Hound

Ritual

“Mister, wake up mister”

“Am I dead?”

“No, you are just hurt. You are bleeding. Is there anything I can do to help?” “Don’t worry little one, I`ll be fine.”

“I told you mister. I told you that Darius will find us.”

At last he opened his eyes wide. He shook off the feeling of dizziness. His eyes hurt with the intensity of the light striking in clear stripes through the dense cover of trees. He moved his head sluggishly to his sides to examine the place that a few hours ago would have been his death bed. He returned his eyes to the girl in front of him.

“What happened?” he forced out the words over the pain.

“You were attacked last night,” she said, “I wanted to tell you about her.”

“About who?” he whispered nonchalantly with his fingers pressed against his bridge with his eyes closed. He could still feel an effect like waking up from hibernation. The last thing he wanted was to start his day with anything remotely morbid like the girl in front of him.

“The creature that attacked you last night, her name is Shilah, the demon of the night.” His eyes popped open as his body jerked with something like an electric shock. It took a few seconds for his memories of the previous night to settle clearly. His eyes moved down the length of her. She was alive. But then he remembered the dress. He had assumed the creature had eaten the girl before robbing her of her dress. It wasn’t making sense. Why was this girl in the same white dress?

“I know that dress” he intoned. “What`s happening?” what are you?” his voice trembled.

She bowed her head and coiled with discomfort.

“Am sorry mister. I cannot control it. It`s inside of me” she whispered. He nearly pulled out his g*n, if he had found it. He pushed himself to his feet but the pain, oh the pain. It was……unimaginable.

“Get away from me, demon!” he yelled as he staggered to the side. His hand pressed against his belly to stop his guts from falling out. The girl broke into tears again. She was in pain as well. He stopped for a moment and allowed himself to pity her. He ran his fingers through his dump hair. He relaxed his breath.

“Does your father know?” he whispered underneath his breath.

“I don’t have a family,” she gurgled, “Darius killed them all.”

“Wait, wait, Darius? Isn’t he your father?”

“No” she barked.

“Then what does he want with you?”

“He doesn’t want me anymore. He wants to kill me. He says I am useless because I have an unclean spirit.” “Useless for what?”

“He is using girls like me for a ritual.”

“A ritual?”

“You have to see for yourself” she said as she got up on her feet.