Candice opened the door and walked in. She looked around and sat in an empty booth. Looking out the window, she thought silently. Her little white dress and red belt were new, but she didn't like to show off. That may be the reason why she wore a large, unattractive coat over it. A pretty girl with a typical face.
She knew almost everyone in the town, but she knew very little about herself. Who was she anyways? What was she?

***

Jack stood outside in the shadows. This was going to be a very intesting night. But now was a time to wait. Just wait...

Lacey popped the hood on her jeep pulling a rag out of her back pocket she leaned over the motor. "Oh I took great care of it Ace you should be happy you got a car right out of high school free." She mocked her brother bitterly. She pour a quart o oil into it before slamming the hood shut. Ace glanced around to make sure she was alone before burning the oil from her hands. She hopped into the jeep trying to turn it over and after four times she got it to finally turn over, she pulled out her cell calling up Candy "Hey Tart!" She quickly turned her music down "Where the hell are you? You wanna go snag breakfast..or lunch what time is it? She slowed down talking slower "I mean what are your plans can i kidnap you?" She smirked softly into the phone.

"Dammit Natalie! where the hell are you!", he screamed while pounding on the bedroom door. Natalie opened it looking down at the floor, she wore her uniform for work. He snatched her by the arm hard, "Where in the hell are you going?", she swallowed hard, "To work daddy", she said in a mousy tone of voice, making sure not to make eye contact.

He squeezed her wrist harder, sending a shooting pain up Natalie's arm, "Oww!!", she cried as tears trailed down her eyes, it was the wrist that he had broke just three days ago and it was nowhere near healed. Natalie could hear the cracking of bones as he wrenched her wrist to the left, "I'm going to work daddy I swear", she cried. He quickly let go of her wrist and snatched her long brown hair in his fist, practically dragging her by her hair and tossing her out the front door, of their dirty, dingy mobile home.

"You better not be late!, and as soon as you get home I want my damn laundry finished!", he yelled out into the yard where she had fallen and then slammed the door. Natalie laid in the front yard with tears in her eyes and cradling her wrist trying not to cry out loud, she didn't want the neighbors to call the cops again. She stood up and used her good hand to try to dust some dirt off her pants and then started making her way to "Mabel's", the little diner where she worked washing dishes.

When she came in Mabel the owner shook her head, she knew the crap that Natalie put up with but the girl was an adult and could make her own choices. Mabel saw Natalie cradling her wrist for the second time this week, she stepped in front of Natalie and could tell the poor girls wrist was black and blue. "Why don't you just take the take out orders tonight okay Natalie", said Mabel.

Natalie shook her head, "N..n..no I'm alright I can still was and clear the tables", the thought of talking to people on the phone frightened her more then, her wrist hurt. Mabel looked at Natalie with concern and then nodded, "Alright sugar if you think you can I'm not going to tell you no", said the elderly woman. Natalie nodded back, put her apron over her head and made her way into the dish room.

Candy smiled, she just loved having a friend around to caller "Ha ha! Of course you can kidnap me! I have no life, you know that, Ace! And I'm at the diner. Let's get some lunch right here! I mean unless you want to go somewhere else?" She glanced out the window. A large black mass caught her attention. She gasped a bit. It seemed to be a man who was...Was he? Was he looking right at her? or glaring?
Whatever it was, it scared her to death. She realized this wasn't good. She just had that feeling in the pit of her stomach. She turned and looked over her shoulder to see if there was someone else was there. He couldn't be looking at her. Maybe there was someone else--
But there wasn't. He had to be looking at her. She turned back to look at him, but the thing was gone. She now felt sick.
"Ace, get over here right now! Hurry!" she said. Being one of the few people in here, she didn't dare leave. A man dressed all in black was never a good sign.

***

Jack glared out at the strange little girl. She'd scream if he'd hit hee or snapped her bones, wouldn't she? A nice little victim for him. What a lovely little thing, too...
What color was her blood? He'd have to find out. Maybe she'd have a friend with her. She was talking to someone...
What a nice day it was turning out to be!

Lacey laughed at Candy "Ok,ok easy chicken I will be right there. Ya big old baby." She flicked her phone off tossing it next to her her eyes wide with fear. She kicked her car into high gear burning rubber behind her. She slid her jeep into a spot side ways, she killed the motor running to the door looking around carefully. She stopped at the door plastering on a brave face "Candy! I am here to save the day mighty mouse style." She flashed her a thankful she was fine smile. She pulled her down into a booth. "So what is with the 911 tone? Where is the creeper creep?" She looked over at her "Aww oh my god you just missed me that badly?!"

"Ace!" She whined, "I saw someone outside! A huge man in a black coat! I swear he was looking at me!" She shivered, "It scared me half to death! I just don't want to be alone with some weirdo on the loose!" She then realized that Ace would probably make some comment about how they were weirdos and on the loose. She quickly changed the subject. "Umm...well, since we're here, let's get some food!" She held the menu up and glaced out the window. There he was!
She yelped and jumped backwards falling out of her seat and onto the floor. She blushed like crazy, not because she had just fallen on the floor, but because the person she saw outside this time was not the same one as last time.
"I'm not that drunk! I swear!" she whined, "I just...sorry," She now struggled to get up from under the table. "Ace? Help..." she said. It was kind of funny if you thought about it, which she didn't like to.

***

Now there were two girls! How wonderful! He would love to crush their skulls with his large boot.
But there were too many people around now. No no no, Jack, must'n do anything like that right now...
Two girls...Three hours until nightfall...
Two very pretty girls...hm.

"Natalie, Janet can't come in today I need you to wait tables for me", said Mabel as Natalie was trying to wash with one hand. Natalie's eyes went wide, "O..o...oh Ms. Mabel I can't do that, I...I...I'll just mess up", said Natalie.

Mabel put her hand on her shoulder, "Natalie I really need you do this for me, you can do it if you try really hard and it's just for tonight; you can keep the tips you get as well", said Mabel trying to encourage the young woman. She knew that she didn't make much money and the money she did went to bills and her father drug habits. Natalie weighed the options in her head and then shook her head yes, she could use the extra money she would make waiting the tables.

"Good there's an extra waitress uniform in the back I think it'll fit you. Just put that on and here wear this it'll help you use you wrist better", said Mabel handing her a wrist supporter. "I wear it allot cause of my carpel-tunnel", said Mabel, Natalie smiled slightly "Thank you", she said quietly and went to get dressed.

The waitress uniform was a little big on Natalie but is didn't look to bad after Mable tied the apron on. "Get cracking sugar we got people waiting", said the elderly woman with a smile.

Natalie went to a table were to young girls were sitting. One seemed frantic about something, "H...h..hello ladies w...w...what can I...I...I get you this afternoon", stuttered Natalie quietly while staring at the order pad in her hand.

Lacey shook her head at Candy "You know blonde if you do have a werido stalking you, you shouldn't act like a flipping terrified bunny rabbit." She arched a brow at her "You sure you arent throwing something back are you high?"Lacey glanced outside the pit of her stomach froze over hoping she wouldn't see what she did. Lacey helped her up slowly "lets just try not to panic maybe your blood sugar is low and you are just seeing things, the service today is terribad" She cleared her throat as a mousy waitress came over.

Ace watched the girl and the way she talked "Damn girl chill out we dont bite..hard anyway." Candy kicked her leg under the table Ace yelped and shot her a dirty look."Was that really needed?"

Art walked into the diner, with her twin in tow. "C'mon, you promised Mom you would actually feed me this time!" she grumbled. She sat down at a table near Lacey and Candy. she heard a bit of their conversation- something about a guy and Candy flipping out. Wait, wasn't she always flipping out? The red head shrugged and had a look at the menu as her brother sat down across from her. A cheeseburger sounded pretty good right now. Nobody in her family was the next Top Chef, that was for sure.

Issac looked around the diner, waving to the two girls sitting by a window and the pretty waitress. He liked being friends with everybody. The more the merrier right? He took a seat across from his sister, who was not in the best mood today. Maybe he could solve that if he took her shopping. Except that would mean spending money, which wasn't exactly the most abundant thing in their small family. He sighed and scanned over the menu. He wondered where he'd left his sickle. Probably out somewhere in the woods...

"Please, don't mind her," Candy said as she kicked Ace, "She must be off her meds," she suppressed a laugh and smiled quickly at Art and Issac. She knew them well enough and Issad just waved, so smiling was acceptable, wasn't it? "Anyways, I'll have..." she looked at the menu, although she hardly needed to. It wasn't as if she ever got something different. "I'll have a Coke and a vegeburger please," She smiled, "and an order of fries for the table,"
Candy wasn't a vegetarian, but she just always got a vegeburger. What was wrong with that?

***

Jack was delighted! There were four beautiful girls in the resaurant! How lovely! But then there was that boy...
Jack had seen the boy in the woods with a lard scythe. It amused him to watch the child. Maybe he'd make a good killer? He could take him under his wing, kidnap a few of the pretties, and teach him how to kill...the right way!

Cal walked into the diner and looked around. A bunch of girls and that weird boy. He quickly found a seat away from everyone else and sat down. He really didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Of all these girls...
Well, Candy was a nice girl, but she was clumbsy and...weird. He really didn't like think about him and Candy. She was closer to a sister than to a love interest. But the other three...Well, why would he think about that? None of them liked him, right? Just because he was a bad boy...
He didn't bother thinking of all this now. He sunk into his chair and waited for someone to come over so he could order and then leave. This was his life, spent alone.
Was there no one to help him?

Ace looked up and saw Issac wave giving him a half assed wave and nodded to Art. She watched as Cal walked, she smiled warmly at him before looking over to Candy"Hey left my wallet in the jeep be right back think you can not have a heart attack?" She give her a cocky smile "I want a slice of chocolate cake and dr pepper." She said as she walked out of the diner.

She made her way to her jeep pulling out a pack of cigarettes, she looked around before she lit it up with a look. She made a show of putting the "lighter" up. She took a few drags trying to relax from Candy's call, her blood was still racing from worry. She finished off the last of the cigarette grabbing her wallet and heading back to the diner.

Jack was surprised this girl was alone right now! But his brother was inside. Cal would run if he killed her, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have a little fun with this.
He took out a pocket knife an stuck it in the side of the Jeep. He ran it across it and it made a sound like nails on a chalkboard. He liked this sound. What a nice noise! Like screams of a woman! But the Jeep didn't bleed. Not like the girl would

***

Candy didn't notice what was going on. The Jeep was out of her sight. But she was afraid to go outside. She only would do that if it was absolutely necessary. And as of right now it wasn't.
She glanced over at Cal. At least there was a man here to protect them...maybe...

Natalie swallowed and wrote down the order, sticking on the counter that led to the kitchen, "I need a veggie burger, and large order of fries please", she quietly said to Hal the fry cook. She then got the two girls soda's and the cake putting the items on a tray. She strained a little lifting the tray sending pain up her arm but she took a deep breath and did her best. She set the drink on the table and the cake where the girl that had left was sitting, "Here you go", she said in her mousy voice.

Then she went to the table with the guy and the girl, "H..h...hello can I t..t..take your order", asked Natalie as another guy came in; he seemed to really not want to be bothered with any of the others and sat down she hopped to get to him quickly cause he looked a little impatient.

Ace glanced over her shoulder hearing metal on metal. She rubbed her ears walking back into the diner. All the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She shuttered as she walked back in. "Cal stop being all lone wolfish and come join us." She bit her lip really hoping he would join them. She glanced at Candy making sure she wasnt giving her the -what are you doing face- which she wasnt. She cleared her throat looking at Cal again "If you ant to that is we are over there, she pointed to the table with a warm smile that faded back to her snarky expression as soon as the warmest shown threw.

She sat back in her chair looking at Candy "Something is majorly wiggins outside or maybe your scaredy catness is wearing off on me."

Art watched as Cal entered. That guy was full of death as far as she was concerned- always sulking around and such. Total weirdo. "H..h...hello can I t..t..take your order?" A small voice brought Artemis out of her non-existent staring contest with him. She looked at Natalie and smiled. The girl was nice, just needed a confidence boost was all. Art didn't get involved with people's personal lives, so she didn't know what the girl was so scared of. "Yeah, I'll have a cheeseburger-medium rare and a Sprite." She looked at Issac to make sure he wasn't going to do anything stupid and then back at Cal, still trying to figure out what his problem with the world was.

***

Issac looked at Natalie and smiled as well, but it was a true smile. Unlike his sister he actually cared for these people. As long as they didn't tick him off. He let her order before ordering himself the same thing-but he wanted his burger rare. He looked over at where Candy was sitting. She seemed very nervous, even more so than Natalie typically did. Standing, he walked over to her and hovered by the table.

"You ok Candy-Cane?" he asked, his mind filled with images of candy canes, their red dye similar to blood. His voice was full of concern though and his eyes followed her previous gaze to Cal. "Are you worried about him?" he asked, softly this time. It was then that Lacey entered and called over to the loner, before saying something about being freaked out.

"What's wrong Lacey-Ace?" Issac was deeply concerned for his friends now. Paranoia seemed to be spreading like ivy today. Speaking of which, did he leave the sickle in the ivy? Crap, that meant he'd have to go to work with the scythe to free it, then somehow wash it and rid it of the poison. Or just keep it on there and make it worst for whoever he decided to attack, if ever.

"I desperately hope nothing's wrong, Issac," she said sweetly, "I just have a bad feeling, that's all," and she could sense something was wrong. It was getting dark now. She didn't like to be alone. At least Ace was okay. "Art, you wanna come over here? Let's all just share a booth today. We're all friends, here,"
"I know something happened, Ace," she said, becoming more serious.


Jack was sad the girl didn't come back. So he took out his bat and bashed her car windows in.

Cal sighed, but walked over anyways. He sat down next to Ace and slouched. He wasn't about to let her know he was so happy she invited him over. Maybe he did have a friend.
"hey, Issac, how ya doin'?" he tried to be friendly (actually, he was trying to impress Ace...)

Lacey smiled at Cal bigger then she ment to show she bumped his shoulder with hers "bout time you listen to me, brat." She smirked at Issac "Oh you know goldlocks just like to get my goos--...She looked up as her Jeep's alarm start to blare. "What the hell is wrong with the thing now I swear it has a short in it somewhere i just cant find it." She chewed her cheek sliding into Cal "I'll go shut the damn thing up before the cops come to throw me in jail or some shit." She gripped on to her pepper spray tightly as she headed towards the door. "Hey Art do join us." She sounded like her normal self but she was an inch from panicking.

She took a hard deep breath stepping out of the door and walking slowly towards her car pepper spray in one hand her other glimmering with a spark of a flame. She reached her bashed up Jeep "Come on! are you fucking kidding me?!" She pressed the alarm on her keychain shutting it off. She kicked her tire a few good times "Son of a bitch why the hell would you have to pick my rusted out old junker!"

Her rage over it melted like someone threw ice water on her she bit her lip cussing herself for screaming like a banishy over it "i might as well tie a steak around my neck and yell come get me or better yet I should run up a flight of stairs with no bloody bra on..come on Ace you turned it off now get your ass back to the others and stop being bait." she thought bitterly to herself keeping her eyes on the others more so on to Cal. She hoped he wouldnt notice if he happend to look over that she was using him as her beacon.

She picked up her pace starting to all but full out run back to the diner, still yelling at herself for coming outside ALONE "moron" She thought still armed to fight off someone kinda, her luck she'd mace herself.

Candy closed her eyes and felt like something bad was about to happen. She always knew. Did that make her a bad person? She exhaled and put her head down on the table and held back tears. Danger! Her mind was shrieking DANGER!!


Jack saw the girl again. The Jeep girl. Was she stupid or something? She was almost to pitiful to kill! But she made a great victim. Maybe she'd be a lovely little hostage! He began to walk towards her with the club in his fist.

Cal sighed. He glared at Candy, but could tell something was wrong. "I'm gonna regret this, but what's wrong?" he asked, but he already knew, "is it Lacey?" the girl nodded. He sighed. "I'll be right back," he said and left the diner. The truth was he was worried about her, too. He had only gotten a little ways when he almost ran into the nearly-sprinting Ace. He grabbed onto her shoulders to stop her.
"Shit, girl! Where's the fire?" he asked, trying to sound like he didn't really care.
But, of course, he did. Why wouldn't he? Lacey was...different from other girls. A good different, though.

Lacey gasped out a whimper slamming into Cal's arms "I am just needed to um work off that cake? Lets get back in there with everyone else." She spoke a million miles a min pushing him into the door. "If you tell anyone that I was shake Cal i will set your face on fire." She looked at him with a smile "Have i mentioned I so kinda was happy to see you show up." She smiled at him staying in his arms tightly. Ace reach down and squeezed his hand before walking with him towards the diner her arms crossing over her chest.

Cal was a little surprised, but amused and happy about this. He walked back over to the table with Lacey and sat down beside her. He then thought about what she said. "Wait, you'd seriously set my face on fire? What did I ever do to you?" he half laughed. Half. Then he turned to Art and Issac. "come on you two. Art, sit right here next to me. Issac, you can sit next to Candice," he then looked at Candice, "Candy, sorry to be rude, but get your head off the table, it's not sanitary,"
Cal was a leader if nothing else.

Natalie brought out all the orders to the table, "Here you go", she said quietly; "Is there anything else I..I...I can get", she said. She was slightly intrigued by this motley crew of teens. When she was in high school well it was about the same as it was now, she tired not to associate with anybody because of her father. She slightly smiled at them all and then made her way back to the kitchen, "Hey Nattie can you do somethin for an old man?", said Hal. Natalie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and nodded while looking down at the floor. "Could you take out those two trash bags over there please, I'm having a hell of a time getting this griddle to cooperate right now", he asked. Natalie nodded and picked up the trash bags, pain shot up her arm again she had forgot about her wrist so she started to frag the bags.

While Natalie was tossing in the bags she felt like someone was behind her, and then she was slammed into the dumpster. She looked up at her father, "Daddy w...w..what are y..y..you doing here". He pressed her even harder against the dumpster, the smell of rotting food and grease filled her nose, "You know you forgot to pick up those groceries like I asked you to do yesterday and when I went to get something to eat there wasn't a damn thing in the fridge", he said aggressively in her ear. It wasn't that she forgot it was the fact that he had spent the last of their money on some alcohol. "Daddy please.. I promise after work I'll go to the store", she said, he eased off her only to slap her across the face, knocking her to the ground. "Stupid bitch, you go in there get me a burger now!", he yelled down at her, she could feel blood start to trickle from her nose and she shook her head profusely. "Yes daddy I'll go stay here I'll be right back", she staggered up and ran into the restaurant.

She saw a plate that had been set aside where Hal had made mistake, she grabbed it and went back out to the alley. Her father was leaning up against she wall with his arms crossing his chest; "Here daddy", she said as she handed him the plate. This wasn't the first time her father had caught her at work. He quickly scarfed down the burger and fries then tossed the plate into the dumpster, "Go fetch", he said as he left the alley. Natalie sighed with relief and went back inside the diner, she grabbed a damp rag and started to wipe down tables just to get her mind off things. She could feel were her father had hit her, she knew it was probably swelling and red, she had managed to wipe her nose clean, but the uniform had drips of blood on it and so it was probably stained.

Lacey slid her hand into Cal's under the table lacing her fingers in his. "Candy doll are you ok?" She took her free hand and put it on hers. "You want some cake? or some coffee?" She started to flag Natalie down but actually looked at the girl. Her jaw tightened she knew a slap mark a mile away. She was her brothers punching bag until her firey side kicked in. She knew when it was her and she had a busted lip and nose she played if off like it was nothing or something she did to herself. Her mind started to wander about the girl thinking of the meek girl getting hit around made me blood boil.

Her hand laced with Cal's started to heat but she pulled her hand free and acted like she was just wiping sweat from it before giving it back to his. "Hey are any of you close with Natalie? Maybe since it is just us here for now we should ask her to join us." Lacey turned scarlet "-what the hell is wrong with me, i am so not the care about someone i barely know.-" She thought to herself before smirking at Cal squeezing her hand. "She just kinda looks like she needs friends is all I ment, sad mouse needs a cookie." She said tossing in her trademark bitchyness making sure just the table heard the snarky comment. She kept her eyes on the girl outrage at what she was dealing with even if she didn't know the full story. She wanted to beat the crap out of who ever did it she was delicate and totally defeated it was like a knife being tossed at her.