Kyla’s Secret

Kyla finished her writing early one evening and was glad to know she’d be leaving the university in less than two weeks. The assignment had been boring as hell and even depressing at times. She was still committed to the task in light of Meagan’s “disappearance” and had been instructed not to mention the case in her project—especially since the investigation was still open. Kyla sat back in her chair with a sigh and rubbed her tired eyes. When she wasn’t bored or missing family and friends back home, she was stressing over Meagan and what the police might have uncovered. She knew the body hadn’t been discovered yet because she was certain that information would have been made public. She’d placed the container with the girl’s body well out of view from the road and knew the area wasn’t traveled frequently. Unless someone stopped to pee or used it as a shortcut for some reason not visible on Google Maps, it could be years before it was discovered. Another possibility was if something were ever built there. There was no way to predict for sure, but if Kyla had to guess, she wouldn’t count on it never being discovered. She just didn’t expect it to be discovered any time soon. The question was whether or not it could be tied to her when it was. Kyla looked at the clock. It would be a few hours before Zoey came in. Hungry and out of snacks and drinks, she decided to settle her munchies in the meantime and head out to the local convenience store. She locked the door and headed down the corridors. It was the most active time in the dorm. She passed several students along the way, some gabbing in open doorways, others clustered in the lounge. Music spilled out of a few rooms. How the hell do they manage to study with all this commotion? she wondered. Earlier in the day, Kyla had entered the dorm when it was still light out and just barely warm enough to go without a jacket. Now it was dark and chilly. She shivered as she started the SUV, longing for the warmth of home, then pulled out of the parking lot. Kyla entered the store a few minutes later. A guy in his twenties was behind the counter, looking as bored as she was. He nodded to her as she passed by. The place was deserted as she moved through a few aisles, gathering bottled water, soda, cakes, and candy. “Damn, this job is going to end up putting ten pounds on me if it doesn’t end soon,” she muttered. She was just about to head toward the cashier when she heard it: “Give me your fucking money now and don’t do anything stupid!” You’ve got to be kidding me! First I accidentally kill someone and now I’m going to be killed as well?! She’d always believed in karma, but she hadn’t meant to kill Meagan! She’d bring her back to life in a heartbeat if she could. Think! she commanded herself. Then she heard another voice. “I’ll gather some shit while you collect, bro.” Oh, great. There were two of them. Footsteps approached as she heard a shot fired toward the front of the store. She dropped her items and ran, terrified, toward the back. There had to be a back door. Maybe it would even set off a fire alarm and alert the police when she opened it. “Got one back here!” someone shouted. They’d heard her drop the items and seen them scattered on the floor. Running full speed, she heard footsteps closing in. She’d almost made it to the door when strong arms seized her by the waist. She screamed, kicked, and swung her arms wildly, but the man wouldn’t loosen his grip. She couldn’t see his face or his accomplice’s, who had also joined them. “He dead?” asked the man holding her. “Yeah, he’s toast.” Her heart sank. If they could casually kill the cashier, why would they spare her? And what would they do before they ended it? “Where’s the money?” the man holding her demanded. “I was waiting for you.” “Oh, come on, man! Can’t you do anything on your own? We haven’t got all fucking night! Get the money and let’s go!” The other man ran off. Kyla felt herself being dragged away from the back door toward the front. She fought as hard as she could, but only made him angrier. “Stop it, you bitch! You’re going to die anyway, so no amount of fighting is going to do you any good. Just shut up and calm your ass down!” “You’ll never get away with this!” Kyla shouted. “Yeah? Well, we already did twice, so don’t be too sure of yourself, cunt.” “Fuck you, you cock!” she spat, fighting harder. If she was going to die, she wasn’t about to make it easy. Before her captor could reply, a woman screamed from the front, followed by another gunshot. “Fuck!” her captor swore. Then he shouted, “Dan?” “Yeah?” “What the fuck is going on? Why are you taking so long? Get the money, shoot this bitch, and let’s get the fuck outa here!” “Hey, man, people are pulling into the parking lot,” Dan said, fear creeping into his voice. “We gotta go, man. Ain’t no more time left.” “We can’t leave this bitch alive! You know that. Grab the money and get back here. We’ll bust out the back door and—” “The fucking money drawer is jammed!” “You gotta be fucking kidding!” “I’m sorry, man, I can’t get it open! I got some cash from the dude’s pockets, though.” “Get back here, Dan! This bitch is going with us instead.” He rubbed Kyla’s breasts in anticipation. “I’m not walking out of here empty-handed. Oh, hell no.” Dan ran up and his partner began pushing her forward. “Move it, cunt.” “NOOO!” Kyla screamed. “I am not fucking going with you sick fucks!” “You have no choice,” Dan said. “The hell I don’t!” she screamed, kicking and thrashing harder than ever. She hoped her swearing and aggression would put them off, but instead it only seemed to excite them. “I said move it or I’ll pick you up and carry you out of this fucking place!” the man roared. “I can’t move faster because you’re hurting me. If you’d stop trying to pull my arm out of its socket, maybe I could move faster.” “Ease up, Rick,” Dan muttered. Kyla continued to resist, stalling for time. Where were the cops? Surely someone had heard the shots. Didn’t Dan say people were pulling in? Maybe they’d seen the carnage and were calling the police right now. But they weren’t fast enough, she thought as the back door loomed closer. Only twenty feet away. She struggled harder. If only she were bigger, stronger. Then again, maybe she’d just be shot faster. Alive meant a chance to escape. Ten feet from the door. “Fucking move it, you fucking bitch, or else I swear I’ll kill you right now!” “Okay, goddamn it!” Kyla screamed, then suddenly lunged for the door. It didn’t work. She was yanked back. “Not that fucking fast, bitch.” “First I’m too slow, then I’m too fast. Make up your fucking mind, prick!” A fist struck the back of her head. Anger flared. She pulled her leg forward, then kicked back with all her strength. Her foot slammed into Rick’s kneecap, sending him howling. “Oh, by the way, I kick like a racehorse,” she sneered. “Shoulda told you that first.” Dan froze, dumbstruck. He glanced between Rick and Kyla. Kyla seized the moment, turned, and bolted. She’d barely reached for the door handle when Dan grabbed her. “You fucking bitch! Did you really have to do that?” “Stupid question to ask someone being kidnapped, don’t you think, buddy?” “Oh, fuck you, bitch. If you could’ve just stood there…” “And what? Let your friend shoot me? Maybe rape me first?” “You’re going to The Hill either way.” Kyla blinked at the unexpected comment. Rick staggered up with Dan’s help, and Dan added, “Yeah, they’d love this bitch there, all right.” Sirens wailed in the distance. Relief surged in Kyla as panic crossed her captors’ faces. Rick lunged again, but she dashed for the door before he could reach her. His breath was on her neck as she shoved through the door at breakneck speed and into the night beyond.