The trunk of the Escalade lay open, like the gaping mouth of a predator expecting prey. Kassie crept past it – she didn’t want to look at it – her eyes trained on the shack instead. The door was ajar and as they moved closer to it, they could hear voices. A man’s voice, low and sinister, and a woman’s voice – weak, fractured, plaintive.
Alarmed, Kassie stepped forward, reaching out a hand towards the door, but Adam pulled her back.
‘Me first,’ he whispered.
He held the flashlight tight in his hand, then teased the door open. Kassie was on his shoulder and what she now saw took her breath away. The interior was dimly illuminated by a paraffin lamp, but its flickering light was enough to reveal a man in a blue boiler suit standing over Madelaine Baines – or what remained of her. Her hands and feet were bloody stumps, she was caked in gore and the blade of a cleaver was pressed to her throat.
The masked man appeared to be taunting her, revelling in her fear. He was poised to slit her throat, but when his victim saw movement by the door, she groaned long and loud. Immediately, the man turned, cursing in surprise.
Kassie was frozen to the spot, but Adam sprinted forward, even as the masked man prepared to defend himself, sweeping the cleaver away from Madelaine towards the intruder. But Adam didn’t hesitate, swinging his flashlight violently, batting the cleaver from his hand. Realizing the danger he was in, Madelaine’s captor responded immediately, throwing his head forward, attempting to butt his attacker. But Adam dodged him, driving his knee into the man’s groin. Groaning, the man staggered back, knocking his devastated victim over, allowing Adam to pounce.
He landed a heavy punch and the masked man stumbled. Adam moved in for the kill, grasping the man’s head and attempting to pull him around. But suddenly it was Adam who was falling backwards, the ski mask having come clean off in his hand. Kassie glimpsed the man’s face – white, pasty, goateed – but suddenly he spun round, landing a fierce blow on Adam’s chin. The latter had not been expecting it and collapsed backwards, landing with a heavy thud on the floor. And now Madelaine’s captor leaped upon him, knocking his flailing arms aside, clamping his hands around his throat.
Adam was squirming on the floor, his legs kicking violently, as he tried to break his attacker’s grip. And now Kassie came alive, sensing the danger and rushing forward. Adam’s attacker clearly hadn’t registered her presence, for he made no attempt to defend himself. Kassie took full advantage of this, wrapping her arm around his sturdy neck and tugging backwards with all her might.
The man groaned – in surprise and pain – and briefly released his grip. Kassie tugged harder, but now he launched himself backwards at her, ripping her arm from his neck and ramming an elbow into the side of her head. Suddenly she was sliding sideways, the room spinning and moments later she felt her cheek collide harshly with the rough floor.
She lay there, groaning, unable to move. She felt dizzy, the room seeming to spin around her. Still, she knew she had to get up, so falteringly she stumbled up on to her knees. She wanted to help, to save Adam and Madelaine from this pitiless killer, but even as she looked she realized it was hopeless. The man had resumed his attack on Adam, his hands locked around his victim’s neck, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing …
She had to intervene. She crawled towards them, but lost her balance, stumbling sideways. She had only seconds now – Adam’s eyes were bulging, his face purple – yet still she couldn’t will her body forward. Cursing, she began to cry. Was this really how it was going to end?
But now, to her surprise, the man was scrambling to his feet. Adam was still conscious – just – retching and coughing on the floor, so why had his attacker risen? And now Kassie became aware of the awful, insidious smell that was beginning to fill the room. Darting a look over to her right, she saw what had happened. The paraffin lamp had been knocked over in the melee, spilling its deadly fuel on to the small table, which had in turn ignited the fabric of the building. One wall was already on fire and in seconds the whole building would be ablaze.
Stunned, Kassie watched as the man snatched up his cleaver and fled, abandoning his victim and his attackers without a second glance. Moments later, she heard the SUV start up and roar away. The sound seemed to bring her to her senses and without thinking she scuttled over to Adam.
‘Are you ok?’ she cried, clawing at him.
‘I’m fine,’ he croaked, struggling to right himself.
Turning away, Kassie spotted Madelaine, lying prone on the floor, even as the flames threatened to encircle her. She raced over to her and, slipping her arms under Madelaine’s, tried to right her. Kassie could feel the heat of the blaze, could hear the wood crackling overhead, but try as she might, she couldn’t get any purchase. So instead, she turned her attention to Madelaine’s bonds, yanking at the ropes that secured her to the chair.
But even as she did so, an awful keening sound made her look up – just in time to see a flaming timber crash to the ground right next to her, rebounding off the plastic sheet and sending sparks flying up into the air. Kassie darted a look at the blazing roof, which was creaking ominously, and redoubled her efforts.
She tugged and tugged, digging her fingers between the ropes and trying to loosen the knots, but it was no use. Acrid fumes now filled the shack, as the plastic sheeting they were standing on began to melt. The smoke was stinging her eyes, filling her lungs, but she knew she couldn’t stop. She had to get Madelaine out.
The sweat was running down the side of her face, it was getting increasingly hard to breathe, but now she grabbed hold of Madelaine’s mutilated hands and started to pull. If all else failed, she could drag her from the shack. One of her nails cracked, then another, but she ignored them. She moved Madelaine a few inches, then a few more.
Another timber crashed to the ground, clipping Kassie on the shoulder, knocking her off balance. For a moment, she lost her bearings, the smoke swirling all around her, but then she glimpsed Madelaine’s prone form again and started to tug once more. She managed to shift her a couple of inches, but then her progress was suddenly halted. Had the chair caught on something?
‘Madelaine?’
Her cry was cracked and reedy. And there was no response. Kassie yanked again but even as she did so, two more timbers fell, showering her with sparks. She heaved again, but now she felt someone grab her from behind. She spun around and through the gloom was surprised to make out Adam’s face. He was trying to say something, she could see his mouth moving, but what he was saying was lost as another roof timber crashed to the floor beside them.
Still he pulled at her. Kassie tried to fend him off, but his grip was vice-like. Now he was dragging her towards the door. Furious, she turned, trying to grab hold of Madelaine once more. But she had lost her now in the smoke.
‘—ssie, we’ve got to get out of here.’
Now Adam’s voice cut through and seconds later she felt a rush of cold air, as he pushed her from the blazing shed. For a moment, she struggled in his arms, but she knew it was hopeless. The whole structure was ablaze and anyone inside would be lost for sure.
‘There’s nothing more we can do, Kassie,’ Adam gasped, holding her to him.
She continued to struggle, but it was half-hearted now, her body buckling as the tears came. Moments later, the entire roof collapsed in on itself.
‘We were too late …’
Now she went limp in his arms, despair and exhaustion mastering her. Adam made no move to release her, hanging on to her. They had tried their best, but they had failed. There was no longer anything they could do, so the pair stood there, swaying, their eyes glued to the burning shack, as huge flames leaped from it, framed by the inky black waters of the lake.