The Woman In Black

No illusions

My body couldn't longer contain the blood-curdling scream, that emerged from my throat, when my eyes laid upon the evil message scrawled on the filthy walls of Eel Marsh house.

'Mery Jonsun'

Not really what one would call a message, more a warning of such. I had seen enough to know there was some form of sick monster with me in this abandoned death trap.

Pelting down the stairs with all my might, forgetting to keep my footsteps quiet, I grabbed my bags waiting for me at the vast front doors, and pelted out in terror. My scarf, hung loosely around my neck, blew off on the way, but did I care? No.

For all I cared, I could have dropped all my luggage and coat, and still not returned for them. Something evil lived inside that house, and I refused to believe that it was merely the handy work of a few or a couple of children, or someone along those lines.

I quickened my pace up the what seemed endless path, when something caught the corner of my eye. A flash of black.

But, it didn't look like an animal.

At least not a local one, as it was too tall and big.

Could I possibly be having 'terror illusions'?

It had seemed very possible, as my vision became blurred with every step, and my body grew ever more wobbly, as if I was about to faint or topple over in fright.

I hurried past the menacing sign I had observed before at the front gate, 'Beware of the woman' ,when I paused.

'Beware of the woman'

'Beware of... the woman.'

Hmmmm.

*

I sat at a grimy table in the corner of 'The Rose and Sword' and sipped at the chipped mug of coffee wafting the unpleasant aroma of wet soil. I kept repeating the same thing in my head, over and over.

'The woman.'

'The woman...'

'The...woman?'

I snapped my head up as the bar door opened widely, releasing a draft from outside into the cosy warmth of the bar.

There stood the assistant I had seen before, who's bosses daughter...died, along with her unfortunate little friend.

He shuffled up to the bar blankly and asked in a dead tone, for a pint of beer. Obviously he was taking a break from the endless mourning from his boss. I understood completely that that was what people did when they lost family, but being the assistant of that whiney, wounded person would admittedly be HELL.

He took a seat on the edge of the table at the bar, and wiped his sweaty forehead with a grubby handkerchief that had emerged from his pocket.

I stood up from the lonely table I was currently sitting at, and walked slowly over to him, so as not to look too menacing. Bringing my mug with me, I placed it on the counter, before casually sitting down next to him. He gave me a swift glance and nod, noticing my existence, before doing a double-take realising he recognised me somehow.

He looked at me for a while before his eyes widened.

I grimaced.

'Remember me then?' I asked in a serious voice, though I obviously already knew the answer, as it was written all over his face.

'You're the woman from London! You came about your husband! You...'

He leaned closer, so as not be overheard, though I didn't really understand why seeing as we were literally the one people in the bar.

'You're that lady, who talked about seeing that Janet woman in Eel Marsh House!'

I nodded solemnly.

'I need to ask a favour from you... umm..'

'Phil, Phil Perkins.'

'Well Phil, I need to ask you a few questions.'