Alone In The Darkness (8 page)

“I'll be there within the hour.” Vadym ended the call. He stood quietly in the small kitchen. The house was dark as his wife and son slept down the hall. His finger stroked the wipe cloth on the sink edge as he waited for the address to be sent. His breathing was steady and deep. The phone buzzed to life and he read the message. He swiped and sent a response. He placed the phone down onto the counter and rubbed his forehead with the palm of hand as he arched his back opening his chest to the ceiling. His lungs exhaled in a deep sigh as he walked across the room and down the hall.

He entered a small room and flipped the light switch. A ceiling light turned on and the fan blades began to spin slowly. The walls were lined with dark wood bookcases stacked with old novels and magazines. Across the room was a desk that contained stacks of old notebooks and papers. He crossed the room and reached behind the open closet door. His arm lifted out a dull green military duffle bag. He placed the bag across the desk pulling the chair to the side.

Vadym returned to the closet and pulled down two storage boxes. He opened the lids and pulled out a roll of clear plastic and a bundle of tools. Both items were placed in the bag. He then placed a container full of surgical gloves and gowns as well as a rain set. He reached down and pulled open the main drawer of the desk and rummaged through. His arm moved through the material and pulled up a small collapsible saw.

From behind Vadym a small hand rested on the door knob. The weight of the child’s body pushed against the door causing it to release a soft creak. Vadym spun around still holding onto the saw. The boy’s voice was soft as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, “Daddy, why are you up?”

“Pash, go back to bed.”

“The light was on.”

“Go back with your mom.”

“She sleeps too loud.”

Vadym’s patience was waning as he walked over to his son, kneeling before him, “Go back to sleep. Lay with your mamma.”

“What is that?” The boy motioned to the saw in his hand.

“Daddy is just cleaning up his office.” He stood and walked across the room placing the saw into the bag. He turned back to his son. He reached down and the boy was in his arms. He rested his head against his shoulder as he entered the master bedroom. A woman was sleeping in the bed covered by a light sheet and wearing a cream slip.

The father leaned close to his son’s ear, “Go with mom.”

He lowered the boy into the bed. He carefully lifted the sheet and pushed the boy close to his mother. Instinctively she slid over and placed her arm around the boy. The two were fast asleep before Vadym made it back to the office.

He continued to load up the bag and carried it out the back entry of the house. He reset the alarm and walked out of the house along the driveway to the garage at the back of the property. He passed two parked cars and entered through the side. He pulled the key out from the cabinet shelf and tossed the bag into the trunk of the car. He reached up on the wire shelf and pulled down a stack of storage bins and a large bottle of bleach. From under the back cabinet he pulled a new set of boots fresh out of the package and placed them in the car. He fell into the driver seat and turned the ignition. The car was only used on special occasions and struggled on its first two attempts. The car woke to life and Vadym turned on the head lights and pulled out of the driveway speeding off down the street. The garage door slowly lowered behind him finishing its ghostly action alone.

Jennifer sat silently against the wall of the room. Her back leaned against the open drywall and she rested her head against a cold stud. Her head hung down providing relief to her hands bound behind her. She squeezed her fingers together and pulled, but there was still no give. She felt a numbness as she rhythmically clicked her finger nails. Above Jennifer’s head, light shown through the dirty window. Dust danced, floated, and swirled on the light beams. She had been lost in the hypnotic movement. Feeling her own mind drifting through the air. Across the room laid the motionless body of the man with his feet buried in stacks of papers and trash. Her eyes purposefully avoided the scene.

Jennifer took in a large breath and began to slowly slide her way towards the door. She balanced using her arms pulling herself backwards through the room. She reached the wall along the door and peered out into the hall. The light from outside moved through the front door windows, illuminating the grain of the wood molding. She saw the marks made on the floor from the man. Channels were carved in the dust through old footsteps and hand prints.

Along the base of the wall were crumpled baggies and syringes. The accumulation of lint and dust revealed their age. Further down the hall she could see the house open up to a living room. Along the side of the hallway a half wall formed a darkened cave. Jennifer peered into the darkness as two eyes slowly opened and stared down the hall towards her. A woman was huddled in the corner covered with a rotting blanket. Jennifer could see her eyes moving in rhythm as her head bobbed and shook gently. Her face was cuddled in the blanket obscuring her nose and mouth as her long greasy hair flowed down her side.

Jennifer stared at the woman and whispered through the cut in the tape, “Help.” There was no answer. She repeated again and lightly rapped her head against the door with a hollow thud. The woman clenched her body as a shiver took over. She looked up slowly to the entry way. Jennifer repeated her call and knocked the door again. The woman continued to pan across and meet Jennifer’s eyes. They were heavy and sunken and she made no movement. Jennifer continued to speak out to her but there was no reaction. The woman was distant and empty. Jennifer stopped her efforts. She knew there was no hope with this vacant creature. What was this place, Jennifer thought, and why had they dumped her into this home with these people?

She rested her head on the door jamb still staring across at the woman. Her eyes quickly shifted to the main room. They widened and Jennifer could see the bloodshot whites of her eyes. Her head sank further into the blanket and she pulled back into the corner. Jennifer felt a slight tremor beneath the wooden floor and a stomping sound from the hallway. With her knee she closed the door to just a crack. Her single eye peered through the opening as a tall lanky figure stumbled into view. He swayed unnaturally in the hall, his thin legs protruding from torn shorts. He stumbled and continued on to an adjacent room. Panicked breathing took over again in anticipation of confronting another person. She had dealt with the man on the floor but he didn't move with the same force. The man walking down the hall could have his way with her. She closed the door to the room and slid over to the trash. She kicked an empty box against the door and moved back to the corner. At a minimum she wanted to know if someone were to walk into the room. Not that it would make a difference, but she didn't want to wake up to a fresh face staring at her.

For a while Jennifer stared at the door knob expecting it to turn and reveal the man from the hall. The minutes rolled by and the house remained silent as Jennifer’s mind began to relax. She thought her of grandmother sitting on the couch watching television and laughing about the day. In that moment she regretted being so aloof in her phone conversation in the car. She would give anything to see her again and talk about stupid shows, to see her friends at the coffee stand, and serve drinks at the bar. She wished for the mundane tasks of washing glasses and swiping credit cards, hearing the harmless flirting and obnoxious drunks.

Her mind drifted to the cruise boat. It would be the first vacation since driving with her family to Disney. She had seen the cruise brochure at a diner about a week after arriving at her grandmother’s. Her bruised eye was still hiding behind her sunglasses as she waited to be seated. The images of the rooms, piles of food, and the happy people dancing on the deck. She wanted to be there. She knew it would be a struggle, she had always fought money. They were on and off friends. Living down in Portland with RT meant she didn't need to think or worry about money or responsibilities. Her grandmother had set rules for moving back in and Jennifer had no choice but to adhere. It was hard going in the first few weeks. She struggled to find jobs and accept the monotony of her new daily routine. It had been months and she was, only now, finding her path. Her grandmother even noticed and told her to do something for herself. Jennifer had saved the brochure and brought it up one night after dinner. Her grandmother agreed that it would be good for her to go and encouraged her to start saving.

Sitting in that room bound by twine and tape she could still dream of the trip. She could see herself standing on the balcony wrapped in a blanket sipping a drink and watching the misty blue morning rise in the Alaskan fjords. She could taste the coffee as she licked her lips through the tape on her mouth as her hair blew in the breeze. Her bound hands rested over the railing. She smiled as she heard seagulls flying overhead and the boat moved through the black water. The light in the dream began to fade and the sound of distant popping gravel and headlights pulled Jennifer into reality.

Above Jennifer's head a beam of light shone through the window and cast shadows on the wall. Light shadows moved from left to right as the car turned up the drive into the front of the main house. Jennifer lifted herself up against the wall and craned her neck. Her head met the windowsill and her right eye could see high enough to view the car shifting into park. The headlights turned off and the door opened. A thin young man stood up, shut the door, and quickly trotted up to the front of the house and walked in.

Jennifer slumped down to the floor and stared out across the room. With the arrival of a new person she renewed her attempts to break the bindings. She quickly scanned the room and saw the power cord stretching out from the trash pile. She slid over to the pile and began to kick. What emerged was a shadeless lamp. She saw the light bulb at the end of the lamp. She shifted her body and lifted her legs. Her feet came down smashing the bulb. She paused, her ears searching for any hint of discovery. It was silent. Her body shot around and she began to saw at her bindings with the protruding glass piece. As she rocked her hands back-and-forth she could feel the glass on the ground grinding along her fingernails and wrists. Sharp stabs of pain went through her fingers as she moved too quick catching some glass across the skin.

Jennifer was cutting when she heard the pop of the screen door on the neighboring house. A male voice was talking and it was growing louder by the moment. She paused and turned her head to the window. The voice was moving in her direction. A man was on his way to the house. She doubled her efforts and moved with a passion. Her hand nicked the glass pieces causing her to wince as small trickles of blood ran down her fingers and onto the floor. She could feel the bindings starting to fray and break.

Nick pulled up to the house. He reached into the back of his car and pulled a small duffle bag into his lap. The bag contained two handguns wrapped in a shirt along with a magnetic metal box. Nick’s paranoia had increased over the last few weeks when delivering finished units for distribution. His job was delivery to and from the house. As it was explained to him, “You're a jackass. Understand? A car mule. Drive slow, drive responsible, and always deliver. You're an in and out man. Raw product in, finished product out.” He took the liability and risk in transportation. His deliveries had been increasing in size and value along with his paranoia. For Nick, a hundred grand of drugs in the car increased the risk of bodily harm, and the guns were his way of cooling that fear. The box was a tax on transportation. A skimmer by nature he felt he deserved more than his normal wage.

He sat for a brief moment staring forward at the collection of cars and the flickering porch light. He pulled his hand to his face and took the last drag of his cigarette. He flicked the butt out of the window, the orange end glowing and spinning in the night. He was late to work and he knew he would get an earful from Tyler. His teeth pulled back on his lower lip and he closed his eyes. His finger pulled back on the lever and the window began to roll up closing him in. He opened the door and quickly walked up the porch with his small bag in tow.

“Sorry I’m late,” He said clearing a small path between bags and boxes. He lowered his head preparing for the onslaught that never came.

From the other side of the room Tyler coiled his body to see Nick, “I need you and Steven on bud sorting and med setup.” Nick’s face softened to Tyler’s tone. The verbal beating never came. He shifted between Steven and Kora who had not turned to greet him. Their heads were down and busy cutting material, processing, and bagging.

“Good evening to you all too. Lover’s quarrel?” His arm arced the room. His sarcasm was ignored as he dropped his bag against the wall. There was a dull clattering of metal on metal as the bag settled. Everyone was too busy working to notice the odd sound.

“You’re fucking late.” Tyler said. Nick’s mouth curled slightly, he knew Tyler would have something to say.

“I’m here now amigo.”

“Where have you been? You knew when we were starting tonight. I tell you that time and you need to be here at that time or you don’t have a job.”

“Hey man, I know I’m late. I fell asleep this afternoon and woke late. I got my shit together and hurried out, but I had to drop a friend off and it took longer than I anticipated. I was texting Kora to let you know. Hey that’s responsible right there. I didn’t keep you in the dark.”

Tyler was now fully turned and facing Nick, “You’re a shit liar Nick. A fucking child’s art painting on your face.”

“Hey, I’m telling you the truth, but I’m here. Just forget about it, time to sort some bud right? I am on it. Bud, bud and more bud. I love sorting bud.”

Tyler saw his arms lift and his palms to the ceiling. It was Nick’s tell and Tyler’s blood began to boil. He crossed the room and pressed Nick up against the wall. The kitchen fell silent as Tyler commanded full attention, “I can’t deal with your childish shit tonight. I’ve got more to deal with than you can imagine and I’m not going to blow cycles listening to you. You will not be the next spur in my ass.”

Nick’s head turned, not making eye contact, “Alright man, I’m here. Let’s just do some work.”

Tyler backed off and navigated his way through the kitchen mess to the counter.

Nick looked at the back of the three heads in the kitchen. “What’s going on tonight? Y’all look like you're pissed off or something. Are we getting shares cut or having to pull doubles again?”

Tyler’s head didn’t move as his hands continued to scoop fine powder form the mixing bag into small marked wax baggies. “This fuck,” Tyler blindly pointed to Steven, “Decided it was time to play bandito.”

Nick’s face showed a confused look, “I’m not following.”

“The fuckhead here decided to take a lady and bring her to the office.”

“What there’s a woman here?”

“Yes.”

“Where is she?”

“We put her in with the heads and someone is coming to deal with her.”

“What guy? She’s with the heads? You put a stranger, a woman, in with the heads? Oh that is low man. Those shits over there are insane.” Nick’s eyes opened wide as he scanned the room.

“A guy is coming to deal with the situation.”

Nick’s face started to open up and a deranged smile came across his mouth as his tongue played with his teeth, “Tyler let me go see her.”

“No, fucking sort bud.”

“Tyler, 1 minute man. I’ll cash in on my first piss break, no biggie. I’ll be right back.” Before Tyler could respond, Nick was halfway out the screen door and onto the porch.

“A lady in our midst.” He walked around the corner of the porch and onto the walking path. He mumbled in crazed excitement as he walked through the grass. His eyes lifted to the darkened house. He bounded up to the porch but caught his foot on the top step. His arms went forward and his other leg caught him on the wood. His hands scraped across the worn wood and he let out a gasp. His stumble released a loud thump as he tried to stand again. He walked up to the door. His hand pulled out the cell phone and he flipped on the flashlight.

The door creaked open and he shone the light down the hall. Slithering bodies moved in fear of the light. The tangled limbs pushed against empty walls and stripped flooring, stammering and clawing for relief in the darkness. Eyes hid behind dirty clothing and pulled blankets.

“Fucking animals.” Nick scanned the hallway for any hidden bodies. He had always been nervous going into the head house. At any moment a body could stumble through a room or doorway grabbing onto a shoulder or leg. It was more terrifying than dangerous. The bodies were weak and easy to defend, but the stress on the heart as it lifted to the throat was another thing altogether. 

He looked left and right and saw the closed door. His hand reached the nob and he opened the door. Behind the door boxes and paper pushed against his approach. He forced the door open as papers dragged beneath. The room had more light than the entry way. He could see in the corner of the room a woman kneeling with her arms behind her back. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing quickly.

“Hello there. How are you?” Nick smiled and entered the room. He closed the door behind him and in doing so saw the body laid before the closet. “You have been busy tonight?”

Jennifer’s eyes were terrified at this new figure. Her breathing was rapid and she released soft whimpers through the slit in the tape across her face. Nick cross the room and stood before the man face down on the floor. His foot went out and lightly kicked the man. His skin jiggled but there was no response. He strained to view the man’s face and noticed the dent in his forehead. Nick looked at Jennifer, “Feisty one.” 

Nick crossed the room slowly, shining his cell phone at Jennifer. She pushed her legs against the floor driving her back into the wall behind her. Her voice whimpered.

“What is your name sweetie?” Nick began to lower himself in front of Jennifer. She kicked out with her bound legs but missed Nick. “It’s alright we’ll keep our distance.”

The light shone in her face and she recoiled turning to the open wall. Nick lowered the light down across her body. He stopped briefly on her pants and shirt.

“You're a pretty one,” Nick smiled as he ran his tongue along the bottom of his lips. He reached down and grabbed the bindings around her feet and pulled her towards him. Jennifer’s body sprawled out onto the floor as Nick quickly straddled her, sitting on her thighs. His weight pressed down on her body compressing her arms behind her back as she let out a scream. The house awoke to the voice and returned the night’s call.

Nick dropped the phone next to Jennifer hiding the light. She looked up into the dark room to see the silhouetted man straddling above her. She tried to kick her legs but his weight held her down. She arched her shoulders and bucked her hips beneath him. He braced his arms to keep from rolling over.

“It’s ok, it’s ok. I’m not going to do anything to you. I just wanted to say hi.” Nick now lowered himself down onto Jennifer’s chest. The weight pressed the air out of her lungs. Nick’s face moved inches from Jennifer’s. She strained her neck to gather distance as Nick lowered his nose to her and took a long drag, “You smell nice.”

His left arm braced himself over her shoulder as his right began to move gently down over her chest. He traced the bra line under the shirt as a single finger ran the profile gently flicking her nipple and moving onto her stomach. Jennifer’s eyes were tearing up as her head pulled away. His hand ran down her stomach to the waistline of her pants. Her shirt had lifted and Nick’s hand opened to touch. He began to run his hand under her shirt feeling the soft hairs along her stomach. He could feel a tremble ripple through her body.

From behind Jennifer her unbound hands bled on the ground but were free to move. She had noticed the Leatherman on his left hip when he entered. Nick’s hand was busy tracking up her shirt as she pulled out her right arm and gently put her fingers on the tip of the Leatherman. She waited for a pause as his hand reached the lace. She kicked her legs up distracting him for a moment, she lifted the Leatherman and returned her arm to her back. Nick reached for the floor to steady himself under the surprise move. Her fist closed tightly on the Leatherman.

He lowered himself again, “You’ve got some kick girl.”

She waited a moment for him to close the distance before bringing the crown of her head to his face. She pulled in her legs and rolled again. He fell back to the floor holding his head.

He yelled out, “Bitch! You stupid bitch!”

Jennifer pushed herself back up against the wall still holding the Leatherman in her grasp behind her back.

Nick pulled his hand back in rapid succession looking for blood. He saw none and grabbed for his phone. “Stupid shit, you’ll get yours tonight. A treat is coming for you.”

The anger welled up in him as he gazed into Jennifer’s eyes. She was bound and crumpled unnaturally on the floor slowly inching her way into the corner. The flaring of Nick’s nostrils signaled that the attack was not over. Nick pulled back his lips, his teeth shone bright in the evening light. His fists curling and the veins in his arm pulsing with anger. He came at Jennifer with his legs keeping his distance from her. He connected with the point of his shoe on the small of her back grazing her arm and the hand that secretly clutched the Leatherman. She released a terrified cry as the pain rolled over her back and across her chest. She felt a numbness down her legs that raged into a warm fire and then open pain. She felt for the first time tonight she may not survive. Nick’s eyes raged as he growled. His foot reached up and he stomped down on Jennifer’s knee. As if by reflex she pulled in the throbbing knee and kicked out at Nick. She caught his left leg and he stumbled onto the pile of garbage. His hands reached out to brace himself against the fall. Jennifer defiantly screamed through the tape and reared back striking Nick in the thigh. He fell over into the garbage but quickly rose.

Before he was upon her the door to the room burst open and Steven appeared in the entry way. Jennifer pulled back. Her face slowly gave way to horror. She was managing to keep one monster off her, but the sight of a second was insurmountable. She pressed against herself against the wall and began to prepare to use the Leatherman in her hand. She opened the knife hoping this little weapon may afford her some chance at escape. Her eyes trained on the door as she waited for her moment to cut the bindings on her legs.

Steven looked at Nick who was lifting himself from the garbage still holding a hand to his head. He was screaming obscenities at Jennifer and preparing to launch another attack at her. Steven crossed the room and grabbed Nick by the shoulders and threw him to the opposite corner. “What are you doing? I could hear you from the house.”

Nick curled up defeated and licking his wounds, “I came in and she attacked me.”

Steven glanced quickly at Jennifer and back at Nick, “She is bound and gagged. You’re telling me that woman attacked you? You’re really admitting that you got your ass handed to you by a helpless woman?”

Nick didn’t make eye contact and Steven knew he was taking advantage of her. He looked back at Jennifer and took a deep breath. For the first time Steven took a long look into her eyes. He could see the terror and abuse she had suffered. He knew this was all because of him and it made him sick. More so than the shooting earlier tonight. At least there he was trying to protect himself. He had convinced himself that shooting was justified. Self-preservation and self-protection were the words that fluctuated through his mind. But Jennifer was a different story. He had done this and he regretted it. He jeopardized his job within the organization. How many crimes had he committed that night? He was sure someone must be looking for him. He didn’t know which one was worse, Juan and his posse, or the cops. At least the cops would stop looking after a while, he knew Juan wouldn’t.

He relaxed his body and for the first time that night Jennifer calmed. She saw Steven’s face full of remorse. It didn’t change anything in her mind, but she was relieved her immediate nightmare was over. Steven looked back at Nick, “Get your shit and let’s get out of here.”