Ancient Death

He holds out a trembling hand. "Wait a second. This has all been a misunderstanding. I'm not going to really hurt you. I was just playing with you."
"No." She gestures to the lake. "You're going to die here, and you're going to stay in this pond with all the other people you left to rot here. The fish and worms and insects will find their way into the interior of your car, to your body, and over the next few months they'll munch on your skin and muscles and organs until all that's left of you is a slimy skeleton. Eventually even that will dissolve, and it will be like you never existed, Johnny."
He trembles with fear. He has tears in his eyes. Her voice, her words--the power in them shakes him to the core. His own voice cracks as he tries to convince himself he's not going to die. "But you're just a chick. You can't hurt me."
"Then why are you so scared?"
"Because of that knife. Put that knife away and we can talk."
"Where exactly would you like me to put it?"
"I don't know, just put it--"
He suddenly stops talking, because she shifted into high speed and thrown the knife so hard and fast it's sunk up to its hilt in the center of his right thigh. He gazes down at it in horror as a thin line of blood trickles over his sweats. In the blink of an eye she's standing beside him. She pats him on the back in a poor imitation of comforting him.
"You don't want to pull it out," she warns. "There's a large artery that runs through each leg, and I'm afraid I just severed one with my knife. Pull out my knife and your blood will gush all over the place. You'll be dead in two minutes, maybe less."
He's suddenly sad. "Can you help me?"
"I'm not a doctor."
His whole body trembles as he points to his car. " Please, drive me to a hospital. My family has money. They'll pay you. They'll pay you whatever you want."
"That's not what I want."
He is heartbroken. "No?"
"No. But I'll help you back to the car and I'll tell you what I do want."
He limps weakly as she assists him to his car. He doesn't protest as she shoves him into the passenger side. A part of him still thinks she's lying, and that in the end she's going to save him.
She climbs in the driver's side, close the door, and cuff his left wrist to the steering wheel. She does it so fast the deed is done before he realizes it, and his face is suddenly filled with the awe the goddess has been waiting for. Yet his fear is greater.
"You're not human," he whispers.
"True. I'm not."

"Are you an alien?"

She smiles. "You know, over the years people have called me all kinds of things, but that's a first. You should be proud of yourself, Johnny."

He stares down at the knife impaled in his leg. Moving him to the car has caused the blood to flow faster, and his sweats are soaked red. He puts his hand on the hilt of the blade.

"You don't want to do that," I say.

"It hurts."

She stops smiling. "Rape hurts. Did you stop and think of that when you hurt all those women?"

He shakes his head as tears roll over his cheeks. "Please, you're making a big mistake."

"Two minutes ago you pointed a gun at me and ordered me to strip. Why would you do that if you weren't going to rape me?"

He sobs. "All right, I did it, I'm guilty. I'll tell the police I did it. I swear. Just please take me to the hospital."

She reaches over and strokes his hair. "I'm sorry, you have to stay here with all the women you wanted so badly."

"No! God, no! I can't die!"

"Shh. Calm down, you won't suffer long."

John is white as a ghost.

"How do you feel?" I say.

He gasps for breath. "Scared."

"I bet your girlfriends felt scared too."

He stares at her. "Please stop."

"Stop? But we're just getting to the fun part. It's going to be like in the movies. I'm going to start the car and steer it toward the pond and jump out before it hits the water. But I'll close my door if you want so you don't get wet." I pause. "Of course, this car isn't a hundred percent waterproof. I'm afraid the water--and all those nasty creatures I told you about--will eventually get inside. You might be dead by then, you never know. If you're not, you'll get to feel what it's like to drown."

"No . . . Please."

"Come on, show some spirit! I bet you drowned plenty of your girls. It's only right you should experience everything they did."

He weeps quietly. "I don't want to die."

She leans over and kisses his cheek.

She spares him her favourite farewell remark.

But she keeps her promise. Starting the car, she accelerates rapidly and turn in the direction of the pond. At the last moment, the goddess leaps out her side and slams the door shut. The car has plenty of momentum and belly flops far from the shore, before it slowly begins to sink.

To her surprise, John thrashes vigorously inside, even though she drained him of all his hope. As she wipes off her hands and listens to the noise he's making, and to the hissing and bubbles the car gives off as it sinks below the surface, she thinks of his last words and consider how often she'll hear them for the years to come.

Turning, she races toward the main road. It does not matter how fast she runs. Behind her, she still hears him screaming.