Blood Water

CHAPTER 34

‘Our closest relation – in terms of intelligence at least. If so… I really don’t know whether to be overjoyed at this discovery or terrified. Considering what it did to the fish, if it can do that to any species it could be dangerous. I certainly don’t want to touch it. But what if it could communicate? What if apparatus could be set up to allow it to communicate with human beings? I wonder what it would say…’

Sean already knew the sort of thing the creature would say if it could talk to humans. And it was nothing they wanted to hear. His boots were now caked with mud, making each step heavier than the one before. Waites seemed to have found a trail that led up the side of the hill. Sean was feeling drained, ill and battered, but he thought Waites must be in a far worse state after being brutally attacked twice. Were they up to the challenge of stopping that creature now that it inhabited a stronger body? And without harming James? If it was to be killed it would have to be forced to leave his body first. That meant getting him to swallow the salt solution.

Suddenly Sean heard the yapping of a dog. He turned back towards the study centre, but could see nothing in the dark. If the dog had survived its ordeal, there seemed no rational reason why it would want to follow them – they hadn’t exactly been nice to it. He listened carefully, but could hear nothing more, so he turned and concentrated on following Waites.

It was a hunger now, an insatiable yearning that drove the creature on, pushing its host body ever forward, tripping and sliding in the thick mud several times, but always getting back on its feet, never allowing its thoughts to deviate from its objective. The young man’s body moved awkwardly, as if it was drunk, exhausted or on the verge of collapse. When it reached the cave mouth, it didn’t even stop to read the warning sign: it just climbed over the thin chain that had been strung across the entrance and stumbled ahead into the darkness, the torch seeking out each nook and crevice. They were here somewhere – but where?

Waites had to stop for a moment to get his breath back. He turned to look at Sean and was about to say something, but changed his mind and started limping off again. Sean could imagine a number of things that Waites might have said, but none would have really helped them at this point. He retrieved the tape recorder and played the last of the message, holding it up now so that they could both hear.

‘… but one thing is for certain. This creature, whatever it is, cannot co-exist with other animals. Whatever capacity it has for actual thinking, it does not take even a second to consider the consequences of possessing another creature: it just does it, as if it’s natural. With both the fish and Sally’s python, it used their bodies to try and escape, assimilated all the information it could, then departed, leaving behind a corpse. Either it is incapable of understanding morality, or sympathy, or it just doesn’t care…’

If Waites had heard it all, he didn’t give any indication. Sean put the Dictaphone back in his pocket and waded on through the mire. Once over the rise, they stopped briefly to look for signs of the creature’s progress. At first they saw nothing: the countryside around them was pitch black… then there was a flicker ahead of them. Waites shone the torch towards it and they saw a dark opening in the rock face.

‘Must have gone that way,’ Waites said.

‘Do you think they’re in there?’ asked Sean.

‘Must be… At least, it believes they are. But what if this Holland guy was wrong?’

‘Doesn’t matter. We have to catch it either way. And I’ve got to save James,’ Sean replied as he turned to walk on.

Waites caught up and took his arm gently. ‘Sean… you know…’

‘I know. But we have to try.’

They shared an agonized look, then went on towards the cave. Sean’s boots were really heavy now, and each step was sapping his strength. He was beginning to wonder if he was actually up to fighting the monster, fighting for his brother’s life.

The creature had no concept of fear. Its natural sense of self-preservation made it cautious, but it didn’t feel the apprehension that a human might: it didn’t have the imagination to foresee hidden dangers. So as it made its way through the dank cave, it didn’t wonder what might be lurking in the shadows, didn’t question the source of the strange sounds; it just went on searching for its goal. It stopped and swept the torch beam around the cavern walls. There didn’t seem to be an exit. It must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. It backtracked to a fork, this time taking the other path. Somewhere around here, somewhere close perhaps, were its kin, others that would help it spread through the human race and then the rest of the animal kingdom like wildfire, until there was nothing left.

Not too far away, the creature’s pursuers stepped cautiously into the mouth of the cave, listening carefully.

‘Have you been here before?’ Waites asked Sean.

‘No – but James might have.’

‘Well, it could be dangerous, so watch your step.’

‘How will it know where to go? This cave system could be vast.’

‘Maybe it found a map… Or maybe it’s a small cave. Either way we’d better catch up before we get lost. Come on.’

Waites moved the torch beam around the cavern until he was sure of the way. There were a number of small openings set into the wall, but luckily only one proper passage. They advanced, and as they did so, Sean reached into his pocket and made sure the solution was still secure. It was the only chance they had of getting that creature to leave James’s body. If he lost it, that was it. Waites stopped up ahead and shone the torch around again.

‘What is it?’ Sean asked.

‘I think there are two passageways here. It’s hard to tell… We’ll just have to eliminate them one by one.’ Waites led the way into the left opening. They were only a few paces in when he cried out and suddenly the rocks dropped away beneath them. Sean scrabbled frantically for something to hold onto, but it was too late – he was falling through thin air.