My breath was coming in shallow gasps, I was frozen, unable to run and unable to scream. That thing that looked like Brad just stood there, smiling at me in a way that looked wrong on my brother’s kind face. It caused a horrible chill to run up my spine, but it was those eyes that kept me rooted in place.

“What are you?â€? I whispered.

He began to laugh, a horrible high-pitched cackle that caused the hair on my neck to stand on end. “Is that the way you welcome all your guests?â€?

“You are not my brother, and you are not my guest.â€? Those black eyes seemed to look straight into the depths of my soul. They were like shark eyes, flat and unblinking. “So I ask again, what are you?â€?

“Think of me as a simple messenger,â€? he said, running a finger across the stiff white clerical collar.

“And what’s your message?â€?

He reached into his shirt and pulled on a chain, separating it from his neck. Throwing it to the ground, I saw that hanging from it was a cross, covered in blood.

“We are coming.”