A Taste of Death

It hit eleven o'clock and the first guests arrived. My huge house was the place to be every Friday night. I lived on the outskirts of town, and had my own grape orchard.

Being only twenty-two gave me free reign to do what I pleased, when I pleased. I was filthy rich and like it that way. So every Friday night I threw a party. No, the party.

When I reached the large oak doors and swung them open, tons of familiar and unfamiliar faces rushed past me.I got compliments on my white short dress, and hair. I always get compliments, people adore me.

I left the door open for thirty minutes like always, and until then a mass crowd accumulated. Once the doors shut all people in are in for the party, all out aren't allowed in.The gates even locked.

"Stephanie!" My best friend Kat screamed, clicking her heels up to me. We hugged quickly then surveyed the party. "This is like the biggest turn out yet."

"I know, I guess word is spreading. I wonder when the cops will finally give up trying to stop it. They can't arrest me and its like impossible to stop." I started to laugh, even when I heard something breaking.

"Ugh, I know. What party poopers. I mean like its not like the town can hear it, your what, fifteen miles away. Plus you have no neighbors. You don't let anyone leave, because they are most likely drunk, so they can't drive," Kat said agreeing. She quickly squealed and turned me around.

"What?" I asked looking around.

"The cute brunette at the bar is so checking you out."

"Yeah, who wouldn't. Have you seen me? " I scoffed, adjusting my dress down more.

"Well go over there girl, I mean this is your house not some bar." Kat squeezed my arm then ran off. i flattened my hair and double checked the cleavage. I finally casually walked to the bar.

"Well...hello. Are you the owner of this beautiful house?" He asked looking me up and down. I don't know why I felt nervous, I got anything and anyone I wanted.

"Hi there, and yes. I don't think I have seen you here before, but I could be wrong. So many people a week, " I quickly put a end to my rambling and took a seat. He lightly placed his hand on thigh, and then he was kissing my neck.

"Steph, were out of liquor. and the wine cellar is locked, like always." I stopped the kissing, and found Jerry, drunk already.

"You need more?" I asked chuckling .

"Er...duh. Stupid statement. Can you go get four more bottles?" He asked swaying a bit, whilst trying to count.

"Yeah sure. I'll be right back, stay here." I walked over to my secret key drawer, snatched the key to the wine cellar and made my way forward.

I kept all of my alcohol down here because it was a lot safer then up in party city. After going down the steep stairs I looked at the rows and rows of wine. I turned to the other alcohol.

"Four freaking more. Well it's a good thing I am rich," i mumbled grabbing three and setting them down. My hands were shaking as I picked the fourth up. it slipped and crashed to the floor, shattering. No one heard over the booming stereo and its very far down.

I got a fourth and cracked it open. I drank quite a lot to try and shake my nerves off.

"Get a hold of yourself, dammit." I picked them all up and slowly made my way up the stairs. With my hands full I just dropped the key down my dress,between my breast. When I shut the door it automatically locked.

Jerry was waiting not too far away, and once I was up rushed over,snatched them, and left. I quickly stumbled over to the bar, the cutie still there.

"Welcome back," he said standing and grabbing my waist. I giggled a bit, just nodding. "Been drinking?"

"Just...a big swig of liquor," I said laughing hysterically.

"Why don;t we go get some air?" He offered pushing me forward.

"Hah well okay."

He surprisingly led me out to my backyard, with no trouble. I didn't notice or care. A fourth of a mile away was my orchard, and a locked gate that kept out stray animals. The back door locked as it shut. We were alone.

"So, how did someone as young as you get all of this?" He asked motioning with his hands. He sat down in a chair, pulling me onto his lap.

"My parents died when I was young. So about three years ago I took over. Now I fuck the place up as much as possible," I answered laughing.

"Wow , must have been tough," he said pulling our bodies closer. His hands slowly moved down my back, and under my dress. He sliced my panties with a hidden knife, which got me shaking with fear. The panties dropped to the floor, whilst his finger traced my pussy. I tried to utter a word, but he laid the blade against my throat.

"Uh...er...it was. So um...whats your name?" I asked moving a little, backwards.

"Oh, you don't need to know that," he said unzipping his pants, setting the knife down.

I jumped back quickly, knocking his chair over with the force. I fell to my feet because I was unsteady, and crawled the few feet to the door. I started to pound on the door.

"Oh I don't think so," he growled picking me up roughly, covering my mouth. He slid us into the shadows, just as the door opened.

"Hey anyone here?" Kat asked looking around. She closed the door and he started to hump me against the wall. I quickly jerked my right knee up, and he fell to the ground.

I ran to the door screaming and slamming, but he was getting back up, and the sound of the knife scraping against the concrete was very loud to my ears. I turned and ran to the orchard, hoping to at least hide or jump the fence.

With my adrenaline high I reached the edge of the grapes in two minutes. I sprinted into the middle, crouching down. The full moon lit the whole place up, giving no perfect shelter. I heard crunching of feet close by, and knew I would soon be walked on. I hopped to my feet and high tailed forward. I heard cursing and the wind as the knife flew past me, lost.

My heart was racing from the running and fear. I reached the gate and hurled myself up, climbing. A gunshot sounded right next to my arm, and I screamed, falling. He had a gun?! The gate ripped the side of my dress and my skin beneath it. I howled in pain, even as three more gunshots barely missed me. I started to run, sidetracking him as he threw the gun to the floor, now useless. I ran back to the house, to try to find another way.

Because I was drunk and scared, I kept falling. I tripped three times, and each of those times I ripped my dress more, and got covered in dirt, and the blood from the cut. I started to cry, not knowing what to do. If I stopped at the door, who knows if someone would answer, and if not I'd be dead.

Then I saw something silver shine. It was the handle to the wine cellar, glowing from the moon. I ran even faster, gaining distance from the man set on my death.

I tried to open it, but a lock held it shut. I kept pulling, but to no avail. I looked over my shoulder to see him getting out of the orchard.

"The key, where is the fucking key?" I whispered trying to think. down my dress! I shoved my hand down my dress, searching till I grabbed it.

With my hands shaking i slowly unlocked it, bursting the doors open.Not realizing when the key fell out of my hand and onto the first step. I flung myself in rolling down the long, steep stairs. I cried out in pain as my arm cracked.

Once the rolling stopped i slowly rose. I looked back to the entrance above, still clear. I cradled my broken arm, running to the staircase.

I was just passing the liquor cabinet when I slipped. My one arm flailed, hitting the cabinet, knocking it over next to me. Glass flew everywhere, including in me.

I felt the glass slice my skin, over my whole body. from the slice in my side to all the glass in me, blood stained my white dress. Putting aside my leaking blood, I looked for the key. I flung pieces of glass aside, just slicing my hand instead. I gave up, now crawling towards the rows of wine bottles.

I re-passed the place of the stairs I rolled down. i looked up to see his figure, outlined by the pale moon. I held in my scream of terror, and crawled to a random row, to hide.

"Oh Stephanie. Come here baby. I wont hurt you, just want some action. okay I lied, you might be hurt...a lot. You know I've been watching you for two months. What you do, how you did it, how you act and behave. Let me stop this...small talk, come on out , love." He was crooning this to me, and I started to shake more and more. He was down the stairs, and closing in. I held in my sobs and, quietly grabbed a dusty bottle form the rack next to me. ready to use it as a weapon.

"Well if you won't come out, then I guess I'll just have to force you out." it was deadly silent for one minute, and then the first crash sounded. a million bottles were falling, breaking, and leaking the contents over the floor. He tipped the first shelf, causing a domino effect. I panicked, gripping my bottle tight.

I tried to crawl out just as the shelf to my right was falling. I was half out when it collapsed. Wine soaked the ground, and the clashes continued to sound. My blood was now mixed in with all else. My broken arm was left out, holding the bottle. My whole right side was crushed under the shelf. I started to go dizzy, my head bleeding. The blood dripping all over my face.

He slowly walked over to me. I attempted to escape but knew it was futile. Glass shards were impaled into me everywhere. When he reached me he bent over me, two bottles in his hand. he opened one with something silver, the key I lost. He dumped some into my mouth and chest, making me sputter out...already choking on my own blood. he then took a sip, then threw it against the wall, where it shattered.

"Why me?" I asked feebly.

"Oh I just hate rich, snotty, self absorbed, bitches like you. That is why, love." He started to laugh, making my skin crawl. I tried to lift my arm to hit him, but he just stomped on it. He raised the second bottle high in the air, smashing it down on my bleeding skull.