Episode Three: Hands Off

“Cool!” said Carol, reaching for the mask.

“No!” Stan and I shouted together, like twins.

Carol stared at me. Then she stared at Stan.

“Um,” I thought quickly.

Carol’s nose twitched.

I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The tip of it quivered like it had a stutter. I started to panic. The twitch is a BIG bad sign. It screams super suspicious! I reckon Carol’s half hunt hound. She’s always sniffing out things that aren’t quite right.

“It’s dirty,” I managed to say. “You don’t want to touch it.” I smiled, trying to look caring and chilled all at the same time.

Stan nodded. “Dirty.” He mimed washing his hands.

Carol wasn’t buying it. “I want to look.”

“Food’s getting cold.” I grabbed the mask. “Got to go.” And I stuffed it back into the bag, flashing one of my dazzling smiles. At the door I paused, swinging the take away bag, like I was all casual. “See you tomorrow? Down the square?” I asked.

But I didn’t stick around for an answer. My feet were pounding the pavement long before she could reply. I reached the top of the beach steps and waved, racing down them.

The sand was soft under my feet as I jogged. That had been one weird take away session. And what was up with Stan? After a couple of minutes I slowed to a walk. There was an abandoned deck chair by a sandcastle. Who could resist? I slid backwards on my bottom, into the chair, clutching the bag against my tummy. I stared out at the sea and listened to the waves nibbling at the sand. The heat from the take away warmed my hands.

‘Curiosity killed the cat,’ that’s what my gran used to say. For some reason I could hear her saying that really clearly, like she was stuck on repeat in my head. But I had to look. The mask was way too weird not to. I’m not sure why I felt so nervous as I opened the bag, or why I glanced around the beach feeling a bit scared, but I did.

I lifted the mask out of the bag and cradled it in my lap. I ran my fingers over the inside. It felt odd. The metal was cold and the surface smooth in a wobbly way, like a bit of driftwood. Had water shaped the mask? Had it been moulded over hundreds of years by waves washing over it? Perhaps Stan had found it on the beach and this was his idea of a joke.

At that moment I looked up. Don’t know why. Maybe I felt something change. Behind me, ten pairs of orange eyes stared. I was being watched!

I grinned. It was funny how seagulls always sat in a neat row on the beach railings.

“Hi,” I said.

The gulls edged closer, in a synchronised shuffle.

“Sqwarrr,” they called. Were the sea gulls warning me? Or were they simply after my Chinese?

Suddenly, under my feet, I felt the sand move. My heart somersaulted in alarm. How could the sand be draining away around my trainers? Had someone pulled the plug on the beach?

This was way too weird. I sprang up and leapt over the hole opening up in front of the deck chair. As I flew through the air I remembered too late, the mask! I felt it slide from my tummy.

For a brief moment I was torn between fear of the hole and longing for the mask. As my trainers touched down, I spun round on the balls of my feet, spraying sand up towards the gulls. I felt my balance going and spun my arms, desperately fighting to stay upright. I realised I was still holding the take away bag as I crashed backwards onto the sand.

I stared at the hole. It was impossible. This couldn’t happen on Margate beach.

Adrenalin kicked through my body as fear ripped in. Using the momentum of my fall I rocked backwards. I tucked in my legs and spun into a perfect flip back roll. The world twirled as I spun but I kept my eyes locked on the hole, on that thing.

I scrambled onto my knees and pushed off the sand with my hands, still clutching the bag, my fingers clenched on the handles.

As I ran I heard the gulls shrieking behind me. I risked a backwards glance, just in time.

A bloody hand, poked from the hole, rotten fingers flapping in the air. The twitching fingers gripped the mask. Slowly, they dragged the mask through the sand and into the hole.

Episode Two: The Lucky Lotus

“Usual?” asked Stan.

Stan’s worked down the 'Lucky Lotus' forever. He knows what everyone orders. I nodded but then hesitated. I have no idea why but this weird impulse came over me. Without looking at the menu, and staring straight at Stan I said, “and a number ten please.” It was like time stood still, as if I’d pressed pause. I felt everyone staring at me, all the waiting customers.

Stan sucked his teeth and narrowed his eyes. “A number ten?” he asked. “Are you sure?”

I gulped and nodded. I didn’t even know what I was ordering. And then someone pressed play and life started moving again. I picked up the takeaway menu and hunted for number ten. A pickled egg! I’d ordered a pickled egg. At least it was only 99 pence. I jangled the change in my pocket. I know I turned red and started to sweat. What if I didn’t have enough money?

“Here you go,” said Stan, holding out a brown paper bag. His hand was shaking. Stan never shook.

“How much?” I asked and my voice came out all squeaky, like I’d been sucking on those stupid balloons my sister has. His reply froze me to the spot. I couldn’t move. Now this is when I should have known I was in big trouble.

“On the house,” he muttered. He glanced behind him like he was all nervous.

What did he mean ‘On the house’? No one ever gives anything away for free in Margate. He smiled, but it didn’t quite work. It was a fearful smile if you know what I mean.

“It’s your lucky day,” he said.

His voice was all stiff, like he’d got a mouth full of... well pickled eggs. I just stood there and gaped at him, like an idiot.

“You are the tenth person in October to order a pickled egg.”

He said it like he was reading a script.

“Tenth person, in the tenth month in 2010.” The brown paper bag swung gently in his hand.

“Thanks,” I said and reached out.

“And,” he said. “Your free gift.”

I know my eyes must have almost popped out of my head. A free meal AND a free gift; there had to be a catch.

With his other hand he held out a white plastic bag. I could see the muscles bulging in his arm under the strain.

I peered into the bag. No idea what I was expecting. Fortune cookies perhaps or a Chinese lantern? The bag seemed to be filled with white tissue paper so I reached in. Bit like putting your hand in a lucky dip, no idea what you might find. My fingers touched something hard and cold. It seemed to have holes in it.

Everyone was watching me. Nothing this exciting ever happens in Margate, especially down the Chinese. I paused and grinned at them. It was embarrassing having everyone staring at me.

I looked back at the bag and pulled out my hand.

Stan gasped.

I was holding a black, metal mask. I cradled this weird Chinese looking face in my hands. I felt numb, don't know why. Amazing how heavy it was. Now I didn't look at it and think WOW! It was more like OH! It was kinda creepy. Could have been a prop in a horror movie, I thought. A bit crazy looking.

But it did look just the right size, you know, to fit my face.

For a brief moment I wondered why Stan had gasped. I glanced over at him. The look on his face screamed ‘DON’T PUT THE MASK ON’. His eyes were full of horrified fear.

It was right at that moment that Carol Smith walked in.

Episode One: Carol Smith

She was gorgeous before her nose fell off.

I’d been watching her all last week, through my Mum’s telescope. And before you say it, I know what you’re thinking, that I’m some creepy stalker spying on gorgeous girls. But it’s not like that.

I was watching the container ships go by when Mogface (that’s my cat) freaked me out. No warning, he threw a crazy; five minutes of madness. He legged it up the curtain, bounced off the sofa, grabbed my sandwich and scarpered. I think he’s been watching too many Superman movies, ‘getting ideas above his station’ says my Dad.

Anyway, back to the nose...Carol Smith’s nose, the one that fell off.

Last week she was Carol Smith going shopping, Carol Smith hanging out in the square, Carol Smith mucking about on the beach and then everything changed.

She was one of the first; in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Life isn't fair. She just popped down the library. Borrowing a book shouldn’t turn you into a zombie.

But I’m jumping ahead. I need to take you back to the weekend. It was Saturday when all this started. Mum sent me down the Chinese.