On A Bed Of Roses

Chapter 7 - The 'Plan'

The next day he had some sort of a plan worked out, but really he was just out for revenge. For the first part of the 'plan' he had to sneak into the garden and take one of his plants with him. Luckily he still had a key, so that wouldn't be too hard. His parents were both working during the day and Marina would probably be in her room, practising on her piano. He unlocked the door leading into the garden and made his way over to his Dieffenbachia. He had replanted it into its own pot after Felix had taken a bite out of it, and that made it easier to take it with him now.

It was less easy to sneak it into Felix's house, but if someone were to see him he had a lie ready. He never had to use it though because Felix was off to work and his mom was sunbathing in the garden. He had a key to the front door and managed to get upstairs without anyone seeing him. He had to cut up the plant next and it made him a little sad as this was one of his favourite plants, but his anger overshadowed his sadness and soon there was little left of his beloved Dieffenbachia.

He knew his parents would be home around six o'clock this evening, when he looked at the alarm clock it was only an hour away. He slipped a little bottle into his pocket and made his way over to his home. He rummaged around in the garage for a bit to kill time and because he needed something from there. He didn't have to wait long before his parents came home. He faked an apology, telling them he would try to replace everything and even though they looked a little suspicious his parents seemed to accept it. He got a glass of lemonade and went upstairs. He went straight for Marina's room.

"Hey, you thirsty?"

"Hey, where have you been?"

"Oh, I just spent the night at Felix. Had a little fight with mom and dad."

"Yeah I heard you screaming at each other." She said matter-of-factly.

"But I got you some lemonade, you want?"

"Uhm, yeah sure."

He handed her the glass and she took a big sip. That's when she got a weird look on her face.

"Are you sure this is lemonade, my mouth kind of burns."

"Well that is an effect drinking the sap of a Dieffenbachia can have." He stated calmly.

Marina's eyes went wide. "You mean like what happened to Felix a few years ago?"

"Exactly. I have the antidote right here."

"What are you waiting for then? Give it to me!" Marina said desperate, she had heard her parents say that Felix could have been dead if they hadn't gotten to the hospital in time. She didn't want to die!

"You just have to promise me one thing."

"Sure, yeah, what?"

"That you don't call the cops."

"Why would I call the cops?"

That's when he grabbed his father's gun that he normally used when he went hunting. He had found it earlier in the garage. Marina looked shocked and asked him what he was going to do with that. He just looked at her and made her promise not to call the police. She had tears in her eyes now.

"Alastair please don't kill me," she pleaded, tears running down her face.

"Don't worry, keep your promise and you'll live." He turned around and started walking downstairs. Marina hesitantly followed him, staying behind a little. She was scared of her own brother. He walked into the living room and loaded the gun, this made his parents look up at him. Immediately their eyes went wide.

"Alastair what are you doing with that?" His father asked while getting up and holding his hands out in front of him. He didn't answer him, but just aimed and shot him. His mother screamed and Marina cried even louder. She didn't think and ran to her brother, jumping on his back. He backed into the wall, slamming Marina into it as well. A pain shot through her head and she couldn't hold onto his back anymore. He looked at her and shook his head. Marina had distracted him long enough for her mother to dial 911.

"Little bitch." Was all he said before turning back to his mother, who was frantically explaining to the 911 operator that they should send the police to their address. He loaded again, and aimed for his mother. The loading, however, gave his mother enough time to duck down and avoid the bullet.

"Marina run!" His mother yelled before running to the door herself as well. She almost made it. He shot her right through the head before she could turn the doorknob and escape. He got back to the living room and looked at Marina. Not long from now the police would be here, he had to go.

"You kept your promise, but sabotaged me no matter what." He took the antidote out of his pocket and smashed the vial on the ground.

"NO! You can't do that! I kept my promise." She was sobbing.

He got two blood red roses out his pocket and laid them by his parents corpses.

"At least I cared for these," he whispered.

"Goodbye Marina." He said, it sounded hollow.

Of course he wouldn't have let Marina get the antidote. He wanted her dead as much as his parents. She had just given him a reason. There was no way the paramedics would be there in time to save her. He walked out the door without looking back.