10 Chapter 9

Andrianna knew when the first rays of light streamed in through the drapes this morning. It was at 5 am. And it seemed from this day forth she would always know. For, she would wait for those first rays of the sun. She would wait for the pain to stop. For lashes that the woman in black would inflict upon her to stop. She would keep waiting until she would meet her. And maybe, just for once, she would live outside her nightmares.

Marshal watched Andrianna as she kept looking at the mirror. Her eyes looked scared but her stance was determined. Hovering around Marshal all day, Andrianna was a woman on a mission. She had a large bat in her hand as she walked about. Marching back and forth.

It was something that Andrianna was now fixated on. Marshals safety. She could not save Francis. She had been too scared that night. But, she was not going to lose Marshal too. Andrianna would protect him from the woman in black. She would not be scared.

Walking in circles around Marshal as he sat on the porch still drinking, she noticed something odd in the side of the house. She saw a movement. It was so soft that she almost missed the movement. Catching just the sight of a lock of black hair. And the tailing end of the hood.

Andrianna knew it.

She was here.

"Marshal?"

"Yes, Andrianna?" Marshal's speech was slurred and his cheeks were pink.

"Let's go in"

"No"

"Please Marshal"

"No"

Andrianna did not say anything; she simply kept staring at the corner where she had last seen the woman in black. Hoping against everything that nothing was going to happen.

But, even Andrianna knew it was not possible. She was here for blood.

It started with a gust of wind. Hot, like the licks of fire; followed by her laughter. It came from inside the house. Loud and clear, teasing Andrianna.

Marshal must have heard it too for his head whipped behind Andrianna and looked at the door.

As she turned her head Andrianna saw the woman in black. Standing with her wild dark hair, her fingers reached out to grab her. She was dragged to the side of the house before Marshal could turn around to watch the motion. Andrianna felt a heavyweight on top of her body holding her down at the side of the house. She felt the gossamer black gown curl around her legs, effectively tying her. Her wrists held over her head. She couldn't move, the woman in black had made sure of it.

She bent over her hair brushing against Andrianna's skin, her lips close to Andrianna's. Her red tongue darted out to lick at the drop of sweat that beaded down Andrianna's forehead. It felt like the woman in black was licking at the fear that her body shed in that drop. Feeding off the sheer panic in Andrianna's still gaze.

The woman in black gazed into Andrianna's eyes. The fathomless black held a mist of white, lifeless. Now that Andrianna was close she noticed that the fathomless depths that she thought before were her eyes were not. The woman in black had no eyes. She saw the deep scorches around her eyes, giving Andrianna the impression that the eyes had been gorged out.

The woman's slender fingers circled her neck as she bent closer still. Biting at the lobe of Andrianna's ear she frowned, almost pleading for freedom.

"Look what you have done to me, Andrianna. Look what you have done."

"Andrianna!"

They heard Marshal in the distance calling out to her. Shocked the woman in black clutched her hands at the bodice of her gown as if caught in a wrongful act, she turned her face around, in the direction from which she heard Marshal's voice. And in that single moment of weakness, Andrianna saw a look of defeat and sadness reflect in her face. With that, she dissipated.

Something about her was familiar. Something about the way she was in the vulnerable moment reminded her of someone. She just did not know