The Binsted Crawler

6

Life continued to be uneventful for the town of Binsted, although the last few weeks had changed the lives of a few, forever. Ben Hyde had been struggling more than most. Since the altercation with the monster in the woods, he had become ever increasingly paranoid. He felt the monsters presence everywhere he went. It was the day of Billy's funeral and Ben awoke as the first rays of the sun filtered through his bedroom window. Ben threw off his covers and sat up in bed, dropping his legs over the side. His feet came to rest on the floorboards below, he noted the cold feel of them. He yawned as he stretched and loosened all the muscles in his body.
Ben stood up and made his way to the bathroom. He ran the bath and waited  for it to fill. Gingerly, he walked over to the mirror that hung above the bathroom sink, inspecting his face, the dark rings around his eyes, the pale complexion, he looked terrible. Ben had been unable to sleep, the monster always seemed to find a way to invade his dreams. The bath had finally filled and Ben dipped in his big toe to test the water, it was on the hot side, but bareable. He shimmied out of his underwear and submerged his body in the water, exhaling with the heat. He relaxed for a few minutes, allowing the pores in his skin to open. Holding his breath, Ben fully submerged himself. For a moment he contemplated letting the water fill his lungs, letting everything end, but the moment passed as quickly as it arrived. To try and forget his moment of madness, Ben scrubbed his body till he felt clean.

Ben finished his morning ablutions and left the bathroom, towel tied around his waist, just incase his mother was walking around the house. On re-entering his bedroom, he saw that his mother had laid out his smart Sunday Suit. He dressed in silence. The troubled boy had no appetite for breakfast, instead he sat and watched his father read the morning paper and his mother sipping at her cup of tea. Soon enough, it was time for them to depart to the funeral. Although his Father owned a car, Ben decided they should walk the twenty minutes to the cemetery. Ben walked infront of his parents, blocking out their incessant chatter.

By the time they arrived at the cemetery, a small crowd of mourners had already gathered at Billy's graveside. Everyone knew that there wasn't a body within the modest coffin, though Billy's mother thought it right that her sons memory should be laid to rest. Ben took his place alongside his friends, beside the coffin, they shared a consoling smile. The mourners cried as the priest said his words, apart from Ben, he was numb to all sense and feeling. The service was short. As the coffin was covered with dirt, the crowd dispersed. Mrs.Dale stood alone by her sons grave, a ghost compared to the person she once was. There was to be no wake after the funeral.

Ben walked alone amongst the graves, reading the names of the dead. Some of the headstones were very old and worn. Claimed by lichen and moss. There was a whole section of the cemetery reserved for those that had fallen whilst serving in the Second World War. Rows and rows of identical white headstones. Ben noted that this part of the cemetery was obviously maintained more carefully than the rest, due to the freshly mown grass and fresh flowers.

Ben's silent contemplation was disturbed when he noticed someone watching him. It was a man, not one he recognised. The man was tall and skinny, he had a scruffy appearance. A long, unkempt, greying beard hung from his face and a pair of dark brown eyes sat above his crooked nose. He wore a long, beige trench coat over a brown woolen jumper. His trousers were frayed and torn, and his boots were scuffed. Ben became aware that he had wandered out of site of his friends and family, he was alone with the stranger.
He contemplated running, but curiosity kept him rooted to the spot. The scruffy man took a cautious step closer to Ben, raising his arms in a peaceful manner. "I'm not going to harm you boy," the man reassured in a deep but gentle voice. Ben felt the stranger was more nervous than he was, which oddly put him at ease, "who are you? What do you want?" The scruffy man lowered his arms, "my name is Gerald Finch, I know what you have seen, I know, that you know, I am innocent." Ben was speechless, his jaw just gaped open. "I can't stay, the police are still looking for me, if you want to learn more, meet me back here, tomorrow night, after dark." As Ben was about to reply, he heard his father call his name. He turned away from the scruffy man to see if his father was in sight. By the time he turned back, Gerald Finch had disappeared. Ben knew it was dangerous to trust the words of a stranger, but the tramp knew more about the monster in the woods, and Ben was hell bent on learning more.