(HSSC2) The Helper, page 1

The bloodcurdling sound came from behind the cobblestone's grassy and over grown basement floor. Afflicted with the guilt pangs of knowing something, someone was in need of her help, again...

Taking several large and swift steps away suddenly stopping in her tracks to listen as the rasping sinoway scream of terror rang through to all of her senses from the basement below.

Turning as if by instinct Imagene was headed towards the hollow stump which lay between her and the single small basement window.

Imagene had seen more in the last 24 hours than the entire 26 years she had been alive. The unimaginable horrors as the earth turned itself against all beings human and animal alike.

No time to think about the dozens which she had already saved from perils which rivaled the worst of the darkest ages of mans domain. Nature was a bitch and she had unleashed a fury like no man could ever imagine. It was her cleansing, her time to reinvent herself. And to ultimately reduce or more so erase all the debris from her body like a nit comb swiping away lice.

While millions or perhaps even billions lay face down in the icy waters of the oceans, others found their last moments clinging to buildings and trees as the ground shook and opened releasing the hot molten magma cracking open the earth with the most villainous insensitivity to life.

Tornadoes had swept through the entire country and completely wiped away all signs of any thing ever having existed in their wake. Widespread flooding as the Great lakes opened their tributaries like a great eagle spreading its wings in flight. The once lush Midwest , gone within the first few hours.

Thunder struck from a distance so close she could feel the hair raise on her body, Imogene knelt down to peer into the basement window.

Wiping the dirt and sludge with her hand a shock ran through her forcing a silent scream as her heart pounded sharply in her head.

Along the back of the room partially obstructed by what was once another wall made of now crumbling brick, were 5 women chained to the metal pipes that hung from the ceiling above.

The house began to sway and creak, it had been partially destroyed by a tornado and was threatening to collapse at any moment. A chilled wind swept past and Imogene used all her strength to open the little window and slip through.

Knowing not which woman it was that had been screaming in terror, she carefully walked over the crumbling bricks and made her way to the women. The stench of death was strong, the smell of rotting flesh and old moldy blood mixed with putrid feces.

Slowly passing each young face it was obvious that they had not been killed by nature, no this was an abomination of mankind, a serial killer. Chills ran up her spine as the crash from behind brought silence and a sleepless dark blackness.

Waking with an excruciating pain stemming from the base of her skull, Imogene slowly opened her swollen eyes and craning her neck to look at her shackled wrists let out a blood curdling scream as the lunatic eyes and vulgar blackened and toothless grin approached with what appeared to be a pair of hedge clippers.

The end