by Lee Shepherd
Charles couldn’t believe his luck. ‘Which way are you heading?’
He had already decided that no matter which way she told him, he was going to be going the same way as her so would therefore offer her a ride home.
When the girl informed him that she lived only three miles outside of Penrith, Charles volunteered to take her home.
The girl, still fighting back tears, thought for a few moments. She knew full well that accepting lifts from strangers was totally against everything she had ever been told. Then again, she also didn’t want to offend what could genuinely be a good Samaritan offering her a solution to her problems. She decided to respectfully decline his offer.
Charles, sensing her anxieties and not wanting to raise suspicion, informed the girl that he himself was a father to two young daughters and would hate the thought of them being stranded without anyone to lend a hand. With that, she reassessed the situation with her parents worry factored in and reluctantly decided to accept his offer, and made her way over to where Charles had parked the van.
Charles, always the gentleman, even approached the passenger side first and opened the door for her in a welcoming manner, offering her further reassurance that it was safe and ok. As he closed the door after her, Charles made his way towards the rear of the van, opting to take the long way round to the driver’s side. As he approached the back of the vehicle and out of the girl’s sight, he quickly reached down into his jacket pocket and took out a handkerchief and bottle of chloroform, and swiftly removed the cap. He proceeded to empty a substantial amount into the handkerchief before placing the bottle back into his pocket and making his way to the driver’s side door.
Charles offered her a reassuring smile upon entering the vehicle, and insisted ‘safety first’ as he asked her to put on her seatbelt. The girl, totally at ease now due to his apparent charming nature, turned to locate her seatbelt as he had asked, and in that split second her back was turned to him, Charles pounced in a cold, calculated manner, as he grabbed her forcefully around her shoulder and chest with his left arm whilst placing the handkerchief over her nose and mouth with his right hand.
The girl didn’t stand a chance against the much stronger man, and she was all but unconscious before she even had time to panic. Charles held his position for a few seconds longer than necessary just to be sure she wouldn’t wake anytime soon. Once her body went limp in his arms, he casually leant over her and placed the seatbelt around her so to avoid being pulled over by the police. He then proceeded to start the engine and drive away in a calm fashion without anybody even realising what had just happened.
A huge smug grin enveloped Charles’ face as he exited the roundabout leaving Penrith and entered the M6 northbound into a sea of traffic, as he knew the further away he got, the less likely it would be that he would be pulled over by the police. The further north he drove, his adrenaline levels started to subside, and his thoughts were now becoming more consumed by lust as he recollected the last look in Lucy’s dying eyes, and how she would have been thankful that he chose her. He became more and more aroused as he also remembered how empowered he had felt as he extinguished the helpless little whore’s life at his hands and the control it gave him. He relished the prospect of doing it again.
As Charles exited the motorway and joined the much quieter A7 northbound, he knew he was nearly home and dry, as it was only a few more miles before he would exit the road at Canonbie, and take the even less frequently used B roads that led a long, winding path straight to the heart of Kielder.
All thoughts of his wife and daughters were long gone in Charles’ mind, as the anticipation of what was to come brought unrivalled excitement to him. He couldn’t refrain himself from running his free left hand through the unconscious girl’s soft blonde hair, down over her bosom, and finally into her lap, resting it on her thigh, just below her black, pleated skirt, biting and licking his lips whilst doing so. Not long to go now, he thought to himself as he neared the layby he had previously used. Now there was only the small matter of transporting her lifeless body through the pitch black, dense forestry. Normally he wouldn’t be in there so late, but he knew he had no alternative than to operate under the cover of darkness to avoid suspicion and detection from anyone else.
As Charles exited the vehicle, he was startled by the headlights of another vehicle approaching where he was standing, and even more surprised when he spotted the indicator signalling to turn into the same layby. His adrenaline kicked in sharply as the vehicle drew ever closer, and he reached into his pocket and removed the bottle of chloroform and handkerchief, thinking that he might possibly have to act fast if somebody was to question his motive for being in such a remote spot in the pitch black darkness.
As the other vehicle pulled up alongside Charles, his apprehensions were quickly squashed; it was just a tourist asking for directions, lost in a maze of rarely used B roads and wanting his help. Charles dropped the chloroform and handkerchief back into his pocket and made his way towards the driver’s open window, totally blocking him from potentially seeing the young girl slouched, unconscious, in the passenger seat, and calmly instructed the lost man on how to get back onto the main road. Charles breathed a sigh of relief as the man thanked him and casually pulled away without ever questioning his reasons for being there. Back to the matter at hand, he thought to himself as he removed the comatose girl from the van and cable-tied her hands and feet. He flung her over his shoulder and made his way through the short field that led into the cover of the tree line and along his own secret pathway he had already established, away from any prying eyes.
Not much further now! He was nearing the hidden chamber in which Lucy’s body remained undiscovered. But he wasn’t prepared for what happened next, as the girl over his shoulder started to wake, and in a groggy stupor and blind panic, she let out a deafening high pitched scream that brought ringing to his ears. Shit! Rookie error — why hadn’t he bothered to gag her when he tied her limbs together?! He quickly threw the girl to the floor then tore off her cardigan and tied it around her mouth tightly to silence her. He then dragged her the remaining 200 yards by her hair as she struggled fruitlessly to get to her feet, away from his grasp. She desperately tried to wriggle out of the ties for a few moments as Charles removed the foliage and debris that covered the underground dungeon that contained Lucy. The more she tried to escape, the deeper the restraints dug into her skin.
As Charles threw open the entrance to the pit, nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming, putrid stench that hit his nostrils from Lucy’s heavily decomposing corpse. He turned and vomited. The stench hit the girl’s nostrils; she knew that something awful was down there, but due to her position she could not see what. She just knew when she caught the stranger’s eyes that whatever it was, it did not bode well for her, and all she could do was pray that he had a change of heart and took pity on her as she desperately tried to break free.
Charles knew though that he could not leave this one till the next day down in that hole with the rotting corpse beside her — he would have to act fast and complete the ‘job’ he had set out to do. Besides, she was just another filthy little whore anyway, and should be grateful that he was going to end her miserable, pathetic, worthless existence!
As he approached her his excitement levels increased. He hadn’t bothered bringing the ketamine this time, as he wanted this next victim to be aware of everything that was going to be happening in those final moments, unlike Lucy, who only woke in her last few dying seconds.
He slowly calmed a little. Stroking her hair, he ran the back of his hand over her cheeks, softly wiping away the tears that ran down her face. Charles was now in a warped sense of reality, and she knew this, as he came down to her level and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
‘Don’t worry, Mother. This will all be over very soon and you’ll be at peace, just you wait and see,’ he whispered in her ear.
Then as quick as a flash, his whole demeanour changed as he
forcefully tore away her remaining clothes and pulled out his pocket knife to cut away her leg restraints — he wanted to get in between her legs, so as to look into her eyes like before.
As Charles proceeded to force himself on the helpless, petrified child, he started to repeat the words over and over again in his head: yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee. Every time he looked down upon her, her face became distorted, and images of Lucy flashed before him, then faceless images of the mother he imagined. He was now totally lost in his own delusions and hadn’t even realised that he had already ended the girl’s life whilst strangling her until after he had climaxed. Once again he felt cheated that he hadn’t been ‘in the moment’ when she had passed due to his preoccupations and visions. However, he still once again placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
‘Goodnight, Mother.’
He was late — Rebecca might start asking questions. Charles quickly grabbed the lifeless girl’s legs and dragged her over to the open pit, casually rolling her body until she landed on Lucy’s rotting remains.
He looked at the two of them for a few seconds, feeling proud of his work, before re-closing the entrance, once again disguising it with forestry. This time, he ensured the camouflage was denser and thicker than before, as he wasn’t intending to come back there from now on. He double checked that he hadn’t left any clues or items of clothing lying around, and once he was happy in his own mind that he had covered his tracks, he proceeded to leave the burial site, making his way back to the van. Once again, he concocted a story to relay to the waiting Rebecca upon returning home; fortunately there was no blood this time, as he hadn’t beat the girl as he had previously, so it was just a case of straightening up his clothing and hair before entering the house.
‘Hey, I was wondering what time you would be home, mister?’ Rebecca said to her now weary- looking husband. ‘I’ve been trying to call you for ages and got nothing but voicemail.’
‘Sorry Hun,’ he replied. ‘I got held up with call outs and forgot to charge my phone this morning so the battery has died.’
‘That’s ok, I just wanted to know what time you would be home for dinner. Yours is in the microwave as we started without you when I couldn’t reach you.’
‘Thanks, I’ll have it once I’ve showered and changed.’
He made his way down the hall and towards the bedroom to get out of his clothes. Eager to remove any scent that might linger on him from the girl, he stepped into the en-suite shower, feeling the hot water slamming into his aching body.
‘Does that feel better?’ Rebecca asked him, as he made his way back towards the kitchen in his dressing gown and slippers.
‘Yes thanks,’ came his reply; as he was too tired to engage in any kind of meaningful conversation.
Rebecca, sensing his lethargy, instructed her husband to take a seat while she brought him his dinner. Charles didn’t need any further encouragement and made his way towards the sofa in the warm, cosy sitting room. He instantly put on the news channel on the television, checking to see if there was already any news on the missing girl from Penrith. There was nothing as of yet, and Charles seemed to become agitated, as he secretly wanted to revel in his twisted delusional brilliance. He knew it would just be a matter of time though before the media try and locate the girl once they realised she wouldn’t be turning up at home.
He quickly changed the channel as Rebecca brought his dinner through to where he was sitting, accompanied by his customary glass of red wine. It wasn’t long after he had finished his meal and wine that Charles fell asleep on the sofa, exhausted after his rollercoaster ride of a day. As he lay there on the sofa softly snoring, his oblivious wife lovingly placed a blanket over him and continued to take care of domestic duties. She did not want to disturb him; she knew he must be worn out due to the long hours he had been recently putting into the practice.
***
The next morning started off as usual, with Rebecca up first preparing breakfast and packed lunches for the girls, and morning coffee for her sleeping husband. As he awoke, Charles once again made his way towards the TV and placed the news channel on yet again, but still nothing of the missing girl. Charles appeared baffled and started to question whether it had actually happened or if it had all been just a dream.
Rebecca, sensing something wasn’t quite right, asked Charles if there was something wrong.
‘Oh no, sorry dear, I was just checking to see if the weather forecast was on, as I heard somewhere that there could be possible floods approaching,’ he replied casually.
She never questioned his response, as it seemed a genuine concern with the house being right next to the river Teviot. Charles then finished his coffee and breakfast before taking Tess for her morning walk. Upon returning he began to get ready, then gave Rebecca a kiss before setting off for work.
As he entered the van he instinctively put CFM on the radio, hoping there would be some news, but once again there was nothing as he made his morning drive into work. The day seemed to drag on as he became more and more agitated at the practice. Even Linda sensed something wasn’t quite right, as he had been snapping at her all day over the slightest of things. It angered him that nothing had been reported and nobody yet knew of her disappearance.
The longer the day went on, the more frustrated he became. What if he was to take another? Maybe then he would receive the exposure his work deserved. After all, he was fulfilling a public service in ridding the world of worthless little whores! Charles made his mind up there and then that his next victim would come sooner rather than later — but this time she would be disposed of somewhere she would be discovered!
As he left the practice reasonably early again that day, he was unsure of which direction he was heading, but for some reason he was drawn in the direction of Wigton, specifically near to where Mr Beattie lived at Haywood farm. He seethed as he passed along the main road, thinking back to the catalyst that unlocked all these deeply buried emotions that had recently resurfaced. He promised himself he would be back for the farmer as he slowly passed the farm and proceeded to head back in the direction of Carlisle.
Under the cover of a dark winter night, he purposefully stalked the small surrounding villages that scattered around his route back, intent on finding another ‘chosen one’ to be honoured by a fateful meeting with him. As luck would have it, that opportunity presented itself as he saw a girl break away from a small group of her peers and make her way on foot towards a quiet country lane, possibly making her way home to the tiny village of Great Orton just six miles outside of Carlisle. He couldn’t be quite sure of her age, as unlike the others, she was not wearing a school uniform and was possibly slightly older due to the makeup that was plastered all over her face. He thought that maybe she was returning from college; she was likely no older than eighteen. Not his usual age range, but she’d do. He knew another opportunity like this might not present itself.
As he approached her he was initially going to offer her a lift, but he did not want to scare her off so chose instead to pull up alongside her and engage her in conversation by asking for directions to a non-existent farm nearby. All it took was her to lean slightly towards the open window to speak to him…he pounced. He grabbed her by her long ponytail with his outstretched right hand and shoved the chloroform-soaked handkerchief over her nose and mouth with his left without even having to exit the vehicle. He knew he had to act quickly so as not to be detected; as soon as he felt her legs buckle due to the inhalation of the anaesthetic, he got out of the van, slid open the side door and lifted her into the cage usually reserved for animals. He scanned the area to see if anybody had witnessed what had just happened and saw nothing but high hedges and greenery as he got back into the van and calmly drove away.
Panic started to set in at this point, as it suddenly dawned on him that due to his frustrations, he had not meticulously planned this far ahead unlike the previous two victims, and he was unsure where to head to next. All he knew was that he ha
d to end her life and leave her in a place where her body would be discovered relatively promptly. His mind raced as he aimlessly drove around the boroughs of Carlisle, desperately thinking of somewhere he could finish his task and dispose of the body without being seen by prying eyes — or the many of the CCTV cameras that operate in the area.
He tried to narrow possible dumping sites down to areas on the outskirts of the city, possibly near running water to help wash away any forensic evidence he may accidentally leave behind. He decided to pull over for a few moments to gather his thoughts and recalled seeing another quiet little layby just outside of Wetheral, a small village again located in the surrounding areas of Carlisle. He knew that the river Eden ran through it, as he and Rebecca had walked along its banks on a couple of occasions after eating in the local pub every now and again.
The coast appeared to be clear as he stopped and parked the van under the large trees that ran alongside the river banks. He sat for a few minutes just to make sure, and contemplated his next move. He’d already decided that he couldn’t afford for her to wake up like the girl the night before so, as he did with Lucy, he injected another five-millilitre barrel of Ketamine into her whilst she lay in the van’s cage. He decided the time was right to move her down to the river bank and out of sight of any potential passers-by. He knew he would have to get this over with quickly, and made light work of removing her clothing before violating her unconscious young body.
There was to be no profanities or talking of any kind on this occasion though, as he could not risk the possibility of somebody overhearing him — this time he did not have the luxury of nothingness for miles around. The only words that were uttered this night were the customary ‘Good night, Mother, sweet dreams’ that he whispered to her as he planted yet another soft kiss on the now dead girl’s forehead before rolling her down the embankment and hearing her body splash into the fast flowing river. Let’s see if this one goes unreported, he thought.