This is an interesting predicament, being locked in the basement, which was rather dark and damp, but surprisingly clean. Perhaps not surprising, Mandar likes things clean, but he could put more lights down here. Then our ‘nice’ visitor turned the lights off. “That was not very nice,” said Sky, “and after you were so nice to let her go last night too.” “Very funny,” I said, “I did not let her go.” “Well, we don’t have her as a prisoner,” said Sky. “She escaped,” I reminded her. “Oh, that’s right,” said Sky, “you were afraid you might hurt her so you did not shoot her.”

“Hmm, something like that,” I said. “We need to get out quickly,” said Jennifer, “I sense danger coming.” “Well, we do have a window,” said Dawn. “A little too small,” I said, “but there is a pole here, we will smash that door open!” Three of us grabbed the pole and ran up the stairs smashing into the door and knocking it open. There was no sign of our visitor, or anyone else. But Jennifer said she still sensed danger, though it was far away at the moment.

We kept checking for a way into the top floor, or that other tower, but to no avail, there just was no way to get up there. That other part of the upper floor is possibly where our visitor is living, though not necessarily. She could be living somewhere else, though I have no idea where. There are no other houses out this way, unless there is a house hidden back in the forest somewhere. I decided to send a coded message to Mandar and find out how to get into that upper floor. We were to soon find out that our night visitor was just the beginning of our problems.

Two of the girls went to check on our vehicles and found that someone had put sand in the gas tank. Actually, they filled it right up with sand. The person also took our spark plugs, so there was no way for us to leave this place. But why would someone want us to stay? After an hour I still had not heard from Mandar, which was unusual. He had told me that any message from me would be answered within ten minutes. It is not like Mandar to be so late, he is always very reliable. What I did not know, however, was that Mandar had been taken to the hospital.

He had been found in his office unresponsive. Normally he would not be alone, but sometimes for important private or business calls he will tell his guard and secretary to wait in the outer office. But how could anyone get into his office unseen? Or was this a health issue, like a heart attack? Unfortunately we have no idea what was going on back home. I only know that Mandar didn’t answer my message, and that had me worried. I tried calling Baldwin, but there was no answer. Then I remembered he was away on a business trip, so I called Annelie only to be told that number was no longer in service.

So I tried Matt and got the same message. Same thing with Rock, Aari, Kristina and Kat. Now I’m getting very worried. We were all outside at the moment, enjoying the back garden and I took Jennifer aside and told her our problem. “Perhaps that is the danger I was sensing,” she said, “I will try to contact Kat or Angel. Just then we heard sirens out front so we went back inside and found police and one other man standing in the living room. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” demanded the man.

“I will ask the questions,” I said, “and you can provide answers. Who are you and what are you doing here?” “This is my house!” he bellowed, “You are trespassing and if you don’t leave immediately I will have you arrested.” “We would love to leave,” I said, “but someone has tampered with our vehicles so that we can’t leave. However, you are the trespassers here and I demand that you leave immediately, all of you.” “I don’t believe this!” the man bellowed again, “I demand that you arrest these people!”

I then explained to the police officers who we were and what we were doing here, and that the house and property was owned by a friend of ours who was letting us use it for a short vacation. While I was trying to explain this, the one man who identified himself as Paul Gator, something that disturbed me a bit, kept interrupting and yelling louder and louder each time. “All that yelling is giving me a headache,” said Sky, “I’m going to lie down.” “Go with her Samantha,” I said.

But one of the police officers yelled, “stop, or I shoot!” Sky kept walking and the officer very quickly pulled his gun and shot Sky. She dropped to the floor immediately. “Now you die!” yelled Jennifer as she pointed at him. He immediately fell to the floor, dead. The rest of us pulled our guns while Samantha checked on Sky. She then looked at me with tears. “She’s dead Steve,” she said. “All of you put your guns on this table,” I said, trying to remain calm, “if you do not, I will shoot all of you for murdering my wife.”

Meanwhile, before this happened, Jennifer had contacted Kat and told her we were in serious trouble. “Matt,” said Kat, “Steve and the others are in serious trouble, we have to get out there fast. I want to come with you, I have one of your t-shirts to wear. I will go along as Aari’s girl.” It was just after Sky was shot and I had told the cops to surrender their guns, that I heard the roar of motorcycles outside. Dawn looked out the window.

“Looks like some motorcycle gang of some kind,” she said. Matt came to the door and Dawn opened it. “Hey, a party and no one invited us,” he said, “come on in boys!” Aari and Kat were next to come in. When Kat saw Sky on the floor bleeding she ran over right away. Matt and his boys suddenly went silent when they saw who it was. I went to sit in the kitchen with Muffin, then outside and sat on one of the benches. “You are responsible!” yelled Jennifer, as she went over to Paul Gator, or whoever he was.

“Ever meet a real ghost Mr. Gator?” she asked, “Well, now you have!” She then disappeared and reappeared. Gator’s eyes got real wide at that sight. “Why not do some yelling now, Gator?” she asked, “You were sure doing a lot before!” She then kicked him in the stomach, knocking him onto a chair. One of the police officers tried to intervene by grabbing Jennifer’s arm. She swung around hitting him several times and finally kicking him against the wall. Then she went looking for me, finding me outside on the bench. She sat down beside me, put her arm around me and cried with me. Muffin was on my lap, she cried too…

To Be Continued.

©2024 Steve McLeod.