The Dark Place (#FrightFest2016 Gold Winner)

The Dark Place - Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-One

 1

Jack Moon rubbed his tired eyes and held them closed. For a while he thought he would never open them again, enjoying the soothing sensation of the closed lids. He had not realized how long he had sitting there at his desk reading from the computer screen. An hour he guessed, two at most. Reluctantly he opened his eyes again. The clock on taskbar read 22:32pm. He had been reading for over two and a half hours.

Shit, no wonder I'm so bushed.

He was in danger of closing them again when Donna's yawn brought him back from the brink. He looked over at the woman stretching on the chaise longue at the far side of the study, mesmerized by her untidy beauty. She was about to let another yawn escape when she noticed him watching.

"Sorry!" she smiled, managing to suppress it.

He returned the smile before drawing his eyes back to the monitor. "Don't be! believe me, I feel just the same."

She walked over to where he sat. He kept his eyes on the screen, staring deep into the image before him. She was behind him now. He could feel her warmth as she leaned forward, her shoulder brushing against his as she brought herself to his level. Her perfume was sweet and floral, like roses. He had not noticed it before, but she had never been so close to him. Something inside him stirred a chemical imbalance. Her close proximity to him, her scent filling his nose, even the way she looked at that moment, had all combined to cause an adrenaline rush through his entire body.

Moon risked taking a glance at her face as she leaned closer toward him. It did not wear the expression he had expected. Her knotted brows and pursed lips seemed to ask a question that did not need words.

"It's the place where I found Tamicka."

His words did nothing to change her features as she moved even closer to the black and white image of the old cottage.

"The date says 1892. Where did you get this picture?" Donna asked, her face only inches from the screen.

"I downloaded it when I was in London. Damned internet won't be up until the phone lines are fired up. Why?"

"Close in on this area." Donna indicated to a cluster of bushes to the left of the old ruin.

Moon selected the area and clicked the left mouse button making it fill the screen, but it was too blurred to make anything out. "Just a minute!" he said as he enhanced image.

"What's that over there?" Donna drew Moon's attention to a strange blur just behind the bushes.

"Not sure."

He repeated the process on the part in question, and as the picture sharpened into focus he froze. Staring back at him was the faded picture of a girl. She looked somewhat older but he recognized her straight away.

"But that's impossible!" Donna exclaimed as she came to the same conclusion. "That girl looks just like Tamicka!"

  2

It wasn't the first time Cass had not been believed. No one ever believed her until it was too late. She looked over at the old woman and the girl who were sitting in the chairs either side of the fire. It was not too late this time, she could feel it. There was still a chance to save Tamicka.

NO, NOT AGAIN! A wave of nausea engulfed Cass. GOT TO STAY IN CONTROL.

Shaking against the cold that seeped into her, she tried to fend off what was to come but she was helpless to resist. Her vision dimmed, blurred, darkened until she was no longer herself.