Dangerous Woman

CW: Death, Gore.

You wanna do something fun? Five words, twenty-two letters. Such a simple sentence yet one that has caused a lot.

“It started with Sammantha suggesting it.” I attempt to stress. It was cold in the room, my back hurting from sitting in the chair for so long. My eyes were starting to hurt from the perputentulant flickering light above my head.

“We understand. We just need to hear the full story. Start from the beginning, what exactly did Sammantha suggest?” The calm voice questions, although it was friendly I knew the true reason behind that friendliness, to see if I truly did it.

“You wanna do something fun?” I repeat the words, I had no idea such words could cause such destruction, they seemed so innocent. 

“Pardon?” 

“You wanna do something fun? That was how it all started, now do you want me to continue or not?” I couldn’t even help the slight venom seeping into my voice. Couldn’t blame me, been kept here for hours with no other contact.

“You’re right, please continue.” The voice said. As if I needed permission to continue, I was the onl one who knew what happened. 

***

October 13, 2010

Friday, 2:55 pm

The library was where I usually hung out. I was serious about school and even if I didn’t have classes it beat hanging out in my apartment. My roommate was annoying, but I needed help with rent and if it meant dealing with his ass then I would. Currently, I had Sam across from me as I was attempting to read a new book.

“Come on, Michael. Please. Pretty please. It’ll be fun, promise.” Sammantha begged, I sighed and looked up from my book, knowing that this conversation wouldn’t end if I didn’t give her attention. My glasses are slightly sliding off of my nose and other things to be annoyed about. Sam was a spunky redhead. Stood around 5’3, which was contrasted against my 6’2 frame. Her angular jaw, lightly freckled nose and entrancing green eyes were what drew most people in. Like a siren song, most people who continued further got lost. They were the sailors who faced an unavoidable death. Luckily for me, we had been friends since middle school. While she was dangerous to others, with her witty mischievous, and slightly bitchy attitude she was simply Sammantha Gardner. The girl who couldn’t cook to save her life. The girl who had random dance parties by herself at least twice a week. My best friend, Sammantha Gardner. 

“Last time you promised that I’d have fun was when you dragged me all the way to Queens for a party, you ended up getting shit-faced drunk and ditched me. Not to mention my keys and $50 went missing that night. Oh, and I had to walk to 75th Ave just so I could get on the subway and ended up getting drenched because it was pouring, then proceeded back to Central Harlem only to realize my keys were missing and I ended up sleeping in the hall waiting for my roommate to come back from their little trip to Long Island.” I rant keeping my face blank, to be honest, I was still upset about that. It had been one shitty night for me.

“That was last time, this is this time.” She continued to try to coax me, and she knew just as well as I did that I would give in. 

“What, this time are you going to ditch me in New Jersey?” I scoff my voice holding a slight disdain for that state. Why is it even a state?

“No, I'm not ditching you again. Just trust me.” She smiles sweetly at me, it was the last push I needed to cave in.

“Fine. But I better have fun.” I say, raising my eyebrow at her. Her smile only widened.

“Since when have I ever lied to you, dear Mike?” She questions with a tilt of her head. “Be ready at 8.”She instructed me before turning back and walking out of the library. 

I roll my eyes and look back down at the book, my life was rather boring. The same routine every day, except on the rare occasion Sam had an idea of something fun. She may be my best friend, technically only friend, but she would go MIA for days on end. I never questioned her, she had always been outgoing and I always figured it was because of her other friends. I couldn’t be upset either because, of course, she had other friends, another life outside of me. The only difference was her’s was probably filled with excitement while mine was...predictable.

If only my life were a book, or at least somewhat exciting. Maybe a killer? No, no I don’t think I’d be able to handle a killer. Maybe a spontaneous road trip? It seems easy enough without the danger, something I could handle.

October 13, 2010

Friday, 8:00pm

I sat on the couch, my hand rummaging around in a bag of potato chips. My body slouched. My mind is completely engaged with the characters on TV. It wasn’t even a good show. I was just too lazy to search for the remote. The show wasn’t the best source of entertainment but it satisfied me.

“Michael!” A voice shouts from behind my apartment door. It was so muffled that I couldn’t distinguish who it was. The funny thing about this place, doors were thick as a brick but the other walls were opposite. I will never be able to look at Mz. Porter the same after what I’ve heard. She’s a sweet old, widowed lady who likes to express loudly what she enjoys in the bedroom. I walk towards the door and look through the peephole to see Sam there, her hip cocked to the side.

“Shit,” I mumble before rushing off towards my bedroom. I was still in the shirt from earlier that day and I know for a fact that Sam will notice and call me out on it. Quickly I threw my shirt into a corner, unconcerned about where it landed. Scrambling for a simple black shirt in my draw. When my hands finally grabbed the fabric I quickly pulled it over myself and rushed back towards the door. I quickly slip on shoes before reaching for the door. I pause briefly running my hands through my hair attempting to tame the wild brown locks. Finally, my hand grabs the cool metal before turning it. “Hey.” I try to greet them calmly.

“Took you long enough.” Sam huffs before slightly narrowing her eyes.

“Is there a problem?” I question attempting to pretend like I was waiting for her.

“You forgot, didn’t you?” She states looking at me blankly.

“No, no I didn’t.” I immediately shake my head disagreeing although I was blatantly lying.

“Come on, I’ve known you for years. I know when you’re lying.”She points out. Her stare was a little terrifying. I never liked being on the receiving end.

“Sorry. I truly didn’t mean to.” I start to apologize meaning it, she was someone I didn’t want to disappoint. 

“It’s fine, I guess you don’t need to dress up. What your wearing is fine.” She explains her stare immediately disappearing and her smile returning. “Come on, or else we’re going to be late.” She takes my arm and gently tugs me away from my door. She was in a rush, I couldn’t fathom what was so important for I assumed we were going to another party. But as I stared at her clothing I saw she wasn’t wearing her usual ‘party clothes’. It only led to questioning where we were truly going. She was Sammantha, my best friend, she wouldn’t be leading me somewhere dangerous nonetheless that gut feeling I was having about tonight was putting me on edge. Maybe it was that week-old Chinese food in the fridge I ate when I got home? I chalked up my insensitive worrying to bad food.

October 13, 2010

Friday, 9:15 pm

“So where are we going exactly?” I question. We hadn’t left the apartment that long ago, or maybe it just didn’t seem long. I was never good with the concept of time.  

Sam was driving her White Chevy Silverado, there was a black tarp in the back and looked to be covering something. She didn’t reply. Her face stayed neutral and her eyes stuck to the road. In all honesty, she was slowly starting to freak me out, we were getting further and further away from city life as she continued driving North. I continue staring, hoping that I was just being my paranoid self. Living in New York you tend to develop that as a trait, in most cases it saves you.

“Somewhere.” She replied lightly not once taking her eyes off of the road. No music was on, just pure silence. Sam never liked the music to fill the quiet, she believed that conversation should fill it. 

“Why did you say we were going to be late?” I question. The stillness of air in the car was starting to become suffocating, well to me, for it seemed like Sam was having no problem with the atmosphere that’s been created.

“Because we’re going to be late.” She replies I could feel the car slowly speed up as her food steeped on the accelerator slowly. 

“Okay,” I reply just to end the conversation. Sam was acting strange and I had no clue as to why. I had no clue where we were heading. Why we were going there. Nothing, I was completely out of the loop. I pulled out my phone the screen lightning up illuminating my face in the dark. I briefly saw her look over at me, her eyes lighting up with some unknown emotion I couldn’t decipher but she doesn’t say anything. My attention goes back to my phone seeing that there was no reception where we were. What was this some horror movie? We were in the middle of nowhere, slowly getting away from human civilization, at night, and my best friend is acting weird.

 The trees were passing by, not like I could see the blurs of gree due to the darkness but I knew they were there. 

October 13, 2010

Friday, 10:00 pm

Silence…

That has become my new friend tonight. 

Slowly a dim light started coming into view. It had an orange hue over it, reminding me of fire. Something so beautiful yet so deadly. The car slowly pulls up to a stop. My nerves starting tingling, sending me on edge. My stomach was sinking, waiting for something to happen. I faintly hear the door open but fear keeps me rooted to my seat. My mind filling with different scenarios most ending with me dead. 

“We’re here,” Sam states, her cool voice putting me more on edge. We were about 20 feet away from the light, which I could definitively say was in fact a fire. 

“Where is here exactly?” I ask with an awkward chuckle. I don’t know who I was trying to convince, maybe myself. My shoulders were tense and my eyes clearly held distrust in them.

“Somewhere I promised there would be fun.” Sam’s voice had an ominous undertone. Slowly I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door. I’m sure if I booked it into the woods I could outrun her, but then there are other elements I would have to worry about. I could overpower her, maybe. Would my friend of six consecutive years suddenly decide they wanted to kill me? I think I’d know if she was a killer. On the other hand, people say the most likely person to kill you is someone you’re close to.  

“You’re not going to kill me are you?” I try to joke, mainly trying to ease my own nerves.

“The hell did that come from Mike?” Sam questions, her head tilting to the side, her personality doing a complete 180. 

“Nowhere,” I respond quickly and start to follow Sam’s quick steps.

“Okay…”Her voice draws out sounding unsure. She continues her path getting closer and closer towards the flames. The heat of the flames seemed so secure, the warmth it radiated but the icy feeling creeping in my veins I knew it wouldn’t be that welcome greeting.

Slower and slower my feet sunk into the ground. The inevitability of dread filling me. Was this how I was going to die, not fighting back and instead of rolling over onto my stomach like a dumb animal and just accepting it? We finally reached a clearing. A small little cabin was facing the fire that seemed to be raging. I froze at the entrance of the small clearing watching Sam walk closer to the fire.

“Please have my death be swift,” I mumble to my self feeling that familiar fight or flight start to kick in.

“Three...Two...One…” Sam counts. She wasn’t extremely far away from where I couldn’t hear her but her counting down sent a shudder through me. This was it. Please let me meet Buddy, my Huskie again. I close my eyes tightly, darkness was always something eerie yet welcoming to me.

“Surprise!” Shouts from all over called out. I jumped in fear and prepared to run but stopped as my tightly closed eyes opened, being blinded for a little. 

“Oh…” I mumble out seeing smiles of familiar faces. I wouldn’t call them friends more so associates, ones I met through Sam. They all jumped out from I don’t even know where, some holding signs, some adorning party hats, and some with those weird paper blower things that make an annoying sound. 

“This is an early party,” Sam explains smiling brightly, her eyes turning into small crescents.

“Party?’ I couldn’t help but question.

“Yeah, your birthday is next week, and I know you spend that week with family.” She continues sounding proud of her actions. I was impressed, not only had she scared the shit of me and made me think she was a murderer, but she took the time to plan all of this out. 

“Thank you.” I smile back, every worry leaving me. It felt like I was no longer suffocating and could finally breathe once my shoulders relaxed.

“No problem.” She winks at me before turning back to the other observers. “Come on, let’s get this party started!” she shouts holding her hands up. Multiple exciting shouts reply, and with that, the party started.

October 13, 2010

Friday, 12:45 am

 The alcohol was flowing. Everything was calm. Then an ear-piercing scream echoed.

“What the fuck?” A girl said. I was pretty sure her name was Jess. She was a pretty blonde.

“It was probably nothing,” I reply tipping back another drink. Today had been filled with the what if’s and I wanted to relax.

“That wasn’t nothing John.” Another thing about Jess, no matter how may times I told her my name she still called me John. “I’m going to go check.” She continued her train of thought.

“I don’t think you should.” I suggest, but that’s all it really was. I wasn’t going to tie her down. Then another scream tore through the air before silence followed. Now that caused me to tense. No way in hell was I going to investigate.

“Well, I am.” She states, I could heard the slight waver of her voice showing her fear. Her hand grabbed the handle and turned it. When it did open all I saw was red. Red soaked the ground. Suddenly there was a flash of silver, then a spill of red that leaked down Jess’s ripped neck. They were like red ribbons. I immediately jumped back the alcohol making me slightly unbalanced. The sight of her body falling to the ground, the pool of blood that gathered. It was so red. The gurgling sound that Jess made was terrible. But, at that very moment, my self-preservation kicked into high gear and I ran. Luckily there was a second door which I escaped through. The woods was going to be my new hiding spot. 

I was running and the shadows that collected in my peripheral made the shadows seem so much more deadlier than they were. The trees loomed higher than I thought they should be, blocking out the sky. My legs were on fire and every intake of breath felt like I was inhaling glass. I kept pushing trying to get further away from the death.

October 13, 2010

Friday, 1:15 am

I couldn’t hear anything. I blocked it all out, the screams occurring before they all stopped. I think I was the only one left. That thought alone scared me. I just had to leave. Carefully I started venturing back toward the fire. I’m sure that the others had vehicles that I could use to escape. 

The sight was ghastly, pools of blood covered everything. It almost made me want to vomit but I held it in. Scrambling I searched the bodies hoping for the keys.

“Mike.” A cold voice sang behind me. Sam. Blood covered her body from head to toe. A glimmer of silver flashed in her hand.

“Holy shit,” I mumble. My body was still hunched over a body, hand in the pockets. I felt the cool metal touch my palm and quickly grabbed it rushing away. I kept mumbling curses as I rushed around. I heard Sam walking slowly. Luckily I found the right car and got in. I only slightly fumbled with the keys before the ignition started. The headlights flashed showing me one last look at Sammantha’s body cover in blood. A sadistic smile painted on her face.

Sammantha Gardner, my bestfriend. 

A murderer.

A Dangerous woman.

I thought I knew her, how wrong I was.