The Flip of a Coin

“Tell you what, I'll flip you for it.”

“Flip me for it? It is not like it’s the last french fry. I just want to go out with my friends.”

He raised his eyebrow at me incredulously as his hand was already slipping into his pocket. It was a look I had grown accustomed to over the years; it was soothing even. When my dad left and my mom died, my grandmother moved in to take care of me. I know she is doing the best she can, but with dialysis and her checkups, there was a lot left to be wanting.

That is where Jeff came in. Jeff moved to the neighborhood about the time my dad left. I was ready to hate all men and started out our relationship by punching the kid in the nose, but he just wiped the blood from his lip and smiled.

“Friends? Remind me again where your friends were last weekend?”

“That was different, Jeff.”

“Sarah, I really don’t see how that is even close to different. What if he had been there, hmm? They let you get drunk and left you in a bar. You are lucky John was working that night.”

“Yeah, I know, but Kat is coming this time and she is going to be the DD.”

Jeff proceeded to ignore me and place the infamous quarter on his thumb “Head you go out tonight, tails you hang out at my place and we watch a movie. Tell you what; you can even pick the movie.”

“Ah, come on, Jeff. That’s not even close to fair. That thing is, like, possessed or something. It always goes your way.”

He shrugged limply. “Tails never fails,” he offered before tossing the coin tumbling in the air.

I didn’t even have to look down. I could tell by his smile what face was up.

“Fine, but later,” I growled. “I have some homework I have to get done, alright?”

“Alright, how about six?”

“Six? Seven, at least”

“Nine it is. See you then.”

We turned from each other and went our respective ways down the sidewalk. I hadn’t made it very far when Kat’s blue Buick Skylark rolled up to the curb. I kept walking so she would have to keep moving. We delighted in being mean to each other.

“Hey, Sarah. We going out tonight?”

“Can’t Kat. I’ve got homework.”

“Oh yeah? What in?”

“Biology,” I retorted.

“Riiiight. Homework right before the midterm. I don’t buy it.”

“Fine, then I’ve got to study.”

“Pff. You needing to study. That is hilarious. What time should I pick you up?”

“Sorry, I’ve got plans.”

“What time?”

“Seven.”

“Perfect! We were going out early tonight. I’ll have you back before then, I swear.”

“Like I believe that.”

“Close enough to. You need to go back to your dorm first?”

“No, not really.”

“Well then get in already.”

I sighed and crossed the grass to the street. Getting into the car was more of a production than necessary as Kat continued to allow her car to roll forward. I slammed the door behind me as Kat accelerated to rejoin traffic.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked.

“Paddy’s, where else?”

“They were there just last night.”

“And every night until we graduate or die.”

We continued to laugh at jokes at each other’s expense as we drove around town picking up our other friends. We packed seven of us in the five passenger car. The poor thing had lost its air conditioning years before Kat got it and soon it had become a sauna. We piled out of the car and assumed our place at out regular table in the corner.

“I wonder is Sarah’s friend is going to be here,” Tiffany teased.

I rolled my eyes as Kat chimed in “Friend?”

“Oh, yeah,” I began as the other girls left to get there drinks and begin their evening festivities. “That’s right. You totally missed it. Yeah, I have a stalker now.”

“What?”

“It started about two weeks ago I guess. Phone calls with no one there, voice-mails with heavy breathing, and now he’s graduated to leaving love notes on my door.”

Boy, sounds like you found yourself a real winner.”

“Right? Last note said he was going to kill me so we could be together forever.”

Kat choked on her water. “Shit. Who is this guy?”

“No idea. He just signs his letters ‘your angel and savior’.”

“Police going to catch this guy?”

“They’re looking into it. They said if I receive another note I’ll probably have to go into protective custody.”

“That is rough. What are you going to do about school?”

I shrugged but before I could answer the bartender John slid into our booth. “Hey Kat. Missed you last night. Who’s your friend?”

“My friend?” she snorted. “You mean Sarah?”

He rolled his eyes. “No, your friend in the corner. A guy, a little bit older I guess, keeps starring this way. Has been all night.”

Kat and I turned and looked wide-eyed at each other. “We have to get out of here.” I gasped.

Kat nodded “I’ll get the girls.”

“I’ll get the stuff.”

She slid from the booth and called back “John, Stay with Sarah.”

“Yeah, sure,” The bartender said. “What’s going on?”

I sipped the purses over one arm and balled the sweatshirts against my body. “I’ll tell you later. Is he still here?”

“Um, let me check. No, he’s gone. Why?”

“He might be trying to kill me.”

“What? For real?”

“Yeah, do you think you can remember his face?”

“No problem.”

“K. I’ll call you later,” I added as I prepared to make a run for the door.

“Wait. Go through the kitchen. I’ll tell Kat to go around back. That way he won’t see you.”

I smiled. “Thanks John, you’re the best.”

I flew through the kitchen with my heart pounding in my ears. I had to get out; I had to get away. But john had seen him. The bastard was unmasked. Soon all of this would be over.

I made my way to the service door and waited at the small window embedded in the door, waiting and watching. The seconds dragged on. What was surely two minutes at most felt like hours. Finally Kat’s Buick appeared in my small outlet to the world. I flung the door wide and made a bolt for the Skylark. The door was opened as I made my approach and I leaped in. I was barely in the vehicle when Kat slammed on the gas and sprayed the gravel of the parking lot into the undercarriage.

Kat sped away as we fidgeted in silence. My eyes drifted down to the clock on the tape deck and radio. Seven-ten. Despite everything happening, I felt a stab of guilt keeping Jeff waiting. I knew he would be worrying.

The car rolled to a stop at an intersection. I felt my feet quicken their beat on the floorboard. Kat smashed her palm on her steering wheel.

“Is this idiot going to go?” she bleated.

I looked up and saw a black Oldsmobile waiting at the parallel stop sign. Even in the low light of dusk, it was easy to see the thing was in rougher shape than Kay’s Skylark. Besides the sizable dents and rust spot, it emitted a low burning growl.

“Just go,” Tiffany urged. “I want to get home. This moron needs to learn to drive.”

Suddenly, as if spurned on by the words, the Oldsmobile sprang to life and charged toward us. Kat slammed on her gas, but it was too late. The other car plowed into our opposite corner panel and we were sent spinning.

As I sat there in the back, everything seemed to slow. I looked around and saw the other girls screaming but heard nothing. I saw the world spinning around us as I sat calmly and still. As we came back around, I saw the Oldsmobile spinning in a world itself turning like a giant Tilt-a-Whirl.

We lurched to a stop and time came rushing back. Sound crashed into me in a wave that stirred me from my stupor. The girls were still screaming and Kat was frantically turning her engine over.

“Come on! Come on! Come on!” she coaxed the car to no avail.

I looked up. The Oldsmobile had come to a rest facing away from us. It surged into motion and began to turn around. I had to get out. He was after me and we were sitting ducks. I had to make a run for it. I was putting them all in danger.

I kicked the door open and plunged into the evening air. I ran as fast as I could. The squealing tires and roaring growl forced me to venture glance back. A single head light stared me in the face and filled my vision.

I was struck. I had been expecting in and was prepared to meet the car, but this blow came from the side. It took me of my feet and contorted me in the air. I spun in the air and turned toward the way I had come. The headlight lit up Jeff hovering in air where I had just been for only a moment before the Oldsmobile consumed him.

The car squealed as the brakes were engaged and Jeff was thrown forward into the street in a broken heap. I was stunned. I couldn’t tell if I was on the ground or still in air. I had no feeling. I was paralyzed.

The door open and a man emerged from the car. “Sarah! How could you do this to me? We were going to be together! It’s not too late.”

He reached for me. His eyes were alight with a wild and feral light. And he smiled. It was cruel, unforgiving, and terribly monstrous shadow of a smile. He stooped lower and closer, his hand outstretched for my neck.

The man toppled over from the force of a body. My heart surged with hope. Jeff. It had to be Jeff. He was ok.

I gathered myself to see Kat on top of the man landing blow after blow to his face. Tiffany soon joined the pile as I heard sirens in the distance. I looked up and saw the purple glow as the approached. Police officers quickly surrounded the scene and draw their firearms. The girls piled of and three Police officers took their place to restrain him.

As they stuffed him into the squad car, he stared at me with those soulless beady eyes already swollen from the assault, smiling. That stupid smile from a man I had never seen before. I saw nothing in those eyes and I can only hope he saw my hatred.

“Are you a family member of the deceased?”

The words washed over me. I heard them but failed to comprehend their meaning. I found myself nodding.

“I am sorry for your loss, miss. Brave thing he done.”

I slowly turned toward the voice. He was a tall and lean man in the dark navy of a police officer. My eyes shifted down to a small white cardboard box in his hands.

“It’s a damn shame. Act of pure love if I’d ever seen one. You his sister then?”

I found myself nodding again. I had no words. There was nothing to say.

“It was painless as close as we could figure. Take some comfort in that.”

The officer pushed the box toward me. Thoughtlessly I complied and curled my fingers around the container. It was cold and light.

“Some personal effects on the...he had on him. Not everything. Some had to be taken to evidence. You understand.”

I continued my soulless nodding. I felt numb. The whole world had gone and died and I was left in the void.

The police officer reached out and patted my shoulder as we watched the squad car pull away. “Don’t you worry. We’ll put him away. You’ll never have to see him again.”

I knew he was wrong. I was already seeing his smiling face every time I closed my eyes. The face of the psychopath that I didn’t even know the name of. The soulless eyes of the monster who had taken Jeff from the world.

The officer gave my shoulder a squeeze and departed. The red and blue lights ceased their rhythmic flashing and left me with only the streetlamp overhead. The cars pulled away and everything was gone. It was like nothing had happened at all. All that was left was this box.

I looked down inside and shuffled the few items inside. There was a bag of microwave popcorn, a DVD of ‘Charade’, and a quarter. I fished out the coin and turned it over. Both faces bore the eagle. I suppose sometimes we make our own luck.