Wee Renee took a glass that was on the receptionist desk. She walked over to the area in the corridor where the noise was loudest and placed the glass against the wall and then her ear against that. She started to hear the conversation a lot more clearly.
No human was in the bandroom. They had been though. Keith had even knocked over all the filing cabinets to check that people had not got behind them, or even inside. They had been into the bathroom and had looked everywhere in the lower level of the premises.
It was quite clear that there was no one here. Norman could sense there had been a group here not too long ago. Malcolm had not lied to them. He had just not been quick, or covert enough. Malcolm had been clumsy and their prey had worked it out. He had told them a few of the names that he thought were there. While this meant nothing to Norman, he could recognise the scent from Friarmere, and knew they were some of the group he was hunting.
‘Malcolm, please repeat all the names to Keith.’ Norman said through gritted teeth.
‘Pat, Laura and Wee someone.’ Malcolm said, looking at Keith hopefully. He really needed these names to be on Norman’s list, as this triumph could very easily go south, he could tell.
‘Those are three of the names from Friarmere Band. They were part of the group that resisted us at the Civic Hall concert.’ Keith replied, a sly smile at one side of his mouth. Then the atmosphere changed from Malcolm being in danger to him being the hero again. Norman was ecstatic about this. Now he knew where they had gone for definite.
‘Yesssss…….!’ But his triumph turned to ashes in his mouth once again. Realisation hit home. Knowing where they had been, wasn’t much good to him. He was still in the same position as he was yesterday.
The eleven missing people were not in his hands, were they? What was it with this group that they could keep getting out of his clutches? Did they have some kind of guardian angel? The mood changed again as this made him angry and for the briefest moment he thought that he would never get them. No matter how hard he tried, how many vampires he had, plus Anne’s children, he was always one step behind them. He started to throw chairs and music stands around the room.
‘This place stinks of humanity and life and happiness. You will all be witness. I swear I will put an end to all that for these people.’
Malcolm watched from the corner of the room. This situation was very volatile again. What was it with this guy? He didn’t think he would bother spying again. It just wasn’t worth the hassle. All his dreams of being in The Dark Mistress’s favour had come crashing down. Malcolm closed his eyes and imagined of going back to Anne’s house, and chowing down on a nice fat badger.
Wee Renee took the glass away from the wall and went back to the group to tell them what she had heard.
‘Malcolm repeated our names and Keith confirmed we play for Friarmere Band. Little weasel.’ She hissed. They had all heard the last part where he was really angry and throwing stuff around for themselves, as it was so loud.
‘I think I will pop more disinfectant across the steps whilst they are in there.’ Terry said, who walked back to the waiting room to get the disinfectant. The group trouped back into the waiting room. Terry pushing past them now with the disinfectant to get the job done before the vampires came back out.
Carl had remained seated. He looked very tired. His eyelids were heavy and the whites of his eyes were red. He rubbed at an imaginary spot on his jeans. The others sat with him.
‘Well what now?’ Pat asked.
‘For sure we are stopping here tonight, no question about that. You haven’t seen them Pat. We don’t stand a cat in hell’s chance with them roaming the streets tonight. I know for a fact he can smell us in the band room. It wouldn’t take long for the wolves and him to catch our scent. Those snowmobiles are fast. We couldn’t outrun them.’ Wee Renee said. She then turned to Sally and Kathy. A very serious look was on her face and they instantly felt anxious about what she was going to say.
‘I think I am going to upset your Dad.’ They wondered what she was going to do or say that was that serious.
‘Although I am very grateful for the cereal bar and although Terry might not agree, I am going to open a tin of chocolates that I had bought for Our Doris as a thank you. I need the chocolate girls. I’m starving. It’s the nervous energy. And I think for Carl, it is a medical necessity!’ Terry stood at the door of the waiting room, the empty bottle of disinfectant in his hands. His daughters looked up at him, expecting fireworks.
‘I don't have any problem with that at all. In fact I will be eating as many as you. Cavities seem less important today than they used to be.’
Wee Renee opened the tin and they all took one out, opening it in silence. They sucked on the chocolatey goodness, looking at the fish tank’s reflected water on the walls. If they tried hard enough maybe they could block out the bangs and crashes they could still hear from next door.
Excerpt from Anne’s Diary.
Monday 12th December
Well, what a night!! The spy that I had in the village came good. He ran all the way to me at the time I was in my bath, or spa as I call it. I cut the treatment short to see him. He told me that there is a group in the bandroom that he thinks are the ones I am interested in.
He told me that they are a mixture of Melden and Friarmere people, so it must be them. I have to meet people from The Council tonight about secret matters. I cannot go with Malcolm. It is very important that I attend this meeting and get them to do something for me. After they have done that, I can make them my own. Again if they resist then they will just have to expire. I need to bend their will tonight, hence the early bath. I have got to look my best (if you have got it, flaunt it!).
Norman and Kate were out, enjoying the moors on the snowmobile, so Keith and Christine went out to investigate on theirs. I let them have some of my wolves, Malcolm of course, and another one of my children. Off they went to the bandroom, and I continued to make myself beautiful. It wasn’t long before they were back.
They had come to ME, to ask what to do. When they got the place Malcolm had last seen them, the mixed group were no longer there. They could smell that they had been there, but they were either hiding or had just left. We all had a chinwag about it over a spiced blood drink which is my new invention! We felt that as it was dark they could not have chanced getting home. Keith and his group would have seen them in fact. So they are near to where he last saw them. If they are hiding in the bushes, waiting for us to check there before doubling back to the bandroom, then they have a false sense of security. As we won’t be giving up!! Norman returned to hear the news. Excited he went straight back out with Kate, Keith and Christine. Again I let them take some of my wolves. I am not using all of them tonight, am I? What a lovely sister, I am! Maybe Norman will see how useful they are! I could sort him out with a pack very quickly. Again the bandroom was empty and there was no fresh scent. Malcolm got into a lot of trouble for letting them slip away. I was told Norman was very angry, but he had a line that he didn’t cross. That is why I love him so much. I will turn Malcolm now. The pretence is over. His cover is blown. He will get his prize now. They left two wolves there, to wait outside the bandroom. They also stationed two wolves at the end of the little street where my infected child lives. Sophia stayed with me whilst I was on my way to see the people for dinner. Anyway, what should happen when I was out and about with my new friends from the council? I came across two of Norman’s children roaming around Melden, unsupervised. (I think they did not have permission to be there, as he has never mentioned them!) One was a fully formed child vicious and powerful, I was happy to see. The other was semi-infected but I knew he was a full daywalker minion of my brother Norman. They were natural brothers when they had both been alive. I could smell it. Ordinarily I would maybe have tried to turn or kill the one that was still alive. I would have fancied my chances against Norman's child, if he had defended his brother, but as I am trying to be a good sister. (aren’t I, just?) I left them. Of
course, I was with unsuspecting humans anyway. So it was meant to be. I sent Sophia to retrieve the two wolves from the bandroom and the two from the street at five o’clock. Norman now says he has to return, sadly. I did not inform him of his two wayward sheep, that I had come across. They may well bleat my tune in time! There are matters for him to attend to in Friarmere. We both made a plan. He has left me with a message for them, which will I will faithfully deliver tomorrow evening. I will make him proud of me I will show him I can take over the world. I can be trusted. Finally he will be proud and I will be his favourite, not damned Len!!
23 – Poison
After a short while they could not hear any more noise from next door. The two snowmobiles started up and their noise gradually disappeared into the night. As they had not been checking the window, they did not know if there was anyone still inside. Wee Renee quietly walked to the Hygienists window again to have a quick check. In the street, she could see two wolves hungrily pacing and one of Anne’s people standing outside. It looked like they were waiting to see if the bandsmen came back. Wee Renee watched them for about ten minutes but nothing changed. When she came back into the waiting room she shut the door and addressed the group quietly.
‘I have been thinking about what Terry said earlier. About the fact that he was on antibiotics and that this seemed to have staved the infection off. Do you have any drugs here?’
‘Yes, this is a dispensing dentist. I only have drugs here related to dentistry. I do have antibiotics here, but they are meant for oral infections and not broad-spectrum antibiotics. I see where you are going with this. I just don’t know how well this would work.’
‘It’s worth a shot though, isn’t it?’ Pat said.
‘Oh yes. I am wondering also, about when I finish this course of antibiotics. Will the symptoms come back?’
‘I don't know about that,’ said Wee Renee, ‘but Our Doris certainly has improved and she has had no antibiotic or intervention. So I think time is also a healer in this. Slowly your body either adapts or gets rid of the infection.’
‘What about your other friend, infected with the Friarmere strain?’ Terry asked.
‘The same. She is certainly improved from how she first was. Liz couldn’t eat at all. She is still affected and very weak, but she is a different person than she was a while back.’
‘Don't get me wrong, I still know there is something wrong with me.’ Terry said. ‘I don't think antibiotics totally obliterate it. I think it just keeps it at bay. It’s no miracle cure.’
‘Alright,’ said Wee Renee, ‘ looking at the facts. We have got you. You have had antibiotics, but had started the course before you were infected. You are infected with the Melden strain. I suggest that we try some of your antibiotics on Liz who has the Friarmere, or pure vampire strain and Our Doris, that has the strain from Melden which is the same as you. The difference being, she is having the treatment after infection and not before.’
‘Wait a minute, I don't know about this.’ Kathy said. ‘We are just using these two people as guinea pigs. This is a weird situation. A strange blood virus, that is changing them. We aren’t qualified to do this, even Dad. We can’t mess about with people’s lives.’
Pat stood up and stretched, then turned to Kathy.
‘Love, lets get this straight. We are giving them something that is tried and already tested on humans. It cannot hurt them. Only, maybe make them better. What is wrong with that? It certainly looks like it has made a difference to your Dad and for all we know these dental antibiotics might not work the same as the one’s for the septic toe, but I think if there is a chance we should try it. But, lass, we won’t force it on them, they will have a choice to take it or not. I know I would if, I was in the same boat.’
‘Don’t forget Kathy, I am nearly out of my tablets too. I will have to take oral antibiotics just the same as everyone else. Or else I might revert back, who knows. When I take these, I still might revert back. But I have no other options in the interim period. I have no Doctor’s and I don’t need a sore toe on top of fighting monsters. I am happy to take them.’ Her father said.
Carl seemed to become attentive as a thought struck him. For the first time since he had found out that Kate was in the next building, he spoke.
‘Yes! We might have discovered the cure. I could have my Kate back!’
‘Hold your horses there, Carl. You’ve not been listening. I have said that it isn’t even curing me. It is keeping me in a holding pattern.’ Terry said, laying his hand on Carl’s knee.
‘As much as I would like you to be able to have Kate back, we are talking about three people that are not dead taking it. Who are all consciously fighting this hostile takeover! Not someone who has embraced it. That have not eaten human flesh, they are still made of it. We are working with the living and an infection. Surely this cannot work on someone dead. No drugs work on the dead. I know that much. Also we have the fact that the three people, one of which is me, I would say would be mostly willing to take it and want to be cured. Whereas your Kate will not want to be cured and be resistant to the idea. How do we force it on her? I don't know about the future and how this will work on the other two ladies infected, but I don't think for a minute this treatment would work for a corpse effectively. It will be hard enough to not only get rid of the infection, First, I would have to breathe life into her. Like some kind of Frankenstein’s Monster.’
Pat was shaking her head at Carl gravely, she added to the conversation.
‘I have seen these suckers in real life. They aren't the same as us any more Carl. I am so sorry to say but all their normal stuff has gone. All the bits we have inside. They’re gone. All the kidneys and livers, the sausage bits that were hanging out of Ian….’
‘The intestines, Pat,’ Wee Renee informed her. ‘Them. Yes. What’s left is sort of greeny-black and putrifying. Powdery with no blood. I can't say any more but the texture of them is different even from the outside. They change so much and there is no humanity left.’
Carl was looking at his lap. For a long time, he had been flattening everyone’s chocolate wrappers and then folding them neatly into little squares.
‘I’m sorry, love.’ Pat said gently. She took another chocolate out of the tin, unwrapped it, popped it in her mouth and gave him the pink foil wrapper. ‘Here, have that.’
‘Do you think Terry, that antibiotics will work the same on the vampire strain as well as the strain that you and Our Doris have suffered?’ Wee Renee asked.
‘I don't see why not, if the person is still alive.’
‘How much antibiotics do you have?’
‘I have an awful lot, I had a recent delivery luckily. Enough for at least four months here of a normal dispensing dentist. So definitely, we could treat a few people for quite a while. Lets hope it works. By the time we have run out, we might be right as rain. Or if we aren’t, we have sufficient to last us until the snow thaws and we escape to normality and a free range of proper medication at a hospital or specialist centre.’
‘What other drugs have you got?’ Asked Wee Renee.’
‘Erm…. what do you mean?’ He replied intrigued.
‘I have had this idea. One which might help us a little.’ She lifted her carrier bag up. It was heavy with the contents, and she had to use both hands. ‘This is full of raw meat. I was going to try and poison the wolves with something from Our Doris's house. To try and kill those wolves off. But I am wondering if you have something that is more undetectable and would either poison them or knock them out for a while. If we wanted to make an escape or have a confrontation it would put them out of the equation.’
‘That’s very clever, Rene,’ Pat said.
‘Yeah, I wish I’d have thought of that,’ Laura said. ‘It’s got to help.’
Terry thought for a while. The others watched him in anticipation. This could be a game changer.
‘I have several drugs in the dentist that would do both. It is up to you. I could combine cert
ain items and the dosage would be too great for them to take or we could just knock them out for short while, make them discombobulated.’ Terry stopped and was obviously still weighing everything up. ‘There might be a slight taste though.’
‘From what I know about wolves they will eat quite old, warm gamy meat. This is why I haven’t been concerned about putting this meat in the fridge. Hopefully the smell will be stronger now, which would attract them to it and also cover the smell of any drugs that we put in. My only worry is getting it to as many as possible. I will have to put it in a few places to ensure that each wolf gets a bit, instead of one greedy wolf scoffing the lot.’
‘That’s a good point, Wee Renee. I have got enough drugs to do a lot of wolves over a few nights. But you would need more meat than that.’
‘That not a problem. This can be just the first day’s smelly offerings. I will just buy some more.’
That night, Freddie slept downstairs. Slept wasn’t the exact word he would have used really. He had decided to be on the ground level, so that he could open the door quickly if he needed to. When he closed his eyes, he had visions of Pat, Wee Renee and Laura running up the cul-de-sac, the wolves and Anne in hot pursuit. In his visions, Anne had a whip. She cracked it down and the noise echoed through the snowy landscape, driving the wolves to run faster and faster. In this scenario, he would fling open the door, the three ladies would tumble in, and the pursuers would crash against the front door, thwarted.
He lay on the sofa, listening to the radio, which was on a very low volume. Every so often he walked to the window. Freddie kept his eye on the wolves. He could just about see them at the end of the cul-de-sac, in the bushes. They were lying in wait, knowing not everyone was in the house. Ready to pounce.
White Christmas started to play on the radio. Freddie took another sip of his whisky to rid him of the outside and inside chills he suffered. Chills of the soul. He got back onto the sofa, pulled the blanket over himself and picked up his stick. It lay down the length of him, like a crusader, the point glistened in the dim light. The bung that covered it, long discarded. It would be a long night.
Silver Banned: Book 2 of the Saddleworth Vampire Series Page 14