The Thing in the Dark to Fear

Chapter 9

Kristen woke to the shock of cold water on her face. Shaking her head and choking, she held up a hand trying to stop the deluge. Finally she sat half way up and looked at the man before her. She did not recognize him, and did not consider him friendly.
“What’s seven times thirteen?” JR had an urgent look about him, half smiling. Before Kristen could answer, or ask for an explanation, JR started splashing more water out of the fountain pool. Not only was he drowning her, the front of her dress was completely soaked and the evening air was quite chilly. Kristen put up her hands to ward off the water.
She sputtered through water and the urge to choke the life from her assailant, “Stop it!”
JR looked comical with his eyes wide and brows lifted anticipating clarification. “Are you sure?” Looking at the pool he nodded, “there’s plenty of water.”
“Stop it!” She looked around but saw only JR. Placing a hand to her face, she started to shiver. “Why are you doing this? What’s going on?” Kristen surveyed the scene around her. “Where is Jimmy, where is…?” She left the question unasked. It started coming back to her. She remembered the fight, Anthony changing into a monster, JR swinging a sword like a baseball bat, and then… Well then her mind decided it was time to check out.
Kristen turned her head to the side and purged her stomach in a plume of projectile vomit that amazed even JR.
“Wow, you uppity folks really know how to party.” JR’s enthusiasm was sportive.
Kristen, on her hands and knees, soaking wet and shivering with cold, could only imagine how much her mascara was running. Thinking of an up side to her situation, she thought her only shred of dignity was the fact that she had not thrown up on her friends for the second time in one week. Now, she had to deal with this smart-ass.
She was intently concentrating on breathing and shivering, and spitting remnants of bile from her mouth, when fatigue embraced her body. Closing her eyes, she exhaled heavily.
JR squatted down beside her, and threw his vest over her back and shoulders. Thankful for the something warm, she pulled it close about her.
JR put an arm around her and briskly massaged her arms. “I can’t decide if you’re having a really good night, or a really shitty one.”
With a mischievous grin to himself, JR ran a finger through the pool of puke. “Hay, lady, what’s this?” he indicated the pool of partially digested food with a finger dripping vomit.
Kristen shook off the light headed feeling and looked at what JR was pointing at. She closed her eyes, and turned a beaming smile to JR. He shook her. She opened her eyes.
“Time’s up. It’s a snowman.” He rubbed out the drawing and dragged his finger through the pool of puke again.
“How ‘bout this one?”
Kristen watched, with disaffected disgust as JR placed two particles of her stomach’s former inhabitants in precise locations.
Kristen was choking down the bile still in her throat. Then she resigned herself to the fact that this man was trying to be friendly and helpful, in his own distorted way. Somehow she felt much better about getting sick. When someone uses your body fluids for entertainment, the act conveys a deep sense of acceptance, and Kristen was still vulnerable to rejection at any level. She fixed her gaze upon his finger, dripping with puke and was at a loss for words.
“It’s a smiley face, and you suck at this game!” JR put an enthusiastic emphasis on the word ‘suck’ to convey Kristen’s total lack of participation and apparent lack of skill.
Kristen covered her mouth and laughed, even as she hung her weary head in resignation.
“Let’s play, drown the pretty girl again.” JR still held her arm and began playfully pulling her toward the fountain pool. He dropped his messy hand in the water and rinsed it at the surface, splashing the water loudly to get a rise out of Kristen.
“Back off, Mister!” Kristen growled suddenly alert. The words hissed through blue lips and running mascara accented the threat in her eyes.
Satisfied that she would make it, JR stood up and offered Kristen his hand. “Come on, lady. I told Jimmy I’d get you out of here.”
She looked at him suspiciously, then nodded her approval.

Kristen’s head was resting between the passenger door and the seat. She had a blanket pulled tight around her but needed the wind in her face. The sharp images in her mind were making the connections for an entire picture. She was relieved when JR pulled up to a convenience store. He played the radio too loud, was talking over it, and rambling on, and on. He was still on an adrenaline high.
Her mind reeled from the implication of what she had seen and heard. Remembering her dream about the Vampire, she was sure JR was with the young lady in the woods. Moreover, she was certain that Jimmy was the camouflaged hunter. The thought made her want to throw up again. For the tenth time since she had regained consciousness, she checked her neck and shoulders for wounds from what she now surmised to be a crossbow bolt. There were none, but that was of only personal comfort. She had been drawn into something she did not understand. Kristen thought her precognitive knowledge gave her the upper hand. She knew the only way to regain control of her personal destiny, would be to press forward keeping them off guard.
JR walked out of the store with three bags of ice. He dumped them into a cooler in the back seat, which also held a twelve pack of beer. He fished out a can and opened the beer. Kristen looked at the beer, then at JR, then at the beer again. Her eyes were wide and arching brows communicated the question.
“Want one?” JR proffered the beer he just opened.
“You’re not going to drink and drive, are you?” Kristen had a ‘You’ve got to be kidding me’ expression she used to hide her real emotions.
“Well,” JR put the car in gear and backed out of the parking space, “normally I just sip and steer, but tonight is special.”
Kristen reached back and pulled out a beer for herself. Looking back she saw the Ice. “Ice works better when you dump it around the beer.”
“Man! You sure are smart. But this ice isn’t for the beer, it’s for Pops. And that’s a funny story. Pops threw out all the Ice-trays when mom left. He says when he needs ice, he’ll just pick up a bag. I think that’s his philosophy on dating also.” He nodded to authenticate he really believed it.
“So your dad is out of ice, is that what you’re doing the rest of the night, sitting around with your dad?” Kristen didn’t feel much like going home just now.
“Well, it’s morning, and after I drop you off, I’ll probably go for a swim, eat something, and then just hang out with Pops and some friends.” He tried to make it sound boring.
“Can I come along?” She tried not to sound too pathetic.
“Are you kidding me? You’re one of those straight-laced, right wing, born again, fundamentalist, young republicans aren’t you? I mean, wouldn’t you rather go home and plot your course to the next rung on the corporate ladder?” He glanced at her and picked up on her glare.
“Oh no, you did not,” Kristen was playfully outraged.
“Well, all I meant is that I’m not doing anything sophisticated. I don’t think you’d enjoy the party.”
“Ah hah! You’re going to a party and you think I’m too uptight to enjoy it,” she accused. Then she added, “screw you, buddy.”
JR looked at her and she was pretending to ignore him. He smiled and leaned over to her side. “Okay, look, I’m sorry too.”
Squaring off to JR, Kristen braced herself. “I did not offer an apology for my behavior.”
JR shrugged, “it’s okay. I know it’s hard to admit mistakes. I just want you to know, that if you were to apologize, I would graciously accept.”
“Well thank you, JR. That is very big of you. I should have been a little more understanding of your feelings. Please forgive my insensitive behavior. It must be so trying to lure some unsuspecting college student, me, into some twisted nightmare. I should have realized how tough it is for a redneck freak like you to decapitate a vampire, drown the poor girl you unsuspectingly used as bait, and further place at risk by drinking and driving, all in the same night! I think if I felt like apologizing, I could have mustered the energy, however, I think I’m the one who’s been wronged here and I would much prefer an explanation to some contrived apology!”
“Well thank you, Kristen, that’s very considerate of you. I accept your apology.” JR made a big show of smiling.
She punched his shoulder. "The way I see it, you owe me an explanation, and a meal. Besides, I would like to unwind someplace where I don’t have any social obligations.” She emphasized her point with a long pull of her beer.
“Well, okay, but with that attitude you probably won’t score tonight” JR finished his beer as well.
Kristen rolled her eyes and shook her head.