Page 27 of Be With Us: An Urban Foursome Love Story

Mark sparked up another match in the darkness and Emilia ran over to him, followed by Amy, both holding onto the arms of the now edgy ex-soldier.

But Cassian was nowhere to be seen.

‘Oh what the fuck, where is Cass?’ said Emilia.

‘I’m here,’ he said. ‘When the voices started, I heard a door open. There’s another room back here, but the door is now closed and locked.’

Emilia had to admire his bravery, when even Mark was starting to feel unsettled, Cassian had found some reserve of fearlessness, but she found he often did this at home too. If she was upset, he would be calm and rational, if she was sad, he would cheer her up. If she was scared, he would be brave. He was the yin to her yang.

‘There’s a book on a table, and it’s open on a specific page,’ he called out.

‘What does it say?’ said Mark, approaching the locked door.

‘For it is the power of Christ that compels you, who brought you low by His cross. Tremble before that mighty arm that broke asunder the dark prison walls and led souls forth to light.’

There was a flash followed by a crash of thunder and a scream and the room plunged into darkness. Mark took a step back and almost stumbled.

He had seen Annie, right behind Cassian.

The lights didn’t come back on.

‘Cass, we have to get you out of there,’ said Mark.

‘The mighty arm that broke asunder the dark prison walls,’ said Cassian. ‘Can you break down the door?’

‘Asunder means to break in two,’ said Emilia. ‘Does the door fold?’

‘It’s a barn door,’ said Mark, feeling for the latch and releasing it. The bottom section swung open and Cassian crawled through. Mark slammed it shut behind him.

‘Did you bring the book?’

‘Yep, but how are we gonna read it without light?’

There was another flash of lightning and the girls screamed.

‘Give me the fucking rosary beads,’ said Amy. ‘And the book. Who has the cross?’

Amy was given all the items in quick succession by hands in the darkness. Her nerves were tattered, but she was running out of patience.

‘Emilia take the beads,’ she fumbled in the darkness for Emilia’s hand and squeezed it softly as she handed them to her. ‘Hold it out in front of you.’

There was another flash of thunder and Emilia screamed. ‘She’s over there,’ she shouted and pointed. ‘Annie.’

They all turned to look and another flash outlined the doll on the floor, standing and staring at them.

‘Cass, do you remember what the book said?’ Amy shouted.

‘I think so,’ he said.

’Now’s the time.’

‘For it is the power of Christ that compels you,’ there was crash of thunder and a scream and then all around them were flames. As if the whole room was alight and all the dolls were burning.

In the centre, the burnt figure of Annie the broken doll was moving slowly toward them.

‘For it is the power of Christ that compels you’, Cassian said again and Emilia moved forward with the rosary beads, spurred on by Cass’s bravery.

The doll stopped, and there was another scream as its mouth opened wide, flames reflected in it’s eyes.

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