The Tether - None Good
By Nick Davis
Smashwords Edition
Published by Alt World at Smashwords.com
Copyright 2010 Nick Davis
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to the Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Just have a little faith...
*****
Contents
Chapter 3 -Manners are Manners
Chapter 5 - You Don't Have to Do This
Chapter 7 - Limiting the Damage
Chapter 12 - Welcome to the Lair
Chapter 17 - Needle in a Haystack
Chapter 21 - The Gallant Rescue
Chapter 28 - Ain't Finished Yet
Chapter 29 - You Called for Help
*****
Do Angels exist Daddy?
Yes, I think Angels exist...
What do they do Daddy?
They watch for us.
Who are they watching for Daddy?
They say they watch for evil.
*****
Chapter One
Realize There Is None Good - Romans 3:10
as it is neither, there is none righteous, no, not one
Tick tock, tick, tock...
The clock ponderously ticked away as it sat on the religious studies wall at St Bernadette’s Prep & Boarding School for Girls. The autumn light played against the classroom windows, shining lazily in as Ms. Divens droned through the last of the religious studies text on the black board. The class of girls all sat bored waiting for the lesson and with it the school day to come to an end.
The chalk scrapped across the board as Ms. Divens finished writing the quote onto the board and punctuated it with heavy dot at the end, failing utterly to raise any life from her class.
“Can anyone tell me what this means?” said Ms. Divens, as she shook the chalk dust off her hands to avoid getting any on her dark pants.
The teacher turned to address the class, “Anyone?”
Ms. Divens tutted under her breath; it was hard to teach religious studies to any student, but to a class of seniors she might as well be talking to a wall. “Anyone?”
The teacher scanned the class for an answer, the sullen mass of students suddenly aware that they were expected to participate in the lesson tried not to meet her gaze. Their only real interest was to escape into the warm fall afternoon playing just beyond their reach against the windows.
“How about you Sarah?” said Ms. Divens.
At the back of the class, sat Sarah, both hands on her chin staring aimlessly out into the school grounds totally oblivious to the teachers question, “Well, Sarah?”
At the second mention of her name, Sarah looked up sweeping her dark hair away from her blue eyes. She met the teachers steely green eyed gaze and searched for clues for the question she was being asked.
Shaking her head Sarah said, “I'm sorry Ms. Divens, how can I help you?”
The class let a small humorous snort out from Sarah's irreverent response. Ms. Divens just sighed, leaned against the desk, brushed an errant strand of red hair back behind her ear and took off her glasses. Straightening up the teacher pointed back towards the board and at the quote written upon it.
“Realize there is none good, what do you think it means Sarah?” said Ms. Divens.
Sarah looked at the scribbled quote on the board and then blankly back at the teacher. To Sarah just like the rest of this class it didn't actually mean anything. She knew though she wasn't going to avoid Ms. Divens attention now it was on her.
“That none are good?” Sarah said smirking; she was rewarded with another amused low toned laugh from the rest of the class, happy that the attention wasn’t on any of them.
Ms. Divens just looked at her for a moment and sighed again, reached for the cracked leather bound Bible on her desk and opened it to the correct passage.
“Thank you for that insight Sarah. The quote is from Romans 3:10 it appears in two forms depending on the version of the bible you have. None good is sometimes swapped out with None Righteous. Do you want to try that again?”
Sarah looked blankly back at the teacher and then a thought struck her, if anything it might get the Ms. Divens off her back, “We are born capable of being good or bad, it’s our choice right?”
“Very good Sarah. The quote is very powerful in its meaning and interpretation, but I think you've grasped some understanding of it.”
“Why thank you Ms. Divens,” said Sarah pertly.
Turning her attention back to the class Ms. Divens said, “Class, I want you all to consider the quote and write a two thousand word essay on what you feel the meaning of it is.”
“And,” Ms. Divens said quickly, “I am aware of what Wikipedia has to say on the subject so no copying ad nausea, okay?”
The class groaned just as the bell rang interrupting any further possibility of being assigned more homework. After all the outside world was calling and that was much more influential than a dusty old quote from the Bible.
“Sarah, can I have a word,” called out Ms. Divens.
Rolling her eyes, Sarah walked towards the teacher’s desk as the rest of the class filed out. She caught the cheeky grin of her best friend Charlene just as her blonde head disappeared out of the door.
“Yes, Ms. Divens.”
“I was very impressed with your answer Sarah it looks like you were paying attention after all.”
“Thank you Ms. Divens, but I have to go or I will be late for library detail again.”
The teacher smiled warmly at her, “Oh Sarah, if only you used half the smarts in class that you use when dodging out of school you would be on the honor roll by now.”
“Yes Ms. Divens.”
“Now get out of here. If Mrs. Berks’ gives you a hard time about being late, tell her to see me.”
“Thank you,” said Sarah as she dived for the classroom door.
Sarah walked down the heavily varnished dark wood hallway; now stuffed with girls and headed towards her locker. She had to admit, although Ms. Divens constantly picked on her in class, she did like the Teacher. She was young, younger by a couple of decades than most of the Teachers at St Bernadette’s and seemed to understand her. No one could figure out why Ms. Divens would choose such an old fashioned school to teach in. Sarah, after all, was boarded here and had no choice. This was her last chance to make good. According to her father, if she screwed up here he was washing his hands of her and disinheriting her. Sarah personally thought her father had gone out of his way to the find the stuffiest and oldest school on the East coast to hide her away. It was a far cry from the trendier prep schools she attended in Manhattan. Although they all collectively refused to take her after a series of what her father liked to call 'incidents' that occurred after her mother’s death in a car accident. These 'incidents' ranged from straightforward truancy, to getting involved in stealing cars and school property. The expensive psychologist hired by her father's lawyer to defend her actions in court, linked the behavior to the trauma of her mother death and so she got away with just probation. Sarah figured it out what her behavior was genuinely about without the help of the expensive psychologist. After her mother’s death, Sarah's father had thrown himself into his work and had grown even more distant than he was previously. Just when Sarah needed him the most, he was at his most closed off. The ‘incidents’ were her way of getting him to notice her. Instead his answer to the problem was to simply remove Sarah from her New York temptations and bury her in first boarding school that would take her. She knew that St Bernadette’s only took her because of her father’s money and not her academic record. Now she found herself in a school so old that it was rumored that Baltimore was actually built around it. Even though this was her 'last chance', as her father had plainly expressed through his Lawyer. It still didn't stop her from sneaking out of the dorms after curfew. After a little investigation she learned the Dorm Matrons never come around and checked the dorms after lights out, instead they stayed in their night office, only venturing out for Breakfast roll. The school's location limited her nightly social options to hanging around the book store and coffee shop across the road from the old Senator cinema. Sometimes when time allowed she would catch the bus and go to the Towson Town Mall. Not quite the big city excitement she was used too, but she was trying to stay under the radar. Just in case her father made good on his threat of disinheriting her. It was her most recent adventure with Charlene that she got caught. She was halfway up the old stone wall surrounding the school sneaking back onto the grounds around midnight when one of the security guards caught her. This would normal not have been a problem since most of the guards don't care as long as you have your school id card on you. This time though she was caught by the Night Porter Mr. Strickland. As the name suggests he played exactly to the school rules and was so delighted in catching the schools infamous 'bad girl' that he failed to notice Charlene hiding in the bushes behind him. The next day Sarah was summoned to the Principals office and was sentenced to ten hours of school related punishment detail; which she was running late too now.
Reaching her slate gray locker Sarah found a short blond girl with even shorter hair bunches standing by it. The girl was called Charlene as she smiled as Sarah approached.
“Hi Charlie.”
“Okay, what happened? Did you catch a double assignment?” said Charlie as she twirled her blonde bunches.
Sarah looked at her and laughed, “No... Ms. Divens just wanted to talk to me about my answer.”
“Ohh... Bad,” said Charlie screwing up her pert nose.
“Ohh... Good,” said Sarah smiling, “She liked it.”
“You got lucky Sarah. Too bad that religious study doesn't count towards any credits for graduation.”
“Yeah, I know, but why do we still have to pass the course to graduate?” said Sarah.
“Oh... Like the test isn't easy. My sister passed it last year and she didn't even study,”
said Charlie. “I mean, it’s not like Ms. Divens honestly expect us to learn anything. It feels like she just pushes it at us.”
“I guess,” said Sarah.
“Okay, I gotta get home and out of these clothes they are so stiff!” said Charlie indicating her school uniform.
“Oh, are we going somewhere Charlie?”
“You betcha, into civvies, and out to the Senator... Matt will be there...” teased Charlie sticking her tongue out and smiling.
Sarah shared Charlie’s grin as she pictured the statuesque Matt in her head.
“Yeah, I'll be there right after I finish off my Library detail, if there is enough free time left before curfew.”
“Wow, you have so much Library detail assigned to you. You'll still be in there even after you graduate.” teased Charlie.
“Thanks Charlie, remember you owe me for not taking you with me this time.”
Charlie smiled and danced off, “You're right. I owe you big time.”
“Just know that I own your ass until you pay up.,” called out Sarah after her.
She put her school folder away, pulled her backpack onto her shoulder, and headed off towards the direction of the Library.
The Library at St Bernadette’s was a sprawling single storey structure built separate from the main school building. It reminded Sarah of a block house that someone haphazardly stuck what was considered Gothic decorations on to and hoped for a classical effect. It wasn't the dirty gray of St Bernadette’s main building, but instead had a lighter almost white tint to the stone work. Inside it was the same dark wood finish as the rest of the school, except this wood seemed to consume the light despite there being a large glass ceiling in the center of the main Library lobby. Sarah made her way to the Librarians’ office, the large glass panes slightly stained yellow with age surrounded the office allowing for maximum visibility. Within Mrs. Berks the Head Librarian could spot you talking in the stacks across the entire building, and despite knowing you were at her door, she still made you knock and wait.
“Ah, Miss Taylor, I am so glad you could make it,” said Mrs. Berks looking over the top of her horn rimmed glasses.
“I'm sorry Mrs. Berks, my last class dragged on longer than I thought.”
“You mean you dragged it out hoping it would cut into you’re assigned detail Miss Taylor.”
“You can ask Ms. Divens. She kept me behind to talk to me.”
“More trouble Sarah?” said Mrs. Berks shaking her head.
“No Mrs. Berks, you can call her if you want.”
“That I will young lady and you will still do you full hour of detail here tonight. You can continue with the cataloging of the year books in the archive room.”
“But... Mrs. Berks, that place stinks, and everything is covered in dust and mold.”
“I don't want to hear any arguments Sarah, or you will find another hour tacked on the last two you have remaining,” said Mrs. Berks testily.
“Yes Mrs. Berks,” said Sarah pouting resigned to another hour of dust and mold. “Could I please have the key?”
“Here you go Sarah,” said Mrs. Berks handing her a large iron key, “You’re hour starts now, and don't forget to report to me when you are done.”
“Thank you Mrs. Berks.”
“Of all the duties I could have gotten here I got the smelliest,” thought Sarah as she crossed the entire length of the Library heading towards the wall on the far left side of the building from the Librarians office. The door to the archive room was a small solid piece of oak set into the wall. It took both hands to turn the key in the rusty lock, and Sarah still strained to open the reluctant door. Reaching in she flicked the light switch and the series of individual bulb lights flickered on to light the passageway, and the crowded bookish room just beyond. She noted that the only footsteps in the inches thick dust on the floor where her own.
“I see this place hasn't lost its pleasant smell,” she said to the musty air as it hit her nostrils. Slowly Sarah stepped across the threshold and into the archive room itself. The desk she was using to catalog was still undisturbed with one of the large old school yearbooks laid out across it. She sighed as she sat down on the wooden chair and looked around at the dank shelves. When she volunteered for the library detail as her punishment, it seemed the cushiest one to get. Had she known what a hard nut Mrs. Berks was and how time seemed to drag in this building Sarah would have chosen anything, including garbage duty.
“Thank god, I've only got two more hours of this dump.”
She put her book bag down by the table, took out her iPod pulled up a play list and set about making the hour go as fast as she could.
*****
Chapter Two
“She's here,” muttered a lanky figure as it scuttled down a dark passageway, “She's finally here.”
The figure capered around a corner and into a small room lit by intermittent light streaming through the floor boards above. “Soon be time Master, the Pretty one is here.”
A crooked grin played across the man’s grimy face and he licked his cracked lips. A series of poorly stacked boxes stood in front of him. Pausing to take in the sounds of the room above him, he then scampered to the top of them, pressing his bloodshot eye against the knot hole in the floor boards. Just on the edge of his vision he could make out the thigh high socks of a girl sitting at a desk.
“Oh yes, she is here,” said the man almost sliding off the boxes in excitement. “Have to be clever and quick, Master wants and needs her fear in one piece.”
He sat on the floor and pulled out a small rusty knife and added a fresh cut to the lines already scored down his arm. He took a moment to savor the pain and then licked the blade clean.
“No, must not use the knife, not yet, must use the needle as the Master instructed.”
He scrambled back to the ground and gathered himself together, brushing his long unkempt hair out of his face and readjusted his dank trench coat. He took the moment to remember what his Master had said about trapping the girl and calmed his breathing.
****
Sarah worked her way down the record book bopping her head in time with the music and pulling the year books in order from the shelves around her. When she first started this punishment she found the archives fascinating seeing pictures of the school and the girls that suffered here before her. Sarah liked to think they were not much different from her. She had found pleasure in an earlier discovery in one of the older record books of a list, almost identical to the one she was making even though it was written almost thirty years earlier. The next day when she looked back at the list the dull routine of the process hit her and that was the point of this library detail. It was utterly useless, it just wasted time.
A muffled rattle followed by a tiny squeak made Sarah look up to see the door to the hallway creak shut. It wasn't the first time the door had shut on her, and she hoped she could force it open by herself. Last time it took her pushing from the inside and Mrs. Berks and Mr. Strickland pulling from the outside to force it open. She set the record book down got up and walked back along the hallway to see if she could open the door. Halfway down the passage Sarah heard a slight scraping noise and a dull thud from the back of the archive room making Sarah jump slightly. She walked back into the room and looked around. There was a small cloud of dust where some books had fallen off an askew shelf.
“Great,” Sarah thought, “Now what’s sharing this freaking room with me?”
Sarah walked over to the pile of books and picked them up. The shelf they had fallen off looked to wobbly to support them so she turned around and placed them on the vast archive desk. It was then the musty smell of the room was replaced with the ripe odor rotten eggs.
“This place is so... UGH!” Sarah said sniffing the air around her.
****
Hardly daring to breathe the lanky man pressed up against the shadow side of the bookcase. He silently cursed himself for being clumsy and knocking the books off the shelf. She was as pretty as the Master said she would be. Now she was standing there in her pleated skirt and white shirt less than five yards away from him, the lanky man was having trouble controlling his breathing. His limbs trembled as he waited for his Masters voice to prompt him into action. Every second he waited his heart beat header like it was trying to break free of his chest. Then his ears throbbed as the word rang through his entire body and he lunged out of his hiding space at her.
****
Sarah sensed the movement behind her and half turned to see a sweaty faced man dressed all in dirty brown clothing jump out of her. Sarah's eyes widened and before she could react a clammy hand closed over her mouth as they both tumbled to the ground.
“Not yet my Pretty, time enough for you to scream,” said her attacker his breath stinking of rotten eggs.
Sarah kicked out, squirmed, and racked her fingers across her assailants face. Instinctively she punched up striking at the man as he held her down. Sarah heard him groan in pain and his grip around her loosened.
****
His Master had warned him that this girl would be strong and despite this he had to do this without damaging the girl or he wouldn't be able to complete his task. The girl fought under his grip and he struggled to keep his hand over her mouth as she bit deep into his hand. He had to stop himself from enjoying the sensation and concentrate on his goal. A hard elbow into his ribs snapped him back to his senses and the girl almost broke free of his hold. He had to be quick and end this now. He drew back and hit her hard in the chest.
****
The punch made the world around Sarah explode into little stars, her iPod headphones flew off her head and she felt herself stumble into some books as her legs gave out. She had never ever been hit that hard. She tried to scream for help, but couldn't get the air into her lungs. All she could taste was her blood in her mouth, and her throat went dry, weakly she put her arms down to push herself up instead she flopped to the floor. For some reason the way her iPod was scattered on the ground fascinated her. Groggily she lifted her head up to see her attacker advance on her with a syringe in his hands. She held up an arm to wade him off, but he grabbed the limb, a few seconds later a stinging pain exploded across her chest. Sarah looked weakly at her attackers leering face and then everything span into darkness.
****
“Easy now my Pretty,” said the dark man as he grabbed her arm and then pushed the syringe into it, “We don't want you too damaged yet.”
He felt the girl go weak in his arms and let her fall to the floor. He grinned savagely lifting his bleeding hand to his mouth to lick the blood on it.
“Oh yes, we have exciting plans for you my Pretty.”
Now he had to be quick and leave no clues to the struggle, his Master had told him he would need time to complete the task which he would not get if they discovered her missing. He scampered around the room gathering up her book bag and straightened the fallen books up. Taking one last look around he judged the room to look how he found it. He dragged Sarah to the bookcase he had leaped out of and into the darkness of the corridor beyond it. A couple seconds later a faint scraping noise could be heard as the shelves moved back into place and the room fell silent.
****
Minutes later the door to the archive room opened and Mrs. Berks stepped, “Sarah? Sarah you’re time is up you can go now… Where is that girl?”
She took in the scattered books the askew bookcases and the opened record book on the desk.
“Humph... Think you can sneak out on me will you,” snorted Mrs. Berks, “Once I report this to the Principle you will have brought yourself an entire month of Library detail.”
Mrs. Berks took one more look around and stomped out of the room just missing the discarded iPod on the floor as she switched off the lights and closed the door with a dull thud.
*****
Chapter Three
Something wet and warm dripped against Sarah's belly bringing her back in consciousness. She found herself lying on top of a velvet material that covered what felt like a wooden table, in room that smelled faintly of copper. Instinctively Sarah tired to lift her arms, confused why she couldn’t until she heard a rattle of the chains tying her down. Frustration mixed with a rising panic fueled her as she tried to kick out with her legs only to find they were securely chained to the table too. Only her head wasn’t restrained and she could freely move it. Sarah looked down her body trying to determine what was dripping against her belly. The light was far too poor for her to make it out. It didn't feel like water, and the skin on her stomach crawled when a drip hit it. For some reason Sarah felt relieved she still had her clothes on, even if her shirt was ripped to expose her midriff. Turning her head she was rewarded with a view of a kelptic assortment of candles and what looked like brown stained walls that glowed slightly in the yellowy light. Sarah again tried to sit up straining against the chains.
“UGGHHH!!!” she snorted with effort taking a deep breath she tried again “UUGGHHHHH!!!”
It was no good; she couldn't move. Instead Sarah elected to try to pull her hand through the metal cuffs around her wrist, but there were equally locked down tight. Panting she looked around the room for anything that might help her, or clue her into where she was. Her heart was beating heavily in her chest and she tried to calm herself down despite the panic that was building deep inside her.
She took a breath and screamed “HELP ME! ANYONE HEAR ME! HELP ME!”
“What is your name my Pretty?” said a weedy male voice in response.
The sound made Sarah jump she didn't hear or see anyone else in the room. She cast her head around frantically trying to locate the direction of the voice and the smell of rotten eggs overpowered the copper tang in the air.
“How about you let me the fuck go you asshole,” Sarah snarled letting her frustration and anger influence her words, “You…You, maggot breath shit smelling freak!”
“Oh now, now my Pretty, sticks and stones,” the weedy voice said mocking her, “And really you’re in no position to demand anything.”
“I don't care, let me go you asshole!”
“You know I can't do that.”
The voice was coming closer now and finally a face crossed her eye line. From the light of the candles she could make out the gaunt features and hollow eyes of her attacker. She felt the fear grow in her chest and she bit her lip so she wouldn’t whimper.
The man grabbed her jaw and looked directly into her eyes, “You know you’re terribly important to me and my Master.”
All she could do was glare at him. She felt his clammy hands against her face and the putrid smell of rotten eggs assaulted her nostrils Sarah couldn’t stop herself from spluttering from it.
“But you’re right, manners are manners, and there is no reason why I should not be polite… My name is Christian,” said Christian smiling at her crookedly and performing a mini-bow. “I am very pleased to meet you. You’re a culmination of a year of very hard work for me.”
Drip... The warm sticky liquid hit her stomach again; Christian reached out touching the spot on her skin that the liquid was hitting, making her shudder, and then he licked his fingers, “Hrmm... Soon, soon…”
“Listen you asshole, I don't care about you’re fucking name... Just let me the fuck go!”
“Such bad language from such a pretty girl, are you not going to tell me your name?”
“Screw you fuck head!”
Whatever was dripping on her was starting to scratch at her nerves she tried to squirm herself out of the way of the drip. Seeing this Christian moved even closer and smiled his crooked smile, “Oh, I am being terribly impolite again, please forgive me, and let me introduce you to Jennifer.”
Christian stood back and lifted a spluttering candle up into the air, “Jennifer, will you be a good girl and say hello to our special guest.”
Following the candle light Sarah looked up. The horror of what she saw made her drink in the details and she started to gag. There was a girl hanging directly above her, this girl’s arms were out spread and nailed to the ceiling. Sarah felt her mind start to wheel as she noticed the girl’s eyes were gorged out and tongue was lolling useless out of her mouth. Drip, another drop of liquid hit her midriff making Sarah flinch involuntarily and then she saw the v-shaped cut on the girl’s belly. The realization hit her; it was the girl’s blood was dripping on her.
Without thinking, Sarah spoke in a tiny voice, “Is she..?”
Christian smiled his crooked smile, “Oh yes, she is quite dead… And soon you shall join her.”
The words hit Sarah with a jolt and she felt her anger disappear. The panic finally took over her body and a spluttered fearful tear ran down her face. First her voice froze as she grasped for breath, then she screamed, “No. No. NOOO!”
*****
Chapter Four
“Mrs. Berks, please,” said the old man smiling pleasantly before her. “My time is short, when did you last see Sarah Taylor?”
“I am sorry Mr. Tabor,” said Mrs. Berks. “School policy forbids me from giving you any information about our students.”
Mrs. Berks looked at the old man standing in front of her; he was dark skinned with black hair shot through with white. He leaned heavily on a cane and wore a tweed suit topped off with a little brown bow tie over his wiry frame. For the life of her she couldn't figure out how he got into the Library or into her office without her seeing him first.
“Look... I'm sorry I cannot help you perhaps you should go to the Principals office?” said Mrs. Berks testily. “And now I have to ask you to leave or I will call security.”
As old man sighed a warm glow seemed to pass over the office. He reached into his jacket pocket pulling out a battered leather wallet which he flipped it open to produce an equally battered Police Detective badge.
“Mrs. Berks, I am sorry I should have shown you this earlier I am Detective Clarence Tabor. I'm here to talk to Sarah about an incident she may have been involved in earlier today.”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Berks as she peered at the badge. “Why didn't you say so, that girl is always getting into trouble.”
“I'm sure she is Mrs. Berks. Please when did you last see her?”
“She was here over an hour ago on her Library detail. She was recording the schools year books back in the archive room.”
“May I see where?” said Clarence smiling.
“Of course follow me; however she skipped out on her detention over an hour ago”.
Mrs. Berks got up walked out of her office and headed in the direction of the archive room. Clarence paused and leaned heavily on his cane for a moment wiping his now sweaty brow.
“I'm getting too old for this.”
A few minutes later they found themselves in the dusty archive room.
“Here you go Detective Tabor. She would have been working at the archive desk.
“Please call me Clarence.”
The old man looked around the room, noting almost immediately the odd scrape marks across the floor on the far side of the room.
“If you ask me,” said Mrs. Berks. “She just got up and walked off.”
“Leaving her iPod behind?” said Clarence as he lifted up the tiny music player. His face now full of concern as he looked closer at the scrape marks on the floor.
Mrs. Berk utterly missing the troubled expression on Clarence's face replied, “Well girls these days never pay attention.”
“I'm sure she did Mrs. Berks,” said Clarence feeling the wall behind the shelves. He closed his eyes for a second and then nodded as if he found an answer to a question. “I think we are done here.
“Certainly Detective, now please if you would follow me I'll take you to the School’s Principal.
“I would be pleased if you lead the way Mrs. Berks,” Clarence said sweeping his hand in an open jester and smiled warmly at her.
Five minutes later Mrs. Berks was alone halfway across the campus and heading towards the Principals office. When she stopped short and couldn't remember why or where she was going. All she could remember was sitting at her desk in the Library and feeling a warm glow on her. Shrugging her shoulders Mrs. Berks decided to end the day and go home.
*****
Chapter Five
Christian was fascinated with the girl; she had stopped her hysterical screaming and crying an hour ago and was just looking around with wide eyes. Her composure was astounding; Jennifer the last girl he brought here was a gibbering wreck from the moment he brought her to his chamber. She didn't stop crying for the two weeks he kept her alive before his Master ordered him to kill her. He smiled his Master was right about this one she would be the one to finish the cycle and he would finally be able to claim his prize. He could feel his body beginning to tremble with anticipation and he fought to control himself.
****
Sarah took some deep breaths gaining some control of her body shakes and tears. Jennifer’s blood dripping on her stomach was still making her flinch. She tried to blank out the sensation as it was making her skin crawl, instead she forced herself to start thinking about how to escape with the promise she would have her mental breakdown when she was free. Remembering an old movie she once saw on TV, about a kidnap victim who by talking to her captor had got him to let her go, she decided to give it a chance. She genuinely didn't think it would work, but she had to do something.
“Now,” Sarah thought to herself. “What was this freaks name?”
“Christian,” Sarah said her mouth drying at the sound of his name. “Christian?”
Surprised and slightly excited by the use of his name by his captive Christian turned his attention back to Sarah.
“Yes,” replied Christian with an obvious tremor in this voice.
“You wanted to know my name?” Sarah smiled sweetly.
He looked at her oddly a few minutes ago this girl was screaming at him, and pleading not to be killed. Now she was smiling and fluttering her eyelids at him.
“Why yes, I would love to know you’re name, my pretty.”
“My friends call me Sarah,” Sarah said keeping the sweet smile frozen on her face.
“Hello Sarah, I am very please to met you,” Christian replied bowing his head slightly.
“Can I ask you a question Christian?”
“You may ask me anything you wish Sarah, we are alone for now.”
“Yeah,” Sarah thought. “Just you, me and Jennifer, right?”
“Why are you doing this?”
Christian was trembling again and Sarah could see him picking at the scars on his arm causing them to bleed. A tick was forming on his face; he kept brushing his lank hair back behind his ears and then licked his lips.
“Well, Sarah,” Christian almost giddy with excitement. “With your help I am going to become immortal and have power and wealth beyond reckoning.”
“With my help?” said Sarah clueless to his meaning.
“Oh yes Sarah, you’re death will be the key to my rebirth.”
Christians tone changed, and he started to tremble, “Oh yes, great power will be mine.”
“My death,” Sarah felt her mind starting to race again. No immediate answer came to her and the thought made her mouth go dry and she fought herself to stop from panicking again.
“If it is riches you want... My father is rich and I am sure he would reward you if you let me go.”
Christian stood there and for a few brief seconds it seemed he was considering her words. She felt her heart leap with hope as Christian walked back towards her again. Then it started to sink as Christian paused and cocked his head to one side as if listening to something his body jerking forward as if it was on puppet strings.
“Is it time?” Sarah heard Christian say.
Over the next few seconds Sarah felt her heart begin to thump harder in her chest. The odor in the room became much more coppery mixing with the rotting egg smell coming for Christian. He spoke again out loud this time smiling uttering one word, “Good.”
Reaching out to a hidden table Christian selected a scalpel and held it up for Sarah to see. Her eyes opening wider with dread as she guessed his intention.
“Please Christian,” Sarah said. “You don't have to do this!”
“You should feel honored Sarah, you about to give birth to a whole new age.”
“No!” Sarah pulled against the chains, panic starting to rise in her. “No... Leave me the fuck alone!”
Sarah looked up into Christians face; his eyes were now glazed over and his mouth moving slowly. He was quietly chanting something in what Sarah recognized from Religious studies as Latin verse. “*Meus Senior, per vestri venia, tribuo mihi, EGO precor thee ops fictum in meus mens quod exsequor ut quod EGO votum efficio, terminus quod EGO would pervenio per thy succurro. Per is vitualamen, EGO obtestor thee grator, ut EGO may proficio meus votum terminus, dum oportet ut nostrum muneris. Is EGO reverenter quod summisse scisco in Vestri Nomen, Meus Vinco may vos deem mihi dignu, quod pontus tribuo per is cruor!”
*My Lord, by your grace, grant me, I pray thee the power to conceive in my mind and to execute that which I desire to do, the end which I would attain by thy help... Through this offering, I entreat thee to manifest, so that I may accomplish my desired end, provided that it is proper to our office. This I respectfully and humbly ask in Your Name, My Master, may you deem me worthy, and bridge the divide with this Eves blood.
Sarah's mind gave up as she felt his cold hands touch her belly. She wanted to scream, but no sound was coming out.
“Vocco Dominus!” Christian chanted.
The air in the room grew hotter, and you could almost taste the metallic copper in the air.
“Vocco Dominus!”
Sarah felt a long sharp sting across the belly as Christian drew a long deep line across her stomach with the scalpel.
“Vocco Dominus!” Christian chanted the words turning the air purple.
Sarah started to feel everything start to slow down around her. Christians chanting was getting louder, quicker, and she fought to stop herself from starting to gibber. The air in the room grew thicker.
“Vocco Dominus!”
Sarah felt the blade cut deeper into her skin, the stinging sensation was getting replaced with a red fire across her midriff.
“Vocco Dominus!”
Sarah's eardrums started to throb; it felt like the whole room was being squeezed. Unable to scream or do anything Sarah looked up in mute witness as Christian changed the grip on the scalpel and held it with both hands above her chest ready to plunge into her heart.
“VOCCO DOMINUS EVOCO!”
“SUBSITO! ENOUGH!”
A strong voice boomed across the room the air drained as the pressure dropped around Sarah. “In the name of the Trinity I say ENOUGH!!!”
Sarah’s vision started to blur as if the light around her was bending. She moved her head in the direction of the powerful resonant voice to see a white haired old man with dark skin, wearing a tweed suit with a brown bow tie, standing against a glowing portal of light his arm out stretched towards her.
“LICENTIA SUUS UNUS IAM PULSUS HIM TERGUM!” boomed the old man.
Sarah felt a rush of cold air push over her prone body and heard Christian’s sudden exhale as he was thrown away from her. The scalpel fell from his hand with a metallic ring into a pile of candles.
The old man changed his stance leaned heavily on his cane for a moment, and said, “Terminus...”
The rush of air stilled for a moment. Even the candles seemed to stop flickering, like everything had been put on pause, then the room returned back to life.
“TERMINUS!!!” the old man said to the same effect, and looked around puzzled.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha... You’re little indices won’t work in here old man,” said Christian pulling himself out of the wreck of candles he had landed in. “I was told to expect you... Clarence isn't it?”
Christian pulled a wad of dried wax off his face and was trembling this time not with excitement, nor with fear, but with an unusual growing anticipation in his stomach.
“My Master wants to know why you've not had the decency to die yet,” Christian said pulling a rusty knife out of his coat. “A problem I will gladly fix for you.”
Clarence brought this cane up into a guard position and stared directly at Christian.
“It’s because of scum like you I cannot find my rest. Give it up Christian. There is salvation yet even for you. Please do not force me to judge you.”
Christian hesitated for a second as Clarence's words washed over him.
“No... I don't think so. I've come too far and I've been shown the truth!” Christian said forcing the words out of his throat as if they were trying to stick to his stomach.
Christian charged blindly at Clarence aiming his dull blade for the old mans throat. For a second he thought he had stumbled, and then felt a sharp snapping pain shoot up his arm making him drop his knife. The ground under Christian shifted, and he felt his legs get swept away, just as his whole arm went numb flopping uselessly against his side. Surprised by Clarence’s sudden strike Christian barely managed to roll away from another sweeping kick aimed at his head.
Groaning Christain rolled over just as the Clarence dropped a knee heavily into his chest and the handle of Clarence’s cane landed across Christian’s throat pinning him down to the ground.
“I said...” said Clarence panting heavily. “ENOUGH! For you Christian it is over, please do not force me to judge you!”
Christian lay on the floor trying to ignore the pain shooting up his now useless arm and the rising panic from the sudden absence of his Masters voice in his head. This was not what he was promised; anger and frustration flowed over him.
“No!” Christian screamed striking blindly out with his good arm hitting Clarence and knocking the old man off him.
“I WILL NOT BE DENIED!” Christian shouted pulling himself to his feet and stomping manically on the now vulnerable Clarence. He delivered a kick to the old man’s ribs and was rewarded with a crack followed by a groan from the old man. He brought his foot down again; this time on Clarence’s outstretching hand.
“You see Old Man,” said Christian almost hysterical. “You see... I'm going to have all the power promised to me... And you... You are nothing Old Man NOTHING!”
Christian aimed another kick to Clarence's ribs, but with his excitement only caught the old man with a glancing blow against his leg. Clarence took advantage of this by grabbing and pulling Christian off balance and head first into the heavy wooden table that Sarah was chained too. Staggering back Christian stood up and then promptly fell back into pile of candles. Winching in pain Clarence pulled himself up to his knees holding an arm across his chest and felt the ribs move under his hand.
“You’re a greater fool than I thought. You have no power, you will never have any power, you’re being used, and I am deeply sorry.”
Christian sprang back onto his feet and grabbed the old man’s hair yanking his head back.
“No... No, you will be sorry. I'm going to complete the ritual and you’re going to watch,” Christian spat into the old man’s face and giggled. He could hear his Masters voice again reassuring him. “And then I will keep you as a pet, or if you’re lucky I might kill you.”
Christian drew back his arm to punch Clarence right in the face. This time the old man was faster and slammed his fist up into Christian’s belly and pulled away from his grasp as Christian groaned keeling over onto the floor.
“You still don't understand,” Clarence said panting and grimacing with pain. “I was you’re last hope for salvation, and now I've no choice but to judge you.”
Clarence lifted his right arm up and pulled this shirt sleeve back to reveal a dark beaded rosary.
“Paul, Zachari, by the Trinity I summon you,” said Clarence his words filling with power.
“Evoco Custodis.”
Christian looked up from the floor as he fought for breath, “You’re... You're a Tether? He never told me you were a Tether!”
Clarence fought down the mounting pain in his chest and through gritted teeth steadied himself against a wall, “I am sure, there was a great deal your 'Master' didn't tell you.”
*****
Chapter Six
The coppery tang in the air immediately mixed with the smell of ozone. For the second time Sarah felt the room start to bend around her and her ears popped as the sudden pressure change rolled over her. The entire room appeared to shrink, wobble, and then bounce. Two men stepped out of what seemed to be a jagged rupture glowing with bright white light suspended in mid-air. One of them was tall, with cropped blond hair and the other slightly shorter with long jet-black hair. Both men wore long dark coats, the blond one had a heavy set gladiator build to him, while the shorter had a smaller spry athletic look. They surveyed the room with disturbingly blue eyes, and seemed unperturbed by the carnage before them.
The blond giant spoke first, “Yes Tether?”
Clarence was still on his knees clutching his ribs and fighting to keep his breath. He could feel the pain in his chest mounting and his entire left arm was tingling with pins and needles. To make matters worse his vision was clouding and little sparks of light were flying just before his eyes.
“Zachari,” Clarence said addressing the blonde one through uneven ragged breaths, “I have made my judgment.”
“You’re judgment Tether?” replied Zachari evenly, looking directly at the cowing form of Christian on the floor before him.
Clarence with the help of the dark haired one stood up and he fought to keep his legs underneath him. For a moment he cast his eyes around the room taking in the insanity of it. The dead girl and Sarah who was still chained to the wooden, “I’m sorry Christian, I was you’re only chance.”
Clarence lifted his arm and pointed at the now trembling figure of Christian who was shaking his head and spoke in a barely audibly whisper, “Vos es crimen quod vestri animus ero purgo.”
“Thank you Tether,” said Zachari advancing towards the kneeling form of Christian and pulling a short silver colored sword from his long coat.
Christian scrambled away from Zachari screeching, “No... This is not right! This is not what was promised to me!”
As Christian rolled out of the blonde giants reach his stomach flopped and then rumbled. He felt bloated and drew himself up on his knees as his stomach starting to pull itself out of its normal shape. He tried to climb to this feet and then sat down sharply as his stomach started to distend then sharply cramp. Helplessly Christian rolled onto his back as he started to arch up as spasms of pain racked through his body. He held up his arms in front of him trying to wave Zachari away.
“Please not now… No… I’m so close… No!!!”
Grasping for breath with his left arm drawn across his chest in fist, Clarence leaned heavily on his now retrieved cane and looked on, “The girls you've tortured and killed. You showed them no compassion. You dreamed of nothing but power and believed the false whispering of the Dark and in turn have damned yourself. Accept your judgment and save your soul! Zachari... End this now, please.”
“Yes Tether,” said Zachari and lifted his sword to strike at Christian. “Guilty.”
In a blink of an eye Christian’s stomach expanded and then deflated. This motion rocked Christian upwards his mouth and eyes wide open. A moment of uncertainly washed across his grimy face before a flood of dark liquid erupted from his mouth. The sudden power of the eruption knocked Zachari sideways and sent him skittering across the floor into one of the many piles of candles scattered around the room. An eerie bass heavy voice rang out across the room.
“Yes, I am the Damned, I am the Dark...”
Christian’s lank haired head lolled back as more the dark liquid flooded out on to the floor. The dark liquid itself clung together and started to bubble as the wax from the candles hit it. The very light in the room seemed to be getting sucked out and the foul order of rotten eggs increased tenfold.
Clarence stepped back away from the growing flood of dark bubbling liquid, “Oh Lord help us, he had time to bridge the divide. He’s using himself as the gateway the connection won’t be that strong and it’s going to need a host.”
Clarence looked again at Sarah strapped to the table; the girl’s eyes were wide as she pulled against the chains holding down trying to move out of the way of the dark liquid.
“It’s the girl… She isn’t a sacrifice… She’s going to be the host. We have to get her out of here now!” said Clarence looked at the dark haired man holding him up. “Paul I need you to slow that damned thing down.”
Paul pulled a bronze leaf shaped short sword from his coat and stepped into the dark liquids path. Inverting the hold on his sword and grasping it with both hands Paul drove it into the floor just before the liquids flow and with golden sparks flying scored a deep line into the floor. Paul then drove the sword into the center of the line before kneeling before it both hands on the hilt. The liquid touching the line started to fizz and bubble as it tried to pass the line, and the air was suddenly filled with an inhuman shriek. The liquid appeared to retreat bunching itself up just before the now simmering line, before hurling a stream of liquid up into Paul’s ace breaking his grip on the sword, and knocking him backwards.
Clarence scrambled to the table where Sarah, now pale and sweaty was fighting against her bonds; it took her a moment to focus on Clarence's face.
“I don’t know who the fuck are you? Just get the fuck away from me!”
Unperturbed by Sarah’s language and the throbbing pain in his chest, Clarence flashed a warm smile at her as he jammed the edge of his cane into a chain link, “Please remain calm; you will be safe in a minute… Directus radix ut effrego illa vinculum.”
Clarence gasped the pain in his chest stabbed and the chain snapped, holding the table to steady himself he looked at Sarah, “Okay my dear. Let’s get you out of here.”
Free of her chains Sarah sat up only to be pushed back down again by Clarence just as Paul tumbled through the air above their heads and slammed into the wall behind them.
Shaking himself free of the debris of candles, and half collapsed wall Zachari picked up his sword and stood up. Seeing the dark flood start its advance on the Tether he charged the flowing mass, sweeping his sword through oily liquid. Before the room span away from him and Zachari collided with another wall, a black tentacles shooting out, following him and pushing him masonry.
With Clarence’s help Sarah scrambled off the table and together they upended it and the table slammed into the ground to create a barrier against the growing dark flood. Sarah pressed herself against the table for shelter, as the Old Man now out of breath broke the last chain attaching her to the wooden frame.
“Who the fuck are you?” Sarah repeated.
The old man again just smiled warmly at her, “I’m Clarence and it’s good to meet you Sarah.”
“How the hell do you know my name?” said Sarah.
The question went unanswered as the dark flood poured itself against the table slamming itself hard against the table knocking it into Clarence who fell against Sarah. Without a second pause two dark tentacles ripped through the heavy wooden table, shattering it, a piece splintering and hitting Sarah in her head.
“This is bad,” said Clarence under his breath.
Paul picked himself up out of the debris, pulled his sword out of the ground and started to cut into the back of the flowing mass. It hissed as his sword cut into it, tentacles shooting out to attack him, one, two, three, and four all met the same fate dissolving into a bubbling mass on the floor as he cut them down. A fifth broke through his guard hitting him straight in the face and pushing him bodily to the side, leaving Clarence and Sarah defenseless before the black flood.
Clarence stood up painfully and faced the heaving dark, “Okay Sarah, get behind me now!”
He brandished the cane in a guard position and tried to fight down the pain in his chest. It now was so intense Clarence felt his left arm and legs were trembling. Taking a breath which drove stabbing needles into his lungs he formed the words of an indice in his head. Before Clarence could utter them, he felt like he was being slapped by something dark and foul, his face went numb and he could feel a coldness chill him down to his very soul. His legs folded under him and he fell back onto Sarah as the room started to spin away from him. The room lurched as his sight wavered, and he grasped at Sarah to anchor himself. He caught a glimpse of Christian lolling behind the dark mass, his face a vision of ecstasy, and he felt everything start to slow down around him. Sarah looked up and saw the dark mass rearing over her; to her it didn’t even appear solid almost as if it was made of jello. The surface seemed to flow the hue changing as it absorbed the light. She could see little white flecks and lines all along it. All around it the air was cold like it was sucking the warmth from the world, the dark liquid paused over her and the old man who was gasping for air in her arms; it looked like it was going to pounce on them. She put her arms over her head and screamed waiting death blow.
It didn’t land Zachari a blur of motion his skin burning white hot collided with the dark mass, his momentum physically moving it away from her. Zachari continued to grapple with the dark liquid as it began to close round him, blocking his struggles from Sarah's sight.
Feeling the world slipping away around from him, Clarence tried to pull himself up. The pain in his chest was almost white hot now and he had a good idea he was in the throes of a serious heart attack. With the clarity that is brought on by imminent mortality Clarence lifted himself up onto quivering elbows. “Paul, the girl she is an innocent, get her away from here.”
“I must protect the Tether,” Paul said flatly.
With pain in his chest going from red hot to ice cold Clarence gasped, “She is an innocent… You must get her out...”
“You’re judgment Tether… It must be completed...” said Paul, “I cannot leave the Tether.”
Paul reached down and touched Clarence’s head. In an instant Clarence felt a warm glow flow through him momentarily pushing the pain out of his chest. His senses clear he looked over in the direction of the struggle between the dark mass and Zachari. The blonde giant struggles were getting slower as if the creature was draining him. Then Clarence recognized a musty smell in the room, his mind raced trying to identify the smell; it was earthier than the obnoxious brimstone rotting eggs that had perforated through the room before. It was gas! Clarence could smell natural gas. Looking up he saw a hissing pipe that had broken through the floor and then it hit him, “The candles!”
A surge of adrenaline fueled his next action; Clarence grabbed Sarah's right hand.
“Please you need to hold this for me,” Clarence said and then muttered under his breath. “Relegi Relectum Tangere Tetigi...”
As the words left his lips, the rosary unwound itself from his wrist and snaked onto Sarah’s right arm. Clarence felt a small explosion in his chest, coldness started to spread across him and he looked up into Sarah’s confused eyes, smiling his warm smile.