by Mark Tilbury
Poor Bubba was now sitting up at God’s top table, and Ebb certainly didn’t deny the wiry Pole his eternal peace. If anyone deserved a rest, then it was that tongue-tied Pixie.
Ebb put the jar down on the bed. His head was pounding like a steam press.
What are you gonna do if they stop you at customs with a pickled tongue, Pixie?
His mother’s voice seemed to come from beneath his underwear. The thought of her being anywhere near his boxers turned his stomach sour. But, for the second time that day, he felt inclined to listen to mama. It would look suspicious hobbling through customs with nothing to declare other than Bubba’s tongue, a pink wig and the three Books of Revelation. Perhaps it might be prudent to bury the tongue and the books somewhere in England before heading off to pastures new. The wig and sunglasses wouldn’t cause any suspicion, other than indicating a tendency towards transvestitism.
He went to the wardrobe and grabbed a small black holdall. He put the glass jar in the bottom and then covered the jar with a smattering of socks and boxers. He added a Bible and a small silver cross from his bedside table. He emptied the contents of his bathroom cabinet into the holdall, along with the pills and potions from the kitchen cupboards. He would have taken his stash of chocolate from the fridge, but the heat would only turn it into treacle. Instead, he scoffed two Mars Bars and washed them down with a bottle of Lucozade Sport.
After an hour of rummaging through his quarters, he hobbled down the stairs, through the kitchen and out to the barn. How he wished Sister Alice was with him. She had a good eye for detail. And a calm and ordered mind. At least she did before Brother Marcus defied the will of Jesus Christ and threw her from the top of the tower.
Putting the holdall on the passenger seat of the Land Rover, Ebb retrieved two ten-litre cans of petrol from the back of the barn and returned to the farmhouse. He put one can on the kitchen table and then climbed the stairs to his quarters for the last time.
Even though he was glad to be leaving, some of his fondest memories were wrapped up in Penghilly’s Farm. But this was no time for sentimentality. No, sir. His memories would always be locked inside his head. The value of his work would never be forgotten.
He took the cap off the can and emptied petrol over the clothes on his bed. Leaving a trail of petrol between the bedroom and the living room, he moved out of his quarters and down to the first floor landing. He doused the beds with fuel in the Brothers’ and Sisters’ rooms and then continued down the stairs leaving a trail of petrol behind him.
He threw the empty can onto the floor in the hallway and walked into the kitchen. He took the second can off the table and unscrewed the cap. If he’d had more time, he might have tried to rig up explosives. Gone out with a bang, you might say. But Satan had forced his hand somewhat.
The ventilation system in the Cannabis Room would fan the flames. The bunnies would all get as high as kites before they burned. Obviously, that depended on whether God was in a merciful mood. Ebb didn’t think it wise for the bunnies to pin their hopes on God’s mercy. God wouldn’t forget all their lies and treachery in a hurry. No, sir.
He poured a good splash of petrol on the gas cooker and then limped down the basement steps. He would turn on all the rings before he left. The sugar rush from the Mars Bars and the Lucozade was already wearing off. His throat felt like a bog about to conjure toads. He placed the can on the floor. The smell was overpowering. The ventilation system seemed to stir up the stench.
Maybe you should have tied the bunnies up, Pixie.
Ebb shook his head. There was no time for that. He had a shotgun to keep those rabbits in their burrow. One move, and he would pebble-dash the walls with what remained of their corrupted minds.
He picked the gun up. Two cartridges left. More than enough for a few loose bunnies.
39
Ben sat on the floor beside his father. The old man was as good as dead. There was a nasty gurgling noise in the back of his throat that reminded Ben of blocked drains. Ben held his hand. He didn’t care about dying anymore. Death just meant an end to all of this pain and suffering.
Maddie stood near Bubba, looking through Veronica Ebb’s Book of Revelation. ‘This was Ebb’s mother.’
‘I didn’t know monsters like him had mothers,’ Emily said.
Maddie leafed through a few pages and then stopped. She read for a few minutes, and then said, ‘He beat her to death with a shovel.’
‘And there was m-me thinking he was n-normal.’
Maddie closed the book. ‘He was only sixteen when he did it.’
‘That m-makes me feel a lot b-better.’
Maddie walked over to Ben with the book in her hand. ‘I’ve had an idea.’
Ben didn’t care. The time for ideas had long since vanished. He felt his father’s wrist for a pulse. He was rewarded with a faint beat. ‘I—’
‘So what’s this great idea, Madeline?’ Emily said. ‘I can’t wait to hear it.’
‘My name’s Maddie.’
‘Pardon me.’
Maddie held up Veronica Ebb’s Book of Revelation. ‘This book obviously means a lot to Ebb, right?’
Emily shrugged. ‘So?’
‘So if I destroy it, he’ll get distracted. Then you and Ben can attack him and get the gun.’
‘Or he might just blow your head off.’
‘Have you got a better idea?’
‘Yeah. Maybe you should put the wig on and pretend to be his mother. That would really mess with his head.’
‘That might actually work.’
‘I was joking. Bloody hell. J-O-K-E. Joke! You put that wig on, and you’ll just freak him out even more. For God’s sake, Maddie, do us all a favour and don’t have any more ideas.’
‘Emily’s r-right. The best thing to d-do now is p-p-pray.’
‘We can’t just wait to die,’ Maddie said. ‘We got to do something.’
‘Why don’t you put the sunglasses on as well?’ Emily said. ‘Really throw him off the scent.’
Maddie looked away. ‘I don’t hear you coming up with any suggestions.’
‘That’s because there’s nothing left to suggest.’
The key turned in the lock, putting an end to the conversation.
Ben gripped his father’s hand. This was it. Crunch time. His heart felt as if it was trying to beat its way out of his chest.
Ebb opened the door and walked a few feet inside the Revelation Room. He put the petrol can on the floor and then walked back outside and retrieved the shotgun. He aimed it in the general direction of the group cowering in the corner. ‘Good afternoon, bunnies.’
The bunnies didn’t answer.
‘Benjamin?’
Ben focussed all his attention on his father.
‘If you don’t want me to blow Madeline’s head off her shoulders, Benjamin Bunny, you’d better pay me some respect.’
‘What?’
‘Stand up and move away from the Imposter. I want you to drag Bubba’s body over there with the others.’
‘My h-hands hurt.’
‘Hurt, my eye. If you’re referring to your reaction to the holy water, then I’m afraid that won’t wash with me. The time for excuses is up, Pixie-pea. If you want to remember Madeline with a head, you’d better get going.’
Ben gave his father’s hand a final squeeze. It was a see you in heaven squeeze. He forced himself to stand. His left leg was numb. The thought of touching Bubba’s lifeless body made his blood run cold. Poor Bubba, who’d suffered so much at the hands of Ebb.
Ben hobbled to where Bubba sat propped against the wall. The top half of the big man’s yellow overalls was stained red. His eyes were closed. His mouth hung open. A thin line of blood had dribbled from the corner of his mouth and down the side of his chin.
Ben tried not to look at Bubba. Tried to focus. He turned around and looked at Maddie. He wanted to tell her he loved her. Tell her he wished they’d had a chance to do the simple things most people took for granted.
<
br /> Maddie smiled at him. For the briefest moment, the sunshine returned to her eyes. And then it vanished. Hidden behind a veil of tears.
You must do what’s right, son, Pastor Tom said, from somewhere deep within Ben’s mind.
Ben almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of it. How the hell did you do what’s right when everything was so damned wrong? He stood more chance of giving Bubba the kiss of life. He grabbed Bubba’s hands. Still warm. Something thick and noxious filled his throat.
‘What have you got there, Pixie-pea?’
‘N-nothing.’
‘Not you, Stutter-bunny. I’m talking to Madeline.’
Maddie put the book behind her back, ‘I—’
‘Don’t play games with me. I know you’ve got my mother’s book. A little bunny told me. Now, you go and get the other two books from Brother Cyril and Brother Gerald. Bring them to me.’
Maddie looked at Ben.
‘D-do it.’
Ebb grinned. ‘You’ll listen to the stutter-bunny if you know what’s good for you.’
Ben stared at Ebb. Maybe he could rush him, knock him off balance.
In your dreams, Stutter-buck.
Ben watched Maddie gather the books from the breastbones of the other two skeletons. He wanted to push his fingers into Ebb’s eyes and gouge them from their sockets. Rip out the pages of those books and stuff them right down Ebb’s throat. Make him eat his words. But poor old Stutter-buck could only look down from the conker tree as the other kids hurled sticks and insults at him.
Ebb levelled the gun at Maddie’s head. ‘Put the books on the floor and then get over there with the Fallen Angel and the Imposter.’
Go on, Stutter-buck, j-j-jump!
Maddie placed the books on the floor in front of Ebb. ‘You’ll go to Hell for this.’
‘Evil always licks its finger to test an ill wind.’
Maddie stood up straight and tall. ‘I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. You’ll have to answer to God one day. I hope I’m there to see it.’
‘You’ll see nothing when you’re engulfed in the flames of Hell. Now get over there with the bunnies.’
Maddie walked to the corner of the room and took Emily’s hand.
Ebb turned his attention back to Ben. ‘Drag Bubba to the pyre.’
You’re going to die, anyway. Ben thought. Rush him. What have you got to lose?
Ebb pointed the shotgun at Ben’s head. ‘Do it. Now!’
Ben pulled Bubba away from the wall. As he applied more pressure, he felt Bubba grip his hand. He then noticed the shallow rise and fall of Bubba’s chest. Confused, he looked over his shoulder at Ebb.
‘What’s wrong, Stutter-bunny?’
Bubba squeezed his hand.
Inch by painful inch, he dragged Bubba into the middle of the room. His lungs felt like two punctured tyres.
‘Right, Benjamin, I want you to put the bodies into two separate piles. Maxine is to be laid to rest beneath Sister Alice, with brother Bubba on top. That’s the good pile. And then I want you to put Brother Tweezer on top of Sister Dixie, with Brother Marcus on top of him. That’s the bad pile. Have you got that?’
Ben didn’t answer. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees.
Ebb looked along the barrel of the gun. ‘I think it’s fitting that the whore should lay beneath the rapist.’
‘God will be so pleased with you,’ Maddie said.
Ebb ignored her. ‘I wanted to bury poor Maxine in the North Field, but with Bubba out of action, and my leg gnawed to the bone, I’m afraid she must perish in the flames along with the rest of you. But this is no time for recriminations. Get going, Stutter-bunny.’
‘I c-can’t do it.’
‘Don’t be such a baby. I’m only asking you to move two bodies.’
‘He’s exhausted,’ Maddie said.
‘So was Jesus of Nazareth, but I don’t recall him complaining he couldn’t carry his own cross because he had a splinter in his finger.’
‘Ben isn’t Jesus.’
‘It’s all right. I’ll d-do it.’
Ebb slapped the stock of the gun twice. ‘Chop chop, then.’
As Ben bent close to Bubba, the big man winked at him. Just a slight flicker of an eyelid. This one small movement gave Ben strength. He rolled Alice on top of Max. The dog emitted an awful belch of gas as Alice’s weight expelled air from its corpse. Both of Alice’s eyes were open, staring at the ceiling as if seeking salvation. The skin around her neck hung in loose folds. Her hands rested on the filthy concrete floor, left index finger pointing at the skeletons. A faint smile played upon her lips as if she had some secret knowledge only obtainable through death.
‘Look what that swine Marcus did to Alice,’ Ebb said. ‘The Lord will toast his head on a pitchfork for this.’
Ben tried to shut Ebb’s words out of his head. They buzzed around his brain like a swarm of angry bees seeking a hive. He dragged Bubba over to the good pile. Bubba helped Ben by taking some of the weight as he hauled him on top of Alice and the dog.
‘Well done, Benjamin. Jesus has asked me to spare you from the flames. You will be shot before the bunnies burn.’
‘You’re going to kill us all? Just like that?’ Emily shouted.
‘I’d be careful about pointing the finger of blame in my direction. It’s you that’s got everyone into this mess by fornicating with Brother Marcus. If you’d kept your knickers on, Tweezer would be pinned to a cross by now, and The Sons and Daughters of Salvation would be breaking bread around the dinner table.’
‘Marcus loved me.’
Ebb scoffed. ‘You wouldn’t know what love was if it bit you on the buttock.’
‘We loved each other.’
‘Very touching. Perhaps you can remind yourself of this delusion whilst you burn.’
‘Why are you doing this?’ Maddie asked. ‘What have we done to you?’
‘Done to me? Oh, heavens, Madeline, nothing. It’s the Lord Jesus Christ that you’ve insulted and betrayed.’
‘You murdered Marcus,’ Emily shouted.
‘And Brother Marcus murdered my faithful dog, Maxine. He also murdered Brother Tweezer in cold blood, so stick that on your abacus and add it to the sum total of his miserable existence. Anyway, I’ve had enough of this nonsense. There’s an apple pie in the oven and petrol evaporating on the stairs. Arrange Brother Tweezer, Brother Marcus and Sister Dixie as requested, Pixie-pea.’
Ben could see the faintest rise and fall of Bubba’s chest. He was amazed Ebb couldn’t see it. He arranged the other three bodies in their hideous union beside Bubba, Alice and Maxine.
‘You may or may not want to join me in prayer,’ Ebb said. ‘I accept that The Sons and Daughters of Salvation is now defunct, so the choice is yours.’
‘I’ll pray that you go to Hell,’ Maddie promised.
Ebb ignored her and bowed his head. ‘Dear Father, I ask that you find it in your heart to forgive these wretched misguided souls.’
Ben stared at Bubba. Apart from the obvious fact that the big man was still alive, there was something else that offered a possible lifeline. But what?
Ebb droned on. ‘I have done all you have asked of me, Lord. My time is finished here. I trust you will find it in your heart to offer salvation to those who have earned it, and forgiveness for those who seek it.’
I might only have one eye, but I can see that dog clear enough, Old Joe piped up in Ben’s head.
‘Bless this house, Lord, and bless all the bunnies that burn in her. Amen.’
Ben took a step forward. The dog. The bloody dog! Ebb cared about that dog more than anything else in the world.
Ebb thrust the gun at him. ‘Stand still, Pixie-pea.’
Ben pointed at the bodies.
‘What?’
Ben took another step. ‘M-Maxine.’
Ebb glanced at the dog. ‘What about her?’
Ben whined in the back of his throat. He threw his voice so as it sounded as if
the noise was coming from beneath Bubba and Alice.
Ebb moved towards the bodies. ‘Maxine?’
Ben whined again. A long pitiful sound in the back of his throat.
Ebb waved the gun at Ben. ‘Get over there with the other bunnies, Pixie-pea. You so much as move or twitch, and I’ll blow your head clean off your shoulders.’
Ben did as he was told. He waited for Ebb to get close to the bodies before he whined again.
‘Maxine? Is that you, girl?’
Ben hiccupped a tiny bark and threw it right out there in front of Ebb. Old Joe would have been proud.
Ebb lowered the gun and reached down to grab hold of the dog’s tail.
Bubba struck with the speed and accuracy of a rattle snake. He twisted around and grabbed the shotgun halfway along the barrel. He yanked it hard enough to tip Ebb off balance. Ebb pulled the trigger as he fell forwards, blasting a hole in the concrete floor. Bubba let go of the gun as Ebb hit the deck. The gun landed a few feet away from them.
Go on, Stutter-buck, j-j-j-jump!
Ben jumped. He rushed forwards and threw himself onto Ebb’s back. Ebb twisted his head from side to side and howled like a wolf at a full moon.
What you gonna do now, Stutter-buck? Piggyback him to death?
Ebb thrashed and bucked. ‘My dog.’
Ben wrapped his arm around Ebb’s throat and squeezed with every ounce of strength left in his body. Ebb made an awful hissing noise. Ben squeezed harder. He could hear someone screaming in the background.
Something crawled on Ben’s face. For one wild moment, he thought it was a giant spider. And then he realised it was Ebb’s hand. Too late. Ebb pushed his index finger into Ben’s right eye. White hot pain erupted in Ben’s eye socket. He screamed and relaxed his grip on Ebb’s throat.
Ebb threw Ben off his back and crawled towards the shotgun. ‘Maxine?’
Maxine didn’t respond.
Ben tried to force himself to act, but the searing pain in his eye rendered him useless.
A low guttural growl. Ben thought the dog had actually come back to life. And then Ebb’s rasping voice: ‘Put the gun down, Bubba. Put the gun down. Right now!’
