The thunder had passed. The wind had died down. Maybe it wouldn't rain as they thought it would. Maybe there wouldn't be a storm. Things were looking up that was for sure.

I have nothing to worry about. Liz told herself. I just have to stop watching scary movies all the time...

 

Chapter 3: Missing Persons

 

1

 

"Daddy?"

"Yeah." JC answered his eyes closed. The two men were lying in the grass in front of the large ghostly house.

"Do you think Mommy can see us?"

JC opened his eyes at the word Mommy and rolled over on his side to face his son.

"I think she does." He was quiet for a moment. "Why do you ask?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't know...Brian said that if Mommy killed herself that she wouldn't go to heaven." The small boy looked up at his father. "Is that true Dad?"

JC grabbed his son and put him on his lap. "I don't think that Brian is right. I think Mommy is in heaven. I believe that all good people go to heaven." He choked back the urge to cry but knew the tears would come. "Your Mommy was the best person I ever knew." He added feeling the hot sting of tears in his eyes.

Luke seemed to be OK with his father’s answer and relaxed in his arms. JC was still shaken by what he son had asked. He never let Chloe go in his mind. Never let her out of his heart. Every time he saw Joey, in a way, he still blamed him for her death...The thought of her, or the mention of her name always brought on the feelings.

JC let his son go and pushed him to a standing position. "How about you go and find yourself a room OK? Maybe Justin can help you." He said, turning his head so his son didn't see the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"OK." Luke said, confused with his father. He thought he saw tears on his cheeks and wavered for a minute.

"Go on." JC urged, motioning for Luke to go to the house.

Luke sighed and ran towards the house. "JUSTIN HELP ME FIND MY ROOM!"

JC laughed a little at the way his son yelled. Then sighed and put his head in his hands.

JC....

His head bolted up. He thought he had just heard her voice. He could have sworn he heard her voice. He looked into the trees and squinted.

Could it be possible?

Could that be her or was it his imagination?

She was dead.

But he could have sworn...

JC stood up and started for the forest, looking over his shoulder quickly to make sure no one was watching him.

The leaves crunched under his feet.

The wind picked up.

He was in the forest.

2

 

"Shawna!" Joey called as he walked slowly down the long hallway. There were so many rooms! All the doors of course were closed...

Just my luck! He thought smiling.

He heard a noise behind him and turned sharply. "Shawna?"

"If I look like Shawna you need glasses." Lance said stepping out of a shadow. He was holding a box in his hands.

Joey rolled his eyes and walked to Lance so he was standing to him. "What's in the box?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Lance said holding the box to his chest. He chuckled as Joey gave him a killer look. "It's a box of candles." He said opening it a little. "I thought we could use them...You know we have no electricity." He said sarcastically.

"No! I hadn't noticed!" Joey said, annoyed. "Just give me a few and go...somewhere..." He said grabbing a dozen candles as he walked off down the hallway searching for an open door.

"Sheesh! Talk about gratitude!" Lance said walking off into the other direction. He heard a footstep to his left and turned. A door was open. He turned back down the hallway and saw Joey far behind him.

Why didn't I notice this before? He asked himself, leaning forward to look in. The room was too dark to make out an objects. He went back into the hallway and opened the box. He took out a match and a candle out and carried them towards the room. Lighting the match with the side of the door he lit the candle and began to walk into the room.

He was all the way in the room now. He squinted to see the shadowy objects in the corners. His eyes widened as his eyes fell on a certain object in the farthest corner. He turned to run out of the room but the door slammed shut in his face.

3

"Shawna!" She heard him calling from the hallway. She saw his body appear in the doorway and stifled a giggle.

"Shawna?" She heard his voice say. She giggled out loud now. "All right games over I know your in here." He said walking in.

"Yeah, but do you know where?" She asked trying to throw her voice.

Joey snickered. "Darling...You don't know me very well." He walked a few steps forward and dug in his pocket. He took out a candle and a match.

"What's that Jo?" She asked skeptical.

She heard the match being lit before she saw it. He lit the candle.

She stood up from behind the bed. "That's not fair Jo! I didn't know you had candles."

Joey grinned and irresistible grin that set Shawna off on giggles. He walked closer to her and set the candle down in a holder. She stifled her laughter and calmed herself down with her hand. She looked up at him; he was staring at her. He grabbed her hand and set it down at her side. His other hand lifted to her cheek.

"You are so beautiful Shawn." He whispered.

"Aw shut up." She said sarcastically turning her eyes away for a moment. She looked back, he was smiling and staring into her eyes.

He leaned forward and kissed her deeply.

The candle went out.

4

"I saw one over here!" Luke said excitedly as he led the older blond boy down the hallway. Liz laughed as she followed them.

"You said that 10 minutes ago buddy. They're all the same, can't you just pick one?" The man said as he was lurched towards the stairs again.

"I know what one I want now!" The boys shouted as he stopped in front of a door.

Justin let go of the boy's hand and tried to catch his breath. And I thought doing concerts was hard!

Luke opened the door. It was a child's room! He walked in with a squeal leaving Justin and Liz shocked out in the hallway.

"How could he have known? The door was closed." Liz asked, a slight hint of fear in her voice.

Justin shook his head at her and looked back into the room. These windows weren't boarded up. Light came in from all directions. Justin walked into the room, Liz close behind.

"Luke, please stay close to us. And don't touch anything!" Liz begged watching the boy as best she could as she surveyed the room.

There were toys of all sizes all around them. A model train was rigged up to go the perimeter of the room. A giant bed stood in the center. Fairy tale characters all over the bed spread.

Justin's heart began to pound. "Luke how did you know?"

Luke shrugged as he walked among the scattered toys. "It told me to come to it."

"What?" Justin asked breathlessly, the confusion showing through in his eyes and written all over his face.

Liz's hand clamped onto Justin's shoulder. "Justin." She said with a shaky voice. "There's no dust!"

Justin's eyes widened. She was right. There was no dust. In this dusty, old, abandoned house there was no dust in this room. It looked as if some one had just cleaned it.

The train started to move.

Luke stopped in his tracks. "I didn't do it!"

"Come here Luke! Come here!" Justin shouted, his arms outstretched. Luke ran into his arms Justin backed out of the room slowly, Liz already in the hallway. He reached for the knob to close the door, but before he could grab it the door slammed in his face.

"I'm scared." Luke said, his head on Justin's shoulder. Justin squeezed the boy in his arms and turned to Liz. She was shaking.

"I don't like this house Justin. I don't like it here." There were tears shaking down her cheeks to the rhythm of her sobs.

Justin grabbed Liz by the arm pulled her away from the room. "We should get the others and go back to the bus."

"What about Chris and Jake?" She asked jogging to keep up with his pace.

"We'll leave a note."

They ran down the stairs to the large room in the front of the house. "JOEY! LANCE! SHAWNA! JC!" Justin shouted. He waited and heard nothing. "GUYS! COME DOWN HERE!" He shouted louder. His heart was beginning to race.

He waited a few more minutes and thought her heard some footsteps so he called again. "GUYS!" He did hear footsteps this time. They were running. He saw Joey and Liz appear at the top of the stairs.

"What?" Joey asked out of breath, he was tucking his shirt into his pants.

"Something weird is going on here we have to leave." Justin said walking towards the door.

"What are you talking about?" Shawna asked slipping her bra up over her shoulder.

"We don't have time to explain. Where's Lance?"

"Where's my Dad?" Luke asked slipping down out of Justin's arms.

"Have you seen him?"

"I told him to go get you guys. He had candles."

"JC was outside when I last saw him." Liz said looking out into the yard. "He's not out here now."

"Great! This is a great time for them to disappear!"

"Let's not panic." Joey said hopping down the stairs. "Let's just look for them. They couldn't have gone far. They’re probably just goofing around"

"Why do I have the feeling he's wrong?" Liz asked Justin in a whisper as she gripped onto his shoulder.

 

Chapter 4: Claws

 

1

 

The sky over the house darkened. Night was falling. Time was running out. They would find one man alive, the other, didn't make it out so easy...

2

Luke and Liz sat on the porch staring out into the night. Luke's tears were dry now. He wanted his Daddy. Liz's tears were still coming, slow and steady. Her arm was draped around the boy's shoulder. Luke began to feel tired. He rested his head on her lap and closed his eyes.

Some one yelled. A man yelled. Luke bolted up and looked into the house. Liz was standing. They both looked at each other then ran into the house. It was dark. Liz grabbed a candle and lit it.

"Stay by me Luke." Liz said as she walked towards the stairs. "GUYS!? What's going on?" She neared the stairs and saw a light coming towards the stairs. "Is everything OK?" She tried to be strong for Luke's sake but grew weak with the anticipation of what had happened.

The light came into view and a human shape appeared. It was Justin. His face was pale. "Liz I think you should come up here. Keep Luke close to you and don't let him out of your sight." He started walking down the stairs and held out his hand for her. "Hurry." His voice was low.

"Who yelled?" She asked feeling her heart beat faster.

"Joey." He said flatly. "I-" His voice cracked and he put his hand to his eyes. He was crying.

"God Justin. What is going on?" He didn't answer her. He just led her down the hallway. They turned the corner and Liz saw Shawna and Joey. They were clinging to each other. Both were sobbing.

Luke stopped his eyes wide. "Is it my Daddy?" His voice was shaky.

Justin turned around, his eyes blood shot. He tried to speak but couldn't. He just shook his head and dropped to his knees.

Liz couldn't take it any more. She screamed. "What is going on?!"

Justin looked up, he was still to weak to speak. He just looked to the open door and tried not to break down again. Liz turned to the door at first too scared to move towards it. She had to know. She stepped forward. The room had a low glow to it from a lit candle. She closed her eyes before she walked into the door.

Her eyes opened as her foot hit something mushy. Liz fell to the floor, trying not to throw up at the site she saw.

What was left of Lance was spread across the floor in bloody bits. His head was the one true thing left of him. His mouth was twisted in a smirk of horror and pain.

Liz gagged at what she saw next. Her throat closed, she looked away.

His eyes had been gouged out.

Hollow holes were all that was left of where they should have been.

She crawled on her hands and knees out the door and stopped in the hallway pulling her knees up to her chin to cry. Justin made his way next to her and grabbed her, pulling her close to him. Luke was crying now too, but only because he saw everyone else sobbing.

"What's going on?" He cried, trying to move to the door. Joey reached out and grabbed him.

"Hey, buddy. You can't go in there." He said between sobs. Luke struggled in his arms.

"Why not! I want to see! I want to see!" He screamed. He bit Joey's arm and fell out of his grasp. He ran to the open door and before Justin could stop him,

he saw.

3

"Is he doing better?" Shawna asked Liz as she walked away from the dusty couch.

"Better than what?" Liz asked trying not to cry again. "He wants his father Shawn and I don't know where he is!"

"No one does Lizzy." Shawna said putting her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I don't understand. He wouldn't have just left us." Joey said walking towards them. His voice hushed as he looked over to the couch. "He has to be in trouble, maybe he's-maybe he's-" He tried to say the words but choked on them. All heads in the room went down, they all knew what he was trying to say.

Liz glanced at Justin sitting on the porch. She looked again when she saw how weird he looked. He was peering out into the darkness of the forest. His neck straining to reach out farther, but not daring to go off the porch. She walked out of the house to his side. "What-"

"Shh." Justin said putting his hand out. "There." He pointed out into the forest. "Do you see something?" Liz turned her head towards the forest in the direction he was pointing but saw nothing.

"I don't see-" She stopped, her eyes grew large. It was JC. He was lying in the fetal position, shaking. They could not see his face from where they were standing, but it had to be JC. "It's JC." She said running back into the house. "We found him!" She shouted. The small boy jumped from the couch, forgetting his fear and stopped on the porch.

"Daddy!" He screamed. Justin held him back so he didn't run off the porch.

"We have to get him." Joey said looking at the blubbering mass. "He's gone crazy."

Shawna hit him. "He's not crazy." She looked back at him. "No one here is going crazy." She grabbed Joey's hand and pulled him to the edge of the stairs. "There's nothing to worry about either. We just have to go across the yard...and get him."

"You make is sound so easy." Joey said uneasily as they stepped down onto the first step.

"Well isn't it though?" She asked shaking, she looked up at him and smiled a wobbly smile. Joey scrunched his face at her and looked back at JC.

"Let's go." He said squeezing her hand. The second their feet hit the ground they started running. They ran as fast as they could until they reached his body. Joey let go of Shawna's hand and grabbed JC. He lifted him up and looked at Shawna who was glancing around nervously. "You ready?"

"The sooner we get to the porch the better." She said grabbing his shoulder. They began to run again.

The porch was growing nearer.

The urgency of their steps wasn't enough for them to make it.

Something grabbed Shawna's foot. She fell to the ground. Joey spun around and almost dropped JC. Shawna screamed. A hand was reaching up out of the ground, dirty and slimy. Claws about an inch long were digging into her flesh.

Joey set JC down as fast as he could and crawled to her. He grabbed and hand and tried to pull it loose from her but the hand only dug in further. Shawna was screaming not stop. Tears were rolling down Joey's cheeks he didn't know what to do. The more he struggled with the hand the tighter it's grip became. He heard footsteps running towards them. It was Justin, he had a pocket knife in his hand. He pushed Joey out of the way and started cutting it, sawing, stabbing. Blood the shade of rubies started seeping out of the holes Justin was making. He cut the fingers off the hand and Shawna was free. She was still screaming as Joey carried her to the porch. Justin soon followed carrying JC.

Luke ran to his father and hugged him screaming. "Daddy! Daddy!" JC didn't move. His eyes were vacant. His mouth was moving, speaking silent gibberish.

Joey ripped Shawna's pants open and examined the fingers stuck inside her leg. He gently picked one up and tugged at it. Shawna screamed. He let go of the finger and looked up at Justin. Justin knelt down beside him and grabbed her hand.

"Shawna I know this will be hard for you but I'm going to have to do it. I'm going to pull out these fingers and your going to have to...well to let me." He said glancing at Joey. He was scared.

Joey grabbed Shawna'a hand and let her squeeze the pain was almost too much to bear. Justin lifted one of the fingers. Shawna moaned and squeezed Joey's hand tighter. He waited a few seconds and took a deep breath then pulled. The finger was out, Shawna yelled.

"That's one." Justin said getting another one in his grasp.

Joey looked down at her flushed face, which was grimacing in pain.

Justin yanked on the next finger and it came loose, tearing more flesh as he did so. This time Shawna's screams did not die down. Justin felt he had no choice. He had to get them out of her. He grabbed the next, and pulled.

It came out. Her screams grew louder.

Luke put his hands to his head and turned away grimacing as Liz held him in her arms. She too had looked away.

He pulled the next two out with blood curdling screams of pain.

It was over. Joey had tears rolling down his face. Shawna's screams were muffled now by Joey's chest. Justin, who had run into the house for something to stop the blood, was back now. He put a white T-shirt around her foot and held it tight.

"That should stop the blood. If it doesn't...I don't know what will." He added softly looking down at the T-shirt, which was already red with her blood.

Liz, who had been watching all this with JC at her side finally, spoke up. "I think we have a problem with JC." She tried lifting him to show them, but he was too heavy. "His eyes are glazed over and...and he's sucking his thumb."

Luke cried into his father's clothes. He, like everyone else, didn't know what was wrong with him.

Justin stood up and surveyed the scene. One girl bleeding from the leg. One insane man. And a dead...Justin shook the thought away and put his hand to his throbbing head. "Let's just get inside." He walked to JC and picked him up with ease. "It feels a whole lot safer than out here after what happened on the lawn."

Joey stood up and spoke softly to Shawna. "I'm going to lift you up baby. I'm sorry if it hurts." He bent down and lifted her as gently as he could, she still moaned a little. It tugged at his heart, his face grimacing with its pain.

He carried her gently into the house and set her down on the couch in the corner of the room. It was dusty, but it would have to do. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Get some rest. I have a feeling we're all going to need it." He said, trying to joke. She gave him a smile filled with pain and closed her eyes.

He sighed and looked away from her. The others were gathering closely to the couch, all on the floor. Luke took a spot between his father and Justin. Joey decided to sleep right next to the couch, beside JC. While Liz slept next to Justin; the farthest out on the floor.

 

4

The night would end a long, torturous, disastrous day. The night would bring some form of peace to the weary travelers, but...It would also bring a new day. What the day brought...

no one knew.

 

Chapter 5: Dead Men Can't Talk

 

1

D A Y 2:

 

"Jake! We were just over there!" Chris yelled as he stopped walking, he feet crunching against the leaves on the ground.

"No we weren't." Jake said stopping himself. His face was scrunched up in confusion. After spinning in a circle he looked back at Chris. "Yes, we were."

Chris stuck his tongue out at the man, "See."

"Well, now what do we do?" Jake asked looking around.

"I don't know. Why am I supposed to always know?" He turned his gaze to Jake, who was now staring wide-eyed behind him. "Oh come on, that's not supposed to make me turn around is it?" Jake nodded his eyes still wide with shock. "Yeah, OK. So I'll just turn around and see...” Chris turned around.

2

JC's eyes began to flutter more rapidly than they had been before. Luke leaned closer to his father.

"Daddy?" He asked in a low whisper. JC seemed to respond at the boy's voice. His eyes fluttered again, then stopped. His eyes were open and he was again staring at the ceiling of the house. Luke sighed and relaxed again, staring down at his hands.

"Chloe." JC moaned. The first words he had spoken since they found him. Luke bolted to his feet, Shawna appeared next to him after a moment of silence. "Chloe." He said again.

This time Shawna ran outside to get the others. Their hopes had been down, but she was sure this would lighten the somber mood. She bounded down the stairs of the porch and ran to the spot where Joey, Justin and Liz were making a grave for Lance.

"He spoke! I think he's waking up!" She screamed as she ran back towards the house. "Come on!" She shouted, motioning for them to follow her.

Justin and Joey dropped their shovels and ran after Liz who had already begun to sprint. They made it to the house in less than a minute and were all surrounding the couch, staring at JC.

"He hasn't moved since he talked last." Luke informed the group.

Justin put his hand on the boy's shoulder and squeezed.

"Maybe he was just talking in his sleep." Liz suggested.

Luke shook his head. "He didn't before. He has to be awake."

JC was still for another moment, until he moved his hand up. It stopped 3 inches from Luke's face then fell back to the couch.

The boy fell to the floor and gathered his father in his arms. "Daddy! Wake up!" He shouted. His body shook against the older man. This time JC moved his hand to the boy's head. He began to caress it gently. Luke lifted his head slowly, making sure it wasn't Joey or Justin. His eyes met his father's.

"What's wrong Luke?" JC asked as if nothing had happened. Luke's eyes widened then the boy collapsed into his father's arms and squeezed him crying this time with happiness. JC looked up and saw all the smiling faces, still confused.

"Good to have you back JC." Joey said with a small smile.

"Did I go somewhere?" JC asked trying to get up, Luke's body weighed him down.

"You don't remember?" Liz asked kneeling down to the floor.

JC shook his head.

"We found you out near the woods. You appeared to have been in shock."

JC's brow furrowed.

"I don't get it." JC said looking at all the faces around him. Then...he noticed a few were missing. "Where are the others?"

Justin looked at Joey uncomfortably. "Don't you remember anything?"

JC, again, shook his head.

"Chris and Jake went to go get help..." Joey stopped, unsure if he could continue. "Lance...he didn't make it." He finally said, unable to say more.

"What do you mean Lance didn't make it?" JC asked, trying to let himself smile. "Where's Lance?"

Justin put his head down. "Just what we said man. Lance didn't make it...at least through the night." He paused and swallowed hard. "He's dead." Justin said the last sentence with his head up; eyes looking directly into JC's.

3

"It can't be." Chris said shocked. "It just can't be possible."

Jake walked up next to him and put his hand on the man's shoulder. "There is no explanation...We weren't that lost, were we?" He turned his head to Chris who could just stare...

"How could we have done this. We kept strait the entire time. We never turned!" Chris shouted, hitting the nearest tree.

Jake started to walk towards the hideous site, there was nothing more to do. "We'll just have to get them all to come with us then...Maybe some one else will have a better sense of direction."

"Don't say that Jake. I could kill you with one swipe of my braids." Chris said as he followed Jake back...to the house.

4

"Lucy! I'm home!" Chris shouted as he stepped onto the porch and neared the open house door. He heard footsteps running to the door.

"Why are you back so soon?"

"Did you get help?"

"It couldn't have only taken you one night!"

"Guys." Jake said lifting his hand for silence. "We never made it to town. We got lost and ended up right back here."

Chris had not been listening to Jake's babble. He noticed something wrong. People were missing. Faces were pale. "What's going on guys?" His voice was shaky; he had a feeling something was very wrong with his friends.

Justin put his head down and found himself unable to speak...for once in his life

Joey lifted his towards the sky and exhaled, not wanting to let the tears flow again.

Shawna turned and walked into the house.

Liz followed her, Luke's hand in her own.

"Guys." Chris urged, his voice was abnormally high.

Jake who had been surveying the yard noticed the hole in the ground...the shovels surrounding it. Jake turned back to the men in the doorway. "Oh my god." His voice was low, almost caring..."Who's dead?"

The words shot Chris, causing him to stumble backwards. "What do you mean dead?" His left hand was clutching his heart.

Justin lifted his head to speak, knowing that if he didn't do it now, he could never do it again. "Lance is dead. He's been butchered by...by something." He said, his voice cold as he remembered what had been done to his friend. "He's upstairs. No one has been able to get his...body." Justin finished, his voice quivering as he spoke.

Chris stood shocked unsure of what to say-or do.

Lance was dead.

Lance!

Chris took a step back and put his hand to his head. It wasn't possible, it just couldn't be true. "What about JC?" He asked breathlessly as his thoughts began to clear.

"He just woke up from kind of coma or something. We aren't' sure what happened to him." Joey said finally able to speak. "He is taking a nap on the couch. He just found out what happened to Lance this morning."

Chris gradually began to walk into the house. Jake had turned towards the yard. No one could see the expression of true sorrow on his face.

As Chris made his way to the couch Luke walked to him and took his hand. Chris looked down at the boy, they both smiled weakly at each other. Chris and Luke knelt down beside JC. Chris nudged the man in the arm. "JC, it's me."

JC opened his eyes, a look of relief rushed over his pale face. "OH God! I thought I'd never see you again!" He said pulling Chris toward him in a bear hug.

Chris patted his friend's back, "I would have stayed if I had known what..."

"Well, you couldn't have known." JC said pulling away from the older man. "I'm glad your back though. We can all be here to bury him now." His voice shook at the words he spoke, but he knew he had to say them. JC grabbed a hold of Luke's hand and squeezed.

Chris stood up again. "What about the police? Shouldn't we wait for them? We could get in big trouble just burying him."

"I don't think that matters right now. I don't think Lance would have liked us to just leave him up there anyway. He would have wanted us to bury him..." Shawna said from the left side of the couch. Her head was down and didn't not rise, even as she spoke.

The rest of the group nodded. The fear and sadness lingering in the room made everyone uneasy. The silence added the presence of dread as the minutes ticked by.

What is there to say when there is nothing to be said?

5

It would have been so proper if it had been raining, but it wasn't. Instead the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Everything around the burial was cheerful, everything except the faces of the mourners of course. Their faces were pale and dreary, bags hanging under their blank eyes.

Chris let out a sigh and said, "I suppose some one should say something." Nobody's head moved up at his words. "I guess I will then." He moved his eyes from the mound of dirt to the sky and closed his eyes. "I-I don't know where to start."

Nobody does Chris. None of them know what to say, none of them know what to do.

Chris opened his eyes at the voice and put his eyes back on the mound. His brow furrowed in confusion. Lance? God, now I'm hearing things.

No you aren't.

Chris jumped back this time. The other's still not moving their heads from the ground.

Don't be afraid Chris, it's just me.

Chris put his hands to his ears. "Doesn't anyone else hear him?" He screamed.

This time everyone's heads bolted up. Justin took a step forward.

Chris started to cry.

Chris you have to listen to me.

"No!" He moaned his knees giving out.

Yes, Chris. Look up; look at the others. Chris did what the voice said, feeling that he had no choice. Maybe if he did, the voice would go away. Don't you see it? Lance asked impatiently.

See what? Chris asked in his head, he was losing it...Good lord, he was finally losing his mind.

Their faces...His voice said, causing Chris to see.

"No!" Chris shouted scrambling backwards away from his once long time friend's.

Chris saw no friend's when Lance talked to him. He saw monsters. Horrible looking beings. Justin's face was melting off of his head, then he spoke.

"Chris...What's the matter?"

Chris screamed again tears streaming down his face.

Chris, don't let them get you. Do it Chris. KILL them. Kill them, before they kill you...Just like they killed me! Lance shouted.

"No." Chris whispered.

Yes.

"I can't. No, they're my friend's."

They are not! Lance shouted. Look at them. They want to KILL YOU! Pick up the shovel Chris. They were the ones who killed me. You have to avenge my death Chris. Pick up the shovel and kill them.

"Yes." Chris whispered; tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Yes." He nodded and stood up feeling for the shovel at the base of dirt.

Justin backed up and looked back at the others. "What is he doing?"

JC pulled Luke closer to him.

Joey's eyes widened. "He-He's picking up the shovel. What is he doing with the shovel?" He started to back up Shawna with him.

"Chris." Jake said reaching his hand out. "What are you talking about?" His voice was light and cheery, but had a shake in it.

Do it Chris! They're catching on to you. Do it! Chris lifted the shovel high into the air, his eyes blazing with hatred.

Liz screamed.

"What are you doing Chris?" Justin shouted, the tears now almost dry on his face.

Chris started walking slowly towards Justin, the shovel still high above his head.

"Chris?" Justin asked, the fear of his best friend now rising. "Why are you doing this?" There was a quiver in his voice.

Luke fell free of his father's grasp and ran to the oldest man in the group, grabbing his leg.

"Luke come back!" JC yelled trying to run after the boy, but held back by Joey.

"Chris?" The boy asked, just as scared as the others.

Chris looked down at the boy; his eyes blazing with rage. He heard the voice fading in the back of his head and shook it. His braids hit his cheeks as he did so. He looked down at the boy again. Chris dropped the shovel and fell to his knees sobbing.

JC ran to Luke and threw his arms around him.

Justin, still on the ground, watched his friend sobbing on the dirt. Confusion was all he felt, but he knew it had something to do with the house.

Justin lifted his head to the house and stared at it, searching for answers, but found none.

If he only knew...

 

Chapter 6: Things That Go Bump In The Night

 

1

The tears were dry.

The sobs had been silenced.

There was only one thing out there now.

Fear.

The storm clouds had begun to slowly drift towards the house again, leaving the lonely humans trapped inside to become the flies in its spider web.

2

Although everyone knew Chris was back to normal they couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in his presence. They had all decided long ago the best place for sure to sleep was the floor and close together, yet no one wanted to sleep next to Chris.

But no one wanted to say it either.

"You sleep where you usually do Luke, honey. I'll sleep on the floor; then Joey and Shawna can sleep next to me. Jake you can sleep on the other side of them next to Chris-"

"How about we just sleep where we usually do, Justin next to Chris-"

"No!" Liz shouted loudly, before she realized what she had done.

"Guys, please!" Chris said knowing what was going on.

The faces of the people in the room sunk. No one was going to speak after Chris had acknowledged them. The shame was getting louder in the ears of the prosecutors.

"Let's just all go to bed OK?" Justin said getting down onto the floor and closing his eyes. "I don't care where we sleep just as long as we do."

The weary group laid themselves down and closed their tired eyes. Not a moment had past before a loud thump was heard and all bodies jerked up.

"What was that?" Shawna asked; her eyes wide with fear.

This isn't happening again. No not again! Liz shouted in her mind, her anxious eyes darted across the room from corner to corner. She put her hand out to Justin who took it firmly and squeezed.

Another thump was heard; all eyes turned in the direction of the stairs. The direction the noise had come from.

"Daddy." Luke whispered crawling onto his father's lap for protection. JC held his son's head to his chest. His heart couldn't help but beating faster as the light from the hallway increased and the flash of light threw everyone back to the floor.

3

 

There wasn't a sound in the room when Joey woke; his head pounding. He sat up using all the energy left in him. His muscles were aching as if he had just run a 500-mile race in a day.

The room was pitch black; his eyes hadn't adjusted yet to be able to make out any forms. He opened his mouth to speak; nothing came out. He grabbed his throat and opened his mouth again. This time a whistle came out. Joey got to his feet and squinted in the darkness to find his friend's; more to find Shawna...

He turned suddenly; hearing a rustling coming from the corner. His eyes were wide and yet he could still not see. He heard the noise again this time he was sure of it. He opened his mouth to speak once again, but nothing came out.

The noise was nearing him; he was sure that this time the noise was closer. He backed up a few steps. Since he was unaware of who-what it was his first reaction was to back up. The sound of his boots hitting the hard wood floor echoed in the room from wall to wall. The thing in front of him hissed. Joey's eyes weren't adjusting to the darkness no matter how hard he tried...they would not adjust!

He took a few more steps back and ran into the wall. He was trapped now. Trapped in a dark room, alone, with something that was not Shawna.

Joey closed his eyes and took a deep breath to ease back the fear rising in his chest. He opened them again, this time coming face to face with a pair of deep red eyes.

4

Luke was in the playroom. He woke on the large bed; stuffed animals surrounding him. The room was silent.

"Daddy?" Luke whispered sitting up in the bed.

"Daddy?" A voice mimicked.

Luke turned around the room searching for the direction of the voice; there was no one in the room.

"Hello?" He asked standing in the middle of the bed now.

"Hello?"

Luke's fear was rising as he spun around searching the virtually empty room for the source of the voice. "Where are you?" He asked, his voice quivering.

"Where are you?" The voice laughed.

Luke's knees gave out and he collapsed onto the bed again. Tears of fear were rolling done his cheeks as he begged. "Please."

He closed his eyes and started to cry. "I want my daddy!"

"I want my daddy!" The voice was right next to him now. He opened his eyes; his voice coming face to face with a brown teddy bear that he had woken up next to. The bear’s teeth appeared to be growing as the seconds went by. Luke struggled to get off the bed, but his fear had immobilized him.

"I'll show you your daddy, pussy!" The bear laughed as it walked on top of Luke's chest. The bear's teeth were inches long now as they came closer and closer to Luke's frightened tear soaked face.

5

JC heard the noise before her opened his eyes. It was a loud noise, almost like the wind blowing. When his eyes did open they were greeted with the blinding sting of something hitting his eyes. He was on his back; sand rushing over his body.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't breath without getting sand in his mouth or nose.

He was in a sand storm.

Alone...

and afraid...

6

Shawna held onto Liz's hand as the two women groped blindly for a doorknob or a light switch so they could escape the blackness of the room they were in. It seemed the farther they walked the less hope they had.

"No room in this house is this big." Shawna said as she tightened her grip on Liz's hand.

"No room in any house can be this big." Liz said with a stiff laugh as she tried to ignore the pain in her leg.

A light flickered on in the distance; bit only allowing the light to extend a foot in front of it. No objects could be made out. The girls couldn't even see each other's faces.

"Come on! That must be the way out!" Liz said excitedly as she began to tug on Shawna's arm; the pain in her leg was now completely forgotten.

"No, Liz. I don't think we should. It doesn't seem right. I don't like the feeling I am getting." She said resisting the other woman's persistence.

"Oh come on Shawna! You don't want to be in here for the rest of your life do you?" She pulled Shawna's arm hard so that she was right next to Liz.

Shawna didn't resist; she couldn't.

7

Chris knew where he was the minute he opened his eyes. He knew why he was there and he was scared shitless.

The body in front of him wasn’t there to remember or for a pleasant chat. It was there for torture. It was there for revenge.

The body wasn't human; yet it was.

The body wasn't alive...

The body wasn't happy.

This body had a brain and this body was going to use it.

It was there for revenge.

8

Justin could do nothing.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't speak.

He was helpless.

Helpless as he watched the torture of his one true love.

The tears wouldn't even flow.

It was as if his body was stuck in a time warp; but nothing else was.

She was writhing in pain.

There was nothing he could do.

Nothing...even as the blade came down on her beautiful face and began slashing...

 

Chapter 7: 5 Down, 4 to Go

 

1

The entity of the house had trapped all but one prisoner. One he could not find; even as it searched with all its might. One of the humans was missing. A tough one. It couldn't find him; and he didn't want it to, that much the being knew.

But one thing the human didn't' know...

It would find him...

Find him and, no games, just kill him.

2

 

D A Y 3 :

 

Joey sat powerless in the corner as the eyes of the beast slowly became the eyes of his former lover. They transformed themselves into her beautiful bright eyes and he was mesmerized.

He reached up to her face as it began to light the room with a white glow. The sting of the hot tears reached the brims of his eyes as he choked out the name he hadn't been able to speak in years.

"Chloe..." He gasped for air as she leaned in and kissed him for the first time in 4 years.

Her lips were cold; but at least they were her lips.

 

3

Chris sat in the middle of the room, shaking with the sobs that were tearing out of his throat in pairs. "Lance! Please! I didn't know you were going to die! I would have saved you! I would have tried!"

"That's not good enough Chris." Lance said as he paced around the man's body. His voice was strong and unchanging, his stride long and powerful. "You left me. Now look at me." He said throwing his arms into the air. He stared at the man for a long time before kneeling down into his face. "I'm dead."

Chris put his hands to his ears and began to rock back and forth. "No. No."

"You didn't think that I would just let you get away with killing me did you?" He asked standing up once again. "You have to pay Chris."

"No. No. No." Chris began to repeat rocking harder than before. His head twitched to the side then jolted back in position.

Lance laughed, throwing his head back to the ceiling. "Oh yes Chris. Yes, indeed."

The knife appeared in front of his wide frightened eyes. The shiny blade glinted in the light as Lance moved it from side to side.

The last thing Chris heard before his gut was sliced open was Lance's horrific laugh.

4

Jake moved out of the shadows, a crept his way to his moaning friends. He had seen the light coming and ran to the shadows. He had been to cowardly to mention it to the others; and now they were writhing on the floor, in some sort of nightmarish coma.

Jake stopped in front of Chris, he wasn't moving, the others were.

Jake swallowed.

Time was running out.

5

"Shawn." Liz whispered, as the light grew closer. "Do you feel that?" She felt a breeze brush through her hair.

A smile crept onto her face. "Yes, do you hear that?" The birds in the distance were welcoming to their ears.

The two girls turned to each other, although they could not see their faces, they both knew they were grinning.

They began to walk faster towards the light, giggles creeping up past their lips.

They were going to be free.

Free from the dreadful darkness which was surrounding them.

They stopped in their tracks when they reached the door.

Hand in hand they stepped through it; their hearts racing at the same rhythm, the same pace.

They left the darkness behind them and entered heaven.

The valley below them was such a relief to see they completely forgot that it shouldn't be there. Their minds had overridden their logic. Their hands let go of one anther's as they stepped into the tall grass leading to a shimmering pool of water.

"Is this paradise?" Shawna asked Liz, not taking her eyes off her mystical surroundings.

"I don't know." Liz said shaking her head. "It certainly seems to be." She added grinning ear to ear.

Once at the shores of the lake they took their shoes off and started to wade in. Shawna cupped her hand into the cool water and took a refreshing drink. It was the best water she had ever tasted. She closed her eyes and dunked her head in.

Liz moved her fingers through the calm water and watched the ripples spread as she did so. She wiggled her toes into the mud and closed her eyes feeling the peace rush over her.

It was paradise. They had discovered paradise...

6

 

The scream finally ripped out of Justin's throat as the shreds of Liz's face dropped to the floor.

The blade stopped cutting. The floating eyes glared at Justin. Something laughed in the room. The blade started for Justin. He was finally able to move and he dodged out of its way. More blades followed suit and tried to get Justin; he dodged them all.

A sharp butcher knife flew from the side and hit Justin's arm with a piercing pain.

This is it. He thought as his knees buckled. I'm going to die.

7

JC lifted himself with all the strength he had from the ground. In that moment the wind stopped blowing and the sand dropped to the ground.

JC shook the particles from his head and coughed the sand from his throat. He looked out over his surroundings through his bleeding eyes and saw nothing but sand.

This is great. He thought as he spun in a circle, searching for any form of life.

The ground beneath him began to shake. He tried to move from the rumbling noise that was nearing him, but it kept getting closer...coming faster, harder.

As if exploding the sand in front of JC flew into the air. A large beast irrupted from the depths of the earth and stopped, towering, above JC.

His feet welded into the sand and he was unable to move. His life began to flash before his eyes.

His childhood.

His career.

His marriage to Chloe.

The birth of their son.

The death of "their" daughter.

Her suicide.

The months after her death when he wanted to die...

I guess I finally get my wish. He thought with a pitiful smile before the jaws of the monster closed in around his body and he was crushed into two pieces.

8

Luke found himself and hit the bear across the room. Unable to do much more than that he stood up.

The bear shook its head and stood up itself. "You are going to be sorry you ever did that."

Luke's eyes widened as he jumped from the bed in search of a weapon.

 

Chapter 8: Time...It Runs Out

 

1

Jake watched in horror as JC stopped moving. He put both of his hands to hit head and started pacing the same 2 feet over and over again.

"Oh god what do I do? What do I do now!" He cried. "They are dying. Oh god." His arms moved from his head and he hugged himself. "I have to wake them up...but how?!"

He ran to Justin and kicked him in the side. He didn't flinch at the kick; yet he did moan. "How the hell am I suppose to wake you up!" He yelled.

He dropped to the floor. I can't do anything. They are all going to die and I can't do anything.

"Yes you can."

The voice came from behind him, out of nowhere. Jake bolted to his feet. In turning around he found himself face to face with Lance.

"What" He sputtered out. "You aren't Lance."

"Yes I am please believe me!" Lance said reaching his hand out to him.

"Why should I believe you?" Jake yelled as he ran into Joey's body, which he stumbled over. He fell to the floor, his legs still hanging on top of Joey's body.

"Do you have any other choice?" Lance asked as he bent down to Jake's face.

Jake calmed. "No I don't."

Lance reached his hand out to the man again, this time Jake accepted.

"Well, what do I do?"

2

 

Joey felt like flying once again. Chloe was in his arms; where she should have been all these years.

It was Chloe...

His Chloe...

She pulled away from him and smiled; brushing the side of his cheek gently with her pointer finger. Something in her eyes flickered and Joey tried to look away. He remembered where he was and where she should have been...

Chloe laughed and held her arms around him, squeezing him tighter. He was losing his breath. He couldn't breath. She was suffocating him.

She leaned in to kiss him again and although terrified of her, he could not pull away. It was as though she was sucking the air right out of his lungs. He grew dizzy.

All of the sudden she pulled away from him, his lips followed as far back as they could. He opened his eyes.

It was Jake. Jake was fighting Chloe.

Joey stood up and shook his head, still dizzy and out of breath. He took inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet air.

Jake grabbed the woman by the throat and began straggling her. Her eyes flashed red and she kicked him off, sending him flying into the wall.

His head hit it with a loud thud, he was sure there was going to be blood.

The woman was up and heading for him again. He lifted himself up, and although dizzy with the blow he had taken threw a punch. It hit her in the jaw. There was a loud crack. The woman screamed as best that she could.

He had broken its jaw.

The woman ran towards him wailing. Jake punched her again, this time jumping on top of her so she fell to the floor. He grabbed her neck again and began pounding and pounding...and pounding. She began to lose her strength; it began to lose it's strength.

Jake picked up her head and with all the strength he had smashed it into the floor. Her head broke open like a piñata, blood and brains splattering onto his face and the floorboards below.

3

 

Joey woke up on the hard wood floor gasping for air. He sat up and squeezed whatever was in his hand.

"Ow! Show a little appreciation!" Jake said snapping his hand back.

"What?" Joey asked as he lifted his hand to his throat, still gasping for air. "Why were you holding my hand?"

"How else was I going to help you? I just saved your life you know." Jake said standing up. He surveyed the room quickly; they were still moving. Joey followed his eyes.

They dropped onto JC and Chris.

"Jake...why aren't they..." He looked up at the man, his eyes full of fear.

Jake put his head down. "We have to help the others. Get up."

"Yeah but how?" He asked getting to his feet.

"I can't explain it now Jo. We're running out of time. Grab someone's hand and close your eyes. DON'T FALL ASLEEP!" He finally yelled, turning back to Joey.

"But why-?"

"Just do as I say or they are all going to die!" He yelled before turning his back to Joey and getting to the floor next to Luke. He looked back up at him one more time. "Hurry!"

He closed his eyes.

4

He heard a scrambling before his eyes were open. He stood up and shouted for Luke.

He heard a squeal to his left and headed for it.

"JAKE!" Luke screamed; running towards him. Jake opened his arms and gathered the boy into them then set him on the bed.

Jake turned his back to the boy and searched for it.

"Looking for me?" Jake looked down.

"Oh my god." Jake chuckled. "You? A teddy bear?"

"I'm not a teddy bear!" The stuffed animal cried.

Jake rolled his eyes. "My what pretty teeth you have."

The bear lunged forward. Jake grabbed it and threw it back to the floor. The bear lunged for his foot with stealth force and bit into the bones.

He moaned. He could hear the teeth grinding and crushing his bones.

Luke screamed.

Jake shook his foot in a lousy attempt for the bear to release itself. It didn't.

He stomped his foot on the floor, crushing the bear. It grunted. He did it again. Screaming with pain this time.

Luke, seeing the man was in trouble, got off the bed. His eyes once again searching the room for something to kill the bear with. The only thing he could think of or see was the train. Luke squinted...The train. What was he going to do with the train. Nothing, he couldn't use the train. But it was all he had. No knives, no guns, no pointy objec-

Luke twirled around. His sneakers squeaking on the floor as he did so.

"Jake! Over here!" He heard the boy yell. He dragged his foot in the direction of the boy’s voice. He looked up and grinned.

"Good boy."

5

Joey woke to the sound of a woman screaming. He lifted his head and scanned for Shawna. "Come on baby where are you?"

He heard her voice before he saw her. "JOEY!" She was in the water, running towards him. He grinned madly and ran to where she was.

He hugged her tightly, frantically. "I never thought I'd see you alive again."

"Please Jo, there isn't time for that. Liz needs help!"

"What?"

"I don't know! She's screaming and screaming! I can't get near her!"

Please God let me die! She begged. Let me die! They were eating her alive.

The water in the shallow pool was crimson with her blood. The tiny fish had started with her fingers and toes; but those were gone now...They were eating her alive.

She screamed...she moaned...nothing was going to save her.

"Hold on Lizzy!" She heard Joey yell. His voice was fading.

"Don't get in the water!" She tried to yell, but it came out in a whisper.

She heard Shawna scream.

"Oh god Joey! Get her out! Get her out!"

6

Jake grabbed the side of the crib and broke off one of the wooden bars. The end was sharp. Jake sighed in relief and lifted it above the bear. It released.

It jumped onto Jake's chest and bit in; breaking a few of his ribs. Jake screamed and dropped the stake. He grabbed the bear and started pulling; it was useless.

Luke was shaking. "What do I do?! What do I do?!" He yelled.

"Stake it! Stake it!" Jake yelled as he struggled with the bear.

Luke picked up the stake and looked back up at Jake. There was no way he could stake the bear without killing Jake along with it.

He saw it in Jake's eyes. He didn't care. They were begging Luke. They were pleading with him. "DO IT!" Jake yelled as he braced himself for the blow.

Luke lifted the stake high above his head and closed his eyes. He stabbed blindly and hit.

He stepped back and watched as Jake and the bear fell to the floor. Both were twitching, both were dying. Blood drizzled out of Jake's mouth...then...

7

Joey paced the shore of the pool, his hands to his head. Squeezing as if he could get an idea that way.

How could he kill them? He started crying...There was nothing he could do! Shawna grabbed Joey's shoulder.

"Joey! Think of something!" She looked around her. Something, something had to work!

A bush! Berries! If-

"Joey!" She pulled him towards the bush. This was an evil place, the berries had to be poisonous. She lifted a berry to Joey's face. He calmed a little then turned his face to her. He smiled slightly then grabbed at them.

Shawna ran down the pool where Liz was screaming in agony. She lifted a berry to her mouth. Liz looked up at Shawna and immediately knew...she took the berry. Shawna gave her more.

Joey was beside her now; he threw some in the water.

Shawna looked at him. He shrugged, "How will they know the difference?"

The berries were gone. They sat back on the shore.

All they could do now was wait.

 

Chapter 9: Shadows

 

1

D A Y 4 :

 

Justin felt another knife go into his leg as he dropped to the floor. He grimaced and moaned in pain. All of the sudden the knives dropped to the floor. He opened his eyes expecting the worst.

"Oh God!" Justin whispered before the thing fully emerged from the shadows.

2

Luke's eyes were wide when he opened them. "Daddy!" He wailed. He got up and looked around the room. Everyone was sleeping...

He saw his dad and crawled to him. "Daddy."

He poked him in the side. "Daddy." Luke grew impatient. He jumped onto his father's stomach. Air blew out from JC's mouth as his body shook. JC's eyes didn't open.

"Daddy." Luke asked, a little quieter, a little shakier. A tear slipped onto his dad's face. Luke lifted his dad's arm and dropped it. It fell to the floor, limp. Luke jumped off his dad and screamed.

He curled into a ball and began sobbing; clutching his knees to his chest.

3

The time to dream had begun. There only chance of escape was to dream of freedom, because they were right were it wanted them. In it’s corner. Scared and best of all...alone.

4

Shawna's body was frozen on the couch...All the bodies...All the dead bodies...They were all her friends...They are all dead...

Luke sat next to her. The boy sat sucking his thumb as he stared blankly past his father's body.

There was nothing left for any of them; and Joey couldn't even look Shawna in the eye.

He stopped pacing around Justin's body and said, "I have to help him."

Shawna stopped staring and bolted her head up. "You can't. You can't go. You're going to die and then I'll have no one."

"You'd have Luke...and you'd be safe. You'd be alive."

"And you think Luke is alive! Look at him!" Shawna said poking the boy in the side. "He didn't even flinch. How am I supposed to get out of here without you?!"

Joey sighed and looked her in the eye. "I'll be right back."

She sat back down on the couch and crossed her arms; she watched in terror as Joey took Justin's hand and closed his...

eyes

5

The first thing Joey saw when he opened his eyes was the dark shadow walking towards Justin. Joey stood up.

"JOEY!" Justin shouted; noticing the man for the first time.

Joey ran to his side and helped him off the floor; blood started pouring from the wounds in his leg and side. Joey set him down again. He looked back up at the shadow that had stopped moving, but was feet away now. Justin moaned a little and clutched his side.

"What do you want?" He asked trying to figure out where the thing began and ended.

Weak voices murmured and whispered; the thing moved into a swirl, the voices grew louder. A form began to appear before their eyes.

Joey blinked to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing; his mouth dropped.

Justin moved his head from Joey to the body then back to Joey. His eyes were wide.

"Joey" was standing in front of them smiling. He waved. Joey lifted his hand to his face and started feeling it, making sure it was still there.

"Joey, Joey, Joey" The thing shook it's head, or should I say his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

"No-Nothing." He stammered backing up as "Joey" closed in on him.

"No-Nothing." The thing mocked. He laughed. "Is that all you can say?" When Joey didn't answer the thing laughed again and punched him in the jaw. Justin jumped and flinched when the thing approached him, his fist up in the air.

He put his fist down. Justin was staring. "I did a good job didn't I?"

"A little too good." "Joey" turned and glared at Joey. "But handsome."

"I'm going to enjoy killing you two. And when I wake up and Shawna sees me, I think I'll have fun with her too." Joey got up and stood face to face with himself. He had fire burning in his eyes.

"You aren't going to touch her."

"You seem pretty sure of yourself." He glanced down at Justin. "Must I remind you that I killed your other friends?"

"Must I remind you that I got away and saved one?"

"And I killed the others." He grabbed Joey by the shirt, the stench of death was on his breath. "Just like I'm going to kill you."

He lifted Joey off the floor and threw him against the wall. As his body fell he left a red streak of blood. He was on the floor now, blood still gushing from the wound in his head. “Joey” turned back to Justin.

"That wasn't very fun for me, but a man's got to do what a man's got to do." Justin frantically felt for a knife, he grabbed one and pointed it at "Joey".

"Joey" laughed. "You have the right idea but not a very good one..." He took the knife from Justin’s shaking hand. “Not very smart are you?” “Joey” laughed.

Joey lay in the corner his head throbbing, no matter how hard he tried his legs wouldn’t move. A hand touched his shoulder warming him. He looked up; it was Chloe. It was really her too, not just his imagination, it was her. There was a smile on her face that welcomed him. He took her hand as she helped him to his feet. She nodded towards “Joey” and allowed him to take a few steps forward. With a loving hand she guided him further when he stopped.

She was floating.

“Help him Joe, he can’t do it alone.” Her voice told him. She touched him again and he felt a serge flow through him. Lights flashed in front of his eyes. He lifted his hands, Chloe still nodding behind him, and touched Joey’s shoulders.

6

 

His body turned sharply when he felt the man’s hands touch him. “What are you doing?” It asked full of fear.

Joey was holding something. He didn’t understand what it was or why Chloe had given it to him, but she had and it was scared.

“What are you doing?” It repeated, backing up as he did so.

“Why are you so scared? I don’t understand.”

“Don’ come any closer.” It’s voice quivered, becoming higher pitched as it spoke.

“Why not? What’s to be afraid of?” Joey asked taking another step forward. He glanced at Justin; he was scrambling to the side of the room.

“I’m not afraid.” The thing was speaking through hundreds of voices now. Joey was beginning to understand.

“You sound afraid to me. You don’t like this do you?” He asked pushing it out in front of him. It jumped back and screamed a thousand screams. Sweat seeped out onto Joey’s forehead.

“Don’t do that! Keep it away from me! You’ll ruin it! You’ll ruin it all!” The being was changing back; its blackness was enclosing around “Joey”.

Joey pushed it forward again.

It was all blackness again and now moving farther towards the wall.

Use it Joey. Her voice whispered like the wind and wrapped around his ears. Use it.

Before he could the thing melted into the wall and the flash of light appeared again.

They were both unconscious.

7

 

When they awoke they were in the large room again. Luke ran to them, tears streaming down his face and grabbed a hold of Justin. Shawna was in Joey’s arms before he could take in his first breath.

They were safe again; at least for the time being and that’s all that matter to each one of the clinging beings huddled together in the darkness.

 

Chapter 10: End

 

1

 

As dawn met them they sat staring, waiting. The rain began around 9 and hadn’t let up since.

The four of them could do nothing more than think in the silence.

Justin moved closer to Luke on the couch, grimacing in pain as he did so. The wounds he had received had been cleaned and bandaged, but not very well.

Luke was asleep. He put his arm around him as the wind picked up and blew harder against the house's rickety frame. He tucked the blanket under the boy's chin and hugged him close to his body. The small boy had lost his last living relative; he was all he had left. He could only hope that he would be as good a parent as JC and Chloe had been.

There were only 4 left out of the 9 of them.

Justin shivered at that thought. Would he be able to save all of them if they came back? A tear rolled down his pale cheek as he thought of the dead. T hey lay buried in the back of the house, their graves shallow...They had buried them in the early morning hours. Hope had been lost so long ago no one even dreamt of it coming again.

He turned his head to look out the dusty window, his tired eyes looked too old for his 18-year-old body.

There was only 4 left.

Shawna leaned her head against Joey’s shoulder and yawned. She hated silence and that was all that filled her ears now. The horrid, blaring, still silence. She feared she would go insane if it continued. She feared she would go insane if it left…

Once it left…

It would return.

Joey didn’t turn his head as he felt her rest her head against him. Her weight didn’t effect his thoughts, or what was going through his mind. Although it pained him to think of it and although it made him feel guilty he couldn’t help but think of Chloe.

She had been the only one he had ever truly loved with all his heart and soul. He did love Shawna, don’t get him wrong, it’s just she could never replace Chloe and now…She was with him and wasn’t going to leave for a while.

She had returned and was going to help him. Maybe she was repaying him for helping her all those years ago. What her intentions were he wasn’t sure of. But there was one thing he was sure of.

She was back (in a way).

2

 

They had it trapped. With Chloe’s object and her help it was surly going to fall once again. This time the humans had him trapped and he was the helpless one.

But he wouldn’t give up without a fight. That’s one thing he wouldn’t allow. As long as he went out, he would be sure to take the rest of them out with him…

Or try really hard to that is.

3

 

It’s weak hun. You don’t have to be afraid. I’m here, daddy is close and you needn’t worry. Just remember that we love you and that’s all you’ll need to know.

Luke woke with a struggled gasp for air. He startled Justin as he did so.

“Mommy?” The boy’s eyes were wide. His heart was pounding against Justin’s hand as he caught the boy in his arms. He looked up at Justin. “Daddy?” Justin shook his head and bit his lip.

“It’s me.” His voice was soft enough for the boy to calm himself. Luke sighed a heavy, almost adult, sigh and rested once again against Justin’s heavy chest. He welcomed the loving arms of the older boy as his own and stared at the wall opposite him feeling slightly safer than before.

Mommy had sent him a message and Daddy was near.

“Guys?” Her voice drifted from the floor to their ears as they looked up and saw what she was seeing.

Justin straightened on the couch and clutched the young boy closer to him. Joey was on his feet all ready; Shawna just below him on the cool floor boards.

Luke grabbed Justin tighter and whispered into the man’s ear.

“It’s OK, Justin. Mommy said it would be OK.” His voice told him he believed what he said; it was calmer than he would have expected too. Justin looked down at the boy and tried to smile. Luke nodded and turned back to what was coming from the corner.

The object was in Joey’s hand again. He lifted it up. Shawna glanced at his uncomfortably. She didn’t understand why he had it, what it was.

“It’s not that easy.” It whispered. It’s voice morphing as it shifted on the floor nearing the small people. “You may want it to be, but I won’t let it. I have been here to long…”

“That’s why you have to leave.” Joey said in a strong voice.

Shawna glanced at him again and began backing up.

Joey stepped forward again; object in hand, and opened a latch on the side. A blue light fought to escape; a sliver it It’s blackness. The creature howled. Joey looked down at the golden box; he knew what he had to do yet he didn’t know what he was doing. Surprise after surprise was hitting him head on.

As quickly as Joey could look up a rope of blackness was spiraling towards him. Joey dodged and ran towards the door. His back was facing freedom as he watched the blackness follow him. The light from his hand brightened and lashed out again. Hitting the being harder and in a much larger space.

It howled again.

Don’t take so long Joe, you don’t have a lot of time.

Joey shot the light up again and ran into another direction as more blackness hurdled towards him.

Once near the stairs he shot it towards the black hole in front of him. This time the blackness flickered white and shrank a little.

Again Joe!

He did it again, this time standing his ground. The thing was in pain and weakening each time he slapped it with light.

It shrank further and began to liquefy. It’s going to survive! Hit the liquid! Hit it or watch them die!

Joey turned his head and followed the direction of where the black liquid was heading.

Towards the couch!
He lunged forward and shot the light out again. The liquid grabbed Shawna’s foot. Justin shot his arms out and pulled Shawna back.

Joey yelled and hit it again. The liquid loosened. Shawna pulled her foot back with a scream. Her foot was sizzling…Sizzling and burning in front of her eyes. She screamed again. Justin grabbed her head and pulled it away so she didn’t have to watch. He knew she felt it though…He knew from her screams.

He did the same for Luke and shut his eyes as well. The three were huddled now on the couch, all eyes away from the events happening on the floor.

Joey ran to the side again as the liquid chased his feet. Each time the being was hit with the light more of it would disappear, more of it would fade, but the liquid would become thicker. Not wanting to risk touching the liquid Joey leapt into the air and onto the stairs as the black blob of goo touched down just below his feet.

He blasted it again…It began to move slower. He glanced around him for Chloe. He still could not see her. He ran again this time in the direction of the couch and zapped the blackness again. His hear was racing.

All that was left now was a tiny speck of it and it wasn’t moving. Joey stopping running and walked slowly towards it. It rippled a little and a bubble formed at the top.

You can touch it now Joe…Her voice whispered again, the breeze from her presence whipped his hair out of shape. It’s too weak to hurt you. Put it in the opening. Put it in there and shut it.

Joey lifted his head to see her. “Then what?” He asked the distant air.

Bury it.

“But-“

Bury it Joe. Bury it and go home.

Joey looked down at the floorboards and bent to his knees.

Bury it and go home.

He slid the opening down to the floor and gently pushed the goo into it. He shut it swiftly and jumped back as if burned. He looked down at his hand wide eyed.

It was OK. Nothing had happened. He let out a relieved sigh and looked to his side. They were all there. He ran to them, the second he reached the couch his knees hit the floor and he embraced them all as the weeping began.

4

 

Shovel in hand Justin and Joey threw the last bit of dirt over the hole they had created. Luke stepped forward and grabbed a hold of Justin’s leg then looked up. His eyes were soft and innocent. The man put his hand on the boy’s head and stared at the mound.

“It’s over.” Shawna stated as she put her arms around Joey. “It’s over.” Joey nodded and hugged her back. She was on the ground, bandages around her leg and ankle. She couldn’t walk anymore; didn’t even want to try.

“Can we go home now?” Luke asked looking away from the dirt.

“Yeah.” Justin said lifting his head. Joey lifted Shawna in his arms and began to walk away from the house. Luke let go of Justin and followed close behind.

Before Justin began the walk back to life with Joey and the others he looked back. 4 shallow graves and one house.

4 shallow graves

He struggled to find himself and bit his lip as he thought of the people in the graves.

His love, his life, Liz.

His best friend, Chris.

His good friend, Lance.

And Jake. Jake had saved them all.

And now he had to leave them behind. He put his head down and away from the wooden crosses and stepped forward.

Life was waiting and yet again, he had to serve it.