The Hill - Ben’s Story (Book One).: A Paranormal Murder Mystery Thriller. (Book One).

by Andrew M Stafford

  “Listen to him.”

  Maria put her ear to the monitor, put her hand over her mouth and looked Campbell.

  “Oh my God.”

  She looked towards the monitor and back to Campbell.

  “What’s happening? He’s really talking.”

  In the few hours she’d been sleeping Christopher’s chant had developed from something indistinct to four unmistakable words. When put together they made an understandable sentence.

  He was thirteen months old and putting sentences together in his sleep. She listened to the tone of his voice, it didn’t even sound like him. The voice sounded like someone who’d been here before.

  A tear rolled down her cheek as the significance of what was happening hit her.

  “My son is talking like a grown up.”

  Her bottom lip was quivering as she spoke.

  “This isn’t normal Campbell, what the hell is wrong with my son?”

  She turned and threw her arms around him and he held her tightly and let her cry onto his shoulder. Without thinking he ran his fingers through her tousled hair.

  “This can’t just be Rhythmic Movement Disorder,” said Maria in a weak voice.

  “It must be something else.”

  Campbell didn’t answer, he held her and said nothing.

  Maria pulled away from Campbell and crept to Christopher’s room.

  She knew that trying to wake him would be pointless. Campbell came in and stood next to her. They watched in awe.

  He ticked like a grandfather clock. His head lifted from the pillow and thudded down as he said ‘please’. His head lifted again and briefly poised, hovering six inches over the pillow before it came to rest as he said the second word ‘hear’. He repeated the same actions as he said the next two words, ‘my’ ‘voice’.

  As he finished each sequence he briefly rested as if he was regrouping to build up strength before starting the sequence again. He’d been doing it for over two hours.

  “Film him again,” said Campbell in a hushed but urgent tone.

  “This isn’t a fucking freak show,” snapped Maria.

  “Film him for the consultant in London you’d told me about, you need to let him see it.”

  Maria apologised for snapping. She was tired and very emotional.

  Campbell was right. This needed to be documented.

  “Turn up his light please.”

  Campbell turned the dimmer switch on the wall until the ceiling light was as bright as it could be.

  Maria stood over the cot and videoed her son. She knelt down and filmed him through the slats of his cot. She filmed him banging his head and chanting from all angles until the video on her phone automatically stopped and saved the file.

  ------------------------------------------------------

  A very strange bond had formed between Christopher Jameson and the deceased Ben Walker.

  The instant Ben lost his life something happened.

  When his physical body ceased to live and breathe his spiritual body transcended, but something prevented it from completing the journey.

  Ben’s spirit was captured within baby Christopher the second the child took his first breath, just before the umbilical cord had been severed. From that point, Ben had developed within Christopher, unknowingly drawing upon Christopher’s resources to flourish and grow.

  Two disparate souls living as one.

  During the last year Ben had thrived within baby Christopher with nothing to draw on but the memories of his short life. At first, Ben’s memories where brief snapshots, but over time they had developed and now he was able to recall them at will. He could rewind, pause and forward them. In the beginning the memories were vague, but now they were never faded or blurred. He had a chronological pictorial reference of almost all of his life.

  Now he was using his influence upon the small boy who was his host.

  Ben was becoming weak. He had been causing Christopher to bang his head and repeat those four words for such a long time his force was ebbing and he was slipping away, giving the child the break he desperately needed and the opportunity for proper uninterrupted sleep.

  Ben would soon be back to continue where he had left off.

  ------------------------------------------------------

  Campbell lowered the light and walked over to Maria.

  She turned and looked at him through bloodshot eyes.

  “Campbell, there’s something terribly wrong with my son. This isn’t normal.”

  1.58am

  It was almost two o’clock in the morning and Christopher was lying still. Maria rolled him over and put her hand on his chest. His heart was beating fast and his breathing was laboured.

  Within a few minutes his breathing and heartbeat settled and he was gently snoring.

  He looked peaceful as if nothing had happened.

  She stayed with him until it was almost three o’clock, holding his hand and keeping a watchful eye over him. Overcome by tiredness she let go of his hand and left him to sleep.

  Campbell was sleeping on the settee. She took a blanket and a pillow from her room and made him comfortable, kissed him on his forehead and touched his face.

  Leaving him in the lounge she trudged to her bedroom, took off her floral dress and fell face down on her bed.

  ------------------------------------------------------

  At ten past eight Maria was woken by a gentle knock on her bedroom door. Campbell had woken to the sound of Christopher chatting over the baby monitor which Maria had forgotten to take to her room.

  He decided not to go into Christopher’s room as the sight of a stranger would probably frighten him.

  He slowly opened Maria’s door and gently called her.

  Maria quickly sat up and pulled her duvet up to her neck.

  “Sorry to call you, but Christopher’s awake.”

  It took a few seconds for Maria to remember what had happened during the night.

  “Is he OK?”

  “He sounds OK, but I’ve not been into his room, I thought I’d leave that to you.”

  Maria smiled and Campbell left her bedroom and shut the door behind him.

  A minute later Maria emerged from her room wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. Campbell noticed that first thing in the morning even after a terrible night’s sleep, she still looked great.

  “I’ll go and get him, would you like to make yourself some breakfast?”

  Campbell nodded.

  “Would you like something from the kitchen?”

  “Coffee and toast would be great.”

  Campbell disappeared into the kitchen and Maria went to get her son.

  Christopher was smiling and happy to see his mum. She picked him up and hugged him.

  He seemed to be showing no ill effects from the previous night’s ordeal, he was bonnier and more awake than both his mother and Campbell.

  She carried him into the lounge and sat him next to her on the settee. The smell of toast wafted in from the kitchen.

  Christopher looked perplexed and called for Misty.

  “Meee, meee, meee.”

  Campbell came in with coffee and toast for the two of them and put the tray on the lounge table.

  “Campbell, could you pop into his bedroom and get his little grey cat from the cot please?”

  Campbell nodded, came back with Misty and handed it to Christopher.

  Christopher smiled and started chattering to himself.

  Campbell remembered how clear and distinct those four words had become during the night and how different he was now. Christopher was chattering the early words you would expect from a thirteen month old child. ‘Mama, Nana’ and the rest. Surely there was no way he could have been repeating that chant last night, he didn’t have the vocabulary.

  Maria handed Christopher to Campbell.

  “Would you mind staying with Christopher? I just need to warm some milk for him.”

  Christopher happily bounced on Campbell’s knee and
tried to reach for his hair.

  One word Christopher hadn’t yet learnt was ‘dada’. He didn’t need to know it, at least not for now.

  The microwave pinged and Maria came back with his milk.

  “Would you like to feed him?”

  Campbell smiled and took the bottle. He’d never fed a baby before, but he slipped into the role effortlessly. Christopher lay with the back of his head against Campbell’s arm and happily drank the milk.

  “You’re a natural,” said Maria.

  Maria thought about Rob. He’d not responded to the email she’d sent him a couple of days earlier. It didn’t surprise her. She knew that just the mention of life being less than a walk in the park would scare him off.

  Campbell was gentle with Christopher. The two of them looked perfect together.

  She dismissed the thought. Last night had been their first date, and it was never a real date, just a meal. But already she was getting gooey about him. She’d been getting gooey ever since she first saw him in the coffee shop.

  Christopher finished his milk.

  “Do I need to wind him or anything?”

  “No, just put him down, he’ll be OK.”

  Campbell propped him up with a cushion on the corner of the settee and held his hands either side of him in case he toppled over.

  “He’s fine,” said Maria, “he’s thirteen months old and not a baby, and you’d be surprised how tough he is.”

  Christopher happily sat next to Campbell on the settee clutching Mee.

  Maria looked serious as she turned to Campbell.

  “So what did you make of last night?”

  He assumed she was referring to Christopher and not their night out.

  “I really don’t know.”

  “You said that you banged your head when you were little, did you do anything like that, I mean the chanting and what not?”

  “Not that I know of. I’m calling my mum this afternoon, I’ll ask her. See what she remembers.”

  Maria picked up her phone and played the video clip.

  They both felt goosebumps as Christopher’s voice crackled over the tiny speaker.

  “Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice.”

  Maria stopped the clip and put down her phone. The horror of last night came rushing back. Discussing it was one thing, but seeing and hearing it again, was another.

  “What are you going to do?” asked Campbell.

  Maria shook her head as she pushed the phone away from her.

  “I don’t know. The doctors have proved useless.”

  “What about the child health visitor, what was her name?”

  “Esther, her name is Esther Hall.”

  “Doesn’t she know some hot shot in London?”

  Maria was impressed with how much Campbell had remembered about their conversation in the restaurant.

  “I think you should send her that clip and see what she says. I reckon she’d want to forward it to the hot shot.”

  He was right. Maria decided that she would email the video to Esther later in the morning.

  She turned to him and asked what he was doing for the rest of the day. Campbell had a shift at the coffee shop starting at one and had a few things to do before he started work.

  “I’ll tell you what. Have a shower, sort yourself out and I’ll drop you home.”

  “No need for that, I can get a bus.”

  “Forget that, I’ll drive you home, unless you’re nervous about lady drivers?”

  Campbell accepted her offer and made his way to her bathroom.

  Fifteen minutes later he came back looking fresher. Maria asked if he could keep an eye on Christopher whilst she took a shower.

  She was drying off in her bedroom with her door slightly opened. She stopped and listened to the two of them playing in the lounge. Quickly she slipped her clothes on and peeked through the open door.

  Campbell was oblivious and didn’t know she was watching. He lay on the floor, at Christopher’s level and was teasing him with the toy cat. Christopher was giggling with delight. Christopher looked up and saw Maria by the door.

  “Mama!”

  He sat up with his arms out. Campbell was embarrassed by being caught playing with Christopher. Maria smiled.

  “I’m sorry to break up the party, but this little man needs a bath.”

  Campbell sat on his own and read yesterday’s paper. He could hear Maria and Christopher in the bathroom. His delightful giggle made Campbell smile.

  Despite the strange twist at the end of the night, he felt relaxed in Maria’s company. Something about her put him at ease. He hoped she felt the same about him.

  Maria came into the lounge with Christopher to find Campbell with his feet up, reading the paper and listening to the radio.

  “I see someone’s made them self at home.”

  Campbell dropped the paper and sat up. She had a knack of catching him out.

  “Would you mind entertaining him again? I would like to fire off an email to the child health visitor and attach the video clip I made last night.”

  Campbell gladly took Christopher and they played happily on the settee.

  Maria switched on her computer, connected her phone and loaded the clip.

  She had already sent one clip of Christopher head banging a couple of days earlier. She’d had one reply from Esther saying she’d forward it to her consultant colleague but had heard nothing since.

  Maria composed a brief message explaining the events of the previous night, attached the video file and pressed send.

  She closed the lid, turned to Campbell and said it was time for him to go home.

  “Come on, chop chop, let’s get you in the car.”

  Campbell wondered whether he’d overstayed his welcome.

  Maria had a busy day ahead and needed to get a move on. She wasn’t used to visitors staying and he had been the first man to spend the night since Rob. It broke her routine and she was finding it hard to get motivated.

  She stopped outside his flat and left the engine running to signify she wouldn’t be coming in. He was about to say something but stopped, as she put her finger over his lips to shush him. Leaning toward him she made the first move and kissed him on the lips. Christopher giggled from the back of the car. They stopped kissing and smiled.

  “I guess that’s my cue to leave.”

  Maria nodded.

  Campbell climbed out of the car and closed the door.

  Maria wound down the window and leant over to the passenger side.

  “Despite what happened last night, I did enjoy it.”

  Campbell was about to speak, but Maria stopped him.

  “Before you say anything, I would like to see you again, but I’ll call you if you don’t mind. I’m worried about my son and I need to put him first.”

  Campbell nodded. He understood. He knew if he was to see her again, he would need to be patient.

  Luckily for Campbell, he wouldn’t need to wait very long.

  Chapter sixty

  Esther Hall’s home

  10.50am

  Saturday 15th October

  Esther was a terrible workaholic. Today was her first Saturday off in three months and she’d promised her husband that there would be no talk of work, or anything related to it for the whole weekend. She’d agreed they’d spend the day shopping for a new kitchen. Something her husband was keen to get on with, but couldn’t do much about unless she was present.

  However, she did have to send a very quick email to her boss, and assured him she’d be off the computer in five minutes.

  “Go and get the car out of the garage and I’ll be with you before you know it.”

  Bob sighed and went out to unlock the garage door.

  Esther logged into her email account and saw the new message from Maria. She hesitated, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. She noticed the message had an attachment.

  “Oh bollocks,”
she whispered as she clicked the message.

  She skim read the message, which said something about Christopher’s head banging getting worse before clicking the attachment.

  The file was large and it was taking time to download.

  She stuck her head around the front door and indicated to Bob, who was waiting in the car, that she would be two minutes. He rolled his eyes and tapped his watch.

  Esther sat at her computer and impatiently waited for the file to download. Eventually the clip started to play. The images where grainy, but she could clearly see it was Maria’s little boy banging his head. She wondered why Maria had sent the email. The head banging was less violent than it was in the earlier clip.

  Esther was watching it with the sound on mute. She pulled the slider icon on her computer back to the start so the clip played again from the beginning and this time had the audio turned up to seventy five percent.

  And then she heard it. At first she thought it must be something else. As she watched the footage the more it became apparent that the little boy was talking. But it wasn’t like baby talk, it was proper adult talk. It didn’t sound like a child’s voice.

  “Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice - Please hear my voice.”

  Esther closed the lid on computer. She was totally shocked. In all the years she had been working with children, she’d never seen, or heard, anything like it.

  She left the house and got in the car with her husband.

  “Are you OK love?”

  Esther nodded. Because of confidentiality she could not disclose to Bob what she’d just seen.

  “You look very pale, are you sure?”

  “I’m fine, just drive.”

  Bob reversed the car onto the road and was just about to pull away when he noticed Esther had left the front door of their house wide open.

  He pulled over onto the pavement, got out and locked the house. He got back in, looked at his wife and shook his head.

  They spent the day looking around kitchen showrooms, but Esther couldn’t concentrate on anything other than what she’d watched on her computer. Surely that wasn’t for real? Was Christopher really saying those words?