Born Evil (23 page)

As fate would have it, he’d met her in one of this own pubs. Even though he hated to admit it, she’d been the absolute making of him and had brought him more personal happiness than he could ever have believed possible.

Enchanted by her long dark hair, delicate features, hearty laugh and wicked sense of humour, he’d fallen head over heels for her within weeks. A feisty, fiercely independent single mum of one, Karen had been a hard nut to crack. Mickey was used to women falling at his feet, and the challenge she’d presented only made him love her more.

Determined to win her over, Mickey upped the charm stakes. It must have worked as a year later they were married and had since produced a son, Alfie, now eighteen months old. Mickey had also legally adopted Karen’s fifteen-year-old daughter Lois. As the proud father of two children, he was the happiest he’d ever been. He idolised Karen and vice versa. They were soul-mates and very, very happy together.

Debbie’s thoughts were jolted back to the present by the sound of her mobile ringing. Seeing her son’s name flashing on the screen, she mounted a kerb to take the call.

‘Hello, love, you all right?’

Charlie did not bother to answer his mother’s question but came straight to the point. ‘Where are you, Mum? I need some money. How long you gonna be?’

Debbie sighed, exasperated. The only time her son ever rang her was when he wanted something. ‘I gave you twenty quid last night, love. You have more pocket money than any other kid I know. I’m not a bank, Charlie.’

Hearing an ominous silence at the other end of the phone, Debbie did what she always did when it came to her son – she gave in. ‘There’s fifty quid in an envelope in the top right-hand drawer, take twenty out of that.’

‘Can’t I take thirty?’

‘No, you can’t.’ Debbie was annoyed as she ended the call. Her son was such an ungrateful little sod.

She arrived ten minutes early at the school and sat in the car thinking. Overall her life was pretty good. She was even content with her looks and figure now since Steve had treated her to a nose job and she’d joined the local gym. Charlie was the only downside to her otherwise happy existence, and she was beyond knowing what to do about him. Steve didn’t have a clue how much money her son wheedled out of her every week; he’d have gone apeshit if he knew the exact amount the boy demanded. What Charlie did with that money was anyone’s guess. Debbie knew that because she felt guilty for spending most of her time with her two adorable daughters, she tried to compensate her son with constant hand-outs. Charlie was bright at school, disruptive but clever, the teachers said. The main concern Debbie had was that he had no real friends and the vibes she always got on open evenings told her he was extremely unpopular.

Her son went out sometimes of an evening, but she didn’t know where, and when she inquired, he told her precisely nothing. During the time he was at home, he was always holed up in his bedroom. He was obsessed with computer games and spent most of his time playing them. His only other interest was surfing chat rooms on the internet. He never joined in with anything they did as a family. Debbie always tried to include him, but Charlie flatly refused to comply.

His relationship with his sisters was awful. The only time he spoke to them was to torment them. The girls had loved him when they were little and had looked up to him, but he’d rejected them from day one. As they’d got older, they’d learned that keeping out of his way was the best option.

Steve hated the sight of Charlie and suffered him only for his wife’s sake. Debbie knew the score, and to be honest couldn’t blame him. If the boot had been on the other foot, she’d have struggled herself. Her son was still wary of Steve and oozed politeness on the odd occasions he was forced to spend in his company. When Steve wasn’t around, he’d talk to her and his sisters like they were pieces of shit. Debbie never told Steve about this. Keeping her trap shut equalled a quiet life, and that was the way she liked it.

Seeing her daughters running happily towards her, Debbie forgot her worries. She hugged them tight and asked them about their class.

‘We did tap dancing and sang songs,’ they answered excitedly.

Debbie smiled to herself as she drove home. The girls were in the back, gabbling away ten to the dozen, and some of the things they came out with were just hilarious.

Considering neither she nor Steve was an oil painting, it was a mystery how they’d been blessed with two such pretty girls. With their long dark hair and dark eyes, they were both stunning kids. Charlie wasn’t so fortunate. Now a plain, tall boy, he was slightly overweight, with beady eyes and an untrustworthy look. In fact, he looked like a younger, fatter version of his father.

‘How many days to Christmas now, Mummy? What time does Santa bring the presents?’ Rosie asked excitedly.

‘There is no Santa,’ Gracie replied, giggling.

‘Yes, there is. Don’t spoil things for her, Gracie. This time next week is Christmas Day, and Santa waits until you’re asleep and delivers his presents the night before,’ Debbie told her youngest.

This would be the first Christmas in their new house and Debbie couldn’t wait. It was her turn to have all the family over. They’d only moved in six months ago. A five-bedroomed house in a rural part of Brentwood with a couple of acres attached, it had turned out to be the home of Debbie’s dreams. It had cost a little more than they’d intended paying but, on realising his wife had fallen in love with the property, Steve had stuck a bid in. After a bit of bargaining, the deal was done and Debbie was overjoyed.

They’d previously lived in a three-bedroomed semi in Upminster and Debbie had been keen to move while the girls were young. The schools were far better in Brentwood and she wanted the best for her daughters. Charlie only had a year and a half left at his school in Upminster and opted to stay there. This wasn’t a problem as it was only a bus ride away.

‘Mum, Dad’s on the phone!’ Gracie shouted.

Debbie was putting salt on the drive, which had begun to freeze over. Dropping the shovel, she ran indoors.

‘You took your fucking time. Where were you – Calcutta?’ Steve joked.

‘I was just chucking some salt down outside, you cheeky sod.’

‘I’ll be home in about half-hour, babe. I know you don’t like cooking, so I wondered if you wanted me to bring a Chinese in?’

Debbie laughed. The relationship between them had not changed since the day they’d first got together. They still loved nothing more than taking the piss out of one another.

‘Go on then, you’ve twisted me arm. Get a mixture of dishes, Steve. You know what the girls have, don’t ya?’

‘Don’t worry, Debs. The woman in the Chinese gets the order ready without even asking what the fuck I want. “Hello Mr Steve,” she says when I walk through the door. I bet she thinks I’m one of these poor single dads. I’m gonna tell her one day, I’ve got a lazy fucking old woman.’

Laughing, Debbie cut him off.

Charlie sat in his mate’s bedroom in a council house in Harold Hill. His heart was pumping with excitement as he took the DVD out of its case and handed it to his friend.

Kevin was the only mate he had. They had the same interests and the same things in common, which included smoking joints, watching porn, listening to heavy rock music and playing violent computer games. Kevin Newley was an oddball through and through. Unwanted by his mother, he’d been raised by his psychotic grandmother Doreen who had done him no favours whatsoever. A fat boy with glasses, Kevin was unkempt and rarely came into contact with soap or water. He was an almost complete loner and totally in awe of his one and only friend. If Charlie said jump, Kevin would do it. That’s why their friendship worked.

Being unpopular too, Charlie was glad of his only pal. Kevin was fat and minging, but his house came in handy to doss round. His nan was senile so they could puff, watch films, drink beer … in fact, they could do whatever they bloody well wanted here. The situation suited Charlie. He was a bully, liked getting his own way, and Kevin was well and truly under his thumb.

Seeing the DVD flicker into life, Charlie’s excitement grew, along with his hard on. He had his own DVD dealer, a little Chinese bloke called Lee, who got hold of all the real hardcore stuff, and had managed to get
Animal Farm
for him. Charlie had built up quite a collection which was kept safely hidden under Kevin’s bed. Sometimes he’d sneak a couple home and watch them when the house was empty, but he was always careful not to leave them lying about. His mum would have a fit. As for Steve, he’d rip his stepson’s head off if he got wind of Charlie’s little hobby.

Charlie was clever and had learned how to play his mother and Steve over the years. He was never talkative, but always tried to be polite. Sometimes he’d give his mum a bit of stick if Steve wasn’t about. He knew she wouldn’t say anything, she was too soft. He hated his sisters, especially Rosie who was a trappy little cow, and on more than one occasion had fantasised about throttling her and watching her gasp for her last breath. That thought made him giggle. Gracie had been the same once upon a time, but he’d taught her who was boss and managed to shut her up. Shame he’d never done the same to Rosie.

Turning his attention back to the film, he cheered with delight at the sheer filth of it. He’d heard about this film on a porn chat room and had been told it was an all-time classic.

‘Er, that’s disgusting … look what’s she’s doing with that horse,’ Kevin chortled.

The boys enjoyed the film immensely and at the end of it discussed the juiciest bits over a joint.

‘Birds are slags. That film proves it. I mean, what sort of person would shag animals for money?’ said Charlie.

Kevin thought about this. ‘I dunno. Weren’t that how AIDS was started – by shagging sheep? I’m sure I saw that on the internet.’

Charlie ignored his pal’s question and slapped him on the back.

‘What me and you need, mate, is some real pussy. Watching it on films is all right, but we need to get ourselves some of the real thing.’

‘You’re right,’ Kevin agreed.

Finishing the spliff, Charlie put on his Puffa jacket. ‘Leave the pussy to me, I’ll sort us out. Look, I’d better go now, I’ve gotta get my bus. I’ll ring you tomorrow.’

As he walked towards the bus stop, Charlie saw a young blonde girl on the other side of the road. Slag, he thought, as he clocked her short skirt and white stilettos. The fucking whore was asking for trouble, walking about like that.

Feeling his cock rising, he imagined grabbing her and shoving himself right up that short skirt of hers. It’d serve her right.

Aware that she was being stared at, the girl glanced in his direction. Charlie put his hands over his cock, made a thrusting movement with his hips and waved his tongue at her. Frightened, the girl quickened her step and ran towards the safety of her home.

DEBBIE AND STEVE
were awoken early on Christmas morning by two excited little girls, impatient to open their presents.

‘Charlie,’ Debbie said, knocking on his door. ‘we’re going downstairs to open the presents. You coming, love?’

‘Later,’ was the gruff reply.

The girls squealed with delight as they ripped the paper off the abundance of gifts supposedly delivered by Santa. Nudging Steve, Debbie urged him to show them their big surprise.

‘Mummy and Daddy have got something special out the back for you, girls. Shall we go and see what it is?’

Gracie and Rosie screamed excitedly as they followed their parents to the field at the back of the house.

Their little faces were a picture when they saw the two ponies in the newly built stables. ‘Are they really ours, Daddy?’ Rosie asked.

‘Can we keep them forever, Mummy?’ Gracie pleaded.

‘Yep, they’re all yours.’ Steve squeezed Debbie’s hand. He loved his girls more than anything on earth, and making them and Debbie happy meant the world to him.

‘I’m gonna call mine Britney,’ Rosie piped up.

Laughing, Debbie tried to usher them indoors.

‘You can go back out and see them later, after dinner. Louise who lives down the road is going to look after them for you. She’ll teach you all you need to know. She already works as a stablegirl and me and Daddy have asked her to help you with your ponies. She’s promised to pop in later to feed them, and tomorrow she’ll start to teach you how to ride.’

Charlie scratched his genitals, let out a fart, and ventured over to the window. He could hear the commotion outside. It had woken him up. Clocking the ponies, he immediately guessed that they were Christmas presents for the two spoiled brats. He hated animals, always had done. They were a waste of space; all they ever did was piss, shit and eat.

Slinging on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, he smiled to himself as he walked down the stairs. He could use his sisters’ Christmas presents to blackmail them. ‘Do this for me, Rosie.’ ‘Get this for me, Gracie … ’ And when they said no, he would threaten to dismember the bastard creatures.

‘Morning, love. What you laughing at?’ Debbie asked, surprised to see her son looking cheerful for once.

‘Nothing. Do us some breakfast, Mum.’

It was an order, not a request. Rustling him up a couple of sausage sandwiches, Debbie put the sauce on for him, just the way he liked it.

‘When you’ve eaten that, love, come into the lounge and open your presents.’

Wiping his plate clean with the last bit of bread, Charlie sauntered into the front room and was relieved to find there was no sign of his stepdad or sisters.

‘Where is everyone?’

Debbie handed him his gifts and waited for him to open them. ‘Steve’s gone to pick Nanny and Granddad up. The girls have gone with him.’

‘Thanks, Mum,’ Charlie said, after he’d unwrapped the last present.

‘I didn’t really know what to get you this year, love. That’s why I gave you mainly money. I thought you’d appreciate buying your own stuff now.’

Glad he had his mum to himself, even if only for a little while, Charlie experienced one of his rare sentimental moments. These didn’t happen very often. Throughout the entire course of his life, he could count them all on one hand. Smiling, he walked towards Debbie and awkwardly gave her a hug.