Chapter 54
Last night’s ghost summoning was unusually quiet.
The odd theories passed around the group, from bad timing, wrong energy, to town’s power outages. Even the idea of playing music might summon the spirits. No ideas helped the matter.
Yet it wasn’t the only thing that happened last night. Hanna didn’t sleep a wink. Her angelic side was aching to be released. To sore among the stars and straight nose dive back to earth on the hunt. Particularly, the neighbours in the cabin across the lake. It took all her will power to resist the temptation. The possibilities of what’s going on over the lake didn’t help relax her mind. So, she spent the night hours watching their shadows flutter back and forth by the windows.
They were as restless as her.
Sometimes a light will float out of the cabin. The owner carried the light into the forest. Only to disappear without a trace.
Reason suggested they returned to town.
Her angelic side wasn’t persuaded.
In the early hours of morning. A sharp knock of heavy fists drew Hanna from her thoughts. Perched on her bed, she tore herself away from the bedroom window and wondered into the lounge room. The knock rang another three times.
“Who is it?” she shouted as she peaked through the doors of the other rooms. The others were in their beds, deep in sleep from the long night.
The door knocked twice more.
She turned to the door and flicked her forearm out. Uncurling her arm wing for battle. Her wing blinked twice before flaring red, it’s feathers stretched wide away from her body. Her family would have answered after the first knock and barged in soon after. Her friends were sound asleep. The Sister Warriors would knock twice and wait at the door. Hanna approached the door slowly, wondering who could it be.
Trouble had no concept of time. She crept to the door, leant a hand to the handle and listened. Only one heart beat outside. She closed her eyes inhaled the scent that leaked through the door and wave of memories slapped her face. Her eyes snapped open with a shock gasp. She ripped the door open, expecting to see the familiar face. Instead, she found a face she hadn’t seen in quite a while and not one.
Abyss stood at her doorstep, that twisted devilish smirk she will never forget. “Hello darling” Abyss spoke.
Hanna reacted fast; she threw herself onto the veranda. Taking Abyss by surprise, wrapping one hand around her throat and dragging the Devil backwards. Slamming her into the railing post before the Devil knew what hit her. “You got some nerve coming here!” Hanna growled.
Abyss chuckled. She leaned her head down and asked with a knowing smirk “Are you going to kill me darling?”
Hanna tightens her grip. She could feel Abyss’s heart beat faster, but she sensed no fear from the Demon. That demon’s smile deepen.
“come on” the demon encouraged. “I know you’re not going to kill me, darling”
Hanna scrunched her lip disappointed, the Devil was right and she didn’t admit that often. Hanna let her go and stepped back. “How do you know?” she asked.
Abyss pushed off the post and sauntered into Hanna’s personal space while declaring proudly “you like me too much”
Hanna scoffed shaking her head “oh please”
Abyss poked her in the chest as she continued “and you’re too interested in why I’m here”
The Hybrid hummed. “I might be”
“Then you’ll have to see it to believe” before Hanna could react. Abyss grabbed Hanna by the shoulders and pulled her forehead. Their bodies collided and then were suddenly darkness engulfed the pair. In a flash, they disappeared off the veranda.
They teleported in the forest by the hollowed-out tree. Abyss let Hanna go as the darkness disappeared. The Hybrid stumbled forward, loosing her footing. “woah” Abyss spoke, catching Hanna. “first time teleporting may make you sick”
Hybrid nodded, taking a steady breath. She looked up and found Abyss watching her with tender smile. Abyss helped the Hybrid upright. Her hands lingered on Hanna too long then necessary, then pulled away abruptly. Taking herself away from Hanna at arm’s length.
Hanna looked down at the absent touch, back to the Demon, then around. The forest looked unfamiliar, but any part of that forest looked unfamiliar to her. These lands weren’t familiar to her, like Cats Cradle. “Where are we?”
“Not far” Abyss answered. “You’ll be with your friends soon, but I need a favour”
Hanna turned to her. The tension shifted between them. Abyss was no longer in the mood for playing games. Hanna never known the Demon to ask for help and to hear the request now seemed worrying. She moved beside the tree with the hole in it’s trunk. Hanna could sense something shifting inside the tree. Something small, something fragile. She tore her attention completely from the Demon and focused on the tree. She took one step forward and the Demon crossed her path. “Abyss, tell me what’s going on?”
“he needs your help”
“He?”
Abyss nodded. “He” she stood aside and walked to the tree. She bent down on her knees at the base and reached inside.
Hanna didn’t know what to expect Abyss to pull out of that tree’s trunk, but it certainly wasn’t a sleeping child. Her eyes widen as she watched the Devil cradle the fragile child in her arms. “abyss” she whispered. She watched the Devil turn slowly to her, then walk to her side. In the light, she could see the bruises this child carried, the thinness of his frame and the paleness of his skin. He been through Hell and by some strange miracle, he attracted the attention of a Devil. Hanna figured Abyss had a tender side when it came to children, but this tender affection was foreign and yet, intrigued her in a way she thought not possible.
“my healing powers are unfortunately limited” the Devil confessed. Gentle soft words drew Hanna from her thoughts and focused her mind solely on the Devil and the child. “Human sickness is foreign to me. My kind do not get sick, we live or die” the Devil looked up into Hanna’s eyes. “He is the reason I sort you out, I need you to heal him for me”
“I’m not a doctor” Hanna spoke, confessing the first words that crossed her mind.
“But you’re half human, do you know what ails him?”
Looks like the flu but still I don’t-“ Hanna paused mid speech. That can’t be right. It didn’t make sense why Abyss thought she was half human. Not human, sure, but not half. “h-h-how” she stammered. “how do you know that?”
Abyss’s gaze narrowed, concerned. “does it matter?”
“it does”
The Devil sighed. She stepped into the Hybrid’s personal space and gestured with her head, to the child. “he needs you” she insisted. “I see now the care I can give won’t help him, not like yours will”
Hanna didn’t budge.
So Abyss continued “if you must know…I asked the right source and they told me. I’m sorry for being blunt, your secret is safe with me”
“you promise?” Hanna knew better to take a Devil’s promise to heart, but she needed to hear it from her.
Abyss held Hanna’s gaze firm and she vowed “I promise”.
Hanna sighed, the relief lifted the weight off her shoulders. “Okay” Hanna whispered with a gentle nod. She cleared her throat abruptly. “Okay cool, I’ll do what I can for him” she began. “Let’s start with taking him to the cabin and maybe a hospi-“
“No Hospitals!” the Devil snapped.
Hanna reached out and grasped the devil’s shoulders tentatively. “No hospitals” she promised. “But if he gets worst, may I take him to Cats Cradle. The Doctors and nurses there will take care of him and we will be by his side every step of the way”
The Devil huffed. Taking her time evaluating the Hybrid’s words before she hummed and gave Hanna a gentle nod of approval.
Hanna dropped her hands, walked back few steps. Turned and started walking back to the Cabin. Following the faint scent of her friends. Abyss soon followed in her stride. Hanna looked back every few seconds and found each time, Abyss was watching her. They lock eyes and Abyss would smile. It became a habit as they crossed the woods, to shelter. For Hanna couldn’t help the small worry that leading this Devil to her friends was risking their lives, this simple thought disappeared after seeing Abyss smile. Soon she focused on her surroundings ahead of her and the path she was leading the child and the Devil to.
Entering the cabin, the two were met with the sight of the others making breakfast. Abyss nudged the door shut with the back of her heel. The group jumped at the noise. Persephone ripped a kitchen knife from its block and pointed the weapon threaten to the Demon. Putting herself in front of the others. Kit turned and cursed a jumpy “What the Motherfucking Hell!” and Addams, ever so calm force of nature in the group, raised an surprised eyebrow at the intruder. As she sipped her morning coffee.
“What do we have here” Addams spoke, in a matter of fact tone. “You’re just in time for breaky, hope you are hungry”
“Starving” Abyss laughed.
“Morning” Hanna greeted, a touch warily. “I can explain”
“That’s good” Addams comment.
“Hanna what the fuck are you doing with a demon!” Persephone snarled. “Have you lost your mind!”
“Not yet” Hanna confessed “But I need you’re help, this child” She gestured, stepping aside so the group may see the child in the Devil’s arms. “He’s sick, he needs our help”
Persephone scrunched her face at the sight of the child, torn between the belief it was real and the idea it wasn’t.
Addams and Kit, neither of their minds crossed the thought this child was a puppet. Addams placed her mug down gently, surveying the child from afar. While her girlfriend stepped forward away from the bench.
“Well they came to the right place” Kit spoke, placing her hands on her hips. “Why don’t you two make the child comfortable while I get the medi kit. When he wakes up, he can have some good hot breakfast”
“Thanks Kit” Hanna said relieved.
“Hold up!” Persephone spoke, holding up her hand. The others focused on her. Even Abyss rolled her eyes annoyed before the woman could start her protest. “How the fuck do we know this isn’t a trap? This child could be a figment of our imagination to distract us so she can kill us in our sleep”
“Oh please, don’t insult me” Abyss scoffed. “I’m not some low life mortal, I am a Lord of Hell. Show some class”
“What, like you are above trickery and murder!” Persephone growled, taking a few steps closer.
“I’m above using a child to do it” Abyss insisted, stepping forward passed Hanna.
“The Child isn’t real”
“This child is alive and will have more chance seeing the sunset then you!”
“ENOUGH!” Hanna roared and the Cabin fell deathly silent, turning their attention on her. “The child is real, I sense it. It is as real as all of us and standing around arguing like this won’t help anyone, especially him”
“You’re quite right, all that matters is him” Abyss spoke.
“And working together to protect him” Hanna added. “Just in there is my room” she spoke, gesturing to her bedroom. “He can have my bed”
Abyss nodded, she turned her back to Persephone and walked towards Hanna’s bedroom. Stepping inside, out of sight.
Persephone watched her leave, sneering. Then sprinted to Hanna, grabbed her by the arm and asked at a hissed whisper “are you seriously believing her”
Hanna focused on her, a look of disappointment in the way she was acting, but she understand all the same. “I do” Hanna whispered back.
Persephone scoffed, shaking her head. “she’s going to kill us all”
“maybe” Hanna half agreed. “but not behind our backs” Hanna moved forward and took Persephone’s hand into hers. Persephone ripped her hand free of Hannas. Hanna looked at her dishearten. She nodded and then insisted reassuringly “it’s going to be okay, I won’t let anything happen to us”
Persephone didn’t answer.
Hanna starred into her eyes a few moments longer, then turned and moved towards her bedroom. Kit in the meantime had already grabbed the first aid kit and strode for the door.
Persephone turned to Addams, finding the witch calmly sipping on her coffee once again. Persephone walked over to her side and carelessly dropped the knife on the bench. Gripping the wood edge with both hands. “This is a mistake” she insisted.
Addams hummed, “maybe, but from what Kit and Hanna told me how Abyss reacted to the children kidnapping all those months ago, I doubt this move is a ploy to have us killed”
Persephone shock her head. “Even if you’re right, why the fuck is she here?”
“I don’t know, but whatever happened to that kid, he is seriously hurt” Addams spoke. “And he needs our help”
Persephone sighed, dropping onto her elbows against the bench. She turned away from Addams and confessed “I wish our life was like the olds days, everything is so different now. So dangerous. Why does it have to be so, why can’t it go back to the days where if I knew something was wrong, she would listen to me”
Addams took a deep long sip of her coffee to clear her throat and settle her mind. “We all changed since then, especially you and she does listen to you”
“She does not”
“She does, but she can’t react to every suspicious insidious notion inside your head. You expect danger at every turn and our life is not that. All you expect is darkness and you howl mad every time there is a speck of shadow on your life”
Persephone scoffed, turning her head away, trying to pretend Addams wasn’t right.
Addams studied her for a moment, then beckoned “Look at me”
Persephone looked at her.
“It’s okay, I know you’re fear is getting the better of you, but you need to take a calm breath and remember you still have a pulse, there is still time”
“it’s not that easy” Persephone confessed. A spark of anger flashed in her eyes as she added “not when that devil is after my girlfriend”
“Forget about the Devil” Addams spoke, waving her hand. “Do you love her?”
Persephone starred at her surprised, she stood still for a moment, before she looked down in concentration. Then back up and just confessed, when Kit marched loudly back towards the kitchen.
“The Kid’s got the flu” she declared, interrupting Persephone.
Persephone nodded, pulling herself up from the bench. “I gotta get some air” she spoke, before she rushed for the front door.
Addams watched her leave concerned, waiting until the door slammed shut before she turned to her girlfriend. Watching her girl pour the child a glass of water. “Is he doing to be fine?”
Kit nodded, sliding over to Addams. “he’s going to be fine, he’s got us”
“And Abyss?”
Kit sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “I expect she’s up to something, but I doubt its about us”
“Well that’s three of us”
Kit looked behind Addams to the front door, then back to her girlfriend with a soft smile. “Persephone will come around. But I think we should keep an eye on Abyss all the same”
“Oh definitely”
Meanwhile outside the Cabin.
Persephone marched away from the Cabin, following the lake around the edge. She had no clue where she was going, but she needed to move fast and so she did. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she spotted two people ahead. She saw them digging and suddenly dove for the nearest bush. Pressing herself against the foliage and ground. Hoping they didn’t see her.
The teenager crawled forward and watched as two men, dig the same hole with a black garbage bag beside them. She looked at them confused. Strange men, dressed to smartly in long button shirts, black pants and leather boots to be trespassing in the woods. Their clothes growing more dirtier by every strike of their shovels. Her eyes kept drawing back to the garbage bag, till she realised, to her horror. The bag’s strange twisted shape could only be one thing.
Her theory was correct when they moved the bag, the plastic broke on it side and a bloodied corpse’s hand burst out. She quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping.
“what do you think is happening bill?” the gruff taller man asked.
The taller, Bill, scoffed. He dropped the garbage bag in the ground and hacked a spit on the grave. “something is hunting us” he growled.
“Who?”
“Not a who, Dan!” he stated. He straighten himself up, grabbing the shovel with both hands. He looked down at the bag, then back up to his co-worker. “More like a what”
Dan nodded. “Does this change anything?”
“No. we find the kid and get the fuck out of this town”
Persephone’s eyes widen. She tore a quick glance behind her, then back to the men. They finished covering the hole and started to walk away. She knew she should run, but curious got the better of her.
She followed after them. Crawling in the earth ten feet behind them at all times. Dodging other shallow graves while they carelessly walked on the graves. She followed them until they led her to the other cabin. Shocked, she watched in the shadows as they walked inside. Where four more people were moving about inside and two more in the trees opposite side of the cabin. Armed with handguns.
Pressing herself to the ground, she crawled quietly through the dirt backwards. Moving towards the lake. When she could no longer see the men, she turned for her cabin and sprinted back to the others.
She just about hit the corner of the lake, halfway between safety and the enemy before she felt something hit her neck. Something sharp and thin. She stumbled sideways, tripped and landed face first on the ground. She raised her hand to her neck and found a dart protruding from her neck.
Her vision blurred as she ripped the object from her neck. Holding it to her eyes, she barely saw the feather dart. She gritted her teeth and called out a weak “hanna, hanna. Hanna”.
Three armed men walked out from the woods to her. Their movements were silent and slow. They knew, they had all the time in the world to capture her.
“hanna…” Persephone called out again. She gritted her teeth and pushed herself off the ground. With all her strength, she turned to the skies and screamed “HANNA!“