The Creator

by Neil Carstairs

  ‘It was up there,’ Ben said with a quick glance in her direction.

  ‘Up there,’ Kramer said, her voice flat. ‘Like in the top hundred?

  ‘Oh, no, higher than that,’ Ben said.

  ‘Top fifty?’ Kramer said in a way that made Ben think that being scared of resurrected dinosaurs was nothing.

  ‘Look, Kramer, here’s the deal. It was good. As we get to know each other it will get better.’

  ‘So you think you’ll get to know me better?’

  ‘I hope so,’ Ben said. He forced his face to remain serious as he looked at her. ‘I was planning on introducing you to Chrissie some time.’

  ‘Is that supposed to impress me?’

  ‘It should. The last time I introduced a conquest to her was four years ago.’

  ‘Conquest?’ Kramer asked in a quiet voice.

  ‘Yep.’ Ben turned back to the manor house. He brought his binoculars up to hide the grin on his face. Kramer had that pissed look again and for once Ben took delight in it. He examined the building through the binoculars. He felt Kramer move close to him, her breath warm on his neck.

  ‘We might need to discuss your choice of words later,’ she said into his ear.

  Ben’s attention moved to a small figure that ran from the side of the manor house across the lawn towards the woodland. ‘Kramer, take a look, there’s a kid running from the house.’

  ‘Stop trying to change the subject.’

  ‘I’m serious. He’s at your ten o’clock.’

  Kramer moved away and when Ben glanced at her she followed the kid with her binoculars. Ben took another look as well and said, ‘I think it’s the kid from the church.’

  ‘So do I.’

  ‘Where’s he going?’

  ‘No idea,’ Kramer said as they lost sight of him.

  ‘Do we follow him?’ Ben asked.

  ‘We need to cover Natalie and the others.’

  ‘I could go,’ Ben said.

  Kramer thought about that for a moment. ‘Okay, but stay in touch.’

  Ben got to his feet. He turned back as Kramer said, ‘We still need to have that discussion later.’

  ‘I’m looking forward to it.’

  They had forced their own path through the undergrowth to get a position overlooking the manor house. Ben followed it back to the main path and then turned left. There seemed no point in trying to actually find and follow the kid through the woods. Easiest option seemed to be to go straight to the church. If the kid was heading anywhere it would be there.

  Ben alternated jogging and fast walking. The woodland didn’t make running easy with the dense shrubs and low growing trees. When he reached the gate out onto the road Ben made better progress. He headed down through the village. Past the pub and the bed and breakfast before he cut across the village green and up towards the church. When he entered the grounds he slowed to a walk, partly to cool down and partly to get his breath back. At the door into the church he paused and listened for any evidence of people inside. He heard nothing and opened the door.

  Silence greeted him. The kind of heavy, oppressive silence that lives inside places people know shouldn’t exist. Ben let the heavy oak door swing shut. He stepped forward and kept his movements slow and cautious. The air held a dampness upon it that made him shiver. He paused, listened and looked around. Dust drifted in shafts of sunlight that penetrated stained glass windows. Shadows darkened the corners of the cloister. Ben walked the length of the nave until he stood upon the capstone. He waited again, certain now that he was alone. He looked down at the carving. Somehow the relief of the face seemed more defined than before. Ben took a step back. The eyes seemed to follow him. The lips curled back and curved fangs spoke of hunger and need. ‘Jesus,’ Ben whispered. He glanced up and shook his head. When he looked down the carving had faded once more.

  Walking faster than he had before Ben headed to the North transept door that the kid used. He stepped out into a day that had clouded over in the last few minutes, a fitful breeze blew into his face. Ben sensed movement, a half-seen shadow out of the corner of his eye. He turned as something struck his head. The impact knocked him down to the gravel path. Struggling to breathe, Ben looked up at a boy with eyes as dark as midnight. The kid hesitated, as if he expected Ben to rise and fight back. Ben lifted one hand. He held it up until the weight made his muscles give up and it flopped to the ground. The kid smiled as Ben slid into oblivion.

  ***

  Connor had plenty of experience of social workers so Josh, the children’s home manager, held no fear for him. He sat between Natalie and his mother, listening to the usual chit chat that people who worked in children’s services got on with. It was all respect for the child, safeguarding and early intervention. Connor had heard it all before, even if Natalie’s ability to pretend to be a social worker impressed him. He tuned out the monotonous drone of the adults and concentrated on the feeling of dread that touched his soul. As soon as Natalie parked up outside the home Connor knew that evil lay close by. He couldn’t explain it to the adults, and didn’t actually try as he didn’t want to scare his mother. But now darkness edged his vision in a way that scared him.

  Connor reached out and touched Natalie’s arm, stopping her in mid-sentence. ‘Ben’s in danger,’ he said.

  Natalie looked down at him. ‘When?’

  ‘Now.’

  Josh said, ‘I’m sorry, what did you say Connor?’

  ‘Can I make a quick call?’ Natalie stood up with a bright smile.

  ‘Sure.’ Josh looked confused.

  ‘Thanks.’

  Natalie left the room. As soon as the door closed behind her she speed dialled Kramer’s number. As soon as the call got picked up she said, ‘Is Ben with you?’

  ‘No,’ Kramer said. ‘Why?’

  ‘Connor says he’s in danger.’

  ‘Shit. The boy we saw acting suspiciously a couple of days ago left the home just after you arrived so Ben followed him.’

  ‘Has Ben been in touch?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Call Congrave,’ Natalie said. ‘He can trace Ben’s sat-phone. Delta team can cover him.’

  ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘Find out what’s happening here.’

  Call finished Natalie returned to the meeting room. She noticed the awkward silence immediately. Connor sat stock still in his chair. Devon chewed on her nails as she watched her son and Josh had come halfway around his desk to peer at the boy. Josh looked up as Natalie entered the room and said, ‘Is he having some sort of episode?’

  ‘No,’ Natalie said. She sat down next to Connor.

  ‘We do have other children who behave in similar ways. This is something our child psychologists can handle,’ Josh said.

  ‘To be honest, I don’t think this home is suitable for Connor,’ Natalie said.

  ‘Oh?’ Josh frowned. ‘You’ve barely been here fifteen minutes.’

  ‘Because I believe you are protecting something.’ Natalie said.

  Josh shook his head. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

  ‘A child, or maybe children, here at the home who are behaving in ways that even you wouldn’t expect.’

  Josh looked from Natalie to Connor to Devon. ‘Who are you?’ he asked. ‘Are you undercover reporters? Has someone in the village been spreading rumours about us?’

  Natalie gave him a thin smile. ‘We’re from a department within the Home Office. I take it you’re denying any unusual actions or behaviours.’

  She saw the subtle shift in his eyes, an almost unconscious glance towards the door as if he expected someone to join them.

  ‘His name is Nathan,’ Connor said.

  The adults looked at the boy. Connor still seemed to be in some kind of fugue state. His eyes rolled up into his head. Devon’s hand hovered close to her son, as if she wanted to comfort him, but was too afraid.

  Behind his desk, Josh sat down. Natalie took that as her cue to say, ‘Nathan is one of the b
oy’s here.’

  Josh shook his head. ‘I’m not allowed to discuss other residents.’

  ‘We don’t have to talk about him. Just a plain yes or no.’

  ‘I...’

  A knock on the door cut Josh’s words off. Before he could answer, the door opened and a woman came in. For a moment Natalie expected her to apologise for interrupting. Then she thought maybe there was a message for Josh she didn’t want anyone to overhear. By the time the woman was close enough to touch Natalie realised her mistake.

  A hand came out in a stiff-armed blow to Natalie’s chest that threw her back over her chair. She hit the floor hard, already breathless from the blow. Natalie saw the woman reach for Connor but the boy ducked her arms. He rolled from his chair to the floor. Devon seemed shocked by the assault on Natalie until she saw the threat to her son. Devon leapt at the woman, clawing at her face and hair. Still winded, Natalie half sat up and saw Josh come round his desk. From the grin on his face, she knew they were all in trouble.

  The panic alarm was a bracelet strapped to her right forearm. She slapped her left hand onto it and reached round to the small of her back where she had hidden her gun. Josh came fast. He kicked Devon in the side and jumped over her to reach Natalie. The gun hadn’t cleared the holster when he fell onto her. His fist struck the weapon from her grasp. Natalie managed to get her knees up. She drove them into his chest but not enough to stop him or even slow him as his hands found her neck and began to squeeze.

  ***

  Kramer knelt at the edge of the woodland. Birdsong filled the air. She wished like hell that she hadn’t let Scarrett follow the boy. She’d already called Congrave and he told her that Scarrett’s phone had dropped off the network. That scared her. Half of Delta team were now heading into the village and she really wanted to be there with them. But Connor and the others needed cover here. ‘Goddammit.’ Her voice sounded out of place and the birds fell silent.

  The alarm call on her phone made her jump. For a moment she hoped it was Ben, then she saw Natalie’s name on the screen. She stared at it for a couple of heartbeats. The tone rose and drove her into motion. Kramer came out of the trees at a dead sprint, gun out and ready. As she ran she scanned the nearest windows of the house but saw no movement. The landscaping of the gardens formed lawn into an embankment topped by a low stone wall. Kramer angled for a set of steps that gave access to the level areas around the house. She heard a crash off to her left and caught a glimpse of a garish red camper van forcing the manor-house gates open. The vehicle’s engine howled in protest as the gates refused to give way. Kramer turned a building corner and ran past Natalie’s car to the front door. The camper still seemed to be struggling at the entrance. Then Kramer couldn’t think about that any longer as she skipped up the four steps and shoved her way into the manor house.

  Three children stood in the wide reception hall. They stared at Kramer in surprise as she came in. This turned to shock as she pointed her gun at them and shouted ‘Get out of my way.’

  The children scattered. Two ran up the central staircase. The third disappeared down a corridor to Kramer’s right. Kramer headed left, towards the office where she and Ben had met with the home’s manager. Five paces down she froze at the sound of gunfire.

  ***

  Steam rose from the VW’s engine as it tried to force the wrought iron gates of the manor house apart. Inside, his own temperature rising, Delta One punched the dashboard.

  ‘We’re stuck,’ Delta Three said.

  ‘Tell me something I don’t fucking know.’ One pushed on his door again. It opened no further than an inch as the gates held firm.

  From the back Delta Five said, ‘We’re wedged in, boss. We need to go back.’

  ‘I’m trying.’ Three switched to reverse but the vehicle just made a painful grinding sound as it trapped itself even more.

  ‘There’s Kramer,’ Delta Five said, pointing through past One’s shoulder.

  ‘Christ, she’s going in alone.’ One had an HK MP5 sub-machine gun down in his footwell. He pulled it up, reversed it so the stock faced the windscreen and then hit the toughened glass with as much force as he could. The screen fractured. The view of the manor house distorted as a spider web of cracks spread out. One struck again, and then a third time until the laminate glass folded outwards. He twisted in his seat and brought his legs up to kick the screen clear of the frame. It took two blows for the glass to be separate from the frame and Delta Three could push it away and let it fall to the driveway.

  Delta One went out first. He carried his MP5, the webbing he wore laden with spare magazines and stun grenades. He didn’t look back as Three and Five followed him out. They ran the length of the driveway, eyes fixed on the open door to the manor house. Praying they would get there in time.

  ***

  Back when she’d undergone her self-defence training Natalie’s instructor told her that one day she would be in a position where it was kill or be killed. ‘Don’t expect to get any warning,’ the Special Forces sergeant said. ‘You’ll get one chance, maybe even only half a chance. You can either kill him, cripple him or blind him.’

  Natalie looked up at a face wreathed in hatred and saw darkness dance across her vision. Josh’s weight pressed down, trapping her knees and preventing any movement. Instinct made her try to force his hands from her throat. That cost her precious seconds as her brain fought for oxygen. Survival was all that mattered. Kill, cripple or blind.

  Natalie went for his eyes. A thumb for each one. She didn’t want to watch as she drove her nails into the soft tissue. Josh loosened his grip. He tried to pull back but Natalie knew not to stop as resistance vanished and a hot gush of blood covered her hands.

  Josh screamed. He released her, jerking back fast enough to pull himself clear. Natalie punched him in the throat. Josh fell from her, his screams silenced as he struggled to breathe. Natalie crawled to her gun, the grip slipped in her bloody hands as she rose to her feet. Josh posed no threat. The woman had left Devon on the floor and now stalked Connor. The boy ran from her. He dodged behind furniture, making his speed count as he kept away from her grasping hands. Natalie steadied herself and made sure she had a good hold on the pistol before she shouted, ‘Connor, get down.’

  The boy dropped to the floor behind Josh’s desk, out of Natalie’s firing line. The woman had her back to Natalie but this was no time for warnings. Natalie shot her twice in the back and watched her drop to the floor like a broken puppet. Josh lay near Natalie, his face a sheen of blood as his life ebbed away. She put a round through his face anyway, just to make sure.

  ***

  Kramer heard the gunfire and froze. There were three doors ahead of her, all closed. The shots came from behind one of them. She stepped to one side to give as much cover on all the doorways and shouted, ‘Natalie? Devon?’

  One door cracked open. Kramer switched her aim to it and then relaxed as she saw Connor’s face peering out at her. ‘Joanne?’ He opened the door.

  Kramer hesitated as she entered the room. Devon sat on an upright chair with her head tilted forward as Natalie held a bloody tissue to her nose. Two bodies lay close by. Kramer just about recognised Josh but the mess around his eyes made her wince. She looked a question at Natalie who shrugged and said, ‘They just attacked us. No warning or anything.’

  They heard more shouting. Connor looked into the corridor and said, ‘It’s Delta team.’

  ‘In here!’ Kramer called back to the soldiers and within a minute they were in the room and brought up to date.

  ‘Nice work,’ Delta Five said to Natalie as he examined the two bodies.

  ‘Thanks.’ Natalie gave him a half-hearted smile.

  ‘Could be worse,’ he said.

  ‘Could it?’

  ‘Yeah, could be the three of you on the carpet.’

  Kramer and Delta One didn’t listen to the exchange. They stared hard at the soldier’s sat-phone, as if looks alone could get it to connect. Delta One shook his head,
‘It had a connection five minutes ago.’

  ‘And that was the last time you heard from the rest of your team?’ Kramer asked.

  ‘They were heading into the village to look for Ben.’

  ‘So why is the connection down? Congrave said these phones would work up to a quarter mile underground.’

  ‘I know,’ Connor said.

  Kramer and Delta One looked in the direction the boy pointed. Through the leaded window dusk fell. A chill ran up Kramer’s spine. It couldn’t be any later than ten in the morning and the last she remembered the morning had been bright and sunny. Now darkness encroached as the twilight spun to full dark. The landscaped garden disappeared into the shadows of night.

  ‘We need to get out of here,’ Delta One said.

  ‘Seconded,’ Kramer said.

  Delta Team led the way up the corridor. A weak electric-yellow glow showed them the way. Somehow it added to the eerie gloom that filled the manor house.

  The reception hall opened up in front of them. Eight children, all of them teenaged, lined up across the open area with unnatural stillness. Kramer saw their eyes and remembered what Ben had said about the boy at the church. They were black, like empty holes that absorbed light and gave out only a chilling promise of death.

  ***

  Ben lay on the parched, broken surface of a desert. He heard a bell toll and with each ring the ground shook and dust rose into the air. He saw a man walk out of the heat haze. His form twisted until the atmosphere cleared and Ben saw the trench coat.

  ‘He’s coming for me,’ Ben thought. He rolled onto his side and the pain in his head flared to life. Bile filled Ben’s mouth in a sour wave that lifted him closer to consciousness. He shivered and heard the bell toll again with a deeper blow that rocked the world.

  Not a bell. Ben opened his eyes. He saw a church pew and hassocks. Ben spat and coughed. His head ached and somewhere in his memory he recalled the boy dragging him into the church.