NO ORDINARY ROOM

by Bill Williams

  * * *

  The next morning Jamie was still feeling very rough and wasn’t well enough to go to school. He had made a number of visits to his computer room and the status indicator was still showing ‘disconnected’. He had intended to keep checking, but his mum had insisted that he stayed down on the settee or went back to bed. He would have to suffer some serious pampering from his mum, but he was remembering Soupinpota’s warning to avoid going outside the house and so he planned to make the most of his injury to avoid going to school for the rest of the week.

  * * *

  By the time it was Friday Jamie was bored out of his socks and so when his dad arrived home he told him that he was feeling much better and was ready to go back to school on Monday.

  ‘That’s good news, son. The bruising has nearly gone, but I was beginning to think you might have some internal injuries. I bet you can’t wait to meet up with your mates and if you feel up to it perhaps we could have a gentle kick about on the field tomorrow. You’ve been cooped up inside all week and it will do you good to get some fresh air.’

  ‘I’m not sure I’m ready for that just yet, Dad,’

  ‘No worries, maybe we can sit in the garden later and play one of those board games.’

  Jamie told his dad that it was a good idea, but he was already trying to think of excuses to avoid venturing outside before he went to school on Monday.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  It was a typical Saturday morning in the Tranter household. Leanne was playing with her dolls. Mum was in the kitchen emptying the washing machine after the overnight wash, while dad and son were busy doing what they always did. Kevin was reading the newspaper and Jamie was watching television.

  Kevin rarely read anything other than the sports section and the front page and he was soon folding the paper and placing it on the coffee table in front of him.

  ‘So, are you coming with us to town this morning, our Jamie? Kevin asked showing fresh concern that his son had been cooped up all week. ‘You really should get out today.’

  Before Jamie could answer with another excuse Kevin went to answer a knock on the door, ruffling Jamie’s hair as he passed by him. Jamie heard the door being shut and then his dad saying, ‘Jamie’s through there in the living room.’

  Jamie sat up, wondering who the caller was and he hoped it wasn’t one of his teachers. He was proud of his dad, but he could be embarrassing at times, especially in front of teachers. Jamie recognised one of the men immediately and the other was familiar and they weren’t teachers.

  ‘Mr Judd wanted to see you again and check if Uncle Stanley’s computer is still working. I told him about your accident in the garden.’

  Cyril Judd looked concerned as he greeted Jamie, ‘I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t been well, young Jamie, but I just wanted to make sure that the old computer is still working. This is ………’

  ‘I think Jamie knows who I am,’ the other man interrupted, ‘don’t you, Jamie?’

  Jamie looked in the direction of his dad before he replied, ‘You’re my dad’s Uncle Stanley, aren’t you?’

  ‘Don’t be daft, Jamie!’ Kevin said showing a rare trace of embarrassment as he studied the face of the man who was supposed to be dead.

  ‘Yes, Jamie, I’m Uncle Stanley,’ he replied and then addressed his nephew. ‘I’m sorry, Kevin, for shocking you in this way, but I have my reasons. Some of which I will be able to explain later, but I really am your Uncle Stanley.’

  Kevin gave a huge sigh and then asked, ‘But how does Jamie know who you are. He hasn’t even seen a single photograph of you and you are supposed to be …..’ Kevin faltered and Uncle Stanley said, ‘Dead, yes I know it must be a real shock for you.’

  Kevin turned to Jamie and asked, ‘What’s this all about, our Jamie? ’

  ‘I have seen a photograph on the computer, but I couldn’t tell you about it and I really thought Uncle Stanley was dead until just now.’

  ‘This must all seem very strange to you, Kevin, but my friend Cyril and I are here because we have some important work to do and I would like you to trust me for just a short while. We need to speak to Jamie alone, upstairs in the computer room.’

  Kevin studied the face of the man who was claiming to be his ‘dead’ uncle. The bushy eyebrows were certainly like his old dad’s, as was the straight nose. He was older looking than he remembered his dad before he died, but there was a likeness.

  ‘Have you come to claim your house back?’

  Uncle Stanley made it clear that the house was Kevin’s to keep and he had no intention of trying to claim it back.

  ‘I’m sorry for suggesting that, but all of this is doing my head in,’ Kevin apologised. ‘You do what you have to do upstairs and I’ll make us all a cup of tea.’

  Uncle Stanley smiled, ‘That would be nice, thank you. Now, if Jamie will lead the way to his computer room please, although I do know where it is.’

  Kevin was holding a tray with tea cups on and stood at the foot of the stairs when Debbie came in from the garden where she had been hanging out the washing.

  ‘Who are those for? Has our Jamie got some mates in?’ Debbie asked.

  ‘Hang on, love. I’ll be down in a minute and make you a cuppa. One of these is for Uncle Stanley.’

  Kevin continued on his way upstairs while Debbie scolded him from making jokes about such things.

  Debbie was looking serious when Kevin came back down and he explained about their visitors and the dramatic appearance of Uncle Stanley.

  ‘And you believe him?’ asked a sceptical Debbie

  ‘Of course I believe him. Do you think I’d leave him with our Jamie and make him a cup tea if I didn’t?’

  ‘Did he say where he’s been all this time?’ Debbie asked.

  ‘Well I don’t suppose he’s been in some graveyard until they dug him up again. Perhaps he’s been in one of those deepfreeze capsules,’ replied Kevin, trying to sound serious.

  ‘Kevin stop it, he might hear you,’ whispered Debbie.

  Kevin smiled and said, ‘So, you do think it’s him?’

  ‘I suppose so. If he’s convinced you then it must be true. What will happen to us when he moves back in?’ asked an anxious Debbie.

  ‘We’ll have to lodge next door with Rufus and his mum until we decide what to do,’ joked Kevin and then added, ‘Hang on, it sounds as though they’re coming down.’

  * * *

  Rufus turned on the tap and washed the lettuce that he’d picked from his garden and then made a cup of tea for him and mother. He was annoyed when he discovered that the biscuit tin was empty because it had been half full this morning and his mother didn’t like them.

  ‘You’ve been feeding those birds chocolate biscuits again. It’s a wonder that I grow anything after the way you attract then into the garden,’ he grumbled as he placed the cups down on the small table.

  ‘Don’t be silly, Rufus. Why would the birds want to eat your seed when they can have chocolate biscuits? What would you sooner have?’

  Rufus decided to ignore the question and told her that he’d seen two old men digging in the garden next door and one of them was no stranger.

  ‘Who was it then?’

  ‘It was the former occupant, Stanley.’

  Mrs Cranleigh frowned and gave Rufus a disbelieving look before she spoke, ‘But I thought he was dead!’

  ‘I knew there was something fishy going on. He just disappeared and we never found out if he was supposed to have died in hospital or had an accident and now he’s back.’

  ‘But why is he digging. I don’t ever remember seeing him do any digging while he was living there?’

  ‘He’s digging in the spot where the young feller got hurt. His dad made a real mess of removing that creeper when he attacked it like a man possessed.’

  ‘Maybe he disturbed something that belonged to the Uncle and he’s come to check that it’s still there,’ Mrs Cranleigh suggested.

  * * *

&
nbsp; Uncle Stanley had waited until he’d heard nosey Rufus close his kitchen door before he made his way to the shed for the second time. Kevin and Debbie watched him from the kitchen window as he carried the large box from the shed and placed it beside the freshly dug earth, the result of Kevin’s recent digging.

  Uncle Stanley knelt down and scraped away the soil with a small trowel and turned to Cyril and shook his head in a way that suggested that they had a serious problem.

  ‘What are they doing, our Jamie,’ Kevin asked when Jamie came into the kitchen.

  ‘They’ve got some odd looking components in that box, but I don’t know what they’re doing, Dad and that’s the truth, but you can trust them. ’

  ‘Trust them! Why wouldn’t I trust them?’ Kevin asked, surprised by his son’s comment.

  ‘No reason, but it is a bit weird Uncle Stanley coming back like he did.’ Jamie replied trying to get himself out of trouble, because he was thinking that Soupinpota was behind Uncle Stanley’s reappearance.

  * * *

  The two old friends were looking weary when they back into the house. They had only paused briefly to drink Debbie’s regular supply of tea.

  ‘I think we’re in luck,’ Uncle Stanley had whispered as he passed Jamie in the kitchen. ‘Give us ten minutes and come up to the computer room.’

  ‘He’s lovely, Kevin’ Debbie said when Uncle Stanley had left the kitchen, ‘They both are and real gentlemen, not like some I could mention, but your dad was a bit like Uncle Stanley, I mean, well mannered?’

  Kevin laughed, remembering his dad. ‘Not exactly, but he always respected women. Never said a rude word in their presence and pity anyone that did when he was around.’

  ‘Dad, are you like Granddad Tranter?’ Jamie asked.

  ‘Of course he is,’ Debbie answered and looked towards the ceiling.

  ‘I suppose I am, son. Mind you he did support the other lot at football, just like our Steven.’

  Jamie told his dad that he was going up to check and see how Uncle Stanley was getting on and he was to receive good news when he entered the room and saw a smiling Uncle Stanley who told him that he should be able to use the Cyber Service later.

  ‘Ace, Unc,’ Jamie said and then corrected himself, ‘I mean fantastic, Uncle Stanley.’

  A puzzled Uncle Stanley smiled and Cyril explained that ‘ace’ meant that Jamie was trying to say that he was pleased and it was his way of saying, thank you.’

  ‘You owe your thanks to Mr Judd as well.’

  Jamie willingly offered his thanks to Mr Judd who he regarded as a real genius, who was a zillion times cleverer than even Bill Gates. Well, maybe a bit cleverer.

  Jamie asked Uncle Stanley if his computer was as good as new.

  ‘Not exactly, Jamie. The computer will not perform on-line as well as before. I’m going to tell your dad that I would like to return tomorrow evening and we might be able to prepare the way to put an end to what has been happening to you. I can’t tell you anymore just now.’

  Before he left, Uncle Stanley explained that Kevin had destroyed a vital part of the communications link when he attacked the roots of the creeper. Uncle Stanley had only smiled when Jamie had asked how Uncle Stanley had known about the damage.

  * * *

  Uncle Stanley returned as planned just after the family had finished their dinner and he eased Kevin’s curiosity when he explained to him why he had ‘died’. Uncle Stanley explained that he was involved in a secret project which had placed him in danger of being abducted by a foreign intelligence service. It had been decided that it would be best if his ‘death’ was faked. He was given a false identity and set up in a safe house, but the authorities knew that they had to be thorough and make his death look real.

  ‘It must have been weird, knowing that you were supposed to be dead.’

  ‘It was at first and I had to be careful when I visited Steaderton or came near here in case your neighbours saw me. I wouldn’t have wanted to frighten the people next door for instance.’

  ‘So, why did you come back?’ Kevin asked.

  ‘I have reason to believe that some agents of a foreign power might try and steal the computer that I left to Jamie.’

  ‘What you mean that old junk? It very nearly ended up being crushed at the dump.’

  ‘That old junk is rather special and I built it myself, Kevin, but I gather that unlike Jamie you are not very well up on technical matters.’

  ‘Sorry, Uncle Stanley I didn’t mean to be insulting, but it is rather old and you are right about me and techie stuff. I haven’t got a clue.’

  ‘No offence taken, Kevin and even those who have knowledge of such things wouldn’t fully understand my machine. I came back to help restore it, but I have discussed with Jamie that it would be best if Mr Judd took the computer away soon.’

  When Kevin asked him if the family was in any kind of danger his Uncle paused before replying. ‘No, but as a precaution it might be a good idea if you take the children to school tomorrow. I would like to return early tomorrow morning before the children leave for school and do some more work on the computer that needs to be done before Cyril takes it away.’

  Kevin was thinking that Uncle Stanley had suggested tomorrow’s arrangements so that Jamie wouldn’t see the old computer being taken away. Kevin invited Uncle Stanley to stay with them for the night, insisting that he slept in Jamie’s bed while Jamie kipped down on a camp bed in the computer room. Uncle Stanley was reluctant at first, but Kevin finally persuaded him, explaining that it would be an opportunity for him to tell them about his early life in Liverpool and some old family stories, especially those involving Kevin’s dad.

  By the time the children retired to bed the family had listened to lots of stories about Granddad Tranter and Jamie had been amused by some that had also involved his dad when he was too young to remember them. Jamie had been fascinated about Uncle Stanley’s early life and to learn that he had taught himself about electronics. He was a modest man who had attained a senior grade in the Ministry of Defence communications division.

  The family had no way of knowing that Uncle Stanley was about to face a very restless and sad night. He had learned that this would probably be the last time there would be such a family gathering because he had been told that Devilmortex would strike again tomorrow.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  There was a bit of teasing when the family sat down for breakfast about the prospect of Jamie’s first day back of school since Rufus rescued him from being choked by a creeper plant in the back garden. Kevin had arranged to go into work late so he could carry out Uncle Stanley’s suggestion of taking the children to school. The family said their goodbyes to Uncle Stanley and when Jamie shook hands with him he said, ‘Thanks for everything, Uncle Stanley; perhaps I’ll see you later.’

  Uncle Stanley was obviously very fond of Jamie and Debbie had bit her bottom lip when she had seen the old man’s watery eyes when Jamie turned away, but Uncle Stanley called him back and asked Kevin if he could show Jamie something upstairs.

  ‘Sure, no problem, Uncle Stanley, we are a bit early seeing as how we’re driving in.’

  Jamie followed Uncle Stanley upstairs and when he returned just a few minutes later he told his dad that Uncle Stanley had put aside some tools for him to keep and given him a computer book which was brill. Kevin marshalled the family to their car ready to make the short trip to the schools.

  When they made the first stop, Leanne hugged her mum and dad and pulled tongues at Jamie who was still inside the car. They waited until a sulky Leanne had walked through the school gate after her mum had made her say a proper goodbye to Jamie and then Kevin headed for Jamie’s school which was a short distance away.

  Jamie had been adamant that he didn’t want to be delivered to the school entrance, but agreed that they could drop him off about fifteen yards from the gate on the other side of the road. Kevin was about to drive off when his mobile phone rang and he took the call from Pat
Rosser telling him about a forthcoming show that he wanted him to attend.

  Debbie had watched Jamie trudge away with the heavy backpack slung over his shoulder and she said a silent, ‘Good boy’ when she saw Jamie check for traffic as he stopped at the zebra crossing. The crossing was normally manned by a lollipop lady, but she was absent today. Although Jamie was a teenager, Debbie still worried about him, especially at this time of morning when some drivers were in a rush because they were late for work.

  Jamie was about to step off the crossing when Debbie and Kevin saw the approaching car hit him, sending his body into the air before it fell onto the car bonnet and then dropped to the ground and was pushed along until the car stopped some yards away from the crossing, There was a delay, caused by disbelief and shock before Debbie and Kevin started screaming. Kevin was the first to react and dashed across the road, ignoring the danger to himself, oblivious to the traffic around him and the noise from the blasts on the car horns. Kevin was soon hearing the shouts and screams from some of those who were close to the accident.

  Kevin wasn’t the first to arrive at the tragic scene and the man who had stooped down near the front of the car looked up at Kevin and shook his head.

  Kevin’s agonised cry of, ‘No, No,’ nearly caused Debbie to stumble, but she stayed on her feet and reached the car to hear the lady driver screaming hysterically in between cries of, ‘I didn’t see him, I didn’t see him.’

  Kevin moved quickly to stop Debbie from seeing the trapped body.

  ‘Is he your father?’ asked the passer-by who had been first on the scene.

  Kevin had tears in his eyes when he replied, ‘No, he’s my Uncle.’

  Debbie became hysterical when she caught a glimpse of the highly polished brogues that Uncle Stanley wore and pummelled Kevin as he dragged her away.

  ‘What’s happening to us Kevin, what’s happening to us? Where’s Jamie? ’ Debbie shrieked as she continued to pummel Kevin’s chest with her clenched fists.

  ‘I don’t know, Debs, but he must have just gone out of sight.’