Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Mistake

The image faded and disappeared. I was puzzled, but whether she spoke the truth or not, I still had to rescue Arkwright.

I had no time to waste, and after positioning my candle on the flags nearby, I knelt beside the slumped figure. To his right was a jug half full of water. Bound as he was, someone must have been coming in to keep him alive for Morwena. I leaned closer and could hear fast, shallow breathing. I called his name. He groaned but didn't open his eyes. So, drawing the knife from my belt, I began to cut through his bonds: first the feet, then the hands.

That done, I tried rubbing his hands and face in an effort to revive him; but still his eyes remained shut. Next, I held my water bottle against his lips and poured some into his mouth. He choked a little but managed a couple of gulps. Then I broke off a piece of the leaf Alice had given me and pushed a small piece under his tongue. Finally I placed him flat on the ground on his side, in an effort to make him comfortable. It was only then that I noticed the marks on his neck. They were big yellow scabs, three of them, and one was still weeping matter. I'd never seen anything quite like it before. And then I remembered what Arkwright had told me about skelts. I wondered if one had been feeding from his neck. The witches could have been using a skelt in their rituals.

There was nothing more I could do now, so after fastening the water bottle to my belt again, I sat down beside him, my head in my hands, trying to think things through. I realized that this was only the beginning of my problems. I had no heavy stones to help me make a fast descent to the mouth of the tunnel. Would I be able to swim down? I certainly hadn't managed it before. Arkwright was a very strong swimmer and, if fit, would no doubt be able to pull me through after him. But he looked worse than I'd expected. Far worse. How was I going to get him back to safety?

It was then that my eye was drawn to the wide crack in the far wall; the one I'd noticed previously from above. The tower was constructed of stone blocks both above and below ground. If one of the stones was split and I could work it loose, that would be enough, perhaps, to carry both of us down to the tunnel mouth. Could I pull one out of the wall? It was worth a try. So, picking up the candle, I went to examine the stones close up.

The vertical crack was more extensive than it had looked: at least three stones had been split, so placing the candle at my side, I started to work on the most promising, which was about two feet from the ground. By rocking it back and forth, I managed to loosen it further and soon tugged the bigger half out. As I did so, I realized that Arkwright was beginning to stir. Slowly he sat up and blinked in the candlelight, then frowned and pulled something from his mouth. It was the leaf I'd placed under his tongue.

'Alice gave me that. It's what brought you round. '

'So you swam through the tunnel to reach me?' he asked.

I nodded.

'Then we should both be grateful that I threw you into the canal!' he said with a slight grin, his strength slowly returning.

'How are you feeling?' I asked.

'Terrible, but there's no time to waste. Who knows what will come through those tunnels next. We need to swim back through. Normally I'd let you go first but I feel as weak as a kitten and I'd better try to get through that tunnel while I still can. Count to ten, then follow me through. '

So saying, Arkwright walked shakily to the edge of the water, took a deep breath and dived straight in, making hardly a splash, his weight taking him down towards the opening.

Peering down into the water, through the turbulence caused by his descent, I watched him give a strong kick, propelling himself into the tunnel. Another second and he'd disappeared from view. Even in his weakened state he was a far stronger swimmer than I was.

I picked up the knife and tucked it into my belt, then tied my silver chain about my waist again. I would give him another ten seconds or so to get through and then I'd follow. I thought about the tinderbox in my pocket. The water wouldn't do it any good but I couldn't just leave it behind. I continued to stare down as the ripples slowly faded away and the surface of the water became as smooth as glass, reflecting back my own face. I prepared to enter the water myself, clutching the large piece of stone. But then I recoiled in horror. Something was coming out of the other tunnel — the one that led to the lake.

The figure rose quickly to the surface and a female head surged clear of the water, the eyes locking with mine, water cascading from her hair. But it wasn't a water witch — it was Grimalkin! I took two rapid steps backwards but she made no attempt to leave the water and attack me.

'You needn't fear me, child. I've not come for you. I seek someone else tonight.'

'Who?' I demanded. 'My master?'

She shook her head and smiled grimly, treading water. 'Tonight I hunt the Devil's daughter, Morwena.'

I looked at her in disbelief. Was she just trying to deceive me? After all, I'd tricked her — perhaps she saw me as no better than an insect — something to be crushed by any means possible. But maybe she was telling the truth. The Pendle clans had often fought against each other, witch against witch. Perhaps they also warred against witches who lived in other parts of the County?

'Is Morwena an enemy of the Malkins?' I asked.

'She's the daughter of the Fiend and he is now my sworn enemy. For that she must die.'

'But you were up on Pendle Hill the night the clans brought the Fiend through the portal,' I accused. 'How can he be your enemy now?'

Grimalkin smiled, showing her pointed teeth. 'Don't you remember how difficult it was to unite the clans for that?' she reminded me. 'Malkins, Deanes and Mouldheels only rarely come together. And there was dissent even within each clan. It was feared by some that once through the portal into this world, the Fiend would be too difficult to control. And that has proved to be so. He has demanded our allegiance. Commanded us to be subservient to his will.

'At the Halloween sabbath the Fiend appeared in his fearsome majesty to those who offered him obeisance. But some did not attend. And I am amongst those who will not kneel to him. Now the clans are divided as never before. It is not just one clan against its rival. Malkin fights Malkin and Deane fights Deane. The dark is at war with itself.

'Witches are entering the tunnel even as we speak. They know you are here. I'll return and face them. But go quickly — I may not be able to stop them all. '

With those words she sank back into the water and re-entered the tunnel that led to the lake.

Whether or not she was telling the truth, I was leaving anyway and right now! I picked up the stone again, held it close to my chest, took a deep breath and jumped into the water. There was a tremendous splash and I sank rapidly. Even as I released its weight and kicked hard into the darkness, I glimpsed something emerge from the other tunnel. A water witch? Or Grimalkin?

Swimming through that dark passageway seemed far easier this time. At least I now knew that it led to the next tower and that I wouldn't reach a dead-end and be trapped in the darkness. The water began to lighten. I'd almost reached the end of the tunnel. One last kick would carry me through. But then something seized my ankle.

I kicked again, trying to get free. The grip tightened and I felt myself being pulled back. Now my lungs were bursting. Was it Grimalkin, about to take her revenge? If it was a water witch, I would drown while she drained my blood. That was how their victims died. Weakened. Unable to fight back. Water rushing into the lungs. Grimalkin would probably just slit my throat.