REM

by Valentine, J. D.

  When was the last time Lucas and I went fishing?

  Danny cursed himself for letting him divulge in those senseless feelings.

  "Dan, I got nothing," Eric said.

  Danny looked through the doors throwing things from each. "Yeah, yeah," he agreed, slamming the drawer shut.

  I need to take Lucas fishing.

  He pressed his headset. "Soph, we got a vehicle, but no keys. We are moving to the house, over."

  A transmission came over the radio. Danny could barely make out her voice as it was broken and unclear.

  "I'm not getting anything from Soph," Danny said.

  "It's all good, I can hear her," Eric replied. "Let’s clear that house."

  "I thought we were just getting the keys."

  "Dan, we need a little time to collect ourselves here. A couple of days to let Sophia heal could do us some good."

  Danny bit his lip. "This is not the plan."

  Eric looked back at Danny. "Deal with it. Now get ready to move." Eric took point with Danny right behind him.

  They moved around the back of the garage and then crossed the driveway. A wooden porch was in the back with a grill that was covered. Danny broke the glass with the barrel of his rifle. He stuck his hand through the hole in the back door window and reached for the lock. A shard cut his wrist, making him jump back.

  "Shit," he hissed as blood started to soak his sleeve, but there was no time.

  He reached his hand back in and unlocked the door. Eric glided in, and Danny followed. The keys sat at the front door on a rack. They entered an old style kitchen that was littered with roosters and stained wood. Everything was quiet inside as they moved out of the kitchen and into a hallway, which opened into a large living room. A grand piano sat in the corner near the fireplace. A wooden staircase was on the right side of the wall.

  Please be empty.

  Danny took point now. The mouth of the stairs seemed pitch black at the top. Both men took a deep breath before they moved. Each step up the stairs made the floorboards creak and moan. They tried to move slowly, but only so much was possible on hardwood floors.

  Eric flashed the light down the short hallway. The floorboards creaked again as Danny put his weight on the top step.

  Steady.

  They stacked up the first door to the right. The door squeaked open, and Danny moved into it quickly. A small guest bedroom with a wooden bed frame was in the middle. Eric tore down the curtains from the rod, letting the light fill the room. Danny had to cover his eyes as he looked around. A poster of a woman in a bikini was on the wall with a gaming system next to a small television.

  Probably that boy from the fishing photo.

  It was Danny's turn. He walked up to the open door with his rifle aimed on the next closed door. The light from his room showed the next door swung inward. He moved into the hallway with Eric taking the rear. Danny opened the door quietly showing a little girl’s room. Pink walls overwhelmed Danny's eyes.

  Susan would have loved a room like this.

  That color seemed so out of place in a world that was so dull and ugly. A picture of a woman and a little girl playing the piano rested on a nightstand next to the bed. Eric walked in front and cleared the bed and behind it.

  He pushed past Danny and moved to the last room. A dark door sat at the end of the hallway. It reminded Danny of the same door at Kevin’s house the night when he had turned. Danny couldn’t help but focus on the golden door knob that stared him down.

  Please don’t turn.

  Eric felt the knob and then turned it pushing the door inward. It was dark on the other side, as Eric flashed his light in the corners. Danny did the same.

  Oh no.

  Something rustled deeper in the room.

  Not again. Please not again.

  Danny shined his light around, trying to find the sound. Eric ripped at the blinds down, allowing the sunlight to cascade into the room. A dark little shadow pounced from under the bed. Eric jumped, while screaming and raising his rifle. The light from his gun showed a squirrel that sprinted from behind him and ran out the door.

  Whew.

  Danny began to chuckle, but it quickly turned into a loud laugh.

  "Scared the shit out of me," Eric said as he bent over laughing. He looked at Danny, and they both burst into a fit of laughter.

  Calming himself, Danny reached for his headset that was attached to his chest rig. "Soph, everything is clear."

  The radio static returned nothing. Danny and Eric looked at each other as Eric’s smile started to fade.

  "Come on, kid. We are coming back to you."

  It sounded like someone was running. Muffled breathing filled the static.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  ERIC AND DANNY stormed outside. The air was beginning to cool as the sun started its descent towards the edge of the valley. Most of the animals had resumed their daily life. The birds whistled to one another and a few squirrels climbed up the side of pines as both men ran to the garage.

  "Sophia," Eric called out on his headset. He picked up his pace as he waited for a response. The heavy gravel crunched and shifted under their boots.

  Danny clicked on his headset. "Soph, everything's clear. I need you to respond."

  They walked inside the garage. A response came, but it was feedbacking heavily. Both men looked at each afraid of what their imaginations were brewing inside one another's heads.

  Eric spoke out first. "Look, I’m sure it’s just the terrain. I mean, we aren’t far off, but this kind of stuff happens. I will grab her and come back."

  Danny felt uneasy about the whole situation. It had only been thirty minutes or so since they left her. That was a good amount of time considering she was alone.

  We should have just taken her.

  Eric shook Danny with the radio in his hand. "Etter, come on focus man."

  Danny awoke from his thoughts. "I suggest we stick together."

  "Chief, just hold down the house and I’ll be right back."

  "Eric, I got a bad feeling about this." Danny removed his ball cap from his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

  "I have had a bad feeling since this whole thing went down. Keep this place secure, and I’ll get Soph." Eric walked to the center of the garage and pulled the red tab.

  Danny sighed as he ran up to the garage and helped Eric lift it. The sliding doors rolled up making a crashing metal thud when it hit the top. Danny gritted his teeth at the noise. Eric tried the first set of keys and the Excursion lit up.

  Danny tried to yell out to Eric. "We don’t go alone."

  His words were drowned out as Eric pulled out quickly. The tires kicked up gravel as the SUV started down the driveway. It turned left, and Danny could hear the engine grumble away. The sound disappeared and was replaced with the rustling of leaves and birds chirping. A rabbit danced from one bush to another making him relax a little.

  The animals know if there is something wrong. They always know.

  Danny walked back up to the house. The crunching and shifting of the gravel outweighed the peaceful serenity that he had just been immersed in. He walked up the red maple steps leading to the porch. He walked through the door and shut it behind him. Danny’s radio chattered.

  "Soph, this is Eric. I’m en route, do you copy?" Eric said, over the radio.

  Danny sighed feeling that aching discomfort of worry start to fill his chest.

  It’s just the radios probably.

  He fumbled with his beard feeling the rough hairs tickle his lips. He slightly chewed on the hairs in hopes of beating back the brittle mustache, as he leaned on the counter. Danny looked out at the woods. The branches reminded him of a dancer’s arms, moving with the peaceful rhythm of the wind. His eyes moved from branch to branch looking at the small birds that jumped to and fro.

  Crazy world we live in.

  Danny pulled out his med pouch and carefully started to wrap his wrist with a bandage. Blood had started to drip on the floor ma
king him sigh as he looked down at his feet. A piece of paper was under his boot.

  Odd.

  He cocked his head to the side as he bent down to pick it up. A boot mark was stamped on the back of the simple notebook paper. He flipped it and noticed little strips of tape stuck to the corners. When he turned it over, there was a note written with black marker. It was scratchy like someone had written it in a hurry.

  Marky,

  If you are reading this it means you’ve made it. Honey, we waited as long as we could, but we are now living with the Petersons. I can’t tell you where we are going, only that in order to find us you will need to meet your father. He will be at your old fishing spot every day at 4. That’s where you will meet him. Marky, you need to leave the house immediately. Please don’t look around. Your sister is locked in the basement. Just come to us first, and we will deal with this as a family.

  Love you always,

  Mom.

  The hair on Danny’s neck shot up. His thoughts were jaded and scrambled as he tried to understand what he had just read. The words shot out from the paper.

  Your sister is locked in the basement. What basement?

  The floorboards creaked behind Danny. He turned, quickly raising his rifle up. The hallway blocked the view of the living room, but Danny could see the edge of the wood-paneled staircase, but something had changed. The wood paneling had been pushed aside revealing a secret door.

  The basement?

  A low note from the piano came from the living room making Danny back up against the counter.

  "No, no," Danny whispered to himself.

  A slow tune started to play in the other room from the piano. Danny’s heart throbbed it was pumping so hard. Each key being played made him feel more and more uneasy.

  A silver voice began to sing . Danny could barely hear the words as it was a near whisper.

  It reminded Danny of his daughter's voice. So frail and innocent. A few tears dripped onto the buttstock of his rifle. They then fell to the floor as Danny walked slowly toward the hallway. Each step in tune with a note from the piano.

  Danny walked into the room. The sofa was still there with all the same decor surrounding it. The piano was normal except a little girl sat on the bench hunched over the piano. Her hair was long and matted. It covered her face, as her pale hands slowly tapped the keys.

  What is this?

  The tingling numbness of fear flooded Danny’s body. He kept his rifle aimed on the back of the girl’s head, trying to keep his breathing at a small manageable pace.

  The girl still sang unaware of Danny’s presence. "Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah." That last verse her voice trailed off.

  The song stopped.

  Danny took a deep breath and flicked off the safety of his weapon.

  "It’s okay," Danny said lowly.

  He could see the girls back, but then two abnormally long hands curled upward onto the piano closing the falling board over the piano keys. Danny’s eyes went wide and he took a step back. The long hands began to bend irregularly almost like they were inverted.

  What are you?

  The little girl stood, revealing that she was not so little after all. Her abnormal limbs made her almost a head taller than Danny. Her hands hung to the floor, awkwardly stretching nearly to the hardwood at her feet. The dress she was wearing had been shredded showing exposed unnatural vertebrae. She jolted making joints snap and crack. Danny took another step back in shock of what was in front of him.

  The girl turned.

  Sunken black eyes stared at Danny with a jaw that was elongated and predator-like. Its claws dragged on the piano making a screeching sound that nearly blew out Danny’s ear drums. It stared at him now. It cocked its head and sniffed the prey that was now in its presence. Danny took a step back, but the floorboard creaked making the creature and Danny freeze.

  Oh god, help me.

  That ear crushing scream made Danny jump as the creature sunk to the floor on all fours crawling towards him. Each step it moved forward, Danny would move back. Its sharp nails dragged on the wood floor like nails on a chalkboard. Suddenly, its jaw opened showing the corners of the lips had torn as it hung a few inches from the floor. Its eyes jumped all around the room. Finally its eyes settled onto Danny.

  The tension of the trigger built up on Danny’s finger. He jumped when the first round impacted the creature’s shoulder. It wasn’t a scream that came from it. No, it was something so much worse that sent its mouth ripping to the floor, tearing more skin apart from the corner of its lips. Danny kept firing as it closed on him. A few rounds hit, but he missed as he started to shake violently. He kept firing over and over as he backpedaled. The ground closed between him after each shot. The creature ran up the side of the wall. Danny fired trying to stay on target until the creature was on the ceiling. Its claws dug into the drywall turning it upside down.

  FUCK!

  Danny took off into the kitchen. The sound of its claws digging into the hardwood drew nearer. He looked back and saw the creature running on the side of the cabinets pulling the doors off the hinges as it closed on him. Danny swung his rifle and fired as he pulled the door open. He jumped through, slamming the door behind him as he stumbled down the porch. He rounded the steps and heard the glass window bust open. Wood snapped behind him making him peer over his shoulder. The creature was outside now standing out in the sun. It’s pale skin showing the harsh blue veins in its body.

  Screaming came from in front of him.

  Not now!

  The creature looked behind Danny and suddenly vaulted the patio. It took off into the trees leaving Danny with the two crazies that were running up the driveway, going right for him. Torn skin on their faces flailed as they sprinted towards the cabin. Danny pulled his rifle to his shoulder and fired. The red dot lined up on the left one's head. A woman’s face came into view and he fired. Her head snapped back as her body sank to the floor. The next shot Danny moved to the young man. His face was nearly unrecognizable as bits of flesh hung below his jawbone. Danny couldn’t line up the sight and the crazy was ten feet from him. He pulled the trigger, but the weapon was silent.

  NO!

  Danny quickly transitioned to his 1911. The pistol cleared the holster and he was about to raise it, but it was too late. The crazy went head-on with him.

  Hands were tearing at his clothes as the fight was on. Danny struggled on the ground realizing he dropped his pistol. Desperation kicked in as he grabbed for his knife. The crazy started to slam its fists on Danny’s helmet and face. Danny tried to grab the knife, but it was pinned under his body. He panicked feeling for anything around him now. His hand brushed something. He grabbed it noticing it was a stick of all things. He closed his eyes and jammed it into the crazy’s eye. It screamed at the top of its lungs releasing its grip on Danny for just a moment. Danny’s hand felt something metal and cold. The grip of the pistol found his hand. The crazy had pulled out the stick and now was trying to stab him. He pushed the 1911 close to the crazy’s eye, but made sure the barrel didn’t make contact with the crazy. The pistol discharged, sending brain and skull fragments everywhere. Danny’s ears were ringing again, louder than they ever had.

  Get up! You aren’t done!

  Danny pushed the body off of him and immediately his eyes looked out at the trees.

  It was there. He knew the creature was watching him now. Toying with him.

  Where are you?

  The sound of the engine drew Danny to the driveway. He jumped to his feet waving his arms at Eric who was speeding up the gravel path. Danny screamed at the top of his lungs as he sprinted for the SUV. Eric slammed on the brakes unsure of what was going on. Danny jumped into the passenger seat.

  "GO!" Danny screamed.

  Eric slammed it in reverse and the Excursion kicked up rocks into the wheel well. The heavy SUV nearly flipped as Eric turned out of the driveway.

  "Dan, what the fuck happened!" Eric asked.

  "This...this fuckin
g thing was in there!" Danny was reloading his rifle. His hands were shaking so violently that he dropped the fresh magazine on the floor. "Where is Sophia?"

  "I don’t know!" Eric screamed as he threw up his hands. "Etter, what the hell is going on here?"

  Danny grabbed the magazine and seated it in the rifle. He slammed the bolt home. "They are changing," he yelled, still hyperventilating.

  "Changing? What is changing?" Eric turned a hard right heading up the road where they had left Sophia.

  "Eric they are not even humans anymore! They look like goddamn....monsters. That thing in there was not human!"

  "Monst… what are you talking about, Etter?" Eric was screaming still, slamming his hands on the steering wheel as he accelerated up the road.

  Danny was trying to slow his breathing. He looked down at his pants realizing he had pissed himself. "Where is Sophia?"

  "I don’t know. I….I went back to the spot she was at and all I found was the SAW just sitting there. I heard gunshots so I came running," Eric replied shaking his head.

  Danny snapped his head to Eric "We gotta find her and get the fuck out of here."

  "I’m trying, but we gotta go back to find her." Eric’s eyes jumped from Danny back to the road.

  "If we go out there we are as good as dead. I suggest we go back to the campsite last night and wait for her there like we said."

  "She isn’t going to make it on foot," Eric was fuming now.

  "Eric shut the fuck up right now!" The car fell silent as Danny ran his hands over his face. He exhaled through his fingers.

  Eric was right, they couldn’t just leave Sophia out there. He had to calm down.

  "Five minutes is all I’m asking for, Dan."

  Danny looked over at Eric.

  "I need five minutes just to see if I can find out where she went. That’s all I’m asking. I have been there for you every step of the way! I need you now. I need you to help me for once."

  "Alright," Danny said quietly.

  He took a deep breath. The smell of ammonia hit him as he looked down at his pants.