One Step Ahead.

I was sitting in the living room watching cartoons when Ellie walked in the house later that night. She was holding her hand on the side of her stomach; I could see the blood dripping down between her fingers and the bruise forming on her cheek.

I got up from the couch and rushed over to her. “Oh my god Ellie! What happened to you?” I asked as I helped walk her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table.

“Jeremy” was all she said as I walked over to the cabinet over the sink and grabbed out the first aid kit. I walked back over to her setting down the kit on the table and kneeling by the side of her chair.

“Okay, let me see.” I said as I opened the kit and grabbed out some sterile pads and anti-septic. She lifted her shirt and grimaced from the pain of the shirt sticking to the wound. “Oh man Ell, what have you gotten yourself into?” I said to myself as I cleaned her cut and bandaged it up.

“It’s deep, but it wont need stitches.” I said as I stood up. I picked up all the bloody materials and through them into the garbage. “There’s some ibpruphen in the cabinet upstairs.” I told her as I washed my hands. “I need to go to work so I will see you later kay?”

“Okay.” she said as she slowly got up from her chair and headed up the stairs. I walked over to the garage and grabbed my work shirt out of the laundry and stuffed it into my bag as I walked out of the house. Making sure that I locked the door behind me. I slowly walked over to my car and got inside.

I started the ignition and headed to the local GameStop where I worked. Thirty minutes later I pulled into the parking lot and headed inside of the store. Jessika one of the other employees was sitting behind the counter chewing a piece a gum and looking awfully bored.

“Slow night eh Jess?” I said as I dropped my stuff behind the counter and shoved my arms through my work shirt. I sat next to her and waited.

“Yea, there hasn’t been a customer since four and its already almost six thirty.” she replied as she popped her gum bubble in her mouth. I sighed. Great this is going to be a long ass shift. “Hey! Look someone is coming into the store.” Jess said as she tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned around at the sound of the bell above the door jingling signaling someone had entered the store and I gasped. Jeremy and Shane had just walked in. I watched as Jeremy walked over to where we kept the xbox360 games and Shane head over to the counter. Man this is just what I needed on a Wednesday night. Two psychos bothering me at my place of work, what the hell could go wrong?

“Hey baby.” said Shane; a bright smile plastered on his face. “Miss me?” I sighed and looked up at him. I couldn’t lie. I wanted to smile back, his eyes were bright with mischief and it made me want to laugh.

“What do you want Shane?” I asked as I pretended not to be interested in him, but the chipping black nail polish on my finger nails.

“Can we have a minute?” he asked Jessika. She nodded and headed off into the direction where Jeremy was looking at the back of a video game. They started talking and she giggled. Oh no this is not good. Not good at all. I didn’t like Jess, but she sure as hell didn’t deserve to die. And I knew that, that was what was probably going to happen if she kept talking to him.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Shane poking me in the nose. “Whaa?” I said looking at him. The smile on his face was still in place and he looked just as cute as before. I mentally slapped myself then. I cannot be thinking this way! He is a psychotic killer who killed my best friends family and may or may not have killed my potential date. For all I know Alex could be lying somewhere in a ditch or already on a coroner’s slab.

“I said… I was wondering if I could take you out?” I looked at Shane as if he were crazy. Did he seriously just ask me out on a date? A date?

“Uh…” I tried to come up with an excuse besides some sarcastic remark about his extracurricular activities, but I pulled up blanks. So I simply said no. “No Shane, I cant” I said as I hopped off my chair and headed around the counter. I started walking to the back of the store so I could catalog some games that we had received the other day that I had yet to finish.

“Why not?” he asked as he followed me into the storage area. I grabbed a box of Gear of War games, but before I could go anywhere with them Shane pulled them out of my hand and asked “Where do you want these?” I sighed and pointed to the medium sized desk in the corner of the room. I followed him over to the desk and watched him place it on top of it.

“So?” he said again. “Why not?” I looked at Shane. And I mean really looked at him, if you forgot that he killed people he wasn’t that bad. He was sweet and romantic, but I don’t know if I could look passed that.

“Shane…” I started. “Me and you are so different. You’ve killed people. You’ve broken into my house. Why should I even consider going out with you?” I said as I sat down in the chair that was placed in front of the desk.

Shane spun me around so that I was facing him and looked into my eyes. “Because I love you Trin, I always have. Ever since you came over to my house when you were in the 6th grade.” I laughed then. I remembered that day. Shane’s parents had been friends with mine for awhile but none of us kids had yet to meet. So my mom and dad thought it was a marvelous idea to drag me and my brother Nathan along to this ‘barbeque’ that was being held at the Crump household.

“Hey Annie!” said my mom as we walked up the steps to a light brown house down the street from ours. A woman opened the screen door as we approached and laughed.

“Hey Delilah! How are you?” she said as she gave my mom a hug. I watched the exchange between my mom and this stranger.

“I’m great, these are my kids Nate and Trinity. Guys this is Mrs. Crump.” my mom said. Nathan and me gave little waves and shy smiles. My mom’s friend Annie then led us through her house and into her backyard where a man and a few boys were passing a football back and forth.

“DAVID!” Annie yelled. The man turned around and smiled. “Yeah?”

“The Nichols are here.” she replied back as she set some plates on the table. “Why don’t you two go and say hi to my son Shane and his friends. Dinner should be done soon.” Annie said as my mom started talking to her again.

“Come on.” my brother said as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me down to where the boys were playing. Once we finally reached them one of the boys with the brownest eyes I had ever seen stop and turned towards us. He had a large smile plastered to his face as he walked over to meet Nathan and me.

“Hey the name is Shane.” he said. “and this idiots are my friends Shawn and Jeremy.” Shawn was taller and definitely older than the other two. He was cute and had a nice smile. Jeremy looked to be the same age as Shane and wore thick rimmed glasses, he was also very cute. But something about him didn’t sit well with me.

Nathan shook Shane’s hand and introduced us. And as the boys started playing football again I sat down and on the grass and watched as my brother and these boys play football.

“What are you laughing about?” Shane asked. I looked at him and smiled. And I mean actually smiled.

“I remember that day.” I said. “You pushed me into your pool after we had all eaten. I was soaked all the way home.” Who knew that he would go from pushing kids in a pool to flat out murdering people.

He laughed then. A real laugh not one of those insane creepy laughs he usually has. “Yeah sorry about that. I thought you needed to cool down.” I pushed him away a little bit as I laughed.

“Yeah right.” I said as I started to go through all of the games we had in stock.

“So… about that date?” Shane finally said after a few minutes of watching me silently. I turned to him and sighed.

“I am still not sure Shane.. Let me think about it.” I said as I turned back to my work. I heard him sigh and get up.

“Alright.” was all he said before he walked away. At least now I had some time to myself to think… and finish up with this cataloging shit.

A few hours later I was finished and started to close up the store. Jessika had left about and hour earlier so I was by myself in the store. I turned off some of the lights, locked the doors and then I headed over to my car. Turning on the radio; Alesana’s Apology came blasting out of my speakers. I laughed to myself and decided to actually not change the station for once. I put my car in reverse and headed home.

When I finally pulled into the drive way it was almost a quarter to one in the morning. I could still see that there was lights on still in the house. I walked up the steps and unlocked the door. I tossed my keys onto a small table that was next to the front door before I turned around and locked the door behind me.

I then headed for my bedroom. I was tired and needed some good old fashioned sleep. As I passed Ellie’s door I could see that her light was still on so I knocked on the door. I heard some shuffling around and a bang. As if something heavy hit the floor and a few mumblings.

“Hey, Ellie I am home… you ok?” I said.

“Yeah I’m okay!” she yelled back through the door. “How was work?”

I sighed. “It was fine. Jeremy and Shane came in today.”

“Yeah?” she said. “How’d that go?” I laughed a little.

“It was okay… nobody died.” I replied. “I’m going to bed. Night Ell.”

“Night!” I heard her call as I walked down the hall to my room. Acelyn’s room was still pitch black and her bed was still made. So I guess she never made it home again. I sighed and walked into my room shedding my pants and bra. I climbed into my bed and soon fell fast asleep.

What felt like minutes later I felt pressure applied to my bed. I opened my eyes to see Shane laying next to me.
“Shhh.” he said. His finger in front of his mouth, a smile played on his lips as he looked at me.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered to him. I sat up a little at watched him as he did the same.

“I wanted to see you.” was all he said before he kissed me softly on the lips. And do you know what happened next? Well, I kissed back. And let me tell you, it was the best kiss that I had ever received. His lips were soft and warm. It felt like heaven. He slowly lowered me back down into a laying position and hovered over me. His lips never leaving mine. He then started to lightly kiss down my neck and towards my shoulder. His hands roamed under my shirt, making me moan.

It was then that I knew we had to stop. And not just cause I knew that Shane was a mass murderer, but also because I wasn’t ready to lose my v card yet. I lightly pushed him away as my breathing started to calm down. He looked down at me and smiled. He knew that he had made a dent in our relationship. How deep I didn’t know yet. He bent down and kissed me again and whispered to me.

“Now how about that date now?” I laughed a little to myself.

“Okay.” I said as I laid my head down on the pillow. Shane laid next to me, or bodies facing each other.

“Okay?” was all he said.

“Yes.” I answered. He smiled then and pecked my lips quickly again before sitting back and watching me. I laid there next to Shane fucking Crump and wasn’t scared a bit. Who in the fuck would of thought that I would allow a murderer lay next to me… in my bed no less. Oh well I guess If I’m going to hell. I might as well go down in flames…