Vengeful Secrets
Abigail wiped the blood from her blade and threw the dirty rag in the fire. Nothing made her tingle with pleasure like watching her kill crackle in the flames. Her latest victim had barely put up a fight. Maybe she was just getting used to the predictable moves that every pervert she hunted made? As the last of his bones turned to ash in the blazing grill, Abigail extinguished the fire. Before leaving, she turned.
“Rest in pieces, dirt bag.” She grumbled.
She stared into the dulling flames and guilt showed its ugly face. How had she come this far? She had been a victim of sexual violence throughout her entire childhood. How had she turned that trauma into an even bigger evil? But, I guess the guilt was the one thing that reminded her that she was still human; she wasn’t a complete monster. Her heart and mind hardened more every time, though. It had become easier for her to hunt and kill any pervert she could find, man or woman. As the last of the flames suffocated, she made her way back up to her house. The best part about living alone in the woods, surrounded by nothing but a lake, was that no one heard the screams she inflicted on those monsters. Abigail lived about a half hour from any civilization.
She walked up the newly polished back porch and into her kitchen. The sun reflecting off the mint green walls reminded her that it was still early. She shuffled up to the second story, determined to wake herself up and not just go bed. She stripped off her black jeans and low cut black T and threw them right in the washer. She knew better than to let her bloodied clothes sit in a hamper. Pouring two times the amount of laundry detergent, she unhooked her bra and took off her underwear as well. Wrapping a towel around her body, she slipped into the bathroom and started the shower. Her cell phone chimed from her bedroom and she ran on her tiptoes to get it, trying not to slip and fall in the process.
“Hello?” Abigail answered, breathless. “What were you out jogging again?” Her friend, Aeriell, said in a stern voice. “I’ve called you like a dozen times.”
“Good morning to you too, sweetheart. And yes, I was jogging.” Abigail always felt guilty lying to her best friend.
“Let’s go see that new art exhibit at the town hall today.” Aeriell whined.
“I was just about to jump in the shower. Give me an hour and I’ll come pick you up.” Aeriell mumbled her okays and hung up.
Abigail rarely let anyone come to her house. She demanded privacy, considering her alternate lifestyle and all. She set her phone back on the nightstand and picked out a blue dress to wear. Draping her towel over the shower rod, she stepped into the steaming waterfall She watched as the water washed the blood from her stained skin. Closing her eyes, she let the warm water run over her face. That’s when, right on cue, it started again:
She could hear her father stumbling up the stairs. He had been at the bar all day, which wasn’t much of a surprise to 12-year-old Abigail. She pulled the blanket over her head. Unfortunately, the blankets wouldn’t protect her from this boogeyman. Pictures could be heard crashing to the ground from just beyond her door. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying he would forget she existed just this one time. He burst through her door, his belt already flapping open.
Abigail opened her eyes and let the soap drip down her face, burning her eyes. Scrubbing her fists into her eye sockets she tried to stop the onslaught of memories attacking her.
Her father pulled his belt through the loops and snapped it. She felt the bed sink as he kneeled at the bottom.
“Come out, come out little bitch. I can see you.” Her father slurred. He yanked the blankets from her grasp and grabbed her by the throat. “Daddy’s happy time. Be a good little girl.”
Abigail dropped to her knees in the shower and cried uncontrollably for a good half hour. No matter how hard she tried she could never stop the memories. I guess it was the universe’s way of delivering payback.
**
Aeriell’s house was a half hour from Abigail’s. It was right on the outskirts of town. When her teal Nissan pulled into Aeriell’s U-shaped driveway, she was already waiting on the porch.
“I never get sick of going to see your photography at art exhibits.” Aeriell exclaimed as she slid into the passenger seat. “You need to convince your boss to let you take photo shoots of your beautiful best friend.”
“I’ll get right on that.” She chuckled. The town hall was only a couple minutes from Aeriell’s log-cabin house. When they pulled into the parking lot they noticed the crowd of people walking up the grand steps and into the white town hall.
Abigail and Aeriell walked through the double doors and were greeted by a gust of cool air and a gathering of people. Abigail worked for a photography company, Jane and Wayne’s Photography. Every other month her work would put on a showcase at the town hall to raise money and publicity for their company. This month’s theme was the wonders of fall. Each of Jane and Wayne’s photographers got their own section of the hall. The two girls made their way through the hall and found Abigail’s section in the second room to the left. The spotlights were set up so they hit her pictures perfectly. It caused the room to be in shade while her pictures illuminated everything.
“Wow! Abs, no one can capture a moment like you can.” Aeriell stood back and took in all the colors.
Photography had always been a passion of Abigail’s ever since she was a little girl and her grandmother bought her her first Polaroid camera. She walked up to the photo titled “Autumn Breeze”. She had found a woman standing by the lake’s shore. The orange, yellow and burnt red leaves blew in sync with her twisting brown hair. It was a totally random moment, which sometimes, those created the best photographs.
“Breathtaking isn't it?” A man said from beside her. “I love how the leaves all around her make her skin look sun kissed.”
“I captured her just as she turned her back to me; it was pure luck.” She stared up into his emerald eyes.
“You’re the photographer? A celebrity right before my very eyes. You’re work is so inspiring.” He turned and smiled at her. “I’m Liam.”
His short brown hair curled above his ears and his navy button-up shirt revealed a pleasantly toned chest and arms.
“Yes, I am. I’m Abigail.” She put her hand out to shake his.
“You should be the one in the shot, not behind the camera.” It was the cheesiest pick up line she’d ever heard, but, she couldn't help but laugh.
“Hi, I’m Aeriell, the best friend.” She squeezed in between them.
“Nice to meet you.” He chortled.
“You’re very talented, Abigail. I would love to treat you to coffee and pick your brain.”
“I would love that.” Abigail had only seen men she intended to kill, never actually to date. To Aeriell, she took home men every night and just never spoke to them again. In reality, she had never been on a date. Yeah, she had been interested in men before, but she had always been too scared to let anything happen. Now that she was able to protect herself she saw no reason to not give dating a try, although it still made her very nervous.
“Aeriell, would you mind if I steal Abigail from you for an hour or two?” Liam gave her his best seductive grin.
“Go ahead you crazy kids. I’ll be fine.” She winked at Abigail.
Abigail and Liam walked across the street to the Agawam Diner and sat at a booth near the back. The waitress poured them both a cup of steaming hot coffee.
“Although this isn’t a small town, you usually see all the same familiar faces. But, I must say I have never seen you around.” Abigail broke the silence.
“I’m in town on business. I got in a couple days ago. I figured it would be good to intermingle with the locals.” He looked up through sips.
“Well, that definitely explains a lot. What are you in the business of?” She swirled her spoon around her coffee cup.
“I’m an entrepreneur.” He leaned in and she inhaled his intoxicating scent. “I want to know what goes on in that head of yours to produce such beautiful photography.”
Abigail and Liam talked about their hobbies and home lives, and by the time Abigail looked at her cell three hours had passed. Time had slipped by so easily with Liam. It was a surprising relief from the vivid memories she had been pained with just hours before hand. They talked about growing up and the foolish dreams they’d had and how far they’d both come. Abigail couldn’t help the delightful flips her stomach was doing for Liam. He was a genuinely good guy. She had spent so many years in the presence of rapists, pedophiles and sex offenders that she hadn’t realized decent men were really out there. He looked at her with understanding eyes that reached to her very core and healed parts of herself that she never knew were reparable. They said their goodbyes and made plans for dinner for the following night.
The second she got to her car she dialed Aeriell’s number. After apologizing profusely, she went into all the gushy details about her date.
“I’ve never heard you so excited about a guy before Ab’s.” Aeriell responded.
“There’s just something about him. He’s amazing, that’s the only way I can describe it.” A permanent smile spread across her face.
That night was the first time in years she hadn’t had a nightmare about her father. She woke to the sun warming her face and hope in her heart. She couldn’t wait to see Liam again. First, though, she had to attend to business. Abigail opened her laptop and hacked the town’s police files. According to their records, there was a 30-year-old male, who had raped and killed his 7-year-old daughter, and was due to be released from jail at the end of the month. This put a damper on her mood. She penciled his release date into her calendar and returned to her bed.
At 6pm her cell phone rang from the kitchen table. It was Liam telling her to meet him in the town’s public parking lot. Liam brought Abigail to his apartment where he cooked her dinner and they talked over a glass of wine. Abigail had been so nervous. What else could they possibly talk about? She feared they would sit in silence through the entire date. A lack of conversation was the last of their problems though. She laughed so hard tears bubbled in her eyes. Liam ordered another glass of wine for them as they waited for dessert to arrive.
“Abigail, I’ve been having such a great night with you.” Liam reached across the table and placed his hand on Abigail’s.
Abigail retracted her hand as if Liam’s touch offended her. She hadn’t been touched intimately by man since she was a little girl. As the resentment began to fade, she realized the harshness of her actions.
“Liam, I’m sorry. It’s just been a long time.” She felt like disappearing and escaping this entire moment.
“It’s quite alright.” Although he held a questioning look, he played it off well.
Abigail beat herself up all night after she returned home. She couldn’t seem to replace her negative feelings about intimacy with pleasant ones. Forced love had been ingrained into her since she was little. Frustrated tears formed in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She thrashed her bedroom door and threw her books across the room. She grabbed a pocket knife from her purse and stabbed the bed post where the notches were carved. Holding onto this anger for so many years had stunted any chance of finding love. Love had never been any type of priority for her. She had made it her life purpose to stand up for the people who could never defend themselves. Her happiness was never on the front burner. A dream of happiness ended with every scream that her father had muffled from her throat.
From that day forward Abigail tried to introduce touching into her relationship with Liam. It took a lot of panic attacks and pain before she could get to the point where she wouldn’t flinch when they touched. Liam was extremely patient with her, though. The first time they kissed Liam had coached her through the process and made sure she was comfortable. That was when she realized that Liam was different. He was different than the men who scarred her.
Although Liam never discussed the specifics of his work with her, it kept him in town and that’s all she cared about. He never pushed her any further than what she was comfortable with. Being with him was easy for her.
Weeks went by and Abigail and Liam grew closer. Abigail spent less time murdering scum and more time with Liam. She hadn't ever felt anything like what she felt with Liam. They had fun no matter what they were doing and he even made sure to include Aeriell in a lot of their plans. Aeriell had been there for Abigail through some of the hardest parts of her life, so for Liam to make a point to create a friendship with her meant the world to her.
One particularly warm day, Abigail invited Aeriell and Liam up to her house to go swimming. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had company at her house. Abigail bought a cooler full of beer and made munchies that she set up on the picnic table down by the lake. Liam had stripped off his shirt the second he arrived, grabbed Abigail and went running right into the water. Abigail squealed like an excited pig the entire way. Liam held her in his arms while they floated under the warm sun. He pulled her taut against his chest and kissed her with soft lips. Ecstasy swirled through Abigail’s body and left her on a high. It was crazy how one person could change your life so drastically. Show Abigail’s struggle with trusting a guy and with physical contact with a man
**
The end of the month came with startling speed. Abigail was reluctant to go out and hunt the criminal that was being released that day. She had no choice though. She couldn’t let a rapist/murder walk the streets. If there was one thing Abigail had learned it was that when someone raped once they would do it again. She put on her tight leather pants and crop top and packed her boots with a knife and gun.
She pulled her car in front of the man’s house around 8pm, got out and perched herself on his stoop. An hour passed before he came into sight. She adjusted her shirt, making sure her boobs were nice and perky and applied glossy red lipstick.
“Uh, excuse me, can I help you?” The man said with a touch of attitude.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’ve had too much to drink and just needed a place to sit for a while.” She gave him her best puppy dog pout.
The man gave her a mischievous grin. Abigail was 7 years younger than him, but she looked a lot younger than that. He approached her and tucked a hair behind her ear. She quivered with disgust but kept her best poker face.
“How about I take you home?” He whispered into her ear.
Abigail pretended to stumble and fell into his arms. “Would you please?” She beamed up at him and pressed her chest against him. He released a low growl from deep in his throat. The man tucked Abigail into the passenger seat of her car and climbed into the driver’s side. He ran his fingers along her thigh and smiled through rotted teeth. He was all too happy to escort Abigail up to her bedroom where he got a little too handsy.
“I’m going to freshen up. You wait right here.” Abigail said seductively.
When she returned moments later she found him rummaging through her closet. She approached him from behind and shoved her blade into his back.
“What the hell are you doing?” He turned with fury in his eyes.
He tried to swing at her, but Abigail caught him across the face with her blade and then kicked him in the stomach, sending him to his knees. She pulled her gun and pointed it at his head.
“You’re nothing but a no good scum bag. I am here to do the world a favor and eliminate your existence.” She said through gritted teeth. “I had a dad just like you. A drunk that raped me every night when he wasn’t busy beating me. But, when I got old enough to protect myself Daddy got taught a valuable lesson about putting his hands on little girls. I think it’s about time I teach you that same lesson.”
Abigail heard a clicking sound from behind her and turned right into the barrel of a gun. “Drop your gun, Abi.” Liam said.
“Liam? You don’t understand. This guy…. he’s.” She stuttered and looked down at the man who was bleeding out on her floor.
“I know exactly what’s going on here. I’m the lead detective on the case hunting you. I had prayed that my suspicions weren’t true. That it couldn’t be you killing all these people.” He shook his head and a look of sadness consumed his face. “You need to drop your gun.”
“Why so you can arrest me? I’m doing the public a service by ridding the world of men like this.” She began to sob.
“I know what your father did to you, Abigail. And there’s no excuse for that, but that doesn’t make it okay to be killing these men. You need to let the law do their job.” He pleaded.
Abigail turned and aimed the gun back at the man’s head. “He doesn’t deserve to live, Liam.”
The sound of Liam’s gun going off echoed through Abigail’s head as searing pain radiated from her chest just before she hit the ground.
