The Fog - James Herbert [49]
Barrow broke in. ‘Some of the bodies were naked; although the fire would have burnt the clothes there would have still been bits of material charred into the skin.’
Wreford continued: ‘It looks as though the fire had been deliberately started; a can of petrol was found near one of the bodies – the body of a man. The man had one arm. They’re sure it was the deputy headmaster, a man named Summers.’
Holman felt sick; could he have prevented it?
‘It also seems that many of the bodies had been mutilated,’ said Barrow, grimly.
Wreford turned his back to Holman. ‘From what they can gather from the boy, it started out as a normal PE lesson. Then the boys turned on their sports master and beat him unconscious. Then the other teacher – Summers – came in, and they attacked him. The boy gets hysterical at this point and it’s not very clear what happened next, but apparently the other boys seemed to have gone completely berserk, beating and – ’ he paused. ‘And mutilating each other.’
‘Oh, Jesus. If only I’d got to you sooner.’
‘You’re not to blame, Mr Holman. It happened fairly early in the day. You couldn’t have known.’
Holman shook his head. ‘No, but it was in the back of my head. Something disturbed me when we were actually in the fog. But what about this boy – is he insane?’
The doctors think not. Hysterical, yes, and who knows what effect this experience will have on him? But they’re sure he’s not mad. And so are we.’
‘Why? What makes you think so?’
‘Something that helps to confirm your story about the fog.’
Barrow, sitting on the edge of his Chief Superintendent’s desk, spoke: ‘He was ill on the day of the outing. The matron wouldn’t let him go because he was just getting over a chill. He was in the gym yesterday, but wasn’t taking part in the exercises because he wasn’t considered well enough. He was sitting at the back, watching his friends. Luckily, they took no notice of him, but he witnessed the whole bizarre episode! Poor little sod.’
The room was quiet for a few moments before Holman asked, ‘What happens now?’
‘We’ve spent most of the night talking to police stations in the area, trying to trace the whereabouts of the fog now, enquiring about any unusual events occurring recently on their patches.’ Wreford held up several sheets of paper containing scribbled notes. ‘There are plenty of strange things that have been happening, but then there always are. Our problem is which of them we can attribute to the fog.’
‘Then you do believe me?’
‘Let’s say we don’t disbelieve you. We needed more evidence—’
‘More evidence?’ Holman exploded, but Wreford held up his hand.
‘We think we have that evidence. A hatchet murder a few days ago: a man named Abbot chopped up a wealthy landowner, his wife and his two women staff, then he cut his own wrists. He had a slight grievance against the landowner, we understand, but hardly enough to account for this butchery. In the same area, a farmer was trampled to death by his cattle, a vicar ran amok in his church. A few other incidents, relatively minor, but nevertheless, they could all add up to the same thing. We’ve asked for any further reports to be sent directly to us and we’re now trying to locate the fog.’
‘But it could be anywhere.’
‘We’ll soon find it.’
‘All right, so what’s your next move?’
‘We compile all the facts, then I contact the Commissioner with a view to presenting the evidence to the Home Secretary.’
‘But in the meantime, half the countryside will have been affected!’
‘No, Mr Holman. I intend to move fast.’ He leaned towards Holman and said sternly, ‘But I must have the evidence to show it.’
‘You’ve got it!’
‘I have a few scribbled notes and reports on their way to me.’
‘Then make a verbal report!’
‘I intend to. But I have to have a clear case to get to the Home Secretary!’
‘A clear case? You’re waiting for something else to happen, aren’t you?’
‘Frankly, yes.’
Holman was dismayed. His mouth dropped open in disbelief.