Saturday 31 October 2015

The Ben Chatham Halloween Special: "The Devil's Footprints" Part 1

Ok , here is the new Ben Chatham Halloween special, featuring RYAN HAWLEY as Ben Chatham:

"THE DEVIL'S FOOTPRINTS"

Part 1

Ben Chatham was lying languidly across his leather sofa enjoying a luxury Halloween soul cake; one of a cluster freshly delivered to Ben's apartment by Cambridge's exclusive delicatessen. He gazed across the room at Katie Ryan, who had called round to discuss Operation Delta's precarious financial situation:
"We just can't go on like this, running up a huge deficit every month", Katie moaned. Ben closed his eyes and laid his head back on the cushion:
"Katie this is so boring. As King James I once said, 'spend and God will send". As Ben spoke the phone rang. Ben let it go to the answering machine and a frightened voice echoed round the room:
"Ben... Ben Chatham, you've got to help me. My name is Scott and I'm calling from Grantchester... Gladstone Road. Its the devil.... I've seen the devil... he's walking the earth. He'll kill us all.... you've got to help us... aaaaahhhh........."
The phone went dead. Katie laughed sardonically:
"Obviously a nutter being pestered by an early trick or treater. " Ben yawned and cast aside his Daily Telegraph:
"You know what Katie, I'm going to investigate. Anything is preferable to sitting here listening to you drone on about our finances and I fancy a drive".
Later Ben and Kyle were driving through Cambridge towards Grantchester, the afternoon sun shining down:
"You know Kyle, whenever I go to Grantchester, I always think of Rupert Brooke: "..stands the church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea?"
"Never 'eard of him," Kyle replied.
"You are so uncultured Kyle. So uncultured" Ben responded.
Arriving in Gladstone Road, Ben leaned out of the window of his classic car towards a woman walking a small dog:
"Excuse me madam. I don't suppose you know a guy called Scott who lives around here somewhere do you".
The woman frowned:
"Probably one of them students who live at number 9" she said coldly. Ben and Kyle drove down to number 9 and as they did so the woman turned round to look at the car. Her eyes had turned into dark black opals and the dog hissed like a snake. Ben jumped out of the car and knocked on the door of number 9. An emaciated girl of about 19 opened the door:
"Wh... Whaaat do y'y'you want" she stammered nervously:
"I'm Ben Chatham. Does a guy called Scott live here?"
"Oh God.. you've come. Scott's upstairs. He's in a bad w'w'w' way".
The girl led them upstairs to a cold, damp room with peeling wallpaper. In the corner a young man sat with his head resting on his knees shaking:
"He's.. coming.. tonight. The devil is coming for all our souls. I've seen him."
Kyle knelt down to Scott:
"Ere its ok like. We'll help you. Can you try to tell is slowly what you saw."
"It was the devil. He was here... in the back garden. Staring up at this window. He's left footprints."
Ben turned round and went downstairs, followed by the girl.
"What's your name? He shouted to her.
"A' A' A' Annie" she stammered.
"Show me these footprints please."
Annie led Ben out into a scruffy garden full of beer cans and general litter. The grass was muddy and as he looked down he saw cloven hoof prints.
"Well these could have been made by an animal. No proof of anything supernatural."
Ben went back into the house, followed by Annie:
"I must say, you look awfully thin and ill. Have you consulted a Doctor?" Ben asked.
"I'm ok. Its just I live on a diet of pot noodles and beer. Its all we can a'a'a'afford" she stammered.
"Then you need to work longer hours", Ben advised her. It was starting to get dark and Ben heard Scott screaming. He ran upstairs, where Kyle was trying to calm Scott down:
"Its coming. The dark. The dark. Halloween. He's coming for our souls. Must get to the church".
Scott ran past Ben and down the musty stairs and out the door. Ben and Kyle followed however they were shocked to see Scott suddenly stop and fall to his knees, clutching his head. The woman that they had seen earlier with the dog approached Scott from a side alley. However the dog had become a small demon on a metal chain and the woman's features had changed into those of a wizened crone. She pointed a wooden stick at Scott's head which suddenly exploded, sending blood and brain-matter flying.
"¤¤¤¤ing hell" Kyle shouted. He and Ben ran back into the house.
..............to be continued.