Hostage

Thomas opened the box and lifted out the gun. It felt as heavy as a brick, way too big for his hand. Thomas didn't know its caliber or anything about it, even though his father had let him fire it once when they had gone to the pistol range. It had kicked so hard that his hand stung!

Thomas would need his hands free to climb, so he pushed it into his pants. The gun made him feel powerful, but scared at the same time; he was buoyant with confidence that he could protect himself and Je

Thomas was on his way back to the laundry room when his foot slipped from under him. He almost fell, catching himself on the bench just in time. He explored the floor with his foot, and found something slippery and wet. He lifted his foot. His shoe came free with a tacky sound. Thomas turned on his light. A dark liquid like oil was spreading on the floor. He followed it with his light. It was coming from the broom closet. Thomas opened his fingers to let out more light. The oil was red.

The closet door zoomed close in Thomas's mind's eye as if he had telephoto vision. The cramped space in the utility room shrank as the door grew larger. The gun was forgotten, leaving only the door and the viscous red liquid seeping out from beneath.

Thomas stared at the door. He wanted to open it. He wanted to run.

He stepped across the red pool, reached for the knob, but couldn't touch it. His fingers hovered an inch away.

Open it!

Thomas gripped the knob carefully, terrified that whatever was on the other side of the door might try to hold it closed. He slowly pulled open the door.

Kevin fell out, collapsing in a lifeless heap at Thomas's feet, his dead arms thrown around Thomas's legs.

His throat was slashed, his head lolling on white bone; the horrible second smile was locked in silent laughter.

His eyes were open.

Thomas screamed.

Je

The hall outside her door creaked.

Kevin!

She heard the nail being pulled from the doorjamb. She was excited and happy and ready to run. She wanted to see her father again! She wanted to hug Thomas so tight that he squirmed! She wanted her Mommy!

The door swung open, and Mars stepped inside, tall, wide, and massive as a bear. She jumped back so fast that she almost fell.

His smile made her think of bad boys burning ants.

He said, 'Were you expecting someone else?'

She backed away from the door, wishing that Kevin would come back right now because Mars was so awful and gross.

She forced herself to meet his eyes without looking away.

'I'm not expecting anyone except the police.'

Mars nodded agreeably.

They'll be here soon. You probably don't have long to wait.'

She cursed her smart mouth; she didn't like anything he said or how he said it or his expressions. She just wanted him to leave.

Mars stepped into the room and pushed the door shut. He held the big nail that they used to wedge the door. He tapped it absently on his leg, tap-tap, tap-tap. Je

'What do you want!'

Mars watched her with bright nervous eyes that didn't match with his slack-jawed expression. It was as if he wasn't in the room with her, but was on the other side of a glass wall, here but not here, outside looking in, in his own horrible world.

'What do you want?'

'Kevin left without you.'

She felt herself flush. Her arms tightened so fiercely that her nails dug into her flesh, and she wanted to scream.

'He wanted me to tell you. He thought about it and decided it was just too risky to sneak past De

Je

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

Mars came closer.

'No? Well, it doesn't matter. All the lights are almost off.'

'What are you talking about?'

Mars seemed to grow as he got closer, filling the room. Je

'Good boys turn off the lights so that no one can see them doing bad things in the dark. My mother told me that.'

Je

'Don't touch me.'

Tap-tap.

'Stop it.'

Tap.

'Kevin's gone. De

He pressed the nail onto her chest, a steady pressure that hurt but did not break her skin. Je

'Do you like this?'

Je

Mars whimpered, a pathetic moan, his face knotted with pain.

Je

He grabbed the knife with his free hand, whimpered again, then pulled out the blade. A crimson flower blossomed from the wound.

He looked back into her eyes, then brought the knife to her face. He squeezed harder, cutting off her breath.

'You're going to enjoy this.'

Je

The scream from the rear of the house cut through the alcohol, surprising De

'What the fuck was that? Who is that?'

It couldn't be Mars, who had just left, or the two kids, who were both upstairs unless that chickenshit Kevin had taken them. Maybe Kevin had returned.

'Kev? Is that you, you asshole?'

De

'Goddamnit, who's there?'

No one answered.

De

'Talley!'

Nothing.

De