Escape From Iowa

Disclaimer: This story is property of Tom Holland and his enterprises thus the writer of the following has no claims on this story.

Personal Note: There are additions to this story with characters that were never in the movies.

Fall 1985

Salena Amarizeen was getting ready for her next client when she just got done reading in the local newspaper about a murder of a twenty-something year old lady who was found near the railroad tracks. What sickened Salena was the fact that it mentioned that she was decapitated. She knew she better get herself together since her client would be at her door in less than five minutes and she had to focus deeply or she would not be worth their time and money. She took a Zantac pill as well as a couple of Tylenols. She was thinking maybe she should just skip lunch today since she thought food would just make her sick since it was hard to keep her mind off the latest murder. Then her client knocked on her door so now she geared up to be ready.

Meantime at the local high school, it was lunchtime and Ed and Charlie were sitting at the table eating. Amy then came to join them and started to talk to Charlie. She was telling Charlie how bad she felt about the argument they had the other night. Then the local news came on in the lunchroom talking about the latest murder and Charlie forgot all about Amy and went up to the TV to see what happened. Ed said "And hear this, both of them had their heads chopped off." He started to laugh.

Charlie said to Ed "Evil, you are sick". That is also when Amy realized she was being ignored and then reached into a tray of another student to get his sloppy joe which made him mad but Amy did not care and she put the sandwich on Charlie's face and stormed out of the lunchroom. Ed then pointed his finger at Charlie and started laughing. Charlie was embarrassed and left.

Angela (Charlie's mother) is at work at the local hospital ER where she is a nurse there. She is wondering about her next neighbors who just moved in. She heard he is very hot. Angela is thinking different ideas about how to get him in her house since she feels a little shy about knocking on his door. When she gets her lunch break with a couple of other hospital workers, she tells them about the next door neighbor and one of the nurses at three south suggests that she should just invite him over for a drink the first time and then eventually invite him over for dinner.

Angela says "I haven't been out on a date for two years now.

Charlene who is the nurse on the third floor says "Yes, I remember and too bad it didn't work out with that doctor."

Angela says "I don't really want to date anyone in the medical field anymore."

Charlene asks "Do you have any idea what your next door neighbor does for a living?"

Angela says "I heard he fixes houses for a living."

Charlene says "That is not bad at all, they make good money too."

Angela looks at her watch and says "Ooops, have to go back to work now. Thanks for your idea."

Charlene says "Anytime hon"

Salena connects her client with her late husband who was killed by a drunk driver in an auto accident, and she tells her that he is warning her not to date anyone new right now since there is a serial killer on the loose who lures women into his house.

Valerie who is the client says "Is he trying to tell me that these recent killings are done by a guy who lures them into his house?"

Salena says "That is just what your husband just said." Salena is also surprised since now she is wondering who in the world is doing this using this method.

Valerie asks Salena that "Do you think that my husband just may be jealous and not want me to date again which I understand since I don't really feel like dating but I feel very lonely too?"

Salena says "No, I don't think he is jealous since if anything, he is concerned and worried about you."

Salena then wants to make sure that it is not jealousy so she asks Valerie's late husband about that. He tells her he is not the least bit jealous since he wishes for her to move on with her life but just not to date anyone new to her right now since he just may be the serial killer.

Salena then has another idea and asks "Do you know who is killing these women?"

Valerie's late husband says "I know exactly who is doing this but I am not allowed to disclose this type of information because of the rules up here meaning that if I do, you may not be able to access me anymore to communicate with my wife. All I am saying is not to date anyone new since there is a serial killer on the loose."

Salena explains all this to Valerie who gets very frustrated and says "Well dang, if I don't know who in the world it is, then how the heck do I know who to stay away from!!!"

Salena says "Valerie, you don't quite understand the rules of the other side and how things work. If he were to give me all the information that he is not to give, they would not allow us to access him and communicate with him and you don't want that, do you?"

Valerie just sighs and says "Who is 'they' and in my opinion, this rule business is just too silly."

Salena says "Hon, I wish I could do more for you, but it is hard for me to even explain the other side. If we knew everything, that could prove disaster.

Valerie then gets up and puts her fifty dollars on the table and says "Thank you for nothing" and storms out the door.

Salena then calls out for her and says "Valerie, come back and let me explain about this." Valerie just gets in her car and takes off.

Salena now gets a bigger headache than before and starts to feel even sicker first to Valerie's reaction and not being able to have a chance to clear things up, then to this message about the fact that women are being lured to this killer. That just tells her that maybe he is taking them out on dates and gets them in his house and kills them. She cannot work and take any more clients so she phones the rest of her clients and reschedules them saying that she is sick which is a half truth since she is sickened by what is going on and how she is totally helpless.

Later that day, after school, Charlie calls the police on his next door neighbors. When a police officer gets there, they go the Dandridge house and the servant answers the door. Turns out he and Jerry have an alibi for the night before. While the servant and officer are talking, Charlie goes through some large portraits leaning against the wall and then he comes across one looking just like Amy. He is somewhat very miffed that Jerry has a portrait of Amy in his house. He comes across another one who looks very familiar as well but Charlie cannot place her. He does notice her Arabic features though. Charlie brings up the garbage they took out the night before. Charlie then tells the officer to look in the basement and that they will find Jerry sleeping the sleep of the undead.

Now the officer gets miffed since he feels his time is wasted and tells Charlie "Let's get out of here."

The servant says "I will then show you the garbage we took out."

Once the officer and Charlie and outside, the officer says "If you ever call me again, I will put you in jail forever."

Charlie goes into his house and is now wondering about his helplessness.