N/A: Hello,
Yes, I'm still writing this story. Since I completed "The Other World," I'm concentrating on finishing this story too. So...enjoy!
Chapter 9: Are You My Brother?
The light illuminated the path ahead. Stan held the flashlight as he watched his brother's back. Ford, somehow navigated his way down the dark hallway without any source of light. Each time they turned a corner, the light shined on the walls, showing cobwebs and deep cracks or even crevices in the concrete.
"Ford, do you even know where you're going?" Stan asked. No answer. "Hey, Poindexter! I just asked you a question!" Still no answer. Finally Stan grabbed his brother's shoulder. "Hey!" he shouted as he spun Ford around. His twin regarded him with a placid stare. Stan felt a slow burning anger form in the bottom of his stomach. "You wanna tell me what hell is going on in that head of yours?"
"You really are scared, aren't you?" his brother asked.
"Yes! Yes I am! And you should be too!" Stan studied the man who he believed he knew pretty well. "Please, let's not be reckless." As those words left his mouth, he suddenly felt a chill as Ford said them on many different occasions during their life.
"I would never be reckless," Ford replied. "How about if you give me the flashlight?"
Stan stared into the stern eyes of his brother. It felt like he was looking at his father. Giving away the flashlight, was giving away his power.
"Let's just walk side by side," Stan said.
"The hallway is too narrow," Ford answered. Suddenly, a strange and almost creepy smile graced his lips. "Don't you trust me?" Stan stared back; his eyes searched his brother's for anything false.
"You've been acting strange ever since we met up at the dock," Stan answered.
"Stanley, I just want to find a way out of this hellish town, don't you?"
Stan nodded as he handed over the only source of light.
Continuing onward, Stan noticed the path began to slope downwards. He looked up, noticing the ceiling showed a number of holes as if the building was under construction. As he took his next step, he didn't feel anything underneath his foot. Stan cried out, waving his arms wildly as he stumbled backwards. He peered down at a gapping hole in the floor.
"Hey Ford! Watch your step. I just found a hole in the floor!" His eyes gazed up as his brother continued down the hallway. "Goddamn it!" Stan swore as he rushed forward, while keeping an eye open for more holes.
Stan followed his brother around the corner into another long, narrow hallway. A few steps further and the radio began pouring static. Horrific moans came from up ahead in the darkness. Ford shined the light onto another grotesque creature stumbling towards them. He calmly aimed his gun and shot a few times until the twin monster dropped.
"Are there any more?" Stan asked the question at the same moment another one came up behind him. Suddenly, he fell forward into one of the holes. With a quick hand, he grabbed onto metal grating. He raised his gun with his free hand, shooting the abomination until it fell into the hole. Stan looked down into the abyss where the monster went. The nauseated feeling rose up his throat and made him dizzy to the point of almost letting go. His eyes looked up at his brother.
"Hey! Help me up!"
The eyes staring back at Stan appeared black and lifeless.
"Ford! Pull me up! I don't know how long I can hang on!" He began to wonder if his brother would actually let him fall. Just as Stan couldn't hold on any longer, a hand shot out and grabbed his arm. Ford pulled him up to the solid floor where he continued dragging his body a few feet.
"Hey! I'm good now. Let go!" Ford did. Then he turned his heels and started walking through the labyrinth again.
Moving on through more twists and turns, the twins kept on moving at a steady pace. From up above, something moved quickly across one of the holes in the ceiling. Stan stopped and peered upward. The ceiling rattled again.
"Do you hear that?" Stan called to Ford.
"It's probably best not to stay in one spot, he responded." They quickened their pace until the sounds up above faded. A fork in the road caused them to stop as there were two paths to take.
"Maybe we could split up?" Ford suggested.
"No freakin' way! I should smack you for even suggesting that!"
"Oh my God, Stanley, what do you think is going to happen?"
Suddenly, a gray tentacle came through the hole in the ceiling. It twirled around Ford's body and hoisted him up. Stan acted fast and shot it. As Ford landed, another tentacle came down and wrapped around Stan's arm. Ford shot that one, then grabbed his brother's hand and ran down the next hallway, nearly missing more attacks. Up ahead appeared to be a dead end. The two reached the end of a hallway to find a large crevice in the wall. Ford squeezed through. Stan tried to follow suit, but got stuck. He reached out towards his twin.
"Hey bro! Help me out here!" Ford turned toward him, fixing his eyes on Stan as if he didn't understand the current problem. "Don't just look at me like I some poor shmuck. Pull me through!" After grabbing his hands, Ford pulled Stan through the small hole.
No more attacks came from whatever creature was up above. Silence consumed the new area. Shining the light on the walls, Ford continued his search. Suddenly, he stopped. His eyes narrowed at some writing on the wall.
The world is teaming with unnecessary people.
It's God's decision that I fight.
As a knight of honor, as a protector of the seal, I sacrifice myself to the blood of criminals.
"What the hell is all that?" Stan asked, standing behind him.
"Just meaningless graffiti," Ford answered.
"So, who are the 'unnecessary people'" Stan wondered.
Ford waved a hand. "It's nothing."
On the other side of the room was a door. When tried, it was unlocked. The two brothers walked into what appeared to be an operating room. Standing on the other side was Joseph. He just finished sewing an arm together. Upon closer inspection, the two saw something indescribable. Stan was the first to recognize it as a bunch of taxidermy parts from various animals and maybe even humans. The body appeared human, but the arms and legs looked to be from different animals, and the head of a deer.
Joseph looked up at the two men who just entered the room. The smile on his face was dressed in pure madness. He mouth curved up into a twisted smile.
"You two found me again? How did you get to my private island?"
"Private Island?" Stan questioned. "This is big a lily pad on a lake."
"So, this isn't really a church, then," Ford concluded. "You're just using it as your little hideout."
Joseph put down the needle and thread and walked around the table to stand in front of the two.
"So, you think I'm hiding, huh?" His tone grew harsher.
"We don't care. We're just looking for a way out of this town," Stan answered just as harsh.
The man let out a spine-chilling laugh. He shook his head. "You've dug a hole too deep to ever get out!" he practically screamed.
"What the hell?! You're really messed up!" Stan yelled back.
"I am messed up. That probably is true. But they did it to me! They called me sick! They thought they could make me better! They drugged me up and all I wanted to do was take them into the other world. My world!"
He uttered a spell in Latin; a blue aura formed around the creature on the table. Joseph stepped forward causing both twins to back up.
"Perhaps, I can still take you two into my world." The monster on the table sat up and stood behind Joseph.
"We're not afraid of your— strange—sewn together creation." Stan said.
Joseph stepped to the side as the creature walked towards the brothers. The twins drew their guns and started firing. Bullets tore through the monster, but it kept coming. It swung its arms, one made from a bear and the other an ape. Ford grabbed a scalpel off the tray next to the operating table. He stabbed the creature in its bare chest. Blood poured out as the monster gave a horrific cry. Pulling out the scalpel, the gray haired man attempted to stab it again. This time, the creature grabbed him, shook him and tossed him into the stand holding the operating utensils. The contents of the table splattered onto the floor. The creature turned its attention to Stan who kept his gun aimed at its head. He took a few shots, but it didn't do much good. It bled only from the chest. Suddenly, Ford flew forward and stabbed the monster in the chest again. As he pulled the scalpel out, he tore the skin showing a beating heart.
"What the hell? Are you freakin' kidding me?" Stan cried out. He aimed the gun straight at the heart. "Move Ford!" he yelled. His brother listened and fell back. Stan shot the heart, unloading the bullets from the gun. The creature of various taxidermy parts fell backwards, landing on Joseph, crushing him. Stan looked down at the bloody mess.
"I-uh-" he tried to form his words. "We're gonna find a way out, Ford. I know that much—"
Suddenly, Ford backed into the corner and slid down into a ball.
"S-Stanley—I—"
Stan turned wide-eyed, as the drastic change in his brother's attitude was shocking.
"Lee—" Ford uttered.
Stan knelt down beside his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, come on, we'll find a way out of this place. Together."
"What if—what if I can't go with you?" he whispered.
Stan narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course you can come with me!"
Ford's eyes hardened as he stood up.
"We don't have time to sit around Stanley," he said firmly. He walked towards the exit of the room.
Stan stood dumbfounded by his brother's actions.
"What is going on with you?" he screamed. No answer. Then, he whispered, "Are you really my brother?"
N/A: Thanks for reading. I appreciate those of you who are still following the story. We're coming to the conclusion in the next chapter.
