Vivienne

Metal connected to bone once more and sent chunks of the man’s skull into the floor.  Breathing heavy and still snarling at her former teacher, Denise flung the dented metal can out of the window before resuming her mission. 

Anger giving way to practicality, Denise looked at her palm that calmly glowed as though waiting for a command. “Alright.  Patience, caution.  It is making sense now.”  She walked to the window and looked up in the night sky where she’d seen the words before. “How?”

Denise asked the question but already knew the answer. “Concentrate, Alright.”  She pointed at the two objects she needed in the trunk, “Body and box.”  Denise looked down at the coagulating blood on the floor and shook her head. “Let that just be a mystery.”  She looked at her hands. “Hummm. One thing at a time.”

Picturing what she wanted to have happen, Denise thought about her former professor’s body being in the trunk and then the individual paintings stacked neatly on top, with the murder weapon laying to the side.  Denise waited and felt a small rush of air pass over her body, along with the itching in her hand replaced with a touch of fire. “Oh, I like this.”  Denise laughed as the wind over her body died down and she opened her eyes. “Unbelievable.”  She rubbed her palm and looked at the trunk of her car with the contents just as she wanted.

“This is meant to be, Marion.”  Denise whispered as she used one of her handkerchiefs to rub the places she touched. “I’ll figure something out where you will never have to pose like that again, my dear.”  Denise confirmed and jumped out of the window, landing softly on the ground. 

“Reverse the thoughts, right?” Denise looked at the window and held out her hand on a whim. “See if this..”  a thin green beam twisted its way around the window sliding it back into place and twisting the locks back in their prior position. “Oh!”  Denise giggled and clenched her fist nervously. 

Slamming the trunk closed, Denise backed the car gently from the small alley and managed to get out of the school parking lot without being seen by anyone.

Placing the car in park, Denise looked out of the window and saw Tatum with Henry having a fun time. “Marion, please be there when I get back.  I know I am running late, but I am sure you will understand why.” Denise hopped out of the car and knocked on the window getting Tatum’s attention.

Running over to the door, Tatum smiled and shook her head. “It’s good, Denise.  Henry talked to my dad while we were in class!”  She jumped around happily. “He asked my dad permission…”

Grabbing Tatum in a tight hug, Denise smiled and gave her friend a kiss on the cheek. “That is great news, Tatum.  No more sneaking around.”

Platinum blonde hair flip-flopped over Tatum’s face as she shook her head. “Nope.  So I can stay all I want to.”  She pointed at her finger and wiggled the small engagement ring for Denise to see. “I said yes, probably five minutes ago.”  She looked back at Henry and blew him a kiss. “Mind if I go..”

“By all means.”  Denise glanced at the trunk then back to Tatum. “I was just keeping my promise.”

Tatum opened the door to the little restaurant again and turned to look at Denise a final time, “Hey, how did the … meeting.. go?”  She giggled.

“Still in process, I just came to make sure you were alright.”  Denise winked.

Laughing quietly, Tatum waved her hand. “Shoo.  No keeping her waiting now.”

Time seemed to slip by and before she realized what was going on, Denise had arrived at the entrance to her family farm. “Odd, why are all the lights on?”  Turning the car onto the rocks, she took her foot off the accelerator and noticed that even the barn was lit up completely. “I don’t like this at all.”  

Denise pulled the car into its spot and locked everything as though her night was normal.  She’d made it to the barn when her mother called from behind.

“Denise?”  Lorraine inquired.

Still aware that there was a body and various items in the trunk she needed to get rid of, Denise slowly turned on her heel to face her mother. “Mom.  What’s going on?”

Lorraine walked up and felt her daughter's forehead. “Do you feel alright?  Your father is concerned that you … you might be sick.”  She pushed Denise’s hair back behind her ears.

“I feel great.  You even noticed I was happy all week, until tonight of course.”  Denise heard heavy footsteps behind her and turned to face her father.

Tossing a handful of canvases on the ground, her father took a step back and folded his arms. “Welp?  What’cha got to say, Humm?” Not waiting for an answer, he pointed to the loft in the barn. “Is ya sick or somethin? I seen it all up there, can even smell it too.”  He looked at his wife, “Lorraine, yes’m you can smell it slick as sweat ya can.”

Pulling her daughter into a hug, Lorraine pet stroked Denise’s hair lightly. “Who have you been up there with?”  She shook her head as she took in all the nude forms of Marion in different locations in the barn. “Wh..whats..her..oh god..her name?”  Lorraine pulled back and looked into Denise’s eyes. “We can do something I am sure, right Herman?”

Pushing her mother away, Denise took a few steps back from her mother and father. “Do something?” Denise inquired dangerously and then pointed to her artwork. “Her name?”  Denise half spittled with her anger rising. “You said that with contempt without knowing the whole story.”  Eyes filling with rage and defiance, Denise looked at her father. “I am not sick, you know full well I’m not.”  She seethed. “Her name is Marion.”  Denise felt her heart flutter and a bit of relief coursed in her veins at the admission of her lover.

“Lorraine?”  Herman looked at his wife then pointed to the trunk of the car. “My word girl, what’s that?”

Balling her fists, Denise maintained her composure and saw the blood flowing from the trunk and splattering on the ground. “A problem.”  Denise hoarsely admitted. “He was one of them.”

Taking a few steps back in horror, Lorraine put her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming.

Herman grunted and walked over to his daughter, ripping the keys out of her art bag. “Devil’s gotcha he does, girl.”  

Panic and anger swirled in Denise’s mind and before she knew it, She’d swung a wild punch at her father.

Herman easily caught Denise’s hand and shook his head, “No, girl.  Let’s see what’s gotcha goin’ so.”  He slipped his hand over her wrist and dragged Denise with him to the trunk and opened it.

Slowly walking to the side so she could get a look, Lorraine saw the body in the trunk and began screaming as she fell to her knees.

“Neese.”  Her father’s voice sounded mournful and scornful at the same time.  “What has ya gone and…”