Darkmoor (10 page)

Sam lifted her finger to her lips, reminding them both to remain quiet, but those sensitive snouts weren’t for giving up. Smelling the hint of sweat and fresh pounding blood, one by one the wolf-lizards poured through the gap.

Their bulging eyes filled with joy as they discovered hidden on the other side, three tasty treats.

A panicked stricken Sam ordered fearfully, “Quick, run!!”

The three of them set off racing through the forest, stumbling over broken tree branches and jumping over the reaching roots.

The howling of the wolf-lizards echoed through the sky, as the blood thirsty monsters rejoiced in their hunt. Shooting out their fiery tongues, red flames sparked against the baron trees, causing flashes of fire down around the three intruders.

“Quick, I know somewhere we can hide!” Sam spluttered, without question Catherine and Matthew followed.

Burying themselves deep down into the thick woodlands, the three of them tried to hide out of sight of the monsters.

“Matthew, I’m scared,” Catherine whispered moving closer to Matthew.

Placing his arm around her he spoke, “I know, me too.”

“Sam, where do you think they are?” Matthew asked clinging onto Catherine.

“I don’t know? But maybe if we hide here for a bit they might get fed up!”

“Or they might feed up on us?” Matthew remarked back to Sam.

Being as quiet as they possibly could, they waited.

More howls echoed across the sky, followed by the sniffing of those deadly beasts. These creatures were hungry and were not for giving up easily.

“Listen,” Sam finally spoke, “if we can get to the graveyard, we’ll be safe.”

“The graveyard? You didn’t tell us about a graveyard!” Matthew asked.

Catherine looked up at him, “Matthew, I think it’s a bit late to be questioning Sam on what we are doing here, or where we’re heading. After all, this was your idea!”

“Look, whatever we need to do we can’t do that here,” Sam whispered whilst pulling the light catcher out of her rucksack. The wolf-lizards lifted their snouts and howled angrily towards each other, with every small move the trio made.

Sam crept slowly out of their hiding place with the light catcher. Hoping to get a glimpse of where the wolf-lizards were waiting.

“Catherine, I’m sorry about all this, you do know that don’t you?”

Looking down into her eyes, the feeling of guilt was almost overwhelming. Catherine innocently replied, “Of course I do.”

Moments later Sam returned, “Well, the good news is,” she whispered, “we don’t have to go past the wolf-lizards.”

“And the bad news?” Catherine asked sharply.

“The bad news is, we’re going to have to make a run for it, quick follow me!”

Before Matthew and Catherine had chance to think about that thought, Sam was weaving herself in and out of the trees, leaving Catherine and Matthew no choice but to follow swiftly behind her.

Howling excitedly, the wolf-lizards then took up the chase once more. Their tongues whipped into the sky before slamming down with a thud.

“Faster!” Sam panted back.

“We are!” Catherine called.

The wolf-lizards were almost catching them. Matthew could feel their stale breaths touching the back of his neck, not wanting to look back, he kept focussed on Catherine.

“Arragh!” Matthew screamed, feeling the fiery deadly strike of a wolf- lizard’s tongue. Knocking him face down into the mud, Matthew felt his back burning as the intense hot poison soaked deep into his skin.

“Sam! Matthew’s been hit!” Catherine shouted turning to run back for him.

Managing to roll himself over, Matthew slowly shuffled back. The monsters stopped and growled at him. Shuffling away from them, their intense fire spread across his back and up towards his shoulders.

The wolf-lizards slithered closer towards him, viciously snapping their jaws, licking their deadly razor sharp teeth in anticipation of their food.

Catherine gazed on helpless, her heart was in her mouth, and tears filled her eyes. Sam, rather assuring given the situation, whispered in Catherine’s ear, “Don’t move until I say.”

Swiftly Sam slid an arrow from her backpack and positioned it onto her bow, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The pack of wolf-lizards stared at one another before one of them slithered over towards Matthew. With each move the wolf-lizard made, an accompanying howl of encouragement came from the blood thirsty creatures. With a sense of arrogance, the wolf-lizard looked Matthew up and down with its bulging black eyes, giving off a small growl and sneer. Then, another moment of arrogance made it reveal its deadly weapon. Emerging from its dagger like teeth, that fiery rotten fleshed tongue. Tilting its head backwards and pointing its tongue into the sky, with one swift movement it slammed it back down into the mud. The wolf-lizard then turned to its pack, and back once more to Matthew.

Suddenly, a high pitched whistling noise pierced through the clean still air. Matthew closed his eyes tightly. A fizzling sound shattered the air, followed by a sudden shuddering of the earth below.

Cautiously he opened his eyes. Matthew looked on astonished as the wolf-lizard’s motionless body sprawled out across the mud. Its once deadly tongue was now hanging powerless from its mouth. Its flames were well and truly extinguished.

Now standing over Matthew, was Sam. Her eyes were as black as the night itself, searching through the dark, without speaking she ordered the wolf-lizards to retreat. Her face was narrow and washed free of colour. Continuing to guard Matthew, she quickly prepared another arrow ready to fire. However, like whimpering dogs, the wolf-lizards scurried back through the dam. Darkmoor’s monsters at last, were gone.

Catherine rushed over to Matthew, and placing her hands under his arms, she tried to haul him to his feet.

Looking up at her he asked, “Did you see, Catherine? Sam’s eyes they were black.”

“Never mind that we need to get you up,” she said and with one almighty pull, Matthew stood observing Sam.

“You ok?” Sam looked at him, her eyes back to their usual state.

“Yeah I think so, what happened to your eyes, Sam? They were black.”

“Black!” Sam said shocked, “No I think that’s the shock making you confused.”

“No I’m not confused, I know what I saw!” Matthew said raising his voice.

“Matthew it’s ok, we’re safe, that’s all that matters,” Catherine said softly.

“Catherine’s right, and anyway, you should be thanking me, I just saved your life!” Sam said sarcastically with a small smirk across her face.

Walking over to the dead wolf-lizard, Sam pulled out her blood stained arrow, wiped it clean across her jeans, then looked back towards Catherine and Matthew, “Well, at least we have dinner!” she grinned.

Dear Diary,

Me, Matthew and Sam are sat round a camp fire which Sam has made. Dinner was good, roast wolf-lizard! I’m getting use to the fatty taste of it, actually it taste a bit like beef, only hairier!

Matthew was quiet over dinner. I think something’s bothering him, but he won’t say!

This forest is so creepy. Bugs are always crawling over me.

Anyway, Sam says we’re going to rest here for tonight then move on tomorrow. She said something about a graveyard which leads us to Darkmoor’s Castle. I just want to be home and safe in my own bed. I would give anything to hear my Mum and Dad again, warning me to stay away from that flipping vicarage. I wish I had now!

I really hope this plan of his works. For some stupid reason, Matthew thinks he will be able to talk to Darkmoor and somehow reason with him. Still, I suppose it’s worth a shot, I’m just really praying it works.

Right well I’d better try and get some rest, Goodnight xxx

Chapter
Twelve

Darkmoor’s Graveyard

“The holiday just continues! You sure know how to treat a girl, Matthew!”
Catherine signed sarcastically, as they made their way through the graveyard.

A pebbled path weaved around the grave stones, an old rotten railing barricaded the graveyard and the ever present fog circled slowly around the outer wall.

Bowing his head, Matthew’s eyes were drawn to a name chiselled onto one of the solid headstones. He began to read them aloud, “Robert Peterson, Annabel Barrie, Sophie Mason-”

Sam abruptly interrupted, “Matthew, stop it, we don’t need a running commentary!”

“No, no of course not, sorry” Matthew replied apologetically.

Visible across the graveyard was a metal rusty gate, which was swinging loosely on its hinges. This (as Sam had informed them) was the gateway to Darkmoor’s castle, and although a huge volume of thick fog was keeping the castle from view, Matthew and Catherine trustingly followed her. Trudging along the path, Matthew couldn’t avoid his eyes being drawn to the headstones, and quietly to himself he started reading the names again.

Coming to a sudden halt, he paused for a moment in disbelief. Then stepping off the path, he moved closer to one of the graves.

Reaching out his hand, he placed it onto the hard, cold slab and weaved his finger along the chiselled letters. A look of disbelief drew across his face, his heart sank and stomach turned. He repeated the same motion over and over again.

Glancing up towards the girls, who had now both stopped, Matthew slowly read the name out loud, “Samantha Harris.”

Again Matthew repeated the name, “Samantha Harris.”

Sam froze, but Matthew continued to read aloud the name.

“Stop it Matthew, just stop it!” Sam instructed, her voice bouncing off the headstone and rattling the railings. “Just stop!”

“That can’t be you, Sam?” Matthew asked bewildered.

Without words, Sam sighed before nodding reluctantly.

“What!” Catherine gasped. “You’re dead!”

“How can this be?” Matthew’s anger filled voice boomed through the graveyard.

“You have a grave, you’re dead,” Catherine repeated shaking her head, vacantly looking at Matthew.

Ignoring Catherine’s words, Sam stepped towards Matthew, but he moved away, “Don’t touch me, don’t come anywhere near me!”

“Look, I know this must look odd, but please Matthew, you have to trust me.” Sam said softly trying to defuse the situation.

“Trust you! Who are you? This is your grave!!” Matthew shouted. His voice disturbed the calm fog as it arose from its pit.

“Matthew, look over there out of the fog, look!” Catherine called pointing towards the outer walls of the graveyard.

An eruption of wailing, screaming, and crying all blended into one depressing noise from within the fog.

Then one by one, out of the fog they crawled, like scavenging dogs hunting the next feast: zombie like creatures began to pursue the two youngsters. Covered in torn white rags which scraped along the mud, their empty hollow eyes stared intently towards them. Each blood hunting zombie growled with gnashing fang- like teeth. Droplets of blood dripped from their mouths. An uncountable number of them lined up on the other side before clambering over the rotten railings.

“What is this place?” Matthew said throwing Sam a killer look.

“I really want to go home now Matthew,” a tearful Catherine said.

“You two need to get out of here!” Sam ordered them whilst positioning an arrow onto her bow, “I will keep them here, Darkmoor wants you Matthew, so go!”

Suddenly, just the mention of his name made Matthew feel dizzy, and the torturous sounds of the graveyard began to fade away.

I am standing here, at the river bank, trying to find somewhere to cross. The fog is all around me, and it’s making my body cold. I can hear her voice calling for me, “Catherine, I’m coming” I shout in the hope of reassuring her, but I can still hear her cries.

He’s here. Darkmoor’s here. Standing in front of me looking down at me, then he lifts his head up towards the sky and lets out a caw!

I have to save Catherine, I have to defeat him, I have to...

“Matthew, run!” Sam ordered again bringing Matthew back round from his trance.
Not needing to be told a third time, Matthew grabbed Catherine’s arm and headed for the exit gate.

“Come on, we’re not dying here today!” Matthew promised.

Running past the headstones they eventually reached the castle’s gateway. Matthew took one more glance across the now living graveyard as Sam fired piercing arrows from her bow.

Like a battle field, only with sinister zombies, Sam stood like a soldier on the front line, ready for battle.

“We can’t just leave her Catherine,” Mathew said.

“Yes we can, you heard her and besides she’s already dead, remember!”

Sensing Matthew and Catherine were still watching, Sam barked another order, “You two get out of here… now!!”

“Well you heard her Matthew, let’s go,” Catherine said gripping tightly hold of Matthew’s hand. Together they turned and forced open the crooked gate.

They leapt into the swirling fog, which wrapped , as quickly as it had formed, the fog rapidly evaporated.