Undying Vengeance

by Burnham, K. L.

  “Excuse me, let me interject,” Detective Mitchell said. “Do you know of anyone you recently pissed off that would destroy your life like this as a result?”

  Armani rolled his eyes. “Of course, I’ve pissed off a lot of people. Several I know, and more than likely a few I don’t know. You’re the experts. Do your job and let me know. Believe me, if I knew who did this, they wouldn’t be breathing right now.” Anger erupted like a volcano inside him. He didn’t particularly care for Detective Mitchell with his stony expression and emotionless eyes. “I want to go home now.”

  “You are going to be here for a few more days, Mr. Belvedere. The medical staff has informed me that you will undergo a few more treatments on your face.” Detective Mitchell handed Armani his business card. “If you think of anything I should know, give me a call. We will do our best to solve this case as quickly as possible.”

  ‘Yeah, sure.’ Armani thought. ‘Just like they have the past few months. Assholes.’ “Believe me, when I’m out of here, I’ll be doing some detective work myself.” Armani sneered at Detective Mitchell.

  “Use your last few days here to get some rest,” Detective Cooper said with a half smile. “I want to see you on stage soon.” He handed him his business card, patted Armani’s shoulder and both detectives walked out of the hospital room.

  Armani wanted the bandages off his face and wished he could leave this place of gloom. He used the remote, put the bed in the upright position and stared out the window. The emptiness of life without Simone hit him with an awful blow. “Simone, Simone, my love. I will find who did this to you.” His heart ached and the damn holding back his tears broke. He hung his head and wept for what seemed like hours, his whole body wracking with emotion and pain. “Why!” He screamed. “Why!” The emotional pain was too much to bear. He picked up the vase of flowers placed on the tray table and threw them against the wall. The glass shattered sending pieces flying across the room. His heart, soul and body ached with pain. A pain he knew would never go away.

  The next three days in the hospital were the longest days of Armani’s life. Louise came into his room often on her shift and tried her hardest to cheer him up. He appreciated her support but nothing could make him happy. His attorney made regular visits discussing things with him. Armani had no family. Simone was his family and his life and now she was gone forever. Emptiness and sadness overwhelmed him. He wept more the past few days than he had his entire life. There was a large gaping hole in his heart that only Simone could fill and losing her was a burden he didn’t know he could live with. Thoughts of suicide entertained him, but he wanted revenge and was going to kill the people responsible for taking his reason for living. When he found them, he would turn his sorrow into anger and avenge his Simone’s death. “God have mercy on their souls,” Armani said. “May they burn in hell for what they did.”

  A knock on the door startled him. “Armani, it’s Louise and Dr. Weaver.” Louise said. They entered the room and walked up to the hospital bed. Dr. Weaver took off his glasses and stuck them in the pocket of his bleach white lab coat. “It’s time to remove the bandages from the left side of your face. You get to go home today, Armani. Do you feel you’re ready?”

  “Yes, I am more than ready to go home. I’m a bit worried about seeing my face,” Armani said and gazed at Louise, grateful she was there. “My attorney made arrangements for my friend, Rex to pick me up. He should be here by now.” He peered past Louise and Dr. Weaver, hoping to see Rex waiting for him. No sign of him yet.

  “He called and is running a bit late. He’s stuck in rush hour traffic. We all know how that is.” Dr. Weaver stated. “I am going to write you some scripts for pain medicine as well as a script for 60mg of Prozac. It’s the highest dose, but I believe you need it at this time.” Dr. Weaver said. “Not permanently, but for awhile and I would advise you to take it daily. It’s in your best interest.”

  Louise nodded in agreement, took Armani’s hand in hers and smiled at him. “We are going to remove the bandages now. So, lie down and try to relax.”

  Armani did as told. Anxiety lines etched his face. His palms were sweaty. He knew it wouldn’t be pretty. The right side of his face was still gorgeous. God had blessed him with good looks with his jet-black hair, piercing green eyes, high cheekbones, large perfect lips, and a physique toned to perfection. If Simone were alive, she would love him no matter how mangled the left side of his face was. Thinking about Simone stung his eyes with fresh tears.

  Louise saw this and comforted him. “It will be Ok, Armani. You will still be gorgeous.”

  He turned his head. “It’s not about that. I hurt for Simone. I miss her. She was and will always be the love of my life. My tears are for her, not me. I don’t care what my face looks like. I wish I would’ve died instead of her.” He regained composure, swallowed back tears and turned to face Dr. Weaver and Louise so they could do what had to be done.

  Dr. Weaver removed the bandages with ease and threw them in the wastebasket. “I’m going to send a couple months worth of bandages and antibiotic ointment home with you. You will need to apply the cream and bandages every night and leave them on while you sleep. It will prevent infection and continue the healing process. Your face looks much better than when you first arrived, but I must warn you that the left side of your face will have permanent visible scarring.” The doctor stated and rubbed ointment on Armani’s burnt face.

  Armani flinched. “Is it supposed to be this sensitive?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid so. Your face will be tender for quite awhile,” Dr. Weaver said. He reached into his white lab coat and pulled out a business card. “Here’s my home number, cell number, and office number. Please call if you have any questions.” Dr. Weaver smiled, handing it to Armani.

  “Thank you Dr. Weaver. I’m sure I’ll be fine, but I appreciate your concern and graciousness.” Armani set the card on the nightstand.

  Louise exited the bathroom with a black hand held mirror in her pudgy hand. She bit down on her lip. Armani noticed her hand shaking. “Are you ready for this, Armani?” She asked sympathy in her eyes.

  “Probably more than you are. I just want to get out of here and go to my home.” Armani said. He held out his hand and took the mirror.

  Armani held the mirror to his face and gasped. The left side of his face was a patchwork of red, pink, black, and brown, the skin shiny and taut. The tip of his left ear was singed off. The eyebrow and eyelash were swept away. “Oh my God, this is horrible. Louise, I thought my face would look more human than this.” He said, pointing at his face. A tear threatened to escape but anger held it back. “This side of my face is hideous!” Armani gripped the mirror so hard his hand turned red. “Dr. Weaver, is there some sort of mask I can wear that will conceal the left side of my face? How long will it look this way?”

  Louise loosened the mirror from Armani’s grip, and placed her hand in Armani’s.

  Dr. Weaver studied Armani’s face. “We have prosthetic masks, but in my opinion, they make the face look worse and draw more attention to oneself. You’re free to check them out, but your face must heal first before you can wear one.”

  “And just how long do I get to walk around looking like a circus freak?” Armani asked. He liked Dr. Weaver, but the man had a tendency to answer questions vaguely instead of getting straight to the point. Armani was doing his best to keep his temper under control. ‘If only Rex would appear in the room and get me the hell out of here.’ Armani thought.

  “Four to six months,” Dr. Weaver responded. A shrill beep came from the doctor’s waist. He glanced at his pager. “I’ve got to go and make a call, Armani. I wish you the best of luck. I have your discharge papers ready for you to sign.” He smiled. “Louise will take care of everything from here and get you packed up and ready to go home.” He shook Armani’s hand before exiting the room.

  “I’m sorry about everything that has happened to you the past few months,” Louise said. “I wish things were easier. If i
t makes you feel any better, you are still gorgeous.” Her cheeks tinged red.

  Armani saw her eyes twinkle and forced a smile for her. “I want to thank you for being so kind to me while I was here. You’re a wonderful, caring nurse. I’ll learn to accept my appearance. Justice will be served to the ones who are responsible for this. I promise that.”

  Louise packed Armani’s things into a hospital bag. “Do you want this?” She asked.

  Armani nodded. It was the hand held mirror. “I may as well take it home. Spare someone else using it, only to see how ugly they have become.” His looks were a small matter compared to the heartbreak he felt when he imagined what these monsters did to Simone. He wondered if they mutilated any part of her face while torturing her. Was she alert? Did she feel pain? Was she dead before they raped her? These thoughts filled him with rage.

  “I’m almost finished packing.” Louise said and looked at Armani. She gasped and shuddered. Goose bumps spread over her body like a disease. “Armani, your eyes are black as soil. Are you alright?” Louise swore she saw the devil in his eyes.

  “I’m fine, Louise,” He assured her. “Rex should be here any minute.”

  Two minutes later, Rex walked into the hospital room. He was tall and lean with long wavy blonde hair and sky blue eyes. Today he wore a black leather jacket, white t-shirt, blue jeans, and snakeskin cowboy boots. “Armani, I have missed you, man,” he said and walked to the bed and hugged his best friend hard.

  “Thanks for coming,” Armani said. “Rex, this is Louise, the nicest nurse here. She kept me going.”

  Louise blushed when Rex shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Louise.” Rex said.

  “Same to you,” she smiled. “Well, Armani is ready to go home. I know that for sure. Here’s his bag. I’ll get a wheelchair so you can get him out of here easily. We just have to make one stop at the nurse’s station to get his signature on the discharge papers.”

  Armani waved his hand. “No need for a wheelchair, Louise. I’ll walk. Thanks for thinking of it, though.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked at his legs. “Guess I better put some pants on, huh?”

  “I brought you these,” Rex said. He threw a pair of black sweats on the bed. “I’m looking out for you, brother.”

  Armani slipped his feet into the sweats, stood, and pulled them up. “Let’s go.” He nodded at Rex.

  They left the room and twenty minutes later the paperwork was signed and Rex, Armani and Louise stood waiting for the elevator. Louise hugged Armani and wished him well. “Feel free to visit me anytime.” She said and forced a smile.

  Armani noticed how sad Louise seemed that he was leaving. He assumed she probably got more attention from him the last couple of weeks than she had ever gotten from any man in her lifetime. His heart went out to her. How he wished that were his only problem. His heart was torn to shreds. Simone, how would he ever live without his beautiful angel?

  “Thanks for all you’ve done for me, Louise.” Armani kissed her cheek. “You aren’t just a nurse, you’re an angel.” He meant that, too. The elevator doors opened and Rex and Armani stepped inside. As the doors closed Armani glanced at Louise one last time and saw a tear roll down her cheek.

  Chapter Three

  Rex and Armani were on Highway 21, two miles from Armani’s exit. “I am so sorry about all that has happened,” Rex said, hands on the wheel. “I don’t know what else to say, honestly. This must be the most painful thing you will ever go through in your life.”

  Armani knew Rex was trying hard to be sympathetic. As long as he had known Rex, emotions were never easy for him to show. Rex was the type of guy who ran from his own pain as well as the pain of others. “I appreciate your concern. I’ll be fine.” Armani lied. ‘Once I get revenge,’ he thought.

  Armani looked out the window. The trees were blanketed in white snow. The last time he was on this highway was with Simone and the trees were beautiful colors of red, green, orange, and yellow. Everything reminded him of Simone. Simone loved fall. How would he ever live without her?

  Rex interrupted his thoughts. “Do you want to stop somewhere and grab a bite to eat?” He lit a cigarette and rolled down the window an inch. “You have to eat, ya know.”

  “No thanks. I want to get to my home.” Armani’s heart broke. He knew he’d be faced with the memories of Simone the minute he walked in the door.

  “Here’s the exit. Are you sure you’re ready to go home?” Rex asked. “I can stay with you for awhile, if you want company.”

  Armani touched his face desperation filling his heart, soul, and mind. “No, Rex. Please don’t ask me any more questions. I’m a grown man and you know as well as I do, that I need ‘alone’ time.” He stated. “I appreciate the concern. I really do.” He laid his head back, closed his eyes and tried to rest for the next ten minutes it would take to get to his house.

  Rex turned onto the entrance of the half-mile long driveway that led to Armani’s home, which resembled a castle like Sir Dracula’s. He stopped the car at the gated entry. “I forgot the code to unlock and open the gate. It’s been awhile since I’ve been here.” Rex said. He dangled his arm out the window and fidgeted with the buttons.

  Armani lifted his head and winced in pain. “My face is burning. Guess I have to accept that. But Simone being gone, I will never come to terms with that.” He placed his hand on the left side of his face and recited the code. Rex punched it in and the gate opened. The driveway needed plowing, but the car managed to make its way through the deep snow.

  The driveway was lined with trees covered in snow. It was beautiful in the Spring and Summer. Wildflowers of different colors grew in the woods and Armani had his gardener plant a variety of bright gorgeous plants and flowers of red, blue, yellow, orange, and auburn.

  Armani’s home came into view after the first twist in the driveway. It was three floors with two large towers at the ends of the mansion. It was built with poly-chromed brick, which was a whitish gray stone with specks of black. The roof was flat with ornamental stone walls waist high around the entire roof, which Armani and Simone had used as a patio to view the gardens, park, and large ponds which surrounded the majestic home. Armani had hired Jacob McIntire, an architect and generation relative of Samuel McIntire to design the home with a castle theme. His home was a 19th century European Gothic Style mansion. Armani had seen a picture of the renovated Old Louisiana State Capital, fell in love with its appearance and had Jacob design it almost exactly the same. His mansion was beautiful, yet dark, which fit Simone and his personalities perfectly. Now, Armani viewed his home as a dark place. He and Simone were going to be married in their home, raise a family, and grow old together. That reality was gone and was now just a dream of the past, a dream that would forever be a nightmare to him and in time would awaken the monster within.

  “Here we are,” Rex said. A large hawk flew overhead, circling the house. “Hey Armani, check out that hawk.” He pointed at the metallic black hawk with a white spot on its chest. “It sure is beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it. That would be a great picture for one of our future album covers.”

  Armani pulled himself out of the car and gazed at the bird. “I’ve seen him around before. One day when Simone was on the patio she took a picture of it flying over the house and had it enlarged and framed.” He paused lines of pain etched the right side of his face. “It looks like a professional photographer did the work.” Armani said and hung his head. He fought back the tears. “We just never got around to hanging it up in the living room.”

  Rex continued to stare at the hawk and watched it land in a nearby tree. “It looks like it’s watching every move you make, man.” Rex said. A chill ran down his spine. Something about the hawk made it seem almost human, yet its gaze held an evil aura. Rex walked toward the door. “Come on. Let’s get you settled in.” Rex waited in front of the heavy, black door made of steel and turned the knob.

  “Here are the keys,” Armani said an
d placed them in Rex’s hand.

  “Guess we don’t need them. Your door was unlocked.” Rex stated a concerned look on his face.

  Armani shrugged, pushed the door open and walked into his home. “I’m sure it was a simple mistake by one of my employees. I have surveillance cameras if I think something isn’t right or looks amiss.” Armani walked to the black plush couch in the living room and lay down, not bothering to look around.

  Rex was worried about his best friend and band mate. The depressed state he was in was obvious. Who wouldn’t be after what he had gone through? To wake up in a hospital, three months of your life gone forever, one side of your face disfigured, and the love of your life murdered and not even a chance to say a final goodbye. Plans for the future changed in the blink of an eye. Rex realized how much people take for granted with their live in the moment attitudes. There is no guarantee for tomorrow. Not for anyone, no matter how famous you are or how much money you have. None of that would save you from fate, whether good or bad.

  Rex picked up the leopard print blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and placed it on Armani. His friend was already asleep, or he was a great actor. Armani stated he wanted to be alone, and Rex would respect his wishes, but he couldn’t help but wonder if the events that had happened to Armani would be the end of him. “Sleep well, my friend. Know that you’re not alone.” Rex whispered. He walked to the door and turned around watching Armani sleep. His heart ached for his best friend.