wide aisle, stretching down to the pulpit. My gaze was drawn to a dark, shadowy corner of the room at the far end.
I let out an involuntary gasp, as my eyes focused on the horrifying scene.
Chapter 10
The thin beam of light sent sharp shadows ricocheting across the room, giving the occupant a ghoulish glow. A small, lean figure was sitting on a chair at the far end of the room beside the pulpit. Long, dark hair hung limply around a pale, drawn face, which had slumped forward toward her chest. She had a petite frame, and her short legs dangled over the edge of the chair, failing to reach the floor. Her slender arms drooped over the chair’s armrest, tied tightly with a heavy rope. Small, angry looking bite marks covered her arms and neck. They were in various stages of healing, and I wondered how long she had been subjected to this torture. A white hot rage burned in my chest. What kind of animal would do this to an innocent child? A cold fist of emotion squeezed in my stomach as I recalled the last class I had taught when I was teacher. A class of happy, smiling children, filled with curiosity, imagination and unconditional love. Their innocence had still been intact, untainted by the experience of the sinister aspects of the world. This child's innocence had been stolen from her. What had she suffered in her final moments? What unspeakable horrors did she experience before she died? A low moaning noise snapped me from my dark thoughts.
"She's still alive," I gasped, rushing down the aisle, over to the girl. My hands shook as I desperately fumbled with the ropes binding her arms.
I barely registered Finlay next to me, as my preoccupation laid solely with the child. I affectionately brushed the hair from her face and whispered soothing words in her ear. The creaking of the door alerted me to another arrival. I turned, expecting to see Robert, but instead what I saw froze my heart.
Three figures entered the room from a door to the left of the pulpit. In recognition, my gaze automatically flickered to Robert. He was surrounded by a man and a woman, their contorted, serrated teeth, giving me no illusions to their dark heritage. A thin trail of blood trickled from his nose. It took me a moment for my brain to process what I was seeing.
One of the vampires had hoisted Robert from the ground, holding his weight effortlessly with one hand. Robert's feet were dangling in the air, swinging slightly with the momentum, as he squirmed and twisted, trying desperately to escape the monsters firm grasp. A short shrill escaped from my lips, as the realisation of the situation dawned on me. Waves of fear ripped through my chest.
"You really should have left us in peace," the male vampire holding Robert growled. It was obvious by the creatures' body language and the fact that the female flanked behind that it was the one in control. With one quick movement, it cast Robert towards the rows of pews. His body jolted off the shattered pew and landed face down on the ground.
"You ok Robert?" I asked, never taking my eyes from the vampires in front of me.
"I'll survive," he grunted clambering to his feet.
I protectively stepped in front of the child to block her from any further torment. I shot a glance toward Finlay. His face was blank, giving nothing away.
"It seems we might have underestimated you. You have managed to find us even after we left you that little present at the factory to keep you off our track." A sneer touched its lips. "Pity you didn't fall for it."
My stomach churned with the callousness of the comment as my mind flashed back to the poor girl we had found. I struggled to keep my emotions under control.
A bright light crept in
I let out an involuntary gasp, as my eyes focused on the horrifying scene.
Chapter 10
The thin beam of light sent sharp shadows ricocheting across the room, giving the occupant a ghoulish glow. A small, lean figure was sitting on a chair at the far end of the room beside the pulpit. Long, dark hair hung limply around a pale, drawn face, which had slumped forward toward her chest. She had a petite frame, and her short legs dangled over the edge of the chair, failing to reach the floor. Her slender arms drooped over the chair’s armrest, tied tightly with a heavy rope. Small, angry looking bite marks covered her arms and neck. They were in various stages of healing, and I wondered how long she had been subjected to this torture. A white hot rage burned in my chest. What kind of animal would do this to an innocent child? A cold fist of emotion squeezed in my stomach as I recalled the last class I had taught when I was teacher. A class of happy, smiling children, filled with curiosity, imagination and unconditional love. Their innocence had still been intact, untainted by the experience of the sinister aspects of the world. This child's innocence had been stolen from her. What had she suffered in her final moments? What unspeakable horrors did she experience before she died? A low moaning noise snapped me from my dark thoughts.
"She's still alive," I gasped, rushing down the aisle, over to the girl. My hands shook as I desperately fumbled with the ropes binding her arms.
I barely registered Finlay next to me, as my preoccupation laid solely with the child. I affectionately brushed the hair from her face and whispered soothing words in her ear. The creaking of the door alerted me to another arrival. I turned, expecting to see Robert, but instead what I saw froze my heart.
Three figures entered the room from a door to the left of the pulpit. In recognition, my gaze automatically flickered to Robert. He was surrounded by a man and a woman, their contorted, serrated teeth, giving me no illusions to their dark heritage. A thin trail of blood trickled from his nose. It took me a moment for my brain to process what I was seeing.
One of the vampires had hoisted Robert from the ground, holding his weight effortlessly with one hand. Robert's feet were dangling in the air, swinging slightly with the momentum, as he squirmed and twisted, trying desperately to escape the monsters firm grasp. A short shrill escaped from my lips, as the realisation of the situation dawned on me. Waves of fear ripped through my chest.
"You really should have left us in peace," the male vampire holding Robert growled. It was obvious by the creatures' body language and the fact that the female flanked behind that it was the one in control. With one quick movement, it cast Robert towards the rows of pews. His body jolted off the shattered pew and landed face down on the ground.
"You ok Robert?" I asked, never taking my eyes from the vampires in front of me.
"I'll survive," he grunted clambering to his feet.
I protectively stepped in front of the child to block her from any further torment. I shot a glance toward Finlay. His face was blank, giving nothing away.
"It seems we might have underestimated you. You have managed to find us even after we left you that little present at the factory to keep you off our track." A sneer touched its lips. "Pity you didn't fall for it."
My stomach churned with the callousness of the comment as my mind flashed back to the poor girl we had found. I struggled to keep my emotions under control.
A bright light crept in
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