THE LANDLADY by Jay Jay.

Flatmates Wanted.

It was obvious that, even with the surprisingly low rent, at least two of the remaining three bedrooms would need to be occupied.

Raewyn and Audrey enthusiastically made up some pretty posters to plaster around the university. Darren and Ash agreed to put some around the park notice boards, whilst Zane happily ignored the whole process. When challenged, he offerred to contact Cindy or Louise and request a flatmate from the agency.

He had Cindy's card, and she sighed and supposed that she could find someone suitable.

It so happened that she had just the man in mind.

Len. Tall, handsome. Well-dressed and tidy. Clean.

He wandered in one day, wanting a room somewhere. Just divorced from his wife of eight years. Needed to be close to work. Didn't mind a flat. Younger than him? Why not? Could be fun. Had to be this area, had to be a modern or upgraded house, not a dive. reasonable rent. What did they have?

Cindy had shown Len a small bedsit, but he preferred to be with other people. The next place, no good, the bedroom was too small.

Then Zane phoned. Perfect timing.

Fingers crossed, Cindy took Len to see the big house at the end of Wolf Lane.

Zane and Raewyn were home, and took Len to see the available rooms. Len was delighted, quickly chose the front downstairs bedroom, and arranged to move in that weekend.

Zane and Raewyn exchanged glances, but said nothing. The room that Len had chosen was also the room that no-one in the flat wanted to go into.

Angry Tom and Hide-Away Tracey occupied THAT room.

Although they had no idea there were ghosts haunting the place, Zane and Raewyn felt relief and a certain delight in finding someone that would stay in THAT room.

Cindy, equally delighted, on impulse, asked Len out to dinner that night. Len agreed. 

They met later that evening at a small Thai restaurant that Len had suggested going to, and that went so well they followed the date up with a drive around town in Len's late model car, ending at a pub for some drinks, and home from a very late night.

Cindy arrived at work unusually late, happy and feeling on top of the world. Louise was pleased to find that Cindy was friendly, relaxed, not a pain in the ass to deal with that whole week. There was gossip flying around the office, but Cindy was giving little away. Louise decided to keep what she knew to herself. 

But Louise hoped that Cindy's affair would stay on track, as this version of Cindy was so much better to work with.

Len was efficient. He had arranged for his belongings to be moved into the new house early Saturday morning. Realising that his fellow flatmates were younger, with less money than him, he suggested that they take advantage of some up-grades to their furniture and appliances by using items that he currently had in storage. It was agreed, and now the house looked less like a student dive and more like a parent's home. It was certainly more comfortable.

Cindy arrived in the afternoon, as she had been at work in the morning. Once again, she found herself sipping tea from one of Mrs Jones' bone china tea-cups. The living room reminded her of the room that her poor old Nan had spent her last days in at the rest home. Floral wallpaper, chintzy curtains, heater on despite the warm day outside. But...Cindy frowned. No photos, at least, no photos of people. 

There were some of some wolfy-looking dogs, one of a rather ugly looking cat,... and a photo of three bats, hanging from a branch. Somehow this photo was creepy, though Cindy was not sure why it made her feel this way.

"Ah, I see you are admiring my bats!" Mrs Jones said, delighted. "I took that shot on the estate, about a month ago. Pretty good, is it not?"

"That is very good," Len said, peering at it with interest. "You know, I'm interested in photography. There must be some fantastic wild-life in the area. Is it O.K. if I explore the gardens with my camera?"

"Be my guest," Mrs Jones said. "Be sure to get some shots of my Ornamental Hermit. I find him very amusing."

Cindy and Len exchanged glances. "Dean, he worked out alright then?" Cindy asked.

"Marvelous! Could not be happier! He has settled right in. Does a great caper, you MUST veiw him one day."

"Maybe I'll video him for You Tube," Len sniggered.

"Enough chit -chat. I want you, Len, to be on a separate agreement from the others. If you like, you could see it as adventageous if things go awry, for instance, if the others were to leave you in the lurch and you had to pay the full rent on your own. We wouldn't see that as fair, now, would we?"

"Definitely not," Len agreed.

"I know it looks long, dear, but it's a basic contract. Take your time to read it, so there are no surprises."

Cindy was surprised, and a little concerned, at how many pages of contract Mrs Jones produced for Len to read. But Len seemed O.K. with it. He skim read it quickly whilst she nibbled a lemon biscuit and sipped her luke warm tea.

"Seems straight forward enough," he said after reading the last page. "Pass the pen."

Mrs Jones handed him the pen. Somehow, Cindy did not see or understand how, Mrs Jones' long and probably sharp finger nails managed to slice into Len's hand, making it bleed all over the papers.

"Oh! I am most dreadfully sorry!" Mrs Jones exclaimed, passing Cindy a napkin so she could mop the flowing blood. Cindy was horrified to see the red stain on the crisp white table cloth. Mopping it seemed to make it worse. Len had a napkin pressed to the cut, but the blood was enthusiastically dripping through.

"I will have to get you another copy," Mrs Jones said when they finally had the blood under control and a plaster had been put on it. Cindy was impressed. It seemed an amazing amount of blood from what turned out to be a rather tiny scratch.

"No, It's O.K. I can sign this, if you don't mind the red drops. It is still readable, and the dotted line only has a little bit on it."

"Are you positive?" Mrs Jones suddenly sounded very intense.

"Ha! I could even write my name in blood there, if you want," Len joked.

"Go on, then, the blood is still wet, a lot like ink, isn't it?"

"I've always had a notion to do that," Len said cheerfully, dragging the blood into letters with the nib of the ball-point pen.

Cindy felt uneasy.

Looking at the photo of the sleeping bats, she was horrified to see that they were now looking back at her with their small, bright eyes. Their little mouths were now bared in toothy grins. "I'm sure that photo was different before," she quavered.

Len frowned. "No, I think that's why I thought it such a good shot," he said. "It's hard to get that much animation into a wild-life photo."

Cindy felt relief when they left Mrs Jones. "There is something very creepy about her," she said to Len.

"You just worry too much. Lets go get a meal, and then...you can stay the night with me, in my new place. How does that sound?" He hugged her close, and she felt her mis-givings melt away.

Len's room was spik and tidy, just the way Cindy liked things to be. Sure that she had finally found a man worthy of her obsessions, Cindy was glad to spend time there with him.

She soon became a regular visitor.

The Hide-Away Girl liked Cindy. Very much.