Terrible Night for a Walk...

Sandra was out late, and knew she should not be.  The campus had put up a curfew after the murders began.  She was making her way back home as quickly and carefully as she could. Sandra thought she heard a sound behind her.  She held her breath and slowed her walk. It seemed all she could hear was her heart pumping away like an engine in her chest.  She stopped walking  altogether and craned her neck, in the direction of the sound. She paused for about a minute, hearing nothing, and broke back into her power walking stride.



It was not safe to be on the streets at night. Campus security and the police would be out tonight, as they had been since these killings began.  Ten days ago a girl in the same building as her was found stabbed to death just outside of the Scrounge.  She was not part of Sandra's small circle of friends, but she knew who she was.  A week ago, a girl who lived in her building was found in much the same fashion as the first.  Again not in her group of immediate friends, but they shared a class or two.  The only real common thread they shared was that the girl dated a boy Sandra had dated for awhile. Two nights ago though,  the victim was a bit more personal. Some professor Sandra did not know found the stabbed body of her old roommate Beth Parker.  They were never close, to different from one another, Sandra supposed.  They did, however, live with one another for one full year.



Sandra put the hustle on, and worked into a jog. It seemed to her she was walking on a treadmill, or that somehow an extra mile of distance had been laid before her.  She peered over her shoulder again, and trudged on.



She slowed a bit again as she thought she heard something behind her again. Cursing herself and her imagination she stopped and turned around. Her heart was in her throat. She saw nothing. Sandra was about to turn and fall back into her stride when she realized that although she did not see anything, she still heard something. It was the distinct patter of footfalls.  Carefully she began to walk backwards. The lighting was low in this area but before and behind her were bright. She would be able to see someone coming directly down the path from either way long before they could reach her. Just as she began thinking she had imagined the sound, a silhouette appeared at the head of the path.  Her back walking became awkward, as the flailing oblong shadow came in her direction. Exhausted as she was, Sandra turned and ran.



Sandra was winded but her years at track and gymnastics kept her in shape.  She did not pace herself, she was with the wind. She wanted to put as much distance in between her and the person chasing after her. It felt to Sandra that her feet were not even hitting the ground beneath her. Everything blurred past as she whizzed along. She afforded a quick glance back and saw that the shape was getting closer. It sounded like it was calling out to her. She swung her head back frontwards to put on more speed. It was just in time for her foot to hit a buckle in the pathway. She flew forward and struck the ground, skidding on her hands and knees. She winced at the sting, and slowly got back to her feet. She checked herself over, and saw both of her palms were bleeding, as was her left knee. Footfalls sounding closer, she broke back into a sprint which make her earlier running seem like a crawl. The calling out from behind  began to sound maniacal. Sandra pushed herself as hard as she could, and the shrieking from behind grew distant. She rounded a turn, and saw the cars.



There were two of them. One a police cruiser and the other was one of those jeeps the campus security guys drove. Sandra forgot about the curfew, forgot about the hassle she'd get for being out after it. She  closed in the distance between her and the law.



As she neared, both men got out of their vehicles and headed towards her.  She apologized for breaking curfew and told them about the person chasing her.  The police tore off in his cruiser in the direction she came from.  Sandra went back to the security guard's jeep with him. "Sandy, you got lucky," he explained, "Do you realize how lucky you are?" Sandra nodded. "Chrissakes Sandy, what were you doing out? If that cop knew I knew you... Chrissakes Sandy. I won't tell him, I won't tell him your name.  Why, why did you come out?" Sandy stared at her hands, and the security guard handed her some wet wipes from his dash.  "Thank you, Barney." she said tiredly. Barney went back into his rant, "You girls, Lawdy you girls. Why do you keep coming out. Sandy I got a girl almost your age at home. And and and That sick bastard... the things he does to yas.  It ain't safe, Sandy! Chrissakes, why were you out at night?"  Sandy shrugged and then shivered. Barney was about to go into his spiel again when his radio popped.

.....Barney, this  is Oakley. the person chasing that girl with you.... it was another girl...another student here... Barney he struck again.... the girl wasn't chasing that one with you... she was running herself... she found another body west side of campus...I got guys headed that way, but this young lady is a mess....the girl she found... Jesus Barn, it was her best friend...she is hysterical... I'm going to drop her off at the ER and see if they can get her calmed down...and I'll be back...over.

Barney thanked him and turned to Sandra.  "You see," he began, "Both of youse is lucky...  That guy is dangerous!" Sandy could feel the muscles in her face turning up into a grin. Barney saw the grin and found himself smiling as well, as if to say ok ok I'll lay off, just as long as you keep grinning that pretty grin at me.  When Sandra broke into a laugh it startled Barney. Thinking to himself... well, Oakley, this one is hysterical too I think.  Sandra's laughter sounded genuine and not nervous. Frowning, Barney asked, "...and What is So Funny, young lady? Don't you realize that there is a dangerous man out there killing people?" Sandra was fast. Barney didn't even see the knife , as Sandra worked it into his neck once, twice three times. Speaking to his twitching face she asked, "What ever made you think it was a man?"