Prologue. The House on Rectory Lane.
They reached the trees together, clasping their arms around the rough bark, clinging on for dear life.
The two of them were exhausted, but they knew they couldn’t stop for long.
If only it were a fun run, Tough Mudder or maybe even paintballing. How they both wished it was something different.
It felt like they had been running for hours.
The forest was so dark, apart from the torch in the distance. The bright glare sliced through the dark, blinding them, their cue to duck, hide, and run. But it hadn’t been visible for a good ten minutes. The house was now half a mile away. They needed to make it there.
Listening for any movement, she turned to her husband. ‘What now?’
‘Give it another few minutes just to make sure it’s safe; then we make a run for the house.’
She was nodding whilst gasping for breath. After a few minutes, they steadied themselves. It was silent. Calm, even.
She burst into tears. ‘Where the hell are the kids? What do you think they’ve done with them?’
Her husband never answered.
She turned, still clinging to the tree, focusing through the mist.
He wasn’t there.
* * *
She ran through the house, screaming their names, but the place was empty. Her family were gone.
Dashing from the living room to the utility room, then the kitchen, she opened the back door. The garden was still. Void of life. Slamming the door behind her, she raced back through the hall. The grandfather clock sounded, echoing through the house, announcing 11pm, then the chimes.
Dong.
Dong.
Her head vibrated with the clunks. She could see the cobwebs tremble on the side of the big face. It had always bothered her. The clock gave a haunting feeling like it was possessed. Bringing bad luck.
The house seemed so full when the rest of her family were here. She had never appreciated it enough when they were all around.
Where the hell are they?
Her heart was beating much faster than it should as she crossed the hall in a daze. A shadow developed on the edge of her vision.
She spun around.
Someone was charging towards her from the kitchen. The light from the camera they were holding glared into her eyes.
In their other hand, the person was holding a crowbar.
‘No. God no. Don’t do this!’
She ran towards the stairs but fell at the bottom step, her hand reaching for the bannister. She pulled herself up and took the stairs two at a time.
At the top, she spun around. The intruder was already halfway up. Making her way past the upstairs rooms, she reached the end bedroom and slammed the door. She screamed out, ‘Help! For God’s sake, someone help me!’
She listened. Silence.
The door moved suddenly. The intruder was kicking it in.
BANG!
BANG!
She backed away, pressing her body against the wall. The door crashed open.
The intruder slowly crossed the room to her.