gaslight (10) in Gaslight

Kate had no idea how long she had been staring in the bathroom mirror. She was naked and still slightly damp from taking a shower. The fog on the glass had faded enough that she was becoming clear again in the mirror.
The taste of bourbon still lingered in her throat and quiet buzz in her ears seemed soothing with the sedation of alcohol. Echoes of Pink Floyd came through the open bathroom door.

“there is no pain you are receding
a distant ship’s smoke on the horizon
you are only coming through in waves.......”

Kate had not brushed her hair and it was showing it natural wave uncontested by any attempts to control it’s desire to show it true nature.

“Time to get pretty my dear. Time for some party time.”

Kate opened a drawer of the vanity and grabbed a handful of makeup and tossed it all into the sink.

“Smoky eyes for the tonight Kelli dear. Feeling a little dark tonight sister sweet. Need to make a good impression.”

Kate skipped the applicators and dug her fingers into the coal black powder and drew large vees below each eye. She drew black lines over her eyebrows and completed the look by rubbing her eyelids black too.

“Rocky Raccoon came into his room
only find Giddeon’s Bible..... “

Kate wiped her hands off on her breasts and walked out to find her bourbon. Kate had skipped the glass tonight and was drinking straight out of the bottle. She took and long pull off the Jim Beam and said,

“Not too much sister. Don’t want to be off of our game tonight. Got to make a good impression when we go visiting. “

Kate wished to just walk out into the world naked and say “Come and get it you bastards” but her plans were greater than one last night of glorious rage.

“Time to go Kelli girl. I got a brand new outfit just for the occasion. Wait til you see it.”

Kate went into the bedroom and stood at the mirror over the dresser and seemed undaunted by her freakish looks. The urge to orgasm surged in her mind and she fought it back.

Get it together Katie girl. Someone is going to get fucked tonight but it’s not going to be you.”

Kate had ordered a one piece jump suit on line and it surpassed her expectations. It had a silk feel and clung tightly to her curves. The zipper in front started at the belly button and was easy on, easy off. If she couldn’t be naked at least she could feel naked. She squeezed her breasts to watch them show themselves in the mirror. Kate gave a final sigh and went looking for the keys to the Mustang.

Lydia was sitting in her kitchen close to the only real weapons she had in the house. Her butcher knife had been pulled from the knife block and was laying next to her Michelob Ultra. The detective had shook her greatly and she had no faith that calling the police to discuss Becker’s behavior would result in anything but a late night visit from a potential homicidal manic. Every creak and moan of the old building had Lydia checking the doorways and fearing the worse.

having to rid herself of her beer Lydia crept down the hallway to the downstairs powder room. She found herself walking on her tip toes out of instinct as if she feared waking some monster sleeping somewhere in the brownstone. She sighed and laughed,

“Get your shit together Lydia. Fucking basket case. “

Lydia went into the bathroom and peed with the door open. The feeling of being trapped did not suit her. She felt a foreboding since she had her moment with the detective and it would not go away. Lydia finished her business and went back to get a fresh beer. Walking into the kitchen to find Kate standing at the butcher block with knife in hand froze her in the doorway. Her dark clownish makeup struck a terror she had not known for a long time. Kate quietly said,

” Hi Lydia. How are you this evening?”

Lydia, panicked in a life and death mindframe started dropping tears and replied,

“Please don’t hurt me detective.”

Kate nodded an understanding look and answered,

“Please call me Kate Lydia. I’m sorry for this predicament but I sense you have become a problem for me.”

Kate walked toward Lydia as she spoke and held the knife in a non threatening manner.

“I just wanted to help detective”

“Kate”

“I just wanted to help..... Kate.”

Kate ran the back of her hand down the tear lined cheek of Lydia. Her hideous makeup only made Lydia more hysterical now that Kate was so close. She hitched a breath and asked,

You’re going to kill me aren’t you?

“I’m going to kill a lot of people Lydia. Someone raped and killed my sister and I’m just going to kill bad guys until I get lucky and kill the bastard who did it.”

Lydia seemed to gather herself and asked,

“Someone raped your sister?”

“And murdered.”

Lydia smiled a grin of a hidden desire..

When I was seven the youth pastor at my families church had his fingers up me for two years. You can kill those motherfuckers until you can kill no more. I’ll stand over them and spit in their faces while you do it. “

Kate gazed into Lydia’s eyes looking for a hint of deceit. She found none. Kate leaned in and lightly brushed her lips across Lydia’s. She closed her eyes and drew Lydia in to an embrace. Lydia felt a mutual understanding and release of a secret held for over a decade.

Kate leaned back enough to look Lydia in the eyes and asked,

‘So where might we find this gentleman anyway?”

Lydia smiled sheepishly.

“Well he’s no longer the youth pastor. He runs the whole show down at Grant Street Episcopal.”

Kate grabbed Lydia by the front of her shirt and ripped open the blouse.

“Sorry sweetheart, but if you are coming to church with me you got to get your Sunday go to meeting clothes on. “

Last updated July 16, 2015