Debbie's Vengeance

Chapter 6

Debbie stared blankly out of her kitchen window. The autumn leaves were everywhere. They lit the grass golden and painted the trees a fiery, blazing red. This was something that refused to age. Took her back to that day- the day that had changed her life forever.

Debbie couldn't believe months had passed since her parents' death—seven months since her life had turned topsy-turvy. For the better or worse, she couldn't tell.

It was the same thing every day - wake up, go to school, do homework, have dinner with Aunt Naomi and sleep. She remembered the advice her Papa had given her in younger and more vulnerable years that she had been turning over and over in her mind ever since.

"Whenever you feel like you can't take criticism anymore," he told her, "Remember—whatever you do, good or bad, people will always have something negative to say. Be an encourager—the world has plenty of critics already. Keep improving yourself so much that you do not have any time to criticize others."

So many things had happened-- aunt Naomi had moved in with Debbie as her guardian(though she honestly would have preferred her lovely Aunt Christina, but as her aunt had a family to look after, she had no choice but to stay with aunt Naomi--who only did it because she was forced by aunt Christina.)

It didn't stop here. With her parents' no more, her aunt subjected Debbie to the hate and cruelty for something her Papa had done to her aunt eight years ago. As Debbie was young, she didn't remember the details, but her aunt reminded her of it with the taunts she hurled, everyday.  She celebrated her 15th birthday last month and was secretly earning some pocket money to finance her canteen expenses.

Unlike her large-hearted parents', Aunt Naomi was stingy and always whining and complaining about the extra expenditure she had to bear with Debbie. It hurt. So. Much.

Forbidden from meeting her best friend- Lizzie, as her aunt thought Lizzie would be a bad influence on her, Debbie's futile efforts to combat loneliness had got worse. She could meet her in the car, when Lizzie's dad would come to pick her up and in the classes they shared in school.

There was a failed attempt to drown the onslaught of thoughts; she had been wolfing down mushroom-chicken pizza, and her stomach ached. "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" was playing on MTV requests as she sat around her mother's kitchen doing her homework.

Aunt Naomi had yet to return from work, giving her these moments of quiet. The silence was deafening, but she'd bear it. This was infinitely better than her aunt's incessant chatter.

The cool evening breeze wafted through the window, bringing many familiar scents. She sniffed something in the air and was suddenly gripped by a memory—she saw her Papa silhouetted in the doorway, holding their cat in his arms. Then there was this fragrance. 


Debbie tiptoed to her parent's room. It still smelled faintly of rose and wood. She opened the cupboard and there it was--sitting nicely between her Mama's clothes. She lifted the perfume bottle to her nose, feeling the soft paper of the label beneath hi fingers. That smell... Christian Dior 1960- Diorissimo. Reminded her of her mother sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair.

Rummaging through her drrawers, Debbie found her Mama's old apron at the back of the lower drawer. The last time she had seen saw this apron, Debbie was helping her mother bake gingerbread. She was fourteen then, and her mother was planning something for her. Though neither of them knew that morning would... The incident flashed through her mind. Of her Mama telling her something about Kar-Karlsomething.

At the sound of aunt Naomi's voice, Debbie froze. It all came back to her. Her Mama was walking beside her on the pavement of the Wendy's; with the wind, driving rain falling, and neither of them had an umbrella. They just had an ice cream, with a whipped cream smoothie and had decided to walk home. Seems it wasn't the best decision after all.

The streets are filled with puddles. Water is cascading from the rooftops. A slight fog blankets the air, sending cool shivers down her body. Debbie remembered the feeling of wet clothes clinging to her body, and through goosebumps, felt blood rushing to her temples, to her arms, the tightness in the pit of her stomach. One moment she was walking and then she hit something.

Next thing she knew--she was flying down the hill at what felt like an impossible speed. She was borne in the air with her Mama in the shadows screaming her lungs out. Thud."


She heard a thud and a crash with Aunt Naomi's, 'Where the hell are you, Debbie? Come here and help me pick up this god damn..." which brought her back to the present.

She hurriedly stuffed the apron into the drawer and stared briefly at the gigantic dolphin showpiece adorning the drawer before softly closing the door. The showpiece awed her as always. There was a price to pay if Aunt Naomi ever found out that she had been to her parent's room.

As aunt Naomi hustled her away, Debbie had heard people saying something about heart attacks and strokes triggered by an angry outburst  She wished so hard for the moment when an angry moment, a scream could lead to vessel in her brain exploding. Debbie felt her pulse starting to calm down now.


BACK TO PRESENT DAY—BACK TO SCHOOL

Debbie looks up from the open book inside the school library. Her face is deviod of any emotion. The librarian is smiling at her, waiting for an answer.

"Well?" the librarian asks gently, "Do you want to issue the book or not?"

"Yes, I do. Umm... I want The Rise and fall of Atlantis for a week, Ma'am."

"There you go. Have a good day, dear."

"Thanks. You too."

Glancing at her watch, Debbie clutched the book in her hand and rushed to the bathroom. She had an order to collect and Yolanda didn't like to be kept waiting.

"You are five minutes late, Debbie. Yolanda's mouth thinned and her eyes narrowed into slits of fury. You are aware I don't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm sorry. I was at --"

Yolanda's wrath became more apparent as she shot her an icy stare, causing Debbie to stop midway.

A large painful lump was beginning to form inside Debbie's throat, making her hard to breathe. She gulped and felt she might suffocate. Darkness flashed in her eyes and she struggled to keep a clear head and a straight face.

"It won't happen next time, Yolanda. I promise."

Good. Here's the next batch of Ecstasy to be delivered to Club Sebastian three blocks away. You know the drill, Debbie. It's the same as before. Go to the club-put the batch on bartender Juan's counter, tap thrice with knuckles and walk away without looking back.

"Yes, I know and I remember. I've been doing it since six months."

"And don't forget to wear a glove during the delivery, Debbie. You know the police are on a high alert and are on the look-out these days.

"Yes, I will."
"You'll get your weekly share only when I get confirmation of the job done. So, hurry."

Tucking the parcel in her school bag, Debbie covered her hood over her face and walked quietly to her destination. She made sure she stayed unnoticed by the bystanders and the general public.

She knew the way and all the roads and alleys by heart. While walking along the way, Debbie also scanned everyone, granting no exceptions. She glimpsed a stranger who reminded her of her mother. For a second, she froze--a blank expression on her face. A thousand thoughts assailed her mind. And then with a sigh, she sadly trudged on...

Along the way, Debbie was mulling over her circumsatnces. If aunt Naomi was nicer, there was no need for all this stuff-- for the money. Debbie thought of the time her aunt had refused to pay her canteen fees with the lame excuse of extra expenses. Even though her aunt earned enough to support both of them, her disdain for Ron prompted her to deny her niece's canteen money request.

In her aunts words, "You are your parents' daughter. I see Ron whenever I look at you, Debbie. You bring back long buried bitter memories of my past,.And I hate you for it. I hate you!"

Her parents had left her money, but Debbie couldn't touch it until she was 18 years old. To keep herself from starving and with no place to go, she was forced to support herself. She was grateful to Yolanda to approaching her the day she saw Debbie not having her lunch from the canteen.

Yolanda prodded Lizzie and she told her the whole story, leading Yolanda to Debbie with an offer--she only had to supply a batch drugs to a chosen place everyday. Easy-peasy. Yolanda would bring the parcel in school and then Debbie would take over.

It was just a matter of three years and then she would be an adult and free to leave her aunt and claim her inheritance.

With her gloved hand stuffed in her pocket, Debbie spotted the bartender in the crowd. Coming upon, she placed the parcel on the counter, gave the knuckle tap thrice. All the time her eyes were studying the crowd for any sign of danger and quickly walked towards the door.

This time Debbie wasn't so lucky. As she was leaving, the Brooklyn Police barged in with "Police! Don't move!" and conducted what they called a major drug bust in the city's neighbourhood club.

It happened so fast.

One moment she was leaving, the next she was accosted by the police, with the command, "You are arrested under the Drug Trafficking and Drug Distribution law for the supply, sale and transport of illegal drugs such as cocaine and ecstacy."