carrying what looked like Phil’s fishing box, the size of it too big for the child, who could only have been about six years old. This dream was getting too real, and she wanted it over. “You don’t exist,” she mumbled to herself and to the gang of children in front of her. “You don’t exist.”
Melanie’s smile stretched into a grin, and behind her the other dark-haired girl slyly giggled.
“Oh, but we do, Kay. We live in the storm with the Catcher Man. I’ve had such adventures with him, you wouldn’t believe. And I’ve gotten oh so strong.” She took a long stride forward and Kay yelped, reaching behind her for the banister to guide her to the stairs.
“And now I’ve come back to play. And your mummy’s not around to run to anymore.
I’m going to play with you all, Kay. I’ve already started, and now it’s your turn.”
Kay felt her feet tangling up under her, misjudging the distance between herself and the top step, and she called out as she tumbled, hands reaching frantically for the banisters as she rolled painfully past them. Her 96
shoulder cracked against the wall and pain roared through her, stars shooting across her eyes. If this was a dream, then surely she should wake up now. Surely she should.
Above her, Melanie looked like a kaleidoscope of color as she stood at the top of the stairs. “Shall we play fishing?”
Hitting the hard wooden floor head first, Kay’s world went black.
97
Chapter Thirteen
Alex had stayed in the church while Paul and Simon went to the graveyard to collect Reverend Barker, and although she was glad not to have to see his broken body up close again, she was happy when the two men appeared in the doorway. The church was giving her the creeps standing inside on her own, and looking at the vandalized altar, she couldn’t help but feel as if the old building were accusing her of something. It was stupid, but she still felt relieved not to be alone anymore.
“I guess this is as good a place to put him as any.” Paul looked pale as he lowered his end of the awkward bundle onto the ground in front of the first pew and Alex was pleased that the altar rug covered most of the body. She didn’t need to look into his eyes again. Listening to the thud when Simon let go of the weight, Alex wondered if rigor mortis had set in yet. Or maybe he’d been through that and was coming out the other side? The morbid thoughts were unpleasant, but 98
she couldn’t stop herself. Maybe summer flies had already laid their eggs on him. It was funny how much she’d discovered about death these days. As if knowledge of its processes would somehow cause a miracle and she’d escape it.
Yeah right. That pain running through your bones isn’t getting any better, is it? She stared again at the bundle on the floor. A few months tops, and I’ll be seeing you, Reverend.
“It didn’t look like anyone else had been round there.” Simon wiped the water from his glasses. “The body was untouched as far as I could tell.”
“Good,” Alex said. “However odd those children were we saw this morning, it wouldn’t be nice for them to find something like this. Hardly what you want on your holiday.”
“Is this written in wax?” Paul was staring down at the altar, color returning to his face. “What does it mean?”
Alex shrugged. “I’m not sure. It seems familiar, like I’ve heard it before, but I don’t know where.” She looked up at her cousin. “Do you think it could be related to that Melanie Parr girl?”
Paul’s brow furrowed instantly. “Why would it have anything to do with her?” His tone was sharp and there was a slight hesitancy over the first word that hinted at his stutter.
“Well, her name was what Reverend Barker was trying to say when he died. Her name and then something about warning people. Surely there must be a link to these words.”
“Or it could have just been the last rantings of a stark raving mad suicide.
Have you considered that?”
Melanie’s smile stretched into a grin, and behind her the other dark-haired girl slyly giggled.
“Oh, but we do, Kay. We live in the storm with the Catcher Man. I’ve had such adventures with him, you wouldn’t believe. And I’ve gotten oh so strong.” She took a long stride forward and Kay yelped, reaching behind her for the banister to guide her to the stairs.
“And now I’ve come back to play. And your mummy’s not around to run to anymore.
I’m going to play with you all, Kay. I’ve already started, and now it’s your turn.”
Kay felt her feet tangling up under her, misjudging the distance between herself and the top step, and she called out as she tumbled, hands reaching frantically for the banisters as she rolled painfully past them. Her 96
shoulder cracked against the wall and pain roared through her, stars shooting across her eyes. If this was a dream, then surely she should wake up now. Surely she should.
Above her, Melanie looked like a kaleidoscope of color as she stood at the top of the stairs. “Shall we play fishing?”
Hitting the hard wooden floor head first, Kay’s world went black.
97
Chapter Thirteen
Alex had stayed in the church while Paul and Simon went to the graveyard to collect Reverend Barker, and although she was glad not to have to see his broken body up close again, she was happy when the two men appeared in the doorway. The church was giving her the creeps standing inside on her own, and looking at the vandalized altar, she couldn’t help but feel as if the old building were accusing her of something. It was stupid, but she still felt relieved not to be alone anymore.
“I guess this is as good a place to put him as any.” Paul looked pale as he lowered his end of the awkward bundle onto the ground in front of the first pew and Alex was pleased that the altar rug covered most of the body. She didn’t need to look into his eyes again. Listening to the thud when Simon let go of the weight, Alex wondered if rigor mortis had set in yet. Or maybe he’d been through that and was coming out the other side? The morbid thoughts were unpleasant, but 98
she couldn’t stop herself. Maybe summer flies had already laid their eggs on him. It was funny how much she’d discovered about death these days. As if knowledge of its processes would somehow cause a miracle and she’d escape it.
Yeah right. That pain running through your bones isn’t getting any better, is it? She stared again at the bundle on the floor. A few months tops, and I’ll be seeing you, Reverend.
“It didn’t look like anyone else had been round there.” Simon wiped the water from his glasses. “The body was untouched as far as I could tell.”
“Good,” Alex said. “However odd those children were we saw this morning, it wouldn’t be nice for them to find something like this. Hardly what you want on your holiday.”
“Is this written in wax?” Paul was staring down at the altar, color returning to his face. “What does it mean?”
Alex shrugged. “I’m not sure. It seems familiar, like I’ve heard it before, but I don’t know where.” She looked up at her cousin. “Do you think it could be related to that Melanie Parr girl?”
Paul’s brow furrowed instantly. “Why would it have anything to do with her?” His tone was sharp and there was a slight hesitancy over the first word that hinted at his stutter.
“Well, her name was what Reverend Barker was trying to say when he died. Her name and then something about warning people. Surely there must be a link to these words.”
“Or it could have just been the last rantings of a stark raving mad suicide.
Have you considered that?”
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