The Return Of Zorro
Written March 2002 -
Chapter One
The First Meeting
The door opened silently and the slight figure of Catrina Cortez dressed in black slipped into the empty candle lit chapel. Her wide black skirts made it look as though she floated rather than walked to the alter. She knelt on the thickly carpeted steps with her dress spread out around her. After bowing her head and lacing her hands together she prayed.
"Oh, Father God, deliver me from the hands of evil this night." As she sat there praying a dark figure stood up from one of the benches and crept silently toward her.
Where her hands emerged from the black cape a glimpse of a beautiful diamond necklace was visible. While the figure continued to come toward her her black lace veil slipped from her head and exposed the glossy black curls that lay on her shoulders. She had stopped praying now and was starring with her lovely black eyes into the flame of the candle in front of her.
Suddenly the flame went out and a hand was crushed against her lips. Her right hand went instantly to the precious diamond necklace at her throat. Another hand was now on her shoulder so she could not turn around. A deep laugh rippled in her ear and she clutched the necklace more tightly, knowing to whom the evil laugh belonged. Her eyes went wide in fear and as he pinched a certain nerve on her shoulder she went unconscious with her hand still clutching the necklace. The figure holding her dropped her on the steps and turned her over. She was still clutching the necklace. He removed her hand from it and ripped it from her neck. Breaking the diamond studded clasp in the act. He straightened up then noticed a candle burning near by. He went to it and knocked it over. He laughed again then turning from it went to the door. Turning back toward the still girl he said with a smirk.
"Rest well, Senorita." Then going through the door and out into the street he shut it again.
The chapel was silent now. Catrina still lay on the stairs with the smoking candle in front of her and the burning candle not far away. It's flame licked at the fringe of a tapestry that was hanging on the wall next to it. Soon the fringe caught fire and the fire inched it's way up the fringe to the bottom of the tapestry. Now the whole tapestry was ablaze. In a matter of seconds the whole wall had burst into flame. The fire spread to the next wall, then the next. Soon the whole room was engulfed in flames. Catrina who had been still until now slowly opened her eyes and after feeling at her neck for the necklace and finding it gone pushed herself up. She stifled a scream that rose to her throat at the sight of the burning room. She started toward the door which was the only place not on fire as yet. But as she got close a wall of flames leapt up in front of her and cut off her escape. She turned to her left and right but the flames surrounded her. She was desperate now and screamed at the top of her voice.
"Help! Help! Help me, anyone!" She knew it was hopeless. She sank to her knees in the middle of the hot burning mass and closed her eyes. "Please Father God, don't let me parish in flames...." She was cut short by a snapping sound then suddenly a man dressed in black swung out of the fire and landed a few feet away from her. He had on a black mask that covered his eyes and a sword hung at his side. Catrina recognized him instantly from the wanted posters that hung all over town.
"Zorro...." She breathed. He went to her without a word and held out his hand. She took it and he drew her up.
"Hold on to me." He commanded. She threw her arms around his neck while he sent a shiver up his whip that uncurled it from the beam it had been wrapped around. He then threw it out toward another beam and as it wrapped tightly around it he lifted Catrina off the ground with him and they swung to safety just as a burning support beam landed where they had been standing.
After they had burst through the wall of flames they crashed through a window and landed in the street outside. Breathing heavily from all of the smoke inside Catrina took her arms from his neck. He leaned back to the window and retrieved his whip then placed it in the holder on his belt. He turned back to her.
"Are you all right Seniorita?" He inquired. She saw concern in his eyes which glittered behind the mask.
"Yes." She said bravely. But the smoke had been so think that it overcame her and she slipped into unconsciousness. The masked man caught her as she fell toward him.
