Belinda's Story

Belinda’s Story

By: Roger Alderman

After my death at the hands of the twin fishermen, I stand a silent and unseen vigil in the small roadside Diner. My unfinished task to offer witness to the tales of this small town in Florida called Port St John. I watched as a young couple entered and settled in for dinner. The waitress approached as she usually does and collected their order.

The dark-haired young man in a gray t-shirt and jeans leaned in and asked, "What happened then?" The heavily perfumed athletic blonde-haired teen girl looked around and leaned in close to the boy, but the tale she offered was a warning. The following was the message I took away from the conversation I witnessed.

The modern world holds many very real dangers that would drive the general population to madness if they knew the truth of the unseen world. That simple truth is that we are surrounded by creatures of myth and legend, but not all have rainbows and happy endings awaiting the brave or dumb. Belinda's story illustrates just how ignorance of the unseen world and rash thought can lead any one of us to a bitter harvest.

The front door to the small apartment burst open, as a frightened woman in her secretarial office wear enters weeping. Belinda turns and slams the door closed, "Angel! Where are you? We have to stop it!" Her confused blonde roommate walks out of her bedroom in a nightshirt half asleep wiping at the crust at the corner of her eyes," What's with all the yelling? I was taking a quick nap?"

Belinda locks the front door and storms down the small hallway with light wooden flooring to Angel, "It was real! It's all real!" Angel combs her hands through her hair as she pulls her mane back into a quick ponytail, "What are you talking about? What's real?" Belinda grabs Angel by the shoulders and looks into her eyes with conviction, "That website."

Angel brushes Belinda's hands from her shoulders as a growing demeanor of disbelief builds in her facial expression, "I told you the site was a goof there is no such thing as real witches or magical curses. You're just overreacting to a bad day." Belinda wipes the building tears from her eyes, "No, there is no way that this was just a normal bad day." "Besides even if it that was all real. Your bitch of a boss deserved whatever came from it," Angel shrugs and leads Belinda to the weathered leather sofa.

Belinda shakes her head, "Everything I said was an exaggeration and the liquor didn't help. I never wanted anyone to get hurt." "Sit down," Angel demanded from her spooked roommate. Belinda settled in next to Angel and set her purse of the cheap particle board coffee table.  "So, what happened," Angel exhaled and offered a scrutinizing look to her roommate.

"Well, I got to work, and everyone was in a panic running around shredding papers. I asked Ronny the maintenance guy what was going on and he said that the whole office was under investigation for selling fake timeshares," Belinda started shaking as she spoke. "Ouch," Angel recoiled at the picture Belinda was painting of the day's activities.

"The Fed's showed up and started arresting people left and right. I thought I was going to jail after the questioned me about my job at the office," Belinda buried her face into her palms and sobbed. "Belinda, come on now, quit crying and tell me what happened," Angel lifted Belinda's face by her chins while holding a compassionate look at her roommate's confession.

Belinda took a deep thought clearing breath, "They took everyone, but Ronny and me away in handcuffs." Angels look of compassion turned back to confusion, "Okay, so you didn't go to jail." Belinda shook her head, No. Angel continued her investigation, "You were not arrested." Belinda shook her head, No. Angel's confusion mounted, "Were you fined?" Belinda shook her head in defiance of her question.

Angel stood and looked down at Belinda with a judgmental glare, "So why the hell are you crying?" Belinda began weeping again, "I knew you wouldn't understand." Angel shrugged, "What's to understand? Your bitch of a boss and those other dicks who gave you such grief were arrested for illegal real estate deals. They are in jail you're free." Belinda shook her head, "But." "But nothing! Cheer up things are bound to get better I promise, sheesh girl," Angel flopped back down next to her very emotional roommate.

Belinda's expression told Angel there was more to come. "What? Just spit it out already?" Angel exclaimed impatiently. "They froze all the accounts," Belinda blurted out. "So," Angel interrupted. "Even payroll," Belinda offered. "Leroy will understand you just need time to get another job. We have never been late with the rent before. I'm sure it will be okay," Angel shrugged, "Besides he has a crush on me." Angel smiled as she leaped to her feet and started to Twerk in an effort to disarm her friend's emotional state, "I'll just wiggle my butt and he'll agree to anything."

Belinda chuckled through her tears and emotions, "You would you slut." They both laughed at the thought. Angel hugged Belinda, "It'll all be fine you just wait and see. I got you. You and I will either fail or succeed together."

Belinda smiled, "You always know just the thing to say to get me out of my bad mood." Angel stands up and strikes a sexy pose, "Of course I'm a gorgeous bitch! Now, go get a shower we are going out tonight." "Pinto's Lounge?" Belinda asked with a smile.

"Now go wash the stink off and let's go," Angel motioned for Belinda to shoo away. Belinda practically skipped out of the living room and made her way to her room to find clothes and get a shower. "Hey, I think the bartender's nephew will be there tonight with his band," Angel spoke loud enough for her roommate to hear in her room.

Belinda slipped down the hallway clothes in hand and entered the bathroom to shower and prepare for the night's fun to come. As she stood in the shower with the steamy hot water caressing her athletic frame Belinda heard Angel enter her room and then walk to the living room, "I'll be out in a few."

"Okay," Angel's voice echoed down the barren wood floored hallway. Belinda got out of the shower and toweled off. She paused hearing the doorbell ring, "Could you get that, Angel." Angels voice responded through the cheap apartment bathroom door, "Yeah, but hurry up before I change my mind about going out." Belinda thought to herself, "You had better not I just washed my hair."

Twenty minutes passed, Belinda finally emerged from the bathroom surrounded followed by a steamy mist. Belinda gaged as she saw a lite haze wafting through the apartment followed by the pungent odor of incense, "Good god, Angel, What's that horrible stink?"

"Um, Belinda, could you please come to the front room,"Angel's voice called out. "Sure, who was at the door?" Belinda called out as she transverse the hallway to the front room. Belinda adjusted the belt of her dress as she entered the living room, "Does this look okay?"

Belinda paused her entry to the living room as an expression of fear slowly filled her face, "What the?" She looked into the incense smoke-filled room filled with a people in long darkened robes. Angel was bound by rope and sitting in the center of a ring of black candles on top of a quickly spray-painted pentagram.

"Belinda, is there something you need to tell me?" Angel asked. "I thought you said the site was fake?" Belinda blurted out. A single robed figure stepped forward and pulled a long-serrated bowie style camp knife from out of his sleeve, "You ignored our calls about the bounced check. Consider this our collection policy."

The robed figure ran its gloved fingers through Angel's hair and grabbed a handful by the root and bent her head backward exposing her neck.  "No, please!" Angel and Belinda yelled out. "I life take for a life owed," the robed figure slid the knife between Angel's clavicle and neck allowing a fount like eruption of crimson to bellow out of the wound.

The bright crimson sprayed onto Belinda in rhythm to Angel's pounding heartbeat. Belinda stood frozen as she watched her roommate's life drain away. Angels eyes slowly glazed over, and her body collapsed to the floor following the last winding droplets of blood oozing from her wide-open wound.

Belinda stood motionless unable to find her voice. The robed figure stepped across the slowly growing pool of her roommate's essence. The pungent metallic smell of blood mixed with the odor of the incense. The robed figure stopped in front of Belinda as her eyes widened.

The blonde girl stopped her story as the young man across from her chuckled, "Well, that's the way I heard the story." Dan stood up from his booth and walked out of the diner followed by the Blonde. Outside Dan stopped and turned to face Daphne, "Who told you that's how it happened?"

Daphne shrugged, "I think it was Gale. Why?" Dan opened the trunk of his car. Daphne look in with surprise and horror, "What the?" Dane smiled as he looked down at the very much still alive Belinda bound in his trunk next to his dark robe and bloody knife, "we saved Belinda for later."

Daphne turned to run, but Dan's reflexes proved faster. She tried to call out for help but found no voice. Dan had her by the throat then forcefully bounced her head against the trunk edge and dumped her body into the trunk. I could do nothing but watch and witness Dan slowly and methodically drive away.