gaslight (!) in Gaslight

“I’m fine. I don’t want a ride and I’ve had too much to drink. It’s less than a mile and I could use the fresh air.”

Jerry gave Kate a doubting glance. He did not like the idea of walking alone after dark especially for a woman.

“Call me a chauvinist if you want but there’s nothing smart about a woman wandering around at night buzzed up.”

Kate laughed with a bit of a stagger as she pushed by Jerry out the door and on to the stoop.

“This Podunk town? Are you serious? Better chance to trip over a bunny rabbit than running into anything worth a scare.”

Jerry stood in the doorway wanting to walk her home but he had a houseful of guests and Kate was not budging. No ride home, no taxi and just being the same old unreasonable high school pal thinking she’s all grown up. Bulletproof. That’s the word.

Kate danced down the steps and out to the sidewalk. She gave a wave and blew a sarcastic kiss to Jerry and said,

“Ta-ta Jer-bear.”

Kate lit a cigarette and started her slow stroll home. The night was cool but late October was suppose to be cool. A light wind skittered leaves about and the stars were actually out. It wasn’t all that dark anyway. Jerry’s street had three gaslights on each block. It wasn’t like anyone was going to sneak up on you anyway.

Kate crushed the cigarette out on the bark of a tree and flicked into the street. In a block she would would lose a lot of the light as the gaslights ended and the more traditional overheads beamed at every intersection. Ahead she could see a woman in black leaning against one of the lights mid block. Black hair, jacket and skirt not matched for the weather. Kate laughed to herself. Looks like someone getting their Emo on.
The girl in black stepped to the sidewalk and asked,

“Gotta light sweetheart?”

Kate stopped a gave a look over and said,

“Yeah, I gotta light....sweetheart.”

Sweetheart? What woman call someone sweetheart. Kate pulled a lighter out of her jeans pocket but the woman didn’t seem to have anything to light.

“Little late for a girl to be wandering the streets ya think?”

Kate gave a shrug and said,

“And yet here we are.”

The woman came up close backing Kate against a brick and wrought-iron wall fronting the downstairs to the brownstone looming in the dark.

“You’re a pretty girl sweetheart. I betcha you think I’m pretty too. You like pretty girls don’t cha?”

Kate gave the woman a smile and answered,

“Oh, I like pretty girls all right. Pretty girls fucking dumb enough to wander in the dark.”

The woman in black took a step back but it was too late. The blade appeared from no where. Kate rammed the knife upward through her throat and straight into her brain. With a grinding twist she tore it free and shoved her back under the gaslight.

Kate stood for a moment looking at the dead girl as she pulled a cigarette out and flicked her lighter..

“Little late for a girl to be wandering the streets ya think? Especially a pretty girl.....sweetheart.”

Last updated October 30, 2014