It’s their fault. All this heartbreak you’ve endured over the years. Look at what’s happened to your brother, you think that’s right? Get out there and avenge our deaths. Do it!
Her mother’s voice made her jump. How did her mother always manage to pop up when she least expected it? Her nerves in tatters, she rocked back and forth for a few minutes and then snapped, “You don’t realise the stress I’m under. Stop pushing me, Mum. You know how much I love you guys. I’ve already killed two of the bastards, please, don’t start hounding me. I’m doing my best.”
It’s not good enough. We’ve waited an eternity to see those no-marks suffer. Why should they be allowed to continue to live their lives in full when they’ve stripped us of ours? Why? None of this makes sense. They served a pitiful sentence behind bars, why? Her mother’s voice was fuelled by anger, becoming more high-pitched with every damning word, making Megan shudder.
Her mother wasn’t finished, not yet. Because of their bloody ages, that’s what the judge said when he handed out their sentences. Two people they killed that day, the same day they robbed a family of a mother and father. I miss you and your brother so much.
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she swiped at them, furious they had clouded the photo of her beautiful mother. “I miss you too, Mum, Dad. We’ll be together again soon. I have a plan…”
Her mother’s voice fell silent as if she was no longer around, except Megan knew differently; her parents were always around, gnawing away at her, chuntering on in her head. She had no peace. They emerged during her dreams, the nights she could sleep that was. She was tired, restless and exhausted, but, like she said, she had a plan that would deal with her tiredness once and for all when it came to fruition.
Megan nipped to the toilet. Gathered a few items she’d laid out on her bed and then pulled on her jacket. She left the house holding a carrier bag laden with equipment and drove to the destination. After parking in the car park of the wooded area, she took out her notebook and read through the notes she’d made a few weeks before when this whole scheme had begun to formulate.
With any luck, he should arrive soon.
She glanced around. The car park was empty just like it had been the other times she had recced the area, and a smile developed.
He came here three times a week, without fail. Jogged around the woodland, aware that it was safe to do so, except it wasn’t, not today. He was due within thirty minutes. You’d better get a move on and sort your shit out, girl!
Megan grabbed her carrier bag and headed into the dense forest. She located the designated area she’d chosen a few days earlier when she’d managed to run through her plan. He had been on his usual running schedule. She’d followed him there and set off after him to see which route he took through the forest. She’d been searching for an appropriate place to launch her attack and found it within a few hundred yards of the entrance. Now, all she had to do was secure her position before he arrived. He’d be here in twenty minutes.
With the dusk descending, she hid behind the huge oak tree and dived into her bag of goodies. She extracted the reel of nylon fishing wire and wound the raw end around the tree trunk, then crossed the path. Keeping the line low, just above the leaves, she placed the reel on the ground beside her. Then she unloaded the rest of the equipment from her bag in readiness and sat there, staring at the implements. Her mind running through what she intended to do with them once he arrived and fell into her trap. Adrenaline whooshed through her veins, adding to her excitement, or was that a bout of nerves?
She sat still for the next twenty minutes until finally she heard footfalls coming her way. She picked up the fishing line reel and held it in both hands. A twig snapped in the near distance. He’s almost here, am I ready for this?
Of course you are! Do it, we’re here, we’re right behind you. Give it to him. Make him pay for what he did to us. Rendering your brother a—
Just then her prey came into view. She closed her eyes for a split second, then chastised herself for being such a fool. She needed to concentrate, to devote every ounce of courage she had left within her to dealing with this man.
Another few yards and he’d be within range. He seemed as fresh as a daisy which caused her to pause. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she should have delayed her attack and set the trap towards the end of the circuit, instead of at the beginning. It was too late to change her mind now. She peered around the tree and saw him, her heart rate immediately trebling. Her chest inflated and deflated rapidly. It’s now or never. She yanked on the wire and heard the man grunt and fall to the ground.
Megan revealed herself and pounced, not giving him the chance to get to his feet. In her plans, she’d assumed he would be less powerful lying on the ground. It was time to put that theory to the test. Armed with a cricket bat that belonged to her brother when he was able to run around and play, she ran at the man and started whacking him with the bat.
He cried out. “Stop it! What the fuck are you doing?”
She screamed and yelled profanities at him which increased her anger. A few bones snapped once the bat connected with its target properly.
