CHAPTER FOUR

“Ok, here’s the skinny” said Alec as he plopped onto his couch next to Tori as she was towel drying her hair. “Basically, we’re stuck here until they fix the roads...The whole town is cut off, floods and fallen trees have wreaked every possible route except the ocean.... No one knew how bad the storm was going to be...Any ways, good thing I’m prepared for such an occasion. I have a backup generator and plenty of canned goods.”

Tori said nothing about their situation; she was tired out; instead she said the following while getting to her feet “I think I need a nap.”

Grin disappearing from his face Alec’s posture stiffened “Sure. No problem. I’ll do the same...you can have the room. I’ll take the couch.”

“Don’t be silly! The couch is fine for me...” she protested but Alec would have none of it. After changing the bed clothes and an awkward conversation both settled into their respective spots. Alec went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Tori however was having a hard time shutting out the day’s events.... 

What was it she had seen in the forest?

Rolling over on her side she stared at the beige coloured wall. Apparently, Alec’s idea of decorating included a rather old oil painting that looked like it came from some one’s lawn sale in the nineteen seventies....Or around there somewhere accompanied by a rather creepy looking velvet clown. Sighing she willed herself to sleep but it eluded her.

No matter what she did she could not get the image of Hattie Bedo’s empty stare out of her mind...Nor of the mysterious shape in the forest...She rolled over again and stared at Alec’s bedside table. It was one of those cheap pressed wood kinds with a dark laminate which was supposed to mimic actual wood but failed miserably. A layer of dust covered it and the various items on top of it...Curious now, she sat up to investigate.

There was the usual phone and alarm clock but also a small pocket knife with a native motif engraved into the handle. Some discarded candy wrappers, an empty pepsi can and a small picture frame. Picking it up to look closer at it Tori was surprised to see that it was a childhood picture from when they were in grade seven. Three smiling faces peered up at her reminding Tori of when things were a whole lot simpler and almost happier...

The phone rang at that moment and Tori nearly fell over from fright.

Not wanting Alec to waken she grabbed the receiver and said “Hello?”

There was nothing but static on the other end. Annoyed she hung it up and it promptly rung again. Answering it swiftly all she could hear was a woman’s voice repeating over and over “Hello?” in between the crackles of static.   Tori made an earnest attempt to answer her but the line went dead before she could even get a word out. Hoping that whoever it was on the other end was not in some kind of trouble Tori hung up the receiver.

The sounds of Alec’s snores rivalled the howls of the wind and suddenly Tori didn’t want to be alone. Sneaking out into the living room with a blanket in tow she curled up in the arm chair and went to a fitful sleep.

She was in the middle of the forest somewhere. Above there was nothing but inky blackness, no stars shone their cheerful lights and the moon had hidden its face in shame as the trees bent and twisted to the winds desire... 

Something was following her and she had to get away from it....She began to run, the forest floor betraying her hurried steps as the dead leaves crackled beneath her feet.

It made some kind of cry of triumph and was quickly closing the gap between them.

Up ahead she could see the house and a light bobbing within it...A great surge of hope coursed through her and with a burst of speed she sprinted towards safety. Her right foot barely touched the first step when she was lifted up off the ground and flung against the wall.

Her head bounced off the floor of the bridge and the air in her lungs was released in one painful exhale. Dazed she tried to make sense of what just happened when the shadow fell over her. Eyes widened in fear she was lifted and tossed again. This time she squeezed her eyes shut against the bone jarring impact.

It rolled her over and despite the darkness she could see the glint in its eyes.... When it touched her, her whole body quaked in fear then shuddered with pain as it tore into her flesh. With the last bit of air in her lungs she screamed as the bones in her rib cage were broken...

 Tori woke with a start, to find herself tangled up in the blankets and a shadow creeping across the floor. She screamed. 

CHAPTER THREE

It was raining again. The rhythmic swoosh of the wipers and the driving beat of the rain were the only sounds within Alec’s truck.  Tori glanced sideways at Alec. He kept his eyes on the road ahead as he drove, his mouth set in a grim line. He was handsome. She never noticed that before about him. It was an odd thought to be struck with considering everything that was going on but there it was. His hair was coal black and wavy, he had dark eye lashes and under his t-shirt you had a sense that his muscles were toned. He was tall too...Another detail that had just come to her attention. In fact, now that she was thinking about it he was probably the tallest man she had seen in The Cove since her return.

She herself was tall for a woman at five foot ten but next to Alec who stood at six foot five, she felt tiny...Her hair was a reddish brown and whip straight, her eyes which she thought of as her best feature were a clear grey...a former lover once told her they looked silver in a fit of poetic passion, and framed by thick lashes. Where Alec was darker in skin tone she was fair...At one time her figure would been called waif like but since the attack she put on weight and now looked plumper...She sighed.

“Did you forget something? I can turn around if you want” said Alec his attention immediately turning to her.

“No. No; I didn’t forget anything...At least I don’t think I did” she answered and thought silently to herself that she didn’t care if she had forgotten her tooth brush. At the moment the last thing she wanted was to go back to the house where the body of Hattie Bedo had lain.

She glanced over at Alec again and saw that he was looking at her. “What?” she asked pushing a stray hair behind her ear.

Before Alec could say anything a tree branch landed upon the hood of the truck startling them both and causing Alec to jerk the wheel as the remainder of the tree fell across the road; sending the truck into a fishtail. As it swerved more trees fell across the road.

Gripping the dash, Tori wondered if this was her last moments. And threw the blurring of the trees she thought she saw a black figure moving amongst the shadows..... Alec mean while was cursing as he fought to keep control of the truck. It spun several times then came to a screeching halt slamming them into the dash then back into their seats.

For a moment the silence reigns, like someone put the volume on mute. Then it all came thundering down on them. The rain and the wind clawed at the vehicle, the fallen trees shook and the others bowed almost to the ground.  Leaves stuck to the windows in such numbers it blocked out what little light there was.  “Alec?” she asked turning to look at him.

Alec was slumped over the wheel. Blood trickled from his forehead and pooled onto his pant leg. With a shaking hand Tori reached out to touch him, “Alec? Alec, are you ok?” For a second he said nothing then he groaned.

“What...what happened?” he asked groggily as he sat up and looked over at her with unfocused eyes.

“We, ah we spun...a tree hit us” she answered looking out the windshield.

“You’re bleeding” he said with a frown as the disorientation receded. 

“What?” she said in confusion and lifted her hand to her head. When she brought it back down it was smeared with blood. “Shit” was all she could think to say. A shadow passed above them and then something heavy landed on top of the truck, denting the roof inwards. Both of them looked up and then at each other. “What the fuck was that?” she asked allowed to no one in particular as she peered out the window fearfully.

“It was probably another tree branch...” said Alec unconvincingly. “We should get out of here before another tree decides to keel over....”

“Yeah, good idea” agreed Tori who was still looking around nervously.

Throwing the truck into reverse, Alec backed it up and swung it around narrowly missing another felled tree. Muttering under his breath he peeled out of there and sped towards another back road only to have another tree fall in their way.  Icy fear took hold of Tori as again and again their path was blocked...It was as if Mother Nature herself was conspiring against them...

“Hang on!” instructed Alec as he put the gas pedal to the floor and jerked the wheel sharply to the right. Bouncing on what was a rough road meant for quads or ski doo’s in the winter they just missed being hit as a large pine collapsed behind them. Glancing behind them Alec gave a joyful whoop and hit the steering wheel in victory.

The elation only briefly lasted for Tori. “How far in does this go?” she shouted over the noise of the engine and the howling wind.

“All the way to my house; the trail starts just beside my place. We’re all right Tori!” he said with a crooked grin.

She badly wanted to believe him but the icy feeling of uneasiness had seeped into her bones and she couldn’t help but think that there was something worse around the next bend......

CHAPTER TWO

Waking with a start Tori looked about her surroundings in confusion. Slowly her memory kicked in and she recalled the move back to The Cove and the previous day’s storm. Glancing at the stack of boxes that were serving as a substitute bed side table, she saw that the power was still out as the blank screen of her digital alarm clock stared back at her.

Wrinkling her nose she got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Pleased that she had the fore sight to purchase hand sanitizer she quickly used the bathroom and cleansed her hands and face.  Pulling her hair up into a pony tail she returned to her room to change into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

Debating about making a run into the nearby town of Sonny’s Point for breakfast she opened the front door to access the damage from the storm and screamed.

Stretched out on her front bridge was the body of a girl. There was no mistaking her for anything but dead as her flesh had been torn from her mid section and her ribs broken open, exposing her innards which were strewn about like macabre decorations amongst the debris of leaves and broken branches. Her pale yellow hair waved in the wind and her colourless eyes peered up at Tori accusingly.

Horrified she stepped backward so fast that she fell on her ass but she kept scrambling back into the house, her eyes never leaving the blank ones of the corpse. Outside she could hear the crunch of tires on the gravel and was immediately relieved that she was no longer alone.

Still in shock she could hear her name being called and was vaguely aware that Alec was on the steps of her bridge telling her to call the police but all she could do was stare at those empty eyes...

***

“Here; drink this. It’ll help” instructed Alec as he passed her a steaming mug of whiskey laced tea.

“Did you know her?” she asked as she held the mug with both hands.

Alec raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing until she took a sip of the tea.

 “You’ve been gone too long! The Cove’s a small community and there’s no escaping everyone knowing who you are, what you’re up to or who you’re doing! Or at least those were the reasons a certain someone; who shall remain nameless; gave to me when she drove off to the big city.” Tori shifted her weight uncomfortably and took another mouthful of the tea. Alec meanwhile continued on “To answer your question; yes I knew her. Her name is or rather her name was Hattie Bedo. Her father was in our class...”

“She’s Harry’s daughter?” said Tori in disbelief.

“Prefers to be called Harold nowadays” commented Alec with a snort.

“But she’s at least twelve years old!” she exclaimed, finding it difficult to comprehend that someone would sleep with Harry Bedo let alone create a child with him.  “She would have been born when we were 18!”

“Hattie was a graduation present for him and Shelly Bennett. They got married ‘bout a month after you left town” explained Alec running his fingers through his hair absently.  “She’s in my class...needed to work on her grammar but otherwise a solid B student.” His voice cracked at the end betraying his calm exterior for the turmoil going on within.

“I’m sorry...”she said and leaned her head on his shoulder while yet another cop walked past her and into the kitchen where the others had gathered around the coffee Alec set out for them.

Alec opened his mouth to say something but the Constable in charge of the scene interrupted him. “Ms. Whitfield? Could you come with me please? I have some questions I’d like you to answer.”

Tori felt her stomach lurch as the phrase echoed in her head. “Just like last time...No! This is different! I have to talk about the girl...not what happened to me...”she argued with herself but said the following aloud to  Constable Benoit “But I already told you what happened...What more could you possibly want to know?”

“This way please” he indicated the dining room.

Getting to her feet took all the effort Tori could muster; she felt heavy and ill at ease. Alec gave her shoulder a squeeze of encouragement and she had to fight the urge to cling to him and refuse to go with the constable. That however was not an option. Giving Alec a wan smile she started to walk towards the dining room area.

“I’ll just wait right here for you” said Alec to her, though Tori could have sworn that it was directed to the Constable.

“You do that” said the Constable while exchanging glares with Alec.

Glancing back and forth between the two men Tori wondered what the story was between them. To the best of her knowledge, there was no one who could behold a grudge against Alec....he was just too sweet and kind....though the look he was currently giving the Constable was anything but sweet or kind. Suddenly another cop came into the house “There’s another one! Just down the road! We got to get over there!”

The cops in the kitchen were already filing out while the Constable at her side turned to her and said “We will continue this later. Excuse me.”

Just as Tori was about to breathe a sigh of relief the Constable came back in “And Ms. Whitfield? We need you to vacate the premises. It’s our crime scene now. An officer will escort you out after you gather a few things”.

Head now pounding with a vicious headache, Tori felt the tears start to come on and she wanted to drop through the floor. Crying in public was about the most embarrassing thing she could do...if given a choice between crying in front of others or being naked she would choose the latter. Her body she was comfortable with...her emotions? Not so much.

Moving as fast as she could without running; Tori breezed past Alec to go upstairs to her room to begin packing. As she tossed shirts, pants and various other articles of clothing into a duffle bag she could hear Alec arguing with someone downstairs.  She wandered over to the bathroom and caught a few snippets of the words being exchanged.

“Why should she have to go? It’s only the front...if she just went out the back...”said Alec heatedly.

“I don’t make the rules Alec! I just enforce them and if Benoit wants her out then she has to get out” said a voice Tori didn’t recognize but given the content of what he said, she assumed it was the officer she was told to expect.

“And go where?” demanded Alec. “The roads are washed out!”

“Got a couch; don’t you?” said the other man.

She moved back into the bed room and tossed her toiletry bag in with her clothes. Everything was just so overwhelming! And now to top it off she knew Alec was going to ask her to stay at his place...he had feelings for her...then again that was nothing new, she ignored it in elementary school and for most of high school too but now she could no longer feign ignorance.

The burning question that was hanging in the air between them had more to do with her and how she felt about him. Looking into the dresser mirror she met her own leery gaze and decided that the answer could wait until after she dealt with the current crisis. With a curt nod of self approval she hoisted her bag and made her way down the stairs.

She was a surprisingly three quarters of the way down before Alec spoke up and inquired about her staying with him for the next few days. She responded in the expected manner of mingled surprise and gratitude while mentally she wondered what she was getting herself into...

CHAPTER ONE

The sound of a fist pounding against the front door snapped Tori out of her flash back. Fiercely wiping away tears from her eyes she moved to answer the door. Taking a look first to see who it was before undoing the four locks she opened it and said “It’s not a good time right now, Alec...”

“Were you crying?” demanded Alec with a frown creasing between his dark brows. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m...” began Tori but her voice was blocked by the lump which had formed in her throat.

“Shaking. Tori, what is it?” he asked softly this time. He reached out to her but she instinctively took a step back from him. Disappointment flashed in his green eyes but he said nothing about her reaction and placed his hands in his pockets instead.

Alec Harris was no more a threat to her then a house fly but she couldn’t help herself. “It’s just not a good time right now Alec. I’ll talk to you later okay?” Without waiting for an answer Tori closed the door again and re-locked it before turning her back to it and leaning against it.

Outside the rain began to fall harder but it was still a few minutes before the sound of Alec’s truck mingled with it then slowly disappeared.

Feeling miserable and still a little fearful Tori returned to the kitchen and opened another box of her things yet to be put away. When she dropped a plate she broke down and cried whole heartedly.

Pulling herself together after a few moments she pushed her emotions down inside and got back to work. Several hours passed and she was nearly done the kitchen area when the power went out.  Frowning she looked out the window and could see the trees bowing to the howling wind. Something smashed against the side of the house making her jump.

The windows rattled and the rain seemed to be coming down in sheets while the house groaned. Finding a flash light in case the power didn’t come on again before dark Tori decided to head up stairs to curl up in bed and read. Part way up the stairs she paused when a scream pierced the raging storm. Looking out the small window at the landing she could see nothing in her yard but snapped off branches and lawn furniture that didn’t belong to her.

She lingered there for a few minutes more but only the wind and rain broke the silence. Shrugging it off as her imagination playing tricks on her, she continued to her room. Another loud bang, as something else hit the front of the house had her diving under the covers.  A chill ran down her spine and she had the sensation that something was watching her.

Too afraid to look she pulled the covers over her head and squeezed her eyes shut until the odd feeling went away.  It would be the next morning before she discovered just what had slammed into the side of her house but for now, exhausted and more than a little stressed Tori  fell into a fitful sleep.

Prologue

The pavement was slick from the rain beneath her heels. Nearly slipping for the third time in the short walk across the parking lot she cursed her vanity that demanded that she wear them for the opening night performance.

Her hair had fallen out of its pins and now was curling wildly about; swiping it out of her eyes she dropped her keys into a rather deep puddle and had to bend down to fish them out. Muttering an old child hood nursery rhyme that was supposed to rid one of the rain she tried to shake off her bad mood and find a positive element to being soaked...Concentrating on getting inside and out of the wet she never heard him come up from behind her. Nor was she given the chance to defend herself when he struck her head against the brick wall of her apartment building....

In a daze she could hear him singing off key “Bumped his head and went to bed and couldn’t get up in the morning” The sensation of her nylons being ripped at the crotch had her heart tripling its beats as she tried to scream.  “Shut up!” he commanded and slapped her face.

Then his face appeared before hers and she could feel his foul breath on her cheeks. So blue...His eyes were so blue, was all she could think of for a split second. Until he forced himself between her legs; then it was pain. She bucked and he laughed and slammed her into the ground. She cried and begged and he kept laughing at her, hurled insults at her and struck her face. The more she tried to escape the harder he hit...

Giving up she waited for him to finish or for the blurry edges of consciousness to surrender to the pain. The rain pounding into the pavement became one with the sounds of his panting but she was already gone into the sweet embrace of the dark.

Synopsis

Nothing ever happened in The Cove; nothing. Which is exactly the reason why Tori Whitfield decided to return to her home town after being mugged and assaulted outside her city apartment.

Still in the process of unpacking Tori's hopes of a quiet existence are shattered when a freak storm cuts the community off from the outside world and the body of a young girl is found upon her door step....

It's only the first to be found. Soon it becomes obvious that the deaths are not accidental...Something is hunting humans. Something that lurks in the dark...