The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

John
by Kathleen McCluskey

John woke and immediately felt pain. His mouth throbbed as he remembered the violent tearing out of his tongue; each heartbeat was a new experience in pain. He was beginning to sweat profusely as the restraints around his wrists began to tighten. He could feel them digging into his flesh, the more he perspired the tighter they became. His eyes locked with Crystal’s as she began to cry; a silent tear filled cry. John could see the dried blood on her chin and neck; and knew that her tongue had met the same fate. He looked around and saw that he and Crystal were not alone. The make shift cart they were on bobbled and swayed, the other occupants just rocked and swayed along with the cart. They had no life in their eyes, they already seemed dead.

John could hear the drums getting closer and a fear ran through his body. As the cart stopped so did the drums and a Shaman emerged from the jungle. The roar of the waterfall was evident now. John’s vision was drawn to the water behind the Shaman. His eyes grew wide as he could see the waterfall. The massive skull rock formation was awe inspiring. The water flowed out of the skull’s mouth and into a pool of black water. The captives were led out of the cart. John and Crystal were last. He could hear the natives chanting softly as they were led along the to the water’s edge. Noticing that the chanting now grew more frantic John could see bodies floating passed him. He knew the corpses were those of his fellow cart mates, their throats all had been slit. The Shaman threw the head back of the man in front of John and drew his blade across the man’s neck. Blood spurted out and onto John’s face. The crowd immediately fell silent. The Shaman pulled John out as Crystal’s throat was cut. The natives gathered her blood in bowls and began to paint John with it. The Shaman then pulled John’s head back and slit his throat. In his native language he said, “Now the mighty death god, Batara Kara will be satisfied.”

Fiction © Copyright Kathleen McCluskey
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More from Kathleen McCluskey:

The Long Fall: Book 1: The Inception of Horror

Lucifer always cunning and intelligent challenges father to a battle of wits. Being the angel of light he casts a judgemental eye upon mankind. He begins a war with his fellow archangels and God. Michael, along with his siblings defend their home and mankind from their deranged brother. Broad swords and hand to hand combat drench heaven in blood. The four apocalyptic steeds are released, each having their own destructive power. Betrayal and lust are at biblical levels. Understand the very creation of evil and the consequenses that transpire in the first of THE LONG FALL series.

Available on Amazon!