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

the pool. Suzy laughs and points at a small green crab that is trying to hide amongst the rocks as a larger crab keeps pushing it away from its hiding place.
“How old are you Suzy? You’re like a little kid.” laughs Lewis looking down at the crabs.
“That's what it feels like, come on let’s see what else we can find.” says Suzy as she stands and hurries to the next rock pool.

Several hours later and walking hand in hand Suzy and Lewis arrive back at his car. Unlocking the doors Lewis opens the drivers' door wide and sits on the seat behind the steering wheel with his feet touching the ground outside. Glad to sit and rest Suzy gets in and sits in the passenger’s seat beside him. Letting out a tired contented sigh Suzy closes her eyes and leans back in the seat.
“I enjoyed that, let's sit here for a couple of minutes and then I will get you home, you look worn out.” laughs Lewis.
Suzy opens her eyes grinning broadly; “Do not want you to get too big headed; but that has to be the best time I have had this year.”
“Glad to hear it, yes I really enjoyed the walk as well so that means you will do it again?” Lewis asks hopefully.
“Yes, we must.” smiles Suzy as she closes her eyes again.
They sit in the car enjoying the silence for about a quarter hour before Lewis finally shuts the door and turns the engine on. Suzy slams her door shut and puts on her safety belt. Taking a long final look at the sea she sighs contently and relaxes as Lewis drives her home.
Lewis pulls the car to a stop outside Suzy's bungalow; “Thanks for a wonderful time Suzy, I hope you meant what you said and we can do it again soon.”
“Aren't you coming in for coffee? It is the least I can do after you have taken me to the seaside and I am really thirsty.”
“When do we get to do it again then?” asks Lewis expecting Suzy to say she would 'ring him'.
“How about tomorrow, late morning?”
Lewis is surprised and it takes him a few moments to answer; “I'll be here.” he smiles.
“Sure you will not come in?” Suzy persists.
“I want to but I got a few things I have to do, thanks again for a wonderful time.”
“Ok see you tomorrow.” smiles Suzy as she unclips her seat belt and opens the door; “Do not let me down.” she finishes as she shuts the door and watches Lewis drive away.
Smiling, Suzy walks along her path to the front door, unlocking it she steps inside as memories of Doug flood into her mind. Frowning she walks into the kitchen and puts water on to boil, looking out of the window she looks at the new runner bean patch and smiles. It feels good to have him lying where she can see him.


Chapter Three

Lewis drives slowly along the road, his thoughts on the beach and Suzy rather than where he is going. Glad to have met her again he smiles with the happy memories of today and of the days when they first knew each other at university.
They had both been dating different people then and their friendship started on a good basis of no sex. During their years at university they had studied hard and played hard, Lewis laughs at the memory of a Halloween night in the city. Suzy had painted her face a pale white with black eye sockets and worn shredded blankets and looked really scary. He had worn a long red velvet cloak and a rubber mask of an ancient old man.
Lewis frowns at the memory of the first few hours; he had eaten about fifty magic mushrooms before they went out and wearing the rubber mask had proved to be a big mistake.
As the mushrooms wielded their special power Lewis had begun to overheat in the mask. Luckily he had arrived at Suzy's by then and passed out on her lounge floor. Suspecting that was the reason for his collapse Suzy had stripped the mask and cloak off and washed his face in cold water, bringing his temperature down.
After telling him what she thought of him Suzy painted his face in the same white as hers. After several cups of strong coffee he left the mask behind. A weird evening followed as they wandered around the town, meeting ghouls and witches and still being under the influence of the mushrooms it all appeared to Lewis, to be very real!

Parking his car around the back of his flat Lewis locks the doors and walks around to the front of the building. All is quiet as always and he makes his way to his flat, entering the kitchen he puts water on to boil to make tea as he remembers Doug's shaver, toothbrush and the male toiletries that were scattered about the bathroom. Out of curiosity he had looked in the big wicker wash basket and seen some of Suzy's bloodstained clothes and Doug's Pink Floyd T-shirt underneath.
Suzy was not being truthful with him is obvious he thinks as he pours hot water into his cup. He knew Doug and Suzy had terrible fights, but he had never seen blood drawn. Stirring his tea he puts the used teabag into the bin and adds milk from the refrigerator. Sitting at the table he sips his tea and tries to recall what also felt out of place when he was at Suzy's bungalow.
Suzy was nervous when he first arrived and Lewis had just put it down to nervousness of him as she was there all alone. At the time he did think it was a bit unlike Suzy; they had known each other for more than fifteen years now and he had never made any improper advances towards her.
It had been years since they had seen each other; the last time was years ago at James' birthday party. Before the party they had been close friends and often he would go round and have dinner with her and Doug.
Getting up from the table Lewis makes more tea as he ponders Suzy's attitude at that party; yes she had been subdued and it had looked like her and Doug had had an argument. Frowning as he sits back down at the table Lewis closes his eyes and tries to re-live James' party. Now he thinks about it and recalls her face he realises she was scared, very scared.
Guilt floods through him as his reaction had been to keep his distance and Suzy had tried to talk to him several times that night. The memory makes him shift uncomfortably in his chair as each time Suzy had tried to speak to him; Doug had interrupted and physically pulled her away.
He had let her down there, and for the years between them they drifted apart as Lewis felt that it was none of his business. Deciding to talk to Suzy tomorrow he drinks the last of his tea and goes into the lounge and switches on the television.

Suzy lights the fire in the back garden as darkness arrives; the fire consists of old garden rubbish and whatever wood she could find lying around. The fire catches quickly on dead grass and twigs setting light to the varnish that covers the old chest of drawers that was in the shed. Looking around she can see no spying eyes and reaches into a black dustbin sack pulling out Doug's jeans. Throwing them on the fire she watches them burn and adds more of his blood soaked clothes. The carpet from the lounge burns well, along with her old clothes and more of Doug's new ones.
Suzy spends most of the evening destroying any evidence of her ex-partner; all of his clothes, boots and shoes along with his driving licence and any paperwork with his name on it went onto the fire. Watching the fire until only embers glowed Suzy goes back indoors for a well earned bath, as she walks into the bathroom she sees Doug's toothbrush, razor and toiletries. Cursing aloud she gathers them up and returns to the fire outside. Only the toothbrush, comb and flannel will burn and she puts the rest in the dustbin.
Going back into the bathroom Suzy turns on the hot water for her bath and looks around her bungalow for anything of Doug's she may have missed. Looking in every room she can find nothing more and smiling, returns to the steaming bathroom.

“What's happened to Doug? This is his third day off.” Darren asks his boss Adam.
“Haven't heard anything yet, if he hasn't contacted us by lunchtime I was going to ring his home.”
“Unusual for him to take time off, let alone not let you know, any idea what's going on?”
“Yes it is unusual and now you've mentioned it we are quite worried about him.” replies Adam.
“Why wait until lunchtime it's nearly tea break now.”
Adam looks Darren in the eyes and sees the deep concern he has for his friend; “Ok, I'll do it now.” says Adam as he turns away and walks to the office. Shutting the door he looks through his telephone numbers until he finds Doug's number, picking up the phone he dials the number.
Suzy is in the lounge trying to remove the blood stains from the floorboards with little success when she hears the phone ringing. That has to be Doug's works she thinks, well it has been two days. Standing up she goes out into the hall and picks the phone up; “Hello.” she says into the mouthpiece a little nervously.
“Hello, Susan isn't it? This is Adam, from Doug's works, and we were wondering what has happened to Doug?”
“Doug? Hasn't he told you then, that's typical of him.” answers Suzy scornfully as she hates being called Susan.
“No, we haven't heard anything from him, what do you mean?” asks Adam as politely as he can as he does not like the tone of Suzy's voice.
“He's gone to live with his fancy bit in Manchester and reckons he's got a better job to go to as well! Good riddance that's what I say.” shouts Suzy into the phone.
“I am sorry to hear that, well we have heard nothing so I guess we will have to wait until he contacts us, sorry to intrude.” says Adam in that same polite voice.
Suzy says nothing and hangs up the phone with a slam.
Adam stares down at the telephone offended by Suzy's attitude and rudeness towards him; well it was hardly his fault. Putting the telephone down onto the receiver Adam opens his office door and goes to look for Darren.
“Ahh there you are, I have been looking for you.” says Adam when he finally finds Darren who is at the back of the factory