Being Human: When will My Death Begin?

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Eight

A Golden Oldie

Randal boldly walked up to Sally's house. Stopping at the alley he could see a vampire standing guard at the back. He slowly approached him, stopping half way in the alley he beckoned him to come to him.

"Hello Abe," Randal called out. "Mother want's to know if you've seen any sign of Aidan's dog."

Abe knew Randal, most vampires did. When a job called for someone or something to be hunted, Randal was the one Mother depended on getting the job done. He was someone that Abe wanted to stay on the good side. He swiftly moved down the alley to meet Randal.

Abe shook his head, "Nothing so far, but I have seen…"

As Abe filled Randal in on what he had seen, or not seen Randal saw two dark shadows moving in the back of the ally. They stop at the back door of Sally's house. Once they were inside Randal patted Abe on the back. "I'll be sure to let Mother know you're doing a good job."

"No one will get past me," Abe said as he began to walk back to his original position.

"We need more vampires like you. I'm going inside, I may find something there that will help me find that mutt."

"When you do," Abe called out. "Let me know, I can't wait to see it fight again in the dog fights. I lost a lot of money betting against him last time he fought, he owes me."

"I'll let you know," Randal shouted as he walked back to the front of the house. Slowly he climbed up the stairs. Glancing around he saw two more vampires staring at the house. They all knew that Randal was Mother's number one hunter. If anyone could find Aidan's dog, it would be Randal.

With a kick at the door, he pushed it open. Entering the house he breathed a sigh of relief, he made it in. He quickly made sure every blind and curtain in the windows was closed. Glancing around he went to a radio he saw sitting in the kitchen. Turing it on he raised the volume. Looking at the kitchen he said, "It's safe to talk, you can come out now."

"Thank god," Nora said, as she climbed out from under the kitchen table and stood up. Cecil appeared by her side.

Randal patted the radio. "The radio should drown out our conversation. We vampires have very good hearing, this should keep the ones posted outside from hearing us."

"How long do you think we can stay here?" Nora softly asked Randal.

"They'll be keeping an eye out for anything around the house but not in it. We should be able to stay here long enough to find out what happened to Sally."

Slowly they began to search the house, calling for Sally. Fifteen minutes later they were sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace. "Like I said," Cecil said. "She's just not here."

"Where could she be?" Nora said.

"She's gone," they heard a woman say from behind.

Turning around they saw a dark haired woman standing behind them. Nora immediately recognized her. She jumped up and ran around the couch, "I saw you talking to Sally at the hospital."

"Yes, I'm Rena, her mother," she said with a sad smile. "I've been visiting this house every day, hoping that her friends would come looking for her so I can tell them what happened to her."

"Tell me," Nora begged her. "Where's Sally?"

Rena shook her head, "If I had not seen it myself, I would never believe what Sally had done."

"What did she do?" Cecil asked her.

With tears flowing down her cheeks Rena said, "She shredded herself."

Cecil's eyes went wide in shock, "My god, I didn't even think that was possible."

Rena shook her head, "She was so distressed. She was upset, said she shredded others. She said she needed to go to Limbo, that there were two ways to get there. She wanted me to…to shred her. How could I do that to my daughter?" Rena sobbed. "How could she ask her mother to do such a thing?"

Rena wiped the tears from her cheeks. "She was so upset that night. She would talk to me, then it was as if she was speaking to someone else. But I was the only one there."

"I told her I was so proud of her, that I was always proud of her, then my door appeared, there." Rena pointed to a spot on the floor. "I told her to take it, it was her other way to limbo. I wouldn't have to shred her."

"Oh Rena, what happened?" Nora said.

Rena worriedly rung her hands, "She said she couldn't leave it to chance. I know the real reason, she didn't want to take my door. She was afraid I would become crazy, like her. I saw my daughter shred herself," Rena sobbed. "She tore herself apart in front of me. She wanted me to send her to limbo, but she did it herself."

"I can't believe she had the guts to do that," Cecil said. "If Sally shredded herself, she's in limbo. I don't know what we can do to get her back from there."

"That is why I could not go through my door. My daughter, how could I pass through when I saw what my daughter had done. I don't know if I can get another door, but I don't care. I had to stay, to let you know what happened."

She looked at Nora, "Tell Josh, tell Aidan what happened to her. They are her friends, they pulled her back from darkness before. I pray that they can do it again."

"Don't worry," Nora said. "I give you my word, we'll do everything possible to get her back."

Rena smiled her thanks, "That's all I ask."

"Looks like you got your second chance," Cecil said. He pointed behind Rena. Turning around she saw a wooden door. "Sally, how can I take it with her trapped in limbo."

Cecil gently pushed her towards the door. "A ghost doesn't get many second chances. Use your door Rena, don't let Sally's sacrifice be for nothing. She wanted you to be happy, use your door."

Rena saw the door slowly begin to open. A bright white light flooded the room. She seemed to absorb the light, smiling her eyes curved in happiness. She looked back at Nora. "My Sally, she is blessed with such loyal friends. Their love for her will save her. Nora, remember this, when things look darkest look to your heart." She began to back up to her door. "The greatest magic lies within." She turned around and stepped through her door. Once it closed, the door vanished.

"Well," Randal said. "We found out what happened to Sally."

"Limbo," Cecil said. "I heard so many stories about it."

"Have you ever heard of any with ghosts that escaped from it?" Nora asked him.

"Nope," Cecil replied. "Just that it was somewhere you did not want to go."

"We do know Limbo does open up, for a short time," Randal said. "During a solar eclipse."

"I wonder when the next one is going to happen around here?" Nora said.

"August 21, 2017," Randal said.

"Okay," Cecil said. "I guess Solar Eclipse option is off the table, at least for the next four years."

"How do we even know she's here?" Randal said. "For all we know, she may have gone to a different place."

Randal and Nora sat on the back edge of the couch, staring at the spot where Rena said her door appeared.

"I guess we found our answer," Randal said.

"Yes," Nora said. "Let's go, we've done all we can here."

Randal had to create a diversion for them to leave. Nora went back into the kitchen to wait for him. As Cecil passed by the radio, he stopped. It was playing a song that he recognized. In fact it was a song that made him realize that it could not be a coincidence. Sally was there!

Sally quietly sat on the arm of the couch. She was exhausted and getting very tired of Danny's constant gloating from the first moment she saw him.

"I guess wishes do come true," Danny said. "All those times I was being ripped apart I kept wishing that you would be here too."

Nick was sitting on the stairs, Danny just would not let up on her. "Why don't you just let it go. You're almost as bad as the rippers."

Sally jumped off the couch's arm and began to walk away. "I almost look forward to the rippers just to keep from hearing you compla…" Sally stopped walking when she felt something, something was different in the house. She jumped back when she actually saw the faint image of Randal enter the house.

"Randal," she quietly said, "You're here."

"Who's Randal?" Nick asked her.

"Another new friend," she told him. The silence of the house was broken by music playing on the radio.

Sally had to stifle a scream of joy as she saw Nora and Cecil walk into the front room. She would see them come and go as they moved around the house. She followed Nora, hoping that she would somehow be able to talk to her, let her know that she was there, just trapped in Limbo.

She felt her heart sink when she saw her mother. She was able to catch some words as they faded in and out. Her mother was telling them what happened. Then the room was flooded with light. Sally found it actually hurt to look at it. She moved away from it, to stand with Nick.

Then the light was gone. Thankful she now heard her friends speaking of leaving. She had to find a way to let them know she was there. She stood in front of Nora, but she just passed right through her. Angry, she slammed her fist into the radio. Touching it, a song suddenly came to her. She saw Cecil walk past the radio. With her hands still in the radio, she was shocked to hear it playing the song.

"Randal," Cecil said. "Wait, you hear that?"

Randal listened carefully, "That's a golden oldie, Hey Baby by Bruce Channel, always liked this song."

"You don't understand," Cecil said. "It was a song that June used to say was hers and Aidan's song."

Nora and Randal joined Cecil at the radio, the song continued to play.

"Hey, hey baby. I want to know, if you'll be my girl."

Sally couldn't believe it, she got their attention, now she had to find a way to talk to them.

"Sally," Nick hissed. "You're going to bring the rippers back."

Sally concentrated on the radio, "I have to try Nick, I have to try."

Nora and Randal covered their ears as loud static began to blast out of the radio, then the song would continue. They all nearly leaped on the radio when they heard something else, in the static.

"Hey, hey bab….Nnnnn…Nora, Nora cccc…can you hear me?...if you'll be my girl."

"Sally!" Nora shouted. "I can, I can hear you."

"When I saw you walking down the stree….Nora, I'm here. Oh god, I'm here…She's so pretty, Lord she's fine."

"Sally, are you all right?"

"Hey, hey baby….Nnnno Nora, I made a big mistake. I'm trapped here…If you'll be my girl."

"Sally," Nora cried out, "How can we help you?"

"C'mon baby give me a whirl….Nora, you have to find a way. There are things here things that….I want to know if you'll be my girl."

Sally heard Danny shout, "They're here. Damn you bitch, you brought them here."

Nick grabbed her arm. "Sally, we got to go."

Sally shook her head, "You go, I have to stay, they need to know, know what's here. Why they have to find a way to get us out of here."

Nick looked back, he saw the thin wisps of fog floating under the door. He didn't hesitate, he ran up the stairs.

Sally saw the fog enter the room. It quickly headed up the stairs, but suddenly stopped. She hoped it would pass her by, not notice her, but it did. A small swirl of fog broke off from the cloud. The rest drifted upstairs. What was left began to change. They knew she was there, no more hiding. She saw the creatures appear, they scuttled towards her.

Staring at the radio she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Nora, you need to find a way…"

"Hey, hey baby….Nora, you need to find a way to get me out of here. It never stops, over and over…."

They all jumped back when they heard a scream on the radio that tore through their hearts. It was an unearthly scream, it frightened Nora to her soul when she realized it was Sally.

Sally held tightly to the radio as she felt the ripper's claws digging deep into her back. "Help…me…Nora…" she gasped. "Aidan, Josh they have to help….me."

The pain was to strong, letting go she fell to the floor. She stared up at the ceiling as the pain of the rippers began again. The only thing that helped her this time was knowing that she was able to contact her friends. She was not alone anymore, she was not alone.

They stared at the radio in horror as they heard Sally screaming for help. Then her screaming suddenly stopped, the radio was no longer playing music. There was a man giving the local weather. Nora closed her eyes and tried to slow down her heart. It felt as if it was trying to beat out of her chest.

"I can actually feel her pain," Cecil said. He moved to the center of the room. Squatting down, he touched the floor. "Here," he said. "It's happening here."

"Randal," Nora panted. "We have to find a way to get her out of there. We can't leave her there, I can't imagine the hell of feeling that pain over and over."

"I know," Randal said. "But for now, I really have no idea how we're going to do that. First things first, we need to find Josh, get Aidan out of that hole, then we can concentrate on getting her back."

Nora sadly looked at the spot Cecil touched. He said Sally was there. "I promise, Sally, we'll be back." She turned off the radio and went back to the kitchen. She waited there for Randal to distract the vampire in the alley. Randal was right, they really had no idea how to help Sally. For now, they had to concentrate on finding Josh and getting Aidan out of his grave.

"Hold on, Sally," Nora softly prayed as she waited for Randal. "We're going to find Josh and Aidan, and they will be back here to save you." Getting a signal from Cecil, she quietly opened the back door. Before closing the door she whispered, "Hold on Sally, your guys will be back, I promise."

Slowly she closed the door, the house was quiet again. The only sound was a faint whimper of pain coming from the front room and the second floor. A whimper of pain that lasted for hours, then it was gone.