Whisper

{The song-and title-belong to Evanescence, and the characters-Jonesy, Beaver, Pete, Barry Newman, and Henry-belong to Stephen King}

"Don't look in there." Barry shouted as he ran out of the office. Fat butt jiggling. Henry was truly alone now. Physically, mentally. Jonesy had been married to Carla for two years now, Beaver had been married to Laurie Sue for a couple months, and Pete had been going to the bars ever night, leaving Henry alone with the darkness. With no one to pull him back, Henry feared he may fall in.

*Catch me as I fall*

*Say you're here and it's all over now*

*Speaking to the atmosphere*

*No one's here and I fall into myself*

*This truth drives me into madness*

*I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away*

*If I will it all away*

Pete sat at the table in the car dealership, twirling his NASA keychain on his finger, listening his boss talk about the newest selling techniques. Pete smiled to himself. These other losers were stuck here listening to the boss drone on and on, but Pete was special. Pete could escape. Maybe he'd check in on Henry. The Doc had seemed a little distant the last time they'd spoken. He let his mind drift back, feeling for Henry. But what he found terrified him. Nothing. Darkness. He closed his eyes tightly and sent his pleas to Henry.

*Don't turn away*

*Don't give in to the pain*

*Don't try to hide*

*Though they're screaming your name*

*Don't close your eyes*

*God knows what lies behind them*

*Don't turn out the light*

*Never sleep, never die*

Henry could feel him. Could feel Pete trying to help. But the darkness was too complete. Too absolute. Tears began to form in his eyes. He was starting to figure out how the darkness worked, and he was starting to realize what he needed to do to make it stop.

*I'm frightened by what I see*

*But somehow I know that there's much more to come*

*Immobilized by my fear*

*And soon to be blinded by tears*

* I can stop the pain if I will it all away*

*If I will it all away*

Jonesy and Beaver sat at a small corner booth of the coffee shop. "So how's things?" Beaver asked. Jonesy and Carla had been going through a tough patch. Carla had started doing drugs recently and Jonesy couldn't get her to stop. "Things are fine, Beav. How are things with you?" Beaver smiled slightly. "Things are just...." Suddenly he sat up straight. Jonesy jumped slightly. "What's wrong?" Beaver was silent for a moment, then, "It's Henry...he's....'Hello darkness, my old friend.' " He muttered. He shut his eyes tightly and held out his hand to Jonesy. "Help me." He whispered. Jonesy took his hand and shut his eyes. Both of them sending their prayers to Henry.

*Don't turn away*

*Don't give in to the pain*

*Don't try to hide*

*Though they're screaming your name*

*Don't close your eyes*

*God knows what lies behind them*

*Don't turn out the light*

*Never sleep, never die*

The voices were stronger now, but not as strong as the darkness. And The darkness always won. Henry wanted to listen to his friends. But the darkness hurt too much. It blocked out their voices. Henry wiped the tears from his eyes and opened his desk drawer, pulling out the gun.

*Fallen angels at my feet*

*Whispered voices at my ear*

*Death before my eyes*

*Lying next to me I fear*

*She beckons me shall I give in*

*Upon my end shall I begin*

*Forsaking all I've fallen for I rise to meet the end*

In the car dealership they all stared at Pete as he dropped to his knees. Tears streaming down his face he screamed the words out loud.

Jonesy'd eyes watered, the darkness wanted him too. Beaver's head flew back and he began to scream the words with Pete and Jonesy.

Henry raised the gun to his temple. All he needed to do was pull the trigger and his pain would be over. What he didn't know, was that the four friends were still connected. He slowly tightened his finger on the trigger.

*Don't turn away*

*Don't give in to the pain*

*Don't try to hide*

*Though they're screaming your name*

*Don't close your eyes*

*God knows what lies behind them*

*Don't turn out the light*

Pete's eyes went wide as he felt a sharp pain in his head. His eyes were wet as he felt the blood streaming down the side of his face. Slowly he slumped forward onto the linoleum floor of the dealership.

Jonesy was the last to go. He watched a jagged hole appear on the side of Beaver's head. He dropped his friend's hand and Beaver slid to the floor. Jonesy's entire body was numb and slowly, he too, slipped into oblivion. The last thing he saw was Henry leaning limply in his chair, and Jonesy knew....the darkness always won.

*Never sleep, never die*