Richard Laymon - Fiends

‘Thank goodness.’

‘That she blows!’ Roger spun the steering wheel. The headbeams lit the side panel of a station wagon, glanced with a blinding flare off the picture window of Room 16, and came to a stop on the brick wall and door. ‘We have arrived,’ he announced.

‘I hope they’ve got chicken in a basket.’

‘Bet they do. I’ll just set the luggage in our room, and we’ll be off. Unless you want to wash up first.’

‘Let’s eat now.’

‘Do you want to see the room first?’

‘I’d sure like to eat.’

‘Then eat we shall, without further ado. Or further a-don’t.’

‘Huh?’ Tina asked. Then she grinned and said, ‘A joke.’

Roger laughed as he hopped from the car. He hurried around the front and opened the door for Tina. She reached out a hand. Roger helped her out. He held her hand all the way to the cafe, where he let go and said, ‘We’ve got to act properly, now. I’m passing you off as my daughter.’

‘Sure thing, Pops.’

He laughed.

Inside, Tina walked briskly to a booth and scooted across it. She patted the cushion beside her and said, ‘Sit here, Father.’

‘I’ll sit over here,’ he said. He went to the other side of the table. ‘And please take it easy on the father routine.’

‘Why don’t you sit by me? Do I smell bad?’

‘You smell fine.’

‘Then why?’

‘View’s better over here.’

She smiled and nodded. ‘Do you think I’m pretty?’

‘You’re a thing of beauty.’

‘A thing!’ She wrinkled her nose.

‘That’s poetry. John Keats. “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” ’

‘Yeah? That’s kind of nice.’

She was a joy, all right. Roger watched her pick up the menu and study it, her brow furrowed with concentration. Serious blue eyes, a sweet clear face still lined where tears had washed channels through the dirt, hair the color of gold.

And her body. The way the paisley dress was clinging, he could see that she had a very fine body indeed.

‘Look!’ She beamed at him. ‘Southern fried chicken.’

‘This is your lucky day.’

‘Sure is.’ Her eyes suddenly went sad, and Roger realized that today, perhaps, had not been especially lucky for her.

‘Mine, too,’ he said.

‘Huh?’

‘My lucky day. Meeting you. I’m not in the habit of picking up strangers, you know.’

‘I didn’t know that.’

‘Too dangerous.’

‘Why’d you pick me up?’

‘You don’t look dangerous,’ he said. ‘Not dangerous at all, just very lonely and helpless.’

‘I’m not all that helpless.’

‘Glad to hear it.’

‘You might be right about the lonely, though. You’re lonely too, aren’t you?’

‘Sometimes.’

The waitress arrived. He ordered the fried chicken for Tina and a patty melt for himself. Tina asked for a coke, and Roger ordered coffee.

When the waitress was gone, Tina said, ‘Do you really think I’m pretty?’

‘Very.’

Leaning across the table, she whispered, ‘What about my figure?’

‘From all appearances, it’s in fine shape.’

She nodded in agreement, sat back, and grinned mysteriously. ‘Know something?’ she whispered.

‘What?’ His mouth was dry.

‘Make a guess.’

‘Beauty is truth, truth..

‘No. Guess again, silly. Guess what I’m wearing under this flimsy little dress.’

He smiled. ‘I don’t know. What?’

‘Skin. Nothing but skin.’

‘Fancy that,’ Roger said, and took a drink of water.

‘Stop!' Willy shouted.

Marty’s feet slapped into the water, splashing its coolness high against her body. She waded out until it reached her thighs, then gulped in a deep breath and dived. She stayed below, swimming furiously, until her lungs couldn’t hold the air any longer. Then she blew it out in a gush of bubbles and skimmed to the surface. Air! It was fragrant with the night smells of the woods along the shore.

When her breathing became more regular, she trod water and listened. It was difficult to hear much beyond her small area of swirling water and thudding heartbeat and breathing, but she heard enough to know that Willy wasn’t swimming after her.

Not on the water’s surface.

She squinted at the shore, hoping to see him, but only spotted the top of his car. A chill scurried up her back. Suddenly, she half expected a cold hand to clutch her ankle and drag her down. She thrashed out, flattening into a crawl as her legs rose to the surface. She kept her face down for speed. Her legs kicked, tight and fast. Her arms darted forward, reaching her cupped hands far out and sweeping them down through the water.

She swam hard until she heard Willy’s voice from far away.

‘Hey out there!’ he called.

She said nothing.

‘I’d come out and join you, but I haven’t got time.’

He doesn’t know how to swim?

Either that, or he’s just chicken.

‘You better come back. Right now.’ He said nothing for a while. Then he called, ‘Did you hear me? Come outa there!’

She continued to tread water and say nothing.

‘Look, you better come out.’

Marty could hardly see him. He probably couldn’t see her at all.

If he can’t see me, he can’t shoot me.

Probably wouldn’t be able to hit me, anyway. Not with that pistol.

Marty didn’t know a lot about handguns, but she knew they were meant for nearby targets. If you wanted to shoot someone this far away, you should be using a rifle.

And maybe he’s scared to fire because of the noise.

‘I don’t see you coming in,’ Willy yelled.

And he wouldn’t, either.

I’ll just wait him out.

‘By the way,’ he called, ‘I guess I forgot to tell you something about your prick boyfriend. I didn’t kill him. All I did was bonk him on the head.’

Marty’s mind seemed to freeze.

‘He’s in the trunk of my car.’

She couldn’t think.

‘So you better come in now, or I’m gonna open up the trunk and shoot him in the eye.’

Marty buttoned her blouse as she waded out of the lake. When she reached shore, Willy clutched her upper arm and pulled her to his car.

‘I want to see Dan,’ she said.

‘Fuck you.’

He opened the passenger door and shoved her in. The seat felt scratchy against her naked buttocks. Willy shut the door.

She sat up straight and arranged the front of her sopping blouse so it covered her lap.

Willy climbed in and shut the door. ‘I like your outfit,’ he said.

‘Bastard.’

‘You wouldn’t call me that if you knew the great little place I’m taking you to. Nice little cabin off in the middle of the woods. Stocked up with the best canned food you ever tasted. I fixed the place up real nice for you. It’s got real class. Great spot for a honeymoon.’

‘ What?’

‘Honeymoon,’ he repeated. ‘You know. No, I reckon you don’t- you still living with your mommy and daddy like a little kid. How come you aren’t married, huh? Never found the right man? Guess I set too high of a standard and none of these pricks can live up to me. That right?’

‘Go to hell.’

‘Anyway, I don’t aim to marry you. Thought we’d have us a honeymoon without. We’re gonna have a great old time.’

‘Eat shit and die.’

‘That’s no way to talk after all my kindnesses to you and Danny. I could’ve killed him if I’d wanted. And I could’ve blown your head off.’

‘You tried.’ She wiped a drop of water off her chin.

‘Not hardly. I tried to miss you, that’s what I tried to do.’