Chapter 16

The atmosphere was dark and creepy with no sign of life. Dead-looking trees with their leaves shed throughout the centuries were everywhere forming scary-looking patterns all over the vast wasteland. A large crow rested itself on the branch of a creepy looking tree. It seems to monitor every movement in the area and the trees on closer observation showed some kind of movements that would make any kid never think of visiting a haunted house.

Hecate was seen walking through the creepy wasteland as her eyes searched the environment, she had a straight face, and her expression was emotionless. The crow standing on the branch of the tree earlier flew away on seeing Hecate, revealing the old-looking castle at the center of the wasteland which was almost completely hidden by the trees around. Hecate smiled at sight, she increased her pace, and in no time, she got to a river with a very small and old canoe at the dock, it revealed that the castle was actually on an island in the middle of the river.

Hecate got into the boat and propelled it forward with magic. The crow on the branch earlier came resting on her shoulder, it made a smile appear on her face. She fed it some grains which it ate from her hands before flying ahead of the boat, leading the way. She got there in no time and the moment she stepped into the compound, there was a strange mist that almost got everywhere covered, it cloaked the look of the castle's surroundings with Hecate standing in the middle of it. The enveloped almost every part of the castle as lightning flashed across the dark sky which when one looks at-- it has no source of light, except for the moon, there's no star.

Part of the mist gathered in the middle as the crow circled the part which was building up into the shape of a man. Hecate was focused with keen interest. She didn't look surprised by it and one could tell it's not her first time witnessing the process. The mist guy built up into the shape of a man without clearing off from the floor or the environment of the castle and the crow landed on its shoulder after the vital parts like hands, head, and legs had been formed.

"My lord" Hecate bowed after the figure had been formed.

"My lady," said the man figure stretching out his hand which has diamond rings on every finger. Hecate took it and kissed it with a smile.

"I presume you have the stone," said the figure, turning towards the entrance to the castle as Hecate followed closely by his side. Hecate didn't reply to what he said and he turned to face her as the door opened up by itself. "You don't have it?" His voice didn't show if he was angry or not. There's no hidden message behind it. He stepped into the large hall as the torches on the wall lit up with magic showing the interior part of the castle which looks more like a temple that has an altar at the center with lit candles surrounding it. Giant pillars were supporting the building from the roof and they were decorated with golden patterns at the base and cap.

"There were other demons and that was why I came here" she replied turning to face him as they both stopped by the altar.

"Should I be worried?" Said the figure as it peeked into her eyes for answers that weren't written there.

"I think you should be Erebus, 'cause the demon is someone I least expected" she replied with her eyes still locked with his.

"And who could this threat be that I should be so afraid of the success of your mission?" He asked with his voice laced with desperation and anger which he was trying so hard to hide even though his face wasn't showing.

"It's Stheno" she replied shocking Erebus, "Stheno Gorgon".

****

Ambulances and paramedics moved around, carrying out their duties at Oak street as several police vehicles could be seen around the old warehouse, including that of firefighters. Smoke rose from different parts of the street and the buildings around including the old warehouse suffered a lot of damage.

Mr. McCarthy drove into the scene in the company of two other cops, he had a shocked expression as he beheld the damage that was done. Statues of cops could be seen everywhere and screams of others who were wounded with their bodies brutally burnt rent the air.

" Bloody hell!" Cursed Mr. McCarthy. He his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Chief" Clara called, making Mr. McCarthy, turn around as he had already placed the phone on his left ear.

"I was about to call you, Clara," he said withdrawing the phone from his ear. "God, this is some goddamn war front," he said providing a pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket, removed one from the stashed sticks, and sticked it in between his lips. He brought out a lighter, lit the cigarette, and took a long drag. He puffed out the smoke with a shaky breath.

"I believe you weren't here when the whole thing happened," he said as he took another drag. They watched a cop wheeled into a waiting ambulance on a stretcher. The man was missing a leg and he was crying as the paramedics wheeled him into the ambulance.

"I wasn't " she replied when the ambulance drove off as more bodies were brought out of the warehouse. "I wasn't supposed to be here" she added putting her hands in her pockets as they both strolled around the scene, taking visual notes of their surroundings.

Mr. McCarthy took another drag as Clara observed him closely, his hands were shaky.

"You're scared" Said Clara looking away from his direction.

"I'm not" he replied as they continued to stroll around.

"What are those things?" He asked keeping a straight face while they walked and kept observing the damages.

"No one knows, " she replied as the air around them blew an aura of sadness. Death stench the air as paramedics kept wheeling out bodies and statues.

"The Mayor will call me for questions I don't have answers to," he said, his voice laced with concern which he was trying hard to cloak. He's scared but wasn't trying to show his weakness.

"It's gonna be okay," said Clara as they both walked towards Mr. Mccarthy's parked car, he only nod his head in response.

"Where's your partner, I haven't seen him since the girl died earlier today?" He asked, trying to change the topic.

"I've not heard from him either," said Clara with a shrug. _' And I doubt he'll ever show his face again '_ she thought.

Mr. McCarthy opened his car doors and was about to go inside but paused as if he remembered something.

"You're right Clara," he began, "I'm scared. I'm so scared and confused" he added. Looking into her eyes.

"We'll survive this" she replied with a nod, "We'll survive it, together" she added and he nod his head in agreement.

"I'm proud of you," he said sincerely before entering the car and igniting the engine. "Good night, Clara," he said before driving off.

****

Star Lake City Hospital bustled with activities as a lot of wounded were brought in from, the Oak street attack. All hands were on deck as every medical personnel battled with the life of the patients who were losing lots of blood.

The emergency room was already filled up as they prepared to use other wards as temporary emergency centers to save everyone's life.

A blonde nurse could be seen hurrying towards the new emergency room with a bunch of cotton wool and band-aids in a cart which she pushed as fast as she could. She got into the room and felt sick immediately she got there, seeing the amount of blood all around her.

"I need a hand, Anna" another nurse called from the other end of the room, she was trying to hold down one of the wounded cops who was screaming and trying to free himself from the grip of the doctor trying to inject him. He was losing a hand and his cheek was heavily bandaged.

Anna hurried over as they struggled to keep him under control, but he was somehow stronger than they are.

"Help me, please," he said grabbing Anna by the hair as he smeared blood all over her face and uniform. "I don't wanna die" he added as he coughed out blood, spitting it all over her face. She staggered backward, watching the man convulse severally before his body suddenly stopped moving.

Anna was scared, as her breath was harsh. She had never seen someone die in her life and to make things worse, she was covered in human blood. She scurried to her feet and ran to the female's restroom without stopping to take a breath. She locked the door behind her, rested her back against the door as she tried to steady her breath. She shut her eyes tight for two or three seconds and swallowed hard before opening them again as she moved toward the sink. She opened the tap and begin scrubbing the blood off her face as she sobbed gently. It was her first day on duty and it wasn't what she had dreamed her first day to be like.

She left the restroom after trying her best to remove a little of the blood on her face. She almost ran into one of the doctors coming from the emergency room.

"First day, huh?" He asked with a smile when he saw her nervousness and the blood stains on her uniform. "My first duty was also bloody. I'll never forget it" he added with a charming smile.

"Emergency room one is running out of supplies, grab this from the store," he said handing over a small piece of paper that consists of things she's to provide from the store.

She hurried into the store and was surprised to find out that there was no one there, it was strange because there used to be an attendant there that would provide the things she needed. She didn't let it bother her too much, knowing every minute she spend there might cost a life. She grabbed some of the things she needed from the shelves and was turning round the other shelf when she beheld the horror of her life. There on the floor was the lifeless body of a male teenager with his throat ripped out and his stomach cut open. There was a big hole in his chest and his heart and liver were put in a plastic sack just beside him. A closer look revealed who the body was, Matt.

She let out a long scream that echoed through the hall.