Hey guys! Pageturner here, finally! My goodness, school just gets crazy in September. I was really worried I wouldn't be able to finish this in time. You see, this one is based off of the "Hockey Lockout" going on in North America. So you can imagine poor Canada's reaction to this...again. Anyway, I hope it ends soon because it's super boring without our Hockey Night in Canada! :D I hope you enjoy this and that it lives up to any expectations!

I guess the title might be a little misleading, so if it's not what you expect...you have been warned!

Alfred was starting to worry. He hadn't heard from his brother in almost a month, not that he could hear him well anyway. The guy hardly ever spoke up! But that was beside the point, Alfred was worried. The last time this happened they had gotten into a huge fight, but Alfred was sure he hadn't done anything wrong this time…at least, he didn't think he did.

"Well, crap." He said, stopping in his tracks and turning down the next road that would lead to his brother's house.

It wasn't far, but it was around afternoon when he'd started jogging, and now the sky was turning pink. He sighed and fixed his glasses as Matthew's house came into view. Then he stopped.

The trees in his front yard were changing colour, a chilled wind was picking up, and this strange, dark aura was floating around almost tangible. Alfred shivered and pulled his collar up. This was why he preferred living further south.

"Stupid fall weather's gonna give me a cold."

He stomped up the wooden steps that lead to his brother's door, and was just about to knock when the door creaked open and inch. Alfred shivered as his body tensed up.

"Shit, that's not funny Matthew!" He shouted at the door, expecting it to open to his quiet brother, but the door stayed ajar, "Uh, Mattie?"

Alfred pressed his hand against the door and started into the dark, empty entryway. The door drifted open further before Alfred stepped inside and shut the door behind him, taking inventory of his brother's house.

It hadn't changed much. A small table was still pushed up against the wall of the hallway, pictures of the two of them were still up on the walls, and his shoes were close to the door, right next to his skates.

'Good, so he's home' Alfred thought as he began walking further into the dark house.

He flicked every light switch he passed and soon the house was flooded with light; Alfred could actually see where he was going…and what was written on the kitchen walls.

Nononononononononononononono nononononononononono

The stream of words was endless and barely legible, written in varying colours of permanent marker and paint.

"Mattie, what's going on?!" Alfred hated the way his voice squeaked when he got scared, but he was starting to hate this more, "Mattie if this is a prank, and you jump out and scare me, you're so dead!"

The only answer Alfred got was silence, and it made more cold chills run up his back like spiders. He walked into the next room, the living room, and shook the feeling off. But when he tried the light switch, it wouldn't turn on.

Click, clickclick

Alfred held back a whimper of terror and started to back up just as someone said his name, "Al."

Alfred hadn't jumped so high in his life until that moment. He screamed and fell back, scurrying on his hands and feet to get away from the creature coming out of the dark room, moving into the kitchen again.

Alfred hit the counter with his back in his hurry to escape and tried to climb to his feet quickly, fumbling behind him for a weapon to use, "Get b-back! I-I-I-I'm not af-f-fraid to h-hurt you! W-what have you d-done with M-M-Mattie?!"

The shadows seemed to cling to the creature as it finally emerged from the living room. It had a lean body with spindly arms and legs that hung lifeless from its form like wet towels, but its heavy footsteps shook the floor and seemed to echo around Alfred's head. Its body seemed to be covered in a very dark thick layer of skin that was loose and trailing behind it on the floor. The monster lifted its head and Alfred screamed, fully expecting bloody teeth or a red face.

But what he saw was dirty light brown hair, thin wire glasses, and a small limp curl that never stayed put, "Al."

Alfred chocked on his scream, "Mattie?!" he said with a very high and squeaky voice.

Alfred's arms and legs were tense. His blood was still thrumming through his veins and even though it was only his brother, something still felt…off. He couldn't seem to calm down, but he could get angry.

"What the HELL is wrong with you!" Alfred's voice quickly jumped from scared to pissed off.

"Al."

"Your door was unlocked, you have the friggin' windows open, there's writing on the walls, and this is freaking me out!"

"Al."

"And another thing, I- wait, Mattie…are you ok?"

"Al. it's gone…"

Alfred froze. He could feel the blood rushing from his face and the cold air made him shiver. He squinted to look more closely at his brother, trying to comprehend Matthew's empty tone.

His hair was dirty, he was wrapped in an old blanket, his feet and chest were bare and covered in…blood?! No…paint. There were dark circles under his eyes. He looked…

"Al. it's gone…"

Alfred didn't move, "What's gone Mattie?"

"They took it…"

"Who took what Mattie? You're not making any sense," Alfred said shakily as he slowly inched his hand behind him.

This couldn't possibly be his brother. He'd seen a movie where this happened last year. It was just a demon or something. He just needed to find a knife or something to defend himself from this…thing, and then go save Mattie, but it looked so much like him and it sounded like him.

"Lockout…"

Alfred's hand finally closed around a wooden handle, "What lockout? Who's locked out?"

Mattie's eyes focused then, just for a second, right as he whispered, "Everyone."

Alfred jumped into a fighting position, squaring his shoulders and feet as he brought the knife out in front of him. The Mattie-creature didn't jump or startle…it didn't move at all.

"I don't know what you've done with Mattie but you-"

"Give me the knife Al."

Alfred blinked; Matthew had just interrupted him, "Huh?"

"Give. Me. The. Knife." Mattie threatened as he stepped closer with every word, "You're one of them aren't you? Ya, you don't understand…none of you do."

Alfred shuffled back, but tried to hold his ground, "What are you talking about?"

"See, see! You don't know anything! You don't feel it like we do. The lockout…you don't care," The creature's body twitched and shifted, right before lunging at Alfred.

Too shaken and startled to move Alfred collapsed under the new weight, as the Mattie-creature landed on him. The knife slipped out of his hand and skirted across the floor. Mattie pressed his knees into Alfred's chest and pinned him down.

"Mattie what the hell are you doing?! Have you gone crazy or something? Did I do something wrong!?" Alfred tried to shout, but it was hard to breathe.

The creature twitched, "N-No…n-no…"

Alfred coughed, "No, what?"

Mattie froze as his eyes focused again. He leaned in closer until he was level with Alfred's ear, even though he tried to squirm away. What was worse was that it even smelled like Mattie.

"They took it Al. It's another lockout," Mattie's voice dropped in pitch and volume as he continued, "there's no more hockey…"

Alfred's eyes widened, 'Well shit.'

"Mattie, I need you to get off…"

"But you're one of them Al."

Alfred shook his head, "I'm not. I promise. I'm your brother…I've heard of the lockout. I know how it feels…"

Alfred was gasping for breath between words when Matthew's weight suddenly lifted off of his chest. He automatically sat up coughing and rubbing the spots where his brother's knees had dug into him.

"Mattie, that was a d-" Alfred's words stopped as he glanced over at his brother, "M-Mattie? What are you doing with the knife?"

Matthew's eyes where completely lost. His pupils where dilated to the size of dinner plates and his hands where shaking…well one hand was, the other was as steady as stone. That one was holding the knife.

"Matthew, bro., hey. P-put the knife down, ok?"

"Can't."

"What do you mean? Of course you c-"

"No," He interrupted again, "I…I should take you hostage. Ya, then they'll lift it…I know they will!"

Alfred tried to move, but the knife was suddenly pressing against his neck, a cold taunting reminder of his brother's break down. He needed to think this through, "They won't care about me Mattie. I'm just a grunt, trust me, I hold no power in the lockout. Now if you p-"

"You're done talking now."

Alfred didn't even see his brother raise his fist, but he sure as hell felt it collide with the side of his head. Everything rang for what felt like hours, and then he felt himself fall to the floor…and blackout.

Ok, so how was it? I think this might have been the first time I've written "suspense". Please comment with any advice you have that would improve my "horror" writing, or just comment if you feel like it! Whatever floats your boat, but either way I really appreciate it! ;)

Well, until next time!