Just Misunderstood

by thesilverhyena

Stranded under the unforgiving Texas heat, on the run from a deranged cult from her past, Blake McCormick and her father find themselves in Travis County and stumble into the old Last Chance Gas convenience store. There, Blake meets a large, mysterious, yet shy man. She is kind to him. She does not scream. Yet, she does not know what sort of Pandora's Box has just been opened.

24. Rats, Cats, and a Dog

Just Misunderstood

By: TheSilverHyena

Warning:: Contains Mature/Adult Content, Violence and Gore, and Adult Language. If you cannot HANLDE these sorts of things, you might want to go elsewhere. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Chapter 24: Rats, Cats, and a Dog

Blake had made her decision. Only time would tell if she was brave for making the right call, or an absolute fool for making the wrong one. Working quickly, the girl shed her shackles, momentarily relieved at how much lighter her wrists felt when she wasn't dragging that excess baggage around, before grabbing her teddy bear and sketchbook. With the key in her hand, Blake quietly unlocked the door to her bedroom, taking a quick peak down the hall. Luckily, she could hear Luda Mae and Uncle Monty downstairs, having a rather loud discussion.

"They shoulda been back with that lil' bitch by now, ya'd think." Uncle Monty growled, from what Blake guessed was in the kitchen, "Call Henrietta again, see if the bitch ran in there fer help."

"Jus'... Uncle Monty, I told ya, I just called 'er, she ain't seen no one." countered Luda Mae.

"Twenty minutes ago."

While Uncle Monty and Luda Mae argued and fretted, it provided Blake with the much needed cover to sneak down the stairs. Much to her surprise, the sliding metal door leading down into the basement hadn't been locked. Perhaps with all the fuss and panic over Kaylie's escape-! Blake had to cut herself off right there.

'Kaylie... please... forgive me.' Blake pleaded, mentally as she fought to hold back the tears welling in her eyes.

That poor girl, Kaylie. Freed from one slaughterhouse only to end up in another. How exactly, Blake didn't know. At this time, at least. But Blake remembered seeing the poor girl there in her visions, trying to warn Thomas about the rigged building that Lucian and his cultists prepared in advance. It honestly made the girl question herself... if she'd done the right thing helping Kaylie escape instead of plunging a knife through her heart weeks ago and letting her die mercifully.

'Somehow or another, I'll make this right.'

Maybe once Thomas was back, Blake could make her move. There would be no way she'd let Kaylie remain in the hands of those fiends. How to handle Hoyt and Thomas would have to wait until after this current matter was resolved. The prior warning her father's spirit gave, about the Soldiers of Eternal Damnation eventually finding her, Blake had a strong premonition that was to be this very night.

"I'm done running." Blake whispered to herself.

Finally pushing past her nerves and uneasiness, the girl descended into the dank, grimy cellar. The smell alone felt like a punch to both the gut and face, strong with rot and filth. After taking one more glance up the stairs, just to make sure she wasn't discovered, Blake set about what she came to do. She grabbed her old backpack off the shelf laden with the belongings of the Hewitts' victims. It had become quite dirty since being tossed down there, but it would still hold what little belongings she had left to her name. Her sketchbook, teddy bear, a change of clothes, and one really old but sentimental black hoodie that was still inside. Quickly, Blake began sifting through more of the bags, purses, and pockets, hoping to find a phone, credit cards, cash, anything of value in case her plans went south.

'N-not that you actually HAVE a real plan in mind, Blake...' she reminded herself.

Nope... this was all being made up on the fly. What could possibly go wrong? Taking in a deep, anxious breath, Blake put on the first pair of sturdy boots that actually fit and found one of the armored vests Hoyt had taken off of the cultists he and Thomas killed back at that little ranch house. Thankfully, it fit, even over her slightly rounding belly. In fact, it actually helped conceal her budding baby bump a little. She slipped the hoodie over the vest and nightgown, then picked up her wooden walking staff.

"I-I don't want to be a killer..." Blake whispered, as tears welled in her eyes.

The idea of taking a life, no matter how evil it may have been, didn't sit well with the young psychic. Blake nearly lost herself with Hoyt when she requested Krueger's aid in slaughtering him. She nearly became the monster. Perhaps she could just wound them? Self defense only. There was no reason why she couldn't just let Toby tear out some cultist throats while Thomas introduced the rest of the heathens to his chainsaw.

"ONLY i-if t-there is no other way."

Blake understood that things were different this time around. It wasn't just her own life on the line. There was her child's life to protect this time! And of course, those fiends may very well still have Kaylie. The Soldiers of Eternal Damnation were cunning and crafty, and they enjoyed making their prey feel absolute despair and hopelessness before finally murdering them. Blake for one knew that the odds were good they'd try to play mind games first, then go in for the slaughter. But, with any luck, she'd be able to form a plan around that knowledge.

With some more looking around the dingy basement, Blake found the crossbow her father once had. There were still a few bolts loaded in the attached quiver, five in total at a quick count. Slower then a gun, but quieter. Not to mention it could pierce through body armor. Lastly, the girl took some of the smaller knives from Thomas' shelf, hiding two in her pocket and one in each boot. Looking at her reflection in the dimly lit, grimy mirror, she hardly recognized herself. Blake didn't look like the same scared and injured girl that had been kidnapped just a few months ago. She had the appearance of someone you'd rather not meet in a dark, scary alleyway at night.

However, she had to suppress a frightened squeak when she heard footsteps and creaking from the living room up above. The sound of a car skidding to a halt outside, dulled due to being underground, reached Blake's ears. At once, her heart began to race, in time with Thomas' as she sensed his presence. He and Hoyt were back!

'Thomas... please... please stay calm. I'm still here.' she pleaded mentally, over and over again, before finding a decent, dark corner to take cover in.

The door upstairs slammed against the wall, followed by Thomas' unmistakable heavy footfalls and Hoyt's shouting. For once, the phony sheriff sounded genuinely terrified, as though he'd just had an audience with the devil himself. (Well, close enough, honestly.)

'Toby... I'm going to need you, my friend.' Blake whispered, 'You too, daddy. This ends tonight.'

It took every ounce of self control not to throw up then and there. A small war was about to take place, and sooner or later, she'd be dragged into the conflict. In the meantime, the girl remained quiet and listened in on what was going on upstairs.

*Outside, in the Barn*

Toby perked up, lifting his head from his paws. The German Shepherd rose to his feet, shaking himself off before pawing at the door to his kennel. Seeing as Thomas neglected to lock the animal inside, Toby was free to show himself out. It was as though some other worldly force drove the dog's actions, as he immediately trotted for the partially boarded up hole near the barn doors. With some diligence, Toby managed to squeeze himself out, taking a moment to observe the multiple pairs of headlights coming up the driveway, which turned off as soon as they were within range of the farmhouse.

The fur on Toby's back bristled and an angry snarl echoed in the back of his throat.

'Come on, boy... let's go. Blake's going to need us both before the night's over.'

Even in the darkness, several forms could be made out, disembarking from their vehicles. Most were lining up near the front porch, while two others were heading up to the barn. With another growl, the German Shepherd darted away, circling wide around the yard, before finally making his way toward the kitchen. Crouching down, and listening carefully, Toby waited to make his move.

*Back inside the House*

Luda Mae was only momentarily relieved when Hoyt and Thomas returned, but when she saw just how rattled the phony sheriff was, she and Monty both knew that something had gone horribly wrong. The two of them smelt heavily of smoke, their clothing was torn, bloody, and singed in places, and they were both still breathing quite heavily as Hoyt slammed the door shut.

"What's the matter? Didn'tcha find that little whore?" Luda Mae asked, "Didja git 'er?"

"Mamma... we found that lil' bitch alright... but them heathen lunatics found 'er first!" Hoyt rasped, taking in a deep breath, "T-the slaughter -cough, cough- the slaughterhouse... t-they were there, some nutjob who calls himself Lucian Rake... set the whole fucking place on fire with us and all his fellow robed assholes in there!"

He took a glance over his shoulder, watching as Thomas charged up the stairs with a worried whimper for Blake's room. When Luda Mae tried calling her massive son back, Hoyt motioned for her to keep quiet. After all, it'd probably be safer if Thomas wasn't around to hear this.

"Jus' what in the hell's goin' on?" Uncle Monty demanded.

"Mamma... Uncle Monty... we can't let Thomas keep Blake anymore," Hoyt whispered, urgently.

At once, Luda Mae huffed and gave Hoyt the sort of look that alone told him that he'd better have a damn good reason for saying such things. Her boy LOVED Blake with all his heart, there'd be no way he'd ever surrender her! (Or forgive anyone that dare take Blake and the unborn child she carried by force.)

"Hoyt, enough of this! That sweet girl belongs ta my boy. She's gonna be the mother of his babies. Blake is part of the family now and she ain't goin' nowhere and you sure as hell ain't-!" Luda Mae seethed, up until Hoyt spoke over her.

"Her mother is the leader of them heathens that's been doggin' us, Mamma! O-or at least she was. Even if that bitch is dead, the white-haired, yellow-eyed freak and his robed hooligans still worship her alongside them demons an' devils! That girl is born of-!"

He was about to explain further, up until a bright light shone through the front room windows momentarily before abruptly turning off. But the distinctive noise of multiple vehicles rolling up the dirt driveway could be heard. Hoyt's biggest worry had come to pass; they'd been followed home!

"Tommy! Tommy, git down here now!" Luda Mae called.

"Them sons of bitches ain't gittin' in here withouta fight!" Uncle Monty growled, reaching for the shotgun in the holster attached to his wheelchair.

At his mother's call, Thomas was already racing down the stairs, bloody chainsaw still in hand and looking horribly anxious. His Mamma and Uncles didn't know; Blake wasn't in her room! But he had heard her voice in his head, telling him where she was hiding. A good thing too, as it didn't take the massive brute long to realize that they had unwelcome guests!

'Thomas... I'm still here, with you, sweet giant. I'm still here.' Blake's gentle voice whispered in his mind, 'Tonight I'll need your strength. It's not just me that they want.'

Hoyt was reloading his pistol after sending Luda Mae to grab the rifle. However, while making a pit stop in the kitchen to paw through the drawer for the biggest knife she could find, Luda Mae nearly felt her heart stop when she looked out the window. A bright, orange light illuminated the inky blackness and the smell of smoke reached her nose; the barn! It was on fire!

"Oh... sweet Jesus-HOYT! The barn's on-!" Luda Mae cried out, moving incredibly fast for a woman of her age and stature.

But, on her way to the living room, before she could finish, Luda Mae was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass as something was chucked through the front room windows. Startled by the noise and splinters of broken glass, Uncle Monty twisted around as much as he could in his wheelchair, shouting like a mad man as he fired off a round from the shotgun. More of the window, along with the surrounding wooden siding, was torn to pieces, beyond repair, but apparently, he'd managed to hit something else, as there were a few pained cries and several expletives from outside. Some of the robed intruders could be seen scattering, reevaluating their positions.

"Keep it together!" barked a woman's voice from outside, "We've come too far to fail now! Don't let some backwoods hick with a shotgun scare you off like mangy dogs!"

"You blasphemous bastards better git the fuck off my property now!" Hoyt snarled back, taking up the rifle Luda Mae brought and holstering the pistol for now, "I ain't gunna warn ya again!"

Luda Mae took a closer look at what had broken the windows, at first thinking they were large rocks. But the blood trail they left of the wooden floors and a matted mess of what looked like hair as they rolled to a stop at Thomas' boot told a different story. The elderly woman couldn't hold back a wail of absolute grief, recognizing that they were in fact the heads of her two friends!

"Merciful heavens! H-Henrietta a-an'-an'..."

A strained whimper escaped from Thomas' throat as his eyes widened in horror. They were more than just friends, they were family! And to have their kin slaughtered, then thrown through the window like trash... there was nothing to compare such an insult too! The agonizing, heart crushing pain! First was the initial shock, which quickly turned into absolute fury. Choking back her sob, Luda Mae tore her gaze away from the two severed heads, glancing up to the massive brute with a fire in her eyes, the sort Thomas had only seen a few times before in his life.

But before she could bark her orders to her enormous son, there was a loud pounding on the front door, followed by the cracking of wood as it was forced open, giving way to Miranda and two body guards, positioned in front of her. More of the intruders climbed in through the broken windows, overthrowing the furniture, and from the kitchen, the door could be heard being smashed in as three more heathens broke inside. The exact number was uncertain, only that it was more then the Hewitts... and that the cannibalistic southern family was now surrounded.

"Fuckin' heathens!" Hoyt roared, "Ya'll asked fer it now!"

He shouted like a madman, muted only by the loud 'BANG' of his rifle going off. There was a startled yelp as the bullet tore through it's target at close range, leaving the cultist in a bloody, writhing heap on the floor. Luda Mae wasn't afraid to get messy, as she brutally stabbed the first robed intruder that came near her; a younger member of the cult, who couldn't have been more than eighteen years old. The elderly, soon-to-be grandmother sliced through his throat, leaving a splatter of blood on the walls, over herself, and the robed girl using the poor sap as her human shield.

Then the familiar grumble of the chainsaw revving up broke through all other noise. Once the ferocious blade roared to life, Thomas charged forward like a bull. In a rage, the brute stomped all over the bodies that were already on the floor while gruesomely dismembering a cultist that rushed him with a machete. Another of the intruders took the unforgiving blade right to the gut without a chance to even scream as Thomas pinned him too the wall, pushing the chainsaw's speed so hard smoke plumed amongst the blood and flesh that coated with walls. However, this left him open to the others swarming in.

"Get them bastards, boy!" Hoyt shouted, firing off another round before the rifle was knocked away by Miranda.

The teenage girl giggled and cackled demonically, coldly regarding the next weapon Hoyt went for: the electric prod he'd taken from Darius.

"That was my Brother Darius' favorite toy..."

When Hoyt lunged for her, Miranda stepped out of the way, withdrawing a long, curved knife as she did. Her voice seemed to carry unnaturally as she laughed, smiling the sort of smile no human should have been able to effectivly pull off. She kicked him in the kneecap, then his manhood, momentarily putting the older, wanna-be lawman in crippling pain and causing him to stumble to the floor. Luda Mae had made this insolent girl her next target... her mistake.

Just as Thomas was picking out his next victim to drive his chainsaw through, he could see his Mamma... with Miranda standing behind her, holding a knife to the elderly woman's throat. Hoyt was trying to get back to his feet, while Uncle Monty's wheelchair had been knocked over in the scuffle, and he was trying to drag himself along the floor to claim his shotgun, which slid just out of reach. The momentary shock and distraction was enough for the remaining cultists to beat the massive brute into submission, driving the beast of a man to his knees and forcing him to release his hold on the chainsaw. Thomas howled in pain as a crowbar came down on his arm, then against the back of his head, leaving him feeling dizzy and his breathing heavy and labored.

'M-mamma...' ran through Thomas' head over and over again.

They... they had been defeated. Thomas had failed his family. His most important job... to protect his family. And he failed. These heathens would take away his Mamma... then his Uncles... and finally... his pretty Blake.

'Thomas...' Blake's gentle voice whispered in his ear, 'Please... hold on... I-I'm coming up there!'

Any relief of hearing Blake's voice in his mind was overshadowed as his family was herded up against the wall and had any remaining weapons stripped from them. Miranda kept her hold on Luda Mae while one of her "brothers" kept Hoyt right where he was. Two of the robed intruders hurried their way up the stairs to the bedrooms while another waited by the basement door, laughing while holding up a phone and was either taking video or photos. One cultist made her way down the hallway and turned into the kitchen, and the ensuing crashing and shattering from inside indicated her search for any sort of concealed loot. Another of the cultists remaining in the now trashed living room picked up the chainsaw, whooping and hollering as he held it over his head as though he'd just claimed a trophy.

'NO!' Thomas snarled, in his head, 'No. Pretty Blake... hide... get... baby... out of here... run.'

"Come on, boy! Git up an-AGGGHHHHH!" Hoyt cried out, taking a brass knuckled fist to the gut, "Fuckin' hell..."

"Shut up, old man." snarled the cultist, "You had your chance."

Thomas wasn't going to try anything... not when they had his Mamma the way they did. But it was clear he was furious. The brute growled, but didn't lash out as a thick length of chain was wrapped around his neck by two of his captors. They kept him separated from the others on the other side of the Hewitt's living room. As for Uncle Monty, being a disarmed, crippled old man without his wheelchair; he wasn't seen as much of a threat.

"Praised be the Darkness Below, to the Honored Mother we Pledge our Flesh, Blood, and Bone!" was chanted over and over again as Lucian finally invited himself inside, looking over the spoils of an early victory.

Axle was close behind the cult leader, dragging a disheveled and severely beat up Kaylie with him. Seeing her former captors in the position they were in, prisoners within their own house, offered the girl little comfort.

"Always the cat, and never the rat. So tell me, how does it feel to be the prey?" Miranda whispered in Luda Mae's ear, glancing to the spot on the elderly woman's neck where Vex had bitten her, "Oh? Guess you already know, don't you...? Hehe. " she added, with an inhuman growl.

"You'll know... plenty well... when my boy grinds ya... up somethin' fierce, ya little blasphemous whore!" Luda Mae spat back.

She struggled a little, but stopped once the blade was pressed so firmly against the flesh of her neck it began to cut through the skin. However, when Lucian turned his gaze to face her, Luda Mae felt her blood run cold. Hoyt hadn't been exaggerating; this man was terrifying. It was a different sort of terror then what Thomas exuded. This was cold, calculating, yet charismatic, unlike her son's pure size and brute force. But those eyes... those harsh, demonic amber eyes, boring into her very soul. Then there were the gleaming, steel talons adorning the gauntlet on his right hand and the goat-headed cane he carried in the left.

"G-good Lord, have mercy..." Luda Mae gasped.

Thomas let out a strangled grunt, though it was quickly silenced as the chain leash wrapped around his neck was harshly jerked from two separate directions. Smirking, showing the filed points of his teeth, Lucian glanced to the beast, before turning to Luda Mae, "Sorry to tell you, ma'am... wrong guy."

With that, he let out a demonic laugh, though before he could let his demands be known, Uncle Monty made his own move. One of the cultists made the mistake of standing to close to the old man, and had a rather lax grip on the shotgun he had taken from him. In a bold motion, Uncle Monty snatched the weapon from the unsuspecting intruder, causing him to stumble forward.

"Ya let... m-my kin go and... I-I may not blow yer brains out all over this fuckin' house, boy!" Uncle Monty growled.

Despite being in an awkward sitting position on the floor, the crippled old man still had a very clear shot at Lucian... and a hair trigger. Initially, Miranda pressed the knife further into Luda Mae's neck,

"Drop it, cripple, or I'll slice the old harpy's neck open." she hissed, letting a small trickle of blood leak from the cut she made, "Hmph, this place is so drab, it could use a bit more color... Shall I redecorate with her blood, old man?!"

Thomas whimpered, momentarily considering making a dash for his chainsaw, or just pummeling the insolent teen that held his mother hostage. Or perhaps he should direct his fury at Lucian? After all, one sure way to stop a rattlesnake was to cut off it's head. Hoyt on the other hand only served to fan the flames.

"The-the son of a bitch got armor on, Uncle Monty, aim fer-!"

Before he could finish his warning, Axle took particular delight in jabbing the electric prod into Hoyt's side in order to shut him up. A scream escaped Kaylie's mouth as she huddled on the ground, half expecting her captor to turn the prod on her next. Lucian on the other hand seemed to find the whole situation highly amusing. He made no effort to hide behind his underlings, in fact, he couldn't have looked like an easier target if he tried.

"Miranda, my dear... there's no need for that." Lucian purred, darting his gaze to Thomas.

'Sssssssshe watchesssssss, Lucccccccian... through the beasssssst'sssssssss eyessssssss...'

"An interesting turn of events, it would seem..." Lucian muttered, as though speaking to someone no one else could see or hear.

Suddenly, Uncle Monty's hands began to tremble and shake. The old man first had a look of confusion, then panic, as his body began to shift and move... but not by his own will. Slowly, Lucian raised his clawed hand, placing a steel talon under his chin. Unable to control his own body at this point, Uncle Monty let out a terrified yelp when he pointed the barrel of the shotgun just under his chin, having absolutely no idea of how this was even possible. He tried to drop the weapon, only for his grip to tighten instead. Somehow, Lucian was FORCING his body to do this!

"P-please... h-help me..." Monty whimpered, trying to hold back a fearful sob.

"Uncle M-Monty! Whaddya doin'?! S-stop!" Luda Mae screamed, in horror.

Tension hung thick in the air, as the Hewitts tried to get Uncle Monty to lower the gun, only to have it fall on seemingly deaf ears. He trembled more violently then ever, an unsteady finger resting on the trigger. Finally, Lucian had played with his prey long enough, indulging in the outright terror he sewed.

"Oh pretty Blake..." he called out, in a sing-song voice as he turned to look Thomas right in the eyes, "I hope you're watching this, sweet child..."

TCM~TCM~ TCM~TCM~TCM~TCM~

Meanwhile, from the basement, Blake could hear everything that had been going on up on the ground level of the house. Guns going off, glass shattering, doors being smashed open, and several sets of footsteps rushing about, followed by shouting and the roar of the chainsaw. But it didn't last long before they were overrun and beaten into submission.

Tears welled in Blake's eyes, as she felt every strike, every punch to the gut and kick to the head the cultists inflicted upon Thomas. She could see everything that was happening through the massive brute's eyes... and felt the crushing defeat weighing down her heart and soul.

Thomas told her to run... he was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for her. But in good conscious... the girl couldn't abandon him to these people, even after everything he'd done at the orders of his deranged family! But even they didn't deserve the horrors Lucian Rake had in store for them.

'No... no... please don't.' Blake found herself pleading.

Uncle Monty may have been a twisted degenerate, however he was usually nice to her, all things considered. But seeing the trembling old man sitting of the floor, slowly pointing a sawed off shotgun to his own head brought about a sickness in Blake's stomach. That was until Lucian looked directly into Thomas' eyes... yet spoke to HER!

"Oh pretty Blake... I hope you're watching this... "

Blake didn't even have time to get over the initial shock of Lucian using the special name Thomas had always called her by before the cult leader made a slashing motion across his throat. Like clockwork, the shotgun went off, and all matter of flesh, blood, skull fragments, and brain matter splattered everywhere as the lifeless body slumped to the floor. Dark laughter from the Soldiers of Eternal Damnation mixed in with the screams of horror from the remaining Hewitts and Kaylie. Thomas let out an anguished howl and attempted to stand, only to collapse when the back of his knee was struck.

Lucian just smirked at the nearly headless corpse in front of him, before turning his attention to the soldier of his that had been sloppy enough to allow their captive to arm himself in the first place. Without so much as a word of reprimand, he ripped open the unlucky sap's throat with his metal talons, leaving him to choke to death of his own blood as he slumped too the floor.

"N-nooooo! U-uncle Monty... W-why? H-how...? W-what didja d-do ta him?!" Luda Mae sobbed, through heavy breaths.

"Right... now that I have your attention..." Lucian announced, with a sick smile as he admired his remaining captives.

"YA FUCKIN' SON OF A COCKSUCKIN' WHORE! YA FUCKED WITH THE WRONG FAMILY!" Hoyt roared.

Lucian simply held out the end of his cane, whacking Hoyt upside the head with it, "Lord, you insolent country hick! From now on, you shall refer to me as your Lord!"

Blake honestly didn't know if she could watch anymore... or how she'd bring herself to willingly go up there and make her own stand. With heavy, difficult breaths, the psychic left Thomas' mind, returning to the dank, dim, smelly basement. She knew what Lucian was doing; he was showing off what he could do in order to intimidate them... intimidate her.

"Don't run, not again... you've run for long enough!" Blake told herself, over and over again as she readied her crossbow.

Just then, up above, Blake could hear two sets of feet rushing back down the stairs and an unfamiliar voice speaking,

"My Lord, the girl's not upstairs, but we found this in one of the bedrooms!"

There was the unmistakable sound of the clanking of chains and more chatter up above before Lucian finally barked out his next orders,

"Then check the bloody basement!"

TCM~TCM~ TCM~TCM~TCM~TCM~

Back upstairs, Thomas was the only one of the Hewitts who didn't seem too surprised that Blake's bindings were empty, though it certainly brought about more than a few questions with both Hoyt and Luda Mae. However, as Lucian sent some of his soldiers down into the basement was when the beast of a man nearly went ballistic. Smirking triumphantly, Lucian held aloft the key initially entrusted to Thomas for everyone to see.

"Oh my... seems like Tommy's been keeping secrets from the rest of the family. I wonder what else he knows that he hasn't told any of you."

However, before Lucian could carry on with his triumphant gloating and satisfying his own sick curiosity, he heard something he hadn't quite been expecting; a partially obscured scream coming from the basement... and it wasn't Blake's...

'Be cautioussssssssss, Luccccccian...' warned the demons in the cult leader's mind, 'It issssssss not jusssssst her own ssssssoul ssssssshe fightsssssss for...'

"Yes, my friends... things are about to get exceptionally interesting." Lucian muttered, glancing between Thomas and Kaylie respectively.

'Interessssssting... Right...'

::To Be Continued::

Author's Notes:: I know, I KNOW! It's been FAR too long since I last updated this, borderline criminal. BUT, consider this an early Christmas gift. Dammit, I've loved working on this story, and I'm GOING to finish it. It's in the home stretch now. There's a little reference to Guardian Angels, the hoodie Lisa had given to Blake. (Sometimes, nothing is more comfortable then an old, well worn hoodie.)

In particular, I loved writing out Monty's death. I was trying to think of something creative and had a supernatural element to it. Overall, I hope it's worth the wait and I'm hoping to get even more written and posted after the new year. There's been a lot of personal issues I've been going through over the last several months, among them a failed attempt to move out of my parent's house and getting laid off from my job only a month later. 2018 has been a terrible year for me, I hope 2019 will be much better.

Please post comments, let me know what you think, especially since I've had this chapter mostly written out and only recently edited and posted. The first draft of chapter 25 is also being written out, though I may have to wait until after the new year to start up chapter 26. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Disclaimer:: I do not claim to own The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or any of it's Characters. The references to Jason Voorhees and Lisa Voorhees are from Lady_Voorhees' story, The Strange Good Girl.