A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words (Round Four)

[ASGetty ((Zovo))]

Deadline: November 8th, 2013
Happy Halloween

[Jenny (Reffy)]

The phone rings. “Hello?” I answer timidly. My parents are out for the night; a Halloween party. They'd told me to go to bed at midnight. It's now well after midnight. Guess I'm a little rebel.

“Hi … Sarah? You busy?”

It's Steve from school. I'd recognise his gravelly but strong voice anywhere. Foolishly my heart jumps a little with silly and giddy excitement. He's finally called me to confess his undying love … yeah, right!

“Nope. Rents are out.” I tried to sound cool but I don't think it worked. Steve's hot and I've been trying to get him to notice me for weeks. He's one of the cool kids and I'm just not in that club. Uncomfortable I switch off the television and move to start pacing the living room. There's somebody else with him but I can't tell who and the motor is running. I guess he's out with a friend.

“Cool. Matt and I are gonna head out to the old mill. Want to come?” He's unsure. I can tell. Why would he call me anyway? I mean, there's Jessica. He's always liked Jessica - she's in the cool club. Completely his type as well: long blonde hair and a sexy body. While I'm the exact opposite: short, stumpy, spots, and brunette cut in to a bob. “Sure!”

Matt obviously grabs the phone. “We'll be there in five!” He hangs up soon after.

Matt's a jerk. I still don't know why Steve hangs out with him. Only five minutes! Shit. I jump up and try to plaster on as much make-up as possible. It's not great. I'm standing on the doorstep in just four minutes and waiting – trying to look casual and not flustered.

The beaten up car pulls up with a squeak and Matt leans out. “Get a move on!” He yells. In primary school he was the class clown and bully when anybody laughed at him.

I jog over. I'm wearing jeans and a nice top with a coat shoved over the top. The coat is undone slightly: I'm hoping my small cleavage is showing. It'll take a miracle for that to happen though! My own mother said they were as flat as pancakes. I slam myself in to the back-seat of the car. Matt is driving and Steve is in the passenger seat. “Hi.”

He replies. “Hi.”

It's a bit awkward but we don't get a moment to dwell on it before the car is screeching away. Matt selects the next track on his iPod and the music drowns out any possibility of talking. I sit in silence thinking about my parents. God forbid if they find me out when they get home. It'll be hell to pay.

It's only fifteen minutes before we're at the old mill. It's been abandoned for years. Rumour had it that an old man went nuts here and killed the workers. I don't believe it but they say you can still hear his ghost walking about. I get out and privately adjust my wannabe-cleavage. By the time I've finished they're already inside.

“Want to split up?” Matt grins, testing out his torchlight.

“Sure,” Steve replies, altogether nonplussed.

“Great. You go check out the upstairs. Me and Sarah will go to the basement.” He's already grabbed me by the upper-arm and trying to head in that direction.

“I'd rather go with Steve.” He doesn't hear me or pretends not to notice. Steve shrugs sorry and heads off up the creaky stairs.

Great! There goes my chance to be alone with him. Instead I get the bully. I wrestle off his hands from my arm. “That hurt, Matt.” He shrugs.

“They said the old man,” he talks of the rumour, “hung his victims down here.” He pushes the door open to the cellar and keeps going. Not wanting to looks like a woosy I follow. “

The cellar is crowded with old machinery. Once I get down there Matt has turned his torch off. “Where are you?” I don't know why I whisper. It feels like I should. Feeling cold I do my jacket up. “I can hear you moving, Matt. Don't be dumb.”

The door slams shut. I reckon it's probably just the wind. I turn to look and see Matt is standing directly behind me. Before I can react he slams a hand over my mouth and pushes me against the wall. His face fills my vision. The wall is cold against my back, despite the jacket and top. I want to kick him off and tell him he's scaring me but he's too strong.

In seconds I can feel his hand pulling at my jeans. I panic. The cold is gone in a hot sweat of fear. I try biting his hand but he smacks my head against the wall with a dull thud. Pain blossoms. “You like it, Sarah. Don't lie.”

He bundles his hand down my pants while I try and push him away. He smacks my head against the wall again. I wonder if he'll try and knock me out. He could.

My head is ringing and his hand is pushing around in my pants. I'm trying to move around to get away from his wriggling sausage fingers to keep him from entering or getting anywhere. He tries to kiss me, using the hand that had blocked my mouth to hold my head still, but instead I scream for Steve. He back-hands me across the face and covers my mouth again.

“Don't scream, Sarah You want it really. I know you've wanted me, bad!” His voice is alien to my ears. Tears start spilling down my face. He sidles up to me and I feel him pushing up against my thigh, rock-hard and engorged. Tears course down my face.

“There's nothing here, Matt. Let's go.” It's Steve. Matt stops and grins. I can feel the bruises already.

The journey home is painful.