Smile - Episode Five

Barbara kept her distance from the hearse as it slowly drove through town. Christoper had been quiet the whole journey and it annoyed Barbara enough that she decided to put a stop to it.  

“So Chris, you going to tell me what happened between you and Pete?” Barbara asked, not leaving her sights off the hearse a few cars in front for a second.

“We had an argument; I said things I shouldn’t have said and then he said it was over.”

“So, why are you still here?”

“Oh.”

“I mean you didn’t leave so you think there’s still a chance, right?” Barbara turned to Christopher for a second. “You do want to stay together don’t you?”

“Honestly I don’t know. I want to talk when this is all over, if he’ll let me.”

“You need to get him when he can’t go anywhere, then he’ll have no choice but to talk.”

“How am I going to do that?”

“I’ll tie him up if I have to.”

“I think you’ll have to.”

“He’s not a bad bean I’m sure. He just seems a bit wayward. Not unlike a certain lady I have the misfortune to share a cottage with.” Barbara chuckled.

***

Peter didn’t see how Betty had opened the window and he thought it was probably for the best that he didn’t. All he knew was one minute she was fiddling with the edge of the window, the next it was wide open and she was halfway in; hanging there and screaming for assistance.

Getting up behind Betty’s bottom he helped push her in. She went up and over than there was a satisfying thud as she hit the floor on the other side.

“I’m in” said a muffled Betty.

Peter pulled himself up and over; landing next to Betty who was still crumpled in a heap on the floor. When she finally managed to get herself up; she pulled a large torch out of her bag and turned it on. Stupidly, Peter had been watching her as she did all this; so when the light came on it almost blinded him. Peter stepped back and toppled over a stand filled with pamphlets; sending them flying everywhere.

“Do we have to use the torch” asked Peter while tidying up the mess he made. “Wouldn’t it be easier to just use the lights, or do you think we’ll get caught?”

“No, it’s just cooler with torches.”

Betty used the torch beam to do a slow sweep of the room, stopping at anything of interest, but so far there was nothing. They appeared to be in some kind of small waiting room. The circle of light moved over a couch, a desk, then a few doors - one of which lead to the Funeral Director’s office.

“In there is where Barbara said the key to the basement was” Betty added when the light fell on it.

“First things first, I want to have a good look around on this floor before we go down there.”

Before Betty could object Peter had already opened the opposite door and stepped through into a hallway beyond.

“Keep up with the torch Betts” Peter said as he moved further and further away. Betty quickly tried to catch up with him, her light found him just as he was about to open one of the side doors that littered the hall.

The second Peter opened the door, Betty was sure she heard somebody whisper. She knew it wasn’t Peter; well it didn’t sound like him. The closer they got to the opened door; the louder the whisper seemed to get. Well, as loud as an almost inaudible whisper could get anyway.

Beyond the door Betty’s light shone on what appeared to be the only feature in the room. Right in the centre stood a single table the length of a casket; which was ideal really as that was placed upon it. It was as though the casket was on show and nothing else was important enough to be in the room with it.

“My god” said Peter. “Do you think Adam's in there?”

Betty couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of this; it wasn’t the casket on display; it was the contents.

“Maybe this is some kind of viewing room?” She replied.

“I’m too scared to look Betts.”

“Don’t worry I’m right here with you.” 

They both slowly edged over to the coffin. Every step they took closer was like the second hand of a clock, ticking ever closer to twelve.

Betty was sure she could now hear another voice; a second whisper separate from the one that had begun the moment they had found this room. Betty was certain the second whisper came from the coffin itself.

“Maybe we shouldn’t open it?” said Betty when they were three quarters of the way into the room.

“But then we’ll never know.”

“Ignorance is bliss?”

“Not this time. I’ve got to know if my brothers in there.”

“Oh bother” was all Betty could manage in response.

They were now standing directly in front of the casket. Betty couldn’t stand the whispering another second. It was like they were becoming almost deafening; even though she could still barely hear them; let alone know what they were saying.

Peter took hold of the lid and took a deep breath.

“Ready Betty?” he asked, his voice sounded like he wanted Betty to say no.

“I guess. Are you?”

“No” Peter answered as he wrenched the lid open. Betty closed her eyes. 

The whispering stopped. Betty opened her eyes again; well one 
anyway; and let it ever so slowly look down.

The casket was bare. The two of them leaned against each other and let out the biggest sigh of relief.

“Basement it is then” said Peter.

Back at the office Betty quickly scanned the room for the safe. It was partially hidden behind what Betty assumed to be Jacob’s desk. Keeping her light trained on the safe door; Peter jabbed in the numbers on the keypad to unlock it. Inside he found the different sets of keys, bringing out each one so he could see the name on the tag.

“Basement, found it” Peter exclaimed on his second try.

“Right then” said Betty, “Time to go down to the basement.”

***

Back in the Land Rover, Barbara continued to question Peter while they waited for something to happen. 

“What did you say to Pete that was so bad anyway?”

Christopher knew Barbara was only trying to help, he felt like he could tell her anything. Her presence was strangely soothing. So he told her everything he and Peter had said up until the moment Peter had walked away.

“Oh dear” was all Barbara could say to start with. “So this all started with his parents then?”

“It’s weird when we were in your garden earlier, it brought back memories I guess I had forgotten. Not only that but they haven’t shifted, it’s like their burnt into the back of my eye sockets now. Whenever I close my eyes that’s all I see.”

“It does that. The sharpness will fade in a day or two and the memory will be filed back in the vault before you know it.”

“It was when I first met him.”

“Sorry?”

“The memory was of the night I first meet Peter; sitting in a crowded smoke filled room. I didn’t realise what had brought him there; not really; none of us did. All the other guys just thought he was cool; they didn’t know what he’d been through; why it seemed cannabis was the only thing that numbed his mind from all the thoughts he didn’t want to think of.”

“When he lost his parents?”

“Yes. It wasn’t until sometime later that I found this out. After a revelation or two he told me that one of the worse things about it was he never had the chance to tell his parents his secret, and now he’d never know if they were alright about it.”

“I’m sure they would have been fine about it.”

“Because of this I decided I wouldn’t make the same mistake, I wouldn’t wait. I went home to my parents all guns blazing; confident they would love me all the same.” Christopher’s face dropped. “I was wrong. I was told to leave and never go back. And I always did as I was told. I still am.”

“I guess that’s what really brought you two together then. Without parents you became two lost boys with no one but each other.”  Barbara paused for a moment. “It is bit like how Betty and I came together; albeit with less nakedness and kissing. We were two lost girls alone in the wilderness; that’s what it seemed like  compared to where we came from. We only had each other to lean on, but more importantly argue with. I think I’ve rather grown fond of our arguments.”

Christopher was about to answer when Barbara shushed him. Christopher wasn’t sure if he liked being shushed.

“Chris, I think he’s pulling over.” Barbara said. “Oh sorry, can I call you Chris?”

“Of course, can I call you Babs?”

“Certainly not.”

The hearse pulled into the side of the road outside a convenience store.

“He’s getting out” said Christopher.

“I don’t remember choosing audio commentary on the DVD thank you Chris. My eye sight hasn’t lost me yet.”

The occupant of the hearse had indeed climbed out and was now walking slowly round the vehicle, toward the entrance to the store.

“Quick Chris, pass me my bag.” said Barbara waving her arm to hurry him. Chris did as he was told and picked up the remarkably heavy bag that had been crushing his feet the entire drive. Barbara dived into the bag; searching wildly and quietly cursing under her breath.

“If you ladies didn’t carry so much in your bags, it would be easier to find the thing you were searching for.”

“If we didn’t carry so much in our bags; there wouldn’t be the thing in there we were searching for to begin with” Barbara snapped in defence. “Ah there you are my beauties.”

Barbara pulled out two shiny steel needles; the ends were so pointy they seemed to sparkle.

“A point so sharp it can literally cut through anything” Barbara said staring at her possessions with awe and love.

“Don’t tell me” Christopher said. “Reason number three?”

“Indeed” Barbara chuckled as she waited patiently for Jacob to enter the shop. And two seconds later he had.

Before Christopher knew what was happening Barbara was no longer in the car; she was already by the hearse; bent over a tire and showing Christopher a view he was worryingly becoming familiar with. After jabbing the first tire with her gleaming weapon, Barbara systematically moved around the vehicle attacking any tire she came across. When the job was done; Barbara was back across the road and in the land Rover before Christopher could even blink. 

“Now we just sit and wait” said Barbara.

“Stupid question maybe. But wasn’t Jacob driving away from the parlour?”

“Yes?”

“So all you’ve done then is stopped him from driving further away?”

“Uh, yeah” replied Barbara realising her error. “Bit premature I guess.”

“I should think. Let’s just hope he doesn’t get a lift straight back to the parlour.”

“Good heavens.” Barbara replied. “I hope you're nearly done there Betty?”

“So do I because Jacobs coming out the shop.”

“Again with the audio prompts for the registered blind.”

“Sorry.”

They watched as Jacob walked back over to his car, opened the door and climbed back in. Seconds later the hearses engines growled into life and the vehicle shot forward, but not very far before the engine cut out and the driver’s door opened once more.

“Here we go” Barbara giggled.

“Sometimes I think you’re as childish as Betty.”

“Sometimes? Haven’t you worked it out yet? Betty's the more mature one.”

Christopher didn’t bother to reply, he was too busy watching Jacob checking all his tires and then what looked like a few kicks to the car. He turned to face the Land rover like he knew the occupants were the guilty party. Barbara managed to get a good look and even from that distance she could instantly see her error. He wasn’t smiling.

“Christopher I’m so sorry. I’m afraid I’ve got it terribly; terribly wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s not the director.”

“What?”

“We thought we were keeping Jacob away from the funeral parlour; when in fact all this time; they were keeping us away.”

“But that means?”

“Jacobs still at the funeral parlour. I’ve sent Betty and Peter into a trap.”

***

“I’m opening the door Betts.” Peter said with what sounded like a hint of excitement. “Are you ready to go down to the cellar?”

“Don’t say cellar.”

“What, why?”

“It sounds scarier than basement and I’m scared enough thanks.”

“How does it sound scarier?”

“Didn’t you ever watch telly when you were a child? You never
remember hearing ‘don’t go down to the cellar’?”

“Vaguely.”

“It was etched into my mind the moment I first heard it” said Betty looking very serious. “Very, very good advice. You can learn a lot from children’s telly.”

“I can tell you have” Peter chuckled “You wouldn’t be trying to delay me opening this door would you?”

“Thought never crossed my mind” Betty said with a smile though inside she felt far from happy. She could hear the whispering again and it seemed a patch louder the moment Peter opened the door.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go down there Peter.” Betty whispered

“Don’t be ridiculous Betts, that’s why we came. I need to find out what’s going on; what Jacobs done with my brother’s body.”

“Can’t you hear that whispering Pete. It sounds like quite a few people.”

“I’ve got really good hearing and the only whispering I can hear is from you.”

“I know don’t tell me. Barbara always tells me I’ve had too many years of trying too many things so my perception is a bit off sometimes. She makes it sound like a bad thing.”

“You look at the world however you want girl. You’re brilliant just as you are.”

“I don’t think Christopher agrees. He and Barbara think I’m a bad influence.”

“Don’t listen to him he’s like an old woman sometimes." He gave Betty a cheeky wink, her mood seemed to calm a bit so Peter thought it was prudent to continue.

“Keep the torch on where I’m going Betts, these stairs seem to go quiet deep.”

Peter descend into the darkness. Betty could sense the whispering getting louder again, she was sure something bad was about to happen. Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt something big and heavy at her back. An arm wrapped itself around her waist and a cloth filled hand covered her face.

Betty could smell something funny. She tried to scream to Peter but couldn’t. She tried to struggle free at first but then she couldn’t even do that. Her body fell limp into the stranger’s arms. Even though her brain seemed to be shutting down she had enough time to realise that whoever the stranger was; he was too big to be the Funeral Director. Then that was it; her vision and hearing went; then finally consciousness.

Alone and unaware that Betty had fallen, Peter finally reached the bottom step. He could barely see anything in front of him, Betty was meant to be holding the torch up for him but she was doing a rubbish job of it.

“Betty can you kindly aim the torch at something useful, like what’s in front of us?”

Betty didn’t answer but flashlight moved and the edge of the beam now lay not far in front of Peter’s feet. He tried to look up the stairs at Betty, he could just about make out an outline but the torch was shining almost directly into his eyes.

“Cheers Betts, are you coming with that torch so we can have a proper look in here?”

No answer again. Peter stepped slowly forward into the room. It seemed large and square and pretty uneventful apart from a few boxes piled up here and there. To Peter it looked as though it may have been a wild goose chase, he hoped Chris had had better luck following the Director. He was just about to turn and leave when he noticed part of the wall at the furthest end of the room wasn’t part of the wall at all, it was a door.

“Come on Betty I’ve found something, another room” when the beam of light started to get brighter and Peter knew Betty must be approaching he felt he had enough confidence to peek through the door at whatever hid beyond.

The room was pitch-black. Peter stepped in and felt along the wall for a light switch, eventually he found something.

“I think I’ve found a light switch Betts” Peter called back to his companion.

There was a click sound and for a time nothing happened, then when he thought it must be broken something started to stir. First they buzzed then continued to dimly flicker on and off.

In the flickering light Peter could make out a little of what was in front of him. It looked like a long dining table; there seemed to be at least seven people sat around; and two empty chairs. At the far end of the Table a lone man slowly began to rise. Any hope that the dim flickering light could mask what was rising from that chair were dashed instantly, you couldn’t mistake that smile, it was Jacob.

 The light finally came on full power and Peter could see the room clearly for the first time.

The table had been done up like a Christmas party. There were crackers; mince pies; wine; even a roast turkey. The guests all sat round with party hats on their heads and plates filled to bursting with food. It looked like an enjoyable time except one thing;

the guests weren’t moving.

“My brother maybe a little slow. But he really does do the best work" The director said. "They look so alive, don’t they?"

"What have you done" Peter cried. "Where’s Adam?"

"Well he’s there boy, next to the two empty chairs." The director pointed to one of the guests.

His hat had fallen down his face obscuring his features, Peter went over to him and pulled the hat off. It was Adam, He looked alive but frozen like a photo. There was one other difference; he had a huge smile on his face; they all did.

"You see" The Director began. "He came here and found out our little secret. And he had such a sad face."

"You’re, you’re sick."

"And we can’t have sad faces at Christmas, because we're the all smiles funeral service. It’s what we do. We give all our customers a smile."

“Adam found out what you were doing so you killed him to add to your collection?”

“Not at all; he ran so fast my brother couldn’t even keep up. But low and behold you bring him back to us, such a gift.”

"You won’t get away with this." Peter shouted as he backed towards the door and Betty who he could tell by the light was standing right behind him.

"But don’t you see. There are two chairs left. One for you and one for that nice young man who came in earlier" the director started to walk towards Peter slowly and purposely.

“What do you mean?” Peter froze. “What young man?”

"I told you before what an excellent photographer you were. How could I forget a photo of a face you’ve taken so beautifully, so many times?"

Peter couldn’t believe he’d been so stupid.

“It took me a while to recognise him, it’s as I told you light and dark can change how a person is perceived. But then I remembered. Because you see, I never forget a face, only where I saw it.”

The whole time the director was speaking he was still moving ever closer. Peter at the same time kept taking steps back, not really understanding why he just couldn’t run. He stepped back right into the torch; he could feel the heat of the bulb against the middle of his back. Peter turned round and pushed it out the way; then looked up at what he now knew for certain; wasn’t Betty.

The huge man grabbed Peter by the arms and turned him back in the direction of the Director. Jacob had already reached Peter, so when he turned they met face to face. It would have been nose to nose if it weren’t for the ridiculous length of the man. Unfortunately for Peter this meant that his nose was in direct line with the man’s sinister smile. He didn’t doubt for a second that behind Jacob’s lips hid row after row of sharp pointy teeth and at any moment he’d use them to rip Peter’s nose clean off his face.

The Director raised his vision above Peter’s head and spoke to the giant who held him captive. 

"I was wondering when you were going to step in brother?”

“What have you done with Betty?” demanded Peter.

“None of your concern, she and her accomplice have stepped into a tale they don’t belong in.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not dead if that’s what you’re worried about. Not yet.”

“You better let Betty go before Barbara gets back. She’ll have worked it out by now.”

“So their names are Barbara and Betty, should I be scared of these two dotty old ladies?”

“They’re called Huxley and Finch and don’t you forget it. It’ll be the names on everybody’s lips when the world finds out about what you’ve been doing here and who put a stop to it.”

“I’d love to see that boy” The director again looked up to his brother. “I’ve been explaining to Peter about your work brother, I think it’s about time he took a closer look."

To Be Continued...