Wanted! continues....

Returning to his work I threatened my revenge once I was alive. At this time I also noticed that the ever present figures in white had become agitated and more animated.

I then felt a strange pull on my body and a sense of being I had almost forgotten since my 'death' and suddenly I was laying on the floor in the lab in a bloodstained night-shirt, the strange headgear from Dr Bumphrey's machine on my head. With the aid of others similarly revived I got to my feet and ventured outside, my body numb and cold, my legs barely able to support me.

Once outside I immediately spied more strange figures with metallic faces, although these were in black. They were also acting in an agitated and animated way, although they appeared more aggressive than the ones in white which I could no longer see. I was joined by others including Perkins who could also see these creatures. Returning to the lab ready for the last of the guinea pigs to be revived I readied myself to deal with that blaggard Bumphrey. However, no sooner had the last been revived than the machine began to smoke and Bumphrey, who throughout was linked to the contraption, seemed to have some sort of convulsion and fell to the floor very dead. Justice had been done and thankfully his machine had also burst into flames. We all left the lab quickly, fearing an explosion.

Outside the black figures had turned their attention to us, attacking my compatriots who all seemed to have taken weapons to bed with them the night before as they drew them from within their night-clothes! The blasts from the guns seemed to affect the creatures and it was not long before we had brought one down. However there were many to take its place and we dispatched several before we retired to the safety of the house.

It seemed now that having solved the dilemma of our deaths, we were now faced with a new challenge. Many suggested we flee, but I had never turned away from a challenge yet and insisted we see this matter through. Thankfully most of the others showed real grit and agreed with me.

We immediately set about searching the clues we had, perhaps the strange events of those times gone by with the witch were somehow linked? Certainly accounts of her execution showed how she had uttered words in a language no one recognised before disappearing without a trace as the flames of the fire were about to consume her. The scripts also referred to strange creatures, one called Nodens who seemed to be linked to the witch. Another referred to the constellation of Orion where this Nodens was said to live and yet another mentioned a creature called Ghadoman.

Could the mad Doctors experiment have brought these creatures upon us? The ones in white could only be seen when we were dead, the ones in black appeared as we were revived. Meddling in matters that man was meant to leave alone only can only lead to trouble.

A cipher for the strange words spoken by the witch had been located, but it was not complete and only a small number of incomplete words could be deciphered.

The maid who had been absent for the day, presumably running errands, returned with some papers for the doctor and his usual glass of brandy. It fell on Father O'Grady to reveal the news of his death - the poor woman took it quite badly. We opened the package hoping the contents may be of some use. Inside were some documents belonging to a former patient of the doctor’s and contained a strange unfamiliar text. On the back was scrawled a message in English. I was about to read this when I was distracted by events outside. A new more fearful creature had joined those in black and he called into the house, threatening us. His purpose was not clear at this time, however he clearly did not have our good health in mind and many, who knew more of such things than I, quickly linked him to the creature called Ghadoman. He commanded the black robed creatures and sent them after us and so throughout the evening many raids on the house by these beasts had to be repulsed, our limited ammunition depleting all the time.

I returned to the drawing room to find Father O'Grady and Mr O'Dell was attempting to translate the new text. I took over from O'Dell and it was with great regret that I had forgotten to continue reading the English writing on the reverse for this was a warning against translating the text which we had missed at our peril. I fear to say that as both myself and O'Grady became absorbed in the writing and our minds began to slip from reality. However none of what was written was of any help to us.

Much of this time is a blur and it was a while before we gave up on the text and returned to our senses, however by this time many things had happened to which I was not witness. The Creatures had raided the house killing many of our party.

It was at this time, as my mind began to clear, that I began to notice the cowardly and suspicious behaviour of that blaggard O'Dell. It seemed that he would disappear and hide whenever danger arose, no doubt snivelling in some corner like a child. This behaviour repugnant in itself to a man such as I, who had seen many a brave fellow fall in battle to keep Britain safe for the likes him, but to add to it he would always ensure he had the clues with him as he ran. I suspected that he was deliberately stalling our efforts, and so I watched him with growing suspicion.

A further raid on the house occurred by the creatures in black, this time joined by Ghadoman. Their attack was repulsed again but more casualties were received on our side with Albert lords gun exploding taking off his hand. Despite this and a serious wound to his leg inflicted by Ghadoman he pluckily carried on, although I fear his mind was weakening.

I then sat down with Madam Rosina and Miss Weatherheart to decipher the last words of the witch. Things were very promising with the words 'Nodens' and 'Orion' appearing within the text. It was during these tense last few hours that O'Dell did another of his disappearing acts, once again taking the vital clues with him. After yet another search he finally showed up. Mr Lords and myself confronted him and Lords asked for the clues to be returned - I had by this time communicated my suspicions to the others and they seemed in agreement with me. O'Dell foolishly refused and so it was left for me to use a more drastic and unpleasant approach. Giving a warning, which he chose to ignore, I shot the blaggard in the leg and he went down like a squealing pig. We removed the clues from his person and disarmed him. It was my first thoughts to leave him to the mercy of Ghadoman, however I am British and a gentleman and so myself and Mr Lords carried him inside where his wound was tended, my actions receiving hearty approval from the others. For a while after this, prior to his death at the hands of Ghadoman, he suddenly became very friendly towards, me repeatedly offering me a drink of whisky. However, I was a bit too wise to fall for the old 'offer a poisoned bottle of whisky to the man who had just shot you' trick.

We were now able to make progress unhindered. Myself, Madam Rosina and Miss Weatherhart translating the text as best as we could. It appeared to be a prayer of sorts calling upon the aid of Nodens - which would explain the disappearance of the witch before the fire could consume her. We only hoped Nodens would aid us as well.

We made our way outside, the group now consisting of myself, Perkins, Madam Rosina, Father O'Grady, Miss Weatherheart, Mr Albert Lords and Mr Dan Scullery. The others having succumbed including Mr Baxter who went into one of his trances and died mysteriously. Facing the constellation of Orion I chanted the 'prayer' as we all stood linking hands. However nothing happened. Ghadoman appeared mocking us and we once more had to flee for our lives using our ammunition as sparsely as possible. It was at this point the Lieutenant Perkins tried to gain us time by confronting Ghadoman man to beast. This gesture served to buy us time to escape, although had I known his plan I would have forbidden it. Although I presumed him dead at that point he courageously turned up latter dragging his mortally wounded and mangled body along the ground in order to pass some much needed ammunition to those that remained before passing away.

Regrouping, we looked again at the spell, checked our translation and the way we had performed it. Having identified our mistakes in the translation we also realised that we would need to be up high as the spell was required to be performed where the four winds could all reach us. We ascended up the steep hill in the darkness pursued by the creatures in black and then begun the ceremony one more time. At first not much appeared to have happened then we spied a shape approaching us - it was Reverend Snedon, but he appeared different. He carried a powerful otherworldly aura about him, his face and hair was silver and on his right arm he had a silver gauntlet, his true identity was now clear to us - he was Nodens.

He addressed us by congratulating us on finally getting the spell right; he was unable to aid us directly until we did so. He then required us to state what we wished of him. We advised that we wished him to get rid of Ghadoman and his minions. This he said he would gladly do however we must give something in return and we must agree before he named his price. With some trepidation we agreed. He then told us that in payment we must give him one of us, for what purpose he would not say. I fear that I was reluctant to offer myself up, however Father O'Grady volunteered himself and we all felt a little ashamed at our own selfishness. Nodens then set off to join in battle with Ghadoman.

From our position high up on the hillside we could not see any detail of this titanic confrontation, but all around us thunder roared and lightning flashed and the shouts of the two adversaries could be heard. We few remaining did our best to will Nodens on Suddenly we heard Ghadoman command his minions up to kill us, but sensed desperation in his voice, no doubt this was a last attempt at clawing back victory by this fearsome creature. We broke our circle and proceeded down to confront the creatures now pouring up the hill side. I felled a few with the remaining rounds in my gun, saving the last for myself should it become necessary. Then we heard a shout of victory by Nodens - it was our time to strike. The creatures now fell easily under our fire. As we reached the bottom of the hill we could see Ghadoman trying to get away. We pursued him and finally cornered him. Although now vulnerable to us he still put up a fight and several including myself were wounded before we brought him down. Lying on the ground apparently dead we poured paraffin from our lamps onto him and set him alight.

Returning to Nodens, who waited nearby, we thanked him for his aid. He then turned to Father O'Grady calling him over. O'Grady joined Nodens who revealed what was in store for the brave priest. He was to join Nodens on a tour of the universe for eternity, starting at Orion’s belt. Nodens promised he would see and learn things beyond his wildest dreams. Bidding us farewell he and the very pleased Father O'Grady ascended up into the stars.

My research over the years that followed, drawn from ancient and forbidden texts discovered on my many adventures, revealed that it would indeed have been the 'experiment' by Dr Bumphrey which drew Ghadoman to our world. He is a creature that feeds of the dead and when we were all revived he was able to slip through into the material world after us bringing his minions along. I fear that had we not put up such a determined fight there would have been grave consequences.

Of the others who survived; Miss Penelope Weatherheart, Mr Albert Lords, Madam Rosina and Mr Dan Scullery I have had no contact since this strange adventure and do not know what became of them. But to this day whenever I look up at the night sky and see the constellation of Orion I am reminded of our battle with evil, of the death of my comrade Lieutenant Johnathon Perkins, and wonder at the sights seen by Father John O'grady.

Cpt Joseph Poolcroft died in April 1993, aged 96, at The Queen Alexandra Memorial Hospice for ex-servicemen of the Great War.