The Oxford Set
“You know, there are two Buttermere hotels to choose from in Sodom.” Scarlett Jones said, looking at the alarmingly dilapidated hostelry in front of her. “We could have booked a room using my staff discount.”
”We could have done, but this has more character, don’t you think?” Michael, her father-in-law, said.
The Babel Inn, located in the Gloucestershire village of Little Harbrook, was once a very popular Inn. Now, it was falling to rack and ruin, but still open for those who wished to spend the night there.
Micheal knocked on the front door. A few seconds later, it slowly creaked open, and the wizened old man who owned the place greeted them.
“Welcome, welcome. Come in,” the man said.
Michael, his wife Victoria, their children Ben, Evelyn, and Dylan, Evelyn’s husband Marcus, and Scarlett all entered the inn.
The last one to cross the threshold was Ben’s wife, Alice, who entered with trepidation.
The owner led them through the main reception area, decorated with random bric a brac ranging from a ceramic clown to a mummified cat, and up to their rooms.
”It’s certainly beautiful, even if the decor is a little crass,” Michael said, observing the small pieces of paper with random Bible verses and Christmas carols on them.
Ben noticed that his wife seemed a little more subdued than normal. The only times he knew his wife to be like this was when they visited his aunt and uncle’s house; the place they were about to visit.
“You ok?” Ben asked.
”Yeah. I just don’t like it in here,” Alice said. “There’s something about it that sends a shiver down my spine.”
”I understand,” Ben said. “It’s best to be wary of anywhere that has a Ouija board placed on a table like a cheese board. Even if it is rather nice as Ouija boards go.”
The Joneses then parted ways and dispersed into their respective rooms.
“It might be a little quirky, but that’s all part of the charm,” Dylan said.
”It still has nothing on the Sodom Manor,” Scarlett said. “Even your aunt and uncle’s place is better than this, and that’s creepy in itself.”
Dylan took out the last of his belongings when the room was filled with a loud, disembodied growl.
Dylan looked at Scarlett for a moment, filled with terror.
“What was that?” Dylan said.
“Beats me,” Scarlett said.
The room was filled with the growl once more, Dylan becoming more and more terrified.
Not even the least bit fazed, Ben wandered over to the window and watched the cars drive past.
”Say what you will about the Inn, you’ve got to admit, the acoustics are pretty good. You could almost think the sound of cars driving outside was coming from within the room,” Ben said.
Dylan sighed with relief, and continued unpacking.
“That didn’t really sound much like a car, Ben.” Scarlett said.
”Believe me, Scarlett, it was,” Ben said. “There may even be some infrasound thrown in for good measure.”
Scarlett smirked, before she, Ben, and Dylan were startled by a blood curdling scream.
“Alice?” Ben said, before rushing out of the room towards his wife.
Alice stood in the door way, trembling with fear, almost on the verge of tears.
Ben rushed over to her and brought her into a warm embrace.
”It’s ok, I’m here,” Ben said.
”It moved. Across the room,” Alice said.
”What did?” Ben said.
Alice pointed a shaky finger into the room. “The doll,” she said.
Ben looked into the room.
Inside were two pale Victorian dolls, lying in a couple of prams as if they were real children.
Ben smirked.
”I do admit they look rather unsettling, but they’re nothing but children’s playthings. Nothing more, nothing less,” Ben said.
”But it moved. It was over there, then I looked away, and it was over there,” Alice said. “No one could have come in and moved it.”
”Are you sure?” Ben asked.
Alice slowly nodded her head. “I really don’t like it in here. Couldn’t we stay somewhere else? I’d even settle for the Premier Inn.”
”It’s only for a night, darling. Besides, anything supposedly out of the ordinary you see is simply a trick of the imagination.” Ben said.
”Ok,” Alice said.
But then, she was sure that she could see the eyes of one of the dolls begin to roll uncontrollably inside their sockets.
Alice screamed and backed away. Ben tried to console her.
”It’s only in your mind, Ali, there’s nothing to fear,” Ben said.
”That’s not as reassuring as you think it is,” Alice said. “If anything it’s worse.”
Suddenly, the entire head of the doll began to spin 360° at increasingly fast speeds.
Alice screamed once more, trying to get away from the doll.
Ben tried once again to calm her down, but nothing seemed to work.
Thinking quickly, Ben closed the door to the room the doll was in.
”Ok, ok. It’s gone now. You’re safe,” Ben said, gently caressing his wife as she calmed down.
After a while, they went downstairs to get a cup of tea.
After they’d settled in for the night, the Joneses went downstairs and reclined in front of the fire with a cup of tea.
“I’d be more than happy to whip up a few designs at a discounted rate if you wanted me to,” Marcus told the owner of the Babel Inn a few hours later.
The man slowly shook his head. “No, no. I like the building the way it is. I don’t want it modernising.”
”Oh no, I agree the 16th century character must be preserved. But the building is falling apart. I’m offering to give you advice on how to strengthen the floor boards and so on.”
”No, no. The Inn should remain the way it is,” the man said, before retreating to the kitchen.
”Suit yourself,” Marcus said, sipping a cup of tea.
”Are you alright now, Ali?” Evelyn said, fixated on the illustration she was doing.
”Yeah. A little bit. Although I still feel a bit uneasy, and that cat doesn’t help things,” Alice said.
”Yes,” Evelyn said. “I’m a bit worried the cat I’m supposed to be drawing is going to slowly turn into that monstrosity.”
”It’s a good luck charm, to ward off evil spirits. A very common practise in the 16th century,” Ben said, “I would go so far as to say it’s the most normal thing in here.”
Alice took a sip of her tea. “I’d still rather sleep somewhere else. I don’t like the idea of being here in the dark.”
Ben gently squeezed his wife and kissed her temple. “It’s going to be fine. Nothing in this house will hurt you.”
“To be honest, I’m getting quite used to it now,” Dylan said, placing the book he was reading back onto the table in front of him.
“I don’t think anything is gonna make this place not give me the creeps, but I’m sure I can survive one night,” Scarlett said. “Although I could do with a glass of wine.”
Dylan laughed, before glancing back at the pile of books in front of him.
On the top was an ominous looking black book; the visitors book from a few years ago.
Dylan looked at it, perplexed. He was sure that wasn’t on top of the pile a few seconds ago, and he didn’t notice any one else put it down.
Did someone, or something, otherworldly want him to read the book?
Tentatively, Dylan opened the book, then closed it in horror.
On the first page, was a rather grotesque drawing of Satan.
Dylan gulped, and looked up.
“Guys. I think I’m gonna die tonight.” Dylan said.
”Oh, darling,” Victoria said, moving over to him and giving him a tight hug. “It’s not that bad, is it?”
”This book suddenly appeared in front of me, and it had a drawing of a devil on the front page,” Dylan said.
Victoria opened the book and saw the drawing. “Oh, well that is rather crude,” Victoria said.
“I think it’s a sign. Someone wanted me to see it, and they want me dead,” Dylan said.
”I put the book there, you cretin,” Ben said suddenly.
Dylan looked at Ben for a moment. “You did?”
”Yes. The book was there, then I picked it up to read it, then I put it back down again. You were preoccupied with other things,” Ben said.
“So I’m not gonna die then?” Dylan said.
”Not tonight, no,” Ben said. “There is absolutely nothing untoward about this house, expect for the bizarre owner and his ludicrous collection of objet d’art.”
Dylan sheepishly took a sip of his tea.
”There is no such thing as the paranormal. Ghosts do not exist. End of,” Ben said. “Now please, enough.”
No one spoke to each other again until it was time to go to bed.
Michael and Victoria sat up in bed. It was too dark to see anything. The only way they knew each other was there was by hearing each others voices… and feeling each other’s touch.
”We really should have brought some candles along,” Michael said.
”Yes. Although I would worry that the building could burn down in flames,” Victoria said.
“”I guess so,” Michael said.
A car drove past outside, causing the room to be filled with a loud growl.
”I don’t think I’ll ever get over that sound,” Victoria said. “I hope I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”
”You’re not the one who’s driving,” Michael said.
The two sat in silence for a moment, the darkness making them forget the other was there.
”You know, part of me is tempted to try out that Ouija board,” Michael said, startling Victoria.
”I didn’t know you were a spiritualist,” Victoria said.
”I’m not. But there something about a shiny letter board that tempts me,” Michael said.
”You better hope my brother doesn’t find out,” Victoria said.
All of a sudden, they heard a chilling scream coming from another room.
They look at each other for a moment.
”That sounds like…” Michael said.
”Ali,” they both said, as the screams turned into wails.
Their suspicions were confirmed when they heard Ben say something like “Jesus Christ is a guest in this house.”
”And now Ben’s become a deranged priest,” Michael said.
They leapt out of their bed and towards Ben and Alice’s room.
When they got there, Alice was shaking and in tears, whilst Ben hugged her.
”Is everything alright?” Victoria said.
”Yes. I’ve invoked the name of Christ, that seems to have done the trick,” Ben said.
”We heard,” Michael said. “What were you talking about?”
”I recited the words on the poster outside,” Ben said.
”The one about Jesus being a silent, unseen observer who listens to every conversation?” Michael said.
”Yes.” Ben said. “I thought it might at least calm Ali down, which it has.”
”What happened, dear?” Victoria said. “It sounded quite harrowing.”
”I don’t know. I just don’t like being here,” Alice said.
”I think my wife was just having a moment,” Ben said.
”In which case, goodnight,” Michael said, before he and Victoria left the room.
Ben and Alice went back to sleep.
Everyone in the Inn slept soundly for the rest of the night.
“Well, thank you for that night. It was appreciated,” Michael said to the owner of the Babel Inn.
”No problem, sir, no problem at all,” the owner said. “Feel free to come back at any time.”
”I’ll keep that in mind,” Michael said.
Alice made a small groan of fear, not really wanting to set foot in this house again.
”Feel free to put a review on TripAdvisor.” The man said.
”Don’t worry, we will,” Victoria said.
With that, the Joneses exited the Inn and returned to the relative safety of their car.
Alice felt an immediate sense of relief as she left the building. Her muscles relaxed for the first time since she first set foot in there.
No one talked for the first few miles from Little Harbrook to Sodom, but eventually the silence had to be broken.
”What on earth was going on in there?” Dylan said.
“No idea, but it was certainly odd,” Evelyn said.
”It was all in your minds,” Ben said. “The personality of the owner and his furniture put preconceptions into your mind.”
”The furniture in your aunt and uncle’s house isn’t as strange, and yet I feel a sense of unease and dread there as well,” Alice said.
”I don’t blame you, considering Cress and Duncan’s politics,” Michael said.
”Neither house is out of the ordinary. Now seriously, let’s just forget about last night and enjoy our Cotswold getaway,” Ben said.
And with that, there was silence.
What the Joneses experienced at the Babel Inn was strange, but it was not the most haunted building in the world.
That was their next destination.
The Robinsonverse 