by Lee Cockburn
She said, “I feel sick.”
“You were fine a minute ago,” exclaimed Andrew.
She could feel an unsavoury poison flowing through her veins. Her body felt chilled to the bone. She turned slowly and saw a tall well-built figure staring right at her, his head tilted to the left. She thought she could see a smile, a hideous but very familiar one. She quickly turned to tell Andrew and he looked into the car park but John had already dropped to his knees and was crawling towards his hire car three rows to the right.
Andrew said, “Are you sure? There’s no-one there now.”
“He, he was right there I saw him,” she stuttered. “He was watching me. He was right there, I swear it. He was grinning at me.”
Andrew put his arm around her, stopping her from going into the car park. She was shaking like a leaf and very pale, her eyes wide with terror. Her mind flashed back to the evening of the brutal assault. She dropped to her knees and vomited violently on the ground. Andrew crouched behind her and stroked her back, trying to offer comfort but he could see how traumatised she was. There was no doubt in his mind that it had been John Brennan in the car park; even Andrew felt a wave of unexplained fear. He was well aware of what that beast had done to Susan as he had been there for her as she relived the horrors of the attack throughout her rehabilitation. He had also read the newspapers and knew that this man was capable of truly brutal savagery, even including men in his repertoire of victims. Andrew got out his phone and called the police.
Taylor was in the office when the call was received and it was redirected to her. She spoke with Andrew, getting a quick run-down of what had happened before setting the city road blocks in place in an attempt to prevent John getting away. There was a ten minute time delay, which in theory, dependent on his speed and the route he had taken, meant he could be on his way to the Borders by now. With no registration number, colour or make of vehicle, it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, but there was still a chance to stop him.
Officers attended at the hospital to seize the CCTV and take statements from Andrew and Susan. They tried to offer Susan reassurance but she was a quivering wreck. She kept repeating that she wanted to leave the hospital; she didn’t feel safe there anymore. She had made the decision to pack her things and leave that very day. At least she would be reunited with her cat Baxter, another survivor. She just wanted to get as far away from John Brennan as she physically could.
Marcus had the CCTV tape playing in the office. Other officers stopped and watched over his shoulder, curious to see if he had been ballsy enough to walk straight into the hospital and whether Susan had seen him or had been mistaken. There was even the possibility that everything that had happened to her that night was playing with her mind as the time to go home got closer. Hundreds of people came and went. Marcus was amazed at just how busy the hospital was. Good cover for our boy, he thought. DC Fran Andrews walked past and Marcus put on his sweetest smile to ask her to get him a coffee; his reason for not getting it himself was that he didn’t want to lose his concentration. She was going to tell him where to go but Marcus was such a charming man and genuinely did not want to leave his task, not even for a couple of minutes. He had also made his fair share of coffee for everyone in the past.
For this reason only, she took his cup and said, “Just for you.”
Taylor picked up her cup and wiggled it at Fran. She was smiling too and also put on her sad puppy eyes. Fran took the offered cup, laughing at the two of them and shaking her head. Both Taylor and Marcus liked Fran. She was a good detective and a valued member of the team; good looking too, Taylor had already noted. Marcus and Taylor looked at each other with knowing smiles of mutual appreciation. They giggled like a couple of kids. Marcus kept on watching his screen while Taylor watched Fran’s bottom as she walked over to the coffee machine. Nice, she thought to herself.
Marcus reached over to the pause button, not that he needed to. Brennan stood there under that camera motionless, his stare so hideous that even Marcus felt uncomfortable looking at him and he was only watching a screen.
“That’s him, that’s him! Fuck me, he’s a clever boy. Look at this Taylor, he’s totally changed.”
Taylor came up behind Marcus, hand on his shoulder and leant into the screen, her eyes fixed on Brennan’s.
“He’s so fucking arrogant. He wanted us to see him; he wants us to know he hasn’t given up on her yet, poor Susan. We need to see if we can get her some protection. He knows we know who he is and that’s all down to her surviving.”
“I can’t believe she did survive what she went through. He did some job on her,” Marcus exclaimed to Taylor.
“They’ll do the usual and put a cop car outside her house with some wet-nosed inexperienced cops in it that couldn’t do much to save her if he appeared anyway,” Taylor sighed.
“She’s not safe until we get our hands on him but we will. He’s going to slip up soon. His little hospital stunt has proved he’s prepared to be a bit careless to get nearer to her.”
Chapter 23: Leaving
Susan’s hands were shaking as she packed her things up from her hospital locker. The nurses popped in and out to say their goodbyes; Emily and Ann were still recovering from their own night of violence but still made the effort to come in and bid her farewell. The two nurses gave Susan huge hugs and words of strength and resilience, telling her not to let him win and to be strong.
Emily said, “You’ve beaten him once, you can do it again, but hopefully the police will do that for you though, eh.”
Susan’s eyes were welling up with tears of sadness and fear. She still had her life to live but she was terrified to have to do it.
Ann asked, “Will you be going home to your house? And how will you manage on your own?”
Just as she had asked the question, Andrew popped his head round the door and said, “She won’t be alone. Are you ready to go? The car’s just at the rear of the building.”
Emily and Ann both looked at each other. They hadn’t heard the gossip of how close Susan and Andrew had become and they nudged each other and gave Susan a knowing smile.
“Well done you, you’ve got yourself a good one there. Andrew’s lovely.”
¤¤¤
He pulled the door shut behind him, checking it for marks where he had pushed the tool in but the rubber seal had moved back and disguised the tell-tale marks of his forced entry. He stood at the back door, leant his head back and inhaled the scent of the house once again, the familiar aroma of the place making his eyes narrow and his lips turn up at the edges. His teeth ground slowly together as the ferocity of his anger surged through him, saliva glistening on his mouth. His breathing sped up and his heart pounded. He took the steps three at a time and turned towards the bedroom; he stood and looked at his art work on the walls and carpets and the staining on some of the furniture. Although it was faint, it was still there despite much cleaning. He thought of the screams of terror and the pain that had filled the room on that night, the night he should have taken Susan’s life. He breathed in her perfume, her alluring scent, and imagined doing it all over again, something he fully intended; of course this time, there would be a different ending, he’d make sure of that. He moved slowly towards the bed, and his huge hands reached down and picked up her pillow. He pushed his face into it and breathed in hard. She was there, faint and delicate, but still there. His penis was rock hard once more and obvious under his jeans; he had to stop himself from relieving himself there and then. He couldn’t leave any evidence that he had been here again. That would spoil her homecoming surprise. He moved slowly and deliberately out of the room and stood below the hatch in the hallway. He was tall enough to open it and it slowly came down revealing the attic; he had remembered this from his first date with Susan, although he hadn’t expected to have to come back. How the fuck did she live, how? She’s spoilt everything. I was just getting started. There are so many smug, cock teasing sluts out there that need me to teach th
em a lesson. He pulled down the attic ladder and his feet clunked on the rungs as he made his way up. He had brought bag with food and beer in it, just in case she didn’t come back straight away. He had no issue with relieving himself somewhere in the attic if time went on; he would never have to clean it up anyway. He pulled the attic steps up from below, leaving no evidence he was back.
¤¤¤
“Thank you so much for looking after him,” Susan smiled.
“It was my pleasure. He’s very cute and loves his cuddles.”
A loud contented meow came from the cat box and Susan pushed her finger through the bars and tickled Baxter’s chin. He purred loudly, delighted that his mummy would be spoiling him once again. Andrew put his arm round Susan’s shoulder and guided her back to his car, taking the basket from her. She allowed him to hold her close and enjoyed the strength he gave her with his comfort and loyalty. He popped Baxter on the rear seat and opened the door to let Susan into the front. They put on their seat belts and Susan winced as she turned, the pain of her healing injuries still too fresh to forget, each stabbing pain a reminder that he still stalked her from within. Andrew asked if she was alright, knowing that this nightmare would never stop for her unless John Brennan was stopped, either by arrest or some other way. Andrew was uneasy about him still being out there too, but not enough to abandon Susan; he loved her deeply although they hadn’t known each other long. His time with her in recovery had shown him just how strong she was and her determination to get through this; she was a real fighter. He had also seen her heart, her insecurities and her inner beauty untainted by Brennan’s violence. Why would anyone ever have wanted to hurt her, to do what he did to her? She’s beautiful and has never harmed anyone in her life.
“Come on, let’s get to your house and pack up what we need. You don’t have to stay there a single night longer. The for sale sign will go up tomorrow and even with what has happened some ghoulish person will want to live there but who cares as long as you get the money.”
Susan smiled at him, happy that they were heading up north for a luxury get away. They would rent somewhere meantime until they were able to sell the house that was now tainted with evil. They needed to get away from everything and everyone, for a while anyway.
¤¤¤
He shook his penis as he had just finished his second piss of the day, the vessel he used was a vase, obviously of value and cared for with the way in which it had been packaged. It was nearly full and he’d need to find another, as the last thing he wanted to do was just take a piss anywhere and have it leak through the ceiling and give him away; that would spoil their little reunion party.
They turned into the street, unaware of what lurked behind the four walls. Susan’s heart pounded and she was breathing so fast that she started to get light headed. She gripped Andrew’s hand to try to calm herself and his fingers curled round hers, giving her comfort and support.
“It will be okay, you know! It shouldn’t take too long to get what we need to get out of here. We’ll arrange to get the rest later.”
Susan took a deep breath and pulled herself together.
A police car pulled up just in front of them with two officers inside. PC Lomond stepped out of the car and headed up to Susan’s window.
“Do you want us to check the house for you?”
“No, no, it’s all right. We’ll manage. We just need to get a couple of things and we’re out of here for good. Thanks though. I take it that you’ll be outside until we leave?”
“Yes, we will and we will follow you until you are out with the city boundary.”
“Thanks.”
Susan stood staring at her house, one that used to be her safe haven, her den, but not now. She walked slowly up to the front door, her whole body tense and shaking almost uncontrollably. Andrew took her hand and put the key in the lock; the door opened as Andrew pushed it inwards. The hair on Susan’s neck stood up on end as if someone had just walked over her grave. Her eyes were wide and transfixed straight ahead. Every painful memory came racing back, stabbing her skin like a million sharp burning needles. It was like the essence of him was still here, all over the house; little did she know that he was still in it. The hair on her neck knew he was, but she had forgotten her sixth sense, the one that can feel danger; she ignored it once again, putting the feeling down to the horror of that night and the memories that were flooding back to her, unaware that he was there to finish what he had started. Her first steps were tentative and cautious. She looked round her home; what used to be her sanctuary was now a house of horrors.
“Come on,” Andrew said softly, “Let’s get this over with. Let’s get what we need and go.” Susan lay down her handbag and other belongings on the hall table and carried on through the house. She was saying goodbye forever to what she used to know and love; all the good memories from living there were being scraped away with a wire brush, every bristle cutting her deeply. There was nothing warm there for her anymore, just a wintry coldness that crept into her bones, a probing sense of hate and evil scarred into every corner; there was nowhere to hide from what had happened to her that night. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes watering and her knees buckling with fear as she looked towards her bedroom. The pain of that night was searing through her scars, her mouth was dry and her face wet with tears. Andrew watched as the woman he loved was overcome by fear. She dropped to her knees, her legs wet with the urine that trickled onto the floor; she was more broken inside that Andrew had ever realised.
“I, I can’t do this Andrew, I can’t go up there. I thought I could but I can’t. He’s everywhere. He’s still chasing me in my thoughts. He’s there, black eyes staring at me, his teeth gritted together with hate. I’m going back to the car, I can’t stay.”
Susan got up and scampered out of the door, not remotely embarrassed that she was wet, asking Andrew to get her things while she waited in the car.
“Don’t come with me, just get the things and we’re leaving, I can’t be here. He’s still there, he’s everywhere and I just can’t do it,” she screamed out.
She couldn’t get to the car quickly enough, the house looming over her like a shadow of terror, haunting her every thought, completely unaware that the devil was inside, lying in wait for her, and not prepared to rest until he had her life.
He heard every word they said, her fear filling the air and fuelling his pleasure, his stiff penis in his hand. He couldn’t contain himself, excitement at hearing her words, the sound of her terrified voice and the sheer terror that he had created within her aroused him like never before. He muffled his pleasure as he came hard, his grimace now a sneer of desire and twisted relief. He wanted her so badly that it was hurting him and his patience was wearing thin. He wanted to hurt her, torture her like never before and kill her slowly and painfully for daring to ruin his life, and this time he would kill her making no mistakes. He pushed his penis back in his jeans and was careful not to make any noise. He heard Andrew clattering around in her bedroom below, cupboards opening and closing, drawers opening and the sounds of a person in a hurry to leave. He was raging that Andrew was in her room, almost like she was being unfaithful to him. Where are they going? I need to know. That fucked up little slut will not get away from me, not now, not ever, she’s mine, she’s fucked up my life for good and I’m gonna make sure she doesn’t have a life at all, because I am going to take it.
Andrew heaved the case off of the bed, and stopped dead in his tracks, his heart heavy as he took some time to look around the room. He had never been in this house before but as he looked around he could see his beautiful girlfriend’s attack clearly on every wall and surface; it was like vandalism in blood. How had she survived this nightmare, how? What did he not do to her was the question he asked himself, his imagination running wild, anger welling up inside him. He was not going to let anything happen to her, not as long as he was alive to stop it. Andrew lifted the two cases and the jewellery box, something Susan had asked him t
o take for sentimental reasons. He made his way down the stairs and almost forgot to take Susan’s bag with him. His hands were full as he manoeuvred out of the front door, slamming it shut behind him without a second glance; a glance he would later regret.
The booking form for the log cabin was in amongst what looked like a pile of old papers that Susan had brought in with her. They went unnoticed by Andrew and were not remembered by Susan as they pulled away in their car, the police following on closely behind. The house stood there behind them like a tomb of forgotten happiness; all that was left was a reminder of that night of pain, terror and the destruction of her old self, leaving her with a lifetime of fear, as long as he lived.
