

Restless Highways

Melissa L. Webb

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Melissa L. Webb

All rights reserved.

Discover other titles by Melissa L. Webb:

Weaver of Darkness

Dark Flutters: Stories For A Moonless Night

Strange Musings

The Lullaby Dragons

Checking It Twice

The Tingles

Valentine's Candy

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share the ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this ebook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

For all of you who love a good story. Pull up a log around my campfire and enjoy.

Arrival

The cage sat in the empty lot, like a remnant of a long forgotten civilization. The metal, marred with rust, dug into the barren earth beneath it.

The old cage, bleakness personified, would never draw more than a passing glance; yet, the dark fluttering within pulled at me.

As I ventured into the lot, my feet followed the cracked brown earth below me. Making my way closer to the cage, I was surprised to see a small gray bird hopping madly inside.

Its dark eyes locked with mine as I stepped in front of the cage. Chirping loudly, it voiced its terror, beating its wings against the wire bars.

How had this bird come to be here? The cage was obviously a throwaway. Discarded remains dumped long ago. But the bird? It was locked away recently.

Who would do this to a helpless creature? My eyes darted around, quickly looking for someone to blame, but I was alone. Just the bird and I.

I peered closer at the bird. Its wild eyes once again beseeched me. I seemed to hear its erratic heart. Each beat crescendoing louder until it seemed it would shake itself apart. I didn't know how this bird happened to end up in the cage, but I had to free it. It was the only choice I could make.

"Shh," I whispered as I leaned closer. "It'll be okay."

The bird squeaked again, its wings beating even harder against the cage.

"You're safe now," I spoke as I pried up the door. The metal squeaked in protest, evidence of the neglect it had been subjected to. The bird's wings slammed the cage, shaking it from side to side.

Once the door was open and its freedom imminent, the small grey bird quieted. Certain tranquility descended upon it. It cocked its head and studied me with condescending eyes. A smug look etched its face.

It stared at me a moment longer before opening its beak. "The storm is coming," it spoke in a cold voice that chilled my soul. Then, with a flourish, it once again unfurled its wings and shot out of the cage, soaring high in the sky until it was nothing more than a dark speck.

I looked around me, shivering in the hot sun and wondered how long I had until the storm's arrival.

Killer Idea

Tiffany awoke to a thought. It was the strangest thought she'd ever had. It overpowered her mind, causing all rational thought to flee from its presence.

She bolted up in bed and sat there, her eyes focusing on nothing. Her mind was too busy forming a plot. It would have to be bloody. The bloodier the better and the body count had to be astronomical. The serial killer prowling through her imagination had a taste for mayhem.

She froze, her thoughts coming to a grinding halt. What was she doing? This wasn't her genre. She wrote romance, not horror. Hot and heavy, she could do. Light and fluffy? She could knock that out of the park. But write about people being butchered? It took a sick and twisted mind to be capable of that.

Tiffany laid back down and closed her eyes. She had to forget about this. Let it silently drift away to the place where abandoned ideas go. She didn't want anything to do with this insane thought.

She tried to fall back to sleep, but the killer kept slicing and dicing through her mind, leaving bloody smears on the back of her eyelids. With a sigh, she sat back up and looked at the clock. It was only midnight. It wouldn't kill her to work for an hour. She pushed the covers aside and slowly got out of bed. Maybe if she wrote some of this awful story, she could get some sleep.

She plopped down in her computer chair and turned on her laptop. The screen's soft glow welcomed her as she settled in. With a deep breath, her fingers met the keyboard as she started in on the perverse tale.

Time seemed to drift away, as Tiffany was lead, by force, through the night as the killer picked his prey. Slowly the fodder culminated in a deadly chase scene, when a child had escaped from the killer.

Her fingers froze as she stared at the screen in horror. Her depraved words seemed to mock her from the screen. She looked away in disgust. How would she ever live with herself is she finished this story? She couldn't. It was that simple.

She quickly deleted the document, not wanting it to remain on her hard drive. She shut down the computer and made her way back to bed. Repulsed with herself, she crawled under the blankets and shut her eyes. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she tried to will sleep to come.

***

Tiffany's eyes popped open and she stared into the darkness in her bedroom. Something woke her up. She tried to focus as she looked around. Was someone in the room with her? "Who's there," she spoke, the fear turning her voice hoarse.

There was a chuckle from somewhere in the room. "Good. You're awake," a man's voice spoke. "I wanted you to be conscious for this."

She breathed in, her fear turning into pure terror. A shadow moved closer to the bed. Tiffany's body was frozen.

"You're not even going to put up a fight?" the voice asked.

"Please, don't," she whimpered. The shape moved in a blur. A body suddenly jumped on her, pinning her to the bed. Cold metal dug into her neck. The man leaned closer, his dark eyes burning into hers. She gasped in shock as his stringy black hair brushed against her face. It was him.

The man grinned, showing her brown, stained teeth. "Yes, it's me. The one you were supposed to write about," he hissed as he dug the knife deeper into her flesh. "You couldn't let me have my moment of fame, could you?"

Tiffany cried out as he sliced into her. A ribbon of blood flowed down her throat. "Don't do this," she pleaded. "Please, I'm sorry. I'll write your story."

The man laughed, the sound completely devoid of humor. "It's too late. You had your chance. I gave you the inspiration, all you had to do was write the words." He looked at her, anger flaring in his eyes. "We could have been famous."

"No," she begged as she squirmed against him. "Please, don't hurt me."

"It's all the purpose you have left," he told her as he jerked the knife across her neck. Her blood flowed freely, covering his hand. He looked at the red liquid as her life ebbed away. It seemed like such a waste. "Why couldn't you just write the damn story?"

You Never Know What You'll Find

The car's tires crunched in the gravel as he pulled over and stopped. Looking over, Dexter snatched the paper from his girlfriend's fingers. "Come on, Ash. We couldn't have covered them all."

She shrugged. "We did, Dex. The only one left is on the outskirts of town."

Dexter lifted his sunglasses and glanced down at the newspaper in his hands. They had indeed covered every single garage sale. He looked over at Ash and raised his eyebrow. "Well, what do you think? Is it worth it?"

"We've come this far."

With a sigh, he glanced back at the road. "Might as well cover them all."

She smiled brightly as her boyfriend pulled back onto the road. "I do love the thrill of the hunt. You never know what you're going to find."

Dexter grinned. "I know, Ash. What I can't figure out is how you got me hooked on them. It's not like I need any more useless junk lying around."

She playfully slapped his shoulder as he drove. "It's not all useless junk, Dex."

He smirked slightly as he glanced at her. "So you say."

Silence slipped around them as the car headed outside of town. Following the directions in the paper, they soon found themselves on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.

"Are you sure this is the right road?" Dexter asked as he drove slowly, glancing at the trees lining both sides of the car. "There doesn't seem to be anything out here."

Ash glanced back down at the paper in her hand. "The add says 245 West Cooper Ave. This is West Cooper Ave."

"Well, we haven't seen one single house yet, Ash." He looked at her and shrugged. "Maybe they got the address wrong?"

She glanced up at him. "Why would they get their own address wrong?"

"I don't know," he said with a frown. "But there's nothing out here."

"Wait," she spoke suddenly, pointing at something. "Is that a driveway?"

Dex stopped the car and leaned forward, staring at the break in the trees next to the car. "It might be."

"Yeah, look. There's some balloons." She looked over at him. "This is the place."

He thought for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, this is the place."

"Okay," he said as he turned down the driveway.

They came to an old two-story farmhouse. Rows of tables lined the long driveway in front of the garage.

Stuff was everywhere. Piles of clothes, stacks of books, and various odds and ends covered the tables everywhere they looked. It was a garage sale addict's dream.

Dexter killed the engine and looked over at his girlfriend. "Well, you must be in heaven." He got out of the car and glanced back. "Are you coming?"

Ash got out of the car slowly, looking around. "Where is everyone?"

He glanced at the space around them, noticing the lack of life and shrugged. "They're all inside. They probably don't get a lot of people out here."

She glanced up at the house. "I guess."

"What? You're not scared are you?"

She frowned as she walked past him, towards the tables. "Knock it off, Dex."

He laughed as he watched her glance at the things on the table in front of her. "Poor little Ash is terrified of a garage sale. I'd never thought I'd see the day."

"Shut up, Dexter."

"Oh, come on, baby," he said, walking over to her. "I was just teasing." He kissed her cheek softly.

She kept quiet but couldn't keep the grin from tugging at the corners of her lips.

"That's my girl."

They walked around the tables in silence, examining the wares for sale.

Ash was just reaching out for a pink dog figurine, when the door to the garage opened and a man and woman stepped out.

The woman smiled at them. "Hello."

Ash returned the smile. "Hi."

The man glanced over at Dexter. "How y'all doing today? Is there anything in particular you're looking for?"

He shook his head. "Not really." He glanced over at Ash. "My girl just likes to look for everything."

The man nodded. "I can understand that. That's how we ended up with all of this stuff in the first place."

"I know the feeling. You should see our place."

Ash frowned. "I'm not that bad."

The woman stepped forward. "Don't let them upset you, sugar. That's just the way men think."

The man laughed. "That is the way men think, darlin'. I didn't mean anything by it." He looked back over at Dexter. "Hey, I have several cars out back for sale if you're interested."

He shook his head. "No, I can't say that I am. I really don't need another car."

"No problem. Just thought I should ask."

The woman watched Ash as she looked at the stuff on the tables. "We have more stuff inside. There's sure to be something in there that you can't live without."

Ash glanced over at Dexter, who shrugged.

"It's up to you, baby," he called over to her. "But you might as well see everything while we're here."

"Well then, come on in," the man said and headed back into the garage.

She looked over at the woman, who smiled before stepping in after the man, before frowning at her boyfriend as he approached her. "They're a little weird."

He nodded as he slipped his hand into hers. "Yeah, a little," he said and glanced at the garage. "I don't think we have anything to worry about though."

She hesitated a moment longer and then smiled sheepishly. "I know. I'm being silly. There's nothing out here to be afraid of."

He gave her hand a squeeze and led her forward. "That's my girl."

They walked into the garage and looked around at the tables lining the walls; more stuff covered all the available spaces.

The woman looked at them as they approached. "There's more stuff in the house, if you guys want to start in there and work your way back out here."

Ash smiled at her. "That sounds like a great idea. Thank you."

The woman returned her smile. "No problem," she said as she stepped in the backdoor and into the house.

Dexter led Ash in the door behind her. They stepped into a huge empty room.

The woman turned and smiled at them again. "Here we go."

"Where's all the stuff."

"Oh, it's just in the next room," the man said, stepping into the room behind them. "You can rest assured, little lady, that there are plenty of surprises just waiting for you through those doors." He grinned as he shut the door to the garage firmly.

Ash glanced over at her boyfriend. "Dex."

He stepped closer to her. "It's okay, baby. Everything's going to be fine. Just breathe," he whispered to her before he looked up at the man. "I don't know what you have planned here, but you need to let my girlfriend and I go...right now."

"I don't think so, honey," the woman said and grinned. "It's been so long since we've had someone to play with. We're not just gonna let you walk away."

"Please," Ash begged. "We won't tell anyone. Just let us go. You really don't want to do this to us."

"Oh, but we do," the man said, baring his stained teeth. "The family hasn't had a proper kill in months. We can't take that away from them, now can we?"

Dexter glanced down at his girlfriend. "Get out of here, Ash. Run."

She shook her head. "I won't leave you."

"There's no place for you to go anyway, sweetheart," the woman cooed as she looked around the room.

Doors opened around the room as more people poured in. Men, women, and children all stared at them, grins on their dirty faces. Each one had a weapon of some kind in their hands and a deadly glint in their eyes.

The man looked at Ash and Dexter. "It's time for the Warren family Bar-B-Q to begin." His eyes darted to the people standing around. "Everyone pick your pieces."

Dexter turned and glared at the man. "You can't do this, you dumb bunch of hicks," he yelled.

A little boy stepped forward and clubbed him hard in the back.

Dexter crumpled immediately to the ground.

The boy stared down at his body. "You can't talk to my Papa like that."

"No, Dex..." Ash cried as she looked down at her boyfriend's lifeless body.

"Come on, everyone," the woman shouted. "Let's get to it."

They all started towards Ash.

She looked around frantically, looking for a way out of this mess. There was none to be found. It was no use. Death had come to this room and nothing she did could stop that. She threw her head back and cried in anguish. Her wail shifted into a howl of rage as the skin started to flake from her body.

The Warrens stopped and stared in horror as tuffs of brown fur started to form all over her suddenly misshapen body.

Ash's claws ripped the remaining flesh and clothes from her body as saliva dripped from her protruding muzzle. A low growl erupted from her throat as she locked her yellow eyes on to the crowd of people.

Dexter rose slowly from the ground and tossed his sunglasses in a corner. His bright red eyes flickered over his girlfriend's hairy form. "Boy, you guys have no idea the amount of trouble you've brought into your home." He grinned, exposing long white fangs. "You've picked the wrong couple to mess with," he hissed sharply.

The woman's eyes flickered to a window and then back to Ash and Dexter. "But it's daytime, you shouldn't even be here."

Dexter smiled as he and Ash started forward. "You shouldn't believe everything you read."

***

Ash looked down at the pink dog figurine in her hands as she and Dexter got back in the car and smiled. "I do love garage sales, Dex. You never know what you'll find."

It Killed The Cat

Curiosity is a strange thing. It's overpowering, forcing you to your knees. It doesn't matter how long you fight it, curiosity will win in the end. Every single time.

It gnaws at your edges, consuming you slowly until there is nothing left to do but seek out that one thing haunting your mind.

Curiosity has you hooked at this point. All you can do is squirm as it pulls you down into the unknown, where knowledge is lurking in the shadows, waiting to sink its teeth into you.

I know this more than anyone. I have seen it happen time and time again. It's all I can think about as I prepare my cursed objects. The world will suffer and all because I laid my curious wares out on this table and opened my shop for the day.

Fair Warning

Cassie looked around her. Why was no one listening? Her warnings only seemed to fall on deaf ears. "You have to believe me. It's coming," she shouted at the people around her.

"Don't start this again," her boyfriend said, looking up from the pizza he was making. He glanced nervously around at the customers staring at her. "Come on, Cass. You can't come in here while I'm working and say things like that."

She looked at him, frustration plain on her face. "But, Ricky, I'm trying to save you." She looked around the pizza parlor. "I'm trying to save all of you."

Rick's boss stepped out onto the floor and looked at his employee. "Do we have a problem here?"

He shook his head. "No. No, sir. Cassie worries a lot," he said with a shrug. "It's an O.C.D. thing."

She gasped, shocked at his words. "An O.C.D. thing? How many times am I right about things, Richard? How many?"

Sighing, Rick stopped what he was doing, wiping his hands on his apron. He walked over and took her by the arm, leading her out the door and past the windows, avoiding the stares of the people inside.

"How many times have I been right?" she demanded when he stopped walking.

Looking down at her, he sighed. "Quite a few," he admitted.

"Then why won't you listen to me now?"

A faint smile ghosted over his lips. "Because, Cassie, the earth will not tremble and the water will not rise up and claim this town today," he said, shaking his head. "It's just not going to happen."

"How do you know? How can you be so sure?" she questioned.

"Because," he told her, weariness creeping through his words. "Not even you can foresee that, Cassie."

She shook her head. "You're just like the rest of them," she said as she started to turn away from him.

"Listen, Cass," he said, placing a hand on her arm. "Even if something was to happen, the water can't reach us here. We'd be safe."

She looked at him, tears in her eyes. "Not this time, Ricky." She grabbed his hand, desperation in her eyes. "Come with me. Please. We can still make it if we hurry."

He pulled his hand away. "Cassie...I can't. I have to work," he told her heading for the door. Suddenly he stopped and turned around. "I'll call you later, okay?" he said before slipping into the pizza parlor.

She watched him go; feeling as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. "No, you won't, Ricky. You won't be calling anyone ever again," she whispered, heading back to the car.

Sliding behind the wheel, Cassie pulled out onto the street. She quickly made her way onto the highway and headed out of town. She could practically hear time counting down, like a steady ticking in her mind.

She pulled the car over at the lookout point outside of town. Here she would have a perfect view of the ocean and her town. Opening the car door she placed a foot on the ground just as the earth started to shake. She quickly sat down on the curb, holding onto the ground as it rolled under her.

Tears began to flow as she gazed down upon her little town. She would be safe here but down below...the town would be decimated and that would be before the tsunami. The town would be wiped out of existence when it arrived.

The quivering below her stopped. Cassie stood up on shaky legs looking out to the sea. The water's edge was slowly retreating. Exposed ground now stood where water once was. She shook her head sadly as more tears fell. What a waste this all seemed. If only they had taken her seriously. Now all was gone, just because they couldn't believe in her.

She stood there, crying softly as she watched the water return once more.

Campfire Tales

Something lives deep in the woods where I grew up. Most people only talk about it in hushed whispers, nervously glancing over their shoulders. The rest use it as a cautionary tale, warning their children not to venture too deep into the trees there.

My parents were the latter. They used the legend as a way to keep me out of the forest behind our house. I always got a laugh from their warning. I knew things like that didn't exist. Yet they would swear by it. "The Patchwork Man walks tonight. He'll steal your children and taint their souls."

Yeah, right. Tell me another one. I wasn't a naive child. I was a street-smart teenager; they couldn't fool me with their fairytales and lies.

It didn't matter that they wove tales of an entity so depraved that not one adult would set foot near the forest at night. The fact he was said to slip past lit windows searching for his next victims to play with didn't bother me; it wasn't real. A creature who stole the flesh from children's bones wasn't something that existed. It was only a campfire story, nothing more.

So I decided to prove them all wrong. Everyone told me not to look for him. I was only inviting danger because once he's set his sights on you, nothing would stop him. I didn't listen. I had to prove to them how wrong they were.

Now I know the truth. I was the one who was wrong. Everything you have heard about the Patchwork Man is true. He is your worst nightmare, personified. The stories people tell are but a pale reflection of what he truly is. I know this. I know it very well.

I'm now one of the damned who lingers in these woods, my life snuffed out by he who dwells within. I issue this warning; lock your doors, keep your lights on, and hold your children close. The Patchwork Man walks tonight.

Confessions From An Apocalypse

It started with a raccoon. A dead raccoon. I don't know how everything escalated so fast from there. Maybe we brought it on by our lack of compassion. We honestly deserved no less.

The raccoon's body was found in the gutter next to our house. Its torn coat matted with blood as its eyes remained forever unfocused. I wanted it gone. Death and disease that close to our little slice of suburbia was unacceptable. What if the kids played in it? What if the dog rolled in it? The filthy thing had to go.

My husband refused to dispose of it. He wasn't going to touch the germ-ridden corpse. That's what they paid garbage men for. Let them do it.

So with that refusal, it left me with the responsibility to deal with it. I called the City and complained. What else was I going to do? It's not like I was going to touch the damn thing, especially with a fresh manicure.

The city worker told me they'd send someone out if they had time, but I could hear it in her voice. It wasn't very high up on her list at all. Yes, that was my tax dollars hard at work.

Days went by and the raccoon continued to lay there, its corpse bloating by the minute. I was certain any moment the blasted thing would pop and spray the entire neighborhood with its filth. And the smell was the worst. Summertime was here and the long days of endless heat had caused a stench to waft through the breeze. I couldn't enjoy my "me" time out on the patio because of it.

How could that animal be so inconsiderate as to die outside of my home? I was at my wit's end. Something had to be done.

So, I did what any irritated woman would do. I grabbed a broom and marched outside. As I got closer to the beast, I realized my mistake. The smell was overpowering this close to it. It was all I could do to keep my breakfast down. This stench was something no proper woman should ever have to deal with.

But I was here and I wanted the vile thing gone. I looked around, hoping for inspiration to come to me. Luckily, it did. There was a storm drain leading to the sewers not very far from the rotting abomination. I knew what I had to do. I was going to shove that wretched thing down into the sewers.

I brought the broom to the corpse's side and pushed with all my might. The body slid forward, breaking open as it did. Putrid liquid flowed out of the remains, coating the straws of the broom. I gagged, trying to advert my eyes from the gore, but kept pushing with all my strength.

The body continued to slide, my efforts made easier as more fluids ran. My shoes tried to slip in it and I cursed the animal as I went. How dare it choose my curb to rot against. I damned its soul to the worst torment Hell could offer. No one subjected me to this and got away with it. It would pay.

I got it to the grate and shoved it towards the opening. With a satisfying crunch, it dropped through into the darkness below. With one final glance at the rot smeared across the blacktop, I turned and headed back to the house to burn the broom and my shoes.

I gave no thought what-so-ever to the life that had been taken on this road, only to the inconvenience it put me through. I had cursed the creature with all the hate I could muster.

I think about that now as I sit here in this dark abandoned house, trying to purge my soul of this sin by the dying candlelight. I have lost everything because of my selfishness. I'm alone now, my family taken from me. This is my punishment. I know that...

Wait. I hear them outside. The zombies must have been drawn to the flickering light of the candle. I don't know how long my barricades will last. I have to get this out. I need those of you left to know the truth.

The zombie plague is my fault.

I knew my curses had been heard by someone's ears. I had cursed that raccoon's soul to the worst torment Hell had to offer.

That night, after I had shoved the body down in the sewers, the poor doomed creature had crawled into my bedroom, dragging its broken body behind it. There was nothing I could do as the reanimated corpse launched itself at my husband, its dead eyes watching me as it tore the flesh from his bones.

So this is my confession: my selfishness created the first zombie.

His Dark Ink

Jack sat up in bed, sheets clinging to him as his heart thundered in his chest. The image still lingered in front of his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tried to pull himself from the faint grasp of sleep still clinging to his mind. He quickly untangled himself, rising from the bed. Padding silently into the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down at the table. What was going on with him?

Every night this last week he had woken up the same way; heart pounding, an image in his mind. He never remembered anything else except that image. Even now, it still burned in his mind. Taking another sip from the bottle, he grabbed a notebook and a pen from the table, carefully recreating the image from memory.

Suddenly Jack stopped, staring down at the paper. The picture he had created was breathtaking. Black lines swirled together in complex patterns forming an exquisite sight. A perfect duplicate of the image haunting his dreams.

A tear slipped from the corner of his eye. These black lines stirred feelings he had never experienced before. It was all encompassing, yet comforting; as if being wrapped in a mother's embrace. Looking at this design, he knew he belonged. Someone was out there who loved him, who cared about him. This was their sign all would be well.

Leaning back in his chair, Jack took another sip of water. He needed to find a way to keep this feeling; to hold on to this gift he'd been given.

A smile spread across his lips. He knew exactly how to make this symbol his forever.

A week later, Jack left the tattoo parlor and glanced at his bandaged bicep. The symbol was now his. It had become a part of who he was, who he could be. It was now part of who he was destined to be. Grinning, he made his way to the car. He would carry this beauty with him forever.

***

The God rejoiced as he felt his reach flow into the man, slowly taking him over; turning him into a willing pawn. This mortal would become the first of his new soldiers.

Soon, the God would have his army. Rising up, they would reclaim the world in His name. It was only a matter of time now.

He turned his sight from the anointed mortal and started to search for the next victim to wear his mark.

Wet Work

The blood splattered the walls as if it was abstract art. I watched as the patterns seemed to come together around me. Damn, I wish I had my camera. The gory masterpiece before me should be documented for posterity.

I slide the blade from her skin as she moaned causing more blood to flow, staining the white sheets to a dark crimson. What little life she had left in her struggled against me as I worked, even as it ebbed away.

I tossed the knife aside, wanting to feel her fleeting life force against my skin. My fingers curled around the pale flesh of her throat, digging in. She gurgled against me, trying desperately to suck in her last remaining breath as I tightened my hold, watching the life fade from her eyes.

With a final failed gasp, her muscles relaxed. I grinned as her body went limp. All life had been spilled from her. I reluctantly withdrew my hands from her neck and got up; staring at the lifeless beauty sprawled across the bed. How exquisite she looked in death.

Everything always seemed more beautiful at the end. I don't know why that's true, but it is. I guess death strips away the pretenses and leaves us with nothing but honesty.

I stepped back, sadly drawing my eyes away from my dark creation. It was time to clean up. I got busy, removing all evidence I had been there. I am saddened by this part, because the dance of death cannot be done without a partner, but I can't let them find me.

I finished and quickly looked around the room, my eyes taking in the perfection of death one last time. My eyes linger on the blood splatters, taking in their whisperings of mortality. However, as I walk away, the sadness is fleeting, for I know, there are always more walls to paint.

Domestic Disturbance

Beth stepped into the kitchen and let out a sigh. The kids were at school. Her husband was off to work. Finally, she could catch her breath and relax a little. Grabbing a mug, she poured herself a cup of coffee, then slipped into a chair at the table. Closing her eyes, she let the stress of the morning flow from her.

"It's only a matter of time, you know."

Her eyelids cracked open as she peered around the kitchen. Not again. "Go away," she muttered, closing her eyes once more.

"Not until you listen to us."

With a sigh, Beth opened her eyes. "We've been down this road before; I'm not listening to you."

There was a clatter next to the sink as one of the pots moved forward, its lid lifting as speech flowed from it. "All he does is treat you like a slave," it told her. "You need to get rid of him."

She shook her head. "I'm not doing that."

"What? You'd rather spend your life at his beck and call?" the oven asked, opening its door.

Beth took another sip of her coffee, thinking over those words. "No. You know I don't."

"Then fix it," the can opener said as it turned on. "Make him pay for it. Make him pay for everything."

Setting down her mug, she stared at the appliances around her. "Phil doesn't deserve to die. Is it really too much to expect me to run the household?"

"You tell us," the coffee pot chimed in. "How do you feel when you're waiting on him hand and foot?"

"I don't like it," she said, rubbing absently at her forehead.

"Exactly."

"But that doesn't mean he deserves to die."

"Maybe, maybe not," the toaster said flatly. "But you have to realize something, killing him is the only way you'll be free."

Beth stood up suddenly. "No. I won't do it. I can't."

"You have to," the fridge said. "You have to kill them all."

"I don't," she told it firmly. "And I won't. Do you hear me? I'm not killing my family."

"Fine," the oven told her. "Keep on suffering. We're only trying to save you."

"Well, I don't need to be saved," Beth told it, sitting back down at the table. "Now, please, I'd like to finish my coffee in peace."

"Okay," the pot told her as everything settled back into its place. "But just remember, it's only a matter of time before you listen to us."

The Message

Three days ago, I made a terrible mistake. It was an honest one that anybody would have made. I know that. If time could rewind, I know I would do it the same way. I can't be blamed for my actions, but I can still suffer from them. I made a mistake that altered my life. I answered the phone.

I didn't recognize the number when my cell phone rang. I wasn't surprised by that. I get a lot of calls from people I don't know. That's what happens when you run your own business. There was absolutely no hesitation as I answered it, but the sobbing on the other end did give me pause.

I was speechless as my mind whirled with images of people who might be hurt or worse. That was the only reason I could imagine for this call. But when she spoke, I realized I didn't know this crying woman. She was just a stranger weeping into my ear.

"I'm so sorry to bother you," she told me through tears. "But I need to talk to someone; to tell them this and it can't be anyone I know."

I didn't know what to say to that. How could I turn away this woman when she was so distraught? So with a sigh, I spoke, "What can I do for you?"

"Just listen, please. That's all I ask. Just listen to what I have to tell you, it will only take a minute."

I reluctantly agreed. She took a deep breath and began to tell me about a conversation she had the other day. A woman had stopped her on the street, asking if she could spare a moment. This woman needed to speak to her. She told her a story of how she had been asked to hear a tale of woe from a stranger and every since she had, her life had been a nightmare.

This stranger on the street told her she was having nightmares; that her luck had changed for the worse, and she was being stalked by some unseen thing. She was sure some negative force had entered her life and now she feared for herself and those she loved.

The weeping woman on the other end of my phone took a shuddered breath. "I told her I didn't know what to do for her. She said it was okay, just telling me this would be enough to help her. She just needed to tell someone. She walked away from me then. It was the strangest conversation I ever had," she whispered to me. "But I didn't think anything more about it. It was just someone with problems."

I took a deep breath. I could understand that. "Is there a point to this?" I asked.

"It's happening to me," she sobbed. "I'm having nightmares. I lost my job. Everywhere I look something is going wrong. And..." She stopped, letting the silence surround us.

I couldn't help myself. "What?"

"Something is following me. I feel it," she said. "I'm never alone anymore." She was silent once more and then let out a deep sob. "I'm sorry. I just randomly picked you. I had to tell someone. I'm so sorry, but this has to stop."

The phone clicked sharply as she hung up. I didn't know what to make of the story I had just heard. I shoved it to the back of my mind and went on with my life. I should have taken what she said to heart.

It's started now. The bad luck and the nightmares, I have both of them. The unseen force? It's here, too. I feel its breath on the back of my neck even as I write this. It's watching and waiting, looking for the next person to be infected by this story.

This tale is no longer my burden. I have finished writing it and you have read it, so I am free. My only thought now is, who will you call tonight?

The Fall Queen

She crept through the trees, watching bonfires burn brightly in the night air around her; each one lit in her honor.

It was again that time of year. Time for the trees to shed their dead and the harvest to be ripe. She watched as the people carved some of the harvest, adding candles as they went. What a glorious night this was.

She trembled with excitement as she crept closer to the heart of the village. Wonderful aromas filled the air, turning the world into a blur of apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg. She sighed as she breathed it in. This was perfection. The village was hard at work, preparing for the feast tonight. It was a special one...and it was all for her.

She turned quickly as more wood was thrown on the fires, stoking the flames higher. The wood crackled, sending sparks into the air. Time was drawing nearer. The veil was thinning as the night became darker. Soon, she would take her rightful place. This was her night. Her night alone.

Here she was Queen, and those around her would bow to her as she walked through this night, regal yet determined; claiming what was hers.

She slipped quietly back into the shadows, waiting with a smile on her lips. It was good to be Death.

Cockroaches and Peeps

I placed the small pink marshmallow chick inside the circle and backed up. This would show them how serious I was. You don't treat me like dirt and expect me to take it.

I walked around the outside of the circle, checking for any breaks in the chalk. This had to be done right. If I've learned anything, it's that dark magic has to be done perfectly.

I picked up the book, tracing the leather cover with my fingertips. How lucky I was to have found this thing buried in my basement. I've seen my path now. I know what must be done. They must pay for everything.

I flipped through the book, the pages automatically turning to the ritual. The book was as hungry for retribution as I was. Quickly lighting the candles, I placed the blood according to the pictures in the book. Glancing at my watch, I knew time was fleeting. I had to act fast.

I scanned the room, ensuring everything was in place. It was time. Now they would be sorry. Those kids who got to go places on their Spring Break and the ones who got gifts from their parents, like video game systems and the newest cell phones, they all would suffer.

As would my parents. They never even acknowledge me, let alone take me places and buy me things. This night would change everything. I glanced down at the ritual and raised my voice to the unseen world around me, the words on the paper flowing freely from me as if I had been born to speak them.

The candlelight flickered as the circle glowed, tinting the room a bright crimson. Chanting, my voice grew until it boomed like thunder. The marshmallow twitched as my words seemed to infect it. The chick shuttered and a roar emerged from somewhere deep inside that pink sugar.

My words cut off, the spell climaxing, sealing my fate forever. I watched as the marshmallow grew, the pink chick dwarfing me as it filled the room. I stood there in awe as its red eyes glowed down at me.

A laugh burst from my lips in delight. I had done it. This Easter treat would provide me with my enemy's destruction. I would be immortalized and revenged at the same time. People would soon know who I was. They would care what I thought of them. They would beg me to be their friend.

As I smudged the chalk circle with my foot and pointed to the door, the chick seemed to nod. It knew what I wanted. We were both eager to see this through. I grinned. I had chosen well in my demon's host. Nothing could stop my new friend, not fire, not water. It was indestructible. After all, everyone knows that at the end of the world, the only things that would survive are cockroaches and Peeps.

Where We Belong

Dani stepped across the fallen branch and continued down the path. The shadows the trees cast gave her comfort as she eased into them. She would disappear for the night; that would teach them.

She stole a glance behind her as she made her way through the trees. They hadn't even bothered to come looking for her. She was beginning to understand how little she did mean to them. "I hate them," she muttered bitterly as she wiped the tears away. Why couldn't they give her a break just this once?

More tears fell as she made her way deeper into the woods behind her house. Everything had become too much for her. It was bad enough Michael had broken up with her, but now she didn't even know if she would graduate. What a great senior year this was turning out to be.

Her parents had seemed almost pleased about her failure. She was, after all, living down to their expectations. How could their stupid, worthless daughter ever make anything of herself anyway?

Dani knew she wasn't destined for greatness, but did they have to remind her of it every chance they got? She leaned against a tree as a sob racked her body. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't she have been born someone else?

"Are you alright, Danielle?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of the voice. Her eyes locked with the greenest eyes she had ever seen. "Who are you?" she asked the owner of the eyes.

The young man came closer, shaking the blond bangs out of his eyes. "I'm Gabriel and I have been waiting for you."

She leaned back from the tree and looked around at the dying light. Maybe coming out here was a mistake. She was really far from her house.

"It's okay," Gabriel said and stepped closer still. "I mean you no harm."

Dani watched the sincerity dance through his eyes and felt herself relax. As her eyes wandered over the smiling young man, her curiosity grew. "How do you know my name?"

He chuckled slightly. "I told you. I've been waiting for you."

She didn't know why anyone would be waiting for her, but felt herself smile anyway. "Why me?"

His eyes lit up as he took her arm. "Because your coming has been foretold." He pulled her gently forward. "Come with me. I have something I want to show you."

She knew she shouldn't go, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. There was something about this guy she couldn't say no to. She followed quietly as he led her down a trail and past a pair of giant trees. She stepped through and blinked at the sight in front of her.

Gabriel had led her into some kind of camp. A bonfire burned brightly in the middle, while large white tents circled the outside. People moved about, tending to various things.

"Ah, here we are," he said through a smile as he looked around.

"What is this place?" she asked, her eyes wide as she took in everything around her.

He laughed, delighted at the wonder in her eyes. "This is just our camp for tonight."

She turned and looked at him. "I don't understand. Who are you? What is all of this?"

He smiled as he took her hand. "All in good time, Danielle. For now, trust you are among friends," he told her as he led her forward through the throng of people.

A girl came up to them as they approached and bowed slightly. "My lady," she spoke to Dani. "You must be thirsty." She pressed a silver goblet into her hands.

"Thank you, Eve," Gabriel said and smiled at her.

She bowed again and hurried away.

Dani watched her disappear into a tent. "What was that about?" she asked as she stared down at the goblet.

"They just want to take care of you," he told her as he led her to two high back chairs in front of the roaring fire. "It's what they do." He motioned to the chairs. "Will you join me?"

She looked at the chairs before her. Who were these people and what were they doing out here? She glanced back at Gabriel to voice her questions once more, but when she saw the look in his eyes, her words died on her lips.

He was looking at her so adoringly, as if she was the only one in his world. Her worries seemed to instantly drain from her. This was what she had always wanted; to feel special. For once, she felt like she mattered. Nodding, she took the second seat. "Of course."

He smiled as he sat. "Thank you, Danielle." He turned and looked at the people moving around the camp. "Let the Feast begin," he called out into the night air.

Dani watched in amazement as a celebration broke out around her. Music filled the air, soft and lilting, as people began to dance. They floated across the clearing, eerily graceful in the growing moonlight. She watched as the movement seemed to steal her breath. She had never seen anything as beautiful as what she was witnessing now.

"Would you like to join them?" Gabriel asked, seeing the joy that the dancing stirred in her.

She tore her eyes away from them and shook her head sadly. "No. I can't dance. I'd only make a fool of myself out there."

"Nonsense," he told her as he took her goblet and sat it on a tray filled with food. "You can do anything in my arms." He gracefully led her past the fire and into the group of people.

Dani followed him across the grass. Her feet seemed to mirror his perfectly. She felt as if she was floating, her body gracefully moving with his. She looked around her, stunned. She was dancing. She was now part of that beautiful sight she had witnessed moments before.

"I told you," Gabriel whispered as he pulled her closer to him.

She closed her eyes as she whirled to the music. This was extraordinary. She had never felt so relaxed before, so free. Nothing else mattered in this moment, only the sway of the music and the feel of Gabriel's arms around her. She was everything she wanted to be here. This was where she belonged. They danced together, their bodies forgetting time until the morning light began to crawl through the trees.

The girl who had brought the silver goblet stepped up next to them and looked at Gabriel. "I'm sorry, your highness, but we have to go. The door will be closed soon."

He nodded to her. "Thank you, Eve. Get the others through."

She quickly left, the other dancers following behind her.

Dani looked at him, confusion plain on her face. "What door?"

"The door between your world and mine."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Gabriel took her hand. "I'm not from your world, Danielle. None of us are."

She looked at him in shock. "Who are you?"

"Somebody who has waited a long time for you," he told her with a smile. "Come with me. I'll give you everything you could ever want." He pulled her closer. "I can't spend one more minute without you, not when I have finally found you."

Dani couldn't believe her ears. He wanted her? She felt joy fluttering inside her chest. She was special after all. No longer would she have to suffer as this world's whipping girl. "Yes, Gabriel, I'll go with you."

His eyes lit up instantly as he pulled her into his arms. "Thank you, Danielle. You are all I'll ever need." He let go of her and took her hand. "Follow me to your rightful home. You'll be happy there, I promise you."

Giggling at the warmth in her heart, Dani followed him home to the place where they both belonged.

Forever

It's not like they say it is. There is no romance. There are no sparkles. There is only death. I know this for a fact. My world has changed around me and it is entirely my own doing. I wanted this. I thought I needed it...but I was wrong.

Life has not been kind to me. I wasn't one of those people who seemed to luck into everything they have. I had to take everything I owned, work for it until my soul bled. There wasn't much left of me at the end of the day, but at least I had earned a little in this world. Something I could call mine.

But for as much ground as I conquered, there were things that were still off limits to me. I couldn't find the one. I was incurably single in a world that demanded families. So that was my lot; no spouse, no children. No one to share my accomplishments with at the end of the day. I was doomed to walk this life alone.

At least there was no one there to mourn when the cancer struck. No one had to wait at my bedside, watching me waste away as the disease ate at my savaged body. I was spared that. I didn't have to watch my loved one's faces as my chances of survival grew less and less.

That night I checked myself out of the hospital, I remember clearly the shape I was in. I wouldn't last another week, they all told me. I didn't want to die in a cold hospital room. I couldn't. I would not spend my last moments on this Earth staring at sterile, white walls and listening to the horrid cacophony of machines.

I left the hospital on foot, not caring where I went as long as it got me far away from that place. Staggering down back alleys, I was in search for somewhere I could curl up and die, going out as I lived my life, unnoticed.

As I stumbled farther from civilization, I realized I was being followed. I had to laugh. How dumb must my would-be mugger be if they couldn't see I had nothing to offer? I was little more than rags and bones.

I kept moving forward. I knew if I stopped, I might not ever start again. My unknown assailant kept following, moving closer and closer with each step. I knew any moment would be my last and I welcomed it. Maybe life had finally become kind and I wouldn't have to suffer a minute more. A death at some punk's hand would be a blessing.

My pace slowed, my body too far gone to keep going. I didn't have the spirit to fight it. I wanted to die. I turned and waited for the aggressor, ready to spur him into action. What approached stopped me cold, the creature's dark red eyes pinned me where I was.

I watched as it moved closer, my mind whirling in the understanding of it. It wore the look of a man, but I could almost see the monster underneath. It smiled at me, pure predatory in intent, baring its fangs for me to see. Air passed my lips in shock as I realized the stories were true. Monsters roamed the night and preyed on the weak.

It moved closer, ready to strike, but no fear filled me. Only one word filtered through my thoughts as I looked at it. Salvation. This thing could save me. If I could get it to change me and make me one of its own, I would live forever. I would be stronger, better. I would be freed from this hell my body had become.

"Please," I begged it. "Turn me. I want to be a Vampire, too."

The creature who looked like a man laughed as it watched me, humor in its undead eyes. It moved and was upon me in an instant, fangs piercing my paper-thin flesh. The thing finished me right there, among the scattered remained of last week's garbage. It left me there; a smile on his crimson-coated lips was the last thing my human eyes saw.

The change came upon me quickly, turning me into an undead being. I had achieved what I wanted. The cancer would not claim me. I wish to God now that it had.

I have been transformed into a state of perpetual decaying. My body will never die, yet it will not heal. That's the real truth about being a vampire. You never change from what you were. You are a moment frozen it time; a homage to what you were at the time of your death. So now, my body is forever riddled with cancer. I suffer in agony, staying suspended in my pain. And I will stay like this. Forever.

Black Keys

The typewriter stood silent. Black metal glittering in the harsh florescent light. Ivy stood mesmerized by the way the keys seemed to call to her. "Why does it have to stay in that display case, Daddy?" she asked, turning to look at the man behind the desk.

"What was that?" he spoke, barely even glancing up from the laptop in front of him.

"Can't I just use it once?" she asked, trying to get his full attention.

He looked up at her, his eyes resting on her wrinkled brow and sighed. "I've told you before, Ivy. That typewriter means a lot to me. I started my career with that thing." He glanced over at the display case, a frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I created our lives with that. Everything I have, I owe to that hunk of metal. I don't know what I would do if something happened to it."

"That typewriter gave you the inspiration to write your first story?" she asked, thrilled by the idea.

Her father nodded. "In a lot of ways, it did, pumpkin. I would never have found the courage in me to share my words with the world, if it hadn't been for that thing."

Ivy eyed the typewriter with awe. "I want to be like you, Daddy. I want to share my words with the world, too." She turned and looked at her father, putting on her best pout. "Maybe it can give me courage, too. Please, Daddy? Please?"

He shook his head as he closed the laptop and stood up. "You don't need that relic to be a writer, Ivy. You can use the computer downstairs." He walked around the desk and wrapped an arm around his daughter. "And if you decide you really like writing, I'll buy you your very own laptop."

She looked up at her father and grinned. "Really?"

"Really, pumpkin." he told her as he led her towards the door. "Now, let's go downstairs and see what your mother's making for dinner."

She let he father lead her out of the room, before glancing back at the silent back keys shimmering in the light.

***

Ivy tiptoed silently down the hall, taking the cold doorknob in her hand. Glancing around her, she opened her father's office door, quickly slipping in. Reaching blindly, her fingers collided with the plastic switch and the room was bathed in florescent light once again.

She glanced around the room, her eyes instantly falling on the display case. All evening her mind kept wandering back to the archaic machine. Why it fascinated her so much, she had no clue. All she could think of was how wonderful her words would look on a sheet of paper from that typewriter.

She slipped across the room to where the display case rested on a table against the far wall. Her hands slid along the glass as she peered adoringly inside. She wanted to be a real writer like her father so badly. If this was what started his career, it could start hers as well.

Ivy carefully lifted the glass box from the typewriter, setting it to the side. Holding her breath in awe, she brushed her fingers over the sparkly black keys. How exquisite it seemed compared to the everyday computers which filled the world. She could definitely see herself writing the next great novel with this machine. This was the romance of being an author.

She looked down at the paper still in the paper guide. Curiously, she pried up the paper release and pulled the paper towards her, taking in the words on it. It must be the last thing her father wrote on it. Her eyes fluttered over it, her lips turning down in a frown as she read it.

I will be a famous writer. I will have a wonderful wife who loves me and a beautiful daughter named, Ivy. I will be happy and have everything I ever wanted. My life will be good.

Ivy stared at the words. Why would her father leave something like this in the typewriter? Her eyes drifted over the words again, when suddenly they slowly began to fade. Lighter and lighter the ink became until it disappeared completely. She gasped in shock, letting the paper fall to the floor.

She glanced around her nervously. How had that happened? Words didn't just disappear like that. She stepped back, away from the table and the display case. Something wasn't right with that typewriter.

Ivy turned towards the door, opening it as she heard her father cry out.

"What did you do, Ivy?" his voice carried down the hall. "What did you do?"

She shook her head as tears formed in her eyes. How could she have known? Things like that weren't possible. She wanted to scream, to cry out how sorry she was. But she stayed silent as she watched herself fade from reality.

A Token of His Affection

The creature silently passed through the hole in the fence making its way towards the farmhouse. Darkness surrounded it, coating it in a second skin. It had a message to deliver and its master would help it as much as he could.

Avoiding the moonlight, it moved across the yard and up onto the back porch. Its nose twitched in the air as it checked to see if he was inside. The boy was indeed. It could sense each beat of his heart as if he was standing right there.

Following the porch around the side of the house, it searched for a suitable crack. It found a broken window hidden beyond a tree at the end of the house. The hole was tiny, but just perfect for it to gain entrance. Scurrying up the wall it slipped in, thinning like the darkness around it.

Emerging into the house, it twitched its nose again. Reaching out with its senses, it checked to see if anyone else in the home was up. It grunted softly in delight. The only soul still awake was the one he was about to corrupt. There would be no interference tonight.

It moved quickly, its furry brown paws moving in a blur. Reaching the boy's room, it pushed its weight against the door, opening it wider.

"Mom?" the boy called, his voice sounded timid in the stillness around them.

The creature moved forward, jumping up on the end of the bed.

The boy squeaked and reached out for the lamp next to him. "Who's there?"

"It's okay, Ralphie. I'm a friend."

The boy switched the lamp on, bathing the room in light, gasping at the sight before him.

The creature stood on the end of the bed on all fours, its heavy brown fur matted and dirty. Its face was a different story. Completely devoid of any fur, smooth pink flesh held two eyes, a nose and a mouth. This wasn't a face anyone would expect on a raccoon-like creature. It was a human face.

The boy sucked in air to scream but no sound came out. All he could do was stare in terror at the unnatural thing in his bed.

"Don't be frightened," the thing cooed in a voice like glass stuck in a garbage disposal. "I'm here to help you."

The boy sat there, mesmerized by its words. He knew he should run to his parents, he wanted to, but he couldn't make himself move. "Help me how?" he managed to whisper.

"You are a special boy. You will grow up to be one of His. I'm here to get you started."

The boy stared in silence. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing.

The creature moved closer, light reflecting brightly in its milky eyes. "You will be a shining example of chaos. Destruction will reign down where you walk," it whispered. "You will spread sadness throughout this land."

"But..." the boy whispered back. "How do you know this?"

"I have seen your soul," it hissed, coming to stand right before him. "It is as black as the God who chose you."

The boy looked down at his new furry friend. It was starting to all make sense now. He knew he wasn't like other kids. The things he did while no one was looking, they were just who he was.

Raising a paw, the creature placed it against the boy's hand. "I am a Token and I deliver this message from the Old One who claims you."

The boy felt a surge of power course through him. Traveling up his arm, it seemed to engulf his very core.

"Be who you were meant to be," the Token spoke. "Live in his name."

The boy felt himself nod as the creature pulled away from him. "I will," he replied huskily, as if all the moisture had been drained from his mouth. "I'll follow my true nature for you." His mouth slowly turned up in a twisted grin. "And for my new Lord. May the world suffer in His name."

The creature turned and jumped down from the bed, leaving the boy to his dark thoughts. Running quickly through the house, it slipped back outside as quiet as the night around him. It had more work to do for his master, more people to anoint. It grinned as it went, exposing rows of needle-sharp teeth. How it loved delivering messages.

Go West, My Son

The midday Texan sun shone down on him as he stood along Interstate 10 staring at the barren landscape around him. Nothing moved. He supposed the heat was too much for any kind of activity. He wouldn't know. He couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel much of anything anymore.

Pulling the long duster he wore closer to his body, he ducked the bill of his cap lower on his forehead. These things would keep people from looking at him too closely. He wasn't ready for them to see what he really was. Not yet. That time would come soon enough.

He walked forward, knocking the dust from his boots. He had to go West. The convergence would soon happen. They would gather on the coast and show themselves for the first time. The world would then know exactly what it was in for. The Apocalypse would start in earnest.

He walked on, waving at a car that sped by. He grinned at the thought of how the driver would react to him if he really knew. He longed for the fear that would fill the air. It's what his kind thrived on. That and sustenance. Those were the only things that truly mattered. The rest was just ensuring they would get them, but it would be a blast getting there.

He pulled the duster tighter around his damaged body, keeping his wounds hidden within. People thought his kind was stupid, acting only on instinct alone. He had orders and he would follow them all perfectly. They all would. They would show the world there was nothing slow about them. His kind was the perfect killing machine.

He smiled as he pushed forward, heading to the West where he belonged. His brethren waited there. Together they would overthrow the world. They would conquer it in no time because zombies could do more than just eat.

Hands of Time

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sound seemed to echo through the dark room like machinegun fire.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Opening his eyes, Drew glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Midnight. He had only been asleep for an hour.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Drew looked around the room. What was making that noise? Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he sat up and turned on the lamp next to his bed.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sharp noise continued around him, even as light bathed the room. This was the fourth night in a row the sound had woke him. He was beginning to wonder if someone was playing a joke on him.

Rising from the bed, Drew looked around the room as he had done every night before, his eyes scanning over the things he surrounded himself with. Every time he thought he was close to finding the source of the ticking, the sound seemed to shift to another spot. Why didn't it stay in the same place?

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sound continued moving around the room, staying constant in its intensity. Shuddering, Drew stood there helpless. The sound was driving him crazy. He was sure of it. Was this the purpose the ticking served? To turn him into a shell of a man, haunted by the night?

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Slowly he slipped back into bed. He had to ignore it. There was no other choice. Turning on the TV, he thumbed up the volume. The voices emitting from the flat screen coated the room, drowning out the horrible ticking sound.

Drew sighed in relief. The ticking might still be there, but if he couldn't hear it, it didn't matter. Closing his eyes, he let sleep claim him once more.

***

The Overseers stared at the clock before them. Time was winding down. The world had reached its end days. Something had to be done. Where was the Champion? Didn't he hear the calling? Didn't he know time was fleeting before them, ticking away until there was nothing left?

They stood there silently, watching the hands of time move forward, praying their Champion would answer the call before it was too late.

Misunderstood

I never wanted to go in that building again. Never. Even if Hell froze over, I still wouldn't set foot in that damned place.

Some places become tainted over time. Murders, suicides, deaths. They all take their toll on the world around us. When a person dies, the environment soaks it up, like a Polaroid reaching for the light. It leaves an imprint; one that can never be erased.

I wish I could say that is what happened to this place. It would make this world seem gentler if we could identify why this ground is what it is, but we can't. Some places, like people, don't need a reason. They are what they are, and have been since the day they came into being.

This building was one of those. A deviated blight on our reality. Pure evil flowed through every particle of the place. No one can even tell you how old the building is. Some say its been here for hundreds of years. Others say its been here since the beginning of time, in one form or another.

I didn't know any of this. I just knew it was an old creepy building some kids dared the new kid to spend the night in. That would be me; the new kid. I don't know if you know what it's like to be the new kid, but let me tell you, it's awful. No friends, no place to fit in. Isolated and alone. Everyone judging you on whether or not you might be worth the effort.

That's why I took this dare. I figured if I could prove myself a badass right away, this new school thing would be a cakewalk. I walked into that building as groups of kids stood around, with my head held high. There was no way I would let this place intimidate me.

Boy, was I mistaken. How I honestly survived the night is beyond me. I withdrew in on myself. The whispering walls and the shapes which slithered around my curled up body were too much for me. I left that place in the morning, a mere shade of what I had been.

I had gained the respect of the school, but I couldn't care less. All I knew was the small sliver of sanity left in me never wanted to set foot near that place again. I wanted to get as far away from it as I could. I begged and pleaded until my family caved. They moved me across the country, but even that wasn't far enough for me.

Like I said, I changed because of that place. I had never been a goody-two-shoes or anything, but after that, in my more coherent moments, there was a darkness writhing in me. I scared people. They could feel the wrongness pouring off me. My parents tried to explain to people I was different. I was misunderstood.

I realize now that I was misunderstood. I still am to this day. I realized something else, too. The place I had feared so much when I was younger, it was only a misunderstanding that kept me from seeing its true potential.

That's why I've come back. I bought that old building and everything in it. I am now the Keeper, living there with all its many secrets.

There was a time I thought I knew what was right and wrong. There was also a time when I didn't want to set a foot in this place again. I use to say never. Not anymore.

Coastal Offerings

Neil walked along the beach, his sandaled feet sinking deep into the sand around him. He marveled at the warmth as the sun caressed his cheeks, leaving behind it playful touch. This feeling, right here, was pure bliss. He had never seen the ocean before and it was living up to everything he'd ever dreamed. He smiled contently as he watched the gulls playing in the surf.

Yes, this was what he had always been searching for. It was time for a change. He would leave behind his old life and move out here; find a nice place right on the beach and live happily-ever-after. This was the place his soul longed to be, not rotting away in the country, lost among the corn.

He inhaled deeply, the astringent sea air tickled his nose as he took in everything around him. A man could die happy right here.

He moved on, his sandals slapping sand as he ventured farther along the beach. He wanted to see everything this coastal paradise offered him. Everything that would be his once he started anew.

He stopped short when he noticed a campfire up ahead of him. A group of people sat around it, basking in the warmth of the flames.

Neil frowned slightly, glancing up at the bright blue sky. It had to be at least 85 degrees out here. Why did they need a fire? He watched them a moment longer. They seemed to be enjoying the flames dancing in front of them. Who was he to judge what might be a common practice on the coast?

The smile once again found his lips as he stepped forward, eager to see what a campfire at the beach entailed. He moved quickly as he watched them huddle around the fire. Maybe they would let him join them. He'd love to have actual friends here before he moved.

"Hello," Neil called out to them as he approached their makeshift ring. "Do you guys mind if I join you?"

The heads quickly turned and stared in his direction. Or they would have, if they had had eyes.

He stopped dead in his tracks as his mouth kept opening and closing; as if it wanted to say something but couldn't find a voice. His mind just couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. None of these people had any faces. It was simply pale flesh pulled taunt against the front of their heads. It was as if they were blank canvases waiting for the artist to arrive.

Neil stared into the blankness before his eyes and began to tremble. Whatever these things were, it wasn't something he wanted to mess with. He realized quickly that he shouldn't be standing here. This was a dangerous place. One full of secrets and darkness.

He turned quickly, fleeing back up the beach as fast as his sandals would carry him. He was no longer enchanted by what the coast had to offer. He was certainly better off among the corn.

Intrusion

Ray's eyes snapped open as he lay there, listening to the night around him. What had woken him? Nothing moved or stirred. He blinked slowly as sleep began to pull him down once again.

He was almost back in a peaceful slumber when a loud thump shook the room. Straightening up, his eyes scanned the darkness quickly. Something had definitely pulled him from sleep this time.

Another thump sounded. It was coming from all around him. Freeing his legs from the blankets, he stood quickly, reaching for the pair of jeans he left laying nearby. As he slipped a leg in, three more quick thumps seemed to shake the walls around him.

Sliding the jeans all the way up, zipping them with a grunt, he scrambled for the bedroom door. What was going on out there? He raced out of the room and into the dark living room. Light trickled in from the streetlight through the blind slats. It penetrated the darkness like blades, illuminating the room well enough.

Nothing loomed in front of him. He was alone in his living room, wiping the sleep from his eyes. The silence which pressed in on his eardrums was almost deafening. It loomed down on him, bringing him back to reality. There was nothing wrong.

Running a hand through his hair, he looked around, squinting at the empty room. He must have been dreaming. He let out the breath which seemed to be caught in his chest. What an idiot. He had fallen for a dream.

Ray turned to return to bed, when a series of thumps occurred. He looked at the ceiling above his head. Someone was on the roof.

Moving quickly, shaking the doubt from his mind, he hurried through the house. Tearing the front door open, he ran down the steps, turning to look up at the house before him. He steeled himself for a confrontation. "Hello?" he called up to the roof. He could see no one, but knew they were up there, hiding out of sight. "Get off of my roof before I call the police."

He waited, hoping the threat would be enough to discourage whoever it was. He heard a scraping as something skittered across the shingles. "Get down now!" he shouted, not caring if he woke up the neighbors.

Several shapes moved into view and stared down at him, curiosity dancing in their eyes.

Ray grit his teeth as he looked away. Raccoons? That's what woke him up? He stormed back in the house, angrily twisting the lock into place. Trying to steady his racing heart, he moved through the house. How could he let something like raccoons freak him out? He wasn't some scared girl who jumped at every noise. "Stupid animals," he muttered under his breath as he returned to his room and shed the jeans once again.

Making a mental note to call an exterminator in the morning, he crawled back into bed. He'd teach those furry little intruders a lesson. They picked the wrong man to wake up.

He closed his eyes, but knew sleep would be a long time coming.

With a sudden pressure on the foot of his bed, he felt something slither up the blankets towards him. A gasp froze in his throat as hot breath coated his face.

"That was a great distraction, wasn't it?" a voice hissed above him.

Ray screamed in terror as the intruder reached forward, coating the room with the evil it carried.

What The Fates Decide

The two old men sat at the table and sipped at the hot coffee in their mugs; both sets of eyes eagerly scanning the room for something to talk about. They spent so much time together that there really wasn't much to say anymore.

"So, how are things on your side of town?" one of them spoke, dusting the crumbs from his beard.

"Oh, you know. The same as always." the other replied, pulling his jacket tighter around him in an attempt to fend off the chill creeping into his bones. "Why do you keep it so cold in here?"

"This is perfect temperature, my friend. It's not my fault you keep your place so damn warm." He stared at his guest with concern in his eyes. "It isn't healthy keeping the heater on all the time."

The other sighed. "So you've told me a hundred times before."

They sat in silence, sipping now and then at the coffee, desperately trying to think of a topic they hadn't already discussed to death. The silence drew on as their minds raced. What was left? Was anything really worth talking about anymore?

"Oh," the bearded man said, rising up stiffly from his chair. "I have something to show you."

His companion's eyes lit up, thrilled by something new on this visit. "What is it?"

"It's some sort of game," he said lifting a box from a shelf on the other side of the room. "I thought it might be interesting." Coming back to the table, the bearded man sat the box down between them.

The visitor's mouth turned up in a slow grin as his eyes caressed the container before him. "What is it about?"

"Every path is filled with choices, yet ultimately they all lead to what the Fates decide," he told him with a shrug. "That's what the back of the box says."

"Sound like it could be fun," his friend replied as he opened the lid and began rummaging through it. "It'll give us something to do."

"That's what I thought."

"Hey," he spoke, looking at the directions in his hands. "It says it includes a whole world of mortals to play with."

"Hmm," the ancient bearded one said as he studied his counterpart. "This might take a while to figure out."

The red-skinned man shrugged as he scratched absently at a horn. "Well, we do have eternity to play around with it."

Black Days and White Knights

The blacktop glistened ahead of him as the moonlight danced across the rain-soaked road. Darkness lay thick at the edges, blotting out the woods beyond.

Shifting the pack he was carrying, Hunter looked around. Something was following him. It had been for the last several miles. It slinked through the night, weaving in and out of the shadows. "Who's there?" he called.

A slight rustle disturbed the trees in front of him.

"Come out and face me," he demanded.

A shadow dislodged itself from the others blanketing the trees. Slipping forward it glared at him with glowing red eyes. "Feeling a little lost, Knight?"

Hunter frowned, taking in the form before him. "What do you want, Ry'ell?"

The wispy image of the God of Death stepped closer. "There's no point in continuing this. You will lose."

Hunter stood his ground. "Good will always prevail in the end. Always."

The god chuckled. "You are such a foolish boy. Even after 500 years, you have learned nothing."

"I've learned enough. I know we'll find a way to defeat you."

Ry'ell remained quiet, studying the young man before him. Finally, he spoke, "You could be free. This doesn't have to be your fight."

Hunter folded his arms over his chest, glaring at the shadow. "Oh, yes it does."

The God of Death seemed to sigh. "Why do you cling so desperately to the past?"

He looked away, tears in his eyes blurring the road before him. "Because I love her."

"Love? Love is a useless emotion reserved only for the weak."

"You're wrong about that," Hunter told him. "Love makes you strong when you have nothing else to live for. It's the most powerful weapon I have, but...I wouldn't expect you to understand that."

Red eyes flickered as the god spoke, "That's the problem with your kind. You think you're so much better, when in reality, you're just another bug to squash." Ry'ell withdrew, his shadow merging with the others around it. "Walk away while you still have a chance, Knight," he said, the words echoing as he faded back to his own reality.

Hunter stood there, staring at the darkness in the trees. He was used to the games Ry'ell played. He'd been dealing with them for the last 500 years. Shifting his pack once again, he continued on, letting the god's words slip away from him. He didn't know where he was headed, but he wouldn't let the tormenting slow him down. He knew his place in this world and a few bitter words from the God of Death wasn't going to change that.

It felt good to be moving on. The weariness leaving him more and more with each mile he ventured. The Time was soon. He could feel it. The cycle was about to begin again.

Sighing, he stepped over a puddle, his leather motorcycle boots thudding against the blacktop. It would be good to get back into the game. These in-between times were killing him. The world just didn't feel right when She wasn't in it.

He wiped at the moisture invading his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to remain strong. Falling apart wasn't going to do anyone any good. He had already been there and done that. It was time to be the Protector once again.

Hunter stepped off the road as a set of headlights shone before him. Holding up his hand, he tried to shield his eyes from the blinding lights heading his way. A black jeep pulled onto the shoulder of the road, stopping before him.

Squinting into the glare of headlights, he sighed. His days of isolation were over. Once again, they had found him. Reluctantly, he headed out of the beams of light towards the passenger side of the jeep. He waited patiently as the window was rolled down, leaning on the door, taking in the sight before him. "Hey, Ray."

His older sister smiled warmly at him. "Hi, Hunt. Long time, no see."

Nodding he looked at the blond behind the steering wheel. "Cedric."

"Tell me something, little brother," the man spoke. "Why do you always insist on disappearing? Do you really think shutting yourself off from everyone is really what little red would want?"

He shook his head sadly. "No, but she's not here to stop me, now is she?"

Raven frowned at the pain in her brother's eyes. "Give it a rest, Cedric. He's entitled to a few years by himself every now and then."

Hunter smiled slightly at her. "It's not like you couldn't find me anytime you wanted to."

A knowing smile ghosted across her lips. "Very true, dear brother. I always know where you are." She motioned to the backseat. "Get in. We have a lot to talk about."

With a sigh, he opened the backdoor sliding in and tossing his pack next to him. "So, tell me, how close is it to starting again?"

Cedric's eyes met Hunter's in the rearview mirror as he pulled back onto the road, turning the jeep in the direction they had come. "Very close. Her mother could go into labor any moment."

His eyes widened. "You mean you've already found her?"

Raven nodded. "Yes. The next battle will be fought right here."

Hunter looked out at the dark woods around them. "Where is here, anyway? Last time I checked, I was somewhere in Ohio."

"Still are," Cedric said as he motioned to a mileage sign on the side of the road. "Welcome to Night Oak, our new home."

Hunter studied the sign telling him it was only five miles to town. So this was the place he'd meet her again. He just prayed it wouldn't be the place he'd have to mourn for her once again. He leaned back into the jeep's seat. "Are you sure it'll be her?"

Raven turned and looked at him. "Have I ever been wrong, Hunter? This baby will be our girl."

He closed his eyes, memories of his wife floating to the surface of his mind. Her fiery red hair, her breathtaking smile, her soothing touch. "Princess," he whispered, the word escaping his lips in a sigh.

"Don't worry, the time will come for her to be back in your arms," Cedric told him gently. "First, we just have to make sure she is born."

Hunter opened his eyes, all pleasant thoughts instantly fleeing. "What do you mean? That's never been an issue before. She's always been safe until the time of Battle."

"We don't understand it, either," Raven said. "But something's going on."

"Why would he wait 500 years before changing anything?"

Cedric sighed. "Who knows? Maybe he's grown as tired as the rest of us. All we know is he's changing his tactics, starting with making his presence known before the birth."

Hunter frowned, worry blazing in his chest. "There's no way he'd hurt her now. He needs her."

"We don't know what he'd do," his sister spoke softly. "Maybe he has a new plan."

He shook his head, remembering Ry'ell's words. "He wants us out of the game."

"Well, that's one thing that's never going to happen," Cedric growled as he pulled into the town.

Raven glanced at her husband, then her brother. "Something happened, didn't it?"

Hunter nodded. "Yeah. I had a talk with our favorite God only moments before you two arrived."

Cedric glanced quickly over his shoulder. "What did he want?"

"He tried to talk me out of sticking around. He gave me an out if I wanted it."

Cedric pulled the jeep over in front of an old brick building and turned around to face his brother-in-law. "The God of Death gave you a way out? What did you say?"

Hunter just looked at him. "What do you think?"

"He is definitely up to something," Raven said, getting out of the Jeep. "I just wish we knew what it was."

Cedric got out as well. "I guess we just have to go find out," he said and crossed the sidewalk. Pushing open the glass door in the front of the building, he disappeared inside.

Hunter got out, staring up at the old brick building. "This yours?" he asked, glancing at his sister.

She nodded. "Home, sweet home. When the time's right, we'll put in an occult shop."

"Raven's Nest?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course."

He looked around him, taking in everything. "I like it, Ray, except..." he said and motioned to the street. "It could use some trees."

"I think we can arrange that," she said with a grin following her husband into the building.

Hunter stood, staring into the night, taking in the feel of the town around him. He liked what he felt. It had a wholesome quality. He could imagine himself settling down here, starting a family. It what they deserved. He wouldn't let them take her from him this time. He refused to watch her die once more.

Sighing, he turned and headed into the building. He stared in awe at the space around him as he headed deeper into it. It was a hell of a lot more room than the outside suggested.

"Not bad, right?" his sister asked from behind him.

He turned to face her, smiling slightly. "Expansion enchantment?"

She shrugged. "Why not? It gives us plenty of room."

"I'll say. You could fit ten stores in here."

"We just wanted to make sure there was enough room for all of us," she told him with a grin as she pushed through a door in the wall. "Come on, I'll show you to your part of the building."

Hunter shook his head. "You're always watching out for me, aren't you?"

"Of course. What kind of older sister would I be if I didn't?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Raven said, heading through another doorway. Suddenly she stopped, her legs growing shaky underneath her.

Her brother was at her side in an instant. "Are you okay?"

She nodded weakly, taking a deep breath.

"You had a vision, didn't you? What was it?"

Raven looked at him. "She's in labor. They have her at the hospital," she whispered as a shiver traveled through her body. "The people with her. They are not human."

"What? Is this happening right now?" Hunter asked her.

"I don't know."

"It's time," Cedric called as he came through the door. "My sources at the hospital say Dr. Taylor just brought his wife in. The baby is on its way."

Hunter nodded. "We know. Raven just had a vision."

Cedric looked concerned as he came closer to his wife. "What did you see, love?"

She looked up at him. "The Princess is in danger. I saw..." Suddenly her eyes rolled back in her head as her knees gave out.

Cedric caught her before she could go down, holding her tightly to him.

Hunter watched his sister closely. "Raven, what are you seeing?"

Letting out a deep gasp, she found her legs as her eyes refocused on the men in front of her. "They're not going to hurt the baby," she spoke, her voice sounding raw. "They're going to take her."

***

Pulling the jeep up outside the hospital, Cedric looked at his wife. "Do you think we're in time?"

"Of course, we are," Hunter growled, getting out of the backseat. "I won't settle for anything else." Turning, he looked at the others as they joined him. "Ry'ell is not raising the Princess in His name."

"Damn straight," Cedric agreed as they raced through the hospital entrance.

"Can I help you?" an elderly lady spoke from the check-in desk, as her eyes drifted over them in slight alarm

"We don't have time for this," Hunter whispered.

Raven patted his arm and walked over to the desk. "Hi. Our friend is having a baby and they said it would be fine if we just went on back. You don't mind, do you?" she asked, smiling brightly.

Blinking, the women returned the smile as she sat back down in her chair. "No, of course not. You go and see your friend, dear. Take as long as you like."

"Thank you so much," she said, heading past her husband and brother.

"You know I don't like you influencing people," Cedric spoke as they caught up to her.

She shrugged as she walked. "What else was I supposed to do?"

He frowned but didn't say anything more.

Heading down the hall, they stopped as they came to a crossroads. "Which way do we go?" Hunter asked looking around.

Raven shook her head, peering down the hallways. "I have no idea."

Cedric looked at them. "Well, we can't just stand here all day. We have to pick one."

Hunter shook his head. "If we pick the wrong one, we'll be too late."

"Hunter, if we stay here, we'll be too late."

Looking at his sister, Hunter asked, "Can you see anything that might help? Anything at all?"

She shook her head, frustration in her eyes. "No. Nothing."

Letting out a deep growl, he looked around them. They were losing time here. Time they didn't have. He had to find her. He wasn't going to let them take her.

"You're here about my daughter, aren't ya?" a voice called from behind them.

They quickly turned, their eyes taking in the source of the words.

A woman walked forward, almost hesitantly. "I know you're here about my Kathy. I could feel something coming for weeks," she spoke softly, turning to the man standing behind her. "See, Jim, these are the people I dreamed of."

The man looked from them to his wife, wonder in his eyes. "Stella, my love, you never fail to amaze me."

Raven stepped forward. "You dreamed of us?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. For some time now. I keep dreaming that someone I love is in danger and you save them."

"That's what we're here to do," Cedric assured them. "We believe your granddaughter is in danger."

Jim's face lit up. "It's a girl?"

Hunter stepped forward. "Yes and she will be very special."

A smile tugged at the corner of Stella's mouth. "I knew it. My angel will change the world." She pointed down the hallway behind her. "My daughter is in a room down that way. It's at the very end. I don't know who you are or who's after my babies, but please, save them."

Hunter looked at her, seriousness in his eyes. "We will. I give you my word." And with that, they were off down the hall, sprinting for the Princess' life.

The hospital's aura seemed to change around them, darkness seeping in all around. It left them feeling as if they were the only ones left, locked in a hollow shell of what was.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, guys," Cedric said, glancing over his shoulder.

He was right. It wasn't quite the same hospital they walked into. Hunter looked around. "Ry'ell's people must have done something."

Raven nodded. "They must be drawing on his Darkness to influence reality around us."

Cedric turned; a horrified look on his face. "Are we still even in the same reality as the Princess?"

Frowning, Hunter started down the darkened hallway. "There's only one way to find out."

They continued on, the atmosphere growing thicker around them. The hallway stretching farther as it did; taking up more room than the building had any right to. They kept moving, afraid to stop and be too late. The hallway opened through a shadowed corner and then revealed more hallways leading off it. They led in all different directions.

"Great," Cedric said, looking around. "Now which way do we go?"

"There," Raven spoke suddenly, pointing as a shadow moved quickly down a hallway. It wore a cloak and the hood was obscuring its face.

"I guess we're not so far removed after all," Hunter said, taking off after the shadow.

The cloaked man stayed ahead of them. They'd only catch a glimpse of fluttering robe as he rounded corners or changed hallways.

"How do we know they aren't leading us on a wild goose chase?" Cedric asked as they switched to yet another hallway. "They could be stalling for time."

His wife turned her gaze on him. "What other choice do we have?"

Hunter shook his head. "No. This is the right way." He could feel it. Something was pulling him forward, leading him to where he needed to be. His Princess was close and her soul was calling to him, he just needed to reach her in time.

Raven saw the look in her brother's eyes and nodded. "We'll make it, Hunter. We won't lose her."

Nodding, he quickly glanced away as he felt Cedric's hand on his shoulder. He knew they were just as invested as he was. She was their family, too. "Let's go save our Princess."

Cedric and Raven raced ahead of him, giving him some room to collect his thoughts. His mind wandered to the thought of the world ending because of him. No. He wouldn't let it. He would not fail to save her again. Even if it was the last thing he did, she would live this time.

Quickly moving forward, he followed behind his sister and brother-in-law. Suddenly a whisper cut through his mind. It left a jagged slice across his thoughts, causing him to freeze mid-step.

"Hunter," the voice called out to him. Enchanting and haunting in the same breath, it begged him to stop with that one single word.

His body instantly gave into the command. He watched as the others disappeared around the corner out of sight. He let them go. That wasn't the direction he was headed in any longer. What he needed was right here. He could feel her at the edge of his mind, drifting through like a cool breeze on a hot summer's day.

He spun around, air escaping from his lungs an instant after he did. There, leaning against the wall, was his Princess. His heart raced as he took in her beauty. She looked the same as the last time he saw her alive. She had come back to him.

"Sweetheart," he breathed, the word escaping his mouth like a prayer.

She smiled brightly at him. The hall seemed to lose its gloom where she stood. She motioned for him to come to her before disappearing around the corner with a giggle.

Hunter's heart pounded in his chest. She was here. Really here. He would happily oblige her request. He would follow her anywhere. Here being no exception. He turned the corner, following his love down the hall.

She waited coyly as he moved closer. He felt as if he was in a dream. The one thing he had been chasing for so long was suddenly here for the taking. "Baby," he whispered when he was close enough he could almost touch her.

Giggling, she disappeared around the next corner in a blur of red tresses.

A grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he felt himself slipping into predatory mode. It brought back old memories of when they were both new to this world. Oh, how he loved those moonlit games of tag and how there was never really a loser at the end. He quickly followed her, turning the corner with almost inhuman speed.

She waited with her back against the wall and smiled, her eyes sparkling as he neared once again. "Hello, my love."

Hunter's legs went weak at her words. How he had longed to hear her voice. "Hi," he responded, stopping in front of her. His eyes drifted over her and began to brim with unshed tears. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "How can this be?" he asked softly.

"Hunter," she spoke, placing a palm to his cheek.

He closed his eyes, a sharp exhale escaping his lips. "I've missed you so much."

She smiled again, dimming the darkness around him. "I know you have. But it's okay now. I'm here."

A whimper sounded in his throat as he leaned forward, breathing in the scent of her. She was here. His soul mate was where she belonged. "How did this happen? How could it happen?"

She looked up at him, her eyes adoringly taking him in. "I fought my way back to you. You were the lifeline I so desperately clung to. I wasn't going to let them keep me this time."

"But..."

"Hunter," she spoke, interrupting his worries. "I fought so hard, I'm free of the curse now. This is my reward. Here and now. Come with me, baby. We can have the life we always wanted." She looked at him, her eyes pleading. "We can settle down, start a family. Nothing else will get in our way. Just come with me. Let's leave this place."

He closed his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks. This was all he wanted. It was all he needed. Sharing a life with her was what he was meant to do. Taking a deep breath he looked at the beauty before him. His Princess. "This can't be real. They wouldn't let us go that easily."

"But it is real," she said softly, wiping a tear from his cheek. "Don't I deserve this? Don't you deserve this?"

"Sweetheart," he murmured, as a sob escaped his chest. They did deserve this. They had fought so long, given up so much. They deserved their happy ending. Reaching out, he slid his fingers along her cheek. Pain seared through them on contact. He pulled back in shock, staring down at his fingertips. Red angry welts lined them. "What?" he whispered in horror as his eyes slowly returned to the girl in front of him. What had he done? What had they done? "You're not her."

Pain flooded through her eyes as she watched the doubt dance across his face. "What are you saying, Hunter?"

"I don't know what you are," he told her, ice coating his voice. "But you are not my wife."

Throwing her head back, a scream of rage poured from her lips as she reached forward, her fingers sinking into his arms. His flesh burned at the contact.

"Let go of me, demon," he snarled shoving his palms at her. They shone with a brilliant white light which slammed into her, knocking her into the wall behind.

Slowly sliding down the wall, she laughed with glee at the horror on his face. Her laughter grew as her form cracked and peeled, revealing the creature beneath.

Hunter stared at the bald white thing in front of him. His chest heaved with the pain which had taken residence there. How could he have fallen for this? Was he becoming so blind in his old age or was it sorrow that made him see only what he wanted?

The creature smiled at the confusion clouding his eyes. "Face it, Knight; you aren't what you used to be. You can't stop us. Not this time."

Hunter shook off the doubt, letting certainty fill his heart. "Wanna bet?" he growled as he blasted the creature again with the searing white light. It slammed into it, raising it off the ground, pinning it against the wall.

The thing stared back at him; its eyes flashing silver, as anger boiled in its body. Shaking all over, it desperately tried to break free of the hold. But it was no use; it couldn't move.

Hunter moved closer, the white light still pouring from his hands. He wanted to rip the creature apart, tearing it from limb to limb for making him feel the way it had. The creature deserved it. They all deserved it. A blood bath of epic proportions was what he wanted to deliver. But no matter how much rage he carried inside, he could never bring himself to become a monster, to lower himself to their level. And he wouldn't now. He whispered a few words and leaned forward, blowing lightly on the thing before him.

The creature cracked, turning instantly into sand. Its body broke apart, drifting down the hall, turning into nothing more than a sandstorm in the distance.

Shaking his head, Hunter tried to rein in his anger. Returning to the Earth was too good a death for that thing; but he refused to dwell on that right now. There was another battle being fought here tonight, and he sure as hell was going to be a part of it.

Turning, he sprinted back down the hall, desperately praying he was headed the right way. Changing to several different halls, he slid to a stop, nearly colliding with Raven and Cedric.

Cedric turned and looked at him. "Where have you been?"

"Sorry," he told him. "I got sidetracked. Won't happen again." He took in the sight around them. There were several bald white creatures lying on the floor nearby. "Friends of yours?"

Raven glanced at her baby brother. "Glamours. Nasty things. They can make you believe just about anything."

"They sure can." Hunter glanced at the shadows dancing on the wall ahead of them. "Why are we just standing here?"

Cedric motioned him forward. He led him to the corner and peered around it. There, in a line like the guards to hell, was a row of some kind of canine.

They were larger than regular dogs, their angles sharp and irregular, almost like a Picasso painting. Flames poured out of empty eye sockets and huge talons grew where their toenails should be.

Hunter looked at his brother-in-law in shock. "Soul Suckers? They're using Soul Suckers? Are they out of their minds?"

"Now you're seeing the dilemma we're having," Raven told him.

"Why are they just standing there? Why aren't they attacking?"

Cedric shook his head. "I guess they're only meant to keep us from moving forward, not to take our souls."

Hunter was quiet for a moment, his mind racing. "Isn't there something we can do?"

"Soul Suckers can't be killed. You know that," his sister told him. "We're out of options here."

He stared down the hall. "They're down there, right? The baby will be born down that hall?"

They both nodded.

"And all we need to do is protect the Princess until she's born, right?"

"Yes," Raven confirmed. "She's only in danger during the transition. Once that's over, the threshold her mother's love creates will be enough to protect her until she comes of age."

Taking a deep breath, Hunter looked at his family, a slight smile spreading over his lips. "Then I'll go do what I do best. I'll go be her White Knight."

Fear grew in Raven's eyes. "No, Hunter. Don't"

He stared at them a few moments longer, then turned, sprinting down the hall as fast as he could.

"Hunter, stop!" Cedric called after him.

He ignored him, his feet pounding along the floor as hard as they could. He turned the corner and realized Raven and Cedric were sprinting after him. It didn't matter. They'd never catch him. He was faster and they knew it.

He pressed on, speeding up even faster as he went. His eyes never leaving the hideous hounds in front of him.

They snarled, flinging globs of red slobber as he neared. They pawed the ground in anticipation of their attack.

Hunter's legs never slowed as the space between him and the hounds diminished. When he felt the heat from the fire in their eyes, he sprang, shimmering in the air as the dogs growled below him, changing instantly. He hit the floor of the hall behind them hard, sliding on all four of his furry feet and rolled to a stop.

"Hunter, get up!" Raven yelled to him.

He rose, looking at the row of hounds, and at his family behind them. Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts. The human was gone, in its place stood a silver and black wolf. This was his second skin. The one he could do the most damage in and he was ready for it.

The hounds moved forward; their large shapes practically dwarfing the wolf before them.

Hunter stood his ground, a growl rumbling in his furry chest. They were moving quickly, murder burning in their empty eyes. He just hoped he was fast enough to out run them. Tensing his muscles, he prepared to turn and give it his all. He couldn't let them sink their teeth in him. It couldn't end this way.

The Soul Suckers sprinted forward, readying themselves for the kill. They moved quickly and ran face first into nothing, throwing them backwards with cries of rage.

Hunter glanced past them. Raven and Cedric were weaving some kind of spell

"Hurry," Raven called to the wolf. "I don't know how long these barriers will hold. Go. Save the Princess."

Hunter chuffed, giving a quick wag of his tail, grateful to them. Turning, he sprinted down the hall looking for some sign of the Darkness plaguing their lives. He caught a glimpse of the cloaked figure. When it saw him, it ducked quickly down the hall.

Hunter loped towards him, rage quickly building in his chest once again. Shortening the distance between them, he lunged at its back. His weight came down on it, causing them to crash hard into the floor.

The cloaked man rolled with a snarl, shoving himself away from the wolf.

Hunter's teeth came within inches of his throat before he tumbled sideways.

"Stop!" the man yelled as he threw the hood back from his face. Dark smoke formed around them, growing into hands that reached out and pinned Hunter to the floor.

Hunter howled in rage as he fought against the vise-like hands.

Quickly the man stood up, swiping a hand through his blond hair, glancing down at the wolf. "You stupid Druids. You think you can stop my Master?"

The wolf shimmered again, taking back his human form. He lay there, pinned down by the ghostly black hands, glaring at the man, calculating his next move.

"Oh, God," a woman cried out from somewhere down the hallway. "I can't do this."

"Yes, you can, Kathy. You're doing great," a man's voice answered her.

Hunter stared down the hall and then back at the cloaked man. "I don't have to stop him. I just have to delay him." A bright white light poured out of his entire body, coating the hands which held him. They dissolved, quickly turning to nothing.

The man's eyes grew wide, his fear of losing becoming evident. Turning he ran, following the sounds of labor.

Hunter moved lightning-quick, hissing a word under his breath.

The man instantly rose off the floor, hanging there like a rag doll.

Hunter stepped in front of him, staring up into the eyes of evil. "You and you're God will not lay a finger on that baby."

The man laughed as he hung there. "She's not one of your kind, Knight. Her soul is one of ours."

Hunter shook his head. "You're wrong about that. I know that soul better than anyone and there is no darkness in it."

A wail of pain shook the hallway as once again the woman cried out.

"You're doing great, sweetie. The baby's almost here," the man's voice once again encouraged her.

The man dangling in the air glanced towards the voices. He could feel time slipping away. "Not yet," he yelled, rocking against the hold on him. It broke, dropping him to the ground. He darted up, sprinting down the hall.

"No!" Hunter yelled. The walls around them started to shake, rattling uncontrollably as doors around them slammed themselves closed.

The man paused, afraid of what might be coming.

Hunter used this to his advantage, tackling the man, slamming him into the floor. Pinning him there, Hunter shook with fury. "You are not taking her from me. You hear me? You're not," he growled, fire blazing in his eyes. Energy crackled around them as power flowed into him.

The cloaked man held his breath, waiting for the deathblow he was sure was coming.

Hunter took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, letting the energy dissipate around them. A tear leaked out as he blinked his eyes, dousing the fire in them.

The man watched him, smirking at the weakness he had shown. "You don't have it in you. You can't kill me."

Hunter stared back at the man. The anger was still there, but he knew it didn't matter. Not anymore. "Listen," he told him.

They're both grew quiet as they listened to the new sound drifting through the hallway. A baby crying. It grew louder as it announced its arrival to the world. Cheering mingled in as the ones with it rejoiced the birth.

Both men stayed still, fascinated by the scene they heard unfolding down the hall. Hunter glanced down at the man and smiled. "I don't have to kill you. It's over. The Time of Transition has passed. That baby is protected now."

The cloaked man snarled in rage, shoving Hunter away, rolling to his feet. He glared venomously at the knight. "This isn't over. He will get her."

"Just go," Hunter told him, weariness settling into his bones. "And if I ever see you again, I will kill you."

The man replaced his hood, quickly disappearing the way they had come.

The lights flickered around Hunter then came back on. He realized the hospital had returned to normal. Standing there, eyes glistening in the harsh florescent light, he listened to the confirmation of life from down the hall. He had never heard anything so beautiful before, the presence of love which flowed with it was breathtaking. A life was given and a soul had found a home.

"Are you okay?"

Turning, he looked at Raven and Cedric. "I'm great. How about you?"

"Doing just fine, brother," Cedric informed him. "I suppose we won?"

"Yes. The Princess has been born."

***

Hunter stood down the hall from the viewing window of the nursery. He couldn't bring himself to go down there. She wasn't the version he needed, and seeing her would just drive the nail further into his heart. He could wait. He had become really good at that.

Raven and Cedric walked past him and stood in front of the window next to the proud parents, who smiled down at the new baby.

"Which one is yours?" Raven asked them.

Kathy Taylor's face lit up even brighter as she pointed to a baby in the front. "That one, right there. That's my baby girl."

"She's beautiful," she told her, smiling down at the baby herself.

"What's that mark on her wrist?" Cedric asked, glancing knowingly at his wife. "It looks like an arrow."

"That's nothing," Dr. Taylor said quickly. "It's just a mark left from the delivery."

Cedric nodded, looking back at the baby. "What's her name?"

Mrs. Taylor glanced away. "We haven't decided on one yet."

Hunter smiled slightly, thinking of all the names she ever had. "I've always liked the name Melissa," he called to them. That name had been the one that suited her the most.

Mrs. Taylor looked up at her husband and smiled. "I like that name, David."

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I do, too."

Looking down at the small little bundle she had created, she nodded. "Melissa Anne Taylor."

Raven turned to look at the mother. "Congratulations. She's a very special girl. You should be proud," she told them before turning away. She and Cedric walked back down the hall, Hunter falling in step with them as they headed out the front entrance.

The sun greeted them as they stood outside, melting away the last memories of the night before. Raven looked at her brother. "Melissa, huh?"

He shrugged. "I know she likes the name, plus...I get my Liss this way."

Cedric let out a deep breath and looked at the others. "So, I guess we watch our girl grow up again."

Hunter shook his head. "I can't. Not yet. I know you're both here and that you'll look after her. That's good enough for right now."

"Hunter," Raven began, seeing the pain in his eyes. "Don't do this to yourself."

He smiled affectionately at her, knowing how much she wanted to look after him. "It's okay. I know we're all safe until she comes of age. I just need to find some peace for a while. Recharge, so I can be here when she needs me." He turned, heading towards the trees surrounding the hospital. He stopped, feeling their eyes on his back. "Don't worry. I'll show up sooner or later," he told them with a smile. "This old dog always finds his way home." He slipped into the trees, disappearing from their view before glancing back at the hospital, unshed tears shining in the sunlight. "I'll see you soon, my love."

###

Continue reading for an excerpt from

Melissa L. Webb's

horror novel

Weaver of Darkness.

When evil comes for the ones you love, who will you choose to be?

Liss Taylor always suspected she was a little different than other people, between the nightmares of desolate wastelands and the tattoo of an arrow she was born with; but when one of Liss' friends dies at the teeth of a Raggedy Ann doll as a warning to her, she knows she is anything but normal.

Armed with knowledge instilled from the past, Liss pushes forward with the aid of her high school friends, two five-hundred year old Druids and a heroic shapeshifter. As an old god stirs, Liss realizes she has faced its summoner before. Can Liss release her powers from within and stop this evil before it claims humanity as its own?

Prologue

He twisted the dial of the radio, scanning the airwaves for something matching his mood. Rock spilled forth from his speakers. He grinned as the driving beat crept into his soul.

"I'm done for the summer!" Andy Parker shouted to the night as his car raced down the highway. He was a free man until college started up again in the fall. He was going to enjoy every minute of it.

He glanced over at the passenger's seat, at the letter he had received that morning. He shook his head in disbelief. How lucky he was to have found the one.

"Katie," he spoke the name in awe. She was waiting for him. This would be their summer. He patted his jacket pocket, checking for the millionth time the ring box was still there. It was time he asked her. He couldn't wait to start their life together. Especially not another year until he graduated. He took a deep breath to steady his pounding heart and focused back on the road.

"No way." Standing in the middle of the road was a figure, its long jacket fluttering in the breeze behind it.

Andy slammed on the brake, but it was too late to stop. The car struck the figure, sending its body flying over the hood and landing on the pavement behind the car.

He swerved hard, sending the car into a spin. It came to a stop, facing the way he had come. The headlights illuminated the lifeless form in the darkness. Andy turned down the radio and leaned back in his seat. He lightly touched his forehead where it had slammed into the steering wheel. He felt the sticky warmth of blood and wiped at it as he grimaced at the pain.

"What was that?" he muttered as he leaned against his door and pushed. It opened easily, causing him to tumble onto the pavement. He moaned in frustration as he tried to focus. The world spun in front of his eyes.

He slowly made his way to the lifeless form in the road. The long jacket was draped perfectly over the length of the shape. He blinked, wondering if he was seeing it right. He stood there a moment trying to get his mind to work. When he decided his brain wasn't going to function any better, he leaned over and pulled back the dark material.

"What?" he spoke in shock. Lying on the ground was a stuffed doll. He recognized it immediately. It was a giant Raggedy Anne doll. He nudged it with his foot timidly, half expecting it to grab him.

He hated the Raggedy dolls with a passion, even though he had been named for them. His parents had decorated his room in that horrid motif, and their ghastly images had scared him to death. Where others saw laughter and happiness in their faces, he had seen pure malice. He knew what that twinkle in their eyes was. They were hungry.

Now, staring down at this doll, he felt the terror rise up once again. He felt as if a dark cloud was forming around him, ready to ensnare him in pure and total darkness. He shivered as a breeze pushed at his body. Eyes darting around nervously, he started back to the car, then stopped. Sighing, he walked back to the doll and stared down at it. "I never liked you," he whispered and gave a kick, sending the doll flying into the weeds on the other side of the road.

Swiping at the blood on his forehead again, he got back into his car. He sat behind the wheel, eyes glazed, taking deep breaths. "What just happened?" he whispered and leaned back into the seat. He put his head in his hands and tried to calm himself down. "Get a grip, Parker," he muttered as he tried to regain his composure. Eyes closed, breathing in and out slowly, he tried to calm his nerves.

A horn's angry blast made his head snap up. He found himself staring straight into the headlights of an oncoming car. Frantically, he reached for the keys, hoping to spring the car into life before he tasted the angry metal of the charging beast. As he turned the keys, the opposing car swerved into the next lane, sparing him from a nasty accident.

"Learn how to drive, bozo," a man yelled from the car as it veered back into its own lane.

"Damn it," Andy swore as he pounded the dashboard with his fist. He sighed as he put the car into gear, turned it back around, and pointed it back towards sanity and the way home.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to ease back into driving. He knew he had hit something, and whatever it was, it had been standing in the middle of the road.

He turned the radio back up and tried to relax, but the image loomed in his mind. It was like a continuous loop from a nightmare. There had been someone standing in the middle of the road. He had hit something solid.

He shook his head and tried to put it behind him. It didn't matter. What was done was done and he had his whole life waiting for him. Andy needed to silence the dark thoughts fluttering in his head, but they stuck to his mind like old cobwebs.

Someone had been standing in that road.

Soon a familiar sign glistened in his high beams. NIGHT OAK, OHIO-5 MILES.

"Home," he whispered. Soon he'd be at his mom's table eating her home cooking. He'd soon have Katie in his arms. He patted his jacket pocket, feeling for the ring box and the future he was carrying. It was still there where he had left it. Yes, everything was going to be okay.

Darkness suddenly slammed across the front of the car. Andy's attention snapped back to the road. The entire windshield was covered in total blackness. He couldn't see where he was going. Cussing, he slammed on his brakes. The car fishtailed instantly, flipping into a roll.

Andy blinked. He slowly realized he must have been knocked unconscious; but how long he had been out, he had no clue. He moved hesitantly and realized he was hanging upside down in his seat belt. Fresh blood seeped into his eyes. He quickly tried to blink the blood away.

"Damn it" he yelled as he struggled with his seat belt. The buckle finally popped open, sending him tumbling onto the ceiling. He winced from the pain, tears welling up in his eyes. Slowly, Andy reached for the door and tried to open it. It groaned under his weight, but didn't open. He shoved at it several more times, but it still didn't budge. "This can't be happening," he whispered as the tears slid down his cheeks.

His fingers were slick with blood from trying the door so hard, but somehow he managed to find the window handle. He tried frantically to get a firm purchase on it, but his fingers kept sliding off.

"Open, damn it." he whispered as he slid his jacket sleeves down over his hands and used them to grab onto the handle. The window slowly rolled down enough for Andy to crawl through it.

He was almost out of the car, when something came down around him, turning his world dark. He scrambled forward, clawing frantically at what held him. He suddenly realized he was fighting material. He gave it a good hard yank and pulled it off. The moon gave off enough light to see what it was. It was the jacket that was laid over the doll.

He shook his head. There was no doubt in his mind that's what caused the accident. "What the hell is going on?" he asked, anger dripping from his voice as he tossed the jacket aside. He stood up slowly. The world swam before his eyes as the darkness seemed to close in on him. He closed his eyes and fought the urge to vomit. After a couple deep breaths, Andy opened his eyes. The world was no longer swimming, but it was still quite fuzzy. He glanced over at his car. He could see well enough to know he had problems. His new car was lying in a ditch along the side of the road.

"Oh, God. No," he whispered. The car was totaled.

He patted his jeans pocket, looking for his cell phone. The pocket was empty. He must have lost it somewhere. It slowly dawned on him he was all alone.

He looked around, trying to decide what to do. He knew he wasn't far from town. He should just wait until someone came by.

A bird called into the night, causing him to jump. He looked behind him, at the thick dark woods fewer then five feet from him and shivered. It was a warm breeze that drifted through the night, but inside his bones were like ice. He peered at the highway through the haze in his head. There should've been at least a half of dozen cars gone by on this road, yet he hadn't seen a single one. He glanced around nervously. Something wasn't right here. He needed to leave. Now.

He gave his car one last pitiful look and started around it, towards town.

"Hey, where are you going?" a voice called from behind him.

Andy spun around. There, leaning against a tree, batting its eyelashes, stood the Raggedy Ann doll. "No freaking way," he whispered under his breath as he took a few steps back.

"Oh, Andy. Please don't leave," it cooed at him. "I want to play."

"No," he whispered. "You're not real."

"Andy, Andy..." it called in a singsong voice. "Please get up. It's time to brush your teeth."

He thought back to his room and to that awful alarm clock that used to haunt his mornings. It had said the same thing. With out realizing it, he started whispering Raggedy Andy's response. "Okay, Ann. I'm awake. It's time to start the day."

The doll giggled and clapped its hands. "Very good!"

The sound of the clap broke the spell. "No!" he screamed. He turned around to run, but blocking his way was a dark figure.

"You're not going anywhere," the figure spoke as a powerful force lifted Andy up and tossed him hard into a tree.

He slid down it in a daze. His head felt as if a terrible force was trying to free itself from within. Blinking, he cleared his eyesight and suddenly wished he hadn't. The dark figure was standing over him with the hungry looking Ann, rows of razor sharp teeth jutting from her mouth, standing behind him. The doll stared at him and licked its lips.

"Who are you?" Andy managed to squeak out.

"That is not important," the figure's voice boomed.

He moaned and put his head down. "Why me?" he begged.

The figure chuckled. "You are special. You are to be the first."

With that, Andy's world went dark.

About the author:

Melissa L. Webb is a writer of dark words. She spends her days creating new nightmares in Northern California.

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