"October 31st 2011: After dark Part One"

WRITTEN BY DAYNE DINNING

# Disclaimer – I do not own Emmerdale or any of the characters used.

ONE SHOT: This is just an idea, which I wanted to write up, enjoy

"Mum, will you just go, I'll be alright!" Aaron urged her as they stood at the front door of the pub.

Chas sighed. "I'm not sure Aaron..."

Aaron sighed too and looked up. "Oh come on, I'm not gunna do it...you can trust me"

"Can I really?" she asked.

Aaron looked back at her as he nodded. "Yes you can, the counselling is going good, and you can't say you haven't noticed..."

"Hmm..." Chas mumbled. "No you're right I have...I just don't like the idea of leaving you here by yourself...alright, look I'm just over the road at Gennie's if you need me, call..."

Aaron sighed.

"I mean it and if you want any lager leave the money on the side"

Aaron frowned.

"What? Just 'cause you live here doesn't entitle you to free drinks"

"Diane wouldn't notice" Aaron replied.

Chas laughed. "Oh believe me she would and I don't want her coming back from her holiday shouting at you"

"Alright alright..." Aaron agreed. "Enjoy the party"

Chas nodded. "I'll try" she looked at her son and couldn't help but smile. "You worry me you do"

Aaron moved closer to her and put her arms around her. "Well don't"

"Jackson would be so proud of you, you know that don't you?" she asked as both of them pulled away and she looked at him.

Aaron breathed in and nodded. "I hope so"

Chas smiled. "I'll see you in the morning kid" she told him as she backed out of the pub.

"Night mum" Aaron stepped back and closed the door and began locking it.

Aaron walked back through the pub around to the bar, he flicked the switches and turned the lights off.

"Aaron"

As he did, he swore he heard his name being whispered, followed by a faint knock coming from the door to the cellar; it did make him raise an eyebrow but he shoved it aside until of course he had to walk past there, as he neared he got the jitters and ran into the living room and closed the door and stood leaning against it with his eyes closed allowing his heart a few seconds to sink back to its place in his chest.

"Good job there's lager in the fridge cause I aint going back out there" he said to himself and pushed himself off the door and walked to the kitchen; he grabbed himself a can and sat on the couch, grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, he cracked his can open and thought good thoughts. Whether what he heard was real or not he couldn't be sure but it unnerved him slightly; not that he'd admit that to anyone of course and certainly not because it was Jackson's voice.

As he watched TV, he could hear knocks and bangs coming from different places in the pub, personally he didn't think it was funny and he could tell it wasn't outside so he wasn't going to bother looking and he knew the pub was empty. As he flicked through the channels he stumbled across most haunted. He sighed as he placed his can back down. "That's all I need...knock once for yes" he mocked as he quickly changed the channel.

****BANG****

An almighty bang echoed into the living room from the passageway into the bar. Aaron jumped up and spilt his can over himself. That didn't concern him. He got up; he was sorting this out now. He walked near the door and grabbed the baseball bat that was leaning up against the wall in between the unit. He held it tightly and up by his head and opened the door quietly and took a breath and went and searched the pub.

An hour or so later it was just after midnight and Aaron had fallen asleep on the couch with the baseball by his side. The house had been empty but that had made him wonder even more.

The pub was completely silent, the only room that was lit was the living room but it began to get brighter as a quick white flash beamed throughout the room and then settled revealing...Jackson kneeling down on the floor watching Aaron sleep...

To Be Continued...