%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
A story about secrets, deceit, betrayal, suspense, murder, survival and love. |
|
"Kelly" (now Getting Even) is (was) my first short story, now turned novel and is only growing as I go. I've never written before in my life and not just saying that for high praises or sympathy - simply a fact. But man, am I enjoying every minute of it! It's addictive in fact! Worse than any drug, well no that's not true as pretty much every drug is just mind altering and fucks you up. So yes, I'm a newbie on this site, but listen, I've been pretty damn active since I joined the community on the 4th Dec. I've already given over 69 reviews and have received well over 40 reviews myself. Therefore, I'd really, really like you to check out my novel below and review it. Even if you can only do one chapter or just the prologue, it all helps. I know it's long and you probably can't be bothered, but before I delve further into my new found addiction and finish this story, (annoying my wife as I type away in the early hours of the night), I would like to be shown what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. Many thanks and enjoy! :) Read, enjoy and review please!!! :) |
| Chapter 4 Tuesday, 22nd December: Work that day wasn't as good. Not good at all. I put it down to the mood I was in. I was terribly bad tempered and the whole staff and office knew it. I was highly respected by my staff and usually so uplifting and inspiring, that seeing me like that was like a blow to the face. Most of the staff and my close colleagues just shied away, as if they knew they'd get an explosion in response. Sales were terrible that day of course too. In fact, it got so bad, that I told my assistant Lisa that I wasn't feeling well and was leaving for the day. She vigorously nodded her head in agreement as I knew she would and I slipped out without being seen and headed home at about three in the afternoon. oOo I still hadn't recovered from the night before, I couldn't shake off the pictures in my head, taunting me and flashing at me throughout the day. It was madness. I was completely lost in a world of lust, passion and desire all mixed up in disgust, hate and guilt. The night with Kelly had been everything, if not more than I had ever imagined. Yet now I felt ill. I sat at my desk, looking through some papers I needed to review and sign, but couldn't get Kelly out of my head! Fuck! This is crazy I told myself. We had done everything that night. It was every man's dream come true. She was a charming creature of lust and beauty, but also very, very, very... talented. We chatted a lot in the hours I spent with her. She learned everything about me and I learned everything about her. In fact, I think I told her things I've never told anyone, not even Rick or Cara. It was an intoxicatingly dangerous experience and I loved every minute of it, until I started to sober up when I got home. When I climbed into bed and saw Cara sleeping peacefully, it almost broke my heart. And that's when what I had done hit me, and hit me fucking hard. I'd cheated on my wife. On my kids. On my entire life. And now I couldn't escape her. Kelly was everywhere and everything. I tried to concentrate on those damn papers, but couldn't. My mind was reeling! Pictures and emotions flowing without control. Fuck this I thought. I threw down the papers, got up to look out my big office window for a while, brooding over what I was going to do. I had to fix this. I had to make this right somehow. I wasn't a monster. I was a good man, a good husband... or... at least I used to be. I had to fix this. But how? I couldn't just tell Cara... she'd kill me. Even worse, she'd want to divorce, take the kids and I'd lose her and everything...I couldn't let that happen. Man up Mike for Christ's sake. You fucked up, so now you're going to handle it I told myself. I needed to confront Kelly and end it. Forget anything happened and get her out of my life. I'll even pay her if I have to. Anything. That shouldn't be too hard. What was terrifying was the thought of telling Cara... But it had to be done. I gathered my things, got wrapped up for the bitter December cold and with no explanation to my secretary, headed out. oOo Cara got back to her house around three-thirty and threw herself on the bed. I laid there for what felt like hours, in my work clothes, not caring about anything. Why am I so depressed and upset? Sure, I was having fights with Mike, but they weren't that serious. We've had worse before... But I knew... it was those hidden, dark thoughts I buried that kept nibbling at me, telling me something was wrong, that Mike didn't love me, that I was ugly and worst of all, that he must be seeing someone else... I shook my head as if to shake the demons away, but they wouldn't. They taunted me no end. I shot up from the bed in aggravation, as if doing so would put my attention elsewhere, but found myself looking at our wedding photo on the chest of draws directly ahead of me, thinking how happy we were back then. I want that back. I want that back now... I decided to give Mike a call. I didn't care he was at work. I just wanted to talk to him. He told me to never call his cell at work, and instead always call his secretary as he kept his cell for business calls only during work hours. That little rule of his made me even more suspicious. His secretary Lisa, a nice girl, answered: "Mr. Carson's desk, how can I help you?" "Oh hey Lisa, it's Cara." "Oh hello Mrs. Carson!" Lisa said cheerily "Nice to hear from you. How can I help?" she asked, as though she knew not to talk socially. "Thanks Lisa... listen, is... Mike there? I urgently need to speak to him." "Erm... Mr Carson actually left about half an hour ago... though come to think of it, he didn't say where he was going I'm afraid..." she genuinely sounded puzzled herself. "Oh right...Would he have gone to a meeting you think?" "I presume so, but again I'm afraid he didn't say... I could call him if you like, but I presume you already did?" she told me, helpfully. 3:30pm and Mike just left work...I knew he wasn't doing great and was generally unhappy there, but he wouldn't just walk off like that? Where the hell would he go without telling anyone, even his secretary? The mood I was in and the thoughts in my head didn't make it look good for Mike... didn't look good at all. My raging emotions were going wild with rage... To hell with his rule I thought. I was going to call him and he would better have a damn good explanation. oOo I had just arrived outside Hasbro when my cell phone rang. I pulled it out of my jacket and looked at the phone in disbelief. It was Cara. Why the hell was she calling me on my cell during work hours? We had agreed, only emergencies... Shit! Shit! Now what? What if it was a real emergency? But then maybe she's found out about Kelly somehow? But I couldn't talk to her. I continued to stare at Cara's smiling face of her calling ID, undecided and a feeling of disloyalty, and then after making up my mind, I put my cell - still ringing - back in my jacket pocket, not wanting to confront what to say or how to explain anything or tell anymore lies. At that point, I needed to focus. Take it one step at a time Mike I told myself. I had to deal with Kelly first. I walked through the sliding doors. oOo Mike's cell just kept ringing and ringing, I must have tried him at least 5 times before eventually giving up. But it was odd; he would always answer his cell for calls from the firm and always answered me when I did call knowing it would be something urgent or an emergency. That was the damn agreement! I gave up after an hour and focused on handling my nausea, doing some chores - the kid's laundry, general clean-ups and so on. It kept me busy and let my mind focus on the present, as opposed to my unstable emotions. She would pick up Jack and Becky from school soon so at least she'd have some company. Due to Cara's predicted extra hours at the office over the next few days, she arranged a friend to pick her kids up from school if needed and look after them till she got back. Cara hadn't told Mike about this though as Cara always picked them up, so it was irrelevant to her. Besides, they hadn't even spoken properly for days. Cara literally bumped into her new friend Downtown on Sunday. Her kids were with her, as they were doing some extra Christmas shopping while Mike hung out with Rick. They got chatting and it turned out that she was the daughter of one of Cara's old High school friends. Her name was Kelly. She helped pick up Jack and Becky from school on Monday as both Mike and Cara worked late that day. She called Kelly to let her know she would pick her kids up today and not to worry. She thanked her for her help anyway and hung up. Cara liked Kelly, but she was a little too attractive for her liking. She wrapped up what she was doing and headed out the house to pick up her kids from school. She didn't want to be late and knew it would be a nice surprise for them too. She arrived outside the school about 20 minutes later. Jack and Becky were waiting outside with their backpacks. "Where's Kelly?" Jack asked. "I finished work early today, so decided I might as well pick you guys up. You should be happy you own mother is here, you know?" Cara told her son, sternly. "I know Mom, just I like her a lot. And she's pretty too." Her son replied. "Yeah... she is that." Cara uttered with a hint of bitterness. "Mom, did you know Kelly works at Hasbro? Isn't that awesome? We even saw her there before you met her on Saturday with dad!" Jack said excitedly. Cara frowned, thinking that was a little odd, but decided it was a coincidence. Another hour passed and the kids arrived, jumping around, fighting, playing, complaining - the usual routine after school. Cara cooked an early dinner. She was exhausted and needed to rest. Another hour passed and no word from Mike. I tried his secretary again, but she told me he still hadn't shown up and was not answering any of her calls either. I called his cell again and this time left a voice message asking him to call me back. I sent him a text too, but again there no response - though they were definitely making it through. Was I just being paranoid? I asked myself. He's probably just in an urgent meeting away from the office. But then Lisa would know for sure. I knew Mike and he would usually always answer, even when we're fighting. He'd still let me know if he would be late or kept at work. Another few hours passed. It was 7:30pm, and there definitely should have been a sign of him by then. I started to worry and my suspicion was only increasing. Those dark hidden thoughts were raging again, telling me things, things I didn't want to think... Maybe he's cheating on you? No. Come on Cara, of course he is! No! He's having an affair. No! Yes, he's with somebody else and you damn well know it! No! No! No! The kids were playing some new game they got on Saturday, but I rushed up to my room, not wanting them to see me, closing the door behind me, and with my back against the door, I slowly, apathetically, slid down to the ground, crying my eyes out with my head and hair in my hands. I hadn't cried that much in years. I'd lost control of my emotions and just let it all out. Once I settled down and was no longer a wreck, I ushered my kids into their bedrooms, read them each their favourite Christmas tale and waited till they both drifted off. Then collapsed in my own bed and decided to forget about everything and managed to drift off myself, though that night I wouldn't sleep peacefully. oOo I slowly came to, my eyes stinging with sweat, attempting to adjust to the surroundings, but all I could see were patches within blackness, as if something was over my eyes. I couldn't recall anything or even where I'd been. I tried to adjust to the strange darkness, but couldn't somehow. I suddenly wanted to gag and realized something had been shoved deep down my throat. I tried to cough it out, but the more I tried, the more I choked and wanted to gag. I felt delirious, weak and my senses were withered. My head throbbed with agonizing pain... I felt something warm, trickling down the back of my head...it felt soaked... I tried to move my hands to inspect, but found I couldn't. They were tied behind me, whatever material digging deep into my wrists. Then it dawned on me. The darkness wasn't just the room, I had been blindfolded. Suddenly I felt the very soft fabric over my eyes, so loose and soft, I could hardly feel a thing. Where the fuck am I? What's happening? I thought. I sat there in writhing pain and started to thrash about in panic, not understanding what was happening. I wanted to scream, but couldn't and when I tried, it made me sick and I wanted to gag again. My full senses and memory seeped back moments later, and then I remembered where I had been and one single thought struck me. Kelly. Where's Kelly? oOo "No... no.... no!!!!!" I screamed and woke at the same time, my body shaking and drenched. I realized I'd been having a bad nightmare. I don't recall the detail of it, like a thought suddenly lost, but I knew it was about Mike and something terrible, but I didn't know what, yet at the same time, I felt guilt too, a lingering thought that I had done something unspeakable... I shook it off and got out of bed, wiping my sweat on a towel from my restroom. I noticed myself in the mirror, and was compelled to just stand there, gazing at my reflection as if I were seeing myself for the first time. What is wrong with me? Why am I acting like this? I just sensed something was wrong. It was midnight and I realized Mike still wasn't back... I looked outside to see if his Chevy was there, but it wasn't. Alert and awake now, I threw my gown on and ran downstairs to check around the house. Nothing. He wasn't home. I trotted back up the stairs to get my cell and call him. Straight to voicemail. I started shaking once more, almost petrified now and not knowing what to do. I then called Lisa again, this time on her mobile as I figured she would be at home, to find out if she'd heard anything. She picked up after many rings and a little confused, said "Mrs Carson...? It's...past midnight... what's wrong?" "Yeah, really sorry Lisa, don't worry, just checking on Mike. He's still not back yet and I thought you might have heard something?" "No...no...sorry Mrs. Carson, not a word since he left the office this afternoon... I did try him many times as you know, but his cell went straight to his answer machine. If it's urgent, maybe you could try one of the trustees, Fred for example, Fred Hanks, he might know where he is." Fred Hanks? God, I didn't want to talk to Fred, neither Mike or I liked him. He'd worked at the firm for over thirty years, but when he was certain he'd get CEO and didn't, he'd been bitter about it ever since. "Thanks Lisa, you've been a real help, and sorry again for waking you." She told me it was no problem and she'd call me if she heard anything at all, as well as an attempt at reassuring me Mike was fine and probably just on an urgent business matter. I agreed, said my thanks again and hung up. Then I dialled Fred. He answered after the second ring. "Jesus.... Mrs Carson...?" he said irritated, "why on earth are you calling me this time of night?" I didn't blame him, but didn't get into it, as I was even more panicked after hearing Lisa still hadn't heard from Mike. "Sorry Fred, but it's urgent. Have you seen Mike today?" "Well yes, of course, he was in the office this morning, but I didn't see him after that. In fact, he stormed out this afternoon without so much as a damn peep!" he said, sounding irritated with Mike as always. "You know he really should take his position at the firm seriously..." The rest of his words trailed off as I started to tremble, my hands almost dropping my cell phone. My heart was racing, thumping so hard I could practically hear it. Without control, I began to cry again. "My dear, what are you crying for? What's wrong? I didn't mean to offend Mrs. Carson, I was just saying-" "No, no, it's not you Fred...I'm...so..sorry, it's just...just, I've not seen or heard from Mike all day and no one seems to know where he is! He's never done this before and I'm just freaking out a little." "Oh dear... I'm sure he's fine, I wouldn't worry too much. Surely you know Mike more than I, you know how he can be sometimes, going off with old friends of his..." he said. And just then, I thought of Mike's closest friend. Rick! "Rick!" I said out loud, forgetting I was still on the phone. "Who?" "Mike's friend. Thanks Fred. I've got to go!" "But-" Fred said, but I had already cut him off. I phoned Rick, but he didn't answer. I tried his wife, Suzie, but she didn't answer either! Jesus, why isn't anyone answering their god damned phones! I said to myself. I was deeply annoyed and getting very impatient. Damn this phoning around nonsense. Rick and Suzie only lived about 15 minutes away, in South End of New Hampshire. I might as well drive there. He was Mike's best friend and Suzie and I got on okay, so they shouldn't mind. Rick was a little too dirty minded for my liking and could be a bad influence on Mike at times, but he was a good man at heart, a trusted friend and would never betray Mike. So I would trust him too, though I would later find myself pretty pissed with Rick to say the least. I ran towards the stairs leading down, passing the corridor where Jack and Becky's bedrooms were and stopped. Hold on, what about the kids? I couldn't just leave them! Damn! My mind raced and then I had an idea. I could just call our new nanny to come round. She was nice enough, a little tarty I had to admit, but she would understand and she did tell me "Anything at all I could do to help Mrs. Carson. Anything at all, you just let me know." I'd taken those words seriously. With that decided, I looked through my contacts for her name, as I couldn't damn recall it in my panicked state, but after a while I did. Her name was Kelly. oOo It had felt like hours upon hours of utter silence and motionless, sitting in total darkness without the faintest clue as to where I was and what was happening and why. But I knew where I had been and could only conclude I'd been hit on the back of my head, very hard no doubt, and though I doubted it at the time; I knew it must have been Kelly. I was now fully awake and alert, which made everything worse - I could feel every ache in my body, every scrape, every gnawing bone and burning muscle, as if I'd been beaten repeatedly and shoved into a small box. The wetness on the back of my head, I could feel all too clearly now and the pain was excruciating, unlike any sensation I'd ever felt in my entire life. It was as though thousands of tiny drills had been stabbed into my skull and were still making their way, drilling through to the centre, ripping through tissue and bone. Though I couldn't feel the gash on my head, I knew it was there, the agony and spongy feeling I sensed was evidence enough, as well as the strong smell of raw iron, which hung in the cold, damp air. What terrified me the most was not knowing how bad the wound was. For all I knew, I could die at any moment. Sharp jolts of sheer, writhing pain rippled out from the gash in my head, pulsating repeatedly, sending waves of torment through every nerve in my body. I was even whimpering I recall, shedding tears every time the jolts of pain throbbed and shot from my head, feeling my tears trickle down my face and off the end of my chin. Though more alert now than when I had first awoke, I felt an overwhelming nausea due to the material deep inside throat, and mixed with the disorientation of darkness and not knowing where I was... well it was just a total, fucking nightmare believe me. I just wanted to die right then and there. In fact, I was pretty certain I was going to. Then I heard a door open, creaking loudly from what sounded like the far left side of the room. I heard the door creak again as it was gently closed, with a flip of a latch as it was locked. After a moment's silence, I heard slow, steady footsteps heading directly toward me, each creaking step getting louder and louder. Floorboards I thought. I'm in some fucking attic! Each footstep, as it came closer and closer, made me murmur and thrash about pathetically, not knowing what was coming, the tiny sounds escaping through the material in my throat, nothing more than whimpers in the brisk air. Then the creaking footsteps stopped. I sensed a presence directly in front of me, a faint scent of perfume. Kelly. Definitely Kelly I thought. Fucking bitch! Fucking bitch! Why is she doing this to me? But then maybe it is someone else? A boyfriend of hers? Then another silence, this time longer and I felt the eyes of the presence watching me. With that, I got angry, very, fucking angry. To hell with whoever was doing this to me I thought. I thought of Kelly and if this really was her... god, the rage and hatred welled up in within me like nothing else I'd ever felt or experienced. I didn't care what happened, but I wasn't going to go out without a fight. No fucking way. I had a family to return to. I writhed about again, not caring about my nausea and feeling of wanting to gag, I wanted to rip apart whoever was doing this to me, and no doubt Kelly I was certain. I screamed and screamed her name, over and over, my throat getting hoarser the more I screamed. There was no response and not even a sound. That pissed me off even more. "What the fuck do you want?" I tried to scream, but the sound coming forth was incomprehensible. I was just fuming with Kelly, but also myself for even getting into this mess in the first place. Mike, you're an asshole, I said to myself, you've really fucked up this time! Not only did you cheat on your wife, but now you're probably going to be killed by a complete psycho. I still felt the watchful eyes of the presence, wondering what they were doing, who they were and started to get paranoid. "Hello, Mike" A soft voice echoed throughout the room, coming from the presence right in front of me. It was Kelly's voice. I knew it. I thrashed about again, attempting to get at her and get out of the damn chair, but I was secured too tight and the more I jerked, the more my wrists were being sawed away by the rough material. I stopped and just screamed a maddening battle cry, some part of me wanting to release, wanting to kill. "Hush now, Mike, you don't want to hurt yourself anymore now, do you?" she said in a sickening, soothing voice. "And besides, I'm afraid I can't hear a fucking word you're saying. So calm down or I will make things a lot worse for you...a lot, lot worse." She said while reaching behind me and pressing what felt like her thumb, deep into my wound. I screamed and thrashed about, uncontrollably, my legs kicking furiously due to the vibrating waves of agony shooting throughout my body. "Just a little reminder for you to do what I say and not fuck with me again. You see, I'd like to see that masculine, handsome face of yours again and possibly have a nice little chat like the other night, but before I remove your blindfold and gag from your mouth, I need you to promise me you won't try anything funny. So nod your if you agree." I can't believe this is happening to me? I can't believe she's doing this to me! But I totally helpless. I had no doubt in my mind she wouldn't flinch at causing me more pain if I didn't do what she said. I nodded my head, vigorously in agreement. "Good man, I knew we'd make up quick," she said excitedly. "After all, we did fuck for hours the other night, didn't we? We really shared a moment didn't we Mike? I mean, it must have meant something, right?" She said, with a tinge of sarcasm. She's fucking nuts I thought. She's totally fucking out of her mind! How was I so stupid? I even sensed something was off with her, from the moment I met her at the mall, something dark and sinister. But I thought that shrugged it off as simply part of her seductive sexuality, nothing more. How wrong I was. "I'm going to remove your blindfold now and then the gag, ok? But remember, if you so much as move a fucking muscle or scream, I will make you regret it. I mean it Mike. So give me that manly nod of yours again so I'm certain we're on the same page." I had no other choice. I nodded my head again. First she removed the soft blindfold, her chest teasingly leaning on my head while she worked loose what must have been a tight knot. "There we go." I opened my eyes, but then instantly shut them hard, as my eyes painfully adjusted to the light within the room. Though the room was dim, it felt like my eyes were being scorched, right through my eyelids. After a minute, I managed to adjust to the light completely and then saw where I was for the first time. As I guessed, I seemed to be in an attic, with nothing at all inside, no carpets and no furniture. Just the chair I was tied to and one light bulb hanging from the middle of the room, which I assumed wasn't on before, until Kelly walked in. The attic was your typical garret structure, and now being able to see, I could smell the stale, dampness from the beams of wood above me, forming the base of the room. After surveying and oriented to the room, I found Kelly's eyes and glared at her. My eyes, I'm sure, were filled with the rage and disgust that I felt. I wanted to fucking kill her with my bare hands But I didn't dare move. Not yet. She was just smiling at me with her perfect teeth, and those gorgeous, big, brown eyes of hers. She was wearing some of those high-waist, skinny jeans, a blood-red top (to cover any blood stains no doubt) and a winter, wool coat of greys and browns. While on the outside, she looked just like when I first met her, I now knew her true colours. There was no beauty there any longer. Not that I could see. I only saw utter, raving madness. "Awww... Mikey, my poor baby. Please don't look at me like that, with those big blue eyes of yours. I'm just doing what a woman has to do, don't you understand? It's nothing personal....well actually, that's not entirely true. But that doesn't matter. I love you, Mike, and have some good plans for you. Plans you're really going to like. You just have to play along." I didn't understand at all. All I knew was I had a burning desire to kill her right there, grab her throat and strangle her to death. My eyes stayed fixed on hers. I wanted to know her every move from now on. "Ok, I'm going to remove the gag now, no loud noises like the other night you hear?" she said with a laugh. She yanked the cloth from my mouth, hard, and the sensation was repulsive, feeling like she'd pulled a huge snake from my throat. I immediately gagged and threw up into a bucket she had ready, as though she knew I would. Who the hell is this freak? Why'd I get the idea she's done this before... She took the gag from his throat, a t-shirt it seemed, and wiped whatever remains of puke from his mouth. She then folded it over to a dryer spot, and dabbed gently at his face. Mike glared at her, not trusting her in anyway and dubious to any and all of her movements. Not wanting to talk in fear of pain, Mike remained completely silent. And so did Kelly. She went out and came back with a black, banged-up little stool and another bucket. She set the stool down opposite Mike, perched her ass on the end of it, and then pulled it closer so that her body and his were within inches of each other. She then removed her winter coat and set it down to the side. She seemed to be hot, her skin above her neckline glistening with sticky sweat. Steam rose up from the bucket in front of Kelly and Mike could smell the strong perfumed soap. She squeezed a clean sponge in the bucket and happy it was soaked enough, dabbed it gently against his face. Mike flinched to the first touch, partly due to the sting of chemicals entering his bloody, dirty face, but also because he didn't know what Kelly's intentions were. Once Kelly was satisfied with Mike's face, she rinsed the sponge and then cleared away all the dried crust from under his eyes and the dried, matted blood he could feel in his hair and all the way down the back of his head and neck. She rinsed the rag again, and this time Mike could see all the dirt, blood and sweat being rinsed out into the bucket. Dry flakes of crusted blood floated at the surface. Seeing his own blood made Mike feel sick, being t In all that time, Kelly remained completely silent. The whole routine was absurd, with the delicate care she took with each dab to his face. Mike was confused and didn't get it. "Enough of the games Kelly. What the hell do you want from me?" Mike finally managed. "Thank God for that. I didn't know how long we could both keep that up." Kelly remarked. "I don't really want anything from you, Mike, I just want you. All of you. Your life, everything." "What the hell does that mean?" Mike replied. "It means just what I said. I want you to marry me, live with me and love me." Mike was dumbfounded. "Are you fucking crazy? After this, you expect me to be with you? I made it very clear that I made a big mistake and couldn't see you anymore. And then you do this!" Mike said, raising his voice. "I'm sorry, Mike, but you were trying to leave me and I wasn't going to allow that. We have something and I'm not going to let you take that away from us." "You're fucking crazy. We have nothing and never will. So let me out of this chair and I'll think about lessening the charges against you. Half the police will be looking for me by now, you do realize that right? What was your plan? Try and kill me and then we'd make up and live happily ever after?" Kelly twitched suddenly, her face written with contempt. "How dare you say such things, Mike. We did have something, but then you ruined it. So now you're going to pay. I just have to deal with your wife and kids first." Kelly said with menace. Mike tried to get at her, screaming and shouting, "Don't you fucking dare touch my family! I'll kill you. I'll kill if you so much as lay a finger on them!" he spat. "Too late Mikey. It just so happens that Cara and I have become friends recently and your little brats love the hell out of me, especially little Jack. Cara just called me now in fact, desperate for someone to look after your kids tonight. She said something about it being urgent and having to find you." Kelly smiled. "God, it was so easy befriending your wife, being as lonely as she was. I bet she never even once mentioned we'd met did she?" "No..." Mike murmured, looking down at his knees. Mike was shocked and in a panic. Cara knows Kelly? he thought. And if she's letting her look after the kids at this time, she must be freaked out and desperate. But worst of all, it meant Cara somehow trusted her and that's what worried Mike even more. Mike looked back up at Cara's smiling, sinister face. "How? How did you meet my wife?" "Easy. I bumped into her in town; we got chatting and then through some prior research, mentioned I was the daughter of one of her old school friends. A close friend's daughter can always be trusted you know? The fact you too don't talk ever helped. Oh well, I kind of liked her, feisty bitch isn't she?" Mike felt sick all over again. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what she was going to do. "What are you going to do with my family?" "Don't worry. I'm just going to give your dearest Cara a nasty surprise when she returns. This is all your fault Mike, you know that right? You should have been closer and more caring of your family. This is a lesson for our future." "Please Kelly. Don't hurt them. We can resolve this. What do you want? Money?" Mike pleaded, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Money? No, this was never about money Mike. This is about you and me." Kelly bent forward and gently kissed Mike and his forehead, then stood up, grabbed her winter coat from the side and headed towards the door. Mike was beside himself, thrashing about again trying to get out of the chair and stop her. He was terrified at what she was intending to do. He screamed and screamed her name, "Kelly, don't do this! Don't you fucking touch my family! I'll do anything. Anything! Just don't hurt them please." Kelly stopped near the door, half-turned and said, "I know Mike. But you hurt my feelings. So now I'm going to hurt yours." "No! No!" Mike screamed. "Oh, and that reminds me. You've broken our little agreement." She walked out of the room and came back with what looked like a small potato knife and a t-shirt. She jammed the t-shirt down his throat and then without as much as a hint, stabbed the knife deep into his right knee, all the way till she felt it hit the femur. Mike's eyes went wide with the sheer pain of the knife, and Kelly smiled, listening to his muffled and screaming agony. "I did warn you." Kelly walked off, hit the light and locked the door behind her. oOo Kelly arrived at River Road, the residence of the Carson's. She was about to park up right outside 759, but decided to park further away to avoid any cameras catching her license plate. She found a discreet area five minutes away and parked. She walked the rest of the way. The Carson's house was pretty big, but not in your face, Kelly thought. It had blue and white paneled wood, which gave it a modern, yet traditional American look. Kelly walked over the gravel towards the blue door ahead of her. She found the bell, a hanging string with a little Smiley face as its end and pulled it. Cara immediately opened the door. "Oh Kelly, thank God you're here! I'm really sorry about all of this, but it's pretty urgent and I didn't have anyone else who could help." Cara and Kelly hugged quickly. Kelly said "It's really not a problem Cara. I did say I'd help with anything you needed." Cara took Kelly's coat and hung it on the hooks by the door and lead Kelly to the living room. Kelly was soaked through, her thick, curly hair plastered against her brow. Cara said "I'm just going to wake the kids so they know what's going on. Make yourself at home." Cara ran upstairs. Kelly looked around the living room. It was a basic, stylish living room, two big sofas and an arm chair, with a glass coffee table in the middle. Her gaze found a cabinet with a number of photo frames perched on top. One was with Mike, Cara and both their kids. Another was just Mike and Cara. Kelly picked it up to look more closely. It was probably years ago, Kelly thought, as they seemed so happy and full of life and she knew a photo of them now wouldn't look the same. She put the photo face down, feeling a surge of jealousy within her. Cara came back down with Jack and Becky to her side, both incredibly tired and yawning, while wiping at their eyes. Jack stood gazing at Kelly, but Becky stood sheepishly, hugging her mother's leg, looking down at the ground and back again at Kelly. Cara bent down and with her hands on her kid's shoulders, said, "Mommy has to do something really important now. Kelly's going to look after you while I'm gone. I shouldn't be long. Please behave and just go back to sleep, all right?" Jack nodded vigorously while still beaming at Kelly. Unnoticed by Cara, Kelly put a finger to her lips and winked at Jack, he winked back. Becky wasn't pleased and said to her mother, "But, why you have to leave now mommy?" "Because it's really urgent, honey. Mommy has to fix something." Cara replied with her best attempt at explaining the situation to her daughter. In fact, she thought maybe she should just go in the morning... But then Rick will be at work and she felt it would be too late by then for some reason. "Can we not just come with you?" Becky asked. "No, honey. This is adult business only. Don't worry, just go back to sleep and I should be back in a few hours. If you need anything, Kelly will be down here and get you anything you need. Won't you Kelly?" Cara looked to Kelly and Becky followed her mother's gaze. Kelly came over and said soothingly, "That's right Becky. I'll be right here if you need anything at all, you don't have to worry about a thing." At that, Becky looked into Kelly's eyes, and for a strange moment, Kelly thought the little girl could sense something was wrong. Kelly was worried Becky might say something that would change Cara's mind, but she nodded in agreement instead. Cara hugged both her kids and with Kelly's help, got them back in bed. Cara kissed them both goodnight and in Becky's room, just before she turned the light off; Becky asked "Is this about Daddy mom? Where's Daddy?" The look of hurt in her daughter's eyes almost made Cara weep right there, but she maintained herself and decided to go with the truth. Her daughter had the right to know. "Yes, honey, it is. But don't worry; everything's going to be ok. Daddy's ok." Becky didn't reply and turned over to go to sleep. Car switched off the light. They walked back downstairs and Cara got her coat and wrapped herself up good, knowing it was pouring outside and biting cold. "Thanks again Kelly for doing this. I really appreciate it. Please do look after them ok? I should only be a few hours at the most." Kelly nodded and said "It's fine; you go do what you need to. The kids will be fine. But if you don't mind me asking, where are you even going?" Cara was about to tell her she was going to Rick's, but she decided not to and told her instead, "Just a close friend of mine. Someone that I think can help." Kelly was disappointed Cara wasn't more specific. Knowing where she was going exactly would be very useful. Never mind, she thought, it doesn't make a difference. Cara headed out the door and Kelly, from the living room window, watched Cara get in her car and reverse out into the dark, cold night and drive away. Kelly smiled and thought, silly bitch. She hasn't a clue. Kelly walked up the stairs and went into Jack's bedroom. Jack must have heard her approach, as he switched his table lamp on. "Are you ready to play, Jack?" Jack beamed and said "Yeah." "Good. Go get your sister all right?" "Ok." Jack shot out of his bed to do just that. oOo Mike remained slumped in the chair, unconscious. He had passed out only minutes after Kelly had stabbed him and left the room. The blood continued to flow from the wound in his thigh, each drop forming a pool of blood below him on the wooden floorboards. oOo It took longer than Cara had hoped to get to Rick's. She had their address and punched it into her car's sat nav, however it seemed to take a long route and she arrived a little after one in the morning. She parked up right outside their house and made a slow jog to their front door. Cara looked up and noticed no lights were on in the house. Shit, she thought, they better damn well be in. Cara rang the bell and waited impatiently, shifting her feet one to the other in anticipation. There was no response, so she rang the bell again. She looked up at the windows where she figured they might be sleeping, while ringing the bell again, and then saw a light come on. "Thank god," she sighed. After a moment, a very disgruntled and pissed off Rick opened the door. He was wearing stripy underwear shorts, an open robe and a black t-shirt with the words "My Pen Is Huge" scrawled across it. His usually well-groomed beard was all over the place. Jesus, he looks worse than I, Cara thought. 'Cara...?" Rick said, while squinting his eyes and yawning at the same time. "What the hell are you doing here?" Cara didn't waste any time. She walked past Rick into the house. "Is Mike here? Where's Mike?" she demanded while looking around the house as if she was hoping he would be there. Rick scratched his beard, "Mike...? Cara, what the hell are you talking about? Why would Mike be here? What the fuck is going on?" Rick said, now not only tired, but utterly confused. "It's Mike. He left work early and hasn't been seen since. No one at his work knows where he is either. And he's not come home." Cara cried. Rick came to a little, sensing the genuine alarm in Cara's voice. "Oh... shit. Well, here's not here, Cara. I've not seen him since Sunday. You've tried calling him obviously?" Rick walked into the kitchen and Cara followed. "Yes, since I got back from work and it's going straight to answer machine. I've tried his secretary and one of his partners, and neither of them has seen him or heard from him." Cara put her head in her hands and those nasty thoughts came flooding back to her. He's left you for someone one else. He's probably with her right now. She walked up to Rick and turned him around forcefully while he was making some kind of drink. "Mike. Tell me honestly right now. Is Mike having an affair? You're the only one he ever really talks to and his only close friend. If he would tell anyone, it would be you. So tell me." Cara demanded, with coldness to her voice. Rick looked scared shitless of Cara. He looked down, avoiding all eye contact. "Cara-" "Don't Cara me, Rick. I know you know something. Tell me the damn truth right now!" Cara said, raising her voice now. Then another women's voice called out from what sounded liked the top of the stairs, "Rick, honey? Who's there? What's going on?" "Its okay, Suzie. It's just Cara. She's here about Mike." Suzie walked down the stairs at that and found them in the kitchen. She was in a bright pink robe, all her bright red hair tied up tight, "Cara, what's the matter, honey? Why are you here?" "Mike's not come home and she doesn't know where he is." Suzie looked puzzled. "Oh no, that's awful..., but then why the shouting?" Cara glared at Rick, and Rick tried to avoid her gaze again. Suzie noticed, "Rick? Do you know something about Mike?" she demanded. Rick mumbled something, "Rick! What do you know and why aren't you saying? Cara, the poor thing has come all this way as she clearly thinks you know something." Rick gave in. "Listen, I don't know where he is, honestly, but he did tell me about some... girl... he met at the mall on Saturday. But that was it. They weren't even seeing each other, it was just some chick at the mall he said had hit on him and given her number. But that was all. I'm sure it doesn't mean anything. Mike's better than that. I know him." Cara slumped back against the kitchen surface behind her, the shock of finally hearing the truth of her husband's doubts. She was motionless, staring hard at the ground. Suzie looked hard at her husband and said, "And what did you say to him, Rick?" Rick looked even more terrified at that, squirming inwards. "Rick! You damn well explain yourself. What did you say?" "I said forget her of course and to man-up and handle things at home or live to regret it. I swear." Rick rebuked. Suzie nodded slowly, while staring into her husband's eyes trying to make up her mind if he was telling the truth. Satisfied, she smiled slightly and said "Good man. I believe you, baby. But tell us more, who was this woman he was talking about? He must have said something else." Suzie said. "No... Fuck, I'm sorry Cara. I really am, but he didn't say much at all. Just what I've already told you." "Not even a name?" Rick thought about it, but after a moment, said "No. Just that he saw some chick that gave him her number from the mall. That was it." Rick said, innocently. Cara was still staring at the ground. To her, it was enough of a hint that her marriage was over, that nothing would be the same from then on. Suzie tried to lighten her up, "Oh, Cara, I'm sure it isn't what you think, honey. Mike wouldn't do that to you, surely." That was the problem, Cara thought, she wasn't entirely sure anymore what Mike would do. Not wanting to say those words, she gave Suzie an all-knowing-look instead, which clearly said otherwise. Rick suddenly walked off towards a set of stairs that must have lead upstairs, while he said, "No, fuck this. Mike wouldn't do this to you, Cara. Let me give him a call. I told him specifically to watch out and he listens to me. Give me a sec." Suzie put a caring hand to Cara's shoulder in support, not knowing what else to say. Rick came back a moment later and said, "No answer, straight to voice mail." "I hate to ask, Cara, but have you thought of the possibility... something else might have happened... like... well, you know, an accident or something?" Suzie said with trepidation. Cara didn't think of that possibility in truth. Here she was, already assuming Mike was just out cheating on her, when in reality he could be in deep trouble. She came out of her slumber a little and decided to call the local hospital. After a number of rings, Cara connected, while Suzie and Rick stood by in anticipation, listening to every word. "Ok, thank you very much. Good night." Cara hung up, and dropped her hand apathetically, shaking her head. "He's not there." "I hate to say it, Cara, but you might want to call the police, just in case." Suzie stated softly. Cara nodded slowly in response. Suzie was right. She may as well, just in case it was something much worse. But Cara very much doubted that, and firmly believed now that Mike was with someone. She felt humiliated and hurt, anger and pain boiling within her at the thought of her husband doing this to her and their kids. That anger burned even more and something within her, Cara decided to get to the bottom of it. Treat this like a big sales deal with a client, take it layer at a time till the client is left full exposed and can't help but go ahead with the deal. She just had to find those layers. There was a determination and righteousness within her now. A goal you could say. She would find out where her husband is and kick the crap out of whomever little slut he was with. She didn't care. At least it made her feel better, the idea of finding him with someone and then making a huge show out of it. "Thanks guys, I'm sorry I bothered you. I'm going to head back and give the police a call like you said. Nothing else I can do at this point." Cara lied to them both. Suzie and Rick nodded their heads in agreement. "I'll swing by tomorrow to check on you and see what else I can do to help, ok?" Rick said. Cara said "No, you don't have to do that, Rick. I'll be fine." "No. I feel responsible. Mike's my friend and family too. And besides, if he's in any serious trouble, then there's no way I'm just gonna' sit back with my dick in my hands." Suzie shot him an approaching look. "Sorry, you know what I mean." Cara smiled. She had to give him that; she hadn't smiled for a good few days. "Ok, Rick. Thanks. If he still doesn't show this evening, then I'll tell my work first thing so I should be at home. We'll stay in touch." Cara hugged Suzie and gave Rick a smile and headed for the door, but then stopped with a sudden thought that came to her. "What store in the mall did you say, Mike, saw this chick?" Rick frowned. "I didn't, but come to think of it now... he may have mentioned Hasbro - the toy store, though I'm not sure." Cara nodded. That did sound right, considering it was the kid's favorite shop in the mall. But there was something more to Hasbro that she couldn't put her finger on. She was incredibly tired and so dropped it. "Thanks, Rick. And sorry again guys. Have a good night." They wished her good night and waved her off. Cara headed out, got in her car and headed back to her house in North End. It was raining heavily, the rain hitting her roof and making hell of a noise. Cara kind of liked it. She couldn't help thinking about the mall for some reason and Hasbro. Something about it was nagging her at the back of her mind, like a thought or knowledge connected to it; she couldn't grasp or had slipped away. As it was late, there was little to no traffic, though she still had to stop at each set of traffic lights. She started thinking about her kids and what they would think and how devastated they would be to hear their father had an affair. Not that Cara would tell them of course, but she knew they weren't stupid. Especially, Jack. He was a smart kid and would figure it out. And then suddenly, Cara slammed on the brakes, her car screeching to a stop, as she finally recalled her nagging thought. Jack, she thought. "Mom, did you know Kelly works at Hasbro! Isn't that awesome? We even saw her there before you met her on Saturday with dad!" Oh my god. Cara thought. Oh my god. Kelly. Car hit the acceleration and drove past the speed limit, through the remaining red lights, swinging round corners as fast as she could. She didn't care at all. She had to get back home quick. She was in an utter panicked state, not wanted her sudden conclusion to be the truth. She knew she'd just passed red lights and would probably get some speeding tickets, but again didn't care. Her family might be at stake. She was now in Downtown now, which was only 10 minutes from North End, and started to speed up even more. She rounded another corner, tyres burning in the rain on asphalt in doing so, when she then noticed flashes of red and blue behind her, followed behind the unmistakable bleep of a cop car's siren. Shit! Are you kidding me? Not now! She thought. She looked in her rear-view mirror, and saw it was a regular patrol cop car, with what she could make out as a female and male officer. The car was right behind her now and Cara heard the bleep-bleep of the siren again. She didn't know what to do, so she just kept on, but then heard, "This is the Police, pull over right now." "Shit." She growled. Cara knew it would be far worse to try and out run the police. She pulled over to her right, staying exactly where she was. She'd heard of people being accidentally shot due to getting out of their car too quickly when pulled over. "Both hands on the wheel. Now." She heard the male officer shout, while their footsteps could also be heard approaching her on the wet asphalt. A flash light hit her face and felt like it burned through her eyes. The male officer saw Cara, realising she was a women and nodded to his partner behind him. "Mam, slowly step out of the car and with your hands on the back of your head." The female officer said with intent. Cara did so, not wanting to cause more trouble. The female officer searched her thoroughly and satisfied, said "You realise you were doing close to 70 back there?" Cara hadn't realised. She just wanted to get back home quick. Now was the time to explain herself though and she realised suddenly, that they could even help. "Officer, I'm really sorry, but I think my kids are in danger and I was only trying to get home as quickly as I can. Please, you've got to believe me. I'm not drunk or anything. My kids may be in danger" Cara pleaded. The female officer nodded with genuine understanding, quickly nodded to her partner and said "Ok, calm down, Mam. I believe you. What's your name and tell me where you live?" "Cara Carson. 759, River Road, North End. Please, we need to get there now." Cara cried. The male went back to the car to verify Cara's details. The female officer turned round to her partner for his response, "She's clean. We better check it out." He said. Cara exhaled. "Thank you so much." "We'll be ahead of you with the siren on, so stay close all right." Cara got in her car without another word and the two officers headed back to their police car a few yards back and got in. The male officer punched in Cara's address, hit a switch which kept the lights on, but the siren sound off. They got to Cara's house about seven minutes later. Cara got out of the car as fast as she could and ran toward her front door, panicked still. She noticed there was no car outside, though she didn't actually know how Kelly had arrived. "Mrs. Carson! Wait, let us go in first!" the female officer called. But Cara didn't listen; she had already swung open her door, and once in called out, "Jack? Becky?" There was no response. Kelly was also not in the living room where she was supposed to stay. God, please, no! This can't be happening to me. Please. Cara thought. Cara was in hysterics now, wild, emotions of a mother rampant. She was about to run upstairs, when she saw a note on the floor. It said Pick up your phone. The phone near the entrance then rang. Cara walked over to it slowly and picked up the receiver with a shaky hand. "Hello, Cara." Kelly, Cara knew her voice well enough. Cara was about to scream down the phone, when Kelly said "Now don't make a sound. I'm really sorry it had to end up this way. We'll chat later, but for now, tell that pretty bitch officer that everything's fine or I'll slit little Becky's throat right now." Cara's heart sank and she went numb to the bone. She's watching us from outside. Both officers then entered the door, with guns drawn. Cara stared at the female officer, first with absolute terror, then realising she couldn't risk her daughters life, managed a half-hearted smile. The officer looked back with a puzzled expression. "Mrs Carson. What's happening? Who's on the phone?" Kelly must have heard the officer as Cara heard, "You better make something up good and quick, Cara. I'm not fucking around here. You're in sales; you know how to manipulate people. Sell a story." This was life or death, Cara knew. What she did right that minute would make all the difference, for good or bad. And she wasn't going to let her baby girl down. Cara laughed out, and said, "Oh, thank god for that Suzie-" "What?" Kelly said. Cara continued, "I was beside myself for a minute there. So you have the kids." "Ah. Nice, Cara. Very nice. Now hang up and get rid of them. And don't screw up. I'm watching." Kelly said softly into the phone. Cara pretended to smile again and looked at the female officer at the same time, "Ok, great. Yeah, I'll pick them up in the morning then. Thanks sis. Night." She put the phone down. Both officers' guns were down now and they were putting them back in their holsters, registering things weren't as bad as they first appeared. But the female officer wasn't impressed, "Mrs. Carson? You mind explaining what the hell is going on?" she demanded. Cara had no idea how she was supposed to explain this. She had to think quickly, come up with something believable. She went with, "I'm so sorry, officers. Turned out both my kids were picked up earlier by my sister. I was supposed to be back from work hours ago you see, and was worried sick about them." Cara knew it was pathetic, but it was all she had. "But its fine, she's got them. She tried to call me apparently, must have been while I was driving like a lunatic." Cara chuckled. The female officer nodded her head very slowly, not convinced. "I see. Why wouldn't your sister just stay here till you got back?" she asked. Shit, Cara thought. Good fucking question. She came up with something. "Well, it's kind of personal, but we don't get on all too that well and she doesn't like staying here. Besides, my kids called her when I didn't show up." The female officer nodded again, seeming more content now. "Fine, Mrs. Carson. Fine. Well, you be sure to let us know of any trouble, ok? Anything at all." She said, and Cara thought she noticed the officer wink at her. "You have a good night now." The male officer put a hand to his hat and tilted his head slightly, "Night, Mam." Then he followed his partner through the door outside. The female officer opened her car door, and then stopped, while she looked about her, as if looking for something specific. She looked back at Cara once more and eventually got in and they drove away. Cara sighed with relief, but then crashed to the floor, almost hyperventilating. The sudden realisation Kelly had her kids somewhere struck her. She didn't know what to do. If she called the police, Kelly might find out somehow and do something, so she didn't want to risk that. Then another thought struck her. Mike. Mike met Kelly at the mall on Saturday. Does she have Mike too? Oh my God. Then the phone rang again. She looked up at it as if it were the devil itself, before finally getting up from the floor and heading over to the table by the door. She picked it up. "Nicely done, Cara. Very nice work indeed. You know, I didn't think you'd come back with the police. It's good I stuck around to be sure. Now, what exactly did you that officer?" Kelly demanded. "Nothing, I swear. They pulled me over for speeding and I just said I thought my kids were in danger. Then we came here and you called." Cara told her, which was the truth. "So not even a name or anything? You better not be lying to me, Cara. I don't think Jack would like that very much." Cara looked out the window, at all the cars parked in darkness, but couldn't see anything. She must be right there. "Please, don't hurt my children. They didn't do anything to harm you. What... what do you want from me?" Cara asked. "Funny that, your husband asked me the exact same thing." Kelly replied. Mike... So she does have Mike. Or did have... She thought. "You have my husband? Why are you doing this to us? Just tell me what you want?" Cara said, raising her voice. "Cara, you better calm down or I will get angry. And believe me; Mike knows what the consequences are of that. I don't want anything from either of you. But if I'm honest, I really wanted you more than anything. See, what I told you when I first met was all true. I am the daughter of Angela Dillinger. You were best friends all through High School. What you don't know is she killed herself when I was 5 years old. Cara was speechless. She didn't know what Kelly was talking about. She hadn't heard from her old friend for years, ever since they left High School and went their separate ways. Kelly had told her Angela was doing great and would really like to see her so she didn't think much more of it. "But you said-" Kelly cut her off, "Yeah, yeah, but I wasn't going to tell you the truth now was I? Otherwise you wouldn't have trusted me. My mother hung herself out of the blue, without so much as a note. I was taken into child services before finally being taken in by my grandmother. While they all seemed to get over it after a while, I couldn't stop thinking there must have been a real reason. It nagged at me for years, until a few years ago I found some old personal possessions from my mum that had been given to my grandmother. She had kept them from me for years. And you know what I found? A diary she used to keep back at High School and college. She was still keeping it up-to-date you know, but I never knew." Cara didn't understand all of this and didn't see where this was all leading to. But she remained silent, not wanting to anger Kelly in anyway. Kelly continued, "In her diary, for pages and pages was one name mentioned throughout by my mother, over and over again," Kelly spat and paused, "You know who? You, Cara. Fucking, Cara Lee. Cara Lee, Cara Lee, Cara Lee. And you know why?" she asked rhetorically. "Because she hated you. She despised you. She envied you. And you never paid her the attention she deserved and loved her back. You even bullied her, didn't you? You were the talk of the school, little Miss Fucking Perfect. I know, I found some old school photos. You just used her for your own fame and glory. Then when High School was over, you ditched her and left her to rot. Didn't you?" Kelly growled. Cara didn't know what to say. It was so many years ago, she couldn't quite recall any of it; it seemed like another lifetime to her. Cara tried to explain, "Kelly, please-" She cut her off again, "Shut the fuck up. I'm talking now. You listen to me. I'm in control now." Kelly spat, and with no preamble, "You took the man of her dreams away. Oh yes, it was all there. Sexy Boy Mike Carson and my mother dated long before you two love-birds hooked up. But my mother being in such awe of the all-mighty-Princess Cara fucking-Lee, never mentioned it when you stole him from her. She was heartbroken. You ruined her life. And you ruined mine." Kelly sneered. Mike dated Angela? He never told me that, Cara thought. "Mmmmm, let me guess," Kelly said. "Mike didn't tell you this? Well, how interesting. And I guess Mike also failed to mention that my mother was the first person he ever lost virginity with. Uh-oh. Yes again," she said with glee. Cara felt sick; actually feeling bile rise up in her throat. All of this was getting to her head and she didn't really want to believe any of it. While it hurt her to hear this, she didn't understand Kelly's hatred. She hadn't caused her mother's death. They'd fell out of touch years ago. Cara chanced an explanation, "Kelly, I really am sorry to hear about your mother's death. Angela and I were close it's true, but you can't blame me for what happened. We were teenagers then. I have a family now and would never do anything to hurt anyone. Please let my family go." She pleaded, looking out the window again in the hope she would see her children or Mike outside. But she didn't see anything, only the faint glimmer of the moon upon car roofs. "Forget trying to look for me, Cara. You won't find me." Kelly said, while Cara thought, She's still out there watching me. "And you can forget about your pathetic excuses, bitch. You killed my mother and if it wasn't for your slutty ways, she'd still be alive now. So, you're going to pay for what you've done. And this is how it's going to go. We're going to play a little game called Do What I Say, Or Your Kids Die." Cara fought back the lump in her throat and tried to remain calm, the sheer panic of what is happening to her overwhelming. She didn't know whether Kelly had the guts to do what she said, but had no intention of finding out. Cara breathed in and out heavily to calm her nerves and then finally replied, "What do you want me to do?" "First thing tomorrow morning, you're going to call that slutty assistant of yours and tell her you won't be coming to work for a few days as you're extremely ill. Then, you're going to call all your close friends and family, and tell them how horrible work is, how depressed you are and that you're marriage is going no where and anything else you can think of. But make it believable. Make them concerned for you, but don't make it too obvious." Kelly said. What the hell this? This is crazy, Cara thought. "I don't understand-" Kelly cut her off again, "Did I not say, the game's called Do What I Say, Or Your Kids Die? Because I'm pretty damn certain I did. So shut up and do exactly as I tell you. And just to remind you I'm really not kidding here." Cara could just make out bodily movements, and then a little scream came through the receiver, "Mommy. Mommy." Then it was gone. Cara put a hand to her mouth in shock, tears streaming down her face now and eyes wild with panic. Her bottom lip was twitching and her hands shaking. "Becky? Becky, it's going to be all-" "Do what I say bitch" Kelly said, back on the phone, "or she dies. Use the phone we're on and no other. I'll be listening in. You're to make the first call at one pm precisely. I've tapped your cell too, so don't get any funny ideas. And I don't think I need to remind you that if you so much as try anything stupid, you'll have little body bags at your doorstep for Christmas." "Kelly, The phone went dead, the dull, monotone signal sounded like to Cara the end of a lifeline. She had an overwhelming realization her family's lives were now in her hands. Their lives depended on her every move. Cara clenched her mouth shut, and grinding her teeth, she flared her nostrils while breathing in and out heavily - trying to maintain the rage and emotions boiling within her. How could I have ever trusted her? This is all my fault. What am I going to do? Cara thought. I have to think. I can't let her win. Think. Think, god damn it! There must be something I can do? Surely, she can't actually have tapped my cell? But then, what if she did? Oh my god... Cara slumped down to the ground, let the back of her head hit the wall and closed her eyes. I'm not going to let that bitch touch my family, Cara thought. No matter what. She can fucking rot in hell before she hurts my family. Cara opened her eyes with more resolve and determination. I'll play along for now. |
| Chapter 3 Monday, 21st December: Work. Though it pays, I really hate the morning before work actually kicks off. Waking up at 7am, slowly getting showered and dressed like a zombie, driving in like a zombie and then arriving to the office to smiles and far too many "Morning Mrs. Carson" or "Morning Cara". But then that's what you get when you're the Sales Manager of a top marketing firm. I'm expected to arrive earlier than most staff to set a good example. And truth is; I'm damn good at my job. I'm tough, yet very caring at the same time. I have a staff of well over 100 and the majority respect me, being as I'm one of the highest paid female executives of the company. Though some envy me and some even love me - I've been embarrassed to find out in recent years. But all the same, these guys were an extension of me, like my family. I particularly enjoyed it when I really get into it and have new, interesting clients to deal with. Some of them were a treat and some total schmucks. But all the same, it was the thrill of it and tackling new problems everyday that I liked the most. Controlling others and getting them to do their job is what I'm good at - really good at. Other than my husband of course, in that Department I'm a total failure. Christmas was just round the corner and though all staff would be off soon, I had sales quotas to meet and was always counted upon to put that extra effort in. And always did. The big clock in the sales office struck 8:30am. It was time to muster the troops and get the day rolling. There was only 3 days left at work and I had to make it count. My assistant came from out of no where as usual, with my special morning coffee. I took a slow, big, sip, feeling the warm caffeine seep into my blood streams, binding with the adenosine within my brain, hijacking the natural process of my tiredness and forcing me awake. Once I felt the kick, I took a deep breath and observed my office and staff in ahead of me. I put my failing marriage aside. It was time to work. "Ok people! It's the first day of the week and very soon the last! You all know your quotas and they're to be made no matter what. You guys are the best team and you know it. But time is short and we've only got 3 days. So let's get it going!" Everyone stared back at me nodding their heads in agreement, yet something was missing...something I said or didn't say? Of course! Silly me. I smiled at all my staff, held my coffee high in the form of a gesture and said in the most spirited tone I could muster: "And Merry Christmas to you all! Let's do Santa proud!" That did it. That's what was missing and what they wanted to hear. Phones, fax machines, sales talks and papers and bodies shot into action everywhere in the massive sales office! To anyone else, it looked like a madhouse. Not to me though, this was exactly how I liked it. oOo God I fucking hate my job, still do in fact. CEO of an Insurance Firm for 9 years, inherited by my dad, God rest his soul. I used to enjoy it don't get me wrong. All the "Yes Sir, No Sir" and all the power and control. Not anymore though. And my Trustees clearly hated me and why not? Dedicated half their lives at the firm and then CEO Mr Brian Carson, just before he kicks the bucket, gives them the finger and hands his ship over to his young, cheeky-ass son at the age of 30! So I don't fucking blame their envy. I'm supposed to start work at 9am, but I always end up arriving around 10am. No one ever says anything to me of course. I just don't see the point in starting early. This morning in particular, I had some seriously boring meetings that went all morning, one after the other, until it was finally lunch. I managed to survive, but barely. It's not that I'm not good at my job or responsible, it's just the lack of interest in it itself. But I get things done and I do it in my way. Which tends to mean barking orders here and there and nothing more. Still works though. It went that way pretty much all day and didn't help that I was in a pretty, fucking bad mood. The clock finally hit 6pm, the usual time I decide to clock off. I put my jacket on, coat and wrapped myself up and waved my secretary good night. Poor girl. Always working later than she needs to. I got in my car and headed home. Though I couldn't stop thinking about Kelly. I don't know why, but it's like she cast some spell on me which I couldn't shake off. Sitting in my car, stuck in traffic, I happened to stop just by the complex and Hasbro where I took the kids. Maybe Kelly's still there? I could just tell my wife I had to stay later at work... I toyed with the idea, nervously tapping on the steering wheel, looking ahead at the traffic towards home and to my right where the complex was. It was like two paths glaring at me in the face and that battle of forces going full throttle... I weighed up all my options, what ifs, reasons, justifications, over and over, until finally it was over. I gave in. My darkest desires finally won me over. Fuck it I told myself. Let go of yourself. Not like your marriage means much right now anyway. Cara's probably fucking one of her top sales guys anyway. My head battle roared on and on. Once the traffic started to move, I pulled over to the right lane that leads me into the complex. oOo Wow, what a day! I got back from a brutal, yet productive day at work. We made highest sales that day than ever before. Don't ask me how I managed, but I did. I was feeling pretty worn out, but proud nonetheless. Though still a little pissed off with Mike and upset about the recent fights, I had kept my cool all day. I was snuggled up with both my kids on the sofa watching one of those latest "Pixar" films. It was 7:00pm and Mike should have been back by now... Must be stuck in traffic I thought. Half an hour passed and again I realize Mike's not home. Where is he? Can't still be stuck in traffic? I grabbed my cell from the coffee table and called him. oOo Holy shit... it turned out to be better than my fantasies. I'd found Kelly right away at the entrance of Hasbro. She'd decided to stay late and work extra a little; as if by magic she knew I was coming. She was actually a little shy to see me and I came up with a stupid excuse as to why I was there. She pretended to buy it, but it's as if she knew I would come back anyway. The whole encounter was agonizingly awkward, but thrilling too. She was going to get a bus home, so I offered her a ride instead. She was silent the entire time, from walking over to the car and getting in, yet seemed to be saying everything she needed to all the same. There was a burning and obvious desire and connection between us, like sheet lightning. The connection felt dangerous, seductive, addictive and yet beautiful as well. I was lost in her world and hers in mine. We kept looking at each other in the car and smiling at each other like two childhood sweethearts. She sat in the passenger's seat, legs crossed, forming the perfect shapes of desire that would taunt and tease any man alive. I smiled at her again, and she just smiled back, gazing at me. Her place was only a short drive from the complex. Looking at the dashboard time, it read 7:29pm when we pulled up. Kelly slowly, yet gracefully got out of my car, "Thanks" she said, paused, as if fighting her own demons and then finally... "You wanna come inside?" she bent over to ask me through the car window. And just then, at possibly the worst time, my cell rang. I fumbled it out of my coat and looked at the calling ID. Cara... Oh shit. I gestured with a finger to tell Kelly to give me a second and then answered the phone. As if she knew and to make it easier for me, she gave me just enough space to talk. "Hi honey!" I said faking excitement. "Where are you Mike? Its 7:30?!" I panicked and what I tell her is one of my biggest regrets in my entire life. I turn around in my car seat to keep as quiet as possible just in case Kelly can still hear. "Yeah I'm sorry honey, but I'm still at work. Got a shit load to wrap up before Christmas hits, you know? Deadlines to meet and all that crap. Won't be too long though ok? Say sorry to the kids for me! Gotta go now, love you." I can't believe I actually said that! You fucking stupid, back-stabbing, sleazy asshole! What are you doing? But I'm lost. That battle was won once I drove to the complex. There's nothing I can do now. There's no going back. I looked up at Kelly and smiled nervously, my heart racing. She was standing there, shivering in the cold looking like an angel. "Sorry about that. Just a work thing" I lied to her. "But it's okay now." "So...? You wanna come inside?" she asked me again. I hesitated for a moment... but then she gave me a new kind of smile, an inviting and all-knowing smile and I couldn't resist... "Sure, I'd love to...." oOo Mike woke me at around midnight as he attempted to quietly slip into bed. I didn't let him know I was awake and I don't actually know why not. I was still angry at him for cutting me off and coming home so late. The kids were too. Once he was in, he snuggled in behind me, whispered "Sorry honey" and kissed me lightly on my cheek. His arm was then around me and I took hold of his hand gently with my left hand. I then stared at his and my wedding rings till I fell asleep, not suspecting anything out of the ordinary, though knowing in my hidden, deepest thoughts something was awfully wrong. oOo I hardly slept at all that night. There was a new battle raging in my head now, chanting "What have you done Mike? What the hell have you done?" It repeated over and over and over. I wept inside. I felt sick. Though a part of me, where all those nasty thoughts and hidden secrets are stored, I was electrified. I'm a monster I told myself. After hours of staring into blackness, I finally drifted to sleep. |
| Chapter 2 Sunday, 20th December: I awoke at 7:00am, forgetting to change my alarm from a typical work day, but got up anyway. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat there for a while just staring out the window. At least it looks like a nice December morning - sunshine beaming across the sky, over snow topped roofs, trees and cars. I turned around to check on Mike and didn't see him there... That's odd? I got up, threw my slippers and robe on and walk down to the living room where I thought he must be. "Mike?" I called out softly. No answer. He wasn't in the living room, kitchen, anywhere down stairs. Hmm... Where was he? "Mike?" I called out again, with a little more urgency in my voice this time. But there was no answer again. I trotted back upstairs, quicker now, and found our bathroom door ajar... Oh he must be showering I thought... I slowly creaked in just in case I startled him and whispered "Mike?" Crash!!! I jumped and screamed, almost hitting my head on the door frame. What the hell was that? I thought. Looking down, I saw my damn cat, Pickle, had knocked over some toiletries. Jesus! That scared the shit out of me! I shoe'd Pickle away while yelling "Pickle, get out of here! You know you're not supposed to be up in here!" Pickle fled for his life. But where was Mike? I walked down the stairs again and into the kitchen and check in the garage. And there he was. Wide awake, clean shaven as usual, fully dressed and working on his Chevy I think he loved more than me. But this was an unusually early time for him, especially on a Sunday? "Mike?" I said to him, in a questioning tone. He looked up at me with disinterest and said in a flat tone "Oh, hey." "What you doing? It's...Sunday..." I said to him while surveying the garage as if I would find the answer by doing so. He carried on with what looked like a car wheel he must have been working on, but just about managed "Yeah, well, just woke early and also got some things planned with the boys today." Plans with the boys I thought? What plans? "Oh right... so you're going out today?" I asked him antagonistically. At that, he looked at me straight and said, "Yeah, I thought I told you!" "No, I'm pretty sure you didn't... but whatever Mike. Do what you want," I say almost bitterly, not forgetting the night before. "I don't care anymore. I'm going to take the kids Downtown to do some more shopping for next week." "Don't start honey, please don't fucking start that shit again," he hissed. I stood dead still, glaring at my husband, gritting my teeth hard and clenching my fists in rage. I didn't utter a single word. After the desired effect, I stormed out from the garage. oOo Well that wasn't as bad as Mike thought it would be. Though he didn't think she'd get so upset. What the hell was her problem? Two hours later, he got in his Chevy and headed into town to see his old pal, Rick Hadley. Rick loved cars also and is a cars salesman of class cars. Rick had his own purpose-built garage and they'd hang out there whenever they could. Mike has known Rick all his life. They grew up as kids, went to High School together and college after that. Anything good or bad, they've done together in life. In fact, Rick was Mike's only close friend nowadays. But they didn't see each other as much as they would like, as over the years their marriage, work and kids seemed to always get in the way. But Mike was desperate for a chat today, so he told Rick he would swing by. Rick parked his Chevy outside the garage doors and immediately spotted Rick - kind of hard not to, the guy's a cross between a lion and a puma, greased and groomed to perfection at all times, though he has the most ridiculous "'Merican beard" as he likes to call it. Rick was wearing his some old, battered jeans and a shabby t-shirt with the words "Yes, it's real" written on it, with an arrow pointing down. Rick loved such tops Mike knew well. Every Christmas, he would get Rick one and both their wives would roll their eyes. Mike embraced his old friend, "Hey bud. Thanks for seeing me." "Yeah, no probs pal, but why so fucking early?! I mean, I'm usually stone cold asleep right now or if I'm lucky, waking up to two chicks sucking me off!" he said dryly. Mike laughed. Rick always came out with the dirtiest shit Mike recalled, ever since he's known him. "Yeah well, I was up early and bored shitless, so thought I'd chance a break with an old pal. Besides, need you to look at my baby again" he said indicating to his Chevy. "I worked on it a bit this morning, but the gears seem to be out of whack again. Keeps fuckin' doing that." Rick shrugged and while lifting the Chevy's bonnet, said, "I did tell ya' the 69' ain't worth shit, didn't I? You need time and patience to properly finish these babies, man. Let me have a look though." "Thanks man." Mike replied, though his attention was elsewhere. After minute or so, Rick called out from under the bonnet, "So what you really doing here, man? I mean, it's Sunday. Aren't you usually hanging out with your Mrs and kids?" "Yeah, usually, but I just wanted to fix this thing up for once. Like you said, need to put the time in, you know?" Mike told him, unease in his voice. Rick slams the bonnet down, wipes grease onto his jeans and says bluntly, "Horse shit, Mike. You're here to get away from the Mrs! Am I right? I'm not stupid man, I've done it before. Plenty times. Don't forget I got hitched well before you did, so I speak from experience." Mike smiled at that. It was true. Rick and Suzie were also childhood sweethearts Mike recalled, and though Rick wasn't always the most faithful, Suzie had finally seemed to nock some sense into the man and they'd been doing great for years now. "Fine... Cara and I are having some trouble ok, and I just wanted to get away. What's the big deal? I told her I'm meeting with you today and she wasn't exactly a happy bunny." "Really? Rick said sarcastically. "I wonder why? Gorgeous wife like yours left alone at home with the kids while husband hangs out with a prick like me? And a week before Christmas! Women get shit crazy like that man, just the facts of life." "Yeah I guess..." But it's more than that Mike thinks. Rick looks at Mike intently and as if reading his mind, asked "Come on Mike, what's really going on?" Mike looks at him. Oh fuck it, I'll tell him he thinks. "Oh man... It's just... well we're not doing anything together anymore, and when I say anything, I mean anything. But it's not just that... I still love her to bits, but that lust...that wanting has just....just... gone....." "And...?" he asked Mike, like it was obvious there was more. "Well... Oh Christ! I met this chick at the mall yesterday, ok! I took the kids there and this babe was literally hitting on me man! I mean, she had "fuck me" written all over her face! Felt like the old days you know?" "So... did you bang her?" Rick asked. "No!" Mike replied incredulously. "Course not! Are you mad?" "Shame..." he said while shaking his head looking back down at the surface of the bonnet. "Anyway, I get it man..." Rick said to him knowingly. "What do you mean, you get it? Get what?" "Come on, let's head inside. I know it's early, but I could do with a beer. You?" Rick said while heading into the house. "Sure, why not." Mike replied, following his friend into the house. The interior of the house was expansive, a huge living room to the right which linked into the kitchen and dining area. There was expensive-looking furniture and strange statues and ornaments seemingly everywhere. This was Suzie's doing Mike knew. She was always getting Rick to get her useless house accessories, but Rick didn't care. Whatever kept his wife happy. Mike knew too well the "moments" they could have. He couldn't help think to himself, thank God, Cara and I aren't like that. Rick grabbed two beers from a fridge and after handing one to Mike, crashed into a big sofa directly opposite a huge plasma TV and Mike took a seat to his right. Then with a sigh, Rick explained himself, "Dangerous times these my friend... dangerous times." Dragging out the word dangerous each time. "What the hell does that mean?" "It means, you're at the point in marriage where you're thinking about other women all the time, and either you get the stress off like I did, which was fuckin' stupid and then live to regret it or you fuckin' man up and get things straight at home. I know Mike, believe me. The temptation dangles in your face every fucking day out there, but you're going to have to make a choice what you want in life. Family or a good fuck?" Mike was stunned. He didn't expect such a speech from his old, dirty-worded friend. Well, he still cursed as much as ever, but it was so meaningful. After all, this was a guy that arrived to prom with an open flap at his crotch. But Rick's words hit a chord in Mike's life that rang true. This was exactly what he was going through. He knew lately he was looking at other women more than usual and felt awful about it. But then their marriage didn't seem to be going anywhere so that's why he felt he was doing so. "Jesus, Rick. Bit heavy man. I'm not even seeing anyone. I ain't planning on cheating on Cara at all." "Mike... I'm just saying man. Watch out. Think what you like, but I've been there. Similar thing happened with Suzie and me few years ago as you know, things got ugly, she found out, and then we really faced each for the first time, after she tried to kill me that is. But that wasn't the right thing to do and I can tell you honestly, is the only thing I've ever regretted doing. And you know me, I don't regret much. I'm only lucky cos' Suzie missed when she threw the knife!" he said laughing. Though Mike wasn't entirely sure his friend was joking. Mike and Rick eventually changed the subject and after a football game, they got back to Mike's Chevy and then after played some pool in Rick's games room. But all the while, and deep down in Mike's mind, there was an epic battle of choices, morals and fantasies battling away. Mike still couldn't stop thinking about Kelly. Temptations indeed, Mike thought. |
| ONE WEEK EARLIER Chapter 1 Saturday, 19th December: "Mike," Cara's voice echoed from across the kitchen, dirty dishes in hand. "What, honey?" her husband replied. He was slouched in his comfiest chair, beer in hand, watching his old college team; the Wildcats smash the Colgate Raiders. Cara rolled her eyes and sighed, "The kids. It's Saturday." "I know, honey. When the games finished, I'll take them. Relax." "It's just you promised to take them to the mall and it closes in a couple hours." "I know, and I said I'll take them and I will." "Fine," she said, giving in. But really she was upset. Cara took her eyes off her husband and found her attention wondering to the kitchen TV. An old black and white film was playing. It was "Sabrina", with Audrey Hepburn, Cara guessed. She adored nothing more than weeping away to such classics, so she knew these things. Scrubbing away at the dishes still, she watched the scene unfold, a perfect, yet intense Audrey Hepburn was smoking a cigarette, "I have learned how to live...how to be in the world and of the world, and not just to stand aside and watch. And I will never, never again run away from life. Or from love, either..." You tell em' Audrey, Cara thought. The quote made her think about Mike and their marriage. Cara gazed over at Mike again, while working hard to scrape off the burnt pasta from a frying pan. Her mind began to wonder. Cara Lee became Cara Carson 10 years ago, on 15th January 2005, to be precise. They had always been childhood sweethearts and best friends. Their first years of marriage had been glorious; they were younger, more romantic, and so much fuller of passion. Cara missed how they used to be and those early days. She recalled how Mike had first asked her out at school and the thought brought a little smile to her pouted lips. She'd been at an after-school dance class with all her friends and when she came out, there was Mike, standing outside in the pouring rain with a bunch of roses. He had ridiculously long hair back then, as she recalled it plastered to his brow, rain dripping from his hair and running off the end of his strong chin. It was corny as hell, but it had won her heart nonetheless. They dated ever since that day. It was your typical love at first sight. She began to wonder what went wrong, where all the feelings had gone. She didn't know if it was lack of attraction or not, but she didn't think so. They never had a problem in that area. Mike used to be so much fun and a romantic, just like in all the classic movies she's seen. She remembered when Mike used to embarrass her by showing up at her first job demanding to see the "most beautiful brunette in the world". He always made a big show and surprise of it and then act out some cheesy love scene from a movie she loved. Cara loved it, until she remembered she got fired when her boss walked in on them doing it in the back office. Cara almost laughed out loud, remembering the look on old Mr. Westerns face, but she stopped herself and checked to see if Mike had noticed. She looked back over at the TV and saw Audrey's character was now being embraced and kissed passionately by her love interest. Mike used to do the same - swoop her off her feet, throw her into his arms and just kiss her with so much passion - with no reason other than "he wanted to". He would gaze into her eyes with a boyish smile on his face and tell her she "was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen". And in other times, when he was raunchier, he would say she "was the sexiest little minx he's ever seen" and well... So Cara was pretty certain attraction wasn't the issue. It was something else. They just didn't talk anymore and sex was simply a duty nowadays and nothing more. They had their first child 8 years ago, Jack, and then followed by their daughter, Becky, 4 years later. They moved into a bigger house when Becky was born, partly because they had two kids to raise, but also because they could having landed well-paid jobs. The last 5 years had just felt like routine, no creativity, lust, passion, romance or anything like it. They did still love each other though Cara thought, just not in the same way. Nowadays their lives consisted of long hours at work and raising their children - nothing else. Cara's girlish smile faded as the past faded away and the present came to and she realised all those memories were no more. Half an hour passed, before Mike finished with the game and took the kids to the mall. It was tradition in the Carson family to take the kids out a week before Christmas Day to buy whatever they wanted and Jack and Becky loved it of course. But it was strictly Mike's job to do so and besides, Cara had some work to do at home. Her work rarely left her and if she would admit it, Cara was addicted to her job. Jack and Becky kissed their mother goodbye and Mike gave Cara a weak smile and nod as he followed after them, leading to the car. He didn't kiss her, which was typical nowadays and Cara had got used to it. Before she hit her work, Cara needed to ready a stake and sliced, fried potatoes for dinner for when Mike and her kids get back. Not that she was complaining mind; Cara loved to cook. She got herself in her finest apron and got to work. oOo "Daddy?" his youngest, Becky called out from the back of the car. "Why didn't you kiss mommy goodbye?" Oh man...even my kids can see it, he thought. "Was just in a rush Princess," he lied to her. "We only have a couple hours at the mall you see, so I want to get there quick so you and your brother can get whatever you want." "Yay! Yay! Wohooo!" Jack and Becky both shouted and bounced with excitement. The closest mall was a good half hour drive, depending on traffic, which at that time in Manchester was terrible. It was a pretty ordinary day for this town, other than the big flashing Christmas lights on each street and many houses which Mike thought took it way too far. Jesus, Mike thought. When Mike drove, his mind would get to thinking. He didn't know if it was just him, but something about driving and watching passers-by, people in their cars and the scenery whip by him made him think hard. Sparked by the sight of a similar-aged married couple at the traffic lights ahead, his thoughts landed on his marriage and Cara. The couple were with their kids walking into the adjacent park - laughing, smiling and clearly enjoying each other's company. While watching the couple, Mike was asking himself why he and Cara had been fighting almost everyday over nothing for the past few years. It even got to the point where it seemed it was all intentional. So far today, it had been fine, but he knew it wouldn't last. Jogging past the couple, towards the city, was a stunning brunette, sweat gleaming from her skin. She reminded him of Cara, and a clear picture of her back at school formed in his mind - man, she really was a babe back then, he thought. He remembered clearly the first time he finally asked her out... their first kiss, their first night together after prom night in '94. She was everything he ever imagined as a teenager. Top cheerleader, babe of the school, but not only that; she was clever, witty and at some points damn feisty. This brought a boyish grin to Mike's face. She was incredible. She still is he thought... So what's our damn problem? The car behind him impatiently honked his horn and the muse was gone, fading as his mind returned to the present. He rested his elbow on the car door, took a fistful of his hair and brooded more as he got the car moving again. They arrived at the mall 20 minutes later, which was lucky as the traffic in Manchester was usually a nightmare. It was the biggest mall in the area, Mall of New Hampshire, and the one the kids loved the most as it had some of the best toy shops around. They'd been going there since Jack was born. Since then, it had always been Mike's job to take the kids out the Saturday before Christmas. He used to enjoy it a lot, but the last few years he hated the mundane routine of it all. But it was for his kid's and he'd do anything for them really. They were lucky again, finding a parking spot right in front of the biggest store the kids loved, Hasbro. Mike picked up Becky and put her on his shoulders, and told Jack to get one of the big shopping carts and they headed inside. He was hoping they could just start and end at Hasbro, but he would later regret having such a thought. An hour later, they were at the counter in Hasbro with a cart jam-packed with a wild variety of toys, Jack and Becky had picked out. Becky was sitting in the little toddler's chair built into the shopping cart, half-asleep, her tiny little mouth open and breathing peacefully, while, Jack, hung off the side of the cart, eyes glued to someone at the counter. Mike lifted his head to see who he was staring at. And that's when everything went to shit. At the till directly ahead, stood the most strikingly, beautiful women Mike had ever laid his eyes upon. Sure, Mike had seen women at work and about Downtown that would make him stop, but she was out of this world. Moments like these, trying to be an honest man to the best of his abilities, Mike would try and show his wedding ring so it's obvious he's married, and as a sort of desperate, pathetic plea to say "Please don't flirt with me." But it was useless. This lady was staring at him and seeing his kids with him made it a whole lot worse he could tell. "Hi there, Sir" she beamed. "Yours?" she indicated to his kids. Mike stared at her. She had long, curly, brown hair that shined like silk, pretty much the perfect face and big brown eyes that sparkled with intensity. Her lips were perfectly shaped, pouted and seductive to look at. Mike's gaze unconsciously wondered down further - God damn it man, pull yourself together! She noticed he was looking, but she liked it. She was peering back at him and so were his kids. Awkward silence hung in the air. Finally, he snapped to. "Sorry?" he asked. "The kids. They yours?" she asked again and giggled at the same time. "Yeah... eh...yeah... sorry." "Wow, they're real lucky." Mike looked down at his daughter fast asleep and said, "Yeah, I'm proud of them for sure." "No. I meant your kids... they're lucky to have you," she said bluntly. "Thanks..." he managed; but thought did she just hit on me? She finished putting all the toys through the register and said, "Well, that will be $580 bucks please, Sir." Mike had run into this before, but somehow he had been enchanted by this... "Kelly" he noticed on her nametag. Her name is Kelly. He paid with an Amex and she pulled his receipt from the register, but before handing it over, she wrote something on there and said with a wink, "Just in case", and gave him a smile to die for. "Thanks, Kelly," he said. "No. Thank you... Mike." Kelly replied with a subtle emphasis on Mike. They exchanged some kind of brief, bizarre connection and gazed at each other for a while longer, until finally he managed to pull his wits together. What the hell was that? And how the hell does she know my name? "Yeah sure, but... how'd...how'd you know my name?" he asked her curiously. A curly lock of her vibrant, silky hair fell down over her eyebrow and she elegantly tucked it behind her ear and with another smile, a mysterious smile, she said "Your Amex. It has your name on it." He looked down at his card. Of course, you idiot! Looking back up at her, he said half-laughing, "Right, of course. Silly me. Well... anyway, thanks for... erm...." he was lost for words and decided to go with "this!" he said, holding up the bag of toys in his left hand. "You're very welcome, Mike. Call me, okay?" At that, and not knowing what else to do, Mike bobbed his head as a gesture between confusion and indecision and just smiled her away and got the hell out of there, almost jogging to his car. Near the car and after loading all the bags and closing the trunk door, he put his hand in his jeans pocket for his car keys, while at the same time pulled out the receipt. Written on it was Kelly. Just in case. Call me x and her cell number. Oh fuck Mike thought. Mike spun around and looked behind him at the counter in the store he'd just come from to chance a look at Kelly again. And he did, While the whole thing was crazy and there was an excitement building up within him, Mike sensed something else to her as well, something mysterious, almost familiar. Mike's mind raced back to how he and Cara had argued again and their current plight. He found himself sighing more as his words echoed in his mind and the look of Cara's devastated face haunted him further. "Dad, is something wrong?" Jack asked. "No..." Mike sighed as he looked to see his son looking back at him with a faint expression of worry, as if he could possibly understand what was going on. "Just wondering if I should get something for your mother..." "At a toy store?" his daughter asked. Her eyes caught him off guard, their gazes interlocking for a split second as she walked by with the customer and her curly hair dancing to her steps. Mike turned his head eagerly, not hearing his daughter's remark, as his eyes hunted for more. Then she was gone. Mike got in the car, started the engine and said, "Now let's get going before traffic hits so we don't miss mom's dinner. Or then we're all be dead!" Mike told his kids. They laughed. oOo Three hours later they arrived back home, a little later than expected, but just in time for the perfect dinner Cara cooked and a clean house for the kids to mess up again. Jack and Becky rushed over with utter joy to kiss their mother and tell her all about the toys they got themselves and each other. She got them out of their outdoor clothing and into chairs ready for dinner. Mike went to Cara, and said, "Hey honey... sorry for being late" while quickly kissing her on the cheek. "Traffic was a nightmare," he added. Cara stood there, putting her hand to her cheek. He just kissed me! What the...? She looked at him enquiringly. He was putting the bags down, but he seemed a little spooked or something she thought. "You okay, honey? Seem a little shaken up?" Mike immediately, almost nervously tells his wife, "No, I'm fine, just really tired." But again Cara sensed there was something else. "It's just you haven't kissed me like that in ages...?" "Well sorry, I won't do it again," he remarked, in his worst stubborn tone. "I wasn't saying that Mike, I jus-" "It's fine Cara, whatever, let's just eat shall we." he said angrily. Cara didn't get into it then, but no doubt in her mind she would later. Once Mike and Cara joined the kids, Cara playfully announced, more for her kids benefit "Okay, let's eat what mommy's cooked up for us shall we?" The kids dug in and ate everything on their plates. They sure did like their Mom's food. At least something at home I'm still good at, Cara thought. Mike on the other hand, after silently chewing on a few pieces of meat and not so much as a word out of him the entire meal, took a pack of beer from the fridge, went off to his big couch in front of the TV and switched on a football game. Cara put her knife and fork down loudly and clenched her jaw in anger. She glared over at Mike, stunned. Are you kidding me right now? She thought. "Mike... do you have to watch that now! You just got back!" "Honey, I said I was tired for Christ's sake!" he snapped. She doesn't give in. Not this time. Cara walks right over to him. She's had enough of this. "No, Mike" she shouts back "It's Christmas and you should be spending time with your kids, and maybe..." she hesitated "maybe...just for fucking once, your own damn wife!" Jack and Becky turned their heads from their desert, unavoidably listening to each and every word from their mother. But they weren't too surprised, as these fights had been happening all too often recently. But they hated it nonetheless, as any child would. Jack shook his head in disgust and put his attention back to his desert. Becky was watching intently however, tears brimming at her eyes. Mike stood up form the couch and slammed his beer down on the table and turned to look his wife right in the eyes, glaring with wild rage and for a moment Cara was very scared. She could see something twig in him and he said: "Well, maybe, you, just for once," he mocked "should get off my fucking back and leave me the fuck alone!" The look on his face when he said the words was what hurt Cara the most. She got the impression he'd wanted to say something like that to her for years, but maybe resisted the temptation to do so for so long. So that's how it is, that's how he thinks of me she thought. Cara almost broke down in tears right there in front of him, but managed to maintain her composure. She shoots him a look of complete hatred and pain, her eyes wet with tears. "Damn you, Mike! Damn you to hell you lazy bastard!" Cara stormed off in hysterics. She notices both her kids look on in terror and confusion as she storms by the dinner table, but she doesn't stop. They'd already seen enough. oOo I sat there watching some football game for many hours after the argument, but was actually just pissed off with myself and Cara too. What's her fucking problem? Was I too harsh? No, she deserved it; she's been down my neck all week recently about crap. I don't know what's wrong with us lately; we're always fighting over stupid things... I mean we hadn't even done it in months and that alone was driving me crazy... A man needs... Kelly! I was thinking of that Kelly chick from the store... Man, was she something... Instinctively, I grabbed the receipt from my jeans pocket and stared at the number scrawled across it. It seemed so inviting, so tempting, so...naughty. I began to tremble slightly at the idea. No Mike, you're a married Man for Christ's sake, been so for 10 years. You can't start thinking of a fucking affair now! But then again, I could just have a meal... or just go round to the store to say hi... or even call her right now...But Cara? What if she found out? She'll kill me! Are you fucking crazy?! Are you listening to yourself?! And what would the kids think? Jack's not stupid. Oh for fuck's sake... The ideas, right and wrong, especially different fantasies played in my mind over and over, like an epic battle of forces seeking victory. Until at last, inevitably, one force would be triumphant. |
| Chapter 5 Wednesday, 23rd December: "Listen, I'm telling you, Miller," Officer Lisa Dane said, "that lady last night's in serious trouble. You saw how she was when we pulled her over; she was in a fucking wreck. Then she gets to the house and suddenly everything's fine? Didn't you find that odd?" Officer Andy Miller was more interested in his donut and the road ahead. They were doing their usual morning beat Downtown, cruising along South Willow Street - one of the busiest in all of New Hampshire. He bit off a big chunk and mumbled, "Well yeah, but..." Dane ignored him, "And that bullshit story she comes up with about her sister? It doesn't make any sense. I'm telling you, she's in trouble. We should check it out." Andy rolled his eyes and took another bite out of the donut and while chewing, said, "Oh, come on, Dame, just drop it will you?" Most of the guys at the station called her "Dame". Lisa had hated it at first, but it had grown on her after a while and she just viewed it as being one of the few female officers in town. Miller added, "Besides, she said she was fine didn't she? What more do you want?" Lisa looked out the car window, recalling the night before, "I don't know... But I got a bad feeling, Andy. Like a hunch you know?" she said turning back again to look at her partner. Miller looked at her with genuine concern, not knowing what else to say. She'd been at this nonsense ever since they left the house the night before. So he decided to shut up. And just then, their car radio sounded, "One-Seventeen, we have a 10-15 near the Merrimack River, just off Riverwalk Way, please respond, over." They both looked at each other. "Always has to be some nutter first thing in the morning." Miller remarked. "Better not be old, Billy again or I swear...Hey, at least it'll help take your mind off things." He grinned at Dame and picked up the radio, "10-4, on our way." Dame smiled, hit the button on the laptop to sound the siren and looked out through the window again. A red Honda Civic with a young woman driving and two kids in the back passed her by. A little girl was looking out the window, her eyes just visible above the window ledge. The little girl was crying. oOo Becky was crying continuously and it was driving Kelly mad. "Would you please keep your sister quiet, Jack?" Jack comforted his little sister and she calmed a little. "She's just upset as she doesn't understand what's going on. I thought you said this was going to be a game?" Jack asked from the back of the car. Kelly looked at him in the rear-view mirror and sighed, wanting to throttle the little brat, but she had to maintain his trust a while longer. She parked her red Honda to the closest spot near the entrance of the mall off South Willow Street and then turned around to look at Jack, "It is a game, silly. Your mom and dad know all about this, trust me. We planned it together. But I just need to get some things so we can play, okay?" Jack frowned, unconvinced, "But I don't want to get into any trouble." "No, you'll be fine, kid. Just play along and do exactly as I tell you. If you don't, then you will be in big trouble, you hear?" she said with a wicked smile. Jack lightened up a little and smiled back, "Okay, Kelly." "Good, kid. Now let's get your sister out and head inside. I'll get you two some toys too if you behave." "That would be awesome." Jack said with a grin. Jack managed his little sister out of the car and holding her hand, and Kelly's, they walked into the DIY store to their right, outside the mall. "Why we going here?" Jack asked. Kelly smiled. "You'll see soon enough, kid." The store they headed into was a huge warehouse; with everything you could possibly need at home - tools, wood, house accessories and so on. Though Jack was puzzled, he liked stores like this, so his unease faded away at the sight of big machinery, axes, saws and the like. Kelly walked through the store and picked up the items she needed; duct tape, scissors, some rags, sponges and various cleaning materials. But what she really came for she couldn't find and she was starting to get impatient. The item in particular was crucial to her plans. She looked around the store a little while longer, but with no luck still, realised she would have to ask someone, which is she was hoping to avoid. Kelly found a member of staff near the entrance, putting cans on a shelf. He noticed her right away, his mouth slack a little when he took her in, "Hey...can I help you, Mam?" Kelly smiled, "Yeah, you can. Do you have any thick rope?" oOo "You bitch," Cara screamed, "You fucking psycho, bitch. Get your damn hands off my children. Right the hell now." She was holding an old, two-barrelled shotgun she had found in their attic. It had belonged to Mike's father and his father before that. It was an antique more than anything else. But it would do the job. She and Mike would go out shooting with Mike's father before he died so she knew how to handle a weapon. But that didn't stop her shaking hands, the nose of the gun jittering up and down close to Kelly's head. Cara had decided to hunt Kelly down, found the gun in the attic and then found herself in a dark-lit, smoky room. She didn't know where she was or even how she got there. But that didn't matter. She'd found Kelly and found her family. It would be over soon. Mike was lying on the floor in the far corner of the room, covered in blood. Her children were tied up in chairs behind Kelly. They were covered in blood also; their eyes closed and heads hanging, no movement at all. The sight of it made her sick, but all the more angry. She'd do anything at this point to save them. Anything. There was only one source of light in the room, a single bulb dangling between Kelly and Cara. The bulb flickered and crackled sporadically, it being the only sound heard within the room, other than her own voice which echoed and bounced off the walls. The shadows that formed with each flicker of light danced upon Kelly's face - each flicker creating a mask of tormented, distorted evil. Kelly smiled, "Cara, put the gun down. You're an embarrassment. You don't even have the guts. You're nothing. You're only getting what's good for you. What you deserve. You betrayed my mother. You might as well have hung her yourself. So it's time to put an end to you." Kelly hissed. "Shut up. Shut the fuck up." Cara screamed, shoving the nose of the gun right in front of Kelly's eyes, now only inches away. "No, I'm not. I'm not to blame. I didn't do anything. Now let my family go or I swear to God, I will blow your damn head off." Kelly laughed out loud, un-flinched by the nose of the gun and Cara's threat. Cara was confused by Kelly's response, she should be scared. Then, to Cara's horror, Mike rose from the ground and joined in laughing at her. They wouldn't stop, laughing so loud they were doubling over. Blood was gushing from her husband's head, spilling all over the floor. Cara didn't understand what was happening; tears began flooding down her face. To add to the horror, both her children were now out of their chairs, standing between their father and Kelly, laughing and pointing at her now as well. Cara was shaking her head in revulsion; the sound of their laughter ringing over and over in her head. With each flicker of the light, revealing the same distorted mask of evil upon their faces. "No, no, no." Cara cried. "Stop it. Stop it. No, No, please." She rested the nose of the barrels against Kelly's brow, "FUCK YOU!" and pulled the trigger... Cara bolted up, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily and trying to catch her breath. Her heart was racing, each beat heard loudly within her. She looked around; expecting to find Kelly's body slumped on the floor. But she wasn't there. Mike and her kids weren't there either. Where am I? Why am I in my bed? Where's my family? Cara thought. Then it struck her. It was just a nightmare. None of it was real. She sighed with relief, though realized with pain that Kelly was still out there somewhere with her family. It wasn't over. The nightmare terrified her as she couldn't make sense of it. The only good feeling within her was that of killing Kelly. She wished it were real. Enough, Cara. Get your shit together, she told herself. She looked at her alarm clock on the bedside table. It was eleven fifteen in the morning. She had slept well over 10 hours, but didn't feel like it. She remembered Kelly had told her to make her first call at one in the afternoon, which meant she had time to think about what she was going to do and come up with a plan. She showered and changed into some fresh, casual clothing - a black t-shirt, wool-knit blue top and boot cut denim jeans. She would have usually gone with some sneakers, but today, she decided to wear her worn black boots she remembered she had. Something told her she would be needed them. Regardless of her emotions, she stood in front of the restroom mirror and did her make-up like any other day. She opted for a little foundation, some dark mascara and eye shadow and blood red lipstick. She stared hard at her reflection in the mirror and told herself, you will not be effect of that psycho. No matter what, you're going to put up a fight. That bitch has your family and there's no way you're going to let her lay a finger on them. She then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Just when she did, she heard the door bell below, ding dong. Cara snapped her head towards the sound, completely frozen. Ding dong, the door bell went again. Who the hell is that? She thought. She bent low and trotted over to her bedroom window and then chanced a quick glance below and sighed with relief. It was Rick. She completely forgot he said he was going to come around. Then more importantly she realized, he could help. But then another thought struck her, shit, I can't tell him anything. Kelly might be watching right now. Shit, shit, shit. Cara panicked, not knowing what to say or do. She couldn't risk saying anything, no matter how badly she wanted to. But there must be a way she could tell Rick without Kelly noticing. She grabbed her hair in frustration, trying to think and then looked up. She had an idea. She had to do something and this may be her only chance. She grabbed the lipstick she had used earlier from the restroom and then walked downstairs into another restroom adjacent to the kitchen. It was a small space and looked more like a cupboard, so was rarely used by the family or guests. Cara locked the door behind her and looked about for any obvious cameras. Satisfied, she tore off a piece of toilet roll and with a shaky hand, wrote with her lipstick: Rick! Mike and my kids have been kidnapped by a woman called Kelly Dillinger. This is no joke. I think that's who Mike was seeing. She's the daughter of a school friend of mine, Angela Dillinger. She said she's tapped my phone, my cell and bugged the house. I don't know if she's telling the truth, but that's why I can't speak to you or leave the house. It's too risky. Please! You've got to tell the police and get them to find my family. But you can't make it seem like I said anything as she might find out and god knows what she'll do! She said she'll kill them, Rick. Please help! Their lives depend on it. Cara.. Cara read it over and over rapidly, checking it communicated enough. She wasn't entirely satisfied, concerned she left vital details out, but it would have to do. She folded the tissue paper neatly, careful to not smudge the writing and held it in her right hand. She stepped out of the restroom and walked over to the front door, walking slowly so not to look like she was up to anything. The door bell was ringing like mad. Cara thanked God Rick had waited. A loud knock came from behind the door, followed by Rick's hoarse voice, "Cara? You home? It's Rick. Hello?" Cara unlocked the latch and opened the door and while hugging the side of it, she said, "Hey, Rick. Sorry to keep you waiting, I just woke up." Rick stared blankly back at Cara. He'd expected to be let in, but Cara stood in the center of the doorway. "That's ok... You not gonna let me in? I said I was gonna come round remember? See if you've heard anything?" Cara wrapped her robe tighter around her waist when she felt the cold biting at her skin, "Yeah... sorry, Rick. Listen, Mike's fine. It's a long story, but I just need some alone time for now, ok? Hope you understand? I really appreciate the help though. I'll let you know if I need anything. Don't worry about me for now. I'll see you around." Cara stepped in and gave Rick a quick hug and slid the folded tissue into his left jacket pocket. He hadn't noticed, which she intended in case Kelly was watching. Rick was taken aback by Cara's sudden embrace, such a gesture very rare between them. In fact, Cara couldn't recall ever hugging the man. But Rick didn't complain, "Right... well... good, good. Long as everything's is all right?" he said. Cara could tell he wanted to find out more, "So... where is... Mike, then? He's still not returned any of my calls." Cara was getting frustrated inside. It felt odd, Rick being her only hope, yet wanting to get rid of him at the same time. It was just way too risky to have him around. She thought of Kelly watching them right now and the grisly thought of her hurting her children. She was clearly crazy, Cara could tell and so she was going to be extremely careful. A time to act would come, but now. "Like I said, it's a long story," Cara sighed, "But he's fine, Rick, really. But I need to rest. I was up all night last night. But thanks again for checking on me. You're a real sweetheart." Cara began to close the door to signal the end of the conversation. "Yeah, sure thing, Cara," Rick said, half-turning away toward the path, "Anything I can do to help. Call me if you need anything." Rick walked to his car and then stopped suddenly, hand and key in the door. Cara's heart sank, no, no, no, fucking move, Rick, she thought. Then Rick turned around, a smile on his face, "Oh yeah, and get Mike to call me will ya? Got good news for him. I know what's wrong with his car." Cara sighed with relief, the pounding of her heart slowing to a steady pace again, "Yeah, sure thing, Rick. See you around. Thanks." ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| PRESENT DAY Manchester, New Hampshire Saturday, 26th December - approximately 9:15pm The slam of a car door outside snaps her eyes open. Restless, she turns over to try and slip back into the world she had been lost in for what felt like an eternity. Her body and mind gives in when she hears crunching footsteps running over gravel, heading towards her front door. In mild annoyance, yet with calm movements, she lifts her slender legs onto the floor and stretches gracefully, and dramatically, her body forming the perfect silhouette of feminine curves. A loud bang on the door is then heard. She ignores it as she sits at the side of the bed, the profile of her voluminous hair illuminated in the moonlight shining through the window. She gazes at the strange patterns of shadows forming across the walls, thinking to herself and knowing this was it, knowing this was finally the end. Oh well... she thinks... I guess play time's over. Ignoring the banging still, she listens to the gentle whistle of a slow, steady wind, swooping up leaves as it makes its sail through the cold, bitter night. The banging gets louder and impatient, followed by the distinct sound of broken glass. After a moment, she cocks her head slightly towards the bedroom door. "Honey?" she calls out in the perfect, yet sarcastic tone of a devoted wife. There is no answer. "It's time to turn the game off now I'm afraid. We've a guest it seems." She calls out. No response. She stands up, walks over to the window directly ahead, elegance with each sway of her hips and looks straight down at the porch, eyes locked on a woman standing below. With amusement etched into her lips, she whispers, "She's here." oOo |
 Log in to Leave Feedback |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
