The Broken IV: Vengeance

by A. L. Frances

  “What?” Phil asks. “Who has just phoned you?”

  Matthew breathes in deeply, exhales and wipes his face. “Eve.”

  Phil grabs him by his shoulders and pulls him into his chest. Matthew reciprocates, wrapping his arms around his friend and holding him tight. Crying into his chest, Matthew feels a huge release.

  “I can’t believe it,” Phil says. “Are you sure it was her?”

  “Yeah, it was her voice.” Sniffling, Mathew continues, “I instantly recognised it.”

  “Oh, shit. I can’t believe it. What did she say?”

  Matthew’s head pounds fiercely. “She… erm… she just said ‘Hello’ and then ‘Father’ and something about it being true.”

  Beaming from ear to ear, Phil mops the tears from his face with his sleeves. “Aw, mate, this is great news.” He pats Matthew on the back. “What did you say to her?”

  “I… Well, I didn’t know what to say to her. I dropped the phone at first in disbelief. I just knew it was her the minute I heard her say ‘Hello’. And then, when she said ‘Father’, I just blurted out that I was on my way to get her, and I knew where she was.”

  “Holy shit. Mate, that’s huge. Then what happened?”

  “The phone went dead.”

  “Oh wait, mate, you don’t think that scared her off, do you?”

  “Dear God, I hope not.”

  “No, I’m sure the signal just went out or something.”

  “Can’t take it back now, can I… I just wanted her to know that I’ve not stopped looking for her. You know…”

  “Believe me, you don’t have to explain yourself, I would have done the same thing. I’m sure it’s going to be alright. Wow, holy shit. You just spoke to your daughter after all this time.”

  The pushy brunette flight attendant appears and says, “Please, sirs, can you fasten your seatbelts for take-off.”

  Matthew settles into his seat and looks out the window as the plane begins to taxi down the runway. He has just heard his daughter’s sweet, innocent voice. After all this time, she still sounds just as he’d remembered.

  Smiling, he sits back with his shoulders high. He knew it. When everyone around him doubted him and told him to stop looking because they thought his daughter was dead in a ditch somewhere, Matthew never gave up hope. He knew she’d be alive, and he knew he’d get her back one day. A huge sense of gratitude takes over his body. Unconditional love and persistence have finally started to pay off in the most magical way possible. Now more than ever he believes that he will be reunited with his precious Evelyn Jade. After all, true love conquers all.

  With his palms pressed together, Matthew looks up high and whispers, “Thank you, God.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Terror.”

  Lisa wrestles fitfully with her bed sheets. Restrained by the deceitful mist, she has been cunningly summoned to the darkest depths of her mind by Jezebel. Hearing Lisa moaning in her sleep, Jezebel steps out from the shadow of the darkest corner of the room. Basking in the glory of Lisa’s agony, Jezebel embraces her current invisibility.

  She taunts what tiny elements of Lisa’s soul are left in a variety of gratifying ways, having already captured and detained her husband William lying next to her. Content with Lisa’s progression, Jezebel drags her feet across the room, leaving trails of the thick black substance behind her. She reaches Lisa’s side of the bed and peers down through the gap in her hair at her latest victim’s contorted face.

  Feeling highly empowered by the delightful scene of pain and suffering, Jezebel leans down and whispers, “Temimi.”

  Absorbing the command, Lisa’s body begins to convulse, and her complexion turns grey.

  Placing her hand over Lisa’s face, Jezebel chants, “Non tamen complevit vobiscum.”

  Lisa’s body stops and becomes frozen stiff. Satisfied with Lisa’s ability to accept her orders and the progression of her entrapment, Jezebel turns and makes her way to the door. Smirking, she says, “I will be back for you both.”

  Jezebel drags her feet as she exits the room and moves out onto the landing. Thick layers of the mist intertwine with all the fixtures and fittings in the house. Pictures of family memories fall to the floor, shattering to pieces. Jezebel gets a kick from the destruction she’s causing. Families disgust her to her very core.

  Jezebel arrives at Ashley and Kane’s bedroom. There they are! Her two latest prodigies. These boys will take vital positions within her empire once her takeover is complete. They’ll be standing directly by her side, within the top layer of trusted individuals. Ashley and Kane will remain under the sole supervision of the Dark Empress. A privileged position for two very obedient and incredibly lucky boys.

  Dragging her way to the bottom of the boy’s beds, Jezebel takes in the magnificence. The mist has travelled through every pore on their body, taking over their existence. Mirroring that of the Dark Empress, their skin is deep grey and a black substance oozes out of the cracks. True visions of demonic opulence. Jezebel raises her arms, and Ashley and Kane put up zero resistance as they levitate from their beds.

  “Ring a’ Ring o’ Roses. Welcome to the dark side.” She aggressively throws her hands down, and the boys plummet back onto their beds.

  “Wake and taunt them now,” she commands.

  Ashley’s eyes shoot open. They are like gaping black holes upon his face. He no longer looks anything like the sweet boy in the family photos. Milliseconds later, Kane repeats his twin brother’s movements. An identical reflection of their new owner, Ashley and Kane fling their legs off the bed in a sharp motion. Their bodies follow next, and finally their heads. Jezebel monitors every minuscule movement they make. She wants to test their level of loyalty and worthiness to join her elite inner circle.

  The boys turn in perfect synchronisation and begin dragging their feet towards the bedroom door. Jezebel watches them like a hawk homing in on its prey. Intertwining with their bodies, the deceitful mist is making the vision even more disturbing. Levitating off the ground, Jezebel hovers over the boys. Ashley leads his brother out onto the landing and into their parents’ bedroom. Stepping to his mother’s side of the bed, Ashley gestures for Kane to take the side of their father.

  “Copy me,” Ashley says to Kane in a dulcet tone.

  Ashley removes the bedsheet. Hunching over his mother’s body, he watches as she struggles to breathe. He inhales the mist through his nostrils, his eyes glowing. Absorbing the scene before her, Jezebel rejoices as this is a clear indication that Ashley’s sadistic levels are high. She can see he is enjoying Lisa’s discomfort.

  Ashley turns and makes eye contact with Jezebel, and she twitches her head and whispers, “Do it now.”

  Nodding and turning back to face his mother, in a rather angelic tone, Ashley says, “Mummy, wake up.”

  Mirroring his brother, Kane repeats this to their father. And just like that… Lisa and William’s eyes shoot open to a horrifying unexpected image before them.

  The pair attempt to scream and Jezebel laughs.

  Ashley and Kane bare their grey, sharp teeth to their parents and snarling in their faces. The thick black substance drips from their mouths onto Lisa and William’s faces as they get closer. As the pair struggle, Jezebel gradually lowers her body to the ground. Landing with a heavy thud, she whistles to summon the boys to see if they’ll follow her command and retreat. But before Ashley follows orders, he reaches out and slashes his mother’s face.

  “Veni!” she shouts.

  Kane follows orders and stands beside her, and she pats him on the head. Seething and growling at his mother, Ashley eventually retreats and stands by Jezebel with his head low. Certain she has chosen the right boys to join her inner circle, Jezebel stands arrogantly. She surveys the sheer devastation and terrified looks upon Lisa and William’s faces. The orgasmic surge of satisfaction travelling around her
body is so gratifying that she raises her arms and calls out loud. Copying their new owner, Ashley and Kane both howl out loud, too.

  At the top of her lungs, Jezebel bellows, “Causam!”

  Jezebel, Ashley and Kane race towards the bed. As they all collide, there are shrieks and an almighty bang.

  Darkness and silence cascade over the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “It’s Happening.”

  “Brennan, you need to put your foot down or we’re never going to make it. They land in like ten minutes,” Alannah says impatiently. She’s sitting on the edge of her seat on the passenger’s side.

  “Baby, I’m doing the speed limit.”

  “How far are we now?”

  “About forty minutes or so give or take, depending on the traffic.”

  “Forty minutes?!”

  “Baby, listen, I know you’re anxious, but it’s Christmas morning, we’ve got more traffic than usual on the roads because of the holidays.”

  Alannah clenches her fists with anxiety. “Yeah, but look, it’s not that busy now, you could at least weave in and out for a little while, so it doesn’t take so long.”

  “Alannah, sweetie, you have to stop. I’m not getting a ticket and a court summons because you’re scared of being a few minutes late. They take speeding and lane-hopping serious here in the United States.” Placing his hand on his wife’s leg, he smiles. “Look, I promise, we’ll get there in time. They’ve got to get through customs when they land. That isn’t a quick process as we already know.”

  She hadn’t thought about that. Her mind has been all over the place in the past twenty plus hours. Alannah surrenders slightly.

  “And if we’re a little late, I’m sure he’ll call, and then we’ll just ask him if he can wait. Seriously, it’s really not that big of a deal.”

  “Yeah, you’re right.” Patting his hand, she continues, “I’m just so nervous, you know. Their poor children have been kidnapped, and I was around them and did nothing to put a stop to it.”

  “Yeah, but how could you put a stop to something you weren’t aware of?”

  “No, I knew something was off. I just knew it, but I did nothing to investigate it because I didn’t want to be locked away like Sister Elisabeth. So like a coward, I kept my mouth shut and then just abandoned them all. If only I’d have said something…”

  “Then what? You’d probably be dead. Whatever this demon is, it seems powerful, cunning and relentless. You wouldn’t have stood a chance on your own.”

  “True,” Alannah says. She breathes deeply.

  “Look, I get why you might be thinking like that, baby, I really do, but it’s like you said, you know the Lord had bigger plans for you. Can you imagine if you hadn’t run off? Can you imagine if you weren’t here with me right now? No one would have a clue where any of the children are because not only did you find them, but the Lord positioned you in the same country as them and as close as he possibly could. You have a huge role to play in this, Alannah, and you had to leave Moycullen and come to New York with me, or the fate of those innocent children might have been very different.”

  Aware that her husband is right, Alannah smiles.

  “So what happens once we’ve picked them up?” Brennan asks.

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Well, do you think it’s wise that we visit the orphanage or should we stay away?”

  “I really don’t know. I mean, I don’t think it’s a good idea to just try and burst in there. We could be met by all sorts of danger.”

  “No, I think now’s the time to play it smart.”

  “I agree.”

  “Well, we’re obviously going to visit William, Lisa and the boys, so maybe we should book them into a B&B nearby… That way we can drop them there, so they can freshen up.”

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” Alannah says as she gets out her phone. “What’s their ZIP code?”

  “Erm, one, nine, zero, six, seven.”

  She taps it into her map app.

  “Oh, there’s loads.”

  Scrolling down the screen, Alannah finds a four-star place, clicks through to the website and reserves a family room.

  Alannah looks to Brennan. “Brilliant, so we’ve got them somewhere to stay, and we can just drop them off there, go visit your friends, and then reconvene and work the rest out after.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Now if you could just put your foot down, I’d be even happier.”

  Brennan rolls his eyes and shakes his head at her.

  Chuckling to herself, Alannah rests her elbow on the ledge of the door and peers out the window. Cars are passing them by, and everyone inside their vehicles appear to be filled with Christmas spirit. They’re all smiling and chatting. Some have taken it to the extreme and are wearing Christmas outfits and accessories.

  Peering up at the sky, Alannah admires its winter beauty. But something doesn’t look quite right. At first glance, nothing would seem out of the ordinary with the grey sky and fluffy blankets of white clouds. However, Alannah’s keen eye has spotted a highly unusual transformation.

  Inside the clouds, tiny black lines are slowly joining together and creating what looks like mini tornadoes. It’s almost as if the clouds have an infestation, and it’s eating away at their beauty. Leaning closer to the window, Alannah squints. She gasps – her eyes are telling no lies!

  Smacking Brennan, she points in the direction of the sky and shouts, “Brennan, look, look!”

  Brennan jumps and shouts, “Alannah!”

  “The sky, the sky, look at it.”

  Brennan stares at the sky. “What about it? I don’t see anything.”

  “The clouds, look. They’re changing.” Bouncing around in her seat, Alannah begins shouting, “Oh Lord, please, no, no, no, this cannot be good. Lord please, no, no, no, no, I’m not ready for this. No, no, no, no.”

  “Baby, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m driving, and I really need you to calm down right now, or we’re going to crash.”

  Pushing the button and lowering the window, Alannah unclips her seatbelt and leans her whole body out of the car to get a better look.

  “Alannah! Alannah! Get your ass back in the car now!”

  Her heart pounding, Alannah ignores her husband’s request as she fixates on the clouds.

  “The end is coming,” she whispers, her eyes welling up with tears.

  Feeling a tug on her blouse, Alannah pulls herself back into the car.

  “What are you playing at? You’re going to get yourself killed,” Brennan barks.

  Alannah says nothing. She breaks down, sobbing into her hands.

  “I’m sorry,” she sniffles. “It’s just…” She sniffles again. “I can see it, Brennan. I can see the change coming. If we don’t get them back soon, we’re going to miss our opportunity again, and then only the Lord will know where they’ll be and maybe he won’t make it so simple to find them next time or maybe we’ll all die for our failings.”

  “Baby, stop worrying, we’ll sort this. We’re not alone.”

  Looking back up at the clouds, she gets a huge knot in her stomach. This is not good and she knows it.

  She places her hands together. “Dear Lord, it is your sister Alannah, and I am reaching out to you right now for your urgent help, for we are in danger. I pray for the vulnerable, I pray for the weak and I pray for us all. May Matthew and his friends land safely today and may we return every child back to their rightful family and carer as safely as we can. I thank you, Lord, for your love and protection. Amen.”

  “That was beautiful, baby,” Brennan says.

  Breathing deeply, Alannah sits in silence.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Twelve Hours and Counting…”

  Jezebel paces the floor of her room. She stops at the wi
ndow and stares through the gap in her hair at the ever-changing sky. As she smirks, there is a knock at the door.

  “Intrabit!” she commands.

  The door creaks open and Elisabeth steps inside the room. “You wanted me, Dark Empress?”

  “Yes. Where is Eve?”

  “I’m here, Dark Empress,” Eve says as she shoves the door completely open and storms past Elisabeth, rolling her eyes.

  Jezebel smiles as Eve heads directly towards her and bows before her feet. She reaches out and strokes her chosen one’s head. Pleased at the obedience and respect Eve has shown, Jezebel glares up at Elisabeth in a less than impressed way.

  “Well,” she says to Elisabeth.

  “Sorry, Dark Empress,” Elisabeth replies as she closes the door behind her and scurries into the room. “Right away, Dark Empress.”

  Considering Eve and Elisabeth the only trusted members of her inner circle, Jezebel has requested their attendance for a specific reason. Walking past Eve and Elisabeth, who remain kneeling on the floor by the window, Jezebel arrives at her desk. As she seats herself, she shouts, “Veni.”

  Eve and Elisabeth get up, march across the room and kneel on the ground before her. This time, in perfect synchronisation, they position their hands on their knees facing upwards and bow their heads, a sight that gives Jezebel an almost orgasmic, body-tingling reaction.

  “Oh, how loyal you both are.” She grins.

  The pair stay silent.

  “I have summoned you here to discuss the official plan for this evening’s takeover.”

  A brief silence. Jezebel has never disclosed this information for fear of vulnerability, and she is still somewhat reluctant to share it with Eve and Elisabeth. Nevertheless, she requires assistance and protection from someone, and these two are her best bet. She concludes that she really has no other choice. She doesn’t want to run the risk of being exposed and her empire being torn down. She is far too close to let this be her outcome.