Chapter 9. Ebb and flow

1904 Wiltshire England

It was night and the Manor house was fully engulfed by flames.

"Goodbye, widow Barnes." Ithaniel said.

He stood in the deep shadows of the tree lined carriage way.

As the third floor collapsed inwards, he turned to the man

standing next to him.

"Her money will keep us in the comfort we have become

accustomed to Mies."

Mies showed Ithaniel the diamond necklace he had taken

from Jemima Barnes' body, before he had set the fire.

"Keep it," Ithaniel said. "you earned it."

There was blood on the necklace and Mies smiled

as he felt the sting of the broken skin on his fists.

Ithaniel patted him on the shoulder.

"Your hypnotic induction was almost faultless tonight."

Mies basked in the praise.

"I knew I’d found the right student in you Mies."

*

Mies watched Innis walk his children down the hill from their

home and cross the train lines. Hidden amongst the crowds

of the train station, he followed them as they made their way

through the streets of St.Ives to the school.

He waited across the road from the school gate for Innis to

come back out.

"This time it will be different." Ithaniel told him.

"You’re going to be on your own. It has to be done out in

the open in broad daylight."

Mies knew better than to question his teacher.

"You’re ready for it." Ithaniel reassured him.

Mies rehearsed his cover story. Innis came out of the

school gates and walked back into the town.

It was Thursday. Mies knew Innis was going to visit his

Australian painter friend Hayley Lever.

Mies mimed the techniques that Ithaniel had shown

him as he followed Innis.

Today is the day he thought to himself.

*

Innis helped Lever carry his painting equipment from his

studio, through the town, and up to the Chapel of St.Nicholas.

The chapel overlooked St. Ives and sat on a high promontory

that faced the sea on three sides.

As he painted, Lever talked about Australia and the possibility

of the two couples taking a European trip together.

Himself and his wife, Innis and Miriam.

Innis idly noticed how many jars of turpentine Lever had laid

out to clean his brushes.

"Do you really need all this shit?"

Lever stepped away from his easel and wiped his hands

on a rag. "When I want advice on how to paint from a

middle-class Cornish nobody, you’ll be the first person I ask."

Innis laughed. He wasn’t sure what he enjoyed more -

Levers’ prickly bluntness or how thick his accent became

when he was annoyed. He sat with Lever for another hour,

then it was time for his errands in town.

"Don’t forget." Innis said.

"Miriams' dinner party is tomorrow night. She’s still annoyed

with you. She thinks you snubbed her friends last month."

Lever returned to his easel. "That’s because I did."

"You lucky bastard." Innis said. "I wish I had that option."

He took the steep western path down off the promontory.

The path rose and fell as it hugged the coastline.

After a staircase climb he walked along the stone walls that

looked down onto Bamaluz Beach.

"Hello Mr.Page."

Innis turned to see who was greeting him - a well dressed,

thin framed young man. Not a working lad, he judged

and not a local boy.

"I'm sorry," Innis said with a smile, "Have we met before?"

"In a roundabout way Sir." Mies replied.

"My mother is part of your wifes’ group."

Innis sighed theatrically.

"You’re the son of a suffragette then."

Mies shook his head and smiled ruefully.

"It could be worse you know," Innis said.

"you could be married to one."

Mies laughed. "My name is Mies, Mr.Page."

"Call me Innis."

Innis shook Mies outstretched hand and as he did,

Mies pulled Innis towards him. The suddenness of the

movement unbalanced Innis and he stumbled forward.

Mies put his other hand on the back on Innis’s neck.

"Under." Mies said.

Innis’s world shimmered and went silent.

"Listen to the commands I give you."Mies said.

"There is nothing more important in your world

than my voice. Walk with me."

Innis walked beside Mies, eyes open and completely

unaware that anything out of the ordinary had happened.

"With every step you take you are falling deeper and

deeper under my control."

Ithaniel had shown him the snap induction technique,

and it had worked better than Mies had thought possible.

It was a short walk back to the harbour.

Almost at the end of the harbour wall, Mies found an empty

bench seat. "Sit down here with me."

Mies sat down and looked around at the day tripping

tourists. Nothing to see here he thought to himself, just two

old friends enjoying the view. Mies stretched his fingers and

cracked his knuckles.

"I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks."

Mies thrilled at the thought of what was to come - of what he

was going to do to Innis and his family.

He sighed with pleasure.

A female voice intruded on his thoughts.

"You should of stuck to your parlour tricks."

Mies gasped. Between himself and Innis now sat a woman

with straw coloured hair he'd never seen before.

He tried to jump up but found that his body was locked in place.

He stared in disbelief.

"Struggle if you want to Mies, there is no hope of escape.

- not for you."

Eurides looked at Innis and smiled as he stood up and picked

through his pockets until he found his watch.

The day is getting away he thought to himself.

Mies looked on as Innis walked away.

"He has no memory of ever meeting you." Eurides said.

"He's unaware that you and I are even sitting here."

Mies tried to yell for help, hoping that drawing unwanted

attention might break Eurides' concentration and maybe

loosen the muscle lock she had on him.

His shout was no louder than a wheeze. "Who are you?"

Eurides didn’t answer, she looked out across the harbour.

The fishing boats that were still tied to moorings lay on their

sides beached on the sand.

"The tide is still running out. When it turns in an hour or so,

you are going to swallow your tongue and choke to death."

"Fuck you." he hissed.

Eurides smiled. She stood up to follow Innis, then lent over

and whispered in Mies' ear

"Nothing to see here, just two old friends enjoying the view."

*

Mies was drowning in fear. Each minute that passed was an

agony as he sat alone on the bench. He tried to remember

everything that Ithaniel had taught him hoping to find a

way out. He had no idea of how much time had passed when

unannounced and seemingly out thin air, Ithaniel sat down

beside him.

"Hello Mies."

"Ith.” Mies rasped. "Thank fuck you're here. Can you see

what that bitch has done to me?"

"Yes I can," Ithaniel said, " and to tell you the truth Mies,

I think you got off lightly. I've seen her do much worse."

"Unlock me." Mies begged.

"Why would I do that?" Ithaniel replied.

Mies could feel his tongue starting to swell in his mouth.

"I’ve done everything you asked me to do." he whimpered.

"Yes you have." Ithaniel said.

"You've done everything that I wanted you to do."

Mies groaned, he saw it clearly now. Ithaniel had used

him to do his dirty work. Given him the tools and shown

him how to use them. They’d never been partners.

Ithaniel had set a trap and staked him out in it.

"Please Ith." Mies said, his face was wet with tears.

Ithaniel watched as the gulls circled overhead and called

out to each other before landing on the exposed sand banks.

"This world is so full of visual pleasures."

Mies sobbed.

"Cheer up Mies." Ithaniel said.

"It looks like the tide is about to change."

*