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Post by sparacus on Aug 6, 2023 16:04:51 GMT -5
Ok folks, here is part 7 of this historical adventure:
“THEY COME BACK” Part 7
Ben and the others nervously got into the back of the cart as the driver ushered the horse to move on. Katie was bemused:
“It is one thing to be taken down a hole in time, it is quite another to have to travel in this disgusting cart”.
“Why have we been taken down a hole?” Kian asked. Katie kicked him:
“You speak for yourself”.
“Stop bickering please, this is serious. I feel a real sense of foreboding and dread”, Ben commented.
They arrived at the house and were greeted outside by the angry figure of Edward Chatham, dressed in fox hunting gear:
“Father will see you now. He has some news for you. And I’d advise you not to bring that coward into the house *gesturing to Kian*. And who is the wench? I must say she is dressed in the most unusual attire.”
“Unusual? What crap is that”, Katie snapped at him.
“Ah she speaks like a common harlot. There is hope for you yet brother Ernest, however the presence of this milksop still suggests you are unsure.”
Ben found himself replying in words that were not his own:
“Do not call Sebastian a milksop. He is my dear friend and we are men of principle. We do not wish to kill our fellow men in war.”
“Balderdash! Say that to father and he’ll horsewhip you, even if he’s in that chair. And so will I”.
Ben and the others were ushered into the house and into a library room which stank of musty old books. A grey haired man with a long moustache and red face sat in a wheelchair and was waving his stick at a girl of about 18:
“Don’t lie to me girl. I saw you after church. You were making eyes at that young man. I ought to thrash you for behaving like a common whore”.
“But father, it was just Adam. He says that he loves me.”
Sir Ralph became more enraged:
“Whore! That boy is a baker’s son. An acne faced baker’s son! And you Catherine are a Chatham! Go to your room and stay there until I call for you, I need to speak to your loathsome brother”.
The girl ran out sobbing as Ben and the others moved towards the forbidding Sir Ralph. Ben found himself speaking:
“How can you talk to her so cruelly father?”
Sir Ralph laughed sardonically:
“Ah the brave Knight speaks up for his sister. Shame you and this milksop coward won’t fight for your country then. You boy have been nothing big but a disappointment since the day you were born. You wouldn't join us out hunting and kept spouting nonsense about feeling sorry for the foxes. Damn vermin they are. You sir are a sissy boy and your association with this Sebastian creature is the icing on the rancid cake. Well I have an ultimatum for you: his family live in a house rented from me. He either joins up and fights for his country or I will turf the mother and sisters out of their home. And I have enough standing in this area to ensure that no right thinking gentleman will give them lodging. They’ll be homeless. As for you, you can either join up as well or I will disinherit you.”
“I don’t want your money”, Ben said defiantly.
“You’d rather reduce yourself to penury? I curse the day you were born boy. Even though it was a fall from a horse while hunting that put me in this wheelchair, I’d still be joining up myself if the army would have me and would still be going out hunting when on leave, like your brother does. And yet all you do is talk about wanting to become an engineer. A common workman. You disgust me boy.”
Katie stepped forward:
“Interesting as all of this is, we need some information. Do you know any French men? Are you aware that we are from the future?”
Sir Ralph was bemused:
“Who the hell is this wench? I must say she’s a fine filly, even if she talks gibberish. Madam, I have a French Doctor Who comes to see me about once a week. Professor Gastroux. What an earth has that got to do with you.”
Suddenly there was a loud scream from outside the house....
To be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Aug 15, 2023 16:16:00 GMT -5
Ok folks, here is the next part of this long-running, classic story:
"THEY COME BACK" Part 8
Ben and the others rushed outside, accompanied by Edward Chatham, and they saw Catherine Chatham standing in the driveway crying hysterically.
"What in God's name is wrong with you", Edward shouted.
"It was a woman, she was all burned up. She staggered down the drive and then just vanished, Oh my God she just vanished".
Catherine became hysterical again and Edward gave her a slap:
"Pull yourself together, there are people watching".
Ben glared at him angrily:
"Don't hit her like that. I think you're a bully". Edward laughed haughtily:
"Ok then, I'll hit you instead". Edward went to strike Ben however before he could do so everything began to fade and Ben, Katie and Kian found themselves coming round, having collapsed on the driveway. Ben saw that they were back in the present day.
"I don't think much of your family Ben. Hardly the Waltons", Katie observed.
"Look Katie, this is no time for such quips. Someone is meddling with time and we need to sort this. Any form of time meddling could have dangerous and unforeseen consequences. We need to visit the manor house".
Kian was sitting up and rubbing his head:
"Can we get a bit of lunch first, I'm rather hungry".
"Of course Kian. Lets touch base with the pub".
They walked down the drive and turned to walk to the Nags Head but saw a group of police cars in the distance and an ambulance. The road was cordoned off. As they approached, Ben saw young PC Charlie Jennings, who was chatting away to PC Willets.
"What's occurring here?" Ben asked, showing his Operation Delta card.
"Oh hi Ben. Its a really nasty one this, a murder. A girl has been doused in petrol or something and set on fire. I had to be sick in those bushes over there."
Ben gave Charlie a hug:
"Its ok Charlie."
As he spoke, Inspector Ashford strode up with and angry look on his face:
"Chatham, get you're paws off girlie here, he might enjoy it. If you want any information then ask me, the organ grinder, not these two useless monkeys. There has been a vicious attack and I won't have this kind of thing on my patch. Plus its none of your damn business, no little green men from Mars involved."
Ben was angry:
"Inspector, if you do not fully brief me on this then I will go to your chief constable. Operation Delta has government clearance to be fully briefed on matters which it feels may be relevant to alien or supernatural phenomena."
Inspector Ashford scowled and threw his cigarette down onto Ben's shoe.
A short time later. Ben, Katie and Kian were sat in the Nag's Head with Ashford and the two constables. Rick Norton arrived with a tray of drinks:
"Food's on its way folks. The wife's just preparing it".
Ashford grabbed his pint and downed half of it in one go, belching:
"Right, I suppose you want the full details then".
As he spoke, a well dressed, handsome man in his early thirties approached the table who Ben recognised as Anthony Lytton, a reporter from the Cambridge Gazette:
"Excuse me, may I join you for a drink. I'd like a few quotes if possible."
Ashford glared at him angrily:
"What the hell do you want Lytton? You know, you're rag does not report the police and its work fairly. Always banging on about crime being out of control in Cambridge, what a load of crap."
"I'm sorry Inspector Ashford but I am not responsible for the editorial line the paper takes. I have a job to do, just like you do."
Inspector Ashford finished his pint and gestured to Rick Norton for a refill:
"Ok I may as well kill to birds with one ruddy stone. A young woman was found lying dead in a heap on the pavement having been badly burned. It looked like she has been doused in some substance however we won't know until Dr Thompson, the pathologist, gets her on the slab. Thompson recons it wasn't petrol and said it was as if she burned from the inside out, which is bloody daft".
"Spontaneous human combustion", PC Jennings muttered.
"What the hell are you on about girlie?" Ashford quipped:
"Spontaneous human combustion sir. I read about it in a magazine called 'The Unexplained'. In the past some people have been found dead in mysterious fires where it looks like they burned from within."
Ben interjected:
"PC Jennings is quite correct. And this clearly makes this an Operation Delta case!"
The food arrived shortly and Anthony Lytton went to the bar to order, followed by Katie.
"Can I buy you a drink Miss Ryan", he asked her. Katie gave him a knowing look and threw back her hair:
"I'll have a gin and tonic, with lemon please. You look like you can do with a drink yourself."
Lytton smiled:
"You read me too well. Actually I can do with some company right now. I'm going through a divorce and we've had two journalists leave recently so I've taken on most of the reporting. I feel exhausted and then I walk in here to find Ashford and see the most attractive woman sat at the table. What is a man to do?"
Katie rubbed her hand up his leg:
"Well I can be available to help with your reporting. Perhaps I can guide your probing later. And you are nearly single?"
"I'm afraid my wife is divorcing me. It wasn't a marriage, we had ended up living separate lives. I have to admit that I was unfaithful and she took it very badly."
Katie sipped her drink:
"Unfortunately other women seldom take a mature approach to such things".
After Ashford and the PCs had gone, Ben bought Kian a vodka and ordered a brandy for himself:
"We'll finish these and then pay a visit to that manor house. Given that this Frenchman has been present in both time periods, we can safely say that he is suspect number one. I'm really grateful to you for helping out on this case Kian".
"Thankyou Mr Chatham.... sorry Ben, thank you Ben. I've been hoping for some time that you'd let me join in. Your work always sounded so interesting".
Katie and Anthony Lytton rejoined them:
"I've asked Anthony along with our investigation and fully briefed him."
"Yes your family history does sound intriguing, and I'm happy to ask the editor if we can do a piece on the Chatham family if you let me come along as you investigate all of this. I must say that time travel and time corridors sounds utterly bizarre, this could be a massive scoop to say the least".
Ben was furious:
"Katie, a word please".
He took her to one side in the snug of the pub:
"What the hell are you doing briefing that reporter about this case in full detail as well as my family details? Have you gone completely insane?"
Katie tossed back her hair and glared at him:
"Oh get off your high horse Ben. Its high time that Operation Delta made better use of the press. We need a symbiotic relationship with them."
Meanwhile, at Shenerton Manor House, a thin man with a sharp, black beard and dressed in a long black cape was adjusting some futuristic equipment. He turned to a younger man who was missing an eye and had a long scar down his face. The first man spoke in a heavy French accent:
"You know what you must do Philippe. This Monsieur Chatham is a threat that must be eliminated."
Philippe grinned and gazed down at the musket in his hand. The first man gazed up at a picture of Napoleon Bonaparte on the wall:
"Soon I shall have perfected the equipment. Soon."
.... to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Aug 18, 2023 15:36:05 GMT -5
Ok folks, here is part 9 of this major story which I hope the BBC will make an offer for:
"THEY COME BACK" Part 9
Ben and the team, along with Anthony Lytton, approached the old manor house. There was a long driveway, surrounded by tall hedges and house itself was a 17th century red brick house which had replaced a much older building. Ben approached the large front door and used the ornate old golden door knocker, which was shaped like a lion's head. The door was answered by a dark-haired man with stubble and sunken eyes:
"Yes?" the man stated in a French accent.
"I am Ben Chatham of Operation Delta. Are you the owner of this house?"
"I am Philippe. Professor Gastroux is not available at the moment, he is busy."
Katie stepped forward and barged past Philippe and into the house:
"Look, we do not have time for your nonsense. Get this Professor Gastric or whatever his name is as we have questions that need answering", she snapped. Anthony Lytton smiled:
"That's the spirit girl".
They all followed Katie inside as Philippe led the way.
"No need for anger, madame. I will get the Professor then. He will receive you in the drawing room. Please enter, apart from you Mr Chatham. You please wait here as I need to show you something".
Ben shrugged as the others went into the large, lavishly decorated drawing room. Suddenly Philippe snapped the door shut and turned the key with one hand while pulling out a vintage musket in the other.
"Now Monsieur, Professor Gastroux will see you in his laboratory. You and you only."
Katie was banging on the locked door angrily:
"Let us out you frog bastard or I'll smash the place up", she shouted. Philippe chuckled:
"In France we have a term for women like that, la putain."
"Look, I suggest that you let my colleagues out of there now. If you harm any one of my team, you will face the full force of the law", Ben stated.
"I spit on your English law. In France we have Madame Guillotine, here you just have cups of tea and slaps on the wrist. Now follow me".
Ben was ushered through a doorway and down several flights of winding stairs into a large, futuristic underground laboratory. He was greeted by a middle-aged man with a dark, pointed black beard and a black cape.
"Ah Monsieur Chatham. I am Professor Gastroux. It seems that you can be of great help to me. We are two of a kind, you and I." Ben was bemused:
"I am not French. I am Ben Chatham, Head of Operation Delta and you have been carrying out dangerous experiments with time. Do you realise that creating time slips can endanger this whole galaxy by weakening the dimensional interface. How and why are you doing this?"
Gastroux laughed:
"Monsieur, I am well aware that you are not French. You appear to be a typical blond-haired, limp, effete English weakling. However that is not the point. We are both able to travel to the past and back without harming ourselves. So can your colleagues, it seems. Yet when I try to bring someone from the past to here who is of the past, they just burn up from within."
Ben was angered:
"That poor girl who was killed, that was you? Also I must point out that the English defeated you at Waterloo and saved your backs in two world wars, when you bailed out early."
"Monsieur is a very insolent young man. The girl was just, as you English say, collateral damage. I have spent a lifetime collecting the technology you see around you. I used to work for La Lanterne, the French equivalent of your Torchwood. I had to, as you say, grease a few palms to get this equipment. It has not been perfected. Also I must stress that La Belle France liberated ourselves in both wars. However your mentioning of Waterloo is very apt."
Gastroux gestured towards the painting of Napoleon Bonaparte on the wall:
"There you see the greatest ever Frenchman, Emperor Napoleon. His life was cut short by being forced to live on the Island of St Helena. But France needs him now more than ever. And I will bring him back to France."
Meanwhile, in the drawing room, Katie was still hammering on the door angrily. Anthony Lytton tried to calm her:
"Look, Katie, there is some expensive looking cognac over here. Lets just have a drink while we think of a way out of here."
Katie gave the door a final kick and then flounced over to Anthony who poured her a drink and also handed one to Kian. Katie sat down on the plush sofa and sidled up to Anthony:
"We could have some real fun on this if bar boy wasn't here", she whispered in his ear.
Kian walked over to the window and felt it:
"Hey its single pane glass".
Katie and Anthony Lytton were smooching each other and didn't hear him. Kian lifted up a chair and threw it through the window. Katie looked up angrily:
"Oh bollocks. Just as we were starting to enjoy ourselves", she snapped.
"Look you guys, we need to get out of here and get some help for Ben", Kian answered sharply.
Back in the laboratory, Ben rounded on Gastroux:
"So as I understand it, you have got some deranged plan to use time travel to pluck Napoleon out of the early 19th century and bring him here. But why fixate on the First World War period then?"
"Because there is already a weakness in the fabric of time at that old house that your family owned. There is a weakness in the time interface from the early 20th century to now. What I need to do is to perfect the technique of extending that interface back further and over a wider, indeed global area. Also to bring people out of the past without them burning up."
Ben was concerned:
"But that is crazy. It cannot be done without risking the entire stability of the inter-dimensional interface. You could create a black hole."
"It is a risk that I am prepared to take. I believe that I can now send someone back further, indeed to the time of our great Emperor. And I will use you in this experiment".
............ to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Sept 24, 2023 10:23:03 GMT -5
Ok readers, here is part 10 of this adventure:
"THEY COME BACK" Part 10
As Professor Gastroux outlined his plans, Ben was surreptitiously texting the details to Katie Ryan, his phone and hand-action carefully concealed under the lab table. He looked up and flicked his hair out of his dark eyes, which glared at the Frenchman:
"You expect me to agree to be your latest lab rat?"
Gastroux laughed:
"You have no choice. But do not worry, I believe my technique to be perfected now. Soon La Belle France's greatest military leader will be with us here in 2023."
Katie, Lytton and Kian had run from the manor house to the Nags Head and were being poured a brandy each by Rick Norton. Katie had read Ben's message and was frantically texting Operation Delta HQ for help, while Kian phoned the police. After a frustrating conversation, Kian slammed his phone down:
"Ridiculous. That Inspector Ashford says that he might send an officer out if they aren't busy with something else. I like stressed that Ben was in danger and he just laughed."
Lytton downed his brandy:
"Typical of the police today. They have given up actually doing anything about crime. I'll do an article about it for the Gazette after all this is over." As he spoke, Dorothy Squires came into the pub, shaking an umbrella as it had started to rain outside:
"Dear me, what a night its going to be. And that wind's getting up *noticing Katie and Kian*, "Oh hello. Where is young Benjamin?"
"He's at the manor house being held captive by a mad French professor who wants to use him in a dangerous time experiment. And the police won't do anything", Kian mournfully replied.
Dorothy shook her head:
"And you lot are just sat here drinking? Come along, chop chop, we'll go down there and rescue him".
Katie frowned:
"What, in the damn rain?"
"Oh come along girls, lets have some action, as we say at the Womens Institute", Dorothy shouted.
As they left the pub and walked out into the wet, windy night, they saw a van approaching that was painted in garish, psychedelic colours. It stopped just by them and out jumped Shaky Jake and Keith Smith:
"Like hi you cats. We've like come straight from Cambridge as Keith has a groovy plan to rescue Ben".
Keith Smith, a large young man with thick glasses, pushed past Katie, causing her to stumble, and opened the back of the van.
"Hey watch it you fat slug, you nearly pushed me over", Katie shouted.
"Sorry".
"Never mind sorry, you four-eyed lump", Katie angrily retorted. Anthony Lytton cradled her in his arms and kissed her forehead. Dorothy and Kian went round to the back of the van and helped Keith to remove a drone.
"I have seen these contraptions before. What to you intend to do with it?" Dorothy asked.
"This is just a basic drone however I have attached to it a time interface manipulator transformer that I have been extensively working on from several components of alien origin in the Operation Delta lab. If we fly this over the building where Ben is being held then we can drop the TIMT and activate it, thus closing the interface before Ben is sent back in time."
Katie followed them as they carried the drone into the pub garden:
"Another ridiculous plan of yours. Last time you experimented with drones in Cambridge fatso, you crashed one into the mosque roof and they are still hassling Ben for compensation."
"Katie I do not find it acceptable that you keep calling me fatso. I'm going to lodge a formal complaint to Corinne. It was a complete accident that the drone crashed into the mosque and I have always argued that we should fully compensate them and pay for any damage. As I understand it, it is you who keeps telling Ben not to do so," Keith replied.
Katie turned to Anthony Lytton:
"Hold me again before I punch him. The guy is autistic and a complete nerd".
"You are discriminating against me because of my aspergers. I shall put that in my complaint to Corinne".
Dorothy Squires strode between them:
"Stop this bickering now. I won't have this childishness. Poor Benjamin is in danger. The wind is howling, the rain is driving down and there are dark forces at work. I shall say a short incantation to raise the horned god of the forest and ask him for help. Then we should unleash the drone!"
"Unleash the crone more like", Katie whispered as Dorothy began chanting:
"Earth, fire, water, air,
Herne be risen, Herne be there..."
Meanwhile, Keith jumped back inside the van and began operating the drone with the equipment inside, which included plasma screens and maps. As the drone rose and flew off towards the manor house, Dorothy cheered:
"Tally-ho".
At the house, Philippe had forced Ben into a cone-shaped enclosure which was part of an elaborate transporter machine.
"You should consider this an honour young man. You will be helping to extend the interface and thus furthering scientific development", Professor Gastroux said with a sneer. Ben glared at him:
"If I am harmed in any way, my organisation will ensure that you are never released from incarceration."
"Oh I believe that it is you who are confined, Mr Chatham".
"Sneer all you like Gastroux but you have unwittingly enriched my life. You have made me aware of part of my family history that has been kept from me. I am desperate to know what happened to Ernest Chatham and his friend Sebastian."
"Then you had better hope that you return alive, rather than, as you English say, as just another crispy critter".
Philippe laughed at that, but as he did so there was a loud crash from the top of the house. Gastroux flicked the switch to make the machine work, but nothing happened:
"What is this? Qu 'est-ce qui ne va pas?"
He desperately tried to make the machine work, however nothing happened. He opened the cone and shouted to Philippe:
"Take him down to the cellar until I've found the problem. S'il resiste, frappe-le".
Philippe frogmarched Ben out of the room, however Ben turned and punched Philippe as hard as he could before running through the house and out of the front door. Philippe was in hot pursuit, however as he chased Ben across the large lawn of the manor house, the drone came flying down and crashed into Philippe, knocking him senseless.
Back at the pub, there was a huge cheer from within the van:
"Well done young man", Dorothy shouted, slapping Keith on the back. The image of the prostrate Philippe was on one of the screens. However they saw the figure of Gastroux run out of the house with a gun in his hand. He lifted it and pointed the gun at Ben.
......to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Sept 26, 2023 15:50:16 GMT -5
OK folks, the tension mounts in this gripping tale. Here is part 11:
"THEY COME BACK" : Part 11
Professor Gastroux lifted the gun and aimed at Ben, however before he could fire there was the sound of police sirens and multiple vehicles approaching. Gastroux fired repeatedly at one of the police cars, hitting several tyres, however the police jumped out of the vehicles and quickly apprehended him, knocking the gun out of his hand and giving him a good hiding before marching him and a reviving Philippe to a police van. Inspector Ashford approached Ben:
"Well I hope you're satisfied, dragging me and the lads out on a night like this. We'll do those two for murder and attempted murder."
As he spoke, the Operation Delta van, driven by Shaky Jake, arrived with the rest of the team. Jake jumped out:
"Hey like wow man, you're OK. Keith's groovy drone sure took care of the time interface machine".
The rest of the team gave Ben a group hug and Anthony Lytton was making notes in his reporter's notebook:
"So how come the police came out here after all?"
Kian gave him a grin:
"Oh I just phoned the police back and told them that you were going to write a stinker of an article about them if they didn't do their job".
Inspector Ashford drew on his cigarette and scowled:
"You had better give us a good write up for this in the Gazette Lytton or I'll rip your guts out and use them as a bloody tow rope."
Keith Smith went to where Philippe had been lying and retrieved the drone:
"I think I can repair this airborne vehicle and enhance it further with more high powered interface cancellation technology."
"Nerd", Katie whispered to Lytton as he hugged her. Ben looked at the house:
"There is something I need to do before we leave here. I need to visit the Professor's laboratory."
"You ain't going back in there, its now a crime scene", Inspector Ashford barked.
"I have Operation Delta clearance and I am the head of Operation Delta", Ben firmly stated. Ashford scowled:
"Ok but if you damage any evidence its down to you. Girlie, go with the tosser".
PC Charlie Jennings, who had just approached, gave a nod and walked with Ben into the house.
Inside the house, Ben turned to Charlie:
"Charlie, I do feel that we were fated to be alone together. Why do you let Ashford be so mean to you. I suggest that you complain to the Police Federation."
"It would do no good. They all think that Ashford walks on water. All because he caught the New Parks strangler. Ben I am so glad I've met you. You're the most erotic thing I have ever seen. Can't we just find a bedroom now".
Ben sighed:
"I need to take just one trip back through time. I must find out what happened to Ernest Chatham and why he went to war. I need to know the answers. I've just texted Kian as I need him to come with me."
"Are you suggesting a threesome", Charlie said with a grin. They laughed and Ben squeezed Charlie's pert backside:
"See you back at the pub later tonight."
Kian arrived and he and Ben found the passageway to Gastroux's lab. Kian was nervous for Ben:
"Are you sure you want to know what happened Ben? Might it not bring to light family secrets that may cause you anguish?" Ben sighed:
"I have to know Kian. From what I've seen so far, my ancestor Edward Chatham was a bully and his father Sir Ralph was even worse. But Catherine and Ernest were lovely people and I need to know what became of them and why our old family house is such as sad place with a bad feeling about it."
Ben soon used his scientific knowledge to get Gastroux's machine working again.
"Now all we have to do is go back to the old house", Ben said enigmatically.
....to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Oct 4, 2023 17:15:56 GMT -5
Ok folks, here is part 12 of this epic and exciting adventure:
"THEY COME BACK" : Part 12
Ben and Kian left the manor house and walked down the lane towards the old house. Ben suddenly paused and had a thought:
"Kian, we need to do this trip back to see my family in style. Let's get fitted out in some genuine Edwardian clothing. I know a tailor, an exclusive tailor!"
Buoyed on by his enthusiasm, Ben strode across the lane and to the car, which was parked near to the Nags Head. As they approached, they saw Dorothy Squires leaving the pub:
"Oh my, you two look in a rush. Are you off home now that ghastly French person is in custody?"
"No I'm off to meet my tailor", Ben said with a laugh. Dorothy slapped him cheerily on the back:
"Well done my boy for all you have done for us again in Shenerton. You can come round to my house any time you like for a glass of sherry. I'm off now to a pagan society meeting where we will discuss the Samhain fire festival."
Ben watched her stride off:
"English eccentrics like that lady are what make this country great Kian."
They drove back to Cambridge, Ben listening to Bowie's 'Low' album on the car stereo. The sombre sound of instrumentals such as 'Subterraneans' permeated into Ben's mind and his mood transitioned from excitement to a dulling melancholy. He stopped the car in a lay by, tears welling up in his eyes.
"What is wrong?" Kian asked, gently reaching over and hugging Ben on the shoulder:
"My father doesn't respect me Kian. All my life I've tried to please him and to gain his approval. He tried to stop me taking an Archaeology degree at university. He has never forgiven me for not being a skilled musician like he is. Now I am discovering that in the past some of my family were hard, bullying people."
Kian gently pushed Ben's hair out of his dark eyes and hugged him.
A short time later they arrived outside "Rossington's Exclusive Male Tailors". It was late and the shop was shut, but Ben banged on the door and rang the bell. Eventually a man opened the door, who was dressed in an extremely fine flannel suit and silk shirt:
"Oh its young Ben. I'm really sorry but we are closed now. Its very late."
"Good evening Dunstan. I need to buy some Edwardian clothes for myself and Kian here and I need them tonight. I would not disturb you at this hour if it wasn't urgent. Please let us in."
Dunstan Rossington muttered to himself but opened the door:
"Ok young Ben but this is most irregular. Most irregular indeed."
He led them through the main part of the shop and into the vintage clothes room, gesturing to a rack of pre-great war suits and waistcoats. Kian lifted a tweed waistcoat out of the racks and grimaced:
"Yuk, I'd look gross in that thing".
Ben smiled:
"Oh come on Kian, you'd look fine in it."
Dunstan gave Kian a wink:
"My dear boy, you'd look delightful in anything. Such a fine posture you have."
Dunstan offered Ben an Edwardian white silk shirt and Ben stripped down to the waist, his smooth chest and six pack glistening. Kian walked up to him and stroked his chest, slowly working downwards. Ben then put on the shirt and admired himself in the shop mirror:
"Looking good Ben, looking good".
"I must say, the whiteness of that shirt matches your luscious blonde hair perfectly. You are very fine looking.", Dunstan observed. Ben found two extremely expensive vintage suits and smiled:
"We'd like to try these on. If you let us have them for half price, we will change here rather than going to the fitting rooms", Ben coyly stated.
"Oh how delightful, of course dear Ben. You are a highly valued customer."
Emerging from the shop with the clothes on, Ben and Kian jumped into the car and drove back towards Shenerton:
"My mood has lifted Kian. Time for us to listen to some Beethoven". He put on Beethoven's Pastoral symphony as they drove at speed through the dark, Autumn lanes. Arriving near the old house, Ben parked the car and turned to Kian:
"You know that you don't have to come with me on this final trip back if you don't want to Kian. I'ts above the call of duty."
Kian stroked Ben's white neck:
"I've really enjoyed this adventure. I'm so grateful to you for letting me come along and get involved. Of course I'd love to come."
Ben kissed him and they jumped out of the car and walked towards the old house, which was dark and eerie in the moonlight. As they approached they felt faint and everything seemed to swirl around them. They sank to the ground. As they came round from their unconsciousness, they saw that it was still dark but the house was lit with gas lights from inside. Ben staggered to his feet and saw that they were at the back of the house, by the lake. And then he saw it. Something white in the water, lit by the shimmering moonlight. A sense of sheer horror and panic gripped Ben as he realised that it was a body floating in the water. The body of Catherine Chatham.
........to be continued.
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Post by sparacus on Oct 8, 2023 15:25:28 GMT -5
Ok folks, here is part 13 of this elegiac story. Appropriately for Halloween, part 13 is the final part of the story:
"THEY COME BACK": Part 13
Ben and Kian rushed to drag Catherine Chatham out of the water. They waded into the lake and dragged her to the side and out, before Ben checked her pulse.
"Its no good Kian, she's gone."
As he spoke, an elderly servant, Benson the butler, came running out of the house:
"Oh my, oh my, what has happened? I saw you pulling poor lady Catherine out through the parlour window. Oh dear, poor girl. She was half senseless earlier, ranting at her brother Edward and comparing herself to Ophelia."
Ben sat down by the lake, shaking:
"They have driven her to this clearly. Edward and Sir Ralph that is, my ancestors. Obviously Catherine was a rather neurotic young woman with issues but those two are clearly very unpleasant people. I'm going to give them a piece of my mind".
"Oh don't be too hasty, young master Ernest. You know how angry your father gets."
Kian stroked Ben's arm, the smooth and firm muscles of which were glistening through his wet shirt:
"I'll be with you Ben. We can go in together."
They got up and walked towards the house. Meanwhile, inside the house, Sir Ralph and Edward were watching the scene from the window.
"That stupid damn girl. Always was a whiny little brat and a disappointment, even before she became a tart, throwing herself at young men. Here they come look, that damn milksop Ernest and his catamite creature Sebastian. Well I'm going to damn well sort them out this time."
"You tell them father", Edward said grinning.
Ben and Kian walked into the house and into the parlour, where Sir Ralph spun his wheelchair round and glared at them:
"Well, is the damn useless wench dead? And don't drip water on that expensive rug."
"How dare you shout at me in such a rude manner, when we have just pulled your daughter out of the lake. You are clearly not a normal man. And you have driven your daughter to drown herself.", Ben firmly stated.
"Oh I'm not a normal man am I. Says the damn posing sodomite. Well listen here. There could have been some hope for that girl if it wasn't for you giving her your silly ideas about pacifism and socialist nonsense. She was out of control and needed a firm hand. Now I'm going to tell you how it is."
Sir Ralph held up a document and waved it:
"This is my will, which cuts you and her completely out and leaves everything to Edward here, a proper man. Furthermore, if catamite Sebastian here doesn't join up by tomorrow evening, I will have his parents sacked, evicted and facing the workhouse by the end of the week. You will fight for your country boy against the damn hun. God save the King!"
Ben and Kian left the room and Benson escorted them to one of the bedrooms, where a fire was lit and a large tin bath was being filled by two maids:
"I'm sorry for your loss, master Ernest. You must get out of those wet clothes and clean yourselves.
The servants left and shut the door. Ben removed his wet, muddied clothes and sank to his knees, his eyes filled with tears. Kian went and sat beside him, hugging Ben and gently kissing him:
"I'm sorry Ben. I'm sorry she's gone".
Ben looked up, tears running down his face:
"Its not that. Kian these clothes and shoes are ruined and I paid a fortune for them, even with the discount. They're covered in stains and I snagged the jacket on a branch in the water getting out of the pond so there is that huge rip."
Kian raised his hand and gently wiped Ben's tears:
"I'll wipe your tears whenever you need me to", he said gently. They washed in the tin bath before drying themselves with towels by the hot fire. Ben stared into the flames:
"There is something uniquely romantic about sitting on a beautiful rug by an open fire. I think Ernest and Sebastian must have been like those flames. Indeed we all are in this life. We burn brightly and hot for such a short time before we fade into flickering embers and are gone."
Kian ran his hands along Ben's shoulders before massaging his smooth chest and kissing his neck.
They dressed in some fresk clothes left by Benson and walked downstairs. As they reached the bottom, the room below began to fade and they both became faint. As they came round, they both saw that they were lying in the driveway and that the house was boarded up, but not yet overgrown. Yet they saw a middle-aged woman riding a bicycle along the lane outside dressed in a long dress and Ben called to her:
"Excuse me. Excuse me madam, I need to talk to you." The woman stopped as Ben and Kian approached her:
"What are you two doing in there? That house is empty since the Chatham family moved away."
"Did you know Ernest Chatham? I need to know what became of him." Ben asked her. The woman frowned:
"We don't mention him in the village you know. And I'm not one for gossip. However since you're not from round here, and I know everyone round here, I'll tell you. He was shot for cowardice back in the war. Only joined up because his friend Sebastian did. They say round here that there was something unnatural about the pair of them. I'm not one to gossip about other people, but they say he was one of the Oscar Wilde sort. It seems that his friend was killed on the first day of the Somme along with 28,000 more of our fine young English boys. I'm not one to spread rumours but they say that young Ernest was so overcome with grief that he walked away from his trench and went absent. He was shot for desertion in the face of the enemy. Old Sir Ralph died of a heart attack shortly after. Well I'm not one to gossip but they say he drove his daughter to suicide. Guilty conscience killed him I expect."
Ben's face went ashen and he stammered a reply:
"Er, ok thanks madam".
"Not at all. Ethel is the name. Ethel Squires."
She rode off on her bicycle and Ben sank to his knees:
"Oh God, poor Ernest. He must have only joined up because Sebastian was forced to by that brute Sir Ralph. Sebastian put his family before his own safety and Ernest put love before his pacifist principles. They must have really cared for each other."
"Such awful times Ben."
They walked in silence up the lane towards the pub, as the scenes around them faded and returned to those of 2023.
Ben and Kian took their new Edwardian clothes to Dunstan's tailor shop and got a very good price for them. Dunstan was very pleased with them:
"Oh these garments are delightful. They look genuinely of that era and yet at the same time brand new."
"They are from that era", Kian said with a grin.
"Now now my dear, don't try to wind me up. I'll tell you what, if you let me have a bit of a wander with my hand, I'll pay you both an extra 20%".
Ben laughed:
"Oh Dunstan, you are such old lech. You can give Kian a quick feel but I reserve my right to refuse."
"Oh Ben, one day you will succumb to my charms, one day." They all laughed.
As they left the shop, Ben checked his phone:
"Kian I have to go, something urgent has occured. I'll drop you back at the Blue Angel and then I must fly. But we are having an Operation Delta social at the Mermaid tomorrow evening and you are invited. As of now you are a full member of the team."
Kian's eyes welled up and he hugged Ben.
Ben drove through the Cambridge streets to a block of modern apartments. He entered the pass code and went inside and up in the lift to flat 22. He could hear the sound of soft jazz playing from outside. He rang the buzzer and the door was opened by PC Charlie Jennings who grinned and handed Ben a glass of white wine.
"So glad you could come Ben. You are literally the most erotic thing I have ever seen."
Ben put down the wine glass.
"Lets skip the preliminaries. Get that kit off", he said with a cheeky smile.
THE END
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Post by gaiamix on Oct 14, 2023 19:22:39 GMT -5
Oh Fioranagh this was a long and wordy season
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