passed over so many days before. As he looked outside, the feeling of the Rapture grew inside him, and as it became more intense, he began to sense someone’s presence.
Jack suddenly turned around. His breathing quickened, and he thought: someone’s in the house.
He quickly but quietly walked outside to the landing and leant over to look down the stairs. He listened with intense concentration so he could hear any noise, but there wasn’t any sound. He stood away from the stairs and concentrated on the sensation that someone was present, and again he felt like someone was near. But as he concentrated further, he realised this person wasn’t physically present.
“WHO ARE YOU?” Jack shouted into the air in frustration and anger, but he was only answered by empty silence. He walked back into his bedroom and sat down on the bed.
He sat in silence and in the dark. The feeling of someone watching him gradually faded, but rather than relief Jack felt something strange. He felt more alone.
*****
DAY 8
9:28am
The Tall Man looked out the window of the car as Agent Sutton drove him and another agent towards Jack’s house. He watched the ancient hills of the Devon countryside pass by and noticed smoke coming from the chimneys of small cottages nestled in the pretty villages scattered across the hills. Eventually, they turned off the motorway and began to drive around smaller, local roads towards Jack’s house.
“Our estimated time of arrival is twenty minutes, sir,” said Agent Sutton.
The Tall Man turned to the agent sitting next to him. “Weapons check,” he said.
They both took out handguns and performed some routine checks before securing the guns back under their jackets. The Tall Man then addressed his colleagues:
“Mr Clarke appears to be harmless, but we should be appropriately cautious, gentleman.”
*****
9:40am
Katie walked into the post office of the little village just down the road from Gabriel Ash’s house. The owner smiled broadly at her.
“Good morning, how can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m looking for Lavender Hill. Do you know where it is?”
“Yes, if you drive out of the village and continue towards Buckfastleigh you’ll eventually come to a small road on your left that will have a sign for Oldway House, which is at the bottom of Lavender Hill.”
Katie felt like she should buy something in return for the shop owner’s help, so she grabbed a chocolate bar. “Thanks, I’ll just have this as well, please.” She then left the post office, got into her car and drove off in the direction of Oldway House.
After a short while, she reached the isolated house of Gabriel Ash. She parked her car, got out and looked towards the few hills scattered around the landscape. It seemed obvious which one should be Lavender Hill, but to be sure she decided to knock on the door of Oldway House to ask for help.
Katie stood at the door of the house and waited after ringing the doorbell. The door had frosted glass on the top half and she could vaguely make out the contours of the hallway and furniture inside. After a while, she saw movement at the end of the corridor that appeared from the outline to be a person walking towards the door. As this person approached, Katie realised it was a man by the size and shape. The figure reached towards the door, which began to open.
*****
9:55am
Jack sat at his computer in the living room while listening to music, eating his breakfast, and searching the web for information about Gabriel Ash and the Rapture. He watched a video of Jeremy Banks being thrown into the River Thames and was shocked at first but then laughed when he saw Jeremy was OK.
Jack’s thoughts turned to Sarah and the kids. He opened up the photos folder on his computer and browsed through them. He stopped at the folder for an Egyptian resort on the Red Sea. He remembered snorkelling with the kids and how excited they were to see the beautiful, multi-coloured
Jack suddenly turned around. His breathing quickened, and he thought: someone’s in the house.
He quickly but quietly walked outside to the landing and leant over to look down the stairs. He listened with intense concentration so he could hear any noise, but there wasn’t any sound. He stood away from the stairs and concentrated on the sensation that someone was present, and again he felt like someone was near. But as he concentrated further, he realised this person wasn’t physically present.
“WHO ARE YOU?” Jack shouted into the air in frustration and anger, but he was only answered by empty silence. He walked back into his bedroom and sat down on the bed.
He sat in silence and in the dark. The feeling of someone watching him gradually faded, but rather than relief Jack felt something strange. He felt more alone.
*****
DAY 8
9:28am
The Tall Man looked out the window of the car as Agent Sutton drove him and another agent towards Jack’s house. He watched the ancient hills of the Devon countryside pass by and noticed smoke coming from the chimneys of small cottages nestled in the pretty villages scattered across the hills. Eventually, they turned off the motorway and began to drive around smaller, local roads towards Jack’s house.
“Our estimated time of arrival is twenty minutes, sir,” said Agent Sutton.
The Tall Man turned to the agent sitting next to him. “Weapons check,” he said.
They both took out handguns and performed some routine checks before securing the guns back under their jackets. The Tall Man then addressed his colleagues:
“Mr Clarke appears to be harmless, but we should be appropriately cautious, gentleman.”
*****
9:40am
Katie walked into the post office of the little village just down the road from Gabriel Ash’s house. The owner smiled broadly at her.
“Good morning, how can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m looking for Lavender Hill. Do you know where it is?”
“Yes, if you drive out of the village and continue towards Buckfastleigh you’ll eventually come to a small road on your left that will have a sign for Oldway House, which is at the bottom of Lavender Hill.”
Katie felt like she should buy something in return for the shop owner’s help, so she grabbed a chocolate bar. “Thanks, I’ll just have this as well, please.” She then left the post office, got into her car and drove off in the direction of Oldway House.
After a short while, she reached the isolated house of Gabriel Ash. She parked her car, got out and looked towards the few hills scattered around the landscape. It seemed obvious which one should be Lavender Hill, but to be sure she decided to knock on the door of Oldway House to ask for help.
Katie stood at the door of the house and waited after ringing the doorbell. The door had frosted glass on the top half and she could vaguely make out the contours of the hallway and furniture inside. After a while, she saw movement at the end of the corridor that appeared from the outline to be a person walking towards the door. As this person approached, Katie realised it was a man by the size and shape. The figure reached towards the door, which began to open.
*****
9:55am
Jack sat at his computer in the living room while listening to music, eating his breakfast, and searching the web for information about Gabriel Ash and the Rapture. He watched a video of Jeremy Banks being thrown into the River Thames and was shocked at first but then laughed when he saw Jeremy was OK.
Jack’s thoughts turned to Sarah and the kids. He opened up the photos folder on his computer and browsed through them. He stopped at the folder for an Egyptian resort on the Red Sea. He remembered snorkelling with the kids and how excited they were to see the beautiful, multi-coloured
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