Chapter one- screaming.

Skulduggery pleasant and valkyrie cain drove along winding roads going through hills near the seaside.

There were grey skies but it was quite bright.

' is…it scary…in this orphanage?' valkyrie asked.

They were on there way to 'safe haven' orphanage, to investigate strange happenings, which hadn't been solved for years.

Skulduggery looked at her and took her hand

' seeing as I've been here before?'

' yes'

' it is scary. Terrifyingly so. Its dark and creepy and disturbing with a lot of secret rooms and undiscovered noises and happenings and I swore…when I was there…I could hear children' skulduggery said quietly, gripping valkyries hand a little tighter.

Valkyrie swallowed loudly.

Real and true terror pierced her stomach. She didn't really want to go in here any more. Dead children, memories of depression and death and darkness and screaming.

' why where you there?' she asked, trying to keep her mind of all that darkness, but she knew it wouldn't work. They were saying the night.

' did I not tell you?'

' nope'

' oh. Well…I was called out there….years ago because someone just died. Just like that. It was a child. A little girl. Nobody had ever seen her before. Nobody had ever heard of her before. There were no records of her attending any school, or having any family. She didn't even have a name. and her body was found. Curled up in the attic, holding a doll, and her whole body was entirely mutilated. Some of my colleagues had to leave the room because they couldn't the scene, or the feeling. It's a very dark mystery.'

Valkyrie nodded and shuddered, staring out the windscreen at a flock of sheep. One looked like fletcher.

' so…why are we here? another death?' she asked

' nope. Just pure disturbing things have been going on here, and everyone is too scared to do anything about it. And a lot of screaming.'

'w-what?'

'Screaming. People have reported screaming and banging and their doorsteps and all their clothes splattered with blood. Most disturbing of all, they've found Victorian, mutilated and blood splattered clothes that Victorian children would've worn…in orphanages. And this orphanage is the only house around for miles…and Theres something in there.'