Hello my minions! I hope you all can forgive me for being absent for so long, I was wrapped up in family issues for quite some time. But, you know me, even if I know you'll probably forgive me I can't help but thrown in a bribe for good measure. Mwahhaha…
So I have made this chapter extra long and extra…well let's just say if you weren't scared of the last chapter, this one will take care of that. Sorry about the nightmares my dears. Enjoy, and as always please let me know what you think of my work.
I knew that I was going to have a hard time on this investigation from the moment that I first saw the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, but I did not anticipate this being the last thing I would ever do…The last night of my life. Surely this was just a good dream gone horridly bad, it could not all be real.
However I was reminded that this was unfortunately the terrifying reality that I was living in along with Zak, Nick and Aaron, as the cold air around me made the horrid realism of my situation sink in. This was not something I was going to wake up from, safe in my bed like awaking from a nightmare. Instead every time I would close my eyes wishing for comfort they would only open to the same dark and unsettling building of my nightmares. It never ended, and I was beginning to think that this was my punishment for disobeying my parents and coming here against their will. I would be locked in this decrepit place forever, an eternity of retribution at the mercy of the dark, malevolent forces that kept me captive. I felt like crying again, and I wished more than anything that I could take it all back and just stay home where I was safe with my family. I could be happy with only seeing the team on TV, seeing as at least that way they would be out of harm's way and so would I. I knew that if I had not come along this would not have happened. It was probably clear to all of us that this evil being only wanted me, and so because of that it would do anything at had to in order to get me. Even kill those who had done nothing wrong. If I had not been here, the investigation could have gone on normally, with maybe a few EVPs here and there, but not this evil presence. It was only here for me, and I would forever be sorry for my being here being the reason for putting Zak and his friends in danger.
I knew that we wouldn't make it out of this. How could we? This thing, whatever it may be, was more powerful than anything I had felt before and clearly it had ways to keep us in its grasps. My heart filled with hopelessness as I let everything sink into my frightened body, I could feel my breathing become shallow as the dread of my own early doom pulled at my soul. The claws of fear and sadness ripped into the soft flesh of my heart, letting it bleed all of my hidden hope out onto the cold floors beneath me, its very essence spilling onto the concrete and stained it red with my horror. How were we supposed to make it out of here? We could try to wait until the caretaker was supposed to come let us out at six in the morning, but that was still about seven or more hours away and until then we would be solely at the mercy of this entity. I doubted we would make it. As much as I would have liked to have at the very least a sliver of hope to hold onto, every bit of my remaining sanity told me that my demise—our demise—was imminent, and that alone was enough to drain the last drips of my dwindling hope onto the ground at my feet.
'I feel like I'm walking to my own funeral…' I thought in despair as we walked along the hall leading to the front foyer.
Zak and the others had decided that our best bet was to go back to our base camp and wait there; they had said it was our only option seeing as our phones were out of the equation for our escape. I however, did not feel that we had any options at this point. The entity had trapped us in here, and I was near one hundred percent sure that it had further plans than that. It would have all night to do as it wished, and I didn't think that waiting in the foyer was going to do anything to hinder its progression. If it wanted me, it could easily have me.
My feet felt like lead again as I forced myself forward, trying to keep up with Zak as he walked ahead of me. I could feel my hopeless body drag my soul down as I moved, its weight feeling foreign to me as I struggled uselessly to hold myself up against its pull. It was like I was already dead and my spirit was stubbornly clinging to my corpse, trying to hold onto the life it once had. I knew I wasn't far from truth in my assumption seeing as soon I was going to die, at least I felt I would. Where would I go once I died? Would I be trapped here too, like so many other souls?
'Whoever is listening, please just take me somewhere else if I die. Please, don't leave me with this demon. I don't want to be in hell.' I prayed to anyone who might hear me, hoping that they would take pity on me an offer me at least a touch of salvation.
"Hey Zak, man, should we get the x cams?" Nick asked as he passed by one of the said objects, stopping to quickly pick it up and then jogging back to us.
"Not now, Nick. We can come back for them later, like in the day time. All I care about right now is getting us the hell out of here." Zak replied as we finally entered the foyer.
I watched him as he quickly walked over to the table and opened one of the black cases reposed there, his flashlight lighting his way as he retrieved what looked like a small packet from the case. Zak then turned to one of the other bags and pulled a little bottle from it, pouring a small amount of containers substance onto his finger tips. Opening the small packet from before he pulled forth four crosses, each looked like they had an inscription on the front of them, and swiftly he laid them out on the table. I didn't understand what he was doing, but I continued to watch him as he then pulled a book from one of the black cases. It was old and worn, its cover appearing to be a dusty brown. His eyes focused as he flipped the book open and seemed to thumb through it, searching for a specific page. The expression on his face became a satisfied determination as he finally found what he was looking for, and he held the book close to his eyes so that he could easily read its content. Then while balancing the flashlight and book in one hand, he reached down with his left hand to the crosses and rubbed whatever he had poured onto his hand on the faces of the little metal cross pendants reposed on the table.
My confusion only grew further, but I decided it would be best not to interrupt whatever it was that he was doing.
Zak took a deep breath and then looked back to the book in his hands, his eyes trained on the words written there. His voice then sliced through the silence that had settled around us as he began reading aloud the page before him. The words he spoke did not seem to be English and a few times he struggled with a word, his voice pausing to correct himself and then continuing at the pace he had been reading at. I tried desperately to understand the words but they came as complete gibberish to my untrained ears.
"Crux sancta sit mihi lux / Non draco sit mihi dux
Vade retro satana / Nunquam suade mihi vana
Sunt mala quae libas / Ipse venena bibas"
Zak's voice recited, his eyes scanning the page of the old book, the flow of the monotonous chant being somewhat awkward as he spoke the foreign words, but he got the paragraph out no less.
Once he had finished speaking, he set the book back down into the case and picked up the four crosses lying on the table. My eyes watched his strong form as it moved toward Nick, Aaron and I, the crosses swinging on their little chains as he walked.
"These—"He said while gesturing to the objects in his hand, "are blessed crosses that Father Ryan gave us on one of our investigations right after we interviewed him. He said they would repel demons and protect us from possessions if we ever felt the need to use them. I know we try not to bring religion into our investigations, but I think that we need to protect ourselves from whatever the hell that thing is. He also gave me this book of prayers and said that if we were to encounter an evil spirit, that we need to anoint these crosses with the blessed oil and then say a prayer of protection over them—which is what I just did. Now, there is one for each of us, so please put them on." Zak finished his explanation as he handed the metallic crosses over to us.
I took the little cross in my hand and stared at it thoughtfully for a moment before putting the silver chain around my thin neck. Honestly, I didn't know if a necklace could help us at this point and I didn't know if I believed in half the stuff Zak just said, but I did know that it was all I had to cling to right now and I was more than happy to have it. My brown eyes scanned over the shiny metal cross between my fingers and I wondered if this little trinket could actually stop the evil entity that lurked around us, could it really save us from our approaching demise? I could see this necklace held in my hands and I still was not sure that it could physically do anything, yet the demonic force had been invisible to me and yet had felt so very real and was seemingly frighteningly powerful. I am not saying I didn't believe the crosses could help, and by all means they could, I just didn't know for sure and that was unsettling. However, I suppose if Zak could place his trust in them, then so could I—or at least I would try.
"So, is this going to protect us from possessions?" I asked him while still fingering the pendant between the pads of my index finger and thumb, feeling its contours as if I was trying to memorize them.
"Yes, or at least it should. We haven't had the need for them before now so I am not sure." Zak stated honestly, the glow of his flashlight illuminating his apologetic look.
"Bro, these things better help or we're screwed." Aaron stated his voice full of obvious panic.
"Aaron, I know we are all scared, but we're going to have to try and hold it together. Trust me; I know what this thing can do now and if we show it fear I don't think things will be pretty. Remember these spirits feed on fear because it makes us more susceptible to their influence. Remember how it was at Bobby Mackey's and Poveglia Island?" Zak reminded with a cautious tone.
"Yeah bro, I remember." Aaron agreed with Zak, the fear still present in his wavering voice.
I looked around me now, the dark still impairing my sight even with the aid of the flashlights. My eyes could barely make out the room we were currently in, its appearance hidden in the blackness of night which seemed to swallow everything within it. My heartbeat was unsteady as I gazed around the expanses of the foyer, the feeling of hopeless dread poisoning the fabric of my sanity. Every time I would turn my sight to another portion of the space I swear I could see something there looking back at me, seeming to see me and then dash into the shadow and out of sight. I trembled as I attempted to hold myself in place and remain calm. These crosses were going to protect me…right? Unconsciously my cold hand reached up to the pendant hanging from my neck, grasping tightly to it now like a lifeline. My heart jumped as I realized that sounds were now accompanying the shadow figure's movements, the rustle of its passing from doorway to doorway audible in my ears. The echo of the sound rung in my ears like a horrible reminder that I was not alone and it and sent shivers of more unavoidable terror down my spine, leaving me even more unstable as I could feel the last shards of my sanity slip through my grasps. Maybe this was the precise reason that this was called the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Because people who were completely in their right mind could enter these doors and once inside every bit of that sanity would be stripped from them, like they had been torn away from their rationality and given nothing else to hold onto. It was unnerving to think I was losing my mind, but in all reality that's what I felt this place was doing to me. My eyes darted across the room as the feeling of someone watching my every move burned into me where I stood. I quickly glanced over to Zak and the others who had seemingly not noticed any of this as Zak was currently giving his plan of action which I had apparently tuned out long ago.
Another icy breeze of air passed by me as the figure of darkness once again shifted in the shadows, the echo of its slow and maniacal movements bouncing off the walls of my skull. I spun around quickly as yet another strange feeling emerged from the dark. My heart nearly came to a stop for the hundredth time that evening, as the feeling of two cold hands winding around my waist overtook me, the sickening feeling of the touch making my want to curl in on myself. My body trembled as the unseen force seemed to pull me toward the shadows with a tight frigid grasp. Just as soon as the contact was made I jerked away, letting a yelp exit my trembling lips as I stumbled backwards.
You won't let me control you, I see… In that case, I'll just have to make you come to me by force… The evil voice hissed in my ear, clearly unhappy with the supposedly protective cross that I now wore which had been noticeably tugged on as the entity whispered.
It all happened so fast, the voice had spoken and I had screamed once more, turning away from the entity once again.
"Kalani, what happened?" Zak shouted in shock as he heard my yelps of fear, panic and concern now filling his blue eyes as he stepped away from the table and came to my side.
"I—I heard the v—voice again." I stuttered in fear, still trying to force myself to breathe again. My body shuttered as I tried to pull myself together and stand straight.
"Come here, Kalani. Are you okay? What did it say?" Zak outstretched his arms as if gesturing for me to go to him.
I hesitated for a moment, not knowing if he would really be comfortable with being so close to me again. After all, I knew that what had happened earlier was just as unnerving to him as it had been to me, having no control over his own body and fearing that he might have really hurt me. I did not blame him at all for what happened. How could I? He had not really been the one to chase me…or kiss me for that matter. My heart sank as that realization hit me square between the eyes. He had an excuse for all of that… I however did not.
"Zak, I don't think being near you is exactly what she's gonna want after you…well you know." Nick pointed out as he noticed my obvious apprehension, and misread what I had truly been thinking.
"Right…" Zak realized, his arms dropping to his sides, his face looking contemplative. "Kalani, can I talk to you for a sec about something? I promise not to hurt you, okay?"
Nick looked at him warily as if to say that Zak couldn't fix it as simple as that that, but kept his mouth shut as he turned to look at me.
"Y—yeah," I replied sheepishly, not knowing what it was that he wanted to say.
My heartbeat picked up again with nervousness, hoping that he would not bring up what had happened between us not too long ago. I had already torn myself up enough in my mind and with my current fear I could not deal with this emotional tidal wave that would no doubt swallow me if I attempted to talk about the kiss. I fully well knew that he had not meant any of it, and that was an excuse that he could confidently stick to because it was the truth. I, on the other hand, had no excuse for kissing him back. I could not claim that I was possessed; we all knew that was not the case.
I knew that this was really not the time to worry about the drama of my emotions now, seeing as each and every second that passed was being watched by the unseen entity of the dark, yet I figured that maybe if I was lucky, he would not want to talk about that at all, and I wouldn't have to be consumed by my feelings of both embarrassment and guilt—not to mention fear. Rather he brought it up or not, it would be incredibly rude to ignore his request, after all he may have something completely different to say. So with a hint of silent hesitation still complicating my movements I took a step closer to Zak's warm body, the heat coming as a easing comfort that in my terror was something I was grateful for, and I looked up into his eyes—or what I could see of them seeing as in the dark it was nearly impossible to see anything.
"Nick, Aaron could you guys just…" Zak paused, leaving his sentence open-ended, knowing that they understood what he was asking.
"Right, we'll be over here." Nick replied with a sigh, while shaking his head. "But, for the record man, this is a bad idea. I can feel it." Nick finished as he shook his head slowly.
"Yeah bro, I don't think splitting up is a good idea." Aaron apprehensively said with his camera still clenched in his hand like a lifeline, attempting to avoid moving away from us as Nick tried to lead him to the other side of the room.
Nick finally managed to get Aaron to step away into the other side of the foyer, assuring him that it would only be for a moment and that they would be fine, even if clearly Nick did not believe that.
Even though they had moved away from Zak and me, they had only gone to the other side of the foyer room, and I knew that they were most likely still in earshot of us. Zak however did not seem to think they could hear us, and he cleared his throat before turning to speak to me.
"Kalani, I need you to know that what happened… I didn't… I never meant to hurt you." He explained, trying to choose the right words as he went along.
I nodded once, knowing that he could at least see that action faintly. "I know…I don't blame you." I replied, attempting to keep my voice as stable as possible. This was so not what I wanted to talk about.
"That wasn't me. I would never have done any of that to you, and I am so sorry if I scared you." Zak apologized, his voice clearly full of the regret he now felt. He shuffled closer to me and wrapped his muscular arms around my shoulders and pulled me against his warmth, enveloping me in a friendly hug.
"I know Zak, it's okay…I promise…" My voice now wavered as the memories of the event filled my already emotion filled head, trapping my in their overwhelming grasps and draining the ability to speak confidently completely from my body. I could already feel the hot sting of tears burning my eyes as the liquid guilt built up in my brown orbs. The fear of the dark being somewhere around me seemed to be pushed to the back of my mind as I focused on Zak, hoping that I could hold myself together as we spoke.
"Thank you, I just wanted to let you know that I would never have wanted to do that." He finished while holding me tighter.
I knew what he meant by that and yet I could not stop the tears from spilling from my eyes. Zak was clearly apologizing for chasing me and for cornering me—in essence, scaring the hell out of me—and of course I knew he would never have wanted that, but in my insecure mind that had now been completely ruined by my teenage feelings all I could put together was that he didn't want to kiss me…that he regretted it. Maybe it was stupid to think like that—no, I am pretty sure that in our situation it was stupid to get wrapped up—and yet maybe that was indeed what he was referencing; maybe the thought of kissing someone like me was just so unconceivable that he could never have wanted it. And in truth, it made the most sense for him to feel that way. But how could I know what it was that he was thinking? All I knew was that it was wrong and that I should not have enjoyed it like I had, so most likely—and most reasonably—he felt just as wrong as I truly should have. He was eighteen years older than me and that in itself was something that should've made the whole situation clearly immoral to me, it was simply against society. Yet, while all of it had unfolded I had truly thought he was looking past that like I foolishly had. The thought of my ignorance in that situation and the rationality that he probably had, which I lacked, alone made me want to curl into a ball and disappear. The memories of my hopeful thoughts during our chance kiss came pouring into my head like a condemning flood, making my head swim with embarrassment. How foolish my clouded teenage hopes were. I felt so stupid for believing that he loved me so easily. I was merely a silly—embarrassingly ignorant—girl in the end…wasn't I?
My embarrassment of what I had unthinkingly done was filling my entire being and making me feel more insignificant that I had ever felt. I couldn't take it anymore, and I used my remaining strength to push away from him, my tears now sounding more like sobs as they poured from my eyes.
"I'm sorry!" I blurted in shame. I couldn't stand the insecure feelings I was having, and talking about it with him was not as easy as I had prayed it would be.
"Kalani, what's wrong? What are you sorry for?" Zak responded in shock, clearly not understanding why it was that I was crying.
"Y—you might have not wanted to k—kiss me…But, I did want it! I am so sorry a—and I know you probably think I am completely disgusting, but I—I couldn't h—help it!" I stumbled through my words between hiccups of tears.
After the sentence left my mouth I could only think that perhaps I should've just not said anything at all, because I knew this wasn't important to our current situation and was probably very unimportant and revolting to him. I was just a kid to him after all, and there was no way I could force him to see past that fact. I knew he'd probably want to push me away even further now that he knew for sure what I was convinced he was already thinking of me, and my heart sank to the floor more and more with each sob. I had ruined my meeting with Zak—not that the whole possession thing didn't ruin it, but I didn't have control of that. On the other hand, this was all my doing. I had been the one who should have stopped it all since he could not. Instead, I had let myself get carried away with my feelings so much so that I could not even see what I was doing or what was going on around me. I am so stupid!
"Kalani, look…"He began with a sigh, his features—or what I could see of them—forming into an understanding and apologetic expression on his handsome face. "It's okay, really it is. I understand that you couldn't have known that I wasn't me—I didn't even know at first. I don't think you're disgusting at all, I promise."Zak paused as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I—I am so sorry…"I trailed, unable to pull myself together. I felt so pathetic for being so emotion centered while in the situation we were in. I knew this was definitely not the right place or time to be wrapped up in my teenage issues and insecurities. I realized the pitiable nature of my confession as each whimpering excuse of a sentence dripped from my mouth, and I regretted every moment that passed. I felt as if I could apologize all night and for all eternity and it still would not make up for my lack of self restraint and rationality. My icy lips trembled once more with quivering sobs as looked up to him, wanting to speak but knowing that if I tried it would no doubt be an unintelligible utterance of incoherent sounds. So, I thought for the moment it would be best if I stayed silent. That however was easier said than done.
'Kalani, stop making an even bigger fool of yourself in front of him by blubbering like a little girl! This is really a bad time to get distracted by your emotional issues.' I scolded myself internally, knowing that I was only making things more awkward and difficult now. Why had I let myself do something so stupid again? I was beginning to believe that as the minutes ticked by I was gradually losing all sense of self-respect that I had once had.
For a moment I was pulled from my thoughts by yet another shuffle in the darkness and my eyes darted to the shadows and back to Zak's face. Every creeping sound around me still made me shudder, even if I was currently consumed in the painfully truthful affirmation of my earlier actions. I could not escape the being that haunted me. No matter where I went, what I did, or how I felt…it was always there. Almost like a scar that could never heal, always present to carve out my sanity and remind me that my soul could not be free of its own. I was trapped here, forever. In that respect, none of the emotions I felt would ever mean anything. Suddenly I knew why I had chosen to tell Zak the truth when it was something that I knew would only tear up my emotional state further. It was not solely for the reason that I regretted making a fool of myself, like I had previously thought, but instead because I was subconsciously looking for a distraction from my fate. I knew I was damned to this hellish destiny of mine, and that I could not ever outrun it—that was just something I had come to as a conclusion when our only chance for escape was torn away from us like lambs in the slaughterhouse. Correction… not lambs…just one lamb, seeing as I was the only one it really wanted. Even though I felt in my heart that I truly was sorry for violating the speck of respect Zak had for me, by giving in to something that should have been absolutely inconceivable to me, I knew that everything I was clinging onto as reason for my current state of mind was my body's self-defense mode attempting to preserve my sanity. I was, unintentionally, forcing myself to have a normal situation. Talking about my feelings was a normal thing to do as a teenage girl, especially when those feelings were as strong as mine were. So, in striving to maintain control over my senses, my body and mind were struggling to hold off the reality of my situation. I was truly going insane, wasn't I?
Zak may have been the one to start our current conversation, but my subconscious and now irrational mind had jumped at the opportunity to seal out the knowledge of my demise.
I let the realization sink into my exhausted mind, feeling it fill my heart with dread once more and blocking out the sadness I had felt. My tears dripped less hurriedly down my cheek as the new found numbness took hold of me. Without the distraction of my emotions that my mind had provided for my struggling sanity I was left cold and empty. I came to realize that nothing I was saying or had been focusing on would come to mean anything in the end; all of it would simply fade into the silence of the blackness just as I would once this entity stole me away from the world I knew.
All of the regret and embarrassment I had been experiencing was nothing in light of our—or my situation. I only wish I had seen that before I had confessed anything to Zak, it would have made things so much easier. We could have left it at his explanation and put it all behind us, but instead I had created only more suffering for myself.
"Kalani, you didn't do anything wrong…"Zak's strong yet soft voice murmured as he pulled my numb body close to his once again and wrapped an arm around my quivering shoulders in a intended friendly and comforting embrace.
I knew responding to him would make the most sense, but I could not force the words out of my sealed mouth. It was like because of my self-created distraction the force of the knowledge of my approaching death was increased in strength and affect by tenfold, hitting me dead on like a speeding freight train—traveling just fast enough to shatter my bones and spirit, but leave my motionless body there to die in the hands of the devil who thirsted after my soul. It was like my body was shutting down with fear and emptiness all over again, closing out all my bodily functions and pulling me into the darkened depths of my already shattered mind. Ironic, wasn't it? All my teenage life I had been dreaming of going on a ghost hunt with the GAC, and now I that I had this would end up being my resting place. The hunter was now becoming the hunted. Well, at least I had been pulled out of my blubbering emotional state of weakness, right?
"Kalani, are you okay?" His perfect voice inquired, and though I knew I heard him I could not pull myself out of my enclosing mind to respond.
This was not fair to him, I know. Not only had I now ruined any positive perceptions that he may have had of me, but now I was leaving his kindness hanging. Zak was trying to make this better and to comfort me, and I wanted more than anything to thank him, but the draining pull of my death blocked out any and all hopes of me responding to his compassion. My heart beat slowly and painfully as it struggled to find motivation to continue on when in the end it would cease to beat anyway. The now dismal nature of its very existence drowning out the light and life it held at one point not too long ago. However, it too would soon be drained of its life-force all together just as I was drained of my sanity.
My numbed frame shook in his arms as he held onto me, my bones rattling with despair. I desperately tried to will words from my trembling lips, but I could not force out the sounds no matter the force I put into the act. I realized that none of this made sense, one moment I was blubbering about kissing him and the next I was engulfed in my sea of numbing dread, but perhaps our self-defense methods are not suppose to make sense.
"Kalani, please…what's the matter? " Zak tried again to wake me from my frozen state.
"Hey, Zak," I hear Nick call out from the dark, "I know you guys need to have a little talk and smooth things out, but Aaron and I are getting some weird EMF and temperature readings over here, and I don't think we should all be in separate parts of the room." Nick finished as his usually calm, soft and collected voice now wavered.
"Yeah bro, like I said before, splitting up is the not-smart idea."Aaron chimed in, his voice holding a fearful, I-told-you-so tone as he spoke.
Zak's arms loosened around me for a moment as he sighed, and I could feel his shoulders fall from the tensed position.
"Right, you guys should head back over here."Zak agreed with another sigh, his head lowering.
For a moment I thought I was hallucinating, as I realized that he was pulling even closer to me than he had been before, holding my shoulders so I wouldn't pull away. My heart rate picked up at the sensation of his intense body heat and I cursed at myself for falling right back into my unavoidable teenage emotions like the numbness had not been there at all. What was wrong with me? Was I truly insane? I mean, normal people don't flip through emotional phases this fast do they? It just didn't make any sense at all. I had gone from emotional wreck to a numb, even more unstable emotional wreck and then back full circle. If I thought I had lost it before, now I was way over the deep end.
I was completely caught up in the odd reality that my mind was not functioning like a normal human's should, so much so that I hadn't noticed that he had moved even closer to me until his lips were nearly pressed against my ear. Shivers were running down my spine and making it feel like a rickety old bridge that was quite near its breaking point. What was he doing?
I could hear him breathe in quickly as if he was going to speak, and then, I realized what he was doing. He was going to whisper something to me—or at least that's what I was hoping he was going to do.
"Kalani, I need you to know that I do not blame you in anyway shape or form for anything. You don't need to feel bad at all, okay? Also, I want you to know that we—no, I won't let anything happen to you and I am going to do my best to get you home safely. I am the one who should be sorry, if we had known it was going to be this active we would have never have asked you to come along. It really isn't worth the risk." He whispered quietly and quickly, and while the whole process of him pulling close and uttering his statement went by incredibly quickly to avoid the other two seeing or hearing us, in my tired and still fright racked brain the time passed like hours, like slow-motion .
"Let's just put it all behind us, okay? How about we just focus on getting out of here?" He concluded and the pulled away to stand just in front of me, his arms still loosely around my shoulders.
The relief that washed through me after his offer was kind of astonishing to me, I thought that surely in my shaken and clearly disturbed state of mind I would not be able to hold any sort of joy in my heart, but the thought of being truly forgiven and washed free of my transgressions was strangely uplifting and distracting enough to bring a little peace.
I whipped the remaining tears from my eyes and tried to push my ever present fear down as I saw the guys came back into my blurry and darkened eyesight, their feet shuffling quickly across the dirty and darkened floor of the front foyer. I could not clearly see their expressions from my shrouded spot, still held in Zak's loose hug, but from the way they sucked in ragged yet quiet gasps of air I could tell that they were suffering fear just like I knew all to well—maybe not quite as severely as mine though, as I was still slightly frozen and unmoving.
"So, what did you guys mean by 'weird readings'?" Zak questioned after clearing his throat and bringing his tone back its normal volume as the other two came to stand by us, his arms loosening even more around me until he gently released his hold on my quivering form.
"Well, to put it simply bro, everything's readin' as freaking triple six again." Aaron answered his voice clearly full of fear. "I really don't like this place, man." He continued with another waver in his voice.
"W—wait, last t—time I got that reading was before…" I trailed off as I realized the connection between the EMF reading and the…possession.
Zak eyed me warily as I spoke, I could clearly see that he was uncomfortable and I let the end of my sentence fall as I dropped my eyes to the floor.
"Kalani, don't worry. We are not going to let that happen again." Zak assured as he looked into my eyes, though most of our features were obscured by the darkness so it was hard to actually make any eye contact.
His words burned in my mind as he spoke, the memory I was supposed to be letting go of persistently hung in my brain. I watched him closely, wishing I could be wrapped in the comfort of his hug once more, and even if there was not romantic inclination to it I would be happy with just his friendly embrace. After all, if I was going to die here it would be incredibly foolish to turn away any human contact that may be my last. No. I couldn't think like this. He promised me he would protect me, and though it was hard to fathom that he could stop what seemed like the devil himself, it was all I had left to hope for seeing as my hope had been stripped from me long ago in this place. Zak was my everything, as weird as that might have seemed, and I wanted nothing more than to believe in him.
Zak made his way through the dark back to the table to pick up his camera once more. Confusion washed through my mind, was he really going to continue filming? Surely this was an investigation no would want to see. He turned around to face us again the filming device held strongly in his hand.
"Guys, whatever this thing is, it can always see us. But, we can't see it, so I think we should keep our cameras with us and use the night vision so that we can keep a watch for it. It won't do so us any good to sit here blind." Zak explained as he handed me a camera and gave one to Nick.
What good would seeing it do? I mean this thing wasn't human, so it wasn't like if we saw we could stop it. If it wanted to get to us it would, wouldn't it? Hopelessly I looked down to my camera, staring at the glowing little LCD screen, its display dull and monochromatic. Suddenly something caught my eye, and my heart dropped. Once again the battery icon displayed the dreaded repeat of that ominous number. This thing just wasn't going to give it up.
I felt tears filling my eyes again, knowing what had happened after I saw that number that last time. The little crystal drips made their way down my cold cheek and fell down to the floor, making the faintest sound on impact. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears as the thoughts rushed through my head.
'Why won't you leave me alone?' My desperate thoughts pleaded.
Because I always get what I want…Hmm more like who I want… The maniacal voice pierced the silence of my mind.
Before I could even gasp or respond in any way to the entity's statement I was on the floor, my ankles seeming have been grabbed and pulled out from under me. My hands didn't have time to catch myself as I toppled to the ground, the camera that had been in my hands falling to the floor in front of me. I looked into its light with horrified eyes, hoping that just the glowing of its screen would be enough to pull me away from the dark. As I stared at the little light of the camera I realized it was getting further and further away from me. How was it moving? Then it hit me, it wasn't moving…I was. Whatever this thing was had a hold of my ankles and was dragging me down the hall to heaven knows where—or maybe more like hell knows where. I dug my nails into the cracked and dirty white floors of the front foyer, trying desperately to hold onto something. I knew I needed help but for some reason I could not force words out of my mouth. It was all happening too fast and all I could hear was the muffled sound of dragging and shuffling that was being mostly drowned out by my heart pounding at a millisecond rate in my head, making my head swim and my sight go black around the edges.
As the beating got louder and louder I was beginning to thing that I would pass out from the rush of blood to my head. Boom, boom, boom, boom. It thud over and over so rapidly I couldn't even breathe, but I knew one thing was for certain, I had to try to yell for help if it was the last thing I did. So, with air hurriedly rushing in and out of my lungs so fast it was hard to find time to speak through, I forced the shortest and only word I could think of…a name.
"ZAK!"
I could hear the sound of quick and heavy footsteps coming toward me, and through my hazy darkened vision I could see Zak's form reaching toward me. I felt slightly relieved though my heart still raced and my head was so fuzzy from the fall and the fear that the joy was difficult to feel, but all I needed to know was that I was going to be okay. But, then I realized something… he was getting further and further from me too. No. This thing couldn't have me, not when Zak was so close.
"Kalani!" I heard him yell out, but his voice was fading away as the distance between us grew.
I dug my nails into the ground as hard as I could, feeling them scrape and bleed, but knowing that I had to try and slow my progression into the black. My heart beat so loud now that I could hear nothing but it as I was roughly dragged down another hall. I felt myself smash into a wall as I was practically thrown around a corner and then dragged once more down the next corridor. My hands were now bleeding enough to leave a bloody trail down the once shiny tile floor, and I hoped vainly that Zak might be able to follow the trail I was leaving. I prayed and prayed that if I looked hard enough at the end of the hall I would see him coming to save me, but no matter how hard I focused through my blurred vision I could not make him be there. He was gone, and so was I. I looked once more at my hands as they dragged, the smell of my blood reminding me that at the end of wherever I was being taken was only my death waiting there to steal me away and trap me here forever. My tear-filled and desperate eyes looked up once more to end of the hall, its blackness staring back twice as intensely.
Suddenly I was jerked much harder through a doorway and thrown a crossed the ground, crying out in pain as I rolled through the debris left on the floor. I looked up quickly, realizing that I no longer felt the hands on my ankles. This was my only chance.
With a sudden burst of bravery I bolted up from the dirty floor and ran for the open door, moving faster than I thought I could. I made it!
However, just as I reached the opening the door in front of me slammed shut, trapping me in the darkened room. I cried even harder as I screamed once more I tried as hard as I could to get the door to open, pulling on it relentlessly and slamming myself against it in hopes of forcing it to open my path back up. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get it to budge and as I looked down to my hands and the door knob I could see the blood I had smeared a cross the white surface, its red color contrasting the door. I screamed once more and tried hopelessly again to get it to open, and just as I attempted to push the door again I could feel the cold hands harshly grab at my shoulders and flip me around, slamming my back roughly against the door.
"No, no please NO!" I screamed out again as I struggled against what appeared to be nothing, thrashing myself side to side hoping to release its hold on me. To no avail.
I heard a rough growl crackle through the air and my hands flew to cover my face, knowing it wouldn't really protect me, but not knowing what else I could do. I shivered in fear and disgust as the cold hands roamed harshly over my body, still holding me tight to the door behind me. This couldn't be happening. My knees fought to hold me up as the entity seemed to be pulling me to the floor; I would not let it get that far. I struggled continuously, knowing that if I didn't I would no doubt be hurt and violated even further. I had to fight; it was all I could do.
I screamed out a bloodcurdling shriek as I felt myself be pulled from the door and once again thrown to the floor, rolling a crossed it again and slamming into a wall. My ankles were grabbed once more as I was pulled to the center of the black room, the pressure of the entity holding me the ground like a steal grip had welded my shoulders down as well as my hips. The icy grasp of the evil entity pulled and felt a crossed my body again and I struggled even more screaming out more and more until I thought for sure my voice would give out. My thrashing seemed to gain me no advantage as the spirit seemed unaffected as it continued its assault.
"NO! Please no!" I begged desperately again, foolishly hoping that it would grant me this one wish for salvation, if only for a moment of peace, but knowing deep down that it would not.
Do not fight me… It growled out in a harsh piercing tone as my struggles became more frantic and harsh.
My eyes rolled back and another much more intense shriek ripped from my throat, feeling like my vocal cords were shredding in the process, as an unimaginable pain tore through my back. The immense pain crippling my senses and shattering me apart, I could no longer breathe as the wave of agony racked my body. Just when the wave seemed to dull the slightest bit and I could suck in a quivering breath, another tear elicited a new piercing scream that tore through my lips. Is this what dying felt like?
I told you not to fight me, but you didn't listen…You need punishment, my love. The voice hissed out with a tinge of pure joy in its disembodied tone.
For I brief moment I tried to listen to what it was saying, attempting to figure out if it had really called me "my love," but my thoughts were cut short as more ripping pain shook me. The cutting continued several times, each bringing with it more bone crushing agony. When it finally subsided, tremors rattled my broken body as my chest heaved with ragged and wavering gasps. Sobs broke through my lips as tears poured down my face. I couldn't I have just died? Would it not have made the most sense? Instead, I was left alive and fully aware of the torture my body had just endured.
The pressure of the entity pressed back down on my trembling body and I could feel the icy hands grabbing my hips and holding me down like painful vice grips once more, crushing me with the agonizing reality that I was yet again trapped by the omniscient presence. I tried to lift my arms and push myself from the cold flooring beneath me, but I could not muster the energy to even this simple action. My trembling hands brushed the ground as I tried at another feeble attempt of lifting my outstretched appendages, feeling a crossed the dirt covered floor. My bloodied finger tips soon grazed over something warm and wet, the metallic smell in the air alerting my already hyper alert senses what it was. Blood…my blood. The crippling pain in my back consumed most of my struggling thinking process, but a small fraction of my cerebral mind wondered briefly how much blood I had lost.
The cold hands of the demonic spirit continued with their previous actions of running down my sides and across my hips, making my stomach twist in disgust as my abused body trembled like a leaf blowing in the merciless wind of fall. All I could hope for was that soon I would blow away and be freed from hopelessly clinging on the tree that once was my thriving life as it was now only serving as a torturous cage for my spirit.
"P—please…please stop…" I begged one more time, choking out my words through the sobs that racked my small frame.
You only got what you deserved…Don't complain, my dear. The voice explained in an oddly contemptuous tone, as if it was faking the kind name of endearment that it persisted on using.
I was beginning to get used to the sound of its scornful voice, its possessive nature and mannerisms—and sad as it was, I was now accustom to the fear it brought me. I had no idea how long I had been lying in this room, it felt as it had been an eternity, and from the drained and hazy feel my mind was now slipping into I was almost positive that I was right. I did not know what state my back was in or how severe the injury was, but if it was as detrimental as it felt surly I would bleed to death eventually.
Suddenly a voice broke the silence and my train of thoughts once more, only this time the voice was different, it was comforting. In contrast the spiteful and harsh voice of the demonic force this female voice didn't bring terror or pain along with it, instead only a protective and strong air.
You will not have her. Not this time… The female entity spoke fiercely to who I assumed was the evil energy.
I did not have much time to process the next events as they seemed to fly passed in a blur. I could hear a series of hisses and growls as the pressure that had been suffocating my body lifted momentarily and I was thrown once more to the side, my body rolling through the debris on the dirty floor again. I could feel the burning in my back as I looked up, the sudden sound of the door being thrown off its hinges breaking through my senses. I could barely process what was happening as my mind struggled to grasp it, my heartbeat flying through the roof and nearing its bursting point.
Unexpectedly another sensation was made known to my tired and damaged body, something or someone was pushing me toward the door.
Run! I heard the female voice call out, the sound ringing in my ears.
You didn't have to tell me twice in the state I was in, as I forced my shredded body onto my feet and bolted for the door, never once looking back.
Well there it is, I hope you weren't too scared… it only gets better. Maybe. Mwahaha!
Review please! I'll give you a cookie :3