The Girl in the Woods: A Ghost's Story (Off-Kilter Tales Book 1)
Page 6
A man ran into the ward first. A few inches taller than Andy and much wider, he had a baseball bat in his grip, wild eyes, and sallow cheeks. Andy smiled. “Come on then, you fat fuck.”
The large man’s face twisted. He opened his mouth—the streak of moonlight Andy had let in showing he had several teeth missing—and charged as more people entered the room behind him.
Andy maintained eye contact with the man who held his bat in a tight two-handed grip as he wound it back to swing.
Epilogue
Liz flinched when Andy stood up and charged. She knew what was coming and shivered from the cold rush of him passing straight through her. She’d never get used to that. Still cold, she turned around as he fell to his knees in front of the girl in the doorway. A lump rose in her throat when Andy reached up and held the little girl’s hands.
“Gwen?” Andy said.
The girl couldn’t have been any older than ten. Bald, skinny, and with black bags beneath her eyes. Her tiny legs were so thin she probably wouldn’t have been able to stand at the end. “Daddy? Where am I?”
Liz drew a deep gulp and stepped forward. “I can help you.” Her voice trembled when they both looked at her. “I can help you move on. Together.”
Andy stood up and continued to hold one of his daughter’s hands.
“I’ve been sent here today,” Liz said, “because we have a little girl in custody who’s telling us about a group of cannibals. I just need you to confirm the truth of it so we can put our case together against these vile creatures.”
Andy’s entire frame swelled. Were his eyes able to water, they would have filled at that moment. His voice weak, he said, “She made it?”
“Yes, and she’s safe.”
“Thank god. She was kept in a cage and they called her Worm. The only food they gave her was the flesh of people they caught. She had no choice.” He nodded at his daughter. “I changed the girl’s name to Gwen”—his face softened when he turned to his little girl—“the name of the most beautiful, smart, and funny girl I’ve ever known.”
Liz smiled. “Thank you. That’s all we needed. Now don’t be afraid.” Creating a white light in one of the room’s doorways, she said, “When you walk through that, all of the pain and baggage you carry with you from your physical life will go away. You won’t hurt anymore.”
At that moment, Gwen’s spirit fell over, buckling as she crashed to her knees.
Andy scooped her up in his arms and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She stared up at him. “I’m scared, Daddy.”
While shaking his head, Andy said, “Don’t be. We need to go to the light. We can leave the suffering behind.”
Liz cried freely as the small child curled up in her dad’s arms and rested her bald head against his chest. As the pair vanished through the doorway, she turned away from Bart, her tears falling from her chin. Sure, she got what the police needed from Andy, and she’d get paid, but times like this reminded her why she’d chosen her profession.
Ends.
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About the Author
Like most children born in the seventies, Michael grew up with Star Wars in his life. An obsessive watcher of the films, and an avid reader from an early age, he found himself taken over with stories whenever he let his mind wander.
Those stories had to come out.
He hopes you enjoy reading his books as much as he does writing them.
Michael loves to travel when he can. He has a young family, who are his world, and when he’s not reading, he enjoys walking so he can dream up more stories.
Contact
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Also by Michael Robertson
The Alpha Plague: A Post-Apocalyptic Action Thriller
The Alpha Plague 2
The Alpha Plague 3
The Alpha Plague 4
The Alpha Plague 5
The Alpha Plague 6
The Alpha Plague 7
The Alpha Plague 8
The Complete Alpha Plague Box Set
Protectors - Book one of Beyond These Walls
National Service - Book two of Beyond These Walls
Retribution - Book three of Beyond These Walls
Collapse - Book four of Beyond These Walls
Beyond These Walls - Books 1 - 3 Box Set
The Shadow Order
The First Mission - Book Two of The Shadow Order
The Crimson War - Book Three of The Shadow Order
Eradication - Book Four of The Shadow Order
Fugitive - Book Five of The Shadow Order
Enigma - Book Six of The Shadow Order
Prophecy - Book Seven of The Shadow Order
The Faradis - Book Eight of The Shadow Order
The Complete Shadow Order Box Set
Masked - A Psychological Horror
Crash - A Dark Post-Apocalyptic Tale
Crash II: Highrise Hell
Crash III: There’s No Place Like Home
Crash IV: Run Free
Crash V: The Final Showdown
New Reality: Truth
New Reality 2: Justice
New Reality 3: Fear