Kit Crumb - Body Parts

Now she was really awake.

When her hand found only warm sheets and an empty pillow, she smiled to herself, Richard was already up, he must have heard the noise too. She rolled back on her side and closed her eyes but her mind wouldn’t let her sleep. The noise was probably coming from the next room. She was awake for sure now. Maybe when Richard returned they’d make love again. Since he’d gotten the promotion everything had changed for the better. The move to this beautiful little town, this wonderful suite and Richard’s promise that today they would decide on a house. Most importantly, new hours and the fact that he could now work from home part time. Richard was a new man—so calm, and easy to be around, yes, definitely a new man.

The third time she heard the thud it brought her to the edge of the bed, heart pounding. Something must be wrong. She couldn’t find her slippers and the oak floor was cold on her feet, the air was cool on her nude body. Leaning back she reached under the sheets, and fished around, until she found her nightshirt, still warm from being slept on. She thought she heard a scraping sound as she pulled it over her head, shooting her hands through the armholes. She stretched the end of the shirt across her knees rocking slightly as she listened.

“Richard?” Why was she whispering?

She wobbled when she stood, then steadied herself on the headboard, and paused before making her way to the door. She could feel her heart beat. What was she afraid of? They weren’t the only occupants of this old hotel. “Richard?” A little louder this time, Kate pulled her shoulders back and thrust out her chin. “Richard!” Not quite a yell, surly he heard. Maybe he’d had a heart attack and was pounding on the wall to get her attention. His old position with the company had been so stressful, this promotion had been a lifesaver in many ways. She walked briskly down the short hall that lead to the living room and found it empty, turned and pushed the swinging door to the kitchen. It hit something and she pushed harder.

Suddenly her feet felt warm and when she looked down a black ooze was flowing around her toes. Without thinking Kate slammed her shoulder against the door not taking her eyes off her feet but it still wouldn’t budge, then she heard that thud again. “Richard!” This time it was a scream. An arm had fallen across the opposite side of the door, a glimpse as the door swung in and she saw a hand, it wore Richard’s class ring. Then she was pushing with all her strength, and as if someone on the opposite side suddenly let go, she was through the door, turning, stumbling, and kneeling. Richard was curled in a fetal position lying in an ever-growing silhouette of black.

So much blood, she wanted to call someone who’d know what to do, she looked for the phone but remembered it was in the bedroom.

She suddenly felt herself being urged to her feet by a pair of hands at her armpits. When Kate turned she heard herself gasp, this was no Good Samaritan, no individual bent on helping. The black clad figure stood directly in front of her and reached forward grabbing a handful of shirt raising it until her breasts were exposed. Her mind screamed rape. In that same moment she understood it might save her life, yes take my body. I don’t want to die, not now, not so soon. Not this way.

She never saw the knife but felt a pain next to her navel, the way you might feel a slice to the finger while peeling an apple. The tip of the short knife entered just to the right of the diaphragm and was quickly retracted. Kate fell to her knees supporting herself with both arms. She forced herself to look up. Suddenly a wave of relief masked the pain. He was gone. Maybe he’d been scared off, or never intended to kill her. From the corner of her eye she saw his feet and her pain returned with a vengeance. She never got the chance to turn her head and look, but heard a whoosh. Thud. Kate’s look of surprise was captured forever as her severed head hit the floor.

Kit Crumbis a physical fitness coach, martial arts instructor, former physical therapist and EMT living in the Cascade mountains near Ashland Oregon. BodyParts is his first published novel.

Kit can be contacted at kitkcrumb@gmail.com

Retribution

Cutter’s Legacy: The Search for Yamashita’s Gold

Slider

Measure of Time

©2009 by Kit Crumb

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems without written permission of the publisher.

Lost Lodge Press

40 Water Street

Ashland, Oregon 97520

kitkcrumb@gmail.com

cover design by Chris Molé