A Dark Lesson pt. 7

Debbie sat on a cot in the back of a long, narrow room.  She had picked that cot because it was closest to the wall, and gave her a clear view of the door.  She sat with her back nestled into the corner, her knees pulled to her chest.  The people in this place seemed nice enough, even kind, but it wasn't them that she was worried about.  It was the other ones, the ones from the chapel.  They would be coming soon.  She could feel it like a vibration through the scars that decorated her abdomen. 

There was a knock at the door.  Debbie didn't respond. 

A second knock.

"Who... who is it?" she squeeked. 

There was no answer.  A silence fell over the room.

Another knock. 

"Who is it?" Her voice was louder now.  Maybe they hadn't heard her before.  Maybe the walls, or the door were too thick, and maybe she just hadn't been loud enough. 

"Who is it?" Debbie leaned forward, raising her voice slightly.  Carefully she inched towards the edge of the cot.

The door to the room slowly began to creak open.  The hallway beyond was dark, and because of the distance from her cot to the door, she couldn't make out if anyone was there or not.  So, she inched closer, stretching one leg out, her foot touching the floor. 

"Please," slowly she stood up, "my nerves are shot enough as is.  This isn't funny." 

"But we aren't done with you yet," said a voice. The voice didn't come from the hallway, but closer, much closer. 

A shiver ran down Debbie's spine as she looked down towards her feet.  The top of a head poked out from under the bed.  It, or more appropriately, she had white blonde hair and white eyes.  The girl giggled. 

"Alice..." whispered Debbie. "Don't do this."

She just giggled again, and an arm shot out from under the cot, a hand grabbing Debbie's ankle and squeezing.  Debbie winced in pain as she felt Alice's long nails dig into her flesh.  With a tug Debbie was off her feet, her face slamming into the hard, tile floor.  There was a loud clap as her nose snapped, blood pouring from her nostrils, and she could feel one of her teeth dig into her tongue as her jaws snapped shut from the impact, filling her mouth with copper tasting blood. 

She struggled, kicking and screaming, but her attacks found nothing to connect with.  Then, with one hard tug she was yanked under the cot, into the shadows that seemed much to thick. 

As she vanished into the darkness Debbie was able to let out one, loud scream.