Clifton Falls

by L A Taylor

  “Wayne, there’s nothing you could’ve done to prevent Nash’s death.”

  “I was in charge. Everything that went on in that house was down to me, but I fucked up big time. I was responsible for two deaths.”

  Mike needed his second-in-command fully focused. He worried that if things weren’t sorted out fast then Wayne could lose it, spreading the word about what’d happened.

  “Sit down, have a rest. I’m sure you could do with one.”

  “Sitting down won’t automatically make the horror go away.” Wayne stared into emptiness as though he could see something only he knew was there. “I keep seeing the beast with those evil eyes. It slaughtered Nash and tried to kill me.

  There has to be some kind of witchcraft going on around here. How else can we explain this?”

  It was one of those days where Mike was to be the victim of high-toned verbal abuse from everyone. First Hazel had shouted at him and now Wayne was aiming his anger toward him. Mike knew the other man was on edge but he needed to keep this low profile.

  “You’d better calm down before news gets out about these bizarre happenings. I don’t want the town finding out about this. There’ll be chaos everywhere and I personally don’t need any more shit to deal with today.”

  Wayne stepped in and interrupted his superior’s little speech.

  “But chief, if we don’t warn the people about the dangers then we’re going to have a massacre on our hands, and I don’t want to be part of that.”

  He wasn’t thinking properly. If the townsfolk got wind of this vital information, be it true or false, then there would be pandemonium, people would scatter, and the streets would fill with frantic, frightened humans. This would be too much for the police to control. Mike needed a softer approach, something that would sway the other man into agreeing with him. “We don’t know for sure if there’s any more of those weird characters roaming around. We must keep this hush, hush, until we’re certain that the town is in critical danger.”

  The tired sergeant still wasn’t happy. “You’re the boss, but let’s hope for everyone’s sake you’re right.”

  Mike felt alone on this subject. He needed the support from his sergeant, because one slip up from Wayne and the news would spread as quickly as a forest fire.

  “Wayne, I mean it. Don’t even think about breathing a word of this to anyone. We’ll sort it out.”

  Both men agreed to disagree. Either way it meant Wayne was going to keep this tight against his chest.

  Mike explained about the truck driver passing away. It seemed both men were going to have a few horror stories to tell their grandchildren one day.

  Mike mentioned there was a good chance that both of them would need to take a blood test to confirm whether they’d contracted something from the recent victims of the crazy, unexplained virus. It wasn’t greeted with the greatest of praise from Wayne, but he knew it made sense.

  “I’m also going to need Susan to give a blood sample. She was with me when Frank came into the station.”

  Wayne raised his eyebrows as he nodded in agreement.

  Hazel had been down in the morgue for over twenty minutes so Mike’s patience gave way. He couldn’t wait any longer for her to return so took Wayne to find her.

  TWELVE

  The telephone handset had just been replaced at the National Bank as Karen told Blake some distressing news about the Smythes. The policeman said they’d been in an accident and her name was down as contact in case of an emergency. Mary had used her name because the old couple had no known next of kin.

  Blake took control of transport and arrived at Karen’s works within ten minutes. He knew his wife would be staring out of the window and would see him drive up to the bank, so didn’t exit the car. Karen rushed out through the main doors and into the waiting vehicle, but her eyes appeared puzzled as she scanned the interior.

  “This isn’t your car. Whose is it?”

  “I’ve borrowed it from Todd. He took my advice and bought a car just like mine.”

  “Well, I could’ve picked you up.”

  “You sounded very low when you called me, so I didn’t think

  you were in the right frame of mind to drive...”

  Karen gave her husband an infuriated glare.

  Was he implying that I wasn’t capable of driving? The thought faded

  just as quickly as it appeared after Blake spoke again. “Don’t take what I said the wrong way, love, I didn’t mean you wouldn’t be able to drive, I just thought you mightn’t feel up to it.” She relaxed, responding to his soothing tone. “Shall we go and find out what’s going on with the old couple?”

  Karen smiled, indicating she was ready for the short journey. Blake could tell she was still very much stressed over the whole incident. She mightn’t show it, but he knew.

  The clock above the hospital sign had just turned 3.00pm when the couple arrived. They headed toward reception, standing in front of the receptionist. The lady smiled at them but they didn’t speak to her. It was as if they’d forgotten why they were there. “Excuse me, can I help you?” she asked them.

  Blake and Karen glanced at each other for a second then Karen said. “Yes, sorry. I received a call from the police earlier to say that my boss and his wife had been in an accident. Can you tell me more details please?”

  “Okay. Tell me their names and I’ll find out where they were taken and what’s happened to them?”

  Karen trembled slightly. The closer she was to finding out about the mentioned couple, the more nervous she became. The names were passed over to the other woman and checked on the computer. Nothing showed on the screen; no one by those names had checked in today according to the machine. “The computer says ‘no’,” the chuckling receptionist replied.

  This wasn’t greeted well by Blake. “My wife asked you a serious question, but you feel it appropriate to take a gag from a comedy sketch.”

  The woman stopped her childish humour and puffed out her cheeks. “Are you sure they were taken to this hospital? The computer isn’t registering anyone by the name of Smythe coming in today.”

  Blake placed a comforting arm around Karen. He didn’t need people trying to make her look like a right idiot.

  “Look, my wife was told that they were in an accident and the nearest hospital is here. Maybe your computer is wrong.” The receptionist felt slightly shell-shocked by the sudden outburst, but this didn’t stop Blake from off loading more angry words. “I’d like you to find someone who we can discuss this with. Maybe someone higher up, if that’s not too much trouble for you.”

  Wayne returned from the morgue. He required some fresh air, but the receptionist spotted him as he tried to sneak outside. Her crazy waving caught his attention so he had to see what she wanted. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked her.

  The receptionist now had painted circles of crimson around her cheeks after Blake’s barrage caused her to feel very much incompetent. “Do you know anything about a married couple being brought in earlier? Surname is Smythe?”

  “Why? Who wants to know?” The woman pointed at the couple. Wayne needed some rest, but now had to talk to a couple of uptight and eager humans. The big discussion with his chief was going to come up very soon so he had to tread carefully in order to prevent the truth from leaking out. “I’ll answer any questions you want to ask, but let’s do it in private.”

  This puzzled the receptionist.

  Why wasn’t the information on the computer screen?

  Everyone, except Wayne seemed confused by it all, but not one of them said anything to him.

  The receptionist watched as the others entered the waiting room. Karen sensed there was a problem and the whole business of Wayne taking them into a room wasn’t looking like good news.

  “Take a seat,” Wayne said.

  She remained on edge, anxious that she was to be given bad news. “Look, I don’t want a seat. I just want to know what’s happened to Mr and Mrs Smythe.”

>   Wayne was stuck for words. The truth was a “no entry” sign so a false truth needed to be found. It had to be good to keep the married pair quiet for a while.

  “What’s your relationship to the couple?”

  “Well, Vincent’s my boss, but I’ve known them for a while.”

  Wayne knew Karen worked at the bank, as he was one of the officers assigned to the murder case a few months ago, but he’d a plan to pound the woman with questions in order to stray her away from the actual events.

  “It’s a bit strange that someone would phone you and not any of their family.”

  “I don’t think they have any.” Karen’s heartbeat pounded excessively fast for her to control, so Blake calmed her down. The family question was enough to make her think the worst. “Why are you asking me that for?” she said, holding a hand up to her face.

  “I was just checking that’s all…”

  There were two things Wayne wasn’t very good at, one was giving bad news and the other was lying, so this was a great time to break the habit. “Your boss and his wife were involved in an accident occurring earlier today. They died instantly. There was nothing anyone could do to save them.” He paused, and then added. “I’m really sorry.”

  Karen burst into tears, holding out her hands to signal to her husband to put his arms around her again. She then rested her head on his chest.

  Blake wanted to find out more about the old couple’s sudden death. It just didn’t seem to add up that they were involved in an accident. Not those two, surely, he thought.

  “What kind of accident?” he asked.

  There could well be a battle of words happening here. If Blake kept on digging for the right answers then Wayne would have to come up with his trump cards, if he’d any.

  Blake kept pushing. “The whole thing doesn’t sound right. Was it a car crash?”

  Wayne wasn’t in the mood for an extension. As far as he was concerned the news was told in the right manner.

  If Blake’s going to let his feelings out then okay, but he wasn’t personally going to aim them at me.

  “Look, I know you’ve a million questions to ask me, but I don’t know how they died,” replied Wayne.

  Karen remained with her head against Blake, but now watched the officer’s movements instead of crying. Blake still had a feeling that the sergeant wasn’t telling him everything and was keeping something back, but what?

  “Where are they now?”

  Wayne hoped the questions would end soon because if not, there could well be a chance he’ll slip up.

  “They’re being examined.”

  “I take it we can’t see them then?”

  “That’s right, well not just yet, maybe later.”

  Wayne seemed pleased with his answers and felt he was now off the hook.

  Karen removed her head and asked. “Can we see them when the time is right?”

  “Whoever you spoke to wanted you to identify the bodies, so yes you can. I’ll let you know when, but in the meantime you can remain in this room.” Wayne was now given the chance to exit the area without getting his head bitten off, but stopped as he approached the door again. “I’ll ask my chief to have a word with you. Maybe he can explain things more thoroughly.”

  He headed back to the receptionist because he needed her to keep an eye on the couple. He asked her to supply them with beverages and not to let anyone enter the room unless they were from the police or the hospital services. He knew that snooping reporters could show up to pester the husband and wife very soon. It wouldn’t take long before the press found out about the deaths of everyone in that house and the ones from earlier. They were probably gaining stories from the people who were outside the house of horror at the time of the killings. They hadn’t seen what was going on, but they sure as hell would’ve heard everything.

  Wayne returned downstairs to speak to Mike. The chief had been in deep conversation with Colin, (the head of the morgue department), over who was who? He knew he would have to wait a while before the surgeon finally identified the cause of Frank’s sudden death, but he’d been able to rescue some information from the dead man’s jacket to contact a next of kin.

  Wayne saw dead bodies sprawled out on tables as he re-entered the morgue room. The human remains appeared gruesome, except for Frank’s. The not so human-like bodies were shoved in the corner for now. It would take a very long time before anybody identified these.

  Colin was the top surgeon for tidying up the dead. He stood, wearing a blood-spattered uniform, but was so focused on his job that he failed to notice traces of the red liquid tattooed to his balding scalp. He’d placed the bodies out, but seemed just as baffled by them as everyone else. Wayne had more to contribute than Mike as he’d witnessed the dark side recently. Colin dived on him with questions. The chief made a signal to indicate he would pay the upset couple a visit. He then left the area.

  “So, Wayne, you’re telling me that these ugly corpses over here attacked the other ones over there?”

  “That’s correct. I can’t explain it, but that’s what happened.”

  “If everything you’re saying is true then we’re dealing with the living dead. You know, walking zombies.” Colin waved his hands around like some kind of a crazed weirdo. “If this mess isn’t sorted out soon then the whole town could become infected.” He grabbed onto Wayne, snapping teeth together as he did so. This totally confused the sergeant. “Who else knows the truth about this?”

  Wayne felt confused. What’s he going on about? Why does he think they’re zombies? They don’t exist in real life.

  “I’m sorry Colin, but there’s no such thing as a zombie. It’s made up nonsense. You’ve been reading too many comic magazines.”

  “Is it? How’d you know? What other answers have you come up with?”

  These questions popped out of Colin’s mouth as quickly as an automatic firearm. Wayne couldn’t believe that the other man was taken in by the story, but seemed so genuine that Wayne began to consider his words. Truth was he’d no answer for what was happening, and Colin’s fantasy theory sounded better than his nonexistent one.

  Mike sat with the married pair, explaining what’d happened to Vincent and Mary Smythe. He was a more convincing liar than Wayne and knew how to concoct a tale when needed to do so. His mind opened up a box of tricks, or in this case, a box of lies, so all he needed to do was to make them believe him.

  “What happened to them?” Karen asked.

  “Mr Smythe returned home and noticed his wife sprawled out on the kitchen floor; she’d been electrocuted by an appliance in the room. Unknown to him, the electric charge still ran through her body. He bent down, touched her, but the charge ran through his body, causing him to have a heart attack.” Mike stopped for a split second. “It was just a freak accident.”

  Karen shook her head from side to side and puffed out her cheeks. “That’s so sad. What an awful way to die.”

  The three remained talking for a little while. Blake backed off from his conspiracy theory like approach, accepting the fact that it was an accident, a strange one, but one all the same.

  The couple decided to return home for now. Mike said they’d receive a call when they were needed to identify the bodies. After the couple left he set about in doing his own investigation.

  THIRTEEN

  The Gilbert family lived next door to the Smythes. They’d heard all the commotion from earlier, especially the constant banging against their living room wall, but, instead of being nosey, like some of the street folk, had remained in their house at this terrible time.

  A change had happened right under their noses, a change that could affect the life of the family. Within the past few hours Bruno had gone from being a very friendly and outgoing animal to a dog that just lay in his kennel, staring at everyone through the kitchen window.

  Sid Gilbert, the father in the household, was the dog’s master. He was the first to notice Bruno’s drastic transformation, but wasn’t aware of a
nything being different with the dog’s appearance, so wasn’t aware that his pet had risen from the dead as a new recruit to the zombie army.

  “Betty, do you know what’s up with Bruno? He’s not touching his food.”

  “How the hell should I know what’s up with him? Do I look like a bloody vet?” she shouted.

  “All right, all right, I might’ve known you’d give me grief. I was only asking.”

  Sid frowned at his wife of many years. There wasn’t a day that went by without the couple having an argument over something. Sid was convinced that Betty caused most of the fighting. They didn’t talk much these days so bickering was the only thing resembling a conversation.

  “The next time you want to ask me a question, ask one I can answer. You thick twat...”

  Betty had a way of manipulating Sid. The swearing upset him. There was no need for her to put him down in front of the children, but she always did.

  “I get more sense from the kids than from you. You try to make me look stupid.” He closed in on a swear word, but held back. “You really do my head in sometimes, do you know that?” he shouted, ready to fight back.

  Betty heard his anger tone, gave a small smile then reversed her own to a calmer one. She was sneaky, noticing the children had seen the argument just as Sid blew his top.

  “Look, if the dog’s off his food then he’s probably just tired or something. If he’s like this later on then get the vet in to take a look.”

  The ten year old, and wise for her age daughter, picked up on the arguments more than her six year old brother. Betty knew that, so made Sid look the guilty party once again.

  The time was close to 4.00pm. Betty prepared dinner while the kids tidied their bedrooms. Sid remained watching his pet through the window. He witnessed frothy saliva form around the mouth of the dog and its eyes were now a bloodshot red. “I don’t know what to do. Bruno’s really ill. Come, take a look.”

  He was very frantic, but Betty knew he would go miles over the top just to get her attention. She wasn’t falling for it.