Eve's Hollow by Charles Bedlam (best free e reader .txt) 📕

Estelle opened the door. Ransley noticed the uniform light bulb hanging from the ceiling and clicked it on. Estelle took a step back and almost fell into Ransley.

Before them was a room designed to accommodate a young girl. The same double bed sat in this room; perhaps standard issue for the institution. Against the far wall, directly in front of them was a small dresser with a mirror on it. Their reflections stared back at them, with heavy shadows cast from the light overhead. To the left was a small desk with a stool at it. Here, there was another note. Estelle picked it up and began reading aloud.

This would have been where she stayed.

I guess this isn't the greatest loss that I've suffered. This place could have been our home. At least until I got her out.

I'm writing this just in case the Pale Lady comes looking for me. I want her to know that I still remember my vision. My purpose. My redemption.

We will both know when the girl arrives. When she does, the race will be on to find her. As screwed up as it is, that girl's life and death are in our hands.

Whoever wins will determine what happens to the girl.

Estelle took a deep breath before placing the letter back down on the desk.

“Redemption, eh? You're not taking that one?” Ransley asked.

“No,” she said, quietly. “It's meant for someone else. I get the message.”

“ What does this woman want with you?”

“Apparently she wants my life. What should we do now?”

Ransley scratched his head with his flashlight.

“I'm not sure,” he said. “If he left this place to give the Pale Lady the slip, I doubt he'd leave clues on how to find him. What about that club that he was part of?”

“Yes,” Estelle said. “The Blue Key Club.”

“That's right! I've never been there, but I think with a bit of scouting, we could find it.”

“People know him there. Maybe someone can point us in the right direction.”

“I agree,” Ransley said, moving into the hallway.

Estelle reached up and pulled the chain on the light bulb to turn it off. She moved to the door and prepared to walk out. As she turned to close the door, just for a moment, she thought she saw her reflection grinning at her with dim, glowing eyes. Before she allowed herself to question it, she closed the door.

“Let's get out of here,” Ransley said.

He began walking and she followed. They backtracked down the hall and went through the double doors. They went back down the stairs and into the hallway, then exited through the same window that they entered through. Once outside of the building, they hugged the wall and looked around for any carnivorous creatures that might want to devour them. It was clear so they moved away from the safety of the shadows and used the trees for cover just as they had done before. Just as Ransley reached the hole in the wall, he heard Estelle grunt, a thud, then heavy, rattled breathing.

Ransley spun around and drew his knife. He lunged for the Punished that held Estelle against a nearby tree. Before he could get to her a second grabbed his face and pushed him to the ground. Estelle was pinned against a tree with a female Punished trying to grab her neck. She had dropped the sword and was just barely able to hold death's hands away from her throat. Ransley was in a very similar predicament.

The male that was desperately trying to strangle Ransley was large and heavy. Ransley found himself not able to raise his knife.

“Kill you! Kill you!” the man chanted with a wicked grin. The flesh of his lower jaw was missing, revealing a broken jaw and jagged teeth. The orange glow of his eyes stared into Ransley's, threatening to devour his soul. Ransley was just barely holding him back.

Estelle was able to see the man on top of her friend. Thinking quickly, she dropped her body weight and was just able to slip from under the woman as she crashed head-first into the tree. Estelle reached for the closest weapon. She unsheathed the Supernova Samurai's sword and didn't hesitate, stabbing the male Punished through the back and out the abdomen. He arched his back and wailed in pain, throwing Estelle to the ground.

Reacting like a cat, Ransley pulled the man to the ground, dragging him on to his side. Like a seasoned killer, he plunged the knife into the beast's head.

“BLEED!” the female cried with rage as she lunged at Ransley.

He turned, ready to kill her. Before she could reach him, BANG! She fell to the ground, dead and Estelle stood frozen, gun aimed at the air.

“Let's go!” he said loudly. “That will have attracted the others. Let's go! Now!”

Estelle dropped her gun back in her pocket and picked up the sheath for the sword. She grabbed the hilt of the weapon and slid it out of the carcass that it was stuck in. She followed Ransley through the hole and disappeared to the other side just as the Punished came rushing around the side of the building. Ransley and Estelle kept their backs to the walls next to the hole, both with weapons raised in the likely chance that some came through.

“Run,” Ransley said in a hushed breath.

Staying low and as silent as possible, the pair hastily made their way back up the hill and away from Rodrick Institution. Continuously looking over their shoulders for any pursuers, they kept their weapons close in hopes that they wouldn't have to use them again. Ransley ducked behind a car at the top of the hill and Estelle followed suit. They both looked around, naturally afraid and understandably worried.

“We should get back to the alley,” Ransley breathed. “Make our way up to the rooftops.”

“Alright,” Estelle said, out of breath and sheathing the sword.

They backtracked between the cars and back to the alley that they had come from. Just as they had reached the entrance to the tall, dark gap between the buildings, Ransley caught the sound of someone shouting from a distance. He grabbed Estelle, and swiftly pulled her into the alley. He held her wrist as he ran and ducked behind a couple of large wooden crates.

“What's the matter?!” she asked, flustered.

He pressed his fingers against his lips and peeked over the crate. Estelle hadn't heard the shouting earlier, but in the darkness, looking out at the open street, several male voices boomed out. Beams of light swayed across the street and onto the alley wall. Neither Estelle nor Ransley could make out what the men were saying to each other, but soon they emerged; a dozen or so armed men, just like Estelle had seen at the Grigori estate. She thought of them. Where they out looking for her? Her thought process brought her to the conclusion that they were hostile. She looked at Ransley and the look in his eye indicated that he thought the same.

Three of the men turned down the alley way, flashing their lights into the darkness. Before Estelle ducked her head, she saw the men wearing thick clothing with black vests and helmets. It seemed that the lights were fixed to the guns. The men were silent and all that could be heard was their footsteps. They were steady and careful. Estelle looked at Ransley again. He held one of his handguns up next to his head, ready to aim. Estelle mimicked him.

The men stopped short of the crates. Their flashlights waved passed them and around them.

“He really wants her back, doesn't he,” one of the men said.

“I've never seen him so angry,” the second said. “Hey, don't light that, we're on patrol.”

“Fuck you,” Mike said. “I'll light up wherever I want.”

Estelle's heart dropped in her chest. They were Grigori's men and he was indeed looking for her. At first, one would suspect that her well-being was being looked out for. However, Estelle possessed memories from her past life that indicated Girogori was a strict and vengeful man. She recalled that after his first wife died, he took another. This woman wasn't put off from him like Estelle was. She was the sort of woman who married for wealth and power; both of which Grigori possessed in life before the Hollow.

Grigori's second wife took a lover and attempted to elope with him, using her husband's money. Once he found out what had happened, he used every resource necessary to find the couple. Estelle learned through her eavesdropping that Damian Grigori had close ties with mercenaries of the land. These mercenaries of his found his wife and brought them back to Grigori's home.

So deep within enemy territory, neither of them had a chance. Dreams of freedom and what could have been were their only saviors when Grigori had them in his clutches.

He had his wife's lover tortured to death in front of her and his wife was never heard from again. Despite her swift disappearance, Damian Grigori was remarried within the month. Estelle knew what he was capable of when he wanted something. She was determined not to return to him. She held her breath as the men hovered in the alley. Her and Ransley's attention was shot toward a shuffling and moaning coming from down the alley.

“LOOK!” a call came from the darkness.

Two sets of dim lights stumbled forward from the shadows. Both pairs of eyes were focused on Estelle and Ransley. If either of them attacked, then they'd be found out by Grigori's men. If they did nothing, they might be attacked by the Punished.

“I got 'em!” Mike called, followed by a “click” and several burst of gunfire.

The sound scared Estelle and she clapped her hands over her ears. The Punished fell backwards and died before the sound of the gunshots finished echoing off the walls.

“It's fine! It's fine!” Mike yelled out. “Let's go boys. We gotta find this girl.”

Their footsteps faded as they walked away. Ransley peeked over the crates as to ensure the men had gone. Estelle felt fear and anxiety grow within. Grigori sent his army into the city to find her. Was she really worth the manpower? Did he want his daughter back safe from harm? It's what a logical, rational, good man would wish for. But Estelle did not know Damian Grigori to be a good man.

“What's wrong?' Ransley asked, placing his hand on Estelle's shoulder.

She flinched at his touch, but quickly regained herself.

“I'm fine,” she said, pocketing her gun. “Are they gone?”

“Yes. The last of them has passed.”

“We should go then,” Estelle said, rising to her feet.

Without waiting for Ransley, she walked toward the ladder. As Ransley followed, the caw of a crow called out down the alley. It was loud and echoed, just like the gunshots. Next came the fluttering of wings. Finally the black bird showed itself. Elegant and graceful, the crow perched on a low rung of the ladder. It made soft cooing noises and tilted its head, looking around. The crow hopped back and forth on the bar, seeming to want to communicate with them. At first, Estelle was worried that the crow would bring the men back, but they did not appear.

“What does it want?” Estelle inquired.

“I'm not sure,” Ransley replied. “Should I kill it? It could bring more of the Punished.”

“No, no,” Estelle said. “Wait. What? Look! The sword!”

Estelle turned toward Ransley. A violet aura around the sword had appeared. It was faint, but it glowed warmly

“The bird!” Ransley exclaimed, pointing at the crow.

The same violet aura surrounded the crow.

“What does this mean?” he asked.

“I don't know,” Estelle replied.

Both the crow and the sword began to resonate. They gave off low vibrations, creating a quiet hum. All of a sudden, the crow leaped up and flew down the alley way, leaving a dim violet