The Innocent Life of Valerie Vale

Cici and Toots

Cici and Toots

‘So this is what my money’s bought,’ said Finch, looking around with interest. The corridor was long and cold. The light above was glaring. Sets of eyes stared at him, chained and locked away. Imprisoned in the solitude, their lives but gone astray.

‘This is one of five detention centres that feed directly to the central lab,’ the doctor said. He smiled with callous pride. ‘Above ground, Astra Tech is a general and profitable pharmaceutical company... but here, underground, we make magic happen.’

‘In fact,’ added the nurse, who stood along the way, ‘underground, the entire facility is shaped like a star... quite perfect for Astra Tech.’ She directed her words to Jeffrey and offered him a smile. She admired his expensive suit, the gentleman had style.

‘That’s interesting,’ Jeffrey said but Finch was not impressed. Results were his concern. Talk to him was cheap. How much longer would he have to wait? When would it be ready? He detested prisons and this is what it was – but inside he felt shackled, seeking out his cause.

‘Now... the girl,’ the doctor said, reaching Valerie’s cell, ‘is right... here!’ Finch turned to look. He gazed into the room. There was Valerie on the ground, laying sound asleep. The silver shade of her skin was beautiful to see. He had little time for immigrants. He hated common scum. Criminals disgusted him, degenerates and thieves – but looking now into the room, something felt so special. Valerie was a gift to him, an angel sent from god.

‘Leave us,’ Finch instructed. He wanted time alone with her. What would this girl say? He sought to hear her gentle voice, to welcome her awake – but as this angel was his gift, her wings were his to break.

‘Yes, of course Mr. Finch,’ the doctor said, bowing to his boss. ‘Nurse Nina, take Mr. James on a tour... he has an eye for the little things.’ Nina smiled with pleasure, she was happy to oblige.

‘Nina Price... at your service,’ she said, offering him her hand.

‘Jeffrey James,’ he replied, taking it with care.

Alistair Finch said nothing. He waited till they left. His eyes were focused on his gift. Time had come to wake the girl.

‘Hello,’ said Finch, staring at the girl. Valerie opened her eyes and looked up to the voice. ‘My name is Alistair Finch... this facility belongs to me.’ Valerie barely moved – the chain was heavy around her neck.

‘You don’t realise it,’ he said, unsure quite what to say, ‘but you are very special to me... very special indeed.’ Valerie could have killed him. She wished to make him suffer. She imagined tearing through the glass and ripping at his suit – cutting out his frozen heart, ending their dispute.

‘I wanted to see you,’ he said, ‘I wanted to offer thanks.’ Finch stood proud and tall, safely out of reach. ‘I wanted to thank you,’ he said again, ‘for the sacrifice you’ll make.’ Valerie felt a chill – he was evil in the flesh.

‘You piece of shit,’ Valerie said – that is all she spoke. Words were too exhaustive, but his ones were a joke.

Finch smiled, ignoring her remark. ‘When I was a boy,’ he said, slowly looking away, ‘I had this little cat. Cici was her name. She had a fine black coat and was a friendly little girl... so happy, so playful, we were kindred spirits!’

‘I was devastated the day... the day I returned from school,’ he explained, frowning now in sorrow, ‘I found that she had run away. I cried, I couldn’t help it, I couldn’t be consoled. My parents, they tried everything...’ he gently waved his hand, ‘they took me to the zoo, they made my favourite food, they bought me this electric train, an expensive one from London... but you see, there was a little hole in my heart and they couldn’t seem to fill it!’

‘Well,’ he said, smiling again, ‘not until they got me Toots of course!’ Finch looked down to the ground, laughing to himself. ‘She was something special... a little canary, I kept her in a cage. Finally at last, my spirits had been lifted!’ Finch raised his head again and looked up to the light. ‘The cries of sorrow of a boy... turned to sheer delight!’

‘Toots had... the softest yellow feathers,’ he continued, ‘and the songs she’d sing... oh how they were marvellous, like a symphony to the ears. Every day I’d return from school and happily sit beside her... I’d listen to her all night.’

Finch paused. ‘You know what happened next,’ he asked? His eyes focused on Valerie, who listened on in silence. His tone was darker now. He wore a cold expression. ‘Cici... returned... home.’

‘It was amazing,’ he explained, with a sense of joy. ‘My parents, they were shocked of course and I was so surprised!’ He shook his head remembering the day, still in disbelief.

‘That night... I forgot all about little Toots,’ he warned, ‘sitting there, in her cage... but Cici, she was different now. Time had changed her soul... the animal was wild.’ Finch sighed. He was in distress. ‘She didn’t want to play with me... not that I could blame her, I knew she suffered inside.’

‘But I loved her... I did,’ he said, nodding his head in truth, ‘because for me... the first will always be the one, my only... my true.’ Finch frowned again as he considered his emotion. ‘I knew I had to win her back... I knew it was up to me!’

‘That night,’ he revealed, in a sinister tone, ‘I took Toots from her cage... and I gave her as a gift. I crushed her in my hand so she could barely move... I watched and waited, as Cici toyed... played, tortured and sinned... silencing her forever.’

Finch’s eyes narrowed. ‘A life, for a life,’ he said, revealing his cold point. ‘Everything has its purpose but let me make it clear... you are in my cage and you mean nothing to me. I will use you, I will take you and give you to my cat. You are worthless, you are trash and I will watch you eaten. A sinful life, for a life... till this disease is beaten.’

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