AN: Hello again, hope last week treated you well (this one certainly isn't going to be that great for Miles (Whoops, did I just say that out loud?)). Anyways, Please enjoy the chapter:

***12***

The bus stopped in the middle of town. It was smaller than Chicago, and less much less busy, with any luck I might be able to keep my head low not and cause a scene.

I slung the duffel bag over my shoulder, adjusting the weight as I walked. First things first, I needed to find a library. Free internet and decent heating were the things I need the most after the cold and lonely ride.

If you think I'm helping you with your fool's errand you're delusional.

You do realise the less help I get the less likely I am to be ready when the dreamers get here, right?

I'm still advocating for running away.

We both know that's not an option.

Only because you're not letting it be.

I rattled through my pockets for some spare change. Large bus stops were probably the last place on earth you could find a working pay phone.

I'm making a decision. It's final.

Before the Walrider got a chance to make another humming response I dropped a few quarters into the phone and dialed Chealsy's cell.

This time she picked up before the second ring had time to finnish.

"Hello?"

"Hey Chealsy, long story, but I'm in Des Moines, Iowa."

"A long story? I don't suppose it has anything to do with that fiasco at the Chicago court house does it? Wait, how did you get to Iowa?" I could tell she was trying to underplay her annoyance, she was probably still peeved from my volunteering her help to Trisha.

"Busses are still a thing. What did you hear about Chicago?"

"Nothing much. Officially there was a violent riot, the perpetrators came in with smoke bombs and regular bombs. But we both know better."

"Right… anyways could you google where the nearest library is? I'm at the corner of" I gave a quick glance around "6th avenue and Cherry street."

I could hear the clicking of a keyboard in the background "So. The court house. Did you get your man?"

I had gotten most of the people in the building. I had painted the walls, floor, and ceiling with the blood of the terrified and the innocent.

I had fun.

"Yeah. Roberts is dead."

There was a bit of silence, then "good riddance to the bastard. OK, so the library is at the most stereotypical address ever, 1000 Grand Avenue. Go north, take left at Grand Avenue"

I took a look up to get an idea of where north was "Thanks. Also, I got some documents on more Murkoff experiments. Something called Three Blind dreamers. I ran into one earlier, they're an ass and a half to deal with. I'll email you a copy when I get to the library."

"Wait a second, that sounds familiar. I think Waylon found something about them when he was-"

I didn't want to hear about what Waylon did and didn't do. "Never mind that, just make sure they get out there. Murkoff wanted this to stay silent."

Chealsy sighed "you're going to have to talk about Waylon some day you know"

"Maybe, but today's not that day."

"I'm not getting into this now. Just don't get killed. I'll be waiting for those documents."

I hung up without saying good bye, I was probably running out of time on the phone as it was.

Walking north I tried and failed to keep from thoughts of the past.

Waylon hadn't mentioned much about what he knew about the asylum. There was never a good time to bring it up besides. Hell, I was too distracted with my own demons to be worrying about his too.

Don't tell me you're going down this rabbit hole again.

I didn't reply, there was no reason to zone out while walking around a strange city. I probably looked crazy enough if the side long glances I had been getting on the bus were anything to go by. I walked on avoiding looking directly at anyone, instead keeping an eye out for Grand avenue.

The wind picked up and I huddled into my too thin jacket. Winter was rolling in, I'd have to get something figured out for shelter.

We could just go west. Or south. Mexico is a nice place, we could do whatever we wanted there.

A few lazy ideas of raising hell south of the border drifted through my mind. I dismissed them as not being my own.

I took a left where Chealsy had told me to.

A pack of cars drove by, snow crunched under their wheels. Blood streaked faces flashed before me, distant howls drifted over the cold wind.

I stopped, the street around me drifted back to a normal mix of white and gray.

I get it, you don't approve. I continued on my walk. It was going to get real old real fast if Walrider was going to resort to cheap tricks.

That wasn't me. Besides, I have nothing to gain from making you hallucinate in the street.

I could see the library off to my left now.

The blind one reached deeper than you realized, I'm still trying to fix you.

Ok, I'll bite. If you're just fending off some nightmares I promise you we've both seen worse.

A hint of static reached my ears as I walked through the library doors.

Despite the large open floor plan, things seemed to darken, the sound around me was muffled and had a wavering howl sitting just below the ambient chatter.

I'm taking a break then. Just remember that you're looking for more of this.

The Walriders presence drifted from my thoughts, it could have been moping somewhere in my subconscious. I couldn't tell through the thickness that seemed to cling to the air. The floor shifted and swayed as I walked, I'm sure the lady sitting behind the front desk thought I was drunk. Despite the disorientation I found a computer with a document scanner attached to it. By the time I sat down the whole room seemed bathed in a sickly yellow light.

Thick and unbending fingers fished the documents from my duffle bag. I had to put all of my concentration into putting them into the skanner that moved every time I made to use it. This dimming yellow light closed in on me until the only thing I had left to focus on was the burning white of the computer screen.

Something moved in front of me. Behind of me. I didn't - couldn't - move fast enough to get a look.

The howling grew louder, then drifted into silence. The noise throbbed in and out, my stomach threatened to make a run for it every time the sound shifted.

Around me a darker patch grew in my already dark surroundings. Something brushed my back.

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" the walrider seemed to speak from somewhere outside of my mind.

"What are you trying to-?" I cut myself short to keep from dry heaving.

Something brushed against me again. Block rings traced along the edge of my vision.

"I'm not doing anything."

The scanner groaned, the howl warbled in and out. Every time I moved my eyes the light of the screen stabbed into them. There was something out there. Something moving just out of sight.

My head dropped down, the feeling of falling hit me and then disappeared in waves.

"Ok" I slumped back up "you win, fix this"

The shadow in the shadows seemed to consider its options "I might take a second to enjoy watching you squirm first"

Without the strength or ability left to reply I fought to keep my head upright. The thing in the haze came in closer. The touches to my back and shoulders were cold and stung. I would have shivered but something hot traced down my face.

Without taking the time to inspect it I slumped down to the desk. The howling became unbearable. Any louder and my eardrum might burst. I closed my eyes, cold hands ripping my back to ribbons.

Then the sound stopped.

Something shook me by the shoulder.

"Hey, mister. Are you ok?"

My innards churned with every movement I made but I scraped myself upwards. I looked over, some girl, late teens maybe early twenties wearing a nametag that said she worked here stood over me.

"I'm fine." I couldn't have been less convincing if there were a sword sticking out of my chest.

"...Ok, do I need to call someone for you?"

"No. Thank you." I straitened aching shoulders and faked focus on the screen.

The girl left with a worried glance over her shoulder, but said nothing else.

As I was saying, you need me.

What I need is for you to stop playing games.

I tried to shake off the last of the nausea as I uploaded the file from the computer and onto an email for Chelsy.

I'm blocking all of that from bursting out. The dreamers are too powerful, even for the both of us. They can hurt me too, I should have just left you dead in the snow in Chicago. I could have saved myself the trouble I'm in now.

If they're really as bad as you think that that means we have to get rid of them.

No. Staying alive is what matters the most.

I sent the pictures, then pulled up a realtor's website.

If I thought like that I'd have never have gone to Mount Massive in the first place.

Curiosity and recklessness are not the same thing.

Could've fooled me.

I scrolled through a list of properties that were for sale. With any luck there would be a farm or plot of land around here that was vacant where I could make a stand. I clicked past a couple dozen suburban homes, on the third page there were a couple pictures and a blurb about a ranch house a couple dozen miles outside of town.

Let's see, vacant for six months, on 20 acres, a couple of sheds that were advertised as barns. Winter was on the way, so there wasn't much of a chance for anyone to be buying any time soon. This would do. I took some screenshots of directions to the place, then printed them out. On my way to the printer I dug through my pockets for more change. All I could find were a couple of quarters in a back pocket. I gave a quick glance through the wallet I had tucked into the duffle bag. There was a twenty, a couple of business cards, and a water stain.

I fed the coins to the machine, it whirred and started to spit out my papers.

That ranch was nearly thirty miles away, there was no way a twenty would get me there in a cab. It wasn't too long past noon, but it would still be a ten hour walk. I wasn't about to steal a car, that would attract way too much attention.

I went back to the computer, logged off, then started to tuck the papers back into the duffle bag. The longer I sat around thinking about what to do the less time I had to do it. Without thinking about anything too carefully I left the building. It would be a long walk, and I didn't want to be out too long past dark. I mean, sure the blind dreamer from Chicago probably wouldn't catch up with me in less than a day, hell it had taken it the better part of a year to find me the first time, but I had no idea where the other two could be. With my luck I might run into them traveling east.

We should go south, or anywhere else that isn't a dead end.

I didn't bother with a reply, instead opting to walk a little bit quicker down the road. With each step I couldn't help but think about the hallucinations that were brewing just under the surface, I couldn't help but wonder how many people had been hunted down by those things, I couldn't help but shudder knowing that the Walriders effort might be the only thing letting me think and move right now.

I walked on in silence for what felt like forever.

The sun had set hours ago. Of course, that didn't mean much, it was November and the sun was usually gone completely by six. Without the light there was nothing to cut the cold air, and now that I was closing in on my destination there wasn't any traffic to periodically break the silence. The last car I'd seen had been on the highway an hour ago.

The lack of company was probably for the best though.

I hope you realize now that we're out here no one will hear you scream when the dreamers show up.

No one will be in the way either.

There was a sigh of static. Isn't there some Murkoff executive that needs our attention?

We can deal with them later. Besides, I don't think anyone will try to get up to anything soon. That episode in Chicago rattled everyone's cage pretty good.

I continued walking without getting a response.

It must have been pitch black out being as late as it was, but all the details of the road and the papers I held in my hands stood out as bright as day for me. The house should be at the end of the road I was on now.

Somewhere in the distance there was a hoot from an owl.

A big black outline started to become more defined through the trees.

Figure out a way in. It's cold out here.

A small bit of the swarm drifted from my pores. The wind cut through my coat. If I'm luck I'll find a way in before I freeze to death.

More features became clear as I got closer. The front porch was big enough for a couple of chairs, maybe a bench and a end table too. A two car garage was attached to the rest of the house and sat to the left. The place had two stories and looked spacious enough from the outside. In a better light it would have been picture perfect, though in the middle of the night it's empty blackened windows brought to mind hollow and hungry voids, waiting for some idiot to wander inside.

The house was in luck, the idiot had come to it.

I stepped onto the porch to find a little lock box that would contain the key dangling from the door knob. The little bit of the swarm that left earlier had made short work of the box, it already dangled open, leaving the key ready for me to pick up.

The front door swung open mostly silently, leaving me in the empty living room. The wood floors and freshly painted walls made me wonder why this place hadn't sold in the last six months.

"Hello?" I said to the empty house.

I don't know why you're bothering, there's no one here.

"I know that, but it never hurts to make sure" I answer out loud. It wasn't like I was going to get weird looks from anyone out here.

I made my way to the upstairs. The house was cold but still noticeably warmer than outside, the real estate agency must be paying to keep the heat on. I went through a door that lead to what was meant to be a bedroom. Without much ceremony I let my duffle bag slump off my shoulder.

"Well, here's home sweet hole in the ground" I said while unzipping the bag.

I'd much rather be on a train to literally anywhere else.

"For the last time, we're doing this. Besides, we left that thing in Chicago, there's no way it'll get this far that fast without a car. There's time to prepare."

Or run.

"Drop it" I pulled a towel out from under the cloths that filled most of the duffle bag.

Without comment from the Walrider I tried my best to find a nice spot between the bag and the wall. The towel would have to do for a blanket. Regardless of my attempt at warmth I still shivered slightly from the cold; of all the things the walrider could do, resistance from the cold wasn't one. Lucky me. I'd have to start fortifying this place in the morning. I could start now, seeing in the dark was no problem, but I might freeze if I didn't wait for the sun.

You couldn't fortify this place enough if you had a year to prepare.

"You're just a ray of fucking sunshine aren't you?"

You're not taking this seriously.

"Aren't I though? If you're that worried about a sneak attack this soon, go take a look around the place or something. It's cold and I'm waiting here until morning."

There was a rash of annoyed static.

I can't see them.

"What do you mean by that?"

The irritation in the air grew.

That means, the tone reminded me of a disapproving aunt scolding a nephew she didn't like much, that even if I go out there, I can't find them. They're not people, there's no thoughts in their head, there's nothing for me to look for.

Every time I had asked the Walrider to clue me in on these things it'd given vague half answers, though now it sounded like I might be able to coax some information out.

The static hadn't subsided.

It might give me angry I'm-tired-of-your-shit answers, but hey, answers are answers.

"If they're not people, then what are they? Demons like you?"

I wish it were that simple.

I waited in the silent dark for a second.

"So if that's not it, what the hell are they? What was going on back there, it felt like you were trying to rip me apart."

The silence hung for a second longer. I hadn't mentioned that the swarm had turned against me at the end of the struggle. My memories from the thing were so scrambled, I only barely remembered it now.

There are things out there bigger and more powerful than I. Now there are three of them tracking us down. Maybe they kill me, maybe I get sent back home, I don't know. What I do know is that it's going to hurt, you're not going to survive it, and I've made a nice living space here in your head.

I was almost touched by that last part.

What was there that trumped an ancient demonic spirit? More importantly how had Murkoff gotten those things and then forced them into some poor bastard patients. There couldn't have been a second mad world war two scientist hiding somewhere in the wings. Was this something that could happen again? Was this something that could be brought about accidentally? It couldn't be, no. I had to believe that this shit wouldn't happen unless somebody meant for it to.

If you feel like goading me into saying anything else, you should do it now.

"Hold on a second, I didn't realize that you could actually die"

The angry static had nearly faded completely, but seemed to regrow by a fraction.

Before you start asking questions that you don't need answered don't forget that I'm still holding back all of those hallucinations from our last encounter with the dreamer.

My stomach churned a little at the memory.

"Fine, I'll watch my mouth, for now. Anyways, I get it, these things are strong, but what can we do about them?"

I can't do anything, not with the swarm at least. Attacking their mind would be beyond useless. Even with my help, you're not strong enough to fight them. We can't do anything but run and wait until they die on their own.

"We both know I'm not about to let that happen"

You want them dead, they'll be dead.

"Not soon enough, you saw that woman in the car. She died knowing nothing but fear, I can't just let those things wander around."

Letting people die in terror, that sounds familiar

"The Murkoff executives are different." I wasn't like those things, the Walrider needed to stop guilting me into thinking I was.

It stopped talking back, instead deciding to give a static groan.

"I'm fixing the house up when the sun comes out. Like it or not, we're doing this."

For a second I thought I would get to wait out the night in peace, then the same yellow haze from the library grew in the room. The warbling howl filled the empty house, and my innards swirled in place.

I should know better than to think the Walrider is anything other than petty.