The Scarlet Web (standard:drama, 1237 words) [1/3] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Updated: Jun 12 2005	Views/Reads: 4064/2461	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
An extract from a manuscript soon to be transformed into a novel. It is a psychological thriller set in the south eastern part of the United Kingdom, and begins with a serious assault on a sixteen year old girl in a subway in West London. The effects of t

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‘Street’s dead, Boots,’ Symes said, close enough for her to smell
something on his breath she knew wasn’t legal. 

‘Well that’s good then, ain’t it ?’ 

‘I want a word with you Miss high and mighty,’ he came up behind her,
she felt his breath down her neck, it smelled the same as his mate’s. 

‘You weren’t very nice to me this afternoon love,’ he said, grabbing her
arm so tightly it hurt. 

‘Let me go !’ she fought to free herself but his grip was like steel. 

‘You made me look a mug in front of my mates. I don’t take kindly to
being made to look like a fool. 

‘I didn’t ask you to stand in my way,’ she swallowed, her throat
suddenly felt as dry as a bone. 

‘And after I paid you a compliment and all, let me remind you.’ He
yanked her to him so she could feel his cold eyes, smell the stench 
from his slobbery mouth, ‘I said I thought you went like a bat out of 
hell, and what did you say back ?’ 

‘Leave me alone you bastard !’ She felt him squeezing his arm so tightly
it felt like a blood pressure monitor. 

‘Tell me what you said.’ 

‘Only what you deserved !’ she screamed. 

He snarled, she could see his yellow teeth, she could feel the animal he
was. ‘You said that I was the right species, that I should know. The 
whole schoolyard laughed, but I don’t see you laughing now, right now 
you don’t seem so high and mighty to me, love. I don’t take kindly to 
being put down by girls, specially snooty little cows like you.’ She 
felt his hands crawling over her, his fingers like vipers conjured from 
a basket, and then he pressed his face against hers. 

Lashing out with her foot she struck his balls and she saw him grimace.
She turned to knock Symes aside but she was too late. The youth’s hands 
were pinned to her shoulders like clamps. 

‘Got her, Boots. She’s not going far,’ Symes said, driving her back
through sheer weight. 

Boots’ knees had buckled, but now she saw him climb angrily to his feet.
She searched frantically for assistance that wasn’t going to come. She 
should never have used this underpass tonight, but there’d been little 
choice - 

‘Fucking bitch !’ Taylor lunged, and snatching her from Symes’ grasp he
flung her to the floor. Shocked and winded, she rolled over, trying to 
scramble clear but he was down on her in an instant, his big hand 
clawing at her dress and ripping it from shoulder to waist. The stale 
smell of his breath made her wince as he drew breath, but it was the 
sense of hopelessness to prevent him from entering her as he pinned her 
arms firmly to the ground that distressed her most, as she moaned 
sobbed and shook. 

Symes gave a start at the sound of footsteps along the subway, gesturing
frantically to Taylor. She gave a sigh of relief as Taylor rose from 
her but with new alarm she realised he was not finished. She saw him 
produce a knife from a sheath on his belt, and as he grabbed her hair 
she felt its sharp blade cut quickly through it, huge, golden locks 
falling onto the damp surface. 

She cried out in utter desperation for it was the final insult, and then
screamed again as a boot crashed into the side of her head. There was 
another blow, then another, a feeling of intense pain. Through eyes 
screwed with pain she saw them running away, ‘Scum, - scum, I’ll get 
you back one day,’ she murmured, ‘make you regret the day you were 
born. Then the sound of quickly approaching footsteps, and brief, 
blurred visions of a dark figure kneeling beside her. 

‘Hey - what the hell’s been happening here. Look I’ll get help, okay.
She had brief visions of a tall girl running. 

Then consciousness lapsed. 


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