The poisoned cradle (standard:horror, 1328 words)
Author: Lev821	Added: Mar 04 2008	Views/Reads: 3498/2222	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Is this seemingly abandoned village really unoccupied? Perhaps it is best to turn back.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

stop him. He ran past the bike in the direction of the man, who he saw 
disappear through the main entrance of the building. He was soon 
following him through and found the man standing at the altar. He 
approached slowly. “Excuse me,” he said, as he walked cautiously. The 
man turned and looked at James, who saw that he seemed ordinary enough. 
He was a normal man of around late thirties, wearing the attire of a 
priest. “I can't ride a bike.” The man said. “Why can't I ride a bike? 
You'd think I would be able to, but I can't. Sorry, forgive me”. He 
walked forward to greet James. They shook hands. “What's happened 
here,” said James. “I came with my wife and kids and found...” He 
stopped talking, as he noticed that the man's hand still gripped his, 
and it was getting tighter. “I thought I'd lure you in here,” the man 
said. “As I don't quite think I've got to everybody in this place yet. 
I didn't want your wife to see what I am”. The hand that gripped 
James's, began to disperse, or melt. It seeped into James, who could 
feel his blood turning cold, and his consciousness fading. “It's true 
what they say,” said the man. “A virus has no feelings who it transmits 
to. You could say that I'm a new, advanced strain. I can take on the 
form of humans, or any life-form that I can infect. So if I'm going to 
spread, then I'm going to need a host”. James's vision blurred, but 
before everything went black, he saw the grinning face of the priest 
who slowly transmitted himself into James, who stood there for a few 
seconds, before stretching, and testing his new body. “Right,” he said, 
turning and walking towards the entrance. Before he could get there, 
the two girls came in. “Daddy, what's happening?” one of them said. 
James simply stood there for a few moments. “Where's mum?” he asked. 
“By the car, she's still upset”. James knelt down and reached out a 
hand towards her. Leaning against the car, Hazel not hear the screams. 

After a few minutes, Hazel saw one of the girls walking back along the
road towards her. “Well.” She said, as she approached. “What's going 
on?” The girl looked at the car, then at Hazel. “Can you drive?” she 
asked. “What? What d'you mean?” The girl looked at the car for a few 
more moments, then shrugged. “Well, it doesn't matter I suppose”. She 
stepped across to Hazel. “Don't worry, everything's going to be fine,” 
she said, as she reached up and gripped Hazel's hand.


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