by Phil Price
“Shit,” she said, scooping them up. “What the,” she said, holding the frame. It was freezing. She set them down on the sill, rubbing her cold hand on her joggers. A deep drone from outside made her look up suddenly. She broke out in gooseflesh, hugging herself tighter. Something was wrong out there. Was that a ship’s horn? she thought. There it was again. What the fuck is it? She peered left and right, trying to see into neighbouring gardens. Nothing. It was like pea soup. She looked towards the garage at the bottom of the garden, noticing for the first time two glowing red points of light in the air. Her face looked puzzled. “What the hell is that?” she murmured. They vanished for a split second then reappeared. They looked to Kerry like far off car lights. She shuddered again, feeling increasingly cold. Something started moving on the sill. She looked down to see that the frame was gently vibrating. What the hell is happening? . She watched it transfixed as it gently rotated on the white painted sill. She looked out the window to see that the red orbs seemed closer. Her heartbeat was now racing, her breathing constricted. She turned and grabbed her inhaler from the shelf, administering a double blast as she felt a panic coming on. She sighed heavily, placing both hands on the sill to try to steady herself. The frame suddenly shot left, shattering against the wall making her gasp. She pulled the top window closed and dove onto her bed, pulling the duvet all around her. She lay there shivering, her breathing hoarse, teeth chattering. She tried not to look out of the window. She buried her face in her pillow, trying to shut everything out. Something in her head was telling her to look. Something in the back of her brain was cajoling her to take a peek. She moved her head right, opening one eye. Nothing. The mist was still there though. She sat up in bed and looked at the window. She rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands. Kerry opened her eyes, looking at the window. Looking at two red eyes, staring in at her. She could make out the shape of a head too, floating in the mist. She screamed, crashing back into the wall.
“WHAT THE ‘ELL IS GOING ON IN ‘ERE?” her father said, flicking on the light switch. He found Kerry cowering on the bed, half wrapped in her duvet. He hurried across the room towards her. “You okay Kerry? You’re shivering.”
“A FACE. THERE’S SOMEONE OUT THERE,” she screamed, her feet scrambling, trying to propel herself backwards into the wall. The man ran to the window, stopping short when he saw the mist.
“There’s nothing there love. Just a lot of fog. I’ve never seen it this thick before. I can’t even see the patio.” He looked at the computer screen, then at his daughter. She was shaking and sobbing. He picked up a video game case, staring at the zombie on the cover. “You sure all this late night gaming isn’t messing with your head? Maybe you were mistaken. There is no one outside Kerry.” He sat on the bed cradling her in his arms, rocking gently for a few minutes.
She seemed to relax in his embrace, her breathing easing. “Thanks Dad. I’m okay, now.”
“Your imagination got the better of you. Killing zombies before bedtime is not a good idea. Maybe some gentle music or a book might be better. Are you sure you’re alright now?”
Kerry sighed, suddenly realising she felt weary. “Fine. Maybe I was too engrossed in the game. Although I swear I saw something. Go back to bed Dad. See you in the morning.” He walked over and kissed his daughter’s head before heading back to his bedroom. The room was plunged back into darkness. Kerry looked out the window. The mist was still swirling, although it seemed to have thinned somewhat. She walked over and looked out. No red orbs could be seen. There was something out there. I swear there was. She suddenly remembered the buttons. She reached down and picked up the broken frame, laying it on the sill. She pulled the buttons out and inspected one of them. It was ice cold, heavy too. She flipped it over in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the fixing on the back. They certainly are strange. I must tell Jake and Katherine about it. There is something very wrong with this, she thought. A deep drone sounded in the distance, making goose flesh pepper her arms once more. She drew the curtains before getting back into bed. The window stayed shut that night. Kerry drifted off to sleep. Her dreams were deep and clouded. She found herself in a dense forest. No break in the trees could be seen. No sun overhead. Animals and noises were all around her as she tried to make her escape. Every turn was greeted by more trees and more noises. What she could not see in the forest was a pair of red eyes, high up in the branches. The unseen figure watched the girl walk aimlessly, trying to find a way out. In his hand, two cold buttons. Two cold buttons with eagles emblazoned across the front.
☨☨☨
A few hundred yards away Jake and Katherine slept. Their window was open a couple of inches, letting the cool sea air in. A deep rumble carried on the wind, drifted through their window. Jake’s eyelids fluttered. He turned over, murmuring something from his dreams.
He was looking out from atop a lone mountain. To the east, he could see the massive gorge that spilt the land. Birds were flocking towards it in their droves. He looked north-west towards the huge forest. It was covered in mist. He could barely make out the lofty tree tops as they struggled to reach above the swirling fog. The mountains to the west lay in perpetual darkness, rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning could be seen on the far horizon. Jake looked down the mountain as movement caught his eye. He moved to the ledge, peering down, catching sight of the two faces smiling up at him. Elias and Guzman had found him. Two sets of eyes burning bright in the oncoming night. Jake ran back to the cave, trying to find something to protect himself with.
“It’s too late, Jake,” a voice said from behind him. He spun around to see them advancing on him. Guzman’s tongue poked out between his teeth, a leering grin on his grey face. Jake put his hands up to protect himself from the inevitable attack. He closed his eyes as they swooped towards him, ready for the kill.
“JAKE.” He shot out of his dream, sitting up in bed, hands in front of his face to ward off the attack. Nothing happened. No attack. There had been no vampires. He’d been dreaming. A sob next to him made him look towards Katherine. She was in pain.
“Kath. What’s wrong?” his brain was not yet fully in gear.
She looked at him, tears in her eyes. She managed a pained smile. “Get the bags. I’m having our baby.”
☨☨☨
Elias leaned against the stone wall of the massive hotel that was perched on the cliff top. He was trying to piece together what had just taken place. What is that girl doing with the buttons? Does Jake know her? Does she know where the buttons came from? A car passed by a few hundred yards away, making Elias turn his body away from the light’s glare. He was at a loss regarding the buttons. He knew where the girl lived. He would keep an eye on her. A few hundred yards away a man emerged from a house. He was in a big hurry. He opened his car boot, throwing two bags inside before slamming the lid and heading back inside. Elias saw him clearly. “Jake.” He quickly advanced on the house, mindful to keep out of sight. He ducked down as Jake reappeared with Katherine. She was dressed in a long red robe. She looked in pain. Jake helped her into the car before heading back into the house again. Elias almost cried out when he caught his scent. He rolled over on the grass, holding in his scream in his throat. “REGGAN,” he blurted. He turned over as Jake came out of the house, locking up and jumping into the car. Headlights lit the driveway before the car pulled out, heading left down the road at a fast pace. Elias lay there, catching his breath. He has Reggan’s scent. How?! What is going on here? he thought. He made his way over to the house, hiding in the darkness of the carport. All the other houses on the street were in darkness. The only sound was the far off sea, crashing on the rocks below the hotel. He checked the kitchen door. Locked. Elias was sure that all doors and windows would be secure. He’d expect no less from a former police officer. Breaking into the house was not an option. He didn’t want to be hasty. He needed a plan. He needed to think. She is having his baby. There is no rush. They will be back soon. Then I will know more and know what to do.
&nbs
p; ☨☨☨
Minutes later he was lay in his refuge, trying to think. The last time he’d seen Jake was the night that his former master, Korgan, had been destroyed. Jake had been there. He was responsible for the death of the great king who was poised to retake control of his land, and his brother’s land too. Elias and Jake had locked horns shortly after that, with Jake coming off the victor. Elias would forever carry the scars on his grey flesh that Jake had inflicted in the ancient forest. Elias had fled shortly afterwards, taking a long sleep in a barn way up in the Tundra. He knew not what had transpired after that. Reggan’s scent was as clear to Elias as if he’d been stood there with Jake. Maybe Jake did to Reggan what had been done to Korgan, Elias thought. It is possible. Somehow. I need to get more information. He thought for a moment. I need to find Guzman.
Nine
The phone in the hallway started ringing. Doug navigated packed boxes in the lounge, carefully hurdling one in the doorway before he picked up the cordless phone off the telephone table. “Hello.”
“Hi Dad. It’s Jake.”
Doug looked at his watch. Half eight. “Is everything okay, Son? You’re calling early.”
“Is Mom there?”
“Hang on.” Doug peered up the stairs. “Love! Jake’s on the phone?”
Alison came to the top of the stairs in her bathrobe. She had a towel wrapped around her head. She looked pink and flustered. “Is everything alright?” she said, descending the stairs. She took the phone from him. “Jake. Are you okay?”
“Hi Mom. Put me on speakerphone.”
Jake could hear fumbling and a few tuts from his mother as she tried to activate the speaker. “ Okay, Son. Now, is everything alright?”
“Fine Mom. I’m stood outside the hospital in Truro.”
“Hospital,” Alison cut in. “Is Katherine alright?”
“She is now. She went into labour in the early hours.” Alison caught her breath in her throat, tears immediately welling in her eyes.
Doug gently took the phone from her. “And?” he asked, unusually impatient.
“You have a beautiful granddaughter.” Alison cried out in joy, tears now rolling down her pink cheeks.
Doug put his arm around her shoulders, steadying her. “Congratulations Son. We’re both thrilled for you,” Doug said, his voice cracking with emotion. “Is Katherine okay?”
“She’s fine. Only needed a bit of gas and air. She was a real trooper. It took us half an hour to get here from home. An hour later, out she popped.”
“Well done Katherine,” Doug said, still holding his wife steady.
“Have you thought of a name?” Alison said. Jake and Katherine had told them that they were expecting a girl. They had been deliberately vague about the name. They had agreed on the name as soon as they knew it was a girl. She was to be named after Katherine’s sister and mother. Doug knew Katherine’s full family history. They had spoken of it often since the night the Doug had found his son in a forest with a vampire’s tooth embedded in his leg. However, a family history had to be fabricated for Alison and everyone else. Doug knew that Katherine’s sister had been killed by a monster. And that her mother had died under the hooves of a horse when Katherine was a girl. That story would remain just between the three of them. What Jake’s mother had been told was that Katherine’s younger sister Alice had died of Leukaemia a few years ago. Her mother Susan had been killed in a riding accident on their farm in the Shetlands. So far, the cover story had worked fine. Alison’s love for Katherine was intensified with the knowledge that the young woman had been through so much in life.
“Alicia Susan Stevenson.”
“Oh, that’s lovely Jake,” Alison cooed. “How heavy was she?”
“Eight pounds, dead on.”
“Ouch,” Doug said. “I hope Katherine’s okay?”
“She’s fine Dad. She’s made of strong stuff,” Jake said. “Look I’ve gotta get back inside. I will call you later from home.”
“No rush, Son. Just call us when you can.”
“Give Katherine and Alicia our love, and give them a kiss from both of us,” Alison said, her emotions back under control.
“I will. Can you let Rick know that he is an uncle again?” Jake immediately regretted saying the word again.
“We will. I’m sure he’ll be in touch soon to congratulate you himself,” Doug said, knowing that Jake’s younger brother would probably just send a text. They were not close. Rick had moved to Hamburg shortly after completing his university studies, working for a well known skin care company. Doug and Alison were lucky if they heard from him once a month. He was nothing like Jake.
“Okay. Thanks Dad. I will speak to you both later. Going to go home and get a few things. Love you both.”
“We love you too Son.” They broke the connection and instinctively embraced.
“Congratulations Grandma,” Doug said.
Alison pulled away from the embrace, wiping fresh tears from her eyes. “Alicia. What a lovely name. I can’t wait to meet her and give her a munch,” she said as she climbed the stairs. Doug walked back into the lounge to continue the packing. His wandering mind was not on the task at hand though. It was two hundred miles to the south-west, looking out at the Atlantic with a granddaughter on his lap.
☨☨☨
On Katherine’s insistence, Jake drove home to rest. He pulled up on the driveway and climbed out of the car. His neighbour Linda was out cutting the grass. She looked up and saw him, leaving the mower in the middle of the lawn. She was a friendly, if a little flirty with Jake. Katherine teased him whenever she came up in conversation, saying that the older woman had her sights on him. She was a good fifteen years older than Jake, although he had to admit that she had something about her that he found appealing.
Her shoulder length brown hair bouncing as walked over, her smile lighting up her face. “Hiya. Any news? We saw you both head off in the middle of the night.”
“Katherine had a baby girl at about half past two. Alicia.”
The woman exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “Oh, that’s lovely! A baby girl. Oh fabulous! Congratulations Jake. I bet you’re over the moon. And probably knackered too?”
“We both thrilled. And just a bit tired,” he laughed. “Going to try and get my head down for an hour before I head back.”
Linda turned to look at her lawn. “Well I’ll ‘ave this done in five minutes. I won’t keep you up. The bin men however might,” she signalled down the street at the approaching wagon and men.
“I need to put my bin out. Thanks for reminding me Linda.”
“Anytime. And well done. We’ll pop round once they’re both settled in.” Jake nodded his thanks and headed inside. Once in the house, he flicked the kettle on. He was parched. Hospital tea and coffee were not the best. He needed a proper brew. He could hear the advancing bin lorry, its lifting mechanism unusually loud in the usually quiet street. He unlocked the kitchen door, stepping out into the car port. The door closed behind him as he wheeled the bin to the pavement. He walked back up the driveway, his mind a whirl of happy thoughts. He was thinking about how to decorate the house with balloons as he grabbed the kitchen door handle. He froze, the balloons forgotten. His grip tightened on the handle as a pair of red eyes appeared in his head. They glowered at him. He remembered the eyes. The last time he’d seen them was in Amatoll. That was many months ago. Now as he stood rooted to the spot the eyes mocked him. You’re mine. You’re all mine, a voice hissed making him stagger backwards into the far wall. His vision cleared as he stood there gasping for breath. Elias. That was Elias. Why did he suddenly appear in my head? He looked at the door handle, a shiver of realisation hitting him like a punch in the stomach. Has he found us? Fuck! No, no, no. I thought this was all over. He looked down the driveway to see two men dressed in council uniforms peering up at him. They were talking about Jake, although he could quite hear the conversation. He straightened, trying to compose himself. His leg started throbbing as he wal
ked towards the kitchen. By the time he closed the kitchen door, it felt like it was on fire. He rubbed it in a futile attempt to ease the pain. He needed to go to church, and soon. All thoughts of balloons, babies, and family forgotten.
As he sat at the kitchen table sipping his tea, he tried to find any reason why that had just happened. There is no way Elias could have found us here. How could he? The owner of my old house had no forwarding address. I may have mentioned that we were moving to Cornwall but that was it. He took another sip as the answer presented itself. The buttons! Barbara’s buttons. That must be the reason. They must have done that. He suddenly remembered he’d thrown them in the bin. I’ve just put the bin out. That must have triggered it. He felt satisfied that they were the reason for the flashback. His mood lightened slightly as he finished his tea. The buttons are in the back of the truck, on their way to the tip. That’s the best place for them, he thought as he put his empty cup in the dishwasher, heading upstairs for a long hot shower.
Ten
Alicia and Katherine arrived home two days later. As the car bounced up onto the drive Kath caught her breath. The front of the house was decorated in various banners and balloons, proclaiming the arrival of a baby girl.
“Oh Jake. That is so lovely,” she said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek.
“That’s why I’m out of breath. Thirty six balloons takes a lot of blowing up.” They got out of the black saloon, noticing a distinct cooling of the weather. Dark clouds littered the coastline as far as the eye could see. Jake opened the rear door and smiled down at his daughter who was asleep in her car seat. He gently unclipped it from its frame, holding it in the crook of his arm as he closed the door. Katherine was busy unlocking the front door as Jake came around the bonnet of the car as the first drops of rain started falling. Two minutes later they were sat in the front facing lounge watching the heavens open outside. Katherine stretched herself out on the sofa, kicking off her shoes. Jake looked down at her and smiled. For a woman who’d just given birth, she looked amazing. She was as stunning now as the first time he saw her, on a spit of land out at sea, next to a stone farmhouse. That seemed a million miles away from the cosy setting they found themselves in. It was another world, literally.