holes cut into the walls of the cabin. Doc looked through the scope of his rifle and saw movement in the trees.
“They’re in the trees heading for the roof!”
The men scrambled around inside the cabin and took aim at a second floor window. A creature dropped onto the roof, then remained quiet. Doc walked through the cabin peering through the sight holes, but didn’t see any movement. Minutes passed, and then someone began to cough. Doc turned and found the cabin engulfed in smoke.
“Kill that fire!” he shouted.
Jimmy smothered the flames with a bucket of water and the embers sizzled as the water vaporized. Jesse, choking, ran to the front door and removed the boards secured to it. He opened the door and stumbled onto the porch, gasping for air. Smoke billowed from the open door as others staggered out of the cabin. Suddenly, a rope was flung around Jesse’s neck. He was pulled off his feet and dragged towards the tree line. He fought desperately, trying to pull the noose from his throat. Sully and Jimmy fired repeatedly into the woods trying to save him. Screams erupted as creatures dropped onto the ground around the cabin. Jackson ran inside to protect Jen and the others, leaving Jimmy and Sully alone. Several creatures emerged from the woods, pulled Jesse to his feet, and then tore into him. He shrieked in pain until a shot rang out and he fell forward with a bullet hole in his forehead. Doc, positioned in the second floor window of the cabin, wiped tears away, then reloaded his rifle.
C H A P T E R F O R T Y - S E V E N
B arry watched the evening’s events from the safety of the woods. He and the others found the cabin by following the scent through miles of forest, fields and pastures. Any concern for his sister and Jackson was all but gone, tucked away in a dormant place in his mind. When they caught Jesse, Barry’s senses sharpened in anticipation, but he was denied the feast he craved. A dead body wouldn’t do; once the life was gone, the flesh was ruined and could not be used for the crops.
When Barry and his kin returned to the plantation, the festive atmosphere of the hunt was over. Evangeline was gone and Ezra paced in front of the mansion. There was no music or wine, and the dark house began to look rundown again. Daybreak would soon be upon them, but before it arrived, someone would have to pay for the evening’s failure. Ezra walked over to an older woman, her black eyes narrowed as he approached.
“No,” she hissed.
“I choose you, Emma Rhodes.”
He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the house. The other relaxed, knowing only one would be taken. Barry stood near the back of the crowd and watched his hands become translucent as the sun rose behind the shadow of the mountains. Others around him changed, drifting away from the mansion with swirls of mist flowing around them as they moved. Willow emerged from within the house and came to him.
“Hello,” she said.
He paused for a moment, and then answered. “Hello.” His voice was distant and weak.
“Who are you?”
His memories came flooding back with the sunlight.
“My name’s Barry.”
“I am Willow.”
Barry saw the vague image of a little girl when he looked closely. He wondered if he looked the same as she did now. She moved around him in flowing circles. When the sunlight hit her, she vanished and then reappeared in the shadows of a tall oak tree. The house had returned to a dreadful state in the light of day, its grounds were overgrown and lined with dead trees. An ornate fountain lay in ruins, filled with brackish water.
“Where has everyone gone?” he asked.
“Back to their homes,” she answered.
“What about you? Don’t you have somewhere to go?”
“Not anymore.”
“What about your family?”
She slowed her movement and briefly took shape. “They have been gone for a long time.”
“Maybe you can help me. I need to get to my sister and my friends. They are in the
“They’re in the trees heading for the roof!”
The men scrambled around inside the cabin and took aim at a second floor window. A creature dropped onto the roof, then remained quiet. Doc walked through the cabin peering through the sight holes, but didn’t see any movement. Minutes passed, and then someone began to cough. Doc turned and found the cabin engulfed in smoke.
“Kill that fire!” he shouted.
Jimmy smothered the flames with a bucket of water and the embers sizzled as the water vaporized. Jesse, choking, ran to the front door and removed the boards secured to it. He opened the door and stumbled onto the porch, gasping for air. Smoke billowed from the open door as others staggered out of the cabin. Suddenly, a rope was flung around Jesse’s neck. He was pulled off his feet and dragged towards the tree line. He fought desperately, trying to pull the noose from his throat. Sully and Jimmy fired repeatedly into the woods trying to save him. Screams erupted as creatures dropped onto the ground around the cabin. Jackson ran inside to protect Jen and the others, leaving Jimmy and Sully alone. Several creatures emerged from the woods, pulled Jesse to his feet, and then tore into him. He shrieked in pain until a shot rang out and he fell forward with a bullet hole in his forehead. Doc, positioned in the second floor window of the cabin, wiped tears away, then reloaded his rifle.
C H A P T E R F O R T Y - S E V E N
B arry watched the evening’s events from the safety of the woods. He and the others found the cabin by following the scent through miles of forest, fields and pastures. Any concern for his sister and Jackson was all but gone, tucked away in a dormant place in his mind. When they caught Jesse, Barry’s senses sharpened in anticipation, but he was denied the feast he craved. A dead body wouldn’t do; once the life was gone, the flesh was ruined and could not be used for the crops.
When Barry and his kin returned to the plantation, the festive atmosphere of the hunt was over. Evangeline was gone and Ezra paced in front of the mansion. There was no music or wine, and the dark house began to look rundown again. Daybreak would soon be upon them, but before it arrived, someone would have to pay for the evening’s failure. Ezra walked over to an older woman, her black eyes narrowed as he approached.
“No,” she hissed.
“I choose you, Emma Rhodes.”
He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the house. The other relaxed, knowing only one would be taken. Barry stood near the back of the crowd and watched his hands become translucent as the sun rose behind the shadow of the mountains. Others around him changed, drifting away from the mansion with swirls of mist flowing around them as they moved. Willow emerged from within the house and came to him.
“Hello,” she said.
He paused for a moment, and then answered. “Hello.” His voice was distant and weak.
“Who are you?”
His memories came flooding back with the sunlight.
“My name’s Barry.”
“I am Willow.”
Barry saw the vague image of a little girl when he looked closely. He wondered if he looked the same as she did now. She moved around him in flowing circles. When the sunlight hit her, she vanished and then reappeared in the shadows of a tall oak tree. The house had returned to a dreadful state in the light of day, its grounds were overgrown and lined with dead trees. An ornate fountain lay in ruins, filled with brackish water.
“Where has everyone gone?” he asked.
“Back to their homes,” she answered.
“What about you? Don’t you have somewhere to go?”
“Not anymore.”
“What about your family?”
She slowed her movement and briefly took shape. “They have been gone for a long time.”
“Maybe you can help me. I need to get to my sister and my friends. They are in the
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