50

Stepping cautiously through the low doorway, he tightened his grip on his cosh. Even after all this time he trembled in the presence of the beast. He wasn’t sure how to go about getting rid of it, so he did nothing. Sooner or later it would die and he would be able to throw the carcass out. In the meantime, as long as it was alive he intended to make use of it.

His girlfriend was constantly nagging him to let the creature out of the cellar.

‘It’s not natural,’ she said. ‘You can’t keep it locked up down there all the time. It’ll go nuts.’

He laughed. ‘That ship sailed a long time ago.’

‘That’s so cruel. Why would you want to drive a poor dumb creature nuts? Anyway, what about us?’

‘What about us?’

‘We’ve got to live here, haven’t we? That filthy animal makes the whole place stink.’

‘You want to clean it up?’ He laughed again. ‘Go on, be my guest. I won’t stop you. Get down there and shovel the shit. But don’t expect me to come down after you – or what’s left of you by the time my dog’s finished with you.’

That shut her up.

Torch in one hand, truncheon wrapped in barbed wire in the other, he descended, one step at a time, stopping halfway down the staircase out of reach of the animal’s snapping teeth. With a howl it sprang towards him and halted abruptly as the leash tightened around its neck. Even though he knew the chain would prevent it from reaching the steps, he could feel his legs shaking. If he slipped, his throat would be ripped out and he would be torn apart. He stayed where he was, out of reach of the powerful jaws. Shining his torch down into the cellar he saw the beam of light quiver in his grasp, and swore. He wasn’t used to experiencing fear.

The beast drew back and crouched down, gnashing its teeth, glaring at him, waiting for him to move closer. Beneath one of its front paws he could see a bone the colour of parchment, stripped of flesh. Splinters of another bone lay on the floor beside it. The creature’s top lip rose in a snarl and the beam of light from the torch was reflected back from its eyes when it raised its massive head to look at him. With a roar it leapt and he almost dropped the torch in alarm.

‘Down, boy!’ he shouted. ‘Do as you’re told! Now! Down!’

Conscious that his mastery over the beast was a sham, he brandished his truncheon. If the animal hadn’t been tethered, it would have attacked him. Arm raised, he took a step down, careful to remain out of reach of its slobbering fangs. He swung the cosh in front of him as he descended, and the animal retreated, glaring and snarling, dragging the bone along the filthy floor as it went. Delving into the bag he was carrying, he tossed a rotting chop down on to the floor as far into the corner as he could. While the vicious brute was distracted by the rancid meat he darted down, dropped the tub of water he was carrying, and raced back up the steps. With one bound it was at the bottom of the stairs, but he was already halfway up and out of reach. With a snarl, the animal returned to its feeding.

Reaching the door at the top of the steps, he turned and shone his torch down into the cellar. In spite of the stench, and the potential risk involved, he would be a fool to let the animal die while it was still strong enough for him to use.

‘Until next time,’ he called down.

As he closed the door, he heard the beast growling.