Olivia Read Online Free

called the Blade of Judas.”
    “Judas, you mean like Judas Iscariot, from the bible?”
    With a huge bowl in her hand, Velta stilled. “So you read the bible?”
    “Of course. My father is a preacher.”
    “Is he?” Velta grinned. “Perfect.”
    “Why is that perfect?” Clara took a step back.
    “Because it means you understand that what you’re doing is a sin.” Velta smiled. “And I don’t have to lecture you on how wrong this is.”
    “Oh, uh,” Clara stepped forward once more. “No lectures needed. This will be my sin to bear.”
    “Okay.” Velta placed the antique looking bowel covered in weird symbols on the table.
    Clara wanted to ask her what those symbols represented but she was sure she’d rather not know. The less these two knew about each other the better. What Clara really wanted to do was to hurry up and get this over with. Velta pulled from her bag a series of mason jars filled with disgusting things.
    “W-what is that?” Clara asked.
    Velta pointed to the first jar. “This is the heart of a newborn pig.”
    Clara threw up a little bit in her mouth.
    Velta pointed to the second jar. “This is the heart of a calf.” And on down the line she went, naming items. “This is the head of a chicken. These are the bones of a lamb. This is the blood of a virgin. And this final jar contains a brain.”
    “What animal is that from?”
    “This isn’t from an animal.” Velta poured each item into the large bowl and began grinding them down until they were chunks. “Come Clara, hold your arm over the bowl.”
    Clara stepped forward. Shaking slightly, she held her arm out. Velta grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. With a blade in her other hand, Velta closed her eyes and began to chant.
    Immediately Clara felt dizzy. The words Velta were saying made no sense. Sacrifices, possession, what the hell. Clara tried to open her mouth to speak, she tried to jerk away, but she was frozen. Her eyes drifted shut.
    “Stay with me Clara.” Velta’s voice penetrated the fog of confusion surrounding Clara.
    “I’m so sleepy,” Clara whispered.
    “No, fight it. Stay with me. If you want this baby gone you have to stay with me.”
    Clara did want this baby gone. She wanted this pregnancy to be a thing of the past. “Okay.”
    “Good girl, now repeat after me. I offer up my body.”
    “W-what?”
    “It’s part of the spell Clara. Say it.”
    Clara opened her eyes. The room was spinning. Everything looked hazy.
    “Say it Clara.”
    “What, I forgot what you said.”
    “Say, I offer up my body.”
    Throat dry, Clara swallowed. “I, uh, offer up my body.”
    “For he who lives in the darkness.”
    “What?”
    “Say it.”
    “Uh, for he who lives in the darkness.”
    “I willingly become your vessel.”
    “I don’t understand.” She didn’t want to be this child’s vessel. She wanted it out of her.
    Velta squeezed Clara’s arm so hard Clara cried out. “Say it. I willingly become your vessel.”
    Clara repeated the words. A chill crept over her. “I willingly become your vessel.”
    “Bring forth the child of darkness.”
    “But,” Clara tried to jerk away. “I don’t want this child brought forth.”
    “It has to come out. What did you think it would do, disappear?”
    “I… uh…”
    “It has to be expelled.”
    “Like a miscarriage?”
    “Clara, just repeat the words. Bring forth the child of darkness.”
    Clara repeated the words. “Bring forth the child of darkness.” She screamed out when Velta sliced her forearm. Blood spilled into the bowl. The windows of her home begin to vibrate.
    Clara shut her eyes, trying her best not to cry out from the pain. Her arm was hurting. Her head ached. A loud ringing sound took up residence in Clara’s brain. And as suddenly as it all started, it stopped. Clara opened her eye to find Velta bandaging up her arm.
    “The drink is ready,” she told Clara.
    Clara pulled her newly bandaged arm away.
    “The first sip has to be straight