by Hector, Jr
“I am hungry,” says Ariel.
“Honestly, me too,” says Javana.
Hector just nods. I am looking at them all incredulously, wondering how they all can be so calm when we just traveled from one dimension to another, saw an army of ghosts, an entity called Slenderman butcher and massacre a group of people and two cops, and to top it all off we literally teleported from one side of the city to another. Yet, these three are hungry. Why not?
“Me too,” I say.
We all just nod at each other while Detective Ariel walks over the edge of the sidewalk and begins signaling for a cab. We all huddle around each other, waiting for the cab parking before us. One by one we all squeeze into the back seats.
“A burger place, please,” Detective Ariel says.
“Any burger place?” the cab driver responds.
She nods. Javana, Hector, and Ariel begin to discuss among themselves. I look out the window, watching the buildings and the people. All of them just there, existing next to things that were long dead but still walk the surface of the Earth.
“We are here lady,” says the cab driver.
I have to get out first, following Hector, then Javana, and lastly Ariel. We stand before a place called Prime Burgers. I turn and watch Hector pay the driver and then walk over to us. One by one we follow Javana in. It smells like fried potato and meat, a wonderful smell. I clutch at my stomach as it growls. It seems I am hungry.
“Help them… Free them…”
The world slows down to a crawl. Charles is before us, but I notice everyone keeps talking and going about their business.
“Erick… Help them… Free them…” Charles says again.
“Who!?” I exclaim.
Like in the hotel, time moves around me. Buildings and people race past me. The hotel suddenly looms before me, for a split second I admire the hotel for it looked new and pristine. Yet, it only lasts a second, before I am in the lobby again surrounded by all the spirits we encountered before. They are surround me as Charles is before me. He is talking so fast, all I understand is gibberish.
“Slow it down…”
I turn and find myself next to Hector.
“How are you--?”
“I sensed Charles’ spirit and piggybacked on your power and his soul,” he says. I look back at Charles, his lips moving so fast still. Slow it down... I close my eyes and focus. I expand my senses and clear my mind.
“Free them… Help them…”
I breathe in and exhale, honing my mind to Charles’ spirit.
“Erick, help them. Help the humans who are trapped here in the spirit world. People who are not dead.”
I open my eyes, surprised and bewildered that I can understand what he is saying.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“All of these people around me, they are not dead. Slenderman is looking for a host, and all of these people were not compatible, but it did not release them. It trapped them here,” he says.
“How do we release them, Charles?” asks Hector.
“By going to the person who created Slenderman. Find Victor Surge. Hurry, please!”
I look around me, the people talking and gossiping. I look towards Hector, Javana, and Ariel. Javana and Ariel are busy talking and trading one-night stand stories, but Hector is looking at me. We look at each other, clearly coming to understand. We must hurry, for there are hundreds of trapped people. Hundreds of them!