Writing a note for delivery to Scotland Yard, Reginald dressed himself immediately in his favourite hunting garb, comfortable yet functional. Tucking his Webley with several extra rounds of ammunition in a pouch attached to his belt, all concealed beneath a long, dark coat. Marion was already dressed comfortably, his usual attire having seen better days, yet able to allow him his usual range of motion, he pulled the bulldog pistol from his medical bag and the cigarette case he used to store the six extra bullets he kept on hand, counting them and doing his best to remain calm.
Singh disappeared upstairs for a brief time, returning also dressed casually, yet concealing his favourite selection of hidden blades for hostile occasions. The three departed immediately for the train station, knowing their journey was most likely going to divert at some point towards the strange and unusual. Singh received his usual amount of strange stares and judgement from the other passengers as he sat quietly across from Marion and Reginald, his eyes scanning all passengers for any signs of threat, distress or potential Scotland Yard employee.
*
Arriving at the train station after the few hours the three had spent in relative silence, Reginald departed the train and immediately singled out a train employee. Asking where he could purchase some fowling pieces for a local hunting trip, he was directed to a shop in town that sold what he required.
Dragging Marion into the shop after a brisk walk from the station, Reginald immediately engaged the shop keeper for two 20 gauge shotguns and a few cases of heavier than normal shot, for mid-size game.
Checking in at the best hotel possible, Reginald seemed at home as he felt confident now that he was suitably armed and staying in fine lodgings. Marion on the other had was far more nervous, it had been several weeks since last handling a shotgun and even then, he was not the most confident with such a weapon in his hands.
Taking the evening to familiarise themselves with the local village they were staying in and the numerous ways to get to Kandahar house. Eating a large meal at the local pub, both men felt a slight unease at the locals, as if the intrusion of the clearly Londoners was an insult.
Spending the evening in the hotel, both men took to their shotguns, checking the barrels, actions and mechanisms for any potential issues, satisfied that they were not going to encounter and problems with their armaments, Marion turned to his satchel, removing his Bulldog revolver and checking it over, removing the bullets and cleaning the cylinder.
*
As 9 o’clock chimed on the hanging wall clock of the dining room, Marion and Reginald finished their modest meals, joining Singh at the main entrance to the hotel who was hailing a Hansom Cab for their trip to Kandahar house. Marion making a brief stop at the hotel desk, handing a handwritten letter to Scotland Yard within an envelope to post immediately. The contents of the letter informing Inspector Craddock of what their current situation was, being summoned to Kandahar house by Colonel Hollingsworth and the call for aid.
Reginald told Singh to remain at the hotel, instructed to summon assistance if neither himself or Marion returned within two days, giving Singh adequate funds to support himself and get himself back to London if the worst should happen.
Marion and Reginald both contained their nerves as the shadow of Kandahar house drew closer in the distance as the Hansom Cab approached. Before either man was ready, the door was pulled open by the driver at the front steps of the wide stairs leading to the solid, wooden doors.
As they exited the cab in the light drizzle of the country sky, the doors opened to reveal Fordyce standing straight and ready to receive guests. Reginald engaging Fordyce directly, explaining they had been summoned by the Colonel, Fordyce in turn ushering the two guest to the same room they had been sent to previously when speaking with Ramona. After taking some time to insect the painting he had no seen properly on their first visit, Marion’s concentration was broken as the sound of footsteps and the ticking of a cane on the polished floor drew closer. The door to the room opening to reveal Fordyce walking closely behind a large man, broad chested and powerfully built. Having been wounded overseas, the man also walked with a similar limp to Reginald, both men introducing themselves in a military fashion.
Hollingsworth began to address both men as he stood by the fireplace, explaining that he was following the case of the men in his regiment who had recent passed away. Reginald waited for the Colonel to pause, interjecting the details of the latest victim, Toby Norton, explaining they too were attacked by the mysterious assailant. Marion took the opportunity to explain the condition of the assailant, the animated corpse dressed in ceremonial garb.
Reginald grew frustrated with the Colonel’s lack of interest, making the statement that what was befalling the regiment was due to what Hollingsworth himself had brought into the country. Demanding Reginald lower his voice, Hollingsworth’s face became grimmer and more worried. After another exchange of repeating what Marion and Reginald had been told, the conclusion remaining that Hollingsworth was at the centre, the Colonel asked the two men to follow him. The three men ascended the staircase followed closely by Fordyce, the second floor of the house resembling the same layout of the lower level, several rooms joined by a long corridor at the top of the staircase. Following Hollingsworth to a large oak door, the Colonel gave a not to his son Michael, a three-year-old child who sat silently on the floor at the end of the hallway. Hollingsworth unlocked the large door, pushing the door gently. Looking inside, Marion’s gaze was immediately drawn to the large library that littered the wall accompanied by a large wooden table in the centre of the room. Reginald on the other hand immediately stiffened his back as he sighted the large, regimental flag hanging above the fireplace at the far end of the room. Hollingsworth led the two men inside, asking them as to what they had learned regarding Abadon, Reginald offering the fowl nature of what they had learned. Marion walked further into the room, a large, crude, wooden coffin sitting against the farthest wall, a thick covering of glass allowing the inside to be seen clearly. Calling for Reginald to join him, both men stood next to the coffin, the dried, bandage wrapped body imitating the foetal position, the body seeming smaller than a man’s, yet larger than a child.
As the two men looked at the body, Reginald turned to Hollingsworth asking as to why this was in his home, the Colonel responding that this was a trophy of a victory over savages and barbaric civilization. Reginald felt a shudder over his body as he returned his gaze to the corpse, the empty eye sockets of the body seemed to look back at him in silent judgement. Marion pushed Hollingsworth about the body, asking the Colonel what he believed was causing the suffering if it was not a cursed corpse. Hollingsworth grew angry, explaining his belief that Faez was commanding a small group of mercenaries that were causing the trouble. Reginald asking how men of such small stature could cause such dramatic injuries, Hollingsworth offer more excuses to not believe anything supernatural was happening. Reginald began to walk around the room, still talking to Hollingsworth in a more serious and causational tone, recalling the names of those who had died, expressing his beliefs that all deaths are on the Colonel’s hands. Marion watched the Colonel intently for how he was responding, his arms occasionally moving expressively, revealing the military issue Webley revolver in his belt, not unlike the pistol Reginald also carried.
The discussion turned to that of the safety of Hollingsworth and his family, the colonel expressing that he had seen the subordinates of Faez on his grounds, demanding the aid of Reginald and Marion to help him address the problem after dark when they make themselves known.
Hollingsworth invited the two to join him for supper as they needed to create a plan to defend the home. Marion could not ignore the fact that Hollingsworth was doing his best to not allow himself to reveal his trembling hands. Reginald also noticed that the look in Hollingsworth eyes was that of a conflicted man, the words he was saying did not echo is true thoughts. Hollingsworth knew that what Reginald and Marion were saying was true, his attempts at rationalising nothing more than words.
Reginald was guided by Fordyce to where Colonel Hollingsworth’s house telephone was located, he dialled the number of the hotel where Singh had remained, explaining to the clerk that he was to immediately come to Kandahar house with his items. Concluding his telephone call, Reginald was joined by Marion who in turn was joined by the groundskeeper, a older man named Saunders, over 60 years old, his weathered skin showing an outdoor lifestyle, who was given the task of showing the two guests around the grounds, looking for any signs of recent activity as well as the best defensive sight lines for any threats approaching the house.
After a long walk through the gardens, stables and perimeter of the grounds, Reginald and Marion both agreed that any type of outdoor defence would be useless, the open ground and very little cover meaning that anyone who was a decent shot with a pistol or rifle would make short work of any defender. Touring through the carriage house and stables, Reginald considered a strongpoint for defence external from the house, a perch inside the loft of the carriage house, however his notion was quickly denied as Marion gave his opinion of the potential isolation and still not knowing what the full capabilities of the assailants was.
*
Dinner was a quiet affair, all except for Colonel Hollingsworth’s son Michael who was still learning his manners, letting out momentary squeals and belches before quickly being silenced by his Governess Mrs Lynch. Reginald did his best to break the tension, telling over exuberant tales of Colonel Hollingsworth during the war.
A ring of the doorbell caused Fordyce to remove himself from his post by the dining room door to answer, announcing the entry of Reginald’s man, Singh entering the room, baggage in hand, placing it in the hallway before taking up a familiar post on the other side of the dining room door to Fordyce.
Colonel Hollingsworth ate briskly, his former military life coming through in his eating habits, Ramona sitting straight, picking at her plate as she did her best not to be unnerved by the tense atmosphere of the room.
As all departed the dining room table, Fordyce led Reginald, Marion and Singh upstairs to the guest quarters, two rooms adjacent to each other, furnished with comfortable furniture. Closing the door, Reginald quickly swung the two long bags Singh had brought on to the bed, removing the shotguns and ammunition, fastening the leather sling in place, handing on of the shotguns Marion, the other to Singh. Checking is Webley revolver again to make sure it was ready for action, Reginald removed his sabre from one of the suitcase, fastening it to his belt along with a small pouch of ammunition for his pistol.
The three men descended the stairs, armed more heavily that expected as Fordyce was shocked yet understanding of the situation. Reginald and Marion began to walk the house, separately, making mental maps of the house as to where they could defend from. The tall windows that littered every room made it difficult to to assess just how long someone could defend for until being overrun. Both men decided that the heavy oak doors of the corridor provide the best defence, if the rooms were to be breached, getting through the locked doors would funnel any intruders into the long corridor, making them easy pickings for a trained marksman.
Colonel Hollingsworth ushered Reginald and Marion into the games room, Reginald nodding to Singh to keep a lookout from upstairs. The Colonel began explaining his plans, he would have Saunders patrolling the immediate exterior of the house, under instruction to enter the side door at the first sign of movement. Fordyce was to take up a position at the front door before asking Reginald where he wanted to place himself Marion and Singh. Reginald expressing that Singh would be patrolling the southern corridor, himself the north. Marion would take position of the main stairwell to inform others of any breaches that may occur, Colonel Hollingsworth remaining in his study, observing from his large windows and keeping a close eye on what he had under glass inside.
Satisfied with their less than brilliant plan, Reginald expressing his frustration that they needed at least four more men to make the home impenetrable, he knew he would have to relive his former glory and remember his training and prowess.
*
Marion sat on the top step of the main stairwell, shotgun slung across his front, Fordyce also sitting in a chair by the front windows next to the main door, a heavy Holland and Holland shotgun in his hands. Saunders was patrolling the kitchen and exterior, a large kitchen knife in one hand, a fire poker in the other. Singh watched from the only window he could see leading across the grounds at the end of the hallway, his shotgun still over his shoulder, Reginald doing the same thing.
*
The night grew darker and the evening mist of the countryside took over the house, the thin veil offering little visibility. Through the dimly lit fog, Saunders was the first to report shadows moving in the darkness, Reginald immediately reporting the same, two shapes passing from right to left and left to right roughly 20 meters from the window.
Fordyce also reported movement outside the front door, through the reports of movement, Marion’s ears pricked as he heard the sound of breaking glass from somewhere downstairs. Saunders stuck his head out of the dining room downstairs, asking for Marion to speak louder, turning his head back towards the dining room, Saunders let out a scream before sounds of a scuffle filled the room. Reginald immediately reacted, heading towards the dining room to lend aid. As Reginald passed the parlour, he halted as one of the parlour windows at the front of the house, shattered.
Fordyce began moving towards the dining room, nodding at Marion to cover the front door. Entering the parlour, Reginald screamed for the attacker to halt, drawing his pistol and training it on the window.
A shadowy figure dressed in the same form of Jackal mask that had been on the corpse from the morgue began to leap into the room. Reginald let his Webley unleash its first round, the heavy bullet slamming into the intruder.
Moments after the pistol shot, the sound of a shotgun unloading one of its barrels rang out from the dining room. Singh began moving in the direction of the gunfire, heading towards the base of the main staircase.
Reginald watched as his bullet slammed into the being coming through the window, the being slumping through the window before slowly rising to its feet. Another pistol shot rang out, the second shot slamming into the leg of the being who seemed to absorb it and keep moving slowly.
Fordyce empties his second shotgun blast before taking a knee to reload, Saunders locked in a vicious melee with a shadowy being. Reginald sang out to Marion as to where he knew combat was happening. Levelling his Webley at the oncoming figure, his third shot cracking into the oncoming being. Recoiling at the impact, the attacked stumbled back before slumping into a corner still and silent.
Marion advanced down the stairs, his shotgun trained on the dining room door, listening to the battle raging inside, Saunders screaming in anger, Fordyce letting fly another blast from his shotgun.
Singh took position at the top of the stairs, Colonel Hollingsworth also appearing at the railing of the balcony, his pistol in hand, both looking for potential targets. Marion shifted his shotgun sight to the corridor at the corner of the dining room towards the parlour in case anything strange appeared.
Reginald took his change to slam the parlour door and moved through the adjoining door to the dining room. The sight in front of him was extreme, Saunders was entangled with one of the jackal headed figures, hacking and slashing with his knife and poker, Fordyce kneeling in the far corner, several spent shotgun casing at his feet as he reloaded as fast as he could, sprays of blood littering the window sill from where he was looking intently for another target.
Marion was knocked back on the stairs as the front door burst open from a massive impact. An enormous figure clad in sand coloured pants and torn shirt, its muscles exposed, raining its head through the splinters was that of a jackal, a live jackal, its teeth bared and its breath wild.
Marion called to Singh and anyone within earshot to open fire on the monster, Singh’s shotgun and the Colonels pistol both came to life, the giant being barely recoiling as a shotgun blast slammed into its shoulder from Singh and a pistol round hammered into its stomach.
Marion rose to his feet, backing up the stairs as he unloaded both barrels of his shotgun at the monster. Clipping the being on the ribs, with the first shot, the second flying to the right, Marion took the opportunity to turn and run up the stairs. Singh reloaded quickly and was preparing for another blast when Reginald appeared at the dining room door, his eyes wide as he recognised the muscular arms of the creature.
Raising his pistol, Reginald unleashed the remaining three bullets at the being, the heavy impacts drawing the attention of the minster for an instant however not breaking its stride towards the staircase.
Reginald ducked quickly against a wall, emptying the spent shells from his pistol, reloading it quickly and with purpose. The creature swung its powerful arms at the base of the stairs, breaking the railing clean off the floor, creating more room for it to freely move towards the three targets in front of it. Fordyce blasted another load of buckshot at the window, the screams of a wounded man sounding outside, Saunders bleeding from the torso but able to cleanly slice open the neck of the jackal headed vagrant, which in turn appeared as a deep gash to the head of the man inside the costume, its face cleaved almost in two from cheek to cheek. The intruder fell to the floor as Saunders drove his poker through its chest with so much force that the sound of the iron hitting the hard wood floor echoing through the body.
Hollingsworth continued to fire at the monster, as Marion watched, to his surprise Hollingsworth was screaming about how he had put the creature down at Abadon, yet he continued to fire at the doorway, where the creature no longer was standing.
At the top of the stairs, Marion continued to reload, Singh drawing his sabre to cover Marion until he was ready to fire again. The sound of more breaking glass echoed through the corridors upstairs, something was moving or climbing where no normal man could reach.
The gigantic figure strode powerfully up the stairs, Reginald followed the creature, his freshly reloaded Webley in hand. Unleashing all six shots, 4 holes in the wall appeared around the creatures head, two shots breaking the skin of the shoulder of the creature who still seemed unimpressed by the damage.
Reginald let out a cry of pain that caught Singh’s attention, Reginald feeling a rope around his neck, the smell of body odour and cigarettes filling his nostrils. As the monster drew closer, Singh lashed out at the creature with his sabre, striking it across the snout. The jackal paused briefly, snarling as the open wound oozing a dark ooze. The monster swiped with its powerful left hand, catching Singh across the chest, the sound of ribs cracking as he slammed across the hallway into the wall.
Reginald cursed the being who had his garrotted around the neck, slamming and punching with his empty pistol, catching the assailant in the ribs and kidney. Marion closed the action of his shotgun, raising it at the monsters face, yet distracted as out of the corner of his eye, he glanced a withered and bandaged hand appear at the doorway of the Colonels study, the hand pointing at the Colonel.
The monster changed its targeted gaze, shifting from Marion towards the Colonel, Marion taking the opportunity to roll out of the way of the beast, kneeling beside Singh who was spitting blood and reaching for his sabre.
Reginald managed to get his hand under the rope around his neck, swinging his elbow wildly and collecting whatever was behind him in the face. Feeling to rope go loose as his attacked recoiled, Reginald turned to see a Middle Eastern man dressed in plain garb brandishing a short blade in one hand, the other gripping his bruised face.
Marion took aim at the bandaged arm protruding from the study, the buckshot clamming into the hand, two fingers falling to the ground, a cry of pain also filling the air as one of the pellets clipping the Colonel in the calf. Marion swung his shotgun towards the Monster that was now obstructing his view of the Colonel. Hollingsworth gripped his chest tightly with his empty hand, gasping for air before falling to the floor. The bandaged hand changing its position from pointing at the Colonel to going into a relaxed state even though two fingers were missing.
Marion watched in horror as the rest of the bandaged mummy appeared from the doorway to the study, looking around itself, spotting Marion and running towards him in a frenzy. Pulling the trigger of his shotgun, the blast removing several ribs and bandaged from the being’s torso. Marion dropped his now empty shotgun, pulling his pistol from his belt, aiming carefully at the bandaged mummy, pulling the hammer back on the action and taking a deep breath.
Reginald drew his sabre, pulling it upwards towards the mans arm holding the blade, catching him across the forearm. Letting out a grunt of pain at the wound, the man looked at his arm for a slight second, looking back at Reginald who was bringing his sabre back down towards the man’s head. Dodging quickly, the man swiped with is blade, catching Reginald across the stomach. Reginald turned to face his attacker, reaching with his free hand towards a vase that stood on the side cabinet of the room, sending it flying towards the middle eastern man, it crashed into the mans face, almost knocking him unconscious. Marion pulled the trigger of his pistol at the mummy, the single shot stopping the being in its tracks, the mummy looked town at its own torso, a loose bandage swaying, a fresh hole appearing in one of the bandaged that hung from its side, the bullet lodging itself in the floor some meters down the hall. The mummy looked back at Marion who swallowed hard, the look of terror conquering his face as he watched the mummy almost grin at him. The seven foot Jackal recoiled slightly as the back of its head was suddenly struck by the blast of Fordyce’s shotgun.
Reginald walked past his dazed attacker, slicing its throat with his sabre in one swift strike as he headed towards to main corridor. Looking up towards the balcony, Reginald paused as he could see the small mummy standing next to the giant Jackal. As Reginald watched almost frozen, the Mummy and the Jackal exchanged eye contact briefly before both turned to look at Reginald.
Reginald let out a battle cry, charging the monster and slicing at its angles in an attempt to sever it’s achillies and slow it down. The monster letting out a grunt of pain as the blade sliced through its left ankle tendons.
The Mummy turned towards Marion and Singh just in time to be struck by Marion in a less than perfect Rugby tackle, knocking it over. Singh, partially conscious stumbled towards the pile of Marion and the Mummy. Marion rolling away at the sight of Singh who swiped down hard with his sabre, cleaving the skull of the Mummy in two.
The Monstrous Jackal, about to swipe at Reginald seemed to be struck by some kind of invisible blwo, turning and seeing the Mummy be struck. Letting out a deep growl of frustration, the jackal broke his attack and leapt through the front window by the front door, disappearing into the darkness.
Marion ran towards the Colonel who was struggling to breath on the floor, Marion inspecting him and seeing all the symptoms of a heart attack and stroke. Reginald ascended the stairs, approaching the corpse of the mummy, taking the opportunity to cleave the two halves of the skull from its spine.
Singh stumbled towards Reginald who took him by the shoulders, sitting him down at the top of the stairs, looking for any external injuries and relieved to find none except for the enormous bruises that were already forming across his chest and shoulder.
Marion did what he could to stabilise the Colonel who was breathing slightly easier than earlier. Reginald called to Fordyce who was watching the front door, demanding he contact an ambulance and Scotland Yard.
Marion joined Reginald at the top of the stairs, bot h me agreeing that they should burn the bones and bandages of the Mummy, gathering the pieces up and piling them on the front lawn. Both men began to secure the rest of the house, moving from room to room together, both halting in the dining room as the body of Saunders sat quietly against the wall next to the fireplace, a large blade protruding from his stomach, similar to the one Reginald’s attacked was brandishing.
After securing the ground floor, Reginald took oil from the kitchen, pouring it all over the bones and bandages before striking a match and setting fire to the pile of bones on the front lawn.
Fordyce came to Reginald’s side, advising that he had alerted Scotland Yard and that they and doctors were on their way, giving a short bow Fordyce returned inside to where the Colonel lay upstairs. Marion was going door to door upstairs, knocking on the rooms of Mrs Hollingsworth and the kitchen staff, making sure all were alright. Ramona enquired through the door regarding her husband, Marion informing her that he had suffered some form of stroke.
Exiting her room, Ramona ran to her husband’s side, taking his hand and sitting by him and Fordyce who held his hand on the Colonels chest, making sure his heart was not breathing out of his chest.
*
Craddock walked through the front gate of Kandahar House, Reginald sitting on a small bench, smoking his pipe, Marion sitting on the ground next to him, a crude cigarette in his mouth, a case of 12 he had recently taken from the recently deceased Saunders room. Both Reginald and Marion were silent as they joined Craddock and his entourage of a three police as they walked towards the front steps of Kandahar house. Craddock nodded at Reginald’s neck that showed clear bruising and almost laceration from the brawl earlier. The morning sun revealing the ash pile that still smouldered where the remains of the Mummy were torched.
Craddock walked through the house, the police securing the area, Marion and Reginald sitting on the front steps of the house, Singh sitting with Fordyce in the foyer. After a short wait, Craddock returned to the front door of the house, Craddock took a seat between Marion and Reginald, lighting his pipe. Craddock said little, advising that it was clear that the house was clearly attacked by some form of middle eastern gang and that the Colonel was lucky that the Colonel was entertaining both Reginald and Marion. He then extinguished his pipe, nodding that Reginald and Marion should remove themselves from the premises before the full force of Scotland Yard’s investigative team arrived.
*
Reginald opened the newspaper as he sat comfortably in his study, a brandy in his hand, his cigar resting in its stand. Readying the headline “Break in at Kandahar House goes wrong!”. As Reginald read the article, he could see all of the information that Scotland Yard was covering up, no mention of a Mummy, jackal headed figures or any such trouble. Instead it was a report of how a middle eastern gang had broken into an estate where a groundskeeper was murdered along with one of the intruders. Shaking his head, Reginald sat as his writing desk thinking that it was time for him to start writing his memoirs of his adventures during the war and the exciting adventures since his return to London.
