SWNOVELS Chapter 96: Deborah
I stood opposite the school where Michael and Nina's children were and watched them with a dark sunshade shading me from the sun. A tall tree covers me from the view of passersby as I wait for the door to open while I go over my plan in my head. It was simple, pick up the children and take them to the cabin where I had booked ahead for my plans. I can't believe that after so many years of waiting, I am finally going to have my revenge.
I laughed heartily as I looked around cautiously to see if anyone had noticed my presence while I kept checking the tiny silver watch on my wrist which had aged a lot. It was a birthday present from Michael when I was twenty. I smile fondly at the memories. "Just wait a bit, Michael. We are finally going to be together. I know you still love me, you are only blinded by that stupid Nina" I mumbled to myself with a proud smile on my face. I could feel it in my vein that I'm going to have my good revenge. I can't wait to hear the scream of the girls and Nina when I exact my revenge on them.
I checked my watch again to see that it was 2 pm just as the door opened and school kids rushed out to the waiting cars of their parents. I searched around for a glimpse of the kid's driver but I couldn't see him in the spot where he always parked the car. After so many years of stalking the school, I could feel my plans at my fingertips.
I saw them rush out of the school gate with sadness looming over them. I searched around the premises before charging off to meet them.
"Hello, Kids. Happy birthday" I called to them with a smile on my face while trying to shield my face away from the curious guards.
"Who are you? Mummy said we shouldn't talk to strangers" Nadia shouted at me, gaining the guard's attention who rushed to meet me. I knew she would rebel as she had Michael's distrusting attitude.
"Who are you, Miss? I've never seen you here before. Please leave else I'll call the police" He shouted at me
Fuck! I wasn't planning for this. What should I do? If the guards should call the police then I'm doomed. Think, Deborah, think! What's the way out?
The guard was still watching, expecting me to take a step back but I adamantly refused, then he took out his phone from his breast pocket of his navy green uniform.
"Fine. I'll go "I told him raising my hands in surrender as I turned to walk back with my head on the floor dejected that my plan wasn't successful
"Uncle, you shouldn't have sent her away. We know her " I heard the tiny voice of Nora scolding the security guard which caused a ray of hope in my heart.
"You do?" Nadia asked her, distrustingly as she looked at me trying to see if she could remember me.
"Of course, she's our neighbor. I'm sure Mum might have sent her to pick us up" Nora exclaimed excitedly. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face when she defended me.
"Yes, darling. "I rushed to chirped in as I squat down to her level and run my hands through her cheeks, pretending to love her as I forced a smile on my face but all I could think about was how I would torture them and listen to their loud screams.
"Your mom is planning a surprise birthday for you so she sent me to come to pick you up," I told them as I looked from one to another. My words seem to have gotten to Nadia who smiles as she turns to her sister. I can't believe that my spying on Nina this afternoon had paid off.
"You see. I told you so. I knew Mom and Dad wouldn't forget our birthday so easily " I heard her say to Nora who smiled back at her.
I stood up and took each girl in my hands, I nodded to the guard who had turned to walk back into the school premises. I pulled both girls into my black saloon car which was parked opposite the school in front of the eatery.
I dropped both girls in the back seat and walked to the driver's side and sat down. I locked the door and took the steering wheel while I drove them to my destination.
"Godmother, are you going to pick Joey up too?" I cringed at that nickname.
I hated the sound of that which was why I turned to look at Nora with hate in my eyes " I'm not your godmother " I snapped at her causing the girls to flinch at the tone of my voice.
I pulled myself back, it's too early to get on the girls' bad side, they could scream and the police will be here any moment " I'm so sorry. I'm having a rough day "I apologized to them as I watched their reaction in the overhead mirror.
Nadia watched me wearily, still not believing that my outburst was because of me having a rough day but Nora being Nora smiled at me " It's okay, god uh, what should I call you?" she asked me as she paused as she was about to repeat her past mistake.
I groaned as I finally relent to fate "Just call me anything you like " I told her as I sped up. With the way I was driving, we wouldn't reach our destination in two days.
"Even Godmother?" Nora asked, raising her eyebrows at me as she waited for my response.
I was about to answer her when I saw Nadia busy on her phone. I turned as soon as I pulled the car over., I could see that she was about dialing Nina's number that set my heartbeat escalating above average " Nadia darling. Can I have your phone? "I called gently at her. I can't believe I was capable of speaking gently to her considering the rate at which my heart had leaped in my throat.
"No, I can't give you my phone. I don't trust you " Nadia exclaimed as she tried to hide the phone behind her back.
"Damn, why are you trying my patient? There's a limit to how long I could take " I mustered in my mind as I turned to look at her trying to force my face to soften a bit. "Why Nadia? Your dad and I practically grew up together and your mom, we______" I paused as I rack my brain trying to remember the one time Nina and I had been friends. "Yes, we lived together in an apartment before she met your dad," I told her but try not to add that, that was before I found out that she was Michael's, estranged love. "Really?" Nora asked me with wonder in her eyes as she looked up at me with her hands in her chin.
"Of course, darling. Your parents and I had been so close that we were once inseparable " I told her lying in between my words. I could see that she bought that, why wouldn't she when she's Nina replica. I hate her so much!
"If that is true, how come I've never seen you in our house and none of my parents has ever talked about you," Nadia asked me, causing my eyes to widen in shock as I had underestimated her. She's too smart for her age.
I turned on the engine and pulled out of the lane and drove at a loss for words. I guess the phone could wait for now while I think about how I'll deal with that smart mouth of hers.
"If I were you, I wouldn't trust her one bit " I heard her say to Nora who kept stealing glances at me trying to wrap her head around whose side she should be? Mine or her sister?
The minute she edged onto her sister's side and held tightly to her. I knew that I had lost the tiny trust she had in me.
Damn you, Michael? How could you have such a smart kid! Oh! How I wish she was my baby with you. Oh! How I would have loved her so dearly! I smiled faintly at my imagination but frowned as soon as I saw my baby's lifeless body in my hands. No! No, I shouldn't be thinking about that. I need to get my revenge. My baby deserved his peace. With that thought in mind, I speed up beyond the speed limit, driving fast to my destination...
***
Somewhere in the Deep forest.
I pulled over and smiled at the dilapidated building before me. I turned to stare behind me into the deep black forest. Here, right here on this soil, Austin had lost his life, and right here in this soil, I will make sure to end both Nina and her daughter's life. I smiled faintly before turning back to the car, both girls were already asleep seeing that it was such a long journey away from the city.
I extracted Nadia's phone from her tiny grasp and searched around for Nora's. I finally found it in her pink backpack, I took it and removed the sims while I disposed of the phone into the forest before turning to drag the girls up the room while they both scream at me jolting awake from their deep sleep.
"Let go of my hair, you're hurting me " Nadia screamed and thrashed around as she tried to free her hair from my tight grip.
"Shut up!! Being smart won't get you anywhere " I shouted at her before dropping them roughly on the cold floor.
"See Nora. I told you we shouldn't trust her. She finally shows her true color" I heard her say to her sister who was sobbing uncontrollably beside her.
And to me. She said "Why are you doing this to us? Do you need money? I'm sure Dad will gladly give you lot and lot of them just let us go "
I smiled at her as I walked to stand in front of her "You really do look like him you know. Your face,
"I bent to touch her face which caused her to flinch from my touch.
"Your attitude," I told her after I had recovered from her spontaneous reaction. "I look at you and I see Michael and I hate you so much " I screamed at her.
"And because I hate your parents so much, especially your mom, I will make you both pay for their sins," I told them before turning to walk to the door but Nora's voice stopped me...
"But we didn't_do___ anything to you. I even defended you a while ago " Nora's tiny stuttering voice caused me to turn to look at her.
Seeing her this way reminded me of Nina. She is always whimpering in my presence. I could see that she was scared of me, which wouldn't be so much fun when I started with her.
"You are a coward " Nadia's loud scream caused me to snap my head at her. She raises her chin and stares right into my eyes without any symptom of fear in them.
"You are weak. You couldn't face our parents because you are scared of them. That's why you pick us, we little kids to fight with "I slapped her loudly across the face and smiled as soon as I saw my handprints on her face.
It gives me satisfaction, "That's for being too smart for your age," I told her and turned to walk away from her.
I opened the door and paused as I
turned to back at her, she was holding her cheeks, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she glared at me. It reminded me of Nina when had slapped her in the washroom at the coffee shop. I smiled " And about me being scared of your parents you are wrong, darling. I'm not scared of your parents, rather I'm only
following the bible which says 'the sins of the father will be visited on the children" I called to her before stepping out of the door and closing it loudly behind me.
I laugh out loud as I remember the tiny fears in her eyes just before I close the door. You are no match for me, Nadia. Your parents and everyone tried but they couldn't get me. No one can get me because I am Deborah Melton. I am better than everyone else!!!
I walked down the stairs to the
second floor where Xavier and
Austin had set up an office. It was cleaned and neat save for the ancient chairs and table in the room. I sat on the chair and pulled my legs
on the table as I rested my back against the chair smiling excitedly to myself. Let's get the ball rolling!!!
I flinched as soon as I heard my phone rang" Damn! I had forgotten to switch off the phone " I scolded myself as I reached out to pick it up on the table.
A glance at the caller's ID caused me to curse profanity into the air as I bent to accept the call, straightening on the chair I placed the phone on my ear.
"Hello, Xavier" I called into the phone while staring out into the distance. I could still remember vividly the one time Austin, Xavier, and I had stood in this room debating what to do with Nina while she was held, hostage.
"Deborah " The whisper of my name on Xavier's lip caused me to sit up as my heartbeat escalated in my chest as I wondered what could make him whisper.
"Where are you, Deborah?" I heard him ask me but I was more concerned about him whispering. He wouldn't whisper if nothing was wrong.
"I'm fine. What's with the whispering? What's going on?" I asked him as I stood up and strolled to stand in front of the window staring out into the dark starless night which had befallen us.
"I hope you are safe," Xavier told me as he paused to catch his breath which caused my heart to beat faster" Michael and the police are here. Just wanted to warn you"
I paused as soon as I heard what Xavier had said, causing my heartbeat to stop for a second. I can't believe Michael found out that I was their neighbor all these years but how? I thought I was safe for a while but alas, no! There goes one of my plans out of the door.
What do you mean you want to
warn me? What about you? If the police found out that we've been staying together all these years then you'll be arrested as my accomplice. You need to get out of there, now" I shouted into the phone just as I heard a loud knock on the door in the background and the Voice of the
one man I could never forget.
"Open up this door, Deborah Melton. You are surrounded by the police. Your plans are up" I heard Inspector Peller's voice from the background which causes me to cringed in fear as
I panic before I remember that I was miles away from the city of New York. They couldn't find me! I was safe at last! I smile at their foolishness. No one could get me!
"It is too late, Deborah. I've got to go. Always remember that I love you. Bye!" Was the last thing I heard from Xavier before the door burst open and the phone went dead in my hands. I felt tears clouding my eyes before streaming down my face.
I wept silently for Xavier. He was more than a friend to me. He was the only person who had kept me sane all these years but I guess I won't be seeing him again as the police would have arrested him.
It was after some time before I could pay the twin another visit but this time there was no mistaking the anger in my voice nor the hatred in my stride as I torture them with the wipe in the room drawing my satisfaction from their loud scream...