Mother Knows Best (Novella): A Psychological Thriller Novella (6 page)

Chapter 14

The blow to her head caused Ruby to fade in and out of consciousness.

She was vaguely aware of Steve bathing the wound at one point. And another time Kyle played with his fire engine on the floor beside the bed.

It seemed much later when she came around again as the light was fading and the temperature had dropped.

Startled by a sound to the side of her, Ruby turned to find Kyle dressed in a fireman’s outfit including a shiny helmet.

“Hello, Fireman Kyle,” Ruby said.

“I-come-to-rescue-you.”

“Thank you, Kyle.” Ruby began fading again.

When she regained consciousness, cold air hit her face and she realised she was upright. Kyle half-carried and half- dragged her through the garden, her bare feet skimming the ground.

“KYLE!” Steve yelled from somewhere close behind them.

“Kyle—you come back here this minute.”

“Can’t. It’s-a-mergency.”

Ruby tried to move her legs to help Kyle, but she couldn’t. However, he seemed strong enough to keep going at speed.

“Kyle!” Steve yelled again.

Ruby didn’t know where the garden ended and the dense forest began, but Kyle didn’t seem perturbed—he just sped on regardless.

“Kyle!”

Ruby couldn’t understand why Steve didn’t seem to be following them. His voice was getting fainter the further they went. She still felt woozy and sleepy, but she forced herself to stay awake. Stray twigs and branches dug into her arms and legs as they rushed between the trees.

“Where are you taking me, Kyle?”

“Safe-place.”

Ruby was too exhausted to say anything more.

They eventually came to a clearing and as far as Ruby could tell, a dead end. A steep rock wall surrounded them on three sides, the only way out was back the way they came.

Kyle eased Ruby down onto a fallen tree branch. “Wait-here.”

Ruby watched as Kyle produced a key from his jacket pocket and then began pulling at the dense ivy that scaled the rock wall.

Suddenly the green growth came away with a loud snap, unveiling an old gate covering a tunnel into the rock. She remembered Cody telling her the land used to belong to a mining company.

Kyle fiddled with the lock and the gate creaked part way open. “Safe-place.” Kyle pointed inside the tunnel.

He helped her to her feet and eased her towards the opening.

“I can’t go in there, Kyle!” she squealed.

“Safe-place. Goes-to-river.”

“I can’t—I’m scared of the dark.”

“It’s-a-mergency.” He nodded, urging her through the gate.

Ruby gripped at one of his hands and looked him in the eyes. “Please Kyle, I’m scared.”

“Safe-place. River.”

“Can’t I get to the river another way?”

“No-it’s-rock.” He slammed the flat of his hand onto the granite above her head, in case she was in any doubt it was real. “Safe-place. Promise.” He unpeeled her fingers from his hand and pushed her inside, closing the gate behind her. She cried hysterically as he replaced the padlock and pulled the ivy back into place taking the last of the light.

“Kyle, please let me out,” she called.

“Safe-place. Kyle-rescue-you.”

Then she heard his footsteps trudge away.

Petrified and light headed, Ruby staggered a few feet until in total darkness. She began to feel her way.

The further she went, the narrower the tunnel became. Eventually, she slid to her knees and crawled. Her head thudded and her eyes grew heavy.

She gave in to the darkness.

Chapter 15

The cold dank air hit her nostrils like a sledgehammer. Ruby recoiled. Froze. Held her breath. After a few minutes, she tried to turn her head, but immense pain shot through her temples, settling to a dull throb at the base of her skull. She fought to keep her eyes open, needing to remember where the hell she was. She couldn’t. She gave in to the heavy, drifting sensation.

Not sure how much time had passed, she reached up to touch the tender spot on the back of her head. A cry escaped her as a thick stickiness came away on her fingertips. The metallic scent of blood now mingled with the earthy wet stench surrounding her.

She shivered uncontrollably as blood gushed through her veins in unison with the thudding inside her head.

She could see nothing. Not a thing.

Were her eyes even open?

She knew they were when she felt them close once again.

The only sound was the continuous drip-drip-drip that came from all around her.

She managed to roll onto her back. Icy rock almost touched her on either side. She reached up and yelped as the tips of her fingers hit more hard rock not six inches above her face.

She was in a tunnel—a cold, dark, terrifying tunnel.

Ruby was disoriented. She crawled forward in the direction she faced.

Memories began flooding her mind. Cody, Steve and Kyle. A sob caught in her throat.

Her back scraped on the jutting rock as she manoeuvered her way forward. Her head connected with sharp rock and she cried out. The impact made her sink her teeth into her tongue. Now blood filled her mouth.

Kyle had seemed certain this awful tunnel led to the river. The sound of water became louder and more of a steady flow rather than a drip. Ruby prayed the end was close by.

A small, furry creature ran across her hand, squeaking. She screamed, her head once again banging on the rock.

Her teeth chattered.

All her fears surrounded her.

Enclosed spaces—scurrying creatures—bone crippling cold.

She sensed a change to her surroundings when a draught blew on her face.

Sobbing now, she pushed forward. Small slivers of light enabled her to see in front of her and she gasped as she stepped out into a cave-like clearing. Climbing down from the rock, Ruby stood full height. She headed off in the direction of the light.

All of a sudden, a large opening appeared and the early morning sky beyond.

On weak and shaky legs she forced herself on, her eyes filled with tears making the opening appear blurred. Then she suddenly realised it had nothing to do with the tears.

A cry caught in her throat.

Her legs propelled her forwards.

A padlocked wrought iron gate covered the entire opening.

But that wasn’t the worst of it.

The remains of a woman wearing a multi-coloured jersey were slumped to the side of the gate, the bones of her hands still gripping the bars.

Ruby’s screams filled the silence.

Chapter 16

Ruby slid to the ground—exhausted from screaming. Although unable to look at poor Felicity’s corpse any longer, every time she closed her eyes it was all she could see, in intricate detail. She kept getting flashes of the news image—a vibrant, fun-loving young girl wearing the same multi-coloured jersey that covered the skeleton beside her.

Her neck and the back of her dress felt wet. She knew she was losing her life’s blood, she could feel the last of her strength oozing away. She prayed the end would be fast. Ruby welcomed the heavy darkness.

When she came to, her whole body shivered. Her teeth were chattering and she could see puffs of her shallow breath hovering on the air in front of her face.

Through the gate she could see the sun beating down, but it came nowhere near the cave which was deep in shadow.

She dragged herself further into the cave in search of some warmth. A few feet in and off to the right, she came across a pile of rocks, all different sizes, placed in a large rectangle shape. It reminded Ruby of a grave. She shuddered, wishing she could run from this place of death, but she couldn’t move another inch. Resting her head on her arm, she floated off once again.

The light had faded when she finally woke. The temperature had dropped even more—she might as well have been naked for all the warmth the wispy summer dress gave her.

From her position next to the grave-like mound, she could see something colourful lodged between two rocks. She picked at it until she finally managed to pry it out. It was a small white card with a spray of pink roses, barely visible, printed on one side.

Ruby’s blood froze in her veins—a bereavement card. Not really wanting to know what it said, but intrigued, she turned the card over. She could see an imprint of handwriting, but no ink remained and in the failing light, she had no chance of reading what had once been written. She carefully placed it back between the rocks.

She shuffled down the side of the grave-like mound and curled herself into a foetal position, pulling the fine dress tight around her knees. She then pulled her arms from the sleeve openings and hugged her body tightly.

Her stomach growled. Although she hadn’t had a thing to eat or drink since the day before she no longer felt hungry or thirsty. She didn’t feel that cold thinking about it now, for which she was grateful. There was no way out. She knew she would die soon, but if she couldn’t feel the pain, at least she could sleep.

Ruby stayed in that position for what seemed like hours. She drifted in and out of sleep, or consciousness, she couldn’t really tell.

She wished she had the energy to go back to the gate and try to force it open somehow, but she wasn’t able to move a muscle. Maybe she should have gone back through the tunnel earlier when she hadn’t felt as bad, but she’d seen Kyle secure the padlock with her own eyes. The idea of crawling back through that awful tunnel, or worse, dying in there, made her flesh crawl.

Her head began to throb again and her limbs felt heavy and weak. She couldn’t keep her eyes open.

Her mother’s constant warnings filled her fitful dreams. Then Baxter’s barks made her heart contract. Semi-awake, she panicked. Baxter! What if he hadn’t been found? If he was still locked in her house, alone?

Oh, Baxy, Baxy. I’m sorry, boy.
She wasn’t sure if she’d actually spoken the words or dreamt them. Baxter’s excited yaps were louder now, almost deafening. She could actually feel him licking her face. It seemed so real, she didn’t want to wake up. She relished in the heat his tiny body radiated. His excited yappy kisses were forcing her awake, but still she resisted. Holding her breath, she forced her eyes tight shut.

“Baxter?” someone yelled, spoiling her dream.

Baxter was gone and she heard herself whimper not wanting the dream to end. Her heart ached at the thought of opening her eyes to the cold, dark cave.

“Baxter—come here, boy.”

There was that voice again. She recognised it, but for the life of her, couldn’t think who it was.

Ruby felt herself slipping away once more. With Baxter no longer with her, she welcomed the familiar heaviness.

“Baxy, where is she, boy?”

Who
was
that? And why was he calling Baxter?

Suddenly Baxter returned, licking at her face.

“Baxy, good boy, Baxy,” she managed to utter.

“Ruby?” The voice, now closer, echoed off every wall. “Ruby, Ruby—wake up.”

She tried to open her eyes, but they were much too heavy. Then she heard footsteps and Baxter began barking again. She felt herself being lifted into someone’s arms, and suddenly recognised the voice. It was David. Her ex-boyfriend—her mum’s next door neighbour.

“David?” she whispered.

“Yes, you’re safe now, Rubes. Try not to speak—save your energy.”

She couldn’t understand how her dreams could feel so real. Had she died? If she had, why would David be there? It was all too confusing.

Epilogue

Ruby forced her eyes open and a cry caught in her throat. The cold, dark cave had been replaced by a hospital bed.

Her beautiful mother slept in an armchair to her side, her bottom lip inflating with every breath before letting out a pffft of air. Ruby was overjoyed, although much too tired to react.

A middle-aged woman with both legs in casts lay in the bed opposite. She poked a pen into the top of one cast, clearly trying to reach an itch.

So she hadn’t been dreaming. Baxter and David had found her—but how? She needed to know, but after a sleep.

David, Scarlett and her mother were around the bed when Ruby opened her eyes again.

Scarlett squealed and jumped forward, hugging her neck, and after the initial tears and emotional reunion, Mum and Scarlett began chattering in unison.

Ruby winced. “Shhhh. Please guys, one at a time.” Her head still felt woozy.

“You go,” her mother said to Scarlett, tears still streaming down her face.

“How?” Ruby asked.

“Mum worked everything out, sis. She could tell Cody was bad news as soon as she laid eyes on him. I didn’t. I thought he was lovely.” Scarlett shook her head. “I’ll never doubt her instincts again, I can tell you ...”

“But how did you find me?”

“David followed Cody. Once we found out where he lived we all turned up. David was ace! He didn’t take any shit from Cody or his dad.”

“Thank you,” Ruby mouthed at David.

David winked at her and smiled—the special smile he used to reserve only for her.

Ruby’s stomach flipped.

“Kyle was lovely. He showed us where he
took
you,” Scarlett continued.

“Felicity?” Ruby asked, her voice hoarse.

“She’s back where she belongs—with her family,” her mother said. “At least now they can give her a proper funeral.”

“And the other grave?” Ruby asked.

“Cody’s mum,” Scarlett said. “Seems she was going to leave her husband and so he strangled her. He used to take Kyle to visit there, that’s how Kyle knew about the old mine in the first place.”

“They always went by car, approaching from the other side. Kyle didn’t remember there being a gate, but he was only little. Then years later, his dad took him and Cody into the mine entrance closest to the house. He told them the tunnel led through to the river. Kyle worked the rest out for himself,” David said.

“What will happen to them?”

“Cody and his dad will be locked up for the foreseeable I guess,” David said.

“And Kyle?”

Mum shrugged. “He’s in good hands Rubes. He’ll be taken care of, and you can always visit him.”

“How did you work it out, Mum?”

“Fifty percent instinct. Then Baxter, the dog who loves everyone, was petrified of Cody—combined with the fact his mother had vanished but he didn’t even think to mention it to us. I saw blood on his face ... lots of little things really. But the police had verified his alibi and so we had no choice but to deal with it ourselves.”

“Wow, I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it. I’ve told you many times—”

“We know, we know,” Scarlett said.

“Mother knows best!” they all chanted in unison.

The End

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