Author's Notes: Reviews are very much appreciated and inspire me to write faster.
Part 20
Age: 12 Years 9 Months
"I'll be back soon" Samantha kissed her fingers and touched them to the gravestone.
The cemetery was within walking distance of the orphanage and she intended to return as soon as she took care of unfinished business. Walking back to the house, Samantha felt hollow and empty. Thoughts of revenge were all that propelled her as she headed to the house. Jack's death wouldn't go unpunished, she would avenge herself on Billy and then she was done, there was nothing left for her. When she entered the house, she was surprised when Jack's father stopped her and lead her into the room where Janice told her about Jack's death.
"Samantha, I know about your relationship with my son" the Senator informed her. When she gasped in surprise he continued"Although your marriage wasn't by any means legal, I wish to be certain that you won't attempt to use this to blackmail my family for money at a later date."
Looking appalled, Samantha told him through tight lips"I want nothing from you. Jack was what I cared about."
"Be that as it may, I have to ask you to write out a letter for my personal assurance."
"Can't it wait? Jack isn't even cold and you're talking about money" Samantha scowled as she fought back tears.
"No, I'm afraid it can't. Either you write the letter or I'll take you to court and take back your wedding ring" he threatened.
Samantha looked down at her hands, Jack's ring was one of the few ties she had left to him. Earlier she'd asked his mother what happened to Jack's ring and she said he'd been buried with it. This horrible man couldn't take her ring, she couldn't bear to have that last vestige of her marriage taken from her. He was standing too close and the dizzy nauseated feeling stirred up. She would write anything he wanted if only he would move away from her and let her keep her wedding ring.
"Very well, for the sake of keeping my wedding ring I'll write what ever you wish" she told him and moved away from him. She walked to a small table where a pen and paper were waiting.
"Now, I want you to write the following. Word for word" the Senator told her as he took the letter Miriam had concocted from his coat. He began to dictate. As Samantha wrote she questioned him several times about the wording, but the slick tongued politician outwitted her and got the letter. So enraged by the affair and nauseated, she readily penned the letter for Mr. Newquay and signed her maiden name as he bid her. Samantha felt drained and relieved when he left.
When he left, Samantha walked outside to the old fashioned carriage house that stood beside the orphanage. Opening it up, she looked around for supplies and was thrilled to find a pallet of cement blocks for the retaining wall that was being built in the spring. Dragging the blocks one at a time, Samantha threaded long ropes through them and built a bed of cement blocks on the floor. Several times she had to sit down as she felt dizzy and faint, she had a task to complete and after that nothing mattered.
As Samantha was planning her revenge, Jack was pleading vainly with his mother in a hotel across town. Lying in bed, looking up at his mother, he begged"Don't do this. Let me see my Samantha, let me be with her. She's my wife, you have no right to do this"
"Wife" Miriam snorted inelegantly. "All you've done is show that you're no better than your Father when it comes to women. Wife indeed! If and when you marry, it will be a woman of my choosing. A nice society girl, not some half-orphaned hussy."
The Senator walked in and Miriam looked at him appraisingly and was relieved when she read in his expression that the deed was done. When she'd met Samantha, the girl struck her as the sentimental sort and she knew the little fool would do anything to keep her worthless little wedding ring. As if their family would ever go to court for a trifle that cost less than a couple hours of their attorney's time.
"Miriam, would you wait outside? I have something to show Albert."
":Jack" he corrected his Father as his Mother walked into another room of the hotel suite.
"Son, I have to tell you something and believe it or not, I feel rather sorry for you right now. It's about your little girlfriend."
"What about my wife" Jack snapped.
"I'm afraid she doesn't want to have anything further to do with you."
Looking at his father in disbelief, Jack growled"Samantha love me and I'm not going to listen to your lies."
"Lies! Fine! Don't believe me! Would you believe your precious little slut's own handwriting! She sent a note because she couldn't stand to see you even one more time"
At that the Senator flourished the letter and held it for Jack to read. Jack look up at the letter as his Father held it above his face.
Mr. Newquay,
Our marriage was never legal and I was far too young to be
married. I wish nothing further to do with you or your family, you
and everything about you disgusts me. Consider my connection to
you at an end, I relinquish any and all claims on you. There is to be
no further contact between us.
Samantha Anderson
Jack read the letter again and again. When his father set the letter down, Jack closed his eyes. This wasn't possible, was it? Samantha swore she loved him, but God this was her handwriting, he recognized it. Not only had she said their marriage was meaningless, she was disgusted by him. Nothing in Jack's life had ever hurt him as he hurt at that moment, the physical torment he'd been suffering was nothing in comparison to how his heart felt. He fought desperately for control, unwilling to let his Father see him break down, the bastard would enjoy it too much.
"Why don't I take your ring off for you" the Senator suggested and reached for Jack's left hand.
Jack clenched his hand tightly, he'd lost his Samantha and no one was going to take the last tie to those few happy weeks from him. Clenching his fist tightly, Jack shut his eyes and closed his Father out as he began to yell. Digging his fingernails into his palm, crescents of blood welled up as his Father attempted to remove the ring. Jack felt his fingers breaking and heard his mother and Dr. McClintock shouting, but kept his eyes closed and focused on keeping his fingers clenched.
"Sir, you must stop" Dr. McClintock insisted. "Son, we're going to have to take that ring off your finger is swelling."
Jack shifted painfully and flicked the small plastic ring guard from under the ring at his parents and the doctor. Smiling wickedly, Jack focused on hatred to find strength, he'd ordered their wedding rings one size too big and got ring guards to insert so that when they grew up, they would never have to remove their rings. Now it was nothing more than a means of thwarting his parents. He felt dead inside, as he'd read Samantha's words, Jack had died inside. Now he had nothing left but to punish those who had destroyed their marriage and the thought warmed him slightly.
"Get out of my sight" Jack yelled at his parents and broke off into a coughing spell.
Dr. McClintock decided to take action, he drew a syringe and injected Jack with something to take away the pain and let him sleep for a little while. These people were inhuman and he couldn't stomach another moment. Bending down he whispered into Jack's ear"I'll make sure you keep your ring. Sleep."
"What was that" the Senator demanded angrily.
"The sedative we agreed to give him so you could have him loaded on the plane without him screaming the airport down. I'm afraid there's no way I can get the ring off his finger, I guess it will have to wait."
Jack fell into a nightmarish sleep, reliving the moment on their wedding night when Samantha told him she hated him as he was loaded into an ambulance and put on a plane bound for Russia. Even in his restless sleep, his hand remained tightly clenched keeping his ring.
In the carriage house, Samantha surveyed to make certain everything was ready before Billy came outside. Earlier, she'd fondled him in the hallway and told him to come out to the carriage house. One last time she checked her small container of ether and rag, she didn't want anything to go wrong. This was for Jack and Samantha wasn't going to let him down, she would see that Billy paid for what he did.
When Billy walked in, he leered at Samantha"So now that Prince Albert is gone you want a piece of a real man"
"Something like that. Now walk over by those cement blocks on the floor" she ordered and tipped the container of ether onto the rag.
Moving forward, Samantha waited until Billy turned his back and leapt onto his back and brought the ether soaked rag up to his nose and mouth. For a minute he struggled then fell onto the pile of cement blocks. Tossing the rag away, Samantha turned Billy over and took the ropes that were threaded through every row of cement blocks and brought them over his body and tied them into tight knots. Once he was lashed down tightly, she picked up a pair of hedge clippers and started slicing his clothes off.
"What the fuck" Billy exclaimed as he came to.
"Comfortable" Samantha smiled.
"What the hell is wrong with you, you crazy bitch"
Picking up a ball peen hammer which she'd concealed Samantha moved towards Billy and explained"You took my Jack from me. It wasn't enough to harass us and that you nearly killed him, you had to actually kill him."
"Look, I didn't mean"
"Shut up" Samantha screamed and brought the hammer down hard on the cement near his head. "Now the way I figure it, you're destined to be a very bad person and I'm about to do the world a favor. Don't worry Billy, you won't die."
"Sam, please" Billy pleaded and began to cry.
"Even though I won't kill you, you'll wish I had killed you before I'm through. Welcome to living hell Billy" Samantha proclaimed and brought the hammer down hard on the boy's exposed testicles.
Billy wailed with pain and Samantha laughed, this monster broke her Jack and now she was going to break him. Lifting the ball peen hammer up she brought it down on Billy's hands, slowly mashing his hand bones beyond repair. Samantha moved slowly and deliberately, she didn't want to let her rage take over and accidentally kill Billy. If he thought it was so funny Jack had on occasion been a prisoner of his own body, then she would see to it that Billy was a prisoner in his forever. The hammer came down again and again, smashing toe and foot bones. His knees proved a bit more difficult and Samantha had to hit them again and again before his knee caps shattered.
Once she was satisfied that Billy would be a cripple, she lifted a cement block over her head and slammed it down hard between Billy's legs. Wiping the hammer handle off on Billy's clothing and the repeating it with the hedge clippers, Samantha walked away from the broken, howling boy. Walking away from the orphanage, Samantha headed to the cemetery and ran to Jack's grave. Nausea and dizziness overwhelmed her and she fell to her knees at Jack's grave. Laying down on the fresh sod, she tossed the flowers from his parents aside and clutched the roses she'd laid down earlier. Snow began to float in the cold night air and Samantha wondered how long it would be before she was with Jack...
