Fairfield, Connecticut
13-year-old Aurie Davis, a young man from the neighborhood, pushed the lawnmower through the grass on a warm spring day. The Freelings had paid him to keep up the yard, and he had earned every cent of the ten dollars they paid him every week to keep the grass trimmed and the liter off of the lawn. However lately he had a feeling that someone had been watching him while he worked. Maybe it was the Freeling’s youngest daughter, who was around Aurie’s age. Or it could be the old pervert across the street he was warned to stay away from, which is why he never took off his shirt, even on the hottest day. As the young man finished mowing the lawn, he started dragging the lawnmower back to the shed, smiling at Carol Anne through the window. He did think the 12-year-old Carol Anne was cute, but he’d also heard the strange rumors about the family that made him cautious. But 10 bucks a week was enough to get him to at least do odd jobs around the house. As Aurie waved to the girl in the window, he heard what felt like a ghostly howl in the wind. Maybe in due time he’d work up the nerve to ask Carol Anne to sit with him at lunch at school. If that worked out, maybe he could ask her out to a movie some night. Another ghostly howl in the breeze caused his hair to stand on end as he unlocked the shed. “It was nothing,” Aurie thought as he opened the shed, just as a rake fell from the corner, nearly hitting him. He jumped back, his heart racing a little. Aurie slowly picked up the rake and put it back before closing the shed and locking it while feeling a cold chill run down his neck. As he looked around to make sure no one else was around, he walked past the garage and through a large puddle of water. As soon as his sneaker touched the water, it started to glow as the young man fell through the now deep water, which was at least a dozen feet deep. He kept trying to climb out as a pair of clammy gray hands popped up, grabbing him around the neck and hair. “Carol Anne is MINE!” the echoing voice shouted as the boy was dragged deep under the water. The water stopped glowing and returned to a regular water puddle again that stood less than an inch, with only a single white sneaker covered in ice remaining on the driveway… * Iowa Tangina, a shorter, older woman with a blue necklace around her neck, had been looking at produce when she dropped a bunch of bananas when a feeling hit her. A powerful psychic who had once used her powers to help those in need of supernatural help, Tangina had long since retired to a life of peace in Iowa, although sometimes she did offer aid to those who needed it. It had been years since she’d had contact with the Freelings, but today a powerful surge of psychic energy hit her. “He’s found her. I must hurry before it’s too late.” Nightmare Warriors #8 “Poltergeist Who’s Coming To Dinner” Nebraska On a quiet night in a small town, the people were going about their business, never really having experienced truly out of the ordinary. Until tonight. The night where two teenage boys suddenly came running out of a building, chasing a fast slithering snake while holding weapons. “Get back here, you little son of a bitch!” Cody Ingalls shouted as he chased after the snake with a crossbow. “Hold still!” Cody pushed past the people on the street as he gave chase while his prey quickly slithered toward an alley. “Excuse me, pardon me. Oh, that’s a nice hat! My girlfriend has the same one.” “Your ex-girlfriend,” Max reminded him as he followed Cody up the street before stopping. “Alright, this is getting us nowhere. Gotta stop that snake before it hitches a ride in a new body. Cody, get ready!” Max eyed the snake as his hat started to glow with bright white energy. A portal opened in front of the snake, which slithered through while another portal opened in front of Cody, who aimed his crossbow at the snake. “Come to daddy,” Cody smiled as the snake slithered through. Cody fired the sharpened arrow, cutting the snake in half as it shrieked in painful terror. The people around just stared as Cody looked around. “Oh, yeah, sorry, we’re exterminators. Just clearing out the pests, folks, no need to worry, we’re professionals.” Cody scooped up the remains in a sack as he ran, grabbing Max by the arm and muttering under his breath. “Run, Max, before someone finds the bodies upstairs.” As they rounded the corner into the alley, they leaned against the wall. “Stupid kids, unleashing evil into the world to try to strike a deal with Satan,” Cody said as he ran a hand through his hair. “I hope they asked for some cool shit before they were killed, like maybe a cool car or something and nothing stupid like a gold fiddle. Who the FUCK wants a gold fiddle? At least try to barter for a cool instrument like a guitar or a piano.” “I used to play the fiddle when I was little before my mom died,” Max told him. Cody just rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Jesus Christ, Max, when do we reach the summit of your mountain of gayness? You’re my best friend in the world, but seriously, every time we seem to be reaching the top, the elevation ends up far higher. And what the hell did you by ‘ex-girlfriend’? Bridget and I just taking a break.” “She got a new phone number,” “People get new numbers all the time,” Cody told him. “She blocked your number,” “She probably did it by mistake,” Cody said. “She changed her online relationship status to ‘Fuck off, Cody,” “She’s just a little upset with me,” Cody said. “She’ll calm down when she’s ready.” “You got her father killed when a Leprechaun punched him through the back of the skull and used him like a puppet. Cody, she’s gone. She is never coming back you in million years.” “I can wait,” Cody said. “I’m a patient guy.” * “We got one!” John shouted as he held up a snake. “You pushed a little old lady down the stairs,” Andy said the two ran out of the Ferguson Nursing home. “She landed on a mattress,” John replied. “That I had to drag downstairs,” Andy told him. “How many more?” “I think it’s just two more,” John said. “Then we can get rid of these things for good.” “I think I saw it head that way!” Andy shouted as he turned a corner, running into a boy his age, just a bit taller with dark blonde hair. “Watch where you’re going, dork,” the boy said as Andy recognized him immediately. The Kill Bill siren music blared in Andy’s head as he remembered being tormented on his first day of school back in 2nd grade. “Come on, Andy!” John shouted as he ran past. “Wait a minute, you’re the kid who couldn’t handle 2nd grade,” Rick Spires said. “You’re the guy who killed Mrs. Kettlewell!” “I didn’t kill her,” Andy told him as he shoved Rick away. “I don’t have time for assholes right now.” Rick grabbed him by the shirt and got a sadistic sneer on his face. “She was my favorite teacher. I’m gonna clean your clock!” “Let me go!” Andy shouted. “What are you gonna do, cry to your mommy?” Rick asked. “Didn’t she ditch you in a foster home? Aw, your mommy didn’t love you?” Andy lost control of his anger at that point and head-butted Rick in the noise as hard as he could as a cracking nose was heard. Rick’s nose gushed blood as he fell to his knees. “You- you broke my nose!” Andy used two fingers to pulled Rick up by his nose until he got to his feet. “Why don’t you go home and cry to mommy?” Rick ran off crying as John returned, holding the snake around the neck. “Jesus, Andy. That was a bit… hardcore.” “No one talks about my mom,” Andy said bitterly. “No one.” “Do you maybe want to… talk?” John asked. “I need a drink,” Andy said as he walked away as he pulled out a flask he had for emergencies. “Fuck Tommy’s rules.” * “Snakes? Why did it have to be snakes?” Tommy asked as he struggled with a snake that was trying to jump into his body. “A little help here?” “I’m on it!” Jacob shouted as he picked up a large stick while attempting to hit the snake, but kept hitting Tommy. “Sorry!” “Just bash this stupid fucking thing before it gets in my body and makes me kill someone!” Tommy told him. “How hard is it to kill another of these things?” “What do you mean? I killed the last one,” Jacob told him. “Then kill this one already!” “Fine, fine,” Jacob said as he got ready to hit the snake when he heard a voice. “Dream Master!” Tangina said as Jacob stopped, dropping the stick as he stumbled back. “You’re needed! Find the Freelings in Connecticut before it’s too late!” “JACOB!” Tommy shouted as Cody ran up and grabbed the snake. “Do it, Max!” Cody shouted Max drove a knife into the snake, stopping just inches from Cody’s eyeball. “Cut it close there, didn’t you?” “Relax, you’d look good with an eyepatch,” Max told him as Cody dropped the dead snake into the bag as John and Andy walked up. “I believe that makes Seven Deadly Sins,” John said. “Let’s burn these fuckers in holy water and be done with it before these things regenerate.” “You okay, Jacob?” Andy asked as he drunk from his flask as Tommy looked at him. “Baby steps, alright? Can’t expect me to go cold turkey immediately. Sometimes I need a little pick-me-up during a mission, like when I run into assholes I knew as a kid.” “Kid? You’re— you’re 12,” Cody reminded him. “I’ll be 13 in November,” “I think we got our next mission,” Jacob told the group. * “Tangina’s the one that led me to Dalton,” Jacob told them as they sat in the van while Tommy and John dealt with the remains of the snakes at the local church. “My… well, he’s my…” “Your boyfriend, we read the letters,” Cody told him. “It’s cool, dude, we don’t care if you’re gay.” “I’m not gay, I’m bisexual.” “Sure you are, honey,” Cody told him as he lightly slapped him on the cheek. “ANYWAY,” Jacob told him. “Tangina’s a medium, and now she wants me to find the Freeling family in Connecticut. I don’t know why.” Max sat against the wall on the laptop as he typed. “Here’s why. About 8 years ago, the Freeling family got haunted by poltergeists when they moved into a house that was built over a cemetery. They moved the headstones, but not the bodies. The ghosts got understandably pissed. They were led by a Reverend Kane, who’d convinced his followers not to go into the light when they died. Because Carol Anne Freeling had been born in the house they were haunting, they were drawn to her, believed she could lead them to the light so they’d finally be at peace. And no matter how many times the Freelings moved, Kane and his people would follow them for two years until Kane was trapped in the void between life and death.” “And now they’re back,” Cody said. “So, what are we supposed to do? We’re not the Ghostbusters.” “Tangina wants us there, so we have to go,” Jacob told them. “Maybe my dream powers can help, or Max’s cap, I don’t know. I just know Tangina brought me to Dalton so I owe her at least that match.” “Didn’t Dalton up and vanish when he moved?” Andy asked. “Maybe he’s just getting used to his new home,” Jacob told him. “I’ll find him soon enough, it’s only been a few weeks. For now we need to hit the road to Connecticut.” The van door opened as Tommy and John returned. “Well, that was an adventure,” John said. “Little fuckers started regenerating as we were frying them. That’s not a sound you want to hear if you want pleasant dreams. So what’s the mission?” * Connecticut Two days later, the blue van belonging to the Nightmare Warriors pulled up to the Freeling house. There was police tape in the yard where Aurie Davis had vanished without a trace, the only evidence to the crime being a white sneaker coated in ice. The Freelings had been cleared on any wrongdoing, but now the whole city was searching for Aurie Davis. “Think it was just a kidnapping?” John asked as he read the article. “His parents said he had no reason to run away,” Tommy said. “He was a good student, played hockey, and pretty much every girl at his girl was swooning over him. If it was maybe something supernatural, that’s the reason we’re here, right?” They walked up to the door and knocked as Steve Freeling opened the door. He was an older man that looked like he could be a coach for a college team. “Can I help you?” “Yeah, I can’t quite explain, but we were sent here for a ghost problem?” Tommy said. “We’re done with paranormal researchers, psychics, and wise men,” Steve told him as he started to close the door. “Good day.” “Wait,” Jacob said. “Tangina sent us.” “Tangina?” Diane Freeling said as she rushed to the door. “She sent you? She said she had some last-minute business to take care of but she was coming here right after. Who are you?” “We have experience in fighting monsters,” John told her. “May we come in?” “If they can help Carol Anne, we have to trust them,” Diane said as she looked at Steve. The Freelings led them to the living room where a young man and woman in their early 20’s sat on the couch. “This is our daughter Dana and her fiancee Scott,” Diane told them. They’d met in college and had recently become engaged, only to discover they were pregnant soon after. “And this is our little bundle of joy,” Dana said as she put a hand on her stomach. “We’re finding out the sex next week.” “Congratulations,” Tommy said. “What can you tell us about the kid that vanished from the yard?” “We told the police everything we know, even let them search the house,” Steve told them. “We never knew Aurie before he moved in last month. He’s a good kid, a hard worker. Outside of Carol Anne bringing him lemonade, I was the only one to ever talk to him when I paid him for the yard work.” “And where’s Carol Anne now?” John asked. “I’m right here,” a girl’s voice said from the stairs. As they looked over, Andy’s heart started skipping a beat as he could have sworn that he heard White Snake’s ‘Is This Love?’ playing. Time seemed to slow down as Andy watched the blonde, long-haired Carol Ann descend the stairs. “What’s happening right now?” Cody asked as he noticed Andy’s smitten look. “No,” John said as he snapped his fingers in front of Andy’s face. “It can’t be, can it?” “I think our little Andy’s got his first crush,” Max realized. “Does our little boy have a little crush —“ Andy’s fist plowed into Max’s stomach as he fell over just as Carol Anne walked in. “Hi,” Andy said in a daze as he kept his eyes on Carol Anne. “Ew, you smell like that nasty stuff Daddy drinks from that bottle in the cabinet,” Carol Anne told him. “Are they here to stop the ghosts from taking me?” “We’re going to try,” John promised as he looked around. “I thought there were three kids in this family.” “Robbie’s out in the yard,” Diane told him. “He’s been depressed lately. He feels like we’ve been ignoring him for a while between the move, helping Dana prepare for his pregnancy and make sure Carol Anne’s settled. We were going to have a big party for him until this business started up again. Truthfully we do love Robbie, but sometimes he gets lost in the shuffle.” “Come on, Max, let’s go talk to him,” Cody suggested as they passed by a trophy case. “Baseball, football, bowling? Holy shit, nothing says ‘Trying to win Daddy’s love’ like bringing home a bowling trophy.” “Seriously,” Max told him. “My foster parents were impressed after the first swimming medal I brought home. They were proud of me from the start. Kind of less impressed when they found out the medal wasn’t real gold, though.” “I wish my parents had lived long enough for me to earn some trophies,” Cody said sadly. “I mean, yeah, I know they loved me and all, but I just felt like they were gone before they could actually say it.” “It probably doesn’t count, but I’m proud of you,” Max said. “You know what? It kind of does,” Cody smiled as they headed for the door. As they passed by the mirror, Reverend Kane smirked at them. “Thanks, buddy.” “So, are those two… together?” Dana asked when they were gone. “What? No, they just bonded through monsters trying to devour their immortal souls,” Tommy told them without flinching. “Has there been any ghostly activity in the house?” “Beyond the living room rearranging itself randomly?” Steve asked. “Maybe we need to check the whole house,” John suggested. “Dana, why don’t you and Scott show them the upstairs bedrooms?” Diane said. As Dana stood up, Reverend Kane stood behind the couch in the mirror near the door. “I’ll show some of you the kitchen.” As Diane led Jacob and John to the kitchen, Kane watched them disappear into the next room, cackling to himself. * In the front yard, a reddish-blonde teenage boy sat on a tree swing, just staring down at the ground. “Careful, dude, the tree might try to eat you,” Cody joked. “No reaction, huh? Let me guess, you’re depressed because the younger sister’s plagued by ghosts and the older sister has the parent’s love for giving them a grandkid. No love for the middle son no matter how hard he tries, is that right?” “There’s nothing special about me,” Robbie told them with a sigh. “No matter what I do, I can’t hold their attention. I sign up for every sport, I get straight A’s, but the second Carol Anne is scared at night my parents are right there to comfort her. No one’s been there to comfort me since my braces tried to eat me.” “I’m glad I never had to have braces,” Cody told him. “I knew those things were a nightmare, but—“ “I’m sure your family loves you,” Max said. “If demons weren’t trying to eat your sister’s soul they’d be out proving it to you right now. You just gotta give them time.” “I’m thinking about seeing if I can go stay with my aunt in Chicago for a while. I’d probably get more attention there,” Robbie said. “How does your family feel about this?” Cody asked. “Haven’t told them,” Robbie said. “There’s no point, they’d just ignore me anyway like they always do.” “I’m sure that’s not true,” Cody told him. “Today’s my 16th birthday. I get that they’re worried about losing Carol Anne, I am too, I’d do anything to keep her safe, but a ‘Happy Birthday’ would have at least been nice.” Max and Cody put their hands on his back to comfort him. * in the kitchen, John checked under the table while Andy looked under the sink to see what they could find. “Nothing’s happened beyond the furniture on the ceiling thing?” John asked. “When did that start?” “The day before yesterday,” Diane told them. “It’s been years since we’ve had to deal with something like this. I mean, there have been little things here and there that have forced us to move, but nothing on this level like a little boy vanishing.” “You think it’s this Kane guy?” Andy asked. “I don’t know,” Diane said. “But the last time we were told that Kane had to be invited in. The only person we’ve invited in was Aurie, but—“ “But what?” John asked. “Aurie came in and nearly passed out as he got into the living room,” Diane said. “We thought he was dehydrated, he’d been working hard all afternoon so I got him some water, but by the time I got back with it, he was fine.” “Kane hitched a ride in his body,” John realized. “So he’s in the house. But why hasn’t he tried to grab Carol Anne? Why just some random kid that has nothing to do with this?” “Tangina said he’s weak right now, so it might take time to gather his strength,” Diane told him. “Could he have seen Aurie as a threat?” “No, there’s something else here,” John told her. “Why wait eight years to come back? Where’s he been this whole time?” As Andy looked in the refrigerator, he noticed a tray of meat but closed the door he could see the maggots crawling in it. * After searching the bedrooms, Tommy returned to Jacob. “You’re the psychic of the group. Don’t you feel anything on the missing kid?” “I wouldn’t even begin to know what to look for,” Jacob said. “I’ve never even met the guy. Hell, it was Tangina that sent us here after the fact. I mean, maybe it’d be different if I had something to work with.” “How about his jacket?” Carol Anne said. “He brought it just in case it rained before he went home the day he disappeared.” “I guess it’s worth a shot,” Jacob told her as Andy and John came upstairs. As Carol Anne passed by, Andy just smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Carol Anne,” Andy told her. “No ghosts will get you while I’m here.” “I’m not afraid of the ghosts,” Carol Anne told him. “I’ve been through this before, and even if this was the first time, you’re the last person I’d turn to for protection. I’d turn to my Daddy and big brother or Scott before you. I don’t like people who drink.” As Carol Anne carried the jacket into the bedroom, Andy looked sad as John put a hand on his shoulder. “You really like this girl, don’t you?” “I’ve never liked anyone like this,” Andy told him. “But she doesn’t like me. What do I do? I like her, John. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before.” John pulled out a bottle of breath mints and put them in Andy’s hand. “Give me the flask.” “But—“ “Give. Me. The. Flask,” John told him as Andy reluctantly handed it over. “Start drinking water and coffee and for God’s sake, stop acting like a dipstick. Once you sober up, try again, I have a feeling we’ll be in the neighborhood for a few days until we crack this. Just don’t lose hope, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. Just don’t force it, she’ll come around if you clean yourself up.” In the bedroom, Carol Anne handed Jacob the jacket. “He was wearing this when he came in the other day,” Carol Anne said. “Well, I don’t know if my powers are strong enough to—“ as Jacob took the jacket, a bright flash of light hit him as he started being assaulted by several images of a cold, dark place. Fog covered the ground as a solitary bright light from far off shined through the darkness. Jacob let go of the jacket as he started to fall before Tommy caught him. “So cold…,” Jacob said as he shivered. “I felt what Aurie was feeling, Tommy. He’s somewhere dark. He can’t move and he’s scared. He wants his mother and, he likes Carol Anne.” “That’s why Kane took him,” Tangina said as she stood at the door. “He’s going to try to remove anyone who feels love for Carol Ann as he gains strength so she has no one left on this side to help her. As he grows stronger, he’ll come for the rest of her family as well. I can feel him, he’s in the house.” “What was that place I saw?” Jacob asked. “The Other Side,” Tangina replied. “That’s where he’s going to try to force Carol Ann to lead him into the light.” “Then why don’t we get her out of here?” Tommy asked. “Get her far away.” “Kane will follow, just like he always does,” Tangina told him. “After all of these years he must have found her. Even the tiniest thought of him could have acted as a beacon for his evil.” “That horror movie Robbie watched last week when we told him not to. I knew letting having him that mini-DVD player was a mistake,” Diane said. “Did you watch it, Carol Anne?” “Only part of it,” Carol Anne said. “Amityville Horror, it reminded me of what happened, but I wasn’t scared.” “It was enough, child,” Tangina told her. “All it takes is one toe in the door for him to come back.” “So it’s my fault now?” Robbie asked as he stood at the door. “So it’s not enough everyone ignores me, but now I’m responsible for those things coming back?” “Robbie, we never said—“ Steve said as Robbie backed away. “You didn’t have to say it, I can tell by the way everyone looked at me when I walked in. No wonder you forgot my birthday, I’m just the worthless middle child that just got my sister kidnapped by ghosts.” “Robbie, this isn’t about you right now,” Diane told him. “And it’s not your fault, we all knew this would happen again someday.” “Yeah, it’s never about me, not even on my birthday apparently,” Robbie said as he ran out the door. Steve and Diane just looked at each other. “We were going to put the decorations up just before this started happening,” Diane realized. “I was getting ready to make the cake and— We should talk to him.” “I’ll do it,” Andy volunteered as he heard the door slam. “Me and someone with a license will do it.” “We need to prepare for Kane,” Tangina told everyone else as Andy and Max left the room. “He’ll be strong enough to strike very soon, we need to protect Carol Ann and… the baby,” Tangina said as she looked at Dana. “I sense your baby is also in danger in this house.” “That’s it, we’re going to a motel,” Scott said as he started his forearm in frustration, a nervous tic he’d had since childhood when his younger sister had put spiders into his bed one night. “Honey, I want to protect your family, but I’m not putting you or this baby in danger.” “Kane will find you where ever you go now,” Tangina told them. “Everyone must stay here to be safe until we finish this.” “I saw it,” Jacob said in a blank stare as he talked to no one in particular. “I saw Kane in my vision. Old, frail-looking bastard? Pasty skin that didn’t look too healthy? He was with someone. A kid about Andy’s age, dressed in black. There was something evil about him. If Dana leaves the house, Kane will come after her. It’s like Kane wasn’t just after Carol Ann. He wants Dana and the baby and… someone else, but I snapped out of it before I could see who.” “Well, he wants Carol Ann and Dana, maybe he wants Robbie too, take her siblings off the board before they can fight back,” Cody suggested. “Maybe it’s best no one else leaves until we stop this.” “Your powers can lead us to the Other Side,” Tangina told Jacob as she took off her necklace and put it in his hands. “This necklace was given to me by a powerful medicine man the last time we fought Kane’s evil. We have to confront Kane there before he gets too powerful. This necklace will lead you to him so you can fight him.” “I guess we’re having a sleepover,” Tommy told the group. “We need to focus on protecting Carol Anne and Dana from this point forward. Andy and Max will protect Robbie until they come back. In the meantime, let’s gear up with any weapon we can find.” “Don’t worry, I have my crossbow,” Cody told him. “That makes me feel better, we might run across a pig so we can have a luau,” Steve sarcastically said. “Max took the van,” John realized as he felt around for the van keys. “Does he even know how to drive?” “Do any of us have a valid license?” Jacob asked. “Yeah, didn’t think so.” “He has a learner’s permit,” Cody told them. “He’ll be okay.” * Andy sat in the passenger side seat as he kept a lookout while the van drove down the street. “You’re just doing this to get Carol Anne to warm up to you, aren’t you?” Max asked as he kept his eyes on the road. “What? No,” Andy laughed. “I really want to help Randy,” “Robbie,” “Whatever,” Andy said he looked out the window. “There he is! Pull over!” Robbie sat at a bus stop as the van pulled up. Andy and Max ran up to him as Robbie looked up. “Where are you going?” Max asked. “Chicago,” Robbie said. “My aunt will let me stay there for a while. There’s one there to endanger.” “What happened wasn’t your fault,” Andy told him. “You couldn’t have known that watching a horror movie would lead to this. You’re a kid, you like horror flicks, most kids do.” “Do you?” Robbie asked. “As long as it’s not about demon-possessed dolls,” “I still need to leave,” Robbie said as he stood him. “I’m not doing anyone any good here. I’ll just be in the way, I always am.” “Then go somewhere you can be useful,” Max told him. “Join our team. You’ve had experience with these things, maybe you can be of use to us.” “He’s right, if you join us, you’ll be somewhere where you’ll be appreciated,” Andy said. “You’ll be with friends, and if a monster attacks you, then at least you’ll be in good company.” “I don’t know,” Robbie said. “I’d have to think about it.” “And while you’re thinking, come back to help save your sister,” Max said. “We can’t do this without you.” “That’s a load of bullshit, but… okay,” Robbie told him. “I guess we can talk about this some more after we kick Kane’s ass.” * The sun had set and darkness had overtaken the neighborhood as Scott, Dana and Carol Anne were in the basement with Scott holding a shotgun. “I don’t like this,” Scott said. “This basement feels like a tight space.” “There’s no place for ghosts to attack down here as far as I can tell,” Tommy told him. “We’ll be right upstairs, ready to fight Kane when he starts his shit. You should be safe here.” “I’d still feel better if Dana was far away from here,” Scott told him. “You’ll be okay,” Tommy promised. “Nothing’s getting through us. We’re armed to the teeth up there and we have a Dream Master and a guy with a magic hat. We’ve got this.” “Well, I certainly feel better,” Scott said as he rolled his eyes. * Upstairs, Jacob sat on the couch as Cody set up traps to alert them if someone entered the house. “So, what, are we going to ‘Home Alone’ the ghosts to death?” Jacob asked. “You might be able to enter the Other Side through your dreams,” Tangina told him. “You may be able to find this boy and talk to Kane before he strikes.” “And kick his ass if he gets hostile,” Tommy told him. “Are you up for it?” “It’s better than facing Freddy,” Jacob told him as he lay back on the couch. “Okay, I’ll give it a shot. At least asleep I have access to my Dream Master powers. A little super strength and a nice sonic scream oughta send him packing.” “In the meantime, I’m starving,” Cody said as he grabbed his crossbow. “I’m going to see if there’s something decent in the kitchen.” “I’ll go check on the parents upstairs,” John said as he grabbed his shotgun. “I just hope Andy and Max are on their way back.” * Downstairs, Carol Anne and Dana had fallen asleep on separate cots as Scott kept watch, trying not to doze off as he bolted awake. Scott went into the small adjoining bathroom to splash cold water on his face to stay awake as he noticed a spider crawling up the drain. He started to nervously scratch his arm as his childhood trauma came back to haunt him. “They should hire an exterminator,” Scott said nervously as he scratched his arm as he felt a tickle, which was getting worse. He looked down and saw a lump moving through his arm. “What the—“ He went to open the door, finding it locked as the first lump started getting larger. More lumps started moving through his arms as he started feeling pain. “What’s going on?” Scott asked as he kept scratching as he started drawing blood as he streaked down his arm. Several small scary legs started poking through the wound. “Oh God.” A small spider started crawling through the wound, followed by more that were starting to burst through his skin, including a larger tarantula that was trying to burst through. As he fell back against the wall, Scott tore his shirt open as more spiders were starting to burst through small holes on his chest, screaming as they started popping out. His pant lets were starting to bulge, and two large spiders started to tear through his sneakers. He started screaming but was muffled as he started coughing up spiders as chunks of bloodied flesh started hitting the floor. The spiders were now coming out of his eyes, ears, and nose, tiny hairy legs trying to come through every orifice and large lumps were appearing on his forehead. Scott fell forward to the floor, hitting his head on the sink as his head burst open as a horde of spiders fell out and started filling the bathroom. “Scott?” Dana asked as she opened the door, finding the bathroom empty. Only Scott’s ripped clothing lay on the floor with the first spider crawling back down the drain. The echo of Kane’s laughter was heard coming from the drain. * Upstairs, Diane was brushing her hair in the bathroom mirror as she saw Steve in the reflection. “Think everyone’s going to be okay downstairs?” Steve asked as Diane just stared into the mirror. “We’ve gotten through this before, I know we’ll finally beat these things for good,” Diane said as she turned around, finding the bathroom door had been closed the whole time just a knock came and Steve opened the door. “Think everyone’s going to be okay downstairs?” Steve asked as Diane quickly turned around to see Kane in the mirror, laughing before he grabbed her by the head and pulling her into the mirror. Steve tried to pull Diane back as the cord from the hairdryer wrapped around his neck. Diane was pulled all the way through Steve fell back. “NO!” “Come and get her, if you dare!” Kane laughed as the mirror broke. Steve quickly got to his feet and ran into the bedroom, falling into the carpet that was now quicksand. Steve went under, trying to breathe and stay above the sand as he soon sank all the way under as the carpet returned to normal, just as John walked in. “Mr. and Mrs. Freeling?” John asked he carefully stepped in, seeing a clown doll sitting on the bed. John put the gun down and picked the creepy doll up. It had a hideous grin and long fingers. “Who sleeps with a clown doll?” The doll’s grin turned sinister as its arms wrapped around John’s neck and started giggling hideously. * “It’s begun,” Tangina warned Tommy. “Keep the boys safe, Jacob and the other two are the best weapons we have when they return.” “Max and Andy? How are they going to—“ Tommy asked as Tangina was pulled through the living room mirror. “Oh, shit!” Tommy went to help her as the mirror started to crack with a bright light shining through before exploding. Tommy flew back against the wall, being rendered unconscious as he hit the floor. Kane’s laugh was heard a large shelf started shaking, antiques falling to the ground as the shelf fell right on top of Tommy, porcelain shattering everywhere. * In the kitchen, Cody heard noises from living only to shrug them off. “Probably nothing,” Cody said as he opened the fridge to find a tray full of rotting meat, covered in maggots. “GROSS!” Cody slammed the door shut, leaning against the door as it started shaking violently. Picking up his crossbow from the counter, the door floor of its hinges as a ten-oot maggot crawled out. “What have they been feeding that thing?” Cody asked as he aimed his crossbow only for the maggot to scream before jumping at him with its razor-sharp teeth. * The Other Side Scott, along with Tangina and the Freelings, sat frozen in ice as Kane just stared at them. “I’m almost strong enough,” Kane said as someone appeared behind him. A young man dressed in black with long fingernails stared at the captives. “These aren’t the ones I asked for,” the Kid said in an adult voice that was far older than he appeared to look. With calmness in his voice he asked about his true targets. “Where’s the baby? Where’s the boy? It’s because of my power that you were able to return from the Void where you were trapped for years and you’ve brought me nothing. This is very disappointing.” “Soon,” Kane said the Kid stared around. “Wait a minute, someone here is watching us,” the Kid said as he smirked before he figured out who it was. “Well, hello, Jacob.” With a flick of his wrist, Jacob was pulled toward the ground and immediately wrapped in chains. Jacob had been searching for Aurie while trying to hear the Kid’s plan with Kane before he’d been realized. “It’s nice to have the Dream Master join us, but he’s not the one I wanted,” “You just fucked with the wrong Dream Master!” Jacob said as he broke through the chains, preparing for a sonic scream. “Now you’re going to—“ The Kid punched Jacob, causing his nose to bleed as he slashed at Jacob’s shirt, drawing blood. Before Jacob could fight back, the Kid flicked his wrist and trapped Jacob in ice. “I’d kill you, but your power might be useful to me when this is all over. Or it will when I rip those powers out of you and add them to my own,” the Kid said as he turned to face Kane. “My powers are being channeled through you so I can only operate on this plane for now. I want that baby so I can be reborn into the world, and I want that boy as my main course after my grand return.” “I’ll have them soon,” Kane told him. “I only have to capture the others, then Carol Anne is mine.” “Good,” the Kid said. * In another plane, the angel Will, in his toy soldier uniform, pounded on a locked door as he tried to escape while being tortured by a horde of demonic toys. Will, his soldier outfit ripped and torn and the boy battered and bruised, could only think of Max as he continued to be beaten down. * “Because I want my half-brother’s soulmate to be the first to die after I’m reborn. Then,” the Kid said as he made a grand gesture while smiling. ”The blood’s really going to flow.” 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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