Free The Cryptid Files by Jean Flitcroft Page B

together for about five minutes. Mr Mackintosh is believed to have said that he would never go out on Loch Ness in a small boat again.
    Alan tried not to look too concerned when he returned to the sitting room. There was a heated debate going on between Luke and Lee about the X-Files. Alan waited for a break in the intense discussion but it progressed rapidly to the existence of Area 51 and the possibility of alien abduction.
    â€˜Well, that might account for your sister’s absence, I suppose,’ Alan interrupted.
    Luke looked at his father with a mildly puzzled face.
    â€˜She’s not in her room,’ he explained.
    The boys looked blankly at him.
    â€˜She’s probably taken her sketchpad out to the garden,’ Maggie offered.
    â€˜It’s dark out there. Why would she do that?’ Ronan said, direct as ever.
    â€˜Good point.’
    â€˜I’ll just pop outside and have a look.’ Alan moved quickly down the hall into the kitchen and yanked open the back door. Nothing stirred, the air was suspiciously still. Lee joined him without a word and the two of them walked into the garden and down to the water’s edge.
    â€˜Vanessa!’ Alan called. And when he got no answer he raised his voice. ‘Vanessa! Are you there? It’s dinner time.’
    Nothing.
    â€˜Vanessa, it’s time to come in.’ A touch of panic now lifted the edges of his voice, but there was still no answer.
    â€˜She’s probably just gone for a walk with Daisy. I didn’t see her in the house either.’
    â€˜Of course, that’s probably it.’ There was relief in Alan’s voice, but he added crossly, ‘I’ll kill her if she’s wandered off without saying anything to Maggie or the boys. She knows she’s not allowed. It’s not as if she even knows the area.’
    As they turned back up to the house, they met Maggie coming through the kitchen door.
    â€˜Perhaps Vanessa took Daisy for another walk, Maggie?’ Lee took Maggie’s hand in hers and they stood facing each other for a second before she answered.
    â€˜No. James arrived this morning and took the dog back home, thank God. The daft mutt.’
    The silence that followed was awkward, nobody wanting to admit out loud that Vanessa was actually missing at this stage.
    â€˜OK, let’s go back in to the boys and we’ll find out who saw her last.’ Maggie took charge. ‘We’d better just check every room in the house first in case she’s fallen asleep reading or sketching. Then, we’ll get torches and do the garden properly.’
    Nobody mentioned Loch Ness.

CHAPTER 20
    The waters of Loch Ness are darkened by peat particles so that nothing can be seen below 20 or 30 feet. It explains why photography and diving in the loch is so difficult. Sonar equipment has detected large, solid, living objects, bigger than fish or seals, but this technique cannot make out detail, so a creature like Nessie could stay well hidden in the depths.
    Vanessa felt the algae in her hands. Was it algae or wet moss? She couldn’t decide. It looked like algae but felt more like moss in her hands – spongy, with no smell at all. When Vanessa put it in her mouth it felt curiously natural to her. The taste was unsurprising – bland, almost grass-like. But when she took the moulded ball out of her mouth to examine it before swallowing it she was amazed at the intensity of the glow. It was as if chewing it had released energy.
    You’ll need more.
    Vanessa started and swallowed hard. The voice in her head was by far the most disturbing feature of all in this dream. Everything else, although odd, was surprisingly comforting, and she felt no fear.
    You’ll need to eat more to explore the waters.
    She felt compelled to obey, using her nails to scrape another handful off the cave wall and chewing dutifully.
    More.
    This was getting ridiculous. How could she stop it? Vanessa willed herself not