The Secrets We Keep In The Dark (The Grabber fan-fiction)

Chatper 1

It wasn't polite to stare, and she knew that, but there was something disgustingly fascinating about a grown man dressed like that. So clown-like, like the ringleader of a cirus. Especially this man who appeared more like The crow than a clown from the angle she was looking at. Clowns always had a way of creeping her out. Maybe that's why her eyes were practically glued to him.

She stood on the corner of the street. He was a few feet from her near the corner store. Placing brown bags into his trunk. She liked to believe that all that staring would be forgiven. After all, if she wasn't watching him so closely she would have missed it. She could only think to describe it as if it were in slow motion. One by one the man's groceries fell from his arms. The bag split open and cans rolled long the sidewalk. There was no one else but her, and a young kid across the street to bear witness. She ran over without thought and dropped to her knees grabbing whatever cans she could reach

"Oh what a goof! Miss, please that's quite alright," he called out to her. Only she was already down on her knees with two armfuls of groceries.

She placed the items from her arms into his trunk. When she turned to face him she extended her hand out to meet his.

"You are too kind," he whispered, reaching out his hand.

She half smiled, as she shook his hand. Her head turned to look at the balloons rattling around in his truck, "Black balloons? What's the occasion," she cocked her head to one side. She drew her brows in closely. There was an amusement in her voice.

"I'm a part time magician," he smiled, and gestured at his white face, and busy clothes.  A red turtleneck, and a black sweater vest over top. With a daisy pinned to his chest, "a failed clown," he laughed and let out a pathetic sounding sigh.

She never stopped smiling at him but there was a sort of sadness in her eyes, almost pitiful, "well you've made me smile today, and I'm terrified of clowns so that must count for something,"She couldn't hurt a fly and it was apparent just by the sweet sound of her voice.

"Scared of clowns," he gasped. A  thin stream of water squirted her face from a daisy pinned to his black sweater vest. She squinted, and let out a hysterical gasp followed by a joyful laugh.

"Opps," he smiled and dramatically placed his hand on his head, "I should have a handkerchief somewhere," he pulled one from his pocket and a long string of multi-colored cloth followed suit. He dabbed the water on her face slowly and sensually dragging the handkerchief along her lips before he pulled it away.

A small smile curled its way onto her lips, starting at the very outer corners and slowly making its way to the center of her mouth. From her lips a small laugh escaped into the air around them, and was taken with the very wind that swayed and slashed violently. Her hair danced around her shoulders after a strong gust circled around them. He gripped the handkerchief tightier in his hand. He stared into her sweet brown eyes. The sound of the black latex balloons inside the back of his truck bumping into one another roughly was fading from him. All he could see was her, he was falling into a trance while looking in her eyes.

He cleared his throat and held out his free hand, "thank you miss," he shook her hand firmly now.

"I was just doing a good deed, no need to  thank me," she smiled, and looked away back inside the van, where the balloons were settling down. She couldn't put them out of the forefront of her mind.

"Where were you headed," he guestered at the bus stop.

She turned back, and rolled her eyes 'so much for good deeds she thought to herself. No amount of kindness could change her crappy luck. The bus hissed as it pulled away from the curb.

"I didn't have much of a destination. I'm on summer recess, but summer classes start in a month," she paused, "I'm trying to accelerate my degree. I've been studying all day. I figured I'd go and clear my head."

"Just studying? No friends to see, trouble to get into huh," he raised a brow, and smirked.

"Lame, I know," she laughed a little. The smile faded as she looked down at the ground where there was reminiscent of egg shells from his dropped groceries.

"My parents went on vacation, so I'm just home... alone for the weekend. As for friends, we'll I'm better off on my own. I was never much of a hit at parties," she smiled, and shrugged, "It's okay, I like to keep to myself anyway."

She could feel his gaze. It was so magnetic that it drew her eyes back up to his. She looked up at him, blushing. She rolled her eyes, and her cheeks went pink from embarrassment, "I'm sorry I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

He reached out and grabbed her wrist,"No, it's okay," he whispered, his voice childlike as he attempted to comfort her.

He released her wrist, but took a step closer to her. Too close, she thought.

"So,  no one is expecting you tonight," he asked, and bopped her nose lightly.

Such a strange thing to ask, she thought, "Correct, Sir."

"Please please, it's Albert, but you can call me Al if you'd like," a short giggle followed after.

She extended her hand to him once more, "Abigail," she didn't know if that was a smart thing to do; Give out her name to a complete stranger. The thought only crossed her mind the moment it left her lips.

"Abby,"he whispered, so low that if she hadn't seen his lips move she would have never heard it.

He felt for his pockets till he pulled out a black business card. He held it out to her, "If you ever need to reach me."

Abby raised her hand to take it hesitantly. As she grabbed it his fingers grazed hers causing her to flinch her hand back.

"T-thank you," she stuttered, "Well, I  won't take up anymore of your time,"she said abruptly, and began to back away. A feeling of conflict sat in her belly.

She knew that not every man was bad, that she couldn't live her whole life seeing her brother's killer in every man she met. She was twenty one now, and it had been years since it had happened, but the recent abundance of missing kid posters that flooded her hometown had a way of making those memories keep flooding back...

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"Bye Miss. Abby ," he called out, but she was already on her way.

We're his eyes deceiving him? Why anyone wouldn't adore this girl he wasn't sure. He was fascinated by her. She was like a car wreck he couldn't look away.

"Stupid, stupid stupid girl," he hissed to himself, and got into the drivers seat of his windowless van. He smashed his hands down on the wheel in frustration.

She had no clue all the practice and time she just wasted. All his planning was ruined. He almost took her instead. An eye for an eye. A body for a body. Though he planned on spraying her in the eyes with pepper spray for what she did, but he got lost in them instead.

He promised himself  if she was stupid enough to cross his path again that he would get revenge. She lost him his catch of the day, and she should pay for it. Though part of him, the good part, the sane side of his mind couldn't imagine hurting such a beauty.