Dead Souls Volume One (Parts 1 to 13)

  ***

  “A telegram came for you while you were at lunch,” said Justin Cartwright, the owner of the gallery and – for the next few hours at least – still Kate's employer.

  “A what?” Kate asked as she looked up from the century-old piece of cloth she was preparing to hang in preparation for the opening of the exhibition.

  “I know,” Justin replied, holding out an envelope. “Who knew that telegrams even existed these days? But yeah, a guy on a bike turned up and said he had a telegram for a Miss Katherine Langley. I signed for it, and now here you go. Do you really know someone who still sends these things?”

  Kate took the envelope, and her heart immediately skipped a beat as she saw that the sender's location was listed as the Thaxos Post Office. She turned the envelope over, but somehow she felt nervous, as if she was afraid of what the telegram might contain. The week on Thaxos had only been a month ago, but it felt more like an entirely different lifetime. Still, the envelope felt like a lifeline, and even though she knew she'd probably be disappointed, she wanted to prolong the sense of hope for a little longer.

  “Not going to open it?” Justin asked.

  “Later,” Kate replied. “I'm kind of busy right now.”

  “The display's going to be ready by five, isn't it?” Justin added. “Please tell me it's going to be ready, Kate. I've got some very important early investors coming tonight and I really need to show them that the exhibition's ready to open on Monday morning.”

  “Of course,” Kate replied, stuffing the unopened telegram into her pocket. “I told you I'd get it done on time, and I always deliver on my promises.”

  “And that's why I hired you,” he said, heading to the door before turning back to her. “By the way, I hope you don't mind but I passed your details onto a friend of mine who runs an exhibition space in Hammersmith. He's looking for someone to manage a major show about pre-Celtic religions, and I told him you're the best historical curator I've ever worked with. He should be getting in touch in the next few days. I hope that's okay...”

  “It's great,” Kate replied. “Thank you so much.”

  “The job's pretty much in the bag,” he continued. “I only recommend people when I know they'll reflect well on me, so... Good work, Kate. Really good work.”

  Once Justin had left the room, Kate forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Although she wasn't able to entirely forget about the telegram, she told herself that she had to dedicate herself completely to getting the finishing touches of this exhibition sorted out. There'd be time for reading telegrams later, so she worked her ass off all afternoon until finally, with just fifteen minutes to spare, she found herself standing in the middle of the room and admiring the displays that she'd spent the past six months preparing and arranging. In her hand, she was holding the exhibition catalog, complete with the essay she'd written to introduce the collection.

  It was done.

  Over.

  Nearby, someone started clapping. She turned and saw that Justin had returned, and they spent a little while going over the exhibits before finally it was time for her to leave. Having worked with Justin for so long, Kate actually felt a little saddened by the prospect of ending this freelance contract, but she also knew that she'd done a good job. She and Justin exchanged pleasantries and made plans to meet up again soon, and then finally Kate grabbed her coat and bag and stepped out into the gray drizzle of a dull London evening. Still, she had the satisfaction of knowing that she'd done her job well, and she couldn't help but smile as she made her way to the Tube station.

  For the rest of the evening, she conspicuously and very deliberately avoided opening the telegram from Thaxos. It was almost as if she was scared of what it might contain.

  Instead, she busied herself with a few little jobs at her apartment, and she cooked herself a meal with a bottle of red wine. She answered an email from Justin's friend, setting up an informal interview about the new job, and she generally tried to disconnect from the craziness and speed of the world outside her window. Finally, long after darkness had fallen, she sat in the alcove by the window and looked out at the lights of the city. There was a small park opposite her apartment, and sometimes she enjoyed just sitting and watching people making their way between the streetlamps' pools of light. She figured this was a little odd, but she didn't really care what other people thought.

  And then, finally, she realized that it was time to open the telegram. Her hands were trembling a little as she tore open the envelope, and as she slid the piece of paper out she kept telling herself that it was probably just from Ephram. Finally, she read the note:

  Dear Kate,

  I trust that this message finds you in good health. I shall keep things brief.

  I have spent quite some time considering the state of my family archive here on Thaxos, and having made a few attempts to begin the work myself, I have come to the realization that I would be better served by employing a professional. I am therefore contacting you in order to ascertain whether or not you might be interested in taking up the position.

  I have no idea how long the task of sorting the archive would take, although I believe it would be at least six months. I am very much aware that the history of a single family on a small island might lack the importance and glamor of your other work, but I would like to add that this history is closely intertwined with the history of Thaxos itself, and also that some of my ancestors left behind copious notes concerning their own work. There is also the possibility of conducting additional work regarding the stones on the north side of the island, which I would be happy to sponsor.

  I offer room and board in my home, generous pay, and negotiable time off. You would be left alone to work in your own way, and your efforts would be greatly appreciated. Writing this now, I can see that the prospect of coming to work on Thaxos might not be so enticing, but I hope nevertheless that you will consider the idea. My family's archive is hugely important to me, and I can think of no-one I would rather trust with the task.

  In anticipation of your response,

  Baron Edgar Le Compte,

  Thaxos

  Kate immediately re-read the message a couple of times, barely able to believe the offer. She kept telling herself that she must have misunderstood, that there was no way Edgar Le Compte would be reaching out to her and offering her a job back on Thaxos. Once she was certain that this was, indeed, what he was doing, she began to think of all the reasons why she couldn't possibly accept, until finally she caught herself daydreaming about the idea of going back to that place, of making her way up the hill toward the mansion again, of throwing herself into a project that offered a genuine challenge. Most of all, she was excited about exploring those stones again, and perhaps working with Edgar to explore the history not only of his family but also of the island itself.

  In the back of her mind, there was also the prospect of maybe writing the definitive book about the island's history, and really making a name for herself.

  She spent the rest of the evening lost in thought, finishing off the bottle of wine as she tried to make a decision. Deep down, however, she was aware that she already wanted to go back, even though she was trying to come up with a reason why she could never do something so crazy. Thaxos had been a holiday, a break from her normal life; she couldn't uproot herself and head out there permanently, or even semi-permanently. Sure, she had nothing to really tie her to London, and that realization in itself made her feel a little melancholy. Staying put would be safe and sensible, but going to Thaxos would be an adventure, and as midnight rolled around she found herself sitting at her laptop, looking at photos of the stones and researching the history of the Le Compte family.

  Besides, she'd never really gone on an adventure before...

  Finally, she made her decision. Looking down at the telegram, she felt a great sense of anticipation, and she realized that for once in her life she was going to seize an opportunity without over-thinking it first and potentially losing the
chance, and she was going to reply that very instant.

  First, though, she had one problem to surmount.

  “How the hell do I send a telegram?”

  IX

  She felt it immediately, without even looking up from her book. The slowing of the boat, the shift in pitch of the engine as the vessel began to turn. She knew it could only mean one thing.

  Thaxos.

  Closing the book and tucking it into her backpack, Kate turned and watched as the harbor's stone wall came closer and closer. It was as if the place hadn't changed at all. Her chest was tightening with anticipation as she thought of being back, and after a moment she looked up at the mansion, perched up on the hill overlooking the town. She couldn't help but wonder if Edgar was up there, watching the small passenger boat as it docked, or whether he might actually be down by the waterside to meet her. Since accepting his job offer, she'd received just one further telegram, to which she'd replied letting him know when she'd arrive.

  And now, after all the anticipation, the day had finally arrived. All told, it had now been three months since she'd last been to Thaxos, and those three months had felt like both the longest and the shortest period in her life.

  As the boat finally docked, Kate grabbed her backpack and suitcase and headed over to the steps. Fernando was making final preparations, and as Kate watched him work, she couldn't help but wonder whether or not she should try to talk to him. During the journey, he'd conspicuously avoided making eye contact with her, and she'd been disappointed to realize that he clearly was uncomfortable around her following their evening out in Thaxos a few months ago. She felt that a good-looking guy like Fernando probably got every woman he went after, but at the same time she didn't much feel like trying to soothe the damaged ego of some Mediterranean Lothario.

  If he wanted to be like this, it was no skin off her nose.

  “Thaxos,” he muttered, as if he felt the need to make some kind of announcement.

  “Thanks,” Kate replied as she carried her bags off the boat and onto the dock. She turned to find that Fernando was already removing the metal steps. “Not staying this time?” she asked.

  “No chance,” he replied, barely glancing at her.

  “Well, have a nice...” Kate paused, feeling as if she wanted to clear up any bad blood between them. “It was good to see you again,” she told him.

  He smiled uneasily.

  “I'm sorry if -”

  “Are you sure you want to come back here?” he asked suddenly. “We can take you back to the mainland, no problem. No fare, even. Come on, free passage. This place... You shouldn't stay.”

  “I've been here before, remember?” she replied. “I think I'll be okay.”

  “It's not the same,” Fernando said darkly, before looking up at something over Kate's shoulder.

  Turning, she realized he was staring at the mansion. After a moment, she realized that now she was closer, something did seem different. Thaxos's port town had never exactly been a bustling hive of activity, but there always used to be a few people out and about during the day. Right now, however, there was no-one, and most of the nearby buildings had their shutters closed.

  “Your choice,” Fernando said, as the ship's captain eased the vessel away. “Just be careful. And remember, if you want to leave, we stop by again on Wednesday at midday.”

  “I'm here for a little longer than that,” Kate told him.

  He didn't reply, but from the look in his eyes it was clear that he wasn't happy about the situation. As the boat began to head back out to sea, Fernando stood and watched Kate, before finally turning and getting on with his work.

  Shrugging off the strangeness of Fernando's mood, Kate grabbed her suitcase and began to make her way across the little cobbled square that ran off from the quayside. Everything seemed so quiet, and by the time she reached the end of the first street, she was starting to worry about the fact that she'd not seen or heard anyone. Moments later, she heard a scratching sound nearby, and when she looked back she was startled to see a large, fat rat scurrying under a nearby wooden gate. Moments later, another rat appeared a little further along the street, and this one made no attempt to hide, as if it had no fear of being seen.

  Although Kate had intended to make her way straight to the mansion, something about the strange atmosphere caused her to take a slightly different route through the town, and finally she stopped outside Ephram's building. After the strange atmosphere by the quayside, she'd almost expected to find the place boarded up, but to her relief she saw that not only was it open for business as usual, but a customer was just leaving, carrying a paper bag full of groceries.

  As the elderly man made his way across the courtyard, he glanced briefly at Kate, but there was a kind of darkness to his eyes, as if he was scared to acknowledge her.

  Moments later, Kate heard footsteps nearby, and she turned to see Ephram coming out of the shop with a bucket, the contents of which he began to pour down the drain. It wasn't until he was almost done that he glanced across the courtyard and saw Kate.

  “Hey,” she said with a smile. “I bet you never expected to see me back here, did you?”

  Ephram stared at her for a moment, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

  “Are you...” He paused. “What are you doing here?”

  “Long story,” she replied, trying to lighten the atmosphere a little. “I'm going to be here for a while, though. I've got a job on the island.”

  “A job?” Ephram didn't seem pleased at the prospect. He glanced briefly up toward the horizon, as if he was checking on the mansion, before turning back to her. “You shouldn't...” The words seemed to catch in his throat for a moment, and then he hurried to the door, holding it open and gesturing for Kate to follow him. “This way,” he said, as if worried that they might be seen. “Come inside. Hurry!”

  Setting her suitcase and backpack down, Kate stepped into store, which seemed dingier and more rundown than she remembered.

  “Has something happened?” she asked. “What's going on around here?”

  “Everything has changed,” Ephram said, locking the door before turning to her with a look of genuine fear in his eyes. “You can't stay here. You must turn around and leave the island immediately!”