The Crypt Volume One

The Child Snatchers: part two

Three days had passed since Judy had been taken. Her family had scoured Rose House and the neighbouring town time and time again. Mr and Mrs Radley were convinced someone had taken their daughter outside of the house but Jackie, who shared a strong psychic connection with her twin, believed Judy was still inside.

"She's here, daddy, I know she is." Jackie dogged him around the living room, hanging and tugging on the belt of his navy dressing gown as he ranted about the local police. "Daddy! Are you listening to me?"

"She's not here," he growled. "How many more times must we go through this?" The scraping sound of the iron gates being opened halted their disagreement. They weren't expecting visitors, and the police had recently left - they had nothing to report. "Stay here."

Jackie waited for him to reach the front door before hoisting herself up onto the box window sill to see who was approaching.

Driving rain struck the pane like hammers as she gazed out. Squinting past her watery reflection, she saw one of the townsman walking up the gravel drive. Tall and rake thin, on his head he wore a brown hunter's cap and on his back a green wax jacket.

"Evening, Mr." Upon reaching Mr Radley he doffed his cap, his blue eyes darting now and then to the oval attic window. "I need to speak with you."

"Then come in."

"Ain't going in there," he wiped raindrops from the tip of his hooked nose. "I come to talk about your daughter. The one who's missing."

"Do you know something about that?" Mr Radley threw an accusing stare. "Do you know who took her?"

"Aye, but you ain't gonna like what I have to say."

"Just say it, man," he trilled, "and then I can take my rifle to the person who took my Judy."

"Your rifle won't save your daughter. None of man's weapons can."

"What are you talking about?" Mr Radley asked, unaware that Jackie had slipped into the hallway - she was hiding behind the coat stand, listening.

"Forces of darkness abound in this house. Bad stuff has happened over the years. Kids have been snatched from other families what lived here," the townsman told. "Your girl ain't the first, and she won't be the last unless you destroy it."

"Destroy what? What is this nonsense?"

"Ain't no nonsense," the townsman stepped closer. "A demon lives in this house. In the attic. They call him and those what work for him The Child Snatchers. My granddaddy's father was just a kid when the first child was taken, but it happened time and time again after."

"Don't be ridiculous." Mr Radley stared at him as though he was an escapee from the local asylum.

"You people are all the same. You don't listen no matter how much we warn you."

"Oh, now I know who you are," he said snobbishly. "You're one of those lunatics who wrote to me in America, warning me and my family not to move here."

"Aye, Mr, I'm one of them. But you didn't listen and now your girl has been taken by the demon."

Jackie whimpered, gulping down every macabre word spoken.

"Now look here, you mad old fool," Mr Radley flared. "If you don't get off my property I'll shoot you!"

"You could do that, aye, but no good would come from it." Yet the townsman backed away into the growing storm. "You got another girl in there."

"Are you threatening her?" With bunched, bushy black brows he was growing as wild as the weather.

"No, Mr. I'm trying to help you. If you don't take your daughter and wife and leave with me now, the demon will take her too. And then you will never see either of your girls again."