Darkness Rises_Book 1_Prelude To Insanity

by Timothy P. Carnahan

  Cole knew immediately what Marissa intended to do when her expression changed to one of a wild animal. Enraged she flailed in the detective’s arms and he lost his hold dropping her to the floor, however, she landed as nimbly as a cat before springing at the detective. She wrapped her legs about his chest and dug her fingers deep into his eyes. His screams echoed forth in painful waves and for a moment the two lovers became paralyzed by the gruesome sight before them. Seconds passed and still, Reese howled in pain as he tried to pry Marissa off of him to no avail.

  “Laila we need to go,” Cole yelled but Laila didn’t acknowledge him. She was locked in place by the horrific scene playing out in front of her. “Laila!” Cole screamed and her concentration on the brutal attack was broken long enough for her to turn away.

  Aware that they had been given a singular chance to escape, they ran down the adjoining corridor as quickly as they could however, their hopes remained minimal considering they didn’t know anything about the building’s layout and their pursuer didn’t need keys to keep up with them. Abruptly, the screams that echoed throughout the precinct went silent and the only sound Laila and Cole could hear was the echoing of their own footsteps as they made their way for a door that stood under a neon green exit sign that shone out of the darkness above it.

  “Just a little farther,” Cole said trying to assure Laila that they were going to be fine but, he knew that it was a weak assurance at best. He grabbed frantically for the door handle which didn’t give in the slightest and Cole immediately wished he hadn’t left the gun behind. He knew that a bullet may not stop their pursuer but, it could blow a handle off of a door if need be.

  “We’re trapped aren’t we?” Laila said slumping her shoulders. She leaned heavily against the wall averting her attention to the floor.

  Cole couldn’t find the words to respond. He punched the door as hard as he could, however, the resounding crack that issued forth from his knuckles proved that the door wouldn’t be broken down and they would have to find another way out.

  “Should we go back?” Laila asked looking down the corridor which still remained empty but, she rescinded knowing it would only be a matter of time until Marissa appeared around the corner to find her quarry trapped. Seconds seemed to pass like minutes as the two waited in the threatening darkness for the ‘young girl’ to emerge from around the corner.

  Gathering the last of his resolve, Cole spoke, “We have to find another way out of here. If we stay where we are we’ll have nowhere to run.”

  Laila didn’t offer a protest even though she dreaded the idea of going back the way they’d come.

  Cole stayed close to the wall furthest from the windows glancing outside intermittently while Laila followed close behind him. “Wait.” He whispered causing her to freeze in place fearing that maybe he had spotted Marissa. Cole looked back at her for a long moment considering his next move. He allowed his hand to slip over the release of a fire alarm that seemed to spell disaster and salvation for them in the same instant.

  “Babe, what are you doing?” Laila asked keeping her voice as quiet as she could.

  “We have to get someone to come to us or we’re royally screwed,” Cole replied pulling the release on the fire alarm which was followed immediately by the high pitched wail of a siren. Several red warning lights flickered on in unison giving the once darkened hallway the appearance of a bloodstained bordello.

  “Why the hell did you do that!?” Laila yelled over the screaming siren.

  Cole knew that he had been given a difficult choice and there was no turning back since the fire alarm had been activated but, what choice did he have? Without intervention, their chances alone with Marissa were paltry at best. “Hopefully someone will get here fast,” Cole said knowing even if someone did arrive at the police station shortly, they may never make it passed the deceiving little girl that would surely be awaiting them. Cole continued following the wall keeping his eyes focused on the intersecting corridor ahead. A fluorescent white light showed amidst the intermittent red flashes of their current corridor.

  Laila kept one hand on Cole’s back at all times using the little comfort she gleaned from his presence to put one foot in front of the other. She knew that Cole would give his life for her without hesitation but, she also knew that her lover was no match for Marisa. He would end up becoming just another victim in the young girl’s pursuit of her. “How many people are going to have to die?” She screamed stopping mid-stride.

  Cole half turned his head affording her only his peripheral vision. He was fearful that Laila’s outburst had been overheard. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked in between the blaring of the siren but, when Laila didn’t respond he turned to her fully.

  When she looked into his terrified yet determined eyes, Laila felt a tear roll gently down the side of her face. “Let me go on ahead. I don’t want you hurt because you’re trying to protect me.” She urged. She could see that Cole wanted to offer his protest so she quickly cut him off before he was able to respond. “Maybe if I go with her she’ll leave you and everybody else alone.” Laila cried resting her back against the cold concrete wall.

  Cole searched desperately for the words he needed to drive her forward. “I love you and I won’t lose you.” He said grabbing her hand gently in his own.

  The sirens stopped blaring in unison and all that remained were the flashing incandescent red bulbs that continued to signal their warnings for anyone who happened to notice.

  “Why’d they stop?” Laila asked however, Cole didn’t respond. His focus was redirected to the adjoining corridor again. He was certain that Marissa would step into view at any second and find them trapped.

  Laila watched the hallway sharing Cole’s concern however she believed the ‘young girl’ was waiting for her. ‘What if she was simply goading them? Was she was playing some sick game that they couldn’t hope to win?’ Laila thought turning her attention back to Cole. Over his left shoulder, outside in the darkness, something moved. All of Laila’s internal alarms seemed to fire off in unison. “Look out!” She shouted before Marissa hurled herself through the mesh window. The glass and wire tore away as if it were no more secure than paper.

  Instinctively Cole grabbed Laila and fell over her. He smacked his knee hard on the tile floor but it didn’t stop him from jumping back to his feet. Marissa was still crouched on the floor when Cole’s attention came to her. She then stood to her full four and a half foot height glaring menacingly at Cole. She wore the same frilly white dress she’d been wearing the day before, it was charred and torn to a complete mess. She pounced lightning quick jumping feet first into his chest knocking the air from his lungs and he fell heavily to the floor. Immediately she was on top of him scratching and clawing furiously at his face while he vainly attempted to fight off his much smaller attacker. Though he should have had an easy time handling someone her size, she proved to be far stronger than her tiny frame suggested.

  “Get off of him!” Laila yelled angrily. She jumped onto Marissa’s back bringing her right arm around the smaller girl’s neck attempting to pry her from Cole.

  Marissa held Laila’s weight as if she were nothing more than a pesky insect, “You can’t beat me, Laila,” she sneered stopping her onslaught on Cole to regard the older girl.

  Cole lay unmoving but, Laila could see he was still breathing in shallow, labored breaths seemingly unconscious. “Please stop.” Laila pleaded holding tightly around Marissa’s throat but her words were lost on the ‘little girl.’

  “He’s trying to keep you from me. He is. It’s his fault I lost my family and now you’re afraid of me. It’s all because of him!” Marissa pouted.

  Laila knew that she would have to placate the young girl or Cole could die. “I’m not afraid of you, I told you I liked you didn’t I?” Laila asked hiding her fear as best she could and the ‘young’ girl pushed herself off of Cole.

  Laila released her hold on Marissa as she pulled away from Cole’s bloody for
m. Eerily, she floated up in the air turning towards Laila before touching back down to the ground softly.

  “Do you mean it? Now that you know what I am, do you really mean it?” Marissa asked as a tear ran down her face looking more like a lost little girl than a ruthless killer save for the blood that caked the once white dress she was wearing.

  “I’ll do whatever you want if you leave him alone.” Laila offered and Marissa seemed to consider her response until Cole grabbed at her leg,

  “Run Laila, don’t do it!” He shouted and Marissa’s eyes narrowed evilly.

  “You couldn’t just stay out of it could you?” She asked grabbing Cole by the back of the neck lifting him off the floor as if he were a disobedient puppy.

  “No! Let him go.” Laila screamed and Marissa turned Cole nimbly to face her.

  “Get out of here Lai…,” Cole begged but, his last words came out in a choked gurgle when Marissa’s frustration grew and she squeezed hard on his windpipe.

  “Stop it! I swear if you kill him I’ll kill myself right here.” Laila promised grabbing a shard of broken glass from the floor holding it against her neck for a quick strike on her carotid artery.

  Cole could feel his body growing numb and his vision became blurry. Within seconds the world became nothing more than blackness and he was tumbling. Satisfied that Cole wouldn’t be interrupting her and Laila’s conversation anymore, Marissa tossed him like a rag doll to land heavily on the tiled floor. Laila rushed to his side dropping the shard of glass in the process.

  “Cole, wake up.” She cried feeling for a pulse nervously. His breathing was slow and labored but, he was alive and Marissa quickly noted that point.

  “He attacked me, I was defending myself but, I didn’t kill him.” She said as if assuring Laila she would uphold her end of the bargain if Laila did the same. “Say goodbye Laila, you’re mine now. He’s lucky you want him to live.” Marissa said coming up behind the sobbing girl. Sirens began to echo off in the distance as the sound of approaching emergency vehicles made their way to the false fire alarm. “We leave now or I’ll kill him. From the sounds of it, someone will be here soon enough to keep him from dying.” Marissa assured Laila.

  Laila reluctantly backed away from Cole. She knew that the ‘little girl’ wouldn’t have any difficulty in fulfilling her promise of added violence. Marissa offered a hand to Laila who accepted it grudgingly. She grew dizzy when the little girl locked eyes with her. A wave of numbness blanketed Laila’s body urging her to close her eyes and allow whatever fate decreed for her to simply happen. She lost her footing but, she didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, tiny arms wrapped themselves protectively about her keeping her aloft. Seemingly unfamiliar and distant, Laila had trouble formulating the words she wanted to say and speaking them seemed impossible, “What are you doing to me?” She managed to ask in a hoarse whisper.

  “I’m putting you to sleep. You’ll be fine and when you awaken as my sister you’ll have power over the humans as well.” Marissa replied softly, almost motherly.

  Laila could feel her feet rise from the floor dangling for only a moment before the little girl cradled her gently in her arms. She managed to half open her eyes one last time to witness Cole’s torn body lying near death on the floor some distance below. Blackness rushed at her from every direction and her mind dwindled into nothingness. “I love you, babe.” She choked out as she fell unconscious.

  Satisfied that Laila was resting peacefully, Marissa gazed at Cole only a moment longer, regarding him with animosity before turning towards the broken mesh window. Emergency sirens’ blares sounded from only a short distance away. “You’re lucky she cares for you,” Marissa remarked absently to Cole before flying high into the darkened sky keeping Laila huddled gently against her.

  CHAPTER 13

  When Cole awoke to the sounds of beeps and other unfamiliar noises he sat up panicked and scanned the room seeing nothing except deep blackness. He tried to reach up to his face but, his hands were being restrained by straps clinging tightly to his wrists mildly cutting off the circulation to his hands. He breathed deep trying to calm his tensing muscles but being unable to see and restrained at the same time only intensified his agitation. “Laila! Where are you, Laila.” He called out however the voice that responded was deep and definitely not hers.

  “So you’re finally awake?” An older sounding male voice replied.

  “Where is she?” Cole asked frustrated praying that the man would say that she was fine and he had only been involved in a horrible nightmare but, the man pointedly bypassed Cole’s question.

  “First let me tell you who I am and maybe I can answer some of your questions. Doctor Jonathan Roberts is my name but, you can feel free to call me Doc Jon.” He said trying to keep his interaction with the teenager light-hearted.

  Cole immediately went on the offensive not appreciating the man’s apparent disregard for the only question Cole wanted an answer for. “Where is she!?” He yelled in the general direction of Doc Jon’s voice.

  “Calm down son. You and one cop were the only two to come out of the sheriff station alive and we’re not sure how long he’ll last.” He replied causing Cole’s heart to sink.

  “Did they find a girl about my age in the building? I need to know please.” Cole pleaded praying that the doctor wouldn’t confirm his fears.

  “No. We didn’t tag any young women.” Doc Jon replied honestly. As far as he knew, there had been no girl.

  Cole was uncertain if he was telling him the truth but, he assumed he didn’t have any choice, except to trust him considering his current state.

  “Well son, do you want to tell me how you managed to break three ribs and get those gashes on your face?” He asked sincerely concerned.

  Cole considered telling him the truth but he relented knowing that it could just end him up in the psych ward. “I don’t know what happened,” Cole lied turning away from where he believed the doctor to be.

  “Alright, well you get some rest and I’ll be seeing you through your treatment. We didn’t find any identification on you. Can I at least know your name so I can notify your parents that you’re ok?” Doc John asked.

  Cole replied vacantly, “Cole…Cole Larson.” He managed. He was thankful the doctor left the room without another word. “Please be ok Laila.” He whispered once he heard the echoing footsteps of Doc John fading down the hall. Unable to see, bound to the bed, and uncertain about the fate of the only woman he ever loved drove him to the edge of madness but, he fought against it keeping the image of Laila in front of his currently blinded eyes until his mind and body shut down affording him sleep.

  * * * * *

  “Wake up Laila.” Marissa’s voice echoed at her from somewhere far away growing closer with each passing second. She felt sickly and a coppery scent assaulted her nose as she breathed in deep trying to bring herself back to consciousness. Bile rose sickly in her throat and she felt a hand tousle her hair gently. ‘It was only a dream.’ Laila thought however, she slowly opened her eyes to what appeared to be a darkened cave illuminated by a couple of candles and nothing more. She looked about cautiously at first until her eyes came across the young girl. She knew she couldn’t hope to escape so she steeled herself when Marissa smiled at her. Her teeth were not of the little girl, but of the monster within. “I suppose you’re going to change me into one of you now!” She said drawing a look from the young girl that she couldn’t quite place.

  “What do you mean now?” Marissa asked rubbing her throat gently along where her carotid artery was and Laila did the same feeling what seemed like two mosquito bites expertly placed along her neck.

  “You see, it didn’t hurt a bit.” Marissa offered seemingly thrilled that she had turned Laila while she slept.

  Laila’s stomach ached and she nearly swooned from the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake her. Her insides burned and she doubled over only to be caught by Marissa who held her gently within her little arms. “What’s happen
ing to me?” She asked and the little girl laid her back on the makeshift bed.

  Marissa turned away from Laila producing a knife from a small table that was nestled deep in the corner. She kept her back to the older girl as she ran the blade gingerly along her wrist. She squeezed her hand methodically allowing the blood to pump steadily from the fresh wound. Satisfied that the cut had been made deep enough she walked over to Laila putting her wrist close to the older girl’s lips. “It’s the hunger. This will help.” Marissa urged holding her blood-soaked hand out to Laila.

  “Get away from me.” Laila fought however, the smell emanating from the open wound enticed her. She felt like she had been starving for months and the blood tantalized her senses as if it were an unyielding banquet set before her.

  Marissa didn’t move, she neither forced Laila to drink nor did she back away. She was content to allow the ‘older’ girl to choose when she would satisfy her hunger.

  Laila fought hard to control the ravenous impulse to pull the girl in and drink of her essence, however, the desire was too strong and the look in Marissa’s eyes told her that it was only a matter of time before Laila would give in. “Stop it.” She gasped reeling with anticipation but, the little girl remained motionless intent on watching Laila feed her desires for the first time since she’d been changed.

  “You can fight it but, it’s never easy,” Marissa said solemnly.

  Laila couldn’t deny her urge for a single taste any longer. She grabbed Marissa’s arm with both hands and pulled it towards her so that the slice rested against her lips. She allowed her tongue to dart across the sticky liquid that had already begun to coagulate on the young girl's arm but, the instant she tasted the sweet blood she sucked fiercely along the wound drawing in the warm fluid euphorically. Each wave of blood that she gleaned from the young girl sent shivers throughout her body and she was satisfied with draining the young girl dry if given the chance.