The Pleasures of an Eternal Nightmare

Chapter 18

Kaleb slipped into his ghille suit and slipped on the matching helmet before he grabbed his hunting rifle and stepped outside. He typed in an address on his GPS and jumped into his truck. After driving for twenty minutes, he pulled over in a small natural park and headed up a hill into the trees. He walked for five minutes and stopped by a small pond filled with frogs and koi. He stepped back into a bush and laid down, pointing the tip of his rifle just outside of the brush. An hour later, a girl about his age walked out with a bag of fish food and a cereal bar for herself. She tossed some of the fish food into the pond and let out a sigh.

She was an Asian girl with short black hair and dark brown eyes. There was a red scar going across her nose diagonally and a black tattoo shaped as a harp on her neck. She wore a sports bra and a pair of sweats and black running shoes on her feet.

"I know you're here to kill me," she said. When Kaleb didn't answer, she let out a depressed sigh and shook her head. "You aren't the first man who tried to kill me because of my sins. Let me guess: you killed John and discovered my involvement in the murder of several of our classmates." She let out a sad laugh. "You were in my chemistry class last year. I was supposed to kill you but I didn't want to. Why? I don't know. I guess you just looked too smart."

Kaleb sighed and stood up, lowering his rifle. "Flattery won't get you out of this."

"No," the girl said as she tossed more fish food into the pond. "It won't. In the end, I'll still have to fight you. One of us will die and loot the other for money and weapons."

"Most of what you said is true. The only lie is that YOU will die. I'm not going to die."

The girl stood up and took a bite of her cereal bar. "Maybe you're right. You did kill most of my friends, after all."

Kaleb pointed the rifle at her. "Anything you want to say before you die?"

The girl nodded. She pulled up a detonator and gave a sad smile. "Goodbye."

She set off the detonator and Kaleb squeezed the trigger.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caroline opened the door and called out, "I'm home!" She kicked off her shoes and walked in with a bag of groceries. She set the bag down in the kitchen and walked into the bedroom to see Kent staring out the window. She pressed herself against his back and threw her arms over his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Kent shrugged. "I guess I'm surprised I don't want to die anymore."

Caroline giggled. "That's good. You caused me a lot of problems when you gave up on life."

Kent turned around and Caroline moved her hands onto his shoulders as he faced her. "Why are you taking such good care of me? You could've stayed in the prison and enjoyed your food for free. Now you're here paying for both of our meals and for this apartment."

Caroline nodded and pulled his head into her breasts. "At first, it was because I was curious. I wanted to know why you were kept in that cell if you weren't even that dangerous. Then Julie asked me to babysit you. Then it was because I heard you whisper something in your sleep. It could've been intended for the girl you liked but when I heard what it meant, I wanted it to be for me." She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I love you."

Kent's eyes widened. "I-I said that?"

Caroline nodded as she brushed his hair with her hand. "So now I want you to be mine. I'll take care of you for as long as I can. No one will hurt you, no one will take you, and no one will ever come between us."

Kent let out a small smile as a tear rolled down from his eye. "Thank you..."

Someone knocked on the door with great force. Caroline let Kent go. "I'll go answer the door. Why don't you grab some of the candy I bought for you?"

Caroline walked to the door and looked through the peep hole. She grinned and opened the door slowly. A burst of gunfire erupted and the sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the apartment complex.