The Final Winter

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“I better go check on Old Graham,” said Steph, leaving Jess and Nigel to look after Damien and Peter. Jess had started to feel desperately lonely since their numbers had halved. She just hoped the situation was temporary and that the others would return soon. Everyone except for Kath, that is. Jess wouldn’t care if she ever saw that woman again. She turned to Nigel. “Best settle in. It’s already been a long night.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Nigel replied.

The two of them slid down either side of the fire, leaving the middle clear so that its warmth could reach Peter on the sofa. Damien was still tied to a chair nearby, not as close to the fire as the rest of them. They’d dumped an assortment of blankets on him to keep him warm and he now looked how Jess imagined a geriatric, old woman would look knitting in front of the fire. She pulled a nearby duvet up over herself and let out a shiver.

“Not getting any warmer is it?” Nigel commented. “Don’t they say you should all huddle together to share warmth?”

“Yeah,” Jess agreed. “They do say that.”

Nigel patted the floor beside him. “Well? You want to come over?”

Jess tried to work the offer out. What was he suggesting? Nigel seemed like a nice guy – shy, if anything – so she assumed he was just being practical rather than intending anything else. Still, the suggestion made her uncomfortable.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m warm enough for now, but thanks for offering.”

For a half-second, Jess thought she saw anger flush Nigel’s face, but when he spoke, she realised it must have been her imagination. He was harmless.

“Don’t mention it,” he told her. “I just don’t like to see a young girl suffer.”

Jess giggled. “What a gentleman.”

“Unlike some.” Nigel nodded towards Damien.

Jess thought about that for a moment. Something still didn’t sit right about what had happened earlier. “I still can’t believe that he tried to hurt Steph.”

“Well, believe it! The guy’s a fucking animal and he’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”

Jess was taken aback. “Wow! Calm down. I was just saying it was a shock, that’s all.”

Nigel rubbed at his eyes and shook his head. His gold pinkie ring glinted in the fire light, the image of a dolphin shining for a split-second. “Yeah, course… I’m sorry. I’m just so angry that I wasn’t there to stop him sooner.”

“You stopped him soon enough,” Jess told him. “He never got to hurt Steph. Well, not in that way, you know?”

He nodded and smiled, yet something about the gesture made Jess feel uncomfortable. It felt as though she were being looked at through a mask. That perhaps Nigel’s smile was just a way of hiding something else.

But what?

“Do you mind holding down the fort for a couple minutes?” Jess asked. “I just want to see if Steph needs anything.”

Nigel’s smile never faltered. “No problem,” he said, looking her in the eye.

Jess shivered again; she was certain it wasn’t because of the cold. She stood up and hurried away, glancing back over her shoulder to check that she wasn’t being followed. Past the bar, she approached the darkness of the staff corridor. Jess felt even more then that something wasn’t right about Nigel, but her final glance back showed that the man was still seated in front of the fire. He wasn’t following. Jess felt stupid and paranoid. Nigel didn’t seem like he could hurt a fly.

Neither do frogs until they shoot out their slimy tongues and pull you in and swallow you whole.

When Jess stepped into the cellar doorway at the top of the stairs, she immediately felt the warmth from the fire below, flowing up and over her face. She shuddered at the pleasant feeling and started to take the steps downwards.

At the bottom, Steph sat near the barrel-fire with Old Graham. The two of them were chatting away like they didn’t have a care in the world. Steph looked up at Jess as she approached and asked, “Everything good up there?”

Jess shrugged. “I wouldn’t describe anything as good at the moment, but things are… stable.”

“How’s Peter?”

“Bad. I don’t know what to do for him. I’m hoping that the others come back soon with medicine or something to help.”

Steph bit her lip. Her face was swollen on one side where she’d been attacked and her right eye was half-closed. Jess wondered quite how much Steph had been affected by tonight’s earlier incident. It was obvious she was trying not to show her emotions, but the feisty barmaid didn’t seem quite as tough as usual. “Are you okay?” Jess asked her.

Steph seemed to snap out of a trance. “I’m fine. Just a bit worried, I guess, but that’s to be expected, right?”

“Hell yeah. You’d have to be made of stone not to be worried tonight. Speaking of which, how well do you know Nigel?”

Steph looked confused. “Nigel? Pretty well, I guess. Why?”

“He just makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

Steph shook her head. “He’s never caused any problems in the eight or nine months I’ve known him. Keeps to himself, more or less.”

“A nice guy… f-from… what I seen… tonight.” Old Graham had fallen into a drunken haze, but still managed to fade in and out of the conversation. “A nice… guy.”

“Maybe, I’m just being silly,” said Jess.

“I’d say so. The guy saved me from being raped tonight!”

Jess nodded. There was a good chance she was just paranoid as she’d suspected earlier. Having Steph confirm it made her feel much better. She would go back upstairs now and look after Peter, thinking no more about it. But first she wanted to check on Steph’s injuries. Someone needed to look after her too, especially after what had happened. “Let me have a quick look at your face, before I go back upstairs. You look pretty beat up.”

Steph waved a hand. “Don’t worry. Just a bruise.”

“I’d feel better all the same.” Jess slid down onto the floor besides her.

Half-asleep, Old Graham murmured something from the floor. “Let the girl… have a… look.”

Steph sighed and leaned forward. “Fine, just keep your hands away. It hurts bad enough as it is.”

Jess leaned forward slowly and cringed at the sight of Steph’s bulging cheek. Her misty blue eye above the injury was bloodshot and teary. A second injury on her forehead seemed just as painful. A throbbing, aggressive bump that was already turning purple. “Jesus, you really took a whacking.”

“Think I fell against the toilet bowl. Don’t really remember much more than that. Someone came out of the dark and hit me.”

“You don’t remember anything at all?”

Steph sighed. “No.”

She went to move her head away, but Jess stopped her. “Hold on a sec.” She looked closer at the wound on Steph’s cheek, suddenly noticing something as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cellar. It was something at the centre of the bruise, lighter in colour than the surrounding tissue. It formed a shape, maybe matching the surface of whatever had hit her. The outline seemed to resemble a…

Jess’ eyes went wide.

A dolphin.

The image was familiar and Jess scratched at her head while she tried to understand why. What could have hit Steph in the face that featured a small dolphin shape?

A ring with an engraving on it, maybe?

Jess’s breath caught in her throat at the realisation. “Holy shit! Nigel!”

“Did I hear someone say my name?” Nigel was walking down the stairs into the cellar.

Jess’s stomach cramped as she tried to think of something to say. All she could come up with was: “Hi, Nigel. Yeah, we were just talking about you. Steph just told me what nice guy you are.”

Nigel smiled at her. Jess finally understood what the expression was designed to disguise. It was indeed a mask.

Intended to hide a monster.

When Jess suddenly excused herself, Nigel had been concerned. Maybe his fumbled attempt at getting the girl to sit beside him had eroded the harmless veneer he worked so hard to maintain. It was possible that Jess had seen his true intentions.

Now, as Nigel entered the cellar, he wasn’t entirely sure. Jess certainly seemed jumpy at his presence but, considering the events of the last few hours, that was perhaps understandable. Steph seemed glad to see him, however, that much was clear; she’d smiled and waved a hand at him when he’d approached. It wasn’t surprising she trusted him. After all, he’d been working on gaining her confidence for the last eight months. As far as Steph was concerned, he was as harmless as a three-legged kitten with pneumonia.

Dumb fucking whore.

It didn’t matter if Jess suspected anything. They were both just his prey now; more victims to add to his mental highlight-reel of rape and torture. He figured he had at least an hour to have fun with them before he’d have to slit their throats, stash the bodies, and take a finger for his collection (and that was only if Harry and the others managed to make it back from the supermarket without freezing to death). Even if they did come back he’d have a story ready for them (and his trusty flick knife ready in his pocket just in case they didn’t believe it).

“Everything okay?” Jess asked him, still not giving away whether or not she suspected anything. “Shouldn’t someone be watching Damien and Peter?”

Nigel nodded, trying his best to look solemn. An emotion he couldn’t actually feel at all, but one he felt he was adept at emulating. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, sweetheart. I think Peter’s waking up. I heard him say your name.”

Jess didn’t react for a moment and Nigel wondered how well his lie had gone down. Finally, she replied, but made no attempts to get up and join him. “That’s wonderful,” she said. “Great news.”

“Well,” said Nigel, offering out his hand, “you going to come see the poor lad or not? I’m sure you’re the first thing he’d like to wake up to.”

Jess shifted uncomfortably as if determined not to get up. Eventually she had no choice but to concede.

“You’re right,” she said. “Be right there. I just need to talk to Steph about something first. Girl problems, you know? So, did you want to meet me up there in five minutes or so?”

She’s trying to warn Steph, the little bitch!

Nigel closed his eyes and fought away the urge to rip the girl apart right there and then, tasting her wet insides as she gulped her dying breaths. He had to work real hard to control himself and keep his cool. He would be nowhere without his control. Far better to have fun once everyone was tied up and under his power. That way there could be no surprises and the party could really get started.

“I think you should probably come now,” Nigel suggested, keeping his voice soft so as not to alarm an unsuspecting Steph. “What if he doesn’t make it and this was his last chance to speak to you, Jess?”

Steph placed an arm around the girl, before frowning directly at him. “That’s a little bit harsh, Nigel. Let’s not condemn the poor boy just yet.”

“Thanks,” Jess replied.

“I do agree with him though, honey. You should go right away. Peter hasn’t been conscious much tonight and you wouldn’t want to miss out on anything he could tell us about what happened outside.”

Nigel grinned. That’s a good girl. Always so eager to help daddy, aren’t you? Just like when you knocked yourself out for me in the toilets.

Nigel reached his hand out further to Jess. “That’s what I was trying to say. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sure Peter’s going to be just fine, but right now he needs you.”

Jess looked like one of the cats Nigel used to strangle as a child (before he moved onto women and children). Trapped and terrifyingly aware that death was quickly approaching, yet powerless to do anything about it. The girl was afraid; the sight of it made Nigel’s cock throb. He liked it so much better when they knew it was coming. Love that look in their eyes.

Jess started getting up, ignoring Nigel’s outstretched hand and rising tentatively, as though she expected a strong wind to blow her over at any moment. Nigel moved back and waited patiently by the stairs for her. To his irritation, Jess instead turned to Steph and held out a hand. “Will you come with me?”

Don’t even try it! Just take what’s coming to you and stop making things hard.

Nigel was relieved when Steph shook her head. Jess seemed to deflate like a leaking balloon.

“I can’t,” Steph told her. “I need to stay here and look after Old Graham.”

“But he’s asleep,” said Jess, the pleading and desperation in her voice was clear to Nigel. But is it clear to Steph? Much to his dismay, Steph did indeed seem to pick up on the girl’s veiled pleas and was now staring at Jess as if trying to work her out. Nigel held his breath, waiting for the outcome.

“Okay,” said Steph. “I’ll come with you, but we’ll have to be quick.”

Damn it!

Nigel stood, irritated, as the two women huddled up and waited for him to lead on. It was obvious Steph had picked up on something in Jess’s tone, but he doubted she suspected anything specific, anything close to the truth. She knew something was up, but, as long as he didn’t leave the two of them alone, she wouldn’t figure out what until it was far far too late.

Nigel started to creep up the stairs, making sure the women followed. He kept his steps slow so that Jess couldn’t fall behind and whisper something to Steph without him hearing. When they reached the top, he stepped aside and ushered the women past him. From behind, he moved them into the candlelight of the bar and was immediately hit by the sub-zero temperature. It wasn’t even biting cold any longer, but a far deeper sensation that his very blood was turning to ice in his veins. “Come on,” he said, “let’s get over to the fire.”

The women walked ahead and he kept close behind, rubbing his palms against his arms to try and generate some friction and heat – but the only thing getting him hot right now was watching Steph move. He thought about all the things that he could do to that sexy, slender body that would warm him up for the rest of the night. The only thing left to figure out was the best way to take Jess out of the picture. For now he’d let things play out and wait for an opportunity to present itself. The flick knife in his pocket made Nigel consider just stabbing the girl and being done with it, but that would be a waste. He had to have his fun with her first. If Steph was going to be the main course, then Jess would be dessert. I’ll eat her nipples as cherries, Nigel thought as he let slip an excited laugh. He quickly stifled it when the women looked at him.

“Something funny, Nigel?” Steph asked.

He quickly shook his head. “Just the craziness of tonight making me a little loopy. I get the giggles when I’m nervous.”

“And why would you be nervous?” Jess asked in a tone that he didn’t like at all. It was almost goading.

“Well,” he said, “there’s a lot to worry about tonight, isn’t there, sweetheart?”

Jess took a step backwards and was nodding as though she knew a punch-line to a joke that no one had told. Nigel felt his blood pressure rising as he fought the urge to rip into the girl and punish her insolence. She kept her eyes fixed on him as she continued stepping backwards. Steph was watching from a few feet away, visibly unsure of what was about to unfold. Nigel took steps of his own, keeping pace with Jess.

Like a predator stalking its prey.

“Or are you nervous,” Jess said, “because you lied about Peter being awake? Look at him, he’s still unconscious.”

Nigel grinned. Of course Peter was still unconscious; the kid was as good as dead. He looked down at the boy and had to stifle another laugh. Pity he isn’t awake. He could have watched while I fuck his girlfriend.

Jess took another step backwards, placing herself up against the wall beside the fire. No more space to retreat. Nigel continued approaching.

You’re trapped now, bitch.

“Or,” Jess continued, “are you nervous because I know that you’re the one that tried to rape Steph?”

Nigel looked at Steph and watched the sudden shock wash over her. She took a sharp intake of breath. Jess’s revelation had sucked the wind out of him as well. He’d expected her to try and blow his cover, but the fact that she’d done right in front of Steph hurt him. Nigel hadn’t wanted Steph to know the truth about him until the very last moment.

Nothing to be done now though. Time to start ripping flesh.

Nigel lunged at Jess like a snake uncoiling. Such momentum did he have that he was powerless to change direction as the teenaged girl swung at him with the fire poker she’d somehow grabbed from its rack without him seeing.

The last thing Nigel thought as the steel rod arced towards his skull was…