Erebus

by Linda L Barton

  Caleb was in no mood for conversation today. He had wanted to go snowboarding in Aspen, but his father had to rush off on an emergency business trip. “Where’s Mother?”

  Millie could see he was upset, and she did not blame him. A trip to Aspen would have been much more exciting, than a boring party at the Country Club with all of his parent’s friends.

  “She went to make preparations for your party tonight. Miranda will be home from school in an hour, so your mother wanted to pick her up at the airport then go to the Country Club to make sure everything was perfect for tonight.”

  Caleb rolled his eyes. “That’s just great. I’ll always remember my sixteenth birthday, as a dull night with all of my parent’s boring friends.”

  Millie felt sorry for him because she understood how he felt. She was optimistic for her sixteenth birthday, but it had turned out to be another day of work for her.

  Maybe she could at least lighten his mood. “If I don’t see a smile soon, you’re going to get it,” she laughed, as she aimed the sink sprayer at Caleb.

  “I don’t feel like smiling,” he groaned.

  “Okay, you asked for it!” She pressed the button and sprayed him with water while she laughed hysterically because the look of surprise on his face was priceless.

  Caleb smiled and then charged at her. “Now, you’ve done it.” He grabbed her hand and turned the sprayer toward her, soaking her from head to toe.

  Millie struggled to free herself, but he pressed his body against hers, trapping her against the cabinet. “Okay, you win, you win!” she pleaded, but he continued to spray her.

  “Oh, no, you started this little game, so now you have to play,” he laughed. He dropped the sprayer and began to tickle her, causing her to squirm and squeal with delight.

  “That is not fair! I’m ticklish,” she giggled, fighting to escape his attack.

  “Oh, no, you’re not going anywhere,” he playfully growled in her ear, until he lost his footing and fell to the wet floor, pushing her down beneath him.

  Millie looked up into his eyes and smiled. “Look what you have done. Okay, now will you let me go?”

  Caleb looked at her and for the first time, he realized how beautiful she was. Her skin was soft to the touch, and he noticed a fire burning in her eyes that he had never noticed there before. He reached for a stray strand of hair stuck to her wet, glowing face and moved it aside. “You’re a beautiful woman. It’s a shame you hide it behind this role you play.”

  Millie knew everything that was happening between them at this moment was wrong, but she did not want it to end. She felt her heart pounding under the pressure of his body as it pressed against her breasts, and the way the look of passion in his eyes made her body burn with desire. “Please, this is wrong.”

  He smiled, “No, this is perfect.” He took possession of her lips, causing her to surrender to the hunger building inside of her. He tore at her clothing, as eagerly as she did his, and on that wet kitchen floor, on a beautiful sun-filled day was the beginning of a forbidden love affair.

  ***

  “Caleb, have you heard a word I said?” Elizabeth looked at him and wondered where his mind had wandered. “If you don’t want to be here, I understand.”

  Caleb shook his head to clear his mind, “No, of course not. I don’t want to be anywhere, but here with you.”

  He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and then whispered, “I can’t believe how they could’ve done that to you. You trusted them, and they betrayed you in the worst way.”

  “You know, you’re right, I trusted them, and they carried on their love affair right under my nose! They need to pay for what they’ve done,” her voice was low and menacing.

  Caleb felt the excitement grow inside of him at her words, “But, Millie’s dead, so there’s no need for revenge anymore.”

  “Millie may have escaped paying for her part in this betrayal, but your father won’t. I want to see the look in his eyes when I confront him with the truth. I’m sure he will deny it because he believes the deceit is safe now that Millie is dead, but her words are still alive.”

  She held up a page from the notebook and shook it in the air. “Millie may have taken the coward’s way out, but Charles will have to face the truth of his actions! Thank you, son, I know what I must now do.”

  She stood and looked down into his eyes, “Everything will be fine after your father, and I have a little talk.”

  “Mother, are you sure this is a good time to confront him? Shouldn’t you wait until you’ve had time to let your emotions calm a bit?”

  She looked over her shoulder and smiled, as she walked out of the bedroom door, “Oh my dear, this is the perfect time.”

  Elizabeth walked past Miranda, without saying a word. “Mother, are you, okay?”

  Caleb followed Elizabeth to the kitchen. “She’s fine; she said she wanted to go lie down for a while. You can tell this has all be painful for her. Millie was such an important person to her and all.”

  Miranda exhaled a sigh of relief, “Oh, that’s a good idea. I know she must be tired after everything today.”

  “If you don’t need me to help with anything, I think I’ll go out to my hideaway and do some reading,” he smiled.

  Miranda could tell he did not want to help with the dinner preparations. “Okay, but I can’t believe you still hang out in that dusty old shed.”

  “I know, but it brings back many happy memories from my childhood. I only thought after everything…,” his voice trailed off.

  Miranda reached out and tenderly touched his cheek, “I understand; go and relax until dinner is ready.”

  “Thank you,” then he turned and walked out the back door.

  ***

  Elizabeth opened the door to their bedroom closet and looked up at the boxes stacked neatly on the top shelf. “He thinks I’m a fool. Let’s see who the fool is now!” She closed her eyes to the image of Charles and Millie locked in a passionate embrace while they laughed and pointed at her.

  “No, this is not real! She’s dead,” Elizabeth cried out, with the image still playing out in her mind.

  “What’s the matter, dear friend? Can’t handle the truth?” the image of Millie taunted.

  “She always was a fool. The only reason I married her was because I knew I could do anything I desired, and she would never be the wiser,” the image of Charles laughed, as he caressed Millie’s nude body.

  “No, no, none of this is real!” Elizabeth cried, as the pain tore at her soul.

  “See, what a fool you are, Elizabeth. I am right here for you to see, and still you do not believe your eyes,” the image of Charles laughed in a cold and hate-filled tone.

  “Stop it, stop it! How can you say such things? I’ve been a good and loving wife to you for all these years. Never once did I do anything to shame our marriage.” She stood with her fists shaking at the image before her, unable to stop the rage growing from deep inside of her.

  “What are you going to do, Elizabeth? I know, you’re going to stand here and cry like the pitiful woman I’ve always known you to be,” laughing, the image of Charles pointed an accusing finger at her.

  “I’m not weak; I’m not a victim!” Elizabeth reached up and pulled a small metal box down from the shelf, and then carried it to the bed. She unlocked it and opened the lid to expose the handgun tucked away inside.

  “Let’s see who will laugh now,” she murmured, taking the gun out of the box and pointing it at her reflection in the mirror above her dresser.

  “What are you going to do with that?” the voice whispered in her ear.

  “I’m going to watch your smug smile disappear!” she laughed in a threatening manner.

  “I don’t think you have it in you,” the voice taunted.

  Elizabeth looked at the reflection in the mirror and smiled, “We will see.”

  ***

  Charles was deep in thought and did not hear Elizabeth walk into his study and close the door. “Good
evening, Charles, we need to talk.”

  He turned to greet her, but to his horror, she was aiming his gun at him with a crazed look in her eyes.

  “Elizabeth, what are you doing? Why do you have my gun?”

  She smiled and lifted the gun higher. “I thought this might convince you to tell me the truth for a change.”

  Charles was confused and wondered what could have caused this strange behavior? “Sweetheart, why don’t you give me the gun, okay?”

  “How dare you call me Sweetheart? Is that what you called her too?” Elizabeth’s body shook with rage, as she tightened her grip on the gun.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, or who you’re referring to?” Charles said, hoping that she would realize what she was doing before things got out of control.

  “You must think me a fool. You know who I’m talking about: Millie!”

  Charles looked at her and shook his head in disbelief, “You think I had an affair with Millie? That’s crazy!”

  “Oh, so now I am crazy? Well, maybe her words will help you regain your memory!” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a page from the notebook. “Read this, and then tell me that I am crazy.”

  Charles slowly stepped forward and took the paper from her outstretched hand. He looked at Elizabeth, then down at the words written on the page.

  “This isn’t about me. I have no idea who she’s talking about.”

  “Oh, come on, why else would she be excited to have the house to herself? She says it right there. Read it out loud!”

  Charles looked down at the page and began to read. I long for the days when we have the house to ourselves. We must be careful, not to have our affair discovered, but that only adds to the excitement.

  Elizabeth looked at the shocked expression on Charles’ face. “So, are you still going to stand there and deny everything?”

  Charles had no idea what to say because the letter pointed an accusing finger directly at him. “Elizabeth, I swear to you; I have never been unfaithful. I love you, sweetheart.”

  “Stop calling me sweetheart, and stop lying to me! You know what you did, and now that you’ve been caught, you think that I am foolish enough to believe your lies.”

  Don’t believe him; he knows the truth. We enjoyed our time together and would laugh at how easy you were to deceive, the voice whispered in her ear.

  “Shut up, I don’t want to listen to you anymore!” Elizabeth slapped the side of her face, attempting to silence the voice in her mind.

  Look at his face, and the fear in his eyes. He knows that you’re on to his lies; the voice taunted, as it pushed her onward.

  Charles clearly saw the insanity in her eyes. “Please, Elizabeth, give me the gun. We can sit and talk about this,” he pleaded, but he could tell his words were unable to cut through the rage consuming her.

  “Talk, I don’t want to talk. I want you to confess what you did. I want you to know how I feel!” Her words were sharp and unforgiving.

  Look at him, he will never confess. He plans to have you committed so that he can move on with another woman; the voice laughed in her mind.

  Elizabeth closed her eyes, in an attempt to clear her mind, but once she opened them, the vision before her pulled her deeper into a place of darkness and hate.

  ***

  Fog swirled in front of her like a dark, foreboding curtain, and when she blinked to clear her vision, she saw their laughing faces. Poor Elizabeth, she was so easy to deceive. We made love right under her nose, and she was never the wiser, the voices laughed at how foolish she had been.

  “Stop laughing at me! I trusted both of you, and you made me look like an idiot,” her body shook with rage, as the voices continued to laugh. “Go ahead and laugh, but I will be the last to laugh, I promise you!”

  Charles realized that she had lost her grip on reality, and slowly moved toward her. “Please, give me the gun before someone gets hurt.”

  The laughter in her mind silenced his pleas, as the voices continued to torment her mind.

  “Elizabeth, please, don’t do this.” Charles knew he had must act, but when he reached for the gun, he suddenly felt a searing pain in his chest. “Elizabeth, what have you done?”

  Elizabeth was lost in the madness when Miranda rushed into the room.

  “Oh, my God, what have you done, mother?” Miranda cried out.

  When Elizabeth spun to face the voice behind her, she saw the image of Millie laughing and pointing at her. “Look what you’ve done. They will surely lock you up now!”

  “They may, but not before I send you to hell with him,” Elizabeth raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

  “Mother, no!” The shot echoed through the room, as it struck Miranda in the chest, causing her to fall backward to the floor.

  Elizabeth held her eyes closed, as she tried to drive the laughter from her mind. She dropped the gun and held her hands to her ears until it subsided, and then the only thing she could hear was the sound of Miranda’s strained breathing.

  “Oh Lord, no, what have I done?” she cried, as she ran to Miranda’s side. “There’s so much blood.”

  Miranda looked up; her eyes wet with tears, “I love you, Mother.” These words said with her last breath.

  Elizabeth collapsed on top of Miranda’s lifeless and bloodied body. “I’m sorry, baby. I never meant for this to happen.”

  “Mother, what’s going on here? What have you done?” Caleb stood in the doorway, taking in the scene before him.

  “Oh, Caleb, I didn’t mean to hurt her, I thought she was…,” her words faded with the realization of what she had done.

  Caleb walked up to the lifeless body of his beautiful sister, Miranda. He had never planned for her involvement in this part of the game. She was supposed to stay in the kitchen, not get a bullet in her chest. “Mother, you’ve killed them both. I know you were angry, but how could you do this? Miranda never hurt you; it was Father and Millie who betrayed you.” As he looked down at Miranda, he felt a part of his soul die. He leaned down and looked at her beautiful emerald, green eyes then he gently touched her cheek, “Goodbye, Miranda. I love you, and I will never forget you.”

  Caleb stood and looked over at the body of his father, slumped over his desk. “I see you have taken care of your problem, but why did you feel the need to murder Miranda?”

  Elizabeth felt her knees grow weak, as she looked at the still figure of her beloved daughter lying on the floor. “How could I have done this?” she cried, as she stepped away from the painful vision in front of her.

  “I never meant to harm her; it was Millie! I thought she was Millie. They were tormenting me; laughing and calling me a fool.”

  When she turned away from the painful image of her daughter lying dead in a pool of blood, her eyes rested on Charles. “Oh, no, how could I have done this?”

  Caleb stood and walked toward his mother, who was now staring helplessly at the blood-soaked body of the man she had loved for nearly thirty years. “We could have explained Father, but Miranda is quite another matter.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked, looking at Caleb, who was standing next to her.

  “Father cheated on you with the maid so anyone would understand your desire for revenge, but killing Miranda because you thought she was Millie is unforgivable. Caleb stepped back and looked at Miranda. “Mother, I don’t see how I can protect you from this.”

  Elizabeth looked at Charles then over to Miranda. “I don’t deserve protection. What I did will land me in hell, and, to be honest, it’s where I deserve to be.” With that final statement, she lifted the gun to her head and pulled the trigger.

  Chapter 18

  Erebus enjoyed the shocked expressions on Mac and John faces. It had been a long time since he had thought of that day, and he had to admit his surprise at how easily his mother had been to manipulate.

  “So, it was your sister who had the green eyes, but, unfortunately, your final move went a little further than you
had planned, didn’t it?” Mac snickered.

  Erebus smiled, as he leaned back in his chair. “Yes, it was never my intention for Miranda’s involvement in that move. I also admit when I walked into the room and saw her lying in a pool of blood, I was not pleased. I never wanted her to die because she was the only person who accepted me unconditionally. I did, however, have some fun with her stupid fiancé, Gerald,” he laughed, remembering the look on Gerald’s face once he learned Miranda had died.

  “So if your sister had green eyes, why did you kill all those women?” John had wanted to understand the obsession with green eyes, so he was glad he had this chance before he died.

  Erebus laughed, “Come on, John. You were a detective, put it all together.”

  John sat for a moment, as he ran everything through his mind before he finally spoke, “They were a martyr for the game, the same as Miranda.”

  “Superb, John,” Erebus smiled.

  Mac listened to John and Erebus talk as though this was all a harmless game. “How can you two speak as if they were nothing? He killed those poor women, the same as he did his sister!”

  Erebus leaned forward and stared at Mac with a dark and challenging glare, “I did not kill my sister! I would never harm her. She was the only person I ever truly loved.”

  Mac knew she had hit a nerve with this statement. “You might as well have pulled the trigger yourself. You pushed your mother to the point of insanity, so you have no one but yourself to blame for the death of your sister. You can destroy all the green-eyed women in the world, and it will never wash her blood from your hands.”

  Erebus glared at Mac. You will never understand the perfect love I shared with Miranda, the words burned in his mind.

  Mac could tell she had upset him, and this only drove her on, “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue? Are you feeling some guilt over the needless death of Miranda because of one of your games? Hmm, I have to admit this is surprising because I never thought you could care for anyone other than yourself.”

  A deathly calm came over the room, as Mac waited for his response. John held his breath for the worst, but Erebus only smiled. “I have always enjoyed your spirit, Lucinda. You are a strong-willed woman, and I have always found that to be an admirable trait. However, it will not do you any good in this circumstance. You see, I have plans for you and John, so I no longer have time for our little tit-a-tat, as I have before.”