Chapter 18: Aren't you Devastated?
The water showered down in a gentle cloud and headlights approach in the near distance. Fog covering the nighttime air, making it almost impossible to see. The wind blows. There was an eerie silence as tires crunched the gravel, coming to a stop in front of a steel gate. The window rolls down and a head pokes out. It was Whistler.
"We can't go any further. We'll have to walk." Abigail pulled her head back in and sat there for a moment, looking out in the rain.
"Does it require me getting off my seat?" Kasumi asked. Abby looked over and gave her a look as if she was speaking gibberish. "Uh, yeah."
"Then, no, we're not going."
"Kasumi…" she sighed. "He'll be fine. Ashley's there with him"
"Screw Ashley." Kasumi muttered to herself. "It's a fucking cemetery. She wouldn't be here."
I rolled down my window as the two older women continued to argue about the same thing…Spence. I squinted my eyes and smiled, pointing, "Hey. Isn't that her by that grave?"
"Where?" they asked all at once, looking over to the direction I was looking at. They shoulder their doors open and run to the gates.
My chin quivered. "Hey. What about me?"
"Stay in the car." Abby ordered.
I folded my hands and sank in my seat. "Fine."
They pushed the gate open and walked through. Everything was so dark. The sounds of running footsteps can be heard striking the pavement. The two women looked around.
"Ruby?" Abigail called, flashing the flashlight at a grave. Nope. No one there. There it was again. Getting more and more terrified, she flashed it over to another grave. Nope. No crazy axe-wielding lunatics there.
They nearly screamed when they heard a barely audible whimper. Kasumi gulped and walked forward, flashing the light down on a grave. Someone was there…right behind it. Her heart started beating as she reached with a hand…
Suddenly, another hand takes it.
Frightened, Kasumi turned and sighed with relief, putting a hand over her heart. Standing there was a little girl, a hood covering her head…that was me.
"Don't." I warned. "She's asleep. Ruby might run away again if you scare her off."
"Patricia." Abigail breathed, walking over to us. She put a hand on Kasumi's back. "You alright?" she asked. Kasumi nodded and Abby turned to me. "Why didn't you go wait in the car like I told you?"
"I did wait in the car." I said simply. "You never said anything about staying there for the whole time. You should be more specific."
"You are an awful like--"
"Spence?" I asked.
Abby nodded. "Yeah. Spence."
King sat impatiently behind the wheel, his face grim. From the corner of his eye, he looked at the man sitting in the passenger seat. Boy, how he wished to beat the living daylights out of him for what he did. But noooo, he had to take him on a hunt to sort out some 'issues'.
What fucking issues?
The only fucking issue here is his best friend dying…and what the hell were they doing about it, huh?
Just…hunting.
Caulder started to relax in his seat ten minutes later when he realized King wasn't to kill him. Another ten minutes made him think that it was safe to try to communicate…in other words: Talk. Let's just hope he wouldn't reply with his fist.
"So. How is our dear friend?"
Our dear friend? He doesn't even know what Spence's first name is!
"He's fine." King muttered grimly. A few more minutes passed and King sighed. Even in his sleep he talked. This was just too much. "So…how's the wife and the kid?"
"Oh." Caulder smiled, looking over to him. "They're doing fine. Great. They're--"
Okay, that was enough.
"Oh!" King interrupted, "We're here." he quickly pulled up in front of a building, saving himself from another one of Caulder's long speeches about how much he loved the wife and how much money he wasted for the kid.
They both looked out the window, rain was falling from the sky. The streets were swallowed in darkness and fog.
"What's this shit about again?" King asked, shivering as they got out of the car. He had decided to sleep early and was awoken by Caulder, saying that he's going out hunting…adding that this was something King wanted to see.
I'd see it if it was a talking monkey, King thought. He paused and looked over to Caulder. Oh, no, wait. I take that back. I have seen one. He is alsothe living proof dinosaurs still exist.
"Trust me--What?" Caulder asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh, nothing." King smiled reassuringly. They walked inside the torn-down building. The stench was foul and there were rats there. Garbage all around.
"Oh, look, Caulder." King said, "Your dream home."
Caulder looked at him weirdly. As if, he's picturing every single detail of King.
"What?" King asked.
"Nothing…" Caulder said.
There was a low snarling sound and King slowly turned his head towards the noise.
Out from the darkness, a werewolf emerged, fangs bared. It's furry coat covered in blood. Claws ready for it's next victim. King's eyes widened in silent horror before turning to Caulder who had a gun to the side of his head.
"I just want to remember the look on your face before that werewolf rips you apart." Caulder grinned. "Oh, and King…Wife's dead"
The streets were quiet but the silence was soon broken by a gunshot.
Abigail draped a jacket over my head and ran me to the hide-out, Ruby obliviously walking up the steps behind us. It had been raining for over an hour now. Kasumi rapped at the door. No answer.
She knocked harder.
Nothing.
Ruby looked up to Abby, sadness in her eyes, "I want to see Tony."
"Yes, of course you'll see him." Abby replied breathlessly. "But we have to get inside first."
"Ashley?" Kasumi called.
When there was no answer, she and Abby exchanged worried looks and Kasumi kicked the door open. Wow, I thought. She was strong.
The room was dark. Me and Ruby stayed by the door.
They knew instinctively that something was wrong. In unison, they both draw their weapons and started towards the bedroom.
Shadows loomed everywhere. It's as if a stampede came through here. Equipment lay smashed, tables and chairs have been overturned. Things were broken.
"Ashley?" Abby exclaimed.
"Spence?" Kasumi called.
At the door they looked inside and gaped. Their eyes filled with horror--
--Spence was gone and, the room had been smashed and the walls were smeared with blood.
There wasthat ringing tone.
As tears streaked down Kasumi's face, Abby answered her cell phone and there was laughter coming from the other end. It was loud enough for everyone to hear.
It was the voice of Ashley Zinthos…
"Aren't you devastated that you left him with me?"