The mild mannered Englishman who was the most prolific ghost hunter

Summary

A middle-aged couple park their car outside a modest suburban house. The husband turns off the engine then returns his hands to the wheel, eyes forward and jaw set. His wife looks out of the passenger window, her expression both faraway and eager. They sit in silence for a moment. Then, from the front steps of the house, a grandmotherly figure appears and beckons them. The wife raises her own hand in tentative reply. Without a word, she opens the passenger door and makes her way down the drive. The husband watches her go. He shuts his eyes and inhales deeply. He unbuckles himself and follows.Article continues after advertisement The old woman ushers them warmly into her home, leading them through a chintzy hallway toward a living room door. She stops outside and turns to them. “He’s been waiting for you,” she says, smiling. “Come.” Suddenly, the quiet is broken by a voice, high-pitched and smiling. She pushes open the door and guides them into a darkened room. Heavy curtains are drawn, and a single red light bulb glows from the ceiling. Half a dozen other figures are already sitting in chairs formed in a semicircle, but they say nothing as the husband and wife join them. The old woman stands facing the room, her face cast in shadow and red light. She surveys the people present and smiles. She shuts her eyes and raises her upturned palms, and the guests do the same, gently taking the hands of their neighbors. A small cymbal begin to chime in a gentle, steady rhythm. The red light begins to flicker and dance. The husband and wife sit side by side, hand in hand, their eyes shut. The old woman is speaking, but her voice is far away and indistinct. A heavy sense of drowsy dislocation slowly overcomes them. The old woman’s voice stops, and there is nothing but silence. It passes for five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen. Suddenly, the quiet is broken by a voice, high-pitched and smiling. “Mummy?”Article continues after advertisement The husband and wife both open their eyes. ...