Ok people, here is part four of this new adventure starring RYAN HAWLEY as Ben Chatham:
"MIND TRAP": Part Four
Ben was about to rush forward and intervene to help the young man in the chair however before he could do so he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun round to see Max Eastman:
"Hey Eastman, what the hell is going on here. Why are they torturing that guy?" Ben shouted. Eastman smiled:
"Oh come now, hardly torture. Chris there is a volunteer. He feels no pain at all due to my advanced hypnosis technique" he replied. Ben was bemused:
"Rubbish Eastman, I distinctly heard him screaming. Why were we locked in our room?" he demanded. Eastman was staring at Katie. He stroked her hair:
"*To Katie* What an extraordinarily beautiful woman you are. I'm sure that you can reassure Ben here that I would never harm any of my volunteers. I regard them almost as my own family. This centre is a retreat, an oasis of peace and harmony in which people can seek the space to rediscover themselves."
Katie stared at Ben:
"Ben I hope that you are taking note of the fact that Eastman has noticed me. It is my hair that he is stroking, not yours. Obviously he is talking complete ¤¤¤¤e however at least he is paying me some attention." Ben frowns:
"This is not the time or place for your self-indulgent complaining Katie. " Kyle meanwhile had gone up to Chris:
"Ere mate, you OK?" Chris simply stared into space. Eastman rushed up to him:
"Please don't intervene in this experiment. It is at a very delicate stage and the volunteer could be harmed if you don't come away."
Reluctantly Kyle agreed to leave and Eastman led them all back downstairs.
As they arrived back downstairs they saw Joe Peters had arrived and was being led inside. Ben went up to him:
"I completely forgot about you" Ben stated before letting Eastman lead them back to the chill out room. Arriving into the room they saw two girls laying out a salad spread with several bottles of white wine:
"Please accept some refreshments as a form of apology. I promise that the door will stay open and you are free to walk about the centre and visit the gym and the television room" , Eastman stated. As he left he slid his hand down Katie's back:
"And you my dear can visit my own rooms if you wish." Kyle grimaced:
"Ere what a creepy old lech. You ok Katie?"
"Of course I'm ok. For your information Kyle, Mr Eastman is clearly someone with excellent taste in women." Joe approached her:
"He's not the only one."Katie smiled and stroked his leg. Ben was bemused:
"Oh for pity's sake. Come on Kyle, lets explore this establishment. That wine looks cheap, the salad clearly isn't fresh, and Katie is on heat. In other words, a trilogy of horrors."
Ben and Kyle went out into the lobby and saw a large girl barging in and being remonstrated with by two of Eastman's female volunteers:
"You cannot come in here. You are not the right type", one of the girls stated. The large girl pushed her aside:
"Wye eye doon't goer tellin' me what ta dooo bitch" she shouted. Eastman approached:
"What is going on here? Who are you?" The large girl smiled at him:
"Wye eye, I'm Kylie like. I'm a just a fat slag from Newcastle like ya nooo. I've come ahhl the way doon 'ere like 'cause me mate said yooos can help lasses looose weight."
Eastman smiled at her:
"Oh I see. Welcome Kylie to our centre of peace and healing. I agree that you are at the moment a hideous obese slattern and a horrible looking fat munter, however we can indeed help you. Within three weeks I can have you looking as slim and attractive as Abigail and Catherine here. Everything is free if you become a volunteer here."
"Wye eye thanks Mr Eastman like. I noooed yoo'd help us owt like. Ere an' I get what you's means about volunteer *winks*. You's can 'ave your ooots here tonight *winks*"
Kyle turned to Ben:
"Ere Ben, Eastman's makin' some big claims there. What say you we try an' talk to some of his volunteers." Ben frowned:
" He won't let us get near them. You can bet that the gym and tv room will be either deserted or populated by flunkeys. And he'll have made sure we don't get access to elsewhere."
"Yeah but I've got a plan Ben......"
Kyle and Ben headed back to the chill out room. Katie and Joe were canoodling on the sofa, enjoying a bottle of wine and a mixed leaf salad. Kyle went up to the window, which was locked, took out his penknife and picked the lock in seconds.
"Look Ben, we need to escape out the window like an' then find a way into other parts of this place". Ben sighed:
"Anything is preferable to watching those two pawing each other. "
Outside they walked around the grounds. Ben noticed a large grey building in the distance:
"Lets try getting into that horrible looking carbunkle". As Ben spoke they heard shouting and a thin youth ran from behind the building towards a wooded area. There was a shot and the youth fell screaming and clutching his leg. To uniformed men approached him and one of them shot him through the head......
........... to be continued.
Sunday, 28 June 2015
Sunday, 7 June 2015
"MIND TRAP" Part 3
Ben's car careered off the road and into the woods, coming to a halt in a ditch. Ben looked around him in a dazed state.
"What the hell was that? There was a wall across the road," he stammered. Katie Ryan looked up angrily:
"That was damn weird. As you swerved the car , the wall seemed to fade and vanish."
As Katie spoke, Ben was looking around:
"Where's Kyle? Oh my God, he must have been thrown out of the car by the crash impact." Ben, Katie and Joe jumped out of the car and started to look around:
"Hey Ben, he's here" Joe shouted. Kyle was lying by the side of a tree unconscious, blood on his forehead. Ben rushed up and checked Kyle's pulse:
"His pulse seems ok. He has clearly bashed his head on the tree trunk." Ben pulled out his Operation Delta smartphone and tried to dial the emergency services, however there was no signal:
"Katie, try your phone. Mine isn't working for some reason." Both Katie and Joe tried their phones however there was no signal. Ben was concerned:
"I don't like this. There should be a signal Its not like we are in the Outer Hebrides or something. Looks like we'll have to get to that wretched Eastman place by foot and phone from there. Katie and I will go. Joe you need to stay here and look after Kyle."
Ben and Katie walked along the lane in the direction of the Eastman Research Centre.
"I saw you and Joe getting rather friendly earlier Katie. I'd prefer it if you didn't mix business with pleasure Katie", Ben remarked. Katie gave him an icy look:
"Spare me your lofty self-righteousness Ben. Joe is single. His former girlfriend is dead. We are both adults. Oh and one more thing, mind your own damn business." Ben glared at her:
"I am thinking of your own interests here" he stated. Katie laughed sardonically. They walked on in silence until they came to a large country house set in leafy grounds. A sign by the entrance read: "The Eastman Centre for Extra-Sensory Research and Retreat". A young man and girl stood by the entrance gates chatting. Ben approached them:
"Hello. My name is Ben Chatham. We need to use a telephone urgently as our friend has been hurt in a car accident." The young man, a long-haired androgynous looking youth, stared vacantly:
"Oh how unfortunate. However you cannot telephone from here." Katie frowned:
"Why the hell not?" she spat out.
"Because you aren't the right type. You can't come in here." Ben was furious:
"Now look here. I have verbally articulated to you that our friend is hurt. Therefore either let us in or ask Mr Eastman to come out here and talk to us." The youth and girl started laughing:
"Oh aren't they funny. So uptight. Definitely not the sort of people we'd let in here" the girl said. Katie pushed the gate open with a violent jolt and barged through. As the youth tried to stop her, she punched him, knocking him down. Ben stared down at him:
"I find you rather attractive. However you left Katie with no choice but to deck you. Catch up with me later when you've cleaned yourself up," Ben sympathetically stated.
Walking up to the house, Ben was surprised to see the door was half open and there was the sound of singing from inside. Ben and Katie walked in and saw a large hallway with black and white chessboard flooring and modernist sculptures. They looked into a side room where a group of young people were singing a Joni Mitchell song. Ben was unimpressed. As he turned around he saw a middle aged man with long grey hair and dressed in a white robe-like outfit descending the stairs. He walked up to them smiling:
"Welcome friends. You must be Mr Chatham and his delightful young assistant Katie." He took hold of Katie's hand and kissed it. She jerked it away:
"How do you know who we are?" Katie asked.
"Oh my dear, there are ways of seeing beyond the ordinary senses." Ben stared at him:
"Mr Eastman, our friend Kyle has been injured in an accident. We need to use a telephone urgently." Eastman smiled oddly:
"Oh we don't allow telephones here. People come here to escape the demands of the humdrum and oppressive world around us. Besides, your friend can recover here. Look."
Ben and Katie turned round to see two attractive young women helping a staggering Kyle through the entrance door.
Later Ben, Katie and a recovering Kyle were enjoying a mineral water and organic salad in one of the Eastman Centre's relaxation rooms. Ben frowned:
"Who on earth would choose to come here to relax. They don't allow alcohol. And this salad is horribly bland. Are you sure you're ok Kyle? I'd prefer to get you checked out by a Doctor."
"Look I'm ok Ben. Just a bit dazed like. But yeah this food is gross."
Katie stood up.
"Well I'm not just sitting here eating rabbit food, I'm taking a look around." She tried the door but it was locked:
"Hey the bastard's locked us in." Kyle went to the door and pulled out a collection of keys and bits of wire:
"Time for the expert I recon....." he said grinning. Shortly he had picked the lock and they were walking down a corridor. As they turned a corner they heard the sound of screaming and someone pleading for something to stop. They rushed to a doorway looked inside to see a young man tied to a chair. Two men in white coats stood around him and one was using an electric iron to burn his arm. As he did so again, the second man stared into the victim's eyes:
"You will now feel no pain. Nothing at all......"
............ to be continued.
Ben's car careered off the road and into the woods, coming to a halt in a ditch. Ben looked around him in a dazed state.
"What the hell was that? There was a wall across the road," he stammered. Katie Ryan looked up angrily:
"That was damn weird. As you swerved the car , the wall seemed to fade and vanish."
As Katie spoke, Ben was looking around:
"Where's Kyle? Oh my God, he must have been thrown out of the car by the crash impact." Ben, Katie and Joe jumped out of the car and started to look around:
"Hey Ben, he's here" Joe shouted. Kyle was lying by the side of a tree unconscious, blood on his forehead. Ben rushed up and checked Kyle's pulse:
"His pulse seems ok. He has clearly bashed his head on the tree trunk." Ben pulled out his Operation Delta smartphone and tried to dial the emergency services, however there was no signal:
"Katie, try your phone. Mine isn't working for some reason." Both Katie and Joe tried their phones however there was no signal. Ben was concerned:
"I don't like this. There should be a signal Its not like we are in the Outer Hebrides or something. Looks like we'll have to get to that wretched Eastman place by foot and phone from there. Katie and I will go. Joe you need to stay here and look after Kyle."
Ben and Katie walked along the lane in the direction of the Eastman Research Centre.
"I saw you and Joe getting rather friendly earlier Katie. I'd prefer it if you didn't mix business with pleasure Katie", Ben remarked. Katie gave him an icy look:
"Spare me your lofty self-righteousness Ben. Joe is single. His former girlfriend is dead. We are both adults. Oh and one more thing, mind your own damn business." Ben glared at her:
"I am thinking of your own interests here" he stated. Katie laughed sardonically. They walked on in silence until they came to a large country house set in leafy grounds. A sign by the entrance read: "The Eastman Centre for Extra-Sensory Research and Retreat". A young man and girl stood by the entrance gates chatting. Ben approached them:
"Hello. My name is Ben Chatham. We need to use a telephone urgently as our friend has been hurt in a car accident." The young man, a long-haired androgynous looking youth, stared vacantly:
"Oh how unfortunate. However you cannot telephone from here." Katie frowned:
"Why the hell not?" she spat out.
"Because you aren't the right type. You can't come in here." Ben was furious:
"Now look here. I have verbally articulated to you that our friend is hurt. Therefore either let us in or ask Mr Eastman to come out here and talk to us." The youth and girl started laughing:
"Oh aren't they funny. So uptight. Definitely not the sort of people we'd let in here" the girl said. Katie pushed the gate open with a violent jolt and barged through. As the youth tried to stop her, she punched him, knocking him down. Ben stared down at him:
"I find you rather attractive. However you left Katie with no choice but to deck you. Catch up with me later when you've cleaned yourself up," Ben sympathetically stated.
Walking up to the house, Ben was surprised to see the door was half open and there was the sound of singing from inside. Ben and Katie walked in and saw a large hallway with black and white chessboard flooring and modernist sculptures. They looked into a side room where a group of young people were singing a Joni Mitchell song. Ben was unimpressed. As he turned around he saw a middle aged man with long grey hair and dressed in a white robe-like outfit descending the stairs. He walked up to them smiling:
"Welcome friends. You must be Mr Chatham and his delightful young assistant Katie." He took hold of Katie's hand and kissed it. She jerked it away:
"How do you know who we are?" Katie asked.
"Oh my dear, there are ways of seeing beyond the ordinary senses." Ben stared at him:
"Mr Eastman, our friend Kyle has been injured in an accident. We need to use a telephone urgently." Eastman smiled oddly:
"Oh we don't allow telephones here. People come here to escape the demands of the humdrum and oppressive world around us. Besides, your friend can recover here. Look."
Ben and Katie turned round to see two attractive young women helping a staggering Kyle through the entrance door.
Later Ben, Katie and a recovering Kyle were enjoying a mineral water and organic salad in one of the Eastman Centre's relaxation rooms. Ben frowned:
"Who on earth would choose to come here to relax. They don't allow alcohol. And this salad is horribly bland. Are you sure you're ok Kyle? I'd prefer to get you checked out by a Doctor."
"Look I'm ok Ben. Just a bit dazed like. But yeah this food is gross."
Katie stood up.
"Well I'm not just sitting here eating rabbit food, I'm taking a look around." She tried the door but it was locked:
"Hey the bastard's locked us in." Kyle went to the door and pulled out a collection of keys and bits of wire:
"Time for the expert I recon....." he said grinning. Shortly he had picked the lock and they were walking down a corridor. As they turned a corner they heard the sound of screaming and someone pleading for something to stop. They rushed to a doorway looked inside to see a young man tied to a chair. Two men in white coats stood around him and one was using an electric iron to burn his arm. As he did so again, the second man stared into the victim's eyes:
"You will now feel no pain. Nothing at all......"
............ to be continued.
Saturday, 30 May 2015
"MIND TRAP" Part 2
"MIND TRAP" Part TWO
Ben sat with Joe Peters in the lounge at the Operation Delta Hub, enjoying a cappuccino. As they sat making small talk about new excavations at Sutton Hoo Paul Farraday and Corinne Shaw entered the room.
"Ah Paul and Corinne, meet Joe Peters. Have you got the info on this Max Eastman character that I asked for?" Ben authoritatively asked. Corinne opened up a file:
"Oh yes. Mr Eastman has been known to us for some time. He runs a kind of New Age centre near Swindon. Offers holistic healing, undertakes research in ESP and runs courses in divination, palmistry, the I-Ching and that sort of thing. Seems innocent enough on the surface however there have been complaints made by angry parents that students and other young people have gone missing after attending his courses."
Ben thought for a moment:
"Is there any indication that this is a money-making racket? Or a cult?" Paul looked up:
"Neither. The courses are free and people get paid to take part in the ESP research. Its all on their website here."
Paul handed Ben his top of the range Operation Delta laptop. Ben perused the website:
"Well how the hell does he pay for all of this then? If something seems too good to be true it probably is. Right, the first thing that we need to do Joe is to visit the driver of the car that Lisa was in. Then we will pay Mr Eastman a visit" Ben stated.
"Oh by the way, Shakey Jake has visited Eastman's centre" Corinne said with a wry grin.
"Why am I not surprised" Ben said in an exasperated tone before phoning Jake. A short time later Jake arrived and helped himself to a coffee:
"Hi cats. Just need some caffeine man I had a really heavy night last night. There were these two chicks in the bar...."
"Spare us the details please. Its 2015 not 1969" Ben interrupted, "Just tell us about Eastman's place".
"Hey it was like really far out. The meditation room was really serene and happening. But this really heavy lady tried to stop me getting in. Said I was too old man, can you believe that?"
Ben laughed:
"Well you are a relic from a bygone age Jake. However that is interesting. They clearly want to attract students and young people to their centre. We need to get in there incognito as visitors. Come on."
Ben drove Joe, Kyle and Katie through the lush countryside of late spring towards Swindon. He let the warm breeze blow through his hair as he listened to Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring' on the car stereo:
"You know, Emma used to hate this piece of music. Just shows what a poor taste doll it was I married," Ben said, tossing his head back and laughing.
"You seem a lot more upbeat all of a sudden," Katie remarked to him. Ben grinned:
"Well I'm free Katie. I'm going to try and look to the positives. I'm free."
They arrived at Swindon City General and quickly found the ward where Dave Hemming was lying in the end bed near the window. Dave was asleep and Ben approached him. He rattled the bed. Dave roused round:
"Hey... who are you" Dave asked.
"I am Ben Chatham and these are my colleagues apart from Joe here whose ex-girlfriend was the girl you killed in the crash. Could you tell us what happened please?"
Dave tried to sit up and groaned:
"Look I'm really sorry. But she like went crazy, grabbed at me and grabbed the steering wheel. I couldn't do anything."
Joe was angry:
"Yeah right, you're trying to blame it all on Lisa you bastard. I hear you were drunk."
Dave sank back into the pillow:
"Look I ain't gonna lie to you. I was over the limit from the night before okay. I put my hand up to it. But that wasn't why we crashed. I swear to you she went raving mad. I'd just picked her up as a hitcher."
Joe was furious:
"I don't believe that pile of crap. If you weren't in that bed I'd punch your ¤¤¤¤in......."
"Joe calm down. This is not acceptable behaviour in a hospital," Ben interjected, "Thank you Mr Hemmings. Come on, we've work to do."
As they left the ward, Katie sidled up to Joe and whispered:
"You were right to be angry Joe". Joe let her stroke his arm.
Later they were driving down the leafy lane towards Eastman's centre. As they turned a corner they almost his a ragged group of about ten long-haired undergraduates, bearded youths and young girls with flowing dresses and hats.
"Look where you're damn well going" Ben shouted at them. One of the youths grinned:
"Hey dude chill will ya."
"Ere are you lot off to this Eastman centre place?" Kyle asked them.
"Yeah man. We need to cleanse ourselves of the pollution of this sick society. Get healed", a bearded youth with a guitar on his back replied. Ben decided to initiate the subterfuge:
"Oh well thats okay man thats okay. Sorry for being heavy with you man. We're going there too. We need to get pure and free from the dry materialism of society" he stated. A girl approached him:
"Hey thats like really great. See you there honey."
Ben drove on:
"Pretentious bunch. They'll all be bankers and city traders in ten years time." As they turned round another corner they were shocked to see a brick wall stretching right across the road. Ben swerved the car drastically and it shot off the road and into a wooded area......
............to be continued.
Ben sat with Joe Peters in the lounge at the Operation Delta Hub, enjoying a cappuccino. As they sat making small talk about new excavations at Sutton Hoo Paul Farraday and Corinne Shaw entered the room.
"Ah Paul and Corinne, meet Joe Peters. Have you got the info on this Max Eastman character that I asked for?" Ben authoritatively asked. Corinne opened up a file:
"Oh yes. Mr Eastman has been known to us for some time. He runs a kind of New Age centre near Swindon. Offers holistic healing, undertakes research in ESP and runs courses in divination, palmistry, the I-Ching and that sort of thing. Seems innocent enough on the surface however there have been complaints made by angry parents that students and other young people have gone missing after attending his courses."
Ben thought for a moment:
"Is there any indication that this is a money-making racket? Or a cult?" Paul looked up:
"Neither. The courses are free and people get paid to take part in the ESP research. Its all on their website here."
Paul handed Ben his top of the range Operation Delta laptop. Ben perused the website:
"Well how the hell does he pay for all of this then? If something seems too good to be true it probably is. Right, the first thing that we need to do Joe is to visit the driver of the car that Lisa was in. Then we will pay Mr Eastman a visit" Ben stated.
"Oh by the way, Shakey Jake has visited Eastman's centre" Corinne said with a wry grin.
"Why am I not surprised" Ben said in an exasperated tone before phoning Jake. A short time later Jake arrived and helped himself to a coffee:
"Hi cats. Just need some caffeine man I had a really heavy night last night. There were these two chicks in the bar...."
"Spare us the details please. Its 2015 not 1969" Ben interrupted, "Just tell us about Eastman's place".
"Hey it was like really far out. The meditation room was really serene and happening. But this really heavy lady tried to stop me getting in. Said I was too old man, can you believe that?"
Ben laughed:
"Well you are a relic from a bygone age Jake. However that is interesting. They clearly want to attract students and young people to their centre. We need to get in there incognito as visitors. Come on."
Ben drove Joe, Kyle and Katie through the lush countryside of late spring towards Swindon. He let the warm breeze blow through his hair as he listened to Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring' on the car stereo:
"You know, Emma used to hate this piece of music. Just shows what a poor taste doll it was I married," Ben said, tossing his head back and laughing.
"You seem a lot more upbeat all of a sudden," Katie remarked to him. Ben grinned:
"Well I'm free Katie. I'm going to try and look to the positives. I'm free."
They arrived at Swindon City General and quickly found the ward where Dave Hemming was lying in the end bed near the window. Dave was asleep and Ben approached him. He rattled the bed. Dave roused round:
"Hey... who are you" Dave asked.
"I am Ben Chatham and these are my colleagues apart from Joe here whose ex-girlfriend was the girl you killed in the crash. Could you tell us what happened please?"
Dave tried to sit up and groaned:
"Look I'm really sorry. But she like went crazy, grabbed at me and grabbed the steering wheel. I couldn't do anything."
Joe was angry:
"Yeah right, you're trying to blame it all on Lisa you bastard. I hear you were drunk."
Dave sank back into the pillow:
"Look I ain't gonna lie to you. I was over the limit from the night before okay. I put my hand up to it. But that wasn't why we crashed. I swear to you she went raving mad. I'd just picked her up as a hitcher."
Joe was furious:
"I don't believe that pile of crap. If you weren't in that bed I'd punch your ¤¤¤¤in......."
"Joe calm down. This is not acceptable behaviour in a hospital," Ben interjected, "Thank you Mr Hemmings. Come on, we've work to do."
As they left the ward, Katie sidled up to Joe and whispered:
"You were right to be angry Joe". Joe let her stroke his arm.
Later they were driving down the leafy lane towards Eastman's centre. As they turned a corner they almost his a ragged group of about ten long-haired undergraduates, bearded youths and young girls with flowing dresses and hats.
"Look where you're damn well going" Ben shouted at them. One of the youths grinned:
"Hey dude chill will ya."
"Ere are you lot off to this Eastman centre place?" Kyle asked them.
"Yeah man. We need to cleanse ourselves of the pollution of this sick society. Get healed", a bearded youth with a guitar on his back replied. Ben decided to initiate the subterfuge:
"Oh well thats okay man thats okay. Sorry for being heavy with you man. We're going there too. We need to get pure and free from the dry materialism of society" he stated. A girl approached him:
"Hey thats like really great. See you there honey."
Ben drove on:
"Pretentious bunch. They'll all be bankers and city traders in ten years time." As they turned round another corner they were shocked to see a brick wall stretching right across the road. Ben swerved the car drastically and it shot off the road and into a wooded area......
............to be continued.
Monday, 25 May 2015
MIND TRAP: Part 1
MIND TRAP : Part 1
Ben Chatham pushed violently on the door of the Family Court building in Cambridge and strode out into the street, followed by Kyle Scott and Katie Ryan. Tears filled Ben's eyes as he stood on the pavenent, clenching his fists. Kyle held out Ben's jacket:
"You like forgot this Ben".
Ben grabbed the jacket without saying anything. As he did so the door swung open again and Emma Chatham emerged with Paul Jarvis, her solicitor. Ben glared at her:
"I suppose you're pleased with yourself. Well don't think this is over."
Emma walked towards him:
"Ben you know I never wanted it to end this way." Ben fixed her with an icy stare:
"You may well think you've won, you dim-witted doll. But I'll just hire another expensive lawyer to find a string of clever ways to avoid paying you any of the money you think you've stolen from me."
Emma turned away from him and walked away with Jarvis. Katie Ryan put her hand on Ben's shoulder:
"Just move on Ben. At least its just one big pay-off."
"Move on? Are you serious Katie? You heard how much the little slapper was awarded by that idiot judge. I'll have to sell my property portfolio and will be lucky to still keep the apartment. I'm just grateful that my parents are on holiday in the Algarve and not here to find out all the things she accused my of. That Jarvis called me a promiscuous homosexual who habitually committed adultery."
Katie could not resist a sardonic laugh:
"Well he did have photographs and witness statements to back that up."
Ben rounded on her:
"Yes and that is called creepy stalking. Any intelligent judge would have seen that. I am not homosexual, I am a straight guy who prefers to sleep with men. Besides I don't recall you complaining whenever I've given you what you want. Emma could well have cost me my inheritance as well as the legalised theft that she achieved today. Come on, lets go to that pub over there, I need a drink."
Ben, Kyle and Katie went into the pub across from the court, the Wig and Pen, and Ben ordered a double brandy, a pint for Kyle and a vodka and orange for Katie. He slumped down by the corner table and began to tear up the beermats out of frustration.
"Ere Ben look it might not come to you losin' everythin'. Ben wiped tears from his eyes:
"Oh yeah and what do you know Kyle? You've never had anything to lose. All your drug-addled mother will ever leave you is a stack of debts."
Kyle slammed his pint down on the table, spilling some:
"Don't fucking slag off my mum Ben. You wanna feel sorry for yourself an' wallow in self-pity then fine. But don't bring my mum into it."
Ben tore up another beermat:
"Look I'm sorry I said that Kyle. I'm grateful for you two supporting me today. I'm just so damn angry. Where the hell is my life going?"
Ben ordered several more drinks and downed them rapidly. As he stared into an empty glass a young man with a beard and a Mumford & Sons t-shirt approached their table:
"Hi, Ben. Remember me? Its Joe."
Ben looked up lethargically:
"Joe who? Hold on I think I do vaguely remember you. Joe Peters. From my practical fieldwork course at uni." Joe grinned:
"Yeah hows it goin' mate?
"I'm not your mate. I didn't like you. Thought you had the personality of a fourteen year old" Ben replied. Joe kept grinning:
"Hey you're kiddin' me Ben aren't ya. They've got some great beers on in here. How about we go over there and shoot some pool".
Ben looked up icily:
"I have no desire to 'shoot some pool'. I hate pool. I suggest you go and get yourself a beer and then pour it over your own head. It is the sort of thing that might amuse you."
Joe sat down still smiling:
"Hey I'm chuffed that you've lost none of your wit Ben. Look I'll be honest with you, my being here is not just a coincidence. I called round your place earlier. A young italian guy said he was your cleaner and that you were in the court over there this afternoon and that you were likely to come into the nearest pub to get plastered afterwards."
Ben frowned:
"Hmmm. That may well have just cost Luigi his job. What do you want by the way? I may as well listen to you witter on a bit more now you're here."
"Look Ben, I heard from a mate of ours, Jim Simmonds, all about how you're an investgator now. Into the paranormal and stuff."
"Jim Simmonds was not a mate of mine. He was your mate and just as immature." Joe had stopped grinning and now looked deadly serious:
"Look Ben, I need your help. I've come all the way here from Swindon to see you. Its my former girlfriend Lisa. She's been killed in a car crash. The driver is in the City General with concussion and other injuries. They say he was drunk and he drove the car into a crowd of people at a bus stop. Some of them were hurt as well. But it just doesn't add up. The car stopped before hitting any buildings so why was she killed? Also she went to stay at that guy Max Eastman's weird ESP research place. Have you heard of him? Recruits people for his mind over matter experiments and other stuff. She sent me this weird text the day before the accident saying that she was in danger and could I come and get her away from there."
Ben stared blankly at his glass:
"Why does any of this matter? If she's your ex then why are you bothered?"
"Look Ben I still love her.... loved her ok. She was the one who ended it. Said she was bored."
"I know how she felt" Ben muttered under his breath.
Kyle interjected:
"Look mate, Ben ain't himself at the mo. But look we'd like to help investigate like. I'll cam an' shoot some pool an' you can fill me in with more details."
Kyle and Joe left for the pool table and Ben put his head in his hands:
"I suppose a new case will take my mind off everything Katie........"
...........to be continued.
Ben Chatham pushed violently on the door of the Family Court building in Cambridge and strode out into the street, followed by Kyle Scott and Katie Ryan. Tears filled Ben's eyes as he stood on the pavenent, clenching his fists. Kyle held out Ben's jacket:
"You like forgot this Ben".
Ben grabbed the jacket without saying anything. As he did so the door swung open again and Emma Chatham emerged with Paul Jarvis, her solicitor. Ben glared at her:
"I suppose you're pleased with yourself. Well don't think this is over."
Emma walked towards him:
"Ben you know I never wanted it to end this way." Ben fixed her with an icy stare:
"You may well think you've won, you dim-witted doll. But I'll just hire another expensive lawyer to find a string of clever ways to avoid paying you any of the money you think you've stolen from me."
Emma turned away from him and walked away with Jarvis. Katie Ryan put her hand on Ben's shoulder:
"Just move on Ben. At least its just one big pay-off."
"Move on? Are you serious Katie? You heard how much the little slapper was awarded by that idiot judge. I'll have to sell my property portfolio and will be lucky to still keep the apartment. I'm just grateful that my parents are on holiday in the Algarve and not here to find out all the things she accused my of. That Jarvis called me a promiscuous homosexual who habitually committed adultery."
Katie could not resist a sardonic laugh:
"Well he did have photographs and witness statements to back that up."
Ben rounded on her:
"Yes and that is called creepy stalking. Any intelligent judge would have seen that. I am not homosexual, I am a straight guy who prefers to sleep with men. Besides I don't recall you complaining whenever I've given you what you want. Emma could well have cost me my inheritance as well as the legalised theft that she achieved today. Come on, lets go to that pub over there, I need a drink."
Ben, Kyle and Katie went into the pub across from the court, the Wig and Pen, and Ben ordered a double brandy, a pint for Kyle and a vodka and orange for Katie. He slumped down by the corner table and began to tear up the beermats out of frustration.
"Ere Ben look it might not come to you losin' everythin'. Ben wiped tears from his eyes:
"Oh yeah and what do you know Kyle? You've never had anything to lose. All your drug-addled mother will ever leave you is a stack of debts."
Kyle slammed his pint down on the table, spilling some:
"Don't fucking slag off my mum Ben. You wanna feel sorry for yourself an' wallow in self-pity then fine. But don't bring my mum into it."
Ben tore up another beermat:
"Look I'm sorry I said that Kyle. I'm grateful for you two supporting me today. I'm just so damn angry. Where the hell is my life going?"
Ben ordered several more drinks and downed them rapidly. As he stared into an empty glass a young man with a beard and a Mumford & Sons t-shirt approached their table:
"Hi, Ben. Remember me? Its Joe."
Ben looked up lethargically:
"Joe who? Hold on I think I do vaguely remember you. Joe Peters. From my practical fieldwork course at uni." Joe grinned:
"Yeah hows it goin' mate?
"I'm not your mate. I didn't like you. Thought you had the personality of a fourteen year old" Ben replied. Joe kept grinning:
"Hey you're kiddin' me Ben aren't ya. They've got some great beers on in here. How about we go over there and shoot some pool".
Ben looked up icily:
"I have no desire to 'shoot some pool'. I hate pool. I suggest you go and get yourself a beer and then pour it over your own head. It is the sort of thing that might amuse you."
Joe sat down still smiling:
"Hey I'm chuffed that you've lost none of your wit Ben. Look I'll be honest with you, my being here is not just a coincidence. I called round your place earlier. A young italian guy said he was your cleaner and that you were in the court over there this afternoon and that you were likely to come into the nearest pub to get plastered afterwards."
Ben frowned:
"Hmmm. That may well have just cost Luigi his job. What do you want by the way? I may as well listen to you witter on a bit more now you're here."
"Look Ben, I heard from a mate of ours, Jim Simmonds, all about how you're an investgator now. Into the paranormal and stuff."
"Jim Simmonds was not a mate of mine. He was your mate and just as immature." Joe had stopped grinning and now looked deadly serious:
"Look Ben, I need your help. I've come all the way here from Swindon to see you. Its my former girlfriend Lisa. She's been killed in a car crash. The driver is in the City General with concussion and other injuries. They say he was drunk and he drove the car into a crowd of people at a bus stop. Some of them were hurt as well. But it just doesn't add up. The car stopped before hitting any buildings so why was she killed? Also she went to stay at that guy Max Eastman's weird ESP research place. Have you heard of him? Recruits people for his mind over matter experiments and other stuff. She sent me this weird text the day before the accident saying that she was in danger and could I come and get her away from there."
Ben stared blankly at his glass:
"Why does any of this matter? If she's your ex then why are you bothered?"
"Look Ben I still love her.... loved her ok. She was the one who ended it. Said she was bored."
"I know how she felt" Ben muttered under his breath.
Kyle interjected:
"Look mate, Ben ain't himself at the mo. But look we'd like to help investigate like. I'll cam an' shoot some pool an' you can fill me in with more details."
Kyle and Joe left for the pool table and Ben put his head in his hands:
"I suppose a new case will take my mind off everything Katie........"
...........to be continued.
"MIND TRAP" Prologue
"MIND TRAP"
Prologue
The rain hammered down on the windscreen of Dave Hemming's car as he drove through the narrow lanes towards Cranfield. He knew that he'd be in trouble for being late again for his job at the Dog & Hedgehog, where he worked as a chef and occasional barman. However Dave didn't care. He'd already made up his mind to tell Prentice, the publican, to stick his lousy job up his backside. Dave was planning to move to Spain where his uncle ran a string of bars for British ex-pats. The night before Dave had been to a mate's 25th birthday party and got totally hammered. He was still half-drunk as he drove along but he didn't care. As the car skidded round a narrow bend, Dave saw the girl in the distance. She was staggering along the lane, occasionally falling down. The howling wind drove the rain down even harder. Dave stopped the car next to the girl:
"You wanna lift love? I'm goin' to Cranfield" he shouted.
The girl picked herself up, mud spattered over her jeans and tee-shirt.
"Got to get away... got to run...." she stammered.
"Ere love you in some sort of bother? Get in the car. You look like my kind of woman" Dave said with a grin. The girl backed away:
"I don't know you. Did he send you?" she said hesitantly.
"Did who send me? Look love I ain't some kind of perv if that's what you're thinkin'. Get in before you get any more drenched than you are already."
Reluctantly the girl got into Dave's car and he sped off down the lane. She resisted any of Dave's attempts at conversation and they eventually reached Cranfield, driving down the main street. Suddenly the girl cringed with pain:
"No... no... go away... no I won't...." she screamed.
"Hey what's the problem?" Dave exclaimed. The girl suddenly lunged at him with both hands, grabbing his neck and squeezing.
"What the ¤¤¤¤......" Dave shouted as the car zig zagged over the road.
"Can't stop..... its him....." the girl screamed before the car plunged into a crowd of people waiting at the bus stop.
to be continued
Prologue
The rain hammered down on the windscreen of Dave Hemming's car as he drove through the narrow lanes towards Cranfield. He knew that he'd be in trouble for being late again for his job at the Dog & Hedgehog, where he worked as a chef and occasional barman. However Dave didn't care. He'd already made up his mind to tell Prentice, the publican, to stick his lousy job up his backside. Dave was planning to move to Spain where his uncle ran a string of bars for British ex-pats. The night before Dave had been to a mate's 25th birthday party and got totally hammered. He was still half-drunk as he drove along but he didn't care. As the car skidded round a narrow bend, Dave saw the girl in the distance. She was staggering along the lane, occasionally falling down. The howling wind drove the rain down even harder. Dave stopped the car next to the girl:
"You wanna lift love? I'm goin' to Cranfield" he shouted.
The girl picked herself up, mud spattered over her jeans and tee-shirt.
"Got to get away... got to run...." she stammered.
"Ere love you in some sort of bother? Get in the car. You look like my kind of woman" Dave said with a grin. The girl backed away:
"I don't know you. Did he send you?" she said hesitantly.
"Did who send me? Look love I ain't some kind of perv if that's what you're thinkin'. Get in before you get any more drenched than you are already."
Reluctantly the girl got into Dave's car and he sped off down the lane. She resisted any of Dave's attempts at conversation and they eventually reached Cranfield, driving down the main street. Suddenly the girl cringed with pain:
"No... no... go away... no I won't...." she screamed.
"Hey what's the problem?" Dave exclaimed. The girl suddenly lunged at him with both hands, grabbing his neck and squeezing.
"What the ¤¤¤¤......" Dave shouted as the car zig zagged over the road.
"Can't stop..... its him....." the girl screamed before the car plunged into a crowd of people waiting at the bus stop.
to be continued
Ryan Hawley is Ben Chatham in : "MIND TRAP"
A brand new series of the Ben Chatham Adventures and I can announce that Ryan Hawley will replace Adam Rickitt in the lead role.
[B][U]Official Social Media Release[/U][/B]
[I]After ten successful years as Ben Chatham, Adam Rickitt has moved on and Ryan Hawley will be the new Ben Chatham. The last ten years have seen Ben move from being a support character in Doctor Who to establishing his own highly successful spin-off series. Much of this success has been down to Adam's talent and appeal and we wish him all the best for the future. A new era is now beginning. Ryan Hawley is one of the UK's finest actors and is best known for his recent portrayal of Robert Sugden in Emmerdale, a stunning performance which is unlike anything else on current TV. We are confident that Ryan has the ability, the talent and the charisma to take Ben in a new direction and develop the franchise into an even bigger success.Ryan was originally cast to play Ben's half-brother James Bartlett and that role will now go to Mitch Hewer.[/I]
[B][U]Official Social Media Release[/U][/B]
[I]After ten successful years as Ben Chatham, Adam Rickitt has moved on and Ryan Hawley will be the new Ben Chatham. The last ten years have seen Ben move from being a support character in Doctor Who to establishing his own highly successful spin-off series. Much of this success has been down to Adam's talent and appeal and we wish him all the best for the future. A new era is now beginning. Ryan Hawley is one of the UK's finest actors and is best known for his recent portrayal of Robert Sugden in Emmerdale, a stunning performance which is unlike anything else on current TV. We are confident that Ryan has the ability, the talent and the charisma to take Ben in a new direction and develop the franchise into an even bigger success.Ryan was originally cast to play Ben's half-brother James Bartlett and that role will now go to Mitch Hewer.[/I]
Sunday, 24 May 2015
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