Lurking in the Shadows
Prologue: Late Night Murder
1885
A girl about the age of sixteen ran through a long passage trying to find her
way out of the confusing labyrinth that was the basement. She heard nothing
but the sound of the breath entering and leaving her lungs along with the sound
of her feet pounding on the cement. The room was totally dark, but by now she
had gotten used to the pitch blackness and could see just enough not to run
into anything.
She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and looked behind her. As far down the twenty foot hall there was nothing, nothing but the blackness. She couldn't get over the feeling of being watched, of being hunted. She heard something behind her and quickly started running again. She had to find the door and make it out, at least back to the main floor.
The door was within sight, the girl lunged forward toward it, but never made it. Something grabbed her by the cotton dress she was wearing. She screamed at the top of her lungs and struggled to get away, but it was useless she was captured.
She heard rustling behind her as she went lax and limp to the floor. She saw what could only be described as a large blade to a knife. She felt tears course down her cheeks as she knew her time was up. She dared not make a sound as her captor grabbed her and pulled her back up. She felt the cold metal blade along her throat and she cried out.
"Please no!"
"Silence!"
The voice was unrecognizable, was it male or female she couldn't be certain. She could hear the sound of breathing and her heart beating in her chest. The sound got louder and louder as her moment of death drew near.
"Why are you doing this?" she cried.
"I told you not to speak."
The young woman dared to turn her head and her eyes widened in surprise as she saw for the first time who her captor was. That was the last thing she would ever remember. The cool blade slipped across her throat, releasing her from this earth, spilling her life force onto the floor as she fell to the ground. With a last few gurgling noises, the girl lay silent on the concrete beneath her. Death had taken another victim.