The Toyland Warehouse
Two Years Ago Well after midnight in the old toy warehouse, the only light to be found came from a few handheld lanterns as three strangers continued to dig through the concrete and dirt on the first floor. They had figured where to dig because it had been marked by a large pentagram. “How much longer do we have to dig? My arm’s getting tired,” “It wasn’t too tired to take out that security guard with your ball bat,” Just inside the door, a man lay on the floor with his head bashed in. “That was fun, though. This is work,” “Just shut up and keep digging. The sooner we get this thing dug up the sooner we can get paid. I can’t believe we got loaned out to do this this kind of menial labor.” “Just think about the payday when this is over. Plus, you know, we get to survive the coming apocalypse. Hey, I think I found it! Help me dig right here!” After twenty minutes of digging, a decomposed demonic looking skeleton had been pulled up from the ground. “Gross. What do we do with it now?” “What we’re paid to do with it,” * A ‘for sale’ sign sat in the front yard of the recently purchased Freeling house in Connetticutt. The family had yet to move in but they’d be there in a few days with their things as they drove from California. Having broken in, the trio headed to the basement and created a hole in the wall in which to bury the skeleton before resealing the hole. “So now what?” “That’s it, apparently we have to give this little demon bastard time to do whatever he needed to do once we buried him. Then the fun begins.” * Three Months Earlier The dark-haired boy and the fair-haired boy sat in a playroom, playing their continuous games as both were eternally stuck in the room. At least until an opportunity presented itself. “I win,” the dark-haired boy said. “I win,” the fair-haired boy said. “War,” the two said in unison, only this time there was something different about the room. The dark-haired boy raised his head and smirked. “Well, it’s been fun brother, but I believe I’ll step out for a bit,” the Kid said. “You stay here and keep our company entertained.” Before the fair-haired boy could react, Jack-Attack, a demonic Jack-in-the-Box wrapped itself around the boy’s neck and started biting him while laughing madly. “Well, it’s about fucking time!” Baby Oopsy Daisy said as he crawled out from under the bed holding a whip. “We’ve been waiting forever to get out of the toy box!” As the robotic Mr. Static ripped the back of the boy’s shirt, Baby Oopsie Daisy started hitting him with the whip. As the boy screamed, Grizzly Teddy started biting his arm. “Keep him contained,” the Kid ordered as he went to open the door. “When he regenerates, start from the beginning. The next time you see me, I’ll be holding his precious true love’s heart. What’s left, anyway, I haven’t eaten in centuries.” As The Kid exited, Baby Oopsie Daisy smirked. “Alright, guys, everyone grab a leg and pull! We’re gonna make a wish when he snaps.” * Now John Strode struggled to pull the demonic clown doll off of his face as the clown giggled madly. “Get off of me you little bastard!” John shouted as he finally pulled free while attempting to catch his breath. Before the doll could attack again John threw it as hard as he could against the wall on the other side of the room. As the clown hit the wall it shattered into a hundred smaller clowns, all of them giving an evil laugh as they charged toward John. “Oh, fuck me.” * Andy Barclay, Max Madison and Robbie Freeling entered the house just in time to see the downed bookcase with Tommy’s boots sticking out. “Help me lift this!” Max shouted as they lifted the bookcase only to find Tommy’s boots and nothing else. “Where are the others? Jacob? Cody?” Andy went to the couch and found Tangina’s necklace. As he picked it up he felt how cold the couch was. “I think Kane got everyone,” A noise came from the kitchen as the trio ran in to see the giant maggot as it had Cody swallowed halfway into its gullet. “Cody!” Max shouted as he went grab his legs, but the maggot quickly finished swallowing him before diving back to the refrigerator where door quickly slammed. Max picked up Cody’s crossbow and looked around. “Not good, so not good.” “Where’s Carol Anne?” Robbbie asked as a pounding came from the basement door. He to open it as Carol Anne flew into his arms. Robbie offered a comforting hug to his sister as Dana came out. “It’s alright, I’m here.” “They got Scott,” Dana said. “I’m pretty sure Kane has everyone but us now,” Max told them. “What are we going to do?” “Well, technically your’e the leader now,” Andy told him. “What do you want do do?” “I want to go get our friends,” Max said angrily. “But how do we follow them if Jacob’s the one with the powers?” “Your hat,” Andy told him. “Can’t we follow them with that?” “To another plane of existence?” Max asked. “I have no idea where to even begin!” “The necklace,” Robbie said as he grabbed Tangina’s necklace. “What if you use this to home in on Kane? It’s what beat him the last time.” “Alright,” Max said. “Andy, we’re going to kick some ass on the other side.” “I’m going, too,” Robbie said. “My parents are over there, too. I have to save them.” “I’m going, too,” Carol Anne told him. “I’m through with Kane pushing me around. I want to end this once and for all.” “Count me in,” Dana said. “We do this as a family.” “Everyone hang on,” Max said as everyone joined hands. “We all come home or no one comes home.” Max focused his thoughts as a portal opened in the wall with a fog coming through. “Keep your hands linked, we all stay together,” Andy said as he realize his hand was linked with Carol Anne’s. “We can do this.” “You’re scared,” Carol Anne said as she looked at him. “Of course I am, those are my brothers that Kane has trapped,” Andy told her. “Look, I like you and I don’t want you to lose your family either , but these guys… they’ve been my family for a while. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost them. I’m actually looking for reasons to not drink now that I know what I can lose.” Carol Anne tightened her grip on Andy’s hand as they walked through the portal into a dark realm where there appeared to only be a single source of light at the end of a dark road. “I hate haunted houses,” Robbie said. * On another plane, Will’s broken and beaten body felt a sudden surge of energy. “Max,” Will whispered as he sensed Max’s presence on the other side. “Get out of here.” Will slowly started to try to stand, his ankle snapping from his injuries as he leaned on a dresser. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Baby Oopsie Daisy asked as he jumped onto Will’s back while holding a knife. “Playtime isn’t over yet!” “Yes… it… is!” Will shouted as his love for Max gave him a renewed energy. His body started to glow with a bright light as he aged into his young adult form before grabbing Baby Oopsie Daisy and pulling his head off. “Hey, that’s not fair!” Baby Oopsie Daisy shouted as his head rolled under the bed as the other Demonic Toys attacked. “Don’t worry, Max, I’m coming to save you,” Will said as he went to fight the rest of the toys. * “We should have brought a flashlight,” Max said as he led the group. “Everyone okay?” “Yeah,” Andy said. “It’s just really cold on this side. Carol Anne’s hand is like ice.” “I was going to say the same to you,” Carol Anne said as they got closer to the light where she looked over and saw she was the holding the hand of a rotting corpse. Andy realized the same as both started screaming before the corpse backhanded Andy several yards away into a wall before grabbing Carol Anne. “Leave her alone!” Dana shouted as more corpses started grabbing them. Meanwhile The Kid started laughing as he stepped in. “Now the entertainment really begins!” the Kid shouted. “Think this is funny?” Andy asked as he punched The Kid in the jaw. “How about now?” The Kid turned his head back and spit blood on Andy’s shirt, which was like acid. Andy felt it burning through as he quickly pulled his shirt off before being backhanded to the ground. “You care about the girl,” the Kid said as he kicked Andy onto his stomach. “Is she worth dying for?” “Yes,” Andy said as The Kid’s razor sharp nails started scratching Andy down his back, leaving deep cuts as blood started pouring out. He started screaming in pain as The Kid laughed. “Your screams are like music to my ears, let’s keep the song going, shall we?” the Kid asked as his nails dug deeper. “Give the girl up and I may let you live long enough to see me rip your heart out and take a bite.” “Never,” Andy said, trying to hold back the pain. “You’ll have to kill me first.” “I can accept those terms,” the Kid said as he got ready to finish him. “Take a bite of this, demon breath!” Robbie shouted hit the Kid in the head with a block of ice. He went to punch The Kid when his arm was caught before his fist could connect. “You want my sister? You gotta go through me!” “If you insist,” the Kid said as he twisted Robbie’s arm, causing it snap with a horrifying sound as the bone broke through the skin. Robbie screamed in agonizing pain as The Kid ripped his arm with glee, tossing it away. “ROBBIE!” Carol Anne shouted as The Kid lifted Robbie up by his neck. “You should have left while you had the chance,” the Kid told him. “I had to save my family,” Robbie said. “I’m not a coward.” “Well, this has been fun, but I have a train to catch,” the Kid said as he used his nails to reach into Robbie’s chest, slowly ripping his heart out as blood squirted spewed forward. He held the bleeding heart out and let his tongue catch the dripping blood. “The fear is so delicious.” Carol Anne and Dana screamed as The Kid tossed Robbie’s dead body away as the corpses held Max and Andy. The Kid smiled as he looked at Dana. “I’ll be with you momentarily to eat your baby’s soul, but first I have a soulmate to rip apart.” As The Kid headed toward Max, someone landed in a heroic pose in-between them. Will stood up wearing golden angelic armor. “Leave him alone,” Will ordered. “Will?” Max asked. “It’s me,” Will smiled as he turned to Max. “I’ll explain everything, but first I need to take care of my half-brother.” Max pulled Will close and gave him a good luck kiss as Will touched his cheek. “I’ll be right back.” “Touching,” the Kid said. “I’ll let you keep his spine as a souvenir.” Will flew toward The Kid as they collided, trading punches as they tossed each other around. Meanwhile, Carol Anne had pulled a heavily bleeding Andy into her arms as Andy slipped into unconsciousness as Dana had found Robbie, cradling his dead body as his eyes remained wide open. “Carol Anne,” a voice said through the heavy mist. “We need you Carol Anne.” The girl looked up to the shadow of Reverend Kane coming through the mist that was now all around them. “If I go with you, will you let my family go?” “Oh, yes,” Kane promised. “We just want you, precious child. Only you.” “Okay,” Carol Anne said. “I’ll go and—“ “No, Carol Anne!” Robbie shouted as he appeared near the light, now dressed in a white suit with his arm intact. “You don’t have to do this.” “Robbie?” Carol Anne asked. “You’re alive?” “No,” Robbie told her. “I’ve crossed over. I’m apart of the other side now and I can lead this stupid dick and his people into the light instead.” “No!” Carol Anne said as she cried into Robbie’s arms. “I don’t want you to go! I need you!” “It’s okay,” Robbie said as he comforted her. “I’ll always be here watching over you. I finally know that I can do something important to save my family. I always felt I wasn’t special and I wasn’t important to anyone. But now I do this and make sure you get to live your life.” “Will I ever see you again?” “Someday,” Robbie promised. “Tell Mom and Dad goodbye for me. Dana, take care of that baby. Andy’s a good guy, Carol Anne. Don’t write him off just yet.” “I won’t,” Carol Anne said as she hugged him one last time. “Come on, you withered old dick, get your shit so we can move out,” Robbie said as the light started to get brighter. Kane and his followers started heading toward the light as Robbie looked back one more time. “Take care, little sister.” As Robbie disappeared into the light with Kane and his followers, Will and The Kid came crashing through the corridor. Will lifted his half-brother up by his neck. “I’m the strong one now,” Will said. “Now you get to spend the rest of eternity trapped in your room.” “Never,” the Kid said as he disappeared in a red demonic energy. “Next time we meet, I win.” As Will looked around, he saw more forms coming through the mist. Steve, Diane, Scott, Tangina, and Tommy’s team had awakened and were making their way through. Will kneeled down to Andy and gently touched his back to heal his wounds. “A good night’s rest and he’ll be as good as new,” Will said as he stood up to face Max. “Uh… I guess you should you know that I’m an angel.” Max hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry, Will! I never wanted you to get hurt! I should have fought harder!” “It’s alright, Max,” Will replied softly. “I’m just glad you made it out of there.” “Are you able to come home?” Max asked hopefully. “No,” Will said sadly. “I can’t come back to Earth until I have a new body, but there are… rules I have to follow so a new body is legit. But I promise I will find a way back to you. I love you, Max.” The two shared a kiss as Will’s body disappeared in a bright light. Jacob and Cody held onto Max as Tommy scooped Andy up. “Can we go home? I think there’s a lot explaining to do.” Aurie stumbled out of the mist as John put an arm around his shoulder. “I imagine you have a lot of questions.” “Let’s start with ‘where am I?’.” Max handed Tangina her necklace. “This is yours I believe.” “No, child, it’s yours,” Tangina told him as she put the necklace back into Max’s hand. “Use the power well, along with the cap’s magic. With the power of the Dream Master, you’ll be able to open up whole new worlds.” * Hours later, Andy stood in the bathroom staring at his back while in front of the mirror. “Will healed my wounds, but it still feels weird,” Andy said as he examined his repaired back. “It just really tickles.” “Hey, you’re not dead,” Jacob told him. “Don’t knock it. Get dressed so we can head out. You have one last chance with Carol Anne, don’t blow it.” “Actually, I’m just gonna leave well enough alone,” Andy said as he grabbed his t-shirt. “She just lost her big brother and she’s probably traumatized. I mean, I really do care about her, but trying to take advantage of her emotions right now… that’d be a real dick move. I want her to like me for me, you know? Not the drunken asshole I’ve been or the guy who’s just trying to hit on her because Robbie’s gone. Like John said, if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen. If not, I guess I have to deal. Probably a lesson I need to learn about everything in my life. Danny, my Mom, I guess I have a lot of dealing to do.” “I’m proud of you, kid,” Jacob said as he patted Andy’s shoulder before leaving. “We’re saying our goodbyes now. See you downstairs.” As Jacob left, he passed Carol Anne standing outside the door. “Your brother was a good guy,” Jacob told her. “I’m sorry he’s gone.” * “Are you sure you and the baby are alright?” Scott asked. “Should we go to the hospital to check you out?” “I told you, I’m okay,” Dana told him. “I have a feeling Robbie’s looking out for our baby now, where ever he is.” “Mr. and Mrs. Freeling, I’m terribly sorry about your son,” Tommy told them. “He was a strong kid.” “Would have made one hell of a team member,” Max told her. “He saved my life and Andy’s back there. As far as I’m concerned, he’s always going to be one of us.” “Robbie saved everyone,” Diane said. “We’re going to give him a proper sendoff in a few days once Tangina is sure we’re safe.” “This house is clean,” Tangina told them as she walked in, seeing Jacob walking down the stairs. “There’s no spectral energy from Kane or his followers.” “What about that demon kid?” Jacob asked. “He was a nasty customer.” “He won’t be back,” John said as he walked in with a garbage bag. “Dug up that demon skeleton Tangina sensed when we came back. We’ll bury this thing with holy water in a field on the way home. He won’t be haunting this family again. I’ll go see if Max and Cody are ready to roll.” * Max found Cody sitting out back with his arms around his legs. “You’re still shaking,” Max told him. “Are you going to be okay?” “He was 16,” Cody whispered. “He was our age and he was just… torn apart like he was nothing. OUR AGE, Max. I mean, we’ve faced lots of deadly shit, but Robbie was just a regular kid that didn’t want anything to do with this life. He wanted to get his family away from this and just move on with his life. He could have walked away before we dragged him back here. He could have lived.” “He wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he left his sisters at the mercy of Kane and that demonic little bastard,” Max said as he sat down and put an arm around Cody’s shoulder. “He died doing what was right.” “But he was normal,” Cody told him. “He didn’t have dream powers or a special hat or ties to a killer doll or dream slashing ghoul. He was a normal guy that went to school and played sports and had a loving family. He didn’t deserve to go out like that.” “I know,” Max told him. “It stings knowing what he could have accomplished.” “It’s more than that,” Cody said. “I’ve got a curse on my head, Max. Jacob’s being hunted by Freddy. The Cult and Chucky are probably both gunning for Andy right now. Any of us could die at any moment without warning and it… scares me knowing that my brothers could die horribly and I might not be able to do anything about it,” Cody said as a tear fell from his eye. “I don’t want to lose my new family.” “You won’t,” Max promised. “Especially me. I’m never leaving my best friend. We’re together until the end.” “At least you have an angel boyfriend,” Cody laughed a little. “I’m sure he’s working on a way to come back to you right now.” * Will sat in the playroom he’d spent his entire life in, sitting in a chair next to a bed as a teenage boy rolled over and moaned while opening his eyes. “Is this heaven?” “No,” Will told him. “We’re on an etherial plane of existence.” “What are we doing here?” “Waiting,” “For what?” “Until we’re needed,” Will told Robbie as the boy started to sit up. “You made a sacrifice to save someone you love. That makes you special, and… someone noticed. I don’t know who, but someone has plans for us and maybe others. I guess for right now we just have to wait until that someone decides to put us back in the game.” “What do we do in the meantime?” “Want to play card games? Anything but ‘War’.” * Andy finally emerged from the bathroom and saw Carol Anne standing there. “Were you waiting for me this whole time?” “I just wanted to say thanks for being my brother’s friend,” Carol Anne told him. “I’m glad he had friends at the end.” “He died because we brought him back,” “He died because he knew he couldn’t leave us in trouble,” Carol Anne told him. “Plus you did save me, so thank you.” Before he could say anything, Carol Anne kissed his cheek. “Get sober and clean yourself up, Andy. When I’m 16 and can date, maybe we can go out to a movie.” “I’d like that,” Andy told her as he blushed. “Your brother was one of us, so I guess that makes you a Nightmare Warrior, too. If you ever need my— our— help, give us a call. Wait, what about Aurie? Kane grabbed him because he had feelings for you.” “Aurie’s cute, but… he’s not my type,” Carol Anne said as she mussed his hair. “I like Good Guys,” before Andy could say anything, she started to walk away. “I do my research.” “You Googled me?” “See you in four years, Andy Barclay,” Carol Anne said as she headed downstairs. * “Dream Master, you must face your fears soon,” Tangina warned Jacob as he put his gear into the van. “Before Freddy becomes too powerful. He’s on the verge of getting everything he needs. If he escapes the boundaries of Springwood, he’ll be unstoppable.” “How do I do that?” Jacob asked. “I’m terrified of going back there.” “Your reason for going back is waiting for you there,” Tangina told him. “Good luck. You have nearly everyone you need to help you on your journey. Let the blind child guide you when he arrives.” “The blind chi— what the hell are you talking about?” Jacob asked as he turned back to see Tangina was already gone. “Great, now I have that to worry about.” “Everyone ready to go?” Tommy asked as everyone got in. “Let’s go home after we get rid of this demon skeleton. Then maybe we can get a round of drinks and toast our fallen member. Robbie would have made a great teammate. I guess we could make an exception for Andy to drink tonight, just this once.” “I’ll have soda, thanks,” Andy told them. “I have a reason to get sober now. I just hope she waits for me.” “It’s amazing what getting your first boner can do for your sobriety. We’ll keep you on track, buddy,” Jacob promised him as the van drove down the street. “You know something? It actually was my first one,” Andy told him. “I’ll give you some tips on how to deal with them when we get home,” Jacob told him. “Damn, we’re going to have to buy more kleenex on the way home,” John said under his breath. As they headed for the freeway, the van passed Aurie, who waved goodbye as he smirked. “Good riddance,” Aurie told them as his voice turned demonic briefly. “I lost my powers when I took possession of this form, but I have a body now. And once I find a way to regain my powers, blood’s really gonna run.” * Haddonfield, Illinois In an underground bunker, a man arrived by elevator to find his people hard at work on their next project. He walked past the remnants of a Stonehenge monument and into a room where his associates sat. “Everything is going according to plan,” a man told him. “Within 72 hours, the targets will be dead.” “Excellent.” Dr. Loomis told him. “Tommy Jarvis and his friends have done enough damage to our operations. It’s time that his ‘Nightmare Warriors’ be eradicated. Are our soldiers ready?” “Yes, sir,” As they looked through a plate glass window into the next room they saw 7 teenagers standing on a stage with wires attached to them. Henry Evans, Rhoda Penmark, Mikey Bonsall, Esther Coleman, Joshua Cairn, and Jude Convery. Danny Strode stood near them while holding a scythe, waiting for them to awaken. “Then activate The Children of the Cult,” Loomis said as the sleeping teenagers slowly opened their eyes. “Let the death of the Nightmare Warriors begin.” TO BE CONTINUED…
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Ed's Note - Be sure to catch up on Mighty Max, and then NW: The Gathering, before you carve into Nightmare Warriors!
by Tobias ChristopherJust a body. Meat, bones, some skin... Archives
July 2020
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