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The Old Ways · Strand 003

The Procession

By Bickle Writes

A family is warned to close their curtains before a secret village procession passes their house at night.

12 documents
The Old Ways 003 001 · 1 of 12

Welcome Letter - Hashworth Parish Council

Hashworth Parish Council
28 September
Mr and Mrs Hargreaves 6 Mill Lane
Property: 6 Mill Lane

Dear Mr and Mrs Hargreaves,

Welcome to Hashworth.

A few local arrangements may be unfamiliar to new residents.

The annual Michaelmas Procession will take place tomorrow evening.

Residents are asked to observe the following:

  • Curtains should be closed before 11:00 p.m.
  • External lights should be switched off.
  • Do not stand at windows after the church bell.
  • Do not photograph or record the procession.
  • If you hear someone knock during the procession, do not answer the door.

The procession normally concludes before midnight.

Thank you for respecting a longstanding village custom.

Hashworth Parish Council
Hashworth Parish Council
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 002 · 2 of 12

Text Messages - Rachel and Nat, 18:42

N
Nat
Messages with Rachel Hargreaves
RACHEL HARGREAVES · MOBILE
29 SEPTEMBER · 18:42
Village newsletter says we have to shut the curtains tonight.
Why?
Some procession
Religious?
Doesn't say
Are we joining?
Apparently we're specifically not supposed to look at it.
That's normal
Mrs Pike from opposite came over to check we had curtains in the spare room
Seriously?
She said, ‘Don't forget the landing window’
Now I definitely want to look.
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 003 · 3 of 12

Email to Hashworth Parish Council - Michaelmas Procession

by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 004 · 4 of 12

Hashworth Parish Council Reply

by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 005 · 5 of 12

Video Transcript - Jamie's Phone

Video Transcript From Mobile Phone
Mobile phone video
Date29 September
Time23:07
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
JAMIE:You can't see anything.
[church bell]
JAMIE:That's it.
[second bell]
[third bell]
JAMIE:Wait.
[footsteps audible outside]
JAMIE:There's loads of them.
[pause]
JAMIE:They've all got candles.
[footsteps continue]
JAMIE:That's creepy.
[pause]
JAMIE:They're carrying..
[pause]
JAMIE:What the actual fuck!?
RACHEL:[Distant] Jamie! Don't you say that word!
[recording moves closer to window]
JAMIE:I can't..
[silence]
JAMIE:Mum?
[sound of breathing, sharp intake]
JAMIE:No. No no no..
[whimpering]
JAMIE:Oh my God!
[sound of phone dropping]
[faint sound of footsteps outside]
[recording ends]
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 006 · 6 of 12

Text Messages - Rachel and Jamie, 23:11

J
Jamie
Messages with Rachel Hargreaves
RACHEL HARGREAVES · MOBILE
29 SEPTEMBER · 23:11
mum
What was that??
come upstairs
No Stay away from the windows
just come here!
they stopped
What stopped?
all of them
outside our house
Stay downstairs. Now.
mum i saw
I don't care what you saw. Down here!
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 007 · 7 of 12

999 Call Transcript - 6 Mill Lane

999 Call Transcript
Caller:Rachel Hargreaves
Date:29 September
Time:23:14
Call handler:[REDACTED]
CALLER:There are people outside our house.
OPERATOR:How many people?
CALLER:I don't know. Thirty. Forty maybe.
OPERATOR:Are they trying to enter the property?
CALLER:No.
OPERATOR:Are they threatening you?
CALLER:They're just standing there.
OPERATOR:Do you recognise any of them?
CALLER:They're people from the village.
OPERATOR:Have you spoken to them?
CALLER:No.
OPERATOR:What are they doing?
CALLER:They're looking at the house.
[pause]
CALLER:My son says they're carrying something.
OPERATOR:What are they carrying?
CALLER:I don't know!
[pause]
CALLER:He's very upset.
OPERATOR:Can you see what they're carrying?
CALLER:I don't want to.
[pause]
CALLER:Someone's coming to the door.
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 008 · 8 of 12

999 Call Transcript, Continued

999 Call Transcript, Continued
Caller:Rachel Hargreaves
Date:29 September
Call handler:[REDACTED]
[knocking]
OPERATOR:Do not open the door.
CALLER:I'm not.
[three knocks]
MALE VOICE:Mrs Hargreaves?
CALLER:Who is that?
OPERATOR:Don't respond.
MALE VOICE:Jamie?
[pause]
CALLER:How does he know Jamie's name?
MALE VOICE:He's been seen.
CALLER:What does that mean?
OPERATOR:Mrs Hargreaves, move away from the door.
MALE VOICE:It only needs one.
[pause]
CALLER:Jamie.
OPERATOR:What?
CALLER:Where's Jamie?
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 009 · 9 of 12

Police Incident Log - 6 Mill Lane

Police Incident Log
Date:29 September, On-Scene 23:37
Subject:6 Mill Lane, Hashworth

Officers attended 6 Mill Lane following report of large gathering outside residential property.

On arrival, no persons present in road.

No procession observed.

Front door secured.

Residents Rachel Hargreaves and Nat Hargreaves located downstairs.

Fourteen-year-old son, James Hargreaves, not immediately located.

Upstairs bedroom window found open.

No signs of forced entry.

Mobile phone recovered on floor beside window.

Mother stated window had been locked earlier that evening.

Search commenced.

by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 010 · 10 of 12

Body-Worn Video Transcript - Mill Lane

Body-Worn Video Transcript
Caller:Rachel Hargreaves
Date:29 September
Time:23:41
Officer:[REDACTED]
OFFICER:Mrs Hargreaves, stay inside please.
RACHEL:That's Jamie's jacket!
OFFICER:Where?
RACHEL:On that man.
OFFICER:What man?
RACHEL:At the end of the lane!
[pause]
OFFICER:I can't see anyone.
RACHEL:He's right there. He's - why is he moving like that?
OFFICER:Mrs Hargreaves, come back inside.
RACHEL:Jamie!
OFFICER:Do not go down there.
RACHEL:JAMIE!
[distant church bell]
RACHEL:Why is it ringing again?
OFFICER:Inside. Now.
[distant voices]
OFFICER:Who's that?
RACHEL:They're coming back.
by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 011 · 11 of 12

Search Report - Procession Route

Search Report
Date:30 September, 06:20
Subject:Procession route, north of Hashworth

Search teams located procession route approximately 900 metres north of Hashworth.

Route continued beyond marked public footpath into privately owned agricultural land.

At 05:48, officers located a wooden bier beside the eastern boundary of The Shambles.

Bier contained:

  • One black North Face coat.
  • One pair children's trainers, size 7.
  • One mobile phone case.
  • One handwritten card.

No human remains located.

Card read:

JAMES HARGREAVES
6 MILL LANE
SEEN 29 SEPTEMBER

Search of surrounding field ongoing.

by Bickle Writes
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The Old Ways 003 012 · 12 of 12

Recovered Audio - James Hargreaves' Phone

Recovered Audio
Source: James Hargreaves' mobile phone
Timestamp29 September, 23:18
[AUDIO PLAYBACK]
[footsteps]
JAMIE:Hello?
[footsteps continue]
JAMIE:Dad?
[pause]
JAMIE:I can't see you.
[distant breathing]
JAMIE:Who are you?
[several footsteps surrounding microphone]
JAMIE:Where are we going?
[pause]
JAMIE:That's my house.
JAMIE:Why are we back here?
[long pause]
JAMIE:That’s my Mum. In the window.
[whispering begins]
JAMIE:No. No, don't--
[whispering becomes louder, more insistent]
JAMIE:She didn't look. She didn't see it.
[pause, sound of movement]
JAMIE:I did. I looked. It was--
[footsteps stop. Jamie laughs slow]
[long pause, just the laughter]
RACHEL:[from upstairs, small] Jamie?
JAMIE:[stops laughing abruptly]
JAMIE:She's looking at me.
[laughter resumes, louder]
JAMIE:She looked. The stupid bitch looked!
[recording ends]
by Bickle Writes
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