Shadowville: Book One of the Shadoweaters

by Paul Taylor

  Ben arrived at the hospital at exactly quarter past three on Sunday afternoon. By three thirty P.M. Kath would be back with Neil.

  The drive from Ben's place to the hospital was a short one, a little under five minutes. That was a great improvement on the city, where the only place you could get to in five minutes was the nearest McDonalds. If you were lucky.

  Under the current circumstances though, even that seemed too long and by the time Ben got to Kath's room he was jumpy and anxious to get her out of there.

  "Ben? What's wrong? You look like you ran all the way here!"

  "Heh," gasped Ben. "I wish I was that fit. You haven't heard yet?"

  She looked at him, her eyes wide, "Heard what?"

  "Neil's out on bail."

  Ben had never seen anyone go pale with shock. He'd read it in books, but he'd never seen it firsthand. Until now.

  "Out," her voice sounded very small. "What do you," she swallowed. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean your psycho husband has been released from jail on bail." That rhymes, he thought crazily. You're a poet and you didn't know it.

  "Oh shit," said Kath.

  "Exactly," said Ben. "So we have to get out of here."

  "But they haven't told me I can, yet."

  "Fuck it," said Ben sharply. "Look around, Kath. How many doctors or nurses have you seen today? We're checking out."

  The fact was, there were no doctors around, not many nurses either for that matter. Whether they were all busy doing hospital stuff or weren't there, he didn't know. And for that matter he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

  "Are you sure?" Kath asked, climbing out of bed.

  "Do you want to wait around for Neil to show up?" snapped Ben. "I'm sorry," he went on in a softer voice. "But this shit has got me really jumpy and right now I want nothing more than to pack up and get the hell out of here."

  "But what about my family?"

  Ben sighed. He took a deep breath. "I don't think Rich will go. He's not going to leave while he's still supposed to be on duty. And we'll check your grandparents on the way, okay?"

  Kath smiled, got up and kissed him. They kissed long and deep, and as Ben folded his arms around her womanly shape he realised with wry amusement that he was desperately horny. He wondered if they had the time.

  Don't be stupid, he thought, pulling away. They were both breathing heavy. You're in a hospital.

  He smiled at Kath and she smiled back. She looked like she was thinking the same thing. But maybe that was wishful thinking on Ben's part.

  "Come on," he said thickly. "We'd better get going."

  "Yeah," she said, grabbing clothes from her bag to change into. "I guess we'd better."

  A couple of minutes later she was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and they were ready to go. Ben grabbed her suitcase, full of clothes and odds and ends she'd had Rich bring up for her, and they walked out.

  They got out to reception and no one was there. Ben rang a bell on the counter twice and no one continued to be there.

  "Ah, fuck it," said Ben. "Come on. What are they going to do? Hunt you down?"

  "I have to check out," said Kath. "Maybe we should wait?"

  "Kath," said Ben. "If I'm right about what's happening this hospital will probably only be here a few more days."

  "What do you mean?" she asked, following him as he started walking towards the doors.

  "I'll explain on the way," he said. "Now, hurry up."

  They rushed out the sliding glass doors and straight into Neil's hands.

  Neil had parked his car right in front of the entrance and stood in front of it, leaning against it as casual as could be.

  "Hello, Kath," he said. "Hello, Reilly."

  "The fuck are you doing here?" said Ben.

  "I've come to collect my wife."

  "She's not your wife anymore."

  "Is that right?" said Neil. "That's funny because the last thing I remember is signin a bit of paper that said we were husband and wife. And I don't remember signin any paper that said we weren't. So as far as I'm concerned she's still me missus."

  "Dream on buddy," said Ben. "Kath, that's my Valiant parked over there. Go."

  Kath started running towards Ben's car, but it was painfully slow, almost dreamlike, as if she were trying to run underwater. Ben couldn't wait for Kath to complete her syrupy run to the car He had to make sure she was going to get there without any interference from "hubby". Tightening his grip on Kath's suitcase, Ben charged at Neil.

  As Ben leapt towards Neil, raising the suitcase to strike at him, he caught a flicker of movement at the corner of his eye. Thinking it was Kath getting into the car Ben paid no attention. Until he heard Kath scream.

  Ben dropped the suitcase and turned to Kath, but in doing so he left himself unguarded to Neil. Kath was being dragged towards Neil's car by Pete. He thought Pete looked as though he were possessed.

  "Ben! Help me!" screeched Kath, kicking and beating at Pete with little effect.

  Before Ben could move, Neil was upon him. He hit Ben low around the waist like a footballer, driving his shoulder up into Ben's stomach. Ben was lifted bodily off the ground and flipped over onto the ground.

  Ben landed flat on his back. He gasped for breath and stars flashed before his eyes. Kath screamed again but it was a faraway, unimportant sound.

  There was a dull, flaring pain like an underwater explosion as Neil dropped a knee into Ben's guts. Which didn't help Ben in getting his breath back.

  He doubled up into a crouched foetal ball, sucking air in and getting ready to leap to his feet and smash in Neil's head. Neil's shadow was on the far side of his Blundstone boots, snapping back and forth like a dog on a leash. That was some seriously freaked out shit.

  As his shadow writhed, Neil muttered under his breath in disgust. The shadow crept towards Ben and came within only a few centimetres of him before snapping back.

  Ben watched, intrigued, as this continued another three times until Neil swore loudly, gave Ben a hefty kick in the ribs and strode off.

  "We'll get you later, Reilly," said Neil as he climbed into his car.

  Reeling to his feet, Ben was just in time to see Neil spin gravel out of the hospital parking lot, with Pete guarding Kath in the back seat.

  "Cocksucker," Ben spat, hobbling to his car. He stopped, staring at it. "MotherFUCK!"

  The front tyre had been slashed to pieces, giving Neil plenty enough time to get away while Ben wasted valuable minutes changing the tire.

  Instead of changing the tyre, Ben went back inside to reception.

  CHAPTER FORTY