Come the next morning, some hapless jogger will be the first to discover the ten college students. Five men, five women. At semester's end they loaded a cooler, several paper bags of party supplies, and themselves into three cars for an evening out.

Across town, Marianne Wright's father had paced sleeplessly through the night trying to expel any thoughts of his daughter becoming pregnant too soon. Had he seen that two of the three varieties of condoms were laying at his daughter's rested feet, he would have gained some much needed rest. Her boyfriend Thomas had spent the evening feeling insecure about his Roman Mythology exam. It would take a B for him to keep his scholarship. The next day, just as day breaks, his exam will receive the highest grade in his class; thus, setting the curve.

Melvin, known more often as "Bro," had no worries to be told of. His reputation as everyone's older brother granted him a little leeway when it came time to persuade others. His girlfriend, Liz, was easily persuaded. Whether from her father or a boyfriend, she understood the sign language of a balled fist, and the request made by a slap on the ass.

Sean had come only because Sarah was here. Sarah had come to enjoy a girl's night with Liz which never happened. Disappointed, she drank one hard lemonade too many from the cooler. Disappointed, Sean listened to her speak in length about the low-rider she was building with her brothers.

Gary had dropped out of college over a year ago, yet accompanied Anne to the gathering. Anne's two most prided accomplishments were the length of her chestnut colored hair and the tenacity to graduate come December. Gary was already working his way up through management in one of Highland Gate's many factories, and has helped pay his fiancé's way through school. Their parents had come to approve of the relationship, and even began planning a Valentine's Day wedding.

Mandy and Geoffery were there to give their relationship one last shot. Everyone knew that Mandy had been with three different men during the course of their involvement; everyone but Geoffery who knew of only one. After Mandy quickly became intoxicated and Geoff found himself pleasantly buzzed, they had become the first to retreat into the woods. All the while, she fantasized of making Melvin the fifth man to truly touch her.

The unfortunate jogger? Sometime between Thomas earning his passing grade and the coroner settling down to enjoy a nine inch meatball sandwich, the jogger will see the trees. Two oak trees, each more ancient than the city itself, and one large post with a power line suspended at the top. Melvin, Liz, Geoffery, and Mandy had been tied to the first Oak. To the second: Marianne, Thomas, Anne, and Gary. Sean and Sarah slumbered upright against the pole, their feet dangled four feet into the sky. The same crude rope in the same crude knots kept them bound as their suspended friends.

Each of the ten lovers' arms had been tied to the arm of the next person by rudimentary knots made of their own sinew and ligament. What couldn't be tied, gravity held delicately together. To ensure their suspended position, each victim had also been balanced on a series of metal fencepoles which violated all ten from anus to rib. In three days, the coroner will announce that the cause of death in each of the women was shock and a most fatal loss of blood through their emptied eye sockets. He would announce that it was uncertain whether the loss of eyes or testicles was responsible for their male counterparts. Several weeks later, a number of profilers will speculate that their antagonist longed for "mature yet ripe specimens."

Stevie, on his way to a lunch date which happened fourteen years ago, leaves the newly created scene in absolute ignorance. Beside him is a basket full of cherries. He will feed them to his beloved, and one day he will marry her. Five minutes later, as he is driving, he'll wonder why he imagines several older kids - near adults - being chased through a dark woodland area. He'll dismiss it as something seen at a drive-in, and continue driving toward his date.