"And Darkness Shall Reign" - Drew Blood's Dark Tales

Drew Blood (0:01)

Honey, take a look at this. Wendy called me from the living room. There was a twinge of excitement in her voice. What is it? I'm kind of in the middle of something. I called back as I was leaned into the open refrigerator, trying to cram the leftover meatloaf from tonight's dinner and amongst the other food items that seemed to take up way too much space on the shelves inside. I had been at this task for a good three minutes already. I exhaled loudly as I attempted to maneuver a picture of iced tea in a bowl of previously made tuna salad that had nowhere to go. Norman, hurry up and look at this. It's on all the local news stations. She called out again. I felt the meatloaf getting the best of me and my patience nearing its limit. A tiny flame of aggravation was being lit inside me. Yeah, I heard you. Give me a second. I yelled in return louder than necessary. Before I was about to lose my cool and have a mini meltdown, I opened the crisper drawer at the bottom and shoved the meatloaf, plate and all on top of a bag of pre-made Southwestern salad. Fuck it. Closing the fridge, I locked my hands on my pants and walked into the living room to see what all the buzz was about. My wife, Wendy, was curled up on the couch with a shawl draped over her legs watching the television with a wide-eyed look. She acknowledged my presence without taking her gaze from the set. Look at this, Norm. That's only a few towns away. She exclaimed loudly as if I were still in the next room as she pointed at the TV. I took a seat on the couch. Okay, I can hear you. No need to shout, I said as I settled in next to her. On the television was one of the local news teams standing outside the gates of what appeared to be an old cemetery. A young anchorman with dark hair and light-colored eyes was reporting on something that I couldn't quite grasp. I could see the swirling red lights of emergency vehicles flashing across the wrought iron fence and the man's face from somewhere unseen. What am I looking at? I asked. Shhh! Watch Norman, was her reply. And still there have been no response from those inside the mausoleum. If you are just joining us, I am here at the Holy Sanctuary Cemetery in Orleans County. The abandoned cemetery just off of Darling Hill Road has not been open for burials for close to 70 years now, and dates back to the early 1900s. The last recorded burial here being back in 1953 It is here in this forgotten graveyard at an unknown group, right now only being identified as members of an alleged cult have abducted a young woman, 14-year-old Virginia Atkins of Derby, and have taken her hostage within the mausoleum inside the cemetery. Local law enforcement have surrounded the cemetery, as you can see. The camera moved off the man, showing the line of patrol cars and police officers stationed outside the cemetery gates, along with the other news teams, then back onto the anchorman, and have attempted to make contact with the individuals inside the crypt, but there have been no response from anyone as of yet. As the man continued with his breaking news, I wondered where the cemetery was in relation to us, here in our small town of Banister. We were only 30 minutes north of Lindsay Beach and shared Lake Mephormogog, and not too far from Darling Hill Road, depending on where the cemetery was. I tried to remember if I had ever come across it in my travels. Again, I had vaguely heard of it, but could not place its exact whereabouts for the life of me. I pulled my attention back to the set. It has just been brought to my attention that the identity of the cult in question has been disclosed as a doomsday sect whose name is yet unknown. Members of this relatively unknown occult group are currently being detained by both state and local police throughout various locations in the state. It is also reported that the high-ranking members or priests to this sect are the ones that are presently inside the mausoleum at this time with the 14-year-old Virginia Adkins. This is John York with Vermont News live at the scene. We will bring you updates as they unfold. My Lord, can you believe that? Gassed Wendy as she finally turned from the TV and faced me as a commercial now appeared on the screen. That poor girl. Her parents must be hysterical. Her face a fretting mask. I would imagine so. I said as I rose from the couch and crossed the room, I'm going to grab a beer. You need anything? Again, her eyes were transfixed to the television as she answered. Did you put that meatloaf away? I scoffed at the three-minute battle of shelf space. More or less. I was just entering the kitchen when the phone rang. It hung on the wall just inside near the stove. I picked it up on the second ring. Hello? Hey, how's it going?