Heads.(Stephen Pearmine) The building where his daughter was being held captive came into view. He didn't know how many had taken her, so he needed his wits about him. How could this happen tonight, of all nights? With caution, he crept to one of the windows and looked in. In the room were three male teenagers drinking cans of beer and laughing amongst themselves. He proceeded to the next window only a meter away and inside was an empty room with a bed at the back. Frustrated, he walked to the other side of the house hoping to get a clue of where she was. He peered through another window and with relief saw her sat in a chair. He noticed her arms and legs were tied with thick rope. A gag had been placed over her mouth. Genevieve, his beloved daughter, looked terrified. He needed to get her out of there.

Nearby was a door, which he opened quietly. In the dimly lit hallway, the man headed down until he'd located an entrance to a room. He tried the handle and pushed the door open. It creaked slightly. With her back to him was Genevieve. The moment she saw him, she cried out of sheer joy. He untied her and removed the gag that covered her mouth, staying as silent as possible. He took her hand, then both proceeded out of the house cautiously. The man had trekked through a forest earlier to get here, which in some ways was a blessing, because if the men realised she was gone, then this unpredictable terrain would be to their advantage because they knew the area well.

While they made the journey back home, both stayed quiet. The safety of home was all that mattered. He was determined to get her there in one piece. An opening appeared through the trees some distance away that would lead to the road that would take them to that special place, away from danger. Once on the road, both kept their eyes peeled for any unwanted attention. So far, the men who'd taken her were probably too busy getting drunk to notice her not there. After a few minutes, their house came into view just behind some tall oak trees. The moon shone handsomely above, reflecting on the front windows to their special place. He opened the front door, and they proceeded to the main room where mother was. In the room he said to Genevieve, "Walk to the mirror and close your eyes, my sweet child. Mother is waiting. But before we can become a proper family forever in the eyes of the Lord, who were those men who took you tonight? Did you know them?"

  With her eyes closed while facing the mirror, the girl of eighteen replied, "They're boys from college. I asked them to take me, so you'd save me, father. Are you angry with me for doing this?"

The rage he felt was intense. He needed to save her from herself.

  The father smiled. "Of course I'm not, Genevieve. As I love you very much."

  "Thank you, father. Is it time?"

"Yes, it is," he answered.

  Father picked up a sword at the side of the fireplace and chopped her head off. The body fell to the floor, the head bounced on the wooden floorboards. Father picked her head up and lovingly placed it in a glass container which sat on a shelf near to the fireplace. Beside her was her mother's preserved head, also in a glass container, and beside that, their two sons. At the end of the shelf was an empty container.

  Father smiled. His family would be so proud. "I love you all so much. Now we're a proper family."

  All the heads smiled at him and at that moment he couldn't have been happier. He'd saved them from this hellish place. His beautiful family meant the world to him. The creature that lived downstairs had promised them salvation and now it was his turn. Father walked to the mirror, then closed his eyes, thinking of his beautiful children and wife. Soon he'd join them and he couldn't wait.


The End.

  

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