I stared at his face and wiped a tear that trickled from my eye.
“Poor Ben.” I sniffed. “I made him promise to be here. Now I wish I could take that back.”
Speaking through me, Etta whispered, “We should not give up hope yet. Look at how his body remains intact. Ben hasn’t fallen apart into dust like the bodies of Trabek, Nellore, and Doshia. Mathew was only stabbed once, and his corpse was not set on fire.”
Kneeling down beside me, Eras said, “But he’s dead. There is no movement… no life.”
“He’s gone, Etta, there is no hope,” I said.
Holding my hand over Ben’s head, Etta gently brushed my fingers over his face and whispered, “No… there is still something here. I can feel Quint. His soul survives. Doshia had a fight on with Raven. He never completely destroyed Mathew’s corpse because although we didn’t see it, Raven stood her ground. She fought inwardly against Doshia and that was why he couldn’t finish what he started.”
“But what about Max? Doshia managed to kill Nellore using Max’s body…how? I thought they couldn’t kill each other,” I said, staring down at Ben.
“Max was weak. Easily taken over by Doshia. You see, Kassidy, it wasn’t Doshia who killed Nellore. It was Max. Doshia overpowered his mind. He turned Max into a monster and manipulated him to kill Nellore. If Raven hadn’t have fought back then Doshia would have manipulated her to do the killing for him,” answered Etta.
“Are you sure about Quint’s soul? What about Ben? If Quint has survived… does that mean that Ben will?” I asked, a sudden rush of hope racing through me. I looked at Eras. His eyes were a cloudy mix of black and blue.
“It may take time,” spoke Etta. “I think if Mathew’s corpse can heal from the stab wound then perhaps… maybe… we can bring back Quint and Ben.”
Eras stood up. “We have work to do.” His shadows began to shrink away and Jude’s blue eyes returned. “Our friends need burying and so too does Mathew, Adam and Etta,” he said, looking over to where Max and Robert lay. “We can’t leave them here just like that. I know where we can lay them to rest together… somewhere where the sun always shines… a place where Mathew and Adam liked to play.” Then, reaching out and taking my hand, Jude smiled at me and whispered, “Thank you, Kassidy and Etta. You kept your promise. You have given us our freedom from Cruor Pharma and now Mathew and Adam can rest in peace.”
“And what about Jude Middleton? Do you feel at peace?” I asked.
“If we can bring back Ben and Quint,” whispered Jude, “then I’ll be a happy man. Maybe there is happiness to be found in death, and perhaps now that we are free, we will finally find it.”
Holding his hand, I smiled and said, “Lets bury our friends and then we can leave this island and never come back.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Kassidy
I placed the orange chrysanthemums across my father’s grave. The headstone had been engraved with, In loving memory of Robert Bell.
I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh autumn smell of falling leaves and bonfires.
“I miss you, Dad,” I whispered, resting my hand upon the gravestone. I shook my head sadly and quietly said, “I won’t be coming back here again. I’m leaving Holly Tree for good. There’s too many bad memories here. I can’t stay.”
I glanced up to my left. Strangers Hill loomed in the distance, and although it was no longer covered in fog, it still sent shivers through me. The evil that had long existed inside Cruor Pharma had gone now, but the memories still lived on. Those dark, decrepit corridors were tainted forever with the terrible deaths that had occurred there, my mother’s included. I couldn’t stay here in Holly Tree forever, reminded of what had happened every time I looked up and saw Strangers Hill. I couldn’t live under its shadow ever again. I wondered if I could ever forget, even after leaving Holly Tree, the memories that haunted my mind, the fear I had felt and the people I had lost. I shook my head. Who was I kidding? I could never forget. My body carried a constant reminder. The black veins had faded a little, but it seemed that I would be stuck with them forever. And the nails? No matter how many times I had cut them, they still grew back twisted and black. And of course, wherever I went, Etta would be there, too. So I could never forget, but perhaps with time, this painful period in my life would lessen.
I stood up on the small hill where my father was buried and gazed across the town of Holly Tree. Life went on for the people who lived here. They were still going about their daily lives, completely oblivious as to what had happened inside Cruor Pharma. The police station had been closed down. No explanation had been given to the locals as to why. But I knew.
I took one last glance at my father’s grave, smiled, and said goodbye. Turning, I headed down the hill past the other graves and the small stone church. I lifted the latch on the gate and stepped out onto the lane. The early evening had begun to feel chilly and I stared enviously at the small thatched cottages with their smoking chimney pots. I turned my back on them and left the church, the graveyard, and my father.
Walking away, I couldn’t help but feel forlorn, a little lost, and perhaps empty, but as I rounded a bend in the lane, those feelings lifted. Ben sat waiting for me on a park bench. He smiled at me and stood up.
“Are you okay?” he asked, taking my hands in his.
I smiled back and said, “I am now.”
“Then let’s get out of this place and never come back.” Ben glanced up toward Strangers Hill. His feelings were the same as mine. Only he had many more haunting memories of Cruor Pharma to try to forget. But with Quint still inside of him, I knew that would be a hard thing to achieve. Still, ever since Etta had saved them both, Quint had remained calm and settled. He seemed happier now that Etta would always be beside him.
Hand in hand, we headed down the lane to where Jude and Raven waited in a shiny, blue sports car Jude had helped himself to. The engine rumbled and I opened the door and climbed into the back with Ben.
“All done?” asked Jude, looking over his shoulder at me, his mouth full of crisps.
I nodded my head, leant forward, and patted Raven on the shoulder. “Are you okay, Raven?” I asked. I knew she still suffered from the burns on her face. She had changed her clothes and now wore a pair of black leggings, a black roll neck top to hide some of her veins, and a patterned scarf to hide the skin that had burned on Gallows Island.
She shrugged her shoulders and said, “I will be when we get away from this place.”
I looked at Jude. His eyes were a mix of blue and black again and I knew that not too deep down, Eras lingered.
I sat back in the seat, unsure of where we would end up. The missing coffin had never been found, but we knew that Vectis had taken it. He must have sneaked into the chamber when it was filled with fog and while our attention had been too caught up in destroying the other demons for us to notice him. It had been what he had wanted all along—his corpse—so no one or any demon could destroy him. I wondered if we would ever have the misfortune of coming across him again. Something told me that one day we would, but for now, all I wanted was some peace.
I stared out of the window as we drove down the main road through Holly Tree. We passed by ‘The Fallen Star’, where I had hidden from the police not so long ago, and then the car turned onto Trap Street. The familiar sight of ‘Glugs’ reminded me once again of my father.
Not wanting to see any more, I looked down at the satchel and opened it up. Father Williams’s bible was still in there, and so too was the only photo I had of my father. Ignoring that, I rummaged around for the iPod. I plucked it out, hoping I might now be able to charge it in the car. I held it up, and in the glass surface, I thought I saw a reflection of a young woman running alongside the car wearing a pair of stilts. I glanced back, but could see no one there. I shrugged my shoulders and looked front again.
I didn’t know where we were heading. Would we come across more demons? What did my future hold? For now, I didn’t care what lay ahead of
me. I had Ben and I had my friends. Would time heal me? I hoped so, and deep down I believed it would. After all, I had plenty of time. I had forever.
Also by Lynda O’Rourke
Chasing Life
Book One Now Available
When Jena Leigh is in a near fatal car crash, she wakes to find her younger brother close to death. Jena soon realises that the crash was no accident but a deliberate attempt to kill her and her brother. But why would a complete stranger want Jena dead?
Seeking answers from a mysterious young man named Cary, Jena finds herself on a terrifying journey in search of the truth while trying to avoid those who chase life.
Deceived Page 20