“Good luck with the exams. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said finally with a sigh, before leaning forward and pressing a soft, gentle kiss to my lips, lingering a few seconds longer than he had before. Then he turned and walked away from me.
*****
I sat on the bench in the emptying college car park. Only two cars remained. Adam was running a few minutes late leaving work and had texted to say he was on his way. Wait for me Angel, he’d sent. I wasn’t going anywhere. I was ready to talk. I’d lain awake all night and I knew in my heart and in my mind that Adam hadn’t done those things to Jase. I didn’t know who had, but I knew it wasn’t Adam. I was desperate to apologise, I’d been wrong to doubt him. I wanted to set everything straight between us. Us. I was ready for us. I wanted that kiss he had promised me. I wanted Adam in my life. I wanted Adam and I wanted us. I smiled to myself as I waited. When the darkness came I tried to fight it, but it was strong and over powering and I had no choice.
*****
Chapter Sixteen
“No!” I gasped awake and instantly knew I was back there. Back with him. In the darkness. He had come back and he had found me. Just like I’d always known he would.
“My lady awakes.” A deep, gravelly and somewhat familiar voice sounded from the corner of the dark cellar and I instinctively turned towards it. My eyes, not yet adjusted to the dim light, made out a tall, dark figure in the shadows. Chains clinked on the concrete floor as I moved and I realised I was shackled again too. It was all exactly the same, except that this time he had spoken and he was still speaking.
“I knew you would come back to me sweet lady of mine. I just had to bide my time. Your teachings were cut short last time and I still owe you punishment for leaving me, but that will come. You will learn new lessons now and you will be my lady, just as you were always meant to be. This is it sweet Callie. This is the endgame. You are my reward for a lifetime of teaching. I will show you the life you will have when you choose me and we will be happy together. Now is our time.”
As my eyes fully adjusted the figure moved slowly towards me. A familiar form took shape before my eyes and I breathed in sharply as I connected the voice to the man. I knew this person who had caused not only me, but so many others such pain. I had known this man all my life. I trusted this man. It couldn’t be.
“You?” I whispered. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. How was he capable of this?
“That’s right sweet Callie. It’s me.” Malcolm crouched beside me on the cold floor and reached out to tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear. His touch was gentle and over familiar and I flinched away from him. “My dear sweet Callie. It has always been me. I am your destiny, as you are mine. Let me show you.”
He stood and turned his back to me, before flicking on a ceiling light, fully illuminating the room. I looked around me in horror. Photographs of me lined every inch of space on every single wall. Some I recognised from my last year of school, some more recent. Most of them close ups of my face or me alone, walking to work or sitting on our front porch with a book. Others with Jase, or Cam and Nick. Several with Adam, one of us wrapped in each other’s arms in Greg and Dana’s garden the night of the sleepover. My stomach lurched and I retched but nothing came up. My stomach was empty and I absently wondered how long I had been there.
“Two days sweet Callie, we have been together. Your stomach is empty, I will feed you soon.” He told me as if he had read my mind. His salt and pepper hair hung just below his chin and it swung as he turned to smile at me, a hand scratching at his thick grey beard.
“They are looking for you. That mangy police dog and his pups. The Irish thug, the biker and his brothers too. Even the doctor and the mechanic. All of them tearing the town apart in your name. But they will never find what is right under their noses. They have proven as much with their incompetency at finding me over the years. I have been hiding in plain sight. They have no clue and neither did your father before them. I don’t even need to be that careful really, they never look in my direction. I’m just a lonely widow living out his life in solitude.” He gloated before continuing as though all of this were perfectly normal.
“Later this evening I am going to cook you a very special meal. Our first of many, I feel we must celebrate our reunion. I intend to tell you my story and answer your questions over time. Since you have proven in the past that you are not to be trusted, you will be taking a nap whilst I am out. Just remember you brought this on yourself my sweet Callie. You must not fight me. That sort of behaviour is not becoming of a lady. You will learn to understand that when you behave badly, I must correct that behaviour. I must teach you the right way. If you behave correctly, I will no longer have to teach you.” His words were soft, gentle, like a father scolding his child.
I barely had time to fathom what was happening when that sweet sickly smell that haunted my nightmares engulfed me and I was in darkness once more.
*****
They think I am here to show my support and I put on a good performance for them, asking for news, offering words of condolence and joining the search parties, as I did the last time. I listen discreetly to their conversations at the pub. Her brother is distraught and their librarian friend desperately attempts to console him.
“She will come back to us, do you hear me Cameron? This is Callie. Our Callie. She never gives up. She never stops fighting. She came back to us before and she will again. You will not fall apart Cameron. You will fight. You’re will fight just like she does every single day of her life! That’s what she needs from us and that is exactly what we are going to give her!” She stands on her tip toes, her hands on his face as she speaks quickly and anxiously at him.
A glass smashes against the wall and the Irish thug roars in anger. “How the fuck is this happening again?” He demands from nobody in particular.
His long haired brother and the door man snuggle closely in a corner. My lady will be glad she has brought those two together. I must remember to tell her the good news. Perhaps I will keep that little gem as a reward for when she pleases me.
The biker sits with his head in his hands at the bar, I cannot be sure but I think he is crying. I always thought he was too sensitive to be a real man. His brothers are close by, murmuring words of comfort.
“I won’t lose her. I will not fucking lose her Ols!” Her brother growls at the librarian and he yanks her close to him, clinging to her like a life raft.
Their attention turns to the door as the police mutt and his pup come through them. Cousins apparently, although I see little resemblance.
“Anything?” One of the biker’s brothers, the middle one I think, asks hopefully. The pup shakes his head and moves into the arms of his Barbie doll. The mutt says nothing, but lays a hand on the biker’s shoulder and squeezes slightly before taking the stool next to him. The mutt himself is a mess, even more so than the others. I can see the stress and lack of sleep etched into their faces. This would not make my lady happy. She would want them to take better care of themselves. It makes me delightfully happy however. It means my lessons have extended to them. If they had treated her correctly, taken care of her in the way she deserves, ensured her behaviour never wavered, I would never have had to teach her. They only have themselves to blame.
The mutt accepts a drink from the thug and they converse quietly. The brother and the other pup move in beside them and listen, leaving the two girls to cry together.
“I’m getting her back. I won’t stop until I have her back in my arms.” The mutt is telling them with a determined edge to his voice. “I’ll tear the whole fucking world apart if I have to but I will find her and I will bring her home safely.”
The thug puts a hand on his arm and speaks. “We’re right there with you fella. Whatever it takes.”
*****
“Good evening sweet Callie.” He whispered as he drew the knife along my arm just enough to draw blood, as he had before. “I have not yet decided upon your punishment for leaving me. Th
at will take some thought. I have however, observed your recent behaviours at the hands of the excuses for men that you surround yourself with, it may not be your fault directly, but still, you must learn from these mistakes. We will begin there. First however, I intend to give you a taste of our future, the life we can have together. You will dress for dinner. I will return to escort you in no more than twenty minutes Callie. Do not shower, you will keep the evidence of your lesson with you for the meal. Tricks will be punished. It is not ladylike to keep me waiting.”
I was no longer in the cellar, but a bedroom, that he must have carried me to whilst I was unconscious. It was almost identical to the one in the abandoned house. The same pink patchwork bedding on the pine framed bed, the same chair and bookshelves in the corner, the same mirrored wardrobes, the same green velvet curtains, the same dressing table laden with the same creams and cosmetics. Ones I no longer used to my relief. Cam may have only mentioned it in passing, but he hadn’t been wrong about the OCD, everything had been meticulously placed. We should have known, we should have realised it was him. The fact that he sat on the same stool, at the same bar, at the same time every single night and drank the same amount of the same whiskey each time should have roared at us to take notice. This was a man who lived his life by the minutest of details and he had passed right under the radar for years. I instinctively knew he hadn’t brought me to the same house. He wasn’t going to make that kind of mistake. That would be the first place they searched. So he had decorated the two houses identically, making this whole situation even crazier than it already was.
Hanging on the front of the wardrobe was another long black evening gown, again almost identical to the last one. It was all happening the same way. I was reliving my nightmare but this time I knew there was no way out. On auto pilot, my mind numb, I changed into the dress. As before when he returned he stood me in front of the mirror and forced me to look at my reflection. There was no silent glare this time, this time he spoke.
“Do you see the cuts I made on your body sweet Callie? They are the evidence of your lessons. Each time you forget yourself and behave in an un ladylike manner, you will be taught a lesson. You will carry your lessons with you until your behaviour is once again suitable. Then and only then will you be allowed to treat and cover your wounds. And be warned my dear, these are not harsh lessons I am teaching you. I have no desire to teach you those particular lessons, but if you insist upon behaving in the way you did before I will be forced to resort to more painful methods.” He turned, looping my hand through his at the elbow and escorting me like the gentleman I had always believed him to be.
“Let us eat.” He announced and led me down the stairs into the dining room. It was then I realised we were in his house. A house I knew well. We had visited Malcolm and his wife often with our parents. Cam and I had played in the garden as children while Malcolm and my Dad barbecued and my Mum and Irene gossiped over wine. Had my Dad suspected it was his friend all those years ago? The files Cam found told us he was getting close, but no name was mentioned. This is what Malcolm meant by them not finding what is under their noses, he was keeping me minutes away from the pub, from Adam’s place and the police station. Shit, Jase’s house was right on the corner of the same street, mere seconds away.
“Now sweet Callie, I seem to remember you not enjoying your caviar the last time we had dinner together. No matter. These are things we will learn about one another over the years we spend together. This evening we have salmon en croute, a dish my dear departed wife perfected over the years. It is considered a little old fashioned now maybe, but a classic in my humble opinion. Please sit.” He pulled out a chair at one end of the table in the familiar dining room. I scanned my surroundings half heartedly for escape routes, despite knowing I would find nothing. He had made mistakes last time; he would not make them again.
“I know you were brought up well sweet Callie. I know your parents began teaching you how to be a lady and I thank them for that, even if they did attempt to become the bane of my existence. It will serve you well in your lessons with me. However, the men in your life have been unhelpful recently. They have caused you to forget yourself, not your fault and I can help you remember and teach you how to correct your behaviour. I’ll have you back on track in no time and then we can begin our lives together. We’re going to be very happy together my sweet Callie. I will show you how a real lady ought to be treated, unlike that dim witted ex boyfriend of yours. I showed him what happens to a man who hurts his lady. He will wear those lessons on his body for some time to come. My only regret is that I was unable to pin the deaths of my recent students on him. That would have brought things together nicely.” He talked easily, in a light and friendly tone as he ate, as though he made no more than polite dinner conversation, even though he had just admitted to beating Jase and attempting to frame him for murder. That he could be so nonchalant about hurting someone in that way made my stomach churn.
“Is your meal to your liking my sweet Callie?” He enquired.
“Yes. Thank you.” I nodded; I had little energy for anything other than playing along with his game. He obviously had a thing for ladylike behaviour and I realised my best option was to go along with it for now. His smile widened at my response and he began to speak again. For a man who sat in the bar barely saying two words all night, he was certainly making up for it now.
“Now, I am aware you must have questions for me and I have every intention of answering them, I will tell you my story, one in which your family plays a very prominent role. But we have plenty of time for that. A lifetime no less, sweet Callie.” He made more small talk while we ate and I continued to go along with it, nodding and replying in all the right places. I excelled at mindless small talk due to working in the pub. I ignored the sick feeling in my stomach at each mention of my parents. The increasing knowledge that he had to have been behind their deaths danced at the corner of my consciousness but I didn’t want to let it in. I didn’t want to accept that part of this scenario yet.
“You will find new clothing in the wardrobe in your room. They will all fit, I made certain of that when I checked your clothing size from your wardrobe at your house. Your measurements haven’t changed from the last time we spent together. You may change into sleeping attire before I leave you for the evening.” He told me before escorting me back to the bedroom. He had been in my house. The police had suspected this the first time he took me, due to his knowledge of the products I used. But he was obviously meticulous in covering his invasion as no trace of him had ever been found. But then, he had been in my house as a guest of my parents that many times that if they had picked up his presence it likely wouldn’t be looked on as suspicious. I struggled to keep the small amount of food I had eaten down now as I realised his hands had been on my clothes. He had been in my bedroom, what had he touched? If I ever got out of this I was going to make Dana so happy, we were going on one hell of a shopping trip!
“Thank you. I will be out in a moment.” I responded dutifully, my voice shaky. He was leaving me I realised. Of course, he would have to go to the pub and keep up appearances. If he dropped his routine suddenly people might notice and come to the house, concerned for the man they all thought so much of. So of course, he had to go and sit at the bar and make small talk with Mick. Mick. The tears welled in my eyes at the thought of my friend. I’d give anything to be at work with him right now, joking around, playing our silly games, dancing like idiots to the juke box.
I found a white floor length nightgown in the dresser drawer, obviously his idea of how a lady should dress for bed. I shrugged out of the dress and pulled it on, going through the motions. I knew I was shutting down, giving up. I knew I should fight, but I couldn’t find a reason to anymore. There was no way he was letting me go a second time. This was it for me, this was my ending. Deep down inside me somewhere a tiny voice screamed at me to not let it happen this way, to at least go out fighting. But I was done.
“Why don’t
you choose a book to keep you company this evening?” Malcolm appeared in the doorway and I spun to face him. “Do not fear me sweet Callie, I am your future. I am here to teach and protect you, not harm you. Now, I must, regretfully, lock you in the cellar when I leave. Until you prove yourself to be trustworthy it is the way things must be. This will be your room to use as you wish after we establish that trust once more. Come.” I took the hand he held out towards me, my skin crawling at his touch and allowed him to lead me downstairs to the cellar. “I had thought to add a few creature comforts for you in here, but I don’t want you to feel too at home in this room. You must aspire to the bedroom you see. I will not chain you this evening, but rest assured, if you try anything, the chains will go on and will remain for the foreseeable future. I do not think you want that do you my sweet Callie?”
“No.” I shivered at the thought of the hard metal around my wrists and looked over to the wall where the chains hung from hooks.
“Good. We will discuss the permanent markings on your skin at a later date, but needless to say I was not impressed by them. Now, you have a simple bathroom here. Lavatory and sink, you need no more at present. There is bottled water in the fridge beside the bed and there are blankets to keep you warm. The ceiling light has now had the bulb removed, but you do have the lamp, that will provide you with enough light to read. I will never deny you your books sweet Callie, but living simply in this room will teach you to appreciate the finer life that I will provide for you in the future. You will learn to be thankful for everything I give you over time and you will see in the end that a life with me is a rich and fulfilling one sweet Callie.”
During his speech he had ascended the stairs and now he closed the door as he left and I listened as a key turned in the lock. Footsteps sounded above me as he walked across the wooden hallway floor. A dull bang vibrated through the house when the front door closed and then his footsteps faded down the concrete garden path. I was alone. Should I make a noise? Hammer on the walls and windows like last time? Is it worth the effort? My mind wandered to the pub and I thought of all my friends, would they want me to give up? Knowing the answer, I hauled myself to the tiny window that I knew was at ground level outside and banged on it with my fist. It had been painted black, as was his routine. It was smaller than the last one, so even if I could break it, I wouldn’t have fit through.
Educating Callie Page 28
