The Other Side
~~~~Prolouge~~~~
Before we begin there are things that you must understand. Back in ancient times there was a spirit realm. A place where death was common and any person who ventured in died. This idea was not wholly false. What it actually is is a mirror world to our own, where death is everywhere. The phantoms kill our spirit and we then die in our world. But there was a prophecy of a young boy who could travel between the two worlds and stop death, but at a terrible price.
~~~~~~~~Chapter 1 The awakening~~~~~~~~
"Zach, hey Zach. Move your arse now. It's time for lunch"
Zach yawns as he gets up from his desk. "Did I fall asleep again?" he thought, "Oh well. We weren't learning anything important anyway." Zach gets up he notices a strange black hooded figure in the back of the room. He rubs his eyes and looks again seeing nothing. He shrugs his shoulders, assuming it was just drowsiness, and heads off to the lunchroom. Today was pizza day, so like usual the lunchroom was in chaos and the line was long.
"Hey Zach over here. I saved you a spot." A young boy waves his hands
"Thanx bro"
"Jeez, why do you always call me bro. I do have a name you know."
"Really now and what could it be? Zach muses with himself pretending to think hard.
"It's Josh you nitwit." Josh pushes Zach around playfully
"Oh yeah that's right" Zach snaps his fingers like he solved some kind of mystery.
"Hey you two gonna eat or are you gonna sit there all day and touch each other" A mean, ugly women stand there with food piled everywhere. Grease seems all over her body and even in her hair. Her warts are huge and she was known throughout the school as The Troll
"Yes. Mrs. Myrtle," say both the kids in unison. The Troll sighs and gives them each two slices of pizza and the two boys go off to their table.
"Jeez what's her problem?"
"I don't know Josh."
"Well I hope she dies." Both the boys turn in unison to see the class nerd, Cohn. He sits down with them and like usual he is wearing black.
"I don't know Cohn. She's not that bad to me or Josh."
"Yeah. Maybe because you two are suck-ups. I hope she dies right now."
"Jeez what's his deal?" thought Zach. Suddenly a black shadow seemed to engulf Zach and the world around him turned dark and blurry. Voices surround him and Zach covers his ears. Suddenly he saw a black hooded figure go up to Mrs. Myrtle. The hooded figure took out a knife that was as black as shadows. He plunged the knife into Mrs. Myrtle and she slumped to the floor without a sound. Zach screamed and the figure turned around to him and started to move slowly towards him. Suddenly the world seemed normal again and the cafeteria was in mass panic.
"Zach! Zach! You okay man?"
"Huh, what?" Zach looks around confused
"You blanked out man. Suddenly Mrs. Myrtle just dropped dead. Jeez you scared me man. You looked like you were in another world."
"Another world?" Zach said softly. Then perhaps I wasn't dreaming. As he looks around he sees Cohn, the only person who doesn't seem distressed by all this, and he seemed to be smiling. Before Zach could put more thought into it Josh grabbed his arm.
"Come on man before they blame us again for what happened. Just like last time." Zach silently nods and as they rush out of the cafeteria questions rush through his mind. Who was that? Why was Cohn smiling? And why was he the only one who seemed to notice everything? It looked like this would have to be figured out because he just hated to be confused.
Chapter 2
Zach and Josh rush out of the school trying to avoid and forget what happened.
"We are so dead Zach. Now they will blame us because of what we did last time. It's not our fault that she fainted and had to be taken to the hospital."
"I know Josh but do you think they care? They would love to place the blame on us poor students for everything that just happened. Jeez my mom is going to freak man."
"I know. Hey how about we hide out at your house. My mom never wants me home anyway."
"Okay then let's go." The two rush out into the street and head for Zach's home. Luckily only his mom was home right now and school should be canceled for the rest of the day. The only thing that worried Zach was the news. Then the police would come and question him like last time. He didn't even want to think about his dad. Even though he never talks about his work there is always something edgy about him when he comes home and Zach didn't want to be around him when he got home. They run up the hill that Zach's house is on, surrounded by trees and other sorts of green, and hurry up towards the top.
"Dude! Why the heck do ya have to live on such an uphill?"
"Don't blame me. They bought it. I was just along for the ride. I mean there aren't even any other houses around here at all. It's like a ghost town up here. Not even any kids on the street."
"Oh well who cares. Let's hurry up and plan on what to do next." The two finally reach Zach's house, which is painted blood red. The roof is white and windows are closed. Curtains drape the front window and the door is carved from lorken wood with a brass knocker and doorknob. Zach opens the door and it creaks a bit as it opens on it hinges swinging open with a little effort.
"Crap. I forgot that the door needed to be oiled. Quick before my mom hears us. Up to room." Zach points up at the stairs and Josh nods in agreement.
"Zachary J. Stephens!" Zach stops in his tracks near the stairs and groans.
"What mother?" Zach says it in a dull voice like he has done this many times.
"Just what do you think you are doing?"
"Going upstairs to my room?" Zach lets out a weak smile as if to humor her
"You know what I mean young man. Now what are you doing home from school?"
"Well.. Um.. We got out early."
"Yes Mrs.Stephens. School ended early today."
"Very well then. I'll send up some snacks for you and josh later then dear." She hugs Zach and kisses his cheek while josh snickers at him.
"Jeez mom that's embarrassing."
"Good. I am your mother after all and I can do whatever I want to you." She laughs and shoo's them along.
"Your mom is pretty cool Zach."
"Why does everyone think that?" Zach holds his arms up as if to ask why the heavens must torment him. "She is so embarrassing at times and is unbearable."
"Poor Zachy-poo." Josh imitates a baby voice and laughs.
"Don't make me hit you Josh." Zach holds up a balled up fist.
"Fine then. Now come on and let's go figure out what to do." The two enter into Zach's room, which is very dull. There is a bed on the side and a TV in the corner. A very small TV but has basic channels. His drawers are neat and tidy and the walls are bare except for a picture of one girl.
"Man you need a new TV Zach."
"Jeez stop bugging me about it Josh. Besides you know I don't watch TV that often." Josh laughs at he inspects the room a bit further. He snatches the picture of the girl hanging by his bed and looks at it.
"Who is this?" He points at the girl.
"No one. That's no one." Zach makes a desperate grab for the picture and blushes a bit. "She is none of your concern Josh"
"Oh really now. Come on and tell me Zach." He plays with the photo a bit and moves it up and down.
"Please Josh. I don't want to get mad at you."
"Come on now. Tell me."
"Josh." Zach's voice rises and he is once again surrounded by shadows. Josh stands in front of him but he is silent. Slowly the hooded figure walks towards Josh holding a scythe that is black as shadows. Zach screams and runs toward it shoving it away from josh. The hooded figure looks at Zach and seems surprised and in a raspy voice it talks to him.
"Whatttttt areee you doing hereeee"
"What do you mean? This is my room."
"I seeeee. Thisss iss the shadowww world. The onlyy people here are dead peoplee." It chuckles with a laugh that sounds like he is wheezing. "And you are veryyy much alivvvveee"
"So? It's not liked I asked to be here. What are you planning to do to my friend Josh?"
"Nothingggg. At least for nowwww. I give you thiss warning boyyyy. Stayy out of affairs that do nott concern youuuu." The shadow turns and walks away disappearing.
"Wait! What affairs? What are you talking about? Wait!" the world turns again and josh is standing in front of Zach waving his arms over his eyes.
"Hello there? Earth to Zach. Are you even alive?"
"I don't know anymore." Zach is breathing heavily.
"Well you blanked out again. I don't know what's up with you man. That's the second time today. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine." Zach rubs his temple and thinks. So far every time he has bee agitated he has seen that shadow. Each time it looked like he was going to kill them. Is he doing this? Zach looks at Josh wondering how he could be involved in anything to kill Josh. Zach thinks again wondering what the heck was happening to him.
Chapter 3
"Okay Zach we need a plan on what the heck to do. What just happened at school isn't going to go very well. Last time our science teacher had just dropped down and they blamed us for it remember?"
"Yeah I do. We didn't even do jack. Just because we had the chemicals near us didn't mean that we did something."
"It's typical for teachers. I guess there's that saying. Guilty until proven innocent."
"You idiot. It's Innocent until proven guilty." Zach gives josh a playful shove
"Not for us teenagers." They both sigh and nod in agreement.
"Well I guess we could say that we were with Cohn the whole time. They never get the nerd in trouble so we have an alibi there."
"Very true dat my main man"
"Very true dat?" Zach giggles and laughs "Do you know how much of an idiot you sound like that?" Zach starts rolling on the floor laughing
"What?! I heard some people say it and it stuck."
"Awww man that sounds so gay."
"Now look who is being gay. Saying that something is gay is gay man. It's stupid." They both are laughing on the floor with how stupid it is that they are sounding when Zach's mother comes upstairs. She goes into the room and smiles seeing the children have so much fun.
"Okay boy's enough fun. I've brought milk and cookies."
"All right" Both the boys jump in and start to gobble up the treats when Zach's mom has a smile in her eye.
"Mom what's that smile for? Oh no. It couldn't be. Please say it isn't so."
"I'm afraid so Zach" Zach starts making gagging noises
"Dude what's wrong?" Josh stuffs another cookie in his mouth.
"Nooooo" Zach jumps on him and grabs the cookie. "You don't my mom."
"Dude what's wrong?"
"My mom loves to experiment remember dolt?"
"Oh crap" Josh lets the realization sink in "Mrs. Stephens, what did you put in these?"
Zach's mom snickers "It's something extra special. Today special recipe is............blue cheese cookies." Both boys shock in amazement and start to turn a little green,
"Actually they were pretty good."
"Yes I agree."
"Then why all the drama boys?"
"Because we love it." Zach smiles at his mom. She laughs and ruffles his hair.
"Well boys have a good day. I called your mom Josh and she said you could spend the night since it is a Friday."
"Thanks Mrs. S."
"You're welcome Josh." She walks out the room leaving them alone. Josh grabs a cookie and they continue their discussion
"So then Zach we got our alibi?" Josh munches on a cookie as he waits fore the answer.
"Well I guess so. I wouldn't be surprised if they called anytime now but it does seem weird does it not? I mean she just dropped down all of a sudden. Like something took her life."
"Yeah." Josh laughs. "Maybe it was death?" he makes spooky noises and gropes around like he is a zombie. "I am deathhhh. Oooooooo. Fear my awesome power." Josh falls down laughing at his little joke.
"Death?" Zach muses over the idea that that may possibly be who it is. Zach feels a blow to the head and turns around.
"Dude wake up man. Its time to do what we do every Friday." Zach smiles knowing full well what he means," What is that?" Josh smiles in return. "Play video games." The two yell with excitement and begin their video gaming. After much hours later of playing video games and eating pizza, Josh is sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor while Zach is awake thinking.
"Was it really death? Perhaps I can go into this realm on my own? Well I guess I can try at least" Zach concentrates on going to the other realm. The shadows around him start to flicker and he checks his surroundings. Suddenly he feels a wisp of air above him and a scythe flies past his head. Zach screams as a cloaked figure is holding a bladed scythe next to him.
"I see you did not heed our warning. Prepare for your death Zach Stephens." The figures Brings down the bladed weapon upon Zach as he screams for his life.
~~~~Prolouge~~~~
Before we begin there are things that you must understand. Back in ancient times there was a spirit realm. A place where death was common and any person who ventured in died. This idea was not wholly false. What it actually is is a mirror world to our own, where death is everywhere. The phantoms kill our spirit and we then die in our world. But there was a prophecy of a young boy who could travel between the two worlds and stop death, but at a terrible price.
~~~~~~~~Chapter 1 The awakening~~~~~~~~
"Zach, hey Zach. Move your arse now. It's time for lunch"
Zach yawns as he gets up from his desk. "Did I fall asleep again?" he thought, "Oh well. We weren't learning anything important anyway." Zach gets up he notices a strange black hooded figure in the back of the room. He rubs his eyes and looks again seeing nothing. He shrugs his shoulders, assuming it was just drowsiness, and heads off to the lunchroom. Today was pizza day, so like usual the lunchroom was in chaos and the line was long.
"Hey Zach over here. I saved you a spot." A young boy waves his hands
"Thanx bro"
"Jeez, why do you always call me bro. I do have a name you know."
"Really now and what could it be? Zach muses with himself pretending to think hard.
"It's Josh you nitwit." Josh pushes Zach around playfully
"Oh yeah that's right" Zach snaps his fingers like he solved some kind of mystery.
"Hey you two gonna eat or are you gonna sit there all day and touch each other" A mean, ugly women stand there with food piled everywhere. Grease seems all over her body and even in her hair. Her warts are huge and she was known throughout the school as The Troll
"Yes. Mrs. Myrtle," say both the kids in unison. The Troll sighs and gives them each two slices of pizza and the two boys go off to their table.
"Jeez what's her problem?"
"I don't know Josh."
"Well I hope she dies." Both the boys turn in unison to see the class nerd, Cohn. He sits down with them and like usual he is wearing black.
"I don't know Cohn. She's not that bad to me or Josh."
"Yeah. Maybe because you two are suck-ups. I hope she dies right now."
"Jeez what's his deal?" thought Zach. Suddenly a black shadow seemed to engulf Zach and the world around him turned dark and blurry. Voices surround him and Zach covers his ears. Suddenly he saw a black hooded figure go up to Mrs. Myrtle. The hooded figure took out a knife that was as black as shadows. He plunged the knife into Mrs. Myrtle and she slumped to the floor without a sound. Zach screamed and the figure turned around to him and started to move slowly towards him. Suddenly the world seemed normal again and the cafeteria was in mass panic.
"Zach! Zach! You okay man?"
"Huh, what?" Zach looks around confused
"You blanked out man. Suddenly Mrs. Myrtle just dropped dead. Jeez you scared me man. You looked like you were in another world."
"Another world?" Zach said softly. Then perhaps I wasn't dreaming. As he looks around he sees Cohn, the only person who doesn't seem distressed by all this, and he seemed to be smiling. Before Zach could put more thought into it Josh grabbed his arm.
"Come on man before they blame us again for what happened. Just like last time." Zach silently nods and as they rush out of the cafeteria questions rush through his mind. Who was that? Why was Cohn smiling? And why was he the only one who seemed to notice everything? It looked like this would have to be figured out because he just hated to be confused.
Chapter 2
Zach and Josh rush out of the school trying to avoid and forget what happened.
"We are so dead Zach. Now they will blame us because of what we did last time. It's not our fault that she fainted and had to be taken to the hospital."
"I know Josh but do you think they care? They would love to place the blame on us poor students for everything that just happened. Jeez my mom is going to freak man."
"I know. Hey how about we hide out at your house. My mom never wants me home anyway."
"Okay then let's go." The two rush out into the street and head for Zach's home. Luckily only his mom was home right now and school should be canceled for the rest of the day. The only thing that worried Zach was the news. Then the police would come and question him like last time. He didn't even want to think about his dad. Even though he never talks about his work there is always something edgy about him when he comes home and Zach didn't want to be around him when he got home. They run up the hill that Zach's house is on, surrounded by trees and other sorts of green, and hurry up towards the top.
"Dude! Why the heck do ya have to live on such an uphill?"
"Don't blame me. They bought it. I was just along for the ride. I mean there aren't even any other houses around here at all. It's like a ghost town up here. Not even any kids on the street."
"Oh well who cares. Let's hurry up and plan on what to do next." The two finally reach Zach's house, which is painted blood red. The roof is white and windows are closed. Curtains drape the front window and the door is carved from lorken wood with a brass knocker and doorknob. Zach opens the door and it creaks a bit as it opens on it hinges swinging open with a little effort.
"Crap. I forgot that the door needed to be oiled. Quick before my mom hears us. Up to room." Zach points up at the stairs and Josh nods in agreement.
"Zachary J. Stephens!" Zach stops in his tracks near the stairs and groans.
"What mother?" Zach says it in a dull voice like he has done this many times.
"Just what do you think you are doing?"
"Going upstairs to my room?" Zach lets out a weak smile as if to humor her
"You know what I mean young man. Now what are you doing home from school?"
"Well.. Um.. We got out early."
"Yes Mrs.Stephens. School ended early today."
"Very well then. I'll send up some snacks for you and josh later then dear." She hugs Zach and kisses his cheek while josh snickers at him.
"Jeez mom that's embarrassing."
"Good. I am your mother after all and I can do whatever I want to you." She laughs and shoo's them along.
"Your mom is pretty cool Zach."
"Why does everyone think that?" Zach holds his arms up as if to ask why the heavens must torment him. "She is so embarrassing at times and is unbearable."
"Poor Zachy-poo." Josh imitates a baby voice and laughs.
"Don't make me hit you Josh." Zach holds up a balled up fist.
"Fine then. Now come on and let's go figure out what to do." The two enter into Zach's room, which is very dull. There is a bed on the side and a TV in the corner. A very small TV but has basic channels. His drawers are neat and tidy and the walls are bare except for a picture of one girl.
"Man you need a new TV Zach."
"Jeez stop bugging me about it Josh. Besides you know I don't watch TV that often." Josh laughs at he inspects the room a bit further. He snatches the picture of the girl hanging by his bed and looks at it.
"Who is this?" He points at the girl.
"No one. That's no one." Zach makes a desperate grab for the picture and blushes a bit. "She is none of your concern Josh"
"Oh really now. Come on and tell me Zach." He plays with the photo a bit and moves it up and down.
"Please Josh. I don't want to get mad at you."
"Come on now. Tell me."
"Josh." Zach's voice rises and he is once again surrounded by shadows. Josh stands in front of him but he is silent. Slowly the hooded figure walks towards Josh holding a scythe that is black as shadows. Zach screams and runs toward it shoving it away from josh. The hooded figure looks at Zach and seems surprised and in a raspy voice it talks to him.
"Whatttttt areee you doing hereeee"
"What do you mean? This is my room."
"I seeeee. Thisss iss the shadowww world. The onlyy people here are dead peoplee." It chuckles with a laugh that sounds like he is wheezing. "And you are veryyy much alivvvveee"
"So? It's not liked I asked to be here. What are you planning to do to my friend Josh?"
"Nothingggg. At least for nowwww. I give you thiss warning boyyyy. Stayy out of affairs that do nott concern youuuu." The shadow turns and walks away disappearing.
"Wait! What affairs? What are you talking about? Wait!" the world turns again and josh is standing in front of Zach waving his arms over his eyes.
"Hello there? Earth to Zach. Are you even alive?"
"I don't know anymore." Zach is breathing heavily.
"Well you blanked out again. I don't know what's up with you man. That's the second time today. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine." Zach rubs his temple and thinks. So far every time he has bee agitated he has seen that shadow. Each time it looked like he was going to kill them. Is he doing this? Zach looks at Josh wondering how he could be involved in anything to kill Josh. Zach thinks again wondering what the heck was happening to him.
Chapter 3
"Okay Zach we need a plan on what the heck to do. What just happened at school isn't going to go very well. Last time our science teacher had just dropped down and they blamed us for it remember?"
"Yeah I do. We didn't even do jack. Just because we had the chemicals near us didn't mean that we did something."
"It's typical for teachers. I guess there's that saying. Guilty until proven innocent."
"You idiot. It's Innocent until proven guilty." Zach gives josh a playful shove
"Not for us teenagers." They both sigh and nod in agreement.
"Well I guess we could say that we were with Cohn the whole time. They never get the nerd in trouble so we have an alibi there."
"Very true dat my main man"
"Very true dat?" Zach giggles and laughs "Do you know how much of an idiot you sound like that?" Zach starts rolling on the floor laughing
"What?! I heard some people say it and it stuck."
"Awww man that sounds so gay."
"Now look who is being gay. Saying that something is gay is gay man. It's stupid." They both are laughing on the floor with how stupid it is that they are sounding when Zach's mother comes upstairs. She goes into the room and smiles seeing the children have so much fun.
"Okay boy's enough fun. I've brought milk and cookies."
"All right" Both the boys jump in and start to gobble up the treats when Zach's mom has a smile in her eye.
"Mom what's that smile for? Oh no. It couldn't be. Please say it isn't so."
"I'm afraid so Zach" Zach starts making gagging noises
"Dude what's wrong?" Josh stuffs another cookie in his mouth.
"Nooooo" Zach jumps on him and grabs the cookie. "You don't my mom."
"Dude what's wrong?"
"My mom loves to experiment remember dolt?"
"Oh crap" Josh lets the realization sink in "Mrs. Stephens, what did you put in these?"
Zach's mom snickers "It's something extra special. Today special recipe is............blue cheese cookies." Both boys shock in amazement and start to turn a little green,
"Actually they were pretty good."
"Yes I agree."
"Then why all the drama boys?"
"Because we love it." Zach smiles at his mom. She laughs and ruffles his hair.
"Well boys have a good day. I called your mom Josh and she said you could spend the night since it is a Friday."
"Thanks Mrs. S."
"You're welcome Josh." She walks out the room leaving them alone. Josh grabs a cookie and they continue their discussion
"So then Zach we got our alibi?" Josh munches on a cookie as he waits fore the answer.
"Well I guess so. I wouldn't be surprised if they called anytime now but it does seem weird does it not? I mean she just dropped down all of a sudden. Like something took her life."
"Yeah." Josh laughs. "Maybe it was death?" he makes spooky noises and gropes around like he is a zombie. "I am deathhhh. Oooooooo. Fear my awesome power." Josh falls down laughing at his little joke.
"Death?" Zach muses over the idea that that may possibly be who it is. Zach feels a blow to the head and turns around.
"Dude wake up man. Its time to do what we do every Friday." Zach smiles knowing full well what he means," What is that?" Josh smiles in return. "Play video games." The two yell with excitement and begin their video gaming. After much hours later of playing video games and eating pizza, Josh is sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor while Zach is awake thinking.
"Was it really death? Perhaps I can go into this realm on my own? Well I guess I can try at least" Zach concentrates on going to the other realm. The shadows around him start to flicker and he checks his surroundings. Suddenly he feels a wisp of air above him and a scythe flies past his head. Zach screams as a cloaked figure is holding a bladed scythe next to him.
"I see you did not heed our warning. Prepare for your death Zach Stephens." The figures Brings down the bladed weapon upon Zach as he screams for his life.