Faerie

Chapter Two

Authors Note: Thanks for the already kind comments and votes. I thought I'd be kind and spent five hours editing chapter two for you peeps, as I know some of you have been waiting a while. Thanks again :)

Chapter Two

The weather wasn't all that pleasant today. Cambridge sat under a blanket of grey clouds that threatened to rain. It was a dank and horrible day. Museum staff turned on extra lights in the larger exhibit rooms. Surprisingly, the museum was quite busy with tourists not wanting to get drenched and seeking refuge.

I had been in the lab since eight this morning, typing up notes to do with roman coins found in England. I could hear the faint chimes of bells from St Mary's church down the road, indicating that it was precisely quarter to eight in the evening.

I should have left hours ago. However, Karina had phoned in sick, something she is renowned for doing on a Friday, despite her work ethics. Causing the amount of work to pile up during the day. Only two months left to finish and I wasn't even half way. Anxiety threatened to wash over me at the pressure. Thank goodness it was Friday and I had the weekend off.

Shutting down my laptop and tidying away my notes and books, I sent the artefacts back to be archived. Running a tired hand through my long hair I sighed loudly, I was the only one down here and had been for a few hours.

It had been a long day that I forgot all about the mysterious box. As soon as I got home last night I went straight to bed and didn't wake until my alarm went off. I didn't have time to stop and look at it.

Reaching into my satchel I felt the light wooden object and slowly pulled it out. My heart skipped a beat as I made sure no one else was down here. I didn't know why I wanted to keep it hidden; it was as if it was telling me to do so. I opened the lid and peeked at the necklace inside. It shimmered. I closed the lid and placed it back in my bag.

My low heeled boots squeaked against the marble flooring, echoing out throughout the building. I disliked working late, not because I didn't enjoy my job, I did. It was the fact of walking through an empty museum with no one but the odd security guard. A chill ran down my spine at the thought of staying here alone over night.

Relieved as I pushed open the doors, the night's chilly air took hold of me, making me pull my jacket closer around me. The wind was still here and whirled my hair back as I took to the stone steps. The quicker I walk, the sooner I would get home.

Friday night in Cambridge was dead. Nightlife here didn't truly start till gone nine. So, I wasn't surprised to find no one, not even a soul walking the streets, apart from a couple of waiters, or barmen late for work and the odd homeless person curled up in the doorway of a shop.

I found the odd person milling around comforting, until I rounded the corner onto Christ's Lane. The gloom of the walkway was spooky, with the glow of the street lights trying to brighten the furthest of shadows. Needless to say, I half ran and half walked the short distance into the park. I should have really took the long way home, passed the bus station and followed the main road around. However, this way was quicker and I like to think I have my wits about me.

Shoving my hands deep into my pockets I picked up my pace. Bare leafed trees lined the walkway on either side like shoulders. I was almost halfway across the park when a large gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet. Steadying myself, I clutched at both my coat and bag. Where had that come from?

I carried on, my hand protectively over my bag; I could feel the corner of the box poking through the leather material. The wind started howling. Great I thought I needed the added eerie effect.

The wind howled once more and the wind pushed and pulled. I thought I could feel a splatter of rain. I looked up at the night sky. Stars shone like buttons, trying hard not to be put out by the light pollution of the city; there were a few clouds, though none of them looked heavy with rain.

Just then I heard the faint noise of horses, galloping. I listened harder. In the distance I heard shouting, it was like listening to a horse race. Whatever it was, it was getting louder and every few seconds fading in and out as if it was being aired on a poor radio.

I looked around me, I was the only one in the park. My eyes stared harder at the shadows, maybe someone was watching something on their phone and I hadn't seen them.

However, the tall lamps gave way to most of the park, golden light casting it's rays here and there and as I stood in the centre of the neatly designed park. I could hear the horses neighs loud and clear. The ground in which I stood on began to rumble from the stampede. But, there was nothing, I could see no one. My heart began to beat faster, I tried telling myself it was in my head and I was getting tired. Even so, I had never experienced this before. Hallucinating was deemed serious, right?

I was facing towards the town centre. In the distance St Mary's church bells chimed eight times, indicating it was now eight at night. It didn't stop the nearing noise, edged with sounds of shouting and hollering, a frightening sound the ground shook with the nearing of hooves pounding the ground.

I turned sharply then and staggered back at the sight before me. Crouched the other end of the flower arbour was a silhouette. It looked like an elderly man, his torso bent from years of osteoporosis. However, he hobbled closer with not much effort at all. The light catching his frightening features, gasping, I looked at it in shock, my eyes wide and terrified.

This creature wasn't an old man at all. His skin was pale with a hint of green and even though he was covered in wrinkles, his sneer was something to be reckoned with as I caught a glimpse of his needle sharp teeth, it looked like broken bits of glass. I could almost make out his oversized nose that hung to a point past his chin and his ears were large, floppy and torn and reminded me of a Springer Spaniel. His black eyes glared at me wickedly and I choked back a scream. He was something only imagination can create.

I've been spending too much time in the labs. That was it. I blinked a few times. Desperate that it was my eyes seeing things. No. He was real. My eyes flickered to his right clawed hand grasped around a jagged blade.

The mere sight of him sent an instinctive rush of adrenaline though my body, making the hairs on my arms stand up. Suddenly all I could think of was, Run. NOW!

Spinning round, the avenue of trees seemed longer than I thought. I had never ran so fast in my life. I was nearing the edge between Milton's Walk and Christ's Lane, when a tall shadow stepped out in front of me.

Then everything went black.