The Ghoul of Christmas Past

the scrap heap. It is to be demolished soon to make way for new riverside housing, as if we need anymore of that. Anyway, I must insist that you remain quiet throughout. I would ask you to save any questions until the end, but none of you will be able to talk when we get there. You see, the ride has a new finish to it, one where the floor actually gives way, and you cascade into the basement. It will be a bit like going over a waterfall only there’s nothing beneath you but a terrible drop onto a hard concrete floor. I won’t be with you for that bit, I’m the one shareholder who survives this tragedy.’

Blind. Saturday, December 24th 2253hrs
Michael Michaels didn’t want to tread carefully or move cautiously. He wanted to run blindly into the old theme park, find Mary, and run out again. The problem he was currently having with that plan was the blind bit.
With no phone battery to give him torch function, he couldn’t see a thing now he was back down at the platform outside the basement. He’d already hit his head on something made of steel that was jutting out just above his eyeline and cracked both his shins on a rusty old steel beam he hadn’t spotted. That one had sent him sprawling onto the ground for what had to be the third or fourth time that day.
He had to hurry, but he couldn’t, not if he wanted to avoid braining himself and regaining consciousness an hour later. Using his hands to sweep the air in front of his body and staying as low as he could, he stumbled forward.
He kept the pace up, believing that he didn’t have far to go to the back wall of the building. There would be a door there, but how dark would it be inside? His old eyes did not see well in low light levels; it had stopped him driving at night years ago.
In the space between breaths, his retinas almost melted as floodlights above his head came on. Light came from inside the building too and he ran forward to a door now easy to see by the shaft of light coming around its frame.
It wasn’t just light though, there was sound too, the sound of fighting. It had to be Frank and the ninjas. Had they found the ghoul? Or was it the Charles Dickens wannabe? Either way, when he spotted a loose piece of galvanised metal pipe lying on the ground, he snatched it up. It was three feet long and had a little heft to it. He smacked the free end into his left palm with a satisfying whack that made him feel a whole lot more confident.
Then he put his head down and started running again.


Presentation. Saturday, December 24th 2258hrs
‘How did you know I was out there?’ Mary asked less than a second after Charles Dickens instructed her to not speak.
He shot her a look and cracked his knuckles. ‘I am beginning to tire of you, Mrs Michaels.’ He’d been about to start the preamble for his presentation but only now that they were on the boat did he realised he’d never once thought to practice while moving. The boat went far slower than he’d allowed for and he needed to kill some time. ‘Since you ask, it was your phone. You were making a call and it lit your head up to make it unmissable. It was luck also. You were right in line with the door when I returned to the flume ride with Mrs Cudmore. Had the timing been different, or had you been a few yards to either side when you made the call, I would not have seen you.’
Satisfied by his answer, she asked another. ‘Why are you doing this?’
It was a very helpful prompt. A link, if you will, to the precise subject he wished to talk about. ‘I’m glad you asked because it is time I explained.’ He reached up and took off his mask and top hat, commenting, ‘Goodness, it’s quite hard to breathe inside those things.’ He took a moment to wipe some sweat from his face with his sleeve, then proudly boasted, ‘I’m Ronald Norton.’
‘That’s nice,’ said Mary, being flippant because she had no idea who Ronald Norton was. But no sooner had she said it, than a voice in the back of her head told her she had heard the name before. She said it herself, ‘Ronald Norton.’ Then it came to her. ‘You were kidnapped three days ago!’
Ronald Norton chuckled. ‘Yes. Exactly right. That’s what everyone knows. I was kidnapped by the ghoul. That is what they will discover anyway. The poor chap will have to die, of course, he has been a loyal servant. Incredibly loyal, truth be told. He obeys every instruction I give, no matter what I tell him to do. I’ll have to test that later when I tell him to electrocute himself, but you wanted to know why, didn’t you, and it is really quite simple.’


Battle. Saturday, December 24th 2259hrs
The sounds of mayhem were echoing through the structure as Michael made his way through the basement. He had no idea where Mary might be, only that she had to be in here somewhere. The building contained an entire theme park complete with rides and attractions which gave him a lot of territory to cover. Including the basement, there were three floors to search which was far too much. If he could find a landline, he would call the police, but until he did, or until he linked up with Frank and the ninja squad, he was going to have to do it all by himself.
With so much real estate to cover, some science or sense had to be applied, at least that is what Michael told himself. Trying to search every nook