The Wallet

by Roger Rapel

  It was then as his memory began to return; ‘it was then I remembered Helga, how could I have forgotten her; and what about work? It was at this point that I made a concerted effort to get out of bed. I pulled the duvet back as I attempted to swing my legs over the edge and I tried to stand up; I was still very weak, but needed the toilet badly. I managed to open the door of the bedroom then crossed the hallway to the bathroom where I gave a big sigh of relief as I emptied my bladder.’

  Christopher took another sip of water then said ‘after I had finished I was just about to try and get back to the bedroom when the bathroom door opened, it was Camilla. She castigated me for getting out of bed, as I was still too weak to be doing it on my own. Camilla then walked me back to the bedroom. Then I realised I was still naked, but was past caring as even that tiny bit of exertion had completely tired me out.’

  Christopher shook his head as he drank some more water. ‘Camilla put me back into bed and gave me a vitamin tablet to get my energy back. It was at that point I realised I had no clue how long I had been there; I thought it had been just one night or had I been there longer? Then I asked Camilla how long I’d been in bed and to call my wife Helga to come and collect me.’ ‘Sorry the phone lines are still down’ then she said ‘it’s been a couple of days since your collapse.’

  Christopher cringed as he said ‘I heard another scream, I asked what it was.’ Camilla explained the next door neighbours were actors and often rehearsed plays and were preparing for a scene for a movie to be acted out soon. Christopher said ‘Camilla sounded very convincing so I lay back down.’

  He continued as he was in tears ‘Camilla sat on the edge of the bed then took my hand;’ he looked at me as he shook his head; he went on explaining ‘her hand was tender, soft and kind.’

  Camilla talked with me then she said ‘I hadn’t realised till now what a handsome man you are; Helga is a very lucky woman.’ Camila asked for his address and phone number, so when the storm had passed she would get a message to Helga when the phone lines were back working. Christopher said ‘I had to think for a moment trying to recall Helga’s phone number, then I wrote down what I thought it was; then I wrote my address and place of work.’

  Christopher stood up and walked around the room as he stretched and yawned he sat back down then he continued ‘Camilla was being very attentive stroking gently first my arm, then my chest as I lay back; I was tired from the small amount of exertion of going to the toilet. But her soft hands on my skin was getting me aroused, I could feel my erection growing, I had no control over it. In no time her hand had gripped my manhood as she smiled.’ ‘Just lay back and relax let me do the work for you,’ ‘in no time at all she was naked and sat astride me. I had tried to push her off, but she was too strong for my weak state. Then in no time I’d succumbed to her as she smiled and let out a cry as she satisfied herself.’ Christopher shook his head as a tear appeared in his eye then he continued ‘I didn’t know if I came or not I was so exhausted as my eyes closed then I fell asleep. When I woke up I thought I had been dreaming nothing seemed real anymore; I needed my Helga.’

  CHAPTER THREE

  Christopher continued, ‘when I woke up I didn’t know if it was day or night the heavy curtains were now drawn, the heavy material blocked out any light there was. I was just about to try and reach for the table lamp, when I heard another blood curdling scream. I thought to myself they are some good actors the screams were so realistic; they appeared to be as a result of pain.’

  He explained he just about managed to turn on the light, but even that small amount of movement tired him out; as he lay back and wondered what he had caught to make him this tired, it must have been a virus of some kind brought on by the cold he had suffered battling the elements, but what kind of virus could have laid him so low?

  Christopher looked at me as he again shook his head then continued ‘after what seemed like hours the bedroom door opened as Camilla brought in another tray of food.’ ‘Now then let me sit you up,’ she adjusted the pillows then placed a tray with a bowl full of stew and dumplings in front of me.’ ‘Now get that down you, it will do you good.’ Christopher said ‘I looked at Camilla and thanked her for the food then asked if the phone lines were working yet?’ She smiled explaining the lines were still down. With that she was gone.

  Christopher explained to me that the food was good, nice and flavoursome, but still something he had never tasted before, then he thought he would ask Camilla for the recipe or at least some of it, if it was that secret.

  He explained he just lay back after finishing the food, ‘then Camilla came into the bedroom to collect the tray, it was then he saw another younger woman with her she was wearing only a shorty dressing gown. She was long legged with striking green eyes as soon as I saw her I could feel a stirring in my groin again.’

  He kept saying as he shook his head he had no control over what was happening; ‘my erection just grew as Camilla’s friend took off her dressing gown revealing she was naked underneath, and then she just used me in all sorts of ways. You must believe me I had no strength to resist. It was like some porn movie. I was being held prisoner and used for the satisfaction of my captor and her friends.’

  It then dawned on Christopher that Camilla was lacing his food with Viagra and some other debilitating drug preventing him from regaining his strength.

  ‘Camilla smiled at me saying get some sleep as you will need your strength later.’

  Christopher then said ‘I waited till the coast was clear then tried to get out of bed, but my legs were weaker than before, I just crumpled to the floor, then crawled on my hands and knees to the bedroom door, I tried to open it, but no matter how hard I tried it wouldn’t open. I was now locked in by my captor.’

  He told me he crawled back to the bed and just managed to climb in and get under the duvet when the door opened. Camilla enquired if he was okay as she thought she had heard a noise? Christopher confirmed he was okay explaining he just wanted to go home to Helga.

  Camilla informed him that the storm was dying down, so the telephone lines would be back up and running soon. She smiled enquiring if he needed the toilet again? He nodded as she called downstairs and a different middle-aged woman came up and helped him to the toilet. Once finished they both helped him back to bed, then went outside the bedroom where he heard Camilla say to the other woman ‘take him now if you want?’

  ‘The bedroom door opened as the older woman came in, she talked with me. She lifted the duvet, I had no control again I just went hard; she smiled and absorbed me into her mouth before undressing and taking me. The woman smiled as she dressed then waved as she closed the door behind her. Just as she was leaving I heard another scream, they were pain driven screams, what were they? More to the point who were they?’

  ‘After about another hour the door opened again as Camilla came in holding another tray full of food, this time a steak and kidney pie, with steam rising, it was piping hot. Camilla encouraged me to eat it all up explaining it would do me good, as I was already looking a lot better now, and it wouldn’t be long before I was up and about. Camilla adjusted the pillows on my bed then she placed the tray on my lap.’

  Christopher continued as he looked at me with sadness in his eyes. ‘I smelled the food and then tasted the tender meat, it was another good meal I really enjoyed it, the pastry was crisp and flaky as well.’

  Then shook his head again ‘in about an hour the door opened as Camilla returned to collect the tray accompanied by yet another woman who had striking red hair, high cheekbones and grey green eyes. The woman scanned me with her eyes as she smiled at me and Camilla. Then the redhead told me to just you lay back and enjoy it, because she would.’ Then Christopher said ‘she undressed and took me until she was satisfied. She smiled and waved as she left.’

  Christopher told me he lay back thinking this must be every man’s dream, being kept and raped every day by a succession of different women. But it wasn’t his dream, as he explained
he had always been faithful to Helga, this would kill her if she ever found out what had happened.

  He continued trying to convince me he was being kept captive by Camilla as her sex slave, and there was nothing he could do about it, he couldn’t even manage to get to the toilet never mind escape. But all he needed to do was get some clothes on and get out the front door and raise the alarm.

  As much as I trusted Christopher this was all beginning to sound too far-fetched even for me. But it got worse, really worse I could hardly believe what I heard later but, I digress.

  Christopher kept telling me the screams continued, those blood curdling screams; he described them as something from a Hammer house of horrors movie. He likened them to banshee screams, the type that chills the spine and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

  I kept looking at his eyes to see if there were any of the tell-tale signs of him lying, but all I saw was the fear. He was continually rubbing his hands together; it was as if he was waiting for something to happen, the expectation of something or someone to suddenly appear.

  I could see the agitation in his limbs I was afraid he was going to have a heart attack he was so nervous. So I decided to take a break and restart in a couple of days.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  During a couple of my breaks with Christopher I retraced his steps, although my journey was in daylight with the sun beating down; not the stormy night that Christopher had battled through.

  From his description of the route he took I managed to find a shop that matched the description that Christopher had given me, it had an awning over the frontage where he had taken his respite from the storm. I stepped into the shop, it was one of those buy anything places like one of the old town stores. I looked around and saw an old man looking at me as he smiled and asked if he could help. I approached him and said ‘excuse me sir, but one of my friends, friend dropped her wallet the other day and had to go away and asked me to enquire if it had been handed in.’ The man’s smile changed as he looked fearful, ‘sorry, it hasn’t been handed in here.’

  I thanked him as I began to make my way to the door looking at all the various things on display. The shopkeeper said ‘it wasn’t a wallet belonging to Camilla Brown was it?’ I spun around and went back to the counter where the man was looking very nervous. ‘Yes it was, it was Camilla’s.’ He looked into my eyes and said ‘How do you know her?’ ‘I don’t really it’s through a friend I know of her, I have never met her.’ ‘Then you are the lucky one, that’s all I’m saying, just be careful, never be alone with her or you will never be the same again, just be warned, just be warned, heed my words, be warned.’ Then another customer came in so I left the shop.

  This was now beginning to really interest me, I am not normally fearful, but with the twisting hands of Christopher and the dire warnings of the shopkeeper I felt a slight twinge of anxiety in the pit of my stomach.

  From the shop I traced the steps as told to me by Christopher; I then reached the house number 64, The Avenue, the house that had been his downfall. I don’t know what it was, but there was a smell, a smell of death something wasn’t right with it. Was it the boarded up windows and doors? Or was it the numerous papers that littered the doorstep that made it look like something out of a horror movie, the front door appeared to be saying enter at your peril.

  I gave a shudder as I went up the few steps to the door. I looked at the door bell, but the name plate had been removed. The house hadn’t been occupied for some time, I tried the door handle, as I twisted the brass handle around I could feel a coldness that travelled up my arm, it travelled to my soul, it was an evil presence, I shuddered as I let go of the handle.

  There was no way I was going in there, no way. I could feel a presence something was looking at me, something evil, something or someone could see me from the inside, it was petrifying me. I couldn’t move I was locked with fear; my knees were knocking, my hands trembling. I had to go, I had to get away from this place, but I couldn’t move, what was pinning me to the spot I had no idea. I tried as hard as I could to move, but I was anchored to the spot. I could feel something saying to me ‘come inside, come and see me I need you, come inside.’

  It was like I was hypnotized and glued to the spot. I managed to break out of the fixation as I turned and stepped down to the sidewalk where I looked back at the house, I could only imagine the horror inside, something evil was lurking there something that wanted me to go inside. I shook myself to get warm. Although the sun was shining my very soul had turned to ice.

  What was in there? What was so evil it could reach out and touch me and grab me turning me upside down with fear? I am not religious, but I blessed myself then forced myself to walk away. It was then that I noticed the two houses either side were up for sale. I took the name and phone number of the realtor, then called them, making an appointment so I could look at the houses either side of 64. I was still shivering from the fear and the presence of something evil that had fixed me to the spot from inside. There was an evil power in there, a power that was beyond me, it wasn’t anything human that was for sure, it was not of this world either.

  I went home and got into a hot bath where I soaked in hot water with bath foam bubbling up and cleansing me as I sank down with just my nose and mouth above the water enjoying the warmth and serenity with soft music playing in the background.

  The thought of that house still came back to me it was like a haunting, something that transverses this world into the next. I was now afraid as the water began to cool. I went to get out, but I was frozen in the bath, as much as I tried I was pinned to the bottom of the bath, the water by now was freezing and coldness was creeping entering my soul; from being warm and comfortable to being cold, all within a few minutes.

  I managed to break the hypnotizing effect and broke free and quickly got out of the bath and dried myself. Then I put on my towelling dressing gown as I left whatever it was in the bathroom and went downstairs where I made coffee, I wrapped my hands around the mug feeling the warmth coming back to my fingers, then slowly as I drank the contents I could feel the glow inside me.

  I then gave myself a good talking too as I stamped my feet for being so stupid, for allowing myself to become so paralysed with fear. I finally went to bed, but before I did used the toilet in the bathroom. I was glad I did as the presence had gone the room was warm again. I said to myself, see you dummy it’s all in your mind. Then I went bed and awoke refreshed in the morning; I had a quick shower; then I went downstairs and had cereals; before I headed out to meet the realtor.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  I am not as I said a religious man, but on my way to meet the realtor I passed a big Catholic Church, it was like a gothic cathedral, one of the ones built in stone with a tall spire reaching heavenwards. I stopped the car outside and walked in. I blessed myself having dipped my fingers into the font as I entered; there was no one else inside.

  I knelt near the front in one of the wooden rows. I clasped my hands together and said to myself and whoever who was listening. ‘Please god, protect me from this evil.’ I blessed myself and was just about stand up when a priest came out of one of the side doors. ‘Hello my son, do you wish to take confession?’ ‘No father, but if I could buy some holy water I will pay you for its protection?’ ‘Come with me my son you look troubled.’ I followed the ageing priest into a back room where he produced a bottle and filled it with water from a bigger container. He handed me the bottle and said ‘this was blessed by the pope himself, it is powerful and should protect you from evil.’ ‘Thank you father you are so kind.’ I then opened my wallet and gave him a $100 bill. ‘Oh my, that is far too much. Here please take my crucifix and chain. Let me bless it for you.’ The priest handed over the cross and chain from around his neck as he said, ‘go carefully with an open heart and may god be with you.’

  I left the church feeling in some way better for the stop. I then had to get a move on to meet realtor.

  Mr Tranter was a middle aged
man wearing a suit and open necked shirt; he greeted me outside of number 62, we shook hands as he invited me in. He explained that both properties were empty as the owner’s had coincidently moved away on job relocations at about the same time. I knew he was lying; I didn’t mention 64, not yet anyway; but I was going too, when the time was right.

  As soon as we entered 62 the coldness was apparent. Under normal circumstances I would have put that down to the house being empty, but having been on the doorstep of 64 and feeling the coldness, this was the same feeling; it chilled me to the bone. Tranter tried to gloss over the coldness due to it being locked-up and empty for so long.

  I thanked him for showing me around 62, but it was obvious whoever had lived there had left in a hurry as there was still furniture and belongings that would normally have been taken when moving; although I knew some companies would pay for everything when relocating staff, if it was for the companies benefit; it was sometimes cheaper than paying for long haul removals.

  As we walked to 66 I mentioned the boarded up number 64. Tranter made light of it saying it had been repossessed by the bank and was in contention by the family over who owed what, as the original owner had died without leaving a will and the relatives refused to pay the mortgage arrears. He tried his best to gloss over it, but he struggled to sound convincing.

  Mr Tranter turned the key of 66, as we entered it was as if there was a vacuum inside as the fresh air was sucked in; I was sure there was a sigh as if to say ‘come in if you dare.’ The door creaked like some thriller movie.

  I felt the coldness again, but this time it was a damp cold. I walked over to the adjoining wall with 64 and touched it. I tried to pull back, but I felt as though I was being pulled in, pulled through the wall, my arm was being drawn right through the wall. I couldn’t speak I was being sucked into 64; my whole being was being consumed by whatever evil was behind the wall. There was all of a sudden a searing pain shooting up my arm as the evil was dragging my whole being. I heard something say ‘I want your soul I need your soul now.’