The Amulets (An 'Amulets of Andarrin' tale)

by Michael Alexander Card-Mina

  “Yeh sure” Lily smiled.

  “No probs.” Ben said as Jack walked over to where Aaron was now talking to Frankie and someone else who Jack didn’t know. He caught Aarons eye and Aaron finished talking to Frankie and her friend and came over to him.

  “Alright mate, glad you could make it” he said as he put a hand on Jacks shoulder.

  “How we doing?” Jack asked as Aaron guided him into the conservatory, pulling a bottle of lager each from the cool box.

  “Not bad. Listen, do you reckon Frankie would go for me.” Aaron asked seriously while flipping the tops of the bottles.

  Jack chuckled as they went through the conservatory and into the kitchen swigging their beers. “Don’t know mate. Maybe, it’s not like she’s seeing anyone so why don’t you ask her?” Jack said.

  Aaron stood in the kitchen looking nervously out of the window towards Frankie who was now talking to Lily and Ben. “Maybe but what if she says no. It’ll be awkward in lectures.” Aaron admitted.

  “Look you don’t know if you don’t try.” Jack said, though he knew he’d be acting the same way in Aaron’s position.

  “I don’t know. Maybe I can get flirty with her while we play drinking games later.” Aaron said conspiratorially.

  Jack didn’t answer and Aaron noticed he was looking out at Lily who was closely shadowed by Ben. “Ah yeh her boyfriend’s here. Sorry man.” Aaron said sympathetically. “Maybe you can woo her secretly during drinking games.”

  Jack turned to Aaron, “no it’s pointless. She seems happy with him, who am I to ruin it for them. Plus she’s probably better off with him.” he said sadly.

  “What, no-one can miss the flirting that goes on between you two.” Aaron said smiling.

  “Yeh, but it’s just flirting, its means nothing. Listen.” Jack said changing the subject “do you remember anything about last weekend?”

  “Honestly, I’ve tried to rack my brain for something but nothing, all I remember was getting soaked on our way back down from that mountain and then it just goes blank until we were in the car on the M6.”

  “What about Helena, William, Delaius. Surely they must ring a bell” he pressed.

  “Who?”

  It was useless, Aaron couldn’t remember a thing. And it crushed Jack because he had no-one to share it with now, none of them could remember.

  “Forget it” he said dejectedly.

  Jack looked over at Lily and then turned around and leant against the kitchen worktop. “Listen I’m not staying that long I’m only here for a bit” Jack said apologetically.

  “What, no way!” Aaron said surprised. “You’ve gotta stay man.”

  Jack had no desire to stay now that he’d seen Lily’s boyfriend, it was like rubbing salt in the wound.

  “No I promised my mum I’d go for tea at hers, I just thought I’d pop in.” He lied.

  “Ah! gutted. Well come back after it. You can stop here if you want.” Aaron pressed.

  “No it’s alright mate. Anyway,” he said to stop him from persisting “we’re at a barbecue and I’m starving.”

  “You’ve not eaten yet? There’s loads mate. Clive’s the barbeque king. You know he might be a geek but he’s alright man.” Aaron explained, leading Jack back into the conservatory to pick up another drink.

  Jack looked over the bottles of spirits, wines and lagers covering the table which had packs of beers piled underneath.

  Jack walked over to Clive and helped himself to a plate of hot meats and, juggling his plate and beer, he spent the next hour chatting with people around the garden. But as rain clouds began filling the sky, Aaron called everyone inside for party games.

  The table had been taken down and the food and booze had been moved into the kitchen leaving lots of space in the conservatory where Clive had placed a dozen chairs in a circle. A few people were leaving and the others had moved into the kitchen and conservatory so Jack looked for Aaron to say his goodbyes. Aaron was stood by the kitchen door talking to Clive about needing more chairs.

  “We don’t have any.” Clive was saying.

  “Well alright, fine, some will have to sit on the floor then.” Aaron submitted.

  “Right guys it’s been good but I’m going to get off.” Jack said.

  Clive looked shocked “you’re going now. We’re just going to start the party games.”

  Jack turned and saw Lily sitting on a chair next to Ben. “Yeh” he said turning back to them “I have to get back.”

  “Well offers still open if you change your mind mate.” Aaron said.

  “Yeh, you’re more than welcome to stay here pal” Clive added.

  Jack smiled gratefully at them both. “Cheers guys but I best get going. Give us a call when you’re free.”

  “Alright mate, I will do.”

  Before he left he moved over to Lily to say his goodbyes. “Right Lily, I’m off.” he told her.

  “Already?” she asked standing up.

  “Yeh, tea with the family so…” Jack explained. He knew he wanted to stay but what was the point in watching her and Ben hug and kiss all night.

  “Why don’t you just come back after?” she asked.

  Jack saw Ben sitting behind her listening in. “I doubt it but I’ll probably see you in Uni when we go back so …” he said drying up. “Well it was nice to meet you, Ben. Probably see you again sometime no doubt. Take care of her.” he said smiling.

  Ben stayed on his seat but turned to face Jack. “I’ll try” he laughed “was good to meet you anyway and see you soon” he said shaking his hand. Lily gave Jack a goodbye hug which Jack couldn’t help but enjoy.

  “Right then, see you later guys. Have a good night.” Jack said as he walked out of the door.

  As he left the conservatory he caught Frankie’s eye and waved goodbye. Lily was back talking to Ben, and Aaron was bringing out a board game from the kitchen. Jack looked up at the sky and headed to the bus stop but, after waiting over ten minutes for it to arrive, he was horrified when the driver told him that he had to have the correct change and he driver wouldn’t take the twenty pound note that was all Jack had and so he retraced his earlier journey back towards the golf course, now totally out of sorts with the world.

  Dark grey clouds filled the sky bringing with them rumbles of thunder. The air was cold and spots of rain had begun falling and, as the thunder became louder, Jack looked up towards the sky, almost instantly wishing he hadn’t because large drops of rain began falling onto his face.

  “Great” he said through gritted teeth and, putting his head down, lengthened his stride.

  chapter seventeen

  End of Normality

  The rain was now hammering down; Jack continued to march on thinking about a hot shower and his bed. After he’d walked about half a mile, he came to the golf course and decided to cut through to shorten his journey. Delaius had told him that Banshees don’t go near populated places and, considering this was a public pathway, he couldn’t see the harm. And to be honest with himself, since Lily’s memories of the time they spent together had been erased, he had become less concerned with danger. The thunder roared again as if signalling Jack to move faster, obeying, Jack increased his speed.

  The golf course was empty and Jack could easily understand why. Each step he took on the now sodden and muddy path was a struggle. His legs were feeling tired and he began to slow down but he could see the exit which would bring him out just behind Thistle Avenue. He was only minutes away now. The thunder roared again, or was it the thunder? Jack turned to where a dense copse of trees stood and he realised that it wasn’t the thunder; it was a ten metre tall tree that had somehow split a few metres up and had crashed to the ground. Jack moved towards it for a closer look. At first he thought lightning may have caused it but he hadn’t seen any lightning. As he went nearer, he stopped in surprise at the sight of a large hairy mass rolling around on the floor. Jack wiped the raindrops from his eyes. A man was walking towards it, wearing a long black coat
. Jack immediately thought of Delaius. Focusing his eyes on the man as he moved toward what Jack presumed was a dog; Jack caught a glimpse of the man’s face which looked chiseled and sharp, it definitely wasn’t Delaius. The man’s focus was on the dog as he moved purposefully towards it. Leaning down he clasped his hand around the front of its neck, lifted it off the floor and slammed it against another tree and held it against it. Now pinned against a tree the animal was easily visible to Jack who saw that it wasn’t a dog at all it was a werewolf.

  Jack’s first thought was that it was William but then this one’s hair was greyer. The beast was pinned with its arms pressed against the tree, palms facing out, unmoving as if they were being held there by something Jack couldn’t see. The thought was quickly forgotten when the man spoke.

  “Where‘s is he?”

  Jack couldn’t hear the werewolf speak back and hadn’t known it could when it was in that form.

  “Speak beast” the man roared “I know he lives around here. That’s why you’re here is it not, no doubt Delaius asked you to watch over him. Now, what is his name?”

  A twig under Jacks foot snapped. The man turned and scanned his eyes in Jacks direction. Jack froze; he stayed perfectly still, praying he wasn’t spotted. He didn’t know who he was more afraid of, the werewolf or the man pinning it to a tree. Seconds passed and he heard the man speaking again.

  “You know where he is!”

  Jack moved his head slightly round the tree for a look. The man was still in the same position, the werewolf pinned to the tree.

  “Last chance, Firghzar”

  The creature wasn’t resisting anymore and looked dejected but still it didn’t speak. The man holding it looked as if he was about to explode with anger. Jack looked back at the werewolf, fear gripping him; he met its eyes with his own. The werewolf was looking right at him, its big yellow eyes fixed on him. Jack wanted to run but found himself rooted to the spot with fear. It looked as if the creature was actually looking at him with disappointment. The man began laughing hysterically.

  “Bless the Gods”

  Jacks gaze left the werewolf’s eyes and looked towards the man who was now staring right at him.

  Jack panicked he had no idea what to respond and the only thing that came out of his mouth was a confused “No!” Realising he’d spoken and that the man was moving towards him, he panicked and ran.

  Glancing back as he ran, he heard the man shout a word he’d never heard and from the man’s outstretched arm, Jack saw a burst of violet light shoot towards him. The beam of light hit a branch of the tree Jack was running past sending it crashing onto the ground. Jack didn’t slow, he continued to run, glancing back to see where the man was. He saw the man raise his arm towards him once more but before anything happened the huge grey haired wolf leapt at the man. Jack didn’t stop to watch and before long he was running through the exit and didn’t stop until he got to his house.

  Pulling his keys out he unlocked the door, hands shaking he quickly slammed the door and locked it. Rushing into the kitchen he picked up the phone and dialed emergency services. After two rings a woman answered and asked what the emergency was.

  “I’m being chased, please you have to help me!” he cried down the phone.

  “Ok sir, just try to stay calm. Now, what’s happened?” she asked.

  “Listen to me, my address is twelve Foster Road. Please! I need you to send people right now!” Jack pleaded.

  She continued to talk but Jacks heart was beating faster than ever as the door banged four times.

  “They’re here.” he whispered. They’re at the…” the door banged again.

  “Just stay calm the police are on their way…can you see what they look like?” Again the door banged.

  Jack had the phone to his ear but stayed silent. He saw the shadow go from the door to the living room window. Jack was now in a state of shock, fearing for his life.

  “Sir are you there? Sir”

  “Sssh” he whispered as he watched the shadow.

  The shadow slowly moved away, after a few seconds Jack put the phone back to his ears and whispered to the woman on the other side.

  “I think…I think they’ve gone.”

  A huge bang came from behind him as if someone had tried kicking the back door down. Bang! Again the sound vibrated through the house. Jacks face was pale, his heart beating like a drum.

  “They’re breaking in through the back! Please, you have to help me!”

  “They will be there in a matter of minutes. Can you see who is trying to get in?”

  Jack ignored her and carefully opened a cupboard door at the back of his kitchen. Bang! Bang! Jack couldn’t believe it. Why did he walk through the woods? What an idiot he thought.

  He pulled a golf club out from behind the door and walked toward the kitchen door leading to the back room.

  “I’m going to put the phone on speaker so don’t say anything.”

  Turning the phone onto speaker Jack placed it on the side next to the door. Golf club in hand, he slowly opened the door to the back room from where the bangs were coming. Inches away from seeing the back door, sweat dripping from the side of his head and fear building up more and more as he opened it. Before he entered a noise came from the front. Sirens. The police had arrived. Jack bolted back through the kitchen and unlocked the front door. Opening it he saw two police officers wearing the usual uniform with batons, pepper spray and cuffs attached to their belts, they were walking towards him.

  “Quick!” he shouted “they were at the back” Jack hurried the officers through the house; the back garden was empty and still. “They were right here.”

  “Ok just calm down what did they look like?” one officer asked.

  “The man…he had short dark hair. Clean shaven and…erm…he wore a long black coat” he said shaking “I couldn’t really see the other” he lied. “But he was big” he added.

  He searched across the garden for tracks as the officer questioned him, his partner scanning the surrounding area. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”

  “No but…well…”

  Jack began telling them how it all came about. The walk home and the incident in the woods, though he described the werewolf as just someone else who’s face he couldn’t see.

  “Was there anyone else with you?”

  “No just me”

  The female officer came back over.

  “You find anything?” her partner asked.

  “No signs of anything. You’d think there’d be tracks in this weather” she said.

  Jack frantically began quizzing them. “Wait, are you saying that’s it? What about the guy. Can’t you take fingerprints of the door or something?”

  “I’m afraid there’s no trace of anything” she replied.

  “You think I’m lying?” he asked shocked.

  “That’s not what I said. Whoever it was has done a good job of covering their tracks. I’m afraid all we can do is take the description and keep an eye out for them. Do you live on your own?”

  Hearing their decision to just do nothing, Jack began feeling nervous. “My brother lives here.” he told them “What if they come back?”

  “I don’t think they would be that careless but if your brother is here then I doubt they’ll come back whilst there are two of you.” she assured him.

  “What? That’s it then? You’ll do nothing?”

  “There isn’t much to go off. If you can tell us anything else it may help.” she gave him a quizzical glance.

  “I’ve told you everything!”

  “Ok, look the problem is that there has been no damage done, no one else has seen anything and you haven’t been hurt. There isn’t much we can do even if we knew who it was. You understand?”

  “He was going to…” Jack didn’t finish instead he let out a sigh and shook his head in disappointment.

  They walked back through the house to the front door. “If you feel uncomfortable then I would advise yo
u go and stay with friends or relatives. Is there anyone in the area?”

  “My mum lives at the other end of Preston but I can’t go there.” Jack sighed.

  He didn’t want to bring danger to his mother or sister and knew, if he went there, they wouldn’t be able to help and he’d only put them at risk.

  “Well if you won’t go there then I’m afraid there is not much else I can advise. Do you know what time your brother is due back?” she asked gently.

  “Half six, I think.”

  The officer looked at her watch and back at Jack. “Half an hour, do you think you’ll be ok until then?”

  “I don’t have a choice do I?” Jack muttered.

  “I’m sorry but if anything else does happen then give us a call and we’ll get right over. For now though I would advise you keep your doors locked at all times. Ok?”

  “Yeah sure.” he mumbled as the officers strolled off to their car.

  Jack closed the door and began to wonder if they thought he was crazy. He locked the door and walked around the house, checking rooms just in case.

  chapter eighteen

  Forced Entry

  It had been around fifteen minutes since the officers had left and was just gone quarter past six when Jack heard James’ car pull up outside the house. Moving into the hallway, Jack watched as James came in.

  “Why was the door locked?” James asked as he shut the door.

  “I need to tell you something and I need you to believe me” Jack looked at him seriously.

  “Let me get a brew first. Put the kettle on would you, am dying for the toilet” James said running up the stairs.

  “Hurry up then this is serious.” Jack shouted after him.

  A few minutes later James came down the stairs and taking his mug from Jack, he followed him into the living room.

  “Go on then let’s hear it.” James sat down on a two seat couch against the wall; Jack sat on the couch opposite.

  “Right remember last week when I went away…” Jack told him the whole story. Delaius, Helena, William, the banshees, Nanantharim and, even the moment with Lily. His brother smirked but Jack just told him to let him finish so he continued on about what had happened earlier that day on the golf course. James looked incredulous but listened until Jack had finished.