“So we just stay sealed up hereforever?” said Arthur.
“Until it’s all blown over,” said Jim.
“But Jim!” exclaimed Daisy. “You’renot thinking straight. It’s our Davy, Jimmy and Rosie. We can’t abandon them.”
“It may not be them,” said Ophelia.“Sunlight doesn’t do them any good, so they mostly come out at night.”
“Yeah,” said Arthur. “It could be someof the neighbours, checking if we’re okay.”
“It’ll be dusk by now,” said Jimchecking his watch. “We’ve spent a good few hours studying that damn book.”
There was a loud crash from somewhereoutside.
“What was that?” said Ophelia.
“Sounds like it came from outside thefront of the house,” said Jim.
There was another loud crash, followedby the sound of splintering wood.
Jim stood up and wandered over to thekitchen door. He looked back and nodded so the others followed. They wentacross the hallway and through a door that led into the front room. The big baywindow was boarded up, so it was dark. Jim switched on the light.
There was yet another loud crash.Somebody was attacking the boards that covered the windows. Whoever it wasdoing it was very strong because the whole window frame shook violently witheach blow.
“Dad...” said Arthur. “I don’t thinkthat wood’s going to stay up much longer.”
Jim arched his eyebrows and looked athis son.
Bill saw Ophelia swoon slightly andhold out her arms to steady herself. She looked a little lost and confused.Bill gently grabbed her arm and studied her face closely. He couldn’t help butnotice how much she’d changed in the last few hours. Her hair was much thinner,there was a clump of it on the floor, and it had lost most of its shine. Herskin was paler, waxy and her cheeks had sunk. She gave him a pleading look butBill had to force himself not to shudder when penetrated by fiery yellow eyes,which seemed to have grown in intensity. He wondered yet again why nobody elsecould see her as he could.
“It’s coming back,” she mumbled atBill. “I can hear all a voice, telling me to draw blood.”
“The Vita Dantis,” said Bill.“It’s upstairs.”
“I’m going to take it,” she said vaguely,“before it’s too late.”
Bill was about to help her upstairsbut was distracted by a loud splintering sound. He turned to see what was goingon. Two of the boards had been ripped away from the window and a pale longhaired face had appeared at the glass. It was Jimmy. When Bill turned backOphelia was gone.
Jimmy saw his mother and grinned.“Hello my dearest! We’re come to bring the family together.”
Davy and Rosie’s faces appeared besideJimmy’s.
“Kids!” said Daisy, pleased to see herchildren but feeling very scared by the way the looked. “You stop this nonsenseat once.”
“Look at our little Poppet love,” saida horrified Jim. “What have they done to her?”
“Watch out, we’re coming in,” the kidssaid in unison. The three faces suddenly disappeared.
Moments later a large statue from nextdoor’s garden came crashing through the window, smashing the glass.
“We’d better get out of here,” saidJim, urging the others out of the room with sweeping arm movements.
Jimmy appeared at the window, grinningmischievously. He stepped through into the front room.
Bill hurried out into the hallway andthought about Ophelia. Was she up in the bedroom? He had she managed to get theVita Dantis? He rushed over to the stairs and found her sitting on astep. Pulling her to her feet she looked at him calmly.
“Get out!” he said, “They’ve brokeninto the house.”
Ophelia didn't speak. She went pasthim and the front door. Daisy followed.
“What are you waiting for?” saidArthur to Bill. “Let’s go.”
Bill was about to go but for someinexplicable reason felt a desperate desire not to leave the journal behind. Heraced into the kitchen and snatched it up from the table. When he got back hecould see that Arthur had gone and Jim had closed the door to the front roomand was pushing as hard as he could to keep it shut – but it was being batteredviolently from the other side. He gave Bill a desperate look and motioned forhim to join the others.
Bill rushed out through the frontdoor. It was noisy in the street. The lights were on in the houses opposite andsome of the neighbours were at their doors, screaming and shouting as theyfought off bikers. The Campervan was parked on the other side of the street andBill saw Arthur jump in the back. Ophelia was in the driver’s seat. Daisy hadn’tmoved. She was still standing at the front door, looking back at Jim inside thehouse.
Ophelia started the engine.
“Come on you two!” shouted Arthur.
Bill ran over and got in the van.
“I can't leave your father,” saidDaisy.
“Then get dad and let’s go!”
Daisy burst into hysterical sobs. Shewas looking inside the house and didn’t seem to hear Arthur’s voice. “Unhandyour father this instant!”
Arthur watched his mother disappearinto the house. He heard her scream and his dad shout. Then there was silence.
“Mum! Dad!” said Arthur. He jumped upand went to open the door.
Jimmy, Davy and Rosie came out thehouse and rushed towards the van at great speed. Their faces were smeared inblood and they were baring their teeth. Arthur moved back and sat down. He gazedat them in horror. They seemed lost, hardly recognisable. His gentle sister andeasy-going brothers were cursed!
Jimmy got to the van first and raiseda fist, ready to smash through the window and grab Arthur round the throat.“Come on brother, just you left.”
“Go!” screamed Arthur. “Go, go go!”
Ophelia pressed her foot down as hardas she could on the accelerator. The van lurched and with a clatter sped offdown the cobbled street towards the village square.
“Are you okay?” said Bill.
Arthur looked dazed, shell shocked. “Ican’t believe it,” he mumbled. “My whole family... they’re gone... all thatblood on Jimmy’s face... it was Mum and Dad’s blood!”
People were at the door of every housethey passed. The air was filled with shouting and screaming, pleas for mercy.Some of Arthur’s neighbours were being chased by bikers, or other villagers.
They drove into the square and weremet with a shocking sight. There were about a dozen people, young and old,lying on the
