Scribbler Tales
Volume Five
Bloodlust
The Raleighs had been lucky, discovering the perfect residence on First Bank and Loan’s foreclosure list. The antiquated mansion sat on three acres of virgin woodland. Its previous occupants had restored the house to its prior glory, adding modern amenities. Sidney enjoyed the hour commute along the scenic highway while Lilly worked from home.
Since the nearest neighbor was miles away, Sidney purchased two hunting rifles, keeping the guns loaded in a locked cabinet next to the door. Even though Marshville was a quiet suburb with a low crime rate, Sidney wasn’t taking any chances, shooting first and asking questions later.
The recently married couple had been living in their ideal surroundings for about three months before the first incident occurred. It wasn’t anything major, just weird noises in the still of the night, but loud enough to awaken a person from a deep sleep. Since the Victorian-style dwelling had been built in the nineteen twenties, the sounds were attributed to structural aging. Creaking stairs and floorboards were a common phenomenon even in modern buildings and of little concern to the Raleighs.
A few weeks later, a dead rabbit was found in a pool of blood on the back porch, and the jagged neck wound suggested an animal predator was frightened away and left its prey while fleeing to safety. A fortnight passed without further occurrences, but throughout the full moon phase, wolves howling in the surrounding forest was quite unnerving.
Within seventy-two hours, an unexplainable event almost sent the Raleighs packing. During dinner, Lilly glanced at a portrait hanging over the fireplace. Stifling a scream, Lilly pointed to the woman’s eyes. Red fluid flowed down the canvas, the liquid collecting on the frame. An optical illusion was the obvious explanation after carefully inspecting the painting, which was stored in the attic while a landscape print filled the void.
Since nothing untoward happened after the artwork had been replaced, the Raleighs became complacent with their surroundings without fearing supernatural reprisal – the bizarre encounters had been logically resolved for the present.
Sidney had no idea that Lilly was a Goth until he came home early and found his wife entertaining a group of unusually dressed men, thirteen to be exact, the correct number for a witches’ coven if such things existed. Mumbling pleasantries, Sidney acknowledged the group before disappearing into the library. Overwhelmed by the newly acquired information concerning his wife, Sidney poured himself a drink that he swallowed in one gulp before refilling the glass and sitting in front of the fireplace. There were questions that needed answering, and what, specifically, did all this mean? How long had Lilly been involved? What was their purpose? And where did they all come from?
“Who’s there?” Sidney shouted after hearing laughter, but the room was empty.
All of a sudden, the hearth was ablaze, the fiery talons reaching towards him, and the intense heat scorching Sidney’s face.
If they’re trying to frighten me, it’s working, Sidney thought as he ran to the door, which was locked.
“Let me out of here!” Sidney yelled.
Illusion
Felicity could hardly contain her excitement as the plane approached Luxor International Airport. She was in awe observing the Ancient City of Thebes from the air while her Egyptian friend named the various monuments and statues. Seth had the window seat, but offered to change places with Felicity once the Captain announced they would be on the ground in thirty minutes. The long flight passed quickly because of the handsome well-dressed gentleman who was single. She had discovered that fact almost immediately since there was a mutual attraction.
As the wheels touched down on the runway, Felicity thanked her traveling companion for his attentiveness and was delighted when he offered to take her to the Sheridan Luxor Resort. Seth also promised to show her around his city and not just the tourist attractions. She would see for herself how his people truly lived and would eat the local cuisine. In addition to visiting the temples and tombs, there were many abandoned archeological sites on the Necropolis that were not referenced in the brochures. Felicity could not believe her good luck.
I’m glad I ignored the office naysayers about the risks of traveling alone. They’re never going to believe this! Felicity thought.
After clearing Customs, Seth escorted her to the waiting chauffeur-driven car, which was a surprise.
“Just what do you do at the museum?” Felicity asked as she sat in the luxurious vehicle.
“Assistant Director.”
“And the job does have its perks. I hope I haven’t inconvenienced you,” Felicity said, laughing.
“The pleasure is mine,” Seth replied while kissing her hand. “Would you consider dining with me tonight once you’re settled?”
“I would like that,” Felicity replied.
“Meet me in the lobby around seven, if that suits you.”
“That suits me just fine.”
Upon arriving at the hotel, Seth waited until Felicity was safely inside before leaving.
“Take me to the market. Amon’s shop,” Seth told the driver.
Manhunt
The tempest lashed over the land, gale winds leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Tami watched the storm from the attic, peering through the circular window, mesmerized by the dark lightning flashing within the swollen storm clouds. Nature’s violent wrath suited her mood, a harsh reminder of man’s inability to control the environment.
It was only a matter of time before the police found them. Tami enjoyed the brief respite, needing time to think, and why in heaven’s name did Richard bring a hostage? That was not the plan. It was supposed to be an easy in and out, and no one was to get hurt, but someone had triggered the silent alarm while Tami was emptying the vault. Hearing sirens, Richard panicked and shot a guard in the chest because the officer moved. Another blunder was taking the bank manager for leverage. They were fortunate that Steven was waiting outside in the car with the engine running. The Camry pulled away from the curb just as two police vehicles turned the corner, screeching to a stop in front of the bank.
At this point, the money was irrelevant even though she needed the cash. If Tami was apprehended, the local authorities would discover outstanding warrants, alerting Interpol.
While Richard believed they were in love, Tami did not share the sentiment. It would not be difficult to put together another team in a different city once Richard and Steven were eliminated. The bank manager was collateral damage, and Tami had no qualms about taking the guy out, but hurting innocent people was not Tami’s style.
“There you are,” Richard said while opening the door. “Steven’s back. It’s brutal out there – we’re stuck here until the storm lets up. Might as well make the best of it. How about...”
“Where’s the bank manager?” Tami interrupted.
“Tied to a chair in the basement. Don’t worry, he’s unconscious,” Richard replied. “Steven’s watching the weather channel. As I was saying...”
Richard held Tami in a loving embrace, kissing her neck gently while whispering endearing words in her ear. Sweeping Tami into his arms, Richard carried her into the master bedroom where they satisfied their primal needs to the sound of rumbling thunder. Satiated, Richard dozed off. Tami waited fifteen minutes before carefully lifting his head and breaking his neck. She dressed quickly and retrieved her pistol, which had fallen under the bed.
Peering over the railing, Tami noticed Steven was still in the living room, beer in hand watching live coverage of the nor’easter. With the television blaring and clapping thunder shaking the house, Steven never heard footsteps descending the stairs. Tami placed the barrel against his head and pulled the trigger. Steven slumped over as the bottle crashed upon the floor.
Pandemic
Brenda Lancaster, Ph.D. was working on identifying a new virus strain when word reached the laboratory about the latest outbreak of the unknown pathogen. The virus first appeared in the Balkans when a fisherman’s child became sick and died within a week. Over the ensuing seven days, the entire population of the village had been eradicated. Suspecting the highly contagious disease was airborne, a moratorium on flights in the region was immediately instituted. Despite the implementation of established protocols, the infection spread to neighboring territories, and unless researchers developed a vaccine quickly, the human race was facing extinction.
Dominion Pharmaceuticals, ranked number one for five consecutive years, attracted the brightest minds in the scientific community. Harvard graduates, such as Dr. Lancaster, were drawn to the renowned conglomerate, which is why federal health officials approached the company to find a cure. Working in conjunction with the CDC, the team, led by Dr. Samuel Dickson, was working around-the-clock while the world waited for salvation.
Examination of the specimen revealed a new organism that did not respond to conventional treatments. The alien species had mutated components from known viruses, which meant it was man-made, and there was a cure. But the questions remained. Who would do such a thing and why?
While intelligence agencies across the globe searched for the perpetrators, Dr. Lancaster spent every waking hour developing an antidote. Once perfected, it needed to be tested, but Brenda was confident about the results. Packing a dozen vials into a carrier, Dr. Lancaster walked the short distance to Dr. Dickson’s office, which was located in an adjacent building. A full moon brightened the night sky, and lamp posts illuminated the passageway.
As Brenda punched in the entry code, an assailant appeared out of nowhere and quickly injected a sedative into her neck. While the man carried Dr. Lancaster into a waiting van, his partner grabbed the carrier and jumped into the passenger seat as the vehicle sped away. The assailant returned to the lab, retrieving Brenda’s laptop before placing blocks of C-4 beneath the workstations. Setting the timer, he left without being seen.
Revenge
“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Cessna 340 engine failure, twenty miles west of Rocky Mountain Park, three thousand feet descending, heading one hundred eighty,” Captain Ian Montgomery said as he lost consciousness.
Both the Captain and passenger Jack Westin had been given coffee laced with Lunesta. As soon as Jack nodded off, Angela retrieved a parachute stored behind the empty rear seat, strapped it on quickly and jumped out of the airstair door.
The wife of the founder of Westin Enterprises had no qualms about crashing the twin-engine plane. Jack didn’t deserve to live, yet society would eulogize the renowned philanthropist because that was the image her husband had presented to the world. Westin’s inner circle was aware of their friend’s involvement with drug traffickers, but Angela accidentally discovered the truth; feigning irreconcilable differences when she sued for divorce, Jack refused to end the marriage. From that day forward, Angela’s freedom was curtailed when Roy became her bodyguard.
Life in the gilded cage was unbearable, but Angela played her part to perfection while biding time. It would take precision planning to free herself from her husband’s grasp. Until then, she would be the docile wife. The apparently happy couple were followed by the paparazzi whose photos filled the Society Pages. The Westins were considered local royalty, drawing crowds wherever they went.
With Jack’s business activities taking up most of his time, Angela was left on her own, but continuing her modeling career was out of the question. Initially, Angela readily agreed to retire from the workforce to start a family that had yet to happen. As time went on, Angela settled into the lifestyle Jack’s wealth provided.
Even though Angela never challenged her husband about his illicit dealings, Jack was aware his wife had overheard a conversation involving a shipment of heroin. Assuming his wife accepted the situation, it was business as usual until Angela had tried to divorce him. At that point, Jack’s demeanor changed when they were alone and soon, Angela started to fear for her life.
We hope you are enjoying the book so far. To continue reading...
Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved
Please log in to recommend or discuss...
