The Visitor

Ch. 20 - The Departure

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And for a second time that week the three unlikely friends fell asleep with conjoined spirits beside the warmth of the hearth.

The moon shone brightly with the star's radiance upon the small shop.

And everything was peaceful.

And then that moment ended.

The glass window from the back shop entrance shattered.

But it made no sound.

It broke in every direction blowing out into the room.

And yet it froze mid-air.

And then, almost instantly, every tiny piece, every tiny crack vanished.

A gloved sleeve reached through the back door and unlocked the door soundlessly.

The intruder was not the sleeping Rodney nor was it anyone from the town of Zil.

Three hooded figures entered the room, one followed by another.

They scanned the room and communicated wordlessly when their soulless eyes landed on Alysa's sleeping figure.

The tallest figure pointed towards Al and the other two made motions toward her.

One retrieved a small vial and medicine cloth from within his robes.

Another brandished a knife.

They both approached without sound, faintly stepping around the sleeping boys.

They swiftly applied the drug to the cloth and pressed it to her face while simultaneously pressing the knife to her throat.

Alysa jumped at the sudden pressure against her throat, but was pushed back onto the sofa she had been sleeping upon mere moments ago.

The invaders held her down as she thrashed about trying to make some sort of noise to alert Jared and Rodney.

But the drug knocked her out before she could.

The man returned the vial and cloth to his inner pocket and pulled out three lengths of rope.

The duo briskly bound her by her hands, feet, and gagged her to ensure the silence remained.

The one figure also untied a scarf from around their shoulder and covered the unconscious child's sight.