by Lu Hersey
I race round the corner and suddenly find myself in a graveyard I didn’t even know existed. It’s about the size of a small schoolyard, and it looks unkempt, with brambles and weeds growing in clumps everywhere. Several of the old gravestones have fallen over. My eye is drawn to a group of people standing round a blazing bonfire. Their heads are bent and they seem to be praying. I spot Crawford. He’s got Gabriel with him. My blood freezes. No one has seen me yet. As I watch, Crawford reaches down to a large canvas shopping bag on the ground and pulls something out. It’s the sealskin. I almost cry out in dismay.
Elliot’s Aunty Bea is standing next to him. She must sense someone is watching because she looks up. She stares straight at me. Even from here I can feel her fear and hatred.
“Look, Cyril! That girl is here.”
Crawford looks up. The men with him stare at me too. One of them looks familiar, and I’m not sure why. Then he does the weird hand in front of his face gesture three times and spits, and I remember. He was standing outside Cararth Crystals looking into the shop that day.
For a brief moment, Crawford looks wary. Then he starts shouting at me.
“Stay away! You can’t come here! This is a place of God.”
“Me stay away? What about you, after what you did?” My voice is shaky, but I’m so angry I want to go over and punch him. I step closer. “Here in this chapel, wasn’t it? I bet Mrs Goodwin doesn’t know you’re here, does she? She’s the minister here now, not you. I’m going to call the police.” I reach in my pocket. I wish I could stop my hand trembling.
Gabriel snarls a warning.
“Go to hell, you evil witch!” shrieks Aunty Bea. “What we’re doing here is none of your business. It’s God’s work.”
That does it. I’m so angry I start walking towards her. “Call me evil? What about you? Have you told your friends here about the curses you make?”
Crawford puts his arm out protectively in front of Aunty Bea.
“Beryl is one of God’s Chosen. She only uses her skills for the greater good. Unlike you.” His voice is full of menace.
I stop where I am. My legs are shaking with fear, but I can’t let it go. “You reckon? So cursing her own nephew is for the greater good?”
Aunty Bea and Crawford just glare at me, eyes filled with hatred. Then Gabriel snarls, baring his teeth. He starts walking towards me, ears pinned back, hackles raised. I try not to move, hoping the hateful dog is on a lead.
I’m not in luck.
“Gabriel, get her!” Crawford points at me. The dog needs no further encouragement and runs straight for me, growling.
There’s no escape. I don’t stand a chance. I have the sickening realization too late – I should have called the police while I still could.
As Gabriel jumps towards my throat, I lose my balance and fall backwards. My head smashes against a gravestone as I fall.
Everything goes dark.
I hear sounds, but they seem far away. It’s as if someone’s stuck my head down a toilet bowl and is holding me underwater. My mouth is filled with thick, salty liquid. Blood. I’m trying not to swallow, but there’s so much blood in my mouth, it’s hard to breathe. I’ve bitten my tongue badly, and it’s incredibly painful.
I’m still holding something in my hand. I open my eyes blearily and see the knotted canvas. I picture Robert’s turquoise blue eyes gazing at me by my grandfather’s memorial in the cemetery that day. The last knot, he’s for when youse in real trouble.
From the corner of my eye I can see Crawford, holding up the sealskin. He’s chanting some prayer in Latin. What’s he waiting for? The others have their heads bent in prayer. I must have been out for a while as they seem to have forgotten about me.
There are four of them altogether. Against one of me. That’s not good odds. Worse, there’s Gabriel, now curled up at Crawford’s feet. Luckily for me, he must have been satisfied with knocking me out. When he leaped at me, I honestly thought he was going to rip my throat open. Amazingly, I don’t think I’ve been bitten anywhere.
I wonder why no one is looking at me. The pain in my head is terrible and I’m finding it hard to think straight. Maybe they think I’m dead or something?
I spit out the blood as quietly as I can, and start working at the knot with my fingers. I try my hardest not to attract attention. The prayer drones on. I glance up. The sealskin swirls and vibrates in Crawford’s hands. There’s a ringing sound in my ears. I’m not sure if it’s because my head’s throbbing from the fall, or if the skin is calling to me. I think it’s the skin. My heart lurches in despair. He’s going to drop it into the fire soon. I know it.
Crawford holds the sealskin up higher. He’s almost shouting now, and it sounds like he’s getting near the end of his prayer. My fingers work frantically at the knot, and finally it comes free.
Nothing happens. Nothing at all. I don’t know what I expected, but the disappointment I feel is intense. I really thought it would work, the same as when I undid the first two. The air is ominously still and silent.
I ache all over. I strain every muscle in my body in a feeble attempt to get up off the ground to try to stop Crawford. I feel a breeze picking up and look hopefully at the sky.
The dog must have seen me moving. He stands up and growls deep in his throat. I hardly dare breathe as he paces towards me again. Within seconds he’s so close, I can see cords of drool hanging from his jaws. I curl into a fetal position by the gravestone and scrunch my eyes shut in terror.
“What have you done to her? Touch her again and I’ll throw you in the fire, you mad bastard!”
I recognize the voice instantly. Levi. I half open one eye and squint up at him. I close it again quickly to try to stop the sensation that the whole graveyard is spinning. I feel really dizzy.
I hear a blood-curdling snarl from Gabriel right by my ear, followed by a yell from Levi and then a sickening thump. Gabriel yelps and whines. I snap my eyes open and see drops of blood splattering onto my arm.
I look up to see where it’s coming from. Levi is clutching his hand, the blood dripping down from between his fingers. No wonder he kicked the dog. The bite wound must be deep. I glance round cautiously, but can’t see Gabriel anywhere.
“You’re bleeding!”
“You don’t look so good yourself.” He smiles at me, then winces as he tries to move his fingers.
I wipe my hand over my face. It comes away covered in blood. My mouth is still full of the metallic, salty taste. I try to spit, but my tongue is so swollen, the blood just dribbles down my chin. I’m still really groggy and it takes a minute to remember. Crawford! I have to stop him. As I struggle up off the ground with Levi’s help, I sense the wind is picking up.
I look over to see if Crawford’s still on the other side of the fire, and immediately spot Aunty Bea, pointing at us and shouting. There’s an eerie whistling noise coming from somewhere. It takes a moment to realize it’s the sound of the wind blowing down the side of the chapel. The smoke billows round us, making my eyes sting. Levi and I both start to cough, and my tongue throbs painfully with the effort. I look for Crawford again through the stinging smoke, desperate to see if he’s still holding the sealskin.
The fire flares suddenly, as though someone just poured petrol on it, and I can’t make out anything beyond it. I have to grab the skin before Crawford throws it in the fire. Or has he done it already?
“What the hell’s going on?” Levi shouts above the gale. I shake my head. I’ve no idea what’s happening. The choking smoke funnels upwards and swirls round, high above the chapel, and the force of the wind makes it practically impossible to move. It screeches around us with hurricane strength, filling the air with rubbish and debris.
I can hardly stand up in this. The fire roars. Sparks rise like orange stars into the air, swirling higher and higher, catching in the trees and the tiles on the chapel roof.
We’re trapped in a whirlwind. Loose tiles are lifted and swept up into the vortex. I watch in disbelief
as they spiral above the churchyard, then plummet back down to the ground. Within seconds, sparks catch hold in the exposed rafters and the chapel roof bursts into flame. Someone is shouting.
“It’s the girl’s devilry. Stand your ground. It’s nearly time. The tide is about to turn!”
Crawford is bellowing to make himself heard above the howling wind and crashing tiles but I can only just make out the words. I still can’t see him through the smoke, but I’m desperately hoping nearly time means he’s still holding the sealskin.
“Danni, we have to get out of here.”
I can’t leave. If I can make myself move at all, I need my strength to try to stop Crawford.
“You run for it, Levi. I can’t go anywhere. I feel too sick.”
“I’m not going without you. Come on!” Levi grabs my arm and tries to pull me with him, struggling against the wind.
“Wait a minute!” I shout, shaking him off and looking back at the fire.
The smoke thins for a second and I suddenly spot Crawford. He’s still standing on the other side of the flames, his coat pulled over his head to protect himself from the falling debris, clutching the sealskin in his hands. Gabriel is running round at his feet, barking in the chaos. I feel a glimmer of hope. I was right. Whatever they’re waiting for, he hasn’t thrown it in the fire yet. Aunty Bea ducks and weaves around him, shrieking like a hyena as she tries to avoid the tiles falling like missiles from the sky.
All at once Crawford catches sight of me. He crosses himself quickly, and lifts the skin higher.
“Is it time?” he shouts at Aunty Bea.
“Yes, the tide is turning!” I’ve no idea how she knows, but I know what’s coming.
“Do it now!” she shouts, ducking to avoid another falling tile.
Crawford glares at me in triumph, and thrusts the skin into the raging fire.
I hear a desperate wailing sound and realize it’s coming from me. Somehow I’m managing to run. Then without a second thought, I jump into the flames.
The world goes silent. I’m surrounded by dancing flames but hear nothing, feel nothing. In front of me the sealskin rests on the embers, the patterned fur swirling, alive. I have to save it. I reach out, and for a minute everything goes into slow motion. I don’t know why I can’t feel the heat. From the outside, the fire felt like a furnace. Strangely, I catch a faint scent of brine and seaweed. It’s as if I’m somehow in the eye of the storm, protected from the searing flame and smoke.
“Are you crazy? Get out of the bloody fire!” Levi grabs my arm and pulls so hard it nearly comes out of its socket. The shouting and the heat and roar and stink of the furnace comes back. He’s pulled me clear.
I’m holding the sealskin.
“You’re lucky you weren’t burned to a crisp, you moron! Come on. We’ve got to run for it.” Levi grips my arm like a vice as he tries to pull me away. I turn and see Crawford and his cronies coming round the fire and heading towards us. Even as I start to run, I wonder what’s happened to the dog. My heart’s pounding and my tongue is so swollen, it feels like it’s choking me. We have to get out of here.
“Don’t turn round, just RUN!” Levi shouts at me.
We stumble across the churchyard as fast as we can. Levi doesn’t let go of my wrist and yanks me down the alley towards the car park. Behind us I can hear people shouting above the roar of the wind. I hear something else. A low, menacing growl. A tile shifts and falls from the burning roof and I duck. Behind me, a sudden yelp of pain. Got to keep running.
Levi pulls me round the corner and lets go of my wrist. We’re in the car park in front of the chapel. A few metres across the tarmac, I can see Elliot trying to hold back a struggling Michelle, and behind them lots of other people who must have been drawn here by the smoke and noise. I hear sirens approaching. I look round frantically. There’s nowhere to hide the skin. Crawford will seize it back again. All the pain and effort will be for nothing.
A figure darts towards me from the shadows of the chapel porch and grabs my sleeve.
“Wha’s going on, girl? You called in the weather. Are you all right?” Robert’s turquoise eyes gaze at me in concern as the wind swirls plastic bags and sheets of newspaper around our heads.
I could cry with relief. I thrust the sealskin into his hands. “Take this, could you? Hide it for me.”
“I will, girl, don’t youse worry.” He stuffs it down the front of his jacket.
A dog barks and I twist round to see Gabriel racing across the tarmac towards us. He’s limping slightly, but that’s hardly slowing him down at all. I turn back to Robert in panic. But no one’s there. He’s gone.
“Danni, look out!” Michelle runs towards me, her arms reaching out to try to stop Gabriel. She’s broken free of Elliot, and I see him sink down on the tarmac behind her. Of course. I’m here. He can’t breathe. He’s still got the poppet and the curse is unbroken. Sirens shriek louder and car tyres squeal.
For a second, Michelle is between me and the dog. Gabriel leaps through the air, and his jaws clamp over her outstretched arm.
“No, Gabriel, stop!”
Crawford calls his dog too late. Gabriel has bitten deep and Michelle screams in shock and pain.
“Shell! Noooo!” I wrap my arms around her. “Duck down!” We crouch on the tarmac as Gabriel leaps and snaps at my back and neck. I frantically try to shelter Michelle.
“Gabriel! Here, boy! Come here, NOW!” Finally the dog obeys his master and the frenzied snarling stops.
A terrified Michelle looks up at me, eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, Danni. You told me to stay away.”
“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you to Ancrows with me. It’s all my fault.”
“I wanted to come.” She’s trying to be brave but the tears spill down her cheeks and she’s as white as a sheet. It wrenches my heart to see her like this.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get you to a doctor straight away.” I look at her arm. Blood has filled the bite marks where Gabriel’s teeth locked on. Poor, sweet Michelle. I have to get her out of here.
I look up. People in the crowd are already running forward to help us. A police car swerves round the corner into the car park, sirens wailing and lights flashing. It pulls up right in front of the chapel and two policemen jump out of the car. They look up at the burning building and move quickly. One of them grabs a megaphone from the back seat and shouts into it.
“Could everyone move back, please? This building is unsafe.” He holds his arms out like a barrier to stop the crowd advancing any closer.
“What’s happened here?” the other policeman asks Crawford.
“He didn’t mean to bite her, officer. He was upset by the fire!” Crawford looks panicked by the appearance of the policeman. He’s desperately holding a snarling Gabriel back by the collar. Aunty Bea stands beside him, glaring at us.
“Oh? And he didn’t mean to bite me either, I suppose?” I didn’t realize Levi was standing right next to us. When I look up at him, I can clearly see the flesh on his hand is torn and bleeding. It must be agony.
The policeman talks into his radio. “Can we have ambulance backup straight away? Ancrows Chapel. Send a dog handler too, if you can find one.” As he speaks, the distinctive clanging of approaching fire engines rises above the hubbub, growing louder and louder. The crowd moves further back as two fire engines pull into the car park, blue lights flashing. Firemen jump out and set to work immediately, unreeling the long fire hoses coiled inside the trucks.
The policeman turns back to Crawford. “I’m sorry, sir, but we’ll have to take your dog to the police pound. It’s against the law to keep an animal that endangers or harms the public. If anyone presses charges, he may have to be destroyed.”
“No! Not Gabriel, he’s a good boy!” Crawford is so distraught, I can see tears in his eyes. “Please don’t take him away from me.”
Just for one, tiny split second, I almost feel sorry for him.
It doesn’t last.
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br /> “It’s all that evil girl’s fault. She set fire to the chapel.” Crawford points at me.
The policeman looks at me with increased interest. “Is this true?”
“Of course it’s not. He started the fire. I only went round to see where the smoke was coming from.”
“And she stole something valuable from me, officer.”
The policeman scrutinizes me for a moment. After what we’ve just been through, I guess I don’t look too good right now. The parts of me I can see are filthy with soot from the smoke and smeared with blood. My clothes are all singed, and my knee’s sticking out of a big hole burned in the front of my jeans. Worse, Crawford looks unscathed, the picture of a normal, respectable minister of the church.
“He’s a liar. And a killer. Do you know who he is?” Even as I’m saying it, I know the policeman thinks I’m the liar, not Crawford.
“I think we’ve heard quite enough from you, young lady. Let’s move away from the chapel building now. When you’ve seen the paramedics, we’d like to ask you a few questions.”
“That’s so unfair!” Levi is furious. I glare at him to stop him saying any more, but he doesn’t notice. “That so-called minister started all this. He’s totally insane. Danni had nothing to do with it. I can testify for her.”
The policeman looks at Levi carefully. I have to admit, I’ve seen Levi looking better. Wild eyed, bleeding, and dirty from the fire, he looks far more suspect than Crawford.
“I think you’d better come in for questioning too, sir.” The policeman gets out his notebook. “Now before the ambulance comes, I’d like you to tell me your names and where you both live.”
The wind has finally died down, and I feel exhausted. The paramedics have been amazing. They managed to get Michelle, Levi and me away from the police and into an ambulance.
“You look like casualties from a war zone.” The female paramedic smiles at us. “We must get you to the hospital so we can patch you up.”
At that moment, I hear shouting outside.
“You have to let me see them! They’re my friends. Please let me past.”