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  MAKE BELIEVE

  ALAN WILLS

  Indianapolis, Indiana

  Copyright © 2020 by Alan Wills

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Any reference or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-578-75197-9

  LCCN: 2020916555

  Printed in the United States of America

  Cover Design: Olivia Pro Design

  Editing: Sara Tirsway Editing Services

  9009 Lake Nora W Drive #A

  Indianapolis, In 46240

  MAKE BELIEVE

  CHAPTER ONE

  Beth steps out of the bathroom and grabs the lotion from her dresser. She looks over at the two dresses lying on the bed and then at her cat, Buttercup.

  “Which one do you think I should wear?”

  Buttercup jumps off the bedpost and lies down in front of the white dress, curling her golden fur into a small ball.

  “My thoughts exactly. He may propose, and I want to look my best.”

  The phone rings twice before she grabs it.

  “Hey, Melissa.”

  Melissa, Beth’s nosy friend from college, was only calling for one thing.

  “Don’t ‘Hey, Melissa’ me! What’s up with you and Kyle. Do you think he’ll pop the question today?”

  Beth gives the cat a rub on top of her head before continuing to get dressed.

  “I don’t know. I’ll call you when my date is over.”

  Melissa takes a sip of water before saying, “You better. What are you wearing? Does it scream ‘I’m ready for marriage’?”

  “I’m wearing a dress, and yes, it gives the hint.” Beth smiles at her reflection in the floor-length mirror hanging on the back of her closet door.

  “Well, don’t forget to call me. I can’t wait to hear all about this romantic evening.”

  “Bye, girl,” Beth says before hanging up.

  As she is putting the last touches on her lipstick, the doorbell rings. Beth opens the door to find Kyle holding a bouquet of roses in his hand.

  “Wow! You look stunning.”

  She smiles, plants a kiss on his cheek, and promptly wipes off her lipstick smudge.

  “You look handsome, too.”

  He gives Beth a slight hug as she takes the flowers. She pulls a vase from the closet, fills it with water, then places it and the flowers on the dining room table.

  “I thought we could take in an early movie,” Kyle tells her while walking back to the door. “Then I have something special planned.”

  Beth grabs a shawl from the coat rack, and before they walk out the door, she wraps it around the white sundress she has chosen to wear for the occasion. While watching as Kyle closes the car door, she gets a glimpse of a basket in the backseat. A fluttering feeling starts in her stomach, but she takes a deep breath to calm herself.

  This could be it––what I’ve been waiting for––a chance to start a family with the man I love.

  Kyle engages her in small talk while driving them to the theater. No romantic movies are playing, so they take in an action flick. An hour and a half later, they are back in the car, and Kyle has her blindfolded for the surprise. They drive for at least fifteen minutes before she feels the car turning right. It keeps going for about another ten minutes and then turns again, but this time to the left. She giggles a little, anticipating whatever he has in store for them. The car finally stops, and the backdoor opens. Beth’s door is next.

  “I gotcha,” Kyle says as he grabs her hands. “Just let me guide you.”

  She hesitates for a second. “Okay, but don’t let me fall.”

  Birds are chirping, and a small breeze gently blows by her. It seems they have been walking for a while. They go down a small hill before he stops.

  “Stand right there.” He positions her body for the reveal.

  When he removes the blindfold from Beth’s eyes, her mouth falls open, and her hands fly up to her chest.

  “This is beautiful, Kyle.”

  “I thought this would be the perfect place,” he says while turning her around to see the entire area.

  She wraps her arms around his neck and places a soft kiss on his lips. “Perfect place for what?”

  After he motions for her to have a seat on the blanket, Beth takes in the atmosphere. They are on a private beach near the water. It is surrounded by tall trees with bright greenery and fully bloomed flowers. Kyle takes out two wine glasses, a bottle of champagne, and a fruit tray from the basket.

  “You even brought the small chicken and tuna salad sandwiches.”

  He grins. “I kind of outdid myself, huh?”

  She grabs a grape, popping it in her mouth. “I would say so, and I love all of it,” Beth replies while continuing to take in everything.

  “I wanted to ask you something.”

  She turns to give her full attention to him. “Ask me what, Kyle?”

  She tries to control her excitement. This is it. He’s going to ask me. She had played out this moment and how she would react for over a year in her head.

  He scoots closer to her. “We’ve been together a while now, and I’m ready to take our relationship to the next level. Aren’t you?”

  She glances at him sideways. “I’m not sure what you’re asking me.”

  He pulls out a music box that he found online from a wholesaler specializing in jewelry and music boxes. When Kyle grabs her hand, she starts to breathe heavily. He tries to clear the air.

  “I want you physically, and I believe we are far enough into our relationship to become intimate. I want to know if you feel the same.”

  Now looking down at the open box, Beth pulls her hand from his. The box contains a condom.

  “Oh my gosh, Kyle! I thought you brought me here to propose.” She stands up and walks a few steps. “You knew going into this relationship that I’m waiting until we are married.”

  He shuts the box and stares down at the ground. “Yeah, but I didn’t think you were serious.”

  She crosses her arms over her chest. “You knew I was serious. How could you try and make me go against everything I believe in?! Really, Kyle?”

  He reaches out for her, but she moves away. Kyle clenches his jaw in frustration.

  “Damnit, Beth! We’ve been together a year. Enough time has been put in for us to be intimate.”

  She turns her back on him. “I don’t know what to tell you, but it’s not happening.”

  Kyle clenches and unclenches his hands; his nostrils flare. Heat runs through his body as he slowly walks toward her. Then he puts his hand over her mouth, pulling her to the ground.

  “I’m not waiting any longer to have you.”

  Beth squirms and kicks while beating on his chest with her fists. He tries to grab her hands as she smacks him.

  “Don’t do this! Please!”

  Kyle yanks her hands up and over her head, pinning her down.

  “Shut up! You’ve teased me for the last time.”

  His free hand rubs between her legs as she continues to struggle. Finally, she manages to free one of her hands from his grip and slugs him in the face. Kyle’s anger boils over. Grabbing a nearby rock, he slams it into the side of her face. A feeling of euphoria takes over him, and the rock comes down again and again. He jumps up after noticing the massive amount of blood.

  Breathing hard, Kyle frantically looks around at the mess
while Beth lies motionless. He starts scrambling to put everything back in the picnic basket. The music box is lying on its side, open and playing angelic music.

  Beth looks at the transparency of her arms and hands. She can see Kyle placing the things in the basket. She goes over to the music box and tries to pick it up, but her hands go right through it.

  “Wait. Am I dead?”

  She looks over at her form lying on the blanket; blood is everywhere. Anger floods her.

  “Kyle, why did you do this to me?”

  There is no response to her question.

  Turning toward the music box, Kyle notices that some blood has gotten on it. She tries again to grab it before he does but is unsuccessful. Beth closes her eyes, her face scrunched and wanting to scream. She tries to kick him in the head, but her foot goes through his body’s frame. However, he does feel a cold chill run through him as he wipes off the music box. Beth’s anger pulls her toward the box; it’s like the mirror is calling her to it.

  “What’s happening?” Beth wonders before a force causes her to float up and then down as the mirror consumes her.

  A Year Later

  CHAPTER TWO

  Kyle is sitting on the couch watching television while waiting for Cassandra, his girlfriend, to get ready for her birthday dinner. He flicks through the channels, stopping on a news segment rehashing the cold case of his former girlfriend, Beth Ackerman. Despite Beth’s friend telling the police that he was the last person Beth was with the night she died, he was cleared as a suspect because there was no physical evidence. Kyle was tired of hearing about it and wanted to move on with his life. As Cassandra appears from out of the bedroom, he changes the channel.

  “About time. What took you so long?” he asks.

  She playfully pinches his arm. “You haven’t been waiting too long.”

  Thirty minutes later, the two are having an Italian dinner of lasagna and garlic bread at Fazoli’s, her favorite restaurant.

  “Do I get a present now?”

  He smiles. “No, you have to wait.”

  Once they finish having dinner, the two lovebirds head out to Holiday Park. After finding a private spot, Kyle backs the car under a tree. Then he gets out and returns with a gift bag from the trunk. Cassandra claps her hands together. She loves getting presents.

  “Happy birthday, babe!” Kyle says, handing her the pink bag with red and white tissue paper stuffed inside. The tissue lands in the backseat as she pulls out an antique-looking box.

  “I thought you would like something to hold your jewelry. Open it and take a look.”

  Cassandra does, and music starts playing. It is the sweetest sound. She starts to sway with the music, losing herself in it.

  “Thank you! I love it!” she says and hugs him.

  He takes it from her, placing it in the middle of the backseat. She scoots toward him, waiting for his kiss. As the kiss turns passionate, Kyle pulls her down more into the seat, his body leaning over her. When he starts to unbutton her pants, Cassandra grabs his wrist, stopping him.

  Slowing his breathing, he asks, “What’s wrong?”

  She moves into a sitting position. “I’m not ready yet. It’s too early in our relationship.”

  Kyle runs a hand over his head. “What’s with all this ‘I’m not ready’ and ‘I’m saving myself for marriage’ crap?”

  She glares at him. “Excuse me? Take me home. Take me home right now!”

  He moves back to the driver’s side while returning her glare.

  “Whatever! I’m going to take a leak first,” he says, slamming the door once he exits, and then walks toward the back of the car.

  She turns to look out the rear window and watches as he takes a left into the woods.

  “I can’t believe him. The nerve of some guys,” she mumbles, hitting the touchscreen on her phone to check her messages. She types a response to a friend and then scrolls through her social media accounts, replying to a couple of tweets. Looking up from her phone, she realizes it has been a while, and Kyle isn’t back yet.

  It doesn’t take that long to pee. She glances around but can’t see much in the darkness and dense fog. What is taking him so long?

  A noise that sounds like creaking branches falling from the trees gets her attention. She tries to ignore it, but there seems to be moaning coming from them.

  “Kyle, stop playing. I want you to take me home. Now.”

  She listens to the wind picking up and the scraping sounds across the roof of the car. The moans continue. When he doesn’t answer, she starts to get concerned. So, she steps out of the car and looks around. Suddenly, Cassandra hears music playing. She turns around, but no one is there.

  “What’s going on? Kyle, where are you?” she calls out.

  Cassandra looks around again but still doesn’t see anything. Standing by the car, she gets a glimpse of the open music box in the backseat. She realizes that is where the music is coming from. She gets a bad feeling, starting with a flutter in the pit of her stomach. Chills run down her back. She knows it wasn’t open before.

  “Oh, hell no! Kyle, let’s go now!”

  Walking over to where Kyle entered the woods, she moves the branches away and calls out his name. When she hears footsteps behind her, she stops and glances back.

  “Kyle, is that you?”

  The wind blows, getting louder as Cassandra rubs her hands up and down her arms from the chill.

  “This is ridiculous. If he jumps out and tries to scare me, I’m going to kick him straight in the nuts,” she mutters to herself and then continues moving the branches out of the way in her search for Kyle.

  ****

  “I shouldn’t have gone so far into the woods,” Kyle says to himself.

  He glances to his right, but nothing looks familiar. Looking to the left, Kyle believes he sees a light. Then he hears a whisper by his ear.

  “Kyle.”

  He stops and looks around. “Hello! Who’s there?”

  “Why, Kyle?” the whisper asks in an accusatory tone. “Why did you kill me?”

  Frightened, he starts running toward the light.

  “You can’t get away from me, Kyle.”

  He recognizes Beth’s voice, but it can’t be her. She’s dead. He runs a little more, then stops in his tracks. Beth is standing in front of him, wearing the dress from their last date.

  “What the––?”

  She glares at him. “Why did you kill me, Kyle?”

  He can’t move. He can’t run. He doesn’t have time. Before he can answer, she stabs her long nails into his stomach.

  “No, Beth!” Please!” Kyle screams.

  Blood squirts from his mouth as Beth takes her hand and drags it up the length of his chest, slicing him open. She watches his intestines spill out as he drops to the ground. Then Beth rolls her shoulders backward, fully satisfied with the kill. She disappears when she hears the girl getting closer.

  Cassandra frantically pushes through the trees after hearing Kyle’s screams. After the last few branches break from their limb, she freezes, and her mouth drops open, waiting for the sound to come out of it. She finally finds her voice and screams for help while running back toward the car. When she makes it back, she grabs her purse from the passenger seat and scrambles to use her phone. Hands shaking, Cassandra touches the screen. The music from the box gets louder. She looks in the backseat. A woman with long, black, stringy hair and dressed in a dirty white dress is sitting there. Cassandra stares at her. The music stops.

  “You’re free,” the woman whispers, then disappears.

  Panicking, Cassandra dials 911 and pushes the call button on her phone as she runs from the car.

  “9-1-1 operator. State your emergency.”

  Cassandra stops running once she reaches the street.

  “Someone murdered my boyfriend! I need help!”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Manny meets the tow truck at the gate, a
nd the driver hands him the impound slip. After helping the driver unload the car into the last spot on the right side of the lot, Manny takes the keys and starts looking the vehicle over, making sure the previous search didn’t leave anything behind. He then logs its number in the roster. Right before locking it, he notices something brown stuck underneath the passenger seat. Opening the back door and leaning in, he grabs hold of it and pulls. It is some type of box. He rubs his hands over the leafy design on the lid.

  “This is well crafted,” he comments.

  The dark wood increases its beauty. He opens it, and music starts to play.

  “My wife would love this. I guess it’s a jewelry box.”

  He closes it and goes to place it in his bag inside the office.

  ****

  Before going into his house, Manny sits in his car, wrapping the box in tissue. Once he finishes, he opens the front door and walks inside.

  “Serena, I’m home.”

  The water in the kitchen turns on.

  “I’m in the kitchen.”

  When he enters the kitchen, she is mixing some lemonade. As she puts the pitcher on the table, he walks over and kisses her cheek. She flinches.

  “I’m going to get ready for dinner. I got you something,” Manny tells her, then places it on the table before disappearing down the hall.

  Serena sits down and unwraps the gift. She lifts the box, looks it over, and then sets it back down to continue fixing dinner.

  A few minutes later, Manny enters the kitchen and takes a seat.

  “Do you like it?”

  With a lowered head and her eyes toward the floor, Serena places the food on the table.

  “Yes. It’s beautiful.”

  They start eating in silence. Serena can barely lift her right arm to eat. She rubs it, hoping to stop the stiffness.