been pierced multiple times.

  “This isn’t Lizzie.” I say.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. That isn’t her.” I say staring in disbelief

  at this woman’s body.

  Don covers her over and walks past me.

  “So do you know who’s doing this to these

  women?” I ask.

  “It isn’t anyone I know, they would have called

  me if it was. But they must be angry. They

  obviously want revenge, I reckon they’ve lost

  something, someone and don’t know how to get

  it back. Their anger has built up and they are

  now taking it out on a specific target and type

  and anyone who stands in their way will be

  killed. These murders are pure evil.”

  Don sounds a little too confident about the

  reasons behind the murders.

  “Does it scare you that you don’t know who it

  is?”

  “I’m not scared of a lone killer. If I had the

  chance of facing this person, I would kill him

  myself to stop the misery. Which makes me ask,

  this isn’t you is it?” Don stares at me and folds

  his thick arms.

  “Me? Why would I want to see these people if I

  committed the murders?” I say.

  “I don’t know, you tell me?”

  “Let me out Don.”

  Don grabs me by my jacket and pushes me

  against the wall.

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  “If I find out it is you, I will kill you. Do you get

  me?”

  “Get the fuck off me.” I say whilst trying to

  prise his grip off of me.

  Don slowly lets go and stays standing in front

  of me looking down to me. He walks away and

  walks through the double doors. I follow.

  “What the hell was that about?” I ask him.

  “It was a warning to you.” He says.

  “Well it isn’t me, I’m just looking for my…”

  “Shush!” Don interrupts me.

  I look to the front door of the morgue to see flash

  lights shining onto the door. A figure looks

  inside shining his torch.

  “Hide.” Don whispers.

  “Where?” I ask.

  “Go into the morgue area with the bodies.”

  “I’m not g…”

  “Now!” He whispers.

  I walk back through the double doors and kneel

  down behind a bed.

  I listen intently as Don goes to the door and

  unlocks it.

  “Can I help you?” I hear Don ask.

  “Yes you can. Whose car is this parked

  outside?” The voice has an Irish accent.

  “Mine. Why?” Don replies.

  “We were wondering who was in here and why.

  What are you doing here?” the same man says.

  “This is my job, I work here. I come here

  occasionally at night when a body is transferred

  here.” Don replies.

  “What does your job consist of here?” an

  American accent replies.

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  “It’s a morgue what do you think we do, host

  children’s parties?”

  I hear a moment’s silence.

  “We examine bodies that come in and hold them

  until they are identified.” Don sighs.

  “Right. So why are you here now?”

  “I’ve told you, I come here some nights to do

  some work and wait for any calls if there are any.

  I’m busy at the moment so would you mind

  leaving? Thank you and bye.” I hear Don slam

  the door and walk towards the morgue area I’m

  in.

  “Jesus Christ” I say, “Who was that.”

  “Police sniffing around. You need to leave but

  you can’t go yet.”

  “Why not?” I ask.

  “Because they’ll be watching. You can’t take the

  car, I have to. Trust me.” Don says.

  Well what else can I do? I have to trust him…

  My dreams for once, were good. I dreamt of

  Sammy and Alex in our old house, our old

  garden; their old toys. Tanya and I were out in

  the garden with them. I was cooking up a

  barbecue whilst Tanya sat by me with a glass

  of ice cold Pimms in her hand.

  Currently in a doze, I continue to remember

  the old times.

  Looking around the garden, the oak tree at

  the end is full of life, its leaves are bright

  green and the sun shines through the

  branches. The hedges and lawn are cut to

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  exact length, and the smell of freshly cut grass

  wafts through the air. The pond’s clear water

  boasts two coy carp that swim elegantly

  around the smooth, charcoal rocks. Their

  bright scales catch the light from the beaming

  sun.

  As I proudly look at my surroundings, I feel a

  slight nudge against my knee. I look down to

  see Sammy and Alex smiling up at me,

  revealing their little white stubs for teeth.

  I look into their eyes and tell them I love

  them. They giggle and run off.

  As they disappear into the house, I turn to

  Tanya.

  “Hello darling.” I say.

  “Heya.” Tanya replies, smiling.

  I look at the twin shining planets of her eyes.

  I look to her smooth fair skin and stroke her

  cheek with the back of my fingers. As I do,

  her skin begins to peel away.

  “Tan, are you okay?”

  She stares back at me. Her eyes darken. Her

  skin peels to reveal the tender redness of her

  flesh. She barges past me, knocking me off

  balance and I fall onto the grass.

  The grass has changed from lush green to

  brown straw with patches of mud. I look

  around, the oak tree is burnt, the leaves are

  singed and the top of the tree is on fire.

  I look in the pond. The rocks are covered in

  blood and dead fish float on the surface. The

  once shining carp are brown and decaying.

  I look to the house which isn’t my old house

  anymore, but my new house. The windows

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  are smashed and there is blood smeared over

  the bricks and windows.

  I run to the house and it explodes in flames,

  launching me back a few metres. I land on the

  mud awkwardly and sit up, staring at flaming

  ruin.

  The wind begins to howl around me. Rain

  hammers down onto the dead grass,

  splattering me with mud.

  The shed door opens and slams shut

  repeatedly.

  I push myself up off the ground and walk

  over to the shed warily. I reach out to the

  door; the heat from the house burns the side

  of my face. The shed door swings open,

  wafting a stench into my face, forcing me to

  gag. Sammy lies on the shed floor, her throat

  has been slit and blood covers her entire

  body.

  A low droning sound rings in my head. I

  can’t block it out. I put my hands over my

  ears to no effect. Inside the shed, I shout to

  Sammy. “Darling let’s go.” She doesn’t

  respond. “Sammy?”

  I feel her neck. No pulse.

  “Sammy, no!” I shout, my voice is muted.

  I pick her up and lay her down on the dead

  grass. I stand up and look down to her body.

  Tears flooding down my face, I look to the

  house to see Alex standing at a window,

  crying and screaming, although I can’t hear

  him. The fire is uncontrollable as it flares up,

  the tiles on the roof collapse and fall into the

  house.

  118

  I look back to Sammy whose eyes are now

  open. I look at her but I back away.

  I hear a voice fading in and out of my mind,

  saying my name repeatedly.

  “Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.”

  I look back at the house to see Tanya

  standing behind Alex, screaming.

  Someone is behind me, I can’t see them but I

  can feel their hair tickle my face, their chin

  rests on my shoulder and I hear them

  whisper: “Ryan.”

  I wake up and sit bolt upright. I jump out of

  bed and go to the window to look at my

  house over the road. It’s fine.

  Breathing heavily, I look back to the empty

  bed. Sandra must be downstairs.

  I open the door and walk out to the spiral

  staircase, to hear where she is. I hear faint

  music playing from the kitchen.

  I walk back into the bedroom and put on my

  trousers and shirt.

  As I walk down the spiral stairs, Sandra

  appears wearing jeans and a tight fitted t-shirt.

  “Morning gorgeous.” I say to her.

  “Morning you.” Sandra says as she saunters

  towards me and kisses me.

  “Good sleep?” I ask.

  “Oh yeah, you wore me out.” She says as she

  bites her bottom lip. “You didn’t have such a

  good sleep though, did you?”

  I look at her confused, “Y-y-yeah I did.”

  “Oh well you were really unsettled

  throughout the night.”

  119

  “Oh sorry, did I keep you awake?”

  “No but I woke up a few times and you were

  talking in your sleep; I came back after going

  to the loo and you were really hot. It was

  odd.”

  “Yeah, I do keep having nightmares.”

  “Oh baby, what about?”

  “About my kids and the old house and that,

  that’s all.”

  “Oh right, well if you ever need someone talk

  to, I’m here for you.” Sandra says as she pulls

  me in for a hug.

  “Thanks.” I say.

  As we hug, the front door is knocked on. We

  both freeze.

  “I bet that’s Sam.” Sandra says.

  “What should we do?”

  “Could you just hide? Sorry baby.”

  “Yeah sure, I’ll hide out the back.”

  “Thanks.” Sandra leans in and kisses me on

  the lips.

  I go into the kitchen and try the back door,

  but it’s locked. Shit.

  I hear Sandra open the door and greet

  whoever it is with a kiss. “Hello darling.” It

  must be Sam.

  I look around the kitchen for a back door

  key, but there isn’t one.

  “What are you doing here so early?”

  “Mum, I told you I’d be coming round early

  to check up on you.”

  “Of course, sorry sweetheart. Do you want to

  come in for a quick coffee?”

  120

  My heart sinks as I duck behind the sink. I

  can’t hide anywhere else; I can’t get out of the

  house. Hiding has made this look really bad.

  If he sees me, we’re in trouble.

  “Errrm. I could stay for a quick one.” Sam

  says.

  The answer I didn’t want. I stay hiding

  behind the sink, twiddling my sweaty thumbs.

  Sandra comes over to the sink and looks

  down to me. She looks over to Sam and back

  to me. She mouths out wide mouthed, ‘what

  are you doing?’ I look at her and mouth back

  pointing at the back door, ‘locked’.

  She stands above me pressing against me,

  filling the kettle up at the sink.

  “Coffee with two sugars?” She asks.

  “God no, just one sugar please.” Sam replies.

  His voice is muffled and distant, he must be

  sitting on the sofa facing away from the

  kitchen.

  Sandra puts the kettle on its stand, opens the

  drawer and pulls out a key. She looks down to

  me and rolls her eyes. She walks over to the

  door, unlocks it and opens it.

  “Bloody flies.” She says. “All the places to fly

  and they fly into my bloody house.”

  “They’re annoying aren’t they?” Sam half-

  heartedly replies.

  Sandra looks down to me and tilts her head

  back and forth towards the door. I return the

  head bang movement and grin. She looks

  down and keeps a straight face and walks

  away into the sitting room. I rise and look

  over the worktop and sink and see Sandra

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  sitting opposite Sam facing my direction

  whilst Sam faces away from me. I stand up

  fully but as I do, Sam stands up.

  “What are you doing?” Sandra nervously

  asks.

  “Gonna wash my hands.”

  “Do it in the toilet, I have no soap in the

  kitchen.”

  “Oh right, okay,” he says.

  I hear him creak up the spiral stairs.

  I hear small strides towards me. I stand up

  and see Sandra.

  “Leave now.” Sandra whispers.

  “That’s not very nice.” I say, smiling.

  I hear the tap upstairs turn on.

  “Seriously Ryan, go now,” she says.

  “Okay, see you later darling.” I say.

  “Bye.”

  “Where’s my kiss?” I ask.

  The tap upstairs turns off and I hear

  footsteps.

  Sandra leans across the sink and kisses me on

  the lips.

  “Bye, Ryan.” Sandra whispers.

  I walk calmly to the back door and around

  the side of the house.

  I hear the back door slam and I watch in

  through the windows. Sandra goes back to the

  sitting room and I see Sam coming down the

  stairs.

  I walk up to the front door and knock on the

  door.

  I hear voices and then Sandra opens the

  door, wide-eyed.

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  “Oh… Ryan, Hi. Can I help you?” She says,

  frowning.

  “I saw Sam was here so I was wondering if I

  could ask him about something?”

  “Yeah I guess so. Sam?”

  “Hi Ryan” I hear Sam shout. “You going to

  come in?”

  “Yeah sure, if that’s okay with you Sandra?”

  “Yes you’re more than welcome.”

  I walk in and sit on the sofa next to Sam.

  “Alright?” Sam says as we shake hands.

  “I’m good thank you, yourself?”

  “Could be better. Work is shit at the

  moment. I just wanted to apologise to you for

  yesterday. Sometimes I just don’t know when

  to switch off from work, I assume everyone is

  a lunatic” He laughs. “So yeah, I’m really

  sorry.”

  “Seriously Sam don’t worry about it. I

  completely understand; I know what it’s like

  to lose someone you love and let me tell you,

  it’s the worst pain you can ever go through.

  Pain to yourself doesn’t compare to losing

  someone you love. It’s nice that you care so

  much for your mum, so seriously, don’t worry

  about it. But just to reiterate, I’m just here to

  look out for your mum whilst your dad’s

  away. You’ve got nothing to worry about”

  “Thanks Ryan, you’re absolutely right, thank

  you.”

  “No problem.”

  I look over to Sandra who smiles at me.

  “Would you like a drink?”

  “Oh no it’s a bit early for a drink.” I laugh.

  123

  “I meant a tea or coffee.”

  “No thanks Sandy, I’ve just had one.” I smile

  at her as she rolls her eyes.

  “Sam, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, what’s wrong?” Sam says.

  “This may sound odd, but, what do you

  know about the man who lives in that wreck

  of a house at the end of the road here?”

  “He likes to keep himself to himself, but he’s

  always friendly towards me.”

  “You’ve spoken to him?”

  “Yeah. He’s actually a very intelligent man.”

  “Wow. Okay. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “He’s experienced a lot throughout his life.

  Why do you ask?”

  “Well, it’s just.” I pause for a moment,

  wording what I’m about to say in my mind.

  “He really creeps me out. I don’t know what

  his problem is, but it feels like he’s always

  watching me, keeping an eye on what I’m

  doing or where I’m going. He never talks to

  me and he seems scared of me.”

  “Have you seen him follow you?”

  “I don’t see him but I feel eyes on me

  constantly. You know that feeling you get

  when you can sense someone staring at you? I

  have that all the time and it makes me feel so

  uncomfortable.”

  “Yeah, I know that feeling. The weird thing is

  he’s actually a very shy guy.”

  “What’s his name?” I ask.

  “He calls himself Shola.” Sandra says.

  “Shola?” I ask.

  “Yeah.” Sam says. “Shola Mcmorran.”

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  “Is that his real name?” I ask.

  “I don’t think so, think he legally changed it.

  But I don’t know what his birth name is.”

  “Right so what’s the deal with him then?

  Why is he so weird?” I ask.

  “Shola doesn’t speak to anyone anymore,

  especially the police. We’ve pulled him in so