17

Spencer Takes A Walk In The Snow.

Reid's mind kept wandering back to the way Floyd was kneading the back of Sam's neck. He hated this feeling he had inside of him. A sick ugly feeling which he wanted to get rid of by walking fast and getting fresh air in his lungs. He was wearing a pair of green lace up canvas shoes though and the wetter they got in the snow the more he seemed to find just the wrong places to tread. Spencer wasn't a great fan of the snow. He'd been raised in Vegas and snow hadn't been part of his childhood and now he didn't want it to be part of his adulthood either. A couple of times just as he reached the main row of shops he slipped and almost stumbled to his knees and was only saved by clinging hold of a lamp post the first time and the back of a bench the second. The street he was now standing in had Christmas lights across the road. A lotthe shops had bright happy displays but it didn't put Spencer in a happy mood. It just reminded him of what a dreadful Christmas it had been. The sudden arrival of Floyd should maybe have been good, but with Sam thrown into the mix… and his mind again drifted to that hand on the back of Sam's neck. The problem wasn't that Floyd was having (he assumed) sex with Sam. The problem was that he was showing affection. He was showing Sam more physical love than he'd been showing Spencer and that's what was bothering Reid. It was the gentle touching. But he then had to remind himself of the way Floyd treated Sam on the way here. Was it an apology of some kind? Spencer didn't know. Looking around this place though he could see that it was a holiday village. Half of the shops were closed for the season and had blinds pulled down in the windows. The other half with their over bright over happy over festive window displays seemed somehow wrong. Even for Spencer they seemed a bit over the top. He looked back down the road in the direction he'd come from. He couldn't see the house from where he stood; his line of sight was blocked by a closed up ice cream store. He could feel it though. A sort of nagging pulling feel. It was telling him to go home. It was calling him back again.

'Ridiculous.' Spencer muttered and walked slowly towards what looked to be a book store with an adjoining coffee shop. 'So why do I feel like I need to go back again?' He whispered to himself. 'What are Sam and Floyd up to in that house?'

The other odd thing about this place was the distinct lack of people. Though there were people standing at counters waiting to serve in the shops there didn't seem to be anyone walking around. Spencer stamped his freezing feet and walked in through the doorway to the book store with the intention of finding something to read and hopefully read it to Floyd when Sam was sleeping. He gave the woman behind the shop counter a cursory nod and then stood in front of the shelves of books.

'Is there something in particular you're looking for?' The woman was standing suddenly next to Reid with an inquisitive smile on her face. 'Are you from the house?'

'Hi.' Reid said and nodded. 'I was looking for local history.' He told her, though that's not what he'd been thinking when he walked in here.

'You'll find nothing about the house if that's what you're looking for. No one would even consider writing it all down, but there's general local history available at the rear of the shop. These are novels.' She told him as though he was simple.

Spencer frowned at her. 'And why would no one write about the history of the house?'

'Hush! It shouldn't even be spoken of. The old priest would have been able to tell you what you want to know, but he's not with us anymore.' She crossed herself quickly and smiled nervously. 'This is a good read.' She pulled a book off the shelf and handed it to Reid. 'Are you the doctor? I was told that the new occupant was a doctor. Would that be a medical doctor by any chance?' She carried on without waiting for Reid to deny or confirm.

He took the book from her and turned it over a few times in his hands. It was a novel about love and hardship. He normally wouldn't have been at all interested in such things but it was the book title which caught his attention… Flanders' Poppies. He was tempted to just stand there for ten minutes or so and read it but he didn't think it was something he necessarily needed to read. 'I just came in to browse.' Spencer put hands in his pockets and fished out a few coins. 'I don't have enough money on me to purchase it.'

'Don't worry. Take it. Pay later. I know where you are. You know where I am.' She took the book and slipped it into a bag. 'Be careful out there Dr Reid. The ground is treacherous. Wouldn't like to see you have an accident on your first day.

'Indeed.' Spencer took the bag. 'And thank you. I'll pay for it when I'm next…'

'Oh have it as a gift. A welcoming present.'

Why did Spencer feel like he was being threatened, or maybe he was being warned? Originally he'd wanted to have a coffee too but now decided to walk back to the house. 'Thank you.' He muttered as he walked to the door wondering if he'd told her his name. He couldn't remember telling her his name.

'Most welcome. Hope to meet the rest of your family soon. We have books for all ages and types.'

Spencer didn't answer. He didn't want to get into a conversation about his imaginary family now. He wanted to get home and see what was going on. The book made him nervous. The book was telling him to go home. He wanted to run, but his feet were now numb with the cold and walking was difficult enough – running was out of the question. He made his way back the way he'd come. He could see his footprints in the snow… only his. No one else had walked down here since the snow had stopped. Either everyone was keeping away or they got to the shops from a different direction. He planned on checking out the population of this place when he got home… if there was a computer… if there was internet… if there was anything. An ice cold wind was now blowing from the sea. Spencer thought that if he wasn't so cold it might smell of that lovely scent the sea always blows in, but the could smell nothing but the same snowy chill air. There was a faint noise of a vehicle coming. He could hear tyres crunching on snow and an engine struggling to keep going. He wondered at first if it was Floyd, but no, it was coming from behind him. Reid turned to look and saw a red SUV coming much too fast (in Reid's opinion) down the street in a sort of swerving zig zag. He looked around for some kind of cover in case it… in case… just in case… Reid told himself… but this small stretch of shops he was outside of were all closed.

'Oh…' Spencer muttered and took a few quick steps backwards, placing his foot in just the wrong place where the kerb dipped to the road. His foot slipped sideways and he was thrown into the road with a howl of distress. He heard it. He felt the spray of snow cover the back of his head. He saw the tyre of the SUV crush the bag with the book into the snow and then it was continuing onwards down and around the corner heading away from the house. For a minute… or maybe an eternity… Spencer just lay there in the snow with his heart pounding looking at the bag. He pulled it out from where it had been half buried and then got to his knees and then carefully to his feet. 'I need to get back.' His teeth chattered together but now he didn't know if it was the cold or fear causing it. For some reason suddenly Spencer didn't feel cold. He had sweat popping up on his brow right next to where snow was encrusted into his hair.

Spencer Has A Rant.

Floyd and Sam were in the kitchen when Spencer slammed back through the front door and shouted for Floyd. He stood with his back to the door and the bag in his hand. The adrenaline still pumping through him made his knees turn to jelly and his head spin. Floyd burst through the kitchen door and pushing Sam back out of the way moved forward quickly to Spencer.

'What?'

And though Floyd spoke only one word Spencer thought he heard concern in it. 'Its…' He handed the bag over. '… I was nearly run down.'

Floyd held the bag out of Sam's grabby reach and took Spencer by the hand. 'Lounge. Come tell me what happened.' He squeezed Spencer's cold hand and led him to the warmth of the lounge and the comfort of the couch. Still having not looked inside the bag he poured Spencer a good helping of whiskey and sat down next to him slipping an arm around his shoulder. 'Are you sure? I mean you didn't just step out in front of something?' Still there seemed to be concern and now there was a tightening hand on Spencer's shoulder. Reid explained as best he could about the incident with the red SUV. 'It was inches from my head Floyd.'

'Coincidence?' Floyd asked. 'Not that I'm saying that you're exaggerating, but are you sure that you didn't panic? This is what's meant by…'

'Self fulfilling prophecy. I know. I'm aware of that, but…' He tapped the book. 'I was given that in the book store. She took it off the shelf and told me it was a good read. The wheel of the vehicle went over it. How it didn't catch my fingers I don't know.'

'Bullshit.' Sam spat. 'You're just trying to get a sympathy vote. You're a nasty bitter bitch.'

Floyd though now pulled the book out of the bag and looked at the title on the cover. Like Spencer had he turned it over in his hands to read the blurb on the back… it had nothing there though, just a painting of a white poppy. The front had the words in white print and another poppy painting, this one in red. There seemed to be no author's name. 'Interesting. And you were given this in the book store?' He passed the book over for Sam to look at. 'I think it might be a good time for me to go down into the cellar and see what's down there. Spencer, Sam… please stay up here. Stay in this room. Don't answer the door. Don't…' He looked around for a telephone but couldn't see one. '…answer the phone; if there is one. I'll be quick. I just want to see and then I'll come back. Don't follow me. I want you two to stay together.' He glanced from Sam to Spencer. 'I'll be quick.' He repeated. 'Have a look through the book. You both read faster than me…' He moved his arm from Spencer's shoulder but moved in close and gave Reid a kiss on the cheek. 'Please don't look so upset Babes. It's exciting!'

Spencer didn't feel all that excited. He felt sick and he didn't want Floyd going down into the cellar alone. 'We can all go look?' He suggested. But Floyd stood and shook his head.

'I wont be long. I'll touch nothing and do nothing but look and get a feel for it and I'll be right back. I've lived in Hades Spencer, it cant be worse than that. It's a cellar not a gateway to hell.' He walked to the door. 'I hope.' And he was out of the door closing it quietly behind him.

Sam got up and sat where Floyd had been and placed the book on Spencer's knee. 'Are you scared?' He asked in a whisper. 'I'm fucking puking with fear. And if cars are going to try to run you down in the street and you're just you, then I'm not going to risk going out there for any fucking thing! Shit. You know what though? I think that we are going to be dead by the Spring.'

'That's not the attitude to take Sam and yes I was scared. I'll admit I was. How is he going to get down into the cellar if the door is locked?' A crunching sound of breaking wood answered him though. 'Sam… get your hand off me.' A pale hand was slipping over the book and across Spencer's thigh.

Sam snatched his hand back again. 'I'm not going to let it get me. I decided that. I'm not going to let it. I'd rather kill myself than let it win.'

'And you think that's not giving into it?' Spencer picked up the book and opened it to the beginning chapter.

'It's all about making choices Spencer. If I'm going to die I will choose my own way of going. Have you looked at the view out back yet? When Floyd gets back go look. It's rocky craggy cliffs and then the sea. I can hurl myself off there and…'

'…Break your back and end up in a wheel chair.' Spencer frowned at the words in the book. 'You read this as it seems to be all about you. Have you ever attended university or college?' He handed the book back to Sam. 'I need another drink.'

'Then I'll slit my wrists or cut my own throat. I'm not going to let it get me Spencer. I wont.' He didn't answer Spencer's question though.

Reid turned to Sam putting on the angriest face he could muster. 'Don't you understand that is exactly what a self fulfilling prophecy is? The point is to stay alive not to give in and hand yourself over to some imaginary curse. And yes I was panicking out there sliding in the snow seeing a vehicle come slewing towards me… I panicked and that caused me to slip and fall. Had I stayed where I was it would have come nowhere near me.'

'Doesn't explain the book Spencer.' Sam waggled it at him. 'There's no publisher's name or anything. I'd dearly like to go and talk to whoever gave this book to you. Except… Well I don't want to go outside.'

Spencer turned to the drinks cabinet and poured out a measure. 'I'd suggest calling the shop… if there was a telephone. Want a drink?'

Sam chucked the book to the side. 'Yes I'll have a drink. Do you think Floyd meant us to be here? I mean… did he know? Is that why we're here?'

A drink was placed in Sam's hand. 'I don't know Sam. I feel maybe he was pulled here. When I was out… I could feel the house calling me back again. And before you say that's stupid…'

'You felt it calling you back. It wont even let me out of the damned door. I cant. I tried going out the back Spence. It wouldn't let me. I mean I opened the door and all, but I couldn't bring myself to step out there. Not like a barrier – it didn't feel like that, but more like I was tethered. And now I'm glad I didn't. So now I don't know if something was holding me back to stop me killing myself on the cliffs by accident or if the house has me trapped for some other diabolic reason. I feel like a speck of dust caught in orbit around something big and dark, a black hole slowly pulling me in towards it… a decaying orbit. And I'm going to crash and fall head first into whatever it is cos it feels like it's draining me. Where the hell is Floyd? Shall we go look?'

Reid gave Sam a deep calculating look. For once he was talking some sort of twisted sense. Spencer understood the feeling he was talking about.

'I also think that's why I was tied up in the van. I don't think Floyd really even remembers doing that. He's not mentioned it. I really think he knew that if I'd been free I would have run off long before we arrived here. This place is suffocating and deep. Look last night…' Sam sat down again on the couch. '…I know I reacted badly but there was no way I was going to stay in that tiny room alone. I just couldn't do it and I know something was in that room. I could almost see it slithering across the floor. I could… taste it Spencer. It would have had me if I'd been too close to the edge and I know I over reacted but fucking hell I was scared.' Sam looked over at the lounge door. 'Where the hell is he? He said he'd be right back.'

Spencer needed Floyd back here too. He wanted to talk about the book. He needed to know what the hell was in the cellar… what was taking him so long? Pacing the floor didn't seem to make time to any quicker and listening to Sam talk without whining had kind of put Spencer off guard. He turned to look at Sam again and repeated a question he'd asked previously. 'Have you ever attended university or college?'

Sam frowned. 'Of course. I'm not stupid.'

'And what did you study?'

'Quantum Mechanics, maths, other stuff. It's not important. I never made it through a whole year, much more get to graduate. Something always fucks up and the tutors are always idiots. They don't like me correcting them. Then they don't like my attitude, then they don't like my sexuality or the way I dress… like any of that matters. You know we are very alike in ways…' Sam paused. '… why look at me like that? I don't mean in the subjects we excel at but the fact that we are far more intelligent than most people – including Floyd – and we both read fast. You don't do too well with interpersonal skills which I've never had a problem with I don't think, but I seem to have a problem with my…' He shrugged. '…emotions. I think I have a personality disorder, not that I'm excusing anything cos I'm not, but I'm just saying that's what most people seem to put it down to when I go on a rant or start hacking at my skin, or behave maybe not like the boring old shit you always do. So we both have wondrous brains full of fantastic stuff, but that's then balanced by the shit side of our personalities and I really feel that if I can put up with you, then you should make more of an effort to put up with me.'

At that point they both heard Floyd's footsteps hammering up the cellar stairs. They stood facing the lounge door, both holding their breaths. There was a creaking smacking sound of Floyd forcing the cellar door closed again and then he was walking in through the lounge door.

'Well… I'm back. You two behave yourselves?' In unison they both asked what he'd found down there. 'Nothing. There's nothing down there. Totally and completely nothing. An empty room. A light on the ceiling around central and apart from the blood up the walls and the demonic writing all over the areas where there's no blood there's nothing. I strongly suggest that you don't go down there. Sam you especially.'

'Why not me?'

'Because I know what you're like and I don't want you standing there reading all that shit and making things worse. There's also the remains of holy wafers and a couple of candles. Looks like someone tried to exorcise it. Fairly recently too judging by the lack of dust on those few things. There's a crucifix attached to the inside of the door too.'

'The local priest recently died.' Spencer muttered. 'The woman in the book store said… she told me that he knew of the history of the house… the old priest…'

Floyd just looked at the pair of them and then walked to get a drink. 'Some idiot has tried to do something very stupid and I promise it wasn't me this time. We need to be careful. What was that book about?

Sam picked up the book. 'It's about me actually. I thought it was going to be about you, but no. It's about me. Just different scraps of stuff. A couple of pages saying about uni… one about... Well you can read it yourself. It's not that interesting cos you were there for most of it. But it's centred around me. I wonder if that shop has a book like this for each of us. Not that I'm going to go look, but Spencer could. Shall I stick it in the fire?'

Floyd virtually pounced on the book. 'No no… bad idea. Very bad idea. It's meant to be here. Put it on a shelf. Let me think what to do.'

'I could go and heat up that food that was donated to us.' Spencer started to walk towards the door. 'Unless you don't think it's safe to eat?' He turned back with his hand on the door handle. Sam was picking at a scab on his wrist and Floyd looked to have gone into thinking mode. He didn't really want to go out there alone which was making him angry with himself. Hadn't he explained to Sam that it was panic which had led him to slipping? If he knew that then why was he allowing panic to fill him again? He knew that beyond this door was the hallway with the stairs and that under those stairs was a doorway leading to something Spencer didn't think he wanted to see, but was sure that eventually would. 'Sam.' He eventually said. 'Why don't you come with me? Floyd?' When neither of them moved Spencer went and sat down again. He'd decided that he'd not claim that he was afraid but that he wasn't sure if it was too early to eat.

'Here's the thing.' Floyd mumbled. 'Some idiot called upon a creature of the dark.' Floyd pushed hair off his face. 'I don't know which was called. Now that's the first problem. The priest would have known and yes he's dead apparently but maybe his replacement has some information which might be useful. We could try him first. Until we have some kind of idea of what was brought forward we wont know which way to step. Some creatures come through and then cause havoc then wander off or just go away or back home again. Others are more of a spiritual thing, they have to inhabit another being. They're parasites. Now there is yet another which is more of an energy but it cannot physically manifest. Yet another type which can be called will bleed into the very walls of the building and live there. I think we have that here, but I cant be sure. There is also maybe the type of parasite which will do both… it can split but not permanently. Maybe it's that sort. What say you Sam?'

'I say that if it's a parasite I don't want it living in me.'

'I'd say the same.' Spencer answered.

'And not me either. What I'm concerned about is that sometimes they're tricksters. They'll hijack someone unknowingly. It cant stay there, but if it can be encouraged enough it can…' Floyd stopped and rubbed at his eyes. 'Spencer… I think Sam knows what I'm meaning here, but if for example that creature snuck inside of me when I was in the cellar… and if later tonight we had…'

'It can transfer when you fuck.' Sam helped Floyd out. 'So you have to abstain. We all have to abstain at least until we know what the name of the creature was. Floyd didn't it say on the walls?'

'Likely. But I didn't want to get into reading it for obvious reasons. I think that the priest must have known what it said. Maybe there're copies of it. We can ask. We can read copies. We cannot under any circumstance read what's on the walls.'

'Sounds good. Only one problem as far as I can see is that I'm not leaving this fucking house even if you beat me to a pulp first. Call the priest here. I think that's our only option. I'm not leaving the house, or at least I cant leave the house and Spencer doesn't want to go out there again and you'll not leave us here alone and I don't really want you to go there alone either.'

Floyd was nodding. 'Lack of telephone sort of kills that idea unless Spence has his cell phone. Do you babes? In your room? In a pocket or bag or something?'

Spencer nodded. 'I'll go and get it, but I have a strange feeling about this priest now.'

'Not as fucking strange a feeling as I'm getting.' Sam muttered. 'So if his name is Daniel Green, he'll be of no help. At least not for what we want.'