Darkness

Chapter 1: A Bad Night

Kira

I turned the key. The engine clicked twice. I sighed as I let the ignition turn back. With another twist, I tapped the pedal. The engine clicked then clicked some more.

I looked out the window to the darkened grocery store. I hated closing. It was the worst. The lights above from the "Discount Grocer", which was missing the last four and the first word completely, cast a yellow glow through my windshield.

I sighed heavily. I didn't much like the dark. I only lived five minutes away by car. I could walk. But... I didn't like the dark. With another flick and a kick, I tried the key again. The car responded with a series of clicks that sounded like a ticking bomb. I released my hold. I slammed my hands down on the steering wheel as a slew of curses left my lips. This was just fuckin' great.

I stared out the window down the street towards home. So close, yet so far. There were street lamps, but not the whole way. Well maybe there was, but a good portion of them have been burned out for so long they may as not matter. I would be fine though. I could do this. There was no reason to be scared. Yet, I could feel the fear creeping up my spine threatening to grip my heart.

I reached for my purse while still staring out the window. The handle caught on something as I pulled. Just as I looked down, the snag released sending the contents of my well-endowed purse tumbling across the seat and the floor of the passenger side. The purse itself hung from a broken strap in my hand. Well, s**t.

I ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair as I sucked in a calming breath. It didn't really work. I could feel anger and frustration bubbling to the surface. Why me? Wasn't my life crappy enough? Hadn't I suffered enough for one lifetime? Nothing had ever gone right for me. Was it too much to ask for one single night to not got to s**t just one single time?

Muttering more curse words, I started gathering the fallen items and hamming them into my broken purse. Of course, I couldn't reach everything, because of the damned seat belt. I pressed my thumb on the buckle. My thumbnail bent back. I jerked my hand back and shook it then stuffed it in my mouth to stanch the blood and stifle a scream.

The seat belt threatened to choke the life from me. It was one of those that tried to save your life by never giving up. The more I struggled, the more it tightened. I pulled the thumb from my mouth then ducked swiftly beneath the murderous belt.

I looked back outside. I was pissed off enough now that the fear of the dark was pushed to the back of my mind. I swung open the door to my car. The hinges creaked with such protest I was surprised the door didn't just fall off.

As I stepped out, I whacked my head on the car ceiling so hard my vision went blurry for a second and triggered my vertigo. I held my head in my hands waiting for my swimming vision to settle. Oh my f*****g god, could this night get any worse?

I stomped around the blasted car. Between the dark and the vertigo, I didn't see the yellow concrete parking block. I tripped over it. As I fell, my hands came out in front of me to break my fall. The pavement bit into them, slicing them open. My knees hit next. I could feel the fresh road rash through my slacks. Tears of pains sprang to my eyes. I squeezed them away as I looked down at the small bits of gravel embedded in my hand. I was so furious I couldn't even form words. I stood lowly, using my car for balance. I brushed of my slacks. They were dirty, but at least there weren't any holes. I really couldn't afford new ones right now. I contemplated kicking the damn car, but with my luck the parking break would fail and my car would roll backwards. I continued my trek to the other side of the car, this time stepping over the parking block.

After a good bout of fumbling with the key, I managed to open the door with very little harm to myself. I snatched up the rest of the purse's contents and shoved them in my purse. There was one more thing I was missing, and it was fairly important. My stupid flip phone. That's right, you heard me, a freaking flip phone. I should be exempt from all this bad karma because I was reduced to a flip phone, normally reserved for the elderly, the technically inept, and the very, very poor.

I knelt on the running board of the car and stuffed my head down next to the floor. I picked up the little key chain flashlight with a laser pointer at the other end. I pushed the flashlight on and scanned under the seat. The phone was almost all the way to the back seat. I reached my hand out for it. My fingers touched something sticky. I cringed. I couldn't even shake it off and I didn't know what it was. I squeezed my eyes shut and kept pushing forward. Finally my fingers grazed the phone. After another moment, the phone slid close enough I could wrap my hand around it and pull it to me. I shoved it in my bag then wiped my sticky hand on a napkin in the side door. I didn't even want to know what that was.

I pushed the lock down on the door and slammed the orange metal door shut. The door popped back open hammering me in the hip. That was going to leave a lovely bruise. I rolled my eyes at the stupid car. I leaned against the door and shoved it with my hip until it clicked shut, ignoring the fresh pain it called up.

I turned around to face the darkened parking lot. After a breath, I hiked the one working strap of my purse up over my shoulder then pinched it with my arm. After one more breath, I started my journey. I only hoped my night didn't get any worse.