A Weekend Away
I promised Joey a Halloween Bonanza story but it didn't really work out so
Jack and Dominic got to go away instead.
This story is very much for Joey because she loves Halloween so much and is
such a fantastic Beta.
Incidentally, Dr Vogel is curtsey of a series of Children's books by Lucy
Boston about a house called Green Know. Well worth a read if you ever see
them. The house is real and pretty much as described.
Jack and Dom had been together for almost 6 months now and so, an unexpected
weekend off for both of them seemed the ideal opportunity to celebrate their
1/2 year anniversary. It being October and short notice, their choices were
somewhat limited but they settled on a weekend away and Jack chose a hotel
he'd seen advertised in one of the Sunday papers.
It was a moated Norman manner house just outside Cambridge, close to where
he'd been brought up, which had recently been converted into a hotel. It had
belonged to the grandmother of one of his childhood friends and he had many
fond memories summers spent playing in the house and grounds.
As he was filling Dominic in on his idea, however, he started to have second
thoughts. Having grown up in the area, Jack loved the bleakness of the fens
but he wasn't sure how Dom would take to it, Particularly in a wet and cold
October.
Dominic however was delighted. He loved the idea of staying in a house with
a moat, had never been anywhere remotely like it before, wanted to hear all
the stories of Jack's childhood exploits and had no concerns whatsoever
about being bored.
As far as he was concerned, 3 days on his own with Jack was as near to
heaven as he could get and he didn't see how they could possibly beat
snuggling up in front of a log fire as the perfect weekend's activity. And
it was Halloween too. What better time to go and stay in a creepy old house?
So Friday saw them waved off by Jack's sister Judy, come to look after the
animals. Dominic's excitement had built, day by day, fanned by Judy with
hints of scary stories to be told about the house and he was now at fever
pitch. Jack finally threatened to banish him to the back seat of the car if
he couldn't sit still. In desperation Jack began to tell the boy what he
remembered about the house.
It had been in the same family for generations. There was a tradition of
topiary and the garden was full of carved animals, "I think there was even a
Noah." The main house is Norman but there was a Georgian extension build
around it, which had burnt, leaving mainly the Norman core. The moat used to
go all the way around but now was only on 3 sides. "I remember once...."
Realising that his restless companion hadn't interrupted once Jack broke
off, he looked over to find that the boy had fallen asleep. "Well I didn't
think I was that boring" he commented to no-one in particular and continued
the drive, enjoying the peace while he could.
Dom woke just as they pulled up to the house. He was up and out immediately.
"This really is something else." He said, turning in a circle , trying to
look in all directions at once. "Why did you friend sell it?"
"Couldn't afford to keep it up I guess. I don't really know." Jack replied
as he unloaded the car without assistance. "I've not seen Rob since we were
at school. Come on." Grabbing a bag in each hand he headed into the house,
followed by Dominic who's head was practically revolving at all the things
to see and who's eyes were getting bigger and bigger by the second.
"Hey look!" The narrow entrance hall was full of mirrors. One in particular
had caught Dom's attention. It was small and dusty and had what appeared to
be an old bird's nest at the bottom. Anyone looking into it suddenly
acquired a spiky beard.
Moving on he found himself looking up into an old glass ball, hanging to one
side of the entrance.
"What's this?" he asked, walking around it, enjoying the way the silvery,
old, curved glass distorted the reflections of the room.
"Rob's grandmother used to call it a witch ball. Used for telling the future
apparently." Jack explained "Sometimes they were hung in entranceways to
ward off witches and evil spirits. They're not supposed to be able to stand
their own reflection, or something like that."
Jack leant on the counter and watched as Dom darted about the room
exclaiming at everything he saw. A softly cleared throat behind him recalled
his attention to the matter of checking in though.
"A double room, sir" the man queried.
"That's right." Jack responded firmly.
"Come right this way."
Dominic, by this time, had found a box with a skeleton hand holding 5 aces
in it and had to be dragged away by the scruff of his neck.
"It was found walled up in a pub that used to be down by the gates." Jack
explained as they followed the clerk up sloping, lopsided stairs to their
room. "A lesson to those of you that can't play fair at cards," he finished
pointedly.
Dominic ignored him.
Deciding it was too windy and wet to want to venture far that night they
settled for dinner in the hotel and then a quiet evening in the bar.
"Tell me some more about the house." Dominic asked as he snuggled up to Jack
in front of the fire, pleasantly full from dinner and with the remainder of
the wine in front of them. "Are there really any ghosts?"
"Rob always said it was haunted " Jack acknowledged reluctantly. "And then
there was Dr Vogel."
"A ghost? " Dominic's eyes were getting wider by the second.
"Not exactly, but, yes there are supposed to be ghosts here."
"Who are they?"
"They're not specific people. Just noises." Jack was doing his best to
remember everything he'd been told about the house. " Rob's grandmother used
to say that what you could hear was happening in another time and that the
noise just somehow got trapped."
"What sort of noises?" This was definitely to Dominic's taste.
"Nothing terribly exciting; footsteps up the stairs, banging on the roof,
that sort of thing."
"Footsteps? How do you know it's not someone now?" asked Dominic, his usual
scepticism rearing for a moment.
"They don't match the stairs as they are now." Jack explained. "The earlier
stairs went on up into that little bathroom at the top. It was a chapel, I
think. The footsteps carry on up the old stairs."
"Creepy!" Dom shivered and snuggled closer to Jack. "What about Dr Vogel?"
"You sure you can handle this? " Since Dom was so keen, Jack wanted to
provide a little Halloween scariness but didn't want to take it too far.
"I'm sure. Go on." Nothing was keeping Dom from hearing this story
"Ok, then here goes." Settling back with Dominic in one arm and his wine in
the other hand, Jack began the story.
"Sometime in the early 17th Century an alchemist called Dr Vogel arrived at
the house as tutor to the family's only son."
"What exactly was alchemy?" Dom's mind was off on a tangent as usual.
"You've read Harry Potter, you know what the philosopher's stone is." Jack
was slightly irritated at being interrupted so soon.
Dom however wasn't being put off. "Was that it?"
"More or less. Trying to turn base metals into gold, brewing the elixir of
life, calling up spirits, that sort of thing."
Jack couldn't help grinning at the look on Dominic's face. If his eyes got
any bigger they'd fall out of his face.
"Didn't they have a problem with witchcraft then?"
"Yes, but alchemy was a respected science. Witchcraft was the old lady in
the village with too many cats. Now do you want to hear this story or not?"
Jack wanted to tell the story as much as Dom wanted to hear it and he was
getting fed up of the distractions.
"Ok. Go on." Dom snuggled in close again and settled down.
"When he arrived, Dr Vogel was found to be a tall, imposing man with back
hair and a thick black beard. His eyes were also supposed to have moved in
different directions.
"Pretty un-nerving for the kid he'd come to teach."
"True. The story doesn't cover that though" Jack hurried on before Dominic
could start off on another tangent.
"Anyway the squire was proud to have such an important man in his house and
entertained him regally, however the servants became more and more nervous
of him as they saw him at his other work, stirring his mixtures, dissecting
dead animals or feeding dead mice or frogs to his snakes."
"Yuk!"
"They also gradually noticed that Dr Vogel seemed to have a companion. When
he came into a room he appeared to hold the door open just a little longer
than was necessary for instance and he would look down before he closed it
as if checking for a small animal or child."
Jack paused for a moment to look down and see how the story was being
received and was promptly nudged to continue.
"Go on."
"After a while, things began to go wrong that no-one could explain. Dogs
howled and were then found dead the next morning. Their bodies would
disappear. There was talk of strange happenings in the village at night and
cottages began to shutter up after dark. People left the taverns earlier
than usual at night and waited for company to walk home with.
"Dr Vogel was often seen out at night gathering herbs and it was said that he
was not alone, though no-one could say exactly what his companion was.
Gradually the stories got worse. It was said that he tried to buy the body
of a stillborn baby for a piece of gold.
"The stories got more and more extreme and Dr Vogel's behaviour became more
and more bizarre until, finally something cracked. One night he sent word to
the vicar to come to him as soon as possible. The family were away and he
had been alone in the house, but for a few servants.
"When the vicar arrived he found the man in a terrible state. He'd clearly
had no sleep for nights and he was bruised and his clothes torn as if he'd
been in a fight. He said he wished to make his confession and did so, all
the time stammering and looking around as if the rooms were full of demons."
Jack paused again to see if his companion was still with him, given the
uncharacteristic silence, and then continued.
"The vicar never revealed what was said in the confession but whatever it
was, he besought the doctor to burn all his books and put aside his
profession. Together they built a huge bonfire in the courtyard and the
servants watched in terror as they systematically burned all his books and
potions.
"By dawn the fire was burning down and the vicar headed towards home. Just as
he reached the village he heard a high pitched, agonised scream. Rushing
back to the house he found the servants fled and Dr Vogel gone, never to be
seen again."
"And he never came back?" Dom's eyes were, if anything, bigger than ever.
Jack solemnly shook his head.
"And this is true?" The boy was clearly not sure about this.
"I don't know about that." Jack couldn't resist a little teasing. Dominic
was such a wonderful audience for stories like this. "A man called Dr Vogel
certainly came as tutor at around that time and left not long afterwards. As
for the rest...." He broke off and shrugged.
Then, seeing that his friend was starting to look a little green and was
glancing nervously over his shoulder, he went on reassuringly
"Its just a story Dom. Good fun for a dark night but nothing more than that"
"Maybe he's still here?" Dominic seemed torn between excitement and terror
at the idea.
"Enough babe, it's just a story" Jack was beginning to realise he might live
to regret telling that story.
"But what about the ghosts?" the boy persisted.
"Dom it's an old house. Old houses make strange noises." His lover was doing
his best to calm things down now. "I stayed here dozen's of times as a child
and I never heard anything." Putting a comforting arm around Dominic he
finished. "Come on. Bedtime."
"You're coming too. I'm not going on my own." Dom was still distinctly
nervous.
"Yes. I'm coming too. Baby" The temptation to tease overwhelming.
"I'm not a baby I'm just." Dom found himself looking over his shoulder
again.
"Scared?"
"No....well, yes maybe a little." Dom confessed reluctantly.
"Don't worry, I won't let any nasty ghosties get you." And so saying he
reached around and tickled his lover from the other side. Giggling they ran
upstairs together, Dom's fears forgotten for the moment.
Snuggled together in the large, comfortable bed they both fell asleep almost
immediately but, whilst Jack slept soundly, Dom was awoken by something an
hour or so later. He snuggled up to Jack again and tried to get back to
sleep but a full bladder was making its presence felt and there was noting
for it but to get up and deal with it.
Cursing the primitive nature of the house that meant a trip down the hall to
the toilet, Dominic hastily pulled a jumper over his tee-shirt and headed
off.
Just as he reached the window on the landing he heard the sound of footsteps
on the stairs. He chided himself for being silly but still found himself
counting the steps, waiting for whoever it was to come around the corner and
prove themselves real.
He waited at the top of the stairs and the sound of footsteps continued.
They were way beyond the number of steps it should have taken to reach the
top but still no-one emerged.
Slowly fear began to take over. As the footsteps appeared to reach the
corner for the third time Dominic panicked and raced for the safety of his
room. Realising at the last minute that he had forgotten to bring the key
with him, he hammered on the door for Jack to let him in.
As the footsteps appeared to reach the top of the stairs, the door opened
and he fell into Jack's arms, incoherent and pointing. Jack looked out just
as a white haired old lady rounded the corner onto the landing.
"Good Evening."
Looking at Dom in some concern she asked, "Is the young man alright? He
really doesn't look well"
"He'll be fine." Jack assured her. "Eventually"
"The poor boy appeared to be having some sort of fit." She continued. "I
could see him at the top of the stairs and I was trying to get up there to
him to help but I kept dropping my knitting and had go back for it.."
Raising the bag in her hand, apparently intending to show them her work, she
went on "It's a terribly complicated pattern you know. It would be
incredibly difficult to pick up if I were to drop even a stitch."
"I'm sure it is. I fully understand. Don't you worry now. He'll be fine."
Dom had vanished into the room by now but Jack was trapped in the doorway.
"I fell asleep you know. I was knitting in front of the fire and I just
dropped off." The old lady was in full flood now and appeared unstoppable.
"Its going to be a shawl for my great niece's baby you know." Then, hearing
the sounds of muffled laughter from inside the their room asked "Are you
sure he's all right?"
" He's fine." Jack reached back to kick Dominic "I'm sure it'll be lovely,"
he said, indicating the bulging bag and then slowly retreated into the room.
"See you in the morning." With a final " Goodnight," he managed to shut the
door.
"I'm going to wet myself. I'm going to wet myself." Dom gasped, writhing on
the floor laughing hysterically.
"Not in here you're not. Go to the toilet."
"Oh hell. Not again." Dominic sobered up instantly when he realised that he
had another along the corridor to make.
"I don't suppose you fancy a walk down the hall?" he asked hopefully.
"I'm sure you'll manage a trip to the toilet alone," said Jack heartlessly,
getting back into bed. "Take the key with you this time and try not to
disturb Miss Vogel."
"Miss who??????"
"Vogel. The old lady. At least that's what she said to the barman
downstairs." Jack was settling down for another attempt at sleep.
"Quite a coincidence don't you think?" Dominic's mind had clearly gone into
overdrive.
Jack however was having none of it.
"Oh for goodness sake!" he exclaimed. "She is not a devil raising 17th
century alchemist. She's just a scatty old lady who drops here knitting. Now
go take a pee so we can both get some sleep."
Once again Dominic found himself headed off down the hall. This time he made
it to the toilet and was just returning when he saw the old lady again, this
time in a grey dressing gown. She opened a door at the end of the passage,
paused for a moment, apparently to allow something else to enter, and then
closed the door behind her.
Dom flew back to his room and launched himself at the bed. Jack, who had
just dropped off again, was rudely awakened for the second time that night
by a hysterical Dominic.
"She's got a ...She's got a....I saw it...." Dominic couldn't get the words
out fast enough.
"Who's she? What's she got?" Jack was rapidly losing patience with the whole
business. "What on earth are you talking about?"
"The Vogel women. She's got something with her. You know. Like in the story.
I saw her hold the door open for it."
Dom by now had Jack by the shoulders and was shaking him, desperate to prove
his point.
"Have you been taking anything?"
"It's not me. I'm not imagining it." Then, hearing a door open in the
hallway." Go see for yourself." Dom jumped up and pointed to the door.
Glaring balefully at this lover, Jack strode over to the door and opened it.
"I'm sorry. Did I disturb you?" Came Miss Vogel's voice from the hallway. "I
had a visitor you see."
Opening the door a little wider, Jack allowed a large ginger tom to enter
the room.
" I see he's coming to see you now. Goodnight." The old lady padded off back
down the hallway leaving a somewhat irate man, a definitely sheepish boy and
a smug ginger cat behind her.
It took some time to persuade the cat to leave but finally they were alone
again. Promising rather threateningly that they would discuss everything in
the morning, Jack settled them both back into bed to get what sleep they
could for what remained of the night.
Once again Jack dropped off quickly but Dom found himself lying awake.
After what seemed like forever of trying not to toss and wake his partner,
Dominic could finally stand no more and got up to sit in the window seat.
The carved animals in the garden looked creepily lifelike in the moonlight.
Dominic found he could almost imagine them coming to life and moving around.
Gradually, as his eyes became used to the darkness, he was able to identify
the animals. He'd found Noah and the hare and the faun and the cockerel and
was quietly dropping off to sleep in the comfort of the window embrasure
when Noah moved.
Shaking his head to wake himself up, Dom looked more closely at the bush. It
was definitely moving. Something or someone was creeping from bush to bush.
Dom tried to convince himself that he was imagining it, but the more he
looked the more convinced he became that there really was something there.
"Jack" he called, determined to prove his point once and for all. "Jack.
Wake up and look at this."
"Wha....????" Jack was less than impressed at being woken up for a third
time that night.
"There's something down there." Dom insisted. "Look"
Staggering over to the window, Jack peered out briefly. "There's nothing
there." He stated firmly.
"There was. I saw it." Dom was adamant "I definitely saw something down
there. It was dancing through the bushes."
"You saw something dancing through the bushes in the middle of the night?"
Jack wanted to be sure. Even for Dom this seemed a little extreme.
"If you don't believe me go see for yourself." Dom was starting to get
cross. He knew what he'd seen.
"Ok. Sleep obviously isn't on the cards for tonight. So lets go dance in the
bushes." So saying Jack grabbed his jeans and started to pull them on,
tossing Dominic's over to him as he did so.
Together they walked quietly downstairs and out into the moonlight.
The earlier rain had left the steps muddy and slippery. Jack, who was still
somewhat bleary from being woken up one time too many, skidded off the
bottom step and fell, twisting his ankle beneath him as he went down.
As Dom rushed down the steps to help him he came face to face with Miss
Vogel.
"What on earth are you doing out here?" he asked, all pretence at good
manners taken away by the surprise.
"Dom!" In pain or not, Jack was not prepared to allow such rudeness.
"Goodness, you boys again!" The old lady exclaimed. "You really should try
to get some sleep. It can't be good for you to be running around at all
hours like this."
"Oh you poor young man." She went on as Dom helped Jack to his feet. "These
steps really are terrible. I nearly fell over myself when I came out after
Throgmorten here." She brandished the large and somewhat disgruntled looking
ginger cat she had tucked under her arm. "The naughty boy just kept running
away. I've had to chase him all around the garden. I really think you should
have that x-rayed. Would you like me to drive you in my car?"
Apologising frantically and declining her continuously proffered assistance,
Dom steered Jack towards the car for a trip to the nearest casualty
department.
The wait in casualty took forever as usual but finally Jack was show into a
cubicle. Dom tried to follow but was firmly shown to a seat outside the
ward. The waiting continued.
Away from Jack, Dom began to worry. What would happen if Jack's ankle really
was broken? Jack insisted that it was just a sprain and that the trip here
was pointless but what if it was really bad? How would he manage? It was all
Dominic's fault. How could he have been so stupid? Finally Dom could stand
it no more and he crept around the nurse's station and into the treatment
block, looking for Jack. Unable to see anything through a door he stood on a
chair to try and peep through the window at the top.
A sharp smack on his behind rabidly brought him back to the ground. Rubbing
the sting from his bottom, he found himself confronted by an elderly nurse
in a formal uniform with a white starched cap on her head.
"Just what exactly do you think you are doing young man?" she asked,
pointing the ruler that had all too recently been applied to his backside at
his nose. "I am matron of this ward and I do not allow such behaviour!"
Dominic stammered an apology and then found himself on the receiving end of
a lecture that even Jack couldn't have bettered.
He should be ashamed of himself. He'd caused enough trouble already tonight.
He was to sit down quietly and behave himself. His friend would be out
shortly and there was nothing whatsoever to worry about and if she ever
caught him climbing on chairs in her ward again she'd make sure he couldn't
sit down comfortably for a week!
As she finished speaking, Jack emerged from the ward limping but sound and
looking surprisingly cheerful.
Dominic fell upon him, desperate for reassurance.
Seeing how upset he was Jack pulled him down to sit on the chairs outside
the ward to try and calm him down.
Dom squirmed in his seat as the nurse's punishment made itself felt again
and he slipped off the chair onto his knees, rubbing his bottom.
"What happened to you?" Jack asked in surprise.
"Matron caught me standing on a chair trying to see into the ward." Dom
responded sheepishly. "She's even faster with a ruler than you are."
"Matron?"
"You know. The bossy one in the big starched cap. Matron."
"Dom. They haven't had a Matron here in 30 years. And nurses haven't warn
caps in even longer."
End