by Lea Davies
Her plan to remain silent failed miserably. She couldn't contain herself but managed to speak without raising her voice; it was a lot more effective.
"You should have told me what would happen when I woke up, Matthew,” she began. “Is it always that way when new vampires transform?” He closed his eyes and answered with just one word. “Yes.” He said. She shook her head slowly as he confirmed her suspicions. “So you deliberately kept it from me. How could you do that to me, Matt?” She said vehemently, “How could you do that to him? Now I’ll have to live with what I did for as long as I exist, and I will never, ever forgive you for it.”
He felt heartbroken but knew it was only what he deserved. Even though he wanted her with him, he should have warned her that a vampire’s first feed always died, but instead, he had kept it from her, which meant that he had taken away her right to decide for herself. It should have been her decision to make; Not his, and he was wracked with guilt.
A lump formed in his throat, and he found it difficult to speak without breaking down, so, excusing himself, he dressed in silence and left the room. He was surprised when she made no attempt to stop or follow him; She just let him go.
Tori was still busy cleaning the soundproofed room. She had already dealt with what was left of Wayne Thomas’ body, and was now on her knees, scrubbing his blood from the floor. She turned as she heard her brother approach and smiled, but it soon left her face when she saw the tears falling from his eyes. She had never, even in all their darkest days with their father, seen her brother cry, and it broke her heart.
"What happened?" she asked, getting to her feet. "I thought that everything was going OK.” She looked a little embarrassed. “I'm sorry, but I had to come upstairs for more cleaning products just now, and I heard you enjoying each other."
He buried his face in his hands, and she put her arms around him. "She's so angry that I didn't tell her about the first feed Tor,” he said, “and to be honest, she should be. I'm absolutely disgusted with myself for being so selfish; I just wanted to keep her with me."
As was always her way, Tori tried to make him feel better. "Try not to be so hard on yourself, Matt,” she said. “Yes, you should have told her the truth, but at least you found a way to solve the problem by finding someone who deserved to die for her first feed. Actually, when you think about it, it was a brilliant plan, and you should be proud of yourself for even thinking of it.”
She studied him for a moment and was glad to see his face brighten. “I’ve got absolutely no doubt that at the time, you thought you were doing the right thing,” she continued, “so go back and ask her to be patient while you explain why you acted as you did. Ask her what she would have done if she were in your position.”
He planted a kiss on his sister's cheek. “Tori,” he smiled, “you always seem to know the right thing to say." She smiled warmly. “That’s what I’m here for.”
Scene Twelve - Explanation
Ruth marveled at her heightened sense of hearing as she heard Matthew climb the stairs and enter the bedroom. She Knew that her words had hurt terribly and desperately wanted to comfort him, but her intense anger and disappointment made it impossible for her to do. She gave him a half-smile to provide him with at least a little comfort and was glad to see him relax slightly as he approached the bed. He sat cross-legged in front of her and took her hands in his, but before she could stop herself, she pulled them away.
"I'm sorry, Matt,” She said bluntly. “I don't mean to be cruel, but why didn't you prepare me for what would happen when I woke up? Why didn't you warn me that it would be like that? Come on. Explain yourself." Her voice broke, and she cried into her hands. “I keep reliving it in my head, and I don't think I can cope with the guilt of taking a man's life, especially in that way.” she sobbed, “You were there, and you saw what I did. It was vile. What about his family? Did he have a wife? She cried harder. “Did he have children?"
Matthew's heart broke for her, and he had to fight to hold back tears of his own. "I understand why you’re so angry,” he said, “and I don’t blame you in the slightest, but I'm confident that you’ll feel better when you know more about him.” He reached out and took her hand, but again, she pulled it away. “How can you say that?” she snapped, “You watched me rip a man's throat out Matt, and the worst thing is that you could have stopped it from happening.” He held his head in his hands as he tried to think of what to say.
“Ruth, you’re right,” he said, “and I’m so, so sorry, but you have to understand; I was between a rock and a hard place. You were going to die, but I had a way to save you. The one big problem I had was that I knew that you would never go through with it if you knew that you would have to take a life, but I was desperate to keep you with me, so I had to think of a way around it that wouldn't have such a terrible impact on you, and that’s exactly what I did.”
Her eyes narrowed. “How dare you,” she said, “have you no respect for me, Matt? What gives you the right to make such a life-changing decision on my behalf without even telling me there was a decision to make in the first place? It should have been up to me to decide whether I lived or died; Not you. She tapped her fingers to her chest. “Me." “I know that,” he said, “and I’m sorry, but what I did was for the greater good. I’m glad that I did it and would do it again in a heartbeat."
Ruth stared open-mouthed. “I don’t know how you can say that,” she snapped, “Explain your sick way of thinking.”
"The man in the basement was called Wayne Thomas, and he wasn’t worth the air he breathed." He said. “Believe me, no one on this earth will mourn his passing.” Her hand flew to her mouth when she heard her victim's name, but Matthew quickly leaned forward and snatched it away from her face. "He was a very, very bad man Ruth,” he said, “and he deserved everything he got, and more. In fact, he wasn't a man,” he added, “he was a monster."
She pulled her hand away in disgust. "How can you say that?” She said vehemently. “No matter what you might have thought of him, he was still a human being, and I murdered him."
The anger he’d been holding in check bubbled to the surface. "No, he wasn't Ruth,” he said, “he murdered people. He murdered children. Remember the news report about the family that was killed in Bexleyheath recently?” She looked puzzled but remained silent. “Well, he did that.” He continued. “Both parents and two beautiful, innocent little children that never stood a chance as he strangled them to death in their beds. Can you imagine how terrifying it was when those poor babies woke up and saw a strange man standing over them in their room? How do you think they felt when they realized what was happening to them, Ruth?” He wiped his hand roughly across his face. “He was a Monster, and I tracked him down for you to feed on... Guilt-free, and while I held him prisoner, I influenced him to confess everything that he had ever done, and he told me that when he was younger, he tortured and killed animals, which in itself is bad enough, but do you know who his first human victims were?” He paused for effect. “His own parents." Tears filled her eyes and spilled down onto her cheeks.
Matthew stood and ran his hands through his hair, then stormed across the room and slammed his fist into the wall in anger, leaving a gaping hole in the plasterwork. Bones splintered through the skin of his broken hand, and she watched in utter astonishment as a few moments later, it completely healed before her eyes. Without even batting an eyelid, Matthew continued to rant.
"From what he told me,” he said, “his parents were no good, and definitely shouldn’t have had children, but he said that he had actually enjoyed the thrill of killing them and getting away with it. When I first laid eyes on him, I was watching him from a rooftop, and even from up there, I could still smell the vileness that emanated from him.” He paused as he recalled some of the sickening confessions Wayne Thomas had made to him, and he had to concentrate hard to stop himself from vomiting.
“He also told me that he took pictures and even videos of his victims and masturbated over them. H
e was a monster, Ruth, and the world is grateful to you for ending him.”
She was stunned and had to admit that Matthew was right. This new information did substantially lessen the blow, but even with this knowledge, she would still have to carry the memory of her frenzied attack on Wayne Thomas for as long as she existed.
He held out his hand and pulled her up to stand in front of him. “Answer me honestly, Ruth,” he said, “if our roles were reversed, what would you have done? Would you have let me die?” She took his face in her hands and held his eyes with hers. “No, I wouldn’t let you die Matthew, but as desperate as I would be to keep you with me, I would still have told you how severe it would be when you woke up.” His shoulders slumped. “I know,” he quietly conceded, “I know it’s no excuse, but it was also a race against time to find someone for you to feed on, and by the time I found him you were almost at the point of death, so even if I had wanted to, there was no time to tell you.”
She knew he had had plenty of time to tell her in the days leading up to her death, but decided to let it go. She realized that he had been in a terrible position, so maybe he wasn’t thinking straight.
She kissed him tenderly. “I love you.” She said. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, and she got under the covers and watched while he once again removed his clothing. His voice was hoarse with passion as he spoke. “I love you so much, Ruth.” He said. She smiled with anticipation, “Show me.”
Scene Thirteen - Payback
“Woohoo,” The thug yelled as he saw the flames take hold and lick at the customer tables and chairs just inside the bakery. Jessica Bartlett jumped up and down and punched the air with excitement as he picked up another rock and threw it through the window, allowing the night air to fan the flames even more. “That'll teach the old bitch,” she said. “I told her that she shouldn't have fucked with me.”
Jason Hardwick tugged on her arm when he heard the sirens in the distance, and she allowed him to pull her along the street to where they had left his motorbike for their getaway. “I don't wanna go too far, Jase,” she said, “I wanna watch how she reacts when she sees what we've done. I bet the stupid old cow blames me for it.” He laughed. “That’s cos you fucking did.” He said. He mounted the bike and started the engine, and she climbed up onto the passenger seat behind.
“Thanks for doing this with me,” she said, “I knew I could rely on you. Not like my fucking old man. He didn’t give a shit when I asked him to fuck her up.“ Nibbling his ear seductively, she leaned forward, grabbed his crotch, and gently squeezed. “When we get home,” she purred, “I’m gonna show you just how happy you've made me, and thank you properly.” He smiled in anticipation of what was to come as he kicked away the stand and rode into the night.
Scene Fourteen - Introduction
Tori turned from washing up and smiled knowingly at Matthew as he and Ruth entered the kitchen hand in hand. She Hastily dried her wet hands on a tea towel and offered one to Ruth, who pushed it aside and hugged her warmly. “It's lovely to meet you, Tori,” she said, “I'm so sorry about before.” She half-turned and shook her thumb over her shoulder in reference to their first meeting in the basement. “Don't be silly,” Tori replied, “I thought you did rather well under the circumstances.” She covered the side of her mouth with her hand and whispered conspiratorially. “You did much better than I did when I first woke up,” she said, “but that's a story for another time.” Ruth was curious but didn't pursue it. Relieved that Tori wasn't angry, she stepped back and stood next to Matthew.
“I'd like to see Callie and let her know that I’m OK.” She said. She noticed a brief glance pass between Matthew and his sister and wondered why they looked a little tense. “Don't worry, Ruth,” he said, “we're just a little overprotective of you after everything you've been through.” He looked at Tori, and she nodded in agreement. “But would you mind putting off seeing Callie until tomorrow?” He said. “I thought we could go out tonight and explore some of your new abilities?”
Excitement ran through her as she thought of the things she would now be capable of doing. “I know we talked about them before your transformation,” he continued, “but now you need to experience them for real, and I thought that tonight would be as good a time as any to start.”
Tori left the room but returned shortly after carrying Ruth's handbag. “Thank you.” She said and rooted through it to retrieve her mobile phone. “I've had it on charge for you,” Tori said, clearly pleased with herself. Ruth smiled gratefully as she pressed the green phone icon, and Callie's number appeared at the top of the screen. It barely rang before she heard her cousin's voice on the other end. “Hello?” Callie answered gingerly. “Hi Cal, it's me, don't worry, everything's OK.” She said. Telltale sniffing noises told Ruth that Callie was relieved to hear her voice. “I know,” she replied, “Matt called earlier to tell me that it all went smoothly and that you were alright. When can I come and see you?” She asked.
Ruth heard a tap on Callie's bedroom door as it opened, and Beth's voice filled the room. “Oh, sorry, Cal,” she said, “I didn't realize that you were on the phone, I’ll come back later,” Ruth whispered to her cousin. “Tell her it's me on the line and that I'm having a good time.” Callie did as she was asked. “That's OK, mum, anyway it's only Ruth.” Beth's hand reached out and almost snatched the phone from her daughter.
Callie did her best to warn her cousin. “Mum wants to talk to you.” She shouted. Ruth wanted to protest, but it was too late; Beth already had the phone to her ear.
“Hi, sweetheart,” she said, “How’s it going? Are you having a good time?” Ruth's heart broke for lying to her, but she knew that it had to be done. A lump formed in her throat, and she had to concentrate hard on keeping it from being evident in her voice; If Beth got wind that something wasn't quite as it seemed, it would add even more pressure to an already extremely complicated situation.
“Yeah, everything's brilliant,” she said. “I feel so much more relaxed, and I haven't had a single headache since I got here.” She took comfort in the fact that what she had said wasn’t a complete lie. She hadn't had any headaches, and she didn't exactly say where here was. She heard Beth sigh with relief. “Oh, that's fantastic,” she said. “You were right about it being stress-related then, weren't you.”
Her heart filled with hate as the image of Jessica's face appeared in her mind, and again, she had to fight to keep her emotions under control. “Yeah,” she said, trying to keep her voice light, “I knew that was all it was, so you can stop worrying now.” she teased. Her aunt sniffled, and it warmed her heart. “Never gonna happen,” she said, “anyway, Callie's getting agitated, so I'll hand you back over. See you when you get home, Ruth, love you.” Ruth felt relieved to get through the call without any slip-ups. “Love you too,” she smiled, “see ya when I get back.”
Callie took the phone back from her mother but waited for her to leave and close the door behind her before she spoke. “How are you feeling?” she asked. “I feel,” Ruth pondered on what word would best describe how she felt. “Strong,” she said with confidence, “I feel really strong, both mentally and physically. Matt and I are going out tonight to road test my new abilities, but I'd love to spend some time with you tomorrow night if that's O.K? I need my Callie fix.” Callie beamed. “Yeah, me too,” she said, “I can't wait to see you. Shall I come to Matt's tomorrow?” She asked. Ruth's excitement grew. “I have to sleep during the day now,” she said, “but if you come here around sixish, I can fill you in on everything that's happened.” “Isn’t that too early?” Callie asked, surprised, “the sun will still be up; I thought you were supposed to avoid it.” “That’s true,” Ruth chuckled, “but Matt told me that as long as I stay inside, it doesn’t matter so, see you tomorrow. Love you.” Callie smiled. “Love you too.”
Scene Fifteen - Dread
Lizzie felt completely numb as drops of water fell from her rain-drenched hair. She stood in the middle of the street and watch
ed as the firefighters did a final walk-through of what was left of her bakery shop, searching for any embers that could possibly re-start the fire.
Patsy Kebble, a young, newly-qualified paramedic, laid a waterproof covering around her shoulders, and she distantly wondered why. The heavy rain had already soaked her to the bone, and no amount of covering could change that. She tried to tell herself to be thankful for the fact that at least it was summertime, and she wasn't shivering with the cold, but she couldn't quite manage it. Patsy laid her arm around Lizzie’s shoulders. “Come on, let's get you to the van and check you over,” she joked.
Flashing blue lights sliced through the rain as two police cars arrived. She dreaded the bombardment of questions she knew she would have to endure, like, "did you leave any ovens on?" and, "do you know of anyone who would want to ruin your business?" But she knew they were just doing their jobs.
As Patsy led her to the ambulance, she noticed that a crowd of onlookers huddled together under umbrellas to watch the spectacle. She recognized a few friendly faces, but she stopped dead in her tracks when one stood out from the crowd. A young woman with short-cropped hair stood among them, grinning wickedly from ear to ear, and she recognized her instantly. It was Jessica Bartlett.
Jessica sneered and discreetly ran her thumbnail along her throat, then pointed and mouthed the words “You’re next.” Lizzie’s knee's buckled with fear, and she stumbled forward. Several people ran to help the paramedic as she tried to help her up, and as she stood, her eyes carefully scanned the crowd, but Jessica was nowhere to be seen.