Page 14 of Deadly Obsession
Taking a hit of my weed pen and leaning forward, I attempted to navigate the dark country road. “Siri, play music,” I said out loud and was answered with “Hotel California” by the Eagles.
“Such a lovely face, plenty of room at the Hotel California, any time of year.”
Just as I began to sing along with the chorus and settle into the seat, I felt something hit my side. Hard. Followed by a rush of warmth and wetness. Then a sharp, burning sensation.
“What the fuck!” I screamed, reaching a shaky hand to my side where a pair of knuckles was wrapped around what I knew was a knife.
Fear gripped me, and in a panicked state, I slammed my foot down on the gas pedal instead of the brakes. My body jolted hard as the car jetted forward. With a loud rattlingthud, it seemed to jump when the tire hit something.
As the vehicle settled back down, the wheel jerked to the right and all momentum came to a sudden stop with a thunderous crash. My neck snapped forward and my face collided with the steering wheel. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I knew, the car was shaking, my forehead still resting on the steering wheel. My body was throbbing, as if areally wild wave had just knocked me off my board and threw me into a rock bed.
“And that is why you should always wear your seat belt, Robert,” I heard a muffled, strange, almost polite-sounding voice call out from in front of me.
Unaware of my own decision to do so, I felt my head slowly and painfully rise. My vision was blurred by liquid that was likely my blood.
“James?” I managed to cough out as I desperately attempted to rub the blood from my eyes.
The figure remained cloudy as it crouched low on the hood of my car, the tree I clearly hit behind him. “You should have stayed away from my girl,” he said as he leaned through the hole where my windshield once was.
Suddenly, a tugging at my side broke my attention from the figure. I looked down and watched in horror as he pulled a massive knife out of my torso. My body trembled when he tapped me on the nose with the tip and chuckled. That was when my vision focused enough to make out the familiar mask looking back at me with deep, dark sockets for eyes. Half a black skull and a single screw coming out of the forehead. And half a slick, indistinguishable face, apart from one red slash.
Mustang.
“James! What, man? I never touched Sera. I’m leaving! I’m sorry. Please don’t kill me.” My senses were in full panic mode, the chemical cocktail of cocaine, weed, and alcohol being falcon-punched into overdrive. Adding to the list of unfortunate circumstances was the fact I was bleeding all down my face and had begun to effectively waterboard myself.
“Mustang, please,” I cried—though I was unsure if I made any noise beneath the weight of terror pressing on my lungs. I reached up and again tried to rub the blood from my eyes.
“Hush, Robert, I’m going to give you a chance to live. Ibelieve you’re sorry and I am a gentleman after all,” Mustang cooed from beneath his mask.
The sound of shifting shattered glass hit my ears, each painful note making my skin crawl. Then his hands were brushing my fingers away from my face.
“Oh, my friend, you have something in your eyes. Here, allow me to assist you.” His voice came out slow and clipped as he took my head in his large palms.
I opened my mouth to plead with him for mercy, but before I could utter a word, something sharp and hard was being ground into my face. What I felt next was the kind of pain I thought only Hollywood could make up. My eyeballs fucking popped like those giant pimples you saw on Snapchat. I couldn’t fucking see it, but I felt that cream cheese-looking pus hit my cheeks, and I screamed.
My hand shot up in disbelief. I couldn’t bring myself to actually touch my face, as though I could pretend this wasn’t happening for a while longer. The car shook, and the sound of creaking metal told me Mustang had just gotten off the hood. My self-preservation kicked in and my fingers frantically flailed for the door handle. It took a toss of my shoulder, but the door opened, allowing me to stumble out into the wilderness.
I didn’t get far before I felt my face gripped between two large gloved hands, accompanied by the softest of whispers. “If you can make it back to the main road, perhaps you will be able to find a way to the hospital. Do that and you get to live. Good luck, Robert.”
The moment he released me, I ran. I couldn’t see a fucking thing. But I knew, based on the direction I’d gotten out of my car, that I just needed to go straight. Keeping one hand pressed on my side where the bastard had stuck me and the other out ahead, I sprinted forward.
“Oh, do watch for bears!” the asshole yelled after me.
Then I heard the distinct sound of a foot kicking offagainst hard dirt, and my body froze in panic. Someone was hauling ass down a dirt road.
Down a dirt road. As in, away from me.
I stood motionless till the only thing I could hear was the creaking and ticking of my car turned roadside decor. Once I was certain he was gone, I slowly stumbled in the direction I’d hoped would lead me to a main road, preferably before I bled out.
“Fucking cowboy.”
NINE
SERA
When I caught sight of Brian making his way down the stairs from the deck,alone, I felt a twinge of concern and stood from my seat, which I’d moved closer to the fire.
“Where are James and Robert?” I asked, looking behind him while expecting the pair to come back down.
