Excerpt from my novel "The Evil Within"

The Death Squad quickly moved through the camp firing their rifles into the wagons. The big man by the fire had been cut down in the first volley and lay crumpled next to the old woman, motionless. Heindrich gave the order to search the wagons, and one by one they were opened, only to discover the occupants were not in them. One of the soldiers yelled out, “They are not here, sir!” The Captain turned and gave the Gestapo agents a curious look. “Who fired the first shot?” asked, Heindrich with restrained excitement in his voice. He looked around at his men as he asked the question. The squad members had instinctively repositioned themselves in a circle around the edges of the camp facing into the woods. No one answered the Captain’s question. Heindrich could feel the fear building inside him again. He knew his men well enough to know they would not be afraid to admit to killing a Gypsie. His fear was turning to panic and he could see the uneasiness in his men. The silence in the woods was deafening. The snap of a twig a few feet into the trees sounded like a gunshot. No one moved, no one made a sound. All eyes and ears were straining into the forest, waiting, anticipating, and searching for the unseen enemy. A low growl, a rumble, like a beast not of this earth seemed to encircle the entire camp. Gradually the snarling grew louder with each passing moment. The sound seemed to be moving around the group in a slow methodical movement like a leopard stalking its prey. Heindrich was paralyzed with fear. He had never felt such a sense of hopelessness. To the captain’s disbelief from the other side of the camp came another rumbling growl, also just a few feet into the forest. Then to his left came another and then another. “It was a pack of wolves,” thought Heindrich, “it had to be!” Just then from the corner of his eye he caught a movement. Turning to his right, towards the fire, he watched in disbelief as the old woman and the big man slowly got to their feet. The gaping hole in the old woman’s forehead where she had been shot was clearly visible, yet there she stood by the fire. Only this was not the same old woman, now there stood a hideous grotesque creature like nothing he had ever seen before. A demon from the bowels of hell presented itself before the murderous soldiers. Her eyes were like two burning red embers and the face had become disfigured, elongated, twisted and inhuman. Claws protruded from large, gnarled demonic hands. Crystallized steam erupted from her now half opened mouth and flared nostrils. Saliva oozed and foamed through large protruding fangs and gnashing teeth. Crouching like a wild animal about to attack her prey, the inhuman beast shrieked a growling thunderous ear, shattering cry that seemed to reverberate from the depths of the Earth. The two demonic figures turned to face the once proud Captain of the glorious Third Reich whose legs were involuntarily trembling as urine stained the front of his uniform. A look of terror and resignation crossed the face of the man who knew his fate was sealed. A desire to run screaming was overwhelming however the ability to move was now impossible.