Moonlight Magic

After her visit to the graveyard and the meeting with the lovely but somewhat strange old lady, Sarah decided to spend some time in the office doing a little research on the graveyard. She knew that it didn’t really have anything to do with Eric being homeless but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to know more about the place. With her coffee next to the keyboard and a cushion to sit on…the hard wooden chairs could take their toll on ones backside if there wasn’t sufficient padding…she was ready. She typed into the search engine Bishophill cemetery and almost instantly, right at the top of the list there it was…St. Mary Bishophill Senior cemetery. Perfect…except the official name for it is not a cemetery but a churchyard.

After searching through many bits of information about the church and not the churchyard, she finally found the information she was looking for. It read…

There has been evidence of human activity on this site since at least 350AD. After the year 350, the site was occupied by a suite of heated rooms on the south side of an open courtyard. Excavations have revealed that Saxon burials were disturbed in the 10th century by the construction of an enclosure facing south, and in the 11th century, a single-cell church was built where the outline of the nave can now be seen. The church building was enlarged in about 1180 and again early in the 13th century. In the 1860’s the whole building was thoroughly restored but by 1930 it gradually fell into dereliction until demolition took place in 1963. There have been many myths over the years dating back to at least 400AD of strange happenings at certain times of the year in one particular place of the churchyard. But these are only hearsay and have never been substantiated.

After reading the last sentence, Sarah flopped back in her chair amazed and not a little gobsmacked. It wasn’t so much the information about the age and history of the church and churchyard, but what was mentioned about the strange happenings at certain times of year…did that have anything to do with why Eric was sat, nearly freezing to death on the wooden seat where she had sat? Was he waiting for something to happen?

Suddenly she heard her name spoken.

“Sarah. Nice to see you.” It was Derek, her boss just about to sit at his desk. He was hanging his jacket around his chair and placing the compulsory cup of coffee next to his keyboard. She looked over to where he was and could feel her cheeks blushing, as if she was guilty of something.

“Oh…Derek…hello.” She said rubbing her face with her hands.

“How’s the investigation work into your old man going? Got anywhere yet?”

“Err…well.” She said rocking on her chair. “I did what you suggested and got a lead from an ambulance driver.”

“Oh excellent…and?” Said Derek taking a sip of his coffee and switching on his computer at the same time.

“He… the ambulance driver, told me that they had picked him up from a cemetery…sorry churchyard, at Bishophill. I went to the churchyard yesterday and met a woman who had seen him and called for the ambulance. She knew he had been sitting on one of the benches for way too long and was concerned about him.”

“Well that’s really good Sarah. So did you find out where he lives?”

Sarah took a second to answer because now, a day later, she realised she had forgotten to ask the lady if she knew where he lived. Stupid.

“No…no I didn’t.”

“Oh well…listen…don’t spend too long on this old man will you. There are plenty of other homeless people out there that need our attention.”

“No…yes…I mean, I know. I won’t.”

“Good. I’d like you to do a piece for the newsletter this month Sarah.”

“Oh…Ok.” She replied leaning back in her chair slightly.

“Yes. I’d like you to do something on the super blood blue moon…or whatever it’s called, that’s happening next weekend.”

“Super blood blue moon Derek. I’ve never heard of that what is it?” Answered Sarah already feeling way out of her depth.

“Well it’s when…when…oh…do some research on the internet Sarah because I’m not completely sure either.”

“When do you want the piece by?” She asked.

“As soon as you can please Sarah. Sorry to spring it on you.”

She felt like saying…get lost Derek, find someone else to do it. You’re only asking me because no-one else will do it…but she couldn’t…after all he was her boss. So she gave in.

“Ok. Leave it with me.” She said trying not to sound too disgruntled.

“Thanks Sarah.”