The Wallet

by Roger Rapel

  I tried to get up, but I couldn’t move, then I felt another slap around my face and a laugh, then I saw a white light coming for me, it was bright it had an intensity so bright, I was blinded. I could hear voices and thought about Christopher’s encounter. Oh my god I was going to be used the same as him, oh no my poor Roseanne, she was going to be eaten alive. The light grew more intense, I couldn’t open my eyes as I would have been blinded. Then the light vanished, I couldn’t see it any more I began to try and open my eyes then tried to focus on the surroundings. I could make out silhouettes, but no faces; as my eyes hadn’t acclimatised yet.

  Then slowly I began to get some vision into perspective then saw a hand coming for me, I tried to move but was still being held down. Then I saw a syringe coming towards me. I fought as hard as I could, I could hear a woman’s voice in the background laughing, it was Camilla, I was going to be used the same as Christopher had, I was going to be her sex slave.

  Then it went black no warning just blackness, I was tumbling deep down into a crevasse, there was no bottom it went on and on, then I passed evil visions as I tumbled onwards; they were waving to me, they all had red eyes, they seemed to be welcoming me into their dark world. Then what was inside left me, it came out of my mouth and joined the others, it’s red and yellow eyes opening wider then it reached out a long arm which was covered in black material; then I saw a long fingernail protruding as it curled inviting me to follow. I had no choice I was being drawn uncontrollably into the depths, the dark depths. Then I saw a deep redness way down in the abyss; this had to be hell; I was going to be made into one of those evil creatures. Just as I reached the flames, I was hit by something, something so hard it knocked me out. I was out cold, the blackness then became still as I sank further into oblivion.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  I had no clue where I was as I began to come too. I opened my eyes; there was a strange familiarity to the place. I lifted my hands and rubbed my eyes as I tried to focus on my surroundings. My vision was slowly returning; I checked my hands, they were free and not tied down anymore. I moved my feet they were also free. Had they made a mistake? Had the evil creatures left me untied; it was now or never, I had to escape, I managed to move to a sitting position. I was still confused as I began to position myself to stand up.

  Then all of a sudden I heard a voice say, ‘oh no you don’t,’ I was then forced back into the bed, the bed I was trying to escape from. My eyes were slowly focussing; it was taking so long to get my vision back. It was then that I saw the outline of woman standing over me.

  It was then that I saw Roseanne she was smiling at me, not a happy smile, but one which showed a deep concern. Then she said ‘you gave me a scare last night, I had to call out the doctor, he had to give you a sedative, you were fighting me like mad I had to try and hold you down, you were crying out all sorts of mumbo jumbo. The doctor was trying to look into your eyes with his torch to test your reflexes, but you wouldn’t open them. I was so scared I thought you were going to die.’

  I smiled at her as I said ‘the infection must still be there in the background.’ Then she hugged me with her good arm as she lay beside me and kept me warm for an hour then she got up and made brunch.

  I made my way downstairs very gingerly and saw Roseanne making a fruit breakfast which looked inviting as she blitzed all kinds of fruit into a blender. We sat drinking our smoothies as Rosanne looked at me as she said, ‘you know this will be never over until we find Camilla and Christopher.’ I looked down, I knew she was right, but how could we find them?

  Roseanne then mentioned Tom jnr. Who had used a private detective before perhaps he could help? It would cost, but if the paper funded it and we got the story it would make a great scoop.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  It took some time for the injury to heal so Roseanne went back to work for short days to complete her assignments. Roseanne managed to get Tom to agree to instruct the private eye to at least do some preliminary work in trying to locate either Christopher or Camilla, or perhaps even both.

  Roseanne met with Robert the PI and spent many hours going over the case, but leaving out the bits which made it sound like some mad woman talking.

  Then armed with the information including previous addresses Robert began trying to trace firstly Christopher, as he had been married and would have had a mortgage and credit cards also some kind of work history.

  The work was long and tedious, with many avenues leading to dead ends. It appeared to Robert that Christopher had completely disappeared. He found his marriage certificate and the death certificate of Helga; plus after a few favours he had pulled in, he found the various mental institutions Christopher had been incarcerated in. Then he drew a complete blank so he had to frustratingly leave it for the moment.

  Robert then began working with the information he had on Camilla, but that was even worse, there was no history on her whatsoever. Apart from her birth certificate the whole search was a complete blank. This was unlike any cased he had ever worked on. There was normally something to follow, some lead, but in this case there was nothing just frustrating dead ends.

  Robert met Tom and Roseanne some 6 weeks later to give them the bad news of his research. He wasn’t going to bill the Bugle as he had failed in his search, but Tom wouldn’t hear of it he gave him a check for his time and expenses.

  In the meantime I had recovered my strength and was getting back to normal. The infection had healed so had the scars. I was taking physical training to get back to my normal strength and mobility. The instructor was a young woman who was good at her job; she took no prisoners and worked me hard. It was whilst I was sat in the waiting room of the hospital I glanced at the television which had the CNN news channel on, then I saw it, a newsflash, the body of a woman discovered in Kentucky who had been cut up and her flesh eaten. The freezer was full of the dead woman’s flesh. It then showed the pictures of the suspects, I couldn’t believe it, there she was Camilla, and Christopher. They were now husband and wife, or so the reporter said.

  I immediately called Roseanne who was already onto it. She had been contacted by another paper who had called her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  The road to Louisville was long but Roseanne’s brand new Mustang made the miles seem easy. Also being with Roseanne made the journey feel good which reduced the stress. We took a couple of rest breaks at truck stops on the way, where her gleaming red beast was the eye of many a trucker as they admired the Mustang.

  We arrived late, so booked a motel room on the outskirts of Louisville. There was little room left in the motel as the death of the woman and the gory details had news reporters and camera crews flooding the area.

  The receptionist smiled and said ‘this is the biggest thing to happen in this place for a long time, it certainly has boosted the sale of rooms.’ We smiled and laughed at the comments as Roseanne signed in and handed over her credit card. The receptionist smiled as she said ‘Cleveland, now that’s a nice place.’

  We found our room and parked in our allotted parking space. Then we saw what the receptionist meant, there were trucks and SUV’s in all the other available slots, all sign written with various news agencies.

  We opened the door and unpacked, we had already eaten so just crashed to bed and slept. My sleep was continually interrupted by the stirring of something inside me. I could feel the evil that had entered my mouth moving, stirring deep down getting ready to manifest itself again. I was sure I heard it say something, but I couldn’t grasp what had been said, I could feel the coldness I had felt before. Then I felt something rising up from the inner depths of my being; then it erupted out of my mouth and stood in front of me, looking at me with those red and yellow eyes piercing into my soul, reaching into my eyes driving me into some hypnotic state. I was completely mesmerised by the gaze, nothing else was visible just the black shape with those piercing red eyes that looked deep into my soul.

  I couldn’t move I was fixed, pinned to the
bed, Roseanne was fast asleep; I was all alone with this thing, this creature that lived inside me, it felt evil. Then all of a sudden it had gone I had taken a breath as it was absorbed back inside me. I was cold, but at the same time sweat was running down my brow, it was the sweat of fear, a cold sweat. I turned over then sat bolt upright as I looked at Roseanne she was stone cold and there was knife buried deep in her chest. I heard a laughing sound as the being inside me called out, ‘come and get me I’m waiting, come and find me, Camilla’s here.’

  I couldn’t believe it there was Roseanne dead with a knife plunged deep in her chest. Who would believe me? Who would believe it was Camilla who had killed her? The being inside me had come out at the middle of the night and killed my Roseanne. Oh my god I have to go, go and prove my innocence, but how? I got out of bed and dressed as I burst into tears looking at my darling, I stumbled as I tried to get my trousers on standing on one leg. I fell over and landed on Roseanne’s body, I got up quickly then saw the blood on my shirt. Oh my god, I looked in my bag and found another and put that one on.

  All of a sudden I saw the door began to open, my heart was pounding as the door slowly opened wider. It had to be the police, they must have been called, I was going to be locked up, oh god what a mess. Then the door fully opened, it was Roseanne carrying a couple of styrene cups of coffee. I had to double-take, I then looked at the bed; it was empty, then Roseanne said ‘you were having some bad dream so I went and got coffee, are you okay, why are you dressed, get back to bed it’s still early.’

  I rubbed my eyes then checked my overnight bag, all my clothes were clean, no blood. I still couldn’t believe it, it had been so real, Roseanne was dead she had a knife deeply imbedded in her chest. I sat on the bed and looked at Roseanne as she handed me the coffee. ‘What were you dreaming about?’ ‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, it was all mixed up with all sorts of things jumbled into together.’ I peeled off the top of the coffee cup then took a good sip, the coffee was good. Roseanne touched my brow with her soft hand as she said ‘you are really cold.’ We lay on the bed in each other’s arms still fully dressed keeping each other warm. But I still couldn’t get out of my head the evil living inside me; those piercing red and yellow eyes. Then seeing the body of Roseanne on the bed with the knife in her chest; that made me shiver deep down inside.

  Oh my god, I thought was this some kind of warning or an omen of what was to become of the one I loved so much, the one I wanted to be with me forever. I shivered again as Roseanne drew me nearer to her saying ‘come on.’ As she pulled the covers over us and snuggled into me to keep me warm. ‘That must have been some dream, now get some sleep, we’ll have another hour.’

  I never slept all I kept seeing were those red and yellow eyes looking at me, then the evil that went back inside me. Then I remembered the holy water and the crucifix given to me by the old priest. I managed to free myself from Rosanne’s grip as I opened my overnight bag. I took the bottle of holy water and rather than splashing it over me, I opened the top and drank a good gulp then held the crucifix tight. As I recited the best I could the Lord s Prayer. When finished I blessed myself. I’m not religious but it seemed to help.

  All of a sudden I felt a deep grumbling in my stomach, it reminded me of the hunger pangs when going without food for so long. Then I had to rush to the toilet where I was physically sick. I wretched and wretched as a thick green bile came out of my mouth. The toilet was full of a thick smelling gunge. Then from deep inside the pan I saw those red and yellow eyes then a black shadow emanated from the pan, it was Camilla she had been inside me, I flushed the handle of the toilet as I watched the green gunge being swirled down the pan; there was a scream as Camilla disappeared down the same way.

  Roseanne banged on the door asking if I was okay, I confirmed I was okay then opened the door, she looked awful, I then told her to drink from the bottle and quickly. She looked at me as if I was stupid, but I persuaded her to drink. Then she too was violently sick the same green gunge had left her the same as was inside me.

  I said ‘we must find a priest please believe me we must. This evil will return unless we get some protection, what I don’t know. But I now know why the PI couldn’t find Camilla and Christopher.’ Roseanne looked at me as if I was stupid then said ‘why?’ ‘Because they have been living in us they have been hiding inside we were their hosts.’ That was it Roseanne looked at me then picked up her bag and went to reception to check out.

  I asked the receptionist where there was a local church that was open during the day. She gave me directions to Pentecostal church a couple of blocks away.

  I sat in the car looking at Roseanne, her face was like thunder, then she looked at me and was about to say something, when I stopped her. ‘Look Roseanne bear with me, I drank from that holy water bottle and spewed up something really evil that I believe was Camilla she has become some spirit and had lived in me and I believe Christopher was in you. Please humour me and take me to the church, I promise you I’m not insane or delusional.’ I then gave her directions as we sped away in the beast.

  We rounded the corner where the church was then she slammed on the breaks causing a screech of tyres. ‘What’s wrong?’ I said ‘didn’t you see it, that woman crossing the road?’ ‘No I didn’t.’ ‘I can tell you if this hadn’t been fitted with all the up to date things like traction control and ABS we would have crashed into her.’

  Roseanne looked shocked as we came to rest outside of the church. I took the bottle of holy water; although the Pentecostal church didn’t have the pope to bless the water any blessing would be better than none.

  We opened the big doors and entered. Just like all churches it was cold and felt damp. There was a heavy smell of incense burning at the altar. I instinctively held Rosanne’s hand as we walked down the aisle towards the altar, just as we reached the last pew I said ‘this feels like a long walk my darling our walk of life, our future.’ Roseanne looked at me as she smiled, but not a smile of happiness it was one of mistrust.

  We reached the altar just as the Pentecostal priest came from a side office; it was as if he was expecting us.

  He smiled and invited us to his side office, where he offered us a seat. He was an old man with not much hair, but he had a welcoming smile which emphasized his wrinkles.

  The priest looked calm he had a spiritual presence about him. ‘How may I help you?’ Roseanne looked at me with a look of don’t you dare.

  I coughed and said ‘look this is going to sound ridiculous, but I think after drinking some holy water we evicted an evil spirit which had been in us.’ ‘Well my son, holy water is a good help but not permanent, for as soon as it passes through it leaves a vacancy for another or the same spirit to re-enter.’ I then said ‘so what can I do to protect myself and my friend?’ The priest went to his cupboard where he took out a robe and placed it over his head. Then removed the lid from a font he dipped his fingers in the font then made a sign of the cross on each of our foreheads as he said ‘I baptise you in the name of the father the son and the holy ghost.’ He then made the sign of the cross and said ‘go my children go in peace, this baptism is your protection.’ I offered him a donation which he readily accepted smiling as he led the way out. As we reached the outside I felt relieved, there was something calmer inside me now.

  Roseanne looked at me and said ‘this is stupid that holy water must have been contaminated with something which made us both sick at the same time, and as for us being hosts for some evil spirits I am now convinced you are some kind of nutter after all.’

  I looked at her in disbelief after all we had been through, but if this was it, then at least I hoped I had helped to protect her.

  Roseanne clicked on the satnav which directed us to the location where the body of the woman had been found. The whole place had been cordoned off with police tape; there was still a strong police presence with officers entering and leaving the premises.

  I was looking up and down the street when I saw
Detective Martin he waved at me as I went to speak with him. We spoke for a minute then we were joined by Roseanne as she smiled kindly at the detective and said in a whispered voice ‘what’s the bottom line?’ Detective Martin said lets go for a coffee, follow me.’ Roseanne followed the detective’s car to a quiet back street café where we sat and drank coffee. We also ordered some burgers and chips which we ate.

  The detective looked at us and said ‘what are you doing here?’ Roseanne said ‘I wanted to look at this from journalistic point of view as it has some familiarities to my mother’s death and as they say touché what are you doing here?’ ‘Much the same as you, just getting a feel for the case as it might open other doors so to speak.’ We then chatted away for a time then we shook hands as we said our goodbyes.

  We returned to our motel room where we slept. I had the best night’s sleep ever, I never stirred at all. I awoke to find Roseanne wrapped around me, with me on the edge of the bed; even with all her room she wanted my side as well. This felt right; although I knew I had some bridges to cross to build Roseanne’s confidence in me again, after our visit to the church.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  I was lying in bed with Roseanne in my arms she was snoring away making all sorts of grunting and puffing noises.

  I was fully awake so turned on the TV and flicked to a news channel where I watched the events on CNN, there was nothing to interest me so I closed my eyes just listening to the ramblings of the news casters trying to make the best of what they had to make it sound interesting.