Free The Hand of the Devil by Dean Vincent Carter Page A

window back to the recess in the wall, and saw the Ganges Red lift itself off the glass to hover once more above the detritus at the bottom of the tank. The cat maintained its aggressive posture. I was about to say something to Mather, when the animal leaped from the ledge and tore off into the trees.
    ‘So, er . . . the legend?’
    ‘Yes, well, where to start?’ Mather sat down on the edge of the bed, crossing his legs and gazing up at the ceiling in concentration. ‘Among some tribes that live along the Congo river, the Ganges Red is believed to possess more than just a long lifespan. She is rumoured to be immortal. One tribe claims the Ganges Red is a physical manifestation of the Devil.’
    ‘The Devil? Whatever next?’
    ‘Yes, quite. There are many variations on this theory though. Some Indian people who claim to have had contact with her say that rather than actually being the Devil, the Ganges Red is more of an instrument, a way for the Prince of Darkness to spread his pain throughout the world. Because of this she earned the title Devil’s Hand, which was how she was known until nineteen sixty-two, when Doctor John Harper gave her the name Ganges Red. Harper had spent some time in India and Africa researching a book on abnormal mosquito behaviour.’
    At last I felt the story was moving into the realm of reality. ‘Do you have a copy of the book?’
    ‘No, I’m afraid not,’ he said regretfully. ‘I’ve tried on numerous occasions to obtain a copy. I must have contacted every specialist bookshop, with no luck. I’ve been very tempted to look for it in person, but . . . I couldn’t leave the island for too long. The Lady here needs constant attention.’
    ‘Shame.’
    ‘Yes, it is.’
    ‘I’ll make a point of having a look on the Internet for it when I get back. There are a number of out-of-print book companies I could try.’
    ‘That’s very good of you.’ Mather nodded. ‘Yes, it would be a lovely book to have in my collection. It has an extensive list of the names given to the Ganges Red over the years.’
    ‘Really? Do you know any of them?’
    ‘A few. Satan’s Claw, Scarlet Death, the Sword of Hell, Hell’s Wrath. With some of these names, a little is lost in the translation, but you get the idea.’
    ‘How about the Scarlet Woman?’ I offered, grinning. ‘Or the Red Death?’
    The look my host returned was hardly one of amusement. ‘No, I’m afraid not.’
    Mather sat amongst his thoughts for a while. I have to admit that the unfolding history of the Ganges Red did interest me. Not only had Mather been telling the truth in his letter, but he’d now presented an intriguing back-story, even if it was far-fetched. The silence continued, and I was about to reach over and press the pause button on the Dictaphone, when Mather cleared his throat.
    ‘One story concerns a group of white settlers who encountered the Lady somewhere near the Orange river in South Africa. They were plagued by headaches, fevers and strange dreams for months afterwards, even though they hadn’t made physical contact with her.’
    ‘Headaches?’ I asked.
    ‘Yes. Sudden, sharp pains behind their eyes. Most peculiar.’
    I immediately thought of the stabbing sensation I’d experienced only moments before, then cursed my stupidity. I was being taken in by Mather’s story and allowing myself to be spooked.
    ‘Couldn’t it have been mass hysteria? A big coincidence?’
    ‘Possibly. Who knows? The group agreed that she was somehow capable of entering their minds, of forcing images into their heads. They said she made them feel apprehensive, paranoid, even terrified.’
    ‘How can an insect do that? And why would it, even if it were capable?’
    ‘Perhaps for fun – who knows? Perhaps she was testing her powers. If an insect could manipulate the mind of man, think what it could do.’
    ‘A mosquito with intelligence,’ I said, smiling. ‘Now there’s a worrying thought.’
    ‘Yes.’ Mather