by Dawn M. O'Neal

Created on: November 13, 2008

He stood buried amidst the thick brush nestled deep within the woods, yet close enough to watch her every move from a distance. The autumn leaves had begun to fall making his view much clearer.
He had to be extremely careful treading upon the crisp leaves for the slightest movement would give him away.
Here he was yet again, watching and waiting for the right moment. He had settled upon this spot many times to observe her in and around the dwelling she occupied.

Dane Garrison was more than just the neighborhood Peeping Tom. He was wanted for the murders of seventeen women that spanned four states. He had been keeping a watchful eye on Macie Brooks for the past three weeks. Under normal circumstances he would have already approached his next victim from behind, grabbing her and carrying her away to meet her fate. But not this time. This time, there was something about Macie Brooks that intrigued him; delaying his ability to carry out his normal routine.

He happened upon this area by mistake. The state authorities had called in the FBI to do an extensive search of the bordering state where the last three murders were discovered just shy of a month ago. He had started his getaway in a stolen blue Ford pickup and drove as far as he could go on a single tank of gas; landing him here in the mountain town of Bainbridge. He'd abandoned the vehicle on the lonely stretch of Highway 158, setting it on fire before fleeing into the woods. The ongoing adrenaline rush he often felt when he was about to overtake one of his victims propelled him deeper and deeper into the woods until he was several miles from the road. He'd ran and walked tirelessly for several days before complete exhaustion forced him to stop and rest.

He was roused from sleep the following morning to the sound of a female's voice singing. The voice was melodic and crystal clear and seemed to echo all throughout the wooded area surrounding Dane. He quickly arose and carefully and quietly followed the sound until he came upon a clearing that appeared to be in the middle of nowhere leading to this same spot where he currently stood.

On that first day, Dane had become mesmerized by that angelic voice and then he got his first glimpse of her. Macie Brooks had thick, long brown hair that she wore pulled back in a ponytail. The morning sun shone upon her revealing her natural beauty. She wore no makeup which complimented the red, plaid flannel shirt and blue jeans that adorning her toned body. As he became acquainted

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>