Chapter 11

Journal of Artemis Strapp

The following events occurred several days after my encounter with Ms. Adams. In the interest of expediency, I will convey them as best I can.

March 6th, 1862

1 o’clock PM

Met with journalist about the missing child. He mentioned that several stevedores saw the boy that night as well, but they did not wish to be mentioned in his story. The journalist also informed me that one of them saw a woman with a child across the bay at Locust Point, in a marshy area. A party of men are taking it upon themselves to search for the boy since the Union refuses to do anything about it. I will endeavor to join them if I can. Thoughts of my observation of Ms. Capston’s body and my conversation with Ms. Adams are on my mind.

5 o’clock PM

Night has fallen early it seems on this winter day. A dark pallor hangs in the sky causing everyone in the search party to cast furtive glances at the sky and over our shoulders. Upon learning I was a (former) physician, the small group of stevedores-turned-search party welcomed me along in case someone received an injury. We proceeded across the bay in a small fishing craft, negotiating the churning waters of the Patapsco, trying our best to avoid the larger ships and boats sailing back and forth.

Half Past 5 o’clock PM

Arrived at Locust Point.

Headed east into a small, but densely wooded section of forest for this is where the woman and child were seen. I asked the leader of our little search party, Steven, which numbered twelve in all, if the child sighted was a boy or girl.

“Can’t say Doctor. Pretty Teddy, that’s what the boys and I call him, said he saw a

woman and child wander’ around here where there’s no cause to be wanderin’. Don’t that strike you as strange Doctor? Taking a child out in the middle of this damn place? Kids should be back inside with their mothers. All eight of mine are home as we speak. No, I tell you! There’s no reason on God’s green earth why a woman and child should be out, ‘cept she’s up to no good!”

“I agree Steven. It is quite peculiar for anyone to be out this way. I have never been this far south of Fells before myself.”

For some reason, the men found this funny. I am not certain why.

6 o’clock PM

We pressed on after some grumbling from the men about aching bellies, and male urges having nothing to do with aching bellies. After walking for what seemed like an eternity, we stopped in a clearing of sorts. Several old logs had fallen, creating natural earthen seating areas for us all. The place seemed like it would be quite picturesque during the daytime. However, as night fell, so did a gloom. The jokes between men lessened. One of them lit a fire, allowing us to feel a sense of comfort, but at the same time, allowing the darkness to feel like a thing alive. Darkness pressed in around us in what seemed like an ever-shrinking circle.

The men passed a bottle of liquid courage around. Half-hearted whispers about curses and black magic gave me the impression that everyone’s morale was faltering. I admit my stony resolve weakened a bit as well, but I was determined to see this through until we had found the child.

Then, a sound. Like footsteps.

We all heard them, but the direction was unclear due to the darkness. More footsteps, then laughter.

“Hello. What a beautiful fire.”

We froze. The voice was a child’s, but tipped with malice.

A small boy stood in the clearing, maybe six or seven years of age. He appeared healthy, except his skin was exceptionally pale, and his eyes seemed to glow. Or, perhaps this was a trick of the light?

“Is this party for meeee?” The boy asked.

I could only assume this was Isiah. I did not convey my suspicions, nor did I inform my fellow search party members of what had occurred at Ms. Adam’s residence. We all should have been happy to find him, but the undercurrent of this entire exchange seemed…sinister. I felt a revulsion while staring at this child that I had never experienced with any child. I like children, but this child filled me with apprehension.

The child stepped closer to our ring. He moved his head, scanning the entire party. The movement was strange; less human than animal. It reminded of a cat hunting a mouse for sport.

“Good sir,” The child said to the nearest man. “I’m so hungry. Please feed me. Take this hunger away from me sir!”

The man backed up an inch or two, but then rounded his shoulders.

“I’ve got you boy.”

He was a big man, as tall as I, but wider and with the thick neck, shoulders and back of most stevedores; built from the hard labor of unloading and loading cargo from the ships. The big man scooped the child up into his strong arms and faced us.

“See boys! Nothing to fear!”

The child’s face was away from me, nestled into the big man’s shoulder and neck.

“So hungry…”

The big man froze, then let out a shriek as if from the very pits of hell!

He began thrashing back and forth, attempting to dislodge the child who had clamped his legs around the big man’s waist. Everyone ran over to try to determine what was amiss when the big man spun our direction, the front of shirt drenched in blood!

The child uncoupled himself from the big man and smiled at us…SMILED.

“I’m still hungry.”

The men ran screaming in every direction.

One ran, without regard to where, and brained himself onto a tree trunk. I heard the tell-tale crack of bone and knew in an instant he was dead from a broken neck. The big man fell to the ground, dead; sightless eyes staring into my soul. I fell backward, landing on my rump as men screamed and shouted as they ran away into the woods. In time, the only ones left in the clearing were myself, two dead men, and the child. It stared at me the same way I had stared at Judith’s breakfast just this morning.

“So hungry. You’ll make a nice treat little birdie indeed.”

“Isiah! Stop!”

My use of his name seemed to confuse the child. He stopped his advance and stared at me.

“I am certain your mother would not want you to hurt anyone.”

At the mention of his mother, Isiah smiled again.

“Mother’s with us now.”

The words emanating from the child caused bile to rise from my gullet. I coughed several times and blinked my eyes, willing my brain to make this apparition vanish. But, it did not. Instead, the child moved closer to me.

One step.

Two steps.

Now, almost on top of me, and I could smell its breath. Fetid and rank. The same smell I have endured when treating a gangrenous wound, or a patient dying of some grievous accident or illness. The smell was DEATH.

A smell seemingly dredged up from the grave itself.

“So sweet you are little birdie. So sweet. So sweet, I’ll make you a treat! Yes, a treat!”

The child bent over me and I noticed its canine teeth. They were elongated and sharper than a human’s teeth should be.

My brain screamed at me to do or say something. To push it away. But, alas, I could not. I was paralyzed; unable to move my arms, legs, or head. All I could do was wait for the certain death which loomed nearer and nearer. The creature, formerly known as Isiah reached out a small white hand (Even its fingernails were long, jagged, and dirty) to my throat. It caressed me, sending shiver of fear coursing through me. The creature pushed my head to the side to expose my neck, but began screaming in fear and agony.

It stood upright, still screaming and pointing at something.

Suddenly, I was able to move.

For some reason, I reached for my neck to check if I was cut or injured, and felt the chain and cross given to me by Judith. When I touched it a great surge of energy, akin to electricity, enveloped my body. I felt powerful and filled with…something. The creature backed away from me. I stood, still gripping the chain, and holding the cross between two fingers. The child shrieked and clambered backward. All malice and threat gone. Replaced by sheer terror.

“Leave me creature!” I shouted.

I stepped forward. The creature tripped over a tree root and plummeted to the ground. I leaned over it, and as I did, felt some kind of building heat.

I leaned further down and…

The creature EXPLODED into a disgusting spray of ash, black and green fluid, and chunks of bone.

The impact knocked me off my feet, taking the wind out of me. I sat up, trying to take stock of what had occurred. The creature was destroyed. All traces settling and oozing into the earthen ground in front of me.

“What in God’s name?” I whispered.

But then, I knew. That was exactly it.

The cross had become imbued with some kind of power against this evil creature. I did not understand how, but the knowledge was invaluable. As I learned in my encounter with Lucius and those thugs; always prepare for battle. When next I were to face a similar creature of the night, I would be ready!

I pulled my handkerchief from a pocket, wiped the gore from my face and stared at the two dead men. Poor souls. I would report them missing, but what to say of their demise? I had to ponder this. I also had to ponder a different, but far more troubling question.

If the boy was some kind of night creature, how had he become so? And, for someone that young to be, turned for lack of a more apt word; what, or WHO turned this innocent child into a monster? I feared that whatever did was a fearsome adversary.

I would have to be very careful, and perhaps, I would need an ally.