The Girl Must Die: A Suspense Thriller With a Supernatural Twist

by Peter Repton

  ‘Please do not try to stop me, let me do this. In a way I feel partly responsible for Kerry Harrison’s death as she was targeted by Sammy because of me. If I can save Lucy I feel that in some way I can atone for that. It is what I want. I no longer wish to live without my Sarah.’ Wilson looked deep into David’s eyes, nodding his understanding. Belial saw what was happening and shouted to David.

  ‘I will grant you immortality if you let her die!’ David just shook his head. Belial then raged at Wilson.

  ‘What about you, I will grant you immortality if you kill Kempston and then the girl.’ Wilson picked up Sammy’s severed head, throwing it savagely at Belial, who laughed at this and said.

  ‘I could really use someone like you. But you have made your choice. My collectors are already appearing. They are passing through the veil to gather in all this energy you call souls,’ Belial's image faded, replaced within his radiant red orb by images of hundreds of shiny black saucer shaped craft.

  Lisa and Bob were standing alongside each other and Lisa turned to him and said.

  ‘I was going to tell Nick about my new theory, but I never got the chance. What Raphael has said about the six different groups of people he brought here has confirmed my theory. I always thought it odd that if all humans had all come out of Africa that we would all be Black and speak an original African language. Because if we had come out of Africa and migrated North to Scandinavia for example, why would our skin turn white, our hair turn blonde and we start speaking in Norse? It would be the same for those people who migrated East to the Orient. Why would they get four inches shorter, acquire Yellow skin and slanting eyes then start speaking in Oriental languages?’

  Bob smiled at Lucy and said.

  ‘You are a very bright young lady I am extremely sad that you do not have a bright future.’

  They both looked around as Lucy sighed and she was starting to come around. Wilson held her close gasping.

  ‘Thank God she is going to be alright,’ he looked up at David to thank him, only meeting David’s sightless eyes. David Kempston was dead. Raphael noticed David was dead a few seconds later and started yelling at Belial.

  ‘Look! See how this man has given up his life to save another. He has died like Christ who died, giving up his life to save the world. I say it is clear evidence they do not all have the killer gene. I put forward a valid argument to give them one more chance.’ Belial replied.

  ‘Just take a look at him then,’ pointing at Wilson, his chest and arms covered in Sammy's blood.

  ‘Look at how much he enjoys killing. How can you even think that way?’ Raphael countered.

  ‘But the girl lives! Your champion is dead! So we have won have we not?’ Belial snarled back.

  ‘You are a fool. You have won nothing. Will you never learn? They will always let you down. They always have.’ Belial’s bright ball of light dimmed and he and his craft vanished. Five seconds later Raphael and his craft vanished too.

  61

  Jack Ford had never looked so forlorn. His investigation was over now as the real murderer of the three women was now dead. Kempston and Sammy had both perished, so either way, it was all over. The armed and uniformed police had all left the scene, shocked by what they had witnessed. Jack’s immaculate Armani suit now looked very crumpled. He was sporting three days of stubble growth on his usually clean-shaven face, and he could smell the stale whisky on his breath, but he still did not have any idea what to do next. Then an idea occurred to him, so he shouted over to Wilson and Robert’s.

  ‘We can still have a vital role in the days ahead you know. When all hell breaks loose, there will still be bad guys to deal with and women to protect. There will be rape and looting and martial law will prevail.’

  But nobody was listening to him anymore, and Robert’s turned away, moving closer to Lisa. Ford then brightened a little, speaking just to Wilson.

  ‘We will be able to use guns and shoot the bastards now Andrew. How about that then lad? No messing about with lawyers and soft judges. We can be judge, jury and executioner. It will be just great.’ Andrew shook his head, putting his arm around Lucy and he said.

  ‘I have finally found something I have been missing for a long time. And I have decided to spend what time remains with Lucy, we will cherish the short time we have. I have chosen this over being immortal and alone.’ Lucy smiled at his words. She did not know Wilson much but liked him already. Ford strode over to Paul sitting with Lisa asking him again,

  ‘Come on Robert’s how about it? I will promote you to Sergeant in Wilson’s place as he is not up for it anymore.’ Paul looked at Lisa, but it was she who answered for him.

  ‘Paul has decided to stay with me so we can face the end together. I have found in him the finest person I have known. In the past, I have just been able to impress people with my looks, but they have never been able to see past that, but Paul appreciates my mind and we just kind of click together. I too have been guilty of also looking at the cover of a book but not giving any regard to its contents. But in Paul, I see my future. However, brief it may turn out to be. We both have great faith, and our faith will give us the strength we need to face the events in the days lying ahead. You may wish to speak to Bob as he too is alone now.’

  Ford shrugged, turning away despondent now he didn't have a team left to bully or chastise and he was feeling alone approaching Bob Staples who was kneeling with his grey hair touching the ground in prayer. Ignoring this Ford spoke aloud.

  ‘What about you then, I am sure us two old men would be able to find plenty to argue about?’ Bob slowly lifted his head, looking at Ford for a long moment, then shaking his head from side to side he said.

  ‘I am afraid I could find no common ground with you. I have made my peace with my maker, accepting my fate. I suggest you go home, try spending your remaining time with your wife. She will need you now more than at any other time. Put her before your job, just for once.’

  Bob stood up, walking away. Ford turned around with his head hung low and walked away in the opposite direction.

  62

  The two couples left together. The four of them drove back to Lincoln down the A46 in the police car Paul had taken without permission. Despite the madness around him he felt compelled to return it to its proper place and then pick up his own, before returning to Scunthorpe. As they neared the City, a huge aircraft passed over them low in the sky, and Lisa asked.

  ‘What is that strange looking plane it appears to have a large dome on top of it?’ Paul answered her in the same way he had David.

  ‘It’s a Boeing E3 Sentry otherwise known as an AWAC an Airborne Warning and Control Aircraft, there are a lot based at RAF Waddington just south of Lincoln and they have been very active lately monitoring troop movements in Europe as international tensions are very high.’

  Andrew spent the rest of the night at the hospital with Lucy who was having some more tests. He refused to leave her side, but she seemed just fine after her ordeal. Paul and Lisa were sitting together watching the television in the hospital staff canteen.

  The global disaster continued to unfold exactly as Belial had predicted it would. The world was now in chaos. The first nuclear strike by the North Koreans was upon Seoul the capital of South Korea. North Korea launched a surprise attack to take advantage of the ash cloud drifting across the Korean Peninsula. The ash cloud was preventing radar from operating efficiently and jet aircraft could not fly through it. The North Koreans were planning an attack for years but now they had done it. The US retaliated to the attack on their ally with a limited tactical nuclear strike on North Korea ordered by the new president who had always said that if we have nuclear weapons we should use them. Now clouds of radioactive fallout from the Korean attacks were passing over parts of China.

  The Chinese got extremely angry and were now threatening to launch a limited retaliatory counterstrike. The United States had itself declared a state of emergency, due to the tragedy at Yellowstone, the largest v
olcanic event in North America for six hundred thousand years. The devastation triggered evacuations on a massive scale. The US authorities were quickly moving their top military leaders into huge underground secret bunkers for their protection. The Toba event was just as devastating in the Far East and everyone knew the end was near.

  Millions choked and died at opposite ends of the globe in the ash. It was a sobering experience knowing it was the end of mankind. Paul and Lisa went up to see Andrew and Lucy who did look fine now, and Paul said,

  ‘We are both thinking of going up to the Cathedral now to pray. You might think it pointless, but we are both Catholics, and this is all we can think of to do in this situation.’ Lisa smiled at him. Lucy also smiled at Andrew, asking him.

  ‘Do you want to do the same? I think a bit of fresh air will make me feel a lot better. We could do to get out of here ourselves.’ Andrew agreed, putting his coat on, just as the first faint rays of the dawn started to glow in the East outside the hospital ward window. They all left the hospital starting the short walk to the car park. Both couples were arm in arm with not a care for anyone else in the world.

  The four of them got into Paul’s car, driving the short distance up to the Cathedral. When they reached it, they saw Lincoln Cathedral in all its majesty in the early dawn light. The golden rays of the rising sun struck it making it awe inspiring. How they marvelled at the skill of the engineers who had built it over seven hundred years ago.

  63

  Far across the world in the United States, another generation of talented engineers had built the secret underground bunkers under Denver airport, together with many other secret locations across the United States. They had spent billions of tax dollars under the pretext of the homeland security programme.

  These underground cities and the near identical facilities under the Ural Mountains of Russia were now full of all the countries elite politicians and military top brass, including many billionaires and more than just a handful of rich celebrities. Chaos reigned everywhere now in the United States.

  The country became completely crippled by the volcanic catastrophe. Inside the underground control centre deep under the Rocky Mountains, some of the American political leaders huddled together. There were whispers as they reached a decision. The current President was elected amid a storm of controversy. His election campaign was one of the bitterest in history and full of drama and confrontation. It had been perfect for the whisperers to get their man, the current vice-president into office as all the focus was only on the frontrunner. Hardly anyone outside the United States could even name the vice-president. These faceless politicians all knew that ‘The Yellowstone event” as they were calling it, had destroyed their homeland.

  And now all their top people were safe and protected inside the bunkers, they launched a coup, murdering the president, and the vice-president and his faction took over. Now they possessed all of the nuclear codes, and taking their lead from the North Koreans, they launched their entire stockpile of nuclear missiles, in the direction of the unsuspecting Russians and Chinese.

  64

  The two couples continued to gaze at the beauty of the Cathedral from its North side. The ancient building was bathed in brilliant early morning sunlight. Somewhere a bell tolled five times. It was five a.m. in Lincoln, midnight in New York and 7 a.m. in Moscow.

  They all got into Paul’s car and drove off, heading North on the A15 towards Scunthorpe. The sun rose above the eastern horizon into a clear sky with all its radiance. Two minutes later an even brighter light flashed behind them to the South, catching their attention. Looking stunned at each other they froze not knowing what to do. The car rocked from side to side as it was caught in a sudden windstorm. Paul pulled to a halt and Andrew was the first to react, springing from the car. The others also did the same.

  They all looked back from where they stood now just outside the Lincolnshire Show-ground. Looking towards the Cathedral, they saw it silhouetted by a huge ball of fire rising beyond it up into the sky. Lisa was the only one to speak.

  ‘Oh my good Lord,’ She said staring at the mushroom cloud. The vast cloud was forming in the distance over RAF Waddington. They all stared at it rising. Paul drew Lisa towards him, kissing her full on the lips. Andrew grabbed Lucy and did the same as the return blast wave washed over them.

  Then another bright flash and another surge of brilliant white light surrounded them. Paul thought a nuke had also hit RAF Scampton a mile behind of them to the North. The couples kissed each other with their eyes closed knowing it was the end. Then a tiny voice from above said softly.

  ‘Did you really think I would leave the four of you here? Come on get on board quick. You will not believe what awaits you all on H-7.’

  The End

  A Letter from the Author

  I hope that you enjoyed reading ‘The Girl Must Die.” My first work of fiction.

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