'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 43

Shirley Sue pushed open the door and walked into the room. She looked down at the sleeping figure in the cot.

“Rachel?”

Shirley Sue stood, waiting for Rachel to reply. The child turned on to her side, but provided no answer. Shirley Sue took a step toward the cot.

“You better not be playing a prank on me,” She said under her breath.

She began to lean forward to examine the child more closely when she felt the cold grip of a hand cover her mouth.

Shirley Sue's screams were stifled by the hand smothering her face. She tried to wriggle her head free from the ice cold palm wrapped around her lips. However, the harder she struggled against her assailant's clasp, the deeper the long, slender fingernails gripping at her dug into her face. She flailed her arms backward. Her elbow connected with her captor's stomach. She struck at her foe once more. She felt the grip of a second icy had grab hold of her wrist. A muffled cry of pain escaped her mouth. She thrashed, frantically trying to free her arm, but her assailant quickly overpowered her and twisted her arm behind her back.

“Shhh,” Aura whispered. “Don't make this harder than it has to be.”

Shirley Sue tried once more to pull away from Aura. She felt the burn of pain burst through her shoulder as Aura applied pressure to her arm.

“You see... My dear, you and your friends have put me in to quite the bind,” Aura whispered. The words tingled against Shirley Sue's ear. “It didn't have to be this way. If only you had just left well enough alone.”

Shirley Sue froze as a sharp sensation prickled at her neck. Aura's hot breath following close behind the needle-like sensation. Shirley Sue struggled despite the pain rushing through her arm. Her muffled cries grew more frantic as the Aura's teeth searched for their target. Tears of anger, pain, and frustration welled into Shirley Sue's eyes as she struggled against Aura. She felt a tear run down her cheek as she involuntary squinted from the burning sensation that seared through her neck.

The room flashed full of light, as though a bolt of lightning had struck Shirley Sue’s neck. The necklace which had adorned her neck clattered to the ground, still faintly glowing from the broken links of the chain. Aura shrieked and relinquished the grip on her prey.