Chapter 4 4

Thores hung up and sighed contentedly with a satisfied sense of accomplishment, which Mr. Randall, having moved her here from her previous job, paid well. And Scavello was deeply mistaken, believing that, sitting behind bars, he could do nothing. Yes, he was in prison, but his connections, power and intelligence have not gone away. Thores met him in person at the county jail, where she was brought by his assistant Zach Riley. Jack Randall impressed her with that one meeting, even though they were talking through glass and telephones. He made her a generous offer that only a fool would refuse.

He said that he was very worried about his pregnant wife, confident that the prison authorities were hiding something and were not saying anything, only pretending to be in contact with him. His wife does not respond to letters, and he thinks that perhaps they never reach her. He is told that she herself refuses to talk to him on the phone, but he does not believe this, thinks that she is simply not given such an opportunity, or she does not know at all that he is calling and trying to contact her. And the last two times Zach Riley went there, he was refused to see her, saying she was sick and quarantined in the infirmary. But to the question of what she was sick with, the lawyer did not receive an intelligible answer. Thores agreed to help Jack Randall. And the generous payment of this assistance played an important role in this. And also curiosity. She did not know why he had chosen her, but the whole country was now rattling about him, and Thores, with her boring monotonous life, only rejoiced at the opportunity to participate in events of such a magnitude, to work for such a person, to distract herself from the mental pain that tormented her, which has not let her breathe for two years now. She was sure that Jack Randall would soon be released, no matter what, and judging by how worried he was about the fate of his wife, he would throw himself into a serious fight to save her. Perhaps he will succeed. After all, he was famous for being able to do the impossible, winning the most hopeless cases. True, he had not yet dealt with suicide bombers, only with those sentenced to life ... but what's the difference? Looking at this man, Thores for some reason was imbued with confidence that he could succeed. And her passion as she wanted to plunge into all this hype around him. Communication with such a person will never hurt. If she agrees, she will not only make good money, but also enlist the gratitude of this person if she does everything right. Take care of his beloved wife. And that's exactly what he wanted from her. so that she takes care of her and informs him of everything that happens to her. There was nothing wrong with that. He did not ask for anything bad and reprehensible. On the contrary, Thores was touched by such care for his wife, such love. And she agreed. But at the same time she asked him for a reciprocal service - to help her in search of a person. He agreed. Jack Randall and his assistant took care of her transfer to Chowchilla, where Mrs. Randall was being held, and where a vacancy on death row had just become vacant due to some accident with one of the guards.

Melinda Thores wrote about this accident in detail in a letter to Jack Randal, as well as about everything else that she managed to find out and what she herself became a witness to. She didn't hide anything. Maybe he will consider her abnormal, and this will end her work here, but she was determined to inform about everything that happens here, as he demanded of her, and what to do with the information that she provided him is his business. Jack Randall is no fool. He should be aware that strange things are happening to his wife. Surely they didn't start in this prison. Perhaps he knows what's what, and her letter will not come as a surprise to him. And then he will give the necessary instructions on how and what to do with this devilry further. And she will continue her work.

When Melinda Thores was passing the dinner tray to the prisoner, as usual, discreetly changing prison food for homemade food, Carol Randal, as always, thanking her with a smile, suddenly asked:

- I know, Melidna, that my husband sent you. But anyway, I thank you.

"I don't understand what you mean," said Thores as calmly as possible.

The prisoner fixed her with a piercing, all-knowing look, beautiful clear eyes.

- You understand. Give me your hand.

- What?

- Do not be afraid. I want to thank you.

- How is Perez? Thores chuckled, stepping back from the bars. - I don't work for your husband, and I don't understand why you got that. I just wanted to help you... because of the baby.

- Good. You take care of my baby, thank you... Do you want to know what happened to yours?

- What? Thores frowned.

- Your daughter. Tori. I communicate with the dead, Melinda. That's why I know you lost your daughter.

"My daughter is not dead," Thores croaked in a trembling voice, involuntarily squeezing the club between her fingers.

- She's gone. Two years ago. You're hoping my husband can help find her, right? I can help you right now. Just give me your hand. And you will know everything.

Thores knew that this was not to be done, but against her will and common sense, she stepped forward and held out her hand. Cold fingers gently closed on her wrist, the prisoner pulled her towards her, closer, touched the bars with her face and said softly, almost in a whisper:

- Hey mom! It's me!

With a scream, Thores jumped back, snatching her arm away as she recognized her daughter's voice.

- How is it... What is it? she groaned, not noticing the tears welling up in her eyes.

The prisoner was silent, only moved the fingers of her outstretched hand, urging her to come up and touch them again.

- Talk to her. She wants it. She's calling you," Carol whispered when Thores didn't respond to the call. Mesmerized, Thores stepped forward and held out her hand again.

Scavello, hearing the scream, recognized the voice of Thores and jumped out of the back room, where she lay down to take a nap. Drawing her club as she went, she rushed down the corridor as fast as she could.

Seeing her, Randal withdrew her hand and backed away into the back of her cell. Tores, screaming and sobbing, sprawled on the floor, tearing her hair out of her head.

- Thores? What?... What's wrong with you? Are you hurt? What did she do? Straightening up, Scavello looked at the prisoner with a twisted face. - What did you do again, creature? Against the wall, bitch! Now I'll show you!

Carol obediently turned her back to the wall, raising her arms and pressing her palms against it. Bursting into the cell, Scavello swung and hit her with a baton on her legs. With a cry, the prisoner fell to her knees. The next blow to the shoulder knocked her to the floor.

- Not! Stop! Torres suddenly screamed, jumping up from the floor. - Don't touch her! It's all right, Cindy, it's all right!

- In order? - she was amazed, turning around, but not lowering her baton.

Thores walked past her without even looking and, kneeling down, carefully lifted the prisoner and turned her around.

- Sorry! Forgive me please! More! Torres grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard. - I beg you, more! Let me talk to her some more! I'll control myself... I'm strong... I'm fine, I promise! I'm sorry I broke it, it won't happen again! Please!

- Fuck you, Thores! What's happening? Scavello stared blankly at the women at her feet, her club still at the ready.

Thores turned her tear-stained face to her and suddenly smiled.

- Look! This is my girl! She speaks to me! Come on, Snowflake, please! Thores didn't notice that she called her by her nickname, just as she didn't notice her surprised look.

- Tores, have you lost your mind? - muttered Scavello and stopped when a child's voice suddenly sounded in the cell, which turned into ringing laughter. Thores, sobbing, also laughed.

- My girl... my daughter! You came to me ... I waited so much ... hoped so much ... How is it, my dear, how is it? What happened to you? Tell me, my dear.

- Okay, mom, just don't cry or scream anymore. Two years have passed. Did you still hope that I was alive?

- Yes ... I mean, no ... probably ... But I still ...

- Fuck... what's going on? repeated Scavello, looking in bewilderment at the prisoner's lips, from which came a completely alien, extraneous childish voice.

- Mom, Dolores and I went to the abandoned after school. Such a big old building, almost collapsed... We used to run there often. A beam collapsed under me... I fell. Dolores got scared and ran away.

- But she was interrogated ... she did not say anything! Thores was shocked.

- She was scared, Mom. That they blame her. After all, it was she who dragged me there all the time. And then ... I didn't want to go, and she said that if I didn't go with her, then she wouldn't be friends with me anymore. And I went. I didn't get hurt, Mom. I didn't even have time to understand what happened. Don't blame Dolores, don't blame. She suffers a lot... a lot. On the contrary, you should talk to her because she is contemplating suicide. Wants to go there and jump off to die like me, redeem himself that way. Tell her not to. That it's not her fault. And no one will blame her if they find out the truth. Her death won't fix anything. Stop her, mom. Promise me.

- Well... of course... Of course. I'll do everything. I will talk to her. And with her parents. Everything will be fine.

- She will show you where I am... You can bury me.

- Yes... my girl... yes.

- I have to go, Mom. Don't cry, don't kill yourself. Now you know everything, you will find peace. And you know that although I am not with you, not in this world yet, but I am. Here. In another world I feel good here, mommy. And when my time comes, I will come to your world again. Everyone comes. As long as Carol is alive, I can visit you if you want. Just tell her and she will call me.

- Yes... of course... I want, I really want.

- Then I'm not saying goodbye, Mom! I'll come as soon as you want, just don't cry anymore. Good?

- Good.

Carol slowly opened her fingers and removed her hand. Grimacing, she took hold of the bruised shoulder that Scavello had struck.

- Hurts? Torres asked guiltily.

- Yes ... very, - the prisoner groaned. I can't even move...

- Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary. Looks like a fracture." She cast a quick glance at Scavello.

I thought she attacked you!

- But you did not protect me, you punished her! You started hitting her when she obeyed the order and turned to the wall! How can we explain everything now?

- Fuck you, Thores! Scavello growled in rage. Let's just say she attacked you. Grabbed. So I had to hit her.

- But it's not!

- Not this way? Think carefully, Thores, because then the next time I hear you scream, I won't run to your aid, understand? It's your fault, writhing on the floor, as if your belly had been torn open...

"Let's just say I got dizzy and just fell awkwardly," Carol put in quietly, interjecting.

The guards stared at her with fixed eyes.

- Yes, let's say so, - nodded Scavello and turned her gaze to Thores. She nodded in agreement.

- This is a misunderstanding ... - said Scavello to the prisoner. - I was sure that you attacked her, as then, on Perez. I'm sorry, Randall, okay?

She just nodded.

- Let's put the handcuffs on the front, it will be easier, - Scavello carefully snapped the handcuffs with the chain, trying not to disturb the injured hand of the prisoner, then, sitting down, fixed the shackles on her ankles. - Went.

They left the cell and slowly walked down the corridor. Thores carefully held the prisoner's good hand, Scavello walked on the other side.

- Randall... can you summon anyone like that? Well... who died? - cautiously asked the latter.

- Yes.

- And my mother ... can you? - Scavello's voice trembled.

The prisoner's lips curled into a smile.

- I can.

At first, Carol was very scared. The first time, the second and even the third. Then the fear subsided. Now, doing it over and over again, she was no longer afraid. She succeeded, and nothing could stop her. And nobody. There, in that place... or the world - she couldn't say exactly what it was. They could interfere in this world by waking her up. And this brought her into an indescribable, uncontrollable rage. An unknown supernatural force could not stop her, although each time she tried, causing terrible pain, destroying her body, but simply people could - and easily, just waking her up. She endured incredible agony, sacrificing herself, both during and after that, suffering from physical injuries that remained after awakening, but when she did what she had to, this is one thing, and when not, it turns out, all the suffering experienced in vain, plus wasted time, which she had so little left. And all because she was just woken up. They just couldn't leave her alone and let her do what she was going to do.

Carol tried to force herself not to scream, to endure in silence, but the pain was too much. She didn't have the strength to endure it in silence. She struggled with it every time, tried to get used to this pain, tried to endure without screaming, it happened that she managed to control herself, but never completely and to the end. She knew why she was doing this, and the realization of this gave her strength and courage to force herself to experience everything again and again, but when her sacrifice and torment became in vain, she wanted to kill the one who was guilty of this. At times like this, she couldn't control herself. Like being thereimpregnated with this dark power, this evil, this curse. Death. All this penetrated into her, corroding her, destroying, destroying and completely suppressing, releasing the essence generated by the curse - the essence of the killer. She realized that she and everyone like her were just a murder weapon, with the help of which this unknown force hunted for human lives and souls. Her entire family were slaves, already in the grip of this curse for centuries, slaves who inevitably met the same fate as their victims, this curse did not spare any of them, killing, devouring everyone.