LACUNA OBSCURA - A Horror Thriller

CHAPTER VIII

Of all the things that have happened with them all night, Amelia very well knew this was a place they need to flee as fast as possible.

The demoness having vanished on the arrival of daylight, fatefully has not made it's ravishing return yet.

But Amelia, quite naturally, was counting her breath on every step they took.

The two of them decided to rest their tired legs and souls for a while on the castle balcony watching the morning in Moosham unfold before their eyes.

The sun, only a faded glow of red at it's budding, spread itself among the alpine highlands, its blessings of light penetrating through the thick canopies of slender alpine trees making the horizon seem like paradise as the morning began to unfold futher.

Amelia, with the warm morning sun on her eyelashes, turned her head towards a still, somewhat shocked, Farhan and gave a wide-parted smile.

"Thanks...for everything"

Farhan smiled back, he of all people, very well knew what they really have been through last night.

For a start, he really regrets his idea of exploring into the castle.

"Do you think Professor would be safe?"

"I believe so, after all professor Sean knew there was something really wrong with this place"
Amelia spoke with a flow in her words, but she was not bubbling with much confidence over her utterings.

Farhan let out a deep sigh.

"I think it is time we get in touch with professor, and along with Rexi and Zani, make our way out of Moosham"

Amelia kept silent, something inside her told Farhan's plan of actions won't be so easy and straightforward to execute.

Farhan stood up, rubbing the dust off from his trousers
"Come, let us move downstairs"

As they traced back their steps to the museum hall, Amelia was shocked with the amount of damaged that plagued this place as the demoness had raged about in their pursuit.

Pots and earthen artifact vessels lay broken, with their fragments on the floor, sulking in the sunlight that came through the windows.
A few window glasses were fractured aswell, clearly shattered at sharp, forceful impacts.
The whole hall resembled the aftermath of a violent attempt at hooliganism.

"What kind of demon was it, what do you think Farhan?" Amelia asked, her voice dissolving in the scene that lay before them.

"Maybe, Zani would be able to shed some light over that, we must find professor Sean and get to them"

As they started their journey downstairs, Amelia was met with the marks of the talon claws that the demoness had left on the handrails.

So ferocious, yet it had vanished as soon as daylight arrived.
Was it really scared of daylight, or did the demoness have other intentions?

It was only upon reaching the ground floor of the art gallery that horror gripped them.

Strewn, all around, were the mutilated corpses of...Farhan counted...seven men and three women.

This horrific butchery seemed to have taken place early, last night, as the pools of blood around each person had already left reddish black stains on the white marble floor.

Flies had started around the bodies giving the gruesome scene a more foul taste.
Amelia could bear no longer. With her hands cupped around her lips, and a groan of shock, grief and terror, she hurried went ahead to inspect if any of them were still alive.
Farhan followed.