This is the first time I've ever shared the story I'm about to tell you. Sometimes, in the still of the night, it runs through my head on a loop - so I feel the time's come to put it out there in the hope that certain demons can be laid to rest.
It all started with a dare - like many unspeakable things do. I mean, when Gemma and I initially took up the challenge to stay in the old Chantler house overnight, it's not as though we hadn't heard all the stories about the Scuttler - we just didn't worry too much about them. Girls of logic, that's what we were - and no amount of crazy stories could shock us or put us off. That's not to say that the old house wasn't spooky in its own way. It had been abandoned years previously and, as with all empty, decaying houses, it had an air of melancholy about it that wasn't entirely pleasant but certainly didn't appear threatening or other-worldly in any way.
Well, I'm sure you know how it is; a group of university friends sitting around after an evening's revelry, bathed only in the glow of blossom scented candles, tanked up on a little too much to wine and up way past our bedtimes. Naturally, the conversation turned to ghosts and ghouls and all the other rubbish that people like to talk about when a good spine-chilling session is in order. It was Roger who first introduced the topic of the Scuttler, and not for the first time either. Ever since we'd taken up residence in our own house in the second year of our degrees, Roger had shown a keen interest in the subject, not least because we lived almost opposite the old house. It wasn't an obsession exactly, more of a vague amusement combined with a certain degree of wide-eyed belief. So, once again, he broached the subject on the night in question. The assembled company groaned audibly when the topic of the Scuttler was raised and Gemma, stubbing out a cigarette with a bored yawn, grumbled, "Here we go again..."
"No but really," said Roger, "it's such an odd story that it could almost be real."
"Yeah, almost but not quite," I said. "That is the point of urban myths, Rog, to sound believable when, even underneath it all, you know they can't be true or ninety percent of it is made up."
"I agree," said Sophie, "it's like that stupid story about the man who hammered a nail through his penis for a thrill, split it open, poured Coke over it to stop the bleeding and then passed out."
"So, what's unusual about that, anyone would pass out if they'd just split open their most prized possession," commented Roger.
"No, that's not the end," continued Sophie. "Apparently he came round hours later and when he looked down his lunchbox and, by that, I mean the entire ensemble, it had been entirely eaten away, as had part of his lower intestine. It's said that rats were attracted by the smell of the Coke and had gnawed the whole of his tackle away.
"That's absolute nonsense," laughed Gemma.
"Well, you don't know for certain," said the ever-believing Roger.
"It is such nonsense," Gemma giggled, "everyone knows rats don't drink Coke, they only like Pepsi."
"You can joke about it all you want," grumbled Roger, "but I wouldn't dismiss it so lightly if I were you. And I wouldn't dismiss the tale about the Chantler house either."
"Why not?" Gemma said, "it's not like I ever have cause to visit the place. It really doesn't affect my life one bit."
"Yes and I'll bet you never would visit the place either," said Roger, in a tone which indicated he thought he'd proved his point.
"Well I don't need to visit it, so I probably never will but I wouldn't be scared to."
Roger held Gemma's gaze steadily for a full minute before licking his lips, raising an eyebrow and challenging her to prove it.
