Winter Rose

XXVI. Help From Above

Her screams continued as my stomach worked its way into knots. My legs shook so violently under me, I was forced to lay down. The screams turned to raspy pleas, then barely distinguishable whispers, as Winter finally succumbed to the effects of the drug he'd drove into her.

When her body was limp underneath him, Sheldon's dark eyes flitted to mine. "Good boy, Pickle." His lips curled in a nasty smile, his face smug. "I knew I could rely on you to stand by me."

I choked down a bitter rush of bile that crept up my throat at his words. I hated him. I wanted to rip that mocking smile off of his face. I longed to tear out his throat and watch him bleed to death. But most of all, I wanted to die before I was forced to watch him kill Winter and Winnie, the two things who'd made my life worth living.

Winnie laid silent next to Winter, her ribs rising slowly up and down, eyes drawn in tight slits.

"This is the fun part." Sheldon eased himself off of Winter and stood up." Do you remember how this goes, Pickle?"

He reached into his jean pocket and pulled out a switch blade, flipping it expertly. The blade flashed in a stream of sun shooting through the trees.

"Do you remember the very first one?" He ran his finger along the blade, his eyes lighting up as the memory hit him. "Her name was Brandy." He bent down next to Winter and pushed a strand of hair out of her face with the blade. His lips curved as he murmured,"Brandy, Brandy, Brandy." He turned to me, searching for a response of some kind. "Can you remember that day?"

Slowly, I shook my head. Maybe I could delay him if I encouraged his rambling.

"She was a typical blond cheerleader," he mused darkly. "Probably slept with most of the football team and a few of the teachers, too. All tits and ass. She flaunted it around, wore these shorts that came up to her waist. So dirty and used. She was useless, a waste of a woman."

With a flash, the pleading hazel eyes of a blond girl trespassed into my mind. Please. I don't want to die. I'll do anything you say. Her voice rang in my ears, filled with terror.

I shook my head violently, trying to get rid of the horrific image. Forcing my head to the ground, I racked my paws over my ears. The sound of Sheldon's sinister laugh flooded my head. I couldn't tell if it was coming from him, or the image invading my brain.

It's too late. There's nothing you can do. Sheldon's voice echoed in my mind. The young blond's face twisted and she thrashed violently on the ground, struggling against his grasp. Sheldon brought out a syringe and plunged it into her neck, so far that the needle disappeared. You know, you brought this on yourself, said his flat voice.

My stomach lurked and I started to gag violently. Please, please, make this image go away. I clenched my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut so tight I saw stars.

Sheldon's heavy boot kicked me. His eyes glimmered. "You do remember, don't you?"

The blond girl's screams rattled my body. In the image, her long nails cut into Sheldon's arm, drawing blood and making him hiss with rage. She finally surrendered to the drug he'd injected. For a few moments she lay motionless. But then, her eyes rolled back into her head and she started jerking wildly, red foaming spit bubbling out of her mouth. Her breath came in long wheezing waves. Her stomach rose up and down, instead of her chest.

Shit, too much. I recognized as Jose's voice.

Damn, I was just getting started! I thought you said you knew what you were doing? Sheldon grumbled, kicking the spasming body on the ground.