Thy Will Be Done

“I’ll try, but please hurry Gem I don’t know how much more I can stand and I‘m so cold” sobbed Beth down the line.

With that Gem broke the connection and quickly dialled the police and told them as much as she knew about the situation. She reversed the Stag out of the garage and pulled out onto Parsons Green Lane and headed for the Fulham Road and the Brompton Cemetery. It didn’t take her very long to reach it at that time of night, flooring the accelerator and oblivious to any speed camera’s. She could see the blue flashing lights up ahead.

Although she new there was always a police presence around London late at night, it was a sign of the times, she marvelled at the speed the police had taken to react. As she pulled up alongside the police cars, an ambulance arrived from the nearby Chelsea and Westminster Hospital it’s name emblazoned down the side of the vehicle, it siren broke off in mid squawk, as it pulled into the kerb, giving back to the area the silent, and eerie feel it had before it arrived.

A police officer came straight over to her to enquire why she was there. After

informing him that it was she that had phoned. He directed her over to the gates where a small body of officers were gathered. He also stressed that the matter was in their hands now and any interference from her would not be tolerated.

She parked the Stag and stepping out hurried over to the group as authorized.

The air was so cold that the exhaust fumes hung in the air like a conjurers trick and the breath from her body floated lazily in front of her oblivious to her frantic need to be with her friend.

As she neared the group they looked to her in the cold clear air like nicotine addicts frantically drawing on their last cigarette as their breaths all mingled as one. A few of them were stamping their feet to get the circulation going, some even checking the batteries on their torches, all were poised and ready for what awaited them behind the large gates.

A tall plain clothed police officer whom she assumed was in charge gathered the group around him and even though she was on the outer rim his voice came over to her firm and strong.

“Now listen lads, when the gates open I want you all to spread out, it’s a large area we have to cover and the ‘vic’ could be anywhere and as for the ‘perp’ well what can I say, just remember your training and don’t destroy any evidence with those large number eleven feet” and turning slightly to his left he made a small bow, and aimed his next words to an officer whose back was to her.

“ With apologies to WPC Robins who I am sure only has a size five.” a small ripple of laughter ran through the group easing the tension slightly.

She suddenly realised how difficult it was for these young officers to go out night after night not knowing what they might find and like the rest of the public she took them all for granted. They streamed through the gates with the enthusiasm of youth, leaving her momentarily alone.

She decided to wander back to her car and get out the jumper she had bought for Beth as the weather was freezing at this time of the morning. Reaching the car she leant against the boot lid before raising it and lowering her head in sorrow she closed her eyes and found herself silently praying that they would find Beth quickly.

She felt the strange presence beside her, felt it in the core of her, felt the bile rise in her throat at the very thought of it. The hairs on the nape of her neck started to rise, her body giving her a warning long before her brain could register it and the feeling of panic that she had felt when she first picked up the phone returned with an even stronger force.

She thought she felt a breath on her lowered face, a timeless breath, an old breath, of things rotten and used and what was it,… not a warmth but a coldness of somebody close to her. She wanted to open her eyes, but for a brief instant the thing held her enthralled. Open your eyes, her mind screamed, open your eye’s, it began to sound like a mantra.

She tensed her body, felt the blood rushing to her limbs, felt the suddenly flood of adrenalin, her body now ready to fight whatever it was that was so close to her. With all the strength she could muster she prepared her mind, as well as her body and letting hold of her grip of the car boot lid, she turned with a swiftness that surprised even her. To her utter amazement she found she was alone, there was nobody around, even the ambulance men had gone into the cemetery to look.

She twisted her body all ways, searching, her eyes piecing the darkness;

searching. She raised her hand to where she had felt the breath but nothing remained only the cold numbness of the weather. A small ragged laugh escaped her lips and she tasted the saltiness of her own blood where she had bitten down hard on her lip in her fear.

Her practical and analytical mind refused to accept the anathema and she found herself mentally putting forth explanations for what had just occurred ; as the truth if such a truth existed was just too horrible to contemplate.

With her breathing now under control, Gem leant against the boot of her car again feeling suddenly drained of all energy, but seconds later she was spurred into action once again by the sudden cry from inside the gates.