by Clive Harold
*
'Blast those kids, what can have happened to them?'
Pauline cursed the children for the third time in five minutes. The boys were out shooting with their air rifles and she knew the twins were out playing in the fields, but knew darned well what time Sunday lunch was. She didn't roast a joint for fun and they knew quite well grandmother and eldest sister, Tina, who lived with her, had come all the way over from Milford Haven for lunch. It was unforgivable. Billy stopped his carving a minute: 'I'll tan all their bottoms for them when do get here,' he promised and Pauline's mother chuckled to herself for she knew her son-in-law better than that.
Suddenly the back door flew open and Layann came bursting in, flushed and bedraggled, closely followed by Joann. Before she could ask them why they were late, the explanation came out in one, long, garbled and panicky outburst: Ma, ma, you've got to come and see what we've seen. A man, we saw the man first. Like the one you and Dad saw, he was. He was silver, very tall with a helmet with a blacked-out face. Me and Joann saw him first at the bottom of the field and then he walked - well, sort of floated across in front of us. He was really, really tall and of glowing and when he moved his arms didn't move. Then he sort of... well... floated through the hedge. We were really frightened, but I said let's follow but Joann didn't want to - but we did. And we went into the next field through the gate but he wasn't there. At first we didn't see anything, but then we did. At the bottom end of that in the corner, we saw this enormous, silver, saucer-thing, with lights and windows all around it and a kind of ladder coming down from a door. Then, as we watched, the ladder went back into the thing, a red box dropped from it and then the thing rose up into the air. Then another, bigger saucer appeared above it and both flew off terribly fast but without any noise across field to the cliff edge and we didn't see them again...'
Layann stopped for breath, gasping with excitement, while Joann stood at her shoulder nodding furiously.
Pauline looked nervously across at Billy.
'Now listen, you two, if you're lying I'll give you such a hiding you'll never forget it,' said Billy, advancing on the twins. 'We're not, we're not,' pleaded Joann, stepping in front of her sister, 'we just went down to where the box was dropped and we scrabbled around and we couldn't find anything, but all around us we could hear this buzzing, droning noise in the air. And the grass down there, you can see for yourself, is all burned and flattened. And there are these giant footprints where he walked in the field and a landslide on the other side of the hedge where he floated through it. Honest, ma, come see for yourself...
Picture below- similar case Billy put a hand on each of the twins' heads and looked at them sternly. 'Now, I told you, if you're fibbing to me you're in for big trouble, do you understand?'
The twins nodded.
'Well, I'm going down there to look, anyway...
Billy spun around in surprise. Pauline was putting on his heavy donkey jacket and beckoning the twins out of the door.
'What about dinner, love?' he asked her, bewildered, reaching out for her arm. 'Pauline, don't,' pleaded her mother, 'you don't know what you might find down there...
Pauline rounded on them all. 'I'm tired of being frightened all the time,' she snapped, 'I'm damned well going down there to try and find out for myself what's going on. Better to know your enemy...
'Pauline, please... Billy gestured to her mother to keep quiet. If Pauline was determined to go, nothing on earth would prevent her - and he was privately pleased to see her showing her familiar mettle. Pauline left quickly with the twins, Tina and Blackie in hot pursuit. The children could barely keep up with Pauline as she paced swiftly ahead of them down the front garden path, right along the drive and down past the cowsheds and finally out into the fields beyond.
'There, ma, he was there. Pauline looked where Layann indicated, when they got the bottom of the field they had taken her to. Everything looked normal enough, until she noticed Blackie. Only then did it occur to her how strange it was that he there at all. Not that his behaviour was strange. Quite contrary. It was sadly the same, with him running around in circles on the same spot, hackles raised, snarling dementedly at nothing.
He was there, he was there,' Layann was still insisting. She brushed through the long grass to where Blackie acting up and shooed him away. Then gasped. The twins had been telling the truth. There - where the grass was flattened, quite unmistakeable -was the imprint of a giant foot. No footprints preceded it, but stretching out in front of the first one, was a trail of them, leading across the bottom of the field to hedge beyond, about a hundred yards away. She shook her head incredulously. No human being had made those. Each one must have been two foot long and it took two paces to get from one print to another. She followed them, scarcely believing what she was seeing - until she reached the hedge. It was clear where the figure had gone through it. The grassy bank on the other side had subsided for some enormous pressure and the hedge itself was tangeled and flattened as if torn down by a hurricane force wind.
Layann was holding tightly, nervously on to her arm. Where were the other girls? They'd gone? But where? Panic seized her momentarily and she looked around wildly.
Then she heard Joann's screams from the other side of field: 'MUM, MUM, QUICK, COME QUICK, IT'S OVER HERE. She started to run, Layann behind her, stumbling idly through the long grass towards her children's screams, Billy's coat billowing off her shoulders, gasping breath as she went.
Joann and Tina were hanging over the gate that led to next field. 'MUM... LOOK, LOOK, OVER THERE...
Joann was screaming at her as she approached, 'HURRY, IT'S GOING...'
Pauline rushed up to her, squeezed her and then Tina and I looked searchingly out across the next field. 'What, what is it? Show me, love...' She grabbed Joann by the shoulders, then turning to her sister, 'Tina, you tell me, what happened?'
Tina shook her head, a blank and bewildered look on her face. 'I'd heard all the stories, but I never really believed that... I mean... but I saw it. .. I saw it, too... this big silver disc. . It just flew from this corner of the field over the cliff edge and into the water over there, next to Stack Rocks...'
Insert picture The words trailed away. There was no doubt she was telling the truth, thought Pauline. She was too stunned to be lying. Understandably. Unlike the rest of the family, she had seen nothing up to now, living as she did with her grandmother in Milford Haven, and was totally unprepared for the shock of what she'd seen.
'MUM!' Joann had left them and gone into the field. She was screaming to her from the bottom corner of it.
'COME HERE. COME AND LOOK. .. YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT WAS...
Pauline ran towards the voice, curiosity negating any fear or apprehension she might have felt. She had known exactly what to expect, yet it still took her breath away with surprise. Joann was right. There was no doubt. There on the ground was another circular scorch-mark of flattened grass, at least fifty feet in diameter.
(Picture here is not from this particular case)
'This was where we saw the first one take off from and where the box was dropped,' Joann was gasping. ‘Be quiet, listen, can you hear it,’ Layann was insisting, tugging her sleeve. She could hear it, in the air all around them, close to them - a low drohing, buzzing noise that seemed to come from the ground itself.
My God, she thought to herself, the creature was definitely in the other field and that spaceship or whatever it was, did take off from here, where she was standing. She'd seen the footprints, was standing on the scorched earth the craft had stood. She felt that old familiar feeling of fear grab at her stomach again, that dryness in the month, that trembling. They mustn't hang around out here, in the open, a moment longer. They whoever or whatever they were - it come back. Gathering the children around her, she hurried home. *
Eleven o'clock. Billy squeezed her arm reassuringly. Bless him - and the kids. They hadn’t minded the spoiled lunch had even around to help tidy up and re-heat something for dinner. Clinto
n, Keiron and the twins had turned in for the night and Billy was about to take her mother and Tina home to Milford Haven. When they left, Pauline sat there savouring the silence, as nervous as ever about being left alone. She'd better keep busy. Tidy up a little before another hectic weekend tomorrow. She looked around the room. What needed doing? It was already late, but she could draw the curtains for a start. She didn't often forget to do that, these days, although it was a new habit. Throughout her life and right up until the time she'd seen that figure at the window, she'd never even had curtains. Not now, though. After that terrifying night, she'd immediately bought material, and made curtains and hung them on every window in the house.
She got up and went to the window. Nervously. How could she possibly feel otherwise? The very sight of that window - by day or by night - made her feel nauseous with fear. She reached for the curtains, glancing out of the window as she did so. And froze, her eyes widening with shock, her hands tightening their grip on the curtains. It was back. There, just beyond the pool of light on illuminated patch of lawn in front of the house, there the inky blackness of the drive beyond - a figure was moving around; a tall, silver, luminous, unmistakable figure. In proffle this time. Glowing eerily in the dark, floating slowly up the drive and past the house. Just gliding ghost-like through the night, arms fixed rigidly at its sides, its helmeted head pointing straight ahead.
Dear God, it was the same creature, returned. But this time she was alone. Had it seen her? Why had it come back? What did it want?
She wanted to move, but couldn't. She just stood, clutching the curtains, framed in the window, mesmerised by the sight. The figure moved slowly onwards up the drive until darkness began to envelop it. Then, as she watched, it vanished. Just as before. Just like a light being switched off.
She bowed her head, dropped her trembling hands to her sides, took a step backwards and slumped into Billy's armchair. Heaven knows, she'd tried to rationalise all this over the past couple of days; tried to confront the phenomena, tried to control her fear of the unknown, but how could she? How could anyone? They were real, these creatures, and they were interested in her and her family for some unearthly reason. She sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, not daring to move.
Midnight. The chimes on the mantelpiece coincided with the sound of Billy's car crunching to a halt outside. Thank God. She rushed over and flung herself into his arms the moment he got in the door. He held her tight and led her back into the front room and settled her into the sofa.
'The figure, that creature, it was back, floating past the window,' she sobbed. ‘I guessed as much,’ sighed Billy, squeezing her tighter, ‘you must have been terrified all alone. But no matter. I'm here and it's gone now. I'll fix you some cocoa and then we'll get you straight to bed, all right?'
She nodded, taking a deep breath and managing a smile. 'I've got to stay with that heifer tonight,' he went on, squeezing her hand, 'you remember, the one that's ailing? I don't like to leave you alone, but what can I do? Do you you'll be all right now?'
She agreed reluctantly. I'll be all right, love. Layann will be in with me tonight any case...' Billy held her tight again for a moment and then went into the kitchen to make the nightcap. She would be all right, he thought to himself. He'd never seen her look so exhausted. Sleep would claim her immediately she went to bed.
*
Nine -thirty.
Pauline looked at the alarm clock and rubbed her eyes in disbelief. It couldn't be. Heavens, she was late. She'd never been this late, she was always up before Billy and Clinton to get them breakfast and then see them off to work. And then there were the kids. They should already have had their breakfast before going to school. What were they all playing at, letting her sleep this late? She smiled to herself. Billy will have had something to do with this. He'll most likely have told them all to look after themselves and leave her to sleep. She started to get up - then fell back. Good God, what was wrong with her arm? She could barely move it and what could have caused all that swelling and irritation? It was damn near paralysed. Had she been sleeping on it? No –that wouldn't account for all the inflammation.
Heavens, it hurt.
She struggled out of bed and manoeuvred a dressing around her shoulders. It would probably loosen up a little in a minute, she reasoned, as she gave it a gentle but painful squeeze. She'd have a spot of breakfast with the kids just before they left for school. That would make her feel better. Funny thing she should feel grand after such an uncharacteristically long sleep, but not only did her arm feel terrible, but her eyes were stinging terribly as well, as if she hadn't slept for a week. And they looked like it, too, she thought as she studied them in the bathroom mirror. My word, they were so swollen and puffy she could hardly see out of them. Looked as if she'd spent too long under a sun ray lamp and got ultra-violet sickness or somethi.... Oh no. The creature last night. She'd watched it closely for more than five minutes. And the brightness of the glow it gave off. Please, no. Don't let it be that.
She clenched the edge of the basin tightly, to steady herself. What was it Billy had said about how there was no reason to be frightened because they hadn't actually hurt anyone yet? She breathed in deeply. She mustn't panic, or cry. She had to make sure the kids had got their breakfast all right and were ready to go to school, and she mustn't frighten them. There was no good reason that they should be told that another creature had been seen near the house the night before.
She made her way downstairs. Keiror Layann and Joann were already tucking into their cornflakes. Somebody had put the kettle on for a fresh pot. She flinched as the morning sunshine dazzled her aching eyes.
'Morning, lazy-bones,' cracked Keiron. The twins were uncommonly quiet.
'What' the matter, soap got into your eyes?' quizzed Keiron, always the joker.
Pauline smiled winsomely. 'That's right, Kei.' She glanced at the twins. They drove her mad when they were
too rowdy - which was most of the time - but it worried her
when they were this quiet. That generally meant something was wrong. She noticed Joann vigorously scratching her foot.
'What the matter, love?' Joan rolled down a white sock and partly pulled it off, to reveal the side of her foot. 'Got rash, Mum, just like Layann's got on her leg. Started when we were kicking around in the grass, looking for that red box yesterday...'
Pauline felt tears stinging the inflammation around her eyes. Not the children, too. 'Probably just a grass rash, love.'
Don't think so, Mum. We've had that before, but it is nothing like this. This burns something terrible...'
-- ' it will, love. It will...'
Pauline hoped the choked tone of her voice didn't give away her true feelings.
Get on and eat your breakfast or you'll be late school... She turned her back to them, gripping the sideboard, steadying herself again. It was happening to them all now, not just happening around them. And what next?
Must keep calm. Must think.
'Mum...
'Yes, Layann?'
'Do you think it would be all right if I went to stay with Tina and Grandma for a bit?'
Of course, love, but why?'
'No reason,' she shrugged, 'I'd just like to, that's all you did promise me I could, ages ago...
'Yes, so I did. Of course you can, love. When?'
'Tonight?' The voice had an expectant, pleading tone to it. She in no mood to argue. The way her mind was working the moment, she felt it would probably be no bad thing if the child wasn't around - it was one less to be harmed.
'All right love, I'll have your dad run you over there this evening after school.'
'Thanks, Mum.' She watched them go - and gratefully. She had to take easy today, she felt terrible. And she had to have time to think. By the evening, she felt no better. Her eyes were still red, puffy and horribly swollen and her arm looked the same and was still virtually immobile. Even the kids looked worried when they got home from school at four-thirty for their tea
and when Billy and Clinton arrived shortly afterwards, they insisted she put her feet up for the rest of the day and that they would look after dinner and the putting of the children to bed. She had to admit she was glad of the offer.
'Do you want a doctor, love? I think you should, you look absolutely dreadful.' Billy knelt down beside the sofa, next to her. 'What do you reckon the matter is?'
'Probably just got some soap, or hair lacquer or some-thing in my eyes,' she lied to him, dismissing the subject and patting him on the head, 'don't you worry yourself, love. I've taken some eye drops. It'll pass...
Billy looked deep into her inflamed eyes - normally so big, bright and beautiful - and nodded. She obviously hadn't considered that the trouble might have been caused by looking at that figure the previous night. That was a blessing, he thought to himself. She'd be frightened witless otherwise.
'And what about the arm?' Pauline shrugged. As far as that was concerned, she really had no idea what was the matter with it. 'Haven't a clue, love. Must have turned badly in the night and pulled a muscle or something. Search me. Don't you worry yourself, though? I told you before, Mum's expecting Layann down at Milford Haven soon, so you'd better get moving...
Billy stood up and shrugged. Drat that child. Pauline should never have agreed to letting her go off like that, at the drop of a hat, on a mere whim, for no good reason. All right, so she always did have a marvellous time with her Granny and with Tina, but leaving like this, so suddenly, was going to upset the whole family routine.
Still, Pauline had agreed, so there was no more to be said. Pauline waved to them both as they left up the drive -and then to Clinton and Keiron as they left the house and walked down the drive in the opposite direction, to go shooting in the fields. She'd persuaded them to take Joann along with them, so that she could get a couple of hours' sleep on the sofa before getting the dinner at seven o'clock. She was amazed that they'd agreed - or that Joann should have wanted to go. Neither of the twins wanted to venture far from the house since they'd been frightened by the figure and the strange craft in the field.
