Di glanced up at Liam. “In his coat...I think.”
Beccy and Liam looked at each other. An unspoken conversation passed between where it was decided Liam would check the coat by the front door and Beccy would stay with her aunt.
Liam stood up. “Lock the attic door behind me.”
“Be careful,” Beccy said as she followed him down the stairs.
“You too. Lock the door and try to find something to arm yourself with.”
“Hurry back.”
“Trust me, I’m not going for a leisurely stroll,” he said as he pulled the door shut.
When he heard the lock click, he turned and faced the long, dark corridor. The shadows jumped as he pointed the torch along the walls, making it seem like every doorway had an ominous figure lurking just inside.
Floorboards groaned behind him as Beccy walked back to her aunt. He hesitated before taking a step. The thought of leaving Beccy sent a wave of nausea through his stomach but there was no way she would leave her aunt alone. Liam had to get back quickly in case the madman returned.
He took two reluctant steps and then broke into a run as adrenaline coursed through his veins. His heart hammered in his ears and his breath shot out in short gasp as he raced past the dark doorway and down the corridor. When he reached the end, he shot a quick glance back to make sure none of the hands he had imagined reaching out for him were real and no one was skulking near the attic door.
Satisfied, he ran across the landing and thundered down the stairs. He let out a gasp of relief when he saw the discarded coat still by the front door. At least Di’s kidnapper hadn’t come back for it...yet.
He rushed over and started frantically searching the pockets. Each pocket seemed as large as a binbag to his trembling, uncoordinated hands. He pulled out a wallet and a phone, then an object he thought was a taser and a strange, brown pouch, before he yanked out a set of keys.
He shone his torch on the jangling bunch as he examined each one then threw them aside with a frustrated grunt after not finding anything that would fit the padlocks. Finally, he tipped the coat upside down and shook it vigorously. A crumpled receipt drifted to the ground.
“Shit.” He hurled the coat against the open door.
His heart pounded against his chest, and he tried to push back the panicked frustration rising from the pit of his stomach.
“It’s gotta be here,” he muttered and began scanning the hallway floor with his torch. Perhaps they had fallen out before the coat had been removed by its owner.
As the beam jumped over the discarded objects something glinted in the light. He snatched up the small pouch and found a small ring caught on the string around the top.
“Yes!” he hissed.
Three small keys hung from the ring. He clasped them triumphantly in his fist and turned to go back up the stairs.
Gravel crunched behind him. Liam froze. The hairs on the back of his neck sprung up and icy fingers danced down his spine. A deep, menacing growl rumbled through the open doorway.
A phrase popped into his head, one he’d read somewhere, a long time ago—“a pregnant pause.” Suddenly he knew exactly what it meant. In the few seconds, Liam stood frozen at the foot of the stairs and the growling creature remained silent; it seemed the hallway filled with a thousand possibilities.
He could run. Up the stairs was the slowest option and would lead the creature closer to Beccy. One of the doors to his left and right was the closest place of potential safety.
He could turn and face whatever was in the entrance. Part of him was curious. Was it simply a nocturnal animal who considered the manor its home? Di had said her kidnapper was changing. What had she meant? He’d seen the scratches on the cellar floor. Could it be him, changed into a savage beast? Part of him said to man up and show the animal he was not scared. Liam was young and strong. He’d never run from anything in his life. Usually his confident and forceful manner was enough to put doubt in the minds of anyone who squared up to him. However, there was also a part of him, a primal instinct, etched in his genes from millennia of human survival, that sensed life threatening danger. It didn’t matter what killed him, only that he survive.
At the same time, he could feel the creature studying him. He knew it too had noted the possible escape routes, planned its moves and was waiting to see what Liam would do next.
Liam took a deep breath. The muscles in his legs tightened. The “pregnant pause” decided it was time and unpaused.
The tension in the room exploded. Liam sprang to the left and bolted towards the nearest door. A scramble of claws on wood erupted by the front door. The creature’s determined, silence terrified Liam more than if it had growled again, and spurred Liam on. He threw himself at the door and hoped it would open. The latch gave way with little resistance, and he burst into a dark, dusty room. He grabbed the edge of the door and his feet skidded on the floor as he spun around.
Before he had a chance to shut out the danger, a dark mass spung against the door, throwing Liam backwards. His teeth jarred and pain shot up his spine as he hit the floor. The torch flew out of his hand and went spinning across the room. Bursts of yellow lit both occupants of the room like strobe lighting. Liam’s blood ran icy cold. With each flash, a hellish creature stalked its way towards him. Fangs shone as its mouth opened in a savage snarl. Its face, half human and half canine, as if a child had attempted to mould a wolf from a clay man, was covered in patches of coarse, dark fur. Tufts of fur also sprung out on the pale pink skin covering the rest of its angular, misshapen body.
“Get away from me,” Liam yelled, propelling himself backwards with his heels until he thudded against something hard.
The beast regarded him with bloodshot eyes for a moment, then threw its head back and let out an ear-splitting howl as if laughing at his terror. Liam took his chance and leaped to his feet. He’d barely made it three steps around a sheet covered sofa before the creature was on his back ripping at his coat.
He fell forward. Powerful limbs pinned him to the ground. Liam screamed as searing pain sliced through his back. Warm, rasping breath rushed over his face. The creature inched its snarling jaws towards his neck, as if savouring the moments before it struck. Sweat ran down Liam’s face. He suddenly wished he’d not decided to take it slow with Beccy.
“I’m sorry, Beccy,” he whispered and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the final strike.
An unearthly howl filled the house. The creature pulled back from Liam’s neck. At first, the only sound was the rhythmic panting of the creature, then a steady pounding started, faint and distant. It grew until it sounded like thunderous drums beating a warning.
The weight lifted off Liam, and he scrambled behind the sofa. The misshapen beast turned and faced the door. Heart pounding, Liam peered over the back of the sofa.
Illuminated by moonlight, another creature stood in the doorway only this one wasn’t a terrible malformed monstrosity. It closely resembled a beautiful and majestic wolf. Thick black fur covered its sleek and muscular body. Only its elongated limbs and short snout set it apart from a regular wolf. Glowing amber eyes surveyed the room, darting between Liam and the hideous beast. The wolf stood up on its hind legs, held onto the doorframe with its long fingers, and let out a low, rumbling growl. The other creature replied with a rasping snarl.
Without warning, the two animals sprang at each other. Powerful jaws snapped, and claws and teeth flashed as they merged into one thrashing, twisting monster. Through the horrendous cacophony of snarls and ripping flesh Liam heard his name. He looked up. A figure stood in the doorway.