Title: the Lady of Morefield Commons
Author: Pinkcat 4569
Rating:T
Spoilers: reference in these notes to series 3 episode, maybe series 5
Description: the team is sent to Morefield Commons, a place with a long reputation of being haunted. Becker sees something strange...
Disclaimer: I do not own Primeval or the characters, this is for fun, spooky fun!
Author's Note: I made up a name that sounded like a countryside British resort. I am an American and have never been to Britian, so if you Brits have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them.
I haven't seen the series 3 episode with the spooky house and the first mention of Danny's brother in a while, so this may contradict some of Connor's views on the supernatural given in the show. Also, I do not have a scientific mind at all, so the theories in the last chapter may be stupid.
The Lady of Morefield Commons
"I'm telling you sir, the place is haunted," said Carlson.
Becker sighed. Carlson was the oldlest of the soldiers, just over 40. He was a happy kind of chap who had an easy-going personality, but was also a little quiet and unassuming. He was rather short and stocky, but not fat, and was balding. He had a pale face with pink cheeks and pink lips He constantly looked like he had a fever. You'd hardly guess that this was a master sargent, the ARC weapons expert, and keeper of the armory. Becker depended on him. He liked him.
Today, though, he was getting on the Captain's nerves. Jess detected an unstable anomaly, which meant that one moment it was sending a strong reading to the ADD, and the next it was barely reading. So, Jess could get a basic location, but the area was so large that they'd never find it without specific coordinates. Becker informed his men that they needed to be ready, as soon as the reading was strong again, they were heading out to somewhere in the Morefield Commons.
That's when Carlson went off on ghosts.
"The whole area's been plagued with sightings for eighty years," he said.
Most of the soldiers in the armory laughed. It must have been one of Carlson's jokes, right?
"Carlson," said Becker. "I'm surprised at you. Ghosts don't exist."
"You know why you say that sir? Cause you've never seen one."
Becker shook his head, while his men laughed around him. "Carly," he said, using his affectionate nickname. "Please tell me you're joking. You've seen a ghost?"
"Yes, sir," said Carlson straight. "In fact, I've seen the Lady of Morefield Commons."
The soldiers laughed, some made eerie, mocking sounds, but Carlson stood firm.
"Laugh if you want, but I hope you're all still laughing when you get back because if you're not, then you've seen something too."
The soldiers couldn't help it. They loved Carly, but this was ridiculous, especially for someone in Carlson's position. He was the one who maintained the guns, kept track of who checked out what, and kept Anderson from completely replacing the tradtional fire arms his "Buck Roger's laser guns," as Carlson called them. Carlson was likable and funny, but not a pushover or an idiot.
Which made his current views on ghosts hilarious.
"The Morefield Commons Pool Complex opened back in the thirties," said Carlson. "At that time it was billed as a leisure resort kind of thing. It had riding, golfing, hiking, tennis and swimming. Things went bad from the start. Something was wrong with the pool because they had four drownings the first year. Then the hiking trails were closed amid rumors of a beast."
The soldiers snickered and guffawed. "Oh, I've heard of this one," one of the men said, laughing, "he's talking about the Morefield Devil."
"I've heard of that," said Private Thompson. He was a younger, likable chap, of African descendence. Thompson was bright, easy temperment, and usually respectful. "It's supposed to be half man and half monster...ooh!"
Becker sat on one the tables, surrounded by his men. He did not join in on the mocking, but he was clearly amused.
Carlson ignored them, "And of course, there's the Lady, the lady of Morefield Commons. No one knows for sure who she is. They say she's the mother of one of the drowning victims, still looking for her child."
"They say," said Becker, chuckling. "Carly, that's how all the stories go, "they say," you know why? Because they can't fnd any legitimate, specific witnesses."
"That's cause they don't exist sir," said Private Thompson. "Like ghosts," he said, laughing with the rest of them.
"Ok," said Carlson. "Sure, I get it. I wouldn't believe either if I hadn't seen her, but I did, and I will never forget it.."
Becker chuckled, "I'm sorry, Carly. I just don't believe."
"Good enough, sir. I respect that, and I ask that you respect me," he said with a wink. "Even if I do believe in some down right crazy things."
Carlson got quiet the soldiers quieted too.. It was hard to make fun of him now.
"If this area has unstable anomaly activity," said Becker, "That could explain some of the weird stories, the creature sightings could be real, just misunderstood."
"That's a possiblity sir," said Carlson. "It doesn't explain the Lady though, and I really wish it did." Carlson nodded at Becker and went back to the shooting range, his favorite place in the ARC.
"I don't like this place," said Connor. "It's creepy."
"Good thing you weren't with the soldiers this morning. Carly was telling spooky stories."
"Spooky stories about here?" asked Connor.
"Relax, Connor," said Becker, "they're just stories."
"I hope not!" cried Connor. "I've never seen a ghost, and how cool would that be?"
Becker shook his head and Abby grinned.
"Focus," said Matt. "Jess, have you found any reports on animals in the area?"
"Oh, there are lots of reports Matt," said Jess. "Everything from crazed dogs, to ghost dogs, to werewolves, to something called a bear-dog."
"A bear-dog?" asked Connor. "You know there is a creature in the fossil record that scientists call the bear-dog because it was so massive and powerful and mean."
"So we could be dealing with an incursion," said Matt.
"I don't know," said Jess skeptically. "That report was over 20 years ago, and there was just the one. If there were real creatures out there wouldn't there be lot more sightings?"
"You'd think," said Matt.
"This place is weird," said Becker. Everyone looked at him. "What? It is weird."
Abby laughed and Matt smirked. "Just don't get spooked out, OK?"
"Me?" asked Becker. "I think I'm offended."
Matt had to laugh. "Let's split up," he said. "See what we can find. Keep your comms open."
"Here, ghostie, ghostie, ghostie," called Connor, walking through the dense brush.
Becker went toward the back of the area, further into the overgrown weeds and grass. He walked and realized that he couldn't hear the others anymore. He didn't hear anything. It was very still and quiet. He had decided that there was nothing here, and turned around to go back up to the others.
Becker turned and saw a woman. She stood there, looking at him. She wore a simple blue and tan dress in an old style. It was lightweight, the fabric blowing in the wind. Her hair had been pulled back at the neck, but it too was windblown. She was dishevelled and it looked like she was in need of help. It was her face that cried to him, causing him to think he needed to help her.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" asked Becker. Something about the woman unnerved him. She held her arms about her, trying to keep the away wind, that blew her hair and dress. She didn't say anything, just stared distraughtly at him.
Becker heard rustling a few feet from him, as if something big was moving through the weeds. He raised his EMD on instinct, and scanned the area. He saw nothing, and heard nothing more, so he turned back to the woman.
She was gone. Becker stood there bewildered. She hadn't had time to move far away, and the area he was in was open, he should still be able to see her. That uneasy feeling he had grew and soon he was fully creeped out. As he looked across the weeds and brush for her, he noticed something. The weeds were still, there was no movement in the brush. There was no wind. How had the woman's hair and dress been blowing in wind that wasn't there?
Becker tried to keep calm, and reassure himself. The thought he was entertaining was impossible. There was no way, but he couldn't shake it. He believed he'd just seen a ghost.
End of Chapter One