Terror Reigns

By Eleanor Cross

On the way home from her boyfriend’s party on the eve of departure for her family’s tropical private island, she has her first glimpse of terrifying events that are about to unfold when she has her first vision. She should have heeded the warning. Upon arrival on the island, she and her friends meet a sole inhabitant of the island, Anthony Baker, who isn’t as fortunate to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. While camping on the island, Anthony tells a legend that the locals around the connecting islands tell their children about zombies who have roamed the islands in search for human flesh. No one believes the story however until a few of Tabitha’s friends disappear without a trace. Driven to find her friends, and desperate to find answers, Tabitha is in a race against time. What she wasn’t prepared to discover is who is behind this heinous crime, what started it all, and how deep the lies and deception run and from whom.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Write Words Inc.
• Release date: Jul 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781594319235

Book preview

Terror Reigns

by

Eleanor Cross

Published by Write Words Inc. at Smashwords

copyright 2011 Eleanor Cross

Publishers Note: This book is a work of fiction based entirely on the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental. Real places mentioned in the book are depicted fictionally and are not intended to portray actual times or places.

All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Author or Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

Warning: Redistribution of this file, either on disk, CD, or over the Internet without consent of the author or publisher is a violation of United States Federal Copyright Law and of several International Trade Agreements.

Dedication

I would like to thank God for giving me the dream to write this book and for not letting me forget it before I woke up. Through Him dreams do come true.

A very special thanks goes to my wonderful husband whose love, enthusiasm, encouragement and unwavering support led me through from the beginning to the end. Without you I would have never given writing this book another thought. Thank you for not allowing me to give up. I love you.

Prologue

Guilt washed over me in waves as I realized what I had done. I realized as I sat there in that unfamiliar room bound and gagged and my heart beating jaggedly with two of the few people in this world that I loved, that we may not make it out alive, and I would not get a chance to kiss my Caleb again.

Tears of shame escaped my eyes as I tried to catch their attention to let them know how sorry I was for my deceit before our captors released their monsters upon us.

There was so much I wanted to say and do but now it was too late. Our captors were beginning their show; now I understood the true meaning of Terror Reigns as I accepted death and prepared to die.

Chapter 1

Tabitha, dear, would you come down into the dining room for a moment, please? Your father and I have something we’d like to discuss with you.

I looked up at the sound of my mom’s voice and sighed. We had gotten back from graduation about three hours ago. Mom and Dad had taken me out to eat at my favorite restaurant: Cyber-café Sur Le Quai, or Café on the Pier.

Coming, Mom. I’ll be right there, I called in the direction of the stairs. I’ll have to call you back in a little while, Shana. Mom’s calling me. I don’t like the tone of her voice, I said narrowing my eyes suspiciously. Makes me uneasy, I admitted sliding to the edge of my bed and putting my feet on the carpeted floor.

All right. Just don’t forget to ask your parents if you can go to Caleb’s party tonight and then call me back and let me know, okay? I’ll come pick you up if they let you go, Shana hastened to tell me before I could hang up.

I sighed rolling my eyes. Shana, I have my own car. I can drive myself, you know.

I just wanted to show you my graduation gift from my parents, so I am coming to get you, Shana stated matter-of-factly. It was supposed to be a surprise. Her tone was a little upset because she had to spoil the surprise.

Oh! I exclaimed abashed. I guess you need to come and get me then.

Tabbie! said Shana exasperatedly. You have to ask your parents first, she reminded me.

I laughed at myself. All right. I’ll call you back. ‘Bye. I hung up the phone and descended the stairs into the dining room. My mother and father were both standing in the dining room waiting for me. Suddenly, I had the urge to just turn around and run back up to my room. Taking a deep breath and mastering the silly impulse, I glanced uneasily from Mom’s face to Dad’s face. Usually when they both wanted to talk to me together it was because I’d done something I shouldn’t have. It was very rare. Searching frantically through my brain for my offense and finding nothing, I grew more uncomfortable.

Have a seat, honey. My mom gestured to one of the oak straight-backed chairs in front of her. And stop looking so afraid. You aren’t in trouble, she smiled at me lovingly. Sighing, and incredibly relieved, I sat down in the chair to wait.

Now, your father and I have been thinking this over for some time now, and as we’ve told you countless times, we are very proud of you because you graduated. Not that we had any doubt that you would, Mom smiled. We couldn’t think of what to give you for your graduation present. In the end we decided that we would let you and a few of your friends go to our island for a month this summer. As a graduation and going to college present. Mom’s wide grin flashed across her beautiful face. She deliberated for a second before adding, By yourselves.

My mouth dropped wide open in complete disbelief. Had I just heard her right? I stared at my parents in shock measuring their faces for something telling me they were telling a very cruel joke. It took a second to realize they were 100 percent serious. Finally as the shock wore off a little, I was able to let it sink in. My heart thumped in my chest. I squealed excitedly as I rushed out of my chair, accidentally knocking it aside in my haste where it crashed loudly on the floor, and threw my arms around my parents.

Oh, Mom! Dad! I was literally crying, big fat tears were leaking down my face dripping off my chin. I can’t believe it! A whole month! Mom! Dad! Thank you! I gushed tearfully.

But, Daddy interjected, and I felt a little pang of nervousness at his tone. There had to be a catch. I knew it was too good to be true. There are rules. My heart sank. Rule number one, you are only allowed to bring five other guests along with you. Of course your mom and I have to approve of them. I nodded my head jerkily to show that I understood. Rule number two, since you are all under age, no drinking and absolutely no drugs, he said severely. That was a given. I didn’t know of any of my friends who did those things anyhow. I hastily wiped the tears from my cheeks. Daddy paused for the final effect, And rule number three, you call us and let us know as soon as you get there. We want to make sure you are all okay. Have a wonderful time, he smiled a genuinely happy smile at me which I returned.

Now go call your friends and tell them to ask their parents. If their parents have any questions tell them to call and let us know, Mom encouraged me smiling. I couldn’t help it; I just shook my head back and forth and hugged them both, still in shock.

Thank you, Mom and Dad. I, words failed me. Vaguely I felt a pat on the top of my head and an extra squeeze of my shoulders.

You’d better get to calling, Daddy reminded me gruffly. I let go of them both and thanked them again while backing out of the dining room. Taking the steps of the grand, spiral, marble staircase two at a time, I sprinted down the hall to my room closing the door quietly behind me. Waiting for my racing heart to ease a little, I stood with my back against the door. Finally, with an enormous grin I snatched up my cell phone beside my bed and dialed Shana’s number.

Shana answered on the third ring.

Hello, Tabbie. That was quick! What did they say? Her excitement was as tantamount as mine.

Oh God! I completely forgot to ask them! I exclaimed slapping myself on the forehead. I have something better to tell you than that! You are never going to believe this! Quickly, my words almost slurring together due to my excitement, I recounted the surprise from my parents.

You can bring five other people! A month! Wow! Your parents are so cool! Shana gushed excitedly. I am going to ask my mom and dad right now! Shana had barely gotten the last word out of her mouth before the line went dead. I just shook my head. My friends were all going to flip. With trembling fingers, I managed to dial and complete my four other phone calls to my closest friends, well, the only friends I had: Nick Cole, Ian Mathers, Annie Harding, and of course my boyfriend, Caleb Young. Unsurprisingly, I got the same reaction from Annie and stronger reactions from Caleb, Nick and Ian. Everyone was so jazzed.

Remembering my earlier mission of asking permission to attend Caleb’s party tonight, I went in search of my parents hoping they were together so that I could save time by asking them at the same time. When I walked into the sunroom the scene that greeted me was so sweet that it made my heart throb longingly. They were sitting on a cream colored loveseat together watching a sitcom on television. Mom was lounging with her feet curled beside her on the couch against Daddy who had his arm around her shoulders and his chin on top of her head. It was such a sweet picture that I couldn’t help but feel a deep affection for my parents. They were still in love.

Just then Daddy looked up and caught me staring at them. My face filled with chagrin and my eyes dropped. Daddy straightened up a little bit taking my mom’s hand in his at the same time.

He looked at me suspiciously for a second before he asked, Yes, dear? Have you called all of your friends and asked them yet?

I had Mom’s full attention now.

Yes, they’re all as thrilled about it as I am. I’m sure you’ll be getting phone calls in a few minutes from their parents, I replied grinning taking a seat across from them in a matching overstuffed chair. That’s not exactly the reason I came down here. There’s something I wanted to ask the two of you if you don’t mind. My hands began twisting in my lap; a habit I had when I was nervous.

Yes? Daddy inquired raising a bushy eyebrow at me noticing my twisting hands.

Well, I paused and then rushed on, Caleb is having a graduation party tonight, and Shana is going. I was just wondering if you guys would let me go. Please? I was prepared to get down on my knees and beg if the need arose. Mom looked at Daddy.

Well, what do you think, honey? Think we should let her go? Amusement colored her voice.

Daddy pretended to contemplate a second. What time is this party? Who all is going to be there? When will you be home? He fired the questions at me the way only a prosecuting attorney could.

The party begins at seven tonight, the whole senior class is likely to show up, and I think you two should tell me what time to be home, I answered anxiously my eyes darting from my mom to my dad. They both grinned.

Good answer, Daddy nodded appreciatively.

We will discuss this and get back to you, Mom replied resuming her position beside him as if I hadn’t entered the room and disturbed their time together. I nodded and retreated back up to my room and closed the door quietly. I turned and faced the floor-length mirror on the back of my door. Being eighteen, the Valedictorian of Biloxi High School, and being the girlfriend of one of the most popular guys in school, I was feeling extremely lucky. I stood admiring my reflection. At five-feet-four inches tall, with an average build, not Miss America curvy, but still feminine, with grayish-silver eyes, peaches-and-cream complexion, and ebony hair that hung straight to the middle of my back, I guess I was pretty; just not pretty enough for Caleb Young. I couldn’t understand what he saw in me. Even though we’d been together for almost eight months, he did not seem to want to leave. In my opinion, he was too good for me. Caleb was six-two, star quarterback, with curly black hair and aquamarine eyes that made me melt every time he looked at me. Unlike me, he didn’t have to work at a tan. He was naturally swarthy and absolutely beautiful. Funny, charming, sweet, anything and everything any girl could ever ask for. And he is mine! I still marvel at it.

I walked over to my dresser and picked up my brush. Turning to face my mirror on the back of my door, I began gently pulling the brush through my hair until my hair was smooth and glossy. Studying my reflection in the mirror, I noticed how much more I resembled my father’s ancestors than my mother’s ancestors. My eyes are the same color and shape as Charles’s. Our mouths are identical; we both have full, straight lips that curve up slightly at the corners. Light freckles are sprinkled across our cheekbones in exactly the same place. I have even inherited some of my Grandma Black’s traits, such as my high cheekbones, the small clef in my chin and the tiny dimples around my mouth when I smile. The only traits that I inherited from Dana are my straight nose with a slight raised lump on the bridge and straight ebony hair.

Eden Black, my grandmother, was part Cajun and part Sioux Indian. It was her great-great-grandmother who discovered she had the gift of Sight. It has never skipped a generation before being passed along; the gift was only passed to the first girl in each generation. Neither Daddy nor Mom put any stock into believing in Eden’s gift. I, myself, am still very skeptical.

It was in this line of Blacks for generations past that held some of Mississippi’s most powerful, influential and richest people; from lawyers, to judges, and from surgeons to journalists. Old money was the main source of the family’s riches. Daddy inherited his father, Donny’s, share of stocks and bonds that he had in the stock market. When those stocks had skyrocketed, Daddy sold them, thus building his own fortune. He became a prosecuting attorney after law school, and met and married Mom shortly afterward who brought her own wealth to add to the family fortune.

Unlike Daddy’s family, my mom had no idea that she had a family that was rich. She was raised in an orphanage in Jackson, Mississippi until the age of seventeen when a state lawyer came to visit her at the orphanage. He explained to her that she had a grandfather who had died the month before from battling lung cancer for the last year. The lawyer then went on to tell her that he had also left a will that entitled everything he owned to her. He left a considerable amount of money, a great eight bedroom mansion, equipped with five full bathrooms, three half baths, complete with an up-to-date modern kitchen, sunroom, foyer, full gym, study, living room, dining room, full and finished attic and basement, four car garage, with cars, stables, complete with the best bred horses, tennis and basketball courts, and all on fifty acres of beautifully manicured land. There was one more item in the will that he had left, and at this the lawyer had actually looked at Mom with utmost shock and disbelief upon his face. She thought she understood, because she was sitting there in front of the man open mouthed and dumbfounded. She had been told that she had no family because her parents had died in a plane crash when she was a year old.

My God, the lawyer had gasped, coming to the end of the will. He’s left you an island. His own private island that is actually part of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic off the northwest coast of Africa that form the Spanish Kingdom! He ran his hand through his graying chestnut hair in shock. He was looking at Mom with admiring eyes.

Are there any questions? he asked amazed.

Mom composed herself enough to blurt out, When do I move in? The lawyer laughed and told her she could move in when she got ready to. He gave her the address and the legal documents that she signed and gave back to him and he left. She had her very own deed to everything. For once, something belonged to her.

The very next day, Mom arrived at her new home in Biloxi.

I replaced my brush in its original place on my dresser and glanced out of the double windows in my bedroom. It was one of those sultry June days. The sun was shining down brightly, but to the east I could see the beginnings of thunderheads moving in from the ocean. I groaned inwardly. Waiting for my parents’ decisions was making me antsy. There was a knock on my door and my mother walked in. My mom walked over to the bed and sat down, patting at the space beside her for me to join her which I did.

You can go, but, you have to be home before one, she said. You know the rules: no drinking and no drugs, and if you drink, don’t drive. If you need anything, just call me and I will come pick you up, okay? Mom said stroking my hair lovingly. I couldn’t help myself. I smiled and hugged her again.

I want you home early if you can because your plane leaves at twelve tomorrow afternoon. I would like to spend a little bit of time with you before you go. Besides, you have to pack.

I have to call Shana! Oh mom, thank you so much! Tears overflowed again. As much excitement that has happened to me today, I was doing a lot of crying.

I am going to miss you so much, baby. I love you, my mom whispered around the lump in her throat. Now, you’d better call Shana and tell her to come get you, she said clearing her throat, and she walked to the door closing it shut behind her.

Shana! Did your parents say it was all right if you could go to the island with me? I asked enthusiastically.

Yes! My mom called your mom earlier and got all the details, so I can go! We leave tomorrow! Shana squealed happily.

Have you been packing? I asked taking one of my huge suitcases out from under my bed and opening it.

Oh, yes! The only things I have left to pack are my toothbrush and necessities. Are you packed, yet?

I hesitated. Um, well, no. I am headed that way now, though.

Did you ask your mom and dad if you could go to Caleb’s party tonight? Shana asked breathlessly.

Yes, and they said I could go but I have to be home before one.

Well, that’s good with me. I don’t wanna be out too late. It looks like it’s going to storm and I don’t want to be caught trying to drive in it! Shana said apprehensively.

Yeah, I know what you mean, I agreed glancing out of the windows again. I hope we at least make it to Caleb’s before the rain hits. Maybe by the time the party’s over the rain will have stopped, I said hopefully. Well, are you going to come pick me up in half an hour? I asked, taking clothes off the hangers in my closet and folding them up to put in my suitcase.

Sure, I will pick you up then. Shana hung up the phone. I cradled the receiver and walked to my dresser pulling open the middle drawer to extract a pair of artfully faded blue jeans. Deciding to wear just a white tank top cotton shirt with the jeans, I collected clean underwear and skipped to my adjoining bathroom. Twenty minutes later, showered, dressed, makeup on, and hair made up in a simple braid, I descended the wide marble stairs to wait on the front porch steps of the mansion. The warm, muggy breeze felt so good on my skin. I laid my head back against one of the white columns, closing my eyes and letting the breeze play with the loose strands of my hair. It was a surprise when I didn’t hear the double doors open behind me and someone walk out onto the wooden porch to sit beside me.

So, are you packed, yet?

I jumped so hard I hit my shoulder on the column. Wincing with my watering eyes shut tight against the pain and my hand clutching my shoulder I recognized my father’s voice.

I’m not packed yet, I glanced up at his face. Daddy looked nervous. I continued to look at him questioningly. Can I help you with something, Dad?

I wanted to talk to you about something. If he looked nervous before, it was nothing compared to how he looked now. He wasn’t just nervous, he looked extremely uncomfortable. His usually ruddy complexion was flushed scarlet. Somehow I knew what was coming next.

Dad, I said before he could embarrass us both, you don’t have to tell me anything. I already know what you are going to say and let me just say that Mom has already had The Talk with me. I am not going to have sex tonight. I promise, I said going red. Unbelievable! Why would he do this to me?

Daddy visibly became less embarrassed and calmed down a great deal. He wiped a hand across his forehead. Whew, was all he could manage, which was a relief, because Shana had just pulled in the long driveway honking the horn loudly, with the windows rolled down, and rock music blaring to pick me up. Daddy stood up and helped me to my feet. I am so proud of you, kiddo. I love you so much. Please be safe, okay? he whispered in my hair as he hugged me. I saw him glance over my shoulder admiring Shana’s new car.

I love you too, Daddy. Thank you for everything you have done. You and Mom are great parents. The best, I hugged him back forcefully, kissing him goodbye.

Daddy walked me to Shana’s car. I watched out of the side view mirror of Shana’s car as my dad stood waving at us as we drove down the driveway and knew he hadn’t noticed my mom walk silently up beside him. He turned and took her outstretched hand, letting the only woman he had ever truly loved lead him back into the house, wiping a solitary tear from his cheek as they went. I continued to watch my parents, the best parents ever, walk holding hands until the large mimosa trees that lined the outside of our tall wrought-iron gate blocked them from view.

Chapter 2

The first deep rumbles of thunder echoed distantly across the sky. The storm clouds that I had noticed earlier were obstructing the sunset now blocking the last rays of sunlight making the evening darker. There was a slight breeze that lifted my hair as we climbed out of Shana’s new pretty blue Pluto. Every light in the downstairs part of the huge house was burning, including the porch lights, illuminating the yard, and a few lights on the upper floor were on. Loud music was playing from somewhere in the house that carried out the open front doors to our ears. Almost immediately we were bombarded by admirers of Shana’s car. Obviously we weren’t the first to have arrived. No less than four members of our senior class were crowded around Shana’s car, including, my heart leapt, Caleb.

Caleb nodded at Shana appreciatively. Nice car.

Thank you, Shana stuttered blushing.

Let me guess, graduation present, right? he said admiringly. Shana just nodded unable to speak. Caleb grinned at me and came around to my side of the car.

Hello baby. He pulled me into his arms breathing in the scent of my hair. I’m so glad you could make it. His aquamarine eyes were liquid and warm. Swiftly he swooped down and kissed me tenderly making my heart thud almost painfully as I felt that familiar ache deep in my stomach. Pulling back, and grinning down at me, he took my hand leading me into the house.

Turning to glance over his shoulder he added, All right, guys. Come on, now. Leave the lady alone so that she can come and enjoy the party.

I distinctly heard the guys saying something along the lines of: It goes from zero to sixty in five point two seconds. I just shook my head clearly not understanding the big deal about fast cars.

"So, are you going to come with