glance, not wanting to know anymore, but he had to. Figgs was his only chance.
“ I’m listening, Figgs. I’ve never known you to tell a falsehood and don’t think you’re starting now.”
“ I appreciate that vote of confidence, sir. I swear on my mother’s grave that what I’m sayin’ happened as I’m sayin’ it did. Believe me, you’re not thinkin’ anything that I haven’t considered. I had the same reaction as you that something needed to be done about whoever it was breakin’ in. It’s why I put an extra lock in the kitchen. Look, see for yourself.” Reginald turned and saw the added deadbolt. “I figured it was the only way they could’a been entering, but it didn’t work. I know that I’m the caretaker. As such, it was my job to stop them! I couldn’t allow someone comin’ and goin’ as they pleased so I determined I’d catch them in the act!” Trap ‘em!”
“ You didn’t have to do that, Figgs. You could have gotten hurt or…”
“ Yes, I did have to do it, sir. It was part of my job to make sure everything was kept nice and safe and stopping someone lookin’ around was part of that job! I was mad, too, sir. Touching Mr. Perry’s things like that! It ain’t right! It just ain’t right. After I found that pipe smoked, I went home and told the Missus that you needed me for some project. I told her it would require me stayin’ the night. I figured the last thing this person was expecting was for me to be sleepin’ on the couch and stayin’ the night.
I came that very night, it was colder than ever. I turned on the telly and watched a bit, but all night I kept seeing these shadows out the corner of my eyes. When I’d turn and face them head-on, they’d disappear. It went on like that until I must’a dozed off. I woke up – I guess it was after midnight. I was still groggy, but awake. I wasn’t dreamin’, sir. I was discussing with myself whether I should get up and have a look around, but before I could move, I heard this noise. Like someone walkin’ around – only it was right in the same room as I was, sir! The telly was still on so there was light in the room. I could see everything, but when I looked to where I thought the footsteps were coming from, all I saw was this shadow … black, but you couldn’t see through it to what was behind it. It was the outline of a man!”
Figgs lowered his voice. It was now a dull whisper. His eyes continued to hold onto Reginald’s face for dear life.
“ This time that blasted shadow didn’t go away, sir. It was there – lurking in the corner of the living room. Right in front of where the pipe was left. I saw it as clearly as I’m seeing you. Watched it for almost a minute. And then … then … it moved! Its legs were moving – walking – and I heard another noise, like the floorboards creaking, and realized it was the shadow making the noise. I was hearin’ it walking around, but it weren’t no shadow no more. It was a person. I couldn’t make out who it was because he moved so fast, sir! So quick – like they was a blur! I only saw a series of pictures – still pictures! Even then I couldn’t really see all of him, only bits and pieces – like what he was wearing. He had on satin pants – fancy ones!”
“ Satin pants? You mean, like a woman wears?”
“ No, I mean how gentlemen used to dress. Short britches ending at the knee. They was black – shiny like. White stockings. Buckled shoes. I watched this … this … whatever it was travel the length of the room in seconds! It was blazin’ fast. No human being moves that way!”
Reginald’s mind was in turmoil. He was trying to keep up with what was being said, but he couldn’t process it. It just didn’t make any sense and yet it was Figgs saying it. That fact alone compelled Reginald to not disregard the entire experience as a bad dream. If it had been anybody else, he would have been tempted to, but not with
“ I’m listening, Figgs. I’ve never known you to tell a falsehood and don’t think you’re starting now.”
“ I appreciate that vote of confidence, sir. I swear on my mother’s grave that what I’m sayin’ happened as I’m sayin’ it did. Believe me, you’re not thinkin’ anything that I haven’t considered. I had the same reaction as you that something needed to be done about whoever it was breakin’ in. It’s why I put an extra lock in the kitchen. Look, see for yourself.” Reginald turned and saw the added deadbolt. “I figured it was the only way they could’a been entering, but it didn’t work. I know that I’m the caretaker. As such, it was my job to stop them! I couldn’t allow someone comin’ and goin’ as they pleased so I determined I’d catch them in the act!” Trap ‘em!”
“ You didn’t have to do that, Figgs. You could have gotten hurt or…”
“ Yes, I did have to do it, sir. It was part of my job to make sure everything was kept nice and safe and stopping someone lookin’ around was part of that job! I was mad, too, sir. Touching Mr. Perry’s things like that! It ain’t right! It just ain’t right. After I found that pipe smoked, I went home and told the Missus that you needed me for some project. I told her it would require me stayin’ the night. I figured the last thing this person was expecting was for me to be sleepin’ on the couch and stayin’ the night.
I came that very night, it was colder than ever. I turned on the telly and watched a bit, but all night I kept seeing these shadows out the corner of my eyes. When I’d turn and face them head-on, they’d disappear. It went on like that until I must’a dozed off. I woke up – I guess it was after midnight. I was still groggy, but awake. I wasn’t dreamin’, sir. I was discussing with myself whether I should get up and have a look around, but before I could move, I heard this noise. Like someone walkin’ around – only it was right in the same room as I was, sir! The telly was still on so there was light in the room. I could see everything, but when I looked to where I thought the footsteps were coming from, all I saw was this shadow … black, but you couldn’t see through it to what was behind it. It was the outline of a man!”
Figgs lowered his voice. It was now a dull whisper. His eyes continued to hold onto Reginald’s face for dear life.
“ This time that blasted shadow didn’t go away, sir. It was there – lurking in the corner of the living room. Right in front of where the pipe was left. I saw it as clearly as I’m seeing you. Watched it for almost a minute. And then … then … it moved! Its legs were moving – walking – and I heard another noise, like the floorboards creaking, and realized it was the shadow making the noise. I was hearin’ it walking around, but it weren’t no shadow no more. It was a person. I couldn’t make out who it was because he moved so fast, sir! So quick – like they was a blur! I only saw a series of pictures – still pictures! Even then I couldn’t really see all of him, only bits and pieces – like what he was wearing. He had on satin pants – fancy ones!”
“ Satin pants? You mean, like a woman wears?”
“ No, I mean how gentlemen used to dress. Short britches ending at the knee. They was black – shiny like. White stockings. Buckled shoes. I watched this … this … whatever it was travel the length of the room in seconds! It was blazin’ fast. No human being moves that way!”
Reginald’s mind was in turmoil. He was trying to keep up with what was being said, but he couldn’t process it. It just didn’t make any sense and yet it was Figgs saying it. That fact alone compelled Reginald to not disregard the entire experience as a bad dream. If it had been anybody else, he would have been tempted to, but not with
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