Box Set

by Kim Petersen

  As the last scraps of love succumbed to the drowning darkness that engulfed it, Ace had the dreaded sense that when these hours came to an end, so too would the love in him end. Yet he knew he was powerless to stop it – the black serpent was too strong for him to fight – even if he wanted. And hey, who wanted to? This was all he knew. He found a strange comfort in the painful writhing movement of the black snake when it ventured through his mind.

  Ace replaced the switchblade to the confines of his leather jacket before springing to his feet. The afternoon sun flickered down through the rainforest around him as he strode in under the cool cover of a lush green canopy. He had a long-awaited date with the woman who had starred within his warped fantasies for the last six years, and ready or not, she was about to meet the grim reaper of the guilt he knew must have plagued her since she had abandoned him. Pay back is a bitch! A bizarre giggle escaped through his lips. What a fitting cliché for this fine day.

  The light within him dimmed as his eyes surveyed the big white manor from the mask of trees beyond the clearing. The light in him flickered to a smoky-grey before extinguishing from his heart entirely.

  ***

  The late afternoon sun flared in his green eyes as Glen peered towards the mountain ridges. He brought the Holden Premiere to a halt at the start of the dirt road that stretched out in front of him while he rustled around for the road map. He scanned the map before his mouth widened in a triumphant sneer as he confirmed that he had arrived.

  A cold rush of exhilaration converted the ache of a long drive into a renewed surge of vitality, as the black serpent uncoiled through his mind. At last! I shall have my day of reckoning! All the hard, unrelenting years he had spent searching, hunting and planning were finally about to come to an end. Pay day has arrived! he thought, yielding to the sinister force of the black snake that rampaged through him. His cold eyes glanced around for a suitable camouflage for the car. He would leg it from here; he wasn’t about to take any unnecessary risks of being discovered, not at this crucially vital stage. Thoughts of her pale slender neck being strangled under his hands tempted him.

  Glen spied a perfect spot for his car a little further down the road within the dense vegetation of the rainforest, and hid it under the lush canopy. He alighted from the vehicle and set off towards the white manor that awaited him at the end of the winding dirt road.

  Glen couldn’t wait to savour the surprised look of terror that would inevitably wash over her pretty expression when he revealed his venom to his dear, dear wife. Oh! The sweet anticipation! Glen mused while stealthy steps drew nearer to their destination. Pay back is a bitch! And today, the bitch will know pay back! His eyes danced feverishly as they scanned the big manor, seeking his little mouse to catch.

  “Mousy, mousy,” Glen whispered through the trees that concealed him. “Come out, come out wherever you are.” A warm chuckle emanated from his lips as he readied himself for the detailed search of the property.

  ***

  Millie threw the last of the few belongings she had brought with her into the overnight bag, then skimmed the hotel room one last time before she left. Satisfied there would be nothing left behind, she grabbed the hire car keys. Twilight was fast approaching, and the city glistened crimson in the dying sunlight, giving the dazzling city a flaming, surreal appearance. Millie grinned at the beauty of the view as she thought about the visit with her mother the day before. It had been a good trip, and she was glad that she had finally had the chance to rekindle her relationship with her mother. Millie recalled the words her mother had spoken at the stream, and as her mind lingered over Kate’s words for a moment, an excited shimmer passed through her and nestled deeply within her consciousness.

  “Use your imagination sweetheart,” her mother had said, and her grin broadened, as her imagination was her painting – and her painting was her imagination. Somehow, Millie sensed that the path her mother had spoken of rested in the brush strokes of her artwork. Everything seemed to makes sense to her now – Damon’s unexpected arrival at the gallery and his plans to expose her artwork to the world; the melody she heard in the birds at the stream; her mother’s words – all appeared to be lighting a path before her. She gave a contented sigh and swivelled around to collect her overnight bag, then she set off to visit Kate one last time before her flight home later that evening.

  The phone rang just as she was about to close the hotel room door, stopping her dead in her tracks. “Shit,” Millie mumbled, as she turned about and made for the phone.

  “Millie?” Craig’s voice spoke before she could even manage a greeting.

  “Craig! What’s wrong? Is Arella okay?” Millie said.

  “Arella is fine, sweetheart,” Craig soothed. “It’s Emily …” He hesitated before revealing the news of the death of Emily and her twins.

  Millie collapsed onto the bed. No! No! Not my Em. Millie struggled with the news of physical death. She had the inner knowledge that death was but a transitory state of affairs because her own birth mother was alive and well in another realm, yet an aching sadness overcame her, pulling her down into a profound grief and denial for the loss of her dearest friend and her little boys.

  Millie attempted to comprehend the horror of Emily’s actions. “Why? Why?” She sobbed a river of tears. She wept for the lives lost to the sweet experiences ahead of them, the beautiful exposure to life that would have enlivened their senses, and the humbling lessons of love they would no longer learn in this embodiment. But most of all, Millie sobbed for the utter hopelessness and loneliness she knew must have tormented Emily to drive her to carry out such a final act of departure. She wished that she had paid more attention to Emily over the last days that she had seen her. Perhaps I could have prevented this, she thought, as a great feeling of guilt tormented her. “This is my fault!” she shrieked. “My fault.”

  Millie fought hard to regain control over the hysterics she felt gaining momentum over her emotions. Breathe … just breathe, she told herself, taking big gulps of air. Breathe … A slight sense of calm began to unknot her stomach as her ears pricked at the gentle tones of a familiar voice.

  “Millie,” it whispered. “Millie.”

  Millie opened her eyes to the empty hotel room and looked around for the source of the voice. A dusky stream of sunlight gleamed through the uncurtained window, filling the space around her with tinges of rosy gold.

  “Millie,” the voice called again.

  She turned towards the source of the voice and caught her breath when she glimpsed the angel wings that spread against the sunset blaze of the window. A wave of peace overcame her, turning tears of sadness into ones of joy and love. Opaque hues of red, purple, green and blue filled the feathers of the vast wings as they presented themselves to her in a display of mystical transcendence. Her eyes widened at the sight of the being with the brightest radiance washing over and through her in a white beam. Millie’s face softened in adoration.

  “Hello Mummy,” she whispered, recognising Samantha.

  The celestial image smiled down at her, and emerald eyes flickered with unconditional love. “My daughter.” Her voice was a hallowed whisper. “It is time for you to better understand the path you have chosen in this embodiment. Do not waste your time with emotions that will not serve you, it is not your fault.”

  Samantha spread the palms of her hands out towards her. “Freewill is given to each of us, and so is the wonderful stream of God’s energy. Each of us decides either consciously or unconsciously how to direct the energy given to them.”

  Millie contemplated Samantha’s words. “But …” she hesitated, mesmerised. “But … I should have known. I could have prevented this.”

  “It was not for you to intervene, Millie. It was done by works of her freewill. No longer could Emily see who she really was; no longer could she realise the cause of her own life.”

  “Her own conscious creation?” Millie ventured.

  “Yes,” Samantha smiled. “You have been gifted w
ith many past lives of accumulated light. In this life, you carry the light much brighter than ever before.”

  Millie stood in silent awe as she waited for Samantha to continue.

  “You will learn to consciously charge your paintings with a great light stream of energy filled with love, faith, charity and healing. You shall choose which divine energy is required for each canvas you mark. Do not concern yourself with who the recipients of your work shall be, for that will be arranged by higher dwelling beings.”

  “But, but how will I do this?” Millie asked.

  “You will learn, Millie. It is your destiny to help shift the collective consciousness of the world.” A gentle laugh escaped Samantha’s lips as she gazed at her daughter. “You must go to your mother now; she needs you!”

  The image faded, leaving her thoughts in disarray. Millie leaped into action with an inexplicable urge to get to her mother. She collected the hire car keys, scooped up her belongings and dashed down the corridor towards the elevator. Hurry up! Hurry up! Damn it! She willed the elevator’s arrival with an impatient tap of her white sneakered foot. The compulsion to go to The Rosebud Retreat totally consumed her now.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  K ate gave a contented yawn as she sat out on the sun chair on the patio of her suite. She smiled towards the mountains as she eagerly awaited Millie’s arrival before her flight back to Sydney. She marvelled at the rich crimson-pink hues that struck the feathery clouds that stretched out over the mountain range as the sun melted into the horizon. It had been a very long time since she could recognise the humbling enormity of the small gifts of the earth. The sound of footsteps through the garden that edged the patio startled her, and she was surprised to see a dark-haired young man making his way over to the sun chair adjacent to her.

  Thick lips grinned broadly beneath a prominent nose that supported darkly tinted sunglasses.

  “It is you indeed; for a moment I wasn’t quite sure,” he declared with widespread hands declaring his pleasure.

  Kate’s hands became clammy, and instinctively her nerves were on end. Something was horribly wrong. Kate wondered if she knew this young man at all as it appeared he knew her.

  “I think you have the wrong person; who are you looking for?” she forced a smile.

  “Oh! I’m sorry,” he apologised. “You don’t recognise me.” He removed his sunglasses to reveal piercing sapphire-blue eyes. “Mum.” His grin widened as he saw the shock etch over her gaunt face.

  “Ace?” Kate asked, grateful that she was already sitting down as she would have collapsed otherwise. The heart in her chest quickened as she processed this sudden turn of events. How did he find me here? Millie must have told him.

  “Ace! Oh my goodness, you have grown!” she tittered nervously. “I hardly recognise you.”

  No, Millie assured me she told no-one. Why is he looking at me like that? she mulled. His eyes are different. I know this look. It gradually dawned on her with a frightful realisation of the crazed shadow that dwelled in her son’s eyes. She had seen the same lunacy reveal itself in the eyes of the man she had married years before.

  Ace chuckled softly while relishing the obvious edge his presence had evoked in his mother’s nerves. “Ten years of growing, Mum. I am a man now,” he declared. “Funny … you are not as nearly pretty as I remembered you to be. You have aged,” he said, emphasising the impersonal nature of his tone. “But then again, I can imagine guilt to be quite the ager.” He chuckled again before looking at her with such intensity that it made her squirm uncomfortably.

  “Ace,” Kate started, her voice trembling, “I wanted to take you with me. I knew that you would be hurt and I’m sorry but I was frightened … so frightened.”

  “Uh, Uh, Uh!” Ace shook his head and put up his hand to silence her. “I didn’t come here to hear your excuses, Mother. The morning after you left me, I ran and ran through the house searching for you. I couldn’t believe that you would just leave me like that.” He cocked his head as he leaned closer to her. “And then do you know what happened, Mother?”

  Kate slowly shook her head as the breath within her froze. “No,” she whispered.

  “My heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I thought I was going to die.”

  “Ace … I,” she stammered as he held a hand up to silence her.

  “No excuses, remember,” he chuckled. “It took a long time for me to adjust with no mother around. Millie took good care of me though. I would have almost forgiven your betrayal, but then one day you tore our family apart with a small wooden box.”

  He leaned closer still. Kate could smell the trace of peppermint that circled under his breath.

  Ace grinned. “Do you think I could forgive you now, Mother?” he whispered.

  Kate attempted to rein in the screams that echoed through her mind as she concealed the involuntary shudder that swept over her. “Then why did you come here, Ace?”

  She lifted herself up to peer through the high plants that edged the patio in the hope to catch somebody walking through the grounds, but there was no-one.

  Ace’s eyes darkened as he attempted to control the serpent that hungered to sink its fangs in her neck. “Interesting question, Mum.”

  “No, it’s a simple question, Ace,” Kate said with an air of resignation in her voice.

  “I’m not your baby boy anymore, Mother.” Ace stood up, purposely menacing her with his large frame. “As far as I see it, you revoked your questioning privileges the moment you revoked me,” he hissed as clenched knuckles tightened.

  Kate sprang up on her bare feet, and stretched up in a vain effort to level with the sting of his stare. A cold shiver speared through her spine as she realised that she was in grave danger. Yet, he is still my son. Surely she could persuade the demon within him to yield under her grace. Besides, she was also aware that Millie would arrive at any given minute. She was convinced that she could handle Ace until then. She must.

  “Ace, why don’t we go inside and I’ll make us a cup of tea?” Her smile was forced as she turned away from him. “Millie will be here any minute; we can all have tea together,” she said over her shoulder while heading through the open French doors.

  She heard the fall of his steps behind her, and became acutely aware of his every move as he tracked carefully into the small sitting room. She did not miss his intentional action as he reached in his pocket and produced a white handkerchief. Kate’s eyes skimmed over Ace in trepidation when he used the cloth to grasp at the brass handles of the doors as he closed them together securely. And when he faced her in a deliberately calculated move, a fidgety smile crossed her lips as her senses went into overdrive, as now there was no mistaking the unspoken communication between them. All the reasoning in the world could not find error in his ultimate motive.

  He replaced the handkerchief into his biker jacket, and twisted his head in such a way to stare at her with eyes blazing with hate. “I’m afraid I don’t have time for tea, Mother,” he said, his hand lingering still beneath his jacket. “Nor to wait for Millie.”

  “Oh …” Kate could barely breathe now as Ace drew nearer. Her heart pounded and throbbed through her ears. It was all she heard as he began to mutter in a bizarre mumble of distorted sentences, and the haze that brewed in his eyes seemed to put him in a trance while his fingers drew out a switch blade. She regarded the sneer on his lips with resignation as he closed in on her.

  ***

  Prowling among the shrubs and trees with the practised manoeuvres of a stalker, the black snake slithered through the grounds of the retreat unseen and unheard as he searched for his prey. Already he had carefully scoured every cottage window, and peered with the patience of a stealthy huntsman through every unattended doorway. Crouching at the rear of the property, he scanned the widely spaced rows of patios from a line of elegantly placed French doors. Glen knew he would comb through this place over and over if required. His spiky head jerked in alert at the sight of blonde hair as she stood bey
ond the potted ferns that bordered one of the patios. The beat of his heart leaped as he froze within the dense cover amid the trunks of thick trees. He licked his lips eagerly and grinned as he realised the hunt was over.

  But wait. He frowned in annoyance. She is not alone. His lantern-green eyes narrowed as they honed in on her unexpected guest. “Fuck!” he cursed under his breath when he saw his son following Lilly through the French doors.

  He glanced around to ensure there was nobody else around, then with a quick breath, he made a dash for the patio. Lingering cautiously between some large prickly ferns, Glen paused to find Kate and his troublesome son. He found them in an instant and trained his eyes on them just as he saw the flash of a switchblade lunge deeply into her stomach. He cursed at the loss of his prey and watched stunned and helpless as the switchblade jabbed over and over into the flesh of its victim.

  Regaining his senses, Glen lurched through the rose bushes and burst through the French doors with a harrowing gurgle escaping his throat. “Nooooo!” he shrieked, rushing at Ace who was now crouching over his mother.

  Glen stopped beside the bent knees of his son and assessed the eerie scene before him. His eyes regarded the bloody gashes spread over Kate’s body. Thick blood seeped into the carpet, coagulating between the nylon fibres on which Ace kneeled. Glen reached towards Ace, who gazed sobbing and dismayed back up at his father.

  “Ace, get up now,” Glen said, grasping his son’s armpit and pulling up. “We have to go.”

  Ace rose shaking to his feet and stood helpless. “I’m sorry,” he coughed, before falling into the outstretched arms of his father. “I didn’t mean to … It was all her fault.”

  Glen caught him and embraced him, feeling every tattered emotion that coursed through the struggling heart of his son. His own heart shattered at Ace’s distress at his own actions, and Glen knew that his son had little control over the menacing force the black serpent imposed upon him. He knew that the vindictive nature of the beast would eventually destroy his son if Ace could not learn to tame the demon within him.