Hunter of the Dark by J A Graham Read Free Book Online Page A

the bitter repulsive bile that threatened to surface. But she carried on, her confidence resurfacing at the brush of Cameron’s arm. The torchlight flickered ahead of her and all Tanitha noticed was red. Red layered with a darker crimson in the rounded lit area. Not a touch of green, a hint of auburn. Just a deathly, blood-sickening red. The torch traveled along the pathway that had been created by someone…something…dragging its victim along. A hand peeked into the light, covered with the glisten of crimson. Cameron paused, glancing at Tanitha, unsure whether to carry on. Tanitha nodded her head stiffly and Cameron’s torch slowly traveled up the torn body, past the disheveled hair and rested on the face. Tanitha screamed and Cameron dropped the torch to slap his hands over her face. But the image was deeply imprinted into her mind. As fresh as if she was still staring the figure right now.
    The face had been torn and disfigured, but unmistakable. And indescribable.
    She knew this person.
    It was Seleena.
    With the press of Cameron’s muscle-laced body hard against her, Tanitha felt the sobs racking her body. She may not have liked Seleena much but she was Cameron’s best friend. She could feel Cameron’s pain edging in on her guilt.
    She was dead and Cameron was here, seeing her violated carcass.
    She was dead because the animal that had attacked Tanitha decided to attack Seleena instead.
    She was dead.
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    Tanitha woke up the next morning with her eyes puffy red from sleeplessness. All that night she hadn’t been able to get to sleep, due to Seleena’s carcass imprinting itself in her mind. Each time she’d wake up, gaping and panting as the blood seemed to spill over her eyes and blind all vision. Then she could only focus on the body, in its slashed glory. And Sadie didn’t make matters any easier either, by whimpering under that window all night. Finally, giving up on trying to get back to sleep, she got up and decided to get ready for school. Once ready, with her bag slung over one shoulder carelessly, she entered Dinah’s room. The usual sickly-sweet smell of alcohol greeted her sleep-deprived senses and she sighed at the mess. She shook Dinah slightly. Her dogs stayed in the hallway. It was almost as if the smell bothered them as much as it did Tanitha.
    “Wha…oh, hi sweetie. How was the party?”
    “ Good.” Tanitha managed to sigh. Dinah’s wandering eyes scanned Tanitha’s pale and worn face. A frown flickered across Dinah’s expression.
    “ Honey, are you alright?”
    Tanitha nodded, trying to convince herself and her mother. It didn’t seem to be working. Tanitha exhaled the sigh she held in.
    “Are you sure? You don’t look all right. Do you have a hangover?”
    Tanitha’s eyes widened and she shook her head wildly. How could her own mother think such a thing about her?
    “I’m fine really, Dinah. I’m ready to go to school now.”
    Dinah’s expression was that of curiosity and concern. Tanitha felt annoyance creeping over her.
    “What?!” She breathed heavily. Dinah shook her head sadly.
    “ Honey, it’s Saturday.”
    Tanitha blinked in surprise, Dinah’s comment biting off her retorting remark. Of course!
    “Are you sure you’re alright? You’re usually not that forgetful…”
    “ Look, mother, I’ll be fine! Just stop worrying!”
    At the mention of the maternal name combined with frustration and anger, Dinah looked crestfallen. Tanitha immediately regretted her harsh words and stepped forward.
    “Listen, Dinah, I…”
    “ No.” She said, getting out of bed, her eyes flooding with tears. “No. Don’t say a word! I understand. I understand all too well. You think you’re too grown up to have your mother fussing over you, don’t you?”
    “ No, I didn’t mean it like that…”
    But Dinah merely ignored her. She walked briskly to the bathroom and slammed the door. Through the paper-thin walls, Tanitha could hear her mother’s sobbing and she