it was as though he had just gripped the terminals of a powerful battery.  The shock went right through him and a deathly cold permeated over his whole body.  A movement to one side of the old house arrested his attention! A figure, almost translucent in appearance was moving towards him.  The spectre was covered from head to toe in a long white garment and seemed to float more than walk.

Patrick knew instinctively that the apparition he was looking at was not of this earth. Although frightened Patrick had the impression that he should have known who or what this phantom was.  He even got the feeling that it did not mean him any harm.

As he said a prayer to himself Patrick slowly walked backwards away from the frightening spirit.  As he moved backwards the apparition kept the same distance from him, slowly advancing, almost as if it were trying to force him ever further back along the road.

At the point where the road came to the junction with the lane leading to the cottage where the two young girls lived the spirit quickly and silently moved to one side of the man almost as if to force the old man back into the laneway.  Without thinking Patrick stumbled back into the lane.  He was now trapped. There was nowhere for him to go now except up the lane to the girls’ cottage.

“I can’t go up to the cottage,” thought Patrick, “not at this time of the night!  I would be sure to frighten the life out of those poor young girls if I go and rap on their door at this unearthly hour of the night”.

The old man came to a decision. It was that he would cease his backwards retreat and face up to this apparition.

“What do you want of me?” spoke out the old man.

“I won’t take another step back along this lane for you!

 I will not have those two girls involved and frightened by this.”

... more to follow ....