Acute concern crept across Melissa's and
John's faces as they watched the screen from outside the Retrovision store
window. "Police are still baffled
as the death toll rises now to nine about the identity of the serial killer who
still stalks the streets of Brisbane always using a small knife to slay his
victims" cheerfully reported the annoying news reader.
" Police warn all females between the
ages of fifteen to nineteen to lock up securely."
Concern turned to
anxiety as Melissa thought of her seventeenth birthday scarcely a week
ago. The young couple continued their
way to the restaurant on their first date with only one topic of
conversation. " Scary isn't it?" said Melissa, clearly disturbed.
" I reckon.
That guy must be one sick puppy eh?"
John replied. Melissa answered
with a soft grunt as they stepped into the tacky eatery.
Melissa's long, flowing, golden hair fell from
behind her ear where she had so carefully placed it moments before and
hurriedly did so again. Her beautiful
teenager's face was buried beneath layer upon layer of make up. She was wearing her most expensive dress
which she saved for the most special of occasions. She considered this one of those occasions as
she didn't want to take the risk of going on a blind date dressed badly if in
the off chance her date looked like Brad Pitt.
Her hunch had been right this time.
Johnothan R. Frakes was a real catch for a girl. Tall, big shoulders, blond hair and deep blue
eyes and most importantly thought Melissa, he had a dress sense. John also thought he had hit the jackpot on
this blind date. He watched her slim
body sit down at the table and knew this was going to be an interesting night.
They hurried out
of the eatery later on determined not to miss the beginning of " The
English Patient". During dinner the conversation had flourished about
anything and everything as it became obvious these two enjoyed each other's
company with fears John had earlier that they wouldn't get along soon
dissipating as the evening rolled along.
They stepped out of the movie holding hands asking questions to one
another beginning with " How about the bit when..........." now
basking in the pleasure of each others company, a happy couple as they began
the long trek back to Melissa's house where her parents where conveniently away
for the weekend. Too involved with themselves were they that the tall, hunched
over figure in the black trench coat silently watching them went unnoticed from
across the street. They chatted
uselessly as Melissa answered John's endless questions, loving, as most females
do, talking about herself. Although
talking quite loud it would not drown the soft tap-taping of another's shoes
closely behind.
At first ignoring it, the two kept talking not
wanting to admit their somewhat embarrassing and childish fears to the other
but now they conversed quieter. As the
walking became closer and following them around several corners, finally John
summoned the courage to mention his ill feelings about their follower. " I uh.....I think that guy
(automatically assuming their assailant to be male) is getting closer." he
stammered.
" I
know." she said and gripped his hand tighter.
As if to confirm
their fears they heard the menacing crunch of a twig as large boots quickened
their pace from behind. The conversation
abruptly stopped as if the fear that radiated from the dark figure behind them
clasped around their throats stopping any sound from escaping.
" Do you
think it's him?" Melissa whispered so quietly John had to lean over.
" Who?"
" Who do you
think? The serial killer!" she
scowled, becoming irritable from the fear.
" Oh
Jesus.........." he vacantly stared as he whispered, the thought dawning
on him now.
The foot steps now no more than ten metres behind,
John stole a quick glance at the large man clad neck to toe in black with the
trench coat collar covering most of his face.
Greasy black hair
held in clumps dangled in front of his eyes.
A cigarette burning into the filter section sat between his lips. His arms hung rigidly by his sides and a
large bulge protrouded from above his belt possibly concealing a weapon. His vacant eyes never left the couple who
were verging on running. Upon seeing
Melissa's house at the far end of the street, the two terrified teenagers broke
into a bolt sprinting as fast as they could.
The heard the heavy, dull thud of Black boots crashing onto the pavement
behind as their assailant began to run also.
Dashing up the front steps they reached the house and Melissa unlocked
the door with the man only seconds behind.
Once inside, she slammed the door and locked it then both John and
Melissa collapsed on the floor in a shaking heap of sweat and adrenalin.
They unsteadily stood up and leaned on each
other as they calmed down from their traumatic experience. " Oh my God John! That was really him!
It must have been! We're lucky to be
alive!" she exclaimed.
"
Jesus......." was all John could manage.
They wearily
stumbled over to the couch and sat back.
" Let's just forget it ever happened OK? I'm not going to let it
ruin this perfect night." she said and John agreed.
" Like some
coffee?" Melissa offered.
" I'd love
some."
She got up and
strolled into the kitchen filled the kettle with water, and put it onto
boil. When she returned to the living
room, John was browsing through a " Who Weekly". They began chatting while Melissa put on
Savage Garden and pressed play. At that
very same instant, at the far end of the house the window in Melissa's parents
room flung open, the wood panel on the edge stripped of all it's paint from
continual jammying with a small knife, then the man in black climbed stealthily
in.
Melissa
and John continued their conversation uninterrupted as the water continued to
boil. " Do you know Grant
Adams?"
" Yeah plays
tennis right?" John drivelled.
" I think
so........" she trailed off. The man in black landed with a soft thud on
Mr and Mrs Stanford's king size bed. He
rose and walked calmly into the corridor.
Ears pricked, he listened intently for the voices of the young couple
and found them, emanating from the living room at the front of the house. His dark eyes shifted up and down the
corridor searching for any sign of movement but found none and silently began
to creep down the corridor towards the voices as he drew his weapon from inside
his belt and gripped it tightly in a gloved fist.
Melissa and John now sat very close and gazing
into each others eyes as the spoke much quieter. They leant forward closing their eyes to kiss
but were interrupted and startled by the loud, piercing burst of steam emitted
from the kettle. Melissa smiled
seductively, rose from the couch and doing the most sensual walk she could
summon, made her way into the kitchen knowing John's eyes would be following
her all the way. The man in black could
see the light of the kitchen glowing into the corridor and hear the sounds of
Melissa making coffee and evilly smiled.
Caressing the weapon in his hands, feeling the weight of it he started
the final few metres to the kitchen and Melissa.
Melissa poured the boiling water into the two
mugs of coffee, gently stirred them and smiled when she head steps approaching
from behind. " You just couldn't
wait could you John?" she remarked sensually. After hearing no response, she turned,
dropped both mugs and screamed. John
lunged at her, a six inch butterfly knife held high above his head in a classic
stabbing position, a crazed, blood thirsty grin with tiny droplets of spittle
flying from it was on his contorted face.
" DIE BITCH DI............" he screamed as loud gunfire
erupted from behind causing his chest
to explode spraying Melissa's face with
blood and chunks of
organ and
bone. Melissa continued to scream as the
man in black emerged from behind, a smoking berretta in one hand and a Brisbane
City Police Department badge in the other.
"Detective Jackson. I'm a
cop. It's all right now so please stop
screaming." he boomed reassuringly.
He glanced down at the highly wanted serial killer. A blank expression now was present on John's
face. Jackson could tell he wasn't dead
even with a pretty messy wound like that.
He'd make it to jail all right he thought and smiled, happy with his
nights work. Melissa's screaming had
turned now to a soft whimpering, waking Jackson up from his self
appraisal. Placing his gun on the bench,
he escorted the traumatised Melissa out onto the street and sat her on the foot
path. " Detective Jackson unit 55
requesting back up 101 Stromgade Terrace over." he spoke into the police
type personal radio and slipped it back into his trench coat. Knowing Melissa was safe and back up was on
the way, he re-entered the house to retrieve his gun.
Jackson hurriedly stepped through the living
room where "Savage Garden" still played and into the kitchen where he
stopped dead in his tracks. On the floor
where John had been now was a puddle of blood.
He sprinted for the bench but, confirming his worst fears, the gun was
gone. " Hey pig!" croaked a
dry, hoarse voice from behind. Jackson
spined around, looking straight now the barrel of his own gun. Outside, Melissa was just starting to come to
terms with what she had just experienced.
She heard the shots and began screaming once more.
No comments:
Post a Comment