Chapter Four
Marissa lay on the tarmac, blood oozing from her head. Oliver leaned against the car, breathing heavily, panicked, wandering what to do, what to do… He ran across the road towards a convenience store, leaving Marissa behind, laying there, motionless, open, unaware, dead. Oliver wasn't thinking, he was just panicking. He shoved his way into the store, trying not to make a scene, but doing so anyway. "May I help you sir?" asked the lady at the cash register?" Oliver shuddered, ignoring her completely, and continued to make his way down the isle towards the toiletry section. There he found paper towels, which he took in plentiful amounts, and made his way back down the isle until he found trashcans. Oliver swallowed hard, breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out. He ran a hand through his hair, then sighed quickly, grabbing a box of trash bags, and ran down the isle. He nearly knocked over an elderly woman, who cried out and began to yell at Oliver. Oliver ignored her and instead made his way up to the cash register. "Will that be all?" asked the same woman who had sounded so worried just a few seconds before.
Oliver sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets, rummaging for money. "Yes," he said softly. "That's all I need…for now…"
Meanwhile in Las Vegas, Nevada
Zach's mother began to cry behind him, sobbing--for joy. The verdict was not guilty, and Zach's heart was swimming with emotion. He was so excited, so happy, so filled with joy. He ran a hand through his hair, then grabbed his lawyer and hugged him tight, thanking him over and over and over. Zach then turned to his father, who smiled, and then they embraced heartily. "Thank God," said Zach's father. "Thank God…"
Zach sighed softly. "I need to thank someone…"
Newport, California
Ryan grabbed his gun, shoving it into the suitcase, and began to zip the suitcase up. He was leaving, going to find Marissa. He didn't know how, he didn't know how long it would take him, but he knew that he had to do it. He had to find her, had to find her quick and make sure that she was okay. If Oliver hurt her…
Ryan couldn't think about it…
All Ryan knew was what he would do to the freak whenever he found him…
The freak who had killed his mother.
Five Years Before
Ryan hurried past the police cars, shoving his way into Dawn's house. "Mom!" he called, searching the area for his mother. "Mom, where are you?"
The officers looked at him as if he was gum, thrown to the ground, and then peeled off of the face of the earth. He swallowed hard, searching, searching…where was she? That was when someone approached him--an officer. The officer smiled half-heartedly, then asked Ryan who he was. "I'm Ryan Atwood," said Ryan. "I'm Dawn's son--the woman who lives here…what happened to her? Where is she?"
The officer shook his head, then sighed. "Son, I don't know how to tell you this but…your mother is dead…"
Ryan gasped. "What?"
"Someone sneaked in last night and…they…they decapitated her…"
"What?" Ryan was in shock. "What?"
"Your mother is dead, son."
Ryan's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't swallow, couldn't breathe. "What?"
"Should you sit down?"
"WHAT?" Ryan swung around and grabbed a chair, slamming it into the wall. "Who did this?"
"We don't know, son…"
"WHO DID THIS?"
"We don't know…now just calm down…"
Ryan spun around. "My mother just died! Don't tell me to calm down!" Ryan turned and hurried off into the living room. "I want to see her--where is she?"
The officer sighed. "In the morgue…"
Tears were streaming down Ryan's cheeks. Ever so softly, he said: "Take me there? Please?"
The officer sighed. "Hold on, son…let me get my car…"
Somewhere in ?
Oliver mopped up the blood as quickly as possible. He desperately tried to clean her up, to get the blood out of her face, her hair, her mouth. He ran his hands down her body, touching her ever so softly. "Marissa," he said, tenderly. "Wherever you are right now…just know that I am so, so very sorry. Forgive me, my love." He hooked his arms under her shoulders and lifted her up into the back of the van. "I love you…I loved you…I don't know…I still do…I am so very sorry…Goodbye…" He shut the door and walked away slowly. That was when an idea came to him…He didn't want to hurt Marissa…she was so beautiful, even in death…but…
That was when he saw the cashier woman, who had been so concerned about him earlier, leaving the market. She waved, smiling gently at him, and said hi. "Hi!" he called after her. "What are you doing?"
"Going home," she smiled. "It's been a long, hard day at work. Got to go and see my kids….I've got three. Do you have any kids? How old are you, anyways?"
"Old enough," said Oliver. "I've only loved one girl in my whole life…and she didn't love me back…"
"Oh." The woman smiled. "Okay, well, I'll see you later?"
"Sure."
"Bye then."
"Bye."
She climbed into her car, pulling the door shut behind her. Revving the engine, she began to reverse out of the driveway. Oliver turned and hurried back towards the van. He climbed into the front seat, revving the engine himself, and began to follow the woman home.
Newport, California
Kirsten sat watching the ocean from far away. The hotel room was large and blue and Carter laying in the bed beside her made it all the more better. She still hadn't told Seth about her and Carter's relationship--the passion, the heat, the romance. He was away in New York, after all.
Kirstin turned to Carter and kissed him gently. He ran his hand up her stomach, resting on her breast, massaging her nipple. He kissed her softly, then harder. He lowered her onto the bed, climbing atop Kirstin, beginning to enter her, to move inside her.
"Oh Carter," she moaned softly. "Carter…"
He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her neck, her breasts.
"Carter…" she moaned, digging her nails into his back. "Carter…yes!"
He dug deeper and deeper inside of her, until they climaxed with passion.
And then they lay side by side, entangled in one another.