‘I still don’t know how we got out, do you?’ Geoff asked
Jamie decided not to tell Geoff about their Trioptica rescuer and said they were just lucky and must have gently fallen to safety. He hoped that the Trioptica really had been sent by Soupinpota, but had been wondering if perhaps it might be the work of Devilmortex who had just wanted to frighten them for now.
* * *
The boys had just settled in to watch a DVD after their dinner and day of drama in the burning woods, when Debbie answered the telephoned and then called out, ‘It’s for you, Geoff. It’s your mum.’
‘She sounded a bit upset,’ Debbie whispered to Kevin when she sat back down again.
The family tried not to listen, but couldn’t escape hearing lots of, ‘All right, Mum,’
Geoff’s parting words were, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Mum.’
Jamie looked across at his dad, wondering what the news was that meant that Geoff would be going home a week earlier than planned. They didn’t have to wait long before Geoff returned to his seat and explained that he was going home because his Nan had been taken ill and she was asking for him.
‘I’m sorry, Jamie.’
‘Never mind, Geoff,’ Kevin said, ‘there’ll be other visits. That’s’ if you haven’t found our new life in the country too dull.’
‘That’s the last thing I would have called it, Mr Tranter,’ replied Geoff as he sort of grimaced while looking at Jamie.
The film was about an American High School with lots of laughs in it, but it was something else that was providing Jamie’s amusement. He nudged Geoff and nodded in his dad’s direction. Geoff’s puzzled and serious look meant that he wasn’t seeing that his Dad had a pig’s head. Jamie was disappointed that Geoff couldn’t share the fun which must be the work of Soupinpota who was probably trying to cheer him up.
‘Mum which animal does Dad remind you of?’ Jamie asked.
Debbie took a long look at her husband and answered, ‘It must be a cuddly bear, but why do you ask?’
‘I was just thinking about something I saw on the Internet of how people associate those close to them with an animal.’
‘What about you, Dad, what do you see mum as. I bet it’s a little kitten?’
‘Aren’t you watching this film?’ Kevin asked, slightly annoyed at Jamie’s lack of interest in a film that he had chosen. Jamie said that the film was a bit slow at the moment and he was just curious about his parent’s choice.
Kevin sighed. ‘If you must know I see your mum as an elegant swan. Now can we get on with watching the film,’ Kevin urged.
Jamie said he was sorry and settled back in the chair after he’d seen his dad’s face return to normal. Several minutes later Jamie roared with laughter at a funny point in the film, but it was the image of Kevin and Debbie faces now appearing as a bear and a swan that was the real reason for his laughter.
‘It wasn’t that funny, Jamie,’ Kevin said as Jamie’s laughter continued and was bordering on the hysterical.
Jamie’s laughter continued when he saw his mum, dad and Leanne appear as Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and Baby Pig before changing to elephants, then donkeys and finally giraffes.
Jamie finally stopped laughing and said, ‘That was a really, really funny film, don’t you think so, Geoff?’
‘It was funny, but you must have been on the laughing gas.’ Geoff replied.
* * *
The following morning, Kevin took Geoff to the railway station ready to start his journey home to Liverpool and while Kevin went to get Geoff a magazine to read on the train the boys discussed the recent events. Jamie reminded his friend about his promise not to mention what had happened to anyone.
‘As if,’ replied Geoff. ‘Anyway, who would believe me, but I’m thinking of writing to the RSPB about my sighting of a Trioptica.’
They laughed despite their obvious concern of what might lay ahead for Jamie. By tonight, Geoff would be home and safe, but he would be thinking about his friend.
Jamie watched the long line of carriages snake their way out of the station and he was worried. Soupinpota had implied that Devilmortex had targeted Jamie and his family, but Jamie feared that he may extend his reign of terror beyond the Tranter family. Jamie could only hope that Geoff would not become an unwitting victim and an evil Trioptica might soon be seen in the sky above Liverpool.
CHAPTER FORTY
Kevin settled himself on the settee between Debbie and Leanne as the family prepared for their evening television viewing. It seemed quiet after last night when Geoff and Jamie had filled the house with their laughter, although it had been mostly Jamie’s. He looked over at Jamie who seemed unsettled while he waited for a call from Geoff and it wasn’t like Jamie to fuss over such things. Maybe he just wanted to find out if there was any chance of Geoff returning before the holidays ended once he’d seen his Nan. Kevin wasn’t worried about Jamie, but he was still concerned about Debbie and Leanne. He placed an arm around Debbie and Leanne and cuddled them, hoping that it made them feel secure after the events on the beach and Leanne’s terrifying experience at the horse show.
Jamie was thinking about the broken Stanley Machine and wondering if he would ever be able to make contact with Soupinpota. Jamie’s thoughts were interrupted when the telephone rang and he jumped up from his chair and went to answer it in the hallway and it was nearly five minutes before he returned and was looking more relaxed.
‘That was Geoff,’ he reported as if they didn’t know. ‘He said to say thanks again for letting him stay. His Nan is much better and there’s a chance he might come back for the last week of the holiday, if that’s all right.’
‘Of course it’s all right,’ Kevin said. ‘Now let’s watch the film.’
The film was only half way through when Leanne fell asleep and Kevin gave a quiet grunt when he lifted her off the settee before carrying her upstairs to their bed which she had been sleeping in with Debbie since she’d started having bad dreams a few nights ago. Debbie was feeling tired herself and when Kevin came back into the lounge she suggested that it would be best if she went up in case Leanne woke up and had one of her panic attacks.
‘She’ll be fine. She’s sleeping peacefully and you might disturb her if you go up now. I’ll kip down here again tonight.’
Debbie decided to stay and made them all a hot chocolate drink and had just settled beside Kevin when he turned down the volume on the television.
‘What was that?’ he asked.
‘I didn’t hear anything, Dad,’ Jamie answered, eager to see the end of the film.
Debbie hadn’t heard anything either so Kevin turned the volume back up, but a minute later he was throwing the remote control aside when he heard Leanne’s screams. Kevin mounted the stairs followed by Debbie, both thinking that Leanne must have had a bad dream. They had both dreaded that she might end up having a reoccurring nightmares connected with recent events.
Leanne had the duvet pulled up to her chin, but her eyes were staring at the ceiling. ‘There’s something up there, Daddy’
Debbie sat on the bed beside her daughter and then cuddled her as she explained that she must have had a bad dream.
‘I didn’t, Mum. I heard it again just before you came up.’
Kevin frowned, ‘I know what that will be. Debs I told you not to throw bird nuts and leftover food on the lawn because it attracts the squirrels that old Rufus warned me about. Apparently the little beggars can chew the electric cables in the loft if they get really hungry.’
‘Daddy it sounded as though there were lots of them and they were making a squealing noise.’
‘You’ll have to go and have a look in the loft, Kevin, because she’s not going to settle down otherwise.’
‘All right, Princess, I’ll leave the light on up there and it might make them clear off and then tomorrow I’ll get the council to get rid of them.’
‘I like squirrels, Daddy. Will the men from the council kill them?’
‘No, they won’t kill t
hem, Princess. They’ll use a special gadget which emits some kind of high pitched tone. That will frighten them away and then I can block the gap in the loft where that must have got in through.’
Kevin had no idea how the pest control people would handle things or how much it would cost, but he just hoped his explanation had comforted his fragile daughter.
‘Good old Uncle Stanley,’ Kevin said as he reached for the pole that he kept near the bedroom door and used it to open the loft cover and then pull down the loft ladder that his Uncle must have fitted. It was certainly easier than the mountaineering act that he used to perform in his old house before he could get into the loft. When he reached the top of the ladder he reached out for the light switch on the rafter he’d located when he stored the suitcases up there. The available loft space was quite small because Jamie’s special room had been the result of a loft conversion and occupied nearly half of the original space and Jamie would probably have been able to hear the pests had he been in his room.
‘Now you little beggars, where are you?’ Kevin felt the shiver run down his spine when he saw that all the joists were crammed with bats and even more clung to the felt on the underside of the roof. Then he spotted some movement on the loft floor that was covered in rats. He slid down the ladder and then fumbled with the pole as he tried to push the ladder back up, so he could close the hatch cover.
‘What’s happening, Kevin’ Debbie shouted after she had heard the clanging of the ladder on the landing.
Kevin grabbed the pole to close the hatch door and he was about to shout that everything was all right when a small group of the bats escaped through the opening and flew into the bedroom. Kevin slammed the loft door shut and was relieved that none of the rats he had seen covering the loft floor like a wall to wall carpet had managed to escape. Kevin tried to use the loft ladder pole to ward off the bats as they dived towards Debbie and Leanne who were screaming. The bats easily evaded his attempts to strike them and he threw the pole aside and used himself as shield to try and protect Debbie and Leanne whose screams were just as terrifying as when she had feared that she was about to be attacked by sharks.
Kevin cried out when he felt the heat on the back of his head and rolled off the bed and faced the bat that was emitting a long trace of flame from its tiny mouth, while the other bats appeared to be laughing at him. Kevin burnt his hand when he touched the singed hair on the back of his head and then grabbed the pillow that had fallen on the floor. He used the pillow to swot the circling bats causing one of them to crash against the wardrobe, but it recovered and joined the others in attacking the side of his neck, digging their sharp claws into his skin. Kevin screamed out with the pain, but he still managed to grab and squeeze one of the attackers in his hand. The squashed bat emitted a screeching sound that filled the room and bit Kevin’s hand causing Kevin to release his grip on the bat and it managed to fly out of the room with the others.
‘They’ve gone,’ Kevin said trying to sound confident even though he was shaking violently and the side of his neck was throbbing. He paused before doing his best to reassure Debbie and Leanne that everything was going to be all right. He was stricken with a fresh dread when Debbie’s head appeared from beneath the duvet.
‘What about, Jamie,’ she had cried out.
Kevin had forgotten about his son and now he was wondering why Jamie hadn’t come to investigate the noise. He hoped the bats hadn’t gone downstairs, but they must have done because where else could they be!
Kevin told Debbie and Leanne to stay hidden under the duvet while he went to check downstairs. Luckily they hadn’t seen his bloodstained shirt or wounded neck because it would have freaked them out if they had.
Kevin paused beneath the loft hatch, listening for any noise or movement above, but it was silent. He was thinking that he would need to get his family safely away from the house, but first he needed to check on Jamie.
‘Jamie, is everything all right down there?’ Kevin called out as he hurried downstairs, armed with only a pillow to swot the bats if they reappeared.
He tiptoed into the lounge, conscious that there was no sound from the television. He could see the still figure of Jamie on the settee who looked as though he was watching television, but the TV was turned off.
‘Jamie has anything happened down here?’
‘Spiders, Dad. Big hairy spiders were crawling over the television screen and came down onto the carpet. They were spitting out a saliva or venom and it was still on the carpet after they disappeared, but it must have dried up. I could hear you shouting, but was too frightened to speak or move.’
‘Right, get your coat Jamie. We’re leaving. I’ll phone Mr Rosser and ask him if we can sleep in his caravan tonight and if not we’ll find a hotel.’
‘What’s happened to your neck, Dad?’ asked Jamie when he spotted the wounds.’
Kevin told him that he would explain later and then went into the hallway and put on his high collared jacket to hide his injured neck before he raced upstairs and told Debbie about his plans for them to go to the Rosser Farm. She didn’t question him and set about gathering some clothes and other things that they would need to take with them.
* * *
The family members hardly spoke during the journey to the Rosser farm except for Debbie’s consoling words as she cradled the sobbing Leanne in her arms as they sat in the back of the car.
Pat Rosser insisted that Debbie and Leanne slept in the house and made sure that Kevin and Jamie had dry blankets for their stay in the caravan. Kevin was glad that Pat Rosser had not questioned him about the emergency family crisis that had prompted Kevin’s telephone call asking if they could stay at the farm. He wasn’t sure what he would have replied because although he had no experience of bats he had never heard of them emitting flames from their mouths.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Debbie and Kevin had suffered a restless night reliving their experience of the attack by the bats that had caused them to flee from their house. They had much to consider and left the children watching television in the farmhouse while they went for a walk. Neither of them wanted to leave their new home and they knew that Jamie would be happy to stay. Their main concern was Leanne who was still traumatised this morning and had not wanted them to leave her, even for a short time and in the safety of the Rosser farm house.
By the time Debbie and Kevin had returned from their walk they had decided that they would never live in the house again because they feared that it would be too painful and upsetting for their little girl. They planned to return to Liverpool and stay with Kevin’s brother Steven until they had sold the house in Steaderton and bought another house close to where they had lived before.
Pat Rosser was sorry to hear about Kevin’s plans to leave, accepting Kevin’s apology for leaving at short notice. Kevin had not revealed anything about the incidents in the house and just said they were leaving for personal reasons. Kevin made the call to his brother who told him that there wouldn’t be any problem with them staying for as long as they wanted and then Kevin asked Jamie to go with him to help load up the van which he intended to hire.
As Kevin drove out of the farm he saw Leanne clinging to Debbie and he was glad that he was going to be making sure that Debbie and Leanne would never see or step inside the house ever again.
‘So, what do you think about leaving, son?’ Kevin asked on the journey from the farm to the house. Jamie hesitated before he replied, wondering if it was time to tell his dad what had really been going on and who was to blame. Just thinking about Devilmortex made him decide to keep quiet, at least for the moment. Hopefully, Devilmortex would lose interest once they had left the area and they would be safe when they were back in Liverpool.
‘To be honest, Dad, I wish we were staying. What happened to us is spooky, real spooky, but I like it here. I know that we’ve got to leave, but perhaps when I’m older I might come back one day.’
‘I know how you feel son, but as I explained there�
��s no way I could risk putting your mum and Leanne through another night like last night, especially Leanne. Anyway, I don’t think we could get Leanne to step inside the house, because she was really freaked out with what happened with the bats. Well, so were me and your mum and there was what happened at Crowley Door and so maybe we were never meant to stay here and there is some sort of jinx on the house or us.’
Jamie was recalling his own incident with the spiders, but his sister had experienced something much worse. If only his dad knew that the horrors experienced by the family had nothing to do with a jinx.
Kevin outlined his plans to Jamie by explaining, ‘We’ll stop off at the house before we go into town so I can arrange the van hire and I should be able to park the Vectra there. I can get someone from the farm to run me in later to pick it up and I’ll leave it outside the house. I’ll come back by train in a few days and make arrangement for the house to be put up for sale and have our furniture put in storage and then drive the Vectra back to Liverpool. We’d best say our goodbyes to old Rufus and make up some excuse why we’re leaving.’
There was no sign of the previous night’s horror when they entered the house and Kevin was tempted to have a peep in the loft, but decided against it.
‘Dad, I’d like to stay here while you’re arranging the van because I need to get some files off the computers.’
‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea, son. Anyway, you can take both computers because they’ll be room in the van I’m going to hire. You and me will travel in the van and I’ll put your mum and Leanne on the train. Uncle Steve will pick them up at the station.’
‘I’d rather back up the data, Dad, just in case anything happens. The van might get broken into at a service station or the computers get damaged in some way.’
‘Why don’t you wait until we both come back from town after I’ve sorted out the van hire? It’ll save you being in the house on your own.’
Jamie assured his dad that he would be fine and it would save time. Kevin reluctantly agreed and as he drove off he gave Jamie an anxious wave, but he was pleased that Jamie was showing such bottle after being terrified by the giant spiders he had seen last night.
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