The Downfall Series Box Set

by Edie Baylis

  Jane laughed. “Yeah, I know that too. Paul told me you made the whole thing up, you stupid, stupid bastard!”

  Debbie closed her eyes and felt even sicker.

  Jane’s voice returned to screaming pitch. “You nearly fucked everything up for me, you cunt!”

  Debbie closed her eyes again. How long was this going to go on for? Couldn’t she just get it over with?

  “Take them off.”

  Debbie’s eyes snapped open. “What?”

  Jane lit a fag, her eyes burning black pits of anger. “Take the rest of your kit off. NOW!”

  Shakily unclipping her bra, Debbie then pushed her knickers down and kicked them away. Her veiny pendulous breasts sagged down to her belly button and hung either side of her bloated stomach.

  “Holy fuck!” Jane grimaced. “Even worse than I’d imagined.”

  Debbie’s eyes darted around in blind panic.

  “You tried to fuck with me, now I’m going to fuck with you.....” Jane pulled a large glass bottle of tomato sauce off the countertop. “With this....”

  Smiling at her horrified expression, Jane slowly finished her cigarette and then ground the butt out on Debbie’s breastbone, watching as her face contorted into a grimace of pain and fear. As her skin sizzled loudly a howl escaped from Debbie’s mouth.

  “For fuck’s sake, do you really think anyone would go near your dirty cunt? Now shut the fuck up.” Jane smashed her fist into Debbie’s face and she fell heavily to the ground onto her piss-soaked uniform.

  Dragging Debbie the other side of the kitchen by the hair, Jane dropped astride her and held her face steady with a hand around her throat before delivering series of ruthless punches to her eyes.

  “No! Stop! Please! I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” Debbie screamed.

  Jane scowled down with pure hatred. “You will be....” There was no stopping now, her temper was blown. Punch after punch rained down into Debbie’s face and blood gushed from her badly broken nose.

  Sitting up straight to catch her breath, Jane stared in revulsion at the shaking figure in front of her. Debbie’s matted hair was stuck to her face with sweat and she wiped blood running from a deep cut over her right eyebrow out of her swelling, already blackening eyes,

  Jane smirked. “Want some more?”

  Debbie thrashed from side to side, screaming when her head was pulled up by her ears and then slammed down onto the floor. “Be QUIET, bitch! You’re giving me a fucking headache!”

  Jane hoped Debbie hadn’t passed out when she fell silent. She hadn’t anywhere near finished. Reaching for the new bottle of cider she slowly poured the contents over Debbie’s face.

  Spluttering and coughing, Debbie tried to raise her head, but Jane kicked it back down. “I’m doing you a favour! You need a wash, you dirty bitch.”

  Debbie froze and looked up at Jane, who was positively manic. Was she going to die naked on the floor, covered in cider, blood and piss?

  Jane began systematically destroying every cupboard in the kitchen by swiping the contents out onto the floor and covering Debbie in broken crockery. “Woken up yet?” she called, upending the table into the cooker.

  Kicking some broken fragments of plate out of the way, she knelt down and poked Debbie hard in the cheek. “You’re going to put the record straight and tell everyone the fucking truth... Do you understand?”

  Barely able to see through the swollen slits that had once been her eyes, Debbie swallowed the blood running down the back of her throat.

  “DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”

  Debbie nodded as enthusiastically as she could muster.

  “And,” Jane whispered, jabbing Debbie in the throat. “I’ll be watching you.” Sticking her fingers into her swollen eyelids, she forced them apart. “LOOK AT ME!”

  Howling, Debbie’s blood red eyes bulged out of their sockets. All she could focus on were the dark manic eyes burning into hers.

  “Don’t forget, I have absolutely no morals... NOW GET UP!”

  Wriggling onto her side, Debbie forced herself onto her hands and knees and tried to push herself into an upright position.

  “Ah wait....” Jane said, delivering a perfectly aimed upper cut to Debbie’s jaw that knocked her clean off her feet to land with a crash in the pile of broken crockery.

  “Perfect!” Smiling, she stamped on Debbie’s rib cage, feeling several ribs snap under her foot. “Stay there,” Jane shouted as she walked into the other room.

  Pulling herself into a foetal position, Debbie howled with pain and tried to raise her hand to her face. The bottom part of it hung loosely and she couldn’t close her mouth. Oh Jesus Christ. The psycho had bust her fucking jaw.

  Debbie desperately tried to stop the vomit coming up, but it was too late - it sprayed out of her mouth onto the floor. Oh God. She was going to die wasn’t she?

  Wishing she could pass out and stop the pain, Debbie’s stomach heaved again, the muscles pressing against her broken ribs and bile stung the cuts in her mouth.

  Hearing Jane’s return, she tried to open her eyes but they’d swollen completely shut. What was that smell?

  “Don’t try and turn me over again, you fat bitch,” Jane whispered.

  Debbie shook her head as much as she could. If she got out of this she was never doing this to herself again. Ever. Not in a million fucking years.

  “Good,” Jane muttered, “but just to make sure...”

  Debbie felt more cider being poured over her. It stung her face, eyes and cuts. No. NO! That was petrol! It was fucking PETROL! What the fuck? No. No. NO!

  Thrashing around on the floor, Debbie tried to move, to escape. The smell was overpowering. A horrible strangulated screaming noise emanated from her broken mouth.

  “Now,” Jane muttered, watching Debbie scrabble around in a pool of her own blood. “Where are the matches in this dump?”

  “You need matches, Princess?”

  Debbie froze. She knew that deep voice. Seth! He was here?

  “Fuck me, Debbie. You look even worse than usual. I didn’t think that was possible!” he drawled.

  Debbie heaved and retched again, but there was nothing left to come up.

  “I’ve been having a very nice time sitting in your lounge listening to everything,” Seth growled. “I could have done without seeing you with no kit on though!”

  Winking at Jane, he shook the box of matches right next to Debbie’s ear. “Let’s hope you understood everything my beautiful missus said to you?”

  Jane glanced at Seth and felt her heart start to race. When they’d finished here, she was going to fuck his brains out.

  “I said, DID YOU UNDERSTAND?” Seth roared.

  Debbie’s heart broke for the second, third, fourth and fifth time as the penny finally dropped. The man she was so in love with hated her fucking guts. He was standing in her flat, laughing at her wrecked face and naked broken body and she realised once more that she’d seriously underestimated the situation. With total shame she accepted her obsession had blinded her to reality and that she’d orchestrated her own downfall.

  Jane’s voice broke Debbie out of her train of thought. That and a sharp kick to the side of the head. “I didn’t hear you answer him?”

  Debbie struggled to remember the question.... Quickly, quickly, think, think, THINK! What was it? “I did understand, I’ll remember,” she mumbled and held her breath. Don’t let them light the match. Please, PLEASE don’t let them light the match.

  Jane’s arm snaked around Seth’s waist and he smiled. She’d done a corking job on this piece of shit alright, he thought looking into her bright and sparkling eyes. Too bright. Alive. Fuck, she was far too much like him!

  He felt a familiar ache in his groin and couldn’t wait to get the keys to the flat. No more sleeping in cars. No more bullshit. It would all be good from now on.

  Turning to Debbie, Seth whispered in her ear. “Suggest you get cleaned up, cunt. And remember....”

  When Jane traced her fingers over hi
s belt and down to his crotch, Seth shuddered with need and placed a hand on the small of her back. “Time to go.”

  Without a second glance at the bloodstained, broken body lying sobbing on the floor, the crunch of crockery underfoot faded away.

  The front door had hardly slammed before Jane unbuttoned Seth’s jeans, her mouth hungrily reaching for his. Pulling at her clothes and raising her skirt, Seth pushed her against the wall.

  FOURTEEN

  IT WAS TWO O’CLOCK by the time the last item had been deposited in their new flat. Straightaway Seth balanced the stereo on a tea chest and wired it in. He’d opened the large lounge windows that looked down on to the high street five storeys below and they’d got nicely stoned listening to a Led Zeppelin album.

  Jane wandered from room to room, marvelling at the space and smiled. Ok, so it wasn’t a big flat and it was a bit of a dump, but it was theirs.

  The dirty magnolia lounge walls were chipped and scuffed, with horrible dark brown curtains and the kitchen was sparse to say the least. There were a handful of stained white kitchen wall units, a rusted old sink and a cooker so crusted up with food it looked like it had been used as an incinerator. The main bedroom was at the end of the hallway and was big, although it didn’t have a wardrobe or curtains. The second bedroom was small, but they didn’t need it anyway.

  “I’ll sort some carpet out this week, baby,” Seth muttered, hefting one end of the bed frame onto his shoulder.

  Jane rummaged through a box and watched as Seth bolted the end of the bed together. Putting the idea of ripping his shirt off out of her mind, she brought her attention back to the job in hand.

  Walking down the hall, she eyed the piles of TVs and stereos stacked up on top of each other. “What you doing with all these?”

  A muffled reply came from the bedroom. “All these what?”

  “TVs and stuff.”

  “Selling them of course!”

  In the kitchen Jane opened one of the cupboards, but the door fell off and crashed to the floor with a thud. Muttering, she kicked it aside and began wiping down the internal shelf, scraping fossilised remains from the laminated wood.

  Seth dragged the mattress onto the finished bed. Standing back to admire his work, he smiled feeling rather pleased with himself. He’d even managed to locate some nice cotton sheets.

  Just one thing missing.

  He quickly stripped off. “JANE! Come here. I need you!”

  Getting impatient, Seth was just about to call again when Jane pushed the bedroom door open and walked in with two beers.

  “Thought you might want anoth.....” Jane stopped seeing Seth naked with his arms outstretched.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Time to christen our new place....”

  A smile played on Jane’s face as she quickly knelt down and took him into her mouth.

  Seth watched her red lips slide over him and groaned. Pulling her to her feet, he pressed his mouth hungrily down onto hers and removing her thin cotton halter neck dress, he threw her roughly onto the bed.

  Pushing Jane’s thighs apart with his knee, Seth followed her down onto the mattress.

  SITTING IN THE OAK APPLE with the others, Jane tapped her foot impatiently and glanced at her watch. Where the fuck was Seth? He’d explained he’d got to do a quick job, before flashing his killer smile and leaving the flat, but he’d said he’d meet her at the Oak at 8. That was over two hours ago...

  Everyone had been having a dig at her for being miserable, but she didn’t care. The first night in their new place and he’d gone AWOL. Sparking up yet another fag, she swallowed a couple more pills, alternating between being angry and worried. It wasn’t like Seth to be late for anything, especially where she was concerned and she hoped nothing had gone wrong.

  Slugging down the rest of her drink, Jane ignored the drivel Jake was spouting. She couldn’t be bothered to even listen. Deciding she’d kill Seth for ruining the evening when he finally showed up she forced herself out of the seat and stumbled unsteadily towards the toilets.

  SETH REVERSED THE SENATOR into one of the spaces behind the flat and sprinted up the stairs. He ripped off his blood-stained shirt, launched it into the corner and ran into the bathroom.

  Looking in the mirror, he pulled on a clean T-shirt and eyed the swelling flesh around his left eye and scowled. That bastard had somehow managed to get one on him. Sluicing cold water over his face, he washed his hands and went into the kitchen, drying his face on his T-shirt.

  Grabbing a beer from the fridge Seth drank it down greedily. That job had proved to be a bit trickier than he’d expected. Still it was sorted now.

  Almost.

  Running his fingers through his wayward curls, Seth glanced at his cut knuckles then left the flat in the direction of the Oak Apple.

  LEAVING THE TOILETS, Jane saw Seth’s familiar figure leaning against the bar with his back to her. Storming over, she poked him hard. “Where the fuck have you been?”

  As Seth turned to face her, Jane’s anger abated at the sight of the swollen, blackening flesh around his eye. She reached up and touched his face, making him wince. “What happened?”

  “Not now,” Seth passed her a vodka and frowned. “How drunk are you?”

  “Drunk enough!” Jane snapped, her temper flaring at Seth’s questioning.

  Pouring the pint of lager down his throat, Seth waved the empty glass in the direction of the bar maid, who scuttled off to refill it.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Jane hissed through gritted teeth.

  Glancing at the two men stood to one side staring, Seth dug his fingers painfully into Jane’s shoulder. “Listen, I told you not now. We’ll discuss it later. I just want a fucking drink alright?”

  Taking her glass, Jane walked out the door for some air. She stood around the side of the pub and breathed the cool night into her lungs in an attempt to calm down.

  Seth watched Jane disappear. What was she playing at? He didn’t need her kicking off. He knew he’d fucked up by doing that job tonight, but he wouldn’t put up with her pulling a paddy.

  Pouring the remains of the fresh pint into his mouth, Seth slammed the glass onto the bar and rapidly moved across the room.

  AS PAUL HAD MADE HIS way up the Black Eagle he’d been glad to see Jane stumble out of the Oak Apple. Whatever that nutter Seth had done or threatened him with, it hadn’t changed his feelings. He still fully intended to get her back.

  Having had a fair bit of time to reflect on life whilst his feet and hands healed, he’d reached the conclusion there would be no more ‘Mr Nice Guy.’ Furthermore, he’d heard what had happened to Debbie, but then, who hadn’t?

  After she’d finally got out of hospital she’d had to admit her whole plan to all and sundry. And the state of her. Dear God.

  Ok, so their plan had gone horribly wrong, but he was damned if he was giving up that easily. He’d give the fat cow a bit more time to lick her wounds and then get her back on side. After all, it was more than personal now. He owed Seth big time and would reclaim what was rightfully his. And if Debbie had any sense, she’d be right with him.

  Paul fumed silently watching as Seth moved quickly towards Jane. She’d been standing against the wall almost waiting for him, but now that cunt had shown up and ruined everything. As usual.

  He ran his shaking fingers through his lank hair. Now he’d have to go and visit his twat of a cousin.

  Swallowing nervously, Paul flattened himself further against the alley wall before slipping away.

  GRABBING JANE’S FACE, Seth slammed her against the wall. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going? Leaving me again are you?” Grasping the back of her hair, he crushed her harder against the wall with his body.

  Like a drug pumping through her veins, Jane’s anger diminished feeling Seth against her. She held on to him tightly and sighed. Why was he so goddamn paranoid? She was crazy about him!

  A smile passed fleetingly across Seth’s mouth. “I’m pr
obably going to piss you off a lot more later.”

  Pushing away slightly, Jane’s eyebrow arched. “Why?”

  “Don’t worry about that now,” Seth leant down to kiss her, but she moved away.

  “What is it this time?” she snapped sarcastically. “Got someone else up the duff?”

  Seth’s face darkened as he dragged her into one of the many back alleys. “That’s not even slightly funny, Jane.”

  “You going to murder me now then? Well go on big man! You sure there’s room in the boot?” Jane laughed cruelly and delivered a hard slap to Seth’s face. “Come on then!”

  Seth placed his hands around Jane’s throat. “I’d love to kill you Jane, but you know as well as I do that I can’t live without you, so I’m going to fuck you hard instead.” Freeing himself from his jeans, he pulled her dress up and pushed her back against the wall.

  Inhaling sharply as her hand ran firmly up his length, Seth pushed his fingers roughly into Jane, finding her ready. “The only person I’ll be getting pregnant sweetheart is you.”

  FIFTEEN

  LEANING AGAINST THE SHINY black tank of a Harley Davidson, Jane arched her back and fluffed out her hair. She turned her head slightly to the side and stared into the camera.

  “Perfect!” the man smiled as the flash fired.

  Swivelling around, she sat astride the bike, her tight leather skirt riding up to show the tops of her fishnet stockings. Pressing herself against the chrome, she raised an eyebrow.

  Although Seth moaned incessantly about these photo shoots, Jane had been doing them for years and she wasn’t about to stop doing them for anyone, including him. He was hardly holier-than-thou with his line of work and besides, they needed the money. She’d been really chuffed when she’d got that office job, but not all things were what they seemed. Her new boss was creepy and the place did her head in.

  Glancing at the clock on the wall, she wondered how much longer this shoot would take. She’d got to get home and meet Eliza and Maggie at 7.30. They’d got a party on tonight and of course, the wedding tomorrow.