SOUL SNATCHERS

CHAPTER 25

"Dad?" Avah exclaimed in shock, her gasp muffled by her trembling hand covering her mouth. In her state of disbelief, her cell phone slipped from her grasp. "This can't be happening," she whispered, a cold chill running down her spine as her heart raced. It was unimaginable, unfathomable. How could their father do this to them?

Before Avah could process the situation, a piercing scream echoed from her mother's room. Her eyes darted towards the second-story window, where their parents' room was situated.

"Mama..." she uttered, her words almost breathless, as she darted into the house, determined to reach her mother's side. Urgency fueled her as she ascended the stairs to the second floor. When she reached the door of her parents' room, she instinctively gripped the doorknob, only to recoil in pain as an intense burn seared her hand.

"Mama!" she cried out, cradling her injured hand while staring at the door in alarm. Fear coursed through her veins as she contemplated the possibility of a fire engulfing their parents' room. Her mother was trapped inside.

"Mama! Mama!" Avah shouted once more, her mind racing for a solution. she had to save her mother, no matter what.

Avah carefully examined every inch of the door, searching for any indication of smoke or fire. Yet, there was none. Confusion clouded her thoughts. Why was the doorknob scorching hot? Regardless of the reason, the priority remained clear: she had to rescue her mother.

Scanning her surroundings, her desperate gaze fell upon a piece of fabric discreetly tucked beneath a cabinet. Reacting swiftly, she snatched it, wrapping it around the blistering doorknob. However, to her horror, the moment the cloth made contact, it erupted in flames, causing Avah to scream in terror. How could such mundane fabric combust instantaneously when there was no visible fire in her parents' room?

"Mama! If you can hear me, please open the door!" Avah hollered with all her might, her eyes locked on the flaming fabric clinging to the doorknob. She needed to reach her mother, to ensure her safety. Taking a deep breath, Avah started reciting fervent prayers. Then, summoning her courage, she gestured towards the door. In a heartbeat, the door swung open, unleashing scalding air that pricked her skin. Along with the searing gust came an overpowering stench reminiscent of decomposed flesh or organic decay. The acrid tang of sulfur hung in the air.

To Avah's astonishment, there was no raging inferno on the other side of the door. Without hesitation, she darted inside, her footsteps quick and urgent, scanning the room for any sign of her mother. But her searches turned up empty.

"Mama, where are you?!" she cried out, her voice tinged with desperation, teetering on the edge of a scream. In that painful moment, Avah was consumed by an overwhelming mix of anxiety and concern for her mother's well-being.

But where is her mother? She distinctly remembers leaving her peacefully asleep in the room. Anxious, she peeks inside the bathroom, but her mother is not there either. The smell of sulfur grows stronger, mixed with the putrid scent of decaying flesh within the room. Avah scans her surroundings, desperately hoping to find her beloved Margarette.

Avah hears a dripping sound, uncertain of its origin. Goosebumps rise on her skin as she hears what sounds like the growls of a ferocious beast nearby. She tries to locate the source within the room but fails to find it.

Her heart races as she realizes the growls are coming from the ceiling, resembling those of a terrifying creature. Avah feels a wave of fear wash over her as the creature seems to crawl on the ceiling right above her. She glances towards the open door, intending to make her escape. Yet, she senses the presence of the crawling creature directly overhead.

Sweat beads on Avah's forehead as fear overwhelms her. She braces herself for the danger lurking in the room, determined to be brave for her mother. She lifts her head cautiously, seeking to witness the creature crawling on the ceiling while reciting the prayers her mother taught her. But the sight of the creature causes her knees to buckle. Avah collapses onto the smooth floor, witnessing her mother hanging from the ceiling, unconcious body detained by eight pairs of pale, rotting hands. On the other end, a dark face emerges, seemingly enveloped in a white smoke that seeps from her unconscious mother.