Chapter 9. Old friend
1904 Wiltshire England
It was night and the Manor house was fully engulfed by flames.
"Goodbye, widow Barnes." Ithaniel said.
He stood in the deep shadows of the tree lined carriage way.
As the third floor collapsed inwards, he turned to the man
standing next to him. "Her money will keep us in the comfort
we have become accustomed to Mies."
Mies showed Ithaniel the diamond necklace he had taken
from Jemima Barne''s body, before he''d set the fire.
"Keep it," Ithaniel said. "you earned it tonight."
There was blood on the necklace and Mies smiled as he felt
the sting of the broken skin on his fists.
Ithaniel patted him on the shoulder.
"Your hypnotic induction was almost faultless tonight."
Mies basked in his teacher''s praise.
"I knew I’d found the right student in you Mies."
*
Mies watched Innis walk his children down the hill from their
home and across the train lines. Hidden amongst the crowds
of the train station he followed as they made their way
through the streets of St.Ives to school.
Mies waited across the road from the school gate for Innis.
"This time will be different." Ithaniel had said. "You’re going to
be on your own, and it has to be done out in the open in broad
daylight."
Mies was unsure, but he knew better than to question his teacher.
Ithaniel had reassured him. "You''re ready for it."
Innis came out of the school gates and walked back into town.
It was Thursday and Mies knew Innis was going to visit his Australian
painter friend Hayley Lever. As he followed, Mies rehearsed his cover
story and mimed the technique that Ithaniel had shown him.
Today is the day he thought to himself.
*
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Innis helped Lever carry the painting equipment from his
studio through the town and up to the Chapel of St. Nicholas.
The Chapel faced St. Ives and sat high on a promontory that
overlooked the sea on three sides.
As he painted, Lever talked about Australia and the possibility
of the two couples taking a European trip together.
Himself and his wife, Innis and Miriam.
Innis noticed how many jars of turpentine Lever had laid
out to clean his brushes. "Do you really need all this?"
Lever stepped away from his easel and wiped his hands
on a rag. "When I want advice on how to paint from a
Cornish know-nothing shite, you’ll be the first person I ask."
Innis laughed. He wasn’t sure what he enjoyed more -
Lever''s prickly bluntness, or how thick his Australian accent
became when he was annoyed.
He sat with Lever for another hour until it was time to do
for his errands in town. "Don’t forget that Miriam''s dinner
party is tomorrow and she’s still annoyed with you. She thinks
you snubbed her friends last week."
Lever returned to his easel. "That’s because I did."
"You lucky bastard." Innis said. "I wish I had that option."
Innis took the steep western path down off the promontory.
The path rose and fell as it hugged the coastline.
After a staircase climb he walked along the stone walls
that looked down onto Bamaluz Beach.
"Hello Mr.Page."
Innis turned to see who greeted him - a thin well dressed
young man. Not a working lad he judged and not a local boy.
"I''m sorry," Innis said smiling, "Have we met before?"
"In a roundabout way Sir." Mies replied.
"My Mother is part of your wife''s group."
Innis sighed theatrically. "You’re the son of a suffragette then."
Mies shook his head and smiled ruefully.
"It could be worse you know," Innis said. "you could be married to one."
Mies laughed. "My name is Mies, Mr.Page."
"Call me Innis."
Innis shook Mies outstretched hand, and as he did, Mies pulled
Innis towards him. The suddenness of the movement unbalanced
Innis and he stumbled forward. Mies put his other hand on the back
on Innis’s neck.
"Under." Mies said. Innis’s world shimmered and went silent.
"Listen to the commands I give you. There is nothing more important
to you than my voice. Walk with me."
Innis walked beside Mies, eyes open and unaware that anything
out of the ordinary had happened.
"With every step you take, you are falling deeper and deeper under
my control."
Ithaniel had shown him the snap induction technique and it had
worked even better than he had thought possible. It was a short walk
back to the harbour. At the end of the harbour wall, Mies found an
empty bench seat. "Sit down."
He looked around at the day tripping tourists. Nothing to see here he
thought to himself, just two old friends enjoying the view.
Mies stretched his fingers and cracked his knuckles. "I’ve been waiting
for this moment for weeks."
He thrilled at the thought of what was to come - of what he was going
to do to Innis and his family. He sighed with pleasure.
A female voice intruded on his thoughts.
"You should of stuck to yout parlour tricks Mies ."
Mies gasped. Between himself and Innis now sat a woman with straw
coloured hair. He tried to jump up but found that his body was frozen
in place. He stared in disbelief.
"Struggle all you like Mies, there is no hope of escape.... not for you."
Eurides looked at Innis and smiled as he stood up and picked through
his pockets until he found his watch.
Mies watched Innis shake his head and start to walk away.
"Innis will have no memory of ever meeting you." Eurides said.
"He''s unaware that you and I are even sitting here."
Mies tried to yell for help - hoping that by drawing unwanted
attention it might break Euride''s concentration, and maybe loosen
the muscle lock she had on him.
His shout was no louder than a wheeze. "What are you?"
Eurides didn’t answer, she looked out across the harbour. Fishing boats
still tied to their moorings, lay beached on the sand.
"The tide is still running out, when it turns in an hour or so, you are going
to swallow your tongue and slowly choke to death."
"Fuck you." Mies hissed.
Eurides stood up and whispered in his ear.
"Nothing to see here, just two old friends enjoying the view."
*
Mies was drowning in fear. Each minute that passed was an agony
as he sat alone on the bench. He tried to remember everything that
Ithaniel had taught him hoping to find a way out.
He had no idea of how much time had passed when unannounced
and seemingly out thin air, Ithaniel sat down next to him.
"Hello Mies."
"Ith.” Mies rasped. "Thank fuck you''re here. Can you see what that
bitch has done to me?"
"I can," Ithaniel said, "and to tell you the truth Mies, I think you got
off lightly. I''ve seen her do much worse."
"Unlock me." Mies begged.
"Why would I do that?"
Mies could feel his tongue starting to swell in his mouth.
"I’ve done everything you asked me to do." he whimpered.
"Yes you have." Ithaniel said.
"You''ve done everything that I wanted you to do."
Mies groaned, he saw it clearly now. Ithaniel had used him
to do his dirty work. He''d given him the tools and shown
him how to use them, but they were never partners.
Ithaniel had set a trap and staked him out in it.
Mies face was wet with tears. "Please Ith."
Ithaniel watched as gulls circled overhead. They called out to
each other before landing on the exposed sand banks.
"This world is so full of visual pleasures."
Mies began to sob.
"Cheer up Mies." Ithaniel said. "It looks like the tide is about to
change."
*