“You know how I can get when I drink. Mix that together with sexual frustration and…” He had trailed off. Or maybe she had stopped listening. All she remembered now was that night had been the beginning of the end. For the first time ever, she had thought about hurting him, about fighting back. Multiple times he had threatened her with a knife, hammer, or whatever he had been holding at the moment. There would have been no question she had been defending herself.
Sasha sat up on the bathroom floor and wiped the tears from her face. The spiraling, it seemed, had come to an end. But these things always had a way of sneaking back up on her when she least suspected it. A tiny knock came at the door and Sasha jumped to her feet.
"Mommy, I have to pee."
"Alright, honey, just a second."
A brief glance in the mirror and Sasha touched up her hair and wiped away the smearing makeup. Sasha pulled open the bathroom door and smiled. "All yours," she said and headed off into the living room to unpack the remainder of the boxes.
Chapter Two
The house was completely silent, save for the cicadas outside with their endless chirping. Claire was used to them by now. In fact, they helped her sleep. She had lived in Carlisle for over thirty years and was used to the deafening silence inside her home and the utter roar of insects outside. It was a balance she had grown so accustomed to she couldn't sleep if it became disturbed.
An unfamiliar sound stirred her from her sleep. Though faint, the echo which muttered through her home was enough to disturb Claire. Somewhere off in the darkness of the house, something had been knocked off a counter. She was sure of it. But that was impossible. Claire lived alone and didn’t own any animals. She wasn’t the pet keeping type. She hated pets. They were disgusting creatures that provided nothing in return and only required handfuls of work. A truly pointless addition to a happy home, in her opinion.
Like most people, Claire’s worst fear was an intruder. She was too old to protect herself in case someone wanted to do her harm. Though, there was no reason to fear. Her neighbors were all friendly and they all got along. Besides, no one in the history of Carlisle had ever committed a violent crime. Inside the city limits of Carlisle, there had never been a single murder. Three hundred years of peace and prosperity. Big city crimes just did not happen in Carlisle.
Even knowing the history of the town, she was still nervous. She couldn't explain why. Then the explanation hit her like a truck. A new woman had come to town today. No one in her thirty years in town had moved to Carlisle, and with good reason. There was nothing there. Modern Americans would feel like they stepped out of a time machine and into a less civilized world. There were no Wal-Marts for a hundred miles. No fast food restaurants, either. Sure, major updates had come to town over the years such as the internet, cable, modern plumbing, and electric cars. But, the structures remained relatively unchanged.
"Hello?" She called out into the darkness. Of course, there was no reply. She was being paranoid. It was an old house making noise, nothing more. She was merely on edge because of the newcomer. Tomorrow, at the fall festival, Claire would meet the woman and grow to love her. Then she would see there was nothing to worry about.
Still, she stared at the dark void that was the doorway to her bedroom. It had to be her eyes playing tricks on her but she could swear there were eyes staring back at her. Cold, glaring eyes seemed to pierce the darkness and into her soul. Nothing seemed to be attached. Merely eyes.
Claire shook her head and clamped her eyes. When she opened them, the vision was gone. She felt like she was going mad. Convinced she was seeing things, Claire rested her head back on the pillow and shut her eyes.
Somewhere in her bedroom, a floorboard creaked. Claire's eyes snapped open but it was too late. A gloved hand was placed over her mouth and held firmly. She tried to scream but it only came out in muffled whimpers. There was barely time for her to register what was happening before a large knife was driven straight through her skull. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and urine soaked her pink nightgown. After a few twitches of the right foot, Claire was dead. The killer pulled the knife from her head with a sickening sucking noise and wiped the blood on either side of her cheeks, making the symbol of a cross. They weren't any ordinary crosses, however. These crosses were drawn upside down. A black candle the size of a small pickle jar was rolled under Claire’s bed before the killer receded into the darkness.
Chapter Three
The morning air was crisp and clean. Sasha opened every window she could, letting in the morning sounds. For the first time in a long time, she was truly happy. It had to be the fresh air. Here, they were far from polluting cities and smog from car exhaust. Unlike the city she was used to, the air felt clean and fresh.
Tara was fast asleep in her bed. Considering the stressful situation Sasha had put her under, she decided to let her sleep in. Besides, a little alone time would
