The Spook 9 - Slither's tale Read Free Page B

seemed as if a gigantic eye was peering through the gap in the curtain.
    But how could that be? The beast was not that big. I’d glimpsed him on his visits to our farm and he’d seemed hardly taller than my poor father.
    Next there came a terrible crash from below. I knew exactly what it was and my heart began to beat even faster. The beast had smashed in the front door.
    I heard heavy feet stamping up the stairs, approaching the bedroom door. It was locked, but the door was nowhere near as stout as the one the beast had already forced – it would prove no defence at all. My whole body began to shake.
    The door handle slowly turned while I gaped at it in terror.
    ‘Nessa,’ the beast growled. ‘Open the door and let me in. I’m your new father now. Be an obedient girl and let me in.’
    I felt appalled at what he was saying. How could such a monster claim to be my father?
    ‘Your old dead father left the farm to me, Nessa,’ the beast continued. ‘And he gave you to me. And if you’re good to me, Nessa, then I’ll be good to your two plump sisters. He asked me to take your sisters on a long journey to live in happiness with your aunt and uncle. I promised him I’d do that because I always keep my promises to the dead. But you belong to me, Nessa. So you have to be obedient. Why don’t you answer? Don’t you believe me? Well, read this, then. It’s your father’s will.’
    I couldn’t believe what he was saying. My sisters were whimpering in shock. How could my father have agreed to such a terrible thing? I wondered. I thought he’d loved me. Didn’t he care about me at all?
    The beast pushed a piece of paper under the door and I clambered off the bed, picked it up and started to read what was written.
    To Nessa
    I’ve promised the beast that he can have the farm and you. In return he’s promised to deliver Bryony and Susan to your aunt and uncle. I’ve tried to be a good father and, had it ever proved necessary, I would have sacrificed myself for you. Now you must sacrifice yourself for your younger sisters
.
    Your loving father
    Despite the shakiness of the letters, it was undoubtedly Father’s handwriting, but I had to read it three times before its meaning sank into my befuddled brain. There were spots of blood on it – he must have written the letter in his final living moments.
    I couldn’t think straight, but I knew that I had to get the beast out of the house. If I didn’t agree to what my father had written, the dreadful creature would smash down the bedroom door and perhaps kill all three of us. So I took a deep breath to calm myself before speaking.
    ‘I accept the terms of my father’s will,’ I said. ‘But my sisters are terrified. I want you to go away and leave us alone for a while. Please stay away from the farm.’
    ‘I’ll do that, Nessa,’ the beast replied, surprising me with his agreement. ‘No doubt you’ll need some time to get over your father’s death. But you must come and visit me tomorrow just before sunset. I live in the largest ghanbala tree on the far side of the river. You can’t miss it. There we’ll talk about what has to be done.’
    *
    The following day I set off to keep my promise. I was terrified, and having to visit the beast at dusk only made it worse. I’d spent the day doing my usual farm chores in addition to those tasks usually performed by my father. Despite that, I hadn’t been able to keep at bay my fear of what was to come. Soon it would be dark and I would be alone with the monster and totally at his mercy.
    Neighbours had gone missing from time to time – something my father would never comment on. Once I had asked him whether he thought the beast was responsible.
    ‘Never speak of such things again, daughter!’ he had warned. ‘We are safe in our own house, so be grateful for that.’
    But now we were no longer safe in that house. If I did not visit the lair of the beast, he would return to our farm. What could be more terrifying