Chapter Four

                        ***

This is BBC News, in Ashmoor Town, England.

As we have informed you yesterday, recently there have been disappearances in Ashmoor, presumed kidnappings or serial murders.

In total there have been seventeen to date, and all have been young children under eighteen, school children. The first disappearance, probably a kidnapping, occurred one month ago, on the twentieth of September.

Breaking news – a second child has been found!

Sam Arnolds, the eleventh child to go missing in what has been dubbed the worst case in Ashmoor history, has been recovered earlier today!

As in the earlier broadcast, the child was found outside Ashmoor Public Library – just as the first child was.

As we broadcasted yesterday during our breaking news report on the missing child Andrew Blake, the kidnapper is still at large. The local police have issued a warning: please try to stay indoors, keep your children accompanied by an adult at all times. This could be a teacher, a parent, or any other responsible adult. The police also suggest a curfew of eight o’ clock, as most of the seventeen victims have been abducted after that time. This curfew is currently not official, but it is highly recommended.

This is BBC News in Ashmoor, England.

In other news, we provide more coverage on the town’s worst recent natural disaster.

On October the twenty first, two thousand and six, which was two weeks ago, the town was hit by a particularly vicious thunderstorm. Ashmoor City Church was struck by a very rare form of lightning, ball lightning, and was burned to the ground after collapsing. It is interesting to note that the church burned down, said to be due to the Devil, fifty years ago in nineteen fifty six.

There were no fatal injuries, but quite a few were injured. It was believed one girl was killed, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, only for her to revive after being taken out of the church. It is believed she had fallen into a deep state of trance, much like a self-induced coma. Trances have been scientifically proved as a deeper state of mind.

Tune in later for more BBC breaking news.

***

Andrew switched the television off.

He knew what he had to do.

Now that he was not the only survivor of the alleged Ashmoor Asylum Kidnapper, there would be less news coverage on him. Although he did not remember much about himself yet, he was fairly sure he did not want his face shown to millions of people.

He needed to go and speak with this Sam Arnolds, to see what he or she could remember. Together they might be able to put together some evidence for the police. He would not wish this fate on anyone, not being able to remember who you were, or even who your parents were.

There was the sound of footsteps. He looked up. His mother stood in the doorway.

“Andrew?” She asked anxiously. “What are you doing?”

Andrew hesitated for a moment, and then felt silly. This wasn’t a stranger, this was his own mother. Besides, she could help him.

“I want to find out more about the other person who was found. We’re the only two people who have come back yet, and I want to go and compare memories with him or her, see if we can remember anything between us. Could you… could you help me arrange it?”

“Of – of course. Shall I call them now?”

“Yes, please.” Andrew said gratefully.

His mother turned and walked to the kitchen, where their landline telephone resided. Andrew listened as she called.

“Hello? This is Savannah Blake, I’m Andrew Blake’s mother. Yes, he was the first child to come back. Andrew’s asked me to ask you if he can arrange to meet up with your child, so they can see if they can remember anything. You’re free today? That’s brilliant. What? Three o’clock?”

Andrew glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. It was half past two.

His mother continued.

“Yes, that’ll be fine. So where did you say the house was?” She listened for a time. “Alright. We’ll be there at three. Bye. Bye.”

She put the phone down. She did not turn and face him.

“Andrew, are you sure about this?” There was a look of tired worry on her face; she had still not fully recovered from the shock of losing him.

Andrew nodded.

“I have to do this. It’s not like it’s anything big, and it might help the police find the other children and, also, catch the sick, twisted person behind these kidnappings.” He stepped around her to face her. “And that’s important. Nobody should have to go through that. Nobody.”

“Oh, you’re such a good boy.” She said and hugged him tight.

Later, they climbed into the car and his father took the driver’s seat. It was quite a short journey, ten minutes in the car, although it would have been longer had they been walking.

Eventually they pulled up outside an old Victorian style house, easily recognisable by the wattle and daub pattern to it, with stripes of black and white. The window frames were wooden, and the front door was a forbidding sight. On it hung a heavy brass doorknocker, with the knocker in the shape of a lion’s head.

Nervously, Andrew stepped out of the car. His mother and father also exited the car, and his mother strode up to the front door. Did her hand waver for just a moment as she reached for the knocker on the old door of solid wood? Maybe it was just a trick of his imagination.

His mother rapped the doorknocker against the door, three times. She stepped back a pace and waited.

Presently there was the rattle of the chain being removed and the scrape of a bolt being drawn back. Andrew wondered why the owner of this house was so paranoid as to have the chain on and the bolts bolted at all times.

In the doorway stood a woman in her late forties. She had bright blue eyes, and her light brown hair was just beginning to have the tiniest hint of grey, but it was just that, a hint. She invited them all in with a pleasant smile, and after closing the door she immediately strolled off to fetch Sam. Her smile was reassuring, and her stroll seemed relaxed enough, but Andrew wondered why the smile had never really reached her eyes.