Текст книги "Underwood"
Автор книги: Colin Griffiths
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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 15 страниц)
Chapter 19
Lily and Nathan had stayed with Rebecca, Ivy and Samuel, Lily sharing with Ivy what had happened with Stuart Hillman and how it was her who killed him and it was her mother he was trying to rape, all Rebecca could think of doing was to comfort her and that’s exactly what she did.
They were both sat on Ivy’s bed neither girl had said a word for the last ten minutes, they just huddled each other, it was Lily who spoke first, she had been deep in thought, with her mother and father gone she knew it was up to her to do something.
‘I’ve got to go and see the sheriff’ she told Ivy,
Ivy recoiled in horror, her look was one of utter bewilderment as she sat up to face Lily,
‘Why on earth would you do that’ she demanded,
Lily knew why but she didn’t want to tell Ivy that, not yet,
‘Because I’ve got to do something even if it’s just to beg for my mother, it’s Sunday, and they will sentence her today’ she screwed up her nose and tried to force a smile,
‘Do you want me to come with you’ Ivy asked,
‘No, but please be here if I come back’
The words took Ivy by surprise,
‘If?’
Lily kissed Ivy on the cheek and left.
The 14 year old girl who not so long ago was on her way to a family holiday in Cornwall, who has since been told she would be repeatedly raped on her 16th birthday until she bore 5 babies, who had seen her father disappear, who had murdered a man and then saw her mother take responsibility, whose mother was locked in a cell waiting to be sentenced, a sentence that would probably mean death, stood at the top of the path of the house where the sheriff worked from, she took a deep breath, walked up the path and knocked the door.
Allan Herapath had just come out of the bathroom, having had a shave, the knock on the door took him by surprise, he wasn’t expecting anyone, those who called were usually those who had been summoned, he grew angry at someone having the audacity to knock his door, he just hoped it was really important or consequences would have to be met, he opened the door and was surprised at whom he saw.
Lily didn’t say anything, she just walked past him quickly into the house, surprising the sheriff, the sheriff slammed the door shut, the noise made Lily jump but she stood her ground as she faced the doctor, with her heart racing she said,
‘I need a word’
The sheriff looked at the child in front of her, he knew who she was but shocked at the nerve of the girl, in a sense he admired her courage and it was only that admiration that stopped him from grabbing her throat and choking the life out of her, he walked into his office and Lily followed, Allan sat in his chair and swung around to look at Lily, Lily had closed the door behind her, Allan noticed there was no fear in her eyes and that unnerved him a bit.
‘You need to let my mother go free’ she told him, with an authority that should have come from someone much older and wiser, Allan Herapath, the sheriff of Underwood grew intrigued, he loved the spunk of this little girl, what fine babies she will produce, he thought,
‘And why would I want to do that’
Lily gulped took a wooden chair that was up against the wall, she put it the wrong way round and sat on it beside the sheriff, she laid her arms on the back of the chair and leant forward.
‘I come from a more modern world then you will ever know’ she told him, she paused just for a moment ‘the technology is amazing, you can even create babies in a test tube, you would love it’ she mocked the sheriff,
The sheriff was taken aback, but what she was telling him was of great interest,
‘We have IVF that’s to help families who can’t have babies, do you know we’ve even cloned a sheep, you have no idea how the world has changed, you should go see it sometime’ she leaned back waiting for a reaction, her heart was in her mouth but she did well not want to show it, the sheriff smiled,
‘And your point is’ he asked her,
Her voice broke a little but she still felt in control, she knew there was no going back,
‘I won’t have your babies, until you release my mother’
In a flash Lily was knocked to the floor as the sheriff leant forward and pushed the chair she sat on, causing her and the chair to fly across the room, the sheriff stood up and put his foot on Lily’s chest, the reaction shook her but she knew she had to remain composed, I can do this’ she told herself,
‘I could crush you now, I could impregnate you now’
Lily didn’t flinch, she just lay there silently, she didn’t struggle, she felt the foot on her chest and knew that if pressure was applied she would be crushed, the sheriff slowly raised his foot from her chest, when it was fully away from her, Lily got up, her elbow hurt from where it had hit the floor, she picked up the chair and sat on it, this time the right way around, the sheriff sat, it was that moment Lily felt in control once more.
‘You can get me pregnant, but that doesn’t mean I will give birth, you wouldn’t believe now what we can do to our body’s, you can impregnate me as many times as you like, but I won’t give birth, oh and you so want my babies’,
His first instinct was to kill her, but he was fascinated by her, he couldn’t imagine what type of child she would give them, it would be a new type of breed, a baby from the future’
‘Your mother killed a man, I cannot let her be unpunished,
Lily’s answer was swift and polished,
‘I killed him, he was trying to rape my mother, and she’s protecting me, so now punish me if you want’
The sheriff laughed out loud, it threw Lily a little, the confidence she had didn’t seem to be there anymore, and then he said something that made her think she had won this particular battle,
‘If I let her go, you will have the babies?’
‘I will even pick the fathers for you, ones that will give you beautiful daughters’
The sheriff lit a cigar, he offered Lily one, and she refused,
‘Smoking can kill your baby when pregnant’ she told him, the sheriff looked at his cigar as if it was something evil that he was holding, he stubbed it out in the ashtray, he went into the kitchen and poured a glass of water, Lily just sat waiting, she made no attempt to move, the sheriff handed her the water and sat back down.
‘Tell me about this world that you come from’ he asked her,
And Lily did just that.
Eileen Ryall paced her cell, her head mixed up with all sorts of things, she had realised that she may well be dead by the end of the night and her only thoughts could be of her children and who would take care of them, then her head constantly went to her daughter and the look on her face when she held the knife in her hand covered in blood, she didn’t know how a child could cope with that, then she thought of Nathan, how vulnerable and quiet he had become, who would care for him, her head thoughts would flash to Peter, and she would ask herself why he had left them, then she thought of trees and wanted to scream, she knew she was cracking, she just wanted to say goodbye to the people she loved, she finished the bottle of water that had been brought for her, she threw the empty bottle against the wall, then suddenly the cell lit up as the door was opened, she thought it was them coming to take her away, until she saw Dylan Williams and her daughter stood there, she would have a chance to say goodbye after all.
Dylan opened the cell door and Lily ran into her mother’s arms crying,
‘Your free mum’ she sobbed, Dylan held his arm out in a gesture to leave,
‘How, why’ Eileen stuttered,
‘I will tell you when we get home’
As they walked out they noticed the sun was setting, there was a few grey clouds in the sky.
Chapter 20
The centre field was awash with people, who had come to pay their respects to the death of Steve Duce, his body lay on the ground in a body bag, he wasn’t going to be burned tonight, he was to be taken into the woods, to feed what lied within, it was an unusual service for Underwood, a natural death, the man had died of a heart attack so the villagers were told, and for some reason that gave people hope, that there ending would not be so horrific as many of those before them.
Rumour had got around that Eileen had been freed, there was also another rumour that someone would be sentenced tonight as an example to the Underwood residents, for rumours to go around in itself was unusual, for someone to escape the wrath of the all– powerful three was unheard of, everyone wanted to see who this person was and for the first time in the history of the new Underwood every citizen attended the Sunday ritual, everyone that possibly could.
For Philip Lenan, the judge and jury of the town, as he sat on his raised platform scanning the crowd, it was music to his ears to see so many subjects here to honour him, for he was sure that it was him they came to see, not the spectacle that was about to be bestowed upon them, for he was the greatest attraction of them all and they were going to be in for a surprise tonight, and as he panned the awaiting crowd with his eyes, he noticed one fundamental difference, he noticed that people were now chatting to each other, various groups of people in deep conversation with each other, that had never happened before, people just used to stand still and stare, show the fear in their eyes, some trembling, some crying, some turning away not wanting to watch, he wasn’t too impressed at what he was now seeing, he just hoped that the people of Underwood had finally come to accept the new town and those that ruled it, he wished the sheriff and the vicar could be here to see it, but in a sense he knew they were, why aren’t they looking at me, why aren’t they scared, he thought, he felt a chill go through his bones, he had never felt like that before, he hoped his creator was okay.
It was dark and there was no moon tonight, there was a slight chill in the air, which was not the norm for Underwood, their summers usually long and muggy, both the families from number 12 and 13 Hawthorne stood together along with Tony Griffiths, Eileen now aware of everything that Lily had done to gain her release, she wondered just when and how her daughter had become so brave, she could see people were staring at her, some pointing at her, and when she caught their eyes they would smile and wave, whilst only a few knew her name, they were calling her “the woman that got away” only a few resented her for it, mostly those whose kin had not been so lucky, for most of the people who were there that evening they were in awe of her.
Philip Lenan stood up, he was feeling hungry and knew the sooner he could get the bodies of Steve Duce and Stuart Hillman to the woods the better he would feel, and he wanted to get these people home, he didn’t like them congregating in the manner that they were.
‘We have to say goodbye to two subjects tonight’ he told the crowd, his voice loud and deep, the voices in the crowd silenced and all eyes fell on Philip Lenan, ‘not only that of Steve Duce, but also of Stuart Hillman who was brutally murdered, they will both be laid to rest in the woods by the end of the night, we thought it fitting that these two fine residents be laid to rest together’
He awaited the approval of the crowd, but there was not approval, he didn’t like the muttering that he could hear.
‘What’s so fitting about that’ shouted a 60 year old man from the crowd, the crowd cheered at the man’ he looked frail and was only stood with the assistance of a walking stick, he licked his lips as if the words he spoke had dried his mouth.
‘Silence’ Philip shouted, his voice deep and angry, the crowd quietened, but not straight away and mumbling could still be heard, Philip had never known this type of reaction, he put it down to there being so many people there,
‘One more word from that man and he will be arrested’ said the judge, some people boo’ed, however the man said no more he just cursed under his breath, Philip Lenan didn’t like the reaction, he didn’t like it at all, but he was in control, after all he was about to call upon his biggest surprise.
‘Bring her out’ he shouted, and brought onto the stage by Dylan Williams and the newly appointed deputy a man named Liam Jones, a 45 year old thin man who still appeared to portray the effects of teenage acne was Sandra Skellam, handcuffed and stripped of her uniform, she stood in trousers and a top, she did not struggle and she stood to face the crowd, hands cuffed behind her back, each deputy stood beside her, Sandra Skellam was not scared, she didn’t want to die, but she had had enough of this town and those that ruled it.
‘This law enforcer had allowed two of our people to die and one to go missing, this is clearly unacceptable, whilst we cannot determine the murderer of Stuart Hillman, someone has to take responsibility, this is her, she shall be sentenced tonight, How do you plead?’ he asked Sandra
The two deputy’s beside her bowed their heads as if to say they take no responsibility, Lily who was stood by her mother screamed out,
‘You fucking bastards’ she tried to run towards the judge but both Tony and Eileen prevented her from doing so, all eyes went to the little girl and then back to Sandra, and Sandra took one step forward.
‘Fuck you’ she said and the crowd once again cheered, then all eyes were drawn to someone walking through the crowd, the crowd parted to let her through.
Sue Bradshaw walked to the stage, she was helped onto the stage by two men in the crowd, she stood in front of the judge, her aged body weak and feeble, her voice suddenly not the croaky old tone that had been damaged and broken by too many cigarettes, but the voice of a confident young woman.
‘There will be no sentencing tonight’ she told the judge as the crowd cheered and clapped, Philip Lenan stood up with the intention of ending this old lady’s sorry life, but what stood before him was not the old wino from underwood, it was a young beautiful girl, dressed in all white and her arms were spread wide and her blue eyes shone like the stars in the sky, and she smiled at Philip Lenan as the crowd grew silent, and for the first time in a very long time, for as long as he could remember, he felt a feeling that he didn’t like, he felt fear.
‘That’s my sister’ shouted June Murphy from the crowd as she sipped from a bottle of wine that she brought with her,
‘You tell him Sis’ she shouted even louder.
‘Yes’ shouted Lily and Ivy with their fists in the air and instead of them stopping their children, Eileen and Rebecca joined in with encouragement, most of the eyes in the crowd were staring at the judge, waiting for a reaction. Tony Griffiths was staring at Sue Bradshaw Underwood’s resident wino, who couldn’t see what Philip Lenan was seeing, for those in the crowd she was no angel, she was just the drunk they had always known her to be.
Sue lowered her arms slowly, and as she did so the ground shook and the skies roared with thunder as if she had commanded it to do so, and the lightening lit the skies as the rain hammered down on the ground and those who stood on it.
Philip Lenan froze at first at the sight before him, a woman who could control the skies, he left his stage and quickly ran to his home, out of the storm that had just been created, the crowd began to disperse all aware of what damage a storm can do, and the 60 year old frail Sue Bradshaw grabbed her sister and made their way back to Willow where they will bolt the windows and lock the doors and drink the storm out.
And as they sat drinking the wine and smoking the cigarettes that were lined with just a hint of pot to keep the doctor away, June Murphy never asked her sister what she did, for she recalled her doing something similar a hundred years ago.
Tony Griffiths told the two families to go home as fast as they could, and they made their way to Hawthorne, there was no urgency about the people of Underwood that night as they walked to their homes.
Tony ran to the stage and ordered the two deputy’s to uncuff Sandra, which they did, neither willing nor wanting to protest.
‘I need your help’ he told her, without even asking if she was okay, but time was of the essence.
‘Make it quick’ said Sandra, ‘this storm is getting stronger,
They ran to the body of Stuart Hillman, Tony opened the body bag, took out a syringe of blue liquid from his inside coat pocket and injected the body with its contents, they carried the body to the edge of the woods.
‘We have to be quick’ said Tony ‘take three steps in and throw the body then run like hell, Sandra took the legs, Tony took the arms and that’s just what they did.
The thing in the woods was not expecting a storm tonight, he hadn’t sensed it coming, tonight he thought he was going to be feeding on human, fresh human but the storm had changed everything, he wondered how his senses had failed him, he thought he may have to lay dormant for a number of years to replenish himself as he had done in the past, immortality can be draining on one’s soul, he was just about to return to his den and see out the storm when he sensed something from behind him, he wasn’t close enough or quick enough to catch the fresh meat that had ventured into the woods, for they were quick and gone in a second, but his servants had been true to him, and at least he was being fed human tonight, and as he sat in his den feeding on the body of Stuart Hillman, he knew sometime soon he may have to face venturing outside of the woods, the three people in charge were beginning to fail him, maybe the time for Underwood was at an end, time for a new town to be reborn.
Sandra and Tony made it back to the car lot and went straight to see Delyn, Tony annoyed that he didn’t see the storm coming, but didn’t that Sue Bradshaw cause it he thought, it was too late for them to go now, perhaps the town wino will do it again.
No one died during that particular Storm, except when the storm was over and daylight had come, the body of Steve Duce would no longer be there, it would have been taken and sucked up by the swirling woods, where? No one will ever know, he was not a meal for the creature who owned the woods, his body was not battered by the trees.
Peter Ford lay on the bed of his hotel room, as he had been most of the time since he had got out of Underwood, he was in deep thought about the events that had happened, and in deeper thought about the events he hoped would come.
He was in another world, not in his body but inside his head, his thoughts mixed with regret and guilt, frequently changed by anger and frustration, he didn’t know where he was, he didn’t know what he could do.
The clap of thunder made him jump from his daydream as he lay on the bed, the last time he had looked towards the window there was a deep sunset, as he sat up he stared at the window, the darkening skies looked grey and menacing, then suddenly his room was lit up by a flash of lightening, he shot off the bed in a panic, just looking around the room wondering what to do, all he could think was there was no storm forecast, he quickly put on his shoes without any socks, and dressed in just jeans and a t-shirt he ran out of his room down the corridor like the possessed man he had become, he took the steps down two at a time and raced out of the foyer in the downpour that poured upon him, by the time he got to the car he was drenched to the bone, two more claps of thunder roared above him followed by long sheeted lightening, he hoped he wasn’t too late, he needed to be at the heart of the storm, as he roared out of the hotel car park, in the distance behind the storm clouds he could see the skies were clear.
He narrowly avoided two cars as he pulled out into the junction onto the Magor road, they both hooted at him, but he sped off driving like the lunatic he had just become, Underwood was only two miles away, surely he would make it, he hit 85mph as his foot pushed the pedal to the floor, he took the left past the church leading to Underwood, almost losing control as the build-up of water almost aqua-planning him into the hedgerow he drove up the incline, the rain easing, he could see the trees in front of him, there was nothing menacing about them, he heard a crack of thunder, but it was far in the distance, his heart sunk as he realised he was too late, the rain had eased as his windscreen cleared.
He sat in his parked car for a few moments, the skies were still dark, but not as dark as they were, and it still rained a little but he could see clearer skies heading towards him, his mind was in a mess as he thought of what to do, then he done the only thing he could do, he done the only thing that his then crazy mind would allow him to do, he put the car in gear, released the clutched and rammed his foot on the accelerator straight for the trees, it was now or never.
