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Chapter ten

The Final Moments

Kathy could hear the noise before she got to the house. She saw lorries blocking the road outside it and workmen walking in and out. Then she saw the bulldozers. They were breaking the windows and the wooden balcony. Soon, the rest of the roof fell in a cloud of dust.

“Poor Lord Hampton! Now he’ll be in that old house forever. I came too late— Now I can’t do anything to help him.”

The bulldozers were ready to pull down the rest of the house. A moment before they did so, Kathy saw a blinding light rising slowly above the house. For a moment, the house looked the way it did in the past. full of glamour. then it fell to pieces. Only dust, bricks and stones were left where once the beautiful home of Lord Hampton had stood. Kathy looked at the light shining in the air. It became dimmer as it travelled higher. Then she thought she heard “the voice” call—

“Goodbye, Kathy. Goodbye.”

“Have a safe journey, Lord Hampton! Goodbye—”

“Move along, Miss! It’s dangerous round here!”

Kathy smiled at the workman. Suddenly, she felt very happy. She did not go back to the Helping Hand office. Nobody telephoned her or came to her home, but Kathy didn’t mind. She waited quietly for a message or sign. It came, at last, through an article on the front page of the local paper, which began with the words—

No ghost in Hampton house. They pulled Hampton house down last Saturday. The house was empty apart from an old dining room table and 4 chairs buried under weeds and rubbish in the garden. They’d obviously been there for many years. In the basement of the house, workman found 2 armchairs and a small table. That was all that remains of a rich man’s property.

Helping hand club’s office is going to be a new building. “We’re very pleased”, said William Owen the newly elected leader of helping hand. If any one has any information about the house or its previous owner, please contact the editor of this paper, telephone 335-3572.

Kathy tore the newspaper into small pieces and threw them out of the window. The wind lifted the pieces high into the air. She didn’t even look at them. The past was over, and now she was in a hurry to get to the new Helping Hand office. She wanted to see her friends again. but most of all she wanted to see William.

Meanwhile, William was reading the same article at home. When he finished, he tore his newspaper into pieces and threw them into the dustbin. then he took his coat and left. He walked down the road whistling as he went. Then he saw Mrs Smith coming out to collect her milk from the doorstep.

“Good Morning, Mrs Smith!”

“There goes a young man in love! Best of luck William!”

It was the day Helping Hand was going to move to the new offices. The old building was full of people who were anxious to help. but it did not take more than a moment for William to realise that Kathy was not there.

Suddenly, he felt miserable. He sat in his chair and closed his eyes.

“She’s right, of course. Who would want to be with a selfish person like me— I almost called her a liar and I wasn’t there when she needed me.”

“Are you speaking to me?”

“Kathy— I’m so sorry about what happened! I was selfish and cruel to you. but I promise you’ll never be lonely or afraid again.”

William took Kathy’s hands into his and looked into her eyes. She looked back at him.

“Hampton House was—”

“Forget Hampton House. It’s part of the past.”

“Yes, but if we have any future together — I mean, if we have a future together—”

“Oh Kathy, I want that more than anything! But can you forgive me for the way I acted? I will never doubt you again!”

“Of course I will, William.”

“Oh, Kathy. I love you so much!”

“I think that’s everything?”

Sue, with one of the removal men, was looking round to see if everything had been cleared away. She saw William and Kathy holding hands, looking into each other’s eyes.

“Well, you’d better put those two in the van. It’s the only way we’ll get them to the new offices.”

They both turned to look at all the people watching them. William threw his head back and laughed. So did everyone else. their joy full laughter filling the building for the last time.