Beth Anderson had been to nearly every ghost tour in London. She had tried all three Jack the Ripper tours and over a dozen graveyard walks. She even did the kids tours. Spooks in Loo's she thought was great fun for the kids. But on the whole, they all lacked one thing. Imagination.
Her ghost tour she had decided would be an up-to-date 21st century tour of horror and thrills. She had of course followed every entrepreneur show she could find on Utube and learnt all their hustle tricks. She did the ads did the rounds and now tonight at 5pm she would be hosting her first ever tour called Supernaturalondon. Social media went crazy for it. She had well over 7,000 likes and dozens of shares. She was a little disappointed when at 5pm only four people turned up.
Mr Petrova was a mild-mannered Old Bulgarian. "I feel the cold everywhere my dear." He had told her.
Next was Scab a burnt-out emo that seemed on a washed up come down of something. "God speaks to me all the time but I choose not to talk to her." He had whispered to Beth.
Mrs Rutherford on the other hand seemed to be full of beans a real Miss Marple kind of character. "Oh, you're so young!" She had screeched at Beth. "I have a granddaughter older than you." Beth had smiled then turned to welcome the fourth and final member of the group.
Carson Adams a shy divorcee who was looking to spice up his midlife crisis. "I've never been on such a thing." He said with wonderment. Beth again smiled and then began her well-rehearsed speech.
"Hi everyone my name is Beth Anderson and thank you all for coming to Supernaturalondon. On tonight's tour we will be visiting 23 Edmore street and the strange haunting of 1957 followed by a short walk through Hillbroughton Cemetery where the legendary occultist Samuel Ricketts is buried. So, if you'll join me, we'll be off first to the corner of Warsaw Avenue and Brookfield's place to where witnesses have reported for the last 189 years of the burning figure of Captain Essex who was known as the last hanged pirate of all England."
The group moved off and Beth gave a silent prayer of thanks. She was now a bona fide Ghost tour guide.
The tour moved quickly. She had planned it to the step. She included surprise notes of interest like the long-forgotten church of St Nicholas and the tragic death of Doreen Flynn who dropped dead of a heart attack in 1983 whilst giving a ghost tour in Dominic Street. This got a chuckle from everyone. She made a mental note to add a joke there for further tours. She knew this was an act as much a tour.
Then after a spin through Firefly Park where fairies were seen dancing by a group of children in 1902. They all entered into Hillbroughton Cemetery. It had just over fifty graves. The sexton told Beth in a rough cockney accent that they had but 15 minutes and then he'd be locking the gates and he didn't care if they were still inside or not.
She smiled and thanked him and made a mental note of the closing times.
"Hillbroughton Cemetery." She said. "Is probably London's smallest graveyard. But it is home to one of Europe's most sinister occultists." She walked over to a small headstone that simply had the letters SR on it.
Carson Adams suddenly felt a strange buzzing in the back of his neck. He ignored it and listened to what the young lady was saying.
"Between 1789 and 1817 Samuel Ricketts terrified London with his wild claims that he could talk to the devil himself."
Carson noticed the buzzing was getting louder. He put a finger around his collar and tried to look calm. He noticed the young lady had looked at him strangely.
"That was until the night of June 12th 1817." Beth continued. "When five Bow street runners hung him from a tree not far from here for theft."
"I'm sorry Beth." Carson said shyly. "But he didn't steal anything he was murdered by them." Carson suddenly thought how the hell do I know that. What made me say that?
Beth gave a smile. "Yes, I was about to say he was later found innocent of that crime and it is more commonly believed that they hung him for his claims about the devil. But thank you for pointing that out Mr Adams."
Carson smiled and fingered his collar again and said meekly. "No problem." He could still feel the buzzing.
"Right." Beth said loudly. "Let's go to the next site, shall we? I have a little surprise for you all."
Mrs Rutherford screeched and clapped her hands wildly. "Oh yes please! I love it, I love it!"
Behind them as they left the graveyard, the grave of Samuel Ricketts gave off a faint blue glow.
Carson Adams slowly followed the group behind. He didn't feel well at all. Then something strange happened. It felt like someone had jumped into bed with him. A voice suddenly spoke in his mind. "It is truly a strange world you live in Mr Adams. But I like it. May I introduce myself? I am Samuel Ricketts and you're about to be possessed."
With that, that was the last the world ever saw of the real Carson Adams.