At around twelve o'clock on the second Sunday after moving, the noise from John and Heather next door started again. It seemed to continue nonstop, day and night, and it was always the same.
Pennyfather and they were constantly engaged in arguments. It all began with a minor thing Heather had mentioned to her. It appeared that John had an extremely volatile temper, and even the tiniest thing could trigger him. Subsequently, there would be intense yelling and shouting, leading to Heather fleeing outside. She would be crying loudly, covering her face with her hands, and finding solace in the Garden. Heather would sit on the old, pale blue swinging seat at the bottom of the Garden, trembling and sobbing. Mrs. Pennyfather couldn't help but feel deep sympathy.
Pennyfather reminisced about the time when the Krobobles re
...sided next door in their grand white house, complete with an ivory-covered front and a double pale blue garage. However, as their children grew up and left home, the Krobobles found the house to be too large and chose to move closer to the city to be near their children. The absence of the Kroboble kids playing happily in their splendid garden marked a change. Approximately a year ago, the McKenzie family also relocated. Mr. McKenzie's new job as a volunteer doctor in South America necessitated their move, as he believed his skills were more needed there. Despite these changes, Monday mornings in July on Winter Street, just south of Southern California, remained constant, with the sun shining brilliantly and the sound of sprinklers from the Garden Centre across the street blending with the noise of an old gasoline lawnmower furthe
down the road.
Mrs. Pennyfather observed the neighboring drive and noticed the absence of John and Heather's cars. John owned a vintage, brown Cadillac 4litre that emitted a loud rumble as he swiftly departed. In contrast, Heather's vehicle stood out as it was an old European car known as a Beetle. The lime green color of the car was further accentuated by a small yellow flower adorning its curved bonnet.
Mrs. Pennyfather believed that cars accurately depicted their owners. Heather appeared delicate and petite, yet fun-loving beneath her husband's sullen and irritable demeanor. Although nothing out of the ordinary occurred on Winter Street that day, in the evening only John's car had made it back to the driveway, while Heather's car was missing. It was possible that something had occurred, according to Mrs. Pennyfather.
Pennyfather speculated that perhaps one of their arguments had escalated to the point where he had done something to Heather. She felt sympathy for her, thinking that poor Heather might be in trouble. However, she quickly dismissed this thought and reasoned that there must be a logical explanation for Heather's absence. Perhaps she was simply running late from work or had other commitments. Mrs. Pennyfather acknowledged that there were numerous reasonable explanations for why Heather hadn't come home immediately after work. Nonetheless, a feeling deep down inside told her that something was amiss.
Pennyfather had a feeling that something might be wrong and wondered how little Heather would fare against it. However, she also acknowledged that despite their arguments, they also had their happy moments. Mrs. Pennyfather often witnessed them sitting outside their beautiful new house, cherishing the evenings together.
Despite her initial hesitations,
Mrs. Pennyfather decided to verify the situation by visiting Heather's location. To her surprise, John, who usually dressed professionally, answered the door looking unkempt and disheveled in an old tracksuit. However, what concerned her even more were the hidden signs that couldn't be seen from a distance - John's unwashed and unshaven face and his bloodshot eyes indicating a lack of sleep.
"Hello John, I was hoping to speak with Heather," Mrs. Pennyfather asked cautiously.
John appeared nervous and scared when questioned, responding with minimal conviction. His response was hesitant, saying "I... erm... believe she has gone to stay with her friend for a few days." Mrs. Pennyfather confidently asked if there was a way to contact her, feeling she had the upper hand. John's face filled with anger upon hearing this question as he angrily replied, "No, I don't know where she has gone. Maybe she simply hasn't returned from work, or perhaps her car has broken down. How am I supposed to know? All I know is that she and her car are not here. Now, could you please leave me alone?"
Pennyfather hurriedly left the house, hearing the door slam loudly. She ran through John's Garden in the dark and didn't notice a hidden sprinkler in the tall grass. This caused her to trip over it and feel a sharp pain before landing facing the house. From this position, she saw glimpses of tires and an exhaust pipe under the closed garage doors. Carefully, she stood up and quietly moved closer to get a better look.
Looking through a wide opening in the wooden doors, she saw Heather's small car parked and felt dismayed to see
a crumpled figure lying face down on the back seats. She silently mouthed "Heather!" but refrained from making any sound out of fear. With great speed, she ran across the garden and hurried back to her house using her elderly legs as quickly as possible. Throughout the night, she lay in bed fully dressed, hiding beneath the covers. Overwhelmed with terror, she trembled intensely like a frightened child.
Tomorrow she would have to inform someone, but who? All her friends and family had either passed away or relocated, so she would have to go directly to the police. As she woke up the next morning, having not slept at all, she was startled by her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot and weighed down. However, she was resolute in ensuring that John would not escape the consequences of whatever he had done to Heather. Later that evening, Mrs.
Pennyfather acknowledged her significant error when the police unexpectedly paid a visit to the neighboring house only to discover John and Heather leisurely enjoying television on the couch. Although the police had reassured her they would not disclose her involvement in prompting their check on the neighboring house, Pennyfather was convinced that John could deduce her role based on their previous night's conversation. Mrs.
Pennyfather quickly put on her shoes and headed to her neighbor's garden, determined to apologize. When she arrived at the front door, she noticed that it was slightly open, which was common during warm weather but unusual for nighttime safety reasons. Despite knocking on the doorframe twice, there was no response. However, Pennyfather had a strong belief that someone was inside because the door
hadn't been tampered with since a previous police incident. Interestingly, when she looked through the gap in the door, she heard scratching coming from the cupboard under the stairs.
With caution, she opened the door and heard scratching. Sneaking inside, she attempted to speak but was unable to make any sound. As she moved towards the cupboard under the stairs, she continued to hear scratching. The fear that John had deceived the authorities and trapped Heather inside compelled her to urgently open the door. Opening the door was essential in order to save Heather.
In a swift motion, she approached the door and swiftly unlatched it. A startled shriek escaped Mrs. Pennyfather as she witnessed John emerging from the cupboard, his hands and feet securely tied, and his mouth forcefully silenced with a gag, his face drenched in blood. His eyes suddenly widened, and in that moment of connection, she could feel his agony. Mrs.
Pennyfather was completely unaware of the situation unfolding before him. Suddenly, it appeared as though his gaze penetrated through her, but in reality, he was staring in terror at something behind her. She quickly turned around and observed Heather holding an ax over her head. A multitude of thoughts flooded her mind as she struggled to comprehend the unfolding events. But in the end, all of it became inconsequential.
The ax descended without giving Mrs. Pennyfather a chance to move.
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