by A. I. Nasser
No, I have no idea where he’d be right now. I was bleeding in a ditch, remember?
Chapter 4
Alan Carter woke up to a sudden screaming in his head. The sound of it reverberated off the inside of his head, and he bolted straight up so quickly, he immediately felt throbbing at his temples. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkness around him, and for an instant he had the impending feeling that his nightmares had returned and he was locked in the corridor again.
His mind was completely blank, as if whatever he had witnessed during his sleep was so horrible, his consciousness was doing its best to keep him from remembering it. All he could register was his quickened heartbeat and gasps of breath, mixed with a cold dread that seemed to linger, following him from his nightmares to the waking world.
And then, as soon as he thought he’d begun to calm down, the images came flashing back. Alan’s back arched and his eyes rolled back in his head, and all of a sudden he was no longer in his apartment anymore, but somewhere else entirely.
He was surrounded by a large living room illuminated with a warm light; dim enough to set a comfortable mood while classical music played in the background. The furniture looked modern, yet there was a classical touch to the ornaments and decorations around, as if whoever lived here had found an enchanting way to balance both worlds harmoniously.
Alan was standing over a large man bleeding from his nose as he pushed himself back and away. The man looked horrified, as if he were staring into the face of death itself, one hand raised in protection as he desperately tried to kick back. Tears of blood escaped from the man’s eyes, and he suddenly grasped his head and screamed out in silent agony.
Alan could not take it anymore. He closed his eyes, desperately trying to block out the images he was being forced to see, but it was of no use. He watched helplessly as the man in front of him writhed in pain, coughing blood as skin sizzled and bubbled on his face. It was as if he were being burned alive.
Alan felt a short sense of relief when his eyes turned away from the dying man, but it didn’t last for long. Unable to control where he was looking, Alan’s vision finally settled on his reflection in the dark television screen. Only, it wasn’t him, and he could feel his heart jump into his throat at the realization of whose eyes he was looking through.
The woman in red smiled, and from behind him, the world seemed to burst into a bright red ball of fire.
***
Alexandra Bail hated her luck.
Standing at the front reception desk, she gazed out at the curious crowd that had collected outside the sliding doors and were being forced back by her officers. She sighed at how much of a nightmare her life was turning into ever since she had taken on the duties of Sheriff. She was counting the days when a new Sheriff could be appointed and she could go back to doing what she was told.
Alexandra stood up suddenly when she saw Agent Sally Brians break through the crowd, flashing her badge and walking into the hospital with an authority that intimidated everyone around her. A younger agent followed, blonde and attractive, and Alexandra had to peel her eyes away from him as the two approached her.
“We came as fast as we could,” Sally said.
Alexandra did a double take on the other agent before focusing her attention fully on Sally. From the corner of her eye, she could see the man smile. “Daniel Cole was murdered last night,” Alexandra said. “We’re still waiting on forensics, but someone had broken into his room and injected him with something that stopped his heart.”
“Any suspects?” Jeff asked.
Alexandra turned to him and tried playing hard to get. “And you are?”
“Sorry, Sheriff,” Sally said. “This is my partner, Agent Duncan.”
Alexandra nodded curtly. “We have a lot of suspects, Agent. Actually, the entire town would have loved to see the man dead. Daniel Cole was nobody’s favorite.”
“Any chance we can take a look at his room?” Sally asked.
“Sure, be my guest, but it’s already been combed through.”
Sally nodded at Jeff and both women watched him disappear through the crowd of hospital staff and into an elevator.
“I guess that kills any chance of visiting the house,” Sally said. “I’m sure the family won’t want to have anything to do with us now.”
“Actually, Miranda Cole will probably have a reception after the funeral,” Alexandra said. “I’ve been having trouble reaching her since we last talked, but I’m sure she’ll be approachable now. Let’s wait until after the reception.”
Sally nodded. “Any idea if she’ll be coming back for good?”
Alexandra frowned and shook her head. “I’m not so sure the Coles are welcome in Melington anymore,” she replied. “First, Michael Cole disappears, and now, his father’s been murdered. If you ask me, she’s better off selling everything and staying as far away from here as possible. Melington has been hard on the Coles lately.”
Sally refrained from commenting on how good it had been to the Coles for generations, and that maybe karma had finally come to collect. Still, there was no telling how much Miranda Cole knew about any of this, or even if she had been involved in any of the allegations made towards her deceased husband. Maybe the woman had been as much a victim of the founding families as everyone else.
However, with this much history, Sally doubted the woman was completely innocent. After hours combing through Alan Carter’s collection of information, Sally was finding it more and more difficult to trust anyone here.
She was having trouble wrapping her head around everything she and Jeff had gone through. The sheer volume of material Alan Carter had collected over the years, and even more during the past six months, was enough to give them both headaches. Sally had filled up an entire wall in their motel room with photos and reports, and they were still not even through half the documents.
One thing she was sure of, though, was how corrupt the Council was. There was enough incriminating material in those boxes to link the town’s top brass to everything, but it was all useless without Alan Carter. She needed to find him, desperately, especially since none of the evidence was admissible without his consent.
Besides, there was some doubt in her mind as to the man’s sanity. There was a lot of reference in the files to old town tales and urban legends; a history of the founding families that bordered too close to crazy for her own comfort. Sally wondered if it was merely Alan’s way of coming to terms with what had happened to his sister, an explanation he had cooked up because the alternative would have been too difficult to handle.
It was easier to believe there was a monster out there than to convince himself that the people he trusted most were responsible for such horrors. The Carters, Coles and Adams had always been close, in a way, and Sally could see why Alan Carter wouldn’t be willing to point the finger directly at them. He blamed them, but more for controlling the monster he called Copper Tibet than actually doing the deeds themselves.
Sally would need that part cleared up. No judge or jury would take the case seriously if she didn’t. It was clear that Deborah Adams would be vital.
“So what do you think?”
Sally blinked quickly, bringing herself back to the real world. “About what?” she asked.
“You really spaced out for a moment, didn’t you?” Alexandra smiled.
Sally smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, that seems to be happening a lot lately.”
“I was asking if you wanted to join me at Town Hall,” Alexandra said. “I need to give this news directly to the Chairman.”
“Of course,” Sally nodded eagerly. “Saves me some time from having to find a way in on my own.”
Alexandra laughed. “Then it’s settled,” she said. “We’ll wait for your partner and then head on out.”
***
“Are you sure?”
Alan sat quietly on the couch, a cup of coffee in his hands as he stared into the dark liquid. Deborah had her arm around his shoul
der, pressed up close as she tried to comfort his shaking, unable to comprehend anything he had just told her.
“It could have been reciprocal dreaming?”
Alan shook his head. “This felt real, Debbie,” he said. “It was as if I were there, experiencing everything. I could smell that man’s burning flesh, for God’s sake.”
Deborah sighed and rubbed his shoulder, holding back her fears of what this meant for their future. She had hoped the dreams were over, and Alan had been sleeping well for the past week or more. This, though; this was something else.
“Do you think it’s a room in the corridor?” she asked.
“She can’t go into the rooms,” Kathrine said from behind them.
Alan turned around to his sister and forced a smile, mentally slapping himself for being this inconsiderate. He should have waited for a better time to talk to Deborah about the dream, a time when he was sure Kathrine wouldn’t be around to be reminded of the life she had left behind. Still, he knew it couldn’t be helped, and tiptoeing around his sister was never going to last forever. Sooner or later, they were going to have to talk about the corridor.
Deborah, on the other hand, was a lot more protective of the little girl, and she didn’t seem willing to bring her into the fold just yet.
“Kathrine, sweetie, maybe you should try and get some sleep,” Deborah said. “I have a feeling we’re going to be leaving this place sooner than we thought.”
Kathrine walked into the small living room and sat with her legs curled beneath her on the small sofa near an old television set. Her face was firm, and although she looked like the eight-year-old who had disappeared so long ago, her eyes reflected a lifetime of horrors. She knew more about the corridor than either of them, and it would be stupid of Deborah to believe that the little girl could be protected from the memories.
They needed Kathrine just as much as she needed them.
“Is she wearing the dress?” Kathrine asked, her eyes fixated on her brother.
Alan nodded.
“Then she’s still linked to the monster,” Kathrine frowned. “He’s piggy-backing off her.”
Alan frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Now that she’s out, he goes wherever she goes.”
Alan felt his hands shake forcefully, and he placed his mug down on the coffee table to stop it from spilling. “Are you saying he’s not bound to Melington anymore?”
Kathrine shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’ve run into the woman in red many times, and every time she found me, so did he. They’re linked somehow, and if she’s walking around this world freely, so is he.”
Deborah shook her head in disbelief. “But how did she get out?” she asked. “Her body must have decomposed centuries ago. You said she looks exactly the same.”
“I don’t know,” Alan admitted, but a part of him felt a sharp stab in the back of his head, a memory of a dark room and a kiss. “I had promised to help free her if she led me to Kathrine, but I hadn’t followed through.”
“You did what?” Deborah gasped. “Are you out of your mind?”
“I was desperate,” Alan said. “I needed her help.”
“And when were you intending to follow through, exactly?”
“I hadn’t thought about it, Debbie.”
“Alan Carter!”
“Stop it!” Kathrine yelled, a firmness to her tone that surprised them both. “Stop yelling. It hurts.”
Deborah quickly crossed to where Kathrine sat and wrapped her arms around her, holding her close as the little girl began to cry. “I’m so sorry, sweetie, I really am.”
Alan gazed at the two of them, and a cold realization fell over him. He had been so desperate to get his sister back, he had not thought about the consequences of his actions, or what that might entail for everyone else in his life. All he knew was that he needed to get out of Melington, and get Kathrine and Deborah away from Copper, the Council and anything else that might hurt them.
He only wanted to protect them.
“I set her free, didn’t I?” Alan whispered, almost to himself.
Kathrine heard him, though, and their eyes locked for a moment before she nodded.
FBI Report
Miranda Cole
Miranda Cole, 3 Cole Avenue, Melington, Connecticut
Yes, I was. For forty years.
Three. One son and two daughters.
They were family friends. The founding families go far back, and we all knew each other well.
Of course, there are always falling outs. I never had any problems with the Carters or the Adams, though I did not approve of my son’s relationship with Deborah Adams.
Her mother and my husband had been pretty close at one point in time, and I didn’t think that was over yet. Seeing my son and her daughter together served as a reminder.
Of course I wasn’t. How could I be? Daniel was a very private man. He kept all his work very secretive. His excuse, usually that he didn’t want to burden me with the problems of the town and Council.
No, never. Being part of the Council meant throwing away everything else in life. I cherished my children and my grandchildren. I would never have given that up.
Of course it did. We grew very distant near the end. I tried my best to avoid him so we wouldn’t end up fighting over one thing or the other. Daniel had become quite irritable, and frankly, I had enough.
Yes, I know everything of our family’s history. I am a Gardiner, after all.
Yes, it is common. The founding families have wedded their children to each other for decades. However, that has changed much over the years.
No, I do not believe in that. I always regarded the tales as nighttime scares to keep the children in line. It might be part of our history, but the founding families have always had a habit of making things extra dramatic.
Of course it bothered me. The way Daniel was raising our children to always fear the dark was disturbing, but I knew my place. I let him have his fantasies and legends, and I kept mine.
Yes, he told me right before he was hospitalized. He played the monster card, but I knew it was only an excuse for his actions, as if the stories justified what he did.
Fiona Bright was always an unstable little girl. It isn’t a surprise she’d be dragged into all this. Rachel Adams’ involvement was quite the shock. I thought it was just Daniel’s way of hiding the fact that he was having an affair.
Of course I don’t know. I am only assuming it because they’re both implicated in this.
Melington is still my home, but my children don’t have to suffer it. I’ve lost a husband and a son to its madness. I do not intend to lose any more family members to this nonsense.
I was not in town when it happened, and my husband was hospitalized. I am insulted you would even ask.
I could not attend her funeral.
I do not know of Alan Carter’s whereabouts, but wherever he is, I hope he is happy and finally at peace.
No, I do not believe the stories about his sister. Kathrine Carter died a long time ago.
William Brewster is a monster, and if he’s dead, then the world is a much better place.
Chapter 5
“You bastard!”
William Brewster barely had enough time to stand up before Elizabeth Gardiner reached his desk and slapped him hard. He felt his cheeks turn a crimson red and his fists ball up in anger, fighting back the urge to grab the woman by the hair and slam her pretty face into his desk. Instead, he clenched his teeth and held his tongue, gazing at her with eyes that promised retribution.
“My brother, William!” Elizabeth screamed. “You killed my brother!”
William had just heard of the fire that had brought down Teddy Gardiner’s house and had killed everyone within. He had been shocked by the revelation, unsure whether it had anything to do with Copper or not, and had meant to investigate the incident more. However, after Elizabeth’s outburst, he was more inclined to letting the matter slide without a second t
hought.
“Sit down, Elizabeth,” William hissed.
She went for him again, but this time William was ready. He intercepted the woman’s hand and twisted hard, her screams a welcoming sound as he bent her hand at an impossible angle. He could almost hear her tendons ripping apart.
“Strike at me again,” William spat, “and I’ll make sure you meet your brother earlier than expected.”
He let the woman’s hand go and watched in pleasure as she sank to the ground, nestling her sprained wrist in her other hand while sobbing. He had forgotten just how much he had missed having power over someone, and the way Elizabeth cowered beneath him now excited him more than anything he could think of.
“I had nothing to do with your brother’s untimely death,” William explained.
“What did you do to Nancy?” Elizabeth cried, looking up at him through tears. “What did you do to my niece, William?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“She was missing,” Elizabeth sobbed. “She wasn’t in the fire when they brought out the bodies. Where is she? Are you using her to bind Copper?”
William frowned in confusion, his anger quickly dissipating as he processed the new information. He had no idea about the little girl’s disappearance, something his sources had failed to mention, and the implications of that were disturbing. For a brief moment, a sick feeling of dread raced through him.
“Where is Ivan?” he asked. When Elizabeth failed to answer, he grabbed her by the hair and pulled forcefully, forcing her to scream out. “Where is he?”