24 hours later – or just under – and
I’m still here. I’m amazed. No, actually, I’m not. It is amazing what a little time will do to
settle abject terror and put it in perspective. We quit the watch at 6:00 this morning and I can’t honestly say
we ran but it was a brisk walk, almost a jog, back to the lodge, and not one of
us looked back. We weren’t hungry but
Peri said we had to eat. After a shock,
the best cure was normal routine. She
was right. Andy did breakfast and,
after, we all felt a lot better. Not
better enough to sleep though. We had
to talk it thru, get it into the open.
A lot of fear came out – not just from Carrie but from Andy and me, and
Flo as well. Not Peri though. She hardly said anything but she listened
and she took us seriously. She didn’t
say we were dumb to feel scared or what had we expected in a place like
Haystone. I tell you, I’d expected a
lot and not once truly and honestly believed I’d ever get it.
After we’d talked it out, we felt
better again. A lot calmer. But the specter (excuse the pun) of Haystone
and going back for the 3rd night of the ghost watch was hanging over
us so I asked what were we going to do if something else happened? Flo asked why I thought it would. And Carrie of all people said why wouldn’t
it? Peri agreed with her, adding that
it was more likely to happen than not but we weren’t to be scared by these
manifestations. Well, excuse me, but I
was scared at the idea of more.
That’s when Andy said that, just
maybe, we’d taken on a little bit too much for us to chew and that, possibly,
it might be an idea to bring in some help.
He got out a business card and passed it round. The professional people he works for. Before yesterday, I would have been dead
against it. This is our ghost hunting
vacation and, okay, maybe we’d take on new members but not hired help. Where’s the fun, right? That was yesterday. Today, I’m all ‘call them; for God’s sake,
call them!’ Flo was a bit resistant but
Carrie backed me up. Andy asked Peri
what he should do and she said it wasn’t her call to make but that they were
the experts in things like this. Flo
said how could we learn to be experts if we called in help at the first
obstacle – for the record here, can I just say that guns and blood are not
obstacles – and Peri said it all depended on what we wanted from these
trips. If it was to be scared by
manifestations, let’s pack up and go home because we’d achieved our
objective. But, if we wanted to learn
why the manifestations were happening, the wisest course of action was to bring
in experts and watch how they did it.
Andy said that we’d be calling the shots, the Luna Foundation would be
working for us, but it was our choice.
We discussed it and agreed that, if
nothing happens tonight, we’ll try to deal on our own. If something does happen, in the morning we
are calling in the cavalry. For someone
who’s a keen ghost hunter, I am really hoping we go it alone. Yep.
I do NOT want Haystone to throw anything else at us. By the way, Carrie’s fallen out with Peri
again. And I missed the fight. It hasn’t been a good day.
*****
I’ve spent a few minutes reading thru
this journal, trying to convince myself that we can do this. I was so sure only a few days ago that we
didn’t need help. I wrote that I found
it intrusive. I was wrong. With hindsight, I should have asked for help
before I left. Not necessarily help on
site but we really need to know more about the history of this house. The book excerpt only tells us about the
manifestations. Well, I guess we know
what to expect.
After the gunshot and the blood
yesterday, we were left alone. It
didn’t help. Try as I might, I kept on
hearing .. I don’t know, echoes maybe.
My mind played it over and over.
What if one of us had been up there?
Would we have been shot? That
blood was real .. and not there today.
Not even a stain.
We left the Manor at 6:00, earlier
than we’d planned but we didn’t care.
We just wanted to get away. The
atmosphere had become oppressive. At
the lodge, we just sat there. It was PB
who insisted we ate, keep to a normal routine.
The thought of food made me feel sick but we ate and we did feel better
for it. None of us could sleep
though. We were all twitchy. Drake started talking and then we couldn’t
stop. We said how frightened we’d
been. Terrified. We’d hidden it but now it had to come
out. PB listened. It was like group therapy. Eventually, around 8:30 I think, we fell silent. Then Drake asked what were we going to do if
something else happened. I wanted to
sleep at that stage but it was the right question to ask. We’d felt bad because we’d been helpless. We had no plan. We’d talked out our feelings and now we should talk out our
options. Florence wanted to know why
Drake imagined it would and Carrie said why wouldn’t it? My thoughts exactly. We are invaders in Haystone. We wanted a thrill. The Manor is only giving us what we want and
more, and trying to evict us. PB
agreed. It is more likely going to
happen than not but we shouldn’t be scared.
Easy to say. She’s used to it.
So I confessed. Maybe we had taken on too much this
time. Possibly, it might be a good idea
to bring in professional help. I passed
round DR’s business card. Drake was
keen, so was Carrie. Florence
resisted. How would we gain experience
if we got sidelined in our own investigation?
Strictly speaking, we’re not investigating the why of Haystone. We’re trying to gather evidence of the
phenomena in Haystone. I asked PB what
I should do. She said it had to be our
decision but added the Luna Foundation is the expert. Florence protested and PB made a very pertinent comment – it all
depends on what we want from these expeditions. If it’s to be scared, we might as well go home today because we’d
been scared. But, if we wanted to
investigate, bring in the experts and watch them work. It makes sense to me. We’d be in control and I would certainly
feel safer with them here.
We talked it over and agreed that, if
the Manor did something that night (now, in fact) I’d call in the morning. If we were undisturbed, we’d take it one
night at a time. So, here we are, back
in the Manor. We’ve agreed that we go
round in pairs, except for PB who isn’t scared of this house. Florence and Carrie have gone to check the
thermometers and quarters. Drake and I
have just come back from looking at the recorders and the cameras. He’s changed the film. Something triggered the equipment, either
last night or during today.
Carrie and PB aren’t speaking
again. It only adds to the
tension. PB has been great and Carrie’s
only making trouble for the sake of it.
I feel very tempted to tell Carrie to go back to the city. I don’t want more hysterics. It doesn’t do any of us any good.
Oh no … I can hear shouting. It’s
a man’s voice, one I don’t recognize.
Florence and Carrie haven’t returned yet. Drake says we have to go look for them.
*****
Merli called today, put me on
standby. Apparently, Andrew’s gotten in
a little over his head and she told us to expect the call tomorrow. I asked what had gone down and she told me a
gunshot and fresh blood, quite a lot of it.
The first night, there’d only been a smell, a stink. Something rotting. Nice. At least only she
and someone called Carrie had been able to smell it. Last night, they’d all heard the shot and seen the blood. Cue 4 freaked out ghost hunters. I told Derek, figured we could get some gear
together today and save time tomorrow.
He said he’d been more than half expecting it. Of course, then, I had to come clean about where Merli is and
that I’d known all along. He said he’d
suspected as much. I think he’s quite
looking forward to it. He told me to
pack the usual ghostbusting kit into the Range Rover. I asked him about Profelis, would he be coming with us? I didn’t get an answer. Guess he’s going to leave it to Profelis to
decide.
I don’t think Profelis will come with
us. If he feels uncomfortable with us,
he’s going to feel 10 times worse with 4 genuine civilians running around a
haunted house. I don’t think he’ll bolt
while we’re gone either. Merli wants
him here, he knows it. He’ll go at the
risk of a serious ass kicking when she gets back.
Rest of the day went by with no
surprises. I did breakfast. Profelis fixed lunch. Alex did supper. No one got poisoned. Alex
and Profelis have kissed and made up, not literally but they’re talking. He was in the control room bright and early
today, and took a look at the manuscript Alex is working on. These guys are really incredible. They have senses we can’t even begin to
understand, let alone explain. Alex
told me later that he held his hand flat over the parchment, stared down at it,
and said it wasn’t written by monks.
They might have thought they were monks – living in seclusion, following
a rule .. sounds a little like Legacy people – but they weren’t. There was no sense of holiness or even
goodness about the parchment. But it
wasn’t evil either. He said Alex could
work on it without worrying about contamination. The most this had seen was bad.
She wanted to know how bad but he couldn’t say. It wasn’t a person. They can read people’s auras to determine
degrees of bad. Parchments don’t have
anything they can read. It would be
down to Alex’s skills at translation.
She said she could accept that. I asked her why she could take it from him
and not from Merli. She said this was
different. I didn’t force it, I didn’t
want to fight. I don’t see how it’s
different but maybe I’m too willing to accept what Merli does and says as being
for the good reason.
Profelis came into the lab this
afternoon to watch me and Derek working on the medallion. We finally got it cleaned up enough to be
able to read what’s on it but it didn’t help us any. It is a commemorative or memorial tablet but all it records is
the year of death – 1126. There’s an
image of a man, possibly a knight, laying on a stone plinth or catafalque, but
he isn’t named. There’re some symbols
around the outer rim which Derek believes he may be able to identify. Whoever this guy was, he wasn’t a Templar or
some other knight serving God. Profelis
didn’t recognize the symbols either but offered to help in the research. He seems intrigued, and that has to be
good. I started work on the chalice
once we’d finished with the medallion.
I also sent a message to the Paris house asking them to send us images
of the vault in which these items were found.
The layout and decoration may give us some clues.
Finally, this evening, I loaded up the
Range Rover. Derek mentioned to Rachel
and Alex over supper that it was likely we’d have to go tomorrow to help Andrew
out. He warned us (although he’d say it
was a reminder) that we were there working for Andrew, we were not to take
over. I don’t have a problem with
that. I’m not so sure about the
others. Least I’ll get to see Merli
again.
*****
Well, it’s Day 7 of this journal and
today I did something I thought I never would.
I went over Andy’s head and I called Nicky. After the debate this morning, I felt it was more likely that
Andy would have to call for help than go it alone, so I pre-empted his call to
put Nicky on standby. I figure they
could get all the gear ready today to leave at short notice tomorrow.
Aquila didn’t come back to the lodge
with us. She stayed behind because this
situation is really bugging her. She
can’t find anything. There are no
ghosts in Haystone Manor. All there
appears to be are echoes of situations.
But there could be ghosts – just so momentary that she isn’t in the
right place at the right time to catch them.
I read the book. It didn’t tell me much. Haystone is mostly noise. I’ve heard a lot. Not just the gunshot, I’ve heard voices. They’re quiet, murmuring in conversation
rather than talking. It’s like trying
to hear from outside the door when the people inside don’t want to be
heard. I don’t think the others have
heard them. The blood was interesting. That wasn’t a noise. It wasn’t a ghost either. It’s a related phenomenon.
Trying to get these people to
understand that they won’t be harmed by what’s going on is like hitting my head
against a wall. It serves no
purpose. They were all reluctant to
come up here again today. I really
wonder why they do this. It’s like a
Halloween party to them. They expect to
be scared but not that much and they want neat, tidy explanations all
ready. I think they want to be thrilled
rather than scared. Noise is more scary
than seeing something.
I’m writing this in the library. Everyone else was in the kitchen. Carrie and Florence have gone to do the
rounds. Carrie and I have had another
exchange today. She is a strange woman. Early on, when we got back to the lodge and
had that long talk, she was normal, just like the others. Adversity forced them into one team. We went upstairs to sleep, Carrie decided
she would share after all. When she
woke up, it was like she’d dragged on all the attitude again. I have nothing against attitude. God knows, I have plenty myself. Carrie accused me of being superior, of
deliberately using my experience to stay calm and thus make them look
stupid. I told her to grow up. I was tired, I spoke without thinking. And then she narrowed her eyes, said ‘oh, so
you think I’m childish, do you? You,
who has hair like Lily Munster? No
wonder you feel so at home in the Manor.’
I can’t deny my hair does look like
Lily Munster’s but I’ve earned every silver thread of it and I was damned if I
was going to let that pass. Florence
was downstairs so I shut the door, turned to Carrie, and let rip. I was polite but relentless. I told her exactly what I thought of her –
that, yes, she was childish, I wasn’t surprised she had so few friends and the
few she did have probably didn’t like her very much, nor was I surprised the
wedding was called off, and that, while she might look okay, I bet she had no
sex life whatsoever and those were the main big differences between us. I look better than she does, I never break a
nail, and I stay calm in bad situations because I have lots of really
incredible sex with my husband. But she
wasn’t a hopeless case – she just needed to change the attitude then she could
have great sex too. She went white,
then red, then she walked out. If she
loses it again tonight, she’s on her own.
I can hear voices shouting
upstairs. Drake and Andy are
moving. I suppose I’d better go with
them. More in a while ~
Carrie’s coming round. Florence has changed her mind about bringing
in help. Drake’s bailed but Andy’s
hanging in there. It was just shouting,
for Pete’s sake. Accusations. Me?
Fuck the rules; I’m having a cigarette.
*****
I think I’m going mad. I haven’t said anything to the others but I
keep on hearing voices. Occasionally, I
hear laughter. I know it isn’t us. It’s this house. But the voices I hear aren’t voices – now that does make
me sound mad. It’s a murmur. Like running water in the background. I can’t make out the words. It’s like I’m listening outside a door to a
whispered conversation. If I could only
hear it properly, maybe I’d understand what’s going on.
The gunshot last night really scared
me but not because it’s a ghost thing.
It’s because it was a gunshot.
The blood though, that was different.
Ghosts are meant to be pale, transparent things which float around. The blood was red, thick. Sticky.
Peri stuck her fingers in it to check.
It was real. Something terrible
happened in Haystone. I think it was
murder.
We had a long talk this morning and
decided to call in Andy’s employers if anything else happens tonight. I believe it will, despite what I said to the
others. I just hope it isn’t too
scary. Drake’s badly shaken by all
this. Carrie has surprised me. Okay, she had a screaming fit yesterday but,
so far today, she’s been calm. She
backed Drake in the debate. Peri’s been
neutral, I guess – pushing to bring her associates in but saying it has to be
our choice.
In a while, Carrie and I are going to
do the rounds. Andy’s decided that no
one goes anywhere alone. Peri isn’t
subject to this rule because she has experience and nothing much seems to
ruffle her feathers. Not even the fight
she had with Carrie earlier. I was just
coming upstairs when I heard them. Boy,
I wish I had a little of that attitude!
I wouldn’t feel so much like a doormat all the time. Peri’s hair is a bit like Lily Munster’s but
so what? Is it any reason to use it as
a deliberate insult to someone who’s here to help? I don’t think so. The
downside is that Carrie is sticking to me like glue and I’d rather be with Peri
or the guys. More later – I have to go
do the rounds.
Later: okay, I was wrong to say I
don’t want help. I think we do. Too much is going on here for us to really
understand. Drake’s gone back to the
lodge. He says he can’t face another
night here, not on our own. (I think he
means without help because no way are we on our own in this house.) Andy and I have to stay. Carrie fainted. She’s coming round now but she looks terrible.
We’d gone to do the rounds. I’ve not noticed any real drop in
temperature and none of the quarters have been touched. We were on the 3rd floor landing
and Carrie was looking to see if any blood was there. She didn’t get a good look yesterday. But there was nothing – not even a stain. We were checking the floor surface, to see
if it had been rubbed down and repolished when this man’s voice started
shouting. Carrie jumped 10 feet (slight
exaggeration) and passed out. Well, it
scared me too – it was so close, like 3 or 4 feet away, and completely
unexpected. I didn’t panic although my
heart was racing in my throat and I couldn’t have called for help if I
wanted. I looked around for the source
of the voice. I wanted to see a ghost. I didn’t.
There was nothing there except the voice. A man’s voice, like I said.
Quite deep but rising in anger .. and shock. He was shouting ‘How could you do this? How could you shame our family?’
Over and over. I couldn’t hear
anyone trying to answer. It was just
the one voice.
Then Andy and Drake came to find
us. Rescue us, I suppose. Drake thought Carrie had been hurt. Andy called for Peri who took one look at
her and said she’d fainted. Then we all
listened. A couple of seconds later, it
stopped as fast as it’d started. The
guys took Carrie back to the kitchen.
Peri and I hung around for a couple more minutes but then we went down
as well. Peri said before we went in
that the manifestations seem to be 1 episode per night so we were probably okay
now. Drake didn’t care. He left.
Andy has to call. We need help. I’m looking forward to learning a lot.
*****
It seems I’m going on a fieldtrip
tomorrow to a place called Haystone Manor.
Peri’s already there and it doesn’t surprise me at all that she’s gone
with Andrew. Derek told us tonight over
supper. Alex was pleased. Maybe she’s having trouble with the
translation or maybe she hopes she can corner Peri into getting her
explanation. Luckily for me, my
appointment book is empty for a while so I can take the time. I don’t have to worry about Kat being home
alone either. And, if something does
blow up, I’m not that far away. I can
be home in a few hours.
I hope Profelis stays here on the
island. I don’t believe he’d find it at
all comfortable if he comes with us.
There’ll be ordinary people there although, thinking about it, he may be
able to interact with ordinary people a lot easier than he can with Legacy
people. On the whole, we are ordinary
but we know who and what he is, and that’s the difference. Peri is a lot more at home with her
abilities. Profelis is too but in a different
way. I don’t think I’m explaining
myself very well. Anyway, the reason I
believe Profelis would find it uncomfortable is because Peri will be there, and
so will Alex. It’s in his nature to
side with what he knows, and he knows Peri.
He won’t want to be caught between those two.
I think it’ll do him good to hold the
fort in our absence. He can explore at
leisure. The house will be completely
safe with him here. He’s an
Enforcer. And he may be able to do some
work on Derek’s projects to pass the time.
That will give him an excellent insight into what goes on here.
He’s already made a great start to
integrating with us, a lot more than I’d hoped possible in so short a
time. He fixed lunch today. He made peace with Alex – I knew they didn’t
hold grudges – and he took a close look at the parchment she is trying to
translate. During the afternoon,
Profelis was in the lab. He didn’t
physically assist but Derek mentioned that he did watch and made some useful
observations. He probably – and I’m
guessing here – could clean up those items a lot faster than using chemical
washes but it’s a measure of his restraint that he’s ready to do it our way.
Derek told us about Haystone, and
shared what Andrew had told him as well as what he’d learned since. Alex, too, has been researching the
Manor. I feel a little left out but,
between them, they’ve gotten a good basic framework. Of course, there are a lot of unanswered questions. If there weren’t, we wouldn’t need to go
there. Nick’s got the Range Rover
loaded so, as soon as Andrew calls, we’ll be ready to leave. Derek did remind us that we’ll be working
for Andrew and his group and that we can’t give orders, only make
suggestions. We’re there to help, not
take over. If we do it wrong, we may
solve the mystery faster but we may also lose a butler. None of us want that.
Haystone appears interesting. Not our usual type of typical haunted house
situation. From what Derek has read,
the manifestations there are only noises.
I think noises are more frightening.
We like to see things. We want
to know what’s causing the noises we hear.
Without sight to confirm, our imaginations tend to run a little
wild. If Andrew – a calm, competent man
– is disturbed enough to want to call us in, I would have to say his friends
are even more disturbed, even scared.
On the one hand, noises in themselves can’t hurt. On the other, the physical reaction to a
sudden noise could, in extremes, be fatal.
Alex has done some terrific
research. Whatever happened in that
Manor took place some time in a 4 year period.
Derek has asked her to see if she can find out anything on the brothers
and sisters living in the house during that time. She has tonight and tomorrow morning. After that, it’ll be a little more difficult, not because it’ll
have to be done on the laptop but because Andrew and his friends will be
watching us closely.
*****
At last – a breakthrough, and one I
have been hoping for. I must confess
that, if Andrew had returned home without calling us, I would have been most
disappointed. But Nick told me today
the call will most likely be tomorrow.
I am very keen to get there and become involved. Having said that, I am aware that I will not
be in control of what we do, only of how we do what we are asked. Nick also admitted that Peri was the one who
had told him and that he had known several days ago that she was there. It was not a startling admission, it
confirmed my suspicions. Peri needed
some time away from us and this house – I believe Alex is not the whole reason
for that, only a part. San Stefano and
what happened there could have caused more distress for Peri than any of us has
realized and that could be why she has not spoken of it. Which of us will gladly share a moment of
our lives which has caused us trauma?
The fact is that none of us do it gladly but only under duress or after
a period of internal healing. Going
with Andrew is, most probably, doing Peri a lot of good. She is with someone she knows but not well,
and a group of people she doesn’t know at all.
That Andrew is calling us in is probably down to her suggestion – Andrew
is very competent and does not become quickly or easily flustered to the extent
that he panics. If he’s asked Peri’s
advice, he must be unsure. That she
suggested us means she is healed enough to be able to work with us again.
I told Alex and Rachel over supper
tonight. Alex was immediately
enthusiastic as I knew she would be.
Rachel was a little less enthusiastic but then this is new to her. When I told them what I had read and
discovered, she became interested and, when Alex related her research results,
Rachel became intrigued. I did remind
them that Andrew is ‘employing’ us, so we cannot go in and take over his
investigation, such as it is. He may
only have gone there to experience the manifestations but anyone with an open,
inquiring mind often requires answers as to why he is experiencing the things
he is. We can suggest avenues to take
and approaches to investigation, but we must not insist. We must be seen to be useful, not
domineering or we run a grave risk of, yet again, having to find a replacement
butler.
Nick has gathered together our
standard equipment for a case like this and loaded it ready in the Range
Rover. He also told me that the
amenities are basic so we must expect to rough it for all that we will have a
roof over our heads. I’m not sure how
this departure will impact upon his plans to work on the new house. He appears happy enough so I must assume he
is all right with the idea.
I have asked Alex to attempt to find
out the answers to my questions concerning the McFarlane children. I suspect she will be putting in a long
night in the control room. If so, she
will be the most prepared of any of us for the switch to night working. I must see if I can try to assist. It will be a worthy use of my time.
As for our houseguest, I have spoken
with him and explained the situation.
He will be welcome to come with us, if he wishes. Profelis has, however, decided to remain
here alone. He says he will use the
time to better acquaint himself with the house and grounds, and will act as
message taker in our absence. He
remarks that he will not leave because Aquila wants him to stay, and an empty
house is more to his liking anyway. He
will try to keep on top of our routine tasks and, if we want, attempt to do
some more work on the Paris house referral.
I have willingly delegated my part to him and I have invited him to make
full use of all our facilities. This
means I can leave with a clear conscience.
This Legacy house could not be in safer hands.
*****
What a difference 24 hours make. Last night, I was tense and upset. Tonight, I’m excited and challenged. The day began as usual but then Profelis
came into the control room and asked to see the manuscript Derek had told him
about. At first, I was slightly
suspicious. I thought he’d tell me what
it said, but he didn’t. He admitted he
couldn’t understand a word of it and that made me feel a lot better. I know Peri has often said she’s no better
than us, nor is she really any different – she can just do things we can’t,
just as we can do things she can’t.
I’ve known that for a long time but I’ve never completely believed
it. Hearing it from Profelis somehow put
a different slant on things. He
examined the parchment itself, something I did only briefly as I was more
concerned with the words written on it.
He told me it was safe to handle, that is had only ever seen bad, not
evil. I felt relieved. One interesting comment was that he didn’t
believe monks had written it because there was no sense of goodness or holiness
about it. I asked how bad but he
couldn’t say. He said he couldn’t read
it in the same way he can read a person.
I accepted that explanation.
I think Nick was amused by that. I suppose it does seem strange – that I can
take Profelis at his word but not Peri.
It’s more to do with the fact that he did say why he couldn’t do
it. She hasn’t told me that .. yet.
The really great news came at supper
tonight. Derek said it was very likely
that, tomorrow, Andrew would call and request our help at Haystone Manor. Rachel asked him how he knew and he said
Nick had told him. Peri is with Andrew
and she’d put Nick on standby. I should
have realized it. 2 and 2 really do add
up to 4 more times than not. I’m
excited about this fieldtrip. Derek
shared what he’d learned about the Manor and then I related the results of my
own research. Rachel was a little
offended – not in words but I could see it in her expression – but she soon got
over it and started asking questions.
We answered what we could. Derek
asked me to look into the McFarlane children and how they reacted to Jack
McFarlane becoming head of the family.
I have tonight and possibly some time first thing tomorrow although I
will take the laptop. It’s nearly
midnight now and I’m taking a break to write up my journal. I figure I can work thru the night if I have
to.
So far, I haven’t discovered
much. Information on the children of
Charles and Constance is slim, to say the least. I have learned what their names were and, while I already knew
Jack was the eldest, the others were, in order of birth, Charity, Barnaby,
Clemency, and, finally, Florentine.
I’ve found a few references to them before their mother’s death, mostly
attendance at public events. There’s
hardly anything dated after 1914. Jack
did found a hospital wing in Littleriver.
Charity was on the board of that hospital. Clemency began training to be a nurse but never qualified. According to the public records I can
access, none of them ever married. When
the Manor was sold, they must have left the area. I’m expanding my search to the rest of the US but McFarlane isn’t
an uncommon name. Trying to track down
5 people is going to be the proverbial needle in a haystack. But I have time yet and Derek hinted that he
may put in a few hours tonight as well.
Knowing their first names is a big development. When we get to Haystone, we may now be able
to communicate with these spirits.
Nick has loaded the gear into the
Range Rover. He suggests we take
camping gear too because, according to Peri, while there is somewhere to stay,
it’s pretty basic.
Derek’s given me the book he found on
Haystone and I’ve taken a quick look at the pictures. It’s a big house. I
wonder what Andrew has experienced in there to want to call us in. He isn’t the type to panic so this decision
must be one he’s thought over carefully.
And, if he’s doing it on Peri’s recommendation, I can only see it as a
good sign that, soon, we’ll be able to resolve all our differences.
*****
Do I feel like 10 kinds of fool rolled
into 1? Well, yes, as a matter of fact,
I do. Tonight, for the 1st
time in my entire life, I fainted. I
could have understood fainting at the sight of a huge pool of blood but, no, I
only screamed when I saw that. Tonight,
I fainted because someone shouted. I
didn’t even hear what they shouted.
I feel terrible. My mouth is
dry, my head is thumping, my hand’s a little shaky. The only reason I haven’t got any bruises is because I was close
to the floor when I passed out. The
good thing is that Peri wasn’t around to see me do it.
I really do not know what her problem
is. She was so nice to me last night,
and, this morning, she was very reasonable in the group discussion. She made a lot of very valid points. I supported Drake in his suggestions (well,
he wasn’t being his usual self – I think my display of hysteria got to
him). I think bringing in outside help
is a good idea. Then we all went
upstairs to sleep on it. When we woke
up this afternoon, well, it was like someone had died and made Peri ruler of
the world. She had such a superior
smile on her face that I couldn’t bear it.
I don’t know how any woman forced to live like this with no shower or
proper facilities can look so groomed all the time. I feel like a wreck. So I
told her to stop lording it over us.
She told me to grow up. It’s a
good thing Florence wasn’t there to hear the poison in Peri’s voice. Florence has taken to Peri in a big
way. It would have hurt her terribly to
hear her idol has a mean streak a mile wide.
I couldn’t let that pass. I owed it to myself and to the others in the
group. I told her that she has hair
like Lily Munster. It’s the truth. She has black hair with these two bleached
streaks hanging down either side of her face – what is that about? You should have seen her reaction when I
said it. Talk about hitting a
target. All the expression drained away
and her eyes went totally dead. She went
to the door – I thought she was going to walk out; no such luck! – but she just
closed it. I was actually scared of her
then. She turned to face me and the
terrible things she said – it was awful.
Comments – slurs! – about my sex life.
She said I had no friends and I deserved to have no friends. Then she bragged that she had lots of
fantastic sex (with many partners, I don’t doubt). She told me I wasn’t a hopeless case, I just needed to change my
attitude. I could have hit her. Really, I could. But I pushed by her and went out. I ignore people like that.
They’re the ones who don’t deserve friends but they’re so thick skinned
and stubborn, they don’t realize it.
We went back to the Manor at 7:00. Andy decided no one goes anywhere alone – a wise decision, I feel. I spent the evening with Florence – she really is a very nice person. Andy and Drake stayed together. Peri obviously feels she is above obeying Andy’s instructions because she took herself off alone. I can’t say I missed her.
Florence and I went to check on the
thermometers. We were on the top floor
landing and I was inspecting the floor surface. The blood had all gone. I
was kneeling down, running my fingers over the wood to feel if it had been treated,
when the shouting started. I was not
expecting it and I fainted. I do
remember that it was very close to where I was, and that it was a man’s voice.
I woke up in the kitchen. Drake was there but, as soon as he saw I was
okay – as okay as I could be, in the circumstances – he left. Andy went after him but soon came back. Drake’s gone over the edge. He swears that he will not set foot back in
the Manor until we get some help.
Well, good for him – and who’d have
thought I’d ever write that about Drake McGavan? He achieved one thing by making his stand. All the protests have ended. Andy’s said that he’ll call those Luna Foundation
people when the watch ends. They’ll
soon put Peri in her place!
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