Her hair was black, blacker than a dark mine. Her eyes twinkled in the night sky, blue with a glimmer of green. She was beautiful!

Her eyes would look at mine staring into my engaged pupils. This is the last I saw of her, but many have seen her after me; been terrorized by her utmost beauty.

She was a killer, stalking her prey…that was the last I saw of her…the horrifying image of the one you love, overtaken by a beast.

The gut was in her mouth, blood rushing down her hands and stomach. She lashed out on her victim one more time, finishing him. She looked at me one last time, saying goodbye with her glimmering eyes.

It started to drizzle rain that pierced my skin, as she darted away leaving a half eaten corpse on the cobblestone pathway.

I turned away and even though no one was around to hear my agony, I let out an ear piercing scream once more. My legs were still bleeding and so were my arms as the stab wounds portrayed a horrifying picture.

I saw her hair as she finally left me there to die. I sat at the same spot…thinking about what was to come. I could not move, I could not scream as I lay there, nagging death to come. My heart was under pressure, pumping blood out into a lifeless puddle of red. I started to leave the earth my body staying on the planet but, there was nothing left to do anymore. I took my last breath; dark fell upon me, until nothing was left.









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As I ran away, knowing that I had just killed a man, knowing that people were after me, and knowing that eventually they would catch me, I was horrified.

I kept running into the forest until I could no longer move my legs and collapsed onto the ice-cold dirt. I quickly drifted off into a deep, deep sleep.

I awoke in a heartbeat, remembering that I wasn’t home and had to keep moving. When out in the distance I heard yelling.

“Jay!!” They screamed.

They were looking for him already. I stood up and darted deeper into the woods until I was stopped by a paved road running parallel to me. To my amazement a Dodge rolled directly to me and stopped.

The truck was dark green with speckles of brown rust scattered all over the truck. Dents told the age and quality of the truck and its contents.

“Hey dude,” an orange haired redneck said in a slurred voice.

“The names Ray,” I replied.

“Well my names Bud, Bud Johnson.”

And that’s when I really got a look at Bud. His curly orange hair and his pale white skin all complemented his black eyes. He smelled of beer and dirt as if he hadn’t showered for weeks. Bud was wearing a plaid green shirt with millions of tiny holes. I looked at him again and regretted asking what I asked.

“Do you suppose you could give me a lift?”

“Where ya goin to?”

“Where ever you’re going Bud,” I replied

“Well I’m goin…. Actually I forgot where I was goin. Hop in then.”

I hesitated stepping into a filth wonderland with Bud, but what else were my options?

“Don’t be scared. I don’t bite.” He said in a slurred tone again, after my hesitation.

I opened up the rickety door and stepped into the vilest smell ever. His car smelled like urine, dead animals, and beer. I held my nose as I ascended into his car. Surprisingly his car was comfortable as I dozed off to sleep.

I awoke suddenly to Bud calling my name.

“Ray….Ray….RAY!”

“What?” I hollered back, stunned

“I…um…think were here,” he replied.

As I glanced out the car window I saw what Bud was talking about. A small but vibrant cottage was sitting to the edge of the road. Bud was standing in-front of it with a colossal smile on his tan face.

The cottage was dark green, had massive stain-glass windows in the front, and a minuscule patio.

“What is that Bud?” I asked curiously

“Well…that’s…well that’s home!”

I knew exactly how Bud was feeling, happy and excited at the same time. He looked elated to be home finally.

As we were speaking to one another, a tiny aged lady hobbled her way onto the patio. She was old, with sparkling black eyes and extravagant white hair. She looked at me and that’s precisely when I knew who she was. She was Bud’s mother.

Bud darted to the lady and embraced her affectionately. She squeezed him back and then planted a gigantic, wet kiss smack-dab on his forehead.

“Who’s that young lady?” she asked in a squeaky-high pitched voice

“That’s Ray,” replied Bud

“Very nice to meet you,” she said to me.

I walked into the quaint and surprisingly large house. Taking off my shoes at the front door I looked around the house.

The walls we painted baby-blue and a sofa was sitting in the center of the living room. An old T.V. rested on a wood table in front of the couch. Two doors led off to parts unknown, as I walked into the kitchen.

Bud was sitting next to his mother and laughing hysterically. She smiled at me, acknowledging my presence but, didn’t seem to look at me very much for the time being.

At around 7:00 PM everyone went their separate ways. Bud watching western on the T.V., his mother cooking dinner, and me… well I just drifted around from room to room.

“Honey…dinners ready!” Screeched Bud’s Mother.

“Comin’!!”

I kept walking around until Bud asked me if I was coming to supper. I scurried into the kitchen and sat at the nearest seat to the door.

Mother Bud (I had no idea of her name) placed dirty, rusty plates in front of us. She then plunked a large bowl of mush on the table too.

“Looks yummy,” said Bud instantaneously.

‘Yeah…looks real good….if I even knew what it was…’ I thought to myself.

“Why thank you, you gentleman,” replied Bud’s mom.

Bud let out a slight giggle and stuck his spoon in the mush and served him and me and his mom some.

The mush jiggled and squashed as he deposited me a very large portion. I said thanks, and took one good look at the “dinner” and almost threw up.

“Dig in,” Bud said looking unswervingly at me.

Sticking my spoon into the stuff, I took a small spoonful to start. Just as it looked (brownish white, slimy, and absolutely revolting) it didn’t taste any better. I quickly shoveled the rest into my mouth and waited until Bud and his mom finished…firsts…seconds…and a bit of thirds.

After an extensive dinner Bud’s mother chimed in again.

“By the way…the names Sue.”

She looked at me and for the first time that I have been in their pleasant house…she smiled.

By 10:00 everyone had gone their separate ways again. Bud went to sleep in his bedroom, Sue went to read in hers, and I lay uncomfortably on the couch.

I couldn’t fall asleep so I lay on the couch until the birds started to chirp, and a crescent of light peeked through the blinds. Today I needed to go to the nearest airport and fly home.

When Bud awoke from his unfathomable sleep I asked him and he agreed…sadly.

“Why do you have to leave?” He asked

“I have to get home too! My mother is waiting.”

“I’ll miss you Ray,” he added quietly

“I will miss you too Bud!”

For the first time in my life, I think I actually cared about someone. Bud. Everything he has done for me has been kind. He gave me a ride, and invitingly opened where he lived up to me. But, I knew it was time to go.

Bud took me to the airport around 12:00. He insisted in bringing me inside and waiting on me until my flight came.

My problem with airports is they are always buzzing with police. That is all you see for miles. Police to the right, to the left, straight ahead, and back behind. That is all that was there.

For around twenty minutes I was safe, but then Bud decided to say my name…and what a mistake.

“I’m going to really miss you Ray Daniels.”

As he said that name…tens of police swooped in around us. One approached me.

“Can I have a word with you Ray?” One police officer asked

I believe that officer was a great man…but I had to do what I had to do.

I kicked him in the chest, springing to my feet. I shoved two other police and bolted for the exit. I felt the wind whip through my hair as I kept running, not turning back. The exit was yards away but, I didn’t seem to be fast enough. Two officers lunged in front of the exit, blocking it.

With their guns extended there was nothing to do anymore but stop.

Before I was dragged out of the local airport I looked over to where Bud was sitting, still stunned by what was happening.

“I’m sorry!!” I screamed, making sure he would here me.

This time he didn’t say anything back, he didn’t come running to save me from the dreaded jail cell. He just sat there, dead silent.

After being dragged out, and shoved in a police car. I realized that he wasn’t ever going to come to my rescue. I couldn’t even be rescued anymore.

The only person who could rescue me from what was to come…….was myself.

I. Was. Alone……Again.