Valves of Vengeance

Chapter 10 Terror on the Field and the Ghost of Doctor Beat

by Kaitlin

Holst labored off of the bus, he fumbled into his pocket for a bottle. Finally his hand grasped the bottle. It took a few tries before he could actually get it off. Damn safety tops... He tipped the bottle and 2 pills fell into his hand. Popping them into his mouth he glanced around, trying to decide if he had in fact gotten off at the right stop. He was less than a block from the high school, his high school. He set off intent on stopping Edwin for good.

*~*

Once the quad had been covered in grass, but through the years, the marching band had held their music rehearsals on it, the grass slowly died as it was trampled by many feet each day. Eric glanced down at the grate, it was a grate all the french horn players were familiar with, they stood behind it during rehearsal. It was the cursed grate that filled with slimy things when it rained, it swallowed mouth pieces and valve caps, yes, Eric knew this grate very well.

The rest of the Horn Society gathered around the grate, Eric bent down to remove the cover, he flinched as his hands came in contact with the metal. Chills ran up his arms, ignoring the feelings he had, he closed his hands around the bars of the grate and lifted.

Eric sat back with a cry, something large and black flapped clumsily out of the hole. The horns scattered. The crow flapped off, cawing as it went. Sighing, Eric stood up and peered into the now empty darkness. "how the hell did that crow get in there?" Eric looked up, all the horns were staring at him, he was the unofficial leader, no matter how much he didn't want it.

"I don't know..." Once again he sighed, he hated disappointing them, not having the answer bothered him, the crow wasn't in there earlier, that he knew.

"Are you guys sure the scream came from the grate?" Jason asked,"Because I've had to get my mouthpiece plenty of times out of that thing and theres always been a definite floor."

"Only one way to find out." Eric swung his legs into the grate. He disappeared for a moment, but was visible again from the shoulders up. "There is most definitely a bottom to this hole. And several mouth pieces too..."

A soft ticking sound met the with the ears of the society, confused the looked at each other. "If i didn't know any better, I'd say it was doctor beat." mumbled Julia. Shock rose to the faces of the other horns, as they headed cautiously to the bands practice field.

*~*

Lorelei looked up into eyes of her captor, a sort of wildness was coming to life in their steely gray depths. Blood trickled from several small cuts on Lorelei's left arm, grinning a horrible grin, Edwin raised the pocket knife again, Lorelei cowered away from him, shutting her eyes shut tightly and waiting for the inevitable blow to come.

It didn't come.

Edwin was no longer looking at her, he was looking up towards the ceiling, a low grating noise could be heard, followed by surprised screams and the cawing of a crow. Edwin made a growling noise, low in his throat."Those bastards just cant leave well enough alone can they?" He looked to Lorelei, "You will stay here or you will feel the affects of my wrath." With that Edwin was gone, so quickly it was as if he had never been there.

i have to get out of here...

Lorelei rose, blood streaks drying to black on her arm. On unsteady legs she made her way to the door.

*~*

Once again Holst stopped to lean against a light pole, breath coming in short gasps. A crow flew overhead shrieking loudly. That's odd for this time of night. The sidewalk stretched out from him in both directions, the distance never seeming to lessen, only grow. Slipping another pill into his mouth, Holst grimaced, and then swallowed. He continued on his way to the high school.

*~*

Eric looked around. The rest of the horns were standing uneasily on the uneven tufts of grass. The clicking noise had grown to an intensity, and with each loud plink Eric would inwardly flinch. The sound echoed back off of the buildings and made it difficult for the hons to determine the direction it was coming from. Slowly Eric walked into the middle of the field, the horns trailing behind, none of them wanted to be the last one.

Click, Click, Click, Click, Click.

Silence.

"What do we have hear? A fearless leader and his band of followers barely able to hold their bladders." A maniacal laugh echoed over the field, the teens grouped together in the middle unsure of where to look for their new threat.

*~*

Lorelei trailed her hand along the slimy wall, just as she had so many years ago, but this time she was heading out, not in. The darkness was absolute, and her footsteps crunched, but Lorelei didn't stop to wonder what she was walking on. I have to get out... The tunnel began to narrow down until she was forced to crawl. Hands out in front to feel the way, Lorelei continued until her hands came in contact with a wall. She pushed on it, begging it to give way to the instrument storage room, tears began to run down her cheeks as she remembered.

Sam set down the nail gun, "Nothing will should be able to come out of that hole any more." He smiled up at her, and then grinning, grabbed her hand and pulled her down into his lap. Lorelei shrieked and then smacked him on the shoulder, she tried to wiggle away but he held on and then his mouth met hers, and she relaxed

"I'm so glad it's over Sam..."

Lorelei pushed against the wall, using as much force as she could in the cramped space. It was no use, Lorelei slumped down and began to cry.

*~*

"What do you want from us?" Edwin grinned as he heard the slight note of desperation in Eric's voice.

"What do I want? What do I want??? Well you should be finding that out shortly..." Edwin slipped out of the shadows and into the sight of the Horns. He heard their surprised gasps as the little light that was available glinted off of the metal stuck in his hands. He watched with delight as the Horns shrank back as he approached, I can get them all at once now...What would dear old Sam be able to do, days before festival with out any french horns..." His grin grew larger as he thought of all the hands he would be able to choose from. When i become normal again, I will make Lorelei love me...