on a rampage every September. Another thought crossed my mind, answering a question I’d been trying to resolve for years. Her mother. That’s the she . How—who? Before I come to any further conclusions, a fourth whiff of aged leather came to me. “Oh no. No more, please,” I pleaded, but nothing stopped the assaulting vision.
* * *
“Oh my-my-my,” hissed a melodious, yet intrigued woman’s voice––the same one as before. “I must say that I love what you did. It screams ‘Child of Osiris’,” she muttered, her voice carrying to me from afar. “Celtic knotwork. Anubis will approve of your sacrifice.”
Her boot heels clopped on the asphalt and a red neon sign bloomed to life out of the darkness. My eyesight was fuzzy, and the world seemed to shift under another round of drugs, but I finally deciphered the scrawled, glowing words. Ernie’s Autobody , it read above the door. The faint glow of the words reflected off the blue, metal roof of the building. I stared up at it until the jackal head floated into view, its dark gaze staring down at my kneeling body and piercing my heart. Something was gripped in its hand, the end glowing bright orange.
“Help me, please,” I tried to scream, but I felt even more drugged than before and barely heard my own gurgle echo across the rows of abused and beaten cars parked in the lot.
“What was that?” hissed the mutant creature, a hint of curiosity in its feminine voice.
I tried to scream again, but only drooled down my chin. Even that sensation was numb. I was barely aware, but knew full well the outcome of this night. Frustration at my inability to help simmered within me, melding with muted panic. I can’t do a damn thing.
“Let’s decorate it a bit more, shall we?” she said and stepped out of sight, the branding iron finally visible in her gloved fist.
Although numbed by the drugs, the pain still registered when the scalding metal was pressed against my spine. I screamed, and this time words were unnecessary. When she pulled it away, momentary relief washed over me. Then the bar of burning metal touched my side, searing skin to ribs. I let out another howl of pain that only ended when she took the brand away.
She giggled. It was crazed, happy, and… young. “One more,” she whispered with another short giggle. “Sound good?” She didn’t wait for my answer, instead ramming the rod into my other side. “It has to be even!” she roared. I tried to jump up, but I was bound and unable to stand.
The chanting began again a moment later, the sounds filtering through the air as though distant. I shuffled around on my knees, turning to find the source of Anubis’s chanting, and found the monster standing next to a burning, metal barrel. My eyes widened at the sight. Sweet Lord, guard and protect Isabelle. I love her with all my heart. Make this quick, and don’t let her see me like this.
The beast prodded me toward the barrel once she finished her chant. “ Stop!” I tried to shout. Tears streamed down my face and onto my flannel shirt as waves of flame billowed closer, singeing my hair and eyes. The pain grew as Anubis shoved my head into the raging barrel from behind. I tried to fight, to pull back as the roaring fire blistered my face and shoulders, sending the gruesome smell of burning flesh and smoke up my nostrils and clogging my mouth, but bound and drugged, a moment later I was tipped headfirst into the inferno. The last sound I heard beyond the roaring echo was my own reverberating cry.
* * *
I stumbled in the dark, but was unable to see anything beyond an absence of existence. Yet somehow I panted, free from the confined barrel, searing flames, and choking smoke. Taking a haggard breath, I closed my eyes. It was no different from the pure darkness that surrounded me. “Oh Lord, help me,” I muttered. Robin Gemanc had endured all of that, and now so had I. Taking one final breath, another vision assaulted my
* * *
“Oh my-my-my,” hissed a melodious, yet intrigued woman’s voice––the same one as before. “I must say that I love what you did. It screams ‘Child of Osiris’,” she muttered, her voice carrying to me from afar. “Celtic knotwork. Anubis will approve of your sacrifice.”
Her boot heels clopped on the asphalt and a red neon sign bloomed to life out of the darkness. My eyesight was fuzzy, and the world seemed to shift under another round of drugs, but I finally deciphered the scrawled, glowing words. Ernie’s Autobody , it read above the door. The faint glow of the words reflected off the blue, metal roof of the building. I stared up at it until the jackal head floated into view, its dark gaze staring down at my kneeling body and piercing my heart. Something was gripped in its hand, the end glowing bright orange.
“Help me, please,” I tried to scream, but I felt even more drugged than before and barely heard my own gurgle echo across the rows of abused and beaten cars parked in the lot.
“What was that?” hissed the mutant creature, a hint of curiosity in its feminine voice.
I tried to scream again, but only drooled down my chin. Even that sensation was numb. I was barely aware, but knew full well the outcome of this night. Frustration at my inability to help simmered within me, melding with muted panic. I can’t do a damn thing.
“Let’s decorate it a bit more, shall we?” she said and stepped out of sight, the branding iron finally visible in her gloved fist.
Although numbed by the drugs, the pain still registered when the scalding metal was pressed against my spine. I screamed, and this time words were unnecessary. When she pulled it away, momentary relief washed over me. Then the bar of burning metal touched my side, searing skin to ribs. I let out another howl of pain that only ended when she took the brand away.
She giggled. It was crazed, happy, and… young. “One more,” she whispered with another short giggle. “Sound good?” She didn’t wait for my answer, instead ramming the rod into my other side. “It has to be even!” she roared. I tried to jump up, but I was bound and unable to stand.
The chanting began again a moment later, the sounds filtering through the air as though distant. I shuffled around on my knees, turning to find the source of Anubis’s chanting, and found the monster standing next to a burning, metal barrel. My eyes widened at the sight. Sweet Lord, guard and protect Isabelle. I love her with all my heart. Make this quick, and don’t let her see me like this.
The beast prodded me toward the barrel once she finished her chant. “ Stop!” I tried to shout. Tears streamed down my face and onto my flannel shirt as waves of flame billowed closer, singeing my hair and eyes. The pain grew as Anubis shoved my head into the raging barrel from behind. I tried to fight, to pull back as the roaring fire blistered my face and shoulders, sending the gruesome smell of burning flesh and smoke up my nostrils and clogging my mouth, but bound and drugged, a moment later I was tipped headfirst into the inferno. The last sound I heard beyond the roaring echo was my own reverberating cry.
* * *
I stumbled in the dark, but was unable to see anything beyond an absence of existence. Yet somehow I panted, free from the confined barrel, searing flames, and choking smoke. Taking a haggard breath, I closed my eyes. It was no different from the pure darkness that surrounded me. “Oh Lord, help me,” I muttered. Robin Gemanc had endured all of that, and now so had I. Taking one final breath, another vision assaulted my
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