Depths (16 page)

“
I do security actually,
it
’
s a dangerous job,
”
I said with a
grin.

“
Oh really now? And what do you
secure?
”

“
Only the largest chain of copy
machine stores in this nation. The one and only,
Copymate.
”

Mock enthusiasm. She thought it was hilarious.

“
Hey come on, why are
you laughing? Do you have any idea how many robberies occur in copy
machine stores?
”

“
Are you serious?
”

“
I'll tell you how many. None.
Because
I'm
the one doing security,
”
I smiled as I said it and she burst out laughing. What a
smile, blindingly white but not perfect, just the right amount of
character in her teeth. It made me feel warm and I just wanted to
make her smile more and more.

I took another sip of wine right
as someone behind me bumped into my chair, splashing red wine down
the front of my shirt. My
white
shirt.

“
I'm so sorry! Oh my god that got
all over, let me get you a napkin!
”

Like a napkin would do anything
except smear it everywhere and make the stain worse. I had
one
nice outfit in my
wardrobe.
Had
.

“
Don't worry about it, I was going
to take it to the dry cleaners anyway.
”

“
Are you sure? I'm really sorry.
Here, take this.
”

He rustled about in his pocket and pulled out a
twenty-dollar bill. Before I could protest, he set it on the table
in front of me.

“
For the dry cleaning,
”
he said, turning around and leaving before I
could say a word. At least it would help me pay for
dinner.

“
Wow, that was nice of
him.
”

“
Yeah I know,
”
I said as I put the twenty dollars in my pocket. I could feel
my face burning with embarrassment. I put my coat jacket back on
and drew it tight in a pathetic attempt to cover the wine
stain.

We finished our meal and the
waiter brought out the bill
—
Jesus, even
the booklet that the bill went into looked like it cost a hundred
bucks. I kept a poker face as I opened it and even I was impressed
that I didn't gasp out loud. I took my card out of my wallet and
left the check on the edge of the table for the waiter to pick
up.

“
How much was it?
”

“
Don't worry about it, it's on
me,
”
I smiled.

The waiter returned and I left a tip. She stumbled a
little when she stood from the table and laughed as she caught
herself.

“
Too much wine?
”

She chuckled a bit and linked her arm around mine
and we made our way outside.

It was a little chilly, which I
used as an excuse to draw her closer to me. We walked and I tried
to steal looks at her every chance I could get and every
time
I
looked
, she looked back. We both smiled
and looked away, hoping the other didn't notice even though we knew
the other did.

“
So where to next?
”
I asked.

“
I don't know. I would say let's
go back to your place, but it
’
s only our first date and
I
am
a lady,
”
she said with mock
pretentiousness as she flashed her mischievous smile
again.

“
Well
, what makes you think my
place is unacceptable? I
’
m a
gentleman
after
all.
”

“
Well if that's the case,
”
she said through her grin,
“then your place it is.
”

She raised her eyebrows as she said it and I my
pulse jumped a couple-dozen beats faster. How did I land a girl
like this in the first place? Not to mention getting her back to my
house on the first date.

We walked down the sidewalk to a
crosswalk and I pushed the button, absently
watch
ing the cars pass
by. They had no idea about us or how lucky I was to have a girl
like her around my arm.

The
“
Walk
”
sign lit up and we stepped
into the street just as a
car
zoomed past us
. I yanked her back just in
time.

“
Jesus! Fuckin
’
watch where you're going
asshole!
”
I yelled to the car as it sped
on down the road,
“are you
alright?
”

“
Yeah I'm fine, thanks for
that.
”

“
Yeah of course, guy ran the
fucking light.
”

I hated when people didn't pay attention when they
were driving.

We continued across the intersection to the next
crosswalk and waited. A breeze blew by and she quickly burrowed
deeper into my arms and nuzzled up against my chest.

It made my heart melt.

The
“
Walk
”
sign lit up and this time I
looked both ways before crossing. All clear. We crossed the street
to the parking lot where my car was parked and we got in. She
shivered a bit as she sat down and rubbed her hands
together.

“
Can you turn the heater on
please?
”

“
Of course.
”

I started the car and turned the
heater up to 75 degrees. The knob was broken, it could get to 80
but it wouldn
’
t
turn past 75. And of course it blew cold air because my car had
been sitting in the cold for so long.

Great.

“
Sorry about that,
”
I said, fumbling with the thermostat, trying
desperately to get the knob to turn past 75 to no avail. She
shivered some more and squeak-giggled, trying to block the
vents.

We both laughed and I backed out of my spot,
stopping at the driveway and easing my way up a little so I could
see the traffic. I turned left into the median and saw her still
shivering .

“
It
’
s so cooooold!
”

I looked and reached down to turn the heater off, at
least until the car had warmed up, as I accelerated out of the
median.

Creeeooooooooocccccshhheerrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

My head slammed into the window as a car T-boned her
side of the car. Shards of glass flew through the cabin, each one a
dagger eager to cut and slice. Her hair whipped in slow motion,
like a beauty commercial, if beauty commercials involved broken
bones, contusions, and blood.

She tried to speak but nothing
came out except
gurgles
and more blood and I
blacked out.

I parked my car in front of her house. I made sure
to get there a little earlier so we wouldn't be late and lose our
reservations, it was one of those fancy restaurants; they probably
didn't even have the prices on their menus. It was going to be an
expensive night but that was OK. I had somehow gotten lucky enough
to get a date with this girl and she liked the restaurant, so
that's where we would go.

24976 Sunny Way. Weird name for the street. Willow
trees grew on either side and formed a canopy that blocked out just
about all sunlight. I wasn't sure what it was, but the street made
me feel uncomfortable.

I got to the door and was about to knock when I
heard her call out.

“
Come in! It's
unlocked.
”

Her voice sounded a little
different, like she was sick or something, like her lips
couldn
’
t form the words quite right. I
turned the knob and walked inside.

“
Hey you! Almost
ready?
”

“
Mmhmm why don't you come up
here?
”

“
Uhh alright.
”

I was a little confused but I wasn't going to
refuse. I started climbing the stairs to her room and rubbed my
hands together.

“
It's freezing in
here!
”

“
I know... Isn't it
nice?
”

Her voice trailed off every time she spoke and
something seemed wrong.

I noticed goosebumps forming on my arms so I rubbed
them as I continued up the steps. I could hear her stereo from her
room. The door was cracked a little and I could make out her figure
floating across the floor in the dim light.

“
Come in you...
”

I didn't know what had gotten into her but I loved
the seductive tone in her voice. I pushed open the door and was
taken aback. The only light came from candles, the flames flickered
as some rock band played from the stereo.

I didn't know who it was, the singer had an eerily
haunting voice as he droned on while guitars screamed, blaring from
her speakers.

She swayed her hips and her black evening gown
flowed as she danced across the room, paying no attention to
me.

Her arms were liquid with the melody, flowing with
the pulse of the drums. She kept her head down, her black wavy hair
covered her face and she hummed along with the music.

“
Doesn't it just make you want to
dance,
”
she crooned,
“come and dance with me...
”

I was transfixed by her body, her hips were
hypnotizing and I almost completely forgot about our
reservations.

“
Um...
”
I stammered,
“What about
dinner?
”

“
I've been dancing all day... I'm
so tired... I don't think I want to go out...
”

She wafted past me again and I looked down at her
feet. Blood seeped out from her shoes, gushing out every time she
took a step.

“
Oh my god, what did you do to
your feet?
”

“
Mmmm I've just been dancing all
day... I'm so hungry... But I just can't stop
dancing...
”

She twirled about like a silk ribbon, moving from
one side of the room to the other with no clear intent.

She spun around behind me and shut the door as she
went by, giggling as she did so.

“
Dance with me
silly...
”

“
What are you doing? Stop it! Your
feet are bleeding for Christ's sake!
”

“
Mmm I'm so hungry... Feed me... I
just want to
dance
...
”

She spun in slow circles around me, grazing me
lightly with her fingertips as she went round and round.

“
Stop it!
”
I yelled, grabbing her by her shoulders.

She giggled and brushed my hands off her turning
away from me and prancing, skipping into the air, still spiraling
around the room.

“
Just come and dance with
me...
”

“
No! I'm leaving if you don't stop
whatever the hell it is you're doing.
”

She stopped and stood directly in front of me.

“
I'm so
hungry...
”
She whimpered, swaying her body
side to side as she stood in place.

“
Come on,
”
I held my hand out to her,
“come on
and we'll get you something to eat. I'll fix you up something here,
we don't have to go out.
”

“
I'm so hungry... Have you been
fed today?
”

“
Have I what?
”
Not sure if I heard that right.

“
Have you been fed today? Have you
been fed today... Have you. B
een
fed...
Today...
”

The candles painted shadows across her covered face
as she continued to sway. Her head rocked with her body side to
side.

“
You're scaring me. Seriously, cut
it out. Come on, let's get something to eat downstairs and get your
feet patched up.
”

She mumbled something that sounded
like
“
in a minute,
”
but I wasn't sure. I started backing up to the door and as I
did, she finally lifted her head up.

Her hair parted back from her miserably sunken in
face, dark rings engulfed her closed eyes. Her skin seemed like it
was stretched too tight, like someone had grabbed a handful of skin
from behind her skull and pulled.

And the worst part... I thought she was sucking on
her lips when she mumbled at me. The blood dribbling from her chin
said otherwise.

She had completely chewed her lips
off. The bloody pulp that surrounded her mouth smiled at me in a
horrible, meaty
grimace.

“
Come dance with me...
”

She cackled and leapt away in a twirl, holding her
dress by the hem. A bloody piece of meat plopped from her mouth
onto the floor.

“
Laaa la. La le la, laaa... Laaa
la. La le la laaa...
”
She sang, spiraling
and turning.

She stopped spinning and looked at me, swaying her
hips.

“
Won't you come dance with me? I'm
so hungry... Have you been fed today?
”

She advanced on me, still swaying like a charmed
serpent. Her eyes held the look of a naive little girl, blended
with demented insanity. She pulled her mouth back and upwards with
her fingers into a sick toothy grin.