Diane was in attendance and Keith, along with a few of the others. After they had been there a short while and the initial niceties were over, The Master stood before them to give a little speech. Christine, Kate and Michael Thompson stood alongside him. His proud lieutenants.
‘Welcome to my home, my children. The village is exactly where I want it, at this time. I want to stress a few points as we move further into our new lives. This will help and ensure that we thrive as a new community.’ The vampires all listened carefully. To break a rule that The Master had set, would be terrible. ‘Firstly, from now, you are not to turn children. I know some of you already have done. And what these small members of our community do, will have to be monitored as, in my experience, they are quite unpredictable and not suitable for turning.’
‘What do we do with them, then? Eat them,’ asked Diane.
‘Eat them all, sweetie. Very tasty,' Christine said, excitedly clapping her hands.
‘Also old people. Please, unless they are very influential in the community, they are not to be turned.’
‘Waste them,' said Michael.
‘Quite.’ The Master knew Michael would have to say something tonight, so he felt important. There it was. The Master continued his speech. ‘Pass this message around to the others.’ There was much nodding around the crowd and mumbling.
‘Now, there is a Christmas Concert being held tomorrow. Some of you might know this as you are former members of Friarmere Band. Tomorrow we are going to have a feast!’ A lot of applause followed and Michael stood with his hands behind his back, nodding his thanks, as if he had arranged it all.
‘What are the arrangements?’ asked Keith.
‘I am just getting to that!’ Norman said haughtily. ‘I want all of us that played in the band to attend how they would normally. They will be our people on the inside. There will also be a few others in attendance. I will be there to start off proceedings.’
‘We’re all coming, don’t worry,’ said Michael reassuringly to the crowd. The Master glared at him then cleared his throat.
‘This is where the balance of power shifts to us, my friends. It will be a wonderful evening and one that Friarmere will never forget.’
The Woodalls, Peter and Janet had not been asked to go to the Grange. They were on the prowl tonight in the falling snow for any victim they could find. Both very hungry, encouraging each other to make their first kill. They made quite a formidable team, the pair of them. Both tall and quite heavy set. If anyone got in their way, they would stand no chance.
The person that did end up getting in their way was someone they knew very well. She was just on her way out to meet some friends again. Sophie was walking down her street, concentrating on her feet, so that she didn’t slip. She didn’t let rumours around the village stop her going out. Vampires! Monsters! It was a load of rubbish. She was sick of small village mentality. Probably made up by a bunch of old people, so that kids didn’t go out and they could have the pubs to themselves. Well, Sophie knew better than them. Nothing was going to stop her. It was boring staying in with her mother who now kept to her room most of the time, or disappeared out without telling her. Besides that, having a few beers, kept the cold out.
When she saw them walking towards her in the snow, she knew straight away with their height and size, that it could be none other than the Woody’s.
‘Hello, I thought it was you two out and about. Are you a bit better?' she asked Peter.
‘Hello, yes I am feeling far more sprightly now,’ said Peter. As they drew closer under the lamplight, Sophie knew that something was wrong with them. Their eyes were red and Janet already had her teeth bared, which looked very different and sharp. Sophie was instantly worried.
‘Take us home. We were just on our way to talk to your Mum.'
'She's out,’ Sophie said quickly.
‘We insist on coming home and waiting for her then,' said Peter, ‘We know she's out, and where she’s been. So that’s why we know she is on her way back. We insist.’ They both grabbed an arm of Sophie's and, pinching it, marched her back up to her front door. She was so in shock, that she did not do anything about it, until she got close to the door when she realised all the rumours were true and she had been pigheaded and ignorant all along. She started to struggle and cry out but Janet put her hand over Sophie’s mouth and the falling snow muffled any other sounds remaining.
As Sophie had left the door on the catch because her mother was due back soon, they just pushed it open and forced their way in, shutting the door behind them. The Woodalls sat her down, stood before her and quite frankly told her all about what had happened to them in the last couple of weeks. They also told her what her mother was, and who the new friends were that she was visiting tonight. ‘You’ve got the choice, of whether you want us to carry on and turn you, and be like us. Which, I can highly recommend. Or to die, as our food source. It’s as simple as that. At some point you will be one or the other in Friarmere. And no one is getting out of this village, you can be sure of that. This is The Masters central hub. We turn people and have time to change the whole village. By the time the snow is gone. There will be enough of us to turn the country. Great Britain will be ours.’
Sophie shocked them with her response.
‘If you put it like that then it is a no-brainer.’ She knew something was different about her mother, but she had been hiding herself away a lot. And Sophie went out the rest of the time. Something had not been right at band, and now, she had met the two Woody’s. The penny had dropped for Sophie. It was really happening here. It didn’t bother her as long as she could still see her friends, or at least some of them. Her mother and the Woody’s seemed quite happy. She would get to live forever and stay young. Now she had all the facts, she was eager for it to happen.
‘I want to be turned but I would prefer if my mother did it.’
‘Oh no,’ said Peter, shaking his head, ‘That is not one of the choices, I gave you. After all, we must feed tonight. You just have the choice on the outcome, not how it starts.’
‘Okay, try to not make it hurt that much then,’ she said and pulled her long brown hair away from her neck. This action was too much for Janet, whose mouth had been watering through the whole of the conversation. They both pounced on her, satisfied their needs and then turning the willing Sophie to one of the undead. Within five minutes of agreeing, she was one of them.
Diane burst through the door. She could smell the blood from outside.
‘I did not wish for her to be turned!’ she screamed, ‘How dare you!’
‘We did give her the choice. And she chose happily,’ said Peter. Sophie nodded at her mother. ‘Sooner or later you would not have been able to protect her. Just like tonight. She would have just ended up someone's meal, then discarded. We gave her the choice, as a fellow bandsman.’ Diane after a few moments knew they were right.
‘I have been surviving without human blood. Until recently,' she added quietly.
‘That’s your decision. We are loving this new life. I love the taste of human blood. We are taking Sophie out now, to find some more, if you want to come.’ They did not wait for her answer. The three got up and walked out of the door. She followed them into the night. Into the swirling snow.
Lynn Cooper was certainly having a new lease of life. Ernie had not had not taken well to the change and was having to stay in the house, she thought that this was due to him having a very strong sense of what was right and what was wrong before he had become. Lynn had felt great, however and was roaming the streets. Niggles of pain she had suffered before, due to age, had disappeared. Tiredness had gone too. It was wonderful. Earlier, she had been at The Grange as well, and had listened to the advice of The Master. She absolutely loved this new part of herself and had taken to it with gusto. Even though Ernie wasn’t adapting as well as her now, she knew he would come round, when he started appreciating the advantages, as she had.
The Master had given her specific instr
uctions about the person to turn next. He could tell she would be a good and obedient vampire and a faithful servant to him. He had instructed her to turn someone that was already infected from his blood, and marked forever. She knew of others but until tonight had not known of this other person. If she had put her mind to it, she would have worked it out. Gliding effortlessly through the snow, she did not feel the cold but just a thrilling exhilaration coursing through her body. She could quite see how some of the others had got themselves in a pickle. The feelings and urges were quite overwhelming. It would be very easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all and to make mistakes. She wouldn’t be caught out.
Lynn knocked loudly on the door. Barry opened it happily. He was eating a cornish pastie.
‘Hiya Lynn, I’m just getting my appetite back.’
‘Good. I want to talk to you about that. Can I come in.’
‘Yes, come in. Do you want a brew?’ She walked in and he shut the door.
‘Yes please. I’d love a brew’
That night, a tremendous amount of snow came down. The inches could be seen going up and up. Along with this, the vampires made sure the village was blocked off. The people left were just going to end up one thing or another. At two in the morning, the wind began to blow a little stronger and shift the snow this way and that, painting all the walls white, drifting the snow into twenty feet high walls. If there was anything the vampires had missed, the snow took care of it.
23 – Cheese Knife
On the morning of the school concert, Friarmere woke to the worst snow it had ever seen in its several hundred years of existence. As it was still snowing by ten, the primary school finally decided to send their pupils home. It really was no use to be in, as a lot of people had not come in today. Staff and pupils.
Mrs White presumed they all must be sick or had colds and this was very worrying but she didn’t want to panic the children and parents so had said that the concert was still on tonight. She understood if some children couldn't make it, or their parents decided to keep them away. All the pupils were very eager to do the concert as they had been practicing these songs since the Harvest Festival. They also got to dress up in their best clothes, instead of school uniform. Every year, after singing, they got a special reward too. Mr Shufflebotham would buy a chocolate Santa for each of them. Whilst shaking their hands and saying Merry Christmas to them on their way out, he would give them their gift.
Ernie Cooper had called Mrs White the previous week about arrangements, telling her that the Civic Hall would be open from three that afternoon. From that time the band would be putting out all their instruments and music stands. The committee would dress the place up for Christmas. Mrs White advised Mr Shufflebotham that she was going to stay at school for about another hour then go back home to get her head down for a couple of hours and get ready. About three thirty she would then make her own way down to the Civic Hall to make all the preparations for the children, arriving there just before it got dark and set everything up. There were a few jobs to do. Putting all the song sheets on the audience’s seats that she had printed out. Laying the chairs out for the choir. Plus, putting out all the prizes for the raffle. It all took a surprisingly long time to do alone. She thought she might as well stay there and eat her tea instead of going back out into the cold. Probably a flask of soup and a sandwich. A paperback book was in her bag, which she thought she might get half an hour to read.
The band had been preparing for this day. Not only musically but in other ways. They knew that there would be a lynch mob there tonight and they would just be sitting ducks. Luckily they had liberated quite a few weapons from Ian's Butchers Shop. There were also other things that Gary had brought along and as usual Wee Renee had a few ideas of her own. They had some knives and some axes. It was clear from the death of Adrian in the butcher shop that it did not necessarily have to be a stake through the heart. Severe damage to the brain or head would also do the trick.
They were meeting at the band room at twelve noon. Pat and Wee Renee had put some sandwiches together and Sue was providing some cakes. Laura would bring the tea and coffee for them as she had abundance at home, the coffee van being off the roads, in this snow.
They were going to have a brief meeting about what they could do tonight and share out their weapons. Sue had no idea how many people would turn up to the meeting, the concert or to watch them play. She was worried, scared and also excited and couldn’t choose which was the greater emotion. Opening the band room door carefully, peeking behind every door she hoped that Ernie and Lynn would be there soon. She could not contact them over the phone or mobile network now and their house was on the opposite side of Friarmere. Her priority now was to look after Bob and Tony.
Freddie arrived. Quite down in the dumps because he could not contact Brenda, who was still looking after her sister. He was getting really worried, but in another way, knew that she was best out of all this and was probably much safer being over the hill. She would also have two sisters to help her, and their families. He was just wishing for the best possible outcome tonight and had brought with him a walking stick that had a six inch silver plating round the bottom and then a big rubber bung stuck on the end of it.
‘What are you doing with that. Have you been using it, now that Maurice doesn't need it?’ asked Sue.
‘It’s not Maurice’s, I will have you know,’ he said. ‘This is my old Papa's. I have customised it. I will show you later.’ And he winked. She realised he was trying to keep cheerful for everyone else.
Tony and Bob finally came into the bandroom. They had arrived with Sue, but had been messing about in the back of his Land Rover. It had only just made it there. The snow was unfathomable. In Tony’s pocket was the gun that he was so proud of, although Sue told him that he shouldn't fire it anywhere in that place, with the kids about. He said he was not having something like that and not being able to defend their family, so she couldn't really disagree with that. Liz and Andy turned up. They had got a knife that Andy held out in his hands all the time, which he had taken from Ian shop. Liz said she had some other items from the shop, like skewers and hooks that she had got in her instrument case and was feeling slightly stronger again. She was hopeful for what they could do as a gang.
Gary was picking up Danny and they arrived soon after.
‘How's she doing in this snow?’ he asked Tony.
‘Struggling but just about managing courageously. Hopefully it will stay off now.’
‘I wouldn't bank on it,’ said Danny, ‘I have just heard the weather forecast on the radio and it said more snow tonight.’ Gary shook his head.
‘As if we haven't got enough to cope with,' he said miserably.
They had a few fold up tables in the back of the bandroom. Sue had put them out, pushing them together and putting seats all the way around the edge. It ended up being a big dinner table or conference table, which they would need both of today.
‘I can't stop that long. Maybe an hour.’ Gary informed them, ‘I have got stuff to do. The weight of all the snow has been on the bushes and they have pushed down my back fence, so I feel like I have no defences. I want to work on that and get that looking a bit better at least.’
‘You might not even have to worry about that at all, if tonight goes down as I think it will,' said Andy. He was looking very downhearted about it all.
‘We have got each other and we are quite a formidable team,’ said Gary, ‘Don't you get negative about it all. We will be brilliant, you just watch. They have underestimated Friarmere Band, if they think they can take all of us. That gang of bullies have taken enough of us already. Anyway I have promised I would do a bit of work up at the school, as well. They need some work on the boiler. Hopefully I can get it going and the kids can get back in tomorrow. So I will have to join you tonight. I will be coming straight from work.’
A couple of the others arrived and settled themselves in, with various bags, their uniforms and instruments.
&
nbsp; The final two people that came were Pat and Wee Renee. They had just come from Pat’s house, thus coming the shortest distance to the band room, so had made it on foot quite easily. Wee Renee had a twinkle in her eye and was obviously excited about all of this. Pat had a grim look on her face and her jaw was jutting out. She certainly looked determined and no one wanted to tackle her.
Sue had been making tea and coffee, putting cakes on plates and lining them up on the big table. The heating had now taken full effect and the band room was lovely and warm. They all took their coats and boots off. Liz put out some vegetarian food and Pat and Wee Renee laid out some of the sandwiches they had made. Which were extensive as Pat always catered for herself when she was counting out numbers of people, so everyone had a portion that was about three times bigger than they needed.
‘No Ernie or Lynn then,' said Freddie, which was the elephant in the room, ‘That’s very strange.’
‘What isn't strange these days,’ said Danny.
‘I can't get my head round it. I don’t want it to be true at all but, to be honest, I hope if they have been got at, that they haven’t been changed into one of them,’ said Freddie, ‘because that means that I would be next, being their friend and the only senior committee member left. Between them and Maurice, I’m already dead meat.’
‘It doesn't necessarily mean that,' said Sue. They might not pick us off by seniority on committee.’
‘No. You’re right Sue, I’m just being daft. I am worried about becoming uncontrollable and going after Brenda and Our Doris.’
‘It isn't going to come to that, we’ll make sure of that Freddie,’ said Gary.
‘I see no one’s doubting that they are one of the undead, then?’ asked Wee Renee.
‘He’d be here especially at a meeting of the clan Rene. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life,' Pat said firmly. The rest of the party firmly nodded.
Sticky Valves: Book 1 of the Saddleworth Vampire Series Page 20