IC: Oshan's Diary

[nemarsde]

This is the diary kept by Dr Oshan Williams, of the events surrounding Mawsley and the fate of the survivors.

[nemarsde]

My Internet connection is down again and my last patient has gone, so I have a little time on my hands. It makes a change not to be unpacking boxes! Anyway, I have decided to keep a diary, one of those things I have always said I would do but never seemed to get around to.

This is quite a peaceful little corner of Mawsley. From my front room, I can see right across the fields to the woods in the distance. Quite a nice spot.

I have met a few people here, of course I already knew Matt which helped me decide to come here. It is nice to know there is someone nearby.

It is probably about time I started to get my life back on track, get out and met more people, develop some sort of social life. Easier said than done I know.. but I do have to try. I saw an advert for dancing lessons. I don't know if I can pick up the Latin American again but dancing is fun and a good way to keep fit - and more social than jogging! So if I can find out where and when, I'm going to give it a try! I might even pluck up the courage to go for a drink at the social centre, though I still loathe the idea of going on my own, makes me look like a lush.. or desperate, which I might be but it doesn't do to show it!!!

Anyway, this diary is in part my own therapy, somewhere to make plans, try them out and record results, though I want to make it personal rather than a clinical study!

I have settled in quite well. The house is sorted now, not too many personal things or memories, a clean start. I do need to find some things to fill my time though, especially in the evenings, there is a limit to how much reading one person can do! And I still prefer to jog early in the morning when it is quiet.

I have been thinking of getting a cat or a small dog. It would be company and also good for the patients I think. I'll take a look in the paper and see if anyone is advertising.

Anyway, going to grab something to eat and take a shower. Tonight I'm going out!

[nemarsde]

Matt is having a party for his wife's birthday. Tesco's delivered a Finest vegetarian quiche and a nice bouquet flowers on Friday, the flowers have been in the cool garage since. I'm also taking some vodka & tonic. Is two bottles excessive?

Not quite sure what to wear, so I settle for blouse, skirt, smart leather jacket over, simple. Looks like I might be meeting a lot of folk I don't know.. bit nervous.

On the way, Ken offers to give me a hand carrying everything and we arrive. Grabbing a drink, I go to mingle, quickly realising that Elsie isn't here. Glass in hand I head for her house. On arriving she's upset that her cake hasn't risen and the cream won't whip. Strangely I can't get the cream to whip either. Anyway, some spray cream from my house does the trick. And we head for the party.

I chat to Jarvis & Tina for a while and we head in for food. There seems to be something going on regarding the lasagne and Charlie. I talk to Freddy about writing and suddenly the lasagne ends up all over him. Leanne seemingly tripped but I'm not convinced, not with all the evil looks Charlie has been giving Freddy.

Matt suggests I might have a word with her, I thought that myself but she is not in a mood to chat, quite surly, and she stalks off. Leanne isn't saying much either but definitely hiding something. Ah well, none of my business really, just wanted to help.

I'm a bit concerned that Nykos isn't back yet. His dad sent him to find Mikey. Stroling outside I take a look, seeing him running up the road. He's panicked. He says Mikey has had an accident and mangled his hand. I get directions and send the boy inside to find Matt. Running off I eventually find Mikey. Looks like he has a badly dislocated finger. Matt, Chesca and the boy's dad arrive. I've kept Mikey talking to keep him calm and help escort him to the surgery, where Matt sorts out the boy's hand, x-ray and resetting.

We're away almost an hour and then I get a text from Elsie, who seems to be stuck in Matt's loo being ill. Matt and I return, his wife doesn't seem too happy but I concentrate on Elsie. Poor dear, she seems in a really bad way. Eventually she is well enough to leave and I take her home and help her into bed.

Strange party.

Nursing a last drink, I sit in the study in the dark, looking out over the fields towards the woods. There's an odd light in the distance. Not sure what that might be.

It was difficult being around Matt with Lillian there. Not quite sure how I should behave. Maybe I should just avoid that situation as much as possible.

Don't want to think about this right now. Flicking on the light, I pull over the local paper and turn to the pets section. No small dogs but there are border collie pups being advertised. I ring up on impulse and there are two dogs on offer. I make arrangements to go over around 1.00pm tomorrow.

I email Matt and do a little prep for the morning. Considering whether to watch a film or get an early night, the phone rings. I almost reach out to answer it but let the answer machine take the call. Number withheld, no voice.. but I can hear someone breathing. Enough. I leave it playing, check all my locks and head for bed.

Sleep does not come easily, so I read for a while and it is only a short while as the power goes off. Quite scared, I creep downstairs to grab the wind up torch from the kitchen. Taking it back upstairs, I lie in the dark listening to every creak. Eventually the power comes on. I check the alarm and eventually fall asleep.

When I wake it is still dark and the clock says 5.00 am. I see a flash of light and I lie there before hearing noises from out the back. Now spooked, I look out of the dressing room window and see movement and torch light out of the back of the houses up the street. It looks like the girls house. Are they in trouble? I don't want to venture out but feel I should do something so I phone Charlie and ask if she is OK. She starts to ramble a bit but says something about a red haired man watching her sister. Suddenly I notice something pale in the garden. Charlie had just offered to send Freddy around and I ask her if the offer is still open. A few minutes later Ken, Freddie & both girls arrive at the front and come through the house to get to the garden. Ken & Freddie go out into the garden bringing in a white statue of a young girl in old fashioned Victorian clothing holding a rake as if gardening.

How weird...

[nemarsde]

After seeing the statuette for myself, I talked to Ken and the girls about the earlier incidents - seeing the man and the incident with the bins. Leeanne describes the man. The build eliminates Tony so maybe it is just paranoia and local kids having a prank. Still restless, I look up and return to bed. I have a patient at 7.30, pre-school session, with Aidan Robertson, a young boy of 14 with a history of self harming. The session could have gone better. Don't feel I am making progress.

Collette Harding, a young girl of 12, who finds it difficult to communicate. I do what I can to settle her down and try some indirect methods to get her to communicate non-verbally by actions and choices. Music CDs interest her but not to the extent of playing any. THe magazine doesn't interest her over much and she actually reaches out & closes it - a communication of sorts. So I suggest we do some baking. She seems happy to do that but still not communicative. Session ends with me feeling I have a long road to travel with this girl unless I can find a key or catalyst that will trigger a reaction.

Pooping around to Elsie, I take her some bread rolls and make sure she is OK. Still concerned she is in pain I suggest she sees Dr Hayes. She agrees and I ring Matt to ask if he'll call in on her. He says he can do that around 4. I tell her I'll pop in late that afternoon to see if she is OK.

I do some of my notes, reviewing the sessions and then set out. After checking the bins, with the thought that someone might be rifling to find evidence of address identity (worrying), I head for the centre to place a note with phone number to see if anyone wants to reclaim their statue. Then I head out to the farm to see the puppies.

I get invited in by the lady of the house and the two pups come bounding down to see us. They are so cute. Unable to resist I crouch down, playing with them both. They really are cute and I can't choose between them. But do I have to? I ask lots of questions and spend some time there over a cream tea. Then ask if I can have them both. Delighted, I leave with a box containing two wriggling pups and a huge list of things to buy. Popping the pups into the garage with somewhere to sleep, I set off to shop.

Later having got everything aranged for the pups, I head round to Elsie's to introduce her to the pups. Matt duly arrives and it seems that Elsie is sore but hopefully OK. Matt leaves and I follow soon after, taking the pups out for a walk. I stop by Charlie's to thank her for coming around last night and she invites me in for tea, telling me that Freddie is cooking. A meal cooked by someone else is always welcome and it would be nice to make some friends here, so I readily accepts. Charlie tells me that there was a policeman around her place today saying there had been a complaint about the noise last night.

I have a great evening, mostly chatting with Freddie & Charlie. Chesca & Leeanne are there talking together and Ken arrives with his son Bobbie. Didn't know he had a son. Feel like I am really starting to settle in now and looking forward to the dance class tomorrow.

I leave before 9 with the pups and head home. Part way home I hear some whistling, quickening my step I hurry home but the whistling seems to follow me. I grab my keys and hurry in, slamming the door and locking it. A few deep breaths and I pull back the curtain to look out and there is a face breathing on the glass. I step back, no clear look but knowing it was someone quite tall with facial hair. Really scared, I reach for the phone.. Matt or Charlie? I know Charlie is up and at home as I left there just now and her number is first in my address file.

She answers and bless her, keeps talking to me, sending Freddie down to me. I suggest she gets Ken too. She does and before long they are all at mine. Freddie arrives first and once I know it's him I open the door. Then it hits me. The tune being whistled was 'Fear of the Dark'. Could it be Tony? Or at least him behind it? Oh this is so scarey. I head for the vodka, need to settle my nerves or I might go to pieces. Charlie suggests I go and stay the night with them. I could kiss that girl. She helps me gather my things and sort out the stuff for the pups whilst Freddie & Ken check outside. Finally I get sorted with Charlie's help and Freddie arrives back. At this point I feel I have to tell them who I think might be behind all of this. Charlie listens, says I might be right but I might not be as she feels someone targeted them too and it might be a more general thing. I hope she is right.

We head back to her place with all the stuff and she heads upstairs to sort out the spare room. I'm still really shaky and then get a text from Matt. Right now I could really do with him here, at least I want to hear his voice. I phone him back and he is concerned asking me what happened. I can hear Lillian in the background and then he puts me on speaker phone. I was on the verge of breaking down into tears but I can't do that with Lillian listening. Nor can I really say what I want to say. With hindsight, perhaps that's as well. Anyway, we talk for a minute or so and he advises me to contact the police. I know he won't understand that I don't want to do that. I end the call feeling frustrated and unhappy and still scared. The only good thing is Charlie & Freddie and that counts for a lot.

It takes the rest of the bottle for me to relax enough to go to bed. I am so glad I am staying here with people around me tonight.

[nemarsde]

Awake late for me and feeling a bit rough. Takes a few seconds to realise where I am, then the events of last night flood back in. It gives me a shiver but it's bright daylight now and things don't seem so bad.

I get dressed quickly and head downstairs to sort out the pups. Seems like Charlie has rushed out bur Leanne is in the kitchem. I grab a coffee and sort out the pups and my belongings.

Just transporting all of my stuff, couple of journeys at least, and on my return I find a police car and van outside. Leanne is there so I ask her what's going on. Appently Ken has hit a deer? But it transpires that there has been some other incident that it is being confused with. I check that his son is OK and then go home to get ready for the day.

Andrew is 11 and in trouble for fighting but does seem to be responding. He's got into musicals, not that that will please his Dad. But then trying to please his Dad is probably at least one of the causes of his agression.

Pre lunch is Colette. She seems to like the pups. And is in a good mood. I give her some freedom today. She puts on some music - Jimi Hendrix/Dylan - seems a heavy choice for a child.

She says she remembers this - a 1968 song. She's almost trancelike, can't say where she knows it from but that she like it. Split personality? Might need to try hypnosis. Not something I do often but I might be able to relax her inhibitions enough to get her to communicate. I'll need to get her parents consent.

I have a conversation with Collettes parents, explaining that I'd like to use hypnosis. Neither of them sem very keen, could be just concern. I don't press the issue but promise some articles that they can read on the subject.

Moving onto domestic matters, I get an appointment for tomorrow with the local vet for the pups. I want to get them checked over and find out what shots they need etc.

Lunch time I got to the garden centre and get some bedding plants before going to Tesco. I get some shopping, vodka, wine, flowers for Charle and Elsie, chocolates for Ken and his son. When I come out of Tesco, some bastard has let all my tyres down or maybe even slashed them. If Tony or one of his cronies is watching I'm not going to give them the aatisfaction. Sorting out the pups & the car, I phone the RAC & then the garage letting them know I'll be in the cafe & head back into the store for lunch.

Finally I get the car recovered to the Boughton garage and make it home.

I'm unpacking the shopping and there is a knock at the door. It's Chesca. She asks if I've had a bad day. I tell her about the tyres. She says she has a photo she wants to show me to see if I recognise them It is a photo of a man in a car. Not Tony.. but looking again it might be. The hair is different, he has a moustache but the build could be his. And the car is blue. Chesca asks if Tony smokes, he did occasionally and I remember the blue car following me yesterday which I mention.

Chesca then tells me to stay away from Charlie & Leanne telling me not to involve them in my problems and suggesting her Dad might be at risk from Tony. I tell her that there is no way I want to involve anyone else and that I hoped it wouldn't happen. She says I'm stupid to come here as it is the first place Tony would look. She said next time I should phone the police.

Having essentially warned me off she leaves.

I am just a little shocked and the more I think about it, the worse it is. My worse fears have been realised in that Tony seems to have tracked me down. I really didn't think he would bother but I should have known better.

Chesca obviously has her own problems and it would seem that she's had a bad day too. Still her behaviour was still a little extreme. I should probably talk to Matt about the whole thing. I really don't know what to do now. Do I move again? Do I stay in a place where I've started to feel I can build a life and maybe risk some of those people? How much at risk would they be?

I should talk to them all really. It should be their choice. Maybe I should talk to the police - but what could they do? And I know it would really incense Tony, likely to make things worse. I definitely do need to talk to a lawyer. Somehow I need to start taking my life back.

I'll talk to Matt first. I text him. He's reluctant to come around, family problems and suggests I come to the surgery - alone and in the dark. Good game. I tell him I'll pop in tomorrow. He texts a bit later to say that the blue car belongs to someone on the estate. I tell him thanks, so I guess Chesca has talked to Matt already.

Guess I'm set for a night in and some hard thinking. Having made some decisions, I settle down to do some work as I have no intention of going out or answering the door to anyone tonight. Tomorrow I have some important calls to make.

There is a tap at the door. I ignore it, twice. Then the phone goes, I ignore that too. Then my mobile. I check and its Elsie so I call her back. We chat for a while but I am not in the mood for company, though it is good to have Pirate & Bandit for company. I promise to go out with her for lunch some time and to pop around in the morning. I'll take those flowers around in the morning.

In the middle of the conversation though, the tape I'm reviewing has some strange footage. I pause it and review it again once Elsie's call has finished. There seems to be a man standing outside looking in at Collette. I can only see the feet so I have no idea who it is. It might be Tony or someone working for him. On the other hand it might be Collette's father, as she turns and seeing the figure gives a hesitant wave.

Well, things will be different tomorrow.

There is another knock later and someone rings the bell but I ignore it. Tonight I need to be on my own.

At sometime before 1 am, the pups wake me, going mad. Then the ground starts shaking...

[nemarsde]

The early hours of the morning and everything is shaking. Car alarms and house alarms are going off so I make my way downstairs aiming to turn off the alarm and grab a cocoa. As I key in the number, I feel a draught and notice that the front door lock is totally missing. The door is open.

Instinctively I want to phone Charlie but Chesca's visit and the plans I had made are still uppermost in my mind. Sick with fear, I head for the kitchen and head for the knife drawer. It's open! And there is a knife missing. I take another, the largest, and start to check the house, starting in the kitchen. Downstairs is clear and I reach the landing heading for the upstairs when I hear whistling from the open landing window. It's that tune again! And the front door is still unsecured.

I race downstairs ready to start to block the door but cannot resist peeping out. The tall man with the ginger hair is outside and he's holding Pirate! Unthinking I run out and start yelling at him to leave my dog alone. He sets off along the running path taking Pirate with him. I follow still yelling, then there is a noise behind me. I whirl around expecting an attack to be faced by Freddie backing off with an odd look on his face. I expect I scared him. I tell him something bout the man having my dog, I think, and go back to trying to rescue Pirate who yelps somewhere ahead. I think Freddie follows. Next minute Pirate comes running back, limping. I drop the knife and scoop him up, cuddling him tight, so relieved he is OK. But where is Bandit. I head for home, still unaware I am barefooted & in nightclothes.

Nearer the house I get bathed in a strong light. It is Stuart from next door. And then Charlie turns up. I am so glad to see her. Stuart though starts being quite rude. I tell him not to be rude to my friends but do ask for his help in securing my front door. I'm worried about Bandit so Charlie & I go in to look for him. He appears almost straight away to my relief. We go to check the house & find the back door open. But it was locked when I left, I checked! Charlie had already mentioned a stocky guy with a knife she'd run into at the back of the house. It must have been Tony.. and that means he must have been in the house!

I take all the keys, the dogs, everything I need and after securing the place as best we can, ready to leave for Charlie's. I had not intended to stay with her again until this mess is sorted but I really can't see any alternative & she is persistent. Freddie & Leanne arrive, Freddie has recovered my knife. I have tried the Police, Leanne too but they are engaged.

We all head for Charlie's. Sleep is a while coming but eventually I doze. Luckily Wednesday is not a patient day and so I don't have to get up early, and in fact I'm the last one up. When I get downstairs, Chesca is there also. Leanne asks what happened and so I briefly recount the events of last night. Charlie suggests I move in for the time being but I tell them I am going to hire a body guard as well as reporting this to the Police. I don't have much faith in what they can do. Their resources are always stretched and it is not serious enough for them to make me a priority. I will have to do something for myself.

The girls make a call to their father and Chesca logs onto her laptop to find a picture of Tony. She also discovers that Bobby has been using the girl's wireless network without permission & head off to tell Ken. I call the Police.

I speak to Special Constable Harden and report the happenings of last night and my suspicions. She advises me to stay inside and that a unit will be out to take details from me. I leave my phone number with them asking that they contact me in advance.

Charlie and I have have a chat with her telling me about the experience she had last night when she ended up slapping Leanne. She seems concerned that she might be losing her mind. I reassure her that it is most likely a dream and that she may have been sleepwalking and advise she stops using for a while to detox, saying I am trying to do the same with alcohol. She then goes on to explain her concerns about Jarvis, the strange drugs he had given her and his warning off of Freddie. I suggest he is trying to control his environment which includes her and that she is best staying clear of him.

I call my lawyer to start the process of getting an injunction out on Tony. I call a firm of investigators, Elsmore's, who say they'll send someone around tomorrow. Charlie comes with me to the vet. The pups are OK thankfully. I also call a locksmith and a builder so that I can get the door fixed and the locks changed. I also collect the gifts I bought yesterday. Everyone seems pleased with them.

After lunch Nikos arrives looking for Mikey and wanting to show Freddie something, babbling on about the TV show "Primeval". The two girls go with them. Charlie and I are not really welcome so we stay behind and head for my house.

I have the session with Collette.

Back at Charlie's, suddenly there are screams from upstairs. Charlie is in pain and with a vaginal bleed. I start to examine her and get a text from Matt. I tell him briefly what is going on and he heads over. Matt examines Charlie alone and there are more screams & shouts from upstairs. Charlie calling Matt a liar and asking me to get rid of him. It turns out that he has told her she is two months pregnant. The ambulance arrives and I get a brief opportunity to chat with Matt before heading home to drop the pups off and picking up the car so that I can go to the hospital.

I try to be supportive at the hospital. The pregnancy is confirmed by Dr Patel who says that apart from signs of a small trauma in the womb and a dark flush to the baby, all signs are good. He does a further internal check with the camera. Charlie insists that she has had no relations with anyone around the two month time of the conception and denies any opportunity for even a date rape. It all sounds very peculiar. Anyway she now wants to go home. I call Ken to come and collect her and Leanne. Heading back to their house I call Matt and fill him in.

Arriving home, everything seems OK. I feed the pups and pick up some case notes and the chocolates for Ken & his son. I also pop in to see Elsie who is feeling quite down & very lonely. She is going to get an early night but I really need to try to help her make some friends and get her involved in some social activities. I feel she needs to feel needed so maybe some sort of voluntary work. There is enough work on this estate to keep me busy for years, assuming I didn't want to earn a living! Still she's a nice lady, I'll do what I can.

I pop by Ken's to drop the chocolates off.

At Charlie's, she seems a lot happier, in fact pleased to be having a baby. Matt drops in and collects Chesca, seems Lillian is in a bad mood. I do feel for him. Freddie cooks dinner and after it goes with me to collect the pups. Charlie has asked me to hypnotise her and I have agreed with some reservations. Leanne doesn't seem keen on the idea.

My phone rings. It's Matt. Except when I answer it, it's Lillian. She accuses me of having an affair with Matt. I deny it of course, as it is not true but she will not listen. Then she threatens me and my practice - a step too far! I cut her off.

Needing to calm down, I go and put the kettle on. Once I'm a bit calmer, Charlie & I go upstairs. I settle her down and make myself comfortable.

Charlie is quite an easy subject and relaxes into a semi-trance. We converse and I start to take her back in time...

[nemarsde]

The hypnotism session has not gone well. Charlie seems to fixated on the red-haired man, presumably the same one that Leanne saw and the one that took Pirate. It is obviously bothering her, I decide to bring her out as we are not getting anywhere.

Charlie seems to be coming out but into a panic attack. She is not listening to me, worse shutting me out. Leanne arrives in a state, mumbles something about a Doctor and legs it.

Maybe getting Matt wouldn't be such a bad idea?

I stay away from Charlie who has now covered her ears and head and is trying to catch her breath. I watch her closely, very concerned.

As Charlie starts to come arund, the lights go out. Seems it is everywhere as there are no lights outside. We light candles & head downstairs. Freddie arrives just as we are discussing how long Leanne has been gone. I say I'll head over to Matt's to find her. Before I get out of the door, I see a bloody footprint heading inside. I think the print might be Freddie's but I don't want to think about the implications.

I manage to get Freddie out of the living room and confirm it is his shoes. He head for the door, sure enough there is some blood outside and spatters on the door frame. I ask Freddie to watch me and run for Matt's hammering on the door.

Lillian is being a pain but Matt says he'll come pretty much straight away. Chesca arrives from upstairs saying she saw a car a short while ago, could have been Tony's.

What have I done?

I run back to the house. I have to tell Charlie, even though she'll probably hate me. As I go in, Charlie is on the phone, seems like she is talking to Leanne but it doesn't sound good and then it seems that Leanne stops talking. Charlie yells at me, asking me what is going on. I say it might be Tony and take the phone yelling.

"Tony, is that you, you bastard?"

There is a laugh and the phone goes dead. I'm sure it was him. My mind is reeling. What can I do? I pick up the phone again and dial 1471 and get a number. As I write it down, Charlie leans over my shoulder and says the number is Leanne's. I try to call it, no answer. I'm panicking now.

I move away a few steps, thinking, thoughts racing. Dragging out my phone, I text Leanne's number.

"Its Oshan. What do u want!?"

"To hurt you."

"Will you take me instead of Leanne?"

"Sure."

"Where? When?"

"I'll be in touch."

"Soon?"

There is no reply.

Matt has gone for the police. If they turn up they'll stop this. I have to get away so I can get Leanne back. I grab a knife from the drawer and slip out of the back door.

I head away, aiming for the community centre, just for somewhere to go as my house would be the first place anyone would look. I hurry along in the dark and then suddenly there is a torch in my face. A feel a real sense of relief when it turns out to be Matt. He says his cop friend wasn't in and that he is going to the medical centre to call them.

He starts asking questions and is suspicious about what I am doing outside. I so want to tell him but he'll stop me, find words to persuade me that this is not the right thing to do. And I know Tony. This is the only way, even if it ends up the way I fear it might. He asks me if I've made some sort of deal. Seems he still knows me even after all this time. I tell him I'm hoping Tony will call, which is true. I don't want to lie to Matt.

He gets through to the police but they say no-one can come as there are riots. Riots? They suggest we stay there.

I realise that my mobile isn't working. Tony can't call! I need to go back to Charlie's and announce my intention. Matt says we are to stay there but I insist and bless him, he offers to walk me there. I wish things had been different. I should have gone to Africa.

We back, aiming for the cut through but the red-haired man suddenly appears, wagging his finger. He then points behind us. Turning we see Mikey. He tells us that people are going crazy and that a girl has had her head bashed in. She is dead and her brains are spilled on the road. I tell him to stay with us. We turn back but the red-haired man has gone. Matt suggests we might go around the other way. I ask if he thinks that was a warning. He says why not heed it anyway. I agree. As we walk with Mikey, I tell Matt about the red-haired man and Pirate. I know it sounds weird but I tell Matt that I think he might have been luring me from the house to get me away from Tony who I later found out must have been in there. I really don't know what to think.

As we are arriving back, Freddie's car pulls up and Charlie jumps out from the driver's seat calling for Matt. She shouts that Leanne is in the back and badly hurt. I ask where she found her, and she says with my ex in a dive of a house on the estate. I'm confused but she then adds that Mikey had given Leanne some sort of alarm that they had managed to trace.

Anyway, all of go into Matt's. There are others there and talk of attacks. All I can see is Tony's face. I know now that he really does want to kill me. Leanne says he killed a man at the house and now he's loose again. I tell Charlie how sorry I am and she rounds on me, accusing me of running out on her. I try to explain but I don't think she understands what I'm saying. As always Tony manages to ruin everything. I need a drink, really need a drink. There is a bottle of scotch on the side. I take it with a glass into the corner. I'm best just staying out of the way. I've caused these people enough trouble.

I'm really worried about the pups but I don't want to ask anyone to check them and I'd need the keys off Charlie and I can't ask her right now. I hope they are OK.

Matt comes to talk to me, asking that I lay off the booze. What does it matter really? But he persists and makes me promise to take it easy. I tell myself I'll just have another couple and then stop.

It seems that Freddie & Ken are going out and getting others from the street. The Lowells first. Elsie arrives a bit later, thank goodness. Then some other young guy, I don't know his name. I ask Freddie to check on the pups if he's going out again. He says he will. I wish I could do something to make things right but there is nothing I can do.

A little later I ask Charlie how Leanne is and if I can see her. She says she doesn't know if Leanne want to see me but I ask Charlie to ask her. She comes back saying yes.

I go in to see Leanne and ask if she is OK, she looks awful. She tells me all about it and I cannot apologise enough but she seems more concerned to warn me about Tony. She wants company and wants to know something about what is happening, so I tell her some of the things going on and let her talk about her ordeal. She tells me some of the things Tony told her and I tell her about Bryony. We talk for some time discussing literature, the twenties, school, her desire to go to university and about Mikey.

Then eventually we join the others and sort out watches and places to sleep. I sort out a place for Elsie and I to share, having volunteered for a watch, though Charlie still seems very off with me. I can understand that, hopefully I've helped Leanne a little, done what I can.

[nemarsde]

During the early hours of the morning Charlie was shouting out in pain. Matt saw to her, reporting afterwards that she had been bleeding again and that she now seemed to be about four months pregnant. He couldn't explain it but was worried about the swelling. We discussed the possibility of getting her to hospital in the morning but agreed that we will need to see how things are in the morning.

Most of us are up early in the morning with the exception of Charlie, Freddie, Matt and the guy that Matt sedated. Torrential rain. Power is still out and there is no water or gas either. If this goes on for some time, things may get serious.

I talk to Chesca and learn what exactly went on last night with the guy who attacked her. She goes outside to get cutlery and I suggest that we rig a tarpaulin to catch water. Then get the key off Leanne to go and get my things. Ken has seen to the pups, bless him. We have a talk about the situation generally and Ken and I (with Bobby insisting) decide we need to see what the situation is outside. Deciding that Charlie's car offers the best transport option, and with Leanne's permission, we set out.

Checking around Mawsley we find a dead body with a backpack full of medical supplies which we take. It seems that the Medical centre and the community hall have both been broken into. There are no cars moving, no people. A number of houses show signs of damage, several have wide open doors. This is very scary.

Driving out of Mawsley, the main roads including the A14 have no traffic at all. None. We see a helicopter wreck burning in a field. We check out the local Shell station, unmanned & locked up. Not good. We head for Kettering and the local hospital. In Kettering vehicles lie abandoned and it looks a similar situation to Mawsley. We continue cautiously to the hospital. It looks the same here, no movement, ambulance abandoned. I suggest going in to get supplies, Ken doesn't think it is a good idea so we head for the police station.

Obviously Ken is growing more concerned as he asks me to take over the drivers seat and be ready to drive off whilst he checks out the station. Seems deserted & locked up. We talk about our next move. The best idea is a 24 hour Tesco to get supplies but Charlie's car only has enough fuel to get back. I suggest we take an abandoned vehicle and collect Charlie's car on the way back. We take a Citroen, but Tesco's is also abandoned & locked up. So we try to get in, eventually having to ramraid it with another car that Ken manages to hotwire. I stay in the car, thinking of what we need and keeping watch, whilst Ken & Bobby get all the useful supplies that they can. I feel awful, wondering how I can make amends later but there are children back at Blossom House as well as Matt, Charlie and others and we have to do the best we can by them.

Ken and I decide the next step is to try to get the ambulance, so we head for the hospital. Ken encounters a woman in the lobby but it seems she is reluctant to come into the light and sensibly leaves her alone with a tin of beans. Checking out the ambulance, suddenly an old guy emerges from the back and starts hitting Ken with a crutch, knocking him over. Seeing this I run to help. I know Ken is already injured and need to help him. I try to dodge the crutch but it lands on my shoulder. I push at the guy, hooking my foot behind him and he goes down but taking me with him. Next thing his finger is jabbing in my eye and it really hurts, I roll away. Ken & Bobby are rushing in but the guy seems to be having a seizure. I say lets get out. Ken checks my eye, says its not bleeding but it feels awful. We have to get out of here though so I know I have to drive. I tell Ken I can manage. I've been worse. And we take off, Ken driving the ambulance and me the car. Once we get clear Ken flags me down to make sure I'm OK. And we agree signals and to take it easy.

We arrive back at Blossom House. Ken hides the ambulance in his garage and we move to start unloading the car. Lillian shouts at us to get upstairs quickly. There are shouts from upstairs and Ken & I both run up. Total confusion reigns but it seems that Darren had come around and then beaten Matt unconscious with a hardback. Somehow in the fight, Freddie got knocked out leaving Chesca, Leanne and Mikey fighting Darren. Darren is dead. Matt & Freddie concussed, and Mikey has a cut scalp.

Ken, Mikey and I take Darren and the body from the garden and dispose of them in a ditch. It is awful but we really have no alternative. Back at the house the supplies have been unloaded and first aid applied. We explain what had happened to us and then Chesca and Leanne start babbling about the TV working without electricity. I start to suggest that cannot happen and that they must be mistaken when the TV kicks into life with a song about 'are we the last souls' or something and then this is followed by a teletext screen with 'In the woods' on it. And Chesca is right, there is no power to the TV. I cannot believe what I am seeing.

Eric arrives back and is really worried that Amy is not back from shopping. She had gone to the Tesco we had visited, also planning to fill up. Lillian wanted to see some of this for herself and offered to take Eric & Mikey in her Lexus to see if they could find Amy.

Then there is a knock at the door. It is Paula asking about the water & power. Ken and I escort Leanne home to collect stuff and then go to see Guy and Paula. Guy is already fairly drunk and a little disbelieving but I think we convinced him though he is not likely to join us, so Paula probably won't either. Then we head down to Stuart's. He is already convinced things are wrong but we pass on the info and manage to persuade Stuart and his wife to go out for an hour to look for Amy. It is unlikely that they will join us either.

We head back to the house and Ken goes to get some rest. Freddie, Elsie and I talk about the situation - not making sense of anything.

Lillian, Eric and Mikey arrive back. Eric demands the keys to the Citroen. Apparently, they found Amy's car at the Esso station with a note saying that she'd ran out of fuel and was setting off to walk home via the footpath. It's getting dark. Although they didn't see any trace of her, he needs to go back out to look. I understand that but manage to make him think a little first. He takes supplies, blankets and first aid kit with him. We emphasis his need to not use light and to be really careful, suggesting that he parks up for the night away from civilisation if he finds her.

Stuart returns and we let them know the latest before they head for home. We start to make preparations for the night, looking to hide any sign of our presence and to make the house more secure. Then we start to settle down for the night.

[nemarsde]

During the night, the rain stops, everything is almost too quiet. In the silence a baby cries.

We all gather upstairs. It seems that the mob is assaulting no 14. Guy comes out and tries to fight them off yelling obscenities. We all talk quietly but frantically about what we might do to help, most suggestions around taking a vehicle and trying to draw them off. But in that short space of time, Guy has gone down and the mob are in. Realistically I know there is nothing we can do in the time. I withdraw from the room crying softly, I can hear the noises from no 14 but I can't look. Poor Paula and Brendon. God this is awful. I haven't prayed for years but I do now. I pray they don't suffer, that the end is quick.

Matt comes out to talk to Lillian. I am sitting at the top of the stairs. I suggest Lillian comes upstairs but she seems to prefer to be downstairs, more independent I guess. We do take the collapsible wheelchair upstairs though. We have a big discussion about what we need to do centring on what vehicles we have at our disposal and finding a more remote and defensible location. We also talk briefly about the 'In the woods' message. Maybe it is time to check that out in the morning.

We decide to head for sleep, Freddie volunteering to take watch as he had slept for most of the day.

I awake to some sort of noise. I can hear movement going rapidly downstairs. Sleeping in my running gear, I head for the stairs to find out what is happening. Everything is dark and there is some kind of scuffle, and the front door is opening. I grab the torch but don't want to put it on with the door open. It sounds like one of them has got in. Ken is trying to secure the door. Lilian arrives with a small light. Matt appears, says we need to evacuate. Elsie arrives on the landing. I run back upstairs and grab Elsie, helping her to dress and grabbing our stuff ready to head back down and away.

Paula is there and a slumped body. I get Elsie to head for the back and shout at Mikey & Nikos to get going too. Then I head back up for Charlie. Leanne comes to help and as we are coming downstairs, there is suddenly a lot of light and noise from the front. A vehicle blaring rock music ploughs into the mob at the front. It is Jarvis complete with pistol. Ken gets him in through the front door. By this time Paula has recover her tongue and is panicking. I tell her to help with Charlie. But then Jarvis shoots her in the head saying she is infected. We have to get out. NOW! Ken heads for the ambulance as we need more transport. We rush for the back door.

Halfway to the garage a shape looms running towards me, I hit out with torch, connecting. I then dodge a lighter coloured shape. Suddenly everything goes black. I seem to be covered by hot liquid. It smells coppery but I can't feel any pain. Wiping my eyes I see just two leg stumps on the ground and a baseball bat. I pick up the bat. I don't want to think about what just happened. Just need to get Charlie & Leanne out of here. There is just room for them both in the Lexus.

I get into the ambulance but Ken gets out. Apparently Bobby isn't here. I offer to help but he says we should all get going. I wish him luck. Next minute Jarvis is driving the ambulance out of there and we all head to the Esso garage on the A14 to rendezvous.

We all gather, even Ken, thank goodness.

Jarvis seems to have an issue with me, asking if I've been bitten. He think they're zombies! Both Leanne and Matt jump to my defence before he can do anything crazy. He asks what happened. I say I don't know but start to relate the events in the garden, needing to try to make sense of it myself. Elsie helps me clean up and we break into the shop there and take food. Fruit seems a good option. Conversation then starts up about what to do. We decide to stay the rest of the night here as it is away from dwellings and seems a good option. I insist we will need to go back in daylight to find Stuart and his family & the pups and all of supplies.

Matt gets organised with a disposable BBQ and that cup of tea never tasted so good. In consulting with the maps, we realise that most of the route can be done by vehicle so we decide to stick together and do the route very slowly looking for Amy and Eric and anything else of interest. All we see is a field of dead sheep and realise there are no other animals alive that we have seen.

Approaching Loddington, we see a mess of bodies in the road. Ken suggests to Lillian that she drives at speed through the village and waits well out of the other side. She radios in to say she is OK. We check the body, it seems to be a labourer maybe but not Eric from the clothing. We carry on intending a circuit of the village with sirens to see if anyone will respond.

Nothing happens so we get to the point where we would need to walk - and find the Citroen. No sign of Eric or Amy though. So we part company. Ken has the radio, eventually after some argument Elsie, Bobby, Mikey and Nikos came with us. Freddie drives the ambulance with Matt and Charlie in the back. Lillian and Chesca are in the Lexus. They'll check out Cransley Reservoir and meet us back at Mawsley.

We get into the large muddy field just approaching the woods when there is a strange noise. Looking around we see Elsie face down on the ground. I check for a pulse. There is one. Thank goodness. Ken and I roll her over. She is bleeding hard through a hole in her chest. She's been shot. We all hit the deck. I yell at Ken to radio the others. We need Matt and a field dressing.

From what I can hear, Matt is dealing with his own emergency. Apparently Charlie is about to be delivered by Caesarian. But Chesca is bringing a dressing. Ken sends the two brothers to meet Chesca and puts Bobby on lookout. I keep compression going but I can feel myself losing her. Her pulse stops. She can't die!

I start CPR. Some how she comes back.

Then Bobby points. Ken looks and see a soldier in camouflage carrying a rifle approaching us.

[nemarsde]

It is mid morning but everyone in the field, except for Elsie, is focused on the approaching sniper. He yells at us not to come any closer. He thinks we are infected. We try to convince him otherwise and eventually he seems to accept that. He agrees to help, heading out to his base with Ken & Bobby to get a stretcher for Elsie. Chesca has arrived with the dressing. I get her to compress the wound whilst I apply the dressing. I only hope that I can keep Elsie alive long enough.

Nikos & Mikey arrive back with us. I am busy with the dressing and the radio crackles into life. It's Freddie. Cheskca relays the conversation, apparently there is a milkman offering his place for Charlie. Freddie asks from Matt what the situation is with Elsie. I give him my best opinion. Freddie warns us they might move. I agree I can manage for now but that Elsie will need a transfusion.

Elsie is now stable with a valve to release pressure in her lungs, a trachiotomy to help her breathe and the field dressing to stop the bleeding.

The radio sounds again. Freddie & Matt are asking if we can cope until the stretcher arrives and we can get back to the road. Apparently Lillian is waiting with transport & directions to the others. I tell Matt I can manage. I understand there are difficult choices right now. My priority is Elsie and keeping the kids safe. It is good to hear Matt's voice though, always makes me feel safer somehow. I ask Nikos to keep a watch for the soldier as he is good at that. Fortunately he responds and settles down. I check that Chesca is OK. It can't have been easy helping with Elsie, although she seems calm and very practical on the surface, I am not sure what effect things are having on her.

Chesca asks me to find out about the soldier, saying that he wouldn't take her seriously. I reply that I intended to find out more as he could be an ally. Afterwards I realise she wants to find out more about the military setup and I wonder what more she knows.

Anyway, concerned about keeping myself sane and the kids occupied, I start a conversation with the idea of keeping them calm and focused. They are as much a priority as Elsie.

Eventually the others arrive and we decide to stretcher Elsie to the base as it is nearer. I get Chesca to radio Matt & the others to tell them what is going on and to ask them to get word to Lillian.

Arriving at the base, it is mostly tents, though a fairly permanent arrangement, having been here for over a year, something to do with the Skynet satellites. His name is Seru. I am concerned to see what more I can do for Elsie. I test her blood & find out I'm an exact match. I start to prepare for a transfusion. Ken says he's going off to get another vehicle. Probably a good idea. I suggest a van. He says that was the idea. Chesca is deep into conversation with Seru. I suggest to Ken that he doesn't go alone and he takes the radio. He agrees and takes Bobby. Ken radios Freddie. I ask that if Matt is free he come and take a look at Elsie. Ken finds out that Lillian is still parked by the fields and heads out with Bobby to tell her what's happening and to get her to take them to Mawsley.

We go and meet Matt & Freddie in the ambulance. We agree to stay in touch with Seru and get him to tune his radio to ours. Lillian then calls saying we should come and see Mawsley for ouselves. We set off.

Arriving, it looks awful, bodies everywhere. Matt says he wants to check the Medical Centre for supplies. I suggest we all get together to do that. The bodies near Matt's, one is naked and shows cancerous growths. Matt takes a sample. I take a blood sample. Radiation seems like it might be a cause. I ask Ken if he's talked to Stuart. He says yes but the guy won't come. We discuss our options wanting to minimise any risk & decide to head back to Charlie & Leanne and then check out Nus Hill.

Getting back we discover that Carl, the milkman, lying bleeding from the head and with a knife in the back. Amy is there naked. Leanne is climbing onto a chair looking the worse for wear and Charlie is doubled up in pain next to the baby. I go to her first and ask if she is OK. She's angry but OK and gives us a quick run down on what has happened. Seems that Carl has been holding Amy prisoner in the bedroom. Matt checks out Carl, tries to resusitate but says he is dead.

I cuddle the baby which does seem fairly normal before going over to Amy and giving her a blanket. After asking Matt for a tranquiliser for her, I start to talk to her to reassure her she is all right and that the boys are OK. They are hugging her and I'm hoping that they will help.

Meanwhile Matt goes to see Elsie whilst Chesca, Leanne, Ken & Bobby go to check the rest of the house. Lillian finds adiary which she gives to Freddie. It transpires that Carl's family turned. He had to kill his father and he chained his mother up in the cellar. Convinced he had been chosen and needed to repopulate the earth, he came across Eric & Amy in their car and invited them back. After poisoning Eric, he forced Amy upstairs and raped her.

I split my time between Amy and Charlie, reassuring one and supplying practical help to the other. I tell Charlie about Bryony, just a little, so she knows that she has someone who understands how to look after babies. Chesca nurses her for a while and then passes Lucy back to Charlie. Then she cries, she's hungry which is a good sign.

Matt suggests we need to tell Mikey, Nikos and Amy about Eric. Amy is out of it, so I tell the boys. Nikos is upset but curls up with his Mum. Mikey gets angry and demands to see his Dad. Matt takes him outside. He comes back in after a while and starts kicking Carl's body. He needs to get the anger out but then stalks out of the house. I follow him. We have a fairly intense conversation. He doesn't want to listen, is angry with me - all of which is expected and says he wants to go off on his own. I tell him I understand how he feels, tell him about Bryony and he says she is better off dead. I tell him I'd still want her with me if I had the choice. He walks off again. I follow saying I'll have to go with him because I can't let him go alone. That at least seems to be enough of a threat and he stalks back to the farm with me following.

We seem mostly to be loaded up now. I get Amy up and doing and we all get into the cars and set off for the garage.

I'm driving the lead car, come around a bend and see this sort of strange flaming shimmering wall stretching as far as we can see. There is a heated discussion, radio contact with Ken & Freddie who has thrown a rock into it which vaporised and we debate whether the farmhouse or the camp is the best option for the night but time is running out. Matt puts up a persuasive argument for camping in the vehicles away from anywhere. We can sleep 12 and there are 12 and the baby, so it works. We decide to head for the Barn.

Setting off I try to raise Seru. I reach him and try to explain about the barrier knowing how weird it sounds. We avoided telling him some of the weirder stuff but he's going to have to know sometime. Anyway I tell him we're going to the Barn and he accepts that and signs off using his call sign S2.

We get to the barn without difficulty, shutting the inner gate only. In the barn, we back in the vehicles ready to go and find a place in the loft to stand watch. The sleeping/escape vehicle arrangements are as follows:

Ambulance : Matt front seat & driver, Rear: Elsie, Charlie & Lucy, Leanne

Lexus: Driver Lillian, front Amy, Rear Mikey, Boot Nikos

Freelander: Driver Ken, Front Bobby, Rear Oshan & Freddie. Boot Chesca

Guard 1 Chesca.
Guards 2 - Ken & Bobby
Guard 3 - Freddie
Guard 4 - Mikey
Guard 5 - Oshan

Matt and Oshan go to see what they can do for Elsie. Later we all gather and Lillian asks what we all thought about the strange barrier, particularly asking Freddie for his theories as a SciFi writer. We actually talk about some of the weirdness really for the first time.

Freddie is on watch & alerted by a sound in the barn. At the same time I feel something brush past my head. Next minute a light comes on. It is Bobby getting a drink. Both Freddie & I tell Bobby to turn the light off. Then I notice the light shining on something, reflecting off something I can't see. A man? Suddenly it's the red haired man, standing over Charlie and carrying a bundle in his arms.

"Who are you?" I ask.

[nemarsde]

2.00 am or thereabouts and everything is frozen in silence for a few seconds. He doesn't answer. He bends and places his bundle on the floor beside the child. It looks like clothes. But the child grabs all of my attention for a moment. It must be Lucy but she looks like a toddler. I can't believe my eyes but then I've been feeling that way for a while now.

I don't think he means harm, his actions don't suggest that but I am concerned for Charlie & Lucy. I move closer arms out, trying not to look hostile. But I only get so far, about 6 feet from them. I feel nauseous and there is some sort of pressure holding me back, even blurs my vision. It's painful. I stop and take a half step back.

Charlie is suffering the same but worse, it looks like her skin is crawling to get away from the man.

He straightens, turns and then disappears. I head for Lucy and Charlie, closely followed by Matt. He starts to check out Charlie who looks bad, blood shot eyes, bleeding gums and also from her abdomen where her stitches have torn. Matt says her injuries are consistent with jumping out of a fighter plane at supersonic speed. Was that G-force we felt then, why weren't our clothes torn off?

I quickly explain the effects I felt which do seem to explain Charlie's injuries. It appears that Chesca & Freddie suffered some injuries in trying to get closer.

Matt sees to Charlie and I check out what must be Lucy. She seems fine but she didn't look as though she had been affected at the time.

"Matt, this is more sci-fi than science but it seems like he stepped out of another.. dimension or something.. maybe that's why the effect.. Oh I'm rambling now, trying to make sense of something that isn't."

Matt listens, not thankfully looking at me as though I'd flipped. Best to get back to what I've been doing since this all started, dealing with the practicalities.

I cover Lucy, making sure she is warm and comfortable and then assist Matt working on Charlie. Leanne is trying to help too, obviously worried about Charlie. I am aware of others moving around but not the details, especially as we are not using much light. Amy makes tea for us and I'm glad of it.

Ken arrives back from outside with Bobbie. Says we have a problem. There's a mob from Mawsley trying to get over the badger fence, presumably heading for us.

Then the radio crackles. It's Seru asking Ken to go back out. He disappears for a minute or two. Ken says that there are some in the field but they seem to have lost direction. He thinks if we stay quiet and show no light we might stay safe. Seru is keeping watch on them. I suggest to Ken that if we disturbed Mawsley, we might have disturbed some at the stables. I suggest he tells Seru just in case. He radios him. Seru confirms that the military had cleared out the stables pretty good. Ken says he'll have to go out with Seru as one is randomly heading that way. Bobbie insists he should go too.

Matt checks me over and we do what we can for others, I go to check on Elsie. Eventually we all settle down again to get what sleep we can. I am on last watch and see Seru come in and wake Ken. They go out.

Gradually everyone else starts to stir. Breakfast is started, Leanne & Freddie take Lucy to Charlie. I'm not sure if I should still be on guard but decide to wait until Ken gets back.

Freddie & Mickey come up and move some gear downstairs and I have a brief but bizarre conversation with Bobby who seems to want to relate all the events of last night so that i can write up his heroism. It seems Ken and Seru ambushed the stranger and killed him...

Eventually Ken returns and says I don't need to be on guard. He and Seru are intending to head out and check the bodies of the mob who collapsed when it got light. They want me to go with them and want take pictures, asking Chesca if they can borrow her camera. I expect she'll be attached to it though, and I'm right in spite of Lillian's protestations... or maybe because of them.

Bobby comes too and Ken entrusts him with a bale hook, would not exactly have been my recommended action. He stops saying that all of this is like Silent Hill, some village from a computer game that is half in hell. Maybe he is more right than we give him credit for. But I don't voice it.

Seru stays back to give us sniper cover, the four of us head into the field.

We find the first body all curled up, a woman in her 50s. Chesca takes a picture and Ken checks her over. Bobby wants Ken to stab her and when he doesn't, runs in and kicks her.

Once Ken confirms she's dead, I take over the examination directing Chesca to any points of interest to take photos. Ken talks to Seru on the radio.

It seems that they have neglected themselves. I do a thorough examination of one body but draw no real conclusions but do take some samples.

We get back. Seru & Ken are going to get some sleep but Seru reminds us that he is due to be picked up at noon today. We chat a little about events. Ken suggest we check the barrier. I suggest we mark the road so that we can measure if and how much the strange barrier is moving. Also that we get back to the plan, finding a safe house away from everything.

I find Freddie with Lucy, and do some checks. She seems like a normal two year old though she cannot speak yet, which I had expected in a way as that is a learned skill. She does look like Freddie. I asked Freddie if he would come with me to check out the barrier. Lillian joins in the conversation, trying to make sense of events. Matt wakes up and a general discussion of plans take place. It is agreed that Freddie & I head out for the barrier and the rest will check inventory, work out what supplies are required, Matt will do an autopsy and we'll all go with Seru at noon.

Freddie & I head out. I drive the Freelander and Freddie has the gun.

The barrier is still there... but closer. Freddie throws a couple of stones, one in and one over. Both seem to disintegrate. Freddie moves closer, I call out for him to be careful. This is scary. He tries to poke it with a stick which reacts as if buffeted by chaotic winds, then as he presses further gets a section burned away.

I start to mark the road. A noise distracts us and we see a section of the barrier collapse in and it looks like it destroys all it rolls over. Time to go. I suggest that we check south and see what the situation is there.

Checking around south and west, Freddie & I see Old and Lamport are both being destroyed by the barrier. Harrington is clear so far. We head back as it is nearly noon.

Freddie and I gloss over details but I do manage to brief Ken. When the chopper doesn't arrive, we split into 3 groups. Seru does tell us a little more about what they had been doing, apparently spying on Stoneyfields with this kit and beaming it all to the Skynet satellite. Suddenly there is now a reason why we might have had some protection from all these strange effects.

Harrington - Ken, Seru, Chesca, Leanne & Bobby
Camp - Freddie, Mikey & Nikos
Barn - Elsie, Charlie, Lillian, Lucy, Amy, Matt & myself. Oh and Cheetah.

Whilst the others are away, I take the opportunity to brief the adults whilst the kids are away. Everyone is a little subdued, Matt more positive than the others. However we all agree that we need to keep trying, find out what we can, try to find a place where we might be safe, underground, under water, Stoneyfields because it might still have some protection. But we need to know more. The priority is to find out where the barrier is now, in all directions.

Time passes slowly whilst the others are away but I enjoy my time with Lucy, although there is a deep sadness of what might have been had things been different. No sooner than the thought is there than there is the sound of a vehicle approaching, not the Freelander though. I head quickly for the loft, Matt gets the shotgun, everyone else piles into the cars. It looks like Amy's 4x4. Once she looks she agrees. And it looks like Jarvis??

It is.

He had apparently tried to go North but encountered the barrier. He told us there was no way out of it and shows us the extent on the map. He had already taken Amy's car figuring it would be more economical and was left at the Esso station with the keys in. Returning to Stoneyfields he talked to Stuart and found out where we were & came and found us.

Between coffee and sandwiches, we tried to catch him up on events though I'm not sure he believed everything we told him, including Charlie's child & the red-haired man. I asked him if he told Stuart about the barrier, he said he tried but the guy didn't want to listen. I expect he didn't try too hard. He also said that the au pair, Kaja, was shouting from upstairs about wanting to go to the airport. That doesn't sound good.

The others arrive back with a short guy, Daniel, an MoD man they found at the airfield. He tells his story, having gone there with the two soldiers, they found the two Paradigm techies already there had turned. They were attacked, one of the army guys was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher, but the two infected guys were killed. The uninjured soldier took the other one to Kettering hospital in their Land Rover and neither returned. Apparently Daniel was about to hang himself before Ken and the others arrived.

He then tries to explain what the project was all about. In summary, it seems that we have somehow been caught in a sort of bubble. Everything around us is a simulacrum of our world. The walls of this reality are closing in, that's the barrier. He believes that the barrier might (only might) fizzle out when it reaches the edge of the bubble but his concern is what new world lies beyond it. He thinks it will be, I'm not sure, worse than death? We then explained about the red-haired man which certainly struck a key with him. Jarvis didn't like Daniel's lack of cooperation but I managed to get him to back off and persuaded Daniel to keep talking. I didn't understand half of what he was saying, more than half really, but it does seem like the red-haired man has occurred before in history, often depicted as evil, rumoured to 'interact' with other planes of existence but it does seem that he occurs around these events.

Freddie has found some sort of experimental wideband imaging device in the camp. That might well give us more information. We are a bit stuck with what to do now. Ken, as down to earth as ever, suggests reducing the competition for the shrinking real estate by switching on a searchlight and luring the infected people out away from us and letting the daylight take care of them in the morning. The idea does have merit.

As we narrow things down to the fact that the bubble must cover the woods & Stoneyfields... and that everyone in it at the time of the earthquake survived... like the milkman... and oh my God... Tony!

Everyone is subdued and start to move around. Matt heads off to the ambulance to check on supplies and Charlie. Chesca is nursing Lucy again.

[nemarsde]

Charlie comes around calling for Lucy and I manage to prepare her for Lucy's very different appearance. Lucy is reluctant to leave Chesca and this gets Charlie upset. I suggest to Chesca that with withdraw and give her some space.

I head out the barn and stand looking towards Mawseley, getting some fresh air. Seru is in the tyre lookout post. What does the future hold for us? I need to get myself together if I am to be of help to others. Looking out across the fields it would be so easy to think everything is normal and all of this is a bad dream. However, it is not and somehow we have to stay positive if we are to have any chance of surviving this.

Leanne comes out and goes for a smoke. Then Ken emerges. Says he's going to head to the camp for the truck. I offer company and yell out to Leanne to see if she wants to come. Jarvis also volunteers. It seems that Mikey & Daniel are missing. Chesca offers to search the barn & let us know if she finds him.

We set off. I warn the others about Tony, saying he might still be about. Leanne says he's dead but we don't know that.

Arriving at the camp, Ken goes to check the loos for Mikey & yells out to say he's there and injured. I go running in and find Mikey, trousers at half mast, not breathing well. It looks like he's been strangled. I put him in recovery and he breathes more easily. Ken goes out to fetch Leanne. I start to clean Mikey up and something catches my eye. It is Daniel creeping up in a very non civilian way on Jarvis. I call out a warning but Daniel springs on him, knocking him out. I leap on Daniel whilst he is occupied with Jarvis but he dodges, twists my wrist and throws me off with comparative ease. I am yelling a warning to Ken. I run away to try to draw him from the others. He goes for Jarvis's gun. I run faster calling out to Ken that he has a gun. Next thing we all here an engine start and watch as daniel drives off in the truck. We make no attempt to stop him. Mikey comes around, consoled by Leanne. Then Jarvis recovers angry that he got taken and storms off back to the barn.

We are about to follow, having radioed in to both Seru and the ambulance, when Ken spots some disturbed earth. He investigates and finds a metal container that seemed as though it might have contained computer kit which Daniel presumably has now. What is he up to?

We head back to camp to find Jarvis has taken the shotgun and gone after Daniel. We fill the others in with all the details and discuss what we might do. The consensus is that it is too close to dark and we should prepare for the night.

Just then we hear a car. It looks like Jarvis is back but we are taking no chances. Seru takes guard position and Ken heads to meet him. It seems that he can't find Daniel. Ken says he probably went to Harrington. Jarvis tries to persuade Ken to go with him. Ken tries to persuade him to stay. Jarvis gives in & Ken secures the gate.

Jarvis is not in a good mood but eventually things start to settle down. I help out with the chores but feel that Jarvis is up to something. Just then, as Seru is talking to Ken, a voice cuts in. It's Tony and he's says he knows we are and will see us soon. I feel sick. Ken & Matt go out to brief Seru. Charlie asks if I'm OK. How can I tell people how helpless he makes he feel? I tell the others I plan to sleep in the loft. Matt & Ken return, I don't even want to ask them what has been said.

I've been dozing on and off but wake with a start as Matt shakes me. He says that Stuart's house is on fire and that he thinks Tony is responsible. He says I should go with Ken and try to draw Tony out so Seru can shoot him. I'm half asleep and very worried but agree. However when I get down Ken has already gone. However they get him to wait and I stumble off into the dark.

We get to Stony Fields and already the fire that Stuart is fighting is attracting attention. Ken urges they to get away now and tells me to take them away. I start to lead them away but Ken goes back in for Kaja.

I urge Gwen to stay quiet & hope little Reece follows suit as I lead them back to the barn. I keep looking over my shoulder hoping to see Ken but some of the infected have arrived.

Gwen is over the badger fence but as Stuart climbs over, someone grabs him from the ditch. I can't see what is happening but draw Gwen and Reece away, saying somethin in the hope that if it is Tony I can get him out into the open. I hope Seru is ready. I try to signal to him, hoping he can see me.

No sign of Ken. I am starting to think the worst.

Everyone is in the ditch and Reece is making enough noise to attract the attention of the infected. I don't know what to do but I have to do something. I'm more frightened of Tony than the crazies so I run off to the left as agreed with Seru and start shouting to attract attention to me, figuring that I can get away from the crazies easier than I can get away from Tony.. but I really hope he can't see in the dark either.

Suddenly I see him, his eyes gleaming in the dark. He can't see me and I watch as he tastes the edge of the axe blade he is holding. Oh God. He's killed them. He is talking, saying he is coming for me. Then he reaches down and turns on Stuart's light. I freeze, cannot move. He gets closer, reaching out and touching my cheek with his bloody fingers. His hands move further down to my chest. I am squirming inside. Then he starts talking about a game, saying that he bet I thought I'd won. "Won what?" I ask. "What do you want?" He asks when I've ever cared. Then he says he's changed, understands now, ready to join me in hell. I ask him to prove it, to kill some of the crazies but he says he can prove it, wants to take me to the community centre. He takes my hand. Then he suddenly he falls to his knees. I back away. Then his expression changes. And he starts name calling. Crawling towards me, starting to get up and then his head explodes.

The next thing I know is that I'm on my knees and Ken is whispering in my ear that we need to get Kaja to safety. Somehow we creep away.

Getting back I am still shaking. Leanne goes to fetch a cup of tea and Matt asks if I'm OK. All I can do is shake my head. Lillian starts making comments and everyone seems to accept the MacKenzies' deaths. That poor little boy..

Note: Chesca reviews the films of us and discovers Elsie letting the red haired man into her house the night I was followed home.

[nemarsde]

Everyone stirs and starts to go about their morning preparations. We are all looking the worse for wear and I am feeling still shaky from the events of the previous night. However cannot fail to notice how much Lucy has grown. She looks around 8 years old now.

I do a quick headcount which reminds me that Kaja is with us now. I try not to think of Stuart, Gwen and little Reece. However cannot fail to notice how much Lucy has grown. She looks around 8 years old now. I go outside to get some air and take Seru a cup of Amy's tea.

Seru suggests we take a trip into Mawsley to see what the situation is. I offer to go wanting to check on the pups and to get clothes. Seru says we should go on mass. I'm now thinking supplies, medical supplies, baths.. this could be a good thing to do. I go in to suggest this to everyone else. Everyone seems to think its a good idea, though Ken is still asleep.

The ladies are going to head for the latrines and I decide to go. I manage to get some time to talk to Charlie which is good. She's worried but coping. I try to give what reassurance I can.

We get to the latrines and Jarvis and Bobby are there talking. I explain that Ken is after Jarvis for a job and they head back to the barn. Not long after we hear a vehicle on the road which must be Ken & the others.

Heading back to the barn, we arrive as the Ken radios in. At least they got there safely, but no sign of Daniel.

We start packing everything ready to leave for Mawsley.

A little later the radio crackles and Ken tells us that the barrier is closing in and has already separated him and Bobby from Seru & Jarvis who were in the Freelander. Nikos and Mikey both start yelling. The barrier is quite close to us now and we decide to evacuate to Mawsley. It looks like Seru and Jarvis didn't make it as they haven't arrived or responded to the radio.

We are forced across the fields as the barrier has reached the stables. Ken also has to take the field route around the woods and eventually we arrive at Stony Fields and begin to ferry all the stuff across the barrier, discussing where we are going to hole up. Freddie's seems to be the best bet.

Lillian starts up a strange conversation with Charlie, almost questioning her on where she was the night of the earthquake and then Matt drops a bombshell that Elsie knows the red-haired man. Elsie confesses that she thinks he has done something to Lucy for his own ends. She starts to tell her tale. I can hardly believe what she is saying. Rosicrutians?? Who would have thought it of Elsie?

We finish moving the gear and Charlie, Leanne, Lucy & I head for Charlie's house. Although the house seems intact, it has obviously been searched. Leanne and I go though the rooms. Nothing, no pups either. Eventually I get back to the kitchen and start cleaning up. When I go to put some of the towels in the bin, I find the pups dead. I throw up in the sink. Upset, my mind wanders through who might have done it. Tony is the first thought but having seen him last night, I would have thought he have wanted to kill them in front of me. The red haired man? But why? Ken? He saw them last. I'd have thought he was more likely to have let them out though. Chesca? She has always banged on about how much of a risk they are.. were. I start to figure out who had opportunity over the last two days. I add another name to my list, Jarvis. Thinking back, Ken saw them last of all of us but I can't see him doing that. I remember that he was upset about the deer. No-one has been back to Mawsley since, so it must have been Jarvis or Tony. But how did they get in and out? Or maybe Daniel? If he - or anyone - came to search and the pups made a noise - they would likely have killed them.

I need to find out before I start suspecting everyone around me. Leanne is concerned and sympathetic, bless her and tries to dispose of the bodies our back. Freddie arrives and I take the opportunity to force myself to go and examine the bodies. Their necks are broken and it looks like they were killed within the last 24 hours. I am relieved, looks like that counts out any of our group.

There are still things to do. I pull myself together and head towards Blossom House to see where I can make myself useful. I help Matt & Freddie with the bodies, at least for a while - an awful job. I cannot help but wonder how many have died because of me. It is Gwen & Reece that haunt me the most. We should have checked last night. We might have saved her. And I failed the pups too. Although I am not suicidal, in some ways I'll be glad to see the end of all of this. There seems little future ahead. I need to keep this to myself as much as possible, to try to seem positive for everyone else. As for the pups, best blame them on Tony. Even if he didn't do it, he's a convenient scapegoat. About time he was useful for something.

Some good news, Seru and Jarvis have made it!

Matt and Ken get everyone organised sorting out the house and some diversions. I just keep my head down and keep busy.

Towards the end of the afternoon, we check out my house, a number of us get showered though cold. I get fresh clothes and other stuff and head back to Blossom House with the idea of cooking a meal. I enlist Freddie's help, then put him in charge. Amy helps too.

Eventually things are cooking and I get to watch and stir with Amy whilst Lillian takes Freddie off for some other urgent task she has. Not too much later Lillian comes in with a smile. I wonder what she has been up to (or who she has upset) but I won't give her the satisfaction of asking. It seems the queen is back in her court.

Leanne pops in to ask if I know the meaning of dreams. I say that dreams come from people and can be a sign of a troubled mind. She says never mind and disappears.

We all sit down to eat and then clear up. I feel better with food in me and being relatively clean, so I decide to catch up with my diary. I'm startled when the door goes and it is Bobby with two glasses of vodka. I decline the booze which a few hours earlier I would not have and then get propositioned, much to my amusement. Perhaps what they say in that shampoo advert is true? Anyway, I try to let him down gently but firmly, intending that this will remain our secret.

A little later Charlie comes in with Lucy and we have a chat, playing some games with Lucy. As Lucy gets tired, we put her to bed and then before settling down ourselves, look at the security of the house.

[nemarsde]

I waken to a scream. It sounds like Lucy and is coming from the ensuite. I get there first calling to Freddie to grab a light. It seems that Lucy has had another growth spurt and appears to be menstruating. I check her out to make sure she isn't injured. Charlie & Leanne arrive just as Lucy suddenly swoons. Could be a combination of shock & blood loss. I'm more worried about Charlie, she looks awful. Drawn, jaundiced. I think we need Matt. Apparently Freddie has already gone for him.

Clearing up Lucy and making her comfortable, I leave her with Charlie and go back to the bathroom to clear up.

Matt arrives and I take the opportunity to express concern about Charlie. We end up agree that we are looking at massive organ failure and that she is unlikely to last the night. Our only options seem to be a blood transfusion, maybe even from Lucy. We break the news to Charlie. In checking it seems that Ken is a universal donor but Bobby, Seru and I are all compatible.

Charlie wants to try to get Lucy to understand. There are enough people here so I go to find Elsie. Unfortunatelt she is in Lillian's room and Lillian is there and awake. We exchange a few words about Charlie and I really have to bite my tongue though I don't think I was exactly polite. She is busy trying to fathom out that image enhancer machine thing that was recovered from the base. I talk to Elsie who is keen to review the CDs and needs Chesca's laptop. She seems to think she might find something but it doesn't sound as though there is any hope in the time Charlie has left. Still you never know, so I go to find Chesca and to find out how Charlie is doing.

Summary - there might be a chance to use the radio mast as some sort of conduit back into our world. Room for one adult or 3 kids. Consensus is that Chesca, Mikey & Leanne get to go. Elsie has done a lot of theorising that makes little sense to me.

We all assemble then to get scanned. I'm only going along with it as everyone else sees to be and it is giving Elsie some focus. Lots of fine tuning of the equipment takes place and then Elsie suggests they have found something. It looks like Lillian is surrounded by some sort of spirits, likely that these caused the crockery to shift on top of cupboards and the cutlery impaling. She finally admits that things have been happening but that she hasn't told anyone. She insists she isn't mad but has been 'in a dark place' for some time. I believe that poltergeists are a manifestation of a troubled mind but this does not seem to be the right moment to say it. Elsie says it might be useful as she believes - wait fot it- that the dark energy in the zombies might coalesce into some sort of demon and Lillian may be able to use her spirits to fight it. This is a step to far for me. My only hope is that if this is the end that it comes quickly and there is an afterlife where Bryony and I can reunite.. but I don't really believe that. Strange but understanding how we clutch at straws towards the end.. or what we perceive to be the end.

Mikey goes upstairs to the bathroom to see if the radio mast is still there. He comes running down saying someone is out back. Ken tells everyone to get into the living room. Most people do. Matt is upstairs in the bathroom. Ken heads to the back door, Freddie the front and Leanne is running around.

What is going on?

[nemarsde]

Everything is black, hazy, disorientated. Senses start to kick in. Someone is in the room, talking. Things become clearer. It's Daniel and he is after Lucy. He seems to want to kill her. I need to move but it is hard to do anything.

Then everything starts happening all at once. Daniel announces that he has terminated Lucy, Charlie throws herself at Daniel, I pick up a chair, Daniel throws Charlie across the room, Daniel holds a head - Kaja's, I shout a Daniel that he has killed Lucy, I repeat it a couple more times to make sure everyone knows so no-one gives it away that Daniel killed the wrong girl, Ken & Jarvis appear on the scene. Matt checks out Nikos and I can see that the boy is dead. Daniel threatens everyone with his gun and looks about to leave. Then he spots something in Lillian's room and checks it out coming back and spouting some rubbish. Wants to know what our plan is and questions Freddie, asking about a book? Freddie says something about a library which Daniel doesn't believe so he shoots Charlie!

Ken raises the shotgun and fires. I lift the chair. Daniel fires back, Ken goes down. I throw the chair, Jarvis jumps off the stairs onto Daniel and knocks himself out against the wall. Freddie kicks out at Daniel, felling him. I yell to get the gun as I move over to help Charlie & Matt goes to Ken. Freddie gets the gun and then shoots Daniel in the head. I'm shocked but can't honestly say I'm too upset. I manage to stabilise Charlie but don't know for how long, the bullet's still in her abdomen.

It seems everyone else is alive, Chesca finds Lucy. Matt asks someone to check if the ambulance is reachable.

Matt & I talk. He doesn't believe that we can do anything. Moving her will likely hasten her death, same for operating. I don't want to accept it but Matt says there is nothing we can do. I say we must tell Freddie, Matt says he is going to tell Charlie.

Charlie is obviously upset. I am still trying to find something we haven't thought of. Matt patiently listens and calmly answers each suggestion. Then Leanne started verbally attacking Matt, wanting him to save Charlie, even though he can't.

Charlie talks to Chesca, then to Freddie & Leanne, and some time just a little later slips away. Matt tells everyone she has died.

Nikos, Kaja and now Charlie. Don't know how much more of this I want to take. I go in search of the vodka, sitting down with Ken & Bobby. A little later Jarvis arrives asking about who we feel should go on the mast trip which I still have trouble believing in. I tell him the kids are going. He wants to go. I tell him he'll need to charm Chesca as, according to what has been said, she has to go for it to work. He disappears. I mentally wish Chesca good luck.

Later there's some movement from the kids and it seems that the kids might be getting ready to go. I talk to Chesca asking if anyone is going to see them off. Seems not so I'll say I'll go. I go to tell Matt. Suddenly there is a shout from upstairs. It's Freddie calling for Matt. We both run up stairs. Seems that Leanne has stabbed Lucy through the heart and is now strangling her.

Freddie pulls Leanne off, Matt gets to work, I run for the crash kit. Back in the room, we start to work on Lucy when suddenly she starts healing. Leanne realising, tries to get at Lucy again. Chaos ensues and in the middle of it all Seru arrives to say something is happening outside. Then there is this unearthly scream.

We all agree the kids should get going but Leanne doesn't want to go. Mikey tells her he needs her and that gets through to her - then Jarvis carries her downstairs. Then suddenly Chesca, Mikey & Leanne are off with me following, climbing fences & getting through the gardens. Eventually out onto the road, we head for the badger fence but there are figures moving towards us. We run faster. At the fence, I get grabbed but manage to kick it, Leanne attacking it too. And we are over, heading for the next fence. Over that too. Now we are in pitch dark hedgerow. Suddenly a short figure pops up, Chesca attacks with the spear. It falls and we are past. Over more fences and we are back onto road, across the dog path and running for the mast. Then the barrier collapses, rushing towards us. We run for our lives, I almost make it but at the last minutes it catches my arm, first fire, then crystalising cold and it shatters. In shock, I see Mikey doubling back and yell at him to go on. Both he and Leanne are helping me though I don't know why. I think this is the end for me. The chance of getting back before were slim, with one arm, not possible. The only hope is that I can maybe buy them some time. I ask Chesca for the spear and get it. The kids climb over the gate to get to the mast, I stay.

Nothing happens for a while but then some sort of gas halo forms around the tower, then turns into a vortex and then suddenly there's a bright light. It blinks out, ripping the mast apart, the kids are gone and it begins to topple. The barrier is still a threat but maybe the thing worked for the kids. I hope so and silently wish them luck.

I start to jog for Stoneyfields, back through the hedgerow I cut wide across the fields, skirting the barrier. I can feel the heat and cold burning me, then a ripple of blasts and I curl up, waiting for the end. I can feel malign spirits around me but hold the memory of my beautiful daughter close, remembering happier times playing in the garden. The malign influences fade away.

Everything around me has changed and I find myself on the edge of a ledge looking out over a jungle valley, snow-topped mountains in the distance and a huge tree stump, about 1 kilometre high, dominates the valley. On the top of it is a fortress, the buildings inside reflect like glassy mirrors. I don't know how much time passes but the others arrive too, Freddie and Lucy, Matt cradling Lillian, Ken & Bobby, Amy, still groggy, and the ex-Army Men, Jarvis, Seru. The survivors.

And maybe we have a future...?