Deadline

by Zaheera Walker

  He thinks I’m dead, but I can’t be. I can still hear him. How do I save myself now? I can barely move. There must be a reason my life has been spared. She remembered Smith’s words: Arm yourself with everything you’ve got. Learn to defend yourself. Fight with all you’ve got!” Then she felt it. A wave of energy coursed through her.

  “Enough!” She grabbed a handful of sand and threw it in his eyes. That blinded his vision. With a burst of energy, she lunged at his throat and sank her thumb and middle finger into the sides. He was kneeling and she saw the chance to hurt him for all his sins against women. She swung her leg forward and kicked him square on his delicate bits.

  “Please stop. I can’t take this pain.” Vishen was too dazed. He had spent every fraction of energy he had when he had hit her earlier. “I misjudged your strength.”

  “You know what they say about dynamite packages. Now feel the burning pain you inflicted on others!”

  Why wasn’t he fighting back? He killed women, for God’s sake, and now he’s not doing anything.

  “Help! Help me, someone!” There was no one out there. “God give me the strength to come out alive.”

  She grabbed the spanner and whacked it against his back. He fell head first on the gravel. Something cracked, but she was too scared to stop. Over and over, the metal smacked his body. For Shyla, her crippled husband, the children and the women who had been caught in his web. He used his hands to fend off the blows, but they rained down. The final strike left him still. Feriyal staggered a bit and steadied herself on the bonnet. She raised her right leg and jabbed down. Her heel pierced the surface of his throat. Blood sprayed out like a fountain.

  “Oh God. I’ve killed him.” Her head dropped in defeat as she punched the bonnet. “What have I done? I wanted him to suffer for his crimes. Acknowledge his sins and face his victims’ families. What a coward to choose the easy route.” Alone in a strange place with a lifeless body beside her, Feriyal could feel the fear enveloping her body. “I have to get help! But where do I start?”

  She kicked off her broken stilettos. “These legs will have to carry me through.”

  Which way was the right one? Did it make any difference? Her feet hit the hard ground and she took the first steps to search for help.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  A full moon guided her through the night. It shone light on her deepest fears and wild imaginations. How did I land myself in this mess? No time for answers now; I just have to push on. Her blistered feet throbbed and burnt, but she could not stop. How much longer before she saw a house, any form of life?

  She could hear waves crashing nearby. Fishermen! Maybe someone was out there casting a line. They could help her. Take her to the police. End her misery. Her legs moved a bit faster, almost running. Loose stones and dried branches roughed her delicate feet. Keep going. Just a little more.

  Blankets of cool, grainy sea sand felt like a cushion under her feet. The salt spray frizzed her hair, but she didn’t care. She raced to the shore and scooped water to wash her blemished face. “Ouch.” It stung the cuts and bruises he had inflicted earlier. She scanned the coastline. Not a single fisherman in sight. Then she saw the board. No fishing allowed.

  Defeated again.

  She moved away from the shoreline and sat down on a smooth rock.

  “I’ve come so far and now I’m in a dead end. It’s just as bad as being held captive.” There was not much hope left. Lost and alone in no man’s land. Her tired frame curled into a foetal position to keep warm. With a little sleep, things would be a bit clear in the morning. What time was it?

  A sweet voice broke out in song. Beautiful and serene. A guardian angel must be keeping watch. She had seen it in the movies. That was how it happened when people were marooned in a strange place.

  Tonight, I celebrate my love for you. That brought back memories. Her parents had loved that song back in their days. Where was it coming from? She raised herself from the slumber and listened. There was no one in sight, but the music was real. Then she saw it. Dim lights streaming through the bushes. “Help! Please help me. Is anyone out there? Please help me. I’m alone and I’m hurt.”

  She navigated her way through the bushes with a dried branch that had washed up on shore. A car. A Golf! Tremors of fear swept through her and she turned to run. How did he get here? Take me out of this nightmare, please. I can’t take it anymore.

  She heard more voices. Different from the music. Soft sounds of innocence. A young couple making out in the middle of the night. Beautiful romance. There was no choice but to spoil the moment. Her fist banged hard on the driver’s window. “I need your help!” The young man zipped his pants and put the car into reverse. Feriyal grabbed the door handle. “Please. I’m alone. Take me to the police.” He hesitated, then stepped outside.

  “What happened to you?” He grabbed her as she collapsed into his arms. “Are you alone?”

  “Quick. Come help me.” His girlfriend was buttoning up her blouse.

  “My cell phone is in the cubby hole. Call the police. This woman is bleeding!”

  ***

  Various media houses were fighting for the best spot outside the hospital. Feriyal’s harrowing ordeal had made headlines around the world and local reporters were scrambling for an update. A hospital spokesman announced that a statement was going to be released by a family spokesman. The nurse heard the groans and lifted her gaze. “Miss Adam, you’re in the hospital. You came in by ambulance last night. Can you remember what happened?”

  “My head hurts. Everything feels sore.” She yelped from the sharp pain shooting up her arm. “What is going on?”

  “Try not to move too much or the drip is going to hurt.” She injected a dose of pain relief into the drip. “You’re safe now. Nobody’s going to hurt you.” She introduced herself as Sister Jackson.

  “Did they find his body?” She struggled to prop herself up on the pillow. “He was full of hate and I thought he was going to kill me. Now he’s dead.”

  Sister Jackson looked concerned. “You’ve been through a horrifying ordeal and you need to rest.” She checked Feriyal’s vitals and entered the readings in her file. “The doctor will be in to see you now.”

  “Please stay with me. I don’t want to be alone.” A tear was released from the corner of her eye. “Does Mr Black know I’m here?”

  “Yes, dear. He’s been here all night. I literally had to throw him out.” She squeezed Feriyal’s hand. “He couldn’t stop telling everyone how much he loves you. I don’t think he’ll let you out of his sight now.”

  A bespectacled man peered in at them. “Good morning. How’s my patient doing?” He scanned the file and nodded at the sister. “I’m Doctor Wallace. I didn’t expect to see you up so soon. You were a wreck when the paramedics brought you in last night.” He examined the swelling on Feriyal’s arm and looked at the drip. Everything was in order. “I’ve seen your blood results. Had a chat with the district surgeon as well. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “That’s a good sign, right? When can I go home?” She hated hospitals. it reminded her of death, her mother and false hope. “I’m just a bit weak, but feel fine otherwise.”

  “It’s going to be a few days before I let you go, Miss Adam. You’ve just survived a traumatic experience. Don’t think you’re ready to go out there yet.” He shifted the curtain and cursed the media milling around outside. “I’ll check in on you a bit later, but for now I want you to rest.”

  ***

  “Knock, knock. Delivery for Miss Adam.” A bunch of spring flowers, a foil balloon and a teddy bear. Love sparkled in his eyes as he rushed towards her. “I was so scared, babe. So scared and lost. There was nothing I could do to help. I didn’t know where to start.” Her eyes shimmered with tears.

  “I’m so sorry for putting you through hell. Please don’t be angry with me. I saw the error of my actions when I stepped into his car. I love you, Shane. I love you so much.” She wept against his chest, inhaled h
is scent and listened to the thump of his beautiful heart.

  “It’s over now. The worst part is behind us. You’re back with me and I’m never letting you go. We’ll get through this together.” He held her firm and she cried out in pain.

  “Go easy on her, Mr Black.” Sister Jackson pulled out a chair for him.

  “There is a considerable amount of bruising throughout her body. It’s a miracle how she managed to seek help in her state.” She dabbed a ball of moist cotton wool on Feriyal’s lips. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone for a bit. I’m sure there’s a lot you want to chat about.” She stepped outside and shut the door.

  “Smith will come through to see you today. He’s not very happy with you, but he’s glad you’re safe. I’ll leave him to explain what’s going to happen now.”

  “I just have to give the police my statement and then everything is over. I’m safe and, with him gone, there’ll be no more murders.”

  “It’s not that simple, babe.” He sat on the edge of the bed and cuddled her. “I don’t know how to break it to you.

  I was hoping Smith was going to be here by now.”

  “What is it? It can’t be that bad now, can it?”

  “Depends how you look at it.” He shifted a bit and then sighed. “Your attacker is in a critical, but stable condition.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s not possible. How can that be? He was not moving when he fell to the ground. There was so much blood. I left him lying there with a broken body.” Can it be possible that his heart was still beating?

  “I’m not a medical expert, so I can’t tell you how he did it. When the couple alerted the police, the area was combed immediately. They found him trying to make a getaway in a Golf.”

  “How did he get it started? I tried to drive off in it when I first got out of the building. The battery was flat. I’m sure he had something to do with that too.” Feriyal fell quiet. “Shane, I’m scared. The thought of facing him again is too much. I don’t think I can do it. We should forget this whole thing and carry on with our lives.”

  “You have to, babe. For your sanity, for Shyla’s sake and for all the women whose lives came to an abrupt end. I don’t think you can get out of it now. You are the only witness the state has.”

  “I’ll have to give evidence in court. The nightmare will start again. Won’t it?”

  “That is how our justice system works. He’ll appear in court and you’ll have to testify under oath. I’m sure this won’t be a long-winded matter, because there is sufficient evidence already.”

  “I can’t do this without you, love. I need you to help me get through this.” Knotted fear multiplied in the pit of her stomach. Would he still want her after all that had happened?

  Something did not feel right. Shane paced around. His hands rested on his hips. He turned away and ran a hand through his hair. “This might not be the right time, but I need to know. Did he touch you?”

  “I just told you what happened while I was with him.”

  “Did he or didn’t he touch you in a sexual way?”

  It felt like a heavy blow punched the wind out of her chest. “There was no sex. He kissed me everywhere and it killed me inside. I pretended to enjoy the moment and massaged him a bit. I was scared. So scared and the only way I could hide it was to kiss him back.”

  “That bloody bastard! When I get my hands on him...” His kicked the medicine cabinet into the wall, scattering Smartie-coloured pills everywhere.

  “No. No. Stop doing that!” Feriyal plugged both ears with her hands and cried with all the strength she had left. “I can’t take this anymore.”

  He wanted to shield her with his arms, but he was afraid. With all the anger building up in him, he had to keep at a safe distance. “With everything that happened between us, I’ve had a lot of time to think.”

  He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked to the foot of the bed. “When you were gone, I lay in bed thinking. There were so many things. I wondered if you were a mistake. Why would you conceal such a plan? Did you not trust me?”

  She locked gazes with him. “I’m so sorry I hurt you the way I did. I can’t undo what has happened, but I loved you. I still do. And I know I let you down. Whatever comes my way, I’ll face it.”

  “When we found the lingerie and sex stuff in your drawer, I was so embarrassed. Smith was with me. I thought you were leading a double life. The lady at the shop remembered seeing you. She said you were buying everything for a friend.”

  “I did what I had to do. You would not have let me go through with my plan, now would you? Whatever you think of me, just remember I never meant to hurt you.” Her forehead creased as she rolled onto her side, away from him. Pain gripped her body, but she just had to be strong. How would it look when he finally told her it was over between them?

  “Let me finish. I’ve never given myself to anyone, because I was waiting for the right woman to come along. When we first kissed at the conference, something melted inside me. But you were so young and fresh I didn’t want to ruin anything for you. Or me.”

  Where was he going with this? Why didn’t he just get it over and done with? She had suffered enough and here he was trying to inflict more aches in her soul. He was going to end it. Cut her off because she was not honest with him.

  That moment of dread. Why was he taking so long?

  “I tried to forget you. Damn, it was tough at first, but I managed to adjust. I did what I do best. Pushed myself harder at work. Travelling around the world to network and build an empire. I did it all to forget you. Then I heard you were no longer working and reached out to you. That morning when you walked into my office, I tried to suppress all those feelings.” Shane was an incurable romantic and everything had to be perfect. He hadn’t had much time to plan anything after he had heard she was found. All he had clasped in his right hand was the diamond ring he had planned to give her the night Shyla was murdered. Time was precious.

  “Miss Feriyal Adam.” She buried her face in the pillow to blot out the tears. Why was he being so formal? He had never addressed her that way before. Therewas no going back now. The longer she avoided eye contact with him, the harder it was going to be. She turned to face him, with sorrow glinting across her face. “Yes, Mr Black? Go ahead;

  I deserve it.”

  “Will you marry me?”

  She was crying so hard she didn’t hear a word of his proposal. “Sorry. I didn’t want you to see me fall apart like this.” She pulled two sheets of tissues from a box at her bedside. She dabbed one at her tears and blew her nose with the other. Then she cleared her throat. “I guess this is where you walk away for the last time.”

  “Did you hear anything I said?”

  “What did you say?”

  “Will you be my wife?” His had one knee on the chair. It would not work on the floor. The bed was too high! There was no helicopter hovering outside with a ‘Will you marry me?’ banner, the angels were not singing and there was proposal on the radio, but this was the most romantic thing in her eyes.

  “Yes. Yes. Oh God, yes.” She wiped her eyes on his starched shirt and kissed him. “I thought you were trying to end it. I was so scared.”

  “Hell no. I’m never letting you go. Ever. As soon as you are well, I am going to plan our wedding. I don’t care if we can’t do fancy straight away. All I really want is to give you my name and see our children in your eyes.” He slipped the white rock on her finger.

  “How many do you want to have?” she asked through tapering sobs. A tinge of mixed emotions filled the room as she recalled the conversation with her late mother. The promise to settle down and raise a family with a good man. “This is beautiful. I love it!” She wiggled her finger in front of her and then held it firm. “It fits perfectly.”

  “I haven’t given it much thought, but I’m a spur of the moment guy. How about a soccer team. Maybe two!”

  “Whatever makes you happy, Mr Black. Whatever makes you happy.”

&nbs
p; She sealed her lips on his to savour the moment. A tap on the door broke the embrace.

  “Okay you two lovebirds. Stop traumatising the patients.”

  “Smith! I didn’t think I was going to be this happy to see you again.” Feriyal couldn’t wait to tell him all about her narrow escape. “Come give me a big hug.”

  “I feel the same way, young lady.” He kissed her on the cheek. “You gave us such a scare. Acting foolish by ignoring what we discussed. Tampering with the cell phone; going off on your own like that. It was brave and it was stupid.” He roughed her hair a bit and pinched her cheek. “But you’re back safe and that’s all that matters.”

  “Shane and I are getting married.” She flashed her ring at him. “He proposed just before you walked in. We’re

  going to have lots of children too.”

  “Congratulations. I wish you both many years of happiness.” He looked at Shane and smirked. “Glad you’re gonna make an honest woman out of her. That way, she won’t be giving us cops a hard time.”

  Shane arched his eyebrows, because he knew she was one stubborn woman.

  “Oh, I don’t know about that. She has a mind of her own. Don’t you, babe?”

  “My wild days are over. I promise.” She crossed her fingers and lay back to ease the rising pain in her shoulders. “I just want this whole episode behind me so I can embark on my new life. What happens now?”

  “You really battered him that night.” Smith sneered and looked at her petite frame.

  “I did what I could to make it out alive. When I left, he wasn’t moving and I thought he was dead. I just knew I had to get away quickly. Shane just told me he was trying to escape when you caught him. Is he going to make it? Will I have to worry about him coming after me?”