Witch: A Horror Novel (The Cursed Manuscripts) by Iain Wright (nonfiction book recommendations TXT) 📕

He had just taken his first step when something collided with him. Unable to keep from falling, he tripped over his feet and collapsed into the ditch. A pitiful cry escaped his lips as his wounded palm came down on a pile of sharp twigs.

Before he knew what was happening, he was being dragged back to his feet by unkind hands. Ricky Dalca glared at him. “We’ve been looking for you, Judy. Where’s flabby tits? You two never go nowhere without each other.”

“Sh-She’s in the woods. Devil’s Ditch. I’m going to get help.”

Lily stood behind Ricky. He turned to her and exchanged a confused look. When he turned back to Jude, he was frowning. “What are you talking about? Help for what? Why are you covered in so much fucking mud?”

Jude tried to pull away, but Ricky had both hands clenched around his T-shirt. He had no choice but to answer the question. “She… I… We need to call the police, Ricky.”

“Fuck that,” said Lily. “What the hell do you need the police for?”

Maybe to arrest you two psychopaths.

What do I tell them?

It would be good to share the burden of what he knew, but there was always a chance they wouldn’t believe him and beat him up anyway. There was also the possibility that they would believe him and beat him up. It was hard to tell with Ricky and Lily. “We-We-We found a w-woman in the w-w-woods. She needs help. Please, just let me go.”

For a moment, both Ricky and Lily were silent. Then, in unison, they both let out a laugh.

Lily sucked her teeth and stamped her foot like it was hilarious. “Judy has proper gone and lost it now, mate. Woman in the woods? What the fuck?”

“I’m telling the truth. She’s chained up in an old farmhouse.”

Ricky frowned, no longer laughing. “There ain’t no houses in these woods, you freak. There ain’t jack shit.”

“He’s talking bollocks,” said Lily. “He’s just trying to avoid getting a good beating.”

Jude tried to pull away again, but it was still impossible to get free. He grunted, then sighed in defeat. “Look, you guys, I’m telling the truth. Once the police get involved, they’re not gunna be happy hearing how you stopped me from getting help for somebody who needs it.”

A fist struck Jude right in the centre of his torso and sent the air wailing from his lungs. He doubled over, groaning in misery, but Ricky forced him to stand back up straight. “I don’t talk to the fucking police, you little wanker. You get the pigs onto me and I’ll stamp on your skull and leave you a vegetable. D’you get me?”

Jude couldn’t breathe, let alone speak, so he just nodded repeatedly. Now, more than ever, he wanted to run home. He was tired of being hurt and afraid and weak. He wanted his mum.

“Hey! What are you kids up to?”

Lily swore. “Fuck! Someone’s coming. Get him into the woods, Ricky.”

Ricky frowned. “What?”

“Get him in the woods, innit? I want to see what him and his girlfriend are up to in there.”

Jude searched for the passer-by who had attempted to intervene. It was an old man walking a dog, but he was thirty metres away at least. When Ricky and Lily started dragging him across the ditch and into the woods, he knew there wasn’t going to be any rescue. Even if the passer-by wanted to help, he was too old. He would never catch up with them in the woods.

Jude tried one last time to struggle free, but Ricky punched him in the small of the back and took the fight right out of him. “Forget it, Judy,” he said. “You ain’t going anywhere.” He bent Jude’s arm behind his back and marched him forward. “Let’s go see this woman. And if you’re lying, I’m going to bury you out here, understand?”

Jude nodded and held back tears.

Chapter Eleven

Rose didn’t stop talking. She continued spouting gibberish, mixed in with the odd moment of sense. What Ashley didn’t like at all, however, was how the woman kept acting as if she knew all about her life. She kept going on about how Ashley was being held down and silenced, and that there was an entire world waiting for her if she just seized her power as a woman and took what she wanted. Although she could have been saying it about anyone, Rose’s words somehow resonated with Ashley. She did feel powerless.

Powerless and angry.

Ashley edged towards the open doorway. “I… I think I might just check outside and see if anybody’s coming.” The truth was she needed some fresh air. The stink of the dead animals – and Rose herself – was making her nauseous. She also couldn’t take anymore of the woman’s babbling.

Her madness is gunna drive me insane.

Rose yanked on her chains but showed no discomfort as they tugged at her wounds and made the exposed bones in her hands visibly flex. “Stay! Release me so that you and I may leave here. Do not allow me to be rescued by so-called good men. There are no good men in this world, Ashley.”

“I’ve already told you, I can’t free you. Somebody will be here soon. Jude will be back. Just… be patient.”

Even though the woman protested, Ashley left Rose alone in the strange symbol-covered room. It felt wrong, but at least she wasn’t running away like last time. She just needed some air.

I’m not going anywhere. I’m not leaving her.

I just can’t be right next to her.

Outside, the clearing had grown dull. Beyond the thick canopy of trees, the sun had retreated behind the clouds. With a shudder, she looked around, eyeing the thick bushes and broad tree trunks.

The sicko could be hiding anywhere.

He could be watching me right now. If Jude doesn’t get back soon with help, he might find me lying dead beside Rose.

Please hurry up, Jude.

The stench from inside the farmhouse followed her outside, and even when she stepped away from