The relief that Karen could not taste the sleeping tablets, which he had secretly crushed into the marinade, had made him feel proud. This was working. She was eating the contents of the dish with unreserved enthusiasm.
They continued eating and filling the gaps with small talk – reminiscing about times gone by.
Once they had both finished eating, Greg took the empty dishes back to the kitchen.
‘I haven’t got anything much for pudding. I hope you don’t mind?’
‘Greg, I couldn’t eat another crumb, honestly,’ Karen replied, yawning.
‘You tired?’ he asked, already knowing her answer.
‘Yeah. I dunno what’s come over me. Being dragged around Oxford Street must have taken its toll,’ Karen replied, shrugging her shoulders and slurring her words slightly.
‘All that shopping with your mum, hey?’ Greg smiled, returning a shrug of his shoulders.
‘Yeah, I suppose your right.’
‘Would you like another beer, or something else?’
‘Oh, go on then. I hope you’re not trying to get me drunk so that you can take advantage of me,’ she replied, yawning again.
‘I don’t need to get you drunk to do that. Anyway you’re too knackered aren’t you?’
‘Sorry… and…’ she was unable to finish her sentence, another yawn had interrupted her in mid flow.
Greg walked back in to the living room carrying two cold bottles of beer.
‘What time is it?’ Karen asked.
‘Almost twenty past ten.’
‘Don’t call me a lightweight.’
‘Lightweight!’ Greg interrupted.
‘Thank you, I think I’ll drink this and go to bed, if that’s OK.’ She was far too tired to appreciate Greg’s humour. Disappointment was written all over her face.
Greg knew that she had been a little optimistic in thinking that she would stay awake long enough to finish her beer.
‘Oops,’ she slurred, almost dropping her drink.
‘Come on let’s get you tucked up in bed.’
‘Sorry Greg, but I’m too tired for sex. Is that OK?’
‘Yeah, course it’s OK. You can make up for it another time,’ he giggled.
Greg helped Karen in to the bedroom, allowing her to visit the bathroom on the way. He was not too bothered that she had neglected to brush her teeth. He wanted her in bed, asleep and off his hands.
Greg waited a short time, making sure that Karen was truly out for the night. He collected his large holdall and carried it to his van, placing it in the back, being sure not to make too much noise. Greg did not want to attract any attention. He had already decided that he was going to change once he had reached his destination, he couldn’t afford to be noticed now.
There was plenty of room in the back of his van. He swiftly popped back inside the flat, just to make sure Karen was safely unconscious, then checked that everything was as it should be.
As it was now only twenty to eleven, Greg decided to wash all the pots and pans that were all over the kitchen. He then left the flat, closing the door gently so that it would not be heard by any of his neighbours. He got in, turned the ignition key and the van’s engine fired up immediately. With a quick glance at the clock on the dashboard, he quietly drove away.
Greg deliberately parked his van two streets away from Tinckerton Street, so that it would not be spotted by any potential eyewitnesses, should the police carry out routine door-to-door enquiries.
He slipped into the back and removed all his clothes and jewellery, until he was completely naked. He did not realise how tight the suit would feel now that the adrenalin was rushing through his body. He wanted the sweat to stop, it was hindering his progress. As he tied the laces, his hand shook. He tried counting slowly in order to slow himself down. His boxing boots were an excellent fit; he was careful not to put them on too tightly. He paused, looking at his trembling hands.
‘Once I leave this van, there’s no turning back,’ he told himself. ‘Am I sure?’ he pondered. ‘Fucking right I am! Time to slip in to character…’
Chapter Ten
Greg collected the tools he was going to need: two hammers, two knives, a meat cleaver, two sets of handcuffs and pepper spray. He had thrown the keys to the handcuffs away. He had no intention of releasing whoever wore them. He closed the door as quietly as he could, pressing the lock button on the key fob.
Staying in the shadows, Greg quickly made his way to Tinckerton Street, and then to number 54. As he approached the front door, pausing for a moment, he rang the door bell. No answer. He rang it again.
‘She never goes out,’ he thought.
He heard footsteps. The noise of the lock turning, etched a grin on his face.
‘Who is it?’ a gentle feminine voice asked as the door opened.
‘It’s the fucking grim reaper!’ Greg said, purposely for effect.
The accent he had adopted was distinct and recognisably middle class. He pushed the door with his shoulder. The momentum forced Sharon backward, she lost her balance. She bounced off one of the walls in the hallway; the gravity sucked her to the floor. The whole thing had happened in a blur.
Greg wasted no time. He quickly bundled Sharon back in to the living room, pushing her with short, sharp jolts, though without any real force. She was not the true victim. Greg had impressed himself by how quiet he had kept her.
Once inside, Greg returned to close the front door with a swift kick. The door slammed. The neighbours would have become accustomed to this kind of noise if Brian had told the truth about their fights. Despite the bullshit, Greg had chosen to believe Brian on this occasion.
‘Sit Down,’ Greg barked. ‘Where’s the baby?’
Sharon pointed to another room. Her hand shook – she was far too petrified to speak. Her whole body trembled, consumed by fear. Sweat dripped its way down her back as goosebumps made the hairs on her arms stand up. She shivered.
‘OK, Sharon, this is the drill. I’m not here to hurt you or your baby, but you must do as I say. Do you understand?’
She managed to nod. Fear surged through her body. Urine escaped without warning as it trickled its way down the inside of her legs.
‘We’re going to keep the noise level to a minimum, and that way we’ll get on famously,’ Greg continued to survey his surroundings.
Sharon simply nodded frantically, not knowing what was happening. She looked up at the silhouette – a male silhouette: medium height with an impressive athletic build. She could not work out what it was that the man under the silhouette was wearing, a kind of shiny black all-in-one suit. She tried to make sense of his face. Once she was able to focus through her tears, she saw that a mask was covering his true identity. She had seen her fair share of horror films, but she had never seen a mask like this before. It was as though it had been surgically implanted. A batman type of tool belt clung to his waist.
‘It’s plain to see that Brian knocks the fuck out of you. Isn’t that so?’
She nodded frantically in agreement.
‘How long do you think you can allow this to continue?’
‘I don’t know,’ she squeaked sounding like the teenager she really was.
‘It’s up to you Sharon,’ Greg noticed a clock sitting on top of the television. Time was ticking away from him. ‘Would you like to get even or escape?’
This time she glared at Greg.
‘Answer the fucking question.’ He did not have time to pussyfoot around.
‘What, are you here to save me from Brian?’ her voice shook. ‘Yes, yes! OK… Sorry… Please don’t hurt my baby!’ Sharon blurted out.
‘Now we are getting somewhere. No, Sharon, I’m here to offer you the chance to save your baby. I’m going to offer you the opportunity to get your own back tonight. If you do as I say, I promise that I will not hurt any member of this household.’
‘But I love him.’
‘Tonight, Sharon, you are going to kill Brian.’
There was a heavy silence.
‘How can I kill him? He’s my baby’s father,’ she seemed confused.
‘To stop being abused and to save your baby.’
Sharon became hysterical. Greg slapped her, though not firmly, more for effect than impact. She was stunned, her noise stopped.
She spoke. ‘Why do I have to kill him? Why can’t I just leave him?’
‘Vengeance is yours. I bet you’ve thought about retaliating, but it is fear that stops you. It’s that fear that stops you from venting your frustration. You no longer need to fear Brian; tonight you will turn the table on him. He will fear you.’
‘What if I won’t kill him? I don’t know if I can!’ her voice shook.
‘You need to search deep within yourself; find the courage to stop all this. What I’m offering you and your baby is a way out, away from his evil neglect. You kill him and you’ll both be free.’
Sharon was trapped – the rock and the hard place had become very uncomfortable. The choice was hers to make, there was no way out for her and she knew it.
‘What has this go to do with you? I’m fucked no matter what I choose,’ she rambled.
‘I’m simply thinking of your baby; your baby’s future. A future with Brian in it doesn’t bear thinking about, you don’t even want to contemplate it. Sharon it’s an obvious choice. His actions have consequence. He needs to be punished.’
‘I don’t know if I can do it.’ She urinated for a second time.
‘Grow a fucking back bone! The shit’s going to hit the fan when he gets home. How you choose to direct that shit, Sharon, should be your only concern. Protect your baby’s future Sharon.’
‘OK then… what should I do?’ a whisper hissed from her lips.
Brian had never allowed her to make a decision herself, he bullied her – she was struggling. Her mind flickered, jumping from the broken sentences she was trying to make. Her emotions leaped as she felt her heart snap under the strain of the strings being pulled in every direction.
‘Everything begins with choice, Sharon!’ The calmness in his voice shot through her. ‘I’m not here to choose for you, that’s something you have to do,’ he lied; he had no intention of letting Brian go.
‘I don’t think I have a choice… I don’t want to do it, but I have to.’
‘As you already know, Brian will be home soon. You can set your watch by him – very predictable. I’ll get him into a safe state and the rest will be up to you.’
‘How am I supposed to kill him, he’s bigger than me?’ her voice trembled as the reality of what she was about to do sunk in.
‘You can use this hammer or this meat cleaver. Choice shapes everything Sharon. Your next choice is forever. What’ll it be?’ Greg asked, showing her the two objects.
‘Fucking hell… I don’t know. How do you know whether I can even do it?’
‘If you don’t, the stakes increase – Brian or your baby? Learn to live, or live to die, those are the choices. Quick choices have to be made.’
‘Listen, I’m sorry for whatever Brian has done to you,’ her saddened heart collapsed, ‘but I know that he loves me; it’s all my fault,’ she sobbed, ‘I should be a better person. He’s the way he is because of me, he tells me that all the time.’ Her bleeding heart weighed heavy. ‘I can protect my baby. He would never hurt our baby.’ Her ramblings only made her sobbing worse. ‘I have always protected my baby from him. I can take whatever he gives me but I know you’re right…’
‘Brian or the baby?
Sharon looked up, astonished by her understanding of the threatening ultimatum she had just been delivered.
‘Make a choice,’ Greg snarled.
‘Give me the hammer… I’ll do it with the fucking hammer!’ she snapped.
‘That’s more like it.’
‘I have to protect my baby,’ she repeated this like a mantra.
‘That decision has changed your life. It will change the life of so many.’
Then followed a brief interlude of silence. Sharon had not thought about what would happen to her and her baby once she had murdered Brian. Greg had not allowed her the time. She had realised that she no longer loved Brian, though she tried fooling herself. She was beginning to look upon the man in the shiny suit as her saviour. He was giving her a way out, a way to stop the beatings and the abuse. Greg looked into the room where Sharon had indicated her baby was. Totally oblivious, the baby was sleeping deeply.
‘If we keep the noise down, the nipper might sleep through all of this,’ Greg said, closing the door to the room that separated the little soul from its mother’s nightmare.
‘Are you sick?’ Sharon asked struggling to process it all.
‘No, Sharon. It’s you, and scum like you, who are sick. Why does Brian beat you and then fuck you? Why do you let him treat you like shit? You’re the sick bastards not me!’
‘If I didn’t let him fuck me, he’d rape me… I can’t control him, he’s too strong.’
‘What a sad existence for you and for your baby. You let a man who you don’t love fuck you. You gave life to his child for fuck’s sake, and you allow him to treat you like this – like shit! Is this the role model you want for your baby? The template for your baby’s normalcy?’ Greg knew he had struck a chord.
‘What else am I supposed to do?’
‘You look for a way out; you find your escape. You do exactly what you are about to do.’
‘You are fucking sick!’ Sharon trembled.
‘We’re not going over that again; remember promises can be broken… I could start with the youngest and work my way up. Well, I don’t have to spell it out to you, do I?’
Sharon glared at Greg. He had forced her into her own personal hell. She felt trapped; there was no way out.
‘I want to wake up from this bloody nightmare now.’ Sharon was exhausted, worn down by it all. She knew that it was not going to end for a very, very long time. ‘Forever is a long time,’ she mumbled.
‘You’re not dreaming. This is all very real. You’re going to have to deal with it; face it with open eyes and clear vision. Your choice has been made and you made it. Don’t live with regrets. Live knowing that you saved your baby’s life and your own.’
Silence filled the air as they both heard a key being pushed in to the keyhole. Greg pointed at Sharon.
‘Promises and choices. Don’t you make a fucking sound,’ he told her as he quickly made his way to the front door.
The front door opened slowly as the drunken man wrestled with the lock. He was struggling to retrieve his key. Seeing double hampered his vision.
‘Fucking shitty lock,’ he burbled, his aggressive speech slurred. Brian finally yanked the key from the lock and stumbled backwards. He closed the door with an aggressive push, almost losing his balance in the process.
‘Hey!’ Greg said, in his middle class voice with a startling effect.
Brian turned to see where the greeting had come from. His intoxicated state of mind did not allow him to instantly recognise the owner’s voice.
As Brian turned his head, he was blinded by a mass propulsion of liquid being forced in to his eyes.
‘ARRHHHHH!’ he screamed, ‘What the fuck’s going on?’
His question was unanswered.
‘Brian?’ Sharon called.
‘This fucking stuff stings… I can’t breathe! Help me Shazza!’ His pleas were all in vain.
‘Shut up,’ Greg said calmly.
‘You’re fucking dead, you wanker!’ The pain was evident in Brian’s threat. He was still trying to act the big man.
Greg had heard enough and gave Brain a couple of sharp blows to his chest, using his clenched right fist. Brian fell to the floor with a thud. Greg rolled him over on to his stomach and, in a single manoeuver, pulled both his hands behind his back and handcuffed him. Brian continued to scream, puffing and panting, fighting to regain his breath.
Greg then put two layers of industrial tape on Brian’s mouth. Br
ian was whimpering by now. The pain he was suffering had taken him to a dark, terrifying place. His eyes burned, he found it difficult to breathe and his nose was partially blocked from all the snot and mucus. The handcuffs had been applied tightly and he could feel pins and needles in the tips of his fingers. As he was knocked down by Greg’s thundering blows, he banged his head on the radiator in the hallway.
Sharon had almost begun to feel sorry for Brian as she saw him lying there helpless, powerless and at the mercy of his fate. Until her memories of the beatings, along with the unlimited abuse she had received from the hands of this man, the father of her child, came flooding back with a sharp jolt.
‘You have been treating Sharon like shit for far too long. Retribution is the order of the day here, Brian,’ Greg paused, ‘Sharon has been told her options and has made her own informed choice.’
Brian was trying to talk but the industrial tape was serving its purpose. Sharon remained silent.
‘Make peace with your god, your demons and yourself Brian… Today is your last!’
Brian began to scream louder, his crying made his sorrowful existence seem putrid. Brian tried cowering away, wanting to blend in to his background and make himself as small as possible.
‘Sharon,’ Greg barked. ‘Do it!’ he ordered as he passed her a hammer.
Sharon took the hammer from Greg with both hands as she weakly stood up, stunned by her own willingness to complete her task.
‘What do you want me to do?’ she asked in a quivering tone, ‘I don’t understand…’ She had begun to cry, more than before.
‘FINISH HIM!’
Sharon stood, surrounded by an almost pathetic aura. Shaking, quivering uncontrollably, her body started to shiver.
‘Promises and choices Sharon. Do I have to remind you?’
Brian was still trying to plead for his life, although his words were unintelligible. He was completely wasting his time and making this harder for Sharon.
Sharon bravely stood over Brian looking at him, her vision transfixed on his cowering body. It didn’t feel real.
Brain was trying to manipulate her, using cowardly body language. Greg took a step back. After all, this was Sharon’s time.
The Ultimate Selection: Be Careful Who You Talk To Page 8