Cherringham--The Curse of Mabb's Farm by Matthew Costello Read Free Book Online Page A

removed her hands as if being repelled. Then, her voice low and deadly serious.
    “You wouldn’t be joking about it, Jack, if you were on the wrong end of it.”
    Good, he thought.
    It might have taken a bit of push and pull, but he sensed the conversation was finally going where he wanted.
    “Sounds like you’re talking about something specific now.”
    Tamara’s voice retained its dark tone. “I am. A real evil — here in this very village. Or at least, on the outskirts.”
    “Love to hear all about it. I’m a captive audience, you know. Maybe you’ll convert me.”
    Tamara turned back to her table of ointments, and Jack could see out of one eye that she was pouring more oil into her palm.
    Nice pause, he thought cynically. Adds to the drama.
    “I take this very seriously, Jack. And — if I share anything — I trust you will too. Because we all must be on our guard.”
    “Sure — I’m interested. Really.”
    “Okay,” she said, moving round the table and working on his other shoulder. “You’ve heard of Mabb’s Farm?”
    “That place? Sure. Some kind of crazy curse? Bad things happening to a young family? In fact I went walking up there just the other day. Up onto the hill.”
    “Yes! To the Stone Ring itself?”
    “Yep, and the woods.”
    “You felt its power, pulling you then. And you felt the chill — yes?”
    “In the woods — yeah, maybe.”
    Jack restrained his humour. He had the mystic Tamara on a roll.
    “Then you felt the power of the spirits that live in that realm.”
    “Not much sunlight comes through those trees. Maybe—”
    “You know it’s more than that, Jack.”
    And Jack was inclined to agree, though he didn’t say it — the woods had felt spooky.
    More than he’d expected. And he had seen a lot of spooky in his day. As well as grisly and bloody.
    “Those spirits — they’re responsible for the Curse?”
    “Without a doubt.”
    “Then tell me about this Curse. It’s the actual farm that was cursed?”
    “The farm and all its lands,” said Tamara.
    “Something to do with a bunch of witches …”
    “Three witches. Three poor sisters who had the Gift and who paid the ultimate price for it.”
    “But why did they curse the whole area?”
    “To stop anyone farming their place after they were put to death.”
    “I guess the Curse didn’t work then?”
    “What? It didn’t stop people trying to farm. But the Curse was no less potent for that.”
    “How so?”
    “For hundreds of years all who have worked the land at Mabb’s have had to endure unhappiness, death, failed crops, disaster. You like facts, Jack? About the Curse? The history of Mabb’s Farm has it all.”
    “Wow. That’s one serious Curse.”
    “It is enforced by powerful spirits … angry spirits.”
    Jack turned on his side, trying to gauge whether Tamara believed everything she was saying. Her brilliant blue eyes glowed like cats’ eyes in the candlelight.
    “And it doesn’t matter who lives there — good or evil — the Curse is on them?”
    “Exactly. It’s simply the way of things.”
    Good to know how curses work, Jack thought wryly.
    “Even the family that’s there now, they have to suffer? Even though they have done absolutely nothing to deserve it?”
    “That’s right! And yes, they are innocent,” said Tamara dramatically. “A young couple and a child.”
    “That’s terrible,” said Jack, trying to sound as heartfelt as he could. “And not fair. I heard there’s been some pretty spooky stuff going down there.”
    “Fires, animals dying, disease,” said Tamara. “Just as I would expect.”
    “You don’t think maybe some local’s got it in for them?” said Jack. “You know — trying to squeeze them out for some reason?”
    “No,” said Tamara emphatically.
    “You sound pretty sure.”
    “There was another … incident there yesterday.”
    “Go on,”
    Tamara seemed unsure.
    She looked around as if someone might be watching, then lowered her voice to a