A New Dawn Rising Read Online Free PDF Page A

the two small faces staring back at him.
    'Sorry?'
    The woman walked over to him, smiling pleasantly as she offered her hand.
    'Hi, I'm Molly, Carl's wife.'
    Sam felt the room spinning. The kitchen lights were too strong. Too bright.
    'Are you okay?' asked Molly.
    Sam told himself to shake out of it and get a grip.
    'Yeah, I'm fine, thanks.' he said weakly. 'Just getting my breath back. That wind's really picked up out there.'
    All four of them watched him with concern.
    'Anyway, I'm Sam,' he said, making an effort to regain control. 'It's nice to meet you. And these must be your daughters.'
    Molly ushered the girls forward, their expressions coy in the company of a stranger.
    'This is Jenny, and this is Katie. Say hello to Sam, girls.'
    Twins.
    They looked like angels. So much like her.
    Sam overcame his initial shock and stayed a while getting to know Molly and the girls. He didn't find it easy, but he couldn't walk out straight away. How would that have looked? Molly was friendly, and the girls took to him once they got over their initial shyness. Eventually, he made his excuses and left. Carl saw him to the door.
    'Thanks for coming, Sam. Are you okay to start tomorrow?'
    Sam nodded in reply. He was almost away. It was just the surprise of seeing the girls. Tomorrow would be better.
    'I'll see you in the morning, Carl.'
    ***
    Sam drove back to the cottage, stopping along the way to buy a bottle of vodka. He knew he wouldn't sleep well tonight, and vodka wouldn't smell on his breath in the morning.
    At least he had held it together for long enough in front of Carl and his family.
    Now, he just had to get through the night.
    When the dream came, two balaclava-clad faces appeared, their eyes dark and sinister, their lips moving wordlessly. Intense rage danced in their eyes. Pure evil emanated from their piercing stares. Their mouths began to move faster, spitting out silent words of hate. Suddenly, their masked faces ignited into flames and the two heads were engulfed in fire. Even as the blaze took its ferocious hold and the woollen fabric began to melt into the skin of both faces, the eyes stayed vengeful and resolute, the boiling lips never ceasing to move.
    Then the two images faded into the darkness. The dying embers of light were replaced by the sweet faces of Carl's twin daughters. At first they looked content, smiling happily. Then a nervousness spread across their innocent faces. They looked worried and started asking for help. Their eyes flickered in panic. Frightened, the girls began to scream, pleading desperately for help.
    Once again, the faces changed, transforming into two new images. Only they weren't new. They were very familiar. A beautiful woman and a pretty young girl. Frightened. Shrieking hysterically. Begging for mercy.
    There would be no mercy for Sam Carlisle again tonight.

Chapter 7
    Sam knocked on Carl's door at precisely nine the next morning. It was another chilly day, the sun nowhere to be seen through the thick cloud cover. Sam looked at his reflection in the glass panel of the door. Not too bad, he told himself. He had showered, shaved and donned his smartest shirt and trousers before leaving the cottage. He still felt like crap, though.
    'Blimey, Sam,' remarked Carl on opening the door to him. 'You look rough. Bad night?'
    Sam grimaced. So much for making the effort.
    ***
    Molly Renshaw stood at the bedroom window and watched her husband set off for the day. She had tried to talk to him last night. Tried to get him to open up. He wouldn't, though. He kept telling her everything was fine. There wasn't anything worrying him. He insisted she was fretting herself for no reason.
    Molly didn't believe him.
    She was going to keep a close eye on her husband.
    ***
    Sam's first task was to drive Carl to his factory. He gave the Jag a quick check over before they got in. He found the car a dream to drive, its engine purring smoothly every time he changed gear and accelerated.
    'I use this solely for