The Perfect Bait

Jake lifted a leg of chicken, smothered in barbecue sauce to his mouth. The steam circled upwards, heating his perfectly tanned face. He suddenly realized that there was a delicate, almost unnoticeable, cool breeze that touched his face every few seconds. It stroked his chin and then was gone, came and vanished at a steady pace. Like breathing. Actually, it was exactly like breathing. Jake struggled to open his eyes. Two dark eyes stared back at him.

“Hi.” A girl was laying on his bed beside him.

Jake leapt off his bed, clutching his sheet against his bare chest. “Who the hell are you? What are you doing here? How’d you get inside?”

The girl slowly sat up, her black curls blocking the moonlight that spilled into the dark bedroom. She gave Jake a mischievous smile. “You ask too many questions.”

Jake looked behind her at the swaying curtains. “Did you come in through the window?”

The girl nodded, still smiling. “Come with me.”

Jake rubbed his eyes. “I must still be dreaming,” he mumbled. He squinted at the girl and realized that she looked familiar. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I think you do,” the girl said as if Jake was an idiot for not recognizing her. “Hello, we go to the same school.”

Jake looked at her hard, trying to make out her facial features that were hidden in the shadow. He snapped his finger. “You’re that new girl!”

“Yeah.” The girl grinned. “Come with me.”

A laugh escaped Jake’s lips. “This is too weird.” His friends, John and Brandon, would be stunned and highly amused to hear that the new girl snuck into his bedroom Saturday night. The same girl that was constantly eyeing him at school in between classes and during lunchtime. The same girl Jake’s friends had mentioned for him to ask out to the upcoming dance because she was obviously interested and very attractive.

“So come on,” the girl said excitedly. She got off the bed and gently tugged on her denim miniskirt with sequined details on the front.

Her exotic fruity scent teased his nostrils. Jake looked down and smiled. Tons of questions whirled around in his mind. “Is this some sort of a prank? Wait – did my friends send you here?”

The girl shook her head.

“Then how-”

“Sshhh. You ask too many questions,” she said softly. She allowed some silence to fall between them before she began her explanation. “It seems like you’ve had to deal with a lot the past couple months. I just want to take you away from it all. Forget about football, forget about college. Just one night of spontaneity.” She walked backwards toward the opened window. “I’ve got a car. We can go anywhere.”

The girl was right. Jake had a lot going on. Dealing with the pressure of being on his high school’s football team and working on his slipping grades for college. Plus dealing with the sudden disappearance of Richard Hunter, one of his good friends.

Jake watched the girl swing her slender leg over the windowsill. “What are you waiting for?” she asked with a smile before disappearing.

Jake flung the sheet back on the bed and pulled on a shirt and a pair of jeans. Excitement rushed through his body. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go out at midnight with this strange, attractive girl. This could be his chance to get to know the new girl better, and then…who knew? Plus it would be an awesome story to tell the guys.

He climbed out of his window. Crickets disturbed the silence of the night with their chirps. Everything was still with the exception of a light wind that occasionally caressed the leaves in nearby trees. Jake walked across the thick grass towards the driveway. The girl was already sitting inside her car parked by the side of the road.

Jake slid into the passenger seat. “So where are we going?”

“Somewhere fun.” Her green eyes glimmered as she gave him a sweet smile. She drove off down the road under the dim glow of the streetlights.

“What’s your name?” Jake asked, staring at her long eyelashes. They were beautiful, curled upwards gracefully like long daisies swaying delicately in the gentle summer breeze.

“What’s in a name? For a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” the girl replied.

“Okay…” Jake said slowly.

She glanced at him. “Shakespeare,” she simply explained. “I love all his tragedies. What are you into?”

“Football. And cheerleaders.”

“And food,” the girl added. “I saw you down a double cheeseburger and potato wedges in a matter of seconds. Don’t you have to watch what you eat so you can stay in shape for football?”

“Well I’m at the gym like 24/7 – when I’m not at school, or at practice. So I can afford to eat all that and not get fat,” Jake said.

“Well, I don’t mind fat. I like a guy with some meat on his bones.”

“Well, consider me your prime choice.”

“With all that food at lunchtime no wonder you’re always sleeping during Biology,” she said.

“How’d you know I had Biology after lunch?”

“I know your whole schedule. You have English first period, a spare second, Biology third period and Calculus fourth.”

Jake cocked an eyebrow. “Wow. You really do your research when you like somebody.”

“Who said I like you?” she asked playfully.

“Oh c’mon. I seen the way you’ve been eying me at school.”

“So?”

“So, you couldn’t take your eyes off me. Plus you know my whole schedule, you must have been following me around.”

“Funny, Richard never thought that way,” she said.

“Richard Hunter?”

“Yeah.”

“You knew him?”

“Mmhhmm. And he never flattered himself like you do.”

Jake snorted. “So I suppose sneaking into my bedroom in the middle of the night doesn’t mean you’re totally crazy about me?”

The girl smiled to herself, but wouldn’t give in.

“Just admit it. I don’t know any girl who wouldn’t want a piece of this,” Jake said gesturing to himself.

“Then I guess you’re right.” She gave him a sly grin. “I do want a piece of you.” She stopped the car, turned off the engine and unbuckled her seatbelt. “C’mon.” She tilted her head towards the window, motioning for Jake to get out.

Jake furrowed his eyebrows. “We’re, like, in the middle of nowhere.” Clusters of large, dark trees surrounded them. A mellow, blue glow cascaded down from the navy, star scattered sky above.

The girl jumped out of the car. She stuck her head in through the opened car window. “You can’t catch me,” she taunted with a grin. Then she spun around and bounced away from the car.

Jake gave her a strange look and got out of the car. “Are you alright?” he asked.

“Never been better!” she sang, jumping around. “Come on, Mr. Football player! Let’s see if you’re fast enough.”

Jake casually walked towards her. She remained in her spot, still bouncing.

Jake got closer. “Do you have springs in your shoes or something?” he asked, jokingly.

She didn’t move away. “I’m just excited.”

“About what?” He got closer.

“About being out here in free, open space. With you.”

Jake took two more steps. He was close enough. He lurched forward to grab her, but only her long curls brushed his fingers as she sprinted away. She emitted a loud, hearty laugh that escaped into the night and bounced off the trees.

Jake stood alone. He didn’t see the girl anywhere. “C’mon. Let’s not do this. I do enough running at practice.”

Suddenly she jumped out of nowhere and shoved him in the back, still giggling. Jake spun around and tried to grab her, but she fired off quickly and disappeared behind another tree.

“You made me get out of bed and brought me out here in the middle of the night to play a game of tag?” he asked.

She stepped out from behind the tree. “Not just for a game of tag,” she said. “You don’t know what you get once you catch me.” She smiled and slid behind another tree.

Jake’s curiosity was tickled. He walked towards the tree. She suddenly moved off and he ran after her. The trees got denser and the surroundings darkened as Jake followed her deeper into the woods.

“You’re fast! Why don’t you try out for football?” Jake puffed, sprinting after her.

She ran around the same group of trees a few times, laughing excitedly. Jake was so close he could smell her fruity perfume. He reached out, the very tips of his fingers touching her pink tank top, when abruptly something tightly gripped his right ankle. He plunged to the ground. Sticks and rocks embedded into the soil scratched his wrists and hands. His heart pummelled against his chest as he was immediately catapulted into the air. He screamed. Suddenly all was still. He swayed gently in the warm night air, suspended upside down by a rope that tied his right ankle to a tree.

The girl laughed and mimicked his yelp.

Jake struggled to catch his breath. “What the hell…happened?”

“You got yourself stuck in a tree you silly goose,” she laughed.

Jake bent his body upwards, trying to reach the rope around his ankle, but it was impossible to reach that far even for him. The girl giggled some more. He rubbed his red face, still breathing hard. “I’m glad…you think this is funny. But could you get – could you get me down?”

“Put your hands together,” she said in a singsong voice.

He gave her a quizzical look, but did it anyway. She brought her hands from behind her back and, with the rope she was holding, tied up his wrists.

“What are you doing?”

“That’s a nice watch you got there,” she said. She knotted the rope and pulled it hard despite his attempt to wriggle his hands free. She then took off his big silver watch.

“Are you robbing me?” Jake asked. He could hardly understand what was going on. All the blood continued to rush down to his head and he was beginning to feel dizzy.

“No. I’m just going to keep it here for safe keeping.” She shoved it into the pocket of her denim skirt.

“Wait – but you’re going to get me down right?”

The girl smiled at him before moving off. She gathered some pieces of wood that sat together by a nearby tree. She placed the woods directly underneath Jake’s head.

“What-what are you doing?” he asked. “Get me down from here. This isn’t funny.”

“I will,” she said sweetly. Then she disappeared for a minute and came back, dragging a big basket across the dirt.

“We’re going to have a picnic,” she said happily. She kneeled down in front of the basket and went to work emptying out its contents. She spread out a blanket, a stack of napkins…

“This is insane,” Jake muttered to himself. Then louder he said, “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m still upside down! If you don’t want me to interrupt your planning, I get it. Just get me down.”

The girl got up and walked over to him, holding something small in her hands. Then with one stroke, she lit a match and tossed it on the pile of wood beneath Jake’s head.

“Are you nuts?!” he screeched. A flame started up. “Get me down from here right down, or else…”

“Or else what?” she asked innocently. She lit another match and threw it in. A blaze flew up, reaching for Jake’s blond hair.

“You’re nuts! How are you going to get me down now?” he exclaimed. The heat began to choke Jake. He could hear the fire crackling in his ear. His heart raced and his head spun. He started yelling absent-mindedly at the girl and for help.

“Stop babbling,” she said. She got out a roll of masking tape from the picnic basket, reeled some tape off and jabbed a knife into it a couple times until it separated from the roll. She walked over to Jake and gently placed the tape across his mouth. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you down,” she said with a sugary smile. “When you’re medium rare.”

Jake’s eyebrows furrowed and he violently jerked his body in protest.

She walked back to the laid out blanket and continued emptying out the picnic basket. She announced each item as she placed them down. “A knife…a plate…a fork…oh, what’s this?” She held up a silver necklace. One that Jake instantly recognized. “Oh, right. Richard’s necklace.” She looked up at Jake and smiled slyly. “I didn’t want it to melt.”

Jake’s eyes widened in horror. He protested some more, muffled sounds coming from behind his masking tape.

The girl continued emptying out the picnic basket. “…lots and lots of napkins. I’m going to need those…”

The heat was excruciating and Jake’s hair was frying. He swore his hair was frying. Beads of sweat sprung up all over his face and neck, dribbling into the fire. His clothes were sticky and muggy. They clung to him and made him feel as though he were bathing in hot water. The fumes invaded his nostrils, suffocating him. The flames grew uncontrollably and were practically touching his face. Behind him a flame poked the collar of his polo shirt and ran up his spine.

“…a cup…sparkling apple juice…” The girl’s voice drowned out, being replaced by the threats of the noisy fire.

Jake barely made out the girl standing up. She walked towards him. His eyelids unwillingly drooped. As she got closer, he hazily saw what she was carrying. A brush and a bottle of barbecue sauce.



Won first place in a suspense writing contest in 2005 for a Canadian magazine.

(Twisted Bubblegum)