Duplicity (9 page)

“The money will do for a start, I think.” Frankie said, licking his lips.

Albert pushed the wallet back into his pocket. “Why don’t we find somewhere a little more discreet so we can complete our little business transaction?” He walked over to the exit without bothering to look behind him. He’d gotten the greedy fucker well and truly hooked.

He led the old man through the empty hallways, towards Albert’s room, ignoring the man’s persistent questions. He doubted that he’d be able to answer even if he wanted to. The fear and excitement had dried up his saliva.

“Okay.” Frankie snapped. “This is far enough, there is nobody around; now give me the fucking money.”

Albert carried on walking, not stopping until he reached the door to his apartment. “Are you sure you not want a drink, Frankie? Come on. We should discuss this like civilised men.”

“I’m not moving another inch until I get what’s coming to me.”

The janitor pushed open his door, wishing he could give what was coming to the suspicious old bastard.

“Answer me, Albert. I told you not to treat me like an idiot.” He snarled, backing away. “I’ve played enough poker to know when a bloke is scared, and you, my friend; well, you are fucking shitting your pants.”

Albert shook his head. “Look come on, man. You’re not scared are you?”

Frankie spun around and hurried down the hallway. “I’m coming back, Albert, this time with a few friends.” He looked back. “You’re up to something.”

Albert watched the man scurry away, wondering what the hell he was going to do now, when the wall directly in front of the old man moved. Frankie yelped and staggered back as a section of the wall peeled away. The pale green wall colour reverted to flesh. The janitor backed away as his
lost treasure
grinned at Frankie before wrapping both her arms around his frail body and dragged him towards Albert.

Her skin then changed colour yet again, this time to a uniform dark grey. Small ridges and cracks grew and sank along its’ body; it now looked like a slab or rough stone. He ran into his apartment, unable to take in what was happening to his
lost treasure
. Albert slammed the door shut and raced into his bedroom.

“That wasn’t her.” He whispered. “No, it must be something else.” Albert got down on his knees and looked under the bed. “Where are you? Come on, you must be somewhere.” Albert whimpered when his bedroom door burst open and the monster stormed in, dragging the old man behind it.

It’s granite like hand clamped over Frankie’s mouth, blood streamed down the old man’s chin. The thing’s rough skin had open up cuts and wounds in over a dozen places. The old man’s eyes begged Albert for help.

He tore his gaze away from Frankie and looked up at the huge creature holding the old man. Its startling blue eyes viewed Albert with what appeared to be curiosity and amusement. The last time he’d gazed into those eye were just a few minutes ago. Albert started to cry, “Oh my lord, it really is you.”

The old man’s muffled screams intensified as she punched her fingers into the small of his back and ripped off his shirt. His
lost treasure
opened her mouth to reveal two sets of needle shaped teeth.

“Leave him be, please, stop this!” he pleaded. “Oh god, Frankie, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean this to happen.”

He backed away from her, unable to look away as she pushed her arm deeper into the man’s writing body.

Albert moaned and pushed past them and into the living room. He saw the patio door still open and ran out into the cold air. Albert didn’t stop running until he reached the outside of Eileen’s open door. He turned and saw her standing just outside, holding a torn limb in her hand. She took a huge bite. Albert whimpered, watching the blood squirt out of the mutilated arm like a soaking wet sponge. He raced into the empty apartment and threw himself into a corner. What the fuck was he thinking of? She was a monster, an abomination.

“Albert?”

He turned his face to the wall, not wanting to face that nightmare.

“Please look at me?”

The scent of Obsession filled the air once more.

“I need you, my sweet. Please don’t abandon me.”

Every instinct screamed at Albert not to turn his head but there was no way that he could ignore such a desperate plea. He slowly moved his eyes away from the cream wallpaper and saw only a beautiful naked woman framed in the doorway. The woman looked so fragile, so innocent. She stepped forward and he pushed his trembling body closer to the wall.

“Stay away from me!” Albert cried.

She fell to her knees, weeping. “I’m so sorry, Albert. I can’t help who I am. I thought you were ready to see who I really am. I didn’t want you to be scared of me, Albert. Please forgive me, my darling?” The woman buried her head in both her hands, still sobbing.

Albert crawled over to her and gently wrapped his arms around her shaking body and ran his hands through the woman’s soft hair. “No, it’s me who should be asking for forgiveness.”

“Will you hold me tighter?” She whispered.

Chapter Eleven

Henry stood a safe distance away from the ancient clocking in machine attached to the stone wall. He noticed that the all the other employees had, as per usual, found their friends and companions and stood in a dozen small groups. As per usual, Henry stood alone, trying to think and act as though he wasn’t actually here.

The others tended to ignore him anyway, unless the topic of conversation turned to mocking and they needed him to become an object of ridicule, then of course, he found his personal space mysteriously disappearing.

The two women standing closest to the man enjoyed nothing better than insulting him daily. Both Harriett and Lynne had it in for poor Henry. He found his name on their tongues at regular intervals. Any mention of his name and he was ready to casually turn his head and stare at one of the many motivation posters that the management had plastered across the wall behind him. He found that avoiding eye contact was the most effective method of avoiding a confrontation. Both women basked in the glow of an active audience.

Today though, Henry believed that he’d be free from being on the receiving end of one of their many cruel jokes. Lynne’s attention was too busy with explaining away her daughter’s shocking behaviour to Harriett. Apparently, the girl’s bitchiness had reached a new level of bitchiness. It had even reached to point where Lynne daren’t trust her to run simple errands for her poor mother.

It made fascinating listening. Henry had offered his advice; well, he had in his own mind. He’d explained to Lynne that the girl was only emulating Lynne’s own shocking behaviour. No fucking surprise there, he remembered how Lynn acted at Joanie’s age. The fat witch never threw savoury meat products at people but she sure made up for this shortcoming by being such a distasteful, vicious little bitch.

Harriett cut through the other woman’s whining to inform Lynn that Alan, her husband kept pleading with her to wear Obsession and that his libido had gone through the roof. In Henry’s imaginary conversation, he informed them that his Bernadette loved that perfume. He then shivered to himself. The image of Harriett without any clothes was enough to put him off eating for a week.

He silently moved closer to the clocking in machine, counting down the seconds until he was free of this shithole. The management had put a stop to the staff crowding around the exit at this time. Nobody had seen any of them for a couple of hours now, not that they were missed.

The magic time approached. Henry quickly clocked out and scurried over to the exit. The management weren’t the only ones missing. He hadn’t seen William since the incident at the park. He got the feeling that the man hadn’t returned to work. He’d checked his mobile after retrieving it from his locker a few minutes ago. There’d been no message from him nor had William answered when Henry had rang him.

He left through the Mill’s main door and hurried through the carpark. Once he reached the main road, Henry leaned against the wall and trying William’s number one more time. This was just so weird, where the hell was he? Henry sighed and sent him a text before stuffing the phone back into his pocket. Bernadette had told him to remind the man that he and his wife were still due over tonight. Henry hadn’t even broached the subject, never mind finalised the details.

Henry trudged towards the bus stop, wondering how he would explain his strange day to his wife without sounding like a total nutcase. His troubled pondering vanished when his eyes picked out three very familiar figures huddled together under the bus shelter. They had their backs to him but he recognised that pie thrower. He spun around and crossed over the road. The last thing he needed was yet another confrontation with that bitch.

He’d have to get a taxi instead; it would only cost him a pound more than a bus ride anyway. Henry doubled back and headed towards the closest taxi rank, behind the mill, turning his head away from the two women on the other side of the road still having their animated conversation. He sighed as the bus drove past him.

A single taxi was parked up, he grinned at the sight. He had expected to be waiting for ages. Perhaps his luck was changing for the better. Henry climbed inside, wrinkling his nose at the sour, stale rancid smell abusing his nostrils. That is gross. The chances of another taxi turning up in the next few minutes were slim. He’d just have to hold his nose. Henry closed the car door.

“Where do you want to go, buddy? I’m sorry about the pong, by the way, I had a dodgy customer a bit back, don’t worry though, it’s been cleaned out.”

“That’s okay,” Henry replied, nodding.

The driver spun his head around, his eyes blazing. “I don’t fucking believe this, it’s you again!” The man reached his arm between the seats, trying to grab hold of Henry. “Come here, you dirty vile pervert!” He snarled.

Henry dived out of the car and raced across the road, heading towards the main shopping precinct, hoping to lose this madman in amongst the other shoppers. He looked behind and yelped at the sight of the burly taxi driver quickly clambering out of the taxi. He had never seen the man in his life but it looked like that bloke didn’t share that opinion. Henry ran through the open doors of a discount supermarket, avoiding the curious looks from two employees and hid behind a display of toilet rolls.

The man walked up to the doors of the supermarket. Henry watched him gaze through the window. Through a gap in the comfort soft packs, he saw him smile at one of the employees who watched Henry run in here. He waited for his finger to point to Henry’s hiding place. In his mind, he could already see the damning action take place.

The employee just shook his head and shrugged. Henry’s lungs remembered to start breathing again as the taxi driver turned and hurried to the next shop.

“It’s okay, mister. He’s gone now.” said the grinning worker.

“Thanks.” Henry muttered, as he cautiously walked over to the double doors.

He waited for a few moments before judging it to be safe, he needed to get out of here; it wouldn’t be long before curiosity got the better of that blond teenager standing behind him. The kid would need to know why the man was after him. Henry didn’t think he’d be able to cope with that kind of intense questioning.

Henry watched the taxi driver slowly make his way down the high street, pausing to look in every shop window. How long would it be before he gave up and came back to his car? Henry took a deep breath, put his head down, shuffled out of the supermarket, and turned in the opposite direction. The plan was simple. Just keep walking, blend in with the rest of the shoppers. That crazy man would be searching for someone running about, his idea couldn’t fail.

“Come here, you!”

Henry spun around and saw the taxi driver stood in the middle of the pavement, shaking his fist. He imagined that fist crashing into his face and turned back around, narrowly avoiding a pair of young skateboarders heading towards him.

“Sorry.” He muttered. Both the kids just glared at him.

“Fuck off, you freak!”

Half a dozen shoppers were now watching his progress as Henry ran along the pedestrian zone. He did notice that it wasn’t just those skateboarders who were sending out hostile looks. This was so not funny. Why were the people staring at him, as if he was the wrong party in this situation?

The man behind was not that far behind him now. He just wanted to stop, to curl up in a ball and wish all this would just go away. He risked a glance behind him and saw the taxi driver had indeed gained some ground. Henry did stop, he waited until the man was almost on him, then he ran at the man, veering off at the last moment.

“You fucker!”

Henry ran into a pound shop, this time he didn’t stop and hide. He’d chosen this shop for a good reason. A couple of security guards watched his progress as he raced along the middle aisles, three shoppers had also turned to watch as he raced past them.

The back exit was just ahead. This led into the old quarter of the town, where there were plenty of alleys. He and most other locals avoided the place like the plague but, considering his circumstances, a couple of homeless losers and the odd druggie harassing him were the least of his problems.

He ran down the broken escalator and back out into the bright sunlight. There was nobody about. Henry jogged over the cobbled road and ran into the nearest alley.

The shadows covered him like a welcome blanket. For the first time in years, Harry actually felt comfortable in the darkness, yet despite the absence of light, Henry had no problem in seeing his surroundings.

None of anything made sense anymore. He collapsed onto a pile of bin bags and tried to calm his beating heart. At the end of the alley, he watched as the taxi driver rushed out of the back exit and cross over the road. He stopped by the alley and peered down.

“Come in here, if you dare.” Henry whispered, under his breath. The image of his pursuer tentatively feeling his way along the pitch-black passageway passed through Henry’s mind. He then saw himself attached the wall like some human fly, and then dropping on the man’s head as he passed him.