Great Expectations. - Now Complete

Chapter 41

Alice drove for hours. She was exhausted and her head, still pounding from the blow earlier, was agony. Then, in virtual pitch black, she was instructed to turn off the main road and follow a secluded road instead. The car engine grumbled loudly, the road clearly not designed for a normal vehicle. They finally reached a dark, secluded house which Alice immediately recognised as being the one where Alex was indeed conceived. Alice felt her heart sink at the memory. She couldn't imagine anything good would come from revisiting this place. Clutching Alex's hand, she followed Tom's instructions to go into the house. She shivered. The place was freezing, no doubt having been uninhbited for a long time. She stood with Alex in the hallway, waiting.

"In there!" Tom pushed them into a room where the furniture was covered with dustsheets. He started throwing them on to the floor.

"Sit now!" he ordered. Immediately they obeyed and sat in silence once more.

Tom began rummaging in a bag he had been carrying. He pulled out a packet of biscuits and opened them. He began eating. Alice looked at him, trying to hide her envy. She hadn't eaten since breakfast and was starving! She wondered how Alex was fairing. She looked at him. He smiled softly and squeezed her hand. She smiled back and waited, knowing that's all she could do.

"Bedtime I think" Tom announced suddenly. He looked from Alex to Alice. Then, after stalking over to Alice, he reached for her hand. "Come on then. Let's go to that room we used before!" he looked at her expectantly.

Terror moved through her but Alice didn't move. Alex stood up, deliberately blocking her from Tom's view. "Mum and I will sleep in here thanks."

"Will you now? We'll soon see about that!" Tom looked furious at his defiance. "She'll do as I say and you'll do the same. Sit down and shut the fuck up! Got that!" Without warning, he punched him hard in the stomach. Alex doubled up, groaning and winded. Alice glared at Tom and tried to move to Alex's side. "Oh no you don't! That'll teach him to try things with me!" Tom pulled Alice away.

"I'll be OK!" she called back, trying to reassure him. Tom pushed her into the room and locked the door.

"Nice that we're alone isn't it?" he commented, walking towards her and slipping an arm around her shoulders. She tried to pull away but he stopped her. He moved to kiss her. She turned away repulsed.

"Don't!" He grabbed her and pulled her back. "You'll do as you're told!"

"Arrgh," She whispered, "You're hurting me!"

"Get undressed."

"No. Tom, please. No!"

"Get undressed." He roared, his face close to hers.

"MUM!" A voice called to her frantically through the locked door.

"Alex, go way. I'm OK!"

The door rattled as Alex tried to open it. "Mum! Tom you bastard, leave her alone!" He kicked at the door to try to open it!

Alice felt the grip on her skin tighten. "Please Alex! I'm fine!"

The rattliing stopped. Tom pulled her to him again. "Just me and you now Alice. Come on, get undressed."

"No."

"Not so keen on me this time are you? Such a shame. I was so hoping this would be a special time for us." The sarcasm came so naturally it made Alice feel sick. Tom grabbed her face again, squeezing her cheeks so hard she she felt as though she was being strangled., "Do it NOW," he hissed. He pressed himself against her. "Or I'll do it for you! Or perhaps I should go and have a little chat with our son?" She felt something pressing against her side. She looked down and saw a gun in Tom's hand.

She obeyed.

Just over an hour later she dressed and crept from the room. Alex was fast asleep on a chair. She tiptoed to where she knew the bathroom was and washed herself. It was difficult as there was no hot water or soap. She looked in the mirror. Her bottom lip was split and bloody. She had a slight black eye on the left. Thankfully her clothes covered the worst of the bruising that was now emerging. She returned to where Alex was and sat in a chair opposite him. Thankfully he still slept. She shivered slightly, the room was cold and damp. She covered herself with a dust sheet as Alex had done and settled down, her eyes on the door where the threats lay

"Mum?" Alex shook her. "Mum?"

She opened her eyes. "Alex, are you OK?"

He nodded then knelt in front of her, concerned. "Your face?" he asked urgently, "What happened?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Leave it Alex. Please?"

"That bastard hurt you didn't he?" Alex stood up, fury in his eyes, "I'll kill him I swear!" He moved towards the door to Tom's room.

"Alex NO!" Her voice was an urgent whisper. She scrambled after him and grabbed him, "No. Leave it. Please!"

He looked at her in surprise. "Why should I? What else did he do to you?"

She shook her head, refusing to tell him. "That doesn't matter Alex! He's got a gun. I don't trust him. He'd use it, I know he would. Please!"

He stared at her, seeing her fear. "OK." He looked up at her, "He's asleep isn't he? We could go out and get in the car! Get away!"

"We can't. He has the keys," said Alice softly, "He has them on a string round his neck. We'll never get them." She looked at her son, "Alex listen to me please! No heroics promise me, no matter what he says or does, don't rise to it. Promise me?"

He looked dubiously.

"Please? For me."

"OK. I promise."

 "Good boy," a voice startled them both. They looked up to find Tom by the door, the gun clearly visible. "We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt now, would we?" He walked over to them both and snaked his arm around Alice. He kissed her roughly on the lips. "Good morning Alice. My, I slept well after our little reunion last night. How about you?"

Alex looked from Tom to Alice, clearly horrified. "Mum?"

Mortified, Alice looked at the floor.

"You look surprised Alex lad," Tom continued, "Thought you'd be pleased to see mummy and daddy so very close again. You never know Alice, maybe after a couple of nights together we'll make a sibling for Alexander here. Afterall, it didn't take much to get you up the spout last time did it?" He laughed. "But the thing is, would old Georgie boy be willing to take on another bastard for me? I mean, like I don't want Alex here, I wouldn't want it! What do you think Alice love?"

Alice looked at Alex, tears pouring down her face. She gave him a pleading look, hoping he would keep his head despite the knowledge of what Tom had done to her already.