Lilith was feeling very strange, notat all frightened, but calm and happy, elated even. She knew what she was aboutto do was madness, probably very dangerous, but she couldn’t help herself. Shewalked straight up to the creature, which stood nearly as tall as her stomach,put her arms around its neck, and hugged it. The blood on its jaws smeared overher left shoulder, onto her black dress and across her left cheek.
“But it’s only Claude! Dear Claude,come to show us the way. We must keep him with us always.”
“What the hell are you doing?” saidOphelia, gazing in horror at Lilith’s blood smeared, smiling face. “Get awayfrom that thing!”
Lilith’s smile vanished and she glaredat her friend. Her mind was a jumbled confusion. Lord Percy had been taken awayand she’d almost forgotten about her love for him. It had vanished like mist inthe morning. But the presence of his dog was somehow making it all come back.
“We’ve got to take him with us. Hewon’t harm me.”
“Are you mad? That great big thinglooks savage.”
Lilith instinctively knew that ifOphelia tried to take Claude away from her she’d react in a very extreme way.She imagined herself beating her friend about the head with a heavy stick,ferociously kicking her in the stomach, scratching her face until it was abloody mess. She’d never had such violent, grisly thoughts before and they frightenedher terribly.
“Lilith, please!”
Lilith turned away from her friend andwalked on with Claude at her heel. Ophelia didn’t know what to do or say. Shedecided to follow but kept plenty of distance between herself and the beast.She was thinking how to protect Lilith, but had no idea what she could do ifthe dog turned on her. She couldn’t understand what had happened to her friend,why she was acting like this. She guessed she was under some sort of strangespell.
Eventually they came to the iron railingsthat separated the woods from the city. They went through the gate. As theywalked down the road at the back of the college Ophelia saw a section ofpavement smeared with dried blood. She wondered if this was where the creaturehad attached Bill and his friend. She searched all around but couldn’t seetheir bodies and wondered where they were.
The girls went through the side gateand made their way to Connaught Hall. Lilith went inside with Claude followingclosely behind.
“You can’t take that thing in there,”said Ophelia.
Lilith turned and gave Ophelia a verystrange look. It was dark and threatening and made her look like someonedangerously deranged.
“We must do what Percy commands,” saidLilith. “I heard the voice ... in my head.”
Ophelia didn’t argue. She knew it washopeless. Lilith went into the building with Claude and Ophelia followed. Itwas dark inside and the Junior Common Room were closed and locked up. Lilithwent up the stairs with Claude and down the corridor that led to their adjacentrooms. Ophelia followed, feeling scared to be in such and confined space withthe beast.
Lilith unlocked and opened her door.Claude trotted inside.
“Good night,” said Lilith curtly.
Ophelia approached her and touched herarm. She gazed into her eyes, pleading for her friend to see sense. “You’resurely not going in there – with that? It’ll tear you to shreds.”
“Claude is my saviour. I must keep himsafe.”
“Lilith, what’s wrong with you? Comeinto to my room, sleep there. We’ll lock that thing in your room and report ittomorrow morning.”
When Lilith heard this, she becamevery angry. “If you tell anyone about Claude then you’ll be very sorry. Do youhear me! Dearest Percy shall have your guts torn out.”
Ophelia backed away, shaking her headin dismay. “You’re possessed. Try to fight it.”
“Good night,” snapped Lilith, thendisappeared into her room and slammed the door.
Ophelia didn’t know what to do. Shewanted get Lilith away from that horrible creature but was sure it’d attackher, maybe even killed her like it had poor Bill if she tried. She thoughthard, in a kind of panic, but was at a loss as to what to do next. So she wentto her room in despair. The boys, Bill and Arthur, were gone, her friend hadturned quite insane and a vicious creature was probably going to tear herthroat out. Ophelia could see now how stupid she’d been. Witchcraft wasn’t afun game, a cool look or a way to impress boys. It was pure evil and destroyedthose who practised it just as much as its victims. Ophelia dreaded going tosleep because she couldn’t face waking up tomorrow.
Slipping off her clothes, she put onher nightdress and thought of Professor Jareth driving away with Lord Percy,wondering where she’d taken him. If she could only get the dog back to itsowner maybe Lilith would return to normal.
She put the Almanac Regenerationis intoher bookcase and saw Rowena’s journal. Maybe there was something in there thatcould help her understand her friend’s bizarre actions? She took out thejournal, got into bed and began to read, hoping it would give her some insightinto Lord Percy Valentine...
Sat. 28 Sep. 1872. – Oh how my lifehas become so wretched! Mother and Father are in the upmost misery and don’tknow what to do with me. I spend my days in my room asleep because I find Icannot easily venture out during the day ( I accompanied Father to Farrier’sForge but had to come home early – the sun burnt my face red raw and my handswere blistered and smoking!) At night I wander the house like a ghost, tryingto resist an urge so foul I can hardly write it down – to take and drink theblood of my dearest parents! I go out to the stables and see Beauty, the poorcreature who has sustained me. Oh how I despair at this frightful business thathas plummeted my spirits to a low I never imagined possible! But of all mytroubles, the most wretched of all is that I can no longer see dearest Percy.He has come by a few times in the evening but I hide in the hayloft, afraid Imay curse and bite him! I hear Father calling my name but I dare not respond.What am I to do?
Tue.
