Show No Mercy

by Bethany Walkers

  “You look stunning, my darling. That guy won’t be able to take his eyes off you!” She’d said exactly the same words as Bessie had said. “Or his hands, either,” she joked. Sophie laughed half-heartedly.

  “Thank you so much,” she smiled. “Now … I’ve got to go and get my best man.” Sophie’s best man was Billy. Billy was going to give her away at the wedding.

  Sophie was ready for the wedding; she’d completed her outfit and appearance. A car waited at her house door. It was just a ring on the doorbell and she raced to answer it. Billy linked his arm with hers, as they boarded on to the shiny white car in front of them. This was going to be the happiest day of Sophie’s life, the best, in fact, and she had never been more excited. It felt like heaven on Earth. “You’ve got to dance like there’s nobody watching, love like you’ll never be hurt, sing like there’s nobody listening, and dance like it’s heaven on Earth,” she found herself murmuring.

  Before she knew it, Billy was walking her through the churchyard and into the church. All she could hear were bells ringing … and then she saw Adam standing at the front of it.

  Billy nodded at her, as a signal of him to go, so letting go of her arm, he joined the guests in their seats. Adam stared at Sophie, positively love struck, dazed at how beautiful she really looked. He himself was looking very handsome too; with his black buttoned blazer, a black bow, a perfectly crisp white t-shirt with formal pants … Every part of him was perfect. He took Sophie’s hand in his and they faced the vicar, smiling.

  The I do’s whizzed by for all Sophie and Adam were concerned.

  “You may now kiss,” said the vicar.

  Sophie opened her eyes. That was when Sophie realized that she wasn’t getting married, and this was just a dream, and when the vicar declared that the bride and groom could kiss, it was just her first kiss being played over and over again.

  Sophie decided to keep her mind off things, playing with her hair and nails for the rest of the journey. Sophie sighed, bored. Then, she looked out of the window and saw a church. That gave her the idea of why she was going to go shopping. “I’m gonna shop for a wedding dress,” she whispered. “Yes, yes, yes! Perfect idea.”

  Sophie walked into the shopping centre, and then looked for a boutique which sold wedding dresses. She went past countless shops, and sometimes stopped by to look at the posters, which were mainly Harry Potter ones.

  Then she caught the sight of another poster: Bend It Like Beckham. Sophie laughed half-heartedly. She’d seen that film and loved it. Now though, she wished she had taken Bessie along with her to shopping, or even, Mr. Sandalwood, because she hated being alone. Then, she thought about Mitchell Anderson again, about their kiss, and about how their lives would be like together after they got married … even better, she thought about what it would be like to make love to him …

  Her thoughts made her cheer up a bit, so when she finally found a wedding boutique, she walked in happily.

  “Hi, what can I do for you today?” asked the person at the reception. Her name was Agatha. Agatha had a narrow, oblong face with angular cheekbones and a pointed chin. Her slit-like eyes were a clouded hazel, and her thinly plucked eyebrows were shaped into a deceivingly perfect arch that followed the slight curve of her eye. A long nose hooked over continually pursed lips, which were painted a bright red in an unsuccessful effort to mask their natural thinness. Bleached blonde hair, made thin from too many years of hair dye, hung straight down into an angular cut at her jaw. The sharp features of Agatha's face were merely a reflection of her entire body structure, and everything—from her skeletal arms to her paper-thin waste—screamed of unnatural skinniness. She walked in long strides, her shoulders back and face held forward, wearing tall stiletto heels and a bold leopard-print mini-dress.

  “I’m - I’m shopping for a wedding dress,” Sophie stammered, feeling herself getting worked up for some reason. She felt that she shouldn’t be doing this without Mitchell at her side.

  “Come right this way,” Agatha smiled.

  She led Sophie to a changing room and outside it hung all sorts of beautiful wedding dresses: dresses with a lace bodice and short sleeves, sexy laced short sleeved wedding dresses, sexy drop waist sweetheart chapel train white organza wedding dresses, ruffled sleeved puffy floor lengthed Alibaba bridal dresses, baby collar high neck wedding dresses, sweetheart pleating wedding dresses … the list of them was endless. And they weren’t just in the ordinary pink colour of wedding dresses too: there were a range of colours, even wedding dresses that gypsy’s wore.

  Sophie came in and out of the changing room, fiddling with the different dresses. They were all beautiful, but they didn’t really appeal to her. She wanted a dress that would make her go WOW, this one is perfect! but hadn’t found one yet.

  Soon later, after countless fitting, she found the perfect wedding dress. It was just like the one she’d been imagining on the bus: Every inch of the wedding dress was gorgeous. It had intricate design. There were flowers printed on the bodice, a silky ribbon at the waist, it exposed her amazing figure, and there were luscious pink roses embroidered on the transparent sleeves. This dress exactly matched the her dream dress!

  “I’ll have this one, please,” Sophie smiled at Agatha.

  “Wow … it sure does look good on you,” Agatha smiled. “Change back to your own clothes, and I’ll wrap this dress up for you.”

  “Sure thing,” Sophie smiled, doing exactly what Agatha told her to do. When she went back to the till, she gasped in shock to see how really expensive the wedding dress was, and she couldn’t afford it in two lifetimes. Even though Adam was rich, Sophie didn’t know that, and she still thought that he was Mitchell Anderson, because Adam still hadn’t told her his real name.

  “It’s ten thousand pounds, dear,” Agatha said, indicating the screen. “Of course, we do have a lot of, let me say, cheaper alternatives, if this one just doesn’t suit your wallet.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

  Sophie couldn’t believe Agatha’s change in her tone of voice. She wasn’t the nice woman she’d just been talking to about ten minutes ago, now she was icy. But this was a business, after all.

  “Can you not give me any discount?” Sophie tried.

  “I’m afraid not, dear. I could chop off a maximum of one hundred pounds, but that would be really pushing the limit.” Agatha sighed.

  Yeah, some bloody help one hundred pound off is gonna be, Sophie thought sarcastically. But then, she couldn’t believe the words were slipping out of her mouth: “That won’t be a problem then. I’ll buy it.” Sophie put her credit card in the kiosk and typed in her pin, thinking that she was out of her senses to go and buy such an expensive wedding dress. She hadn’t even bought one of the three embassy cars she was intending to buy, as part of her family tradition, yet now, she’d gone and splashed cash on something that wasn’t even the top priority.

  “Thank you,” said Agatha, removing Sophie’s credit card from the machine. “The money has been withdrawn from your bank account.” She handed over Sophie the bag with the wedding dress in it, and before Sophie could say anything, she was being ushered out of the boutique door.

  Oh well. Sophie thought. At least I’ll look good for Mitchell, and that’s all I want, really. I’m sure he won’t mind too much.

  Chapter Fifty Two

  Petunia’s phone call

  Since Adam was coming back today, Sophie was in a cute, romantic mood. She watched The Lucky One on TV.

  She was half-way through and loving it.

  Before Sophie could read anything else, she received a phone call, the ringing noise as deafening as ever.

  It was Petunia.

  “Hi Petunia. What brings you here to call me?”

  “There’s a big problem, Sophie. Can you come and check on the children? I’m worried that these policemen aren’t up to the job. They look suspicious.”

  “I’ll be right there, Petunia. Anything for the children.”

  “Thanks,
Sophie. You’re a great help.”

  Sophie had noticed that Petunia was speaking in a hushed and quiet voice.

  Chapter Fifty Three

  Paying Petunia a trip

  Sophie went to the hospital. Petunia led her to the kids’ room, and when she went there she realized that there were only ten children, instead of the twelve that she had brung along.

  A policeman strolled into the room.

  “Excuse me, madam, we don’t accept visitors at this time.”

  “There are only ten children, officer. I brought twelve. Where are the other two children?”

  The policeman gulped. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, ma’am. Now I think it’s best if you left.”

  “No,” Sophie shouted. “Where are they?”

  Five men walked into the room. They looked like murderers.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” the policeman smirked, then turned to the men. “Over to you, gents.”

  One of the men was Joshua Toft. He was with his fellow friends. He wore a grumpy and angry look on his face.

  Sophie pulled her eyebrows together and narrowed her eyes. She took a step further to them, and began to talk.

  Chapter Fifty Four

  The first encounter

  “What have you done to the poor little kids?” Sophie asked, anger boiling up to her face.

  “Is it really necessary for you to know?” Joshua sighed imperiously.

  “Well, of course. I brought those kids here.” Sophie said, in a matter of fact tone of voice.

  Joshua Toft walked up to her.

  “Well,” he began, “I decided to pay a visit here, and I was grumpy, as always. Then those two kids started staring at me with a real filthy look, so I threw them on to a train track and allowed them to be killed.”

  Joshua didn’t look the slightest bit guilty. In fact, he was smiling because he was so proud of his achievement.

  “That’s why people are scared of the likes of you. You don’t care about anyone but yourself. They were innocent. You fucking little bastard!” Sophie was shocked by what she’d just said, and to a complete stranger, too. But Joshua Toft deserved to be swore at. Then, she realized that she was screaming at him, tears streaming down her face because she couldn’t stand the fact of what he’d done to the children. “You bastard!” she sobbed. “Bloody bastard!”

  “Ahem,” Joshua Toft said, anger bursting through him. “No one gets mouthed off with me and gets away with it. No one.” He meant every word that he said. Something terrible was going to happen to Sophie now that she’s daid what she’d said.

  “Shut up. I don’t care what you intend on doing, you fucking little bastard. I really don’t give two fucking shits.”

  “You fucking little bitch, who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? Fucking slag. I bet your mum was a right fucking whore too. Get the fuck out, you fucking tramp.”

  Gobsmacked, Sophie relented. “I think I’d better.”

  Sophie went home.

  Chapter Fifty Five

  Hiding

  Sophie Steele was at home. It was the day when Adam Attenborough was going to come back, and she was expecting a phone call from him. Then her phone rang. It wasn’t Adam.

  It was Petunia.

  Again.

  “What is it now, Petunia?”

  “You mustn’t go anywhere but home. Joshua Toft and his fellow plotters are planning to kill you. Don’t go home, I’m telling you now! Because they’re going to be at your house right this minute!”

  Sophie dialled off. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She couldn’t make a run for it now. She could see the shadows of the plotters standing outside her door. Quick as quick could be, she ran to her storage room, hid herself in it, and shut the door firmly, her heart pounding against her chest.

  Chapter Fifty Six

  When he caught her eye …

  The plotters came inside. They looked around, strolling around the room, knives in hands, guns in pockets.

  Suddenly, Adam began phoning Sophie. The ringing noise was as loud as ever. Sophie quickly pressed the red phone button on her mobile.

  The plotters had certainly heard the phone, though. They looked around, but they were stupid enough not to look in the storage room.

  Sophie peeped through a gap in the storage room door. One of the plotters caught her eye, and she immediately returned it back to where she was sitting, making sure she didn’t peek again.

  Before Sophie knew it, that exact plotter was walking towards that exact storage door …

  Chapter Fifty Seven

  Saved … or not

  This was a big problem. But then Joshua Toft called him back.

  “I don’t think she’s here. We’ll come back another time.”

  “Alright boss.”

  As soon as they left Sophie phoned Adam and told him about everything.

  “Mitchell,” she breathed. “I’m so scared. I’m so scared …” Sophie began to sob uncontrollably.

  “What’s the matter? What happened Sophie? Please don’t cry, everything will be all right!” Adam panicked, and then tears began to stream down his own face because he was so worried about Sophie.

  “They’re going to kill me …” Was all Sophie could manage.

  “Who? Who’s going to kill you?” Adam cried. “I’ll be right there, yeah? Don’t worry. I’m here for you. I love you and I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Sophie. I’ve been waiting for such a long time for a girl like you to come into my life, and trust me, I’m not letting you go that easily.”

  Sophie sobbed even harder. He listened and said he’d protect her. But the sound of the phone ringing and the muffled sobs had gone downstairs to where Joshua and his friends were …

  Chapter Fifty Eight

  The knife

  Adam had arrived at Sophie’s apartment. The door was unlocked, so he went inside.

  He saw Sophie looking pale and wheezy, stumbling towards him.

  “Sophie! Sophie! Are you OK?” Tears continued to stream down his face.

  “Mitchell …” Sophie whispered. “Y – you have t – to go! I d - d - don’t w - w - want them to d - do the same thing t - to you!”

  “No Sophie! You look so ill! What happened?”

  Adam hugged her, kissing her cheek, and as his arm felt to her back he jumped back in utter shock, crying even more. “No! No! Oh Sophie, Sophie …”

  There was a knife dug into her, and her t-shirt was soaked with blood.

  “Sophie! I’ve got to get you to the hospi- …”

  Adam didn’t manage to finish off his sentence. The plotters were walking towards him.

  There was only some energy left in Sophie to keep herself alive.

  Chapter Fifty Nine

  The loss

  Joshua Toft walked over to them and knocked them away from each other, knocking them over to the floor. He was holding a hard steel object, sort of a weapon.

  “True love isn’t a thing that exists.” Joshua laughed, as he walked over to Adam. “I didn’t have much luck when it came to girls, ya know? Girls are just desperate for men to show off to their little girlfriends. All they really want, is sex.” Joshua didn’t bother going into the context in more detail. “Oh, the way you embrace and inform the media of every kiss … you make me sick. All you’re after is money and fame. Every foul word, every bad thing that’s been said to me … is going to be taken out on you two as a couple. Oh, you’re going to die without even getting married! Oh, and you’re not even going to be curled up in each other’s arms to face your death. Oh, the joy and happiness I have as I live every second of my life. This murder is definitely going to be worth it. Everyone’s scared of me.” Joshua didn’t say another word. The facial expression on his face changed from smirking to being angry, and he looked terrifying.

  Joshua had reached Adam. He gave Adam a big whack on the head with the weapon. Adam screamed in pain, unable to come to his senses.

  Luckily, Adam h
adn’t died. But this was how he had the fifteen minute short term memory loss.

  Adam was muscley, as explained. But one more whack in the head and he would die.

  But he didn’t get another whack in the head. Instead, Joshua Toft strolled casually up to Sophie. Sophie had her arm out, trying to reach Adam. Adam was composed in the same way, trying to reach her. “I love you Mitchell,” Sophie whispered. “Don’t ever forget that. I love you.”

  But it was too late for Adam to say anything back to her, or to tell her that his real name was actually Adam Attenborough. Joshua Toft whacked the weapon into Sophie’s head as well. She died, as a single tear escaped from her eye as she breathed out her last breath.

  Adam cried. He cried and cried and cried and cried. Joshua laughed, as he and his friends left the apartment. Adam rocked himself with his knees, not caring about what had happened to him, but crying because of his loss. He wanted himself to die in her place. His life would never be the same again, and he certainly didn’t want to continue living it.