Okedokey...here comes Chapter 5. I'm sorry it's taking me so long to get this whole thing together, but all good things to those who wait. Once again, thanks to the kind people who reviewed. I know I say that every chapter, but I really mean it. It's nice to know that someone read your writing and thought positively about it. any suggestions, questions, or comments are welcomed: clarice459@hotmail.com :) c. On with the show!
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As she drove, Clarice found herself much more relaxed than usual. She couldn't really explain it; she just felt at peace with everything. She decided that listening to the radio could have negative effects, so she drove without music. Clarice slightly cracked her window and listened to the world around her. Sounds of the air being sliced as she plowed through it, sounds of trees rustling, sounds of nature. She enjoyed nature very much. She couldn't remember a time when she hadn't.
Clarice was about half way to the local shopping mall when she noticed it. A very nice black car had been following her since . . . since she left home. This was odd. At first, she would have dismissed it as simply a neighbor having the same destinaion. But none of her neighbors had cars like this. Something else she noticed as a little strange was that the car followed very subtly. It stayed a safe distance behind, with several cars between.
Clarice placed her hand on her hip, to reassure herself that her protection was there. Not that she always relied on a gun, mind you. It simply made her feel a bit safer that it was there, should she need it. She was very strong physically and could defend herself to nearly anyone.
She checked her rear-view mirror every few seconds to see where this strange car was. She was pleased to see that it had taken the previous exit. Clarice decided not to worry about this any more today. She didn't notice the black luxury car gliding down the entrance ramp to the interstate, either.
As Clarice arrived at the mall, she found it was easy to locate a parking place. It was a weekday and most people were at work. The car that had followed her was no where in sight and she completely forgot about it. She climbed out of her car, locking the doors. You could never be too safe. She didn't have a long distance to walk to the mall because of her parking place. A casually dressed man followed her in.
Clarice truly made a day of shopping. But HE plagued her thoughts all day. Every outfit or pair of shoes she'd come across, her first thought would be, "I wonder what he'd think of this...." She didn't even catch herself doing it. After the first hour or so, she'd made so many purchases that her arms were full. She decided to go and put them in her car, and then go for one more round, maybe get some ice cream. That thought pleased her. She hardly ever bought ice cream anymore. She decided that it was a definate 'yes'.
She headed for the mall exit where she'd parked. It was still a beautiful day - the sun was shining, it was just the right temperature, and not a cloud in sight. As she placed the last of her purchases in the trunk, she checked her cell phone to see if she'd missed any calls. Cell phones don't work very well in the mall. She'd found that one out the hard way. Clarice had missed a call from Pearsall while on a shopping trip with Ardelia once. Never again would she do that. No new calls. She sighed. She didn't get many of those anymore. She headed back in to the mall for several more hours of shopping.
She checked her watch. 8:00. She decided that it was time to get home. She gathered all of her purchases and her half-eaten ice cream and exited the mall. Clarice placed some of her items in the trunk, but after realizing that all of them wouldn't fit, she opened the back door of her car. She put the rest of them in the back seat. She, once again, decided that she needed to check her cell phone. Missed calls were bad enough, but missed calls from superiors? 'Bad' is not the correct word. As darkness fell, she was thankful for the glowing display radiating from her phone. At least she could see what she was doing.
As she toyed with her phone, an arm slipped around her waist. She tried to scream, but a hand cupped over her mouth prevented it. She flailed her arms, cell phone in one hand, ice cream in the other. Clarice tried to get away, but this man was strong. Stronger than nearly anyone she'd come up against. A sudden realization came over her. She turned to face Hannibal Lecter; his once clean, white shirt covered with chocolate ice cream.
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As she drove, Clarice found herself much more relaxed than usual. She couldn't really explain it; she just felt at peace with everything. She decided that listening to the radio could have negative effects, so she drove without music. Clarice slightly cracked her window and listened to the world around her. Sounds of the air being sliced as she plowed through it, sounds of trees rustling, sounds of nature. She enjoyed nature very much. She couldn't remember a time when she hadn't.
Clarice was about half way to the local shopping mall when she noticed it. A very nice black car had been following her since . . . since she left home. This was odd. At first, she would have dismissed it as simply a neighbor having the same destinaion. But none of her neighbors had cars like this. Something else she noticed as a little strange was that the car followed very subtly. It stayed a safe distance behind, with several cars between.
Clarice placed her hand on her hip, to reassure herself that her protection was there. Not that she always relied on a gun, mind you. It simply made her feel a bit safer that it was there, should she need it. She was very strong physically and could defend herself to nearly anyone.
She checked her rear-view mirror every few seconds to see where this strange car was. She was pleased to see that it had taken the previous exit. Clarice decided not to worry about this any more today. She didn't notice the black luxury car gliding down the entrance ramp to the interstate, either.
As Clarice arrived at the mall, she found it was easy to locate a parking place. It was a weekday and most people were at work. The car that had followed her was no where in sight and she completely forgot about it. She climbed out of her car, locking the doors. You could never be too safe. She didn't have a long distance to walk to the mall because of her parking place. A casually dressed man followed her in.
Clarice truly made a day of shopping. But HE plagued her thoughts all day. Every outfit or pair of shoes she'd come across, her first thought would be, "I wonder what he'd think of this...." She didn't even catch herself doing it. After the first hour or so, she'd made so many purchases that her arms were full. She decided to go and put them in her car, and then go for one more round, maybe get some ice cream. That thought pleased her. She hardly ever bought ice cream anymore. She decided that it was a definate 'yes'.
She headed for the mall exit where she'd parked. It was still a beautiful day - the sun was shining, it was just the right temperature, and not a cloud in sight. As she placed the last of her purchases in the trunk, she checked her cell phone to see if she'd missed any calls. Cell phones don't work very well in the mall. She'd found that one out the hard way. Clarice had missed a call from Pearsall while on a shopping trip with Ardelia once. Never again would she do that. No new calls. She sighed. She didn't get many of those anymore. She headed back in to the mall for several more hours of shopping.
She checked her watch. 8:00. She decided that it was time to get home. She gathered all of her purchases and her half-eaten ice cream and exited the mall. Clarice placed some of her items in the trunk, but after realizing that all of them wouldn't fit, she opened the back door of her car. She put the rest of them in the back seat. She, once again, decided that she needed to check her cell phone. Missed calls were bad enough, but missed calls from superiors? 'Bad' is not the correct word. As darkness fell, she was thankful for the glowing display radiating from her phone. At least she could see what she was doing.
As she toyed with her phone, an arm slipped around her waist. She tried to scream, but a hand cupped over her mouth prevented it. She flailed her arms, cell phone in one hand, ice cream in the other. Clarice tried to get away, but this man was strong. Stronger than nearly anyone she'd come up against. A sudden realization came over her. She turned to face Hannibal Lecter; his once clean, white shirt covered with chocolate ice cream.