Sure, he was wearing the right sort of thing but that didn’t mean anything. He could have picked up that black hose and open tunic at any costume store in the country.
She’d left her cellphone in her room. She retrieved it and tried to ring the police. No signal, the thickness of the stone walls making it hard to receive any phone calls. There was only one place she could be sure of that had a signal. The battlements.
Heading up there, she wondered again where that man had come from. She also wondered why she wasn’t more afraid of him. Was it because she was sure he wasn’t a ghost?
Or because he was one which meant he couldn’t hurt her?
A man trespassing in her home could hurt her, of course. And yet still she didn’t feel afraid.
It was just one more mystery to add to the others.
Up on the battlements, she tried to call again. This time she was able to get through.
“Emergency, which service do you require?”
“Police, please.”
“One moment.”
A pause and then a different voice. “Police, what’s the nature of your emergency?”
“Hi, bit of a weird one. I’ve found two dead bodies in the dungeon of a castle.”
“What’s your name?”
“Natalie MacCallister.”
“What’s your address, Natalie?”
She gave it, getting the feeling that the person on the other end of the line was suspicious. “This isn’t a prank call, you know,” she added, wincing as she realized that made it sound like it definitely was one.
“Are the victims breathing? Do they have a pulse?”
“Definitely not.”
“Are you certain? Have you checked?”
“No but-”
“Paramedics are on their way along with the police.”
“Listen, there’s no need for paramedics. I can assure you they’re definitely dead.”
“Are you a doctor? Have you attempted CPR?”
Her patience ran out. “They’re skeletons. They’re not going to be coming back to life no matter how many chest compressions I do.”
“Skeletons?” The skeptical note in the voice went up a notch. “In a dungeon?”
“Look, seriously, I’m not making this up.”
“Of course not. Are you with the victims now?”
“No, I’m-”
“Please stay with them until the officers arrive. They’ll be there shortly.”
“Great, thanks.”
