1 Part 5: Innocent's Death
The smell of the seawater from the Pacific hit Theresa, making her realize how close she was to her brawl.
She walked into the old abandoned office of the Long Beach Navel Ship Yard. Dust covered the sheets and the dead Daddy Longlegs that hung from their unkempt webs. A dried up blue pen was still tied to a clipboard that had been left during closing. The windows of the private offices were dirt covered except one, which held a bright white arrow pointing left.
How stupid can she be? She really wants me to kick her ass.
She stood for a moment, listening for any sound that would echo down the hall to her. She could hear the faint footsteps of a person in boots; one step seemed heavier than the other did, which meant something was being drug around by the person. Or someone.
She followed the sound, which was in the opposite direction of the arrow, thinking about the many ways she would hit Letty.
Her pace quickened when she heard something hit the ground. Within a minute, she in a full run.
She came across an open room; the floor still showed here the walls to the many cubicles went. Kimberly was tied to a chair, her mouth gagged with an oil rag. Her eye was swollen shut and it seemed as though her lip was bleeding.
Letty had her back to her. She held a cloth to her cheek and then way from it to look at it. She held it at the right angle for Theresa to see the blood stains on it.
Hmm, my sister at least got one hit in.
She walked into the opening, her hands in her pockets.
"So Letty?" She walked up behind her, grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.
"You must think I'm stupid or something. Follow the arrow."
"I figured you had to be stupid. Thinking you could really get Dom."
"Well, you did" Letty punched her, forcing Theresa's head to the left.
Theresa side glanced her, spitting out the blood from the cut inside her mouth.
"I've had a lot of work done on my mouth." Theresa punched her the abdomen, sending Letty's arms to her stomach and to double over in pain. "It cost too much to get a smile like this."
Theresa stepped passed her and went to Kimberly's side. "You okay baby sister?"
Kimberly's widened has she watched Letty lift a chair over her head and throw it into Theresa's side. Theresa landed on her back, looking up to find Letty towering over her. Letty dropped the chair and pulled Theresa onto her feet by her hair.
Theresa grabbed Letty by both arms and threw her into a wall. Dropping them, Theresa hit her with a left jab before an uppercut to her stomach again and a final blow to Letty's jaw, her drop to the floor.
"Stay the fuck down bitch." Theresa hurried to sister and untied her. They ran to Theresa's car. When Kimberly was safe inside, Theresa turned back to the abandon office. Letty met her at the door and swung, her fist making contact to with Theresa's jaw. She stumbled back and went running towards Letty. She knocked Letty against the wall and beat her, Theresa's fist constantly making contact with her face.
Theresa pulled back and looked towards the driveway. Two motorcycles stood motionless.
Crouch rockets?
They took off, heading in Theresa's direction. They both held an AK-47 in their hands and started firing. Theresa hit the ground just as Letty stood. Her body vibrated with the force of the bullets entering her chest cavity before she hit the ground. Theresa played dead.
The helmeted individuals looked them over and pulled off.
Theresa waited till they were out of site and walked over to her car. Her sister laid forward, her wounds bloody but not bleeding, which could mean one thing…
"Kimberly!"
***************
Kristine had been on the way to the hospital when her sister woke up, opened the door of the car and puked on the pavement. When she closed the door, Brianna was met by a bottle of Scope and a sweet and sour smile from her older sister.
"Hmm, funny."
"Hey, if you like the taste of vomit, that's you, but if you're in my car, you'll use it. Don't need the smell of puke to start floating from your mouth."
"Ha, ha very funny." She took a swig and spit into a paper cup before throwing it out the window.
"What did I say to you?"
"Why?" Kristine pulled into an empty parking lot.
"Because I didn't mean it."
Kristine turned to her sister. "Now you are lying."
A look of confusion crossed her face. "What?"
"Well, when a person is drunk, they say what they mean. Even if it doesn't make sense to a sober person, the drunk means it." Kristine sat back, only her radio on.
"So oh wise sister, what words of truth came from my lips?"
"That you think I'm a joy kill. Which proved to me you were drunk."
"Why?"
"Because you never say joy kill. You say kill joy."
"So, how do you know what it's like to get hammered?"
"Let's just say I had a night that no amount of liquor could make me forget."
"Let's not. We have time."
"Well…"
"Come on sister, spill."
"Okay." Kristine took a deep breath. "It was my freshmen of college. I had pledged to Alpha Sigma. It was the welcome party for we pledge who had survived Hell Week. By midnight that night, I had had about 3 beers, 1 wine cooler, and 5 shots of vodka. And my boyfriend at the time had even more of what I had."
Kristine stopped and smiled at the memory of her former self. "We started talking dirty and this led to that. And next thing I know it, we are in a room upstairs, doing the drunken limbo. Great way to lose one's virginity. In a wave of alcohol and stupidity."
Kristine turned to her sister. "Don't end up like me. Trust me, sex and alcohol don't mix when you want to enjoy it."
"Oh. You know, uh, after you left, I hated you."
"What? Why?"
"It got worse."
"So you blame it on me?"
"No!"
"Then how? How did it get worse?"
"Well, Mom was barely home and that left me with 'that man'." Brianna became quiet and her lip began to quiver.
"What happened? Did Tim hurt you?"
"What the hell do you think?" Tears poured freely from her eyes. "Every night. If it wasn't oral, it was anal. If it wasn't anal, it was the old fashion, baby making, pain causing way. If not that, it was all of them."
Kristine felt her sister's hatred. The hatred she felt towards her mother for marring Tim. The hatred Brianna felt towards Tim for striping her of her innocence. And the hatred she felt towards herself for leaving home and not being there to protect her.
Kristine took her sister's hands into her own. "Have you told mom?"
"No. Like she would care."
"I am so sorry." Kristine pulled Brianna into a hug, her own tears dropping onto the girls black sweater. "I will never let him touch you again. I promise."
The passenger side window shattered, the glass flying everywhere. The driver side window quickly followed.
Kristine tried to pull away from Brianna. She lifted her sister from her shoulder and screamed in fear. The upper part of her sister's skull was gone. As was bits of her visible brain.
She cried in pain, holding onto her sister's lifeless body, plotting revenge against who ever ended her sister's life before it could ever begin.
***************
"There has been a shooting in Long Beach that has claimed the lives of three young women. We go live to the scene."
Long Beach police officers and detectives were everywhere around the taped off crime scene. Their radios going off, lights flashing.
Kristine sat in the back of the ambulance. She had told the police what she knew and no more. The Em's said she was beginning to suffer from shock. Now they were cleaning her wounds she received from the flying glass. Her sister's body was still in the car, a plain white sheet covering her. Spots of blood were showing through.
Theresa, who had earlier almost had a nervous break down was calmer now. Still upset but calm. She took a hold of Kristine's arm and guider to her team. Sandy put her in her car and fastened her seatbelt. They stood outside the car door, whispering to one another.
"Should we take her home or what?" Sherrie asked. "Look at her. She's quiet. She's NEVER quiet."
"I don't know." Theresa looked around nervously. A car pulled up and boy about 16 jumped up and was quickly met by officers at the line. He was built nice. He had well-defined arms and chest, which was covered by a white t-shirt, that clung to his drenched skin.
Vince and Dominic got out behind him and they too were blocked. Sherrie walked over to the cops and got them in just as Marcus ran up.
"Who are you?" The cop asked him.
"He's with us." Dom state matter-of-factly.
"That tells me nothing."
"He's one of the other victim's boyfriend." Sherrie added.
"Alright." The cop lifted the tape for him.
The four of them stoked over to Sandy's car. Dominic stood by Theresa's side while Marcus went over the car door. He tried to figure out if he should open it and talk to Kristine or not.
"Is she okay?" He asked. "She seems distant."
"She is." Sandy smacked him. "She lost her sister. Now if you think you can help, talk to her. If not, walk away."
Marcus walked around and got in the driver's seat. He closed the door and turned to her.
"Hi."
Kristine looked forward, her lips dry s were her eyes. "Hi."
"You hanging in there?"
"No."
"You need someone to talk to?"
"Not right now."
"Is there a reason?"
Kristine turned to face him. "Are you my fucking shrink?" Her voice rather airy and light.
"No but…"
"Then leave me."
"I won't."
"Brave boy, aren't we?"
"You're planning something."
"Ding ding, give the man a prize."
"Look, I seem to care for you far more than most girls. And note the fact that we have never been on a date. And if you're planning to do something stupid, or crazy, tell me now."
"Why?"
"Because I will help you."
"Talk me out of it?"
"No. Do it. Consider it our first date."
Kristine turned and looked out the window. The others were busy talking. She looked to find the keys in the ignition.
"I'll claim in the back, you go on the passenger side." She said.
"Okay, I guess."
She slowly claimed in the back long enough for Marcus to move. When she was seated, she turned on the car and pulled off, ignoring the screams and curses of her teammates.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to see a Tran and his family."
The smell of the seawater from the Pacific hit Theresa, making her realize how close she was to her brawl.
She walked into the old abandoned office of the Long Beach Navel Ship Yard. Dust covered the sheets and the dead Daddy Longlegs that hung from their unkempt webs. A dried up blue pen was still tied to a clipboard that had been left during closing. The windows of the private offices were dirt covered except one, which held a bright white arrow pointing left.
How stupid can she be? She really wants me to kick her ass.
She stood for a moment, listening for any sound that would echo down the hall to her. She could hear the faint footsteps of a person in boots; one step seemed heavier than the other did, which meant something was being drug around by the person. Or someone.
She followed the sound, which was in the opposite direction of the arrow, thinking about the many ways she would hit Letty.
Her pace quickened when she heard something hit the ground. Within a minute, she in a full run.
She came across an open room; the floor still showed here the walls to the many cubicles went. Kimberly was tied to a chair, her mouth gagged with an oil rag. Her eye was swollen shut and it seemed as though her lip was bleeding.
Letty had her back to her. She held a cloth to her cheek and then way from it to look at it. She held it at the right angle for Theresa to see the blood stains on it.
Hmm, my sister at least got one hit in.
She walked into the opening, her hands in her pockets.
"So Letty?" She walked up behind her, grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.
"You must think I'm stupid or something. Follow the arrow."
"I figured you had to be stupid. Thinking you could really get Dom."
"Well, you did" Letty punched her, forcing Theresa's head to the left.
Theresa side glanced her, spitting out the blood from the cut inside her mouth.
"I've had a lot of work done on my mouth." Theresa punched her the abdomen, sending Letty's arms to her stomach and to double over in pain. "It cost too much to get a smile like this."
Theresa stepped passed her and went to Kimberly's side. "You okay baby sister?"
Kimberly's widened has she watched Letty lift a chair over her head and throw it into Theresa's side. Theresa landed on her back, looking up to find Letty towering over her. Letty dropped the chair and pulled Theresa onto her feet by her hair.
Theresa grabbed Letty by both arms and threw her into a wall. Dropping them, Theresa hit her with a left jab before an uppercut to her stomach again and a final blow to Letty's jaw, her drop to the floor.
"Stay the fuck down bitch." Theresa hurried to sister and untied her. They ran to Theresa's car. When Kimberly was safe inside, Theresa turned back to the abandon office. Letty met her at the door and swung, her fist making contact to with Theresa's jaw. She stumbled back and went running towards Letty. She knocked Letty against the wall and beat her, Theresa's fist constantly making contact with her face.
Theresa pulled back and looked towards the driveway. Two motorcycles stood motionless.
Crouch rockets?
They took off, heading in Theresa's direction. They both held an AK-47 in their hands and started firing. Theresa hit the ground just as Letty stood. Her body vibrated with the force of the bullets entering her chest cavity before she hit the ground. Theresa played dead.
The helmeted individuals looked them over and pulled off.
Theresa waited till they were out of site and walked over to her car. Her sister laid forward, her wounds bloody but not bleeding, which could mean one thing…
"Kimberly!"
***************
Kristine had been on the way to the hospital when her sister woke up, opened the door of the car and puked on the pavement. When she closed the door, Brianna was met by a bottle of Scope and a sweet and sour smile from her older sister.
"Hmm, funny."
"Hey, if you like the taste of vomit, that's you, but if you're in my car, you'll use it. Don't need the smell of puke to start floating from your mouth."
"Ha, ha very funny." She took a swig and spit into a paper cup before throwing it out the window.
"What did I say to you?"
"Why?" Kristine pulled into an empty parking lot.
"Because I didn't mean it."
Kristine turned to her sister. "Now you are lying."
A look of confusion crossed her face. "What?"
"Well, when a person is drunk, they say what they mean. Even if it doesn't make sense to a sober person, the drunk means it." Kristine sat back, only her radio on.
"So oh wise sister, what words of truth came from my lips?"
"That you think I'm a joy kill. Which proved to me you were drunk."
"Why?"
"Because you never say joy kill. You say kill joy."
"So, how do you know what it's like to get hammered?"
"Let's just say I had a night that no amount of liquor could make me forget."
"Let's not. We have time."
"Well…"
"Come on sister, spill."
"Okay." Kristine took a deep breath. "It was my freshmen of college. I had pledged to Alpha Sigma. It was the welcome party for we pledge who had survived Hell Week. By midnight that night, I had had about 3 beers, 1 wine cooler, and 5 shots of vodka. And my boyfriend at the time had even more of what I had."
Kristine stopped and smiled at the memory of her former self. "We started talking dirty and this led to that. And next thing I know it, we are in a room upstairs, doing the drunken limbo. Great way to lose one's virginity. In a wave of alcohol and stupidity."
Kristine turned to her sister. "Don't end up like me. Trust me, sex and alcohol don't mix when you want to enjoy it."
"Oh. You know, uh, after you left, I hated you."
"What? Why?"
"It got worse."
"So you blame it on me?"
"No!"
"Then how? How did it get worse?"
"Well, Mom was barely home and that left me with 'that man'." Brianna became quiet and her lip began to quiver.
"What happened? Did Tim hurt you?"
"What the hell do you think?" Tears poured freely from her eyes. "Every night. If it wasn't oral, it was anal. If it wasn't anal, it was the old fashion, baby making, pain causing way. If not that, it was all of them."
Kristine felt her sister's hatred. The hatred she felt towards her mother for marring Tim. The hatred Brianna felt towards Tim for striping her of her innocence. And the hatred she felt towards herself for leaving home and not being there to protect her.
Kristine took her sister's hands into her own. "Have you told mom?"
"No. Like she would care."
"I am so sorry." Kristine pulled Brianna into a hug, her own tears dropping onto the girls black sweater. "I will never let him touch you again. I promise."
The passenger side window shattered, the glass flying everywhere. The driver side window quickly followed.
Kristine tried to pull away from Brianna. She lifted her sister from her shoulder and screamed in fear. The upper part of her sister's skull was gone. As was bits of her visible brain.
She cried in pain, holding onto her sister's lifeless body, plotting revenge against who ever ended her sister's life before it could ever begin.
***************
"There has been a shooting in Long Beach that has claimed the lives of three young women. We go live to the scene."
Long Beach police officers and detectives were everywhere around the taped off crime scene. Their radios going off, lights flashing.
Kristine sat in the back of the ambulance. She had told the police what she knew and no more. The Em's said she was beginning to suffer from shock. Now they were cleaning her wounds she received from the flying glass. Her sister's body was still in the car, a plain white sheet covering her. Spots of blood were showing through.
Theresa, who had earlier almost had a nervous break down was calmer now. Still upset but calm. She took a hold of Kristine's arm and guider to her team. Sandy put her in her car and fastened her seatbelt. They stood outside the car door, whispering to one another.
"Should we take her home or what?" Sherrie asked. "Look at her. She's quiet. She's NEVER quiet."
"I don't know." Theresa looked around nervously. A car pulled up and boy about 16 jumped up and was quickly met by officers at the line. He was built nice. He had well-defined arms and chest, which was covered by a white t-shirt, that clung to his drenched skin.
Vince and Dominic got out behind him and they too were blocked. Sherrie walked over to the cops and got them in just as Marcus ran up.
"Who are you?" The cop asked him.
"He's with us." Dom state matter-of-factly.
"That tells me nothing."
"He's one of the other victim's boyfriend." Sherrie added.
"Alright." The cop lifted the tape for him.
The four of them stoked over to Sandy's car. Dominic stood by Theresa's side while Marcus went over the car door. He tried to figure out if he should open it and talk to Kristine or not.
"Is she okay?" He asked. "She seems distant."
"She is." Sandy smacked him. "She lost her sister. Now if you think you can help, talk to her. If not, walk away."
Marcus walked around and got in the driver's seat. He closed the door and turned to her.
"Hi."
Kristine looked forward, her lips dry s were her eyes. "Hi."
"You hanging in there?"
"No."
"You need someone to talk to?"
"Not right now."
"Is there a reason?"
Kristine turned to face him. "Are you my fucking shrink?" Her voice rather airy and light.
"No but…"
"Then leave me."
"I won't."
"Brave boy, aren't we?"
"You're planning something."
"Ding ding, give the man a prize."
"Look, I seem to care for you far more than most girls. And note the fact that we have never been on a date. And if you're planning to do something stupid, or crazy, tell me now."
"Why?"
"Because I will help you."
"Talk me out of it?"
"No. Do it. Consider it our first date."
Kristine turned and looked out the window. The others were busy talking. She looked to find the keys in the ignition.
"I'll claim in the back, you go on the passenger side." She said.
"Okay, I guess."
She slowly claimed in the back long enough for Marcus to move. When she was seated, she turned on the car and pulled off, ignoring the screams and curses of her teammates.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to see a Tran and his family."