Close To Home

Around 1967, I went missing for a few hours. This could have been me, luckily not. The Jersey Beast reigned terror on the island for 11 years, and was caught in 1971.

It was a terrible mistake.

He assumed Portia had it covered, and she assumed Stewart had it covered.

Neither had it covered, as they discovered when Portia came into his home office and asked the question that propelled them into hell.

“Honey, where is Rhea?”

At first he looked at her quite blankly, his mind had been so far away conjuring up images of his new secretary with her, long blonde, honey hair and china blue eyes, bent into various seductive poses, that it took a good few seconds to come back down to earth and his erection to start subsiding.

He put his hands into his lap.

“Rhea? She's with you?”

“No, you said you would keep an eye out for her while I finished the letter to Mum”

He shook his head. Had he said that?

“I thought you had Rhea, darling”

His wife's face changed, similar to a bright blue sky being overtaken with black storm clouds, lines began to appear as deep creases. She pondered his words, as if the process was hurting her.

“So where is she?! I've been downstairs nearly an hour!” Portia whispered

If Portia had been honest with herself, she would have known her mind had also been elsewhere.

It had been three days since Seth had called, telling her the affair was over. Stewart was his best friend, and he was finding the lies a struggle, his wife had already become suspicious after a receipt for a hotel had been found when his suit went into the dry cleaners. He had managed to blag that one, but he felt it was a matter of time before the s**t hit the fan, and he wanted to put a stop to it before people got hurt. Or they got in too deep.

Portia had not taken it well. She loved the sex, she loved being loved. She thought she might love Seth.

Since the birth of Rhea four years ago, Stewart had become less attentive towards her, love making was snatched in between naps, and that was if the couple were not collapsing from exhaustion from a baby that rarely slept. They talked less. They cuddled less. Eventually, they came to the conclusion that having a child changed things, and both escaped to places where secrets were held.

The one common thread that ran through both Stewart and Portia's mind was the Jersey Beast.

The beast that snatched up children and raped them.

Portia flew out of the door shouting for Rhea, Stewart could hear her heels clattering at great speed down the wooden stair case, and followed.

They frantically searched the house, every wardrobe, cupboard, under the bed, all Rhea's little hiding places.

As Portia entered the kitchen she felt the breeze on her face, enveloping her hair, the smell of cut grass still fresh danced lightly in the air.

She noticed the back door open, the cat sitting on the porch looking thoroughly bored, and screamed

“Stewart!”

Sobbing, she could smell the rubber mask of the Jersey Beast, feel his nail studded wristlets graze against her skin, and the full horror of all the circulating stories came crashing down upon her while Stewart reached for the phone.

Reviews

[Lauren Xena Campbell]

This has chilled me. The thought of it is terrifying. Losing a child would be a terrible thing. The fear that you would never see them again but that fear must be made worse when there are reports of such criminals near by. This is a shocking and horrifying concept, may no one ever have to go though it again.

[Marble Mountain]

I literally just had to turn on a light because sitting here in the dark on my laptop is too scary now....

Terrifying, but well written!

[palomiabird]

I like the way its more about the background then the story, because its almost like the storys about the parents and not the child. I mean really, you barley mention Rhea, but this story is about her. It makes me think about how stupid people are doing stupid things, when really they should focus more on there children.

[TL Boehm]

Terrifying. Usually I am blessed to read your poetry, but you are just as adept at the short story. And in this case, it is even more gnawing because its true.

[Peggy Gildon]

Whew! You do an awesome job on pulling me into this story (true?). I love the detail and the imagery is amazing. Every parents nightmare... Then .... leaving the ending to our imaginations.... Haunting! God bless...

[Tina Kline]

Great write and very terrifying, like it should be, I think.

[Jessica Harmony]

I was hooked from the first line. The affairs of both parents were a nice touch and the way you got into both of their heads was cool. This subject is horrifying but the story is very well written. Nice Job.

[OceanTropic]

My god. I never heard of this man before.

Thats horrific. I enjoyed how you talked about their affairs, and how they "escaped to places where secrets were held." I think I enjoyed this line the most. They were so caught up they forgot about their own daughter, and the worst was realized.

Good write.

[Alicia Schroeder]

Your writting really touches the heart..

[Dezaraye]

This is so, so beyond terrifying. I cannot imagine being a parent and losing a child in this way.

You've crafted this with excellence. Bringing your reader into the minds of all involved. The panic is easily felt, the shame, the sorrow.

[TAO]

I hate these cowards. Just sitting in prison is much too good for people like this. I'll stop that, now...

This had me hooked, from beginning to end, like a fish who thought it a good idea to take the bait; and a good idea it was, save for the fact this atmosphere made of rage came to steal the life from our lungs. Very well written work, Bubo, and potent to the last word.