Bitter Sweet Revenge

Bitter Sweet Revenge 

By Sis Unsworth

Valerie stood motionless in the doorway. A deep black cloud seemed to slowly devour her, like an early morning mist that appears from nowhere.

 She had been in a good mood when she arrived that morning. She loved her job as a carer at the Bluebell nursing home. The handover from the night shift had gone smoothly, all had gone well overnight.

The staff nurse had informed them of a new arrival, a Mr's Benson who had arrived the previous evening. She was in room 36, and would they all make themselves known to her. 

Valerie had been quite busy that morning, so it was just before lunch when she arrived at room 36. There she stood when a strange shiver went down her spine, as Mrs Benson looked up and smiled.

Something about her looked familiar, she looked just like a little old lady with a friendly smile on her face. Why then was she feeling this way about her? Trying to pull herself together, Valerie smiled, introduced herself, and welcomed Mrs Benson to the Bluebell nursing home. It was when she turned to leave, that something caught her eye. It was a photo on the bookshelf.

With a deep feeling of foreboding Valerie picked it up. “Who is the lady in this photo?” She enquired.

“Why that’s me!” Mrs Benson replied. “That was me when I was young, I haven’t always looked like this,” she laughed.

Valerie recognised the woman in the photo, it was her old school teacher, known then as Miss Hayden, or ‘the dark witch’ as they all called her. Slowly she replaced the photo, so the dark witch must have been married, who ever would have married her, Valerie pondered. She caught her breath muttered a few words and retreated from the room. 

All Morning she reflected on her discovery, ‘the dark witch’ had ruined her last year at school. All the girls had hated her, she seemed to love to humiliate them, especially in front of the boys. The cane was still in use in schools at that time, and the dark witch did not hold back from using it. Valerie decided not to tell the other carers, if they knew how she felt about Mrs Benson they might report her. However, she was burning inside for revenge which she was finding difficult to control. What made her more angry, was all the other carers thought well of Mrs Benson, saying what a kind old lady she was. This really infuriated her. Somehow she would make the dark witch show her true colours. She began by making Mrs Benson wait for everything when she was on duty. Valerie made sure she was always last to get her tea or receive her mail. Always last to get her meals or last being put to bed.

However, nothing seemed to annoy her, and the more Mrs Benson smiled and thanked her, the angrier she became.

It all came to a head one afternoon. Staff nurse was sorting out the medication, when she was suddenly distracted. Valerie took advantage of the situation; she took some tablets and slipped them into her pocket. Later, she dissolved them in Mrs Benson's tea before she left to go home. 

Valerie didn’t sleep too well, realising what she had done. She hurried to work the next day, and was first of her shift to arrive. The staff nurse was waiting for her. “Mrs Benson has had a bad night, she was quite sick,” she explained. “We have sent for the Doctor, and informed her next of kin who is her brother. He is waiting in the lounge. Would you go and keep him company? We have given him a cup of tea.” 

Valerie obeyed in silence realising the consequences of her actions. Reaching the lounge she found an elderly gentleman who introduced himself as Mr Hayden. “I am Mary’s Brother,” he explained.

“Sorry to hear your sister is poorly, she seemed alright when I left yesterday,” Valerie felt a wave of guilt pass through her. 

“I’m worried about her,” he said. “She moved here to be near me when her husband passed away. She is such a lovely girl, we get on so well, unlike her twin sister, we don’t get on at all!”

 

Copyright Sis Unsworth