Creep

Chapter Thirteen: The Perfect Treat

Using the axe, Pyggbe chopped into Mildred's body, helping himself to the meat and organs inside. The slick morsels glistened in the moonlight and the goblin's stomach growled with delight. Pyggbe may have killed Mildred and Stanley as part of a job, but there was no point in letting good food go to waste. After eating his fill, the goblin hummed a happy little tune and grabbed Mildred's decapitated head by the hair and swung it back and forth as he made his way back to the meeting spot to see Wylie. The brains lurking inside that skull would be the perfect treat once all the night's dark deeds were done.

Although the night was busy, no-one seemed to notice a severed head floating around apparently by itself. The number of soldiers wearing Moonwich colours whose corpses lined the streets suggested Red Fern were winning. That was no surprise; the Queen always made sure her side was the winning one. Most within Red Fern's walls knew that fact well. It just appeared the rest of Venari was a little slow to catch up. 'They soon will,' the goblin thought. It would be a lesson paid for in blood... and Pyggbe could only hope to be involved.

The goblin found a spot overlooking the castle's door and waited for Wylie. Mildred's head hung in his hand, tempting him with every passing second. A little taster of brain wouldn't hurt, would it? After all, who knew how long Wylie was going to be? She could be out performing her work on the streets of Red Fern all night.

Not caring that anyone looking in his direction would see a floating head, Pyggbe lifted his prize so it was eye-level. In death, Mildred's face looked slack and somewhat inhuman. Her new waxy pallor was almost enough to put the goblin off his snack. Given the choice, Pyggbe preferred either a fresh kill or someone still living to chomp on. There was something about living fear that was just so delicious. But, beggars can't be choosers, so Pyggbe prepared to suck Mildred's brains out of her nose.

"You better not be doing what I think you're doing," Wylie's voice disturbed the goblin from his snack. "You know I can't stand to watch that. It turns my stomach."

"What? You do vile things too." Pyggbe couldn't help but feel a little offended.

"Yes, but not as vile as that... and very rarely with an audience." Wylie took a spot next to the goblin and lent against the wall. There was blood on her clothing, and she looked like she could nap for a week and still be tired. For once, she wasn't wearing her plague mask, so the full extent of her exhaustion - and her own set of jagged monstrous teeth - could be seen.

"Busy night?" Pyggbe asked, lowering his prize. The snack would need to wait until later.

"Yes, but a successful one," Wylie said. "The Queen will be pleased."

"Angus is behaving himself then?"

"Yes, he drank the full vial of Witch's Blood as planned. But that's not all," Wylie said, making sure she had her companion's attention.

"No?"

"The Queen got herself two new pets this evening. Good ol' Vimelk's new look is really quite something." Wylie smiled. The Queen would be very happy indeed. If the Queen was happy, life for those in Red Fern was more likely to be good. Or, at least, slightly less painful. Pyggbe smiled too, a smile that, at that moment, no-one else could see but Wylie. "I trust all was done on your end?" She looked down at the head in Pyggbe's hands.

"Of course," the goblin replied. "You can always trust a goblin when dark work needs doing. There's nowt left for the lad to go back to now. His old life is well and truly gone... almost... Something strange did happen..." Pyggbe wasn't sure if this should be mentioned to anyone, but the words were out before they could be stopped.

"Yes?" Wylie raised an eyebrow.

"I offed the lad's dad no problem, but there was an... issue... with the mother." Pyggbe twisted Mildred's hair nervously.