A glint of light caught the corner of Rob’s eye and he looked up, the jacket dangling from one hand. A small patch of darkness beside him was filled with crackling sparks of electricity, and it was getting bigger. Taking a step sideways into what he hoped was safety, Rob found the wall he’d been looking for and leaned against it, his eyes absorbed in the glitter of light in front of him, spreading outwards into an oval shape, the surface bubbling as if something was pressing outward from the other side. The flickering whiteness made him flinch and turn into the wall, pressing his face into his hand, his slashed forearm squashed against the cool plaster. Sounds were coming from the light now, voices, indistinct but recognizable, a man and a child chattering to each other excitedly. Jason and Tabby. Jason and Tabby were coming through the light.

  Turning his face back to see, hope rising in his stomach, Rob tried to pull his arm away from the wall, and yelped as it was tugged back. In front of his eyes, the figures were taking shape, bright and light and beautiful; Tabby whole and undamaged, Jason glowing and sparkling with Teacher beside him, their bodies fuzzy at the edges, as if they weren’t really there at all, but—Oh God what was

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  happening to his arm, and why couldn’t he get it off the fucking wall, and why did it feel as if there were mouths sucking at him, what were they sucking, oh Jesus not my blood, not my BLOOD

  ?Rob! Tabby!?

  Jack’s voice stabbed through Rob’s panic, and he looked up to see the outline of Jack stumbling toward them.

  ?Over here!?he screamed, giving his panic some free rein in his voice. ?Over here!?

  ?Granddad!?

  Looking beside him, Rob saw Tabby, clutching her teddy bear, smiling in delight as Jack fell to his knees in front of her, pulling her into a hug, her arms tight around his neck. ?Oh thank God, Oh thank God you’re okay.? Picking the little girl up, he reached for Rob. ?Come on. We’ll get the others and get out of here while we still can.?

  Jack ignored the glowing figures of Jason and Teacher as he spoke, and Rob realized that he couldn’t see them. As far as the policeman was concerned they just weren’t there. Tabby could see them, though. Rob could see her smiling and waving over her grandfather’s shoulder.

  His arm felt numb and tingly with the pressure of that awful sucking, but still he tried to tug himself free, knowing deep down that it was useless. He shook his head at Jack.

  ?My arm’s stuck in the wall! You’re going to have to go without me. Get Tabby and the others out and then send help back!?

  Jack stared at him silently, and in that moment Rob was glad for the gloom. He didn’t want to see the hopelessness in the other man’s eyes.

  ?Go! Get out of here!?His anger shone from his voice. ?Get Tabby back to Kelly! We owe her that!?He paused, and with his free hand squeezed the old man’s arm. His voice was quieter this time. ?I’ll be okay. Whatever happens, I’m okay.?

  Jack didn’t move for a few seconds and then took a step away. ?Hang on. I’ll send help. Just hang on.?

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  Rob raised a smile that he hoped wasn’t wasted in the dark. ?I’m not going anywhere.?

  He waited until Jack and Tabby had disappeared down the distant staircase before turning to speak to Jason. Tiredness was washing over him, and he wondered just how much of his blood the house had consumed by now.

  ?Help’s not going to get here in time, is it??

  Jason shook his head.

  Rob let out a sigh. ?I didn’t think so.? Sadness filled him as he thought of Kelly outside hating him, unfinished books never written, all those years that would never be lived. He bit it back, trying to crush it, almost succeeding, but not quite. Christ, he’d known life was shit, but he’d never thought he’d end his days back here. Although, on reflection, maybe there was some kind of mad logic to it after all. Syracousse had been a shadow over his life; it made sense that it would have some part to play in his death. Death. It was hard to associate that word with himself, even now when it was imminent. He wanted to lash out with frustration, but tiredness was eating at him, winning the battle against anger.

  ?So what now??The world seemed to be getting black at the edges, and the numbness had spread all down his left side.

  Jason grinned at him, that old cheeky grin he’d had when they were kids. ?I’m going to wait for you, and then whatever’s out there, we’ll go together.?

  ?You’re going to wait for me??Rob’s heart squeezed. I won’t die alone. Not alone at all.

  ?I don’t think it’ll be long. I can hang on a few minutes longer.?

  Tears stung the back of Rob’s eyes, his voice slurring as unconsciousness started to claim him.

  ?Where are we going, Jase??

  He was sure that he felt his friend take his hand as he drifted off.

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  ?I don’t know, Robster. But Teach’ll lead the way. He’ll look after us.?

  Rob murmured a contented sound, the world slipping away from him. Maybe everything is going to be okay, after all. Maybe we’ll hook up with Carrie … an adventure, just like the old days … maybe. And then he was gone.

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  Jack ran down the stairs, which were stable this time, ignoring the agony in his hip and busted ear, the pain and anger in his heart far outweighing them. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right. Rob shouldn’t be trapped and waiting to die upstairs in the dark. It should be him. The guilt was his. He didn’t deserve to be lucky. Oh God, what mess had he made all those years ago? How many people were going to have to pay for it?

  The only thing keeping him going was knowing he had to get the others out of here to safety. He had a feeling the house wasn’t finished with them yet. As if in agreement with him, Syracousse let out a rumble, flakes of dust falling from the high ceilings as the foundations shook.

  Reaching the hallway, he headed for the lounge door, banging his head on the frame as he passed through it. Reeling with the agony that ran down one side of his head, white pain making him deaf, he stood confused for a moment. He’d never had to duck to come through. Never. Staring at the doorway, realization dawned on him. The door was shrinking. And it was shrinking fast.

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  Moving awkwardly, his balance gone with his eardrum, Jack ran toward Gina, who was frantically trying to grab her mother as she danced by, her hands deflected inches away from Camilla’s body by something unseen.

  Tears were pouring down Gina’s face, her beautiful pale cheeks now red and blotchy. ?I can’t catch her! It won’t let me touch her! It won’t let me touch her!?

  Still holding Tabby on one hip, Jack grabbed Gina’s arm, spinning her around to face him. ?Take Tabby and go. I’ll try and bring your mother out.?

  Gina shook her head wildly. ?No! It won’t let her leave! I won’t leave without her. I won’t!?

  Jack pulled Gina toward the door, the door that was now only up to his waist, and shoved Tabby into her arms, before taking her shoulders. ?There isn’t time! I may not have been a father to you before, but I’m damn well going to be now.?Beyond the lounge, somewhere farther into the house, upstairs maybe, the house roared as ceilings collapsed. Gina’s eyes widened with fear as Tabby buried her head into her shoulder. Instinctively, she covered the little girl’s head with one hand and glanced toward her mother.

  ?I can’t leave her.?Gina wasn’t screaming this time, and Jack had to read her lips to understand.

  He nodded. ?Yes, you can. She’d want you to.?From the corner of his eye, it seemed as if the exit had gotten smaller still. Gina was going to have to crawl. ?I’ll try to get your mother and me out the window. You’ve got a niece and little sister to look after. Think about them. They need you. Now get out!? Briefly kissing them both on the forehead, not having time for everything he wanted to do and say to try and make things better—why was there never enough time?—he pushed Gina to her knees, forcing her through the small space, their hands touching briefly for the last time as she reached back to pull Tabby through.

  ?Run!?Jack shouted as the hole closed up in front of him. ?Run!?

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  His energy spent, he rolled himself sideways and leaned against the wall, tired eyes watching Camilla spinning and turning, dancing and singing along with her precious house. He wished he could hear her voice. It might make all this seem a little better. But even the sight of her made his fear lessen a little. This was how it should be, and now that it was so close, death didn’t really seem like much of a price to pay, after all.

  If he’d been able to hear, maybe he would have had some warning and been able to move out of the way as the large chunk of plaster fell. The first he knew about it was when it landed on him, crushing his hips and legs in front of him. He screamed and screeched, the sound loud and real in his head, just like the pain, Oh God the pain, as Camilla danced and danced in front of him, oblivious. Jack’s upper torso writhed, desperate to be free of the crushing weight, to be free of consciousness, his mind cleared of everything but the exquisite agony that filled him. But he didn’t pass out, his every nerve alive with tortures beyond his imagination as he screamed and screamed until the small capillaries at the back of his throat burst with the strain. Oh God, just let me die, just let me die, please, just let me die. The thought pleaded in vain inside his skull, but oblivion stubbornly refused to come. Maybe there was a price to pay after all. Camilla danced past him, her delicate feet brushing past his useless ones, sending tidal waves of throbbing, unbelievable pain through his soul, making him scream all over again.

  333

  Kelly ran one hand through her hair while the other tapped absently on the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the silent building that rose up a hundred yards away on the other side of the gate. They’d been gone more than twenty minutes now, each of those minutes seeming like an eternity, and she would have called Keery, but her damned mobile couldn’t get a signal. Ten more minutes, that’s what she’d give them. Ten minutes, and then she’d drive and get help.

  Unable to sit still any longer, she got out of the car, needing the cool air to help calm her rising panic, and walked toward the gate. The lane seemed unnaturally quiet, as if even the birds had deserted her. Just where the hell were they? She stared at the house and it glowered silently back at her. Once the others had disappeared inside, her anger had vanished, and now all she wanted was for them to come back safely. Tabby, Rob, her dad, and even Gina and Camilla. Nervousness eating at her stomach, she pushed away a wave of nausea and rubbed her damp palms on her jeans. Oh God, just let them be okay.

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  Please just let them be okay. She’d never ask for anything for the rest of her life, but please just grant this one prayer. Please.

  Her heart leapt into her mouth, as in the distance she saw a figure emerge running from the house. Fear forgotten, she grabbed the gate and started yanking one side open fighting the resistance she felt, ignoring the squeals of the hinges. Leaning back, using all her weight, Kelly pulled it open far enough for someone to get through and still straining and tugging, looked up to see who had come out of Syracousse. It was Gina who staggered towards her. It was Gina, and she was carrying someone in her arms. Tabby. She was carrying Tabby.

  Oh thank God, Tabby was safe. Tabby was safe. But what were they running from, and where were Rob and her father? Where was Camilla? Gina was halfway up the drive now, and Kelly called out to her.

  ?It’s okay, Gina! You’re nearly there! Come on!?

  Hearing her voice, Tabby looked around, and Kelly’s heart leapt. Her baby. Her baby was back. Everything was going to be fine. Rob and Jack must be following with Camilla, that’s where they were. They’d be out in a minute. Any minute now.

  Gina stumbled through the gap in the gate, and Kelly grabbed Tabby out of her arms, needing to hold her and hug her forever, burying her face in that soft, warm tangle of curls, desperate to feel those chubby hands wrapped around her neck.

  ?Oh baby, you’re safe now. You’re safe. Oh, I love you, Tabby. I missed you so much.?

  The little girl pressed her face into Kelly’s neck. ?I missed you too, Mummy. I’m sorry.?

  Kelly stood and held her daughter for a few moments, unable to speak or move, just reveling in the relief, until a sob from beside her made her look up at Gina, and then the house. Nobody else had come out; there were no figures running up the drive as she’d expected.

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  Her stomach felt cold as she looked with dread into Gina’s anguished face.

  ?Where are they, Gina? Where’s Rob and my father? Where’s your mother??

  Gina said nothing, but stood weeping and shaking her head.

  Beneath them the ground trembled unnaturally, but Kelly ignored it, pushing Tabby back into Gina’s arms. They couldn’t leave them in there. They couldn’t. Oh no, not her dad, not Rob. They had to get out somehow. They just had to.

  ?I’m going back in to get them! We’ve got to get them out of there!?

  Gina grabbed her and pulled her backwards. ?You don’t understand, Kelly!?

  Kelly looked at the older woman, this stranger who was her sister, not wanting to know what was obvious from the pain in her face.

  ?What don’t I understand??

  Gina’s voice was soft, her breath hitching with tears. ?It’s too late. It’s too late for them. We can’t help them. They’re gone.?

  Kelly looked from Gina to the house and back again, her whole body numb. Gone. They couldn’t be. Not her dad. Not Rob. They were here twenty minutes ago. They couldn’t be gone. Just couldn’t be.

  ?No. I don’t believe you.?

  The grumbling beneath them became louder and the trembling more violent, as a deep moan seemed to come from the house like the dying wails of a ship going down in the ocean.

  Gina dragged Kelly back behind the car and pulled her in close, so the three of them were hugging tight, the two women forming a protective circle around the little girl.

  ?What’s happening??Kelly whispered.

  Gina stared sadly at the house. ?I think it’s ending.?

  The noise was getting louder, and Kelly’s ears filled with

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  mounting pressure as the image of the house ahead of them seemed to shake in a haze. Tabby was crying, softly and fearfully, the wind whipping up into a sudden frenzy around them. Gina didn’t seem to notice the pressure or the breeze that lashed her hair around her face.

  ?Yes. I think it’s ending now,?she whispered.

  A few seconds later, the house imploded.

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  The two women and the little girl were already there and waiting when Kieran pulled up at the site, even though he was right on time. Waving hello, he pulled the lorry into the drive. Why two beautiful young women were setting up home together, he didn’t want to know, although the boys who had done the work pulling down the old farmhouse had come up with some pretty lurid ideas. Still, if you were that way inclined, then moving out of Streatford to the tiny hamlet of Nash might give you the privacy you wanted. Not that either of the women had said that’s where they came from, but Buckinghamshire wasn’t that big a place, and he’d recognized the faces from those newspaper stories a few months back when that writer died, even if they had changed their names.

  Stepping down from the cab, he walked over to them, smiling.

  The dark-haired one, who called herself Georgina, shook his hand.

  ?So are you all ready to start building??

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  Kieran nodded. ?Yep. The foundations are all laid, so today we start on the bits you can see.?

  The women shared a smile and squeezed the hands they were holding of the little girl between them. The blonde, Karen, let out a small squeal.

  ?I’m so excited! A new beginning starts today!?

  The builder gave them a moment to calm down before speaking.

  ?The boys are right behind me, so you three better go and get yourselves somewhere safe, away from the dirt and noise. You can come and see how we’re getting on tomorrow.?

  He waited until they’d gotten in their car and driven away before he pulled back the tarpaulin from the back of the truck. It was silly really. Not as if they were going to recognize the bricks or anything. And it wasn’t as if he were ripping them off. He’d bought them as a job lot months ago; they had been too cheap to pass by, and this was the first job big enough to use them on. There was no way the women could ever know the bricks came from that house that collapsed, and what did it matter anyway? Bricks were just bricks. What harm could it do?

  339 SARAH PINBOROUGH was born in 1972 and lives in Milton Keynes, England, with her cats Mr. Fing and Peter. When she is not writing, she teaches English at Lea Manor High School in Luton, where she is a home tutor to the rather remarkable 101. They threatened her lovingly with many unspeakable actions if they didn’t get a mention here. This makes her very proud and they are a constant inspiration for her writing. You can visit Sarah online at www.sarahpinborough.com.

 

 

  Unknown, Pinborough Sarah The Reckoning

 

 

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