by Dawn Doyle
“Anything for my girl.” He said with a warm smile.
Alex looked in the rear view mirror, and Holly looked in the wing mirror. The black car was still behind them, but it had backed off a little.
“Can you tell whether it’s a man or woman?” She asked.
“No, but it looks like they’re wearing a hat and sunglasses.”
Holly was getting really scared. She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling it was Stacey.
Alex looked at her; his expression filled with worry.
He was thinking the same thing.
They reached the botanic gardens, and the black car drove past.
“Oh thank God!” Holly said, relieved.
“Why would somebody do that?” Alex asked, rhetorically. “That’s just fucked up.”
He took Holly’s hand and led her to the entrance.
As they went inside the big hot house, Holly was amazed.
Tropical plants of all colours, shapes, and sizes.
“It’s like a jungle!” She whispered in awe.
“It’s awesome.” Said Alex, like he’d never seen anything like it. They walked further through the house along the pathway. It went off in a few different directions.
“Wow, you could get lost in here!” she giggled.
“And that makes it easier for me.” Said a bitter female voice behind them.
“Stacey!” They both said.
She was standing there with loose jeans, white T-shirt, large Jackie ‘O’ style glasses and a baseball cap, and holding a black holdall.
No wonder they didn’t recognise her.
“This is your fault!” She spat as she spoke to Holly. "If you’d have just fucked off, he’d be mine.”
“No I wouldn’t.” Said Alex as he slowly pulled Holly behind him. “This isn’t Holly’s fault. I would never be with you Stacey.”
Stacey laughed.
“Oh you’re not blameless yourself, hot stuff. If you had given in, just once, this might never have happened. Oh…who am I kidding?” She chuckled with a sick, twisted cackle. “Once would never have been enough. You know I want you, Alex, you want me too. I know you do. You just say no in front of your friends because they want me too.”
“What?! No…I don’t! They don’t either!” He shouted.
“You’re delusional, Stacey. You need help. You should go back to your psychiatrist…” Said Holly.
“Shut up!” Stacey screeched as she reached into her bag…and brought out a gun.
“What the fuck? Stacey, what are you doing?” Asked Alex as he tucked Holly behind him again.
She wasn’t having that, and she dodged his hands and moved to stand in-between him and Stacey’s gun.
“Don’t Stacey!” Said Holly, and Alex reached for her again.
“Don’t fucking move, pretty boy.” Stacey said with malice. “One fucking inch and I’ll put a hole in her pretty face.”
Alex stopped.
“Stacey please…Don’t do this.” He said.
“Don’t beg.” She said with a childish, sarcastic pout. “You’ll be begging me later, when I’m fucking you. You’re little girlfriend can watch.” She laughed. “She might learn something.”
“No I won’t! I will never be with you. Stacey. Why don’t you understand? I don’t like you. I never have. I hate you!” Alex growled.
“You don’t mean that.” Stacey screamed in a psychotic rage. “I’m the only one for you. Nobody else! We’re meant to be together. Not her, not anybody!” Stacey was waving the gun back and forth between them.
Where are the security guards? The police?
“Stacey, there are cameras everywhere. Security will be coming, Police too. Just put the gun down.” Holly said, calmly.
“Cameras? Do you think I give a shit about cameras? They’ll show me coming for what’s mine!” Stacey screamed.
Holly and Alex looked at each other.
They couldn’t run, there was nothing they could do but wait for the authorities to come to their rescue.
They’d have to stall her somehow.
“Move” Stacey pointed the gun and gestured to the pathway behind them. “Get walking!”
“Where are we going?” Alex asked.
“Just keep moving sweetie.” Stacey sad in a sickly sweet tone, before switching back to her spiteful self. “Move your ass, bitch!” She said to Holly.
Holly was terrified of What Stacey might do to Alex. She had to think of a way to get her away from him. “Stacey, if you loved Alex, at all, you wouldn’t do this to him.” She said, pleading. “You’re just making things worse.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Stacey screeched. “I’m doing this because I love him! He’s mine!” Stacey kept the gun on them as they walked throughout the tropical house. They came to a small door that said ‘staff only’. “Go in there.”
Alex opened the door, and they went through.
The inside looked like a garden shed.
Holly was confused as to what they’d entered. The door looked normal but the inside, a wooden shed. It was completely empty. No tools, no materials… nothing. There was another door off to the right. Stacey came in, and Holly looked to Alex before pointedly glancing at the other door. He turned so his back was to the handle.
As Stacey turned her back to close the door behind her, Alex turned the handle behind him.
It opened!
They ran through the door, slamming it shut. It led outside to a huge lawn surrounded by the gardens. They ran as fast as they could and hid behind a huge yellow azalea plant.
Holly’s tears were flowing fast.
“Shh babe.” Said Alex gently, cupping her face. “Everything’s going to be ok. I promise.” He said.
“I’m not going to let her hurt you, Alex. I won’t. I’ll kill her if she does anything to you.” Holly was trembling in fear.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are…!” Stacey said in a sing-sing voice. “Don’t hide from me. I promise I won’t hurt you…much.” She said as she laughed maniacally.
Holly looked around.
Lots of colourful plants and bushes.
They needed to move; Stacey would find them there.
They needed to go…now.
She pointed to the red chenille plant behind them. They moved quickly and silently. The couldn’t hear, or see Stacey. She couldn’t have gotten far though. They would have known if she were close to them.
Holly looked around, and she, and Alex, crawled behind the zedoary plant. It had grown tall and had spread wide, providing great cover for them. They waited for a few seconds as they listened for Stacey.
Nothing.
“Where is she?” Alex mouthed, and Holly shook her head. They crouched and moved behind a large poinsettia plant, and it started to rain.
Oh great. Now, we can’t hear her.
Holly was so scared for Alex. She held tightly to his hand like they were glued together. Nothing was going to separate her from him. She had to protect him, her Alex, from the psychotic, delusional Stacey.
They needed to get out.
Where the fuck are the security?
Nobody seemed to be there. They were alone and as Holly realised that, she started crying. Alex stroked her cheek.
“Nobody’s coming to help.” She said through her tears. Alex looked up as the sky turned darker. Why was it getting dark already?
They were trapped.
Nobody was coming, it was getting darker by the second and they didn’t know how to get out. Stacey was on the loose with a gun and if they tried to run for it, they could be killed.
Alex and Holly made a move for the English Mulberry plant. They peaked through, between the leaves, to find Stacey.
“I’ve got you trapped!” She shouted. “There’s no way you’re getting away from me. You’re only pissing me off!” screamed Stacey.
Both Holly and Alex were shaking in terror. Soaking wet from the rain, and almost blind because of the dark.
“I l
ove you Holly…forever.” He whispered.
“I love you too, Alex. Always.”
“Oh how fucking sweet.” Stacey growled from above them.
Somehow, she’d managed to change from her jeans and T-shirt, into the clothes she wore when she’d wrecked Holly’s car.
Holly screamed and jumped in front of Alex as Stacey pointed the gun at his chest.
“No, no, no!” Holly screamed. “No Stacey, don’t. Please!” She begged as hot tears fell freely down her face.
“I told you, you would pay. I told you, and you wouldn’t listen.” Stacey was squealing, high pitched, shaking her head. Her straggly blonde hair flying about. Eyes wild with madness. “You will pay! You will pay!” Stacey lifted the gun higher.
Holly’s eyes widened in horror.
Her heart thrumming with terrifying realisation that they weren’t getting away.
“Goodbye.” Stacey said coldly, and Holly screamed as she lunged forwards.
A shot rang out before Holly reached her. She turned quickly and threw herself to Alex. He was lying still on the floor, blood coming from a hole in his forehead.
Eyes closed, and mouth open.
Stacey had shot him.
Alex was dead.
Alex was dead!
“No, No, No!” Holly screamed in pain as she held him.
“Please don’t be gone! Please don’t be gone! Alex I love you, please don’t be gone.”
Holly was still screaming when she heard a voice.
“Holly, Holly!” It sounded like her Mum. “Holly, baby girl, open your eyes.”
Holly eyes flew open. She was no longer in the garden.
“Alex is dead!” She screamed. “Stacey killed him. He’s dead!” Holly was panicking. Her chest growing tighter, hear rate increasing, and gasping for air.
“Holly, it’s ok! Baby it’s ok!”
“No! She killed him!” Holly screamed as loud and as much as she could.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her Mum’s hands cupped her face as she struggled.
“Holly, breathe, honey.” It was her Dad’s voice.
How did they get there? Where am I?
She was crying hard, howling between the small breaths she could take.
Fighting and kicking the hands trying to hold her.
“Holly, he’s fine!” Oli said.
“No…she…shot…him!” She gasped. “He’s…dead!”
Holly couldn’t breathe as her throat closed over. She was thrashing about wildly.
I need to hold him. I’m going to kill her.
Her eyes fluttered as the room began to spin as she became dizzy.
“Oli, get a bag!” she heard her Mum shout. “Holly, honey breathe baby girl.”
Holly heard her Mums tearful words before the room went black.
Alex couldn’t sleep. He nodded off a few times but kept waking up, thinking of what had happened that day.
What had Stacey had done to his Holly.
He couldn’t get it out of his mind.
He was about to get out of bed when his phone started to vibrate.
It was Holly!
“Hey babe. Can’t sleep?” He asked.
“Alex, it’s Kim. Holly’s in a state.”
Alex’s stomach plummeted, and he felt sick. He sat upright as Kim continued.
“She woke up, screaming violently, that you were dead and that Stacey had shot you. She had a massive panic attack… We couldn’t get her to calm down, and she passed out. Emily said that, last time, you’d gotten through to her. Alex, she needs to know you’re ok…”
“I’m on my way.” He said as he didn’t let Kim finish her sentence.
He threw on some clothes before rushing out of the room.
“You ok? What’s up?” Said a sleepy Dev as she opened her door.
“Holly’s had a huge panic attack. I need to go. I’ll text you later.”
He didn’t have time to talk to Dev, when her face changed with worry.
Alex pulled up outside the house and Oli opened the door even before she got out of the car.
“Thanks Alex.” He said as he moved to let him pass.
Alex rushed up the stairs to Holly’s room.
Kim was sitting on Holly’s bed, stroking her hair, tears in her eyes. Kim saw Alex and got up. He sat in her place.
“She hasn’t been this bad in years.” Said Kim, sniffling.
Holly looked asleep with her long hair fanning out behind her, lying on her left, facing the doorway.
“She was out for over an hour the last time she passed out. Em said you calmed her down before it got that far, last time.”
Alex had seen Holly have two panic attacks. One at the pool, which was the worst, and one at school.
”I’m sorry I called you so late, Alex, but I didn’t know what else to do. I think she needs to see you when she wakes up. She didn’t believe us that you were ok.”
“I’m glad you did.” He said, without turning away from Holly. “I don’t want her worrying about anything…ever.”
Alex stroked her face, and she stirred a little.
“Holly?” He asked gently.
“That’s…Oh my God! She’s never come round that fast.” Kim whispered to Oli.
“Holly, babe. Can you hear me?” He asked again.
“Alex” Holly whispered so quietly it was barely audible. Like his name was just a breath on her lips.
Kim wept as Oli held her.
“Holly, can you hear me? Wake up, babe. I’m here.” He said to her.
“Alex?” He felt relieved as she started to come to. Her voice sounded hoarse.
“Yes baby, It’s me. I’m here.”
Holly slowly opened her eyes and focused on the person sitting next to her. It was Alex!
She stared at his face.
His beautiful, unmarked face.
“Alex!” She squeaked. Her throat too sore for her to shout.
Holly quickly sat up, threw back her covers and jumped into his lap. Throwing her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist, crying with relief.
Alex’s arms held her tight as he buried his face into her neck and shoulder.
“It’s ok, babe. It’s ok.” He said softly into her ear.
“I saw her…she…” Holly cried out again.
“I’m ok Holly. It was a dream. Just a dream.”
“It felt so real.” Holly whispered.
“Don’t worry, my precious girl…” He said as he pulled back to cup her face with his hands “…That’s not going to happen. Alex gently kissed her lips as she took shaky breaths between sobs. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She replied as she cried into his shoulder.
Holly cries started to slow to small hiccups. Her arms still wrapped around his neck, her legs tight around his waist. Just like the day he’d rescued her from Riss’ pool.
Their bodies pressed together, all the way up.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry.” He said when Holly felt his body ‘reacting’. She felt it against her.
“Now, I have no doubt you’re real.” She said as she squeezed her legs tighter against him.
“Holly…love.” Kim said as she walked closer to the bed. “Are you ok baby girl?”
Holly turned her head to look at her Mum, without letting go of Alex.
“Yeah I’m ok, Mum.” She said, still sniffling.
“Wait…How did you…?” She said, turning back to Alex. Suddenly aware that he was in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
“You’re Mom called me when you passed out.” He said. Wiping away her tears with his thumb.
“We had to honey.” Said Oli. You wouldn’t believe us that Alex was ok.
Holly squeezed Alex tightly.
“It’s getting really late so…Alex…” Kim said and Holly pulled back to look between them. There was no way she was ready to let Alex go.
“…You should stay. In the spare room, that is.” Kim added,
and Holly relaxed.
“Just let your parents know where you are. We have spare toothbrushes in the bathroom there too.”
“That would be great. Thanks, Kim.” He said.
“You’re staying?” Holly asked expectantly.
“It looks that way.” He chuckled.
“Ok, we’ll give you a few minutes, but then bed…separately.” Smiled Kim as she pointed back and forth between them. “The room is on the far right.” She said as she and Oli left the room and closed the door.
“You’re really ok.” Holly said as she brought a hand round to gently stroke Alex’s forehead, where she’d seen a bullet hole not too long ago.
“I’m fine, baby.” He said as he stroked up her back. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“It was horrible…” She said with a croaky voice as she released Alex from her stranglehold. “…You took me to Olympia as a surprise.” Holly recounted the nightmare to Alex. She sat back against the headboard and gestured for Alex to join her.
He sat back with his arm around her.
Her head on his chest and the other hand holding hers.
“You were gone.” She said, getting to the part where she’d seen him die. “There was blood…and…I screamed.”
The tears started again.
“Shh, babe. It’s ok. It was all a dream.” He brought his hand to her face to brush back some loose tendrils that had fallen across her face.
“I heard my Mum and Oli. I didn’t know what was happening. I just panicked. I couldn’t breathe, then the next thing, I woke up and you were here.” Holly buried her face in his chest.
“Of course. My girl needed me, so here I am.”
“I love you so much.” She cried.
“Babe, I love you so much, too.” He said.
Alex was trying to keep his cool because he didn’t want Holly to know that, inside, he was scared. Scared that Stacey may just be capable of something that evil. He felt sick because Holly had been affected a lot more than they had both realized.
