The Ghost Hunter Chronicles - A Place of Nightmares Vol 1.

A Place of Nightmares Chapter 18 Hostages

The warble of the Ambulance grew closer. I could also hear the sound of smaller engines and wheels crunching on the gravel outside. I was trying to breathe a sigh of relief, as much as my busted ribs would allow.

The other Cardinal George Snell came into view hurrying up the steps with a heavy set looking man that seemed to have stepped out of an episode of All Creatures Great and Small.

They hurried over to me, "Hello Miss Longwood, I'm Cardinal George Snell, this is Doctor McAllister."

"Aye, lassie, nice to meet you." He said in a broad Scottish brogue. "How de ya feel?"

"I've been better." I replied, and sucked in a breath as he examined my ribs. He clucked his tongue and turned to the EM's as they ran in.

"What have we got?" Asked the first one through the door, she was petite, dark and had the musical lilt of Jamaica to her words. Her partner a big blonde fellow knelt beside me and began winding a blood pressure monitor around my arm.

"Hard to say without an ex-ray but had I te guess, I'd say at least three busted ribs." McAllister replied.

"How did you do this to yourself love? I'm Shae" she introduced herself.

I smirked and replied, "Tried to open the front door." The two EM's exchanged a worried look and turned to look at Aide.

I almost started giggling again, to think of Aide picking me up and throwing me was preposterous. Aide was 5'7 and skinny. I had at least ten pounds on him. Not that I was the husky type but I was tall and had a gym addiction. It was mandatory in my line of work. I had to be physically and spiritually strong. Besides my Cherokee heritage allowed me more of a muscular build.

They looked back at me, and this time a giggle squirted out before I could stop it.

"No, it wasn't him. It wasn't anyone here." I replied.

Dr McAllister surprised me by nodding, "It was the witch's curse aye lassie?"

My eyes widened and the two EM's looked at him as if he had gone mad.

"I was to attend one o' the wee lassie's living here last week. At first I thought she might have just bumped her wee head. Fainted she did. But, seeing this lady's injuries and the state of this place. I'd say the curse be at work again. Aye!" He said nodding.

"What curse?" Asked the big blonde EM, who's name I still didn't know. He passed me a green whistle and told me to give it a pull when the pain got bad, then he and Shae got busy relieving me of my modesty so they could bandage my ribs.

"The curse of Black Hannah, the baby murderer." Replied the doctor. "It's why we have three members of the clergy here I'm guessing." He glanced at Aide and he nodded.

I looked over to where the three clergy men stood in a huddle. Once again they seemed to be sending George back into town with the O'Donnel's.

Maggie ran back up the steps and called through the door, "We'll call the hospital and come see you. I'm so sorry Shania!"

I nodded and waved, already feeling a little happy from the magic whistle. She stood looking until Martin came and gently guided her back down the steps. George Snell followed them, I heard the car start up, and yet another small part of our party was being ferried to safety. Or so I thought.

The EM's man handled me onto a stretcher, and the blonde guy who turned out to be named Bobby replied to the doctor, "Never heard of her."

Apparently that was the exact wrong thing to say within these walls, no sooner was it out of his mouth, and an ear splitting scream tore through the air. I noticed a black shape come screaming down the stairs and straight out the front door, after which it slammed shut with such force that the glass in the little window shattered. I saw Jim and Cardinal Ambrose start in surprise, they were still standing just outside as the door shut.

The Armoire came sliding back across the floor and lodged itself in front of the door. It was after this as everyone was staring bewilderedly around that I felt energy rushing straight at me. I didn't even have time to yell before something barreled straight into the gurney lifting me and it high in the air. I felt my breath catch as I became air borne. Then the jarring impact of being slammed into the floor.

My already busted ribs screaming at me as once again I was body slammed on my left side. I was scared of a punctured lung, I just hoped the wrappings would prevent that.

I was dimly aware of the EM's screaming in fright, Dr McAllister brandishing a crucifix he'd produced from some where, and yelling for the spawn of Satan te get thee behind ye!

What surprised me most was Aide, he had picked up a heavy chair from the living room and was hefting it though the big French Doors that lead to the porch. He threw the chair and the sound of broken glass was deafening.

Jim and Cardinal Ambrose seized the opportunity and rushed through the opening. No sooner had they entered. Some thing coalesced into view in the living room. A black huddled form, with a rat's nest for hair. "Noooooooooo you don't!!!!!!" It screamed and the clergy men hit the deck as the glass flew back into the doors and storm shutters clapped shut over the doors and all the windows.

The house was plunged immediately into a gloomy false twilight. Shae and Bobby ran over to me, righting the gurney and checking my injuries. They were both shaking, but trying to deny what was right in front of them by turning to the normality of their training.

"No!" Yelled Hannah again and the two paramedics were knocked off their feet. Bobby landing hard and knocking his head, make that a total knockout. Shea being so small was picked up and flung against the far wall. She landed awkwardly, her right leg bent at an impossible angle beneath her. Again I heard the crunch of broken bones and Shea screamed in pain.

"You can't stop me! I'm not dead!" Screamed Hannah and disappeared.

I saw Aide, the priests and Dr McAllister were standing in a huddle in the centre of the room. The Doctor still brandished his crucifix, Ambrose was again chanting in that ancient language, Jim was repeatedly reciting the Lord's Prayer.

Another scream tore through the place. Hannah was indeed pissed!! "You'll keep!" Hissed her voice the through the air.

Then as always her tirade ended, obviously the prayers hurt her.

Silence descended like snow, dust motes twirled in small shafts of sun filtering through the cracks in the shutters.

I looked around, Bobby lay unconscious by the fireplace, Shea was was whimpering in fear and pain against the back wall. Aide rushed over to me, he was covered in nicks from smashing the doors. A little blow back there.

We had to do something about this and soon. The energy was escalating this time Hannah had exacted mass casualties, and she also had what she wanted all along, - hostages.

I was beginning to think we would be lucky if any of us made it out alive, if indeed we could make it out at all.