The Skinwalker Hunter

Chapter 5 -Evan 1856

Smears of blood and a waxy white paste coated the naked body of the creature now sitting on the bloody remains of his mother. Rosa stiffened, unable to break her gaze from its chilling black eyes. It outstretched its arms and she tried to push herself away but she was paralysed. Her heart was beating so fast it was threatening to break out of her chest. 

A gentle warmth touched her skin seeping into her pores, sending waves of reassurance throughout her body and bringing her a sense of peace. The thrum of her heart began to slow with each wave, as the creature continued to stare straight through her.

"Mama?" A calming voice entered her mind and she glanced around to see if there was anyone else around. She was alone. Was it even conceivable to think that the baby was responsible or was she simply losing her mind? Turning back to face the creature, Rosa furrowed her brow as she looked closer at the blood-stained infant. For a newborn, he was healthy-looking and everything was in proportion. His little arms were still outstretched with his hands clenching and unclenching, beckoning for Rosa to pick him up. When she looked at his face, the horrifying creature she had seen before had transformed and dissipated along with her fear.

His chubby cheeks were pale with a perfect button nose in between. The curls of black hair framing his face made the baby look like his father with only one exception. He had his mothers violet coloured eyes.

He was Emily's baby. Her brother's son. He was her nephew, and he was family. Rosa reached over to the baby, picking him up and pulling him close to her chest. He felt cold against her skin as he nestled his head into the crook of her neck. Wrapping her cardigan around his naked body in an attempt to warm him up, Rosa rubbed her hand up and down his back worried that he wasn't going to survive.

"Arrgghh, " she screamed as a sharp pain pierced her neck, like the glowing prongs from a fireplace stoker. Where her skin burned liquid fire poured in, surging through her body like a river of lava, destroying everything in its path. 

Rosa pulled the baby to safety, away from the source of her growing pain. Using her free hand she swatted her neck in an attempt to remove whatever it was that had bitten her. After several attempts, she found nothing but the smears of her blood on her hand.

"Oh my goodness, " she gasped realising it may be on the baby. Searching the folds of her cardigan and the baby, she found nothing except for smears of her blood across his face. 

Furrowing her brow she glared at the baby. He glared at her. Rosa started to question her sanity as several ridiculous scenarios playing out in her mind. Trying to shake them out of her mind, she covered him back up in the cardigan and pulled him closer to the warmth of her body. Fighting through the pain still ravaging her insides, Rosa wiped the blood off his face. He watched her every move and smiled at her tenderness.

He was no ordinary baby, that much was certain. Although she had no children of her own, Rosa was familiar with the mannerisms of babies and this little boy was displaying behaviour well beyond his age. Her younger siblings were months old, not minutes old until their smiles were anything other than wind pains.

"What are we going to do, little one, " she asked, gripping him tighter as she was hit with another painful spasm. The searing pain flowing inside her was taking over her body. Soon she would be completely at its mercy waiting for death to take her. "I can not stay here slowly dying and leave you alone. I need to find you help. For the sake of your mother, you must survive."

Filled with determination, Rosa struggled to her feet. With each wave of pain, she staggered forwards using it to keep her moving. As the waves of pain transformed into walls of pure agony crashing into her, she fell to her knees and began to crawl. 

With the baby cradled close to her chest in one arm, she dragged herself across the back lawn and into the forest. With one last glance at the c*****e left behind, Rosa forced herself to continue. Through the density of the forest, the blackness of this starless night was the help she craved.

If Emily hadn't told her about the old woman that lived next door she never would have realised. The woman was a recluse and had surrounded her house with shrubbery and climbing vines until it was no longer visible to passersby. Shrinking away from society using the protection of the forest to stay hidden and safe. From the story, Emily had told her, the woman's house was in line with her back porch. 

The agony intensified with her leg muscles stiffening beyond the ability to move. The only strength left in her now was the determination to save her nephew's life. On her side, baby still held tightly on the other, she dragged herself through the thickness of the bushes and over fallen trees until she could go no further. Slumping to the ground in defeat, Rosa gently lay the baby on the ground beside her.

"I have failed you my sweet, " she whispered. "I can not get you to the old woman's cottage. I am so sorry you will never have the chance to experience the beauty of life. I can not extend this life any further, but I can gift you with a name you can take with you into the next life."

The infant wriggled next to her limp body, working one of his arms free from the confines of the cardigan. He stretched out arm, placing his tiny hand in Rosa's cheek as if to remind her to keep fighting for him.

She smiled and her eyes fluttered shut. A small voice entered her mind asking her a question. The words floated around with her thoughts of the life she was leaving behind, pleading to be answered.

"The gift I have for you was passed from your mother to me, " she said in a barely audible murmur. "It is the name bestowed upon you by your mother and father. It is your name, Evan Delano. My sweet nephew, Evan, may we meet again in the next....."

Her words trailed off and her body went limp but the fire continued to burn.

                          *  *  *

Rosa had always been a God-fearing woman and had lived her life guided by the good book. it was for this very reason she struggled to understand why she was now condemned to hell. The fire had scorched her insides for an eternity, only now beginning to diminish. Her body had been dragged over jagged rocks that led to hell and her body ached all over.

Had she not worshipped the Lord enough. Were her act's of faith too minuscule? Oh, why didn't she drop more gold into the collection plate?

As the last of the flames flickered out, Rosa braced herself for the devil's next punishment. An icy burn singed the skin on her hands and feet, moving slowly. This new torture was somewhat more bearable than the last but nowhere near pain-free.

With nothing but an eternity of time on her hands, Rosa bought up the image of her nephew in her mind's eye. Evan didn't stand a chance. His pure life was snatched from him by the purest of evil. How she wished she had been granted entry into heaven instead of this hellish place. She would have been blessed with reuniting with her beloved sister in law, Emily and baby Evan.

The burn of the ice froze her skin working its way up to her chest and settling over her heart. With one last forceful shove, the ice burnt down into her heart freezing it's very core.

Rosa lay still on the hard surface, waiting for her deserved torture. She wanted and nothing happened. More waiting and still nothing. Hell's new torture must be waiting for more torture. More time passed and still, nothing happened. She began to feel the weight of her eyelids lighten threatening to flutter open at any moment. Squeezing her eyes shut, Rosa couldn't be sure she was allowed to see what hell looked like. Maybe the devil took unkindly to mortals seeing his realm. She felt her heart start to race as panic washed over her. No, actually. Her heart was frozen and unmoving but the sensations coursing through her body felt almost the same as if it was racing.

A loud scraping sound came from somewhere off to the side. Rosa's eyes shot open and darkness surrounded her. 

Something sharp scraped against the back of her head as she tried looking around for whatever made that sound. Her eyes started adjusting to the darkness and shapes came into view. The scraping sounded again and she shot a look in its direction. There was nothing there except for a gecko scraping its tail along the rocks as it scurried up the wall.

"That doesn't make sense," she murmured, flinching at the musical trill of her voice. Rolling over onto her elbow, Rosa slowly sat up, waiting for the aches and pains to protest with every movement.

There were no pains or protests to speak of. Rosa felt better than she had ever felt. She also felt more alive than ever before.

She could make out the sound of light football in the distance, quickly making their way in her direction. As they drew nearer, a strange scent tickled her nose. Rolling onto her hands and knees, Rosa crawled towards the strange scent. She had no control over her thoughts or actions. All she knew was that she had to find that scent. The closer she got the more urgent the need.

Through a long tunnel opening up into a well-lit chamber, Rosa shot a glance towards the sunlight streaming in through the opening of the cave. The footfalls were getting closer and the scent even stronger.

A pale cherub face peered into the cave with his sparkling violet eyes. A mop of black curls adorned his head and not a stitch of clothing covered his little body. The cherub was the source of the scent she realised as it made its way towards her.

The scent both tickled her nose and sent waves of pleasure throughout her body.

"What strange world am I in," she asked herself tilting her head to the side to look closer at the creature.

"This world is not strange," a familiar voice said in her head. Rosa flinched and scurried backwards before remembering where she had heard that voice before. Foggy memories drifted into her mind and she recalled the strange voice of Emily's baby in her head. The entire gruesome scene played out before her and she sat back with her arms outstretched for him to come to her.

"Evan?" Her voice was barely a whisper. The cherub walked towards her with his arms open wide. When he reached Rosa, he fell into her arms snuggling up to her body. "We have each other now."