The Reason Why I'm Afraid of the Undead
It was Greenie's idea.
She was off for a week since Denmark had to work, work, work. At least, that's how she phrased it.
"Why don't we go to England- the country, not the personification- and check out haunted stuff? It'll be awesome!" Her glasses slipped forward on her nose as she leaned forward, over her strawberry milkshake. Blue eyes were filled with excitement. "Can we? Please? United Kingdom doesn't need to know. We'll just go, see the sights, and get out."
At the time, it seemed like a good idea. None of us truly believed in the supernatural- for us, it would be just a sightseeing trip. So, we packed, got on a plane, and flew to England. Mattie was so excited, he couldn't stop ranting in French. It was our first 'sibcation' (where the three of us go somewhere for fun) and we couldn't wait to get started.
When we landed, we got to the hotel and decided to ask the check-in guy about haunted places in the area. He told us about the old hospital on 2nd Street, telling stories about the odd noises that come from it at night, the flickering lights, the odd shrieks.
It seemed a good a place as any to start.
Mattie dragged us out the door, camera in his hand, towards the hospital. I remember walking there, laughing, bumping into each other.
Ignorance really is bliss.
The hospital itself was covered in graffiti. Things like, "STAY AWAY" or "This is the road to Hell" were painted on the dark, burnt wood. Some of the windows were gone, or simply broken in by a rock or another means.
The door creaked open as I pushed it open, taking a tentative step in. Greenie and Mattie followed, glancing around. Greenie scoffed, flipping her long, spiky hair over her shoulder. "Come on, this is it? If this was a theme park, I'd say they spent only a hundred on the decor."
Mattie nodded in agreement, his voice (just as loud as mine at this time) echoing down the hall as he spoke, "I know, right? Lame, eh?" He laughed, striding forward, "Well, let's get moving!"
I quickly passed him, leading the way, flashlight in hand. Greenie came last, hooking her arm in Mattie's.
Nothing happened for the longest time. We wandered through the building, talking quietly about home, the countries we liked, new fads in our countries.
My light began to flicker. Strange- it had a full battery. I would know, I checked.
"Blues, blue~! Male, males~! Comes, come~! I will feast!" I stopped in the middle of the hall, sending the unsteady beam around, looking for the owner of that voice.
It was gravely, hoarse; hundreds of voices speaking at once, some crying, some laughing. The loudest had a musical quality to it, a high soprano even Greenie couldn't reach. And let me tell you - that's high. And creepy.
"Alfred?" Her hand lightly touched my shoulder, making me jump. I whipped around, shining the light into her eyes. "Alfred!"
"Sorry, sorry..."
"What's wrong, eh?" Mattie tilted his head to the left, brow furrowing.
"Thought I heard something. It's nothing, don't worry about it." I gave a quiet, forced laugh. My siblings stared at me for a while longer, then turned back to their conversation. We continued walking; I sent the beam around at random intervals, hoping to catch that voice off guard.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing. It was like the voice was a figment of my imagination; there then gone. Greenie stopped, making me run into her and pulling Mattie to a halt. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"That." She motioned around with her hand.
Mattie shook his head, "No."
"That! There it was again!" Her eyes became wild as she searched around for the cause of what she heard.
"What did you hear?"
"A song, Alfred. A hundred voices singing hoarsely," her voice was bare of emotion. "What does it matter? It's gone now."
"I heard the same. It said, 'Blues, blue, male, males.'" I didn't say the rest. I couldn't. Inwardly, I promised myself I'd protect them from whatever was in this hospital.
She shook her head. "Let's go. Come on, it was nothing."
So we started walking again, slower this time, more cautiously. I came first, letting the beam sweep in front of me. Mattie came next, arms crossed in front of him, hands rubbing the red fabric of his sweater. Greenie came last, shoulders hunched, eyes scanning around her.
We climbed the stairs to the third floor.
Halfway up, an unearthly shriek stopped us in our tracks. Mattie's eyes were wide when I turned around, his mouth slightly parted. His expression mirrored how I felt. Looking beyond him, I noticed Greenie was...gone.
Gone. Not a trace.
Mathew followed my eyes, head turning slowly. "Greenie..?" He whispered, then louder, until it was almost a shriek, "Greenie? Nivi! Greenland! Greenlandia!" I slammed my hand over his mouth, waiting until the echoes died down to speak.
"Shut up," I hissed, "We'll find her. Come on- it won't do us any good to stay here."
He nodded, grabbing my arm with both hands. We continued up the stairs, stopping for every creak and groan.
A long hallway waited for us at the top of the stairs- no Greenland, though. We began looking in rooms for our sister, whispering her name quietly. Soon, Mattie screamed, his grip around my arm tightening horribly.
There she was. Hanging by her neck from the ceiling, struggling hopelessly against her bonds. Blood ran down her neck onto her vest and jeans, staining them. Her eyes slowly slid over to ours. "Run, get out. Save yourselves."
Her voice wasn't the usual mystical alto- it had gone horse, filled with pain. I stepped forward, dragging Mattie behind me. She began to squirm more, kicking her legs out, pulling at the noose around her neck. I shook myself loose of Mathew's death grip, grabbing Greenie's waist, quelling her struggles. Reaching up, I pulled the rope out of the ceiling, letting my sister fall into my arms.
She was limp. All the fight had gone out of her, leaving her in a state of semi-consciousness. I started to place her gently by the wall, letting her lay there. A loud thud distracted me from my work. I whirled around.
Mattie lay by the door where I left him, back turned away from me. I ran forward, dropping Greenie next to me when I fell to my knees. I turned Mattie over, gasping when I saw.
His throat. I could see inside of it. He'd already fallen unconscious. I could understand that. Blood was pooling in the bottom of the hole. I tore my eyes away, back to Greenie. She stared emptily back at me, eyes flickering shut.
How did this happen?
In the back of my mind, I began to feel an emotion I'd never felt before. Fear. What was going on? Why? Why? Would whatever did this come for me next?
I remember cold. Cold hands grabbing my shoulders and yanking me away from my siblings. I remember shrieking in surprise and fear, struggling to gain my freedom. I rolled, loosing the grip the thing had on me.
My God, it was... entrancing. It had long, blood red hair that seemed to move on its own accord. Its face was burnt, skin falling off yet not. Blind, white pupils stared at me. I stared back, shivers running down my spine. Could it see me?
At that moment, I believed it could.
Its hands began tearing at my shirt, its mouth opening impossibly wide for a human. It bit my chest, causing me to cry out in pain. What was this thing?
Struggling, I tore away from it, kicking at it with my boot. It raked its nails and mouth- claws and fangs- down my sides and torso, taking chunks of skin and parts of my muscle with it. It shrieked that unearthly shriek and disappeared.
I remember grabbing Greenie and Mattie and running.
Yea, I ran. Alfred Fucking Jones ran like a sissy, a coward. I hate myself for it, believe me.
I burst into the hotel room the three of us shared, kicking the door shut behind me. I tossed my siblings onto one of the beds, ripping off their clothes. Not pausing, I began to tear them into strips, pressing the fabric to their wounds to quell the bleeding. "Stop, stop, stop..."
I can't remember much else. We went home the next morning, tense and healed. Countries heal fast- it's a perk. But we all had scars. Mine were easily hidden- I just slid on a shirt. Mattie grew out his hair to cover his neck and began wearing sweaters all the time.
Greenland? She simply buttoned up her coat. I can remember how we said goodbye. We stood at the airport, luggage in hand, gazing at each other. I'd 'borrowed' a shopping cart from one of the stores- it hurt for anything to touch my wounds. Greenie sighed, shoulders slumping, "Not a word of this to anyone, I suppose?"
"Why not?" I whispered, glancing around to see if anyone heard.
"Because, my brother," She looked up at me, blue eyes cold, "That was horrifying. I don't wish to recall it. I think you can agree."
Mattie nodded, opening his mouth. Then, remembering he couldn't speak anymore, closed it, and turned away from us, pulling his suitcase behind him.
We watched him leave. "Not a word?"
"Not unless it is needed."
"Agreed." We went our separate ways.
I shook in England's embrace, cowering away from the movie. He sighed, "America, if it scares you this much, don't watch!"
"I have to! It's not scary, anyway!" The lead female screamed, and I buried my head back into his shoulder, tightening my grip around him.
"You are shivering, poppet."
"S-shut up!" Claws...fangs digging into my skin... I winced.
"Alfred." Blood dripping from ropes... "Alfred!" That voice, always there, knowing, waiting, watching... "Alfred F. Jones, remove me from your grasp!"
I flew away from him as if I'd been shocked, landing on the floor with a thud. Laughing, I stood shakily, "Sorry, man; didn't mean to!"
His fiery green eyes locked me in place. He stood, walking over to me. "Alfred, what scares you this much?" He blocked my escape routes with his arms, trapping me in between them. "Can I help?"
I bit my lip. Why would I tell? This was my problem. "Nah, I'm fine, Iggy. I'm gonna go to bed- you coming?"
"To bed with you?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking a little. "I'd be honored."
"Pervert ambassador!"