Sarah Laker

27 - The Choice

Her throat was tight with the acrid smell, but from her position close to the floor she avoided the worst of the dense smoke. Crawling her way into the room, her hands grazed against the hardwood floor. The figure of a girl hovered by the window, the smoke appeared to be whirling around her.

It closed in on the figure, collecting in that one spot and clearing the rest of the room. Once the smoke had engulfed the girl, Sarah's heaviness subsided and she was able to stand up again.

She no longer felt the urge to help Clara, or whoever this figure was, she understood that it had falsely led her up here. An aura of pure hatred spun out with each twist of the smoke.

From the corner of her eye, she picked up a brief movement on either side of the room. The mood of the room instantly changed, breaking the threat she had sensed. She quickly checked to her side and wasn't at all surprised to see Duncan on her left and Luke to her right. They didn't appear to be solid, only projections of their bodies, apparitions of the men downstairs. They were the reason for the change in atmosphere of that she was certain. These must be their spiritual auras, they oozed love and warmth her way. They were still immobile, but their expressions were peaceful. She heaved a sigh of relief for this, maybe they were oblivious to what was happening.

The smoke cyclone by the window faded away with a hiss of wind, blowing itself out into the night through the panes of glass, as if it were never there. The girl faced outside, her long, dark brown hair flowing around her, camouflaging her face in the supernatural breeze. She stood much taller than Clara had been, her thin, black dress clung to smaller curves than her friend had possessed. Without turning her body, the girl's head made a tearing, grating sound as the bones of her neck broke while her face turned towards Sarah.

Sarah's legs gave way at the horrendous noise and terrifying face that came to look at her. She sank to her knees, her body unable to cope under the strain. The girl's face, a burnt mess of peeling, raw flesh and empty eye sockets. Where her nose should have been, just the white bone structure was visible. Her lips hung from around her mouth, black and papery, charred teeth showing through holes in her cheek.

The girl lifted her arms wide, sending out a stench of rotten meat which assaulted Sarah's senses. She could taste the sickly grease coating her tongue. The girl pointed her skeletal fingers at the men standing to the sides of the room. She tilted her head to her left, cracking more bones as she did so.

This was it. The final choice. Sarah knew that the time to make her decision had arrived. She looked up towards Duncan. His charismatic face, gorgeous blue eyes, obvious sexual attraction. His wicked sense of humour and hidden vulnerability. The first man to ever love her. The first man she'd ever loved. Sarah started crying, her body shook with the stress and shock of everything. She returned her gaze to the horror in front of her and whispered her answer.

"No."

The girl clicked together the bony fingers of her left hand and Duncan disappeared. A wave of relief flooded over Sarah. He was safe. She watched the girl's head lift and begin its incline to her right shoulder, with that same terrible cracking.

To match the sound, the trees outside the window began to bend and reach towards the house. A vicious wind shook free all the greenery, leaving skeletal branches. They curved upwards and stretched to meet together, forming a canopy over the roof of the building.

Sarah looked at Luke through the baubles of her tears. How could it come to this? She had a desperate need to just hold him close again, for one last time. She wished he could hear what she needed to say. Perhaps in some way he could. Her body ached with the agony of her torment as she spoke to him.

"My Luke! I love your smile, your trust and loyalty, your generosity and spirit. I, I love -" here Sarah broke into sobs, the tears busting free. "- You! I love you so much. I'm so, so sorry Luke. Please forgive me."