Night Mares

by Janine R Pestel

  The two demon hunters lay back down on their beds. Johann closed his eyes. Robert stared at the ceiling. Salt shells. I wish we had those back in Mountainview. I would have had a lot less shots wasted. Wish I had them before, in the bathroom. I could have gotten rid of Malphas. Then I wouldn’t have seen the mayor’s death. God, that was awful. What a nasty way to die. I guess at least it was pretty quick, though. I don’t suppose she felt any pain after that poker went into her brain. I suppose in a way, Malphas was merciful. I’m sure he didn’t mean to be.

  Robert listened to the sound of rain as it pelted the window of the motel room. Another storm was rolling in, and he could hear the thunder in the distance. His skin tingled every time the lightning flashed and cast eerie shadows on the walls. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep and let out an exhale in frustration. There was too much on his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see the vision of the mayor’s death or the creature that was on the ceiling. What was that thing anyway?

  He didn’t know what the creature was, but he did know it was obvious that it was connected to Mayor Benson’s death. Probably was the reason for her death. But why? Why would the demon want her dead? Robert knew that even though demons were vile, evil creatures, they usually didn’t kill only for pleasure. There was always a reason. We have to find the reason that thing would want her dead. Maybe it didn’t. Maybe something or someone else did. Who would want her dead? That vice mayor almost looked like Malphas himself. He was pretty creepy. I did get a bad feeling about him. Think, Robert. Was that Malphas? No, I don’t think so. But still, something is really messed up with that guy. I just wish I could put my finger on what.

  Robert closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He was hoping the rhythmic snoring of his friend would help lull him to sleep. When that didn’t work, he simply tried to clear his mind of all thoughts. Suddenly, he saw an image of the deceased mayor, but the face was Theresa’s.

  The coroner’s eyes suddenly opened, and he sat bolt upright in his bed. He looked over, afraid the sudden movement and noise would awaken Johann. Robert was relieved to see Gunter remained asleep. The vision replayed itself for the umpteenth time. Just before the woman died, she became Johann's sister Theresa.

  Sweat dripped down the coroner's face, and his hands trembled as this sunk in. Christ. What the hell brought that on? I hope that's not some omen or something. He glanced over at his sleeping friend. I don't think he'd be able to handle something like that. Better not tell him, Robert.

  Johann began to stir, and he peered through half-open eyes at his wide-awake buddy.

  "What's up?" Johann asked. Robert thought for a moment. There was no way he could tell him the truth. He turned and put on as pleasant a face as possible.

  "Nothing. Just having a hard time falling asleep. I think I'm just a little overtired, that's all." Johann held his bleary-eyed gaze on his friend as though studying him.

  "Just let your mind empty. You'll fall asleep fast enough," Gunter said as he turned onto his side facing away from his friend. Robert felt a tinge of relief Johann didn't press him on the matter. He was even able to smile a little.

  Yeah. Let my mind empty. I wish I could. Robert thought as he lay back down and tried, once again, to go to sleep.

  In the room next door David and Belinda lay on their respective beds, talking.

  “That new mayor. You think he’s involved?” asked David. Belinda sat up and looked at him.

  “I don’t know. All I know is that he looks an awful lot like the guy in my dreams who took Johann’s sister. I don’t know if he’s a demon or not, but that daughter of the mayor really seemed to hate him for some reason.”

  “Yeah, I know. But it could be because this guy is taking her mother’s place,” David said as he propped himself up on his elbows. He looked over at Belinda, then sat up fully on his bed.

  “I guess,” Belinda said. “Maybe we should talk to the kids again. I think there’s more here than meets the eye.”

  David raised his eyebrows and questioned her statement. “Ya think?”

  -5-

  The next morning Belinda and David were sitting in their room watching the morning news on television. The reporter jumped, startled by the sudden sound of someone knocking. She opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Johann and Robert standing in front of her. Johann and Robert were both holding cardboard trays. Johann’s tray had the food, and Robert’s tray held the steaming hot coffee with the creamers, sweeteners, and stirrers in the center.

  "Well?" Johann said while Belinda stared at him blankly. "We come bearing gifts. Can we come in?" Belinda blinked and shook her head as though in a trance.

  "Oh. I'm sorry. Please come in."

  The two demon hunters entered the room. Johann put the tray down on the coffee table. Robert placed the tray of coffee next to them. David and Belinda looked at the bounty before them.

  "Thank you very much," the reporter said. David smiled and nodded, then gave Johann a thumbs-up. “I was supposed to get breakfast, remember?”

  Johann looked at him and half smiled. “You were. But, since I didn’t have to get the rooms, I got us breakfast. I thought we'd have it here while we watch the tape to see what you got, Dave."

  "Sure thing," David agreed.

  The four ate their breakfasts while watching the video. Johann studied everyone on the tape as closely as he could. A few times he thought something may have looked a little peculiar, but he was wrong. The more Johann watched the tape and saw nothing, the more frustrated he became.

  "We don't even know what kind of a demon we're dealing with. Hell, we don't even know if we are dealing with a demon," David said. Johann shot a glance at Robert.

  "Oh, we're dealing with a demon alright. Aren't we, Bob?" Robert glanced down at the table and avoided eye contact with anyone. He wanted nothing more right now than to simply enjoy his breakfast, and not talk about demons and death if he could help it. David and Belinda peered at the coroner.

  "Do you know something?" asked Belinda. Robert turned his eyes to her and wiped his lips with a napkin. He glanced at Johann, who nodded to indicate he wanted Bob to tell the reporter and cameraman what he saw. He turned back to Belinda.

  "Yes," he said. "I do.” He cleared this throat, then continued, “when we were at the mayor's house last night, I had to use the bathroom. While I was in there, I saw someone I thought we wouldn't see again for a very long time."

  "Who? Who did you see?" asked David. Bob remained silent for a moment. The others thought he was trying to build drama, but he was nervous about how the news would be received. Robert cleared his throat again.

  "I...uh...I saw Malphas." After saying the words, he locked eyes with Belinda. She sat with her hand over her breast, and her mouth agape. It was obvious to everyone she was in shock from the news.

  "Oh my god," she said gasping. David put his arm around her to comfort her. "Malphas is here? What are we gonna do?" Johan and Robert also reached out to try and comfort the reporter who was now panicking.

  “Come on. Lin,” David said, “pull yourself together. Don’t let it get to you.”

  “What did I tell you last night? I told you that guy looked like that demon,” Belinda said to David.

  “Yeah, ya did. But—” David started.

  “What guy?” Johann interrupted. David looked at the demon hunter.

  “She said she thought the new mayor looked a lot like that guy who took your sister. Wasn’t that this Malphas guy?” Johann looked at David.

  “He’s not a guy. He’s a demon, Dave. And yeah, it was that slime that took her. I noticed that too, that they looked a lot alike. But, I don’t think they’re the same. If he were, it would show in the video. His eyes would glow, but there’s nothing. I think the new mayor just has the misfortune to look like Malphas. Poor guy.”

  The four turned when a woman’s scream pierced the air. It was loud enough that it sounded like it came from the room next door. Johann j
umped to his feet, followed by the other three. He ran out of the room and listened to where the shrieks were coming from.

  He found it. It was coming from the room next door. A woman was screaming as though someone was killing her. The four, led by Gunter, ran as fast as they could to the room. Johann pounded on the door. The woman didn’t answer. He backed the other three up, then raised his leg to kick the door in.

  His leg was cocked back, and he was about to release the power of his kick when the door suddenly opened. The sudden opening of the door caught him by surprise, and he almost lost his balance. He placed his foot back on the sidewalk and stumbled backward. Jesus, I hate this kind of stuff. Why couldn’t she have just answered the door when I pounded?

  Standing before him was a woman in her thirties. She was crying hysterically. Johann and his group rushed into the room. Durling stayed close to the lady. David and Belinda joined him. She pointed to the bathroom door.

  “In there,” she said, catching her breath. “It’s in there. It’s horrible.” She pressed into Robert’s arms for security. Robert, feeling a little like a hero, closed his arms around the frightened woman.

  “You’ll be okay. We’ll get him,” Robert said. Johann walked up to the bathroom door and pounded on it.

  “Hey. We want to talk to you, buddy,” Father Gunter shouted. The woman gave the demon hunter a quizzical look.

  “I don’t think it’s a him,” said the woman. Johann peered at her over his shoulder and furrowed his brow. He turned his attention back to the door. He pounded once again on the varnished wood door.

  “Come on out, lady. I’ll give you to the count of three. One… Two—”

  “It’s not a lady either, I don’t think,” the frightened woman said, interrupting his count. Again, Johann peered over his shoulder with his brow furrowed. He glanced at Robert, who shook his head quickly and shrugged his shoulders. The coroner’s eyebrows were raised with the classic “Damned if I know” expression on his face.

  “Is it a dog or something?” asked Belinda. The woman turned to her, then back to Johann.

  “I don’t know what it was. It was like a cross between a human and some kind of animal.” She began to tremble as she remembered once again what had happened.

  Robert walked her over to the bed and sat her down.

  “Relax,” he said as tenderly as he could. “Just relax, and tell us what happened.”

  “That would help,” Johann said as he approached the bed. Robert put his hand out to stop Johann’s approach. He could see it in the woman’s eyes that she found Gunter very intimidating. She took a defensive position with her shoulders up and leaned back from him.

  “He won’t hurt you,” Robert said. He glanced around at the others. “None of us will. We’re here to help you. Please…If you could tell us what happened.” The woman glanced at all four of them. She began to wring her hands as she recollected the experience.

  “I was sleeping. Having a horrible dream. I haven’t had one of those in years. I dreamed I was in a cemetery. It was all so vivid. It felt so real. I could even feel the cold rain on my face. I was walking along the gravestones when all of a sudden, a hand reached up and grabbed my leg—” She stopped as the fright began to rise again.

  “Take your time,” Robert said. He glanced at Johann and could see he was impatient to hear the rest of the dream. The woman began to tremble and went on with her story.

  “I broke loose from the hand that grabbed me and started to run. I ran and ran and ran, but I couldn’t get away from it. All of a sudden, there was a coffin on the ground in front of me. As I passed it, the lid opened. I don’t know why, but I just had to look. When I did, it was…it was—” She again stopped. Terror was in her eyes, and she couldn’t catch her breath. She grabbed Robert’s arm, and gripped so tight he thought she was going to cut off his circulation. David and Belinda both put their hands on her shoulder to give her support.

  “It was me,” she said as she began once again to cry hysterically. Johann wanted to get to the bottom of who was in the bathroom that threatened her.

  “So, who’s in the bathroom?” Johann asked, pointing at the door. He furrowed his brow. He hated cryptic messages and didn’t see any connection between whatever was in the bathroom, and her bad dream. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

  “That thing,” she said as though Johann should know what she was talking about.

  “Thing?” Johann cocked his head.

  “When I woke up there was this, I dunno, thing. It was on my chest. Its face was so close, I could smell its awful breath. I don’t know what it was. It almost seemed human, but not quite.” The woman was wringing her hands hard now and rubbing her arms as though cold. “When I saw it and started screaming, it got off me and ran into the bathroom.”

  “How tall was it?” Johann asked.

  “About like this,” the woman answered. She placed one of her hands about three feet above the floor. Johann and Robert locked eyes for a second.

  “Kind of short to be a man, don’t ya think?” Robert said to Gunter. Johann nodded.

  “Yeah. Unless it was a munchkin from Oz or somethin’,” Johann answered, then turned his attention back to the woman.

  “You’re sure that wasn’t part of the dream?” he asked as gently as he could. The woman thought about this for a moment. Perhaps it was part of the dream, but she wasn’t sure. It all felt so real. She looked back up to the demon hunter.

  “I… I don’t know. It seemed so real. I guess it could have been part of the dream. But I could smell its breath.”

  “But you said that while you were dreaming, you could feel the cold rain on your face.”

  “That’s right. I did, didn’t I?” The frightened young woman thought about it a little more. “Maybe it was part of my dream.” She looked around at the four who had come to her aid and was overwhelmed with gratitude.

  “Oh my god,” she said. “I am so sorry. All of you came running because you thought I was in danger, and it was only a dream. I’m so, so very sorry. I can’t apologize enough. I feel like such a fool.”

  “It’s alright Miss—” Johann said, hoping she would give her name.

  “Thomas. Emily Thomas.”

  “Miss Thomas. We don’t mind. Better that it was a false alarm than any real danger. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll go over and open the bathroom door for you. Make sure there’s nothing in there.” Emily looked up at him and nodded.

  Johann walked over to the bathroom door. Robert could feel his nerves tingle as his friend reached for the doorknob. Gunter twisted the knob and opened the door.

  He walked in, half expecting something to jump out at him. He searched the small bathroom, and it proved to be empty. He stuck his head out of the doorway, which caused everyone else in the room to jump in surprise from the tension.

  “All clear, Miss Thomas,” the demon hunter said with a smile.

  “Thank you. Please…feel free to call me Emily. All of you.”

  “We will, Emily,” said Belinda. She then introduced everyone to her. After making sure she was going to be okay, the four left the room.

  As soon as Emily closed her door, Johann walked as quickly as he could back to his and Robert’s room. The other three tried to keep up with him, like a row of baby ducks trying to keep up with their mother.

  “Johann, what’s the rush?” Durling asked as they entered the room. Johann immediately went to their cases and took out the books they still had that Robert borrowed from the Bucktown Library. He borrowed them when they were in Bucktown about two weeks ago. He tossed them on the coffee table and opened one of them.

  “Bad dream my ass,” he said as he began scouring the book. “Gotcha, you son of a bitch,” he shouted as he found the demon he was looking for. He peered up at the other three. “Here it is. This is what we’re fighting. I’d bet my ass on it,” he said pointing at an entry in the book.

  Belinda and David caught their breath, and Robert swallowed har
d as they stared at the picture. It was a small creature that gave the appearance of being half animal, and half human. The skin appeared to be the pale gray color of a corpse. Its ears were long and pointed. Its arms culminated in hands with fingers with long, sharp nails. Red eyes and a mouth of rotted, tangled teeth were on a bat-like head. Dragon-like wings completed the picture of pure terror.

  In the illustration, the demon was sitting on the chest of a man sleeping in bed. The expression on the man’s face made it quite evident he was experiencing a bad dream. Robert let his eyes drift below the picture, to the text. He read the name of the beast out loud. “Night Mare.” He slowly glanced back up at Johann.

  “Night Mare,” Johann said. “The demon responsible for what most people call ‘bad dreams.’ That’s where the word ‘nightmare’ comes from. I’d be willing to bet my life the mayor was having nightmares just before her accident.”

  Robert’s heart skipped a beat. He stared at Johann with his eyes wide and his eyebrows raised. Johann furrowed his eyebrows.

  “What?” Johann asked.

  “That was exactly what Malphas said to me,” Robert muttered. Belinda and David looked at him. “He said welcome to the nightmare just before he showed me how the mayor died. And in the room where she died, I saw that thing on the ceiling laughing at her.” Belinda’s complexion went pale. She put her hand at the base of her throat and gasped in shock. Her eyes were wide.

  “He showed you how the mayor died?” asked the reporter. Robert looked at her and nodded sadly. Johann looked at the reaction of the reporter and didn’t like what he was seeing.

  “That’s not important right now. We gotta go talk to her kids again,” Johann said quickly. He looked at Robert, then the other two. “If you saw that thing on the ceiling, then it’s obvious she was having nightmares. We need to know how long that was going on before she died. We also need to warn them. This thing is going after people. It went after that lady in the other room, but she got away. How long does it let someone get away before it finally kills them?”