Danny walked away with more questions than answers, but he no longer felt alone. Ben knew what was happening when no else did. How did he know Eric? About his dreams? About the monster that invaded his home? The only way to find out was to do what the man asked. Maybe it would convince Brent that Danny wasn’t losing his mind.
And maybe Danny would start to believe it as well.
***
Danny was lost in his own thoughts, watching the ground between his feet, when he collided with someone and fell to the ground in a tangled heap. It was Sam Bayonne. Danny had regretted not meeting up with her at the party, but this wasn’t exactly the solution he’d imagined.
Sam shouted in surprise and jammed her finger in his face. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going, jerk?”
“You ran into me,” he said, blushing. He stood quickly and brushed dirt from the back of his shorts.
Sam squinted up at him, blocking the sun with her arm. “Well? Are you gonna help me up?”
Danny grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled her to her feet as she rubbed her backside with a groan.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I think so, no thanks to you.”
Sam’s brightly painted toenails poked through the front of her sandals. She wore a pair of tight shorts that left very little to the imagination.
Danny smiled and looked away.
“What’s so funny?”
“Uh, nothing I guess. I’m just surprised to see you.”
“I bet you are. I waited around at the party all night to see if you’d come talk to me.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said. “I meant to but the night just got away from me.”
“And so did the girl.”
“Did she? Looks like she’s standing right here.”
“For now, maybe,” she smirked. “Why don’t we go do something, see if you can make it up to me.”
“Really? Like a date?”
“No, jerk, like we go to the park or something. What would make you think I’d want to date you, anyway?”
“Uh, I don’t know. I guess I just thought…”
“Well stop thinking,” she interrupted. “It’s summer vacation. We don’t have to think for another two months.” She walked past him, grabbed his hand, and pulled Danny along behind her. He was staring at her ass when she turned around. “Are you enjoying the view?”
“Yes. I mean no. Shit, I don’t know how to answer that.” She looked into his eyes, unflinching, smiling at the color that bloomed in his cheeks. “I mean, it’s certainly not a bad view.”
“How about you keep your eyes forward before you run into someone else?”
Still holding his hand, Sam continued on. For a while, Danny stayed behind her, unsure of what he was supposed to do. It wasn’t every day a pretty girl grabbed his hand and led him around like a puppy on a leash. He suddenly felt embarrassed. After a few minutes, he crept forward and walked beside her. He never dropped her hand; it felt so natural, he didn’t even think of taking it away.
They walked that way for an hour, making small talk, enjoying each other’s company. Nothing else mattered for a brief period of time. Danny’s worries faded into the background.
“I have to go home,” Sam said. “If I don’t get my chores done before my mom comes home, there will be hell to pay.” When she dropped his hand, Danny felt like something was missing. He looked at her like she had just stolen his favorite toy. Her face lit up, temporarily banishing everything else from Danny’s mind. “Don’t worry, maybe we can do this again tomorrow?”
“Really?”
Sam giggled and walked in the opposite direction, turning around once to offer a quick wave. “You can count on it.”
He watched her walk away until she turned the corner, barely capable of understanding where the last hour had gone. He still felt the warm touch of her hand wrapped in his own.
It wasn’t until he reached Brent’s house when reality flooded back. Any other time, meeting with Sam the way he did would have been worth a lengthy discussion with his friends, but now, it was tainted by the shadow hanging over them.
It wasn’t fair.
He knocked on Brent’s door and waited.
***
“So that’s it?” Brent asked. “You meet some old guy on the corner and we’re all supposed to hang out with him?”
“It’s not like that,” Danny said. “Didn’t you listen to anything I said?”
“I was listening, but this is crazy. There’s a word for it when someone starts following you around and hiding in the bushes; it’s called stalking. First Eric and now you. How do you know he’s not some kind of pervert? Do I have to start peeking out the window to make sure he’s not there? Do you want some candy little boy?”
“He’s not a pervert, Brent. He knows what’s going on. How else would he know the details? Coincidence?” Thunder rumbled overhead, rattling the glass in Brent’s bedroom windows.
“Maybe he’s been spying on us, or maybe Eric already told him everything.”
“I didn’t say a word,” Eric interrupted as he entered the room and sat on the bed. The boys jumped, startled.
“You scared the shit out of me,” Brent said.
“Sorry, your mom let me in. I heard what you were talking about. I guess you met Ben?”
Danny nodded.
“There’s something… special about him. I can feel it.”
“Are you guys kidding me? The goose who lays the golden bullshit? I don’t even know you two anymore.”
“We’re your best friends,” Eric said. “We’ll always be your best friends, but you’re being too close-minded about this.”
“I don’t know what you want from me. I haven’t talked to any special man, I haven’t seen any gray-place. Everything that’s happened can be explained and you both know it.”
“Can’t you just listen for once? The guy knows something. He can help us!”
Brent rolled his eyes and started fidgeting with his record collection.
“Seriously,” Eric said. “There’s no reason not to listen to what he has to say. If we realize he’s full of shit, what’s the harm? We waste an hour of our day.”
Brent’s face lacked all emotion. “Listen. I’m not trying to ruin your little fantasy. I’ll go with you, but don’t be shocked if I don’t believe a word he says.”
The boys nodded. It was the closest they’d come to getting Brent to agree with the plan. There was no sense pushing any further.
Thunder shook the house as wind-driven rain lashed the windows and beat on the aluminum siding. Lightning winked through the curtains. The lights went out as electricity crackled from the power lines outside, leaving them in the flickering darkness. Danny felt something coming.
“Do you hear that?” Eric asked.
They listened closely as something rustled in the hallway, moving quietly beneath the din. Danny flinched and pulled away as a loud knock made the door shudder in its frame.
“Mom, is that you?” Brent asked nervously.
The bedroom door burst open with enough force to tear it from the hinges. The windows imploded, spraying the boys in broken glass. A black mass filled the doorway, pulsing in time with the thunder.
The darkness roared.
It hissed and rattled like a steam train hurtling out of control. They hunched over, heads low, huddled together as the mass tried entering the room through the splintered doorway. Rain poured through the broken windows, saturating the carpet. Loose paper was torn from the drawers of Brent’s desk, flying around the room like a flock of angry sparrows. Posters were ripped from the walls and thrown to the floor where they were quickly turned to wet mush.
The house groaned liked a sinking ship as pieces of the ceiling tile fell from above. Danny screamed and covered his head with his arms, fearing the roof would cave in on top of them.
The Skryel shrieked.
Light fixtures exploded in a shower of yellow sparks. The wall around
the door bulged and split open as the monster tried forcing itself over the threshold. The creature inched forward. Thin tendrils of smoke reached out for them, seeking their warmth, feeding on their fear.
“You’re not welcome here,” a voice boomed.
They looked around the room fearfully, seeking out the source of the voice, but they were alone. The black cloud bellowed with rage as plaster broke from the wall and fell to the carpet.
“Move aside, Guardian,” a voice replied. “This is a fight you can’t win.” Still, the creature was trapped in the doorway, unable to cross into the room. Thunder shook the floor beneath them.
“Leave these boys alone, Shadowking. You have no business here,” the disembodied voice shouted.
The monster wailed as it was dragged away from the door; large chunks of the wall were torn open as it reached out with twisted, black arms made of smoke. It was pulled down the hall, faster and faster, until it burst through the window on the opposite side and disappeared into the storm. The rain slowed to a drizzle and stopped altogether; the wind became a soft breeze; the clouds above Elmview broke apart as the sun peeked through in brilliant shafts of yellow light. It was over as quickly as it had begun.
The boys’ clothing was pasted to their skin, and each was covered in small cuts and scrapes from the glass and crumbled plaster. The room was in shambles. Danny stood and walked to the doorway as his sneakers squished in the soggy carpet.
“It’s getting stronger,” Danny said, panting. Eric nodded. Brent looked around the room, shaking his head and frowning at the damage.
Brent’s mother pounded up the stairs, shouting for her son in a panic. “Brent, where are you?”
“In here, mom.”
“Oh my god, look at this mess. Are you boys okay?”
“We’re fine, Mrs. McCallister,” Eric replied.
“Can you believe it?” Margaret put her hands on her hips and inspected the damage. “These storms just keep getting worse.”
If only you knew, Margaret, Danny thought. If only you knew.
“Oh, Brent,” she said. “Your records are all ruined.”
He stood and grabbed one from the shelf as the cardboard sleeve broke apart in his hand.
“All my stuff is trashed.”
“Don’t worry, we can always get you new records. The important thing is that you’re all okay.”
More had been taken from Brent than his record collection.
He could no longer hide behind logic to explain what he’d seen and heard.
While his possessions could be replaced, his innocence could not.
***
For the remainder of the afternoon, they spent their time helping Brent clean his room and catalog the items that could be saved. Unfortunately, it appeared most of his memorabilia had been lost. His album collection went into a large contractor bag, the cardboard sleeves bloated and flimsy from the rain. Brent stared into the bag sadly as his prized possessions disintegrated before his eyes.
They were knee-deep in piles of soggy trash when Sam entered the room, frowning. “Holy shit! What a mess.”
Danny smiled and tossed a tattered poster in the bag.
“I thought you had chores,” he said.
“I convinced my mom to let me out. All the neighbors were talking about what happened.”
“We can definitely use the help.” She followed his gaze around the ruined bedroom. “You know Eric and Brent?”
Sam nodded. “I’ve seen you around school,” she said to Eric. “And we met at the party, Brent.”
He looked up slowly, taking a second to pull her name from his confused mind. “Sam? What are you doing here?”
“I thought maybe I could give you a hand.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess so.” He watched Danny and Sam share a quick look and immediately knew there was something going on that he hadn’t known about.
Are they together? he thought. When the hell did this happen, and why hadn’t Danny said anything about it?
“You don’t mind, do you?” Sam asked.
“No, of course not.”
“I’m all for it,” Eric laughed. “Anything to make this go a little faster.” He also noticed the body language between Sam and Danny. He smiled and winked.
“Whatever,” Brent added.
Sam jumped in right away, working shoulder to shoulder with the others. Brent eyed her suspiciously, making sure she wasn’t just throwing everything away.
What does she know about valuable record albums? he thought.
He watched her closely, at first because he didn’t necessarily trust her, but eventually because he had a hard time looking away. Those almond-shaped eyes, ample breasts tucked tightly into a black sports bra, shorts that crept down when she bent over, offering a tantalizing view of her ass. Fine, blond hairs trailed down her spine, disappearing into places unseen.
The mood in the room lightened as Eric, Sam, and Danny joked and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. The work was getting done in a fraction of the time, and they were growing anxious for some sun and fresh air.
Brent brooded over his loss. There was no lifting his spirits, no laughter, no pretty girl to hug him and tell him everything would be okay. He watched Danny and Sam playfully flirting as Eric laughed like an asshole the entire time. Sam tousled their hair, pushed them around, giggled like a five-year-old. It was irritating.
What about me? he thought. I’m the one who had all his shit ruined.
Brent simmered in his anger. He didn’t find anything funny… not one bit. Why did Danny get all the attention? Why did he get the pretty girl? What’s so fucking special about Danny Harper?
He watched Sam out of the corner of his eye: her hands, her legs, her lips. He wondered what they’d taste like, wondered what treasures were hidden beneath her tight denim shorts. She smelled like a girl… of flowers and sweet things that made his stomach ache for a chance to get closer. Her hair… her voice…
“Hey, space cadet,” Danny shouted. “You want to join us back here on Earth?”
“Huh?”
“You were staring at the wall.”
“Was I? I guess I’m just tired.”
“Don’t be such a baby,” Sam joked.
Eric laughed and squeezed water from his shirt. “You just got spanked by a girl.”
“Hey, maybe I’m into that.”
“There he is,” Danny exclaimed. He clapped Brent on the shoulder and smiled, glad to see his friend was slowly coming around. He hated seeing him so distraught.
“It’s nice to see you joking around,” Sam added.
“Let’s get out of here and do something. This can wait for now,” Brent said.
“Best idea you’ve had all day,” Eric said. They each grabbed a garbage bag and took it out to the curb.
There was no sign of the storm; the sky was a perfect cloudless blue.
“You want to go to the arcade?” Brent asked. “I have a bunch of quarters for the air hockey table.” Brent’s suggestion wasn’t meant to remove Sam from the equation, but he figured she’d balk at the idea and go find something else to do. When she was the first to speak, his hopes evaporated.
“Yes!” she yelled. “I love air hockey!”
Son of a bitch, Brent thought.
“On second thought, that’s a dumb idea,” Brent said.
“It’s a great idea,” Sam replied. “You’re not getting out of it that easily.”
Danny reached for her hand and she took it.
“Get a room,” Eric joked.
“If you want to stay home and relax that’s okay,” Sam said. “You’ve been through a lot today. I have quarters if we need them.”
“No!” Brent barked. “I’ll come.” There was no way he’d allow himself to be told what to do… not by a girl. These were his friends, not hers. Who the hell did she think she was, barging in and making decisions for them? He played along, but his laughter never touched his eyes. If Danny and Eric wanted to follow her around
like ducklings that was their choice.
Danny was his best friend, and he wasn’t about to share him with some girl he didn’t even know. This was just the beginning. Soon Danny would be hanging out with her all the time, forgetting about his friends and all the things they’d done together. Brent couldn’t understand why Eric didn’t see what was happening. Didn’t he realize that things were going to change?
“Are you okay?” Danny asked. “You’re spacing out again."
“Yep, I’m fine."
Danny knew he was lying, but under the circumstances, what could he say to him? It wasn’t just about a garbage bag full of ruined record albums; it was much more than that.
“I’m really sorry, man. I know how much you loved that collection.”
“It’s okay,” Brent said. “I can always start over. Let’s play some air hockey. It’ll take my mind off things.”
Brent offered his quarters as the others hooted and hollered like kids on the merry-go-round. He stood to the side, watching, paying very little attention to their childish antics.
“Come on, Brent, let’s see what you got,” Sam said. She felt sorry for him. She couldn’t imagine losing everything the way he had. “We’re using your money, you might as well show us how it’s done.” She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to the table.
As time passed, Brent played with his friends and momentarily forgot his anger and jealousy. There was no talk of boogeymen or dead friends or freak storms. It felt almost normal.
Brent’s win against Eric elicited cheering and good-natured laughter. Sam wrapped her arms around him and gave him a congratulatory hug, making him blush. The others laughed even louder.
“Do I make you nervous?” Sam asked, her hands on Brent’s sides as if they were about to share a slow dance.
Brent pushed her away gently. “No, I just don’t like it when girls get all clingy. That’s why I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Of course that’s why,” Eric chuckled.
The boys laughed and poked fun at one another as Sam looked on. She couldn’t shake the strange feeling she had about Brent. At the party, he was jovial and pleasant, and although she’d only spoken to him very briefly, she could feel a change in him, one she didn’t much like. Sam was never one to care much about what others thought about her, but this was different.
The Darkening (A Coming of Age Horror Novel) (The Great Rift Book 1) Page 14
