The Mist of Moningsbury

Chapter Five

It was late evening when The Mist trotted down the main road towards the dark figure standing at the tarmac's edge. The sun glancing low and crimson into the oncoming night. The road lead away from the village, towards seemingly nowhere and no other welcoming light touched the barren grass that surrounded them. Ahead was darkness.

As he got closer, he dismounted Exeter and strode meaningfully towards Victor. He knew he should approach this carefully. Victor was a sly and crafty spirit, but it had been a long day. The Mist was in no mood to waste time with conversation. Victor eyed him suspiciously as he approached.

"What do you remember from last night?"

"Ah" Victor replied, "Straight to the point I see." He gave The Mist a mischievous smile. The Mist's fingers rested lightly on his pistol.

"Now here is what I'll do." Victor continued, "You leave me to possess whoever I want, and I won't tell the others what you really are."

The Mist was surprised. He had not expected that at all. By 'others', Victor meant the other ghosts who usually occupied the house and village. And if they found out... The Mist did not want to contemplate how his life could fall to pieces. The low rumble of approaching vehicles sounded in the distance.

"Well?" Victor prompted, "Do we have an agreement?"

The Mist drew his pistol. If Victor could have gone a shade more pale, he would have.

"C-come on now. Be reasonable." The highwayman pleaded. "You can't do this."

The Mist's finger twitched towards the trigger, when suddenly the headlights of an approaching car caught his attention. In an instant he vanished, leaving only a thin mist where he had been standing.

Victor didn't seem to notice that anything had happened. He realised The Mist was no longer looking at him, and looked over his shoulder to watch the approaching vehicle. Without looking back, he made a dash, starting to sprint along the grass verge.

The Mist saw his attempt and tackled him into the ditch, the long grass that sprang from its soggy depths now hiding the oncoming car. They tussled about in the small space, each trying to overcome the other while the sound of engines grew louder.

Suddenly there was a loud screeching above their heads. The sound of tyres skidding to an abrupt halt. Surprised and shocked by the unexpected noise, the two men stopped fighting, looking at each other for a moment before peeping their heads over the lip of the ditch. The car had stopped, as well as two motorbikes. The two riders held a pistol each, one aimed at the driver and the other at the car's passenger.

"Get out." One of the riders said through his helmet. He addressed the passenger.

"Do you know who I am?" His victim replied indignantly, oblivious of the gun aimed at his bald, shining head. "I'm Mathew Snotem I'll have you know. Now get out of my way, I have a house to buy."

Victor drew in his breath, "No!"

The Mist didn't seem to hear, but continued to watch.

The rider became impatient. "Get out or I will shoot you."

"No." Mr Snotem replied.

"He'll be no good to ransom if he's dead." The other rider leaned over.

"I know that, but there's more than one way to get rich from him, whether he is alive or not." The first rider pushed his pistol closer to the bald head. His finger twitched towards the trigger.

Bang!

The pistol went off, but the bullet did not go through Mathew Snotem. It went through the car roof. The rider lay on the floor, struggling underneath The Mist of Moningsbury. The mysterious figure picked up the fallen weapon and opened the rider's dark visor, hitting the butt of the pistol hard into the unprotected face beneath. The other rider made a move to stop him but The Mist was too quick. A frantic and rather one sided battle ensued, the occupants of the car watching in amazement. Soon enough, both would-be kidnappers were lying unconscious on the grass verge, The Mist gracefully slipping his sword back into its scabbard.

Mr Snotem looked in awe at his cloaked rescuer. "My dear sir, thank you! How can I repay..." The figure had disappeared, leaving only a small trace of a thin swirling mist. Mr Snotem poked his head out of the car window, frowning in confusion. "Drive on" he said after a while. The car slowly rolled away towards the village, headlights picking out an empty road.

"You fool!" Victor burst out of the ditch. "What were you thinking?"

"I saved that man's life." The Mist replied calmly. "He would have been shot."

"I did not waste my life getting all that damned money just for some rotten Snotem to take my house!" He shouted, eyes blazing furiously through his mask.

The Mist had bent down to retrieve his own pistol from the ground. He stood up, looking curiously at the highwayman. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly.

Victor was taking deep, ragged breaths while the realisation of what he had yelled sunk in. He stood still. The Mist could see he was now trying greatly to keep his face blank.

"What do you mean?" The Mist repeated.

"Look" Victor said, "I won't tell them if you let me-"

"Don't change the subject." The Mist snapped. Things started clicking into place. "You mean Highhill House don't you. You mean..."

Victor glared viciously at him.

"You're Hector Du Shadow."

Silence stood between them. Victor's head bowed, clearly uncomfortable.

"You're Hector Du Shadow" The Mist said again, hardly believing what he was saying. Yet it all made sense.

"Tell anyone who I am and I'll tell them all your secret." Victor threatened, his voice wobbling and laced with fear. The Mist had truly never seem him like this before.

"Tell anyone who I am and I'll tell them your secret. Hector." He countered, a silent flood of relief pouring into him. There would be no need to shoot anyone tonight. This was just the bargaining tool he had needed. "I'm sure Gabrielle would love to know her family fortune was stolen."

He heard Victor's sigh of defeat, "There was no other way."

"Oh, I'm sure." The Mist mocked. "Do we have a deal?"

Victor was sure he could see the pleasure behind that green kerchief, easily imagining a satisfied grin. This time, however, there was really nothing he could do. He held out a hand, "We have a deal." He said.

The Mist shook the cold hand, then turned around and mounted his mare. Exeter had stood patiently beside the road throughout the whole ordeal, never liking to leave her Master out of sight. They started riding back towards the dim lights of the village that stood out like a quiet harbour facing a large and black ocean, the sun having long since sunk below the horizon.

"Wait." Victor called out after the retreating figure. "You know my real name now, can I at least know yours?"

The cloaked figure turned in his saddle. "No."