What's up with this guy?

“Do you see that guy?” Kayla asked Jenn from the parking lot near the boat dock. The other side of the park was full of woods and only hunters were allowed during season. “He’s moving toward us super quick and I don’t see any other cars here. Hurry up and get in the car, Jenn.” Her voice hushed to a whisper in hopes he would not hear her say her friends name. She took a deep breath, unlocked her vehicle and they both opened their doors and jumped in. They pulled their doors closed and Jenn let out a screeching sound while pointing ahead through the windshield. The man had begun to run at their vehicle.

             “Oh my gosh, get the keys! He’s getting closer!” Jenn yelled.

             “I’m going! I’m going!” Kayla fumbled with her keys before finding her panda covered key fob and placing it into the ignition. “C’mon, C’mon! Yes, let’s go.” The car started up smoothly, Kayla put in it gear and stepped on the gas. As quick as the vehicle started to move, she heard three excruciatingly loud bangs and she brought the car to a stop. “Oh no, who is this guy?” Terror in her voice and shaking to her core, she looked at Jenn and gasped heavily. Her best friend had just been shot. Kayla looked up through her teary eyes and saw the man less than twenty yards away reloading a small pistol. Why does he have a gun here if there’s nothing in season? Her throat pushing a huge knot up from her stomach and her lunch from today following. Why is he even here? What is happening. Please, can we go back in time, please.” Pressure filling in her heart and chest, she gripped the wheel, squeezed her eyes shut and blinked away the tears. He was still moving closer, slower now and his gun aiming at her car.

             Now or never, Kayla, now or never. One last glance at her best friend in the passenger seat and she pressed the gas as hard as she could once more. The man began to shoot again, she opened her door and jumped as well as she could, slinging herself from the vehicle. Arms hugging herself and feeling every rock around her she continued rolling until her body was stopped by a boulder and her head banged against a pole. She no longer heard the car, turning her head as much as she could, she saw nothing but the car in the trees where the man had emerged from. Letting out a sigh she felt her ribs sore and her left leg felt as if it were soaked. Oh no, I don’t want to look. Where is he? Where could he have gone?

             “I don’t let witnesses live. I can’t chance letting you go! I had such a wonderful time so far, why would you try to ruin my game? You know, it’s my birthday and all. All my friends thought it was absurd. So, they’re where your friend is now. Well, kind of. She’s going to be with them.” He let out a giggle and she spotted him. Emerging from a dark shadow by the trees, he was wearing dark, dirty clothes and he smelled like a penny, looking closer she saw blood splatters all over his coat. His left foot was in reach, he stood watching the car catch fire and the woods engulf in flames as the fire grew. She smelled gasoline and her head started to ring. She was sure her leg was broken, and she wanted to close her eyes causing the whole world around her to stop, but the man stood over her. Gun drawn and aimed at her forehead beneath him he began mumbling under his breath, he sounded as if he was arguing with himself. “I can’t take two more, the woods are on fire, the timing isn’t right. I wasn’t prepared for this.” His tone changed and he made opposing excuses. “Yes, you can. It’s your day, Dale, you can do anything.” Followed by an even sicker giggle and a woman’s voice in the distance.           

             “Drop your weapon and get on the ground, NOW!” She yelled.

             “No, no, no, NO! You weren’t supposed to be here!” He yelled as his voice had changed back into the man she had been attacked by and he continued to argue with himself. “She is just another obstacle to finishing the best night of your life. You hit a record tonight after the driver. This one is just a bonus point,” he chuckled deeply and turned toward the woman’s voice. “Well, hello bonus!”

             Without further contemplation the man took a step forward, giggled once more, and shot both women where they were. “I told you so. I knew you could do it.”

             “Now how do you expect I get rid of them; the woods are on fire.”

             “Dale, just drag them closer and go home. Have some cake and make a wish on your candles,” he laughed, “look, your biggest candle ever!” hahaha! He stood staring at the glorious flame ahead of him.      

             “I wish you’d get out of my head.” After standing admiring his work for another moment, he dragged the bodies carefully over to the fire that had now grown over twenty-foot high, making sure to not grasp them in any way that would leave prints. Dressing down to his t-shirt and jeans, no longer covered in blood stains, he threw the torn and stained clothes into the fire the man started walking toward town. He dusted his pants and as if to wipe his hands clean, slapped them together and said, “I can’t believe I did that.”

             Roughly seven miles ahead near a ‘y’ in the road sat a bar that had been around for years. The owner of the bar was a man in his late 70’s who owned land surrounding the whole county and was known for not putting up with any ones B.S. Upon walking into the bar, he was greeted by a biker picking a juke box song. Another biker playing pool turned around to watch him walk toward the bar spoke up, “you sure do smell like you’ve been living in the woods” he said jokingly, returning to his game.

“What are you drinking, bud?” the bartending owner asked as he took a seat on a hardwood stool at the bar. “You hungry?”

Hahaha, he couldn’t help but laugh, “Have anything that’s fresh?”

“Yes sir, we get all our beef in fresh from ranchers in the area, you need a menu?” Asked the bartender.

“Suppose you’re not up for new vendors then, huh?” Continuously laughing, the owner started to question where this man came from. Vendors are few and far to find in the country and he knew just about everyone that lived out here, but he didn’t know this guy.

“You okay man? You smell like you just got done slaughtering hogs.” He said casually. The room started to get quiet. “Just being forward, you looking for help or running from something?

Hahaha! “Oh man, if only you knew the day I’ve had. Dale, tellem what you did today! Tell him your new record!” Hahahaha!

The bartender stood still, his face showing his confusion from this mans voice changing so abruptly. “Who’s Dale? You alright? You talking to yourself?”

Hahaha! “I’ll tell you everything,” hahahaha, “tell me, can you keep a secret?”