Page 34 of Whispers of the Elderoak

Henry walked over and wrapped her in his arms, rubbing her back as Ava sobbed into his chest. She could barely breatheand felt the panic overwhelming her as she tried to make sense of what she had witnessed.

She was about to demand they get in the car and leave when Henry whispered in her ear, “Give me the map, Ava.”

She pulled back to look at him, a new fear stirring inside her. “What did you say?” she whispered.

He tilted his head in a feline grace, an unfamiliar expression on his face. “The map.”

Ava pushed herself out of his arms and backed away, heart pounding.

He stood in the hallway facing her, hands clasped behind him and a look on his face she had never seen before. “I’ve been looking through your house for weeks. Never able to find anything your crazy grandfather left regarding the portal.” He strolled closer to her, looking at her with eyes full of disgust. “Until you showed me that book.”

“Henry…” she croaked, trying to hold back the tears that had just stopped flowing.

Eleanor was right,she thought.I should have listened to her, and now she’s dead.

“Deidamia coming into your house was the perfect excuse to install the security system,” he said as he continued stalking closer.

She shook her head. “Who?”

“You’ll meet her soon enough.” He paused a few feet in front of her. “All I had to do was look at your camera feed. I knew you’d find the map for me.”

Continuing to back away, she started thinking of an escape route. The front door was to her right, but the creature was out there, so she started to inch her way to her left, planning on grabbing a knife from the kitchen, like when the creature had invaded her home.

“I have everything I need now,” he said as he held out the book he had hidden behind his back. “Except that map.” Heresumed strolling in her direction, floor creaking with each step.

She decided to keep him talking, hoping to distract him as she inched further left and prepared herself to run. Tears ran down her face, heartbroken she was deceived.

“Henry, please,” she begged. “I thought you cared about me.”

He scoffed, continuing to creep forward. “You were so easy to manipulate. A lost little puppy with her dead mom.” He was mocking her now. “You’re pathetic,” he spat, looking at her with hatred. “I’ve been stuck in this god-forsaken world for decades. We were so close a few months ago.” He slipped a hand into his pocket. “But then your stupid grandfather had to go and kill himself. The blood must be fresh. Flowing from the vein to open the portal. And since he was dead, we couldn’t use his.”

Sniffling as she backed away further, she shook her head. “What? No… I don’t understand…”

He continued waltzing toward her, slowly, like he was enjoying her fear.

Who was he? What did he mean stuck in this world? He knew about the portal and the map, which meant he must know about this other world.

She bolted to the kitchen. Henry appeared just as she made it down the hallway, blocking her escape. Before she had a chance to change course, he threw her backward against the wall. Her body slammed into the entry table, and she collapsed on all fours, gasping for breath.

“Give me the map!” he shouted, then kicked her in the ribs, a sharp pain stabbing her side as she fell further.

Pulling herself back up, she tried to crawl, ignoring his demands. She wasn’t fast enough, and he was on her, lifting her by her throat as her feet barely scraped the ground. He slammed her into the wall again, holding her neck with one hand.

She tried to scratch him, tried to pry his hand off her throat. She was going to die; he was going to choke her right here. Panicking, she attempted to kick him, but her bruised ribs made it difficult to move.

Henry looked at her as he reached into his pocket with his other hand. When she saw the syringe he was holding, she flailed and tried to get away. She tried talking but nothing would come out, his hand too tight around her throat and her feet still not touching the ground.

“Give. Me. The. Map!” he shouted inches from her face.

“No,” she managed to croak out in a whisper.

Then he plunged the needle into her neck.

11

Shadow surrounded her, her body was leaden. Moving was impossible.

Something soft caressed her skin. Grass?

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