Faith

By Jenni Boyd

In the remote outback of South australia, a pig hunter and his dog stumble upon a gruesome scene. Constable William Scott, the local policeman in the nearest town of Maree is called out to investigate.

It soon becomes evident to Scott that the property hides secrets of something dark and sinister, with an incredible amount of evil, sparking the arrival of the full resources of the Police Force.

As the body count rises, a ritualistic pattern emerges, but still no clue of the identity of the victims. With the widening of their search a small piece of evidence is found......The perpetrator has another victim. Can they find and thwart this evil mastermind before he completes his final ritual?

*Warning* This book contains graphic violence and is not for the faint hearted. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jenni Boyd Books
• Release date: Oct 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9780987244352

Jenni Boyd

Jenni Boyd was born in Adelaide, Australia. She has eight published books, her first being Natalia, a story of mystery, myth and girl's journey to find the truth. Her second book Missing, is set in the remote outback of Australia, cattle country. It was with this story that Jenni found her niche in writing was thrillers. Basing her stories in the remote areas of Australia, which she had travelled by 4WD, with camper trailer in tow and a satellite phone as her only means of contact. Jenni's latest release is the Steel Series, which consists of three books: Defiance of Danger, The Riddle, Rusalka. These books are not standalone and need to be read in order to fully understand the story. When not absorbed in the latest gripping page turner, or spending time with her family, Jenni loves sewing, gardening and collecting shells. Jenni is a mother of two, stepmother of three and grandmother of seven. She currently resides with her partner in the northernmost part of Queensland, Australia and commonly called crocodile territory.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Before pulling the long chain that held three silver rings from her pocket, the woman looked over the girl's shoulder to ensure they were still alone.

There is one ring for each of you, she whispered as she placed the chain over the girl's head.

You know I won’t be allow to keep these.

I'm hoping because of their design you will.

Why are you giving them to me?

They are proof of who you are, the woman replied quickly, keeping an alert eye on the open doorway.

I don’t understand.

Each has an inscription inside that secretly binds us together as a family. Never forget that. When Chloe and the baby are old enough to accept theirs, you must explain everything to them,

I promise.

There was the sound of an authoritative voice.

I will find a safe place to keep them, the girl replied as she quickly tucked the chain and rings inside her dress.

Moments later a man stepped through the doorway and no further words were spoken between the two.

As they all walked outside, the woman willed herself to remain strong and silently watched them all being bundled into the waiting vehicle.

A lump rose to her throat as a forlorn face turned and looked at her from the back window. She stood motionless until the car disappeared from sight. Minutes ticked by before she finally gave into her emotions, crumbling in a heap upon the top step and openly wept.

I promise to search for you, even if it takes until my last breath!

CHAPTER ONE

The water was scalding hot as the woman scrubbed her with a harsh brush, but she said nothing. When her skin was rubbed raw and the water had cooled, she was instructed to exit the tin bath.

The moment her feet touched the cold stone floor her toes curled instinctively, trying to hold in the warmth and delay the chill that would eventually snake its way through her body.

The girl stood silently, staring blankly at the grey wall as the woman rubbed a rough towel vigorously over her tender skin. Lifting her arms obediently to allow the shapeless, coarse tunic to be pulled over her head. The hood of the garment completely hid her face and her hands had disappeared within the folds of the full sleeves.

The woman prodded her to move out into the long narrow hallway, forcing her to keep her head bowed. As she looked down, she suddenly noticed her toes, which peeked in and out from beneath the hem of her tunic. Keeping her focus intently on them, she saw that with each step her toes began to develop a bluish hue.

They came to the hall’s end. As she stared down at the steps disappearing into the darkness, a wave of fear rushed through her. She wanted to ask where they were going and why but could not.

Her body began to shake uncontrollably as a thin gnarled hand pulled her forward, causing her unsteady legs to buckle. If it hadn’t been for the surprising grip of the old woman, she would have most likely fallen to her death.

Thoughts of the Devil living in a deep dark Hell came to mind, heightening her fear.

Is this where we are going?

The further they descended the colder the steps became and she knew it was not the Hell from the scriptures Revelation 21:8, which stated Hell as -The lake of fire and sulphur.

The temperature had now plummeted so much it felt like ice-cold tentacles were slowly weaving their way up through the fabric of her garment, wrapping themselves around her body. She had to grit her teeth to stop them from chattering, she knew more than anything, she must not make a sound.

Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness – 1 Timothy 2:11.

They had reached the bottom and moments later the woman released her grip. It was so dark the girl could not see her hand in front of her face. She turned her head in every direction expecting the Night Monster to suddenly appear.

The rasp sound of a match scraping against the coarse fabric of the box caused her to jump, her eyes drawn to the light as each candle was lit, suddenly realising the gnarled hand shook.

Is she also afraid, if so, why did she bring me here?

The old woman’s face was shrouded in darkness as she turned towards the girl, reaching out and taking hold of her wrists tightly, staring at her momentarily before pulling her towards the pillar, which was now visible in the candlelight.

It was about one metre in height and made of marble. It had an intricately carved design that some might think of as an exquisite work of art, but because of its purpose, it could never be looked upon as a thing of beauty.

As her tunic was roughly pulled over her head she squeezed her eyes tightly shut to hold back the tears. She had been warned not to cry. Tears would gain her no sympathy, they will only incite his anger.

Her body shook more from her nakedness than the cold, knowing the candlelight revealed her most intimate parts. Feeling certain that someone was watching from the shadows.

Despite her resolve not to cry, her eyes blurred with tears as the old woman turned her to face the marble masterpiece.

She tried to swallow the painful lump in her throat as her wrists were shackled to a chain, which was firmly attached to the base of the pillar, forcing her to bend over so her upper body rested upon its cold, flat surface.

Her head faced a wall. She could see a long thin cane that was held in place by two hooks and a Biblical quotation inscribed on a piece of timber above it. She then knew why she was here. She was to be punished, but for what she did not know.

She tried to fill her mind with other thoughts, in the hope it would be a diversion from impending pain. Desperately trying to visualise her special place, but the sight of the large form reaching for the cane, followed by the sound of it whipping through the air only heightened her fear, causing a sudden wetness to trickle down between her legs.

Moments later she felt the full force of the cane as it came down hard across her back, sending a bolt of pain through her body. Her mouth opened as if to scream, but she made no sound. With each strike he spoke in a language she did not understand, nor did she want to.

Soon her back, buttocks and legs were crisscrossed of bloody welts. The physical and emotional trauma caused her body to go into a state of unconsciousness. Her limp form sagged and then slipped from the pillar.

Sweat dripped in his eyes, causing him to pause and lift the mask so as to wipe his sleeve across his face.

Once his eyes were clear, he realised his victim was now inert and sagging against her restraints. She could no longer hear his words or feel her punishment.

He stood as if mesmerised watching the slow trickle of blood that ran from her wounds, slowly gaining in momentum. Soon it became many tiny red rivers that ran down her porcelain skin, staining her long fair hair that pooled at the base of the pillar like a silken thread.

Something about the girl registered in his mind, causing him to take a step back. When realisation struck, he was awash with a sense of horror, he released the cane as though it was a poisonous snake, letting it clatter loudly against the stone floor.

CHAPTER TWO

The old woman quickly entered the darkened room, silently closing the door behind her and then turned the key in the lock.

The hem of her simple dress whispered across the stone floor as she moved through the darkness to a small table. Despite finding comfort in the shadows, what she was about to do required light.

As she picked up the matches a warning voice sounded inside her head, causing her to look back towards the door. Despite her fear, she struck the match against the box, which seemed to emit an overly loud sound in the silent room.

Her hand shook as she held the flame to the candle, for what she was about to do was not only forbidden, but utter lunacy.

Once seated, her scarred fingers struggled to undo the buttons on the cuff of her sleeve before removing her contraband, a rumpled piece of paper and hidden within its folds was a small nub of pencil.

As if trying to delay her task, she took her time smoothing out the creases from the paper. Trying to reason with herself that what she’d planned to do was too dangerous.

Her hands stilled as she leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes, which she immediately regretted. The face of one so innocent flashed before her.

This was the reason she couldn't sleep, because she was racked with guilt that she was partly responsible for the wrongs that had been committed.

With a slow and deliberate motion she willed herself to pick up the small writing implement, but her fingers struggled to hold it. Momentarily looking at it as if it was a foreign object.

It had been many years since she had written so much as a single word and wondered if she would remember how.

It was an effort to form a single letter, the pencil continually slipping from her grasp, but finally she managed to write her first word, which even to her own eyes looked childlike and almost unreadable.

She reminded herself this letter was for her eyes only. A confession she could not voice, but by writing down the words, she hoped it would silence the voices in her head.

Over the years I have led many down the stone steps. I did not know what their names were, nor did I want to. Many pleaded with me wanting to repent, but it's not my place to cleanse their souls, only their bodies.

Before one can be reconciled to God, they must suffer punishment for their sins and repent. The purpose of the marble pillar.

The innocent one, the last one I led down the steps, I knew she would not need my potent herbal drink. One that subdues any resistance against my part in the cleansing. Despite this, I did not question why she had been brought to me.

I knew she was afraid by the way she trembled and the fear I saw in her eyes, but strangely she did not cry, nor utter a single word. This troubled me, but still I did nothing.

I clearly remember how much her body trembled, just before we were about to descend the stone steps. She almost tumbled to her death, but I ensured she did not.

Even though it is a sin to think such thoughts, I now regret I did not let her fall.

By the time we reached the room below her body was shaking so much, she had to clutch mine for support, but still, I did not buckle in my resolve to carry out my duties set by the Master.

After lighting the candelabra I turned towards her. Her face was clearly illuminated by the candlelight and that was when I made my first mistake. I looked into her eyes and what I saw there almost made me falter.

When I removed her robe and saw her naked body in the candlelight, once again a voice sounded in my head, but as before when I washed her, I ignored it.

I grabbed hold of her cold hands and pulled her towards the pillar, I knew she was afraid but still she remained silent. I felt her tremble as I placed the shackles around her wrists, but she did not fight.

It was then that I made my second mistake. I decided to disobey the Master.

I am forbidden to remain in the inner sanctum once I’ve completed my duties. I must return to my room and pray for the souls of those I'd led down the stone steps.

Instead, I hid in the shadows halfway up the stairs, a place well hidden from those below, but it gave me a grandstand view of the events as they unfolded, something that will haunt me until the day I die!

The forcefulness of the Master's strikes against her naked skin shocked me to the point I had to turn my head. It was then that I discovered I was not the only spectator.

I could not see his face because the hood of his cloak hid it, but I could clearly see he was committing a sinful act of lustful immorality. He was pleasuring himself.

The loud clatter of the cane as it hit the floor turned my attention back to the pillar. I had to force my hand over my mouth to silence any noise I might have made.

As I looked down at her still and bloody form, a sense of betrayal washed over me. I could not help but question my belief in this man who purported to be doing God’s will.

I watched him hurriedly leave through the heavy oak door, but I did not move as I knew the other was still in the room. I wanted to check on the girl, but knew I had to wait until he left.

I heard a soft footfall on the stone floor and the spectator stepped out from the darkness towards the lifeless form.

His face was still obscured by the hood of the cloak that he had pulled further forward, almost as if it was imperative he keep his identity a secret.

A new fear washed over me causing me to step back further into the shadows, as I suddenly knew who this person was.

I had no doubt in my mind that he would kill me if he knew I was here.

I watched in shock and anger as he flung back the folds of his cloak, revealing he was naked and fully aroused. I wanted to cry out to the girl, for I knew what he intended to do, but my fear kept me silent.

So I prayed that she was dead.

As he thrust himself brutally between her thighs, I saw her head jerk up and her hands claw at the pillar as if trying to escape, but still she did not utter a sound.

I closed my eyes because I could no longer watch, but I could not shut out his animalistic sounds.

I knew this was my opportunity to leave, but instead I slid to the floor and buried my head between my knees.

An overwhelming sense of shame came over me as I thought back to all those I’d led down these steps.

What were their crimes? A question I’d never asked. Had they suffered the same fate as this one?

It was the sound of a door closing that caused me to raise my head. I could see he had left the room and as I looked down at her still form.

I knew she was dead, but I had to know for sure. I had to know if I'd been instrumental in the death of another?

I slowly moved down the steps, part of me fearing I would be discovered, but the other part no longer caring.

I first retrieved the key from the hook and then cradled her weight as I unshackled her wrists. The candlelight revealing the dark bruise around her neck.

As I stared into her face a long distant memory flashed through my mind, but it disappeared before I could fully grasp it.

I gently brushed her eyelids down over her unseeing eyes as I asked myself.

Who is she, where did she come from?

I am ashamed to say that my sense of self-preservation overrode any further feelings.

I could not be seen here now.

I knew eventually someone would come to remove her body, but before I left, I returned to her, her one simple form of adornment that I had taken from her earlier.

My reason was partly to appease my guilt, but more so to vent my anger against the Master, a man who purported to doing God's will.

The woman’s fingers ached from gripping the tiny pencil, which was now blunt. She had filled every inch of the paper on both sides.

Slowly and painfully she tried to flex her cramped fingers. The back of her neck ached as she looked up towards the small opening, which was her only form of a window.

The blackness from outside that small square was now grey, marking the beginnings of a new day. She’d been writing all through the night.

She picked up the piece of paper and was about to put it to the flame of the candle that had almost burnt itself out, but hesitated and changed her mind. Folding it as small as possible before looking around her spartan room for a place to hide it.

CHAPTER THREE

The young woman stared into the campfire, watching the flames as they danced along the burning log, trying not to think of the darkness beyond. Almost as if reading her thoughts, her companion spoke.

It’s going to be very dark tonight, there will be no moon or stars.

She looked across at him as he sat on the other side of the fire. The shadows played over his face distorting his features, causing the hairs to prickle on the back of her neck.

What about the fire, can’t we keep it burning through the night? she asked nervously.

No, it’s too dangerous to leave it unattended, due to the drought. Realistically we should not even have this fire.

She shifted her gaze from him to the inky blackness and tried not to think of a Night Monster that lurked in the darkness. Telling herself the light was her angel and would keep her from harm.

An idea suddenly came to her, one that helped her with the overwhelming fear of this place he had brought her to.

I'm not tired. How about you rest and I’ll keep the fire going. I will wake you in a couple of hours, she suggested.

There’s no need to be afraid, I will protect you.

He leaned forward to extinguish an ember that had fallen from the fire, the flickering flame clearly showing his downturn mouth, causing her to wonder if she'd hurt his feelings.

I know you will not let any harm come to me, but I’m really not tired. As it's obvious that you are, why not get some rest and I’ll wake you when I feel sleepy?

He looked directly across at her, a shy smile now on his face.

You promise?

Yes.

He stared at her for a moment, before finally laying down. She could no longer see him, as the fire effectively hid him from her view.

Soon she heard his soft snoring and shook her head with a smile, marvelling enviously at how easy it was for him to fall asleep.

She picked up a stick and prodded at the fire, her eyes following the sparks as they drifted up and disappeared into smoke.

Her skin suddenly prickled for no apparent reason. There was something about the place that gave her an uneasy feeling, making her wish they had not stopped.

At the time he’d explained it would be too dangerous to continue in the dark. As she herself was not familiar with the area, she was left with no choice but to agree with him.

The reason she had not wanted to stop, was because of her need to distance herself as far away as possible from the place she’d escaped from.

They were travelling to a place she had never been before, which also gave her an element of fear, but not as great as the one that was behind her.

A painful lump rose in her throat at the memory of a promise that had been so cruelly broken. Her fingers unconsciously touching the rings on her finger. They were two, of three that had been made for a specific reason.

Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, but she would not let them fall, something she had learnt to control a long time ago.

With a shuddering sigh she looked up at the blackened sky. Despite his warning of the dark night she searched for a star, one she was told would always be there to watch over her.

Eventually her skyward search caused her neck to ache, so she laid back on the hard ground, unmindful of the dry leaves and twigs that pressed into her skin. Her mind’s only focus was to find that one single light, that one bright star.

So intent was her search that she became oblivious of the dwindling flames of the fire and her drooping eyelids. Soon she fell into a deep sleep.

After a time, the smell of smoke penetrated her senses moments before her eyes flew open. She stared into the darkness, for a moment wondering where she was.

Her realisation that she'd fallen asleep and that the fire no longer gave a form of light filled her with a sense of fear. She began to move, but it was the sound of voices that kept her where she was.

Who is he talking to? There should be no one else here!

You. Should. Not. Have. Helped. Her. Escape!

Intense fear caused her heart to pound hard in her chest, as she knew that other voice. Wishing now more than ever that her mother was here.

Finally realising that wishing for something wasn't going to change her situation. It was time she learnt to deal with her fear of the Night Monster.

Trying to control her breathing and slow her heart rate so she could hear the conversation, but it was as if everything around her had suddenly gone silent.

The eerie stillness seemed to drag on for an eternity, which threaten to send her into a full blown panic attack.

Run, you have to run now before it is too late!

Despite the voice that screamed in her head, she could not bring herself to move. In the past her mother had always been there to help her, she did not know how to cope with this on her own.

Precious seconds ticked by until finally her willingness to survive kicked in. She cautiously began to move, managing to get herself as far as a crouch, when her sneaker pressed down on a small twig causing it to snap.

To her ears it sounded like a gunshot and effectively freezing her in her position. Her ears picked up a soft sound, causing her to hold her breath.

Soon her lungs felt as if they would burst and her leg muscles began to burn from holding herself in such an awkward position. She simultaneously took in a breath and slowly began to rise.

When she was at her full height, she stood as still as a statue. Taking in small breaths, while honing her ears for any further sound. She heard nothing. Part of her was relieved, but her instincts told her to be wary.

After a time the tension in her body eased slightly and she braced herself to move. She lifted one foot to take a step, mindful to place it down carefully, exhaling softly when it made no sound. Pausing a moment to listen before taking another careful step.

She had managed to move about ten steps, when she was suddenly encompassed in a bright light. A strangled scream escaped her throat and despite not being able to see, she took off at a sprint in a direction to the left of the light.

One minute she was running, then her face was slammed onto the hard dirt. Her jaw felt as though it had shifted position and before she had a chance to react, her wrists and ankles were tied.

She tried to struggle, but it was fruitless. Panic rose up in her as she felt the weight of his body on top of hers. His hot breath at the side of her face caused bile to rise up into her throat.

He said nothing, but felt his lips move against her cheek and instinctively knew he was smiling.

Even though she knew it would excite him further, she could not stop the sob that escaped from her mouth. His weight lifted from her and with the realisation that this time there would be know one to stop him, moisture leaked from her tightly closed eyes.

After all these years of holding back her tears, it was as if the dam had broke. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her body shook with her sobs, bracing herself with what would happen next.

It took her a moment to register the sound of his retreating boots as they crushed the dry twigs and leaves that littered the ground

Despite her fear, she wondered what had become of her friend and tried to call out to him, but her voice was barely more than a croak.

Not knowing if her friend had heard her, or whether he was unable to speak, she realised now more than ever she had to be strong. The only person that was going to save her was herself.

With this realisation she lay there quietly, honing all her senses, as they might be her only chance of surviving.

Everything had once again gone quiet. There was no voices, no sound of heavy boots walking across dry foliage.

Did he hear me try call out to my friend, is he waiting for him to respond?

The sudden sound of a rusty car door groaning on its hinges, caused her to jolt. She then heard the sound of metal scraping against metal, followed by that of boots stomping across dry earth.

She was momentarily filled with a sense of relief at the knowledge that he was moving further away from her. That soon changed when she realised he was dragging something.

Trying her best to dispel terrible thoughts, as she knew what he was capable of, but that changed when she heard his grunt and a sound like a shovel stabbing at dry hard dirt.

He's digging a grave!

It was almost as if she'd got a slap to her face. As sad as it was about the death of her friend, this was her chance to try escape, but also, for the very first time in her life, she realised that the darkness could be her friend.

Quickly rolling onto her back, she brought her knees up to her chest and then tried to bring her bound wrists over her feet. Her arms felt as if they were being stretched out of their sockets, but she was determined not to give up.

Finally she had success. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position and saw a torchlight. Panic caused her to hurriedly try to untie the rope from her ankles, but her fingers seemed to be all thumbs and the fact she could not see the rope did not help.

She once again turned her head in the direction of the torch light and felt a sense of relief that the light was not shining outwards, but downwards.

He's wearing a head torch so he can see what he's doing.

Finally she could feel the rope loosen around her ankles and was slightly reassured that she could still hear the sound of him digging. Thankful that the ground was so hard and dry that it gave her greater odds of escaping.

When her ankles were finally free, she quickly rose to her feet, not bothering about releasing her bound wrists, knowing that every second counts. Fear made her want to run, but she knew that would be a mistake, as the sound would instantly alert him that she had untied her bonds.

First, she looked off in the distance at the torchlight, before quickly turning in the other direction, holding back the urge to run, she held her hands out in front of her to protect her from walking into a tree.

Using the sound of his exertions behind her to ensure she wasn’t walking in circles. When his grunts began to fade behind her, she increased her pace.

Soon the only sound she could hear was that of her heavy breathing. Fear spurred her forward, knowing he had the advantage of a torch, but also a vehicle to find her.

A loud curse suddenly pierced through the night causing her to