The wood floor creaks, and my eyes flutter open.
I’m in bed with my boyfriend, Will.
A stranger stares at me from the doorway.
There are big bags under her eyes…
I grip the edge of my mattress.
I shake him and he jolts up.
The stranger smirks and steps closer.
Woman
Good morning, Will.
I see Will’s face go white at the sound of her voice.
Will
Jenna, what are you doing here?
She moves closer to our bed.
Will and I back up against our headboard.
She drags the knife along our sheets.
Will
What’s that knife for, Jenna?
Jenna
I thought you were the one.
Kallie
Will, who is this?
Will gets between the woman and me.
Will
It’s going to be okay.
Jenna
He’s very reassuring, isn’t he?
Will
I shouldn’t have left you the way I did.
Jenna
I didn’t know if you were alive or dead.
Jenna
If you loved me or hated me.
Tears well up in Jenna’s eyes.
I see her squeeze the knife tighter.
Will
Don’t do anything rash, Jenna.
Will
You’re not that kind of person.
Jenna
Don’t tell me what kind of person I am!
Jenna
You made me this way!
Jenna reaches into her back pocket.
She pulls out two sets of handcuffs and tosses them at us.
Jenna
We’re going for a ride.
Tires squeal and I smack against hard metal.
A second later, Will rolls right into me.
I try to scream out the pain, but the tape over my mouth holds it in.
Her engine roars as she haphazardly navigates the road.
His mouth is taped shut, too.
But his eyes are filled with remorse.
How could he have predicted this?
How could he have known what this girl was capable of?
I don’t know how we’re going to make it out of this.
A stinging pain shoots up my arm.
I look down at the handcuffs digging into my skin.
Tiny bits of blood drip off of them.
And it sends him over the edge.
Then, with all his strength, he kicks the trunk.
It doesn’t open, but it moves just enough to encourage him.
He pounds his feet against it with fury—
Every blow moving it just a bit more.
Until my legs feel nearly numb.
And a sliver of light from outside slices in.
Will and I exchange nervous glances and then…
She reaches down and rips the tape off our mouths.
Will and I are standing on the edge of a bridge.
I rub my wrists where the handcuffs once were.
Jenna is behind us, knife in hand.
A hundred feet below, the raging water of the river flows.
Kallie
Please don’t do this.
Kallie
I don’t want to die.
Jenna
I know this is between me and your man.
Jenna
But there can’t be any witnesses.
Jenna
You understand, right?
Tears roll down my cheek.
Will
Jenna, let’s just talk about this, okay?
Jenna
Oh, you want to talk now?
Jenna
I finally have your attention?
Jenna
Moments from now, your body is going to fall 152 feet to the water below.
Jenna
If you survive the impact…
Jenna
Which is highly unlikely…
Jenna
You’ll be dragged two miles south and sucked into a water treatment plant.
Jenna
Things will get messy there.
Please don’t let this be the end.
Will
She doesn’t know you.
Will
She won’t say a thing.
Will locks eyes with me, and for a second, I almost feel safe.
Jenna
You’re such a sweetheart when you want to be.
Jenna
But I can’t believe a single thing you say.
Jenna
When you told me you loved me last year, I thought you meant it!
My heart stops at those words.
Jenna looks at me quizzically.
Will
Don’t listen to her, Kallie.
Kallie
Were you with her last year, Will?
Kallie
Why would she lie about that?
Kallie
Did you cheat on me, Will?
Kallie
Don’t you dare lie to me right now!
And finally, under the pressure of the moment, he breaks.
Will
It didn’t mean anything.
Kallie
How could you do this to me?
Kallie
We’ve been together for five years, Will.
Before I even know it, my hands jolt forward…
And press against Will. Hard.
His screams cascade on the way down.
They disappear with one solitary splash…
I watch the water rage on for a moment.
Tears well up in my eyes.
And her demeanor totally changes.
Jenna
I didn’t know he was with you then.
The weight of what I’ve done finally overcomes me.
Jenna
It’s not your fault.
She puts a hand on my shoulder.
In a split second, I grab the knife from her free hand and drive it into her stomach.
And her skin turns white.
Kallie
You’re right, Jenna.
Kallie
This was his fault.
I press the knife farther into her.
Blood pools around my fist.
Kallie
But like you said…
Then, with all my strength, I shove Jenna over the edge.
And her body plunges into the chaos below.
Kallie
There can’t be any witnesses.
