Good afternoon, readers! I have returned with a new chapter! Some really good progress has been made with this fanfiction, so I'm confident that you should be getting updates on a more frequent basis. So, are you ready? Thank you again for your patience, and enjoy!
The next morning, April awoke, running a hand through her messy hair. She did a double take when she saw she had a pending message on her phone, tilting her head when she saw that it was from someone who she didn't recognize. She dialed the number, rubbing her eyes as the phone rang. She finally heard someone pick up. "Hello?"
"Yes, who is this?" A man's voice was heard on the other end of the line.
"Uh... my name is April O'Neil. Channel Six news? You called my personal phone." She said, swearing under her breath when she dropped something on the floor, bending over to pick it up.
"I did intend to call you, April. There is something very important I need to discuss with you. It concerns the... problem in your city."
April sat up, shaking her head "What are you- who are you?"
"I can't speak for much longer. It could be listening. I'm going to send you an address to meet me. I suggest you memorize it and delete it as soon as possible. If you truly wish to save everyone, including yourself, you will listen to what I have to say."
"Excuse me, I am not meeting up with a complete stranger until you at least-" April frowned when there was a click, drawing back to look at her phone in confusion. She bit her lip, receiving a text about a moment later with an address to meet this stranger.
Down in the lair, Donnie drew back when April described the odd call to the group. "Absolutely not." He said outright. "This sounds far too shady."
"For once, I agree with him." Casey said, April having called him to the lair as well.
"Is there any way we can play back the call?" Leo asked.
"I think so... Donnie?" April handed him her phone, watching as he took it over to his computer to connect it to a wire, typing away at his computer. Moments later, they were able to play the call back.
"So you have no idea who this is, April?" Leo asked.
"Not a clue." She shook her head.
"Well, maybe we should go on a group date and meet this guy. Like hell is April going to this place by herself." Raph said. "Besides, he didn't say to come alone. And even if he did, it's not happening."
"But what if it's the scary clown trying to trick us again?" Mikey asked.
"Possible, but not likely. No reason for him to go to these lengths. But still, the fact that this guy asked for April to see him is still suspicious. I'm trying to use my voice decoder to identify the caller." Donnie said. After a few moments, he pursed his lip. "Of course... he's on some kind of protection program. All his information is redacted."
"Alright then. April, you and Casey go together to meet mister anonymous. If they really know something about this thing, we'll take it from there." Leo said.
"Okay." April replied. "We only have about ten minutes." She said to Casey, the pair taking their leave.
As they did, Donnie sighed, remembering what he had witnessed the night before. His fingers continued to type away, hoping to scrounge up some information on the anonymous caller.
On the surface, Casey glanced over, raising a brow as April tried to discretely smell her shirt. "Uh, what the hell are you doing?" He snickered.
"Well, I don't want to see some stranger and smell like a sewer." She replied.
"So, instead of worrying that this guy might be some serial killer or something, you're worried about how you smell? Talk about priorities, Red." Casey laughed.
"Look. Nothing can be worse than that thing that's hunting us. If there's anything this guy can tell us that will help, I'll take it." April said, the pair turning the corner. "This is the place." She glanced over. "It's a bar. Great."
"What, is he trying to take you on a hot date or something?" Casey rose a brow. "Are you sure you're not on some match-up website or something?"
"Ms. O'Neil." A man said suddenly, approaching them. "Thank you for coming." He smiled lightly.
"This is the place, right? 225 E 44th St.?" She said.
"You're correct. I see you brought a friend. He's more than welcome. Come, let's go inside and have some lunch." He said, the pair exchanging a wary glance as they headed inside the bar. Once inside, a greeter smiled.
"Hello, welcome to Overlook. Table for three?" She smiled.
"Yes please, thank you." The man said, the trio getting a booth situated in the back. As they looked over the menu, the man spoke quietly. "Thank you both for meeting with me. There's a lot I need to discuss with you, and the only thing I ask is that you keep an open mind."
Casey sighed. "Okay, look. We're not here to talk about some hippie shit or whatever. What do you know about the monster and how do we kill it?"
"I understand you want to cut right to the chase. I don't blame you. But eliminating this creature is not a simple task. In fact, only a select few have the capacity to even make an attempt." He said.
"What do you mean?" April asked. "Look, we've tried everything. We've shot it, we've stabbed it, we've-"
"You haven't tried everything, April." The man said. "You've tried physical methods of killing it. But this creature is not a physical being. It presents itself in a physical manner to deceive and consume its next victim, but it consumes more than just the flesh. That's only like the fatty part of a steak. The real nutrition, the meat of its victims, is not flesh, not muscle, not bones or organs. It's the mind, and soul."
"Wait, like a zombie?" Casey rose his brows.
"No. Not the physical brain. The mind, Casey." He replied.
At this, he drew back. "Hang on a second." He shook his head. "I didn't tell you my name. How the hell do you know my name?"
"I know many things about you, about both of you. I don't say this as a threat, simply as a fact. I didn't have to research any article or record either. I too have been aware of Pennywise's presence. I was hoping to reach out to people like myself, and I can see it in the two of you." The man said.
"How are we like you? In what way?" April shook her head in confusion.
"I will explain everything. But you must know how the creature works in order for you to understand how to kill it. Nothing truly exists without a soul. Otherwise, it's just a husk. An empty shell. Think of a turtle." He said. "The shell is nothing without the turtle. However, the turtle can't sustain itself without the shell. The shell is the physical layer which contains it. They are directly connected to one another. Pennywise induces fear in its victims, because fear is the most crippling emotion anyone can feel. It has a direct effect on our other emotions, our state of mind, our actions. Fear drives us to madness, it deteriorates us. This is why Pennywise pursues children more than anyone. They are the easiest to induce fear. Doing so establishes a loss of control in its victims... and a loss of control, is a loss of power. Power that it absorbs."
"You still didn't tell me how you know my name." Casey said flatly, April giving him a look.
"Okay, I think I get it, but... how do you kill something like that? And why do you think that we can do this?" April asked.
"When I was a young boy... I began to see things, things that I knew even at that age was not supposed to be there, but was. I began to hear a voice speaking to me, guiding me like a parent would a child. But no one could see or hear him."
"Uh, imaginary friend much?" Casey asked, and April elbowed him.
"I know this sounds very unusual. It was for me, too... until I went to a place that changed my life completely. There was a man there who explained that not everyone could see the things I saw, could speak without uttering a single word. He gave a name to my ability. It was because of what he taught me, that I was able to save both myself and my mother from the horrors we both faced." The man took out an old news article, April pursing glancing at him curiously before reading it.
"Oh my God..." She breathed, Casey looking at the man warily before craning his head to peek at the article. "What happened to you is... awful."
"My father was not a perfect man. He had many flaws... it was those flaws, those fears, that made him susceptible. But there is a greater reason why the evil presence in that place drove him to try to kill my mother and I, April." The man said. "It was because of my ability. Not long after I barely escaped with my life, I had a vision, April. In that vision, I sensed a very powerful entity. I had to stop the vision, I had to protect myself. Again, even being as young as I was, I knew that it was necessary. Do you know what it is I saw? It was a group of adults, a group which had banded together as children to face a very powerful creature."
"Pennywise." April said.
"Yes. They may never have known it, but they had the same ability as me. Unfortunately... they were unable to destroy the creature completely. He fed upon one who was left behind. That alone was able to sustain it and prevent its death. April... you and Casey have this special gift as well. It lies dormant within you, but you have it. I can sense it. You must awaken it, learn to use it, and then avoid making the same mistake those people from Derry made twenty-seven years ago."
"Are you serious? April, this is bullshit." Casey said. He was about to get up when the man looked at him, Casey stopping and looking over at him. As he did, his eyes widened.
April sighed lightly. "Casey, come on. Just sit down and-"
"I hear his voice. I hear your voice in my head." Casey pointed at him. "How in the hell are you-"
"You can hear my voice because you can shine, Casey." The man said.
"Wait, shine, what is- what does shine mean?" April asked.
"Shining is a power that comes from your mind. You see, everything around us has some effect on our mind. Some say that the key to a person is their heart. I don't believe that. The heart is a vital physical organ, but that's all it is. The mind isn't necessarily physical. The brain is, yes, but there's more to it than that. It's a receptor of energy. When something terrible happens to us at a young age, the mind goes into fortress mode. The mind is always seeking new ways to protect itself from harm. That is where shining comes from. It's like a beacon of light to disperse the darkness, the bad thoughts. It empowers us to conquer what comes after experiencing something so terrible while the mind is still growing."
"Wait, so... how is it that people can't just like... talk with their minds? Why isn't everyone doing this?" Casey asked.
"Because everyone isn't doing it. In fact, many people are not capable of doing it. Most of society doesn't even know that shining exists." He replied.
"Wait, so... you're saying that Casey has this... power? How can he have some power that he doesn't even know that he has?" April asked.
"Because it is dormant. Yours is too, April. But I know it's there, I can see it. This is why I sought you both out. It's a risk for all three of us... after all, it could be watching. But I had to tell you this. If I can sense this power, so can Pennywise. It is those who can shine who pose the greatest threat to it. It is for this reason that the ghosts drove my father mad, why they whispered to him to end my life. I was a threat. So were the children who stood against him in Derry over fifty years ago, and a second time twenty seven years ago. Now, the danger rests on your shoulders. Pennywise is more cunning than you expect. He will do anything to ensure both you and Casey perish so that he may endure. Your turtle friends may not be able to destroy the creature themselves, but they can help to protect the two who can."
"So if you know about all this stuff, then why don't you just kill him yourself then? Why leave it up to us? We don't know anything about... 'shining.' Wouldn't it be better if you do it?" Casey asked.
"It does make more sense. However... I have traveled a long, rough road over the last couple decades. Though I've regained control of my shine, I still have a lot of work to do before I can truly leave the darkness behind. If I were to face the creature now... I am not confident I would be the victor. And if it were to consume me, it would only become more dangerous." He replied.
"So you're going to leave it to a pair of rookies who have no idea what the hell to even do? What, you think we're going to just think really hard and THAT'S going to kill this thing? This isn't a game, pal." Casey spat.
"Casey." April shot him a look, sighing. "Okay. So say this is the only way to defeat him. Neither of us had any idea that we-... possessed this kind of power, let alone use it."
"That is precisely why I intend to help you awaken that power, April, and teach you to use it. The time will come when you will need to face Pennywise and break him down. Your light must overcome its darkness; it's potent, from the deepest recesses of space." He said.
As Casey shook hid head, April bit her lip. "Look... I'm not sure about this, but... we don't have any other options at this point."
"Unfortunately, April, you're right. You don't." The man replied. He had finished his meal, placing down his utensils. "And we are unfortunately out of time. I cannot stay here in the city. If I do, it will find me. Although I will always be moving, I will never be far away. The connection between us has been made April, Casey. I don't need to be sitting in front of you, or speaking with you on the phone, in order to communicate. I will help you as much as I can."
"Great." Casey said, taking out a twenty dollar bill to throw on the table. "If you don't mind, I have better things to do." He got up, April huffing as he was about to walk out. As he did, the man turned, speaking in a gentle tone.
"Casey." He called quietly. "I know you have a difficult time believing in things, in people. Everyone you had believed in has let you down with the exception of April. I-"
"Hey, don't think you know me because you can do all that mind shit." Casey pointed a finger at him.
"Okay." The man replied. "I do want to tell you one thing." He continued. "Your father has never left you. He is proud of who you have become."
Casey scoffed. "Please, if you're going to give me that typical inspirational bullshit-"
"He's sorry... for ever doubting you, for thinking you were weak. He said you will always be on his team, and that you are a true Jones." The man said.
Casey fell silent, his expression softening into something between shock and somberness. He glanced to the side, April furrowing her brows as he felt a lump forming in his throat, nodding slowly. "He told me to never give in to the bad guys."
"Yes. Casey, don't make the same mistake as me. I allowed my traumatic experiences to define me, to rule my life. Don't go down that path." He turned to look at April. "And I say the same to you. It takes a great amount of power to overcome events that you have both experienced. That's why those who do, shine." He rose from his seat then, leaving money for the bill and taking out a card. "You will hear from me again, April, Casey. You both have a long road ahead."
As he turned to leave, April stared after him, Casey still in a bit of shock from what he said. When she looked down at his card, it had no number, no information, only two words; "Doctor Sleep..." She said to herself, flipping over the card to see it was blank there as well. She finished paying the bill, the pair leaving the eatery in silence.
Alright! So, some Stephen King fans may know who this mysterious man is, and what he has referred to. So, where will this story go next? You'll have to wait to find out in the next update! In the meantime, please share your thoughts in a review! Thank you again for reading, and I'll see you next time!