Late One Night Read online

  Late One Night

  (a flash fiction piece)

  R.A. Nordin

  ****

  Late One Night - Smashwords Edition

  Published by Ruth Ann Nordin at Smashwords

  Copyright © 2015 by Ruth Ann Nordin

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover Photo images www.dreamstime.com. ID 173594 © Heidi Schneider | Dreamstime.com All rights reserved – used with permission.

  ****

  Alicia questioned the wisdom of coming here so late at night, but she had to go somewhere and this old mansion was the only thing nearby. With a deep breath, she picked up the doorknocker and let it go, the hard metal clanging in a way that made shivers run up and down her spine. Swallowing, she took a step back and glanced at the two suitcases at her feet. She hoped this would be a safe place.

  Footsteps from the other side brought her attention back to the door. She forced a smile as a middle-aged man looked down at her. “I’m sorry to bother you, but my car broke down, and my cell phone’s battery is drained.” She gestured to the bottom of the hill. “May I call a tow truck?”

  His gaze went to the suitcases. “Do you need to stay the night?”

  “I didn’t think about it, but the repair shop might not be open until tomorrow morning. I hate to impose…”

  “You are welcome to stay the night.” A smile crept up his face, the kind of smile a vulture might give its prey. He gestured for her to enter. “Come.”

  A shiver of apprehension crawled up her spine. Was she making a big mistake? She glanced, once again, at her suitcases. She had to do something. She couldn’t spend the night in the car. Releasing her breath, she picked up her luggage and followed him inside.

  “The place has seen better days,” he said.

  “A couple of cobwebs and some dust doesn’t bother me,” she replied. “But your phone works, right?”

  He let out a low chuckle. “Oh, it works fine.”

  She waited for him to tell her where it was since she didn’t see it anywhere in the entryway or in the nearby room.

  “Here,” he said. “Let me help you with those.”

  Before she could stop him, he grabbed the suitcases from her. She bit her lower lip and watched while he went up the stairs. Did he plan to give them back to her? Of course, he did. He had no reason to keep them. Not unless he had no intention of letting her leave.

  When he reached the top of the steps, he looked down at her, the shadows across his face reminding her of a sinister creature like a vampire. “Are you coming?”

  “Y-yes.”

  Forcing her feet forward, she followed him. The room he took her to was large. It hadn’t been cleaned in a long time. It would suit her just fine for tonight.

  “I’m afraid circumstances have arisen that’s required me to let the maid go,” he explained. “Certain financial investments fell through.”

  “The room is perfect, thank you.”

  He set the suitcases by the bed and straightened his back. “Those are heavier than I expected.”

  “Yes, well, I have a lot to take on my trip.”

  She waited to see if he’d ask about the trip, but he didn’t. He wished her a pleasant sleep and promised breakfast in the morning. As soon as he closed the door, she locked it. Good. She was alone. And for tonight, at least, she was safe.

  After she did a careful search of the bedroom, she opened her suitcases. The perfectly sealed body parts remained unharmed. She didn’t dare dispose them at her home or anywhere near it. The long drive had brought her to two places today, places in deserted areas where the police wouldn’t look.

  She’d disposed the contents of her other two suitcases. This was her last stop. After this, she could return home. It’d been an exhausting day, but she was almost done. She found several excellent hiding places. Her task took a full hour. When she was done, she got into bed and had a good night’s sleep.

  In the morning, she got up early. She took the suitcases down with her. She found her host sitting in the large room by the door.

  He put his book down and stood up. “I didn’t expect you up so soon. I’ll go to the kitchen and make breakfast. In the meantime, you may call for a tow truck.”

  Her gaze went to the phone near the chair. No wonder she’d missed it last night. It was hard to see unless one was standing at the entrance of the room. She thanked him and walked over to the phone.

  But she didn’t make the call. She told him she did and ate breakfast. Then, claiming the tow truck would be waiting for her, she took her suitcases and left. She reached her car and put the suitcases in the trunk next to the other two. All four were now empty.

  With a smile, she got in the car and pulled back onto the lone road. Three hours passed before she caught sight of a hitchhiker. She came to a stop and let him in.

  “Where are you headed?” she asked.

  “To the homeless shelter in the next city. Mind taking me?”

  “Not at all. But don’t you have any family?”

  “No. It’s just me.”

  It hadn’t been her intention to kill again so soon, but sometimes the opportunity presented itself, and no one cared for a homeless man who had no family. And she had enough plastic bags to wrap his body parts in. But she couldn’t do it now. Not so close to the mansion.

  “I need to stop by my cabin first,” she said. “It’s about an hour from here. You mind?”

  “No, not at all. And thank you for the ride.”

  With a smile, she turned her attention to the road.

  ****

  About the Author

  R.A. Nordin (also Ruth Ann Nordin) is mostly known for writing romances, but once in a while, she likes to try something different. After taking a workshop on flash fiction, she decided to write a story under one thousand words. She also wanted to try her hand at horror to flex her writing muscles. “Late One Night” is the result of the experiment.

 

 

  Ruth Ann Nordin, Late One Night

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