Haunted: A Lockwood & Co Story

Chapter Eight: Death at Portland Row

Charlotte slammed the door of the cab shut, running up the stairs to the front door. She slid her key into the lock just as Lockwood appeared behind her. Charlotte swung the door open. Nothing looked out of place or wrong. There was not a single noise in the entire house. Charlotte ran up to the floor with the boys bedrooms on them. George's room was empty and the bathroom door was wide open.

"George? George, where are you?" Charlotte shouted out. She ran down the stairs as Lockwood shut and locked the door. George ran up from the kitchen. Charlotte let out a sigh of relief when she saw him.

"You said midnight!" George told them. It was almost quarter to three now and Charlotte felt bad.

"You didn't wait up for us did you?" Charlotte asked the boy. He nodded.

"Of course I did. Where's the mirror? What the hell have you two been doing all night?" George questioned. Charlotte looked to the floor as her cheeks flushed.

"I'll tell you later." Lockwood said. Just as he went to ask George something, there was a loud banging on the front door behind them, which caused Charlotte to jump. All three looked at the door.

"Who's that?" George asked, fear appearing in his voice. Lockwood looked at Charlotte who gave him a very subtle nod. He then moved to the door to look through the peep hole. Charlotte placed one hand on her rapier ready to pull it out if needed.

"It's Carver." Lockwood told them. Charlotte pulled out her rapier at his words. If what Flo had said was true, this man was dangerous.

"Wait, who's Carver?" George asked, confused.

"He's Danny's partner." Charlotte told him. Lockwood pulled his rapier off his belt and slid the lock out of its place. He looked back at Charlotte and George, and Charlotte gave him a nod, letting him know that they were ready. Lockwood turned the door knob and opened the door. Carver walked into the hallway, stumbling as if he were drunk. He took a few steps into the hall and Charlotte stood in front of George who had no weapon to protect himself. Carver took another step forwards, only to fall to the ground, face first. Charlotte let out a gasp as she saw the knife sticking out of his back. Lockwood quickly shut the door, and Charlotte threw her rapier to the floor.

"Oh my gosh." George muttered.
"Charlotte, call an ambulance. Now." Lockwood instructed the girl who ran into the sitting room where the phone currently was. She rang the emergency line.

"999, please state your emergency." The person on the phone said.

"We need an ambulance, a man just got stabbed and is dying. Please send it quickly." Charlotte quickly told them.

"Okay, what's your address?"
"35 Portland Row, Marlyebone." Charlotte said.

"Quickest we can get there is 10 minutes." The responder said. "Please sta-"
Charlotte then hung up on the line and raced back to where Lockwood and George were with Carver.

"What did he say?" Lockwood asked. The two boys were crouched by the dying man, trying to hear what he was saying.

"Bone Glass? What does that- What does that mean?" George asked, confused.

"Is that what the mirror is?" Charlotte asked, looking up at Lockwood who shrugged also not knowing.

"Seven. Not one." Carver grunted in pain.

"Seven what?" George pressed for more information. "Did you look into it? What did you see?"
"Terrible things." Carver wheezed and rasped in pain. Charlotte almost felt bad for the man. Carver exhaled and Charlotte had to push her hair out of her face as it fell.

"Come with me." Carver whispered.

"Where? Where do we need to go?" Charlotte asked the man. He didn't say anything to her.