The Fenton Saga: Never Say Goodbye / There Was No Body.

by Colin Griffiths

“ I'm going Home with him, have me some fun.”

  Wendy grabbed her by the arm.

  “Be careful.” she asked Katy.

  She snapped back anger showing on her face. “Well you don't want me do you?” She turned round and left with her male friend pinching his bum as they walked out.

  Wendy watched them leave, she felt somewhat confused and left the pub and started on the short walk home. She had no idea what had happened, why Katy had thought like that, she hoped it was just the booze and she would regret it by the morning. A tear came to her eye, will things ever get back to normal. She thought of Todd as she walked. It was still a warm evening, the stars were bright, she had to walk past Todd’s house to get to hers, it stood out a bit from the others with a new roof. She looked up to the skies. They told me he flew, she thought, how she missed him, She wanted to see him flying now, flying towards her and make things right, but there was nothing in the skies other than the stars that shone brightly, and the moon slightly obscured by the only cloud in the sky. She felt herself shivering even though it wasn’t cold. She thought of Carol In the house. Sat alone, in what was once such a lively happy house, now every time she passed it, she shivered, it was a cold house now, just a lonely mother in there, sat with a bottle of wine. For a moment she thought about knocking the door, then thought better of it, she wouldn’t know what to say and they would both just end up crying and that would make things worse. So she took the short walk home and the moon came out from behind that lonely cloud.

  Her mother was in bed when she got in. Helen had an early start in the morning. Wendy was thankful for that she didn’t want to answer any questions about Katy’s whereabouts, the alcohol was still running around in her head despite not having had a drink for a while, Wendy had a drink of water and went to bed. She soon hit a drunken restless sleep.

  It was 1 am when she heard the door open, Wendy had woke up with a dry mouth and went to the bathroom to get a drink, she lay back on the bed and was awake when Katy come in. She could hear her sobbing as she passed her bedroom to get to hers. Wendy got out of bed put her dressing gown on and knocked on Katy's door, she heard her say ‘come in’ under the sobs. Katy was sat on her bed crying. Wendy thought how vulnerable she looked

  “What happened?” She asked she moved to sit next to her took her hand in hers.

  “Nothing,” she paused, wiped her eyes with the back off her hand, “I'm sorry about earlier, I don't know what I was thinking.”

  “It’s ok, did he hurt you are you ok?” Asked Wendy who was now panicking thinking that the lad had hurt her in some way.

  Katy grimaced gripped Wendy's hand, she was shaking a lot, it appeared to Wendy she had been crying for a while.

  “He was a perfect gentleman, I was the bitch, we got back to his, he made a drink, we started kissing on the sofa,” she shook her head at the memory of it. “He was being lovely, then his hand moved up my jumper I let him at first, he undone my bra and that's when I panicked,” she leaned her head into Wendy's shoulders “I just freaked out Wendy, I hit him called him names I kicked him.”

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “no he was a lovely lad, that makes it harder, he was so nice and I wanted him, I just freaked, it was like it was Bill all over again, I bet he thinks I'm some kind of looney, I just ran out of the house and came home.”

  “You’re ok that's all that matters,” Wendy paused and she took Katy’s both shoulders in her hands.

  “Are you ok?”

  “No Wendy I'm not, I'm so scared, it's like he's inside me all the time, I can't cope, help me please,” She shivered and for that moment as she lay her head against Wendy she looked like a lost vulnerable little girl, which at that moment was exactly what she was.

  Wendy put both arms around her, held her tight as she could

  “Tomorrow we go to the doctors, we get this sorted, agreed?”

  “Agreed.” Katy sobbed she pulled herself away from Wendy's grip, held her hand looked into her eyes “Just hold me for tonight please.”

  The girls got into bed Wendy snuggled up close to her held her in her arms and stroked her forehead,

  “It’s all going to be ok.” she said

  She held her like that until both girls fell asleep. Katy didn’t dream that night, Wendy wished she could have said the same.

  Chapter 8

  Nine months earlier

  The nurse was the friendly one on this particular night shift, she sat on the end of the bed and asked him how he was feeling today, she smiled as she said it as if it was a sincere question. He only nodded as if to say ok and he was feeling better. He was feeling very tired but he was always tired. He slept a lot, there was nothing else to do, there was no tele just piped music that played over and over again, about 30 different songs, he knew the words to all of them and all of them he hated now. He must have heard them 5000 times. Please change the tape he wanted to say, but there was no use, they would only nod and smile. Adele was singing now, he thought that he used to love Adele, he would try to think back and he was sure he had Adele cd,s in his car, but then he would get confused cause he didn't think he had a car. He was sure he didn't but then again he wasn't sure of anything anymore, they called him a number in here 026 he was called.

  He wasn't sure if that was his age but he thought he was younger than that, he couldn't remember living for that long, then again he couldn't remember yesterday or the day before or last week or month, but he knew it was probably much the same as today. Lying here, being brought food, escorted to the toilet, watched while he bathed and the medicine, lots of pills. He wondered what was wrong with him, they didn't make him better as he didn't feel ill, they made him sleepy, they made him forget because he didn't know who he was anymore, or why he was here, he vaguely remembers when he first came he was strapped to the bed for a very long time and the pills were forced down him. Now he could walk the room as he pleased and was allowed to take his own pills, as long as he was watched. He never knew the time, there wasn't a clock, he never knew the day of the week, he didn't know what month it was, he just knew it was in a room and occasionally they would take him outside. He guessed he was in some sort of basement as the outside involved using a lift, then he would be in a field surrounded by a fence and beyond that just woods.

  The nurse, because that's what she looked like to him, she dressed like one, often took his temperature and blood pressure and she just looked like a nurse, he didn't know her name, she had no name tag. He thought that names were banned in here, she handed him the water as he put 2 pills in his mouth, he swallowed them with the water and the nurse smiled and took the plastic cup off him. She had brought him a cheese sandwich and a cup of Luke warm sweet tea. Nobody had ever asked him what he liked to eat or if he drunk tea, if they asked him now he probably couldn't remember but he was craving for a milky coffee, he thought if he asked he would get one but he wasn't going to ask. He had not spoken a word since he got there and he wasn't going to start now, he knew he had a reason for not speaking, now he had forgotten what it was but he wasn't going to speak. He didn't want to make it easier for them, whoever them was. When he was alone and he was sure no one was listening he would talk to himself, ask himself who he was and why he was here, it felt strange but he wanted to hear his own voice to prove he could talk.

  She asked him if he wanted to go to the toilet, he shook his head, even if it meant him actually getting out of the room down the short corridor into the bathroom but he couldn't be bothered, he was tired. He guessed it must be night time, there was no window in his room, it looked like a private ward in a hospital. His bed was hospital issue so was the cabinet beside it and the pull cord alarm, there was a waste paper bin and hand cleanser and that was it. He knew there was other rooms in the building he could see the doors when he was taken to the bathroom but they were always closed and sometimes he could hear men's voices but it was always the same women who tended to his needs. Jessie J came over the piped music system, he hated Jessie J, h
e wondered if he always hated her. He wanted it all to stop but that didn't matter now, not really, he had been given his tablets and soon he would be asleep and Jessie J and Adele can go to hell. He smiled at that, the nurse left the room, he was drifting now, he knew he wouldn't dream as they had taken his dreams from him, the last song he heard before sleep was wrecking ball, he hated that song.

  As Cathy Brown left the hospital room into the adjoining office she felt a pang of guilt for the young man, he was a likeable lad even though he didn't speak, she wasn't a nurse at all but had all the skills that were needed. There were times when they had to neutralise people as they didn't want things getting into the wrong hands. The lad had been tough to neutralise but they were getting there. She filled in her report, ticked some boxes, wrote unresponsive, at the bottom and that was exactly where they wanted him. He still scared her a little, she guessed that would never change.

  Chapter 9

  Present time

  Madison was sat on the sofa it was nearly time, she had been waiting for this and now she felt excited. Morgan was in his usual armchair, he had a whiskey in his hand, a little bit early but he wanted to relax while watching the programme. Whilst he had no real time for the Fenton’s he was interested to see how the young politician would get on. Sue was in the kitchen, she was just finishing making some sandwiches.

  "Come on mum it's starting," Madison said excitedly,

  “I’m coming, I'm coming,” Sue shouted, she brought in the sandwiches laid them on the coffee table, Madison took one opened it up, examined the inside, closed it then took a large bite, Morgan and Sue both laughed.

  “What!" Said Madison, her eyes glancing between her Mother and Father,

  “You always examine," her mother Mocked.

  Morgan just shook his head, smiled”shh it's on!" he said as the opening music to the Wales today programme played.

  Madison took another bite, she was excited, she chewed fast as if it was her last ever bite, Morgan watched her from the corner of his eye, he wished she would always be this happy. At one time she was. He thought until she met that Welsh lot. They all agreed that Daniel looked the part a little shaky at first but he had soon settled down into the interview. Madison had shrieked like a little girl when he came on after being introduced, her eyes had lit up, and at that moment that’s just what she was, a little girl. Even Morgan thought the answers were good, assured, believable, convincing, that's what a good politician should be. So let’s make sure its politics he concentrates and nothing else. It was end of part two. Sue put the kettle on and made a cup of tea and Morgan another whiskey, they settled down for the third part. They listened to the questions about his father, Daniel admitted he would have killed him, they were shocked at that. A tear came to Madison's and Sue’s eye, Morgan felt impressed, that was something to admit killing your own father, even if he was a brutal rapist and murderer. He believed Daniel when he told the reporter there was no logical explanation for the rave that took place or why he assembled the team that he did. He believed him because Daniel was right, there was no logical explanation. They all sat up wide eyed when he mentioned Madison, they sat in Stoney silence as the camera zoomed on Daniel as he leaned towards the reporter and told him that he believed his sister. “He didn't die there was no body!” Madison shrieked, her face screwed up and then the tears came, the tears of relief, relief that someone believed her, and her brother who she thought was dead against her just said on nationally tele that she was right. Sue hugged her as she wept, tears falling from her own eyes. Morgan sat watching the two people he loved most in the world, in each other’s arms crying tears of joy, his thoughts were not good. Why the fuck did he have to say that'. He wiped a tear from his own eye but his tears were not for the same reason the other tears were shed.

  Madison texted Daniel thanking him, feeling guilty about the way she spoke to him earlier but he would get over it after all she was his little sister. Her face was lit up and she danced around the room as if she had just won the Lottery, Sue just giggled like a child she loved to see Madison happy.

  “He believes me, he believes me!” She shouted as she danced.

  Morgan got up, his mood was not one of joy but he really didn’t want to show it.

  "I need some air.” he said, he went outside stood on the porch looking up at the sky as if expecting some divine intervention. He thought about phoning Daniel but what would he say, what could he say, he was warned once, he should have protected his brother. No one was going to stop Morgan protecting Madison. His phone rang, he was expecting it, he accepted the call.

  “You told me this was over,” the voice said.

  Morgan paused, he was expecting the call.

  “It is here boss."

  “You keep that daughter of yours under wraps do you hear me?”

  Morgan did.

  “I hear you boss all good this end everything stable."

  “Keep it that way.”

  Morgan would, Morgan could hear the breathing on the line but no one spoke for what seemed an age.

  “I think the MP needs to be paid a visit."

  “But he's high profile," Morgan protested, the voice grew louder.

  “Not as high profile as this you idiot!" and the phone went dead.

  The man in the black military style suit that had phoned Morgan slammed the phone down into its cradle, things had got out of hand. Morgan was a good man but he had got to involved, just let him look after that pretty girl of his and maybe they would be ok, he hated this part of the job, he got on his phoned dialled the number, it rang 3 times before it was answered.

  “Yes,”

  “Daniel Fenton the MP, he needs to be reminded.”

  "Ok."

  He immediately regretted what he just done, but there was no turning back, Daniel Fenton had to be made aware of the consequences of what he just done. The man in black slumped down in his chair, took a sip of water from the bottle on his desk wishing he was someplace else.

  Chapter 10

  Marie rose sat on her sofa with her cousin James McCarthy, they both held a famous grouse after just watching Daniel on the television. Her home in Marshfield less extravagant than the one in Lytham ST Anne’s but it felt more of a home to her than anywhere she had ever lived, she was happy in her two bed bungalow. She spent the time tendering her garden and spending time with her cousin James either at his home just around the corner, or hers, occasionally they would dine out at the local pub which was very friendly. Once a month they would go into Cardiff for some fine dining and every now and again just very occasionally she would forget that she had lost a grandson, and when she would remember again then the guilt would kick in. She met Todd and Daniel the same time as she met Madison, the day they went up to Wentwood and stood on that mountain and watch her grandson die, the grandson she had only just met.

  As the mother of the murderous Bill Fenton she felt responsible, but he was dead now and all the evil died with him, all the powers too. Todd was the sacrifice for that, the mightiest suffered the most and Todd suffered with his life, now it was all quiet, everyone could get on with their lives. Todd Fenton would always be remembered by his family, but she had thought that his memory should be buried alongside him, wherever his body lay.

  So why did her Grandson Daniel just say on National Tele that no one died that night. What was he trying to prove?

  What on earth had he just done?

  She thought about phoning him, when was the last time she had seen him, she thought about it, realised it was a month ago, his life was busy now he was a MP and she thought he had got over the death of his brother. She would phone him tomorrow ask him to let things lie. No better still she hadn’t seen any of them for a month, tomorrow they would go to Ashbourne and visit her family. She poured another Famous Grouse handed one to James, he still sat on the settee. Marie Rose stood by the window glass in her hand staring out of the window but not really looking at anything, she took a long sip and felt the liquid burni
ng her throat, it felt good. She guessed she would need a few more if she was going to sleep tonight. Her mind drifted to when her Grandson came and got her almost a year ago, plucked her from her home and took her hundreds of miles away. She thought then it would all end horrible but it hadn’t, ok Todd may not have survived, he may not have lived but everyone else came out fine. She turned and looked at James sat on the settee staring into space, his whisky untouched as he held it in his hands, she looked at him and thought why did I say he may not have survived?

  “He’s dead isn’t he James?” She said.

  Since the programme had ended James McCarthy had sat on the settee and said nothing, his mind went back to a year ago and the time that he had the most terrifying curse put upon himself, he could smell death. He was once a doctor and when people walked into his surgery he could smell the death on them, he was never wrong they always died, he may have prolonged their life, but they always died.

  On that mountain when he bent down at Wendy’s side as she was strapped to the mountain in the pouring rain, where the mountain was swallowing her, mother nature taking her in, and as the thunder roared he could see that she was dead. He could not feel a pulse, but within a minute of thinking the girl on the mountain had died she came back to life, and within 5 minutes she was able to walk. He didn’t have to touch people to know if they were going to die, just be near them, sometimes he would pass people in the street and know that that person was terminally ill. He didn’t smell, fear or taste death that night. Todd Fenton was only yards away and whilst he didn’t see what happened to him as he was treating Wendy he didn’t smell death, either his gift, (or curse, as he would prefer to call it) had left him that night, either that or nobody died at all.