Dead In Ditches

Chapter Two

Tristian. Dark brown hair that woulld fall into his eyes when he moved. His smile was kind, and I guess I'll never see it again.

I had talked to Tristian the night before he died. He was mad at something, but refused to tell me what had happened. He was only seventeen.

He died about a month ago. He was the first one to be in the ditch that I knew personally.

When towns-people announced his death, reality hit me in the face. I realized I was being ignorant. I knew the ditch was out there, but I never thought someone I knew would actually turn up in it.

Wolf Valley. The place where bad luck reigns. The place where nightmares come true, where evil terminates good. Where no one knows what is next. Where anyone could be planning your murder.

My youngest memory was in the woods. I was so scared. I couldn't breathe. I thought I was going to die.

I heard leaves crunch. Was that me? No, I couldn't be that loud.

When I got out of the woods, I looked back, and swore I saw someone standing there, watching me.

Two weeks later, someone was found in the ditch. It was the man I saw in the woods that night.

Nobody believes me. They told me that I had some sick jokes. I heard someone say that it should've been the crazy girl, me, instead of the man. I think I was nine.

David bumped my shoulder.

"You coming?" he asked.

"No." I rolled my eyes.

It was the annual ball, where anyone in the ages 15-19 could go. All the little girls dreamed of going, being little princesses where Prince Charming could protect them from the world. From the ditch.

I shook my head. I didn't need to think about Tristian. It's over; it's done. It's none of my concern anymore.

"No. You're going," my mother yelled from outside. I pulled the small door closed, but she yanked it open. Her face was set with determination. "You've done nothing but mope in the house since that boy died. You didn't even know him! You knew his name, you knew his face, but you didn't know him. So you're going tonight."

"No. What am I going to wear, anyway? Hmm? Nothing. I have nothing to wear." I stuck up my head, defiently.

"That pink little dress you havn't worn in years. It's cute."

"Mom, it doesn't fit me." I'd look like a total hick. It's too short. No shit I havn't worn it in years.

Thirty minutes later, David was smirking at me. I had on a tight pink dress that went up mid-thigh. I couldn't believe this.

Somehow my mom found the dress totally appropiate.

"Do you need anything tonight, Noelle? A hair band? A tampon? ... A condom..." she asked when David went to the bathroom.

"Mom!" I yelled, apalled.

"Well, you should! It's been years since you even looked at a guy, amd I know David likes you..."

"No he doesn't. You're lucky I agreed to this, I--"

"You didn't have a choice," she snapped, leaving me speachless.

David came out of the bathroom, and she said nothing.

Standing awkwardly off to the side of the dance floor was not usually the way I would've loved to spend my night. David had disappeared with some girl leaving me alone.

I noticed a boy attempting to mask the way he was staring at me, which pissed me off. Several guys had tried to grind into me, which also pissed me off.

Some boys were drunk, which didn't make lot of sense, considering how there was no beer.

David finally found me, and I smiled.

"No-N-Noelle," he slurred.

"You're drunk."

"Ha, yeah." He stepped closer to me, and I pressed against a wall. "T-they're giving beer in the bathroom."

"Oh," I said, trying to side step him.

"You're look different," he said, and stumbled off to the dance floor.

"Noelle? What a pretty name." I stifled a scream when I saw him. He scared me. It was the boy who had been staring.

"What the fuck?" I said when he placed a hand on my thigh, and he ignored me.

"I'm Jason." He looked over his shoulder and murmered a curse word. When he saw me staring, he smiled. "You're mine, kid."

And then he was gone.