Chapter 8: On The Prowl
"What the he…" Andros exclaimed as he looked at the fiery words scrawled in the sky, inching closer to Ashley and wrapping a hand around her wrist.
Wes groaned and looked over at his partner. "Go on, say it."
"Say what?"
"I told you so. You knew this would happen. Why did you let me do this? I can't believe I put all these people in danger!"
He walked around in a circle, fingers buried in his hair. Jen started to move toward him but stopped herself. Eric and Taylor shared a look before the brunet stepped in front of his partner and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Stop. You are not responsible for this, whatever this is. No one could have predicted this."
"This was a good idea, Collins. It did a lot of good for people who needed it." Taylor added. "Unfortunately, we might just be caught up in some… thing's idea of a joke. And that something happens to have the upper hand, for now."
"Do you really think this is like last year?" asked Jen as she glanced at the flaming words that had begun to fade.
"It feels like it. It's too elaborate and honestly, impossible to be a prank. I…"
"A prank? Of course, this isn't a prank. People turned into animals. Mirrors almost shish kebabed me," Wes interrupted.
Taylor narrowed her eyes at him and folded her arms in front of her, effectively shutting him up with a look. "We know. We're not saying this is a prank. Though if there is some kind of supernatural entity behind this, to them it could be just that, one that's gotten out of hand certainly, or something sinister."
"Supernatural entity?" Alyssa echoed.
Taylor ignored her, meeting Ashley's eyes for a moment before turning to Eric. "Is there any way we can get in touch with your witch friend? She might be able to shed some light on what we're dealing with."
"We didn't actually trade numbers. I kind of never wanted to see her again."
Cole looked from Eric to Taylor to the baffled look on Alyssa's face and the sullen expression on Wes'. Andros just seemed pensive but Jen and Ashley seemed to be following the conversation just fine. "Guys, what are you talking about? Why are we just standing here? If people are getting hurt we need to do something."
"We can't do anything if we don't know what's going on," Andros chimed in. "We can't exactly stop pumpkins from spitting fire and skeletons from coming to life."
"Let me get this straight," Alyssa intervened, her tone taking a stern edge as she directed her gaze at Taylor. "Things are going bonkers and your first thought isn't mutants or orgs, you Taylor Earhardt think that the supernatural is behind this? Like what, the carnival is haunted or something? That's ridiculous."
"You didn't tell her," Ashely inferred with a hint of a smile.
Taylor shrugged. "It was one of those you had to be there to believe it kind of things." She turned to Alyssa. "It's complicated, but yes, I do think there's a possibility that something supernatural is letting loose, I don't know if it is of the ghostly variety. I know it's strange to hear me say that and I will explain everything, just not now. Jungle Boy is right we need t…."
"Grrowll"
She was cut off as a lion, its massive form rippling with raw power, surged toward them with a thunderous roar. It leapt through the air with a grace that belied its size. Reacting instinctively, they dove to the side, rolling across the ground just as the lion landed with a bone-jarring thud. The beast spun around, its golden mane bristling, and let out a fearsome roar directed straight at Alyssa and Ashley, who were closest to it. Its eyes were fierce and its posture predatory, as it stalked forward menacingly.
"Where did that come from?" Jen whispered urgently, her eyes wide with alarm as she turned to Wes.
"Technically, that's a person," Wes replied, his voice tight.
As the lion lunged, the two women scrambled back, panic evident in their movements. But before they could escape, Cole sprang into action, charging from the side, his movements fluid and determined. With a powerful thrust, he grappled the lion, using his momentum to redirect its ferocious charge. The impact sent both Cole and the lion crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs and snarls.
"Cole!" Ashley shouted as she watched the chaotic struggle. Her eyes widened as she struggled to get to her feet, but Alyssa's hand clamped firmly on her wrist.
"He knows what he's doing," she said calmly, her voice steady despite the chaos.
The others scrambled to their feet, forming a tight group as they observed the dramatic scene unfolding before them. Cole wrestled with the lion, his sleeves now shredded and hanging loose from his arms. With a determined effort, he rolled to his feet, adopting a half-crouch stance, his arms extended in a protective gesture between the lion and his friends.
"What is he doing?" Andros asked, his gaze shifting nervously from Wes and Eric, who stood with clenched jaws and Eric's hand hovering over his holster, to Taylor and Alyssa, who watched with an air of calm confidence.
"Shhh… let him work his magic. He's good at this," Alyssa replied, her eyes focused on Cole.
The group watched in tense silence as Cole closed his eyes, his hands still outstretched, forming an invisible barrier of calm. The lion, its growls gradually subsiding, seemed to sense the shift in energy. Its menacing posture softened, and the fierce snarls transformed into a low, rumbling purr. The lion sniffed at Cole, its golden eyes locking onto his, and then, with a final, reluctant glance, it turned and bounded away, disappearing into the distance.
"That was… cool," Andros finally said, his eyes still tracking the retreating lion, a mix of awe and disbelief in his voice.
Alyssa ran up to Cole and examined his arms before pulling him into a hug. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. He was just scared and confused."
"Aren't we all?"
Taylor turned to Wes who was just watching the rest of them. "Did you figure anything out while you were looking into this?"
He shook his head, "When they called me it was smaller things, scarecrows calling out insults, bugs in popcorn, cotton candy tasting sour, things that sounded like pranks, then this shit started happening."
"So it's escalating," Ashley pointed out. "Which means it could get worse."
Jen turned to Taylor and Eric, "Do you think this is a by midnight or else kind of deal, or since they're not exactly magical creatures nothing happens?"
Taylor shrugged, ignoring the pointed look from Alyssa. "Either way we can't risk it, if those are innocent people, then we have to find a way to turn them back."
"The giggling!"
They all turned to Wes. "Before the mirrors attacked me I heard a giggle and almost everyone I talked to heard something before or after things got weird."
"I think I might have heard it too at the candy corn stand."
"And before the skeletons came to life."
"Yeah, I heard that."
"Me too."
Eric frowned. "I didn't hear anything. But if that's what connects these incidents then whatever is behind this is on the move. So let's backtrack. You guys last heard it here and before that Wes at the Hall of Mirrors. Let's retrace and see if we find any clues."
"What about all the people? We can't just leave them."
"My staff and volunteers will get most of them out, and the best way to help anyone else is to find what's behind this and stop them."
Cole tore off his shredded sleeves and looked at the group. "I'm going to go help them, in case any other animals show up."
Eric clapped him on the shoulder and nodded.
"Be careful," Alyssa whispered and leaned up to peck him on the cheek. He nodded, turned to Taylor, and did the same before running off in the direction of the gate.
The rest of them quickly made their way to the Hall of Mirrors, Eric drawing his Quantum Defender from its holster and holding it at his side. Alyssa looked between Taylor and Ashley who were walking in front of her. "What do you know that I don't?" she demanded.
"Alyssa…"
"No. Something happened, last year apparently, that has you convinced that something supernatural is behind this, just like that. I want to know."
Taylor shared a look with Jen and Ashley. The brunette nodded. "Long story short, the city was cursed and everyone literally turned into whoever or whatever they dressed up as for Halloween. But once it was lifted no one remembered anything."
"Wait, what? Cursed?"
"Oh it gets weirder," Ashley chimed in. "We had to fight witches, though one of them was good and gave us our morphers for the night. Then she took us to Halloween Court which is apparently a thing and we almost got sentenced to banishment or imprisonment or something. Somehow it all worked out and thanks to Eric asking for a little more time, we made it back for Wes' big moment. And before you ask…" She turned to Taylor and Jen before continuing. "I'm pretty sure no one said anything because everyone was all caught up in the proposal bubble and we didn't want to burst it. I think that covers it."
In front of them, Wes stiffened and picked up his pace. As they neared the hall. He held out a hand calling for them to stop and slowly made his way to the door. He listened for a moment and looked over at the rest who were standing at the edge of the stairs before turning back to the door and grasping the handle. He slowly pulled the door open, just a sliver and quickly hid behind the door, he pulled it a little more open, his eyes clenching shut. When nothing happened, he let out the breath he was holding. He looked over at the others and shrugged before stepping inside.
Taylor, Eric and Andros followed, their eyes widening as they took in the mirrors and the glass scattered across the ground. Andros stepped up to the door and carefully examined the shards embedded in the door. "What happened here?"
"I told you, the mirrors attacked." He turned to Taylor and Eric who were scanning the mirrors and ground as they stepped further inside. "So what are we looking for?"
The two of them looked up and shared a look. "Anything out of the ordinary, anything that can help us figure this out. This is the closest we're going to get to a closed crime scene."
"I thought you two were the experts on this."
Taylor narrowed her eyes at him and stepped forward, curling and stretching her fingers at her side. She looked back at the door, noting that Jen and the others were a little ways away, before turning the full force of her glare on Wes. "I know your head's in a weird place, but you can't keep taking it out on us. Just because we remember what happened and are willing to believe that something more is going on here, it doesn't mean we know any more than you do. We're trying to get to the bottom of this and make sure no one else gets hurt, just like you are.
Wes stilled and stared at her as Eric and Andros looked at him as well. Taylor's gaze didn't waver and when he didn't speak she continued, "I know you're frustrated that things are out of your control, but that's just it Wes, there's nothing you can do about that. You can plan meticulously, but sometimes unforeseen things are hurled at you and nothing goes to plan. We lived this, in the most dangerous of ways, so it isn't something new. And take it from me the more you try to control things and bend them your way, the faster you lose sight of what's really important."
They held each other's gaze, Taylor unrelenting as Wes' shoulders slumped while Eric stared at Taylor as silence enveloped them. Andros stepped forward, glass crunching beneath his feet. "Guys, there's…"
"Gah!"
As one they turned toward the door. The sound of scuffling mixed with the voices of their friends poured in. They raced to the door and found two scarecrows trying to grab Ashley and Jen as they ducked and dodged. Alyssa, on the other hand, was surrounded by a horde of skeletons, determination set on her face as she slid into a fighting stance. As one approached her, she kicked out, hitting it square through the ribs. The bones cracked around her and crumbled to the ground. She took a quick step back, eyes watching the bones. But she didn't have time to ponder as the others closed in on her.
A blast of energy flew past her and hit one of them and it immediately fell to the ground. She turned to see Eric stepping closer with his Quantum Defender raised, Taylor right behind him. Wes and Andros ran toward Ashely and Jen, but as they did the skeletons moved in to block them. Andros skidded to a stop and raised his arm to defend but Wes crashed right through one of them, bones splintering as he stumbled through, crashing through two rows of skeletons before stumbling to the ground.
"Where are all of these coming from?"
Jen ducked around a scarecrow, her boot connecting with its hay-stuffed torso. The scarecrow staggered back, a cloud of straw erupting from its body as its arms flailed wildly. But as it regained its balance, the scarecrow's arms elongated and moved with sinuous grace, wrapping around her torso like constricting ribbons. The embrace tightened with surprising force, pinning her arms to her sides. As she struggled against the grip, she felt an unnerving vibration coursing through her jacket.
Ashley's eyes widened in alarm as she saw Jen ensnared. Without hesitation, she slid to the ground, her foot sweeping out to trip the scarecrow in her path. It toppled to the ground, its limbs flailing ineffectually. Ashley scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding, as she leapt over the incapacitated scarecrow and charged toward the other one.
She slammed into the second scarecrow with a powerful shoulder check, knocking it off balance and sending it crashing down alongside Jen. The scarecrow's grip loosened as it toppled, giving Jen the leeway she needed to wriggle free. She scrambled to her feet, breath coming in ragged gasps, and quickly moved to join Ashley, both women stumbling away from the chaos, their faces flushed and eyes wide.
Meanwhile, Eric engaged in a frantic battle, firing rapidly at a swarm of advancing skeletons. Taylor and Alyssa fought fiercely, their movements a blur of punches and kicks as they battled the skeletal adversaries hand-to-hand. Andros was surrounded, deftly dodging the grasping, skeletal arms that reached out for him with unsettling persistence. Wes lay on the ground, partially buried beneath a jumble of scattered bones, struggling to clear the debris as the scene erupted around him.
"Are you okay?"
Jen nodded but her words gave way to a gasp. Ashley followed her horrified gaze and her eyes widened. The skeletons that had previously collapsed began to stir, their bones clinking and clacking together as they reassembled into larger, more menacing forms. The skeletal piles merged and contorted, creating grotesque new creatures. Some towered on four spindly arms, while others took on bestial, hunched shapes with long, pointed snouts and whip-like tails. Their bodies were a chaotic jumble, like the result of a child haphazardly assembling mismatched puzzle pieces — skulls facing the wrong way, limbs of uneven lengths, and bones jutting out at odd angles.
As these grotesque new forms began to advance, their friends reacted with increasing urgency. Wes scrambled to his feet, his movements frantic, while Eric swiftly adjusted his aim, his weapon trained on the approaching horrors but hesitating to fire. The skeletons drew nearer, save for two of the four-legged monstrosities that turned and focused their attention on the group, inching closer as the scarecrows lumbered to their feet.
Across the chaos, Taylor tackled Eric, knocking him out of the path of a swinging skeletal tail that narrowly missed him. As he struggled to regain his balance, Taylor moved to defend him from another attacking skeleton. At the same time, a massive four-armed skeleton with its skull askew reached for Alyssa. She ducked and darted forward, slipping between its legs. Her heels skidded on the gravelly ground, and her dress caught on a protruding bone, tearing at the hem as she stumbled.
Breathing heavily, Alyssa turned to see the four-armed skeleton redirect its attention to Taylor and Eric. Her gaze flickered to Jen and Ashley, who were backing away from their own attackers, and then to Andros and Wes, who were pressed against each other, looking for a way out. Alyssa's mind raced, desperately trying to devise a plan, but she was jolted from her thoughts by a growing, ominous clopping sound.
A blinding flash of burning orange light engulfed her vision, and before she could recover, a cold, rough grip encircled her waist. She was lifted off her feet, the sensation of being pressed against a solid, moving surface. The speed was dizzying, the ground blurring beneath her. As she struggled to orient herself, the thunderous rush of movement overwhelmed her senses.
"Alyssa!"
Thanks for reading.
Till next time...