Bane of Brimstone (The Bill Blackthorne Chronicles Book 1)

by Mike Mannion

  Ophelia looked at Arthur, then Bill. Suddenly, she burst into a flood of tears.

  “I don’t know what to do! We thought we knew what we were doing but... it’s all gone wrong.”

  She reached out and grabbed Bill’s hand.

  Arthur sat down awkwardly. “Come on, there’s no need for blubbing. I know I said I’d call the police, and I must have looked pretty darn mad in minute ago, but here...” He pulled a crumpled handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Ophelia.

  “It’s okay. The wound healed up next day, must have only been a scratch,” said Bill.

  Ophelia sniffed as she dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief. “That horrid Claude thing found us in the woods. He went back to Lilith’s rooms. It’s got some sort of hold over her. She was acting very weird, even for Lilith.”

  “Who’s Claude?”

  “A great big weird looking dog.”

  “The dog that attacked us!” said Arthur.

  “I think so,” said Ophelia with a sniff. “I heard her go out in the middle of the night with the dog. She was gone for ages. When she came back I got up and asked her what was going on. She looked upset, very odd looking and her feet were bleeding. She had her nightdress on but it was torn and dirty. She said she’d seen Lord Percy. He’d turned her Arddhu! She started muttering something strange and then she tried to bite me! I locked myself in my room and she scratched on my door for a while then went away. I was so scared.”

  Arthur looked confused. “So who’s Lord Percy?”

  “That’s what we were doing with you in the church. We used Bill’s blood to resurrect an Arddhu. Lord Percy Valentine.”

  “But that thing was a monster!” said Bill.

  “Why the hell did you do that?” said Arthur. “We can’t have creatures running around the place, biting people willy-nilly. It’s so illegal. You could go to jail for a very long time.”

  Ophelia looked like she was about to start crying again. “I came out of my room this morning but was terrified she’d grab me. I opened her door and peered into her room. She was fast asleep and the dog was gone. I had to get away so I came down here to think. Oh, what shall I do?”

  “It’ll be okay. We can help,” said Bill, giving Arthur a sly look to tell him to shut up.

  “I have the journal,” said Ophelia. “I was hoping it’d tell me something about Lord Percy and how to stop the curse spreading.”

  Ophelia opened Rowena’s journal and, not knowing what else they could do, the three of them read...

  Sat 16 Nov 1872. I am staying at Brimstone Manor for a rest cure. My parents know I am very ill and are thankful to Percy for helping me. He has promised to make me well before our wedding day. Mother is here most days but it grieves me to see her fretting so! I mutter curses, hear an angry voice and take blood from Beauty each night but am filled with a mysterious frustration and hunger! Oh how I long to turn back the clock and be the girl I once was!

  Tue 26 Nov 1872. Percy has been up to Middenmere to see a very learned doctor. His name is William Whitebeam and is a great authority on my illness. Percy says this great man will cure me. The doctor has supplied us with a medicine of his own concoction called Vita Dantis. This is no cure but takes away the terrible voice, the lust for blood and the burning of skin in sunlight. Today the bellows, tubes and needle were worked most assiduously and the medicine now flows in my veins. It has made me feel almost human again and given us hope for a future together. The wedding day now looks brighter!

  Sat 5 Apr 1873 I am afraid, dear journal, that I have neglected you of late in the whirl of courtship! Vita Dantis has allowed back my life. Percy and I have chatted most amiably during our long country walks, I am now a regular rider at the hunt and how I have danced at the local balls! Mother and I have been very busy of late preparing for the wedding. I have the most beautiful white dress, my friends will make the most delightful bridesmaids, and you have never seen so many flowers! I go to bed nervous, anticipating my wedding day tomorrow! How happy I am!

  Sun 6 Apr 1873. My wedding has been disastrous. I am the foulest creature that ever walked the earth! How I wish I could find punishment worthy of my heinous crime! The wedding day was all I could have asked for, with Saint Bede’s draped in flowers and the bells peeling. Mother couldn’t stop crying. But on our wedding night we discovered a fatal flaw with the good doctor’s medicine. Despite having plenty of it flowing in my veins, when the heat of passion rose in our wedding bed I am afraid the voice came back, laughing at my folly. Vita Dantis has no power during moments of passion! I cursed and fought it but bit my dearest Percy on the neck! He now suffers the curse as I do! I am such an unworthy creature! How I wish this wretched life was over!

  Sun 20 Apr 1873. Percy is the noblest man alive. He has forgiven me for what I have done and is more determined than ever to find a cure. At Percy’s request, the good doctor has now moved into Brimstone Manor and is working day and night in his laboratory in the west wing. He studies most assiduously and records his findings in his journal.

  Bill’s gave the others a look of amazement. “You’re not going to believe this but I’ve actually seen that journal. It’s in the library at Brimstone Manor.”

  “Honestly?” said Ophelia.

  “Mother showed it to me quite a few times. It was a bit odd really. She made me sit and read it over and over, was quite insistent.”

  Ophelia looked a little hopeful. “And did it actually contain a cure? Maybe it could save Lilith!”

  “To be honest I couldn’t understand most of it, lots of formulae and Latin names.”

  “But if it is a cure... Lilith could be saved.”

  “We’ll have to go and get it.”

  “Let’s see what else it says,” said Arthur.

  The three of them continued to read...

  Wed 7 May 1873. This is a most exciting day! The Good Doctor has told Percy and myself that his work is finally done – a cure has been found! He has constructed a very strange looking cabinet that he calls a Scrinium Regenerationis. I must enter to be made human again. Lord Percy said he will be the first to enter but I insisted it be me! I am afraid I have suffered too long and want to be human when Percy steps out so I can hold him in my arms without temptation! The doctor is doing some last-minute preparation. I am to go inside tomorrow!

  Thu 8 May 1873. I record these fatal words with the heaviest of hearts. Percy, my dear sweet Percy, confessed to the Apostles that he and his bride are cursed by the Cult of Og. He told them the great news of the cabinet and our imminent cure but he has been killed! My love has been slain! I cannot go on without him! How wrong Percy was to tell those evil men of our illness. The Apostles believes a cursed one’s fate is death. A cure implies forgiveness for their crimes. They will surely murder me in my bed! I have no Vita Dantis as the Apostles have smashed up the doctor’s laboratory and his cabinet. But I still have a friend in the Good Doctor, who has protected me – we have escaped the Manor this very night and are now lodging at the Unicorn in Underwood – I write these terrible words in my room by candlelight. We plan to be up at dawn to catch the first coach to Middenmere. I only hope I can ignore the voice until we get to the Doctor’s house. There I can consume the Vita Dantis that sustains me and keeps that whispered menace away.

  Friday 9 May 1873. It is dawn and I have debased myself in the most wretched way imaginable! The Apostles are right. Living with the curse is impossible and I must depart this world for my own sake and the sake of those whom I meet. Last night without Vita Dantis the hunger became unbearable, the voice of Arddhu Og was irresistible. So I stole from my room in the middle of the night and knocked on the Good Doctor’s door. There I went in like a common harlot, muttering the most profane of curses, scratched his face with my hat-pin and feasted on his blood! I have passed on the pain of my wretched life to the Good Doctor! What a terribly cruel creature I have become! How undeserving of Percy’s love.

  I write this as my last entry. I am going to end my life an
d suffering. Out of my bedroom window I see the first rays of sunlight starting to creep up behind the trees. I am going out into Briar Wood to the old underground mausoleum. There I will take a knife to my breast and kill myself ... goodbye dear sweet Percy...

  Ophelia flicked through the rest of the journal but the pages were blank.

  “Poor Rowena...”

  “What happened to the Doctor?” said Arthur.

  “What do you think Bill?” said Ophelia.

  Bill didn’t answer. He seemed very distracted. Eventually he spoke, choosing his words very carefully. “Listen Ophelia, we need to tell you something, to warn you really.”

  “Warn me?”

  “These Apostles... they’re still going strong. In fact, they’re a big part of our college.”

  “Honestly? That’s can’t be true. This journal was written a hundred years ago.”

  “You don’t understand. I’ve met some of them. My personal tutor, some of the students, like Frank.”

  “So are they still going round killing people, like the killed Percy?”

  “Yes, if you’re cursed! Well, I don’t know really. But they want to torture people.”

  “Not in this day and age surely?”

  “They’re trying to recruit me.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a long story but let’s just say I don’t want to be recruited.”

  Ophelia looked confused. “And this is what you’re warning me about?”

  “They’ve found out about you and Lilith bringing back that horrible creature, Lord Percy. That’s why they’re after you.”

  “I was playing at being a witch really, I’m so stupid, I never thought-”

  Arthur cut in sharply, “Stabbing my friend a bit of playing?”

  “No! Sorry!”

  “Anyway,” said Bill, “They can’t find anyone called Ophelia or Lilith in the student records. You are a student aren’t you?”

  Ophelia shrugged. “My real name’s Jane Pettigrew and Lilith’s is Majorie Blenkinsop. But we prefer our other names, more Dark Pagan.”

  “If they find you they’re taking you to Brimstone Manor for questioning. I don’t think they will be gentle with you. They desperately want to find this creature.”

  “But they can’t just abduct people, surely?” said Ophelia, suddenly looking very worried. “Oh my! What’ll they do with Lilith? She’s been cursed! She’s acting crazy.”

  “She was crazy anyway,” said Arthur.

  “You said they kill people who are cursed! We’ve got to get that book,” said Ophelia, “and hope it contains a cure.”

  Bill sighed. “Honestly, you’d have to be some sort of mad genius to understand it.”

  Ophelia suddenly looked like she had a plan. “Professor Jareth will understand it. We’ve got to take Lilith to the Professor and give her the book. The Prof is clever.”

  “How do we know this professor isn’t part of the Apostles?”

  “The Prof’s cool. She knows everything there is to know about the Og cult, she loaned us books. If anyone can help she can.”

  “I guess we need someone to tell us what to do.”

  *

  Bill, Arthur and Ophelia left Bankside Park. They followed the road back towards college until they stood by the railings outside Conatus Chapel. Bill peered through the railings and saw Frank, Father Figgs and a group of students come out of the chapel door.

  “Stay back!” he whispered, holding out his arm. They shuffled back and hid behind a post box.

  “What we doing?” said Ophelia.

  “There’s Frank and I guess that’s the Choral Society with him. Like I said, they’re part of the Apostles.”

  “That priest, I know him,” said Ophelia. “We’re been in there, down in the cellar. They keep stuff down there...”

  Bill turned his head and found Ophelia standing very close. He looked into her soft brown eyes and felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. Instead, he gulped nervously and said, “They’re going to torture you but I won’t let them.”

  “He’s very gallant for a little chap,” said Arthur, grinning at Bill’s awkward staring.

  “So how do we get to the Prof?” said Ophelia.

  “Wait a minute,” said Bill. “They don’t know what you look like, but if they see you with us.”

  Frank, Father Figgs and the students came out onto the road and walked off towards college.

  “How do we know who are Apostles?” said Arthur. “As soon as we show ourselves anyone could grab us.”

  “We will have to be sneaky,” said Bill.

  When Father Figgs and the others had disappeared, they walked down the road and turned into the college grounds. There were quite a few groups of students, walking about or sitting on the grass so they skirted round the edge of the grounds, moving behind trees and bushes. Eventually they got to Conatus College and cut through a side door and onto the quadrangle. Ophelia led the boys through a door and climbed a set of stairs to the Professor’s rooms. Ophelia knocked and the door opened slightly. Professor Jareth peered out.

  “Ophelia?”

  “Professor, we need to come in.”

  “I see you’ve brought some friends. You know it’s only you and Lilith allowed in here.”

  “Please Professor! I’ve got a big problem, a very big problem.”

  The Professor reluctantly opened the door and they went inside. The room was fairly dark because the curtains were drawn, with the only source of light coming from a brass table lamp. Bill looked round at the writing desk in the corner, the leather chesterfield and the many books lining the walls. Its gloomy shabbiness reminded him of Brimstone Manor.

  The Professor moved forward and peered at them with a scowling face. When Bill saw her, he stepped back with a gasp. He could see a shimmering halo of light around her head and eyes that were bright and fiery yellow. Because of Professor Nox he now knew what this meant. She was a Servant of Arddhu Og! They were trapped in a room with a monster! Bill was about to warn the others, to tell them to step back, run for their lives, but then he realised that Ophelia was right. Someone in the clutches of the Og curse would never give them away to the Apostles, and this thin creature looked quite old and rather frail.

  The Professor hobbled over to a chair by the fire and slowly sat down.

  “And how can I help you people?” she said in a curt voice.

  “Lilith’s been cursed!” exclaimed Ophelia. “She went out in the night and was bit by Lord Percy.”

  The Professor’s small eyes blazed as she thumped the arm of her chair with a small bony hand. “What the devil! How did he use Mentem Vergentis from such a distance? Why did I trust him to sit tight and harm no one? Fool that I am!” The Professor looked angry. “If you girls had only done what I asked, got the correct cask. Simon was such a kind and gentle man, this would never have happened...”

  She trailed off, eyeing Bill and Arthur suspiciously.

  “Who are these boys? I hope you haven’t gone blabbing to every cute lad you happen to stumble upon.”

  “No, honestly!” exclaimed Ophelia. “They were the boys were lured to the church. One was our sacrifice.”

  “What! Stupid girl! They'll shop us to the police!”

  “No, honestly. I think they deserve to know what’s going on.”

  The Professor studied the boys through narrowed eyes. She watched Bill staring moon faced at Ophelia through his thick black glasses. She thought Arthur looked a little like a startled hamster. They seemed harmless enough, but maybe a little too innocent. If Lilith was in the grip of Og then the Professor was going to need all the help she could get – her broken down limbs wouldn’t be strong enough to contain Lilith's fury. Her heart sank as she thought of this young girl, a promising student with her whole life in front of her, blighted by the terrible curse, fated to hide in the shadows, racked with loneliness and the pain of bodily degradation for the rest of her life.

  “Let’s see her,” said the Professor.
“I want to see for myself. Then we can be sure.”

  The Professor got up and grabbed her walking stick off the hearth.

  They made their way over to Connaught Hall as quickly as possible – all the time looking round to make sure there was no sign of Frank or Father Figgs – but it was slow going with the Professor, who wheezed and gasped and was very wobbly on her stick.

  As they passed the Junior Common Room, Frank was sitting with Dean and George watching T.V. He saw the Professor from out of the corner of his eye and wondered why a Don would be here, then scowled when he saw Bill and Arthur coming up behind, helping her along. There was also a girl, maybe one of the girls they were looking for? He got up and hid behind the door until they’d passed, peering out and watching them go down the corridor. When they stopped at Lilith’s room he smiled to himself. How pleased the Apostles were going to be with him for finding the traitors! He scurried off as quickly as his portly physique would allow to tell Father Figgs the news.

  The Professor wrapped smartly on Lilith’s door with her stick. “Hello in there. Are you awake?”

  They heard a strange moaning from inside the room. The Professor opened the door and went inside. The others followed. They found Lilith lying on her bed, wearing her nightdress and groaning softly – she was in the throes of some terrible nightmare. Her hair was tangled and messy and her bare feet stuck out the bottom of the sheets, dirty and spotted with dried blood.

  “Poor Lilith,” said Ophelia softly.

  “You girl!” exclaimed the Professor, banging her stick on the ground.

  Lilith’s eyes flicked open and she sat up immediately. She gazed at the Professor with a look of triumph.

  “You thought you could hide him away from me, tuck him away in that house. But I found him!”

  “How did you know?”

  “Follow Claude... that’s what I did.”

  Ophelia stepped forward. “We’re here to help you Lilith. The Professor will know what to do.”

  Lilith moaned and bared her teeth slightly. “The voice is telling me to pick one of you.” She gazed at Arthur, who was watching her intently. “Can I have him? He’s only a little one. Nobody’s going to miss him.”