Notorious by John Jones (novel books to read txt) 📕

“None of it was of much interest until I saw these. These were the most recent messages as well. I had to print them off to show you. I’ll read you them. This is from the financial accountant to the executive director: ‘It has come to my attention that incoming funds have not been covering costs of late. I was under the distinct impression that we were receiving a much higher total.

At the present rate we will increasingly find ourselves closer to the red. Should this occur then I would recommend the ceasing of employment of non-essential staff. If our funds continue the way they are, then we will find ourselves having to make further cuts, and this I hope we do not even have to think about. However, I recommend that we must think about reviewing the pay of certain employees. It was always my view that they were receiving too much for the work they do.

Now it seems they will probably have to take a pay cut in order to remain employed here, but if we continue to lose funds then there will probably be only the essential staff here, probably on a lower wage. I do hope there will not be industrial action. I write with a request for you to organise a meeting of the board of directors. We need to see if we can halt the slide in funds’ And here’s the reply: ‘It troubled me greatly to receive your message. I do think we need to prioritise our agendas, and obviously our finances is top of the list. I will organise an urgent meeting and trust you will attend. I will notify you immediately when it has been arranged.’

See, they’re flapping around, desperately trying to save their asses. Watch them sack everyone now. Non-essential staff eh? You can bet these directors will sack the scientists before themselves. They’ll be the last to go, but they will go”. The car pulled into a large square car-park of the retail area and he parked close to the entrance, shutting off the engine. He looked at Tom and frowned.

“Wouldn’t they know where their money is going? Surely they keep track of outgoing finances”.

“Yes, I’m sure they do. The funds they are using now still is automatically directed to where it was already programmed to go, such as employees wages and the repayments of debts, but this money is gradually getting less and less as it filters into the accounts of the banks that the charities use. I’ve still got the false screen that comes up when they check their capital, and it’s still getting less. Soon the workers will be complaining about their low wages. When they check where their outgoing funds are going to, they will find it exactly where it has been programmed to go, not by me.

So while the records will show that the workers were paid their usual amount, their accounts will show different. I even had to hack into the bank that Ryvak uses in-case they get them to look at where the money has gone. I needed to change the direction of the information that told them where the money went. Instead of Animal action, or Bird sanctuary, it will come up with the account of the workers it was meant to go to. It will mean that the bank's records will be all present and correct, and will make the workers out to look like liars”.

“You should become a teacher,” said Anthony. “You probably know much more than half the tutors here”.

“Imagine the shame I would feel if I was to fail. That’s the challenge”. Anthony managed a slight smile.

“Let’s go and get this sound system” he said. Tom left the vehicle. Anthony looked at the letter, then sighed. He fitted a steering wheel bar-lock, then left the car, locked it, and joined Tom.

31

While Melissa and Adam were setting up the camcorder on a tripod and checking that it was working properly, Jane was pouring out a cup of warm tea from a flask to give to Curio. Stuart had wandered over to the farmhouse where Ted had lived. It was a shell. Windows and doors were missing. Squatters and drug users had been and gone. It seemed that the place was not even fit for them anymore. The stairs had collapsed, but it was still possible to climb up there.

Should anybody have troubled themselves to do that, they would have found nothing. The place had literally been gutted since Ted’s death. Time had rapidly fast forwarded the deterioration of the place, as though it had been abandoned for much longer than it had. The stables were barely standing, as was the chicken shed and haybarn. The students stood around the centre of the yard, their car parked near the main entrance. There was a large space in a wall where a gate had once been. The sun blazed in a cloudless sky. It still seemed to retain its heat, as the air brought with it a biting chill. Jane handed Curio the tea.

“Thanks,” he said, taking a sip. “I can feel it already. There’s a certain energy here synonymous with the human spirit. We’re not alone”. Jane nodded, and turned to the others.

“Is that ready yet?” she asked.

“No, it’s not,” said Melissa, staring at the small camcorder screen. “Why is that symbol flashing?..Oh, hold on”. She pressed one of the buttons. “That’s it. I think we’re about ready”. Adam was unwinding wire from a microphone. Stuart walked across the yard to join them. After a few minutes, Melissa was stood in front of the camera, microphone in hand, stables in the background. Adam manned the camcorder. The others stood behind, watching. She was centred on screen. Adam pressed record, and waved his hand for her to begin.

“I am here at Pendlebridge farm to investigate whether or not there is any truth behind the rumours that it is haunted by the ghost of man named Ted Lester”. She proceeded to explain the story of him, and why he is said to guard the place.

“…so we’re here to try and find out if the farm really is haunted. We’ve enlisted the help of a psychic who is to try and contact Ted, to see if he can provide us with any answers”. While Melissa had described the story of the farm’s owner, Curio had been instructed by Stuart’s gesturing to position himself slightly off camera, so Adam could pan to him when introduced.

“Curio Enchantment is a well-known professional psychic, and we’re grateful for him giving up some of his time to help us out in our project.” The camera panned to the right, and he and Melissa both shared the little screen. Curio was smiling inanely into the lens. “Curio,” continued Melissa. “Could you please explain the implications of ghosts being real, and how you receive messages from the spirit world”. She put the microphone in front of him, but he subconsciously took it, and centred himself in front of the camera. “Well Melissa. There is a strong possibility that Ted is watching us right now. He could be standing here, next to us. Incidentally, I have often wondered just how much any person is actually alone. The spirits, or essences of those that have crossed over, could very well be all around us, as their world is parallel to ours. How many humans and animals, and indeed insects, have died over centuries, since life began on earth? It’s impossible to put a number on.

We, in the real world cannot see the afterlife. We cannot see where we will go. Look into space and we cannot see our destination. Therefore ghosts, and indeed thoughts are parallel to reality. When we open up the human skull, we cannot see dreams, or what we are thinking. We see the physical, the brain, the nerves. Yet we ‘know’ we have thoughts, we ‘know’ there’s a mind’s eye that enables this.

This is reality, as thoughts do not require the brain in order to function. We need our physical forms in order to interact with the real world, and to procreate. If life is a form of energy, and energy cannot be destroyed, it must therefore convert at the point of death into something else. This is the afterlife, and the crossing over into the world of the spirits. It must therefore be logical to think that this world is parallel.

Obviously we cannot see into their world, but I believe that they can see into ours. They can, after all, interact with reality. Poltergeists being the prime example of this. Now there is no question of there being life after death. Empirical evidence points to its truth. Yet, it only needs one ghost, one ghost to be a proven fact, and then, what of the implications? If one spirit or phenomena outside the realms of science can be proved, then that will confirm the reality of the paranormal.

That will be undoubted proof to the sceptics and cynics who think that science can answer everything. If science cannot answer it, then they don’t want to know. These people have limited minds. Limited insofar as their beliefs allow them. It’s facts, or nothing. Yet, I ‘know’, as I have proven, that science is not the answer to everything. If it is possible to have an out-of-body experience, as many people are reported to have, then that proves we do not need flesh to have consciousness. Ghosts that manifest themselves to enable us to see them, do so only to let us know who they once were. Mostly they exist as floating minds.

Now here, at this farm, I believe we have a prime example of this. Ted Lester haunts, well, resides here, and I’m here to try and contact him. Not everybody has the ability to connect, but we all have potential. I can tune into the spirit world, which I am going to prove, here today. It takes a lot of dedication and practice, and not everybody can do it.” He paused for a few seconds, before continuing:

“I was pleased to receive such an accurate introduction by Melissa. Her use of the word ‘professional’, was I believe, no exaggeration, but I must profess that that is not how I see myself. Although, I believe I am very close. My clients will attest to that. Now, I shall prove my ability by going to the place where Ted passed into the spirit world”. He turned and walked towards the haybarn, and Adam saw that the wire was about to become taut.

Curio was only focusing on his task, and had forgotten he was holding the microphone.

Adam quickly took the camcorder off the tripod and lifted it to eye level. He centred Curio on the screen and followed him. He didn’t say anything else until he entered the barn. It was well lit, as the wooden roof had many holes, and the wall where the lorry had crashed through was still there. Curio became aware of the microphone and handed it to Melissa. Adam stood near the entrance to get them, and most of the barn in shot. “Right,” said Curio, standing near the centre. “It is around here where Ted will have entered the spirit world”. He could feel the temperature gradually decreasing.

“I feel that there is a drop in temperature”.

“Yes,” said Melissa, “I feel it as well”. The others agreed.

Curio closed his eyes and put his hands to the sides of his head. Melissa just looked at him. The film continued to roll. All eyes were on Curio.

“Can you hear me Ted Lester?” he said. “Show me a sign that you are here. We are here in peace”. Curio stood like that for a few more seconds. Melissa turned to the camera, her face seemingly hopeful not towards the average viewer, but the tutor. She turned to