The Jonah

by James Herbert

  Eventually she had crept away, passing him the lighter which had become hot with constant use; she was too weary to continue searching and had become afraid of him. He had seemed possessed, ignoring her entreaties, concerned only with finding a way out. Ellie had rested her back against the ladder beneath the trapdoor and quietly wept; his fear had made him a stranger to her. In the few, vital days she had known him, Ellie had almost become accustomed to his sudden moods, but there had always remained some small link between them, some underlying emotion that neither one could deny. Now that link was broken; she did not know this fear-stricken desperate man at all.

  And then, abruptly, he had stopped.

  She heard him softly call her name as though he had just realized he was not alone. Ellie had answered. Then he was with her, holding her, brushing away the tears from her face with the back of his hand. She held on to him, but she was still a little afraid.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Ellie,’ he had murmured.

  She was silent for a moment, then allowed her head to sink to his chest. ‘Won’t you tell me what happened to you, Jim? You said you knew . . .’

  ‘I’m still confused. It’s so incredible I’m not sure it wasn’t all just an hallucination.’

  ‘What was, Jim? Please tell me.’

  ‘Not now. It’s better that we spend our time trying to find a way out.’

  Somehow she knew he was holding back because he did not want to frighten her any more than was necessary; the situation they were in was frightening enough.

  ‘There is no way out, Jim. We’re as good as sealed up inside a vault down here.’

  ‘Or a crypt’

  ‘Go ahead and cheer me up.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t keep saying you’re sorry; just open up to me. Remember I’m with you.’

  He kissed her forehead and she responded by pulling his head down so that their lips met.

  ‘Don’t love me, Ellie,’ he whispered. ‘Don’t love me.’

  ‘It’s too late not to,’ she replied.

  After a while, they continued their search, this time Kelso’s efforts less frantic, more studied but no less determined. Eventually, when the lighter’s flame had diminished considerably, they gave up.

  ‘The rats,’ Ellie had said when they settled back against the wall behind the ladder. ‘How the hell do they get into this place?’

  ‘Along the piping. Whatever holes there are, Ellie, they’re no good to us. They’d be too small even if we could find them.’

  ‘So what do we do?’

  ‘We wait.’

  ‘For Slauden’s henchmen to come back and pump you full of drugs again?’

  ‘Your turn to cheer me up? Once that trapdoor’s open, we may have a chance.’

  ‘Oh really?’ she said sceptically.

  He felt around in the dark for a few seconds and then pressed something into her hand. It was heavy and rough-edged, part of a broken brick. ‘What’s this for?’ she asked.

  ‘Put it in your coat pocket. I’ve got one too. When they come at me I’ll put up a fight; you just slam that into the face of whoever’s nearest to you.’

  ‘Jesus, it’s not much of a chance.’

  ‘It’s all we’ve got.’

  After that, they could only wait. They hardly spoke; but they did cling together and strangely, Ellie felt some of the tension draining from him. He still jumped nervously when something moved in the darkness, and his body shook for minutes afterwards, but somehow the resolve seemed to be returning. It was as if he had been through so much that there could not be much more to fear.

  But for Kelso, it wasn’t that simple.

  He had experienced – or he had thought he had experienced – something in the cellar the night before that explained many of the bizarre and often tragic accidents in his life. The reason for his bad luck. It was true: he was a Jonah. But if he tried to explain to Ellie, would she think him insane? She was scared enough without adding to her fears. The thought of being locked up in the dark with a madman just might send her over the edge. And was he mad? Or had the drug merely brought on a false revelation?

  He pushed the memory away. Something like that could not exist. It had to be the drug playing tricks on his mind. Yet the effects of the drug, itself, had been counteracted. He knew that, with the overdose he had been given, he should have been out of his mind for at least twenty-four hours. Could the shock of what he had seen have diminished the LSD reaction?

  And now he knew that something terrible was going to happen. The tension he had felt building over the past few days was about to break, was about to erupt with cataclysmic force. Some inner instinct told him. He felt desperately vulnerable, yet strangely determined. It was as if his life had been heading towards this point, the culmination of every insane event that had occurred throughout his lifespan. Perhaps the LSD had freed his consciousness so that he was able to perceive the unseen ‘force’ that had plagued him for so long. Perhaps his mind’s release had allowed the manifestation. He was confused, afraid, but not ready to give in to it. Kelso knew he could not; not for his sake alone, but for Ellie’s. He now understood that she was in the most danger.

  They held each other tightly and waited.

  Movement from above made them both jump.

  They heard a door slam and then voices. Someone was shouting and there were footsteps over their heads.

  ‘They’re here,’ Kelso whispered, and he almost sounded relieved. He rose from his position and clutched at one of the rungs on the ladder. Ellie also scrambled to her feet and nervously held on to his arm. They heard a grinding, scraping noise and realized the weight on the trapdoor was being dragged away. Blinding white light poured down on them when the trapdoor was pulled open.

  Kelso and Ellie covered their eyes, the pain piercingly sharp.

  ‘Well, well, they’re all ready to come out.’ It was Bannen’s voice.

  ‘Get them up.’ Unmistakably Slauden’s.

  They backed away as a heavy bulk began to descend. A rough hand grabbed Kelso and dragged him towards the ladder. Still unable to see, he was powerless to resist; nor did he choose to at that particular moment.

  ‘No games, Kelly, otherwise your girlfriend ends up with a disfigured face.’ Bannen seemed to enjoy the threat.

  Kelso climbed and hands pulled at his shoulders as he emerged from the pit. He fell forward onto his knees on the concrete floor and a well-placed foot helped him to topple all the way over. He stayed down, still covering his eyes with one hand to allow them time to adjust. Although the area in which they stood was lit by standard lighting, torches were being used to shine into the opening in the floor. Ellie emerged looking dazed and frightened; behind came Bannen and Kelso saw with grim satisfaction that part of his face was covered with a white gauze dressing; the firebrand that Kelso had used against him the night before had obviously caused him considerable suffering.

  ‘On your feet,’ He felt a toecap prod him in the ribs and looked up to see Henson standing over him. Kelso pushed himself up and stood before the group of men. Bannen knocked him back against the wall.

  The light was not as painful by now and he was able to look around. There were four men standing before him: Slauden, Henson, Bannen and one of the men who had dragged him through the underground passage the previous day; Ellie was on her knees beside Henson. There was something odd happening which had nothing to do with what Kelso could see; then he realized it was the sound he was hearing. A storm was in progress outside and the wind seemed to be smashing itself at the old building, almost threatening to tear away the weaker parts. He noticed that the group of men were well protected by waterproof clothing.

  ‘Well, Kelly, have you considered your position?’ Slauden stepped forward so that he was within reach of Kelso.

  Kelso mumbled something, but could not be heard over the howling of the wind. Bannen backhanded him, knocking the detective to one knee. ‘Speak up!’ he snarled. ‘Sir Anthony can’t hea
r you!’

  ‘That’s enough, Bannen!’ Slauden snapped.

  ‘I owe him for this.’ Bannen touched the bandages on his face and glared at his employer in defiance.

  ‘Stand aside and allow me to question him in my own way.’

  Reluctantly, Bannen moved away; but he still kept Kelso within easy reach.

  ‘Now, Kelly, I’ll ask you once again: Are you willing to co-operate? All this is so unnecessary, you know.’ Slauden was almost anxious, as though he really did not want to inflict more punishment.

  Kelso used the wall to push himself upright and nodded his head as if in acquiescence. Slauden moved in further to catch the murmured words.

  Kelso struck out, but the little man was shrewder and more nimble than the detective could have guessed. His punch went wild and before he could reach into his pocket for the half-brick he carried, Bannen had slammed his shoulder hard into Kelso’s face.

  Ellie had more luck: she rose and struck the nearest man to her with the rough piece of masonry. The man screeched as bone in the bridge of his nose splintered; he fell to his knees on the edge of the open pit and Ellie tried to kick him into it. Henson grabbed her and slapped her face twice, knocking her into a corner of the concreted area.

  Meanwhile, Kelso had doubled over as Bannen brought a knee up into his stomach. He seized Kelso’s collar, pulling him upright, ready to bring his fist down hard into the exposed face.

  Slauden held Bannen’s arm. The look of undisguised pleasure swiftly vanished from the latter’s bandaged face.

  ‘No!’ Slauden ordered. ‘Julian, use the drug! This time inject both of them!’ He bent towards Kelso. ‘Did you hear that, Kelly? This time your girlfriend, too, will receive a dangerous amount of LSD! Enough to kill her! But not you! Just enough to send you into a nightmare world again! Only this time, you’ll have the dead body of your girlfriend to keep you company.’

  Henson opened the black case he had with him and picked up the already-filled syringe. He strode towards Ellie, avoiding the kneeling man who groaned on the floor, his hands red from his bloodied face. Ellie began to scream and kick out when she saw the approaching needle.

  ‘Give him a hand, Bannen!’ Slauden ordered and the grin of pleasure returned to Bannen’s face.

  Kelso was aware of what was happening, but was powerless to do anything; he clutched his stomach, trying to draw in breath. ‘No . . . please, don’t,’ he managed to say, but his words were missed over the sounds of the gale outside.

  Bannen grabbed at Ellie, who screamed even louder. He yanked her away from the corner and tore her jacket from one shoulder, ripping the blouse beneath it to expose the bare flesh of her arm. Henson’s fingers curled around her arm and he raised the needle.

  Kelso tried to stagger forward, but Slauden shoved him hard so that he fell against the adjacent wall. He looked up in despair as the glinting needle pricked Ellie’s skin.

  The rumbling sound brought all movement to a halt. Each man looked up and then glanced around at the walls. The building, itself, seemed to tremble and dust swilled around in the air.

  ‘What is it?’ Henson shouted.

  Slauden looked towards the entrance and his face suddenly went ashen. Without a word, he ran for the stairwell.

  The rumbling noise had grown to a rushing thunder. Then the heavy entrance door burst open as floodwater sped through the mill, tearing through crumbling walls, tumbling stacks of feedstuff and pouring into every opening. Churning water gushed in and smacked against the concrete, swirling around the walls and forming its own whirlpool as it drained into the pit. The man kneeling next to the opening was swept down and his scream could not be heard over the terrible noise. Kelso saw Henson drop the syringe, then lose his footing. The powerful current carried him towards the black hole in the centre of the floor and his face was a mask of sheer terror as he tried to prevent himself from being sucked down.

  It was no use; he disappeared into the vortex, a thrashing, helpless figure.

  Bannen was still holding onto Ellie in shock, his legs braced and back pressed firmly against the wall behind. He let her go and she fell forward, her body carried with the flow. The water was still only knee-deep, but its force was tremendous. Kelso cried out when he saw that she also was being swept towards the pit.

  The trapdoor, still resting against its hinges, juddered wildly as the torrent swept around it. Fortunately for Ellie, the water carried her behind the hatch and she grabbed at it. She clung there, gasping for breath, legs trailing in the rushing flow.

  Sea water gushed over Kelso’s head, stinging his eyes, threatening to dislodge him from his position against the wall. He knew he would have no chance of resisting the current when the level was higher. He forced himself upright, using the wall for support, then began to fight his way around the chamber towards the stairwell, going against the current, hands spread out on the rough concrete before him. He had to reach Ellie before her grip was torn loose for, once she let go, she would be carried into the deluge pouring through the entrance and knocked back into the pit.

  He reached the door, the wall on that side protecting him from the worst of the onslaught. He gasped in deep breaths, knowing he would have to cross the open doorway to get close to the girl. The level was already waist-high.

  Kelso lunged, hands outstretched, grasping for the metal struts of the iron stairway. The force from behind was incredible and, for a moment, he thought he wouldn’t make it. A giant hand seemed to push his back, but his own hand curled around an upright. His body swung round, legs pulled by the current. His other hand scrabbled for another grip and then he was hauling himself up, his feet finding precarious support on the concrete floor. He could hardly breathe as the water beat against him, but he inched himself along the steep-climbing staircase, maintaining his grip as he went. Soon, Ellie’s struggling body was just a few feet away.

  ‘Ellie!’ he screamed. ‘Let go! I’ll grab you!’

  Whether or not she heard, or the current simply tore her loose, he had no way of knowing but, as she sped by, he grabbed a flailing arm. He was nearly jerked away from his own hold on the stair-rail as her body swept around, the cascading water from the doorway forcing her towards the centre. Kelso lost his footing, but he grimly held on to both the girl and the metal upright. Slowly he pulled her towards him. A desperate heave brought her up against his chest and one of her arms went around his neck.

  ‘Grab a stair-rail!’ he managed to gasp, and she obeyed his order, reaching behind him. The release from her dragging weight was instant and he turned in the water, grabbing her waist and helping her to press up against the staircase. Once she was secure, he let his own body stretch out again. By kicking against the fierce flow, his feet came within striking distance of the unsettled trapdoor. He thrashed out and one foot came in contact with the wooden hatch. He fought against the current once more and this time the contact was more solid.

  The trapdoor toppled forward, for a moment the swirling water preventing it from slamming completely shut. Then the weight of water pouring across its upper surface forced it down until the opening was closed completely.

  The chamber immediately began to fill even faster, although water still poured through cracks in the trapdoor.

  Below, Henson screamed as total darkness enveloped him and water rushed into his lungs. His only hope had been the area of blurred light through which the torrent cascaded. He was turned, over and over, buffeted against the walls, the pillars. Something heavy struck him and he did not know it was the already dead body of the man who had fallen into the pit before him. Water poured through other openings in the cellar, creating a mêlée of vicious currents, and small bristling creatures struggled with him in the darkness. Several bit his flailing limbs in their own panic, but he never felt the pain. The rising water pushed him towards the ceiling and soon his battered body could no longer continue the struggle. It twisted and turned without any resistance, a lifeless carcass entombed in a dark, airless world.
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  Above, Bannen knew his only hope was to reach the stairs. The chamber was filling rapidly – it was already at chest height – and there was no telling at what level it would stop. There was no danger of being sucked into the cellar below now that the trapdoor had been closed, but water still spewed through the entrance.

  He had found some metal piping protruding from the wall behind and he clung to it gratefully, but was aware that it offered only brief respite before the floodwater rose higher. The heavy chest which they had used to weight down the pit’s trapdoor suddenly came into view, a few inches of its top showing above the water line. He plunged for it and tried to haul himself up onto its surface. He was only partially successful, for the crate began to roll over with his weight. Nevertheless, it carried him near enough to the stairwell for him to reach out and grab at the closest thing within reach. Which was Kelso.

  Kelso’s body was swung round as Bannen clung to his shoulders. He tried to wrench himself free, but the other man hung on desperately. Only when Bannen could grab hold of a stair-rail was the pressure released. Another hand snatched up at the metal banister and Bannen wrenched himself several feet out of the water. One foot found a step between the uprights and he felt more secure. And confident enough to deal with Kelso.

  He swung a fist hard into Kelso’s side, causing the detective to cry out and almost let go of the stair-rail. Ellie saw what was happening and tried to reach around Kelso and flail the other man with a clenched fist. Bannen ignored her efforts and brought his knuckles hard against the side of Kelso’s head.

  The detective slid back into the raging waters. Ellie caught him beneath one shoulder and managed to hold him there until he had grabbed hold again.