‘Who?’
‘Day-after-day-after-day-after-day. He just wouldn’t stop. I’d watch him beat her senseless. The belt, the shoes, the iron chord and obviously, his fists.’ He laughed, quietly.Doctor Jacob pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose for the third time. He was listening very conscientiously.Sineas continued, ‘He would laugh. Laugh like it was all just a joke. He would bring her into my room at ten, eleven o’ clock at night, dragging her by her hair.’ He laughed again, briefly. ‘He would wake me up. He would force me to watch as he stripped her…as he beat her, right in front of me. The screams. The screams. The screams she made. I couldn’t take it. Watching your mother being put through that. What hurts the most is that I can’t remember most of it. The much more brutal parts. I know they’re in there in my mind. I just can’t reach them. You never know what true
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Psych 52. What a Day
The impact slammed his forehead violently into the top of the steering wheel. His head was thumping aggressively when he pulled it back. The tree had stopped the car but the front did not look good. The wipers were still working however and they continued to temporarily clear the windshield unaware that their services might no longer be needed for a while. Doctor Jacob looked outside his window, trying to see something he could at least recognize. It was too dark to see anything. The never ending rain made it worse. He rubbed his head several times with one hand whilst the other groped around under his seat. He finally found the flashlight. He opened the door and stepped outside. He walked towards the bonnet, waving his flashlight in every direction. He could see several houses about a hundred to two hundred metres away. When he got to the front of the car he realized that there was not much damage. He opened it and smoke immediately steamed into his face. He took a step back an
Psych 53. Escape
Friday had finally arrived. Sineas’ favourite day of the week. In fact, he was convinced that it was everyone else’s favourite too. Class with Mr. Regwizini was a lot calmer than it had been with Mr. Sawyer. Trevor had apparently stepped way out of line with his rebellion and he was slapped with a five-day suspension from Principal Stanley. Sineas however had already begun to think that the rugby and basketball teams, mainly Justin’s squad, were invincible and could not be reprimanded by the laws of the school. Clarissa was sitting in her new spot again, right in the centre of the class watching Mr. Regwizini scribbling on the board, explaining Advanced Level trigonometry. The speech she had given him on Thursday had left him completely lost for words. It had made him think. He could not think of anything else after that. He felt guilt and shame but at the same time, he was curious. Was it more logical to believe Aunt Janice’s theory, that no one
Psych 54. The Ex
‘And what have you been up to?’ Sineas asked her.She sighed deeply. ‘Inspector Charles threatened me with a summons last night.’‘A summons?’‘Yeah, that document that demands your presence in court and or whatever. It concerns the deaths of Justin and Miss Bale.’‘He doesn’t honestly think that you did that, does he?’ He sounded bewildered.‘Perhaps…perhaps not. He claims that it’s just “standard procedure”. I’m convinced that it has something to do with the fact that I dated Justin.’‘But you said he only threatened you with it…’‘Yes. He said he’d drag me to court if I refused to come to the station tonight for an “interview”, he called it.’‘So you’re going?’‘What choice do I have, Sineas? I’ll look even guiltier if I don’t.’&lsqu
Psych 55. At the Stake
‘Evening, Miss Sherman,’ he said then closed the door.She gave him a frightened ‘good evening’ then tightened her hands between her knees.The inspector grabbed a few files here and there, opened one of the cabinets then sat down behind his desk. His expression was now neutral. ‘I’m sure you are aware of why you are here?’ he asked her.She nodded, quietly.‘Good,’ he leaned in, clasping his hands on top of the desk. ‘Malrich has had quite a number of crimes in its wake: petty crime, vandalism, corporate fraud, shoplifting and public disturbances like noise complaints from parties…Basically, Miss Sherman, I’m talking about slap-on-the-wrist crimes.’‘Your…’ she cleared her throat and tried to put on the bravest expression she could, ‘…Your point, sir?’The inspector gave a short, hoarse laugh as if he could smell her fear. He said, &lsqu
Psych 56. Back to the Drawing Board
Inspector Charles’ mind was a labyrinth. So many twists and turns were sprouting in his head. Like a spider web with no beginning and no end. He was suffocating inside it. He tried to reach for the surface but he felt something pulling him back into the deep. Into the cosmic nothingness. He stood staring through his window onto the dark and empty street. He was silent, looking hard…at nothing in particular. He had told Clarissa to sit on a bench in the waiting room. James was standing behind his desk, right beside the chair Clarissa had been sitting in. Finally, the inspector spoke. ‘How did he die?’‘Sir, I’ve already told you twice…’‘Yes, but I want to hear it a third time. Now tell me; how did Doctor Jacob die?’James sighed. ‘Murder, sir. He was murdered. The same way Brittany Bale and Justin Foyer were: countless and deep gashes in the spine, dismembered body parts: arms, legs, torso and head.’There was a short silence between them.‘And where did you say y
Psych 57. The Drill
Clarissa rolled her eyes once again and pulled her hand away. ‘Mom, what does he have to do with what we’re talking about right now? I’m the murder suspect, not Sineas.’ ‘Yes, dear, but I’m telling you, that boy is trouble- I can feel it in my bones.’ ‘But Sineas is a good guy! He’s not like all the other boys in our school. He’s totally…’ ‘Please don’t tell me that he’s different, Claire because I don’t think I can take much more.’ ‘Mom, if only you knew how kind he is, he’s also funny and charming and very smart…’ ‘Justin was smart. And if I recall, he was funny too…and kind. Two months later and you were wishing you had never met him.’ Clarissa replied, ‘Justin was a jerk from the beginning. I just rolled with it because Sabrina and Doreen convinced me that a guy like Justin was a rare find.’ ‘And don’t you think it’s a matter of time before this Murphy boy also shows his true colours? Claire, his own mother escaped from a m
Psych 58. Visage
‘I don’t, Aunt Janice. Believe me, if I did I would tell you.’ ‘Maybe you’re thinking that you can keep her safe but she’s in danger, Sin. She could hurt someone, or herself.’ ‘When I last saw her she looked pretty fine to me,’ he mumbled angrily. ‘And when was that?’ She asked now eyeing him closely. ‘I saw her not too long ago...’ he noticed her look getting more and more suspicious, ‘…before she escaped,’ he concluded. ‘Sineas, I thought we talked about this. You do not see your mother without me.’ ‘I’m sorry, Aunt Janice but this is my mother. I have every right…’ Smack! She had slapped him clean across the face with her left, just below his right eye. His face burned with pain. He had felt the flesh on his right cheek shift to the left from the force. She shot up onto her feet. She was fuming, her fists clenched shut. She looked in the opposite direction, her right hand pointing towards the stairs. ‘I
Psych 59. Scars
The sudden attack had surprised him. But he didn’t mind. ‘Why?’ he played along.‘Because it’s a beautiful day, Sin. The sun is smiling down on us. The birds are singing for us and the air is just…’ she took one long and sharp breath with her mouth, ‘…marvellous!’‘You sound like a holiday infomercial.’She laughed exuberantly and playfully nudged his shoulder.They finally walked past the couple. Sineas had decided to make way for them on the narrow path. He tried to tug on Clarissa’s hand but she pulled back. She didn’t look like she wanted to budge. Luckily, they avoided an awkward collision. The older couple made room for them and Sineas and Clarissa continued on. She was wearing an exultant look on her face. Sineas looked over his shoulder. The man looked like he understood.‘So, how did it go at the station?’ Sineas asked her.Her face immediately bec