The Lodge

9

Harriet and Olivia sat huddled in the front room, their bodies stiff and tense as they gripped their knives tightly. The sound of their heavy breathing filled the small lodge, drowning out the distant barks of the Alsatians circling outside. Fear pulsed through their veins, each passing second feeling like an eternity. As they peered out of the windows, their eyes strained to make out any movement in the darkness. The howls of the dogs echoed through the night, a chilling reminder that they were not alone.

Harriet's hand trembled as she wiped sweat off her brow, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. They knew the killer was coming for them next. They could feel it in their bones. They only had a few hours until daylight, when their chances of survival would increase, however for now, they were trapped, with only their knives and each other for protection.

The dogs suddenly fell silent, and the sisters instinctively looked out the window, Their breath misted the windows and caught in their throats as they saw his dark figure approaching, his loyal dogs sitting obediently by his side. He stopped in front of the lodge, his dark face staring towards them, they could sense the twisted smile spreading across his face.

Harriet and Olivia could feel their bodies freeze with terror as the silhouette bent down and lifted the limp corpse of their friend, Faith, over his shoulder, her loose auburn hair hanging over her pale face, her brown eyes now lifeless and hanging wide open.

He took a moment to pause and stare at the last surviving friends inside the lodge, he was full of sadistic pleasure and pure madness. He turned and with a slow and deliberate pace, he began to walk away, Faith's corpse his latest trophy slung over his shoulder.

They watched in horror as he disappeared into the darkness. "We have to come up with a plan," Harriet said, her voice shaking with fear.

Olivia nodded, her eyes wide with terror. "But how? We can't leave, the dogs are out there and so is he."

Harriet's mind raced as she tried to think of a way out. She knew they had to stay put until daylight, but they needed a plan to defend themselves. "We will lock ourselves in a bathroom, okay?"

"What?" Olivia said, distracted and still gazing out at the darkness.

"Haven't you noticed, Liv? He always kills people on their own, never when they are together."

"You left her out there."

"She chose to stay behind with Ellie. Ellie was as good as dead the second she got shot" Harriet clashed, refusing to accept any responsibility for Faith's death.

"Harriet, are we going to die?" whimpered Olivia.

Harriet sighed. "Maybe. I thought we had a chance, but he's picking us off one by one. Listen to me though, we lock ourselves in a bathroom and just pray, I think we'll be okay."

Olivia's bright green eyes looked at Harriet and she gave a hesitant nod of approval.

Harriet held Olivia's hand as they made their way to a bathroom upstairs. They entered and locked the door, crouching down on the floor and staying silent, they still possessed the knives from the kitchen.

The room was eerily silent, save for the heavy, fearful breaths of the two of them. They sat in tense stillness, their hearts racing beneath their rib cages. It was the sound of footsteps that startled them causing them to exchange worried glances.

The killer was in the lodge.

Harriet and Olivia strained their ears, listening intently as the footsteps grew louder, closer. They could hear the creak of the floorboards beneath his weight, the scrape of his boots against the hardwood. The sound echoed through the empty rooms, filling the air with a sense of dread. He moved through the house, they could feel his presence, looming around them like a dark cloud. Heavy, purposeful steps seeming to taunt them, drawing them closer to their inevitable fate. They sat there, helpless and terrified, the scent of his decay beginning to linger around them, the same odour they had smelled when he first entered the dining room and sliced Alice's throat. It added another layer of fear to their already overwhelmed senses. It was a scent they would never forget, a reminder of the monster that was about to end their lives.

The killer drew closer, they couldn't help but feel a strange fascination with him. "Why do you think he's doing this?" whispered Olivia.

Harriet shrugged. They were drawn to him and repelled at the same time, a conflicting mix of emotions that only added to the intensity of the moment. "I don't know" she shrugged.

"I just want to go home and see Lily," Olivia said with a deep frown, her heart aching at the thought of her daughter.

"I know, Liv" Harriet replied, her voice calm but filled with understanding as she reached out and took hold of Olivia's hand.

"Do you think it will hurt?" Olivia then asked, her voice trembling as she tried to come to terms with their inevitable fate.

"What?" Harriet's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Dying," Olivia clarified, her green eyes welling up with tears.

Harriet's expression softened, and she placed a comforting hand on Olivia's shoulder. "I wouldn't dwell on it. We must focus on living and avoiding death at all costs. If it does come to that, let's pray for a quick and painless end."

Olivia nodded, wiping away her tears and taking a deep breath. The weight of their situation was heavy, but she felt a sense of comfort in Harriet's words.

They remained in eerie silence, the sound of their shallow breaths and the low, ominous hum of the bathroom's air conditioner filling the quiet. As each moment passed, the house seemed to creak and groan in response to his unseen movements, chilling them. The sound of him bumping and knocking around the lodge grew louder and more erratic, as if he was searching for something or someone. Their imaginations ran wild with terrifying possibilities of what he could be conjuring.

Olivia's head grew heavy, causing her to slump forward as she fought to keep her eyes from closing. The fatigue of evading the lunatic throughout the night was now taking its toll, and she soon succumbed to a restless slumber, a temporary reprieve from the horror she was enduring.