1
Kate Jenkins had no idea that what was to happen in the next five minutes would change the course of her life and connect her to two deaths.
Tommy slid his arm behind her neck and around her shoulders, but she paid little attention. Instead, she kept her eyes on the screen and tried to concentrate on the two lovers quarreling in the movie. Friday night, in a sold-out theater, she leaned into his embrace, slightly surprised at his uncharacteristic show of affection.
But, as usual, Tommy didn’t fail to let her down; he slipped his hand inside her blouse, under her bra, and pinched her right nipple so hard that pain like an electric pulse shot through her breast.
She reacted instinctively, thrusting her head toward his arm and clamping her teeth onto his wrist, biting down hard.
“Owwww,” he cried, jerking out his hand and tearing off her top button.
She stood and stared down at him for several seconds, while he sucked his wound. How could she have been tricked into thinking he’d actually been giving her a genuine hug? Typical Tommy. She wasn’t in the mood to play his games tonight. He was disgusting, and she blamed herself for putting up with him for so long.
The light reflecting from the movie screen lit his face and shoulders, giving him that too-bright-snapshot look. Her face felt hot, and her jaw tightened. The people seated in the row behind them called out, “Down in front!” But Kate ignored them. Instead, she raised her popcorn box and dumped the butter-soaked kernels all over Tommy’s lap.
“You make me sick,” she hissed through gritted teeth, as she slung her purse strap over her shoulder and began excusing her way down the aisle.
He quit sucking the teeth marks embedded in his wrist long enough to call out, “Where the hell are you going?”
By that time, Kate had already reached the aisle. She turned and climbed the carpeted ramp that led to the red, glowing exit sign at the back of the theater. Hurrying, she crossed the lobby, which reeked of popcorn and cooking oil. She looked over at the counter, where a teenage boy and girl gave her confused looks. Kate pushed through the glass doors and stepped into the warm and humid night air. She marched across the blacktop parking lot, which was dimly lit by two tall light poles, passed two rows of parked cars, and headed for the sidewalk that led to the center of town. She knew Tommy, and he wouldn’t just let her walk away from him. People in the theater had witnessed the scene, and it wouldn’t take long for rumors to filter through the grapevine in this small town. She wasn’t afraid that he would hurt her, but she had to get away from him.
* * *
Tommy couldn’t believe what she had just done! He inspected his arm to see if her bite had broken his skin, but he couldn’t tell in the dim light how much damage she had inflicted. He looked back and saw the exit doors flop closed. She thought she would escape, but biting him and then running out was unacceptable. No one, not even Kate, could get off that easy.
He stood and worked his way down the aisle, stepping on a few feet along the way. But he took his time, not wanting to appear upset. These people didn’t know exactly what had happened, and he didn’t want to start any needless rumors. He burst through the double doors leading to the lobby. He reinspected his arm in the light and found deep teeth marks just above the wrist, but no broken skin. It still hurt like hell.
When he pushed through the glass doors to the outside, he felt a rush of warm air. Inside, the air-conditioning had been at least ten degrees cooler than the hot summer night.
He spotted Kate across the parking lot, beyond the last row of parked cars. She obviously saw him too, because she began to run. “You’re mine,” he said, as he leapt off the theater stairs and ran after her. She was going to pay for that bite one way or another.
* * *
Kate looked back when she heard the theater doors burst open fifty yards behind her. At first she trotted, but as his heavy footsteps pounded closer, she ran. She took only a few more strides before feeling his hands grabbing her shoulders and spinning her body around toward him. He slid his hands down, clamped his fingers onto her waist, and pulled until their belt buckles clanked.
Tommy said angrily, “Where the hell do you think you’re going, Kate?”
She squirmed in his arms, trying to break free, but he was too strong. “Let me go! I’m going home!”
“After the movie’s over,” he said. “Now, get your butt back in there, and I might forget you bit the shit out of me.”
“You deserved it, you … son of a bitch.” She stopped fighting his grip. “You hurt me. What were you trying to prove by pinching me like that?” She looked up at him, taking in the dumb expression on his face. “Tommy, I’m sick of you and the way you mistreat me in public. You obviously have no respect for me.” She looked down as a tear formed in the corner of her eye. She fought it back, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
“Okay. Fine,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll keep my hands off you. I’m sorry. Now, will you come back inside and finish the movie? If you want to go home after that, I’ll take you.”
She didn’t want to go back in the theater with him, and she didn’t need him to take her home. She just wanted to be left alone. But she nodded her head anyway, pretending to agree with him. When he loosened his grip, she turned and ran.
She heard him catching up to her. Then Tommy tackled her, his weight taking her body down onto the grass next to the sidewalk. He spun her around and sat on her stomach. She gasped for air, fighting to catch her breath.
“I gave you a chance,” he said, staring down at her with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. “I was willing to forget you bit me. I even apologized. But you still ran. Kate, you just don’t have any sense. I don’t want to do this.” He raised his right fist. “But you give me no choice.”
She closed her eyes as the blow came down. It seemed to come at her in slow motion, taking forever to make impact. Finally, it hit, glancing off her cheek. He hadn’t wanted to seriously hurt her. With his strength, he could have easily knocked her unconscious. His goal appeared to be to teach her some sick lesson and to leave her a little something to remember.
When she opened her eyes, a nauseating dizziness gripped her for several seconds. By the time her vision cleared, Tommy was standing above her. He pointed his finger down at her. “When you come back beggin’, I’ll think about taking you back.” He turned and stalked off in the direction of the theater.
She lifted her head. “Go ¼ to ¼ hell,” she called as loudly as she could, still fighting to catch her breath.
Tommy’s head went back in a laugh. “No doubt,” he said. His laughter faded as he continued toward the theater.
* * *
Crickets buzzed a steady song all around her, ringing in her ears. The leaves of a nearby tree rustled in the warm breeze. She lay dazed on her back in the damp grass, looking up at thousands of stars in the night sky. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. Why was her life like this? She sighed deeply and let out a whimper. Then the shaking started, and finally, years of bottled up tears gushed forth uncontrollably.
