The Master of the House

“Look, I tell you, its easy money,” said Mandy.

“I don’t know,” answered Glen uncertainly, “what if we get caught. I’ve already got a suspended hanging over me. I don’t want to go down.”

Mandy looked at the young man in front of her, contempt barely hidden behind her beautiful ice blue eyes.

“We won’t get caught, will we,” she said walking over to him.

Glen watched fascinated by the way her body moved, the way her hips glided sensually from one side to the other. The way she had of flipping her hair as she walked so that the long flowing locks of brightly spun gold fell about her shoulders and gave her a wild yet innocent look.

“There’s no one to catch us, is there,” she said, as she very slowly sat astride him. Her long well toned legs gripping him firmly, “there’s just that one frail deaf old man and he lives on the first floor. He’ll never hear us.”

“I still don’t know Mandy.”

“If you do this for me Glen,” she said, pressing herself hard against him so that her breasts were tight against his chest. “I’ll do anything for you.”

“Anything?” he asked, a leer coming into his voice.

“Yes,” she said seductively, as she pushed a hand between them, “anything.”

“Ok,” “said Glen, his voice shaky as Mandy’s hand moved down his body, “I’ll do it.”

“Of course you will,” she thought to herself as her fingers talked Glen into yet another bad decision.

A few hours later the two of them met up with the others who were going to take part in their little game of breaking and entering. There was Glen’s little brother, fifteen year old Simon, a pale thin young man who so much wanted to be like his brother. And who was also secretly in love with Mandy. The other two were old school friends of Glen’s, Jim Skeetly, a weasel of a human being who was always on the look out for an angle, or someway to blackmail someone, and Gavin ‘Crush’ Gray. As his name suggested Gavin was the muscle, a huge brute of a youth, with no brain and a passion for violence. Mandy was the only girl in this match made in hell and she liked it that way. Her body gave her power over Glen and Glen controlled the others, so she controlled them all.

“I don’t know,” said Simon, once Glen had laid out his plan. Really it was Mandy’s plan but she very much liked to play the power behind the throne.

“What’s the matter little brother,” laughed Glen, “is this too much for you?”

“No it’s just,” said Simon stammering.

“It’s just what?” sneered Glen, “you all but begged me to let you hang out with us and now you’re crying off like a baby.”

“Yes like a baby,” laughed Gavin, his deep voice sounding like an avalanche.

“Get stuffed Crush,” said Simon before he could stop himself.

“What did you say?” said the giant teenager, getting to his feet.

“Easy Crush,” said Glen, “he didn’t mean it, did you Simon?”

“No, no. I was just mucking about,” Simon said quickly, a small sheen of sweat rapidly forming on his forehead. Everyone knew that to make fun of Gavin or to insult him was a quick way of getting yourself crushed.

“Yer well,” rumbled Gavin, as he sat back down, “You better have been.”

“Now if we can get back to it,” said Glen, “Are you in or out Simon?”

“He’s in aren’t you?” said Mandy softly, as she walked up to Simon and put her arm round his shoulder, “I need someone to hold my hand in the nasty dark house.”

The other three laughed at Simon’s obvious discomfort at having Mandy so close to him.

“You are coming aren’t you?” she said as she kissed him lightly on the neck.

“He will be in a minute,” laughed Jim pointing, “Look he’s got a boner now.”

Simon jumped up, trying to hide his excitement from the others, and said.

“Yes alright I’m in.”

“Good,” said Mandy walking back to sit next to Glen. But not before unseen by any of the others her hand had brushed quickly across the front of Simon’s jeans.

Simon watched her walk back to his brother, she acted as if nothing had happened then as she sat down next to Glen she gave him the smallest of winks, that seemed to him to be full of promises.

“Ok then lets meet up at the entrance to the park at about eleven thirty,” said Glen getting up and pulling Mandy with him, “and Crush.”

“Yes Glen.”

“Try and be quiet this time.”

“Ok,” said Gavin slowly, “I’ll try.”

It was nearer midnight than eleven thirty by the time the five of them met up. Gavin as always was late.

“So why are you late this time Crush?” asked Glen rolling his eyes sky ward in a why me gesture.

“Sorry Glen,” said the big teenager in his slow gravel voice. “I think my watch has stopped.”

“Did you over wind it again dopy?” laughed Jim.

“I think so.”

In spite of himself Simon burst out laughing when he heard this.

“You laughing at me again Simon?” growled Gavin.

“Calm down Crush,” said Simon, “It’s just a joke.”

For all his size Gavin could move with striking speed when he wanted to. Something that people almost always found out too late about him. This time it was Simon who found himself lifted off his feet before he knew what was happening.

“Do you see me laughing?” asked Gavin, as he pulled Simon right up to his face, “well do you?”

“Put him down Crush,” said Glen softly.

“He’s laughing at me,” answered Gavin, not letting go of Simon.

“I know Crush, but still put him down.”

Gavin was slow, not stupid. And he knew it was always better to do what Glen said than to cross him.

“Ok Glen,” he said, as he slowly lowered Simon to the floor, “anything you say.”

“Shame,” said Mandy pressing herself up against Glen, “I thought there was going to be a fight, I love fights.”

“Yes I know you do,” said Glen, “sometimes too much.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said smiling. “I really don’t.”

As the other three walked off Simon said to Gavin.

“Sorry about that Crush, I was only joking,” and held out his hand for Gavin to shake.

The giant looked at it for a moment then said, “Your brother’s not always going to be about shithead,” and pushed roughly pasted him. Simon stood there in the dark watching the big man walk off, a cold sheen of sweat forming on his forehead.

Ten minutes later the five of them were standing outside the once proud Silvermore manor. In its hey day it had been the gathering place for princes and celebrities. Hardly a week passed without there being a ball or some kind of social event happening in or around the Manor and its magnificent gardens. But that was long ago. Now the gardens had been turned in to a public park, and the manor itself sat in the middle of them, forlorn and alone a last bastion of gentler times. But all this was lost on the gang of teenagers who now stood in front of it. All they saw was a broken down building that was long over due for the attention of a bulldozer.

“What a dump,” said Glen quietly, as he stared up at the peeling paint and the ivy covered woodwork, “you sure this is worth it Mandy?”

“I tell you Glen he’s loaded,” she said once more wrapping herself round him, “and anyway remember what I said earlier, anything.”

“Yes,” he said with a leer, “I’d forgotten about that, so how do we get in?”

“That’s the easy bit,” she said moving away from him, “my aunt Jean cleaned here for a few months, she was always going on about how the old boy leaves the windows open no matter what the weather. So all we have to do is just climb in and help ourselves.”

“Ok then,” said Glen his leer turning into an evil little smile, “let’s do it.”

It only took them a few minutes to find the promised open window. And with the ease of long practice they soon had it open. In a matter of moments they were standing in the main hall of Silvermore Manor.

“Wow, big,” whispered Jim, as he turned rounded.

“Ok guys,” said Glen his voice low, “you know what to look for, and be quiet. “We don’t want to wake the old man up.”

The five of them split up and started to search the ground floor rooms of the old broken down manor house.

Simon was half way through his room when he felt, rather than heard someone watching him. His blood ran cold when he heard a voice say, “No brother here shithead.”

Simon stopped searching and turned slowly round to see Gavin’s giant form blocking the doorway.

“Hang on now Crush,” Simon said shakily, as he backed away across the room.

“What for?” said Gavin, as he entered the room. “I said you were going to pay for laughing at me.”

Simon backed up till he felt the rear wall of the room press against his back.

“Nowhere to go now, is there you little turd,” growled Gavin with a cold hard smile.

Simon couldn’t take his eyes off of the slowly approaching giant. He’d seen Gavin crush people before and had even once or twice started fights himself to get the big man going. It had always been fun to watch Gavin beat some poor innocent into a bloody pulp. But now that it was himself that was going to be crushed, he didn’t think it was funny at all. There was no way that Simon could hope to defend himself against Gavin. So he did what he always did when his big mouth got him into too much trouble. He called for his brother.

“GLEN,” he shouted his voice shrill and high with fear, “help.”

Gavin closed the gap between them before Simon had finished shouting. He knew that Glen would make him pay for hurting his precious little brother, but no one laughed at him and got away with it, no one.

Glen and Mandy were in the main dinning room when they heard Simons cry for help.

“What the hell was that?” said Glen pushing Mandy away from him. They’d been searching the room but Mandy had got bored and that meant only one thing.

“Sounds like crush got hold of your brother,” said Mandy doing up her jeans, “he shouldn’t have laughed at him.”

“Shit,” said Glen pulling on his t-shirt and running out of the room, “he’ll kill him.”

“I hope not,” said Mandy under her breath as she followed Glen, “I’ve got plans for Simon.”

The pair of them were joined in the main hall by Jim who was carrying an arm load of old silver.

“This place is amazing,” said Jim breathlessly, “I’ve found all this stuff.”

Before the other two could say anything there came another high pitched cry for help from Simon.

“What’s going on?” asked Jim looking towards the sound of the scream.

“It’s Crush,” said Glen running towards his brother’s scream, “he’s got Simon.”

“Oh,” said Jim dropping his loot noisily and running after his friend, “that’s not good.”

“Put him down Crush,” shouted Glen, as the three of them burst into the room.

“No,” said the big man, as he held Simon clear off the ground by his throat, “he’s got too learn.”

“Do it now,” said Glen, his voice becoming low and soft, “right now.”

Gavin turned round and looked at his friend he could see the unspoken promise in Glen’s eyes.

Gavin was big and very strong, but he knew that he couldn’t beat Glen. So with an animal shout he threw Glen’s brother across the room.

Simon hit the far wall of the room with a sickening thud.

“Crush, you bastard,” shouted Glen as he ran to check on his brother.

“I think you’re in trouble now Gavin,” said Mandy, blowing him a kiss.

“Simon,” said Glen kneeling down next to his softly groaning brother. “Are you ok?”

All he got in reply was a soft groan from his half unconscious sibling.

“Ok Crush,” said Glen standing up, “let’s see you try that that with me.”

Just as Glen started towards Gavin a small timid voice say.

“Who’s down there?”

The five of them froze as if they’d been turned to stone. In all the excitement of the fight they’d forgotten about the old man who lived in this broken down building.

“Shit,” whispered Glen, “Now what?”

“Who’s down there I said?” came the voice again, only this time much closer.

Mandy was looking for a way out of room when her eyes caught sight of the small square of metal that sat in the wall just about where Gavin had thrown Simon.

“Glen, look?” she said in a harsh whisper.

“What?”

“There,” she said pointing.

“A safe,” he said looking at her, a huge smile on his face.

The same thought went through both their minds. Only people who had something valuable had a safe. And something valuable was something they could sell.

But they needed it open, so that meant they needed the owner of the small timid voice.

“Jim, Crush,” Glen hissed, all thoughts of fighting Gavin pushed from his mind by the prospect of money.

The pair of them looked over at Glen as he gestured to the door and immediately both of them knew what he wanted. They’d mugged enough people for them to recognise the signs.

“Is there anyone there?” called the timid voice again.

Jim and Gavin smiled at one another when they heard how close the voice was, and how much fun they were going to have at the owner’s expense.

The moment they saw the outline of the voice’s owner appear in the doorway they moved. And with the ease of long practice they had the unknown man kneeling on the floor with his arms pressed so far up his back that his hands almost touched his shoulder blades. And just to make sure Gavin had his foot pressed hard onto the man’s calf, so hard in fact that he was almost standing on it.

“Who are you? Let me go,” said the man. Who they could all see was well in his seventies and couldn’t have weighted more than one hundred and ten pounds. He looked almost bird like, he was that thin.

“Shut up old man,” said Glen, as he knelt down in front of him grabbing his face in his hand, “just do as we say and nothing will happen to you.”

“Well nothing much,” whispered Jim under his breath, as he smiled at Gavin.

“Just take what you want but please don’t hurt me,” said the grey haired old man almost sobbing.

“I love it when they beg,” said Mandy as she stood behind Glen.

“What’s happening?” said a shaky voice behind her.

“Hello Simon,” she said walking over to him and putting her arm around him. Without any of the other’s seeing her, she ran her hand down his back until the tips of her fingers disappeared in the top of his jeans, “I thought you were going to be out for ages.”

“You ok Simon?” asked his brother looking round at him.

“Yes I guess so,” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck, “just a bit of a sore head.”

“You’re lucky Crush,” said Glen turning back to the giant Gavin.

“I’m sorry Glen.”

“Hey, its ok,” said Mandy trying to stop another fight before it started, “Simon’s ok and Crush is sorry. And we have better things to do now than fight among ourselves.”

“Yes, ok,” agreed Glen, “I guess you’re right. Ok old man, tell us how to open this safe.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” said the old man still on his knees. “What safe?”

“Don’t give me that you know what I’m talking about,” said Glen, once more viciously grabbing his face again and turning it towards the safe on the wall, “see that safe, or are you blind?”

“Almost,” said the old man quietly, “without my glasses I might as well be.”

“Oh”, said Glen, momentarily lost for words. Then to Jim and Gavin he said, “Get him on his feet.”

The two boys pulled the old man roughly to his feet.

“What’s your name old man,” asked Glen looking him straight in the eyes.

“My name’s Silvermore, James Silvermore.”

“Then you must know how to get that thing open.”

“Even if I could, there’s nothing in there,” said Silvermore, his eyes flicking for a moment to where the safe was.

“If you can’t get it open,” said Glen smiling, “how do you know there’s nothing in it?”

“Please I can’t,” said the old man begging.

“Save yourself a lot of trouble you old fucker and open the safe,” said Glen, as he struck the man hard across the face.

“Hang on Glen,” said Mandy; grabbing his arm before he could hit the old man again, “he won’t be able to open anything if you knock him out.”

“You got a better idea?” asked Glen turning towards her.

“Leave him to me,” she said with a smile, “I’ll get him to open the safe.”

The four boys smiled when they heard this.

“Ok Mandy he’s all yours,” said Glen with a smile. Then to Silvermore he said, “last chance old man, are you going to open the safe for us.”

“I can’t.”

“You can, and you will,” said Glen his smile fading, “once we give Mandy a little time alone with you.”

Then turning to his friends he said, “Crush, Jim, you come with me, we’re going to have a look round this old fucker’s rooms. Simon.”

“Yes Glen.”

“You stay here with Mandy, and you,” he said walking up to Mandy and kissing her lightly, “have fun, but don’t break him.”

“I’ll try,” she said kissing him back, “but I can’t promise anything.”

“Ok guys,” said Glen laughing, “tie him to a chair and let’s go.”

Jim and Gavin quickly tied the old man to one of the high back chairs in the room and still laughing the three of them left in search of more things to steal.

“So you’re a Silvermore?” Mandy said to the old man.

“The last one,” he replied softly.

“Ahh, shame.”

“No it’s not,” he said too quietly to be heard.

“If you open the safe for me,” she said sweetly, kneeling down in front of him, “I’ll untie you.”

“I can’t,” he said raising his voice for the first time, “can’t you understand I can’t.”

“Calm down,” said Simon, “you’ll give yourself a heart attack.”

“Come on Mr Silvermore,” said Mandy, her voice dripping sweetness, “unlock it for me, and I’ll treat you like this.”

Suddenly she grabbed Simon and kissed him hard and urgently, her hands flowing over his body and in his hair.

“Well,” she said, as she let Simon go.

But the old man simply stared at her and said nothing.

“Ok then,” she said as she swung her long shapely legs over him and sat down on his lap, her breast a hairs breath from his face, “we’ll do it the fun way. Simon, give me a cigarette.”

“What you going to do Mandy?” he asked, his breath only just returning to him after her sudden and unexpected kiss.

“Just give it to me.”

A little reluctantly Simon handed her a cigarette. He knew that Mandy loved violence, but he didn’t like the way this was starting to look.

“Ok Mr Silvermore,” she said as she slowly lit the cigarette, “this is where it gets interesting.”

“What are you going to do?” asked the old man, fear making his voice crack.

“That’s up to you,” she said putting her arms round his neck, “I can do this,” and slowly started to grind her hips into his lap, “Oh you like that don’t you,” she said smiling evilly.

“Please stop,” said Silvermore, his embarrassment overcoming his fear.

“Or I can do this,” and taking a large pull on her cigarette so that the tip glowed red hot she press it onto the soft flesh just under his eye.

Silvermore screamed, a harsh choking sound, as the heat burned into his skin.

“For fucks sake Mandy,” said Simon as he pulled her hand away

“Let go of me,” she hissed at him, as she jerked free of his grip, “or do you want me to tell Glen what you did?”

“What do you mean?” said Simon suddenly uneasy under her stare.

“You know what I mean Simon,” she said her eyes full of malice, “the way you groped me the moment the others left, trying to kiss me, touch me.”

“You kissed me.”

“Who do you think he’s going to believe, you or me, especially when I rip my shirt and scream,” she said taking a deep breath.

“No don’t,” said Simon, holding his hands out in front of him.

“There’s a good boy,” she said, turning back to Silvermore, “now just sit down and watch the fun. And if you’re lucky we can have a little fun of our own later.”

Simon didn’t say anymore he just found a place to sit and hoped the others would come back soon.

“How’s your eye,” asked Mandy, putting her arms back round Silvermore’s neck, “would you like me to kiss it better?”

The old man just stared at her, his lips pressed tight against the pain.

“Still not talking?” she said a small laugh escaping from her. “Then let’s try something else.”

She took the cigarette and this time started to burn small holes in to the too large pyjamas that Silvermore was wearing.

“Still not saying anything?” she said as the tip of the cigarette brushed his skin.

Her only answer was a silent stony stare from the old man.

“Tough old bastard aren’t you? Well let’s see how tough you are after this.”

Putting the cigarette in her mouth she started to slowly unbutton Silvermore’s pyjamas top.

“What are you going to do Mandy?” asked Simon.

“Did you say something?” she said turning to look at him.

“No,” he said, once more afraid of the look in her eyes, “I never said anything.”

“Now what’s this?” asked Mandy once she had Silvermore’s top half off.

“What?” asked Simon, looking over?

“Looks like a key to me,” she said, taking the small gold key that had been hidden on a chain beneath the old man’s pyjamas, “I bet it fits that safe.”

“Great,” said Simon, smiling, “I’ll go and get the others.”

“Hang on,” said Mandy getting off of the old man’s lap.

“What for, we can get that thing open now and get out of here.”

“Yes, but if we look first, we can have our pick of whatever’s in there.”

“I don’t know Mandy, if Glen found out.”

“I’ll make it worth your while”, she said softly, once more pulling him close to her and kissing him. This time her kiss was soft and full of tenderness.

“Ok Mandy, anything you want,” he said, once she had broken off the kiss.

“Once we’re alone,” she said walking over to the safe, “you can have anything you want as well.”

“You mean!”

“Why not wait and find out.”

“Please don’t open that,” said Silvermore quietly.

“Did you say something old man?” asked Mandy, turning to look at him.

“Please I’m begging you don’t open it, there’s nothing of any value inside.”

“Then why are you so panicky about us opening it?”

“I have money,” he said in a last ditch attempt to stop them, “lots of it, you can have it all. Just please don’t open that.”

The only thing that Silvermore’s pleading did was convince Mandy and Simon that what was in the safe must be worth a fortune.

Mandy had to stand on tiptoe to turn the key in the safe. As she stood in front of him Simon couldn’t help but put his hands on her hips and press himself against her.

Mandy had been waiting for him to do something like this. Now she knew she had him.

“Simon don’t,” she whispered, but pressed herself back against him so that her arse rubbed against the hard on that she knew he would have, “wait until we open this thing.”

As the safe door swung silently back on well-oiled hinges, Simon said, “what is it Mandy? What’s in there?”

But Mandy didn’t answer Simon. Instead she turned towards the old man tied to the chair and said, “is this it you old bastard?” as she held out a small plain lead box no bigger than her hand.

Silvermore looked at her, a tear slowly moving down his cheek.

“Please don’t?”

“Open it Mandy,” said Simon in an excited whisper, “there must be something inside, look at him. I bet it’s a ring or something.”

“This had better be worth it old man,” she said coldly, as she lifted the lid of the box.

“It’s empty,” she said, anger flashing in her eyes as she started towards the tied up Silvermore, “you’re going to pay for winding me up.”

“Am I?” said the old man softly.

Something in his voice made Mandy stop. It was the same voice and the same old man tied to the chair. Nothing had changed and yet something was different.

The tone, that’s what it is, Mandy thought to herself. He’s not afraid anymore.

As she stood there looking at him trying to decide what to do Silvermore turned his head and looked at her. His stare was hard and cold, like moonlight reflected on ice. And it made her blood run cold.

“He told you not to open the safe,” said Silvermore, his voice no longer sounding like that of a weak and feeble old man.

“What do you mean?” said Simon coming to stand alongside Mandy, “you told us that.”

“Simon,” said Mandy, grabbing his hand, “Let’s get out of here.”

“But I want you to stay,” said Silvermore quietly.

“Shut up old man,” shouted Simon as he became infected by Mandy’s unease.

“Or what?” answered Silvermore mockingly.

“Or what?” said Simon angrily, “this is fucking or what.”

“Simon don’t,” shouted Mandy, as he ran across the room, his hand clenched into a fist ready to batter the old man into submission.

The next few moments happened in slow motion for Mandy. First she saw Simon rushing across the room at the helpless old man. Then she heard the sound of tearing cloth, as Silvermore tore the dressing gown belt apart that had been used to tie him to the chair. Then he was out of the chair and across the room, moving faster than any old man had a right to move. And in a single smooth motion had grabbed Simon’s neck and gave it a swift savage twist, snapping it, the sound of it seemed to fill not only Mandy’s ears but her mind as well echoing off of the walls of her head in an almost endless nightmare. Silvermore let go of Simon’s limp body. The boy was dead before he hit the floor. Before she could even scream Silvermore was behind her, one hand covering her mouth, the other holding both her hands in a vice like grip.

“No screaming,” he whispered to her, his breath hot on her neck, “not yet.”

He turned her round so that she was facing him and said, “Wondering what happened?”

He smiled as her eyes answered his question.

“Wondering how an old man could do what I just did?”

Again her eyes answered an unspoken yes.

“It’s Magic,” he said pulling her even closer to him, “the darkest Magic”.

Mandy watched, her eyes growing wide with fear as Silvermore told his story.

How could he be so strong? she thought, so quick?

“My name is Jason Silvermore; I was once the son of the first lord Silvermore. It was my father who locked my soul inside that hateful box all those years ago, cursing me as a devil worshipper and murderer. Condemning me to live out the centuries in that terrible limbo, until the last of the Silvermores died. And then I would fade into nothing. But you saved me my pretty. James here was the last of the line. My fathers curse almost worked.”

Again he answered Mandy’s unasked question.

“What am I going to do with you,” he said with a smile, running his hand slowly down her young firm body, “like I said James was the last of the line. And you’re young and strong.”

Mandy’s eyes widened in fear and shock when she realised what he meant.

“I’ve not been this close to a woman in over two hundred years. It excites me.”

Mandy could feel Silvermore’s hardness pressing into her thigh as he spoke, she couldn’t suppress a whimper as the thought of what he had planned for her raced through her mind.

“Don’t worry,” Silvermore said, as he heard her whimper, “you’re going to enjoy it I promise. But first I need you to scream for me.”

Mandy tried not to scream, but as the bones in her hand ground together she lost any and all sense of loyalty she felt for Glen and the others, she just wanted the pain to stop.

“That’s the way,” said Silvermore, as her pressed himself harder against Mandy, “I love that sound.”

When he heard the three boys approaching Silvermore let go of Mandy’s hand and let her fall to the floor. He then moved gracefully to the open doorway and waited for them.

“What the fuck is going on?” said Glen as he ran into the room.

Silvermore struck Glen a massive blow to the jaw sending him flying across the room. Then he said, “Surprise!”

“Get him Crush,” shouted Jim, pointing at Silvermore. He had no idea how this frail old man had suddenly become some kind of superman. And he didn’t care.

Gavin Grabbed Silvermore in a vicelike grip. But the old man just laughed and easily broke the grip replacing it with one of his own, ramming Gavin’s arm savagely up his back so that his hand was pressed against his shoulder blade.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell teach you to respect your elders,” said Silvermore, as he grabbed a hand full of Gavin’s hair and then smashed the giant teenagers head brutally into the sharp edge of the doorframe.

Jim couldn’t believe it as he watched his friend head split open.

“And then there was one,” said Silvermore happily, as he turned towards Jim.

“Please don’t,” cried Jim as Silvermore moved slowly towards him.

“Isn’t that what James said to you, when you tied him up?” asked Silvermore.

“Please,” whimpered Jim again, unable to say anything else.

Silvermore grabbed hold of Jim’s outstretched arm and with a sudden downward snap, dislocated his shoulder.

The young man howled in pain and terror. This wasn’t how it was meant to be. It was them that were supposed to be the ones hurting people, not the ones lying on the ground in pain pleading for their lives and receiving only laughter in return.

“How does it feel boy?” said Silvermore, kneeling down so that his eyes were level with Jim’s, “how does it feel to meet true evil?”

Before Jim could answer, Silvermore drove a small shard of wood he had picked up right through Jim’s left eye. He knelt there for a moment enjoying the sight of the boy’s death spasms.

When he finally stood up and turned round he saw that Mandy was trying to make her way out of the room to safety.

“Going somewhere my love?” he said as he flashed across the room.

“You killed them,” Mandy said, her face streaked with tears that where all for her and none for her friends.

“Of course,” answered Silvermore, as he once again ran his hand over Mandy’s body, “how else could we be alone?”

“Don’t,” she whispered, “please don’t.”

“That’s just what your friend said over there,” said Silvermore laughing as he nodded his head towards Jim’s corpse, “I didn’t listen to him either.”

Mandy’s flesh grew cold as Silvermore’s hand crept into her top and cupped her breast, squeezing it and pulling at the nipple.

“Do you like that?” he said his face mere inches from her own, his breath old and stale

Before she could answer they heard a grown from the other side of the room.

“It seems that one of your friends is stronger that I thought,” said Silvermore happily, “let’s go and have a look shall we.”

Silvermore wrapped his hand into Mandy’s hair and pulled her with him as he walked across the room.

“This is the one,” he said as he kicked Glen hard in the ribs.

“Glen,” Mandy said shocked by the amount of blood that was coming from her boyfriend’s mouth.

“If you kill him,” said Silvermore smiling at her, “I’ll let you go.”

“What,” asked Mandy, looking at her captor?

“You heard me,” said Silvermore, his smile vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

“Do you mean it?” she asked, hope blossoming in her eyes.

“Mandy no,” said Glen, more blood bubbling from his mouth as he spoke.

“Shut up Glen,” she hissed at him, then looking at Silvermore she asked again, “Do you mean it?”

“Yes,” he said simply.

Mandy looked around quickly and picked up a large stone that was lying nearby.

“I’m sorry Glen,” she said as she raised it above her head.

Glen’s last sight was of his girlfriend slamming a stone into his bent and bloody face.

“I did it,” She said to Silvermore, as the stone fell from her hand, “can I go now?”

“No I’m afraid not,” he answered her, a leer passing across his face; “we still have the whole night ahead of us.”

“But you said,”

“Yes I know I did, you know that was something else my father hated about me. I never could keep my word.”

Mandy watched transfixed as Silvermore stepped over Glen’s bloody body and once more laid his hands on her body.

“Now what was it you said to James, Yes that’s right, this is where it gets interesting?”

Mandy’s screams pierced the walls of Silvermore manor only to be lost on the cold midnight wind.

The End