by Simon King
The wheels spun a little in the gravel then launched itself towards the water’s edge, the headlamps bouncing up and down, briefly illuminating the edge of the cliff face. It hit the water with more speed than I expected and I think that’s what helped it out far further. The darkness returned almost instantly as the front sank beneath the wake it had created.
The engine ceased a moment later and as the rear of the car lifted high into the air, I remembered a ship that had sunk a couple of decades before, taking almost it’s entire compliment of passengers with it. As the car sank beneath the murky surface, the silence returned to the pit, just two lonely figures watching the final remnants of the murder disappearing beneath the waves.
That was the first murder of the Cider Hill rampage that followed soon after. It was also the first murder that Clancy was involved in. But there would be more to come in the following few months. Many more. And not even the kid would escape the horror that followed, as Loui was finally unleashed on the town.
Chapter 8
1.
It didn’t take long for the bodies to start piling up. To say that Loui was efficient is a real understatement. He made short work of those that had wronged us, the murders not needing a lot of planning. They were mostly hit and runs in the beginning, killing the victims in their homes where possible.
The cops struggled to make sense of them, the speed of the ever-increasing victims mounting. There were a few they never linked to the main murders that were riddling the town and that worked in our favour.
Some of our intended targets had moved away, sometimes to the next town or city, sometimes to another state. It didn’t matter. Clancy and I pursued them no matter how far we needed to travel.
I’d made the move to get to know his mum, to win over her trust and allow Clancy to pop over whenever he wanted. It wasn’t that difficult, his mother having turned her attention to the bottle, not unlike so many others that were struggling with daily life during those years. I doubt she ever really missed her child completely, maybe even glad to have him out from under her feet.
2.
I didn’t really want to make this a running commentary of the murders that we committed, James. I just wanted to explain why we did it. The why is much more important to me than the how. The why is what drove us all those years.
But I also wanted to give you an indication of the who as well. Those we did kill and made disappear. Those that were never part of the original list you and the rest of the world assumed were it. Because your puny list of 14 wasn’t even the half of it.
To help you with getting the records straight and maybe give a few folks a bit of closure, add the following to your list.
Maxwell Templeton. As I already stated, we killed him at the gravel pit. He’s located at the bottom of a shaft maybe 300 yards in from the outer edge of the tree line, with his car at the bottom of the sludge pit.
Jean Thornberry. She was one of the girls from my school. That bitch threw a rock at me once that hit me in the nose, breaking it and sending streams of blood down my shirt. Quite a few others found the scene funny to watch, but my father wasn’t one of them. He closed my right eye with a punch when I came home that night with a bloodstained shirt. We dropped her down another shaft somewhere near Maxwell.
Norman Hanks. A friend of Royce who had a crack at my arse a couple of times before moving to Bendigo. Clancy and I tracked him down and found him drunk outside his home one night. Although Loui wanted to finish him, I convinced him otherwise. We smashed his head in a couple of times, then dragged him to some nearby railroad tracks. The next train to come along decapitated both his head and feet as we watched from the roof of our nearby hideaway. We didn’t need to hide him as the authorities considered him a suicide.
The Jersey Sisters. These girls were part of the whole rock throwing incident with Jean. They would repeatedly point and laugh at us as we passed them at school. One of them had also spat on the back of my head one afternoon as we were walking out through the school gate. They’d moved to nearby Ballarat and I went and paid them a visit without Clancy. You’ll find them in the roof cavity of 24 Porter Avenue. The top half of Nancy is at the opposite end of the house, near the chimney.
Wilma Friedrickson. This old battle-ax was a friend of the now-deceased Mavis Toomey. She’d worked alongside the woman, often staring at me with contemptuous expressions. There was one occasion where she scolded me in front of the class for smelling. It was embarrassing and not something I could forgive. The only problem was, the bitch had a heart attack before Loui began, dropping dead at our feet in her living room.
Brian Riggs. Another schoolyard bully that made my life hell. Thought it was funny to throw a jar of glue at my head. The glass cut my scalp deep enough to need stitches, while the glue had to be cut from my hair. My father ended up shaving my head, leaving me to walk around bald for several weeks. I tore that cunt to pieces, James. I scattered his body around Cider Hill. You might find his bits in several of the shafts, but his head I dropped into the outhouse hole at the footy oval.
Pamela Turner and Harvey Blight. She was Brian’s closest friend, rumour saying the pair had seen each other naked a few times. I don’t know how true that was, but I can tell you she didn’t enjoy being nude with Loui. We found Pamela and Harvey skinny-dipping at old Roy Henderson’s dam one afternoon as I crossed the paddock on my way home. I’m pretty sure both of them are still at the bottom of that old watering hole.
John Killen. Killed that prick because he just annoyed me on a train ride to Ballarat. He was sitting in the seat behind me, constantly trying to chat up young girls. He “fell” between the carriages as we rode through a tunnel after wanting to get some fresh air.
Sam Wong. That guy worked at the mill and constantly gave me grief about how bad my father was. I ignored his comments for as long as possible, but he persisted, often telling me that I reminded him of my father because of how useless I was. He somehow lost his balance and fell into the chipper at the mill. I doubt there was enough of his body left to fill the coffin they buried him in.
Evelyn Newman. Unfortunately, she saw me leave Susan Heidenberg’s home after I took care of that bitch. I was sorry for killing Evelyn, but needed to silence her. I did that one myself, keeping Loui away as I ended her life quickly and as painlessly as possible. While we’re on the subject of Heidenberg, do you know why I killed that woman? While the press purported her as a sweet and innocent young lady, no-one knew that she was a bully who lived next to my mum in Carlton for many years. She would often throw eggs at my mum’s house with her friends, at one point dropping a pile of dog shit on her porch. I was glad to end her, Loui taking his time with that one.
And while I’m on the subject of reasons, remember your old pal, Rademeyer? Do you know why I personally took charge of that one? Oh no, James, as much as you might think that was Loui, that fucker and his whore was all me.
Rademeyer was the one who fathered the child my mother was carrying when I found her out behind the shed. My father had punched her repeatedly until that cunt’s seed stopped clinging on, dragging it from her and burying it somewhere out back. Rademeyer had known my mother since school and had something of an affair with her. I don’t know how involved they got, but do know my father found out about it. Once she disappeared, it was enough to keep the good chief away from our home. I guess he too was glad my mother was gone, all evidence of their infidelity removed forever. Imagine the look on his wife’s face when I told her the truth during her final moments on this planet.
3.
I know there were a couple of others, but I can not remember them. For that I’m sorry. Everyone of the victims had their reasons for facing the wrath of Loui. That was, all except the Newman girl. They all deserved what they got, paying for their mean streaks with their lives.
Treating a kid the way they did, or even his helpless mother. I can not begin to tell you how nightmarish our lives had become. You might think of me as a monster, but that
is a matter of perception. From where I stood, they were the monsters, forcing me to relive hell each and every day. Loui became the ultimate revenge tool; one I would choose again if I had to.
While you might see the deaths as some sort of tragedy, I saw them as retribution. Clancy stood beside me for many of them. He helped me with gaining access to some of the victims by portraying to be a lost or scared kid. Most fell for the ruse, giving us a way in.
Don’t be too hard on him when you finally pick him up. He was as much of a victim of this as I was. We were both stuck in a nightmare world that didn’t care about us. I know he needs to face the consequences of his actions as much as I do, but I’m asking for you to show him a little mercy when you pick him up.
He still stuck by me, even while I was locked up in this horrible prison. He also helped me escape when that silly doctor thought he could control us. Clancy would often wait at the foot of the hill, where the tunnel opened up at.
That doctor. That stupid, stupid doctor who took himself to be such a medical genius. He really thought he could control Loui, somehow make Loui fulfill his deeds. Let me tell you something, James. Nothing controls Loui. No one can ever understand just what he is. He is hell itself, a walking monster that has no conscience. That doctor was never going to control him, no matter how many drugs he pumped into us. I’m glad Loui finally shut him up. If it wasn’t for the blackouts that riddled those final days, I think he would have died a lot sooner. I was happy when he finally took that knife.
4.
There’s one more thing I wanted to share with you. It’s not anything to do with the killings. It’s about your friend, Stephanie Connor. There’s something I heard about her that I need to clear up. The good doctor told me that she was my child. Told me that I had somehow fathered this child during the final month of freedom.
The truth is, I don’t know whether that’s true. I have no recollection of ever getting intimate with her mother. Although I do have memories of seeing her mother sunning herself on that creek bank many times, I can not remember ever speaking with her. And of course, the fact I have no dick probably plays some part as well.
But it’s these damn black outs. When they happen, I tend to lose track of things. I wish I could say whether she is my child for sure, but I just can’t. In any case, I made a promise to myself during all the time I’ve sat in this prison cell. I wouldn’t rest until all of my family history was gone. All of it.
I’d already made sure to wipe away my mother’s side of the family, her brother and sister-in-law rotting away on their old farm. The homestead is gone and with it, all the memories it held within. My father’s side was easy, already having destroyed most of the things in our home. There’s really only the home itself to burn down.
It would have been so easy just to burn the old homestead down, removing the final traces of this horrible existence I called family life. But now this stupid doctor brings forth a child who is supposedly my own. He has me half convinced, especially when he showed me photos of her as a child, as well as a photo of her own daughter, my supposed grandchild.
Do you know who I saw in the photo of Stephanie’s child? Do you know, James? It would have meant nothing to me if that stupid doctor had kept it to himself. He thought it would help to control the monster living inside me. All it did was awaken him more.
I saw my mum in the face of my grandchild. It was her eyes that stared back at me from that photograph. That’s when I knew. That was the moment I realized I still had work to do if I really wanted to cleanse this world of the pain that it held for my family.
I wanted to remove any trace of us, stealing it back and taking it back into the shadows. I didn’t want to hurt anyone else. I didn’t ask for any of this and yet I feel like I have been relentlessly pursued. It’s time for the chase to end.
5.
As I sit here waiting for them to release me, I wonder whether the good doctor has died yet. I left a little note for you which I pinned to the front of him. I hope you don’t miss it. It might give you a little insight into my persona, because I’m not as brave and sadistic as you might think.
The reason I didn’t want them looking at me was because of Eddie. He didn’t deserve to feel the guilt I did whenever Loui ended someone. Yes, James, guilt. I didn’t want to be the monster I became. In fact, I tried to run, as far away as possible. But in the end, I couldn’t. I didn’t want the pain to continue.
6.
I wanted to give you some closure about your girl. I understand that you had a thing for Tami and were building a relationship with her. I’m sorry for her, but I can honestly say that Clancy was responsible for her.
Apparently, he tried to ‘proposition’ her and she laughed in his face. Guess she wasn’t the ‘sweet’ girl you thought she was. I debated whether to tell you while writing this for you, but in the end, I guess you have a right to know. I can’t take credit for someone I had nothing to do with.
7.
I’m going to kill them both; Stephanie and her daughter. But before I do, I will wait, long enough to prove to myself that she really is mine. I don’t know whether it will take weeks, months or years. But when it does, I will end this once and for all.
I’m sorry it has to be this way, but this terror needs an end date and I don’t want to leave any remnants of us lying around. So, let Stephanie know that I will send for her should I find the truth. Once I have the answers I seek, I will send for her and we can end it together.
I can hear them coming now, James, the guards, coming to let me go. Please take care of Clancy for me. It really wasn’t his fault. I hope this won’t take too long. I know you were only doing your job, but you didn’t really do anything, did you? It wasn’t like you tracked me down with hardcore policing. You had a tip off and acted on it. Your stupid partner didn’t know what the hell hit him.
You took the credit of catching the Devil when all you did was shoot out a tyre. I don’t blame you for not telling the truth. It must have been amazing to be crowned as the man that captured the Devil, especially as young as you were. But you took credit that really wasn’t yours to take and for that, I think you’re a fraud.
But none of that matters now. You got to make a name for yourself while I got to rot away in a prison cell. If given the chance, I would send Loui to end you just as he did the others. But he rests now, hopefully having had enough to satisfy his thirst for the time being. So, don’t come looking for us, because it might all end prematurely. But for now, I have to say goodbye.
I know there are others that deserve Loui’s attention but for now will have to wait. The keys are jingling in the door at the end of the corridor. I’m out of time and need to go. Take care of yourself, James. For the next time we meet, this nightmare will end once and for all.
Thank you for reading Book 2 of the Lawson Chronicles. I hope you are enjoying the ride and keen to continue following this dark tale. I’m wondering if I could ask you a personal favour. If you liked this book, may I ask you to leave a review for me. Honest reviews are so crucial for a beginning author like me and also help others in deciding whether a story is suitable for them. You will make this author extremely happy. Thank you.
Author’s Note
Yes, it was dark. Yes, it was gruesome. But it was, after all, told by the monster himself. I find it strange how I envision a story long before I ever begin typing and yet, when I reach the conclusion of each chapter, find that the characters have led me to a completely different place. It makes writing stories such as this so incredibly exciting, surprising even me with where they sometimes delve.
Rest assured, I’m busy working on the thrilling third instalment of the Lawson Chronicles. There’s quite a way to go with this tale and although I have a rough idea of where it’s headed, the journey is as much a mystery to me as it is to you.
Thank you again for your continued support and I hope I don’t let you down.
Simon
April 8, 2020
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Coming Soon
The Devil’s Lair
(The Lawson Chronicles Book 3)
Betrayal
(MAX, Book 4)
Copyright © 2020 by Simon King
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
First Printing: 2020
