The Last Day

SIXTY-SEVEN

Alice huddled at a public phone kiosk, hunched over the “M” section of a phone book, her finger finding the exact address she wanted. She used her GPS to find her way to his house. Her indignant anger grew as she drove slowly past the McCartys’ mailbox three times before she made up her mind to drive in. When the narrow driveway turned she stopped, her path blocked by a black pickup truck. She got out of her car and knocked on the empty truck's window. She couldn't see anybody around. What idiot would park that way so nobody could get in? Enclosed by the trees, the property beyond her headlights was dark and creepy It reminded her of one of the many horror films she'd seen over the years. She told herself movies were not real, but she was.

Thinking better of her late- night visit, Alice started to turn around. Backing between two trees, she was jolted when her rear tire fell into a hole. When she tried to pull forward, the car wouldn't move. She gave it more power and the wheel spun loudly, but it didn't budge. She slammed her palms against the steering wheel and cursed.

Turning off the lights, she threw open the car door and rooted in her black tote until she found her cell phone. She flipped it open and was greeted by her lighted screen and an absence of bars. “Fuck!” she yelled, stamping her feet on the floorboard.

Alice cut the motor, climbed out of the car, slammed the door, walked to the truck, and stood there in the darkness listening to the buzzing of the insects. An overcast blocked what moon there was, and she stood there afraid and confused.

In the darkness, she could barely make out the asphalt driveway that ran through the woods beyond the truck, and she cursed silently because she didn't have a flashlight in her car.

Taking the black tote bag from the passenger's seat in the Corolla, she went around the truck, moving away from the stuck automobile, opening her cell phone to give herself some illumination.

Walking cautiously, she rounded the next bend and was beginning to be able to see better as her eyes grew increasingly accustomed to the darkness.

She heard a noise off to her right-a slight rustling sound, like a wolf stalking her-and she held up her cell phone, straining to see what had made the noise. In the weak light Alice could just make out something reflecting the bluish glow in the leaves. She moved cautiously, inching toward the shape.

She heard a door closing and turned toward the sound. She didn't see any light from that direction, but to her left she could make out a shape over the rise-a roof? Hearing footsteps behind her, Alice started to scream, but a strong hand closed around her mouth as an arm cinched her waist, and she was lifted into the air, kicking off her sandals in the process. She kicked against her assailant, hitting his legs with her heels, but to no effect.

“Shhhhhhhhh,” the man whispered into her ear. “Cut the crap.”

Alice closed her eyes and the fast- moving man carried her like a doll toward the house.