Sweet Menace Page 12

  “You know nothing about me.” -I said defiantly, but still I obeyed his order and stepped out of my van.

  “And so what? What should I know of you that can change what I feel?” -He questioned.

  Impatiently, I thought about it hard. Looking into his eyes was a deterrent to think with clarity.

  “How much he paid you?” -I managed to say at last.

  “What are you talking about?” -Sam argued with raised hands.

  “You know what I’m asking. How much Jerome paid you to conquer my bed?” -A tear slid down my face, falling hard to the road.

  “Why are you asking this?”

  “Why? Because I want to know how muchitcosts a woman between friends. Because you are a hog. Your friend is an ass. Because I might have liked you, but not like this. Because you deserve all the hate in the world.”

  Said so, I climbed back in my van and kept driving -skipping his car by driving in the ditch at the road side. I didn’t stop until I was so far from home that I could just hope to forget my way back and erase the last week from my memory.

  People around the world fulfill acts of witchcraft every day. A birthday party without candles to blow and wishes to make is after all a mere gathering.

  A wedding without cake to be tasted by both groom and bride is just an union that will eventually lack of health and love.

  Throwing coins in a water well in order of getting wishes granted is playing with luck, trying to get the odds on your benefit.

  Food has always been the most powerful tool for magic, thus for my Maghik. The first wine was originated as a strong love potion gone wrong. The recipe was distilled to the point were no Maghik was used at all, but still remained as inspiration to many witches. Women take wine to relax. Wine glass in hand, body submerged in a bubble bath, is nothing less than a ritual. Rituals are Maghik too.

  Food contains the energy of everything: of wellbeing, happiness, strength, love and sex.

  Nothing has more elements covered than honey. That’s a key ingredient when thinking on love and sex. My Maghik is spirituality and is even mentioned in Bibles:“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…”

  Maghik is everywhere these days. Not in the magic described in books. Not in cauldrons and brooms and child-eating old woman. But true Maghik. In pacts sealed with saliva. Deals made up with blood. Agreements paid with flesh.

  Maghik is in pain and in feelings. In what I’m made of.

  Right now, eating in a cheap fast food, I only felt hatred. I was so ignorant and blind to Sam’s real intentions. I wanted him to love me. I needed him to like me. And it was all a cheap deception. I had fallen straight to him, almost giving him what he was planning to get since the beginning. How clever of him! Winning my trust first to then brag about how easy I made it for him.

  The food tasted like clay, making me miss my kitchen deeply. Going back home was the cleverest thing to do. Bake a huge batch of something edible and then go to Patrick’s funeral service, fake mourning tears and feed the people with it until their bellies explode. Belly bombs made a good name for the treat. Feed them all but leave Sam to the very ending. He was to be my final artwork. A death worthy of a masterpiece.

  It was still daylight when I drove back home. My opportunity was still alive. Maybe the last chance to bring death. On my way home I stopped at a hardware store and bought a gallon of acid to erase my fingerprints from the dagger before getting rid of it. I considered vanishing the dagger with more Maghik but many things could go wrong. Ovens on, I mixed all the ingredients to my gooey double chocolate cookies. Not only I mixed it all but scrambled together the perfect spell to make them pay for everything. Hardly, I recognized I was laughing like a maniac, but yes it happened.

  “Poisons gathered all around.

  Come to me, let’s make a bound.

  I implore the powers from past;

  To make them suffer and die fast.”

  Perhaps I added a little too much of the acid to the mix. Maybe a little extra evilness found its way to the dough. Soon the oven was off and the cookies were soft and warm. If I hadn’t known what was ghostly waiting inside I would have engulfed them all in a single seat, that’s how good they looked. But I knew better. A passive death covered with melted chocolate.

  The sun was waving away behind my window curtains and the night mist was rising fast as frothed milk. Quickly, I placed the cookies in a warming tray and changed my clothes to a semi-respectful black outfit fitting the occasion.

  I drove by Regal’s house several times before finding an empty spot close by. The cookies were to stay in the van until Patrick’s body was taken away. Just then, when people start crying like babies, I would take care of their pained souls.

  “Thanks for coming.” -Ms. Regal told me as soon as I set foot on her house. -“Come to help me, my dear.”

  She was acting very weird, as if my early visit hadn’t happened and as if she hadn’t blamed me for Patrick’s death. Following her to the kitchen, I saw Lavender with the corner of the eye. I preferred to ignore her presence just as I ignored the others.

  “Thanks for the pastries you left early. You saved my life. Ihave no strength to cook a grilled sandwich for myself.” -She said gratefully.

  “Not a problem. Anything I can do to help.” -I answered with confusion.

  “Oh, Officer Whilhey is desperately looking for you. Maybe you should see him.” -Mrs. Regal winked at me. -“How’s everything going on with him? Is he husband material?”

  I ignored the last question and focused just on answering the first part.

  “He can wait. You need my help in this moment of pain, so here I am.” -I advised. -“I’ll make some coffee and hot cocoa.”

  “What we’ll do without you? You’re an angel, sweetie. Oh, there’s also Viktor looking for you. Nice guy too. Now your life is getting interesting, dear. Don’t waste the chance. Life is short.”-And she left after pinching both of my cheeks.

  Sorrow assaulted me unexpectedly but I shove it away. I was laughing inside for what was going to happen. She was right. Life is short. For some of them would be shorter. My revenge would see light at last. But I wondered why I wasn’t feeling glorious for the occasion. I was supposed to be celebrating the upcoming slaughter. Then why wasn’t I? Fast I went to my van, taking the still warm cookies with me. Soon this would be over. Soon I would end all this. A wedding would have been better occasion but a funeral would do. A little girl intercepted me in the walkway.

  “Can I have some, Baker? I’ll be good. Pinky promise!” -She said extending her little finger. My heart was assaulted suddenly and I understood why I wasn’t feeling glorious. This girl reminded me of Lilly. Would I be able to poison Lilly if she gets in my way? If she mocks my walking, would I be so malicious and vile to feed her with a killer pony cake?

  A commotion broke in the balcony and I walked pass the girl without answering. People gathered, maybe they were gossiping about the manner of death and who would be next if the killer wasn’t caught soon. I came close trying to listen to the fuss but there was no chatting. It was an emergency.

  “Please, stay back. He needs air.” -Someone yelled with authoritarian voice. -“Move away.”

  I asked the people I found on my way outside until Ms. Regal herself came looking for me.

  “Oh, dear. You better go. They took him to the hospital.” -She said, tears gathering in her old eyes.

  “Who’s going to the hospital?” -I asked. Nerves attacked me relentless. My spine was sweating hard.

  “Poor Sam. He got sick. We don’t know whathappened to him. He was sweating cold.” -She said cleaning her forehead and cheeks with a handkerchief. -“He’ll get better if he sees you.”

  I ran to my van and drove at fast speed. At the distance I could see the blinking lights of a car patrol driving straight to the hospital. When I stormed into the emergency room, the receptionist told me to wait until she came back. Pacing up and down I
asked myself why she took so long in returning. Officer Evo came outside and I asked him for Sam.

  “They are going to make blood samples. Nobody knows anything about him, so they don’t know what he has.” -He informed.

  “He has a sugar condition.” -I hastened to say.

  Officer Evo guided me inside to the receptionist, who was also a nurse attending Sam. I told her what I knew and they treated him faster, managing to stabilize him on time.

  Officer Evo and I stood on the waiting room until the doctor came to talk to us. As he was on duty with Sam when the situation occurred, Officer Evo could receive the medical report.

  “Morgan?” -The doctor called my name. I introduced myself as Sam’s closest friend in the town. -“The patient is resting but he calls for you. Try to calm him, he’s very irritated. And make arrangements with his family to come for the discharge and medical follow ups tomorrow.”

  A nurse guided me to where Sam was resting. I didn’t know how to feel. If scared and relieved that he was in the hospital, but was getting better; or angry at him for having ruined my plans to kill them all, he included.

  I stood by his bedside looking at him. Instantly I felt relieved. That’s why I hate myself. My heart is becoming soft and I hate myself for that.

  “Hey.” -Sam said trying to laugh. -“You’re here!”

  “Of course I am.” -I assured him. He extended his hand at me and I doubted to take it but I surrendered at last. I couldn’t forget how mad I was with him. All this time I was just a silly bet between macho-men. I was just a gamble to who gets the defective baker to bed first.

  “I’m sorry.” -He said.

  “Don’t say anything, please. You need to rest.” -I tried to shut him.

  “I need to tell you, Morgan.” -Sam forced himself to sit in the stretcher and I helped him when the difficulty was obvious. -“I care about you.”

  “I don’t need this, Sam. I just need to know you’re fine to call your family. The doctor needs to talk to them.”

  “Don’t tell them anything. They don’t know about this.” -He said, his lips shaking.

  “I’m sorry, Sam. They’re your family. They deserve to know.” -I protested.

  “You can pass for family. Just say you’re my wife and we’ll fix all the medical papers and I’ll go home as if nothing has happened.” -He begged.

  “Things don’t work this way, Sam. I’m not your wife and never will. We both know that. I can help you while you leave the hospital but I’m calling Mamma.” -At the mention of Sam’s mother my heart gave a flip. She gave me so much love in just one afternoon than what I received in my whole life. She deserved to know her son was ill and needing her care. I walked away from him, preparing myself to call Mamma and Elizabeth.

  “Morgan, I haven’t finished.” -He told me with tantrum.

  “For the moment I’m done, Sam Whilhey. I’ll be back after a few phone calls.”

  The phone rang several times but nobody picked it up. I was getting impatient with the wait. Maybe they weren’t home. I dialed again and, this time, someone answered at last.

  “Hallo?” -Lilly’s sweet voice traveled fast, taking me to the warmth of their home.

  “Lilly, hi! Is Morgan. Is mommy home?” -I asked, deep inside I wanted to hug her.

  “Mom. Is Aunty Morgan!” -Lilly informed in loud voice. -“Aunty! Today I ate my pony cake. I found the candy surprise inside. It was awesome.”

  Impressed by Lilly’s rich vocabulary, I was about to praise her when Elizabeth took the phone.

  “Hello, Morgan. How are you? Is everything okay?”

  “I’m fine, but Sam’s sick.” -I said trying to keep it cool. -“Don’t get scared. He’s stable but he’s having problems with his sugar levels. He’s in the hospital for observation during the following 24 to 48 hours.”

  “Oh my God.” -She managed to say. -“And how is he dealing with all this?”

  “He’s doing fine.” - I tried to calm her. -“The doctor needs a family member for the discharge.”

  “Mamma is asleep. She had a fall yesterday and is under meds. I can drive there tomorrow night after taking Mamma to some X-Rays. Maybe my husband can take a few days off to take care of Lilly. Can you watch over Sam until then?”

  “Of course I will. I’ll stay there with him.” -Suddenly I had compromised myself with taking care of Sam, be with him all the time, for more than twenty four hours. What a bad wicked witch I am! Yeah, right. Bad in the weakest sense of the word.

  I informed the doctor about the time Elizabeth would be there. Officer Evo offered to watch over Sam while I went home. I drove back, confused and scared. Quickly I disposed the killer cookies, another great opportunity has been lost and this wasn’t my fault. After a quick shower, I hurried to grab some snacks to go and coats to sleep in the coldness of the hospital.

  Back in the Emergency Room, Officer Evo awaited for my return. I gave him a coffee from the vending machine and he sipped it despite its hotness.

  “Looks like you have a faithful admirer, Baker. Whilhey can’t stop talking about you.” -Officer Evo complained. -“Luckily, the doctor gave him some medication and he fell asleep.”

  “Thanks for watching him, Evo. Go home and have some rest.”

  Night in hospital passes by slowly and tortuous. I knew I dozed off in the uncomfortable chair beside Sam’s stretcher, my head resting close to his lap.

  “You should help me go home.” -Sam whispered during the night. His fingers tangled in my hair, tickling my head with soft caresses. I couldn’t decide if he was conscious or the medications were the ones to blame. -“Nobody needs to know.”

  “Sorry. I can’t let anything bad happen to Uncle Sam the Jam. Your family will never forgive me. We’ll stay right here until the doctor says otherwise.”

  When the lights finally went out it was beyond one in the morning. Sam was peacefully asleep and I was so tired that I leaned my head in the bed close to Sam. Minutes might have passed, but it could also be hours. I opened my eyes. My eyelids were tired and sore but through my lashes I saw a nurse putting some medication in the IV. I straightened in the chair and jumped fast. The nurse’s eyes were red, just like Edora’s when I saw her in the woods behind my house.

  “Too late, Morgan.” -The nurse said. -“Why couldn’t you stay away from him?”

  A laugh accompanied her through the short corridor. Sam started writhing in pain and I grabbed the IV, noticing a purple haze dancing in the previously transparent medicine. Pulling it hard I managed to take it off before the toxin could make contact with his veins. Blood splattered all over, including my face but I couldn’t care less.

  “Oh, shit.” -Grunted Sam. -“What have you done?”

  Then I understood it all. What would I say? How to explain what I have done? I remained silent for long minutes hoping that he would fall asleep but he didn’t. He stood still, waiting for an answer that I couldn’t give. I couldn’t tell him about the poison or the nurse with fire eyes. I couldn’t tell him about witches or even my Maghik.

  The IV sprayed some drops to the floor and the sterile white tiles turned black and smoky. I threw the rest of the liquid to a biomedical garbage close by. Maybe I should go after the nurse, maybe she was momentarily possessed. Maybe she was the witch and I was letting her escape.

  “Don’t.” -Sam protested when I turned to leave. -“I know why you’re doing this.”

  I stood still, giving him time to continue talking.

  “You’re mad at me. And you have all right to be angry. But I apologized to you already. I’m so sorry, Morgan. It wasn’t my intention to hurt you.”

  He extended his hand at me and, although I was dying to take it, I held my ground. Maybe if I stayed with Sam there, he could be safe. It was better to stay with him and left the witch-nurse go away.

  “How much did he pay you?” I demanded to know.

  “Why does it matter? More or less money would have made no difference. And for your information, I g
ave the money back.” -Sam confessed.

  “How much?” -I asked again, this time showing my aversion.

  “You’re so stubborn, Morgan, so stubborn that’s irritating.” -Sam said, almost defeated.

  “Then stop looking for me. Now that we know the truth behind your interest, you can stop acting.” -I grunted sadly. He denied with the head, as if I was speaking in a foreign language and he couldn’t understand a single word. -“How much he gave you? I won’t ask again, Sam Whilhey. You owe it to me.”

  “I owe you nothing.” -He answered defensively.

  “Okay. Then bye.” -I told him, grabbing my coat and a blanket I had taken with me. Not looking back again, I walked straight to the exit. Not straight, straight, but I imagined I was walking away in stilettos and lace tights to make my exit more dramatic. A heavy noise ruined my escape plan, forcing me to look back. Sam was falling from the stretcher to the floor while he yelled words I didn’t hear.

  Dumb of me, but I ran back to help him up. The noise still echoed in my mind and while he spoke I couldn’t distinguish the words.

  “Five hundred dollars. That’s the money Jerome offered me. The day after the wedding I went to his house and left the money with Lavender. I told him I was not that kind of man and you were not his kind of woman. Maybe we were made to be together. He never spoke to me again, nor went looking for me to make me change my mind.” -He repeated after he was settled back in the hospital bed. -“I’m very sorry. I wouldn’t have done that to you.”

  Thinking about all this, I stood silent and covering my face for a few hours. Something was broken between us. Something that never came to be anyway. But just the same it was broken. I was broken. My pride. My soul. My heart.

  At some time around midday, the doctor returned and scolded us for Sam not having the IV. Sam said nothing and I didn’t mention a word.

  “I have a question for you.” -Sam’s voice broke the silence spell in the emergency room. I looked back at him. I was certain the shadows under my eyes were darker than a burnt bottom of a cauldron. -“Why you feel so offended for this?”

  “There’s a reason why I shouldn’t feel this way? Because if there is one, I need to know it.” -I riposted softly.