Run!: He's coming for you

by K Leitch

  Lewis tapped the side of his nose mysteriously and then indicated the petrol can that he had brought along with him. ‘I reckon it’ll be better than bonfire night…this little buggers going to light up the neighbourhood,’ he finished laughing at his own joke.

  Lola swallowed nervously, ‘I don’t know Lew…’ she began.

  ‘What…what don’t you know Lola, you backing out on me are you?’ he said giving her a hard look, ‘you scared or somat?’

  ‘Nah course not,’ Lola said bullishly, ‘I just thought it might be a bit noisy like…people might hear us.’

  Lewis smiled nastily, ‘No one will hear us…we’re too far away from the ‘ouses ain’t we. Nah we’ll be well out of sight, look I’m going to string ‘im up from that big old tree, then you bang on her window, make sure she gets a good view like, before legging it back ‘ere. I’ll make a trail wiv the petrol, like they do on those films you know, so we can light ‘im up from ‘ere. By the time old Metcalf’s put the burning pussy out, we’ll be long gone,’ he finished, chuckling to himself.

  Lola racked her brains trying to think of other reasons why they shouldn’t do it, but Lewis was already intent on tying the terrified cats back legs together. She tried to ignore the awful mewling noises that were coming from the poor petrified creature, it was obviously already in great pain but it was still fighting Lewis every step of the way until, irritated, he punched it one more time hard in the face and it went limp.

  ‘Little fucker,’ he muttered under his breath, ‘hold ‘im up while I tie ‘im will ya,’ he added to Lola who had been watching the proceedings from a distance, too scared to move.

  ‘I don’t like this Lew…’ she began again, as she held the now lifeless little cat up while her brother lashed its back legs together with a leather belt.

  Lewis turned on her angrily, ‘Well fuck off then,’ he spat at her, ‘go on…run away if you’re too much of a pussy…I don’t fucking need you ‘ere.’

  Lola said nothing. She wouldn’t leave, Lewis knew that. So silently she watched as Lewis hung Mimski up by his back legs from a branch of the old tree at the end of Flora Metcalf’s garden. He sloshed some of the petrol over the cat and then walked slowly backwards to where she was hiding, leaving a trail of petrol behind him.

  He carefully put the petrol can away in the bag that he’d kept the cat in and then took out a lighter.

  ‘Throw that rock at ‘er window it’s time for the fireworks to begin,’ he said to Lola his eyes wild with cruel anticipation. Lola did as she was told and ran up the garden and hurled a large stone at the back window then ran quickly back to where Lewis was pacing up and down with suppressed excitement.

  Once Lola was back in the shadows, he held the lighter to the trail of petrol and clicked it…nothing happened, he clicked it again and again, still nothing.

  ‘Fucking, stupid, wanky thing,’ he fumed, starting to get really angry. He clicked the lighter over and over but was only able to produce a tiny spark. He was so absorbed in his task that he didn’t notice the huge dark figure that suddenly loomed up behind him out of the darkness.

  Lola did though and she opened her mouth to scream but before she could, a fist the size of a mallet smashed into the side of her head and she dropped like a stone onto the ground next to Lewis.

  Lewis swung round as she fell: he stared down in shocked horror for a couple of seconds, completely bewildered as he took in Lola’s lifeless body on the ground next to him and the enormous creature who was now standing behind him, his eyes glinting with fury.

  A second later though the instinct to survive kicked in and he turned to run. He wasn’t quick enough, something swished through the air behind him, connecting with the back of his legs making him scream out with pain and stumble forwards onto the petrol soaked grass. The cane came down hard and fast again, swiping at his arms and face Lewis rolled backwards and forwards trying to avoid the stinging lashes but his unknown pursuer came after him thrashing him with the cane over and over until, exhausted, Lewis lay still. His head was spinning and his vision bleary, he tried to make out who it was that was doing this to them…to him, but in the darkness all he could see was a large, dark, monolithic figure towering over him, dispassionately watching his suffering through eyes that glowed bright with rage.

  ‘Who are you?’ he croaked, ‘what have you done to my sister…no…no, no, no,’ Lewis’s fear became palpable as he suddenly realised a new and even more terrifying threat. The creature had noticed the body of the cat in the tree and the petrol trail across the lawn. Lewis began to beg in earnest now as he saw with horror the man bend down to pick up the discarded lighter. He screamed even louder as he realised that his clothes were now covered in the noxious smelling liquid. The dark figure looked down at him for another minute as he squirmed around in terror and agony, then he knelt down next to him and clicked the lighter… it burst into a merry little flame close to Lewis’s face…Lewis’s screams turned louder and shriller as his terror took over.

  ‘You never should have touched Mimski,’ his attacker hissed at him, ‘that’s just cruel and you shouldn’t have done it,’ he said before dropping the lighter onto Lewis’s petrol soaked shirt.

  Lewis turned into a screaming, writhing fireball, lighting up the end of the garden for a few minutes, until a heavy blanket was thrown over him and he lay shaking and steaming on the grass in agony.

  ‘See how you like it…it’s not nice is it?’ the voice said to the blistered smouldering mess at his feet.

  Without another thought for his victims, the dark figure ran down the garden until he reached the tree. He untied the smelly bedraggled little cat and lay it gently on the lawn, letting out a cry of despair at the state of the poor creature. He knelt down next to it and his shoulders began to shake with emotion as he gently stroked Mimski, whose once pure white coat was now a mess of oily grime and whose face was set in a grisly death mask. The poor little thing hadn’t survived the shock and had died before Lewis had been able to set him alight.

  Billy Hobbs held onto the little creature and sobbed, a moment later a claw like hand patted his head. ‘There now Billy,’ Flora said, her own voice shaking with emotion. ‘He feels no more pain now. We’ll bury him under his favourite tree in the morning.’

  Billy cried some more, but reluctantly handed over the tiny body to Flora who kissed the little cat before putting him gently to one side.

  Weak moaning sounds drew their attention back to the gruesome charred and bloodied Lewis Twee, who still lay barely alive under the old blanket.

  Flora hobbled over to where he lay and look dispassionately down at him. ‘Lewis and Lola Twee,’ she tutted, ‘well what can you expect from such a family…no bloody discipline…see what happens Billy when children aren’t taught right from wrong? Spare the rod, spoil the child, and these two were rotten to the core.’ And with that and another disgusted shake of her head, she went over to the side of the garden, found a large rock and with all the strength she could muster she smashed it down onto the half dead, smouldering Lewis, splitting his skull open. ‘And you didn’t deserve that kindness you foul creature. I should have just left you to suffer after what you did to my little Mimski,’ she spat down at the bloody mess at her feet.

  ‘Right Billy Hobbs,’ Flora said briskly after getting her breath back and throwing the bloody rock to one side. ‘We need to clean up this rubbish don’t we? He can go under the vegetable patch, but first we’d better put that one somewhere,’ she pointed to the unconscious Lola who still lay where she had fallen a few minute earlier. ‘Can’t have her running back home to mummy and daddy telling tales can we, besides she needs to be taught a lesson.’ Flora stood and thought of her options for a moment, ‘right, you pick her up Billy, I know just where she can go,’ she said eventually heading off towards the end of the garden.

  Billy did as he was told and after hefting Lola’s limp body over his shoulder, he followed Flora into the darkness ahead.

  Nobody,
not Lola or Lewis, Billy or Flora had noticed the tiny red light flashing away in the back bedroom window of the house next door, a red light that indicated that a small camera was recording everything that had taken place in Flora’s garden that night.

  CHAPTER 21 - MAGGIE

  Maggie arrived home to the sounds of Jukie being bathed, squeals of laughter were followed by loud splashing noises…she could only imagine the state of the bathroom. Smiling and shaking her head resignedly, Maggie made her way through to the kitchen and switched on the coffee machine. She had spent the rest of the day with Carla, bullying her to eat something to soak up the alcohol and trying to get to the bottom of what had happened. Half way through the afternoon James had turned up which had sent Carla into a new frenzy of anger, shouting at Maggie to “tell him to fuck off back to his girlfriend” and that he had “forfeited any rights to see his children when he slept with that whore”. It was blatantly obvious that Rosie and Harry were desperate to see their dad and so Maggie had spent a very trying half hour persuading Carla to let him speak to them.

  It was heart breaking to watch the two children with him, the bewilderment on their faces as they tried to understand why their parents were at each other’s throats. Rosie’s eyes were swollen with crying and Harry was desperately trying to hold it together as they clung on to James when he said he had to leave.

  ‘I’ll be back every day I promise,’ he said as he gently disengaged himself from a sobbing Rosie, ‘Mummy and I just need to sort a few things out…nothing for you to worry about…’

  Carla had stayed in the living room while James talked to the kids, her mouth set in a hard line as she refused to even speak to him.

  ‘Leave it a few days,’ Maggie had said to him, ‘she’s terribly hurt and humiliated James, it’s going to take time…’

  James had hung his head, he looked nearly as bad as Carla did. ‘I love her so much Maggie,’ he had said his eyes filling with tears. ‘It didn’t mean anything, she must know that…’

  ‘She’s not going to be thinking about anything beyond the fact that you betrayed her James I’m afraid,’ Maggie began somewhat unsympathetically, her heart softened a bit though as James put his head in his hands, his shoulders beginning to shake. ‘You stupid bastard,’ she said with a sigh, putting an arm round him, ‘what is it with you men, you have everything you could possibly want, a loving home, beautiful kids, a wife that adores you. Why isn’t that enough…I just don’t understand it James…’

  ‘I don’t understand it myself Maggie,’ James croaked. ‘Oh God what have I done…she has to forgive me, if she doesn’t I don’t know what I’ll do.’

  Maggie had grimaced to herself, she didn’t fancy his chances, she’d never seen Carla so angry and determined.

  ‘Give her time,’ she said to James again, ‘let the dust settle.’

  ‘You will look after her won’t you Maggie,’ James had said a few moments later as he was leaving. ‘I know she’s been hitting the bottle a bit just lately and something like this might just send her over the edge…I’m worried for her, and the kids.’

  ‘I’ll keep an eye on her…we all will, you know that,’ Maggie had replied. Her first job though had been to console the kids. Rosie had collapsed into her arms after her dad had gone but Harry was another matter, he had stormed up to his room and slammed the door and had stayed there for the rest of the day ignoring Maggie’s call and gentle knocking on his door. Finally Carla had roused herself and gone upstairs to talk to him which seemed to do the trick as half an hour later he came down to the kitchen and made himself a sandwich.

  Maggie stayed with the little family until she was sure that Carla was able to cope.

  ‘I can stay longer if you want me to,’ she had said to her friend as she cleared away dishes from the evening meal. ‘Duncan would probably relish the chance to be able to watch the footie without me sticking my oar in every five minutes…’

  Carla smiled and shook her head, ‘I will be fine love, stop worrying. You’ve been great today Maggie dealing with the kids and the mess…I’ll be fine, I have to be don’t I? For the kids…’

  Maggie gave her a hug, ‘I’m so, so sorry sweetheart, I can’t believe this has happened. James is a bloody fool…but I’m pretty sure he knows that already.’ She paused as she chose her words carefully, ‘He is really sorry Carla, and for what it’s worth I don’t think this woman meant anything to him…’

  ‘I don’t care how sorry he is Maggs,’ Carla interrupted angrily, ‘he betrayed us…all of us. I can’t forgive that, I really can’t. You of all people should understand that surely?’

  Maggie did understand only too well, her ex-husband Greg had cheated on her in exactly the same way…so she could only nod and give her friend another squeeze before she left her.

  ‘I’ll call you in the morning,’ she had said as she climbed into her car to make her way home.

  Once she’d got herself a coffee, Maggie got onto the phone and called Helen and Tracy filling them in on what had happened and asking them to come round so that they could decide how they could help Carla.

  The two women arrived within a few minutes of each other, both shocked by the news and eager to help.

  ‘Oh that must have been so awful for Carla,’ Tracy was saying when Maggie explained that Carla had seen James and his “friend” on the CCTV footage along with Frank and Mandy. ‘What a wanker James is, why would he take her to a restaurant in Redbank for fuck’s sake. I mean anyone could have seen them…well they did didn’t they? Unbelievable…what an idiot, and poor Carla.’

  ‘Men are so bloody arrogant,’ Helen said with a curled lip, ‘they never think they’ll get caught.’ She shook her head in disgust. ‘Oh I just can’t believe it, Carla and James… out of everyone I thought they were solid. Did you see him Maggie?’

  ‘Yes,’ Maggie said sadly, ‘he came round to see the children…oh it was heart breaking seeing those kids struggling. And James is in a terrible state…’

  ‘Good,’ Tracy said fiercely, ‘he bloody deserves to be in a state, stupid wanker. I’m more worried about Carla, this couldn’t have happened at a worse time…not that there’s ever a good time obviously. It’s just that…well you have to admit that she’s been a bit unstable just lately as it is…and now with this… I’m worried how this is going to affect her, I don’t mind telling you.’

  ‘Yes, well that’s why I thought it would be a good idea if we all took it in turns to keep an eye on her,’ Maggie said nodding. ‘Listen, we all love Carla but…well somethings not been right for a while has it? I mean she’s always been a drinker you can’t deny that…oh God,’ Maggie ran her fingers through her hair distractedly. ‘I don’t even want to say it…not about Carla…’

  Helen took Maggie’s hand. ‘You don’t need to say it Maggs, we’ve been there too, remember. Sometimes Carla drinks far too much… I think she’s been drinking during the day as well. A few times when I’ve popped round to hers un-announced, it’s been obvious that she’s had a drink…a few drinks actually, I just put it down to the stress of her job but…’

  Tracy had been staring at each of her friends incredulously, ‘Oh come on,’ she began hotly, ‘I didn’t mean that…yes she likes a drink, but you can’t be seriously thinking that she’s some sort of alcoholic. I mean, bloody hell Maggie you can’t blame her for getting off her head after finding out her husband’s been cheating on her can you?’

  Maggie shook her head, ‘Of course not…but you didn’t see her Tracy,’ she began. ‘She wasn’t just drunk, she had passed out, she’d thrown up on herself…she’d wet herself. And the house was trashed, there was broken glass everywhere and big puddles of wine on the floor…’

  ‘She’d just confronted her husband who’d been shagging his secretary,’ Tracy countered, ‘of course she’d gone skitzo… anyone would…I think you’re making too much of it Maggs.’

  ‘It wasn’t just that though Tracy,’ Maggie said shaking her head with irritation
, ‘it was the way she didn’t seem to be bothered about the kids…oh I mean of course she was bothered but something was off if you know what I mean…oh I can’t explain it.’ Frustrated, Maggie stood up and went to the sink for a glass of water, she turned and faced the girls again, ‘What I do know is that our friend is in trouble and not just because of James, I think she’d not been right since the burial incident…I think she’s heading for some sort of a breakdown, and this is going to tip her right over the edge.’

  Tracy and Helen sat and thought about this for a moment. They had all been so horrified at the time, it was almost too awful to imagine, their friend being buried alive…only just surviving. But she had survived and to a certain extent she had seemed to be putting the whole incident behind her, none of them could deny, however, that her drinking (which had always been on the heavy side) had become a bit of an issue. Or that their old fun loving Carla hadn’t changed a bit, she seemed to have lost some of her sense of humour, and she was a lot more cynical…it was like the light that used to shine inside her had dimmed…heaven knows how this latest challenge was going to affect her.

  ‘Well we can’t let that happen,’ Helen was the first to speak, ‘maybe we could persuade her to see a counsellor or something.’

  ‘Ha!’ exclaimed Maggie, ‘good luck with that Helen. She won’t even acknowledge that anything’s wrong with her…’

  ‘Well we have to try something,’ Tracy said flinging her arms up, ‘she’s needed help for a long time. One of the teachers at the school has a sister who is a counsellor, I’ll try and speak to her… see if she’ll see Carla. Meanwhile all we have to do is get Carla to agree to see her…’ she held her hands up as Maggie snorted, ‘I know…I know it’s not going to be easy, but if we all have a go maybe.’

  ‘What’s happening about her job Maggie?’ Helen asked.

  ‘Well she’s been given a couple of days off at the moment,’ Maggie said, ‘what she really needs is a good long holiday of course, but from what she was saying to me I think she’s off till Wednesday then it’s business as usual.’