The Worst Date of My Life

“You know I hate it when you set me up on these dates.” Claire groaned as her best friend led her into the bar. 

“Please just give this guy a chance. He’s cute, and he’s a guaranteed lay.” Sophia begged, turning to Claire and holding her hands. “You haven’t had sex in months.” 

Claire had yet to tell Sophia her biggest secret. Sophia didn’t know that no matter how this guy looked she wasn't going to be interested in him. She was already in love.

“Sophia, please don’t make me do this.” Claire tried to pull back but Sophia dragged her forward. 

“Unless you are planning on having sex with someone else in the next few days, I’m not letting you leave.” Sophia stood her ground and started dragging her toward the bar. 

A man approached them, he was heavyset with a big bandage wrapped around his left forearm and his hair was cut haphazardly like he had let a small child do his hair with safety scissors. Sophia looked surprised to see him in his current state. She turned to Claire begging her with her eyes to still give him a chance.

“I’m doing this for you.” Claire whispered to Sophia as the intimidating man approached.

“Walter, let me introduce you to my best friend, Claire.” Sophia gave Claire another pleading look. “Claire, this is Walter.” Walter held his hand out to Claire.

“H-hi Walter.” Claire hesitantly shook his hand. Sophia hugged her.

“Please behave.” She whispered fervently. Sophia quickly walked away and stood by the door for a second, and gave Claire a sad smile behind her back.

“God, I hope this works.” She whispered to herself as she walked out the door.

 She walked to her car, feeling sluggish. She climbed in, barely noticing the rusted impala sitting in the next spot. She tried to stop the tears from coming, but she failed. She started the car, and listened to the sad song blaring through the radio.

“Seems about right.” She laughed weakly as she pulled away.

Halfway home she got a text and her car read it out, cutting off the music.

Come get me he has a gu

Sophia made an illegal u turn and started speeding towards the bar, she was at least 20 minutes away. Too far.

“Come on, come on, come on!” She urged her car to go faster as she drove on backroads. She was rushing so fast she didn't see the cop until he was behind her with his lights on. She groaned in frustration and fear.

She quickly pulled over and climbed out of the car with her hands up, Tears falling down her face. The cop stayed in his car.

“My best friend is in danger, her date pulled a gun on her!” Sophia cried, falling to her knees and burying her face in her hands. She knew she wasn’t going to be there in time to save her. The cop quickly climbed out of her car and jogged to her.

“Ma’am I need you to calm down.” The cop was saying. Sophia looked up and blinked at the cop with Officer Hart written on her chest. 

“Please, she’s all I have.” Sophia begged as another car sped past them. An old rusted Impala. Sophia blinked when she saw the car. “That car was in the parking lot.” Sophia turned to Officer Hart and repeated her realization, louder this time.

“Ma’am I need any information you can give me.” Officer Hart helped Sophia to her feet and Sophia ran to her car and grabbed her phone. She ran back to the officer, her partner was climbing out of the car. He looked worried, and indignant. Sophia showed the text to Officer Hart as the other officer approached. Officer Francis, his name tag read. Officer Hart showed him the text and he scratched his head for a moment.

“We don’t have time for this.” Sophia was starting to panic. She was going to die and it was all her fault. “I set her up on a blind date with a coworker at a bar we like and now she’s in trouble and it’s all my fault.” Officer Hart lightly held onto her upper arm to keep her from completely collapsing.

“Okay..” Officer Francis started. “Where is the bar?”

“I can’t remember the address, but I know how to get there.” Sophia started towards her car, Officer Hart held her back.

“I hate to say this but you were still speeding.”

“You can give me a ticket when we get there.”

“Ma’am..”

“No offense,” Sophia had to keep herself from growling at the officer, she was just doing her job, but she didn’t seem to care about Claire. “But my best friend is in trouble and I’m not letting anyone get in the way of me getting her home safe.”

Twenty minutes later, they were on their way to the bar. Officer Francis was giving them a police escort while Officer Hart drove in Sophia’s car.

“I need you to tell me everything about your friend, race, ethnicity, height, weight, age, hair color, any distinguishing marks, such as tattoos or birthmarks, and a description of the clothes she were wearing when she was last seen.” Sophia closed her eyes for a second.

“She’s white, and she’s 5’4ish. She’s 26, with blue and purple hair that’s down to her hips. She has a tattoo of an open book on her collar and another one of vines wrapping around her left leg. She was wearing a white blouse and black skinny jeans.” Sophia opened her eyes. “She’s the most beautiful, kind, caring, and honest person I’ve ever met. Turn right on Watermain.”

“How long have you been in love with her?” Officer Hart asked quietly.

“I’ve been in love with her since the 4th grade. She doesn't know. There’s a right up here on Hickory Street.”

“And no offense but, why did you set her up on a date with this guy if you’re in love with her?”

“I was hoping that if I could get her to start dating someone else, I could try to move on, but it just hurts to see her with other people. She’s so kind, so trusting.” Sophia started to cry again. “Oh god. It’s all my fault.” She buried her face in her hands again and sobbed.

“Do you have a picture of her?” Officer Hart asked, trying to get back on topic.

“Yeah,” Sophia sniffled and pulled out her phone. Her lock screen was her favorite picture of Claire, She was smiling brightly. Officer Hart looked at the picture and did a double take. 

“I can see why you like her, She’s gorgeous.” Officer Hart turned back to the road. Sophia stared at the picture until her screen turned off on it’s own. “My name is Soleil, What’s yours?” 

“I’m Sophia. Oh, take a left here.” They turned onto Fawn Court and the bar was ahead on the left. 

When they arrived, there were two other cop cars in the parking lot. Apparently they had missed something.

“Officer Hart!” Another officer practically dragged them over to the waitress waiting in front of the bar. Officer Francis went over to another cop car.

Sophia went with Officer Hart. She drifted in and out of focus while Officer Francis listened to something from the other cop car. Then he approached, looking upset.

“Sophia?” Officer Hart asked as Officer Francis appeared.

“Ma’am I need your help, can you positively identify your friend by her voice? We got a 911 call that we think is connected to your friend going missing.” Sophia nodded and followed him over to the cop car.

As she listened to the call, she went numb, and everything made sense. She could see it happening in her head.

Claire sat quietly as Walter shyly talked about day trading and collecting toenails for science. Claire spent the time quietly debating whether or not she should tell him her secret. Eventually she couldn't hold it in any longer.

“Listen Walter..” She started and his face fell.

“I can tell you aren't interested in me.” He said,

“It’s not your fault. Really, it’s not.” She started. “I’m in love with someone else.”

“No. It’s fine. Can I at least walk you out?” He asked with a smile, the combination of his hair and his smile had an unsettling effect. Claire nodded slowly, trying to be kind.

As he walked her to the door, He talked more. This time, he asked questions.

“What’s your family like?” He asked. Claire wasn’t very happy with the sudden 20 questions.

“They’re ok. They’re really judgmental, they kicked me out of the house when I was 14.” Claire stared down at her feet as she walked, confused about why she was telling him about this.

“Why did they kick you out?” He asked as he held the door open.

Then it was like time slowed down and sped up all at once. The door swung shut and Walter had a gun in the waist of his pants.

“Can I give you a ride home?” Walter asked.

“Actually, I think Sophia’s coming to pick me up.” Claire said, her voice shaking. She pulled out her phone and started texting Sophia.

Come get me he has a gu

Suddenly there was something at her side, and for the first time in her life she actually hoped it was a penis.

She sent the half written text and put her phone back in her purse.

“You’ll come with me. You won’t cry for help, you won’t struggle.” Claire felt tears in her eyes.

“Please don’t hurt me.” She begged quietly. She couldn’t get her voice above a whisper. He laughed quietly and brushed some of her hair out of her face.

“As long as you do as I say, you won’t have anything to worry about.” He whispered. He ushered her to a beat up old Impala. She paused, even his car was creepy. It was severely rusted with dents in the body. The combination of rust and shadows of the night, made it look like the car was bleeding.

“Please,” She begged, turning to him. He pulled the door open forcefully, specks of rust colored dust flurried around them. He looked at her with anger clouding his eyes. Claire started to back up. This only enraged him. He shoved her hard, and she fell backward into the car. He grabbed the car door and she only had a second to quickly pull her legs in to keep them from getting caught in the door when he slammed it. When he turned his back she tried to open the door, just to see if she might be able to escape while he was driving. The door didn’t budge. She realized she was holding her breath and took a deep breath. She gagged. The car smelled like spoiled milk and death. She clamped her hand over her mouth and nose and tried to calm down so she could think. Then she had an idea. She pulled out her phone and dialed 911.

"Please help me." She whispered as he climbed into the car. He turned the stereo on and it was blaring rap music. He slammed the door shut. She kept scrunched low in the backseat and tried to be quiet as she relayed information to the operator.

"I was on a blind date with a guy named Walter, he walked me out of the bar and pulled a gun on me. I'm in his backseat."

"Ma'am I can't understand you. I heard that he had a gun, correct?"

"Yes." She gagged again, trying hard to keep from throwing up.

She thought she might be able to get the door open if she threw her body into it, but it was risky. If she failed, He would kill her. She needed to think of an escape plan that was less risky. They weren’t in the car for very long, but it didn't take long for them to get to the bad side of town. She was running out of time, and she was starting to panic. He turned the stereo down.

“We’re almost there, don't worry.” He said slowly, he had a twisted smile on his face, exactly like the one he had in the diner, but now his eyes screamed danger. “It’ll all be over soon.”

“Please don’t hurt me.” She begged.

“I won’t have to if you do what I say.” He growled and climbed out of the car. She turned back and forth looking around for an idea. She hadn’t even realized the car had stopped. She noticed a tire iron on the floor of the car. She quickly grabbed it and kept it behind her back. She shoved her phone into her purse, still on the line with the operator.

Walter opened the door and dragged her out by her ankle. When she got out and had her feet under her again she felt more confident. She hit him as hard as she could with the tire iron, dropped it and ran. She didn’t make it far when he caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her and dragged her back.

“You dumb bitch. You just ruined your chances of ever living past tonight.” He growled in her ear as he dragged her through the door to an apartment. She tried to scream and he clamped his hand over her mouth. She clawed at him and he threw her onto the ground in the apartment.

It was almost as filthy as his car, and smelled even worse.

“You know, I had hoped for this.” He said smiling again.

“Oh god please stop doing that. If you’re going to kill me just kill me.” She groaned, gagging. She climbed to her feet.

“You’re a little bitch!” He growled and punched her in the stomach. She immediately threw up on him and she crumbled to her hands and knees, as he screamed in rage. The pain was blinding. He smiled evilly down at her. When she looked up, he was taking off the bandage. When it fell to the floor she fell sideways onto her ass and crawled backwards away from him. Big sections of his arm had been haphazardly cut off, like he'd done it with dull scissors or a spoon. In some places the patches were older and looked severely infected.

“I have a special pre date routine,” He started slowly walking toward her. She crawled away and her back hit the wall. She quickly climbed to her feet. “I can’t tell you how much of a rush it is to eat your own skin before a date.”

“That many dates, that's really-” She paused and gulped down more vomit that was threatening to surface. “Go- good for you buddy.”

“It really helps with the nervousness.” He was in front of her now. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the kitchen. “But what’s even better than that,” He threw open the fridge and Claire threw up again, and screamed when she could breathe. The smell had doubled and smacked her in the face, and there was a dead girl in the fridge. “Is eating another person.” He finished and she kept screaming, she struggled to get away from him reaching for the door and trying to kick him. He laughed. She pulled harder and her foot finally hit something, and his hand loosened. She slipped on the vomit and booked it to the door. He grabbed her and threw her into the wall. She struggled to get up and tried running to the bathroom, hunched over. She made it in but he threw the door open before she could lock it. She screamed again trying to fight him off.

“Oh my god, please don't eat me!” She screamed and kicked and clawed. He grabbed her wrists and started tying her up. She fought but he sat down on her legs. “Oh my god, I’m going to die here.” She cried. “I’m going to die in the single worst apartment in town. It fuckin smells and It’s filthy.” She kept rambling, her panicked state reaching a new high. “I’m never going to tell Sophia I’m in love with her.” She cried. He started tying her legs up and she couldn’t move anymore. Her legs had gone numb and she cried harder. He grabbed a knife.

“You know that being gay is a sin right?” He looked down at her disgusted for a second and then smiled. She looked around the room and tried to find just one pleasant thing. “Goodbye filth.” The last thing she saw was the knife coming toward her face. She finally thought of something positive, and she managed to say one last thing.

“I’m never going out with you again”