The Darkness Within (5 page)

‘So share. There is no judgement here.’

‘Well I was in touch with my supplier, Allen.’

‘Supplier of what?’

‘Are you serious?’ She took a gulp of the vodka.

‘Yes. I don’t want to assume.’

‘Fine.’ She looked around to make sure no one was listening. ‘He’s my coke supplier.’

Ferguson didn’t blink, instead he smiled. ‘I see.’

‘So? Bad right?’

‘Like I said. No judgment from me.’

‘Why? Why is that?’ she didn’t know if she was annoyed or relieved. ‘I’ve been judged ever since my habit started. All anyone wants is for me to stop, but you… you don’t. Don’t you care?’

‘It’s not about caring is it though? I mean you’ll do whatever you want whether I tell you not to or not. You have to be the one who decides to stop your drinking and coke habits. Nothing I say or do will change anything.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Because I lived with an alcoholic and nothing ever changed. He was who he was.’

‘So why go out with me? Why go back to a past you must hate?’

He smiled. ‘Well, I think it’s different with you. Your drinking isn’t who you are, while it was that way with my father. I think something brought you to this unfortunate place and I hope to help you through it.’

She took another sip of vodka gazing at him. ‘Are you for real?’

‘As real as anyone can be. So what do you fancy eating?’

She gazed at the menu of the fancy Italian restaurant. ‘To be honest, I’m not hungry, but I will have more vodka.’

‘Okay. How about we share a starter and then I’ll have something to eat and you can drink and be merry.’

She studied him again. No one had been this accepting of her. Was he trying to get her into bed? She laughed at the thought. He looked like a man who could get any woman he wanted. He wouldn’t have to play any games to do that.

‘Okay that sounds fine.’

The order was put through, another double vodka was brought to the table and then there was a ping to her phone.

‘Will you excuse me a moment.’ It was Allen.

‘Yes sure. I’ll be right here waiting.’ He winked and gave her a smile.

She smiled too. She was already on a high from the booze, but the ultimate high would be from the drugs. Freya had to get her hands on them pronto.

She met him a block away.

‘Allen.’

‘Hey. Here you go.’ He handed her the same amount he always did. Freya paid him. ‘Until next time.’ He waved her off.

Freya rushed back to the restaurant and headed for the toilet, found a cubicle, opened the packet and snorted the coke. For a moment she just sat on the toilet and looked up at the ceiling enjoying the effect it was taking. She stood up, opened the cubicle and headed out. She looked into the mirror and noticed two versions of herself in the mirror. Then more images of herself appeared and soon her image was filling up the mirror. This had never happened before. Her head felt heavy and she noticed spots of blood dripping to the floor. She touched her nose and blood covered her fingers.

‘Oh god! What’s…’ As if being hit in the head with an axe she fell to the floor, her eyes fell back and she started to have a fit.

****

Ferguson looked at his watch. It had been ten minutes since she’d left. He was getting a little worried. Could she trust this Allen guy? What if the man had decided to take her? Ferguson knew how dark the world could be. With that thought he shot up and headed for the receptionist.

‘Have you seen my date?’ He described Freya to the woman who smiled patiently.

‘Yes. I know who you’re talking about. She went out and came back again and went to the toilet.’ She said calmly.

He ran towards the toilet and pushed the door open.

‘Sir you can’t go in there!’

Her voice fell on deaf ears.

‘Oh god!’ He found her convulsing and choking on her blood. He quickly put her into recovery position so the blood stopped choking her. He cleared her airway and made sure her tongue wasn’t blocking her airway. Next he pulled his mobile from his pocket and called for help. Ferguson was under control through it all. ‘You’ll be okay.’ He reassured her even though he knew if she’d been left just a minute longer she would’ve been dead! He slipped the cocaine into his pocket, and took her mobile phone too.

The paramedics were there in under five minutes. She was wheeled out. Ferguson rode with her to the hospital. The moment they got there the doctor on duty sucked in a deep breath.

‘Oh Freya. Why?’ She was sad as she said this. ‘You are?’ She asked Ferguson.

‘A friend.’

‘Do you know what she took? It would be helpful.’

‘She has had vodka, cocaine. That’s all I know about.’

The doctor was also sure Freya had taken her prescription pills.

‘Okay, thank you.’ They took her away. ‘Get Freya’s father on the line.’ They knew who she was. She’d been there so many times that her details were up in no time. Ferguson watched as she was wheeled away, then he made some plans of his own.

****

‘Boss, that bit of cocaine you wanted me to check was bad. I’m surprised it didn’t kill her,’ said his assistant.

‘Great, thanks for that. I’ll deal with it.’ He cut the call and continued to do up his shirt. He gazed into the mirror into his grey eyes. He wondered what had taken over Allen to sell Freya that bad batch of cocaine. Once he’d put on his tie he made a call.

‘Hello?’

‘Hi, you don’t know me, but I got your number from a friend of mine.’

‘Yeah? Who?’

‘Freya. She says you’ve got good stuff. I can make you an offer you can’t resist. I know people. I’d like to talk business with you.’

‘Man are you crazy?’

‘No. Google my name.’ Ferguson gave him the details. ‘And then you can tell me I’m crazy. If you’re serious about making real money, you’ll call me back on this number.’ Ferguson cut the call. He knew that a man like Allen wouldn’t be able to resist money being waved in front of him. All he had to do was wait.

He picked up the black suit jacket and pulled it on. Within minutes he was in the back seat of a Mercedes heading for the hospital. He stopped at a florist to get Freya some flowers and a card. While the car drove he was deep in thought. There was so much going on in his head. He was unhappy that someone had tried to hurt Freya. It was unacceptable.

‘Sir we’re here,’ said the driver.

‘Thank you.’ The voice had taken him away from his thoughts. ‘Not sure how long I’ll be, but wait here.’

‘Yes sir.’ The driver stepped out and opened the door.

He held onto the flowers and the card that hadn’t been addressed. The Receptionist directed him to her ward and he made his way there. A few minutes later he had found her.

‘Hello,’ he said.

Freya opened her eyes and licked her dry lips.

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Groggy,’ she whispered. ‘I feel as though I’ve been hit by a truck.’

‘Sorry to hear that. I hope it improves.’

She looked up at him. ‘I almost died. I can’t believe Allen would sell me bad drugs.’

‘Don’t worry about that.’

‘I wish you’d left me to die.’

‘It’s not your time. So you’re still here. You can’t leave me now.

She smiled mildly.

‘Here, for you.’ He presented the flowers.

‘They’re beautiful. I can’t say I’ve ever received flowers.’

‘Well there is a first for everything. Enjoy them.’

‘I will try to.’

He pulled a chair to the side of the bed. ‘You scared me.’

‘Why? You don’t even know me.’

‘I know you enough that I don’t want you to die.’

She smiled. It was nice having him care.

‘Yes well it isn’t easy being me and being alive.’

‘Tell me why?’

She turned away. Freya didn’t want to discuss it. There was too much to unload and she didn’t want to go there.

‘Perhaps in time you will trust me enough to let me in.’

She smiled. ‘Maybe.’

‘I hope so.’

They chatted a while until Nicholas arrived.

‘Honey.’ He took her into his arms. ‘I love you.’ He blinked back the tears. ‘I’m just glad you’re okay.’ It was hard for him. Every time his phone rang he dreaded the news. He was always expecting them to tell him that his daughter had died. Thankfully she hadn’t.

‘I love you too dad. I’d like to introduce you to Ferguson.’

Nicholas withdrew from his daughter and acknowledged Ferguson. Freya lied about how they met, and told him they’d been friends longer than was true. Ferguson didn’t seem to be bothered by the lie. Instead, he played along. 

‘It’s nice to meet a friend of Freya’s. We hardly get to meet most of them.’

‘Well it’s good to meet you. I’m looking forward to meeting your mother,’ he said.

‘Oh, didn’t she tell you? My wife passed a few years ago.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that. You didn’t say.’

‘We haven’t spent that much time together,’ she said as a matter of fact.

‘True,’ said Ferguson. ‘I plan to change that.’ He was liking her every moment. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to protect her, and the more he wanted to know about her.

‘You do, do you?’

‘I do.’

Nicholas watched to two of them. He was happy that there was at least someone in her life. He was always worried that she’d be alone and die alone, but this man seemed determined to make her life easier, not harder.’

‘What do you do, Ferguson?’ asked Nicholas.

‘I’m in the oil business.’

‘Oh wow. I see. Sounds interesting.’

‘It is. I do like it. It’s made me very wealthy.’

‘I’m sure it has. That’s a good thing.’

‘Yes, it is.’

They continued to speak for a while, while Freya rested. Nicholas seemed to like this man who had taken an interest in Freya. He hoped that it would change her. Nicholas would clutch onto anything to help change his daughter.

‘I have to get going,’ Nicholas said finally.

‘Yes I will be too. It was nice meeting you,’ said Ferguson.

‘It was. I’m glad my daughter has someone in her life.’

‘Dad,’ she warned because she knew how her father thought.

‘I love you,’ he kissed her with a smile. ‘Always will and I want you to know nothing will change no matter what you do.’

‘I know dad. I love you too.’

He said his goodbyes to Ferguson and was on his way. Ferguson spent a little more time with her until it was time to go. It was hard to leave her, but he’d had a missed call from Allen and he had to deal with it.

‘I guess I will be a week or two in the mental hospital once I get out of here. I know the whole process off by heart.’ She joked.

‘I’ll come and see you.’

‘Okay.’ She didn’t mind whether he did or didn’t. ‘My charity ball will be up then.’

‘That’s if you manage to stay alive.’ He joked.

She laughed even though it wasn’t really funny. She wanted to escape her body that gave her so much pain. It wasn’t easy being her.

‘Bailey will have it all covered. I trust her with everything.’

‘You’re lucky to have someone you trust. Right I better go.’

She nodded. He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

‘Sweet,’ she teased.

‘I will see you later.’ He winked as he walked away. ‘Oh I almost forgot.’ He turned back and gave her the mobile phone. You dropped it in the toilet.’

‘Odd, I thought it was in my bag.’

‘I think the events of that night will be slightly blurred.’

‘I guess so. That drug was terrible.’

‘It was. Now I really must go.’ He smiled.

‘Then go.’ She giggled.

He liked the fact that she could at least still smile. 

****

‘Where to boss?’ asked the driver.

‘Take me home, Kevin. I have some thing I need to sort out.’

‘Yes sir.’

Ferguson gave Allen a call.

‘Mr Banks, it’s good to get your call.’

‘I see you’ve looked me up.’

‘I have.’

‘Great. Are you available to talk business tonight?’

‘I can be wherever you need me to be within the hour. That depends where you stay of course.’

‘Well…’ Ferguson gave it some thought. ‘Why don’t you name a place and my driver can come and pick you up.’

‘Sounds good.’ He was eager for business just the way Ferguson expected he would be.

‘Great give me a location and I’ll have it arranged.’

Allen did just that and once he was done he knew he had about an hour before Allen would get there.