Date From Hell

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                                                    Chapter Thirty-Four

With a small smile, that didn’t reach his eyes, Gram looked at Ethel. “Would you like to dance?”

Ethel’s grey eyes were too busy glancing around the gym, for her friend Nyla, to take note that Gram was speaking to her. In Ethel’s defense, she was worried for Nyla, who had suddenly stormed out of the dance, with tears streaming down her face. It frightened Ethel that something brought her friend to weep. Yet, she hoped that her brother, Ace, would find Nyla and maybe, just maybe, tell Nyla that he likes her.

A smirk crept on Ethel’s face for that is what she was wishing would be happening at this moment.
It was so obvious that Nyla had an undying crush on Ace. As for Ace, Ethel had been noticing how lately he has shown more, and more signs that he is starting to like Nyla.

Gram twitched in slight frustration that his date: Ethel was not listening to him. While straightening his tie he sighed. “Ethel ... would. You. Like To. Dance?” His voice was laced with anger, even though on the outside he was grinning and acting as if he wasn’t seconds from becoming outraged at Ethel for ignoring him.

Ethel blinked and turned her head to focus on Gram. As if realizing that she wasn’t paying a lick of attention to him, an innocent smile fell on her face. “Oh, sorry...”

In a forgiving gesture, Gram nodded and spoke again, “so, should we now dance?”

An audible sigh escaped her lips, “Uhhh, yeah ... sure.”

In truth Ethel didn’t want to dance, because she was in an eye hunt for Nyla. But, even a girl that has only been to a dance with her brother knew that she need to give her date more
attention.

The word date rang through Ethel’s mind and with that came a grim expression, because the word date reminded her of Zeus. But, she tried to cover it up with a light smile.

Gram gripped Ethel’s hand and led her to the dance floor.

A soft, swayable song played, leaving Gram and Ethel to dance ballroom style.

Ethel had full knowledge that she need to start talking to Gram, and at least act like she was entertained by his company. Yet, her head couldn’t stop moving as people walked past, hoping to catch a glance of the silver dress that Nyla was wearing.

After a few minutes of dancing and glancing around, something caught Ethel’s eyes.

A tall, young male. With chocolate brown eyes, that was eagerly gazing around the room, as if he was looking for someone too. Soon, the eyes fell on her.

Her mouth opened and in a low whisper she spoke, “Zeus.”

Ethel keep eye contact with him, it was as if they were in a trance while staring and one another. Within seconds the corners of his lips twitched up, revealing a smile.

Gram twirled Ethel around, making her break the intense stare she held with Zeus.

“I’m really thirsty. Can we take a break and get some refreshment?” Ethel asked Gram.

“Uhhh, sure.”

With that they broke apart, and as Gram held Ethel’s hand tightly, they walked over to a table. Ethel sat down and half expecting Gram to go get her a drink, but instead he sat down right next to her.

“I’ll be right back,” Ethel stated and stood up.

She walked over to the refreshment table, and started to hope that Zeus was watching her, even now, and decided to come over.

But then, as that wish rang through her, she started to remember the way his husky voice whispered in her ear: “I don’t love you.”

A sudden frown made Ethel start to question if she would want Zeus to come over, and say something to her.

No, she decided.

She didn’t want to see him again for the rest of the night!

“You look beautiful,” a voice spoke from over the loud music, which was now blasting through the speakers.

Teens all started to migrate towards the dance floor, for modern music was now playing.

Ethel wondered if she had just heard someone say that to their date, as they passed by. But then, she heard it again, and this time it was directly behind her. “You look really pretty tonight.”

Turning around Ethel was faced with the man she had just started to hope wouldn’t come near her: Zeus.

“T-t-thank you,” immediately Ethel realized she had shuddered in the presence of Zeus. It was so uncommon for her to do around him. Yet, she did, and now more than ever she wanted to leave the dance, and cry in peace, because the more she stared at the handsome young man, the more her heart started to break.

“Ethel, I want-”

Zeus was cut off by a woman coming up next to him.

The woman gave a sweet smile as she spoke, “there you are, Zeus!”

Ethel’s eyes went wide when she saw her cousin: Prissy, loop her arm with Zeus’. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that Prissy was Zeus’ date.

As if ignoring Ethel’s presences, Prissy stared aimlessly at Zeus’ face.

“Prissy ... what a surprise.” Ethel stated monotonously.

Prissy looked over at her cousin and acted as if she’d just noticed Ethel. “Ethanol! I never expected you to be here! What, is your brother your date?!”

Ethel clicked her tongue in annoyance. Out of all the people in the world, Zeus had to bring her. Part of Ethel wondered if this was Zeus getting back at her, for some unknown reason. “No, Prissy, I didn’t bring my brother as my date.” Ethel didn’t know how to finish her sentence, for she had no idea what to consider Gram. He most certainly was neither her boyfriend ... nor technically a friend. He was...

“Then where is your date?!”

Ethel shifted slightly and raised her right hand, pointing straight at Gram who was staring at them intently. “That’s him.”

Prissy released a chuckled, “no really, where is your date?”

Ethel narrowed silver eyes at Prissy. Every bit of her was pleading to connect her fist with Prissy’s face, but she held it in. After all, Prissy was Zeus’ date, and even if Ethel didn’t have a grand time at this dance, she wanted Zeus to at least have some fun. “That is him, Gram.”


Prissy just rolled her eyes, seeing as Ethel wouldn’t loosen on the truth that she was dateless. “I see that you have the ugly cast off your leg. But then again, it would’ve looked better than those heels.”

“That’s enough,” Zeus butted in when his blood started to boil at Prissy’s constant attacks at Ethel.

“What? I was just giving advice to my cousin. I mean look at her.”

“Screw this,” Ethel muttered.

Twisting around, Ethel went to walk away towards her date.

“Pitiful,” Prissy mumbled.

As if at her wicks end, Ethel turned around, facing Prissy. “You know what’s pitiful? That black eye on your face.”

Prissy gave a confused expression, “what are you talking-”

Prissy didn’t finish her sentence, because Ethel punched her cousin square in the face.

“I’m talking about the one that you’ll see on you face in the morning.”

With that, Ethel finally marched away with her head held high.

When she reached the table, she noted that Gram had a shocked expression on his face. “What was that about?”

Ethel shook her head, indicating she didn’t want to tell, “Old news.”

Gram nodded, and then glanced down at Ethel’s hand to see it was red and slightly swollen. Seeing his opportunity, Gram stood up. “Your hand, it looks like it’s getting swollen. Let’s go get you some ice for it.”

Noting the hot pain in her hand, Ethel nodded ‘yes’, “yeah okay.”

Gram led his date to the lunch room, with a smile plastered on his face. This was exactly how he planned the night to go...

“They’ve probably locked the cooking room, we should just go back to the dance, and ask a teacher for some ice.”

As Gram turned to face Ethel, in the dim lit cafeteria, he sighed. “At first my excuse to bringing you here was for ice, but like I said, that’s an excuse.”

Ethel furrowed her eyebrows, “what do you mean?”

Gram shook his head, “soon enough. How about we sit for a second?”

Ethel started to feel the atmosphere in the room change. To Ethel, she felt like a bucket of ice cold water had just been poured on her. But in fact, she knew that was not the case ... there was something about how Gram talked to her, that made her wonder why she had strayed away from the dance and followed him. “I-I am good standing.”

Gram placed his hand on her shoulder and with great force, pushed her down. Instead of landing in a seat, Ethel fell back, and landed on floor. Her back was lying on the cold tile floor and Gram loomed over her with a mincing expression.

Ethel went to get up, but Gram bent down, and pushed her back onto the floor. “You don’t get up, until I say you do.”

Fear flooded through Ethel’s warm veins.

“You know, I really couldn’t stand being around you,” Gram spat. “But, I had to because Zeus needs to pay!”

Ethel’s eyes started to cloud over because of way Gram was yelling at her, frightened her to no end. She could feel that his carefree, friendly personality was gone. “P-p-pay?”

Gram’s green eyes gazed down at Ethel, “yes, pay! I bet your boyfriend never told you what happened, did he? ... Zeus dated my baby sister, Anna. She was only a year younger than me, but she was my sister and I cared for her. It was hard to let my best at the time, Zeus, date her. But you see Zeus and I had a really good friend bond. For we were both street fighters, and grew up together. One night, Zeus told Anna to meet him his friend, Fred’s house. He said he would meet her after a fight. Thing is he set it all up!”

“Set-t-t it up?”

Gram bent down next to Ethel who was still lying on the floor. “He set it up for Anna to go to his friend house, and for her to get raped, and then he paid his friend to murder my sister.”

Ethel started to violently shake her head, knowing Zeus would do no such thing. “N-no.”

“Oh yes, see Zeus knew that he was going to fight me that night. There was no way he was going to win. My sister was a distraction to get me to back out of the fight. With me backed out, he won over 100,000 dollars,” Gram started to trail his hand from Ethel’s exposed shoulder to the brim of her strapless green dress. “Zeus will pay for what happened to my sister, through you.”

Ethel shrieked for she just put together what Gram was planning, and hell no was she going to let him do anything to her. With as much force as she could muster, Ethel tried to get up, but Gram was stopping her attempts.

“Ethel, you can’t fight me, trust me I’ve fought worse.”

Suddenly, Gram moved to hover over Ethel, pushing his body weight on Ethel, bring her attempts to escape to a halt. “Get off me!” Ethel hissed.

“That’s it, be a fire ball! Finally, grow some guts when your back is against the wall. But, babe, you days are numbered.”

Ethel felt her dress being lifted, and soon there was a hot hand on her thigh. Tear sprung from her eyes. “Don’t! Please! Stop!” She pleaded as Gram started to place kisses on her neck and even dared to nibble at her earlobe.

“You are what Zeus now loves, and what Anna went through, is nothing compared to what you will experience.” Gram reached in his pocket and pulled out pocket knife.

Ethel started to whimper with thoughts of what he would to her when it comes to that knife.

“Don’t worry babe, I won’t cut you with this. That is until after we have fun,” his wicked grin made Ethel feel sick. “I just need it to cut this lovely dress of yours.” With hurriedness, Gram started to cut Ethel’s dress open.

Once Gram was straddling her, Ethel decided now was the time to fight. Her legs and arms started to lash out, and she released a loud scream. For if her quick movements wouldn't work, maybe her voice could reach someone’s ears.

“Scream all you want babe, the music in the gym is drowning out any little pathetic sounds you choose to make.”


It wasn’t long before Ethel started to run out of energy and noted that she wasn’t even hurting Gram. As a matter of fact, by the crooked grin on his face, Ethel could tell that this was what Gram wanted.

He wanted her not be energetic, so his painful plans would go smoother. After all how can you truly do half the things he planned to do to her if she was full of engery?

Gram leaned down at the tired woman, “done?”

“Go. To. Hell,” Ethel venomously spoke.

“You know, I thought tonight would be boring, but keep talking like that, and I might have to keep you alive for a few more hours.”

As if she had all the courage in the world, Ethel twisted her head to face Gram, and she spat in his face.

Gram paused, contemplating if the woman underneath, him really had the balls to spit in his face. One of his hands reached up and wiped the liquid from his face. “You bitch, how dare you?”

It wasn’t but seconds later that Ethel realized her mistake as Grams hand collided with her face.

“Don’t ever defy me again!”

A sob of pain escaped Ethel’s mouth for her cheek felt like it was on fire.

“Lay on more hand on her, and I’ll personally kill you.”

Gram and Ethel looked to their side and saw standing over them was: Zeus.

A growl erupted from Gram’s mouth. Knowing he only had option, Gram got off of Ethel and face Zeus.

Once Gram was off Ethel, she scooted away and clutched her dress to her body, hoping to keep some dignity.

Seconds later, Zeus and Gram were fighting.

It was hard for Ethel to keep up with their fast movements as they fought. Though every time Zeus got hit, she wept in fear that Gram was going to win. It scared her to think of what would happen if Gram beat Zeus, for surly it wouldn’t be the end of her torture.

Just then Ethel realized that she was being useless just sitting there watching them. Still holding her dress, Ethel stood up and glanced around the low lit lunch room for something – anything to use against Gram.

It wasn’t long before she saw that the lunch room’s cooking room door was in fact cracked open.

Without drawing attention to herself she went over, and into the cooking room. Her breath was ragged as she searched around for something to use. Finally, she found something: a knife.

“This will do,” she whispered and then went back to the canteen.

Zeus was now lying on the floor, with shaggy breaths and multiple signs on his face that he had been hit many times.

“You think you can actually fight me?!” Gram quizzed. “No wonder you set it up to have my sister raped and murdered that night.”

“I did no such thing Gram! Your sister was screwing around with Fred! She was over there that night to be with him! I really liked you sister at the time! I wouldn’t dare do that to her, just over a fight!” Zeus yelled from the floor.

“Liar! You had it all planned!”

“Gram, I didn’t plan any of what happened, Fried is the one that raped and killed her. Have you ever-“

Zeus was silenced by Gram kicking him in the face.

Ethel had enough of watching Gram, with hurriedness in her step she walked over to Gram. Without thinking, even once, Ethel stabbed Gram in the collarbone.

He stopped his attack on Zeus and stumbled back. Just then, Ethel took the knife out and stabbed him again, this time on the right side of his abdomen.

Gram collapsed on the floor, and started to moan in pain as his right hand clutched the stab wound on his stomach.

Within a millisecond Ethel turned around and bent down next to Zeus. She noted that his eyes were closed, and then she saw it … a red liquid … blood … spreading on the floor beneath Zeus.

Just then Ethel saw, a few inches next to him was Gram’s knife and it was covered in blood.
Ethel put two and two together and realized Zeus had been stabbed.

“No! Zeus, please! Wake up!” She pleaded.

Zeus didn’t even move or make a sound as she begged, over, and over for him to open his eyes, and wake up.

He just laid there, motionless.

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Two more chapters!!!

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