Saturday

Chapter 19 – All Rise

Luke returned from the back door and began to tidy and clean. He did not know why he acted simply that it was urgent that he act. He noticed the fingers of Angelina twitched just occasionally.

Memories flooded back into his mind as he saw various items and the two faces of his helpers. These memories formed an incomplete picture and somehow these did not seem problematic to Luke. He was aware only that he needed to act and that he needed to eat.

“What do you mean, dead?” asked Peter.

“A couple of months ago a patient from the hospital was transferred suffering from a rare virus.” Said John.

“You must have confused me with her.” Said Margret. This revelation had thrown her and now she needed to act fast. She grabbed Peter by the hair and pulled him to her.

“Steady on Maggie,” he objected.

John and Sue stood as if frozen. They watched as Margret backed slowly away. Then life returned to John as the shock wore off. He lept across the room and grabed at Margrets hand. She bit his hand hard and he let go.

“Peter comes with me,” she said.

“Can’t we just all eat dinner together?” he asked.

Margaret looked down at him and pulled his head back so that he looked up into her face and said: “No, now shut up.”

John took the moment to hit her. She tumbled back letting go of Peter. John pulled him away and pushed him behind himself. Now no one stood between he and Margaret.

“I know,” he said to her, “I know what has happened and what will happen.”

“My lover will kill you.” She said pulling herself up. He boots caught in her dress and she fell back down again.

“Did he tell you about the teeth falling out? Or the allergy to sun light?” Asked John.

“Big deal.” Said Margaret standing more carefully.

She lunged forward with her carefully rehearsed snarl. John hit her and broke one of her teath she landed on the floor again.

“There is a cure.” Said John.

Peter just stood and watched. She was the perfect tragic heroine and woman of the night.

She stood and backed away slowly.

“Take me with you,” cried Peter running to her. She caught him by his hair and knocked him off ballence. Ass he hung by his hair she bit his face leaving two large gashes down his right cheak.

Peter screamed in pain and she dropped him on the floor and ran.

Sue tutted and looked first to her husband and then his brother. “Let’s get you two cleaned up,” she said, “and then we will serve dinner. Unless of course you have any psychopathic young ladies you would like to fight.”

“No, we’re done.” Said John. Then he spotted something white on the floor. He moved to investigate. It was a peace of tooth. He scooped it up and went into the kitchen to locate a food bag to put it in. He would have some tests run on this.

Maggie ran through the streets. She could not move very fast because he dress kept tangling with he boots. She was angry. She was angrier than she had ever been. She wanted revenge.

Anabellus watched his bride. They had hurt her and for that they would have to pay; but he had also learned that she still did not understand. Anabellus hoped that she would not turn out like his last bride and he resolved to begin training her as soon as she had calmed down enough to talk.

Another face watched Anabellus but it was not The Keeper of The Book it was a far younger agent of the night, sent not only to assess but also to destroy if need be.

Unaware of this Anabellus watched from one of his favourite rooftops. His bride was still young and not very strong yet. He hoped she would not kill herself with her foolishness before he could train her.

Soon his bride was out of sight and Anabellus left his pertch. The Young face followed him and Anabellus was not aware of this.

He prowled the night looking at that, which took his fancy, spying on his favourite families. Moving objects and making minor interferences to keep things interesting or reveal secrets.

He spent the entire night at his hobby. It was like a live and interactive soap opera but so more satisfying. The last call of the night was the house of two young lovers. He had been toying with another woman and Anabellus felt it was time to up the tempo. If this young man could ride out this game then good luck to him, but if he failed he would fall quite permanently.

Anabellus removed the phone number from his secret pocket and placed it on the floor. It could well have fallen there by itself but no things might just hot up here.

He left and as he did he became aware that some one of great skill was watching him. He moved quickly and soon with the aid of a stolen car, he had left the follower behind him.

His sun allergy was particular strong and could result in death if he were to be caught for even a moment. He had several hiding places and it was into one of these that he slipped down to his rest.

The sun rose and the day began. John took the tooth into work and handed it over to be analysed. He knew already what the results would say but he had to prove it so that he could go to the police.

He knew he should get himself tested but somehow he could not bring himself to do so.

In the old house not that far away Jackson stirred and Angelina became more restless.

The day continued. People purchased things and people worked hard. Letters were written and posted. Dogs barked, cars drove and people did the things they do.

Peter sat at home and wrote brooding poetry longing for the women he loved. The whole incident had raised his hopes and he remembered just how much he desired Maggie for himself.

Post-adolescent fantasies filled his mind and distracted him from the fact his face hurt like hell.

The day grew old the first of many results came back to John. The tooth was human and beyond that, they would have to wait days before they knew anymore than they did not.

The day ended and the sun set.

Jackson’s eyes snapped wide open. He was looking at Angelina and he cried for a moment because he knew she was dead. Then she twitched. Like a shock wave, every memory of his life flooded back to Jackson at once. He was so overwhelmed that he passed out.

So, it seemed that moments later Angelina awoke first. She sat up and looked at her tidy room and smiled. She looked at her man sleeping and smiled again. What more was there to life?

She reached over and held him as tightly as her weakened arms could. He awoke again and looked at his Angel.

“Angel,” he gasped, “I love you.”

Angel looked at her man and remembered being loved: “I know,” she said.

“Are we still dieing?” he asked his voice raspy and dry.

“I think we are dead,” she replied. Her voice was equally raspy.

It hurt to much to talk and so they lay there looking at each other.

Luke awoke several minuets later. He handed them a can of warm coke each and said: “you will be thirsty.”

They drank greedily but Jackson craved something else yet he was not sure what.