Beast

The letter

It has been two days since Ray and Peter met, it went well if you ignore a couple of digs that Ray had thrown at Peter. I switch off the TV, Ray is currently away at work and I don't feel like leaving his flat so I've decided to stay in until he gets back. I walk towards Ray's office, hoping he has a few books that I can read to pass the time.

I push open the door, seeing a large oak wood table with a large black chair behind it, a laptop and a pot of pens are the only things on the table, a large bookcase takes up the entire space of one of the walls. I head over to it, my eyes going over all the books and files, I finally spot the reading books and walk closer to them, scanning over the titles. I reach up to the high shelf when I spot a title that I like, my fingers are just able to grasp the book as I pull it out of its place, it slides out a little, resulting in me having to pull on it harder.

I jump at the sound of the book hitting the floor, I guess I pulled a bit too hard. I lean down to pick it up and as I do an envelope falls out from between the pages, I freeze thinking it's from unknown number, but he doesn't put his notes in envelopes, besides this envelope looks rather old. I pick it up and turn it over 'Ray Sylvester' is written on the front, a bit of the ink is smudged.

I probably shouldn't open it if it belongs to Ray but after staring at it for a while, my curiosity gets the better of me and I slowly pull the folded up letter from the envelope. The paper is thin and an off white colour, hinting that this was written a very long time ago and has probably never left its hiding place in the book since Ray had put it there.

To Ray,

I am writing this letter to warn you, that boy is up to no good, you best keep a close eye on him. When the time comes I want you to separate the two, send them off to different families and never bring them back, however do not try to intervene after that point, it will only anger him. 

I want you to do something for me Ray, in five years time I want you to return to the care home, I have left you a box under the floorboards on the second floor, it contains three things; a map, a key and a gun. If after five years you do not find the box then don't worry, it's likely that I have carried out the request myself, but if you do find it then I want you to follow the map, use the key and then when the time comes, use the gun.

Ray, do not try to go looking for the box now, it will be pointless, only after five years can you carry out my request, that way you can fully understand why I have asked you to do this. But beware Ray, if you die carrying out my request (which there is a high possibility that you might) then the whole plan will go to waste and we will all end up dead, so please be careful.

The beast is coming Ray. 

Signed, Mathew Cross.

I furrow my eyebrows as I come to the end of the letter, Mathew Cross? Wasn't he the co owner of WestTown Care home? Why did he send Ray this letter? It's obvious that he wants him to kill someone, but who? Has Ray already carried out the 'request' or is the five years still not up yet? Maybe he wants to kill unknown number, he did mention the beast after all, but why? 

I fold the letter back up and push it back into the envelope, which I return between random pages in the book, I push the book back into its place on the shelf, back to how it was. I'm not going to mention it to Ray, but I want to know if he had carried out the request. When Peter and I had visited the care home, I didn't notice any floor boards that looked like they had been deliberately pulled away, they just had fire damage and stains, maybe I should go and look for the box? 

I close his office door quietly and head back towards the living room, jumping on the sofa with a sigh. I don't know what to do, Ray could get angry if I mention that I had read his letter, so it's best that I don't tell him. Maybe he's forgotten about the request altogether. I shake my head and pick up the remote control again, looks like I will just have to watch TV until Ray gets home. I jump suddenly when I notice a small polaroid taped to the black TV screen, that definitely wasn't there before, is someone in here with me? 

I look around and try to listen but everything is quiet, I slowly get up and walk towards it, my jaw falling open when I see that it's a picture of me. I'm standing in Ray's t shirt with a book tucked under my arm and a letter in my hands, this was taken just now in Ray's office. I flip over the polaroid: My precious little sleuth, do not speak of me harming you again as it will never happen, you are too precious to me - Unknown number. PS, I deleted the CCTV footage, so do not worry about Ray finding out. 

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I take the final bite of my sandwich, clapping my hands together to get rid of any crumbs before tossing the packaging in the bin under my desk. I look at the time on my computer screen, just fifteen minutes until my break ends, I'm sure that's enough time I grab hold of the mouse and open up the internet before typing in 'WestTown care home', different articles, mostly from online news pages are listed, describing the fire and uproar that had happened years ago, with quotes from the police about the survivors.

I decide to type in something different 'Mathew Cross', this time links to various social media accounts are listed and at the bottom there's a link to an article about WestTown care home, but nothing that stands out. Is he still alive? I know he survived because he wasn't present when it all went down but is he still alive today? Does he know that the beast has made an appearance? Probably not. 

I pick up my mobile phone, scrolling to the bottom of my contacts list to a number that I haven't rang in years, yet a number that I have never gotten round to deleting, I almost forgot that it was on my phone. I hold the phone to my ear, listening to the sound that lets me know that it's ringing on the other end. After a few seconds the low voice of what sounds like a middle aged man comes on the other end 'Hello? My name is Ben, how may I help you?'

I sit up straighter in the uncomfortable office chair, 'Hello Ben, my name is Ray and I used to work at WestTown care home' I pause, taking a short breath 'I've just called to ask about the ownership of the care home, who owns it? Is it still Mr Cross?' 

'Just give me a minute and I will check for you sir' Ben replies, I wait patiently as I hear him tapping on a keyboard before a couple of clicks from a mouse is heard, Ben finally speaks again 'Yes, Mr Mathew Cross is the sole owner of the care home, after the second owner passed away' 

'Oh, has he not sold it?' I ask

'No sir, a couple of decades ago Mr Cross and his then partner had bought the land from us and built the care home, a few weeks after the unfortunate incident this company offered to buy it back but Mr Cross refused stating that he had plans for the land, however it's been untouched since so I don't know what his plans are' Ben explains, speaking slowly.

I nod 'Thank you very much Ben, good bye'

'Good bye Ray' 

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I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, I was going to leave it a bit longer but I decided to upload it for you guys :) I hope you enjoy. Vote & Comment. What do you guys think of Ray? Any opinions? Is he a good guy or a bad guy? What do you think Mathew Cross wants Ray to do? And any thoughts on Peter? 

I have also edited/changed the chapter 'Survivors' so you may want to read it again, in order for upcoming chapters to make more sense.