"Isolated Incidents" : Part Four

The howling fades. Kimberly turns to Sir Robert.

Kimberly: What was that noise?

Sir Robert: What noise?

Kimberly: That inhuman scream that would make any decent panthiest lose bowel control!

Sir Robert: I don't know what you mean. Did you hear anything Voru?

Voru: No, sir.

Sir Robert: And you, Evelyn? Did you hear anything?

Eve looks at the floor.

Eve: No, Uncle. I didn't hear anything.

Theo: You must have!

Ben: Well, I did. And if you don't know about it, then I'll have to have a look.

Theo: Ah, Benji, I wouldn't recommend that. Yeah. Remember the bear traps left out there? In the dark mist? Speaking of which, why are they out there?

Sir Robert: I can assure you... They are not to deter visitors, young Theo. Voru, take Benji for a tour outside will you? He'll make sure you don't... put your foot in it.

Ben: Come on then.

Kimberly: You sure you want to go out there? It doesn't sound friendly.

Ben: Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to cope. I used to do this sort of thing a lot.

Kimberly: Don't tell me, you have a degree?

Another strange howl. Ben heads out. Voru follows. Sir Robert turns to look at Eve.

Sir Robert: Why my dear? You ARE looking pale, aren't you?

Eve glares at him.

Eve: I'm fine.

Theo sips his coffee, his expression dark.


Ben moves down the corridor towards the front door. He notices that no one is looking, and heads over to where Eve left her handbag. He takes out the vial Eve drank from - there is still a little blue fluid in it. Suspicious, he studies it when footsteps are heard. He shoves it in his jacket pocket. Voru has donned a long coat and carries a torch.

Ben: Ah. Voru. You ready for this?

Voru: Evidently, sir.


Ben warily steps from the front door. Voru follows. There is another howl.

Ben: (points) It's over there!

Voru shines the torch. The cowled figure is barely visible and ducks out of sight.

Ben: Did you see it? Something went into that gully!

Voru: I think we should take it slowly, sir.

Ben: Should we? The sooner we start, the sooner we finish.

Ben heads off. Voru sneers, but follows. Ben heads down to the creek and looks around, the torch light bobbing and aiming low. There is no sign of the figure. Ben slides down into the creek in a cloud of dry dust. Nothing. Another howl.

Ben: Angle the torch lower. Voru. Angle the torch lower. Voru?

Ben looks back. The torch is abandoned on the ground. There is no sign of Voru.

Ben: Voru!!

Ben scrambles up onto the ground. He looks around, picking up the torch.

Ben: Voru!! VORU!

There is no reply, except for another howl.

Ben: Stay calm, Ben, you have a degree... and it is utterly useless. Oh well. What would the Doctor do? Probably make a joke, lick the torch and head off in a direction quoting Chekov. Or Britney Spears. Not that useful really. Right. First law of crisis. Panic about one thing at a time.

Another scream. Ben hurries over to the door. He stops as shadows move near the entrance. He trains his torch on it. Nothing. He pushes open the door and hides inside.


Ben reenters the dining room. The others look up.

Theo: What was it?

Ben: No idea. It's still out here. I suppose Voru didn't pop back in for something?

Kimberly: No. Why?

Ben: Because that means he's disappeared. (grimaces) I better go looking for him.

Eve: No!

Everyone looks at her, surprised.

Ben: What's wrong?

Eve: Please. Ben. Just stay here.

Ben: I can't leave him out there, he might be in danger.

Kimberly: And maybe you might be in danger too! I say we stay here, lock all the doors and windows then leg it at dawn.

Theo: We don't know anything's out there at all!

Another scream.

Theo: But I could be wrong.

Kimberly: So, we go with MY plan?

Sir Robert: It's a sensible idea, Miss Hoyle. Here. (hands her a key) You lock the front door. All the other doors and windows are locked, it gets damn cold here at night.

Eve: But Voru...

Sir Robert: Has his own key. He can get back in whenever he likes.

Ben: What if he's unable to get back? What if he loses his key? What if whatever is screaming insanely out there gets the key?

Theo: You are not helping any of us with stress-related nervous disorders, Benji.

Sir Robert: You're letting your imaginations run away with you. Now, now, Evelyn. Perhaps you could show your companions to the bedrooms upstairs. I realize it's quite a drive from the city to here. Maybe Theo and Benji want to have a look at the bedrooms, perhaps to choose one to live in while they work here.

Ben: Wait a minute, I never agreed...

Sir Robert: You haven't seen the bedrooms yet.

Ben: That doesn't really matter...

Sir Robert: You haven't seen bedrooms this sumptuous before.

Another scream outside. Theo sighs.

Theo: (sotto) Benji, just be nice to the mad, wheelchair bound uncle in law.

The others start to leave. Sir Robert pours himself another cup of coffee.

Sir Robert: And tomorrow, when Voru is back and the weather improves, we can start afresh.


Outside, the cowled figure runs through the foggy woods.


Upstairs, Kimberly and Eve are in a fancy bedroom with a four-poster bed.

Kimberly: Nice digs.

Eve: Yeah, well, maybe Uncle will give you a job too.

Kimberly: Maybe not. Where did the other two go anyway?

Eve: Ah, Theo wanted a snack. I'm just going to pop in on the chef, OK?

Kimberly: OK.

Eve leaves the room. Kimberly crosses to the windows and checks they are locked. She stops at a low, female groan. Then a sob. Kimberly turns and scans the room. The noise is coming from the corridor.


Kimberly peers around the doorway, to see Eve further down the corridor, peering through another door. The sobs are heard from there.

Chef: (vo) Please... stop... burning... stop...

Scared, Eve steps back and slams the door. Further along the corridor, Sir Robert glides into view.

Eve: It's getting worse!

Sir Robert: She's borderline comatose now.

Eve: You can't let her suffer like that!

Sir Robert: Do you have any way of treating her? I thought not. Besides, it's her own fault for heading into the cellar. She is paying the price for her interference.

Eve: I never thought you could be so...

Sir Robert: Unfeeling?

Eve: Practical.

Sir Robert: Until I perfect the treatment for her, there is nothing I... or YOU... can do about it.

Kimberly slips out of the room and goes to tell the others. They do not see her.

Eve: You're becoming more like father every day!

Sir Robert: (icily) My beloved Evelyn... without ME your dear, dear father would have found you by now. Without ME you would not have the supply of rather rare and expensive chemicals keeping YOU the way you are now.

Eve: You think I forgot?

Sir Robert: Oh no. I never thought that. But unless you help me, I might just decide to let nature take its course. What would happen to you would be... interesting to monitor. To say the least. Do you understand me?

Eve nods, silent.

Sir Robert: Good.


Downstairs, Theo heads out of the kitchen, followed by Ben. Theo holds a plate with a sandwich on it. Ben holds the vial.

Ben: Don't give me that! You know how to do it! It's not much to ask, is it?

Theo: I'm not doing it.

Ben: Just analyze it, that's all I'm asking for.

Theo: Oh yeah? You think I don't know where you got that from? Analyze it yourself.

Ben: You're being wilfully blind, Theo!

Theo: And you're being paranoid, rude and untrustworthy, you absinthe-chugging loser!

They stop by the staircase.

Ben: Just because you aren't brave enough to ask her what it is!

Theo: Maybe I'm mature enough to keep a promise, Chatham!

Ben: You call me immature! I've known preschoolers with more self-restraint!

Theo doesn't answer, instead looking down the hall. Ben follows his gaze, and flinches. The front door is wide open. And, sprawled on the carpet in front of it, soaked in blood, is the body of Voru....

- to be continued