Midsummer Night's Scream

Chapter 1 Summer clung to Lenore like a sumo suit after a championship match. She would have been thankful simply to feel sweaty, rather than coated in hot slime. As she trudged across the Globe campus, she could feel the coverup under her eyes melting away. This July had so far been the hottest on record, and of course the dorms had no air-conditioning. For the past several evenings, she had lain awake on top of her sheets, basting more than sleeping.Worst of all, the stifling weather was depriving her of the pathetic satisfaction of at least dreaming about her unrequited love. And her wilted state would hardly recommend her when she saw the object of her affection in class.Dimitri Carlton.Lenore unconsciously clutched her books to her chest as she thought his name, her lips silently forming each syllable. Dimitri had a superhero jaw, with shoulders to match, and a smile full of teeth expensively whitened and straightened.They had gone out on exactly one date. He'd been sullen to begin with, not much of a conversationalist, but after a few shots of Jagermeister, he'd become a touchy-feely drunk. Later that night he'd touched her in several ways and places no one had ever touched her before, and she'd been smitten. He'd never called her after that, but at least he continued to acknowledge her when they ran into each other on campus and at the bars. And after a few Jagers, if no one else was around, there was always a kiss.But nothing more. In recent weeks, since he had developed an infatuation for her friend Mia, he barely even acknowledged her presence."Oww!" she cried as mascara ran into her eyes. She closed them to avoid further pain as she rummaged through her handbag in search of tissues.Careful, she thought. Last time you did this, you superglued your hand to the lining.Finally her fingers closed around a soft, plastic-wrapped packet.Suddenly, there was another hand in her bag. It was rough, like the claw of a giant lizard.The thought made her scream in terror and pull away. Her heel hit an uneven section of pavement and she nearly fell on her ass, but she steadied herself.Out of reflex, she dabbed her face quickly with the entire packet of tissues, plastic packaging and all. Her eyes still stung when she opened them, but at least she could see. Mostly.Lenore let out a surprised squeal.Before her stood a man with a ragged, matted beard. Shaggy hair framed his face, which was deeply lined and the hue of motor oil. His clothes were a mismatched collection of shreds turned various shades of brown by dirt and probably various bodily fluids. Even his face was stained brown, which made the violet of his irises even more arresting. They would have held her mesmerized had not the stench rising from the man broken the spell. It confirmed what his appearance suggested: He was a vagrant. She had seen him around before, just never up close and personal like this.His expression seemed to mirror Lenore's terror and confusion, along with a great deal of embarrassment and sadness. He held one of the hair scrunchies that had been in her purse."Please. I need money." His voice was as ragged as his appearance. "For some cotton candy.""Why didn't you just ask...what did you say?" Lenore asked, suddenly forgetting her shock, her anger and even her stinging eyes.The violet-eyed vagrant took a sudden step forward and clutched her shoulder desperately."They're here, you know," he croaked at her. His breath was nearly overpowering. "They took Audra last night."Lenore struggled to pull away, but his grip was firm."Hey!" she yelled, more out of surprise than fear. "Let me go!" Then she tried to twist away, but he held her tightly. Now she was afraid. "Help! Help!""Hey! Get away from her, dude!" she heard someone yell in the distance; a group of burly students had seen the commotion and haBergantino, David is the author of 'Midsummer Night's Scream' with ISBN 9780743456234 and ISBN 0743456238.