Wasting Time

"Who's there?" he called, his hand on the brass doorknob.

"It's Hebe," a girl's voice called in.

He pulled open the door and smiled at her. "Hi," he said.

She was short and pretty, perky looking with very nice, straight hair.

Not his type. Not his type at all.

But he had to kill her anyway.

She smiled back. "Are you Wang Zi?"

He nodded shyly as she stepped past him into the hallway. "Where's GuiGui?" she asked, peering into the living room.

"Upstairs," he said. "She'll be down in a minute."

As he pushed the front door shut, he glanced down to the street. No headlights. No cars. No one was around. Perfect.

He reached for the cord. He knew he had to work quickly.

Might as well strangle her there in the hallway. Why prolong it?

But Hebe had already made her way into the living room. She tossed her blue jacket onto the floor, then dropped down into the big armchair across from the couch, tucking her legs beneath her.

She was wearing black leggings with an oversized T-shirt top. She shook her head to make her hair fall into place and smile up at him as he entered the room.

"so you're in GuiGui's homeroom?" she asked.

"Yeah." he nodded.

He wanted to come up behind her, reach down over the chair back, and put the cord around her neck. But it was too late. She was staring at him. Watching his every move.

He hated it when they stared at him like that, as if he were some kind of specimen they were studying under a microscope.

"GuiGui told me all about you," Hebe said cheerfully.

I know, he thought bitterly.

That's why I have to kill you.

"You too," he said shyly. "Uh--- how long have you and GuiGui been friends?"

He was stalling now, thinking hard, trying to figure out how to get beind her.

"Not very long," she said. "GuiGui just moved here, remember?"

"Oh. Right. Me too," he said. He could feel his cheeks reddening.

"Do you work out?" she asked, staring at his arms.

"A little," he said.

"At a gym?"

"When I have a chance. I like it," he told her honestly. "I like to sweat. I like to push myself. You know push my body."

"I could tell you work out," she said, shifting her position in the chair. "You look really strong."

I am really strong, he thought. I'll show you how strong in just a minute.

His eyes went to the living room window. He felt a stab of fear as the pale white beams of twin headlights appeared in the street.

Quickly he made his way to the window.

The car, an old station wagon, rattled past.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's the matter?" Hebe asked.

"Nothing," he said softly. "Thought I saw someone."

He realized he was behind her now. The chair faced away from the window.

Pulling out the cord, he stretched it between his hands and stepped forward silently.

She turned suddenly, twisting her head around to look at him.

He dropped the cord.

"Maybe I should go upstairs and see what's keeping GuiGui," Hebe said, starting to climb out of the chair.

He quickly bent down and retrieved the cord.

"No. Really," he said. "she said she'd be down."

Hebe got up and crossed over to the couch. She sat down on one end, facing him now. "That chair is so uncomfortable," she said, making a face. "It looks like it should be soft and comfy, but it isn't."

Wang Zi glanced out the window impatiently. Nothing but darkness.

Hebe tapped her fingers on the arm of the couch. "Come sit down," she said smiling at him. "You're making me nervous."

"Sorry," he replied. He obediently came around and sat down on the edge of the armchair.

"See what I mean about that chair?" she asked. "Sit back in it. You can't really tell how uncomfortable it is unless you sit back."

He obediently sat back.

I'm wasting time, he thought.

This girl is wasting my time.

I've got to finish. I've got to get out of here.

"Hey--- GuiGui!" Hebe shouted, cupping her hands over to form a megaphone. "GuiGui, what are you doing up there?"

Of course there was no reply.

Wang Zi pictured GuiGui's eyes goggling as he choked her to death. Once again, he saw her eyes roll up in her head, saw her whole body go slack, give up. He pictured her lying out there behind the low shrubs at the side of the house.

She was so easy, he thought.

Child' play. Child's play.

Why was this one being so difficult?

"Hey, GuiGui!" Hebe called again, turning her head to the stairway beyond the living room entrance. She turned to Wang Zi. "You sure she's okay?"

"Yeah. She's okay," He snapped his fingers. "Oh. I just remembered," he told Hebe. "She went out."

"Huh?" Hebe's face filled with suspicion.

"Yeah. She went out," Wang Zi said casually. "To get ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Hebe's suspicious expression didn't change. "But it's freezing cold out. And GuiGui doesn't like ice cream," she insisted.

"She thought you might like some," Wang Zi said, feeling beads of cold perspiration break out on his forehead.

"That's weird," Hebe said thoughtfully. "Where'd she go to get ice cream?"

"Out," Wang Zi said and uttered a high-pitched giggle.

Enough, he thought.

I'm wasting too much time.

I was hoping to get her without any screaming. But I'll have to put up with it. There's no one close enough to hear.

I really have no choice.

He stood up and pulled the cord between his hands.

"What's that?" Hebe asked, recoiling on the couch, eyeing him with sudden fear.

He didn't reply.

Instead, he lunged at her, pressing her against the couch back.

She screamed and struggled, pushing at him with both fists, trying to knee him, trying to wriggle away.

But he was too strong for her.

Quickly he slipped the cord around her neck.