Duality

by Heather Atkinson

  Estelle woke with a groan, face down on the damp ground. “What the hell was I drinking last night?” she said, at first thinking the pounding in her head was due to alcohol, until she remembered Rachel punching her in the face. “Bitch,” she muttered.

  She tried to push herself upright but the ground beneath her was wet and she slipped back down in the mud, getting a face full of it.

  “Urgh,” she grimaced, sitting up to wipe it out of her eyes, spitting it out of her mouth.

  Then she looked up - and screamed.

  “Something wrong Mother?” said Ryan.

  “Where the fuck am I?” she screeched, staring at six feet of earth rising up either side of her.

  Ryan, Jez and Rachel stared down at her, their expressions as blank as the night sky above them.

  “It’s a grave,” screamed Estelle. “You put me in a fucking grave.”

  “A living grave Estelle,” said Ryan.

  “Get me out, you know I hate small places. Especially graves, I fucking hate them and funerals. Get me out of here.”

  “Why should we?” he continued. “This is the best place for you. You can’t cause any trouble when you’re six feet under.”

  “No, you can’t do this to me, not even you Ryan are that cold.”

  “I am when my family is at stake. You could have caused carnage today, you could have hurt my sister, my brother, my wife and children. I will allow no one to do that, not even my own so-called mother.”

  Ryan had never frightened her more, he looked so cold, so emotionless, more machine than man. Realising there was no reasoning with him Estelle turned her desperate gaze on her other son. “Jez, my youngest, my baby. I always loved you best, you were always such a good boy, you never caused Mummy any trouble.”

  “Oh please,” said Jez. “I’m going to throw up all over you. You don’t know what the word mummy even means. What sort of mother sells one of her kids to a pair of paedos?”

  “I was good to you son, I always loved you.”

  “You love nothing except cash and drugs and I’m done with you. We can’t risk letting you out into the world to cause more aggro for us. This is it Estelle, end of the line for you. This will be your grave. Forever.”

  Estelle clutched at her hair, spinning round in a wild circle, trying to find a way to escape and seeing nothing. In sheer desperation she had one last try. “Rachel, I know you have a heart. You can’t let them bury me alive. You just can’t.”

  Rachel held a shovel aloft, which was covered in dirt. “I’m not letting them do anything. I’m joining in.”

  Estelle screamed, staggered back, high heels sinking into the mud and fell on her backside.

  “No, no,” she cried as the three of them started shovelling dirt in on her, gagging when it landed in her mouth. “Stop, please.”

  But they continued to shovel earth into the grave, burying her alive, regarding her distress with their cold, dead eyes. The earth around her started to spin before her knees buckled and she sank gratefully into oblivion.

  “Alright, I think she’s passed out,” said Ryan.

  The three of them stopped throwing earth into the hole, Jez leaning on his shovel, panting. “Thank God for that, I’m bloody boiling.” He looked to Grant and Mark, who were standing off to one side. “Okay, get her out.”

  They nodded and switched on the spotlight, highlighting the crumpled figure in the hole. They were in the middle of some dense woodland between Manchester and the neighbouring county of Cheshire, a place Grant used to camp in regularly when he was a kid so he knew the area like the back of his hand. The three of them watched, resting on their shovels as Mark repelled into the hole on a rope, held steady by Grant. Once at the bottom he hoisted Estelle onto his shoulder and climbed back out of the hole, with Grant’s help.

  “Let’s get this over with,” said Ryan.

  Mark carried Estelle to a waiting car and dumped her in the boot.

  “Thanks for your help tonight lads,” Jez told Grant and Mark.

  “Anytime,” said Grant while Mark nodded.

  They watched the pair of them drive off before getting into the car Estelle had been dumped in and driving her back to a nearby cabin, one loaned to them by Mikey, who used it as a retreat when he needed to get away from it all.

  Ryan carried her into the cabin and practically threw her onto the couch in the living room.

  “Wake up,” he told her.

  Estelle didn’t respond.

  “Let me,” said Rachel before slapping her hard across the face.

  Estelle woke with a start, arms held out before her, as though warding something off, screaming, eyes screwed tight shut.

  Rachel grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back. “Shut the fuck up.”

  Estelle’s eyes flew open and she actually started to cry with relief when she saw she wasn’t in the hole any longer.

  “Thank you, thank you,” she wailed, attempting to hug Rachel.

  “Get off me,” snarled Rachel, pushing her away.

  Estelle fell back onto the couch and cried harder.

  Ryan produced a brown packet containing thousands of pounds and waved it in front of Estelle’s face. He thought she couldn’t be that traumatised when her eyes homed in on it and narrowed with greed.

  “This is yours,” he said. “Fifty grand.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Fifty?”

  “Yes. In that envelope is a passport and a ticket to Germany. You fly out in three hours. You will be on that plane and you can terrorise Germans from now on. I don’t care what you do as long as you stay out of this country. You come back - and we’ll know when you do because we’ve put a watch on your passport - then that hole in the ground will be your permanent home and we won’t even do you the courtesy of killing you before we start filling it in. Do you fucking get it this time?”

  Estelle nodded, shaking like a leaf. “Yes. I do.”

  “No more chances. You’ve used them all up. You come back to Manchester and you are dead.”

  “You won’t see me again. Ever.”

  He smiled but it was still cold. “Excellent. Now, to the airport.”

  “But I’m covered in mud.”

  “You can take a shower first. Rachel will watch over you to make sure you don’t try anything. There’s a change of clothes and luggage waiting for you upstairs. Chop chop, you don’t want to miss your flight,” he glowered.

  Once Estelle had showered and changed they led her out to the car, Jez having to hold her up by the elbow because she was still unsteady on her feet.

  Ryan drove them to Manchester Airport, Jez sitting in the back with Estelle to make sure she didn’t get up to anything. But for the first time in her life she looked broken, hanging her head, shoulders slumped. The three of them expected her to try something on the journey - a scream for help, a leap out of the car but she stayed put, unable to look any of them in the eye.

  She was marched into the airport and they waited until she went through to boarding. Although they couldn’t follow Jez had a contact on the inside to confirm she’d actually got on the plane.

  While they waited for the call they stood outside, glad to be rid of Estelle’s toxic presence.

  “I’m fucking glad that’s over with,” said Jez. “Talk about psychological warfare.”

  “We had to push her to the limit,” said Ryan. “It was the only way to keep her alive.”

  “Why Germany?” said Rachel. “You should have sent her somewhere really obscure where they don’t speak any English.”

  “Because you still need a passport to enter Germany from the UK, despite the fact it’s a part of Europe,” said Ryan. “It makes it easier to keep track of her.”

  “Good thinking,” said Rachel.

  Jez nodded, taking out his mobile phone when it rang. “Right, thanks mate,” he said after listening to the voice on the other end. “There’ll be a good drink in this for you.” He hung up. “She’s on the plane.”

 
; “Thank God for that,” said Rachel. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “I’ll drive you back to your hotel,” said Jez.

  Forty minutes later they pulled up outside the hotel Ryan and Rachel had booked into for the night. The boys were staying with Cathy while Leah was at Beth’s.

  “We’ll see you in the morning when we pick the kids up,” Rachel told Jez.

  “Yep no worries,” he replied. “I hope you get a good night’s sleep. I know I’m going to have some freaky dreams tonight.”

  “You won’t be the only one,” commented Ryan, getting out of the car.

  Ryan and Rachel waved him off before entering the hotel, having to wake the night porter to let them in. If he was confused to see them walk into a five star hotel dressed all in black and wearing muddy boots he didn’t comment.

  “I can’t wait to get in the shower,” said Rachel as they waited for the lift. “I feel so dirty.”

  Ryan slowly turned to look at her, eyes glittering. “What did you say?”

  Rachel’s lips twitched. “I feel dirty.” She broke into a full grin when a growl rumbled at the back of his throat.

  The lift doors pinged open and they stepped inside. The second the doors closed behind them Ryan’s mouth clamped down over hers, pushing her up against the wall.

  Rachel’s thighs went around his waist as he scrabbled at the zip of her jeans.

  “Here, seriously?” she breathed as his lips moved to her neck.

  In response he just grunted, unfastening his own jeans.

  It was always the same after a confrontation with his mother. She stirred the anger in him to such a degree that the only thing that could calm him was hard, fast sex. Rachel was always willing to oblige.

  “I hope this is a slow lift,” she said before he thrust into her.

  She released a gasp, holding on tight as he took her vigorously, the movement of the lift adding an interesting sensation to the overwhelming ones already building inside her.

  “Ryan,” she moaned, encouraging him to thrust even harder and faster. She kept one eye on the lift as it moved but it was too quick. Two floors from theirs she kicked out with a booted foot, slamming it into the stop button. An alarm started to ring but she didn’t care, she just hung on tight to her husband as the orgasm built to a crescendo, sucking on his tongue as his movements speeded up, her nails digging into his buttocks.

  “Oh Jesus,” he moaned as he came inside her, revelling in the feel of Rachel tightening around him, her warmth.

  As they clung onto each other panting Ryan said, “thank you for standing by me tonight. Most wives would have run for the hills if their husband had asked them to help scare their mother into thinking they were going to bury her alive.”

  “Any time,” she said, running her fingers through his hair. “Me and you against the world.”

  He smiled and tenderly cupped her face in his hands. “Always.”

  “Now can we please go to bed? I’m exhausted.”

  “Yes.” He gave her a slow, deep kiss then pressed his forehead to hers. “After a long hot shower first.”

  “Oooh, go on then,” she smiled.

  After they’d adjusted their clothing Rachel kicked out again and released the stop button. When they finally reached their floor they exited the lift holding hands to be confronted by the night porter.

  “I do apologise for that,” he said, looking contrite. “I was just about to call the engineer. I don’t know what happened there, it’s never happened before.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” said Ryan. “We kept ourselves amused while we waited.”

  The night porter watched them walk away holding hands, the woman laughing at an obviously private joke. He didn’t like the night shift, there were too many weirdoes.

  Rachel and Ryan went to Beth’s house to collect Leah the following morning. They were greeted by a burst of noise and laughter when Beth opened the door to them, a big grin on her face.

  “Sounds like they’re having fun,” said Rachel as they stepped inside.

  “It’s been great, they’ve all played together so nicely. Even Archie’s enjoyed himself.”

  “I’m so glad,” smiled Rachel, walking into the large lounge to see the four children playing together, Leah and Alfie entertaining Archie and Holly with an army of teddy bears and dolls.

  “They’re putting on a play for them,” said Beth, eyes full of delight.

  “Aww, that’s lovely,” said Rachel.

  “Aunty Rachel,” exclaimed Alfie, racing up to give her a big hug.

  “Hello sweetie,” she said, kissing the top of his head.

  Holly came toddling up to her aunty for a hug too and Rachel delighted in the warmth of their greetings. However Archie turned to look at her, face impassive, remaining where he was.

  Beth swallowed hard. Archie had been the one to walk in on Alex attempting to rape Rachel. He’d also heard her being tortured by him too. The trauma he’d endured was evident in his behaviour but she was afraid it had damaged his once close relationship with his aunt too.

  Rachel noticed him staring and held her arms out to him. “Are you coming for a hug sweetheart?”

  Beth wanted to cry with relief when he raced to his aunt and threw his little arms around her. Rachel held him to her tightly, kissing his hair. She glanced at Beth, who looked as relieved as she felt.

  “So, has Estelle left?” said Beth.

  Rachel nodded. “She’s arrived in Germany.”

  Beth just nodded, not wanting to say any more in front of the children. “Good.”

  “Do we have to go yet Mum?” said Leah. She was enjoying playing with her cousins.

  “Well, our flight doesn’t leave until four, so we do have some time.”

  “Why don’t you stay for lunch?” said Beth, not wanting them to leave and not just because she loved and missed them all. Leah was so good for Archie.

  “I don’t see why not,” said Ryan, enjoying all the fun and laughter, finding it very therapeutic after the trauma of the previous evening. “Why don’t you stay here Leah while we pick up your brothers? We can leave after lunch.”

  “Great,” she grinned while the other three cheered.

  “I’ll get peeling some spuds then,” said Beth, relieved, hand unconsciously going to the bruise on her right arm Archie had put there only the previous morning.

  When Rachel tried to leave Archie refused to relinquish her.

  “Let Aunty Rachel go,” said Beth but as usual he ignored her.

  “I’ll be back soon,” Rachel told the boy. “I’m going to say goodbye to Uncle Jez and Aunty Cathy then I’ll be back.” When he still didn’t release her she was forced to take his hands and step out of them. Rachel knelt before Archie and smiled. “I’ll be back soon honey. Why don’t you play with Leah until then?”

  “Yeah, come on Archie,” said Leah, picking up two of the teddies. “We’re just getting to the good bit.”

  Archie released Rachel and retook his place on the floor next to Holly to watch while Leah and Alfie resumed their puppet show.

  As she followed Ryan out, Rachel glanced back at the children and was astonished to see Archie watching her with utter coldness. She didn’t think it possible the eyes of a young child could look so dead but his did. However the most unnerving thing was he looked just like Alex had in his madness.

  Rachel looked to Beth, who had noticed too and was gazing at her son with horror. She looked to Rachel, the horror turning to resignation. It seemed Alex had never left.

  THE END

  Many thanks for downloading Duality. I do hope you enjoyed it. If you wish to read more about Brodie MacBride, the Unfinished Business series is available to download on Amazon Kindle.

  Heather Atkinson February 2016

 

 

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