Page 2 of Good Girls Don't Cry

Too afraid he’d kill her, she complied, and he savagely tied her hands behind her back. He lifted her up and tossed her back with the girls.

“Don’t anyone move. I’ve got a full clip of bullets.” He went to the boys and hogtied them. “Now, ladies, this way.” He waved them outside. “Do anything stupid and I won’t hesitate to put a round in you.”

Fear clawed at Olivia’s throat as the girls staggered from the limo. Cold mountain air seeped through her thin dress as he marched them along a wide trail through the dense forest. Their high heels made walking difficult and branches reached out to tangle their elegant gowns in the underbrush. Each step threw another obstacle in their path. When Madison tripped over a tree root and fell flat on her face, the man pressed the gun to her head and dragged her to her feet. The terrified sobs of her friends echoed through the forest.

“Shut up.” The man pushed Olivia hard in the back. “One more sound and I’ll dispose of you.”

Smelling the heavy male sweat close behind her, Olivia stumbled forward and followed the trail. The corsage Evan had given her drooped on her wrist, the crushed petals pressing against her flesh. Panic had her by the throat as they approached an old dilapidated van parked on the fire road and the man slid open the door and ordered them inside. The door shut with a sickening thunk. They were trapped.

Shaking with fear, she stared out of the window and watched the man walk back to the limo as if he had all the time in the world. She could make out the white vehicle clearly in the moonlight, parked on the steep bank of the river. Their captor leaned inside and then came out and tossed an object into the air. It reflected the light and resembled a shell casing. He closed the door and then went to the driver’s door, pulled it open, and slid inside. The engine roared and the windows of the limo slid down. The next moment, the long sleek dream machine jerked forward. The man rolled out of the door and Olivia screamed as the limo and her friends rolled over the edge and plunged into the river.

She banged her head against the dirty window. Horror twisted her insides. He’d drowned her friends. The girls screamed in terror as the man slid behind the wheel of the van. Angry, she stood and walked to the front. The man turned to look at her, pointed the gun at her face, and laughed. He stood and tipped his head to one side observing her. Olivia no longer cared what happened. She glared at him. “What have you done?”

“I killed them all.” The man’s eyes hadn’t left her face. “Do you have a problem with that, sweetheart?”

Horrified, she stood her ground. “You’re a monster.”

“Oh, I haven’t started yet.” He chuckled. “Now go and sit down before I forget my manners.”

Glancing over her shoulder, she shook her head. “Let us go or we’ll scream so loud someone will hear us.”

She didn’t have time to react when his fist moved as fast as a snake and punched her in the stomach. Shocked, she fell to her knees gasping.

“Now, anyone else wanna play?” He pressed the gun into Olivia’s temple and time ticked by as his unwashed scent crawled up her nostrils. “No? Good. Now shut up with the sobbing and wailing. Don’t you know that good girls don’t cry?”

One

Stuck in a claustrophobic nightmare, Olivia groaned in pain as she scanned the back of the van. No one had ever hit her before, and her teeth chattered with fear. Her friends sat huddled together in the gloom, either staring blindly ahead or sobbing. Their cheeks were wet with tears and mascara ran in lines down to their chins like grotesque clown masks. The stink of mildew and old leather thickened the air, making it hard to breathe, and beneath her, a filthy rusty floor scratched against her legs. Grime caked the tinted windows, allowing only small slivers of moonlight to peer through, but made it light enough to see. Not that she could do anything. The zip ties binding her hands dug deeply into her flesh. Her numb hands throbbed and her stomach ached. As the van bounced and rattled over the uneven road, each jolt sent a fresh wave of fear through her.

Debris littered the floor. Leaves from falls long ago sat in drifts along each side mixed with discarded wrappers, broken glass, and an odd assortment of filthy torn clothing. Olivia wanted to speak to her friends but was too scared to say anything with the driver so close. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. Where was he taking them and what was his intention? They were going deeper into the forest and darkness seemed to close in around her. The man was whistling now as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The sound sent shivers down her spine. How could they escape this maniac?

In a squeak of brakes and a grind of metal, the van bounced to a stop so suddenly it sent everyone sprawling across the filthy floor. Struggling to her knees, Olivia looked from one to the other and kept her voice just above a whisper. “Do as he says for now, but if there’s a chance to get away, run for your life. Don’t wait for anyone. The sooner someone knows where we are, the sooner we’ll get out of this mess.”

“He’s got a gun.” Madison struggled to rise from the floor. “If one of us runs, he’ll shoot us in the back. He’s probably one of those serial killers we’ve all been warned about. We mean nothing to him. I figure we do as he says and maybe we’ll be rescued.”

The back doors of the van creaked open, and moonlight glistened on the weapon in the man’s hand. Using the side of the van, Olivia staggered to her feet. Behind her she could hear the others doing the same. She stared at the eyes of the man, like black coals in the sockets of the balaclava. “What are you going to do with us?”

“Whatever I want.” He chuckled and pointed the gun at them. “Get out of the van.” He waved them along a pathway that led to an old abandoned mineshaft.

Shivers ran down Olivia’s back as she gaped into the black depths of an open maw. As they stepped inside, tripping over the old railway lines, it was as if the darkness had swallowed the moonlight. She sighed with relief when the man aimed a flashlight down the hole. They staggered onward, moving down a slope into the unknown. Cold bit into her flesh as a moaning wind whistled past them, bringing with it the stench of damp and decay. They shuffled past a thick metal gate, along another passageway, and then turned into a lighted area that looked like some type of office, with a desk and shelves.

Along each wall, open doors led to six small cells. Outside the cells, she made out a large shower cubicle, a pile of towels, and a metal rack containing clothes. She swallowed hard at the sight, hoping she wasn’t hallucinating. What was a shower doing at the bottom of a mineshaft? One by one, the man locked them into the small, cold cells and asked them their names. It was so dark Olivia couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. The sound of metal doors clanging shut echoed through the cavern. Terrified, she trembled and turned toward the door, seeking the only flicker of light. She peered through the bars on the top of her door. The man had one hand on Madison’s shoulder. Her friend stood like a zombie, round-eyed and frozen with fear. What had he planned for her friend?

“You’re perfect for my needs.” The man stared down at Madison. “Take off your shoes.” He stared at her, his mouth twitching into a sinister smile. “You’re a very special girl. We’re going back down the tunnel. I’m taking you for a little ride.” He grabbed her arm and dragged her away into the darkness.

Two

Madison cried out as the man tossed her face down onto the front seat of the van. He drove off at high speed, giving her no time to sit up. Her head ached and she wanted to spew as the van bounced and swerved along dirt roads. Trembling with terror, she lay as still as possible, too afraid to move or say a word. Eventually the van came to a stop. She didn’t move when the man slid out from behind the wheel. Moments later, he grabbed her, dragged her out, and tossed her to the ground. She caught sight of the knife in the moonlight and screamed, but he didn’t stab her. He bent to cut the zip ties on her wrists. She staggered to her feet and her long blue ball gown tangled around her legs. The forest closed in around her, the trees so dense no moonlight penetrated the gloom. Shivering as the man ran his gaze from the top of the head to her feet and back again, she hugged her chest. What did he want from her?

“Run.” He aimed the rifle at her and a sinister chuckle escaped his lips. “I’ll count to twenty.”

Hesitating for just a second, Madison lifted her gown and ran into the dense forest. Unable to find a trail, she stumbled over tree roots and dashed between the trees. Branches clawed at her dress, but she kept going, driven by sheer terror. All around, shadows played tricks on her mind, creating bears and men waiting to jump out at her. With each step her feet sank into the soft ground, and pine needles and twigs cut into her bare flesh. Desperate to escape, she scanned the trees, searching for a trail to follow, and finding nothing, she dashed on. It hurt so bad to breathe. The cold mountain air burned her chest and cut through her thin gown, chilling the sweat on her skin. She’d always been afraid of the forest, and when an owl shrieked above her, she turned and ran in a different direction.

How long had she been running? Was he still behind her, stalking her like prey? She looked left and right at the lines of pines. They all looked exactly the same. Indecision crept over her. Had she run in a circle? Hearing a crunch close by, she turned and glanced over one shoulder, convinced the man was right behind her. Heart pounding, she bit back a sob and stared into the darkness. As a freezing breeze rustled through the forest, shadows twisted and morphed into hands reaching out to grab her. Where was he? Had he decided not to chase her after all? Her teeth chattered with fear but she kept going.

Where was the trail? A deer path—anything. She stumbled to a halt and bent over, hands on knees, panting. The break was a luxury she couldn’t afford. She straightened and turned in a slow circle to peer through the labyrinth of trees and shadows, not knowing which way to go. The maze of trees disoriented her and Madison sank into the depths of despair. Cheeks wet with tears, she sucked in ragged breaths and headed toward the moon, but it seemed to move with every step. A noise in the underbrush stopped her midstride. Staring into the darkness as leaves rustled and twigs snapped, she gaped in horror as something huge crashed through the trees. Flattened against the trunk of a tree, the rough bark cut into her skin, but she didn’t care. The next second, a proud head with antlers moved into a shaft of moonlight. Trembling, Madison sagged and sucked in freezing air. It was so cold in the mountains her breath came out in a white cloud. Behind the buck, she made out a fire road and lifted her filthy torn gown and ran. Fire roads led to highways and people.

Muscles screaming with fatigue, she kept moving. She couldn’t stop—wouldn’t stop until she’d found safety. Ahead, moonlight illuminated the gravel-covered road and she burst out of the forest and slowed. Which way—left or right? She heard a sound, and stomach clenching with terror, turned slowly to stare at the man in the balaclava. He stood not ten feet away from her, casually leaning against a tree, with his gun pointed at her. She took three steps back, gaping in disbelief. How had he found her? She’d run for miles. Exhausted, her mind fogged, she didn’t know what to do. If she ran, he’d shoot her just like he did Martin. There’s nothing I can do. She wanted to scream but her throat closed and she fought to breathe.

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