by Adam Slater
‘Are you OK?’ Callum gasped. ‘Did she get you anywhere else? Let’s get out to the street, we should take you to a hospital –’
He clasped above her injured wrist gently, hoping to stem the bleeding, his own hands still tingling with residual energy.
‘Callum!’ Melissa gasped, more in surprise than pain. ‘Wh-what are you doing?’
Callum looked at her, confused, but Melissa was staring down at her wrist. Tentatively, she lifted back her blood-soaked sleeve and stared down at the wound. Where Callum held her, prickling energy flowed over and around both their hands. Callum could feel the electric warmth radiate from his palms. The power wasn’t as strong as it had been, but the air was still rippling. The force flowed around the gaping slashes in Melissa’s wrist – which slowly, before their eyes, began to seal themselves closed. After a few moments, the ripples stopped and Callum took his hand away.
‘What was that?’ Melissa asked. The strength had come back into her voice.
‘I’m not sure . . .’ Callum didn’t know what to tell her. ‘I – I think it’s done something though . . .’
He broke off into silence and they both stared down at her arm again in amazement. Where the savage teeth had torn the flesh, it was now smooth and unbroken. The fading energy of Callum’s power had somehow repaired the damaged skin without even leaving a scar.
‘Wow,’ Melissa breathed, then paused for a moment and stared at Callum. ‘You healed it! That’s another one of your powers! And Callum, what you did with that beam of energy. That was amazing! You’re really starting to get the hang of this.’ Her voice was shaking and incredulous.
Callum swallowed hard and looked down the alleyway at the crumpled corpse of the blonde-haired girl. His stomach turned over and he had to look away.
‘Fat lot of difference it made,’ he muttered, and then turned to look at Melissa, whose face was serious again.
‘Maybe we should go and tell those police officers . . .’
Callum frowned and took a deep breath.
‘We can’t. I mean, if we go to the police, they’ll ask questions, you have blood on your sleeve . . .’ He trailed off, shaking his head. His stomach was in knots. Melissa nodded.
‘You’re right. Someone will find her soon enough,’ she said, her eyes glazing over. Callum squeezed her shoulder briefly.
‘Let’s get out of here.’
Chapter Thirteen
‘Don’t you just want to get home?’ Melissa asked as Callum walked her to her front door from Marlock station.
He shook his head grimly. ‘I’ve got to go to the churchyard. I want to know what the hell all that was. Maybe Jacob can shed some light on it.’
Melissa sighed. ‘I’d come with you, but I know my parents are going to be wondering where I am by now. Listen, thanks for everything today. I’m just sorry that we . . .’ She trailed off, her eyes welling up at the memory. A tear spilled over and she wiped it away quickly. ‘I’m sorry we didn’t get there in time.’
Callum watched as she went inside, then set off at a determined pace for the churchyard. Jacob and Doom were waiting beneath the yew tree. Jacob’s pale skin seemed to glisten a little in the dusky light of the afternoon.
‘Callum,’ Jacob said as he strode over. ‘I did not expect you for some hours yet.’
Callum quickly explained what had happened in Leicester, the ghost listening intently with his arms folded. When Callum finished, Jacob shook his head, his pale brow furrowed.
‘Black Annis? How did you even know she had crossed over?’
Callum sighed – he hadn’t mentioned his initial vision.
‘I . . . I saw something – it was like a premonition almost. It wasn’t clear at first, everything was in darkness and shadows, but there was a group of humans, and they seemed to be performing a ritual . . . a sacrifice maybe, on this hag-like demon. Then Melissa looked up the thing I described, and it was obvious it was Black Annis.’
Jacob’s face was grim. ‘It would seem that your visions are becoming more prescient with the onset of the Shadowing. That you are seeing further into the future. This is to be expected.’ He paused. ‘Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you saw.’
When Callum explained his vision in more detail, Jacob seemed even more unhappy. He paced away from Callum and kept his back turned. Doom followed, as though awaiting some instruction. Finally Jacob turned and spoke, fixing Callum with a hard stare.
‘Callum, I do not think I need to tell you how severe this situation is. Firstly, you should not have gone off in the hope of attacking a Netherworld being about which you knew nothing.’
‘Hang on,’ Callum interjected. ‘That’s not true, we did know something about her, and that’s why we were so anxious to find out more. We were looking for clues. And once we ran into her, I had no choice, I had to do something!’
‘Regardless, you should have spoken with me before embarking on that journey. Black Annis may have passed over at this early stage in the Shadowing, but she will grow increasingly strong – and increasingly dangerous – with each feeding.’ The ghost paused. ‘Nevertheless,’ he said, ‘you showed great courage in your actions. And we know you have discovered and used new powers. You showed strength and focus when it mattered most. That is good.’
Callum shrugged. ‘It didn’t help that girl.’
‘No,’ Jacob said. ‘But you saved Melissa’s life.’
‘Yeah,’ Callum said, but he couldn’t help feeling depressed. He had already allowed people to die at the hands of this demon. And she was just the first to cross over.
He had to do better, or . . . He didn’t know if he even wanted to think about the other option. ‘What if I can’t actually do what I’m going to need to do?’ he murmured.
Jacob walked over to Callum and looked him dead in the eye. ‘Would you rather hide? Leave the world to these monsters – and these humans who wish to do their own kind harm?’
Callum held Jacob’s gaze for a moment, and then shook his head. He folded his arms and frowned, recalling again how his mother said that attitude makes all the difference.
‘No.’
Jacob nodded, and kept his eyes on Callum a moment longer before speaking. ‘Good. Good. Now, you say that this group of humans seemed united?’
Callum went over the vision once again. Jacob’s figure seemed to be melding into the growing darkness, but Callum could see the look of concern on his face.
‘I fear they are a coven,’ Jacob said finally. ‘And I fear you may be correct, that they were making a sacrifice of Black Annis. The consequences could be severe.’
‘Like . . . like what exactly?’ Callum wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer.
‘As I said, Black Annis is a dangerous crone – particularly if she is feeding regularly.’ Jacob stopped for a moment, and seemed to be considering something. After a moment, he continued. ‘There is usually only one reason for sacrificing a Netherworld demon . . . To widen a gap in the Boundary.’
‘Widen?’ Callum repeated. ‘So they might be trying to bring something bigger over?’
‘Something bigger or more powerful. Or perhaps even a greater quantity of demons sooner,’ Jacob replied. ‘Either way, an increase in demonic activity before you are fully prepared is very bad news.’
Callum let out a wry laugh – he hardly needed telling.
‘We need to get to Black Annis before they do, then,’ he said determinedly.
Jacob shook his head. ‘I fear it will not be so easy, Callum. Black Annis is not like the Fetch. She is more intelligent. Now that she is aware you are seeking her out, she will lie low – so low we may not be able to find her again. You cannot search the whole of Leicester in the hopes of stumbling across her.’
Callum’s heart sank.
‘OK,’ he sighed. ‘Well then for now we’ll just have to concentrate on getting my powers up to scratch.’
‘Certainly. However, I think you have had the best possible practice for to
day.’
‘Come on, Jacob, I need to do this,’ Callum pressed, but Jacob held up his hands.
‘I think you must go home, have some time to digest what has happened. We shall return to our tutorials tomorrow.’
Callum was a little irritated, but he had a feeling Jacob was right. There was a tumult of emotions swirling around his mind, and he wasn’t sure how much more he’d be able to handle today. ‘Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow then.’
Callum turned to leave, but he stopped as Jacob called his name.
‘One more thing,’ the Born Dead said. ‘Something you must be alert for, now that we have more evidence of a mortal conspiracy within the Shadowing.’
Callum turned, waiting.
‘They may try to enlist you,’ Jacob said at last. Callum raised an eyebrow.
‘To join the Dark Side?’ he said sarcastically.
‘It is no joking matter,’ Jacob said, his face solemn. ‘Callum, you would make a powerful tool for the coven, and indeed for Netherworld forces themselves, if you allied yourself with them willingly. As you are now aware, some mortals do so without hesitation.’
Callum smiled – for the first time that day, it seemed. ‘Jacob, that’s one thing I don’t think we have to worry about.’
But the Born Dead’s black eyes were deadly serious. ‘Do not underestimate the power you wield, Callum. Do not underestimate the temptations that the coven may lay in front of you.’
Callum paused for a moment, then nodded silently and made his way out of the graveyard. Jacob’s words were still turning over in his mind as he walked back to the cottage.
He pushed his hands deeper into his pockets. All he knew was that he needed to do something now. With Black Annis still on the loose, the humans from his vision were a step closer to doing whatever it was they planned to do, and that was his fault. Callum vowed not to make the same mistake again.
Next time, he’d be ready.
Chapter Fourteen
Black Annis feels the weight of this strange, changed world on her shoulders. She has been feeding steadily, and she grows stronger. But things are not as simple as they used to be. The children are more plentiful in this modern mortal world, but they are also more carefully guarded. They sleep behind bars and sheets of glass and locked doors. The very effort of getting to her prey makes her hunger more intense. Yes, things used to be easier.
And the chime child.
Black Annis sighs and looks around at the walls of her lair with her glowing eyes. Already she feels the need to tear flesh from bone once more – as her strength grows, she feels an increasing compulsion to feed. She would never have resorted to snatching a child from the streets in broad daylight otherwise. And now she has been detected by a chime child. Annis shakes her head. She cannot afford such risks any longer. This local guardian is certainly a threat – the boy cannot have faced a great number of adversaries so soon in the dark time, and yet he was fearless and strong. He had even managed to inflict an injury . . . Black Annis reaches up to her cheek, where the wound still gapes. Yes, she cannot underestimate this boy.
Black Annis reaches down to her skirts, unties the fresh pelt and unfurls it slowly. Studying the skin carefully, she holds it up to her mouth and gnaws at the last pieces of flesh. Licking her blue-black lips, Black Annis stretches out the pelt, now stripped clean, and hangs it out to dry next to the others.
It could well be her last meal for a while.
Chapter Fifteen
Callum stood in the cramped kitchen of the cottage and winced at the ear splitting noise of the food processor whirring into life. He could kind of relate to the carrots and onions that were being pulverised into soup. It was the day after his encounter with Black Annis in the alleyway, and he’d arrived home from his training session with Jacob feeling as though he’d been put through a blender himself.
Every muscle in his body ached, and he’d been concentrating so hard that he could almost feel his brain throbbing.
Jacob seemed pleased with his progress, but try as he might, Callum hadn’t been able to recreate the burst of energy he’d produced the previous day. Without perfecting that, he couldn’t believe he’d have a chance at stopping Black Annis, or the coven.
Callum switched off the food processor and heard an agitated voice coming from the other room.
‘Callum!’ Gran shouted, her voice lowering as the machine fell silent. ‘Finally! I thought my eardrums were going to burst. I never saw what was wrong with a good boiling and a potato masher,’ she said, coming to the kitchen doorway with a smile. Callum didn’t return it. The food processor was one of the few modern appliances that his mother had left behind when she died – Callum wasn’t about to stop using it.
‘It’s quicker this way,’ he muttered. It had been Gran’s turn to cook, but her session teaching Melissa had still been going strong when Callum arrived home, and he was starving. Gran raised an eyebrow at Callum’s obvious bad mood, but they were interrupted by Melissa’s excited squeal.
‘Mrs Scott, I did it! Come and look!’
Gran turned back towards the living room and Callum grimaced. Melissa was clearly still taking to her magic lessons like a duck to water. He rolled his eyes as another shout came a moment later.
‘Callum! Come and see my floating spell!’
‘In a minute,’ he shouted, but he doubted that Melissa would register his annoyance. Sighing, he put down the knife and wiped his hands on a dishcloth slowly before going into the living room.
‘Go on then,’ he said.
There was a yellow pencil lying on the table in front of Melissa. Squinting hard, she concentrated on it until the pencil began to wobble a little. She took a breath and refocused, and Callum noticed that her brow was shining with sweat. It was clearly taking some effort, but then finally the pencil began to float into the air as if pulled by an invisible string. It stayed suspended a little distance in front of her face for about ten seconds, before clattering back on to the table.
‘How cool is that?’ she exclaimed. Even Gran couldn’t suppress a smile. But Callum just felt his mood getting even worse.
‘Yeah,’ he muttered. ‘Nice one. I’m going to finish the soup.’
Callum turned back to the kitchen and went over to the chopping board. OK, making a pencil float wasn’t as impressive as blasting supernatural energy from your hands, but it was just irritating how quickly Melissa was getting the hang of what was expected of her. He began to dice some more onions. As he angrily sliced into a vegetable the blade slipped, slashing a deep gash across the thumb of his left hand. He stifled a cry, taking in a sharp breath as the pain flashed through him. He was about to call out to his gran for a bandage when he had an idea.
This was exactly what he needed: an opportunity to practise his healing power.
Blood was seeping between his fingers as he pressed at the wound trying to stop the flow. Callum swallowed and moved over to the sink quickly. Concentrating hard, he tried to bring on the prickling sensation in his hands. But try as he might, nothing was happening. The blood now dripped in big, rapid splashes into the old enamel sink, vivid red splattering against its off-white surface. The vase of wilting peonies that Gran had placed on the windowsill to catch the afternoon light began to double in his vision.
He had to do something fast.
Come on . . . heal! Callum thought, taking a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate on that single thought. Slowly, he felt a slight tingling begin in his fingertips. Was it just the pain in his thumb, or was his power really beginning to work? Callum edged his eyelids open and, to his relief, he saw the strange shimmering energy starting to flow over his left hand from his right. Trying to hold his concentration, he urged more power towards the wound. Before his eyes, the line of blood began to disappear as the skin of his thumb sealed itself once more. Callum waited until the blood had definitely stopped dripping before he took his hand away. Sure enough, his hand was still chapped and rough from the cold, but
there was now only a small incision where the deep cut had been. It wasn’t totally healed like Melissa’s wound had been, but it was a start.
‘Not bad,’ he whispered to himself, and flicked on the tap to wash away the blood that had stained his fingers.
‘Did you cut yourself?’
Gran’s voice behind him made Callum jump. ‘Goodness, that’s a lot of blood. Are you OK? Let me have a look.’
‘Uh . . . no, it’s fine, it looks worse than it is,’ he said, glancing at the splashes on the countertop and chopping board. ‘I’ll clean that up.’
Callum swiftly proffered his hand for Gran to inspect and then grabbed some plasters from the cupboard. ‘Dinner’s almost ready,’ he said with a smile. For once it felt genuine. He’d actually used a power at will; thought about doing something and made it happen.
‘Gosh, a spell in the sun has done these flowers a world of good!’ Gran was saying. Callum turned around and, to his surprise, the peonies – which only moments ago had looked bedraggled and limp – were now standing proudly in the vase, their petals vivid as the day they were cut.
‘Uh, yeah, looks like it,’ Callum replied, frowning a little. Perhaps some of his power had spilled out on to the flowers? That could be why the cut hadn’t fully healed. Jacob had said it’s all about focus . . . Still, even if he hadn’t used his power perfectly, it was a start.
‘Well, I’m glad to see your mood has improved,’ Gran said. ‘Melissa’s nearly finished for today.’
Callum waited, expecting Gran to go back into the living room, but she hesitated. ‘Callum . . .’ she began, then sighed. ‘I know things have been a bit difficult between us lately, but I want you to know you can talk to me.’
Callum felt his smile fading – he had a feeling he knew where this was leading. He really didn’t want to have a heavy conversation right now.
‘Yeah, I know that,’ he said quickly. He turned back to pour the soup from the processor into a pot on the stove and began to stir emphatically, hoping it would put Gran off. But it didn’t work.