The Black Lake: Tales of Melancholic Horror (6 page)

Marsha planted her warm palms on Caroline's cheeks and said, “You don't have to go away, sweetheart. I want you to stay with me. Stay with
us.
I want you to... to grow up with your sister. I want you to protect her. And, someday, we'll even tell your father. We'll be a family. You can stay. You can always stay. Does that sound good to you?”

Caroline smiled from ear-to-ear as she nodded and responded, “I love you, mommy...”

The sturdy door rattled as the knocking reverberated through the modest apartment – the door being pummeled like if a police squad waited on the other side. Daniel Patterson smiled from ear-to-ear upon hearing the relentless thuds. He turned off the faucet, then wiped his sopping hands on his brown pleated trousers.

Without a door or archway in his path, he stumbled out of the kitchen and into the seamlessly-connected living room. His brown dress shoes clacked on the hardwood flooring with each plodding step. He shuffled in his tight white button-up shirt, trying to find the perfect comfort in the smothering garment. He stopped directly in front of the rattling door, then gazed at his reflection on the pristine mirror to his right.

“Tonight's the night, Danny, don't screw this up for us,” Daniel whispered as he gazed into his zany blue eyes. He spit a blob gooey saliva into his hand, then dug his slimy fingers into his thinning black hair. With a corporate grin, flaunting his straight teeth, Daniel whispered, “Let's do this, boy. Let's get her back on Team Danny and keep her there this time.”

The door trembled from the persistent knocking. Danny inhaled deeply, then opened the door. He couldn't help but smirk as he inspected his fuming guest. With deviancy sparkling in his eyes, Daniel blatantly ogled every curve on Diana's voluptuous figure.

Daniel wiped the beads of sweat trickling down his brow and said, “Hey, Diana! I knew you were running a little late, I knew you'd show up. Anyway, you look... you look absolutely
ravishing,
sweetheart! Wow! You've taken my breath away once again.”

Straight-faced, Diana Patterson stood at the doorway and crossed her arms. She donned a black button-up shirt tucked into a tight black skirt sitting above her kneecaps. Her black stockings veiled her sultry legs and her black high heels propelled her to a five-eight stature – a few inches below Danny. Her straight black hair reached down to the strap of the black leather bag dangling from her shoulder. Her piercing brown eyes could penetrate the most fortified facade – she was incapable of being duped.

Diana scowled and said, “You've seen it all before. What do you want, Daniel? You asked for five minutes, so I'm giving you five minutes. The clock is ticking.”

Daniel's eyelids twitched as he swayed his arm into his apartment and stuttered, “We–welcome to my–my humble abode, sweetheart.”

“Humble abode?
Really?
”

Diana huffed, then strutted into the living room. She sighed as she inspected the cramped apartment. The living room and kitchen were seamlessly-connected – only the transition from hardwood to linoleum tile flooring separated the areas. At the center of the living area, the wall on the left splintered into a hallway with four doors. The first door led to the storage closet, the second to a bathroom, and the last two doors in the hall led to the bedrooms.

As Diana walked towards the hallway, Daniel said, “Sweetheart, I don't think I asked for five minutes. I mean, I asked... I asked for dinner, remember? Five minutes won't be enough time to eat our special meal. Can we talk about this?”

Disregarding Daniel's plea, Diana gazed down the hallway and said, “Where's my sweetheart? Where's Mary? I'd like to have a little talk with her. Share some mother-daughter time. Maybe give her an allowance.”

Daniel chuckled and shook his head, then said, “There's no need for that, Diana. She doesn't need your money.”

“That's fine. I'm sure you're taking good care of her with your... your 'managing' job. She could probably use a female figure to talk to, though. I'm sure you haven't been telling her everything she needs to know about being a woman.”

Daniel nervously smiled, his nose and eyes erratically twitching. He responded, “It's... It's a good paying management job, Diana. A very good paying job. I've been taking care of her for a long time. I think I know what I'm doing. You... well, you really haven't...”

Diana shook her head and glowered in vexation, like if she knew the words Daniel would utter if she didn't stop him. She turned away, then banged on the hallway wall. The picture frames bounced off the wall with each brutish blow.

Diana shouted, “Mary! Mary, mommy's home! I've got something special for you! Mary, come on out, sweetie!” There was no response. Diana turned towards Daniel and asked, “Where's Mary? Where's my daughter?”

“She's... She's probably listening to music. You know kids these days, Diana. They listen to music so loud on those damn headphones, the neighbors can hear it. I'll warn her about that later, I promise.”

Diana sighed, then nonchalantly strolled down the hallway. Daniel stumbled forward, clumsily tripping over his lanky legs as he pursued Diana. Before Diana could reach the bathroom door, Daniel tightly clenched her wrist and pulled her back.

Diana glared at Daniel and shouted, “Let go of me! What the hell is wrong with you?” Daniel bowed and planted his damp brow on Diana's unclad forearm. Diana warned, “If you don't release me and allow me to see
my
daughter, I will leave. I don't have to give you five minutes.
Let me go.
”

Daniel sniveled as he stood straight and released Diana's wrist. Diana furrowed her brow as she gazed into Daniel's teary eyes. His face was scrunched, his nose leaked mucus, and his mouth was brimming with saliva. He was vulnerable and enfeebled. She had never seen him in such a distraught condition.

Daniel clasped his hands and pleaded, “Please, Diana, give me a few more minutes. I've cooked a special meal for us. Mary is... She's in her room listening to music. She agreed to give me some time alone with you. She wants this as much as I do. Please, let's just have dinner and reconnect. I won't force myself onto you, but I'm begging for one more chance.
Please.
”

Diana sighed as she gently glided her fingers across the silky hair sprawled on her shoulder. She grunted and groaned as she stared into Daniel's glistening eyes, like staring into the eyes of a puppy begging for a treat. Diana had a cold exterior, but she still felt sympathy and pity.

Diana glanced down at her high heels and said, “Fine. What's for dinner?”

***

Diana sighed as she flumped into the dining table chair. She leaned forward, planting her elbows on the circular hardwood table, then retrieved her touchscreen cellphone. Like a child dragged to the doctor's office by her parents, Diana absentmindedly fiddled with her phone and ignored her surroundings. Her inattentive face was solely illuminated by the chandelier above the dining table.

From the oven, Daniel said, “It's good to have you here. How have you been doing, sweetheart? You need any money or anything like that? I've been doing well for myself, you know. Financially, I think I'll be doing even
better
after tonight. So, if you need it, I have it.” He glanced over at Diana and asked, “How much do you need?”

Diana scoffed at Daniel's shameless vaunting, shaking her head in a combination of disgust and disappointment. Daniel sniffled as he erratically blinked and turned back towards the oven. Only one explanation seemed rational in his mind –
Diana didn't hear me.
There were no other viable options.

Daniel whispered, “Danny, you idiot, you need to speak up...”

The oven door squealed as it slowly opened – the hinges squeaked like a rat in an empty auditorium. With his hands veiled by crimson oven mitts, Daniel carefully delved into the sweltering oven and retrieved the aluminum roasting pan.

With a gleeful smile, he sashayed towards Diana, then placed the pan at the center of the dining table. There were thick slices of juicy steak atop the pan. The delectable aroma swept through the room, dancing in-and-out of baited nostrils. Diana's eyes widened as she caught a whiff of the pleasant smell.

Daniel placed a slab on Diana's plate and said, “
Bon appétit.
” He tossed a slice of the tender steak on his plate and said, “Let's dig in, sweetheart. I promise, this will be the greatest, most liberating meal of your life.”

“
Liberating?
” Diana repeated in a dubious tone.

“Yes! Liberating, sweetheart! Trust me, it's going to change your life.”

Diana huffed and shook her head as Daniel brazenly lauded himself. She sliced into the juicy steak with the utmost ease, like a knife cutting through butter. She inhaled deeply as she balanced the steak on a fork directly in front of her eyes. She meticulously examined the meat for any anomalies – she could
not
be duped. Daniel eagerly watched from the opposite end of the table.

Diana whispered, “Okay, here goes nothing...”

Diana's eyes widened as she gnawed into the steak. The juices streamed across her tongue and squirted from between her teeth. Her taste buds tingled from the succulent flavor, like if a colony of ants were marching across her tongue.

Diana covered her mouth as she chewed the steak and ecstatically said, “
Wow.
” She swallowed the piquant steak with one loud gulp, then said, “This is absolutely delicious, Danny. This is just... This is
heavenly.
I can't even think of the words to describe this. You've got yourself a great recipe here. You should think about selling it.”

Daniel smiled and said, “I'm so happy to hear that, sweetheart. I've been working hard to improve myself. I've really been trying to rebuild myself and... and better myself. I know now, Diana, I can change the circumstances around me. I'm in control.”

“That's... That's great, Danny.”

“Great? It's
perfect.
I am a better me. I've done so much to change. I mean, I may not look different, but I
am
different. Believe me, sweetheart, I've given us the opportunity to shine once again. Nothing can hold us back anymore.”

Diana twiddled her food with her spotless fork as she gazed at the red juices streaming across the white ceramic plate, like staring into rivers of blood on a snowy plain. She was lost in her dreadful contemplation – lost in a maze of doubt.

Diana frowned and said, “I know you've been trying, Daniel. I can see that very clearly. I know I can be a little snobby, too, and I'm sorry about that.” Daniel grinned like a child on Christmas. Diana continued, “But... it's over between us. We can't get back together because your cooking is incredible. We can't get back together because you're making a little more money than before. It doesn't work like that. We're done. We've been done for a very long time. I know you called me to try to work things out, but it won't work out. I'm sorry.”

Daniel clenched his jaw as she stared at Diana with narrowed eyes. He grimaced from the emotional pain, then bowed. His somber tears trickled onto his plate, his sorrow blending with the red rivers. Daniel sniffled as he wiped the tears from his rosy cheeks.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, then asked, “Is... Is there another man? Is that it? Is he trying to keep you hostage or something? He's not letting you leave, right?” As Diana tilted her head like a curious pup, Daniel sternly said, “He can be dealt with, I promise. I can change the circumstances, I can change anything. I can handle him.”

Diana shook her head and responded, “I think I'm done eating. Only a few minutes in and I've already lost my appetite. Unbelievable.”

Abruptly, Daniel slammed his fists on the dining table. The table wobbled from the powerful blow. The silverware clanked as the set bounced a centimeter into the air. The beverages swirled, creating vortexes of red wine. Daniel stood up, breathing heavily as he unfastened the three buttons at the top of his dress shirt.

He wagged his index finger at Diana and said, “I know what this is really about. This is... This is Mary's fault, isn't it? You didn't want a daughter with me. You never wanted a daughter with me. That's why you left me, right? It's because of the girl,
right?
”

Flustered, Diana tossed her napkin aside and said, “I love her. I
love
Mary, Daniel. Don't you ever question
my
love for
my
daughter. Don't try to blame anything on her, either, you know exactly why I left you. You know it has nothing to do with her or another man.”

Daniel diabolically chuckled, then rebutted, “A real mother would
kill
to stay with her daughter. It's... It's part of the motherly DNA. You would have fought me for custody if you cared so damn much about her.”

Diana was at a lost for words as she glared at Daniel. She couldn't catch his curveball. She couldn't read his intentions or his demeanor – a cloud of ambiguity engulfed him. Daniel was furious and menacing, his eyes were feral and bestial. Yet, he seemed composed and nonchalant.

Hesitant and apprehensive, Diana stuttered, “I–I don't...”

Daniel smirked as he interrupted, “I fixed that problem, Diana. I changed the playing field. I changed the circumstances. You can come back to me. Mary won't bother you anymore, I promise. You don't need another man for money or pleasure. You can stop running.”

Diana shook her head and said, “I'm done with you, Daniel. I've given you more than enough time. I'm leaving.”

***