Chapter 4: Loneliness
Pete and Sharon were putting their baggage in their car, ready for tomorrow morning to leave for Brighton. The whole night, The McGees were celebrating that tomorrow they will finally have new forver home... Except Molly...
''Time to launch my NEW FIREWROKS!'' Darryl said as he grabbed a box full of fireworks.
''Oh no! No you aren't!'' Pete said as he grabbed the box from his son.
''Seriously Darryl, from where are you buying all this stuff?'' Pete asked.
''Oh don't worry, I know a guy'' Darryl said with a grim smile.
''Darryl... You promised us, this time Brighton will be diffirent...'' Sharon said.
''Yeah, yeah, ok'' Darryl said rolling his eyes.
The McGees countinued their little party in their apartement, ready to finally be in their forever home tomorrow. While Darryl and Pete were telling horrible jokes to each other, Sharon now noticed Molly isn't even here.
Sharon went to her room and saw something that broke her heart. Molly curled up on her bed clinging a pillow, crying... She knew how hard this move was for her daughter... She sat on the bed right next to her.
''Oh Molly please don't cry. I know how tough it is to say goodbye to your friends... Again.'' Sharon said.
''I said goodbye to everyone... The kids at school, the elderly at the senior center... The random guy on the park who feeds the pigeons every day... It's not fair! I don't want to move! Why every time when I make new friends, we have to move? Am I supposed to just be alone?'' Molly asked crying.
Sharon was feeling very bad for her daughter. She was very sad that their kids didn't have normall childhood... Especialy Molly... Darryl suffered from nightmares, but other than that he was still happy... But Molly had to leave many of her friends behind...
''Molly don't say that... I know it's not fair and I know how hard it is for you... But this time it's gonna be diffirent! Because tomorrow, we are moving in our forever home! In a small town called Brighton! Even the name of the town sounds enhappifying, isn't it?''
Molly finally calmed down.
''Well... It actually does...'' Molly said.
''Of course! You are a special kid Molly. Even through we moved to so many places, you still stayed our little joyful girl. And I'm proud of that! This time you will make many friends in Brighton and I promise you, you will never have to leave them. You might get the angel you prayed for...'' Sharon said.
A week when Molly and Darryl's parents told them about moving out, Molly prayed to have a real friend in Brighton. And even prayed to have an angel as her best friend. Sharon hugged her daughter.
''I just want to have a friend... A fairy, cat, racoon... I wouldn't even mind if my best friend is a ghost...'' Molly said.
Sharon laughed at this.
''You really are special Molly... I know how scary for you is to be alone''
The moment Molly heared that voice... She turned around and saw her mom was gone... The lights in the living room were off and... She felt cold chills
''Mom? Mom? Where are you?'' Molly asked scared.
Molly got up and started to walk in the living room and saw something that made her froze... Sharon, Darryl and Pete were staring at her with the most haunting, terrifying and disturbing smiles she has ever seen.
''Uhhh... Hey, nice to see so many... Smiles?'' Molly said terrifyed.
This is when she noticed something sitting on the chair at the table... A monkey in a suit who had the same horrifying smile and red hunting eyes... Out of nowhere the monkey jumped on Molly and started to choke her and to laugh...
''AH-AH... G-GT... OPH... M-E'' Molly tried to speak.
She finally pushed the monkey away and started to run toward the appartment's exit... And the moment she opened the door, she was in the woods...
''No... NO, NO, NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!'' Molly cried out.
''It is happening''
Molly turned around and saw behind her... The demon... The small, shadowy, female demon...
''You... You are gone... It's impossible for you to be here...'' Molly said crying.
''Hmmm... Maybe I'm not here... Maybe I'm here... YOU DECIDE!''
This is when the demon jumpscared Molly...
''Come on Moll... Wake up... WAKE UP!''
...
Molly woke up in the middle of the night. She was scared from what she just dreamed about. She saw Scratch standing right next to her as he looked worried... And the worst part was she had tears in her eyes.
''Wh-what happened?'' Molly asked.
''I was sleeping and then woke up by you. You were talking in your sleep, so I ignored it, but then you started to cry...'' Scratch explained.
Molly was really scared and confused from her dream. Not only that, but she felt week and pale... She just thought it may be normall to have nightmares about this demon... After all, that thing almost took Libby away from her...
''I... I saw the demon again'' Molly said.
Scratch was worried when he said this, but he couldn't blame her. After all it's normall to have nightmares about that thing since... It was terrifying.
''Don't worry Moll, it was just a nightmare'' Scratch said.
''Scratch... Why did you left the party?''
Scratch still didn't wanted to tell Molly about the real reason why he left. He was really scared from what he was becoming... And the worst part is, it's impossible to find a shaman. There is a myth there are only few shamans left in the whole USA...
''I was just really tired from all the fun we had... Sorry for leaving you guys like that, I just wanted to get some sleep''
''Well... No problem... Hey uhhh also... Have you changed your mind?'' Molly asked.
Last week, Molly and Libby planned to go on camping trip. Since the beggining, Molly didn't stop asking Scratch to come with her. However he didn't wanted to come, since he barerly have time for himself.
''Ughhhh... No Moll. Still the same! You go there, I'm staying here. Conversation over!'' Scratch said.
''Oh come on Scratch! It will be so fun! You have to c-
Scratch placed his hand on Molly's mouth.
''Molly... It's 3AM... I don't want to argue in the middle of the night... I made my decision... Goodnight!'' Scratch said as he flew back to his doll house.
Molly was feeling sad and abandoned by Scratch. She just wanted to spend the time with him and Libby, but once again he wants to be alone. She never understood why he liked being alone. If she have to spend few days by herself, she will go insane.
''Um... Scratch... Aren't you forgetting something?'' Molly asked.
When she asked this, Scratch understood what she wanted. He didn't really had the energy, but refusing to go on the trip with her was kinda making him feel bad, so he didn't wanted to leave her like that now. He flew from his dollhouse and embraiced Molly in a big hug, as she hugged him back.
''Get a good sleep kid. You will need it.'' Scratch said.
''I'm sure you will chage your mind tomorrow'' Molly said.
...
Sharon was ready to drive Molly to the bus stop. She prepared everything her daughter will need for the trip and now she was waiting for her on the couch. However while she was waiting, she heared Molly and Scratch had some kind of argument.
''For the last time Moll, NO!'' Scratch said.
''Oh my corn Scratch, why do you have to be like that? Just come with me! Is it that hard?'' Molly asked angry.
''YES! All I want is to spend those three days alone! The world isn't gonna end if I'm not with you for three days!''
This is when Molly had enough of him. She grabbed a hold of Scratch and refused to let him go.
''Well you are coming with me, LIKE IT OR NOT!'' Molly said.
Scratch was now very annoyed by her. He tried to fly around the room, but Molly still refused to let him go. He did everything possible, but she still didn't free him.
''Molly! Please! I'm not cursed to follow you everywhere anymore!'' Scratch said struggling
''And you are lucky for that, or else I wasn't gonna let you breathe!'' Molly said still refusing to let him go.
Scratch couldn't belive she just said that. He knew she just wanted to be with him, but she straight up said he isn't allowed to have a personal space... This is when Scratch became intangible to escape Molly and she falled on the floor.
''Hey! No fair! You said going through other people is considered very rude in the Ghost world!'' Molly said.
''Well I'm not in the Ghost world right now! I'm done asking politely for you to stop! Now for the last time Molly: I'M! STAYING! HOME!'' Scratch said as he flew to his little dollhouse.
This is when Molly was officially over with him. She knew what she is about to do is little cruel, but he left her no choice... She grabbed his dollhouse and he flew away from it confused.
''Well I guess you won't need that here!'' Molly said.
Scratch was absolutely shocked from her.
''Hey! I have some personal stuff in there!''
''Ohhhhh you want it back? Then you are coming with me!'' Molly said.
''ARE YOU SERIOUS? UGHHH... AAAAAAAHHHHHH! YOU KNOW WHAT? I WILL JUST SLEEP ON YOUR BED!'' Scratch said angry.
Once again Molly's attempt to make Scratch come with her was a failure...
''Fine! Enjoy your three days of loneliness! But when I come back, you are gonna spend THE ENTIRE day with me!'' Molly said as she left the attic.
Molly went to the living room with Scratch's dollhouse.
''So he isn't coming?'' Sharon aksed.
''No... And I don't understand why...'' Molly said.
''Well it's good to leave some people have their personal space Molly... Also why are you holding his dollhouse?''
''If he doesn't want to be with me, he doesn't deserve it! I will return it to him, when I'm back'' Molly said.
...
Scratch was in the kitchen eating food... But this time he was scared... Very scared... For some reason, his taste was gone...
''Scratch, did you forget what I told you about eating the whole food?'' Sharon asked.
''THIS IS EMERGENCY! I CAN'T FEEL TASTE ANYMORE! I LOST MY TASTE!''
''Woah, woah calm down Scratch. I'm sure is nothing serious.'' Sharon said.
''Well... I guess you are right. So... Did Molly said anything about me?''
''Well she was little angry about you not coming with her. But she will be fine'' Sharon said.
''I can't belive she took the dollhouse away from me. I had my own bed in there, my own stickers and my own st-
This is when Scratch realized something. He left in the dollhouse something... Something really important, no one should ever find...
''Oh, no...''
''Is everything ok Scratch?'' Sharon asked.
''Uhhhhhh yeah, everything is perfect... ''
...
Scratch was now in the attic, scared from the realization. Should he go to the camp? Is he overreacting? Molly isn't gonna look inside right? After all, she isn't that cruel... This is when he started to feel that rage...
''She... Just took my dollhouse... SHE TOOK MY DOLLHOUSE!''
He started to grow, turn shadowy and on the verge to go right to the camp and kill her. His eyes turned bloody red, turned into a shadow and had that dark purple aura glowing from him. This time that was even worse, but he managed to calm himself down and turned back to normall.
This time that was even worse. What is he supposed to do now? The only thing that can help him is a shaman, but they barerly exist nowdays. Maybe all he needs is just little sleep. After all once again, Molly forced him to wake up in 10:30, only to annoy him...
He laid down on her bed... It wasn't like sleeping in his own bed in the dollhouse, but still it was comfortable. Normally he is laying here when she is cuddling him, but now he was supposed to sleep here, because he had no choice.
...
He woke up in 3:00 AM. The moment he saw it was in the middle of the night, he was shocked. How the hell did he slep the whole day? And on top of that he was feeling very tired. Now this wasn't normall. He jumped off the bed and flew downstairs towards the kitchen.
He was hungry and wanted to check if his taste was back again. He was disappointed when he realized it got even worse...
''No taste huh?''
Scratch turned around and what he saw shocked him. He saw Todd... His body standing right in front of him... It had that dead look in his eyes and Scratch was sick, just when he looked at him.
''H-How are you here? You are dead...''
''I'm you... As long as you exist, I'm never gonna be dead... Scratch''
This is when Todd started to get closer to him... Scratch was scared and didn't know what to do... How is he supposed to run away from his own body?
''Stay away from me!'' Scratch said.
''No... You ran away and left me, to handle all the problems that you created... It's time for a payback''
Scratch was so scared when Todd was getting closer to him... He wanted to do something... But he didn't know what... He was so terrifyed and scared, he flew away from the house, with all the speed he had.
He was flying through Brighton late at night. He didn't know what to do, he was just flying arond the whole town in hope that Todd lost him. He reached ''Books Mark the Spot'' and went inside.
He knew it was kinda dumb to hide here, but there was no way he is going back to the McGees house. After all, Libby won't know he spended entire night here...
''You sure about that?''
Scratch turned around and saw Libby in the darkness staring at him with dead look in her eyes...
''Libby?''
This is when Libby's chest started to bleed and she was getting closer to him.
''Woah, Libby are you alright?''
This is when Libby started to laugh while her sweater changed from green to red. She was slowly dying and she was laughing about it. It scared the living hell from Scratch... But the scariest part was he was feeling full... He was hungry the whole day and now that hunger was gone... He realized what was going on...
''No... NO, NO, NO THAT'S NOT REAL! I'M NOT A MONSTER!''
Libby collepsed on the floor as she gave him one last look.
''This is your life now Todd...''
Scratch flew away from the bookshop as fast as he could. He once again was flying through Brighton... He now really didn't know where to go... Exept... A little alley, no one knew about... He was never going to that part of Brighton for... Personal reasons, but now he had no choice.
When he reached that little alley, he was now relived for being alone... No one can find him here, no one knows about that little alley... Only he knows about it.
''Fun place to hide''
Scratch turned around and saw the smiling demon behind him... She can't be here, it's impossible... She is dead...
''We... We defited you...''
''I may be here, I may not... Maybe this isn't real at all, but it's strange how you chose to hide in this little alley... It's like... You have been here before''
He froze when she mentioned this...
''I... I don't know what you are talking about...''
''Todd... I know everything about you... All your fears... All your secrets... All your sins...''
''N-No... You don't know anything about me...''
''Are you scared? What are you gonna do? Shoot me?''
The moment she said this... He started to tear up... It's impossible for her to know...
''Yeaahhhh Todd, I know what you did... I know what you are hiding...''
''NO!''
This is when a sound from screams of dying people started. It was so loud and sickening, Scratch felt a huge headache... He wanted to scream for help, but he knew no one is gonna hear him...
''You can't escape from the past Todd... IT COMES RIGHT AFTER YOU!''
...
Scratch woke up, scraming in 5PM... Thank God it was all just a dream... But he had that headache and his fingers... Were shadowy. He didn't know what to do or how to change them back to normall... He didn't know what to do at all... Maybe he should have just went on the camp trip with Molly... At least she was gonna calm him down or cuddle him if she was here...