Here we are again with another update! I'll let you get to it! :)

Chapter 34: Fighting the Darkness

"Woah, woah, dude!" Aaron said, from behind me.

I assumed Aaron had come out from around the corner to pull me back, but like me, had stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Zak holding the machete.

Zak just stood there, staring at the two of us, breathing heavily.

But I had noticed the majority of his focus seemed to be on me.

I was still frozen, unsure of what to do.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Aaron suddenly turned on his flashlight, the click of the switch sounding extremely loud in the dead silence of the room.

Even though Aaron kept the beam of the flashlight aimed down at the floor in front of Zak, Zak flinched, his eyes narrowing.

It was like the light was physically hurting him.

"Bro, put down-" Aaron started, but we both jumped when Zak suddenly reacted.

"Turn that off!" Zak said angrily.

"Put the machete down first bro," Aaron said, trying to bargain with whatever was possessing Zak.

Bad idea.

Zak took a step closer to us, holding the machete up in front of him, aiming it at Aaron.

"Turn the fucking light off!" Zak yelled.

"Aaron…" I warned quietly, briefly glancing at him.

He had a small, handheld camera in his hand.

He must have taken it out from his backpack.

Aaron flicked the flashlight off.

He and I were both back to only seeing Zak through the night vision of our small camera lenses and the dim light they gave off.

Not exactly the best eyes.

"Alright bro, it's off," Aaron said. "Now put down the machete…you don't need that bro," Aaron added.

I saw Zak's eyes flicker to me, and his eyes darkened.

I suddenly heard Aaron step up to me.

He put his arm across the front of me, in a protective gesture, and gently but firmly started to push me behind him.

"Bro-"

"Don't touch her!" Zak yelled, glaring at Aaron again.

What the hell…

Aaron stood his ground.

"Zak, put the machete down!" Aaron said more firmly.

Zak took another step forward, aiming the machete at Aaron.

Zak was only about one to two steps away from us now.

"I said don't touch her motherfucker!" Zak yelled. "She's mine!" Zak snarled.

I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine at the change in Zak's voice..

It wasn't Zak's voice.

Why did this demon think I belonged to it?

I slowly took a few steps to the side, away from Aaron.

"Ali!" Aaron quietly said in a panic.

"I trust my sister…" I replied quietly, keeping my eyes on Zak.

Zak was staring at me again, only this time, I saw what looked to be conflict, in his eyes.

"Hold this," I said quietly, holding my camera in Aaron's direction without taking my eyes off Zak.

I felt Aaron take the camera from me.

I then slowly proceeded to take a step forward.

"Ali! He's twice your size, he could kill you!" Aaron warned.

Zak suddenly turned on Aaron again.

"Get the fuck out of here!" Zak yelled.

Aaron took a step back out of instinct.

"Zak!" I yelled, to get his attention.

Zak turned to look at me again, but said nothing.

I did my best to remain calm.

"Zak…I know you can hear me. You need to fight this. I know you can fight this," I said.

Zak kept the machete up, but he started breathing more heavily, as if he was struggling.

I moved a bit closer, moving slowly.

"You don't need that," I said, motioning to the machete. "Can you give it to me?" I added.

I saw Zak's eyes look at the machete, then flicker back up to my face.

I still saw the darkness in them, but it kept flickering, like the shadow of a candles flame.

Zak was trying to fight back.

I slowly started to reach my hand out.

"Please Zak…I know you don't want to hurt anyone. I know you don't want to hurt me," I said.

Zak stood still as he let my hand brush against his.

He was cold.

Very, very cold.

And I could feel that he was shaking.

As I kept my eyes on his face, I slowly and gently managed to get a grip on the machetes' handle, and slowly took it from his hand.

"See? We don't need this…" I said.

Zak simply watched me in silence.

I slowly pulled the machete back toward myself, away from Zak, and then slowly kneeled down until I could set the machete on the floor.

As I stood back up, I slowly used my foot to gently, but firmly kick the machete back behind me, sliding along the floor.

I sensed Aaron's movement before he made it, but I didn't get the chance to warn him in time.

Aaron quickly ran and picked up the machete.

Instead of going after Aaron, Zak snapped at me.

"You bitch!" Zak yelled, stepping toward me, with his hands out as if he were going to grab me.

I froze again out of fear.

The real Zak must of gotten a brief glimpse of my fear, because he suddenly stepped backwards a few steps, and then slammed his body sideways into the nearest wall, and then smacked his hand against it.

Zak was struggling to push whatever was controlling him out of his body.

I breathed hard as I watched him slide down along the wall until he was crouched against it.

"It won't stop!" Zak cried. "It won't stop!" Zak cried again, almost in agony.

Despite Aaron's quiet protest, which I barely heard, I walked over to Zak and crouched down beside him.

I slowly reached up and put my hand on his back.

I could feel that he was cold and clammy, through the material of his shirt.

His body was trembling, and his muscles were tensed beyond belief.

Zak didn't react to my hand, he merely stared at the floor and was breathing heavily.

"It's okay Zak…let it go, just let it go…" I said.

Please…God…Emily…anyone, please…

I saw Zak suddenly snap his head back over his shoulder, almost as if he were expecting to see someone there.

He then looked at me.

The darkness in his eyes was gone, but it had been replaced with fear and confusion.

"Come on," I said softly, as I started to stand up, but kept my hand on his back.

Somehow, I sensed that physical contact from me was giving Zak strength.

Zak was still breathing heavily, and he was still trembling, but I felt him react to me.

He slowly started to stand up.

"I got you, come on…" I said softly, as I wrapped my arm around him.

He let me lead him back toward the way we had come in.

I looked at Aaron briefly as I led Zak past him.

Aaron had stared at me in shock, and partly still in fear.

I didn't know how I had kept myself in check.

If someone had told me that I would bring back a six foot, muscular, possessed man back from the darkness, I wouldn't of believed them.

Little did we know, Zak wasn't completely free of the darkness yet.