Vibrations (28 page)

The killer had brought the boy out
and placed him on the couch in front of her. He was still tied with duct tape
on his hands and feet. His shoes were missing, and his socks were filthy. He
appeared to be sleeping. His color didn’t look very good. She wondered if he
had been fed or given water over the last two days.

“Good morning sleeping beauty. Did
you have a nice rest?” The form in front of her looked like a man, but he
giggled like a child. “I’ve heard that using your abilities can really wear you
out. Is that true?”

Whitney nodded and saw that the
killer was still wearing a mask. “If you plan on killing us both, why are you
afraid to let me see your face?”

“I’m not afraid of you,” he
shot back sharply. “I just want to see what it takes for you to figure it out
for yourself.”

He moved closer and bent toward
her face. “Maybe you already know and you’re just not telling me. Do you know
who I am?” The man kicked at her foot and made her jump.

Whitney shook her head no. “Is
the boy alright? Has he had any food or water?”

“Don’t change the subject,” he
said kicking her shin this time. “The boy is fine for now. He’s sleeping
peacefully. Tell me who you think I am.” The killer moved back to get a chair
and, placing it directly in front of her, he sat.

“I have no idea. I wish I did.
I’d like to understand what makes you feel you have to do this,” Whitney said,
eyes focused on the boy.

“I bet you would. But you’d
never understand.” The man moved so that he blocked her view of the child. “You’ve
been special all your life. All you had to do was read someone’s mind and you
knew what it would take to win their favor. I’ve had to work for everything all
my life. I’m making the way easier for others. You’re just a little diversion
for me. I have to admit,” he said chuckling quietly, “at first I was afraid of
you. But now I realize I needed a little distraction. Everyone needs a hobby,
right?”

Whitney could see this man was
not quite rational. She wondered if he realized how unstable he appeared.

“When you were reading about
the metaphysical world, did you learn what makes you able to block my
abilities?”

“Some people can just do it. I’m
quite intelligent you know. It’s probably easier for people with higher
intelligence.”

“Is that what the books said?”

“No. I just figured that part
out myself. Now, let’s get started with some experiments.”

Whitney tried to keep her
breathing calm so the killer wouldn’t see how terrified she felt. She wasn’t
interested in being experimented on and she was hoping it wouldn’t involve
anything painful. She tried to open her mind to his vibrations.

She was desperate to find a way
out. Why couldn’t she figure out his thoughts? Was it the strange vibrations
from a deluded mind or was it her fear of tapping into that mind?

The killer could see her
working on something, and he sat back and smiled. She was doing her part in the
game without having to ask. He would wait to see what she could figure out
before he started testing other areas. He decided to make it interesting, so he
started thinking about killing her. Maybe if he got real excited, she would
read the thoughts. He hadn’t given much thought to how he would do it. His mind
had been focused on the knowledge he wanted to acquire first.

He pictured himself with a
knife and pictured her reaction. The excitement of the power he held was making
him hard. God, this was so good. With the boys he had felt compelled, but with
her it was becoming something else. He looked her over and saw that she was a
beautiful woman. Her smooth tan skin looked like it would feel so soft to
touch. It had been so long since he had been with a woman. Actually, he had
never really been with any woman, they had been just girls. He could picture
himself removing her clothes and touching those breasts. Maybe he could
convince her if she cooperated, he would let her live.

He smiled as he thought of the
fun he could have experimenting with her in new ways. Maybe he would keep the
boy around to watch first. If he killed him now, the woman would be less likely
to cooperate. He wouldn’t lose track of his main objective, but he could have
so much fun gaining all the data he needed. He couldn’t help laughing out loud.

Whitney had been concentrating
on reading his thoughts. She could sense a feeling a sense of exhilaration
coming off of him. He must be feeling quite powerful with his two victims so
helpless. She couldn’t discern complete thoughts, but what she felt gave her a
sense of dread. When he laughed out loud she was so startled she jumped. Whitney
tried to will herself to stay calm.

“Maybe you’re right. You and
the boy probably need some water. I’ll go get it and you just stay right
there.” He laughed at his humor and walked into the kitchen.

At least he was helping them
stay alive. She didn’t like thinking about what he planned, but she was hoping
it would give her some other options. If she could only gain his trust enough
to get out of this chair. “Nick, are you out there?”

* * * *

Nick had stopped for the night.
He was huddled under a tree buried in pine needles and leaves. The extra
clothes he had thrown on were helping, but it would get cold up in the
mountains tonight. He was still weak from losing blood. He snacked on the
protein bars and sipped the little water he had carried. He wasn’t strong
enough to carry much, but he wished he’d found the flashlight. A fire would be
nice, but he was afraid to risk it.

“Nick.”

He sat up so fast his arm slid
off his chest and he yelped in pain. “Whitney, is that you?”

“Nick. It’s me. Thank God
you’re alive.”

“You too baby. Are you okay? Has
he hurt you?”

“I’m okay. The boy’s here too. We’re
tied up in a cabin somewhere.”

“Do you have any idea where you
are? How long did it take you to get there?

“I don’t know. I woke up here.”

“He shot you with some kind of dart
gun. Is he there with you?”

“Yes. I won’t be able to talk
to you when he comes back in the room. He keeps asking me questions.”

“That okay. Keep him talking. I’m
on a trail following his tracks. He used an ATV. Can you tell where I am?

Whitney focused her mind. She
could tell where she felt the vibrations, but she had no idea if it was north
or south. She was completely lost.

“Nick. I can tell that you are
still a ways away. But I can’t tell you which direction to go.”

“Just keep tabs on me, and I’ll
try one of the trails. If you think I’m getting closer, let me know. If I seem
farther, you can tell me that too.”

“Okay. Be careful. How badly
are you hurt? You feel pretty weak.”

“Now that I know you’re okay,
I’m feeling a hundred percent
better. You just hang on and keep him
busy.”

“Hurry Nick. I don’t know how
much time we have.”

“I’m coming.”

Nick stood up and started
walking. He waited for her to let him know if she felt any change.

“Whitney?” No answer. The
killer must have walked back into the room. Nick bent down to check the trail. He
had chosen the one with the freshest tracks. He thought he could see a smaller
set of wheels following the ATV. It looked like it was pulling a small trailer.
That made sense.
He was using the trailer to carry his victims away. He
started going faster feeling more certain he was on the right trail. The moon
was bright enough that he could make out the silhouettes of the trees. He
stumbled over the roots and rocks and tried to keep his balance. He lifted his
feet higher while focusing on the faint light of the trail ahead.

* * * *

The killer walked back into the
room and sat by the boy. He lifted his head and dribbled some water into
Dustin’s mouth. Whitney could see him swallowing a little, but he coughed and
choked on it. The killer patiently waited for the coughing to stop, and
dribbled some more down his throat. Then he lifted up a glass of milk and
dribbled that down his throat. When he was finished he brought another glass of
water to Whitney.

“Why is he sleeping so much? What’d
you do to him?”

“I’ve added a little sedative
to his water. I wouldn’t want him waking up and letting you know my name.”

So the boy knew him.
“How
do I know you haven’t put that in my glass too?”

“Because I need you to be
awake. I can’t learn anything with you sleeping, and it wouldn’t be any fun. Now
drink this.” He tipped the edge of the glass toward her lips and Whitney sipped
it. She couldn’t taste anything in it but it didn’t matter. She had no choice. She
drank the water and it felt good on her parched throat.

“There, now you’re both all
better. Let’s move on to business. Have you figured out my name yet?”

Whitney watched him placing the
glasses on the coffee table. He was too slim to be Coach Hunter, and he was
definitely a man. Ann Marie had been in jail when all this had happened, so it
couldn’t be her anyway. His build was slight, but tall. She couldn’t think of
anyone who fit his profile.

“I still have no idea. I’ve
tried. I can sense your presence, but that’s about all. What would you like me
to do now?”

“I’d like to try my meditation
trick again and you let me know if it seems like I’ve gone away.” The man
walked over to the desk and pulled out a black case. He walked over to a black
leather chair and put himself in a reclined position. He pulled the machine out
of his case and put on earphones and dark sunglasses. She watched as he turned
it on and laid back.

Once she saw the lights
flashing behind the glasses, she realized what he was doing. It was a light and
sound machine. Some people thought the pulsing sounds and lights helped them
meditate. She had never used one, but she had read about it. He lay quietly for
about a while, but she could still sense his presence. He seemed quite excited
to be the center of all this experimenting. Whitney tried to contact Nick
again.

“Nick.”

“Whitney, you okay?”

“Still here. You’re getting
closer.”

“What’s happening there?”

“He’s trying to meditate.”

“Meditate? What the heck?”

“When we get out of this, I’ll
tell you all about it. Be careful. I can tell you’re still quite weak.”

“I wish I could have called for
help. Is there anything there you can use?”

Whitney looked around. “I don’t
see a phone, but I’ve only been in this room. From the trees outside, I think
we’re in the middle of nowhere. He may have a radio somewhere.”

Whitney could feel Nick’s
exhaustion. His breathing was labored and he was in pain. She looked over at
the masked figure in the chair.

“Nick. I think he’s sleeping.”

“Good, that’ll give me more
time.”

“Listen, I don’t think he’s
going to do anything right away. If I’m quiet maybe he’ll sleep a while. It’s
late. He was probably up early this morning like we were. Why don’t you take a
rest.”

“I can’t. I have to keep
going.”

“Then what? How are you going
to help me if you pass out before you get here? You won’t have enough strength
to kill a flea if you do make it. I’ll let you know if I get into trouble. Take
a nap and rest.”

Nick wanted to say no, but his
body was giving out. He bent over to try and get his breath.

“Whitney, I can’t just leave
you there.”

“I’ll let you know when he
wakes up. I’m going to take a nap too. Do it Nick. Rest. I…”

“I love you too Whitney. Did
you know that?”

“I was hoping. I love you. Now
if you really love me, go to sleep.”

Nick tried to get comfortable. He’d
take a fifteen minute nap and then get moving again. That was the first time
they had spoken those words. Now that he had said them it felt bitter sweet. What
if that was the first and last time he could tell her. He was determined not to
let that happen, but his body won out over his mind and he drifted off to
sleep.

Whitney felt Nick’s mind slip
into dreams, and she tried to do the same. She kept glancing over to see if the
man was still sleeping. He looked like a man, but sometimes he acted like a
little boy. He was so excited about his new found knowledge, and his little
machine. Now he was sleeping like a baby. If only she could untie the ropes,
but they were too tight. She couldn’t get the knot in her fingers. After about
an hour of trying to get to the knots, she gave up. The man was snoring now. Her
head got heavy and she tried to rest. She would doze off only to wake up each
time her head fell forward. Too bad she didn’t get any of that sedative. She
eventually let the exhaustion take her and her head dropped down. Her dreams
were filled with little boys calling her name, and Nick’s bloody body rolling
down the mountain.

* * * *

The killer’s dreams were filled
with Whitney’s face. She floated up next to him and took off her velvet robe. He
reached out to touch her and she laughed and flew away. Suddenly a bow was in
his hand and he shot an arrow toward the flying vision. She dropped to the
ground and lay still. He ran over to her and touched her neck. No pulse. He had
killed her. Not yet! He shook her and she opened her eyes. That was better
.
He
trailed his hand down her skin. He knew it would be soft.
He touched her
breasts and she smiled up at him. He knew she wanted him.
He leaned down
to kiss her and she rolled away from him. She stood up and took a few steps
back. “Come and get me.”

His feet suddenly felt like
lead. He couldn’t move. His arms reached toward her and she continued to back
away. “Come back here bitch!” he yelled. She laughed at him and turned her
back. He looked down and his feet were tied to a chair. He was back in the
cabin and he was the one that was tied up. She was standing over him.