Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
The metallic stench of blood assaulted Leon instantly. His eyes roved over the blood-splashed walls and the blue carpet, now dyed deathly crimson in several areas. Tracts and pamphlets littered the floor, their respective brochure stands and display racks overturned.
                          
A woman's corpse was splayed over one of the racks, her throat torn open, eyes staring upward in death's blank gaze. Leon exhaled quietly as he passed the grisly scene and proceeded to the doors leading to the nave.
                          
He carefully pulled open the door, gasping softly as a dead man, who had been slumped up against the door, tumbled onto the instep of his boot. The man's neck was twisted awkwardly to one side, revealing the cause of death. Leon scanned the immediate area cursorily then dragged the body into the foyer, refusing to leave the unfortunate victim as a doorstop.
                          
This disturbing task complete, Leon entered the nave. A deathly hush greeted him, accompanied by a disconcerting sight. The wedding setup was in complete disarray; floral arrangements, ribbons and stands had been upset and trampled over. Several corpses were scattered around the church; some draped over the short pews, others lying prostrate on the floor where they had been mercilessly trodden upon. Blood was splashed everywhere.
                          
Leon slowly advanced, eyes sweeping the church, his pulse and respiration impressively steady as he skirted the bloodbath. He balked suddenly, noticing movement within a confessional booth across from him. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the scarlet velvet curtain, gun trained.
                          
The curtain rustled slightly, confirming Leon's suspicion. He sidled over to the confessional stealthily. Maintaining a cautious distance, he slowly reached for the curtain then drew it abruptly, poised to shoot.
                          
"Don't!" cried a youthful voice from the shade. "Please don't shoot!"
                          
A young black boy, about twelve years old, tumbled out of the confessional and scrambled to his feet. He raised his hands, staring at Leon in wide-eyed terror.
                          
Leon immediately lowered his weapon. "It's okay. I'm a federal agent; I'm here to help."
                          
The boy relaxed his arms, still regarding Leon apprehensively.
                          
"What's your name?" Leon asked.
                          
"Omar," he quavered.
                          
"Can you tell me what happened here, Omar?"
                          
"Th-the wedding was about to start when a bunch of women started screaming and running out from the room where the bride was. She came out all bloody and started attacking people, then―"
                          
Omar's sentence broke into a terrified exclamation. "Behind you!"
                          
Leon whirled around to face a man whose eyes bulged from their sockets, blood streaming from them like crimson tears. Leon fired, but the monster batted his arm aside, resulting in an errant shot. The gun flew out of his hand and hit the wall behind him.
                          
As Leon recovered from his momentary surprise, the monster bellowed ferally. Its mouth opened, widening until the sides of its mouth tore open up to its ears, resulting in the hideous slit-mouthed grin that the bride and the woman in Matsuo's photograph bore.
                          
Omar screamed, diving back into the confessional as the monster lunged at Leon.
                          
Leon seized the creature and grappled with it, bracing his arm against its throat to throttle it. The monster rasped loudly, struggling with Leon so savagely, it nearly toppled him.
                          
Pushing against the snarling monster as hard as he could, Leon drew his trusty combat knife and thrust the blade under its clavicle. The creature howled furiously and struck him with stunning force.