Henry Neville- The Geist Therapist

12. The Thames Spectre: Chapter Five

The Face in the Window

"I don't know this place. The beauty of this city is ruined behind all this brick," the spectre hissed as he slowly glided down the street away from Hammersmith Bridge. "And metal. So cold and drull," ignoring many of the alarmed Londoners and their protests he continued to scold the architectural structures and the ugliness of the once stone and wooden city.

The spectre had long since given up on trying to figure out why he was back among the living; he decided it was now time to have some fun. He evaporated into nothing drawing loud gasps from those around him.

The spirit reemerged inside a nearby bakery. The stoves shook and the loafs of bread were raised in the air spinning in a circle before being launched at the baker and nearby customers like missiles by an invisible force.

The spectre laughed as he watched the pale ghostly horrified looks on the faces of the living. He flung himself forward and materialised enough to smash the window as he passed out of the bakery and into a florist.

Flowers and plants were being ripped from their pots where to the normal eye looked like they were throwing themselves across the room with great spasms of energy. The ghoul lifted the young flower girl into the air and dropped her into a display of ceramic pots, smashing them on impact. Fortunately the girl was not hurt.

Frustrated by this, the spectre fled through the doorway and pushed a gentleman in a bowler hat into the side of an abandoned carriage. The horse and driver had long evacuated at the sight of the entity.

Looking up into the smog filled sky the spectre smiled, "This city will be reinvigorated and I shall call it home." He raised his arms and bolts of lightning rained down from the smog and straight into his finger tips and out through his feet striking the ground beneath him.

The foundations of the buildings shook vigorously, the plate glass smashed into tiny fragments and the cobbled brick beneath him began to crumble. The street emptied of the residents and locals as they ran with terrified screams in every direction. The carriage, market stalls and any other object not secured down were lifted into the air. When the lightning stopped they were pulled back down to the ground by gravity, destroyed beyond repair on impact.

Several loud whistles distracted his train of thought. There were several uniformed constables surrounding him holding truncheons. He studied them, knowing them to be frightened, "Are you soldiers of the monarch?" He asked.

One man stepped forward, "We are officers of the law. We serve and protect."

"Your protection is not needed here," the spectre clapped his hands together, a shockwave left his fingertips and the seven officers in front of him were pushed backwards, tripping over debris.

"I say, you stop that this instance!" The constable angered, "I will have to-"

The spectre cut him off. "You'll have to what?"

The officer backed down and regrouped with his colleagues.

"The realm of Victoria has made men weak," The spectre said to himself. "Leave this place if you do not wish to die!" He shouted to the uniformed men.

"We will not leave until you tell us what you are and what you want! Are you a servant of God or Satan?"

"I serve only myself. The wills and laws of men do not comply. You could not truly comprehend what I am."

"We demand that you retire quietly or return back to once you came!"

An electrifying spark crossed the spectre's eyes, "You dare to command me?" He glided towards the officer, outstretching his arm as he neared.