"What are you going to do with that? Hit me?" He asked brazenly.
"Stay away, Greg!" She started backing into the wall. "I'll hurt you; I mean it!"
He continued advancing toward her, daring her to strike. Trembling with fear and terrified of her anger escalating to the point where she did, in fact, hurt him, she allowed him to take the pipe and he threw it onto the floor.
"Now that's much better." He said, grabbing her by the arm.
"Let me go!" Solange cried.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" He pulled her to the other side of the room and shoved her into an old chair. He then reached to the top of a nearby shelf, pulled down some rolled up rope, a knife, and duct tape, then tied Solange's wrists to the arms of the chair and her legs to both front posts.
"Please don't do this!" She desperately cried.
But Greg didn't seem to hear her. He covered her mouth with the duct tape and calmly walked over to the light, looked at her for just a moment, then pulled the switch. She heard the thumping sound of his footsteps dash up the wooden stairs and the cellar door open, then close again.
Nine
_______________
LIGHT ABOVE THE STAIRS
She heard footsteps heading toward the front door. She was certain that Greg was leaving for work. Sitting in the dark, bound for what seemed like days, it had actually been eighteen hours since he had imprisoned her.
Not knowing if she would live another day terrified Solange. She thought that maybe he would come down after work, murder her, and tuck her away in the little room like he did his wife. Or maybe he would just leave her down there for days or weeks without food or water and let her starve to death. The possibilities seemed endless to her. She knew that Greg had not gotten a full night's sleep either. She could hear him pacing up and down the living room constantly throughout the night. She was convinced that he had gone completely mad and was probably contemplating what he would do with her — how he would dispose of her body. When she finally heard the front door close, she was relieved. That was her big chance to try and escape.
Thinking that Hazel might have fallen for Greg's previously concocted story, Solange felt that if she were going to escape, she would have to do everything within her power to do so. There was no way Greg would let her live; she knew it.
She struggled fiercely to free herself, twisting and turning her hands within the tight grip of the rope. She tried even harder to fight the seemingly fruitless battle which was clearly signified when the chair fell lopsided to the floor and she was now stuck in a hugely uncomfortable position.
Shoots! She thought. How in the world am I going to get out of this? Solange kept trying to slacken the rope on her wrists and ankles. The point came about an hour later when she finally realized that nothing she was doing seemed to be working and that Greg would, most likely, discover her in such a position. The thought of having him find her that way worried her because she had no idea what his reaction would be due to his obvious instability. Convinced that he might kill her on sight, she said a short, heart-felt prayer repenting for all she ever did wrong and hoped that the method her psychotic house-mate would eventually use to end her life would be quick and painless.
Five minutes later, the cellar door opened and light beyond it lit the stairs. Solange cringed in fear for what she deemed the inevitable.
"Liza, are you down there?" A soft, squeaky voice called from the living room.
Solange was elated. Laurie had come to save her. Trying desperately to reply through lips sealed by duct tape, yet producing nothing more than muffled sounds, she rattled the chair as best she could and desperately hoped that Laurie heard it.
Soon, the door opened and the silhouette quickly descended the stairs. "Liza! Is that you?!" The girl quietly demanded.
Solange continued rattling the chair and forcing inarticulate sounds.
At the bottom, Laurie stood still for a moment seeking the light switch. After barely spotting it, she switched on the light and instantly saw her friend on the floor in a most precarious position.
"Liza, what's he done to you!" She straightaway went over and started loosing the ropes that restrained Solange. Motioning with her head for Laurie to remove the tape, Laurie stopped what she was doing and did just that, then continued to free Solange's hands.
"Oh Laurie, thanks so much for coming to find me," Solange said weakly. "You saved my life. Now let's hurry up and get out of here before he returns! If he sees us, he'll kill us both!"
Laurie finished untying all the ropes and helped her friend up from the floor. They hurried upstairs and into the living room.
"Help me find my bag!" Solange said after noticing that it was no longer out front where she had left it. "It's a brown duffle bag."
She went to check her room while Laurie looked in Greg's.
"I found it!" Laurie called out a minute later. "It was in his closet."
They met up in the hallway.
"Are you ready?" Laurie asked, holding the bag.
"Yeah. Let's go." Solange reached for the bag, but Laurie insisted on carrying it for her. As they were leaving, Solange closed the door behind them.
"She's inside waiting for you," Laurie said as they hurried over to her house. Laurie ran up the porch stairs and Solange followed closely behind.
"Don't worry. You'll get your strength back soon. Auntie has the perfect thing for you," Laurie assured her before entering the house to find Hazel.
Solange sat down on the sunken sofa and Hazel appeared shortly afterwards with a damp towel in hand.
"I never believed him," she said, sitting next to Solange. "I knew you were there, but I had to wait for the right time to get you out." She started wiping Solange's face with the towel, then placed it on her forehead.
"How did you know?" Solange asked.
"I told you before, I see things in my mind. They never lead me wrong. Today Gregory decided to leave the house. To work - I don't know. But I knew that then was the right time for Laurie to go and fetch you."
"You were right all along, Hazel. I'm sorry I didn't listen when you told me to leave right then," Solange started. "If I had, none of this would have happened. I was a fool for thinking I could trust Greg even a little bit after I saw the skeleton in that room. I don't know what I was thinking. I even put Laurie in harm's way!" She looked over at Laurie, shaking her head with overwhelming guilt.
"Hush, my child! You will leave here and fate will guide you to another place - a place you have never been before... a very special place," Hazel said. "You know where you must go, dear. Laurie will accompany you to the airport and you will be all right from there. But, before you go, I have something for you." She turned to Laurie. "Fetch it from the fridge, dear."
Laurie got up right away, went to the kitchen and returned moments later with a foil-wrapped item in her hand and a glass of water. She handed them to Solange.
"Unwrap it and eat what's inside," Hazel said.
Solange unwrapped what she soon discovered to be peeled aloe sprinkled with an unknown, brown powdery substance.
The look in Hazel's eyes was one that instantly rejected the woman's reluctance. "It is completely natural dear. It will strengthen and revitalize you."
Solange swallowed it slowly, then quickly drank the water behind it.
Hazel leaned forward and said, "This is what I'll do: I will call the police anonymously from a phone booth and let them know that Mary Ann's remains have been found in Gregory's cellar. This time, they'll come back and they'll find her."
"And the boys?" Solange asked hopefully.
"In time, they will all receive a proper burial," Hazel asserted.
Solange went into the bathroom and quickly washed up for her journey. Hazel instructed them to take a short cut Laurie knew about which led to the back road. From there, they would catch the bus. Solange was relieved that she didn't have to face the authorities to report her findings, but wondered why Hazel no longer insisted that she do so. Did she
somehow know of her crime back in France?
After thanking Hazel profusely, Solange set out on foot with Laurie. They took the short cut out of the view of passing motorists to avoid being possibly spotted by Greg.
"Once we get to the back road, we won't have to wait long before a bus pulls up," Laurie said, toting her friend's bag.
"Okay. Well, once we get there," Solange started, "you can turn around and go home instead of going all the way to the airport with me."
"But I want to see you off, Liza. It's no trouble at all," Laurie said. "Besides, I don't have anything else to do right now."
"All right; you win, but at least let me carry my own bag."
"Na," Laurie clenched onto the bag. "It's not heavy for me, but I think it would be for you. I'm younger…so naturally, I'm stronger."
"What on earth gave you that notion?" Solange asked.
"It's quite simple. I compared the strength of a teenager who has practically nothing to do all day, to that of a woman who's been tied up in a cellar for hours on end without food or water." She smiled. "By the way, how's Auntie Hazel's remedy treating you?"
"Working like a charm already. I'm feeling like my old self again."
"That's my Auntie Hazel for you. She's the smartest person I know."
"Yeah. She's really something," Solange agreed.
As they walked, they paid particular attention to their surroundings - not taking anything for granted and soon, they were at the back road. They waited at the bus stop and just as Laurie had predicted, a few minutes later, a transit bus pulled up. They went aboard and both breathed a sigh of relief on sitting down. They were well on their way out of the area and Solange was deemed safe.
Solange was glad to be heading to the place Victor had urged her to go to put together the remaining pieces of her family puzzle - to find the missing link which had been lost a long, long time ago.
"Laurie, haven't you ever wanted to go to school?" She asked, thinking of how much further Laurie could go in life with a solid education.
"Yeah, but Auntie Hazel's always right. If she tells me not to go, I don't question her. She always has a good reason for everything," Laurie replied.
"Maybe, just this once, she could be wrong, Laurie."
"Wrong?" The girl was taken aback. "What kind of a word is that? Hasn't she proven to you already that she's never wrong?"
Solange sighed. "She's proven to me that she's gifted, Laurie, but that's all. Let's not forget that she's human too - inclined to make mistakes just like you and me. Or have you forgotten that?"
Laurie sat quietly for a moment, then said: "I guess you're right."
"Maybe she's trying to protect you from something. Maybe she doesn't want you to take any crap from anyone and at school, there's a good chance that someone's going to offend you," Solange admitted. "Kids can be so cruel at times, but it's up to you to stand your ground and make it through. On the other hand, school can be pleasant too. You can make friends and have lots of fun, and most importantly, you can broaden your horizons by learning."
"That doesn't sound so bad," Laurie returned. "Maybe I can convince Auntie that I'll be all right - that she doesn't have to worry and that I'll be smart too, someday."
"Give me five, li'l sis," Solange raised a hand and readied herself for the stinging slap that Laurie would lay upon it.
At the airport, they sat awaiting the boarding call for the midday flight. For the most part, Solange and Laurie quietly pondered the time they had spent together and how much they were going to miss each other. Solange was like the mother and friend Laurie never had and Laurie, like the little sister Solange always wished she had.
After the boarding call was announced, Solange stood up slowly and Laurie, even more slowly. Saying goodbye was extremely difficult for both of them. Solange hugged Laurie tightly and kissed her on the cheek. Her eyes welled with tears.
"One day, I'll come back and visit you. I promise," Solange said. "And when I do, I'll bring you something very special."
"I love you, Liza," Laurie sobbed. "No matter how smart I get, I'll never forget you. Promise."
"I love you too, Laurie and I know I've already told her, but tell your Auntie Hazel that I'm really very grateful for everything she's done for me and how she allowed you and me to be friends."
"I will, Liza."
Just then, the last boarding call was announced for Solange's flight and Solange quickly headed to the departure gate. Before leaving, she gave Laurie one last look and cried, "I promise I'll be back some day, Laurie! I won't forget you either."
Laurie's face was red with sorrow. Nothing would be quite the same without her Liza.
* * * *
A few short hours later, Solange landed in North Carolina. Raleigh was a beautiful place and in a way, some aspects of downtown reminded Solange of Paris. The area included a variety of stores which to her was a 'plus' since she figured she would not have to go far for practically anything she needed.
She walked through the main door of the motel. The interior of the building leading to the reception booth was immaculate. Three chairs sat in the reception area parallel to the front desk, none of which were occupied, and the overall ambience was comfortable and serene. Solange smiled inside confident that she had made a good selection.
A young man wearing eyeglasses stood behind the front desk next to a sign on the wall that read: 'Courtesy and reliability are our daily standards.' Nice, Solange thought, and quite aesthetic for a small motel. The man was absorbed in some sort of paperwork sprawled on the desk directly in front of him and he hadn't the slightest clue that she existed.
Solange stood at the booth, thinking that, soon enough, he would sense her proximity and finally acknowledge her. However, a minute later, he was still immersed in his reading. Reluctant to disturb him, but knowing that if she didn't, there was the grim possibility that she might be standing there much longer, Solange leaned in closer and said: "Um, excuse me, sir, but I was wondering if I could book a room here for a few days.
The young man looked up at her, yanked the bifocals from his face and put them aside along with the print-out. "I apologize for my rudeness, ma'am. I didn't see you come in. How long have you been standing there?" He asked rather concerned.
"Not long," Solange replied.
"Well, ah, welcome to Carter's Rest. Let me see what we have here for you. He put his glasses on again and started searching the computer. "We ahh… we have a single and double room available with all the usual amenities." He looked up at her again. "You know... TV, telephone, air-conditioner - the works - hot water too. Would you believe that?"
Solange smiled graciously.
"Which one would you prefer, then?"
"The single room would be fine," Solange replied.
The clerk retrieved the necessary information from her as he began filling out the forms, writing as quickly as he could to spare her any more wasted time. Solange stood there watching him, silently admiring his professionalism.
The young man caught her eyes with a brief smile. "All done, ma'am. Here's your key." He handed her a silver key with the numbers 261 inscribed in it. "You can take the elevator or stairs to the second floor and your room is the third on your right."
Solange took the key, relieved that she finally had somewhere to relax. "Thank you very much, sir. You have been very helpful," she said.
"Thank you, Miss Deneuve," he replied, as she walked toward the stairway. He watched her until she was completely out of sight.
The room was fairly small with one single window toward the front of the building. The curtains were sheer and beige, and cream-colored wallpaper plastered the walls. Solange was pleased with the space feeling that she couldn't expect much more considering the low price she was renting it for.
She rested her bag on the floor and stared out the window. Outside in the parking lot was still and quiet, except for a handyman who was working the lawn. It suddenly dawned on her that there was no more Greg, no mor
e staying at home all day tidying the house and cooking meals. Life would be different now. She would revert to her previous plan that was set in place before she ever laid eyes on Greg. Striving to survive was nothing new to her. It would take no effort to familiarize herself with it again.
She sat on the bed, pulled her bag over and retrieved her legal-sized writing pad and a pen. She decided to write Victor that night and mail the letter to him first thing the next morning.
* * * *
Janice Moore's funeral was held on a rainy Saturday morning. Amidst a large crowd of attendees, Trent and Tina stood in the second row, and Richard and Peter in the third, along with several other co-workers.
Sitting in the front row beside their wailing mother were Janice's four sisters - three slim, fairly attractive ones and a much prettier, portly one with freckles.
During the service, Tina found herself consumed with guilt, trying to convince herself that she didn't really hate Janice, but that they simply had a misunderstanding. Silently observing the casket being lowered into the grave, she could not help thinking of how silly it was to spend each day competing with a woman she actually envied because of her beauty and elegance. In spite of Janice's obvious interest in Trent, Tina realized then that Janice had never been the problem: The problem was that she actually didn't have much confidence in herself. Her childhood had been one marked with unfair comparison and pain at the hand of her own mother.
After the funeral, the drizzle stopped as if it were waiting for the casket to hit the ground. As Trent folded his umbrella and he and Tina headed toward their car, he watched as Richard, pale-faced and teary-eyed, jumped into his steamy, red convertible, revved up the engine and sped off.
In a remarkably short time-span, Richard had already made his mark as one of First Provincial's finest employees. His performance was so impressive that Peter insisted that Richard receive a ten percent salary increase before his probation period was officially up and Trent, unable to deny the newcomer's unusual expertise, reluctantly agreed.
Immortals- The Complete Real Illusions Series Page 14
