Cougar of Spirit Lake. Linnette MDiv Eller

and said, “I mean it Thomas. I am very determined about this. You have been so kind, so understanding. I could never live with myself if I saddled you with all of this. You have just been too good to us for me to do that!”

      He could see that there was no way to change her mind by the stubborn tilt of that little chin of hers. Damn! This wasn't what he had in mind at all. Something about the set of her face told him he had better not push too far. He could lose her entirely, and that was something he had no intention of doing! He had been downright obsessed by Jess, since he had first seen her when she was only thirteen. He wasn't going to lose her now. She filled his dreams and almost every waking moment. God, just thinking about her made his blood run hot. He had to have her! He felt like shaking her right now he was so damned outraged at her stubborn decision not to marry yet. She was sorely trying him!

      “Alright, if that's the way it has to be Jess, so it will.” He told her, but he blew out his pent-up breath, and clenched and unclenched his fists while he said it.

      Shortly after Thomas had left, Jessica again tried to talk to Papa about the situation with the debts. She told him what Thomas had told her, and he stared at her with an odd expression on his face. He muttered something unintelligible except for the word 'Lilly’. Jessica looked at him and again asked for the ledgers. John swung around and faced her with surprise, and she looked closely at him. He seemed almost lucid. When he finally spoke, it was to tell her that the debts had been paid, and she must have misunderstood Thomas. He then sat down in Lilly's rocker, turning his back on Jessica and not speaking again regardless of her pleas to him. Finally, in utter despair, she left his room and went to her own.

      Jessica stood staring blankly out the window towards the woods. There was no moon tonight, and she couldn't actually see the forest, only blackness. She wasn't actually looking at anything in particular, only standing there staring blankly, her eyes unfocused. Staring off into space is what Mama would have called it she remembered. She was so heartbroken about what Thomas had told her of the debts. Her parents had never discussed things in detail with her, but she knew that there had been a 'nest egg. She could remember once shortly before Mama had died, she had heard them talking with satisfaction about how their nest egg was growing. They had said with the good crops from the previous years and the sale of the stock this year their affairs were in extremely good order.

      The Ferrall's had moved here when Jessica was just a toddler. At that time, they had been what was considered well off. Papa had sold his furniture making business back East. The business had been a good one, and his name was well-known for the excellent quality. The business had flourished right up until the day they had sold it. Mama had told her so repeatedly and with pride in her husband.

      She knew that they had lost a considerable amount in livestock and the crops, but she also knew they should have been able to withstand that without a real problem. How could it be as bad as Thomas had said? She was sickened by this news and heartsick as well. She knew it would be useless to confront the businessmen, they had already made it clear that they would not discuss the business affairs with her on more than one occasion. She felt the bitterness rising up in her again remembering their attitude.

      The three of them had worked so hard to put it all back together again, how could she tell Tommy this? He would be heartbroken, just as she was. How could Papa keep telling her the debts had been paid? Had he imagined he had paid them and now believed it as truth? Dear God, she thought, can he be that far gone? A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of what her Papa had once been, and what he was now. Her stomach lurched sickly as fear for him rose up in her.

      She would have been far more than sickened if she had been able to actually see into the forest. Thomas stood behind a tree watching Jessica in the window as he had done so many times before. The light behind her made her night gown nearly transparent. God, he thought I have to have her! His eyes were glazed as he watched her, his hands fondled his engorged member. A line of spittle was dribbling down his chin from the corner of his mouth, but he was totally oblivious to all but the vision of Jessica in the window. Her and the huge hot member he had in his hand.

      She turned slightly and he had a clear view of her full, ripe breasts in silhouette. Damn, he thought, look at those tits! To be such a small girl she had some tits on her for sure! He couldn't wait to get his hands on those things and crush them in his huge hands whenever he wanted to, once they were married. Maybe even after he'd had her once the usual way he would put his manhood between them tits and spill his seed all over her.

      Just the thought brought forth a great shudder as he indeed spewed forth his seed, but this time only on the ground. He felt some relief as he always did standing in the woods watching Jess at the window and seeing to his own needs. Tonight, she stood there longer than usual though, and he immediately became hard again. When she finally left the window he was so aroused he was nearly mad with it. He turned, still fondling himself and tramped into the woods swearing to himself.

      Maybe, he thought, that stupid half-witted Carpenter girl would be sitting by the pond again. She was hardly even showing yet, and he couldn't get her anymore knocked up than she already was. All her bruises were gone now too. Yes, maybe she would be there, and he would get himself some relief after all. This time she would know better than to fight him. She would know what he had for her was something that felt good, real good, even if she couldn't say so. She didn't have tits as big as Jess but in the dark that was about the only difference. Anyway, about all the difference you could tell if you didn't know. For him, he found there was no real difference between women, not when it was too dark to see their face. That was why the first time he took Jess it was going to be in full daylight. Yes, maybe with the sun shining right in her face, so he could see how she loved what he was doing to her.

      The small girl, sitting quietly by the lake turned to see him standing there. He was exposing and fondling himself with a hideous leer on his face. A look of sheer terror and fear spread across her delicate little face. It was too late for her to run, but she tried anyway. He grabbed her and she fought, but against his bulk and strength, it was futile.

      Through the hours of unspeakable brutality that followed, Thomas groaned Jessica's name each time he spewed forth his seed. He did everything to the small girl that he wanted to do to Jessica. When he left her and began dressing, he noticed all the blood. Good, he thought, maybe he got rid of more than my needs this time, needs Jessica should have been taking care of for him. Maybe he had gotten rid of the kid the stupid girl was carrying.

      He hadn’t noticed that there was no sound or movement from the small form until he started to walk off. When he nudged her with the toe of his boot, she didn't respond. Stupid girl! She had to get up and get going, what was she trying to pull anyway? He bent over to give her a little slap on the face, and it was then he noticed she was very pale and finally, he realized that she wasn't breathing. Shit! He should have known a half-wit wasn't like a real woman and couldn't take what he had to give, not like Jessica would be able to anyway. It didn't seem to bother him overly much, after all she was just a half-wit. He covered her with leaves and brush and tramped off into the woods. At least, he mused, he’d given her a good time. No other man would have looked at her twice. No, it wasn't so bad at least she had known a real man before she died. She must've died happy he thought.

      The residents of the valley thought they heard the mighty roar of that cat again on this night. It was speculated on by some, but quickly dismissed. Why everyone knew there were no cats here! Still, some continued to wonder what it had been that they had heard if it wasn't a cat? It sure could raise the hair up on the back of your neck when you heard it!

      Jessica gave a small moan as the screams of the cat penetrated her world of sleep. She did not awaken fully, but a part of her knew that it was the cat she had heard before. A frown crossed her brow and even in sleep, she felt the agony of the cat. Turning on her side she finally slipped back into a restless sleep.

      The giant cat raged for what seemed like hours. There were those who thought he was all-powerful, but he knew he was powerless to change what was to be. He could warn. He could watch and even lead, but he could not change that which was to be had to be. He suffered greatly these limitations on this night. One girl child so innocent, so pure of heart and soul had been tortured, hurt, and killed, and yet he could not stop that. His rage at the horror