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With the lights back on Rob did a quick head count, and it was now that he found out that Masters was missing; somehow Moira had taken advantage of the disturbance within the circle to take yet another victim.
Rob immediately left the protective circle, Father Pritchard accompanying him, and they went in search of the missing man, they soon found Ian Masters, he was hanging from the banister rail at the top of the house.
“How are we supposed to fight back David, she is picking us off at her leisure and then waiting for another opportunity to come along.” Rob complained angrily.
“Something tells me that this is not all she wants, no Rob, Moira will soon make her real plan very clear to us, and when she does I really do not think that we shall like it.” Father Pritchard replied in a grim voice tinged with fear.
Although it was not warm in the sitting room, for the fire had gone out long ago, even so Colin Timpson could feel the sweat running down his back, he then felt his head begin to spin, he realised that the fear that had been building up was about to reach a critical level. He quickly lay down on the floor, ensuring that his feet were within the protective circle, and then he closed his eyes, oh but to fall asleep, but he knew there was no chance of that. He looked at the others in the circle, he was thankful that Rob and Father Pritchard were there, for they at least knew what was going on, none of the others, not even Professor Inglis were any comfort to him. He just hoped that Father Pritchard was correct, and that the point of the five deaths would soon be made clear, then maybe the others would be allowed to leave this awful house. One thing was sure, he now believed in the afterlife, and he would make damned sure that he went to the nice place, for he sure did not want to end up in Hell.
As the cold grew even more icy, Rob and Father Pritchard decided to venture down to the cellar to fill the coal scuttle up, when they returned they found Maxine Reynolds waiting for them.
“I need to go to the toilet.” Maxine Reynolds complained loudly, casting hostile looks at Rob who she blamed for everything that had happened at the haunted house.
“Ok, Ms Reynolds, I will go with you to ensure that no one jumps out at you.” Rob replied trying and failing to sound friendly towards a very frosty woman.
“Oh great, that is so reassuring.” Maxine said under her breath. “For you have done such a wonderful job of that so far.”
She simply did not trust him to protect her, especially after all the deaths in the house, but at least he had a gun, and he did seem to know about these ghostly things. In any case if she did not go soon then she knew that she would wet herself, and in front of the others that would be far worse than anything Moira Bourbon could do to her. As they walked to the second door within the large living room, the one that led into a hall that ultimately took you round to the garden, she cast anxious looks at him, she was now beginning to feel thankful that Rob had taken pity on her. Her rapidly beating heart speeded up when he opened the door and looked along the dark hallway, she fully expected one of the ghosts to take him away to god knows where. The lack of lights in the small hall had caused him to halt, and it caused Maxine to walk into him and complain loudly.
“The lights in the hallway are off, the only ones that are off in the entire house.” Rob explained to her anxiously.
Maxine looked into the dark hall and then back at Rob, she needed to go to the toilet, but she did not want to walk down a dark hallway only to find that the toilet was also in blackness. Rob looked at the fear in her eyes, and made a decision.
“Come on Maxine, don`t let that insane bitch make you wet your pants, I promise that I will protect you.”
Maxine looked at him and tried to raise a smile.” Ok Mr Hinds, but you had better not let me down; if you do I promise to haunt you for the rest of your life, maybe even longer.” With that small piece of bravado Maxine even managed to raise a small smile.
With that Rob hurried Maxine down the hallway to a lavatory, checking that it was empty of ghosts before allowing her to enter.
“Hold on to your cross and take the lid off the bottle of holy water and you should be safe, but I will come in if you call for help, a weak scream will do.” Rob said and then he smiled at the young woman to try to reassure her, although with only a torch to light up the room he did wonder if she could see him.
Maybe Maxine had felt it, for she managed another weak smile and then she entered the lavatory, but she did not close the door, preferring safety over privacy, she hurriedly unscrewed the lid of the bottle and held the bottle of holy water ready for use, in her other hand she was clutching her wooden cross. She was almost too scared to go, but finally she did so and finally she did feel a little better.
When Maxine and Rob returned safely, the other three students also asked if Rob would mind taking them to the toilet, if things were not so bad, Rob would have laughed at his taking the teenagers to the toilet. With everyone now feeling slightly more comfortable, Rob wondered why Moira had not made a move against any of them; he was soon to find out why.