Kelly, Rodger, and Phil had been inseparable friends since their college days. The trio, bound by shared memories and adventures, seemed unbreakable. But beneath the surface, hidden emotions simmered, threatening to unravel their bond.
Kelly, with her radiant smile and kind heart, had always been the object of Phil’s affection. She had medium-short, brown hair, light brown eyes, a soft, light complexion, and an always-prevalent smile that constantly melts his heart. Phil, on the other hand, was a brooding, intense figure, whose feelings for Kelly bordered on obsession. Rodger, the easygoing and gentle member of the group, was unaware of the depth of Phil’s emotions, and his own affection for Kelly remained innocent and pure.
One crisp autumn evening, the friends gathered at Rodger’s family cabin for a weekend getaway. The cabin, nestled deep in the woods, was a perfect retreat from their hectic city lives. Laughter filled the air as they reminisced about old times, but Phil’s gaze lingered on Kelly, his jealousy barely concealed.
While the trio enjoys a glass of cognac, Kelly laughs, seemingly out of nowhere. “Remember that time in college when Rodger tried to impress us with his cooking and almost burned down the kitchen?” Kelly ruminates.
“Hey, I was just experimenting with flambé!” Rodger chuckles.
“Yeah, you definitely set the bar for kitchen disasters.” Phil inputs, forcing a smile.
Kelly playfully pushes Phil’s shoulder. “Oh, come on, Phil. You know you were impressed by his bravery.”
Phil looks at Kelly intensly. “Bravery comes in different forms.”
“Speaking of bravery,” Rodger puts down his glass on the wooden table. “Kelly, do you still do those volunteer hikes? I remember you leading that group through the Rockies last year. That was impressive.”
Kelly smiles. “I do when I can. It’s my way of giving back and staying connected to nature. It’s peaceful out there.”
“Maybe you and I could go on a hike sometime, Kelly. Just the two of us,” Phil suggests, his gaze turning into a sort of hunger that Kelly has never seen. It was almost attractive–Kelly admired his good-looking, slanted eyes and smooth blonde hair.
“Oh, and leave me behind? I see how it is, Phil,” Rodger laughs, taking another swig of his cognac. Rodger was thin but also, in a way, handsome. He had dimples and a sharp jawline. His medium-dark complexion, sparkling brown eyes, and thick lips made him look like a Latino version of the 60’s TV actor Robert Conrad.
“We should all go together. It’ll be like old times,” Kelly says.
Phil’s smile faded. “Yeah, like old times.”
Later that night, outside the cabin, Phil approaches Rodger. Rodger was smoking a cigarette, gazing out at the roadway headed towards the cabin.
“We need to talk,” Phil says, a minor tone of annoyance from the cigarette smoke wafting his nostrils.
Rodger jumps slightly from being startled. “What’s up? It’s late.”
“What are your intentions with Kelly?”
Rodger furrows his brow in confusion. “What do you mean? Kelly’s our friend. She’s special to both of us.”
Phil steps closer. “You think I don’t see the way you look at her? Like she’s yours?”
“Phil, you’re overreacting,” Rodger takes a big inhale of his cigarette. “I care about Kelly, but I know she doesn’t feel the same way about me. We’re just friends.”
Phil grabs Rodger’s collar. “Friends? Don’t lie to me, Rodger. I see right through you.”
Rodger attempts to pull away. “Let go of me, dude. This is crazy. Kelly wouldn’t want this.”
“Kelly doesn’t know what she wants. But I do. And I won’t let you take her from me.”
“Phil, stop! You’re hurting me!” Rodger yells.
Phil raises a sharp knife that was hidden in his shorts. “Maybe now you’ll understand how serious I am.”
Phil stabs Rodger repeatedly in the stomach. Retching and coughing up blood, Rodger is barely able to call for help. Phil lets go of his collar. His victim falls, blood pooling around him and his feet.
“Now, it’s just you and me, Kelly. Just you and me.”
The next morning in the cabin, Kelly is next to the kitchen counter. She has coffee in her hands and has a worried look on her pretty face. Phil comes out shortly after to join her.
“Phil, have you seen Rodger? He wasn’t in his room.”
“He said he needed to leave early. Some family emergency.”
She frowns. “He didn’t mention anything to me. That’s strange.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Phil forces a smile. “He’ll be back. Let’s enjoy our time together.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kelly murmurs uncertainly.
Phil moves closer to her. “You know, Kelly, I’ve always been here for you. Always will be.”
“Thanks, Phil. You’re a good friend.”
Phil whispers, “Maybe more than just a friend, Kelly. Maybe more.
Kelly steps back after a quick realization. “Phil, I… I need some time to think.”
“Take all the time you need,” Phil says softly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
As night fell, Kelly and Phil found themselves alone by the fireplace. They shared a quiet moment, the warmth of the fire casting a soft glow on their faces. Phil gazed at her, and Kelly felt a sense of discomfort. Earlier, she thought about his subtle confession. She was honest enough to admit to herself that if she were to be with anyone, it would be with Rodger. Then again, she wanted to give Phil a chance; he must’ve been thinking about telling her his feelings for a while now, she thought. Maybe I should give him a chance.
Before Kelly could say anything to him, Phil grabbed her by the waist, and he kissed her. Her eyes widened. At first, she wanted to push him away. But the kiss was intoxicating. So, she returned it, and before they both knew it, clothes had been removed and scattered around the couch.
Weeks passed, and Kelly’s mother, Hannah, became suspicious of Rodger’s sudden disappearance. Her daughter informed her that he has not contacted her in a week, which was strange for Rodger. Phil spends the night with Kelly. The next morning, Hannah confronts Phil.
“Philip, we need to talk.”
“About what?” He asks, preparing a cup of coffee.
“It’s about Rodger. I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off about his disappearance.”
“What do you mean?” Phil scoops sugar and creamer into his coffee. “He just left. People leave all the time.”
“That’s not what I heard. Your story about that weekend doesn’t add up.”
He takes a sip, even though the coffee was scalding hot. “What are you implying, Hannah?”
“I’m not implying anything. I’m stating facts. You said Rodger left on Sunday, but several people saw him at the diner that evening. How do you explain that?”
“Maybe they were mistaken. People see things all the time.”
“Mistaken? Every single one of them? Phil, I know you’re hiding something.”
“This isn’t something you should be concerned about. Rodger left; it is what it is. He doesn’t have to explain why.”
“It is my concern. Rodger was Kelly’s friend, and he just vanished. We’ve all known him since he was just a baby,” Hannah’s eyes tear up. She holds back a sob. “I don’t know what I’d do if I knew something terrible happened to him. He was such a sweet kid. I need to know–“
“Be careful what you wish for,” Phil says simply, finishing his coffee.
“That doesn’t sound very reassuring.”
“Just giving you some friendly advice. Sometimes it’s best to let things be.”
“I can’t do that. Not when I know something’s wrong. I’ll go to the police right now,” Hannah goes to the coat rack and grabs her jacket.
“Suit yourself,” Phil says as he leans against the doorway to the kitchen. He didn’t worry one bit that the police would find anything. He was careful to wear gloves on the night of the stabbing, got rid of the body in a lake several miles from the cabin, making sure it sunk to the very bottom by tying rocks to Rodger’s wrapped-up corpse. He changed shoes, burned the gloves, and scrubbed the blood from the pick up truck he used as well as pouring a strange substance over the blood-stained dirt from where Rodger took his last breath. Burned the scrubber, got rid of the cleaning supplies. He thought to himself, there’s no way they’d find out.
One night, Hannah vanished without a trace. Kelly was frantic, but Phil reassured her, insisting that Hannah had likely gone on one of her spontaneous trips. In reality, Phil had kidnapped Hannah, imprisoning her in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. There, he subjected her to weeks of psychological and physical torment, desperate to keep his secrets hidden.
Hannah endured the torture, her mind sharp despite the agony. She managed to leave subtle clues in the form of scratched messages on the warehouse walls, hoping someone would find her. Kelly, growing more anxious with each passing day, couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to her mother.
Determined to find answers, Kelly retraced Hannah’s steps. At first, there were no signs of where she could be. She tried calling her mother’s cell phone, only for it to go directly to voicemail. Kelly, miraculously, found Hannah, weak but alive. The reunion was tearful and bittersweet. With the help of the police, they freed Hannah and apprehended Phil. The evidence was overwhelming, and Phil’s descent into madness was laid bare for all to see.
In the courtroom, Phil’s cold, unrepentant gaze met Kelly’s. He was sentenced to life in prison, his twisted love and insidious actions sealing his fate. Kelly and Hannah, though scarred by the ordeal, were grateful to have survived.
As Kelly and Hannah walked out of the courthouse, the weight of the past few months finally began to lift. They knew the road to healing would be long, but they were ready to face it together.
Rodger’s body was never found. But his memory will last forever.
DeGrathier's Short Stories 