Her Last Letter (Excerpt)

1.

     Charlie sat outside the Hospital entrance on the steel bench by the ashtray that passed for a smoking area, studying a white envelope that he held in his hand.  There was only one word written on the outside.  She had simply written ‘Charlie’ there on the front and for now all he could bring himself to do was just stare at his name written there in her cursive.  He just sat on that cold steel bench while he traced and re-traced his name with his eyes and tried to let it settle in that the time had come to read it.  Until then, he just couldn’t open it, not yet.

2.

     Sarah had found out last November about the cancer.  Unfortunately though, they had found the tumors far too late to fight the disease. The cancer that was attacking her body had already progressed too much to fight, but Charlie had still found the best Doctors in the country, and although every specialist was honest of her chances, they all fought it hard at first.  Three months ago though, no one else would fight anymore no matter how much money Charlie would pay because it was over.  Now all they could do was treat her pain.

     Sarah took this news in that final specialist’s office without a single tear, and when they got home that night she sat down and wrote Charlie a letter.  She gave the letter to him later that night and she told him the rules of the letter.  There were only three.  The first was that it was only to be opened if and when the time ever came for Charlie to decide her fate because she couldn’t.  The second rule was to carry it always so he would always have it with him when he needed it, and the third rule was the one that would no doubt end up being the hardest.  She made him swear aloud to her that one before she would even hand it him.  
     She made him swear that no matter what the letter said he would respect it and remember that even if he couldn’t agree with it, what was in that letter were her wishes and they were what she wanted.  He swore, she gave it to him and that was the end of it.  It was as close to talking about the details of her coming death that they ever came.  Even when her dying was accepted, and only a matter of time, neither of them wanted to focus on it much.

     Charlie swore to her that he would honor all of her rules and she gave him her letter.  After that he had put it in his pocket and even though he had carried it with him every day like he said he would, neither of them mentioned it again.  With that little piece of business done they had just cuddled there together on the couch in front of the fire.  They spent the rest of that night together on the little couch in front of the fire laughing and kissing each other until finally they ended up on the floor and they had made love there on the floor in front of the fireplace before falling asleep in each others arms. 

     Those last months had all been that way.  They loved very hard those last months.  They spent all of their remaining time together visiting family, and friends, and they even went on a cruise before she got too sick to travel but, mostly they laid naked in bed and just held each other.  They kissed a lot, made love constantly, or just held each other while they talked for hours laughing, and eating too many pints of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.   
     Sarah had lived out her last months of life with Charlie to the fullest.  They filled all those days with love and joy and instead of mourning the loss they honored a happy life that had been well lived.  That’s how Sarah had wanted it to be so Charlie loved her and decided he could mourn her later…

Asleep at the wheel

     Driving again.  Driving was all it seemed that he ever did anymore.  But, that was the life of a salesman though, the life he had chosen, the life that had bought his family's home, and fed them all these years.  He was a very successful salesman too, his companies best, the plaque on the wall of his office said so.  But, what had it gotten him?  Money?  Yes, there has been a lot of that.  But, money didn't really matter as much as successful people like to pretend it does.  Money is necessary sure, but in his drive to be successful to provide his family with the life that he wanted for them had, over time, just driven them further away.
     How many times had he taken this boring trip?  It seemed like at least a hundred.  This boring ass dive from St. Louis to Louisville trying to close the biggest deal of his career.  Gabe always hated this drive, it seemed to go on forever even though it only took a little bit more than four hours.  It was a mind numbing four hours, nothing but empty flat fields filled with oil pump jacks, and billboards to look at.  It was only a half hour flight to Louisville from home but, being cheap like he always had been, he drove it every time.
     Gabe knew that on this trip he really should have flown, despite his desire to save money.  Big executives always needed to be wined and dined for the close.  Especially on a huge contract, and this particular big wig, Lavall Fatcandice, needed it even more than most.  Gabe knew that before Fatcandice would ever put pen to paper on this deal there would be excessive greasing of the wheels.  Even though this final trip had been the last of more than ten, Fatcandice was a very big believer in ass kissing.  Especially when his was the ass that was being kissed.  So closing this deal with him would mean not only the normal big steak dinner, but plenty of lap dances at strip clubs, and also plenty of bourbon, the expensive kind, on the rocks of course.
     So, on his company's dime, he and Fatcandice had hit the town hard.  A little after midnight and over a thousand dollars in liquor and girls later, Fatcandice was satisfied, and he finally inked the deal.  Right afterward, Fatcandice called for his car, he shook Gabe's hand, and departed the tiny strip club.  Satisfied that the deal was finally done, Gabe headed home.  He hadn't drank nearly as much as old Lavall had, but he had drank a little too much to be trying to make the drive home tonight.  He knew he should have stayed an extra night in Louisville but, he just missed his wife so much that, aside from his better judgement, he had decided to go ahead make the drive right after the deal was done.  He missed his wife terribly, and he wanted to surprise her by arriving early.  So despite his buzz and heavy eyes, here he was making the now familiar, but boring, drive in the dark so he could be back home to Susan.

Tommy's Monster

     Tommy Pinklets was only 7 years old.  A curious, timid  boy who was very smart, and relatively good was laying in his new 'Big Boy' bed with his Scooby-Doo comforter pulled securely to his chin.  Tommy laid there in the dark amongst all the shadows and strange sounds of the night trembling with fear.
     Tommy was very afraid of the dark.  So, that alone, not to mention the shadows the big tree makes dancing on his wall that at times seemed to be very alive, dangerous and taunting him.  All that alone could have Tommy so scared in his brand new 'Big Boy' bed all alone but tonight Tommy's problems were much worse than darkness, shadows, and sounds he couldn't identify.  
      No, tonight was far worse because as Tommy laid shaking under the protection of his blanket pulled tight to his chin he was sure there was a monster waiting right below where he was laying waiting to devour him.  Tommy also knew that tonight was the night that the monster would finally eat him.  Tommy could tell by his breathing he was finally done playing with his frail, timid, blonde haired toy and all that was left was to eat him alive in his brand new 'Big Boy' bed.

Stolen Hearts pt3

6.

      Leon only sat on the park bench quietly, secretly calm and weirdly even relaxed.  He kept on hiding his eyes that allowing them to get great angles to search the large open field in front of him and watch the different people.  Mostly the girls. 
     He sat pretending to read as he watched and studied all of the different beautiful girls as they went about their activities at the park that day. Just admiring the pretty girls, and anyone else who attracted his attention as he soaked in everything he observed in the busy field and enjoyed his view.
     Leon lazily scanned every detail of the huge grass and oval park field and stored it away, all the best images and memories for later use, but mostly he just watched them as he pretended to read the yellow hardcover novel as he did most days lately.  Alone, somewhere public, hiding his eyes and watching the different women, always searching.  He seemed to be hunting now, all of the time actually. Much more than before, even before he had been chosen, it seemed his work with the chosen souls had just completely consumed him these days. 
     With his memories of Jasmine still vivid in his mind, still the drive in him craved more.  With no clear agenda on his mind at all just looking, only because he was always just compelled to observing all women everywhere he went.  But he was always being careful not to overlook a good one and also always waiting to be called out to by the next chosen soul and heart in his collection.
     None of the women were grabbing his attention today, so he decided to head towards the art museum up the hill nearby, to people watch there awhile instead.  So he closed the book he wasn't reading and got up from his bench to head up the small hill towards the city art museum. 
     As he walked up the big hill he continued to passively observe the women, he saw a pretty and petite brunette with a ponytail laughing as she talked on her cell phone, and a sexy young Nanny or maybe she was just a really hot young Milf pushing a double stroller.  Her perfect breasts bulged perkily inside her nearly too tight but just right baby doll t-shirt.  Her boobs almost seemed too perfect to be real but as she passed Leon acknowledged that her ass looked great too. 
     He saw two teenage girls texting and giggling, one of them was even cute in her tight little blue sweater, and plaid skirt.  The cute ones legs were crossed over double like hot chicks do with her sexy bare feet entwined together.  He noticed she was sexy but knew there was no way she was quite legal yet so, diverting his eyes from the sexy underage girl, Leon headed into the Museum. 
     No one had really called out to him.  Not yet.
     A tour was forming as he entered the museum and his eyes fell immediately on an adorable petite girl in a museum uniform that was exactly his type.  It seemed to Leon the adorable curvy beauty was going to be the little tours guide.  He decided to join the small tour group, and watched her while waiting for the tour to start. 
     She wore a tan jacket over a white button-up shirt and a short yet still professional pleated skirt.  Below that were white stockings that ended with an inch strap of lace in the middle of her upper thigh and sexy strappy shoes that laced above the ankle on her tiny feet.  Pinned to her jacket her name tag said the words Tour Guide right above her name which read, "Katie".
     Katie wore her blond hair short and it curled in just below her ears.  He usually liked longer hair but the short look worked on her.  She wore these big gold hoop earrings and her make-up was very light and tasteful even with the bright and sexy shade of red she was wearing on her lips.
     She was slightly a thick girl like he liked but Katie was leaning more towards the thin side of thick than fat but still full and curvy.  Her large breasts filled her white button up uniform top completely and her cleavage peeked out slightly just above the top button of her blouse.  She dropped her pencil and when she bent to get it he also noticed just how filled out the rear end of her skirt was too.
     Yes, she was exactly his type from her petite curvaceous body all the way down to her small librarian style glasses that she wore and even the cute way that she chewed on the end of her pencil while playing with her hair.  Leon grew more and more aroused as he watched her.  He had known instantly that he wanted her and each minute he wanted her more.
     Leon watched as Katie spit her gum into a Kleenex from her purse and threw it away.  Then she slid her pencil behind her ear and approached the little 7 person group with her clipboard out in front of her ready to take charge of her days first tour.
     "Welcome to our tour of the City Museum.  My name's Katie and I will be showing you all of what our great museum has to offer you today and answering any questions.", she said and motioned towards the entrance, "Follow me and we'll begin our journey through our museum." Katie said very business like and then began her little group on their tour through the museum.

7.

    Detective Wilmes awoke to the blaring ring of the phone on his nightstand table.
     "Hello."  he grumbled into the receiver as he clumsily put it to his ear.
     "Noel?" an older woman's voice replied seeming concerned.  "Is that you?"
     "Yes Mother, it's me."  He said and took a cigarette from his now empty pack of smokes and lit it before saying, "Is everything OK?"
     "Well yes, here, are you just waking up Noel?"
     Great, he thought, another lecture from his elderly Mother.  It must be Saturday morning.

Stolen Hearts pt2

3.

     "What have we got here boys?", Detective Wilmes asked as he lifted the yellow crime scene tape and entered the bedroom.   
     "Someone please tell me that we found something useful this time." the Detective added to his questions for the crime scene unit investigators already inside the bedroom working on the scene of murder victim Jasmine Jarvis, The Romeo Killer's fourth victim, that he had killed last night while she had layed in her bed in her white little two story home that sat nestled in the middle of the quiet and wooded little culdesac located at 323 Cherry Court.

     "Sorry sir, but I'm afraid that we have nothing new to report." a far too young looking, freckle faced investigator replied.  He was standing at the foot of the victims bed holding a clipboard.  His glasses were his most defining characteristic so Wilmes had already nick-named him Glasses.
      Glasses continued his short update, "We haven't located any prints or fibers anywhere in this murder scene either room or on the body in this yet either sir." Glasses reported solemnly to the Detective barely looking up from his clipboard.  
     After he finished whatever note he had been jotting down Glasses looked Wilmes right in the eyes and with a somber look through his big nerdy glasses and finished his update, "It's just like all the other ones sir. No signs of struggle or distress anywhere in the bedroom." 
     Glasses looked over towards the victims bed and then added, "Just the woman's body in the bed and the poem written in blood on the wall above her like always aside from that nothing new." Glasses looked at the woman holding the roses in her bed with the big hole cut in her chest then back at the four line poem written above her in blood. 
     After a moment Glasses asked him, "Do you know what the poems mean sir?"
     Detective Wilmes followed Glasses eyes up to the short poem written on the wall.  It simply read;

"When joys have lost their bloom and breath,
And life itself is vapid,
Why, as we reach the Falls of Death
Feel we its tide more rapid?"

      "I have no idea kid I never really was all that much for poems myself but I may have to learn something about them because poems are all that slippery asshole ever gives us to work with."  Detective Wilmes mumbled to himself and slowly began to scan the room hoping to find anything unusual or useful that the Crime Scene guys may have overlooked.  He searched even though he knew Glasses was right that nothing was here just her clothes from the day scattered around the room where she had tossed them taking them off.  
     A red blouse was on the floor by the bathroom door and a few feet away from it were her tight, crumpled up blue jeans.  Resting on the floor by her bed were her cotton pastel colored flannel pattern panties and her black bra was hanging over the little door on her nightstand.  Nothing else.  The other two investigators besides Glasses were taking photos and documenting the crime scene.  They seemed to be finishing up. 
     Other than the crime scene guys the only other people were a uniformed officer standing guard at the entrance of the crime scene, and a large balding man with a comb-over sitting on the small white bench just outside the bedroom of the murdered local celebrity Jasmine Jarvis, host of the popular late night radio talk show on the rock station 97.2.
       Wilmes ignored the balding man and put him aside for now and begun searching the scene of the fourth murder.  He carefully scanned every detail of Jasmine's bedroom with his eyes reading the bedroom for anything that stood out and searching it for anything that spoke to him or just an item or other special thing that he would only recognize once he found it.  In Jasmines bedroom just like the other three he hadn't found it.
      He looked back up at the short poem written above her in blood and re-read the four lines over and over before finally saying quietly, "It just seems like a cryptic passage about death to me kid just like all of the other ones.  Honestly I really couldn't tell you what it means."
     A deep voice with a slight British accent gave their answer from behind them, "It's a short excerpt from a much longer poem written by Thomas Campbell." the large balding man from the bench said as he stared at the gruesome scene before he added, "Honestly son, I'm not really sure that Mr. Campbell himself could even tell you what it might mean to a killer."  The large balding man in the brown suit turned and leaned towards Detective Wilmes and said, "I am leaning toward your theory Detective, the poem even feels extra like it's only there for decoration." 

     Wilmes had to admit he agreed and examined the large balding, scholarly looking man from out in the hall that was now standing inside his crime scene.  A very tall, broad shouldered, yet worldly and gentle looking man wearing round horn-rimmed glasses and a dark brown suit like the ones the teachers on TV and college professor's wore.  The thick tweed kind.  The ones that had the reinforced leather elbows patches. 

Stolen Hearts pt1

1.

     Leon stared intently at the radio station's glass double doors waiting for Jasmine to open and walk through them.  He didn't mean to be impatient but tonight was finally their night.  The date he had chosen for their rendezvous had arrived.  Anticipation of their evening together had Leon just a little bit antsy for the end of all the waiting to come, and their evening together he had so meticulously planned out since the very moment that he had chosen her had finally arrived.  It was here at last.  With everything set, and ready, he calmed himself a bit but his eyes remained locked on those glass doors. 
     At last, Jasmine emerged from the radio station.  Leon's heart swelled with joy as he watched his newest love gracefully dance her way down the short flight of concrete stairs to the sidewalk.  His plans for them still a surprise to her but she was clearly happy as if she could somehow sense that this night was going to be special.
     He watched her with rapt and unblinking attention as she shimmied along cheerfully towards her little green SUV.  His eyes never left her as she walked along the sidewalk, her grace and beauty brought out softly in the dim glow of the streetlights.  Her long blond hair trailed her, bouncing slightly in the breeze as she walked. 
     She was by far the prettiest lover he had ever known.  Not by design, he never made his choices based on outward appearance,  her soul had won him over. Her beauty had just been a pleasant and welcome surprise. 
     Always beautiful tonight she was simply radiant as she moved rhythmically to her own internal beat.  She moved with such grace that she almost seemed to be gliding down the sidewalk.  Then, as if she knew he was watching, she twirled elegantly and seemed to curtsy softly just for him before opening the door of her Toyota to head off into the city and on with her night.  That's what she was like.  She had an artists soul. 
     It had been nearly three months since he had first seen her.  Five and a half since he first heard her voice.  He had fallen for her before the end of her broadcast that night he first heard her and somehow even deeper upon first sight.  She was his passions newest, and he believed most special prize.  Tonight he would have her.  The moment that had seduced and evaded him all this time was finally here.  His waiting over, it was their time now.  He promised himself he would cherish every second of it as well.  Locking each moment away deep in his mind to hold onto and nourish forever.
     He tailed her without being noticed, as he had done many times before, as she drove off.  Although her habits were very consistent and she followed the same route every work night.  Tonight was important and he planned to see it all the way through.
     He knew all her stops as well as how long she would linger at each just from knowing her so well, yet he loved pursuing her as she traveled along completely unaware of his presence as he stole every candid glimpse possible of her living out her life before his eyes.  He pursued her same as always and waited patiently while she visited all of her favorite nightly stops on her way home. 
     First stop was Murphy's for a beer with her friends.  He figured Murphy's would be her first stop because they had called towards the end of her show and Leon could tell she wanted to be there.  Plus Murphy's was often her first stop Friday nights.  He waited patiently as they closed down the bar like usual.  After Murphy's it was back behind the wheel and off to the next regular stop at the local Quick Gas for her Menthol's and a Sun Drop.  After Quick Gas Leon and Jasmine would be heading home to her cute little two-story house with the rose colored shutters and stained glass front door nestled neatly in the quiet wooded culdesac at 323 Cherry Court. 

Dark Paige pt6

34.

     Lana pulled the Jeep up to the curb shut off the engine and killed the lights.  There weren't any lights on inside as far as she could see which was a good sign.  She had brought Nick's pistol just in case anyone tried to stop her but for what she had planned it would be easier if she was alone.  Paige had taken away all she had in the world and Lana intended to return the favor.  Lana wasn't violent and didn't have it in her to kill Dave like Paige had Nick but there was something Lana could do.   Something she missed and would enjoy.

     Like all the residents of Brookside criminally insane wing there was a reason Lana was there.  Lana liked to play with fire.  She loved to watch it devour and destroy.  Her love of fire had landed her in Brookside and tonight it would help her get even.  When Paige returned home there would be nothing left of the home she had built but charred remains.

     Lana wiped the tears from her eyes and got out.  She walked around to the back of the Jeep and removed two five gallon gas cans from the back.  She looked around her again just to make sure she was still alone and once she was satisfied she turned and headed up the long driveway to Paige's house.  Vengeance may have been what had brought her here but as she walked toward the fancy two story house the feeling that was strongest in her was excitement.  Lana couldn't wait to watch the flames frolic and consume.  To set them loose and watch them dance as they fed.

35.

     Dave looked into his glass and found only half melted ice cubes.  The clock on the wall said 9:30 but it felt like he had to have been sitting much longer than three hours.  Time moved differently in the silence when all you had were your thoughts to keep you company.  His life with Paige played it's highlights on a loop and each time the bad memories took on a smaller role until he found himself focusing only on the good times, when they were happy, content in their love. 

     Each time the memories recycled he saw Paige again for the first time.  Dave had first met Paige in college.  She had worked in the library as an assistant and from the first time he saw her leaning over her cart of books arranging them to be re-shelved, her mouth forming the letters as she alphabatised to herself quietly, he was immediatly captivated by her grace and beauty.  When she looked up from her work and caught him staring she had smiled at him embarrased and from that moment he was in love. 
     That moment was the first of a cascade of memories that grew more powerful every time they replayed in his mind.  The memory of the first time he had kissed her soft lips, how happy and at peace he had felt when she first told him she loved him, how she had somehow managed to sob uncontrollably while smiling larger than he had ever seen her smile before her eyes sparkling with joy as he looked up at her from bended knee on the day he asked her to marry him, and her inspiring strength and beauty as she gave birth to their daughter and made him a Father. 
     Memories of moments Dave had taken for granted when living them now swam through Dave's mind as he waited in their kitchen for his wife's return.   Dave had retraced their life together and without realizing it worked his way through more than half a bottle of Scotch.  In his anticipation which had turned to nostalgia and longing for a better, simpler time he hadn't realized how deep into the bottle he had gone.

     As he filled his glass he stared blankly at the gun his brother had insisted he take and the sight of it began to disgust him.  Paige was his wife.  She was sick, yes, but he would never hurt her.  He took the gun from the table and shoved it into the back of the junk drawer near the table so that it would be out of his sight.  The alcohol and memories of better days had lowered Dave's guard to the possible danger of what might happen if it wasn't his Paige that walked through the door but the other.  The Scotch had also calmed his nerves and in his clarity he knew that the gun was only a security blanket.  He would never so much as point it at her much less pull the trigger.

     Dave knew that inside his wife there was another but in the end no matter how terrified of that side he was he still loved her deeply.  More than that he missed her immensely.  Besides he was far from innocent in what had happened that night.  He had brought out the other when he hurt his wife with his stupidity and selfishness.  She was just ill and imbalanced in her soul she was still his wife, still Paige.  She only needed support and help.
     The Doctors had explained it to him, the other side protects her from harm.  Dave's harshness had brought her forward.  He had hurt her in a severe way that is beyond physical, deeper, more damaging than physical pain.  In a way that protective side would not tolerate.  Even worse, once she was hospitalized he had turned his back to her entirely because he refused to understand.  Sitting here replaying their life together and remembering the real Paige he wished he could change all of it.  All Dave wanted now was to help her and he would make her see that she needed that help and that he would be there with her from now on because he loved her.  He believed that even though she must feel betrayed that she still loved him too.  The more he retraced his memories of Paige the less he believed she was coming to hurt him at all.   

Dark Paige pt5

28.

     Dave finished pouring his drink without answering her and when he was satisfied he slowly turned around around to face his wife.  Her beauty and naivete was disarming and he almost relented just from the sight of her innocent doe eyes, but instead he pushed forward. 

     "Paige there's something I have to tell you."  Dave said and immediately tipped back his glass of Scotch.  "This is big Paige, you may want to sit down."

     "This doesn't seem like its going to be good news Dave.  Your freaking me out a little."  Paige said choosing her words carefully.  She didn't like the coldness in her husbands eyes.

     "It's not good news.  I've been having an affair Paige, and I want a divorce"

     Paige melted into the chair weakly, her hands trembling, eyes filling with tears  "What?"  She asked, certain she had misunderstood.

     Dave turned around to refill his drink.  "An affair Paige.  I'm amazed you didn't know really.  Its been going on for over six months and we're in love."  He turned back towards her.  "I want a divorce Paige."  He said coldly but as he said it he almost dropped his glass because he no longer felt he was talking to his wife of three years.  There was nothing in the eyes of the woman who looked back at him studying him up and down.  "Paige, did you hear me."

     "No Dave, she didn't, Paige isn't here."  She said calmly as she stood up and started to approach him slowly.  "Paige left.  It's only us now." 

     "What in the hell are you talking about?"  Dave asked backing away until he ran into the counter without even noticing he was doing it.  "What is this?"
     "Nothing Davey, I just want to make sure I heard you right.  You had said you were having an affair?"

    

 

29.

     "You can't go there" Susan said still holding Ray's big hand in her own. "He has to do this on his own." 

     "Part of me agrees with you,"  Ray said to her still looking down  "But a bigger part says he's not safe.  I feel like its going to be worse this time."

     "Worse?"

     "Yes Suze, I don't think she's expecting what she's going to find when she gets home.  I think Paige thinks that Dave will be glad to see her.  Like this was all just a big misunderstanding and when the other sees the truth there's nothing but that little gun he won't use to stop her."   Ray looked up at his wife.  Looked deep into her beautiful green eyes.  "What if she kills him this time Suze?"

30.

     "Yes Paige I have been having an affair."  Dave said and turned around to pour another drink.   But, when he turned around, the bottle was gone and soon so was everything else.  A sharp pain wracked his head and the world went red and then black.  Dave fell to the floor in a heap as his legs gave out from under him.

     "That's a shame."  Paige said in a pouty way as he collapsed.  "The bottle didn't even break."  She opened the scotch and took a drink from the bottle and wiped her mouth with her forearm.  "Oh well, least I didn't waste the Scotch.  Now what to do with you."   She asked herself as she rolled Dave's limp body over with her foot.  "I know!"  She exclaimed cheerfully and headed out of the kitchen towards the garage.

     In the garage Paige walked around like a confident shopper she gathered up a roll of twine, a hand-saw, a retractable razor blade and a hammer.  Her arms full she headed back into the house.

     Once inside she set her items on the island in the kitchen, walked over to Dave and kicked him across the face as hard as she could.  His head whipped to the side but he otherwise did not respond.

     "Aw, hims still sleepin'"  Paige said to no one but herself as she reached down and grabbed Dave's limp hands and began to drag him over to the kitchen table.

Dark Paige pt4

23.

     Lana threw open the trailer door and rushed inside expecting to find the worst, or so she thought, because she was in no way prepared for what she found.  She had expected to find Nick with Paige.  To walk in on him having sex with that backstabbing whore right in her own house but, she never thought for a second that she would instead find Nick’s dead body.  But when she looked into the living room of their dingy little trailer that was exactly what she saw.
     By the far wall of the little living room Nick’s body was slouched lazily and his face was a crushed and bloody mess.  He laid motionless as two fly’s slowly crawled through the drying blood on his lifeless face.  His cheek was gashed open on the left side and his mouth hung wide exposing his naked jaw.  As she crept closer she saw the shattered television set and his severed penis lying limp by his hand.
     Lana fell to her knees in the glass of the broken television oblivious to the shards piercing her flesh, tears streaming down her face she screamed silently in agony because the sound just wouldn’t come. 
     Her mind wouldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing.  She crawled slowly through the broken shards of glass from the busted screen and nestled next to Nick’s limp body with her head lain where she used to listen to his heart beating as she sobbed deeply.

24.

     She tried not to think about it but Paige knew it would be dark soon, an hour or so at the most.  The shadows were stretching out further now and the sun was much lower than it had been when she had awoke in the clearing.  She fought back the panic she was feeling at the thought of being lost in these woods all night.  She swore to herself that once she found her way out and had fixed things with Dave she would then find Lana and personally thank her for leaving her out here to die.

     She stuck with her strategy and continued along the creek with the flow of the water although she still saw nothing but trees in every direction.  The panic in her chest wanting her to doubt herself and just take off running and screaming wildly but dammit she had made up her mind to follow the flow of this creek and that's what she would do until the fear inside grew too large and exploded her will.  She figured she had about an hour before dark made that happen so even though she stayed resolute in her mission her feet still picked up speed.

     Just then a stray branch brought her tumbling to the ground in a frustrated pile and resolute or not Paige's eyes filled with tears.  Things had just been so bad since the fight with Dave.  The hospital, that bitch who had pretended to be her friend then left her for dead in these god forsaken woods and now the race against dark to get out of those same  fucking woods and then finally tripping over that damn branch.  It was just too much. 

     "Get ahold of yourself Lil Bit!"  She growled at herself through the tears.  "You have to go on because no one is coming to help you.  So get your little ass up and continue on for Dave and for Carrie.  For our life."

     She said these things to herself but the words seemed to come from somewhere else deep below.  It was like that when she was weak.  She seemed to reach up and push herself from within.  She guessed that was a good thing though so she never really questioned the voice within.  She listened to it now as she always did.  "Okay, I will."  She said to herself and crawled to the creek to splash some water on her face to clean the tears from her face because just the feel of them running down her cheeks seemed to repulse her right now.  They felt like weakness. 

Dark Paige pt3

17.

     Dave pulled into his driveway about fifteen minutes after Paige and Lana had left for Nick's.  He needed to gather some clothes and things for Carrie while she stayed with his brother.  Dave had no intention of staying at Ray's himself however.  This had to end and he would be the one to have to end it.  There would be no quiet sweeping of affairs under the rug this time.  He had to make sure it was really over for Carrie's sake. 
    He gathered his briefcase, took his keys out of the ignition of the sedan and headed into the house to prepare for Paige to come.  It was only a matter of time before she came back to claim her life again and Dave knew he had to be ready before she did. 
     He laid his briefcase on the hood of the car, opened it, and took out the little snub-nose 38 Ray had given him outside of McDonald's when he saw what his brother intended and that he wouldn't be able to change his mind.
     "Take this at least Dave."  Ray had said handing him the gun.  "Hopefully you won't need this but if you have to stop something just pull back the hammer back, point, and squeeze the trigger."
     Dave had only taken the gun from his brother as a gesture.  He didn't plan to use it, but he now found himself removing it from the briefcase and placing it in his jacket pocket for easier access.  Just a security blanket he told himself.  I'm not gonna use it.  At most its for show.  Hell, I won't even need it.  He tried to convince himself of this but made sure to check that it was loaded all the same.

18.

     Paige opened her eyes slowly.  She had fallen asleep in a weird place again.  This time she was outside in what looked to her like the woods.  She had awoke lying in grass surrounded by trees near a little creek.  she could hear the water babbling downstream above to insects and birds.  She sat up slowly and looked around herself trying to place her surrounding or even remember getting to where she was.  She had no idea about the where or even scarier for her any at all of the how. 

     She fought back the growing panic in her stomach and tried her best to reassure herself that everything would be OK.  It wasn't just the not knowing that scared her, because while the blackouts were frightening this wasn't the first time she had ever found herself in a strange place, it was the idea that she was lost in the woods and night was coming that was terrified her.

     Her heart was racing in her chest but she just kept looking frantically around herself  trying to figure out where she might be and to decide what she should do next.  She was running out of daylight.  By the look of it she was guessing it was probably five o'clock or so.  She had to get out of these woods before dark.  There would be no fighting back the panic after dark.  She scanned her surrounding trying to place anything she could.  Nothing clicked.  She was lost.  That much she at least did know. 

     "Calm down girl."  She told herself.  "I got myself here so I can get myself out." She looked around herself again slowly trying to fight through the growing panic and think clearly.  She tried hard to think of anything.  Anything she may have been told or might have heard about what to do when your lost.  Her Dad had been a hunter but she was totally against it and had taken no interest at all in her Fathers hobby.  She hadn't even been a girl scout.  Still she had to have picked up something useful from TV or movies at least in her 37 years.  "Think Paige", she said to herself. 

     She walked toward the little creek because her mouth was feeling very dry.  She was pretty sure she could drink from that creek.  She wasn't happy about it.  She liked Evian herself.  She had never drank directly from a stream before but her choices were very limited right now and she was very thirsty.  She used her hand as a cup, filled it with water and brought it to her mouth to drink.
     God, her mouth was so dry.  The first handful didn't seem to do anything but she hadn't gagged on it.  She scooped up more and brought it up to her mouth to drink but when she looked down she noticed the blood. 
     There was what looked like blood on her hand now that hadn't been there before.  Smeared and looking slightly watered down but she was sure it was blood.  Blood from her mouth?  She dumped her hand out and rubbed her mouth and then looked at her hand.  More watery red.  She then began to taste it as the water she had drank watered down the dried blood caked in her mouth.  That coppery taste.  She plunged both her hands in the creek and began to feverishly try to wash her face and mouth of the blood.  She got more water and rinsed her mouth over and over till the taste dissolved and she began to actually be able to taste the water.

     She decided she had to have badly bit her tongue when she fell although it didn't hurt at all but it had to be that because if not that then what.  That thought satisfying her for now she drank more of the creek water and moved back to her larger problem.  Getting out of these woods before dark.

Dark Paige pt2

8.

     "Hello." Dave said answering the phone on his desk.
     "Hello Mr. Dearing, this Ann Francis from Brookside Mental Hospital.  I'm afraid I have bad news.  It seems Paige and another patient escaped together earlier this morning somewhere between nine and eleven am.  We haven't been able to locate either patient yet.  We have notified the police but I felt I should notify you as well."
     Dave sat silently holding the phone to his ear unable to believe what he had heard.  He couldn't have heard it.  Paige didn't escape.  He had to have misunderstood.
     "Mr. Dearing.  Are you there?"
     Dave came out of his daze and managed a response.  "Yeah, I'm here.  I was just hoping I had heard you wrong."
     "I'm afraid not Mr. Dearing.  I wish you had.  She and another patient had to have escaped together during shift change."
     "Excuse me Mrs. Francis, thanks for the call but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to call you back."  Dave said and hung the phone up before she could respond.   He pressed the button on the intercom and rang his secretary. 
     "Yes Mr. Dearing."  She answered back promptly.
     "Please get Carrie's daycare on the phone Stacy.  It's an emergency."
     "Is everything alright sir?"
     "God I hope so." He replied removing his hand from the intercom. 
    

9.

     Lana hurried up the stairs to the shower eager to avoid any further contact with Paige for awhile.  That had ruined her buzz just now. 
     Paige scared her.  Hell, most of the girls at Brookside were scared of her. 
     Paige was dangerous.  maybe the scariest thing about Paige is that Paige has no idea she's crazy.   She's been told she is, she knows that its the outside worlds opinion of her, she just doesn't see it.
     You see everything violent Paige has ever done is a mystery to her.  She doesn't have any memory of doing it or even being where it was done.  Dark Paige takes care of all the wet work. 
     Most of the time she's normal if not a little too happy until she's not.  That's how quick it happens.  Lana had only seen it happen twice for herself.  One second she's normal old Paige and the next shes someone else all together.
     The last time Lana saw Paige's dark side they had been in the dorm at Brookside. Lana had been at Brookside before Paige so she knew the ropes and everyone knew Big Bertha ran the dorm.
     Bertha was a giant bull dyke with fists of stone she used to dominate everyone at Brookside.  She ran the place.  Till she met Paige.
     It was Paige's first day in the west dorm where Bertha ruled with an iron fist and Paige and Lana were playing checkers by the big window. 
     Everyone knew this was Bertha's spot.  If you were here and she walked in you moved and when she walked in that's exactly what Lana did but even though Lana pleaded with her new friend, Paige wouldn't get up.
     "Sit back down girl she doesn't own this table.  Let's finish our game."  Paige had said calm as a Hindu cow.
     "No and you should get up too she's coming over here."   Lana replied still backing up but not wanting to run.  She liked Paige and didn't want to see her hurt. 
     "Please come with me.  It's not worth it."
     "Your being silly."  Paige said.  "You re just quitting because I'm winning."
     By now Bertha was at the table and Lana's knees were rattling together she was so scared but Paige just looked up calmly, extended her hand and said  "Hi Bertha, I'm Paige."
     What happened next was so fast and vicious it took Lana awhile to even register it had happened much less recall the actual progression of events. 
     Bertha didn't shake Paige's hand.  Instead she smacked it away and said in her gravelly deep voice "That's my table Bitch"
    At least she tried to say that what she really said was more like "That's my table Bit..."  Then the only sounds were Big Bertha's screams.
    It took a second for Lana to process but before she could finish her sentence Paige had lashed out and bit a chunk off of Bertha's huge left breast.  Then she grabbed Bertha's fat head and shattered her jaw on the table.  By now the orderlies were rushing over but when they got there she moved like a cat around the big one took his keys off his belt and went back at Bertha putting the longest key directly in Bertha's throat.
     Blood sprayed like rain and Bertha just held her throat and gurgled walking or rather stammering backwards falling on her big ass holding her neck and struggling to breathe.  Then she went limp and started to shake violently.
     Bertha spent the next six weeks in a coma. 
     It ended as fast as it began because Paige had no memory of it.  She sat back down coated in blood and looked at Lana and said "Now quit trying to cheat girl and sit down and finish this game.  I have three kings and your going down."
     Lana threw up all over the board and passed out in her own vomit.
     Lana wanted no part of Paige's dark side.  She reminded herself to be more careful at least until they met up with Nick and could finally ditch her.

Dark Paige pt1

1.

    

     "How long do you think we have before they realize were gone?" Lana asked looking back over her shoulder at the big steel double doors.
     "They ain't gonna count heads again till after lunch." Paige said leaning down to pull the key out from under the wheel well.  "We've got about an hour before that bitch Sandy raises the alarm." Paige found the hide-a-key with her hand, pulled out the key and unlocked the Jeep.  "Let's get the hell outta these clothes and take an actual shower."
     "Do we have time to get some breakfast?"  Lana asked Paige as she climbed into the passenger seat of the Jeep.
     "We gotta make a stop real quick and then we'll pick something up on the way to the hotel." Paige told her as she started the Jeep and put it in reverse backing out of the parking space.  "I just want a shower and a decent outfit with a little shape and color as soon as possible." Paige added pulling onto the street and away from Brookside Mental Institution.

2.

     "I don't want to go." Carrie said dropping her backpack and crossing her arms in that defiant way of hers.

     "I don't either honey." Dave said kneeling down to pick her up.  "I wish we could stay and play all day too but I gotta go to work and you gotta go to daycare."

     "They're mean at daycare." Carrie countered not ready to back down.  "I hate it there."

     "You don't hate it there, who's mean?"

     "Boys." Carrie answered blushing.

     "That just means they like you.  Ignore them and they'll like you even more.  Now, will you be a good girl and go for me even though you don't want too?

     "I guess.  But I wanna go to Chuck E. Cheese's on my birthday."

     "Okay baby but that's not till April.  How about we go to the park on Saturday?"

     Carrie lit up at that.  "Can Angie come?"

    "We'll ask her mom OK?"  Carrie nodded and Dave carried his daughter to the car and buckled her in her seat.  "You got everything baby girl?"

    "Yes."

    "Well then let's ride baby." Dave said and closed her door and went around to his door and got in.  he pulled out of the driveway and headed out towards Carrie's daycare like any other day.  He didn't notice Paige and Lana in the Jeep when he passed them on the street so he had no way of knowing it wouldn't be.

3.

     Paige pulled into her old driveway after Dave was gone, parked and got out. 
     "Dave was always predictable.  I always loved that about him."  Paige said as she knelt down and looked in the flowerbed by the front door.  She lifted the rock that wasn't a rock and took out the key from inside and showed it to Lana.  "He's great isn't he?"

     "I like him." Lana said smiling.  "Let's get whatever we're getting so we can eat and smoke a bowl." 

     "Pack one now he won't be home until seven." Paige said as she unlocked the door and headed into her old house.

     Everything was as it had been before she left.  Dave hadn't changed a thing.  The only thing that had changed was she no longer lived there.  Her Husband and Daughter did but Mommy?  No, Mommy's crazy didn't you hear?  Yeah, she's nutty so she lives at Brookside and her husband lives here in her old house with her Daughter.

     It's all as it was.  Same curtains, wheres Mommy? 
     "I picked out that couch."  not really talking to Lana but to herself.  "These are my things.  All of them, I picked them out and I put them where they are.  He didn't even like that couch."

     "Guys suck." Lana said as she lit her pipe and inhaled deeply.  The fragrant odor of Marijuana filled the house.

     "It's not that." Paige said.  "He got scared and he was right to.  It was scary.  I wasn't careful.  I forgot to watch the door and the monster got out."  Paige stared blankly at a family portrait on the end table then back at Lana.  "Gimme that."

     Lana passed her the pipe.  "Watch it that stuff is pretty decent and we've been out of the game for awhile.  Hey, do you think Dave has any cereal in this house?"

     "Check the cabinet by the fridge."  Paige said gesturing towards the kitchen.  "Grab me a Pop-Tart." 

     Lana headed towards the snacks and Paige was close behind but headed to the cabinets under the sink.   She pulled out a cleanser container that wasn't a cleanser container and took out a big roll of twenties. 
     "Dave is so careful. Its one of the cuter things about him."  Paige took the money to the table and counted it.  "Three sixty." She said as she took her Pop-tart from Lana.

     "That's better than you expected."

     "Yeah, My Davey came through.  Let's finish this bowl and take a shower and then we should get out of here."

     Lana hit the pipe and took a deep drag.  "I thought we had until seven."

     "We do but we've done everything we need to do here and also they'll be looking for us here.  We should get moving somewhere safer till the heat dies down a bit." Paige finished her Pop-Tart and picked up the pipe and hit it once more.  "I'm gonna hit the shower.  Enjoy your cereal."

     "Oh I will baby it's been six years since I had me some Crisp.  Let me know when the showers free."

     "OK." Paige said and headed up the stairs to the second floor.