The house of rhapsody (Book 1 Of The Sanctuary and War Series)

Riley

Meanwhile the attack was happening, a few new arrivals were making their way to the sanctuary.

“Im telling you, some freak, supernatural, was just driving this damn thing.”

“Then where the fuck is it now?”

“It couldn’t have gotten far. Look in the back though. This thing was all packed up, probably heading to that damn House in the Woods.”

“Jeeze. Look at how much chain is looped on its front rails.”

“Fan out. Secure the perimeter. It’s either coming back for its shit, or its hiding from us.”

A 4 stack squad of Human Soldiers surrounded a 1989 Black Bronco. Flood lights on the roof, steel rails over the front grill. Off-roading tires. The engine was off and the keys were missing from the ignition. Probably due to the deadzone this forest created the closer one got to the House. The soldiers were part of the same battalion that had started its assault on the house a short while ago. They were among those of the humans who were told to keep an eye on the surroundings and keep an eye out for anyone trying to flee. In this case, anyone trying to sneak through and get to the house. They looked military, clad in forest camo, and mesh on their helmets to collect leaves and foliage in. Like any of the other armed soldiers, they had their rifles, silver rounds, incendiary grenades, vials of holy water. The basic tool-kit per say for your average supernatural needs.

Flashlights clicked on, attached to the bottom rails of each of their rifles. Judging by the lights, the edge of the deadzone was nearby, but not quite inside of it yet. The beams of light started to survey the area, highlighting bushes, trees, boulders, and anything else possible for someone to hide behind. Crickets chirped and filled the air with their buzzing. As if nothing was out of the ordinary, it was just a night in the woods. As the men spread out their perimeter widened, in search for the trucks owner. As they looked around suddenly a loud clacking sound, like rocks tumbling over one another, echoed just off over the nearby hill. Two of the lights snapped off, and the soldiers with them started towards the hill. Element of surprise, right? Meanwhile, the other two started a wide flank around, hoping to surround the source of the noise. One the left, one to the right, and the other two straight up the middle and over the hill.

As the two men up the center reached the peak of the hill they quickly snapped their lights back on and took aim. Nothing was there, aside from a hillside of stones. From the right, the flanking soldier panned his light around in search as well, while there seemed to be no sign of light from the left flank.

“Jason?!” One of the hilltop soldiers called out, panning his light around in search for their missing ally.

“~~~aaaaahh…hhggg~~~” A choked groan sounded from off in the left flank. A light too shined in a single direction from the forest floor, looking like the soldier had been disarmed of the weapon.

“Hang on, kid!” The other hilltop soldier called, tapping his partner there so they could move as a pair down the hill and over towards the left flank of the rocks. Meanwhile, the Right flanking solider took up the rear with a quick jog, catching up to the others to cover them.

As the soldiers approached the illuminated weapon on the forest floor, they panned around with their own lights to scan the area. There was no immediate sign of the downed man. Just the abandoned weapon, and a faint gloss of crimson upon the metal. Before any of the soldiers could react to the sight though, a heavy rustle came through the bushes just ahead. As the lights all snapped up to examine, it was just in time to highlight the missing soldier, flying right at them! The man crumpled to the forest floor with a heavy thud, just at the feet of the other men. A heavy cry of pain escaped him as he bowled into one of the other men, knocking them down. In a scramble, the 3 healthy men rushed to their wounded, though, the now returned man seemed to be trying to fight them off.

“N..no! Noooo! Ruuunnn!” The wounded man, with blood spitting from his lips, cried through a wheezing breath for the others to leave him. His legs were mangled, arm twisted the completely wrong direction, and his throat had the thickest of bruising around it.

“Get Down!” The defending soldier who had covered the other flank yelled! It was too late though by the time his words reached the other two soldiers. From the same direction the wounded man had been thrown from, a large boulder came hurling through the bushes, at chest level with the other two men trying to help their downed ally. The rock crashed into them and knocked them back, not just pinning them, but crushing them beneath its weight from the impact. Ribs exploded beneath the weight, puncturing their lungs and other internals, while the rock simply rested on top of them, pressing it further. The light left their eyes within moments.

In a mix of fear and anger, the last standing man lifted his rifle and fired blindly in the direction of the bush. Bullets ripped through the leaves, sending branches and greenery flying off in a cloud, while bugs and other small critters scurried or fluttered away. Until the mans weapon clicked did the bullets keep flying, then, there was a moment of silence. Panting, and staring wide eyed, the man looked through the bush. Then, a tremor shook the ground and ran up his legs. It was followed by another, heavier shock, that by the sound of it too was growing closer. What started off as bumps across the forest floor soon turned to a rapid shaking, as the trees up ahead shook in a rhythm that showed their motion closing in towards him! Turning on his heels, the man dropped his gun and sprinted, while the wounded soldier behind wheezed again and screamed for his life.

Bursting through the darkened bush, a towering figure stomped its way in a full sprint in the direction of the fleeing man! A hulking frame, covered in thick fur, moved like an unstoppable force. In front of it, two large dead trees were held like a shield, riddled with bullet holes! Casting them aside, fiery eyes beneath jet black horns gazed with a tunnel vision at the fleeing man far ahead. Cloven hooves carried the beastly figure through the dark, and in a wild stampede after the last soldier. Suddenly, the screams of the wounded kid were silenced, as one of the stomping hooves found its place on the back of his head, popping it like a grape against the rough forest floor.

The fleeing soldier could only hear his own heart racing, and the sounds of his boots hitting the dirt beneath him. The tremors approaching behind did not register. The sound of the now dead private, after being trampled down. His own breathing did not even fill his ears. Just this fear for his life, which had death licking at his heels. There was no use. Not a hope within sight. Only the darkness of the forest, feeling like it was closing in around him. Defeated, the soldier slowed. His pace soon came to a stop, within a small cluster of trees and bushes. Nothing notable even in sight for him to even think about being the marker of his departure from this world. Turning, the man faced the horror closing in on him. The path he had just ran shook with the hulking figure that gave chase. The smaller of trees were uprooted entirely and thrown aside as the beast grew closer, while others erupted with splinters as the beast never ceased in its pursuit. Watching, and breathing slowly now, the soldier eyed the tip of one of the black horns, as the creature lowered its head down. Standing his ground, he closed his eyes, and then all senses were lost…

The ground tremored softly at the approach of the hulking being. In the moonlight near the truck, a Minotaur, standing close to a solid 10 ft in height before its horns, entered near the vehicle. A huff of air escaped through its nostrils, inspecting the truck as one of its hands reached into the pouch of its sash. A light jingle filled the air as it pulled out the keys gently in two of its fingers. Tossing them through the open window onto the drivers seat, the beast rounded to the front of the truck and took hold of the wrapped chain that had been coiled around the front guardrail of the grill. With a single pull of strength, the truck lurched forward, and upward as the beast began to tow it, walking deeper into the woods, and closer towards its destination.

…The House…