The Ghostly Past

Chapter 10

She'd been standing outside of the Knight's Castle pub for nearly half an hour, psyching herself up to go in. It seemed a little quieter than normal, considering it was a Saturday. The villagers seemed to be going home earlier and earlier. She didn't blame them. No one it seemed wanted to be out after nightfall.

They're going to laugh at you, she told herself. They'll probably sneer and say mean things because they need to protect this secret, whatever it is. She tugged at her dark ponytail nervously and finally pushed the door open.

The bell sounded just as she walked in. Fifteen minutes until nightfall. A small crowd were finishing up their drinks and leaving. She walked to the bar and bought a rum and coke before looking over. Max, James, Leo and his girlfriend Jess, and Ryan and his girlfriend Kim were there. There was no Harriet, and no Oliver.

She didn't believe that either of them knew anything. This was clearly a village secret.

"Hey!" Max waved her over, and she took the chair beside him.

"Hey Clara." Jess greeted her, surprisingly friendly.

"Max told us about what happened today." James said, his eyes sympathetic. "That poor grieving woman losing it and going for you with a knife."

"She went for herself more than me." Clara returned. "Look, can I just ask you all something, once and for all?"

"Oh here we go." Ryan muttered.

"Is the village haunted?"

There was a long pause before Kim started sniggering. Within a moment, they all were, except for Max who regarded her with watchful eyes. He, at least, she thought, was willing her on. She was scarlet, eyes glassy with tears of embarrassment, but she would see this through.

"I told you she was funny." James said.

"Clara," Leo said in a patronisingly patient voice. "How many times do we have to tell you? There are cold patches caused by some meteorological phenomenon. They are dangerous. So we have a curfew."

"It's terrible that those people died." Jess said, "But it was the cold that killed them."

"And idiocy." Kim laughed. She spotted James and Max both glare at her. "What?"

"Let the ghost idea go." Leo said placating, "you just make yourself look like a fool."

She almost bolted then, almost gave up, but she'd come too far. "These cold spots must be very small and specific then. And transient too." Clara argued. "Because there's no way when two people were camping together, one could die of hypothermia and the other be fine."

There was a pause. "Yes." Leo said. "Exactly." He looks uncertain.

"And why do you all have to carry torches? A torch isn't going to protect you from the cold." She pushed.

There was another long pause. "So that if someone collapses, we can find them?" Jess finally offered, glancing at the others who gave her quick nods.

"That's why we travel home in groups after dark." James continued. "And why the village organises patrols."

"Yes, but then why do none of you obey the curfew? Here you are, it's after nightfall, and you're still sat in the pub. You're risking your lives."

"What's life without a little risk?" James grinned.

"She would know about little risks." Kim giggled, pointing at Clara, "Didn't she try and get into your house this morning Leo, digging for information on her ghost stories?"