The Raggedy Man's Revenge

Extracts from the Personal Diary of St John Cartwright-Fiennes

Sunday 30th July

I spent most of the day trying to comfort Jules. She has taken Imelda's death very badly. Jules really liked her and had such high hopes that they could do a steady jewellery trade. All of this is on top of a week's waiting, which started with the Hagrid incident.

Monday 31^st July

Another result of Imelda's death is that we really are broke now. Jules had sunk what little spare cash we had in materials to make a large batch of jewellery for the shop in Glastonbury. Now we have no where to sell it. It will take us months to shift it all through the Henge Shop.

Although Jules could still do with the company, we really, really need some cash. I left her moping in bed and set off to see if I could make or find any money. I tried dowsing for lost change and, though I know I am no good at it, hawking the jewellery. I made a couple of quid in dropped change and managing to sell a necklace. Just before lunch I dropped in on the Henge Shop. They have sold a couple of small pieces and have about a fiver for us. They also had a small package for Jules. The address was in Imelda's hand-writing and it was very hurriedly wrapped.

I got home to lunch to find Jules missing and a note that the pigs have taken her to "help with their inquiries" over Imelda's death. It seemed possible that this was genuine, but I suspected it was harassment. Not that we could do anything about it. I hid the Jules' package with the pot stash in the woods.

That evening I had an exceptionally unpleasant visitation from Rodriquez and Moynahan. They have kidnapped Jules and want to ransom her for Adam's binoculars. They also made some threats about the creature and it being after "all of us". I will have to go along with this for the moment, but I am not foolish enough to believe for a moment that if I did get them the binoculars Jules or I would be living 24 hours later. Killing us would be far and away the easiest option.

Barbara is the only one of the "hunters" who's phone number I have. I tried phoning her and only got her answering machine. As I don't trust her, I left a message asking the others to contact me.

I opened Imelda's package to Jules. It is her diary. It confirms a lot of things, but the only news is that Imelda survived the night in the woods. The last entry is last Tuesday (25th).

Tuesday 1st August

Barbara has left a long message at the Henge Shop. She says she has left a message for Belinda to call me. She also tells me that the woman who bought her house has disappeared.

Wednesday 2nd August

Barbara phones the Henge Shop, and gives me Adam and Belinda's numbers. Apparently she doesn't have a number for Elisa. I phone Adam and Belinda but neither are in.

Thursday 3rd August

The radio news is that Sue Mornington (the current occupant of Barbara's old house) has been found dead. NO contact AT ALL from the others.

Friday 4th August

I am now resigned to getting no help from anyone. I obviously cannot go to the pigs. There is no one else I can turn to. I am just going to have to try to get her back on my own, however unlikely I am to succeed. I will wait outside the Lodge and try to ambush Rodriquez, if I can, I will beat where they are keeping Jules out of him.

By late morning I was still watching and waiting and soaked as it was raining, when Belinda turned up. I don't remember her precise excuse for it taking four days, but it is included something about being burgled. Late in the afternoon, Elisa and Adam finally turned up.! The best plan seemed to be to use the binoculars to observe Jules being kidnapped. It falls to me to actually use them. I was sure Jules had spent all day in bed, so I could look in the window where I could see (or be seen from) the bed and see if Jules's note was on the table yet. At first I was too early in the day; I would have had to wait too long. Then I caught Jules out of bed and was spotted by her, so I had to retreat. Then I was spotted by some kids, and in disengaging suddenly knock the controls. The next time I looked I was days out and saw "Hagrid" looking in the van a week earlier. In the end I had to give up.

Elisa wanted to try some necromancy, using a necromantic artefact she has, in the form of a bone mask. (Oh my God, what am I getting into?) She wants to contact Imelda. I don't see how Imelda could know anything about Jules's kidnapping as she was already dead. However she might have some general intelligence about the Children of Light. The best place that we knew of, to look for her shade is the morgue. (We didn't know where she died.) Elisa and I headed off to Swindon, and Elisa's doctor status got us into the morgue. Elisa distracted the morgue attendant with questions about the autopsy, while I put on the mask. I had a feeling that I had sort of stepped into another world. I could not see anything, but I could hear whispers. I called out to Imelda and she was there. She told me a lot of things that I already knew or suspect, but very little that use really new. The only real new information was that she was murdered by Moynahan at the Lodge. She reckoned that whereas Rodriquez is "evil", Moynahan is "insane". She also warned that Rodriquez would be trying several different things to get the binoculars and we needed to be on our guard. Then she cried "look out behind you", and I felt a touch on my shoulder. I wasn't sure if she was referring to a danger in the spirit world or living world, but I whipped the mask off as quickly as I could.

We returned to the others who have all settled at a hotel in Swindon. There is a room for me. I don't who is paying for it, but I suspect it is this shadowy government organisation that most of this crowd seem to work for. It seems that they have called up some "back-up". This came in the form of Andy Price. Apparently he was one of the S.A.S. soldiers at the Ravensworth incident, and does not seem quite right in the head. We discussed what we were going to do about Rodriquez. With hindsight, I don't think I really appreciated what was being said here. I thought we were going to arrange a meeting, to swap the binoculars and Jules. "If" (I didn't actually think there was any doubt about it) they turned up without Jules, we would take them captive and force them to tell us where they were keeping Jules. After a discussion we decided on meeting in the Red Lion car park, with Price hiding out in the dark of the stone circle.

I phoned the Lodge to try to contact Rodriquez, they refused to put through the call as it was about midnight. There was nothing for it, but to go to bed. I slept and dreamt. It was an untypically vivid dream. I was in the morgue talking to Imelda again. It went exactly the same way as this afternoon up to the point where she said "look out behind you". This time I turned around. There was a man, he looked like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. He was wearing a mask with a false beard. That is one of the badges of "living god" status. He said he was Thoth/Djehuti. He was pleased that I had used the mask and binoculars. He says he would ensure Jules was returned "no more harmed than she already is", if I would ensure that they were used more. I agreed to this. I remember the Rodriquez claimed an arrangement with Djehuti, and I asked him about it. He said it was true, but indicated that Rodriquez had displeased him. He told me that Rodriquez will not keep his word (no news there), and that he is not to have the binoculars (no problem there). Then he gave me a mobile phone number. Finally he asked if I wanted to see behind his mask, and I said yes.

I woke up screaming. I have no idea what was behind the mask, but it was horrible beyond any possible description. There was an urgent knocking at the door, but first I wrote down the phone number. Then I opened the door to a concerned Adam. He stared at me in a very strange way. I found out why when I looked in the mirror…

My hair has gone white, all of it. I wouldn't have thought that was possible.

As I was telling him about the dream, I realised who I had being talking to. It was Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, messenger of the Outer Gods, and I had made a deal with him. I used Adam's phone to dial the number, and Rodriquez answered it. I arranged for Adam and I to meet Rodriquez in two hours time. Then we woke up the others. I was worried they might not be happy about as arranging the meeting without consulting them, but they were just keen to go, especially Price.

Adam and I drove in the Mini. The rest went in Belinda's land-rover. We got to the car park a little before time and waited. A little while later Rodriquez and Moynahan came round the corner. I was expecting at least some discussion, but before we could say anything, Price started shooting. He shot Rodriquez several times. Moynahan ran, and Price ran after him. I rushed after Price. Adam was checking Rodriquez's body. Price shot Moynahan in the leg. Belinda and Elisa drove up in the land-rover. We shoved Moynahan into the back, jumped in and drove off. We drove a few miles and then hid in a field. At first Moynahan refused to talk, but Elisa behaved in a distinctly undoctorly way (which shocked me a bit) and he gave in almost immediately.

Moynahan told us about an address in Marlborough so we drove there. Elisa and I went in. We found the stairs to the cellar and I went down. Jules was tied to the chair and had not been released even to go to the loo for five days, so I won't try to describe the mess she was in but you can guess. I untied her and helped her up the stairs. We got her back to the hotel where I helped her clean up. Meanwhile the others took Moynahan off to some loony bin. Finally got back to bed at about 6 a.m.

Saturday 5th August

Got up mid afternoon. Jules is going to stay over with Barbara's family. She is going to baby-sit for them. Looking after some small children is probably excellent therapy for Jules at this stage.

The rest of us, including Barbara, are off to Putney to attempt to banish the Treadle-creature, a.k.a. Squidgicum-Squee, a.k.a. Shoggoth. Adam & Elisa apparently have spells for this. We have about ten chickens which apparently are sacrifices to power these. (So first necromancy, then a deal with the Messenger of the Outer Gods, and now Black magic all in 48 hours. Perhaps I have flipped completely and this is all just a bad trip; I do hope so.) The venue is to be Barbara's house, as they suspect the creature is headed there anyway. Barbara seems remarkably relaxed about slaughtering chickens in her dining room, but I suspect she is scared witless about what could happen to her family if we don't get the creature first. When we get there the walls are hung from the ceiling with taped together bin liners and the floor has a vast amount of newspaper on it. (Not one sheet thick, several newspapers thick.) Firstly Adam casts a "circle of protection" which involves making a fifteen foot pentagram on the floor in salt (pounds of it). Then Adam cast the spell to summon the Shoggoth. I contribute "power" to each of these. The second also involved killing a chicken. After this I was exhausted, so I curled up on a couple of chairs and went to sleep.

Elisa woke me up, saying something was coming (with the implication; you need to be awake in case we have to run for it). It was not long before dawn. The ghastly creature arrived, and to our enormous relief the Circle of Protection held. It was forced to stay there while Elisa casts the final spell on it. This involved the killing of two more chickens. Elisa ordered the creature to go "back whence you came, into the hole under the hill". Thus commanded the creature left.

We don't think that the creature will travel any significant distance before sunrise. It will probably just get to the Thames and hide. We are confident that it will not arrive at Silbury in only two nights travel. The very earliest we expect it is the early hours of Wednesday morning. Far more likely it will be sometime on Wednesday or Thursday nights.

After all of this I cannot go back to Avebury yet. The place is swarming with pigs. Jules and I are to stay on at the hotel.

Sunday 6th August

Jules seems to have had a good night, and enjoyed looking after Barbara's children. However she also found time to do some thinking. There was no point in hiding that Rodriquez had been shot. She saw that Moynahan had also been shot and Price in the back of the land-rover and didn't try to hide the weaponry from her. So she has worked out most of it. Her main concern is making 100% certain Moynahan will never come after her again. She fears he will be believed, patched up and back on duty in no time.

The fancy-dress "civil servant", who we find calls himself Forbush, turns up and takes charge. Odd name Forbush, there aren't any Forbushs in the phone directory. It seems that he (or more probably the mysterious "ministry" is paying for our room) so we have to be a least a little co-operative. Jules is still very frightened Moynahan will be back, and he assures her won't be. Meantime he tells us what we are to say, both to our friends and the Wiltshire pigs.

The story is that Jules has been helping the pigs with their enquiries, but it was Special Branch. Wiltshire pigs are to be told that this is so sensitive that they must pretend that they had her, and cannot be told anything about what it was about. I have been doing the same but for much less time. They supposedly picked me up on Friday, just after Belinda and I left the pub. (ie The last time I was seen by anyone in Avebury.)

The story about Imelda is that it was a sex attack, supposedly linked to some other attacks elsewhere. We are to admit to a business relationship with Mrs Harris, but it was purely business. We must always refer to her as "Mrs Harris" to stress the formality. We have not been in contact since Wednesday 26th when Jules got an apologetic phone call for missing the lunch date the previous day. Jules is not going to be able to hide being upset, but she would be even if she had hardly known Imelda at all. In this case, the local pigs and the press are being fed the same lies.

Moynahan has just disappeared, and everything is made to look as though it is associated with his marital problems. His house, where Jules was held, has been torched. MI13 clean up team used the same savoir faire, finesse and subtly as they had shown with the anti-tank munitions at Kennet Long Barrow. He (for it was not a large team) took a bin bag to collect the most obvious evidence and a Molotov cocktail to dispose of the rest. We are to deny any contact with him, since he made us move the van. This is the story for the pigs. The press aren't aware of anything out of the ordinary; a house-fire without casualties would only get in the local rag on a quiet day.

Rodriquez is of course the big story. All the press have been told is that a man was shot dead in a pub car park. His name has not been released as there have been difficulties contacting his next-of-kin and they have not yet been informed. This is bollocks but a good excuse for not releasing the name, and leaning on the press not to reveal it. (Obviously everyone in Avebury knows by now.) The story the local pigs are being told is that it was a gangland hit. It was a case of mistaken identity and the assassin got the wrong man, but the gangsters haven't realised this yet. It is considered of vital importance that they don't find out for as long as possible. Hence the can't-contact-the-next-of-kin story is to stand indefinitely. The press that work out it is bollocks will be told the mistaken-identity-hit story and that if they publish the "truth" they will be jeopardising national security. The press are being fed a lot of guff about "gun crime" and links to organised crime in the big city, so they have plenty to write about without straying anywhere near reality.

After this briefing he takes us around to Marlborough nick to meet the local pigs. Forbush claims to be a Special Branch Chief Superintendent, and has the Id. to "prove" it. (I got the impression when he took this out of his brief case that he was selecting this from a number of such IDs) He pulls rank and insists that the interview will be an informal chat in the canteen over mugs of tea, because we are "all on the same side", which I don't think anyone believes, but the pigs can't argue with a senior officer. He explains about us helping Special Branch and describes us as "consultants" rather witnesses or suspects.

It doesn't take long as we have damn all to tell them. Most of the questions are answered by Forbush interrupting to say we cannot possibly known. Most of the time is taken with silly trivial questions about "Mrs. Harris", which we ask generally truthfully, except for the final fictional phone call. The only other question Forbush allows us to answer if we know anyone who might have had a grudge against Moynahan. We pretend to think about this before saying "no". The interview finishes off with Forbush briefing the lies about the Rodriquez case, with us still sitting there.

The best thing about this interview is that pigs now "know" we are well thought of by Special Branch. Next time they are looking for someone to vent their spite on they are likely to pick on some other poor sod. I can see they may be hoping that they might have a couple of tame little grasses, but they can hope.

Monday 7th August

Jules has recovered enough to start to concern herself with my new hair colour. She is hoping it is only temporary, but I have a nasty feeling it isn't. We consider dying it but it would have to be done regularly and would be damned difficult in the van and would make a hell of a mess. Jules considers this and decides she cannot face it. She considers getting me to shave the lot off, but I really don't like that idea at all. I will be cold in winter. In the end, we (I did have some say) decide that we will pass it off as deliberate. I am supposedly bleaching it. Jules come up with a new hair style for me. In the end she seems quite pleased with it. I think it is more relief that she has come up with something good enough that she can plausibly pretend to like, more than really liking it.

Tuesday 8th August

Forbush is back.

They want me to join an outfit called MI13. Apparently Walters, Durham, Jamieson and Price are all in this intelligence organisation. It is sort of the pigs. My problem is that Jules was moderately and sensibly anti-pigs before the kidnapping, she now has a visceral loathing. She would walk out if I joined something like that. He says it doesn't have to be full-time. They will occasionally call on me. The story for Jules would be contract dowsing, probably arranged through Belinda. Jules reckons Belinda and Elisa are all right if only because they were helping rescue her. A major plus to this will be that if I get harassed by the pigs, I will be able to phone up MI13 and the pigs will be told to back off. It won't help with every day annoyances, but I will be able to prevent it escalating to far. The down-side which they didn't mention is that if they want me somewhere else, they may get the pigs to move us on so Jules doesn't know. On balance it is probably worth it. On past performance, I will get roped in anyway. This way I will get paid a bit when I do, although I am going to have to make damn sure Jules doesn't find out.

The most likely first bit of work will be doing some regular monitoring of Silbury hill. Assuming that we get the Shoggoth to go back down its hole, they want the hill monitored including regular dowsing surveys to check that nothing untoward is happening. It will only be a half day a week. Still it is better than nothing.