The Night Ghouls and Other Grisly Tales by R. Chetwynd-Hayes

Author:R. Chetwynd-Hayes [Chetwynd-Hayes, R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Horror, Short Stories
ISBN: 9780006137184
Google: duRTAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0006137180
Publisher: Fontana
Published: 1975-07-15T07:00:00+00:00

CHRISTMAS EVE

Andrew Nesbitt was a wanderer.

Had he been less endowed with this world’s goods he would doubtlessly have been a tramp; one of those unfortunates who trudge with bowed heads along never-ending roads and live like stray cats on charitable scraps, thrown to them by a contemptuous society. But Andrew could afford to wander in comfort.

His usual procedure was to buy a railway ticket for some far-off destination, then alight at any station that looked interesting. But of course it rarely was. Most towns look alike; the majority of hotels offer the same service - or lack of it - and all houses are impregnable fortresses, if one has no right of entry. But the urge to keep moving, to see the sky from a different window, was a disease for which he could find no cure - nor did he want to.

It was Christmas Eve when he arrived at Mansville, a little town some twenty miles from the south coast. The shops were bright with plastic goodwill; a large Christmas tree stood in the hotel foyer and the receptionist said: ‘The compliments of the season, sir.’

Andrew felt a warm glow of subdued excitement as he unpacked his bag. He still enjoyed Christmas, for although time had expelled him from the land of childhood, he still sought ways and means of recapturing its memories. Christmas was a time of bright lights and roaring log fires, paper-chains and Tiny Time saying: ‘God bless us, one and all.’

He was unlikely to find much of this in The Royal George Hotel, but the spirit of Christmas must surely walk down its corridors or sit enthroned in the large dining-room, while he ate turkey and tinned plum pudding. That he need have no doubt on that score, was demonstrated by a large card pinned on the door. It said in bright, tinsel-edged letters: the management WISHES A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW year to all its patrons. Fortified by this desire for his wellbeing, Andrew went down to the restaurant and smiled at a waiter. He responded with a weak grin.

‘Good evening, sir. What will it be? ’

Andrew, in his present, uplifted mood, would have preferred a less mundane greeting, but he took the proffered menu and ordered roast beef, potatoes and brussels sprouts, with chocolate pudding to follow. Then he sat back and studied his surroundings.

Roughly two-thirds of the tables were occupied; mostly by family groups and parties that had come together for the festive season. But here and there was a solitary being like himself, trying to find colour in a glass of water. But he had no desire for companionship; it was enough to sit and watch; to hear voices, to dine among many but eat alone.

Andrew was mid-way through his roast beef when the girl entered the dining-room and made her way towards an empty table. He watched her with interest, because she was young and pretty, if somewhat pale. She sat down and after slipping out of the

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.