Page 70 of Beyond the Darkness
“I didn’t get a good enough look.It happened so fast.He killed Rav without a second’s remorse.”The second cable fell away, and Hudson got straight to work on his ankles.
As soon as Luke was free, Hudson helped him to his feet.His legs wobbled and he leaned against him.Hudson tried to check him over in the fading light.It looked like he might have taken a beating, but there were no obvious wounds.
Hudson helped him into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
“We have to go, now.”
His heart seemed to stop as they made their way down the stairs.
Baby Face had vanished.Mercifully the door had withstood the onslaught of the axe.Would the rear entrance hold up so well?The windows?
They crept down to the hall, listening all the time for the sound of breaking glass.
Luke was steadier on his feet when they moved stealthily into the living room.Hudson turned off the light so they couldn’t be seen from outside.He passed his phone to Luke.“Call the cops.Tell them to get here fast.”
Hudson moved to the window, peering around the curtains.It was near dark outside.Ominously quiet.Every shadow contained the threat of death.
“Police,” Luke gasped into the phone.“We need help, right now.There’s been a murder.Someone is still after us.”
Hudson could hear the calm voice of the emergency responder on the line.Luke gave the details and his address.How long would it take them to reach here?Five minutes?Ten?Hudson’s breath was deafening in his own head, and he strained to listen further, for anything outside, or something in the house that should not be there.
Suddenly the outside security light came on and the whole driveway was illuminated.The two vehicles and Rav’s body, lying face down in a widening pool of blood.
Hudson shrieked as a face appeared at the window.
Baby Face.
Only a pane of glass separated him from that blank plastic mask.It was a perfect replica of the one worn by the killer in the movie.Even the costume—the blue overalls—was a match, but, in the harsh light of the driveway, Hudson saw the dark, wet stains of blood.
Baby Face lifted the axe and tapped it against the window.The blade scratched the glass and smeared it with blood.
“Shit.Hudson, get back from there.”
He could only stare with a morbid fascination.Like a fox caught in headlights on a back country road, he was frozen to the spot.He gazed at the eyes inside the mask, hoping to see some recognition.Grasping for something.
Then Baby Face took a step back and swung the axe.
Amazingly, the toughened glass held, and the blade sprang back.Baby Face swung again with even greater force.It wouldn’t stand up to much more.
“We need to get out.”Hudson grabbed Luke and ushered him into the kitchen.There was still a chance they could escape out the back way and make it over the wall.
Hudson’s shoes squeaked on the tiled floor.There were plates and mugs on the draining board, seeming so mundane, so utterly normal in contrast to the madness behind them.
“Keys,” he gasped, noticing that they were not already in the lock.
Luke pulled a bowl across the table towards him, rummaging through the clutter.
The breaking sound of glass filled the house.The front window had given in.
While Luke scrambled for the keys, Hudson tore open a drawer, searching for knives.He found tea towels and dishcloths.Shit.The next drawer down was filled with jars of herbs and spices, rolls of cling film and foil.
“I’ve got it,” Luke exclaimed, the key in his hand.
They lurched for the door.Luke took hold of the handle and was about to insert the key, when a figure appeared on the other side.Even through the frosted pane of glass, the Baby Face mask and overalls were unmistakable.They stepped back together.
Then, alerted by a sound from behind, Hudson spun to see someone else in a Baby Face mask enter the kitchen from the other end.
His heart seemed to freeze as his mind raced with so many colliding thoughts.
