Deathtraps

[A Viewer]

Since I am not currently working on a commission I thought I would start a thread based on a classic, the deathtrap. Since silent movie villains tied a girl to the railroad tracks they have captured our imaginations. The helplessness, the struggles, the thrill of seeing whether or not they will escaped. I plan to share several stories that I have written featuring deathtraps and invite others to share their feedback and maybe their own works.

A Cold Ending
​

Rachel entered the office and walked towards her desk. She dodged one or two people on the way.

Rachel went on to her computer and opened a file. A few moments later a man came up to her. “Working on the city council article,” he asked.

“Yeah,” she answered looking up. “Got to finish it by the end of tomorrow. How are you coming along with your piece?”

“It’s coming,” he said leaning against her desk. “You heard about Jenna?”

“Craig, you know I don’t do that gossip thing,” said Rachel.

“Oh, come on, what can it hurt,” asked Craig.

“I got work to do anyway.”

“You know you might want to get yourself a life. All work and no play . . .”

“Is there anything else or are you here just to throw clichés at me?”

“Just wanted to see how you were doing . . . and to let you know that Steve gave the trial article to Rollins.”

“What!?”cried Rachel. She put her hands on her head. “How . . . I did the legwork on that!”

“You and a lot of other people,” said Craig. “It’s big news and they’re covering every angle. Where Davens spend a few hours before the murder is only one part. Everyone was given an assignment. Nancy did a report on his childhood.”

“But why does Rollins get to cover the trial itself?”

“He has seniority,” answered Craig. “It makes sense that he was one of the candidates.”

Rachel sank back in to her chair and closed her eyes. “This was going to be my big break.”

Craig patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m sure that there will be other celebrities charged with murder.”

He walked away as Rachel sighed.


After a moment Rachel turned back to her computer. She looked at the story that she had been writing on the screen, but it did not look the same as it did just a few minutes ago.

Rachel entered her apartment flipping on the light as she took off her shoes. She then went in to the kitchen setting her brown hair free from its ponytail as she did so.

A moment later, there was a beep from her microwave, and she came back in to the living room with a bowl of steaming rice and vegetables.

Rachel stirred her dinner and reached down towards her coffee table where her home laptop laid.

After putting it on her lap she checked her email. There were only a few items in her in-box. Junk mail, junk mail, “free” offer. She scrolled down and saw something that caught her eye.

Davenport, Paul’s Hotdogs, she read. What’s this about. She saw who it was from. I talked to that guy. He’s a crank.

Rachel switched to another tab. Her social media page came in to view. She looked at it for a few seconds and then frown.

Rachel put the laptop down and began to eat her supper.

A few minutes later her cell phone rang. She checked the screen and it showed a text message from her editor. Need you to cover the Flight of Joy Festival. Ken got sick. – Steve.

Rachel sighed. Great. She thought sarcastically. I’m finally at the big leagues. Goodbye GoldenHerald.com and hello CNN.

She put the phone down, leaned back in to the sofa and continued her supper.


Ted turned around as he heard the door opened. “I can’t believe that you got the order wrong,” said the balding, overweight man who came through it.

“I’m sorry, boss,” said Ted.

“Do you have any idea what would’ve happen if we’d showed up short? They would’ve thought that we were trying to cheat them. Then what?”

Ted rubbed his unsaved face which was a nervous tick of his. “Look, I’m sorry.”

“You’ll be sorry if anything else happens,” said his boss. “Anything else and you no longer have a job.”

Ted’s heart quickens. I know what that means. “There isn’t going to be anything else.”

“Make there isn’t.” The man turned and left the room.

Ted sat down by the old desk that was the largest object in the room. He looked around. The walls’ paint was mostly faded away. The filing cabinet was a dull, ugly gray. The carpet was so trampled down that it was practically paper. He could smell the ocean every moment that he was there. This is not where I want to die.

He looked down at the papers on the desk. Rows of numbers were ended up with dollar figures at the end. Who knew that writing down numbers on a page wrong could end my life?

Ted sat there for a moment before leaving the room. As he walked, he took out his cell phone. “Hey, Dan,” he said after pressing the speed dial. “We’ve got to hurry that order along.”


The next morning the Flight of Joy Festival was in full swing. The sound of music could be heard in the distance no matter where you went. Color streamers and signs adorned otherwise simple wooden stands. People’s conversations came together to form a unique sound all its own.

Rachel’s car pulled up at the edge of the pier. She took a folder of papers off the dashboard and looked at the crowd. I knew I should’ve come sooner. I just didn’t want to wake up that early. She swung her bag over her shoulder and got out.


Rachel entered the pier. The sounds and the sights came at her from nearly everywhere. Why did the city started having this thing? I should know that if I’m going to write about it.

She took out a notepad and a pen then nearly ran in to a man with long brown hair and an unshaven face. She headed towards a stand with a sign that read Hotdogs. The sign was obviously made by an amateur but that didn’t seem to put people off as two of them were waiting in line in front of it. Should I go around the vendors or try to find the head of the organizing committee, Rachel wondered. Is he even here? She stopped and looked around. Whatever. I’ll just get a few quotes here and there. If nothing else I can insert them in to the article to add “the viewpoint of the people” to it. She went over to the stand.


“Everything ready,” asked Ted.

“Yeah,”said a breaded guy standing in front of him. “The shipment is all good to go.”

Ted looked around nervously but there was no one around. “Will you not be so obvious? What if someone hears?”

“Relax,” said the breaded man. “People at this thing go to the front of the booths not behind them.”

“That doesn’t mean we’re in a soundproof bubble.”

“You’re paranoid.”

“Hey, if something happens you know what Chuck will do. That guy’s crazy.” Ted sighed. “I should’ve never gotten in to this with him.”

“Hey the money’s good.”

“We can’t spend it if we’re dead.” They both were silent for a moment and then Ted walked off.


Rachel looked at the old lady holding a tray of raw meat patties. “How long did you say that you’ve been making burgers?”

“Nearly all my life,”answered the woman. “My family been doing it for generations with the same recipe. My father was the one who gave it to me. We have always been here, at this festival, serving burgers.”

Always been here, thought Rachel as she scribbled down some notes. It feels like I’ve always been here to.

She looked up at the woman. “Thanks for the info.”

Rachel walked away and headed further into the festivities. Where are the people behind this? She looked around. I should at least get a quote from them.

She passed a guy holding corn dogs in each hand and went up to a booth selling balloons. She saw a boat passing by on the water not too far away.

Rachel took out her phone. Maybe I should call the office. Someone should have the info. She hesitated. I’ll wait a few more minutes. It’s bad enough that I got this assignment, but I don’t want to look clueless.

After a few moments, she came to a booth with purple curtains draped over it. “Tell you your future,” a woman coming out of it dressed as a gypsy asked.

“No thank you,” answered Rachel. “Hey, do you know where the event’s organizers are?”

“I think they’re behind the booths setting something up,” answered the woman dropping her accent.

“Thanks,” said Rachel, and she headed off.


Rachel slipped pass one of the booths. In the distance she could see people carrying something. That must be them. Rachel ran after them.

The two men struggled with the crate that they were carrying. “How much did he put in here,” asked the bearded man.

“Just shut up and carry,” said Ted .

They made it a few more feet before the crate slipped from the breaded man’s grip and the end of it crashed into the ground. The wood cracked and something came out.

What are they doing, wondered Rachel spotting them. She darted behind some boxes.

“Dan, you idiot,” said Ted . He picked up a small plastic bag filled with a white substance and put it back in to the crate.

“I couldn’t help it,” said Dan angrily.

“Let’s just get it back,” said Ted picking his end up again. They went on to the docks.

Rachel slowly followed them.


The two men made their way to a freighter. “Keep your eyes on that hole,” said Ted as they made their way to the gangway that led to the ship. “Nothing gets out. Understand?”

“Jeez, I got it,”said Dan .

Rachel watched as they boarded. After waiting a moment, she went towards the ship.


Ted and Dan entered the storage area of the ship. After going around a few crates they stopped at an empty spot and laid theirs down. “He’s not going to like this,” said Ted .

“Will you relax,” asked Dan . “It’s going to be OK.” They headed back the way they came.


The metal door that led to the storage area creaked loudly as Ted opened it. He and Dan went through the door and closed it behind them.

From around a corner Rachel watched them. After they got out of sight she waited for a moment and headed for the door.


Rachel wandered around the room checking box after box. None of these are it. The room was dark, so she also looked for a light switch.

After a few minutes, Rachel came across the crate Ted and Dan were carrying. She went over and found the end that was cracked. She reached in and pulled out one of the plastic bags inside. She took out her phone and used it’s light to see the object which she held to her face.

This is coke! These guys are trafficking drugs!

Rachel dropped the bag and left the room.

Ted saw Rachel running from the storage room. What, wondered Ted . Who’s she? He chased after her.


Rachel quickly got off the ship. Once I get back, I can start the piece. This story will be the start of things.

Ted got to the deck and looked over its edge. He saw Rachel running off. I’ve got to stop her, he thought. He took off after her.


Rachel made her way through the crowd. Once I get to the office, I’ll call the police, so these guys won’t get away. I’ll have the exclusive! She darted around a man pushing a food cart.

If this thing is blown then Chuck’s not going to leave any loose ends, thought Ted . I can’t let her go! He darted around some children running about. He nearly plowed in to a woman with a pair of balloons. After running a few feet, he stopped as a woman carrying large boxes blocked his way. No! I got to get to her! I don’t want to die!


Rachel made it out of the festival. She saw her car and went towards it. She frantically searched through her handbag for her keys. I heading to the big time! I just know it! She finally found her keys as she neared the car.

Rachel felt her heart raced. It’s going to happen. I just know it! She put the key in the lock and opened the door.

Suddenly Rachel felt someone grabbed her from behind. Her head was shoved forward hitting the roof of the car.

Rachel was knocked unconscious and she collapsed in to Ted’s arms. I’m sorry, he thought.

Ted looked around and saw there was nobody else in the parking lot. He dragged Rachel away.


To be continued . . .

 

[A Viewer]

Rachel started to stir. She moaned a little as she moved about. As she slowly opened her eyes, she realized that she was sitting down.



She had trouble seeing at first but slowly everything came in to focus.



Rachel was in a dark room. Huh. Where . . . am I? Why is it so dark? It’s daytime. She looked around. She tried to move her arms but could not. After a moment she realized that her hands were tied behind her.



As she began to feel fear, she looked around again. There seemed to be a single light in the room. There was a desk pushed over to the side. Further away there was what looked like a filing cabinet.



Rachel suddenly realized that there was a man in front of her. He had little hair and looked angry. “What did you see,” he demanded.



“What . . .,” began Rachel but she was interrupted with a slap to her face.



“What do you know,” asked the man.



The drugs, thought Rachel suddenly. This is about the drugs!



“You’re sure that she’s a reporter,” the balding man asked the guy to his right. “Maybe she’s a cop.”



“She’s a reporter,” said Ted. “I found her press pass in her purse.” He held it up for Chuck.



Chuck grabbed it from him and looked at it. “Cop or reporter. It makes no difference. We still have a problem.” He tossed the pass aside. “What did you see?”



“I don’t know,” cried Rachel as her heart raced. “I just saw some guys walking around a ship. I don’t know anything! I swear!”



Suddenly, Chuck slammed a fist into Rachel’s stomach. She gasped and hunched forward.



“You’re lying,” said Chuck. “You saw everything.”



After a moment Rachel sat up. “Please, . . . I’m not. Please. Just let me go. I won’t say anything. I swear.”



Chuck slapped her once then a second time. He grabbed her hair which had partially escaped her ponytail and used it to bring her face up to his. “You’re lying!”



“Please,” said Rachel, tears coming to her eyes. “I’m not. I swear I’m not!” What am I going to do!? This wasn’t supposed to happen!



Chuck shoved her back into the chair. “Who did you tell?”



“No one! There’s nothing to tell!”



“Liar,” yelled Chuck as he punched her in the stomach again. Rachel let a ragged gasp. She spent the next few seconds trying to catch her breath.



Chuck grabbed her chin and lifted her head up. “You’re going to tell me everyone you told.” He slapped her face again and again.



That could be me, thought Ted.



Rachel breathed heavily as blood started to run down the side of her mouth. “Please . . . Please. I’m not lying. I’m not!”



Chuck looked at her for a moment. Does he believe me, wondered Rachel desperately. What’s he going to do?



Chuck leaned in close to Rachel causing her to flinch. “We have your phone,” he said.



“No outgoing calls all morning,” said Dan holding the phone in his hands.



Chuck was quiet for a moment. “Still, you’ve seen too much.”



“No, I haven’t,” said Rachel. “I don’t know what this is about. I swear. Just let me go and I won’t tell anybody anything. I don’t want to mess with you guys. I really don’t.”



“You’re lying,” said Chuck.



“No, I’m not,” said Rachel. “I swear.”



“You’re a reporter,” said Chuck. “You’ll shout it from the rooftops.”



Rachel looked around desperately, from Dan to the balding to the man who looked somewhat familiar to her. “Please, I’ll swear on anything that I won’t say a thing. Please! You have to believe me!”



“I don’t have to do anything,” cried Chuck. He grabbed Rachel and shoved her back. She tipped backward in the chair and landed on the floor causing one of her high heeled shoes to fly off her feet.



Guy’s been sampling some of his product, thought Dan.



Chuck went over to Rachel got down on one knee. He looked down at the terrified young woman who was looking up at him pleadingly. Chuck slammed his fist into her face knocking her out.



Chuck looked at Ted. “We’ve got to get rid of her,” he said.



“Why me,” asked Ted.



“Hey, you were the one who found her.”



“I never used a gun before,” said Dan.



“We don’t have any guns here,” said Ted.



“Put her in the freezer,” said Chuck. “It shouldn’t take too long if you strip her and cover her with water.”



“That’s cold,” said Dan.



Ted looked down at the floor for a moment. “OK.”



“Good, you get her ready and Dan and I will make sure the shipment’s secure,” said Chuck. He led Dan away leaving Ted alone with Rachel.



After a moment Ted sighed and left the room. He quickly came back with some rope in his hand. It’s either you or me, he thought.



Ted leaned down towards Rachel who was still unconscious. He grabbed her business suit jacket and peeled it off her. He tossed it aside and then unbuttoned the white blouse that she wore underneath. When he opened it up, he saw that she was wearing a plain white bra.



Ted tossed the blouse aside and took off her remaining high heel. He then grabbed her black skirt. He pulled it down to reveal that her panties matched her bra.



After he got the skirt off, he tied her ankles together. He then pulled off the scrunchie that she was wearing, letting her hair free. Ted threw her over his shoulder, and he rose to his feet.





Ted carried Rachel through the halls, taking a right then a left as he went. He came to a large, metal door. He took a deep breath and then went inside.



The air did not feel too bad when he first entered the freezer but as put her on the floor, he felt the cold bite at his skin.



Ted left the room. After a moment he returned with a bucket. He quickly swung it at Rachel dousing her with water.



“Ahh,” cried Rachel as she regained conscious.



I’m sorry, thought Ted as he watched her coughed. Ted left the freezer and after the door closed the clicking of the lock could be heard.



What’s going on? Rachel suddenly realized that she felt cold all over and saw that she was in her underwear. What did they do to me!?



Rachel tried to move but found that she was bound and foot. She frantically looked around. Where am I? Is this a freezer?



Rachel’s body began to shiver, and she realized that she was cold. She sat up and brought her legs to her chest. She tighten herself into a ball.



Why did they leave me here? She looked around. There wasn’t much anything except boxes on selves and stacked in one corner. Patches of ice had formed in various spots on the walls. There was a dial by the door, but Rachel could not make out what it said.



Rachel sat there and shivered for a minute. Oh my god! What if they’re trying to freeze me to death!? Why? Why don’t they just shoot me?



Rachel heart raced and her breathing increased. Calm down. It’s going to be OK. Someone is going to find me, right?



Rachel looked at the metal door in front of her. It seemed so certain. This is their place. No one’s coming. Sure, the guys back at the newsroom knows I’m at the festival but they don’t know about this. The port’s a big place. It’d take time to search it all.



Rachel put her head on her knees as her breathing became rapid.



She raised her head. No. Calm down. Calm down. I’ve got to get out of here. Once I do, I’ll have the story of a lifetime.



After a moment, Rachel began to get to her feet. She wobbled as she went, trying not to fall over. She looked down. God, this floor is cold.



Rachel took a deep breath. She hopped towards the door and landed a few inches away. She hopped again. She managed to slowly make it to the door.



Rachel looked around the large piece of metal. Where’s the knob? She looked frantically for anything that could open the door.



Maybe I can pry it open or something. She slowly spun around and then leaned against the door. Rachel clenched her body as it came in contact with the cold metal. She used her fingers to feel along the door. There was a slight indentation that marked where it met the wall. She tried to push her fingers in to it, but they would not fit.



Rachel cried out in frustration. She turned around to face the door. It just stood there, a barrier between her and the outside.



Rachel took a deep breath and slammed her shoulder into it. She cried out in pain and fell to the floor.



Rachel looked up and the door was still intact. She sat up and rose to her feet again. I’m so cold. She bent her knees as she tried to bring as much of her body together as she could while standing up. She desperately looked around. There’s nothing here that can help! Nothing at all!



Rachel craned her neck to look around some shelves. What about over there? Rachel slowly hopped towards the shelves. I’ve got to keep moving at least.



As she neared the middle of the room Rachel slipped and fell hard on to the floor. Pain went through her body.



After a moment, Rachel looked around. She dragged her body along the metal floor. God, it’s so cold.



Soon Rachel could see around the shelves. Her heart shank as she saw that what she spotted was an empty box. She closed her eyes and flopped on to her back. No!



She opened her eyes and saw her breath turned to vapor. She looked up at the ceiling. There were light-bulb tubes embedded in it.



If I can . . . break those tubes, I could cut these ropes. Rachel tried to get to her feet. So tired.



She looked around. There’s nothing to break the lights. She looked at a box at eye level. Maybe there’s something in these boxes that could.



Rachel reached toward the box with her head. Her face came in to contact with it and she bite it to the cardboard. Slowly, she pulled it to the edge of the shelf then she pushed it off the shelve with her chin.



The box fell to the floor. Rachel turned around and sat down on it. She reached down and tried to open it. She had difficulty pulling at the tape that held it shut because she couldn’t feel her fingers. Come on. Come on.



Rachel managed to get the box open. She stood up and looked down at it.



The box contained fish wrapped in plastic.



Rachel cried out in frustration sending out more vapor. She stood there feeling the cold bite in to every part of her being. I can’t get out! I’m going to die!



Rachel tried to calm down. Her heart raced. It’s hard . . . to breath. Rachel frantically looked around. There’s nothing! Nothing to use!



Rachel tried to take a deep breath but could not. Hard to breath. She hopped forward sending an ice crystal that had formed on her body flying. She hopped again. Have to do something. She made it to a wall. She turned around and started to the wall on the other side.



Someone will find me. She got halfway across the room when she stumbled and fell to the floor. She vaguely felt the impact as she landed. Rachel wiggled on the floor in panic. No. No.



Rachel pulled at the ropes holding her. They dug into her skin, but she did not really feel them. She rolled around on the floor.



After a few moments, she stopped. Lying on her back Rachel looked up at the ceiling. This . . . wasn’t supposed to happened. Big break. Big . . . break. It was.



Some hair was on her face, and she shook her head violently to get it off. She was scared but her heart rate was slow. Some part of her realized that was bad.



Rachel looked up at the ceiling, at the bright lights and her eyes water. Die. Don’t want to die. She shook herself side to side. How to get out! After a few seconds she stopped struggling.



She looked up at the door. On the other side of it was warmth, was life.



A tear ran down Rachel’s cheek. She looked around the room frantically. Where? Where can I . . .?



Rachel felt her eyes begin to get heavy. She shook herself awake. She then realized that she wasn’t shivering anymore. Puzzled Rachel looked around. The room looked the same as before. The door was still closed.



Rachel tried to get to her feet again but couldn’t. Her body did not seem to work the way it should. She crawled towards the wall opposite the door. Rachel stopped and her eyes watered again as a feeling of dread rose up in her. Tiny bits of ice had formed at the corners of her eyes.



Rachel tried to sit up but could not make her legs work right. She pushed her body a little more towards the wall.



Rachel realized that she was having troubling feeling her skin go across the metal floor. Her eyelids were getting heavier. A part of her just wanted to lie down and go to sleep.



Rachel looked at the door and then the ceiling. Images of her family, her coworkers, her writing for the website went through her mind. Rachel flopped about a bit. She let out some cries. First, they were simply screaming but then she tried to say words. “Plllo! Naaaa! Helllllp! Ahhh!”



Rachel laid her head back down. Words did not go through her mind, only flashes of emotion. Her eyes began to close. They were closed for a moment then she opened them. Rachel laid there for a few minutes, unable to do anything else. Her eyes started to close but then opened. A few moments later, they closed again. Rachel didn’t open them.



Rachel laid there. A few minutes later she was dead.





A couple of hours later, the freezer’s door open and Ted came in. He looked down at her. I’m sorry. He threw a tarp over her. You’re going on a trip across the ocean just like the drugs. The only difference is that you’re getting off halfway.



Ted picked up Rachel’s body and carried it out of the freezer. He closed the door behind him.





Ted stood by Rachel’s car as he watched the ship leave the port. He stood there in silence for a couple of minutes. He took a last look at the disappearing dot in the distance then he got in the vehicle. He started it up and began the ride to a local chop shop.

The End​

 

[old slave]

A graphic description.
Having had the 'pleasure' in my working life of some time in a -20C room, I often fantasized about being locked in. Ours had a handle on the inside (but I seem to recall a lockable outside handle.....) and 'emergency equipment'----a huge axe. No-one seriously believed anyone could break the massive insulated door down with the axe, but I suppose it ticked some Health & Safety box.

 

[Wragg]

A graphic description.
Having had the 'pleasure' in my working life of some time in a -20C room, I often fantasized about being locked in. Ours had a handle on the inside (but I seem to recall a lockable outside handle.....) and 'emergency equipment'----a huge axe. No-one seriously believed anyone could break the massive insulated door down with the axe, but I suppose it ticked some Health & Safety box.

The effort might keep you warm for a little bit longer!

 

[A Viewer]

Disposed Of


​

Judy walked over to her squad car. “Hey, did you get me that bagel I asked for,” the officer sitting behind the wheel asked.

“Sorry, Rich,” she answered getting in. “I forgot.”

“Hey, no biggie,” said Rich putting the paper that he was reading aside. “I should probably go on a diet anyway.” Rich started the car and they drove off.



Judy took a sip of her coffee as she scanned the sidewalk. “So, you think it’ll be quiet,” she asked.

“Probably,” answered Rich. “Nothing’s happened in a while.”

“Could just be “the calm before the storm”,” said Judy. “You never know.”

Rich shrugged. “I don’t try to know what’s coming. It just happens.”

“Your mantra?”

“Hey, I just ride things out. No point getting worked up over what happens.”

“Anyway, you think the Sea Dragons will win the next game?”

“One way or another, it’ll just happen,” said Rich smiling.

Judy smiled back at him.

They spent the next half hour doing their patrol. They stopped once for a person that seemed suspicious, but it turned out he just lost his keys.



A short while later, they pulled up to their station. “You hear Jeff’s taking the sergeant’s exam,” asked Judy.

“No kidding? I hope he passes.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I won’t be able to make it to Mike’s after work tonight. I’ve got a thing.”

“What kind a thing?”

“My old roommate wants help moving. We hadn’t seen each other in almost a year and somehow I’m still on her list for stuff like that.”

Rich shrugged as she got out of the car. “I’ll check with the lieutenant about the assignment for this weekend.” said Judy.

“Good idea,” said Rich. “I’d hate it if I had to work Saturday just because some detectives got the bright idea all of a sudden to check Franklin’s place.”

“Why, you have a card game or something?”

“I would like at least the occasional day off.”

“I guess you need your beauty sleep.” Judy went inside the station as Rich drove towards the building that housed the motor pool.



Judy left the station and saw Rich standing by the street.

“I don’t care,” said Rich heatedly into a cellphone. “I told you. Don’t call me here. You know when I work.”

I didn’t know Rich had a flip phone, thought Judy.

Rich hung up. “Everything alright,” asked Judy.

For a moment Rich looked startled. “Oh, . . . yeah, everything’s OK,” he answered. “I just had to deal with a robocall.”

“Oh, I hate those things.”

“Yeah,” said Rich.

“Anyway, I checked and we’re not working that thing on the weekend.”

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have fun breaking your back moving a sofa.”

“Yeah,” Judy said waving him off as she went back to the station.



Judy was in the women’s locker room. She took off her cap and undid the bun that held her blond hair in place. Maybe I should’ve volunteer for that weekend thing. It’d get me noticed by the detectives and that might help me career wise.

She put her cap in her locker and began to unbutton her uniform. Now that I think about it, Rich does have the non-flip kind of phone. Did he get a new one? Maybe he has two but why would he need a second phone? Being a single guy, it’s not like he a cheating husband or anything.

Judy put her shirt in the locker and took out a pink blouse. Should I ask him? Nah. It’s no big deal.

Judy’s cellphone rang. “Oh, Megan,” said Judy answering it. “Don’t worry. I haven’t forgot. I’ll be right over.”

She hung up and finished getting changed.



A week later, the two officers were in their squad car. “I’m thinking we should head down Sawyer Street first,” said Rich.

“Why,” asked Judy.

“Just a feeling,” answered Rich right before he started the engine.

A few seconds later, Rich parked in front of a bakery. “Hey, since you forgot last time could run in and grab me a bagel,” he asked.

“I thought that you were going on a diet,” said Judy before she headed inside.



Judy came out with a bagel in her hand. She saw someone standing next to the squad car. As she neared the vehicle the figure darted away.

“Who was that,” she asked as she got inside.

“Just some guy asking for directions,” answered Rich taking the bagel from her.



Later that day, they returned to the station. “Could you return the car,” asked Rich. “There’s something I’ve got to get from my locker.”

“Sure,” answered Judy.

As Rich got out of the car an envelope fell out of his pocket. Judy saw it land on the seat. “Hey, I think you dropped something.”

Rich quickly grabbed the envelope. “Oh yeah. Some mail I forgot to take care of.”

I’ve got to be more careful, he thought as he walked away.



That night, he and Judy were at Mikes; a local bar. The music played loudly over the speakers but after a while it became background noise. The area was mostly dark, but a couple of lights lit their spots here and there.

Judy was trying to listen to the music but gave up. Her eyes wandered around as she brought her drink to her lips. There seemed to be the usual crowd. While Mike’s wasn’t officially a “cop bar” it was owned by a former officer and was frequented by many on the force. She spotted a few of them that she knew personally.

Suddenly Judy saw Rich. There he is! I’ve got to ask him about that flashlight he borrowed from me. Judy got up and darted across the room.

She just about reached him when he ducked in to the men’s room. She stopped for a moment looking at the door.

Why not? I’m sure he won’t mind. Judy began to push the door in.

“Yeah, I got the money,” said Rich. “I didn’t have to count it. I know that it’s all there.” Judy stopped and stood there.

“Yeah,” said Rich. “Yeah. Don’t worry. No one knows about our arraignment. You do your part and I’ll do mine.”

Judy stood there. Rich. What’re you doing? A dozen thoughts and feelings went through her. She suddenly turned and ran off.

Rich came out flipping his phone shut as he did so.



Judy stood outside Mike’s. It can’t be. I misheard. She paced around. There’s got to be an explanation.

Judy looked around. The parking lot was empty. Maybe . . . he has a side hustle. Maybe he’s investing in something.

Judy took a deep breath. Could he be doing something illegal? Is that possible? We’ve been together for so long. I never thought . . . Judy leaned against the brick wall. That envelope. Maybe there’s something in it that can tell me what’s going on.

After a moment, Judy started to go over to her car.



Judy arrived at the station. After he dropped that envelope he went to his locker. Maybe he stashed it there.

The officer at the front desk barely looked up as she passed him. She walked down the hall looking around as she went. Nightshift is pretty thin.

Judy went up to the door of the men’s locker room and after looking around she went in.

The locker room was empty. Judy went over to Rich’s locker. Her heart raced as she held the padlock in her hands. I can’t believe I’m doing this. She spun the dial around and after a few seconds it unlocked. His birthday.

After a moment, Judy opened the locker.

The envelope was at the bottom leaning on the side. She reached down and picked it up.

Judy opened the envelope. There was a bunch of bills inside. $100, counted Judy. $200, $500. There must be nearly a thousand dollars here.

Judy looked at the money for a moment. There must some explanation. She continued to stare at it. After a minute she put it back in to the locker.

Judy closed the locker, turned away, and ran a hand down her face. I’ve got to tell somebody. She headed to the exit.



As Judy was just about to get in her car, she stopped and took out her cell phone.

She dialed a number and got a voice mail service. “Hi, Lieutenant Deakins,” said Judy. “It’s me Officer Marlow. I’m calling about my partner, Officer Landing. There’s an envelope full of cash in his locker. I’m sure there’s a reason for it but I just thought you should know. I’ll see you Sunday but if you want me to come in tomorrow just call.” She hung up.

Judy got in and leaned on her steering wheel. I hope I did the right thing. After a moment she started the engine and drove home.



The next morning, Judy left her house. I hope this thing with Rich works out. I couldn’t sleep at all. I had to make that call.

She looked at a woman walking down the street. It’s probably nothing. I’m sure there’s a reason for the money and everything.

Judy stretched for a bit. Running usually helps. She started off her morning run.



Judy headed down the block. As she moved, she got caught up in the activity and began to feel a little better.

She watched her neighbors’ houses go by. Across the street a man was walking in the opposite direction.

Judy ran for several minutes. A car drove down the street. Her white sneakers pounded the sidewalk. She looked at the sky which barely had any clouds in it. The weight she felt got lighter.



Judy ran along a high, wooden fence. Where’s Josh? She looked around as she went. Is he not out today? I really wanted to see him. I’ve got this hot jogger girl look going with the matching yoga pants and sports bra. Black’s supposed to make every look sophisticated.

Judy neared the end of the fence. Maybe after all the times we’ve run in to each other out here today will be the day I ask him out.

Judy reached the end of the fence. Just as she did so a figure in a gray hooded sweatshirt stepped out in to her path.

Judy cried out. I’m going to hit him!

She stopped in her tracks a few inches in front of the figure. Before she could do or say anything the person raised a pipe.

The figure hit her with it sending her to the ground. The person looked around and saw that there was no one around.

The assailant dragged her by her feet around the corner. There was an old car waiting with its trunk open which Judy was placed in.

The figure got into the car. He pulled down the hood of his sweatshirt revealing that it was Rich and drove off.

To be continued . . .​

 

[A Viewer]

Slowly Judy started to wake up. What . . . what happened? She slowly opened her eyes. It took her a few moments for her to understand what she was seeing.

She was in a windowless room. She realized that she was sitting down. Where am I? Judy then realized that someone was in front of her.

“Rich,” she managed to ask. “What are you doing? Where am I?”

Rich approached her. She instinctively tried to move and realized that her wrists were tied to the arms of the chair. “You really should’ve left it alone,” he said.

“What are you talking about,” asked Judy. The money! This is about the money!

“You got too curious,” said Rich. “You put your nose where it didn’t belong and now look at you.”

“What’s going on? Is . . . this about the money?”

Rich sighed. “You know, it’s not a big deal. That money came from Greg Duncan.”

Judy tensed up. It can’t be. “Dunking Duncan? That guy’s a dirtbag. He sells drugs and kills people!”

“There’s a lot of dirtbags out there. You probably think I’m one of them now.”

“No, you just made a mistake. Untie me and we can make this right.”

“I’m afraid not. Sorry but it’s not going to work that way.”

“Please, whatever you think you’re doing it doesn’t have to happen.”

“You know what I’ve always say, whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Now we need to know who else you told.”

“We. How did you know I found out about the money?”

“You called the lieutenant. He’s on Duncan’s payroll to.”

“What,” asked Judy. Her heart started to race even faster. “Who else is involved?”

“I’m asking the questions here,” said Rich. “Who else did you told?”

“How could you do this,” asked Judy. “You’re a dirty cop!”

“All I did was tell him when we were coming,” said Rich. “Nothing he couldn’t figure out without a scanner.”

“You still broke the law,” said Judy.

Rich sighed. Suddenly he punched her in the stomach.

Rich waited a minute as Judy grasped and wiggled in the chair. “Who else did you told?”

This is really happening, thought Judy. She took a deep breath. “No one. I swear.”

Rich was silent for a second. “I don’t believe you.”

“But I’m telling the truth! I didn’t make the call to the lieutenant until last night, right?! That’s when I found out.”

Without warning Rich punched Judy in the stomach again. She gasped for air and leaned forward. She spent a few moments coughing before sitting back up. “Please, I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t want to ruin your reputation in case it wasn’t true.”

Rich looked at her for a moment. “That sounds like it could be true.”

“That because it is!”

“Who else do you know about?”

“I don’t know about anyone else.”

Rich went over to a table that was up against a wall. He took a pipe off it and went over to Judy.

“What are you going to do,” Judy asked with a hint of fear from creeping into her voice.

Without answering Rich struck one of Judy’s knees with the pipe. “Ahh,” she cried. As she screamed, she pulled at the ropes binding her wrists causing the front legs of the chair to leave the floor.

“Who else do you know about,” asked Rich.

“No one. Really. I only found out because you were doing some weird stuff.”

Rich stuck Judy’s other knee with the pipe. “Ahh!”

“What kind of weird stuff,” asked Rich.

Judy took a moment before answering. “You had a second phone and that thing with the envelope. I kept hearing you arguing with someone. That’s all. Really, I swear!”

It’s true, I got careless, thought Rich. Oh well, something to remember for next time.

“Please let me go,” said Judy. “I swear I won’t tell anybody. Who would I tell if Deakins in on this?”

“I still have questions.”

“What? What do you want to know?”

Instead of answering Rich went back over to the table. It turned out to have wheels and they slightly creaked as he brought the table over to Judy.

Judy’s body shook slightly as she looked at the various objects on the table, but she willed herself to be still.

Rich put on some gloves and then put his hand on a car battery. “You may not know this, but Duncan owns a salvage yard. Somethings when a car gets junked the battery is still good, so it’s removed.”

“Rich, no,” cried Judy. “It’s me Judy! I got you a cake for your birthday!”

“Did you make any notes or is there any other evidence that you left around,” asked Rich as he picked up two jumper cables that were attached to the battery.

“No, there’s nothing,” said Judy urgently. “It was just the phone call. Remember when I went shopping for you after you threw out your back!?”

“Think, is there anything that you left behind that could tie in to this?” He brought the clips together sending out sparks.

“No, there’s nothing,” said Judy whose voice was starting to quiver. “Please! I saw that cash and I made that call. That’s it!”

Rich touched Judy’s stomach with the clips. “Ahhh!!!” She twisted and jumped up as far she could go. The feet of the chair scrapped across the hard, clement floor.

After a moment, Rich pulled the clips back. Judy shook for a few seconds. She was breathing rapidly.

“Was there a note, on your computer,” asked Rich after a moment. “Did you send a text to anyone or wrote something in your notepad?”

“No,” answered Judy still breathing heavily. “There’s nothing. I wasn’t even really sure that you did anything wrong.”

Rich touched the area above her chest with the clips. “Ahh!!!” She twisted and flopped around in the chair same as before. After waiting longer than before Rich pulled back.

Judy leaned forward breathing heavily. Tears ran down her eyes.

“Was there anything,” asked Rich.

“No,” Judy managed to say. “There’s . . . nothing.”

Better make sure, Rich told himself. He hooked the clips on to Judy’s breasts.

“Ahhhhhh!!!” She thrashed about wildly in the chair. She turned this way and that making Rich move with her to keep his position. After nearly a minute he stepped back.

Judy slumped forward and for a moment Rich worried that she was dead. He then heard sound coming from her in the form of shallow breathing.

After waiting a few minutes, Rich spoke. “There’s nothing to tie Duncan to me or any other cop. Right?”

Judy raised her head halfway up to the back of the chair. “There’s nothing, I swear it. I swear on all that’s holy! Please! I’m your friend! Your partner!”

“Yeah, you’ve been pretty good at being both. Sorry about this but when someone finds out that you’re doing something bad then they’ve got to go.”

It took a moment for Judy to realize what Rich was saying. She felt a new energy as panic started to overcome her. She sat up shaking her head as she did so. “No. No. No!”

He came over to her as she was saying no. He shoved the clips between her legs. “Ahhh!!!!” She waved around madly as if the chair was a living thing that she was riding. Her screams could even be heard outside the metal door of the room that they were in. She rocked about and kicked out. One of her sneakers came off. The ropes bit in to her wrists. Her head thrashed back and forth wildly with her hair waving about and getting in Rich’s face for a moment.

After about a minute, Rich pulled back the clips. Judy slumped forward in to a twisted position. She twitched about but otherwise remained still.

Rich stood there watching her. Sorry but like I said; what will happen will happen.

Rich put the jumper cables back on the table and rolled it back to its place. He turned back towards Judy.

As he walked towards the figure in the chair, he started to hear something. Is that breathing, he wondered surprised. As he was a few inches from her noticed that in addition to her body twitching her chest was moving slightly.

She’s alive. Well that’s . . . a shocker.

Rich stood there watching her. Oh well. The plan will still work. It is all about getting rid of a body, alive or dead.



Judy starting to stir. Her head was pounding. She opened her eyes, but she still could not see. She became frighten and realized that she was lying down.

She moved about and found that she was somewhere enclosed. Suddenly she spotted what looked like a small window made of red stained glass. After a second a thought occurred to her. Is that a rear light? Am I in the trunk of a car?



“OK, start it up,” yelled Rich to the operator of the car crusher. A switch was pulled, and the engine started. The sound of it running filled the air.



Judy heard the sound. It made the pounding in her head worst. She tried to cover her ears but realized that her hands were tied behind her back. What is that? The sound seemed to be everywhere. I really don’t like this.

Judy frantically looked around. Keep calm. Keep calm. Remember your training. She took a deep breath and then another.

Judy tried to see as much as she could in the trunk. She felt around with her hands. There didn’t seem to be anything in there with her. She rolled around to face the other side, but she could not see anything in the darkness.

Judy rolled back towards the rear light. After a moment, she brought her knees to her chest. She struck out with the foot that still had a sneaker on it and kicked out the rear light. Judy scouted over to the hole she had made. “Help,” she cried. “Somebody help!”

Of course nobody can hear me. I can barely hear myself. Panic threaten to overwhelm her. She took a deep breath and saw the jagged edge of some of the glass that remained.

Judy rolled around again and backed up to the hole. She reached out with her hands and grabbed the remaining glass. She felt it pricked her fingers, but she pulled at it. A piece broke off in her hands which she used to saw at the rope around her wrists.

Her hands came free and she felt excitement. I’ve got to get out of here, she thought looking around.

She pushed at the trunk’s door with her hands. It wouldn’t give. She pounded at it. Her heart raced.

Judy put her feet against the door and pushed her body against the floor of the trunk. She pushed with all her might. A moment passed and then another. Fear pushed her in to a kind of frenzy she had never felt before. The trunk door of the old car gave way.

Judy shot out of the trunk and saw that the roof above her was coming down. She spotted the way out and darted to it.

The terrified young woman ran from the car crusher. As she moved, she realized that her other shoe had come off. She continued running until a figure blocked her path.

“Stopped the machine,” cried Rich. He grabbed Judy. She tried to pull back a hand to punch him, but he was too quick. His fist went in to stomach.

“Ahh,” cried Judy as she doubled over. Rich grabbed one of her arms and pulled it behind her followed by the other one. She heard the familiar click of handcuffs as they were secured around her wrists.

Rich dragged her back to the crusher. “No,” cried Judy. She struggled weakly and kicked out.

“What will happen will happen,” said Rich but Judy did not hear him.

Rich dragged her back in to the crusher and back to the car whose roof was already crushed and shoved her into the trunk. He slammed it shut and ran out of the crusher.

“Start it,” he cried.

The incredibly loud sound of the engine came back like a pronouncement. Judy looked around frantically. She thrashed about and pulled at the cuffs. This can’t be happening! This can’t be happening!

The car made creaking sounds as it was crushed and then the roof of the trunk came down towards her. No! No! No!!!

The metal was pushed down on to her with a tremendous force. She felt enormous pain but could not scream. For a moment there was only darkness and that overwhelming pain. Suddenly there was a snap and it was over. Judy was dead.



Rich watched the crane moved the flatten car out of the crusher and to a pile of vehicles in the same condition. The operator of the crusher came over to him. “The boss is going to arrange for a “mistake” to happen so that slap ends up in a landfill out of state,” he said. “Cockroaches will be ruling the earth before they get to it.”

It’ll only cost about a thousand bucks to set her up, thought Rich. They’ll find it in her locker when they begin to look for her. It’ll turn out that she’s the dirty cop after all.

“Sorry about your partner,” said the operator.

“Hey, people come and go from your life all the time,” said Rich. “You just have to go with it.”

He got into his car and saw that there was an old hamburger wrapper rolled up into a ball in the passenger seat. He rolled down the window and threw it out. He then drove off.

The End​

 

[A Viewer]

A Sailing Trip​

Sandy drove down the road. She looked at the local scenery with its houses lining a view of the ocean and couldn’t help but grin. I can’t believe this is happening. She felt giddiness wash over her. I thought this kind of stuff happened in romance novels. I would never have thought it would happen to me.

She turned around a corner and watched a family walked down the sidewalk. From the blankets the father was carrying she guessed they were going to the beach. It’s just that kind of day. Everyone’s having fun!



Sandy arrived at the docks. She checked her handbag to make sure everything was there and then reached into the backseat for her overnight bag.

Sandy stepped out of the car and looked around. There were a few large clouds in the sky, but it was still a bright day. Some seagulls were making noises in the distance. People came and went a short distance away.

Sandy looked out in the distance and found the S.S Dream in port. She could make out a dim figure on the deck. That’s him, she thought as her heart leaped.

Sandy made her way to the ship. As she neared it a gust of wind blew her blond hair in to her face. She grinned and brushed it aside as she walked.

“You made it,” said Maxwell as Sandy neared the gang plank. He had brown hair and the start of a goatee.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” said Sandy.

She made it on to the deck. “Let me show you around,” said Maxwell. “You’re going to have a wonderful time!”

He guided her towards the main cabin. “First, let’s have a look at the control room.”

“Before we do that why don’t I go down and put my bags in the cabin?”

Maxwell tensed up. “I can take those, Dear.” He offered his hands and Sandy gave him her items. He then led her to the main cabin. “We’ve got the latest in navigation gear. I just bought it all myself.”

“So, you’re a sailing buff,” asked Sandy.

“I’ve done it and off over the years.”

“Now that I’ve seen it, I have to ask, is the whole boat new?”

“Yeah, I got it a few months ago.”

“Wow. What makes a person buy a boat?”

“Like I said, I’ve been going out for a while and then I came in to some money so I got it. I felt that it would be good for me.”



They entered the control room. There was the steering wheel, like the ones Sandy saw in TV shows and pictures, in the middle with monitors and rows of dials on either side.

“Wow,” said Sandy. “You can work all this by yourself?”

“Yeah, like I said, I’ve been sailing for years. Thanks to technology the job of working a boat can be handle by fewer people than just a decade ago.” Maxwell gestured to the equipment before them. “We have the latest GPS and equipment for monitoring weather data.”

“You sound like you’re some marine biologist,” said Sandy. “Like Jacques Cousteau.”

“Why thank you,” said Maxwell using a French accent. “I do know a little something about the mysteries of the deep.”

Sandy giggled. “I never thought I would act this way, just taking off with some guy for the weekend.” She put her arms around his neck and gave him a deep kiss. “I know it’s only been two months but this whole thing has taken off like a rocket. I never knew dating could be this fun.”

“Yeah, you did mention that you haven’t dated much. Why is that? A girl as beautiful as you must’ve gotten offers.”

“Yeah, I’ve had more than a few but there was never any time. First, I worked like crazy getting in to college early then I worked to finished early. After that Mom got sick and she passed so I had to take care of Dad. These last few years have gone by so fast which is why this thing with you has been so great.” She pressed her head against his for a moment.

Sandy stepped back. “I’m really looking forward to this weekend.”

“So am I. I promise you; this trip is going to be unforgettable. We are going to sail along the coast and then by mid tomorrow we’ll be in this beautiful little town. I’ve been there before, and I can’t wait to show you around. There’s this café and they have the most delightful muffins.”

“Sounds delicious.” Sandy looked around. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Down the stairs to the right. You didn’t go before you left?”

“No, it’s just that I have a surprise to show you and I have to go there before.”

“Well hurry back because I have a few surprises for you to.”

Sandy went over to the door of the main cabin. She struck a pose, smiling as she did so then she left.



Sandy rushed to the bathroom. Once inside, she then lifted her red and purple single piece dress over her head and took it off revealing the red bikini underneath. Sandy looked into the mirror above the sink to check her hair which she had done for the trip before leaving the bathroom.



Sandy returned to the control room, but Maxwell was not there. She was surprised to see the ship was already heading out of port. Sandy darted from the room.



Sandy went below. To her right was the bathroom and next to it was a small hallway. She turned left to find a door. She went through it to find the living quarters. Her bags were already on the bed. She tossed her dress on to them and left.



Maxwell was in the galley hammering at a block of ice with a pick. “Maxwell,” he heard Sandy called out. “Are you here?”

“Yeah, Sweetie. I’m just getting the surprised ready for you.”

He heard her wedge heels clatter across the hardwood floor. He turned around to see her coming in to the room.

“Well look at you,” he said.

“What do you think,” asked Sandy striking another pose.

“I think you are a siren of the sea,” answered Maxwell. He put some ice into a pail and then picked it up before walking towards her.

Sandy saw the neck of a bottle of champagne sticking out of the pail. “Isn’t it a little early?”

“This trip is all about having fun.” Maxwell placed the pail on the table between them. “Just let me find the cheese and crackers.”

“I noticed that the boat’s moving on it’s own.”

“Yeah, it’s on auto pilot. The latest in technology, remember? Don’t worry. If the sonar senses something an alarm will sound.”

Maxwell put two flute glasses on the table as Sandy sat down. He then grabbed the bottle by it’s neck and popped the cork sending it flying.

Sandy gave a laugh. “I didn’t know people actually did that.”

“Yes, it’s not only a way to start a meal in style but it’s great for stopping muggers.” He poured them two glasses.

“I propose a toast,” said Maxwell.

“To what?”

“To a weekend that we’ll never forget.” They clicked their glasses.

Sandy put the glass down. “Any other surprises you have for today?”

“Only about a million.”

Sandy grinned. I can’t believe that this is happening to me.



A few hours later, Sandy came back to the main cabin. This has been a great day. She went over to the bed where her bags still laid.

Sandy picked them up and went over to the closet. As she was putting them in the small space, she noticed something on the top shelf.

Sandy reached up and grabbed the item. She held it to her face and saw that it was a gold earring. She looked back at the shelf and found it’s twin.

Holding the earrings in her hand she studied them. Is Maxwell going to give me earrings? They look pricey. He’s really going all out for this trip. I better put them back and act surprised when he shows them to me.

Sandy put the earrings back but before she closed the door, she noticed something else. She reached in and pulled out a pearl necklace.

Sandy held up the necklace. And a pearl necklace to? Isn’t that a little much?

Sandy looked back at the shelf and moved a few things around. She found more items hidden behind some boxes. A diamond ring, gold necklaces, diamond earrings, and a broach. Why does he have all this here? She looked over the jewelry in her hands.

Sandy walked over to the bed and laid the items down.

Sandy went through the shelf again and found a wad of cash secured together by a rubber band. Looking at it she estimated that there was around a thousand dollars. Her heart raced as she tried to think of a reason why he would have these items on the ship.

Sandy reached deeper into the closet and found several sheets of paper.

Sandy looked at the papers that she was holding. One was a note on plain white paper. Love you, Stevie. Had a great time at the waterfall!

Another was a picture of Maxwell at a dinning table with a brunette woman. The names Carl and Jen were written on the bottom corner in pen.

She leafed through the papers and found a receipt for a safety deposit box taken out in a city by some man named Franklin Green. I know that place. There was a conference there three years ago. It’s near where we’re going.

Sandy grabbed the jewelry off the bed and darted from the room.



Sandy returned to the gallery where she and Maxwell had lunch. “What is this,” she demanded waving the papers in the air.

“There you are,” said Maxwell turning around.

“What is this,” demanded Sandy waving the papers again.

Maxwell’s face grew serious. “What do you have there?”

“I found these letters with this.” She held up the jewelry.

“Let me explain.”

“These woman . . . I can’t believe that I’m asking this but . . . are you a con-artist?”

“No, look, I’m friends with these women. That’s all.”

“Why do you have their jewelry?”

“I’m keeping it safe for them.”

“Really, then what’s with the fake names?”

“No, those aren’t fake names. Those notes are just addressed to other people. They have sentimental value so I’m securing them.”

“You’re lying. I can’t believe this. Were you going to con me to!?”

“No, I like you.”

“I don’t believe a word that you say. We’re done and once this trip’s over I going to go to the cops!”

Maxwell’s heart raced. He looked around frantically. He grabbed the flying pan that he used to make omelets for their lunch and swung it at Sandy.

“Ahh!” Her heart raced as she jumped back. The pan missed her, but Maxwell swung again hitting her. Sandy fell to the floor.

Maxwell looked down at her as she laid unconscious. He was breathing heavily for a moment, but he calmed himself down. Pity. It would’ve been nice. Maxwell sighed. Oh well.

He picked her up and carried her out of the room.

 

[Barbaria1]

Well paced. Very believable dialogue. Off to a great start.

 

[A Viewer]

Barbaria1, thank you.


Sandy started to stir. She shook her head slowly as she regained conscious. She blinked her eyes.

“There you are,” said Maxwell. “It’s good to see that you’re up. I wanted to say good-bye.”

Good-bye, wondered Sandy confused. Where am I?

She realized that Maxwell was looking down at her and then realized that he was looking over the side of the ship.

“What’s going on!?”

“Oh, well I did promise you a sailing trip and that’s what you’re going to get,” answered Maxwell.

Sandy looked frantically. She tried to move her arms and legs and realized that her hands and feet were tied. Her shoes gone and she was lying on a life raft that was tethered to the S.S. Dream.

“What are you doing,” asked Sandy.

“I’m sorry but I’ve never been one for the gory stuff, so I didn’t want to do it myself,” answered Maxwell. “Besides. Like I said, I did promise you that trip. This way you get to see the ocean before you go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“Sandy, I really didn’t want it to turn out like this. I really didn’t but I can’t have you going to the police. I cut a hole at the bottom of that raft. I plugged it with a chunk of ice that I had left over from the champagne. It’ll take some time, but it’ll melt and then you’ll go down into the water. Think of it as a burial at sea.”

“What!? No! Please! I didn’t mean what I said! I won’t tell anybody! I swear!”

Maxwell sighed. “I’m sorry but I can’t take that chance. I guess it wasn’t meant to be.”

“Please, Maxwell, don’t do this!” Sandy thrashed around on the red rubber raft. “Please! Not like this! Please don’t!”

“I’m sorry but it’s time.” Maxwell took out a knife and pressed it against the rope connecting the raft to the boat. “I do hope you think of me fondly. Also, when it comes time to go under, don’t fight it. It’ll just make it last longer.

“No! Please. No! Please! Don’t!” As Sandy was yelling Maxwell sawed through the rope. He cut through it and tossed it out at the water.

Sandy pulled at the ropes binding her as she started to drift away. “The current will take you out to sea,” Maxwell called as she went. “I took this course because the current would take anything far away from land. I thought that it would be useful in case I needed to dispose of evidence. I’m sorry.”

“Maxwell, please do this!” Sandy managed to sit up. “Please! I beg you! Please! I love you! I love you, please! Please don’t let me die like this! Please!”

Maxwell said nothing and disappeared from the edge of the boat.

Tears welled up in Sandy’s eyes. No. This can’t be happening. This can’t be . . . She tossed and turned to look around. There was nothing in the raft with her.

There’s got to be something here. A flashlight. A radio. Sandy’s heart raced. He can’t honestly mean for me to die like this! She looked around. He actually wants me to drown!?

Sandy leaned back on to the raft. No. No. No! No! She closed her eyes and sobbed briefly. How could this happen!? How could it all go so wrong!?

Sandy struggled against the ropes. She felt them bite in to her skin as she frantically twisted and turned. She pulled at them, but they would not budge.

Sandy looked up over the edge of the raft and saw the S.S. Dream moving further away from her. She leaned her head back against the raft and sobbed.

After a few moments, Sandy looked back up. The Dream was a small dot on the horizon. He’s really leaving me. Dread rose up in her chest. She started to feel panic. This can’t be happening. Why is it happening!? It’s not!

Sandy waited a moment and then tried to calm herself down. Think. Think. How far away is the shore? Where is the shore?

Sandy raised her head enough to look over the edge of the raft. There was no land in sight. She turned around to look in the other direction but there was still no land.

Where is the land? Is it still where it was when we were on the trip? Did he change the direction of the ship while I was out? How long was I out? Sandy desperately tried to think, to come up with a solution. Maybe someone will come along. I mean this isn’t a deserted stretch of water, right? Boats come through here. Fear swell up in Sandy. But will they come by before the raft sinks?

Sandy looked up at the sky. It will be dark in a few hours. Will the raft be sunk by then?

Sandy frantically looked over the edge of the raft again. There’s no one around. I can’t see them. Maybe there’s someone off in the distance! Sandy sat up. “Help! Someone help me! Help! I’m sinking! Help! Help!!!” Sandy looked around. There was still no one around.

After screaming again for a few more minutes she flung her body back on to the raft. There’s no one here. No one’s coming to rescue me.

Sandy watched the sky for a moment. I wonder how long it will take for the ice to melt. Hope rose up in her. The ice! Maybe I use it to cut myself free. Just as suddenly as it appeared the hope evaporated. I can’t get in to the water tied like this. Even if I do get free, I don’t know how far I would have to swim to get to land. It’s not like I’m a competitive swimmer. The most I ever did was at the beach.

Sandy desperately tried to think. There’s got to be something that I can do. Maybe a way I can signal to somebody. A way to get to shore. There’s got to be!

Again, she started to struggle against the ropes binding her. Maybe if I can get free, I can make it to shore. It’s my only chance. She squirmed around in the raft. She pulled at the ropes as they chafed against her skin. She cried out as her struggles did nothing. It’s no use! It’s not working!!!

Sandy tried to think but nothing came to her. Why!? It wasn’t supposed to happen this way! It was supposed to be fun. I don’t want to die!!!

As she struggled some more her feet went over the edge of the raft and landed in the water. She kicked out at it partly trying to get free and partly out of frustration.

Sandy stopped. Maybe . . . I can get back to shore that way. Hope rose up in her again as she scooted the rest of her body towards the edge of the raft.

Sandy swung the lower half of her body in to the water. The rest of her started to fall in but she grabbed the material of the raft with her hands. She then started to kick out with her legs propelling the raft in one direction. I hope that this is the way to shore. I think it was when it was me and Maxwell sailing down the coast. Maybe I’m not that far away!

She spent several minutes kicking in the water, pushing the raft along. She squeezed the plastic material in her hands with all her might. After a few seconds her hands started to hurt. It also did not help that they were tied behind her.

After a few moments Sandy started to have trouble holding on to the raft. No. No! I got to hold on! She sped up the rate at which she was kicking. She continued for about a minute before she was just thrashing about. Despite all this effort a minute passed, and land still did not come into sight.

Sandy felt the plastic slipped from her hands and cried out as she started to fall into the water. The raft pushed up against her bikini bottom causing it to run up on one side. She thrashed about with her whole body to fling herself back on to the raft.

Sandy cried out as she landed on to her back. I am so stupid! I should never have believed a word that he said!!!

She laid there for a moment trying to slow her breathing.

Suddenly, Sandy noticed one side of the raft was not as high above the water as it used to be. She felt the raft with her hands. Oh no. It’s deflating!!!

Sandy felt panic surged up in her. She tried to calm herself down. Some water came over the side and in to the raft. Sandy felt her panic rising again. No. No. This can’t be happening. Her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

The raft started to noticeably shrink. Sandy looked around desperately and there was no denying it was deflating.

Where is the air leaking from!? Maybe I can plug it!



As Maxwell said the hole was at the bottom of the raft and it was there where the last remains of the ice was breaking apart. In fact, those bits were being suck into the hole allowing the water to come in freely.



Sandy started to thrash about. No. No. She tried to slow her breathing again, but she could not. Her heart pounded.

She turned on to her side and waved her arms about trying to get the rope off her before doing the same with her legs. The ropes stayed on, and she cried out in frustration.

The raft continued to sink. The edge to Sandy’s left had gone under and water was coming onboard.

Sandy scooted towards the other side. The raft continued to sink in to the sea with the one side that was already under leading the way.

With effort Sandy sat up and then brought her legs to her chest. She looked around, watching hopelessly as the small world that she had been banished to begin to disappear leaving only the water.

As more of the raft went under the water the portion that she was sitting on started to sink downward. Sandy looked frantically but there was no one around. No one was coming to her rescue.

How deep is it? Maybe I can swim in it. Sure, it’d be hard tied like this but . . .

Slowly but surely, Sandy slipped off the raft plunging most of her body into the water. She instinctively kicked out keeping her upper body on the surface. Sandy twisted about causing water to be splashed in her face. No. No. My dad’s going to be alone. I can’t die! I can’t die!

Sandy’s head went underwater because of her thrashing. She panicked and threw the upper half of her body out of the water. Sandy flopped about wildly, trying to keep her head up.

Sandy kicked out with her legs like she did when she was pushing the raft. She was thrusted forward, and her head was pushed underwater. She kicked out with her legs again aiming for the bottom of the sea. Her head shot out of the water.

She looked around. Where’s land? Maybe I can swim for land. There was no sign of land anywhere.

Sandy picked a direction and tried to move towards it. After a few tries she managed to use her whole body to push herself in the direction that she chose. Please let this be the right direction. Please.

For several minutes, Sandy moved through the water. Any noise that she heard raised her hopes that there was someone coming who would rescue her. Her body started to ache after a while. She had not gone swimming in years and certainly never while bound.

Sandy’s head bobbed down, nearly going underwater. That filled her with even more fear and gave her a boast of energy. She shot forward sending a wave of discomfort through her.

After a few more minutes Sandy felt pain in her left leg. A cramp! I can’t stop now! She continued to kick out even as it sent jolts of pain through her. After a couple of minutes, the discomfort caused her to swing her legs out in a different direction pulling her upper body underwater.

Sandy spun underwater. Her visibility was limited. She frantically thrashed about as bubbles escaped her nose. After a moment, she righted herself and kicked out to the surface.

Sandy’s head splashed through the surface of the water. She took in huge gulps of air. She began to kick out again though her movements were weaker. After a moment she stopped.

Sandy looked around and realized that she wasn’t sure what direction she was going before she went under. Her heart raced. No. No! No! Think! Where was I going!? Where!?

She tired to calm herself down and then realized that she was having trouble staying afloat. Her limbs ached. She felt herself being pull under, but she kept fighting it. Her body was drained. She could not tell for sure, but she thought that there were tears forming in her eyes.

Sandy started in a direction and then realized that her movements were weak. Her heart raced. After a few moments of flopping weakly and not getting anywhere a new feeling of dread began to form in her.

No. No. No. She cried out. She kicked out again and it felt like moving through quicksand. She spent the next few minutes moving a short distance. Her progress was a lot less than before.

Sandy felt an icy feeling go through her. She struggled to keep going but the tire feeling in her arms and legs were beginning to weight her down. She twisted about in the water while her head kept going downward. She kicked out haphazardly and did not move forward at all.

Sandy realized that she was not moving forward. No. No. No! No! She tried to move her body but soon she was just trying to stay afloat.

Sandy flopped and swung about anyway that she could. Her motions became more frantic. After a few moments she dropped below the surface.

Sandy sank into the water. She twisted about but continued to go downward. She tried desperately not to breath, but her lungs soon burned. Her hair waved about as she shook her head. With a sudden burst of strength, she pulled at the ropes with all her might. They strained but held together.

Sandy weakly spun around. She then violently shook her head as she desperately wanted to breath. Her mind became frantic and jumbled. She glimpsed the pale light on the surface of the water. She tried to reach for it, but it felt like something was holding her down.

Soon the pain in her chest was all that she could think about. She shook about as if trying to throw it off. After a minute, her body disobeyed her, and she let out a breath.

Bubbles flew from her mouth as she continued to shake her head. She took in big gulps of water. She shook violently but eventually started to slow down. Over the next minute her movements became slower and slower. Eventually they stopped. Sandy was dead. The currents continued carrying her lifeless body out towards the open sea.



The next day, Maxwell, or Stephan as he was now calling himself was sitting at a table outside the front of the Sunshine Café. He was having a muffin. So good. Pity that I had to wait an extra day to have it, but it was best to make that detour to drop her off miles from any land. He wiped his hands on a napkin.

Suddenly he spotted a woman walking by. She had black hair and was wearing a purple, strapless dress. “Excuse me, Miss,” he called to her.

The woman appeared startled. “Are you talking to me,” she asked.

“Yes, I am,” answered Stephan. “I know that this is forward but . . . would like to have a coffee with me?”

The woman appeared to think about it for a second. “Sure.” She took a seat in front of him. “My name’s Alicia.”

“Mine’s Stephan” He offered her his hand. “I couldn’t help but be struck by that gaze of yours. It really got to me all the way from across the street.”

Alicia pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. “Thank you.

Sheppard called to the waiter and ordered them coffee.

 

[A Viewer]

Perks of A Relationship​

Melinda laid on the lawn chair as the sun beamed down on her already golden skin. She brushed a strand of her dark hair off the sunglasses that she was wearing. After laying there for several minutes, she readjusted the top of the purple bikini that she was wearing and rolled over to her stomach.

Several minutes later, she heard a sound coming from her apartment causing her to take off her sunglasses. After a second noise, she got off the chair and went through the patio door.



Melinda entered the large apartment and turned around a corner to see a large man with a mustache in the living room.

“Juan,” she said. “It’s so good to see you.” She went up to him and gave him a hug. They then shared a long passionate kiss.

“I’m afraid that I can’t stay long, Honey,” he said. “I’ve got work. I just came by to see how you were doing and if there was anything that you needed.”

“All that I need is right here.” She gave him another kiss.

“It’s always good to see you.”

“Maybe we can do something tonight.”

“I’m afraid not. It’s like I said, work. Still we might be able to make something out of this weekend.”

“I look forward to it. In fact, I’ll get a new dress today just for the occasion.”

“That’s sound good. Maybe something bright like that blue/green one that you wore. It looked good on you.”

They shared another kiss and his hand roamed her body. “I should get going. I told the boys I wouldn’t be long,” said Juan.

“Who’s the boss, them or you?”

“You know how they can be. We’ll make up for it tomorrow.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

Juan went to the door. He opened it and Melinda could see Juan’s two bodyguards out in the hall. “See you soon,” said Juan before he left.

After waiting for a minute, Melinda went over to a cabinet. She opened it to reveal a metal box with an antenna on its side. It was connected with wires to a laptop. Melinda clicked a few buttons on the laptop then she removed a flash drive that was plugged in to it.



Melinda went back to the patio. She leaned against the railing and took in the view. The buildings were tall towers of concrete and glass and the street below looked like a collage of a hundred different pictures. There were small moving shapes representing people, trees planted in sidewalks, the light reflected of windows, and moving dots which were cars and trucks. Melinda watched the scene below for a few minutes then went back inside.



A couple of hours later, Melinda walked into a coffee shop. She nearly bumped into a man who was unable to take his eyes off her. I guess I choose the right dress, thought Melinda giving a quick look down at the short red dress that she was wearing.

Melinda picked up her cup and went over to her usual table.

“Were you followed,” asked a voice coming from behind her.

“No, I’ve been doing this for a while, Louis,” she answered annoyed.

“You can’t be too careful,” said Louis. “Columbia is a dangerous country for any law official to operate in but it’s more so for an American. If they knew that you’re DEA . . .”

“They don’t. I’ve been under for months and haven’t had a single sign that told me that I was in trouble. I’ve got Juan wrapped around my finger.”

“You also got the data?”

“Yeah, the device worked. It downloaded everything from his phone.”

“Good, we’ll meet again Friday next week. Until then, I meant what I said, watch your back. These guys are animals.”

“I’ll be fine but thanks for caring. Now if you don’t mind, I think I’ll have lunch at The Seabreeze. It’s a good restaurant and after all Juan’s paying the bill.” Melinda got up and left the booth.

Louis waited a few minutes then got up and grabbed the coffee cup that she left behind before leaving the shop.



Louis reached the corner. He took off the lid of the cup and tipped it over. The flash drive fell in to his hand.



Night fell over the city. People went home and businesses closed except for one salon.

Melinda pulled in to the parking lot. She got out of her car and went towards the front door. How nice of them to stay open pass closing for me. I guess there are benefits to dating a cartel boss.

Melinda went through the lobby. She smiled and nodded at the single woman sitting at the reception desk. Melinda headed to the locker room.



Melinda entered the sauna wearing only a towel. She sat down as her body adjusted the heat of her new surroundings. Feels good.

She closed her eyes and leaned back. It’s nice do this every now and again. She took a deep breath and let her body relax.



Minutes passed and the woman from the lobby went up to the door. She looked through the window in the door and at Melinda. I’m sorry but I have a family, she thought. She locked the door and quickly walked away.



Melinda continued to sit there for a couple of minutes. She opened her eyes. Is it getting warmer? She cast a glance at the nearby thermostat. It read 147 degrees.

What? That can’t be right?

She got up and went over to the device. She turned the knob down, but the reading remained the same. She fiddled with the controls, but nothing happened. She even gave it a light smack. Finally, after a moment, she turned around and went towards the door.

Melinda turned the doorknob, but it would not open. She tried it again. What’s going on here, she wondered beginning to become alarmed.

She grabbed the knob with both hands and turned it fiercely. It wouldn’t open.

Melinda stepped back and swung her shoulder at the door. She struck it but it barely moved in its frame. Melinda stepped back holding her shoulder.

Melinda slammed her hands on the glass of the window in the door. “Hey! Something’s wrong with the sauna! Hey! Let me out!”

She waited a moment, but no one answered.

Melinda stepped back and sent out a kick at the door. Her foot stuck it below the doorknob, but nothing happened.

She punched at the window like it was a person. Her fists struck the reinforced glass once, then twice.

Melinda pulled back wincing in pain. She briefly rubbed her knuckles then looked back at the door.

Melinda went up to the window and pressed herself against the glass. She looked as far down the hallway outside as she could in either direction. There was no one around. Where is she?

Melinda pushed herself back taking off her towel as she did so. She wrapped it around her hands and hit the window with her fists as hard as she could. She did it again and again.

Breathing heavily, she stepped back. The glass was still intact. She tried to see if she at least scratched it, but it was too fogged up.

Looking around Melinda could barely see anything because the air was so thick with steam. She touched her forehead and it felt hot like she had a fever.

Melinda put her towel back on and as she did so she started to cough. She put her hand on her mouth.

Melinda looked around but despite the fact it was hard to see she knew that there was no other way out. She went up to the door and grabbed the knob with both hands. She twisted it with all her might, but it would not turn. She pressed her whole body in to the motion and tried to rip the knob out but it held up to her efforts.

Melinda started coughing again. Her heart raced. What am I going to do?

She backed up a bit. Juan knows that I here . . . but he had that work thing. She looked around again hoping that there was something that she missed. All around was hazy whiteness. She felt the heat pressed down on her. She put her hand back on her forehead as she wobbled a bit.

Melinda sat down. She looked around the room, scanning as much as she could. There was nothing she could use. After a few moments she got back up.

Melinda went up to the door. She banged on the window repeatedly. “Hey! Help! Help! I’m stuck in here! Help! Help!”

After a minute of making as much noise as she could Melinda stopped. Did she go home? Her heart started to beat faster. She willed herself to be calm.

Suddenly, Melinda started to feel woozy again. She leaned her head against the door. After a moment she looked out the window but there was still no one around. Melinda hit the window a few more times.

Frustration rose up in her. She clawed at the edge of the door where the hinges were. She struck the knob with her hand. She lashed out at the window with an elbow.

Melinda back away and gave a slight yell. She wobbled again. No this isn’t . . . there has to be a way out.

She turned around and went back to the thermostat. Melinda struck it and realized that it was incased in plastic. She grabbed the case and tried to pull it off, but it would not budge. A series of coughs erupted from her and she put a hand to her chest as they came out.

After a moment, the coughing subsided. Melinda looked at the thermostat again. She worked all the buttons and switches, but the display remained the same. She stood there for a minute then turned away.

Melinda went towards the door. She stopped a few feet from it and then ran right to it. She turned at the last moment and slammed her shoulder against the door. It shook in it’s frame but remained closed. She tried the maneuver again with the same result. She tried it a third time throwing all her weight in to it but the door remained closed.

Melinda backed away holding her shoulder. She realized that she was having trouble staying on her feet. She went over to the bench and sat down. She let out a groan as she felt herself be cooked. There’s got to be . . . someone. Louis . . . will . . . send help. She put her hand over her eyes. Louis knows me. Louis . . . has flash drive. It will . . . something. Louis said to call. There’s a phone at the desk . . . but I’m trapped here, right? It’s hard to think. Melinda’s hand slide down the side of her face which was covered in sweat.

Melinda got an idea. She took off her towel again. She held in front of her and used it to fan herself. She tried this for a few seconds, but she felt her energy being drained. Still hot. She started to cough again. “Somebody, help me,” she said weakly.

Melinda put on her towel. She had trouble using her hands. She managed to get it around her, but it was loose.

She softly moaned between coughing fits. She had trouble seeing. Suddenly she thought about her family, looking for a job when she graduated high school, and deciding to become an agent. The faces of Louis and the other people that she knew went through her mind. She thought about her family again and how proud she had felt at her accomplishments.

Melinda tried a few times to get up. After some effort she managed to get to her feet. She began to walk to the door again but after a few steps she fell facedown on to the floor. She tried to call out for help again but she could not get the words out. She laid there unmoving. After a few minutes her heart stopped. Her body was left there until early morning.



Juan was in his office when Carlos; one of his underlings, came in. “They took care of that agent, Boss,” he said. “Just like the others, she won’t be found.”

“Good,” said Juan. “I’d almost like for her to be found, as a warning but it’s probably best this way. Still, I’m sure they’ll understand what happened.” He stroked his mustache. “That little whore thought she could try to make a fool of me and paid the price. It’s going to be a lesson for everyone.”

“Sure thing,” said the younger man. “So, should I set up the payment for the fed?”

“I’ll have Ralph take care of that. The guy we have on the inside deserves a bonus. I would’ve never figure her for a fed. It wasn’t until the phone thing that I was really convinced.”

“Did they get anything?”

“No, he told me about it ahead of time. I took a different phone when I visited her with a bunch of fake text messages on it. Once he showed me that he knew what I had put on there I knew what he was saying was on the level.” He picked up a pen and began to squeeze it in anger.

“So, I guess you’re going to get a new girlfriend.”

“After a while. For now, there’s plenty of young chicas that’ll let me spend the night, if they know what’s good for them. As for the Americans, I think I’ll double the shipment to their country just so they get the message not to mess with me.”

“Good thing we have that fed on the payroll. That guy has help us dodge the searches.”

“Yeah and he’s kept me from being caught for a long time. It’s a relationship with a lot of perks.”

The End​

 

[Wragg]

Cooked to death in a sauna?

That's a CF's first I think!

I felt her panic, thanks to some excellent writing!

 

[A Viewer]

The Benefits of Nature
​

A bang sounded through the warehouse. Johnny Whitman fell to the floor dead. “Anybody want to get something to eat,” asked Ronnie causally.

“Cut it out,” whispered Fred tensely.

“You’re not doing anything until you get rid of this trash,” said Veronica. “Take him to the park. Fred knows the plan.” She put away the gun she had just used and walked towards her car.

Without saying a word Carl walked over to where Johnny laid. He and Ronnie grabbed the body. As they dragged it towards a truck he looked up and watched the blond woman, the new boss of the criminal organization that he worked for get into her car. She did not even look back before getting in and starting the engine.

Carl and Ronnie reached their truck and Fred opened the trunk which he had already lined with plastic. The two men dumped the body in, and it was shut.

The three got into the truck. “What’s with the plant,” asked Ronnie as he sat in the back seat. He stared at the tree sapling next to him.



Minutes later, they were on a back road. The sky was already getting lighter, and the sun would soon rise. “We should wait to do this at night,” said Ronnie. “You know, late at night not night that’s almost morning.”

“The boss said that she wanted it all done right away,” said Fred. “Offing Johnny and dumping him. This whole power play needs to be done quick before anyone gets the idea to make their own move.”

“What the boss wants she wants,” said Carl. Fred shot him a look.

Carl turned on the radio. “This just in,” said a male announcer. “Steve Davenport; the celebrated actor who has been charged with murdering his wife, Gale Davenport, has been released today. All charges have been dropped. According to DA Hodges, Davenport was in a restaurant called Paul’s Hotdogs at the time of his wife’s death. Security cameras footage reportedly confirms this, giving the former star of Mahorn’s Palace a solid alibi. In other . . .” Fred turned the radio off.

“Hey, could at we get some tunes at least,” asked Ronnie.

“Quiet,” Fred said. “Let’s just get this over with.”

After a few minutes he turned to the left.



The truck went across the unpaved road shaking about as it did so. The vehicle nearly hit the roots of a tree that was approaching on the path. After a few more minutes of rough driving, they came into open area.

Fred turned to the right and eventually they came to an area where there was work being done. Before them were a large number of holes which were grouped together in rows. Off to the side a workstation had been setup with tables, a trailer, and a group of tree saplings in plastic pots.

“What is this,” asked Carl looking around.

“They’re doing this project where they’re planting a bunch of new trees in the park. They are trying to expand the forest, so they won’t be digging any of it up any time soon.”

“That’s why we brought the plant,” said Ronnie looking at the sapling in the back seat.

“Yeah, no one’s going to care if there’s if one more tree has been planted and they’re not going to look under it for a body,” said Fred. He went over to the back seat and pulled some shovels off the floor of the car. “Now dig.”

“Why do we have to do it,” asked Ronnie.

“Because I’m the lookout.”

“Can’t we bury him in one of those holes over there,” asked Carl taking one of the shovels.

“No, there’s a chance that they might find it,” answered Fred. “When they get here in an hour, they’re just going find a tree that’s already been planted and then they’ll get to work.” Fred looked at the other two. “Which is what you two should be doing. Now.”

Fred pulled Johnny’s body from the trunk and dragged it behind him as he followed the others. The two men went over to the nearest row and began digging. “How deep do we have to bury him,” asked Ronnie after a few minutes.

“Just a few feet, which will go a lot quicker if you stop talking,” answered Fred. The men continued in silence.

“Why did Veronica decide to off him,” asked Ronnie after about ten minutes.

“What did I say about talking,” asked Fred.

“Nothing to it,” said Carl. “She wanted to take over the operation.”

“Still, to just shoot him like that,” said Ronnie. “That’s cold. Especially since we’re all making good money.”

“Good money for you,” said Carl. “You never had any real cash in your life, but Johnny was making some serious dough and now all that’s Veronica’s. I heard that she even found his secret stash.”

“Shut up and keep digging,” said Fred.

“Ahhhh,” cried a female voice.

All three of the men turned around to see a young Asian woman a few feet from them. She had a look of terror on her face. After a brief moment she turned and ran away causing the backpack that she was wearing to fall to the ground.

“Get . . .,” began Fred but Ronnie was already running. He went after her and after a brief chase he grabbed her by the arms. He pulled her off her feet and dragged her back to the other two.

“Let me go,” cried the woman thrashing about in terror. “Let me go!”

“Hold her,” ordered Fred. He turned to Carl. “There’s some rope by the tree in the back. Get it.”

Fred turned back to Ronnie who had wrapped his arms around the still struggling woman. “Keep her still,” ordered Fred.

Grinning, Ronnie forced the woman on to her knees which pretty much ended her struggles. Fred turned back to the truck and saw Carl running towards them with some rope in his hands.

Fred gestured to Ronnie and Carl handed him the rope. Ronnie brought the woman’s hands behind her back and tied them together. She cried out as he pulled the knot tight.

“Who are you,” demanded Fred.

For a moment, the woman just looked at him in fear. “You better answer him,” said Ronnie. He gripped her arm and bend it, sending pain through her. She cried out.

“My name’s Amy,” she said after a second. “I’m just here to help with the planting. I swear! I didn’t see anything!”

Fred looked at the body of Johnny which he left in plain view and then turned back to Amy. “We have a problem.”

“Please, I won’t tell anyone,” said Amy as her eyes teared up. “Please. I swear!”

“We didn’t bring any guns,” said Carl. “I mean, Johnnie was already dead.”

“Please, don’t kill me,” cried Amy. “I swear I’m just a volunteer! I won’t tell a soul a soul!”

Fred went up to her. “Where’s the rest of your group?”

“I decided to come in early,” said Amy. “Look, just let me go. I won’t say anything. I never saw anything.” Ronnie chuckled as he grabbed her blue tank top.

Fred looked at Carl then Ronnie. “We can’t let her go,” said Ronnie smiling. “We’ve got to get rid of her.”

“No,” screamed Amy. “Please, I’ll do anything! I’ll go to the bank, and you can take everything I have!” As she yelled, she started to struggle again. Ronnie shoved her down into the ground and then twisted her arm again. This caused her to stop yelling and her face to grimaced in pain.

“How are we going to do it,” asked Carl.

“I’ve got an idea,” said Ronnie after a moment.



They pulled her in to the wooded area. She kicked out and was practically sopping. After a few moments they came to a tree. “This will do,” said Ronnie.

They waited briefly and Carl joined them. He was carrying some more rope and a piece of wood that he got from a pile by the workstation. “Why did they chop that wood again,” he asked. “I thought that they wanted more trees.”

“They were clearing some dead wood to make room for the healthy trees,” answered Fred.

“Put that here,” said Ronnie as he gestured below a branch over their heads. Carl did so and Ronnie stepped on to it which put the branch in his reach. Carl tossed him the rope and he tied one end of it to the branch and began working the other end. When he stepped down from the piece of wood, he revealed that he fashioned the end of the rope into a noose.

“No,” screamed Amy. She tried to get away, but Fred held her tightly. “Please! Please! I don’t want to die! Help! Help me!!!”

“Quiet,” said Fred sternly. He slammed his fist into her stomach. She gasped and fell forward going limp in his hands. Fred turned to Ronnie. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Wait,” said Ronnie. He got down on one knee and grabbed one of the hiking boots that Amy was wearing. He pulled it off and did the same with the other one. He then pulled off the white socks that she was wearing.

“Now do it,” Ronnie said.

Fred looked at him then pick her up, carry her to the piece of wood, and put her on it.

Ronnie stepped on to it with her and pull off the hair tie that she was wearing freeing her hair from the ponytail that it was in. He then took the noose and put it over her neck.

“Please,” Amy managed to say as Ronnie was tightening the noose.

“Quiet,” said Fred.

“Yeah, you should save your breath,” said Ronnie. “You’re going to need it.”

Fred put a foot on the piece of wood. “Wait,” said Ronnie. “I have a different idea.”

Fred watched him as Ronnie dug into his pocket. He pulled out his lighter and used it to set fire to the wood beneath Amy’s feet.

“What are you doing,” asked Amy. She raised a foot as the fire began to spread.

“You’re going to dance for us,” answered Ronnie. He put out his lighter and looked at Fred and Carl. “Might as well have a show.”

The wood was relatively dry, and the fire continued to spread. This can’t be happening, thought Amy. I was just going to help plant some trees, do my part for the environment. She watched the flames spread and felt a wave of heat touch her ankles. She nervously raised one foot then another.

Amy looked at the men before her. “You can’t do this to me!”

“Looks like things are cooking,” said Ronnie. Fred had a scowl on his face while Carl’s was expressionless.

The flames started to spread faster. The smell of smoke was getting stronger. Amy watched the flames grow in disbelief. This can’t be happening! Things like this don’t happen! She looked back up at the men who said nothing. They just watch the events happening before them. She looked back at the flames below her. She could feel the heat beneath her feet.

“Please, my grandmother left me some things,” said Amy looking back up at them. “They’re worth something. You can have them. They’re antiques! They’re valuable!”

The three watched as the fire consumed most of the wood.

The heat was getting uncomfortable for her. She hopped from foot to another. She looked down then up at them. “You can have my card! Charge whatever you want! I’ll pay for it! Go drinking! Have a party!”

The flames licked her toe and her foot shot away from it. The fire started to reach for her other foot. She tried to pull it away from the flames and the noose tighten around her neck. This is really happening! Oh god! I don’t want to die!

“Somebody help me,” she screamed. “Somebody please help me!!!”

The fire was reaching the top of the wood and it kept touching her feet. She kept lifting one foot then the other. She danced on the burning wood. Her long legs kicking out from the cutoff jeans that she was wearing.

“You can’t do this to me,” she screamed. “Please! Don’t do this to me! Please! Please!”

The wood shook under her feet as the fire ate through it. She pulled back a foot in pain. She kept switching between them. Her soles were getting cooked. She started to cry out from the pain. Small gasps at first followed by louder screams.

Amy swung her legs so fast that she kicked the wood over. She started to cry out, but the sound was cut off as the noose closed around her throat.

Amy swung freely through the air. She felt the rope dig into her throat. No! No! No!!! She twisted about. She pulled at the rope around her wrists and kicked out. Amy spun in the air. As she was moving and swinging around the flames below her were fanned a bit. They flared up and then settled down.

Amy tried to cry out, but no sound came out. She flopped about in the air. Tears flew from her eyes. The pressure in her chest started to build. She danced about for a few minutes.

Amy twisted and contorted in all kinds of ways. No. No. No. That word and the fact that she was about to die were the only things in her mind. She thrashed about with an energy born of primal fear.

Another minute and her mind became blank. She started to move about not to escape but out of instinct. Amy twisted and kicked out for another minute then started to slow down. She then stopped and kicked out a few more times. A few seconds later and she was merely twitching. Soon even that stopped. Amy’s lifeless body swung gently in the air.

The men stood there for a moment. Ronnie let out a satisfied sigh. “Cut her down,” said Fred. “We’ll bury her with Johnny.”

Carl looked over the scene. “How am I going to get up there?”

Ronnie went up next to the small fire they made. “Give me a boast. I’ll cut her down.

As they worked Fred looked at the direction that they came. Good thing I put Johnny back in the trunk. The last thing that we need is another witness.

The other two picked up the body. Carl took the feet while Ronnie took her shoulders. Amy’s face was pointing up at him. Her lifeless eyes were rolled up into her head and her mouth was opened. Ronnie felt a rush of pleasure. They followed Fred out of the wooded area.



Soon after, the three were in the car driving away from the area. “What made you did that whole thing,” asked Fred as he drove. “It would’ve been easier just to kick the wood out.”

“Like I said, it was a nice show,” said Ronnie. “You’ve got to appreciate every moment.”

Fred scowled as they went down the road. Weirdo.

Ronnie looked at the scene of trees passing them by. “I love getting out into nature.”

The End​

 

[A Viewer]

Blowing It
​

Jill sat in her living room watching the news. “The producers of Mahorn’s Palace released a statement this morning,” the announcer said. “We are pleased that justice prevailed for our colleague and dear friend. We hope that he can begin the healing progress and that authorities will catch the real killer.” Gale Davenport was found last month dead in the couple’s penthouse apartment. Her husband; Steven Davenport; star of the hit series, was arrested and charged with the crime but after security footage was found placing the longtime actor in a restaurant at the time of her murder he was released. Davenport has yet to release a statement, but numerous friends and fellow actors have chimed in with their support.”

Rich guys always get away with it. Jill picked up the remote and turned off the TV before heading out.



Jill looked around her neighborhood as she left her one-story house. All the other homes in the area were basically copies of each other. While the occasional bit of litter or stray toy could be found on the ground the neighborhood was not a pigsty like the place where she grew up. No one else was out. I hate getting up before 10. The things you do to earn a living.

Jill made her way to her car when she suddenly heard screeching wheels.

Before she could react, a van raced down the street and stopped in front of her. The side door open and two figures in ski masks got out. One grabbed her by the arm. “Hey,” cried Jill. She threw a punch but the person holding her dodged it. The second one grabbed her other arm and they started to pull her to the van.

“Help,” screamed Jill as she struggled. ‘Help me!”

The two masked men pulled her in to the van and the door closed.

“Come on,” cried someone in the back of the van, and they took off.

Jill was lying face down on the floor. One of the men grabbed her by her denim jacket and pulled her to him. Jill tried to struggle but the person grabbed her dark hair and roughly pulled her to him.

Before she could say or do anything an arm was wrapped around her throat. Jill clawed at it as the arm squeezed her airway. She kicked out but the other person grabbed her legs.

Jill twisted in the grasp of the two individuals. She grabbed at the arm and pulled but the man behind her pull back with his whole body. Jill tried to speak but couldn’t. She couldn’t make any noise. Her vision was getting blurry. What’s happening, she wondered. Why is this happening to me?

Jill struggled some more but the men held on. Eventually her movements slowed and then stopped. Her eyes closed and she went limp in their hands.

“Is she dead?” asked the one holding her legs.

The other one was checking her. “No, but by the time Danny gets through with her she’ll wish she was.”


To be continued . . .

 

[A Viewer]

A Month Ago​

Jill was coming out of a fast-food restaurant. As she entered the parking lot, she heard a voice. “Hey what’s up?”

She turned to see a man she didn’t know leaning against a car. He wore a suit and had neatly combed hair which was a shade of brown so light that it was almost blond.

“Who are you?” asked Jill tensing up.

The man reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a badge. “Jon Ryder, ATF. I’m going to need you to get in the car.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” said Jill. “I know my rights.”

“Get in the car or you’ll be facing some serious charges,” said Agent Ryder. “Today might just be your lucky day.”

Jill thought about it for a moment and then got into his backseat.



Jill sat in the back as Ryder got in the front passenger seat. He poked his head around the seat to look at Jill.

“You’re in big trouble, Hayden,” he said. “Why don’t you look at the video on this laptop to see why.”

Agent Ryder held up a laptop which had a video on the screen and clicked on the play button. The video began playing showing her the previous week at Big Gun Al; a gun shop she visited every now and again. Her heart raced.

“That’s you purchasing a pistol Thursday, right?” asked Ryder. “No don’t answer. We know that it’s you. You’re what we call a “straw buyer”. You and others like you with no criminal record purchase the guns so the group that you work for can sell them. Guess what? The gun that you purchased there was used in a robbery where a cashier was shot. He’s going to be OK, but you are looking at accessory charges.”

“I had nothing to do with that!”

“It doesn’t matter. Under the law you’re as guilty as the guy who walked into the convenience store. The only way out is to work with us.”

“What do you want?”

“We want the people above you, especially your boyfriend Daniel Crammer. You get us something on them and the people that they’re selling to and then we can talk.

The Present​

Jill started to wake up. Slowly she realized that she was lying on a flat surface and that her hands were over her head. She tried to move them but couldn’t. Her heart raced as the memories of what happened came back to her.

Jill looked around in fright as she realized that she had been stripped to her underwear and was tied down on to a table.

“You’re awake,” said a familiar voice.

Jill looked around and saw that Danny was standing off to her left. “What’s going on?” she asked unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

“I know,” answered Danny.

Oh God, thought Jill. “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been talking to the feds. You stupid idiot. You sent it to the wrong person!”

Jill’s heart pounded in her chest. She fought back tears. “What are you talking about? I’m not talking to any feds. Baby, you got to believe me.”

Danny lifted a pipe that he was holding causing Jill to cry out.

“Baby, what are you going to do with that?” she asked.

Instead of answering her Danny swung the pipe at her left leg. It struck her above the knee causing her to scream.

“What did you tell them?” demanded Danny.

“Please, Sweetie, you know I didn’t tell them anything,” said Jill. “Remember that time when we were all arrested? They said that I could walk if I told them what we were doing by the beach, but I didn’t say anything. Not then or now!”

Danny struck her other leg with the pipe. She sent out a shrill scream. “Please, Baby, stop it! You’re hurting me!”

“What did you say?” demanded Danny.

“Nothing, I swear,” cried Jill.

He hit her stomach with the pipe. She gasped and coughed several times. It was over a minute before she spoke. “Please, you . . . know . . . I wouldn’t talk. Baby, . . . I . . . love you.” Tears ran down her face and she looked up at him pleadingly.

Danny looked down at her with no emotion. He stared at her for several seconds then a sneer formed on his face. “You rat,” he cried. “You stupid, idiot rat! You really think that you can sweettalk your way out of this? You sent it to me. I heard it myself!”

“Baby, please . . .,” began Jill.

Danny slammed the pipe into her left knee. “Ahhh,” she screamed rolling her head back. She pulled at the ropes binding her wrist and ankles to the table’s legs, but they held.

Jill turned about as far she could on the table one way then another before settling down. “Please, . . . please . . .,” began Jill.

“Shut up,” screamed Danny. He slammed the pipe into her right knee causing her to scream out.

The Day Before​

Jill walked into her bedroom. She looked at the phone in her hand. This is it. I got it. I’m done!

She went over to her dresser and opened the top drawer. She went through a bunch of random items before finally finding a short cord. She then went over to her computer.

Jill opened her e-mail. She attached the phone to the computer with the cord. After clicking on a few buttons, the recording that she had made began to upload. God, I hope that he doesn’t find out what I did. He’s a total psycho. Sometimes I wonder why I ever started dating him.

Jill clicked on the recipient box. A list of addresses that she had typed in the past dropped down. One of them was jryder@atf.gov and another was dannyboyhotstuff@digimail.com. She quickly clicked on an address and started writing.

Here is the proof that you wanted, Mr. Fed. A recording of me and Danny talking about our delivery to Flabby Ears Earl. He’s our biggest customer. Now can I walk? She hit sent and got up from the computer.

As she walked away, she did not see the message on the screen that said SENT nor did she see that she sent it to the Digi mail address.

The Present​

“What else did you tell him?” asked Danny. He reached down and grabbed Jill’s black hair by the handful and leaned closet to her. “You taped me talking about Flabby Earl, what else?”

Jill’s eyes were watering. “Please, . . . remember when we went to the fair and you bought me that stuff animal?”

Danny let go of her hair, gripped the pipe with both hands, and swung it at her stomach. The air went out of Jill. She gasped and coughed for several seconds.

Danny waited a bit before leaning back towards her. He pressed the end of the pipe to her chin to raise her face up to him. His face was a few inches from hers. “You sent the e-mail to me. I heard the recording. We were the only people in the room. Whose “Mr. Fed”?”

Jill’s heart raced as she took in deep breaths of air. “Just some guy from the ATF,” she answered after a moment.

Danny felt a burst of anger. He struck the table with the pipe, just an inch from her ribs.

“It’s the truth,” cried Jill. “He was a guy from the ATF!”

“What did you tell him?” demanded Danny as he raised the pipe to her face.

“Nothing,” said Jill. “He wanted to know our biggest buyer and then that deal with Flabby Earl came up.”

“You ungrateful piece of garbage! I gave you everything! You just threw it all away!”

“Please, Danny,” begged Jill practically crying. “I didn’t have a choice. He had me on tape at Big Al’s. He had me buying. It was the only way.”

“Shut up,” said Danny. He raised his free hand and slapped her in the face with it. “You said that you didn’t care if you went to jail when we were arrested but why now? Why open that little mouth of yours now?”

“Please,” said Jill. “Please. Please.”

“Shut up!” Danny reached over to a table and grabbed a butane lighter. He used it heat the tip of the pipe.

“What are doing?” asked Jill terrified.

“You’ll see,” said Danny menacingly. He watched as the pipe’s metal started to dimly glow red.

Jill started to struggle against her bonds. “No, please! Don’t! Please! Please! I love you! Don’t do this! Please!!!”

After a minute Danny clicked off the lighter. He looked at the glowing end of the pipe for a moment then turned back to Jill.

“Please,” cried Jill. “Please.”

Danny grabbed the plain bra that Jill was wearing and pull it down to reveal her right nipple. He then pressed the heated part of the pipe on to it.

“Ahhh,” screamed Jill. She thrashed about and Danny held on to the breast as she moved. He pressed down hard on it with the pipe. The room filled with her screams but suddenly it was quiet.

Danny looked at Jill’s face and realized that she had passed out.

She’s not going to get off that easy. He slapped her face, but she remained unconscious. He slapped her again then again. Jill started to come to.

Jill was groggy at first but once she saw the tip of the pipe she sprung to attention. She breathed rapidly as she looked around. “Please . . . you have to believe me.” She took a moment before she continued. “I didn’t want to do it.”

“But you did it,” said Danny as he gestured to her with the pipe. “Now you’re going to pay.”

Jill shook. “Please, Baby. We . . . can start again. Let’s run away. We can start the business back up again. Let’s forget that fed guy.”

Danny stood there with a sneer on his face. “You think you can just ‘baby’ me? That you can make nice and everything’s the way it was? Not a chance. You’re done but before that I’m going to make you pay.”

Danny turned to looked at the other end of Jill’s body. He moved along the table then grabbed her panties.

“Baby, what are you doing,” cried Jill in fright. Her eyes watered as she struggled against the ropes and started to shake.

Danny pulled her panties down revealing her vagina. He gave another pull and her underwear reached just above her knees.

“Baby don’t do this,” screamed Jill. She struggled with all her might. “Don’t do this! Please, we can work this out! I know where there’s over $30,000! You can have it and . . . I’ll be your slave! We can screw all day and night! Please, please for the love of . . .”

Danny shoved the heated end of the pipe into her vagina. Jill let out a horrible shriek. It tore through the room that they were in and beyond.

Danny held the pipe in her with both hands. Jill thrashed about wildly on the table. She twisted about with insane strength but soon she was just flopping about, acting on instinct.

Jill twisted her body about trying to get away from the pipe. The muscle in her shoulder was torn. The burnt breast was completely pulled from the bra. Jill kept making terrible sounds that she would never believe herself cable of making, that didn’t sound human. All rational thought left her as she twisted and lashed out like an animal.

Jill thrashed about for a few more seconds but then stopped. Danny looked up at her head and realized that she had passed out again. What is with this woman, he thought angrily. Can’t take it at all.

He turned to the door. “Hey, come in. It’s time to wrap things up.”

A heavyset man with a crewcut entered the room. He looked down at the unconscious form of Jill. “You worked her over pretty good, huh?” he asked.

“Wake her before you start, Hank,” ordered Danny.

“Why?” asked Hank as he went around the table.

“She has to be afraid,” answered Danny.

Hank slapped Jill in the face. He did it again and again, but she still did not wake up. Finally, he grabbed her head and shook her.

Jill let out a gasp as she woke up. Hank let her head hit the table and then reached into his pocket. “Time to get back to what we started in the van,” he said as he took out a plastic bag.

Hank swiped the bag through the air to get it to unfold and then he quickly pulled it over Jill’s head.

What? she wondered in alarm. She turned her head one way then around as she tried to figure out what was happening. When she tried to breath, she sucked the bag in to her mouth. She couldn’t get any air in. I can’t breathe!

Jill’s struggles started to become more frantic. She tried to raise her hand to get the bag off her, but the ropes stopped her. She shook her head. Hank leaned in, putting his arm around her similar to when he had her in the chokehold in the van.

Jill thrashed about. Her underwear was twisted about over her bruised and burnt body. Danny watched her vagina moved about as she struggled, for a moment forgetting his rage and just enjoying the show.

Hank held on to her as the bag began to fog up. He held the opening shut with his hands and used his arm to keep her on the table.

Jill’s mind raced. Oh my god! They’re going to kill me! I’m going to die! Her heart raced. She realized that she was breathing rapidly, and she tried to stop herself, but it was no use. She moved her body about as panic overcame her.

Jill pulled at the ropes, but they were still firm. Her naked breast swung about as she thrashed, it’s nipple a new color. Without thinking Jill thrust upward trying to pull herself off the table. She kept doing it again and again. Her hands kept opening and closing.

Hank held on for over a minute. Gradually her struggles started to slow down. She shook her head but with less force than before. Hank felt her becoming weaker and weaker.

After a few more seconds her movements became sluggish as if she was an old fashion toy that was starting to wind down. Hank looked at the bag and Jill’s face was completely hidden by fog. She struggled weakly for a few more moments then became limp.

“Now,” ordered Danny.

Hank removed the bag and looked closely at her. “She’s still alive. She’s just out like before.”

“Good,” said Danny. “Get her ready. We’re going.” He headed to the door.



Jill slowly started to stir. It took a few moments to realize that she was lying on her side and there was something strange about that. After a second, she remembered being tied down on the table.

Jill looked around and saw that she was in a different room. After trying to move her limps she found that her hands and feet were bound.

Jill looked around. While it was dark, she could make a few features of her surroundings. There was what appeared to be a bar on one side of the room. The surface below her aching body felt like wood. Throughout the room there were pillars.

Jill rolled on to her back. Her underwear had been put back on her body the way it was before her torture, but it was still a bit lopsided. The pain she felt radiated through her taking her strength. It hurt worst when she moved but she couldn’t stop herself from squirming about. She looked around desperately as she tried to figure out where they left her.

Suddenly a cord caught Jill’s eye. She followed it up a pillar where it ended at some sort of lump that was near the ceiling. After a second, Jill recognized what she was seeing to her horror. She desperately looked around and saw cords going up the other pillars as well. Jill remembered when Danny took her out to watch a building explode. It was demolished by his uncle’s company, Chuck’s Demo.

They’re going to blow this building! Jill looked around the room. There’re C4 and detonation cords everywhere! Is this the old nightclub?! They’re going to blow up this building up with me in it!



Danny and Hank were waiting outside the building by Danny’s car. “I still don’t get why we didn’t just finish her off and then put her body in the building,” said Hank.

“Because I want her to be afraid,” said Danny. “This just gives me another chance to play with her. She thought that she was going to die but now she’s terrorized again. It serves her right.”



Panic once again came over Jill. She pulled at the ropes and turned about on the floor. After a minute of struggling, she stopped and looked around.

The place was empty. In a few spots the material was chipped and cracked. She tried to make out anything that could help her but there was nothing.

Jill sat up. Slowly she tried to get to her feet. She wobbled as she managed to stand up. Jill’s heart raced as she took a deep breath and then hopped towards the bar.

Jill landed without falling and after a moment she tried it again. She continued across the room, gaining speed as she gained confidence.

Jill’s foot came down on a cord running along the floor. She stiffened as some part of her worried that she might set off the explosives. After nothing happened, she started hopping again.

Jill approached the bar. Her pelvis was on fire and tears ran down her face. She occasionally cried out.

She made it to her destination. Jill took a deep breath and threw herself over the bar. She landed on her stomach. Her head was a few inches from the floor where the bartender stood while her legs danged where the stools would have been.

Jill looked around, straining to see any bottles or glasses. There were none. Nothing to break and cut the ropes with. Her heart sank.

After about a minute, Jill took another deep breath then pushed herself off the bar. She landed on her feet and after a moment of steading herself she began moving again.

Jill headed towards one of the pillars. Maybe I can use the concrete on these ropes. She could make out a detonation cord and managed to hop over it and continued moving. She almost lost her balance once but stopped and steadied herself before continuing.

Jill made it to the pillar. She turned around and leaned against it aiming her bound wrists at a corner. She started sawing at the ropes.

The moments passed and she thought that she could feel the ropes start to give. Sweat ran down her body as she furiously worked her arms. Come on. Come on!

Jill felt the ropes getting looser. She pulled at them with all her strength which sent pain through her chest. She gritted her teeth and pulled again. The ropes still held. She went back to sawing through them.

The seconds seemed like hours as Jill frantically ran her wrists up and down the pillar. Suddenly she realized that she turned one of her hands in a way that she couldn’t before. Jill pulled at the ropes and her hands came unbound. Her heart rose as she cradled one of her wrists. She leaned against the pillar and closed her eyes. Thank you. Thank you. Jill opened her eyes and began to untie her feet.

Suddenly, as Jill was tossing aside the rope that was binding her ankles a loud sound filled the air. The alarm! They’re about to denotate the explosives!

Jill started to race across the room. I’ve got to get out of here! As she neared a doorway her foot struck one of the cords and she tripped. Jill fell and her knee struck the hard wood floor sending new waves of pain through her. “Ahh!”

Jill looked up. The door was just a little way away. She remembered being in the club when it was open. Just have to get to the next room and I’ll be in the lobby!

Jill tried to stand up but when she got to her feet her damaged knee sent a shot of pain through her. She cried out and fell back to the floor. Jill held her knee and looked up at the doorway. I’ve got to get up! I need to get out! I can’t die here! I . . .

Suddenly there was a flash and a thunderous sound that she did not hear. Jill was no more.



Danny and Hank stood outside as they watched the building come down. The explosion was loud and could be heard for several blocks. The falling materials kicked up massive amounts of dust.

“That should take care of her,” said Hank.

A cruel smile formed on Danny’s face. “Yeah.” They got into the car. Hank was in the driving seat, and he started the engine.

You blew it so I blew you, Danny thought as they drove away.

The End​

 

[A Viewer]

After this it will be a while until the next story. Feel free to contribute your own work regarding deathtraps. Again, thank you all for your support.

Cashing In One Way Or Another​

“I hate this,” said a man sitting behind the steering wheel.

“Hey, Brian, it’s not like we have a choice,” said the man sitting next to him. “We’ve been out of work ever since Johnson got killed.”

“I know but it’s not our usual thing,” Brian said. “We’re stick-up guys. What do we know about this kind of job?”

“Hey, it’s an easy payday,” said the man in the passenger seat. “We do it and we have an instant windfall. It’ll take a day or two tops.”

“I hope that your right, Jake,” said Brian.

He looked through the windshield. Down the road a figure was getting larger and in a moment, they could make out the features of the blond woman coming towards them. “That’s her,” said Jake checking the photo on his phone. “Just give it a minute.”

Beth walked down the street. You know, I don’t understand why I go to these weekly breakfast get-togethers, she thought. Lord knows I hate walking all the way across the block.

Beth came up to the van. She didn’t see the two men in it because they ducked down below the windshield.

Come on, thought Brian. Come on.

Beth continued walking down the sidewalk. As she started to pass the van the side door flew open, and the two men came out. Brian was still putting on his ski mask.

Jake grabbed Beth. She screamed and the man tried to gag her with his hand. “Can you help?” asked Jake his partner.

“Sorry, I think I banged my leg on the seat when we were getting into the back,” said Brain. He ran over to the other two and grabbed Beth. They struggled with her for a bit but managed to drag her to the van.

“Help,” screamed Beth. “Help me! Help!!!”

“Be quiet,” said Jake. They pulled her in to the van.

Jake shut the door. “Drive,” he told Brian. They sped away.



To be continued . . .

 

[A Viewer]

The van pulled in front of an old warehouse. Inside the van Jake was checking Beth’s pockets. He ran his hands over her green blouse. No weapons or anything, thought Jake. He had tied her hands behind her back as they drove.

“Let me go,” said Beth as she struggled.

“Quiet,” Jack ordered. Brian took out a remote and pressed a button. A very large door in the front of the warehouse rolled up.


Inside, Brian opened the van’s side door and they dragged Beth out. They were in a very large room with doors on their left. Her left shoe had come off when she was struggling with Jake in the van. Her bare foot struck the hard floor as Jake pulled her along.

“What do you want from me?” cried Beth.

“I want you to be quiet,” said Jake s as he swung her around to face him. “Now keep your mouth shut and do as you’re told.”

They made their way to a door. Brian opened it as Jake pulled Beth to it.

“Let me go,” said Brett. “I can walk on my own.”

“That’s it,” said Jake. He punched her in the face. She flew back and landed on the ground face up. “I told you to be quiet.”

“Hey, I thought that we weren’t going to hurt her,” said Brian.

“Tell me that you weren’t getting sick of her mouth,” said Jake.

“Yeah, but . . .,” started Brian.

“Hey, we got to be firm, or this won’t work,” said Jake. “It’s just a little discipline. Now, go back to the van and get that cloth. I don’t want to hear this woman again.”

Brian went back to the van as Jake reached into his pocket. He pulled out some more rope and reached down to her legs. He tied her ankles together and took off her remaining shoe. He looked at it for a moment. Brown leather. This looks pricey. I bet I can make a little extra with this and the other one.

Brian came back with the cloth.

Jake torn it in to two pieces. He stuffed one piece into her mouth and wrapped the other one around her head. He tied it off and picked Beth up by her arms. He then shoved her through the door which led to a closet before closing it.

“Let’s give it a little bit before we call the hubby,” said Jake. “Let him worry a little.”


After a little while Beth started to wake up. The first thing that she noticed was that the side of her face hurt. It took about a moment for her to remember Jake hitting her. Oh god! Where am I!? Her heart began to race. It’s going to be OK. It’s going to be OK.

Brett tried to move her arms and legs but could not. She felt a jolt of terror. Where am I!? What do they want with me!?

She tried to cry out but couldn’t with the gag. There’s something in my mouth! She felt the cloth with her tongue. Cloth. It’s cloth! She shook her head trying to get free of the gag. When that didn’t work, she tried pushing it out with her tongue. She stopped after a few seconds.

Beth struggled on the floor. She hit the wall with her shoulder. She cried out but the sound was muffled by the gag.

After a moment Beth crawled along the ground. She softly hit the back wall of the closet with her face. She tried to go the other way but came to the door. She felt along it with her feet and found the doorknob. This is a door! A way out!

Beth kicked at the door. Her feet struck it several times to no effect. She pulled back her legs and hit the door harder. They struck it with a dull thud and pain went through her feet. Ahh! Beth brought her knees to her chest, and she clenched herself into a ball.

A few seconds later Brett put her feet back on to the door. She felt along it and came upon the doorknob again. After feeling around, she gripped it with her ankles and turned the knob.

After some effort Beth managed to open the door. Her legs hit the floor as it opened. She sat up and pulled her upper body towards the doorway.

Beth stuck her head out of the closet. She continued to move her upper body forward and rolled on to the floor. She began to crawl away from the closet pushing with her knees.

For several minutes Beth crawled through the room. She felt her chest roughly push across the hard surface of the floor. I can do it. I just have to find a way out. I’ll be OK!

Suddenly Brian came into the room and saw Beth crawling along the floor. “Hey, you,” he said. Beth froze in freeze.

Brian walked over to her. He tossed her back into the closet and she landed on the floor with a thud. Ow.

Brian closed the door and locked it.


Beth waited in the darkness for what seemed like hours. There was a growing fear in her. What if they just leave me in here? I could suffocate or starve! Oh God! I don’t want this to be the place that I die!

She twisted and turned on the floor. She struggled against the ropes binding her, but it was no use. Beth screamed through her gag, hoping that someone would somehow hear her but all the sound that she could make was a muffled noise that was nearly impossible to hear outside the closet.

Eventually Beth stopped moving and just laid there waiting. I hope Hank called the police. These guys kidnapped me on a public street. Someone had to see something. Yeah, the police will ask people in Alice’s neighborhood, where I was last seen, and one of them will tell them about the van. The police will find me in no time then.

Time passed and the fear in Beth grew. Please, I don’t want to die. There’s so much that I wanted to do; see Niagara Falls, learn to cook, learn another language, maybe go to Europe. If I . . . Please! I want to live!

She went back to tossing and turning as a kind of fidgeting. Numerous things went through her mind like what she did before she left the house that morning, the things that she said to friends, and things that she remembered from her childhood.

Beth’s heart raced. No more breakfast at Alice’s, no more going out to the movies, no more Hank, and no more Alex. She started breathing heavily and felt a tingling on her skin. Oh please! Oh please!

The door opened causing Beth to shout out in surprised.

“Quiet,” said Brian. “I’m just bringing you something to eat.” He was wearing his mask.

Oh, thank God, thought Beth.

Brian grabbed the gag on Beth’s mouth. “If I remove this use that mouth for eating only,” he said. “No talking.”

Beth frantically nodded yes. He removed the gag and then pulled out the material in her mouth. She took a deep breath and Brian brought the plate that he was holding with his free hand closet to her face. He fed her several crackers and cheese slices. She ate it all quickly and started to cough after swallowing a bunch of crackers.

“Be careful,” said Brian. You’re no good to us dead.

“Sorry,” said Beth.

“Hey, what did I say about talking?” asked Brian.

Beth tensed up. Please don’t hit me.

Brian gave her a little more food. “That’s enough,” he said as she chewed the last of the cheese slices.

He waited until she swallowed and then he gripped her chin. He forced the wad of cloth into her mouth and then wrapped the other piece around her head.

Brian went back to the door and looked back at Beth on the floor. “Behave,” he said. “We’re getting a good payday for you but don’t think we won’t mess you up.” He left closing and locking the door behind him.

Beth felt fear go through her but then realized something. Payday? They’re holding me for ransom. That means that they’ll let me go when Hank pays. Thank God! A feeling of relief went through her. She leaned back to lay completely flat on the floor and her breathing began to slow down.

After a few moments she turned on to her side and pulled her legs up towards her body. Come on, Hank. Pay the ransom. Pay it!



Beth was startled awake by the sound of the door unlocking. How long have I’ve been here? The arm that she had been sleeping on was swore.

“We need to get going,” said Brian. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up. Beth didn’t have time to get on to her feet before he pulled her out of the closet. He half dragged her across the room where they parked the van to another door which he pulled her through.


Brian dragged her into the room where Jake was waiting. He stood by a video camera on a tripod.

Brian pulled Beth towards the wall it was facing and shoved her against it. She landed on the floor. Brian grabbed her arm and pulled her on to her knees.

“That’s good?” asked Brian Jake.

“It’s needs something more,” said Jake. Jake went over untied her then he pulled her jacket off.

They’re untying me, Beth thought feeling hope. Hank must’ve paid the ransom!

Jake grabbed the front of Beth’s blouse and pulled. Buttons flew as it was ripped opened.

“Ahh,” cried Beth as she covered her chest.

“Shut up,” Jake said, and he pulled the rest of the blouse off her. Beth’s white lace bra was visible. Jake grabbed her wrists and retied them.

“Good, now her old man will know that we mean business,” Jake said as he made his way back to the video camera. He pressed play and looked at Brian who took a step towards Beth.

“Please don’t do anything to me,” begged Beth.

“I said shut up,” said Jake. He looked at Brian.

Brian grabbed Beth by her hair to force her face in the direction of the camera. “We have your wife,” said Brian. “Play us one hundred thousand dollars by Friday or you’ll never see her again. Don’t think that we’re playing. We mean business and if you call the cops, we’ll prove it. We’ll send info on how to pay later.”

Beth mumbled through her gang as tears filled her eyes.

Jake made a grunting sound and after a moment Brian pulled back on Beth’s hair. “Ahh,” she cried.

“Ok, that should do it,” Jake said shutting off the camera. “Take her back to the closet.”

Beth mumbled through her gang again to trying to get them to let her stay out a little longer.

“Shut up,” said Jake. He looked at Brian. “What are you waiting for? Take her back.”

Brian grabbed Beth by the arm and walked her out of the room.


Brian opened the closet door. “Stay quiet and everything will be OK,” he said.

He pushed her into the room. She sat down and heard him locking the door.

Come on, Hank, thought Beth. Paid the ransom! I want to go home!!!


Brian came into the makeshift living room that they have set up. “Hey, what’s with you bossing me around?” he asked.

“What?” asked Jake who was lying on a couch that they brought in. “She needed to go back into the closet, and you were the one who brought her out.”

“You’ve been acting like you’re in charge, but we’re supposed to be a team.”

“Did I hurt your feelings?” asked Jake sarcastically. “Come on, we do the job and then we get rich. After that you can go off and do what you want.”

“I’m just saying, I don’t work for you,” said Brian.

“What do you want, an engraved apology?” asked Jake. “Now if you don’t mind, my show’s on.” He turned his attention back to the tv they bought at a garage sale. “I was worried that they were going to cancel this show because the star was on trial for murder.”

Brian looked at him and scowled but he then turned and walked away.


A few hours later, the closet door opened. Beth turned her head towards it.

Brian came into the room holding a knife and leaned down towards Beth. What’s going on? she wondered terrified.

Brian grabbed Beth’s hair and then used the knife to cut off a strand.

“We’ll send the video out soon,” he answered. Along with the hair. I can’t believe how he told me to get it like I’m his gofer. I never liked the guy but this job . . .

Brian stood up. “I’ll have some more food for you soon.” He left the room locking the door behind him.


Jake called Hank with his burner phone. Finally, we’re going to get the money! “You have the money?”

“You not getting anything,” said Hank.

“What?” asked Jake.

“Do whatever you want to her,” said Hank. “Toss her into the ocean for all I care. I’m not paying a single cent for that cheating bimbo.”

“We’re not playing around,” said Jake. “If you don’t corroborate, you’ll never see her again.”

“Good,” said Hank. “Don’t call here again.” Hank hung up and looked down at the pictures on his desk, the ones the PI he hired took. In them Beth was kissing a younger man with dark hair. That gold digger won’t be getting another thing from me! If she wants to be saved then she better call her precious Alex, though I bet that boytoy doesn’t have two nickels to rub together.

He picked up one of the photos and twisted it before rolling up into a ball. The face of Beth crumbled before him then disappeared. He threw the photo over his shoulder.


Brian entered the room and saw Jake holding his phone. “He called?” asked Brian coming up to him.

“Yeah, but he said that he won’t pay,” answered Jake.

Brian’s eyes widen. “What! Why!”

“I don’t know but I think this whole thing is a bust,” answered Jake.

Brian put his hands on his head. “What are we going to do?” he asked. “We were counting on that money.”

Jake sighed. “I don’t know. We’ve got to find another way. We could sell her high-priced clothes but that won’t make enough.”

“Well, how do you make a lot of money in a hurry?” asked Brian.

“We can find someone else to pay for her,” answered Jake.

“Who?” asked Brian. “You said that she doesn’t have any family. The old man was the only deep pocket in her life.”

“I’ll think of something,” snapped Jake. “Just keep her alive until I do!”

“Why don’t we do something else?” asked Brian. “This kidnapping thing is getting us nowhere. We can think of something else.”

“No, ‘we’ won’t,” said Jake. “I will! I’m the one who comes up with the plans! You, do what you’re told.”

“Hey, who are you calling stupid?” demanded Brian.

“I didn’t say that you were stupid,” said Jake. “I said I’m the planner, the boss here but now that you mention it, yeah, you’re an idiot. You could’ve blown this whole thing when we were grabbing her.”

“This thing is blown. You said that the husband won’t pay so your idea was a waste of time.”

“I didn’t know that this would happen! Anyway, it’s not like you had any ideas on how to fix our money problems.”

“We could’ve done anything. We could’ve stuck up another place. I know a guy who works at a gaming den.”

“Doing another stick up job won’t fix things and if people find out about your friend, then it’ll be trace back to us.”

“Well, then we’ll do something else. Smuggling, bootlegging, . . . insurance fraud.”

Jake was silent for a moment. “You know, you may actually be on to something. Good job for once.”

He walked pass the other man and as he left the room Brian scowled.


To be continued . . .

 

[prtn]

A Cold Ending

This story has a nice story line setting developed

 

[A Viewer]

Beth heard the door being unlocked and turned her head to look up. The door opened and Jake came in. Did he paid the ransom? wondered Beth as her heart raced. I wish I can ask.

Jake knelt by Beth who desperately wanted to say something but did not speak. “Don’t worry,” said Jake. “Soon it will be over.”

Hope shot up in Beth but suddenly Jake punched her knocking her out again.



Beth started to stir. She weakly turned from side to side as she woke up. After fully regaining conscious, she tried to move but realized that she was still bound hand and foot. She then realized that her pants were gone, and she was in her bra and patties. What? wondered Beth getting alarmed.

Beth looked around and though it was dark she could make out enough around her to realized that she was in a different, larger room.

She noticed a faint spot of light across the room. Feeling apprehensive Beth rolled on to her stomach and began to crawl towards the light.



Jake entered the alley carrying Beth’s jeans. He went up to Brian who was standing next to the van.

“Why did you take her pants?” asked Brian.

“They’re designer jeans,” answered Jake. “I’m thinking we can get some money for them. Hey, at least I let her keep her underwear.”

He passed Brian and headed towards the van. “Let’s get out of here,” said Jake. “We don’t want to be here when the fire starts.”

“How did you start it?” asked Brian.

“I used acid to make it looked the gas pipe wore down on it’s own. The room’s filling with gas. Soon it will reach this candle that I lit and the whole place will go. That place is a dump, so it was only a matter of time before an accident happened. Nice idea with the insurance scam. I’ll just say that she was my sister, and the owner will probably pay a large settlement rather than let me take it to court with a heart wrenching sob story.”

Jake smirked at him. “You actually helped out.”

Brian watched him as he started to walk away. Brian took out a wrench from his coat and swung it at Jake’s head. It struck him and he fell to the ground dead.

“You know what?” asked Brian the corpse. “I’ll think I take be the one to take the money. I’m not really that stupid.”



Beth went across carpet but soon felt her body slid across a hard wood floor. She crawled along for a moment then softly collided with something in the dark.

Using her shoulder, she moved herself up the side of it. She pushed herself on to her feet and managed to stand.

She turned around and saw that the object was a stove and on it was a burning candle. Beth stood there for a moment. Maybe I can use it to burn through the ropes. She looked around. Why did they take me here? Did something happen with the ransom? She grimaced. What is that smell? Is that rotten eggs? Is this place near a dump or something?

Beth turned around and leaned backwards. She tried to reach back with her bound hands towards the candle but had trouble finding it. She tried to look over her shoulder but could not get into the right position.

Suddenly Beth started feeling dizzy. She wobbled a bit. After fighting to remain standing she reached out for the candle again.

Her fingers were kissed by the flames. “Ahh,” cried Beth. She pulled away from the stove and fell on to her knees.

Beth shook her head and then after a moment she worked to get back on to her feet.

She hopped back towards the stove. She leaned her upper half against it then rested her head next to a burner. What’s happening to me? I feel . . . off.

After a moment Beth stood up. She looked at the candle and then turned back around. She leaned backwards and tried to grab it. Her fingers touched the body of the candle and she tried to grab a hold of it. She fumbled it and the candle fell to it’s side and rolled away.

What’s . . . going on. She vaguely realized that she had a headache. The room’s spinning and it’s hard to think.

Beth turned around, moving wobbly as she went, and saw that the candle was lying atop the metal surface of the stove, and it was still burning. Mouth.

Beth leaned forward. Her breasts touched the surface of the stove, and she felt the metal on her skin. She put her face by the candle and grabbed it with her mouth.

She raised her head, feeling uneasy as she did so, and the candle fell out of her mouth as she was nearly upright. It landed on the hardwood floor.

Beth slowly tried to sit down. As she was halfway there, she fell to the floor. She started to move towards the candle, but a wave of nausea stopped her.

She curled into a ball. Something’s wrong. Am I sick? Maybe because of everything that I’ve been through. After a minute, the nausea passed.

Beth started to go towards the candle but had troubling moving her limbs. She suddenly felt sleepy, and her eyes started to close. She blinked them open and put more effort into crawling towards the candle.

As she neared it, she stopped, and her eyes started to close again. She blinked them open and shook her head. What’s wrong with me!? I’ve got to get out of here! She pushed herself with her left arm towards the light.

She was right next to it when she stopped. She tried to move but merely flopped about. Her eyes began to close. Beth tried to blink them open but couldn’t. Soon she was unconscious.

Beth laid there, continuing to breath in the toxic gas. She looked like she was asleep and after a few more minutes her heart stopped. She was dead.



Soon after Beth died the apartment was blown apart by an explosion. The fire blossomed out and spread about the building. Pieces of wood and glass rained down as part of the structure was engulfed in flames.



Brian was nearby sitting in the van. He looked over his shoulder at the sheet covered body in the back. I get rid of the van with the body and then I go back and pretend to be him.



Brian started the car and drove down the street. Because he was an ex-con, he kept a low profile. He paid the rent in cash and kept to himself. Heck, I even look a little like him. It shouldn’t be a problem to pass myself as the guy, at least for as long it takes for them to cut me a check.

Brian made a turn. Not so stupid, huh?

He drove towards the edge of the city.

The End​