‘Right. Move out the way then. Come on, Charlie. Into the drawing room.’
Christmas had always been a haphazard affair for Ben and Maddy. It had usually started off okay at Trevor and Angie’s, but too much drink was always consumed, the day ending in shouting or sulking, with much slamming of doors and storming out. Before Trevor and Angie, it had just been completely depressing, with forced fun in care homes from well-meaning volunteers.
This year would be different. She would create a wonderful traditional day, like her mum used to. A proper celebration with a tree, presents, a Christmas dinner, chocolates and crappy TV - Perfect.
Maddy and Ben watched as Morris and Charlie wrestled the wet Christmas tree into place in front of the floor-to-ceiling drawing room windows. It was like a story book tree, perfectly shaped and tapering to a point which almost touched the ceiling. Maddy inhaled the sharp citrus scent of pine needles.
‘Thank you,’ she said as the men stepped back to admire their efforts.
‘You got any decorations?’ Morris asked.
‘Huh?’
‘Christmas decorations – You got any?’
‘Oh. No we haven’t.’ Maddy realised she’d have to get some.
‘Thanks, Charlie,’ Morris said. ‘I’ll be out shortly. You can carry on with the wood.’
‘Oh. Alright.’
‘Yeah, thanks, Charlie,’ Madison said as he left the room.
‘Just going upstairs,’ Morris said. ‘Be back in a minute.’
Ten minutes later, he returned to the lounge carrying a large box.
‘What’s that?’ asked Ben.
‘You said you didn’t have any decorations. Here’s a box full of them.’
‘For us?’
Morris nodded. ‘They’re years old. Belonged to the original owner didn’t they.’ He put the box down on the coffee table.
‘Cool.’ Ben knelt on the floor and opened the lid.
Madison crouched next to him and peered in to see parcels of scrunched up tissue and newspaper. She reached into the box at the same time as Ben and they giggled as they clashed hands. Maddy picked out one of the packages and carefully unwrapped the tissue paper. A small figure dropped into her palm. It was a tiny old-fashioned girl wearing ice skates – an exquisite Christmas decoration.
‘It’s beautiful.’
Ben opened another of the small parcels. His was a silver reindeer pulling a dog on a sleigh.
‘Don’t go dropping them. They’ll be quite valuable I should think.’
Madison and Ben looked up to see Esther standing in the doorway. Her mouth turned up into an unfamiliar smile.
Exquisitely made from glass or porcelain, there were little snowmen, a polar bear, a silver pig in a cart and many others. Some of the ornaments lay in broken pieces, or crumbled as they touched them, but most were still in decent condition and she and Ben spent a magical afternoon on the stepladder, decorating the magnificent Norway Spruce and eating most of the tree chocolates that Esther had bought with the weekly shop.
*
On Christmas Eve, Travis called round to ask if Maddy wanted to come to the pub. Kerri and Taff would be there, along with a whole group of their mates.
‘Thanks, Trav, but me and Ben are getting all Christmassy – slobbing out and watching a film. Maybe another night?’
‘Well, it’ll have to be after New Year. I’m going up to Cheltenham tomorrow to stay with my dad for the week.’
‘Oh. Wait there.’ Maddy left him standing on the doorstep while she went to get his present from under the Christmas tree. She and Ben had got him a couple of rare import twelve-inch records. ‘Don’t open it till tomorrow,’ she said as she handed it to him.
‘Thanks, Mads. I can’t believe you got me something.’
‘It’s from Ben too.’
‘Here. This is for you.’ He handed her a small square parcel.
‘Thanks, Trav.’
‘You’ve got to open it now.’
‘Really?’ she said. ‘I’d rather open it on Christmas Day. I’m not going to have many others ...’
‘Open it now. Go on.’
‘Okay,’ she smiled and suddenly felt about five years old. The parcel had been beautifully wrapped in gold paper with twirly bits of red ribbon. She pulled the ribbon off and ripped open the paper.
‘It’s an ipod,’ Travis said, watching her face. ‘But I loaded it with tons of tracks I know you like. There’s speakers in with it and I’ve also put a load of cheesy Christmas tunes on there, so you can get your groove on to Mariah and Boney M.’
‘Trav, you are such a sweetheart. I love it.’ She leant in to kiss his cheek, but he turned his face slightly and her mouth brushed his lips instead. He stared at her, but she ignored the moment he was trying to create. She pulled back.
‘Ben!’ she called into the lounge. ‘Look what Travis got me for Christmas!’
Ben didn’t hear her though and she was left standing uncomfortably on the doorstep, with an expectant Travis.
‘He’s got the telly turned up too loud,’ she said, talking inanely to try and cover the awkward moment. ‘So, come round after New Year, if you’re free ... and … have a good night tonight. Say hi to Kerri and Taff for me …’
She felt Travis trying to make eye-contact, but she wouldn’t look at him properly. She didn’t want to see the feelings she knew he had for her.
‘Yeah. Happy Christmas, Mads.’
She heard disappointment in his voice. He trudged back to his van and Maddy felt bad. But she liked him as a friend and that was it. She knew she could never feel about Travis, the way she felt about … She stopped herself short. Could she really have feelings for ... it? For a statue.
She shook away the thought. She and Ben were going to relax and enjoy their first Christmas as a family with no outsiders, no social workers or foster parents. They were wealthy with their own house and their lives stretched out before them. Anything was possible now. They could do whatever they wanted. Maybe they could go away on holiday after Christmas. Maybe that’s what she needed. Time away to get some perspective. Away from them ... from him.
*
Was it morning yet? Maddy turned over and looked at the red glowing numbers on her alarm clock. Five forty three. Much too early to get up. She thought she heard something, a creaking floorboard. Father Christmas? She laughed to herself and pulled the quilt up to her chin. Go back to sleep, Maddy.
*
When she awoke again, it was past eight o’clock and she was surprised Ben hadn’t rushed in to wake her yet. He’d been so excited the night before. He’d tried to be all grown-up and cynical, saying that Christmas was manufactured and commercial, but he’d been in such a good mood, like a springy puppy dog, laughing and teasing, he’d barely been able to sit still.
It filled Maddy with love and contentment to see him so happy. She felt excited herself. It was Christmas morning and here she was waking up in this beautiful room, in their picture-book house with no one to tell them what to do. She’d go and see if he was awake.
She pulled a jumper over the top of her pyjamas, slipped her feet into some cosy Uggs, drew back the curtains and looked outside. No snow, but a white frost glittered over the ornamental garden in the weak morning light. It looked beautiful but freezing out there. Maddy stared for a minute or two, watching a bird perched on the side of the lake, pecking in vain at the frozen water.
She remembered Ben and almost skipped to his room, ready to wake him up with a Merry Christmas, but his covers were pulled back and there was no sign of him. She hoped he hadn’t had his breakfast yet. She wanted them to eat together in the lounge and open their presents, like she remembered doing with their mum.
She had bought Ben a small trail bike which she knew he would go crazy over. He had no idea and she couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw it. She’d wheeled it into the dining room last night after he’d gone to bed. Morris wouldn’t be too happy to have a motorbike tearing up the grounds, b
ut hey.
Maddy looked in the lounge … not there. She walked into the kitchen and stared in dread. An icy hand curled around her heart, squeezing it tight.
‘No!’ She could barely get the word out. ‘Ben!’ she screamed and ran to the cellar door, which was unlocked and wide open, throwing out a cold blast into the usually-warm kitchen. She almost fell down the steps, into the dungeon-like depths. It was dark, except for few ribbons of pale morning light filtering in through frosty windows.
Maddy felt even sicker as she saw the entrance to the hidden room was exposed, the crates pushed aside. Ben lay there on his side, on the cold stone floor in his pyjamas. The torch emitted a dying beam on the ground next to him. She ran across to her baby brother and gathered his icy body to her. She ripped off her boots and put them on his bare feet. Then she took off her jumper and, with shaking fingers, pulled it over his head and arms. His wrist was a mess of blood and she screamed again.
‘No! No, no, no!’ Her frantic thoughts were all self-recrimination - Why did I leave those things here? I should’ve destroyed them! Ben! My Ben, my brother! ‘Please!’ she sobbed and held him, kissing his cold face. Staring at him, willing something ... anything. A faint gurgling sound came from his throat. ‘Ben!’ Maddy stopped crying and her tone became urgent. ‘Ben, wake up. Wake up! Can you hear me, Ben?’
He moaned.
‘That’s it. Come on, we have to get you out of here. You have to come upstairs, into the warm, where it’s safe. Come on, Benny boy, wake up!’
Ben was small for his age, but so was Maddy. She heaved him up, over her shoulder and swayed to steady herself. She briefly glanced at the open crate and saw that thing lying there as if butter wouldn’t melt in its blood-sucking mouth. Its hours were numbered. She was going to come back down here later and impale it. But right now, she had to fix her brother.
She made it to the bottom of the cellar steps before she had to stop. The stone floor was so cold, like blades going into the bare soles of her feet. She sat on the bottom step for a few seconds, gathering her strength, with Ben still draped over her shoulder. Then she heaved herself up again, her legs buckling with the weight and the fear.
Maddy climbed out of the cellar, one slow step at a time, talking to Ben constantly. Telling him to listen to her voice, telling him about the motorbike she had got him for Christmas, that he was going to be fine and that she loved him more than anything in the world.
*
Everything happened to him in pretty much the same way it had happened to her. The sweats, the hallucinations and delirium. Madison called Dr Wilson herself, telling him she thought Ben had got what she had had and could he come and give him whatever he had given her to make her better.
Dr Wilson took one look at Ben’s lacerated wrist and glanced up sharply at Madison. She said they’d been doing some renovation work and he’d cut himself, like her, that they both came from the same clumsy gene pool. She knew the doctor didn’t believe any of it. But he didn’t comment.
Morris and Esther came round about half-an-hour after Dr Wilson had left. Maddy was annoyed. He must have told them about Ben. What happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?
‘Looks like he’s got the same flu I had,’ Maddy told Morris and Esther. She saw the look that passed between them. Well, let them think what they like, she thought. It’s none of their business anyway and I haven’t got the energy to worry about them now.
‘You don’t need to stay,’ she continued. ‘You should go home and enjoy the rest of your Christmas. Me and Ben are fine here.’
Morris nodded his head in acceptance, but Esther spoke up.
‘We’ll pack a bag and stay in the room upstairs for a few days, until his fever breaks.’
‘No honestly. We’ll be okay,’ Maddy said.
‘I’ll go downstairs and have a quick tidy round. Morris, you bring us a few clothes and the wash bag, while I tend to things here.’
‘Right, then. See you shortly,’ he replied.
Esther swept out of the room before Maddy had a chance to protest further. To be honest, she found she didn’t actually care what they did. She felt too worried about Ben, who was still white hot and sweating buckets. So, this was to be their first Christmas at Marchwood. Not quite the day she had planned.
Why had her brother gone down there? What could have made him go into the cellar? And she would have to do something about those creatures. They’d had a hold over her for too long. She had to get rid of them and start to live her life properly.
She’d wasted hours mooning around over that thing. Was it just because it was so beautiful? Was she really that shallow? She had to kill it, before it did any more harm. She just prayed her little brother would come out of the fever soon. Dr Wilson hadn’t seemed overly worried. He’d been more concerned with the cause of the fever.
Madison spent the whole of Christmas Day and Boxing Day at Ben’s bedside. He hadn’t shown any signs of improvement and Maddy swung from being hysterical with worry, to calmly telling herself this is what she had been like and she hadn’t woken up for three days.
On the morning after Boxing Day, Dr Wilson said if Ben’s condition hadn’t improved by the evening, he would recommend he be moved to hospital for intravenous antibiotics. Maddy started praying and playing the game where she bargained with God: If you make my brother better, you can send me back to foster care, you can take all this wealth away and I’ll work in Angie’s supermarket for the rest of my life, I’ll be really nice to Esther, even if she’s being a total bitch.
Something must have worked, whether it was Maddy’s prayers or Dr Wilson’s treatment, or just that things had run their natural course, but by that afternoon Ben’s fever broke and he now slept peacefully. Madison changed his sheets again and looked at his small pyjama-clad body. He looked so vulnerable lying there and, not for the first time, she felt like it was all her fault. She had to face the truth that she knew what those things in the cellar were. She’d been kidding herself now for too long. She should just admit it … they were vampires.
There were five vampires sleeping in the cellar. One of them had sucked her blood, one of them had sucked her brother’s blood and she had to do something about it.
*
The minute Morris and Esther left the house, Maddy gritted her teeth and marched down into the cellar with a new halogen light. Ben was still asleep upstairs. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet and Maddy’s rage was returning. It was rage against herself as much as it was against the vampire who had done this to her brother. Fury engulfed her and she wanted to shatter its stone body into a million bits.
She shoved the empty crates away from the entrance and picked up the pick axe, trying to clear her mind of everything but the pulsing anger, trying not to see his beautiful face in her mind. She pushed off the lid to the crate and caught a blurred glimpse of dark eyebrow and white cheek, but she steeled herself against him, swinging the axe above her head with two hands.
She aimed for his chest and brought the metal tip of the pick axe crashing down. The shock of the impact travelled up her arms, to her shoulders and into her teeth, which shook painfully in her mouth. She let go of the axe and looked through half-closed eyes at the carnage she expected to see.
She opened her eyes wide and then frowned in disbelief. His jacket and shirt were torn. She knelt down, ripping the material apart to reveal a perfect, gleaming chest - there was not a single mark on him. Not a scratch or a nick - nothing. She yelled in frustration and wielded the pick axe again. She ignored the burning in her arms as she attacked him with fury.
After a minute she ran and got the sledgehammer, trying to smash any part of him she could. When her energy was truly spent and her muscles screamed in pain, she looked and saw that apart from his torn suit, he … it was still completely unharmed.
Madison sank to the ground in exhaustion. It hadn’t even tried to fight back. It had just lain there and absorbed the blows. What was she going to do? She pushed herself up
onto her feet and walked out of the room, thinking hard.
That afternoon, she came better prepared. She felt faintly ridiculous, but she wasn’t dealing in the realms of normality and she was ready to try anything. Thinking about all the vampire movies she had seen, she made a list of all the things that were supposed to kill them – garlic, crosses, a stake through the heart, daylight. She was almost embarrassed to be considering these things, but what other options did she have? She was dealing with something supernatural that couldn’t be harmed with a pick axe or a sledgehammer, so she had to improvise.
She went up to the crate and put bulbs of garlic inside, around the creature’s body and face, watching intently for any signs of revulsion or discomfort. She put a small gold cross on its forehead, half expecting the metal to burn into its skin, like in the movies. Nothing so far.
Standing in front of the crate she held out a sharpened piece of hardwood and positioned it on its chest exactly where she thought its heart should be (if the evil bloodsucker actually had a heart). She held it in place and raised the hammer, banging it down hard onto the wooden stake with all the force she could muster. The stake snapped without even making a mark on his skin. So that was the ‘stake through the heart’ theory out of the window. What had she expected? That the creature would disappear in a puff of smoke or disintegrate into dust? What now?
‘Yes!’ she said out loud. ‘I know. I know just what I’m going to do with you.’
She raced upstairs and outside into the chilly afternoon air. Although the sun was shining, traces of frost still clung to the more shaded areas of lawn. But Madison barely noticed the cold. She was on a mission to destroy and she was absolutely sure she would succeed this time. Her 4x4 sat in the garage and she hopped in; this time having absolutely no trouble with clutch control and steering. Over the past couple of months she had been taught very patiently by Travis and she now felt entirely confident with her new driving skills.
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