Crimson Mercy

Chapter 1 The Threat

Sabine

It's October 10th, that makes two days since these weird murders started happening around Rocky Gate. I honestly haven't been able to wrap my mind around the autopsy photos they released to the public. Yeah, I know, releasing it to the public is insane. Well, that's Rocky Gate for you, always trying to raise awareness but causing panic instead. These photos have this weird eerie feeling to them, even though they have that feeling I can't help but be drawn toward the images as if something were pulling me toward them. As I'm looking at the photos, I can't help but to hear my Mother's ignorant voice calling up to me, "Sabine Mercia, get down here! You need to get ready for the town meeting."

I get out of my bed and start searching for the outfit I want to wear that day while responding to her,"Don't you think it's a bit stubborn and useless to have a whole meeting with the town about this? I mean really, there isn't much we as the people can do." In the distance I can just barely hear my Mother sigh and walk out of the front door with a big slam. Going into my closet, I find a short red and black plaid skirt as well as my favorite band tee, God I love The Beatles, after, I go to find my black tights along with my platform Mary Janes. I fluff up my short wolf cut as I head down the stairs, once on the first floor I head to the door my Mother slammed earlier. The only sound I heard as I left the house was the noise of my rings clanging against the metal doorknob as I closed the door.

"About time." My Mother nagged at me as if it took me an hour. After she hands me an extra umbrella, she walks off of the porch continuing her silence. I open my umbrella and follow her off of the porch, and as we walk down the sidewalk my mother finally breaks her silence. "You really need to take this situation seriously Sabine. You have to be more aware of your surroundings and who you're with." I kept my head down hidden under the umbrella while trying to insinuate my response toward her. "Have you ever thought about taking your own advice?," I didn't say it with quite the attitude I wanted but my Mother thought it was more than enough to start bickering at me louder, she knows I hate people's eyes on me. Finally finishing her rant she then continues her deafening silence, it being louder than before. Upon arriving at our local community building called The Greyblock, my Mother stops and looks at me before opening her agonizing mouth. "Sabine, I need you to listen closely, look forward, take mental notes and pay attention, this is serious." I nod my head with a sarcastic smile before entering the building.

As we walk in I notice that all of the chairs are set in almost a half circle with multiple rows and a small podium in the front of them. My Mother and I quickly head to our seats in the middle row when the lecture starts clattering up my eardrums. I finally spotted a couple empty seats, however, as I rushed towards them I got a sudden blast of cold around my body which caused chills to run to the surface of my skin. While I sit in the chair next to my Mother, I hear nothing but the murmurs around me, sending fear through my body and crowding my brain. I begin to bounce my leg up and down, rubbing the other with my hand uncontrollably. I feel a sudden amount of pressure against my arm, the pressure of my Mother nudging at me. "Sabine, you need to act right," she says in a low degrading tone. I can feel the panic coursing through my bones but I have no choice but to suppress it.

"Silence everyone, please calm down and take your seats." The voices that are overflowing my brain come to an eerie silence. The crowd however does not, they all continue to murmur to themselves quietly. "As you all know we have had a murder spree coming about recently. This is a very serious matter that we are going to take many precautions for." The woman speaking is Christiana Salazar, she is the mayor of Rocky Gate. She's a very pretty woman, I believe she is from Italy, but I could be wrong. Her hair is a soft blonde but she isn't the dumb blonde type, surprisingly. The outfit she is wearing looks horrendous to my eyes but most of the men in the room find it alluring; she's wearing a bright periwinkle long sleeve turtleneck with this hideous jean blue knee length skirt along with a pair of tight, tight black tights and plain black heels. The men are practically on their knees while the women are trying to continue the conversation about the murders. "Mayor, I heard from my neighbor that they had heard strange things at night along with finding strange things carved into the trees. The same thing that is carved into the trees is carved into the bodies right?"