Goat's Head

Lex Sinclair

Description

Swedish-born law student, Sofie Lackberg's life is sent into perilous turmoil when she spots a flyer advertising a care assistant job for one night in a palatial Victorian house of gothic architecture and a marble demon out front standing sentry. But the money is too good to turn down for Sofie to keep up with her student fees. Her decision however is the worst she will ever make. The occupants aren't what they appear. Hooded figures capture and restrain her for sacrificial purposes. Sofie has been the chosen one since her birth to give life to the creature only known as "the thing with the goat's head". Can Sofie change her destiny before it is too late? Or will the harrowing truth of her own existence be beyond her control?

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 06 février 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783335886
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Title Page
THE GOAT’S HEAD
by
Lex Sinclair



Publisher Information
This edition published in 2014 by
Acorn Books
www.acornbooks.co.uk
Converted and distributed by
Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
Copyright © 2014 Lex Sinclair
The right of Lex Sinclair to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.



Quotes
“In every person, there is a doer and a devil. With ever passing days, the doer dies and a devil has to rise.”
- Santosh Kalwar
“The devil has not vanished simply because people refuse to believe he exists, no more than God has…”
- E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gladfly
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
- Exodus 22:18



1.
October 31 1985
Sofie Lackberg retired to the changing rooms, brow soaked in perspiration, chest rising and falling faster than usual and lowered herself on the wooden bench in front of her locker. Once she got out of her spandex and showered she’d return back to her dormitory and hit the books for another three hours before an hour TV then hitting the hay.
Her aerobics class never failed to get her heart pumping, following the gym instructor, Karen into numerous exercises that stretched and flexed her firm, lithe twenty-two year old shapely body. Previously, Sofie had taken out a membership in the local gym. However, she always got hit on by the guys, both young and old, until it started becoming harassment. She felt a lot more comfortable in her only-females aerobics class. Sofie wasn’t interested in boys; she was solely intent on getting her law degree.
The other women in her class often commented highly on her Swedish accent, which they said had a “soft lilt” that made everything she said have a hypnotic effect. She remembered blushing madly about that, embarrassed and contented.
She got dressed into her all-pink tracksuit, dried her hair, zipped her bag up and then headed out into the winding corridor, sipping her energy drink when she slowed to a stop alongside the notice board and saw a pink flyer reading: Care Assistant Wanted ! No experience required. Applicant must be female and like elderly people to aid them in their chores, give them their medication and sleep over on the 5 & 6 November. Call 1991429035. Address (local area) will only be given to successful applicant .
Aware that the only job opportunities she’d had since coming to the U.K. a year ago was temporary job for the Christmas period at a retail store, Sofie’s studies prevented her from committing to a permanent occupation. Nevertheless, she - like every other college and university student around the world - could use the extra cash. Furthermore, the job didn’t require any previous experience and was for only two days. She supposed she could take her work with her and study while she took care of the old people or person.
Sofie pulled a flyer off the pin and took it with her. She walked a little further down the corridor until she sees a phone kiosk against the far wall. Taking a seat in the reception area, the young woman checked her purse for loose change and found an ample amount to use the payphone. No time like the present.
Holding the flyer in her right hand, Sofie dialled carefully with her left, tucking the receiver between the side of her head and her shoulder. She took another sip of her drink when she heard the familiar dialling tone and the monotone ringing of the number she’s just called and waits nervously for an answer.
‘Yes?’ a hoarse, nonetheless strong voice answered.
‘Oh, hi.’ Sofie paused for a second before speaking more clearly. ‘I’m calling about the care assistant job advertised.’
‘Oh, please forgive me. I almost forgot about that. You see, we don’t get my replies from the flyers. What would you like to know, my dear?’ The voice of the woman on the other end of the phone had lost its initial brusqueness and became soft, sweet.
Sofie wanted clarification on what the flyer said about not needing any experience and the dates involved and what the job entailed precisely.
‘You’ll be looking after my parents. You see my husband’s flight is not arriving until late in the evening at Heathrow and I shall be picking him up. Mummy and Daddy are not as young and as able-bodied as they used to be and I’m afraid a six hour drive in the car would be too much for them to bear. They can get about the house themselves quite well, except when going up and down the staircase. And if I left them alone they’d forget to take their medication. Also they struggle with opening their bottle caps and making themselves food.
‘All you have to do is warm their food in the microwave, give them their pills and make sure they get to bed at a sensible hour and be present during the night in case they need to go to the bathroom, that sort of thing.’
A long pause followed.
‘Are you still there, dear?’
‘Yes. Sorry,’ Sofie said.
‘Are you still interested?’
Sofie hesitated before asking the next question. ‘How much would I get paid, if I choose to do this?’
‘Approximately one hundred and fifty pounds,’ the woman said. ‘Money is not an option, to a certain degree. If I know you’re here it’ll remove a big burden from my shoulders.’
Sofie could hardly believe her ears when she heard the amount, but managed to conceal her incredulity. ‘May I bring some of my course books with me? I’m a law student you see.’
‘Why, of course, darlin’. That’s no trouble whatsoever. My parents are quite happy to sit in front of the TV for the evening. They just require some help doing physical things, as I’ve already mentioned.’
‘Then, unless you have anyone else to interview for the position, I’ll be more than happy to do it,’ Sofie said, unable to repress a broad smile.
On the 5 November, Sofie and Janice (a fellow student) drove out to the countryside, along the meandering road. Janice reduced her speed considerably due to the blind spots, afraid that another oncoming vehicle would drive head-on into her Fiat or cause her to swerve off the road and into one of the innumerable trees standing sentinel on either side, enclosing them, blocking out the diminishing daylight.
‘Still can’t believe how lucky your are,’ Janice said for the umpteenth time.
Sofie shrugged. ‘When I get paid, I’ll give you some money towards the petrol.’
‘I didn’t mean that. I just meant one hundred and fifty pound for a single night’s work. Well, not even that, really.’ She fell silent for a moment, shaking her head in disbelief. Then said: ‘Don’t you think it’s a little weird, though?’
‘No. She’s just in desperate need, that’s all.’
‘Yeah, but her parents should have care workers come out to the house all the time.’
‘Margaret looks after her parents by herself.’
Janice cornered a sharp bend, craned her head past the field where two brown horses stared at them and took her foot off the accelerator when she saw a black, wrought-iron fence either side the paved driveway surrounding the two acres of land.
Both girls gaped at the sight before them and shivered inwardly, too.
Travelling at roughly five miles per hour, the red Victorian house of gothic architecture with twin turrets; two stories high towered above them giving off a foreboding aura. The sudden reality that Sofie would actually be sleeping over for the night attending to two complete strangers needs rushed at her with the same velocity as a locomotive at top speed.
‘Jesus Christ!’ Janice exclaimed, unapologetic for the blasphemous remark.
The tiny hairs on Sofie’s arms and the nape of her neck stood on end; her skin shrivelled with goose bumps. She was just about to chastise herself for being so impolite to the proprietor of this magnificent house and paying her so handsomely for one night when her eyes bulged at the sight of what appeared to be a demon made out of marble or stone, staring right at her with one paw - or claw (it certainly couldn’t be called a hand) - raised in a mock greeting or farewell gesture.
‘What in God’s name is that?’ Janice almost shrieked.
Sofie exhaled. ‘I don’t know.’
Janice brought her yellow Fiat to a halt alongside the steps leading to the porch and applied the handbrake. Then she turned to her friend with worry masked all over her countenance. ‘Listen, say the word and I’ll stop at a payphone and you can call this woman and tell her you’ve changed your mind, if you want?’
‘No, that’s ridiculous,’ Sofie said, although the thought had crossed her mind. ‘It’s an old house. Magnificent. Beautiful. Not my taste, and not yours, either. But I can’t exactly go judging someone by their home. I haven’t even got a home. What would that make me? A hypocrite.’
Janice eyed the stone statue facing the front yard looking ominous.
‘If their decoration is anything to go by then these people are pretty freaky if you ask me.’
Sofie deliberated for a couple of minutes.
‘So, what’s it gonna be, huh?’
‘I need the money... and I said I’d do it. A promise is a promise.’
Janice leaned over and kissed Sofie on her cheek. ‘You be careful. And if you change your mind or somethin’ is fucked up, don’t hesitate