The Sirens Four

Chapter 13

Sandra opened the door of the foyer to a world of complete blackness. Funny, the manor is never this dark. Why are all the lights turned off? She stumbled in the dark searching for light switch finally locating one and turning it on. Nothing. A loud crash at the end of the hallway caused her to jump.

"Hello! Anyone home?" She called out. "Do we have a blackout?"

She followed the side of the wall with her fingers, completely blind in the shadows that surrounded her. Tracing a line through the corridor with her hand, she felt the edge of the corner indicating that she was now entering the next room.

Sandra shifted forward moving inch by inch until a sharp pain banged into her knees. She had bumped into a kitchen counter. Damnit. This better be a blackout or there will be hell to pay! She said to herself.

Trailing her fingers until she found the opposite corner of the wall, she felt around the darkness finally uncovering the hidden switch underneath her hand and turning it on.

A small crack of light appeared in the kitchen, allowing her to get her bearings. She made her way through the dimness of the room stopping when she heard a crunch under her shoe. She looked down to see bowl of vegetables scattered across the floor, pots and pans toppled near the counter, to finally droplets of red splatters directing a path on the ground. Red wine spills maybe?

"Nestor?" Sandra shouted his name again. "Calypso? Callisto? You here?"

She followed the crimson trail seeing a large pile situated in the corner of the window. Moonlight rays illuminated the object allowing Sandra to investigate. She came close to it, saw the servant's suit jacket, and realized with horror that it was a person.

The Gregory's butler Reginald.

Turning him over with her foot, she noticed that his face and chest had been shredded by an animal's claw. A sea demon's talon! She screamed.

Lights suddenly came on in the manor convincing her to run back toward the front entrance of the foyer. Echoes of a beastly growl came from the front of the house forcing her stop running.

That is when she sensed it.

Hatred. Anger. Rage. Rampage. Murder. Carnage. Massacre.

Yet, these emotions were not coming from one single entity, but from multiples ones leaving Sandra to conclude the worse.

There is more than one sea demon in the house, and they are keeping her trapped inside.

It is now or never.

She sprinted toward the front door running down the middle of the hallway before something she saw made her gasp.

Torn from its hinges, the main entrance doors were suddenly ripped open by a creature with sharp claws, spikes on its face, gills displayed on its neck, and a row of sharp teeth. Still wearing a high school letterman jacket, Sandra read the name. Otto Dillion. Chip's Laughlin's bullying buddy! The demon inside had possessed him.

"Surrender now little mermaid and we won't have to hurt you," growled the demon. "Lord Gaderius will reward us nicely for bringing you alive!"

She didn't have a chance to respond. She picked up her heels and darted.

Face pale, she dodged the monster's first swipe, by running up the stairs hopefully to safety.

"You can't escape!" The thing that was Otto growled. "Surrender now!"

She neared the top of the steps when she saw two figures leaning against the wall. To her terror the dual forms were not standing at all.

Callisto and Calypso stood motionless as each had a spear impaled through their chests. Blood seeped from their bodies soaking the floor forming a puddle of crimson.