Spider

4

Georgetown, South Carolina Much in the manner that old men remember their first love affair, Spider finds himself comforted and aroused by his recollections of his first kill. Eyes still shut, his mind almost slipping into sleep, he rolls back twenty years and remembers the last moments of his momentous meeting with Sarah Kearney.

The summer sun and sweet floral smells of the South Carolina parkland sting his senses once more; he and Sugar stand inches apart, a delicious awkwardness at the end of their first meeting.

'Looks like rain,' he'd said, glancing up at the battleship-grey cloud heading their way. 'You got a ride?'

Sugar had shaken her head. Her pretty black hair swished as she did. 'No, I came out by bus.'

Of course you did, my darling, of course you did.

'Where you going? Can I drop you somewhere?'

'Hey, would you mind givin' me a ride to Georgetown? It's not outta ya way or nothin'. In fact, you go right through it and I can show ya a short cut an' all.'

'Course not. Nothing would give me more pleasure.'

The walk back to his car had been so exciting. Anticipation had crackled through his veins like a broken electric cable in a thunderstorm. But he hadn't forgotten himself. Oh no, he'd been the perfect gentleman, right up to the end.

He'd opened the passenger door for her, and closed it carefully once she was safely inside.

'Why thanks, that's really nice of you.'

What happened next had been the best bit. He'd pictured it dozens of times, even acted it out in his garage to make sure it would work properly.

'First rule of the road, better safe than sorry, always buckle up.' He'd said it with a smile and pointed at her seat belt.

She'd laughed at him.

Fancy that, she'd actually laughed at him. 'You're a real gent, aren't ya,' she'd said, 'real kind to ladies, that's pretty unusual these days.'

Pretty unusual. He smiled again at the recollection, she'd certainly been right there.

Then she'd done as he asked. Good little Sugar had clunked the seat belt into place and started to sit right back to make herself comfortable with her new gentleman friend.

Poor Sugar.

She'd never made it to comfortable.

As she tossed back her hair, Spider had made his move. Two fingers, bent double at the knuckles, driven deep into her throat, either side of the windpipe. An unbreakable choke-hold.

Just remembering it made him tingle. He flexed his hand and relived the excitement of pressing harder and harder, pushing her neck back against the headrest and blocking off her airway.

Sugar had struggled but the seat belt had pinned her back – just as he'd figured it would. She clawed at his arm, but he'd thought of that as well; the sleeves of his wool jacket just snapped off her nasty fingernails.

He'd thought of everything. He always did. Always would.

And that final kiss? Wow! He'd never forget it.

His lips to hers at the very moment he choked the final breath from her body and caught it in his mouth. Like he was swallowing her soul.

He breathes out. Feels her warmth again, feels that part of her, still inside him – maybe even attached to his own soul.

God it had been exciting. The most exciting, wonderful moment of his life.

And then she had been his. Truly his.

Was it really twenty years ago that all that happened? He could hardly believe it.

My, how time flies so fast.

It only seemed like yesterday that he'd looked across at Sugar's dead body in the passenger seat and realized that they were joined for ever, as surely as if they were man and wife.

Spider opens his eyes in the dullness of the present day and smiles. Sugar had indeed been special. It was so good to have her back in his life.