Chapter 1 - introduction

He handed over the keys and thanked me for accepting to do work on his empty house. It was exciting, it was my first big project! The house had been stripped right back to the brick work the only thing that was left in there was the floorboards and the staircase and any supporting walls meaning it was going to be an enormous job.

I pulled up to the house and got out of my truck. It was perfect for me I could fit anything in the back of it that I wanted to and it was easy for me to get in and out of, I didn’t have any mobility problems I was just very tall standing at 6ft 6 and 195lbs, I was broad and very muscular through working as a contractor. I was built for the job you could say.

I walked into the building, it was an old building late 1800s to early 1900s I would have said. taking a look around and deciding where I would start. I had a timescale to complete each job e.g getting the stud work put up on the walls and plaster boarding everything before the plaster arrived then the flooring in the kitchen and bathroom would arrive then the kitchen to be fitted before carpeting and decorating throughout.

I had been working for 3 hours before I felt a weird chill come over me, I thought nothing of it then there was a knock on the open door and a small frail “hello?” Came from the hallway

“hi!” I jumped up, darting into the corridor to see who it was meeting a little old lady at the door.

“Hi there young man, I just saw that your truck was in the driveway and thought since I made way too much for me to eat id bring you some.” She said looking down at the overflowing plate of a roast dinner.

“Oh that is really kind of you!” I said suddenly feeling a huge pang of hunger. Weird I thought I only finished my lunch of 2 sandwiches and a huge packet of crisps half an hour ago.

“thats okay sweetheart make sure you finish it” she said with a smile “wouldn’t want it to go to waste now would we?”

“Certainly not ma’am it looks delicious” I said feeling saliva rush into my mouth ready to devour the meal completely forgetting the uneasy feeling this woman gave me or the fact I had not long since finished quite a big lunch.

“Oh call me Doreen dear”

“okay Doreen im Jack”

“well I must be getting on” she said plodding out the door she went out of view when I realised I had her plate I walked over to the door and shed vanished! I ran down the drive and onto the street and she was nowhere to be seen.

Well I thought, can’t waste a good roast. I scarfed the food down in barely any time at all and then started back on with my work .