Missing - Dead or Alive

by Peter Martin

  She left the room then, faint hopes still lingering over Bob. If what Tim had told her was true, give Debra the rope long enough and she’d hang herself. Perhaps she wasn’t the little miss innocent she was trying to make out to be, but only time would tell.

  The next couple of weeks with Tim were sheer bliss. They spent a lot of time together shopping in Dexford and enjoyed a midday snack before spending the evenings sat round the television with her parents.

  On the second Saturday, Maria and Tim returned from their shopping trip to a surprise meal. Her mother had cooked them a steak dinner to celebrate her father’s seventieth birthday, and he opened a bottle of expensive champagne. That night they went to bed happy, and for Maria it had been like old times she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

  She was having a restful night, when suddenly in a semi-conscious state she felt really hot and was constantly tossing and turning. Sweat poured out of her, soaking her nightie and making it stick to her. With a jolt she woke coughing over and over again. There was a smell of burning, her throat seemed dry, stinging.

  Switching on the bedside table lamp, she looked towards the door, and saw with dread that smoke was seeping underneath the door. In her panic she screamed, got out of bed and rushed across to the door. As she opened it she shrank back from the intense heat and swiftly slammed the door shut. From the little she’d seen, the landing was totally consumed with yellow and red flames. She looked at the window and realised this was her only avenue of escape. But as she opened it, she stopped, realising Tim and her parents must still be in the house, probably asleep. She wouldn’t leave without them, so she shouted out the window for help.

  She yelled ‘FIRE! FIRE!’ and then ‘HELP!’ over and over again.

  The street was empty and quiet, and all her loud cries went unheeded. What was wrong with everyone? Were they deaf, or just didn’t want to get involved?

  Then shutting the window she glanced back at her bedroom door she saw more smoke seeping under the door and the sound of crackling from the ever growing flames. She began to shake with fear of being burnt to death.

  Trapped with nowhere to go, she feared she was about to die. She might as well lose her life attempting to escape rather than staying put and waiting for a horrific end. Maybe she could alert the others too. Moving towards the door, having tied a cloth around her nose and mouth to stop her from inhaling the fumes, she touched the door knob. Only to stop when she heard someone yelling.

  ‘Mum! Mum! Are you in there?’ Tim was shouting outside the door.

  ‘Tim - save yourself, and mum and dad before it’s too late,’ she bellowed back at him.

  ‘I’m coming in to get you mum,’ he said ignoring her last remark.

  ‘No, please.’ But the door burst open and there he was, a wet towel wrapped around his face and clothes.

  Maria saw the ferocity of the flames and the grey billowing smoke capable of choking them both to death.

  ‘Hurry up mum, and stay close,’ he ordered. ‘Put this round your face.’

  She threw the cloth she already had to one side and took the wet towel from Tim, wrapping it around her.

  ‘What about mum and dad?’ She said, but Tim didn’t appear to be listening. She hesitated for a few seconds, her whole body trembling with dread.

  ‘Come on mum – there’s not a moment to lose,’ he shouted with some urgency. He reached for her hand and roughly pulled her out into the unknown. She clung to his hand amid the scorching heat as they made their way out. Flames licked their clothing and although the wet towels did offer a little protection, the blistering intensity of the fire was almost unbearable.

  They got to the stairs and ran down them amid the sprouting flames, which Tim tried to douse from their clothing. Maria was driven on in panic as she felt her hair singeing.

  At last they made it to the hall, which was thick with smoke, but not yet alight. Reaching the front door, after fumbling for the door knob and bolt, Tim opened it and they rushed outside into the fresh air, still coughing and spluttering.

  ‘What about your nan and granddad?’ Maria demanded, grabbing hold of his arm as they made their way to safety.

  ‘It’s all right mum - I’m going back for them,’ he assured her, squeezing her hand.

  Part of her wanted to stop him, but another part wanted him to get her parents out. Just as he reached the outskirts of the house, a huge explosion erupted, so loud it left a ringing in their ears. Both of them instinctively fell to the ground as debris sprayed out, showering them with shards of glass and other bits of brick, plaster and wood.

  ‘No! No!’ he roared, brushing the debris off his body.

  Tim tried to go in, but Maria grabbed hold of his arm to stop him.

  ‘It’s no use, son,’ she shouted at the top of her voice.

  ‘Let me go!’ He squealed, but she wouldn’t, the thought of losing him as well as her mum and dad was unbearable. He dragged her along for a little while, but he had to admit defeat and accept his grandparents must be gone from him now.

  By this time the street was full of people from the surrounding houses, looking on in disbelief. Someone must have called the emergency services who were now around the house trying to put out the fire.

  Maria shouted to them that her parents were still inside the house and in response once the fire was under control several firemen went inside. She cried out in agony and grieved by burying her face in Tim’s chest. They meant so much to he, and had always put her first, so that life without them was impossible to comprehend. In good times and bad they’d been there for her, but no more. How quickly they’d been snatched from her.

  Maria was in a daze. There was a hive of activity all about her, ambulances, fire engines and police and finally neighbours all gathering around. She couldn’t take in what was going on and was hardly aware of being put in a white vehicle with flashing lights and sirens blaring away as it sped from the scene.

  Later she came round to find herself in bed and opening her eyes saw she was surrounded by a number of medical staff. Then looking to one side she noticed the friendly face sitting beside her and smiling, her son. What would she have done without him?

  ‘He’s not coming back,’ Bob informed Debra later when he got home from taking Tim to the railway station.

  ‘That’s a bit drastic, isn’t it? What’s going on now?’ Debra asked.

  ‘Wait until you hear what he said. It was unforgivable.’ Then he told her exactly what Tim had accused her of.

  Debra’s face became flushed and after a split second hesitation she shook her head. Finally saying, ‘But why say all those awful things about me? You didn’t believe him, did you?’

  ‘No reason why I should. It’s too fantastic for words – the kid’s living in a fantasy world.’

  ‘That’s true, but seriously Bob, I’ve something to tell you about him too... He...he kept saying things to me when we were alone, malicious, nasty, sarcastic remarks about my appearance. It really upset me, but I was too frightened to say anything. I thought you’d say I was making it up, trying to get him out of our lives. When nothing is further from the truth.’

  ‘So what did he say?’ Bob’s eyes twitched with anger.

  ‘Just about me being fat and ugly and... flat chested... and having a big bum ...’

  ‘I’ll kill the little sod. How dare he? I’ve a good mind to ring him up...’

  ‘Don’t – it’s enough that he won’t be coming up here again.’

  Bob stared at her for a second, finding it hard to accept what Tim had become. ‘Something happened to him, maybe even before he went missing. Since he’s come back, although he seems all right, I sense there’s something under the surface. At first we got on great, but then he had strange unsettling moods. And now these lies about you, and those insults all but confirm it.’

  ‘What’s he up to Bob?’

  ‘I’ve got an idea, although I don’t know why. He’s trying to get me and Maria back together again. Af
ter he’d been ill, he suggested we all go out together, but he’d arranged to bump into someone, thus leaving Maria and me alone. Not only that, he tried to talk his mother into thinking it was possible for us to live as a family again.’

  ‘My God, why would he do that?’ Debra’s face dropped with horror.

  ‘Good question. As soon as I saw Maria, I knew what he’d been up to. But there was no chance of me doing what he wanted. Naturally I had to be nice and polite to her, but I told her straight a reconciliation wouldn’t work. I had no other choice. And then in anger I left Maria to get home by herself.’

  ‘Bob, I’m so glad we won’t be seeing him again,’ she said breathing heavily. She shook her head, her eyes glazed.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’d never go back to her, after what she did. I love you more than ever and always will.’ He moved across to kiss her passionately on the lips.

  She smiled at him, with love in her eyes. ‘I’m so lucky to have met you after Alan. Out of all the tragedy, the only good thing to come from it is you and I being together.’

  ‘Yes, you’re right. We can be happy but it has to be without my wayward son.’

  ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if our relationship could become something more permanent? What do you think?’

  ‘You mean like getting married?’ He said grinning at her. ‘Do I take that as a proposal?’

  ‘Something like that, although neither of us has seen a solicitor about a divorce yet.’

  ‘Very true.’

  ‘Well, actually I have started the ball rolling. You know, I had no idea where Alan went to after we split. So I got to thinking – I have his parent’s address, so why not send a letter to him via them. And that’s what I did, explaining that I want a divorce. They’ll know where he is, and will contact him. It’s just a matter of time before he agrees.’

  ‘Why you little tinker – well I could do the same with Maria. She won’t be happy, but what does she expect after five years apart.’

  ‘So that’s settled then is it Bob?’ Her face radiated her joy.

  ‘You bet it is, darling.’

  ‘Oh, that’s the most fantastic news. I do love you so.’

  ‘Me too.’

  Bob hadn’t thought much about this, but now he did, he liked the idea and looked forward to cementing his new life with Debra. Hopefully, this might banish any demons still lurking in his life.

  Chapter 31

  The house was uninhabitable. Maria and Tim had to find temporary accommodation. And ended up in a fully furnished semi-detached council house situated in a rough and rundown area, albeit not far from her parents’ house.

  Maria had wept uncontrollably when first entering their new home, thinking it cold and unwelcoming. There was a living/dining room and a small kitchen. The upstairs had been modernised to include a bathroom, leaving the third bedroom not much bigger than a cupboard. Maria decided to make the best of things. At least the house was clean, although the old furniture had seen better days.

  The feeling of isolation remained. Her father had perished in the fire, her mother however had surprisingly survived and was now in hospital fighting for her life. All her possessions were lost along with keepsakes from her childhood, and only her distant memories remained.

  In the coming days they bought whole sets of new clothes, and bed linen, as well as the everyday commodities such as food. This meant Maria had to spend a big chunk of her savings and hope the insurance claim would come through swiftly. Until then she knew they’d have to be thrifty to get by.

  Luckily her boss allowed her to take whatever compassionate leave she needed and agreed to her returning to work after the funeral. There had been a lot to arrange as well as visiting her mother in hospital.

  Life had proved to be very difficult and without Tim’s help and support she wouldn’t have coped. Coupled with that he’d put his own life at risk to save hers. But for the explosion he’d have re-entered the house to save his grandparents. So when he suggested, ‘Mum, you probably don’t want to, but don’t you think you ought to tell dad what’s happened,’ she went along with his advice.

  However, with not a little scepticism, said, ‘Look son, he’s not interested in our problems. He’s made it quite clear he’s got his own life to lead.’

  ‘Maybe you’re right mum, but we should at least give him the chance. Then it’s his problem, not ours, and we’ll know exactly where we stand.’

  ‘Phone him if you want. I don’t care what you do. You’ll be lucky if he speaks to you anyway after that row you had the last time you saw him. But it’s up to you.’

  ‘I will. I don’t want to fall out with him; he is my dad after all.’

  ‘All right Tim if you must – hope for your sake you don’t end up getting hurt.’

  ‘I won’t mum,’ he smiled, with a rather determined look on his face.

  Bob and Debra sat close together in their living room. They were drinking wine, celebrating their marriage plans while watching a DVD. When the phone rang Bob pulled a face as he didn’t want to speak to anyone at this time of night. But leaned over Debra and picked up the receiver.

  ‘Hello,’ he mumbled.

  ‘Dad, it’s me Tim.’

  Bob gritted his teeth, about to put the phone down, but then hesitated. ‘I told you never to get in touch with me again. When I said we were finished, I meant every word.’ Bob’s grip on the phone tightened.

  ‘Dad, wait a minute will you? I’m ringing to tell you there’s been an accident at nan and granddad’s. Their house has been burnt down.’

  ‘What are you talking about now?’ He raised his eyes to look at the ceiling. Another one of Tim’s tall stories he thought.

  ‘I’m telling the truth. There was a fire in their house… and granddad was killed and nan is seriously ill in hospital. Mum’s devastated – she’s lucky to be alive herself.’

  Bob was fast losing his patience and temper with the lad. What did Tim take him for? And cut in saying, ‘Good try, but that won’t wash. No more lies. It was bad enough you lying about Debra, but this is ridiculous. A house fire? What do you take me for? I don’t know what’s happened to you, but somebody’s messed with your head. When will you give up on this crazy obsession of yours? Me and your mum are finished, period.’

  ‘Dad, I swear to you, on my life, I’m not lying?’

  ‘I’m not listening to this – goodbye.’ He finally slammed the phone down on him.

  ‘Can you believe that?’ He turned to Debra to explain exactly what Tim had said.

  ‘Are you sure he wasn’t telling the truth?’

  ‘Of course, I am. He’s trying to get me to go down again and meet up with Maria. What’s the matter with him? Why is he so obsessed with this? I mean if he was ten I could understand – but at his age what possible motive can he have?’

  ‘Bob, all children want their parents to stay together – that’s natural. I remember when my mum and dad divorced when I was twelve – I was heartbroken. I’d have done anything to keep them from splitting up.’

  ‘Not if they didn’t get along, you wouldn’t – there’s nothing worse. That bad atmosphere can only bring more misery.’

  ‘Maybe, but I have a feeling he wasn’t lying.’

  ‘How would you know? You weren’t speaking to him. And anyway what do you expect me to do Debra? Travel down on the off chance he was telling the truth. Well, I’m sorry, I’m not going to. Come on, get real. It’s another one of his stupid tricks.’

  ‘And if it is true, how will you feel then?’

  ‘For God’s sake, you know what he’s like. What about all the lies he’s told in the past?’

  ‘You should at least check out his story.’

  ‘All right, if you insist, I will. That’ll be easy enough. I know their address; I even have their phone number somewhere. As soon as I find it, I’ll ring them - and I might tell them what their grandson is up to, while I’m at it.’ He got up from his seat and walked towards the cloakroom where the
y kept a phone book with family contact details.

  He found the number in an old address book but after dialling he discovered it was unobtainable.

  ‘Their phone’s out. Well, that doesn’t prove a thing, does it? There could be any number of reasons for that.’

  ‘Yes, but that doesn’t rule it out either does it?’

  ‘Ok, so what do you suggest now? The police won’t tell us anything and neither will the fire brigade.’

  ‘If people were killed, the news would have covered it, national if not local. Let’s see what comes up on the Internet.’

  Nothing came up on the national news, but when Bob went on the page for the local news his attention was drawn to a headline halfway down the page.

  ‘One Killed, One Seriously Injured in House Fire.’

  This made his heart miss a beat.

  ‘Oh my God,’ he whispered, as he read the text below the caption. He saw the address and the name of his estranged wife and son, who had apparently saved his mother’s life. He sat back in his seat, stunned and a little embarrassed about what he’d just said to Tim.

  ‘It is true Debra. The lad wasn’t lying,’ he admitted looking at her in disbelief.

  ‘Seems that way,’ Debra said obviously glad she’d been proved right.

  ‘God, the trouble is he’s told so many lies, it’s hard to know what to believe?’ He shook his head.

  ‘Well, you’ve got to believe him this time, haven’t you?’

  ‘All right. I’ll have to go down and offer my condolences.’

  ‘We’ll both have to go to the funeral - we can’t not go. Please ring him back, Bob.’

  After ringing 1471 he dialled the number and spoke to Tim at once. Picturing Tim with a smug self-satisfied look on his face, Bob didn’t enjoy having to grovel or apologise. Although after saying he and Debra intended coming to the funeral, Tim seemed genuinely pleased.