Suzy by Gary L Beer (easy books to read in english txt) 📕

on the garage door.
“Who is it?” shouts Lewis's voice.
“It's Suzy, can we talk?”
The garage door slides up as Suzy steps back to avoid getting hit by the huge door as it comes out; as well as up.
Lewis stares coldly at her; “What do you want to talk to an idiot about?”
“I am so sorry, I know I can be a real bitch but you frightened me when you told me about seeing the Girl Guide's father.”
The Faith Healer comes to an end and Lewis's eyes harden as he stares at her. Alex Harvey is right on cue as he sings about having a 'Gang Bang' and Suzy sees a change in Lewis, Suzy can see by his eyes and the way that he is staring at her that he is remembering their earlier times together.
'Gang Bang' is especially relevant and Suzy can remember many times when he used to play it to unsuspecting visitors. Standing her ground as the song continues Suzy meets Lewis's gaze; “The Girl Guide's father paid me a visit this morning.”
Lewis takes the news calmly; “You had better come in and tell the idiot all about it” he says coldly.
“You can't be that much of an idiot if I am coming to you for advice?” asks Suzy desperately as she steps into the garage.
“Maybe I am more of one by letting you in.” he answers as he shuts the door behind her.

Walking to the rear of the garage Lewis mumbles a 'sorry Alex' as he turns off the music. Picking up his keys, his mug and bottle of milk he turns back towards Suzy; “Best we talk in my flat.” he says as he walks back to the door.
Suzy stands to one side to give him room to pass; “Give me those.” she says indicating to the mug and the milk.
“Thanks.” Lewis replies as he hands them to her and opens the garage door, Suzy follows closely behind and watches him as he shuts and locks the garage door.
Opening the front door to his flat Lewis glances casually back at Suzy; “Excuse the mess, I live here.” he says with a wry smile as he steps inside; “Go into the front room, I'll put the kettle on. Here give me those.” he orders as he takes the mug and milk from Suzy's hands.
Suzy walks into the front room; gold framed pictures of Lewis's book covers adorn the walls and Suzy wondered why he said 'mind the mess' as the place looks neat and tidy. Sitting down in a deep armchair Suzy anxiously waits for Lewis as she stares out of the window at the blue sky above.
Lewis enters the room carrying two steaming mugs and walks over to Suzy; “Take this,” he says handing a mug of coffee; “and tell me everything.”

Lewis pulls in behind Sharon's car and puts the handbrake on; looking along the road in both directions all seems quiet as apart from his and Sharon's car the road is empty. Shutting the door he locks it and with a final look along the road he steps through Suzy's gate.
The front door is already open and Lewis walks in and shuts it behind him; “Where are you?” he shouts.
“In here.” shout Suzy and Sharon from the lounge.
“Evening ladies, hope you are well?”
Suzy and Sharon look up at him as they are on the floor with a multitude of candles in front of them. Many look like unwanted gifts as they are still in their fancy wrappers, most are scented.
“One would be enough.” continues Lewis as he sits down on the couch.
“I was just showing Sharon my collection.” replies Suzy defensively.
“How many you got there? And I bet they all stink when you light them?”
“About fifty; and yes, they all smell nice.” replies Sharon backing Suzy up.
“One will do it, which one is it to be?” asks Lewis impatiently as he sits forward.
“I thought that I would use these three.” says Suzy pointing to three candles lying beside her.
“Why three?”
Suzy shrugs her shoulders; “I just thought it would look better, do you want a coffee before we light them?”
“Three is fine, I was winding you up and no to the coffee, we will be busy in about an hour when it gets fully dark.” answers Lewis as he looks at the darkening sky out of the window.
“How long will it take to sort out afterwards?” asks Sharon.
“Depends on how quick the fire brigade get here.” replies Lewis with no emotion to his voice, looking at Suzy's sad face he tries to reassure her; “It is the only way Suzy, hopefully I will be able to put the fire out before they get here. At least you will get a new carpet out of it; are you going to light those?”
Suzy nods her head and puts the candles in a straight line in front of the fire, striking a match she lights all three.
“Put two of them over the place where the stained floorboards are.” orders Lewis in a gentle voice.
Carefully picking one up Suzy puts it onto the carpet and puts another one next to it; “Is that all right?”
“Yes, looks good, wait until it gets good and dark and then you can knock one over.” smiles Lewis.
“Aren't we going to watch them burn all the way down?” asks Sharon in disappointment.
“You are going home and Suzy will ring you either way.” replies Lewis.
“Either way or what?”
“Whether she needs to stay at yours tonight; it is only if things get out of control.”
“I don't want my bungalow burnt down.” says Suzy sharply as she stares into the flames.
Sharon stands up and looks at Lewis; “I hope you know what you are doing Mister.” she says trying to put a hard edge to her voice, failing miserably as it makes her sound foreign.
“Admittedly there is a lot of prayer and water when Suzy fills the bucket up.” he smiles in reply.
“Phone me, soon as.” Sharon orders Suzy as she walks out of the door.
“See you tomorrow Sharon.” shouts Lewis to her departing back.


Chapter Thirteen

“It's dark enough now, knock it over please, Suzy.” Lewis orders in a stressed voice.
“You are sure about this Lewis?”
“You have no choice; you don't honestly think the father of the Girl Guide is going to keep quiet do you?”
“Well with threats exchanged I thought he might leave us alone and forget about us.” Suzy says hopefully.
“Would you?” answers Lewis impatiently; “get on with it please, have you messed the bed up?”
“No I haven't.” she replies as she stands, knocking the candle over she hurries to the bedroom.
Lewis stares at the candle as the flame re-ignites after being flooded with molten wax when Suzy pushed it over. The flame gets larger as the wax above the wick melts quickly catching the carpet alight underneath.
Suzy appears in the doorway her face pale; the room is quickly filling with toxic smoke and she can hear Lewis coughing. Looking in the direction of the sound of the cough Suzy can barely make out Lewis under the cloud of black smoke; “Get out of there Lewis, it is getting out of control.” she shouts.
Lewis appears out of the black cloud and with eyes streaming grabs Suzy's arm and pulls her into the kitchen. Coughing badly he tries to speak but cannot manage it as he breaks into an almost continuous cough.
Suzy holds his arm tenderly, the concern for her friend outweighing the need for her home and her own safety; “Lewis what do you want me to do?” she almost screams, her voice is so shrill and loud.
Lewis holds his hand to his ear shaping his fingers to impersonate a phone, smiling and coughing he indicates Suzy to phone the fire brigade and pushes her towards the hall.
Reluctantly Suzy lets him go and hurries along the passageway to the front door, picking up the phone which rests on a small table she dials hurriedly.
The phone rings twice and a calm female voice answers; “Emergency; what service would you like?”
“Fire, fire brigade.” shouts Suzy hysterically into the phone as the hall starts to fill with smoke making her cough.
“Fire brigade,” says a male voice; “what is the address please where the fire is?”
Suzy screams her address into the phone as black smoke now fills the hall making her cough again.
“Get everyone out of the building we are on our way.” replies the male voice sounding calm but firm.
Suzy throws the phone down as she opens the front door. The black cloud rushes past her and out of the front door. Suzy can take no more and joins the black cloud in its hasty exit from the bungalow.
Coughing badly Suzy falls to the ground a few metres outside the door and continues to cough as tears stream down her cheeks.
Finally the coughing stops and she stands and walks towards the front door intending to go back inside for Lewis.
The black cloud does not look so thick and she calls out for Lewis.
“Behind you.” shouts Lewis as he starts to cough.
Suzy turns and sees that Lewis has come around the side of the bungalow; “Are you all right?” she asks as she joins in with Lewis with the coughing.
Thirty seconds pass before either of them are able to speak; “The fire is out.” says Lewis with a smile as he breaks into another fit of coughing.
Suzy smiles weakly back at him; her mascara has smudged and her face is pale, making it look like she has just got out of bed!
Lewis manages to laugh between the coughs; “Sorry I didn't get time to take your knickers out of the bucket, why did you put them in there?” he manages to ask before coughing again.
“It is not my habit to have buckets of water lying around the house.” she answers between her coughs.
“Good thinking, do you want to stay at mine tonight?” Lewis asks slyly as he looks down at her breasts.
Suzy laughs; “One thing I have got plenty of is knickers; hey! listen.”
Lewis can here the siren on the fire engine as it races towards them; “Stay here.” he orders as he stands and hurries around the back of the bungalow.