When He Found Her (#1) (The Fire Journal)

The Fire Journal

  When He Found Her

  Danielle Kazemi

  Copyright 2012 Danielle Kazemi

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The Fire Journal

  When He Found Her

  Danielle Kazemi

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 1

  “Brothers, we've gathered here to prepare the world for his arrival. We are the only ones who recognize his impending plans for the world. We must ensure everything goes accordingly. Our sacrifices shall not be in vain,” a young man dressed in dark robes said aloud to men surrounding him. His voice echoed throughout the enclosure; the hard cave walls a perfect conductor for his tone.

  A covey of men stood around, all of them dressed alike in the dark robes as their leader; the cowl of each robe pulled tight around their face. No one raised their voice in response, all of them in silent agreement with their leader.

  The only bright spot, if it could be consider as such, was an altar set in the middle of the room. It emitted a deep red from a source within providing the illumination. Upon the sides, odd symbols burned aglow. Each one burning into the darkness around it, growing brighter as the time passed. Flames licked the side as it waited in silence for the next victim to be laid upon it. Blood needed to be spilt upon it once more to satisfy an insatiable thirst of its creator.

  The leader motioned with a dark gloved hand towards the side room. The door swung open, the hinges barely making a creak. Another darkly cloaked man stepped forward, his hands holding upon the nape of a young blonde woman clothes in a dark red dress. Her wrists remained bound to one another in an effort to keep her contained.

  “Get your hands off me,” she said, attempting to free herself from the man. Her hair splayed about her face as she desperately resisted being pushed forward. Her feet dug into the ground with no avail, slipping on the miry floor. She didn't discern who these people were or what they planned to happen – her sole thought was on freeing herself.

  The man behind her continued pushing her forward; his strength vastly superior to her own. He pressed his hand against her back and sent her tumbling over her feet forward, her balance only regained at the last moment.

  The leader walked towards her, extending his hand as he gently caressed her face. He moved it along her cheek, tenderly and stroked a lock of hair from above her eye, pushing it behind her ear. “Don't protest,” he said in a reassuring voice, “You've been chosen.” The soft tones barely carried above a whisper even in the silence of the cave. He knew what he had to happen. The sacrifice must be carried out.

  “I don't know what you're doing here but you have to let me go. My father will come and he won't stand for this. He'll send the cops after you. He'll send everyone after you.” Her voice broke on the last sentence. Even now she understood there existed little chance of them listening to anything she said. These were the sorts of people she had been warned about. The kinds who preyed upon young women like her.

  She recognized going to the party was a bad idea especially with the recent spate of abductions. Still, it should’ve been a safe place she went to. Nothing like this should have happened. If she went back, she should stay inside and study or watch anything on TV. Anything at all would be better than this. She wanted to blink her eyes and realize this scenario existed only as a terrible nightmare.

  His laugh echoed through the darkness. The others joined in; the sound reverberating off the dark chasm far beneath the ground. It sounded as though millions of people laughed at her, enjoying her moment of ignorance.

  Her bottom lip quivered. She wanted to go anywhere else right now. She closed her eyes, desperate for some hero would dash inside and save her. She didn't even know where she was. When she opened them, everything remained the same as before.

  The laughter died down as abruptly as it started. The entire cavern fell silent; the only noise being drops of water coming from above. Their pitiful splash let her know no one would be coming to her rescue.

  “What do you want from me?” She glared at him, her eyes tearful and suppliant. If he wanted to use her for some physical purpose, she’d comply. The unknown aspect of being their prisoner weighed against her far more heavily. A number of scenarios she ran through her mind, all of their dark and sinister.

  He paused, his chest rising heavily through his cloak.

  The man from behind grabbed onto her arms roughly. Her own chest began beating faster. The time for finding out what they wanted her for drew near. “Please don't,” she pleaded once more, “If you have any compassion, please let me go. I won't tell anyone.” Tear rolled off her cheek and onto the floor, mixing with the murky water already on the ground.

  He moved closer towards her. He raised his hand; she flinched. He passed his fingers underneath her eye, wiping away a tear clung to her cheek. “Don't cry. You're necessary to bring him back. Your sacrifice will ensure the world learns about his dark powers.” He threw back his cowl.

  She screamed, the sound echoing back upon her.

  In place of his head, there existed the menacing face of a fish complete with luminous teeth seeming to come in rows of three or four. Each tooth appeared serrated, ready to cut through flesh quickly. The scales seemed to adsorb any extra light in their dark green texture. He blinked his eyes, a thin coating still showing his pupils visible through them and his gills worked to move air into his body. This wasn’t the man she thought.

  “Let me go, let me go, let me go,” she pleaded rapidly, her captor leading her against her will towards the altar. Her feet resisted heavily once more, desperately attempting to cling to anything sticking out from the ground. They found nothing – the area completely devoid of loose materials. The flames spread allowing a clear passage to the inner lit altar. Her thrashing was in vain; the larger, stronger man behind her having no difficulty in bringing her to the destination.

  He lifted her onto the altar forcefully, his hand lay upon her legs as he worked the shackles. She clawed at his arms with her still bound hands, the effect seeming to be useless. He continued on with his work and pinned her feet to the bottom section with the hard iron. He grabbed her wrists and drew them above her head, forcing her into a lying down position. As she tried wiggling them free, he completed his task. With one last look at her, he walked back through the flames and rejoined his kindred.

  The leader walked up to her again, this time his expression far more serious. He passed his hands along the shackles, inspecting them to make sure they remained placed in position. A nod from his head ensured her they were. In a gargled voice, he explained, “You don't realize how important you are. Your sacrifice will be our gain. From all of us, I thank you.” His hand reached towards her face once more.

  She turned her head, shaking off
his touch. This creature had no right to touch her. He planned on killing her and she didn’t warrant any reason to. She would have given him whatever he wanted. All she wanted was another day. Her anger gave way, the only words coming to mind being, “Go to hell.”

  He laughed, the cavern once again booming with the sound of it. The other men remained silent and reposed. “Been there.”

  Her face fell, her heart beat increased.

  He backed away from the altar, the flames rushing back into their previous position before she was brought forward. They filled the room with their heat; the water dripping down upon those in the crowd heavier than before. The men around her, all of whom she assumed were these fish creatures in disguise, started chanting. Their voices resounded throughout the dim room, seeming like everyone in the world wanted for her to be sacrificed.

  “Stop it. Stop it!” She yelled, hoping someone would hear her. All she needed was one person to come save her from this. She wasn’t asking too much. All she wanted was one person. She would never leave her house again if someone did. There had to be one person out there who could help her.

  The chanting increased at an accelerated rate. The flames grew in intensity, reaching upwards until she was unable to see the men. She felt alone. No one could help her. She yelled out once more into the darkness – the last sound she ever made before the flames engulfed her.