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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


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All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

 

The True Measure

 

(A different telling of what happened during the Killing Club Killer fiery setup at the Love Center.  As the character Margo Channing, played by Bette Davis, said in the 1950 movie, All About Eve, “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”)

 

Chapter 1

 

As the fire rises the flames illuminate the room to reveal the two (2) women tied to the basketball posts opposite to each other.  Dressed in cheerleader outfits they are bound to those metal posts with no means of escape.  There is movement.  One is struggling to release herself from her bindings.  Her head swings from side to side emphasizing the great effort she is exerting to free herself from this impending doom.  A glance the other way reveals the other one does not struggle.  Her head slumping to her chest indicates that she is not conscious. She does not struggle.  She has succumbed to the inevitability of this.  Does the creator of this macabre scene lurk in the shadows?  One who can create such a blatant display of disinterest in human life slinks in the darkness?  Only one word describes such a person, c-o-w-a-r-d.

 

Suddenly the doors fling open.  Has someone come to rescue these two (2) helpless individuals? Did someone sound the trumpet for the troops to arrive?  No, wait, there is only one lone figure standing here.  Can he do the impossible and rescue both ladies before the flames consume them or will one suffer the ultimate price for the choices that this solitary rescuer must make?  Or, is he just a scout and there are others ready to enter just beyond those doors?  The man looks at both women and can barely mentally register in his brain the horror of what he sees. Seconds seem like hours and he makes the excruciatingly painful decision, one that no matter what will be seen by someone as the wrong decision.

 

Turning from the one who is still conscious he runs to the other whose head remains bowed and immobile.  He releases her from the bindings and carries her away from the flames and places her gently on the floor.  Then he rushes over to the one who continues to struggle, unbinds her and moves her to a safe place on the floor.  He checks her quickly for any major injuries and finding none he returns to the one who still does not move.  Bending down he lowers his head to her face and waits to feel the brush of air escape her nostrils and hit his cheek.  She yet breathes but her pulse remains weak.  Rubbing her arms to increase blood circulation he once again checks her pulse and it has quickened.

 

As he continues his attempts to revive her other people flood into the room.  Firemen douse the flames and paramedics rush over to take his place.  He remains bending on his knees as if in a daze.  Through the haze of his vision he sees and hears his boss ask, 

 

“John, where is Evangeline?” 

 

His brain cannot comprehend that question, his heart refuses to entertain such a ridiculous notion, his body wants to spasm but at the last minute he takes control of himself. He looks around and does not see her where he placed her only minutes ago.  Screaming out orders he directs his comments to the officers who are now present, 

 

“Search the area!  She was right here!  Search inside and outside!   Maybe she’s wandering around dazed about all of this or maybe she’s hiding somewhere thinking that she’s still in danger!” 

 

Commissioner Beauregard ‘Bo’ Buchanan of the Llanview Police Department tries to calm Lieutenant John McBain, Chief of Detectives.  Lowering his voice so that only John can hear he says, 

 

“They will find her John.  You stay here and wait for the Crime Scene Unit (CSU) to arrive. I’m going to the hospital and will contact Vicki to meet me there.  It will be all right.”  

 

Bo pats John’s shoulder and leaves to drive to Llanview General Hospital. 

 

Rising John surveys the scene. Second guessing himself won’t help the situation but he does it anyway.  He questions why didn’t he wait for backup?  How did he expect to rescue two (2) victims alone and still subdue the kidnapper?  All of this thinking is giving him a headache.  He must remain focused.  Evidently the kidnapper stood nearby all while John assisted each woman.  Was this part of the kidnapper’s plan all along John asks himself?  Did he do this for me to have to make a choice of which woman to rescue first and if so for what purpose?  John plans to ask the sorry excuse for a man when he captures him and after he beats him to a pulp.  John knows that he can’t do physical harm to a prisoner but at this moment he wishes that he could.






Chapter End Notes:

I'm back!  Missed my chambermates.  The creative juices are flowing again and this is the first story of my return journey.  Hope that you like it but I'm having a hoot writing it!







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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.