Out Are the Lights by Richard Laymon

up.'
        'What for?' Kristi asks.
        'Who knows? Maybe he wants to get us dependent on him, so we'll let our guard down. Maybe he wants to get our equipment in his canoe, and steal it. Hell, maybe he gets his kicks drowning campers-'
        'You've got a wild imagination, Lynn.'
        'I'm just thinking of the possibilities.'
        'Look, we've got to make up our minds.'
        'You decide for us.'
        'No! You can't put it all on me. Give me a yes or no. Come on, Lynn. Do you want to pack up and go with him in his canoe, or not?'
        'A yes or no?'
        'Right.'
        Lynn shakes her head, and pushes a hand through her short, bristly hair. Turning, she looks for a long time at Jim. He is drinking more wine. 'Okay,' she says, her voice whiny with defeat. 'No.'
        "Are you sure?'
        'I'm sure,' she says reluctantly. 'Maybe he's telling the truth, but I don't want to go with him. Not in a canoe, I can't even swim.'
        'All right, it's settled.' Kristi turns away.
        'Wait.'
        'Yeah?'
        'What if he won't leave?'
        Kristi frowns. 'Did you have to say that?'
        Then they both return to the fire. Kristi makes it brief. 'We decided to stay here.'
        'I was afraid of that.'
        'Thank you for the offer, and for warning us, but…' She shrugs.
        'You decided to take your chances,' he finishes for her. 'That's about it.'
        'Well, thanks for the wine.' He stands. 'I'd better be on my way. I saw another fire, down at the south end. I'd better let them know. Good luck, ladies.'
        Without another word, he walks into the darkness. Kristi and Lynn wait for a few seconds, then quietly follow him. They stand close together. Looking down the slope, they watch him climb into his canoe, and shove off. They watch for a long time, until the sound of his paddle dipping into the water disappears in a whisper of wind.
        Then they return to the fire, and sit down.
        'Maybe we ought to put it out,' Lynn says, looking tense. Kristi shrugs. 'Why bother? If the ax-man's around, he already knows where to find us.'
        'Don't say that!'
        'Let's have some more wine, and forget about it, okay? That guy was probably just some kook who gets his laughs scaring. people.'
        'Geez, I hope so.'
        Kristi lifts the bota and squeezes a long, thin stream of wine into her mouth. As she passes the leather bag to Lynn, a shape moves silently among the trees behind them.
        Lynn raises the bota. She squirts into her mouth.
        The shape moves into the shimmering light of the fire. It is a man. He wears black, leather pants. His bare chest is shiny in the firelight. A black hood covers his head. His eyes glisten through holes in the hood. In his hands, he holds a double-bit ax.
        'I think I'm ready to hit the sack,' Kristi says. 'One more for the road.' She reaches out for the wine bag.
        Lynn holds it out to her.
        
***
        
        With a grunt, the man swings the ax in a swift, sideways blow. It chops through Lynn 's neck. Her head flies, tumbling. It rolls into the campfire.
        For an instant, she sits there headless, still holding out the bota to Kristi as blood spouts from her neck stump and rains down.
        Kristi screams.
        The bota drops. The body topples forward, shouldering into the campfire, scattering flaming branches across the ground.
        Kristi screams and screams as she jumps to her feet and tries to run. The man grabs her shirt collar. He throws her to the ground.
        On her back, Kristi gazes up at him.
        He laughs, and pulls away his hood. His face is gaunt, his wet eyes bulging, his mouth writhing with a terrible grin.
        'I am Schreck,' he says.
        He raises the ax high overhead, and brings it down.
        It knocks through Kristi's upthrust hands, and splits her face.
        
***
        
        Todd