Curse of the Werebottom

Chapter 22

Larry, Eddie and Max all screeched to a halt at the bottom of the imposing stone steps that led up to the impressive double wooden doors of the Town Hall. They chained their bikes to the security railing, ran up the steps and stepped through the entrance into the library. As it was the school holidays, the library was quite busy and every computer station was occupied by children all busy surfing the internet, emailing friends or playing the latest downloaded games.

Eddie and Max asked the librarian in charge how they might be able to access the records they were looking for while Larry gazed around the familiar surroundings.

Larry was always surprised at how they appeared to be two worlds occupying the same space whenever he visited the library. To the more casual visitor they would only be aware of the brightly coloured carpets, the public internet stations, the DVD's for hire and the fluorescent lighting illuminating neat rows of thousands of bright and inviting books on every subject imaginable. Larry marvelled that in order to see the second world, all you had to do was look up. As he did so, probably for the thousandth time in his life so far, he was once again impressed by the huge ornate ceiling and the high wooden carved panels that were the original décor of the old town hall. The library had been relocated here years before and the area that had been decorated to accommodate it was only as high as a single storey.

Above that height the original brass handrail surrounded the area on top of the iron railings that circled the balcony above them. The wooden panels stretched the full height of the ceiling until they met in unison at the centre of the domed roof. Along the full length of the balcony were several high and arched doorways, all always closed and with no apparent method of reaching them. There were four in all and ever since he had started visiting the library as a small child, he had always wondered exactly what was behind them.

His thoughts were broken by Eddie tapping him on the shoulder. "This is ground control to Major daydreamer. Max has convinced her we're undertaking a school summer project so they have agreed to let us use the staff computer. Let's go."

Max was already sat at the computer and was scrolling through reams and reams of information of all the townsfolk on public record. She had been directed where to look by Mrs Hattersfield, the friendliest and probably the oldest librarian in the world and she was lost deep in research. Larry and Eddie stood behind her, not speaking or interrupting as she explored all the records with complete determination.

People came and went as Max continued to scroll with the mouse and tap out rhythms on the computer keyboard. An hour passed, and then another and Larry and Eddie found themselves becoming increasingly frustrated as they waited for Max to happen across some piece of information that could be of use.

They both circled the library again, then another time, followed by another before arriving back at the notice board, pausing once again to re-read the messages to help pass the time away. There were the usual notices for coffee mornings and story time sessions, along with a poster for a Party in the Park event for that night, designed and approved by the Lord Mayor, Mr Iqbal, to promote the town's success in being shortlisted for the Flowers in Bloom competition.

"Five thousand pounds for whoever wins that competition" Larry said as he was reading a leaflet that stipulated the prizes available for the successful gardeners and horticulturalists. "What a ridiculous amount of money!"

"You're telling me," replied Eddie. "All that cash for growing stuff, what a joke. I've been growing for the last twelve years you know. I use to be tiny and look at me now! Where's my pay-out thank you very much?" Both boys started giggling when they were interrupted by Max.

"Over here," she indicated behind a bookshelf, away from everyone else. "I've found something."

They gathered around the bookshelf and Max began to explain why she had taken so long. "I've checked every detail on every log that I can find and even though you are going to find this unbelievable, there is no record of any one called Reg, Reggie or Reginald going back for the last twenty years or more. After so long I got tired of reading the registers of births, deaths and marriages so for a break, I began looking at some old court files. It was there that I found an entry from fifteen years ago when Lord Meanwhistle was fined for failing to attend court in the matter of truancy for his son."

"His son?" interrupted Eddie. "I thought that miserable old tight wad lived alone." "He does now," explained Max, but fifteen years ago he was convicted of refusing his son an education, he paid the fine and that was that. I entered the boy's name in the search engine of the local paper's web site and it raised a story from fourteen years ago that charts the boy's disappearance. He ran away, leaving a note that he was sorry but that he was going to travel the world."

"Let me get this right," said Larry slowly. "Meanwhistle Manor, the place of the very first sighting of the alleged were-bottom monster, was the home to a mysterious boy who never attended school, probably had no friends and who then disappeared over fifteen years ago?" He paused before asking, "What was his name?"

"Reginald Meanwhistle," answered Max. "He just might have recently moved back home, don't you think?"

"We have our next lead," Eddie stated, "It's time to revisit the Manor."

Suddenly a voice boomed through the rows of books, startling them all. "Don't you children even think about going up to that place uninvited!"

They all stopped abruptly as the forceful voice penetrated through the book shelf from the other side. They heard the familiar tap of high heels as the figure trotted around the bookcase to their side of the shelving. Mrs Cherrydale stood with her hands on her hips and stared down gravely at the children. "Explain quickly and concisely what on earth you are talking about," she demanded. "Before I decide there is a need to inform parents of talk of trespassing on private property!"

Caught under the authoritative gaze of their head teacher, Larry hurriedly explained the series of events that had taken them to the library. "A human monster - bottom that gasses people because it is hungry! Poppycock and Twaddle. Utter Codswallop. I am thoroughly disappointed that you don't know better at your ages!"

Her tone softened. "Contrary to popular belief, Lord Meanwhistle is a kind and generous soul; it is only the circumstances of his life that make him act so unwelcoming and intolerant of other people."

Her face became stern once more. "Listen very carefully to me. You are to stay well away from that Manor house and leave that family well alone. If I even get a sniff that you have disobeyed me, I shall have you expelled from school before you return for the new start after the summer!"