Jennifer Luck

By Vicki Lee Zell

Jennifer Luck was sent to the attic whenever Merilee demanded it. Older, and heading for college, Jennifer is escaping that attic along with her crazy-ass mother, Merilee, but soon Jennifer will there is no escape. Jennifer befriends Kathy Barns in an all girls school and her world finally seems to be making sense for the first time. Kathy Barns vanishes and Jennifer seeks for answers, only this time around, she finds herself trapped within Kale University and the monsters there are more conniving than the monster she left at home. Is Jennifer going insane? Is what is happening, real... or is it something else entirely?

• Language: English
• Publisher: vlzbooks
• Release date: May 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201773359

Vicki Lee Zell

Hello Reader, and welcome to my page. I don't know about you, but I love a good mystery. A well told story should take us on a journey packed with excitement page after page and not weigh us down. I like books that dive into the storyline. I want to know what's coming, what's next, not every color of every character's whatever. I try leaving as much as I can to the reader's imagination. Like when you talk to someone on the telephone who you've never met. Their voice alone gets you wondering all about the person. Their hair color, eye color, facial expressions, the way walk. If everytime you talked to someone over the phone and they described themselves to you, you'd never get to the good stuff. That's kind of how my stories go. I am telling you a story to keep you in the dark until the very end, and then surprising you with a WTF kind of attitude. I want to shock you, hold you close, wrap your imagaination to get you to have an imagination. 

Book preview

ABDUCTED

Jennifer Luck pleaded

I ’ll do whatever you want.

To understand Jennifer’s fear; the frightening realism of knowing you are about to die, you first must picture yourself crouched on bended knees with your arms bound behind your back. Plastic zip ties wrap your wrists and ankles all while your abductors hover with breath barely audible. An unknown device covers your eyes keeping you in the dark. You cannot help but wonder who is bound and blinded, not only you but others with you there in what you believe is a dark tunnel.

Jennifer Luck finds herself in such a tunnel with strangers crying to God to save them. Their voices from what could only be in Jennifer’s blind judgment, being in some form of a tunnel where the air is so thick, your lungs work hard to gain a breath of oxygen.

Blindfolded to the evil lurking all around her, Jennifer ferociously carved her way through mud, weeds, and God knows what else, all while limbs from bushes gobbles at her hair. Blood oozes from the scrapes and scratches of her eighteen-year-old delicate skin so warm and tender, so soft and smooth. Her long flowing blonde hair that once swayed with grace and familiarity against her bareback now weighs heavy with mud and blood. Torn patches of her hair cling to the limbs of bushes like tinsel on a Christmas tree. Stumbling over fallen dead branches throughout the forest floor, Jennifer falls to her knees in a semi-coma state from the injections of drugs flowing through her veins. The sun’s warmth expresses to Jennifer she is facing west of the hemisphere, for the sun is warmest at mid-day during winter months in elevated northern states.

That November morning, Jennifer wakes to find her ankles and that unknown device blinding her has been removed, and yet the darkness remained. Her arms are secured behind her back with a single zip tie like those police sometimes use in place of handcuffs, and like what you or I might use to secure everything and anything. Jennifer notices a speck of light, so she makes her way toward the light never imagining she would one day ever be anything. While she makes her way through the dark tunnel, growing closer to that light, one single thought invades Jennifer’s many scrambled thoughts, that there truly is light at the end of the tunnel.

Footsteps interrupt the silence, so Jennifer hurries toward that light. The sustainable life force pumping and recycling blood through her vein’s pounds in her chest like a jackhammer. Jennifer knows she must get as far as possible as soon as possible. With no concern for what lays beyond the light, Jennifer runs into the light wishing someone would wake her from her nightmare.

Please, someone wake me! she screams to herself.

That light at the end of the tunnel smacks her head-on like a freight train, knocking her back a step. Foraging her way through the light, Jennifer meets jagged colored edges of golds, yellows, and greens. She tries adjusting her eyes to the bright light encompassing her and hears a voice from inside the tunnel, shouting.... ‘Stop!’

Bolting in a dead run, unable to move no faster than her two weakened legs can carry her, Jennifer hears the sucking sounds from her brown loafers as they press deep in the muddy confines of the wet forest floor with her weight inside them. That voice shouting for her to stop falls silent. Jennifer believes she has escaped that voice. The bright light encompasses her, and Jennifer sees clusters of bushes and trees popping in and out of her view. Through blurred vision, she slows her pace to a quickened step. Her heart pounds in her chest like a racehorse crossing the finish line. She is forced to stop, to catch her breath. A crackling of twigs somewhere behind her startles her. Jennifer believes what she is hearing is a deer, and she smiles thinking it may be a silly little squirrel. There are so many sounds in the forest, she reminds herself, to calm herself, and then the sound of twigs being crushed and trampled upon terrifies her. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a wall of arms wraps Jennifer. Hands transfix that unknown device over her eyes. Jennifer is sure there are two strangers alongside her as the darkness closes out the light.

And once again, Jennifer is sequestered by evil. Merilee’s familiar voice whispers in her thoughts to be polite and always remember to say please and thank you.

JENNIFER

finished her twelfth year at River Vale High, now free of her crazy-ass mother Merilee, who had made all her own wrong choices in her dull existence. For whatever suicidal reasoning, Merilee made Jennifer pay for those choices that she made years ago.

Jennifer received a scholarship to three colleges in her surrounding area, and Merilee insisted Jennifer take what time to scope out the colleges, and then and only then, was Jennifer to make any final decision. Jennifer followed her mother’s intrusive instructions but only pretended to scope out the other colleges just to keep Merilee at bay. Kale University was according to Jennifer a wise choice and no amount of bartering Merilee could think of would persuade Jennifer to change her mind. Jennifer was confident Merilee would disagree no matter what college she chose, but to her surprise, Merilee agreed with Jennifer, Kale was a wise choice. This set off a questionable siren, for you see, Merilee never agreed to anything Merilee did not first think of herself. And so, Jennifer could not help but wonder what little trick Merilee might have up her sleeve.

During the last week of school with graduation around the corner, Jennifer finds herself in a pickled situation after running smack-dab, head-on, into the new boy on the block. Never did Jennifer give thought to boys. She was a good girl. A straight arrow. She went to school and straight home from school and never involved herself in any after-school activities. She was opposite of those fast girls, but intrigued by these girls, and often would hide in one of the stalls in the school’s lavatory whenever fast girls entered. Scooping herself on the toilet to hide from view, Jennifer waited for these girls to exit. Her one fear was she would be discovered by these fast girls when they bent down to look under the stalls to assure themselves no one was around to hear and see what fast girls say and do.

Carolyn Blithe was a member of this click of snobby bitches who gather like a pack of wolves. Carolyn spread the kind of rumor that can get one killed. She told everyone that Alice Hartman was one of those fast girls. Whether it be true or false did not matter. Alice’s reputation was tarnished. Two days after the rumor spread, Carolyn Blithe broke her neck after having lost her footing on the back stairs of the school. Carolyn became another sad forgotten statistic among a list of unsolved cold case files.

Jennifer was never recognized at River Vale until the incident in the hallway when she ran into Terrance Hunt, the new kid at school all the girls referred to as dreamy handsome. Terrance stood five-ten, had chestnut brown hair and the most gorgeous green eyes. Terance was considered an oddball and slated a failure from the get-go. Terrance was often accosted by the school jocks, those bullies who relish slamming boys less their weight and stature against school lockers. Considered to be childish pranks, it was nonetheless hurtful and cruel, and if it was not happening to you, then you didn’t much care. If it were happening to you, you prayed a new kid would come along just so you were no longer the punching bag.

The school’s bullies hassled Terrance during that last week of school and Jennifer was not in her normal state of mind. She was confused after the disturbing incident in the girl’s lavatory. While making her way along the east corridor, Terrance was making his way along the north corridor. Jennifer was taken by what she saw in the girl’s lavatory and not thinking clearly. She continually checked behind her no fast girls were following her.

Terrance received one of those nasty blows to the groin, the kind that tends to snap a boy in half. Otherwise occupied and paying little attention, Terrance and Jennifer ran into one another that afternoon in the hall. Terrance found himself draped over Jennifer Luck, which wasn’t luck, just bad timing.

The shifting bell rang the exact moment of the head-on collision and the school’s halls filled with students passing classrooms. Students in the hall had a front-row seat to Jennifer and Terrance’s embarrassment. And what should have been Jennifer’s worst day, was according to Jennifer, her greatest day because she found herself underneath Terrance Hunt. Loose strands of Terrance’s hair fell over Terrance’s gorgeous green eyes. Terrance’s eyes locked with Jennifer’s eyes. Hopefulness progressed from possibility to reality. Desperate to get as far away from the laughter and cries of pure-pleasured classmates who relish in cruelty and live for moments in the pleasures of other’s casualties, Terrance ran away, leaving Jennifer upon the hall floor surrounded by students with their phone cameras.

You expect children to giggle and point fingers. Today’s teenagers are a whole new set of upcoming adults. They’re transfixed in a society of gadgets and mayhem. They capture moments with advanced technology enabling them to snap enhancements through camera phones. Everyone carries a camera phone on their person.

That day, in that hallway, students of River Vale retrieved their devices. Some were faster on the draw, so surely would have sufficed back in the days of the Wild West when being quick on the draw was what you had to be if you opted to be a gunslinger. These days a gun is obsolete. A camera phone is more sufficient. Just simply point, click, and voila, your snapshot or video shifts to millions of viewers within a matter of seconds of your captured prize. The price of technology is just what humans need. Having such power to reflect bitterness on one another must certainly give the devil such delight.

TERRANCE

introduced himself to Jennifer on the front steps of River Vale High.

I’m Terrance but you can call me, T.

I’m just Jennifer.

I was wondering Just Jennifer if you would care to go for ice cream with me?

I must be home by four, else my mother worries.

I’ve heard mothers can be like that.

Jennifer did not comment.

It’s nice to have concerned parents, Terrance said, making an odd retractable statement.

Jennifer still did not comment.

So, shall we shuffle off Just Jennifer?

Terrance made his way down the steps and expected Jennifer to follow.

Wait! Jennifer cried from the top step. Terrance turned to see Jennifer still at the head of the stairs. Terrance thought Jennifer changed her mind.

I have no money, Jennifer said, holding out her hands and revealing two empty palms. Terrance swallowed a relaxed breath, exhaled, and smiled.

No problem. My treat, my lady.

Jennifer’s eyes sparkled behind a significant smile which made her cheekbones ache. But it was an incredible sensation, for you see, Jennifer Luck wasn’t familiar with smiling. There wasn’t much to smile about in the Luck house.

I’m sorry, did you say something T?

I was wondering what college you chose?

Jennifer was slurping a mouthful of her vanilla shake through a straw when she caught a glimpse of who she believed was Merilee through Jerry’s Ice Cream Parlor’s picture window, so she didn’t give T an answer to his question. The woman entering Marv’s Bar-and-Grille looked like Merilee, but Jennifer could not imagine Merilee ever stepping foot in any tavern. Terrance noticed the confused look on Jennifer’s face.

What is it, Jennifer? What’s wrong?

I’m not sure, whispered Jennifer.

Did you see someone that you know?

Jennifer said, sounding questionable, I think I saw my mother. She kept her gaze locked on the tavern across the street as if she were expecting Merilee to exit Marv’s Bar-and-Grille. Terrance peered through the parlor’s picture window seeing no one who resembled Jennifer’s mom. Not that he knew Merilee. Terrance saw no one who resembled Jennifer.

Which one is she, Jennifer?

She went in that bar. Jennifer pointed out Marv’s Bar-and-Grille with her eyes.

Marv’s? said Terrance sounding half believable, and Jennifer shot Terrance a questionable look.

Why did you say it like that, T?

Like what?

Like you know something I don’t?

What are you talking about, Jennifer?

Have you been inside that bar, T?

Terrance wasn’t sure he should answer.

I ‘ve gone there once or twice.

I’ve gotta go, T.

Terrance wasn’t sure what occurred.

What’s the problem, Jennifer?

My mother’s the problem, Jennifer said, wondering if she should confront Merilee.

Are you and your mom fighting?

No, of course not, Jennifer said, shocked as to why Terrance would think to suggest such a thing about her mother to her.

Then what’s wrong, Jennifer?

I don’t understand why my mother would go in that tavern.

She’s having a cocktail. Adults do that, you know.

Yes, I know, but my mother would never go in such a place. She doesn’t drink alcohol. We don’t have alcohol in our house. My parents are conservative. They would never....

Jennifer stopped rambling when she heard herself making a case for something she knew nothing about. She never knew her parents to ever partake in such matters. She would certainly know. She’d lived under the same roof for eighteen years. How could she not know? Then again, why would she know if they did not want her to know? She would not have known about the cabinet in the basement if she had not been snooping. She searched inside closets and dresser drawers. Always the nosy inquisitor. But she never once dared to look in those hat boxes in Merilee’s closet. She was curious what was behind the locked door ever since she saw Father ducking in and out of there, locking the door every time he came and left.

Father always took the key with him. So, when she found the key in the kitchen cupboard that day, she was a bit optimistic when she slipped the key into the lock. The key turned the drum, and the basement door opened like magic. At first, she felt reluctant to step through the shadow at the top of the landing, but that little devil inside gave her the push she needed. Jennifer descended the stairs, eager and excited to discover a whole new area to explore. At the bottom of the stairs, a string brushed her left cheek. She pulled the string and lit up a whole new perspective on a child’s fantasy.

The walls of the basement were constructed of sizeable stones. The flooring was dirt-covered. Jennifer remembers hearing Merilee refer to the basement as the fruit cellar. Jennifer noticed the stack of wooden crates covered in dust webs resting alongside a broken shelving unit. On the shelves of the unit were glass jars filled with the colors of the rainbow. A few jars lay heaped in a pile of disgusting mush after having broken from falling off one of the broken shelves. The cabinet to the right of the stairs sparked Jennifer’s curiosity. This cabinet started Jennifer on a journey of strange, dark discoveries. Having left tiny footprints in the dirt flooring told Father she’d been near the cabinet. Father knew Jennifer could never open the cabinet doors because the doors were locked tight. The keys were hidden where Jennifer would never find them. Father told Jennifer it was no concern to little girls to leave well enough alone. But that’s like telling a child not to eat that bar of candy sitting in front of them.

Terrance sat wondering what was running through Jennifer’s mind.

Jennifer, do you want to go see if it is your mother?

Jennifer did want to see but she told Terrance that she didn’t because she knew if she did, no matter what the excuse, Merilee would shut her in that attic for who knows how long, and Jennifer always feared one day Merilee would leave her in the attic. Merilee threatened to lock her inside and throw away the key, and Jennifer feared no one would ever be the wiser.

I’m mistaken, That wasn’t Merilee, Jennifer told Terrance.

Call and ask your mother what she’s doing, Terrance suggested, and Jennifer broke out a playful laugh. What’s so funny, Jennifer?

You are, T.

Why am I funny?

Because my parents would never allow me to have a cell phone.

Really? Why not?

Do you have one?

No, but my parents wouldn’t care if I had one. It’s just we don’t have the money. My dad lost his job. Not that we’re on welfare. Terrance sounded embarrassed.

That’s nothing to be ashamed about, T.

I’m not ashamed, Jennifer. I just didn’t want you thinking my parents were looking for handouts, is all. My mom works. It’s just her job doesn’t pay well, and we, well, you know.

Terrance couldn’t explain his situation more straightforwardly, so he fell silent.

I’ll never have a phone because my parents believe electronic devices are the devil’s influence. Father says these devices will be the downfall of humanity’s civilization one day.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion, I suppose. Just how old are your parents, Jennifer?"

Merilee is sixty-two, and Father is sixty-six.

Your mom had you late in life.

Merilee says I was a blessing after three miscarriages, Jennifer told Terrance a harmless lie. Merilee said she was a curse, not a blessing. The doctor insisted she stop trying but Father is a believer in the act of will. You know if you don’t first succeed, try, and try again.

My mom had me when she was our age.

Wow, that young, Jennifer said, not able to imagine having a baby at her age, let alone a husband.

Yep, young and in love, they tell me.

Jennifer noticed the time on the clock over the ice cream counter.

I have to go, T.

Want to do this again tomorrow?