Ravenous: A Short Story

By Lorraine Versini

Early one morning, the emergency department of a sleepy village in France is woken up by the distress call of a child. A suspicious death has occurred, but its causes will remain mysterious... until nature releases a never seen plague, and all comes to light.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lorraine Versini
• Release date: Nov 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311828798

Lorraine Versini

Lorraine Versini is a French author now living in Italy. Born in the Côte d’Azur, she graduated in English Language, Literature and Civilisation at the Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier, before moving to Somerset, United Kingdom, where she spent 12 years of her life.An avid reader, she’d spend most of her free time reading fiction of various genres, until one day she started giving shape to her own stories. Inspired by different authors such as the Brothers Grimm, Voltaire, Molière, Nora Roberts and Thomas Harris, her voice changes from romantic to dark, with a hint of humour.She is a professional translator and proof-reader. Her hobbies include photography, makeup and trekking.

Book preview

RAVENOUS

by

Lorraine Versini

First Edition

Copyright 2014 Lorraine Versini

Cover by Jeffrey Kosh

Smashwords Edition

ISBN: 9781311828798

All rights reserved.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE

DEDICATION

RAVENOUS

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

BIOGRAPHY

DEDICATED

To Victor

May you brighten the lives of those who are on the other side of the rainbow.

RAVENOUS

Emergency services, may I take your telephone number please?

"My maman is not waking up."

The juvenile voice on the other end of the line was strangely calm. Could it be a joke? No. From experience, pranksters were teens, or immature adults who had had one too many and revelled in their sick idea of fun. Anyway, protocol meant investigating every single call. One instance of overlooking a genuine shout for help could mean serious consequences for the person in trouble—and instant dismissal, lawsuit most probably, and goodness knows what other problem for Élisa.

She continued, Hello, young man, you are calling the doctors. What’s your name?

Bastien Fabre.

Good morning, Bastien. How old are you? Élisa’s voice took a friendlier tone in an attempt to make the child comfortable. Scaring him away could be counterproductive.

I’m five, the boy’s voice came through, "My maman is not waking up. She’s still in bed. I nudged her, but she didn’t move. I’m really afraid."

"Is Papa home, Bastien?"

I don’t have a father.

Darn it. Élisa’s concern grew. She needed to talk to an adult. Is there a grown-up in the house I could speak to?

No, it’s just me.

Élisa started clicking her pen, a release valve for what she anticipated would turn into a stressful situation. "Okay, Bastien. I am going to ask you to listen to me carefully, and to