The Ensnared by Palvi Sharma Page A

Keith, but he resisted strongly and pushed her hand away.
“They’re the only ones who can keep us alive and protect us from them.”
     
    “Keith you’re in shock.” Melissa
said and blinked as her eyes got used to the bright light. She backed away a
few steps. “Mark, my boyfriend is one of the riders. He concocted this
ridiculous story about how he and his friend are demons and somehow everyone
believed him.”
     
    “He is brave!” Keith said. “He’s
one of the protectors. He’s the one who’s keeping them at bay.”
     
    “Keeping what at bay? Keith, let’s
try to be rational about this.” Melissa said. “I can’t let you jump off the
terrace and Mark is not protecting us. If anything, he’s the reason we’re in
this mess.”
     
    “You’re out of your mind!” Keith
screamed at her. “You don’t even know what’s going on here!” Keith wiped away
his own tears with his hand. “This happens every year, this very month. It’s
like a curse that’s befallen this city. No one ever comes out of this alive.”
     
    Melissa felt her hands falling down
her side and the table cloth she had been clutching flapped away in the cold
wind before being swept away by it. “What happens every year?”
     
    Keith started to jog on his spot
and took a deep breath as he studied the gap before him. “They!” he said
pointing afar. “They awaken every year and on the first day of the crescent
moon, destroy everything.”
     
    “Who exactly are you referring
too?” Melissa asked. Keith was obviously confused about the riders.
     
    “Those three demons. There are four
now.” Keith gasped. “Their names escape me.”
     
    It was then that Melissa realized who
Keith was talking about. It was ridiculous of course. “They’re your friends.”
She said quietly.
     
    “They’re no one’s friends.” he said.
     
    Melissa suddenly found herself
being unable to breathe. She wondered if she should scream or cry and then
tried to calm herself down. Now wasn’t the time to breakdown. Keith was dazed
and he must have been confusing one with the other. Or worse, the riders had
somehow brainwashed him so that he could lead her to them.
     
    “Keith.” she said and tugged on his
arm. “Rafe, Sara, Shane and Fiona are your friends. The riders are the ones who
are destroying the city. They were the ones who killed Sara and Shane.”
     
    Keith pushed her away. “You’re
crazy.” he repeated. “If you don’t want to come, then don’t. They were only
three, then they killed one and made them theirs. Now they’ve found another
one.”
     
    Keith was babbling and Melissa was
starting to feel everything slipping away from her. Her mind fell in knots and
she wished Jennifer was here with her. Or even Mark.
     
    Melissa bit her tongue as she
thought about Mark. She wanted to believe that Keith was telling the truth so
that it would mean that Mark was innocent. But she knew it was only wishful
thinking.
     
    “Here goes!” Keith said.
     
    “No don’t!” Melissa cried and
grabbed him by the arms. “Please, Keith! Come to your senses. What does the
legend say about this city? What are the demons supposed to do?”
     
    “It’s not a myth.” Keith corrected.
“Every July, on the first night of the crescent moon, the three awaken. They’re
like demons only much worse. They trap innocents and turn them to whatever they
are. Only a chosen few can defeat them and free the city of the evil curse.”
     
    “The graves!” Melissa said. “Who do
they belong to? There are five of them!”
     
    “But they’re only three?” Keith
frowned. “Their graves and the graves of their victims were hidden away.”
     
    “It’s on that islet.” Melissa said.
“If we find them, we should destroy them.”
     
    “You do that.” Keith said. “I’ll make
my escape in the meantime.”
     
    And before Melissa could stop him,
Keith ran fast towards the edge and then jumped as high as he could.
     
    “Keith!” Melissa