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Exclusive chapter from FOREST OF THE DARK

From Chapter Eleven 


The cracking sounds of bones resonated in the thick cold night air. Aksh watched the girl in front of him wriggle in her own skin. He was reminded of a snake shedding its skin—a sight he had not been able to forget when he had watched it on the science channel.
The girl who had been missing for two years and whose disappearance had been riddled with conspiracies, was in front of him struggling with a demon inside her.
Her bones was moving visibly in her body and her mouth opened for a scream, but he heard nothing.
Help me!” She managed once, before her face morphed into that of a wolf.
Aksh stepped back, wanting to run away from the horrifying sight but too stumped to do anything else but watch her be tormented.
She collapsed to the ground, wriggling and fighting. Her arm raised, she was beckoning him, but he wouldn’t move.
I’m sorry,” He mumbled and raised his foot to walk away when she let out a scream- a human one.
You took a Hippocratic oath,” She gasped.
How do you—I can’t!”
Please,” Tina begged, clutching her stomach. “She knows everything. She won’t let me go!”
Then she rolled on her back and her eyes closed.
Aksh started to leave, rationalizing with himself that he had to find his friends, but he was reminded of Sumit in a flash and how he had neglected his oath for his animosity.
He glanced over at the girl lying still on the ground. The pain had clearly exhausted her. Kneeling down, he tentatively placed a finger on her wrist.
When she didn’t flinch, he grew bold and placed another finger to check her pulse.
He felt the pulsating vein under her almost translucent skin and used his forefinger and thumb to pull at her eyelid.
He was aware of the cold tickling sensation in the pit of his stomach, yet he knew he had to ignore his fear. He had been trained to work in extreme pressure and now was not the time to let his mentors down.
Besides, he told himself, he should imagine and focus on the adulation he would receive when he brought back the girl whose mysterious disappearance had shocked the city.
With this in mind, he drew courage within himself and put both his arms under her body. When he picked her up, he was surprised to find that she barely weighed anything and he was reminded of the one time he had carried a sack of hay when he had gone to visit his extended family at the farm. There had been a scarecrow standing in the middle of the fields and, though the painted face was supposed to evoke fear, Aksh thought it had looked less menacing compared to Tina’s alter ego.
She’s possessed, he reminded himself. He had to be careful not to awaken the demon inside her.
Where do I take you?” He asked, looking at her purple face. He was aware that her skin was rapidly heating up.
Her eyes fluttered and she opened her mouth. Aksh almost dropped her when she spoke.
There...” She used one frail hand to point and Aksh followed her tired gaze to a small structure between two trees.
What is that?”
But Tina had lost consciousness again and her skin grew hotter.
Pulling in all his energy, he huffed over to where she had gestured and stopped when he saw a small cottage in the dark.
He took one step forward, when the lights suddenly came on. There were lanterns hanging by the door and on a string from the roof. A lone window was open and he peered inside to see a small wooden cupboard and a single cot. He climbed up the two steps and kicked open the door.
Pausing with bated breath, he looked around the small space, seeing a wooden chair in the corner near a messy cot that must have served as her bed.
He took her to the cot and lay her down. Panting, he surveyed the rest of the room, noticing two more doors at the back.
He turned back to Tina and placed his hand on her forehead. The skin was hot to the touch and Aksh hissed and pulled back.
He had to do something to bring her fever down.
Staring at the two doors near the end of the room, he rose slowly. It was too quiet except for the soft moans Tina made as she twisted in her bed.
You’ll be fine,” He told her. Walking to the doors, he was aware that his pulse was racing and that a bead of sweat had rolled down the side of his face.
Taking a deep breath, he walked five paces before he exhaled. He pushed open the door and found a tiny kitchen inside—or what was left of it.
The cabinet doors were hanging by the last hinge and the small cupboards seemed to be fragile enough to disintegrate by the smallest breeze. The floors were covered in dust, broken shards of pottery and straw which Aksh assumed had been part of a broom once.
When he stepped inside there was a loud crunching sound as he stepped on a tiny piece of wood that immediately turned to dust.
Aksh coughed as the thick musty air entered his lungs. This room hadn’t been ventilated in years and he knew before he even searched, that he wouldn’t find food or water. He opened up a tin with a sticky lid and found the remains of unrecognizable grains. The few remaining pots that were intact had no water in them—not that he had expected to find any in the first place.
He opened the cabinets at the bottom and jumped when the door crashed to the floor. More dust flew out and Aksh coughed harder. He peered in the darkness and saw a few tins. Removing them, he saw they were food tins from at least twenty years ago. One of the brand names he recognized was of a company that closed down a decade ago.
He got up and walked out, keeping an eye on Tina as he made his way to the other room.
She was still gasping and writhing, but he didn’t see any signs of consciousness. He had to work fast if he wanted to avoid coming face to face with the demon possessing her.
The next door had to be opened with more force. Turning sideways, he pushed against it with his shoulder. When the door wouldn’t budge, he chided himself for not going to the gym more often, even though Dhiraj had advised him many times.
At his fifth try, the door moved a little and made a groaning noise.
Behind him, Tina let out a cry. He turned, his hand still on the door handle, and expected to see her right behind him reaching for his throat.
But Tina was still squirming in her bed. No doubt the cry had been due to her spiking temperatures. He pushed open the door and almost fell inside the dark room. Grabbing a lit lantern from the nearby shelf, he walked into the small room and slapped a hand over his nose when the stench hit him.
He whirled and gagged, clutching his stomach as the only thing that came out was a thin string of saliva. He raised the lantern higher and saw a small hole in the ground, a rusted mug on the side and a large rusted metal bucket in the corner of the room.
He deduced this small room had once been a bathroom. He rushed out, still with a hand clamped around his mouth and nose, hoping he hadn’t inhaled any toxins.
Closing the door, he gasped for breath. There was no water and since there was no waste matter anywhere, Aksh realized with horror that Tina hadn’t eaten anything or excreted any waste for who knew how long.
He went over to her and thought that if he tested her, he wouldn’t find a single morsel of food in her stomach.
Perhaps she ate animals, he told himself. There was still a chance that she would go out and feed on small animals that inhabited the woods.
Surveying the tiny room, he realized something else. Despite the cottage being in shambles, he had yet to see any vermin inside the house. There should have been flies or mosquitoes at least, he thought.
This wasn’t comforting to him at all. If Tina hadn’t reminded him of his oaths, he would have walked out right now.
No, he would help her. If she got healthier then she may be able to fight the demon who had a hold on her. He walked toward the window on the other side of the room, determined to do everything he could to help her. There was a tree branch sticking inside through the window that had large leaves. It had been raining a few hours ago and some of the water droplets still clung to the leaves. He started to pluck them out, intending to spray the droplets on Tina’s hot forehead. Then he would go out in search of food or help, whichever opportunity came first.
There was a loud creak on the floorboards and he jumped. Turning, he saw the bed empty and the torn stained sheets on the floor.
He straightened, his heart pounding in his chest.
T-Tina?” His voice was hardly a whisper.
The room was completely empty. The lantern in his hand went off and he dropped it. It rolled over and hit the legs of the bed where it rocked back and forth.
Aksh swallowed, looking at the ajar front door and wondering if Tina had walked out while he had been distracted. In her condition, she probably hadn’t gotten very far.
He stepped forward when he saw a hand stick out from under the cot and grab the lantern.
Aksh almost screamed. He moved sideways, his hands skimming over the rough wood of the large cupboard. He had to get out, now!
Moving slowly, he stuck his back to the wall, and then the cupboard. As long as his back was to a surface, he ran little risk of being attacked from behind.
Another lantern flickered off and Aksh felt his harnessed scream clutch his throat. He heard soft laughter coming from under the bed.
Aksh put his hands on the sides of the cupboard. Just a few more steps and he would be outside.
The lantern rolled out of the bed again and he saw the glass had been broken on the side.
Aksh moved toward the door when the cupboard door creaked open. He froze, hearing his own heart pound in his ear. His eye were fixated on the bed. He had to move fast and avoid being grabbed by the demon.
The cupboard door let out another long creak and Aksh turned his head slowly.
One of the cupboard door was open and he saw a foot emerge.
He looked at the bed again, from where he still heard laughter, and then the cupboard.
Backing away slowly, he heard more creaking but not from the door. Bluish, swollen feet were now clearly visible from under the door of the cupboard.
He was a mere five feet from the door. Without another thought, Aksh sprang to his feet and ran when the front door slammed shut with such force that the walls rumbled.
No!” He yelled. He tried prying open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.
Behind him he heard more creaking on the wooden floorboards. Someone was behind him.
Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck. It was only simple voluntary curiosity that made him turn.
When he saw two women in white, with glowing eyes standing behind him, Aksh screamed as loud as his lungs would allow.
The two women tilted their heads and grinned as Aksh’s blood ran cold.
Who are you?” He screamed, panic and terror clawing at his throat.

Welcome to our house,” The two women said in unison.

CONTINUE READING 

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