Weeping Lily - 31. Chapter 31

Goaded by Cal, Luc broke just about every speed limit as he raced back to the town where all of them, except Jeff, had at least one time called home.

“For God’s sake Luc can't you go any faster?”

“If I go any faster we’ll be flying.”

“Then do it – fly.”

“Seriously Cal, the last thing we want is to be held up for hours by a traffic policeman who wants to make a mark on his career by booking a notorious rock group.”

Cal grumbled but subsided – until they were caught in traffic, when he started goading and swearing at Luc. That was a mistake. As easy going as Luc usually was he was as fiery as Cal in his own way and he didn’t take kindly to Cal’s attitude a lot of time, particularly when he was stressed anyway.

“For the love of God, Cal, can you see out of the window? Give me a magic wand and I’ll make the cars disappear... or make this one pass through them. Then I’ll get you there in ten minutes. Failing that you’ll have to be patient. I’m doing the best I can. I’m sure we’ve whittled away that half hour head start by quite a bit. What do you think she’s going to do to him?”

“I don’t know what she’s going to do to him,” Cal wailed. “That’s the point: she’s a fucking psycho.”

“Easy on Cal,” Luc complained. “She’s definitely selfish and thoughtless and she’s made mistakes but she’s hardly psycho and don’t let’s forget that Jayden called HER. He CHOSE to come to her. It isn't as if she kidnapped him or anything.”

“I don’t care who came to who. If she’s taking him to that house, she’s psycho.”

“She’s a psychologist, Cal,” Jeff said reassuringly. “I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.”

Cal went quiet. His voice was cold when he responded. “I have no doubt at all that she knows what she is doing, Jeff; that’s what I’m worried about.”

Jeff sighed.

“Fuck it Cal,” Luc snapped. “Why do you always have to be so down on her? It was always the same, even when we were kids. You hated her but she never did anything wrong.”

“Your problem was that you were far too keen to get into her knickers. You never saw anything but blue eyes and big tits.”

The atmosphere plummeted but Luc’s voice was calm when he spoke.

“Yes, I admit we had a thing, why wouldn’t we? She’s sweet and lovely and she adored Jayden.”

“Oh yeah... right. What world did you live in Luc?”

“She followed him everywhere and you treated her like crap, so did he half the time. Who else was there to pick up the pieces afterwards? Yes, she cried on my shoulder; yes we had a fumble or two – we were kids. I was barely fourteen and she was twelve. What did you expect?” He glared at Cal in the mirror and Cal glared back.

“When the shit hit the fan,” Luc continued heatedly, “she screwed up. She was hurt and scared. She lost everything – her parents, her home, her brother and all of us. Like it or not we made up a huge part of her life and suddenly we were gone. She had no one and nothing and she lied. She buckled under pressure and she lied. She’s regretted it and torn herself up over it ever since.”

“Not as much as he has.”

“Maybe not but he’s had people around him: he’s had his knight in shining armour rushing in to rescue him every time: Prince Charming who keeps him locked away in a goddamned glass coffin.”

“Luc,” Rik said warningly, but Cal put a hand on his arm to silence him.

“That’s quite a mix of fairy tales there Luc. Just exactly what are you trying to say?”

Ignoring the tone in Cal’s voice which usually had people backing off hurriedly, Luc carried on regardless.

“I’m sorry Cal but I’m totally sick of the whole thing. How many times have we gone racing off, dropping everything to rescue Jayden from something or other or sat round waiting while he disappeared for days doing God knows what?”

“I still don’t get what you are trying to say Luc.” Cal said dangerously. “Are you suggesting that we shouldn’t have, or that all of this was somehow Jayden’s fault?”

“No, of course not. It’s just that it seems to me that you’re always ready with an excuse for him. No matter what he did it was never his fault. He never shouldered the blame for anything. But Kelly – “

“Blame?” Cal snapped. “You think Jayden was to blame for this?”

“No. Don’t be so ridiculous,” Luc snapped back just as angrily. “It wasn’t his fault and of course he wasn’t to blame; but what about the rest of it? What about the drinking and drugs, the reporter he hit, the train he trashed, the taxis he threw up in? None of that was his fault? What about the gigs he missed, the instruments he broke? What about the hell Rik and Jeff have been through trying to keep him safe and out of the press? None of that was his fault but one twelve year old girl tells a couple of lies on a documentary and suddenly she’s Satan. How is that fair Cal? How can it be?”

“I know what you’re trying to say Luc but you had better shut the fuck up right now. If you weren’t driving I’d be throwing you out of the car.”

“Why? For telling the truth? That’d be just your style. You have never been able to see the truth as far as Jayden is concerned. I often wondered if it was because you were – how did you put it – trying to get into his knickers, even then.”

Rik, watching, leaped out of his seat and physically restrained Cal and he lunged forward.

“You fucking bastard. I don’t are if you are driving, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“No you’re not,” Rik said calmly and reasonably. “You’re going to sit down and focus on where we’re going and why. Once this is all over and we know Jayden is safe we can all sit down and talk about it.”

“Talk about it? I’m going to rip his fucking head off.”

“You can try,” Luc growled. “Just because you have a reputation for being a bad ass doesn’t mean I can’t take you down.”

“Luc, that’s enough,” Rik snapped. “No one is taking anyone down. This isn’t helping at all.”

“I think you’re both right,” a quiet voice spoke up from the back seat and everyone stopped, staring at the fifth member of the group. Ashton spoke so rarely that when he did everyone listened.

“What?”

“You have been protecting Jayden, Cal and sometimes he didn’t deserve it. I know what happened was bad but there’s only so far bad experiences can explain or excuse bad behaviour and Jayden crossed the line, lots of times. We all love Jayden – all of us and we’d do anything for him. This isn’t about that and it’s not a criticism of either of you. You’re not the only one who’s done it; we all have and we always will. But Luc does have a point; that Kelly only made one mistake and you’ve been crucifying her every since. Even Jayden’s forgiven her. Why can’t you?”

Cal went totally still, staring at him, and then collapsed back into the seat. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “I know. There’s just something about the bitch. I don’t trust her.”

“That’s fine but at least give her a chance.”

Reluctantly he pursed his lips and nodded. “Alright, one chance.”

“I told you, you were being a twat,” Luc said sarcastically from the front.

“You’d better shut the fuck up Luc. Maybe you were right about some of it but it’s going to be a long time before I can look at you without wanting to knock your teeth down your throat.”

“Like I said – you can try.”

“Watch it Luc or...”

“For God’s sake Cal,” Rik said in exasperation. “Just leave it there. What good is fighting with Luc going to do?”

“I...”

“Leave it.” Rik repeated firmly.

“This isn’t over,” Cal growled, reluctantly relaxing with his hands crossed over his chest.

“I look forward to finishing it.”

“You shut up too Luc,” Rik scolded.

“As you say, master.”

An uneasy silence fell as they arrived at the outskirts of town and persisted as Luc traversed the familiar streets. Despite what he had said about giving Kelly a chance, a feeling of dread settled on Cal’s shoulders and only grew worse as they approached what used to be Jayden’s home.

Cal’s parents had moved away not long after Jayden had moved in with them. The memories had just been too much for him to cope with and, as far as he knew, neither of them had been back since. The band had followed them to London; at first just to play gigs and then more and more as the gigs got more regular and better paid and then the signing happened.

Although Ashton and Rik still visited family here now and again, for Cal and Luc it was a trip into the past, and for Jeff an uncertain future.

By the time they reached the end of the street Cal was shaking, his heart thudding. There was something wrong, something terribly wrong and whatever anyone else said or how much he said he was prepared to give Kelly a chance, his gut was telling him that Jayden was in trouble and it was all down to her.

Everyone else picked up on the tension and no one made a move to stop him when, the instant Luc pulled up behind Kelly’s car, Cal leaped out and started to hammer on the door.

He got more and more frustrated when no one answered and began to swear colourfully.

After a few minutes the next door opened and an angry middle aged man appeared, his mousy wife peering around him anxiously.

“What the hell is going on here? Any more of that and I’ll call the police.” He stopped and blinked.

“Callum?” he asked incredulously. “Well I’ll be. Look Mary, it’s Callum, Jayden’s friend.” He peered further. “Well, well; it’s all of you. Is Jayden with you? I think both girls are there, Kelly’s car is here and Mary was talking to Anya in the garden not half an hour ago; weren’t you Mary? You thought something was up, didn’t you. Anya was very wound up about something. I’m surprised she didn’t say anything though. What a lovely surprise. I haven’t seen you in what, five or six years.”

He lowered his voice and shook his head seriously. “Bad business all that. Living next door all those years and not knowing what was going on. I said to Mary, didn’t I Mary? I said that they seemed like such nice people; but it just goes to show that you never can tell. That poor boy, and he always had a smile for us, didn’t he Mary, always helping out.

“You know that, don’t you Callum,” he continued, not giving Cal a moment to respond.” He was always roping you in to help. And those poor little girls; pushed from pillar to post. It’s the little one I feel sorry for. Kelly’s settled now, with Lyndon and the girls, and Jayden’s got you. By all accounts you’re doing alright for yourself. But Anya... Anya has no one and I think sometimes that she seems to have been left behind. She’s a lovely little thing, like a doll. She looks like a good gust of wind would blow her away but she’s made of sterner stuff than that.”

He paused for breath and Cal smiled uncertainly, not sure if he was going to start again or was waiting for him to say something.

“So where is he then?” the man asked looking around. “Where’s our boy?”

It took Cal a while to work out who ‘our boy’ was, but when he caught up he said. “He’s in there. Kelly brought him. That’s why we were knocking.”

The man frowned. “That’s strange. They must be out the back. You can't hear the door when you’re out the back. Would you like to come through?”

“Um – yes, yes please.”

“Come on then.” The man ushered them into the house, his mousy little wife scuttling before them.

“I’ve missed you boys,” the man said sincerely. “It’s been quiet without you.”

The garden was like the house – orderly, well set out and very neat; but sterile. Not like the one on the other side of the fence. The patio was neat enough, with plants in colourful pots and some bright stripy patio furniture. However, as soon as the patio ended, wilderness began.

“Anya,” the man called, “your visitors are here.” When there was no response the man frowned. “I wonder what they’re up to,” he said. “Come on, follow me.”

He led the way out of the back gate and into the lane, then through the next gate and into the garden beyond. After fighting their way through the wilderness they gained the patio. Leading the way through, as usual, the man, whose name Cal still had not been able to recall, rapped loudly on the door. When there was no answer he tried the handle and the door swung open.

“Anya, are you in? You’re visitors have arrived.”

That’s when they heard the scream. Pushing the startled man aside Cal leaped past him and sprinted across the kitchen. He knew exactly where to go, where the scream was coming from. In his haste he ran into the hall table and sent it crashing to the ground. He ignored it.

The basement door was, of course locked. He ran at it, almost breaking his shoulder. Ashton stopped him with a quiet hand on his arm. After looking into his eyes for a few moments Cal stepped aside.

Gathering himself Ashton paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Releasing the breath he executed a perfect side kick to the lock. There was a loud sound of wood splintering. On the second kick the door burst open and Cal flew past him, almost falling own the stairs in his haste.

The scene which greeted him under the glare of the harsh cellar lighting was nothing short of nightmarish. Kelly was kneeling on the floor with Anya in her arms, blood soaking into her jeans and spreading in a pool around her. She didn’t look up when they burst into the room and seemed oblivious to their presence. She was rocking her sister in her arms although it was pretty obvious that if Anya was not already dead she was close to it. The scalpel had slashed deeply.

Cal, however had no concern for either Kelly or Anya. His only interest from the moment he burst through the door was Jayden and he gave an anguished cry and ran to him.

For a horrible, twisting, gut wrenching moment Cal thought that he was dead. His chest was striped with shallow slashes and his abdomen was cut deeply and crudely stitched. There were slashes on his arms too and a huge dark bruise over his ribs. He was clearly unconscious, his head fallen forward on his chest and his long hair falling to obscure his face.

“Jayden,” Cal called softly. “Oh my God, Jayden please be alright. I'm so sorry. I should never have driven you away. I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry. Please be alright.” As he babbled, tears streaking his face, Cal raised Jayden’s head and pushed back the heavy hair. Jayden moaned and Cal’s weeping increased with the relief of realising that he wasn’t dead.

“Jay... Jay it’s me. Speak to me, please speak to me; say something if it’s only ‘fuck off’.”

“Fuck off,” Jayden mumbled and coughed, drawing in his breath sharply and with a deep moan.

“Are you alright?”

Jayden opened his eyes and smiled at Cal. “Do I look alright?”

“No, I have to admit that you actually look like complete crap.”

Jaden’s smile deepened. “Do you think that, instead of standing there insulting me, it might be more helpful if you got me down?”

“Oh God Jayden... I didn’t... I...”

“Cal,” he said gently, “just undo the ropes and I think you should be prepared for the fact that when you do I am going to fall on you because I think my ribs are broken and I know that my arm is and I... well actually I think it is very likely that I am going to pass out again. In fact I...” He didn’t finish because as soon as Call undid the buckle on the restraint that held his wrist, the pain in his arm exploded and tipped him over the edge of consciousness again.

Cal supported him with his body, calling for someone to help him undo the rest of the restraints. Jeff, snapped out of his shocked paralysis and ran across the room, fumbling with the buckles with fingers stiffened by horror.

As the buckles came undone Jayden sagged more and more against Cal. Slinging his arms over his shoulders and hugging him as tightly as he could without hurting him unbearably Cal struggled to support Jayden’s dead weight.

Finally Jayden was free and Cal lowered him gently onto his knees and then onto the floor. As the boys gathered around his eyelashes fluttered as his eyes opened and he stared dazedly up at them.

“Took your time didn’t you,” he murmured weakly.

The boys laughed awkwardly.

Suddenly Jayden’s eyes snapped wide. “Oh my God, Kelly... Anya...” Pushing Cal out of the way he struggled to rise.

“Jayden don’t. It’s not...”

“Get out of my way Cal,” Jayden said in a flat, cold voice.

“Please Jayden.”

“Cal...”

Silently Cal helped Jayden get onto his knees, which was all he could manage at that time, and the boys stepped out of the way, allowing him to crawl slowly towards his sisters, his broken arm draped awkwardly over Cal’s shoulders.

“Kelly...” Jayden said softly, “Oh Kelly what have you done?”

Turning his face from Kelly to Anya he started to weep silently. Cal supported him as he raised himself up onto his knees, careless of the pool of blood in which he was kneeling.

“Jayden, be careful.” Cal cautioned, eyeing Kelly who was still lost in her own private nightmare, her eyes wide and empty.

Ignoring him Jayden leaned forward painfully and cleared the blood soaked hair out of Anya’s face. Trying to ignore the oozing slash across her throat he stroked her cheek and gave a choked sob.

“I’m sorry Anya... I’m so sorry. I... I didn’t want it to end like this.”

Jayden’s hand touched Kelly’s and at the touch she blinked and her head came up.

“You...” she hissed. “You did this... it’s your fault. You made me... You did it all. You are evil. You... you don’t deserve to live.” Before anyone knew what she was doing she closed her hand around the scalpel which had fallen from her fingers and lay on the floor next to her knee. With a shriek she twisted and struck blindly upwards, feeling the scalpel sink deep into flesh, scraping off bone to slide deeper as the body automatically folded into the blow, convulsed and with nothing more than a gurgling sigh fell across her lap, knocking her backwards.

Kelly screamed and skittered back to be grabbed from behind by Jeff and dragged away from the scene of horror she had created. None too gently he found rope and bound her tightly, then left her to be watched over by the neighbour who was, for once shocked speechless.

The others were locked in shock, staring at the bodies on the floor, neither of which was moving at all.

A cry of pure anguish rose from the pit of Cal’s stomach and tore itself from his throat. “Nooo.”

He reached out with a trembling hand, which he snatched back before he actually touched anything.

Somehow more controlled than any of the others, Ashton knelt reverentially and carefully turned over the body of his friend. Wide glazed eyes gazed upwards from a face that was whiter than the shirt he wore and his fingers were still curled around the blade which protruded from his left side. Surprisingly little blood was seeping out between his fingers and it almost looked as if he wasn’t really that badly hurt, except that his breath was coming in huge bubbling gasps causing thick, dark blood to run freely from the side of his mouth.

“Easy. Try not to struggle too much. You’re going to be alright.”

The gory lips twitched into a smile and then formed around words that he couldn’t speak. His hand gripped Ashton’s convulsively for a few long moments and then relaxed as the horrible gurgling gasps stopped and a deep silence fell over the room.