The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga)

by Hudson, Stephanie

  I flew at him only to fall straight through him as his body disintegrated into nothing but the black desert sand he spoke of. I landed on the floor in a heap and was frantically waving and kicking my limbs out as if I was burning up in the pits of Hell.

  I finally came to as I opened my eyes to see, not only my lamp still lighting the room but my book was open and next to my head. It took me a minute to focus but when I did, I found the first words on the page closest to my head,

  “God pardon me!” he subjoined ere long; “and man meddle not with me: I have her, and will hold her.”

  I picked up the copy of Jane Eyre and hurled it at the window on a screamed cry.

  “NO!” I felt like my damned heart had broken all over again and my anger was coming out in a mangled stream of pain and suffering. As the book hit the window I looked on, I then cried out again at what I saw behind the glass.

  “AVA!” I screamed out her name and ran to the window, but she had already taken off. I struggled with my window and cursed this life, just as it opened. I reached out into the night that Draven’s bird seemed to own but it was too late…she was gone.

  After that I didn’t know what to think but I certainly knew what to feel and that was close to desperation. Did it all mean what I thought it did? Had I been lied to and Draven wasn’t in Heaven after all? The thought of him living in Hell was too much to bear, but the one thing it did do and that was force my plan into action.

  It didn’t take me long to get ready as I had laid out my clothes yesterday and put any other items I needed in my truck ready. All I needed to do was brush my hair, leaving it down and get dressed into my designated clothes bought for the occasion. I decided as it was cold to wear jeans under the dress, so that I could slip out of them if need be and I wore thick black boots, good for running and even better for kicking. I decided it was time to be practical in the world I lived in and whatever the morning brought me, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be like taking a walk to the post office and picking up a letter!

  I grabbed my old faithful jacket with a massive floppy hood and just as I closed my door, I unfolded the letter I’d written to Libby. It just said that I couldn’t sleep and decided to take an early morning drive. I used my bedroom door handle to punch through the paper so that it would stay there and she would see it if she decided to check on me when she woke up.

  I soon found myself in my truck, driving along the twisted dark back road out of town. It wasn’t the best time to be alone after what I had just dreamt and every time my mind touched on what had happened, I would then find myself wiping away my tears along my jacket sleeve in an angry one handed swipe. This was why I hated sleeping, but this time it had been worse. It hadn’t just been a bombardment of past memories of my time with Draven, no this time he had actually come back from the dead and I couldn’t think of anything crueller!

  I shook my head and hated what I saw every time I would catch my reflection in the rear view mirror. My eyes looked like two hollow points, connected with how my soul felt…empty and cold. Was this what an empty glass felt like to an alcoholic? Or more like the last breath to a dying man? I had no answers, but only one thing I was certain of…I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror anymore, not without the other half of my soul and whole of my heart back in place.

  I didn’t know how far away I was, as I was just going from memory and trying to ignore all the beautiful parts of that journey that included looking to my side and finding Draven sat there with me. The clock on the dash said it was only 3:27 when something started to go wrong. The engine started to splutter and nothing I was doing was helping the dying truck to carry on. It quickly gave up on me and I had to cruise to a stop by the side of the road.

  I hit the steering wheel with the palms of my hands and even though it had been weeks since my broken hand it still hurt like an SOB when I did this.

  “Bitches and ball bags!” I swore at my truck, flinging my arms up in the air before trying to find my calm place. Problem was, these days I didn’t bloody have one!

  After sitting there for five minutes and then another ten minutes trying to start it, I gave up and got out to have a look at something I knew I would have no clue at what to do. It was cold and the ground was covered in an eerie morning mist that was like walking in a fallen cloud.

  “But of course, being out here all alone was going to be as creepy as being in some horror, with a side of teen slasher movie. What’s next, a family of zombie hillbillies to come moaning from the woods?” I muttered as I circled the truck. I even kicked the wheel as I passed. I touched the bonnet and swore out as it burned my fingers.

  “Shit me, that’s hot!” I said somehow feeling better talking to myself. I saw the steam coming from the grill and knew I was in deep doodoo. What now? I had my mobile on me, but if I called Frank then I doubted he would take me all the way to where I needed to be and then he would be asking too many questions, ones I had no way of answering.

  I was just in the middle of considering calling a taxi, when a noise had me spinning round. The road was a long strip of dark grey and floating mist, with the looming forest on either side. I hadn’t seen any cars and the air was thick with morning dew, where just breathing hard made your skin feel damp. It was so still I knew it must have been an animal or something and just as the thought entered my head, I saw it.

  A deer crossing the road just before the bend, had stopped to watch me. I wondered if it thought, ‘Daft Cow’ before continuing with a little run to the other side and disappearing into the darker forest.

  “Better you than me mate.” I said thinking there was nothing that could get me to go that way… when I heard it again, only this time it sounded like twigs snapping under a heavy pair of boots. I froze just like the deer had, only I was too afraid to turn and look at what made the noise.

  That news article came rushing back to me in a jumble of words, like ‘mauled to death’ and ‘ripped apart’ and then even Jack’s voice jumped in there and added ‘body bags’ and ‘claws’. When I heard it again, only this time closer to where I stood, I knew the time had come to be brave. I took a deep breath and turned, only to expel it just as quickly. As the gasp left my body I could see it in the cold air almost like a cartoon voice bubble. For there, in the woods, stood the same tall shadow I had seen that day, only now he wasn’t staying back, hidden and watching…

  No, now he was walking forward in long strides to where I stood and my horror movie reference was about to come true.

  As obviously…

  My killer had just arrived.

  Chapter 7

  Old Haunts from Hell

  I squinted my eyes to try and make out more of the dark figure coming towards me, but his features remained hidden. It was extraordinary the way he used the shadows around him. I was actually watching him move them with a little flick of his wrist, although his hand remained by his side. I could even hear the strain on his leather gloved hand as one finger came out and made a turning motion. Then the shadow wrapped tighter around his body, shielding himself before travelling up his body like a massive ink coloured eel. It floated, using the air like water as it circled him like a pet to its owner.

  The further up it went, the more it slowly revealed. I couldn’t help my sharp intake of air at the sight of those thick heavy boots, but more importantly, they were continuing to take slow steps towards me. Leather encased legs showed thighs thicker than my waist and I felt my back bump into my truck as I had been allowing my body’s natural flight reflex to take over. The bottom of a long black jacket moved at the back of his knees as the shadows played with his body and just as I was getting to his waist, high beam lights from a car coming round the bend lit the scene.

  The high pitched cry hurt my ears and I looked back to see the shadow had formed a head on the end nearest to his face, and was crying out at the invasion of light. It wasn’t quite the head of a snake but that of a thinner dragon, only made from black smoke. It hissed once and just as t
he headlights were coming closer, it vibrated until its body grew and grew. The man’s hands whipped out and the shadowed beast obeyed his silent command. The shadow spun round then erupted into a fine mist and unbelievably, took the man’s body with him.

  The car was just pulling to a stop in front of mine when one last look told me that there was nothing left of my shadowed stalker.

  “You alright, need a hand?” A man’s voice asked and I stiffened, being on my guard. Who was I kidding? My back was as straight as a ramrod since the first sighting of the biker man. I tried to speak, but had to cough first just to clear my throat.

  “Umm, yeah, I broke down.” I said being very tempted to add on a ‘durr’, to myself. I mean, I think he gathered as much and doubted he encountered a lot of girls out here at near four in the morning for a quiet drive.

  “Ok, let’s pop the hood and see what we got.” He said coming closer. He was a big guy and my skin prickled, but when his face came into the light, I let out a breath. He actually looked like a jolly Ginger Father Christmas, with a lovely smile and kind brown eyes. Half his face was covered in a copper coloured beard and the same colour hair could be seen under his woollen hat, that looked as if it had been knitted by someone losing their sight. The trim around the edges started as a zigzag and then joined the other side in a wobbly wave as if someone had given up half way through.

  There was just something about this beer bellied man that said kind hearted and when the hood opened and steam bellowed up, he let out a gut jiggling laugh.

  “Whoa! Now we’re smoking girly!” He said still laughing after I had released the bonnet for him to open.

  “I guess I won’t be going anywhere in a hurry eh?” I said laughing with him, just because his was an infectious sound. The situation still sucked the big one!

  “Ah, now don’t ya worry. Let big J take a look, I will just go and fetch my tools and flash light.” As he walked away I couldn’t help my eyes from trailing to the forest. I just knew the guy was still out there, watching me, but if he was this ‘Hikers’ Killer’ then why was the sight of this harmless logger enough to get him to back off? I shook my head lightly as Big J came back.

  It was amazing what you could learn about a person in the space of fifteen minutes. Take Jimmy here, aka big J. His wife was named Betty but he calls her Rubble Bubble ‘cause he thinks she looks like Betty from the Flintstones. Her mother was the one who knitted him the ‘damn hat’ as he put it, but he didn’t have the heart not to wear it, as she was slowly losing her sight and lived in a nursing home that he and his wife visited every three days. Jimmy was definitely a talker but I found it eased my nerves just listening to him, nodding with a smile.

  I think I knew what his technique was because he was trying to put a young girl, stranded in the middle of nowhere on a dark road, at ease. Well Jimmy had this down to a T, as it was working like a charm…Hell by the end of it I couldn’t stop myself from giving him a hug in thanks. He smelled like chopped wood and rolling tobacco.

  I was soon able to be on my way after he had discovered a slow leak in my radiator. When he asked me if I had any water, he must have wondered at my beaming grin. I had almost tripped over myself getting to the gallon bottle I had in the back.

  “Well that was bloomin’ handy, Girly.” He said scratching his head and then rearranging his hat. He showed me how to fill it and said,

  “She’ll get ya where ya headed, if where ya headed isn’t too far.” He chuckled making his plaid covered belly wobble. He also told me not to let ‘her’ overheat as I could warp the metal and blow a gasket. I had nodded all the while not really understanding any of it.

  He waved me on as I drove past and I just hoped stopping to help me hadn’t put him in harm’s way. I had tried to convince him all was good for him to get back to his ‘Rubble Bubble’ but he was adamant to see me on my way. I watched him in my rear view mirror and with a big sigh of relief saw he was safely in his own truck.

  So the Oracle had foreseen my car breaking down and told me to bring water, which had me wondering, why she didn’t just tell me to forget the truck and get the bus or something? Or better still, warn me about my busted radiator so I could have had it fixed beforehand. As I made it all the way to the outskirts of the city, I thought of another million other ways she could have played this ‘Little Clue Game’ of hers. I nearly missed the turning.

  “Shit!” I said as I had to slam on my brakes and reverse to catch the service road. I remembered passing the sports complex and since then it was fairly easy to find the rest of the way. Big J had told me not to go too fast but I was close to running late and I needed to be there by four, so I hadn’t strictly followed that rule.

  I only had to drive down the road for a few minutes until my next obstacle lay ahead in the form of an armed guard, heavy barrier and electric fencing. I doubted very much I was going to get away with doing an action movie stunt with this one, so I slowed down.

  “ID!” The guy ordered in a gruff manner. I was quickly transported through time and all the little details of that first ride came back to me.

  “Tony?” I said remembering the guard’s name, who Draven had wanted to rip a new one for being rude. Well, given the way he asked me for my ID just now, I was guessing he hadn’t learnt his lesson.

  He dipped his head and that was the new detail I never got last time. He was in his early thirties, shaved head, thick neck and he acted like he was a cop or an army man. My guess was that he failed the exams and ended up a security guard instead. Well, I wasn’t one to judge but I was just hoping this made him easier to bribe, as I was quickly gathering he wasn’t in need of an umbrella or about to complement me on my loose hair! I just hoped fifty dollars was enough.

  “You know me?” He looked shocked and I decided to play it cool.

  “You don’t remember me, huh? I was in the Aston Martin that day, when Mr Draven came through here.” I said and his eyes grew wide.

  “Oh yeah, my first week on the job. I’ve seen him coming through here a few times since.” He said and my eyes widened at the information he was giving me.

  “When was the last time?” I asked trying to reign in the heavy dose of desperation that came with that question. He frowned and looked as if he wasn’t going to answer me at first but then shrugged his shoulders like it didn’t matter either way.

  “Back in May I think.” This was the point where my heart started to pound. May? But he wasn’t around in May…maybe it was someone driving his car, like Vincent or someone…it couldn’t have been Draven…could it?

  “Do you remember if it was Mr Draven driving?” I asked heart pounding and then he really started to get wary.

  “Look lady, I don’t know what your game is but no more questions, I ain’t his damn secretary!” Whoa, ok Rent a Rude Cop! I didn’t say this, as I had enough restraint to know this wouldn’t have gotten me anywhere so I smiled instead.

  “I’m sorry, a strong looking officer like you, doesn’t need me bugging him. I must be taking up too much of your time as it is.” I said in an admittedly pathetic attempt at flirting, so I was surprised when his eyes softened.

  “Well now, don’t you go being sorry at me being rude to a pretty lady like yourself. But if you’re looking for Mr Draven, then he hasn’t been around for a while.” I tried not to show my shock at cracking his rude shell and gave him another smile, hoping it didn’t look as awkward as it felt.

  “Actually, I have to meet someone but it’s a bit of a surprise, do you think you could help me out?” At this he took a step back like he was thinking about radioing it in.

  “I wouldn’t normally ask, but I have travelled quite a way for her birthday and would be gutted if she found out now…you understand I’m sure and in thanks I would love to compensate you for your time.” I said holding up the fifty, thinking this guy was no way going to accept so little but I was left surprised again when he plucked it out of my hand and waved me on without a word.

  “Wow, ma
ybe I should notch up the sex appeal in this spy game more often.” I said out loud as I drove on to the warehouses. I passed a darkened version of the place I remembered and as soon as I approached I found a nervous sweat had broken out. It was as if I could even hear Draven’s voice in my head telling me I shouldn’t be here and looking back to what happened the last time I was, then it was the reason I couldn’t get out of the truck.

  I saw myself being pushed into the van and the memory flashed in front of my eyes, like an out of body experience. I was seeing it being ripped open by a scarred bear that had been to Hell and back and had his King drag him out again. I saw Draven destroying the vehicle to get to me and once free, had it flipping to the side like a toy car at the hands of a small boy.

  I saw the demon he sent back in a puddle of holy water and the prayer he said after the act. All I saw was a man protecting his own and what had the Gods done in thanks…taken his life!

  I knew I needed to get out of the car and in the end only one memory did it. It was before all the worst part of that day reared its ugly head. It was the sight of Draven playfully pulling up my hood and calling me cute at the sight. And, as if that memory alone contained the magic I felt that day, it took away the vision of being kidnapped. It just flew away by the sight of two lovers in the middle of the madness around them. The two memories were playing alongside each other and the destructive force became a faded shadow in the sight of true love. It just flew away like the rolling fog on the empty road that had led me here.

  With that last sight in my mind I got out of the truck feeling stronger than before. I shimmied out of my jeans after removing my boots, only to put them back on again. They didn’t exactly match my dress but I wasn’t here for a bloody catwalk, so I didn’t care too much on accessorizing.

  The dress was a deep red that was cut straight across the neck line to my bare shoulders. It was plain and simple, cut to my waist where a thin black belt was tied. The skirt flared out to just above my knees and it was one of those dresses that could have been worn to the office with the right jacket and shoes or could have been worn on a night out with some heels. I, however, was attending neither, so I didn’t think anything of my added woollen gloves that reached the top of my arms and were knitted to allow my fingers and thumbs free rein.