by Unknown
the way back to your place."
The rabbit story was almost always a winner, usually helping to settle any indecision, cinch the deal as it were, and get them into the car.
All kids loved animals, and baby animals most of all.
"I'd like to go and see the rabbits," the little girl said, reaching up and taking his hand. "But after that, you have to promise to take me straight home, okay? Promise?"
"Promise," the man said, and started leading her to his car.
"I live on the Berryfields Estate," she said. "And we can't be long, mummy is expecting me home."
"We won't be long, I promise," the man said, opening the car door for her to climb into the passenger seat. "Not long at all..."
***
She didn't bat an eyelid when he turned off the main road, not uttering a word as he turned down the back roads that led them through the woods.
It was only as he pulled up that she turned to him and asked, "Where are we?"
"My house is just down there," he said to her, and pointed to an overgrown path that meandered off through the trees and was barely visible.
"I thought we could leave the car here and walk there as it's such a lovely evening."
He waited her for to say something, to disagree or suddenly start to try and get away, but the little girl merely shrugged. "Okay," she said.
For someone who had seemed so sensible back at the park, she really wasn't as bright as he'd first imagined, he thought.
The pair exited the car and he began to lead the way. "Stay close," he told her. "It's easy to get lost in these here woods, and then no-one would ever find you."
He felt her draw close at that, and derived a small measure of satisfaction as he realised he had her exactly where he wanted her.
He waited until they were away from the road and then turned to her.
"It's over there," he said, and pointed behind him. "That's where I live," and indicated an almost ruined, abandoned farmhouse that sat in a clearing. "The bunnies are inside."
They started to walk together towards the front door. Suddenly she stopped.
"I don't want to go any further," the little girl said. "I want you to take me home, I'm scared..."
"Don't be silly, there's nothing to be afraid of," the man said, reaching around behind his back to fondle the knife he kept there, tucked in his belt, underneath his jacket. "I'm not going to hurt you."
The girl would go no further, he realised. He could pick up on the signs, the subtle body language her body was giving off, indicating she was about to run, just as he'd half-expected she might do when they'd started down this path.
He would just have to do it here, he thought, rather than in the farmhouse.
He brought the knife around in front of him, just as the little girl opened her mouth to scream. Her pupils contracted and her eyes turned black, leaving vast empty hollows where her eyes had been mere seconds before.
The girl had razor sharp teeth lining both sides of her mouth, her jaw slowly detaching itself like a snake's, stretching open impossibly wide as though to eat him all up, swallow him whole; and then it became the man's turn to scream.
But it was too late.
The girl was on him in mere seconds, before he even had a chance to try and react or use his knife.
He wasn't screaming for long.
***
The little girl sat in the park playing; on the see-saw this time, but not really seeing or sawing because it was difficult to do either when you were sitting on your own. Instead she just sat there, watching silently, and patiently, observing the man who was hanging round the park.
She had seen him hanging around the park before, many times over the last few weeks and months; sometimes pretending he was looking for his dog, sometimes asking the children if they knew the time.
Always watching, staring, and looking, at everything they were doing.
Tonight, everybody else had gone home. She was the last one left.
She watched the strange man approach; slowly - as if considering whether it might be some kind of trap, or that there might be someone around to ask him what he was doing.
When he saw the coast was clear, he finally came up to her.
"Hiya little girl," he said. "All alone? Isn't there anyone here with you?"
The little girl shook her head.
Within a few minutes, the pair were headed towards the car.
As she climbed inside and slid over into the passenger seat, the little girl broke out into a secretive smile.
The man had no idea what he was dealing with, she thought. He was totally unaware of the vengeful, angry spirit he had just let into his car.
But he would.
Soon.
Soon, she would have her revenge again for the one who had originally killed her; had taken her, abandoned her and left her to die undiscovered in the woods.
Then tomorrow night, she would come hunting for another one, another predator.
And then another one.
And then another.
She wouldn't stop until the blood lust running through her veins was finally and completely sated.
She had no idea how long that might take.
Most of her was gone now, the spirit that had once made up the little girl.
All that was left now was a very hungry, vengeful demon.
The car carrying the man and the little girl pulled out and drove off into the night.
It was all almost too easy, the little girl thought again, and this time smiled so the man could see it.
"Don't be scared," the man said, mistaking her smile for nervousness. He reached over and put his hand on hers, letting it gently move up to stroke her leg.
"I'm not scared," the little girl told him.
But YOU will be soon, she thought...