Eternal Investigations

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"The big nasty's about to make Jacqueline into an afternoon snack!"

Helen let out a wordless shout of frustration and kicked futilely at the planks with all her anger and fear.

***

Jacqueline came to just as the shadowy form of her captor came close. She jerked back, away from the fetid stench as a vaguely hand-shaped appendage reached for her. Remembering the strength in that grip, she scrambled away with her hands, legs bound together and useless. One of her hands fell on a sharp rock, the palm cut and bleeding instantly. Jacqueline wrapped her hand around it, unheeding of further, self-inflicted damage. Any weapon was better than none.

Pain lanced through her ankles again as it dangled her upside-down in the air. It shook her violently and Jacqueline moaned in pain when her neck cracked, but held tight to the stone in her hand. Then it dropped her again and the air left her in a rush. Everything was dark on darker, and it was a struggle to make out even that much with her head swimming, but the barest hint of a light source came from somewhere. It was just enough to aim the makeshift blade and smash it into the creature's face, driving the pointed end in with all her force when the thing bent over her.

It screamed in pain, rearing back until it crashed into the wall and fell to the ground. Instantly pushing herself into a sitting position, Jacqueline pulled at the ropes around her ankles. Thankfully, they were rotting or made out of something not very strong because they came apart under her frantic attack. Not waiting to see if it was alive or dead, Jacqueline crawled in what she hoped was the right direction.

She got confused when the tunnel split, unsure which way to go. Taking a chance, she went right and moved as fast as she could over the uneven ground, barely noticing the rocks that dug into her knees and shins and hands.

Brenda appeared right in front of her, scaring her backwards with a cry. She was somehow half in the ground, just the top half of her body showing, so as to be at eye level with her. The ghost exclaimed, "Stop! Stop! You went the wrong way!"

Jacqueline bit back a sob of fear and frustration before forcing herself to turn around. Her heart pounded heavy in her chest and every limb shook with exhaustion and an overload of adrenaline. It seemed to take forever, but Brenda glided beside her and encouraged her on until she reached that split again. She went the other way that time, praying wordlessly that the creature was really dead and not about to jump her. Finally, blessed sunlight fell on her face and she saw Helen crawling towards her.

"Jacqueline! Come on, hurry!" Helen shouted, turning and crawling back towards the hole up.

Jacqueline made it as fast as she could and let the other woman tie a rope around and under her shoulders, leaning on Helen completely.

"Pull her up!"

The rope went taut, pulling her up the hole to the park. Rudy and Drake helped her away from the hole and she simply lay there, panting and basking in the sunlight.

Moments later, Helen knelt beside her. "You look like crap."

"Thanks," Jacqueline muttered, unable to even summon a smile. Too much of her hurt.

Two men in EMT uniforms came into her line of sight, pushing Helen out of the way. Ignoring their professional medical jargon, Jacqueline allowed herself to fade away.

***

Helen trailed close behind the gurney holding Jacqueline, determined not to let the woman out of her sight. For all they knew, some kind of bond had been formed and whatever had taken her would try again. Rudy stayed behind to talk to the cops who had plenty of questions about Jacqueline's state. That was fine, though. She trusted him to come up with something plausible. It wasn't like they could tell the truth about what had happened, nor would it be their first time lying to law enforcement.