We pulled into Greenwood Illinois at 3:15 AM.  I felt drained, but I needed to ditch the truck.   We cruised the main drag trying to look inconspicuous.  So far, I managed to slip by a few roadblocks and we hadn’t drawn any attention from the police.  We had a close call when we passed a doughnut shop with six police cars parked out front.

“Look at them fat bastards,” Murphy said and then laughed.  A few blocks down, a green, neon sign announced that Shamrock’s Irish Pub was open for business.  Pulling into the back parking lot, I pulled up next to a Dodge Charger.

“Time to earn your keep,” I said to Murphy and then killed the engine on the truck.

Murphy climbed out.  He looked around for a minute and then found a small metal strap lying on the ground.  He used it as a Slim Jim and had the driver’s side door open in a few seconds.  Lying down under the floorboard with his head under the dash, Murphy let out a few curse words.  He pulled his head out from under the dash and then looked under the front seat.  Pulling a screwdriver from underneath the seat, Murphy slammed the tip of the screwdriver into the ignition switch and then crawled back under the dash.  I heard a spark when Murphy crossed the hotwires and then the Charger rumbled to life.  Murphy climbed out and I sat down behind the wheel.  Ashley jumped into the back and Murphy climbed in on the passenger side. 

We rolled out of the parking lot and turned left.  Heading down Main Street, I felt nervous and I kept glancing in the mirror watching for the cops.  I studied the businesses lining the street, but most of them looked closed.  Slowing down in front of a Sports Mart, I saw a closed sign hanging on the front door.  Turning down an alleyway, the Charger’s Glass Packs rumbled off the surrounding buildings.  I pulled into the parking lot behind the Sports Mart and parked next to the back door.

“Time to go to work again, Murphy,” I said shutting off the motor.

“You got it Boss.  I’ll get us in there quicker than a rabbit can hump a frog.”

“Murphy, try not to set off the alarm,” I added.

Murphy climbed out of the car and swaggered over to an electrical junction box.  I climbed out of the driver’s side and paced the parking lot.  Murphy let out a muffled curse and struggled with the junction box mounted to the brick wall of the building.  He ripped some wires apart and twisted them together.

“It’s a done deal.  Pop the trunk, get me a tire iron and I’ll get us inside.” 

“How am I supposed to do that?  It ain’t like I got the keys,” I said.  Ashley stepped up next to me.  Her right breast brushed up against my arm and I stepped back.

“Go though the back seat,” Murphy said.

“Let this bitch do it,” I said glancing at Ashley.  “It’s about time she earned her keep.”  Turning back to the Charger, I climbed in the back and removed the rear portion of the back seat. 

“Here we go, Little Darlin’,” I said trying to imitate Murphy’s voice.

“In there?  It smells greasy and dirty.  I don’t think I can fit through that small opening.”

“You’ll fit,” I said.  “Just like a hunk of cheese through a cheese grader.  Get in there.”

She ducked her head into the small opening, wiggling her upper body into the trunk and her gown caught on a piece of metal.

“I think I’m stuck,” she said trying to wiggle her way through.  Her gown ripped exposing her bare ass giving me the bird’s eye view of her shapely bottom.  Putting both hands on her ass, I gave her a shove.  “Hey!”

“Don’t worry about it.  I just saw your best assets,” I said and then laughed.  Ashley giggled.  “See if you can find another screw driver in there and pop the trunk.”

“I think there’s a toolbox in here.  It’s too hot.  I’m going to suffocate.  I want out,” Ashley pleaded.

“You’re not coming out this way.  Get the trunk open,” I said.  Ashley rummaged around inside the trunk and I heard metal scrape against metal.

“Shit,” Ashley said.   I heard a metallic click and then the trunk opened.

“See Gal.  You ain’t entirely useless after all,” I said.  After putting the back of the passenger seat into place, I climbed out of the Charger.  Murphy swaggered over and helped Ashley out of the trunk.  He carried the tire iron and the toolbox to the rear door of the Sports Mart.

“I’ll get you in there quicker than you can swat a skeeter off your peter,” Murphy said.  He went to work on the door and had it open in less than five minutes.

“Let’s get some new clothes.  I’m getting tired of these hospital rags.  Then let’s see what they have in the way of guns and ammo,” I said.

“You got it, Boss Man.  My nuts are hiding underneath my armpit to keep warm.  I think I’ll find myself a coat,” Murphy said.

Searching the store, I found the men’s clothes department.  Stripping out of my hospital gown, I put on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve flannel shirt.  I found a shooting vest and a pair of hiking boots.  Ashley stripped down, and then put on a pair of jeans and a white tee shirt. Her nipples pushed up cotton pressing against the fabric of the tee shirt.  She went looking for a warm jacket.  I smashed open a glass case containing weapons and picked up an AR-15 and a 45.  Murphy took a Ruger Blackhawk 44 Magnum and a Ruger Mini-14.  I found a canvas duffel bag to put everything in and then searched the store for other things that we might need.  I found a gas can, a bone saw, a coil of rope, a pair of barbeque mittens, extra clothes, a shit load of ammunition and some barbeque tongs.  Taking a ball cap off a mannequin, I put it on my head.

“That should do it,” I said stepping up to Murphy and Ashley.  Murphy wore a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, a western style shirt and a cowboy hat.  He held a fringed leather coat over his arm and had the Ruger Blackhawk tucked into the waistband of his pants.  A cocky grin crossed his face.  Ashley didn’t look half-bad in her new clothes and I noticed a hunting knife tucked into the waistband of her jeans.

“What do you think about my new duds, Boss?”

“You look like Cowboy Bob.  At least it’s better than those hospital rags.  Let’s get out of here,” I said scooping up the duffle bag containing our stolen gear.

“You’re not the only one with a gun now, Hoss.  I wouldn’t be so bossy,” Murphy said, a foul look crossing his face.  Whirling around, I pulled the 357 and stuck the barrel against his belly.

“You’re not smart enough to run things, Murphy.  But if you feel froggy, jump.  I’ll put a hole in your big fat belly,” I said.

Fear shot through Murphy’s face and he raised his hands.

“I was just teasin’ you Boss.  You still run the show.”

Throwing the duffle bag over my shoulder, I sauntered toward the door with Murphy and Ashley following behind.  Tossing the duffle bag into the back seat, I climbed behind the wheel of the Charger.  Ashley climbed into the rear with the gear and Murphy rode shotgun.

“I love my new clothes,” Ashley said.

“Where to now, Hoss?” Murphy asked. 

“If we make it out of town with out getting stopped by the cops, we’ll find somewhere to rest,” I said.  Cruising down the alleyway, I turned left on Main Street heading toward the edge of town.  At the end of the street, I turned left onto the highway and headed west.  Ten miles outside of town, I found a dirt road on the north side of the highway leading into a wooded area.  Pulling the Charger behind a stand of trees, I killed the motor and Murphy rolled down the passenger side window.  The sound of a stream dancing over the rocks filled the night.  My breath fogged up in my face.  Ashley crossed her arms across her chest and shivered from the cold.

“We’ll stay the night here and head west in the morning,” I said.

“Okay Hoss.  I’m about as tired as a one legged frog trying to hop across the freeway,” Murphy said.  “Ashley Hun, would you mind staying up here with Brad?  These legs of mine need some room to stretch out.”

“Do I have to?  He scares me,” she whispered.

“Go on Darlin’.  He won’t bite,” Murphy replied.

Ashley heaved a sigh and then climbed out of the back seat.  Murphy took her place, Ashley climbed in next to me and closed the passenger door.

“Don’t believe him.  I bite.  I bite hard,” I whispered.  Ashley shuttered.  “I’m just teasing you girl.  As long as you don’t start whining again, I got no problem.”  Ashley relaxed leaning against me and soon began to snore softly with her head against my arm.  Noticing the handle of the hunting knife protruding from the waistband of her jeans, I took it and slid it under the front seat.  Putting my arm around her shoulders, I closed my eyes and gave in to the night.

***

  The sun shining through the windshield woke me from a deep slumber.  Murphy and Ashley were laughing and splashing around in the stream.  Climbing out of the Charger, I looked across the hood at their naked bodies.  Ashley didn’t look half-bad for a skinny girl.  Her breasts were small, and if you didn’t look at the scars on her arms, she looked almost cute.  Her nipples stood erect.  Damn that water looks cold, I thought.

“Come on in, Bradley.  The water feels wonderful!” Ashley yelled spreading her arms apart.

“It’s cold enough to freeze your balls off, but you get used to it,” Murphy said.

Why the hell not? I stripped out of my clothes, tossing them on the ground, and jumped into the water.  Ashley jumped into my arms and kissed me.  We played in the water for an hour or so and then got dressed.  Back on the road, my thoughts reverted to Billy the Burner.  This was something I needed to do alone.  Murphy and Ashley were a liability.  Noticing a Quick Mart on the side of the road, I looked at the gas gage.

“We need gas,” I said and pulled off the highway.

“We need food too.  My stomach thinks my throat’s been cut,” Murphy said when I pulled up to the gas pumps.

“Stay in the car,” I said and then climbed out to fill the gas tank.  Finished with the gas, I swaggered into the Quick Mart to pay.  Strolling through the store, I picked up a large bag of potato chips, some cookies, some beef jerky, and some pork rinds.  After grabbing a twelve pack of Pepsi, I headed to the check out counter.

“Give me the money before I shoot your fat ass!” Murphy yelled.

“Damn.  I told him to stay in the car,” I said to myself.  Murphy stood pointing his 44 Magnum at a terrified sales clerk.  The chunky young girl looked no more than eighteen years old.

“Please don’t shoot.  Take the money,” the girl said raising her hands.  Her hands shook and tears welled up in her eyes.

“Murphy, I thought I told you to stay in the car.  We don’t need to rob this place.  I got money,” I said.

“I know Hoss, but we could always use more.  Let me shoot this bitch in her big fat ass,” Murphy said and then grinned.

“She does have a fat ass.  Don’t shoot her.  Let me,” I said pulling Weaver’s 357.  I raised the gun as if I was going to point it at the sales clerk, but whirled around at the last instant and shot Murphy in the side of his head.  The loud boom of the gunshot made my hearing go away for a few seconds.  Blood, brain matter, pieces of bone and strands of reddish blond hair flew across the room.  Murphy dropped to the floor; the girl behind the counter screamed and dived for cover.  I leaned over the counter and looked at her.

“Miss, I lied.  You don’t have a fat ass.  You have a nice ass, now stop screaming.”

“Just take the money and get out!” she yelled covering her face with her hands.

“I don’t want the money.  I have my own,” I said tossing two twenties down on the counter.  “If you don’t want me to shoot you, stop screaming.”  The sales clerk quit screaming and tried to control her sobs.  “That’s for the groceries and the gas.  I have a question for you.”

“What?” the girl stammered.

“How much is your life worth?”

“What?  I…don’t know.”

“Is it worth fifteen minutes?  If you give me fifteen minutes to get away before you call the cops, I won’t shoot you.” The girl nodded her head.  “Do we have a deal?”  She did some more nodding.  “I want to hear you say it.”

“Yes.”

“Yes what?” I asked.

“Yes we have a deal.”

“Good,” I said and tucked Weaver’s 357 in my waistband.  The girl stood up from behind the counter and stopped me at the front door.

“Do you really think I have a nice ass?” she said. 

“Yeah.  You could stand to loose a few pounds, but if you lay off the Twinkies it shouldn’t be too hard,” I said.   She shot me a brief smile through her tears.

When I stepped out the front door, Ashley jumped out of the Charger, screaming her head off, and came running at me.  I guess she realized that I’d splattered her boyfriend’s brains across the Quick Mart.  Blood dripped down Ashley’s arms and I saw fresh cuts.  I guess she found her knife.  It didn’t pay to leave Ashley alone with a blade.  She flailed her arms about trying to pummel me with her fist and claw at me with her nails.  Putting my hand against her chest, I shoved her back.  Pulling her knife, she charged forward, I stuck out my right fist and she ran right into it.  The impact caused her to fly backward and land on her butt.  Blood dribbled down her face from her nose.  Stepping forward, I took her knife, grabbed her by her long red hair and dragged her to the car.  Opening the driver’s side door, I heaved Ashley into the passenger side and sat behind the wheel.  Firing up the Charger, I pealed out of the parking lot smoking the tires.  Five miles down the highway, I pulled onto the shoulder.  Ashley clung to the armrest on the passenger door.  Tears streamed down her face and blood dripped from her nose and arms.

“Look at you, Ash.  You’re a mess,” I said.  Taking off my tee shirt, I ripped it into strips and reached over to bandage her wounds, but she pulled away.  Grabbing her arm, I pulled her close to me.  “Be still,” I said.  I bandaged her arms, cleaned her face and then leaned back looking at her.

“Why did you kill Murphy?” she asked.

“Murphy was a piece of shit.  He was going to kill that sales clerk.”

“So?”

“So, she didn’t need killing.  Get out,” I said. 

Ashley put her hand on my thigh.

“I want to stay with you.  I’ll be your girlfriend.  I’ll do what ever you want.”

“Look at your arms.  I can’t leave you alone for five minutes with out you cutting yourself.  Get out of the car, hike back to the Quick Mart and tell the police that Murphy and I forced you to come with us.  Blame everything on Murphy.  The police will take you back to the hospital.”

“I hate that place.”

“You need to be in the hospital.  Get out!” I said stroking the butt of the 357 Magnum in my waistband.

“Can I at least have my knife back?” she asked in a whinny little voice.

“If I let you have that knife back, you’ll just sit here beside the road and cut yourself.  Besides, I might need it,” I replied.  Ashley climbed out of the car and I pulled away leaving her in a cloud of dust.  Pulling over after dark, I hid the car behind a grove of trees.  Studying a map I found inside the glove box, I circled Sioux Falls Iowa.  After studying Billy the Burner’s MO, I saw a pattern.  He would strike and then move west.  I heard about a random killing over the car radio where he killed a couple and left them hanging from a tree.  This didn’t fit his pattern, but Billy had a lust for little girls and he would have to fill this need soon.  Sioux Falls seemed like the next most likely place that he would strike.

On further study, I noticed a small town on the outside of Sioux Falls known as Cedar Glen.  It had a warehouse district on the edge of town and I’d bet money that Billy’s next stop would be at Cedar glen.  Putting the map away, I stretched out to get some sleep.

***

Rolling through Sioux Falls Iowa the following evening, I rented a cheap motel room in Cedar Glen.  The next morning, I drove around looking for the local middle schools.  There were three and I settled on one near the center of town.  I decided to watch this school for a day or two and if nothing panned out, I’d case the other two schools, but my gut feeling told me that Billy would choose this one.  When you hunt a hunter, your tactics have to be different.  When a scumbag trolls a school, they park close up where the children scamper down the sidewalk.  They try to blend in and make the snatch and grab before anyone is the wiser.  When you hunt one of those bastards, you stay back and take in the entire scene.  Parking in the lot of a city park across the street, I watched the school for three days.  I thought one guy was Billy the Burner, he seemed suspicious, but then a little girl came running up to his car screaming, “Daddy!  Daddy!” and jumped in.

On the third day, I was about to give up and go check out one of the other schools when I noticed an old white Ford van parked off by itself down the street from the school.  The bell rang, kids poured out of the school filling the sidewalk, the van started up and pulled forward.  A pretty, little dark haired girl was skipping down the sidewalk when the van stopped.  A wiry little man with a scraggly little goatee jumped out of the van, ran up on the sidewalk and scooped the little girl up in his arms.  The girl screamed, the other kids screamed and the man ran to the back of the Ford van.  He tossed the girl into the back, ran to the driver’s side, jumped behind the wheel and sped away smoking his tires.

Firing up the Charger, I shot out of the parking lot of the city park and was hot on his tail.  Billy the Burner shot through several red lights and took two quick turns trying to loose me, but I stayed on his ass like Super Glue.  He headed west toward the warehouse district, but a big rig pulled in front of me and by the time I got around the truck, Billy’s van was nowhere in sight.

“Shit!” I yelled slamming my fist down on the steering wheel.  After getting control of my anger, I paused to think things through.  “You’re not getting away that easy, Billy,” I said to myself, hoping that he didn’t hurt the girl too bad before I found him.  Billy usually didn’t do too much to his young victims until he got hold of their mothers.

***

A half hour later, I rolled through the gates of a massive industrial complex.  Warehouse, some abandoned and some not, filled several acres of land looking almost like a small city unto itself.  Billy is here.  I can feel his evil presence in my bones.  Taking a cruise, I drove up and down between the buildings for over an hour.  I was about to give up, when I saw the white Ford van sitting in a dirt lot off to itself.  Pulling up behind it, I killed the motor on the Charger and ambled over to Billy’s van.  Peering in the driver’s side window, I found no sign of Billy or the girl.  I gazed about at the warehouses filling the complex like soldiers standing at attention.

“Where are you Billy?” I said and then let out a sigh in frustration.  Firing up the Charger, I left the industrial complex, found a secluded spot next to its entrance and parked under a large Oak tree.  “Billy, you’ve got to leave sometime.  Then I’ve got you.”

I sat watching the entrance to the industrial complex for two days.  On the third morning, Billy left the complex in his white van and I followed from a discreet distance.  He stopped at a liquor store and used a pay phone.  After making his call, Billy bought a six-pack of beer and headed back.  I followed, leaving several car lengths between us and took up my position near the gate.  I didn’t want to follow him inside; that might spook him.  The girl’s mother showed up the next evening.  My eyes locked with the terrified eyes of the beautiful blonde headed woman when she pulled up to the gate and my heart almost stopped.  I had never seen such a beautiful face or such ocean blue eyes in my life and I had never seen anyone with such pain in their eyes.

“I think I’m in love,” I said to myself and watched her pull through the gate.  Pulling the Charger in behind her, I followed her into the industrial complex.  She took several turns, driving between buildings and then stopped in front of a large rusty gray building at the end of the row.  Parking three hundred feet behind her, I watched her enter the warehouse carrying her purse and a nylon gym bag.  Pulling around the corner, I ate a sandwich and drank a Pepsi while I waited.

Soon icy fingers of darkness stabbed their way across the land and shadows formed between the warehouses.  When darkness covered the land like a warm blanket, I climbed out of the Charger, grabbed a tire iron, my duffel bag and picked up a can of gasoline.  Entering the warehouse, I became one with the night.  In front of me lay a vast open area, but I saw a flickering light in the distance.  Someone laughed, a woman screamed and silently, I moved toward the light.  Stepping up behind Billy the Burner, I looked over his shoulder. 

He had the woman naked, tied spread eagle, to a rusty box spring mattress.  Unaware of my presence, Billy knelt down and went to work on her with a pair of pliers.  The woman screamed, red welts covered her body, yet she was still the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.  My eyes dance over her body taking in the entire scene.  The little girl laid off to the side in a drug-induced slumber.  The woman’s purse, her nylon gym bag and her tattered dress set on the ground next to her long black leather coat.

“That one must have hurt a bit,” Billy said and then laughed.  “Fun time is over now.  Time to eat.”  He set the pliers aside and reached for a skinning knife.  The woman’s eyes widened when she saw me standing behind Billy the Burner.  Before she could scream or do something to alert him to my presence, I brought the tire iron crashing down on Billy’s head.

***

Pulling Ashley’s knife, I cut the woman free, grabbed her coat and took her hand helping her to her feet.  Holding the coat open, I looked into her eyes trying not to stare at her naked body.  Tears streamed down her face, I reached up and wiped one away.

“Get a grip.  You need to take care of your daughter.”

“How did you?”

“It doesn’t matter.  Get your daughter and get out of here.  Don’t let something like this happen again,” I said.

“How can I ever repay you?” the woman sobbed.

“Take your daughter home and love her.  That’s payment enough.”

“Thank you,” She whispered and then hugged me.

“If something like this ever does happen again and the scumbag tells you not to call the cops, don’t listen.  The police need to be evolved early in a case like this.”

“I won’t ever let something like this happen again.  Are you sure, I can’t pay you?  I have money.” 

I shook my head.

“No.  That’s not necessary.  Take your daughter and go home.  I have business with Billy, here.” 

The woman hugged me one more time, and then picked up her daughter and left.  She left the purse and gym bag behind.  She must have left the keys in her Mercedes, because I heard the engine fire up and I heard her pull away.  Reaching down, I rolled Billy over and got the shock of my life.  He was a monster after all with big reptilian features shimmering underneath.

“This is like getting two for the price of one,” I said to myself and then grinned.  Taking a syringe from Billy’s pile of things, I injected him with some of his own medicine.  I needed him to sleep while I made things ready.  Reaching into my gym bag, I brought out my bone saw.

***

Billy woke to the putrid smell of burning flesh.  After stripping him naked and tying him to the set of box springs, I cut off both his hands and feet.  Cauterizing the wounds with a small propane torch, I tied Billy by his stubs where his hands and feet used to be.  Rummaging around in the warehouse, I found some scrap wood and built a small fire.  Billy’s hands and feet set roasting like chestnuts over an open flame.  Billy screamed.

“I hope you’re hungry,” I said taking a small piece of sizzling meat from the fire.  I leaned over Billy, pried open his mouth and then dropped the piece of meat down the hatch and squeezed his jaws shut.  Billy gagged and then swallowed the meat.

“What was that?  It tastes almost like chicken,” Billy said in a raspy sounding voice.

“That was a piece of your left foot,” I said and then laughed.  “You should have taken better care of your feet.  I found them offensive so I cut them off.”  I paused for a moment while Billy screamed.  “Let’s talk about your hands.  They were dirty.  You should have tried to keep them cleaner.  They say cleanliness is next to Godliness, but you don’t have to worry about that anymore.  I cut your hands off too.”  Billy let out another terrified scream. Sticking the barbeque fork into the crispy piece of meat that had once been Billy’s right hand, I held it up.  “Are you still hungry?  Would you care for some more meat?” I said trying not to laugh.

“Who are you?” Billy whispered.

“I am the Grim Reaper and I am here to take you home.”

“There’s money over there.  Take it and leave,” Billy pleaded. 

I shrugged.

“I don’t need money.”

“Then kill me and get it over with.”

“I thought I’d give you a taste of the pain and suffering that you have caused others before I send you to the Devil, you cannibalistic reptilian son of a bitch.  We’re just getting started.”  Tossing down the burning piece of meat, I pulled out the barbeque fork and stuck it in Billy’s left eye.  Ignoring the screams, I went after the other eye, tossed both eyeballs into a frying pan and cooked them up.

“Down the hatch,” I said forcing Billy’s mouth open again.  I dropped both of his half-cooked eyeballs down his gullet and then made him swallow.  Picking up the propane torch, I ran it up and down what was left of Billy’s right leg.  The flesh sizzled and Billy’s screams filled my ears.  Whistling while I worked, I moved the torch to Billy’s left leg.  I wanted him thoroughly cooked.  The flesh on Billy’s leg turned black and a putrid smell rose into the air.  Moving the flame to Billy’s genitals, I fanned the air in front of my face.  Billy let out another blood-curdling scream.

“Talk about stinky,” I said.  “That hot link looks like it’s been on the grill too long.  I would make you eat it, but I don’t want to touch the nasty thing.  Maybe I’ll fry up those nuts of yours and you can have huevos rancheros.” I tossed another piece of half-cooked human flesh into his mouth.  “They say you are what you eat, and you’re an asshole,” I said and then let out a low chuckle.

Moving the flame to his arms and then to his face I grew weary.  I don’t get off on torturing people.  When I kill someone, I usually like it to be quick and efficient.  Disgusted with it all, I poured gasoline over Billy’s body and lit a match.  Tossing the match on his chest, I watched the flames consume him.  Billy screamed and his body shook violently.  I pulled Weaver’s 357 from my waistband and popped three caps through Billy the Burner’s head.  Billy the Burner’s rain of terror was over.

***

Picking up my duffel bag, I grabbed the woman’s things and headed to the Charger.  Rummaging through the woman’s purse, I found her ID.  I took a local map out of the glove box and found her street.  After cruising up and down the street on the look out for cops, I parked across the street from her house and saw lights on in the living room.  Grabbing her purse along with the gym bag filled with money, I carried them to the front porch and set them down.  I rang the doorbell and then hurried back to the Charger.  Looking through the rearview mirror, I saw the woman come to the door when I drove away.  Near the highway, I pulled into the parking lot of a Seven-Eleven.  Swaggering over to a payphone, I called the local police.

“Cedar Glen police department,” a female voice said.

“You’ll find Billy the Burner in the industrial complex west of town.  You’ll have to identify him by his dental records.  He’s a little over done.”

“Sir, can I have your name?”

“If you have trouble finding him, just follow your nose.”

“Sir, your name?”

I hung up the phone and ambled over to the Seven-Eleven.  An older black Mustang with the 5.0 Liter V8 pulled in off the highway and parked in front of the store.  A sexy looking blonde wearing a pink tank top and a pair of Daisy Duke Shorts climbed out of the passenger side.  Her large breast strained the fabric of the tank top.  A friendly looking guy climbed out on the driver’s side.  Tears welled up in the blonde’s eyes and at the door, she stopped, turned toward the guy and hugged him.

“I’m going to miss her so much, Mike.  Why did she half to die?” the woman asked and then burst into full-blown tears.  The guy patted her on the back not knowing what to do.

“I don’t know, but she’s in a better place now.  She’s in Heaven, Roxy,” the guy said.  He looked over the woman’s shoulder, our eyes met and he seemed to look into my soul.  It was as if he knew me in an instant, knew what I was all about and approved.  I saw in him a kindred spirit, someone who’d seen things that no one should see: someone like me.  I wondered if he saw monsters too.  A trace of a smile spread across the guy’s face, I shrugged and walked past them into the store.  After buying a Pepsi and a bag of potato chips, I left the store, crossed the parking lot to the highway and stuck out my thumb.

***

An elderly couple dropped me off at the road leading to the hospital three days later and it felt good to be home.  Hiking up to the main gate, I noticed Carl Washington, an older security guard, was on duty at the guard shack.  A shocked look crossed his face when I stepped up.

“Brad.  You decided to come home?”

“Yeah Carl.  I’ve had enough fun for a while.”

“You played cob.  They’ll put you back in the padded room.”

“I imagine so.  I didn’t do that old couple at the farmhouse.  That was Murphy.  I killed him because he was about to kill that girl that worked at the Quick Mart.”

“Murphy was an asshole.  The world is better off,” Carl said.

“Did Ashley show up?”

“She’s here.  I’ll open the gate and send a car down for you,” Washington replied.

“I’d appreciate that.”  There was a whirring sound as the new electronic gate slid open. 

“They’re saying you’re plum loco for what you did to Billy the Burner,” Washington said.  “But I don’t think so.  Billy deserved what he got.  Good riddance, I say.”

“I’m not Crazy Carl.  I’m just a bad man with dammed good intentions,” I said.  Stepping away from the guard shack, I swaggered through the gate and onto the hospital grounds.

***