The Sirens Four

Chapter 7

Waves crashed against the rocks, withdrawing the sea foam back toward its dark depths, before repeating the process all over again. Sandra could hear it feeling the rough edges of the gravel against the side of her face.

She slowly opened her eyes. It was still night with the full moon shining bright above her head as she tried to make sense of where she was.

Taking a minute to get her bearings, she realized she was at a secluded beach somewhere. The tide began to roll in pushing the water toward her. She sat up.

Something tight bound her wrists behind her back while she tried to stand but fell right back on to the grainy surface hard. Her feet were pressed together and there was a reason for that. Her kidnapper tied her ankles with duct tape. The dark figure finally made his presence known.

"Good you're up," smirked Chip Laughlin. "I didn't know how long the chloroform would last. Since you're lucid, it should make it much fun to killing you."

"What do you want sicko?" Sandra spat. "What did you do with Patrick?"

"Patrick is it?" he teased. "I wonder what that kid's name was that I beat unconscious over the head. Call it payback for that little food court incident. Ironic isn't it that I used his cell to text you, making you think it was him that wanted to meet you. Man, you're so stupid!"

"What is it that you want? You know you won't get away with this!"

"I'm afraid my Master has other plans," he told her. "As long as your destiny is not fulfilled, then the prophecy can't come true."

Sandra listened to bullying teenager's ramblings and could tell he wasn't right in the head.

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense!"

Chip taunted her with his crazed laughter. "This is priceless! You really don't know the truth, do you? Well no matter, you'll be dead soon enough."

Raising his arms to the full moon, Sandra watched in terror as her insane captor began chanting some poetic nonsense.

As blessed by the great Fortuna

Imprisoned by the Titan Luna

Oh, Great Mother, Goddess Tiamat!

Your minion shall join you in combat!

Honor your servant in mortal guise

Let the demon within now rise!

Release the vessel from its shell

Destroy the soul! Break the spell!

Sandra heard Chip grunt, a guttural yowl that echoed from beneath his lungs turning into a wheeze of air, bent his body in an uncomfortable position on the rocky ground before releasing another scream of anguish.

He raised his head into her view, but it was not a human face that she saw. The visage began to contort; reshape into an oval flatness pointing in her direction while his eyes became large black discs and his ears slowly shrank away. Chip's nose eventually diminished leaving only two slits for nostrils where underneath the missing olfactory organ a row of mini-sharp teeth formed between his tiny lips.

As Sandra struggled with her binds, she could hear her heart beating in fear mixed with the sounds of her kidnapper's internal muscles and bones tearing, ripping, and cracking beneath his skin.