Fiction - Thriller - Ashes

 Ashes

 

Chapter 1

A noise woke her with a start. She normally slept well but something had disturbed her. The blinds were closed and the room was dark except the dull glow of the bedside alarm clock. She kept still and listened. There was someone in the room, someone searching through the drawers. She was afraid but also angry. Gunther had assured her that this would never happen, she would be safe, there would be people looking out for her. But here was some one going through her possessions. She could tell they were becoming impatient, making a mess throwing her clothes on the floor, some landing on the bed, on her feet. They were moving faster, making more noise.

She knew they wouldn’t find what they were looking for in the drawers. It wasn’t there.

“Right you fat old cow” a man said coming over to the bed. “Where is it?”

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“Stupid bitch!” He spat and punched her in the head. “Just fucking tell me!” She could taste blood in her mouth, her nose started to run and she could feel tears welling from the stinging blow. He knelt over her on the bed. “Hear this?” There was a metal clicking sound in her ear. “ I’m going to cut off your fingers one at a time till you tell me!”  He grabbed one of her hands.

“No please…. I’ll tell you.” She stammered. “Please…. I’ll tell you.” He got off the bed and she tried to sit up.

“Where? Hurry up.”

“Over there  in the walk-in wardrobe…. There’s a  box on the top shelf…..”

“Where the fuck….” He said turning round and crossing the room.

“That’s it …there is a light switch on the right, ” she encouraged. He groped  in the dark for a few seconds. She heard the door slid open with a bang and then the light came on. She was startled when she saw him, a skinhead, a tall well built neo-Nazi thug, dressed all in black.  He had moved into the wardrobe and she could hear boxes and cases crashing on to the floor. Her anger came back.

There was muffled swearing from inside the wardrobe and then it went quiet. He reappeared in the doorway silhouetted against the light.

“You fucking old….” A bullet ripped into his throat. Another popping sound came from the bed and a second bullet smashed into his head sending him backwards into her clothes where he fell dead.

She lowered the gun and calmed herself before picking up the phone. She dialled a local number and waited until a disgruntled man answered.

“Do you know what time it is? This better be good.”

“There is rubbish on my floor, come and take it away -  now.”

“What?” There was a pause as the person tried to make sense of what they were hearing. “ What are you talking about?”

“I am very angry Gunther. I’m an old woman, you said this would not happen.”

“What has happened?”

“You can see for yourself when you get here,” she said shortly. There was a pause and then he asked.

“Did they get anything?”

“No. I took care of it.” Neither of them spoke for a moment and then she said. “I’m fine, no need to ask how I am.”

“Yes, of course, sorry, how are….”

“…save it Gunther. I hope you will be better organised in cleaning up this mess than you were at preventing it!” There was silence, then she continued. “My God this would never have happened in the old days. People knew how to do their duty, back then there were consequences for people who failed…serious consequences.”

“I’ll be there immediately.”