CHAPTER 7: BLACKOUT, PART I
Crested Butte, Gunnison County, Colorado. October 14th, 2004.
-"Mommy!" Molly O'Brien exclaimed as her mother entered the room and turned on the light. The sudden change in the brightness hurt, and she closed her eyes.
-"It's time to sleep, darling." Kelly said.
-"But I'm not sleepy yet," the little girl replied, fiddling with the night vision goggles in her hands.
-"Molly, put that down," Tim entered the room at that moment and admonished her. "It is time to sleep."
Molly placed the glasses on the nightstand next to her. She tucked her daughter in and kissed her forehead. Kelly picked up a book and started to read it, but Molly stopped her in her tracks.
-"I want Dad to read to me," she said.
Kelly hesitated and closed the book, passing it to her husband. "Okay," she agreed reluctantly.
Tim leaned over to his daughter with a book in hand and spoke, "Hey, remember the times you said you missed mom?" The girl nodded. "It's fine that you tell her." Tim advised her.
-"Okay," Molly nodded again. Tim left the room to give them some privacy. Molly turned to her mother. "I missed you mommy," she said. "I'm glad you're back."
-"I love you," Kelly smiled and kissed her. "I'll see you in the morning...Ah," she stopped in the doorway as if she remembered something, "no more playing with those," Kelly added, pointing to the night vision goggles on the nightstand. "I mean it."
-"But with this I can see the monsters before they come." Molly protested.
-"Monsters?" Kelly asked, puzzled.
-"Sometimes..." the girl explained, "when you weren't around, I saw things." The girl shrank between the sheets. "Monsters… and Dad shoo them away." She paused for a moment, then added fearfully. "I don't want him to go."
-"Sweetie," Kelly said, understanding the situation. As much as they tried to hide it, the girl was too inquisitive. "Sometimes adults they're not getting along and…" she paused for a moment, choosing her words, "it doesn't mean I don't love him or he doesn't love me. And we both love you very much."
-"Who will scare away the monsters now?" the little girl asked.
-"Well," Kelly said with a smile, "I'm not leaving you anymore." She tucked the girl in, turned off the light, and went out, closing the door a crack.
When she got back to the living room, Tim was arranging some blankets on the sofa.
-"But what are you doing?" Kelly asked. Tim put down a pillow and slapped it with the palm of his hand.
"You've been sleeping on cots and in the desert dust for sixteen months," Tim replied. "It's only fair that I sleep on the couch." Kelly looked at him strangely. Tim sat down on the sofa. "I'm glad you're home."
-"I saw the divorce papers on the desk." Kelly admitted, "I'll read and sign them tomorrow, okay with you?" Tim nodded silently, but sighed and began.
-"I don't know what to say," she had to get it out now. "I didn't know what to say when you left. I just didn't know how to deal with it..."
The lights suddenly went out.
-"What the…?" Tim said, getting up. Kelly looked out the window. The blackout had been general, the town was in the dark. "I'll get a flashlight," Tim said from behind her, and headed for a closet.
He dug inside, pulled out a pair of metal cylinders, and offered one to Kelly. She pressed the switch and a beam of light illuminated the room. "Must have been a fault in the lines," Tim said.
A terrifying scream reached their ears. It was coming from upstairs, from Molly's room.
-"Dad! dad!" His little daughter was screaming. "Dad!"
Without thinking, Kelly ran up the stairs. Like the house, the room was dark and Molly was curled on the floor at the corner. Her hands clutched the night vision goggles.
-"Honey, what happened?" Tim walked in and looked his daughter in the face.
-"I-it w-was outside the window," she sobbed. "A m-monster."
Kelly relaxed. Tim sighed in relief, "Come here," he picked her up and placed her back on the bed.
-"When I was your age," Kelly walked over to her daughter and comforted her, "I had nightmares too."
-"I-I saw it," replied the little girl, "it was real."
Tim approached the window, ready to play his usual role.
Ever since his wife had enlisted in the army and traveled halfway around the world, Molly had started having nightmares and night terrors. The therapist had told Tim that this was normal given the situation, and that it would pass soon. Meanwhile, he responded to his daughter's calls, flashlight in hand inspecting the closet, under the bed and the window, and anywhere else a creature might hide. After that ritual, Molly fell asleep and didn't wake up again until the next morning.
-"You see?" Tim said, walking over to the window and pointing the flashlight out. "There are no monsters here." He affirmed it, turning to see his daughter, who was in Kelly's arms.
Silver fangs appeared in the glass, hissing and dripping slimy saliva. Glass and pieces of wood fell inside the room and Tim screamed as a big black thing came through the window. The infernal creature scratched Tim on the face and arms when he tried to defend himself. A long, segmented tail lashed across the room, throwing the bedside lamp and some stuffed animals to the floor.
Molly squealed as she saw her father and the beast right in front of her. "Run!" Tim yelled, before a mouth full of sharp teeth pierced his forehead.
Kelly O'Brien took her daughter in both arms and pulled her towards the door, "We have to go!" she yelled as she bounded down the stairs. Molly sobbed and flailed in her arms. He headed for the exit and pushed the door hard. He didn't even think to grab the car keys, he just ran across the street and into the trees beyond.
- o -
Moments earlier.
A few blocks away, a shadow ran through the streets, stopping at every corner to check that no one was following him. Despite the curfew, and the fact that Dallas had forbidden him to get in trouble again, Ricky managed to sneak off to the high school.
Jesse Salinger had invited him, and to swim in the school pool no less. Curfew or not, it was an invitation he couldn't refuse.
He finally reached the pool building, next to the soccer field. "Ricky," a soft voice called from the bushes to one side of the frontage. He was wearing a short-sleeved blue blouse and tight navy blue shorts that highlighted the shape of his legs.
-"How are we going to get in?" Ricky asked nervously.
-"I told you, I left the door open." She walked to the back, followed by Ricky. She pushed the aluminum frame of the door to the pool and it swung open easily. Ricky could see a piece of duct tape blocking the latch.
-"Come on," Jesse said, indicating suggestively for me to follow her inside.
They were standing by the pool and Ricky couldn't take his eyes off her. Without saying a single word, Jesse put the jacket on one of the bleachers and proceeded to remove her blouse.
"I couldn't tell which swimsuit to wear, so…" he said, as he pulled down her shorts, exposing her navy blue underwear. She turned to Ricky and teased him. "Now... Do you see me ? Or the clock?" he turned his head, pointing to the wall clock behind him.
Ricky cleared his throat, unable to say a single word. "Come closer," Jesse told him. He moved towards her and placed both hands over her hips. Jesse leaned close to him, about to kiss.
The lights illuminated their bodies, casting shadows on the wall of the indoor pool and the noise of a vehicle and the screeching of brakes startled the pair of teenagers, causing them to separate. "Oh god," Jesse exclaimed, quickly pulling up her shorts and putting on her shirt. Three figures descended and opened the doors wide.
-"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" The leading figure growled, furious. Ricky cursed as he recognized Dale Collins, followed by his cronies. "What do you think you're doing Jess?" Dale bellowed.
-"What..?" Jesse protested.
-"I followed you here." Collins confessed, he was striding toward them, hissing like an angry bull. "You shouldn't be out," he said, "it's curfew."
-"Get out of here!" she replied, "you have no right..."
-"Remember Ricky," Dale ignored her, turning to Ricky, "I taught this bitch everything she knows." He said, provoking him.
Ricky clenched his fists and charged forward. Both opponents fell into the water. Nick and Mark dove into the water to help Dale, holding Rick up as Dale pushed his head underwater.
-"Enough! Leave him!" Jesse was screaming frantically, leaning over the edge. "You're drowning him!" Dale dunked Ricky once more.
With a snap, the street lights went out and the place was dark, only the headlights of the truck illuminated the interior of the building. The boys stopped their fight for a moment. "Let go!" Ricky shoved Dale, splashing water.
A shadow passed between them and the truck's headlights. Instinctively, they all turned, expecting to see the guard. The shadow slipped inside and plunged into the water, sliding over the edge like a crocodile.
-"What the hell was that?" Nick asked, narrowing his eyes.
The water stirred, and a ripple moved slowly towards them. Standing up on the pool's edge, Jesse saw a huge black shadow slither beneath the surface, closing in fast on the boys.
-"Oh my god, get out of the water!" She warned them, not knowing exactly what it was, but certainly nothing good. "Get out of the water!"
A sudden panic seized the young men. Their differences disappeared in an instant. "Come on! Hurry up! Let's get out of here!" they yelled as the four of them frantically scrambled toward the edge of the pool.
Nick was the first to arrive, followed by Dale. They both climbed quickly. Ricky grabbed the edge and pushed himself up. Mark wasn't so lucky. As soon as he reached Ricky, black claws shot out of the water and grabbed him by the shoulders. He yelled with all his might but it was useless. His companions were helpless as a long, smooth head like a torpedo emerged from the waters and pierced his chest with knife-sharp teeth.
Ricky, Jesse, Dale, and Nick, their escape route blocked by the terrible creature that had just murdered their partner, ran for the locker room.
-"Run! Fast!" Nick yelled, walking past the row of lockers, followed by the others.
-"Do you think he's dead?!" Dale asked, still running.
-"Go back and find out," Ricky replied, snorting. They reached the end of the hallway, and he and Jesse tried unsuccessfully to open a door, but they were locked. The creature appeared at the end of the corridor, hissing furiously. They were trapped.
-"Through the window!" Dale yelled, pointing to one of the windows.
The group ran towards it, climbing over a desk to their safety. Jesse, Dale, and Ricky jumped onto the dumpster outside under the window, rolling over the metal and landing hard on the ground.
Nick climbed up and when he was halfway up, the monster grabbed his legs firmly. "Help!" Ricky held it up with both hands, but the creature was much more powerful. "Noo! Help me! Help me!" Nick pleaded, before being yanked back inside. The window slammed shut, and a spatter of blood darkened the glass.
Ricky froze for a second. "Ricky let's go!" Jesse's voice made him react and he ran after his teammates.
-"Where do we go?" Jesse asked, pausing for a moment on the grass. They had crossed the school soccer field. Dale was panting and Ricky looked back to make sure they weren't being followed. "What the hell was that thing?!"
-"I do not know!" Dale replied, "Damn!"
The sound of sirens echoed down the street. Ricky saw a fire truck and several emergency vehicles speed past. He looked where they were going and saw an orange glow and a plume of smoke rising into the night sky. "Over there!" He yelled. The sheriff had to be there and he could help them.
The three ran towards it, crossing the field.
- o -
Kelly ran through the trees of the cemetery, pulling her little daughter by the hand. "We have to keep running, baby." she told him, without stopping, though at a slower pace.
-"Quiet!" a whispering voice drew her attention. A man peeked out from behind a tombstone. "Here!" he said, beckoning with one hand. They obeyed and walked towards him.
-"Mommy, I'm scared." Molly whispered between sobs.
-"It's okay, honey," Kelly said, as she hugged her, "it's okay."
The man sat down behind the tombstone again. He was wearing an electrician's overalls. A patch with the name Karl was embroidered on the left chest. Kelly assumed he was a worker at the electrical substation. However, in his hand he carried a revolver.
-"Did you see one?" The man asked, addressing them both. She held on to her daughter tightly. In the distance, the sound of sirens and alarms from the substation was heard. "Me too." The man said, seeing no reply.
A guttural growl echoed through the trees. It was nothing like the shrieks and screeches of the creature he had seen earlier, but it was just as menacing. Karl, the man from the electrical substation, cocked the gun and looked nervously over the tombstone.
Mommy, why did you leave daddy?" Molly asked, turning to her. Kelly didn't know what to answer. There was nothing she could have done for him, and even if she had tried, surely she and her daughter would have died too.
-"Hey! You shut her up," Karl turned to them, unintentionally pointing the weapon on Molly.
-"Put the gun down! Kelly waved her hand in an attempt to reassure the man, who had his finger on the trigger. "Just put the gun down."
-"Fuck you!" cursed Karl, who was now holding the gun with both hands. Molly was sobbing and the man was beginning to lose his temper. "Shut her up, shut her up!" he repeated.
-"You're going to get us killed," Kelly tried to reason with the man, who had clearly reached his limit.
-"Shut her up or I swear to god..." a triple beam of red light shot from the top of a tree and moved towards Karl's head. Kelly knew what it was even before a ball of incandescent blue light blew Karl's head off. The rest of the body fell cleanly to the ground.
Kelly and her daughter looked around, the strange ray of light had disappeared. Karl's revolver was on the ground a few inches from her. Kelly scrambled to grab it but the laser sight -Kelly was pretty sure it was a laser sight -tracked the ground and the blood smeared gun. If I take it, I'll be dead before I can do anything , the words hammered at her mind.
She got up and took her daughter with her. The little grove at the cemetery was no longer safe.
- o -
A/N: Hello my fellow readers, I hope you have enjoyed this new chapter of the unofficial novelization of AvP: Requiem.
As you know, it's based on the unrated version of the movie, including deleted scenes and parts of the original script by Shane Salerno.
This time, I included a section explaining what happens after Molly's room scene and before she sees the aliens with the night vision goggles. The scene in the original script has Kelly talking to her husband about her divorce, something left out of the movie. The pool scene is also changed, in the original script, Jesse invites Ricky to swim as part of a trap by her boyfriend Dale. Here I have changed the plot a bit to give it more fluidity, showing that there is a curfew, and that Dale followed Jesse there out of jealousy.
Don't forget to comment below and see you. Don't worry, there would be more on Wolf on the next chapter.