The Devil's Daughter by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 34

The next day, the people of Gura Haith, once again, emerged from their homes and began their daily rituals and like everyone else, Nelu's family was also engaged in similar chores. However, something was different. It wasn't the usual feeling of tension, but something Nelu had suddenly become aware of. Every day, the youngest of the village, not yet old enough to carry out the day's tasks, would play for as many hours as they could stay awake. But after the first of the creature's attacks, they were told to play near the church and never approach the woods. On any other day, Nelu could hear their laughter, as they experience life from the innocence of imagination. But that day was not a day for laughter, as he heard the sounds of sobbing. Had it been one child, Nelu would have thought it to be the result of youthful clumsiness. Yet, it was several children, gathered in one place.

Nelu's eyes searched through the village, but when he was unable to see where the sobbing was coming from, something else grabbed his attention. It was Ileana, standing across the road from the church, stiffly waving her arms. Seeing her expression of urgency, Nelu jogged down to where she pointed towards the edge of the village.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I think it was here, during the night,” she began. “Over there.”

As Nelu ran towards the edge of the woods, he could hear the children's cries grow louder and as he approached them, saw that they were gathered around what appeared to be a small animal. Some of the women had also turned out and were attempting to soothe them as they looked upon a sight no child should ever see. Gently moving the children aside, Nelu asked that the women take them home and as they were led away with wet eyes and runny noses, he was able to see what had disturbed them. Lying on the ground was the dog he's seen the night before. The surrounding grass was covered with blood and its entrails strewn across the ground. Some were still attached to somewhere within the animal's carcass, while most had either been carried off into the woods or consumed. He also noticed that the dog's mouth was filled with blood and that its throat had been deeply bitten. Now, standing over the gruesome scene, Nelu was certain about what had been responsible.

With the children having returned home, Nelu continued to examine the dog's carcass, when Aizic arrived. He stood next to Nelu and looked down at what was mostly bone, skin, and fur.

“It was here, wasn't it?” he asked. Nelu remembered the night before. He had heard the creature's distant scream only seconds before the dog went silent. Now, Nelu was overtaken by a terrifying thought, that either the creature moved extremely fast or there was more than one.

“Yes,” he answered.

Looking up at Aizic, he inquired about where Ileana was, feeling an urgency to discuss the matter with all three elders, as well the hunters. Aizic pointed down to the burial ground, where Ileana stood and walking down from the tree-line, Nelu approached her, wanting to meet in the privacy of the church, away from the ears of those who had also witnessed the disturbing scene. “We need to talk,” he said.

Ileana's voice was filled with grave concern, and as they walked toward the church, she grabbed him by the arm. “The children said they found a dead dog. They said something ate it.”

About to open the church's front door, Nelu stopped to quickly brief her on his discovery. “Yes,” he said. “It was here, but there is something else...” He held the door open, allowing her to enter as quickly as her frail body allowed.

Entering the church, Nelu asked that Aizic and Sabin join them. But unbeknownst to him, both had quickly followed them and catching up to him, Aizic stopped him near the middle of the congregational hall. “Are you sure it was here?” he asked. “Yes,” Nelu replied.

He was becoming frustrated with what seemed to be repetitive questions.

“It got one of the dogs.”

Despite the dog's demise, Ileana was strangely relieved that the loss of life had not been human, as it could have easily been a child.

Sitting at the table, Nelu recalled his experience of the previous night, as the elders listened with fearful expressions.

“Wait,” Aizic interrupted. “How could it attack so quickly?”

The idea that there could be more than one creature roaming the woods was almost too terrifying to entertain, but it had to be addressed.

“I don't know,” Nelu replied. “I just hope there isn't more than one.”

“I don't think that's the case,” Ileana said. “Otherwise, the village would have been overrun.” Now, Sabin spoke up with a question no one had considered.

“Maybe this is some kind of ghost or an angry spirit?”

“A spirit that kills and consumes people?” Ileana said. “That doesn't make much sense.” After a few moments, Aizic brought up a point of folklore, having heard a mention of the Grozavie. “I'm afraid I'm a bit too young to have heard the story,” he said.

Ileana immediately began what she had been told several times as a child. Even at the lack of a clear description, the word 'creature' was used. The story itself didn't seem to matter, but what it was capable of, existing as a shadow on some occasions and a wolf on others. “Wait,” Nelu interrupted. “If this thing can live as something shadowy, then why couldn't it move just as fast?”

Ileana paused to consider Nelu's question. “Yes,” she answered. “That does make sense.”

“Alright,” Aizic began. “So how do we kill something that changes form right before it attacks?” Looking to each other for an answer, all remained silent. “This is not good,” Nelu remarked. “We'd have to wait until it attacks someone before we can even get a shot at it. There has to be another way.”

“I think there might be,” Sabin said. “What if we used a sheep as bait?”

Again, everyone looked to each other for other suggestions but nodded in approval.

“That could just work,” Nelu said. “We'll tie one to a tree and wait with our rifles trained on it, and when it comes out to attack, we can shoot it.”

“Yes,” Ileana said. “An outstanding idea.” Once again, she had brought the map of the village with her and rolling it out, asked for a more specific plan. Nelu looked at it carefully and saw a place near the tree-line that could easily be seen from the church. Now, the plan was simple. They would tie a sheep to a tree and wait, with rifles carefully aimed. As long as everyone stayed alert, killing the creature was nearly a certainty.

There was also discussion on dismantling the roadblocks. Of course, there were arguments. They had been constructed only a day ago and now, Nelu was strongly suggesting they be taken down.

“Why?” Aizic asked. “We don't want more outsiders coming here.”

Nelu leaned towards him in order to more effectively make his point.

“But what if we need to leave?”

The group sat quietly as they considered the worse possible scenario. With her hands over her mouth and a shocked expression on her face, Ileana voiced her concern. “Why didn't we think about this before? The road must be cleared, for the safety of the village.” Angered by the possibility that the village could be abandoned, Sabin interrupted.

“Why should 'we' leave?! My family has been in this village for centuries!”

Ileana, seeing the need for order, broke into the conversation.

“Sabin!” she said. “Everyone in this village is tied to its beginnings! And we will fight this thing for as long as we can!”

Now, Aizic spoke up.

“But we can't fight it! It moves like a ghost! Nelu is the only one who has seen it, and it was barely a blur at that!” Fear erupted into anger as arguments broke out amongst the group. Reason quickly splintered into fragments of paranoia, and panic as Ileana beat a frail fist on the table. “We must be calm!” she said. “We cannot lose our wits! Now, everyone be quiet!”

A sudden silence fell over the group, as everyone stopped to organize their thoughts.

“Nelu is right,” she continued. “The roadblocks must be taken down.”

“The men who constructed them will not be pleased,” Aizic said.

Nelu knew he was right, and it would mean an entire day's work would be wasted.

“Nelu,” Ileana began. “You led them. Can you make them understand?”

Nelu nodded his head.

“Yes,” he replied. “I will explain it, and we will bring the lumber back for use in the winter.”

In words, the plan was simple but people have always preferred a safe, static life, without change or drama. Taking down the roadblocks would raise, not only questions but might resurrect the people's fear of something that had never been clearly seen. Ileana gave a resolute sigh.

“Alright,” she said.

Her voice was calm, yet noticeably tired. “Nelu, gather your men, clear the road and bring as much timber back as you can. We'll use it for firewood.” Nelu nodded and asked if there was anything else. Looking to each other for additional concerns, the elders fell silent. “Alright,” Nelu said. “I'll gather the men, and we'll get started.”

With one last look at the elders, Nelu couldn't help but see an expression of grave concern on their faces, and for a moment, he felt the spark of fear he knew had overcome them. Yet, the Grozavie was only one creature. At least, that's what Nelu had convinced himself of. It seemed far less threatening than the idea that there could be more, and in his mind, if there were more than one, at least half the village would be dead by this time. This, of course, offered him no comfort. It didn't matter how many creatures were out there, one was one too many and as Nelu left the church, he thought about their plan to bait the creature in. After all, everything possesses a weakness, and if it could be subdued through its ravenous hunger, then the dark turbulence it had stirred up could be brought to an end.

Once again, Nelu organized the same men who had constructed the roadblocks, just the day before. Many argued over what had been a laborious task, and a few refused to participate at all. In the end, a few of those left saw some measure of logic behind the clearing of the road, believing that without it, they would no longer be cut off from other villages and therefore, trade. As the work progressed, Nelu managed to avoid discussion of the creature, and the real reason why the road was being cleared. But seeing the expressions on their faces, he knew that, in their minds, the pieces had fallen together. However, the work continued, with the horses dragging the heaviest trees off to the side of the road. It was agreed, though, that, at some point during the day, the larger trees would have to be cut up and brought back to the village as well.

By noon, the job was done, and the felled trees lay in a pile at the edge of the village. Over the next few days, they would be divided by cross-cut saw, and split. Once again, the men were tired and hungry, their bodies sore and stiff. Once again, their wives tended to their aches, pains and stomachs. But unlike the previous day, the work finished early and the afternoon had not yet arrived. This left the men to continue with the day's routine, so vital to the survival of the village. There was still the plan to use the creature's voracious appetite to draw it in. If this could be accomplished, the creature would be slain. However, the plan was not without its flaws. If it could not be killed before consuming the bait, one of only a few of the village's flock would be lost, and the plan would fail.