Happenstance and Horror all in one

 

The Knife

He stood at the counter at the back of the store early Saturday morning dressed in army fatigues, work boots with splatters of dried blood, and a cap pulled low over his eyes. It was the posture and stance she recognized from the night before; he had  changed his clothes but she was sure it was him.

It had been quite a party. Izzy didn't think anyone would be up or very mobile at seven o'clock Saturday morning after such a late night. Wonder what he is up to, she thought. She abandoned her purpose of searching for new pruners and headed directly to the back of the store.

"Good morning, Eddie! I am surprised to see you out and about so early this morning. Wasn't that a great party?"

Eduard looked blankly at her. It was a face he didn't know or recall or even want to know. He didn't comment but rather looked straight ahead to the display of knives and blades behind the counter. He hated when people called him 'Eddie'. Eddie was synonymous with Fast Eddie, Fun Eddie, Good Time Eddie. He was no Eddie.

Izzy wasn't one to give up and once again tried to involve Eddie in conversation. "I had such a good time last night. You sure were the life of the party! What is your connection to the group?"

Eduard turned towards Izzy and her annoying banter but his eyes were glazed over as if he didn't see her. Luckily for Eduard, the clerk came along and asked, "who was here first?"

"Eddie was!" Izzy answered with too much familiarity. She wasn't looking for anything in that department but wasn't ready to move on until Eddie paid her a little attention.

"What can I do for you?” the clerk asked Eduard.

Eduard took a few steps away from Izzy and quietly spoke to the clerk in a near whisper, "I’m looking for a new skull knife: sharp, strong and able to cut through the thickest skull."

"Ahh, I see. A handled knife? A blade for a hacksaw might work?"

"No, a knife with a handle and the strongest blade you have," Eduard replied as quietly as he could. "Maybe you could discreetly bag it and leave it at the front counter. I’ll pay on the way out."

Izzy took a few steps closer to Eddie so she could hear the conversation better. The curiosity was killing her. She had just met him the night before and it seemed to be her lucky day to run into him just hours later. 

While the clerk went to grab the keys for the locked cabinet, Izzy turned to Eddie again and tried to engage him in conversation. "So do you live around here? I haven't crossed paths with you before and this is a pretty small town. Do you hang out with the group a lot? Sure was lucky to meet you!"

The endless chatter was getting on Eduard's nerves. He had thought if he went to the hardware store when it opened, he would avoid running into anyone he knew. She wasn't about to give up, he knew that. Call it tenacious, persistent or nosey, she was just like the others and wasn't about to take no for an answer.

Eduard turned to Izzy and asked, "what are you doing tonight? Would you like to see some of my projects?"

"Sure!! What do I have to lose?" She eagerly accepted the invitation.

Some women are just thick between the ears Eduard thought as he scribbled an address on a slip of paper and handed it to her.