Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous II

So now that Sebastian Jericho is back in play, I am inspired to continue his back-story, plus I wanted to write another pure dialogue story, so this was a good excuse. Here's Part II.

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous II

The following was recorded by Doctor Curtis McGregor and reviewed by the District Court as per the conditions of the deal between the Prosecution and Defendant, Sebastian Jericho.

Sebastian Jericho Therapy Session #1: Present are Doctor McGregor and Sebastian Jericho.

“So tell me doc, isn’t this the very same office where that one guy swan dived out the window and caused his therapist to go batshit?”

“Sebastian...”

“Cause I gotta tell you, that kinda puts a damper on this whole ‘let’s open up and share our feelings’ thing we got here. Like a black cloud you know?”

“Sebastian please sit down...”

“You’re not gonna go all loopy on me are you doc? Like this office isn’t cursed or anything is it?”

“Sebastian...”

“Although if I went nuts and leapt out the window then I wouldn’t have to do this god awful court ordered deal I got going.”

“Please just...”

“Then again, if I went out the window, who’d sing all my songs? Who’d entertain my millions and millions of fans? They are a greedy bunch, and I don’t blame them. I’ve been giving them the best music in history for years and now they’re just used to it I guess.”

“SEBASTIAN SIT DOWN!”

“...”

“I’m sorry...”

“You know you’re pretty touchy. Maybe you need therapy.”

“I apologise, it’s just that...”

“You know what doc? It’s your lucky day, because Sebastian Jericho is in session. So go on, tell me what’s on your mind. What’s in your heart?”

“Oh god...”

“Come on don’t shut me out. I’m only trying to help you sort yourself out.”

“Sebastian we should be talking about you, not me.”

“Really? Cause I’m way over here in the land of sane people, and you’re way over there in loony land. Hey what’s the weather like over there? Raining, I bet.”

“Sebastian this is really...”

“Stupid? A waste of time? Useless? Totally unnecessary? I agree. Don’t get up doc, I’ll show myself out. See ya!”

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous

Stupid Rich, Stupid Famous
Just for the record, I don’t need therapy. I also think this whole journal business is bullshit. Believe me if it wasn’t court ordered I would be having none of it.

But that’s what you get when you’re a mega celebrity and you get caught doing something very stupid, and I have been doing a lot of very stupid things recently. Drugs, booze, driving way too fast, partying way too hard, basically all those really fun things that you should only really do every once in a blue moon. Except I’ve been doing them nearly every day.

For anyone reading this that isn’t me, first of all how the hell did you find this? Seriously?

Either I’m dead or the paparazzi have really stepped their game up. Not sure which would be worse. Anyways, this is Sebastian Jericho.

Yeah that’s right, pause a sec and catch your breath, let that sink in.

The Sebastian Jericho.

If you’ve been living under a rock or something then I’ll explain.

I am the lead singer and co-founder of one of the best musical acts in the world, I have more money than your entire family line combined, I own so many clubs and bars that I don’t even know where they all are anymore, and I have more screaming fans then all the douche vampire actors put together.

So yeah I’m pretty famous.

It was any other day I guess, I was heading to my hotel room after doing a brief concert, swimming through the swarms of fans and photographers and whoever the hell else, when someone yelled out that the band sucked ever since my wife left.

So I knocked him the fuck out.

Before you think my reaction was a little extreme, let me clarify. Thing is, my wife of ten years, co-founder and the band’s other lead singer, died in a plane crash last year when she was coming back from some overseas promoting.

So yeah, forgive me if maybe my music has changed a little and the band has lost one of the most defining voices of all time.

Turns out though, that the police don’t like it when you go all ape shit on a guy and it gets captured by every media device there is, even when you have a good excuse.

Thus I have to go to therapy, and do this stupid journal in which I am supposed to chronicle my day’s events until such a time when the court deems it prudent to stop.

Their words, not mine.

I’m sitting in the waiting room writing this actually, so it’s kinda two birds with one stone I guess. We’ll see how it goes, couldn’t be worse than jail right?

I should have taken the jail time.

Damn it.

The New House Epilogue

“So this isn’t so bad so far huh?” I said, trying to muster courage I didn’t feel.

Carla just gave me a blank look and shook her head.

I sighed and we continued working our way slowly toward the basement. The house was wrecked. The walls were cracked and crumbling, the roof looked like it would come down any minute, and the air was thick and heavy, like we were walking through a jungle.

This obviously wasn’t my house anymore, and now I was beginning to realize that it never really was.

We worked our way to the basement door before we stopped.

“This is it,” Carla said, taking my hand in hers. “You ready?”

I sighed and shook my head. “No, not even close. But I kinda have to be huh?”

She nodded and tried to smile. “I could take the gun if you want, you don’t have to do this.”

“What? Of course I do, you're only here because I got you into this remember?”

She nodded. “So are you ready then?”

“I...” I grinned. She had given me strength, yet again. “Yeah, I am.”

Together, we turned the handle on the door and swung it open, and proceeded down the stairs.

As bad as the air was upstairs it was a thousand times worse down here. It felt like we were underwater, and breathing down here was difficult to say the least.

The creature was making no attempt to hide itself. Leaning against the wall on the other side of the room, it turned its gaze to us and grinned ear to ear.

It was all I could do not to bolt. My body and mind were both screaming at me to get the hell out of there, that this was easily the dumbest thing I had ever done, that if we didn’t run far far away we would never leave this basement.

Carla gripped my hand, enough to hurt but it snapped me out of my near panic. I couldn’t go anywhere. Not with her with me. Here and now we would finish this.

The creature skulked toward us and I could see that it was pretty banged up. Large holes were blown through it, proving that the creature had no real body to speak of; it seemed to be made up of thick black ooze. The holes were slowly closing up though.

Cam had really had it out with this thing.

The creature was close now, its yellow eyes were gazing into mine, and though it seemed too injured to stand at its full height, it still towered over me.

“Ian...” Carla hissed, squeezing my hand.

The creature edged closer, its claws outstretching, and I knew I should run, move, shoot, do something but, looking into its eyes, I felt no danger. It was like I was falling into some sort of trance.

“Ian shoot it!” She was yelling at me, I think, but she sounded so far away.

My hands went limp, and the shotgun clattered to the floor.

The creature’s inky darkness surrounded me, and all went black.

****

I saw a five year old boy, curled up beneath the stairs, shaking with the cold. All he had was a tiny locket, which he clutched to his chest.

I saw the door open and the boy rushing to the light, felt his glimmer of hope, only to have a plate of scraps thrown to the floor and the door slammed in his face, covering him in darkness again.

I saw the boy crying for what seemed like forever.

I saw the door open less and less, until it stopped opening completely.

I saw him wasting away, getting thinner and thinner, weaker and weaker.

I saw the little boy, curled up beneath the stairs shaking with the cold, until he finally stopped. I knew he wouldn’t move again.

****

“Let him go!”

The shot was deafening and the creature threw its head back and howled with pain, releasing me from its grasp. I fell to the floor with a thud, trying to sort what I had seen.

Were those...was it showing me its memories?

I picked myself up and looked around, trying to get my bearings. The creature had recovered and charged at Carla, who quickly leapt out of the way. Carla aimed the shotgun at its head, and I could see her about to pull the trigger.

I had yelled before I even knew it.

“Stop!”

Too late.

The shot rang out and the creature howled in pain again, its clawed hand covering the wound as it fell to the floor. Later I would marvel at how good a shot she was, but for now all I could see was that little boy in so much pain.

I raced to the stairs and looked behind them; my hand groping in the darkness for what I knew would be there.

The locket. Found it.

I ran over to the creature, and knelt beside it.

“Ian what are you doing?!” Carla yelled. “Get away from it!”

“Here,” I said, showing the boy his locket. “You need to break this; it’s the only way you'll be free.”

The boy’s eyes met mine, and I could see tears welling in them, while I realized I was crying too.

The boy shook his head softly, and I could see he was trying to speak.

Suddenly I understood. He couldn’t. As much as he may want to, he couldn’t destroy the locket alone. He needed me.

That was why showed himself to me, why he let me in the basement and no one else, why he came to my room.

For Christ’s sake he was just a five year old boy. He was a five year old boy, and while he had attacked my parents, Cam, and whoever else, in me, he saw a friend.

“We can do it together,” I said, placing the locket in his open hand. “And you can go. You won't be stuck down in this basement anymore.”

The boy was crying now, and nodded slowly.

I closed my hand over his, and felt the locket crack, and finally break.

He smiled, and closed his eyes. His body sank into the shadows that formed him, and the inky blackness quickly enveloped the walls, the floor, the ceiling, covering everything but us.

Then just as suddenly, it was gone, and the air was suddenly normal.

I turned to Carla, who was watching me with tears in her eyes.

“He’s gone.”

“He...?” She said softly, “Ian what happened?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I said, standing up. “I promise I will, but for now, I just need a bit of time. Besides we should go see how Cam is doing.”

She nodded but I knew she wouldn’t let this go. Which was fine, It would probably help to talk to her about it anyway.

We walked upstairs and almost couldn’t process what we saw.

The house was normal. Like completely back to normal, maybe better even. It was just like it was.

We headed outside, and got another shock. I was way overdue for a heart attack at this rate.

“For the last time get the hell off of my property you filthy hobo!” My dad yelled, giving Cam a stiff shove. My mom was trying to calm him down, and Cam seemed to be trying to explain...well I had no idea what he was saying but my dad clearly wasn’t buying it.

I had never been happier in my life.

I grabbed Carla and held her tightly, taking in the love in her eyes and the happiness of her smile before she leaned up and kissed me.

****

So after a long and awkward conversation with my parents about how I knew Cam, (I told them he was the hobo in the basement, and that I was right and there, in fact, was somebody in the basement this whole time,) things went back to normal. Better than normal in fact.

My parents didn’t remember a thing about what had happened. They remembered right up until just before they got attacked, then as far as they were concerned the next moment they were yelling at Cam to quit skulking around our lawn.

I told Carla about what the boy had shown me, and she went with me to the library where we looked through old newspapers and online databases, trying to find out whatever we could about him. Very little information turned up, unfortunately. All we were able to find out was that the body of a small boy was found under the stairs nearly fifty years ago, two years after the house was abandoned.

They said his name was Conner.

It was something I suppose, but I had hoped for more. I wanted to know why, and it really bothered me that the answer eluded me. It bothered me that it had happened in the first place, and it bothered me that whoever kept him locked in the basement didn’t get caught.

Carla gave me the strength I needed to help lay Conner’s soul to rest though, and I can’t imagine how it would have turned out if she hadn’t been there. We stayed together throughout high school, and though our relationship has had its ups and downs, we are still together today, with no end in sight.

Actually on that note, I have been playing with a ring in my pocket for a while now, and Carla just told me she’s pregnant. I have never been happier.

We’ve already decided that if it’s a boy, we know what we are going to name him.

Apologies With Punching (The New House Part VIII)

Jesus this is bad.

I am really screwed.

Like really screwed.

God damn it where the hell is she?

To say I was on the verge of totally freaking out would be a lie. No we had gone beyond that point a long time ago. Now we were at a point past that, which I had discovered was a kind of numb, heavy feeling, where you know your heart should be pounding but it’s too tired or sore or whatever.

I had been looking for Carla for the better part of...well...of a long time. The sun had gone down a while ago, and I could barely walk but I had to find her.

She hadn’t gone home, her house was the first place I checked, but they said she had phoned them from a friend’s house so at least she was okay. Didn’t help that I had no idea who her friends were though. So I kinda wandered aimlessly, feeling really stupid and trying not to die of...well of whatever it was I was feeling.

By the time I had finally made my way back to my place, the sky was pitch black. Maybe that crazy guy had figured something out? He said he’d be waiting for me.

Oh good; of all the people to pin my hopes on.

But then I got to my place and man did my heart soar.

There was Carla, crouched over helping the homeless guy who was leaning on the steps. Wait...he didn’t look so good...oh god.

“What happened?” I asked running towards them. “Are you guys okay?”

Carla shot me easily the most terrifying look I have ever or will ever see in my life, but my eyes quickly returned to the homeless guy. He was bleeding. A lot.

“Hey punk,” he said, his voice soft, “Look who I found, crazy huh?”

“Are you alright?” I asked, somewhat foolishly but I couldn’t really help it.

“He went inside,” Carla said, not looking at me. “I told him it was a bad idea but he went anyway. He came out really roughed up.”

He laughed at that. “Roughed up? Nah this isn’t so bad, I can still breathe and all that. I was just careless. I never thought that the thing down there would be...well like me."

“Wait what?” I stared at him. “How the hell is that thing at all like you?”

“It’s what I could become,” he said. “If I lose myself to... death.”

“So not following you,” I muttered.

“Wait a minute,” Carla said, “Are you saying that you...that you’re dead?” Didn’t sound like she believed him. Not a surprise there.

“Sure am, and so is that monster under the stairs. Me and him, we used to be regular people, except we stuck around. Whoever that was died with extreme hatred, and fear. Those feelings changed him. Now he’s something else entirely. But we’re tied to something. There’s something that keeps us here, makes it so we don’t just fade away.”

“How is that even possible?” I asked. This guy got crazier and crazier. Still though, I couldn’t help but find myself trusting him. The guy just had a way about him.

“Look, this is really just the cliff notes version here but kid, there are a lot of freaky things out there, me and him; we’re just a small part. The tip of the iceberg so to speak.”

“So how do we kill something that’s already dead?” Carla asked, and I couldn’t help but look at her. She still wanted to help me.

God I suck.

“Well I tried shooting it in the face,” the man laughed, “That didn’t work so hot. You need to find out what it’s anchored to and destroy it. That’ll get it gone.”

Carla looked like she was gonna reply, but stopped. She gave the man a look then said, “You’re bleeding has stopped. How...?”

“I heal up pretty quick,” he said. “Seeing as what anchors me makes sure I stay here, no matter the damage.”

“So how do we figure out what anchors this creature?” I asked.

“I dunno,” he said, very unhelpfully. “You’re the kids who have dealt with this thing, got any ideas?”

“The locket,” Carla said quickly. “It’s tied to the locket.”

“Good,” he said, “So where’s that?”

“It has it,” I said, suddenly realizing what that meant.

“You guys like to do things the hard way huh? Look I’m still pretty banged up, I can’t fight, but the good news is that so is that thing. If you’re up to it, now is your best chance to get in there and smash that locket.”

“Us?” I asked. “You really think...?”

“If you quit your bickering and make up, yeah I do,” he said. “You kids are made of good stuff; you have what it takes to make it in this kind of world.”

If we make up...

Carla nodded, and I felt a surge of hope that maybe things could go back to the way they were.

Then she stood up, dusted herself off, walked over, and punched me across the face.

I fell flat on my ass in a very unmanly way. That really hurt.

“That’s for breaking my heart, jerk.” She held her hand out for me, “But Cam explained what you were trying to do for me so...”

I rubbed my jaw as I took her hand and she helped me up.

“I just wanted to keep you safe,” I said. “But rather than protect you I tried to get rid of you. I’ll always regret that.”

“It’s okay,” she said smiling. “I feel much better about it all now.”

Yeah I bet, wonder if her hand hurt half as much as my face.

“So...you’ll stick by me then?”

“Always.”

I smiled, ear to ear, and pulled her close. Or eyes met briefly before I couldn’t keep my lips away from hers any longer and kissed her with all I had left. She returned in kind.

“Um...still right here.”

I decided to pretend to care as I pulled away from her, still smiling. “So your name is Cam, then?” I asked him. “I thought it wasn’t important.”

“Yeah well, she saw through my mysterious bad boy charm. Now hurry up, the longer you dilly dally the more the monster recovers, and the more likely you two are to start jumping each other.”

“Thank you for everything,” Carla said. “You’ve helped us so much.”

He just nodded. “Here kid,” he said, motioning to me, “This is for you.”

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small double barrel, sawn off shotgun, I was hesitant to take it; I had never handled a gun before.

“You can use it with one hand but given your size I’d recommend two,” he said. “This is my own custom design; I’ve killed a lot of baddies with it so I want it back.”

I nodded and took it. “I’m not sure I...”

“Just point and shoot kid, real simple. Oh you only have two, so make them count. Use it to keep the monster off of you while you get that locket.”

I nodded again. “Thank you.”

“Whatever, hurry up and go, and try not to die yeah?”

“Try our best,” I said. I looked at Carla who nodded, eyes shining with the strength that had come to characterize her.

With one last look back at Cam, we entered the house.

The End And The Beginning (The New House Part VII)

As we walked, the world seemed to be a much different place than a few days ago. Colours seemed less vibrant, like everything was painted with just a touch of gray. The streets seemed longer, and houses seemed empty. Even the sky seemed to be wrong somehow. Everything just seemed wrong.

Carla and I leaned on each other for support. I doubted either of us could stand up on our own at the moment. I knew we had to try and figure out something, just running away wasn’t gonna solve anything, but it was all I could do to keep moving, let alone try and figure out something as complicated as a plan.

“Ian I...” Carla started, but trailed off. She had tried a few times now to speak but had quickly returned to silence. At least she could try. I wasn’t there yet.

“I’m so sorry...” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

I stopped, stopped walking for the first time in what must have been hours. And I took a good, hard look at this girl that stood beside me.

This girl who was barely fifteen years old, this girl who possessed more strength and courage then anyone I would ever meet, this girl who had just risked her life to help me, and had now walked with me to god knows what part of the city, and all I could do was ask why.

She had a home that wasn’t a monster’s playground, parents who weren’t most likely dead, she was beautiful and smart and funny and the best thing that could happen to anyone who knew her.

Which was why I didn’t deserve her.

Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. She could barely stand from all the running. She couldn’t speak from all the terror.

I and my problems were killing her.

“Ian?” She asked, her voice still soft. She could tell that something had changed in me.

I looked at her, and uttered the most difficult words I had ever said in my life.

“We need to break up.”

She looked at me for a long time. She met my eyes with ease, and simply said, “What?”

Stay firm Ian, I told myself. This is what’s best. This will keep her safe.

“Carla,” I said, trying to keep my eyes from tearing up again. “I can’t see you anymore. You need to leave me alone, and forget you ever knew me.”

“You better be joking Ian,” she said, her eyes narrowing even as tears fell down her cheeks. “After all of this you think I can just go back to being the same person I was before? That I can just forget everything we have been through?”

“No,” I said, “But I won’t have you change any further either. You have no reason to stay with me. There’s nothing in it for you, these are my problems, and I don’t want to be responsible for what happens to you.”

“Ian! Why the hell do you think I have been helping you all this time?! For fun?! I’ve been doing it because I care about you! Because I like being with you! I’ve been at your side this whole time because I maybe even lo...”

“We barely fucking know each other!” I snapped. “All we have together is terror and pain and running! This isn’t a relationship!”

The silence was worse than the monster’s laughter.

“I...Carla I...” Oh man I messed up bad. That was not what I meant. I wanted to keep her safe, but I had truly hurt her.

“No!” she said, holding up her hands to cover her tears. “You bastard, fuck you...I ...I hate you...”

And then she was running, back the way we had come. Running away from me.

And I should have gone after her. I know that now. But at the time, I truly thought this was for the best. I did love her, I was sure about that. But more than anything at least if she hated me she would be safe.

I continued to think that as I wandered aimlessly, trying to just be able to be me again. But I was numb. I couldn’t feel a thing, couldn’t make my brain turn back on.

Until I heard the clapping behind me.

I turned around and there stood a man I will remember for as long as I live.

He was big. Not just his size, but his presence. He cut an imposing figure, bald, wearing a long black trench coat and heavy boots and a silly looking eye patch. He was dirty, and he kinda smelt. Probably living on the streets.

A homeless person. Wonderful.

And then he walked over and hit me upside the head. Not enough to hurt, it was almost as though he was scolding me.

“That’s for being stupid,” he said. His voice was full of authority. This was a man who was used to giving orders. “And for making it so damn difficult to find you, Ian.”

What?

“How do you know my name?” I asked, knowing I should have been more freaked out than I was. A crazy man just hit me on the street, and called me by name, but damned if I could care. I was just going through the motions.

“Because I’ve been watching you and your girlfriend for a while,” he said, then seemed to realize what that must have sounded like because he quickly added, “Well actually I’ve been watching your house. I just happened to see the two of you a lot while I’ve been doing so.”

“Like that’s any less weird,” I muttered. I just wanted this guy to go away, but wound up deciding to ask another question. “Why?”

He looked at me blankly. “Why do you think? Because there’s a monster in your basement. I saw you running out of your place and figured things must have come to a head so I wanted to talk to you.”

Now he had my full attention.

“How do you know about all that? How did you figure that out?”

He sighed. “You could say I’ve had experience with this sort of stuff. There are signs. I came into town about little while ago, and got a bad feeling. It took me a while, but I finally narrowed it down to your place.”

“How? You just got a feeling?” This guy was making no sense.

“Yeah,” he said, then, with a faraway look in his eye, he added, “It seems that there is no escaping my true purpose, no matter where I go.”

“O...kay mister crazy person. So what exactly is your deal?”

“Well kid,” he said, “After I quit my job a while back I’ve been wandering cross country, trying to find someone, and doing what I do best, which is killing monsters. I was gonna go kill your monster too, but after meeting you, I’ve decided not to.”

This guy was something else.

“Jesus Christ...you’re a psycho you know that?” I grumbled, but he held up a hand and cut me off.

“Because you remind me of myself, back in the day,” he said. “And if I just went ahead and killed your creepy, then I wouldn’t be able to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life.”

I sighed, “And what might that be?”

“You serious? Man you're thick, what the hell do you think? Your pretty girlfriend has been facing some terrible monster for you, and you just kicked her to the curb. That, my little idiot, is the dumbest thing you can do when you’re going up against stuff like this.”

“What the hell can I do?!” I shouted at him. I was really starting to lose my patience. At him, at this whole damn situation.

“You fight, and you count on the people who have decided to fight beside you. Believe in their resolve, and don’t insult them by calling that into question. Regardless of what you may think of their reasons, they believe in them more than you can know.”

“Believe in...So you’re saying it was wrong of me to try and keep Carla safe?”

“Keeping her safe is one thing, but don’t tell her that she has no reason to fight for you when she so obviously does. It’s one of the worst insults you can give a person. She obviously loves you, and you obviously love her, so use that strength to your advantage.”

“It is really messed how much you seem to know about us,” I said. “What about that monster? It killed my parents, what am I supposed to do about that?”

“I don’t actually think it did,” he said. “If I’m right, there is something keeping that creature there, a purpose. Undo that and everything should go back to the way it was, including getting your parents back.”

I suddenly felt a thousand pounds lighter. All this...all this could go back to normal?

I tried to speak, I wanted to yell for joy, leap up into the air and scream, but I got a hold of myself. These were just the ramblings of a wacko. Best not to put too much stock in his words. Still, I couldn't help but ask, “How?”

“Not sure yet,” the man said. “But that’s why while you go and mend fences with your girlfriend, I’m gonna go take a look at beastie. Once I know what it is, I’ll know how to deal with it.”

“You're serious?” I asked, dumbfounded. “Just how long have you been doing this?”

He smiled, it was a strange smile, like he wasn’t used to the gesture. “My whole life, and then some. Now get lost, I’ll meet you outside your place.”

He started to walk away, and I couldn’t help but call after him, “Hey! What’s your name?”

He stopped, turned his head, and said, “It’s not important.”

He was easily the weirdest man I had ever met. I had absolutely no reason to believe a word he was saying, he could have been just a nut job who had overheard our conversation and was messing with my head, but there was just something about him. It was like he really knew what was going on, like he had seen it all before.

Either way though, I realized he was right. I needed to see Carla. If I wanted anything to change for the better, then she needed to be a part of it.

I took off running, renewed strength carrying me forward. I wanted to catch her before she got home. I wanted to tell her that I was wrong, that I messed up, and that I needed her not just to get through this crisis, but every day after that.

I was barely fifteen years old, but I knew I had met the love of my life. I had to catch her. I had to.

Face to Face (The New House Part VI)

I took several deep breaths. My mom was obviously worried, and if I couldn’t keep my cool I would only stress her further. This thing, whatever it was, had only made itself known to me, so it should let me in the basement, given that I was the one it seemed to want.

Right?

That was my logic anyway as I went down to the basement door and attempted to turn the handle. A part of me was screaming to wait for Carla, not only did she have the locket, but she was my courage, the only reason I was able to face this thing. However another part of me just couldn’t sit back and wait while my dad was down there alone. All sorts of horrible images were playing through my mind, and without realizing it, I had already opened the basement door and was walking down the stairs.

Whatever was down here had let me in, just like I thought. Lucky me.

“Ian?” my mom called, “How did you get the door open?”

“Stay upstairs, by the phone.” I heard myself say, “Just in case.” I couldn’t have her come down here as well. I tried the light switch at the bottom of the stairs. Nothing, the lights wouldn’t turn on.

Of course.

Suddenly there was a slam from above me, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. I turned and looked back up the stairs, where the door was now firmly closed behind me. I ran back and tried to open it with all my strength, but it wouldn’t budge. I was trapped down here.

I gulped. The fear was clinging to me now, working its way up my body. It was smothering. The
air down here was much different than last time. It was thick and heavy, and hot. It was way too hot down here.

And the smell, oh god the smell.

Wiping sweat from my brow, I tried to quell the panic that was beginning to take hold. I was truly in this thing's lair.

“It’s alright,” I muttered. Talking to myself, not a good sign; then again it sure beat having a
complete freak out. “Think happy thoughts, Carla, the strength she brings with her.” I felt myself calm down a little. I was still scared, but I could do this.

I looked around as best I could in the dark. I could see the vague outline of the basement as light peeked in from the crack beneath the door above the stairs.

Then I heard it.

The deep, heavy breathing, steady and powerful, and only getting louder.

Behind me!

I whirled around just in time to see something emerge from beneath the stairs. Jesus it was huge, easily over 8 feet tall. I couldn’t believe it was this big. A nightmarish creature of shadows and darkness, all I could clearly see of it were its eyes, a freakish yellow, and its mouth, stretched into a wide grin, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth.

Finally the panic triumphed, and no amount of happy thinking was going to stop it this time. My mind literally shut off. I fell to my knees, tears pouring down my face as my emotions deserted me. I knew I should be scared, I knew I should be screaming and trying to run away, but all I could do was stare at this towering monster that stalked towards me, step by step. There was no way my father could still be alive, not if he met this thing and now it was going to kill me too. It wrapped a long clawed hand around my neck and grinned.

“Ian!”

That snapped me out of it; her voice. Carla was standing at the top of the stairs, the locket in hand. “I have it!”

“Carla no!” I shouted, picking myself up, strength surging through my body as I wrenched myself from its grip. I couldn’t this thing get her too. “Get out of here, right now!”

Too late.

The monster saw her, its eyes locking with hers and its twisted grin seemed to grow wider.

Carla, however, was far stronger than me. Rather than crumple like I did, she stood her ground.

“Here,” she said, holding up the locket. “This is what you want right? Take it!” With that she threw the tiny trinket down the stairs, where it landed against the far wall.

The creature leapt at the locket, its movements more like a dog’s than a person. It was distracted though, and I took that opportunity to race up the stairs, moving as fast as I could, diving through the open door and taking Carla with me, landing in a heap.

The monster, however; gave chase. Bounding on all fours, the creature practically flew up the stairs, and it was Carla’s quick thinking that saved us; as she slammed the door closed with a kick just in the nick of the time. There was a heavy thud as the creature slammed against the door, and I thought for sure the hinges would give but they held strong.

The monster slammed its bulk against the door again and again, but the door stayed firm, until finally, it stopped, and we could hear its heavy footsteps thump down the stairs.

We could only lay there, our minds in shock.

Finally, after what seemed like hours Carla asked,“Why did it give up?” Her voice felt faint, like it was far away. “It could probably break down the door so why?”

And then my mom screamed.

I wanted to panic; I wanted to freak out, to run and run and hide somewhere and never come out.

But I had to try and be strong, strong like her. So I stood up, no small feat but I managed, and held out my hand to Carla, who took it and pulled herself up.

We tore through the house checking every room, calling my mom’s name over and over.

But there was no trace of her.

She was gone.

“That’s why it stopped,” I muttered, “It got her instead.”

And then we both heard it, a deep low rumble that resonated through the very house, shaking the walls and making the floor vibrate.

The chuckle. The same damned laugh of that monster.

The creature laughed and laughed, and the rumbling grew stronger as the walls began to shake so violently they started to splinter and crack. The pictures we had hung on them fell to the ground as the house felt like it would collapse any second. Carla and I spared a brief glance before panic overtook us. We ran out of the house as fast as we could, and even when the house was long behind us, we could still here the laugh ringing in our ears.

Born an Angel

So I decided to take a quick break from the New House series; which is nearing its end, by the way, and post something sent to me by a good friend of mine.

I didn't write this piece, instead I served as an editor of sorts, but after going through it and getting permission, I wanted to post it here.

****

I couldn’t help but take her hand, noticing just how much smaller it was than mine. Her hands were rough though, and her grip was far from gentle. She looked up at me; her eyes clouded, as though she were incapable of taking in the things around her without first filing them through a distorted filter. It was like looking into a storm cloud, full of fury and chaos, but still just so damn beautiful.

But there was no way I could have known that even someone so small and fragile could be so full of loathing and darkness, and have the ability to do so much damage. Maybe I was so blinded by the fact that I believed we were meant to be. The moment I touched her hand I knew that she would be a part of my life forever Still...I wish I had known, I wish I had paid more attention to the soul behind the face.

She gave me a small grin and whispered, "I was born an angel you know."

Cryptic and sudden; it seemed more like a warning than a statement, but those words flowing from her lips wrapped themselves around my heart. From now until time stopped moving forward I was hers, and as I looked back on that moment, for just a second, it was as though her eyes cleared up and somehow she realized she belonged to me too. My love for her resonated deep in my heart, and no longer content to simply hold her hand, I took her into my arms and held her with all my strength.

A tear slid down my cheek as my soul responded, “I know."