Private Universe

Murderous Morning

‘Jack, Jack?’ The voice whispered, ‘It’s light outside, Jack. I think we need to get ready.’

Jack started awake, his nightmare vanishing as his eyes opened.

‘Sorry, did I shock you, dear?’ Charlotte crouched by the bed, dressed in her riding gear. ‘I can see around the building. The things seem to be grouped up at the conservatory. I’ve no idea how many there are, but I think a lot – they don’t all seem to be able to get in through the door, though they’re all trying to.’

Jack got out of the bed carefully, leaving a sleeping Bridie. Charlotte gave him a smile. ‘Don’t worry dear. A less tolerant woman might think you rather greedy, but I rather suspect I know who was seeking who’s favours here. You are somewhat in demand, aren’t you? Get some clothes on dear. I’m not a complete stickler for dress codes, but I do feel that one should never shoot ghouls in one’s night attire if one can help it.’

Jack went back to his room, dressed and re-joined Charlotte in the study. She’d already shared the shotgun cartridges into two waste paper baskets and was wearing one as a belted attachment. She’d also brought two shields and maces, which she’d laid out on the desk.

‘With luck we’ll take them all out with the guns. If there are too many of them, however, I’d hate to be caught with nothing to hand. Personally, I’d rather have a hockey stick for the range, but needs must.’

Jack looked at her, wondering how stable she was.

‘Don’t, Jack. I’ve been awake for over an hour and believe me, that’s long enough to indulge some dark forebodings. As humour, I doubt very much that my attempts would earn me five minutes on a music hall stage, but I need something to help me cope just now.’

He nodded. ‘Last night,’ he began, hesitantly.

‘If we survive this morning,’ she interrupted, ‘We can talk of what comes next. If we don’t, well… Not something to worry about, is it? I should thank you that I got any sleep. I really don’t know how the others managed to close their eyes.’ She stopped and broke eye contact. ‘I should say, however, that last night was something I enjoyed for itself, shocking though that might make me sound.’ She looked him straight in the eyes. ‘It was also something I’d like to do again.’

‘Bridie knows.’

‘Umm. Oh well, no sense crying over split milk, is there? And, whilst I both like and trust her, fortunate for me that I also know about her and that she is also married. I’m really too washed out to come up with a good way of  putting it, but I think some mixing of metaphors on the lines of people in glass houses and the pot calling the kettle black arse would be appropriate. Anyway, that’s for later. For now, how do you suggest we proceed?’

‘If they are all in the conservatory, then I’d suggest we set up around the corner from there in the patio area. Close to the outer entrance, by preference. If we can get them to follow and enter through the house-side gate then we’ll have a couple of choke-points. They’ll have to come out of the conservatory first, then get through the gate to the patio. If we could put together some kind of barricade to slow them even more, then we can space them out and shoot them one by one.’

Charlotte nodded to all of this.

‘They’re slow,’ Jack continued, ‘but if they come at us too many at a time, then we’ll be pushed back. If that happens anyway, then we can retreat through the outer entrance and close it behind us. We can then move out onto the hill and make them come at us across the slope. I think they’ll find that hard going. How many cartridges do we have?’

‘About fifty between us. The game-keeper, Pearce, has more in his cottage, but it might be difficult to get there and get more. That’s why I put out the maces. You should know, though, I’m not entirely sure I could bring myself to use one of those. Don’t ask me why it’s different from shooting one of them, it just feels as if it would be.’