Content Warning: 

This story contains restricted (R) content, including violence, nudity, physical abuse, trauma, and murder. This story is written for an adult audience. 

Stars glittered across the midnight canvas sky peaking through the treetops. Each individual diamond reflected in the deep blue eyes of Sarah Hawkins, sprawled naked on top of a cheap quilt. It was bought at an Amish marketplace, intricately crafted and sewn together. At least that’s what her boyfriend told her, and she never bothered to question him further. She was thankful it provided warmth against the grass’s condescension. Secluded and sheltered within nature’s embrace, she floated within her perfect teenage dream. A price she was glad to pay for her sacrificed innocence. 

Every few seconds, the sound of chirping crickets broke the collective silence. They’d succumbed to their urges, yet the couple refused mutual recognition. Their eyes fixed toward the heavens and shut everything out but their musings.  

A tiny smile crept onto John’s face as he replayed their sexual encounter. The feeling of her smooth skin, the tenderness from their touch, and her soft lips were enough to turn him on again. Nothing else mattered but this moment. He set out to claim a new conquest and succeeded in getting his prize.  

He heard a shuffling noise and reached for his pack of cigarettes before glancing at the nice piece of ass beside him. The intensity from her piercing gaze was no surprise. It was a look he’d seen repeatedly when girls were about to pop off with stupid questions about what their romantic rendezvous had meant. He ripped his gaze away, lit his cigarette, took a puff, fixated on the stars. 

Sarah lay on the quilt, her body turned toward him as she desperately examined his eyes for any indication of love. His chiseled upper torso was illuminated by the moonlit glow. She found hardly any emotion in his expression, even when he briefly met her gaze. Her heart sank as she considered that this was a mistake. Their text messages, phone calls, and late-night make-out sessions were pointless if he made no emotional investment. She swallowed hard, working up the courage to interrupt whatever thoughts circled in his mind. 

“Can I ask you something, John?” she inquired, her eyes glued to his face. She steeled herself to avoid showing any emotion or weakness in front of him, in anticipation of his response. She believed the difference between women versus men was best explained by how emotionally overwhelmed they could become. She learned many subtle lessons growing up and witnessing her mother save face in numerous confrontations. Even when her father left them, her mother never shed a tear or lost composure. Seizing the opportunity in his silence, she gave a small sigh. 

“Did this mean anything?” she asked, braced for anything John had to say. The outspoken question left her heart racing with anticipation. Multiple friends had warned her about the type of person he was: his treatment of ex-girlfriends, his home life, and the antisocial behavior he exhibited toward others. Everything she heard, she regarded as rumors set by those who never wanted to understand him. But now John’s demeanor gave her reason to doubt. The tension in the prolonged silence heightened,  

John chewed his bottom lip and let out a heavy sigh before flicking away the cigarette. “Did it mean anything to you, Sarah?” he replied with a matter-of-fact attitude. He glanced at her, watching her face change as the words to sank in. The look in her eyes confirmed everything John expected her reaction to be.  

Any sympathy he might have had died after years of watching his mother cry over every bruise and broken heart. Disgusted with Sarah’s begging silence, he placed another cigarette in his mouth and lit it. It always calmed him down and bought him spare time while contemplating his actions.  

But the words hung in the air. He had to clench his jaw to answer her kindly. 

“Put it like this: girls have a fantasy about losing their virginity. That it will be a romantic adventure and get boys to commit and live happily ever after. But this is the real world, not the movies. I told you from the beginning that being with me would waste your time. Now, here we are,” John said, as he gave a small smile before taking another puff of his cigarette. “This is all on you.” Putting out the cigarette, he reached for her shoulder before she drew away. 

His deflective answer shattered that dream before her eyes. It was as if she were witnessing a scene where the damsel realizes her prince charming is a villain. Now that she heard John spew out poisonous gaslighting, her heart broke, and she shook her head. It was more than she could bear. Her pain morphed into fury. 

“You never loved me, did you?” Sarah spat. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she refused to look away. She waited for John to refute, defend, or show a mediocre attempt to comfort her like he had in past arguments. As she confronted the painful truth, she could only guess what else he might conjure from his lying lips. 

“I’m just being honest. What more do you expect from me?” John shrugged his shoulders.  

It was more than Sarah could bear. She rose up from the quilt and searched for her dress in the dark. Tears streaked down her face as the weight of wasted innocence lay heavy on her heart. 

John sat on the quilt, satisfied with what was on his mind. Most teenage guys would beg a bitch to stay, or be pussy enough to let her leave. John would never stoop so low. He’d known Sarah would be a challenge, and now she was a tantalizing prize to keep. He couldn’t help but marvel at her naked body illuminated by the moonlight. His eyes darkened with lust. 

He decided to seize the opportunity for round two. He gripped her and pulled her close before her fingertips could grasp the fabric of her blue dress. Her muscles tensed at his touch. His fingertips explored every inch of her bare skin while a smile stretched across his face. He rubbed his palms against her beautiful, pale shoulders. She swatted at his hands, and a soft, dark chuckle escaped him. He knew she still wanted him. 

“Come on, baby, one last time,” he whispered along the nape of her neck. She emitted a fresh shiver with every syllable, so he drew them out. It felt like a good sign, so he peppered kisses along her shoulders. His calloused hands roamed back and forth across her stomach, drawing her in with a squeeze. Savoring every moment against her smooth skin reminded John of his attraction. 

“No,” Sarah managed, snatching herself away with a fierce glare in her eyes. She dared not glance into his eyes again, so she searched for her clothes. She’d had enough of John’s empty words and seductive charm. Her heartbroken spirit wanted nothing more than to get away from him. 

The sting of rejection was more than John could bear. His fist clenched as his restraint quickly faded. He’d had enough of her bullshit and wasn’t waiting for an answer.  

He picked up a nearby rock and whacked the back of her head as hard as he could. A sharp cry of pain broke from her before she slumped forward onto the quilt. 

But that only enraged him. He continued to pound the stone into her skull, determined to quiet her for good. Built-up rage at his mother’s neglect, abandoning him to foster care, flooded his mind, and he enacted vengeance for everything he ever went through with each blow. He continued the beating until he was certain Sarah was dead and softly tossed the stone away with blood-stained hands. 

As the sun rose on September 14th, 2012, its rays cascaded down on Sarah’s body, flung across the Amish quilt. For reasons unknown to John, he sat nearby her lifeless form, watching the rays of sunlight fall across their bodies. He didn’t bother to run and hide, or kill himself like a coward. He reached for his lighter and lit a cigarette as the distinct sound of sirens echoed across the secluded park. 

Editor: Shannon Hensley