“My computer isn’t working at the moment,” said Zoe, when Benson told her what he was planning, “but Simran has got cable broadband. We could try that.”
“Who is Simran?” asked Benson.
“You must remember her,” said Zoe. “She was the one who sent all of those names and words down the computer link to destroy the Soul Snatcher’s spaceship.”
“Oh yes,” said Benson, “I do remember her. Do you still see her then? Can we trust her? Has she played ‘Being There’?”
“Whoaa,” said Zoe, holding up the palm of her hand towards Benson. “What’s with all of the questions?”
“Zoe, we have to be sure,” Benson replied. “Something weird is happening and we don’t know what. All we do know is that it has something to do with Zak Araz and his ‘Being There’ game, and that people who have played it get hypnotised or something. We have no idea how that hypnosis affects them. For all we know, they could become Araz’s slaves – like those humanoids he had before when he was Kazzaar – and they could be telling him everything we say and do.
“More than half the people in this police station are in that state… maybe more. So are your family. The whole town could be affected… and it’s cut off from the outside world. We’re on our own in this, Zoe. We have to be careful who we trust and what we say to anyone other than ourselves and Professor Tompkins.”
“Okay,” Zoe conceded, “I understand. But I saw Simran only a few days back and she hadn’t played the game then. In fact, she swore she wouldn’t play it even though the rest of her family had. I trust her but if it makes you happy, I will check her out. I can tell when people are under the influence from the game. I’ll go and see her.”
“I’ll come with you,” said Benson in a more conciliatory voice. “Then if she’s okay, we can use her computer straightaway.”
“Best not,” said Zoe. Then seeing Benson’s raised eyebrows she continued, “It will be better if you don’t go to her house. Her family might be home and as I said, they’ve played the game. I’ll go alone and bring her to meet you later. Just tell me where.”
“I’ll meet you in the park by the Lazar factory,” said Benson, “in about, say, half an hour. I know we risk being seen by Araz, but its better that we talk in the open rather than meet in a café or bar where we can be overheard by people who might report back to him. Besides, it might panic him a bit if he sees us together, and hopefully he may get careless and provide some clues about what he’s up to.”
Zoe nodded and said, “Okay, see you later.”
Zoe walked over to where Simran lived, and after a short conversation about nothing in particular, she was convinced that Simran was telling the truth when she said she still hadn’t played ‘Being There’. Zoe told her about the proposed meeting with Benson, but didn’t mention any of their suspicions about Zak Araz and what they thought he had done to the people of Cristelee.
Five minutes later, Zoe and Simran sat side by side on a bench in the park. Zoe could see the window of Zak’s office from where she sat. It was the one she had looked out of when she saw the children playing, during her interview with Zak. Simran chatted freely about her family and her college course. Zoe pretended to listen and responded in what she thought were the right places in the conversation, but her mind was only half on what Simran was saying. She was looking out for Benson.
It wasn’t long before Zoe spotted him coming along the path towards them. She gave him a wave. He waved back. When he got alongside them, he sat down on the bench next to Zoe. She introduced him to Simran, who immediately began to talk to him about how she’d always wanted to meet him ever since their adventure with the Soul Snatcher.
Zoe cut her short by asking Benson a question, “Where’s Felixstowe?”
Simran looked startled and stared at Zoe in a way that suggested she thought her friend had lost the plot. Benson too looked confused.
“What’s that you say?” he replied. “You asked me a question, but I’m afraid I don’t understand it. What is this Felixstowe and why do you want to know where it is? I don’t have it; I don’t even know what Felixstowe is. What does this mean?”
Zoe grabbed Simran by the arm. “Run,” she yelled, fleeing across the grass and pulling Simran behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she could see Benson still sitting on the bench.
“Why are we running?” panted Simran, gulping for breath.
“Because he isn’t Benson,” gasped Zoe, slowing to a walk as they reached the safety of a shrub-lined footpath.
“How do you know?” breathed Simran as she caught up with her friend.
“Because I’m here,” said a voice beside them as Benson suddenly appeared from around the corner, which was partially hidden from view by a nearby bush.
Zoe looked back to the bench. It was empty. She turned to Benson. “Where’s Felixstowe?” she demanded.
“At the end of his foot,” said Benson, smiling. “Now, why are you running?”
Zoe told him about their earlier encounter on the park bench with the person they’d thought was him.
“Did you tell him anything?” asked Benson, concern written on his face.
“No,” answered Zoe, “but Simran did mention the Soul Snatcher, so if it is him he’ll now know who we are.”
Benson pulled a face. “Not what I’d hoped for,” he said, “but what’s done is done. We’ll need to be even more careful from now on.”
Simran looked confused and more than a little scared, so Benson gave her a few sketchy details – but not sufficient to allow her to know exactly what was going on and thus run the risk of her jeopardising their plans and activities if someone did hypnotise her, or get at her in some other way.
“You said the Soul Snatcher might be back,” Simran said quietly, “but how can he be? We destroyed him and his spaceship and if he is back, then how? And why?”
“We don’t know, Simran,” said Zoe, taking her cue from Benson’s warning scowl, “but there is a chance that he might be.”
She grabbed her friend by the arm. “Listen, Simran,” she urged. “You may be in danger, so don’t go out alone. Don’t play ‘Being There’ and don’t believe in anything or anyone you see… not even DI Benson here… or me. Check it out first. Use a password before you talk to us. How about Hoblues? That’s the name of our old school. If you say that every time you see either of us and we’ll answer CAB… remember? That was our after-school club. Then you’ll always be sure that it really is one of us. If you say it and don’t get that answer, then get away as quickly as you can… and don’t trust anyone, not even your family now that they’ve played that computer game.”
“But why?” asked Simran, now close to tears. “You’re scaring me Zoe. What’s going on? Why am I not safe? And why can’t I trust my family?”
“I’m sorry,” said Zoe, gently touching Simran’s arm. “We can’t tell you at present, but you saw what happened back on the bench over there. That’s how easy it is for someone to pretend to be one of us and I don’t want to put you in danger by telling you more at this stage.”
Zoe hugged her friend. “Take care,” she said. “I’ll see you soon.”
Before Simran departed, Benson arranged a time to go and use her computer later in the day when her family were out. Zoe left with Simran to walk her back home, after Benson had said he would call at Zoe’s house later.
*
When Benson did arrive at Zoe’s, Mrs Marshall opened the door in answer to his knock. She stepped back as she saw him, a mix of surprise and alarm on her face.
“Weren’t you in my daughter’s bedroom on the night she was taken to hospital?” she asked. “I only glimpsed you for a split second, but I never forget a face.”
“No Ma’am,” answered a surprised Benson, “I’ve never been to your house before today. I’m a policeman… DI Benson, and I need to speak with Zoe. Is she in?”
Mrs Marshall called out to tell Zoe that she was wanted. She still eyed Benson with suspicion, despite him showing her his police identity card. Zoe came racing down the stairs. She grinned when she saw who it was.
“Hi,” she greeted.
“Hi yourself,” said Benson. “Have you got a moment?”
“Yeah,” said Zoe, closing the door behind her and following him down the path, to avoid her mother’s prying eyes and ears. They sat on the small wall that bordered the front garden, and after Zoe had asked about Felixstowe and he’d given his reply, Benson told her that his search of the internet had merely confirmed what he’d gleaned from the police records, which he’d double-checked again to make sure. His second search had verified that there was no evidence of Zak Araz existing prior to when he joined McConnell’s, just under three years back. Before then, there is no data documenting birth date, education details, employment, tax payments or benefit claims, and nothing to show any sign of him, or his parents, ever being alive anywhere in the World.
“Wow,” gasped Zoe, when Benson had finished. “So he could be the Soul Snatcher? Especially if the records are right about there being nothing until three years ago, as that was the time we destroyed his spaceship. I guess if he is a shape-shifter he could have turned into something small and quick enough to get out of the wreckage and then become anything he liked.”
“It looks like it,” sighed Benson. “Zak Araz is definitely up to something and he’s not the type to give up. I’m sure it has something to do with the safari park too. Tomorrow, I’m going back there to ask if there have been any unusual incidents recently and I’ll try to get hold of as many CCTV tapes from the past six months or so to see if I can find anything.”
“You’ll need to be careful who you speak to,” warned Zoe. “Some of the staff might have played ‘Being There’ and could be under Zak’s influence and warn him.”
“That’s a chance I’m going to have to take,” said Benson.
“I could go with you,” suggested Zoe. “I’m good at being able to tell who is hypnotised.”
“No,” said Benson, “it’s too risky. I don’t want to put you in any more danger. Besides, whether they are hypnotised or not, they still have to comply with police requests. I can get a warrant if they don’t. And as for telling Mr Araz, I’ll be very surprised if he hasn’t already guessed that he is being investigated.”
Benson got up to leave. “I’ll be in touch soon,” he said. Zoe said goodbye and went back into the house.
*
Over the next few days, Zoe became ever more aware of strange patterns of dates and events. The calendars in her lecture rooms were all showing the month as September 2013 even though it was 2015, and then she got a letter from the college asking why she hadn’t turned up for her interview to see if she was suitable to be considered for A level studies at the college. The interview date given in the letter was July 3rd 2013. The letter, which was postmarked September 2013, further informed her that as the course had now started, she did not have a place but could reapply next year.
Zoe was puzzled by this, but not half as much as she was when another letter arrived two days later – this time from Hoblues High School listing her GCSE passes and expressing congratulations.
“What on earth is happening?” she asked herself. “I’ve had these results before… and I’m well into the second year of my A level studies. Have the authorities got it wrong or am I dreaming?”
Zoe went out for a walk. While looking around the shops, she bumped into Amy, her old school friend from Hoblues, and they went for a coffee and a chat. Zoe was pleased to find that Amy hadn’t played ‘Being There’, but she couldn’t help but notice that Amy appeared unsettled and anxious.
“I’m scared Zoe… I’m really scared,” whispered Amy, when Zoe asked her what the matter was.
“What are you scared of?” asked Zoe.
“I think I’m going mad,” said Amy, tears beginning to well up inside her, “and you will probably agree when I tell you.”
As she spoke, a big teardrop appeared in the corner of her eye, rolled down her cheek and plopped onto the table. Zoe fished in her bag, drew out a packet of tissues and offered it to Amy, who took one and dabbed at her eyes.
“Tell me Amy… please,” said Zoe. “I might be able to help.”
“Promise you won’t laugh at me… or think that I’m crazy?” Amy said tearfully, as she fought to hold back the huge sobs that were by now convulsing the whole of her body.
“Oh Amy… of course I won’t,” said Zoe, taking Amy’s hand and squeezing it. “Look at you. I’ve never seen you like this before. You’re in a right state. Whatever it is, it must be serious.”
Amy drew a deep breath, dabbed her eyes once more with the now sodden tissue, and began. “Well, you remember in school, when I disappeared? When that thing, the Soul Snatcher I think I called him, took me and I filmed it on my phone.”
“Yes,” said Zoe, listening intently to what her friend was saying.
“I know you told me it was all over, that you and Simran got rid of him… and I know my memory came back and everything went back to normal. And in fairness, I’ve been fine since then. I got some good GCSEs and I stayed on to do A levels, which are going well.”
“But?” questioned Zoe, anticipating the as yet unspoken word that she could sense from the concern of her friend.
“But,” Amy repeated, “just lately he’s been in my head again. I’ve noticed that my memory is going like it did before. It keeps drifting away, sometimes in the evening, sometimes in the middle of the day. I’m also starting to get very bad-tempered and I keep being horrible to people again, just like I was when he took my soul. What’s more, I’m seeing things.”
“Seeing things?” Zoe asked. “What, like, in dreams?”
“Sometimes in dreams, but also when I’m awake, during the daytime,” said Amy, the tears beginning to roll again. She took another tissue, wiped her eyes and blew her nose.
“What sort of things?” whispered Zoe, her curiosity now fully aroused.
“I see him,” sobbed Amy.
“Who?” asked Zoe.
“Him… the Soul Snatcher.” The tears were tumbling out now as Amy spoke. Her whole body was shaking as she continued, “I see them too… those robots that helped him.”
Zoe reached out and touched Amy’s arm. “It’s alright,” she whispered, “you’re not going mad. You’re under stress and it’s quite normal to have flashbacks of traumatic events when you are stressed. Have you ever thought of having counselling about what happened to you?”
“No,” said Amy, “I never thought about it. Do you think it would help?”
“I’m sure it would,” replied Zoe. “Go and see your doctor and ask about getting some help and support, but… ”she hesitated, then added, “better not tell them about the Soul Snatcher. They wouldn’t understand and they might think you are going crazy. Just say you are stressed and that you are having bad dreams and hallucinations. You could describe what you are seeing and maybe pretend it was in a book you read or a film you saw, and say that it’s somehow got mixed up with reality. At the very least, you might get some advice on how to relax and control your anxiety.”
By now, Amy had stopped crying. She was feeling a little better after talking to Zoe. They carried on chatting as they finished their coffee, talking about friends, clothes and the like. To anyone watching, the whole thing seemed normal – two friends chatting about nothing in particular – but Zoe knew it wasn’t like that. In talking to Amy, two things had emerged that worried her deeply. Firstly, Amy’s memory loss and visions of the Soul Snatcher and his humanoids, which Zoe had a horrible feeling was somehow connected to Zak Araz and his future plans.
Secondly, the thing that had produced the greatest reaction inside her while they had been talking, and even now held her heart in the grip of an icy cold hand, was the tiny gold watch on Amy’s wrist. At first glance, Zoe had thought how pretty it looked and hadn’t taken much notice of the time – especially as she was seeing the watch upside down – but the more she stared at the watch, the more worried she got. Her concerns increased when she glanced at her own watch and compared it with the clock that was on the wall of the café. No matter how many times Zoe looked at the dials and faces of the three timepieces, she couldn’t escape the fact that the hands on each one were moving backwards.
Zoe suddenly remembered the occasion when she’d been hiding outside the Lazar Company, waiting to shadow Zak Araz. She’d been interrupted by his leaving, but she recalled that she had seen the hands of her watch moving in reverse then, too. She’d forgotten this in the excitement of events that followed, but now it all came back to her and swam around in her head with everything else she’d noticed.
Forgotten, she thought. Yes I did forget… it’s not just me though, it’s everyone. That’s why no one has noticed. People look at clocks and watches several times a day to see what time it is and then they look away again. They don’t spend a long time staring at the clock face so they don’t really see the hands move and they take it for granted that they are moving forwards. Because of this, they may not notice if for some strange reason the hands go backwards instead.
Amy’s conversation about her recent shopping expedition went unheard as Zoe’s brain occupied itself in trying to put these events into some semblance of order.
First there were the television repeats, then the calendars, then the letters, and now the clocks and watches, along with Amy’s memory changes and her visions. Zoe’s brain quickly responded to the task it had set itself in summarising these incidents and it wasn’t long before the reality of what was happening hit her. Of course, it made sense when you looked at the whole picture. Zoe, for the first time, had an inkling of what Zak Araz was up to, and the more she thought about it, the more convinced she grew that she was right.
Zoe Marshall believed that she now knew what Zak Araz was doing. He was turning back time!