Illusions of Grandeur and Other Stories

by TS Gwilliam

  “Have you tried Milk of Magnesia or Liver Salts? They always helped my Arthur.” she informed him.

  Mr. Carrington was sitting quietly listening to the conversations and the young lady, who had positioned herself just outside the group, appeared to be deep in thought and hadn’t touched her tea.

  “So, you ain’t here with your mam then?” Jamie was asking Matt.

  “Nah, dunno where she is, probably at Bingo.”

  “You can stay here with me an’ my Gran if you want, she might not shout as much if you’re here.” Jamie offered.

  “Yeah, might do that, ta.” Matt responded.

  “Who’s that bird over there? Is she with you?” asked Jamie nodding in the quiet young lady’s direction.

  “Her? dunno either, just came along with us.” replied Matt “Looks a bit soft in the head to me.”

  “What are my chances?” inquired Jamie.

  “In your dreams mate.” retorted Matt.

  “Oh right, you’ve tried then?” they started shoving each other, gently at first but then as so often happens, the gentle pushes became harder and harder. They were interrupted by a hand swiftly slapping the top of Jamie’s head.

  “So this is where you are hiding! What do you think you are up to?” demanded a stern voice. They both stood up straight and looked down at their feet, saying together.

  “Nothing.”

  Jamie rubbed his head and complained.

  “Gran, ow!…. that hurt!”

  “The next one will hurt even more if you’re up to no good” his Gran said firmly.

  This drew the attention of the others: Mr. Carrington got up and introduced himself and everyone else.

  “I apologise for my grandson” said Gran “he gets a little over excited sometimes.”

  “No need Madam.” replied Mr. Carrington smiling “Its just youthful exuberance, I’m sure.”

  As they all sat down again with each other he asked Gran if, she had heard the noises at night or did she know of any disturbances? He then gave the floor to Mrs. Burroughs to explain in detail how they had come to this neighbourhood. After listening intently, Gran and Freddie both affirmed that they had in fact heard the noises, but really it was nothing that they hadn’t heard before, indeed, nothing to worry about.

  “Do you have any idea on what is happening?” Inquired Mr. Carrington “we are quite concerned.”

  “Ah yes, well I suppose you would be, as you come from over there, that part of the estate. You don’t have a clue, not really of what it’s like to be here” retorted Gran. Freddie leant forward and spoke in a quiet voice.

  “When you have been here as long as some of us, you learn things” He indicated to a long hedge that was about ten metres away “over there.” He stopped. Then after a few moments Gran continued.

  “Over there, the ‘Neznama’ Well, none of us venture there. It may sound strange to you, but after a while you get used to it. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you just ignore it. Its best…..not to get involved.”

  “You mean you’re not the Neznama?” screeched Mrs. Burroughs.

  Gran turned sharply towards her with a horrified expression on her face.

  “We certainly are not,” cried out Gran “Us? Neznama? Who does she think she is, coming in here and calling us Neznama?”

  “Take it easy Gran, you’ll have a heart attack if you’re not careful.” said a concerned Jamie.

  “Don’t take any notice of the old biddy,” Matt said trying to ease the situation “she’s as mad as a hatter, don’t hold any store by what she says.” he was now glaring at Mrs. Burroughs, who for once, was short of something to say as Mr. Carrington stepped in.

  “It was not her intention to insult or offend you,” he said quietly “the problem is that we have no idea of who or what the ‘Neznama’ are or where they come from. It was an unfortunate error on Mrs. B’s part to assume that, you were they. I’m sure she would like to apologise, wouldn’t you?” He glanced earnestly in her direction. Mrs. Burroughs caught the look and mumbled.

  “Well yes, I suppose I was mistaken, but you can’t blame me, not entirely. I didn’t know any of you ‘til tonight. It was an easy mistake to make weren’t it?” she turned and looked to her new best friend Freddie for support.

  “Of course my dear,” he patted her arm softly “we all make mistakes.”

  “Who are these ‘Neznama’?” asked Matt looking at Jamie and putting his hand inside his jacket pocket.

  “Do they need sorting?”

  “You won’t be needing that knife,” said a shocked Freddie “put it away, they never come over the hedge. As said before, we hear them, but that’s all. Maybe you should just forget about them and return to your homes.”

  “We’ve come this far, so I believe we should attempt to clear this situation, they may require our assistance.” said Mr. Carrington.

  It was a while later that Mr. Carrington felt that it was unfortunately time to interrupt the genial conversations that were now going on.

  “If you don’t mind, I do need to return to my family,” he said “I did say that I would not be away for too long, I think we should be moving along now.”

  Mrs. Burroughs agreed reluctantly, she was having a good time with her new best friend, Freddie and, after saying goodbye and promising that she would return next week with some macaroons, followed Mr. Carrington as he walked towards the Hedge that separated their new companions from the mysterious ‘Neznama’. Matt decided that he would stay with Jamie and his Gran. He had no interest in going further.

  “Let sleeping dogs or cows, whichever it was, lie.” he said.

  As they passed through a small gap in the hedge, the illumination of the fire slowly disappeared, leaving only the moon and starlight to break the darkness.

  It was much colder now. Mrs. Burroughs shivered not only with the iciness of the night but the uneasy chill that had crept into her bones.

  “Mind your step Ladies.” Mr. Carrington advised.

  Mrs. Burroughs glanced behind her; the quiet lady was there, still following them. ‘She’s definitely odd.’ she thought and then said to Mr. Carrington.

  “I don’t want to be rude” she whispered then indicating to the lady “but she’s scaring me, she hasn’t said a word, do you think she is safe to be around? Have you noticed the way she is dressed and the state of her hair? I don’t believe she has brushed it for weeks.”

  “I’ve no idea” he replied “she’s doing no harm as far as I can tell. Don’t be concerned I’ll keep an eye on her.” He was actually more anxious about what was going on around him. His eyes squinted, trying to focus more clearly. No he was not imagining it, there were dark forms darting so fast around them that they could be forgiven for thinking they were imagined.

  “Ahhh!” shrieked Mrs. Burroughs “something touched me.” He pulled her closer to him and tried to reach out to the quiet lady.

  “It’s alright, it’s alright” he said softly trying to reassure her.

  “AHhhh!”She screamed again “Something screeched in my ear, I don’t like this, lets go back….please?”

  She was now holding on so tightly to his arm that it was beginning to hurt.

  “Whatever you do Mrs. B,” he whispered “don’t move.”

  “I ‘ad no intention of moving, not on me own anyway.” she mumbled under her breath.

  ‘This ain’t no earthly chill.” she thought.

  Mr. Carrington did his best to hold on to his composure as they stood frozen to the spot. He had only ever felt this nervous and uncomfortable when he had attended that séance at his ‘Gentlemen’s Club’ last spring. On that occasion Dr. Murdoch had exposed the women as a fake. He had no idea how to deal with this situation but he did wish that Mrs. Burroughs would stop screaming; at least the females in his family would have the decency to faint.

  “You’re not wanted here.” the frosty vocals made his ear burn.

  “Leave us be.” it came again. Then as the d
izziness spread around his body, he knew that he was going to pass out himself. When he regained consciousness, he was laying flat on the grass; he could feel a cold dampness. As his senses returned he realised that Mrs. Burroughs was industriously rubbing his hand.

  “Oh thank heaven!” She exclaimed “I was beginning to think you ‘ad passed over.”

  He pulled himself up into a sitting position.”What on earth..” he began to say. He then noticed that Freddie was bending over him on the other side.

  “Now don’t you be worrying” said Mrs. Burroughs in a soft tone he had not heard her use before.

  “I said….you is not wanted here.” the voice rasped behind him. He turned sharply and then he heard Freddie laugh.

  “That’s enough from you young Nellie, now go back to your friends” The young girl who stood there with matted hair, worn dress and shoeless feet which made her appear forlorn and unloved suddenly gave a smile that illuminated her whole face and warmed the deepest recesses of Mr. Carrington’s heart.

  “I do not understand.” he said shaking his head after she had run off.

  “Not many do, I’m afraid” said Freddie with a hint of sadness in his voice.

  “You are these ‘Neznama’ I presume?” he demanded

  “Neznama? Unknowns? Whatever you want to call us….”

  “They have no names, no signs on their abodes as we do poor things” Mrs. Burroughs interceded.

  Freddie was now waving his hands at the crowd that had surrounded them.

  “Off you go now, nothing to see.” he said gently.

  Mr. Carrington was still bemused; he looked with sorrow at the crowd who were now moving away, from babies to the old and infirm. Some were poorly attired in the same manner as little Nellie, others were tidier but their clothes were obviously well worn, their Sunday best he presumed.

  “Why did you not reveal that you were from this side of the hedge?” He asked Freddie.

  “That would be easier said than done,” replied Freddie “If they don’t know then they will accept me without question, but if they did? I would be treated well enough; they are not necessarily thoughtless or unkind, but it would not be the same.” he continued sadly shaking his head.

  “This is our space, here, between the hedge and the boundary wall, no one comes here. No one sees us.”

  The void created by the silence that followed was broken by a haunting wail that stroked the heart and left a light bruise that could only ache. Mr. Carrington looked at Freddie. Who in turn pointed towards the young lady that had accompanied them on their journey. She was still standing close to the hedge where they had come in. As the wail sounded once more, Mr. Carrington noticed a slight recognition in her dark eyes, the first reaction that he had seen from her. Following her gaze, he could see the outline of a figure on the other side of the boundary wall that was now being kissed by the first hints of the dawn. With outstretched arms it pulled her towards it. Mr. Carrington instinctively stepped forward to step in the way. He was stopped by Freddie.

  “No.” he said firmly “The disturbances will cease now.”

  As she passed without even a glance in their direction, the burns and dark bruises around her neck were now visible.

  “Oh the poor wretch, I never noticed!” cried Mrs. Burroughs, tears streaming down her face. Freddie took her hand and held it tightly.

  “She has been found.” he said simply.

  The sun was by now sneaking above the horizon. As its fingers crept stealthily across the panorama, the light that crawled slowly over the large decorative wrought iron gates showed that they proudly proclaimed:

  ‘Carrington Public Cemetery’

  “No wonder that Matthew stayed where ‘e was, I will ‘ave a serious conversation with him next time I see him.”

  The words floated and evaporated on the morning breeze.

  Other Books by TS.Gwilliam:

  Reflection of a Rainbow.

  This story begins as a rainbow emerges from the Big Bang.

  The colour’s of the rainbow (who become known as the ‘Larci’) travel to a galaxy where a planet called Adamia is evolving. They come into contact with the ‘Seven Sisters’, a star cluster that is the ‘Guardian of the Cupita’; a diamond which holds the secrets of this universe. They find themselves having to deal with Gorgon, a dragon, who tries to outwit the Larci and the Sisters’ for possession of this treasure. When Gorgon’s brothers’ Cael and Lactea and his son Gorgonzola come to his rescue; all does not go well.

  Meanwhile, on Adamia, a creature becomes involved as the Larci’s journey takes them on a bumpy and chaotic ride that leads to their own destiny and to that of the other characters.

  Thank You for purchasing Illusions of Grandeur and Other Stories. I hope you enjoyed them.

  You are most welcome to connect with me at: http://roseshadows.wordpress.com/

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Illusions of Grandeur

  Law of the Jungle

  The Pen Box

  Archers Meadow

  The Estate

  Other books by TS.Gwilliam