So far, Miranda Jessup Buckley has been jilted, fired and left to take care of her ex-lover's child.   After being forced by Missy to go to Haynes Pond, Miranda is done hiding.  She's ready to fight.

 

 

              *******************

 

I dig my hand down into the damp sand and mud and fling it at her.  I know how she hates getting dirty.  And this stuff stinks.

 

"Stop that," she says.  "I'm gonna put a bullet right between your eyes.  Even your momma won't be able to look at you when I'm done with you."

 

She fires again.  If her gun isn't empty, there can only be one bullet left.  And, I'm not gonna wait for her to reload.

 

I run at her.  She never sees it coming.  I land on top of her, my chin hits her collar bone, making my teeth rattle.

 

"Get off of me, you cow." Her nails dig into my neck. 

 

"Thought you were gonna kill me, Missy.  You gotta do better than that."

 

Unfortunately, she does.  Even though the gun is empty, she cracks me across the nose.  Pain like I've never felt before hits me.  

 

She pushes me off, then scrambles to her feet.  Her foot connects with my ribs, my hip.  No matter which way I move, her foot lands its blow.

 

"You've always been jealous of me," she says.

 

"Jealous?  Why would I be jealous of someone like you?  You've got no soul.  You're built like a twelve year old."  I can taste the blood as it drips down from my nose and into my mouth.

 

"Oh, bullshit.  You wanted every guy I ever dated.  Poor Miranda.  All you had were those tits.  Even those were old news by high school."

 

I swipe at the blood.  "Jesse Stillwater called me every night for weeks.  People laughed at you behind your back.  They called you the pipe cleaner because you were skinny and a slut."

 

I wish I could see her face.  It's too dark and I can feel my eyes swelling.  "Betcha didn't know that.  Did ya?  All those boys that asked you out, knew they could sleep with you.  Cause Missy never met a dick she didn't want to ride."

 

"You take that back, you cow."

 

"Not on your life."

 

She swings at me with the gun again, but this time I'm ready.  I karate chop her wrist and I hear the gun hit the ground.

 

"Now it's a fair fight," I say.  I wrap my arms around her in the tightest bear hug I can.  If all else fails, I'll use my "old news" tits like they're my super power.

 

"I was beautiful.  You hated me for that!  Every girl at school was jealous of me."

 

"Your eyes are too close together and your teeth look like Chicklets."  I tighten my grip on her until I can feel her struggling to breathe.

 

I could kill her.  There's no one here.  No witnesses.  I have every right to end her.  Nausea hits me.  If I do that, I will become like her.  I have to trust that karma will find her and she will get what's coming to her.

 

Through the roar of adrenaline  and rage, I hear her.  Gasping for air.  I see a girl standing in front of the mirror, gripping a hairbrush like a microphone, singing "Like a Virgin" by Madonna.  She's young and eager to take on the world.  She's me.  If I kill Missy, I kill that young girl in the mirror.

 

I let go.  Missy slumps to the ground.  

 

"I think you broke my ribs," she says, winded and weak.

 

"Be thankful I didn't break your neck."

 

She doesn't try to run from me or hit at me.  The fight has gone out of her.

 

And I don't have anymore left in me.

 

I see a white light bouncing across the ground, getting closer and closer.

 

"Miranda," Mitch calls.  "Where are you?"  

 

"Here," I call.  My voice is hoarse.

 

"Is Missy with you?  Does she have a weapon?"

 

"No.  She, uh, she did.  It's on the ground somewhere.  Mitch, she killed Ed Preston."

 

"Ok.  Are you okay?"

 

"Been better," I call.

 

"Missy, stand up and put your hands out where I can see them."

 

"She can't, Mitch.  I think I broke her ribs."

 

To my amazement, Mitch laughs.  "Of course you did.  I'm not sure why I even bothered to show up.  Can you walk over here?"

 

"I'm coming,"  I say.  As I take a step, I look down at her.

 

"What happened to us," she whispers.  "We were supposed to be best friends forever."

 

"You don't know how to be a friend, Missy.  You never have and I don't think you ever will."

 

The walk to Mitch is the longest walk I've ever taken.  I just want him to hold me.  I want him to tell me it's over.  I need to hear him say this nightmare is over.

 

"There's something in the washer.  Ed helped her get rid of Jason's body."  The words come tumbling out.  Then the tears.

 

"Shhh.  I got you, Miranda.  You're good.  Everything is okay."  He puts his arms around me and I fall against him.  

 

"What about Tyler?  Is he okay?"

 

"He'll be fine.  The bullet passed through his thigh.  Paramedics are with him.  Now, I need you to do something for me.  I gotta go get Missy.  You hold this flashlight and I'll be right back."

 

He leans forward and kisses my forehead.  Then he starts going toward where Missy was, still on the ground.  "Missy, I'm coming to get you.  Don't do anything stupid, I don't really want to shoot you.  Is that agreeable to you?"

 

If she answers him, I don't hear her.  

 

We walk back up the road and there are lights strobing in red, blue and yellow.  Tyler is on a gurney,  he's looking at me, speaking to me.  I can't hear him.  I can't hear any noise at all, except the roar in my head.

 

Someone guides me over to an ambulance.  Lips moving, but the roar is louder now, like Niagra Falls.  Fingertips gently brush across my nose and white lights blind me.

 

One blink, two blinks and then I'm gone.

 

To be continued ...