The Keeper

by Diane Saxon

  Out of control, Domino flew down the hillside above her, clipped the side of her leg in his headlong rush and almost sent her over the edge of the path after him.

  ‘Shit.’ Her heartbeat spiked as she teetered on the edge, one foot slipping in the mud before she managed to pull herself back. ‘Bloody dog, no sense of personal space. No sense, full stop.’

  She dragged in a deep breath. For her own safety, she slipped her hands back out of her pockets for balance, just in case the dog side-swiped her again and pushed her over the edge. She narrowed her eyes and peered into the blackness of the Gorge while Domino careered through the undergrowth.

  In her next life, she wanted to be a dog. Wild and carefree, with nothing to worry about. Tough and energetic, just like Domino.

  Fliss pulled her phone from her pocket and swiped the screen to check the time and then slipped it away again. She’d better get a move on before she couldn’t even see the hand in front of her face. Other than the muted sounds of birds settling for the night, the distant echoes of voices and the occasional excited yip from a dog in Dale End Park directly opposite her on the other side of the river, peace settled around her.

  Head down, she powered on, away from the soft lights of the town, deeper into the murky woodland, accompanied by the comforting thrash of Domino charging around.

  One foot suddenly shot from underneath her and she slithered down a short, muddy incline. Arms spread wide, her spine cracked as she jerked upright and then came to a slippery halt as she grabbed onto the short stretch of wooden hand railing.

  Still on her feet. Just. Heart beating in the base of her throat, she bent over from the waist and blew out a gusty sigh. Perhaps she shouldn’t power on. Perhaps slow and steady was the means to stay alive.

  Below her, Domino’s enthusiasm quietened to soft snuffles and the darkness closed in. Above her, leaves rustled, and twigs snapped. She straightened, held onto her breath to listen. Something else moved amongst the trees.

  Attuned to the peacefulness of her surroundings, Fliss angled her head so she could hear better. She blinked to focus on the shadowy woodland and waited. If there were deer, she was about to lose her dog if he decided to sprint after them, but the likelihood of deer getting so close wasn’t too high, not even the bold muntjac. Not with the racket Domino made.

  She sucked in a lungful of cold air, held it, her brow drawn low as she concentrated.

  It didn’t sound like deer. Not unless a whole herd had descended on them. Not a badger either. They would have just thundered past, oblivious of their surroundings. Busy characters, they tended not to stop for anything.

  This was different, more rhythmic.

  She tilted her head to one side to better catch the sound.

  Footsteps. Definitely. Heavy footfall coming straight towards her down the embankment, from the higher pathway leading from Broseley. There was no hesitation in the steps, some slipping, some sliding, but whoever was there had to be confident of their ability and familiarity with the terrain.

  ‘Hello?’ Fliss burst out, her voice sharp and demanding, full of confidence she didn’t feel.

  In an instant, the footfall halted. A heavy silence descended from above, but Domino’s movements still gave her some reassurance. A big dog, she’d never felt insecure with him around, knowing he’d protect her.

  Doubt sent small shudders through her as her teeth chattered against the cold. Fliss peered into the darkness above her for movement as she strained to pick up any sound.

  Nothing.

  Perhaps it had been deer, or a badger. Badgers made plenty of noise, but what creature would freeze at the sound of her voice? Most would make off through the undergrowth.

  As the wind shifted and swirled around her, she picked up the clear sound of the twilight dog walkers on the other side of the river in Dale End Park. The acoustics of the area carried their voices up the Gorge, the long valley emphasising their muffled laughter and dog-barking as though they were right beside her.

  She turned her head to catch the sound of Domino, quieter now, closer, while he snuffled in the wet autumn leaves, unconcerned by anything other than the scent he’d picked up. She should be reassured by his closeness, but she couldn’t dismiss the icy tingle which ran from her neck, down her spine and kept her still while she scanned the area above her and listened for something, anything.

  Nothing.

  ‘Domino.’ Fliss hissed out his name as she stepped back to retrace her way along the path. She wasn’t yet halfway along, and she considered it may be better to go back, rather than deeper into the woods.

  Spooked, she focused on the area above her, determined to detect some movement. Her heartbeat throbbed in the base of her throat. She hitched in fast snatches of air as thinly veiled panic skittered through her veins. She tried to regulate her breathing, held it for a long moment, while she listened for further sounds. Concerned more at the unsettling silence above her.

  She turned her head at the crackle of leaves as Domino moved closer.

  ‘Good boy. C’mon, Domino. Good boy.’ With a hushed croon, she bent from the hips and kept her face upturned to watch for any movement, her head tilted to listen. She groped for the dog’s harness, soothing him while she stroked one hand along his smooth, warm body and took what comfort she could from his presence. With her free hand, she reached into her pocket for her mobile phone. Despite Domino’s closeness, her icy fingers still fumbled while she clenched her jaw and pushed back the flutter of fear.

  Clouds skimmed over the full moon to blot out the light. The damned dark. Always the subject of her nightmares.

  She swivelled on her heel, released the dog’s harness and swiped at the quick dial for her sister’s number as she strode back the way she’d come as quickly as the narrow path would allow.

  As though he sensed her discomfort, Domino matched his pace to hers and trotted along two steps ahead.

  The phone gave a sharp trill at the other end. The fierce glow from the light heightened the density of the surrounding darkness as it closed in around her. Determined to tamp down on the panic, Fliss snapped her spine ramrod straight as she edged her way back along the path and waited for her sister to pick up.

  Just the sound of Jenna’s voice would give her confidence, although she was never going to admit to being frightened.

  The signal slipped down to two bars and then dropped out.

  From the sinister quiet above her, the dry crack of a twig broke through her thoughts and Fliss sobbed out a desperate gasp while she froze in her tracks to stare into the cloying blackness. There was someone there. Someone above her. Watching.

  ‘Hello. Is anyone there?’

  Disgusted at the quaver in her own voice, Fliss held her breath and listened.

  Silence.

  Domino circled around and came to stand by her side, and she reached out, touched his shoulder, seeking reassurance from his presence. His head came up and he scented the air.

  She swiped Jenna’s number again and prayed for the signal to kick back in.

  Domino’s low growl vibrated through Fliss’s hand where she rested it, the short hair of his hackles rose under her fingers and he stood solid beside her. Every muscle in his body quivered to attention.

  Heart knocking hard against her chest, Fliss inched the phone away from her ear to give her a better chance to listen to any further movement above. The phone pealed out its first ring and pierced the quiet. The glow from it blinded her to her surroundings.

  ‘Dammit, Jenna, pick up. Pick up.’ Fliss just needed to hear her sister’s voice, stabilise herself once more. That’s what Jenna did for her, she steadied her in her darkest moments. She’d ground her, make her see the unreasonableness of her worries without making her seem like a fool.

  The connection failed again and Fliss stabbed a shaky finger at the screen. Dammit. Connect.

  She drew a shuddering breath in through her nose and tried to still the rising fear.

  As she debated whet
her to run or stand and face the dark presence, Domino’s warning growl turned to a deep vicious snarl and terror froze Fliss to the spot.

  2

  Friday 26 October, 16:20 hrs

  Light from her phone bathed her pretty face in a soft golden glow while she stared right at him. Clouds skimmed over the bright white moon, then off again to leave a shimmer of silvery light casting through the shadowed woodland.

  The man watched, raking his fingertips over the whiskers on his chin to make them rasp.

  There was nothing for it, she’d left him with no choice.

  ‘Stupid bitch,’ he murmured under his breath.

  It wasn’t his fault. She’d provoked him. She should have gone on her way without looking at him. What the hell was she doing there, anyhow? Why couldn’t she have minded her own business, instead of poking her nose up in the air to watch his every move? If just she’d walked away and let him get on with what he’d come to sort out, she’d have been safe. But now he had to deal with her and that fucking dog.

  He hated dogs. Unpredictable bastards. His mother had had one when he was a boy. Some sort of fucking terrier. The worst. Whenever he’d come into the room, it had always growled. His mother had thought it funny, thought it was being protective. But the protectiveness stopped when he shoved a knife through its throat and buried it in a shallow grave in the back garden along with the neighbour’s cat.

  Animals. Nasty little bastards. They should all be destroyed.

  He bent down, picked up a solid branch as thick as the top of his arm and weighed it in his hands. Without a clear view of the dog, he had no idea what breed it was, but from the amount of thrashing around, it sounded like a monster.

  No fucking little terrier.

  He altered his grip on the branch. Whatever the breed, it wouldn’t stand much of a chance against him, if he caught it right. He may not be armed with a knife this time, but his weapon of necessity was a good one.

  He smiled as the woman stared at her phone. He couldn’t hear her words, but her mouth worked frantically as he imagined she cursed at the lack of signal in the area. There was never a signal in the Gorge, not a sustainable one at any rate.

  Panic-filled eyes blinked up at him as she took her attention off the phone to scan the treeline where he stood. Stupid bitch couldn’t take her gaze from him.

  He drew in a calming breath. If only she hadn’t stared, she’d be safe. It was her own fault. Not his.

  He gave the bough another measure in his hands, forced himself to listen to his calming inner voice, it’s okay, it’s just a little diversion to your plans, keep calm, you can deal with this – his gaze never left the woman below. The wind whipped through the Gorge and he hunched his shoulders against the chill.

  She turned to leave, stepped into the finger of shadow below. He couldn’t let her go. She’d seen him. She’d know who he was. She’d be able to identify him.

  Mind made up, he waited for movement below to estimate where the dog was and then he gathered his strength and launched himself towards the light from the phone, pulling his lips back from his teeth in a soundless scream.

  As prepared as he was for it, thirty-eight kilograms of pure muscle took him by surprise as the dog released a ferocious growl and leapt up to meet him. A snarling mass of white, the man knew in an instant he’d underestimated his foe.

  Terror streaked through him. He swung hard, gripped the solid branch with both hands and let instinct rule. The quick whip of adrenaline raced wild and free through his veins, instilling him with the strength he needed to accomplish the task. His shoulder jarred on impact and punched a sick jolt of pain through him. But satisfaction overrode the ball of nausea spinning through his stomach. The branch he held splintered in two, accompanied by a crack loud enough to be the dog’s neck breaking. He hoped. Whether it did or not, the animal hit the floor like a sack of wet cement and flipped off the path, down the steep hillside. The body smashed through the undergrowth, cracking twigs and branches.

  The woman’s shrill scream chased it all the way as she shrieked the dog’s name.

  ‘Domino!’

  A sense of achievement that he’d bested the creature rolled off him as the man squared up to meet the lesser of his enemies.

  The crackle and groan of his shoulder didn’t bother him as adrenaline sent a power surge through his system to disguise the pain. Wild laughter bubbled inside and he grinned.

  Easy pickings.

  A weak, pathetic woman.

  He was strong.

  Strong and dangerous.

  Empowered by his success, he flung the remains of his branch to one side and stepped closer to the woman. His bare hands would be enough to deal with her.

  Shock filled her eyes, huge and shadowed in a pale face, illuminated by the light of her phone and the glimmer of moonlight edging through the trees. She gave a slow blink and he grinned. Her bad luck she’d frozen instead of run. Silly little slag.

  A wicked thrill pulsed through him to fill him with vitality. Surprise quickened the adrenaline spiking his energy levels. It felt good, this power he’d discovered.

  His blood singing through his veins, he glared at her, punched his arm out to grab her as she stepped back. Her feet slipped in the thick, sticky mud. Surprised, he grappled with the sleeve of her coat, desperate to hold on to her as, with a sudden burst of unexpected energy, she flung her arms up. The hold he had on her loosened and, in desperation, she shook off his fingers and wrenched away.

  Her shrill scream pierced his ears as she teetered on the edge of the path. He snatched at her one last time before she crashed down the Gorge, the same way as her dog, ear-splitting screams echoing around the valley.

  Panic chased away his excitement and shock gathered in his gut as the fast smackdown of adrenaline left him with the shakes. He dipped his head to follow the sound of her descent above the frenzied crash of his heart.

  ‘Stupid. Stupid.’ He smacked the heel of his hand against his temple. ‘They’ll all hear, the fuckers.’ Those walking their dogs on the other side of the river. ‘Nosy, interfering bastards.’ She’d ruined everything. Damn her. The bitch!

  The echo of his furious internal scream reverberated through his mind.

  Dizzy with rage, he started his descent, pounding downhill, slithering sideways through the thick undergrowth that snagged at his boots and threatened to upend him. But he had no choice. Help would come, and he only had a short time to sort out the matter he’d come to deal with.

  At the sudden rise of voices, he glared across the river, anger pushing back the panic. Those bloody dog walkers would send help. They’d phone the police in response to the stupid woman’s blood-curdling screams. Interfering fuckers, always reporting the locals for any indiscretions. Bloody dog walking neighbourhood watch.

  A frustrated grunt stuck in his throat. She’d seen him. She’d be able to identify him. If she was still alive, he’d kill her.

  Anger writhed in the pit of his stomach. If he had more time, he’d make her suffer, break her fingers one at a time, twist her arms until she cried out in her pain, yank her hair from her head, stab his cigarette butts deep into her soft flesh.

  In his fury, he ground his teeth until his jaw popped, and then he skidded down the steep side of the hill, his feet skating through the perilous vegetation, barely getting purchase as he broke into a run, unable to put the brakes on.

  He whipped the small torch from his back pocket and turned it on to scan the area. He shielded the arc of light with one hand, so it only glowed onto the ground.

  He didn’t have time for this shit.

  He’d deal with her, but it would have to be quick and efficient.

  3

  Friday 26 October, 16:30 hrs

  She slithered to a stop, choking on her own desperate gasps as horror clawed at her chest. Her world ricocheted in violent revolutions. Pain lanced through her knee from ramming into the brickwork of the ancient Severn Valley railway bridge. Partially buried be
neath the hillside, the thick slide of black mud filled its belly from the entrance at the top of the short tunnel, to spew it out of the mouth at the bottom where it converged with the wider pathway.

  Breathless, she barely paused before she whipped over onto her knees, ignoring the deep burn where the undergrowth had ripped her flesh. She scrambled around, patting the ground. She ignored the streaks of pain spearing the palms of her hands as the warm scent of blood filled her nostrils and a metallic taste coated her tongue.

  ‘Domino.’

  Desperate, she whispered his name under her breath as she reached out for him.

  Her head still spun while crazy white lights slashed across her vision. Frantic, she swiped a hand along the brick edge of the partially submerged railway tunnel to centre herself, to picture where she’d landed and visualise an escape route. She raised her head, spared the slope a cursory glance. There was a lunatic up there but if she could grab Domino and make a run for it along the wide track, she’d hopefully reach the safety of the Ironbridge.

  She groped around, grasped at leaves and branches in a desperate bid to locate Domino.

  ‘Domino,’ she hissed through clenched teeth. He had to be there somewhere. With trembling hands, she sought any heat source to hint at his presence. She’d plummeted down the hill right behind him, head over heels in wild rotations, enough to knock the stuffing out of her. She should have landed on top of him, but she could easily have tumbled in a different direction.

  A desperate sob tore free of her tight throat. Where was he? He had to be near, she needed him. Needed to know he was safe. Her voice croaked out as she called for him again.

  ‘Domino. Oh god, Domino, where are you?’

  In the pitch dark, she focused, desperate to catch a glimpse of his bright white fur, but the moon was not on her side and hid its glow behind another rush of clouds.