Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

El 26 de Septiembre, 2008. 01:15 am

Juan gloried in their fear; each broken breath urged him on. Where did they think they could hide? Tortured souls strained up from the ground to clutch at him as he passed and he slapped their bony fingers away. On he flowed, his ethereal substance aiding his passage, yet something nagged at him.

As the ground rose towards the small cemetery he felt the earth begin to hold him. His anger was being sucked inexorably away. Ahead he watched the last of his prey fall over the tumbled walls and screamed. Still, this hateful place held consecrated ground within its very heart. The purity of prayer burnt him, forcing him to change his direction. At first it was a minor irritation, but the closer he came to the hallowed place the more pain he felt.

He struck an impenetrable wall but feet from his enemies, rearing backwards from the love and devotion which rested there. How could that be? The strange young man stared at Juan, his dark eyes boring deep into the twisted soul. He recognised him and now his anger knew no bounds. Spiritual fingers tore at the earth in anguish, a pitiful moaning accompanying Juan’s every effort. Moonlight illuminated Toni’s face further and the gravestone on which his hand casually rested. Juan now knew what Toni was and his anger boiled viciously, causing blue flames to spark again. An abomination!

*

The Professor fought for breath. Their flight from the van had all but taxed his last remaining strength and he wheezed painfully. All of the others had made it but seemed to have fared better than he; youth he supposed. They were arrayed in a semi-circle around Toni staring fearfully out over the open ground. Snarling and spitting sounds drew his attention, causing him to lurch back away from the inferno whirling but feet from the cemetery’s walls. It had followed them, but could not cross; the first hope he had felt from what seemed an age entered his breast. With a fluttering sigh he hobbled across to stand by Toni who appeared transfixed, almost as though he was communing with the evil spirit.

“It knows you now,” he whispered into the young man’s ear, “and cannot give up. It has forgotten the others. Just as your television station planned, there will be a spectacle.”

“It’s a shame they can’t get any pictures then,” mumbled Toni, “my death would have made quite an ending to the show.”

“Oh, I have a camera,” Manolo corrected him, “but my sodding hand is shaking so much, it’s useless.”

“And you?”

Toni had turned to look at Rosa who cowered before him.

“Me? I knew nothing of this,” she said, shaking her head in concert with her words.

“Tell it to someone who believes you,” snarled Toni, “your public, perhaps? For me, you can go to hell!”

“Don’t say that,” pleaded the Professor, “it is listening...”


El 26 de Septiembre, 2008. 01:25 am

“How much longer do we have to wait?” asked Toni, beating his arms slowly against his body, “I’d forgotten how cold it gets up here.”

“We have a whole day ahead of us,” replied the Professor as he studied the journal by torchlight.

“What is that thing,” Manolo asked as he peered over the old man’s shoulder, “I don’t know about you guys, but I have no intention of wasting all day here in a sodding cemetary. Surely someone will be on their way?”

Here he looked questioningly at Rosa, who was studiously ignoring them, her mobile on the floor where she had dropped it. In anger, Manolo siezed the telephone and cursed.

“Shit!” he spat, “The fucking thing’s not even turned on…”

“No…!” squealed Rosa, clawing for it, but Manolo skipped out of her way and activated the phone. Once it had warmed up, it began to chime with the incoming message signal.

“You stupid bitch!” roared Manolo, “The studio’s been trying to call us all this time!”

He hit the redial button and waited.

“Hi. No it’s Manolo, Rosa’s just a little bit out of it now. What? Fine!”

He handed the mobile to Rosa, “He wants to talk to you....and he’s pissed!”

*
Emilio had passed being angry long ago, now he was scared. The ratings were through the roof and they had nothing. No feed, no on-site representation, absolutely nothing and that would mean the death of his greatest operation. It was with a mix of relief and spite that he answered the call from Rosa’s phone, although Manolo’s intervention brought him back to his senses for a short while. Once Rosa came on the line though, he let his control slip.

“Just listen,” he snarled, “all I want from you right now is a little of your vaunted professionalism. In particular, if you want to get out of there, you will do exactly as I say. No more and no less.

“I am going to cut in this call to the debate we are currently using to waste time. You will tell us a little about what had happened, but nothing about death and dismemberment. Those people are missing, that is all. You will describe the atmosphere, do a little heavy breathing and then I’ll sever the connection. You though will remain on the line and talk to me. Do you understand?”

“I don’t know...”

“Do you understand!”

“Yes, Emilio,” she replied, “but please get me out of here.”

His voice became softer, “Rosa, of course I will get you out of there, just as soon as we close the show. Just work with me, okay?”

“Okay,” she agreed. There really was no other option but trust him, even though she knew deep down that it was a bad decision.

Emilio waved frantically through the window of his office, pointing at the phone and holding up five fingers. He received a nod and he went back to reassuring Rosa. Maybe he could save this after all.