Chapter Three

Things Can't Get Any Worse

In the aftermath of the loss of Mrs. Leech, the mood around the museum was grim. The events were especially taking their toll on Jake who still blamed himself for everything going on.

"The nightmares," he told Tabitha, "They are all beginning to come true. Everything I've seen before is going to happen. Remember the one I told you about a week ago? The one where my parents were taken and the things he did to them? That's going to happen now!"

Grabbing him by the shoulders, she glared at him, something he wasn't used to seeing.

"Listen to me damn it!" She yelled into his face, her blue eyes now wild with anger, "What is happening here is NOT your fault! Sutaketh wants you to think that in order to get you so depressed you give yourself to him!"

She shook him by the shoulders as she yelled at him and nearly dropped her anger when she saw the look of awe and surprise on her face. Yes, she was normally nice and sweet, but when she was riled, then she let her angry side show.

Moving her hands around to his back, she pulled him close to her and hugged him.

"I love you, Jake and I need you to stay strong for us. All of us. You can't let what's happening here get you so down that you make a bad decision."

He gripped her tightly in his grasp and held her close. The thought of losing more of his family tore his heart apart, but she was right. Even in the toughest times, one must stand strong to defend their family.

That night, Jake was lying in bed, looking at Tabitha sleep as he heard Trickster and Blade moving around on the wooden floor. Probably wrestling with one another again. Jester sat by his side as Tunneler and Decapitron stood their vigil by the doorway.

Slowly, and much against his will, his eyes began to close as he faded off to sleep.

He found himself walking down the hallway of the museum, going toward the room where Abomination had been kept all those years. Opening the door, he walked inside and made his way toward a small figure standing on the table, in the shadows. As he approached, he felt his heart begin to race. He didn't want to confront Abomination again. Not without any weapons. So, why was he continuing to walk toward the unknown?

More than three feet away, he began to make out details on the figure. It only had two arms, no more. This wasn't Abomination then. As he got closer, sunlight began to filter in through a window that was not there before. The rays of light reflecting off the silver metallic surface that covered the figure as a smile began to grow on Jake's face.

Hunter stood there, completed and ready for whatever Jake had in store for him. The helmet with a "T" visor was tucked under his right arm while his two laser pistols hung on a gun belt around his waist, each one as shiny as his armor.

Strapped to each leg were two daggers and on his back was a steel cable, wrapped into a tight circle. On top of his head was the masterpiece. Small wooden sticks made to resemble that of spiked hair. The face had been carefully crafted to nearly resemble Jake's own face. He had literally put a lot of himself into this puppet. On the shoulder of the right arm was a small tube leading down to a small bulge on his right wrist. This had taken some work, but the hidden weapon inside would give any Totem a shock.

Looking down, he asked, "Ready for action, Hunter?" not really expecting an answer, but was shocked when the puppet nodded.

"What the hell?" he asked, backing up slightly.

"I told you I was here for you, Puppet Master." Came a voice from within Hunter.

His eyes widening, Jake managed to ask, "Who are you?"

There was silence for a moment before he replied, "My name was Herman Strauss when I was alive. I was a truck driver who provided assistance to the Jewish ghettos during the war. The Nazis found out and I was executed. Luckily I was given a second chance at life by Andre Toulon. You probably knew me better as Pinhead."

"Pinhead…" Jake said softly, "You've spoken to me before."

"Yes." Replied Hunter, though his mouth didn't move, "The war is coming to a head, Jake Myers. Soon, there will be another attack on this place. We must be ready."

"What else can we do? We're already together all the time and have armed ourselves."

Hunter shook his head, "There is more to being ready than just physically. You must be mentally prepared."

Jake shook his head, "I don't understand."

Hunter raised his left hand and pointed to his wooden head, "Up here. Be mentally prepared for what is to come. Like it or not, this is a war and in war, there are casualties, such as there were before when I lost the puppet body I inhabited. So shall there be casualties once more. Like it or not, there is little you can do. You cannot control the destiny of others, only yourself."

Jake shuddered, "Casualties…Tabitha?" was the first name that came from his mouth.

Hunter shook his head, "I cannot say who exactly. But there are always fatalities."

Jake's gaze fell onto the floor as he muttered, "I can't lose her. Not after losing the others."

"Who says they are lost?"

Quickly, Jake looked back up at the armored puppet, "They're not lost?"

"Make no mistake, Jake Myers, they are in a place worse than death right now, but, they are not entirely lost. Even though they are the most foul of creatures, even demons are limited as to what they can do. They make contracts they must abide by, even if they hate the consequences. Such is the situation with Sutaketh. He wants the soul of every Toulon because of what Afzel stole and gave to Andre. He sees it as a breach of contract. The secret of life was never supposed to be Andre's nor Afzel's. So, he is not bound by any contract or rules and can do as he sees fit. However, you are the exception."

"Because of the whole "Chosen" thing?" asked Jake.

Hunter nodded, "Exactly. Even he is aware of the ancient scrolls that foretold of what is to come. So, he wants your soul more than anything else right now. But, for some reason, he cannot simply come and claim it as he is doing with your family. They are fair game to him, but not you, though to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why."

Thoughts began racing through his head as Jake turned and began to walk back toward the door, not sure where he was going.

As he left the room, the door shut behind him as he turned and found himself somewhere completely different.

He found himself on a large rocky mass surrounded by lava and flames. Steam clouded everything around him as he squinted to see what was in front of him.

What appeared to be a jagged rock path left out from where he was standing as he began to walk along it. All the while, his head filled with the sounds of what seemed to be hundreds of shrieks and screaming. Looking to either side, he saw people seemingly drowning in the boiling water, their flesh falling from their bodies as they let out inhuman screams.

Stopping at the end, he looked up and saw things he never dreamed of before.

His mother was chained to the wall of rock to his right, with what appeared to be thorns growing from every part of her flesh on her naked body. The thorns seemed to be coming from within her body as the rock was seemingly barren. She writhed in pain, though no scream escaped her lips.

To her left was Elsa, no longer in her Ginger body, but rather her original, also bound to the wall and naked. Small creatures stood to her side and below her, each one slicing at her flesh with their razor sharp claws, ripping away flesh only to have to repaired almost immediately so she could suffer over and over again.

Next to her was Andre, lying on a slab of rock, like Elsa, he was not in his Dollman form, but rather his original body. A large creature stood over him, opening his mouth as thousands of maggots fell onto his body with its open cuts and sores. The creatures burrowed their way inside of his body and his open mouth which the creature was holding open.

Closing its mouth, the creature turned as Sutaketh looked down at Jake.

"Do not let anything that worthless soul told you be believed, Myers. I have nothing holding me back from claiming your soul. You are nothing special to me. I simply enjoy watching your torment more than the others is all. However, I will extend a contract to you. Give me your soul, willingly and I shall release all of them that I have here and will not pursue your future bride."

As he said these words, a scroll appeared in a flame beside Jake as it fell beside him.

Reaching down to pick it up, a new scream filled his head. Stopping, he looked over and saw a man clad in chains across from Elsa and his mother.

The sight he saw was grotesque to say the least. A dark haired man rolled his head around in pain as the six arms that were on his body were each being held by three Wheelers on each side. Two pairs of arms could be seen extending from his chest and above his waist. Totems slashed out at his chest as Wheelers on either side of him began to pull hard as bone could be heard popping. Finally, one Wheeler on the left yanked hard as the arm was ripped from the body, blood spurting out as the man let out another scream.

Looking to Jake for only a brief second, he yelled out, "NO! Don't sign!"

Looking back to Sutaketh, the anguish and fear on his face slowly faded as a look of defiance replaced it.

"No deal." He whispered at first as he picked up the scroll and then ripped it in half in front of the demon.

"NO!" Jake yelled out, this time as loud as he could, his own voice echoing throughout the hot cavern.

Sutaketh glared down at him, "You'll regret this."

Sitting upright in bed, Jake sat there for a moment, breathing heavily as Tabitha awoke with a start.

"What is it?"

Looking over at him, she was amazed to see he was grinning broadly.

"I did it."

"Did what?"

Looking to her, he leaned over and kissed her, "I told Sutaketh to go screw himself."

"Really." She said, not quite sure how to react to this.

The others soon were by the bed as Jake told them everything he had witnessed and seen in his dream. About Pinhead and about how the others were being tortured.

"If Pinhead is correct, perhaps we should go check in on Hunter."