Written for Pancreatic Cancer UK , to help fundraise and raise awareness of this terrible illness after losing my dad in November 2020.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month (PCAM)

Today, 18th November is Pancreatic Awareness day

Part four of five

March 2019

John sat staring at the doll on the mantlepiece, its piercing eyes staring at him. He had been given it by an uncle who had inherited it from a grandparent.  He knew very little of the doll’s history but today it made him nervous.

Anxious about starting a new job, he dismissed his fears. His uncle had told him that the dolls were watching over a select few people.  It was destiny that he was given the doll.

Dressed in his old jeans he was ready for a day on the building site. Labouring was not something he ever thought that he would do.  A job is a job which is what he needed. Leaving behind his life on the street, he needed to do something.  He had spent too many cold nights alone and crossed too many people. Trying to hide behind a veil of respect, he knew he could make some money and start to pay his debts.

December 2019

Months  later, big Jack found him and demanded all his money back or else.  A labourer only earns so much, and he needed thousands.   The consequences of a job digging holes and making concrete, meant it ended badly.  The Crolly doll had been watching and listening, but John had ignored all warnings.

It was just before Christmas that Jack in a firey rage, took a sledgehammer to John’s head.  Weeks later he decided to move the body and hid it on the building site.

February 2020

Robert started labouring and very soon made a discovery.  Jack saw him as a hand appeared in the concrete. Shocked Robert heard himself scream as a scarf was put across his face.

With a threat of ending up in concrete if he told anyone, he was scared. As the phone calls started, he knew he couldn’t do much and the body had been moved.  Trying to keep Laura away from the stress he told her nothing.  He hoped it would all go away but how could he pretend that he hadn’t seen anything?

March 2020 – into lockdown

As the country went into lockdown, Robert did as he was told and tried to hide from the world. Receiving a phone call, he didn’t want to break the rules, but Jack gave him no chance to refuse.  Leaving the house, he didn’t see anyone.

It was hours later that he found himself with a sore head in a small room.  A grey-haired man sat watching him.

“Where am I? What’s going on?”

“You are here and you’re not going anywhere. No one will find you and your car has been dealt with.”

“Why am I here?”

“You are a liability. This is your life now and lockdown will prevent the police from making a proper effort to find you.  When lockdown is over you won’t be a priority case.”

Wondering why this man hadn’t just killed him, he didn’t say anything.  He started praying that he would be found before this was ended, but there could be some truth in his lockdown theory.

The Crolly doll

Hired by Jack, he was commissioned to end Robert.   It was his job, its what he did, but this job was different. Years ago, he had inherited a doll, which he had quickly put in a box as he felt it watching him. For months he had been seeing a man, one he hadn’t recognised until now.  Something had told him that he needed to be protected.  This was the only way they could both stay safe.  Saying as little as possible to Robert, this was the only way to keep them both alive.

Since the visions started, Rick had learnt more about the dolls.  He read about Aoife and her sighting.  He then saw a photo on her care home webpage of Aoife and a visitor. From a photo in Robert’s wallet, he knew that she was married to Robert. What was it about Robert, his wife and these dolls, why are they so significant? Why couldn’t he just kill him?

Here is my fundraising page if you would like to donate.  Any size donation would be appreciated.

Written for A story a day for Pancreatic Cancer UK