Page 24 of Mara
You must be really desperate if you’re asking for me, Nirvana. I’m on my way.
It took forever, I checked tree after tree. I couldn’t find anything. But then I saw it, a puddle in the rain. A bloody puddle. I felt sick and walked forward to the scene, dropping to my knees in the mud.
“Cheese? Oh my god. No”
The blood pool was about the size I would expect for a small animal, and I searched for anything more to go on.
Why would this monster kill my baby when I played his stupid game?
My blood chilled as I continued forward, small bursts of color leading me away from the pool of blood—flowers, and not just any flowers…marigolds.
I followed the trail of flowers and drips of blood to a clear lot. A pink leash was on the ground, and I recognized it from the masked man’s photo. The end of the leash led behind a large tree, and I swallowed hard, continuing my walk forward.
With bated breath, I let my tears fall, leaning down to pick up the material and following it around the tree. My body was thrown backward, my head smashing against the oak and making me dizzy. I yelled out and thrashed at the unseen enemy.
I couldn’t see from the rain, couldn’t hear from the wind. My body was being wrapped against the tree by a blurry shadow just out of my view. I struggled against the vinyl leash as I was bound to the tree. The end was in sight, and I froze my body completely, depending on the restraints to even stay upright.
Attached to the end of the pink line…was a skinned animal, still body, and completely headless—the size and shape of my beloved Cheese.
“No…” I cried, my eyes blurring completely with tears. “God, please no.”
The shadowy figure stepped out from my blind spot and got right in my face, his hands slowly signed, and broke my heart further.
Too late, Little Reaper. You lost. Now I’ll reap my reward.
I didn’t feel anything as he ripped my clothes from my body, snapping pictures of me on his phone. I was left in nothing more than my panties. The leash left indents on my skin. I tried tostruggle, but the leash was holding me under my neck, my chest, and my thighs.
“Why?” I said aloud, my voice surely heard even in the booming thunder.
Was this man deaf?
Did he have cochlear implants, too?
He signed better than some of the interpreters I had over the years, and the accent to his sign was…dangerous. He knew what he was doing.
Maybe he knew someone who was deaf.
Maybe he targeted deaf women because he was mad that he wasn’t born hearing.
Whatever the reason. I was next.
He ran a gloved hand down my cheeks, and I tried to jerk away. He held me still, gripping my cheeks painfully in his fist, and used his other hand to put something in my hair.
I tried to shake my head, but it wouldn’t budge.
More photos were taken, and then he flipped the screen for me to see. A red droplet dropped onto my cheek, and I knew it was blood. Blood from the marigold he put in my hair.
Such a beautiful, fragile little flower. Just like you.
I looked away, refusing to listen to whatever else he wanted to taunt me with. His hands were on my body. Bruising me, touching me. He was leaving bloody fingerprints on my skin—blood from my own pet.
I felt defiled.
Ruined.
So absolutely broken.
The man took off his jacket, underneath this monster was a beauty. His body was amazing, and I grimaced at my own thoughts. This man was about to rape me, and here I was calling him attractive.
