Dempster Road

Chapter 15

Adelaine came down the front steps carrying a small plain overnight bag to go with her blank face. She walked past him to the car, placed the bag inside, and then turned and handed him the keys. He thought of asking about the bag but decided not to upset any chance he had to get her feeling comfortable with conversation, and he climbed into the car and started it up.

"Don't forget your belt," he grinned, pointing at the dash signal. She managed a quick smile and buckled up. "So you say this noise comes when you accelerate?"

"Yes. But you have to be going about sixty or seventy."

Stan glanced over at her. "That's a little fast for the parking lot."

"I didn't think you really meant just driving it around here." She looked very innocent.

"Well at least the highway's good. Most of the roads down here are kinda pot-holey."

"I manage fine." She said, staring straight ahead.

"Okay then." He pressed down on the gas and the little car leaped ahead and raced down the highway into the night. He leaned slightly forward as if it might increase the volume of any signals.

Adelaine stared straight ahead, no indication of any interest. They raced along in the darkening evening, the Deputy concentrating on mechanical sounds, and the woman thinking back on other sounds . . . sounds from her youth, cowering in her bedroom when Daddy came to say good night. The locket chain cut sharply into her neck as she pulled on its case.

"Does the wheel pull or anything?" He was watching the shoulder of the road for possible wildlife and missed her expression.

"You tell me. Take that road on the right but take it in a sharp turn."

Stanley began slowing a bit then when he was at the intersection, he swung the wheel sharply to the right and the car swerved and skidded onto the side road.

They bounced and jostled in the seats as the road turned from asphalt to rutted gravel and after a few moments Stan lifted his foot from the gas and began breaking to a halt.

"I didn't hear anything. Did you?"

"Why are you stopping?"

"Well I don't know this road, and it's pretty dark. There's lots of raccoons and foxes that cross these back roads and I don't want to be runnin' over any, and I sure wouldn't want to bust a spring or shock or something."

Adelaine stayed silent for a minute, and then she turned and looked out the rear window before unbuckling her belt. and reaching across to Stan's leg.

"Uh- Miss Curtis, I- I uh, don't think you- we should be--"

"Your girlfriend said you were pretty good for a short while didn't she?"

"Bel says a lot of thin--" Her hand slipped down between his legs and Stanley shoved the gear in park. "Miss Curtis. Maybe we better just head on back."

"I don't think so, Stanley." He felt her hand move and his seat belt flipped free, and when he looked down there was a small fruit cutting knife with a jagged looking blade clutched in her fingers.

"Hey! What the hell . . .?"

"Kiss me Stanley. Kiss me once before we part." She moved her face close to his, her eyes glittering in the light of the dashboard, her lips puckering. "You seem to like women that are just friends; good for a night in bed but then they have to move on, right?"

"Look, Miss Curtis, I don't know what your game--"

"Not a game, Deputy . . . a crusade. I've been chosen to rid the world of users and hypocrites." Her hair dangled over her face, hiding the feral expression forming.

"What the hell are you talking--"

"About men like you, Stanley. Men that use women as chattel."

He reached down and grabbed her hand with the knife, bringing it up hard under the steering wheel. Adelaine yelped, and the glittering eyes turned to fire, but she didn't let go, instead she punched him in the ear with her free hand, lips pulled back and teeth bared.

Stan cried out but held tight to the knife hand while he tried to fend her off with the other. Another blow, this time beside his eye and he felt his vision blur as his head slammed into the window. The next one was to his mouth and he felt warm blood from a split lip.

She was up on her knees now leaning hard against him and pounding away like a maniac, driving him down into a corner, making guttural noises with spittle flying from her mouth. Stan's eye began to swell shut, and his mouth was bleeding profusely from the repeated blows.

He tried to tuck in and keep away while at the same time twisting with all his might at the knife hand, but his grip was slipping.

Adelaine took advantage of his move and hoisted one knee onto his leg then forced the rest of her body on top of him, her knees digging painfully into his stomach and groin. Her fist continued its rain of punches, and his face was becoming numb and bloodier. His elbow slipped against the door handle and the weight of their bodies forced it open and they both tumbled out onto the ground.

Stanley lost his grip on her wrist and in a flash she was sitting on his chest, one hand yanking his hair, the other poised with the knife.

He tried to speak but his mouth wouldn't work, and there was blood in his eyes making seeing difficult. His arms were trapped under her legs.

"You're all alike aren't you?" Her warm breath suddenly tickled his ear and the whispered words sounded like a voice from the grave. "See a woman and all you see is her body and what you can do with it." The knife prodded his cheek and he let out a whine. "Come on then Deputy, do something with me. Come on."

She wiggled down until she was sitting over his groin, pulling harder on his hair and Stan groaned aloud. "Not even good for a short while are you, Deputy?" The punch came so fast and so hard to his jaw, Stanley just registered brief pain and then blackness.