Night Out

Cowboy boots and sweat covered the dance floor as the old-time jukebox played the same old songs it always did on Friday nights. The bar was filled with hopeless romantics waiting to buy pretty girls a drink. Most unlucky bachelors thought that night was no different than any other night until she walked in. Her long, blonde hair swung between her shoulder blades as she brushed through the crowd. She parted the room like the Red Sea. When she reached the bar, a gentleman hopped out of his seat so she had a place to sit. The man on the next stool looked into her dark brown eyes and nearly melted when she greeted his with a smile. The half-drunken father of two finally mustered up the words he had planned since she entered the room.

“M’lady,” he said confidently, “Might a gentleman, such as myself, know what a woman, such as yourself, calls herself, such as you?”

Thinking he nailed it, the man leaned back onto the bar with a grin.

“Samantha,” she said looking around the bar for anyone more interesting to talk to. A woman sat directly across the bar twiddling her wedding ring. The girl was deep in thought. Walking over to her, Samantha ran her hand across the woman’s back. As she sat down, she asked the woman where her husband was.

“Oh, he’s just in the bathroom,” she said with a nervous smile. Samantha was now twisting the woman’s hair between her fingers. The woman took another sip of her drink and took a glance at the bathroom door waiting for her husband.

“Don’t worry, sweetie, I don’t bite,” said Samantha.

“It’s just… I’m not really used to this scene. This is the first time we’ve been out to a bar like this since the wedding.”

“You know, this ain’t really my kind of scene either. Just here to clear my mind.” The woman’s eyes perked up when her husband exited the bathroom door and rejoined her at the bar.

“Josh,” the man reached out his hand towards Samantha.

“Sam,” she said with a narrow eye, “Your wife was just telling me how she wasn’t real fond of this place, Josh. There’s a quieter bar nearby if you want to go.” The couple stared at each other for some time before they excused themselves to a moment of privacy. Though, Samantha could still hear the gist of the conversation.

“You wanted excitement, babe,” the woman nagged.

“Are you sure? How well do you know her?”

“She’s nice and this music is killing my brain cells. We’re going,” she said in a hushed tone. When they turned back around, Samantha pretended she hadn’t heard them.

“Lead the way,” Josh said. She led them out of the bar and down the road. Off the dark road, a path veered into the woods which Samantha convinced the couple would be much quicker. What little moonlight they had was now barely shining through tree branches. Josh pulled out his phone and used it as a flashlight so they could see in front of them. The woman clutched onto her husband’s hand as if she was waiting for a flu shot. The cool, fall air blew through the leaves, making every gust sound sinister. A large tree covered in flyers stood to their left. Samantha stopped in the middle of the path.

“Did you guys hear that?” She asked.

“Just the wind,” Josh shrugged it off and nudged Samantha to move forward. From behind the tree, a man, sporting a yellow scarf over his face, emerged holding a baseball bat. The couple had yet to notice him before he swung the bat into the back of Josh’s head. Samantha covered the woman’s mouth before she could make a sound. The man took the scarf and wrapped it around the woman’s head until she quit moving. The two moved the bodies to behind the large tree and went on their way down the path. Samantha now fashioned the same yellow scarf that had just been used to take a life. When the path ended, they hopped in their car and drove off into the night.

The next morning, a jogger ran across the baseball bat used in the murder. She notified the police when she noticed the blood stains. Every news station in town was covering this story. It wasn’t until mid-morning that the bodies were identified and witnesses claimed to have seen a couple leave with the stunning, blonde-haired woman. Samantha was sweeping up blonde strands of hair from the bathroom floor when Sean got back from breakfast.

“Ginger?”

“Wanted to, uh, spice things up,” she said with a wink.

“Even went a little shorter this time too, huh? I like it,” Sean said as he ran his fingers through her soft hair. It now met barely above her ears.

“What have they got on us so far?” Sean asked. He turned the volume up on the TV.

“Just that the couple left with some hot blonde chick is all,” Samantha said as she dressed.

“Have they started guessing the motive yet?”

“They started with the scandalous threesome… but I think it’s anyone’s guess at this point.” She said as she closed her suitcase. After driving all day, they passed a sign for a sports bar on their left. They stayed in a hotel and planned their escape until the next night, and Samantha went into the bar the same as the night before. She saw a man sporting a cowboy hat, boots, and a flannel shirt. On his ring finger, a black wedding band. She walked up to him and caressed his arm.

“Well, hello there. What might your name be?” He asked.

“I’m Rose. Where’s your wife?”