Birchwood Manor

BM24 Part 4

BM24 Part 4

Chapel

Candles cast eerie flickering shadows on the walls of the miniature cathedral....

“When I saw this room on the map, I wondered why a B&B would have a chapel,” whispered Jodi.

The electricity buzzed to life for a moment, bathing the room in a pinkish glow. Jodi screamed and buried her face in Carl’s shoulder as the lights blinked back out.

Carl put his arm around Jodi and pointed his flashlight before him like a weapon. He scanned the room until the light showed what made Jodi scream. In the third pew back on the right, sitting near the aisle, was a man knelt in prayer. He had a gun injury to his nape of his neck and his brains oozed down the back of the second pew.

Angela came in and Carl couldn’t move the flashlight in time before she took in the scene. She dropped to her knees in the doorway with a shriek and began sobbing. Doug rolled up and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s try and get the women back to the foyer,” said Doug.

Carl led Jodi toward the doorway. Eventually, Doug was able to coax Angela to her feet and to inch her way back to the foyer on wobbly legs.

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Regroup

Carl set Jodi on a couch. “Maybe they can at least take a drink of something,” said Carl. “I’m going to see if I can find Tim.”

“We got sodas out but they might be better off with water,” said Doug.

“I’m fine,” came out of Angela in a hoarse whisper.

Jodi opened her mouth but only managed to cough and start crying again.

Angela shot her a cold stare. “Why are you so upset? It’s not your brother in there.”

A sharp squeak of intake of breath came from Jodi.

“Did I hear that right?” asked Carl as he reentered the foyer.

Angela hung her head. “Yes. I’d know him anywhere. That’s Danny in there with his brains splattered down the pew.”

Jodi threw up on the floor.

“But how? Why?” asked Doug. “I don’t understand.”

Angela sat up and wiped her eyes with a napkin. “Danny disappeared six months ago. It wasn’t like him to not contact me but I had some hope. Now....”

“That doesn’t explain things.”

“I’m sorry I don’t have any other answers.”

“It’s okay, Angela. I think we should just locate Tim and get out of here,” said Carl.

“You didn’t locate him? He was checking the basement.”

“I went down a little way and called but there was no sign of him. There weren’t even footprints in the dust. I could hear the generator running but I think it is outside.”