‘Forty years playing in Melden Silver Band, man and boy. And they leave at the drop of a hat. I have never heard of the likes!’ Terry said.
The three of them had heard of tales of missing or dead cats, dogs and sheep. If the owners found them dead, the corpses then went missing when the owner returned with a spade, to bury them.
They thought anyone could be responsible. Maybe the crimes were committed by totally different people. Maybe these people, who they had seen from afar, acting very strange were somehow responsible, the group of jerky people who used to be bandsmen and now were friends of Anne. Or was Anne taking these animals and feeding them to her wolves or allowing her wolves to just wander about and help themselves.
Sally said that people had had enough, and we're thinking of going over to Friarmere, until the snow has gone away. Once they were over there they could contact someone about taking Anne away as well. Probably in a straitjacket.
‘Don't go that way, it is worse than here I think, but for different reasons.’ Laura said. She was just about to tell them why but there was an interruption when the man by the fruit machine shouted loudly to the bar steward.
‘Another pint of Guinness please. mein host!’ Freddie looked at Laura and rolled his eyes.
‘Oh,’ said Freddie, ‘that's embarrassing.’
‘That is my brother, Malcolm.’ Terry stated, blushing.
‘I have put my foot right in it now, haven’t I?’ Freddie said, ‘Sorry.’ Kathy put her hand on Freddie’s arm to comfort him.
‘Not really, we all think the same in this family, and we are related to him.’
‘You can imagine what Christmas’s we have.’ Sally said. ‘The worst thing is, we can’t ever get rid of him, because he conducts the Band,’ she laughed.
The other party of friends had sat with Beverly. She was obviously consoling this poor man who was looking down into his glass. As they sat down, she smiled and gestured towards the man.
‘This is Carl. He is in the band too, but he didn't go that night to the concert in crazy woman’s house because his wife is missing. Although she was missing well before the concert, so he thinks this has nothing to do her disappearance. He can find no signs of her anywhere. Not one clue. It’s fair to say she liked to go out quite a bit, so he left it a couple of days before he decided to report her missing. By the time he did the lines were down.’
At this point, Carl looked up from his drink and observed the faces studying him around the table. He had an uneaten lasagna with salad in front on him. Beverly took this opportunity to tuck into her steak, with sweet potato fries.
‘She is beautiful,’ Carl said. ‘She is always getting attention off blokes and the like. Because I love her so much, I let her do what she likes.’ Gary gave him a strange look, before saying.
‘Oh lad, can you hear yourself?’
‘Bloody stupid. That isn’t how you keep a woman.’ Tony said, taking a gulp of his beer.
‘Tony!’ Sue snapped whilst kicking him under the table.
‘I know I am wrong. But I just think that I am punching above my weight and she is gorgeous. I am obsessed with her, and as long as she comes back to me at some point, I am kind of happy.’
Wee Renee drew her chair up right next to him and put her arm round him. Comforting him and speaking gently, she said that this sounded a very destructive relationship and he should have got out of it a long time ago.
‘I am so worried about her.’
‘The relationship is one thing, but her going missing is another, and serious. When did you last see her?’ Gary asked.
‘About three weeks ago. Maybe getting on for four now. I don’t know. No it’s more than that.’
‘Didn't you get worried before this?’ Pat asked.
‘No she has been gone at least a week and a half before now. If someone asks her if she wanted to go on holiday, she will just go.’ He started to cry a little. ‘Always been a free spirit.’
‘Well, I am sorry,’ said Wee Renee, ‘she just sounds more like free and easy to me.’
‘I don't know why she would want a husband, if she still wants that kind of a single life.’ Beverly said. ‘I have known Carl for years and so many times she has hurt him badly. He has always loved her. Even when we were at school, she was under his skin. Now he has this new worry. She has been trouble to him since he met her, and he won’t mind me telling you, he has cried on my shoulder many times. I have said to him that he is coming back to my house and stopping in the spare room but he doesn't want to in case she comes back to the house. I have said after that long she can bloody well wait for him.’
‘Yes, listen to Beverly. You don’t need to be on your own, if you don’t have to. It is a good idea.’ Sue said. ’She sounds like a wrong ‘un to me.’
‘What’s the alternative to Beverly’s, mate? Sitting on your own, looking at the same four walls?’ Danny agreed.
‘Eat your lasagna love. It will make you feel better,’ Wee Renee said.
‘I can’t face it. I couldn’t’ get it past my lips. I didn’t want it. Bev made me get it,’ he said sadly.
‘Are you doggie bagging it?’ Pat asked.
‘No. They can chuck it.’
‘You’ve paid good brass for that. You don’t mind if I have it instead of the bin, do you? I’ll have a smaller supper then.’
‘Go ahead,’ he said.
‘Watch it Pat. I think Our Doris has run out of antacids. You know how you are.’
‘Don’t worry Rene. I’ll leave the salad. That’s the bugger that will play merry hell with me.’
Laura wandered over to them at one point, to see what was going on at their table. She then returned and relayed the information about Carl back to her relatives and Freddie. All this required immediate action.
Gary tried to enjoy the pub for a moment, to shut out all thoughts of fresh horror and insecurity. He gazed outside, he could just about see the centre of Melden from here. A few red and green Christmas lights were lit. They reflected prettily off the snow. This could be a perfect night if he just tried hard enough to shut everything out. He needed the escape. When he opened one eye, Pat was smiling back at him, a large blob of lasagna was on her scarf, just below her chin.
‘Dreaming of Father Christmas?’ she asked.
Two hours easily passed and Freddie was checking his watch constantly. He got them to form one group, five minutes before the time was up.
It was agreed that the next day, that some of the people who had seen Anne and her monsters, would go to the bandroom. Terry said there were plenty of pictures on the wall of the band from years past. Hopefully, they would identify the bandsmen who were missing.
Everyone checked through all the pub windows before they set off. In every direction, there was absolutely no one outside.
They left the warmth and light of the pub. Out into the cold and darkness. Terry, Kathy and Sally went one way and Beverly and Carl went another. The Friarmere group quickly made their way down the cul-de-sac and could see Andy looking anxiously for them, out of Our Doris’s upstairs window. From the looks of it Ovaltine had already been made, as Andy was talking sips out of a steaming mug.
Once their coats and boots were away, Brenda started to warm some more milk for the drinks and Our Doris wanted to know what they had discovered. Laura told them about what they had found out from the pub. About the cats, dogs and sheep. Andy thought it tied in nicely with what they knew about Lazy Farm and Friarmere. Pat brought up that they had obviously witnessed the missing corpses of some of the cats and dogs being carried about over the moors, from the footage on Jennifer's camera.
They told Our Doris about the girl that was missing and she said she knew her from Beverly's group, when they were at school. She could remember that this woman was always a beauty and a flighty madam.
‘I’m not surprised that she has come to a sticky end. Although it is just a likely that she will just turn up after a long holiday in Barbados knowing her.’
>
‘She sound’s a bit of a go-er,’ Wee Renee said and she looked around at the others, thinking she had been very risqué in saying that.
‘Jezebel! That’s what she is,’ Our Doris said. ‘I wouldn’t trust her with Haggis, never mind a real live man!’
‘Kinky.’ Gary laughed.
‘I feel a bit sick, Mum.’ Bob muttered. They all agreed that they didn’t feel too good. From nausea to bubbling stomachs, something had affected everyone.
‘I feel a bit bilious, and I have a strong constitution,’ Wee Renee said.
Sue pulled Tony aside and warned him about the state he had left the toilet in earlier on and to be mindful when he goes in there. His eyes shot open and as if that was an indicator for him to go, he got up and went into the hall. He was back two seconds later.
‘Someone’s on the throne, already. Bloody hell.’ He said.
Freddie was moaning about it, clutching his stomach, saying it had to be the kebab.
‘The poor fella probably doesn't have his mind on cooking, after his attack the previous night, bless him. We were all probably due for a colon cleanse. Think of it as a freebie.’ Wee Renee chirped happily.
Brenda was so happy they had got from A to B and back again with no harm, especially as Freddie was with them. She did not care if they all had the trots, her husband and friends were safe. They had survived another evening. Andy had said that he had watched the whole time and had not seen Anne patrol their cul-de-sac once.
The reason that Anne had not been in the cul-de-sac or on the streets at all, was that she had had a visit from her brother Norman. As soon as it was dark Norman had set off to Melden. Although a creature of the night, and endowed with supernatural powers, he still had trouble perambulating through the snow. So a couple of weeks ago, he had ordered snowmobiles, which were put safely away, until required. Norman could get over to Melden in a matter of half an hour, only a little longer than using a car in the summer months.
He had taken Kate with him on the back of his snowmobile. He had another, which he had told Keith to drive and Christine sat on the back. Although Anne was vicious, aggressive and unpredictable in nature, Keith and Christine immediately felt superior to her as she was sullied. They were proud to be Norman’s children. Kate had had dealings with her before and was not fond of her.
When they arrived they found Anne preparing to make her nightly walk. Christine desperately wanted a look at the deformed vampires. The ones that Anne had defiled with wolf DNA. Norman said, if she saw them by accident, then fine, but she must not poke about in Anne’s domain. Anne would cause problems if this happened, which he would have to solve and they weren’t there for that. That was not the priority tonight.
Anne and her brother spoke to each other in greeting, and matter-of-factly Norman asked if she had come across a party of people from Friarmere. She did not know if the people staying with one of her infected were the same group, but she thought there was a good chance of it. Anne told him that at the moment, she would be outnumbered and would not want to force her way in and become overpowered. Norman felt that he was impeded by having no invitation inside, so also could not find out. So for the moment, they would have to wait. Either Anne had to make a larger set of children or perhaps they could pick them off, a couple at a time, if they saw them.
Norman said he would really like to find out if this was the group, so that he could put an end to the search of Friarmere, and possibly all the villages. He asked what she suggested. Christine, Keith and Kate watched all this happen, they were told to never intervene. Christine hadn’t seen Anne acting unreasonably yet. Then Anne threw her head back and laughed madly. All of a sudden her tone became accusing and sarcastic.
‘You will have to you stick around then and hang out with your sister, won’t you? As much as you don't like it. There are plenty of rooms in the house for them.’ She jabbed her thumb angrily at the three other vampires.
‘ You will all stay a few days to see if we can pick some off or at least catch sight of these people. If I see them, I won’t know it’s them will I? So you need to stay. We can all patrol together or split into two groups. I’m telling you that is the way I will work with you. It’s you who have come to me.’ She banged her fist on the table in punctuation.
Even though Keith, Kate and Christine did not fancy this at all, especially after meeting Anne, they would have no choice in the matter. She seemed to be crazy, hot tempered and unpredictable. Norman decided what they were to do, and it seemed he had to play Anne’s game to get what he wanted. To him, finding these people was his primary objective. All they wanted to do was to help his cause.
Excerpt from Anne’s Diary.
Sunday, 11 December
I still have a spy in the village. He is managing to live amongst them. Just about. He hasn’t got rumbled yet, as he is one of my own. Drinking my bloodwine to fortify himself. He is hiding in his chambers in the day but still mixing with them at night. He does not come out on the hunt with us, as he will be seen. He must appear above suspicion.
I wished I had more of him, willing to work for me this way. Not having the comfort of the pack. He is through the first two stages of turning, but not the final one. He is still alive, but so willing to be one of us. Already succumbing to carrion, he waits to be turned. He does not like the day even now, his eyes burn he says and his skin itches. He does not die however, and this will be useful. This is the problem with having my blood in them, they transform so quickly. Alas I should really ensure he has his food brought to him. It must be hard for him to hunt incognito. I will reward him for this. I have said that he should keep well away from all of us until the time is right. I believe that he is having some of the local pets for his meals. The way it is going, they are becoming more and more scarce to find!! Tonight I got a visit from Norman just when I was about to go out on patrol, which was wonderful, as I love him so much. I don’t like one of his Lieutenants named Christine. She is loudmouthed and fat. I don’t like fat people. Even to drink, really. I know we will clash. I keep myself slim. I have always had a body to die for!! (I made a joke, haha!) Norman is after a group from his village, Friarmere. I know that there is another group that are not from Melden staying with that one off my infected. The one in the little street. The reason I am outnumbered is because of them. I told Norman, blackmailing him into staying with me overnight. That also meant housing his children (Boo). I said that this is the only way that I would help him. I knew he was desperate. Of course he had to stay. He needs me. So, Norman stayed in the hope that he could find out if they are here. He is impeded by the fact he has no invitation into houses and cannot wander in to find out if the group is here. He needs me again. Who is clever now, eh? I am a little bit obsessed with Norman I agree. Norman wants to take over his village, while I want to take over the world. Why can’t he see that he is thinking too small. He says this will be my downfall but I know that it is just Len talking not him. I will make him proud of me. I am doing it all for Norman so we can rule the world! (without Len)
17 – Succulent
Somehow, the next morning they were filled with new hope. Wee Renee, Pat, Bob and Haggis went out for a walk in the crisp morning.
When they got back, Brenda, Sue and Laura had cooked a lovely bacon breakfast for everyone and they were very glad to have it, after being out in the cold. There were about two-dozen fried eggs, on the hotplate, for everyone to take. Pat had four bacon and egg barm’s, with brown sauce and maple syrup as she said she was famished. Sue banned Tony from taking any eggs, after having embarrassing conversations with the others, about Tony's toilet habits.
They had agreed at one o'clock to meet Terry, Sally and Kathy at the band room. Carl who had agreed to stay the night at Beverly’s house, said that he would also be there. Some of the Friarmere party had seen the group of people with Anne, and the vampires in Friarmere. He wanted to rule out the fact that his wife, Kate might have been amongst them.
Terry said there wer
e about fifty group pictures of the band on the wall of the bandroom. Right from the early 1900’s to the present day. If the Friarmere group could look at all the recent pictures, they could identify people they had seen. Carl knew of a couple of other people in the band who were missing. Some had seen various members of their family in Anne’s gang who no longer contacted them, just wandering about through Melden. Horrified, but unwilling to make an intervention, they went home to lock the doors and hope the relative had forgotten where they lived. But some other people were still totally bereft as to what was happening in their family. Were their relatives, dead, undead, alive, or requiring medical assistance? If they were in this gang, Carl could let the relatives know and there would be some kind of closure for them.
Laura, Wee Renee and Pat decided to go as they had seen the people twice on the camera and once in real life. They called at the grocery shop on the way there. Wee Renee bought a lot of raw meat with her pin money and a tin of chocolates for Our Doris to say thank you for having them.
They met up outside the bandroom. Pat and Wee Renee looked up at the golden sign. ‘Melden Silver Band’, very grand. Carl was stamping his feet against the cold and rubbing his hands together. He looked nervous.
Terry, Kathy, and Sally were with Carl, all looking anxiously for the Friarmere group to join them. They said that a couple of other relatives of the missing band members, were joining them but had not arrived. So everyone had to wait a bit longer. They looked out at the silent morning. The semi-detached house’s with their closed curtain’s upstairs and downstairs. Each one the same, at one o’clock in the afternoon. Wee Renee had seen this before. Laura watched her head go from window to window. She knew what she was thinking, but also Laura had the feeling that the walls were closing in on her. She wanted to get out before she had to have another battle with a supernatural creature. They had gone from one massive trap to another. Time is running out for us, she thought.
Silver Banned: Book 2 of the Saddleworth Vampire Series Page 10
