Chapter 10

Game Changer

Clarice was in the pit, the darkness pooled around her as the cold feel of nothing but stone and dirt underneath her feet surrounded her. She huddled her arms close, shivering from the torrent of water that bastard had thrown down on her, leaving her wet and cold all night. There was no way she was going to dry off down here, it was too moist.

She sniffed loudly and tried to find the stone wall of the pit so she could sit and rest a while before he came back. And then she heard him, the scraping of the wood door above her as the echo of feet reverberated through the pit walls and down to Clarice.

"Ready to come out now?" Jame's voice said above her, the deepness of his tone hinting at a slight joy or amusement at her peril.

Clarice didn't answer him though, staying silent.

"I could do worse you know" he said "I could leave you completely in the dark."

Clarice looked up at him, the spotlight above his head darkening his features to her.

"I could close the top of the pit" Jame's voice sounded out "And not open it until next week. Does that sound good to you?"

Clarice still didn't answer, just huddled deeper in side of herself.

"Alright then" Jame said with a laugh "We will have it your way."

Clarice saw the movement of the board, like an eclipse over the sun as darkness started to move in all around her. Clarice could feel her body shaking...her nerves shot as she tried to huddle closer into the light, terrified of what the dark would bring.

"See you later" Jame's voice echoed out.

Clarice could fell the parts of her body breaking out at the seams as her voice screamed out with all her might...

"NO!" Clarice shrieked into the night as she stood up in bed, her whole body covered in cold sweat as her fingers loosened on the covers she had been holding so tight that her knuckles were as white as the moon.

Quickly she turned on the light and got out of the bed, her legs shaky as she tried to walk off the nightmare. Clarice glanced at the clock and saw it was four in the morning. She needed sleep...and the nightmares were not helping her any. Sighing as she sat back down on the bed she realized who she wanted to talk to right now, but quickly dismissed it. She was getting too close to Hannibal Lecter, getting too close to all of this. It's exactly what Jack Crawford and Will Graham did not want for her, and she knew what both of them would be telling her to do right now.

Clarice looked over at the home phone she rarely used and thought about how late it was. Would anyone be up? Probably not. But it was worth a shot.

She called Will Graham first, just to reassure herself that it was the right choice of action. The ringing of the phone sounded until a click was heard and a muffled "Hello" coughed over the speaker.

"Will" Clarice said as she heard her voice crack.

"Clarice?" Will said automatically alarmed "What's going on, are you hurt?"

"No...no just..." she said "I had a nightmare...in fact I've had several the last couple of nights. But tonight...Will I think I should get off the case."

"What? No" Will said "You can't get off the case, you are those girl's only chance."

"I know" Clarice said "And call me a coward but...I'm getting too close, you of all people know what that's like."

"I know" Will said "I know that you are getting too deep, and forgive me for saying this but I think if you really need to step back, go talk to Lecter. He can steer you in the right course."

"That's just the thing" Clarice said almost whispering "I don't know if I should...Lecter and I..."

"Listen Clarice" Will said cutting her off "Lecter knows what he's doing, despite whats going on I think you should give it one last try."

"Alright" Clarice said knowing what he said was true "Thank you, I'm sorry for calling so late."

"Please" Will said and somehow Clarice knew he was rolling his eyes "Like you are the only one with bad dreams. At least I'm getting a break from them."

"Do you think I should call him right now?" Clarice said.

"I think even the good doctor falls asleep" Will said "Try and rest and I'll leave him a message that you are coming over later."

"Thank you" Clarice said giving a weak smile to herself.

"Rest easy Clarice" Will said.

"You too" she said before hanging up the phone.

Clarice walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen, hearing the snoring of Barney as he rested on the couch, probably exhausted after Clarice's tossing and turning most of the night. She flicked on the kitchen light when suddenly the scream that echoed out of her mouth was as loud as a banshee.

Her kitchen was covered in blood as parts of fingers and toes swung around hanging by colorful thread from the ceiling fan. Clarice backed out, with Barney fully awake now and barking like crazy at the scene before them. In the middle of the kitchen stood doll with brown hair, it's body soaked in blood as two lifeless button eyes stared into Clarice's soul.

Clarice quickly went to where she hid her gun in her lock box and unleashed her gun, packing the clip firmly in place before checking her house. Nothing was disturbed, not one window nor door, but Clarice knew who had done this...

"Jame" Clarice shuddered "You fucking bastard."

The police were over withing minutes, along with Will and Jack Crawford, their faces worn as they looked at the scene before them in Clarice's kitchen. Clarice stood in shorts and a T-shirt, her face blank and her eyes dead as she simply stared down, Barney standing loyally beside her as he watched strangers stomp through his house.

"Clarice?" Jack Crawford said putting his hand gently on Clarice's shoulder. Clarice didn't look at him just simply stared off before shaking herself out of her numbness to look at Jack.

"I'm fine" Clarice said eerily calm.

"Excuse my frankness" Jack said "But like hell you are."

"This is definitely the work of Jame Gumb" Will said looking at the scene and then over to Clarice "Any signs of break in?"

"None" Clarice said shaking her head.

"I think it's safe to say you are not sleeping here tonight, or for the next few days" Will said coming over to her.

"Agreed" Jack said watching Clarice slowly shake her head.

"Clarice" Jack started.

"I can't leave Barney" Clarice said looking down at her hound.

"You both are welcome to stay with me" Will said "I think you already know my thoughts on dogs, I'm sure a play date will help Barney get his mind off things as well."

Clarice looked down at her companion and slowly nodded, moving upstairs to collect her things, ready to be out of the house and away from her blood stained kitchen. Will looked over at Jack Crawford with a menacing look and simply said "We should have never let her get this close."

Jack bent his head down with as much shame as he would show "I know."

Will took Clarice and Barney home with him, the welcoming of both happy as the dogs sniffed around Barney before deciding he was friend rather than foe. Clarice sat on the couch, her hands in between her lap as she finally decided to think things over while Will was in the kitchen making her tea upon her request.

Jame Gumb had been in her home. He had desecrated her kitchen, thankfully without harming the one thing she truly loved in this world, but who knows where else Jame had trailed off to. Had he gone upstairs? Had he watched Clarice in her restless sleep, dreaming of him and the darkness he had once swallowed her up in?

Will came in with the tea and sat close to Clarice, his arm wrapping around her tightly, something Clarice needed more than anything right now. She needed to be held down, needed to feel anchored, or else she was sure she would float away right out into space.

"This was a sign Will" Clarice said after a few moments "Jame has picked his next victim, and tonight he was letting me know that the game was on."

"Then I guess we will just have to win" he said taking a sip of tea.