Loving Annabelle

by Priscilla Melinda Visser

  I park out side and is relieved to only see Peter’s car parked in the driveway. I was really not in the mood for a lot of people tonight. I press my hooter as I stop outside and wait for the gate to open. I try and prepare myself for the dismal look on his face and then I see the gate open. I drive inside and see the front door opening and Peter comes walking out to greet me. I stop the car and glance over at him standing in the doorway with his hands in his pockets waiting for me. I climb out and lock my car and walk over to him. He holds out his hand to me and I shake it firm and we share a hug. “The King” he says and lets out a little laugh and we walk inside. I look around and see that everything is quiet and again I feel relieved. The fire outside is burning and then I see Peter’s mother coming out of the kitchen carrying a bowl with some meat. ”Hi James… I haven’t seen you around in ages…How are you? Peter tells me that you got an amazing offer to play rugby in New Zealand… I told him how proud I was…” She says and walks pass us as she speaks and Peter looks at me smiling. I know Peter for about two years now. I saved his life when some guys tried to hijack him as he left a party one night and ever since than we were really close like best friends really. He played rugby too but not as competitive as I did. He didn’t have plans of making it his career as I was. “Yeah… had you made a decision yet?” Peter asks as we walk outside to the patio to start the braai. I look at him and lift my brow. I hadn’t really thought about it since I had gotten together with Annabelle, but I know I will have to decide and soon. “Not really… You know with everything going on and with finals… Honestly it has really been the last thing on my mind” I say and I see Peter’s mother looking at me concerned. “It is completely horrible what had happened. I can’t believe that there is someone out there hurting these girls like this… I pray that the police find whoever it is that’s doing this. Summer could have died if someone hadn’t found her when they did” I look at Peter and see his jaw twitch in anger and pain. “Hey better find him before I do” He says and walks over to the table where the spirit and chasers were standing. He looks at me and I nod yes. “How is Annabelle doing?” He asks and hands me my glass. I take a sip and sigh. My heart aches for not being able to be with her right now and protecting her. “Well you were at the hospital this morning… You saw the fucking show the police had put on…” I say and walk towards the chairs and sits down on one as Peter start packing the meat on the grill. I look at him attentively with my thoughts running away all over the show. “I hope she doesn’t believe that bullshit” He says and looks at me as he comes to sit down beside me. “I don’t know… She is afraid and I don’t blame her for feeling confused” I say and lean back into the chair again. I see Peter looking at me with his eyes glistening. “What?” I ask and he smiles. “You know I gotto ask right… Did you fuck her” Peter asks and the shame washes over me and smile. “No… I didn’t and if it would ever happen I don’t believe I will refer to it as ‘fucking’” I say and take another sip he looks at me suspiciously. “No shit… Why the fuck not?” He asked and looks at me waiting for me to answer. Right there in that moment I wasn’t sure what was the truth and what was a lie. The fact that I didn’t want to sex her because I knew that if we got that close I would never be able to let her go or was it the fact that I wasn’t sure what she was feeling for me and that I wanted more than just sex. “She was drugged…The bastard drugged her and I wasn’t sure if the attraction was because of the drug or if it was really her” I say and see Peter frown. “Had that bothered any man before” he says and gets up and walks to the grill again and checks the meat and I shake my head at him. “I don’t want to just have sex with her… I want…” I stop and then Peter looks at me and then he smiles brightly. “You’re fucking in love with her aren’t you?” He says and the silly love sick boy inside my does somersaults. I hear Peter laughing out loud and I can’t help but smile. “You know that girl has issues right and getting to her is like a fucking state secret.” Peter says and comes sitting next to me again. I look at him as I remember this morning and how ready she was for me. I feel my manhood stir in my pants and I shake my head to clearly the dirty thoughts out of my mind. “Well that doesn’t really matter because she is leaving for London in less than a month so being with her is not going to happen.” I say and finish my drink and hand Peter the empty glass. He takes it and starts walking to the table and shakes his head. “Now for that reason right there I would have fucked her” he says and points the empty glass at me. “Well I thought that you had changed since you had met Summer… I thought that she was the one” I say and takes the newly refilled glass from him. He looks at me and smiles like a school boy. “Summer is the one…” Then I see the darkness return to his eyes at the situation at hand. “Can you believe the doctors wouldn’t allow me to see her because I’m not family” he says and I can see that he was hurting not being able to be by her side right now. “So now I’m here waiting for her parents to let me know what the fuck was going on with her” He says and I see his jaw twitch. I look at him and feel guilty for what had happened to Summer. “This guy… His really after Annabelle… Why doesn’t she do something about this” Suddenly he lashes out and I can totally understand. “Hey… if she knew who this guy was she would… I hope you don’t think that she is glad that it was Summer instead of her… She feels horrible for what was happening and frankly… I don’t think this guy is going to quit until he gets her…” I say and Peter looks at me more relaxed and calm. “Summer is pregnant” Peter says and I feel the life draining out of me. “What?” I ask and look at him and he smiles at me. “Yes… The doctor picked it up before the wanted to do the x-ray scan… She was expecting” He say and I could swear he looked proud. “Wow… that is major news… Did you know?” I ask and he looks at me and then he sighs. “I thought something was up with her lately. She seems so distant and distracted but she brushed it off as finals stress… But I don’t think she knew she was pregnant…” He says and looks at me. “The doctor says it was miracle that the baby survived that kind of trauma…” He says and I see his eyes glisten again I feel happy for him. “I’m going to ask her to marry me when all this is over” He says and gets up and walks to the grill again and starts flipping the meat. “So you’re going to be a dad… Wow now that I got to see” I say and get up and walk towards him as he looks at me smiling. “Well… You’re going to miss it since you are going to be in New Zealand… But don’t worry we will be watching you Uncle James” Peter says and laughs as I pull him in for hug. “I just need her to wake up now and get better” I stand holding him close and feel the sorrow in his embrace as he says the words. “She will wake up and she will get better… She will help us find this bastard” I say and we stand looking into the hot coals and I remember chasing the piece of shit over the campus grounds just moments earlier. “I will kill him with my bare hands if I find him… So he better hope the police find him first.” Peter says and I share his sentiment about his situation. “I saw him out side her house” I say before I could really think about what I was saying. “What! What do you mean you saw him” Peter says and looks at me urgently. “I was driving past her house on my way here and I saw him standing outside her gate…but he ran when he saw me coming closer. I set after him but he got away through the campus ground” I say and I see the disappointed defeated look on Peter’s face. “You think this guy is a student too” He asks and try thinking about it for a second. “He has to be… Where else would he have met Annabelle” I say and my mind start racing again to whom this person could be. “You think it’s someone she knows?” Peter asks and he stakes the cooked meat off the grill and places it in the pot standing beside the braai. “I don’t think so… but it’s certainly someone who knows her or thinks he knows her” I say and know that most stalkers create fictitious relationships in their minds and start believing that it was real. “Right now with the status mankind is in… It can really be anyone” Peter says and I see his mother coming towards us. “Did Peter tell you the news
?” She says and smiles. “Yes… Congratulations” I say and lean in to hug her tightly. “It was God’s hand that kept our little one safe through all this drama going on” She says and I see her looking at Peter comforting. I wish my mother was still alive to be there for me through my trials right now. I loved Annabelle and I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life but she might not feel the same way about me. “Why don’t you just ask her to stay” I hear Peter speaking beside me and for a second I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “Are you crazy…? That woman would give me a good piece of her mind if I ever dared asking her that… besides she will forget about me just like she had forgotten about me all those years ago” I says and remember the first day I had seen her. I finish my drink and then I hand the glass to Peter and he smiles at me. “So what is up with Miss Chloe?” He asks and for a minute I had forgotten about her all together. I frown and then I remember her calling me a last night and talking about getting back together. “She called me… said she had made mistake and wanted to get back together. Apparently she was going to be back in about two months and then she wants to try again” I say and Peter looks at me hard. “And?” he asks and I sigh; thinking about it for second. “I’m going to New Zealand… and honestly… I think Chloe and I had run our course… I can’t be with her knowing that I really loved someone else” I say and Peter lifts his brow to me. “Love?” He says and I swallow hard. “Well if you love her than that is the only reason you should ask her to stay or better ask her to go with you to New Zealand” Peter say and I know it would not be possible. Our career choices were different. She was writer and I was a sports man. Her finding a job in New Zealand would be hard right now and with her already getting an offer in London. London was a much better choice in the field she was working in. I sigh knowing that there was no other way around it. I was going to have to say goodbye to her soon. Then I remember her saying that was if the sicko didn’t get to her first. “It’s not going to happen…I have accepted that one thing… But I don’t regret the time I had spent with her… It was great and getting to know her like this was amazing” I say and Peter smiles at me.

  We say our goodbyes and I carry the small plastic container with my left over food inside to my car. Peter’s mother always insisted that we take the left over food with us for breakfast the next morning. I look at my watch and give her small hug and she kisses my cheek. Peter and I walk out to the driveway. “Thanks for coming out man…” He says and we shake hands and hug again briefly. “Sure thing man… Let me know how Summer is doing tomorrow” I say and get into my car. “Yeah… Just be careful man” Peter says and stands back as I start the engine and start to reverse. “Yeah…I will check in with you in the morning…This fucking phone keeps dying on me. I guess I need to get a new one” I say and he waves at me again and then I drive down the street. It was almost one in the morning and I decide to drive the same route I had came and pass Annabelle’s house and see a light on upstairs. It must be her room I think for a second and drive off again slowly. I feel hot from the alcohol and decided to take a drive through town to see if anything was going on. It’s strange how people are oblivious to the struggle and tribulations other people go through and continue living without a care in the world. The streets are busy with students everywhere. This was the last weekend before finals and most of the Res students were clearing out their rooms making space for the new student coming the first week in December. By then Annabelle would already have left for London and I would be getting ready to leave for New Zealand. I sigh and drive along slowly looking at everyone and I see them looking back at me and I know some of them don’t really even see me; they are to drunk to drugged and too fucked up to see anyone. I drive back to my house and pull into the driveway. I see something lying in front of my house and I wonder what it could be. It looks like a person and as I walk closer I see it clear. It was a doll… The doll was tied up and naked. A heart shape was carved over its lady parts and then I see the red at the throat. The throat was cut and I see something written on its back… Juliet must die. I look at the doll and try to understand what all this could mean. Juliet? Should I call the police? Will they even believe me? I pick up the doll and hold it in my hands and then I know… Annabelle. She was Juliet… He was going to kill her and he wanted me to know. I walk back to my car and get inside. I drive out to her house again and stand outside watching to see if I see anything. I’m not sure how long I had stood there outside and then finally gave up and drove back to my place again. I look that the doll lying on my back seat and the fear creeps into my heart. He will get to her one way or the other and there was really nothing anyone can do about it. I just hope that we are there when something does happen. I get out of the car and look around me to make sure that I was alone and that it was safe for me to enter the house. I’m not the type of person who is afraid or who becomes scared but this guy was a psychopath and he knew where I lived. I have no idea what this guy could be capable of and frankly he was out of his fucking mind. I open the gate and then walk in fast closing it behind me and then as I lock the gate behind me and walk to the door I feel a chill run down my spine. I lock the door open but I could feel the eyes burning into the back of my head. I turn around slowly and I see him standing across the street looking at me and I freeze. He was wearing all black and a mask. He looks at me and then I see him walk away. I run back to the gate and with shaking hands I try to open the lock but I know that I was going to be too late. I finally get it open and run towards the street, but he has gone. I look up and down and see nothing. I quickly run back to the house and lock the gate behind me and then the door. I put on all the lights and then I walk through the rooms; fine combing it trying to see if anything was out of the ordinary. Nothing is moved and I feel relieved. I take out my phone. It was dead. I know it only go on once it’s fully charged and that takes a while. I put the phone on charge and know that the rest of the night was going to be a long night. I go to my room and take off my clothes as it smelt of smoke. I look at myself in the mirror. This guy must have seen me and Annabelle together and he was acting out of jealousy. This was his way of telling me to stay out of his way or I was next but how can I sit back and let him hurt the woman I loved. I hit the wall with my fist and let out a little yell. I fall onto my bed and look up at the ceiling. There is only one thing left to do I need to get to his guy before he gets to Annabelle.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I had slept like a baby whatever my mother had given me had knocked me out like a light. I look around the room to see if nothing had been disturbed but everything still looked in place. I grab my phone off the bedside table to see if I had gotten any response from James or Nicole but nothing. I glance over at the clock and see that it’s only seven in the morning. I feel well rested and get up out of bed. I walk tot the bathroom and take my morning pee. The bathroom feels extra cold and then the fear starts creeping up inside me again. I look around the bathroom but I know in my heart it was only my mind playing tricks on me again. I flush the toilet and then I head back to my room. I wonder if my parents were up and make my way down out into the hall. Their room’s door was still closed and I peer down the stairs. The house was still shaded from the little light coming in through the closed curtains and I become anxious about going down stairs. I glance back at my parent’s room and suddenly I fear for them. I walk hurriedly to their room and open the door quietly with my heart pounding hard in my chest. I see them sleeping and I walk closer to their bed. I needed to see if they were still alive. I see my father suddenly move as I come closer and I sigh in relieve as I see my mother reaching out for him. They were okay. I walk out of room again quickly and close the door behind me. I walk pass my room and head down stairs flicking on the lights. I needed some coffee and something else to distract me from what was going on. I get to the kitchen and freeze as I look to the patio door. The curtains are drawn and for the first time in twenty three years I was afraid to open them. I walk towards the door and place my h
and on the curtain and then I pull it hard. My heart pounding hard in chest but then relieve washes over me as everything was just the way it had been last night. There was nothing lying around anywhere. I sigh and walk to the kettle and put it on. I close my eyes and try to make sense of everything again. Who would want to hurt me like this? I hear my phone ringing upstairs and I run up quickly. When I get to my room it was dead. I see the number and feel relieve with I read his name. I hit the dial button and hear it ringing. “Hey…” I hear his voice and my heart swells. “Hi… How are you?” I ask knowing that making small talk was never one of my strong points. “I’m good… I need to ask you the same thing?” I hear him say and I swallow hard. I feel stupid and don’t know what to say to him in return. “You okay… You seemed to have looked for me quiet urgently last night?” He says and I know that I will have to tell him. “Yes… Something happened last night and I was afraid that you might have gotten hurt” I say and he is silent on the other side.

  “James?” I say and then I hear him sigh. “I know… Something happened here too” I hear him say and then my heart sinks. I wonder what happened. “I found a doll in front of my house…” He says and my heart starts beating uncontrollably. Oh God! “It was mutilated and said that Juliet must die” I hear the words but I don’t understand. I know what they mean but I can’t begin to understand what this means for me. “Promise you will be careful Annabelle… I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you” He says and my heart swells. He cared about me and I cared about him. “Can you promise me the same thing James?” I ask and then there is a silence. “James… Please…Don’t do anything stupid. The police will find this guy.” I say and I hear him let out a little laugh. “The police are ignorant Belle… They will never find this guy… Well not before he hurts you.” I hear him say and my heart sink again. “I know but right now there isn’t much we can do but wait for something to turn up” I say and I hear him sigh on the other side. “So what happened?” I hear him ask and I swallow hard. I’m afraid to tell him afraid to awake the devil inside him but I know hiding this from him will do more harm than good and if he knows that this guy is targeting him; he might be more careful and vigilant. “There was a doll here too… It was a mutilated too and it had writings on it too” I say and he doesn’t respond. I wait but still nothing from his side. “It said that Romeo must die” I say and still nothing. “James… Are you still there?” I ask and look at the phone it had gone off. Shit his battery must have died on us while we were talking. Shit! I say out loud and get up from the bed and head for my laptop and open my email. There was something in my inbox. It was an email from someone called Annabelle Spencer. I read the name and my whole body freezes. My hands start shaking and I don’t know if I should open it or not. I decide to leave it close and open the mail composer. I type my email to James regarding the doll and the writings on the doll and hopes that he reads it before he goes around doing something stupid. I get up and glance back at the screen and read the heading again. I close my laptop screen and walk downstairs again. I hear movement and figure my parents must be awake. I see my dad standing on the patio and I wonder what he could be looking at. I walk outside and then the despair creeps into my heart again. In red paint written on the wall are the words. We will be together Annabelle… I can’t take it anymore and walk back inside. This was becoming too much for me to handle and I start crying. I feel weak and helpless to my own cause. This guy wasn’t going to rest until he got whatever he was after. I see my father walking back inside and close the patio doors as my mother enters the kitchen. She looks at me and frowns. “And this so early in the morning?” She asks and sits next to me and puts her arms around my shoulders. I can’t stop crying and wipe my flowing tears away. “Adam… What is going on…? What happened” She asks and then looks at my father demanding an answer. He shakes his head and opens the patio doors and my mother gets up from beside me and walks out side. She stands looking at the writings for a while and then she sighs with her fingers to her lips trying to still her horror. I can’t think of anything more horrific then this. She comes walking back inside and just as I there is nothing left to say. “I will make us some coffee” My father says and we all are at our wits end and I feel completely lost and confused. “There was a doll at James’s house too… One mutilated just like the one of last night… It had the words Juliet must die written on them” I say and my mother looks at me. “James is fine though…”I say and stare into the distance. I see my father come walking towards us with the tray with the coffee on it. My mother takes a sip of her coffee and then she sighs. I know that something as coming.