Darkmoor (9 page)

Suddenly, out of the swirling mist erupted a myriad of screams, shrieking and wailing. Despite the deafening, ear-piercing noises, Catherine couldn’t help but look down.

Underneath her, floating on top of the river, were four ghostly angels dressed in full length white gowns. Their faces were pure white with long transparent hair floating ruggedly around their tiny heads. The four of them looked up at Catherine, who found herself hypnotised by their graceful angelic smiles. Catherine watched on as the angels performed, like synchronised swimmers diving in and out of the mist. Free of the mist, they arched their backs and gracefully drifted gently back into the river. The painful screeching noises had now stopped, however, the white mist had begun to slowly creep over Catherine’s feet, encircling her.

Catherine’s eyes grew wider with both excitement and anticipation.

‘They’re so beautiful,’ Catherine thought, feeling her hands release from the rope, she knelt down on the wooden bridge.

Moments later, one of the angels emerged from the mist. The angel grabbed a startled Catherine’s hand and began to forcefully drag Catherine down towards the river.

Opening her mouth wide, the angel’s face began to change. Her pure angelic eyes turned to a burnt red like fire, her teeth sharpened like daggers, her transparent hair turned as black as night. Then, from between her lips, out darted a lizard like tongue. Jolting her head back, the angel snapped and whipped her bloody tongue around her mouth, stroking her razor sharp teeth. She screamed at the other three angels, who instantly appeared behind her.

Upon her command, each angel took hold of Catherine. A strange tingling sensation came over Catherine, particularly in her face. Under some sort of spell, Catherine found herself not wanting to fight their persistent power rather, Catherine was happy to embrace them.

“Catherine! Catherine!”

Catherine lifted her emotionally drained head up towards the thinning fog. In slow motion, a tall dark figure emerged out the mist. His eyes widened as they focussed upon her. His mouth was moving, but she couldn’t hear any words.

Catherine snapped aggressively at the stranger as he made his way closer towards her.

The angels turned to face the intruder, with a snap of their heads their fiery tongues lashed out. However, this intruder was determined. Ignoring their warnings, he kept firmly focused on Catherine.

Looking up at him, a spellbound Catherine studied the fearless figure. Confusion cast over her face, as something deep within her battled against the evil which had hold of her.

Leaning down, his soft warm hand stroked her cheek, “Get off me!” Catherine snarled, pushing his hand away. Her voice sounded deep and deadly, but the stranger didn’t give in.

Their eyes met, Catherine’s face began to change back to its original form, then suddenly evil.

“It’s me,” spoke the boy’s voice once more.

Catherine’s face began to shift back.

Keeping calm, the voice persisted, “It’s me, Matthew. I’ve come to save you!”

Pulling her hands away from the angels, Catherine reached up to touch his face. Catherine’s face returned to its normal state, revealing a warm smile.

“Come on,” Matthew calmly spoke, picking up Catherine’s weak body.

The angels shrieked with anger as they plummeted. Matthew lifted Catherine’s lifeless body into his arms, and started to walk towards the banking. However, their moves were followed promptly by the angels, who swam like sharks in an attempt to block the exit.

The angels gnashed their teeth aggressively, so much so that blood began to pour out of their scolding eyes. Lizard like tongues slapped furiously against the wooden bridge in temper, causing it to sway uncontrollably.

Cackling like witches, they flew towards him. Before he had chance to react, they had surrounded him. Gripping Catherine’s lifeless body tight, Matthew closed his eyes.

An almighty thunderous sound echoed throughout the land.

“Amitto! Amitto!”

“Darkmoor?” Matthew remarked out loud, clinging tightly onto Catherine.

Immediately, the ghostly angels descended back into the mist. The atmosphere became calm as Matthew opened his eyes slowly, he realised, with some confusion, that standing over him, was Sam

“I thought you were-” Matthew began before Sam interrupted him.

“Never mind all of that, they won’t stay down there forever, we need to move fast!”

Matthew didn’t need ordering twice and quickly he ran straight for the river bank, carrying Catherine to safety in his arms.

Finally free from the ghostly angels, Matthew slowly placed Catherine’s limb body onto the muddy floor. Realising that Sam hadn’t followed him, Matthew looked back across the bridge.

Sam was still there. The ghostly angels had remerged and were hovering over her.

Their faces had reformed back to their delicate angelic state, and Matthew watched intriguingly as the angels seemed to respond to Sam.

Just then, Sam lifted her hands up into the air, and once more called out,

“
Amitto
!” Upon hearing her words, the angels gracefully descended back into the river and, instantly, the white mist became still and silent once again.

Puzzled by Sam’s authority over the angels, he looked down towards Catherine as she approached.

“She’ll be fine,” Sam said flippantly.

“Yeah I hope so, Sam,” Matthew smiled, then looking up at Sam he asked, “What did you just do?”

“Just do?” Sam answered sounding a little confused.

“With the angels, you made them go back into the river.”

Sam darted her eyes back across the now calm river, “Oh you know...” she stopped and paused, before continuing, “You just have to speak like Darkmoor and then they obey.”

The fallen silence was broken by a murmuring Catherine. Her eyes flickering open then shut. Rubbing her hands across her forehead, she asked “What happened? My head is killing!”

“You passed out, again!” Matthew said sarcastically, holding out his hand to help her up.

“Passed out, what do you mean?” puzzled Catherine. “But my mouth hurts, my eyes, oh my eyes feel like they’re bleeding!”

“Well,” Matthew started, “we had to cross the river and you...”

Chapter Eleve
n

Where wolf-lizards tread

“We’d better move, we don’t want to be out here when night falls,” Sam
murmured as she rummaged through her rucksack, revealing the light catcher.

Grey sky grew heavy, ice cold air crept slowly around them and they sensed that the night was fast approaching.

Sam peered through the light catcher at what seemed an endless vast forest.

Offering the light catcher to Matthew, he nervously positioned his eye over the lens.

At first he jumped back and his hands started to tremble. Tiny beads of sweat gathered on his forehead, but intrigued nevertheless, he took another look.

‘How could such a dark, dangerous, deadly place be transformed into one of beauty, one you longed to step foot in, one you would be happy to explore?’ Matthew thought whilst peering one more time into Darkmoor’s land.

“I can’t get over it, how does it, you know?” Matthew said reaching out his hand, trying to grab hold of the rays of sunlight, desperately longing to feel the warmth of a normal summer’s day upon his skin.

“Ok, ok,” Sam intervened clasping hold of the catcher, “like I said, we’d better move!” Returning the light catcher into her rucksack, Sam started to walk along the path and into the suffocating darkness.

Catherine remained quiet, with one swift smile towards Matthew she marched quickly behind Sam. Slowly but surely they edged towards the forest, leaving behind the river of souls. Matthew quickly gathered his belongs and he too followed on behind Sam.

“Are you ok back there?” Sam asked.

“Yeah thanks,” Matthew shouted back, his voice echoed through the forest.

Overhead the branches appeared to be woven together, acting like a canopy.

“Oh get off me, get it off!” Catherine screamed throwing her bags onto the path as she started to jump around.

Sam quickly got her bow and arrow ready to fire.

“What? What is it?” Matthew asked keeping his distance.

“It’s, it’s a spider!!” Catherine shouted flicking at her clothes.

Matthew couldn’t help but burst into laughter, Sam smiled too, “Matthew don’t just stand there, help me!!” Catherine shouted.

“Oh come here, Catherine,” Sam said strolling up to her and flicking the bug onto the floor, “there it’s gone!”

“Are you sure, I can still feel it crawling on me.”

“That will just be the beetles!” Sam said teasingly.

“Ha ha very funny, glad your amused,” Catherine said sarcastically.

“I’m sorry it’s just that...” Matthew began then stopped.

“What, it’s just what?!” Catherine said putting her hands on her hips.

“It was only a spider! Sure you’re not scared of the evil swimming angel looking vampires, but spiders, that’s when you really freak out!” Matthew said jokingly.

“Ok, ok I can’t help it, they give me the creeps!” Catherine bent down to pick up her belongings. “And anyway, everyone is scared of something!”

“Yeah monsters, aliens, wolf-lizards, that sort of thing,” Matthew said teasingly.

Catherine gave him a killer look, “You think you’re so funny...”

“Ok you two, should we get on?” Sam interrupted.

Both of them nodded their heads, and once again the three of them set off through the forest.

Night had fallen and a cold icy breeze blew gently through the woods, causing the broken tree branches to clumsily clatter together. Tiny insects scurried around underfoot searching for their next feast. Catherine couldn’t help shuddering as she could feel the tiny creatures crawling all over her. Not wanting to make another fool of herself in front of Matthew, she bit her lip tightly and screamed in her head. Matthew’s head bowed down towards the floor, lost in his own thoughts, wondering whether he would ever see home again.

At that moment an almighty gush of wind howled throughout the forest and the lifeless trees creaked violently.

Then at the edge of the forest, encircling them rapidly, like a lion hunting its prey, that all too familiar fog formed.

“Nobody make a move,” Sam ordered with her arms wide apart shielding Matthew and Catherine.

“Why? What is it? What’s going on?” Catherine whispered, darting her eyes between Sam and Matthew.

Slithering like a snake across the ground, the life form fog rapidly closed in on its prey. Gliding over the barren forest, the fog breathed its breath upon the trees causing them to stretch their limbering branches. The hungry thick fog rampantly swallowed up everything in its path, as it engulfed the whole surrounding area.

Unable to retreat, unable to run, Matthew, Catherine and Sam stood frozen. Thankfully at that moment the creeping, slithering, hunting living fog became still. Slowly it calmed down and settled softly like snow upon the ground.

The trees returned back to their lifeless being, their limp branches once again hung loosely down by their sides, their roots buried themselves deep into the life draining mud. Not a creak or moan could be heard, only the heavy breathing of Matthew, Sam and Catherine. Frightened of reawakening the fog, the three of them stood motionless.

Matthew poured with sweat. Catherine fought back her tears, and Sam gazed intently into the forest. The fog, slept.

Unfortunately however, it didn’t settle for long. The relentless fog rose back to life, springing up high to create a thick towering wall. Matthew, Catherine and Sam watched on in awe. In the shape of a gigantic dam, the curved wall of fog revealed a small gap in which the darkness peered through.

Matthew’s heart raced in his chest and his throat tightened, but still he stood there staring through the gap, waiting in anticipation.

They didn’t have to wait long before a deafening chorus of howls erupted out of the dam. The smell of death rushed more aggressively through the open gap.

“Wolf-lizards,” Matthew whispered to himself, then suddenly realising his own words, he screamed out, “wolf-lizards!!”

“Now we’re dead!” Catherine bellowed.

“Calm down you two, we have to remain quiet,” Sam whispered trying to calm the two frightened youngsters.

“Calm down, how can you say that? They will kill us!” Catherine panicked.

“Listen to me, Catherine listen, we have to remain quiet, then with any luck they won’t notice we’re here. Wolf-lizards will only kill if they sense your fear, so calm down!”

But just as Matthew had feared, out of the unforgiving fog the sound of those deadly wolf-lizards howled.

“Shush, if we stay still they might not come through,” Sam said trying her hardest to reassure Matthew and Catherine.

From the other side of the dam wall, they could hear the monsters lifting their snout-like jaws up into the air, and sniffing in the night sky.

Then, another bout of howls rose up getting closer and closer. Hearing them sniffing their way along the other side of the fog wall, Matthew, Sam and Catherine could make out the wolf-lizard’s shadows.