Hi everyone.

I haven’t posted in a while, so I thought I would let you read the first chapter from my third full length novel which I have just finished proofreading. This one is a standalone piece which for now is titled ‘The Evil Within.’ This is an unedited manuscript and I need to get some beta feedback before I try to submit the book, but for many of you, this is the only place I will share this story segment. I hope you’ll enjoy this new psychological thriller.

Alistair

Chapter 1

Winter 1969

More snow had fallen as Emily Clay trudged back toward the village. The wind bit, forcing the snow into high drifts. She wouldn’t be crossing the fields tonight. Emily considered her position. She still had a mile to walk, and the road was treacherous. No chance of one of the local farmers driving by in the fading light, which was a shame, as her shoes offered no protection against the icy weather. It had been worth it, though. Another evening with him.

This time, they’d kissed. Emily closed her eyes and walked on like an automaton as she savoured the memory. She’d experienced nothing like it. The boys at school were cloying idiots, all grease, odours, and fumbling. Tonight, he’d taken her to the cinema. He chose a western, ‘The Good, the bad and the ugly,’ though she didn’t mind. She’d never been to a proper movie theatre, and she found the entire experience liberating. The film itself was boring, though she enjoyed the music with its funny sounding twangs. She didn’t care. The film lasted for hours and that’s why she’d gone along. For almost three hours, they’d sat together along a darkened row where other couples wrapped themselves together. And she did too.

Her foot slipped, breaking the spell, and Emily reminded herself she still had to get home in one piece. The light had almost gone now, though she’d walked this road many times. The high hedges which fenced her in also stood as markers, so she couldn’t stray away from the road. She felt tired, though. Poor fitness was her downfall, if only she’d bothered in PE class. No excuses. Once the weather cleared, she’d get more exercise. She had a boyfriend now and not just any school kid, a proper adult, so she would need to step up and make herself better for him. After all, she wanted to keep his interest.

Despite the conditions, Emily did a little skip. The action was a dumb move as her foot skidded off to the side upon landing and she lost control. A momentary realisation surfaced that she was going down with flailing arms, and then she felt her bottom land with a thump. A sting jabbed into her left ankle, along with a dull ache around her hips. The snow wasn’t as soft as she’d hoped, though her gloves had saved her from some injury. She sat, momentarily dazed, as the numbness seeped into her bones.

The road was almost black now, and suddenly the village seemed a hundred miles away. Emily tried to stand, but immediately she fell back as a wave of pain travelled up her leg.

‘Ouch,’ she screamed before settling into silence once more. Would someone hear her? Sound normally travelled well across the fields, but the high hedges seemed to echo everything back and anyway, who’d be dumb enough to be out on a night like this?

Emily rolled onto her side and used her good leg to work into a kneeling position before attempting to stand. She got upright, but planting weight on her left foot wasn’t good. More pain spikes came with each step. Now her neurosis joined in. You’re too fat. It’s no wonder your foot hurts, the amount of weight you are putting down.

She paused while the self-destructive thoughts flowed through her. It happened like this sometimes, but she knew the moment would pass. Her eyes glistened with tears, and she knew she couldn’t stay put. Concentrating hard, Emily focussed on the white strip before her and limped on. She would not make any fuss, she was just going to get home and sneak up to her room unnoticed. Well, that was the plan, at least. She didn’t have the strength to offer explanations to her parents.

Her stronger right foot stepped forward with a satisfying crunch, followed by a dragging sound as she pulled her opposite foot along. Another alien sound permeated the air. She stopped and cocked one ear. Whatever she thought she’d heard had stopped. She shook her head, more to convince herself she was being ridiculous than for warmth. She moved on. For a few steps, silence greeted her, but it didn’t last. The noise returned, closer now. It wasn’t a growl exactly, more of a guttural rasp. Her mind went into overdrive as she tried to speed up along the road. It was no good. The jolts of pain, which were fierce, forced her to settle into a weird hobble. She chanced a glance over her shoulder. Someone or something was there.

Emily faced forward again and ran. Or at least she tried. Any action was futile as her ankle buckled and she immediately collapsed. She landed hard, spluttering as a mouthful of snow lodged itself at the back of her throat, her arms unable to save her this time. Her brain became muddled as she tried to crawl. The movement was slow and intensely cold. As she nudged forward, her mind taunted her. Where was the shadowy figure which she’d seen? She didn’t want to know the answer. She desperately wanted to be home and snug more than ever.

Something gripped her sprained ankle, and Emily screamed. She attempted to roll onto her back, but it made no difference. Whatever had gripped her now twisted the joint, planting her face down into the snow. It was agony. She screamed again, but it was no good. Her attacker reached over to thump the back of Emily’s skull. Emily sensed the arm behind her, but was powerless to prevent what happened next. The first time her head pounded down, her face pushed through the snow and connected with the tarmac below. The pain was excruciating. Something grabbed a handful of hair and she felt herself being pulled upward. This was not the action of a saviour, though. After being lifted a few inches, her assailant rammed her head downwards for a second time. An audible crunch of bone sounded out. Soon Emily’s body lay still.