Howl Of The Werewolf

Ardeth and Rick had decided to hire a motorbike and go out into the countryside for a few hours. Normally when they were on tour in the UK, they would stay in the hotel and didn’t see any of the outside world. Ardeth and Rick, got on very well. Rick had bought a map of the area and Ardeth had hired the bikes and sorted out some food etc. They could have a proper meal while they were out. They had decided to drive across to Inverness and Loch Ness. It was not that far from Aberdeen, not on a bike anyway. As it was only 11am, it meant they had almost 5 hours before darkness fell and as long as they were back in the morning ready to travel down to Manchester with the rest of the cast, they could stay overnight somewhere.

It was about 100 miles to Inverness and should only take them about 14 hours. They actually arrived about 12.15 plenty of time to look around before dark, then they could drive back to Aberdeen. What they didn’t realize was that although the roads looked alright in the daytime, at night they didn’t. Before long they found that they were lost. Somehow they had taken a wrong turn and ended up on a dirt track right in the middle of nowhere.

“I haven’t a clue where we are. I can’t see any signs, nothing. Shall we backtrack?” asked Rick

“I don’t know, we could end up more lost than we are now. Let’s go on a bit and we might come to a sign” said Ardeth.

After going about 2 miles, they saw light a in the distance. As they got nearer they saw a few houses and a pub. They could ask directions in there.

“What a weird name for a pub” said Ardeth.

As Rick looked he saw it was called the “Slaughtered Ram” They walked in and the place fell silent. Sitting down they waited to be served. When the landlord came over, they ordered a beer each and asked if they could get anything to eat. The landlord nodded and went away. People were looking at them and then carried on with what they were doing. Their drinks and sandwiches were brought over.

“Can you tell us how to get back to the main road, we seem to be lost?” asked Ardeth.

“Go out of here, turn left and go about 5 miles and you meet the main road, but it’s too late tonight to go anywhere. There’s a full moon and no—one goes out when there is a full moon”

“Why, you’re not superstitious are you?” asked Rick “And is that why there is a pentacle on the wall over there?”

“Look, if you leave now you can get to the main road in about 10 minutes, just don’t stop, keep going”

“But you said not to go and anyway we haven’t finished our beer” replied Ardeth.

“Take it with you, it’s on the house, just go, now” he said.

He looked like he wouldn’t take no for an answer so they drank a bit, took the sandwiches and left. As they got outside, they heard a large bolt being slid across the door behind them.

“What was all that about?” asked Rick

“I don’t know but let’s get out of here” said Ardeth.

They hadn’t gone 2 miles when Rick’s bike started to splutter and suddenly stop. Ardeth turned his around and went back. “What’s wrong with it?” he asked

“I don’t know but it can’t be much, I’ll have a look” As he bent down to look, a terrible howling could be heard in the distance.

“What the hell was that?” asked Ardeth

“I haven’t a clue but let’s get this done and get out of here”

Ardeth held a torch so Rick could see what he was doing. Another howl, nearer this time, made him drop the spanner he was holding.

“I don’t know what that is and I don’t want to find out. Leave it, get on the back of mine, let’s just go” said Ardeth.

Rick readily agreed, he knew by Ardeths voice that he was scared and so was he. He grabbed the crash helmet and followed Ardeth to the other bike. As they reached the bike, the bushes to their left rustled and a horrible, ear— piercing howl broke the silence. Ardeth jumped on the bike and kicked it into life, Rick jumped on the back.

“Move, quick” shouted Rick

Ardeth didn’t get a chance, suddenly they were both knocked off the bike by something big and growling and snarling. He hit his head on a rock but before he passed out, he saw this wolf like animal dragging Rick off, then some shots were heard, he remembered nothing more.

Tanith was in the lobby when Immy came in with Ardeth. It was 4am and everyone else had gone to bed. But she wanted to wait and see if she could get to talk to Ardeth when he and Rick came back. Immy sat Ardeth on the sofa just by the door and went over to reception to get the keys. Tanith was worried by his appearance, apart from the fact that Rick wasn’t with him. She went over to Immy.

“What on earths wrong with Ardeth, he looks terrible, is he alright?”

“He’s ok” said Immy.

“Immy, will you please tell me what’s wrong” she said grabbing his arm.

He saw the concern in her face and told her to wait for him in the dining room, he’d be back down in a while. He took Ardeth upstairs and Tanith sat and waited. She had never seen Ardeth look so shaken up and where was Rick. Immy came in about an hour later and sat down.

“Look what’s happened and where’s Rick?”

“Look, I shouldn’t really be talking to you, you’ve got to promise not to say anything to~ anyone. What I’m going to tell you is only because I know how you feel about Ardeth”

“I’ll promise anything you like because I love him more than anything in the world. Tell me I might be able to help”

“It seems they were attacked by an escaped lunatic. Rick was killed before the man was shot by villagers. But Ardeth was knocked out, he doesn’t know about Rick yet. He’s been checked over and the hospital says he’s ok but he hasn’t said a word since he was found. They say it’s just a matter of time but I’m worried. There’s something more to this than we know. Until Ardeth talks about what happened we won’t know. A doctor gave him a sedative, he’s asleep at the moment. It took about an hour to work”

“Oh my God, poor Rick, where is he now?”

“The hospital, I had to identify the body. It was a mess. It was impossible to believe a man could do that. I’d have said it was a wild animal.”

“Look Immy, could I go up and sit with Ardeth. I know he’s asleep but I don’t want to leave him alone” Immy agreed and gave her a key and the room number and told her to ring him if she needed him. He had some things to do and her sitting with Ardeth would help him out.

Tanith sat in the armchair which she pulled close to the bed. He looked so pale and it was the first time she had been in his room and seeing him lying there asleep, she felt feelings inside her which really she shouldn’t have felt. he looked so vulnerable and helpless lying there. She wanted to take him in her arms and hold him. She must have fallen asleep in the chair herself because the next thing she remembered was being woken up by Ardeth shouting. She sat on the bed beside him and tried to calm him down.

“It’s alright Ardeth, you’re safe. It was just a bad dream. Lay down” Tanith got him lying down and he fell asleep again. It was about 8.30 when she finally woke up and got the key and went downstairs to see if Immy was about. She found him in the dining room. Some of the other fans were there too but she ignored them.

“Immy can I have a word?”

“Sure sit down, is Ardeth alright?”

“That’s what I want to speak to you about it. he was fine till a little while ago when he woke up shouting and was really scared. I managed to calm him down and he’s gone back to sleep. But I don’t want to leave him for long. Is it possible for you to get the use of the car today?”

“yes, I suppose so why?” asked Immy.

“I want to go to Kilness. I want to find out exactly what happened last night. Will you go with me?”

“Yes, I’ll come. I’m interested anyway. Mainly because although the police said they’d investigate they didn’t seem that bothered”

“Ok, let’s go first thing this afternoon. I’m going back to Ardeths room. Does anyone know about Rick yet?”

“They think Ardeth has a cold and that Rick has gone to the theatre. For now anyway”

She went back upstairs, as she let herself in, she must have woken Ardeth up.

“What on earth are you doing here?” he asked.

She explained about Immy etc and asked him if he wanted a cup of coffee or anything. He said he did and she took him one over.

“What do you remember about last night. You woke up in a terrible state earlier on” she said.

He told her what he had been told that happened and that Rick was dead. Suddenly he went very quiet.

“Ardeth you remember something don’t you?”

“No nothing, wait a minute, yes I do.... no it couldn’t have been that”

“What is it Ardeth, look nothing can hurt you here”

“It wasn’t a man, it was a huge dog. It was snarling and dragged Rick off, that’s when I passed out. I remember nothing more till I woke up in hospital”

“It’s alright, drink your coffee and get some rest, you’ll be fine”

She went to the bathroom and ran him a nice hot bath, hopefully it would relax him.

“Go on, have a nice long soak, you’ll feel better. I’ll come and do your back if you like”

Ardeth was in the bath for about 20 minutes when he called her. She asked him what was wrong.

“I remember something else. It must have been a dog, it bit me on the arm as it knocked us down and it had these red eyes”

He was shaking and Tanith held him and then started massaging his back and shoulders.

“Ardeth are you sure it bit you. There isn’t any bites on your arm at all?”

He said yes and also then said he was really tired. Tanith suggested he went back to bed. He had been knocked out and that could be causing it. Anyway it wouldn’t hurt him. Within a few minutes he was asleep. Tanith covered him up and called Immy.

“can you come up here. I need to talk to you urgently and I don’t want to leave him at the moment”

Immy knocked on the door and Tanith let him in. She told him they would have to talk in the living room area of the room.

“When he was at the hospital, they told him about the lunatic and what happened to him. But Ardeth has just told me what he remembers and it coincides with your comments earlier”

“Why what did he say?” asked Immy

“He says it was a wild dog with big red eyes and he is convinced that it bit him. But there are no marks on his arms at all”

So if it was a wild dog, who was the man that they are supposed to have shot and why did they lie about it”

Immy ordered some tea and coffee and asked for it to be sent up. When he came back in, Tanith was standing by the window. He spoke to her twice before she heard him.

“What are you thinking?”

“If I told you what I am thinking, you’ll probably think I need certifying, I’m even wondering about my own sanity”

“Well if you’re thinking what I think you are then I need locking up too”

“They say fact is stranger than fiction. The people in the village say it was a lunatic that attacked Ardeth and killed Rick and that they shot him. Ardeth says it was a huge dog and it bit him before it dragged Rick off. What if that lunatic was in fact a werewolf. Oh God Immy, it sounds even crazier now I’ve said it”

“That was my theory but you’re right. It does sound crazy. We can’t go and tell the police that we believe the man who was shot was a werewolf. They’d laugh us out of the building and deport me for being a nutter. This is real life not something out of Edger Allen Poe”

“Ok, well come up with a better answer” she said.

They decided to get the car and drive over to the village and try and find out themselves. They needed to know the truth, whatever it was. It took about half an hour to get there and it didn’t take long to fin the “Slaughtered Ram” public house. They went in.

“We’d like to speak to the landlord” said Tanith.

“I’m the owner, what can I do for you?”

“It’s about what happened last night”

“It’s being sorted by the police. I can’t tell you anything”

“Can’t or won’t. What are you hiding?”

“Who are you and what exactly do you want?”

“I’m the fiancé of the man who got attacked” Tanith lied “and this is a friend and we’re not leaving here till we get some answers”

The landlord told them in no uncertain terms that he had told the truth to the police and that they weren’t welcome there. Tanith and Immy were then bodily escorted out of the pub and the door was shut behind them.

“There is definitely something fishy going on. Did you see the pentagram on the wall and what a name for a pub” said Immy.

They walked back to the car when they suddenly noticed that someone was beckoning them over to the house about lOO yds away. Immy looked at Tanith and they walked over. The man was the one standing at the bar when they were in the pub.

“Leave this place and don’t ask any more questions. It’s not safe even now” he said.

“Please tell us what really happened”

“Look, you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t already know half of it. Yes, your fiancé was attacked and the other was killed by a werewolf. The last of the line. The police won’t be back, we convinced them with our story. I’m sorry about what happened but it’s over, there can be nothing in your digging around.

“Is the legend of the werewolf true, in the fact that there will be no more werewolves if it is killed or is that something out of a horror film?”

“Yes, the line ends by the werewolf being shot, killing the other person doesn’t make a werewolf. It’s not the same as a vampire. And your fiancé’s friend was killed outright, he won’t change into one”

“What if someone gets bitten but does not die?”

“Yes, the legend says he who ~is bitten does become a werewolf when the moon is full. Only a silver bullet can kill it. There is a rumor that true love can cure a person. My God your friend wasn’t bitten was he?”

“He says he was but there are no bite marks anywhere so he must have been mistaken”

“If he says he was bitten, he wasn’t mistaken. The marks disappear, the terror has not ended after all. It has only just beginning”

Suddenly he vanished as a crowd of men came out of the pub towards them. Immy and Tanith ran back to the car and drove off as fast as they could. The mans last words ringing in their ears. What the hell happened now!

“Immy, we’ve a few more nights of the full moon, surely we can’t take him seriously. What he is saying is that Ardeth could turn into a werewolf. It’s ridicules. It only happens in films.”

“He’s just a nut case. Something is going on there but what it is I don’t know and I don’t think we will ever find out but werewolves, that is just to scare us off. We’re just as bad to have thought of it in the first place. What we do know is that Rick is dead and Ardeth is really frightened and upset by what’s going on. All we can do is keep an eye on him and help him through this” said Immy.

Tanith agreed and before long they arrived back at the hotel. People had found out about Rick and how it happened but didn’t know Ardeth was involved. They went up to see Ardeth, he was watching TV. He looked awful and was pleased to see them. They told him nothing about what they had found out but as he asked about the wild dog, they said that a dog was with the man who was killed and he used it as a weapon as such. He seemed satisfied with that. They decided to have something to eat in the room as Ardeth didn’t want to go downstairs at the moment. Tanith said she’d go to her room to get something but Immy told her to stay. After dinner, Ardeth told them he didn’t feel too good and asked them to leave him for a while, he wanted to be on his own. They agreed as long as he rang down if he needed them for anything. Because of what had happened to Rick the theatre had cancelled their date in Manchester but would reschedule it. After they left, Ardeth sat on the side of the bed, he felt strange. First hot then cold and he had such a headache, like never before. He began to wish that they had stayed now but hopefully he would feel better soon, if not he’d ring them. His hands were itching and as he looked at them he was sure they were changing, getting longer and with hair and horrible nails. He went into the bathroom to look in the mirror. Every part of him was changing.

“My God, help me, what’s happening?”

He went to use the phone but couldn’t pick it up. Within half and hour he had changed into the most horrific werewolf ever. Leaping through the window, disappeared into the night.

Downstairs, Immy and Tanith were having a drink, when someone came in talking about a large dog wandering round outside. They said it ought to be reported for scaring people. Tanith looked at Immy, he must have read her mind.

“Don’t be stupid, it’s just coincidence. There’s no such thing as werewolves” he whispered.

“I’m going to see if Ardeths alright, won’t be a minute”

“If it puts your mind at rest, go ahead but I bet he is sound asleep”

She opened Ardeths door, his clothes were on the floor, the window was open and the lamp on the table was broken but Ardeth was nowhere to be found. She hurried downstairs.

“Well is he snoring away merrily?” asked Immy.

“No, he’s not there”

He went upstairs to check for himself, while Tanith got herself another drink. Immy came back down.

“This is stupid, he has probably gone out for a walk. Look we’ll wait here till he comes back”

After about 4 hours there was still no sign of him and they were getting worried. Not because of the werewolf thing but because he may have been taken ill or anything.

“I’m going up to see if he has left a note or anything” said Tanith. When she reached Ardeths room and went in, she found Ardeth sound asleep on the bed, naked and as she went over to see if he was alright, she noticed footprints on the carpet. Muddy footprints and when she looked at Ardeths feet, it looked as though he had been ploughing through a field. She rang reception to
speak to Immy.

“You’d better get up here now” she said.

While she waited for Immy, she made sure he was alright and covered him up. She wouldn’t wake him, he hated being woken up. The door opened and Immy came in.

“He’s back and look at his feet” she said “He’s got nothing on either”

“He could have come back and had a shower first. But where the mud came from

I don’t know. We won’t know till he wakes up. Are you going to stay with him?”

“Yes, I’m not leaving him alone. But why didn’t we see him come back”

Immy didn’t know. He would be back later, so Tanith curled up in the chair, after shutting the window and turning the heating up. She was woken, not by Ardeth but by the phone ringing.

“It’s Immy, is he awake yet?”

“No he isn’t, what’s wrong?”

“I’m coming up, I’ve something to show you”

She put the phone down and looked at the time. 8am, she’d slept a while anyway. She made a cup of tea in the room when Immy came in.

“Do you want one. You sounded mysterious on the phone. What have you found?”

“No I don’t want anything. Look at the paper, front page” he said.

Tanith took the paper and unfolded it. The headline read “7 killed by Madman in Central Aberdeen” She looked at Immy.

“No you can’t possibly think Ardeth killed these people. He’s the loveliest man I know, not a murderer”

“Tanith , look at the facts, where was he, we didn’t see him go out or come in. mud in the room and on his feet” said Immy

“Come on, the only way out other than the door is the window and if you notice, we’re on the 6th floor. Anyway we don’t know when he went out, we were in the bar and he could have come back while we were looking for him. We could have passed each other in the lifts, anything”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right. Anyway we can ask him, he’s waking up”

“Are you alright Ardeth?” asked Tanith.

“Where am I? My head is killing me”

“You’re in your room. It’s ok. Can I get something for your head?”

“Yes, I’d better. I can’t remember anything about last night after you left”

“Don’t worry, you’ve been asleep” she replied looking worried.

Immy said he was going to have a shower and change, he’d be back later. Tanith ordered breakfast for Ardeth and fresh tea for her. While they were having it, Ardeth looked worried and scared.

“Tanith, I had the most terrible dream and yet it seemed so real. I changed into an animal and went out killing people. It was horrible”

“It was just a dream love, you’re probably still thinking about Rick and that man”

“You’re probably right. Pass me that newspaper please”

Tanith gave it to him without thinking, suddenly he cried out and jumped out of bed.

“If it was a dream, what’s this then. 7 people killed by a madman and how come I’ve got mud on my feet. God, what is going on, what is happening to me?”

“Oh Ardeth, don’t be silly. It was a dream, you can’t blame yourself for this just because you dreamt about it”

“You and Immy went back to that village. I want to know the truth. You’ve always said you’d never lie to me”

Tanith knew this was true and couldn’t go back on her word. She told him everything. He sat on the bed with his head in his hands.

“Tanith that means I’m the werewolf. What the hell do I do. Dread every full moon in case I change into some beast and start killing people or am I totally insane to even think or say what I just did?”

“You’re not insane but I don’t know what happened last night. You weren’t here for about 3 hours. We don’t know where you were, but werewolves are fiction not fact. It was just a story to get rid of us. There has to be a perfectly logical explanation”

“Can you swear to me that’s the truth?”

Tanith couldn’t, she didn’t know.

“The last full moon is tonight, what am I going to do. What happens if am the werewolf, if such a thing exists?”

Tanith told him she would stay with him that night and prove nothing happened. By the morning they would know that it was all a dream. By the time the evening got there, Ardeth was pacing up and down and a nervous wreck. Tanith hadn’t told Immy anything so he was alone in the bar so that Tanith could have some time alone with Ardeth.

Ardeth suddenly got the itchy feeling in his hands again and the headache. He sat down and Tanith put her arm round him. He pushed her away, telling her to get by the door and stay there. He knew what was happening, he suddenly remembered last night. She pleaded with him that it was nothing when the look on her face changed. His hands grew larger and his feet. He ended up on his hands and knees as his clothes split and his back and legs changed before her eyes. His whole body was turning into something. She was so scared she couldn’t move. Then he turned to face her and she screamed, his face was that of a horrific dog, long nose, red eyes and long hideous fangs. He was no longer the tall, handsome man she loved a wild beast. She opened the door and ran. He turned and leapt through the window. Running into the bar, she grabbed Immy.

“What is it, what’s the matter?” he said.

“We were wrong, I’ve just watched him change and go out of the window. Immy, Ardeth is the werewolf”

As she finished, she passed out. Immy brought her round and gave her a brandy. Some of the others asked if she was alright and Immy told them she hadn’t had anything to eat that day and should have done.

“Take it easy, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I’m sorry but I love him so much. What the hell are we going to do. It’s loose out there, Ardeths out there, somewhere, he could be frightened, someone could shoot him. They have to end it all”

Immy sat beside Tanith and he was totally at a lose to know what to do. All of a sudden he grabbed her.

“I think I know where to find him. The other werewolf went back to that village. I bet Ardeth has gone there. Let’s go and find him before anyone else does”

They got into the car which was at their disposal and drove over to the village. When they arrived a lot of men were outside the pub with guns. The werewolf had been seen in the village and they were going to find it and kill it once and for all before anyone else was hurt.

“We’ve got to find him before they do” said Tanith. “I won’t let them shoot him. I won’t, I don’t care what he is”

“Can I have a word” said a voice. It was the man they had spoken to before. He heard about the deaths in Aberdeen and had seen them drive up, he knew why they were there.

“What do we do, we can’t let him get shot” said Immy “There must be another way”

“There is one way but it needs someone who truly loves him even as a werewolf.

Then the spell will be broken and he will be normal again. At least that is what the legend says. I don’t know of it working because most werewolves get shot. Do you know of anyone?”

“No I don’t” said Immy “Not that much and certainly not as a werewolf”

“I do” said Tanith “Me, what do I have to do?”

“I have some books at my house. Let’s go and see if we can find out anything”

It took them about an hour to find out what they wanted to know. It seemed that the person who truly loved the werewolf as he should be, had no fear of them as a werewolf, sit with him, cuddle him. If their love was true, the werewolf would not attack them and the curse would be broken.

“Well lets find him and do it” said Tanith.

“You can’t Tanith” said Immy “It’ll kill you. If Ardeth is the werewolf and it looks like he is, there is no knowing what will happen. All this could be rubbish, it has never been tried remember”

“Look Immy, it will work. I love him more than you will ever know. It has to work”

There was shouting from outside and men ran past, heading for a load of barns on the edge of the village.

“I think they’ve found him. We can go the back way and get there before them. Come on” said the man.

By the time they reached the barns, the men were in the first one, there was about 10 of them. Footprints in their torchlight showed that a large animal had gone into one of the barns about halfway along. Immy tried to stop her going in.

“You can’t believe all that rubbish. That thing has killed at least 7 people, it isn’t Ardeth anymore. At this moment he doesn’t exist. As much as we don’t want to, he has to be killed. It’s the only way.”

Tanith pulled away from him and ran into the door before he could stop her. It was a big barn with a hay loft. Apart from the loft, it was empty. He must be up there, she slowly climbed the ladder and could hear the animal growling. She called to it.

“If that’s you Ardeth, it’s alright, it’s only me. No—one is going to hurt you. Everything is going to be ok”

In the corner of the hayloft was the werewolf and never in any films had she seen anything like it. For a split second she wanted to run, she wouldn’t stand a chance if that thing went for her. Yet she knew she couldn’t show any fear and after all, she loved Ardeth and under all that, it was Ardeth. She slowly walked over to it, talking all the time, telling it how much she loved it and that she wouldn’t hurt it.

The terrible eyes and snarl seemed to soften and it just growled deeply in its throat. To her it seemed that the eyes were pleading with her. She knelt down beside it, it sniffed her as a dog would do and she took a deep breath and put her arm on it. She told him how much she loved him and this great evil beast nuzzled her hand as she kissed and made a fuss of it. Slowly it laid down and closed its eyes. As she watched, it changed before her eyes again and became the man she loved. Ardeth with his black hair and brown eyes. He opened them and looked around.

“Where on earth am I and what’s going on”?

At that moment she heard the men come in the barn and she grabbed Ardeth and pulled him to her.

“Don’t talk now, just do what I say. Your life depends on being convincing”

She laid on top of him and kissed him just as the men came up the ladder. They saw what they thought was a couple having a good time, they apologized and told them a wild dog was around and it would be safer if they left. Ardeth asked what he was doing there after they had gone.

“Don’t you remember anything about tonight?”

He sat and thought and then he did. She helped him up and put her jacket round him. He had nothing on and they had to find some clothes, maybe the man at the house could help. Immy and the man saw the door of the barn open and they froze thinking it had killed Tanith and was leaving. As they looked they saw Tanith come out with her arm round Ardeth.

“he needs some warm things. Can we go back to yours?”

He took them back and while he found some old clothes, Tanith made Ardeth a drink. He came back in.

“I have to look at his hands. I can tell if he is free or not. Only a few people can see a pentagram in the palms of a hand. If it is not there, the curse is broken” Reluctantly Ardeth showed him his hands and after looking closely at them, the man said he could see nothing. As far as~ he could tell, he was free of it.

“What I want to know is did I or it hurt anyone tonight?”

“You bit someone, he will now become a werewolf at the next full moon,’

“Oh no, who is it, who did I bite?”

The man looked at them and then looked at his hands. “It was me. I have the pentagram in my right palm. I am the werewolf. That is my problem, what you must do is go back to Aberdeen and try to forget what has happened. You will luckily remember nothing of the time you were an actual werewolf. Thankfully. What happens to me is another story. Now go and don’t ever come back”

They thanked him for all he had done and left. What they got to the hotel, they sat and told Ardeth all that had happened. He wanted to know. The only thing he didn’t know was that he had been for the deaths. As far as he need know, they had caught someone for that need never know, Immy left Tanith and Ardeth alone.

“I’m scared that all this is rubbish and I will still turn into that thing again in three weeks time. If I don’t then it was your love for me that did it. I never knew you loved me that much. I don’t know what to say.

“Don’t say anything. If it was worked then my love for you was stronger than even I realized. If it was rubbish, then we’ll have to think of something next time. They sat and hugged each other, praying that it was really over and that slowly Ardeth would get over what happened. One day it would all be a distant memory. What would happen to that other man they didn’t know.

“Did the last few days really happen or was it some terrible nightmare and soon we will wake up safe in our beds?” asked Tanith.

“It happened alright, we’ve just got to be thankful it’s over and we are alright” said Ardeth.

As he hugged her, he looked at his palms. On the right hand one was a pentagram. He saw it quite clearly.

“Yes Tanith, it’s really over” he said.

And as he closed his hand, he realised he only had three weeks and then……….