The large delivery van came to a halt near the old cathedral and the engine turned off. At midnight the streets were deserted these days so the van was the only thing on the road. The building was a testament to a bygone era of accomplishment, community, and hope. Now it was a desiccated husk, crumbling to pieces like their hopes of winning did long ago.

“Remember citizens, magic is dangerous! If you see anyone using it, call your local sanitation squad immediately! Only with the help of our merciful…all seeing…gods…”
the radio said then died suddenly with the engine.

“Thank god that’s off. Why do you listen to that shit?”
asked the handsome brown haired man in the passenger seat said.

“Shut up Frank. You know why. It is important to hear what is going on,”
the haggard looking middle-aged blonde woman said. She looked up at the cathedral “Of course she would pick here of all places…that psychotic bitch.”

“You don’t have to do this Helen. You know this is just what they want…it’s a trap. If they kill you the resistance cells will all fall apart,” said a rough bass voice from the back in a tone that said they had this discussion before.

“They have my daughter! I don’t have a choice Jackson,”
the woman said with icy resolve. Besides, she thought to herself, the woman known as the cannibal always worked alone so we might stand a chance.

Without a word the trio exited the van and made their way to the side of the cathedral, as one of the front towers collapse had blocked off the main entry and made it unstable. Then when they reached the side door it was ward free and while that was concerning they decided to enter anyway, silently, like the swat team they were equipped like.

It was pitch dark inside, impossibly dark, so nothing could be seen at all in the magical shadow. As they stood in the entry that is when they struck. It was like the very shadows themselves came alive and attacked. They weren’t prepared and Frank went down early in the fight to the shadow creatures. Only Jackson and Helen survived.

“Fuck, they got Frank…what the shit were those things,”
Helen whispered.

“Shit…Animated shadow I think. Death and Spirit,”
Jackson said flatly.

Helen took point and made her way down the hall with Jackson watching their six. It wasn’t long before Helen reached the enormous vaulted sanctuary. The space was entirely shrouded in shadows and the only light was from a lamp on the floor near a six-year-old girl tied to a post. The girl’s clothing was ripped and dirty from her own filth as she was clearly not allowed to relieve herself properly.

“Oh baby!” Helen gasped, her heart breaking to see her child in such a state.

“Mommy! NO! RUN! The Kitty! The Kitty!” the little girl screamed in terror.

The Kitty? Helen thought to herself as she started toward the little girl.

“Shhh, no baby mommy’s here,” the woman said soothingly as she neared the light. “Jackson keep your eyes open.”

Then a stark realization hit her. It had been some time since she heard Jackson.

“Jackson…are you there?”
Helen said fear creeping into her voice.

Then she heard it…a low rumbling growl followed by the piercing shriek of a large cat, a cougar or a jaguar maybe.

“The Kitty!” the woman exclaimed understanding hitting her as she looked around in fear.

What the fuck was I thinking barging in here like this…I knew better than this…


It happened so fast that Helen couldn’t react or understand what was going on. A large mass struck her from behind and the little girl started shrieking in fear and terror as Helen struck the ground. Then there was nothing but pain with the sound of ripping flesh and clothing and her own screaming joined the little girls in some sort of choir strait from the bowels of hell. She pulled a knife and tried to fight, but it was no use, she was already weakening as she felt her blood spurting from her so she was only able to get several weak stabs in before she couldn’t move anymore.

“Mommy?” the little girl asked sobbing. “Are you ok?”

Then the mauling stopped just as quickly as it begun. She was on her back looking up into the darkness and suddenly a woman popped into her line of sight. She looked to be of Native American decent with long black hair. She was entirely naked and her tanned skin was spattered in gore with blood smeared all over her nose and around her mouth.

“F…Fisher…why…” Helen gurgled and choked out through bloody bubbles.

“Oh, you’ve heard of me?” the nude woman replied grinning with far too many white teeth. "Jackson was it? Well he died quick disappointing really. You lying bastards won’t fool me. I know what you all are really up to. Trying to overthrow all of creation? Destroy reality? No…treacherous animals like you deserve to die. The seers protect humanity and I will too.”

The naked young woman looked down at Helen and nodded in grim satisfaction.

“It won’t be long now, you’re almost out of blood. Wow…that really is a lot of it isn’t…kind of pretty in a way, all red and twinkly. Usually I can’t wait and I start eating while their still alive…fresher and tastes better. All that life and magic pumping through it gets me all wet and tingly. However, I think I’ll save you for dessert,” Fisher said with a smile before she turned her head toward the little girl and licked her lips.

Helen’s eyes widened in despair and she gurgled something that might have been a scream as her head flopped to the side. She saw the naked woman approaching her baby girl and the horror that was to follow was the last thing she would ever see and hear.