CHAPTER 8
LENA
“I’ll be back, Bax! Don’t burn down the place!”
Lena laughed at her joke as she hurried to lock the door behind her. She slung her small backpack over a shoulder and rushed down the hall to the stairwell. If I hurry maybe I can catch her! She shouldn’t be walking around the park at night by herself.
She took the concrete steps two at a time and leaped over the last four. Sticking the landing gracefully, she stutter-stepped and launched for the thick steel door. I wish she would have waited for me to get off the phone.
Lena made her way back to the park she had first met Beatrice in, her eyes wide open and searching all the while. The pavement turned to cobblestone. She was close. The buildings changed from modern to historical in the matter of a block. Cheerful conversations echoed out over the streets highlighted in bursts of laughter that made her all the more excited to track down her new friend. She’d already decided to ask if she could offer Bea a space in her roomie apartment.
She could smell coffee in the air as she neared a 24-hour coffee shop, a group of nicely dressed individuals crowded around the front of the quaint brick building. What’s another five minutes. She thought, changing course toward the entrance. She unslung her knapsack and pulled her wallet from it.
“Hello, what can I get for you?”
“Hi, can I get two classic lattes?” She smiled at the friendly barista. “Actually, can you make one of those french vanilla and the other a mocha? Sorry for the switcharoo.”
“Not a problem at all, and yes, what size would you like those in.”
“mmmm, medium, please.”
“Sure thing, that will be, $12.75.”
She offered up a twenty-dollar bill from the envelope of cash she’d acquired from her most recent articles.
“I will expect to see new material by the end of day Friday.” She watched Tallia’s final expression playing through her mind before wiping it away to focus on her current task. I will take care of that later.
The pretty barista brought two steaming to-go cups and placed them on the counter. “I put a chocolate bar sticker as the topper on the mocha and a smiley face on the french vanilla.”
“Aw, cute! Thank you! Have a great night!” Lena smiled and tossed two crisp dollar bills into the tip bin.
She backed into the door, pushing it open and rolling out with a spin. Excitement was in the air. She felt it, almost smelt it the way she did rain just before it began to pour. She looked both ways and jogged across the street. The warm glow of streetlights moved over her as she went. The walkway ran left and right around the vast deep green of the park spilling out in front of her. It was beautiful at night. A little daunting, she brushed the chill away from the base of her spine. Don’t be silly. If Bea can live on her own out here, I will be just fine until I find her. She assured.
She left the beaten path and cut over the green. I hope I find her before the coffee gets cold.
After a short walk, she stopped on a rolling hill, letting her eyes search for movement.
Nothing.
Where was that grove of myrtles?… She mused. As if in answer, her gaze fell on a pod of trees with brilliant white blooms. It looked like the perfect reflection of the stars twinkling above.
She lit up with a smile and jogged carefully down the knoll, Doing her best not to slosh the coffee around in each cup. Thank goodness for the toppers. She laughed.
Lena was caught up in reaching her destination and failed to notice the shadow keeping up with her at the other side of the bushes as she walked along. The lurking danger was the last thing on her mind.
The bushes ended, and the shadow sprang out, launching itself heavily into her small frame.
Thud. Lena hit the pavement hard—the coffee cups dashing to the ground. The tops popped off, and the contents exploded down the sidewalk, forming little rivers of dark liquid to pour off at either side of the concrete.
“Don’t move, Don’t move, and keep your mouth shut.” The gruff voice growled. The man had climbed onto Lena’s back and was pushing her face roughly into the pavement. She went stiff as a board, doing her best to breathe under the oppressive weight.
“Please….” She began. Before she could say another word in her plea, he grabbed her hair and lifted her head, bashing it down into the unforgiving surface.
“I said shut up!” He roared. His hands tore the backpack away, pulling her arms back unnaturally.
Lena whimpered and bit down on her lip to keep the yell crawling up in her throat at bay. Her head swam through a heavy mixture of fear and pain she’d never experienced. Her eyes found the rivers of latte and stuck to it, watching the tiny fingers reach for the grass.
A heavy boot came down on her back, pressing hard. She heard the zipper and imagined the thug rummaging through to take anything of value. A moment later, she felt hands around her shoulders as he flipped her over. “You make a sound, so help me, I will blow your head off.” He hissed in her face. She could smell booze and tobacco on his breath. He reached for her ponytail and yanked hard, pulling her toward the bushes.
Lena’s level of terror increased, No. no, no, no. She screamed in her mind. There was something dark in his free hand. His eyes remained trained to the bushes they were drawing closer toward. I’d rather die. Lena’s mind switched. Something happened as she reached a level of fear she’d never faced. Both of her hands raced to the top of her head. She held the base of her ponytail and started to struggle. “HELP!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. “HELP ME PLEASE SOMEONE!”
Her attacker stopped in his tracks, “I said not a sound!” He hissed.
“You’re going to have to shoot me, you stupid fuck!” She screamed in his face. “I would rather die than be alive for whatever you’re planning to do to me.” She spits in his face.
He back peddled and wiped the saliva from his face, grumbling and stewing in his anger. He launched forward, swinging his hand back with the weapon, and landed a sickening crack against Lenas’ skull. She went limp. Her mind turned to milk and her vision blurred.
“Next time, I will shoot you dumb b…”
“Stop!” A new voice broke in. “Stop right now…”
Lena dropped to the ground as he released her fully to focus on the familiar voice. Beatrice? Oh no.
Lena groaned, trying to warn her friend he had a gun. She heard the hammer click back. “Don’t come any closer.” He warned, “I’ll shoot her first and then you. Stay where you are. I will deal with you next.”
“I don’t think you will.” Bea was unfazed.
The man’s massive frame overshadowed Lena as he stepped over her limp body. Something warm trickled down her temple.
Blood. She thought dizzily.
“I’m sorry,” Bea murmured.
“You’re gonna be, shoulda minded your own business.” The man’s threat was cut short.
“You should have stopped when I told you too.” She offered sadly.
The gun clattered to the pavement. Lena teetered on the brink of consciousness, doing her best to pull out and see what was happening, but the blackness was caving in fast around the edges of her vision. She could make out the outline of her attacker falling to his knees, clinging to his neck as if something were choking him. The sounds issuing from him were enough to make her skin crawl.
“I’m sorry,” Beatrice’s cry echoed through Lena’s mind as she faded into unconsciousness.