“No one will ignore me after tonight,” he chuckled. He opened his backpack and filled the cola bottle half full with gasoline then he soaked the piece of rag he had brought with the remainder in the Mason jar.
After he had twisted the soaked piece of rag into the neck of the bottle, he pulled the lighter, bicycle chain, and the pipe bomb out of his backpack and put them in his jacket pockets. When he was satisfied that everything was ready, he walked up the stone steps to the library door holding the soda bottle in his hand.
The reading area of the library was full of students deep in their studies when Russell opened the door, stepping inside. No one paid attention to the lone boy standing by the main door, holding the bottle bomb in his hand. Russell reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out the lighter, taking a moment to look around the room. He then smiled, when he noticed James and a group of his friends sitting at one of the tables.
“Attention, I have an announcement to make. Tonight, you will all die!” He took the lighter and held its flame to the soaked rag in the bottle causing it to erupt in flames. He laughed aloud before tossing it against a pillar in the center of the reading area. He then pulled the pipe bomb out of his pocket, lit it, and threw it into the same area.
The screams of terror and pain were instant, and Russell felt a surge of satisfaction consume him, as he stepped back out of the door, closing it behind him.
Russell laughed maniacally, as he reached into his pocket, pulled out the bicycle chain and wrapped it around the door handles before he secured the lock.
“Now who is crying?” Russell laughed, relishing screams from the other side of the door.
***
Those in the media were beside themselves with the story of the young boy from the prestigious, private school who had snapped and murdered thirty-two and seriously injured several of his fellow students. When the authorities arrived, they had found Russell sitting on the steps of the library, as he listened to the screams of those trapped inside.
The damage to the inside of the library was great, but the loss of life was beyond comprehension. The firebomb from the explosion had ignited the old carpeting, which released a toxic gas making it difficult for those trapped inside to breathe.
Several students died from the nails and screws striking their bodies with such force that it tore their flesh away, leaving them to bleed to death in the fire and smoke-filled room. Those who were seated closest to the pillar where the firebomb exploded were covered with the flaming liquid and died as human torches. They ran in fear as they spread the fire throughout the room until they dropped into a smoldering heap on the floor.
When asked why he had done such a horrific act, Russell simply replied, “They all deserved it.”
***
Caleb could not believe how well the game had played out. He had taken a gentle spirit and turned him into a monster.
“Magnificent, I can’t believe how easy that was,” he snickered to himself.
His parents were due to bring him home at any time as the school had canceled the remainder of the year. As he packed his clothes, he smiled and looked forward to playing another game with such perfection again.
Chapter 9
Erebus had forgotten the glorious feeling of that time, and to have the opportunity to share it with someone was invigorating.
“So, what happened to Russell?” John wondered if he actually wanted to know the answer.
“The same as you, he ended up in a facility for the criminally insane, and as a matter of fact, he is still there today. I drop in on my old friend from time to time, but he’s not much company with all the drugs they keep him on,” Erebus smiled.
“You really are a sick bastard, aren’t you? You call him your friend, but then you proudly talk of destroying his life!”
“I didn’t destroy his life. He made his own choices; I merely helped him to make the correct ones.”
“If that’s what you want to believe. So, what happened to your family?” John sensed Erebus was enjoying this conversation, and if he kept him talking, maybe he would make a mistake he could use against him.
“Ah, my family, yes, that is quite an interesting story. I know you’re interested in knowing everything about me, but it will have to wait until later. I have a couple of moves to set in motion first. Why don’t you relax and I will see you in a couple of hours. Oh yes, and don’t worry about trying to escape as any attempt will be in vain, I assure you,” he stood and walked out of the room without saying another word.
***
Mac had tossed and turned the entire night worrying about what Erebus had planned for her and John. She knew it was early, but she decided to go downstairs and see if Tom was up yet.
“Good morning, coffee’s ready. So, you couldn’t sleep either?” Tom yawned.
He pulled a clean coffee cup out of the dishwasher and poured Mac a cup.
“Thanks, I can definitely use this.” She took a sip of the hot liquid then walked to the kitchen table and sat in one of the chairs. “How long have you been up?”
“Oh, I think I got up around four o’clock. I was tossing and turning, so I decided to get out of bed before I woke Marge. Are you hungry? I can make us some toast,” Tom smiled, as he sat at the table across from her.
“No, thank you, I only need some coffee to help clear my mind.” Mac knew Tom was worried as the chance, of getting John back alive, grew slimmer with each passing hour. “Tom, do you think he’s still alive?”
“I hope so, but I wouldn’t put all my faith in it. There’s no way he’s going to let John survive. John’s a thorn in his side, so I’m sure he has plans to kill him after toying with us for a while.”
Tom took a sip of his coffee then he looked at Mac with tears forming in the corners of his eyes. “I am scared, Mac. John is like a son to me, and the thought of him at the mercy of that maniac makes me sick. Erebus is capable of such evil, and he will not stop until he feels he has won his stupid game.”
Tom saw the look on Mac’s face and realized how his words had affected her.
“I’m sorry; I should be more careful with my choice of words.”
“No, you are right; he’s not going to stop until he’s won, or until we stop him. I’m hoping for the latter, but either way it will end. You know, I am a bit hungry, after all. I would love some toast if you don’t mind,” she grinned and then took another sip of her coffee.
“What are you two doing up so early?” Marge yawned, as she walked into the kitchen.
“Tom made some delicious coffee, and it summoned me out of my bed,” Mac teased.
Tom grinned, “Well, my coffee is not as good as yours, dear, but it will do in a pinch.”
“I heard you say you’re hungry, Mac. What if I whip up some breakfast for you two before you leave for the day?” Marge knew they would be leaving early, so she wanted to make sure they had a good meal before they left.
“I would love some breakfast,” Tom raised his hand like a child in school then laughed at the disapproving look on Marge’s face.
“That sounds wonderful, only not as much as yesterday, please.” Mac knew if she ate another large meal, she would never be able to zip up her jeans.
Marge looked at Mac and smiled, “I understand; a girl has to watch her figure. How about a couple of poached eggs and toast?”
“That would be perfect,” Mac stood, and walked over to the coffee pot. “Do you need a warm up, Tom?”
He held up his cup for Mac to refill. “Sure do, thanks. Marge, I would like three eggs,” Tom grinned; waiting for the typical response he knew would come.
“No, now you know your doctor doesn’t want you eating eggs every day. After that dinner you packed away last night, I think a bowl of bran flakes will do you just fine,” Marge said, as she pulled the egg container out of the refrigerator.
Tom did not say a word, but Mac could tell by the look on his face that he was not happy. “Fine, I’ll eat the damn bran flakes, but I’m not
going to enjoy them.”
Mac could not help but laugh at the way Tom and Marge played with each other. She had often thought it would be nice to have a husband who understood her lifestyle, but she had concluded that she was meant to be alone. “Maybe I should have some of those bran flakes myself,” Mac chuckled.
“No, go ahead and have the eggs, that way I can imagine I am eating them too,” Tom grinned, shooting Marge a playful look.
“Oh, quit your complaining, Tom. If you keep this up, I’ll make you have a salad for dinner tonight.”
Marge set the plate with the poached eggs and toast down in front of Mac. “Here you go, dear. Would you like some jam for your toast? We have strawberry or orange marmalade.”
“Strawberry, please,” Mac reached for the small plate with the stick of butter, “I don’t eat real butter at home, but after this visit, I think I may start.” She spread some on her toast and then took a bite. “Oh yes, I’m going to keep this stuff around from now on,” she laughed, when she saw the surprised look on Tom’s face.
“You don’t eat that fake stuff, do you?” Tom never did understand why people ate margarine. He had grown up eating real butter, so the thought, of putting vegetable oil on his toast, was something he would never understand. His doctor had requested that he give up real butter, but he refused.
“My grandfather lived to be ninety-eight years old, and he ate butter every day of his life, so I may give up a lot of other things, but not my butter!”
The remainder of the meal went along uneventful until Mac’s cell phone began to ring. She held her breath, as she looked at the screen.
“Oh, it’s only Rick. Excuse me while I take this call.” She stood, and left the room so that they could speak in private.
“Hello.” Mac was glad to hear from Rick as he always knew what to say to make her feel better. She walked to the living room and sat on the couch.
“Hey, I thought I’d call and check on you. Have you heard anything yet about John?”
Rick hated the idea that she had gone up there alone, but he knew this was something she had to do on her own.
“Yeah, he’s still alive, well at least he was last night. Erebus called, to let us know he had sent an email with a picture of John as proof that he was still alive. Rick, I have a bad feeling about this. I don’t think we will get John back alive,” Mac exhaled, trying to shake the dark feeling wrapping around her.
“I’m worried about that too. We both know that Erebus doesn’t like to leave things unfinished. Mac, I’m also concerned about your safety. You need to be careful.”
Rick knew Mac was smart, but he also knew that Erebus would be ready for her this time.
“You don’t need to worry about me, I’m ready for anything he has planned for me, and this time I plan on winning his game.” Mac knew her words were empty, but she could not let Rick know how scared she was.
“How are the girls?” She decided it was best to change the subject.
“They’re fine. They all miss you, and they ask about you all the time.” Rick knew she loved his girls, as much as they loved her, and he felt sorry that he had kept them apart the last few months.
“I miss them too. Tell them that I love them, and once I get home, we’ll go out for pizza and a movie, okay?” Mac smiled, as the vision of the girls giggling throughout the entire move flowed into her mind.
“I will. Mac, please be careful, I’d hate it if anything…,” his words caught in his throat.
“I know, I promise. Hey, I need to go. I’ll call you later and let you know what we’ve learned. Give everyone my love.” She did her best to sound cheerful, but she knew Rick could tell that she was terrified.
“I will, and don’t forget to call me, okay?” Rick tried to be positive, but he could not seem to shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
***
After the call, Mac put her cell phone in her pocket and walked back to the kitchen. Tom and Marge were sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and chatting about her crafting group. Tom looked up when Mac walked through the door. “Is everything all right?”
Mac walked to the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee then turned to face Tom. “Yes, he was just checking on me and was wondering if we had any leads on John yet. I told him about the call last night, but that we still didn’t know where John was being held.”
She took a sip of the hot coffee, then walked over to the table and sat in the chair across from Tom.
“I know I don’t know everything that’s going on but is John in danger?” Marge looked at Tom, trying to remain calm.
She had overheard some of their conversations, but none of them made any sense to her. “Tom, why would someone want to harm John?”
Tom looked into the worried face of his beautiful wife and knew he could not tell her the complete story. “Honey, I would love to explain everything to you, but for now, please know that we’re doing everything we can to get him back. Mac and I need to get busy, so don’t plan on us for lunch today.”
“You will be home for dinner, right?” Marge asked.
“I’m not sure, but I’ll call you later and let you know.” Tom knew she would worry, but he had no idea what the day would bring.
“I think I’ll go upstairs and take a shower,” Mac smiled. “I need to clear my head.”
She stood and began to walk to the sink when Marge stopped her.
“You don’t need to do that. You have a busy day ahead, so go on and take your shower,” Marge smiled.
“Well, since it looks as if you two will be busy all day, I think I’ll go to Carolyn’s house and do some scrapbooking. Mac, have you ever done it?”
“No, but I have heard its fun.” Mac had been invited several times to join a group of wives of her fellow detectives who met once a week, but she did not think it would be for her. The idea, of sitting around and listening to women, talk about their husbands and children did not seem to be something she would enjoy.
“Oh, it’s so much fun. Maybe when this is all done…,” Marge was excited at the idea of Mac joining her, but Tom interrupted.
“Come on Marge, leave her alone. She has enough on her mind at this time,” Tom bellowed, as he stood and walked toward the back door. “I’m going to get the newspaper before the neighbor’s dog steals it again. Once you’re done with your shower come down to my office, and we’ll go over our plans for the day.”
***
The shower was just what Mac needed to relax. She knew the day was going to be difficult, but mostly, she was not looking forward to the plans Erebus had for them. She was about to go back downstairs when her cell phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the screen, “Damn, it’s him.” She steadied herself and answered. Hello.”
“Good morning, Lucinda. I hope you had a pleasant night’s sleep.”
“What do you want?” She shot back but soon realized she had made a mistake.
“Oh my, you seem a bit testy this morning. I gather you didn’t sleep well last night. I’m sorry if I had anything to do with that.” He knew this comment would get her going, and he loved it when she was angry with him.
“I rested just fine, thank you. I’m just not in the mood to play your damn game anymore. Is John still alive?” she growled.
Erebus knew she was upset, which was his goal. Emotions were the best weapons to use against someone because they would always react before thinking.
“Yes, he’s alive, but for how long depends on you, my dear. You see, I have decided to play a little game of Hide-n-Seek with you and our mutual friend, Tom. Now, I do hope you’re both ready because it’s going to be a busy day. I have left clues for you to follow, but I must warn you there is a time limit. If you have not solved each clue by four o’clock this afternoon, John will die.”
“Fine, so quit wasting my time and tell me where the first clue is!” Mac hated knowing that John’s life was in their hands, and time was running out.
“Don’t worry; I’m sure that Tom has found it by now if he’s stayed with his usual morning routine.”
“What do you mean by usual morning…, the newspaper; you hid the clue in his newspaper!”
“Excellent, Lucinda, I always knew you were an exceptional detective,” he teased. “You do need to hurry, though, I am sure that he’s found it by now.”
Mac had already rushed down the stairs before Erebus hung up. As she entered Tom’s office, she knew he had found the clue by the surprised look on his face.
“What is the clue?” she asked breathlessly.
“Clue? So, that’s what this is, some sort of clue? When I unrolled the newspaper, this fell out and landed on my desk.” Tom held up the strange looking cylinder for her to see.
Mac took the small cylinder from him and carefully examined it. “There’s some writing on it, but it’s too small to read.”
Tom reached into the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a small magnifying glass, “Here, try this.”
She took it from him and then leaned in closer to the cylinder. “It says: To find the truth, one must look inside of themselves. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Maybe there’s something hidden inside of the cylinder?” Tom hated how this was all playing out, but he knew they had to go along if they wanted to save John.
Mac took her fingernail and scrapped the cylinder along the side, but nothing. Then she pinched the end and noticed it moved.
“The end seems to come off. Let me see if I can do this without breaking it.” She gently squeezed the end of the cylinder between her fingers and slowly twisted to expose the contents hidden inside. “What is that?”
Tom watched as Mac unrolled a small photograph out on his desk, “Oh my, God, that’s John’s house!”
Chapter 10
On the drive to John’s house, they both wondered what the clue meant.
“That marking on the picture is a statue where John and Kathy would hide an emergency key for the front door, but why would Erebus lead us to that?”
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