Lilith's Child

Chapter 5

Giselle and Robin searched for Eliza until it got dark. Robin had seen her tracks disappear into the woods and had followed her erratic trail.

'We can't follow her in the dark.' Robin tried to convince Giselle to turn back.

'I can't leave her out her. Not in this state.' Giselle was determined to keep searching. 'She can't be out here on her own in the dark. The demons will find her.'

'The demons are stories, to scare the little ones into staying close to home. She has more to worry about from the hunting cats.'

Giselle stood in front of him, hands on her hips. 'Thanks for making me feel better!'

'Sorry, I just couldn't believe you were worried about demons.'

'Just because you've never seen them, doesn't mean they are not real. I've hidden her from them for years. And now, this.'

Giselle sat down on a protruding tree root and rested her head in her hands. Robin sat close by, watching her.

'I'm sorry, you go back. I have to keep looking.' Giselle stood up and prepared to set off.

Robin joined her and rested his hands on her shoulders. He could feel the stiffness in them, how tense she was.

'You are tired out. You go home and rest. You should be there in case she comes home.' He reasoned with her. 'I'll keep looking until morning. I promise.'

Giselle knew he was right. She shrugged and turned away from him. She headed towards the cottage, her head bowed as she struggled to follow the path in the dim moonlight.

Robin watched Giselle until she disappeared from view before he continued to follow Eliza's path. He struggled to make out which direction the girl had gone. Shadows from the tall trees obscured the track. 'How in all that is sacred do I get myself into these situations?' He spoke out loud. A night bird squawked an answer from a nearby branch before flying over his head.

'Eliza!' He called as he pushed his way through the thick ferns. He paused, waiting for a reply. All he could hear was the wind rustling through the trees and the night birds calling to each other. The sounds of the forest, every night, but nothing that told him where the girl might be.

****

She opened her eyes and tried to work out where she was. The last thing she could remember was sitting under a tree and pulling some of the ferns around her to keep off some of the cold wind. She sat up and looked around. She could make out walls just a few feet from where she sat. The ferns were gone from around her and she no longer sat on the grass.

She tried to stand but her legs were numb. She rubbed her calves while she thought about the day's events.

Jasper's treatment had been bad enough but was nothing compared to the pain she had felt when she had seen Robin and Giselle.

She listened for the familiar sounds of the forest, but they were not there. There was no sound at all.

'Hello!' She called into the silence. Her voice echoed in reply.

No matter how she tried, she couldn't remember anything after she had rested under the tree.

She managed to get to her feet and to limp forward, arms outstretched, until she touched a cold, damp wall. She banged on the wall and yelled, 'Hello, anybody there?'

She felt her way along the wall, searching for a way out. She realized she had walked in a circle, without finding an exit. No one had answered her calls. Exhausted, she slumped to the floor, her back rested against the wall. She drew her knees up, close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She rested her chin on her knees and stared into the darkness, ignoring the tears on her cheeks. 

She had no idea how much time had passed. There was no light in the room, not even a stray shaft of moonlight. Just darkness and silence. She was hungry and thirsty, the last thing she had eaten was the picnic lunch with Jasper. That seemed like half a lifetime ago. She thought about her rites, due to take place in two days. She had to get home before then. As far as she knew know one missed their rituals. No one living anyway.

'You will be there.'

She lifted her head, looking around for the owner of the strange voice. She couldn't see anyone.

'Who's there?' She asked.

'Who I am is of no importance to you.'

'Where am I? Are you here to let me out?'

'So many questions, child. You will be returned to your mother's care... But first... we will examine you.'

'Examine me? What do you mean?'

The wall behind her shook. She jumped to her feet and hurried towards the centre of the room. She could hear the sound of rock grinding against rock. She covered her ears to block out the noise. A thin line of blur light appeared on the wall, no wider than a crack.

She winced in pain as the sudden lights hit her eyes, she had become accustomed to the darkness. The gap in the wall grew wider. There was enough light for her to make out the walls that surrounded her. Strange symbols covered their surface. She had no idea what they meant, they were nothing like anything she had seen before.

'You will prepare for the examination. This will be painless.' The disembodied voice said.

A figure appeared within the gap in the wall. The brightness of the light behind the figure prevented Eliza from seeing it clearly.

It seemed small, smaller than Eliza at least. A robe of green fabric covered it from head to foot. It wore a mask. A stylized insect face, set with jewels and decorated with the same style of symbols as the walls.

The figure moved towards Eliza. A swarm of smaller creatures followed behind it. They were all identical to each other. Their masks were not as ornate as the leader's. Like an army of pale green ants, they marched into the room, until they surrounded Eliza.

She screamed as hundreds of small arms reached out to her, claws closing on her flesh like pincers. They lifted her and passed her along their ranks towards the gap in the wall. The last thing she remembered was being carried into the bright light before she passed out.