To escape the dangers of wartime London, Millie has been sent away to Wickford Hall, but what lurks there is far more sinister than anything war might bring.
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THERE'S SOMETHING WICKED STALKING WICKFORD HALL...
As war rages on, Mildred Cunningham...
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The nuns turned back, their eyes narrowed. Their stances solidified, readying to defend themselves, as their gazes traced the edges of the darkened room, searching for any sign of something out of place in the shadows.
"You heard that, didn't you?" the narrow one breathed to her companion.
"I did," the squat one confirmed.
"What do we do?"
The squat one squared her shoulders and called out to the darkness.
"Is someone there?"
Millie winced, and Matthew muttered a curse only she could hear.
The nuns shared a trepidatious look, then stepped back inside the room. Together they moved through the towers of boxes, searching each gap and shadowed corner. It was only a matter of time before they'd stumble upon Matthew and Millie. They were done for.
Millie swallowed. When they were discovered, how would the nuns react? Matthew would surely be fired, banished back to the village, but Millie would be stuck here and handed over to the Mother Superior.
The bloody photos slid back into her mind.
What would they do to her?
Back in the village, Matthew could try and go to the authorities, even though it was still uncertain they'd believe him without evidence. But maybe he wouldn't wait for them.
Maybe he'd come back for her on his own.
Would he make it in time?
The nuns crept ever closer, now mere inches away.
Millie braced for their inevitable discovery.
Next to her, Matthew shuddered... and then let out a low, fierce snarl. The air seemed to change. It sharpened, crackling with a prickling surge of electricity. Then Matthew leapt forward, throwing himself against the tower of boxes at their side.
The stack toppled, boxes raining on the heads of the screaming nuns, taking them down in a deluge of paper, and pinning them to the floor. The squat one groaned and tried to get up, but the pile was too heavy. The narrow one didn't move at all.
Millie was too stunned to move. Matthew had to take her by the wrist and drag her out of the room.
Without a look back, they ran. Matthew hauled Millie behind him as he fled down the narrow passage and out into the larger hall. Millie thought Matthew might take them back up the basement steps, but he passed right by with nary a glance, instead leading her down the opposite side of the servant's hall. At the very end, in a dusty corner, was a dilapidated door, and Matthew seemed to be heading straight for it.
As they reached it, Matthew ripped it open and thrust Millie through.
The cold air hit Millie like a wall, catching her breath. Blackness was all around her, and she didn't know which way to go. She didn't have a chance to adjust her senses before Matthew was shoving at her back, pushing her deeper into the darkness. She heard the door latch behind them.
