Descent

by Phil Maxey

  Has to be the subway.

  The sound echoed once more, this time louder and one of the bolts jumped, then settled. I took a step towards the door…

  “Don’t look outside,” said Alyssa making me jump.

  I went to move towards the door again, when she moved forward in a blur and grabbed my arm, but she wasn’t looking at me or the door, she was looking at the ceiling.

  “Okay, I won’t look outside, but what’s—”

  The deep reverberating clash happened again, making some of the keepsakes on the shelves hop. A small porcelain statue teetered on an edge, and I flicked a hand out and slide it back.

  “They’re trying to get in…”

  “Who?”

  She continued looking at the surface above our heads and the walls. “Not who, what…”

  The entire door shook with the next audio impact. “Screw this I want to know what’s out there.” I walked to the door and looked through the tiny lens before she could stop me, and saw nothing. Just absolute darkness. “There’s nothing…” I noticed a patch was darker than the rest, and it was moving. Suddenly a decaying face emerged from the void and rushed towards the door. I jumped back just as the door shook once more. “What the fuck is that?”

  She held my hand and pulled me back to the chairs near the fire. “I don’t know and I don’t want to know. The wards are holding. It will stop at first light.”

  “First light? How long have I been asleep?”

  “Ten hours…”

  “Ten hours!”

  “Sit, I got some tea already brewed.” She walked across the room to the entrance to the corridor, another boom rang out but she ignored it. “You seemed pretty bushed, so I just let you sleep. The Gorgon did a real number on you.”

  I resisted looking back at the door. I didn’t need to be reminded of the horror show just ten-feet from me.

  The fumes from the tea hit my nasal passage before she reappeared with two steaming mugs. “It’s not blood but it definitely helps with the cravings.” I smiled and took mine. She sat opposite, her bra visible through her threadbare T-shirt but I was too on edge to fully notice. Another thunder clap echoed around the walls.

  She noticed my unease. “Drink, it will help.”

  I did and the warmth cascaded through me. “Has Fortacan learned anything yet from the translated chapter?”

  “Not yet, he’s still trying to make sense of what it says. The chapter seems to be about a knight, maybe each chapter is the same.”

  She leaned back and took a sip of her drink. “You didn’t believe any of this until this morning?”

  I looked into the swirling hot liquid. “Some, not all… and I still don’t know what I believe. When you—”

  “Saved you.”

  I smiled. “Yeah. I thought you were a monster, that had made me like you. I woke up on the beach with no money or passport. That wasn’t you right?”

  “After I bit you, I took off after the guy with the knife. I tried to get some information out of him, but he didn’t know anything. Said the ‘voices’ told him to do it. By time I returned to you, you were gone, but the police were everywhere. Someone must have seen you get attacked. How did you get back to America anyway?”

  I held my non-watch wearing wrist up. She looked confused. “Cuff-links. Bought not far from here about ten years ago. Worth two thousand each, which I got a fraction for. But was enough to get me on a cargo ship. Unfortunately, it didn’t go directly home, instead it stopped off at a few African ports, then made its way across the Atlantic. Got back about a week ago. How did you know I was back?”

  “Until a strange looking guy, that reeked of paranormal turned up outside the Hell-Lock building, I had no idea.”

  “But I looked different.”

  She nodded towards my watch. “The watch and the fact that you kept shouting you are Sebastian Hell-Lock kind of gave me a clue.”

  “Oh…”

  “I followed you back to your old apartment, and then kept an eye on you for a few more days until I sensed the phantoms closing in.”

  “You can sense them?”

  “Yeah, you should be able to as well. The reason we are paranormals is that the void is… inside us. Part of our being, it’s what makes us the… monsters we are. And the void sure does love itself. Evil is drawn to evil.”

  “I don’t think I’ve sensed it…”

  “You will. You’re just new to all of this.”

  She looked into her mug. “Right, more research.” She sat still for a moment, tilting her head to one side. “They’ve stopped.”

  “Good.”

  She made her way back to the other room, while I leaned back. The tea was doing its job well.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “Wake up! Where is he?”

  Alyssa was hovering over me. “What? Where’s who?” As soon as the words left my lips, I knew who she meant. “Isn’t he here?” I looked at the fire, which was a mass of blackened logs.

  “You were meant to tell me if he left!” She paced back and forth then moved to the door. “I can’t go after him, the sun’s just come up!”

  I looked at my watch. It was just after seven. I rubbed some crust from my eyes and awkwardly stood. “I’ll find him. Any idea where he might have gone?”

  She held up some pieces of paper. “There are some notes he made. Something about needing to go to the first library? I can’t believe he would be so stupid to go outside alone.”

  I grabbed my coat from the other chair, threw it on and pulled the bolts back. “Don’t worry I’ll find him.” I pulled the door open then stopped. “He got a cell phone?”

  “We don’t use them…”

  “Why am I not surprised. Did he take the car keys with him?”

  She nodded.

  “Okay, I’ll check back in, in an hour’s time and let you know if I haven’t found him.”

  I wondered into the darkness, my brain still covered in cobwebs, and quickly made my way through the tunnels above and then finally into the ground floor of the old school. I wondered if what Alyssa said was true and that things were watching the building. Could they had gotten to him already? One problem at a time.

  ‘The first library’

  I knew the city had a number of libraries but wasn’t sure which was the first. I emerged into a overgrown yard, and then pushed open a rusting gate, stepping out into the chilled morning air. The smell of fresh bread wafted past, and steam rose from a nearby manhole cover. An old lady walked past, who I went to approach, but then stopped when I saw her reaction. I really did need to get a shower and a haircut.

  A heartbeat was behind me, I turned around into the face of a cop. “You been sleeping in the old school?” he said.

  “Err…”

  “You can’t be in there. It’s due for demolition, and if you’re in there when the wrecking ball drops…”

  I smiled. “I won’t do it again. You know anything about libraries?”

  He looked at me up and down. “What you want with a library?”

  “I heard there’s this library, it’s the city’s first or something. They are handing out free coffee. Thought I’ll get some.”

  He looked along the street. “Hmm… Theres the first public library, that’s over on fifth avenue.”

  “Thank you!” I turned and started to run, feeling the officer’s eyes on my back. I wasn’t far from fifth. I moved into the road to avoid hitting people going to work, and weaved between the cabs, until finally the grand pillars of the public library came into view. I scrambled up the steps, looking for any sign of the old man, then slowed down on seeing the security inside. I moved through the revolving glass door and up to the nearest counter. “Hi, have you seen an old English guy?”

  The young woman behind the counter looked over my shoulder. I could tell she was looking at the large security guard. “Umm no… I don’t think I have.”

  I shook my head. “This is the first library the city had, right?”
/>   “The first public library yes, but there was a library established before this one.”

  “There was? Where is it?”

  I felt a presence behind me, but I ignored it.

  “That would be the New York Literature Guild, on Park Avenue.”

  “Before or after Grand Central?”

  “Umm… I believe after?”

  I raced outside before any questions landed on me and broke into a sprint, but still keeping my speed human, which was going to take me forever to cover the whole of the long street. A truck slowed at a stop.

  Perfect.

  I ran forward and jumped on the rear bumper and held on. Despite the traffic the vehicle made good speed, going around the train station and kept on heading north. I scanned the towering buildings until one in particular stood out.

  Got to be it.

  I jumped down onto the sidewalk in front of a gothic looking building. A large gold engraved slab of stone heralded the building’s name. I approached the door, then stopped on seeing my reflection. I did my best to flatten my bedhead hair, and pulled and tucked parts of my clothing, but gave up and pulled open the door with a large smile on my face. Greco-Roman walls, ceiling and stairs mixed with dark wood paneling. There was no guard that I could see, just a long traditional styled counter, and a man standing behind it. This has to be the place.

  The smart looking individual looked up at me. “Can I help you?”

  “Hi, yes. A friend of mine. An old English guy, said he would be meeting me here—” I looked around. There were two exits, which appeared to lead to larger rooms and a staircase. “But I don’t know where exactly. Have you seen someone like that come in?”

  The man, whose black hair was slicked across his head, his eyes not leaving mine, paused, seeming stuck in thought. “Hmm yes. There was an older gentleman. He said he was looking for books on the early history of the city. That would be through the door behind you, in the east wing, then against the left wall, at the back.” I went to move off, then he cleared his throat. “How long will you be staying?”

  “I’m not.”

  The man smiled and looked back down at a computer screen.

  I resisted rushing into the next room, and walked at a steady pace, opening the door to a cavernous space, lined with Greek style columns. Cases of books lined the walls on all four sides on two levels and a series of reading tables with accompanying chairs filled the space in the center of the room. I spotted the professor immediately at the back left where I was told he should be. I ignored the few looks and whispers, despite being able to hear them clearly and moved through the narrow channels, and then approached the old man, who was seated on a bench, just in front of a large glass paneled bookcase. To his side were a number of open volumes.

  “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Alyssa’s not happy.”

  “As you can see, I’m quite alright. It is daylight, and we are in a public place. The powers of the void are unlikely to strike here, or their human counterparts.”

  “I’ll let you explain that to her when we return.” I leaned up against a column. “Have you learned anything?”

  He nodded. “I think so. The translated passage mentioned a family that were in the order, were responsible for a great amount of trade in the city, or New Amsterdam as it was call then, and particularly in the fur trade.” He picked up another book. “There were a number of families involved with that trade, but one stood out to me. The Haywards. They—”

  I held my hand up. Heavy footsteps had just entered the lobby.

  “What is it?”

  I shook my head and focused my audio senses. There were voices coming from the lobby. Someone foreign sounding was talking to the guy at the counter.

  “It’s probably just a group of students, nothing to be bothered about,” I said.

  The door to the large room swung open and I knew immediately that assumption was incorrect. Five men walked inside. The one leading the way was much smaller than the others and wore a maroon colored suit. He looked across at me and the professor. Two of the remaining four stayed near the double doors, while the rest walked slowly to each of the students and other researchers and ushered them from their seats.

  “I think we got a problem.” A stench hit my nose. “They’re not human,” I said to the professor who closed all the books, and stood next to me.

  The smaller man hadn’t taken his eyes from me, and had a consistent smile. He sat at a table, directly in the center of the room which was now vacant apart from the newcomers.

  I noticed my watch beginning to glow and plunged it into my jacket pocket.

  “Sebastian!” shouted the seated man in a French accent. He grinned as if he had seen an old friend.

  I hid my shock at him knowing who I was. “Stay here,” I said to Fortacan and walked out into the main part of the room. I glanced at the two men who looked like well-dressed pro-wresters, near the door to the lobby. “Who’s Sebastian?” I said innocently.

  He patted the table. “Come sit. Let’s talk as men… well, demons.”

  I looked over my shoulder at the other two demons guarding the only other exit, and slowly walked forward, pulled a chair out and sat. Being closer, I noticed he was wearing silver gloves.

  He reached for the inside pocket of his immaculate blazer. I readied myself, and had already planned out three of at least five steps I would have to take if he stuck a gun in my face, but instead of a weapon he produced a small rectangle of black card, and slid it across the table towards me.

  I picked it up with my right hand. I had to admit it was a good quality. ‘Caspian Frome, head of security for Octavian Media Enterprises.’

  “And what can I do for you, Casper?”

  His smile almost broke.

  “You changing, becoming a demon was something that caused us some confusion. The human that attacked you, went too far, and for that I apologize. Usually the change would happen at a much younger age and everyone would know the appearance of the butterfly so to speak, but with you, well… events took a different path.” He momentarily leaned forward. “You could almost call it divine providence. So we lost track of you, but then alls well that ends well as the British say, because you came to us! Walking into your family’s building shouting to the heavens of who you are!”

  I hid my irritation of the stupidity of my actions over the past few days. “I’m still not hearing why we’re having this conversation.” He looked to my right. I hid my sigh. I was hoping the professor would stay out of this.

  “So glad for you to join us professor. Tell me, how is your research going? Found anymore details on the other families? I have to admit, visiting the Librarian, that took real… Gusto! Did she reveal anything to you?”

  Fortacan stood a few paces to my right. “Tell those you work for, they shall not have the Hell-Lock seal, or any other, demon.”

  Frome stared at the professor, then his expression changed to one of a playful frown. “Why of course I will. He—” He briefly looked at me. “—Will hand over his grandfather’s watch—” I heard the intake of air into the old man’s lungs. I also knew he was looking at me.

  Yeah, that’s not good.

  “— And sometime soon, the childish magic you are using will fail and we will take the book as well. Or you could of course just hand over the volume?” Frome scrunched his face. “Now, now professor there is no need for that.”

  I turned to face the old man. In his hand was a blade, similar to Alyssa’s. It was doing that glowing thing.

  The head of Octavian security looked back to me. “Young Sebastian here will give me his watch, and we will part ways, as friends.”

  I took my left hand out of my pocket and placed it on the table. The watch face burned bright, which I noticed made the thing opposite me grimace, despite his efforts not to. “Why don’t you try and take it?”

  “What a disappointment you would have been to your grandfather,” he said.

  My other hand tightened on h
is card, crumpling it. “You’re not getting the watch, or anything else from us.” I pushed the chair back slowly and stood, then glanced over my shoulder at the large individuals who hadn’t moved. The small guy I could take, then I just needed to hold off the two giants in front long enough for the professor to get out. After that, all bets were off.

  “You do not have your little vampire guardian here to protect you this time…”

  My eyes flicked from Frome to the men at the door and back again. I had no idea what I was up against, I just hoped my speed and strength would suffice. I stepped to the side, moving close to the professor who was still looking at my watch. “I’m going to clear a path, you go through the doors,” I whispered.

  “You know I can hear you right?” said Frome. He pointed to himself. “Demon. Really good hearing.”

  I raised my hands in the best movie fighting stance I could think of. “We’re leaving.”

  Fortacan’s eyes were large behind his small glasses. He pushed his blade out as we shuffled sidewards, putting another table between ourselves and Frome. But we were still moving towards the two man-mountains, who hadn’t made even the slightest movement towards us. Which I couldn’t decide was good or bad.

  Frome turned in his seat, then threw his arms wide. “Just because you are currently beholden to the seal, does not mean we cannot all be friends! We are all demons here, no? Well apart from the frail human of course. Give me the watch and this time you will not have to die. We may even return you to your former lavish lifestyle you so loved…”

  Million dollar yachts, just as expensive cars and homes in every part of the earth flashed through my mind, and of course the female company that came with all of that…

  “That’s not me any—”

  Something solid hit me square in my chest sending me airborne until a pillar got in the way, and I crashed back down, bouncing off a table to the ground. Frome, now standing, grinned from ten-feet away. Whatever he was, he was as quick as me. I sprang back to my feet my anger surging. “That all you got! I’m going to kick your…” He was dangling the watch from his gloved hand. “Son of a—” I went to fly forwards, but the professor beat me to it and lunged with his blade that was now shining bright. Frome swayed to the side, but the blade still grazed his upper arm causing him to groan in pain. Fortacan leaned back to strike again but before I could move forward to stop the incoming blow, Frome struck the professor in the stomach causing him to instantly wilt and fall to his knees.