Marc Chadbourn - The Devil in green

Classes continued for most of the knights, excepting the elite Blues whom Blaine appeared to think no longer needed tuition. They were rarely seen by the other knights, always busy on some mysterious task Blaine had set them deep in the sprawling body of the cathedral buildings.

Mallory could barely keep his mind on the studies. Before, it had seemed irritating; now, it was merely irrelevant. The image of the monk moving slowly down the stairs played repeatedly in his mind, interspersed with thoughts of Sophie and a growing acceptance of his deep attraction to her. The two things pulled him back and forth, darkness and light, fear and love, combining with a general sense of paralysis at his inability to do anything productive that might get him out of that place. And that, he had decided, was what he wanted more than anything else: Sophie with him, miles between them and Salisbury and damn the consequences. Even his desire for payback against Blaine and the Church authorities paled beside it.

He had doubts that he could ever convince her, especially after what had happened with Gardener, but he had a long-shot idea how he might make it work.

Mallory woke at first light, aching from the pointless, wearying tasks they were increasingly set. Miller was already sitting up in the thin grey light, his rough blankets pulled tightly around him against the cold.

'I think something bad's going to happen,' Miller said bluntly.

'To be honest, that's not much of a revelation,' Mallory said sleepily. 'Under siege. The forces of hell at the gates. Food running out. And, I might add, having to wake up next to you every morning. This is the definition of bad.'

'No, I think something bad's going to happen today.'

Mallory rolled over; another few minutes' sleep would be good and luxuries were few and far between. 'You're just spooked because it's Hallowe'en.'

'Exactly! It isn't just some stupid kids' holiday any more, Mallory. Everything now is exactly how we were afraid it would be when we were children. Those things out there… this is their day!'

'Shut up, Miller. We're safe in here. Protected by the Blue Fire,' he added sardonically. He pulled the blanket over his head. 'Safe as houses till we starve to death.'

Hipgrave pulled Mallory to one side after the herbalism class. He had appeared a different person since they had returned from their nightmarish excursion, more introspective, somehow.

'Can I have a word?' he said. His eyes darted around, uncomfortable at being seen with the black sheep.

'What's up?'

'What do you think's going on here, Mallory?'

'Why are you asking me?'

'Because you've got a different perspective on things. You know He floundered.

'An ungodly one,' Mallory said.

Hipgrave nodded, oblivious to the humour. He'd developed a nervous habit of rubbing the knuckles on the back of his left hand; Mallory could see that one of them was sore and callouses had started to build up on the others. 'This whole place…'He motioned a little too animatedly around the mysterious architecture.'… it's not right. No one seems to realise it's all changed… But they half-remember… They talk about it being a result of the Glory of God.' He paused. 'But I don't see how it can be. It doesn't feel right.' He stared off into the middle-distance. 'I can't talk to Blaine about it.'

'I've got no answers, Hipgrave.'

The captain's eyes held a devastating desperation that suggested life was slipping away from him. He clutched at Mallory's sleeve. 'If we can sort this out, Mallory, everything will be all right.' He held on for a second and then drifted slowly away.

'Hipgrave's losing it,' Mallory said baldly. 'Please excuse the complete lack of sympathy in my voice.'

Miller, Daniels and Gardener followed him across the grassy area that circumnavigated the sprawling cathedral buildings. It was only five p.m. and already dark; it seemed to be getting darker significantly earlier every day. Moonlight cast long, deep shadows all around.

'We gave him a chance to stand with us,' Gardener said. 'But he's too much of a shit to be decent.'

'Well, aren't you the heart of compassion,' Daniels jibed.

'You weren't so pleasant when he got Blaine to give you another ten laps on the circuit training.' Gardener lit a roll-up, drawing the smoke in deeply.

'I think you're all being too hard on him,' Miller ventured. 'Yes, he has been unpleasant in the past, but he needs us now, and as Christians we need to give him support… extend the hand of friendship.'

'Shut up, Miller,' they all chanted in unison.

They reached the walls and climbed the ladder to the walkway. The guard greeted them with a curt nod and continued his rounds. 'Hallowe'en and all's hell,' Mallory called out. He couldn't help a glance towards the pagan camp. A ruddy glow emanated from burning bonfires as they celebrated Samhain and the start of their New Year the following day.

'I'm hungry,' Gardener grumbled.

'You're always hungry,' Daniels said. He dropped the large bag he had been carrying and squatted down to delve into its contents.

'If they cut the servings any more, we'll just be getting bowls of hot water,' Gardener continued. 'Bloody turnips and swedes. Give me a bloody big steak, that's what I say.'

'A curry,' Mallory said. 'Balti, preferably.'

'Jerk pork.' Daniels pulled out a crossbow and handed it to Miller. 'Let's see if all that training paid off.' He handed other crossbows to Mallory and Gardener.

'Won't they be annoyed at us for wasting ammunition?' Miller said.

'Don't worry, Miller. You can go out and reclaim them all when we're finished.' Mallory drew the crossbow and fitted the bolt before looking through the sight as he moved it in an arc over the rooftops. 'When you really need street lighting…'he sighed.

The guard wandered up. He had the worn features of someone who had worked too hard for too long. 'It won't do any good, you know. You can't kill them. The best you can do is hurt them.'

'Hurting is good,' Mallory said.

'I don't know…'the guard mused. 'Maybe I should talk this over with the captain.'

Mallory clapped a comradely hand on his shoulder. 'Look, we're all under pressure here. This is just a bit of aimless sport… a bit of r'n'r and some way to show we're not a waste of space… we're not beaten.'

'Thumbing our noses,' Gardener said in support.

The guard thought about this for a second, then nodded. 'Go on. Give 'em hell.' He wandered off whistling a Madonna song.

'Right,' Gardener said quietly, 'let's tear those bastards to pieces.'

They knelt down to rest their crossbows on the top of the wall, aiming at the empty road ahead where the supernatural creatures would sooner or later make their nightly appearance. After a while, Miller began to mutter under his breath.

'For God's sake, Miller, what is it?' Mallory muttered.

'I'm not happy with this.'

The other three all groaned together. 'I'm having a post-traumatic stress disorder flashback,' Daniels moaned. 'Didn't we go through all this in the refectory? Didn't we talk at length before reaching a democratic agreement?'

'Yes, didn't we tell you you're a stupid bastard and to shut up?' Mallory added.

'They're living creatures,' Miller protested.

'Debatable,' Gardener said.

'They are. They move, they think-'

'But they don't have souls,' Gardener said.

'Neither do dogs,' Miller said. 'But would you advocate sitting up here shooting at a few pets running around out there?'

'If they were the enemy,' Mallory said.

'We're Christians,' Miller said. 'We shouldn't be going out inflicting pain on any living creature. We turn the other cheek… that's what we do.'

'Eye for an eye,' Gardener said. He cranked the bolt, ready to loose it. 'They should be coming out any minute, right?'