"Thanks for giving me a ride home. Why are you here so early?" Mark asked as he stepped inside the car shaking the water out of his hair and tossing his rain jacket in the back.
"Sorry my car is seven minutes fast, so I'm always a little early," John responded cheerfully while pulling away from the curb.
The two of them sat in silence for a long time, both lost in their own worlds. They had met in college and had become friends almost instantly. They ended up studying the same thing and were even hired to the same firm in criminal defense for white-collar crime.
"How long have we been friends John?" Mark's question blindsided John as it came out of nowhere.
"Wow, we have only been carpooling for a week, and already you're questioning our friendship? Maybe Monica was right, I am bad company." John joked. But noticed the almost repulsive look that flashed on Mark's face when his wife's name was mentioned.
"No, it's not that, I was just wondering," Mark responded curtly.
"Well, I'd say we're coming up on our 10-year anniversary. What's traditional, china? I hope you got me something good." John said trying to lighten the mood. He looked over at Mark but he didn't laugh, he was distracted, thinking hard about something.
"Man, not even a courtesy laugh. Lighten up! It's Friday, let's just get home and relax, deal with whatever you're thinking about on Monday." John was concentrating on driving now. The car had more likeness to a submarine than a car in the dark and rain.
But Mark didn't respond right away, still evidently lost in his own world and they continued on in silence. Minutes passed in silence until Mark spoke up, apparently having come to a conclusion about whatever he was mulling over.
"Hey, I need you to take me somewhere, to a friend's house. I need to pick up something." Mark stared out the window as he spoke, his voice was raspy, like phlegm was caught in his throat but he made no attempt at clearing it.
"Yeah, sure okay." John had never heard Mark speak of any other friends. In fact, John had always found the thought comforting that he was Mark's only good friend.
The two of them drove on as Mark dictated directions, eventually ending up in Mark's own neighborhood to John's surprise. The house that they pulled in front of was a two-story modern home that seemed extremely pricey. All the lights were off except one room on the second floor that looked like a bedroom. There were smaller homes nearby but those were all dark as well giving the area an empty, lifeless feeling.
Uncertainty crept into John's throat and his voice wavered heavily as he asked, "What are we doing here man?"
Mark looked down at his phone then showed it to John.
"I have to get something. Don't come in until 11:15. Do you understand?" Mark's voice was serious and his tone had dropped an octave. John nodded calmly, unsure what was going on. Why would he need to come in at all? Why were they even there? What the hell was going on? But John calmed himself, looked at Mark and said half-jokingly,
"Don't do anything stupid."
Mark didn't answer, he got out in silence and made his way to the house. Once at the front door, he pushed it open and disappeared into the darkness. Immediately, John regretted allowing him to leave.
Minutes passed unhurried by John's increasing panic. No lights turned on, so Mark must have walked around in the dark. What was he getting? What was he doing? I should have stopped him. These thoughts and questions flooded John's mind and just as he was about to go in to end this, an ear-piercing woman's scream cut through the silence. Muffled by the house, the scream was still audible outside. John looked around to the neighbor's homes but no lights turned on. Remarkably, no one else had heard. More muffled yells continued to break the silence, each softer than the last.
