| Supernatural Science Fiction posted February 7, 2022 | Chapters: |
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
Fearless/Part Three
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. If you catch typos or mistakes, please let me know. Stay safe & I hope you enjoy! |
Carrie quickly lowered her head, squeezed her eyes shut, and silently started to pray. Please, God… Her lips trembled. I beg you. Please don’t let this be real. Then she began to whisper, repeating the words over and over, “This is not real… This is not real… This is not real…”
“I am real.” The voice that spoke into Carrie’s mind drew her attention, putting a halt to her words. It sounded sinister, evil.
She kept her head down and her eyes closed, pretending she didn’t hear the voice. Dread instantly tightened her throat. With all the strength she could muster, she mentally tried to block out the voice. But the dark entity was too powerful. She had evil inside her, invading her subconscious.
“I know you can hear me, Carrie.” The demanding voice echoed inside her head. “Look upon me and see with your own eyes.”
Carrie lifted her chin, and slowly opened her eyes. She swallowed compulsively as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The face staring back at her wasn’t exactly her own. It was a combination of her features and something else. Something unnatural and unholy. Black bottomless orbs replaced her brown eyes, and dark, spider-webbed veins covered her pallid skin like a roadmap to hell.
The Shadow, she feverishly thought.
The evil voice laughed, although it sounded more like a cackle. “So now you know I am real.”
“Please…” Carrie exhaled a weary breath as tears spilled down her cheeks. “What do you want with me?”
A clawed, slender hand suddenly emerged from the mirror like something out of a nightmare. Carrie froze as it reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek. The shimmer of wetness gleamed on its hideous black finger, and Carrie wanted to scream, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came. It was as though her voice had been stolen. Instead of a scream, came a lizard-like tongue, lazily slithering between her parted lips. When it swirled around the tip of the repulsive extremity, she nearly lost the contents of her stomach. She watched in horror as the long, Reptilia-looking appendage captured her tear, and disappeared back into her mouth.
“Pity we don’t have more time to get to know one another,” muttered the Shadow. “I was just starting to have fun. But there will be more time for you and me later. Now go back to sleep, Carrie.”
And like a puppet on strings, Carrie obeyed as if nothing had happened. On audio-pilot, she switched off the light, opened the door, and she crept toward the bed in a sleepwalk haze. Moving slowly, she pulled back the covers and slid underneath.
As soon as the mattress dipped, squeaking in protest, the noise roused Joseph into wakefulness. He turned over and reached out, searching for Carrie in the dark. When his hand touched her arm, he shuddered. She was ice cold.
“Carrie?” He pushed himself up. “Are you okay?”
When there was no response, he moved closer, raising his voice. “Carrie…”
Finally, a sleepy voice said, “What’s wrong, Joseph?”
As she spoke, her breath came out in a cloudy vapor as though the temperature in the room had dropped.
“Are you feeling, okay?”
She nodded in the darkness. “I’m fine. Why?”
“You’re skin.” He rubbed his hand over her arm, trying to warm her. “It’s like an icicle. And I can see your breath.”
“What?” said Carrie, scooting higher on her pillow, watching her breath seep from her lips like puffs of smoke. Her eyes went wide. “W-What’s happening?” She crossed her arms over her chest and shivered. “And why is it so cold in here?”
Joseph quickly turned toward the nightstand and reached for the lamp. The second he faced Carrie, his eyes grew wide, and his jaw slacked open. “Oh God, no,” he finally managed to say.
Carrie’s beautiful features had transformed into something demonic… evil. Her once enchanting brown eyes had shifted. They were like obsidian. Empty. Soulless. And the dark webbed veins that shown beneath her pale face looked more like the dead than the living.
“What’s the matter, Joseph?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Y-Your face,” he muttered, swallowing hard. “It’s…”
Her brows furrowed. “What’s wrong with my face?”
“Carrie…” He inched closer. “Is there a voice speaking to you? I mean, inside your head.”
“A voice?” She looked at him confused. “What are you talking about? You’re scaring me, Joseph.”
“Come with me.” He reached for her hand. “Let me show you.”
As Joseph slid out of bed, he helped Carrie to her feet. She instantly snuggled against him. “I’m f-freezing,” she muttered around her chattering teeth.
He snatched a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her. “Is that better?”
She nodded, tugging the blanket more snugly around her.
Before Joseph guided Carrie inside the bathroom, he stopped outside the doorway.
She gazed up at him with a puzzled expression marring her hideous face. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m going to warn you before I turn on the light.”
“Warn me?” Her black eyes narrowed. “About what? And why are you taking me into the bathroom?”
“Carrie, I think the Shadow somehow left my body and entered yours.”
Her eyes bulged. “W-What?”
Joseph flipped on the light and when he pointed toward the mirror, Carrie blinked a few times, trying to get her eyes to adjust. The moment she saw the reflection staring back at her, she opened her mouth and screamed. The terror in her voice tore at his heart.
“Shhh…” He tugged her close. “It’s okay. I’ve got you, Carrie.”
“No…” She went all frantic, shoving at Joseph’s shoulders, trying to break free of his hold. “It’s not true. It can’t be. I won’t let that thing take me.”
“Listen to me, Carrie. I’m not leaving you. We’ll get help.” What help? Who in the hell could help with this? A priest? For crying-out-loud, this wasn’t something just anyone could get rid of. They were dealing with a demon. It even stopped him from taking his own life just so he could rid himself of this evil entity. And the worst of it was the killing. Would the Shadow make Carrie kill people like it had me?
“No, no, no…” She continued to ramble, the incoherent words mixing with her sobs. “This can’t be happening. It can’t be—”
Joseph’s face was pain-stricken. “I’m so sorry—dear God—I never meant for this to happen.”
She struggled from his arms, and cried out, “Please, Joseph…” Her voice went guttural. “Just go.”
“You don’t mean that, Carrie.” He followed her as she turned and walked away. “You’re frightened and you have every right to be. But please, just let me help—”
“For God’s sake, Joseph,” she said, facing him. “Please, just leave.”
As he tried to come close to her again, she rushed past him and locked herself in the bathroom. Bracing herself against the sink, she looked up and caught the horrible sight of herself in the mirror. Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest thing, an iron candle holder, and threw it against the mirror. Through despairing tears, she watched her reflection shatter as pieces of herself fell apart.
Joseph rushed toward the bathroom and tried to open the door. It was locked. On the other side, he could hear her crying. The sound was heartbreaking.
“Carrie…” He frantically called out. “Are you okay?”
A sense of panic set in when there was only silence. “Carrie?”
“I’m fine.” The sadness in her voice made his eyes sting with tears. “I just need to be alone.”
He leaned in, resting his head against the wood that separated them. “I’m so sorry—” His voice cracked, then he squeezed his eyes shut, his heart shattering. “Oh God…” He lightly beat the door with his fist. “This is all my fault.”
After a few moments of silence, which felt like eternity, Carrie finally said, “It’s not your fault, Joseph.” Then, the door slowly creaked open. When she appeared in the opening and lifted her gaze to meet his, relief instantly washed over him. Carrie no longer wore a mask of horror, but instead, the face of the beautiful person she was before. The one he loved so dearly.
“You’re not to blame for this,” she went on to say as more tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “I knew the dangers involved. I’m sorry I took it out on you. I’d rather be dead than be without you.”
The second he reached out to her, she took hold of his hand. He all but tugged her into his arms and held her close. “I love you, Carrie. And nothing you say or do will change that.”
She lifted her chin and stared at him long and hard. Then smiled. “I love you, too.”
“I swear,” he said, his eyes gleaming with sincerity, “we’ll find a way to get through this. No matter what it takes, and even if I die trying, I’m going to destroy the Shadow.”
To be continued. . .
“I am real.” The voice that spoke into Carrie’s mind drew her attention, putting a halt to her words. It sounded sinister, evil.
She kept her head down and her eyes closed, pretending she didn’t hear the voice. Dread instantly tightened her throat. With all the strength she could muster, she mentally tried to block out the voice. But the dark entity was too powerful. She had evil inside her, invading her subconscious.
“I know you can hear me, Carrie.” The demanding voice echoed inside her head. “Look upon me and see with your own eyes.”
Carrie lifted her chin, and slowly opened her eyes. She swallowed compulsively as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The face staring back at her wasn’t exactly her own. It was a combination of her features and something else. Something unnatural and unholy. Black bottomless orbs replaced her brown eyes, and dark, spider-webbed veins covered her pallid skin like a roadmap to hell.
The Shadow, she feverishly thought.
The evil voice laughed, although it sounded more like a cackle. “So now you know I am real.”
“Please…” Carrie exhaled a weary breath as tears spilled down her cheeks. “What do you want with me?”
A clawed, slender hand suddenly emerged from the mirror like something out of a nightmare. Carrie froze as it reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek. The shimmer of wetness gleamed on its hideous black finger, and Carrie wanted to scream, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came. It was as though her voice had been stolen. Instead of a scream, came a lizard-like tongue, lazily slithering between her parted lips. When it swirled around the tip of the repulsive extremity, she nearly lost the contents of her stomach. She watched in horror as the long, Reptilia-looking appendage captured her tear, and disappeared back into her mouth.
“Pity we don’t have more time to get to know one another,” muttered the Shadow. “I was just starting to have fun. But there will be more time for you and me later. Now go back to sleep, Carrie.”
And like a puppet on strings, Carrie obeyed as if nothing had happened. On audio-pilot, she switched off the light, opened the door, and she crept toward the bed in a sleepwalk haze. Moving slowly, she pulled back the covers and slid underneath.
As soon as the mattress dipped, squeaking in protest, the noise roused Joseph into wakefulness. He turned over and reached out, searching for Carrie in the dark. When his hand touched her arm, he shuddered. She was ice cold.
“Carrie?” He pushed himself up. “Are you okay?”
When there was no response, he moved closer, raising his voice. “Carrie…”
Finally, a sleepy voice said, “What’s wrong, Joseph?”
As she spoke, her breath came out in a cloudy vapor as though the temperature in the room had dropped.
“Are you feeling, okay?”
She nodded in the darkness. “I’m fine. Why?”
“You’re skin.” He rubbed his hand over her arm, trying to warm her. “It’s like an icicle. And I can see your breath.”
“What?” said Carrie, scooting higher on her pillow, watching her breath seep from her lips like puffs of smoke. Her eyes went wide. “W-What’s happening?” She crossed her arms over her chest and shivered. “And why is it so cold in here?”
Joseph quickly turned toward the nightstand and reached for the lamp. The second he faced Carrie, his eyes grew wide, and his jaw slacked open. “Oh God, no,” he finally managed to say.
Carrie’s beautiful features had transformed into something demonic… evil. Her once enchanting brown eyes had shifted. They were like obsidian. Empty. Soulless. And the dark webbed veins that shown beneath her pale face looked more like the dead than the living.
“What’s the matter, Joseph?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Y-Your face,” he muttered, swallowing hard. “It’s…”
Her brows furrowed. “What’s wrong with my face?”
“Carrie…” He inched closer. “Is there a voice speaking to you? I mean, inside your head.”
“A voice?” She looked at him confused. “What are you talking about? You’re scaring me, Joseph.”
“Come with me.” He reached for her hand. “Let me show you.”
As Joseph slid out of bed, he helped Carrie to her feet. She instantly snuggled against him. “I’m f-freezing,” she muttered around her chattering teeth.
He snatched a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her. “Is that better?”
She nodded, tugging the blanket more snugly around her.
Before Joseph guided Carrie inside the bathroom, he stopped outside the doorway.
She gazed up at him with a puzzled expression marring her hideous face. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m going to warn you before I turn on the light.”
“Warn me?” Her black eyes narrowed. “About what? And why are you taking me into the bathroom?”
“Carrie, I think the Shadow somehow left my body and entered yours.”
Her eyes bulged. “W-What?”
Joseph flipped on the light and when he pointed toward the mirror, Carrie blinked a few times, trying to get her eyes to adjust. The moment she saw the reflection staring back at her, she opened her mouth and screamed. The terror in her voice tore at his heart.
“Shhh…” He tugged her close. “It’s okay. I’ve got you, Carrie.”
“No…” She went all frantic, shoving at Joseph’s shoulders, trying to break free of his hold. “It’s not true. It can’t be. I won’t let that thing take me.”
“Listen to me, Carrie. I’m not leaving you. We’ll get help.” What help? Who in the hell could help with this? A priest? For crying-out-loud, this wasn’t something just anyone could get rid of. They were dealing with a demon. It even stopped him from taking his own life just so he could rid himself of this evil entity. And the worst of it was the killing. Would the Shadow make Carrie kill people like it had me?
“No, no, no…” She continued to ramble, the incoherent words mixing with her sobs. “This can’t be happening. It can’t be—”
Joseph’s face was pain-stricken. “I’m so sorry—dear God—I never meant for this to happen.”
She struggled from his arms, and cried out, “Please, Joseph…” Her voice went guttural. “Just go.”
“You don’t mean that, Carrie.” He followed her as she turned and walked away. “You’re frightened and you have every right to be. But please, just let me help—”
“For God’s sake, Joseph,” she said, facing him. “Please, just leave.”
As he tried to come close to her again, she rushed past him and locked herself in the bathroom. Bracing herself against the sink, she looked up and caught the horrible sight of herself in the mirror. Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest thing, an iron candle holder, and threw it against the mirror. Through despairing tears, she watched her reflection shatter as pieces of herself fell apart.
Joseph rushed toward the bathroom and tried to open the door. It was locked. On the other side, he could hear her crying. The sound was heartbreaking.
“Carrie…” He frantically called out. “Are you okay?”
A sense of panic set in when there was only silence. “Carrie?”
“I’m fine.” The sadness in her voice made his eyes sting with tears. “I just need to be alone.”
He leaned in, resting his head against the wood that separated them. “I’m so sorry—” His voice cracked, then he squeezed his eyes shut, his heart shattering. “Oh God…” He lightly beat the door with his fist. “This is all my fault.”
After a few moments of silence, which felt like eternity, Carrie finally said, “It’s not your fault, Joseph.” Then, the door slowly creaked open. When she appeared in the opening and lifted her gaze to meet his, relief instantly washed over him. Carrie no longer wore a mask of horror, but instead, the face of the beautiful person she was before. The one he loved so dearly.
“You’re not to blame for this,” she went on to say as more tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “I knew the dangers involved. I’m sorry I took it out on you. I’d rather be dead than be without you.”
The second he reached out to her, she took hold of his hand. He all but tugged her into his arms and held her close. “I love you, Carrie. And nothing you say or do will change that.”
She lifted her chin and stared at him long and hard. Then smiled. “I love you, too.”
“I swear,” he said, his eyes gleaming with sincerity, “we’ll find a way to get through this. No matter what it takes, and even if I die trying, I’m going to destroy the Shadow.”
To be continued. . .
NOTE: This is not part of the chapter. A reference for terms and cast of characters in this chapter, especially for new readers.
BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The Breedline species can shift into their wolf at will. The moon has no power over them. They do not pass their ability to other humans. Although they live among humans, their species is secret. In wolf form, they have super-strength, speed, and heightened senses. Compared to humans, Breedlines have tremendous advantages when it comes to health. Their bodies heal fast and are not subject to illness or diseases. The only thing that slows their healing process is silver. It is their kryptonite. Besides old age, a silver bullet to the brain is the only way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
Carrie Randall - She is Detective Frank Perkin's niece. She works as a substance abuse counselor in Berkeley, California. She has a love interest in Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker (a.k.a. Joseph Harris) - He works at the San Francisco Chronicle as a freelance journalist. At age five, an evil entity invaded his body after his father murdered his mother. While his father was sent to prison for his crime, Joseph was placed into several foster families until finally forced into a mental institute after diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychopathic behavior. As time passed and with the evil entity's guidance, Joseph was later released into society.
The Shadow - An evil entity who has possessed Joseph Parker. Its main purpose is to gain access to souls by using its host to kill, consuming human flesh.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The Breedline species can shift into their wolf at will. The moon has no power over them. They do not pass their ability to other humans. Although they live among humans, their species is secret. In wolf form, they have super-strength, speed, and heightened senses. Compared to humans, Breedlines have tremendous advantages when it comes to health. Their bodies heal fast and are not subject to illness or diseases. The only thing that slows their healing process is silver. It is their kryptonite. Besides old age, a silver bullet to the brain is the only way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
Carrie Randall - She is Detective Frank Perkin's niece. She works as a substance abuse counselor in Berkeley, California. She has a love interest in Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker (a.k.a. Joseph Harris) - He works at the San Francisco Chronicle as a freelance journalist. At age five, an evil entity invaded his body after his father murdered his mother. While his father was sent to prison for his crime, Joseph was placed into several foster families until finally forced into a mental institute after diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychopathic behavior. As time passed and with the evil entity's guidance, Joseph was later released into society.
The Shadow - An evil entity who has possessed Joseph Parker. Its main purpose is to gain access to souls by using its host to kill, consuming human flesh.
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