Asylum - 13 Tales of Terror Read Online Free PDF

to find that the small illuminated screen mocked him with no signal bars. He cursed yet another object that could not fulfill its simple base function. “Do you know where we are?” He had to annoyingly ask.
    “No, we were already lost when those bastards stopped us. They took me off somewhere in the woods, and since I managed to escape I could’ve been running in circles for all I know.”
    “How did you manage to escape?” he probed gently.
    “They left me alone with just one guard, when he, you know…, finished,” she looked at the floor embarrassed, “He fell asleep. I had to cuddle him and stroke his goddamned hair but eventually he started snoring,” she spat angrily.
    Julian watched the poor girl as she spoke of horrors endured and remembered.
    “I managed to sneak his keys off of his belt and slip out. I had no idea where I was, or where I was going, but I just kept running. I kept running until I couldn’t run anymore, and then I heard them coming. They were crashing through the woods like a herd of wild elephants, shouting and screaming after me. Suddenly by the grace of God I stumbled onto the road and you found me.”
    “Well, this is a road,” he said looking ahead, “And all roads lead to somewhere. I’m sure that we will come to civilization sooner or later. We will be able to contact the authorities and I will be able to make some important calls of my own,” he said thinking of the plan - always the plan.
    The road stretching before them was pitch black; there was no lighting of any kind, no streetlights or even cat’s eyes. There was just a faded white line along the centre of the lonely road. Julian looked depressingly into the thick woodland that surrounded them. He could see no building lights of any kind through the dark trees and despite his passenger, he had never felt quite so alone.
    The darkness behind them suddenly exploded into life as full beam headlights rounded the bend.
    “Oh good,” Julian said relieved to find help.
    “Oh God,” moaned Gemma.
    “It’s help,” Julian said hopefully.
    “It’s them,” Gemma stated.
    The flashing and rolling blue and red lights of the pursuing car proved Gemma right and the still night was suddenly shattered by the piercing wail of a siren.
    Gemma fumbled with the car keys that thankfully and expediently still hung from the ignition. She started the rental at the second attempt and cranked the automatic transmission into drive.
    Julian was flung back painfully into the passenger seat as the car leapt forward; gravel was flung furiously into the air as they roared away from their pursuers. He desperately fumbled with his seatbelt as Gemma drove feverishly; her face was a mask of terrified desperation and concentration. He risked a glance back over his shoulder; the powerful following car was closing the gap quickly. He ran a quick calculation in his head and could immediately tell that they were no match for the vastly superior vehicle. His mind rebelled at his predicament; he could already tell by looking at the digital clock that he would be unlikely to make his appointment in Dartford. It wasn’t death that he feared the most, it was slipping from the plan. He looked down at his scuffed and muddy shoes. His trousers were stained from his own dripping blood and his casual sweatshirt mocked him with its mismatched styling.
    The car suddenly leapt on them. It accelerated, smashing into their rear; metal screeched in protest as they swerved dangerously. Gemma fought for control as they sashayed across both lanes of the narrow road. She managed through great effort and no little luck to get them straight again. The car lurched with one last defiant shot before obeying.
    Julian glanced around desperately searching for inspiration. The road was long and direct and there were no buildings, cars or witnesses to be seen. There were no turnoffs that he could see anywhere; only the dark ominous woods.
    The headlights behind them leapt again