A Birthday To Remember

Ch 1

The sun was just barely above the horizon as Jennifer arrived at the house. It was her sixteenth birthday today and she had just got her new car and was taking it out for a spin with her best friend Anne. It was about seven, Jennifer hadn’t figured out how to work the clock in the car yet. She parked the car on the side of the road and walked up to the steps. She turned the handle once to see if it was locked, it was. She reached for her keys in her back pocket and unlocked the door. They entered the house; no one seemed to be home, although that could be told by the fact that there were no other cars in the driveway. So they climbed the stairs to Jennifer’s room and sat down. Of course, the first thing Jennifer did was plop down right in front of the computer, while Anne on the other hand lay down on the bed and turned on the television. “Well, happy birthday again Jennifer,” said Anne with a smile.

“Thanks, it’s so unreal. I don’t even feel changed, yet I can’t help but think I am.”

“I know what you mean”, replied Anne. “I still remember when I turned six,” the doorbell sounded.

Jennifer strolled down the stairs and opened the door. No one there; she automatically thought it was the Harrison twins that lived next door playing yet another prank on her. She took it as nothing and went back up to continue her conversation with Anne. “So what were you saying Anne?”

“Oh, never mind it was nothing important anyway,” The doorbell rang out again.

“Dear lord, will these kids give it a rest already!” Jennifer stormed down the stairs threw open the door and noticing no one was there yelled out, “Stop screwing around you little assholes!” she slammed the door locked it and went back up stairs. But just as she reached the top the doorbell rang yet again. This time, though, she didn’t answer, finally fed up with the two delinquents. “I’m getting so tired of those two brats.”

“Why do they bother giving you so much trouble? It’s a waste of time in my opinion,” Anne’s voice was followed by a loud bang resonating off the window causing both girls to jump and Anne to scream. Jennifer was never frightened too easily. “What the hell was that”, said Anne, with obvious fear in her voice.

“I don’t know, probably still the twins”, Jennifer replied. “Let’s just ignore them; they’ll get bored eventually…”

About two hours passed without any interruptions what so ever. Dark was officially settled across the neighborhood. The street lamps flickered on with their normal yellow glow. The only thing that seemed unusual to Jennifer was that the motion sensor lights in the backyard had to yet to turn off. She thought maybe an animal was out there moving about. But an animal would make plenty of noise moving around outside. Everything was in a still calmness, but Jennifer still couldn’t shake the goose bumps crawling down her neck and proceeding to her feet, “Hey, Anne?”

“Yeah,” Anne’s voice sounded tired.

“Do you think someone might be out there?”

“Maybe the twins?” she replied.

“No their mother would have called them in at eight as usual. I’m going to take a look outside real quick”. She opened the backdoor; the motion sensor lights went off. She jumped with a bit of surprise.

“Hey… the Television turned off…” Anne fumbled with the remote and checked to see if the television was unplugged, it wasn’t.

“The fuse box must have malfunctioned or something, I guess we’ll be without power tonight,” Jennifer’s voice was shaky. “My dad is the only person who knows how to fix it.”

About thirty minutes passed and a knock on the door sounded. “I wonder who that could be”, Jennifer said slightly startled. She opened the door to find no one there, yet again. She turned to Anne “Okay, this is getting creepy now.”

“I know isn’t it? It’s like the beginning of some horror movie…”

“Well gee Anne just give me another reason to think something weird could be going on!” “Sorry,” Anne said remorsefully. “It’s fine, I’m just really creeped out right now”.

Creeped out? Jennifer is never “creeped out”, Anne thought to herself. BOOM! An enormous knock on the door sounded.

“What was that”, Jennifer said as her heart skipped a beat. Anne looked her in the eye with fear spread out in plane sight across her face. Jennifer walked to the door, her hand slowly slid on the shining, gold orb and felt it turn oh so slightly in her hand. The door opened just a crack, making what seemed to be the loudest noise she had ever heard.

“he-hello”, Jennifer said with a gulp.

“Why, I seem to since a little hesitance in your voice, may I ask why you are so scared?” A gleam of silver, Jennifer Slammed the door turned the lock and slid in the dead bolt. “What is it?” Anne was sitting on the couch in a position she could run from.

“He has a gun”, Jennifer replied wide eyed.

Ch 2

“What, are you serious!?” Anne was bewildered.

“Yes I’m serious! I wouldn’t joke about some guy with a gun at my front door Anne.”

“What are we going to do?” Anne whispered hoarsely.

“Um… upstairs, my dad has a gun in the closet in his room”.

“You’re not planning to kill him or something are you Jennifer?”

“No, but maybe we could get him to drop his weapon or scare him off or something, it’s a pretty big gun Anne.”

Jennifer opened the closet in her parent’s bedroom and reached for a long, wide box on the top shelf. “Okay, this is it”. Anne looked at her warningly as if to say “be careful” in her own little way. Jennifer took the lid off of the box, reached in, and pulled out a fully loaded shotgun. “See, I told you it was a big gun.”

Anne simply stared in awe at what seemed to the girls to be a behemoth but to a soldier like her dad was nothing more then basic cable.

“So what are you going to do with it Jennifer?”

“I’m going to try and scare the crap out of him with this thing”.

“You’re dad is unreal…” Anne stared at the 12 gage lying in Jennifer’s hands. “He just keeps this crap in the house!?”

“Apparently,” replied Jennifer.

“I don’t suppose you’re planning on shooting me with that are you?” A tall, rigged man stood in the doorway, gun held in his right hand. Anne gave out a scream of fright, Jennifer just stood there frozen in shock. The man walked towards Jennifer, she raised the gun to his eye level, a mere maybe 1 inch above hers; Jennifer was always a tall girl. The man laughed “You think you have the guts to shoot me? Then do it.” Jennifer’s hands were shaking uncontrollably now, what could she do? She wasn’t going to just shoot him dead.

Everything seemed to happen in fast forward for Jennifer, all in a blur. Like a flash the man’s gun whipped across her face. Jennifer could hear Anne’s scream, but it sounded as if it was from 2 miles away. Everything faded, her vision slipped, her ears seemed to stop working, then nothingness settled in on her like a plague.

Jennifer’s vision started to come back slowly, but surely. Shapes that were almost non existent were taking form. A chair, four walls, a door, one window, she didn’t know this place at all. She looked around for a moment. Her head was pounding with pain, her temple burned at the touch of her fingers. She looked up and saw a mirror. She took a good, long look in it. She only saw what she usually saw, an extraordinarily beautiful girl with soft brown hair and light blue eyes. A gift from god as her father told her often that she was. The only thing intruding on her beauty was a bruise coming from her left temple to her cheek. She touched it and winced.

She didn’t know where she was at the moment. It seemed to be an upper most level of a house. She peered out the window, it was still dark outside.

She heard the door open with a long sound that seemed to reverberate off of her head making it hurt worse.

“Well hello there, my dear.”

She turned to see the same man from before. She looked around, no way out. “I see you’re starting to bruise a little there”. He touched her face gently receiving a hard smack across the face from Jennifer. “Why you little,” He hit her one good time across her already bruised face. She yelled out in agony and felt herself hit the floor. “Oh, this night will just be grand won’t it?” He looked her in the eyes and smiled, “Happy birthday Jennifer.”



A loud thump sounded as the steal toe of the man’s boot landed on Jennifer’s stomach. She grimaced.

“Ah, what a beautiful, beautiful girl, it’s a shame, it certainly is…” he gave Jennifer another kick to the stomach. She gasped for air, but couldn’t seem to find it. She clawed at the floor, her lungs flexing and stretching, finally air filled her lungs and she could breathe.

Jennifer took a good look at the man; he was ugly, tremendously ugly. Muscles protruded from every nook and cranny of his hideous form. She threw up a little in her mouth.

“Is there something you dislike about my appearance?” He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her face close to his. “If so, please do tell.”

She spat in his face. He threw her face down across the floor. “I see, still not ready for conversation are you?” He stomped on her leg; she could hear it snap under his wait like a twig. She cried out in pain and felt fresh tears melting out of her eyes.

“Why are you doing this to me?” Jennifer said with a pain filled voice.

“Because, your beauty on the outside does not match your ugliness on the inside, I just thought it was about damn time someone showed you that.”

It had been about an hour of the same thing until he sat her up in a chair and pulled one up right in front of her. It was agonizing. The brutality of this mans strength and hate was too great for anyone to stand. Jennifer had a broken leg, a bruised face, and a broken rib, no blood somehow. She waited in the room sitting in the chair staring him in the face until finally he spoke, “So, tell me a little about yourself, well things that I don’t already know from looking at you”.

“Where’s Anne?”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s really important at the moment now is it?” “Where is she?!” Jennifer screamed at the top of her lungs. He smacked her across the face. She noticed his hands were covered in blood, but she wasn’t bleeding.

Possibilities ran through Jennifer’s mind all at once. Maybe she was bleeding before but is not now, no, she would have the seen the cut or dried blood in the mirror earlier. She kept trying to avoid the thought that kept running through her mind, but it was no use.

“You killed her didn’t you?”

The man gave a hardy laugh and just smiled

Ch. 3

It was about eight o’clock when Zeke Hayze, Jennifer’s father, arrived at the house. The door was still locked so he guessed that the girls were still out “partying” it up. He unlocked the door and stepped inside and flipped a light switch. The power was out. “Must be that damned fuse box again”, he mumbled to himself. Mr. Hayze walked through the back door and ran his hand along the wall until he finally reached a small door. He opened it and walked it inside. His fingers fumbled along the wall until he found the fuse box. He opened it, hit a few buttons, nothing. Then he noticed that the wires were unplugged. He hooked them back up and left the small room. The lights were back on.

Mr. Hayze was a single parent, Jennifer’s mother, his wife, had died a few years ago of breast cancer. He never fully got over it. It had left him “socially challenged.” It was a traumatic experience for both him and Jennifer. They had been married 17 years and had a beautiful daughter who loved them both dearly. It was a down right shame she died 2 years before she turned sixteen, Jennifer was the highlight of her life, and she had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Tonight, Mr. Hayze was busy getting everything together for Jennifer’s surprise birthday party all day and night. Invitations, decorations, everything, it was a miracle the girls weren’t home; it saved him the trouble of getting rid of them while he set up the decorations. The guests would be arriving at about nine. He still had plenty of time to set everything up. He had taken the day off of work to plan everything out and get everything taken care of for his now sixteen year old daughter’s birthday party. Everything was panning out so perfectly he couldn’t help but smile as he pinned down the last streamer with a nail and hammer. It’s perfect, he thought to himself, now to wait for the guests, and for Jennifer and Anne, to show up.

Ch. 4

Jennifer had been left a lone for the time being. She had 4 new cuts and six new bruises, not to mention her broken leg. She was still in tears, the pain was tremendous. He had moved her chair in front of a window so she could look outside. It didn’t do anything for her; all she stared at was a black abyss. She could barely make out a few trees and a gate. That was all. She heard footsteps, he was coming back.

“Hello there my sweet, how are you doing? You seem to be holding up very well, are you still in pain?” The man gritted his teeth once no respond came from Jennifer. “I said are you still in pain?” he growled as he squeezed her broken leg. Jennifer screamed loud enough to bust the man’s eardrum and started to weep even harder then before. “I’m not letting go until I get an answer. Are you still in any pain?”

“Yes!” she yelled out.

“That’s better,” he said in a calm and soothing voice. “See was that so hard?”

He had let go of her leg now, but the pain was still shooting through her nerves causing every inch of her body to cry out in pain. He held her face in his hand and smiled at her, such an ugly sight. The man’s face was enough to make you gag; his teeth along with it could make anyone throw up. His foul breath made her eyes water and her face cringe.

He looked in her eyes and could apparently read what she was thinking through them. He punched her as hard as he could in the stomach. A rib snapped under the pressure. He laughed uncontrollably.

“Now Are you starting to see what I meant by ugly on the inside? You can’t conceal what you think of me, your eyes give it all away.” He sustained his laughter. “Now, now, all of that crying won’t do my dear.” His hand whipped across her face sending her flying out of the chair and landing hard on her leg. Her head hit the floor and she was out yet again.

She awoke again, this time in a small pool of blood. When she had fallen her head hit the side of the chair making a small gash. She was woozy. She attempted getting up, pain seared through her abdomen. She threw up. The pain was still enormous and it seemed to never get any better. She looked over her shoulder to see the man standing over her, watching her. “I see you’re awake now, would you like something to drink?” She remembered what had happened the last time she didn’t respond to him.

“Yes,” She stuttered.

“Well drink up,” he spat in her face. His laugh was like a hyena winning over its prey. He walked over to a chair and sat down; his laughter was cold and heartless.

He had left her yet again, this time it had been for about thirty minutes. She lay on the floor, thinking of when he was finally going to kill her. Tears poured down her face like a waterfall. She took a look around her suburban prison and noticed something strange, a screw missing from one of the chairs. The same chair’s leg was tilted slightly side ways. She reached over and pulled as hard she could, the leg broke free. She gazed in amazement at the small piece of wood that could very well help her escape. Now all she had to do was wait for him.

It was another fifteen minutes before she heard more foot steps. She had moved the chair to a corner so it wouldn’t be noticed; it was a difficult task to do while crawling around on the floor. She had hid the wooden leg under her stomach. He walked into the room and proceeded to walk over to wear She lay on the floor.

“Feeling any better?”

The wooden leg swam across the air and landed straight in his groin. The man heaved and fell to the floor. Gasping for air he tried to grab Jennifer, she swung the leg again, it landed on his elbow shattering the bone. He cried out in pain. She took her chance and got up from her position. It hurt like hell but she had to do it. She stomped on his groin one more good time and the man was in a complete heap on the floor. She limped to the door and hopped down the stairs, using the walls and railing as her crutches. She was finally going to get away from all of this.

Jennifer proceeded to the door and found his keys in a key bowl beside it. She took them and unlocked the door and walked out. The fresh air was like heaven to her. She limped to the car, unlocked the door and slid into the driver’s seat. The key slid in like butter. One turn, the car was purring like a cat. She drove off without a second glance.

Ch. 5

The floor boards of James Adworth’s attic were cold as he lay stunned in pain from a short yet brutal beating. “How could I let her get away like that,” he scolded himself. He looked at his left arm. It was nothing more then a fracture, the girl wasn’t very strong apparently. James took little time getting up from his position and heading down the stairs at a run. His keys were gone and the door was open. “Damn it,” Looked around for a moment and found his pistol lying on the table in the hallway. He picked it up, cocked it, and walked out the door.

He went around back to find Jennifer’s car still sitting in the back yard. He got inside and pulled the keys from his back pocket where he had been keeping them. He knew where she was going. Such a naïve girl, he thought to himself. Jennifer had no idea what kind of pain, what kind of torture he could bring to her. The only thing he had to do was catch her before she got home.

Ch. 6

Jennifer was moving at an average pace down the empty streets. It was still dark out, the clock read 11:30. She was about halfway home now. She knew this part of town well, she should it was the only place she was allowed to practice driving in once she got her permit. The street lamps were their normal glowing shade of yellow and fire flies were buzzing around setting a glow to the night that would be beautiful if not for the danger she had been put in. The man had never told her his name, not like she cared to know it anyway. Her phone was dead so calling the police would have to wait till she got home. The radio was broken, the windows didn’t budge; this car was a big piece of crap. The silent drive home wouldn’t take too much longer, only another 10 minutes till she would be home.

There were no other cars in either lane; the headlights on the car didn’t work so she couldn’t see too far ahead of her. The man was apparently not the brightest, picking the location of her torture in a neighborhood she lived in and was very familiar with. She would have thought to end up outside in the woods, or in another town. But no, she was seeing what she saw everyday, suburban houses, freshly cut lawns; she passed a few people at a turn, they looked about fourteen to fifteen years old, five more minutes of the solitude until she finally reached the house.

11:40 the clock read, only a few more minutes left, she was practically home free. Relief had settled over her. She sighed and laid her head back against the rest; her eyes closed for a second and re-opened. She smacked her head hoping to wake herself a little, this was the third time she had almost fell asleep.

She was finally at a point where she could see her house, excitement pulsated through heart. Just up the steps, through the door, and around a corner and she would be at the phone to call the police. She could feel her pulse increasing, her hands shook a little. She parked the car at the side of the street, climbed out, and limped her way to the stairs. She heard a noise. Barely anything more then a small click, a whizzing noise was what she heard next, like a small gust of wind. Blood shot out the other side of her leg. She fell and a strong hand grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to her feet. She barely knew what was going on. But what she did know was she was being dragged away from the house.

Ch. 7

The bullet in her leg was right in between her calf muscle and her ankle. She was bleeding profusely. It had struck a spot that just wouldn’t stop bleeding. She felt numb all over, yet still in pain. She was in the woods now; she could see trees looming over her body. She lay in a clearing; the man who has been torturing her sat on a stump to her left. She looked over and he stood up.

He walked over to her, and stomped on her bullet wound. She screamed loudly.

“You shouldn’t have left the house Jennifer,” He pulled his gun from his jacket pocket and pointed it at her head.

“No please, please don’t do this!” Jennifer cried out.

“Fine, if you give me five good reasons why I shouldn’t shoot you, I won’t.”

Jennifer was in tears like she had never imagined. Was this really it? Was she really going to die here? “Why are you doing this to me?” Jennifer’s voice was shaking greatly. The man gave a small laugh. “Poor, poor Jennifer, you still haven’t figured it out? Here I go through all of the trouble to try and give you time to figure it out and I end up having to tell you anyway.” The man shook his head. “You, Jennifer, have never learned what being a good person is. At school you are always the first to judge, the first to cast out members of the student body from your group of friends and delegates. I know many things about you Jennifer. I’ve been watching you for quite sometime now. You are the ugliest person I have ever met, Jennifer, in my entire life, not physically, no, but on the inside where it truly counts.”

Jennifer was staring at him like she was eight being told Santa Claus didn’t exist. “Jennifer Abbery Hayze, there’s only one thing I have left to say to you. Have fun in hell, and happy birthday.”

He pulled the trigger. The sound did not carry; he had placed a silencer upon the barrel. No one will know what has happened to Jennifer Hayze. Not until later on that is.

Ch. 8

The smell of victory still lingered in the air, James’ triumph was like that of a king winning a war. He arrived at his car about five minutes later, slid Jennifer’s body in the trunk, and got into the drivers seat. He opened the glove compartment and put on a mask. A plane, white mask with eye slits and a grooved in mouth and nose. He licked his lips as the car started and he proceeded down the road.

This town, it was always the same. Nothing was ever new about it, nothing ever changed about it. He hated every square mile leading to the final part of his plan. Every inch was one ugly person after another, everyone he looked at judged, hated, and sinned like no other. He thought was doing God’s work by getting rid of these people; it was what he was compelled to do, and what he thought was right to do.

Jennifer’s house was in view now. He drove the last few feet and parked in the driveway, as quiet as possible. He went around the car and pulled the girls lifeless body out of the trunk. He approached the door, dragging Jennifer’s body as he went. It was locked; no matter he had her keys with him. He could hear the gears and bolts sliding about like they were voices telling him what a great job he’d done tonight. The door opened and everything was dark; He flipped one of the light switches. “Surprise!”