Page 386 - Demo

386Hazel, Gideon, and Lillie walked off into the darkness. Nancy put the tea-light lamp down and put a hand on Annie%u2019s and Diana%u2019s foreheads. She closed her eyes for thirty seconds and as the two women began so stir, she slipped off quietly to join Hazel, Gideon, and Lillie.She whispered to them. %u201cI should think Alan will have downed those two bottles by now. I must confess, I would dread being one of those two poor victims staked to the ground. They are in for a truly Gothic nightmare, but they are also going to enjoy it as it turns from sheer unspeakable agony to unbounded ecstasy.%u201d%u201cI don%u2019t wish to witness this,%u201d Gideon said.%u201cFine.%u201d Nancy told him, and she kissed him gently on the lips.Gideon fell away, fast asleep. %u201cI put him to sleep for now.%u201d Nancy told Hazel.%u201cFine. Alan won%u2019t kill them will he?%u201d Hazel asked, worry in her voice.%u201cI hope not. Despite being blinded by internal pain, possessed by a demon and whisky, he knows how not to damage an essential organ from his days in the army.%u201dShe put her finger to her lips.They all realised why. They could smell him, like an open sewer running close by.Annie spoke. %u201cI can feel you next to me. Who is it?%u201d%u201cDiana. Is that, you, Annie?%u201d%u201cYes. Where are we? And what%u2019s that awful smell?%u201d Annie asked.%u201cI don%u2019t know. I expected to wake up cuddled into the Dean.%u201d Diana told her%u201cYes. Me too, with Gideon,%u201d Annie added. %u201cWe are definitely outside on the lawn. Can you move your arms and legs?%u201d%u201cNo. I%u2019m stretched tight. My legs are wide open,%u201d Diana explained.%u201cYes. And mine. God. That terrible smell, it%u2019s getting stronger. Could it be a wounded animal?%u201d Annie said.%u201cSsshh!%u201d cautioned. %u201cDid you hear that?%u201dThey both heard it then, the sound of something dragging itself, panting and rasping, over the ground.The Equestrian