The Vagrant

By J Scaddon

There has been a string of brutal murders in the small town of Monroe. The prime suspect is a vagrant that seems to be hanging around the area. Ida Van de Veld is a single mother who is starting to worry about the bloody crime spree, especially as the vagrant appears to be spending a lot of time sneaking around her property. Her only hope is for the Sheriff and his officers to solve the crime, before it is too late.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J Scaddon
• Release date: Aug 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311168306

J Scaddon

www.jscaddonbooks.co.uk J Scaddon is a novella writer from North Wales, UK. His background is in forensic science, but he has a keen but sceptical interest in the supernatural and history. He also loves a really scary story.

Book preview

The Vagrant

J Scaddon

Copyright J Scaddon 2015

www.jscaddonbooks.co.uk

Sheriff Glick solemnly came out through the tattered old screen door and stepped onto the warped boards that covered the porch floor. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped it over his moist brow. Sweat dripped from every pore in the sweltering heat that beat down on the middle aged and heavily set officer. His face was glistening with perspiration, but his cheeks were soaked with tears that continued to fill his eyes and blur his vision. He dabbed his tears away and slowly lowered himself onto the steps that led down from the porch. He sat on the top step and looked out over the dusty front yard that was well in keeping with the poorly kept house that he had just left. Other officers passed him by, coming to and fro from the house. All of them racked with concern and distress. He pulled himself from the step and trundled out of the way as a deputy started to take photographs of the house’s front. When the deputy had finished, he made his way into the house and the sheriff resumed his seat at the front of the porch. The sun was so intense that the sky almost seemed to yellow under its influence.

Sheriff Glick, came a voice. The sheriff looked up and saw one of his colleagues approaching him. Sheriff, are you okay, Sir? said the deputy. Sheriff Glick waved his hand, gesturing for the man to take a seat next to him. He was lost for words and it took him a moment before he could address the deputy.

Sit down, Jeb, said the sheriff. Take a load off with me.

I heard about the incident, Sir. So I came straight over. I thought I could help out.

Jeb! It’s your day off. It’s such a pleasant day, although a little hot. Go home and be with your family. There will be plenty to do when you come back on duty. Go home.

I can’t, Sir, said Jeb. I gather that all hands would be welcome at the pump on such an occasion. It is mighty hot today and you look like you could do with a little rest. Why don’t you go home and I can take over.

The sheriff shook his head. He did need a break, but he also knew his duty was to finish what he had started that day.

What’s happened? asked Jeb.

Old Miss Aubridge brought them over some biscuits that she had just baked. She said something about helping out whilst Mrs Birch was under the weather. She thought she had consumption, but she was never really that bad. You know how over excited Miss Aubridge gets. And that’s what we thought when we got the news.

Did she find them?

She sure did, and some. She knocked and knocked with no response. Now there is always someone here, you know that. The Birch’s don’t ever leave this place empty, so she worried straight from the off. Poor old dear went into the house and found them. The kid who relayed the news into town said, that when he found Miss Aubridge, she was wandering up and down the lane. White as a sheet. Trembling and muttering to herself. She nearly dropped down dead at his feet when she told him what she had seen. By the love of God, I couldn’t have imagined it myself if it hadn’t have been for the others. What are we going to do Jeb? The sheriff wiped his brow again and then cleared his nose, which was streaming as hard as his eyes were. He stammered with emotion, struggling to carry on with the story.

How bad?

It’s bad, Jeb. Real bad this time. I mean, the others were bad, but this is something on a whole new level. She…..Miss Aubridge….stepped in through the screen door and stepped into Dale. Literally stepped into him. Into him, Jeb….. Not on him, but into him. That’s as far as she got. The kid who came to us….oh Lord, I can’t remember the kid’s name. Anyway, he didn’t get very far either. He pushed the screen back and then fled. So we have very little disturbance, if that is any small mercy to help us……..I was the first in there, Jeb. My heart was pounding, as I didn’t know if the guy was still in there or not. Waiting for me, you know? I went from room to room checking the scene out and it’s real bad. This guy did a number on these poor folks. I nearly used the Lord’s name in vain. You know my feelings on blasphemy and cursing. But I did curse.

Gee, Sheriff. That’s bad if you nearly broke like that. You’re a strong man and a good Christian. And you’ve seen a lot, Sir.

Yeah, I sure have. Well, I thought I had until today. Oh hath there no mercy? Mrs Birch, Dale and the three kids. All of them gone. Played with. Mutilated. The Doc said that they had all been evixilated…eviscalated?

Eviscerated?

"Right….eviscerated. It’s a cold medical term that doesn’t give any justice to what it actually means. Sliced like dogs if you ask me. Treated like dogs. Worse than dogs.