The Carnacki Casebook, Volume 2 by William Rankin

Author:William Rankin [Rankin, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Collections & Anthologies, Mystery, Detective, Horror, Occult & Supernatural, Historical Fiction
Amazon: B0863BJG51
Goodreads: 53833928
Published: 2020-03-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

Early the next morning, the three of us gathered outside the 'Stag. The weather was clear and cold, and the early morning sky shone above us like a tapestry of diamonds. "We'd never see a sky like this in London," I said, looking up in wonder.

"Lovely, I'm sure. But I'd gladly trade it for a few more hours of sleep," yawned Jessop.

Munro emerged from one of the inn's outbuildings, a walking-stick in his hand, and a backpack and rifle strapped to his back. "Well, it's a fine morning and looks like the weather will hold, at least for the next few hours." Shouldering our packs, we followed as he walked down the snow-covered road, heading west.

We left the road for a narrow path leading north through a forest of evergreens, just as the first light of day shone in the eastern sky. The trail became more rugged as it wandered amongst the hills. Munro clearly knew the trail well and didn't falter, despite the layer of unbroken snow.

We'd made significant progress by late morning when Munro brought us to a halt. We'd stopped at a copse of evergreens through which ran one of the many streams that came down from the higher elevations. Munro extracted a bundle of firewood he'd cached under one of the trees, and proceeded to light a small fire. He turned out to be nearly as good of a cook as his wife, and within an hour we were enjoying an early lunch, all of us sitting within the shelter of the trees.

We climbed steadily all afternoon, eventually finding ourselves at an elevation overlooking a valley. Beyond, the Highlands extended to the horizon, the foothills and mountains appearing as if they were stacked upon one another. "That valley," said Munro, pointing down directly before us, "is where we're headed."

After an hour's descent, I got my first look at Dunhallow through Munro's binoculars. I could see several stone foundations and a few crumbled walls, in addition to a larger building that was, amazingly, partially intact, perhaps owing to it having been built into the hill rising behind it. The snow on the ground was smooth and untouched, lacking even the tracks of animals, and forming curious mounds where it had covered the ruined stone walls of the abbey. The overall impression was one of desolation and loneliness, one that resented and forbade the presence of life.

We were within a few hundred yards of the ruin when Munro halted near a large rock formation surrounded by a few ancient trees and stunted shrubs. "We'll make camp here," he said, "we shouldn't sleep too close to the ruin."

Jessop peered through the binoculars at Dunhallow and shivered, "I completely concur."

Setting down our packs, we established camp. Munro tended to a fire while Bennett, Jessop, and I set up a canvas tent sufficiently large for the four of us. By dusk, our camp was set up in a cozy nook, sheltered from the wind by rock and flora. The sky

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