Читать книгу Respect the Dead - Shawn McLain - Страница 4

Seventeen year old Beth McDaniel’s annoyance grew as, Corey, her boyfriend's car left the main road to turn down a side street. They were getting further and further from town.

“This is not the way to the theater.” She grumbled as Corey took another turn.

“It’s a shortcut.” He replied grinning.

“I know how to get to the movies and this isn’t even close. Where are you taking me?” She demanded.

“Relax this is better than the movies.” He patted her knee, an act that only added to her growing anger.

She wanted to see this movie. She had been anticipating it for weeks. She had agreed to see it with him instead of her best friend, a decision she was regretting more and more by the second.

The houses were getting fewer and fewer and the landscape more wooded. She began to recognize the landmarks. The large black barn that sat close to the road, the fork with the gnarled old tree with the huge branch pointing the way, this was not going to take her anywhere near where she wanted to be.

“Why are we out here? The movie starts at 7:30.” She huffed checking her watch.

“I wanted to show you something.” He said with that annoying smirk in his voice, that one that at first was so enduring now was just tiresome.

“I’ve been out here before. I know all about the Haunted bridge.”

“I know.” He smiled.

Something about the way he said it made her extremely uncomfortable. The smile on his face was illuminated by the dashboard light. I made him seem ugly and slightly creepy. “Seriously, I’ve been here before.” She was getting nervous, “We can still make it. You know the previews take forever.” She added hopefully.

“Come on, this will be more fun than some stupid fantasy movie.” Corey said, using what he thought was a sultry voice. It made Beth’s skin crawl. He pulled the car to the side of the road and flipped the lights off.

“I want to see this movie.” She replied backing further away as he advanced. One of his hands was gripping her knee the other was snaking around her shoulder. The harder he pulled her to him, the harder she tried to pull away. Unfortunately she was pinned against the car door. “Corey, Stop! I mean it I want to see this movie.”

“I have something planned that is so much better than…”

“Stop it right now! I told you once I won’t tell you again.”

Ignoring her demands, Corey leaned in and started kissing her neck. Beth pushed him off, he grabbed at her hands laughing. Annoyance was now starting to fight with fear. He was holding her wrists in one of his hands while his other was on the back of her neck pulling her toward him. Freeing her left wrist she grabbed his face, pushing away hard.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” He cried rubbing his cheek, her hand print still visible on it.

“I want to go home, now!”

Changing tact, he smiled sweetly, “Come on baby don’t be a tease. It’ll be fun.” He whispered leaning in again.

She pushed him back, angling herself with a knee between them. “Stop it right now! Take me home.”

“Oh, I’ll take you somewhere honey.” Before Corey could move more than a few inches… “Smack!” Beth’s hand connected painfully with his smug face.

“What the hell!” He screamed, massaging the spot where she had hit him.

“I said take me home right now!”

“You bitch! What the hell did you hit me for!?”

“I told you to stop!”

Anger flared in Corey as he reached over grabbing at Beth’s hands, “You don’t hit me, EVER!” He growled. Beth fought back, slapping his hands away. She fumbled behind her for the door latch with one hand while keeping him at bay with the other.

Corey's voice rose with each word, anger contorting his face. “You think you’re man enough to hit me. Then I’ll treat you like a man!” His fist cocked back, the door popped open, and Beth spilled out onto the gravel road. His fist hit the seat where a split second before her face had been.

Crawling over the seat, Corey grabbed at her feet. She pulled them out of his reach. Kicking hard she slammed the door it in his face. When it appeared in the window a second later it was full of rage.

“Fine!” His muffled voice screamed through the window, Beth scooted further from the car, “Fine! Stay out there, bitch!”

He disappeared, but the engine revved. Beth scrambled to her feet and out of the road. Gravel and dirt spit from the tires as Corey sped forward. Shaking with anger, Beth watched as the brake lights came on. The car skidded to a halt. There was a pause. Suddenly the reverse lights illuminated the road. The engine whined in reverse. The vehicle swerved whipping around, gravel shot out from the tires again. Beth stepped further off the road shielding her eyes from the bright headlights as the car spun. Fearfully she stepped back as the vehicle hurtled toward her. Mere feet away, the brakes locked up again skidding to a stop. Beth stumbled back away from the car ready to run. Corey got out, slammed the door and advanced on her. She stood her ground. Out of the car, in the open, she knew she could take him. He noticed her stance and faltered.

Beth had shown more than once she could take care of herself. The memory of gym class when she had protested the sexism of girl’s sports versus boy’s flooded back to Corey’s mind. She had seriously embarrassed one of the school’s top wrestlers that day. Still, he was going to make it clear she was in the wrong. Pointing an accusing finger, “You said you’ve been out here before when I brought it up. What the hell is so important about a stupid movie?”

“What… huh… wha?” Beth sputtered in her anger and confusion. “I came out to the haunted bridge, so what!? What does that have to do with, with...” She couldn’t comprehend how her being out here before constituted it being ok for him to assault her.

Backing up with a look of contempt on his face, “Is that what you think this place is?” He sniffed his disdain, “You just missed your chance. You should stay with the geeks, not try to date outside your league.” He turned back to his car. Flinging Open his door he turned and pointed at the passenger side. “Get in.”

Beth stood still. “I prefer to walk.” The disgust dripping in her voice.

“Just get in we’ll go see your stupid movie.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere with a pig like you.”

“Just get in the damn car!”

“No.”

Angery words echoed through the dark woods surrounding them. In the end, he had sped off calling her several names that ensured they would never speak again.

The taillights faded away leaving Beth alone with three choices: walk home in the dark, call her brother, or call her best friend, Wesley Davidson. Her brother, Steve, would be at work. She cringed at the thought of making him leave work. On top of that he would be more interested in beating Corey to death over picking up his sister. He had never liked Corey and was very vocal about her choice of dating him. “Still an option,” She muttered. “Maybe for tomorrow.” She decided on Wes.

Praying he wasn’t too angry with her for ditching him for Corey to see the movie. It was his favorite series after all. They had seen all the others together on opening day. She took a deep breath as she remembered the excitement they both had about it. Then she remembered the look on his face when she told him she was going to opening night with Corey instead.

“Yeah, hey cool, maybe we can see it some other time.” He had said in a too cheery way that told her he was highly pissed.

She cringed at that and several other things she had done, including but not limited to, ignoring him at school and laughing as Corey’s friends made fun of Wes. She really hadn’t been much of a friend to him since she started dating Corey.

"Way to be an ass Beth." She chastised herself. Shaking the memories from her mind, she opened her phone and placed the call.

The phone rang and rang again. She started to feared he wouldn’t answer. “Maybe he found someone else to go with.” The thought caused her stomach to tighten. She realized it wasn’t because she might have to walk home or call her brother.

Finally she heard the family sound of Wes' voice, “Hey, didn’t expect to hear from you. What’s up?” He asked. She could hear the concern yet coolness of his tone.

“I…Wes…" She knew he was going to be upset. "I need a ride. Can you come get me?” Wincing as she asked.

“Yeah, sure. Where are you? You OK?” He knew she was out with Corey.

“I’m out at Troll Bridge.” She said with a sigh.

She waited, silence, and then, “Why are you out there?” His voice was strained, annoyed.

“Listen, it wasn’t my idea can you please just come get me?” She replied slightly angry.

“What happened? Do I need to bring Corey some gas?” He sneered the name.

“Nooo.” Her anger began to bubble up again. Taking another steadying breath, Beth hesitated then explained, “No…he…Well, he sorta left me here.”

“WHAT? ALONE? What the hell?” He yelled. Wes was now upset and she hated when he got all worked up. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He said. Through the phone she could hear him crashing around. She could see him in her mind's eye searching his cluttered room. She couldn't help but smile when she heard the keys jingling followed by a loud swear. He had tripped on the nightstand...again. He did that every time he was in a hurry.

“Ten minutes, Wes? Really?” She asked skeptically. "You'd have have to do a hundred miles an hour to get here and your car doesn't do a hundred."

“Stay on the phone so I know you are OK.” He demanded. "An don't knock the car that is coming to get you." She stood in the middle of the road listening. The engine on Wes’ third hand car struggled to life. She shook her head. Wes urged and threatened the car to start. Beth smiled as he whooped when the engine finally engaged. "Ok Where are you exactly?"

“Wes, I’m almost to the bridge. Honk when you get here. I’ll be by that tree with the big hole in it. You remember the one you said a gnome lived in.” She sighed as a tear ran down her face. She brushed it away.

“Beth, I said stay on the phone so I know you are OK.” He growled angrily, gears crunched audibly through the phone. .

“Wes, you can’t shift and talk. I’ve seen you drive without distractions." She shuddered, "Just be safe and come to my rescue.” She tried to joke.

“Fine! I’ll hang up but you have to text me every minute OK!.” He demanded. She could tell he was already having trouble driving and talking.

“OK”, she conceded and heard the phone thud, swearing, then silence. "He must have hung up." She told the darkness. Looking through the swaying leaves at the moon she tried to figure out what she did to deserve this. Anger flared. “Corey is such a dick.” She berated herself, “What were you thinking?” she slapped herself on the side of the head.

Somewhere off in the distance she heard the moan of the trees in the breeze, the cry of a hawk or maybe it was a cat. Beth wrapped her arms around her shoulders and nervously stared into the darkness.

She heard the weird cry again. She couldn’t tell where it came from. With shaking fingers she scrolled to Wes’ number. She hesitated then closed the screen.

“It’s only an animal, nothing to worry about.” She told the surrounding trees as she slowly edged her way off the road and down the bank of to a creek. She wasn’t far from the gnome tree, as she and Wes had dubbed it, a huge tree with a hole at the base large enough for a small person to fit in. They had come out here a few weeks ago. She had heard a couple of the girls at school talking about it and asked Wes if he knew it. He had been rather interested in a haunted bridge, and the name Troll Bridge had been the topper.

“Of course those girls came out here,” Beth muttered a thought dawning hitting her like a slap in the face. “For just the reason Corey wanted. Damn it!” Her fists and teeth clenched, "This is a make out spot." She shouted stamping her foot. Immediately he foot slipped and almost fell in the soft earth. The creek was swollen from a late autumn rain and the air still clung to the chill and wetness. She looked out over the fast moving water at the moon reflected in it. When she was out here with Wes, it had been to look for ghosts. That night had been a lot more fun.

“How the hell did you let this happen?” She berated herself. “You knew he was an asshole, good looking and popular, but an asshole.”

She sighed again taking a step toward the tree. Her foot caught on a root. The ground rushed up to meet her. Throwing out her hands to break the fall her phone flew into the darkness.

“Sploosh!” Her head, arms, and body were instantly submerged in cold swift water. With her legs still on the bank, she was covered from her head to halfway down her back. The freezing water felt like daggers on her skin. Pulling herself out, her knees sunk into the mud soaking the legs of her jeans. Cold water ran down her back from her long sopping hair. Beth sat there shivering for a moment. The shock of the fall and the cold ebbed away. She burst into tears.

She hated Corey, hated him. Angry, frustrated sobs wracked her body as she shivered wet and cold on the muddy banks of the creek. Her cell rang. She couldn't see where it was. Throwing aside leaves and twigs she found it several feet away in the grass. Her fingers shook with the cold and the tears making it hard to answer.

“Beth! Why haven’t you texted? Are you ok?” Wes shouted into the phone.

“I’m….I’m…..oohhhh godddd…..” Beth wailed.

“Hold on.” Wes cried. The familiar thump of the phone on the seat followed by the whine of the engine. Putting away her phone she was freezing. Slowly she crawled to the tree. Slumping against it she let the tears fall thick and fast. This would never happen to her again, she swore it.

Several long minutes later, Beth heard a car flying toward her. Headlights flickered. Recognized the right one was bouncing a little. No matter how much Wes tried that light was always loose. A breath of relief blew out her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around herself and headed to the road. Just when she crested the hill the beat up car skidded to a halt. It was barely stopped before he was holding her at arms length making sure she was ok. She was soaked, cold and crying. His arms were around her warm and comforting. She clung to him letting the tears flow. She felt like such a fool.