Chapter Title: Creepy
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
Author: Obi the Kid
POV: Dashen (Tanner is 16, Dash is 22)
Chapter Summary: The boys take a job worth big money – if only they can survive the creepy house where the prized item is hidden.
Series Summary: A series of non-chronological stories taking place in the world of my OC's Dashen and Tannerlin.
Rating: PG
Characters: Dashen Lesedi and Tannerlin Vai (Jedi)
"Would you stop that?"
"Stop what?"
"Focus, Dash. This was your stupid idea."
"Not my idea - my job. This was my client's idea, remember? He has a thing for creepy."
"Well, this place fits creepy. Stop it!"
"I can't! You know I can't keep still when things freak me out, and when I get freaked out, weird breathing-whistling sounds come out of my mouth. And I wouldn't talk. Your finger has been chattering against your arm for twenty minutes now."
"You can't corner the market on being freaked out, Dashen."
"You're a Jedi, you guys live for creepy. I mean, sometimes you are creepy; moving things around with your mind and all that weirdo crap. Wooooo. Creepy."
"I am not creepy."
"You might think differently if you were me and watched you hurling things across the room with nothing more than hand movement. It's not natural, you know?
And…shhh wait…what was that?"
We listened. Eyes and ears alert in the gloomy moonlit darkness of the creaking old house. I put a hand on the arm next to me. My brother and I stopped our nervous babbling. Tanner was a Jedi, but not officially in the last 6 years. Some training from a desert-bound friend and self taught otherwise however, he'd become adept at using some very useful Jedi abilities. Now was time for one of those abilities. Shining my hand-light in that direction, I saw him close his eyes and fall completely still – searching for whatever the hell was creeping us out. He didn't find it. And that was, well…bad for us.
"I got nothin'."
"Damn it! Can I send you back to Jedi camp? What good is all that weirdo magic stuff if you can't tell me if some freaky ghost-like thing is about to take our heads off with an axe?"
"Dash, you've been watching too many horror vids. Ghosts don't exist."
"Uh huh. Tell that to your pal Ben who lives in the desert and talks to his dead master. Go ahead, explain that one, ya non-believer."
Oh yeah, I had him there. Take that, Jedi-boy!
"There are exceptions to every rule, of course."
"Exactly! Even you and your backwards logic can see that. So there really could be some 8,000 year old dead axe murderer in this sinister old house."
"If you really want there to be, Dash, then…okay, fine. The possibility is there."
I smacked my brother in the head. "Then why the hell are we here?"
He smacked me back. "Because you got greedy and because I'm an idiot."
That was a change. It's usually me that's the idiot. Sadly, my brother was following in my footsteps. Oh well, his fault. He should learn from me, not follow me down.
"Grunley said he wanted something that was in this house. It's round about the size of a human head and has some type of fur on it. He said we'd know it when we saw it. He's paying big bucks, Tanner. Your schooling doesn't come cheap, remember? And Colton stopped paying for it last year. So, shut up and look."
We inched deeper into the house -an old wooden derelict of a thing that had been standing for as long as I could remember. Kossi and I had come in here once. He was seven at the time and let me tell you, you've never seen seven year old legs move so fast as his did, high tailing it out of this place after the unexplained haunted sounds and door slamming. My older legs followed in a blur. If I remembered correctly, we screamed like girls and then laughed nervously all the way home.
Kids are stupid.
Technically, Tanner and I couldn't really classify as kids anymore, at 16 and 22, but we were still stupid.
I dragged him down the hall and left. "This way."
"You know your way around this place, why?"
I was so not telling him about the whole screaming like a girl thing. He'd never let me live that down. But I did tell him the rest. "Kossi and I were here once when he was about seven. It was the local haunted place, we had to explore, right?"
Hand-light shining into my face, Tanner looked at me like I'd sprouted an extra head.
"Oh, I forgot, Jedi boy, you were a victim of Temple and training and all that sophisticated stuff. No time for things like roaming around haunted houses."
About to reply, Tanner stopped for a second to think first and pull out an old memory.
"Well, there was the sub-basement to the Temple. No one would ever go down there, but we heard stories."
"Scared, huh? Yup. Did you scream like a girl?"
"I told you I didn't go down there, so why would I scream?"
"Eh, it's what happens." Whoops! Mistake! I'd said too much. Another secret gone and Tanner caught it quick.
"Sure, it does. You and Kossi screamed like little girls running from this place, didn't you?"
"Shut up! And if you tell Colton about this, I will shave your head, I swear."
"You think he doesn't already know? He knows everything, Dash. Better hope he never uses it to his advantage. What's that room there?"
We crept forward, which only served to perplex me. If ghosts really did exist in this place, they'd know we were here, so why the sneaking? I guess it's just part of the game. So, we kept creeping. A door slammed behind us. I jumped. I tripped. I landed on my face. Ouch! Tanner tripped over me, kneed me in the head and I landed on my face again. Then we did one of those moves where we scurried to get away from whatever had pushed the door shut, our legs flailing out in every direction and our hands pulling at each other to get off the floor. In the process, we moved about ten inches and were back on the floor again in a pile.
"Damn it, Tanner, get off me. Run!"
"I can't move my leg; your hand is clamped around my ankle. Let go!"
"That's your ankle? I thought it was your wrist, let's go that way…" Another slam. This time the door in front of us. "Ah, er…let's not go that way." We stood still, looking foolish and stunned.
"Now what?"
"You're asking me? You're the magician here."
"I am not a magical being."
"Magician, Jedi, it's all the same damn thing. Find us a way out."
"But we didn't find the prize yet. Big money, remember, hot shot? It's why we're here."
"Right. It really is big money. We can't leave yet. Okay, let's check the basement."
"Yes, because nothing bad ever happens in basements in those horror vids. You go first."
"Why me?"
"You're the big brother."
"And you're the Jedi."
"Big brother outweighs Jedi in the macho department. You go first."
There was an odd logic to that, and I really was the big brother. I went first.
The stairs were dark, even with our lights. The door slammed behind us. I tumbled down the last few steps, Tanner following closely. Rolling over at the bottom, I groaned in pain as Tanner moved off me.
"If you stop following so close and stop leeching onto me, we won't keep falling as a pair, dummy. This is not a synchronized team event."
"If you'd stop falling on your face, I wouldn't have to fall on top of you."
"Well, if doors would stop slamming around us, we'd be fine. Still a non-believer?" I smirked in Tanner's direction, holding my light to his face.
"Let's just find this round furry thing and get out of here, okay?"
"Ha, Magic-boy is freaked out like me!"
"Dash, I will hurt you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, come on, let's go this way."
Okay, so the basement was the size of a starship with nooks and crannies in every direction. Several times, Tanner attempted to use his Force stuff to feel for something out of the ordinary, but since we really didn't know what we were looking for, his attempts were essentially useless. Useless that is until I tripped again, fell into a wall and triggered a hidden switch that opened a secret hole in the floor.
Hmm…
I blinked hard several times to make sure what I was seeing was really there. I mean, after all, things like this only happen in vids and books, right? This didn't really happen in real life situations. Did it?
The creepiness level continued to rise.
I shined my light into the dark hole. "Well…that's interesting." I flicked the light to shine in Tanner's face again. "You go."
"I don't purposely stuff myself into dark, scary holes in the floors of haunted houses. And I don't plan on starting that hobby now. Your job, you do it."
"It's dark down there."
"Yes it is, Mr. Obvious. Go on. I'll stay up here and offer moral support."
"Uh uh. You're going with me."
The issue was shut for both of us when the hidden door abruptly slammed shut in front of our eyes. I dropped my hand-light and fell over Tanner as I tried to run away. Hey, I never said I was fearless and courageous and all those noble things. I was a bona fide coward at times and this one of those times. But the money…oh the money. It was so good for this job and times had been a bit thin lately and…and…damn it!
"Dash, get off me!"
"Now you know how I feel. Okay, enough of this crap." I hit the hidden switch again and the hole opened. "There, no ghost, just a time limit. It only stays open for a minute or so, so yes you do have to stay up here. I don't want to be locked down there for the rest of my life." Light in hand, I began my descent. "If I scream like a girl and word gets out, you will be running naked and bald through the streets, little brother, you got that?"
"Would you stop babbling and go? The more you babble, the more nervous you get. Hurry up."
The hole wasn't deep, but at the bottom was a long hallway with a small wooden chest at the end of it. There was a lock on it at which I stared blankly. Had I brought a blaster, it would have been short work, but I didn't like to carry blasters for personal reasons, and in the fear that I might actually shoot and kill someone. Not on my to-do list and I'd managed this far into my life without really needing one. I didn't own one either, although Colton would let me borrow if needed – and had often times tried to sneak one into my travel pack before I left for a job. This current job - this creepy house - was local and not in the slums where blasters are common place, so I figured: no blaster, no problem! Yeah, well, I couldn't get the lock open without one. If only… I yelled back. "Mouse, I need your magic. Jamb something in the door of the hole so it won't close."
The voice called back. "This is your way of getting me down there, and no. And it's not magic! It's working with the Force to achieve a desired end."
"Whatever you want to call it, just get the hell down here! There's a lock that I can't pick and can't figure out how to get open and you…, well you can probably just wish it open."
"I'm not good at locks and you know it."
"True, but you're getting better. The last two were no problem!" The floor above me creaked. "Damn it, hurry up!" I heard him mutter something and then footsteps led away, then back – and then there he was. I smiled. "Hey, little brother, fancy meeting you down here in the dark and spooky hallway of doom."
"Shut up, move over and be quiet."
I obeyed and sent the bulk of my hand-light to shine on the lock. Not that he needed the glow, especially since his eyes were closed for concentration, but it made me feel better.
Tanner's ability to do certain Forcey things had grown considerably since I'd known him. His various training sessions in the desert of Tatooine with Ben Kenobi being a key ingredient in all of that. But the kid studied what he learned; obsessively at times. I mean, he took notes and everything! (I don't think I've ever taken a note for anything in all my life.) Now, mind you, he'd never be a full-fledged Jedi in terms of power and ability with so limited training by a mentor, but the things he had learned and become proficient in…well, even I had to admit, it was impressive. It was still creepy as hell, but impressive nonetheless. Locks were a problem though, or had been. As I said, the last two were easy. He'd been practicing.
Two of the longest minutes of my life slid by as he worked. The hidden door had tried to shut, but the obstacle Tanner had stuck there appeared to be acceptable. Let's just hope the door didn't get angry. Being stuck down here would be bad.
I wanted to hurry my brother, but I knew better than to disturb him when he was in such deep focus. Patience really was a virtue…when you had it. Currently, it was something I lacked as I was smacked in the back of the head. The smack was followed by Tanner's, "Shut up, Dash."
"I wasn't talking!"
"You were fidgeting andyou were thinking about talking. Stop it. I need to focus."
Damn Jedi. "Okay fine. You got it yet?"
"Almost."
Almost was now. The 'click' didn't happen though. You know that click you hear when an old metal lock is undone? There was none of that, but the lock did burst into two sparking pieces and went flying against opposite sides of the wall. Ha! Okay, despite our situation, that was pretty damned cool. It was starting to get kind of fun having a partially trained Jedi around.
I lifted the lid of the chest and found our prize waiting inside. It was round, furry and the size of a human head. Just as described. In fact, it was a human head. I dropped it, frantically trying to wipe my hands on my pants and trying to run away at the same time, but the cramped hall was only wide enough for a single body, and I ran right into my brother. We tumbled again. This was really getting old.
"Damn it, Tanner, move!"
He shoved me. "No, go get that thing."
"You're outta your damn mind. That thing is someone's head."
"And it's worth money, right?"
"I am not carrying a human head back into town. I don't care how much it's worth. It's a human head! And it's wrong. Just so very very very very wrong. And nasty."
He pushed me again, this time with a little extra umph behind it. I stood and snuck a peak back toward the high dollar prize. "You know, I didn't sign up for this. I can lie, cheat and steal, sure, but there's a line there somewhere. Stealing a human head from a haunted basement seems to be that line."
Tanner was upright again and peering over my shoulder. He was quite a bit shorter than me so tippy toes were required. "It's detached and dead, right? Meaning someone else crossed that line for you. You only need to carry it a couple miles back to Grunley, don't ask any questions, don't wait for any answers, get your money and go."
I continued starring at the head when I replied, "You make it sound so simple, don't you? Must I say again that it is a human head?!! There is nothing simple about that!" The floors creaked above us. "Uh huh, and the owner of the head is probably going to stab us in the neck when we poke our heads out of that hidden door."
"Then we'd better go quickly."
"Oh right, so we can die quickly. Real good logic, Tanner."
"I am open for better suggestions."
I tore off my outer tunic, slapped it over the head and scooped it up. "Sorry, buddy. I like my life and you're already dead and I need the money. Go, Tanner, go go go go go."
Pushing the kid down the skinny hall and up the forbidding wooden ladder, I held the head in one hand and grabbed Tanner's pant leg with the other. "Okay, slowly now. Don't stick your head out there until you're sure Mr. Slammy Doors or Mr. I Want My Head Back, aren't there waiting for us."
We paused…for a very long minute. "Don't make a sound," Tanner said to me as he climbed onto the floorboards. "There's someone here. I feel something."
I crawled out next. The head came last. "I thought you couldn't feel people unless they were Force sensitive?"
"I can't."
"Uh huh. And based on that information, shouldn't we run for our lives right now?"
We stood close, silent and listening with our eyes. A door slammed. A floor board groaned. Tanner put a hand on my arm and said, "Yes. Yes, we should do that." And of course the next thing I knew, me and my extra head were being dragged through doorways and hallways and every other way until we found the front door. Naturally, this being an extra creepy haunted house, that door was closed. And I was sure that Mr. Slammy Doors was behind it. I just hoped he wasn't actually behind it. It didn't open, so I kicked it. Yeah, that didn't help.
"Stand back," Tanner ordered as he raised a hand and focused his will. He'd kicked some lock butt a while back, why not a door? Something happened then, but I strongly suspect it wasn't what he was shooting for. The small window near the top of the door busted out. The door itself didn't budge. "Whoops."
"Whoops? We have freaky ghost guys from the scary basement on our tail and all you can say is whoops?"
"Fine, you open it then!"
I swung the head-loaded tunic at the door. It landed against it with a dull thud.
"You're an idiot, Dashen. Stand back again."
"We don't need the door shattered into a thousand pieces; we just need it open so we can squeeze out, escape and then run away screaming."
Tanner tried again and I was ready to flee the moment the door was sprung. I waited impatiently as he finally figured it out and this time, the door opened. It only opened about eight inches, but enough for us to slip through sideways. Angrily, it slammed shut behind us as we ran. I punched Tanner in the shoulder as we did so. "Took you way too much time to open that door, little brother. Work on that one, 'k? Door opening should be on your 'Things to Do Better So I Don't Get My Brother Killed in a Haunted House' list."
We kept running and he retorted with a, "Maybe if I just get you killed that'll solve a lot of my problems!"
"Keep it up and it'll happen. Here," I tossed the heavy tunic in his direction, "Carry the head for a while." A flick of the hand and he pushed it back to me in mid-air. Oh sure, now his weirdo magic stuff works. "You just use that stuff correctly when you want to, right? Not when we're about to be eaten by ancient headless ghosts. Damn Jedi!"
We ran the miles back to town. By the time we reached Gunley's place, we were covered in dirt, sweat and barely beginning to come down from our panic. And we'd slowed to a staggering walk. The lone security guard greeted us outside the large house. I pointed to the weighty tunic and said, "Delivery from Lesedi to Grunley. Tell him I want my money."
Taking the head from us, Grunley's guard disappeared and returned ten minutes later with a dirty empty tunic and a small pouch. Inside was the exact number of credit chits he's promised me. Grunley was disgusting and a little on the insane side, but he was fair and honest if you did a job right. I accepted the pouch as Tanner and I quickly turned and headed for home wiping our hands of a scary job well done.
"You stink," I told him.
"At least I don't have the stench of human brains all over myself."
"I do not smell like brains. There were no brains falling out of that man's head. You don't even know what brains smell like."
"They smell like you."
"Just for that, I've got first dibs on the shower."
Sometimes I try and I play things smart. Most of the time, I fall on my face. I wasn't smart in this instance…and I fell on my face. Literally. Tanner – the cheater - used his Force stuff to trip me, pass me and beat me home. He and I were going to have a long talk about his temperamental abilities when delving out his magic. A selective magic user, just what I didn't need in my life. Sneaky Jedi.
My comm chimed the moment I got out of the shower. Grunley again.
"What? Ah no. I don't think so. One detached human head is enough for me for one day. Or year for that matter. Give the job to Kahli. She loves a challenge….right. Bye."
I put the comm down just in time to catch a bottle of root ale that was about to go flying past my head. Tanner had tossed this one with his hand rather than a flick of the Force, which explained the accuracy, or lack thereof. "Grunley, right? Another haunted run?"
"Yup," I replied as I popped the top of the glass bottle. "He says there are other wonderfully sordid treasures to be found there. He has a list and he's willing to pay."
Tanner took a long drink of his own bottle, some type of fruit seltzer. "That is one creepy man. Why did you ever start working jobs for him anyway?"
"Started years ago. He paid the money. Never reneged on the amount or failed to pay on time. He's a little on the disturbing side, but that's his business. The money is usually right for me. Not this time though. One visit to that house was enough. My reputation can't afford to let anyone see me running and screaming like a girl from that place. And you can't use it against me either, because you were right there, running and screaming. Good job there, Tanner. Seems Jedi get the pants scared off of them too, huh?"
He shrugged. "It happens."
"And another thing, about your magic powers there, Mr. Selective."
"For the millionth time, Dash…it's not magic. It's working with the Force to achieve a desired end."
"Call it what you want. It's magic. Now, why was it so easy for you to toss that head back to me while we were running full tilt, but it took you a year to open an old wooden door a whole eight inches."
"Simple. There wasn't an opposing force working against me on the head toss. On the door, there was."
"The crazy-slamming-door-ghost guy was on the other side?"
"Something was. I didn't see it, but I felt it. And he…it…was angry."
"Probably because we were tossing around his long lost head like it was part of a sporting event. I know that would have ticked me off."
"Same here, but the fact that I could feel something…it's a little unsettling."
"You mean it could be a Force-wielding ghost? Like Ben's old master?" I shuttered at the thought. Just what we didn't need; to be terrorized by an insane headless blue ghostie Jedi guy. The Headless Jedi? No, that was even creepier than what was already too creepy. Okay, I really needed to invest in new thoughts. "Tell me that can't happen, Tanner. Just tell me so that I can move on. Lie to me, please."
"I don't know. I guess if Master Qui-Gon could figure it out, other Jedi could as well; Jedi who maybe aren't so content with being dead."
Content with being dead. He didn't just say that, right?
"So, I was carrying around a Jedi head?"
A shrug. "I don't know, Dash. Could've been. I think that…well…can we talk about something else, please?"
"Yeah. How about we finish that game of Dejarik we started yesterday?"
"I'll make us some sandwiches."
Tanner won the game. I ate most of the sandwiches. And thus a non-creepy end polished off our very creepy day.
The End.
