by Rowan Thalia
“Whatever you do, stay right behind me,” I look back at the guys.
“Negative, Purple, one of us is taking the lead,” Alex gruffs as he pushes past me and starts down the dusty wooden stairwell.
I fall in line behind him, the press of the other two guys against my back comforts me as we slowly creep downward. The light tapping I heard upstairs becomes louder the closer we get to the bottom. The concrete walls leak water from the rainstorm, rivulets of water run down like tears.
“Wendy? Are you down here,” I call out.
A faint rustle and muffled yelling answer. The lights flicker on, allowing us to move more confidently. I grab Alex’s arm, and we rush down the last bend in the stairs. The basement opens up to a large room with couches lining one side, and an old pool table on the other. Wendy is tied to a chair against the far wall, her mouth covered with duct tape. Everything about the scene sets my nerves on edge. Wendy’s once perfect hair and makeup are matted and smeared, respectively. I rush forward and kneel in front of her, tears pricking my eyes. I still can’t help but feel this is all my fault. Even people who hate me get hurt when I’m around. I’m the worst kind of bad luck.
“Cut her loose,” I choke as I scan the room, sure that he will be waiting in the shadows.
The guys close in, cutting her free and pulling the tape from Wendy’s mouth. Tears fall from her eyes, and she falls to the floor next to me sobbing uncontrollably. I pull her close, stroking her back and making hush noises.
“Wendy, how did this happen?”
“B.. B-Brian,” she howls. My eyes widen, and I stare up toward the guys.
Alex’s mouth wrinkles, he curses and grabs Asher by the arm. They both take off up the stairwell. Dexter’s face is white as a sheet, he braces the hatchet and steps forward with his eyes fixed on the small rectangular window at the top of the wall. Tucking Wendy into my side, I follow his line of sight and scream when I see Brian, staring through the window at us, with his face contorted in rage. His fist crashes against the glass, creating a web of broken glass, then he disappears into the storm.
“What the fuck is going on?” I whisper.
“I don’t know Juniper .. but that explains why he was acting so weird,” Dexter answers.
“Wendy, can you get up? We need to go find Jessica and Bobby to tell them what happened,” I look down at the puddle of a girl in my lap.
Wendy shakes her head, and I look up at Dexter with a plea for help. He nods, hands me the hatchet and disappears up the stairs. The sound of his feet on the wood fills the air, and I count them until he reaches the top.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?” I whisper.
Wendy shakes her head and tightens her lips. Her eyes are wide, she leans against the wall and pulls her knees up, refusing to speak.
“What did he do?” I ask again, grabbing her hands. .
The only response she gives are tears that run down her face. Her face is pale and drawn, almost zombie like, and it’s freaking me out. Stomping from above grabs my attention, and I look toward the stairs. Dexter rushes into sight with Jackson and Maria.
“Jessica and Bobby are gone …” he breathes. “They ran out after Brian. But the police are pulling up,” he points to the window. The tell-tale flicker of blue and red lights appears, ricocheted through the glass.
“Well, one of you go up and bring them down here. Someone tied Wendy up, and we’re going to have to report it,” I choke.
Jackson gasps, “What?” He looks at Wendy’s tear-streaked face and grimaces. “I’ll go get the police.”
The police come down the stairs quickly. One rushes over with a first aid kit and begins talking to Wendy. Another officer walks up and introduces himself to us. His face is set in a stern grimace as he takes in Wendy’s state, before turning to me.
Officer Mitchell pulls me away from her and seats me on one of the couches. I tell him the story, starting with our spat in the craft cabin, but of course I leave out all of my spooky additions. The male officer makes notes on his pad and looks back at Wendy concerned.
“So, the guy who did this, two of your friends, and the two owners are all out in the storm?”
“Yeah, as far as I know. I mean, Wendy won’t tell us why he tied her up, but I’m assuming it wasn't for good intentions if he's running,” I answer.
“Okay, I’m calling for backup and beginning my own search. We’ve got an ambulance on the way for her. I need you and the other staff to stay here in the farmhouse with Officer Greene. No one leaves, understand?” His face is stern.
“Yes sir,” I nod.
WIth a tip of his hat, Officer Mitchell leaves the basement. Dexter plops down by my side, his leg touching mine. Shit has escalated way beyond spooky sightings. My gut tells me that the demon is the reason behind Brian’s actions, but I can’t tell that to the police - they’d lock my ass up.
How are we going to end this?
16
Sterling
Officer Greene paces the floor near the door. He keeps trying to check in with his partner, but he’s not getting an answer. The only new development is Asher and Alex coming back inside, soaking wet. The rest of us are scattered around the farmhouse living space, tension hanging in the air like a thick fog. Karen and Wendy are both acting stranger than usual, whispering and staring over at me when they think no one else is looking. It’s giving me the heebie jeebies.
“Is it just me, or are those two acting strange?” I lean down to talk to Dexter, and angle my chin toward the girls.
“Well, I mean, Wendy was tied up … so maybe we give her a break?”
“Yeah, okay,” I grumble.
A hush comes over the farmhouse as a bolt of lighting flashes through the window, thunder booming right afterward. The lights overhead flicker, and Jun grabs my hand. Officer Greene calls to Office Mitchell again, his voice starting to waver.
“We better start the fireplace, and gather any candles and flashlights we can find,” Jackson says, looking at the still-flickering lights.
Everyone mumbles in agreement, and we fan out through the house. Jun is latched to my side, her hand squeezing mine fiercely. The lightning and thunder are coming down almost back to back at this point, and I wonder how safe it is for anyone outside. Pulling each drawer open, I finally find one filled with candles and matches. Jun grabs a bunch of small foil pie tins, piling everything into a large baking pan and heading back toward the living room.
The room is alive with the cracking of the fireplace, thanks to Jackson, who is adding a log when we walk through the doorway. Maria has a camping lantern in her hand, and the other two girls are still leaned against the wall whispering.
“Nothing upstairs,” Asher calls as he and Alex stomp down the stairs. “All the doors are locked.”
“I found a few candles in the basement,” Dexter adds as he steps into the room.
“Great. Let’s get everything together here on the coffee table. Maybe put that lantern in the bathroom?” I look over to Maria, and the lights finally call it quits.
The fire is the only light, until Maria lights the lantern, and Jun and I scramble to get a few of the candles set up on the small tins and light them. Officer Greene switches his light on, and calls over the radio again. We all watch him, my stomach coiling into a large knot the longer it takes for the group to be found. A loud bang grabs all of our attention, and Officer Green puts his hand on his holster.
“Greene! Let me in!” Officer Mitchell calls from the door.
We all breathe a sigh of relief, and the door is opened. The tall officer is soaked, he steps in with a wild look on his face. Maria rushes forward with towels and hands them to him. He dries off as well as he is able and looks at his partner with his brow furrowed.
“I can’t find them. The rain is coming down too hard for a search to continue. We’ll have to hope they found shelter and resume in the morning. Call the station and report,” he pulls off his hat, and dries it with the towel.
“Why didn’t you answer the radio? I was worried,” Officer Green asks.
“What? I never heard you call for me,” he presses his receiver and nothing happens. He fiddles with the radio with a curse. “Out of batteries. Sorry, I don’t know how that’s possible,” he frowns.
“Well, at least you’re okay. I’ll go to the car and call the station. Give me your handset and I’ll plug it in,” Officer Greene opens his palm.
The two walk out onto the porch, talking. The rest of us huddle together in front of the fire, staring out the window at the sheet of water falling down. There’s no way anyone should be out in that storm. The door opens and Officer Greene walks back inside.
“I’ll be staying here with you kids for the night, Mitchell is going back to the station to gather a search team and get some dry clothes. We will search again in the morning, that is if your group doesn’t show up by then,” he says as he closes the door.
“Can we go to our own cabins? They are the ones right beside this house. I’d like to shower and change,” Jun asks.
“I don’t know, it’s just me here with you kids …” he answers as he looks out the window.
“We’ll come right back, the guys and I can go with her,” I step up.
“If they are going to their cabin, we want to go to ours too,” Wendy’s voice cracks. “I don’t want to sleep here if I don’t have to. Can we just lock ourselves in and take our camp walkies with us?”
“No, I don’t feel comfortable having you all spread out sleeping. Not with what has happened. But you can take the walkies and go get changed. Be quick,” he concedes.
We all nod, I grab the walkies from the wall charger and pass one to Jackson and one to Officer Green. He takes it and sits down on the bench by the window with a sigh. With a walkie and two flashlights, I lead Jun and the guys out onto the porch. Jun grabs an umbrella from the can by the door, we huddle underneath, and race across the walkway to our door. Jun unlocks it and turns the knob, then we all rush through.
“Fuck! I’ve never seen a storm like this one,” Alex grumbles as he shakes his wet arms.
“Do we have a lantern here?” Jun asks.
“Yeah, I grabbed a few from the camping supplies for the next bonfire night. Hold on,” Dexter answers as he walks over to the bookshelf with a flashlight.
Within a minute, two lanterns are lit. Alex grabs one and brings it into the bathroom, and Dexter sets the other one on the coffee table. I plop down on the sofa, and Dex joins me. Alex comes back from the bathroom and pulls Juniper along with him back into the bedroom. Her voice was muffled, but I can hear him tell her to gather some clothes, and he’ll go into the shower with her. He’s refusing to allow her to be alone, which makes me happy. I don’t think any of us should be alone right now. I’m already uneasy about not having salt lines in that house.
Dexter watches the two walk toward the bathroom. When the door clicks shut, he looks toward the lantern and growls. He rubs his hand over the back of his head, and looks from me to Asher who is sitting across from us.
“This has gotten out of control. Do you think the demon got to all three of them? What if they never come back?” He leans forward with his face in his hands.
“We don’t know tonight is connected at all to the demon,” I answer. “The police are here, let’s just wait and see what happens. Maybe there is an explanation that is not supernatural.”
“Sterling, you’ve got to stop trying to reason this shit out,” Asher groans. “I thought we were past that.”
Dexter stands with a rumble deep in his chest and hits the wall. He paces back and forth. Lightning flashes across his face, highlighting his worried expression. Asher leans back into the cushions, folding his arms.
“What can we do?” Dexter finally grunts. “How do we keep Jun safe, and end this shit once and for all?”
He slams his fist into his hand and the window behind me vibrates. We all turn and jump up when we see two red eyes glaring back at us. A black hand presses against the glass, and a deep chuckle echoes through the room. The demon shimmers into view, his black charred skin, long horns, and red eyes more detailed than the last time he appeared.
‘You can’t end this. I’m almost strong enough to take her, enjoy her while you can,’ laughter rings out, and my skin prickles.
Dexter grabs a poker from the fireplace and moves toward the door. I step in front of him, a silent plea in my eyes. “Don’t go out there, Dex. He’s trying to use you to get stronger,” I look toward the window.
The demon hisses, and disappears, leaving behind a black smudge on the window. My stomach drops, and I flop onto the couch, tears fighting to break lose. What are we missing? There has to be a way to end this ... thing.
“We are missing a piece of evidence. What is he using to get stronger. If he is becoming more visible, what is the science behind that? He has to be affecting matter someway. But how?” I mumbled to myself.
“Are you seriously over there reasoning shit out, right after seeing … him?” Asher croaks, gesturing at the window wildly.
“He can’t come in here, I’ve kept everything salted since the last time he appeared,” I shrug.
“How is the door staying salted if we walk in and out?” Dexter closes the curtain.
“Easy, I salted under the rug.” I shrug. “I’ve also buried a salt line along the perimeter of the cabin. Although .. with the rain, it will probably be useless now. But I did tape the salt around each window, so those will stay in tact,” I point out.
I mean, what do they think I am, stupid? Through all my investigations, I am beginning to see that paranormal science is still science. There are rules that this demon has to follow, we just need to know what they are and exploit them.
“Damn, you’ve been busy Sterling. What else have you been up to?” Dexter laughs nervously.
“Just trying to do my part to solve this,” I shrug. “Let’s all get changed and talk about it more when Juniper is here. Although, maybe it would be best to leave that last sighting out?”
“I agree on getting dressed, but not on lying to Jun. If we want her to be honest with us, we have to show her the same respect,” Asher states as he walks toward the bedrooms with his light.
“You are right, I shouldn’t have said that,” I agree with chagrin. We all have to work together, and if any of us don’t know all the details, it will only work against us.
After everyone dressed, we grabbed our sleeping bags and ran back through the storm to the farmhouse. The other group was already there and had claimed the sofas. Our group decided to try and break into the rooms upstairs, no one wanting to sleep in the wet basement or on the floor. The first room opens pretty easily, it happened to be empty of personal belongings, and had two sets of bunk beds with full mattresses on the bottom and twins on the top.
“Maybe we can get the bathroom open too? It would be nice not to have to go downstairs in the dark to pee,” Jun gripes as she claims one of the bottom bunks.
“Yeah, these door locks are easy to pick. I’ll go try, I’m sure it’s the next room over, since I can see tile peeking under the door,” Alex answers as he moves toward the hall.
“It’s weirdly quiet downstairs,” I state as I roll my sleeping bag out on the top of Juniper’s bunk, since Alex has already claimed the spot with her.
“Yeah, the girls are giving me the creeps,” Jun whispers.
Alex walks in and plops into the bed with Jun. “Bathroom is open.”
“We saw the demon through the window of the cabin while you two were showering,” I state evenly.
“What?!” They both exclaimed.
Asher catches them up on what happened, while I pick at the lint on my sleeping bag. I still can’t figure out what we are missing, and it’s driving me crazy. Then it hits me, and I sit up with a gasp.
“Juniper. What if it’s a blood demon?”
“Blood demon?”
“Yes. A demon who is summoned with, and grows stronger b
y consuming blood. I can’t remember all of the specifics, but I came across a site that listed different types of demons when I was researching on the way to camp.”
“Shit. The first time we went down to the haunted hall, you were cut. Then again in the lake … and a few times since then,” Alex’s voice is rough.
“So it all leads back to my blood being left on the ground in Dudley? And… he wants more. All of my blood? Will that make him whole? Fuck, how do we fight that? I’m clumsy as hell, and I can’t exactly wear armor,” she groans.
“Well, as soon as we can leave this place, we need to go back and burn your blood from the ground. That is what we missed. We got rid of everything else, but he was able to come back through your blood … at least that is the only connection I can think of. He’s been weak because he’s only had drops here and there … shit we need to get out of here,” I run my hand through my hair.
“When the police come in the morning, we will ask to leave,” Asher nods. “Let’s all try and sleep for now. If this is our next step, we’re going to need to be rested.”
We all mumble our agreement, and Asher turns off the lantern we brought over. I zip myself in and turn toward the door. My mind won’t shut off, even though I know I need to rest. Jun and Alex whisper back and forth below me, then the bed starts rocking. I sigh, close my eyes, and allow their lovemaking to rock me to sleep.
17
Jun
As soon as I open my eyes the next morning, the tension is still high. Alex's arm is around me, and his grip is strong, even in his sleep. I have to tap him a few times to wake him up, before he finally releases me.
"What's wrong?" he mumbles sleepily, pulling my shoulder toward him, so I'll roll over. Once I'm face to face with him, he gives me a tight smile.