Bones of the Demon King

Chapter 19

Eva drove up to Open Heart. The residential treatment center was in the neighboring city in the middle of the woods. Apparently it was originally built within the city but citizens complained that they were too afraid of having the center too close to schools as it also served individuals with severe mental disorders. What if one of the patients escaped and hurt a child? Rather than get rid of Open Heart, they moved it to this isolated area and added barbed wire around it to prevent anyone from leaving without permission.

On her way to Open Heart, she noticed a small house hidden behind some trees. Grey smoke was coming out of a brick chimney.

"Well that's one family that isn't afraid," Eva thought as she drove past the small home. The house was very close to Open Heart. Eva wasn't afraid of the nearby residential treatment center but the idea of living in the woods was just creepy to her.

"Geez this place looks like it belongs in a horror flick," Eva looked up at the tall building that may have been white at one point but was now a dingy yellow color. The lawns weren't kept up and the facility was surrounded by large oak trees. In the distance, she could see the barbed wire fence that she had noticed as she drove towards the entrance of the main road.

Eva thought of what she knew about Vincent McDaniels. He was the father of Tom McDaniels, a widower, and a former writer with a penchant for alcohol, drugs, and women. In the past, he had even been called prolific. He had written several best sellers and had made quite a bit of money. Then his daughter, Beatrice McDaniels, was killed by a drifter and he became a recluse. He had two sons: Tom and Christopher. After his daughter's murder, Christopher went to live with Vincent's brother-in-law while Tom stayed with Vincent. There were also rumors that Vincent had been abused as a child and that he suffered from blackouts. Some even said he had violent mood swings.

Eva parked her rental, and walked across the gravel road to the main entrance. There weren't many people in sight. She stepped up to the information desk where an older woman was knitting.

"Excuse me," Eva said. "I'm here to visit Vincent McDaniels."

"Who did you say, Dearie? I have a bit of a hearing problem," the receptionist scooted forward in her chair and put her yarn and needles down.

Eva quickly answered, "Vincent McDaniels."

The older woman smiled at her, nodded, and said, "And you are?"

Eva lied, "I'm his daughter."

"Is that so? I didn't know he had a daughter." The woman began looking through her computer for Vincent McDaniels' information. "I'm sorry dear, but it looks like your father checked out. Didn't he tell you?"

"He checked out?" Eva was surprised, "How could he do that? Is he allowed to do that?"

The woman looked at Eva curiously. "He wasn't here by doctor's orders. He checked himself in. He can check himself out whenever he wants. He does it all the time. What did you say your name was again?" The older woman was now clearly suspicious of Eva.

"I'm sorry. I have to go. Thank you for your time," Eva said as she began walking out the door and back to her car.

Eva was confused. She looked through her files that she had quickly printed off from the computer before driving to Open Heart. Her information clearly indicated that Vincent McDaniels stayed at Open Heart because of blackouts and severe mood swings.  If he wasn't at Open Heart, where the hell was he?

Eva sat in her car thinking of possible relatives he could stay with. His son, Tom McDaniels, was the only person she could think of. She looked over the passenger's seat at her file on Vincent McDaniels.

There was an article about him staying at a small house each summer with his family. She remembered that it had seemed odd to her because she thought he might've had a fancy summer home on the beach not a small house in the woods. Eva's eyes widened in realization.

"Could it be?" she said aloud to herself.

 She searched through her paperwork to see if she was right. She picked up the article and although it looked to be in much better condition, it was the small house she had seen on her way to Open Heart. Eva smiled and turned on the car. She was going to meet Vincent McDaniels. 

When she got to where the house was, she parked her rental on the main road. She got out and began walking towards it. It was already getting dark as it was a little past seven. As Eva got closer, she noticed signs nailed to some of the trees, "No Trespassing."  Eva ignored them.

She got closer and noticed that all of the lights were off but she could hear music coming from the house. It sounded like Oldies music.

"Maybe he fell asleep and left the radio on," Eva thought.

She walked to a side window where she noticed a small glow of light coming from a small window at the bottom of the house. The window was the size and shape of a brick. She slowly tried to glance through the glass. It was to a basement or cellar. The lighting was still poor and Eva had to get on her stomach to get a better view. What she saw startled her.

The room was dark and there appeared to be bones scattered on the floor. She couldn't tell what kind of bones they were. It looked like a massive grave. In the middle of the room stood an older man wearing a butcher's apron and some plastic gloves. He had a knife in his hand and was cutting up meat and bones. Blood was dripping from the fleshy parts still attached to the bones. Eva wanted to vomit. He was listening to the music while working his knife.

Eva pulled out her phone. Most people would call the cops first, but not Eva. She was a reporter. She took pictures of the room as best she could through the small window. Luckily for her, the music was blasting so he couldn't hear the clicking sound her phone made when it took pictures.

Suddenly, he stopped chopping and looked up.

Eva became a statue. She didn't want to make a sound.

Finally, he began chopping again. Eva looked at her phone and scrolled through the pictures. Some of them were bad but a few looked pretty good. She looked through the window one last time to take another photo when she noticed that the man was gone.

"Oh shit," she whispered. She quickly stood up and looked down at her phone. Her fingers were shaking when she tried navigating her phone to the dialer. She needed to call 911. Not knowing where that man was scared her. Was that Vincent McDaniels? Was he the Demon King? Was Tom innocent? So many questions ran through her mind. When she finally pulled up the right screen to dial the police, it was too late. Eva's mind had been too preoccupied with her own thoughts. She didn't hear his footsteps as he came up from behind her. She didn't see him lift a small shovel.

All she felt was a sharp pain on the back of her head and then everything went black.