‘Fuck me’ he spat. The torch revealed several carcasses upon the side unit, the blood appeared old, dried and clotted. He moved the light from left to right rapidly, covering all areas of the room as quick as he could. He patrolled through the bottom floor, no sign of any occupants yet.
The stairs offered several creaks as he moved up them, the cobwebs clung to the corners of the ceiling, the labyrinth of web created long ago. He searched the rooms quickly, they were untidy but held no evidence to his daughter being there. He moved with speed back down the stairs, his footsteps echoing below him. He stopped at the last step and stamped his foot, the noise bellowed underneath.
‘Fucking Cellar’
He searched the wall of the stairs for the entry point, he located it in the kitchen. He paused to get his breath and steady himself. He gripped the handle and turned it slowly, three…two…one…GO! The door swung outwards and he pushed past it, the torch from his phone illuminated parts of the steps. His eyes strained as the heavy black surrounded him, he couldn’t see anything that the light didn’t aim at…..the steps were taken steadily. The door lay open at the bottom, he approached the wall and leant against it. The torch popped around the door frame quickly, his eyes following it. He caught a glimpse of the den before he moved back into cover, again, he popped his head out to look. He decided it was clear and moved in, keeping his body low. The room was abandoned, he stood as the light landed upon the long cabinet. He scanned the objects upon it. His heart sunk when he came across the glass jars, their contents lay dead in the murky water. He searched the room, the painted walls coming to life under his guide.
‘Jesus’ his eyes met the chair. The blood lay in a solid pool underneath it, the spray from a strike clung to the wall. It hit him harder than he had expected, he gazed upon the red stuff, it belonged to his daughter. He knelt down and placed his fingers into the puddle, it was cold. He stood, pushing himself onwards. The Polaroid pictures were found upon the shelf, he removed them and looked over them, his stomach tightened and a surge of rage pulsed through him. The torch was projected upon the camera and the map behind it. He moved closer to study the monsters plans. The pins cast small shadows upon the detail as the light hovered over them, the numbers placed upon the heads. He located number three, he knew straight away what the map was, the killers chosen victim locations and the places he would kill them. The yellow pin sat upon his house, Megan’s safe place. He searched for the red pin. The woods were approximately forty to fifty minutes away, he estimated the distance and time from the grid squares upon the map. The pin sat at the top left corner of the feature, this was place he would do it, the place the beast would take his daughter’s life. He made a note of the grid and typed it into his phone. The room fell dark as he left, his feet pounding upon the stairs as he ran for the door.
The engine started and the wheels spun as he turned back on himself and headed for the woods.
***
Nathan sat in the departure lounge awaiting the call for his flight, he was nervous, not about flying, he was surprisingly calm about that. He was anxious to know what the outcome of the address was, he itched to call Richard, but decided against it, the good byes had been said and stronger than planned. He had fifteen minutes to kill, his eyes moving from his phone to the television screen above him, the flight numbers and gates flashing when called.
The phone vibrated and he nearly dropped it, he held it as steady as possible, the caller’s name displayed on the screen.
‘Hello, tell me its good news?’
‘Fucking right it is, I’ve been in the cunts house, freaky. I got the location of the wood where he’s taken Megan!’.
‘My god……this is it Richard, everything we’ve worked for!’
‘Do me a favour, give Jack the address of the house, just wait half an hour or so mate, give me some space!’
‘Okay, cheers Richard, look, I hope she’s alright, I mean, I’m sure she is, but remember, as soon as it’s done you open that envelope and do as it says…..please!’
‘I will mate, half an hour yeah’
‘Roger pal…..good luck!’
The call was ended. Nathan stood, his placed his palms either side of his head and rubbed his face. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, to yell his excitement for all to hear, he couldn’t stand still………he had done it, with help, but his mind was at ease now, he just hoped that Richard got there in time.
***
The snow hammered down upon the windscreen, the wipers swaying frantically to fight the blizzard. The low thud would occur as the rubber blades caught a small build-up of the white stuff, the wiper bouncing over the lump and landing upon the glass. His face moved closer as to aid his sight, the headlights fought to guide the way. His foot pushed the pedal as far as it would go, the back end of the car slid as he followed the bends of the country roads. His head throbbed in his temple, his pulse surged with adrenalin and anger, he had little time and the weather was on the Wolf’s side.
***
The van pulled into the desired location, the wheels rolled slowly to a stop. The engine was killed but the keys remained in their home, the ignition still keeping the power alive in the vehicle. Russell climbed from his seat, the cool wind kissed his skin and he sucked a chest full of fresh air through his mouth and nose. He loved the calm stage, the relaxing atmosphere and privacy of his sacred place. The trees surrounded him, the whispers swirled between the audience of wooden giants, his god in the sky glowed behind the slow moving clouds. He retrieved his bag, the mask and glove secured inside. He walked to the rear of the vehicle, the ground crunching below him as his boots caused the snow to crumble. He lowered the bag to his side and pulled the zip open, an animal darted to a safe place beneath the foliage, he turned to spy on its hiding place. The peeking light from above displayed his becoming, the head of the creature he believed himself to be. The grey fur danced as the wind caught it, the teeth smiled to him, the grin offered a smile of appreciation to its friend.
***
Richard attempted to read the GPS system on his phone, the arrow displaying his position jumped every few seconds as the satellite reception was blocked. He neared the wood, knowing that the closer he got the more likely his signal would be lost. He studied the map whilst tackling the awkward route, the weather making it harder to steer. He was close, his heart pumped behind the bone frame that guarded it, his legs twitched as he moved a foot back and forth from the accelerator to the brake pedal, commanding the vehicle through the demanding environment.
***
The mask held a warmth which he welcomed, through the eyes of the beast he could see things more clear. The trees held a darkness only found in nightmares, the sky offered a temporary light, the eerie beams entered his location as if the moon were shining down upon him only. The glove slipped onto his hand, his fingers stretched into their homes, the blades glistened in his light. The back doors of the van were opened, the clunk of the handle echoed around him. His prey lay in the corner, his shadow cast upon her as he approached the girl. She came to, disorientated by the chemical he used to put her to sleep. She panicked, unaware of her location and how she got there. The beast stood before her, its grin was unwelcoming and the fear engulfed her. The free hand gripped her ankle and he dragged her fighting body to the cold ground, he stood over her, the power surging within.
He pulled the shaking girl to her bare feet, the snow nipped at her toes and she moved as if the floor were made of glass. He ushered her to the front of the vehicle, her path illuminated by the headlights, the mouth of the woods awaiting her attempt of freedom. His free and sat upon her shoulder, his eyes gazing toward the sky………nearly there…..nearly………there!
***
Richard gripped the steering wheel as the vehicle spun to one side, the ground caused his wheels to slip, he lost control for a moment. The panic shot through him and he clenched the wheel in front of him, the phone fell to the floor. He left it, the image of the GPS pictu
re lodged in his mind. He was approaching the woods. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach.
***
Its breath brushed passed her cold skin, the long nose appeared to her right side.
‘You are free, run as fast as you can…..run….run…..RUN!’
Like a sprinter from a starting block she moved, the words forced her to go. She ran to the light, the path she could see. The Wolf turned to the driver’s side and pressed play upon the CD player, the song began, his chase had started.
‘Hooowwwwwwwwwl….who’s that I see walking in these woods….why it’s little red riding hood….hey there little red riding hood…’, he was moving, flanking her right side, the mist escaped to the tree tops as he began to breathe heavily.
‘You sure are looking good…..you’re everything…a big…bad wolf could want….Hooowwwwwwwwwwwl’.
The branches cracked to his left, he knew where she was. Her feet stumbled, licking the foliage to her side, he was next to her. The edge of the wood appeared in front of her eyes, he was there.
***
The car skidded to a stop. He reversed back a couple of feet, the passenger window slid down, the accumulated snow fell onto the seat. The track was barely visible, faint tyre tracks had turned into the small entrance and disappeared into the blackness. He had to decide, turn off and follow or keep going. He closed his eyes to listen harder. The wheels were locked fully left and the rear end spun wide as he drove up the new track. The twinkle of red eyes could be seen in the near distance, he approached them carefully.
The van sat to his front, a beast in slumber. He stopped and killed the headlights, reaching into the bag on the passenger’s side he retrieved the claw hammer and climbed from the vehicle. The song filled the woods, he spun three hundred and sixty degrees, scanning his surroundings. The night was quiet and the moon was close to being full. He ran to the empty van, the headlights guiding the path. He followed quickly, the track becoming darker as he ventured deeper. The branches whipped his cold face as the shadows of the sleeping trees swarmed him, he ran faster, his heart kept up with the pace, the wildest thoughts clogged his mind. The edge was nearing, the glistening snow appeared.
***
The girl lay bleeding, the attack from her side had knocked her down, the gash to her leg had opened and the blood flowed freely from it. The slaps to her stomach had ripped the flesh open, the warm life escaping the wounds. He had dragged her limp body to the place he chose, the level ground lay under the moon as it approached its fullest. He dropped to his knees, landing upon her arms and pinning her. The claw was removed and knife embraced. He readied himself, the heart was his for the taking. The girl attempted to plead with the beast, her tears glistened under the full moon. The shimmer upon the long blade caught her eye, the ground numbed her skin, the monster howled with satisfaction as the knife was poised.
The hammer struck the arm, the claw part of the tool buried into the beast skin. Its weapon fell to the ground, the beasts face peered up to see the attacker. Richard drove a knee into the side of the Wolf’s temple, the blow knocking it to the blanket of snow. The toe of his boot connected with its side, the distinct cracking of ribs filled the night. The hammer was brought up and landed on the face of the beast, several more strikes followed and Richard screamed as the anger controlled him. He stopped when the body remained still, he kicked the knife away and approached the Wolf cautiously, his fingers pressed against its neck, there was a pulse, it was still alive.
***
Nathan stood as his gate was called forward. He opened the phone book upon his mobile and searched for Jack, the call was forwarding.
‘Nathan, how are you, tell me you’re staying?’
‘No sorry Jack, I’m boarding now. Look Jack, I’ve just found something interesting. There’s an address I think you should take a look at, and I mean now…..with a team, fuck it the full force mate, I’m going to text you it….I discovered it in that file Lillian sent, just being reading through it now….seriously Jack, act fast…..please!’
‘Okay…..okay send it, Nathan…..thank you!’
‘Good bye Jack, enjoy your retirement!’
He ended the call, his eyes welled up as he knew he couldn’t see Jack again. He had held out with vital information, Jack would know this when he got to the scene, depending on what he found at the Wolf’s location. He thought about Richard, he hoped he had found Megan and that she was alive. He boarded the plane, the mixed emotions pulsing through his ageing body.
***
Jack bolted from his chair, the recent call had sent a chill through his spine, a motivator that he begged for. The address had been text through and he gathered the task team in the briefing room. Calls were made whilst the teams gathered for the news, he struggled to reach several people and some of the ranks he required were at home. He made a command decision and decided to go ahead with the search.
‘Everyone listen in, we have a new piece of information, an address. It could be something or maybe nothing, but we can’t sit on our arses and do jack shit about it!’ the pun unintended.
‘We’re moving in figures ten, I want all task teams set in the positions they were assigned on the previous house search. We are obviously lacking the Armed Response unit, so we go with riot control gear, helmets, batons and shields. I will lead the hit, my team will conduct the search. Is everybody happy with what they are doing?’ the nods confirmed the question.
‘Good, okay gather around to view the map. The white board was spun around and on the rear was the map he used to brief the last search. We are here, the thin mental pointer landed upon the Met office. This is our destination, roughly half an hour. The main route to the objective will be this’, the tip slid from their location to the destination, following the prominent road, ‘Our route back, depending on the outcome of the search, will be the quickest means, the same that we use to get there. Do you understand?’
‘Yes Sir’ the audience bellowed in unison.
‘Good, ladies and gents, this could be the hide of the Wolf! If, at the location, we discover the suspect, I want all necessary precautions taken, I want this bastard alive, but if he is armed, then we call for back-up, any questions?’
‘No Sir’
‘Well then, why are you still here…..let’s go, move!’ he ordered.
The room drowned with adrenalin and anxiety, the teams moved with intent, each and every person envisioned the search and its outcome. Jack had his own vision, the beast in hand cuffs, crying in the back of the van. He hoped and prayed for the result he longed for.
***
Richard removed his black coat, the freezing wind and snow fall chilled his body. He placed the jacket upon his daughter, the fabric had absorbed his body heat and began to warm her core. She whimpered as he slipped his hands under her legs and neck. He stood, cradling her frozen body and he pulled her close to his chest, offering as much heat as possible. He kissed her forehead, the tear ran from his cheek and sunk into the glistening snow. He manoeuvred her so that one arm held her body, her head resting upon his shoulder. He stood by the unconscious beast, his free hand gripped the ankle. He didn’t want to leave the monster alone, he wanted him by his side, he wanted him for himself. The body was dragged through the snow, the indentations followed it as they moved towards the woods. The growing wind attacked Richard, the snow striking his face and eyes. He pulled, his arms feeling the throb as they began to burn out. His mind pushed him on like a montage, he couldn’t stop, not for a rest, not for anything. He had little time alone with his victim, time that he wished could be extended.
The headlights of the Wolf’s van lay ahead, they guided the way as the branches and foliage poked at their legs and torso’s, the whole time he guarded his daughter from any more harm. The music had increased as they neared it, the song playing constantly on repeat. He stopped by the driver’s side and let go of the killer’s leg, it hit the ground, his body remained still. Richard stopped the music, the woods fell silen
t again. He moved to his vehicle, checking his back every few steps to ensure the Wolf had not moved or attempted to run.
Megan was lowered into the passenger seat, he pulled the coat further up her neck, covering her numb skin. He moved to the boot and opened it, the light clicked to life displaying the items. The blankets were thick and heavy, he grabbed two and draped them over his daughter, being sure to guard her body from the extremities. He clicked the seat belt into place, to hold the warmth against her. The door closed gently, as not to disturb her. He moved quickly to the rear and picked up the rope, running back to the beast in the snow.
The headlights were switched on, the Wolf was blinded by the beams. He attempted to move, the shade his eyes from the brightness. He couldn’t. He waited until the focus had adjusted to his new surroundings, he thought for a moment that he was back in the dream, he waited for his invisible guest to greet him. Instead, he was met by the large figure, his face stone cold, his eyes piercing. Richard had waited until the monster had awoken, it didn’t take long after the slaps to its face were issued. Whilst unconscious and unknowing to the predicament it was now in, Richard had secured Russell’s wrist to the van’s door handles of the driver and passenger side. The rope tied tight so that any slight movement would burn the skin. His arms were pulled wide open, his shoulders throbbed with the uncomfortable position, he was unable to move without causing himself more pain. The beams from Richards car now illuminated him.
Little Red Page 27