Eldritch

Chapter 17

Daniel slumps down onto the carpeted floor of Martin's bedroom. 'Yeah, my Dad got me away from the Sheriff's station. But, Sheriff Ryan suspects this group because we're all associated with Abi, Charlene and Ella.'

'Shit,' Martin says.

Daniel nods. 'And my Dad's getting suspicious. He knows something's wrong. I was about to tell him, but I can't. I don't want the same thing to happen to him as Charlene.'

The boys remain silent for a moment until Sophie and Lisa burst in. 'It gets worse,' Sophie says.

This prompts the boys to turn to her, and pay her their utmost attention. She sinks to the floor to kneel as she continues. 'The police found a dead body in a ditch on the outskirts of town.'

Lisa gently rubs her shoulder as she sobs. 'Whoever it was, it was shredded to pieces. Whatever attacked it, it feasted on its flesh. It tore it to shreds and ate it. They couldn't even identify the body, it was so dismembered.'

Sophie buries her face in her hands and Lisa takes over. 'They think it was an animal attack, but we think it was that thing.'

Nobody in the room can face each other. They just sit, muscles tense, stewing in uncomfortable silence. Lisa is the only one to speak. 'No, it definitely was that thing. They reckon the body has been there about a week, which is exactly how long Ella and Charlene have been missing. A week, tonight.'

Sean clears his throat and finds the will to speak. 'So, every time it takes one of us, it's going to prey on another resident in town?'

'That's what it looks like,' murmurs Sophie, gulping down her tears.

'We've got to stop it,' Martin says.

They all nod, and Lisa heads for the door. 'I'm going to the library to research this more. And from now on, we meet each other every day during free period in the school library to figure it out.'

Daniel stands up. 'Here, I'll drive you.'

'I'm fine,' she says.

'Well, I'll at least make sure you get there okay before I go home.'

Lisa raises her eyebrow. 'Lisa, we need to look out for each other, okay? I'm going with you.'

She sighs and nods. Daniel turns to Sean. 'Want a ride?'

Together, Sean, Lisa and Daniel leave the house and Lisa hops into her jeep.

Behind the steering wheel, Daniel trails behind her until she reaches the town library. Once inside, he turns around and heads towards Sean's home. As he comes in the door, Marissa smiles.

'Hey sweetie. How are you?'

'I'm fine Mom,' he says.

As they're seated at the kitchen table, eating their dinner, the phone begins to ring.

'I'll get it, Mom,' he says. He strides into the living room and picks the phone up. He fidgets with the cord as he greets the caller.

'Daniel, help me, please,' Lisa cries down the phone. There's a hysterical pitch to her voice.

'Lisa?' he says, alarmed. 'What is it? What's wrong?'

He can hear her hyperventilating at the other end. 'Something's just happened. You need to come now. Please,' she sobs.

His eyes widen. Something is definitely wrong. 'Okay, okay, Lisa, I'm coming. Where are you?'

'I'm at the opening to the woods, in my jeep. Please, come quickly.'

Daniel slams down the phone and rushes out the door.

As Lisa's jeep comes into his sight, Daniel hops out of his car and sprints towards her. She opens the door and clambers out, her entire body shaking. 'Daniel,' she cries.

He looks her in the eye. 'Lisa, tell me, what happened?'

Her breaths uneven, she chokes as she tells him the reason for her shaking. 'I was coming back from the library, and I was just driving this way, down the road, and and and--'

He grabs hold of her quivering hands. 'Lisa,' he says. 'What happened?'

'A girl walked out from the woods into the middle of the road, and just stopped. I pulled the brakes, and was about to get out and ask her what the hell she was doing. But, she turned around, and looked at me through the windscreen. It was Ella.'

'Ella?'

She nods shakily. 'It was Ella, but it wasn't, if you get me. She just stood there, starting at me, with this really creepy smile on her face. And then, she turned around and went back into the woods. I didn't know what to do, I was just frozen. I couldn't get out of the jeep, but I couldn't drive either, I was just so terrified, and I didn't know what else to do, so I called you. I'm sorry,' she cries. 'I'm so sorry.'

He places his hand to the back of her head and pulls him closer to her. She rests her head against his chest and continues to sob. 'Hey, don't be sorry,' he says. 'It's okay.'

As he tries to comfort her, he can't help but focus on his hammering heartbeats. It seems crazy to him that Ella could've been walking around the town or someone who looked just like her, but he has the strongest feeling that Lisa is right about what she saw. The idea sends a shiver running through him.

Slowly, Lisa back away and looks up to him. She gazes deeply into his eyes, and feels herself taking a step closer to his face. He makes a gesture to her jeep. 'We're all going to stay at Martin and Sophie's tonight. We need to stick together, all the time.'

She nods. 'Can I get a ride with you?' she quivers, still shaking from the fright she got. 'And collect my jeep in the morning?'

'Of course,' he says. 'Come on.'

While he starts up the engine, he asks Lisa to call Sean and tell him to pack a bag for the evening. He makes a quick stop at his home to grab a few items for the night, tosses his bag into the trunk and allows Lisa to do the same.

Sean hops into the backseat of the car and Daniel speeds down the road towards the twins' home. Once parked on the drive, he tells the others to head inside while he fetches his bag. He leans toward Lisa. 'Just tell them everything you told me, okay? I'll be in in a minute.'

She nods and slides off the seat, landing on her feet and shutting the door over. Daniel pinches the bridge of his nose, jumps out of the car, and opens the trunk. He thinks he hears footsteps somewhere nearby and whips his head upwards. Seeing nothing other than the shadows of the night, he shrugs his shoulders and makes a grab for the bag. He slams the trunk shut and turns to enter the house. But, a figure blocks his path and before he can say anything, it lunges towards him in a blur.