The Extremely Crappy Days at Ashfield High
Chappy Thirty Seven: Surprises, Surprises
On that same day, several fires erupted without warning in random locations throughout the city of Ashfield. Citizens suffered chest pains randomly, and the city was in chaos for some hours. But then it all stopped. People who were in agony on second were perfectly fine the next. The fires died down, rain began to pour from above... The police and other emergency authorities had no idea what was going on half of the time.
"Kind of weird, all that's going on today, don't you think, Bill?" asked Officer Gates as he sat hunched over at the front desk. Bill, a middle-aged man with great, bristly mustache, shrugged as he flipped through a newspaper nearby. He rubbed his thumb over a thin sheet of paper, grunting.
"I guess. How about that kid? Has he woken up yet?"
"Nah," said Gates, sliding a hand through his hair. It was slicked back with an unnecessary amount of hair gel. "Least I don't think so. He wasn't even totally concious when they brought him in. What'd he do? Sounded pretty serious when they got in."
"Janice said he assaulted some men on a bus; one of them died," answered Bill coldly. Gates let out a whistle, leaning back.
"A kid commit murder?" Gates seemed genuinely surprised. "How old was he? Fifteen, sixteen?"
"Happens all the time," Bill remarked, skimming through a page of his newspaper. "In fact, I've been here long enough that I've seen quite a few strange things. Ever heard of the Walter Sullivan case?" Gates nodded.
"Yeah, big one, wasn't it? Wasn't there a copycat some time ago?" He saw Bill close the newspaper.
"Yep, if you believe it was a copycat."
"If it wasn't a copycat, then who was it? Sullivan killed himself when he was arrested all those years ago," stated Gates, playing with a pen.
"I don't think he really did. I remember that crazy bastard..." Bill shuddered, as if recalling some horrible memory. "I was there when we finally caught him; he'd already killed ten people and scribbled his name on their pitiful corpses." Gates blinked, straining to hear as Bill lowered his voice. "The psycho kept rambling about some 'Red Devil'. Didn't shut up about it, 'till a friend of mine socked him good. I wish I'd have been the one to do it. Sullivan slaughtered children, Jim, and he didn't give a shit, that was the scary part.
"But he was creepy, I'll tell you that. Wasn't normal, not your usual homicidal maniac..." He sighed. "Well, it's nothing to worry about now." And with that, he resumed reading a newspaper article. Gates groaned.
---
"I'm freaking freezing! Turn the blasted A.C. down!" Catherine practically yelled from the backseat, hugging herself and lying down with her back to them. Outside, forests zoomed by, the windows covered with frost. Alexis turned the heater up a notch, sighing in the passenger seat.
"...We... stole this car..." he said emotionlessly, more entranced by the dust on the dashboard. Melissa sped the car up.
"No we didn't."
"Yes... we did."
She slammed on the brakes and stopped the vehicle abruptly. "Then get out, Alexis," she said icily, but Alexis didn't budge. Catherine ceased worming around and turned over to watch them.
"Jeremy told us... to never... let our... emotions... cloud our judgment. He-,"
"I'm doing this for Grandfather, alright?" She tightened her clutch on the steering wheel, her eyes darkening. "He dedicated almost all of his life to fulfill the Crimson Paragraph, and he would've done it incorrectly anyway. We owe it to him, you see, to make sure it wasn't for nothing, but I won't help those people."
"Oh yeah... why aren't we?" inquired Catherine. Melissa did not answer. She stared at a plethora of birds as they flew out in the distance.
"...There has to be some mention of that second half in Silent Hill," she stated, looking up with a newfound determination in her eyes. "If it was such a big deal, then The Order has to have something, you know what I mean? Maybe in a library, or something..."
"Don't worry, Melly, there's got to be, right, Alexis?" Catherine said reassuringly. Alexis shrugged.
"Who knows...? We... won't find out... by just sitting here..." he said, glancing at them.
"Right, let's not waste any more time."
---
"Mom is... going to be pissed," remarked Joshua. He sat in a bench outside the police station. There was a slight mist coming down. The view was gloomy to say the least. He tapped his cut, cringing. Standing beside him, Abraham Jackson lit a cigarette.
"Don't worry about it," he said, taking a drag. "You had no idea that was going to happen." Joshua shrugged, running a hand through his hair.
"Well I should've; too many freaky things have been going on lately... Thanks for your help, um..."
"Abraham."
"Yeah, Abraham. By the way," the teenager rubbed his neck, "you said something on the bus, when you were talking to Christian. I mean, whatever it was. Chris has been going through a lot recently, and I just don't know. I thought that whole cult deal was done and over with."
"Cult?" Abraham slid his cigarette out of his mouth. "What cult?" His tone was grave.
"Oh, it's nothing," said Joshua quickly, "I just let it slip-,"
"The Order. So, Langer was truthful about other sections still existing..." Abraham trailed off, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Joshua was surprised.
"You know about them? Those cultists were going to use Christian and Nicole in some plot, or ritual. I think Ms. Mason stopped them, though... Dammmit, I can barely remember what happened!" The man flicked his cigarette away.
"Listen, it's Joshua, right? Good. Look, you say some members of The Order tried something? Where? Who was part of it? Don't worry-it doesn't matter to me how you were involved." He said this all very fast, eyeing Joshua intensely.
"Uh..." The brunet pondered on what to say. When did some guy just interrogate you about something like that all of a sudden. He gulped. "I recall two of their names... Jeremy... and Noah, I think. There were three others, kind of strange..."
Abraham took a deep breath, bowing his head. 'Jeremy... Blackheart?' he thought. 'He was that other man Langer kept in touch with...'
"And where did all this happen? Was it that town, Silent Hill?"
Joshua blinked. "That's right, it was Silent Hill." He furrowed his brow. "Why are you asking, though?"
"Because, if what you say is true, then something has been started that has yet to be finished. Jeremy Blackheart must have been attempting the ritual of the Crimson Paragraph, but whether or not he knew the entirety of it I can't be sure. That means..." His eyes lit up. "Your friend must be the Carrier, the host of God's soul!" Abraham clenched his fists. "If that's true... the first part of the Paragraph should already be done. Joshua, who was that person you mentioned?"
"What? Oh-Ms. Mason, one of my teachers at Ashfield High School. Cheryl Mason."
"Cheryl Mason. So she was involved too... It has to be her." He winced. "There's not much time. Joshua, I need you to go and fetch that teacher of yours, and be quick about it. I have to speak to your friend about all of this." He then turned and went back inside; Joshua groaned.
---
When Lucas returned to the apartment he found a hastily scribbled note taped to the door. He scanned it hurriedly.
Out to see someone.
He grimaced. 'Why would I even care?' he wondered, ripping the paper down and throwing it off to the side. He then stormed inside. A great pain was tearing through him, and he practically collapsed. He dropped the book, and he spat at it. "Damn you! Once I uncover... the secrets you contain... I won't..." Lucas was unable to finish. He brought a shaky hand to his chest, screaming out a horrible scream. Bringing his fist down onto the book he let out another roar. And, in a blind rage, he tore the book open, flipping through the pages at an inhuman speed. Each one blank, except for the very last one. His bloodshot eyes took in the words.
...And after the Maiden has crossed to the side over, the Red God shall surrender his flesh to the purest form of God...
The pain within him subsided. A newfound energy spurred him to his feet, chuckling lightly the whole time. "Unbelievable! To think breaking the seal would be so simple..." He snatched the book up, his dark eyes finding an opened phone book lying on a table closeby. He looked down the page, seeing a number and address circled in black ink. "Cheryl Mason, eh? Hmm... Well now, I should be on my way."
With the book in his hand, Lucas departed, a stagnant odor in his wake.
---
Zeik couldn't help but hum as he leaned against the building wall, watching the cars go by as he licked his vanilla icecream cone. It was impossible for him to identify the tune, yet it was so familiar. He assumed it came from his childhood days, when everything was all right. There weren't any problems then. It was just him and his sister and their family...
A little girl with bobbed brown hair and freckles stared at his icecream cone with wide eyes. Zeik returned the stare. "What?" he asked, licking the icecream slowly. The girl moved her head to see the tongue flick back into his mouth. Zeik blinked.
"No. Go get your own. This is mine." She was not fazed by his words. Growing impatient, Zeik snarled. "Look, you little hellspawn, this is my icecream, not yours! I deserve this after everything I've endured, and you haven't done shit! You're just a miniscule, stupid wasp who pulls a tantrum everytime she doesn't get what she wants! So-,"
The little girl delivered a good kick to his groin. He gave a startled yelp, dropped the icecream cone, and cupped his unmentionables in discomfort. The little girl smiled and picked up the icecream before merrily skipping away.
"Confund it...! I'll get you!" coughed Zeik as he got up. He rubbed his injured arm, grimacing at the rain. It had worsened over the last fifteen minutes or so. Sighing, he started down the sidewalk, noticing not the jogging teenager before it was too late. He crashed into him. Uttering a curse, Zeik quickly got to his feet, glaring at the brown-haired boy as he stood. Before they could curse each other out, however, they gasped.
"You!" exclaimed the boy. "You're alive, uh... I forgot your name..."
"It's 'Zeik' you bumbling dimwit!" He sighed annoyedly. "And just my luck to run into you here. Don't think I haven't forgotten about killing you: I haven't had the time. For the last few days I've been dawdling around this city with twenty dollars this blonde bimbo gave me after dropping me off! I'm pissed!"
Joshua was barely listening. "Um, okay, that's cool, but I'm kind of in a hurry, so later!" He raced past Zeik, who flicked him off as he went.
"I love you too!" he shouted. For the next few minutes he was just there, contemplating on what to do. Shaking his head, he followed.
---
Linda pressed the doorbell of the condominium a second time, scowling. She was drenched from this unexpected downpour, and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. It buzzed. Blowing a strand of yellow from in front of her face she waited. The door opened a creak. A teenage boy ran from out of nowhere up the small steps and was beside her in an instant. He seemed very distracted, but they glanced at each other.
"...Can I help you?" came Cheryl Mason's voice from behind the creak. Then the door opened wider, and she blinked at the boy.
"Joshua? What're you doing here? What-,"
"Look, Ms. Mason, Christian's in trouble, and this guy, Abraham-,"
"Abraham?" said Linda.
"Hurry up and get inside, then you can tell me what this is all about. Do your parents even know about this? Yes-you can come in too."
Both Joshua and Linda walked inside, Cheryl closing the door when they were all inside. Linda spoke first. "I have no idea what's going on, Ms. Mason, I assure you. I just wanted to speak with you."
Cheryl waved a hand. "That's fine. What's your name, anyway?"
"Oh, sorry. It's Linda."
"What about you, Joshua?"
"Well, earlier today, after school, Christian and I were on our way over here, because he wanted to talk and I felt like tagging along. Something happened, I don't know what, but something... possessed him and he went all insane, and it rambled on about some ritual and whatnot."
She furrowed her brow. "Christian? Just what-,"
"Ah, I see-so it finally awakened."
The three of them turned, Linda's eyes widening. "Lucas! What are you doing here?" she said in shock. Joshua backed away.
"Lucas Schreiber..." he muttered, wincing upon noticing the book that was in his hand. He held it up, grinning at Joshua.
"Menacing, isn't it, Townsend? To think so much power could be staored within a single, aged book. I simply must thank Abraham when I see him in a bit," he said, holding it out. Cheryl raised an eyebrow.
"Who are-,"
"Oh, I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting before, Ms. Mason. I am Lucas Schreiber, and both Linda and I have heard so much about you."
"You... You're with The Order, aren't you?"
"Technically speaking, no, but I am loosely-related, as is my friend, Linda, over there." He nodded toward her, and immediately Cheryl moved away.
"What-What do you want with me?" she demanded, looking frantically between them. Lucas shook his head.
"Linda has no idea about what I am trying to accomplish; in fact, I've come to get her out of the way, being the tiresome nuisance that she is." In response, Linda gasped.
"What are you talking about, Lucas?" He laughed, holding the book out for all to see. "This is what I'm talking about. The seal on God's soul! Once I eradicate it, I can take its power for my own, suck it dry out of that pathetic boy, Christian Richards! However, by destroying the seal I'll be destroying the fragment of the soul I have under my command, but... sometimes sacrifices must be made."
Visible only for Joshua and Lucas, a puppy shuffled out from behind Lucas's feet. He smirked at it. "Only you can see it, right, Townsend? It's been an obedient servant, but it is no longer useful. Years ago I extracted it from the boy, and now it seems I must return it to the great abyss."
"So," said Joshua, "you're the one who's been controlling it! But why have you had it follow me around?"
"Because, Townsend, you are a threat to my plan. You are the reincarnation of the Conjurer, Walter Sullivan, so I had to be sure you were kept under watch. Needless to say, I've been tracking you since your birth. Of course, being of such little power, this fragment of God's soul could only be seen when its energies reacted to similar ones that emanated from other entities; namely, your dear teacher, Cheryl Mason, and Walter Sullivan.
"Anyway, I've wasted too much time." Lucas cleared his throat, held the book out at a reasonable length, and recited the incantation. Instantaneously, the book combusted in crimson flames, the puppy falling on its side, fading away. Joshua and the others looked on in horror as Lucas let the book fall to the floor, the flames spreading. "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I must be off. I have to meet with my old friend Abraham, and, of course, your friend, Christian." And, with that, he vanished.
---
"Kid, wake up! Hey!" Abraham made a futile attempt to try and awaken Christian from his slumber inside his small cell, but the boy would not respond. It had been like this for the last half hour. Abraham hoped Joshua had not encountered any problems...
The lights dimmed, then flashed on. He looked up at them, frowning. A hand clapsed him gently on the shoulder.
"Feeling all right, Abraham?" The voice was cold and cocky, and he shrugged it off and turned to face Lucas. He narrowed his eyes.
"Hello, Luke. What are you doing here?" He kept his cool; he had not noticed Lucas enter at any time.
"I've come, Abraham, to fetch the boy," stated Lucas. "I really must thank you for the book; you unknowingly gave me exactly what I needed, and I hadn't realized it until I saw the book for what it really was."
"...Luke, what are you trying to say?"
"Oh, nothing much. But time is of the essence. Unfortunately, our talk will have to wait." With a wave of his hand, braham blacked out...