Doctor Who_ The Hollow Men - Keith Topping [33]
Baber licked suddenly dry lips. „I warn you, the kingdom of God is at hand. It is close by! Even in Hexen Bridge!‟ The affirmation was so strong, so surprising, it almost shocked Baber. He could feel the sharp intake of breath in the congregation. „And if we do not follow that narrow road that leads to the Lord, we shall instead find ourselves on the wide and easy road that leads to hell and destruction.‟ There was a snigger from somewhere, some blasé, contemptuous child.
„Hell is no laughing matter,‟ Baber continued, louder still.
„The valley of Hinnom, to the south of Jerusalem, is the Old Testament picture of hell. A place of slaughter, where children were cut open and sacrificed to Molech, a rubbish dump that burnt continuously and shifted like quicksand. In the New Testament, we hear of a lake of burning sulphur, a place of torment, an underworld, a bottomless pit. Our Lord himself spoke of a fiery furnace, the outer darkness, where there is weeping, and gnashing of teeth.‟
The boy who had dared to laugh was staring at his shoes, his face pale. „You think the filth of Hexen Bridge, the filth in your own black hearts, is terrifying beyond description? If you stay on the wide road, that will be as nothing to what awaits you when reunited with your true master. The author of the turmoil and conflict in your hearts.‟
Thomas Baber closed the journal as firmly as one would close the book of life on the unrepentant. „“Who will rescue me from this body of death?”‟ The answer was clear to Baber, but he knew that he could never say it, not in this place.
„Who indeed?‟ he concluded, turning sadly away from the villagers.
Hatch emerged back into the library to find Trevor Winstone sitting in one of the leather-covered reading chairs, his feet propped up on a stool, smoking a cigar. Hatch‟s younger partner looked decadent, and the initial inclination was to hit him hard. Hatch found himself having these urges more and more, especially in the House. The desire to take three steps across the chamber and slap the opposition spokeswoman on defence across the face was enormous.
„You shouldn‟t be smoking in here,‟ he said, closing the secret entrance. „It‟s very bad for the books.‟
„You‟re right, of course,‟ said Trevor, easing himself out of the chair and turning to face Hatch. He stubbed out the cigar in the fireplace. „Mind you, I don‟t imagine the novelists, poets and historians who wrote these magnificent works would approve of them being attacked by grubby little hands, either,‟ he continued.
„You were young yourself once,‟ said Hatch. „I can remember what a snot-nosed brat you were. You and Becky Baber. The Romeo and Juliet of Hexen Bridge.‟
„All right,‟ said Trevor defensively. „That was a long time ago.‟ He looked at the politician more closely. „You look knackered,‟ he observed.
„I should be,‟ noted Hatch with a wicked smirk. „I‟ve been up half the night giving your ex-girlfriend one.‟
Trevor winced but said nothing.
„Well, you‟ll know yourself, she can be pretty energetic,‟
continued Hatch.
„Like I said, that was a long time ago.‟
„The consignment is safe?‟ Hatch asked, changing the subject abruptly.
Trevor nodded. „Phil‟s got it, not far from here.‟
„Good.‟ Hatch grinned.
„And our little visitor?‟ queried Trevor, not sharing Matthew Hatch‟s boyish enthusiasm.
„Oh, he‟ll be dealt with up in Giroland soon enough.‟
„Fine,‟ said Trevor, heading for the door. „I don‟t want to know the details.‟
„Squeamish?‟ asked Hatch.
„No,‟ said Trevor flatly. „Just not interested.‟
An hour later Trevor sat in his car three miles from the village, listening to the bleak thrash of Strawberry Horse.
Longman‟s copse was a secluded enough place for a secret meeting, the arch of trees on