Lost Will of the Dead [Book One] (On Hold)

IV : Madeleine

Madeleine panted too hard. Her breathing was labored as sweat dribbled down her chin. Her suit stuck close to her skin drenched in sweat.

It would seem like she just ran an eight kilometer long marathon. When all she did was to focus intently on her conversation with chief Dixon and on concealing the pulsating throbs of her head that was starting to be defeaning.

Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes but she flicked it away annoyingly. She couldn't allow herself to surrender to pain now--not when she had come so close. She was almost there she could feel it at the palm of her hands.

Putting on a brave face, she shoved the complaints of her agonizing head into the deepest chambers of her mind to be ignored--again.

She checked the double sliding windows end to end and cussed. She noticed that the window was locked from the inside with a latch.

Luckily, the latch was easy to flip open. All she needed was a thin and flat object and she could tip it off.

She unzipped and rummaged through her fanny pack in hurry. Her hand caught something firm and flat inside. Pulling it out, she noticed that it was her ID.

Wasting no time, she slipped the card in the small slit in between the two glass windowpanes meeting at the center. In one swift motion, she swiped the card upwards as if paying a purchase. The latch broke free of its hold. One slight push of her hand and the window was ajar.

She stepped inside one foot after the other.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room. Using what little moonlight she could salvage for sight from outside, she searched through her fanny pack again and pulled out a small silver penlight.

She clicked a small black button as a yellowish light burst out from the penlight and illuminated the room. She shut the windows behind her and placed the latch back to where it was supposed to be.

She took in the sight of the room she was in. The place was strangely barren except for three huge dog bowls strewn all over the tiled floor. There were still some morsels left on each bowl as if forgotten and abandoned. Madeleine noticed nails and leashes near the right side corner of the room. Leashes--but there were no dogs.

Where could they be?

Her question was speedily answered by deep growling noises on her left. She gulped and sweat-dropped. She whirled to her left and saw the three dogs scrunching their maws and baring their fangs at her.

She took one step back at a time and rummaged through her fanny pack--sweat of fear dribbled down her chin. She grasped something sticky inside and knew that it has to be it. She almost gagged at the ominous scent of blood and fresh flesh the plastic wrapped thing emanated. It wafted throughout the small corners of the wall and up her nose. She swallowed.

"Alright, doggy--Doggies. You want some snack huh? Come and get it!" Without waiting for a growl as a vague response, Madeleine hurled the pack onto the three awaiting dogs.

Almost immediately, the Husky bit one end, violently jerked his head away, and tore through the plastic wrapper. The Pit Bull and the Doberman joined the Husky--their noses squirming up and down sniffing the wrapped object. Their eyes lit up in delight as they too joined in the feast she prepared.