Angela gave an embarrassed smile as she rushed to the stairs to go and help him.
Sarah stood up. “Do you need a hand Angela?” She asked.
“No, no he isn’t used to too much drink. It’s gone to his head is all. I’ll get him to bed. Help yourselves to another drink I won’t be long.” Angela replied.
With Angela gone upstairs Maurice whispered over to Sarah. “Drink my backside. He’s off his skull on whatever they keep in the bathroom. What a mess. Shall we go home?”
“Let’s wait for Angela to come down so we know they’re alright first darling.” Sarah replied.
Eventually Angela made her way down to the sitting room and plonked herself in a chair. She looked from Sarah to Maurice and gave another broken smile. “Sorry about that. He’s in bed. He’ll be fine honestly. Just not a big drinker is Mackenzie.”
“Well we’re going to finish this and make our way home. Lots of work to get on with tomorrow.” Maurice said. “But I’m glad he’ll be okay. We’ll see you tomorrow Angela.”
Together, Sarah and Maurice stood up and made their way to the front door, both giving Angela a hug before they departed.
Soon they were back in their own house and wondering whether to laugh or cry. It had ended a strange evening and both were exhausted.
Chapter Two
A few days had passed since the housewarming and Maurice was back in his office gazing through the window hoping for some inspiration for another chapter. It was still early and the bubbling of the kettle got him out of his chair to make coffee. He was reaching for the French press just as the banging started on the front door.
He placed the French press back on the kitchen counter and went to see who would be hammering away at the door so early.
“Maurice you have to come quick!” Angela gasped the moment the door opened. Sarah was now stood behind Maurice in her bathrobe and peering over his shoulder.
“Whatever is the matter Angela?” she asked.
“It’s Mackenzie. He wasn’t feeling well last night and took some of my pain killers. I can’t get him to wake up. He looks terrible!” Angela gasped.
“Call an ambulance Sarah. I’ll get over there and see what’s going on. You come with me Angela.” Maurice snapped.
Leaving Sarah to call for help Maurice and Angela trotted the short way over the bridge to the old cottage.
“So what exactly has he taken Angela?” Maurice panted as they reached the front door.
“I don’t know Maurice. I gave him some of my pain killers and he had brought something back from my uncle’s. Said he had a cold and was going to bed after he took them.”
Maurice rushed up the stairs to find Mackenzie laid out straight on the large bed. His teeth were clenched tight shut and foam frothed around his mouth. His lips were pale and blue. His skin looked totally drained of blood. His eyes stared blankly toward the ceiling.
Maurice sucked in a deep breath at the sight before him. He turned to Angela and snapped. “Get back over to Sarah and bring the medics straight up here. Go!”
Maurice rushed over to Mackenzie as soon as Angela was gone and slapped his face.
“Wake up Mackenzie! Wake the fuck up!” He snapped as he slapped his face again.
With no response Maurice tried to open Mackenzie’s mouth. The jaw was locked tight and Maurice forced his fist between the teeth, prizing the jaws open. He grabbed Mackenzie’s tongue that had relaxed back into his throat and pulled it clear. As he did, a large glob of white, sticky goo gushed from Mackenzie’s mouth. He tipped Mackenzie over the edge of the bed and began pounding hard on his back, trying to loosen the rest of the slime that seemed to be drowning him. Maurice took a pause to recover his own breath. He reached his fingers to Mackenzie’s neck to feel for a pulse. Nothing. He began pounding again and Mackenzie made a huge gagging noise and a brief spasm before his body fell silent again. Maurice felt again for a pulse but still nothing. White frothy drool was dripping copiously from Mackenzie’s mouth onto the floor beside the bed. All the while Maurice was shouting and growling at Mackenzie to wake up.
With one hand prying his mouth open, Maurice used his other hand as a fist to hammer on Mackenzie’s back and chest. He was exhausted and could see Mackenzie’s lifeless body growing greyer. He had to keep going. Had to keep yelling and had to keep pounding. He wasn’t going to let this drugged up waste of space get away without a fight. He heard the pounding of feet coming up the stairs and two paramedics burst into the bedroom.
“Can’t get a pulse. I’ve tried. Sorry but I just can’t get a pulse.” Maurice groaned as the first medic pushed past him and pressed fingers deep into Mackenzie’s neck.
“Nope, nothing there Stan.” Announced the first medic as he slid a breather into Mackenzie’s mouth.
Maurice stood back into a corner of the room as he watched in shock as the two paramedics worked Mackenzie onto the stretcher.
“We got him Stan. Weak, but it is there. Let’s get him down those stairs.” The first medic said. He turned to Maurice. “You family mate?”
Maurice shook his head. “No just the neighbour over the bridge is all.”
“You just saved this kids life my friend. He owes you a beer.” The medic nodded and smiled as they carried him carefully down the tight staircase to the ambulance outside.
Maurice collapsed sitting on the bed. The words of the medic rang in his ears as he went over and over the whole scenario. That was an experience he never wanted to have again. He could see Mackenzie’s frozen, lifeless face looking up at him. Looking down at his feet he saw the pile of gloop that Mackenzie had ejected onto the floor.
He shook himself back to his senses and he made his way downstairs to see the ambulance departing. He was shaking as he slowly closed the front door behind him. He stopped himself at the doorway as he smelled a scent of burning wood. He looked around the outside of the house then opened the door and looked back inside, sniffing. The scent wafted past him again and was gone. Just shock, Maurice thought as he closed the door again and made his way slowly over the bridge.
“Is he going to be okay?” Sarah gasped as she came rushing to meet Maurice.
“I don’t know dear, I really don’t. He looked dead to me but the medic said he had a pulse. We’ll just have to wait and see. Did Angela go in the ambulance with him?” Maurice replied.
“Yes. I told her to call us as soon as she had any news. Come in the house, you look like you need a drink darling.” Sarah said.
“I do. A big one. I hope I did enough. I think I did enough. I did all I could do, I’m sure.” Maurice responded as they entered the security of the warm farmhouse kitchen.
“I know you will have done your best babe. You didn’t give him the pills that got him into this mess. Sit down and I’ll fix us a drink.” Sarah replied over her shoulder as she poured them both a large brandy.
Maurice sat in one of the comfortable armchairs and nursed the drink Sarah had poured him. He gazed at it hypnotically, half hoping it would clear his mind of the past couple of hours and bring them back to peace and normality. Eventually he took a slow sip and was enjoying the comforting burn of the brandy as it slid down his throat when the phone began to beep. It was Sarah’s phone and it played a hit song from a German rock band. Usually, hearing it would make them both giggle, but for now they both looked at the phone intently. Neither one eager to answer. Sarah made the move and picked it up.
“Hello?”
Maurice could hear the tinny crackle of a woman’s voice at the other end but couldn’t make out the conversation. He did see Sarah’s face breaking into a relaxed smile though and he smiled too.
“He’s in intensive care just now but he’s stable and should recover okay.” Sarah said looking toward Maurice as she put the phone back on the table. “Seems you saved Mackenzie’s life today dear. Well done you, have another drink.”
It was two days later before Mackenzie and Angela returned to their cottage. Mackenzie’s father brought
them home and after dropping them off the old man made his way over the bridge to where Sarah and Maurice were standing at the door.
“You must be Maurice and Sarah, I’m George, Mackenzie’s father.” The man said offering an outstretched hand.
“Nice to meet you George. Do come inside.” Sarah offered, guiding the man into the kitchen and pointing to a chair. George settled down into the chair and accepted a bottle of beer from Maurice.
“I just came round to say thank you really.” George said. “He’s my only son you see? A total waste of oxygen but he does have a good heart. He’s not a bad lad really just got mixed up with the wrong types you know?” He poured the beer into a glass and continued.
“Anyway, thank you for saving my son Maurice. He wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for your quick thinking. So I’ll raise my glass to you.”
“Just glad we were in the right place at the right time. And of course we’re both glad Mackenzie survived. Hopefully, he’ll give up on the pills and find another hobby.” Maurice replied.
“Ha! We can hope. If that hasn’t taught him a lesson nothing will. But then, it’s Mackenzie we’re talking about.” George said as he stood up. “I’ll be off. Got to get his mother to the shops before they close and I’ll go and say goodbye to the bedridden idiot over the river there. Thanks again to you both. I appreciate it.”
George made his way to the door and Maurice escorted him out to the driveway before returning to the kitchen.
“Yes, let’s hope that’s an end to his drug issues.” Sarah said as she passed Maurice a glass of brandy.
Later that evening Angela turned up at the door. She was looking tired but relieved. She settled herself in one of the chairs and attempted a weak smile. “Thanks for what you did the other day guys. You were wonderful. I couldn’t get one of those drinks could I?”
“Why yes, yes of course.” Sarah said pouring Angela a glass of wine. “How is Mackenzie? I assume he’s still in bed?”
“Yes he’s in bed. Doctor told him to stay there for a few days and that he had absolutely nothing that would require him to take a pill of any kind for any reason. Though he is hurting like hell from the bruises.” Angela said smiling ruefully at Maurice.
“Bruises? What bruises?” Sarah asked looking from Angela to Maurice.
“I guess I had to hit him a few times to clear his lungs and get his clock going again. I might have been a bit heavy handed.” Maurice replied.
“Oh, oh I see. Well, living with a few bruises is better than dying without any I suppose.” Sarah responded.
Angela went on to explain how they had resuscitated Mackenzie at the hospital and had commented on all the bruising on his back and chest. Telling him how lucky he was someone gave him such a hammering at the right time. His jaw too could barely move to eat after Maurice had wrenched his fist inside it. The good news of course was it kept him quiet and in bed for now so all is well.
“If there’s anything you need Angela, just let us know” Maurice said.
“I wouldn’t say no to another glass of that wine if you don’t mind.” Angela replied. “Oh, did you notice a weird smell when you were over there? Strange but since we got back I keep getting a faint smell of burning wood. We haven’t burned anything since we’ve been there.”
“I did actually. Yes it was burning wood but I looked and couldn’t see anything. Probably just a whiff from the old kitchen range in there. Must have been a fair few ton of wood got burned in that over the years. “
“Yes, of course that’s probably all it is. I guess my nerves are just a bit frazzled these last couple of days is all.” Angela said. “Okay guys thanks for the drink and everything else. I’d best get back and see how the patient is doing." Angela stood up and let herself out of the front door and strolled back over to her own little cottage.
Maurice and Sarah made their way up to their bedroom and collapsed onto the bed.
“Well. I think our long-time of peace and quiet in the middle of nowhere came to an end darling.” Sarah said.
Maurice had climbed back off the bed and was stood at the bedroom window peering into the darkness across at the cottage, across the bridge. ”Aye. It looks that way. Still, this might have shook young Mackenzie up enough to cool his habits.” As he stared out into the night, Maurice noticed a flash of light at the bridge. It looked like a flame and in an instant it was gone.
“That’s weird.” He said, closing the curtains and returning to bed.
“Weird? What is? Haven’t we had enough weird?” Sarah replied.
“Oh nothing. Just too damn tired I suppose. I thought I saw a light bouncing across the bridge to their place. Probably just moonlight bouncing on the river is all. These eyes are getting old.” Maurice laughed climbing into bed.
Sarah snuggled up to him and purred in his ear. “The rest of you certainly isn’t getting old dear.”
Chapter Three
It was almost a week before Angela returned to visit. Sarah watched her as she crossed the bridge and headed for the front door. She was frowning as she knocked. Sarah opened the door and greeted her with a cheery “Hello Angela!”
“Sorry to bother you two. I know we’ve become a pain and everything.” Angela said as they moved into the kitchen.
“No trouble at all Angela. What’s wrong?” Sarah asked as she poured them both a coffee.
“Do you think Maurice could go over and have a word with Mackenzie? He’s refusing to leave the bedroom. He looks terrified every time I open the bedroom door.” Angela said.
“Okay, I’m here. What’s going on? Oh and yes I’ll have a cup of that too if you’re offering.” Maurice said, entering the kitchen from his office.
Angela repeated what she had just told Sarah and Maurice nodded as he listened.
“Perhaps he needs a doctor out here to visit him Angela. It sounds like the trauma might be messing with his head. He’s not taking anything is he?” Maurice said.
“No he’s not taking anything and he refuses to see a doctor. I’ve already tried to convince him of that. He gets angry if I even mention it. He says I don’t understand and to get out of the house. He says its evil, Maurice. Could you talk to him? Please?”
“Let’s finish this coffee and we’ll have a walk over. We thought we’d leave you two alone and in peace for a while. Perhaps we should have visited sooner.” Maurice said.
They drank their coffee in silence and Maurice and Angela set off to the old cottage.
Climbing the stairs, Maurice stopped and sniffed. “I can smell it again Angela, can you?”
“I’ve been smelling it for days and trying to find where it’s coming from. It’s getting stronger if you ask me.” Angela replied.
“It’s certainly more noticeable than the last time I was here.” Maurice said as they entered the bedroom.
Mackenzie was sat up in the bed, huddled into the duvet and staring at the door.
“Close it!” He snapped. “Close it quick!”
Angela closed the door behind them and Maurice seated himself at the end of the bed.
“You look like shit Mackenzie. What’s going on? You’re scaring poor Angela to death.” Maurice said.
“Angie, you need to get the fuck out of here, right now okay. Just go.” Mackenzie snapped. Maurice nodded to Angela and toward the door.
“That’s okay Angela. Go and sit with Sarah and have another coffee. I’ll stay here and chat with Mackenzie awhile.” Maurice said.
Angela left, closing the door behind her. Maurice reached over to the bedside table and took a cigarette from the packet that lay there and lit it.
“Don’t tell Sarah you saw me with this okay?” He smiled. “Now what is going on? Why won’t you leave the bedroom? You should be feeling fit enough to at least go downstairs and maybe outside for some fresh air.”
Mackenzie shuffled the bedding tighter around him and glared at the bedroom door.
“I can’t get out. I mean I can go out but it isn’t our
outside. It isn’t our house out there. I don’t know what the hell it is man. It’s scaring the crap out of me.”
“What are you talking about? I just came up the stairs. It’s your house you idiot. The same house it was two weeks ago. You’re just having a rough time is all?” Maurice said.
“I died Maurice. They told me at the hospital. I died. Even had to have some skin cut off my backside that had gone rotten. You saved my life. But I had died. I saw stuff.” Mackenzie said.
“Always wondered what it would be like to die for a bit. Not permanent of course, just to have a quick sneak peek before the big event. But okay so you died. You’re not dead now. What did you see?” Maurice asked.
“This place. On fire. An old man in the bedroom at the end of the landing out there. He was laughing at me.” Mackenzie said.
“It could have been the drugs screwing your mind Mackenzie. It could have been nature’s way of making you fight to stay alive. But it isn’t here now is it? I just came up here and saw nothing.” Maurice replied.
“It is here. That’s why I can’t get out of the room. Every time I tried I ended up in that other place with that old guy. It’s like hundreds of years ago man. The house looks like shit. All straw and sawdust. And that old bastard sat there laughing at me.” Mackenzie said.
“So what does he want? Some old guy? You could take him down if you wanted right? Just tell him to clear off or you’ll bust his head.” Maurice said smiling.
“He wants you Maurice. He wants you man.”
“Me? What would he want with me?” Maurice replied.
“He keeps saying, 'He saved you, he can save me. He saved you, he can save me.' Over and over and laughing, sat in his damn busted up old chair.” Mackenzie muttered.
“Wait here. I’m going to look in that room okay?” Maurice said.
Thriller: Horror: The Cottage (Mystery Suspense Thrillers) (Haunted Paranormal Short Story) Page 2
