Free Tanners Dell: Darkly Disturbing Occult Horror by Sarah England

me.”
    Another gust of wind buffeted the windows. “I wish you’d wake up and tell me what you saw. Why on earth did you go out there on your own at that time? Did you come across the Deans? Paul Dean? My guess is you got too close and discovered something or recognised someone; and now you’ve been stopped. It sounds barmy, doesn’t it? Somehow they do that, though – something nasty happens to anyone trying to investigate Woodsend; and the worst part is that the police have just closed the case. According to them you had a car accident and Alice is safely with her loving parents. Did you hear Sergeant Hall say that? Bloody unbelievable!”
    She gazed out at a row of trees lining the car park like soldiers at the far end of the field. Skeletal branches forked against a stormy sky boiling with angry clouds, and a low whistle sounded through the vents.
    “Do you believe in evil, Callum? That an inhuman intelligence can be raised to destroy us? Sounds nuts, doesn’t it? And here’s the really clever bit - the part they like the best – you can’t tell society what’s happening to you because if you say you’re being possessed or psychically attacked you’re going to get locked up for being a lunatic. And so it goes on - they’re still at it. Not that I know how they do this to us. All I know for sure is that I’m the only person left who’s onto them, and the only one who can get Alice out of there, because what happened to Ruby is absolutely sodding real and I’m determined it’s not going to happen to her daughter as well.
    “Thing is though – it means a trip to Woodsend on my own: I can’t even tell the police because…” A twitch of Callum’s hand caused her to stop speaking for a moment. “Callum?”
    But he made no further movements and it seemed, depressingly, as if it had just been a nerve jumping around.
    She stroked his forehead. “I’m not happy there’s a little girl out there at the Deans’ place. And I’m not convinced you had a car accident either. I’ve got to do something. No one else is going to.”
    Again a twitch of his hand. His eyelashes fluttered.
    “Your children will be in later, I hope. They’ve been told you’re here. Anyway, I’ve got to make a couple of calls now so you can reflect on just how bonkers your own private mental health nurse is! Oh, by the way, you should know that Mark has filed for divorce, which I’m fine about. I just feel sorry, really sorry, that you and I didn’t get to spend our lives together, and I put him through some pain. I didn’t mean to you know? But in the end you can’t force yourself to love someone, can you?”
    Leaning over, she kissed Callum’s cheek. “Please come back to me.”
    She stared into his face for several intense seconds. If only his eyes would open and he’d smile that wide smile of his. If only she wasn’t so alone. “I’ll be back tonight, don’t worry.”
     
    ***
     
    Outside in the car park the winter wind was icy, blowing people across the tarmac and snatching at litter. Becky hurried towards the bus stop, checking her mobile as she walked. There was a message from Noel, and also one from Celeste. It would be best to call them back en-route.
    With the bus full, though, that proved awkward. It didn’t seem to bother other people, who cheerfully discussed their most private affairs in public, but this was somewhat different. With the mobile clamped to one ear and a finger in the other, she strained to hear what Noel was saying – it sounded like he was speaking from the ocean floor.
    “I can’t really talk, but how did it go with Celeste?”
    “Really well. Ruby seems happier, anyway.”
    “Oh, that’s good, then.”
    “Same can’t be said for our little trainee!?”
    “Why? What’s happened?”
    “Now if I tell you, promise you won’t freak!”
    “Noel!”
    “Okay, well Emily said Ruby was telling Celeste she could hear and see men being hanged in the yard and it was making her ill. Now