"I Thought I Saw Something"
"Please. Please. Please." is what Gwen uttered in a soft voice while riding through the rain soaked streets. She looked left and right from under the yellow hood of her rain jacket.
She knew it. She could feel it that she was getting close to finding the house from her dreams. This street was near her house, but wasn't searched yet by her. She had only been searching at night on her bike and once with her dad from the safety of the family car.
She was holding onto hope she could help the police find her missing brother.
If it wasn't going to be now then it'll be never. She had to find him. She needed her brother back
Just then a flash of lightning illuminated her vision and that's when she saw the ghostly images of the dead teens in front of her.
Letting out a scream of fear she lost her balance and fell down on the wet cement, landing on her side but thankful she wasn't injured.
She groaned looking up to where she had seen the boys but by now they had disappeared. Looking to her left, that's when she saw it. It was the house. The tree, the home the gate. All of it.
With a slight gasp she went to grab her bike until she saw a pair of legs standing near her fallen transportation.
"Hey there honey. I saw you fall off your bike. Are you okay?" he asked while extending out a helping hand
Gwen looked up and saw a tall yet scrawny looking brunette man. He wore a brown suede raincoat and black boots.
Gwen smiled politely and smiled.
"I'm okay thank you" she said politely moving to grab her bike.
"Are you sure? You're bleeding," he stated motioning his eyes to her knee.
Gwen looked down and noticed her jeans were ripped on her left knee and blood was pooling out turning the once blue fabric red with her blood.
"Oh I didn't notice," she said once again looking at the man, who was now eye level with her.
"Hey I live right across the street. You want to get a band aid and call your mom and dad to come pick you up?" he asked stepping back and motioning to his home.
Gwen was really hesitant to reply. She gritted her teeth while the rain continued to pour down on the two people alone in the street.
Gwen looked up and down the street for a sight of anyone around. The street was completely deserted.
"I really shouldn't. I need to get home. I have to make a phone call," said Gwen. She was starting to shake.
"We have a phone in the house. I can call your parents to tell them where you are," he said.
Gwen was fully aware that this guy was a total stranger but seemed really nice.
He offered her his hand.
Gwen looked at him and then back to the house she had been searching for for days.
"Do you know the address of that house?" asked Gwen.
"Yes I do," the man said.
"Alright let me use your phone," said Gwen and she and the man walked up to the house across the street from 7741.
Gwen slightly limped up the house with the man.
"My name is Max," said the man.
"I'm Gwen," said Gwen.
"It's nice to meet you Gwen," said Max.
"Yeah you too," replied Gwen in a slight whisper.
Gwen stepped through the threshold of the house and looked around at the derelict and almost empty house. Most of the lights were off. There was dust sitting almost everywhere. There was no decorations or any family photos anywhere in the house. It was almost empty.
"Wait right here and I'll get the first aid kit," said Max and he disappeared into the other room for the medical supplies.
Gwen took off her rain coat and sat on the couch.
Her eyes focused to the dark while glancing around the room.
Then her eyes focused on what lay at the center of the living room. Gwen saw a poster board of all the missing kids.
Getting up from her sitting position, she limped over and looked at the details that lay on the board.
Gwen gasped when she saw a photo of her brother. Gwen ran her hands over the photo.
Just then Max came out of the bathroom with the first aid kit in his hands. He noticed Gwen staring at the board.
"That's my brother," said Gwen pointing at the photo of Finney.
"Your brother?" asked Max gesturing for her to have a seat. Gwen gave a sad smile.
"Yeah. He's been missing for two days," she said.
"I've been working the case trying to find the Grabbers house," said Max looking at the board and the map.
Gwen then noticed the card attached to the board above her brothers photo.
It was Detective Wrights number on the card he had given Max. She had the same one at home.
Gwen smiled brightly. She could call the detective from this house, and not her own, and the police could be here within minutes. It was all coming together and the mystery would be solved.
"Before you tend to my knee can I use your phone?" asked Gwen.
"Yeah sure you want to call your parents?" asked Max.
"No," said Gwen. She stood up and snatched the card off the board and followed Max to the phone.
"I need to call the police," she said.
"Why the police?" asked Max.
"It's complicated to say but let's say I've found what I've been looking for," she answered quickly.
"Are you sure you're not going to get into trouble?" asked Max, putting his hands on his hips.
"No I won't," stated Gwen in a panic. She rotary dialed the number and asked for Detective Wright when the other end of the line picked up.
"You better hurry before my brother gets home. He doesn't like strangers in his house," said Max.
"You have a brother too?" asked Gwen.
Max left the room and sat down on the couch staring at the map.
Gwen talked to the detective and gave the address of the house across the street and begged them to hurry.
"Meet us outside Gwen," said the detective and he hung up the phone.
"I will," said Gwen and she too hung up the phone.
Then she saw Max staring at the map, almost like he was hypnotized by it. He slowly walked towards Gwen and then right by her.
He noticed the locked basement door. His brother was always adamant that door remained locked at all times.
"Stay here," he said in a serious voice.
"What's going on?" asked Gwen getting nervous.
Max looked back to her.
"Put the band aid on and get out of the house," said Max.
Gwen was starting to breathe deeply in fear.
"WHY?" she asked.
"Do it," demanded Max. The tone of Max's voice made Gwen jump.
She darted out to the living room not even bothering about getting medical attention to her knee. She was about to grab her rain jacket when she heard a door slam from outside.
Gwen froze. It couldn't have been the police. She just called them. They were not that fast. Gwen heard the back door start to unlock.
Now she started to panic.
Quickly Gwen grabbed her rain jacket off the couch and hid behind a doorway out of sight.
I knew this was a bad idea! She thought loudly.
The door flung open and Gwen could sense this was the brother Max had just mentioned and also remembered he didn't like strangers in his home.
"Come on boy," he snarled.
Unlocking another door, Gwen heard the pitter patter of feet on the floor and a chain rattling
This guy had a dog.
Peeking through the door near the hinges Gwen couldn't believe her sight. This dog was massive and black. He had to be a Rottweiler mix somehow.
Gwen slightly gasped while covering her mouth with her hands so she wouldn't scream, but that didn't stop the small whimpering she let out. She gasped slightly when the dog looked in her direction and then made its way over to her hiding spot. He growled loudly getting his master's attention.
"What you go there Samson?" asked the man.
Gwen's heart nearly stopped while the man pulled the door closed sharply and found her there hiding.
Gwen froze when she looked up at this man. He was tall and muscular and had a large sharp butcher knife in his hand.
The sheer size of the man and the sharp knife the man was holding isn't what scared Gwen. It was the mask he was wearing that made her shriek in absolute terror. It was only half a mask but it had devils horns on the top, making him even more terrifying.
"Well what do we have here?" he asked staring down at the frightened girl.
Gwen stuttered slightly not moving an inch.
"How did you get in here?" he asked Gwen.
Gwen couldn't talk.
"You….you're him. You're the Grabber," stated Gwen.
"I didn't really choose that name but it holds its own," said the Grabber.
"Now what am I going to do with you?" he asked, raising the knife and plunging it into the wall above Gwen's head.
Gwen screamed slightly.
"The police are coming," said Gwen. She had to distract this guy until the police got there.
"Are they now?" asked the Grabber.
He didn't seemed fazed at all. Then he noticed flashing lights outside. This time it was the police.
"Fuck," he mumbled.
He quickly placed the edge of the blade near Gwen.
"I gave them the address," Gwen stuttered while looking out the window at the police cars. She was supposed to meet them there. Yet here she was in the home across the street, now trapped.
"Let's go little lady," said the Grabber
He grabbed Gwen by the arm and practically dragged her towards the basement door, while Gwen started to fight back.
"Let me go you creep!" she screamed. She tried kicking and scratching at the Grabber but he held his grip on the small girl.
Then the Grabber noticed the basement door was already open. He growled while looking for Max.
He knew Max had discovered his little secret.
"Fucking damn it," he seethed.
Gwen was about to scream for Max for help until the Grabber put his knife near her throat and put his free hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming.
"Not a fucking word out of your mouth or I'll cut out your fucking tongue and feed it to the dog," he threatened.
Gwen fell silent and let the Grabber drag her down the stairs very quietly.
That's when she saw Max talking to someone behind a huge metal door.
Gwen wanted to cry out to Max to look out, but it was too late.
The Grabber let go of Gwen, grabbed the ax he had hidden on the side of the stairs, came up behind Max plunging it right into his head, slicing him right in the brain.
Blood splattered on the Grabber and Gwen who shrieked in disgust and terror, along with someone else from behind the door. The door swung open and that's when Gwen saw it for herself. Or rather who.
It was Finney. He was alive.
"FINNEY?!" she cried wanting to run to her brother.
"Gwen?" asked Finney, still in a state of shock and panic.
"Well isn't this something?" asked the Grabber. He turned and grabbed Gwen before she could run back up the stairs and placed her in a chokehold, the knife now placed at her neck.
"Brother and sister reunited at last," he said taunting his two captives.
"Let her go," Finney demanded.
"I really don't think you are in any position to demand anything of me!" the Grabber yelled at the frightened boy.
Finney held his ground, the black phone in his hand.
"Now I don't normally kill little girls," said the Grabber glancing down at the shaking girl in his arms.
"But like they say, there is a first time for everything," said the Grabber. He then kissed Gwen on the top of her head. He glared at Finney smiling a wicked smile.
That made Finney's blood boil.
"Don't you dare hurt her," threatened Finney taking a step towards them. The Grabber tightened his grip on Gwen in a threatening manner, the knife now piercing her skin.
Finney stepped back.
"Would you like to watch?" asked the Grabber slightly smiling wickedly.
"Fuck you!" cried Gwen and she bit down on the Grabbers arm that held her small body. She had bit him in the same spot that Finney cut him when he was fist taken.
"AH! You little BITCH!" he cried cradling his arm.
His grip loosened just a bit for Gwen to turn around and knee him in the balls.
Gwen got free and ran to her brother in an epic hug.
"I thought I'd never see you again," cried Gwen her arms tight around her brother.
Finney didn't answer his sister. Now he was furious. His angry eyes were focused on the Grabber.
The Grabber snarled at the siblings.
He saw the phone in Finneys' hand.
"Again with the phone? What's up with that?! I told you it doesn't work!" he screamed.
Finney didn't answer nor did his grip loosen. He needed this. He needed to fight.
"Ohh I'm going to enjoy this," snarled the Grabber. He regained his height and stamina, ignoring the pain in his arm.
He pointed the end of the knife at the young teens.
"You both are very special. Not only am I going to kill you Finney, but I'm going to let Gwen here watch. I'm going to take my time with you BOTH. I want this to REALLY hurt," he growled pointing the butcher knife to them both.
Finney glared at the Grabber, holding his sister tight in his arms, protecting her from the monster in the basement.
"Samson!" called the Grabber, keeping his glare on the kids.
The big black dog came down the stairs dragging the chain with him. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for his master to give the command.
Finney slightly nudged his sister behind him.
"Finney," begged Gwen. She knew what was going to happen. Finney was about to enter the fight of his life with the Grabber.
"Whatever happens, stay here," warned Finney.
Gwen's eyes widened with tears. She had NEVER heard Finney talk in that tone before. He was different. He seemed angry. VERY angry.
Gwen backed herself into the corner where the body of the black phone was on the wall. She didn't move.
The Grabber had tied Samson to the wall of the basement to guard the stairs.
The Grabber kneeled down and put the knife on the steps to the stairs. He grabbed the axe from Max's bloody corpse.
The Grabber made his way to Finney, positioning the axe above his head but Finney was too fast. He leapt out of the way and disappeared around the corner of the basement.
The Grabber followed in a chase pursuit.
Gwen heard the Grabber yelp in surprise then in absolute pain.
Gwen slightly made her way over to the corner of the basement, out of reach other dog who was barking ferociously and loudly.
Then as the Grabber was shouting in pain and fear Finney jumped and wrapped the cord of the phone around his neck, being choked.
Gwen covered her mouth in shock and fear.
Finney was killing him.
Then the phone started ringing.
Gwen jumped as she saw the phone pulsating on the wall. All three of them heard it.
Finney glared at the wall. He placed the phone on the Grabbers ear.
"It's for you," he stated.
"Welcome to the nightmare end of your pathetic little life!" said Vance.
Then came Griffin's laughter. "You don't have much time," he giggled again.
"Today's the day MOTHERFUCKER!" screamed Vance again.
I can't kill you, you hijo de puta. So Finn is going to do it for me!" came Robin's voice.
"Finns's arm is MINT!" yelled Bruce.
With one final pull from Finney, the Grabbers neck snaps. He is dead.
Finney lets go of the cord, and the Grabbers body slumps down into the pit.
Finney stands up, breathing heavy.
"Gwen?" he asks looking for his sister, who is sitting in the corner her face buried in her knees. She is crying.
"Hey, are you ok?" he asks her.
He kneels down to her level.
"I heard them too, I heard them. They led me to you, They led me here," whispered Gwen.
"They helped me too. They helped me," Finney whispered back to Gwen.
"Thank God," said Finney.
"Thank mom too," said Gwen. That's where they inherited their gifts. She smiled sweetly thanking her mothers spirt.
"Finney, is it over?" she asks.
Finney hugs her.
"IT's over," he reassures her.
The siblings stand up.
They don't get far as the dog is still standing guard.
"Wait here," he says to her.
Gwen is shaking but wraps her arms around herself to try to keep calm. Finney jumps the hole and Finney goes to the freezer.
"Gwen get back," he states.
Gwen goes to the other side of the basement and stands away from the dogs reach.
Finney tosses a piece of meat to the dog to get him away from the stairs. It works.
Side by side Gwen and Finney ascend the stairs, into the kitchen, and out the padlocked door.
"How did you know the combination?" asked Gwen.
"Long story," said Finney.
The siblings walk outside to numerous police cruises.
That's when Detective Wright sees the two children walking out of the house from across the street. Gwen was slightly stumbling while Finn was in absolute disbelief. He was the only one of the missing kids to survive. He outsmarted the Grabber with the help of their spirits.
As the detectives and police swarm the siblings, Finney lets out the word "basement" while still holding onto his sister.
The pair are escorted to a waiting ambulance.
In a few minutes their dad approaches them.
He grabs Finney in a huge hug. His son is alive.
He sees Gwen and notices blood on her.
"Honey are you hurt?" he asks her looking for a wound.
"It's not mine," states Gwen.
Terrence take a shuddering breath.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me," he begs of them kneeling down before them.
Finney and Gwen lean on each other in silence.
"Finney what happens now?" she asks him.
Finney remains quiet while watching the police load the bodies of the dead kids into a van headed for the city morgue.
"We survive," he whispers.
THE END
this was an alternate take of what i thought would happen in the movie The Black Phone. i had sooo much fun and suspense writing this. what a fantastic movie.