I spoke to her because I was next of kin, and those in charge of the investigation though it was appropriate I heard testimony from an eyewitness.
She seemed a nice lady, harmless really, but strong like a beautiful tree, and you knew deep down that her branches could snap back at you if they were bent too far.
She told me she had been enjoying an evening wine on the deck of her house, she pointed outside in the direction of where it would have been had we not been at the table of a cafe at Coastlands.
She then recounted how she had noticed a man running along the path across the valley, in a disheveled state, obviously running from some thing, she made clear, he continually looked behind him as he hurriedly picked his way along the narrow path.
Her voice slowed and quietened as she told me what she had seen behind him. A huge dog, she said, with eyes like an angry man, but with beastly inhuman gait like an animal enraged, she had seen it look at her, but she told me that she had not felt anything as it caught her eyes, the look the beast gave her was one of casual indifference as though it cared not for what she thought or anything about her.
She said the speed and the ferocity of the attack were too mind-twistingly disturbing for her to recount, it was terrifying to think that beings capable of such devastating and deranged efficiency walked among us, she whispered, fear in her eyes for a moment. She told me she would need a drink before she could help with any other questions, so I thanked her for her help and we parted company.
I knew I must try to find the man but also that I must proceed with haste to Erasmus's farm, so that I could try to find out why he had left his sanctuary and just where in the blasted infernal dawn he had thought he was going. 'What madness had gripped him', I wondered aloud, detachedly staring at the fence posts as they flew by. I drove the old mill road up the valley to the gate, all was familiar, and the millions of rain drops, like miniature fairies floating on the breeze, gave the valley a lovely watery tinge, over the yellow of the parched grass of summer.
The house was lit up as I drove up to the gate, it was almost dusk and some light had gone, the cloud cover exacerbating its absence.
Ulysses the cat was there, an old friend at last I thought triumphantly, I had found the wee rascal in the paddock four years ago, obviously left on the roadside by some one who could not kill a cat, but could leave it to die.
He ran toward me, and waited for me to pat him, as a cat does, I chuckled, their haughty natures had always amused me.
The door was open and the kitchen seemed undisturbed for a moment, as if Erasmus had left and no-one had been through the door since. There was however, a strange feel to the air, a vague shift in the familiarity of it, something wicked had been through this house, it was easy in the end to feel it.
I got to the door before the stairs that led to the subterranean chambers and felt for my key, on the chain around my neck. Ulysses purred rubbing against my leg, he knew there was food for him down below. Unlocking the door, I was surprised by a gust of cold air, it was open somewhere down there, this was going to be interesting. I started down the stairs, reaching back to close the door, Ulysses just stood gazing down the stairs, with reproachful eyes, I knew he wasn't coming so I closed the door and continued my descent.
I worked out quite quickly what door it was and strode through the mess that the visitor had left to close it. Something scuttled off from the door, probably a possum I thought as I closed it, shutting out the light breeze and the fairy droplets that danced in on it.
The lab was a debacle, a scene of haste and anger, machines and documents littered the floor, it reminded me of the earthquake Erasmus and I had cleaned up after, though there was a more knowing destructive taint to this. Remarkably the forcefield generator seemed to have survived intact, something that caused me great relief, as I knew that whatever foul soul had killed Erasmus would no doubt come back once it knew that someone was in his old house.
It was only then that I remembered the capsule Erasmus had told me about, and only because I had seen the painting that he had asked me to do on the wall over it, I had created an old farm scene and disguised the capsules presence by painting a rickety old barn with a gaping black hole of a door, like a mouth of horror in a quiet looking country scene.
I struggled to remember the combination, Erasmus had made it the date at which he had taken over as my custodian, and I had to think for a moment as it was now so long ago. Inside was a laptop, typical Erasmus, never afraid to embrace new technology, he had left old mediums behind, as soon as he was able to, his fascination with gadgets had always driven him onward in the pursuit of his quest for enlightenment.
I fired it up and the only thing on the desktop was a video addressed to me. I clicked play.
Ten minutes later I was appalled, I had never seen him like that, he had relaxed more as the clip progressed, even managing a few jokes near the end, but his countenance had been decidedly different delineating his horrid unease.
He had spoken of his old adversary, who I knew to be his former best friend, but nothing else. Erasmus had said in the video that he had to get to him before the shape-shifters did, they planned to wipe out any who had knowledge of their existence in the country so that they could begin to wage war on a society they thought had gone to far in its subjugation of the flora and fauna of the world.
Admirable stuff really I thought for a moment, but the murder of humanity was never going to be the answer, it just seemed too filled with self loathing and therefore egotistical, after all the actions of the many do not always represent the beliefs of the all. He had finally told me where to find his friend who he said was well equipped to protect himself from the shape-shifters for a time, but would tire substantially after dealing with the devilish beasts for too long.
He had instructed me to take the force field generator and the old Audi from the barn and waste no time in getting to his friends house. He said I would be welcomed simply because I drove the car, apparently Erasmus had purchased it from his friends father.
I gathered up the contraption and raced up the stairs, within minutes I was in the car and driving, and Ulysses in the passenger seat having a wee kip.
It was dark now, but I swore I saw a form speedily shadowing the car in the fields next to the road, though the trees soon made it too dark for me to see anymore.
I drove with careful speed, knowing that time was against me and that the forces of a malignant evil were working to stop me on my journey, I gunned the engine and sped onto the motorway to Paekakariki.
Tune in next week for the next thrilling chapter.
