Nightmares in the Dreamhouse

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Nightmares in the Dreamhouse Page 10

by David Churchill

Cherry was in the kitchen and looked startled for a moment when Matthew appeared. She pointed towards the hall door and pulled a face. Matthew became aware of loud voices and an unfriendly atmosphere.

  “It's not fair,” Gary was saying. “Let me have them.”

  “I haven't got them!”

  “You must of.”

  “The word is ‘have' and I haven't. Are you deaf or something?”

  “You know where they are, anyway. You're just being horrible.”

  “No I'm not!” Abby yelled. “Just don't keep on!”

  They came into the kitchen at that point, both red-faced and angry.

  “Hello Matt. Abby's hidden the comics and I wanted to have a good look at them tonight while you finish off.”

  “Didn't!”

  “You did!”

  “Well I didn't,” Cherry said. “I want to have a look myself, specially if there's no cats - but where can they be? It's really weird? I don't like it.”

  “Abby's got them.”

  “I meant my cats, not your mouldy old comics, stupid!” Cherry snapped.

  Matthew had never heard any of them in such a mood. It took him out of his own for a moment.

  “They're in the cellar,” he said, then as Cherry looked hopeful he added, “the comics, I mean. Behind the cans.”

  “Now you're going to say I put them there, I suppose,” Abby challenged Gary.

  “Well someone did,” Gary grumbled, “and it's not funny.”

  “At least you've got them,” Cherry said. “Where are my cats? They'll be getting soaked. They've never gone off like this. They always come to meet me.”

  “It could be the fireworks,” Abby said, more kindly now. “You're supposed to keep pets in when there's fireworks going off.”

  “This is in,” Cherry said. “It's the only in they know, most of them. Though there's a few who cheat. They look as if they live somewhere else and drop in here for an extra nosh. Like that book, ‘Six dinner Sid!' Brilliant! It's weird where they've gone though. Makes it feel empty in here.”

  “The place does feel a bit odd,” Abby said thoughtfully. “I felt that when we first came in, before Gary started getting at me. Perhaps your moggies know it's our last time and they're off looking for another squat.”

  “What do you mean, odd?” Matthew asked anxiously.

  “Just odd,” Abby said. “Unfriendly. Smells different. Haunted. Creepy but not in a nice way. I used to really love coming in here, but I don't now. And I didn't take your comics, honest Gary. Go and get them and we can all have a laugh.”

  “Perhaps it's haunted by Roy and Karen,” Cherry said. “You don't think they've -”

  “No, they wouldn't just look at it, would they. They'd wreck it,” Matthew said.

  Gary had stumped off down the cellar steps and he came back now, brushing coal dust off the bundle of comics.

  “Any puss cats down there?” Cherry asked.

  Gary just grunted, “No,” and let himself slide down the wall to a sitting position on the rug, the bundle on his lap.

  “I hope you won't be too long, Matt,” Abby said. “It doesn't feel good anymore - and it's cold. I don't fancy going up in the attics after the books and getting all dirty again.”

  “Yeah, I'm a bit shivery,” Cherry said. “We'll have to phone the gas board! But a Matt's gotta do what a Matt's gotta do, so get on with it Matt. We'll stay here with Gary - if he'll kindly spare us a comic to look at. They're not really mouldy, Gar. Sorry about that.”

  She slid down like Gary did and Abby joined her. Gary pulled the end of the hairy string until the knot undid, and carefully handed each of them a yellowing, dusty-smelling copy of a comic called Knockout. As they settled to explore what Ernie, Mrs Entwhistle's little lad, got up to, Matthew turned sadly to leave them for the loneliness, and hopelessness of his room.

  Cherry, watching him, pulled a bar of chocolate out of her pocket. She broke off a piece.

  “Here you are Matt. We'll stay here and keep watch while you finish. Then we'll leg it. I've got some science coursework that I want to have a go at while Dad's out playing snooker and I can get on the computer.”

  Matthew took the chocolate and turned to go again. He didn't want to leave the kitchen where there was chocolate and comics and, above all, company. But, as Cherry had somehow understood, it had to be done. Slowly, all excitement gone, he trudged up the stairs that were as familiar now as the ones in his own sad home, along the landing with the gaping black hatch and the old ladder, and into his coloured room. But what was the point?

  The rhyme was running in his brain almost continually as he stood there, dully looking from one picture to the other. What was it all about? Could it be that he'd even done the wrong pictures. How were you to know? A deep shuddering sigh escaped from him at the thought that perhaps he ought to start it all over again and do it differently. But what use was it anyway?

  He knew that they were good pictures. Not just the biggest but also the best he had ever done. No wonder he had run out of steam in school and Mr Carter had thought that he had lost interest in Art. They were worth finishing, even if it had all been a dream that they could make any difference to his lost brother.

  He dragged the steps across to the final wall and chose stubby pieces of red and white and brown chalk. Then he climbed up to finish the job. The outline showed John's face at an angle, turned partly in to the room.

  Very carefully, Matthew began to stroke the chalk, blending the colours to build up the strong face, dark eyebrows like Matthew's, quite large nose and square chin. The same dark hair at the side, beneath the yellow helmet. He shaped the mouth into a slight smile and worked darker shading down the side of the nose. Soon he was absorbed in the work, and it did all make sense...

  “Come on John. Come on John,” he whispered, willing him to come to life in his hospital bed, just as the face was coming to life under the touches of his skilful fingers.

  “Come on John. Come on John... It's got to be now... It's got to be now... !”

  And then, quite suddenly, it was finished.

  He climbed down the steps and stood there, empty of all thoughts and feelings, all inspiration gone and his fingers aching from gripping the chalk. Into the silence came a sound of footsteps on the stairs and there was a gentle tap on the door.

  “Matt... Matt... how's it going?”

  He turned and opened the door so that first Cherry, then Gary and Abby came carefully in. Abby shut the door and they stood, turning first their heads and then their bodies, to take it all in.

  “It's like. .it's like being in another world, Matt,” Gary said. “People ought to see it. Mr Carter wouldn't half like it.”

  As the others agreed, for just a moment Matthew had a sense of pride and pleasure – a feeling like happiness - but then he remembered what it was all about and the feeling went. With a shiver he suddenly remembered and understood what Cherry said yesterday, and she was right - it was meant to be magic. An old magic. It was meant to show what had happened and what must happen and it was meant to make it happen. But it just wasn't going to work. How could he ever have thought that it would make any difference? That was it then. He had tried magic - how hard he had tried - and it had failed. Even if he was the best artist in the world it was always going to fail. Why did he ever dream it could succeed? But now it was all over, how dull and hopeless and miserable everything was. And how tired and hollowed out he felt.

  Seeing him stand there, so sad and beaten despite such enormous effort, his Dad gone, his brother almost gone, and remembering how she felt once, Abby desperately wanted to do something for him.

  “Matt,” she said, “I've got a good camera Aunty gave me. We could risk just a quick visit tomorrow, if those two aren't about.” She looked round at the others. “Couldn't we.”

  “It's bonfire night,” Gary said. “Roy'll be off somewhere blowing things up I ‘spect.”

  “Brilliant,” Cherry said. “You can take the pictures to... to show
John then, Matt.”

  “We could have a quick feast,” Abby went on. Aunty will give me some posh nosh to take to Cherry's firework party.”

  “I didn't know I was having a firework party,” Cherry chuckled. “But I see what you mean. Anyway, we could have a sparkler in here, couldn't we. Can't have you telling fibs!”

  Matthew caught their mood and he was grateful. They really did seem almost to understand. There was still tomorrow and perhaps he'd find the courage to keep on coming even after that, improving the pictures until the magic worked and drew John back into the world - or until Roy and Karen finally trapped him, or the houses were demolished. It wasn't quite over yet.

  But when they got ready to leave, the old creepy feelings came back. Roy and Karen had been so close, only the night before. And there were still no cats to say goodbye to. And the mystery of the comics had not been solved. And the house did have an odd feel to it. Even going down into the fume-filled cellar felt threatening. As they stood on the rough coal, all holding back, Abby began to wish she hadn't said about coming tomorrow.

  Then Cherry said, “I'll just have a peep out,” and very slowly and quietly she slid aside the fence piece just enough to raise her eyes above the edge of the hole. It was raining and blowing and everywhere looked deserted. She put up with the rain on her head for a few moments, until she was quite sure, then she clambered out and the others followed. They stood for a cold, clammy second or two while Gary put the cover back, crept anxiously out to the end of the dumps and into the street and home.

  31. Nurse! he yelled. Nurse!

  John, it's me. Can you smell the smoke? It's November the fifth. There's all flashes and bangs everywhere. They've got really big rockets this year that make terrific noises. Mum's got her head under the pillow. John, John, I've finished the pictures and tonight's the last night the others will come with me. Abby's going to take some photographs and the girls are bringing a snack. They'll be there waiting for me if they could make it without being seen. I feel as if I'm being watched all the time anyway `

  Last night the house was really weird. Gary's comics were in the cellar by the stinky cans and Cherry's cats have all vanished. Abby said that the house felt odd - haunted, she said, - and Gary didn't like it. We haven't see Roy and Karen since they were looking at the house but it's creepy to think that they might be just outside while we're inside.

  Abby thought they might have been in the house but I reckon they'd have done something horrible to it if they had been. There was a smoky smell but I expect it was from all the fireworks. I'm going there in a minute and that's the last time we'll all be together there. I had the idea that the pictures would make you wake up and I could show you them. I will keep going if I can... I don't want to leave them in case they could make a difference, but I s'pose I've got it all wrong and it was just a stupid dream. It should be all right tonight ‘cos Roy'll be off lighting fires all over the place... it's a good excuse for him...

  At that moment a firework burst in the sky beyond the window, with a wallop of sound and a falling fountain of green stars. Another followed, and another. It was like guns going off. Still talking Matthew slid from the bed and went to the window.

  I bet he's really enjoying this. Fires get him all excited. John, d'you remember the bonfire party we had before Dad got ill and how we nearly set the shed on fire when the catherine wheel got stuck? Mum only let us have the pretty ones but it was great. She did beefburgers and onions and we had ice-cream after out in the garden -

  A fierce crackle of airborne explosions and a whiff of gunpowder came in through the slightly open window. Gold stars burst outwards over the dark roofs beyond the hospital carpark. People were enjoying themselves, Matthew thought; their brothers weren't lying in a coma in a hospital bed - as good as dead. Tears welled up in his eyes and he turned away from the window.

  John... John

  he sobbed. But stopped. Because John was moving. Under the covers he was rocking from side to side, as if he was a tied-up prisoner, straining to free himself from ropes. Matthew stared, not believing his eyes, as the struggle went on. Then, all at once, John's eyes were open. Their clear grey-blue brightness strained to focus for a second and then fastened on Matthew. And he opened his mouth and the croaky sound from the dry lips and the dry throat said “Matt... Matthew... ”

  That second in the history of the world, when John looked at him and said his name,

  was the best moment of Matthew's whole life. However good things might be in the future, this must forever be the best.

  He ran to the bed and stared into John's face. The body under the sheets was still moving, as if a huge effort was taking place. The mouth moved again, but only a mumble emerged.

  Now Matthew was frightened. He stood rigid, not knowing what was happening, not knowing what he should do.

  John's face, like his body, was contorting with the effort to make words.

  “Matt... Matt... ” he croaked, and a string of mumbled nonsense followed until suddenly, as if somewhere a barrier had come down, single words came clear. “Out,” John said. Then again, “Out!” He took a deep shuddering breath as if the effort was almost too much. His eyes burned into Matthew's. “Keep out... Fire... ” and then the words became no more than a mutter that crumbled away into silence.

  As the struggle to speak faded, Matthew saw John's eyes flutter and close. The urgent movement under the sheet calmed as his straining muscles relaxed, and John actually turned, onto his side. He mumbled once more, stirred, then settled to a quiet, easy breathing. He was asleep. Normally asleep.

  Matthew stood for one fantastic instant, knowing that all was going to be well. Then he hurtled round the bed and burst out through the swing door so hard that it crashed back against the wall.

  “Nurse!” he yelled at the top of his voice. “Nurse!”

  Like a train, Beryl came shushing him down the corridor - he'd never have guessed she could move so fast. Then there was Sharon who listened to him for a second before running to the nearest desk with a telephone on it. Soon a man in a suit came, and then another in a white coat, and Matthew was explaining how John had looked at him, and known him, and said his name.

  But all the time he was answering their questions his brain was searching for something else. What was it that his brother had been begging him to do, or not to do? What could it be that was so important it had been strong enough to drag him up out of the deep waters of his long, long time of darkness.

  It was only when the fat nurse put a bone crunching arm round him and bellowed, “I thought the place was on fire,” that he knew. In fact, as it dawned on him he felt that he had known all along, he just hadn't been prepared to see it, because it was too horrible. Now there was no time to lose.

  Saying to Sharon, “Tell him I'll be back,” he turned away from the people round the bed and ran for the top of the stairs. He went down them so fast that it was a miracle he didn't miss a step completely and fall and break his neck. He ran past surprised visitors and staff and out into the driveway. Knowing he couldn't keep the speed up all the way he slackened pace a little along the road until he had turned at the top of the hill. Now he speeded up again, the slope with him. He was gasping for breath by the time he reached the end of the Dumps, but his arms and his fear pumped him on. He reached the wild gardens and scrambled over them, bashing against things unseen in the darkness. Once at the manhole he hurled the piece of fence to one side and let himself crash down onto the coal. Sweating and stumbling, he charged up the steps to where light shone round the edges of the door into the kitchen. But when he went to push it open he nearly broke his wrist. It wouldn't move. Something solid was against it on the other side.

  * * *

  As he disappeared from sight, Roy stood up from his hiding place behind the brick pile.

  “And that's the lot,” he said. “I wonder what all the panic was about? Come on then, Karen, we'll have to be quick after the little surprise we gave them.”


  She coughed nervously. “What you doing Roy? Don't do anything really stupid. We've already paid them out. We got enough trouble already. What else you gonna do?”

  “It's not what I'm gonna do. It's what we're gonna do sweetheart. Have you got your lighter ready?”

  He took a bundle of fireworks from his pocket, held together with an elastic band.

  “What are they for?”

  “Just to make a bit of noise and some nice thick smoke. Give them a little fright. Pay them back - just a bit - for what they did to us. And we'll put the lid on their little rabbit hole with that big lump of concrete on top so they can stay down there for as long as I feel like leaving them there. And when we let them come crawling out in the end, all cold and smoky, they'll have learned something about mucking with me. Come along darling.”

  “Oh Roy - ” she began, but his eyes so glittered at her in the dark that she shut up. Gnawing a fingernail, she followed him towards the opening to the cellar.

  32. and then the explosion

  Matthew cursed and banged on the door. He yelled, “Open it. Quick!”

  There was a mutter on the other side and Abby's voice came thinly through the planks. “Who is it?”

  “Me. Matt. Who d'you think it is! Hurry!” he yelled again.

  There was a dragging sound, the door creaked open and he was pulled inside. Behind him, the door was rammed shut.

  “Block it, Abby,” came Gary's anxious voice.

  Matthew looked round, not understanding. Something was wrong. He thought Cherry had been crying and the other two seemed strained and different. Then he took in the state of the kitchen.

  The cupboard had been pulled off the wall and the doors were smashed into jagged spikes. Broken bits of their mugs and plates and a stamped-on biscuit tin littered the floor. It was shocking to see it. For a second, Matthew forgot the desperate hurry he was in.

  He said, “What... what happened?”

  Cherry sniffed, and said in a choked voice, “Someone's got in. They've wrecked everything... everything.”

 

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