideous. Elliot was right all along. It hovered over her like an undead hairless lion. Its large teeth filled mouth gnashed violently. Slime seeped from its pores like rotting honeycomb dripping putrid things. It snarled. The stench was nearly unbearable. The room had grown so cold that Bonnie could see the things breath as its mouth went wide. The smell that fell on her like a thousand bricks almost knocked her unconscious. Maybe that would have been better than staying alert right now, but she forced her mind to remain clear. Her eyes stung and the back of her throat filled with an awful taste. She imagined that it was what death tasted like. Her ears rang violently. Then she realized that it was because she was still screaming, but it wasn’t the monster that was making her scream. It was Brian’s face. One of the creature’s long slimy arms was penetrating Brian’s left ear. Black sludge and gory plasma seeped out from the side of his head. The thing’s arm pulsed as if it were feeding something into Brian’s brain. The homeless construction worker’s eyes were rolled back in their sockets revealing only white. His eyes were unblinking, his head cocked back. It was as if he was in terrible pain. His body convulsed as if in shock. With both knees planted on the mattress, his mouth wide open, drool ran down his mouth. Bonnie’s eyes followed the drool as it fell to the bed. At his sides, Brian’s
hands shook uncontrollably. The tobacco in his mouth fell from his lips. The bits of it that didn’t stick to his chin fell to the mattress. A faint heaving rasp came out from Brian’s voice.
Bonnie was still screaming when it finally moved.
The thing’s arm that wasn’t lodged into the side of Brian’s head lashed out. Long and sluggishly slender, it wrapped around her neck with what seemed like a long squid tentacle. Only it didn’t have tentacles. It was just one long mass of dead flesh. As it squeezed, the thing choked out her scream. Bonnie reached up with both hands and tried to free herself. She grabbed the creature by the arm. Her fingers sank in the meaty slime-covered tissue as it folded in her grip, but it was no use. The thing wasn’t letting go. The tip where its hand should have been, thrashed about in her face like the massive maggoty thing that it was. She felt the life draining from her body. She couldn’t breathe. She clawed to be freed, but there was no give. Her eyes felt as if they were going to bulge from their sockets, the creature squeezing tighter.
Then, the thing pulled her closer to Brian. She looked up at it, gasping with fear. Her pants felt warm and wet, and the smell of ammonia filled the air. The mass riding on Brian’s back looked down at her. It shook her hard, forcing her to look back. She felt something in her neck snap as it forced her to catch its gaze. She tried to look away, but couldn’t. Its probing black eyes pulled at her being like magnet to metal. She tried again to look away, but found her sight locked on the hideous beast. Its teeth chattered with excitement as Bonnie lost herself in its eyes. It was as if the life was being drained from within her only to be replaced by fear and sorrow. Still slobbering uncontrollably, Brian opened his mouth forming a faint smile. The thing was pleased that she had finally locked eyes with it, as if that was what it needed. Her chest burned and her arms started to tingle. She wasn’t sure how long she had gone now without breathing. Her arms started to feel hot and heavy and her chest felt ready to cave in.
Hitchers Page 6