Chapter 8: Children are the Future

Children are precious gifts bestowed upon us. The knowledge that you will shape this baby's life is remarkable, and when a baby is born, new life and hope are restored to a dark world, making it seem a little less unbearable. We pour our hearts into our children, help them to grow and climb. But even when we are gone, our children remember us, and how we changed their life and made it worth while.

Yes, Children are the future.

Charlene Gates obsession with Amy Bourne had begun several years ago, when she lived on Pearview Avenue. Charlene had been a hard-working vet-to-be, and Amy had been the wife of a successful Veterinary Doctor. They'd met at a party. Amy, suspecting her husband was being unfaithful, quizzed the young student and that was when Charlene fell in love with Mrs. Bourne.

Charlene still kept a locket around her neck, with a photo of Amy, the night she'd first met her. Charlene had cut out Matt from the picture, leaving on Amy. Whenever she needed guidance, Charlene just looked at her locket and knew what to do.

Then, the obsession became intense. Amy and Matt moved away after they'd had their first child, little baby Tom. Charlene remained in Pearview Avenue for several years, slowly becoming richer and richer. But money mattered not to Charlene. All that mattered was Mrs Bourne.

So Charlene spent millions of pounds on tracing Amy to Appleby Street, when she found her obsession had given birth to another child; Baby Catherine. Charlene bought the house next door, and had lived, until this day, in secret worship of her neighbour.

But her life was about to come crumbling down.

---

Amy Bourne was sat in her Jacuzzi when she realised what had happened. Putting a hand on her stomach, she wondered whether she should forgive her husband's infidelity from all those years ago.

After much consideration, Amy couldn't seem to forgive her husband, as the two had been dating when he'd slept with Charlene. Mrs Bourne climbed out the floor, and slipped her wedding ring off her finger. Then, she decided to visit her neighbour.

---

Florence Smith was in the kitchen, cooking her husband some omelettes. She was pleased with herself, as her plan was going perfectly. Her husband's niacin overdose was gradually increasing and she had not been beaten in the last few days.

But today was not going to plan as she would soon find out.

Florence turned round, to shout Bobby that his breakfast was ready, only to find herself facing her husband.

"You've done something to my meals, haven't you?" asked Sam, who was covered in hideous boils.

Florence froze for a moment. Her brain was working at top speed, thinking, searching for a way out of this. She suddenly saw a mushroom on the worktop and she had an idea.

"I'm sorry Sam!" she lied, fake tears welling in her eyes. "I put some herbs in your soup yesterday. They were on sale, so I bought them. I didn't think you'd have an allergic reaction."

Florence waited for her husband to react. She expected she would be beaten, as usual, but her dim-witted husband swallowed this lie, as easily as he ate the mushrooms she gave him.

"I'm sorry," he said, hugging her. Florence smiled weakly. Her niacin plan wasn't working quickly enough. She had to find another way to dispatch of her husband. Then, she saw the light.

Another plan had come to life in her mind.

"Sam, sweetie, why don't you go run a bath? Maybe it'll help the boils go down?" Florence suggested, and her husband left the room.

It was at that moment, when Mrs Smith finally realised there was no room for error. She had to murder her spouse. She went into the living room, and heard the sounds of a bath being run. She saw the words 'Death by Electrocution' on the front of the newspaper and had an idea. Grabbing a lamp, she headed upstairs…

---

Matt woke up to find himself in Charlene's bedroom. The two were entwined together, in a loving embrace.

It was at that moment, when Matt realised, he'd done it again. He'd left his wife for his next door neighbour.

But it would be nine months later, when Matt realised what his unfaithfulness had caused.

---

Ellie Jones was cooking when her doorbell rang that Tuesday afternoon.

"I'll get it," Ben called from upstairs, and Ellie finished stirring her stew. Nobody called on a Tuesday afternoon without an invitation.

Unless something was wrong.

Ben opened the door and found Amy stood in their porch. Her make-up was slightly smudged, and her eyes were red, as if she'd being crying.

"Amy-?"

His neighbour fell forward into his arms, and cried into his chest.

Ben nodded patiently, and patted her on the head.

They weren't just neighbours anymore. They were friends.

---

Emily Thomas was sat at home, wondering why Catherine hadn't returned any of her phone calls. So she decided to take some action.

Grabbing her key to her best friend's house, Emily pulled a coat over her crop-top and mini skirt, then marched to see what had become of her neighbour.

The door to Mrs. Gardener's home opened with ease, as it always had. Emily looked around the gloomy hallway. She wondered to herself why her neighbour had neglected the job of turning on her lights. So Emily flicked on the hallway lamp, to see her neighbour sprawled out on the floor. Dead.

---

Brad Wilkinson was stood in the hospital, waiting to see his wife. He'd left his children at their grandmothers and decided to talk to his wife.

"You may see her now," said a blonde nurse. Brad nodded, and entered the room.

"Terri," he glided to his spouse's side.

Though she didn't move, Terri knew he was here.

"Terri," he repeated. "I've missed you so much," he kissed her on the forehead.

"Everyone's been asking questions, I don't know what to do. Ever since Sophie was killed…" he trailed off when he saw the blonde nurse had entered the room.
"She was our dog." he lied quickly, and the nurse nodded.

Brad leant closer to Terri and whispered in her ear; "People are getting suspicious, Especially Catherine Gardener. She always was a nosey neighbour."

He straightened up, grinning. "But she's been taking care of."

Terri understood completely.

"Goodbye Terri," he said, exiting the room.

The blonde nurse watched him leave. "Sophie wasn't your dog, was she?" she asked the dozing woman.

No, Sophie wasn't a canine companion. Sophie had been Terri's child.

---

Sam was in the bath tub, his eyes closed, relaxing. "Aaah..." he sunk into the bubbles. His boils had begun to shrink.

Florence entered the bathroom, with the lamp in her hand. With his eyes closed, he didn't notice his wife plug in the lamp and put it on the side of the bath.

But he opened his eyes when the light turned on.
"What are you playing at?" he demanded, beginning to rise from the bath.

"I'm Sorry," Florence sobbed, pushing the lamp in the bath tub.

Sam screamed, electricity filling his body, thousands of volts entered his blood stream, and the water sparked dangerously. Florence whimpered desperately, as her husband's body began to spasm, shaking violently. Then, he stopped movement all together. Florence Smith took a deep breath and unplugged the lamp. Then, she pulled it out the bath tub, went down stairs and disposed of it in the rubbish bin outside.

Then, she returned to the kitchen and began to chop up some tomatoes for her supper.

She had murdered her own husband. And she'd never felt so relieved.

---

Andrew Dale was in his kitchen when the doorbell rang. He got up and crossed the room to his door. He opened the door and he felt his jaw drop.

"Hello Brother,"

Children are the future. They are brought into our life, and change it forever. But some children affect us more than ever. Some are born to make her our lives have meaning. Some are born to test our morality. Some are born to teach us. And some are born to allow us to love someone. But the most special babies are found in the most unique circumstances, especially when they are unplanned. And we wonder, 'Why did we do what we did?'

Because Children are the future.