Chapter 1 - Totter's Bank
A shout from down the stairs woke young Sam Bishop from a most peculiar dream. He yawned and tried to remember the events he had just conjured up in his own head. He thought of owls and black cats, and a strange man with a scar. Sitting up, the last thoughts of his dream leaked out of his head and stayed upon his pillow.
The dark haired boy got out of bed, glancing at his alarm clock. It was early afternoon, Saturday 17th July, and lunch was ready. He wandered slowly out of his bedroom and ambled somewhat sleepily down the stairs.
In the kitchen, Sam's mum was setting out some sandwiches on the counter top. Sam's younger brother Jordan was, like Sam, still in his pyjamas and looked as if he had left a part of himself still cozy in bed, as many of us do in the morning (or indeed the afternoon).
Ham, not Sam's favourite but he wasn't expecting much from his mum so soon after dad had left. She'd always favoured the younger of the two brothers. He thanked her for the food nonetheless as she was trying her best.
"Any plans today?" She sounded tired and Sam suspected she had been up most of the night again. She hadn't taken the divorce well at all.
"Just meeting Jake" he replied.
"Not going up Totter's Bank again I hope" his mother scolded.
Sam shook his head in reply knowing how she would react if she knew that he was fully intending on going up Totter's Bank to try and see that strange boy again.
"Good" she said, seeming satisfied with his reply, " you know I don't like you straying that far, there's some strange folk that live round there. No place for a 15 year old to go wondering about"
Sam didn't know how to respond to this without causing another big argument so he said nothing at all. (A clever technique which can and should be applied more often in some people's case).
After finishing his food, Sam made his way back up the stairs feeling slightly more full, but not so much awake, as he did before.
Pulling on an old baggy jumper and a pair of worn, tattered jeans Sam grabbed some money from his bedside table and walked down the stairs, and to the door.
"Bye!" He shouted
"See you in a bit! And remember, don't go near Totter's-
Sam had already shut the door. He strolled along the quiet, boring street barely glancing at the repetitive looking houses that sat either side of him.
Sam passed a shop and gained some extra weight as he bought an array of snacks. He smiled to himself as he opened a big bag of crisps.
He wasn't far from Totter's Bank now. Tooter's Bank they had called it at primary school, they used to find that so funny. Sam had only known one person who had lived there, Stanley Combes, who had sworn his neighbours were vampires.
There it was, the tree where Sam had first encountered the boy. It was a great flowing willow, with its branches dangling down over the small lake as the orange glow of the summer sun danced along its surface.
A small boy, about 8 or 9, was sat at the waters edge poking a stick into the water. As Sam approached, the boy turned and saw him, standing up. He was still clutching the same stick and, upon closer inspection, it appeared to have been carved and polished and ornate patterns circled it.
"Hello!" Sam called to the strange boy. He didn't want to get too close and annoy the boy after last time.
"What do you want?" The boy asked. He said the words so calmly and softly yet Sam heard them as if they were standing right next to each other.
"I just want to talk to you!" Sam shouted back. The boy said nothing and turned his head, looking to the other side of the water where some ducks had settled.
"What's your name?" Sam asked as he edged closer to the boy.
"Where's the other one?" The boy asked. "The other boy"
"He's not here, he didn't come"
The boy seemed to be considering Sam, his eyes more alive than anything. Sam swore they changed from brown to blue and then back again. He took another step towards the boy. They were less than four feet apart now.
"Teddy" the boy said.
"What?"
"My name is teddy"
Sam had never heard a name like it.
"How did you do that thing before?" He asked.
"I don't know" Teddy said turning his head away.
"I think you do" Sam replied.
"Well even if I did, that boy deserved what he got"
"He was only messing around"
"He shouldn't have been here poking around" Teddy said. Sam could sense an anger rising in the boy.
"And neither should you"
"No I'm just trying to help" replied Sam truthfully. The boy was clearly very angry at this point and he started towards Sam who backed away. He kept tripping and falling backwards but when he looked he saw the ground was clear. The boy, Teddy, advanced on him, his hair changing in front of Sam's eyes. There was a strange anger upon the now much older looking face of the boy.
Sam turned and ran, not stopping until he reached his house. Had he been seeing things?