AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The killer threw open the door, moving swiftly to cut off her escape. She let out a panicked scream as he grabbed her, clamping a gloved hand over her mouth.
“Shhh…it will all be over soon,” he whispered. She struggled violently, terror etched on her face.
He dragged her toward the open trunk as she kicked and flailed. But he was too strong. Her muffled cries became more frantic as he forced her inside the cramped space.
She clawed at him, but he did not react. His face was a cold, emotionless mask. This was all part of the ritual.
He bound her wrists, grabbing duct tape. Securing her, holding her fast. She was so weak under his efforts.
He slammed the trunk closed, enveloping her in darkness. Her screams were silenced, replaced by the thud of fists pounding against the inside of the trunk. He slid back into the driver’s seat, exhilarated.
Soon, the earth would feed. The corruptors would pay, and he would fade back into the shadows, leaving the police baffled once again.
For now, all that remained was the long drive. His passenger continued to pound the trunk.
The watchful man drove steadily into the night, following the remote dirt roads that wound through the dense forest. His destination was an abandoned oil field, hidden deep in the wilderness where no one ventured anymore.
He smiled to himself, anticipation building. This was his favorite part—the hunt, the capture, and now the final ceremony. His pulse quickened at the thought of what was to come. What he lovingly referred to as “the feeding.”
Glancing in the rearview mirror, he could just make out the trunk of the vintage Plymouth. His cargo was secure. The girl had given up fighting, no doubt conserving her energy. She would need it later, when her screams echoed through the empty night.
For now, the drive was peaceful. His headlights cut a lonely path through the darkness. The moon above gave the forest an ethereal glow. An owl hooted, unseen, in the blackness.
The girl in the trunk was probably praying now, pleading for her life.
The killer continued onward through the night. His senses were alive, electric. The anticipation was almost unbearable now.
The abandoned oil field waited, hidden in the shadows. The girl, his sacrificial lamb, unknowing.
He slowed the car as it approached the old access road leading to the oil field. He had driven this remote path many times before, the way carved into his memory. The Plymouth’s worn tires crunched over gravel and dirt, a lonely sound swallowed by the vast emptiness.
Up ahead, the skeletal outlines of abandoned rigs rose from the darkness. They stood as silent sentinels, witnesses to what was about to transpire. He felt a reverence in their presence, a link to past rituals carried out in this unholy place.
As the car rolled to a stop, the world seemed to hold its breath. Even the night creatures stilled, as if in deference to sacred ceremonies older than man. He stepped out, inhaling the cool air. Above him, the stars glittered coldly.
Popping the trunk, he looked down at his prize. The girl lay curled on her side, wrists and ankles bound. A strip of duct tape silenced her pleas. As she looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes, he felt a heady rush of power.
“Welcome,” he whispered.
Reaching down, he hauled her roughly to her feet. She stumbled, weak from the disorienting ride. Holding her firm, he led her toward the oil pit.
The girl twisted in his grip, whimpering against the gag. He slapped her hard, the crack echoing between the lifeless rigs.
“Hush now,” he crooned. “No one can hear you.”
As he dragged her onward, his boots crunched over something brittle. Glancing down, he saw a smattering of twigs—old offerings left to bleach beneath the pitiless sun. They snapped under his steps, reduced to shards.
He pulled a hunting knife from his belt.
The girl stared and nearly fainted, but he merely cut the girl’s bonds.
The girl’s chest heaved, eyes tracking the knife. He imagined the frenzied hammering of her heart, a trapped bird throwing itself against her ribs.
“Shhh,” he murmured, tracing the blade down her cheek. “Your blood will nourish this forgotten land. You should feel honored.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, tears sliding down her face. He smiled. It was time.
“Now run,” he said simply. “You have a chance to run. It’s the test. The final one. If you outpace me, I’ll let you live.”
