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  BOOK ONE OF THE DARK PENNINE TALES SERIES

  Hide by Angela Blythe

  Book 1 Of The Dark Pennine Tales Series

  First Edition.

  © 2018 Angela Blythe.

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.K. copyright law.

  Please contact me for details of future books at http://www.angelablythe.com

  Published by Willow Publishers.

  Cover Illustration and Design Copyright © 2018 by Dark Grail

  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DarkGrail

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Other books by Angela Blythe

  The Saddleworth Vampire Series

  Sticky Valves

  Silver Banned

  Brass Neck

  Bold As Brass

  Seven Bells

  Brass In The Blood

  HIDE

  Prologue

  1. The Discovery

  2. Return to The Grange

  3. A Strange Meeting

  4. A Reconvening

  5. The School Railings

  6. Rag Pudding and Chips

  7. An Unnatural Specimen

  8. The Creature Itself

  9. The Date

  10. A Lovely Walk

  11. Sleepover Time

  12. A Cosy Drink

  13. Sunday Breakfast

  14. A Trip to Melden

  15. The Bin Bag

  16. About the Car

  17. Him Again

  18. A Bella Trip

  19. Distracted Band

  20. Fun at Sue’s House

  21. Map it Out

  22. A Place for Renewal

  23. The Chest

  24. The Pelt

  25. Tracking the Varmint

  26. Parents Evening

  27. Mr Pugh

  28. Stray Dog

  29. Skinless

  30. Tattoos

  31. Multiplication

  Prologue

  My name is Wee Renee. I live in a small Village in Saddleworth, which forms part of the Melden Triangle. An area of strange happenings, and disappearances. I’m talking Vampires, Ghosts, Werewolves, Humunculous, Murderous Trees and Faeries. Definitely, the weirdest place to live in the North of England, if not the world!

  These are the chronicles of that place and the tales told by the people who live there. Tales told in The Grange, by the fire – Dark Pennine Tales.

  1. The Discovery

  It broke open the human. It needed something inside the pelvis – an item absolutely necessary for its survival. It had to survive, or this world wouldn’t last long. It would take a foot too. A whole foot. That was required for the ritual. The rest … …. well, it was there to enjoy at its leisure. Maybe a lovely leg to chew on.

  In the darkness, cloaked for his protection, another, even deadlier, predator watched it. This prey would be good to take now, very good. But if he waited, it would be even sweeter. Yes, he would wait. But he would remain constantly vigilant. That was crucial. A couple of hours too late, and everything would be lost.

  Tommy and Suzanne were preparing to go out for another walk with their dog, Bella, one evening. As a young collie, she was challenging them with her vitality. Bella would go walkies for England if they asked her. She kept them fit, and no walkies probably meant no exercise for them. Both aged 55, they needed to try and keep everything in good working order. They wanted to live a healthy life. Not only vegetarian’s but they also had regular health checks and early nights. Bella was a bonus health benefit.

  Bella was also a focus to rally around, now that their daughters had left home.

  Today’s problem was that Bella seemed to be intrigued about something she had discovered on the Moors earlier. During their walk before breakfast, she had got the scent of a strange pile of droppings. Suzanne wasn’t too sure of what they were, but Tommy voiced that they looked human. Suzanne found this hard to believe. But thought, if I hiker had to go … they had to go. However, it would have been a little more civilised if they had been a bit more discreet about it.

  A few steps after that they had found a bone. Totally clean and quite large. As they were looking at that, it began to rain heavily, so they had to cut the walk short.

  But this evening, as soon as they got home, Bella was holding her lead in her mouth. Tommy had an idea that she would be dragging them to the same spot. That place held too many exciting items for Bella. Tommy thought she might see them as toys – that wasn’t happening.

  During the afternoon a fog had set in, and it was going dark at about 5.30 pm. By the time they were both in, had eaten and had put their raincoats on, they were setting off in the pitch black. To add to that, now the rain had started again. A fine drizzle glistened on them within a few minutes.

  Even on a dry day, low cloud could be over the Moors, forming a wet mist. So, they were prepared with raincoats and wellingtons. They never really minded the weather now.

  Bella led the way and was dragging them to the same place she wanted to investigate, that was for sure. And like two water-skiers behind her, they soon arrived at that area. Near the spot, which was on a public footpath, there was a barbed wire fence. This made it easier to see in the dark, fog and drizzle.

  ‘Don’t step in it. I don’t want it all through the house. If that’s a fox’s one, it will stink,’ Suzanne said.

  ‘Oh, Suze and I was thinking of doing that too, just for the laughs,’ Tommy said light-heartedly.

  Sure enough, they soon discovered the mysterious dumping again. No chance of that drying up and blowing away. Not by the size of it and not with today’s awful wet weather. Bella showed no interest, instead, pulling them further towards the bone that she had seen earlier. Usually, she wagged her tail at any bone but certainly wasn’t wagging her tail at this. Her ears went down, and she sniffed deeply, then her head lifted from the bone, looking further into the fog. Tommy didn’t have time to look at it, Bella was itching to go.

  ’Come on girl, let’s go see what it is,’ Tommy said, following her with Suzanne. Over a little hillock, about fifteen steps away was another bone. A big one. A chord struck in Tommy’s brain.

  Along with the other bone, now thinking about it, Tommy thought that this was human. The three of them stood looking down at it.

  ’Ah Suze,’ Tommy said, ‘I don’t know about this. That looks like it’s a pelvis or something. I don’t know everything about animals, but it doesn’t look the right shape for anything I know. It’s not sheep, or badger or anything. It’s too small for a horse. Suze, it’s the right shape and size for human one!’

  ‘Maybe it’s a deer’s,’ Suzanne said, ‘they are all around here. Let’s look around for some more of the bones.’

  ’Listen Suze, if this is human remains, we shouldn’t be lumbering around buggering up the evidence. Besides that, if I’m going to find someone’s head staring up at me, well actually I don’t want to fetch up my tea, which I thoroughly enjoyed!’

  ’Tommy, you don’t want to go to bed not knowing that perhaps we could have saved someone, do you?’ Suzanne asked.

  ’Save someone? Someone who is still surviving without a pelvis? I doubt it Suze,’ Tommy said.

  Suzanne did not answer. Tommy heard her catch her breath. But didn’t know why.

  ‘What up?’ Tommy asked.

  ’Shush,’ Suzanne whispered. ‘There is something the other side of the barbed wire fence!’

  Tommy glanced over to Suzanne’s left just before it d
isappeared. He saw something hunched over, something vast and dark. Tommy thought he saw its eyes glint. There was a bad atmosphere surrounding this vision.

  It retreated back into the fog. The swirling mist swallowed it. Tommy knew it hadn’t gone far. It was right there, just out of sight. The eyes still watched them. Suzanne stared forward. She was not going to look at it again. Bella hung around Tommy’s legs, ears down. There was no doubt that there had been something there.

  Bella began pulling on the lead again, and unfortunately, with it being elastic, she sprung further forward before Tommy could press down the lock.

  ‘Bella!’ Tommy said, quietly but sternly, trying to pull the dog, but she was not shifting. Tommy quickly walked towards her, the lead shooting back inside the handle. He put his hand on her collar.

  ‘You’re a naughty girl, we are going home right now,’ Tommy said, glancing across at the barbed wire fence briefly. It was still there! When the fog swirled at its thinnest, it revealed the outline of its shape. It had moved along with them. Tommy’s blood was running cold, Suzanne pulled at his sleeve, her back was to the fence deliberately not looking at it.

  Bella had found something. As Tommy looked closer he could see that it was a plastic doll, it’s red and blue dress dirty and wet.

  ‘Come on Bella,’ he said, ‘you’re not having that. You’ve got plenty of clean toys. We’re going home, and we won’t be coming back here,’ Tommy stated. As he finally managed to pull Bella’s head from above the doll and turn for home, he thought he saw that the doll looked like it was being held by what could have been a human hand. A small human hand.

  ’Has she fully moved in now?’ Wee Renee asked Pat.

  ’She has. Full kit and caboodle. She moved in with every one of her belongings, and that was a lot. She’s family, what else can I do? I like my privacy, but I love my sister more. I remember what it was like being alone after Dennis died. It’s no fun!’ Pat said.

  ’Aye, but he’s not dead Pat, she’s divorcing him. This is by choice, remember that,’ Wee Renee said.

  ’Well watch what you say about that, Rene. It’s still a bit raw with her. She knows she’s made the right decision, but it’s still a lot to get your head round after all those years. I catch her blubbering every so often – and bloody looking at old pictures of them together,’ Pat said.

  ’Well, all I have to say is his loss is our gain. Glossop has lost one of its best tuba players, and Friarmere Band will benefit. It’s a bit of company for you as well isn’t it? It must get lonely sometimes. Even I get lonely sometimes,’ Wee Renee said.

  ’It is Rene, but to be honest, I’ve just sorted myself with those two kittens of mine. Me and them pair were having a lovely little time on our own. And Jackie is a dog person, always has been. Although she didn’t get on with Dorothy that much,’ Pat said.

  ‘No,’ Wee Renee said. ‘You have to consider regarding her, that your Dorothy was a very, very picky dog.’

  ’Yes. Dorothy got grumpy after she got cataracts, remember. As for our Jackie, I already told her she’ll have to get used to cats. Piggum and Hank have taken to me, and me to them. We will just have to get on as a foursome,’ Pat said. There was quiet for a short while as the women drank their tea.

  ’Pat, have you told her anything?’ Wee Renee asked, keeping her gaze on her friend.

  ’About what?’ Pat asked.

  ’What do you think? What we did. The Morgans. The Grange. Changing vampires back to humans,’ Wee Renee asked.

  ‘No of course not. Do you think it’s wise? It’s sure to put the willies up her,’ Pat said.

  ‘Put it this way Pat, what’s best? Her finding out by herself off someone else and knowing you have kept her out of the loop. You were one of the key liberators, as was I. She’ll find out, as sure as eggs are eggs. Think of this too - you could not tell her and worst of all, she might actually come across something on her own! That would be very dangerous for Jackie. Think about it,’ Wee Renee said.

  ’Yes, I see what you mean now. It’s a bloody minefield. What should I tell her?’ Pat asked.

  ’Tell her as much as you like really. But the minimum surely has to be, that we walked through the snow from Village to Village, killing vampires and werewolves. We’ve met ghosts, and we live in probably what is the most dangerously supernatural place in the North of England. Something like that. Or go into more detail. It’s up to you, love!’ Wee Renee said.

  ’Oh, is that all, Rene? That will go down a barrel of laughs with Jackie,’ Pat said.

  ’And don’t forget to tell her how we acquired The Grange. That is bound to come out. It looks a lot different now, she will never suspect what went on there. Sooner or later, it will get out and then she will think you were treating her like a mug for not telling her,’ Wee Renee said, with a long blink.

  ’Yes, you’re right,’ Pat said. ‘I’ll do that of course. I’ll tell her how brave we both were.’

  ‘Yes, good one. Nothing like the truth, is there,’ Wee Renee said, smiling.

  Tommy and Suzanne were sitting, still with damp hair, around the kitchen table. Bella was now absolutely fine and eating a bowl of dog food. It seemed like she had forgotten about it all. Suzanne had put the kettle on, and they sat with two steaming mugs of tea in front of them. Tommy was rubbing his finger on the tablecloth forward and back. Suzanne was staring at Tommy twirling her dewy auburn hair.

  ‘What are we going to do Tommy?’ Suzanne asked.

  ’I want to go to the police, but now I’m thinking that maybe in the fog I saw all that stuff wrong. Was it really a hand? I mean it was underneath the doll. It was foggy, and we had just seen something watching us. That wasn’t our imagination. What if I told the police and they found nothing? I could be arrested for wasting police time,’ Tommy said.

  ’That is true,’ Suzanne said, ‘but I don’t think you saw that wrong at all. You had already said you thought that was a human poo and a human pelvis. Combine it with that thing, that horrible thing stalking us. Oh Tommy, what if it followed us?’ Do you think it did?’ Suzanne shivered.

  ‘No, and who would think that?’ Tommy said. ‘It had an ideal opportunity to mutilate us up there, with no-one watching and it didn’t. Why would it wait until we got home?

  ‘Are you positive about that? Have you checked through the curtains lately?’ Suzanne asked. She waited for her husband to speak, but he said nothing, just shook his head. If this had happened anywhere else, Tommy would act, quite differently than he would now.

  ’I’m going to sleep on it. We can’t save that person if that’s what has happened to them. I’m just hoping that it isn’t you know … … something else,’ Tommy said with a knowing look.

  ’Of course, it’s something else! We both know it is and we both know that going to the Police would be bloody useless or make it worse! Or try and use it for some kind of power game, I don’t know,’ Suzanne shouted. She looked at Tommy who did not say anything again. ‘Well?’ Suzanne asked.

  ’I’m going to sleep on it,’ he said. ‘Think about what the best course of action is. I’ve got a feeling I know what to do. I just hope it’s right.’

  2. Return to The Grange

  The following night was a night of firsts. It was officially the first time that Friarmere Band had Alan conducting them. However, he had been the unofficial conductor for a couple of months now on a trial basis, along with a few others.

  Ernie wanted to be sure that they had exactly the right one, so had been trying others against Alan. None had come up to scratch, and in fact, a couple of them had nearly come to blows. One already had caused quite a bit of trouble, when he could tell he wasn’t going to get the appointment. So, Ernie had made it Alan’s role official last week.

  The next first was Jackie, Pat’s sister, who was attending her first rehearsal with her new band.

  Tied to her husband for many years, Jackie was looking forward to making new friends. Pat’s friends to be quite honest. Pat did not need
a man. She had enough in her life, there was no room for one. Apparently, there seemed to have been room for two rescue kittens that would not be split up, but that was another story.

  Jackie would be using the Bands tuba, so that was already waiting for her. Pat and Wee Renee carried their horn and cornet in cases, as they walked up the hill towards the top of Friarmere. Jackie wondered exactly where they were going the moment they started to make their way down a dirt path.

  Jackie had played a couple of times with Pat’s Band, but that had been at the old Bandroom that had now being razed to the ground. This was a new Bandroom, and from what Pat had told her this afternoon, which was quite hard to swallow, it had been a former house full of vampires.

  The one thing Jackie could say was that her sister was not a liar. Also, she was not taken to flights of fancy. If she told Jackie about this, Jackie could bet her life on the fact that it was true. What a terrible notion, considering what she had been told!

  Once her mind had computed this and with Jackie not being easily scared, she thought this could be a fascinating place. Pat told that along with Band Practice they also held secret meetings here, where they told scary tales around the fire.