Hunted

Chapter 26 - Grief

The next morning we got ready, both wearing the black clothing we'd packed, and the hotel was more than willing to send a car to pick us up with the luggage already packed. They had a storage room for this, they assured us, and the car service was second to none. Nick was keen to make me carry as little as possible so he paid them whatever absurd amount they wanted before we got into the cheaper taxi and headed east.

There were well over a hundred people there, crowding around, waiting. It turned out that they were waiting for me, apparently, as I was given special rights to see the bodies before ...before it all started. One of the employees for the funeral service led me through the crowd and into the large open hall of the church.

I froze at the sight of the seven coffins. Four large ones, adult sized, one child sized one, and two tiny ones, much too tiny. Nick's hand tightened as he pulled me sideways, out of the way, and shut the door so we'd have privacy. They were side by side at the front of the church, all seven of them, and only three were open for viewing. I moved closer, inhaling the smell of death, feeling it rush into my head in a dizzy spiral that made a low sob come from deep in my chest.

They had placed my sister's twins her her arms for the viewing. She was beautiful, all strawberry red hair, a shade three times lighter than my own, with just a few traces of grey starting to come through. She'd had green eyes as well, beautiful pale things, which had always given her the nickname strawberry. The babies, so tiny, lay there beside her head, their little heads touching hers, hands curled up against their chest and mouth and sides, both identical with long delicate dark lashes on their cheeks, like the three of them had just fallen asleep there together.

No pulse. Death. Chemicals. I smelt it, knew that it wasn't sleep, but I wanted to shake them awake anyway. I didn't. I stood there.

"The others were too... we couldn't let them be seen." A voice came from nearby, from where she'd been sitting all along, a person I'd half known was there but hadn't wanted to see.

It was her, the best friend, a box of tissues beside her. She was pale and so exhausted looking.

"She looks..." I couldn't say it. Not burnt?

"She went back inside for them and got them out but ... they found her outside. They think the dog panicked... think she must have been the one to break his neck... she saved Matt's life, they told me, saved him before the dog attacked him too. I...I'm so sorry, Liz." Sara spoke like someone who had cried so long and hard that she couldn't do it any more, her voice hoarse, broken, cracking slightly. "I wanted you to see them before we let everyone else in. I didn't want the shock to come with everyone around."

"The forces of hell couldn't stop her from protecting her babies." I said, tears running down my face, knowing it to be true. She had always been so over protective of my nephews. I couldn't imagine how far she'd go to protect any of them.

There was a long sharp scratch down her face, hidden by make-up, teeth on one arm. I glanced at Nick, and he followed my gaze, his breath hitching. His gaze moved to one of the little girls, mine following it, seeing the same marks around the necks of her. Around both of their necks. Make up hid it beautifully.

We understood what it was. We understood exactly what it was. Matt's dog was large but never, never in a million years, would my sister have let her youngest boy have a dog able to behave like that with a baby.

Nick moved to help me to a seat then, because my legs were shaking too much to sit, his arm under my arms. We sat down beside her, as she cried, and I found my own tears finally come.

This was it. This was all there was.

Others started to come in then, murmuring greetings to us, and we sat down. I barely heard a word that was spoken, barely able to think beyond the rage and grief, it clouding around my head. I felt Nick shake his head, wondering if they'd asked if I could speak, and I was glad he did. I couldn't breathe, how could I speak?