The Fenton Saga: Never Say Goodbye / There Was No Body.

by Colin Griffiths

  ‘Oh, Todd.’ Carol said, a tear coming to her eye.

  ‘Will it be safe?’ asked Becky.

  ‘I don't know.’ As Todd said that, Becky burst into tears as the emotion had built up inside, until all she could do was let it out. Daniel immediately put his arms around her as he sat beside her. He hugged her close tightly, stroking the back of her head.

  ‘It’s all my fault,’ she said between the tears, ‘it should be me out there, now Todd has to do whatever it is, when it should be me.’

  ‘Becky.’ Todd said, raising his voice a little. She drew her head from Daniel’s shoulder and looked at him, mascara trickling down her face.

  ‘It’s not your fault. It’s the bastard who took her and if it was you out there, I would still be doing it. We are family, it’s what we do’

  She wiped her eyes, trying to smile. It made her feel better, just a little.

  ‘It might not even work.’ he added.

  He kissed the girls, hugged his brother.

  ‘I’ll probably be down in five minutes and you’ll all call me an idiot.’ He laughed, nervously.

  ‘I’ll be right here, Todd.’ Daniel was always there, Todd knew that.

  Todd went up the stairs and stood in front of his wardrobe. The monstrosity of it seemed to fill the room. The two doors were ajar, his clothes hanging there and the floor of the wardrobe empty, always empty. His heart raced. He was anxious. He felt alone, even though the people he loved, the people he would die for, were just downstairs. He needed to see now. He wasn’t sure how it was going to work, or even if it would work. He had to try. Did he have any power, he asked himself? Were all those incidents in the past just coincidences? If he had some sort of power, some sort of sixth sense, then why was Wendy kidnapped? How badly had he failed her? He stood and thought.

  Perhaps he was cursed, his father killing someone not long after he was born and his mother having to bring up two strange kids on her own. If Wendy dies, there will be nothing left. His mind drifted to Wendy. What did she see in a five quid a time window cleaner?

  He almost left the room, doubting his own ability. They would think of something else. Daniel would sort it. Daniel always sorted it. But deep down, he now knew. Daniel couldn't sort it. For once in his life it was up to him.

  ‘Time to find out whether this is a blessing or a curse.’ he said, aloud.

  The doors of the wardrobe were ajar, his clothes were no longer there, Todd had noticed, but that didn’t seem to bother him as if it were expected. He looked deep into the wardrobe. It looked bigger. It looked deeper. It looked darker. He could make out the back wall of the wardrobe. It seemed to be beating, beating like a heart. The wardrobe was alive. He knew that. He had always known that. The whole wardrobe now seemed to be pulsating like a giant heartbeat. As he looked the back wall seemed to turn into a face, a face he didn’t know. A face he didn’t recognise. Not a scary face. It did not scare Todd. It was the face of someone you would like to meet. Someone you would like to get to know, have a chat to, perhaps the face would tell him where Wendy was. That’s it! The face will tell me. The face was inviting him in, taunting him.

  He rubbed his eyes to refocus. As he opened them the face had gone, the wardrobe was gone. All that was there was a door, an open door and as he looked in the distance, a distance that really shouldn't be there at all, what he could see was a light. A white, bright light, that seemed to be alive, that seemed to be inviting him in. Without any hesitation, his mind purely focussed towards the light. Todd walked into his wardrobe towards the light.

  When he got inside the light disappeared and now he was in his wardrobe again. He pulled both doors shut and sat with his knees raised and, as he closed his eyes, something happened that had never happened before.

  It was as if he was now outside his wardrobe, outside his body. He was looking for a miracle. He was looking at the silly young man sitting in the bottom of his wardrobe, knees up, eyes closed, wishing for a miracle. But miracles never happen, he thought.

  Then it did. The wardrobe began to shake, just a little at first, then more violently. Todd drifted into a place he had never been before.

  Daniel, Becky and Carol were standing in the kitchen. Fresh coffee made; it smell good. They were all full of anxiety, scared of the unknown, even Daniel was now wishing he hadn’t sent his brother to do what he should be doing, but did Daniel have the power, he knew that. He somehow doubted that any of this was going to work. They heard a small bang at first, then what appeared to be a rattling upstairs, which got louder and louder. Then it seemed to get closer and closer. The coffee cups on the table shook and the liquid in them seeped over the sides of the mugs. Then one cup tipped over, spilling its contents and went crashing to the floor and smashing. As pieces of china splattered around the floor, the other mugs followed. For a moment they all just stood and looked at each other in a state of shock, for what seemed like an age, but it was probably no more than two seconds.

  Carol screamed and headed for the stairs. Daniel held her back. There were tears in Carol’s eyes. Daniel held her and his wife.

  ‘Let him be. Let him do It.’ he said. It was too late to go back now, as much as Daniel regretted what they were doing.

  A “kitchen is closed” sign fell to the floor. All the cupboard doors flew open it was as if there was a poltergeist in the room. Plates and other china fell to the floor smashing as they did so. The trio simply stood there. Knives started to fly from the rack where they had been hanging, one narrowly missing Becky. Daniel quickly got the two women out of the house.

  ‘Wait across the road.’ he said. Carol and Becky both protested.

  ‘You’ll get killed in there.’ Becky screamed. Daniel kissed her.

  ‘Todd would never hurt me.’ he shouted, above the noise.

  Daniel ignored their protests and closed the door.

  ‘My boys.’ Carol cried.

  The movements in the kitchen had stopped, but the house seemed to be trembling, shaking. Daniel went to the stairs. He wanted to get Todd. He had to end this. He had to end it now, but he couldn't. He stood at the bottom of the stairs and, although there was no voice, no human form, he knew that the bright light at the bottom of the stairs would prevent him. The light was like a face, the face seemed to be daring him, challenging him to make that move. Daniel, later on, would really wish he had made that move.

  Carol and Becky stood outside, on the opposite side of the road, looking at the house which seemed to be trembling. It reminded both of them of something out of a horror movie. The last house on the left, the Amityville horror.

  Tracy Bates who was still outside, trying to catch a glimpse of Daniel, before the commotion began, she saw the house shaking and the bright lights coming from inside, Sergeant Tracy Bates screamed at Carol and Becky.

  ‘Daniel’s in there!’ and she ran towards the house. Becky went to run after her, not to prevent Bates getting into any danger, but her mind was focussed and trained to keep Bates from Daniel. Carol grabbed Becky’s arm, stopping her.

  ‘Let the silly cow go.’ Carol said.

  Neighbours’ lights started to go on. They had been awakened by the noise. There were faces at the windows, looking over towards the Fenton’s house, not believing what they were seeing. There were flashes of lightning and the roaring sound of thunder. Yet the skies were clear, the stars and moon shone through, brightening up the streets. The storm seemed to be coming from the Fenton’s house.

  In the distance, no one noticed the two men in black, a military uniform, but with no insignia. One was on his mobile, the other held his hand firmly on the gun in its holster, as they watched, hidden, out of sight.

  Tracy Bates struggled to open the door. She pulled the handle which released the latch, but it wouldn't open. The door was unlocked, but it just would not open. She pushed and pushed her shoulder against it, until her shoulder began to hurt. She could feel the sweat pouring from her hands which felt warm and sticky as she pushed on the handle
. Suddenly the handle started to glow an orange colour, that grew brighter and brighter. Tracy yelled out a scream, pulling her hand away looking at her blistered palm, where the door handle had burnt her.

  She ran back towards Carol and Becky shouting ‘The house is on fire. Dial 999.’

  The door handle; no longer glowed. It was no longer hot. By this time, some of the neighbours had come out onto their porches, watching the events happening in their street. Some, still in their pyjamas, not really believing what they were seeing. There were now about twenty in all and they were slowly starting to gather around the two women and the policewoman.

  ‘No one calls the police!’ shouted Carol.

  No one had. No one had thought of it. No one cared to. Then suddenly, as if out of some comedy movie, whilst the house was shaking with a storm inside and two boys trapped, a man came out with a crate of two dozen cans of Fosters and started handing them out. What was more amazing, Carol thought, was that she took one. Then another guy came out with eight cans of John Smiths saying, ‘It’s all I've got.’ as if apologising to the Fenton’s for not being properly prepared for this evening. Carol told him that it was fine and eight cans was more than enough. Becky just stared at her as if to say what are you doing, Carol shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea.

  Then everyone seemed to be going inside their houses, bringing out whatever alcohol they had inside, a woman and a man were carrying out their kitchen table, followed by the chairs. Other people cottoned on, and did the same. One couple even brought out their two-seater sofa. More chairs and tables followed, crates of beer, bottles of wine and vodka.

  ‘I've got whisky!’ someone shouted, holding up an unopened litre of Bell’s. Music blared from a house two doors away. It was Mumford and Sons, their windows were opened, so everyone could hear the fifty watt speakers belting out. Carol looked around at what was happening all around her. She saw a lady with sausage rolls, ten metres away from her, three guys were doing a barbecue.

  My house is falling down and they’re having a fucking street party, she thought, that’s fucking crazy. She felt hungry as she sipped her can of lager.

  A couple started dancing and more and more started to join the party from other streets. Tracy Bates showed Carol her hand, explaining that the house had burnt her. Carol looked at it and told her that it was superficial, she shouldn’t be such a baby.

  Tracey Bates took her mobile out of her pocket. It was time she took control of this, after all she was the law.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Carol asked.

  ‘Phoning the police, ambulance, anyone that will come. Everyone back inside!’ she shouted at the revellers. No one heard her, or if they did, took no notice. They didn’t care much for coppers and certainly weren’t going to listen to one lonely female cop.

  The lightning struck the house, the thunder roared as over two hundred people danced and sang in the street.

  ‘Put your phone down.’ Carol said.

  ‘Are you fucking crazy?’ asked Tracey, who was now standing right in front of Carol and Becky, trying to look authoritative. Carol noticed how desperate she looked and felt a bit sorry for her. Tracey started to dial, but before she could reach the second digit, Becky clenched her fist and thrust it into Sergeant Tracy Bates face as hard as she could. The Sergeant fell to the floor, dropping the phone as she tumbled. It didn't break, but Becky’s foot dealt with that.

  Carol looked on in amazement.

  ‘You’ve hit a copper.’

  ‘I know and it felt fucking good.’ The crowd cheered at the floored copper and then there was a louder cheer as everyone turned to look, as coming up the street at 1.30 am was an ice cream van with its chimes playing.

  ‘I have chocolate ice cream and Vanilla flavoured with Vodka.’ he shouted. Within minutes his van was swamped, with people digging into their pockets for cash.

  ‘Fucking great party!’ someone shouted. Everyone seemed to agree.

  Every house in the street was lit up now, with the bright moon and the light from the houses shining onto the street with the thunderstorm that raged over one house. Carol thought it was the most surreal thing she would ever see. There was only one person responsible. That was her son, Todd Fenton.

  Of all the lights shining, the brightest light came from the Fenton’s comfy council-house home. A neighbour from across the street passed with a crate full of Stella with their tops already taken off. He offered them one. Carol took three. She gave one to Becky and one to Bates, who was now getting up, wiping a trickle of blood from her mouth. Bates took a swig, then spoke.

  ‘Becky, I’m arresting you for assaulting a ......’ ‘Shut the fuck up!” Carol said.

  Bates did. She looked at her phone on the floor, then picked it up.

  ‘You’ve broken my fucking phone!’ She exclaimed, then drank the remains of her Stella.

  ‘Where did all these people come from?’ She added as she looked around, she could see more and more people joining the party.

  ‘Drinking on duty.’ Becky said and both she and Carol laughed until they cried.

  Two guys, who knew Carol, came over to ask her if everything was okay, obviously referring to the copper.

  ‘It’s fine,’ said Carol, ‘but if she plays up again, can you lock her in the shed?’

  ‘It will be a pleasure.” the taller guy said. ‘Great party, Mrs F.’ he added.

  ‘Yes it is.’ said Becky, who was standing with a burger in one hand and a can in the other. Her hand hurt, but she thought it was well worth it. Tracey slumped her shoulders this time, admitting defeat.

  ‘Great right hook, Becky.’ the other lad said as they walked away.

  The tears came again, tears of laughter and as she laughed and cried, Carol looked around at the swelling group. ‘This is crazy.’ she said.

  The party stood at over seven hundred. The storm still raged. Tracy Bates just stood beside the two girls, staring at the house that seemed to be alive. No one had told her about this sort of thing in training, she thought. If you can’t beat them, join them.

  She went looking for another Stella. Someone offered her a hotdog. She took it, found her Stella, and went to join the others.

  Chapter 26

  Daniel was standing at the bottom of the stairs. The noise upstairs had grown, but now stayed at a constant level. It sounded like a thunderstorm, but he guessed it was something that Todd had created. Daniel’s thoughts were confused. Perhaps he should have just let the police deal with it. What had made him think that they could deal with this? Why had he allowed his kid brother to go through with it?

  He's up there now, going through God knows what and all because I had told him to. The feeling was one of immense guilt. He simply wanted to get his mum, Becky and Todd out of the house. Oh Wendy, he thought for a split second. He was disgusted by his thoughts. Wendy never came into it. All he was thinking about was his family, not about the girl Todd doted on. Daniel’s head whirled and he felt a tightness in his chest. He was determined to go up and get Todd, end this, let the police deal with it.

  He took one step towards the stairs, the light which was about half way up, grew brighter as he moved towards the stairs. It made Daniel take a step back.

  ‘I just want to get Todd.’ he said out loud, not really realising he was talking to a light on the stairs. He walked up two steps and the light grew bigger and brighter, it roared like a hyena, high pitched, yet at the same time deep. The light now filled the stairs, seeming to form a shape on the stairs, like a giant head, with arms coming out from where his ears should be. Daniel would have sworn that he could see the eyes, but the shape was constantly changing. Then he saw inside the shape, what he thought was a baby in a crib. He looked closer. Yes, it was definitely a baby. He stayed where he was on the stairs, trying to look into the light that had somewhat dimmed. It was showing him a picture. It was clear now, though the baby was only about six months old. Daniel could see who it was. The features were clear, there were the same p
hotographs all over the house. The baby in the crib was Todd and the light was telling Daniel to keep away.

  Todd hovered above himself, looking at himself in the wardrobe. How can I be here, and there? Yet it felt so real. He wondered if the Todd in the wardrobe could feel it. He looked real. It was him. It is me, he thought, then why am I floating around the room looking at myself? He remembered that he had done this before, some years ago, when he and Daniel had shared a bedroom. They swore they would never do that again. So why was this happening now? This wasn’t supposed to happen. All he had wanted was a vision to be able to find things, like he had done in the past. Just be given a vision, so that he could tell Daniel who would sort it, because Daniel always sorted it. It was as simple as that. He would tell him where Wendy was and then Daniel would go and get her.

  He heard a roar from the stairs, a shrieking noise like some wild animal. He hoped and prayed that his family downstairs were okay. He didn’t want to be here. He felt lost. He felt lonely, but most of all he was scared.

  The boy in the wardrobe remained still. Todd knew that he was resting in the wardrobe and that this out-of-body experience he was now having was the special Todd, the Todd who could find things. The boy in the air spun and spun like a whirlwind. Then there was the loudest crack of thunder he had ever heard. The room shook. The house shook, then by some miracle he flew through the roof and into the night skies. As the light on the stairs faded and the storm calmed, he could see below that there was a massive street party taking place.

  Chapter 27

  The party was in full swing and growing by the minute. Tracy Bates, Becky and Carol were still standing on the opposite side of the street looking at the house. They had seen the lights grow brighter and heard the roar of some wild animal. The two coppers, who had been relieved by Tracy to get some food, were back. They had to walk back, as the roads were blocked by people carrying chairs, barbecues, boxes of food and crates of beer.