Night of the Witch

by Sharie05

This was a Halloween challenge story that took on a life of it's own. It is a little out there but I hope you enjoy it :

Halloween Challenge "Night of the Witch"

A bitter wind filtered down from the hills and filled the valley with an unseasonable chill. Wind swept leaves rustled in the night air as they blew across the dark dirt road. At times they resembled a flock of birds as they moved as one on the chilly current. Falling, they blew across the hard packed earth in search of something unseen but not unknown.

The dark clouds that hung heavily in the night sky blocked out any light the stars and moon could give the lone rider as he forged his way through the darkness. Dead leaves again whipped into a frenzy as the rider used his free hand to hold onto his hat before the wind could steal it from him. Feeling the winds icy fingers dig deep, the rider pulled up the collar of his coat around his neck and urged his horse on faster.

Looking up as he rode under a small grouping of trees, the bare branches resembled the fingers of a giant skeleton's hand as they moved back and forth in the cold air. The wind picked up in intensity causing the branches to creak and groan. They moved around as if guided, reaching their bony fingers down towards the rider and his horse. Whinnying nervously as a sudden gust of wind washed over them, the horse picked up his head and looked around. Something was lurking out there in the cold darkness that had the potential to do great harm to him and his rider, something evil.

"Come on boy, don't tell me yer scared of a little wind." The rider leaned forward slightly and rubbed the side of the horse's neck. Wind howled through the trees once more. The rider suddenly had the strange feeling he was being watched. Urging his horse into a gallop, images of home and family flooded into his head. He could see his family sitting in the living room drinking brandy. A roaring fire in the fireplace took the chill out of the air and replaced it with welcoming warmth.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as a black shadow crossed the road in front of them, causing his horse to stop and rear up. Holding on, the rider soon had his faithful mount under control as he looked around for the cause of the disturbance. The horse continued to prance around nervously as his rider eyed the dark landscape around him. Something wasn't right, but what exactly that thing was he couldn't say. Small hairs on the back of his neck stood out in attention, the uneasy feeling penetrated his body as the cold wind touched deep into his bones.

Trees surrounding the pair creaked and moaned louder as the wind whipped them around. Their bony fingers slapping each other as they scratched at the dark sky above. Thunder rumbled in the distance as both horse and rider resumed their journey down the dark path towards home. Each one carefully scanning the desolate landscape around them as they rode on.

Three almost shapeless figures watched as the pair rode by. Their green eyes laughed and shared secrets between them that were hundreds of years old. Only they were privy to such secrets that had destroyed lives and devoured many a man.

The figures stood up and moved out into the road to watch as horse and rider crested the top of a hill and disappeared. Huddling together they laughed and danced around in a circle as the wind spun the dead dry leaves around them onto a frenzied tornado.

"My but he's a pretty one," cackled one of the figures as they continued to dance around with the leaves.

"A might tasty too, I imagine," laughed another.

"I get his beautiful eyes," stated the third as laughter filled the cold air around them.

Thunder rumbled ever closer as horse and rider raced towards the warmth they knew lay just a few short miles ahead of them. The uneasy feeling that had been with them a few short minutes ago had yet to leave. Both continued to glance around nervously as they drew ever closer to their goal. The smell of rain hung heavily in the air. The cold wind filled their nostrils and tried to freeze their lungs.

The night sky exploded into searing whiteness as lightning sliced through the dark clouds directly overhead. Thunder shook the very ground they rode over. Feeling his very bones shake as the wave of thunder reverberated through the valley, the rider pushed on ever faster.

Rain quickly turned from a few large drops into a torrential down pour. With the uneasy feeling still permeating the air around them, horse and rider continued on through the blinding storm. They both longed for the safety of home, and for the rider especially the warmth that family brought.

A high-pitched scream echoed through the air. Lightning crashed down next to them splitting an ancient oak tree in two. The horse reared up, a large piece of the old oak tree fell and slammed into the rider driving him from his mounts back. Landing hard his back in the wet road, the rider only had a moment to collect his thoughts before the branch crashed down on top of him.

The air was forced from his lungs by the heavy branch as it pinned him to the wet earth. He struggled with the immense weight on top of him. His rain blurred eyes watched as three dark figures knelt down next to him. The green eyes that peeked out from underneath their dark hoods, chilled his heart. As his vision began to fade; the last thing he saw was a black snake like tongue slithering out from under one of the hoods heading straight for his face...

"Night of the Witch" Part 1

The unearthly howling of the wind through the trees is what finally awakened him. Feeling his body tremble as the cold wind scored into his bare flesh his teeth chattered uncontrollably as his body tried to warm itself. Becoming more aware of his surroundings he could feel rough tree bark rubbing against his back. His arms were pulled back around the tree and tied securely. His shoulders ached terribly from the unnatural position he now found himself in and his hands had long since gone numb.

Opening his eyes as the rain fell in full force he couldn't see a thing. Shaking his head to try and remove some of the water from his face he blinked his eyes repeatedly trying to get his bearings. Through the inky blackness he could just make out a dim violet glow coming from somewhere behind him. The violet light grew slightly in intensity as he struggled to see deeper into his surroundings. The trees around reflected back the strange glow telling him that he was now somewhere deep in the woods.

Shivering as another gust of wind raked across his bare flesh, Heath moaned slightly. His already sore shoulder joints protesting at the movement. His bruised chest ached as his lungs tried to expand more while his body continued to shake. Feeling something furry touch his bare icy foot he instinctively tried to draw it up towards him. Unable to move his legs he looked down more closely at them. Through the driving rain and the constant chattering of his teeth he could just barley make out vines tethering his ankles, knees, and thighs closely together. Wet leaves blew in the cold wind and stuck to his exposed flesh as his body continued to tremble.

"How did I get here?" His sluggish brain questioned as his body shook even more. "What happened to my clothes?" He wondered as the cold rain beat down on him. Closing his eyes he tried to will himself away from the terrible place, if he could just get warm he'd feel so much better.

Feeling something furry touch his foot again his eyes shot open. A large rat illuminated by the violet light sniffed around his feet making his stomach churn. Trying to pull his feet away he managed to move them slightly which only startled the rat.

Lunging towards the movement in front of him the rats teeth sunk into the side of Heath's left foot. Grunting in pain, he could feel the rat's claws hold on as its teeth sunk in deeper.

"Leave him be he's ours!" Shouted a hooded figure off to Heath's right. A bony hand appeared out of the dark folds of the robe and shot down grabbing the rat off of his foot. Looking up at the figure, the rain pelted his face. He heard the rat screech as the bony fingers sliced through its body like knifes.

Heath watched as the figure brought the rat up to its hood. Loosing sight of the rat in the darkness created by the figures robes, he began to hear a terrible unnatural sucking sound. Seeing the figures arm move, he followed it's path and watched as it dropped what remained of the rat. The once plump and rather large rat now lay withered and shriveled to more than half it's original size just inches from his feet.

Shaking from the cold and now something new, fear, Heath looked back up. "Who are you?" He asked, his teeth chattering making speech difficult.

The hooded figured turned at the sound of its captives voice and knelt down next to him. Reaching out it's bony hand it stroked the mans cheek leaving a bloody cut in it's wake. "You'll find out soon enough," the figure cackled as green eyes looked out from under the hood and straight into the terrified blue ones across from it.

The stench as the creature spoke made his stomach roll. The bony hand that touched his cheek leaving its burning mark behind was like nothing he'd ever seen before. The creatures skin was as pale as the moon and stretched so tightly over its bones he was sure they would break through the surface at any moment. The fingers were twisted and the knuckles enlarged as they snaked their way towards him seemingly with a mind of their own. The only other distinguishable feature had been it's eyes, they were green. Not just an average green but a bright green that had a light all its own. The creatures eyes and it's foul breath reminded him of death, something rotten and ancient was hidden under those dark robes and Heath was terrified he was going to find out soon exactly what evil lay underneath.

Holding his breath as the creature stood up, he watched as it floated away and out of sight. Hearing a strange laughter coming from behind him, he watched as the violet light grew in intensity for a moment and then dissipated back to it's original glow. The wind blew and more leaves swirled around him coating his wet body with their dead lifeless forms. The bitter wind hurt his body as it continued to swirl around him chilling him further. Closing his eyes he moaned inwardly as pain engulfed his entire body from head to foot.

"Not feeling well are we?" Asked and elderly woman's voice off to his right.

"Poor creature, he's ice cold," said another elderly voice off to his left.

"Let us bring him closer to the fire," stated a third voice directly in front of him.

Opening his eyes, Heath's breath caught in his throat. Three pairs of green eyes danced around him as they peered from beneath their dark black hoods. "Who are you?" He asked as he blinked to rid his eyes of the water dripping down his face.

"Who aren't we," laughed the figure to his right.

"We are everyone and yet no one," the figure in front of him said as it reached out and touched the bloody bite mark on his foot with its long withered finger. Heath readied himself for the pain he was sure was to follow but surprisingly his foot actually began to feel better.

"What do you want from me?" He asked wearily looking from figure to figure as the rain continued to blur his vision.

"Oh my but that is a good question. But I think a better question yet is what don't we want from you." Laughed the creature on his left as it leaned in closer to him.

The horrid smell coming from the figure made his stomach turn. Dead rotting flesh assaulted his nostrils as he turned his face away from the haunting green eyes. Laughing the creature reached out a bony hand and ran it through her captives hair. "Does thou find me unappealing?" Asked the creature as she laughed and grabbed the mans hair turning his face back to her own. "Shall I show you more?" She questioned as she looked into the mans frightened blue orbs.

"That's enough for now sister, no need to spoil our fun for later." Said a voice behind the figure hovering close to his face.

"Yes our fun," the creature in front of him laughed before moving back slightly. "I shall taste you later my sweet." It said withdrawing its fingers from his hair.

Feeling his arms being freed, his shoulders protested as the terrible strain they'd been under was lifted. The moment his hands were freed, bony fingers wrapped cruelly around his upper arms and hoisted him upright. As his body moved from the unnatural position it had been forced into for so long, the muscles in his arms, legs and back began to spasm painfully as his circulation was once again restored.

Crying out as he was carried away from the tree the bony hands on his arms tightened their cruel grip. Clenching his eyes and jaw shut as the pain in his arms grew with each step the figures took, he was almost certain at any moment they would break his arms in two.

Releasing him, Heath felt his body falling. Hitting the cold wet ground he immediately curled into a fetal position and listened to the noises around him. The wet mud he lay in chilled his naked body even more as he listened to the creatures moving about.

Opening his eyes he watched as the hooded creatures walked in a wide circle chanting something in a foreign tongue. Slowly pushing himself up to a sitting position his body shook as the wind continued to assault him. His arms and legs had become so cold they were slow to obey his commands.

Crawling through the cold wet mud and leaves, Heath looked for away to escape. Knowing his body would soon succumb to the freezing cold temperatures his bare flesh was exposed to; he had to get away while he could still move.

The further he managed to crawl away the harder the rain fell and the wind blew. Shielding his eyes with his left arm he tried to see where he was. A cold chill ran through his body as a black hooded figure stood directly in front of him.

A hand, strong as that of ten men shot out from beneath the ratted and worn black cape and grabbed him by the throat. Holding onto the creatures arm with both of his own Heath struggled to breath as the creature picked him up effortlessly.

The steel like grip on his throat let nothing in nor out of his lungs. Kicking his feet as he fought to free himself from its grasp, Heath heard the creatures high pitched laugh.

"So full of life this one," it said as it brought Heath's face down closer to it's own. Darkness began to dull the edges of his vision but he watched as the creature used it's free hand to remove its hood.

With his lungs screaming for air his mind screamed for release. The creature's hood now removed; Heath looked into the face of a witch. Her rotting flesh had fallen away in spots leaving nothing but bare bone. Maggots and worms crawled in and out of the rotten and rotting flesh feasting upon their host. Strands of long black hair hung here and there off what remained of the witches scalp. Most of her hair had long since fallen out taking her scalp with it leaving nothing but per bone behind.

As she drew his face closer to her own, Heath wished for release. The stench when she opened her mouth was fouler than anything he'd ever smelt. Watching her black tongue snake it's way from her mouth and towards his lips he was certain death was close at hand. As the last of his vision was swallowed up he felt his body drifting away, then nothing.

Part 2

Standing in front of the living room windows, Nick swirled the drink he held around in the glass. Peering out into the darkness; the clock in the foyer chimed once as he continued his vigil. A chill washed over him as the wind blew hard against the outside glass. Hearing a slight noise behind him, he turned to find his mother dressed in her robe standing a few feet behind him.

"Nick why don't you go on up to bed," she said walking over and hugging her son.

"I can't Mother," he replied quietly as he rested his chin on the top of her silver head.

"He's probably just holding up in one of the line shacks until the storm blows over." Victoria said quietly as she tried to ease her sons fear for his missing brother.

"I'd like to believe that Mother," he replied as he held her out in front of him and looked down into her eyes. "But I can't."

Clearly seeing the worry in her son's eyes warning bells started to ring in her head. A sudden sense of loss filled her heart as she thought about her son. Had it really been just a year since he'd walked into their lives struggling to find his place in the world. He'd not only found his rightful place but he'd found a place in all of their hearts as well.

When her husband was brutally taken away from her she'd thought him gone forever. It wasn't until this young man, a piece of her husband, entered their lives did she realize a piece of Tom would be with her forever.

But now as doubts to her sons' well being crept into her head and surrounded her heart, she began to fear for his life. "Oh Nick you don't think something's happened to him?" She questioned as her son held her hand.

"I'm not sure Mother, it's just not like him not to come home. Something's wrong I can feel it." Nick replied before finishing off the rest of his drink. "I can't sit around here and wait any longer, I have to go out and find him."

"Nicholas please be careful," she replied, gently touching the side of his face.

"I will Mother," Nick, replied as he kissed her cheek before leaving.

Riding down the dark hard packed road away from the mansion, Nick pushed his hat down further on his head as the wind and rain blew at him from every direction. The rain slicker he wore flapped behind him as a gust of wind swooped up from the ground and tried to take it from him.

The unearthly sound of long dead leaves danced across the road both in front and behind him and his horse making them uneasy. The incessant howling of the wind as it raced across the valley to destinations unknown didn't ease his edginess at all. Something was out there in the darkness; something he'd never seen or even knew existed.

The further he ventured from the ranch the more the temperature dropped around him. The constant howling of the wind drowned out all other sounds. Try as he might to see what lay ahead of him in the road, the rain beating down made it virtually impossible.

Hearing a horse whinny, he quickly stopped his mount and called out for his brother through the driving rain. "Heath! Heath! It's Nick, where are you?" He shouted shielding his eyes from the rain. Hearing the horses cry coming from his left he urged his mount off the road.

Seeing a familiar large black form in the bushes directly in front of him, Nick jumped down and rushed over to his brother's horse. "Charger, where's your master?" He asked while trying to untangle the reins from the bushes.

Nick's heart dropped a he ran his hand over a large cut on Charger's flank. "Where is he boy? Is he hurt?" He questioned, fear suddenly racing through his system.

Charger still sensing the evil surrounding them reared up and tried to get away from Nick. Coco hearing his stall mate's cry and sensing the same evil pulled away from his master and raced side by side with Charger back towards the safety of the ranch.

"Damn horses!" Nick shouted as he ran back to the road after them. Holding onto his hat as a large gust of wind scattered dead wet leaves all around him, he realized the horses were gone. Turning around in the road he looked for landmarks trying to pin point his position. Seeing something laying across the road about a hundred yards in front of him, his knees grew weak. "Heath!" he shouted forcing his body forward.

Reaching the downed branch, relief surged through him. It wasn't the body of his little brother, as he had so feared. Lightning flashed in the distance and illuminated the area around him with an eerie white glow, something to his left caught Nick's eye.

Walking around the downed branch and up next to the old oak tree it had obviously fallen from he picked up Heath's hat. The relief he'd felt just a moment ago was gone in an instant. Gripping the hat tightly his eyes scanned the dark area for any signs of his brother.

Nick paid it little mind as the wind whipped the tree's branches into a frenzy. His sole focus was on that of finding his brother. Walking out and away from the tree he tripped over something in the tall grass. Pushing himself back up he reached down and picked up the item.

The muddy cowboy boot he held in his hand made his heart stop momentarily. As his brain struggled to grasp the meaning behind the empty boot his heart all ready knew it.

"Heath!" Nick screamed into the wind as he let the boot fall from his fingers. Rushing forward in a blind frenzy to find his brother, he stumbled across the rest of his brother's clothes. Picking up the soaked sage green winter jacket his brother had worn out of the house just that morning, Nick was horrified at its condition.

The jacket had been torn into eight large pieces; reaching down and picking up the rain saturated shirt and pants he noted they had been torn in a similar fashion. Searching but finding no blood his heart relaxed slightly, but the big question still remained, where was his brother?

Shielding his eyes from the wind driven rain, Nick looked around the darkened landscape for any signs of Heath. Turning slightly to his left he saw a faint violet light flickering through the trees off in the distance. The light was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. Its eerie glow somehow called out to him drawing him towards it.

The wind pushed at his back driving him towards the light as he slowly climbed over fallen trees and dodged bushes. Catching his right foot on a fallen branch, he fell forward landing hard and jarring his body. Shaking the fog from his head he slowly sat up and collected his thoughts.

Remembering where he was and why he listened as voices chanted in a foreign tongue just a little ways in front of him. Remembering not to look directly into the violet light, Nick carefully crawled over to the edge of a large tree and looked around it.

There chanting with their heads facing up into the wind and rain were three hooded figures walking around in a small circle. Nick watched as the leaves around their feet danced in the air around them.

Their voices sounded ancient and very old but the way their bodies moved as they chanted he didn't think them too old. Looking away from them and into the small clearing surrounding them, his heart stopped. Hanging from the trees all around the small clearing were bodies in various degrees of decay.

Some were mere skeletons while others were rotting with flesh hanging off their bones. Some of the corpses appeared only to have died a few days ago. Most were hung up by their wrists while a few hung from their feet. Even fewer had ropes around their necks.

As he looked up higher into the trees he was amazed at how high up the bodies went, there had to be hundreds even thousands of them. They swung back and forth in the wind as if dancing to an old tune only they could hear.

Scanning the tree line around the three figures he saw something that made his blood run cold. Hanging by his wrists just a few inches off the ground was his brother.

Part 3

As the blood rushed through his head and his heart thundered in his chest, Nick Barkley struggled to take a breath. His fingernails dug deeply into the tree his hands were on as he peered around it at the form of his brother hanging on the other side of the clearing from him.

The violet glow coming from the strange little fire the figures had burning in their camp flickered across his brothers still form. Heath hung naked suspended by his wrists, his long lean body stretched out as his toes dangled just inches from the wet ground. His head hung forward and his chin rested on his chest. The eerie glow from the violet light made him appear waxen almost ghost like.

As a strong gust of wind blew through the clearing, Nick heard more than just the rustling of dead leaves. Bones suspended high over his head clinked together as ancient rope squeaked, as its precious cargo swung to and fro. Nick watched as Heath's body moved ever so slightly and spun slowly sideways as leaves raced with the wind beneath his unmoving feet. His body turning towards Nick, he noticed the long red lines crisscrossing his brother's stomach, chest, and upper arm area. There were also small black marks spotted across the same areas.

"Dear God how can I help him?" Wondered Nick as he looked at the horrors all around him once more. Turning his face away from the horrid scene in front of him, he sat down in the wet grass with his back against the tree and brought his hands up to his face.

Nick Barkley shivered as the cold icy wind washed over him once more. A feeling of dread from somewhere deep down inside him tried to grab a hold of him and pull him under. Pushing it back down form whence it came, Nick tried to think of a way to save his brother.

He knew the creatures in the clearing couldn't be human. But what exactly they were his mind could not begin to comprehend. He only knew their intent and that was to make his brother another trophy; to make him the newest addition to their macabre forest of human bones.

Removing his glove he took off his hat and ran his hand through his wet hair. Combing it back away from his face he snuged down his hat once more and readied himself. Taking a deep breath he slowly started to crawl on his hands and knees around the perimeter of the clearing towards his younger brother. The dense brush made the going slow but the wind and rain hid any noise his body made as he crept along. The closer he drew to his brother the more his heart sank.

Heath hadn't moved or made a sound since he'd first spotted him. The red lines crisscrossing his brother's chest, stomach, back, and upper arms were more pronounced now that he was closer. He could tell they were deep cuts and not just welts as he had hoped they were.

Feeling something squish under his hand as he crept along he stopped suddenly and looked down. The remains of a human leg oozed up through his gloved hand as it pressed down on it. Pulling his hand up pieces of the leg remained attached to his glove as the smell of rotting flesh made his stomach roll. Shaking his hand in disgust he looked at the ground around him. Much like the trees over his head the ground was littered with body parts. Arms, hands, feet, legs, heads, and chucks of torsos lay scattered about. Most were black and rotted crawling with beetles and maggots. Tearing his eyes away from the grisly sight he focused on his brother. Knowing he had to help Heath that he had to save his brother forced him onward.

He was only a tree away from his brother when he heard the small moan. Stopping and sitting up he watched as the three hooded figures stopped their chanting and stood perfectly still. Using his gloved hand to wipe the water away from his eyes his body began to tremble as three sets of green eyes stood in a line in front of his younger brother staring at him.

"Our precious one awakens," laughed on of the hooded figures.

"Oh my he has slept for quite some time now," another figure spoke up.

Nick watched as the figure standing directly in front of Heath raised its arm and a white bony hand shot out from beneath its robe. As the skeleton like hand touched his brother, Heath let out another moan.

Horrified Nick watched as the figure who'd just touched his brother placed a blood soaked finger into its mouth. Laughing the figure looked between the other two and cackled, "my he's the best I've tasted in years."

As the other two figures advanced towards his helpless brother, a rage built up with in Nick drowning out all reason. Standing up as the rain continued to fall through the trees and over the rotting corpses all around him, Nick shouted and drew his gun.

"Leave him be!" He shouted as he stepped out into the small clearing with his gun trained on the figures.

The three sets of green eyes that peered out from beneath the ancient black robes gleamed a little brighter and laughed silently at the foolish man walking towards them. Unheard words past between the ancient creatures as the man drew closer. Their black rotting tongues caressed long dead lips in anticipation as their new prey drew ever closer.

"My another tasty treat," laughed the creature directly in front of his brother.

"Just as delicious as this one I imagine," laughed another as she drew her finger across Heath's chest soliciting a moan from him.

"I said leave him alone!" Nick shouted as the raised the gun higher and aimed it at the creature who'd just touched his brother.

"Oh my but this one is brave," said one of the creatures as it turned and looked at the other two.

"Yes like the knights of old," laughed another.

"He will be a fine addition," laughed the third as all three creatures took a step back from Heath and turned their attention to Nick.

Stopping a good thirty feet from the hooded creatures, Nick swallowed hard. Their green eyes seemed to bore a hole straight throw him as they stood staring. The wind made the long robes they wore roll and flutter as if something alive were crawling about under them. A sudden feeling that he'd acted to quickly took hold as the three creatures began to advance towards him.

Part 4

Standing only thirty feet from the creatures, Nick felt his palms grow sweaty. Gripping the gun tighter in his hand he tried to steady his nerves as the wind howled through the trees and bodies high over his head. The stench of rotting and rotten flesh hung in the air like a wet blanket trying to smother him as he faced the creatures.

Hearing his brother moan quietly as a strong gust of wind caused his body to sway, Nick turned his attention away from the creatures for only a moment as he glanced at Heath. Turning his attention back towards the three hooded figures his heart leapt up into his throat. One of them now stood only six feet in front of him. "How could they move that fast?" His brain wondered as he stood and looked at the creature's green eyes. "That's close enough," Nick said in a shaky voice as he leveled his gun at the creature's chest.

"Oh but there is so much I can show you," cooed the creature in front of him as its eyes grew brighter.

"Something tells me it's all no good," Nick replied as he lifted up his left hand and pointed to the bodies hanging around them.

"Oh but they are not you," the creature replied in a soft voice.

"Not yet," Nick replied as the creatures laughed at his response.

"Not another step," Nick stated cocking his gun when the creature in front of him drew slightly closer.

Laughing as its green eyes glimmered with glee the witch took another step forward. The report of gun echoed loudly in the small clearing before it was quickly taken away by the howling wind. As the bullet tore through the witch's chest where her black heart should have been, she stopped and laughed along with her sisters.

With his gun still leveled at the creature's chest, Nick watched as a pair of bony white skeletal hands reached up from the creature's sides and grasped the front of its robe. Ripping it open, Nick was not prepared for what lay underneath. Gray bare ribs covering a mass of rotting intestines and other internal organs greeted him in a ghoulish display as the creature laughed. As it laughed the contents of it rotting mass moved around and jiggled, small maggots and beetles fell to the ground at its rotting feet.

Nick couldn't breathe, the site in front of him was beyond anything he could comprehend. As the hellish creature took another step towards him it was a full moment before he could react. Firing his gun again the bullet was sucked straight into the rotting mass as the creature continued to advance and laugh. Its green eyes grew brighter as it reached one bony hand out towards its prize.

Firing three more shots into the hideous thing in front of him, Nick couldn't phantom why it was still walking. Just as its hand reached up for him, Nick adjusted his aim up higher and fired at the creature's head. The bullet tore into the creatures left eye extinguishing its light, everything stopped.

Deathly silence enveloped the clearing around them. The wind and rain both suddenly ceased, as did the laughter coming from the other two creatures.

A black stream of rotting blood shot out from the creature's ruined eye splattering down the front of Nick's jacket. Still shocked at what was transpiring before him, the creature let out a scream unlike anything he'd ever heard before. Nick watched as its insides started to liquefy, black rivers of rotten organs and flesh seeped through the creature's bones and pooled at its feet. The smell of rotting flesh filled his nostrils and made him gag as the creature continued to scream.

Laughing only moments ago with their sister, the witches joined in with their sister's screams. Their unearthly wails filled the small clearing as pieces of rotting flesh continued to plop down into the rotten pool at their sister's feet.

As the hood fell away from the creatures face Nick's eyes grew wide. The witch's forehead was solid bone; what ever skin had once been there was long gone. Her lone green eye shown brightly against the gray rotting flesh of its socket; holes where once cheeks used to be oozed a black substance squirming with maggots. Worms crawled out of the gaping holes where her nose should have been and joined the rotting pool of organs at her feet. Clumps of long gray hair stuck here and there to shards of skin scattered across its gray skull.

As her legs melted away the witch began to sink into the pool of her own rotting flesh. In a last effort attempt to take Nick with it to hell, she lunged forward and tried to grab him. As he stepped easily away out of its grasp, the witches head hit the ground in front of him and broke open revealing a skull packed with maggots.

Hearing the screaming stop Nick looked up to where the other two creatures had been. Not finding them he quickly spun around searching for them. An icy wind swept through the clearing almost knocking him off his feet as it washed over him. Racing around the small clearing dragging dead leaves behind it, the wind washed over the strange violet fire extinguishing it.

The area around him now dark caused the hairs on the back of Nick's neck to rise. He could hear the rustle of the leaves as they continued to race behind the wind. Reminding himself to breath he kept his gun pointed straight ahead and ready to shoot. Hearing a small moan in front of him, he remembered his brother.

"Heath," he cried out running forward in the darkness. Seeing the out line of his brothers hanging form Nick took off his gloves and reached out to touch him. Feeling the cold tacky skin beneath his hand, Nick knew Heath was in trouble.

Unsheathing his knife, Nick wrapped his arm around Heath and reached up cutting the rope suspending him. Catching his brother he carefully eased him to the ground. Using the knife he carefully cut the ropes so cruelly biting into Heath's wrists. As the last of the ropes fell away, Nick took off his coat and wrapped it around him. "I've got to get you out of here Heath," Nick said as he laid his hand on Heath's forehead. "You're so cold," he mumbled as he struggled to lift the unconscious man.

Maneuvering Heath over his should Nick headed away from the clearing. Wading through the mounds of dead bodies discarded outside the clearing he hurried along as fast as he could before the creatures decided to return.

Part 5

Dead leaves crackled and crunched underneath his feet but Nick barely heard them. With his eyes scanning the dark forest all around him he searched for the road. His heavy burden was cold and still as he continued on through the darkness. Stumbling over an unseen log he landed hard on the ground with a grunt. Getting up on his hands and knees he turned to look at the prone form of his younger brother lying next to him.

Heath lay on his side with nothing but Nick's own coat wrapped around him. Not hearing his brother utter a sound as he landed hard on the ground unnerved Nick. Checking Heath for a pulse he was relieved once again to find one. Rubbing his own arms as the coldness around him tried to seep into his bones; Nick picked his brother back up and laid him over his shoulder once more.

Trudging through the leaves and low hanging branches Nick finally reached the road. The dark lonely stretch of wet hard packed earth cut through the countryside like a black winding river. With the wind once again beginning to howl around him whipping the dead leaves and scattering them down where it may, Nick trudged on. His wet hair hung down in his face obstructing his view at times before the wind would lift it up and blow it around.

After carrying Heath about a mile he finally had to rest. The muscles in his thighs just wouldn't allow him to go on any further. Gently lowering his brother to the ground, he tried his best to keep the jacket secured around him. His brothers pale face and limp lifeless body had really begun to worry Nick. He had hoped that by now Heath would have started to come around. As he rubbed his shoulder and watched his still brother, a huge gust of wind swept over him almost knocking him backwards. The bone chilling wind caused him to shiver as it wrapped itself around him stealing his breath. The tree's on either side of the road rattled and groaned as the wind bent them and twisted their branches at will.

Hearing a small moan, Nick immediately looked down at Heath. Seeing his brother beginning to stir caused a renewed hope to burn deep within his stomach. "That's it, come on Heath." He said as he bent down close to his brother's face and urged him on. Nick watched as Heath's eyes began to flutter underneath their closed lids, another small moan escaped his lips before Nick was finally rewarded with two very small slits of blue looking up at him in the darkness.

"Heath," he said as he reached down and pulled his brothers head up into his lap. "You're gonna be OK boy," Nick added as he smiled down at Heath.

"Cccooolllddd," Heath mumbled as he began to shiver in Nick's arms.

"I know you are, just hang on we'll be home soon little brother." Nick said as he rubbed up and down Heath's arms trying to warm him.

"Nnniiiccckkk... I... feeeelll...sick," stated Heath as his stomach started to heave.

Turning Heath's head away from him, Nick watched on in horror as Heath began to throw up. A black syrupy liquid ran from his brother's mouth as wave after wave of nausea swept over him and made him hurl.

"It... hhuurts... Nick," Heath spit out before another bought of nausea caused more of the dark foul smelling liquid to come out of his mouth.

Unable to help his brother, Nick began to panic. The amount of liquid coming out of Heath alone was enough to cause the alarm bells to go off in his head. But the black foul smelling mixture was unlike anything he'd ever seen before.

"Caann'tt... bbreeaath," Heath whispered before more of the foul smelling mixture spewed from his mouth. Nick held onto Heath as he began to buck in his arms. Nick's fear for his brother's life ate a hole straight into his soul. He knew Heath was in trouble yet there was nothing he could do to help.

As Heath slumped in his arms, Nick quickly turned him over and looked at him. His eyes were partially open but lacked any clarity what so ever. His face was stark white save for the few small cuts on his cheek and forehead. Reaching a shaky hand to his brother's neck, Nick had a feeling of what he would find.

When his trembling hand met the cold flesh of his brother's neck, his heart stopped. Holding his breath as he waited to feel the pulse of his younger brothers heart under his finger, a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before began to build and rush up from his stomach towards his heart. "Don't do this Heath!" He shouted as he shook his brother. "Don't you do this!" He screamed as he felt Heath's neck again for a pulse.

Feeling nothing, darkness crept across his soul stealing his breath away. Pulling Heath up tight against his chest, Nick rocked back and forth as he cried. Ignoring the wind as it swept over him once more, Nick turned his face up towards the night sky and cried out a single pain filled word, "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The End

Leaves stuck to the side of the white mansion for a moment before the wind released its hold letting them fall harmlessly back to the earth. The great house was dark and quiet as the bitter winds rattled windows and seeped in through the cracks causing a strange howling noise to fill the other wise quiet house.

Dust swirled in the cold dark air within the grand foyer as the wind swept in under the magnificent oak door standing guard over the house and its occupants. As the wind raced up the grand staircase, the quietness of the house was shattered as a scream filled the night air.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Nick screamed as he sat straight up in bed.

Hearing her son call out, Victoria was up in a flash and racing down the hall to his room. Throwing open his door she was at his side as he sat on his bed breathing hard. His black hair was hanging down and stuck to his sweaty forehead and face. His nightshirt was plastered to his chest with sweat and she could see his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Nick was is it?" She asked as she quickly sat down next to him and grabbed a hold of his arms. His eyes looked around the room blankly before finally gaining some clarity. As he turned his flushed face towards her, she absently brushed his hair back out of his eyes and back across his forehead.

"Heath?" He finally managed to say his brother's name as his heart thundered in his chest. "Where is he?" He questioned more urgently as he began to look around the dark room.

Victoria saw the pained look in her son's eyes as he searched the room for his brother. "He's asleep Nick, you found him. Don't you remember?" Victoria questioned as she cupped her sons cheek with her small hand.

"Found him?" Nick asked as he looked into his mother's eyes.

"Yes dear, you went out in the storm looking for him when he didn't return on time. Don't you remember?" Victoria answered as she watched Nick look at her in a confused way. "You found him wandering on the side of the road. The wind blew a tree branch down and knocked him off Charger injuring his ribs. By the time you found him he was completely soaked to the bone."

Nick looked at his mother as she told him what happened with Heath but all Nick could picture was his brothers battered body hanging in the clearing as the creatures danced around in the eerie violet light. "I'm sorry mother; guess I just had a bad dream." Nick replied as he forced a smile to cross his lips.

"Would you like some water?" Victoria questioned as she stood up from the bed and walked over to his dresser.

"No, no thanks. I think I'll just try and fall back to sleep." Nick said as he lay back down.

"All right, let me know if you need anything." Added Victoria as she walked back over and kissed his cheek.

Watching his mother leave and close the door, Nick stared up at the ceiling. The dream had seemed so real; he could still smell the foul sickly sweet smell of the substance his little brother had thrown up. He could hear the bones rattling in the trees as the wind blew them back and forth banging them together. He could feel the rotting flesh and bones squish under his feet as he carried his brother away from the monsters that had taken him.

Closing his eyes the witches face came into view once more, its forehead was solid bone; whatever skin had once been there was long gone. Her lone green eye shown brightly against the gray rotting flesh of its socket; holes where once cheeks used to be oozed a black substance squirming with maggots. Worms crawled out of the gaping holes where her nose should have been and joined the rotting pool of organs at her feet. Clumps of long gray hair stuck here and there to shards of skin scattered across its gray skull.

Bolting straight up in bed, Nick ran a hand over his sweaty face. Throwing back his covers he slipped into his slippers and grabbed the robe hanging on the back of his chair. With his heart beating rapidly in his chest he walked over to his bedroom door and opened it.

The hallway was dark and he could feel the fingers of the leading edge of the wind as they crept up the grand staircase to meet him. Turning towards his younger brother's room, he walked down the hall as the wind rattled the downstairs window in its effort to gain entry.

As he stood in front of Heath's closed door, his stomach started to churn. "What if it wasn't a nightmare? What if Heath was actually dead?" As the muscles around his heart contracted squeezing it tight he reached a shaky hand out and grasped the cold brass doorknob.

Holding his breath he pushed open the door. The coldness of the room startled him a little, as he walked further inside he noticed the window opposite Heath's bed open slightly. Closing it, he turned around to face the bed.

His own heartbeat thundered in his ears, reaching forward he touched the slumbering figure of his younger brother. Watching him move slightly under his touch, Nick sighed in relief. Sitting down on the edge the bed, Nick tried to calm his racing heart. Hearing his brother snore quietly, he actually managed to smile.

"It all seemed so real," he thought as he sat and shook his head. Deciding to wake Heath to check on him, he reached over and gently shook his slumbering form. "Heath... You awake?" Nick asked trying to wake him.

"Go away Nick," Heath mumbled still more than half asleep as he pulled the covers up over his head.

"I had the strangest dream," Nick replied ignoring his brother's request as he stared out the window into the dark night beyond.

"Nick it's the middle of the night," Heath replied as the bed covers muffled his voice slightly.

"There were these creatures... I think they used to be women." Nick began as Heath tried to pull his pillow over his head. "They were old, really old, ancient even. They took you and… well they did things... awful things. I thought..." Nick stated before trailing off deep in thought.

"You thought what?" Heath questioned as he uncovered his head and listened to his older brother.

Remembering Heath's partially open unseeing blue eyes, a shiver ran down his spine. "It was nothing Heath," Nick replied as he shook the image from his head.

"Nick you didn't come in here in the middle of the night just to chat, what is it?" Heath asked as he kept the covers pulled up tightly over his shoulders.

"I thought... well I thought they'd killed you." Nick replied as he turned to look at Heath. Looking at the dark form of his brother, Nick thought he might have fallen back asleep. "Heath?" He questioned as he reached out and touched his brother's shoulder.

"They did Nick," stated Heath coldly as he kept his back turned towards Nick.

"That's not very funny Heath!" Shouted Nick as he stood up and swatted his brother's shoulder.

"Wasn't supposed to be," Heath replied in the same cold manner he had previously.

"Well I can see you don't like to woken up in the middle of the night!" Nick exclaimed as he started to walk towards the door.

"Nick," said Heath stopping his brother's progress to the door.

"What!" Nick shouted as he turned back towards Heath's bed.

"Thought you might like to see what they did," he replied as he threw back the covers and stood up.

The anger that Nick felt only moments ago at what he was certain was his brothers way of repaying him for waking him up, vanished in an instant. In its place was the same anguish and pain that had filled his dreams a short time ago.

In front of him stood his younger brother or rather something masquerading as his brother. His skin was as pale as the moon; dark blood red slashes crisscrossed his upper arms, chest and stomach and oozed a dark sludge like substance.

As the corpse, masquerading as his brother opened its eyes, the color drained from Nick's face. "It can't be," he mumbled as he took a step backwards.

"Oh but it is," grinned the corpse as it took a step forward.

Haunting green eyes like those he had seen in his dream stared back at him. The light that shone from them was brilliant but still frightened him to his very core.

"You failed me Nick," stated the creature as it took another step forward. Nick's eyes remained glued to the creature in front of him the smell of rotting flesh assaulted his nose. "I was your little brother and you didn't protect me." Said the creature as it smiled and took yet another step forward.

"I... I didn't know," answered Nick as he looked on in horror at the thing walking towards him. His brain told him to run but his heart told him to stay and help his brother, his best friend his partner.

"Where were you when I needed you Nick?" Stated the creature as it cocked an eyebrow and closed in on his prey. "I was dieing and you were home having a drink with mother."

"Heath...," began Nick before cutting himself off.

"They showed me things Nick, horrible things. Things you wouldn't even imagine." Stated the creature as it finally reached its prey. "Things I want to show you Nick."

As his brain finally won out over his heart Nick lunged forward and pushed the creature away from him. Racing out into the hallway he headed straight back to his room. "This has to be a dream!" His clouded brain screamed as he slammed the door behind him. Resting his back up against the door he tried to catch his breath.

"It's not a dream Nick," the Heath like creature stated as it stepped out of the shadows of Nick's room its green eyes shinning brightly. As fear and disbelief surged through Nick's body he turned around and ripped his door open. Falling backwards at the sight before him, Nick looked up at his little sister as she stood over him.

Her normally perfect blonde hair fluttered in the breeze now coming from somewhere down the hallway. Her skin was as white as a ghost as she floated over him and into his room to stand beside Heath. Her eyes now green and cat like caused his heart to stop.

"Audra?" he asked weakly as he sat on the floor and looked up at his siblings.

"Join us Nick," stated Audra as she smiled down at him.

Her smile could light up a room, but now it only made him want to vomit. The same smell of rotting flesh that had invaded his nostrils in Heath's room was now here in his own as well.

"NOOO!" Nick shouted as he scrambled up to his feet and bolted out his door. Both fear and adrenaline pushed him forward into his mother's room. Seeing her standing next to an open window he rushed up to her and placed his hand on her should. "Mother we have to leave now while there's still time." He said, as he feared for their lives.

Victoria stood still looking out the window as she replied, "there's lots of time Nick. We have all the time in the world." She said coldly and calmly.

"Mother you don't understand we need to leave now!" He shouted as he turned her around. As he gazed into his mother's green eyes the world that he had always known and loved shattered around him.

"We have so much to show you," Victoria said as Audra and Heath gathered around him. "We'll be together for ever." The last thing Nick Barkley saw before his brain shut down all together was a black snake like tongue slithering out of his mother's mouth and heading straight for his.

The End