As he gently kisses Samantha's cheek, the warmth and moisture of her blood flows upon his lips...
The smell...the taste...his heart raced faster with each passing moment. He has crossed into a threshold from which there is no return. As he wipes her blood away, it soothes his inner-most desires. His need to be in control, his power, ultimate superiority. What led to the torture of this woman has yet to be determined. It could have been her mocha colored skin, or possibly her refusal of his unnoticed advances. She is crossing over from this life into another while he cradles her in his arms. It seems he's trying to soothe her, attempting to make her death more pleasant. Although he's the one responsible for this moment, he feels the need to be with her. As her eyes slowly close, he runs his fingers through her hair. Once again, he kisses her upon the cheek...softly speaking to her. Samantha leaves this world with the words 'I will always love you' echoing in her mind.
She wanted to scream...HELP ME...SOMEONE...but, she knew no one would hear her. Instead, she tried to run. His speed and strength were enough to overpower her own. Once she felt his firm grip, reality sank in. He abrubtly threw her to the ground, knocking her unconscious. Samantha awoke a few hours later, looked into the face of the man holding her captive. "I know you, why?" she cried. His stare was blank, he did not answer. Out of instinct, she pleaded with him "...please...I won't tell anyone...just let me go". Once again, her words seemed to go unheard. At that moment, her fear became intense and she knew that he could feel it. Her panic seemed to infuriate him. After all, he loves her...why doesn't she know that...why is she resisting him.
It started a few months before - on Valentine's Day, to be exact. Recently divorced, Samantha wanted a fresh start. She packed her things and moved to a small town in the country. The views were magnificent, it was a town full of mountains and streams. A country store, a local bar, and a quaint little church...serenity at it's finest. She quickly knew that this would be home. As she was settling into her new environment, it didn't bother her that she was the only black woman in town. Neighbors were anxious to get to know her...to know where she came from. In their minds, living in a mountain town secluded them from the rest of the world. They eagerly befriended any new-comer. That's how she met David. One day, while walking through the wilderness, she came across a very handsome man. They instantly struck up a conversation that lasted long into the night. David offered to walk her home. "It's the gentlemanly thing to do", he insisted. She agreed, and they eventually became (what she considered) great friends. He seemed polite enough - always had something interesting to chat about. Their friendship was of comfort to her, she didn't feel alone.
A few weeks after settling into her new home, the sound of a shotgun blast and shattering glass woke her from a deep sleep. She shot up trembling in fear...unable to pry herself out of bed, she began to cry. The sun couldn't rise fast enough. It would be safer to go out in daylight, she thought to herself. At some point, she drifted off to sleep again. That morning, she ventured outdoors to see what transpired the night before. Broken glass covered her porch, the potted plant scattered across the ground, and she noticed a single rose placed on her doorstep. Samantha's heart instantly started to race...did he find her...what was happening...then, she fainted. When she started coming around, she felt the strong arms of someone holding her. David stopped by to see if she wanted to go for a hike, he saw her unconscious body and was carrying her into the house. He showed up at the exact moment she needed help...he was there when no one else was. It reassured her that this is a town full of wonderful, caring people. She once again felt a little safer.
It didn't take long before that event lead to more severe things. When leaving the house one morning, Samantha saw that her tires had all been slashed. What looked like blood was poured on the hood of her car. Once again, there was a single rose placed on her doorstep. It seemed to be a 'calling card' of sorts. Her fears of the past have returned to haunt her...but, why. She couldn't understand what was happening, so she called her friend. David answered the phone and tried to comfort her. "I'll be right there", he said...and she waited. He pulled up in his black Ford F250, hopped out and headed towards the back of his truck. His attention to detail was apparent...he came complete with tools and tires. It didn't take long before he had her car ready to go. Once again, David saved the day...and eased her mind.
The next month seemed to pass without incident. Although the memories of it all were still in the back of her mind, Samantha was moving forward. Whoever violated her sense of security has finally gone away - or so she thought. Emerging from the shower one evening, she dressed and headed towards the kitchen. The smell was strong, it had a hint of hickory to it. That's when she saw the smoke starting to invade the room. As she ran out of the house, Samantha looked back to see her home engulfed in flames. In the shadows, she caught the glimpse of what appeared to be a man. Maybe he's come to help me, she thought. At that moment, something seemed to glow - something shiny grasped tightly in his hand. She knew it was him. The man who's been terrorizing her now stood less than a football field away. Samantha's fear reached a whole new level. She couldn't bring herself to scream...she tried. The only thing to do was run - run as fast as she could.
The wilderness was it's own obstacle course - ducking branches, dodging trees, jumping streams. Just as Samantha thought she was making headway, his strong hands grabbed a hold. As she was thrown to the ground, the feeling of pain overwhelmed her. The sharp edge of a rock pierced through her temple...leaving her bloody and dazed. As the blood started to flow across her flesh, she felt it's warmth...quickly, she lost consciousness. When she once again felt the throbbing in her head, Samantha knew that she was still alive. She opened her eyes to see a familiar face. The thoughts raced through her head - it can't be...he's my friend...why is he doing this to me...
She dreaded the thought of what was going to happen to her. She was cold and afraid - very afraid. The man she considered her friend...the man she was slowly falling in love with...was now holding her captive in the middle of the mountains. There was no escape. The blood was pouring from the wound in her head. It tasted like death - if death would have a taste. David knelt over her. She saw no emotion on his face - no love, no hope, no compassion. Samantha quickly came to the realization that this is the end. That's the moment she began to cry. Her life flashed before her eyes...
With her body trembling, she begged for her life. She wondered how there wasn't a clue that David was obsessed with her...some kind of sign. It all started making sense now. He was always the one that came to her rescue just in time. Then, she thought it was nothing more than a coincidence. Now, it's obvious to her that it was much more sinister than that. He was the cause of everything with the sole intention of being her hero...her savior. Nothing was said by him - there was nothing he could say. David was about to kill the woman that he fell in love with - the woman who (he thought) didn't love him in return. He slowly ran the blade along the side of her face, across her lips, and down her arm. In an instant, the sharpness of the blade pierced her chest...and that is where it remained.
As he cradled Samantha tightly in his arms, he carressed her blood-soaked hair and kissed her upon the cheek. As her heart stopped beating, David softly whispered into her ear - "I will always love you".
With that, he placed a single rose upon her chest...