Spin the Bottle

In a swirl they both end up facing the window pane.

The reflection reveals their predicament. A horrible realization flushes through their consciousness. Nausea rises into their throats and their hair stands on end.

Ben turns to Reggie.

Ben: "Oh fuck!"

Side by side they step away, towards the window. The four sirens unify into a pack of ravenous hunters.

Reggie: "What the..."

Veronica's features sharpen dramatically. Crimson flickers in her eyes. Then the deep red glint appears in Lucinda's eyes. Olicia and Ellouise turn to face the boys and they too reveal the fiery flashes.

Ben and Reggie walk tentatively backwards, their eye's glued toward the unfolding revelation.

Lucinda's aquiline features emerge and then she lets a smile extend over her mouth.

Reggie and Ben watch in forlorn anticipation.

A perfect set of white razor sharp teeth shimmer in the faint fire and candlelight.

Ben grasps Reggie's arm. Reggie stays transfixed on these transforming creatures.

The four move closer and each in turn reveals a set of razor-sharp serrated teeth

Ben and Reggie suddenly are overcome by the dank chilling odour that fills the room.

The unnatural mantra reverberates in the room

"Join us... Benjamin... Reginald..."

With nowhere else to turn Reggie looks down into the chalice that he holds tightly in his fist.

He gags on the build up in his throat. Inside the cup is a malodorous red coagulating sludge.

He turns to Ben and they both concede their fate.

In a sweeping turn they let out a blood chilling scream. A high-pitched piercing shrill.

Ben and Reggie: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!"

Twisting simultaneously they merge into a phenomenal dive toward the window.

As the window draws head on ever closer both Reggie and Ben curiously note that all that is reflected in the pane is the candle and fire light and their desperate flailing lunge.

Their deafening scream is usurped by an explosion of shattering glass.

In a tumultuous roar thousands upon thousands of sharp slivers are sent floating into the darkness outside.

Within moments the deluge of broken glass abates. Then only a trickle of tinkling splinters is heard.

At the top of the window a large glass fragment is embedded in the frame. It's jagged edge pointing awkwardly downwards.

Along its razor-sharp edge a fresh gout of arterial blood slides downwards. At the lowest point on the fragment it starts to accumulate into an enchanting globule of red.

Slowly the mass builds until it is unable to sustain its cohesion to the sharp fragment of glass.

Eventually the crimson bubble drops into the empty black void below...