The Black Pathway

by Mark C Sutton

  ‘Inside the Mind of Ben Askew, Triple Killer’, read the words on the cover, together with a photograph of a dark-haired, handsome man, in his mid to late thirties, and with startling blue eyes. Mary’s stomach churned; she recognised the man on the book cover straight away; it was her captor, Stan.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Shark Mako scooped her mobile phone up from off the gravel path, and began backing away from Howard Trenton, who was slowly walking towards her.

  “There’s no point in running away from me all of the time, Shark… you should know by now that I’ll always be able to find you.” Smirked Howard.

  “Just stay away from me, you fucking freak,” warned Shark, “unless you fancy having two broken arms instead of just one, by the time morning comes around.”

  “Big words, Shark, but that’s not gonna happen. I’m finished toying around with you now.” Said Howard, drawing his knife. “It’s time to end our brief relationship. I don’t think it’s working out, do you?” He asked. “Our personalities, they clash too much. We’re just never gonna get on, are we?” Howard smiled. He stopped walking towards Shark, and looked around. “Where’s Mary, then? Out in the bushes, having a piss or something?”

  “I’m not with Mary. She’s gone. You can’t get to her now.” Shark informed him. Howard Trenton frowned.

  “What do you mean, she’s gone? Gone where?” He wanted to know. Now it was Sharks turn to smile.

  “As if I’m going to tell you.” Came her response. Howard took a step forward.

  “Oh, you’ll tell me alright.” He said, and with that, Howard moved towards Shark a little more.

  Howard gazed at the mobile phone in Shark’s hand.

  “So, who was the text message from, Shark?” He asked. The young woman didn’t reply. “Did you hear what I just asked? Who was the text message from?” Howard demanded to know.

  “What the fuck has it got to do with you, you silly looking twat?” Spat Shark. She shoved the mobile phone in her pocket, and then pulled the backpack from off her shoulders. “Come on then.” She challenged Howard. “Come on. I thought that you were done toying around… so let’s do it. Let’s finish this, once and for all.” Said Shark. She gripped her backpack with both hands, and slowly started swinging it around in an arc in front of her.

  “Not until you tell me where Mary is.” Replied Howard.

  “That’s never gonna happen.” Stated Shark Mako. “You fucking nob-head.” She added, trying to goad Howard. He watched as the backpack swung in front of him.

  “Is that your make-shift shield?” He asked. “Do you think a bloody backpack is gonna protect you?” Laughed Howard.

  “Let’s find out. Come on, you skinny, short-arsed little fucker.” Sneered Shark.

  Howard Trenton lunged at Shark Mako. Immediately, the young woman swung her backpack around, as hard as she could. It caught Howard in the side of the head, and he stumbled backwards a few steps. Shark struck him with the backpack again, this time bringing it down hard onto the top of his head. The blow forced Howard down, towards the ground, and he found himself crawling around on all fours, looking for the knife that he’d just dropped. He didn’t have much of a chance to search for it; Shark Mako pulled Howard back up to his feet, before delivering two rapid, vicious, karate-style jab punches to his face. Howard felt his lips split open again, as he crashed down to the floor. He landed awkwardly, on his broken arm and shoulder, and let out a low, animal growl of pain. Meanwhile, Shark spotted Howard’s knife, lying close to her feet. She knelt down and picked it up, then moved in towards Howard, for the kill…

  Shark Mako crouched down, next to Howard Trenton, the knife raised in the air.

  "Go on," gasped Howard, "do it. Kill me. Go on, just do it." Shark tried to thrust the knife downwards, into the soft flesh of Howard's throat, but it was almost as if an unseeable force was preventing her from doing so; Shark's own morality was holding her back. She stared into Howard's strange, dirty yellow eyes.

  “When we were in the river, Mary told me everything about you. How you think you were conceived…” Said Shark.

  "It's got fuck-all to do with you…" spat Howard, through angry, gritted teeth.

  “Maybe not… but for what it's worth, I actually think that your mother was telling you the truth." Confided Shark.

  "No you don't." Replied Howard, with blood oozing out of his mouth.

  "Sorry, but I do. I've seen for myself how strong you are, Howard. A guy your size… how the hell would you be able to carry two fully-grown women over each shoulder, with one of those shoulders broken at that, and then just walk around as if…"

  "Maybe I work-out.” Said Howard, in a sarcastic voice.

  "We both know that you don't, Howard. No, there's something inhuman about you, alright." Nodded Shark. slowly.

  "You believe me. So what?" Asked Howard. “Are you after a medal, or something? Or do you think that I’m just gonna let you off, now that you’re on ‘Team Howard’.

  "No. I'm just trying to understand you." Shark responded, whilst still staring into Howard Trenton's yellow eyes.

  Howard made a feeble attempt to get himself from up off the ground, but Shark pushed the youth back to the floor, the knife still raised above his throat.

  "Oh no you don't Howard. You're not going anywhere." Said Shark.

  "You can't really stop me. It's not like you're going to use that thing on me, is it?" Grinned Howard, referring to the knife. "What are we gonna do? Just sit around here all night, chatting, because you’re too chicken to…"

  "So, your mom… that thing, the creature that attacked her, whatever it was… alien… inhuman…"

  "It was an alien." Growled Howard.

  "Okay, the alien. It raped your mom, impregnated her. That must have been a fucking awful experience for the poor woman." Observed Shark. Howard's eyes narrowed.

  "Not that it's any of your business, but she never got over it." Replied Howard.

  "Well, you wouldn't." Commented Shark. "It'd destroy your whole life."

  "Yeah…" said Howard, "it did that alright."

  "Which is what I don't understand." Said Shark.

  "What the fuck are you talking about?" Howard snapped. "There's nothing to understand. It was just something really bad that happened."

  "Oh, I know all of that. What I mean is, why would you want to inflict the same damage on Mary? A member of your own family? Your cousin's sister-in-law? That's the part that doesn't make any sense to me, Howard." Queried Shark. Howard stared back at her, unable to answer Shark’s question straight away.

  Howard Trenton wriggled uncomfortably on the floor.

  "We can stay here chatting all night, but I'm warning you now, if you don't use that knife on me, and I get the chance, I WILL kill you, Shark." He threatened.

  "Oh, I know you will, Howard, and I get that completely. I mean, let's face it, we're never gonna be the best of friends, are we? Just like you said.” Pointed out Shark. Howard didn't reply. "But Mary. What you want to do to her. I just don't get that bit. Why put her through the same misery that your mom experienced?"

  "Because she deserves it." Replied Howard, angered. "She's a nasty little whore…"

  "No, she's not, Howard. She's no such thing, and you fucking well know it. She was your friend. She's still a part of your family. Mary was straight with you when she found out that you were interested in her. She never led you on…"

  "Yeah, she did." Interrupted Howard.

  "No, she didn’t. This isn’t really about Mary at all. This is all about you. This is all about you wanting to satisfy some sick and twisted fantasty…"

  "It's not a fantasty. It's what I do. Just like my father did!" Protested Howard.

  "And that makes it alright?" Asked Shark.

  "I don't care if it's right or not. It's what I do, and you can go on, trying to lay the guilt trip down on me, but it's not going to work. Do you hear me, Shark? Do you get what I'm saying? It’s not going to work.” Howard
argued.

  "I hear everything that you're saying, Howard. I understand your resistance…but I don't think that you're beyond redemption." Shark said, softly, and at this, Howard began to laugh.

  Howard rolled onto his side. He had his back to Shark, and was chuckling to himself.

  "What's so funny, Howard?" Shark wanted to know.

  "You are… you’re what’s funny… ’I don’t think that you’re beyond redemption’… what the fuck’s all that about then? I know what you're trying to do, but like I said before, it's never going to work. If you think that I'm suddenly going to change…"

  "Mary's in serious trouble, Howard." Shark suddenly confided. At this revelation, Howard rolled onto his back and stared up at her.

  "What sort of trouble?" He asked, with curiousity.

  "Why do you care, Howard?" Shark responded.

  "You know why. Because I want her all to myself." Grinned Howard.

  "Well, that's certainly not going to happen now." Commented Shark.

  "What the hell do you mean by that?" Scowled the serial killer.

  "Someone else has gotten to her." Replied Shark. "That's who I got the text from. Mary. She's being held captive…"

  "Is this some sort of wind-up? Or a trap? Are you trying to trick me into…"

  "I'll do a deal with you, Howard." Butted-in Shark.

  "Where is she? Where's Mary?" Howard wanted to know.

  "I told you. She's being held captive, and no, I'm not trying to trap you. But I do need your help. Which is why I'm willing to make a deal with you." Shark said, before standing back up, and moving away from Howard.

  Howard propped himself up on an elbow. He ran his fingertips across his split lips, which were still running with blood. Howard looked up at Shark.

  “You’re the toughest fucking bastard that I’ve ever met.” He acknowledged. Shark smiled. “Just my luck for Alex Crennell to invite you along on the little excursion up the Black Pathway.”

  “I had to deal with a shit-head, abusive boyfriend for a long time. Compared to Mike, you’re a fucking pussycat. It’s no big deal.” She said.

  “Mike who?” Howard wanted to know.

  “Mike Gudden. Did you know him?” Asked Shark. Howard nodded.

  “Everybody knew Mike Gudden around Coldsleet. Him and his brothers… they were the sort of family that everyone went out of there way to avoid. One of his younger brothers… Phil… he was in my class at junior school. Nasty little bastard, even back then. I didn’t know that you were Mike’s girlfriend.” Stated Howard.

  “Well I was… biggest mistake that I ever made getting involved with that psycho.” Said Shark.

  “Hey, what happened to Mike? I heard that he’d left Coldsleet, moved somewhere…”

  “Mike isn’t around anymore.” Shark informed Howard.

  “Well I already know that, but where did he…”

  “Like I said. Mike isn’t around anymore.” Repeated Shark, with a cold edge to her voice.

  Shark Mako stared down at the knife that she was holding. Howard Trenton looked up at her, grinning.

  “Did you kill him, Shark?” He couldn’t help but ask.

  “As if I’m going to tell you.” Answered Shark. Howard began to get to his feet, watched cautiously by Shark.

  “Hey, if you wanna do a deal, you’re going to have to learn how to trust me. So, tell me, did you kill Mike Gudden?” Howard asked again. Shark took a long, deep breath.

  “His family… I told them that Mike had upped and left, gone to live down on the south coast. He’d got some tart on the go down that way, and his brothers knew about her, so it was a pretty convincing story. My brother, Ash, he lives in that area too, these days. Every few months, he sends the Gudden’s a postcard, pretending to be Mike, and telling them how well he’s doing.” Said Shark.

  “Except he’s dead, right?” Asked Howard.

  “Yeah. He’s dead. But I didn’t kill him, Howard.” Shark confided. This was followed by silence for a few moments.

  “So, are you going to tell me what happened, or what?” Said Howard. He reached around to his back, and rubbed the palm of his hand across the stab wound, that was bleeding heavily again. He put his hand up in order for Shark to see the blood.

  “You may as well just tell me everything. I’m dying anyway, Shark. Dying. I won’t get the chance to grass you up about anything.” He grinned. Howard wasn’t lying, either. He could feel his life-force slowly beginning to ebb away. “Not that I’d snitch on you to the coppers anyway. I fucking hate the police.” Howard continued. That knife-wound from Alex… it’s done something really bad to me, inside… torn or ruptured a vital body part, fuck knows what… but it’s killing me. I’ll be lucky if I see the morning come around.

  Shark looked at the blood on Howard’s hand for a few moments.

  “Looks like you’re fucked.” She commented, without emotion.

  “Yep… I reckon that I am. So, are you going to tell me about Mike Gudden then? Or am I going to die like an idiot, in eternal suspense?” Quipped Howard.

  “A few weeks before he died, Mike had learned, the hard way, not to fuck around with me anymore.” Revealed Shark. “He’d spent a few years previous to that beating the shit out of me. I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I couldn’t leave. So I started taking lessons. From a friend.”

  “What sort of lessons?” Asked Howard.

  “Martial arts. That’s how…”

  “That’s how you’re so handy with your fucking fists.” Howard interrupted.

  “Yeah… so, one night, Mike had come home, pissed as a fart, as usual, and decided that he was going to use me as his punchbag… that was one of his favourite pastimes… except on this occasion, I was ready to fight back. And I did. I floored the fucker. He didn’t know what had hit him. It stopped the little shit from every trying to hit me again… but it didn’t stop the arguments. A few weeks later, he’d been out, down to ‘The Stagecoach’, on the piss again, not to mention that filthy fucking stuff that he’d started putting into his veins…”

  “What, he was a junkie?” Quizzed Howard. Shark nodded.

  “He started using a few months before he died. It’s what killed him. He came back home that night, we had another blazing row, I went to bed. The next morning, after I’d woken up, I went into the living room, and there was Mikey, lying across the settee, eyes wide open, staring up at the ceiling, his face all fucking purple… he’d suffocated on his own vomit in the night, killed himself with the drugs and booze.” Smiled Shark. “Stupid little fucker.” She added, as both an afterthought, and very accurate epitaph, to her former boyfriend.

  Howard’s head spun a little, and his body swayed slightly.

  “Are you okay?” Asked Shark.

  “Nope. Like you said… I’m fucked.” Howard replied. “So, Mike Gudden… why didn’t you…”

  “Why didn’t I tell anyone what had happened to him? Fear. Fear that his family might have blamed me for his death. You said yourself what a reputation the Guddens had around town. Taking on Mike was one thing, taking on the whole fucking tribe of them was another. I covered it all up, hid his body, then told everyone that Mike had left me, and gone to live with some woman down south. Mike had a reputation for being a cheat. Everyone believed me.” Said Shark.

  “So… his body… where did you hide it?” Howard was very curious to know.

  “In Coldsleet fucking cemetary!” Laughed Shark. “I just dug three or four feet down into somebody’s grave, chucked Mike into the hole, and then covered it back up.”

  “That’s a pretty good idea… it’s not something I’ve ever thought of.” Smirked Howard. “And I’ve hidden a lot of bodies in my time.” He went on, which caused Shark’s whole body to stiffen with fear.

  Shark clutched harder at the knife handle, not taking her eyes off Howard Trenton.

  “So, what’s this deal then?” Howard asked.

  “It’s simple. Do something good, something for your family… for Lu
cas and his wife… and Mary, too.” Answered Shark.

  “Why should I?” Howard wanted to know.

  “Because I know, from what Mary’s told me, that Lucas and… Kay, is it?” Howard nodded. “Well, Lucas and Kay, they think the world of you. Do them a favour, repay them for taking you in just after your mom died. Help me rescue Mary… help me get her out of that fucking farmhouse…”

  “What farmhouse?” Howard asked Shark, with narrowed eyes.

  “The old farmhouse, back along this track, and up a hill. That’s where…”

  “She’s at Ben’s new place?” Said Howard, looking alarmed.

  ‘What the fuck… no, there’s a guy called Stan living there, and…”

  “Is he a tall guy, with grey hair… really blue eyes?” Howard asked.

  “Yeah, yeah. He said his name was Stan…”

  “That’s not his fucking name. He’s called Ben. Ben Askew. I was reading about him, just before Christmas. There was some big fucking uproar because he’d bought Lee-Hill Farmhouse… do you know who Ben Askew is, Shark?” Said Howard.

  “Gary and Mary… they were talking about someone called Ben earlier… some guy that murdered his wife and daughters…”

  “Yep. That’s him. That’s Ben Askew… he's a triple killer. As mad as a fucking hatter. He was a kiddie-fiddler, messing around with his two daughters for years, and then he really flipped, became convinced that they were both… what’s the word now… ‘Succubus’s’…”

  “What?” Asked Shark.

  “Female spirits… they’re supposed to get into your bedroom during the night, have it off with you against your will, something like that. Anyway, that’s what Ben convinced himself of… that the two daughters were causing him to behave the way he did, because they were fucking demons… so he decided to kill them both, and took his wife out too, just for good measure.” Advised Howard, which caused Shark’s blood to run cold.