by Sara Clancy
Benton was the first to recover, at least from his shock. With a weak turn of his head, he sought out Nicole’s gaze.
“Are you okay?” he asked with a slight gravel to his voice.
Nicole nodded although she wasn’t quite sure. Physically, mentally, she was still too stunned to know how deep the wounds went.
“Thanks,” Benton said with a weary smile. He waited for her to nod again before continuing. “We should go. This car isn’t going to keep them out if they come back.”
“What the hell just happened?” Zack burst into motion and rage. “We were almost killed. Nicole shot that guy. And you’re some kind of…”
“You can say it,” Benton said as he shifted uncomfortably under the dead weight. “It’s not a derogatory word.”
“How are you so calm?” Meg weakly asked.
“I’ve been around a lot of dead people,” Benton shrugged.
“In your dreams!” Zack snapped. “That’s kind of different.”
Benton rolled his eyes and the gesture made him waver. The others broke into a thousand words, but Nicole couldn’t understand them. All she could see was Benton quickly fading, and the corpse she had created. A patch of blood stained the seat just to the side of his face and her gut wrenched at the sight of it. Still, even as her internal organs seemed to melt into a boiling tar, she didn’t feel a blinding despair crumbling down on her.
Benton lifted his gaze to meet hers and his body went rigid. It took Nicole a second to realize that he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were focused out on the shattered windshield. The same expression soon covered everyone else’s face. They were all focused on the windshield. Feeling the aches in her body, Nicole pushed herself up to follow their gazes. Allison stood before them. The edge of the high beams only just illuminated her feet. Mud bled out from her, mixing with the rain and pooling around her. Lightning sparked the sky and, within that moment, she could see a dozen other spirits hidden within the shadows. As one, they all began to edge closer.
Nicole scrambled back from the door as Allison stalked past. She jerked and jolted. Even the storm couldn’t drown out the way her flesh squelched with every step. She stopped at Benton’s door and turned. Lightning cracked again and they were suddenly surrounded by the rotting woman. The back door popped open and Nicole snapped around to see Benton nudging the door open with his foot. Zack balled his hands in Benton’s shirt, but it didn’t stop Benton from nudging the door again.
Slowly, Allison crouched down. Sludge dripped from her matted hair and smeared across her face. The darkened smears turned her eyes into luminous milky pools. Allison’s hand twitched as she reached out and closed her hand around the man’s leg. She began to drag the corpse out of the car, all the while keeping her eyes locked with Benton’s. She slipped the man out onto the road with a whack. The other spirits closed in around them and the car began to shake. The suspension squealed and the rain poured in from every angle. Nicole’s hands reached out as she searched for something to hold onto. With one last tremor, the woman’s body was dragged from the roof. Then the spirits retreated back into the darkness, taking the corpses with them, and leaving the stunned teens alone to the driving rain.
When Benton broke the silence, his voice was numb. “Please tell me someone has the car keys.”
Chapter 12
The air had shifted the moment Danny had driven the car, careening off of the highway and back onto the main road. Hurricane winds still slammed into the sides of the vehicle and the rain still drove down like hail, but Benton felt the change. His spine arched and his lungs gulped down air as if he had been drowning. The chill that encased him remained, but no longer dug into him like daggers of ice.
Lights flickered across the horizon, barely concealed by the typhoon and the swirling masses of darkness that surrounded it. Danny didn’t hesitate to push the car to its limits. How she managed to keep the battered vehicle on the road in such conditions was beyond him. But she never wavered as she veered around the slippery patches that were quickly coming up to flood the roads. The tires created walls of water as they cut through the unavoidable patches.
As they drew closer to the town, streetlights became a common sight. Shadows raced through the patches of light that polluted the air. A howling trail of malignant laughter rushed towards them and slammed against the side of the car. The metal dented under the assault and the tires squealed, forcing the car into the other lane. Danny hardly had the time to right the car before another strike sent them careening back.
Thrown around in the back seat, Benton tried to keep from getting too close to any of the gaping places where the glass had once been. The demonic laughter rose, and into it rivaled the roar of a hurricane. Claws reached in towards him, grasping and slashing. Covering their heads, Benton and Zack vied for safe space, trying to get out of the way of the demonic talons and Nicole’s shots. It didn’t take long for the onslaught to tax her remaining bullets, leaving them with no protection beyond Danny’s driving.
As if sensing this, the demons centered their attacks on ripping their way towards the car’s engine. Chunks of metal were torn from the hood, left to bounce and slash their way through the empty space of the windshield and into the car. Without looking up, Benton knew that the water was rising. The engine roared and strained as the water pushed back. It wasn’t enough to bring them to a stop but enough to be felt.
Knowing exactly where they were going, Danny ripped through the few streets of Fort Wayward. The water caught the wheels and drove them into a sideways slide. The car diverted and swung wildly as Danny yanked the wheel and slammed her foot down onto the gas pedal. Benton was prepared for the crunch of splintering wood and the jarring jolt that brought them to a jerk. Already huddled, Benton slacked against the door as the car’s engine sputtered and died with a hiss. The wind and laughter became distant but without the deluge striking the roof, the world seemed suddenly quiet.
“You just drove through a historical monument,” Nicole gasped weakly.
Danny’s voice echoed the shell-shocked tone. “We’re in a hurry.”
Benton had only just begun to straighten when he heard the front passenger door open. A second later, the door behind him yanked open and Nicole began to gently remove his hands off of his head.
“Benton,” she eased, “you have to move now. Can you get up?”
“I’m okay,” Benton promised. He was still frozen and his every movement felt like he was about to crack, but thinking had become clearer and he felt like he could move again. “Are you okay?”
Nicole nodded and helped him out of the car and over the surrounding rubble. It was his first time within the actual fort that had given the town its name. The streetlights washed in through the rain and windows, casting a honeyed glow over the long room. Taking it in, it seemed that the building had a square design with a courtyard sheltered within the middle. The hysterical creatures circled like vultures, casting shadows over the illuminated space and smacking against the sides of the building as if they were trying to find their way in. They seemed to be within a rustic gift shop, with rows of low aisles dividing the spacious room, and the actual museum beginning at the corner ahead of them.
“Where’s the speaker system?” Zack asked.
“The tower,” Nicole instantly replied as she pointed out across the courtyard. Grabbing Benton’s hand, as if unsure that he could make the distance, she began to drag him forward. “We can get to it through the museum.”
“How do you know this?” Meg asked as she followed.
Nicole didn’t stop looking at the room as she hurried them through the gift shop. “They let me watch the parade from the control room a few times.”
“Of course they did,” Benton smirked.
They rounded the corner and entered into the museum just as the screeching horde found the now gaping hole in the wall. Sprinting quicker into the displays of antiques, they barreled towards the back door. Despite the glass shards lodged within his join
ts, Benton took the lead, and using his shoulder, barged his way through the emergency exit.
Cold air rushed to meet him. Nicole didn’t pause. Gripping his hand, she slipped past him and rushed out to the water slick concrete that ran the length to the tower. His sneakers were slippery as he tried to pick up his pace. The flood of monsters streamed out of the door to follow him, their gales of laughter drawing the attention off the others. His lungs burned. His muscles felt like grinding stone, and the doorway always seemed too far away.
A sudden whack against his spine spun him off of his feet. He hit the ground hard, his grip on Nicole bringing her down with him. Their momentum dragged them a few feet before they finally stopped. Zack jumped over them, wrenched the door open, and reached back to snatch them up. Between him and the twins, Nicole and Benton were hurled into the space. The door slammed shut and muted the mocking cackles of the creatures. On all fours, Benton struggled to catch his breath and adjust his eyes to the darkened space. It was only then that the pain, streaking across his back, inched into his awareness. The gashes weren’t deep but stung like fire. He blinked rapidly but there was only the impenetrable darkness.
“Nicole?” he gasped.
“I’m okay,” came the instant reply.
“We’re good too,” Zack huffed, his voice coming out breathing and needy, like he was desperate for anything to lighten the mood.
“I was just about to ask,” Benton smiled. “Can anyone find a light switch?”
“Why?” Meg asked.
Nicole didn’t hesitate. “Benton, what do you see?”
His stomach plummeted. “Nothing.”
Ignoring the questions that began to churn, he rocked back onto his knees and glanced around. The desperate sensation within his chest only grew worse when he saw that it wasn’t complete darkness. Splotches of white circled him. The grim reapers towered over him, closing in around him until they filled his vision.
“Benton,” Nicole gasped as the sound of tearing wood and breaking stone filled his ears. “Benton, we have to move. There are a lot of stairs.”
Solid thuds bore down around him. He could feel the splintered chunks of wood crash down, but he couldn’t see what was causing the damage. He pushed himself up onto his feet. The reapers didn’t pull back but pressed closer still. Benton hesitated to reach through the rising smoke of their bodies in a blind search for Nicole.
“Benton!” Nicole yelled over the laughter and the crashing of stone against stone.
The ebony specters pushed in until the curling trails of their bodies brushed over his skin. Screams bounced off the small confines of the room, blurring with the cackles of the coming creatures. They’re coming through the roof, Benton realized. The sounds grew louder and he forced his face up until he met the gaping, bottomless holes of Death’s face.
“Okay,” he said.
He didn’t know what he was agreeing to, but they had helped once before. He clung to that hope as the reapers pressed against him, flooded into him, clawing and scraping his flesh. They forced themselves into his skin and slipped from his sight. Ghostly faces swept down towards him. Their eyes burned. Their smiles stretched wide. Their laughter rattled the cells of his being and he felt something inside rush up to meet it.
Benton’s mouth dropped open to release a scream, like the world was drawing in a deep breath as wind scurried forcefully towards him. It was strong enough to snap the door open and strong enough to draw the others off of their feet and drag them towards him. The gale force never touched his skin. The pressure grew, pressing against his body, taking up every inch of space within him. Rushing wind covered every other sound the world held. For one agonizing moment, there was only silence and the crushing vacuum that held him.
Then Benton shrieked.
The sound rushed from him as a physical force that shattered the walls and sent the others flying. The creatures above him melted and burst, droplets of their bodies thrown aside by the sheer force of the sound. Stones shattered, wood splintered, and the concrete cracked open beneath him as the pressure was released upon the banshee wail. He screamed until he was empty and collapsed into oblivion.
***
Colors played across the metal inner doors of the ambulance, copying the sunset that turned clear sky into shades of pink and purple. Benton sat towards the open back of door of the ambulance and watched the display. It seemed like an eternity had passed since he had actually seen a blue sky. He hadn’t realized how suffocating the clouds had been.
The scratches on his back hadn’t been that bad. Nicole had given him a few swipes of an antibacterial wipe and a clean dressing, ensuring that he wouldn’t have to show his back to any of the emergency medical workers that were now working their way through the streets. He only knew that because she had told him so, once he regained consciousness. To be more accurate, she had screamed it. It seemed that quite a few people were currently experiencing some hearing problems. That gave him a perfect opportunity to call Dorothy before Nicole could.
He slumped against the ambulance and repositioned the phone to his ear, waiting for Dorothy to absorb the information. Telling her the whole story had been harder than he had expected. There wasn’t exactly a nice way to inform a police officer that their daughter had killed someone, but waiting for a response was excruciating.
“And you’re sure the bodies are gone?” Dorothy asked slowly. “They won’t be showing up anytime soon?”
“I think so. I can’t imagine that Allison or the others will be willing to give them up. It felt like they had been waiting quite a while to get their hands on them,” Benton said.
“And the car?” Dorothy pressed.
“It’s pretty banged up. But there are a lot of displaced cars and even more injured people. No one really cares at the moment.”
“Displaced and driven through a wall are slightly different,” Dorothy said. It seemed to pain Dorothy to add, “When you can, go make sure that the bullet isn’t lodged in the seat.”
There was a long moment of silence before she asked, “How is she holding up?”
“Good so far,” he said as he watched Nicole running around. She had offered to help with the general first-aid. Given how overrun they currently were, they had accepted. “But you know her. She’s not going to dwell on it as long as someone needs her.”
“Don’t suppose you can keep her busy until I get back?”
“I’m a walking disaster. I can keep her busy until the second coming,” Benton said with a slight smile. It was harder to keep it. “How are my parents?”
“Annoyed. And worried.”
Benton shuffled into a more comfortable position. “Can you tell them I’m okay? And sorry. And, you know, that I love them.”
“I will,” Dorothy said. “And you’re a hero now. I’m sure they’ll overlook this.”
“A hero?”
“Our story is that you all went because you knew the storm was coming and wanted to raise the alarm. So as long as we’re using that, your actions are heroic, so don’t mess it up.”
“Right,” Benton said.
“I still don’t know what we’re going to tell everyone here.”
“Nothing. You’re only going to run into trouble trying to explain it. Just keep your silence and it’ll be an urban legend in a week.” Benton rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the now familiar shift of the iron bracelet over his forearm.
“You sound very sure about that.”
“Done this dance a few times,” he said. “Oh, they said that a bus will be heading up to you guys soon. It’s just going to take a little longer than expected. There’s a bit of damage.”
He shifted his eyes over the destruction. The tower hadn’t been the only thing damaged during the storm. Streets were swamped with water and debris. Hunks of roofs were broken and twisted, and he couldn’t spot one window that was still intact.
Dorothy sucked in a pained breath but only replied, “We can wait it out.”
Throu
gh the crowd, he spotted Nicole coming his way. Quickly, he said goodbye and ended the call. He made sure to tuck the device securely into the shelf the EMT had asked him to leave it in. Benton honestly had no idea where he had lost his phone and he made a mental note to check the car.
Nicole pulled herself up into the ambulance and sat down on the seat next to him.
“Hi,” she practically shouted. “They say my hearing will come back in a day or two, but I think I’m already better.”
“Obviously,” he laughed.
Her brow furrowed. “What did you say?”
Shaking his head, Benton wasn’t exactly surprised when Nicole pulled out her mobile phone. Of course she had managed to keep ahold of it and still have it in working order. She opened up its notebook, fluttered her thumbs over the keys and passed it to him.
‘Are you in any pain?’ he read. Meeting her eyes, he shook his head and then pointed to her to shoot the question back her way. She shook her head but took the phone.
‘Sluagh.’
Benton’s brow furrowed and typed back, ‘What did you just call me?’
‘Not you. The faces. They made me take a lunch break and I did some research. I think they’re called Sluaghs.’
Reading the message, his first instinct was to ask her if she had at least eaten. But that was a question for later. She loved to cook and she loved to protest his bad eating habits, so, if he played it right, he could wrangle her into cooking dinner, effectively giving her two things to keep her mind busy.
‘Awesome,’ he typed back. ‘Will you let me get up and help soon?’
‘I’m not the boss of you,’ she replied before snatching the phone out of his hand, clicking off a few keys, and handing it back. ‘But no.’
