Leave Her Here to Die in the Snow!” They Said, Abandoning the Old Woman. Little Did the Monsters Know, the Boomerang Would Soon Come Back.

“Leave her here, let her die!” they muttered, dumping the old woman into the snow. The fools didnt realise the boomerang would come right back.

Margaret Whitmore walked towards her block of flats. The ladies on the bench were chattering about the fancy car parked nearby.

“Who does that belong to?” Margaret asked.
“No idea, love,” one said. “Probably someone visiting Mary. People round here dont drive cars like that.”
“Only ambulances stop by our place!” another added.

They carried on gossiping about the council and the usual rumours when Mary herself walked outthe very one who owned the flash motor. She ignored them all, striding off without a glance at her car parked on the grass. Margaret hurried inside.

“Margaret Whitmore?” a man called out in the hallway. “Remember me? We spoke the other day. Im your nephew.”
“Oh, Peter!” she gasped, recognising him. “Why didnt you tell me you were coming? Is that your car on my lawn?”
“Suppose so, yeah.”
“Well, move it before someone complains! How could you park there?”

Her nephew dashed outside while Margaret went to put the kettle on. She needed to sell her flatno way was she leaving the neighbours to deal with ruined flowerbeds.

Years back, her uncle used to visit with his son. Then the family drifted apart. And now, out of nowhere, here he was. Something about him made Margaret uneasyhe smoked too much, his teeth already yellow. Still, at least hed shown up. She didnt fancy dealing with estate agents, so shed let her nephew handle the sale. Oddly, he refused any payment.

Margaret had lost her husband and never had kids. Now she fancied a quiet life in the countrysidefresh air, a little garden. Somewhere peaceful, not a fourth-floor flat. A buyer had already shown interest, but winter was setting in.

“Lets wait till spring,” she decided.
“But pricesll go up by then!” Peter argued. “Winters the best time to check the heating. And what if the buyer backs out?”
“Ive nowhere to go yet! Find me a house first, then well sell.”

Peter gave in. Soon enough, he came back with a few places to see. The cottage she settled on needed work, but the flat sale would cover it. Peter knew a bit about buildingpromised to help with quotes.

But Margaret wasnt keen. “Its freezing out. I just want to move in, not live in a building site.”
“Ill help, wont I?” he insisted.

Still, something nagged at herwhy was he in such a rush? Though she doubted hed gain anything, she thanked him anyway. Once the sale was set, the buyer and solicitor arrived on time. Peter made tea, but Margaret hesitatedthis was her home. A lifetime of memories. No going back now.

“Right then, time to move!” Peter said once the papers were signed.
“Already? Ive not even packed the dishes!”
“No timebuyers got nowhere to stay tonight!”

Grudgingly, she agreed. In the van, she dozed off, waking now and then to glimpses of the road and muffled voices.

“Can you hear me?” Peters voice echoed. She couldnt answer.
“Leave her here,” came later, followed by his cold addendum: “Shell die.”

The truth hit herhed drugged her tea. Now he was dumping her in the snow. She shut her eyes, ready for the end.

But a girl driving past spotted the van. Thinking it was a breakdown, she pulled overonly to see two men dragging something into the woods. Suspicious, she noted the plates and waited. When they left, she rushed over and found Margaretalive, but barely. She called her husband, and together they got her to safety.

“Where am I?” Margaret croaked.
“We found you,” the girl, Emily, said. “Do you remember how you got here?”
“Yes. My nephewhe put something in my tea. They dumped me!”
“Lets get you warm,” Emily said, rubbing her hands.

Later, they reported it to the police. Peter and his mate got nicked for fraud. By spring, Margaret had her flat back. She sold it properly this time and bought that cottageno repairs needed. Come summer, she invited Emily and her husband over for tea. Shed never forget their kindness.