by Hatchett
“SORRY, DIDN’T MEAN TO UPSET YOU.”
“No, it’s ok. It’s just that you never really get over it.” John paused, wondering where to start. “Nick was twenty-one, and like you, he had his whole life ahead of him. You two had been going out a couple of months when the crash happened so it was early days for you both. Even so, I know he really liked you because it was all he ever talked about. Here, I’ve got a picture of him.” John took out his wallet and withdrew a picture, which he held up in front of Jess’s face. “Do you remember him?” he asked gently.
“SORRY, NO.”
“DON’T BLAME YOURSELF.”
“How do you know I... colours right?”
“RIGHT.”
“I should never have bought him that car. Far too young and not really enough driving experience to have a car that powerful. Paula did keep warning me, but I just couldn’t help spoiling him.”
“NOT YOUR FAULT.”
“Thanks Jess, but I think it is. For your injuries too.” John looked down at the floor and tried in vain to stop the tears rolling down his face and dripping onto the floor. After a little while, he regained his composure, wiped his face and forced a smile on it. “I wish it could have been different, all so different,” he whispered as he looked up at Jess.
Jess was asleep.
“You’re like a daughter to me now and I’ll do anything and everything I can for you, I promise.”
7
Dr Raven was in his office, pacing up and down, thinking yet again about the girl in Room West Five on the third floor, Jessica bloody Richardson.
He had chosen to be tall; at six feet three he towered above most of the people he encountered, and this made him feel superior. He had chosen to be lean and handsome; his dark hair and movie-star looks ensured that he never went without somebody warming his bed every night and he didn’t care what shape, size or sex they were as long as they fulfilled his needs and adored him. He had chosen to be a senior consultant at a hospital; it gave him prestige, money and access to drugs and medicines and a variety of doting people.
Over the past couple of days, he had become more and more fixated on Jess, yet he had no idea why. She worried him, but he just couldn’t put his finger on the reason. His survival instinct sensed danger whenever he was in her presence, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what the threat was; after all, she was just a paralysed girl lying in a bed who didn’t remember a thing. Alarm bells rang incessantly whenever he was near her. So, why was he having these feelings? WHY, WHY, WHY? He didn’t know and didn’t like it one little bit.
Joshua Raven craved respect, control and certainty. Everything he did was carefully calculated and followed an agreed path, admittedly a path designed by others, but a path to ultimate glory, nonetheless. Nothing was going to stop him, certainly not some crippled little bitch. He would make sure of that.
His gut was telling him in no uncertain terms that she was hiding something. By all rights she should be dead, but like Lazarus, she was back in the land of the living. He was annoyed at her for waking up, but equally annoyed at the man who had insisted on paying to keep her life support going ‘whatever the cost and for however long it takes’.
Joshua now wished he’d insisted on the machines being turned off, even if it meant taking the man to court. But he hadn’t because the hospital had needed the easy money and wouldn’t have wanted the negative publicity associated with a court case and the ‘killing’ of an innocent young girl. He had acquiesced simply because he didn’t think it would be a problem, especially as he truly believed she had no chance whatsoever of survival. Indeed, he had taken great pleasure in telling anyone and everyone who would listen what a waste of money it was keeping her alive. Even if by some miracle she did wake up she would be a vegetable and the stupid man would end up paying a lot of money for many years for absolutely nothing.
But who was the stupid one now? He had been made into a laughing stock and the fiery heat of embarrassment and humiliation was slowly burning him up. It was all he could do to stop himself erupting and going on a manic killing spree. He’d fucking show these puny humans who he really was and how powerful he was. They should be the ones who were afraid.
Afraid? Where did that thought come from? He wasn’t afraid! Not Joshua Raven, the eminent and highly respected doctor. Just a little bit concerned, that’s all.
For the first time that he could remember, Joshua felt uncertainty gnawing at him, like a rat nibbling at discarded scraps of food found around an untended bin. What should he do? Kill her? That would be easy; just slip something untraceable in her drip. The trouble was that her bloody family and friends were always in her room and, perhaps he was becoming paranoid, but he could swear he was beginning to get funny looks from them whenever he entered her room. No, he couldn’t do it that way. He never went near her drip, that was for the lowly nurses, so it would look unusual if he suddenly started doing chores far beneath him. Just give her an injection? No, too obvious and too traceable. Smother her? No, there were people around and suffocation would leave tell-tale traces such as bloodshot eyes. He would have to give it a bit more thought; after all, he was a doctor so if he couldn’t work out an untraceable and naturally looking way to do it then no one could.
In the meantime, he decided he would pass on his concerns to those higher up the chain. At least that should ease his conscience somewhat. As he picked up the phone on his desk, he decided that he would find himself a plaything for that night; someone who meant nothing to him but who liked it rough and was willing to accept the punishment he would dish out, someone he could take out his frustrations on and someone he could pretend was that little bitch in Room West Five. He could already imagine his hands around her throat and could feel himself becoming aroused at the thought.
8
Jess awoke to find it was early evening; the lamp by the side of her bed was on and the curtains had been drawn. Her father, Damian, was sitting in his seat staring at the TV screen on the wall opposite the bed, watching the news with the volume turned low. Jess watched him for a few minutes without him being aware but could not dredge up any memories of him. She felt sad that Damian meant little more to her than anyone else she might meet for the first time.
As her thoughts languidly roamed from one topic to another, the bedroom door opened, and Dr Raven strode into the room. Jess’s pupils narrowed automatically, and her heartbeat quickened. She still could not see his face properly, it was surrounded by a continuous and undulating mass of black fog and subconsciously she knew without doubt that she was in the presence of something very different, very dangerous and very frightening. She wanted to run, to get away, but of course she was trapped and there was no escape.
Her father had automatically turned in his seat in response to the door opening and although he didn’t realise it, he had shrunk away as soon as he realised it was Dr Raven, unconsciously trying not to draw any attention to himself, and went back to watching the TV.
Dr Raven himself was shaking internally as he entered the room, his internal alarm bells shrieking at full volume. He was fully aware that the girl in the bed was a danger to him, but he didn’t know why and that made him very angry. Outwardly, he looked the epitome of the calm, caring doctor; it was only his eyes which betrayed the turmoil going on inside. Damian would not see this because he had avoided eye contact and had turned back to the TV. Jess was unable to see his eyes clearly in any case.
“How’s my little rabbit this evening,” Dr Raven asked smoothly.
‘What does he mean rabbit? Rabbit in the headlights? Run rabbit run? Who is he?’
“Oh, I forgot, you have to use that machine to speak. Silly me!”
Jess made no move to look at the device, she didn’t want to look away from this thing unless she really had to.
‘Is he playing with me? He knows damn well I have to use the machine to speak.’
Dr Raven picked up her wrist to check her pulse. Her wrist felt slimy to his t
ouch and it took all of his self-control not to throw it back down on the bed. This didn’t happen when he touched other people so why her? He quickly noted that her pulse seemed high and gave her arm a vicious squeeze before putting it back down. The girl just stared at him without blinking the whole time. What had compelled him to visit her? There was no reason to, especially as he was about to leave to meet up with his toy for the evening, something he was really looking forward to. He guessed he just wanted to make absolutely sure he wasn’t imagining things; these human bodies with their diverse emotions and perceptions could often fool you into something which wasn’t true. He continued to stare at her, and she stared straight back. Stubborn little bitch. He’d break her, he decided. He’d wait patiently until the parents and friends dropped their guard and he’d be there to take advantage. He decided that he would make it his mission to destroy her any way he could. He smiled slyly one last time and turned towards the door.
“ENJOY YOUR EVENING DOCTOR.”
Dr Raven almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the machine speak for her. Did she somehow know what he had planned for the evening? He turned back to look at her and she was still staring directly at him. Was that a smile on her face? No, I’m being paranoid, he thought to himself.
“Thank you Jess, I assure you I will,” he replied once he had calmed down a little.
“DON’T DO ANYTHING I WOULDN’T DO.”
Is she taking the piss now? How could she know? She can’t! Little bitch. She’s playing with me. Well, two can play at that game.
“That would depend on what you wouldn’t do, wouldn’t you say,” he replied.
“I CAN’T REMEMBER WHAT I WOULD OR WOULDN’T DO. PERHAPS I WILL FIND OUT WHEN I FULLY RECOVER.”
“You may get a bit better Jess, but I think ‘fully recover’ is a little on the optimistic side,’ Joshua replied, smiling smugly as if he was really quite pleased that she’d never get anywhere near to a full recovery.
‘I WILL RECOVER, YOU CAN COUNT ON IT. I WILL BE BETTER AND STRONGER. I AM A CHRYSALIS WAITING TO BECOME A BUTTERFLY. SOON…VERY SOON. THEN YOU WILL SEE,’ Jess projected her thoughts.
‘It’s a shame butterflies don’t live very long.’ Joshua thought to himself.
‘LONG ENOUGH. HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT?’ Jess projected.
Dr Raven shook his head as if trying to remove a thought or memory. He wasn’t even sure he had spoken that last sentence, never mind actually hearing her last couple of comments. For a second there it had felt as if she had talked inside his head without using that abominable machine. He quickly looked towards Damian to see if he had been following the conversation, but he was still glued to the TV. Still not certain exactly what had happened, Dr Raven said a quick ‘goodnight’ and did his best not to run from the room.
Once Dr Raven had left, Jess replayed the conversation in her mind. She was sure that he was baiting her, so it only seemed fair to give a little back. Game on. It also seemed that he was actually quite cautious of her, perhaps even a little scared.
‘So, he should be. I can feel myself growing although I’m not sure into what.’
Jess looked across to her father and concentrated on him.
‘I THINK IT’S TIME TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL,’ she projected.
Damian looked around for the remote control and once he had located it, picked it up and changed channel.
The merest hint of a smile played across Jess’s lips.
‘Things just get better and better.’
9
Dr Raven had wined and dined his companion for the evening at an expensive and exclusive restaurant which he only used for his favourite playmates. And, this was one playmate he was really looking forward to getting his hands on – literally!
This woman wasn’t married as a lot of his ‘companions’ were. She was of Japanese heritage, in her early-thirties, very slim with long black hair, green eyes and stood at around five feet four inches tall. She was just like a little porcelain doll, but best of all, she was game for anything, whatever his twisted little mind could conjure up. He had met her at a medical conference in Manchester; he was doing a speech on spinal injuries and she was one of the crowd listening. She had come up to him after his speech to ask a question, but it was clear from the very first second of eye contact that this was just an act and that she had an ulterior motive. And boy, what an ulterior motive!
Dr Raven steered his black Mercedes E-Class saloon carefully along the road - he’d had a couple of drinks and the last thing he needed was to be pulled over by the cops.
Thankfully he’d had the foresight to purchase an automatic, so he didn’t have to worry about changing gear and it allowed him to let his left hand wander up and down his companion’s naked thigh under her short skirt as she teasingly stroked the growing bulge in his trousers and began to lower his flies. The feel of her small hand and the thought of her going ‘commando’ and having a ‘Brazilian’ was enough to almost make him come right where he sat. He wanted to grab her hair and force her head into his lap but that would have to wait until later.
As he pulled up to a set of traffic light, his mobile rang. He tutted and looked to see who the caller was, ready to disconnect and ignore the poorly timed interruption, but when he saw the name, he suddenly lost all interest in the woman next to him and withdrew his hand. He clicked on the answer button and quickly said ‘Call you back’ before disconnecting.
“Sorry, something’s come up,” he explained to the woman.
“I know it has,” she replied seductively in a childlike voice as her small hand continued to rub him rhymically up and down.
“Not that!” he explained unnecessarily, brushing her hand away. “Something important which can’t wait. I’ll have to drop you off.”
“Better offer?” she asked accusingly.
“No, of course not! You know how much you mean to me,” he tried to let her down gently, the stupid bitch. “Unfortunately, it’s a work emergency.” Although I’d much rather give you a good, hard, violent seeing to instead. “Where should I drop you off?”
It was clear she had the right hump, the way she slapped her hand onto her lap and tutted with annoyance. He wasn’t best pleased himself, he had been looking forward to this all day.
“Look, I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do. I’ve been called in,” he lied.
“Drop me off at the ‘Slug and Lettuce’,” she ordered. “My friend Jean will be there. After all, that is who I was supposed to be seeing tonight.”
Joshua drove to the pub in silence. There wasn’t much that could be said in this situation and he’d already apologised. What more did the bitch want? He’d tried the ‘I’ll make it up to you’ line which had gone down like a lead balloon. ‘You can bet on it’ had been the bitch’s reply.
When he pulled up outside the pub, she got out and slammed the door without a word before walking around the front of the car and coming up and tapping on his side window. He lowered the electric window and she leant over; he thought she might have calmed down and was going to give him a quick kiss goodnight but instead she pulled her top aside to show him her small bare breasts with their erect nipples and said ‘look at what you’re missing out on’ before covering herself back up and disappearing into the pub.
Joshua slammed his fist against the steering wheel before checking his mirror and pulling away from the kerb. He’d get her back for this, just wait and see.
Joshua flicked the button on his steering wheel and re-dialled the previous number. After a few short rings the phone was answered, and a voice said ‘Mason’.
“It’s Joshua. What do you want?”
“I need to see you now,” Mason replied.
“On my way.”
10
Joshua pulled into the long, curved gravel driveway of Foxton Hall and accelerated past the sturdy automated gates that had been left open, but which closed after he had passed through. His headlights picked up large trees on either s
ide of the drive which had obviously been there for a long time as their canopies had grown so that they formed a tunnel through which he now passed. If it hadn’t been for the car’s headlights and regular lamps set into the side of the drive, it would have been pitch black and feel as if he was in a tunnel to Hell. He was already a little anxious about the meeting he was heading to without the eeriness of his surroundings.
After a few hundred yards, the trees fell away, and the grounds opened out into a large circular forecourt with a fountain at its centre and flanked on either side by what looked like a never-ending lawn with neatly cut grass. Directly opposite the drive was an imposing mansion; the lights emanating from its lower windows gave it a welcoming air but at three stories tall and with the top half covered in shadow it also looked haunted and Joshua felt as if there were many sets of eyes behind those darkened windows keeping a watchful eye on him.
Joshua drove around the fountain and pulled up next to a set of steps which led up to the front door. He turned off the engine and listened to it tick over for a few seconds as he gathered his resolve. He then unbuckled his safety belt, opened the car’s door and got out. He looked around and noticed how quiet and remote it was. He remembered the tagline from the first ‘Alien’ film, ‘In space, no one can hear you scream’ which, he knew from experience to be true, but he felt it was probably true around here as well.
As he mounted the steps, the large oak front door opened, and Mason stood there as a silhouette against the light shining from behind him. Mason was around six feet, in his fifties and was beginning to run to fat. As usual, he was in a suit and tie with a handkerchief in his top pocket. His black shoes were highly polished and reflected the light whenever he moved his feet. He was a smug and self-important man who was used to getting his own way.
“Joshua! Good of you to come,” Mason welcomed him.
“My pleasure,” Joshua replied as he approached Mason and shook his hand. ‘As if I had any choice,’ he thought to himself. He was a bit surprised that Mason had answered the door himself rather than getting one of his underlings to do so. Obviously didn’t want anyone eavesdropping on this occasion.
