“I too feel for them, but Evelyn was not only born at midnight on Halloween, she is our own niece, this gift will help to open the psychic lock to the gateway, and allow us to enter in to the dimension in which the ancient demons were banished. As for Stephanie, we need her virgin blood; it will provide the Mist of Glairmore with the power that we require to enable us to return home from Tartarus, and unnoticed by the creatures of that terrible dimension. With the help of Moira, you and I will acquire the power of the ancient gods, and we will be away before they even know that we were there, have no fear my darling, there is no way that they will escape from their eternal prison.” Parkston replied with more certainty than he actually felt, for he knew that there was always a chance that things could go wrong, but then that is why he had chosen Moira to assist him, to ensure that at least he got home safely.
Chapter Five
Halloween
The two girls, Evelyn and Stephanie, awoke late that morning, to find that the preparations for the Halloween celebrations were all completed, so they decided to spend the day walking in the local countryside, it was a beautiful day and the sun was warm.
Moira had gone on a shopping visit to the nearest town, Johnathan Towers had been happy to drive the pretty Satanist when she had complained of being too tired to drive. They had collected a package of herbs from a local health shop, herbs that were vital to the coming black mass, along with these they also needed to replace their normal stock of herbs, due to the number of potions they had made lately, when summoning up the demons. They also needed to replace the glass bowl they used to mix the potions in; it had developed a crack in it due to the heat created in the powerful potions they used when they summoned Lord Asbaritch.
Now they were just about to set off back to the manor house, they were waiting for the line of traffic to pass so that they could pull out. Moira in her Gothic style and her hoodie pulled over her head was unrecognisable to anyone passing by; she sat there yawning, it had been a tiring forty-eight hours. She looking at the passing vehicles, impatient for the passing traffic to end, however, when it did she saw the last vehicle in the line contained Rob Hinds.
As Towers pulled out after the vehicle, Moira ordered him to follow it, the main flow of traffic had kept to the main road, while they had both turned off down a narrow side road, Rob also appeared to be travelling towards the small hamlet of Parkston, and this made her worried.
“Drop back a little Jonathan, we do not want them to notice us, I especially do not want them catching sight of me, that would be very inconvenient at the moment.”
Moira began to make use of the new glass bowl and some of the ingredients that she had just purchased, soon they had travelled far enough away from civilisation, as she termed the towns and larger villages, and she was now ready to launch her attack.
“Skargel, come to me, I, Moira Bourbon, Master Satanist command you.” Moira`s voice sounding all the louder within the confines of the vehicle.
Quicker than usual, a black plume of smoke began to rise out of the floor of the vehicle, and thanks to some foresight, flow out of the now open windows. Then a form began to appear, it was the demon.
“I am here Master, how may I be of service to you.” The demon asked.
“The vehicle in front of this one Skargel; I want you to stop it, and ensure that it is not able to proceed without substantial repairs, then short out their mobile phones.” Moira instructed the demon.
“Of course Master.” Skargel said. His face took on what could be mistaken for a smile, except that on him it looked very scary.
“Skargel, we have a nice young virgin for you to feast on, just before midnight, not before, to earn this tasty treat you must report back to me every quarter of an hour regarding the whereabouts of the three men. I will also throw in a gallon of Rakiremanin if you do a good job.” Moira instructed.
“Turn the car around Jonathan; we will have to take the roundabout route back to the manor house.” Moira said after the demon had left to carry out its task.
It was not dark yet, but the tasks set the demon were not so very black, the demon did not need the night to carry out its minor missions. In fact, Skargel did not need to use black magic to stop the car with Rob Hinds inside; he merely needed to push a recently fallen tree into the path of the fast approaching vehicle, and at a point in the road where it turned sharply. Gerry Handley never even saw the tree until the last second, for Skargel had used a little light magic to conceal it. Gerry turned the wheel sharply, but struck the fallen tree hard, and their vehicle went off the road and into a ditch.
“Are you both OK, David, Gerry?” Rob asked his two friends. They had all had their seat belts on, and this had saved them from a serious injury, even so, they were a little shaken by the crash.
“I am sorry Rob, David, but I did not see the bloody thing, not until the very last second, and then it was too late to do much other than crash.” Gerry complained bitterly.
“I do not think you were meant to Gerry, it was not there two seconds before the crash, which I will testify to on a stack of bibles.” Father Pritchard said and then he swore, for he had just moved, and now felt a pain in his side where the seat belt had dug in when he had been thrown forward by the crash.
“Maybe the ungodly were in that vehicle that followed after us, after we passed through that last small town; if they were then they were damned quick in sending a demon after us.” Rob said grimly.
“I thought they needed darkness to operate in?” Gerry said quizzically.
“Not for a minor piece of magic, such as moving a tree onto the road and then concealing it until the last moment.” Father Pritchard explained.
Rob got out of the vehicle and pulled his mobile phone out, but it immediately began to crackle and sparks leapt from it. Rob hurriedly threw it to the ground; his phone was joined by the mobile phones of the other two men, for their phones had also started to crackle. Finally, the car phone exploded, and Rob had to get the small fire extinguisher out to extinguish the flames that sprang from it.
“The Satanists are working hard today, we must be too close for their comfort.” Rob said with a weary sigh.
“We will have to walk, which way do you want to go Rob?” Father Pritchard asked.
“The only possible way is back to the small town that we just passed through, it will be an eight miles hike, unless we are lucky enough to get a lift, but first we had better try to move the tree trunk before someone else runs over it, and our vehicle too.”
The three friends found that together, they were able to roll the tree trunk to the side of the road; however, they could do nothing about their vehicle, apart from put their warning triangle down on the road just around the bend to warn oncoming traffic. Then they set off along the road, in hope of securing a lift to take them somewhere where they would be able to hire a replacement vehicle. Unfortunately, no one came along to offer them a lift, although they were able to hire a replacement vehicle, after they arrived at the small town, and just thirty minutes before the local car hire garage shut. Therefore, with a new vehicle they decided to return to the scene of the accident and pick up their gear. Before they left the village, Rob called in, the telephones were working here, and he reported the ‘accident’ saying that the signs looked good for an early end to their search. They also arranged for their own vehicle to be collected and repaired, then they drove off towards the small hamlet of Parkston, and once there they meant to ask the locals if they had seen Moira Bourbon.
The moon was just rising above the manor house when they arrived at the hamlet of Parkston. The lights were on at the Tavern on the Green, a small public house come restaurant that served the local community and any passing motorist, however, no noise was coming from the building, only from the nearby manor house. Rob led the way into the public house, glad to be out of the strong wind that had sprung up ahead of an approaching storm, to find that the public house was empty save for the landlord.
“Too early
is it for the locals?” Rob enquired of the landlord.
“No, sir, but as it is Halloween today, they are all at the manor house getting ready for the private party there, it is going to be a big affair with dancing and games. I suppose some will drop in here on the way to the party, to have a drink before the party properly kicks off.” The landlord replied with a smile for his three customers. “Now what can I get you three gentlemen?”
“Three pints of your finest please Landlord.” Gerry Handley said walking up to the bar.
The landlord soon poured three pints of a locally brewed ale and set it on the counter. “That will be £11.40 please sir.” The landlord said.
After paying the landlord, Gerry smiled at him and said. “We are meeting a friend here, Moira Bourbon, has she been by tonight?”
“I cannot say that I recognise the name sir, she certainly is not a local, for I know every one of them personally.” The landlord replied, and began polishing a glass that to Gerry seemed clean and polished enough already.
“Why don`t we sit down?” Rob suggested and led the way to a table against the sidewall. The other two followed him and sat down with their backs to the landlord.
“I think that our friendly landlord is lying, there was certainly a hint of recognition in his eyes when you asked about dear Moira.” Father Pritchard ventured.
“I suggest that we gate-crash the local Halloween party, because the area within ten miles of this hamlet of Parkston is devoid of civilisation, with the exception of this small hamlet and the manor house, and a private Halloween party would make a suitable charade to conceal the true theme of the party, a black mass.” Rob said by way of agreeing with his friend.
“So, how do we get in unnoticed, Rob, Gerry, you two are the experts in this sort of escapade?” Father Pritchard asked.
“I am not sure that we can use the method we employed in France, David. Ulysses Bourbon had already shown his colours that time, but something will occur to us, first though we will have to hide the car, for we can hardly leave it parked outside while we gate-crash a black mass.” Rob replied.
“I will see if they have a telephone here that is working.” Gerry said and stood up and walked across to the bar.
“Landlord, is there a telephone that I can use?” Gerry asked.
“I am sorry sir, but there is something odd going on, neither my landline nor my mobile telephone seem to be working, it is very strange, it must be the atmospherics.” The landlord replied with a sad shake of his head.
Gerry Handley returned to his two friends who had heard the landlord`s reply. “Rob, Gerry, I am a little worried by our luck with the telephones, maybe we should get out of here pronto, before our luck gets even worse.” Father Pritchard advised.
Unseen by the three friends, Moira watched from the rear room of the public house. Skargel had given her an update every fifteen minutes regarding their whereabouts; he had also put out of action their three new mobile telephones, just minutes after they had activated them, after she had heard about their new acquisitions. His last report was that her enemies were approaching the hamlet, and she had assumed correctly that they would stop off at the Tavern on the Green. She smiled ever so sweetly as she listened to the three friends talking, this time making used of a little black magic that did not require a demon. She pulled out her mobile telephone and called Simon Parkston.
“Simon, we have a minor problem inside the bar of the Tavern on the Green, Rob Hinds, together with the popist, and another man are here, they are planning on gate-crashing the party, have four men all armed with shotguns meet me out front of the place, we will have to take them prisoner.” Moira ordered.
“I am not sure that that is a good idea Moira, their superiors must know where they are.” Parkston said in full panic mode.
“They may know that they are in this part of Yorkshire, but not where they actually are, I told you that I prevented them from phoning, now do as I say, and hurry before they decide to leave.” Moira ordered.
“OK, Moira, I will have Towers bring three men along and meet you in front of the public house.” Parkston agreed, feeling a little angry at the way Moira Bourbon bullied him.
The three friends were just leaving the public house when the four men appeared from around the side of the building, and they were all armed with shotguns that were pointed directly at them. Moira now made her presence known, moving out from behind the four Satanists. Rob saw her this time without her blond wig; instead, she was made up in her full Goth style, and he cursed himself for a fool in underestimating his opponent.
“Rob, you really should have stayed away, now you and your two little friends will have to pay the price of your meddlesome snooping. Obey my orders quickly and you all get to live. First you Rob, pull out your gun, slowly, and throw it away, then your friend can do likewise.” Moira said in her sickly syrupy voice. “Do it Rob, or my friends will fire, and with four shotguns aimed at you, and at this range, they will not miss.” Moira demanded in a much louder and very angry voice.
Rob pulled out his pistol, using just his fingertips, as he did not want to be on the receiving end of four shotgun blasts, Gerry followed suit, and both men tossed their weapons to the side and then waited.
“OK, Jonathan, give me your weapon while you check them all for other concealed weapons, I am sure that they all have some sort of knife about their persons.” Moira instructed her Satanist friend.
Towers handed Moira his shotgun and then ensuring that he kept clear of the ground between the Satanists and the three friends, he took a long elliptical route until he was behind the Rob and the others. He then searched them for weapons, he found that each of the men carried a knife, which he threw over to the ground that already held the two guns, but neither of the agents carried a backup gun, he then walked back and stood behind Moira.
“Ok, you three, walk towards the manor house, we have a nice dark cellar in which to hold you in, while we consider what we are going to do with you.” Moira said acidly.
The three men walked towards the gatehouse, and upon reaching it, they found an open wooden door within the archway.
“Ok, Rob, lead the way downstairs.” Moira ordered.
Rob walked down a flight of wooden stairs, lit by a single ceiling light that was swaying in the strong wind that blew them down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was another door, Rob went through it followed by Gerry and Father Pritchard. When all three men were in the pitch-black cellar, the door behind them shut with a loud bang, they turned in the darkness, but could see nothing but the blackness that engulfed them.
“This is not good Rob, they must know that they will have to kill us, to ensure their own safety, we have to get out of here somehow, and soon.” Gerry Handley declared grimly.
“And we will, they searched us, but the big guy was an amateur, I still have my small pen torch and a lock pick, we will soon be away from here. When we are out, we need to find and rescue the two girls, and without their human sacrifices, we will have stopped the Satanists` plans, at least for the moment. Tomorrow we can return here with the local police and arrest the lot of them, and I will ensure that Moira Bourbon has no access to anything that she can use to conjure up any more demons.” Rob promised his two friends.
Rob and the others listened at the door for any sign that a sentry had been posted, but only silence greeted their efforts. “We appear to be alone down here, but even so, I think that it might be more prudent to wait until the Halloween party is in full swing before attempting to escape, the better to hide us from the Satanists.” Rob said and his thoughts were shared by his friends, and midnight was still some time away so they had time to spare.
Therefore, they waited until the noise of the partygoers reaching new heights, only then did Rob attack the lock, while Father Pritchard directed a thin beam of light upon it from the pen torch. The ancient lock took Rob all of two minutes to open, its old workings delaying him longer than he had expected. When the lock finally cl
icked open, Rob gently pushed the old wooden door open, to the accompaniment of a loud squeak. Father Pritchard immediately swung the beam of light from the small pen torch towards the new blackness, that was the empty space that stood at the bottom of the wooden staircase, but it was not empty, for standing at the foot of the stairs was a nasty looking demon sentry, one who moved towards them threateningly. Father Pritchard immediately slammed the door shut.
“Quickly Gerry hold the door shut, Rob, you must relock the door immediately.” Father Pritchard ordered.
The two agents quickly followed orders, none too soon for the demon crashed against the door, and it took all three of them to hold the door shut while Rob relocked the door. When they were safely locked up again, Father Pritchard turned away from the door and walked along the near sidewall of the room, he was searching for something that he had seen earlier, it had been caught in a stray beam of light just as they had been pushed into the underground room. The beam of light from the pen torch giving off sufficient light to show him that the room was not entirely empty. A large ceramic sink was fixed to the wall in the far corner, beneath it was an old plastic bucket, which he picked up and placed in the sink beneath a tap, turning the tap on he filled the bucket, then he called over to his two friends.
“Rob, Gerry come over here please.” He called across to his two friends quietly, so as not to alert their enemy that they were about to try something.
When they were with him, he told them why he wanted them. “Gerry, please take hold of the bucket, and do not spill it, our lives are at stake, Rob you take the torch and shine it on the bucket.” Father Pritchard instructed.
Gerry took the bucket of water from his friend, but looked quizzically at him; however, Rob guessed what his friend had in mind.
Father Pritchard then pulled from his pockets two slim packets. “These are packets of blessed salt, the minions of the devil missed them in their search for weapons, forgetting in their haste just how powerful simple things can be.” He then sprinkled the salt into the water.