by G J Stevens
Completing the turn I came face to face with a grid of four by four television screens, the desk and couch both lined up to point in their direction.
Staring at the screens, I paused for a moment, watching the detail of warehouse-sized rooms on each. Inside were beds, or trolleys, most occupied with figures, people laying down. The scene conjured that of a hospital, right down to the cables and tubes spiralling off to monitors at the side of each bed. Heart traces showed on those monitors close enough to the cameras. It was as if I could almost hear their beeps.
I watched as nurses, or orderlies, milled between the beds. Occasionally someone would stop beside one and fiddle with settings on a small machine or exchange a hanging IV bag.
My view continued over each of the screens until I caught sight of what appeared to be an operating theatre, the first of two. On the last I saw an operation in full swing and I stared on at what seemed to be an amputation of a leg, when the patient suddenly moved to the side, fighting against binds with a power saw cutting through their leg.
I flinched, my stomach contracting, ready to hurl its contents to the floor.
The nurses to the side moved in from the edges to force the person down, but rather than stopping the procedure, they held him firm.
These were no movie images, no horror films as I’d first thought; the time and date in the corner told me they were CCTV and, at a guess, were showing what was going on at the end of the long tunnel.
The men in white coats were not healing these people; the blood-splattered aprons were not from surgical precision.
As my thoughts crashed and clattered together, a noise above cut through the questions.
I turned back to the screens. The bottom left showed two cars pulled up outside fifty-six and three of the football players I’d seen at the party were running up the drive and towards the front door. The next image rotated between different views of the inside of the house; Ally’s bedroom, the bathroom, the stairs.
Now I knew why Frank had made the house out of bounds for their games.
Picking up the knife, I climbed up the ladder with my heart pounding in my chest and body numb as if I’d just woken from a thousand-year sleep. Above I could hear the front door open, but I had to slow my ascent; the stomp of my feet on the metal rattled like I was ringing my own echoing alarm bell.
Soon at the top with my head just below the level, I drew a deep breath and smashed my forehead into the concrete wall to the sound of footsteps on the stairs just above. Stars sparkled across my view and I could only just hold on to the rung. Somehow I climbed out, stumbling over the fallen guy who lay not moving.
With just enough time to push my hand through the tie wrap, pulling it tight with the other, I felt myself reeling forward, the stars building to lines as I closed my eyes and let go of consciousness.
31
I woke with a face hovering over mine. A guy I recognised from the party.
For a moment I thought it was still the first time I’d been to the house and I listened for the sounds of conversation in the background. Maybe I’d drunk too much. Maybe he would help me get back to my bed, but then the sharp sting at my forehead told me why I lay on the floor.
I watched the guy’s lips move, but the words were only just coming into focus and I couldn’t quite understand what he was saying. The only thing I knew for certain was the gratitude at my hands being free again.
Reaching out to touch my hand to my forehead, I watched the guy, his image suddenly fuzzy as I made contact.
He winced, drawing my hand away. “How do you feel?” he said, his words sounding a little slurred, but I could at least understand them now.
I turned to the side, unable to speak as the contents of my stomach flowed.
“What’s happening?” was all I could get out as I saw the doors close and the guy next to me leave the room.
“There was an intruder. Do you remember anything?” another voice said with a mixture of concern and authority.
“I… remember… him,” I said, just retaining enough sense to cower. “Is he gone?”
“Yes, he’s gone. You’re safe,” the new voice said.
“Are you the police?”
“Kind of. We work for Mr Bukia. You’re safe now. Can you tell me what you remember?”
I waited a moment, letting my stomach settle.
“He forced those doors and I head-butted him. A little too hard, I think.” My hand went halfway to the lump on my forehead before the only guy in the room pushed it gently away. “I should get home,” I said and tried to stand, but my legs wouldn’t hold my weight and I collapsed into the arms of the guy collecting me up, cradling me with his chest like pillows. I watched as he walked to another room and lay me down on a bed.
“The doctor is on his way,” were the last of his words I heard before I drifted into darkness.
***
I woke to light filling the room. Natural light.
I turned to see the canula in the back of my hand and a clear tube disappeared somewhere I daren’t follow for the sake of my stiff neck.
Ally sat on the edge of the bed, beaming a wide grin.
I smiled back and she dropped the book to the floor, leaning closer.
“She’s alive,” she said in a quiet voice before she leant further and kissed my cheek.
“You’re back,” I said, my voice weak and dry, the words forcing a squint at the pounding in my head.
“You hit that bastard real hard. Here, the doctor said you might want these pain killers when you woke.”
I let her help me sit up, drinking the water as she handed over the cup, then knocking back the pills without question.
“How’s your vision?”
“Only one of you, I’m afraid,” I replied with a gentle laugh.
“One’s enough, isn’t it?” she replied, wearing on a scowl.
“More than enough,” I replied. “Did he get anything?”
“Only what he deserved,” she said, her expression stern.
Staring into her eyes I took warmth from her smile, but the images from the screens dissolved into view. Fear rose up from my core, not for myself, but for Ally. A desperation built for those people still down there.
I’d only known her for such a short time, but there was no chance she could have any idea what that monster was doing. She had no idea who she’d been sharing a bed with.
“What’s wrong?” she said with a frown bunching on her forehead.
“I’m just remembering, that’s all.”
“Tell me what happened. Tell me everything. It’ll help. Did he do anything to you?” she said, looking me up and down despite being completely covered with a duvet.
“No. This was my doing,” I said. “He opened those doors and I saw my chance.”
“Do you know what he was trying to get? Did he say anything?”
I paused as I heard footsteps outside the room. The door opened and Frank appeared with a wide, surprised look on his face.
“No. He said he was looking for something. I went out cold as I head butted him.”
Ally made space for Frank to sit on the edge of the bed beside her and he leaned in, stroking my cheek with the back of his hand.
With my skin crawling at his touch, it was all I could do not to flinch away.
“Thank you,” he said. “Thank you for protecting my home.”
“I’ve got to go home now,” I replied and pulled myself out of the bed. They tried to stop me, almost pleading with me to stay for a few hours more or to have something to eat, but I insisted, only conceding to let one of their guys walk me between the two houses.
After telling Celina the bare minimum, I spent the rest of the day laying in my own bed; a bed that I’d have for only a few days more as my mind raced over those images. Those scenes on the CCTV monitors.
With hourly checks by Celina, the pain calmed, but still I couldn’t bring myself to eat. Between those images and the thoughts of Ally with that man next d
oor, I spent much of my effort stopping myself from bringing up whatever remained of my last meal.
After a few hours I was overjoyed to hear the knock at the door and just as Celina was telling Ally I was sleeping, I headed slowly down the steps.
Celina looked up, raising her eyebrows and tilting her head to the side but left us to it.
“How’s the head?” Ally said. She stood at the front door, squinting up the stairs much like Celina had, holding her hand at the frame to stop the dog from pulling her arm from her socket.
“Fine now,” I lied. “The headache’s gone but the bruise is going to be special.”
“You up to a walk?” she said, tipping her head outside.
I joined her without nodding, not trusting the movement.
We walked slowly for a long time with neither of us speaking, the silence almost comforting, Ally realising how my head must have made me feel.
It wasn’t until we turned back I spoke for the first time.
“When can we meet up again?” I said, raising my eyebrows but lowering them again as a flash of pain reminded me of my injury. “I really want to be with you again. Soon.”
“Me too. So does Frank, but he’s only just getting over what I did with the champagne.”
I bit my lip, holding back the words I wanted to say.
“This weekend?” she said.
“Okay, but do we have to wait that long, you know, for you and me?” I replied.
She giggled, circling her arm through mine and pulling me close. I wanted to get her alone for longer than it took to walk the dog so I could tell her everything and then give her time to calm back down so we could plan what to do next.
“Frank would kill me if we did anything without him, especially the first time. He still thinks we passed out and didn’t do…” She paused, a grin showing her bright white teeth. “You know. What we did.”
I released from her grip, grabbed the sides of her head and pulled her face close to mine, kissing her deep. She pushed towards me, pressing hard until we had to come up for air.
Getting her breath back, she spoke. “I’ll see what I can do.”
When I got home, I had the house to myself and after double checking Celina had left, I powered up the family computer and tapped out the details of what I’d seen. I made sure I added all the previous information I couldn’t remember if I’d previously reported.
The response came back only a few seconds later.
Hold…
I waited, for the first time not disappointed when I hit the enter key.
I didn’t have to wait long and I saw more text in their reply than all their messages received so far.
There was no registered clinic of that kind for two hundred miles of where I was sitting. There was a doctor working for his company, but he’d been removed from the medical register five years ago after being prosecuted for unethical experimentation on vulnerable people. His name was Francis Burchet.
I deflated as the reply ended with the familiar words.
Instructions:
Observe. Report.
I was about to close down the connection when another line appeared.
Report back within 24 hours.
I cleared my footprint of messages and hit the power button, trying to hold myself back from slamming my fist onto the desk, taking solace that tomorrow they may have made some decision.
32
With a tap at the door the following morning, I held a box the same size as the first. As Celina had handed it over, she’d asked me if I was okay or something similar. I shook my head or nodded, I can’t remember which, but she left me alone either way.
I lingered on the ground floor when I heard her on the phone; she was telling someone there might be something wrong as she spoke with a concerned edge to her voice. I didn’t stick around, the box burning in my hands.
Inside was another complete set of the white underwear. The note in her hand made me smile at first, blotting out the darkness choking my heart. Anger brewed inside me, growing as I read on, but at least I knew I could tell her soon.
We’d run away. I’d get her away from here as soon as I could, then I’d call it in. They’d arrange for a tactical nuke or something, sending the army to rescue those still alive, then blow the place sky high, taking him away to reflect on the torture he’d directed.
The note told me she’d pulled it off. He’d needed little convincing when she said how I eager I’d been and he’d cleared a slot in his diary for this afternoon. I would meet her and the car, take a short drive then get straight to it.
I knew the drill; she hadn’t needed to tell me to wear the replacement for what sat on his underground desk.
I tried to stop myself thinking it over. I just had to get the moment over then on the drive back we’d go somewhere else while he was busy. A bar or somewhere.
I buried myself in the ritual of preparing for the deed. Bathing. Preening. Washing my hair.
Full of pain killers and excitement to see her, I bounded towards her house at the allotted time, no sooner or later than planned.
Ally met me at the door with the car already outside. My mood lifted even further at her sight, pushing away the last of the darkness which had wrapped around me.
Slapping me on the ass as I climbed in the car, sparks flew from the sensation as she bounced to my side, her lips clamping to mine as I felt the car move.
We writhed in pleasure, not even bothering to stop for a drink. Her hands roved over my neck, moving down to my breasts and ass while mine took their own route over her silky clothes, our tongues chasing around the other's mouth.
The car stopped, the door opening too soon. I’d lost track of time, but not so much that I knew we were still local.
Panting for breath, I looked on at the driver. He held the door but looked away as the metal of the car framed the door of a roadside motel.
I felt my heart palpitate, but Ally’s hands were gentle at my back, urging me out of the car.
Stumbling and still in a light-headed daze, she took my hand as the car door closed and drove away.
Ally used a key card from her small purse and opened the door to show the wide, darkened room with candles flickering from every flat surface.
My breath stole as I caught sight of the large bed with no duvet, just white sheets stretched tight and plump pillows at the head. Candles stood on the window, the bedside tables and on every other surface as I took in the room.
With the door closed at my back I thought for a moment; it was my chance to talk to her before he came, but then my unfocused gaze caught, as did my breath, when I saw his clothes piled neatly on the floor by the wooden dresser.
Following Ally’s lead, she pulled off her coat and threw it to the floor at the side of the door, mine landing on top.
I turned as she did, looking to the bathroom as the door opened and watched as Frank stood with steam from the shower at his back, wrapped in a white towelling robe.
I felt myself almost gag as I saw him, remembering the images on the screens.
He opened his palms as he walked to the bed. Ally took both my hands and turned me towards her.
The bile calmed as she leant forward, kissing me with the same vigour as before and our tongues furiously mingled. Her hands were at the hem of my top, which she soon had over my head. Her fingers dropped my skirt to the floor and I stepped out of the material, her hands running up and down my back and over my ass as I pulled her top off to reveal her scarlet bra. In double time I had it over her head, not letting her mouth free as she pulled the bra straps from her arms.
My fingers moved to her nipples and she turned me by ninety degrees.
Frank lay on the bed, sitting with his back slouched against the pillows. With one leg bent, his knee in the air, the towel lay on the floor to the side. In his right hand he held himself. It was massive; so much bigger than I’d expected. And circumcised. Another surprise.
Ally let loose a small giggle.
Somehow I was already separating the person from the body. Maybe it was Ally’s kisses on my neck, or the freedom of my nakedness.
I pulled in a deep breath as she let my knickers down to my ankles. She didn’t need to push too much to get my legs open, her fingers brushing over my mound before diving inside me.
I almost let go there and then, my eyes closing as she played. A sharp breath pulled in when she withdrew.
“She’s ready. Oh my god, she’s ready,” Ally said with such enthusiasm.
I nodded, despite my insides screaming at my actions. I was ready and I wanted it so bad. My head told me just not with him.
Here, yes. Now was the right time, with Ally watching. Oh my god.
But could I really be thinking about having sex with this monster?
33
Ally pulled me from my questioning, pecking me on the cheek. Frank moved off the bed to stand at Ally’s side as she ushered me to take his place on top of the mattress, which I did without putting up a fight and touched down in his warmth.
Both Frank and I stared on as Ally slowly undid her skirt, sliding her knickers down her legs. I shared my gaze between them as I lay on my back, my legs spreading as I watched them turn to each other, him greedily kissing at her mouth as she grabbed hold of him, stroking up and down whilst he arched his back in pleasure.
Oh my god, it was going to happen.
I looked to Ally and then to Frank. They’d stopped kissing and had both turned toward me. Her with a sweet, knowing grin, eager for me to have my experience. Him like I was his prey, caught in a trap.
He placed his knees to the bed, crawling towards me with his dick springing up and down, the end slick with liquid dripping from the tip. Our eyes locked and my breath caught as I saw the same expression hanging on the face of the driver of the empty coach.
A flashback pulled me to the view of the diner. The coach full of people; young and old as they waved at me with the coach moving off. Then the return journey; the seats empty.
