Clock Tower
Legacy of the Rooders

Chapter Two

When Aylssa woke up, she was lying in bed. Though the smell didn't seem right, this was not her bed. She pulled herself together and sat up on the cushion.
The room was dark, but no different from anyone else's bedroom. A window was located on the wall and light seeped in from the cracks of the shade.
The door burst open like a thunder clap. Alyssa leap back a bit, but immediately she saw a normal figure. She assumed she was safe from any potential subordinate for the moment.
The familiar voice calmed her down. Good, you're awake. Dennis ran up to her in the bed.
Dennis, what happened? Where am I?
In the best place on Earth, of course: my bed! His grin was something that every young man bears when they had something to be proud of.
What am I doing here? Alyssa asked not wanting too many details.
Well, when we reappeared, or whatever you call that little light show, we were at the ruins of your old house. You seemed a little out of it, so I brought you back to my house. I've been watching the news. It seems that an Earthquake hit our town last night and destroyed your house.
Alyssa began to make sense of what had happened. Her memories started to fade away like the clouds dreams were made of. Suddenly, her mind reacted to something Dennis had said. My house was destroyed!? What about the loggers?
Dennis' frown seemed to grow more glum. I'm afraid, there were very few survivors. Most of them in critical condition.
Alyssa felt her eyes begin to moisten with tears for her lost neighbors.
There, there, Dennis calmed her. I'm sure it'll all be alright. I know you haven't a place to stay, but no one else is here so you're more than welcomed to stay here with me. You don't even need to sleep in my room, you can use Linda's. Alyssa didn't respond. Dennis tilted his head down searching for the perfect words to say. He felt something poke him in his pocket. He reached inside and pulled out the hard metal object. Alyssa's pendent. Oh, sorry, this belongs to you. You dropped it right after we returned.
Alyssa saw the clover and gasped to herself. Her arm shot forward and seized it from her friend's grasp. She pulled it closer to herself, embracing everything she had discovered in the last few hours.
Then she felt herself thrusted in a thousand directions at once as she was pulled from her reality.

Nancy drove as quickly as she could through the back roads. She was hurrying to the hollow ground of the Rooder's cemetery. Only there would she be safe, away from the stalker's pursuits.
she heard a female voice shout out.
Nancy gasped as she glanced into her rearview mirror and saw the painted face of a woman behind her. Barely thinking, Nancy spun the wheel in front of her. She felt the body of the woman being thrown off balance in the back seat as she spun the vehicle recklessly down the road.
the female jester grunted as her face ran smack into the window.
Nancy tried to bring the vehicle back into a safe style, but before she could achieve it, she saw the glistening glow of a metal object come flying at the car.
The object had been a sledgehammer slammed into the front of the car. The shock sent Nancy back in her seat, her seatbelt narrowly saving her from breaking her neck. But the car was a lost cause. The vehicle spun hopelessly out of control.
Time seemed to slow down for Nancy as she saw the blurring sights of the outside slow down in front of her.
the sound of a person wearing gasmask came from next to her.
Nancy moved her head next to her and saw a man covered in tattoos next to her. The man also held an axe. With a sinister laugh, the man swung the blade into her stomach.
The shock hit her like electricity. She felt a fountain of blood shoot up her throat as the breath in her left.
The car crashed into a metal gate, the rear hitting a stone wall. The impact broke up the door next to Nancy. The seatbelt head next to her head snapped off and flew forward into the windshield.
Without the extra protection, Nancy's body flew forward and her chest banged against the steering wheel. Ricocheting off the surface, her body bounced toward the broken door. Her neck stood in place and snapped as the directional change ripped her life apart. Her body fell against herself and landed on the car's side as the metal beast came to a stop itself. Her body hung lifelessly outside the car, just a few inches within the graveyard she was so desperately trying to reach.

Alyssa shouted as she ran up to the ruins of the car. She ran up to her mom's lifeless body and she felt her heart sink. She had seen it all and felt like she was going to vomit because of it.
Poor Alyssa. Already losing her father and now losing a mother. No better than a dirty little orphan now, came a male voice behind her.
Alyssa spun around to see a young male in a jean jacket and matching pants walk up behind her. His long dark hair hid his face from her.
Who are you!? she shouted.
I am that which you hunt. An entity, he replied.
What do you want?
Well, I already got my Rooder's heart, but I wouldn't mind a taste of your blood. He smiled. Alyssa felt her heart begin to beat faster. Her bow was gone, there would be no arrows to strike this man. You know, I'm sure you think of us as evil. Not all of us are. Oh, I'm not saying that I'm good either, but I will say I'm quite indifferent. You killed a wannabe. I thank you keeping our bloodlines pure. Your grandfather would bring corruption to our race. You, however, are still a Rooder. Because of that, my kind will hunt you every day you breathe just as you will now surely hunt us. They will not rest until every one of you Rooders are dead.
Doesn't that mean that you want to kill me too? Alyssa hissed.
Technically yes. But, like I said, not all of us are bad. While three of four of us don't care what you do as long as you don't come after us, I still must protect my assets. Now, Alyssa, you are coming into your prime. In another year, however, it'll all be downhill from there.
I know... Alyssa said with deep hatred. ...I've read.
I'm sure you have, but let me mention that most Rooders down make it out of their teens. Particularly the sixteen and seventeen range. Your mother got lucky, but even after your powers have faded, we still keep hunting you. We must make sure you don't breed a new generation. So far, that's been successful. You are but one in a very, very, very select few. In another generation, there will probably only be one left. After that, you will all but have completely wiped out from the face of this planet. Then, nothing will stop us from complete domination of pain and misery for an eternity. Alyssa's blood turned cold at the thought of this. Doesn't that sound bleak? And where does that get me? See what I mean when I say that I mean you no harm? As long as we Entities and Rooders balance each other out, both of us can prosper.
What do you want?
A pact. I'll help you. I'll give you information of the world's most deadly Entities that mean you great harm. You can get the jump on them and kill them before they can strike. You, can stay alive longer, and I don't have to worry about them destroying my planet.
Sounds like lies to me, Alyssa said skeptically.
If I were going to kill you, why would I go through great lengths to do it? I could kill you now. You are defenseless. You've even lost your pretty little bow.
Alyssa's heart skipped a beat hearing this man know almost everything about her.
The man pulled out a rock from his pocket. I bring you a new bow. I'll give it to you, if you promise one of two options I give you. Leave me alone, or help me. Which will it be?
And if I kill you?
Then, I'm afraid that one of my subordinates will have to kill you after all.
A rumble erupted behind Alyssa. She heard the sound of metal grinding and an engine roar. She turned around to see a man resembling a scarecrow behind her with a chainsaw. The man's whole body was shaking because of the chainsaw's power. He looked like a strawman blowing in the breeze.
Help me, please, the man asked again.
Alyssa thought about his proposition. Finally, she spoke.

I'll do it...

TO BE CONTINUED...