There were framed photographs of the family on the top of the sideboard, lots of them. I loved my nan, and she’d done the best job she could at bringing me up, but we didn’t have framed photos in our house. The only photos I’d seen from my childhood were faded, curled at the edges, and kept in a shoebox at the top of my nan’s wardrobe, like she was trying to hide away the reality of our shitty lives.
In this house, there were photographs from holidays; skiing, at the beach, and trekking in the mountains. I hadn’t seen the sea until I was ten years old and we went on a school trip to Brighton. I’d certainly never been skiing. Our lives were worlds apart, whole galaxies even.
In the photos, every one of the Yates’s was smiling. The photos I had weren’t like that. Most of the time I was grimacing into the lens, or I wasn’t even looking, too engrossed in whatever I was doing as my nan made a feeble attempt to document my life on film. I was never dressed for the occasion like these pictures either. In our photos, I usually had mud all over my knees, a dirty face, and clothes that looked like they’d seen better days. Mostly homemade by Nan, using fabric that was already threadbare.
I picked up a photograph of Harper and Brodie with their heads together, grinning into the camera, and then I noticed a smaller frame that’d been hiding behind it. It was of Harper on her own. It looked recent, and in it she was sitting on a rock, surrounded by hills and little wooden houses. It didn’t look like it’d been taken in this country. It was probably Switzerland or somewhere posh like that. The style of the houses looked European; pretty. But she… she was fucking stunning. Her blonde hair that framed her face made her glow like an angel. The light in her eyes was mesmerising. I’d never met this Harper. Sure, I knew Brodie had a sister before that night, and I might have caught a glimpse of her in a darkened room or at one of our parties, but I’d never seen this side of her. The side that shone like a fucking beacon.
I’d done that.
I’d taken the light out of her eyes. I’d made her the shell she was today. And looking at the photograph, I realised I hated myself for it.
I should have walked away. I should have taken the fucking rose, my message, and my fucked-up self and left her alone. Finn was right, she didn’t deserve this, and yet, I couldn’t. The force that drew me to her was too strong. I couldn’t walk away now even if I wanted to. But I knew one thing, looking at the angelic face staring back at me from the photograph. I wanted her to get some of that back. I knew she’d never be the same after losing her brother, but she wanted to feel powerful. She wanted back control of her life. I could give that to her. Even if it was in exchange for my own. Maybe, just this once, I could do something selfless.
I kept hold of that photo frame. It was mine now. A reminder of what my new plan was. There were people in this town I was coming for, that’d never change.
But her?
I was going to save her.
Good morning, flower.
Good fucking morning, flower.
That was the message he left for me in my kitchen. I was thanking every lucky star that I’d woken up first and found it. Having to explain this to my mum and dad was another ball ache I could do without.
I guess he thought he was being funny, leaving a note with a flower and calling me fucking flower. But his passive-aggressive bullshit was starting to grate on me. Not to mention the fact that he’d overstepped so many boundaries coming into my home. How the fuck did he get in? I couldn’t see any signs of forced entry.
Shit.
I hoped he didn’t climb through my window. Mine was the only one left open the night before.
Fuck.
The thought creeped me out, made me shiver, want to take a bath in bleach, and scrub my skin off. I felt so violated.
I shoved the white rose and the note to the bottom of the bin, hiding it under the gross vegetable peelings and other shit in there so no one would see it. Then I took the apple and binned that too. Like I’d eat anything he’d touched.
I glanced around, suddenly feeling like I was being watched. What if he hadn’t left at all and was hiding in our pantry? My life was turning into a horror movie, but I wasn’t the dumb blonde everyone thought I was.
I stomped over to the pantry door which was ajar, but when I flung it open, all I saw were the shelves full of cereals, tinned food, and other groceries my mum was stocking in preparation for the zombie apocalypse. I slammed it shut, then marched over to the patio doors. I pushed the handle down, and sure enough, the door opened.
Shit.
It must have been like that all night.
I’d need to start checking all the locks and bolts myself before I went to sleep. Dad was dropping a big fucking ball leaving us open and vulnerable to the likes of Brandon Mathers and his psychotic ways.
I shut and locked it back up, giving the handle a good yank to double check it was secure. I didn’t even trust myself with my safety anymore.
Mum walked into the kitchen just as I was throwing myself against the door again one last time for good measure.
“Are you okay, love? Did you manage to get any sleep?” She smiled at me, trying to look bright and refreshed, but the bags under her eyes were dark and heavy. When she stifled a yawn, I could tell she’d had as restful a night as I had. Just my shitty luck that the time I was asleep was the time he’d made his night-time visit.
“I got a bit of sleep,” I said, sitting up at the breakfast bar and taking an apple out of the fruit bowl. Then I remembered that Mathers had had his hands all over the fruit and I put it back again, grimacing.
“No appetite again?” She sighed. “What do you have planned for today?”
I shrugged. What kind of stupid question was that? I was doing the same today that I did every day.
“Nothing. Just gonna hang around here.”
Mum was busying herself making coffee, but she stopped to give me one of her stern motherly expressions.
“Maybe you should try to get out. It’s not healthy to lock yourself up in your room all day.”
“Hold on.” I wrinkling my brow in confusion. “You said I shouldn’t be going out. That I was too vulnerable. Now you think I shouldn’t be staying in? Which one is it, Mum? ‘Cos I’m starting to get really confused.”
I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on my mum, I knew that. It wasn’t her fault we had a crazy guy breaking into our house and leaving roses on the counter when we were asleep, but I couldn’t think straight.
“I think you should be seeing your friends more. Sal hasn’t been round for ages. You two used to be inseparable. Why don’t you hang out with her today?” Mum asked as she filled the coffee machine and fussed over wiping the already pristine counters down.
“Mum, I haven’t spoken to Sal in months. You know, since she broke up with Brodie. Do you even remember that? Do you know anything about my life?”
Obviously not, otherwise she’d know to drop this right now.
She stilled and threw the cloth into the sink, rubbing her hands over her tired face as she sighed.
“I forgot. I’m sorry. What can I say? Since losing your brother, my memory has been all over the place. I went to see Meredith with my slippers on yesterday and left the car running in the car park throughout the whole hour-long appointment. I’m lucky I still had a car to come back to when I got outside. I’m hopeless.” She pressed the button on the coffee, but she’d forgotten to put a cup underneath and the scalding liquid poured out all over the countertop and onto the floor. “Oh, shit. Look. I can’t even make a bloody coffee.” She started to tear up as she grabbed a handful of paper towels to soak up the mess. I hopped off my stool to help her.
“I think we’re all a bit hopeless, Mum.” I felt guilty that I’d just snapped at her. “We’re all trying to get through this the best way we can.”
“I know.” She threw the sopping wet towels into the bin and then turned to face me. “But if you go out, Harper, it’ll help. Get yourself into the real world. I know it’s h
ard at first. I hated it too, but we have to start living again, or at least trying to.”
“Fine. I might head into town later. I’m running low on hair products. Maybe I’ll meet up with someone and go for a coffee too while I’m there.”
I couldn’t give a shit about my hair, and God knows who I’d meet for coffee. Maybe I could buy two coffees-to-go, head to the park, and leave one in the bushes for my stalker. He was the only person who seemed interested in following my life these days.
“That’s the spirit, love. A day with a friend will do you the world of good.”
“I’ll make sure I leave my slippers at the front door.” I grinned and gave her a hug, then left her to make a more successful cup of morning coffee.
I headed up to my room, still feeling the anger from his break-in coursing through me. I needed to find out where he was hiding. Maybe pay him a few visits of my own. He wasn’t the only one holding a grudge.
I locked my bedroom door and gave an involuntary shiver as I thought about him wandering around my home. Like a nervous child, I double checked the lock, even though deep down I knew I was safe. It was morning, and creatures like him didn’t come out to play in the light.
I made my way over to my desk. It was still pretty early, so I doubted there’d be many people on the group chat, but I logged on anyway. I needed to do something to take my mind off the violation of being broken in to. This chatroom was slowly becoming my lifeline. It made me feel less alone.
LadyStoneheart23 has joined the chat.
Regina_Phalange- Lol. I am fucking dying here.
Fucking_Alan- That’s it, Reggie, laugh at my misery.
Regina_Phalange- Only you, Alan. Only you.
JoeNotExotic- Come on then. Give us the low down. You can’t tell us that and leave us hanging.
EmoGirl – *Runs to get popcorn*
Fucking_Alan – We matched on Tinder. What can I say? She looked hot and her messages were dirty as fuck. I arranged to meet her at a bar in town.
JoeNotExotic- Didn’t you check out her Facebook or Insta account?
Fucking_Alan- We hadn’t got that far. I only knew her first name.
EmoGirl – Rookie mistake, Alan. Lol.
Fucking_Alan – Well, I know that now! Anyway, I rocked up feeling pretty excited to meet her. She was a sure thing, and she was hot as fuck in her Tinder photos. My night was sorted.
JoeNotExotic- And???
Fucking_Alan – She had no fucking teeth.
Regina_Phalange – Oh my God. Bloody priceless.
EmoGirl – Maybe she had an illness?
JoeNotExotic – Always positive thinking, Emo. I love you, girl.
Fucking_Alan – A bloody illness? Girl was sick if she thought I’d be going there. She had like three teeth in her head. Three. My nan has more than that.
Regina_Phalange – Was she a good friend of your nan’s?
Fucking_Alan- Come again?
Regina_Phalange – I have images of you turning up to a date with an eighty-year-old. So funny.
Fucking_Alan – She was in her twenties. I’m no octogenarian-phile or whatever the opposite of a pedo is. Calm your tits, Reggie.
Legion has joined the chat.
JoeNotExotic – I’m really gonna regret typing this, ‘cos I’m gonna sound like Alan, but at least she’d give good head.
EmoGirl – Joe, I’m disappointed. ROFL
JoeNotExotic- Me too, Emo. *Hangs head in shame and gives an evil laugh*
Fucking_Alan- I’m so glad my dating exploits amuse you.
Regina_Phalange- Every fucking time, mate.
Fucking_Alan – When I got home, I looked at her Facebook and Insta.
EmoGirl- She actually gave you her last name?
Fucking_Alan – Last name, phone number, social security number… This chick was desperate. When I looked online, she wasn’t smiling with her mouth open in any of those photos. Even if I had cyber stalked her, I wouldn’t have known. Girl duped me. I dated a fucking gummy bear… Well, the female version of Albert Steptoe. Nothing is advertised properly these days.
EmoGirl – Speaking of stalking, how you doing, Lady?
LadyStoneheart23- Better for coming on here and hearing about Alan’s toothless date.
Fucking_Alan- Yep. There’ll be plenty of ‘gaps’ in her diary from now on. I’m not bitter though. I hope she succeeds. You know, like a toothless parrot. Sucks seeds. Get it?
JoeNotExotic - *Watching the tumbleweed blow past*
EmoGirl – Alan’s tinder dates get excited when they hear he has a corner office with views of the city, drives a half a million pound vehicle and gets paid to travel. But it kinda sucks when they find out he’s a bus driver.
Fucking_Alan – I used to be a bus driver, but I got sick of people talking behind my back. Ba dum chhh…
EmoGirl- Anyway, enough about Alan’s toothless wonders. How you really doing, Lady?
LadyStoneheart23 – You really don’t want to know.
TommyTank has joined the chat.
Fucking_Alan –Tommy! Mate. Do I have a story for you!
Regina_Phalange- Hey Tom!
I heard the ping of a private message popping up at the bottom of my screen and I saw it was from Legion. Seeing as this Tommy guy was taking over the feed, I decided to click the chat open and see what Legion had to say.
Legion – I want to know.
LadyStoneheart23- Is Alan’s dating drama not doing it for you this morning?
Legion – If he thinks that’s a bad date he should have been in my house growing up. My mum’s dating history reads like a Stephen King novel. Pure fucking horror.
LadyStoneheart23 – That bad, huh?
Legion – I didn’t come with a complimentary bong, syringe, or a spoon to cook her shit up. I was a totally useless son. So yeah, it was that bad. Enough about my fucked up childhood, though. What’s happened?
LadySytoneheart23 – He broke into my house last night.
Legion – And?
LadyStoneheart23 – Isn’t that enough?
Legion – Did he hurt you?
LadyStoneheart23 – Not physically, no. But he was in my house. My fucking house, Legion. That’s another level of fucked up.
Legion – You need to wind it back for me. What’s the deal here?
LadyStoneheart23 – He murdered my brother and now he’s after me.
Legion – Yeah, I got that part from the last chat, but how did he murder him?
LadyStoneheart23 – My brother was a boxer. He was in a fight with him that turned nasty. He hit my brother, my brother stumbled, fell and cracked his head off the floor.
Legion – So I take it this was no boxing ring then?
LadyStoneheart23 – No. It was bare-knuckle boxing. I fucking hate it too.
Legion – Excuse me for being cruel here, but why is that guy to blame? Sounds to me like he hit your brother, your brother tripped, fell and the rest is mother nature or fate, whatever.
LadyStoneheart23 –You sound like the rest of my town.
Legion – I’m not trying to invalidate what you’re saying, just trying to paint a picture here. Why? What are the town saying?
LadyStoneheart23 – That it was an accident. The police too. Apparently, my brother had an undiagnosed brain aneurysm but I don’t care what they say. I don’t care about complications in surgery or mobile phone footage. It was murder.
Legion – What about the police reports? Statements?
LadyStoneheart23 – They’ve dropped the case. My brother’s so-called best friends all retracted their statements and I’m on my own.
Legion – Sounds harsh. I’m sorry to hear that. Sometimes being alone is better though. More clarity and less noise from other people. If you want revenge it’s easier to think and plan without every fucker in your ear.
LadyStoneheart23 – That’s what I thought. They don’t understand anyway.
Legion – I get it.
LadyStoneheart23 – I know, which is totally
insane since I don’t even know you. Anyway, I’ve added my brother’s best friend to my shit list.
Tortured Souls (Rebels of Sandland Book 2) Page 10
