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True Feelings

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Prologue - Chapter 1

The Lair Of Fear

So far Everything has been normal in New York city.

Humans were walking through the crowded streets, rushing out to work. Cars had already gotten stuck in the morning traffic jams. Though it was early in the morning, the city was already awoken and 'alive'. Everywhere there were people with coffees from the nearest cafés, with newspapers and especially with their mobile phones. A day like any other days.

Central Park Zoo was already opened by the zookeeper Alice. Though it was Monday, a lot of children with their parents came to see the adorable animals. All of the animals had their 'talents show'. The lemurs, for example, were dancing to very loud music. But the most popular were the penguins. Humans loved their cute and cuddly shows.

Sunny, full of live city… until the one night.

The penguins were in their HQ, getting ready for a 'movies marathon'. Rico prepared the last pack of popcorn. Katherine jumped into the HQ, holding a lot of pillows.

"Alright, I got these pillows" She said.

"I said no more than 5, not, um, 20" Skipper said.

"Actually, there are 12 pillows" Kowalski corrected him.

"I know that 'how many pillows' topic is exciting but can someone help me, please?" Katherine asked. Rico immediately threw the pillows into the air and spat out a chainsaw; the best way to get rid of the redundant pillows. As a result, features were flying all over the HQ.

"Um, thanks Rico. By the way, those pillows were the only way to get rid of Marlene's criticism about horror movies' marathon. She wouldn't let me go if I didn't take them. I think that she was glad by getting rid of them" she said thinking. They placed the popcorn and the rest of the pillows in front of TV and Rico switched it on.

"It's Chuck Charles with the newest news. A murdered man was found by a group of teenagers near a river in the north of New York city. The witnesses claim that they didn't see anybody else near the body. After the long studies, doctors tell that the man has been dead for 6 hours when the young people had found him. Meanwhile in the west of the city, another murder took place. For now the rest of the information is unknown. Who's the mysterious killer of the cover of night? Stay with us in Chuck Charles' Night Patrol. I give voice to Bonnie Chang"

"Thank you, Chuck" Bonnie said and cleared throat "it's been exactly 100 years since the creation of 'the legend of the burnt chapel'. The legend has it that in 130th anniversary of the mysterious fire under the chapel a monster so scary and powerful will return and that nobody will be able to stop him from his revenge. In a night with the full-moon he'll call his dark creatures to destroy everything. Is it connected with the mysterious murders?" she cleared throat again and changed her voice into cheerful tone "And now 'How to draw a pony on your cup'"

Rico switched off TV and the HQ immediately fell into the silence.

"Aw, I wanted to see how to draw a pony" Private said and felt confusing looks of the rest on him "Nevermind"

"What's 'The legend of burnt chapel'?" Kowalski asked.

"We thought that you would tell us" Skipper said "But we can't leave this mystery for stupid humans. Any options? Kowalski?"

"Nope"

"Well, that burned chapel is here, in New York. And I think I know where exactly" Katherine said "Do you know the oldest cemetery in New York? The one on a big hill? I think it's the place where we should start an investigation"

"Fine, on my mark mission find the chapel is a go" Skipper said and walked towards a ladder "Ready? Mark!"

"B-but now?" Private asked.

"Why not?"

"Why not?! It's a dark, dark , scary night with the killer and we are supposed to go to a haunted cemetery?" Private replied.

"There is no such a thing as 'haunted'" Kowalski said.

"The oldest ones are always haunted"

"However, I don't think it's a good idea" Kowalski said.

Skipper, Rico and Katherine rolled their eyes and went out of the HQ. Kowalski and Private had to follow them. The night didn't seem unusual. The dark, night sky was full of stars and the moon, covered by the clouds. The weather was warm, like always in the summer, and everything looked completely safe. But somewhere there, far from the Central Park Zoo's walls, was a murderer who was planning his next crime.

The best way to get to the oldest place of the city was to pass through the Central Park and go by subway. Thereby they were standing in front of a black gate of the cemetery after a half an hour. Well, they couldn't say that it didn't look spooky.

The graveyard was surrounded by disintegrating, stone wall. Over the black gate there was a wooden board 'Cemetery'. When Skipper pulled the gate it opened with a loud creak. On one of the stones there was 'Get the hell out' written by something red.

"I-is it blood?" Private asked. Rico sniffed it.

"Ketchup" he replied.

"Good to know"

"Rico, flashlight, please" Skipper said and Rico spat out a flashlight.

They walked to the middle of the gloomy graveyard between stone tombs. It was on a hill; a big tomb-looking stone. The top of it looked as if there was something on it before. It was smooth and straight, like a floor. Probably it was their destination; the burned chapel. That's why the stone was so big. There was a plate with words.

"It's Latin" Katherine said "But I used to learn it"

"Can you read it?" Skipper asked.

"It's the legend of the burnt chapel. Here you are: In 1882 villagersrebelled and decided to end the control of monsters. On one night with the full-moon they herded the vampires, witches and werewolves to the chapel's basement and burnt it. The monsters died and the village was finally free. The villagers were worshipping the chapel, under which the hell's creatures left the world. 30 years later, in unexplained way, the whole chapel was burnt. And during that time some unexplained murders took place. That's when the legend was created. One day in a night of the full-moon, the master of all monsters will rise to get his bloody revenge. In unknown way, in unknown form. 1882 was exactly 130 years ago"

"Is that all?"

"Only one warning: The legend says that in the basement there're tunnels and corridors. It could've been planned by the monsters, to escape from there. Who could've been the traitor who told them the villagers' plan will be never known. If you want to check it, dear friend, you have to know that someone who will dare to get here, will never get out"

"Okay, very interesting and unlikely legend. I understand we can go now" Kowalski said.

"Negative; who wants to check the scary dungeons under this stone?" Skipper asked. Katherine and Rico helped him to open the heavy, stone plate to see the entry.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this now, in, um, the middle of night…" Private suggested.

"Look at it, it's haunted" Katherine said with a smirk.

"Booooo" Rico directed the flashlight at his face. Private froze and Kowalski tried to keep his face long. The other three laughed.

"It's only a stone stairs into…"

"Darkness infinity!" Private exclaimed.

"Ok, I understand that you two are staying here, alone?" Skipper asked and went into the darkness followed by Katherine and Rico.

"Yes, yes we will. And you'll see that it was a better idea" Kowalski said and crossed his flippers. They didn't replied. "Okay, wait!"

They all went down to check the old dungeons, the grave of all creatures of the darkness. They have no idea what they would see. Meanwhile the clouds disappeared from the sky, showing the big, round full-moon…

It's a sequel to Guard of the Secret which I haven't finished yet. Yep, sounds stupid but Guard of the Secret is a remake of my old silly story and that's why it's not finished yet. But anyway, to understand this story it's not reallyneeded to read the previous one, so I stop boring you :). (everything about Katherine is written on my profile)

Review please!