“Ya smell good darlin’. Just like a ripened strawberry.” His words were terrifying. Just before I thought things were going to get much worse, he became distracted.
He stood up off of the cot and stumbled towards the counter, grabbing an open bag of Doritos, shoveling a handful into his mouth. Crumbs dropped all over the floor. He crumpled the bag and threw it across the room.
“Ya know… your boyfriend was ve-ry stupid. Very, ve-ry stupid,” he slurred, spewing crumbs as he spoke. “All I wanted was my money, but he had to go n’ play Mr. Hero man. He thought he could trick me by giving me only a portion, but I’m smart. People assume that I’m stupid, cause the way I look, but I ain’t. I’m ve-ry intelligent,” he slurred, tapping his finger to his forehead.
“That kid had more money than he knew what to do with. Granted… it wasn’t his debt. But he was the idiot who agreed to help out his bestest buddy Tyler. I didn’t care where the money was coming from... I just wanted my money.”
He paused, turned, picked up an opened bottle of beer, chugged it and threw it against the wall. It shattered, sending broken glass all over the floor.
“I would’ve let them go, but his best buddy Tyler owed me two-thousand dollars. Yep, that boy has some nasty addictions.”
He fumbled through a small black duffle bag on the floor. Then he pulled out a wallet, and held it up. I quickly realized it was Michael’s. He flipped it open and pulled out a picture. It was my senior picture. He placed it up to his mouth and gave it a smack.
I’d never been more disgusted in all my life. I just thanked God he was kissing the picture and not me.
“I knew the first time I laid my eyes on this pretty picture, I just had to meet ya.” He laughed and tucking it back into Michael’s wallet. Then, he pulled out Michael’s bank card and waved it in front of me.
“The real reason I wanted ya so bad, is because of this little baby here. Not sayin’ that there ain’t others. But this baby is the ticket to the rest of my money – of course with interest. And you’re gonna get it for me darlin’,” he smiled grimly, waving Michael’s bankcard in front of him. “Jest member what happened to yer boyfriend when he tried to rip me off. I know ya have the numbers to this baby. A little birdie said ya did… the same little birdie that told me right where ya lived.”
He laughed, tucking the card into his front pants pocket and then glared back at me. “You know… the little birdie talks a lot with this to his forehead.” He pulled out a gun from the back of his dirty jeans and pointed it at me.
“Now, let’s say we have us some fun – jest the two of us - shall we?” he rumbled in a low, unholy voice, creeping towards me.
I was beyond horrified. I had to focus. I couldn’t freeze. I had to keep my wits.He sat on the edge of the cot. His course hand roughly stroked my hair, across my cheek, and down neck.
“Ya know… yer a beautiful young girl. Yer boyfriend was one lucky fella. He wasn’t too bad lookin’ either. It’s too bad he won’t be able to take care of ya anymore.” He bent forward. His head rested on the side of mine. I could feel him breathing rapidly; then felt his dry lips press against my neck.
Oh God! Help me! I turned my head in the opposite direction and kept my eyes tightly shut. I wanted to die. Oh God… I just want to die now!
The devil himself was here taking advantage of me. I could feel his hands having their way with my body, but I kept my eyes tightly shut. I didn’t want to see his disgusting face. Every molecule in my body was being tortured and tormented and I knew the worst was coming. It seemed inevitable. He was going to rape me. And I was still a virgin.
How could this happen? Michael wanted to keep me pure. He wanted to marry me first. But, now he was gone! Murdered by the same man who was going to ravage me. I want to die. Please God! Somebody! Anybody! Let me die!
I sought with all my might to find my happy place; the place where I was with Michael, just moments ago. The place I hoped was tucked safely in my subconscious; a place where I was safe in the comfort of his arms. I prayed I could find it and go there.
Michael, please help me to find you! I want to be with you!
I felt a warm breath on my cheek. It reeked of rot, Doritos, and beer. I tried not to breathe. His dry lips rubbed against my chin. His cold, hard hand swept from my neck to my chest, then slowly started pulling up my shirt.
Oh God, help me! Please help me! I cried desperately in my mind. Michael, where are you? Can anyone hear me?
Seconds felt like hours as I pleaded with the air. I couldn’t seem to find my safe place. My happy place. Tears streamed from my clenched eyes. Breathing was becoming almost impossible through the swollen membranes of my nose. I was about to give up.
“Liz! Fight!” a familiar voice shouted. “Don’t you give up!”
It was Michael. His voice was loud and clear as if he was yelling directly into my ear. I opened my eyes only to see a hideous face inches from mine; his eyes were shut. A sudden rush of adrenaline surged though me. I pushed my head back and then thrust it forward as hard as I could, butting him in his face. There was a loud cracking. He grabbed his face, falling backwards off the cot and hit the floor with a thud.
“Damn- you bitch!” he screamed.
He was stunned and blood poured from his nose.
“You broke my frick’n nose!”
He stood and came at me with a raised hand.
I blenched, bracing for the pain.
He struck me in the face and then scuffled off to the bathroom mumbling a bunch of unintelligible cuss words. My face was numb and tingling from where he’d hit me. My left eye stung and I immediately felt the flesh around it starting to swell.
Focus.
Get free.
I searched for the metal piece on the back of the bedframe. I found it and frantically rubbed my wrists against it, shredding tape and flesh. Right now, I didn’t care. At the moment, I was numb to any pain. I pulled my hands apart as hard as I could. The tape ripped in half, releasing my hands.
I heard him in the bathroom, cussing and throwing things around. He stepped out; his shirt was soaked with blood and his fingers tightly pinching his nose. He noticed my hands were free and I watched his eyes go deadly.
I quickly tore the tape from my mouth and screamed.
“Scream all ya like darlin’! No one will ever hear ya out here!” he yelled... his voice was furious. He grabbed for his gun and started coming at me; his eyes boring through me like he was possessed.
Suddenly, a burst of cold wind shot through the cabin blowing the lanterns out. He stopped…dead in his tracks. We were now in complete darkness, but he still came at me again.
The TV blasted on.
“What the hell?” he growled, stumbling towards the light of the television.
Free my legs. I’ve got to free my legs.
My hands were trembling as I quickly pulled Lucy’s amulet from my neck and sawed at the tape around my ankles. The top part split so I pulled as hard as I could, tearing the tape from around my ankles.
He rummaged through a pile in the corner and pulled a large battery charged lantern, clicked it on, and ripped the television cord from the generator.
The air in the room turned extremely cold. I could see my breath as he held the lantern up toward me.
He noticed I was completely free.
“You bitch!” he yelled grabbing for his gun.
The TV blared on again.
His head whipped around, holding the lantern toward the generator. He bent down and held the unplugged cord, bewildered and unnerved.
A beer bottle flew from across the room, then another, whacking him in the face and chin. He moaned and stumbled backward grasping his face.
“What the -?” A laundry list of obscenities flew out of his mouth.
I knew it was Michael. It had to be.
Another bottle hit him in the chest, and he buckled over in pain.
Michael was here, giving me a chance to get away. I had to move!
My adrenaline kicked in.
I jumped off the cot and noticed my backpack lying on the floor, so I grabbed it and dashed out the door.
He fired a shot. The bullet whizzed past my right ear hitting the door frame. Splinters flew everywhere. He fired again and again, but they missed.
I ran as fast as my bare feet could take me, over shards of gravel, ducking into the cover of the dark woods.
He fired again and again shooting wildly into the trees.
I found safety behind a thick birch trunk and counted each shot until I knew he had fired his whole round.
“I’ll get you bitch! Ya can’t hide from me! I know these woods like the back-a-my hand! I’ll getcha. Oh - and when I do – you’ll pay! You’ll be joinin’ yer boyfriend tonight, but first you’ll pay dearly!” he roared into the woods.
I wasn’t sure if I would survive the night but I made a silent vow to myself, and to Michael, that I would try. I zipped open my backpack and yanked everything out. The darkness was so thick that I could barely see what was right in front of me. I knew I’d packed some long pajama pants, a shirt, and some socks. I quickly threw them all on in the darkness.
It must have been at least twenty degrees or below. My body was quickly losing heat and I knew I needed to get as far as I could before my adrenaline ran out and I would freeze to death.
I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know which direction to go, or how far it would be before I reached anyone that could help me. The trees were dense and the ground was covered with matted roots and fallen leaves. I was going blind, feeling my way through.
Hell had frozen over and I was lost in its endless labyrinth. I fell more times than I could count, tripping over every single root, or other thing, that stuck out of the frozen ground.
I suddenly felt an extreme sense of déjà vu, like I was re-living a nightmare – the same nightmare I’d had the night before. Could it have been a vision, preparing me for this moment?
If it was then there was hope for me because Michael was also in that dream. But… I was awake now, and the only time I was able to see him was in my dreams. I could only hope, and right now, hope was the only glue holding the pieces of me together.
I kept going as fast as my weak, trembling legs could carry me, trying to stay in as straight a line as I could. I prayed I wasn’t going in circles. The thought of coming out of the woods, finding myself back where I started, terrified me. I knew there wouldn’t be daylight for many more hours. Not during December in Alaska.
Time seemed endless in this hell. I didn’t know what time it was but knew that I had been walking for a long time. I was lost in the Alaskan boonies wondering if I’d ever get out or if anyone would ever find me. I glanced back and saw a dim light waving back and forth between the trees. It was him. He was coming for me. But he was back far enough for now. I couldn’t stop. I had to keep moving.
My body was shivering fiercely, trying to keep itself warm from the bone chilling cold. My face, fingers, and feet felt like they were on fire. My head was throbbing with pain. What I wouldn’t give for an Excedrin, some hot cocoa, and a hot Jacuzzi bath. My socks and pants were soaked from falling countless times onto the frozen ground. My long sleeved shirt and pajama-top barely held in any body heat.
Soon, my legs felt weighted, as if I was carrying another person on my back. I was slowing. I knew what the signs of hypothermia were. It was something I was taught in class while living in Alaska. I was becoming overly exhausted, and felt like giving up.
I heard a rustling in the trees ahead, then, out of the darkness a white wolf appeared in front of me. His sapphire eyes glowed brightly in the darkness. It was the same wolf that was at my house. But how did he get here? I froze in my tracks. He whimpered and then turned, waiting for me to follow. He led me in a slightly different direction, taking me more towards the right. I hoped he wasn’t taking me in a circle.
I followed him for a few hundred yards, as quickly as I could. But he was much too fast for my weary legs, and before I knew it… my furry white angel had disappeared into the darkness, leaving me alone.
“I’m sorry Michael,” I said out loud hoping he could hear me. My words were slow, my tongue felt exhausted and swollen. Fighting the cold and fatigue was like a dwarf fighting a gladiator. It was a definite losing situation.
I was lost in the middle of nowhere. I knew every second was precious but I had to stop and rest. My weary legs wouldn’t allow me to take another step. Even my lungs ached from breathing the frigid air. I pressed my back against a cold tree stump and slid down onto the frozen ground. My breath was shallow.
I sat in silence and heard cracking branches nearby. A black shadow, darker than the night, passed between the trees. It couldn’t be the killer, could it? I saw his light in the distance. I became petrified with thoughts of bears or other carnivorous creatures lurking in the darkness around me. I heard rustling of branches again and saw the dark shadow dart behind some trees ahead of me.
My life flashed before my eyes. Death seemed to be knocking on all my doors, but being eaten wasn’t one I anticipated. I sat still, trying not to breathe. The dream of the dark creature, chasing me through woods like these, flashed through my mind. Was there really a grim reaper? Was he coming for me? There was complete, eerie silence around me, aside from the loud thumping of my heart against my chest.
I decided to coax myself out of going crazy. I needed something, anything to keep me sane.
My eyes are playing tricks on me. I’m showing signs of hypothermia, and hypothermia can cause delirium. The shadows were part of it. There are no creatures lurking around me, and the cracking branches in the trees were cute little squirrels running up and down, having fun.
I laughed silently to myself, which proved I was beginning to lose it.
“Michael, where are you?” Saying his name out loud made me feel better.
I’d always hoped my death would be quick and painless, not one full of pain and lingering misery. I’d heard of people falling asleep out in the frigid temperatures and just not waking up. That seemed like a pretty easy way to die… if it was your time.
I pressed my legs up to my chest and blew into my hands for warmth, but my breath was just as cold as I was.
With every step I knew he was drawing closer - the hunter stalking his prey. If this was the night I was going to die, I would rather die freezing to death than have him find me first. The thought made me utterly sick inside but I was becoming too cold to care.
I’d tried my best to survive; to get as far away as I could, but I was much too weak and my frozen, aching limbs wouldn’t allow me to go any further.
I glanced back and saw the dim light of the hunter’s lantern swinging back and forth through the trees. I prayed he wouldn’t find me. Tortured thoughts ran through my mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to move an inch further. My part of the chase had ended. He was coming… coming steady and unrelenting…coming to kill me.
I tried to steer my thoughts in a more positive direction, pulling out the last memory I had of Michael being alive. He’d driven me down to Eagle River to watch a movie, and then took me to lunch at a Chinese Restaurant that was nearby. He was excited of his secret plans, and anxious to get home and get ready for the night he planned for us. He took me home, gave me a kiss and said goodbye. His kiss was simple, a thoughtful kiss that said I’ll see you soon. I’d waved as he drove down the road and stood there until his car disappeared around the bend. That was the last time I saw him… alive.
I twisted the promise ring Michael had given me on my frozen finger. I was amazed it hadn’t been taken from me. He was probably too wasted to notice, but I was glad no matter what the reason.
I rested my head between my knees, desperately fighting the need to close my eyes, even if for a minute. I knew that if I did, I’d probably fall asleep and wake up dead. I’d fight as long as I had breath left in me, and that wasn’t saying much. I sighed.
“Liz,” a voice ca
lled out from the darkness.
My head shot up but I couldn’t see anything through the dense trees. I must have been hearing things. I was steadily becoming delusional and wondered if I’d even seen the white wolf, or if that was a delusion too.
“Liz,” the voice called out again, this time louder.
“Michael?” I called back, but my voice sounded more like a loud whisper.
A small light illuminated through the trees ahead.
A surge of fear shot through me, and for a split second, I stopped breathing. Was it the killer?
The light became brighter, approaching me. It emitted an energy that I could not explain. All I knew was that I was not afraid, and felt a sense of peace within its glow. The light transformed right before my eyes. Then, I saw the most magnificent, the most breathtaking, angelic being walking towards me. His hand was stretched out to me.
“Michael?” The only logical explanation was that I’d fallen asleep, and Michael was here to collect me. I must have been dying.
“Come on babe, you’ve got to get up. You’re so close. I need to get you to the road. You need to get up,” he begged. I tried to reach for him, but my hand went straight through his.
“Michael… Am I dead?” I slurred.
“No, you’re not dead, and you’re not dreaming. I’m really here with you.”
“But how?”
“No time for that now, Liz. Please, you have to get up. You need to get to the road,” he coaxed in a low, serious tone.
“I can’t move, Michael. I’m so cold. I can’t feel anything anymore. I’m dying.” My mind had already given up.
“You’re not going to die, Liz. You’re strong, and right now…you need to stand up.”
“I can’t Michael.”
“Liz, get up,” he said firmly. I knew he was desperate, trying to pull me out of my despondency. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
“But, how can I see you if I’m not dreaming?” I said confused.
“It’s one of those things I’ve been learning. Pretty cool, huh?”