Blue Alert - 1

"Carl"

-x-

IT was dark. Night was well under way and the stars were my only audience as I stole into the evil lair of the witch, crouching low in the shadows. I was not learned in the art of ninjutsu, nor was I a ninja, but little did I need such talents to enter that hellhole, the treacherous abode of the Black Witch. She was a menacing creature, foul and wicked. She had poisonous claws and the knowledge of dark magic. She was capable of turning astray any noble man, capturing and imprisoning his body and heart, and devouring both only to cast aside the empty remains like bone scraps from a meal. The Black Witch was a devil in disguise of a maiden; she couldn't be allowed to live.

In the shadows I waited, listening carefully to my surroundings. I was perfect prey now, in the center of all evil. Carefully, I crept forward, keeping close to the walls, the exits, and sneaked further into that wretched den, risking my life with every step. I heard the steady drip of water ahead, collecting in a bin for later use. A leak? Or something crafted on purpose? I didn't know. Hopefully, though, it would mask my footsteps.

Shuffling further inside, I weaved closer to the noise. Passing one room for another, I sooner found myself in the Sacrificial Room. The worst place for me to linger. I was in the danger zone now. The sacrificial table, where the Witch did her deeds and supped her prey was wiped clean. She was crafty and careful in her murders -- never left evidence out in the open. But I knew better; just because I couldn't see the aftermath of her murders did not mean she didn't do them. Looking around I spotted the chest in which the Witch held her treasures and instruments of death. I carefully approached it and -- with bated breath -- drew out one of the weapons.

It was a dagger, nearly a foot in length, and sharpened on just one side. The hilt was black, wrapped in cloth for better grip. Holding it in my hand, I knew this was her weapon of choice. Yes, it was with this she cared into her victims, pulling out their entrails and discarding them -- though sometimes she gathered the bloody organs for a stew -- before she skinned the hair and roasted the flesh. I knew her antics, I had watched her before. She used to do it out in the open before she made use of her wretched lair, when she first dipped her fingers so curiously into the dark arts.

But she won't get to do it anymore. No, it ended tonight!

I cradled the dagger, holding it close to my chest as I backed into the shadows. Now was the moment to wait. Soon, the Witch would come down for her routine midnight snack. What a glutton she was, and it was only these dark arts she had that kept her deceptively thin -- no one would know otherwise that she was a flesh eating fiend.

My heart raced with every passing moment. This would be the first time I would confront her. Should I fail, that would mean the end of my life. And should I die, no one would know. No one would remember Carl. No one would know he existed. The Witch would make sure of that. I wasn't going to let that happen, though. I was going to kill her before she even tried to go at me.

A noise to my right caught my attention. My heart jumped in my throat and I had to swallow to push it back down. Now would not be a good time to get nervous. Nevermind scared (I was frightened, I'll admit it) but I couldn't allow my hand to fail me. I couldn't allow my limb to falter. Pressing my back against the wall, I held my breath as the noise grew louder. They were footsteps, light and slow. But... they weren't the footsteps of a human -- there were too many. A monster, I immediately thought.

It grew closer and closer still. It made a noise, a deep rumble from within its throat. I held still, as still as one could whilst staking with anxiety, and gripped tightly at the dagger. In my heart I prayed to Mother Mary, my courage and Queen. Should I fail -- and fall -- I hoped my spirit would reach her gentle arms and safe embrace. I closed my eyes for a moment to steel my resolve.

And just then something breathed harshly and rubbed against my leg.

I jumped and pushed away from the wall, away from the thing that touched me. My eyes opened wide to stare at the beast: the Witch's cunning servant, as it grinned at me, twitching its pointed ears in my direction. Demon! Sharp fangs bared themselves as that venomous mouth opened wide and let out that same throaty sound from earlier. It meant to eat me!

I backed away from the beast, clutching tightly to the Witch's dagger. The beast followed me, stalking me step for step. I hissed at it, brandishing the weapon, but the beast kept coming forward, persistent in its pursuit.

"Stay back!" I snarled at it, and made a swing.

The beast evaded me and leaped forward, diving at my legs. It crashed into me and I feel back, pressed into the floor by two massive paws. The beast grinned at me again, saliva dripping form its jaws. I knew it wanted me. I knew it was hungry. Its long, pink tongue swiped out to taste me and it laughed in delight, pleased with me.

I wasn't going to let it have me. With another swipe, I slashed the beast across the muzzle. It howled in pain and yelped loudly when I kicked it in the gut, throwing its body off me. It crashed against the sacrificial table, making noise in its attempt to stop the pain.

Blood ran down my arm from the dagger. I smiled in triumph. One less demon.

"Scotty...?"

But victory was short lived. The groggy, sing-song voice of the Witch reached my ears. She was standing in the doorway, staring at me.

"Scotty?" I repeated, spitting as I climbed to my feet. "Is that the name of your last victim?"

The Witch looked at me, feigning a look of confusion. She dared to play ignorant! She dared to play games with me! "Scotty? What are you...?"

She tried to approach me. One hand reached out toward me while the other clutched the fabric of her dress. She was trying to appear motherly, to woo me into her arms and certain death! This was how she captured her victims. She wove webs of lies and false comfort to lure in those foolish noble men unable to turn away from her beauty. But not tonight. No. I snarled at her and dove to bring her down. Our bodies crashed to the floor -- she wasn't expecting me to see past her mask -- and tried to push me off her. I didn't hesitate; I stabbed her. I ended the life of that abomination, that walking evil. As she gasped and blood spilled from her mouth, her dark influence ended, all in a single stroke. No one, not even a witch like she could survive a wound to the heart.

Now she knew what her victims felt like when she ripped the life out of them.

"Never more," I spat at her corpse. "Never more will you prey on the innocent again. Your days are done!"

The Witch's beast continued to howl as I got off its master. Out of mercy, I approached it and ended its life, grabbing hold its writhing body and slashed through its dark fur, spilling blood onto the floor and all over my front. Now I was certain: it could not avenge its master.

I prayed to Mother Mary, blessing her for her protection over me. My heart raced and my limbs trembled, but they did not fail me. I, a symbol of good and righteousness, had prevailed. I thanked her and gave her my praise before retreating. I needn't stay in that hold of evil any longer. Taking the dagger with me -- it would be proof of my victory, my good deed -- I escaped the lair, making sure no trail of the Witch's or pet's demon's blood led other filthy creatures to me. I didn't need acquaintances of that evil woman to track me down.

The sky was still dark with night, very few clouds passing overhead. I welcomed the sight; I would gain perfect cover. A gentle breeze tossed my hair and my clothes. It felt like the gentle touch of Mother Mary, praising me for my work. I smiled at the black sky and ducked back into the shadows. I wasn't out of danger yet. I wiped the blood off my shoes, smearing the evil muck in the nearby surroundings, backtracking and double backtracking until I was certain whatever trails I left behind would only lead perpetrators in a giant circle. I wiped the blood on the dagger on the hem of my shirt, stealing a piece of laundry from the back of the Witch's lair to wrap it before carefully placing it in my satchel.

No more, I reminded myself. No more would that evil prey upon the townspeople. No more.

I sucked in a deep breath and steadied the beating of my heart. It was late; I was tired. I needed to retire for the night, perhaps even a while, to delude any pursuers. Calculating how safe I was, I started my trek through the maze that led to and from the Witch's house. I would search for shelter far away from her property.