Chapter 13: Chain Letter by Stephen Simpson
When they arrive at Carl's house, everything is quiet, the
doors locked.
After twenty minutes of ringing the doorbell continuously
and pounding on the door, Adèle says frantically, “I am phoning the police.”
Lisa agrees, fright building up in her like a coil.
The police arrive quickly, probably because of Adèle’s
frenzied screaming over the phone.
The officer knocks for another ten minutes. Adèle persists
hysterically, “It has been almost an hour of knocking without any success.”
The officer turns to her patiently. “Ma'am, maybe he is just
not home.”
“No, I spoke to him moments ago and I told him I was coming.
Can't you just break through the door?”
“No, Ma'am, I can't.”
“So, what do you suggest we do?”
“Have you tried to phone him again, for all you know he is
on his way back now from wherever he was?”
“I have and he is not answering.”
“Well, then ma'am I suggest you go home and wait for him to
phone you.”
Lisa sees the look in Adèle’s face, a look of determination
as she suddenly says, “Come Lisa, let's go.”
Lisa looks at her surprised.
“Come Lisa, we are wasting our time here. We'll go look for
him at the mall.”
They walk towards Adèle’s car and get in.
Lisa is too shocked to say anything. Adèle is relenting too
easily after the way she has been carrying on since they arrived at Carl's
house. She wonders what Adèle is planning right now.
Adèle starts the car and reverses into the road. Two blocks
away from Carl's house, she stops the car on the kerb.
“We'll wait here for a while, the police officer should be
gone by then, and then we'll go back.”
“But what if the police officer is right, what if he did
just go out?”
“No, I have a feeling something has happened to him,” she
insists.
They wait ten minutes. Slow ticking minutes with not a
sound, as both Lisa and Adèle are lost in their own thoughts.
She starts the car again.
They drive past Carl's house slowly and when they see the
police car is not there anymore, Adèle makes a U-turn and parks in front of the
house.
They walk into the garden and then circle around to the
back. Adèle picks up a stone from the rock garden, conveniently located for
just this purpose by the back door. She throws the rock through the window,
while shielding her face.
She takes off her jacket and then tying it around her hand
she smashes out all the glass in the windowpane. It is amazing what you learn
from television and movies.
She climbs through the window and then turns around waiting
for Lisa.
Lisa whispers, “I don't know, Adèle, maybe I should wait out
here for you?”
“Nonsense. Come. What if I find him and he is dead, I don't
want to be alone in there if I do.”
Lisa climbs through the window nervously.
They walk through the house, slowly, softly. They eventually
find Carl lying on the floor in his study, his hand clutched over his chest,
his eyes are large and scared, his mouth open wide in a scream.
Then Adèle screams. Her scream echoes through the up until
now silent house.
Lisa struggles to calm her, taking her out of the room and
talking to her loudly.
When Adèle eventually does stops moaning and trembling, Lisa
phones the police, realizing their dilemma at this very moment, which involves
breaking and entering.
After what seems like forever, the doorbell rings and Lisa
opens the door for the police officer, the very same officer that was here
earlier.
He looks at Lisa reproachfully.
“Sorry, Officer, I know we are probably in a heap of trouble
right now, but my sister-in-law was right, we found Carl dead in his study.”
He follows Lisa to the study and when he sees Carl on the
floor, he curses under his breath.
Lisa takes Adèle, who had wandered dumbstruck back into the
study. They go and stand in the hall, while the police officer talks to the
police station, reporting the death.
Not long after, the police officer takes their individual
statements and then reprimanding them, he sends them home.
They walk to the car in silence and have driven for most of
twenty minutes when Adèle breaks the silence, “How is this possible, Lisa? Do
you really think it has something to do with that wretched email?”
“I don't know.”
“Is it like fax signals, being sent through the computers
and then when you delete it, it somehow becomes real and kills you?”
“We should find out where it all began. I think it would be
a good starting point to finding out what is going on here,” Lisa suggests
hopefully.
“Yes, we can look to see who sent it to me the first time.”
When they get home, Stephen comes storming out of the house.
He is frantic with worry. He asks loudly, “Where were you?”
“You won't believe me when I tell you, but Carl is also
dead.”
He stops and looks at her in shock. “How?”
“About an hour ago. Lisa and I think it has something to do
with this email I received, one of those stupid emails that you have to forward
to get good luck and if you delete it you will have bad luck.” Adèle laughs a
bitter laugh.
“So, you are saying you received this email as well?” He
asks concerned.
“Yes, and I forwarded it.” Adèle pauses. Suddenly bawling
she says, “And indirectly Stephen, I killed your mother.”
“Rubbish!” He exclaims as he takes her into his arms.
“No, listen.” She cries. “I received the email and I suppose
I am still alive because I forwarded it. Of all the people I forwarded it to,
five of them have died since.”
“How is that possible?”
“That is what Lisa and I are going to figure out, so we'll
be in my study.”
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