One That Got Away

1

Somewhere in the dark, a little girl whimpered. The big bad monster was hovering over her, his eyes glowing white, his face a shadowed mask of sinister enrapture. He held a sharp knife, a blade that was only three inches long, but looked six long to her. He spoke, his teeth looking sharp.

"Now I'm going to rape you and kill you," he said.

----

Charlie Shultz jolted awake. Sweat plastered her bangs to her forehead. She took deep calming breaths, just like the counselor told her to do so many years ago. These dreams were nothing new. She often relived the terrible thing that happened to her when she was only six. After ten years, she's gotten better at managing them, but they were never any less scary.

She sat up, flinging her legs to the side of the bed and sat there, focusing on her breathing exercise. He's gone, she reminded herself, he can't get to you now. He doesn't even know where you live. Besides, who was to say after all these years that Jack, her childhood aggressor, was still up to his old tricks? Perhaps he had grown up and matured, realized it was wrong. Maybe he found religion, or a straight jacket or something.

Charlie reached for the glass of water she kept on her nightstand, but stopped midway. Last night, she'd laid her tickets for the Metalfest concert there. They were gone. It was no mystery, however. Miranda, Charlie's little sister, was always taking Charlie's things.

"Randa!" Charlie shouted as she came to the family room.

Miranda was laying on her belly, coloring book spread in front of her, but instead of the page, she was coloring-

"My tickets!" Charlie cried.

Miranda's eyes grew wide, then she grinned like a bratty little imp. Charlie reached, but Miranda was already on her feet, clutching the little rectangle papers tightly.

"Give them back now!" Charlie said.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Miranda taunted, and took off.

Charlie zipped around the dinning table like a heat-seeking missile, dead set on the smaller person running away from her. The girls were both fair skinned with walnut colored hair cut at the same length. She looked like she was chasing a smaller clone of herself--except Charlie had a slightly diagonal, two-inch scar on her cheek, whereas her little sister had only freckles.

"I said give them back, Randa!" Charlie cried.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers!" Miranda sang as she ducked low to maneuver around the table and chair legs in a strategic attempt attempt throw Charlie off.

"Give them!" Charlie demanded, but she didn't follow Miranda under the table. Instead she went straight for the kill shot. "Mom! Miranda took my tickets!"

"Miranda, give Charlie back her tickets," their mother shouted from the kitchen.

Miranda knew the jig was up. She crawled out with a disappointed face, and was already handing the rectangular papers over to Charlie when Mrs. Shultz entered the room.

"Even though I still don't really want you going, Charlie," Mrs. Shultz added.

Charlie sighed. "Mom. We've been over this. Everybody's going. I'm going to look like a loser if I don't go."

"Everyone?" Mrs. Shultz said doubtfully. "I'm sure there are lots of other sixteen year old girls that aren't going to this ridiculous concert."

"It's not ridiculous; it's Metalfest! It's going to be the coolest and I've got to be there. If I don't go, Shayleigh is never going to forgive me. It's mostly for her birthday," Charlie spouted on.

"I get it, I get it. I just don't like it," Mrs. Shultz said.

"Mom, Tony will be there. You know Tony. And his girlfriend Marge--who's like nine years older. We're going with them and it'll be safe. Totally safe," Charlie promised.

Charlie's dad walked in right at the end of her pleading and knew right away what was going on.

"This again? Christs' sake, Beulah, let the girl go to the concert," he said in a bored voice.

"But what if something happens?" Mrs. Shultz said.

"It's nearby. She's a big girl. She's smart. And she'll be with friends, right?" Mr. Shultz shot Charlie a look that said she'd darn well better be with friends.

Charlie nodded. "Of course. Every minute. I won't even go pee without Shay."

"See," Mr. Shultz said. "Don't worry so much. The girl has to live, honey."

Mr. Shultz put a comforting arm around Mrs. Shultz and kissed her forehead.

"I guess you're right," she caved. "But if anything happens, you scream as loud as you can, okay."

Charlie didn't even think of rolling her eyes at her mom's warning. She happened to know that screaming really loud actually worked in some cases. It had worked in her case, ten years ago when a nine year old boy had lured her away with twisted plans to actually kill her. It's where she got the scar on her face--a daily reminder that bad things do happen and to always be alert.

"I will, mom. Don't worry," she said.

She squealed with delight and kissed her parents' cheeks, then ran off to call Shay and finalize the plans. Had she known what the concert would lead to, she may have made different plans. But at that moment, she couldn't see beyond anything but the excitement of her first concert.