Butcher of the Bayou

Part 4

Dawn broke over Cypress, casting a muted light on the bayou; I couldn't escape the harsh reality of my choices. I shivered, not from the morning chill but from the cold realization that I had become something I never thought I could be. I guess there is a killer in all of us, and with the right circumstances, that part of us can come to the surface.

I retraced my steps to the swamp. The gators had done their work, leaving no trace of Eloi.

All was quiet in the bayou on the days that followed the incident. I have taken to referring to my killing Eloi as the incident in my head. I scrubbed the porch three times and even repainted it for good measure. I burned my clothes and went to the water every morning to check for evidence that might have hung around.

When I returned home from my morning routine, I was surprised.

Seeing Momma finally get out of bed was a relief, even if she looked fragile and sickly. She moved around slowly, like a snail, but her being up was a good sign. We had a conversation over breakfast, and she even complimented my hair, saying it was the same golden color hers used to be before it turned grey. I remember how beautiful she used to be before she fell ill, like a ray of sunshine. Now, she is just a shadow of her former self.

After breakfast, I  helped her shower before leaving her in front of the TV. It was time to face the town and see if anyone knew; when they looked at me, would they see?

I walk into Claude's, where most of the teenagers hang out—a small arcade with no supervision. Claude was an older lady who didn't care what you got up to as long as you spent some money in her store while you did it.

I saw Sally and knew if there was gossip, she would be the one to know. She smiled as I approached. A flock of admirers surrounded her. If we had a beauty queen in our small town, it was Sally.

"Fleur, how's your mama doing? I was sure to pray for her at church last week."

I returned her smile before answering. "She is better today. She was out of bed and watching the TV when I left. How is your brother Mark doing since he went off to college?" I always found Mark to be a handsome Cajun. He was smart, too. He had his pick of colleges.

"Mark is fine. I called this morning to talk, but enough about him." Sally eagerly held her wrist up to show me her new bracelet. "It's real."  She bragged.

Sally's parents weren't well off. How she came about a diamond bracelet was suspicious. I have never known her to steal. I raised my brows and smirked. "How did your poor ass come across that?"

"My new bo gave it to me." The other girls giggled and glanced at one another.

"Not someone from here, I take it?"

None of the boys in Cypress could afford such a nice gift. Except maybe Roger and I happen to know Roger and Sally hate each other on the count of him asking her to the eighth-grade dance and then going with her cousin Cindy instead. She went as far as making a voodoo doll from his gym clothes and torturing it for the rest of that year.

"NO, from the city. I am meeting him tonight. It's our two-week anniversary."

Something didn't sit right with me about this stranger from the city coming here and buying Sally expensive gifts. "How old is this boy? How can he afford to buy you that."

Sally gives me a look. "He's not a boy to start with."

Red flag number two: Sally is only fifteen, the same age as me, and her parents would never agree to let her date an older man.

The faces of the dead girls all flash through my mind. I start to warn her of this foolish plan but stop myself. That's not why I came here. "So, anything exciting been going on ?"

Her face lights up, and she starts telling me all the gossip, none of which mentions Eloi. I stand there as she goes on and on about the kids in town. This is painful! Why females enjoy this type of thing is beyond me.

It was clear no one had missed Eloi yet, but eventually, they would. After escaping from Sally, I strolled around the town. The surroundings were absolutely calm and peaceful. For the time being, I felt safe and secure. Knowing that nobody has any suspicion about me yet is a relief. I realize that Eloi was not the kind of person who would be missed by anyone except the ones searching for drugs.

I was in the clear. My guilty conscience had me in knots all week. I was going to hell for sure. I should start going to church more often to pray for my soul.