empty homes were visible.
Large saws and motors littered to open floor plan, staging areas for the lumber that made its way up from the river. The sawmill was recently abandoned and still had the cutting machines that reduced waterlogged trees into usable lumber on the floor. Sawdust an inch thick covered everything. The banshees wet footprints still visible. I saw they went over to a large piece of equipment. I didn’t know what it did, but I had a feeling it was loud when in use.
“Come out from behind there, let’s get this over with. It was a good effort, but this is the end of the line.” I said, loudly.
The singing abruptly stopped. I had the impression that the singer was surprised at my words. I guess she thought I was going to walk up to her in a daze so she could kill me at her leisure.
“Please, leave us alone. We just want to live in peace.” She pleaded.
“You should have thought about that before you reduced Bill Patterson into a mindless zombie. You remember him, the head of international finance for the Jackson Bank?”
“I had to. They said they would kill my husband and son. I had no choice.” She cried. I could hear the tears in her voice.
“Well done, you play the part of the damsel in distress to a tee. I have to hand it to you, you’ve got that down, quit stalling, we both know what happens next. No need to delay the inevitable.” I said.
“Please just let me go. I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore, I promise. I have found a new life. Let me go, please. I will give you whatever you want, name it. I just want to raise my son in peace.” She begged.
This is why I hated taking these assignments. I had no way to know the truth. I hadn’t been given enough Intel. All I knew was that she was dangerous and willing to say anything to escape her fate. My stomach was telling me something was wrong, but the Cols. voice kept ringing in my head, reminding me of my duty, explaining the danger of a being like her.
A woman stepped out from behind the large saw. She was striking. Her bloodline was definitely Celtic. A long white dress with a slit up one side allowed her shapely leg to show itself. Pale skin that shone with health was a soft contrast to her bright red hair. It flowed down her back in cascades of luminous waves. Her eyes were deep green and had a depth to them that bespoke of desires unknown. Her full red lips parted as a smile of sweet perfection shone from her face. I was momentarily dazed, her beauty like a physical weight. I quickly regained my mental blocks and raised my weapon at her.
“Wait, please let me explain. I mean no harm I don’t want to die.”
“No one ever does.” I said.
She saw the intent in my eyes, knowing I was not going to be lenient. I couldn’t trust her, she was a creature of deceit, a liar and manipulator, capable of twisting men’s wills to her whims. I couldn’t hesitate.
She changed her form faster than I would have imagined possible. Her body shriveled and took on the shape of an old woman. Her shoulders hunched and her arms drew forward, into a hunchbacked stance. Her clothes changed and became rags that hung off her emaciated frame. Her face shrunk, showing he bones of her skull, smooth skin gave way to wrinkles and age spots showed on the sides of her head. Her eyes sunk in their sockets and their green shade changed to a deep scarlet. Her flowing red hair grew scarce and dull, losing its health and becoming a grey shroud. Her hands ended in long sharp claws and she opened her mouth in a scream, showing long sharp fangs dripping something I had no intention of letting touch me.
I fired
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