Elizabeth noticed the smoke rising from the distance as she hobbled towards the village. She reached the manor house and could hear Simon busy inside crashing about and groaning. She hadn’t considered what the villagers would think of her new look, though their lives would be forfeit for eternity if she failed. David now knew what she and Alius knew.
Alius had moved with her, watching. He appeared before her on the path. “Elizabeth. I will tell you, I shan’t intervene.”
“Good.”
“If he feeds he will know everything. He will commit us to a worse fate than I gave you.”
“Then we shall be even, no?”
Alius smiled. “Very well.”
Elizabeth bumbled on and towards the growing smoke stack. A crowd had formed around the central point where the old dark Willow stood, wilting. The villagers barely noticed Elizabeth, for they were transfixed by the demonstration David had subjected them to. She pushed through to see. There was David, draining the life essence of poor Hannah as George lamely approached.
“George!” Hannah had her arm outstretched.
George was so close to her now. “I shall reach you!” he strained.
David caught the eye of Elizabeth and winked at her.
The crowd gasped as a most dreadful scene unfolded.
David’s back bubbled and rippled before bursting twice, spraying the onlookers with blackened blood, from the lacerations unfurled two purple wings. They arched like bats and had murderous barbs sprouting from the roots. He roared.
George was just about to reach Hannah, he made one final effort by lunging towards her.
David had played a most cruel trick on George and launched himself into the sky like a firework. No beautiful lights followed and the only sound was a resounding cry. Hannah let forth her final cry before silence struck the terrified people. David and Hannah were high in the air, a black dot to the onlookers.
They watched. Their hearts in their mouths.
From the sky, she fell, limp and spinning in the air before crashing into the pillow and becoming impaled on one of the pointed branches.
The village erupted into screams of panic. They scrabbled to find their houses. They shoved past each other. Some fallen villagers were mauled by trampling feet, their faces mashed into the soil and their bones snapped by the careless hoard.
The black angel descended from the cloudy sky. His powerful wings sent gusts of wind that picked up all manner of debris and sent them flying about the village square. His cheekbones threatened to pierce his skin and his black eyes swirled into beady yellow dots. His voice boomed, “A curse could not be so perfect.”
George pushed himself away from David, unable to stand back up as his crutch had been blown away.
“Admiration for your efforts, George.” David strode towards the fallen man and punched his knee, pushing a finger into the wound.
George writhed and screamed.
“I shall reunite you with your fallen love.” He pulled George towards him and lifted him high with a hand under each arm. “See what your benevolence brings you. Or in this case, your festering desire to submit to the flesh.”
George’s head rolled around as he lost consciousness.
“Enough, David”
David looked at the newly constructed Elizabeth and narrowed his bright yellow orbs. “You should remain silent, harlot.”
Elizabeth stepped towards him.
David raised George's limp body above his head and impaled him on a gnarled branch of the Willow. He slid down it slowly. His eyes fluttered open as he grabbed at the branch that passed through him. Mouth agape he gurgled a silent scream. Blood spluttered up from his mouth and his legs kicked wildly before he died.
“There is no turning back now, David.” Elizabeth croaked.
David sniffed the air around Elizabeth and growled. “What have you done to yourself?”
“You don’t recognise this body?”
He sneered, “You’re a ghoul.”
Elizabeth turned away.
“Do not turn your back on me. You’re mine. You’re my property.”
Elizabeth stopped and placed her hands on her hips. “What is your plan?”
“Where is Alius?”
“I do not know.”
“I know what he did. I know how he laid this curse upon me and this village like the vengeful ghoul he is.”
Elizabeth turned and looked at him sternly, “Do not think you hadn’t a part to play.”
“I know my part now.” David grinned and flew into the air and away toward the forest.
Elizabeth held her chest and looked down. She hadn’t expected him to seek out Alius after realising the truth. Some villagers moved out of their hiding places. One was Greg. He approached Elizabeth slowly.
“Elizabeth, what is happening?”
She looked at him, her eyes were blackened and her face was rigid and monstrous, though it retained her humanity.
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Greg backed away when he saw her.
“Do not fear me, Greg.”
“Alius was right, wasn’t he?”
She closed her eyes. “Alius made himself right and foisted it upon us.”
“I do not understand.”
“You shall never. You’re a lost soul swimming in circles.”
“And what are you?”
“I don’t know.” Elizabeth looked out to the forest and then to the manor house. “He will return.”
“I guessed as much.”
More villages approached, they were disgusted by Elizabeth but remained hushed to listen to her speak. “When he returns he will wish to feed upon you all. He will not stop until every last drop is spilt.”
“What can we do?” One villager asked.
Greg looked behind him. “We should flee, leave this place.”
“There is no leaving this place. Even in death, you shall all reawaken to replay this hell.” She lowered her eyes shamefully. “I wish for us to seek redemption.”
“Us?” Greg snarled, “What did we do?”
“We all have things to hide.” Elizabeth nodded. “I wish for you to fight back.”
“How?”
“It does not matter, you will lose anyway.”
Greg laughed, “What is the point then?”
“I know the secrets to this curse. I haven’t the time to educate you all. If he catches you; forgive him.”
“Forgive him?” A woman cried.
Another man stepped forward but kept his voice calm and respectful for Elizabeth did strike fear into his heart, “Elizabeth, if that is who you are, why should we forgive this monster?”
“Because we cannot protect our flesh but we may save our souls…” Greg said.
Elizabeth looked at him and smiled. “How do you know this?”
“Alius told me. Before he lost his mind.” He paused and sighed, “I never forgot it. Twas like it was burned into my mind.”
“Very good, then spread the word. Fetch your pikes, your sticks your forks…your hammers and fire. Make every kill of David’s a chore.”
“What will this do?”
“It will give me time.”
“For what?” Greg tilted his head.
“To open the walls.”
Greg looked at the villagers who were not convinced of the instructions. He realised this was the only way, for he had tried to venture out many times and found himself lost in the woods and inexplicably returned to the village. Something in those woods frightened him into silence. He knew speaking of such haunting evil would lead to a label of madness.
***
David landed in the woods and called Alius’ name.
“Enough of your shouting, David.”
The vampire turned on the spot, “Come out, you fettered corpse.”
“I never hid from you.” Alius appeared to him in a clearing and waved gently. “Why do you call my name.”
“I call to brag.” He smirked. “I see all your curses. I see the roots. I see all versions of this village living through the hell you tried to commit me to.”
“Being trapped within this purgatory is something you wish to brag about, David?” Alius laughed.
“No. Leaving this place with you and the corpses I make is what I shall brag about. I want to see your face when it dawns on you.”
“Just how do you think you’ll leave?”
He smiled coyly at Alius. “I’ll leave through the walls.”
Alius’ smile dropped. “The walls?” He knew Elizabeth meant to lead him there. It had dawned on him that perhaps Elizabeth was trying to free David. “How?”
David chuckled, “Ah, I have piqued your interest. Elizabeth thinks she is so very clever. As do you.” He approached Alius and allowed him into his mind with widened yellow eyes.
Alius looked into them. He saw the blood-soaked future of a curse unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. A million years of blackness. A foulness that would rise only in the absence of God. David had found a way there. Through the walls. Through time. His face sank and Alius felt a galactic fear press down on his eternal body.
“There it is.” David smiled. “That’s the look I wished to savour. A man so confident in his divine judgement that he chaste himself to be powerless before his own creation. Maker of curses. Man of conviction. Your reign ends.”
David launched back into the air, bristling the trees and sending birds scattering into the sky.
Alius covered his mouth and thought a moment. He knew not if he could trust Elizabeth, but she had become his only hope. She would either doom everyone and everything or perhaps she had become the honest woman she had emulated all this time.
***
Elizabeth was in the manor house when Alius appeared. She blinked and raised her chin. His aura was dark and filled with fret.
“What is your plan, Elizabeth? Are you true? Or do you join with David?”
Elizabeth watched Simon as he ripped into the walls, pulling wood away and tossing it into the centre of the living room. “I am true.”
“He knows a way out.”
“Indeed.”
“You have allowed this to happen. You could make a fate far worse than the one I have created.”
“Your repetition is tiring, Alius. I must admit it, is nice to speak to you with that smugness wiped clear.”
Alius gritted his teeth. “I cannot break this curse.”
“You can.”
“I must forgive him.”
“Just forgive him then!”
“I cannot in this form, Elizabeth. My living form must.” Alius ran his hands through his hair. “The circle was made to complete itself. You broke it and imparted upon him a knowledge he should not have. Why would you let him into your mind to see?”
“I want this to end. We fail here or we succeed.”
Alius nodded. “I shall try. I will move into the next cycle. I will lay the clues for my living self.”
“Can you not tell him?”
Alius shook his head. “I cannot be seen by anyone until I die. Then it is too late.”
Elizabeth nodded and smiled.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Alius narrowed his eyes, “You know this would happen and that you had to rely on my help.”
“I did.”
“You tempt to leave us to this hell.”
“I’d expect no less than a bitter fool. Perhaps you should preach what you desire your old self to practice and forgive, David.”
“Don’t insult me further.”
Elizabeth winked, “I’m smarter than you ever gave me credit for.”
“You’re too smart. It’s why I loved you.”
“Loved.”
“You’re not loveable. You’re no woman. You never were. I am bitter for my shortcomings. But it is you who made me a fool.”
Elizabeth nodded. “The walls are opening. I am sure you can pass through.”
Alius nodded. I shall try to succeed. I cannot promise anything, and if I fail we will all regret this.”
“Then do not fail, Alius.”
***
David landed in the centre of the village and looked over the lush feasts that awaited. “Come to me! Let me gift you by allowing you to join in my veins! I shall show you a finality that is beyond any mercy your God can offer!”
Greg had managed to rally thirty or so villagers. They carried spears, forks and fisherman's nets. They surrounded David with weapons lifted. “This is not your time, David.”
David laughed. “A rallying defence.” He tore away his shirt to reveal his spiny body. His muscular physique was that of an Adonis. He looked like a warrior sent from Hell.
A couple of villagers dropped their weapons and fled back to their homes.
David pointed at Greg. “Come then. Let me enjoy the bird that struggles."