"Oh my god!" Casey breathed as she watched Toby’s unconscious form, his face tear struck and bloody, his breath raspy and hard and his clothes covered in green and red blood mixture of what appeared to be his own blood and something else, something far more sinister then what a human creation could have ever done to him.
"What the hell happened to him?!” Colin demanded. “Who could have done this?!”
"We know who did this." Jon hissed.
"No time to think about that now." Morgan kneeled down to lift Toby’s unconscious body. “C’mon! Help me!” Morgan rushed his siblings.
"Let’s get him up to our room before someone sees us." He said as Casey reached to grab Toby’s legs, shrieking in pain as her skin came in contact with the green substance that covered them.
“Casey!” Morgan laid Toby back down on the floor, careful not to hit his injured back and hurried to lift Casey’s hands, inspecting the damage.
“Are you ok?” Jon asked and Casey nodded.
”I’m fine, it’s just a little red… don’t touch that green stuff, it burns.” “Are you sure that you are all right?” Morgan inquired.
“Yes, I’m fine.” Casey nodded. “Don’t worry.” Morgan frowned, unsatisfied.
“Ok.” Morgan let her go and almost unwillingly resumed his hold on his friend.
His big brother senses going crazy. “C’mon, we have to take him upstairs to our room before anyone sees this.”
“Yes.” Colin agreed, carefully grabbing a hold of Toby’s legs, keeping his hands away from the green substance. “Forget the injuries. It would be kind of difficult to explain why a part of his body is floating.” He squeaked in half chuckle, looking at the other teens but no one responded to his joke.
They hurriedly lifted Toby up from the marble floor with Jon supporting his torso and Casey running behind them.
“Careful, he’s back.” Casey whispered.
“We’re fine.” Morgan shifted his numb friend as they carried his body up the stairs and down to their dorm rooms. “The blood.” Morgan glanced back.
“There was nothing, it didn't seep through his clothes.” Casey assured him as they neared their dorm room.
”Oh, over here.” Casey sprung forward and opened the door before them, hurrying inside and watching as Colin and her brother’s carried Toby in and laid him down on Morgan's bed on his side, still covered with the green rubbish that burned her.
“Get his pants off.” Casey instructed as she ran to their small bathroom to get the first aid kit that they had kept there for ‘Morgan’ kind of troubles that came very often in all shapes and forms.
“Casey, you pervert.” Morgan teased but Casey just pushed him.
“Careful not to touch It.” She warned them.
“I’m a ghost Casey.” Morgan reminded her. “How bad can it actually be?”
He moved to the side and swiftly pulled down Toby’s ruined pants off, handing it over to Jon who quickly discarded them into the trash bin, while Colin lifted Toby's shirt up, revealing the nasty gashes on his back and stomach, which only added to the gruesome work that the monster’s scythe had done to his leg.
”Oh my god!” Casey gasped as she knelled next to Toby’s gashed out leg, laying the first aid kit on the bed beside him. "What the hell did this to him?!"
Colin asked as he opened the kit and grabbed the disinfection fluid bottle, dipping a few pisses of cotton in it and handing one to Casey so she could start working on Toby’s bloody leg.
"Not 'Who' but 'What'.” Casey whispered, shaking her head in sadness.
She didn't expect her friends to answer cuss they all thought the same as her, well, all except for Jon who was pretty sure that he knew exactly who did this and why did it had to happen, to Toby of all people who did nothing to deserve this kind of faith.
"They probably found something they were not supposed to." Jon said, crossing his arms over his chest and distancing himself away from the group, looking out the window into the now darkening gardens.
“They…?” Morgan looked at him. “Who are they…?” He asked and then it hit him.
How did he not see it before?! “Oh my god…” He choked.
“What?” Casey looked up at him. “What Morgan? What is it?”
"Casey…” Morgan shook his head. “Casey, where is Din?!"
“What…?” Casey looked around the room as if searching to pin point her malice filled companion.
“Din…He…” Casey gasped as she realized what Morgan was trying to tell her.
"Oh…Oh no…" Casey got up to her feet, her fist crashing the little wet cotton that she was holding, the transparent fluid ran to the floor but Casey was in a completely different place to even notice.
”They took Din!” Casey shook her head in disbelieve as Colin ran his cotton over the marks that the beast’s blood had left in Toby’s stomach. Toby jerked away and screamed in pain and Colin flung his hand aside in surprise as Toby sprung up, still half awake, his hands flying to protect his wracked body.
Toby opened his eyes as the fluid Colin had used trickled inside the open gashes, stinging into his open flesh, making it harder for him to breath.
“Ahgh…” He cried out. “It hurts!” He began screaming.
"DIN!"
He howled, looking terrified at the people that were now surrounding him.
“Where is he?!” Toby demanded, still disoriented from the pain.
“What have you done to him?” He howled, attempting to sit up but coming up short at the iron hot bleak blinding pain that took over his damaged limbs.
”Toby! Toby! Stop! It’s us!” Casey screamed as she hurried to capture Toby’s hands in an attempt to restrain him. "It’s ok! It’s ok! You are safe now. We got you! Stop fighting me!" Colin leaned in to help her and held Toby's trashing form down, embracing him until Toby’s eyes focused on Casey and his body relaxed in Colin’s arms.
Then, after Colin had made sure that Toby was not going to freak out again Colin helped him lie back down, carefully removing Toby’s trembling hands that were forcefully wrapped around his own body now and pulling the covers over him.
"Where is he? Where is Din?" Toby asked but his eyes had already held the answer.
“We were hoping that you could tell us that.” Morgan said, he moved closer to him to hear the full story.
Toby bit his lip and then opened his mouth but nothing came out.
“I…” He began but found himself choking on nothing.
He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, willing away the pain that the memories had caused him, how he hoped that it was just a bad dream.
"They took him away." Toby whispered, refusing to open his eyes as he lay back on the pillow and turned his face to the wall, ashamed to stare into the eyes of his companions.
“Who…?” Casey moved closer to him. “Who took him Toby?” She asked, laying a comforting hand on Toby’s shoulder. “Please tell us.” She begged.
"The apocalypse.” Toby answered and the only thing that was now heard was Colin’s erratic pacing. “They took him…Right in front of my eyes…”
Toby shook his head, refusing to remember the horrible events any further.
“Please…” He heard Casey whisper. “We need to know…”
“I…” Toby sighed. “We did as you asked, we searched the school and then we found their hiding place…”
“What?!” Morgan jumped. “Where is it?!”
“Morgan!” Casey shushed him; this was no time for excitement.
“Go on.” She turned back to Toby.
“We went in…” Toby said after a long pause. “And then…” He felt his eyes sting with the tears he was holding back.
“It’s my entire fault…!” He claimed in agony. ”I left him behind! Alone! With those monsters!" Toby opened his eyes and turned back to his friends, his expression seeking forgiveness. “I’m sorry…It should have been me...”
”Stop it!” Casey commanded. "We don’t blame yo
u." She confidently assured him.
"Thank god at least you managed to get away, Toby.” Casey whispered. “And don’t worry, we will get Din back, he will be just fine. Right guys?" Casey asked as she looked up at Morgan who nodded and came closer.
“We will defiantly get him out of those monsters clutches.” He promised and Casey got up from the bed, clapping her hands together.
”Ok, ok.” Casey said, nodding to herself and then turning to her brothers.
“Change of plans then guys. “ She looked at Toby. "We will split up into two groups."
She decided, already going over the new plan as it formed in her head.
"One group will go to try and save Din while the other proceeds to kidnapping Morgan…"
"There is no need to do that." Jon stated, interrupting Casey as she spoke.
"No need?" Colin questioned. "No need to do what exactly?" He glared at Jon.
"There is no need to split into two groups." Jon said very calmly.
"We will all go to get Morgan's body back as we planned to." He said, turning to Casey.
Toby breathed in, he, like Colin was now glaring at Jon's back.
"Look," Toby faced Jon as Jon looked down at him. "I know that Morgan is your brother and you want to save him more then you want to save a boy you don't even know but we do know Din for over six years now and we can’t, just can’t leave him to die in the hands of those monsters like that! You know yourself how cruel they can be!" Jon's face distorted, he was losing his calm. "We have to help him too!" Toby declared, leaning up on his elbows and looking at the others. "Right?"
Jon shook his head. "No, you don’t understand Toby, Din won’t die, not now anyway."
He said, sounding pretty confident of what he told them.
"The apocalypse's need him. They will just lock him up with the other lost souls in the sacred chamber and feed of him like they did to the others."
Colin frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?!"
Jon crossed his arms over his chest. "I told you guys already, this is not the first time this is happening. For centuries the family of the asshole that used to live here used the creatures to gain power, money and control over this land until it finally backfired on their ass and now they are all dead or locked with the rest of the souls like they deserve."
"And you consider this a good thing?" Colin asked annoyed. "That Din is locked somewhere with the ass holes that started this whole mess and getting his soul sucked by some mystical creatures, you don't think that we should save him from that?! And what the hell is this chamber you are talking about??"
Jon let out a sigh. "It’s not a chamber per say…It's more like a void space, a place where they can keep the souls of their victims in limbo. They feed on their life force, their essence, or rather, what's left of it after the body dies. They created that ‘room’ on the first time they came here and the family of the assholes that brought them here was guarding it in exchange for their fortune.”
"It sounds like they had made a deal with the devil." Casey shook her head.
"Didn't they know what they were doing?"
"They knew." Jon growled. "But greed is a powerful moving force."
"Right.” Casey agreed. "So besides the secret room thing what did the apocalypse’s had to gain from the arrangement?" Jon shook his head.
"That was about it, the souls of children. That's what they are feeding on, remember? That is what makes them so strong, what gives them the strength to cross into our world and get such a strong hold on it."
"But how could that family had done it? Gather so many children to feed the monsters?
No one saw it? No one noticed that their children were missing?" Colin questioned in disbelieve.
He had trouble imagining that parents were just giving their kids up for no apparent reason to be served as food to a bunch of monsters, this weren't the ancient times and the monsters weren't gods!
"Children going missing for years and no one knew? How can that be?" Colin asked, talking almost to himself. Jon moved away from the bed and came to sit on the chair by the wooden table.
"Until now no one cared about the kids they were taking. The souls in that room are ancient, with the exception of Din the youngest soul in there is about fifty years old, more even. The family that had struck the deal only took the forgotten children, runaways, orphans, children who were sent here during the evacuations of the world wars.
Kids off the street and the gutters, from the lowest places of life. Children who were lost anyway. They weren't important enough so no one came looking…Until now that is, Din is important to you."
Casey looked at Jon. The rest of them sat quiet.
'So much information…' She thought. 'And how did he get it?' She narrowed her eyes. "Jon." Casey got up from her sit on the bed and came to stand beside him.
"How do you know all that?" She queried and Jon smiled sadly.
"That’s a simple question, little sister.” Jon sighed in forlorn, closing his eyes for a moment. “I am one of them." He said, opening his eyes and staring directly into Casey's brown orbs. “I am one of the kids they were feeding on."
His sad words had sucked the warmth out of the room.
Collin shuddered. Casey felt the chills running down her spine and she knew that her friends had felt the same way as she did. It was the fear and the confusion that everyone were now thrown in, the fear that they were on to something they didn't really want to hear.
"But I saw you…" Toby whispered. “When I and Din were down at their lair we saw your body."
"What?" Casey whipped her head at Toby. "You saw what?"
"My body." Jon repeated what Toby had just said. "I am not surprised." Jon said, nodding to himself as if the whole thing made perfect sense to him.
"They are taking it out of the chamber sometimes to keep me from dying, they don't want to lose their control over me so they let my soul out, kind of to regenerate, That’s why I am able to be with you right now, I wouldn't have if I was still in the room like I was in the past several years.”
He flinched involuntarily as he remembered the feel of the chamber crushing down on him. "When you are in there…" He whispered his distress clear to his siblings.
”When your soul is in there it’s almost impossible to concentrate on anything else but reminding yourself to keep breathing."
"Why…?" Casey asked, gulping, she wasn't sure that she was ready for the answer. "Because…"Jon bit his lip. ”Because it takes all that you have in you to block the pain that the monsters are putting you through."
He lowered his head, looking at the floor; he didn't want to keep thinking about it.
There was a moment of silent and then Morgan spoke.
"How long can a soul survive in there if they don’t let you out?" He asked, maintaining a practical view, as far as he could handle it.
Jon shrugged. "Years I believe, decades. I have only my experience to go on but since there are very old souls still lingering in there I would say more than fifty years for sure, unless the monsters are taking them out like they are doing to me, then I can account for only five years but it's still is a lot of time until it becomes critical."
He wrapped his arms around himself. "You have to understand that there are reasons the apocalypse prefer children, they are not just some sick pedophiles." He let out a little laugh at his own joke and then his face hardened.
"A soul, especially one of a child, the younger the better is a really powerful thing to handle. And to control once you wild its power means imminent strength boost for the beasts."
Morgan nodded. "Ok, I understand." He said. "Well then Jon is right. We will proceed with our original planning. We will get my body out of the hospital and then after we hide it somewhere in this mansion we will go save Din from the monsters."
He looked at Toby. "Is that ok with everyone?" He asked him specially.
Toby didn't seem to be too happy with the arrangement but he didn't protest, t
he rest of them nodded, agreeing that this was the best course of action to take at that time.
"Ok." Morgan smiled, "So since we are already on the subject we should probably think about where we are going to keep my body ones we get it back here…"
Morgan looked at his friends. "Any suggestions?"
"I know a place." Toby crocked as Colin grabbed his reached out hand and helped him into a sitting position.
"When I scanned the school with Din," He paused for a second; the thought of Din was still hard on him. "We …" He continued. "We went up to the ethic of this old place...
You should really see it guys, as far as we could tell it was quit deserted.
No one goes up there. It’s the area where they keep the generators in case of a black out, remember? Like in the summer storm last year when Kafka howled us all to the main lobby so we won’t disturb the maintenance guys? That's where they went."
"Sounds good…" Morgan tapped his chin. "And are you sure it’s safe to leave my body up there?"
Toby nodded. "Unless we have another freak storm I'm positive. Nothing but some old furniture, the generators and some cobwebs. No one but maintenance goes there anyway and they only check it like ones a year or so to make sure that everything is in order.
The genitor doesn't even clean up there…It’s like a big shit hole and smells like moss but it’s perfect if you want to conceal a body."
Morgan made a face of disgust but then he smiled.
"All right." He brushed his palms against each other. "Then it’s a plan."
"Mmmm…Wait." Casey said. "There is one more thing that we haven’t considered."
She looked at her friends. "Transportation.” She said. “How do we get to the hospital and back?"
Morgan frowned, he hadn't thought about it. "We can’t actually take a cab again…Could we?" Casey continued to wonder.
"Ohm…" Morgan blushed; he wasn't really sure what to do about that. “No….we won’t really be able to explain the body in the back sit,” He smirked. “And any way, a cab is not big enough for a hospital bed and for all of the equipment that we are going to get out of there.”
Winds Of The Apocalypse Page 15
