The thumping in my chest increased. Could I? I would have to. “I think so.”
“It’s not a think so kind of response. You may have to act fast,” Austin said. I could hear the seriousness in his tone. “Tell me you’ll be able to do it.”
“I will,” I said releasing a shaky breath. He didn’t seem convinced.
“Just remember what they did to Bradley. They aren’t good people,” Bradley said.
I chewed my cheek. “Do you think it’s going to come down to that? Guns? Bullets?”
“I hope to hell not,” Austin said. “But we need to be prepared for the worst. That’s how we made it this far.”
“You consider us having been prepared?” I asked.
“As prepared as we could be, yes,” Austin said.
Maybe he was right. The lights had been what had kept us alive. “If so, it’s only because of you.”
“We should get back out there,” Austin said. “Before everyone wonders where we’ve gone off to.”
“Do you think they’re back?” I asked.
Austin took my hand into his. “I don’t know. Let’s go find out. I’m anxious to get the hell out of this place.”
“Me too,” I said.
The light stung my eyes as Austin opened the coat closet door. Something hit the tip of my shoe and ping-ponged on the floor.
I blinked several times before realizing what it was. It was Bradley’s cup.
Chapter Twenty-Six
I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. My fingers were shaking uncontrollably.
“Oh, my God.” The words were soft and they bounced together harshly. “They know. They know that I know what they did.”
“Shit,” Austin said looking like he wanted to put his fist through the wall. “Not only that, but somehow they knew we were in the closet. There might not be anything they don’t know.”
“What are we going to do?” I asked pushing back the tears.
Austin ran his hand down his face pulling on his chin. “We’re going to get Mallory and wait outside for Noah and Marty.”
He placed his hand on my back and guided me back toward our room. Austin hastily turned the knob and pushed open the door.
“Shit!” Austin said slamming his palm against the wall. “Let’s go.”
We walked down the hall opening every door, not caring if anyone was inside. Every room, however, was empty.
“I don’t like this,” I said. It wasn’t just because of the cup that I knew something was wrong, I could feel it in the air.
We moved quickly through the entire basement. Bev was in the kitchen working on dinner.
“Have you seen Mallory?” Austin asked.
Bev’s hands shook as she picked up a plate and moved her head side to side. The woman knew exactly where she was but she wasn’t going to tell us. It seemed as though she wanted to but fear was keeping her lips sealed.
We charged up the stairs. It wasn’t until we got to the top that I heard the organ playing.
Austin stepped in front of me protectively even though there wasn’t anyone around. My eyes moved around as though I expected all of them to jump out at us with axes in hand.
Our feet took us toward the music. It felt like there was a tarantula crawling across my back.
The music was haunting. Bone-chilling.
Austin pulled out his gun but kept it behind as his back as we stepped into the church. Lucas was standing in front of the altar and there were several people sitting in the pews staring at him.
“Join us,” Lucas said and they turned around to watch us approach. Lucas stepped to the side.
“No!” I gasped.
“Mallory’s already here,” Lucas said. “And the others will be back shortly.”
Mallory was gagged and tied to the altar with thin pieces of rope wrapped around her wrists and ankles. Her head was turned to the side, redness and terror filled her eyes.
Austin let out a breath as his jaw tensed. “Let her go.”
“I can’t do that,” Lucas said.
Mallory looked like she was trying to say something but I couldn’t even attempt to make out her words with the sounds of the organ pounding through the room.
“Please, won’t you join us?” Lucas said gesturing toward the pews. He took the radio from his belt. “They’re here. Come on back.”
The church was darker than it had been the last time I’d been inside. I wasn’t sure how close it was to night, but maybe it was just a cloudy day.
“I think we’re good here,” Austin said.
Mallory tried to kick her legs but they barely moved. The small little thuds the heels of her feet made against the wooden alter were barely noticeable.
“Why don’t you let her go,” Austin said. “Nobody wants any of this. We’ll just part ways peacefully.”
“Peacefully, huh?” Lucas asked with a snort. “Why would you want to leave? There’s nothing out there.”
“We just think it’s time to get back on the road,” Austin said.
Lucas started pacing in front of Mallory. My heart sank as the tears streamed down her face. It seemed like she was worried. Worried that we’d leave.
“Something has you worried,” Lucas said clasping his hands in front of his chest. “We’re good people. We only do good things.”
Lucas was delusional. Maybe he didn’t know what I saw outside and only knew I’d moved the cup.
It wasn’t like I knew what had been in the cup or that I could even prove there’d been anything in it at all. I’d bet my life it had been something that killed Bradley but when it came down to it, it was my word versus his. His followers would believe him or maybe they already knew what he’d done. Maybe they didn’t care.
“I’d just like to talk to you all… explain,” Lucas said as he started to pace again. He stepped out of the way so that I could see Mallory’s terrified face again. Good people. Ha. “They’ll be here any moment.”
It was less than ten seconds when the doors of the church squeaked open and quickly closed. I turned back and saw Samuel and the others that had been with them walking behind Marty and Noah. The only one that wasn’t in the church was Bev.
“Ah ha! And there they are,” Lucas said waving his hand. “Come on, come on, join us.”
Marty and Noah stepped up behind Austin and me. Samuel and the other stayed behind them blocking our exit.
“What’s going on?” Noah asked Austin.
“I don’t know,” Austin said keeping his voice low. “But we’re going to get the hell out of here.”
“We can’t leave her,” Marty said.
Austin nodded.
“Come closer,” Lucas said. “Don’t be shy.”
I didn’t think any of us wanted to take another step in Lucas’s direction but somehow we were going to have to get to Mallory. We’d have to find a way to free her before we could leave.
“Look,” Austin said. “Just let us go and we can all get back to our lives. Nobody wants any trouble here.”
“Are you trouble?” Lucas asked cocking his head to the side. “Are you going to cause us some kind of trouble?”
Austin shook his head. “That’s not at all what I meant. It’s just you said you were good people, right? Well, then, let us go. Let Mallory go.”
“I can’t do that. I wish I could but she’s been caught breaking the rules,” Lucas said.
“Rules?” I asked. “What rules?”
“We caught her and Marty in the coat closet,” Lucas said. “This is a church. A place of God.”
“You said you were going to let it go!” Marty squawked.
Austin took a step closer to the altar. “God wouldn’t approve of you tying her up on the altar, would he?”
Lucas looked like he’d been punched in the stomach. His mouth dropped open but he quickly snapped it shut and drew in a deep inhale as he composed himself.
“People have been executed for far less,” Lucas said.
“You’re go
ing to execute her?” Austin asked keeping a calmness to his voice that I knew I wouldn’t be able to manage. “For being in the coat closet?”
Lucas frowned as he looked toward his feet. He hesitated before raising his head up again.
“Yes,” he said clearly. “And when we finish with Mallory, it’ll be her next.”
Someone grabbed my hands and pulled them hard behind my back. I tried to jerk my arms free but the grip on me only tightened.
“Let me go!” I yelled.
“She not only broke the rules, sharing her bed and what not but she also is a snoop,” Lucas said. “Sneaking around places she shouldn’t be.”
“I didn’t do anything!” I shouted as I whipped my shoulders back and forth. “Let. Me. Go.”
Lucas held his hand up and the room became silent except for my grunts. “Bring her up here.”
“No,” Austin said stepping in front of me. “That’s not going to happen.”
Lucas held up a blade and placed it at Mallory’s neck. “Oh, its happening or she dies.”
“You said you were going to execute her anyway,” Austin said and Mallory’s eyes widened.
Lucas started to drag the blade along Mallory’s neck. A small trickle of dark red blood oozed down the side of her neck.
“First, they were to be judged,” Lucas said. “But I see we may not have time for that.”
“Okay, okay!” Austin said but he didn’t move.
We were running out of time. Something had to happen or it was going to be over, likely for all of us.
“Come,” Lucas said straightening his spine and pulling the blade away from Mallory’s neck. “Come forth to be judged.”
“Okay, I will,” I said but I kept my feet planted firmly as I pushed back against whoever was holding me. “But let me come on my own. I don’t need to be pushed around like this.”
Lucas stared for a moment and flicked a finger at the person behind me. Blood started to circulate through my body against as they let go. My arms and hands tingled but quickly life came back to them.
“What are you doing?” Austin said as I stepped around him.
“I don’t know,” I said but I knew. I knew exactly what I was going to do but what it would mean for us… well, that I didn’t know.
I drew in a breath as I walked up the small set of stairs before the altar. Lucas smirked as I stared into his eyes.
I stepped up beside him and lowered my head. “Forgive me for my sins.”
“We shall see,” Lucas said.
What Lucas didn’t know was that I wasn’t talking to him. I was talking to my God.
I reached behind my back and pulled out my gun. Someone screamed in the pew to my right as I aimed the barrel between Lucas’s eyes.
I didn’t hesitate.
I pulled the trigger.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Blood splattered and rained down on me. Lucas’s empty eyes were glued to me as he dropped to the ground.
“Dad!” Samuel shouted as I knelt down and picked up the blade Lucas had dropped.
Half of the people were running out of the church. Some crying and wailing as they fled.
Austin turned and pointed his gun at Samuel as Marty and Noah aimed theirs around the room at the others who stuck around. My hand shook as I turned to cut Mallory free.
I cut the rope at her hands and she rubbed at her wrists. Her eyes were popping out of her head and it looked like she was trying to say something. I removed her gag but I couldn’t understand the word she’d worked to croak out.
“What?” I asked as I moved to her feet.
“Dark!” she said pointing to the windows.
No one had turned the lights on and the church was about to be swallowed by the impending darkness.
“Dammit!” I said helping her down from the altar.
“What are you going to do?” Samuel shouted. “Kill us all?”
“We just want to leave,” Austin said.
Samuel smirked even though his eyes were filled with sadness. “It’s time for you to be judged.”
Austin adjusted his aim and shook his head as he narrowed his eyes. “Just let us go.”
“It’s not like there’s anything you can do,” Noah said.
“Oh, yeah?” an older man said balling his hands into fists. He started charging toward Noah. “I’ll show you what I’m going to do.”
He was less than a foot away when Austin hit him in the chest. The man dropped to his knees and all the confidence he had only seconds ago poured out of him.
“What did you do that for?” the man asked as he raised his bloody hands up. “You shot me.” He looked over at Samuel. “I’m going to die, aren’t I?”
“Probably,” Samuel said without emotion.
“Are you going to feed me to them?” the man asked.
Samuel glanced briefly at Austin. A deep, evil smirk grew on Samuel’s face. “Probably.”
“No,” the man begged shaking his head as he turned to Noah. “Don’t let him do that to me. I don’t want to be their food.”
“Why were you doing it? Why did you do it to Bradley?” I asked.
The man turned to me. “What choice did I have? What choice did any of us have? I did what I had to do to survive.”
He pressed his hands to his wound and stared at the blood again. His skin turned as white as a ghost.
“This is your fault,” he said jabbing his bloody finger in Samuel’s direction. “I hope you join your father in hell!”
Something slammed into the wall behind us. A crack sprouted in the stained glass window and spread out like growing vines.
Mallory gripped my arm and squeaked. “Maybe I should have taken a gun.”
“Bradley’s gun,” I whispered.
“What?” Mallory asked looking at me sideways.
“They must have taken it,” I said.
It was as though Samuel had read my mind when he grabbed Austin and pressed Bradley’s gun to this side of his head.
“Put your guns down,” Samuel ordered as another creature slammed into the wall. “Or I swear to God I’ll shoot him.”
Bit of wood and dust rained down from the shaking roof. The creatures were up there, crawling around and pounding their claws into the wood.
“Someone turn on the damn lights!” Samuel shouted.
A creature burst in through the wall and tumbled on the ground toward Marty. He put three bullets in it… one in the chest, the shoulder and the last in the head before it stopped moving.
“Give me your guns!” Samuel shouted with urgency and desperation saturating his tone.
“No,” Noah said turning and shooting Samuel in the head.
He started to fall and pulled the trigger, but the bullet missed Austin and went through the wall several inches away.
“That was risky,” Austin said taking the gun from Samuel’s hand.
“Yeah,” Noah said with a soft chuckle that was rattled by his nerves.
Austin stood next to me and put his hand on my back. They still hadn’t turned the lights on and something told me they weren’t going to.
“We gotta get out of here,” Austin said looking from side to side at the shaking walls.
“How are we going to do that?” Mallory whimpered. “We can’t go out there.”
Marty stepped up next to her and put his arm around her. They looked at one another before embracing.
“When did this happen?” I asked.
“Does it matter?” Marty said taking Mallory’s hand. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Marty! Watch your language,” I scolded and we both smiled despite the worry we were both feeling. I looked over my shoulder and pulled on Austin. “He’s right though, we really do need to get out of here.”
Austin nodded. “Remember, those things can’t see.”
“Their hearing is sensitive,” Mallory said. “They don’t like high-pitched noises.”
“We need to be absolutely silent,” Aust
in said.
“Or screaming our lungs out,” Mallory added.
I wasn’t sure if it was going to help considering the creatures were still all over the walls trying to make their way inside. Somehow, they knew we were inside.
We moved through the church quickly and as quietly as we could. They were still pounding and slamming against the walls but we didn’t hear anything at the front door.
Opening the door would make a sound. They’d rush us before we could even make it to the SUV.
“We need to turn the lights on,” I whispered mostly mouthing the words. It was the only way I could think of to get them to leave.
“Where is the SUV?” Noah asked.
“I never moved it,” Austin said. “As long as they didn’t tamper with it, it’s where we left it.”
“We still have to get to it,” I said scratching away the prickles at the back of my neck.
There was a noise behind us that was so loud it sounded like the building was being sucked into the ground. Noah turned and pointed his gun in the darkness.
“They’re coming,” Noah whispered.
I could see their shadows stretching out as they moved around and tore through the aisles. They were looking for us. If Noah had to shoot, it would draw their attention, all of them, to our location.
Mallory covered her mouth with both hands. There wasn’t anything we could do but stand there… silent… still and hope to God they stayed in the other room.
I could see the glow coming from the basement. Whoever was down there was attempting to protect themselves as best as they could.
The sounds of the creatures grew louder as they tore their way through the church. With each crashing thud, my body jerked. My heart pounded so loud I was sure they could hear it.
We had to do something. I pointed at the light in the basement, but Austin shook his head.
He was worried about what would happen to us if we went down. It wasn’t like they were going to welcome us with open arms after we’d killed Lucas and Samuel. Then again, after what the man had said, maybe they would have.
The volume from the boombox increased. The screeches became more frequent and the thuds lessened. Were they leaving?
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