“How do you mean?” I asked, turning my back to Jude and Raven.
“I stayed downstairs with her last night in the kitchen and she was pacing back and forth and mumbling to herself. I fell asleep eventually but…” He trailed off.
I leant in close and said, “But what… what is it?”
“I’m thinking that maybe it was Raven who let Sylvia loose,” he shrugged his shoulders and continued. “She could have done it.”
I placed my hands on my hips, suddenly feeling annoyed. “Oh yeah? Wasn’t it you who suggested I’d had a nightmare? Wasn’t it you who didn’t stand up for me back there when I was trying to tell you all the truth of what had happened last night?”
Max looked sheepish. “Sorry… I’ve just had a little time to think about it. I… I’m just as confused as you. I don’t know what to think anymore. Everyone just seems so suspicious. I’ve got Robert on my mind. I’m desperate to see him… I can’t relax until I know he’s all right.” Max let out a deep sigh and folded his arms across his chest. “I feel like there’s no one left to trust.”
I squeezed his arm. “You can trust me. I’m not Doshia and I promised you I would help you to find Robert. We’re here now and we will see him.” I wrapped my arms around me. The chill of the wind had a strong bite to it. I peered over Max’s shoulder and said, “Don’t worry. I’m beginning to trust no one in our little group. Although I must say that my suspicions jump from one person to the next. I can’t be sure of anything or anyone anymore.”
Max took hold of my hand and said, “Thanks, Kassidy. Thank you for not leaving here without Robert. I know you must be crushed by what Langstone said. I know your main reason for coming here was to have VA20 removed, but what’s to say that Langstone is telling us the truth? Don’t give up hope… I haven’t.” Max smiled at me, looked over his shoulder at the others, and said, “You and me… we’ll stick together no matter what.”
I nodded my head. “Come on, let’s go and see what Langstone has planned for us.”
I walked slowly toward the ruin and to where Raven, Sylvia, and Jude now stood waiting for us. I couldn’t help but stare at Jude and wonder what Sylvia had meant about him. Was she even worth listening to? Was I wasting my time on her crazy ramblings? I looked at Raven. She stood hunched over, hands in her pockets, miserable as ever. Our eyes met and she turned away. I tilted my head up toward the ruin that loomed over us. Its sad but menacing structure almost seemed to lay in wait – taking it’s time – waiting for the right moment to ensnare us. I shivered.
We continued through the ruin. Peering up, I could see the third floor above us. Daylight seeped through the gaps and the wind rushed through, scattering up shrivelled leaves and ash.
Reaching the door that led inside, I turned to the others and said, “Ready?”
Before they could answer, the door slowly creaked open. I took a step back, fearful of what would be stood on the other side. The shrouded figure of Mr. Shackleton stood in the doorway. He still held the lantern and I wondered if he ever put it down.
Unsure of what to say, I whispered, “Mr. Shackleton, can we come in? We’ve come to see Doctor Langstone.” I took another step back. Even in daylight, Mr. Shackleton’s face was still hidden by shadow and the hood of his cloak. My eyes travelled up his outstretched arm holding the lantern. What little flesh was on display was burnt almost to the bone. His blackened knuckles poked through rotten flesh which hung off the bones in strips. I felt my stomach churn. Mr. Shackleton must be in a worse state than Langstone.
Holding the lantern high so its flame lit up the doorway, Mr. Shackleton glided to the side as if on hidden wheels under his cloak and allowed us to enter.
Taking a deep breath and preparing myself to once again face the hideous sight of Doctor Langstone, I stepped past Mr. Shackleton and entered the dark room, where last night we had first met the burnt remains of the doctor.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Kassidy
Doctor Langstone stood at the very end of the long table, which was still scattered with glass bottles and papers. His eyes met with mine as I stepped forward. As I reached the opposite end of the table to him, I stopped. I didn’t want to get too close. The table felt like a safe barrier between me and this demon. Stupid, really. What protection could a table give me? Still, it felt better than nothing.
The others gathered beside me. I heard the door close behind us, then the lock turned. Looking over my shoulder, Mr. Shackleton had remained in the room. He stood motionless by the door. Just the lantern swayed back and forth. Somewhere in the room a clock chimed three. Had we really slept in till late afternoon? I wasn’t sure, but it didn’t surprise me. We had all been exhausted and I’d completely lost track of what day it was.
Jude stepped forward. He ran his fingers through his dark hair as if he was presenting himself for a job interview. I rolled my eyes. As if appearance really mattered here, I thought.
“Well?” glared Jude, We’re all here… we’ve all slept… now you can tell us what it is you want from us.” He took another step forward, placing his hands down on the table as he stared at Doctor Langstone.
Apart from the wind rushing around the ruin outside, the room was silent. Doctor Langstone took us all in. One by one, his eyes checked us out. First Jude, then Max, Raven, Sylvia, me, and then back to Jude. Standing straight, his dressing gown flapped open. His scorched, blistered flesh turned my stomach. There were more sores across his skin where the scabs had been scratched off. Some of them seeped a clear fluid that trickled down his flesh. Others bled. I looked away and focused my attention on Jude.
Licking his blue lips, Doctor Langstone said, “I trust you all slept well?”
“Cut the bullshit… we don’t have that kind of time,” urged Jude. “The Cleaners are at the gates… time is moving fast. What do you want from us?”
As if mulling over what Jude had said to him, Doctor Langstone nodded his head and let out a deep sigh. He then grinned and said, “Always to the point… very forward, aren’t you?” He narrowed his eyes at Jude. “Well then. I told you last night that your presence here will soon bring Doctor Middleton to my gates and I’m sure he’ll have Doctor Wright and Doctor Fletcher in tow.”
I felt my heart leap at the mention of Ben. Had he gone back to Cruor Pharma? Had Quint taken him there? I was still unsure as to whether he was even alive.
“And...?” Jude tapped his fingers impatiently on the table.
Doctor Langstone shuffled nearer and said just above a whisper, “At Cruor Pharma on top of Strangers Hill is a room that is always kept locked. Well, not always in the past, but…” He looked down at his chest, and using his long, twisted nails, hooked them underneath a black scab and twisted the crusty top off. Then he looked back at us and continued to speak. “Inside that room are some coffins. One of them is mine. My body lay inside it – rotting and stinking. Middleton’s body is also in there – or should I call him Trabek? After all, that is truly his name.”
“What’s your true name?” I blurted out. “We’ve heard of Eras, Quint, Trabek, and Doshia… so, who are you?”
Doctor Langstone seemed surprised. His eyes widened at the mention of Doshia. But if he was truly surprised, he didn’t say anything about the demon that had been following us. Instead, he answered my question.
“I am Vectis… but I don’t use that name anymore. I much prefer Doctor Langstone.” He shuffled a little further toward us until he was about halfway along the table and then he perched himself on the edge and continued to talk. “Where was I..?” He screwed his eyes up and then, like he’d suddenly remembered, said, “All the coffins are kept in there… all seven, and…”
“Stop!” I cut over him again. “You said seven, I thought there were only six.” I looked at the others. “Remember… the bishop told us there were only six. I remember when we were having dinner with him; he said alongside Trabek there are five other demons… didn’t he?!”
Raven shrugged her shoulde
rs. “So what?! Another devil lover added to the list doesn’t make much difference.”
Doctor Langstone started to chuckle. He seemed amused by Raven. “You are very entertaining… very dry… I like that.” He smiled.
“You wouldn’t think that if you’d spent as much time with Raven as we have,” glared Jude.
“Shut up!” snapped Raven, her eyes ablaze. “You’re not exactly entertaining either!”
“Silence!” Doctor Langstone demanded. “I’m talking… you stay quiet.” He pointed a charred finger at each of us. “Coffin number seven is not important. At least… it isn’t to me. That’s of interest to Quint… coffin number seven should never have been opened. It was the only one that we kept closed… until someone stupidly opened it, and…” He stopped mid-sentence and breathed slowly. When he started up again, the fury in his voice had dropped. His eyes fell on me.
His stare made me feel uncomfortable. I shifted about, fiddling with my black nails, avoiding his ugly face. What was Quint’s interest in coffin number seven? Whose coffin was it? I wanted to ask but didn’t dare. It was obviously a sore subject where Langstone was concerned.
“I want my coffin back… my body… but I can no longer gain entry into Cruor Pharma. Doctor Middleton has made sure of that,” glared Langstone. “But that’s not all I want… the other bodies must be destroyed. Eras, Quint, Trabek, Nellore, Doshia, and the body in coffin number seven.” Doctor Langstone started to cough. He spluttered up a thick black lump of phlegm and spat it out onto the floor. Wiping his lips with his dressing gown, he continued to speak. “Even if I could gain entry, demons can’t kill demons.” He stopped talking and fell silent.
I looked over at Max. He had been very quiet. I knew he was dying to see Robert but was probably too afraid to ask. Or maybe he was thinking what I was thinking. Perhaps we both knew where Langstone was going to go next. But I didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Standing up and edging his way nearer, Doctor Langstone glared. “If you want to see Robert and get him back, then you have to go to Strangers Hill and destroy those demons and bring me back my body.”
“What?!” snapped Jude. “I don’t think so! There’s no way Middleton will allow any of us to get inside that room.”
Stepping forward, I asked, “Why? You said last night that you weren’t interested in gaining the Cleaners as your servants, but it seems to me that you want to destroy all the demons so you can have us for yourself.”
Doctor Langstone’s blue lips turned up at the corners and his eyes glimmered. Shuffling forward until he was right in front of me, he said, “If Middleton gets his hands on you, it’s all over. Over for you and over for me. Middleton will kill me off once and for all when he gains the Cleaners’ loyalty. He will kill Quint – Eras – just so he can do what the hell he likes. I must not let him get you.”
“It still doesn’t make sense to me,” I said, “Why not just let the Cleaners in now so they can dwell in us and then you have the Cleaners’ loyalty and power to kill off all the other demons.”
“Yeah!” Raven butted in. “Kassidy’s right. What are you keeping from us?”
“The Cleaners would never work for me,” gasped Langstone as he spun around to face Raven.
“Why not?” asked Max, suddenly finding his voice. He stepped toward Langstone, his face angry.
Langstone smiled as if he didn’t really care and said, “I am what the Cleaners consider ‘unworthy’ – a different class to Trabek, Doshia, Quint, and Eras. Although I am powerful and have gained more strength over the years, I am not high up enough in the chain of demons to be considered a leader of the Cleaners. I do not have their respect, and quite frankly, I don’t care.” Doctor Langstone circled Max. His dark eyes stared suspiciously at him. He shuffled slowly until he was stood facing Max. Pulling his dressing gown tight about him, Langstone said, “Why so angry, Max? Are you missing your brother?” He leaned in closer to Max and breathed deeply like he was consuming Max’s soul. Then, as if taken by surprise, he stepped away quickly. Langstone seemed puzzled, but if he were, he didn’t say why.
With his fists clenched, Max spoke up over the sound of the rising wind. “I just want to see Robert. How do I know he’s even alive? How do I know you even have him here?” Max looked around at the rest of us, his eyes wide – untrusting. “This could be some lie just to get us to help him.” Max jabbed his finger in Langstone’s direction. “I’m not doing any crazy mission for you until I’ve seen Robert and know that he’s all right.”
The room seemed to darken. A cold rush of wind zipped around us as if the window had been opened. The upturned glass bottles and paperwork that lay across the table shot across the room and smashed into the walls. A dark aura swarmed about Langstone as he seemed to stretch so tall that he loomed over us all. His face pulled in all directions, the skin stretched like putty.
I turned to flee, but seeing Mr. Shackleton still by the door, I knew it was pointless. Facing Langstone, I reached out my hand and snatched hold of Max, yanking him away from harm’s reach. Jude stepped in front, blocking me and Max from the grip of Doctor Langstone. I glanced over my shoulder. Raven stood behind me. Her dark eyes peered out from under her straggly hair. She didn’t seem scared. The look across her face was more of wonderment, like she was amazed to see such a creature standing in front of her. Or was it more shock that I could see in her eyes? I caught sight of Sylvia. She sat hunched up under the table, handcuffs clanking as she covered her ears and rocked back and forth. I looked back at Langstone. The creature that had seemed to erupt from out of his body started to shrink back – retreat. Doctor Langstone glared at Jude.
Pointing a finger at Jude, Langstone sneered, “You dare to confront me in my own home? I am stronger than you! I will tear you all to shreds, and…”
Jude cut over him and shouted, “I will do whatever I have to do to protect my friends! Now back off!”
Doctor Langstone held up his hands and nodded his head slowly. He smiled and said, “Very well. Tell your friends to do as I ask and maybe then no one has to get hurt – Robert included.” Langstone switched his stare to Max.
Jude perched himself on the edge of the table, arms folded across his chest, a look of defiance in his eyes and said, “You seem to forget that you need us more than we need you.”
“I have Robert… and you all seem to need him in one way or the other, don’t you?” Doctor Langstone took a step nearer to Jude and scratched at a sore on his chest. “I think I have been more than generous with offering you Robert in exchange for you getting my body.”
“Why not just kill us all?” I asked. “Middleton wouldn’t be able to take over the Cleaners without us. You kill us – Middleton can’t kill you!”
“Yeah… that’s right,” piped in Raven. “You could just end this all now, and…”
“Don’t be so fucking stupid!” sneered Langstone. “Haven’t any of you got brains?” He shook his head and paced up and down. “I could kill every one of you…” He paused and glanced at Jude and then continued to talk. “But what would be the point!? Trabek would produce another set of you. He’s probably got another group of volunteers already on his production line, and if they don’t escape like you managed, well, that’s it. It’s over – finished. Just like you’re running out of time – so am I.”
Pulling a chair from under the table, I slumped down onto it. I stared at the half opened curtains and watched the window rattle in its frame. The wind howled and whistled, drowning out the barking of the dogs. Doctor Langstone seemed to have us over a barrel but we had the same hold over him. He wanted something from us that he was unable to do himself. It appeared that we didn’t really have much of a choice. If we refused, he could hand us over to the Cleaners or he could kill us himself. But either one of those choices meant the finish of Langstone. I didn’t believe for one minute that that would be the way he would go.
As if able to hear my thoughts, Langstone shuffled toward me, his towering frame sw
aying over me and casting a shadow where I sat. His dark eyes leered at me and he said, “I can hear that tiny brain of yours ticking over – you’re trying to think of a way out of this hell… but there isn’t. We could all stay here together… a standoff… damned for eternity… or you could do as I ask and end this misery you are now living.” He crouched down in front of me, resting his scabby hands on the arms of the chair, trapping me so I couldn’t move away from him. Langstone’s roaming eyes looked me up and down. He licked his burnt lips and I squirmed. He was repulsive. The smell of scorched meat wafted up my nose.
I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms about them. Cringing at the flaps of burnt flesh swinging from his face, I hissed, “Get away from me.”
Langstone sniggered and then he whispered, “Kassidy Bell… it’s no use curling yourself up into a ball. I can touch you whenever I want… see?”
Without moving his hands from off the chair, I felt something touch me – a hand – fingers on my face. They slipped down like snakes into my mouth – cold, rough skin against my gums. My mouth forcibly stretched open wide like a vice yanking apart my jaws.
I flung my arms up, desperately clawing at my mouth, trying to shout, “Get… off…!” I shuddered and flinched. I shook my body. I gagged. The fingers pushed over my tongue, and what felt like a fist hit the back of my throat. I choked – retched. Bile raced up my throat and filled my mouth. I gasped for air. Langstone’s face leered closer. The fist pulled out and then hit the back of my throat again. My chest heaved and my eyes felt like they were going to burst right out of their sockets.
“Stop it!” shouted Jude. “Enough! You tell us exactly what it is you want us to do and how we do it. Then we’ll decide.” Jude stepped in between Langstone and the chair, pulling me up to my feet. I gasped in air and leant against Jude. The fist had gone. I continued to gag and stumbled over to the table. I needed water. My throat stung.
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