Vampire Weekend: Elizabeth Dryden McGinty
Eastern PA, 1991
It was supposed to be a day for just her and her son, her Matthew. A drive over the state line into southeastern Pennsylvania to see the fall colors and relax.
She parked the car and they walked along the river. Matthew ran around and ahead of her, plowing through the leaves and laughing. Elizabeth smiled as she crested the hill and watched him jump into a leaf pile someone had made about halfway down the side. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth closed her eyes and tilted her face up, drinking in the sunlight and listening to the wind as it chased leaves across the grass.
A new sound off to her left had her cocking her head, confused. That sounded like a footstep. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked to the side, in time to see a familiar figure striding up the hill. "Janis! What-" Her question was cut off by a sudden crack!
Elizabeth fell backwards, intense pain blossoming in her chest. Looking down, she saw a dark red stain forming on her shirt. Her breathing became labored, and it was all she could do to look back up at her nanny, still pointing a gun at her. Darkness began closing in at the edges of her vision. Janis's lips moved, but it was becoming hard to hear, as if the darkness was a sponge that could absorb sound. The last thing Elizabeth saw was Matthew's face as he climbed up the hill, still smiling.