by Yirak, Laura
Patrick brought all the fixings over and they just sat sipping and looking at the light sprinkles coming down outside.
“I made tottie scones earlier; do you want some? I can fry a couple eggs up?” Patrick asked.
“No, I don’t eat heavy in the morning, just some toast and I can do that, thanks,” Judy said watching as the loch quickly turned from calm to rough as the rain came down heavier.
The kitchen was quiet and cozy. The two just sat enjoying the peace and then the phone rang. Patrick answered.
“She’s not available at the moment,” he said and then just listened. “Yes….. I will let her know.” Patrick listened some more. “I understand, goodbye.”
Patrick sat back down at the nook looking perturbed.
“Who was that?” Judy asked.
“The Constable….. again. He wants Alesta to come into the station as soon as possible. He needs a blood sample or something from her.”
“What? She’s not a suspect is she?”
“I don’t think so,” Patrick said concerned. “I just don’t get it. They have a full description of the man; saw it on the telly before you came down here. It’s pretty obvious that she’s not involved.”
“Maybe it’s just protocol,” Judy said picking up on Patrick’s unease.
“Well, I don’t know; should I wake her up?” Patrick looked at Judy.
“Can you? I thought that we are not supposed to,” Judy said.
“Yeah, I know, but ….. Well, do you think this constitutes as an emergency?” Patrick asked as he poured them both more tea.
“The police? I don’t know. It could be. Would she get in trouble if she didn’t go, did he say?” Judy got up from the table to make some toast, all this serious talk made her hungry.
“No he didn’t.” Patrick sighed loudly, “I do have permission to call her if it’s an emergency, but Alesta said, only if there’s like a fire or something insane is happening and I don’t think this is insane, definitely not life or death.”
“No it’s not, but….Patrick it’s your call.” Judy pressed the bread down into the toaster with a clink.
“Ah… I’ll wait, we know she has nothing to do with it and I’m sure they realize that too.” Patrick let the whole thing go. “It’s only a blood sample, and well….”
He stopped in mid sentence as the phone rang again. This time it was Allister wanting breakfast delivered to his room and another whiskey. Patrick fried up some eggs, with the tottie scones, toast and one whiskey, with Judy just watching.
“Whiskey?” Judy gave Patrick a look.
“It’s Allister. He’s mental. Plasters, whiskey, what next? He’ll be drunk by lunch at this rate.” They both laughed and Patrick backed his way out the swinging doors with the tray full.
The door to Allister’s room was already ajar.
“Mr. Abernethy?” Patrick inquired knocking lightly.
“Come in. Oh that smells good. I’m famished.” Allister was sitting at his small table by the window, the dull light showing his tired face.
Patrick placed the tray in front on the dresser and set out a knife and fork before the tired man and then the steaming plate of food with all the condiments to go with it.
“Here’s the whiskey and I also brought up a pot of tea too,” Patrick said.
“Thanks. You know it’s been ages since I have been up in Scotland. The beauty of it is unlike any other land. I should explore it more on my day off, although I think it’s all captured right here, in this place, even in the rain,” Allister said as he took a sip of the whiskey slowly.
Patrick just listened.
“I thought that the city was the only place for me. I mean Paris, Prague…. I’ve been all over, New York, LA, but as I get older, I just don’t know. This place is winning me over and I’ve only been here a few days…… I’d like to spend the rest of my days here.” He took another bite then downed the rest of the whiskey.
“Patrick! Thank you and maybe one more whiskey and I think I’m good for the day.” Allister took a bite, “My new client, this Lachlan man, I just can’t put my finger on it, but something is off about him. I don’t know what it is. It’s like I’ve met him before or maybe I’ve seen him before. But do you know how many clients I’ve had and how many cases, not all of them won mind you.” Allister raised his glass, “But this one is right up my street, a sure thing.”
“Well I’ll bring you another and anything else?” Patrick asked.
“No. I remember the days when I could drink and drink and not feel a thing. There was this one night I was out all night, and I met the most beautiful woman. Mind you she was ten years older. What a night that was…..Ah sometimes I miss my youth.”
“Allister, enjoy your breakfast, call me if you need anything else.” Patrick patted him on the shoulder.
“Yes of course, I’m going on, aren’t I?”
“Sir, no worries, enjoy!” Patrick closed the door behind him and swore he could hear Allister talking away to himself. “Solicitors, they do like the sound of their own voices.”
Hoods are great to keep the rain off with the drawback being limited peripheral vision. Judy therefore walked carefully down to the shore making sure not to slip on the wet gradual decline.
The rocky beach crunched under her Wellington’s. She stopped and listened to the weather, the water and just waited. Low hills sat in the distance, heavy rain clouds wrapping themselves around them Random images of her dreams flashed in front of her mind, the lonely Ian standing where she placed herself in the moment. They were just dreams though, she reminded herself, but got the chills anyways.
Judy turned to continue her walk down the beach, but stopped. She swore a shadow passed before her and moved her body in all directions looking. The Manor stood up on the slope, all stone and ivy, just a few lights on. The old horse shed to the left was closed, no one around and Alesta’s house to the right of the Manor just looked dead.
There was no one there, but her. She continued on her walk just thinking about the past few days and how her life had changed all in a week’s time. It was unbelievable. One day she went from being completely isolated to being surrounded by people of all sorts. The church had provided some company, but nothing sustainable. Then there was Cara, she felt sad about telling her the truth, but felt relieved at the same time. Cara had taken the news better than expected considering that it was all taboo. It didn’t matter though, her daughter was home and they would finally be able to enjoy a relationship, or so Judy hoped.
A crunch sounded behind her. Judy turned but there was nothing there. The Manor had disappeared behind shoreline trees. She looked up into the woods. The old growth forest was tightly packed, rotten trees scattered all around, with the live trees intermixed among their fallen friends. It all smelled so fresh and green, if green had a smell that was it.
It was then that everything stood still and became very quiet. Judy paused. All the sounds of the day muffled as if she was trapped in a sound-proof box. Something heavy pushed her to the ground and pinned her there. She opened her eyes. It was Ian. It was not the Ian she had seen in her dreams, but a mere shadow of that image. All she could see was a dark outline and the black nothingness that were his eyes. Sorrow and pain consumed her as he held her there pressing his mouth upon hers sucking away her breath.
Judy tried to scream, but her scream became absorbed into the thing that attacked her. All she could do was tear and squirm underneath its invisible power.
She managed to move her head away from the cold repulsive embrace. “Leave me alone,” she whispered. “I’ve done nothing to you.”
The thing tried to move her neck back where it wanted to continue the desperate binge. Judy didn’t know what to do so she began to pray.
“Hail Mary…” she whispered the words. “Full of grace…”
It paused and just looked at her there whispering away the words so passionately and full of pure faith. Ian let out a high pitched scream like whistling wind
and he let her go. Judy still praying turned her sore neck and watched the black shadow slide back up into the not-so-innocent-looking forest.
All the sound of the world crashed before her ears, the rain, the wind, the water, and the trees. She just felt very cold, wet and weak. After trying to get up several times and finding that she couldn’t, Judy just lay there on the rocky shore looking up at the grey clouds wondering why she had decided to go on the walk in the first place.
“He called me here. I never had a choice,” Judy decided out loud then closed her heavy eyes.
Patrick looked up from the steaming stew he was making noticing the strange scream off in the distance, it sounded more animal than human and it gave him the chills. Considering that he was inside and whatever it had been was outside, it was loud. He leaned over the breakfast nook table and peeked out through the lace curtains, there was no sight of anyone or thing out on the loch or the shore. Judy had left just a little while earlier.
“I should check on her.” Patrick placed the lid on the stew, turned down the heat and pulled on his rain coat.
The rain had stopped, but the grass was soaked, Patrick had slipped many times before and watched his way down. Once to the beach he looked both ways but there was no sign of Judy.
“She must be farther down.” Patrick looked at the sand and saw her fresh Wellington prints, already filled with water.
The walk was unpleasant and he hurried, he had a bad feeling churning in his stomach, building and building. The shore curved in and the trees became thicker. He noticed a purple pile floating along the shore.
“Judy, oh my god.” Patrick ran as fast as he could rocks and water flying up behind him.
Judy’s limp body laid half in the water and half on land; the waves carried her out a little bit, and then pushed her back a little bit.
Patrick, in horror, splashed into the water and put his hands under her arms and pulled her up onto the wet rocky beach.
“Oh my god Judy, can you hear me?” he asked shaking her a little, then he leaned his head down and listened for breath.
At first he heard nothing but she was breathing slowly and quietly.
“Oh Judy.” Patrick picked up her small drenched cold body and carried her quickly back to the Manor almost tripping a few times on the slippery pebbles.
He shoved open the kitchen door, slammed through the swinging doors, carried her up to his room, almost bumping her head several times and carefully placed her on his bed.
“You’re so cold Judy,” Patrick said as he removed her wet clothes, “I must get you warmed up.”
After removing everything, he dried her white delicate body off with a towel and tucked her under the covers. There was an electric blanket in his clothing closet and he pulled it out watching everything else come crashing out with it, he turned it on low and placed it against her body, then he wrapped a dry towel around her head, and then just waited.
Disbelief set in as he sat there watching her still in his wet coat. One minute he’s making stew and the next he’s carrying an almost drowning victim up to his room. His heart raced thinking about the whole scene and he prayed that it wasn’t too late. How could this have happened he thought? Then he remembered a story Alesta told him about several mysterious drowning deaths on the loch. If people wanted to swim in the summer Alesta wanted to make sure that Patrick kept an eye out. Signs were posted of course, but there was always a risk involved.
He looked at her face. She looked so peaceful where ever she was. A tiny hint of pink began to return to Judy’s pale face and she stirred. Patrick jumped as she did.
“Judy, it’s me Patrick.”
She moaned.
“Judy you’re all right, I’m here now.” Patrick held her small paper creped hand, she was warming up.
Judy opened her mouth slightly and tried to speak, “Pa….”
“Judy, don’t worry, just relax, you’re warming up now. I found you in the water and now you’re back at the Manor, just rest now,” he smiled comfortingly to her as she peeked a glance at him.
“Patrick.” Judy squeezed his hand tighter, “Thank…..you.”
The bedroom phone rang Judy watched Patrick as he picked it up and ran his hands through his hair. He nodded a few times and made some agreeable tones.
“Right, sounds good then, I’ll see you soon.” He clicked the handset back in the receiver, “That was Monica, she’ll be here in a half hour, she’s coming over for lunch. How was the stew? You feeling better?” he asked taking the bowl away from Judy as she took the last bite.
“Aye, I’m feeling just a bit tired now, I think I’ll get up here soon and just relax the rest of the day in my room.”
“Sure, let me get you a robe.” Patrick popped out of the room and got a nice white plush Manor robe for her. “Here.”
Judy took it from him, staying under the covers, she was beginning to grasp that Patrick had seen her fully naked.
“I’m sorry you had to see this old body,” Judy said.
Patrick raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened, “Judy don’t apologize, we’ll forget about it. All that matters is that you are safe now and you didn’t drown. Another few minutes and I just don’t know what would have happened to you. All I heard was this strange scream, without it I wouldn’t have thought to come looking.” He looked at her with a questioning face.
“Patrick, you’re going to think I’m looney,” Judy started, “I was attacked.”
“Attacked, by whom?” he asked surprised folding his arms.
“A thing. I mean I’ve been having these strange dreams that I’m down by the water and there’s a man there named Ian, except he’s not alive. I do know that. So I went for a walk today, because, well I had to see. I felt he was calling me or something, but you know I thought it was just a dream, but when I got down there, he was there.” Judy said it out loud cringing.
“But I thought you said he’s dead?” Patrick asked trying not to sound judgmental.
“He is, it was a shadow that attacked me, but it’s him.”
“You mean a ghost?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen a ghost before so I don’t know what they look like. I’ve heard stories over the years about them. My mother had an experience once. She told me that when I was just a baby, she used to hear crying coming from my room, but when she checked on me there was no one there and I would be sound asleep. It happened for several months and when she asked around about it, she found out that there had been a fire and a baby had died in that very room.” Judy stopped, “She had a priest come and bless the house and it all stopped I guess. She never heard the cries again.”
“I believe in ghosts,” Patrick said. “I’ve heard stories too. My granny told me that when my grandpa died he was talking to people in the room that were not there. He said they’ve come to help him over, but the strange thing was that as far as she knew he was perfectly healthy. She dismissed the talk as tiredness and when she came back in to bring him his lunch, he was dead. So there’s definitely something.”
Patrick took a seat finally after standing for quite a while. Judy started feeling better that they were being so open and that he appeared to believe her.
“All I can think about are those eyes,” Judy said in voice filled with dread.
Patrick’s heart skipped a beat as she said it. He remembered the evil and hungry thing in the secret room and how it had been tormenting him since his first encounter with it, “What color were its eyes?” Patrick asked.
“Black,” Judy said. “Why do you ask? Have you seen it too?”
“Uh…..no,” Patrick said, “It’s just the way you said it, I’m just curious.”
Patrick didn’t want to scare her more than she already had been that day, “If it attacked you, then what made it stop?”
“I started to pray, I don’t think Ian liked that. It or he vanished up into the woods; I don’t know what to call it. I mean do ghosts attack people? I have never heard that they do.
Anyways it never came back and then all I remember is that I couldn’t get up. I felt completely alone.”
“Hmmmmm, prayer. Maybe it isn’t a ghost?” Patrick thought some more, “I should look on the internet or something, or maybe Alesta knows about this sort of thing.”
“I don’t know Patrick if we should tell her.” Judy sat up more in the bed pulling the covers up with her. “I don’t want my new boss to think I’m crazy. I havny even been here a whole week yet. Think about it and my age, she might assume I’m away with it.”
“Judy we have to tell her. It wasn’t your fault and I believe you. If I do she will too. You don’t know her well enough yet, she’s amazing in times like this, plus I want her to check you over to make sure nothing is wrong. I think you had hypothermia or still do, I’ve never dealt with it before.”
“Well…..then, you’ve talked me into it. You’ve done so much already; I think I’ll be fine. Your stew could heal armies.” She smiled and he returned it, “Monica will be here soon as well.”
“Yes, I’ll let you be for a while. Your clothes are in my bathroom. Take your time and just call if you need me or if you want more stew, there’s plenty.”
“Thanks Patrick, I can’t say enough. You saved my life.” Judy teared up a little.
Patrick handed her a tissue, “Judy, I’m just glad I found you when I did.”
“Right then, I’ll be fine, off you go,” Judy said, sniffling a little.
“Okay.” Patrick left Judy there in his room feeling uneasy about everything, but relieved that she was looking better.
Judy picked up the telephone as soon as she heard Patrick’s footsteps fade.
“Hello Father…….Father I need you to come over to the Manor. I have to see you.” She listened as Father Mac Namara answered. “Oh Father I can’t tell you over the phone, but I have to see you as soon as possible. I’m sorry to be so brief.” Judy nodded several times then her face lit up, “Oh Father thank you so much, thank you. I will see you when you get here.”