Three, Two, One

by L.V. Waterman

  *

  The billowing white storm outside refused to calm down, now rattling the attic window. But the music on the girls’ radio had made it less noticeable. The kind of Trance music all three agreed on was part of the New Year’s Eve party on one of the local stations. An hour and a half to go till midnight.

  With nearly empty cans of shandies at their sides, they were chatting and munching on some crisps and leftover fruitcake that Becca had brought over from home. They did their usual thing when they hung out at the abandoned Victorian manor house, telling their respective parents each was round the other’s place. No one bothered to check anymore; the three had been friends for years since primary school.

  It was easiest for Vicky; her mum never seemed to take in exactly where she was going and with whom. No doubt being out now herself, in a pub somewhere, with some random bloke.

  And these days, with a toddler, a wife and a busy job, her brother was less overbearing and “on her case” like he used to be, growing up.

  That was fine. She had her mates, and that was cool.

  They liked “their place”. No one ever bothered them here since the beginning. In fact, they even stopped using their secret knocking code on the attic door, when one had to go get something from the shops. It used to be: three knocks, pause then two, pause then one more knock.

  True, the house was creepy, with its Gothic architecture and vague history of how it got partly destroyed more than a decade ago. This guy who was looking after the property, apparently burnt some of it down by accident and then vanished off the face of the earth. No body was found either, so it remained a mystery what actually happened. With the authorities having problems tracing the owners, the premises stayed neglected for years.

  Hung somewhere in a hallway, they had seen the old photos of how it used to look like, back in its day. Surrounded by plenty of land, gardens and tall trees, it was quite impressive. Until one day all that land was split and sold over to build more houses on it.

  But despite all the odd stories they’d hear circling around now and again about “the house at the end of the road”, it was fun and – it was theirs.

  One hour till midnight.

  ‘So what have we decided?’ wondered Sani, weaving her long, ebony brown hair into a plait. ‘Are we going to finally stay here the night or what?’

  ‘No way!’ said Becca. ‘I’ll take my chances in the snowstorm. I’ve heard enough about weird stuff that happens here at night.’

  ‘Chicken. It’s all rubbish anyway, come on.’

  ‘No. Not ever. Besides, I need my bed. I’ll never be able to sleep if I’m not comfortable.’

  ‘Daddy spoils you too much.’ Sani smirked, then chucked a crumpled piece of tinfoil at Vicky. ‘You’d be up for it, wouldn’t you?’

  Vicky shrugged. ‘Whatever.’

  She was too busy examining her new toy. The box came with sample film paper that you had to load into the camera somehow, even though the picture instructions made it look so easy.

  ‘So you like our gift idea?’ Becca was eager to change the subject.

  ‘Yeah, you’re creative and like drawing and stuff, so we thought that might be fitting,’ added Sani. ‘Also noticed when you look over at something and do that thing with your fingers, like you’re framing what you see.’

  ‘What?’ Vicky instantly stopped fiddling with the camera and looked up. ‘Oh yeah. I do, don’t I?’

  Becca laughed. ‘Hey, perhaps an idea for a career, huh?’

  ‘Cool!’ said Sani. ‘Yes, meet Victoria, the famous photographer.’

  ‘Shut up.’ Vicky laughed back with them. ‘Okay, I like that!’

  The radio started playing their favourite track, and all three stopped chatting for a bit, turning the sound up and doing various hand and arm gestures with the rhythm and miming the lyrics.

  Sadly, as with a lot of good tracks, it was short-lived, and it wasn’t long before the beat was slowing down, when–

  Knock… Knock… Knock!

  All three jumped out of their skin. Becca covered her mouth as Sani grasped the knob on the radio, twisting it down, then quickly switched off the heater.

  ‘What the hell?’ Vicky whispered, her eyes darting.

  Silence.

  Knock… Knock!

  Like the first time, the bangs were slow, with a long pause in-between. They seemed to be coming from the attic door.

  Knock!

  Silence.

  ‘What the actual… crap!’ whispered Sani. For the first time in ages, she appeared worried.

  ‘Oh no.’ Becca trembled, adding quietly, ‘Someone heard our music.’

  Vicky blew out the candles, wafting the waxy smell as darkness covered everything apart from a vague ambience from the window.

  The eerie stillness was broken by the sound of an approaching car, which was somewhat unusual. It wasn’t a busy road, and the house was the last one at a dead end, having its own short drive.

  Making as little noise as possible, Vicky stood up and crept to the window.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Shush. Just looking.’

  Reaching the window, she noticed the snow had eased down, and she tried to see through the overgrown front garden down below.

  A ghostly white vehicle had stopped right outside the rusty iron gate. Some distant street lamp just about illuminated the yellow and blue chequered side of the car, making Vicky gasp. It was a police car.

  ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘Shush!’

  She saw a dark, uniformed figure come out of the car, stretch and click on a torch, lazily flashing it over the shrubs and trees in the front garden. The silhouette, which was obviously male, paced along the edge of the short stone wall, continuing to probe with his torch. Moving away that she could barely see his outline through the snowy branches, Vicky squinted when, without warning, his light flashed over towards her window. Ducking down below the windowsill, hopefully just in time, she saw the beam shine at an angle from outside.

  ‘Who is that?’ She heard Becca’s quivering voice.

  ‘Copper…’ she whispered back.

  ‘Oh crap!’ came Sani’s retort.

  The light shimmered through the glass for several very long seconds as Vicky’s heart hammered. Did he see her? Why was he here?

  Did someone report the music?

  Who the hell knocked on the attic door?

  She realised it had gone dark. He moved the torch away.

  ‘Great.’ She heard Sani again. ‘If the coppers find out people hang around here… well, no more our place.’

  ‘Be quiet,’ pleaded Becca.

  ‘Is he coming in?’

  Reluctantly Vicky turned around to face the window, slowly raising her head just enough so she could see the front gate.

  The officer stood in front of it, appearing to be talking into his radio, balancing casually on the balls of his feet. He then bent his knees slightly, leaning forward, and looked like he was laughing with whomever was at the other end on his radio.

  She saw him take one last peek at the house and pace back to the car.

  ‘Well?’

  ‘I think he’s leaving,’ Vicky said hopefully. ‘He’s getting inside the car. Yes, please just go. It’s New Year’s Eve. Give us a break, dude.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  The headlights came on, and they all heard the engine growl.

  ‘Phew. Yes.’ She sighed but carried on staring out of the window until she was satisfied she could no longer see his car.

  Becca had already re-lit the candles when Vicky sat back down next to them, biting her nail. The other two’s faces showed the same expression of panic. Although relieved the copper was gone, they faced another, admittedly more terrifying mystery.

  ‘Who the hell knocked?’ Sani was first to speak.

  ‘It was our code. How? Nobody knows it,’ Becca said quickly.

  ‘I’ve never told anyone.’

  ‘Nor h
ave I.’

  ‘It was a warning,’ Vicky interrupted them.

  ‘What?’

  Both frowned at her, confused.

  ‘Someone warned us. About the copper coming,’ she said resolutely, yet still fearful. ‘Our music was too loud. If we hadn’t turned it down and blew out the candles in time, well the police would have definitely found out.’

  Becca and Sani exchanged solemn glances.

  ‘You’re right.’

  ‘Yep. We’d be nicked,’ Vicky added. ‘Saying goodbye to this place.’

  ‘True,’ said Sani. ‘Although can’t exactly nick us for that. Surely?’

  ‘Well, it’s trespassing. Remember that sign outside,’ said Becca. ‘We’d be in trouble anyway.’

  All three looked over at the attic door on the floor. It was locked, as usual, with the added measure of a few bricks lying on top of it.

  ‘Shall we find out who it was then?’ asked Sani.

  ‘Are you mad? No!’ Becca said. ‘I think I will be staying here the night. Go back in the morning when it’s light!’

  ‘Such a chicken.’

  ‘Guys. Whoever it was, if they helped us, they’re good. They’re on our side,’ Vicky said.

  ‘Someone?’ Becca insisted. ‘Or something?’

  ‘Oh, come on! Really?’ Sani shook her head. ‘What, a ghost warned us?’

  Shrugging, Becca then crossed her arms in a huff.

  ‘Someone else is definitely not our friend though,’ said Vicky. ‘One of the neighbours, I guess. Maybe saw our lights? I mean, you’d think people wouldn’t be arses, especially tonight of all nights.’

  ‘Yeah, we’ll have to be careful now.’ Sani stood up, grabbed her bag and rummaged in it until she produced her own torch. ‘You comin’?’ She nudged her head at Vicky, who got up after grabbing her Polaroid camera.

  ‘Where are you two going?’

  ‘You can stay here and keep an eye on our stuff while we look around.’ Clicking her torch on, Sani dashed to the attic door with Vicky right behind her.

  ‘No way! I am not staying here all by myself.’ They heard Becca’s hurried footsteps following after them.