Fellstones by Ramsey Campbell

Author:Ramsey Campbell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror; gothic fantasy; dark fantasy; flame tree press; creepy stories; Ramsey Campbell; dark suspense; horror fiction; cosmic horror
Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing
Published: 2022-07-28T08:56:29+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Too Much of an Audience

“Look, I’m sorry I was somewhere else last night. It’s just that I’m remembering at last.”

“Whatever’s important to you, Paul.” As Caren gazes at him over the breakfast he’s made, her eyes keep their feelings to themselves. “What have you remembered?” she presumably wants to hear.

“Why I couldn’t stand to live there any more. Winifred Staveley didn’t only follow me to university, she sent the police after my friend because I was staying at his house.”

Caren takes a sip of orange juice, a token acknowledgment of breakfast. “What happened?”

“The policeman was a friend of Cyprian’s family, or at least he didn’t want to make trouble for them. They were growing cannabis, but he let Cyprian off with a warning.”

“Maybe your guardian wasn’t so wrong. I wouldn’t touch the stuff.”

“I haven’t since, but you’re missing the point. Winifred didn’t know about it. She was just trying to leave me nowhere to go except home.”

He’s unsure why Caren looks concerned until she says “What did it do to you?”

“Fellstones?” He nearly answers that, despite having no idea what he’s about to say. “The dope? Nothing I need to remember.”

“Unless you should. I’ve heard of cases where using it just once has changed people for good, meaning nothing like good.” When Paul lets this go unchallenged she says “Might it have helped turn you against your guardians?”

“Don’t forget your breakfast. It’s going cold.” This sounds like Winifred, as if her influence has caught him after all. “Maybe it made me feel more trapped when I went home,” Paul says, “but mostly they did.”

“And that was enough to make you change your name.”

“I promised myself I’d get free once I finished university, and that’s how I did.”

Caren sounds more disappointed than convinced. “So that’s what you were remembering when you went away from me.”

“No, I remembered after you’d gone to sleep.”

“Then what were you saying that you didn’t want me to hear?”

“Why wouldn’t I? We’ve got no secrets that I know of.” When she lays her knife and fork down, having picked them up as if she’s about to accept a placatory offer, he says “I just didn’t want it to distract us.”

“Well, it did, and I’d like to know what it was.”

“Just some verse they must have taught me long ago. I’m guessing it was for one of their festivals.” Her gaze won’t let him stop at that. “Fall, stones, crawl, stones,” he says almost fast enough to leave the words behind. “But I don’t think that’s all and no, I don’t know what it means.”

Caren peppers her scrambled egg and takes a mouthful. “So are you still planning to go home for the weekend?” she says once she can.

“I wouldn’t call it home, but yes. I told everyone I would, and I can always get away when I want to.” He wonders if her gaze is prompting him to ask “Would you rather I didn’t go?”

“It’s your decision, Paul. You don’t want anybody influencing you.”

“Then I’d better be off to work soon.

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