Wrong Person – Part 5

Kara laughed a little too hard at Mark’s shocked expression. Her cackle bordered on maniacal, and for the first time in his adult life, Mark felt frightened. For the first time ever, he was afraid of a woman.
This girl was nuts.
The laughing suddenly ceased as Kara seemed to fall into deep thought. She paced again, chewing on her thumbnail. Mark wasn’t sure if he should disturb her, but maybe interrupting would throw her off track. He could then attempt an escape. That is if he could undo the ridiculous knot binding him.
Keep her talking. Distract her.
“So,” Mark said loudly, breaking her out of her thoughts and making her stop. “Do you live around here?”
“Shut up.”
“I mean, you seem to know these trails, so I’m guessing you’re a local.”
“I said,” Kara threatened as she stalked toward him, “Shut. Up.”
Mark smiled. Annoy her. Confuse her. Knock her off her crazy high horse and then overpower her. She was tiny. Once he got past the wild strength she seemed to possess he could easily handle her. He’d have to just kill her and dump her in the ravine. It still bugged him he couldn’t do his routine. His whole world was thrown off balance by what she did to him, but he couldn’t let this go on much longer. And he definitely couldn’t let her win. Or live. He’d have to figure out how to fix it after he dealt with her.
“Look,” he began slowly. “You seem like you’re going through a thing. You seem hurt. You mentioned you got dumped. That stinks.”
Kara picked up a nearby rock and hurled it at him. It pinged off his forehead, the pain quick but sharp.
“OW!” Mark yelled. “What the hell?!”
Kara picked up another rock and repeated her action. This one just missed his left eye.
“You nearly blinded me, you crazy bitch!”
“Keep talking and annoying me,” she hissed. “And call me names again. See what happens. Next time, I grab a much bigger rock.”
Mark’s eyes widened. What did he get himself into?
Mark looked around. There had to be something he could use to get out of the rope and then maybe use as a weapon to turn off her lights for good.
Something snapped in the distance, and both he and Kara looked sharply in the direction of the sound. It might be an animal. It probably was. For the first time in his life, Mark hoped someone came upon him while he was on the trails.