College Weekend (11 page)

She stared down in horror as a tiny circle of skin sizzled and then peeled away.

Is this what Josh's face felt like?

A horrified sob escaped her throat.

“Did you think I was going to throw it at you?” Chris demanded. He ran his finger down her cheek. “I wouldn't ruin a pretty face like this. Together we're going to get rich. You and me.”

I have to get out of here before he kills me, Tina told herself.

She searched the darkroom frantically for something heavy. Something to throw at him.

“You're already rich. You have everything.”

“Everything?” he answered. He looped his arm through hers. “
Now
I have everything. All I ever wanted was you, Judy. I can't understand why you never realized that. But that's all in the past. Let's go.”

He started to pull her out of the darkroom.
Tina spotted a metal tripod on the floor near the enlarger. Perfect.

This better work.

She glanced down at Josh's body sprawled on the floor.

Then she let out a horrified gasp.

“Chris! It's Josh! He's moving. He's getting up!”

“
H
uh?”

Chris spun around.

Tina picked up the tripod—and swung it hard.

It made a cracking sound as it hit Chris's face.

Blood trickled from his nose.

His eyes bulged in surprise.

As he raised his hands to his face, Tina swung the tripod again.

“I hate you!” she shrieked. “You killed Josh!”

She raised the metal into the air for a second time.

Chris started to turn away.

The tripod caught him on the back of the head. He groaned and slumped to the floor.

His body sprawled alongside Josh.

Sobbing, Tina let the tripod fall.

Cold sweat drenched her body. She wrapped her arms around herself.

Did I kill Chris? Did I?

As she gazed down at the two still bodies, nausea flooded her.

She leaned over the sink and vomited.

There's nothing left in me, she thought. Nothing at all.

She wiped her sweaty hands on a paper towel.

Gasping for air, Tina stumbled out of the darkroom.

The police, she thought. I have to call the police.

Her legs trembled. She could hardly make it to the phone.

Be strong, she told herself. Get help.

I have to turn the music off, she decided. I can feel it throbbing in my head. She stumbled to the sound system and fumbled with the buttons until the music stopped.

In the quiet Tina thought she heard a faint pounding noise. Behind her.

She spun around. “Chris?”

No. No one there.

Tina stared at the closet door. The door Chris wouldn't let her open.

What could be in there?

With small, cautious steps Tina approached the door.

Maybe I shouldn't open it, she thought.

She pressed her ear to the door.

You've got to open the door, she told herself. You have to find out what he didn't want you to see.

Fear clutched at her heart.

Open it! she ordered herself.

She rested her hand on the knob.

She pulled open the door.

“Holly!” Tina shrieked.

Her cousin lay dead on the floor.

D
ead? No!

Holly's arms and legs were tied. Her brown hair fell over her face. She groaned.

“Hunnnh?” Holly raised her face, her eyes still shut.

She's alive!

Tina dropped to her knees beside her. “Holly? Holly? Are you okay? Are you alive? Holly? Please be okay, Holly. Please!”

Tears rolled down Tina's cheeks. She grabbed Holly in an emotional hug. “I can't believe I finally found you. It's been so awful. So awful.”

Holly blinked several times. She shook her head, dazed. She finally opened her eyes. She
squinted hard at Tina, trying to focus. “Tina—it's you! Oh, wow … How long have I been in this closet?”

“I—I don't know,” Tina stammered.

“I was so scared. Chris kept yelling that I'd ruined his plans. He wanted you all to himself,” Holly sobbed. “He tied me up and left me in here. In the dark. I didn't know how much time passed. I didn't know what he planned to do. I—I thought he was going to leave me in here forever!”

Tina struggled to untie her cousin's arms and legs. The thin cords scratched her fingers. Her hands shook so hard, it seemed to take forever.

“Hurry. Please hurry,” Holly pleaded. “My whole body—it's asleep. I've got to move, Tina. I've got to get away from here. I've been so frightened. I thought I was going to die. I really did.”

Holly was in the closet the whole time, Tina thought, fumbling with the tight cords. While I was posing for Chris, Holly was in the closet.

“Josh is dead!” Tina blurted out.

Holly uttered a sharp cry. “No, Tina. No. I'm so sorry.”

Tina tugged frantically at the knotted cords.

“I—I think I killed Chris,” Tina continued. “I hit him. Hard. In the back of the head.”

Holly shook her head, still dazed. She seemed to be having trouble taking in all that Tina was telling her. “You hit Chris? With what?”

“With his tripod. I heard his skull crack. I—”

“You killed him?” Holly's voice came out hoarse, trembling.

“I think so,” Tina told her. “I'm not sure. But I think I did.”

The cord slid off Holly's ankles. She groaned, rubbing her legs. “I don't know if I can walk. I've been in here so long. Locked in the darkness. Since after the party.”

“How did he get you up here?” Tina asked.

“Chris introduced me to a guy,” Holly explained. “At the party. I went into town with him. We went to a club. It got really late.”

“You didn't come back to the dorm?” Tina asked.

“Yes. I did,” Holly replied. “Around four. But when I got to the room, Chris jumped out. I guess he was waiting for me. He grabbed me. He hit me over the head with something.”

Holly rubbed her head. Tina saw a knot of clotted blood in her hair.

“I woke up in this closet,” Holly told her. “I—I was so frightened, Tina.”

“He's crazy,” Tina murmured. “Chris is totally crazy. He thought I was Judy. His old girlfriend.”

“I knew he was weird. From the minute I met him,” Holly replied. She struggled unsteadily to her feet. “Come on. Let's get out of here.”

Holding hands, they stumbled out of the closet.

“We're safe now,” Tina told Holly.

But I won't feel safe, she thought, until I'm far from this studio.

She glanced over at the sand. Only half an hour ago Chris wanted her to pretend she was enjoying herself at the beach.

Pretending.

That was Chris's life. He pretended to be a nice guy. He pretended Judy was still alive.

Tina shuddered.

Still holding on to Holly, she started for the door.

“What—what's that?” Holly stammered. “Is someone else in here?”

Tina heard it, too. Footsteps.

Tina spun around.

Chris!

Chris! Alive!

He staggered from the darkroom, bright red blood streaming down his face.

He raised long, pointed scissors into the air.

“Good-bye, Judy,” he choked out, swinging the scissors in front of him, snipping the blades in the air.

Snip. Snip. Snip.

“Good-bye, Judy.” Blood dripped from his mouth and down his chin, as he rasped the words.

He moved with surprising quickness.

Tina tried to back away.

She stumbled.

Hit the wall.

Chris raised the scissors over her head.

The studio door burst open.

Carla and a tall blond-haired boy rushed in.

“Carla—help us!” Tina shrieked. “Carla—thank goodness you're here!”

Chris lowered the scissors. He turned to Carla. He breathed a sigh of relief. “What took you so long?” he demanded. “They almost got away.”

“
C
arla—?” Tina gasped. “Carla—you're not on Chris's side—are you? Have you been helping Chris this whole time?”

“What took you so long?” Chris demanded sharply. He wiped blood off his chin with the back of his hand. He rubbed the back of his head—the spot where Tina had hit him—and groaned.

“Carla—?” Tina cried.

Carla brushed past Holly and Tina and made her way toward Chris. “Chris—the blood. Your head. Are you okay? You're totally cut.”

“What happened here?” the blond boy demanded.
“How did you get hurt? Should we get a doctor?”

“I'm okay, Steve,” Chris replied softly. He gestured with the scissors. “Just a little trouble here. But it's all under control now that you and Carla are here. What took you so long?”

Tina felt so hurt, so furious, she thought she might explode. “Carla—how could you help him?” she shrieked. “How could you be so evil?”

Steve and Carla ignored her, acted as if she weren't in the room, acted as if she weren't holding on to her cousin, screaming at them.

“Hey, man, let me see your head,” Steve said, moving toward Chris.

Chris raised the scissors menacingly. “Get back. I
told
you I'm okay.”

Steve raised both hands. “Okay. Okay.” He backed off quickly.

Carla turned and pointed to Tina and Holly. “What's with them?”

“He killed Josh!” Tina wailed. “He's a murderer! He killed Josh. How can you help him now? He's a murderer! Doesn't that mean anything to you?”

Carla continued to ignore Tina. She moved toward Chris. “I'm here to help you, Chris. You know that. You do know that—don't you?”

“We're both here to help you,” Steve said. “What can we do?”

Chris rubbed the back of his head. He winced in pain. Tina could see him struggle to keep his eyes in focus. “Judy won't pose for me anymore,” he told his friends. “I want to get a few more shots.”

“Okay,” Carla replied. “Steve and I will help. How about if I take a shot of you and Judy together? For your portfolio.”

“No!” Tina cried. “You're
both
crazy! I'm
not
Judy, and I'm not posing with him!”

Carla shot her an angry look.

“Better do what she says,” Holly whispered.

I can't sit next to him, Tina thought. I won't. I'd rather die than have him touch me again.

“Steve, bring me a camera,” Carla instructed, keeping her eyes on Chris.

Steve walked over to the table, picked up a camera, and handed it to Carla.

“Here.” Carla held it out to Chris. “You adjust the settings, and I'll take the picture.”

She turned to Tina. “Judy, stand over here.” She motioned Tina over toward Chris. “Hurry.”

Tina swallowed. I can't. I can't.

“Take your camera,” Carla urged Chris. She held it out to him.

Chris reached for the camera.

Carla grabbed the scissors from his hand.

“Grab him!” she shouted to Steve. “Quick!”

Steve dived forward.

Wrapped his arms around Chris.

Dragged him to the floor.

As Tina stared in shock, Chris slumped to the floor. He didn't struggle. He curled up, covering his face with his hands. “Why'd you have to ruin it again? Why?” he wailed. “Why?”

Carla hurried over to Tina and Holly. “I'm so sorry.” Carla slid her arm around Tina. “I didn't know. I didn't know what he was doing. I can't believe he killed Josh. I really can't!”

“You—you didn't work with him?” Tina demanded. “You weren't helping him with the whole thing?”

“No!” Carla cried. “No. You've
got
to believe me! Steve and I played along with him now—just so we could get the scissors away from him, just so we could make sure you were safe.”

Tina sighed. “I … believe you.”

Holly wrapped Tina in a hug. The three girls clung to each other.

Steve stood guard over Chris, never shifting his gaze away.

Tina sobbed. “You should see Josh's face.”

“I'm calling the police,” Holly said.

“I feel so horrible,” Carla murmured. “Chris told me Josh was with another girl this weekend. He said Josh had been secretly going out with her
for months. Oh, Tina, I'm so sorry. Chris said we had to keep you from finding out about the other girl.”

“I was camping in the mountains,” Steve said. “Carla told me Josh was off with some girl, and you were here with Chris.”

“That's when Steve set me straight,” Carla interrupted. “Steve told me that Chris was lying. He told me that Josh hasn't been with anyone but you. He said that Josh had been planning all week for your visit.”

“That's why he didn't go on the camping trip,” Steve explained.

Tina let the tears roll down her cheeks. Poor Josh.

“That's when I panicked,” Carla told Tina. “Josh wasn't with another girl and he wasn't camping with Steve. So where was he? That's when I figured Chris had done something to him.”

“He murdered Judy, too. He told me,” Tina choked out. “I should have suspected something. I—I—”

“Oh, I should have figured it out. He'd go into these deep depressions over Judy,” Steve broke in. “If you talked to him, he wouldn't even hear you. He talked about Judy all the time.”

“The police will be here in a minute,” Holly
announced, returning. “This weekend has been such a nightmare. Such a horrible nightmare.”

Slumped on the floor, Chris raised his eyes to Tina. “I'll develop your pictures, Judy. Tomorrow. You'll like them. This time you'll really like them. You'll be so happy, Judy. I'll make you happy. I really will.”

Tina covered her ears with her hands and rushed out of the studio. I can't listen to him anymore! she told herself. I can't!