Chapter III: "Lies and Revelations"
=== In the cabin ===
The fire was burning and yellow-orange light flickered over the two persons sitting on the floor. Outside the old cabin, the storm gained intensity, branches cracked and were thrown against the windows, which remarkably enough held out. Tessa's thoughts circled around possibilities for escape; Stephan's thoughts around the question what he should do with this girl. For today, no search party would arrive even near his refuge. Nevertheless, there was a tomorrow! The storm would settle…
Should he bring her next to the village and simply ask her not to tell about him? Could he trust her? No one could be trusted! He turned slightly and watched her. She seemed to notice it, but did not react. She was … strange, different! Not only her weird haircut and the piercing, which let her look very un-feminine. No… this girl was different, like SHE had been! The discovery hit Stephan like a shock and he turned away again, now staring in the fire.
In his mind, the flames formed silhouettes of the past.
…The woman walked away, the last surprised smile still on her lips, when she turned. Her dark curly hair fluttered in the wind. Her movements were gracious. Stephan was hypnotized. From one moment to another, only one thing had room in his mind - and his heart. He had to see her again, whatever this might cost! He had to have her! … But while he was following her from far, like in the haze of fever, he figured he did not know what to do. All his behaviour patterns, all his charm - it would lead inevitably down the OTHER path. Blood. Death…
No! Not this time! There had to be another way! But which? He felt haunted, hunted, encircled. Redemption… touch her, feel her, penetrate her… not the coldness of a blade bringing death… He wanted to know how it felt breaking the barrier of lust and reaching pure ecstasy. He wanted to know since he sneaked into the whorehouse at the age of 17...
Stephan squeezed his eyes. They were aching from the motionless stare and the smoke from the fire.
The flames formed her face. Full of fear.
"… This can't be! You are dead!"
"No."
"Nelson has killed you!" She winced back as far as she could until her back touched the wall. She was alone. It was late at night - he had chosen the time with purpose.
"Don't be afraid! I won't harm you!"
"That's a lie! I know you are a murderer! I know it ALL!" Her eyes were wide with fear.
"You know it all? No… that's not true… You have to listen to MY side of the story!"
She was so beautiful, enchanting. Making him loose his mind.
"…Why do you do this? What… do you want?"
"Don't cry. … I… I searched for you, all those months! I had to see you again!"
"Please let me go. Please!"
He kissed the tears from her face….
"I did not do anything…" Stephan murmured and closed his eyes to hush the pictures away. He did not succeed. His memory was shaky and blurred like the surface of the sea in heavy rain. One moment he was sure he had not killed her, the other he saw it clearly in his mind… It was… just his nature. He did not know anything else… The moment when they did their last breath - it was the only moment when he came at least close to the sensation of ecstasy. They, the women with the handcuffs and red devil's lips, had stolen everything else from him…. Stolen even the love and life with HER…his angel of redemption.
"Do you believe in redemption?"
Surprised from the sudden question, after they were sitting there for an eternity, Tessa shrugged. "Do you mean the bullshit the church-pals babble about? 'Course not. I'm no baby!" Then, after a moment, she turned around and looked at her odd companion.
"Do you? It's why you live out here, like a hermit?" The same instant she got angry at herself for asking at all. She did not really want to talk to him! It only was that boring! But what if he now started dumping any kind of religious shit over her? Like her last foster parents from the Methodist Church?
Fortunately, the freak rested silent. He just sat there, arms folded around his knees, and head bowed down on the arms. He did not move nor speak. Could people die in this position, Tessa mused. The fire had nearly burnt down. Then she slowly moved backwards into the farthest corner of the room and wrapped herself in the wool-blanket.
On some point, the constant rain against the windows lulled her to sleep. She dreamt nightmarish scenes of being chased through dark forest and being confined to a lightless tunnel with creepy sounds.
When she woke up screaming, it was early morning, the storm had settled and – she was alone! Wherever her 'host' might be, Tessa decided to act quickly and to leave. She fastened her ripped boot around the foot with a piece of old rope, grabbed her little bag and hurried to the door. It was closed – of course, what else! She hadn't been that an idiot to believe he had left it open, had she? However, the window could be used for an escape, too, and it was easily opened. The girl climbed outside. But she had only walked a few steps, when the shrubs in front of her cracked and Stephan showed up.
Fuck it! Tessa prepared for the worst.
"Where did you think you go? Get lost again?" He asked, stepping closer. When he stood next to her, he continued. "An avalanche has covered the road through the valley, I saw it from above. No one will get up here until this is removed. It could take some days…"
Tessa shivered involuntarily. Means I'm stuck here with you creep till doomsday?
"…But maybe they'll send a helicopter patrol after you."
They'll never spot this house! It looks just like any rotten wood everywhere! Bullshit!
"Come inside! I search something for breakfast!"
No reprimand, no shouting? Tessa found this yet more troubling. Psychos were one thing. Psychos acting NICE another. Her fingers touched again the old hook she had concealed under her jacket.
On one hand, Stephan was relieved no search party could arrive all too soon. This gave him some time to think – however he did not really see any way out! On the other hand, the presence of this girl unsettled him more and more. He could not sleep and his mind was playing tricks on him. The past had found a new level of torture. He was not really hungry and took some cornflakes with water. Sadly, no coffee anymore. He had to go to the damned village!
In the corner of the sideboard he found a package with instant Mexican soup. In looking at the package he remembered, he had bought this by mistake; it had some ingredients intolerable for his system. So, the girl could have it completely! At least, it smelled good!
…
*** Some hours later ***
O no…Stephan stared down from upstairs. His mind seemed to collapse in a speedy twist of past and present.
…"You look so strange… so I don't know…"
He reached out to touch the girl's face. She froze, eyes large and lips pressed together to a thin line.
"You are beautiful."…
O no…His guest lay on the floor.
Death…Blood… Redemption…He grasped the handrail. Everything was blurred. What have I done yesterday? WHAT HAVE I DONE?
He saw himself reaching out for the tiny blade, while his other hand closed her mouth. Don't cry…
But the features of the woman dying at his feet were not Muriel's. He breathed deeply, tried to break through the haze of his memories. The figure on the kitchen floor moaned and moved.
Stephan ran down the steps, at her side.
"Muriel? …Do you hear me? … What happened?"
"Don't know…" came her weak voice. "Feel sick… " She pressed her hands against her stomach. "And… can't breathe." She trembled and moaned.
"Stay with me!" Stephan was panicking. What was going on? This looked like… like some sort of allergic shock! "Muriel? Did you eat something strange?" But she hadn't been outside, had she?
"Listen to me! Have you had this before? Do you have any medicine? … MURIEL!"
Her head fell back. Her face was from a bluish, deadly white.
O God! Damned shit!
Stephan hurried to get the small bag the girl had over her shoulder when he found her. Perhaps she had any meds with her? He emptied the content on the table. A cream, a lipstick, tissues… Then his eyes got caught by the lines on the DMV-card.
+Tessa Lauren Keece+ could he read, and despite the situation, he stared at the name. Keece… like… 'Nelson Keece'?And the birthday! November the 12th 1997! However, nothing looking even remotely like a medicine!
He glanced desperately around – and suddenly jumped over to the trash bin. There at the top lay the crumpled rest of the instant Mexican soup she had last evening. A thought flashed through his mind. Could it be, she had the same… ?
No time to ponder about it now! Frantically, he began bustling through the drawers and compartments of the sideboard. Where the hell was it? There, finally! He grabbed the small box, shook one of the pills out, and kneeled down again next to the girl. No, perhaps a full dose was too much! He bit the little pallet in two, spit one half out and shove the other in Tessa's mouth. "Come on! Down with it!"
The action let her wake up again and she tried to resist. "No… no drugs! What do you… do with me?"
"Swallow it! It's a medicine. You'll feel better soon! Come on!"
