Unfortunately they were not in police uniform and Keith had fed earlier so his clothes were in a state of disarray. She was utterly flabbergasted. To see two men on her next-door neighbours drive, with three cats hissing at them and one of them with a shirt covered in blood! What she also noticed was that they were only wearing shirts. She stood with her mouth open wondering what was going on. Stuart knew that it was only a matter of time before she started screaming and was just about to go to her and put his hand over her mouth, but as quickly as Stuart could think about it, Keith ran past him to the old woman, grabbing her head and twisting it, breaking her neck. Stuart joined him and they dragged her body back into her own house. They lay her in the hall on her black and white tiles, then went back outside and made a quick getaway. Sue Tony, and Bob would have to wait for another night but at least they had put an obstacle out of the way towards this deed. The Master would not be too vexed with them.
Sue’s cats watched the two monsters disappear down the road towards the village. They waited until all was clear and then one by one they went into the warm house, through the catflap for some treats.
The Thompsons were under strict instructions. The Master had told them that someone from the band was a danger to them. A threat. And this person was also working in a position where he could tell a few tales. He had spoken to them at length about it and they agreed. So they were dispatched to kill him. The Master knew that they were perfectly capable of this. As he explained to them, previous to tonight, if he asked them to chat to someone, they killed them. If he asked them to turn someone, they killed them. Whatever he asked them to do, he seemed to get the same outcome. So sending them, would make sure he got the desired result.
Of course Michael could have gone at any time, as he was still human. But as Stephen was not, they had to wait until it was completely dark before they went to visit the threat. There was a short time, when he was shutting up shop, where he could be found alone. They had taken Adrian with them, a recent but willingly turned vampire, who had drank most of the wine, on the night Maurice and brought it into band. Michael thought they should help him out on his first kill, as he had always been impressed with his tuba playing and he thought it was time he paid Adrian back. They would probably have taken Mark too if he had been about as he was so funny, but they hadn’t seen him since The Master had turned him and had been told that Mark’s job was to turn people whilst delivering their milk. They didn’t tell The Master they were taking Adrian. But they thought this foe might be formidable so it was probably best to go three, against one.
Ian was in the back of his Butcher's shop, looking at his stock for the next day. He was resigned to the fact that he may not get another delivery for a while, when he heard his door go.
‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ he shouted from the back. Walking out of his large fridge, he shut the door. As he turned around from the door, the three attackers were already there. All his fellow bandsmen. There was no question what they wanted and Ian quickly reached out for a large meat cleaver at the side of him that was currently embedded in a piece of pork, ready to cut into chops. He swung the knife in front of him, making quick arcs, that whistled through the air. They moved forward and back, like a macabre barn dance. Ian lunging forward, the two vampires and Michael jumping back. They would lunge at him, trying to get around the side and he would turn and sweep his knife down again.
Adrian, being a young vampire and still a little foolhardy, decided he had had enough. He felt strong and this was boring him. He never liked to play with his food, even as a child. Crouching lower, he ran at the butcher. Before his hands touched the man, Ian was already moving his large cleaver in a crossward motion, which hit home. He hit the side of Adrian’s head, across the bottom of the ear, then straight through the cheek, parting the teeth. The meat cleaver was long and it had cut all the way through the back of Adrian’s head too. It became embedded, close to the centre of Adrian’s head. Ian wiggled it but the weight of the vampire, which he was now holding up, by the cleaver, meant he stood no chance of getting it out quickly.
Suddenly his back felt hot and he thought he had maybe pulled a muscle between his shoulder blades.
‘Got you,' said Micheal.
Ian slowly turned, his legs and feet felt like heavy weights that he was dragging in a circle. He felt drunk, and very tired. Ian looked up at the knife, poised above him in Michael’s hands, and could see three inches of blood on it. He briefly thought, how did that get there and furrowed his brow. Then he wondered no more and collapsed to the floor.
Indeed, this man had used his skill and weapons with great effect. He would never know it, but he was the first to slay a vampire. ‘What are we going to do now?’ asked Stephen, looking down at the two of them dead on the floor.
‘Make sure he’s dead first,' said Michael. Stephen took the knife straight out Michael's hand, bent over and slit Ian from the middle of his rib-cage to his pelvis. He then put his hands inside, pulling out a good portion of Ian’s organs and intestines and stabbed around at them with the knife. Then he plunged the knife into Ian’s chest and stood up.
‘Done,’ he said triumphantly.
‘You don’t do things by halves these days, do you?’ said Michael.
‘No. What next?’
‘Right. Well…..’ Michael rubbed his chin, his eyes surveyed the ceiling desperately after inspiration. ‘The Master doesn’t know we bought Aidy, and we will be right up the creek if he knows we messed up again and he lost one of his guy’s. So I am thinking that we don’t tell him and hide him.’
‘Where?’
‘Here, in the shop. There is no reason for The Master to come down here. We did our job. In the end we were victorious in our mission, because of me anyway.’ He raised his head high, to show how very important he was. Stephen knew he would bring this up again and again. ‘Grab his feet, we’ll shove him up the back. No-one will ever know.’
19 - Butcher
Ernie had arranged that this Saturday’s pub meet, was to take place at lunch, in as broad a daylight as they could manage. Lynn had stopped at home because she said it was too cold to go out, and she was still very nervous about the situation. Apart from that, she didn’t really feel in the mood for discussing it that day. Ernie reluctantly agreed that she could stay at home as she felt that she was perfectly safe because it was broad daylight and they didn't come out in the day. Or not that she knew of. And he couldn’t argue with that reasoning. He would be back well before dark. It was still snowing, but lighter at least. Nearly icing sugar. But Friarmere, even in the day, was not sweet.
The band started to congregate in the pub. Ernie, Freddie, Laura, Andy and Liz, Danny, Gary, Tony and his family, all came in out of the cold one by one. Taking off their coats, scarves and gloves. Relishing the burning hot fires that were warming their toes and fingers. Bob was standing too close to the fire and his cheeks were getting very rosy. He stared into the flames, transfixed. His mother came behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.
‘Come, and sit down. You are miles away.’
‘Yeah. Just thinking about stuff,’ he said.
Sue’s heart ached as she thought about how hard it was for them to go through this, but how her young son had to go through this as well. She wanted to protect him and physically, she would. But neither her, nor Tony could protect his mind from the horrors they were going through.
The final two people to arrive were Wee Renee and Pat who both had string shopping bags with a carrier bag inside. As they came through into the pub from the foyer, an eye-watering cloud of aroma swept over their friends. They emanated an overwhelming smell of garlic, which told exactly what they had been doing and why they were late. The others were bemused at what was going on, but knew it wouldn’t be long before all was revealed.
They went straight to the bar and ordered their lunches, as they could see that some people had already got theirs. Wee Renee ordered a prawn sandwich saying that she could not face
meat and Pat ordered a large macaroni cheese meal. Bob thought it sounded nice too, and so did the rest of the family, so Sue went up and made another three orders of that for them.
Ernie cleared his throat. ‘Before we start, I have been thinking and I think we still shouldn’t cancel the concert.’ There was a large amount of muttering and general disagreement with this from the rest of the group.
‘You’re playing with fire!’ explained Pat.
‘I’m not!’ Ernie said adamant. ‘And it's not just about the money, before you say anything Pat. It’s about the fact that they are trying to interrupt our lives and we are not going to let them. Those kids look forward to their concert with us. To their Christmas. If we choose to cancel then it’s us messing with normality, instead of whatever’s out there. I don't think anything should change. We are prepared for what might happen. Whether the kids are there or whether they are at home, we are all sitting ducks essentially now. What I think is at some point this village will get back to normal and so I am going to try and carry on. It might actually be over by the night of the concert. If their teachers cancel it then that is up to them, but I am not going to do it on the kids. For all we know it could just mainly be band members and nothing will happen at that concert. They will probably expect us to cancel it. It could be the last place they expect us to be. I think it is a good reason anyway.’
‘It’s a reason. I don’t know if it’s a good one, though,’ said Gary, laughing to himself.
There was silence for a while as the barmaid brought over their meals. Wee Renee was tucking in quite heartily, and when she had finished, she looked at Pat, who indicated with her eyebrow that Wee Renee should start speaking and let her finish her macaroni cheese.
‘Right then,’ Wee Renee said and every one looked towards her. ‘Haven't we been busy last night and this morning?’ she said to Pat, who swallowed her mouthful of food with a gulp.
‘Yes and we stink,' she said, and put another mouthful in.
‘Yesterday,’ Wee Renee continued, ‘we went round to every shop in this village that could, or may, have sold garlic and bought a few wee cloves of it.’
‘How many do you have?’ asked Laura.
‘Five hundred and thirty one!’ Wee Renee said happily. They all looked around at each other and laughed.
‘I don't think we need that many,' moaned Ernie.
‘The fact is, we might do and I don't want him buying them, to get rid of them. Or someone buying them up and wasting them on a bolognese, so that we can't have them. Put it that way.’ She winked and looked at Danny.
‘Don’t look at me. I won’t be the culprit I’ve been warned off that by Barry!’
‘I don't know when we might next get our hands on some more, with the snow and everything,' said Wee Renee.
‘I think all the people are twigging on. I had to nearly fight someone in the co-op, for the last bulb of garlic.’ Pat said as she concentrated on scooping the last of the macaroni cheese out of the serving bowl. The rest of the band could quite see this happening, and knew with Pat being what they called, a big bride, would win.
‘So what are we going to do with them?’ asked Sue. ‘Have you got any good ideas?’
Wee Renee pointed upwards and giggled. ‘I have got one under my bobble hat, right now!’
‘Weird,’ said Bob
‘No, not really. Consider this. You can carry it round all the time and it's close enough to your neck that if they get near, it would repel them. Hands free protection.’ She gave a slow blink of explanation as she said it.
‘Okay, not weird,’ Bob chuckled.
‘You're not wrong there,’ said Tony, ‘I take it you have got some with you.’
‘Me and Pat have peeled about 200 of the cloves between last night and this morning!’
‘Sounds like a fun sleepover,’ said Bob.
‘It was,’ said Pat honestly. ‘We had a Basil Rathbone marathon and ate a whole three wheels of Scottish Shortbread.’
Wee Renee opened her string bag, with a smile, which was lined with a co-op carrier bag. Inside they could see lots of clear food bags with garlic cloves in them.
‘Ten cloves in each bag. Ten bags,’ Wee Renee exclaimed proudly.
‘I have ten bags too,’ Pat said, pointing to her string bag, with her fork. ‘Rene thought it would be best to split it.’
‘In case a wee mugger was about, and took one of the bags!’ she said with wide eyes.
‘You had Pat with you!’ said Gary. ‘Maybe a gang of muggers could take her, But, not a wee one!’ They all laughed, even Pat.
‘I’d fancy my chances against a gang actually, Gary!’ Pat said.
‘I think that’s my cue for the toilet,’ Gary said, hoisting his jeans up, and making his way to the gents.
‘Could I have one, please?’ Bob asked suddenly. Pat got a bag of ten cloves out, opened the food bag and placed it in the middle of the table, the open end towards him.
‘Don’t say, I never give you anything.’ Pat gave him a long look.
‘Thanks.’ He took a clove out of the bag, sniffed it, rolled his eyes and then popped it under his wooly hat. They all began to take one, including Sue who put hers under her sequined beret, hoping that it wouldn't take the colour out of the sequins. Liz who was not wearing a hat, took one, smelled it, grimaced and then put it inside a bobble that was holding her hair back.
‘This only works, when you are out,’ Andy remarked. ‘If they break in at night, you won’t have it on you.’
‘Why not?’ asked Wee Renee, obviously not understanding him.
‘Well, you won’t have your hat on in the house, or in bed.’
‘Oh, right. My wee mother gave me a bit of advice the night before my wedding. I was a maiden, you know!’ She looked around for a response but nearly everyone looked down at their drink apart from Bob, who sat staring at her with his mouth open. ‘Yes, she said, Wee Irene, always keep your mystery. Make sure you always keep something on in bed. Just one thing. So he would have a wee bit left to the imagination.’ She laughed. ‘So I left my hat on. He wasn’t impressed!’ She had painted a very vivid picture and Laura, Liz and Sue laughed in particular.
‘Just keep your bloody hat on, Andy,’ said Pat.
Gary came back from the toilet, rubbing his hands dry.
‘What have I missed?’ he asked.
‘A right gem,' said Ernie. He could see everyone fiddling with their hats.
‘Is it garlic time at the OK Corall?’ he asked. ‘Damn, I have just washed my hands.’
‘You are not getting out of it,’ said Danny, ‘I am not having my mate chewed up!’
‘Alright,’ Wee Renee said, ‘I will stick it in your baseball cap.’ She took a clove then tried to lift the cap up. ‘It’s a bit tight. How am I supposed to get this in. How do you wear it like that? I am surprised you haven’t got a headache all the time.’
‘You do have a massive red line on your head, when you take it off.’ Danny added knowledgeably. She sat looking at the clove and then at Gary’s head.
‘Just thumb it in, Wee Renee. I don’t care,’ he shrugged.
‘Oh, right you are,’ She pushed her thumb behind the clove, so it moved under the tight baseball cap.
‘We are all protected now,’ Pat said. Quite clearly relieved.
‘Yes, I tell you what. I for one will say that the beast will not penetrate me!’ Wee Renee said, her finger in the air. They all looked around with their mouths open. Wee Renee looked at them back. She quite clearly didn’t know why they were so shocked.
‘You lot have got very dirty minds,’ Pat said shaking her head.
Wee Renee suddenly realised what they were thinking. ‘No, I meant penetrate with their teeth. Not their penis!’ she whispered, looking at the group.
‘Wahay! Penis!’ laughed Bob.
‘Anyway, if they start on that track, they are in for a big shock!' Wee Renee said. They gaped at her. Freddie took a sip of his drink and looked round at t
he others. With a big breath he said,
‘Go, on. I’ll buy it. Why?’
‘I've got another one down my wee long johns. Never underestimate the element of surprise.’ Sue looked at down at the open food bags on the table, full of cloves of garlic. She then picked up one of the cloves of garlic and dropped it down the waistband of her skirt and tights, pinging the elastic several times, so the clove until it worked itself down. The men looked round at each other. They all picked one up and in unison, dropped it down the front of trousers. With a smile Bob took another one then dropped it down the back of his trousers too.
‘Watch out where you put them actually, mine is really chafing,' Pat said looking at her lap. Everyone looked down at Pats brown leggings. 'It’s worth it though. You can never be too sure.’
‘Now we have made sure that we aren't going to get any interest of any kind from vampires of any sexual orientation, can we carry on,' Danny uttered.
'Yes, let's face it. Who gets there genitalia out in this weather anyway?’ asked Pat.
‘I do!’ said Tony proudly. ‘So speak for yourself.’ Sue blushed.
‘Hey, too much information,’ Bob said frowning, ‘Listen guys I know I am the only kid here but I have got a bit of a theory about where this has all started from. I have been talking it through with my friend, Adam and I think I might have the answer.'
‘Okay, we’ll give it a whirl. Carry on Bob,' Gary said, sitting back in his chair, ready to listen.
‘Right well, picture this. An old dark house, on the moors. Someone who is a recluse living there, not really mixing with the rest of the village. No-one knows them. No-one knows anything about them, only what he tells them, which could be a pack of lies. He gets a group of people and all of a sudden all of those people are ill. Then the next stage is that they drop out of circulation and get visited by someone or something. They become vampires and not part of our band anymore. Do you see where I am going with this?’
Sticky Valves: Book 1 of the Saddleworth Vampire Series Page 16