‘Thank you,’ she said, and her voice cracked a little as she spoke. ‘Do you know where I can find Josh? Do you know where he lives?’
Jim shook his head. ‘No, can’t say I do. Sorry.’
‘I heard he was seeing a woman, one of the Kents…’
‘Alicia,’ Jim confirmed.
‘Yes. Do you know where she lives, then? Perhaps I can start there.’
‘Probably with the rest of the Kents,’ Jim said. ‘They own a few houses up on the outskirts of town. Fancy ones. Not on the beaten path, though. You have to know where you are going to find them.’
Beth’s eyes widened. She felt like in the space of only a few minutes of talking with Jim she had made more progress than from the rest of her time here combined. Hell, if she had just been honest with him from the start she might already have Josh back safe and sound.
‘Can you show me?’
‘You might want to re-consider,’ Jim said. ‘It’s a private estate that’s walled in. Not something you can just walk into. I don’t think hiking up there and demanding to see your brother would do you much good.’
‘I have to try,’ Beth said. ‘If Josh is here there has to be a way I can get to him.’
Jim shrugged. ‘Sorry, I don’t know what to tell you. Not a lot of help in that regard, I’m afraid. He used to be fond of a drink, so you could try the Trout and Lobster again, or the Ship Inn. They’re the main pubs in town. Might get lucky and find him there.’
It was an option, but a woolly one, and not one that gave Beth any kind of certainty. Perhaps a last resort, then. After the recent revelations, Beth felt like she was finally gaining some momentum. If Jim wasn’t going to tell her where to look, then surely it wouldn’t be too hard to find out where the Kents lived, private property or not.
‘However, I still think you should leave town. You seem like a nice person. Believe me, you don’t want to get caught up in what’s coming.’
The comment certainly struck Beth as odd. ‘What do you mean? What is coming?’
‘Evil,’ was his reply. ‘Something from a long time ago. The killings on the beach? It’s just the start.’
A sudden chorus of screams caused Beth to jump. She looked beyond Jim, farther up the street, to see a group of women scamper away from a small alleyway that cut through between two buildings. The women were yelling in fright as they eventually stopped and looked back.
‘What’s that about?’ Jim asked, looking back as well. Beth felt her heart rate accelerate a little. She wasn’t sure why, but her first thought was that perhaps another body had been found.
‘No idea, but maybe we should find out,’ Beth said, and started to walk up towards the group of three women. They seemed panicked and one was almost hysterical. Beth felt Jim by her side as the two approached the group. Others drifted towards the terrified women as well, concerned, asking if the ladies were okay. Beth got close enough to hear the reply.
‘There’s something down that path!’ one woman said, a lithe forty-something with lots of makeup, styled dark hair, black trousers, high heels, and an expensive-looking wool coat. Despite the makeup, Beth could see that her skin had grown pale. The other two women, both of a similar age to the first, were dressed a little more casually, both wearing jeans, one in sports shoes and the other in loafers, and both with coats that looked significantly less expensive than the first woman’s.
‘What is it?’ a bystander asked. Beth and Jim settled in with those who had gathered round the women, one of whom had put her shaking hands over her head.
‘I don’t know,’ the smartly dressed woman said. ‘It was… a…’
‘A monster!’ another of the women cut in.
Beth felt the combined mood of those gathered shift from worry, to confusion, and then to disbelief. She saw a few of those surrounding the panicked women look at each other, casting suspicious glances and smirks. Clearly, they didn’t believe a word of it. Perhaps even thought it a joke.
But Beth wasn’t so quick to discount the story. ‘What did it look like?’ she asked them.
The woman who had made the claim turned her eyes to Beth. She had a cherubic face and hair cut into a messy bob. She quickly realised Beth was asking a serious question, and gave a small look of relief. ‘I don’t know,’ the woman said, and looked back to the small alleyway between the buildings. She stepped farther away from it. Beth did notice, however, that a few people up ahead—unaware of what was going on—strolled blissfully past this cut and didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest.
‘It was horrible,’ the first woman said. ‘It seemed to be coming out of the fucking walls. All twisted and fucked-up. Kind of like a person, but with this bulbous, misshapen head, like a giant wart.’
‘And its head was covered with little eyes,’ the woman who had her hands on her head said in a scared whisper. ‘These little white sack things that all turned to look at us.’
‘And the noise it made…’ the second woman, with the bob, added.
Beth heard a few sniggers from the people who were crowded round. They clearly didn’t believe the fantastical tale. And, Beth would have agreed with them, had she not experienced some strange things herself. She started to walk towards the narrow alleyway in question, but felt Jim gently grab her arm.
‘Where are you going?’ he asked.
‘It’s fine,’ Beth replied, confident that it was. One thing that all three of her visions—if that was the right word—had in common was that they were very brief. Once they were seen, the horrific abominations quickly vanished. And, up until she had overheard the old couple talking a little earlier, Beth had been convinced these things were all in her head, witnessed by her and her alone.
Apparently not.
She pulled her arm free and moved to the gap. The buildings either side had brickwork with a worn and weathered buff finish, and the mortar joints were set back deeply, giving both structures an aged look that seemed in keeping with the rest of the town. The width of the alleyway, roughly a couple of feet, was just enough to fit a person through. The ground was paved in cobbles that looked to have already seen their best days, and despite it being daytime, the thoroughfare was quite dark, given the tall buildings either side blocked out a lot of natural light. It reminded Beth of the small nooks and alleyways that Victorian London was famous for. Even with people around her, it seemed like an ominous little short cut.
But, one thing was certain… there was no monster here.
‘Nothing,’ Jim said, appearing beside her.
‘It would seem not.’
‘Maybe they got confused. Saw a shadow or something.’
‘It was a pretty detailed description for a shadow.’
‘Then maybe they’re nuts?’
‘All three of them?’
‘Could be. Or maybe they’re just looking for attention.’
What Jim was saying made sense and was the way a rational mind should be thinking. Before yesterday, Beth would have agreed with him. However, there was something in Jim’s tone—a hint of doubt—that seemed like he was saying the words without really believing them.
‘Maybe,’ Beth replied, still looking down the alleyway. ‘Maybe not.’
As she turned, she could see Jim looking at her. His expression seemed… odd. ‘You drink tea or coffee?’ he asked.
Beth frowned and tilted her head to the side a little. It was an odd question, straight out of the blue. ‘Coffee,’ she replied.
Jim nodded. ‘I know a quiet place where we can get a drink. Come on, there’s a few things you should know about Netherwell Bay.’
The old man turned and set off. His dog, faithful as ever, trotted along beside him.
Beth paused. She had no idea what it was Jim wanted to tell her, and part of her dearly wanted to know. But she still felt an urgent need to get to Josh as quickly as she could, and this seemed like it was going to be a distraction.
‘You coming?’ Jim asked without looking back.
Given
Beth had nowhere to search next—other than trying to find this private Kent estate—was there really a viable alternative to Jim’s offer right now? Something very weird was going on in this town, and Beth knew that Josh was somehow caught up in it all. If knowledge was power, as her father always said, then Beth needed more of it. And Jim had certainly been a help so far.
‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘I’m coming.’
Chapter 20
The cafe was even smaller than the one Beth had visited earlier that morning for breakfast. The seating area was a single space that was no bigger than the living room of her apartment. Bare brick walls were decorated with mounted fish and old photos of boats on the sea. Unlike the gaudy aesthetic in the Trout and Lobster pub, it all seemed fitting and refined, as if everything had a place. The ceiling was exposed oak boarding, and single-bulb lights hung down on black wiring, creating a partial, but intentional, industrial feel. It meshed well with the traditional brickwork wall and wooden plank flooring. There were only four tables inside, all small and round, each only able to seat three people. There was a single counter to the rear, with a glass case that displayed cakes and pastries. Behind the counter was a large coffee machine. A lady with greying blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, sat behind the counter, reading a magazine. Beth and Jim ordered coffees—which Jim had bought, at his insistence—and Jim requested a bowl of water for Jess. They then found a seat, and the Border Collie took a few gulping mouthfuls of the water. Satisfied, she then lay on the ground at Jim’s feet.
Other than the lady serving, Beth and Jim—and the dog—were the only ones present. Jim took a long, deliberate mouthful from his steaming drink. Beth sat waiting for him to begin his story. She had her hands cupped around her own hot mug, enjoying the warmth that radiated into her palms. Jim eventually looked up.
‘Have to say,’ he began, ‘I was surprised you listened to what those ladies back there were yelling about. You didn’t dismiss it outright, as I might have expected.’
‘Should I have?’ Beth asked.
Jim shrugged. ‘Most people would. Sounded pretty far-fetched.’
‘Maybe,’ Beth agreed. ‘But despite what you said, I got the feeling you weren’t disregarding them, either. Why is that?’
‘You first,’ Jim said. ‘If you would be so kind as to indulge me. It’s just, you don’t strike me as the type of lady to believe in… you know, monsters and such.’
‘I guess I don’t, really,’ Beth said. ‘But, if I’m being honest, this trip to Netherwell Bay has me doubting myself.’
‘Any reason?’
‘Other than turning up to find that three people have been brutally murdered?’ Beth asked.
Jim nodded. ‘Yes.’
Beth knew he was trying to get her to admit to something, and she had a feeling he wouldn’t judge her when she did.
‘Well, I’ve seen a few weird things here myself since arriving,’ she told him, hoping that would be enough.
‘Things like what those women described?’
‘Kind of,’ Beth confirmed. Don’t ask me to give you any detail, she prayed. I don’t think I could say it out loud without sounding crazy.
Thankfully, that seemed enough for Jim. ‘In all honesty, I’ve had an experience myself. But it was a long time ago. Back when I was young.’
It was Beth’s turn to ask the question now. ‘An experience like what those women described?’
Jim nodded, and repeated Beth’s answer. ‘Kind of.’
He then took another slow mouthful of coffee, leaving her stunned—even if she had half-expected that answer.
Just what the hell is going on?
‘Okay, Jim, what is it you want to tell me? I’m feeling a little overwhelmed here and I need answers.’
‘What I have to tell you won’t give you any answers, I’m afraid,’ he told her. ‘You’ll just wind up with more questions. And it also won’t do anything to make you feel any less overwhelmed. But I figure I’ll tell you anyway, if only to get you the hell out of this town. Cos truth be told, I’m going to be leaving soon, as well.’
‘What? Where are you going to go?’ Beth asked, confused.
‘No idea,’ he replied. ‘But I think I know what’s coming. Seen it before… kind of, and I know I don’t want to see it again. Ever.’
‘Okay, Jim, spill it. What is it you want to tell me?’
Jim leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table between them, cupping his hands around his mug just as Beth had. He stared into the liquid inside, getting lost in his thoughts.
‘Happened a little over fifty years ago,’ he began.
Chapter 21
1968
This was madness. A fucking nightmare come to life. And it seemed to be happening all over town.
It had all started with the bodies they’d found in Hollows Cove. Dismembered, they’d said. All chopped up. Displayed in a sickening state. Symbols on the ground, too—weird occult things. Jim hadn’t heard exactly what they were, hadn’t seen the bodies, but in his head he was imagining one of those devil-worshipping pentagrams or something. The cut-up bodies had been sacrifices, people said. But no one knew what they had been sacrificed to.
Jim would have maybe expected something like this down in London—he’d heard everyone was crazy there. After all, that place had given birth to Jack the Ripper. But here, this far up north?
He’d been surprised when a friend had told him of the murders. Jim and his friend had even ventured to the beach to look at the police cars and officers. Everything was closed off, however, and they weren’t allowed to get very close.
It had rocked the town, and was so close to his favourite place: the clifftops above. The houses up there next to the hotel were lovely. He could imagine retiring into one of them someday with a good woman. There, they could live out their days with a great view over the sea.
Perhaps Ada could be that lady.
Of course, he’d need to get up the nerve to ask her out first.
But everything in town was starting to change now, and those bodies in the cave were just the start of the madness. Over the past day, things had been getting stranger and stranger. People reported seeing… impossible things. Horrible things. ‘Like a nightmare made real,’ one person had told Jim.
The town was whipped into a frenzy. Some of the older generation made mumblings that this savagery was not new to Netherwell. Then, it escalated.
More death.
Another three bodies were found in similar circumstances to the first ones: mutilated with occult symbols left on the ground surrounding them. Jim had been told about the fresh bodies, found up on the cliff top he loved so much, only a few hours ago.
Everyone seemed to be in a state of panic, searching for loved ones who had simply… vanished. Men, women, and children. Gone.
No trace left behind.
Police swarmed the streets as people called out for their missing family and friends.
Then, the screaming started. People running through the streets, calling, shouting, begging for the missing people to show themselves. Others were seemingly running from… something. A frenzy built.
And Jim was outside, on the streets, in the middle of it all.
The air seemed charged. People ran past and he heard snippets of wild conversations, where people babbled about seeing monstrous things. Screams came from near and far. Then, he heard something that made his blood run cold.
A sound. A rumble. Like a distant, powerful thunder, but seemingly made by a living thing coming out from sea. Jim’s throat dried up and everyone around him stopped dead as they looked out to the massive body of water.
‘What the fuck is that?’ someone uttered. Jim squinted his eyes and peered into a night that seemed somehow… unnatural. The thing was massive and blocked out the very stars in the sky. Then it moved.
A nightmare come to life.
Jim instinctually started to sprint in the opposite direction, even before his mind fully realised what he was
doing. He just had to get away from whatever that thing was. Another rumble. Then, more screaming. As Jim ran, he was knocked to the floor by two men who passed him. Feet thundered close to him, threatening to trample him underfoot—Jim could only lie on his front and bring his hands over his head for protection. Thankfully, the people leapt over him. Nearly all of them were shrieking in panic, but apparently they had the wherewithal to avoid a downed person. As he lay prone, Jim turned his head to the left, and he looked to the line of buildings ahead. There was an alleyway directly in his line of sight.
What he saw there made his heart seize. A woman was fighting against a thing that should not have been real.
It was huge, over ten feet tall, and had, as far as Jim could tell, grey skin. Its lower half was humanoid in form, but the bulky creature could not be mistaken for a person. From the waist up, the hulking thing became something else completely. The entity of its broad chest was taken up by a huge opening, a salivating mouth with black gums behind. The gums were lined with what looked to be thousands of small needles. Not quite teeth, as they were far too thin, and they moved and bristled like fur.
What made the sight even more terrifying was that the poor woman fighting against this monster had her lower half engulfed in the terrible mouth. She was being held up off the ground, squirming, as the stabbing needles pierced her flesh and the black gums gnawed at her. The woman’s screams were blood curdling, and red liquid erupted from her nose and mouth each time the horrific beast chomped down. Still, the woman continued her desperate fight and struggles. The creature had no defined head or shoulders, and no arms at all. Above the mouth was simply a pulsating, tumour-like mass of flesh that dripped and oozed a black liquid. Within the tumorous clump were scores of eyes, all of different shapes and sizes. Some were small orbs, others were larger, wider, with wild pupils that stared manically in all directions.
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