Dirty Secrets

Part 61

The shock of the discovery disabled her. The ragged circular form that had been hacked through the car's paint down to the bare metal underscored the ugly, terrifying truth that was impossible to dismiss. Jack had days, maybe only hours to live. 

"Those little bitches," he snarled. "I'm gonna kill that kid!"

She closed her eyes to momentarily clear her head. When she opened them, the O was still there.

He started the car. "Come on. Get in. Or maybe you don't wanna see this." He put the car in gear.

"Jack, wait! They didn't do it. For real. I promise you."

"Yeah, right."

"How would they even know this is your car?"

As he thought about it, she squatted at the driver's door.

"The same thing happened to Packer." Her voice cracked.

"Huh?"

"One night after a basketball game, he went out to the parking lot and there was a big O, just like this one, scratched into the hood of his car."

Jack shifted his car into park.

"Less than a week later he almost died."

"What's the O supposed to mean?"

"Ouroboros. The ring. The snake swallowing its tail."

Color drained from his face.

"We need to end this before..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words.

She was startled by a barking dog behind her. The chocolate lab dragged its flustered owner toward Jack and Lyla, its eyes on a grouping of trees across the parking lot.

"Rudy!" The girl dug in her heels, struggling to get him under control. "Rudy! Stop!"

The dog barked viciously, teeth bared, its hackles raised.

Though she couldn't see anyone, Lyla felt a presence by the trees.

"Rudy, leave it!" The girl shouted. "I don't know what... He's never done anything like this before. Never."

The growling and protective barking intensified. Rudy was in attack mode, nearly pulling his owner to the ground. She stumbled forward, wrapped the leash around both hands and yanked the dog toward her. "What is wrong with you?" She tugged again. "Ewwww, that smell," she covered her nose. "Must be a dead animal over there somewhere."

Lyla's nostrils filled with the odor of rotting flesh. She turned away, repressing her gag reflex. 

Jack buried his nose in the crook of his elbow.

The dog lunged, growling and snapping, thick white strings of saliva swinging from its snout.

"Rudy!" The girl pulled the lab toward her. "Come."

Reluctantly, the animal obeyed, keeping its eyes focused on something they could not see. 

"What's the matter with you?" she scolded as she jogged away, her dog growling and looking back warily the whole time. 

Lyla trained her eyes on the target area as she walked around to the passenger door. "Something's over there," she said, getting into Jack's car. "It's Keenan."

The repugnant odor grew stronger. "God, that smell." Jack winced, driving out of the parking lot.

"Don't take me home," she said. "Let's go."

"Where?" He knew the answer. "Now?"

"Didn't you hear what I said about Packer?"

"I can't go right now. How am I gonna do anything with this?" He gestured toward his sling.