Dancing In The Moonlight - King Harvest
Present - Los Angeles
Eddie wore his worn scuffed up brown leather jacket he sometimes wore when the weather cooled down towards The Colony on his bike. Tonight he had been in the red light district, and beneath the glowing neon, porno shops, and theaters, he saw all of these "fake" people. It was a little after eight, but the prostitutes were out hot and heavy at nearly every corner. Eddie then spotted one that looked promising. She was pretty in a painted up short of way. Her blond hair was dyed pink at the tips, and she wore a short dress with fishnet tights. As he approached her, she straightened up, tossing her smoke down, and crushing it out beneath it onto the payment.
"Hey, looking for a good time?"
Eddie motioned towards the dark alley behind her and grinned.
Three hours later...
This by far had been the worst one yet. Detective Murata had ducked underneath the yellow crime scene tape, walking past officers who all looked on the verge of puking, and walked in a wide swoop around the dumpster. Instantly he was greeted by the sight of a mutilated torso. It's arms, and legs both torn off and missing. Stuck on the brick wall just like the last few was now this psycho's calling card. Muratra regnogized it almost instantly and saw the round yellow smiley face staring back at him, looking over the now bloody crime scene.
"Johnny, looks like that sick freak nabbed another one."
Johnny sighed as Glenn approached him. Both men nearly at once squatted down, before Johnny's large gray eyes scanned the area. He might have been one of the youngest detectives on the force, but he was known for his sharp eye with crime scenes. The mutilated bodies began nearly every five or so weeks. Always found completely slaughtered with body parts missing. Originally the first murder they thought had been some sort of wild animal, maybe a coyote that had wandered down from the hills, even though it was unlikely. The medical examiner Lou stated the wounds to the body and claw and teeth marks would suggest a much larger animal than just a coyote. Then, they saw the evidence of rape. Puzzled, they waited until the next murder happened. This time across the city. A young girl that belonged to the jr college had been found laying in the science building's parking-lot raped and slaughtered. This time they noticed something strange. Pressed against the payment, right next to a still wet puddle of blood was a yellow smiley sticker. They dusted for prints of course, but nothing turned up. The same thing showed. Pieces of the body missing, large teeth and claw marks covering her body, and no witnesses. The next was nearly a month later. This happened to be the only male victim this time, and Murata figured it was simply because of this poor kid being at the wrong place, at the wrong time. It was behind a nightclub, where two teenagers, one male, one female were found completely slaughtered.
Pieces of the girl's body had been thrown over a white Camaro, streaking it with splashes of blood, while the boy who Murata figured had maybe been outside having a smoke break when he heard the struggle and probably ran over to see what was happening. He was found gutted laying dead in the parking-lot. This time the girl hadn't been raped, but Murata figured that was because the killer hadn't planned on having to take out the kid. Still, this was all somehow done in less than ten minutes when a bunch of clubgoers stepped outside for a smoke break when they heard screaming. One of the waitresses was headed to her car after her shift ended and found the mess out back. The victim's friends all claimed this must have all happened in that rough timeline since they would have noticed they were missing if they had been gone any longer. Knowing these kids were probably all boozed up, along with God knows what better party drugs, he knew that seemed unlikely, but as soon as he viewed the bodies he felt a chill rush down his spine when he saw a yellow smiley sticker stuck onto the car's hood where pieces of the girl's body had been thrown, this time part of it stained with blood. It was official. They had a serial killer. Not releasing the detail of the yellow smiley sticker in case of crazed copycats, they began reporting about the murders, leaving out certain details, but urging anyone who had seen or heard anything to please come forward. The families of the victims were outraged, but so far nothing. The next was a single mother who was found murdered outside of her tiny house she rented. It looked as if she was walking out to take her trash out when it happened. She was found raped and in pieces around the garbage cans out back. The worst part was, she had a young daughter who was now missing.
The girl's father had been a suspect, until it was revealed he had walked out on them years ago and was currently working in Boston. The woman's body had been discovered by the babysitter who came by every Thursday night to watch the little girl. When nobody answered, she went around back where she found the mess and ran screaming down the street for neighbors to call the police. When they arrived they found the back screen door torn from its hinges, and a single teddy bear laying on the kitchen floor. On one side the neighbors had been on vacation, on the other the woman who lived there who seemed to be pushing one hundred mentioned while she was staying up watching the news she thought she heard the sound of trash cans falling over but figured it had been a racoon. When Murata asked if she heard any screams, she shook her head, clutching a cane with a wrinkled liver spot hand.
"No, nothing like that. I just think it's terrible what happened. I didn't care to go gawking at the mess like all of these others on the block. Disturbed is what they are. Gina was a nice woman. Might have had that baby too young, but she loved her and worked hard down at that restaurant. I just hope whoever has her returns her safely."
Johnny sighed nodding as he closed the tiny notebook he kept on the inside of his jacket.
"I hope so too."
When in reality he knew if this psychopath did indeed have her, she was as good as dead. When he stepped outside, one of the officers waved him over. He walked down the sidewalk, ducked underneath the tape, and pushed back the plastic sheeting they had struck up to block neighbors from seeing this gory scene get photographed. There stuck to one of the trash cans speckled with blood was a smiley sticker.
Missing flyers went up for the little girl, and pleas from family were cried out, but nothing so far had been found. After that there had been two more prostitutes who were on skid row, their mangled torn apart bodies found a month apart, dumped behind alleys or stuffed in dumpsters. All raped, all slaughtered, all with the yellow smiley face found close by. The latest had been a waitress just a week ago in an actual nicer area of the city. She was found torn to pieces at the park, her head never found. There didn't seem to be any pattern, but so far besides that one kid they had been all women. He hated to admit this, but he figured that bastard had killed the little girl. There was no way he could see this guy moving around the way he did while stashing a little girl in some place. It was a possibility, but he knew it was low. The news and media were having a field day. Eight, maybe nine victims so far. This was the worst this city had been hit in a decade. They were given false tips nearly every few minutes down at the station, and the newspapers were very much enjoying this bloody trail of bodies that the police seemed completely baffled at.
Squatting with Glenn, he took his flashlight and shined it against the brickwall where the yellow smiley sticker laid. Insteadly, he sighed before both men stood up at the same time. Handing him back his flashlight, Johnny stared down at the wet bloody remains of the woman, before turning towards Glenn.
"No witnesses?"
Glenn shook his head.
"None. She was found earlier by some kids cutting through taking a shortcut to visit one of those dirty peep shows..."
"I told you we needed undercover officers down here..."
Johnny said, shaking his head. Glenn sighed, before standing back, hands shoved in his pants' pockets.
"We tried that, but he skips around too much."
"Yeah well, this is his usual hunting ground, that and skid row. I would get on the sarg's ass and assign some undercover officers quickly. I have a feeling we're gonna have another soon..."
"What makes you say that?"
"He's gotten a taste for it. He really likes it now and probably can't stop even if he wanted to."
"Then he'll get sloppy."
Johnny shook his head.
"I'm not so sure. Whoever this psycho is he's like nothing we've ever dealt with before. He'll strike again and soon."
Glenn sighed before one of the officers came over asking him a question. Johnny on the other hand walked back down the alley, littered with officers, one of which actually had been sick and was making a mess against the brick wall, and splattering against his shoes. Johnny sighed passing him, before reaching the edge of the crime scene tape. The photographer had just ducked underneath, and nodded to him.
"Hey Johnny..."
"Hey Dave."
Johnny then stared out at the small crowd that had gathered across the street, currently being held at bay by two officers. The area was sealed off pretty well on both sides of the alley, but plenty of people had gathered across the way straining against the barriers that had been put up. A few other detectives were currently trying to find any other girls working that night and question them. Murata's gray exotic eyes scanned the crowd across the way, having absolutely no idea that the killer was actually standing in that crowd, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, staring forward, eyes slightly tinted red, and grinning.
Before...
Eddie nervously stood waiting at the bus station for Gretchen's bus to arrive. She had been gone now nearly a month, when what was supposed to be ten days turned into almost thirty. He had dropped her off the next day after their day in Los Angeles, seeing her off, and hating how much he didn't want to see her go. Instead she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him deeply before promising to call. Eddie watched until the bus disappeared, hating this sudden deep depression of loneliness crash over him. He had never wanted to transform so badly before, but figured just as well. He rode his bike to the first radio shack he saw, picked up an answering machine, and hooked it up to his phone once he got back to the city. That night he took a shift washing dishes at the restaurant, constantly thinking in the back of his mind over how much he missed Gretchen. She ended up calling while he was at work, and her message sounded amused over the fact he now in fact had an answering machine, even though she told him she was disappointed over just hearing the machine say leave a message instead of him. Laughing, she told him she was at the hospice, the nurses were right, it wasn't looking good. She was going to speak with the doctor later that night, and head on over to the house, where she gave the number, along with roughly what time visitor hours would be finished and she would be back. Eddie waited until later that night before calling her up, and was relieved to hear her pick up after the third ring. He asked how she was doing, and she roughly brushed over what was happening, before sighing and telling him she had a feeling this might actually take longer than she thought. Sadly it took nearly a week before Gretchen's aunt passed away peacefully in her sleep. Eddie did in fact come up for the burial even though Gretchen told him he didn't have to. He insisted, but in the back of his mind was already making a plan.
He didn't want to take double shifts, but he had used most of what little he had left in savings after gas money and rent, and factored it in. He hated that he didn't know Gretchen's exact size, and figured he would just have to guess and get it refitted afterwards. He walked straight into a jewelry store on Hollywood blvd one morning, and picked out a simple gold ring with a tiny round diamond in the center. He put a down payment in, and planned on paying it off within a month as long as he picked up those extra hours. When he received the call from Gretchen telling him what had happened, he decided to wait on proposing. Instead he insisted on coming down, and even went quickly to the Goodwill, where he bought a dress shirt, slacks, and tie. The clothes were slightly baggy, but nevertheless would serve perfectly. He made sure he was fresh shaven, before using the directions Gretchen gave him. When he arrived at the cemetery, he saw it was Gretchen, and several other people, most likely from the hospice. Gretchen looked pretty in a black dress, her blond hair tied up in a loose bun. The second she saw him approach, sadly smiling at her, her eyes filled with tears and she rushed over, tightly hugging him. Burying her face against his shoulder. He was introduced to the others, all from the hospice, and happy to finally meet the "Eddie" Gretchen kept going on and on about. Feeling slightly out of place, he just held onto Gretchen's waist as the priest spoke, and by the time the little "service" was over it had begun to rain. Knowing everyone needed to get back, she thanked them all, accepting hugs, as Eddie shook hands and simply nodded. Once everyone was gone, Gretchen sighed staring at the open grave.
"Well...that's that then huh?"
Eddie took her hand kissing it, and they went back to the house. Nearly everything was boxed up, and Eddie spent the weekend helping her with packing things up, and cleaning. They spent both nights after making love laying in bed and talking. Gretchen explained the realtor was really helping out, but she was going to need to stick around here and finish up everything since they were planning on doing a showing for the house next week, then talk offers, which she said there were already two serious ones coming in. If everything went according to plan, she would be back in hopefully another week or so. Eddie hated the thought of her staying here longer, and the fact he did need to head back Sunday night for his morning shift for Monday morning. He needed those shifts in order to pay off and pick up the ring as fast as he could. He explained he had a bunch of shifts coming up, but on the days he had off he could ride up and help. Instead Gretchen gently cupped the sides of his faces, and brought him in for a deep kiss, shaking her head and thanking him. "Thanks, but let me get this behind me. The good news is I quit the bar." Eddie was surprised, but actually thankful. He hated her working there.
"You did?"
"Yeah, after the sale from the house and what my aunt left me I think maybe this Fall I can go back to school. I'll probably have to start waiting tables while doing it, but at least it gives me a little breathing room."
"Where do you think you might go to school?"
Gretchen sat up against the headboard of the guest bed that still hadn't been taken out and sold to the second hand furniture store Gretchen said most of everything had been sold to.
"Well there's a decent beauty school right in Los Angeles, and another smaller but really good one up North near Aurora Falls."
Instantly it hit him, she was talking about going to school either in Los Angeles, or near The Colony. Suddenly all those shifts washing dishes to pay off the ring didn't seem that bad. That night long after Gretchen fell asleep in his arms, he gently stroked her bare back and smiled.
Now nearly two weeks later, he was finally picking her up. He had the tiny velvet box pocketed, and for the first time in what seemed like forever he felt a mixture of two emotions he wasn't used to. Nervousness and excitement. When he finally saw her pour out of the bus, she squealed and ran over, jumping into his arms as he lifted her up, deeply kissing her as other passengers of the bus passed by looking amused. The kiss went on forever, and he felt absolutely wonderful. Letting her down, both flushed and breathless, he smiled, knowing today was the day. They had talked almost the whole night before on the phone, and Gretchen agreed to spend the weekend up at The Colony with him to relax a little after this past month. She had stayed in a motel room since the house had in fact sold, and besides a little bit of paperwork, it seemed as though Gretchen had finished up with all of her late aunt's business. Eddie was happy to get her back all to himself. Now that her aunt was dead, and she didn't have anybody...
Besides him.
He got her onto the bike, where he rode up, enjoying the feeling of her hands tightly holding onto his waist. He kept thinking about the tiny velvet box, and how today was going to be the first day for the rest of their life's.
Later...
Gretchen sat on the picnic table up by the point. She was wearing a dark red T-shirt and black shorts. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was enjoying one of the beers Eddie had brought up with them. Eddie had missed Gretchen terribly. Still, the ring that sat inside the tiny velvet box in his pocket had been paid off free and clear and many depressing days and nights scrubbing filthy dishes. Jimmy, the kid who worked with him who sold pot on the side, and asked what his weekend plans were earlier that week while they stood side by side wearing rubber gloves, scrubbing pan and after pan.
"I'm going to propose to my girlfriend."
Eddie said. Jimmy glanced over and smirked.
"No shit. Congrats."
Eddie nodded, all the while staring forward thinking how badly he wanted to take Gretchen away up North, and spend the remainder of the upcoming weekend celebrating just the two of them inside the spare cabin. He had wondered what it would be like if they did it as wolves. Marsha claimed sex never felt so good transformed, but Eddie had never tried it with anyone at The Colony. Still, he wondered once he had bitten Gretchen, and she crossed over they would be able to do whatever they wanted. Smiling, and feeling extremely turned on, he continued thinking of the ring and how things had finally become set into focus for him with her by his side. Watching her, he knew his nerves would get the better of him. He originally thought of doing it with them standing on the edge, but he was afraid his hands would shake and he would probably end up dropping it. Instead, standing there, staring at her sitting on the picnic table, tapping her boots, drinking her beer. Staring at her, he knew she never looked more beautiful. She wore the big hoop earrings he had gotten for her, and was looking out at the ocean. Taking a deep breath, he approached her, before she turned her attention towards him, smiling, and taking another swing from her beer.
"Hey cutie!"
Eddie took a deep breath, before he got down on one knee in front of the bench where her feet sat. Instantly her eyes widened.
"Eddie..."
He cut her off, knowing if he waited even another second he might lose it. Feeling his entire body shake, he spoke as quickly as he could.
"Listen, I know this is fast...and I know I'm a giant nobody, but ever since I met you...I just can't stop thinking about you. You're not like anybody else I've ever known. You're a 'real' person. I know you could do so much better, but I want you by my side Gretchen..."
With slightly fumbling hands, he yanked the box out and opened it, unable to believe his hands were shaking.
"Will you marry me?"
Gretchen dropped her beer bottle that spilled off to the side, Bringing her hands to her face, her eyes big, she made a noise that sounded like a cry as tears filled her eyes. Right away she started nodding very quickly, as Eddie knew what her answer was and grinned.
"YES! YES! YES!"
Eddie shot up like a bullet as she slid off the table and jumped into his arms, kissing him with all her might. Closing his eyes, he moaned in-between the kiss, before finally both pulled back and were laughing. Eddie slipped the ring onto her finger, apologizing that it was too big. He was pleasantly surprised to see that it slid on pretty perfectly, as she turned her hand towards him and screamed with delight. Laughing, he scooped her up, twirling her around, before she turned and grabbed his face, kissing him with fury like passion. Swaying, and nearly losing his balance, he placed her down onto the picnic table, before her hands started pulling at his belt. Pulling him in close, she whispered...
"Take your pants off..."
Eddie was more than happy to do what he was told.
Later...
After dark Eddie and Gretchen walked down to the beach where The Colony was having their weekly BBQ out on the beach as the band played, and the firepits were lit. As Gretchen held up her hand showing her ring, Donna screamed with joy, pulling her away from Eddie as the other women began fussing over her. Eddie saw Marsha glaring from across the way and instantly knew she wasn't happy. Shooting her a look back, he joined the others who surrounded Gretchen, and accepted hugs and handshakes from everyone congratulating them.
Later...
The women asked if they could hold onto Gretchen as they already were fussing over her and asking questions about the wedding. Over the course of the BBQ it was agreed that the two should marry here, either on the beach or at the point. Donna who lived for this type of stuff went on and on brainstorming ideas on what they could do to make the day special, all the while Gretchen sat back and laughed, a little overwhelmed by the sudden attention. The woman all made her show off her hand which held the ring, and Doc proudly made the toast to the happy couple as the band played merry music. Eddie watched as Marsha mumbled something under her breath and marched down the beach into the darkness. Once the party began to settle down, Gretchen told Eddie she would meet him at the cabin in an hour since Donna and the other girls wanted to stay and talk. Kissing her cheek, and accepting Doc on his offer for a drink up at his cabin. Once they were inside, Eddie sat across from him as if he was sitting in on one of his sessions, before Doc reached into his desk, and pulled out a bottle of aged whiskey and two shot glasses. Eddie smiled amused as Doc poured the shots and toasted to a marriage full of happy years ahead. Eddie drank down the booze, before Doc poured him another shot.
"Your sister didn't seem too pleased. Are you going to speak with her?"
"She can go to Hell."
Eddie mumbled, as he took back his second shot. Doc laughed.
"Marsha just needs time. Remember, she's very protective of you and your brother..."
"Yeah too protective. I'm nearing my late twenties, and TC is a full grown man. I've had enough of her judgments. She can hate Gretchen all she wants, but I'll rip her apart if she tries hurting her."
Doc sighed and shook his head.
"I really don't think it would ever come to that. Now speaking of, have you told her about your gift?"
Eddie paused, staring at his empty shot glass.
"No...not yet."
"Do you think she'll understand?"
This was a tough one. Eddie had never changed anyone, but had seen a few others join The Colony since Marsha, TC, and himself arrived. He remembered it was usually people bringing over their loved ones, like Jerry did with Donna. Sure, there had been hesitation, and the actual first time transforming was always terrifying, but after a while with Doc's coaching, and people associated like this, you got to actually view it not as a curse, but a gift. Eddie remembered the first time the change started to take place, and how absolutely horrified he was, standing in the bar with his siblings. Doc reassured him, and talked them through it as all three Quist siblings felt their flesh pulseate and their eyes changed from red to green, and their bones started cracking, twisting, and changing. At first they screamed out in pain, but once they were wolves, it was Doc who transformed himself and showed him. He practiced the tools to stay in control, to try and not be discovered, to be able to live among society and be civilized. That they had a deal with the ranch down the road, and could hunt as many animals as they wanted in the area as long as they weren't discovered. He cared for them, walking them through everything and what to expect. He was patient, and truly loved them like the children he never had. Little did Doc know letting in the Quist siblings and having them be changed, were the biggest mistake of his life. Eddie took another moment before nodding.
"Yeah, she will. I'll turn her in after we're married next month. I'll bring her to you, and we'll have her understand."
"There's a chance she won't."
Eddie shook his head as Doc motioned that he wanted to refill his drink.
"She'll be fine. She loves me, and she's outside just as much as we are. She doesn't have anybody. She'll be fine."
"I heard her earlier. She has plans, going back to school...do you think she'll be able to do it as well as hiding our secret."
Eddie tossed back his shot, before nodding before motioning over to doc's typewriter.
"If anybody will be able to practice the stuff you preach in that book of yours you wanna finish, it's her. Trust me Doc. I just need a little more time. I turn her on our wedding night, and we'll explain it to her the next day. She'll be fine, she loves me."
The Doc sadly smiled.
"Yes, I do believe she does."
Later...
Eddie left Doc's still not really affected by the booze, but carrying a happy slight buzz that he sensed was a mixture between the shots and fact that Gretchen said yes. Heading down the steps, he nearly walked straight into Marsha who roughly grabbed his arms and gave him a shake.
"You dumb bastard! You threaten everything we have built here for some bitch!"
She slapped him right across the face which stung. Throwing her back, she stumbled slightly and glared at him.
"You really think she'll cross over? You really think she'll be one of us?! You really think she'll love you once she sees what you really are?!"
Eddie stepped forward, his voice low almost like a growl.
"Stay away from her Marsha. I mean it."
Marsha smirked, staring at him.
"What? Don't want me hurting your pretty little bride?"
Eddie felt his heart begin to pound as his eyes suddenly changed from bright red, to green. Marsha's eyes did the same. Their faces and chests began to pulseate, expanding when suddenly they heard Gretchen further up the trail. Instantly Eddie's face returned to normal, as he glared at Marsha, who was returning to normal as well, her fangs still hanging out. Eddie stepped forward harshly whispering to her, before taking hold of her arms and slammed her against one of the trees.
"Leave her alone dammit. I mean it."
Marsha laughed up at Eddie, before Gretchen calling out for him again. Letting Marsha go, he turned and hurried up the path, where he finally met Gretchen who was looking for him. She smiled, before hurrying over to him. Not exactly liking the idea of her walking the trails alone, he walked up to her, before she smiled.
"Sorry, took forever to get myself away from the girls. I think Donna has the entire wedding practically planned. I'm also cutting Jenny's hair tomorrow, she's letting me practice on her, isn't that great?!"
Lifting her up, Eddie spun her around making her giggle, before kissing her forehead and setting her down.
"That's great, come on, let's grab a couple of beers and get back to the cabin."
Gretchen high fived him as they laughed and continued walking together. All the while totally unaware that Marsha stood in the shadows glaring at the two of them, her eyes yellowish green.
Later...
Gretchen laid beside Eddie in bed, both having just had a marathon on great frantic sex, before he noticed while drinking a beer, her closely looking at his bite mark on his shoulder. He had seen her looking at it, but this was the first time he was really staring at it. She sat up against the headboard, and pressed her long slender fingers up against the smooth tanned skin of his bare shoulder.
"This isn't an old tattoo...it looks like something took a bite out of you..."
She said softly, closely examining it. Sighing, he knew he didn't want to lie to her, but knew it still wasn't time for the truth. Shrugging, he took another sip of his beer.
"Happened a few years back, bobcat."
"No way!"
Gretchen said, eyes widening as she sat up straight. Eddie stared at her, looking absloutely goregous with her blond hair let down, wearing her black lace bra, and her big eyes staring at him in disbelief over this stupid little story he was telling. Shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal he nodded.
"Yeah during a hunting trip, it only got one good bite in before it was killed. Don't worry, I got all my shots..."
Gretchen laughed, rubbing his stomach, making him laugh as she leaned in close batting those long eyelashes of hers. "You sure about that?" Turning, he took hold of her, rolling over and kissing her frantically, with any other thoughts about his mysterious bite mark now gone.
Two weeks later...
With help from Doc, with just a little nudging in the right direction, Gretchen took him up on his offer to let her stay at The Colony, while she attended that school that was in a nearby town that had a wonderful beauty school program. Gretchen had bought a used small little thunderbird with some of the money she had inherited the week after Eddie and her became engaged. Eddie came with her, making sure she wasn't being taken advantage of, and having a rough history with mechanics, he looked it over, before nodding to Gretchen that the car was fine, and even talked with the guy selling it, and knocked fifteen hundred off the original asking price. Riding behind her, they stopped at a roadside bar and celebrated. The whole time they drank, laughed, and even danced a little, he kept catching sight of her wearing the ring and couldn't help but smile.
"That's my wife...my mate."
Eddie told her he would hang onto his place in the city until the end of the summer, then probably go to work as a groundskeeper at The Colony full time. Buzz had been surrounding Doc's latest book, which all of the members of The Colony knew what it was really about, and he had mentioned a major publishing company who might be interested. Gretchen and Eddie made these plans usually curled up in her apartment. Him sitting against a headboard, her propped up on the opposite side by her elbow. They had such big dreams for the future, and when Eddie told her they could maybe get a place closer to her school, if that made things easier, Gretchen shrugged before stating that she had a car now, and besides she loved The Colony. Might actually be a pretty decent place to raise some kids. Eddie, who besides that one horrifying time years ago with Marsha, had honestly never really thought about becoming a father. In fact, there had been no children born at The Colony since the Quist siblings arrived, and he wasn't too sure if their "gift" would be passed down. In fact, the more he thought, the more questions he found himself mentaly asking.
He figured he could run a few of these down by Doc, but the sad truth of the matter was, even though he would love to start a family with Gretchen, he wasn't sure if that could even happen? Still, sitting up listening to Gretchen go on and on about the future, he truly felt hopeful. He was determined to work as hard as he could to keep her safe, and give her the life she deserved. Sure, there might not be any children, and Eddie accepted that the transitioning period between him changing her, and her accepting the gift could get a little rocky, but the truth of the matter was he really didn't care. He knew they loved each other, and no matter what he would do everything possible to have her by his side.
Little did Eddie know his happiness in just a few short weeks would be ripped into pieces.
That following weekend...
Eddie had taken time off to help her start packing up her things. The plan was they would move all of her stuff out, and keep most of it in a storage unit a girlfriend rented that was halfway between her old place, and The Colony. This way they could just focus on the wedding coming up, and afterwards pack up her car, and maybe borrow Jerry's truck while she took everything back out of the storage unit, and move her officially up to one of the cabins. Heading down to the local market, they were able to bring back plenty of moving boxes, and spent one Friday drinking beers, listening to music, and packing stuff up. That's when Eddie noticed Gretchen doing something that made him raise an eyebrow. She had a large coil of yellow smiley stickers, an annoying trend that really seemed to have blown up in the last few years. He watched as she wrote what each box was, before slapping a smiley sticker on the side of the box. After the third time she did it, Eddie motioned over with his beer bottle.
"What's with the faces?"
It took Gretchen a second before she laughed and held up the coil of them.
"I got them at the five and dime. I figured since my stuff is going to be stored with Alice's, the fastest way we can move my stuff out is recognizing what boxes belong to me."
She held up the stickers, before Eddie smiled as she walked over and playfully stuck one of the stickers uo against his dark blue button up work shirt. Both laughed, before she stood on her tiptoes and began kissing him. Their bodies pressed up against each other, as the yellow smiley sticker remained on his shirt.
Both totally unaware that this would be the calling card for Eddie The Mangler.
The next day...
It took a few trips, but a good portion of Gretchen's things had been moved up the storage. All of the furniture in the apartment didn't belong to her, so Eddie figured the next time they bought stuff up, might actually be the last. In less than three weeks would be the wedding, and Eddie honestly couldn't wait. Deciding to take her up to The Colony since they were so close, they parked Eddie's bike inside the storage unit, locking it up, before taking Gretchen's car and heading up. It was a beautiful clear day, and they decided to stop in one of the tiny towns beforehand and take a look around. There was a bar that wouldn't open until noon, so the two decided to kill a little bit of time before then. Walking into one of the antique shops, they made each other laugh looking at all the little odds and ends before Gretchen squealed and hurried towards the back where the vintage dresses were. After looking through the rack for a few minutes, with Eddie watching her extremely amused, his arms crossed as he leaned against a wall watching her, that's when she pulled back a pretty short lace dress. Going up to the mirror, she held it against herself.
"This would be perfect for the wedding, don't you think?!"
Eddie walked over, standing behind her, before looking at their reflection. Smirking, he rubbed her shoulders.
"It's pretty. Go put it on and model it for me."
Gretchen laughed before shaking her head.
"I'll try it on, but you won't be seeing it in case I decide to get it. It's bad luck."
Eddie grinned as she slipped out from in front of him and went behind the curtained off booth that served as the dressing room. After a few minutes, she came back out smiling, with the dress draped over her arm.
"So I take it I won't be seeing it?"
"You bet your ass you won't."
Both laughed as Eddie insisted on paying for the dress, which they brought back to the car. Afterwards they knocked back a few beers at the bar, and even played pool. By the time they were ready to leave it was a little after dark. Both had gotten dinner from the bar's kitchen, and Gretchen walked out with Eddie happily buzzing off the cheap beers she had drank all night. Once they walked out onto the sidewalk, they nearly walked straight into a large young man wearing a cowboy hat.
"Oh I'm sorry excuse me."
Gretchen said with Eddie's arm around her. The man looked at Eddie's long hair in disgust before sizing up Gretchen who was wearing jeans and a white blouse that showed the swells of her breasts. Instantly Eddie felt his pulse pound as the guy took a step forward and licked his lips.
"This your sister darling?"
He asked before Gretchen glared up at him.
"He's my fiance'. Now excuse me."
The guy laughed, shaking his head.
"With hair that long I really truly thought he was a woman...don't you wanna know what it's like to be with a real man?"
He leaned forward, and Gretchen was ready to snap something back at him, when Eddie let go of her shoulder, and stepped forward, placing his hands right on both sides of the guy's massive arms, and pushed him backwards at least three or so feet. It was there he glared at him, his eyes flashing red and green. He knew it wasn't wise to show this sort of power so close to The Colony, but he didn't care. He knew Gretchen who stood behind them, it just looked as if he had simply pushed him backwards. In reality, his fingers dug so deep against the man's skin, they left bruises. Glaring like a wild animal, he stared at the man who suddenly lost all of his courage. Falling back and stumbling, he stared at Eddie who's eyes had returned to normal.
"The devil. You're the devil!"
He screamed, before taking off as fast as he could in the opposite direction, running out of sight between two buildings on the main street. Standing there puzzled, Gretchen stepped forward gently taking his arm. Eddie knowing his eyes had returned to normal, glanced down at her before she laughed, still pretty buzzed from the beer.
"What was that all about?"
Eddie shrugged, before hooking his arm around her, and leading her back to the car.
Later that night, after they got back, they headed straight to the hottub where they undressed, and sat beneath the warm water, playfully grabbing each other and laughing, before Gretchen finally straddled his lap, gently pushing him back as their mouths opened and closed. In the distance as the fog rolled in, a wolf cried out, but thankfully Gretchen who began to move her body up and down in the hot steaming water didn't seem to notice.
Marsha meanwhile watched in the distance behind some bushes and smiled, her eyes glowing green.
Present
"Penny for your thoughts Murata?"
Johnny looked up having been spacing out while sitting behind his desk. He had just come up from the morgue, viewing the latest body and even though bloody crime scenes rarely bothered him, it was mutilated bodies that he suspected did. They were still left so puzzled. The fang and claw marks showed it had been an animal, but with the evidence of rape, they weren't exactly sure what they were dealing with. Looking up, he saw Glenn, staring down at him. Glenn was a senior detective who had been Johnny's mentor ever since he started here. He could see Johnny had a good eye when it came to profiling, and saw talent. He also knew these murders were really starting to get to him.
"Come to my office. I'll buy you some lukewarm coffee."
Johnny smirked, before Glenn went on his way. Sighing, Johnny rubbed his temples, before pushing back his hair and following him. In less than a few minutes he was sitting in Glenn's office, nursing a bitter black coffee as the two chatted.
"So, what's on your mind?"
"We're nearing ten. This is a record. No witnesses, no evidence, nothing."
"You mentioned you think he might trip up soon. That he's going to start striking more often and might get sloppy. Do you believe that?"
Johnny shrugged playing with his styrofoam cup.
"Just a feeling. I think he's really gotten a taste for it. He's cocky, but not foolish. Maybe we'll get lucky but I think we're dealing with something much worse than any of us could even begin to imagine."
"How so?"
"I think he might have a dog, maybe a pit bull, or rottweiler. Something big enough to do this. I think he rapes and kills them, then maybe let's his dog finish them off."
"But wouldn't anybody hear something like that? Or spot a big walk being walked like that?"
Johnny sighed sitting back in his chair.
"I know, it's bullshit...but I'm grasping at straws."
Glenn sighed.
"Your shift ended nearly two hours ago. Go home, get some sleep...once you're rested everything will maybe start making more sense to you. I know it will click for you, and when it does maybe we can start figuring out how to stop this bastard."
Johnny sighed, downing his coffee, before tossing his empty cup into the trash.
"Yeah. Maybe you're right..."
Getting up, Johnny went to the door before Glenn looked up.
"There's something else..."
Johnny paused and turned, raising an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Something you're thinking. I know you kid. Don't hold off on me."
"It's nothing..."
"Spill it."
Johnny sighed, before leaning against the doorway.
"I just...have a kinda loose theory. All of the victims besides the male who we can agree on was just in the wrong place at the wrong time...well all of them were young women. Most of which had similar features. Yeah a few had different colored hair, but for the most they were all young, early twenties, small build, light eyes, and blond hair."
"What does that tell you?"
"It tells me either two things. Either one, he's basing his kills off somebody he once loved and can no longer have...or somebody he deeply hated. Either way, I would bet my life the next girl will be blond."
Elsewhere...
Eddie was in the middle of watching Karen White on the television, pleasuring himself in the darkness of the apartment, listening to her sexy voice when the phone rang. Annoyed, he took his hands out of his pants, and was ready to throw the phone against the wall in frustration, when he rolled his eyes and snatched the receiver.
"What?!"
"Edward?"
"Doc?"
"Meet me at Echo Park in a half an hour. I must speak with you."
Before Eddie could say another word the connection was broken. Annoyed, Eddie placed the phone back on the hook, wondering what the old fool wanted? He supposed he knew who had been doing all of the killings, and probably wanted to talk some sense into him. Eddie who now officially didn't buy into any of Doc's bullshit, tuned everything out as he continued staring at the newswoman. She looked so much like Gretchen it was crazy. Staring at the screen transfixed, it truly almost seemed as if Gretchen had been brought back from the dead.
Later...
Doc nervously held his cane, standing in the shadows of the area, when suddenly he heard Eddie's low voice call out to him from the darkness.
"Hey Doc."
Turning, he watched as Eddie stepped out from the darkness and approached him. He had never looked worse. He had a dark five o'clock shadow, his hair greasy and tangled, and he wore a button down work shirt and jeans. His skin was oily, and he smelled of sweat among other things. Doc sighed before shaking his head.
"Edward, what have you done?"
Eddie laughed, before shaking his head.
"Guess I'm using the gift in a way you could never imagine."
Doc sighed shaking his head.
"This has gotten far too much out of control. You'll get caught, you could expose us all!"
Eddie chuckled, still shaking his head as he began to circle around Doc.
"You're the one who made me like this. You were so scared of being left all alone that you turned us. You knew exactly what you were making, and you can preach your will bullshit, which I actually believed for a while, thinking I could be happy and live a normal life..."
"But you can Edward!"
Eddie shook his head.
"No, not anymore. She's dead, and she's never coming back. She saw what we were, and she ended up blowing her brains out because she couldn' live with the fact that we're monsters doc. No matter how much you try to change us, Marsha was right."
Doc shook his head.
"Eddie, the bloodshed must end. These people..."
"They aren't real people. Not like Gretchen. Not like me. They don't feel a thing."
"This must stop."
Eddie then chuckled again, coming in close, his eyes turning red from the dim light one of the street lamps gave.
"This might actually be good fortune for you Doc."
Doc looked at him as if he was crazy.
"What do you mean?"
"That book of yours, you want to promote it. Use the so-called 'tools' that it features? Well why don't you offer your services to the KDHB news team. Tell them about your studies in psychology, and how you wish for them to do a story for your book. Stations like that are always looking to promote things. That's when you'll help me..."
"How so?"
"You get me that reporter's number at the station. Her personal line. I'll mention that I saw you on the station, and that your words make sense to me or so bullshit. That's when you start 'working' with Ms. White. You offer to help her talk to me when I call every few days."
"They can trace the calls..."
"I won't ever stay on long enough. You can promote your book using all that bullshit keeping you in the spotlight. I know you could use the success for The Colony."
"What's in it for you?"
"I just want to speak with her."
"Who?"
"Karen White."
The Doc looked horrified.
"She isn't Gretchen Eddie..."
"Call me in a week with the number."
He cut him off with coldly saying, before turning around and disappearing into the shadows.
That night...
Murata was ready to call it a night. He grabbed his car keys, and started towards the exit when Julie, the pretty secretary with big red glasses called after him.
"Detective Murata?"
Johnny stopped, and turned towards her. He had heard that Julie had developed quite the crush on him as Glenn claimed, and just by looking down at her sitting at her desk, he could see she was actually really pretty. Her brown hair was up in a tight bun, and her glasses, huge, but behind that and those sailor blouses she wore, he could tell she probably had a great body, and was actually pretty cute. Looking up at him with nervous eyes, she gulped before nervously fixing her glasses.
"Hey Julie, what's happening?"
Julie gulped, blushing slightly before she stared down at her rolodex and played with it for a second before taking a deep breath.
"My cousin is getting married almost seven weeks, and it's being held at the yacht club downtown..."
"Nice place."
Julie pressed on, clearly trying to find her courage.
"I was wondering, if you weren't doing anything that weekend, it's the 24th if you would...wanna be my date?"
He saw her turn bright red as she dropped her eyes, still fiddling with that rolodex, before Johnny grinned.
"I would love to."
Instantly Julie snapped her head up, staring up at him in complete and total disbelief.
"You will?!"
"Yeah sure, sounds like a good time. Maybe next Friday we can grab a drink after work?"
Julie seemed to melt right then and there. Smiling, she nodded quickly.
"Yes! I mean...yeah sure! Great!"
Johnny smiled before tapping her a wrink.
"Great. It's a date then."
He left a speechless Julie, and couldn't help but smile himself as he walked out and towards the elevators. He had heard Julie had been casually asking if he had a girlfriend last weekend, and knew she liked him.
The truth was...he liked her too.
He thought she was cute, and figured maybe a few dates might break him out of this terrible depression he felt he was sinking into over these crimes.
Later that night...
Johnny had tacked all black and white photographs of the victims so far up against the brick wall in his loft apartment. He was greeted by Max, his husky, and took him out for a walk, after he changed into his gym shorts and police academy T-shirt to go for his nightly jog. He blasted his walkmen as he jogged the area, leading Max on his leash, before finishing up, and heading back inside his building. After a shower, twisting off a beer, he ventured to where his bed was, and figured he would just crash early. Instead of snapping on the TV to see if a game was on, he flopped onto his unmade bed while Max was gobbling up his dinner in the kitchen. Taking a swig of his beer, he placed it on his nightstand, before laying there and putting his hands behind his head. There he stared at all the victims. Including the photo of the missing girl. The thin bluish light that came in through the blinds, hitting the tacked up photographs of all these people who now resembled ghosts more than anything else. Sighing, he closed his eyelids and began to fall asleep.
Later...
Johnny was woken with a start to see one of the victims sitting on the edge of his bed staring at him. It was Ashley Fox, the most recent waitress that had been killed. She was a pretty thing with straight black hair and green eyes. Seeing her sitting there in the darkness, he saw she had crude long bloody trails running down her face that looked black in this light. She stared at him sadly, slightly cocking her head when...
Johnny woke in a sweat.
Shooting up, his eyes wide, he looked quickly around his apartment and saw he was totally alone besides Max who slept on the floor beside him. Sitting there, allowing his heart to stop drumming out of his chest, he slightly sat back and stared out across at the photographs of all of the victims, who's faces all seemed to be saying the same exact thing...
"Catch him please. Catch him for us."
One week later...
Doc had made good on his promise. He was on the news promoting his newest book that had just been published and talking the same bullshit he tried feeding to all of them up at The Colony.
"We've all heard people talk about "animal magnetism", about the "natural man" and the "noble savage". As if we had lost something valuable in our long evolution into civilized human beings - and there's a good reason for this. Man is a combination of the learned and the instinctual, of the sophisticated and the primitive. We should never try to deny the beast, the animal, within us - only to channel these energies in a positive direction. All of us have a great untapped potential - a potential for living. What we do with that potential, with that life, depends as much on our attitudes toward our physical desires as it does on the social programming of our minds. The struggle between mind and body is not a necessary one. It produces anger, frustration, the strain of modern-day living in a world that's moving too quickly toward its own annihilation. Stress results when we fight against our impulses, when we attempt to destroy the natural man or woman within us. Repression is the father of neurosis, of self-hatred. Let me say a few words about my new book, THE GIFT. When we're born, each of us is given a gift - the gift of life..."
He held up the book as the male news reporter listened.
Eddie sat watching and grinning, shaking his head at what a bunch of shit Doc was saying, before picking up his phone and dialing the number Doc had left him. He held it close and waited, listening closely before finally it picked up.
"Hello?"
He recognized her voice and instantly felt himself getting hard.
"Hello Karen?"
"I'm sorry? Do I know you?"
Eddie chuckled, before licking his lips. "You will Karen. I promise..."