Page 21 of The Neighbor
Perfect.
As I turn to get out of the car, I smile at her. “Good.”
She waits for me at near the trunk and takes my hand in hers, surprising me. “I sometimes get a little freaked out walking into those dark woods alone. You don’t mind me holding your hand, do you?”
I shake my head as a single thought runs through my brain. Tess’s hands are so small. I don’t know why I never noticed that before this moment. I’ve studied every square inch of her body, or at least I thought I had, but somehow I didn’t pay any attention to her hands. Odd considering I’ve seen them every day while we’ve worked together stacking sheets or picking up towels thoughtless customers left on the floor.
Her skin is soft against mine, and before I know it, I’m so fucking hard my dick practically aches as it presses against the front of my black work pants. I don’t listen as she tells me some story about a girl she used to know who would always hang out with her in the woods when they were young.
With each step we take, the moment I’ve waited for grows closer. My mind falls still as it always does right before it happens. I can be thinking a million thoughts right before, but as soon as I know it’s truly going to happen, everything falls away.
All thoughts. All feelings. Everything. Until I’m a void, except for that one singular thought that controls everything.
It’s time for her to die.
Tess gives my hand a playful squeeze as we walk into the woods, and in the dim light of the moon, I see something flirtatious in her eyes. She thinks this is my way of getting her alone so we can kiss or have sex, and she likes that idea.
No, that’s not what this is, although I can see why men would want you. You probably shouldn’t be so willing, though, sweet Tess. That’s going to get you killed.
“Is everything okay, Adam? You seem really quiet all of a sudden,” she says, inching closer to me as we continue to walk deeper into the trees.
I nod and smile, knowing that will be enough to calm her fears. She thinks I’m having second thoughts about us being together. That’s expected since I’m not saying anything.
But there are no words in my head right now. Just emptiness surrounding the only thought I have when it’s time to kill someone.
We stop next to a big rock, and for the first time, I smell the leaves sitting on the ground beneath our feet. After a long winter’s rest, they’re now giving off that scent of decay that had been hidden by the cold temperatures. The recent heat wave hasn’t brought them back to life but instead made every part of their continuing march toward nothingness more potent.
“My friends and I used to hang out on this very rock when we were kids,” Tess says, leaning against it and looking up at me.
The moonlight makes the entire area look like something magical. I imagine in her mind what’s about to happen is going to be that too. Magical. Enchanting, like the forest around us.
“They’re all gone off to college now. There’s only me left here since I didn’t get into any of the schools they did,” she says sadly.
“College is overrated,” I say in a rare attempt at making someone feel better.
It’s ridiculous I should even bother, really. In a few seconds, I’m going to wrap my hands around that pretty neck of hers and strangle the life out of her. Why I’m bothering to try to make her feel better about her not getting to go to college makes no sense.
But it works, and her smile returns.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t feel bad. I mean, my job isn’t great or anything, but it’s not forever, right? I’ve got the rest of my life to figure out what I want to do, and in the meantime, I’ll make some money from Big Joe.”
She sounds so happy right now. I’m glad I could give her that before I get what’s going to make me happy.
“I didn’t realize how much I needed this after today,” she says sweetly as I reach into my coat pocket.
A second later, I move quicker than lightning and grab her around the neck. She’s unsure what’s happening at first, but it doesn’t take her long to realize she only has moments left to live.
Tess struggles harder than I expected, pushing me back so I fall back onto the ground with a thud. She’s off like a shot before I know it, but I’m bigger and faster. I just need to get her before she leaves the woods and reaches her neighborhood.
She screams at the top of her lungs, adding another layer of discomfort to what’s supposed to be a perfect time for me. Rage courses through my veins, and I run faster to catch up to her so I can stop that fucking yelling.
“Help! Help! Someone call the police! He’s trying to kill me!” she screeches just before I reach her.
I stretch my hand out and close my fingers around her hair before I yank her back against me hard, slamming her tiny body into mine. I’ve never been this angry before killing someone. I’m usually so calm and peaceful.
Tess fights against my hold, flailing her arms and twisting like a wild woman, but it’s no use. This was always going to end the way I want it to. Her giving me a hard time isn’t going to change that.
I clamp my hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming, but she continues, yelling against my fingers. “Stop! Get off me! Help!”