“Let me go!” she shrieked. “I’m not Judy!”
But she knew he wasn’t listening now.
He wrapped his arm tighter around her neck. She sank her teeth into his skin.
“Oww!” he cried out. He loosened his grip.
With a desperate cry she wrenched herself free.
But he tackled her and threw her down on the floor. Her cheek slammed into the carpet. Pain shot down her body.
She tried to crawl away. But he grabbed her by the ankles and started to drag her across the floor.
Tina clawed at the carpet. But she couldn’t free herself.
“Chris, please,” she begged. “Let me go. Why are you doing this?”
“No more doing things your way, Judy,” he growled.
“But I’m not Judy. Please!” she sobbed. “I’m Tina. Tina.”
“This time it’s going to be the way I want it.”
Chris pulled her into the darkroom.
“Have fun!” he shouted. He slammed the door hard. She heard the lock click.
Blackness surrounded her.
The air smelled sour. A bitter taste rose in her mouth. Chemicals, she thought.
With trembling hands she ripped off the old dress and tossed it into the darkness.
Her muscles ached. Her cut foot throbbed.
I need to stay calm, she thought. I need to think clearly. It’s the only way to survive against a crazy person.
Slowly her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Objects in the room took shape.
A film enlarger. A paper cutter. The sink. A long table with trays of chemicals. A metal cabinet. Above her head, film negatives hung from nylon lines.
She found some paper towels and tape and fixed up a makeshift bandage for her bleeding foot. She wanted to be ready to run.
I have to find something to defend myself with, she thought. When Chris comes back, I have to be ready.
But will Chris return? she wondered.
Maybe Josh will come here and find me.
Yes.
I’ll stay here until Josh comes and finds me. He’ll be back soon. When I’m not at the dorm, he’ll try here.
I’ll stay inside the darkroom until help arrives. The nice, safe darkroom.
She could hear Chris ranting, on the other side of the door. “Not this time, Judy. This time I’m the boss.”
The room began to spin. She felt as if she were back on the Ferris wheel, with the ground far below.
I’m thinking like a crazy person, she scolded herself. I can’t stay in here. Safe? Who am I kidding?
I’ll go insane, she thought. These walls will close in on me.
And any minute now Chris will come barging in. I need a weapon.
She spotted the overhead light. Standing up, she stretched her arm and clicked the light on. Red light washed over the room.
“No!” Tina shrieked. “Oh no!”
She wished she had never turned on the light.
chapter 17
Squinting through the red light,
Tina’s eyes swept over the walls.
Photos covered every inch.
Photos of her.
Large blowups of her eyes. Her lips.
Chris used the pictures I sent to Josh, Tina realized. Then he enlarged them and cropped them. She recognized bits and pieces of her life.
Her life. Her memories—on a crazy man’s walls.
All here. Every one of them.
The photo taken at Christmas, sitting on her snowy front porch. A shot of Tina riding Buttercup, the mare at her uncle’s farm in Georgia. One that Josh took of her in a bikini at his senior picnic at Fear Lake. And the prom picture.
Tina pulled it down and turned it over. The message she wrote to Josh covered the back. But Chris had changed Josh’s name to his own.
Please Josh—find me! she thought desperately.
Shivers rolled down her body.
She hugged herself, rocking back and forth as she studied the photographs.
I can’t believe this.
And then she found the creepiest one of all.
At the train station! A shot of her frightened face as she struggled with the man who tried to rob her.
Chris took her picture before he rescued her! Sick.
Is he taking pictures of me right now? she wondered. Maybe he has a peephole in the wall.
Is he watching me right now?
He’s obsessed with me.
He was obsessed with Judy.
He killed Judy.
And I kissed him, Tina thought. He’s a murderer and I kissed him. She cringed at the memory of Chris’s hands gently moving down the side of her face.
If only she could disappear into one of those photos. Go back to a time when she felt safe.
“Josh—where are you?” she murmured. “Please hurry. Please!”
Her throat felt dry and scratchy. Tears collected in the corners of her eyes and then ran down her cheeks. I can’t just sit in here and wait.
Wait to be murdered.
I have to pry the door open.
I have to get out of here.
Standing up, she glanced around for a sharp object. She needed something to stick in the lock.
Her eyes settled on the tall metal cabinet. Her legs trembled as she made her way across the darkroom.
Be strong, she told herself. Everything is going to be okay.
But the moment she pulled open the cabinet door, Tina knew that nothing would be okay again.
The rancid smell hit her first.
Her stomach tightened. A sour taste collected on her tongue.
“Nooo!” A low wail escaped her throat.
She forced her eyes up to the face. What remained of the face.
The sunken eyes staring blindly back at her. Solid like egg whites.
Those clothes.
She recognized the black T-shirt with the mountains on the front.
She bought that shirt. She remembered she bought it the day he got his acceptance at Patterson.
No. It’s not him. It’s not him. It’s not.
Tina screamed.
Josh’s stiff body tumbled to the floor.
chapter 18
Tina choked on her tears.
She forced herself to roll the corpse onto its back.
Josh’s face … his handsome face …
The skin had been eaten away, exposing his nose and cheekbones.
The skin on his forehead flapped loose. Tina saw tiny red veins along his hairline.
Most of his beautiful thick brown hair had been burned away.
Chemicals? Had Chris used chemicals to kill Josh?
No. She noticed a deep gash on the side of his head. Chris must have surprised Josh by throwing the chemicals in his face. Then Chris smashed him over the head.
A cold shiver ran down her spine. She reached for his hand. So cold. Cold and stiff.
Tina felt the bile rise into her throat. She dropped the hand, turned her head away, and gagged.
She wondered what Josh’s last thoughts had been. Did you think of me, Josh?
I love you. I love you so very much.
“Judy!” Chris’s shout burst into her thoughts.
He yanked open the door.
His eyes widened in shock. His mouth dropped open as he saw Tina kneeling beside Josh.
Doesn’t he know what he did? Tina wondered with a sob. Doesn’t he remember?
“Judy,” he whispered, taking her hand. He pulled her to her feet. Smiling, he took her face in his hands.
His skin felt rough as he ran his fingers along her cheekbone.
He’s a murderer, Tina thought. And he’s touching me. So gently. I can’t stand it.
“Nothing can ever keep us apart again. Nothing,” he whispered. His eyes darted around the red room and then stared into hers.
Tina shivered. He’s completely insane.
“I’m almost ready,” he whispered. “We can leave in a few minutes.”
“Leave?” T
ina managed to choke out. “Where … where are you taking me?”
“Don’t play dumb, Judy. You know how I hate that.”
Tina knew she wasn’t strong enough to fight him off. I’ll try to and reason with him, she thought. It worked before. Maybe it will work again.
“We’ll be fine together. You’ll see, Judy.” Chris swung her hand back and forth.
He’s acting as though we’re standing on the street somewhere, having a friendly conversation, she thought. Not in a darkroom, with Josh’s dead body lying on the floor.
“Chris,” Tina said, struggling not to burst out in loud sobs.
“Yes?” He squeezed her fingers tightly.
“You won’t get away with this,” she murmured. “People will start searching for me and …” She swallowed hard. “Josh. People will wonder where I am.”
“No one will try to find you, Judy,” He dropped her hand and began staring at the photos. “They don’t send out a search party for someone who’s already dead.”
“They’ll put you in jail, Chris. Do you want to spend the rest of your life behind bars?” Tina demanded in a trembling voice.
“I’m spending the rest of my life with you, Judy.” His eyes traveled over her. From her head to her toes and back to her face again.
I should have realized at the train station that he was obsessed with me, she thought. Why didn’t I see it?
Chris grinned at her. So pleased with himself.
Stay calm, she instructed herself. Stay calm.
It’s the only way you’ll get out alive.
“If you let me go now, I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” she lied.
Slowly she backed away from him.
“Where are you going?” he asked sharply.
“Nowhere.”
“That’s good, Judy.” He moved closer. “I’m glad you finally realize that I’m right.”
She inched back. “I do, Chris,” she murmured. “I do.”
Tina backed into the developing chemicals.
That’s it, she thought. Now you’re going to pay for what you did to Josh.
She grabbed the closest tray. Acid. This has to be the same acid he burned Josh with.
Chris smiled at her.
The smile was still on his face as she pulled back her arm—and heaved the acid into his face.
chapter 19
The liquid splashed over Chris’s face.
He uttered a startled cry—and rubbed his eyes.
But when he lowered his hands, his face revealed only anger, not pain.
“You picked the wrong tray, Judy,” he rasped. “It was only water.”
Water! Tina felt the floor crumble away beneath her.
“You never cared about my photography, did you?” he accused. He crossed the room quickly, water dripping down his cheeks.
He reached toward the other two trays.
Tina gasped.
What is he going to do? Tina wondered.
He glanced up at the photos on the wall. “Such a pretty face,” he murmured.
With a sweep of one hand he sent the trays clattering to the floor. The liquid splashed into the air. Tina flinched.
The liquid splashed up.
Tina jumped back. But a drop of liquid spotted her arm.
She stared down in horror as a tiny circle of skin sizzled and then peeled away.
Is this what Josh’s face felt like?
A horrified sob escaped her throat.
“Did you think I was going to throw it at you?” Chris demanded. He ran his finger down her cheek. “I wouldn’t ruin a pretty face like this. Together we’re going to get rich. You and me.”
I have to get out of here before he kills me, Tina told herself.
She searched the darkroom frantically for something heavy. Something to throw at him.
“You’re already rich. You have everything.”
“Everything?” he answered. He looped his arm through hers. “Now I have everything. All I ever wanted was you, Judy. I can’t understand why you never realized that. But that’s all in the past. Let’s go.”
He started to pull her out of the darkroom. Tina spotted a metal tripod on the floor near the enlarger. Perfect.
This better work.
She glanced down at Josh’s body sprawled on the floor.
Then she let out a horrified gasp.
“Chris! It’s Josh! He’s moving. He’s getting up!”
chapter 20
“Huh?”
Chris spun around.
Tina picked up the tripod—and swung it hard.
It made a cracking sound as it hit Chris’s face.
Blood trickled from his nose.
His eyes bulged in surprise.
As he raised his hands to his face, Tina swung the tripod again.
“I hate you!” she shrieked. “You killed Josh!”
She raised the metal into the air for a second time.
Chris started to turn away.
The tripod caught him on the back of the head. He groaned and slumped to the floor.
His body sprawled alongside Josh.
Sobbing, Tina let the tripod fall.
Cold sweat drenched her body. She wrapped her arms around herself.
Did I kill Chris? Did I?
As she gazed down at the two still bodies, nausea flooded her.
She leaned over the sink and vomited.
There’s nothing left in me, she thought. Nothing at all.
She wiped her sweaty hands on a paper towel.
Gasping for air, Tina stumbled out of the darkroom.
The police, she thought. I have to call the police.
Her legs trembled. She could hardly make it to the phone.
Be strong, she told herself. Get help.
I have to turn the music off, she decided. I can feel it throbbing in my head. She stumbled to the sound system and fumbled with the buttons until the music stopped.
In the quiet Tina thought she heard a faint pounding noise. Behind her.
She spun around. “Chris?”
No. No one there.
Tina stared at the closet door. The door Chris wouldn’t let her open.
What could be in there?
With small, cautious steps Tina approached the door.
Maybe I shouldn’t open it, she thought.
She pressed her ear to the door.
You’ve got to open the door, she told herself. You have to find out what he didn’t want you to see.
Fear clutched at her heart.
Open it! she ordered herself.
She rested her hand on the knob.
She pulled open the door.
“Holly!” Tina shrieked.
Her cousin lay dead on the floor.
chapter 21
Dead? No!
Holly’s arms and legs were tied. Her brown hair fell over her face. She groaned.
“Hunnnh?” Holly raised her face, her eyes still shut.
She’s alive!
Tina dropped to her knees beside her. “Holly? Holly? Are you okay? Are you alive? Holly? Please be okay, Holly. Please!”
Tears rolled down Tina’s cheeks. She grabbed Holly in an emotional hug. “I can’t believe I finally found you. It’s been so awful. So awful.”
Holly blinked several times. She shook her head, dazed. She finally opened her eyes. She squinted hard at Tina, trying to focus. “Tina—it’s you! Oh, wow … How long have I been in this closet?”
“I—I don’t know,” Tina stammered.
“I was so scared. Chris kept yelling that I’d ruined his plans. He wanted you all to himself,” Holly sobbed. “He tied me up and left me in here. In the dark. I didn’t know how much time passed. I didn’t know what he planned to do. I—I thought he was going to leave me in here forever!”
Tina struggled to untie her cousin’s arms and legs. The thin cords scratched her fingers. Her hands shook so hard, it seemed to take forever.
“Hurry. Please hurry,” Holly pleaded.
“My whole body—it’s asleep. I’ve got to move, Tina. I’ve got to get away from here. I’ve been so frightened. I thought I was going to die. I really did.”
Holly was in the closet the whole time, Tina thought, fumbling with the tight cords. While I was posing for Chris, Holly was in the closet.
“Josh is dead!” Tina blurted out.
Holly uttered a sharp cry. “No, Tina. No. I’m so sorry.”
Tina tugged frantically at the knotted cords.
“I—I think I killed Chris,” Tina continued. “I hit him. Hard. In the back of the head.”
Holly shook her head, still dazed. She seemed to be having trouble taking in all that Tina was telling her. “You hit Chris? With what?”
“With his tripod. I heard his skull crack. I—”
“You killed him?” Holly’s voice came out hoarse, trembling.
“I think so,” Tina told her. “I’m not sure. But I think I did.”
The cord slid off Holly’s ankles. She groaned, rubbing her legs. “I don’t know if I can walk. I’ve been in here so long. Locked in the darkness. Since after the party.”
“How did he get you up here?” Tina asked.
“Chris introduced me to a guy,” Holly explained. “At the party. I went into town with him. We went to a club. It got really late.”
“You didn’t come back to the dorm?” Tina asked.
“Yes. I did,” Holly replied. “Around four. But when I got to the room, Chris jumped out. I guess he was waiting for me. He grabbed me. He hit me over the head with something.”
Holly rubbed her head. Tina saw a knot of clotted blood in her hair.
“I woke up in this closet,” Holly told her. “I—I was so frightened, Tina.”
“He’s crazy,” Tina murmured. “Chris is totally crazy. He thought I was Judy. His old girlfriend.”
“I knew he was weird. From the minute I met him,” Holly replied. She struggled unsteadily to her feet. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
Holding hands, they stumbled out of the closet.
“We’re safe now,” Tina told Holly.
But I won’t feel safe, she thought, until I’m far from this studio.
She glanced over at the sand. Only half an hour ago Chris wanted her to pretend she was enjoying herself at the beach.
Pretending.
That was Chris’s life. He pretended to be a nice guy. He pretended Judy was still alive.