Ghostbusters Doom Patrol: Unholy Beginnings

by CJ Bacon

The true story behind Doom Patrol's own Andrew J. Williams.

Ghostbusters Doom Patrol

"Unholy Beginnings"

Andrew Williams

Chapter 1

"THWMPHH!" a thrusting, percussive blow was heard within the den of Doom Patrol headquarters. Straining, exhaustive grunts were followed by more of this explosive activity.†

"Sweet Jesus!" Brian jumped up as he sat watching T.V. "What the hell was that?"†

"I'll give you one guess," said CJ sitting next to him on the couch.†

After hearing another violent thrashing, which seemed to resonate from the next floor above them, both men paused.

"Andrew." Replied Brian, "Doesn't he have a life outside of work?" †

"I really don't know; he does seem to be here a lot. I guess he prefers to keep to himself."†

"Be that as it may," Brian said, "he needs to loosen up a little, man."†

"Well, that's him. But what can you do?" finished CJ†

Andrew trudged down the stairs. While catching his breath after engaging in an intense workout, he spoke, "We need a new punching bag."

"Another? Didn't we just buy one last week," CJ said.†

"Yeah, and now we need a new one." he replied.†

"Ever think of taking it easy for once?" Brian asked.†

"Nah, not really" he said blandly.†

Exhausted, Andrew walked toward a refrigerator near the glass window of CJ's office. He took out a bottle of water that he earlier left there for himself and then wearily walked back up the staircase and imbibed the water quenching his thirst. After cooling off and towel drying the sweat glistening on his chest, the comments he overheard from CJ and Brian lingered heavily on his mind. †

"Maybe they're right; I never take it easy…not anymore. As I head back to my room, I hear both of them start talking again; didn't care what about this time. The rest of my colleagues have lives of their own outside of work. Granted, CJ is here often due to his basic running of the team, and Brian and Rob are in and out a lot while they are engaged in regular maintenance of the ECU. But for me…what is there to do? I'm not as sociable as everyone else. Being part of a team is still strange territory to me. It used to be that my only friends were my fists. Hell, my chosen company for the last several years has been the undead crowd. I've always been a loner at heart and have a hard time keeping close friends…but not by choice. My life wasn't always this way."†

Andrew stood within the doorway of his room, leaning back against the entrance post between the hallway and his quarters. The light of the morning sun pierced through the window shutters, casting a rippled silhouette over his lithe, chiseled torso. He lowered his head, placing his hand around his neck to massage away the stiffness he'd tried to eschew away during his morning routine and wiped away the last bit of sweat dripping from his brow. He then sighed contently after drinking down the last of his water, closing his eyes, and began pondering his life intimately.†

…

"Andrew, come on sweetie, class is about to start."†

High School; this is where my life truly began. †

"Hold on Ashley I'm coming" I replied.†

Ashley Mullins and I spent much of High School dating. We went to Homecoming together, the Prom, etc. We spent most of our time doing things together. However, little did I know that would be the last of the happier memories we would ever have. Short of a few weeks that remained of my senior year, my blissful and serene existence as it was, would come to an unfortunate halt…the effects of which would haunt me for years to come. †

It was a day like any other high school day, and I was going to start a class that I had opted for in junior year, but never received, studies of the Paranormal and Occult. This was a brand new program offered as one of a series of college preparatory courses for those who wanted to major in different fields of parapsychology. Our professor, Dr. Donald Salaway, was an "acclaimed" genius in his field, I had never heard of him before, but that class had fascinated me and better yet, Ashley signed up when she discovered that I had enrolled. †

We had then begun working on theories of witchcraft and Wiccan sorcery. He had given us page after page of incomprehensible notes that I could barely grasp. During one of his class sessions, he made a startling announcement, that any of us who were interested were welcome to join him as he gave an unsolicited after-hours demonstration in the confines of our school gymnasium. Class was dismissed and Ashley and I had departed out the door. I was bubbling with anticipation after hearing our professor's news.†

"Did you hear what Salaway said? This is so awesome, Ashley! The mystery of it all." †

"Yeah, but I don't know something doesn't seem right about it, what if something goes wrong." Ashley replied with much concern.†

"The guy knows what he's doing and the school trusts him. Would they let him do this if they weren't sure he was experienced?"†

"I suppose…" Ashley convinced somewhat, gave me the benefit of the doubt. "Well, I guess we can go. But, this all seems like a bit much. I mean its one thing to study mysticism, but actively engaging in it doesn't really steer me the right way. Andrew, if it gets too crazy, promise me we'll leave."

And so I did.

That night came and I picked Ashley up from her house and drove us to the school. I wasn't comfortable with the notion of walking into a situation without knowing what would happen, but I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited too. That being said, she didn't see the slight look of hesitation on my face. I didn't want her to think I had my doubts after the big deal I made about this all hours before.

We walked inside the school and there were almost no lights on, but I knew where the gym was and we found our way there with relative ease.

When I opened the doors, there were a few other students already inside; a lot of them were people I was close with, including my best friend Kyle. Salaway ushered us in quickly and informed us that we would be starting soon. I walked over and greeted some of my friends. I could tell Ashley didn't like this at all, but I still wanted to see it.

A few minutes passed and the teacher closed the doors. He walked over to our group, those of us who were sitting around, and told us to form a circle. We had no idea what to expect, but we did what he asked. We formed a circle and he walked to the center of it and pulled out a book. He then requested if a volunteer would be kind enough to submit a metal trinket into the middle of the circle before the ceremony commenced; it was vital to make what he had planned to do work. Ashley got up and submitted her necklace in his hand. He thanked her, and moments later, started chanting some foreign incantations in Latin. For the first few minutes, nothing happened. After a while, I had felt a chill come over the room. Before long, a mysterious the wind began to form. It started to pick up and then grew full-scale, despite the fact that we were indoors. The spotlights attached to the ceiling flashed eerily. The events that occurred next caught us all off guard.

…

I returned down stairs from my room, and went into the den where my colleagues were still sitting. I walked over to them, took them a minute 'till they realized I was standing there.

"Something up Andy" CJ said.

"Don't call me that" I replied.

"Fine, Something up Andrew" CJ answered

"Yea, you don't look so hot," Brian said.

"I'm fine, just want you guys to know" I said, "I don't like it when people talk behind my back."

"Sorry man, you're just damn weird sometimes" Brian said.

"I'm sorry, but I agree with Bri. You've got this David Boreanz brooding thing going on most of the time," CJ added.

I looked at them both, as they seemed to have this look in their eyes as if I was going to explode in their faces.

"Listen, I can understand where you're coming from. We haven't been on great terms since I've joined up with this business; it's obvious. But, I admit, that's partially my fault. I don't like opening myself up to anyone. I'm accustomed to working alone. In my old line of work, there's an important lesson you have to learn; don't trust anyone. I value that above all. I am twenty-eight years old and that mentality has kept me alive for the last eleven years. I've been on my own for so long and aren't used to working with a team. However, you guys have accepted me as en equal and I really appreciate that. But before you judge me as an outsider, you have to understand where I'm coming from."

…

Everyone stood in awe as the teacher continued with his incantation; we gasped when we witnessed a portal from another world form in the middle of the gym. The winds howled violently, while lightning flashed around us. Nothing prepared us for what happened next; a gigantic creature crawled its way out of the opening. It resembled a demon, merged with the body of a sloth, and displayed leather-like wings. Without warning, the creature ascended upward. We jumped to our feet, terrified. The monstrous beast hovered just under the rafters, until it jolted toward us in a huff. Kyle trembled in fear and ran for his life. I yelled for him in earnestness to move out the way. He would have made it to the exit, but he wasn't so fortunate; the doors were sealed shut. He pulled as hard as he could against the handles, sweating, straining, but his efforts were in vain. There was nowhere for him to escape. The demon grabbed him in its mandible, piercing his flesh, and swallowed him whole. His blood dripped forth to the ground. My friend never had a chance. Everyone else continued to run in chaos; we remained trapped. Ashley was right; coming here wasn't a good idea. She grabbed on to me and didn't let go; I didn't know what to do. I left her by the door and ran back to Salaway and scolded him…

"CLOSE THAT THING NOW!"

"I can't; I don't understand. The incantation must have been spoken wrong. This shouldn't have happened and I don't know where that thing came from." He replied.

"WELL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!" I screamed.

"I don't know how to stop this" he said almost whimpering.

The creature again swooped toward the innocents, catching, slaughtering, and devouring anyone in its path. I grabbed Salaway by his shirt.

"IF YOU DON'T STOP THIS NOW, WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!" I demanded, my own fears getting the best of me.

"I…I can't! It's beyond my control!" He said back.

I was outraged at him…and at myself. We never should have come. I should have listened to Ashley when I had the chance. Damn it! I looked over by where I left her before; thank God she was still alive. Just then, out of nowhere, a powerful vacuum had manifested from within the still open portal, pulling everything and everyone through into hyperspace. Reacting quickly, I grabbed a hold of the bleachers I was positioned next to and held on for dear life. Near the entrance of the gymnasium, the bodies of my slain friends and those who were left alive were consumed inside the suction of the vortex. I lost my grip and found myself hurdling toward the point of oblivion. But as fate would have it, my ankle became entangled around an extension chord attached to the large circling fan against the wall. The force was too strong. Debris flew around the room; I could barely see anything in front of me, as my face was just yards away from the eye of the vacuum. I made an attempt to grab Ashley's hand and I did get a hold of her, but I couldn't hang on, she was slipping away from me with every passing second.

She screamed, "ANDREW, PLEASE DON'T LET GO OF ME. PLEASE!"

My eyes widened in horror…

…She was gone.

Taken from me into the depths of the portal.

The vacuum calmed down and then ceased. The gateway had finally closed. When the wind stopped, my body fell limp against the floor. I unwrapped the chord from around my ankle and crawled over toward the exit; it was twisted and I was in pain. But when I got there it was too late; there was nothing left. I looked around; the gym was destroyed. All my friends, my girlfriend, everyone I knew were gone or dead. I saw the teacher standing there in shock of what had just happened. I was cold and angry. I ran after him and wanted nothing more…but to hurt him. I was furious and incensed with rage, the likes of which I've never felt before. He winced back in cowardice when he saw me coming, but in a last ditch effort, spoke yet another incantation. The creature, which had remained in the air for the duration of the vacuum effect, descended toward him. Upon landing, instead of exacting the same fate that befell the others, it lowered itself at the professor's feet and bowed before him. He climbed on it's back. LIES. ALL LIES! He knew what he was doing! He easily had the creature under his control. I was alone at the mercy of this bastard and his monster. I wanted to cry and I wish I were with Ashley. Ashley…oh, Jesus, God no! I staggered helplessly onto my knees. With the creature at his command, he steered the beast toward me. I thought I was going to die. I didn't care. It didn't matter anymore. He stared at me from above, as if gazing into my soul. But, I looked back, grinding my teeth and contorting my face into that of cold, grim malice. The bastard had the nerve to smile at me. He then opened his palm and threw down a silver chain on the floor. It was Ashley's necklace.

The demon-sloth one again rose toward the rafters. It let out an earth-shattering scream that blew clear away the roof of the gymnasium and crumbled debris below. I shielded my face with my arms, so not to let the concrete hit me from above. The smoke and dust that emanated from the ground saturated my clothing. From there, he and the creature escaped into the night. I was not going to let him get away. I ran outside and saw them flying high above the parking lot. I didn't know what I was going to do. There I stood with a twisted ankle, blood trickling from my forehead, and dust all over me. And honestly, I didn't stop to think of the levity of this situation…how I ended up pursuing a flying monster. Yet, I knew it was all too real. I was hot and sweating. I looked around and then saw a car parked at the end of the lot. Salaway was already far ahead. It didn't take me long to think it over. Unlucky for who's ever it was, I decided to 'borrow' it. I smashed the drivers' side window with a rock that had lay on the ground, and stepped in the drivers seat. At that point, I thought about how much of a debt of thanks I owe my cousin Jim for showing me how to hotwire a car. Whoever said larceny doesn't pay never knew what the hell they were talking about.

I drove after them through town at breakneck speed for what seemed like forever; the speedometer was nearing the 100 MPH mark. At this point, I was breaking several laws…and not wearing a seatbelt was the least of my worries. I kept my eyes on the road, while feeling around with my right hand looking for something…anything to use that would slow them down. As I felt around, I reached in and opened the glove compartment. A driver's registration and I.D. fell out. Picking up the paper, I briefly skimmed through the writing on it.

"This vehicle is hereby registered under the name of Donald R. Salaway. No other person(s) may claim ownership unless given permission by…"

"Oh, how nice. I'm in the son of a bitch's car," I said…unimpressed.

Still thumbing around, my arm reached far into the back seat. I found something cold and pulled it into sight; it was a shotgun. It didn't occur to me till later that it was a tad odd that a high school teacher would carry a shotgun in his car. Whatever. I used the butt of the gun and cleared away the rest of the shattered glass out of the window frame and pointed it out the opening to take aim.

I had been gaining on them for the better part of 20 miles. The creature was fast. I fired once and brushed its snout. I knew it was hurt, but it didn't stop and kept going; shit! I was entering rocky terrain; I had never been in this area of town before, so I had to have been following them for quite awhile. I aimed for a second shot, but when I looked I saw I was quickly approaching the edge of a ravine. I slammed forcefully on the brakes; the car skidded hard and finally stopped just a few feet from the edge. I jumped out of the driver's seat and continued firing, but by then they were gone…I had lost them. I looked at myself, grimy, bitter, and very much in pain. The shotgun still in my grip, I dropped my arm to my side. Tears had started to stream down my face…I closed my eyes.

Kyle…

Ashley…

Flashback

She screamed, "ANDREW, PLEASE DON'T LET GO OF ME...PLEASE!"

I was out of breath. My fists clenched tightly, digging my fingernails into my palms. All it took was 5 minutes…5 minutes back in that gymnasium where my life had changed, a life that would forever be etched in blood and would never be the same.

"Salaway, you will pay for your sins. No matter what it takes, I will find you, and I will not fail again."

Chapter 2

I returned to tread back into the wreckage of the school; it looked like a riot had ran through. Bleachers were strewn about; there were cracks and scorch marks on the walls and floor. I looked around and reality had sunk in. The damage was extensive and in moments, the local authorities would soon arrive. I departed when I figured there was nothing else I could do and didn't want to deal with the police. So, I left Salaway's car where I found it, which lay next to mine, and stepped into my own. Before leaving the lot, I carelessly scraped against and broke off his front bumper; then drove home. Pulling up into my driveway, I saw the clock on the radio sitting on the porch; it was 3:30 AM. Not one foot out of the car, I hadn't even got near the backyard gate when my parents ran out of the house. Having returned this late, they were confused and worried sick. My father's first notion was to scold me and then question where I'd been. My mother, on the other hand, was just glad that I was home safely. They ran up to me and we embraced each other. They were all I had left now. They looked at me queerly, aghast at the condition I was in and led me into the guesthouse. Soon later, I proceeded to tell them what happened in full detail. During my explanation, my mother cast a look at me in such a way that I've never seen cross her face. She was sickened and in awe of the sordid events that transpired. Neither of my parents wanted to believe that any of this was true; who could blame them. I've never been the pillar of honesty and even less of a model son. I've had my moments before of being untrustworthy. It was bad enough already that they saw me in the state I was in; no parent should witness their child in that manner. My head throbbed and I was feeling dizzy. I reached to my forehead where I was previously injured early in the night. By now, the blood had clotted. When I first noticed it, my assumption was that it wasn't my own. Any one of those bodies that was sucked in that vortex could have brushed against me. My eyes darted upward as my head titled back on the chair. I need to rest. Though, not long after I had begun to doze off, something bright flickered from the opposite end of the room. Squinting my eyes, my attention diverted toward the arch entrance of the guesthouse, which stood adjacent to the driveway. I left the chair and walked to the door; my parents followed behind. The light that flickered seemed to have been coming from my car. I knew I didn't leave the headlights on. When I looked closer, I could see clearly that a sharp, almost metallic object was sticking out of the left side fender. I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. A large tooth was stuck in the metal work…and it wasn't human. Then I realized, when I clipped that monster's snout before, the bullet must have dislodged its incisor from its mouth. The tooth no doubt drifted through the wind and landed on Salaway's car just before I touched the edge of the ravine. Proof enough of what happened earlier tonight. Now they firmly believed me. But, the cops would be a different story; they'd either lock me away and send me to the mental ward or hold me for murder since I was the only one left to take the blame.

The next day was difficult. I had returned to school. The gym was in the same condition as I had left it the previous night. And just as I thought, the school was in disarray. Every law enforcement official spanning the three surrounding counties of my hometown had showed up on campus conducting an investigation. The principal was in noticeable shock. Yellow tape restricted people from going near the destroyed west wing of the building. Despite this, school continued on, but it would not be business as usual. Going to class that day was a grim experience for everyone. During my first morning period, the school secretary Mrs. Detwiller, made an announcement over the loud speaker explaining the situation involving the police mulling about in the halls and outside. She was an older woman; God bless her heart. I felt for her, I really did. She was Kyle's grandmother. You could hear it in her voice how distraught she was, literally holding back tears. She didn't know what happened; no one did. The bloodstains on the walls of the gym were the only evidence of foul play that the police had gathered. But, I knew the truth. Among the grieving classmates and faculty, this weighed heavily on my heart. I knew I shouldn't have, but I felt guilty as hell because I was the only victim left alive. Following her announcement, the Vice Principal made a final statement. Anyone who felt that they didn't want to be there that day would not be forced to remain at school. It was announced that the school would be closed for a week so the police could handle their investigation.

Good. That was fine by me.

The hours had passed; it was now the following night. After taking a much-needed hot shower, I laid in my bedroom alone with my thoughts. I was tired, wanted to rest, but I couldn't muster the incentive to sleep. My mom had bandaged my injured ankle; it still hurt like a mother. The room was silent, with the exception of hearing myself breathe. I felt a chill come from the open window. The wind crept through, breezing against the drapes. I walked over to shut it, but instead, just ended up staring aimlessly out into the horizon over town. The moon shone brightly against the hills and valleys. I knew he was out there somewhere with that godforsaken monster. No one else, save for me knows what happened. He must be stopped. But, what was I to do? I was only 17. Salaway had amassed power far beyond anything that my imagination could fathom. But if I remained here and did nothing, it would only be a matter of time before he'd hurt someone else. I thought nothing more of this matter.

My decision was made.

It is not really too difficult to remember sitting down with my parents, and tell them my plans, my intentions. I knew it was something that I had to do.

"Mom", I said calmly enough to her. "I can't stay here. I have to go find him. I cannot let him get away with this" The look in her eyes were deep and thought filled, as if she was wrestling with her two consciences: the motherly instinct to say "no", and the morals involved in what I had to do.

Finally, after a few beats of silence, she spoke.

"Andrew, we are not going to let you go out there and risk your life trying to find this man. You have no idea where he is or where he is headed." My dad agreed with her without much thought himself. Turning to look into face, I knew where he really stood on the issue: he wanted me to go.

I sighed. "Then what should I do?" I asked.

My dad thought upon this with all of his infinite wisdom. "I don't know", he said stroking his chin, a habit I seem to have inherited from him. "We'll think about it tomorrow. This day has been way too long for you." My mom agreed as she nodded her head.

"You need some rest" she said. She got out of the chair she had been sitting in and put her hands around my shoulders. The warm touch of her hands made me feel comfortable. But I was not looking for comfort or the easy route.

Shaking her hands off of my shoulders, I shouted, "I aint gonna let him get away, not after what he did!" I realize now, at that exact moment, what I had said shocked both my parents. My dad opened and closed his mouth several times, ready to say something, but no words came out.

"Andrew, we love you and we wont let you go off and get killed." My mom's emotional plea was heard, but I knew, then and there, what I had to do.

With all that said, I knew I was gonna be going it alone. I took a shower and cleaned myself up. I got some things together. Then I sat at my desk and wrote the note they would find in the morning:

Dear Mom and Dad,

I told you all the events of last night, and to be frank I have got nothing left here. The woman I love is gone. My friends are all gone; I have no reason to stay here except for you guys. I can't tell the police. But I am not going to let him get away with what he did. I am sorry I have to leave but it is what I have to do. I will come back one day, I promise you I will. I love you guys, you have been the best parents a kid could ask for, but this is something I have to do.

Love, Your Son

Andrew

I finished the note and tore it off the notepad I wrote it on; I grabbed my bag and left the note on the Dining room table. I opened my wallet and examined my funds. I had very little money. Even after emptying my savings account I had only a few hundred dollars. I looked inside my wallet; To my surprise, I had a picture of me with my parents and one of me and Ashley. I kept them both in there; they may have been the only things that kept me going all those years.

I went out to my car. I threw my things in the back. I got in the drivers seat and I started it up. I sat there for a minute and thought to myself: I am a seventeen year old senior, with almost no money and no way to fight that thing and I am going off looking for it. I must have been either crazy or stupid. Maybe both. but only one thing was driving me:

Vengeance.

Vengeance was the only thing driving me at that moment, that and the small hope I could one day bring Ashley back from where ever she was.

……………………………………..

Salina's voice interrupted Andrew's thoughts as she called him from upstairs. She was asking if he'd seen her new staff, a type of weapon used in most Japanese kung-fu movies.

"No", Andrew said and left it at that.

Time passed. About a year I suppose. I hadn't spoken to anyone I knew back at home since I left. I didn't feel the need to; I was still on my quest to find the teacher that caused this. And I wasn't ready to hear the words of reason at all.

I had found my way to Europe. In fact, in my travels I had been to many places around the world: I had lived as a nomad, looking for Mark Beard, and getting by on the bare minimum. Maybe I hoped I would find something here. I searched the U.S. and didn't find much of anything. I had been to most parts of Asia, China, Japan, India, and Russia. I tried my luck in Egypt, as well as a few African nations.

So, after all that, Europe was next on my trip. My journey was quickly becoming a game of looking for a needle in a haystack, or I should say 7 haystacks put together, but still I pressed on. I had little money; I would do an odd job here and and help out there for a few bucks, but I was still very poor. I had pretty much used the last of my normal money getting to Europe.

And here I was now, in London, hoping for some clue as to where they might be.

4 Months Later.

"What am I doing here" I thought out loud as I sat upon a cliff overlooking the city of London. "I have no idea what country they are even in." Four months of traveling around Europe had brought me here, to this cliff, thinking what I was doing may not have been the sanest thing in the world. But, then again, they say insanity is a sure sign of genius. I just wished I felt that way.

"Lovely night isn't it? You can actually see all of London if you try hard enough."

The voice startled me. I spun around to see a figure with a pale complexion starting at me from several feet away. It was dark. I could not make out his face, but I noticed his hands were behind his back.

"Where did you come from?" I asked, getting prepared for anything he might try to pull. But he smiled and continued to stare out at the London cityscape.

"Oh nothingness", he said simply in a naÔve tone. "And that's where I will be returning in, oh, one hour."

"Look I don't know where you came from", I said to him getting off the ground. I was also getting annoyed by him being there. "But if you don't mind I'll be going" I turned from him and started to walk away. But suddenly I felt his hand wrap itself around my shoulder, nearly crushing the bone. He spun me around so that the two of us were now face to face. His eyes were now turning blood red.

"Oh no that's where I have to disagree with you," he said, as two very long incisors began protruding from his mouth. "You wont be going, not now or ever again for that matter"

He lunged at me and took me to the ground. I couldn't move; his grip was incredibly strong. Pinning me to the ground, he opened his mouth. Thinking fast, I freed one of my hands and punched him square in the face.

Thinking back on that, I think it hurt me more than it did him. I knew I was trapped. The one thought running through my mind was 'this thing was going to kill me and all my work would have been for nothing'.

He closed in on my neck; I struggled all I could but my efforts got me nowhere. It appeared to be all over for me when suddenly the thing stopped. It looked at me for a moment before it fell over dead, a large silver stake quivering out of its back.

"What are you doing up here?" a voice asked me in a gruff tone/

I turned around and found myself face to face with a guy who could have been a member of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He was wearing a brown leather trench coat and a hat like the one Indiana Jones wore.

We stared at each other for a few moments: me, not knowing what to say to this Harrison Ford clone; him, looking at me in a way that reminded me of my dad.

"I repeat", he said taking another silver stake out of his holster. "What are you doing here?" Recovering my senses, I said:

"I was just overlooking the town." Something in his eyes told me he wanted more than that. But I did not have to reveal it all just yet. "What was that thing?" I asked.

"That", he said, "was a vampire. You're lucky I showed up when I did or you would've been dead meat kid." He walked over towards the dead creature and turned it over with his foot. With the second stake, he drove it into its heart. The vampire's screams echoed through the night as it burst into a ball of flame, finally disappearing in so much cinder and ash. I marveled at this scene for a moment before the real question popped into my head.

"Why did you save me?" I asked

Turning back towards me, the man answered, "Seemed like the thing to do. I don't think you would have wanted to be that scum's ghoul for the remainder of your afterlife."

"Ghoul?"

"A vampire's lackey. Same as a zombie, 'cept a helluva lot stronger."

"So not all people who are bitten turn into vampires."

"Nah, that's just stuff Stoker and Hollywood made up to scare horny teenagers at drive-ins." I laughed, but it was not the right time to be laughing, as this man gave me a steely look.

"Look kid", he said. "I don't know what you think you are doing here, but my advice to you is to go back to where ever you came from and stay there. At least there you have a chance of living to see 20 years old. Maybe 21 and then you can get drunk."

"Look mister……." I said, ready to protest.

"McTaggert", he said. "Cyrus McTaggert"

"Look Mr. McTaggert: I have no place to go. I couldn't leave even if I wanted to."

McTaggert looked at me sternly. "Look kid..."

"Andrew", I said, regaining some of my coolness. "Andrew Williams."

"Look Williams, London is a bad place for a kid like you to be hanging around. There are things in this place that will suck all the paint off your house and give your family a permanent orange afro. If you stay here chances are you aint gonna live another year. Hell, you might not even live to see Wednesday."

"Look you just saved my live; I owe my life to you. I think I can help you out." But McTaggert shook his head.

"No way kid, I don't need anyone slowing me down; and, no offense, but that's all you would do. I'm not looking for some kid to be a Robin to my Batman. Now if you'll excuse me: I have work to do until sunrise."

I don't know what possessed in the next moment to do what I did. I don't even know what went through my mind when I did it. All I remember was stepping in front of McTaggert as he tried to walk away. In the very next second, I was on the ground. My nose was hurting. Putting a finger to it, I realized it was bleeding. McTaggert was standing in front of me cracking his knuckles.

"I didn't break it kid so don't worry", he said walking over me. But I didn't want to hear it. I got to my feet quickly and grabbed his arm. He stopped, but did not turn around to face me.

"Listen carefully kid", McTaggert said in eerie voice. "The first one was free; but the next one is going to cost you. Dearly."

"How did you learn to fight those things?" I asked. I had to know. Instead of hitting me, he turned around to face me.

"Practice" he replied. "Are you done bothering me?"

"No", I said. "How about this: If you teach me how to fight like that, I can accompany you in your battles and watch your back. How does that sound? You cant loose either way."

McTaggert sighed. "Listen to me Williams", he said. "The things I do, the things I can do, did not come easily. I have given up every dream of happiness I have ever had in order to get where I am now. I am not happy with some of the things I have done. The cost has been too great at times. You must know that there are no comprimises, no 'reset' option, and no conscience when it comes to this. There is no such thing as a happy ending with me." He looked at me and could see that his speech was falling on deaf ears.

"Alright", McTaggert said. "Let me ask you this: you're seventeen, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ever played Medal of Honor or any of those Vietnam games?"

"Yeah."

"Kill a lot of Nazis didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, can you imagine taking the life of someone you know, whom you've grown up with, may be your best friend or the girl you've loved since 3rd Grade, when they have crossed over?"

"You mean...when they become vampires?"

McTaggert grinned at me now. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. Can you--or should I say do you--have the strength to drive one of these", he held up one of the stakes in the moonlight. It glistened with intense fury. "Into the heart of a loved one?" he asked, handing me the stake. It felt eerily warm in my hands. I turned over what he had said in my mind several times. Could I have killed Spencer, or John, or even Sashie back home if they turned into creatures of the night, I ask myself. Or even, Ashley? My parents?

The thought is automatically pushed out as I hear another voice tell me: "Do you want them to have immortal suffering for centuries drinking the blood of the innocent?" I tell myself 'no'. And then I knew my answer.

"I could", I say to McTaggert flipping the stake over in my hand, admiring its handiwork. "Because I know that my family and friends would want me to set them free, and it would be something I would want for them. I cannot let them suffer."

McTaggert folded his arms and nodded his head. "Sounds like you thought over pretty quick", he said. "Alright kid I will give you a shot, but you prove to be a burden and I kick your ass to the curb. Got it?" He did not wait for my answer as he walked away.

"I got it" I said as I walked behind him. My path was now set.

There was no turning back now

…………………………………

6 Years Later

…………………………………

"WILLIAMS!" McTaggert shouted. "DUCK!" I automatically--no, instinctively--listen to my mentor's voice as a Succubus flew towards me, narrowly missing my head as I made quick work of a vampire priest. The demonic bitch did a 180 and was now heading back towards me. I looked over at McTaggert; he was busy wrestling with an incubus. I wasted no time in pulling out the crossbow that we had bought in Cheddar two years earlier.

"Why do you resist me?" the demon asked, as I prepared the arrow in the stock and took aim. "My kiss will be that of eternity?"

"Because", I said, "nothing lasts forever." I saw the arrow quiver in the air as it struck the Sccubus square in the heart. It stopped mid-flight and, before dropping to the ground, disappeared in a ball of fire.

"Now can ya help me out kid!" McTaggert shouted, elbowing the incubus in the jaw, dislocating it. He then drove a stake through its mouth, then another into its heart and through its back. I saw there was another behind him.

"I hate this Season of the Dead", I said as I shot an arrow at it, as it whizzed past McTaggert and hit the Incubus in the face. McTaggert ripped a stake out of his old, leather holster and rammed it into the chest of the Incubus, pinning it to the wall. We both stopped to sit down on some nearby stones. Although the scene didn't show it, we had just sent 32 minions of hell back their master. I suppose that the damned get hot in the middle of summer.

McTaggert took several deep breaths as he pulled out a cigarette pack. Lucky Strikes, as always. He pulled out the last cigarette in the box, then threw box into one of the open graves where the Incubi and Succubi had risen from. He then lit it and inhaled deeply.

"Think we got em all kid?" he said looking around. I surveyed the area. There was no sign of undead evil.

"Yep, they're all ex-demons."

"Good. I hate doing seconds." He looked at his watch.

"Well, it's about time we get back into Dunkirk. Think we can get some ale before moving onto Wales in the morning?"

"I don't know", I say picking up my stuff. "I think you had too much before we came here. I mean, you nearly let that Incubi get ya, you know. Old man."

McTaggert laughed. "You think you're the big dog now, pup? Who reminded you to duck? Otherwise I wouldn't have enjoyed putting a stake through you."

"You're too kind."

Six years had passed, and in that time I had gotten older, gotten wiser and became very skilled in fighting; but most importantly, I was fast becoming an expert at Demon and Vampire Hunting. McTaggert had taught me well. Despite the fact that he was aging he didn't slow down one bit.

We had been through many things over the years; we worked as a team once I had gotten to the point where I could actually aid him in his fighting. Our exploits had become famous over much of Europe. We had taken on Werewolves, Vampires, and even the occasional Hell spawn, a being that left me with an unusual burn scar.

But in those six years, I still hadn't forgotten about the fateful day at the high school, nor had I forgot my real purpose in being here; but I knew following and learning from Cyrus was going to give me the edge I would need when I did find Mark Beard. And also following him somehow helped me control the anger I had built up over the years, something I never imagined I would be getting over.

It was early July. Cyrus and I had found our way to Rome to handle a problem bugging the Vatican. It was relatively simple: a demon had been summoned and they wanted us to rid them of their problem. Working as a team, Cyrus and I took care of it with little trouble. Very little. Afterwards, we were walking down the stairs of the Vatican when Cyrus asked me a question.

"Andrew, why did you want to join up with me so bad?" He asked. The suddeness of it had caught me totally off guard. I don't know what shocked me more: the question itself or him calling me "Andrew" for the first time in six years.

"Because I wanted learn how to fight and defend myself like you do", I said. Cyrus nodded.

"Okay, now tell me, what's the real reason? Anyone can learn to fight, but to go to great lengths to fight like I do, there has to be something else."

He saw right through it, he knew there was a bigger reason. He'd probably already known all this time, but I proceeded to tell him the story of that night in High School: every detail from me going to the school with Ashley, to me writing that note to my parents, to my misadventures and finding my way to Europe. I tell him how I have been hell bent on making that teacher pay, and hopefully one day finding Ashley where ever she is. When I finished, he looked at me for a minute.

"That's what I thought, something drastic like that." He said.

"While we are on the subject, why did you train me? I mean besides having someone to watch your back, you seemed to be able to watch your back fine before me."

"Well Andrew, I'll be honest with you. When I saw you struggling against that vampire, I knew you had and incredible amount anger inside you. I also knew that if something wasn't done about it, it was going to be the death of you. So I opted to teach you how to control your anger and thirst for vengeance through the skills I learned as a demon hunter, seemed like the only thing I do."

My mind thought back to that night five years ago when McTaggert said his reason for saving me was "Seemed like the right thing to do." I understood that now. I looked at him and thought about what he had said. He was right; I had learned to control my anger and my want for vengeance. I now had the ability to control my anger. It was still there, but I was in control of it now, not the other way around like it was 6 years ago. I realized I owed everything I was now to the lessons Cyrus had taught me.

"Here you go sir", the little old waitress at the coffee shop in London said as she served me some Swiss Miss. It was now early fall, yet I could feel the temperature dropping all around me. I stood there looking a little out of place since I was wearing a brown leather trench coat like Cyrus'.

Sitting in a booth next to me was a balding man, he was middle aged, about 40 I would have said, seemed real fidgety, like he was waiting for something to happen. I looked at his face: it seemed oddly familiar, yet I could not place my finger on it. He looked at me and seemed like he had seen a ghost as he dropped his coffee cup to the ground, coaster and all. I bent down to help him pick it up.

"Sir, are you alright?" I asked handing him the peices.

"F….f….f…f...fine, Th…Th…Th…thank you" he stuttered.

"I mean you seem a little on edge" I replied.

"Yea one of those out of body experiences I suppose. Excuse me." With that, he put his money on the table, grabbed his hat and coat, and made for the door..

Then it dawned on my I looked at his face, then I reached into my wallet and pulled out the School ID, it was him, he had found his way to London.

"HEY STOP" I screamed after him.

He took on off and I took off after him, we ran out into the crowded street. I looked both ways caught sight of him heading down the street. I hit the gas and pursued him down the street. He turned a corner, I turned the same corner, he went in a store so did I, I wasn't gonna loose this guy, and he was mine. He turned into an alley I had him now. I turned the corner and came face to face with him. Unbeknownst to me, as I turned the corner the creature from the school was there too. I stood there looking at them both.

"You, I don't know how you found me" he said "but you are not going to be a problem anymore"

"I will not rest until you have paid for what you did" I said.

"That is where I disagree with you" He answered.

I stood there, the creature opened it mouth and engulfed the entire alley with flames. When it was done, there wasn't a thing left in the alley.

"That takes care of that" The teacher said.

The Teacher jumped on the creatures back and flew off; the entire alley was covered in scorch marks. People had started to enter and look around, what was left of my hat was on the ground next to a dumpster.

"Man I hope no one was bloody back here" A bystander said.

"I thought London was a safe place" someone else said.

"Better call the police, I saw at least two people go back here"

"Well people just don't vanish do they?"

"They can if they were scorched to ashes"

I punched the lid of the dumpster and hopped out, the people stared at me. I looked at them and decided it would be better to let them make there own decision on what happened back here. I walked over to the remains of my hat, when I jumped into the dumpster as the creature was shooting fire at me I lost it. I picked it up…

"I like this hat too" I said

I left it on the ground and brushed the soot off me. I knew he was somewhere in London and I wasn't going to let him get away from me this time.

I walked back to where Cyrus and I were basing ourselves out of. I walked in the door and Cyrus looked at me and said...

"Okay what happened to you?"

"I found him, he's here in London somewhere, all I have to do is find him and I can finally…"

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Andrew slow down you found who?"

"Mark Beard" I said throwing the School ID on the table.

"That's him, the guy who's responsible for that mess at your High School" He said.

"Yes and he is here somewhere, and now I am gonna find him and make him pay"

"Andrew, remember don't let your anger get the best of you. Are you sure it was him?"

"Yea he had the creature with him and all, and now that I think of it the minute he looked at me he got really skittish, damn it why didn't I see it sooner I could have had him"

"Calm down, if he is in London, we will find him. I promise you we will find him" Cyrus answered.

We decided that when night fell we would start our search. I don't really know why Cyrus went along with this; I guess he knew how much this meant to me. We decided with the creature and the teacher still together it was best to stick together. I knew he was here somewhere, and I intended to find him not tomorrow, tonight.

We started on the east end of London and worked our way in, tried Hotels, Bus stations, the train station, even the airports. No one recognized the man in the ID, or for that matter no one had reserved a ticket on a bus, train, or airplane under that name. This didn't mean he didn't have an alias, but something told me he hadn't left London, I couldn't tell you what but something told me he hadn't left yet.

We kept searching it was now getting close to 2:00 in the morning. We had searched most of the east half of London, which still meant there was the other half, but luck was on my side tonight.

We were walking down a street looking for anything, hotel, bus stop, bar anything, when I heard a commotion in an alley, different from the one earlier in the day. I motioned to Cyrus to stop; I slowly came up to the corner and peered around. Low and behold standing there was the teacher and he was talking to the creature, must have been his pet now or something. I turned around and whispered to Cyrus…

"It's them"

"Are you sure?" he whispered back

"Without a doubt"

We were talking quiet but not quiet enough. The teacher ran into the street and saw us. Without missing a hitch he said a spell and fired a beam of light above us causing the side of building to fall off. We jumped to miss but the debris still caught us. The teacher seeing his opportunity said something to the creature and they each went a different way.

I freed myself from the rubble and helped Cyrus up.

"Well the creature went that way and the teacher went the other way" I said.

"Well I guess we better split up we know they aren't together anymore" Cyrus said.

"Cyrus, I am well aware we both might not make it through this, and I…I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. I promise I will Honor everything you have taught me" I said slowly

"Andrew, this honor was also mine" Cyrus answered.

He put out his hand and I shook it, but overcome with emotion I grabbed him and hugged him. Cyrus seemed caught off guard by it, but eventually he hugged me back. I think I caught a smile on his face, something I had never seen him do before. I never told him but through all my adventures in the last almost 7 years, Cyrus had been a father figure to me through it all. Cyrus looked at me, I wouldn't find out until a few years later that Cyrus had had a family and lost them all in one fail swoop. I can only imagine if he thought of me as a son figure to him like I thought of him as a father figure for years.

"Well I am gonna go after the creature, you take the teacher" he said.

"Sounds good" I said.

With that said Cyrus ran after the creature. I stood for a moment and looked as he ran off and turned the corner. I turned around and started running after my teacher, I was able to follow his trail pretty well, and he was slipping up. That or he wanted me to find him. I followed him through streets, into alleys, even on to the occasional roof. Where I found myself I found to be very ironic, the giant clock tower in the middle of London.

"This is where it ends" I said to myself.

Cyrus ran after the creature, he had caught up to it using several shortcuts he had found in his numerous travels of London. They had left the area of main London and were now into the country headed. He pulled out his crossbow and fired several shots into its wings, the creature kept on. Cyrus kept going; he pulled out some throwing blades and threw them they all grazed the creature's limbs but still it didn't slow down.

"This is one stubborn bastard" he thought out loud.

He was running to keep up with it, in there running they had found themselves onto the top of a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The creature stopped at the edge. Cyrus reloaded his crossbow.

"I have you now, you son of a bitch" he said.

The creature turned and looked at him, it looked down. Its wings had holes on them chances are it couldn't fly, but after one last look at Cyrus then jumped off the cliff.

"What the hell" Cyrus said as he slowly edged towards the cliff.

The creature had willingly jumped off the cliff with damaged wings. Something wasn't right. Cyrus edged closer to the cliff, be more cautious with every step. He slowly approached the edge…he slowly looked over…nothing, not one thing. It had apparently not been able to fly and had fallen into the ocean. Cyrus thought, this was too easy, nothing is ever that simple. Low and behold as he looked over going through the events in his mind, the creature burst out of the ocean and started flying back up towards him. It opened its mouth and breathed a burst of fire at him. McTaggert dodged it, and pulled out his sword.

"I'm gonna end this, no matter what it takes" he said.

The creature was continuing its climb and getting closer to the top. Cyrus clutched his sword and with a running start jumped off the cliff down towards the beast. His sword in hand he was prepared to kill this thing if it cost him his life. He neared the creature he drew back his sword, the creature opened its mouth and in one motion as Cyrus drew close enough the creature swallowed him whole…

……………………………….

I opened the doors of the tower, and slowly closed them behind me. He was in here and there was nowhere to go, not this time. I looked around, it was a lobby like any other, and I looked around the ground floor looking for anything. My answer came in the form of footprints, looked like they were his. And there was only one way to find out. I followed them to a set of stairs…

"How dramatic" I thought

…………………………………

The creature continued its climb even after it swallowed Cyrus whole. It was getting closer to the cliff. A sword cut through its snout and sliced down its stomach. Cyrus punched through the cut and then impaled the sword through the creature; the creature howled a sound that should have waked up every person on the eastern hemisphere. The creature started to fall back down, Cyrus continued to drive his sword into the creature twisted it into the creatures' stomach. Cyrus looked down and saw they were headed to the ground. Cyrus was in pain, he had burns on him. He was weak and this was his last act, he wouldn't survive hitting the ground, he knew it. The creature was dead, it had stopped making sounds. They both collided with the ground with an earth shaking THUD. Cyrus looked up with his last but of energy…

"Good Luck Andrew………"

…………………………………….

I continued up the stairs, I knew he was here. I walked up the stair for what seemed like eternity. I found myself at the top of the stairs, at the door leading to the interior machine part of the clock. I knew he was on the other side; I grabbed the handle of the door, and slowly opened it. I stepped in slowly and looked around, nothing within direct sight, but without warning. WAM

I fell forward onto my stomach, something had hit me in the back, I turned over and saw my teacher starting at me, and he had hit me with the butt of his sword. He raised it and took a full swing at me. I rolled to the side and dodged it and scrambled back to my feet and pulled out my sword almost on instinct. I looked him straight in the eye; just by the way he moved I could tell he knew how to use a sword. We circled each other waiting for someone to make the first move. I couldn't hold back and lunged at him sword in front of me, he moved to the side and my sword stuck into the ground. I looked back at him he was now running towards me, I moved to the side and he missed me by inches, he swung at me again and clipped my shoulder causing me to fall to one knee. He raised the sword up and took a full swing at my head. I quickly clapped my hands over the blade as it came down stopping it mere centimeters from my skull. I used what strength I still had and threw the sword out of his hands. I rolled to the side and got o my feet, I looked at my hands they were both covered in blood, the sword had cut my hands, and they were bleeding profusely, I didn't have time to recover as Mark Beard started saying an incantation, a beam of light similar to the one in the street earlier, came towards me, I again missed it by inches. Instead it blew a hole in the wall behind me. I looked at him in the face, he knew what he was doing, I had grown more skilled over the years, but apparently so had he.

"Might as well give up Mr. Williams chances are you won't survive this" he said.

"We'll just have to see about that one, wont we" I answered.

He fired another beam at me this one hit me in the shoulder and nearly caused me to fall off a catwalk above the machinery. I got back to my feet slowly, my hands were still dripping with my blood, I was starting to loose my focus I had lost so much blood. Again I didn't have time to dwell a green bolt of lightning zoomed past me on my left and left a huge scorch makr on the wall behind me. I looked from my sword it was still lodged in the floor. I quickly got on the rail of the catwalk and jumped down to where it was. I tried to pull it out of the ground but it was still lodged in there and I didn't have the time to try and get it out. I jumped and narrowly dodged another bolt of lightning, thinking on instinct I pulled out a throwing blade and threw it at him with almost no aiming. I missed and tried to get my sword again, he fired another bolt, it missed me but this time hit my sword and sent it flying to the opposite wall far from my reach. I looked round for anything else, and then I saw it. His sword on the ground not 20 yards from me it was in my grasp if I could only get to it. I saw and at the same time he must have, I ran towards it at the same time he ran towards it. I was faster but he was catching another spell. I lunged at the ground he fired the spell, I got the sword but the spell, whatever it was I didn't see, hit my legs full on. I slid on the ground and hit the wall, the sword still in my hands.

"Andrew give up the sword, another spell and you are a goner" he told me

"Burn in hell you son of a bitch" I shouted

"Wrong answer" he told me

He readied another spell I couldn't fell my legs that spell before did something to them. I tried to get to my feet, but nothing. His spell hit me square in the chest and I fell to the floor and dropped the sword. I tried to focus but the spell in conjunction with my blood loss made it nearly impossible to focus, but never lost sight of his eyes or what was happening, I just couldn't do anything about it, I felt so weak. I watched him as he walked over and picked up the sword on the ground in front of me.

"Andrew, you should have thrown in the towel when I suggested it, I would have let you live them, but now I am going to have to kill you"

I can't tell you what happened, but somehow I was filled with energy. I reached into my coat and pulled out a dagger, jumped to my feet and impaled him in the stomach and turned him around and slammed him into the wall. He was shocked by what had happened he was sure he had finished me. I grabbed the sword out of his hand and impaled him through the chest but still he breathed on. I pulled out one of my crossbow bolts and stabbed it through his hand pinning it to the wall. His blood ran down the back of my hand.

"Andrew, I should have given you more credit, you are one tough bastard, nice to know something I did at that school helped someone." He somehow coughed out.

I walked over to where one of my throwing blades was. I picked it and walked back over. I sliced it across one of his legs separating it fro his body.

"You did not help me, all you did was give me pain, anger and a thirst for vengeance which I am now getting"

I used the blade and severed his other leg from his body, the pain now had to be excruciating on his upper body. I looked in his face and he was somehow laughing. He was laughing his head off. I didn't get it something wasn't right. He started saying something, it was different then all his last incantations. It sounded like Latin, I looked around then back at him, his only appendage not severed or detained, his hand, started glowing. Then with no caveat a massive bolt of explosive energy hit me square in the chest and sent me flying to the wall across the room. I was felling pain I never felt before, I almost couldn't take it, it was so excruciating. I can't really explain it was so tremendous. I looked back over at my teacher, above him was hovering a mass of stalagmite rocks, thinking as fast as I could in my pain, I pulled out my crossbow. I reached into my pocket, I had one bolt left. I loaded it up; he was still saying the incantation. I quickly scanned the structure, I saw my opening and fired the bolt at a certain point in the structure causing the entire thing to fall back upon him, the collision caused the wall to break through and the whole mess fell off the top of the tower. I walked over to the edge and looked down.

"Burn in hell……….you son of a bitch" I said coldly.

With that I slumped to the ground, I had lost a lot of blood, that spell whatever it was took a lot out of me, even though he never had the chance to finish it. I eventually got out of there before the police showed up and stumbled my way back to McTaggerts place. I fell asleep for what must have been a few days. I progressively came to and McTaggert was not there. I decided maybe I the news knew something I didn't. I turned on the radio caught the last bit of a news clip.

"Police are still baffled by the findings at the bottom of a cliff just outside of London overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The body of a man looking to be in his Early to mid 40's was found next to a much mauled body of a creature authorities have yet to identify. The identity of the man is still unknown but police are running checks as we speak."

I turned it off, McTaggert had done what he said he would do, but he was now gone. I sat down, and I don't know why but tears were the only thing that came to me. I sat there and cried.

The next morning I got my things together and headed for the airport, after all my adventures I believed it was time I went back and fulfilled my promise that I made to my parents almost 7 years ago. I had my run in Europe and since Cyrus was gone it wasn't the place for me anymore. I got my things through customs relatively easy. I remember flying into Houston's airport. The city looked the same, except more orange barrels and more construction. I caught a cab and went back to my old house I had no idea if my parents still lived here or even if they would recognize me. I had gotten a few inches taller, my hair was long and I had dyed it black, and I had a much more hardened look. I walked up the doorway and rang the bell. An elderly man opened the door and said

"Can I help you sir"

"Um, yes I'm looking for a Mr. or Mrs. Williams, do they still live here?" I asked.

"What's it to you? He replied

"I'm just wondering if you got that note from your son all those years ago" I said slowly.

"We did, how do you know about that?"

"Remember how he promised to come back"

"Yes..."

The man I know recognized as my fathers' eyes started to tear up. He was on the verge of crying I knew it.

"Well he finally decided to come back" I said

My father didn't need anything else; he ran out the door and embraced me almost to the point of choking me, I hugged him back I hadn't seen him in 7 years, yet he still appeared to be the dad that I left. We went back inside, and I said

"Hey where's mom?"

"Andrew, I'm…I'm sorry mom died, about 4 years ago. She got breast cancer. She died 9 months after she was diagnosed…I'm sorry Andrew…"

……………………………..

I looked up, I didn't notice but all my Doom Patrol teammates were now in the room, CJ, Brian, Rob and Salina were all sitting there. I hadn't noticed but they all now heard part of the story behind who I was. They were all looking at me now.

"Jesus, that all really happened" Brian said.

"If I am joking Kyle Rayner really was the greatest Green Lantern of all time" I replied

"Now I know he is serious" CJ said.

"But honestly man, losing the woman you loved then going off and having your mentor die then coming back to find out your mother died while you away, that had to be hard man" Rob told me.

"It was, is and probably forever will be" I told him back.

"That story isn't one of the happiest I have ever heard" Salina said "In fact that's down right horrible for any person to have to go through"

"I mean, man, I always thought you were just a crazy guy who kicked ass for fun, but after going through that, I mean jesus man, some people would have gone insane after something like that" Brian interjected with.

"Yeah, maybe you guys can understand me a little better now, now um if you don't mind I um kind of want to have sometime to myself"

"Yea man, sure" CJ said "and if you need anything let me know"

"I'm fine" I said walking back up the stairs.

It was night I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, my eyes grew narrow and I opened my mouth, my incisors were now long and sharp.

………………………………….

The rocks had just fallen on Mark Beard he had fallen off the tower, I walked over…

"Burn in hell, you son of a bitch"

I walked to the door slowly I was in a lot of pain. I bit my lip and noticed my lip started bleeding. I felt inside my mouth with my tongue something wasn't right, I was looking around even though it was dark I was seeing things with relative ease. I felt inside my mouth with my fingers, my incisors were now long and sharp.

"Oh no, it can't be" I said

I had become the one thing I was trained to fight best, I had turned into a Vampire.

When I woke one morning a few days later, I looked in the mirror and I looked normal. Then it dawned on me. He never finished the spell whatever he did or was trying to do to me he never finished. So whatever happened to me, it only seemed to happen at night.

……………………………….

I walked back into my room, and turned on my stereo, ironically "November Rain" by Guns and Roses played.

After I had reunited with my father I became a vampire hunter in the U.S. I tried to get my life in order the best I could. I fought the undead and protected the innocent. I guess my works became well known as Dr. Egon Spengler came and sought me and out its history from there.

I reached into my wallet and pulled out the two pictures I put in there all those years ago the one of me with my parents, the only thing I have to remember my mother by, and the other one, the one of Ashley and I at Homecoming our junior year.

"One day Ashley, one day, I am going to find you and bring you back from whatever hell you are in, I promise I will"

I remembered her voice; I remember my mother's voice, and the long I had to hear them both again. I put the pictures back in my wallet. I walked to the window and looked out. In all my years I have never forgotten about Ashley and chances are, I never will, never……

"When I look into your eyes
I can see a love restrained
But darling' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same

'Cause nothing' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain

We've been through this such a long long time
Just trying' to kill the pain

But lovers always come and lovers always go
An no one's really sure who's letting' go today
Walking away

If we could take the time
to lay it on the line
I could rest my head
Just knowing' that you were mine
All mine
So if you want to love me
then darling' don't refrain
Or I'll just end up walking'
In the cold November rain

Do you need some time...on your own
Do you need some time...all alone
Everybody needs some time...
on their own
Don't you know you need some time...all alone

I know it's hard to keep an open heart
When even friends seem out to harm you
But if you could heal a broken heart
Wouldn't time be out to charm you

Sometimes I need some time...on my
own
Sometimes I need some time...all alone
Everybody needs some time...
on their own
Don't you know you need some time...all alone

And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain
I know that you can love me
When there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness
We still can find a way
'Cause nothing' lasts forever
Even cold November rain

Don't ya think that you need somebody
Don't ya think that you need someone
Everybody needs somebody
You're not the only one
You're not the only one"

November Rain

Copyright Guns and Roses:

Use Your Allusion 1 © 1991