3. Do a quick search of all three houses.
Leaving the gate alone for now, you head toward the nearest house and approach the front door.
It's unlocked, and you gently push it open.
Foyer. A crystal chandelier hangs overhead. For a moment it seems like icicles, or teeth. You blink and it changes back to normal. You step inside warily, poker hanging down but gripped firmly.
Coat rack. Closet to your left. The door is slightly ajar. You peek inside but see only muted darkness. No jackets. Must have been taken when whoever lived here left. Stairs directly ahead, kitchen and dining room visible to your left, den to your right. Similar to the house you're staying in, in fact. Slight differences besides the furniture.
Kitchen first. The knife block is overturned on the counter, the knives spilled out onto the tile. One of them, the large butcher knife, has fallen to the floor. The fridge and freezer doors are standing open. You glance inside and turn your face away from the smell of rotting meat.
Pantry. Most of the canned goods have been taken, by David and Nicole or the former residents. A few odds and ends left. A single can of beans.
You're not here for a thorough search or food. You leave and check the rest of the house.
Empty, empty, empty. The false fireplace seems to leer at you. Upstairs in the master bedroom the bed has been inexplicably completely stripped down to the mattress. What looks to be a knife wound bleeding stuffing is cut into roughly the center, about two feet long and ragged.
The master bath's glass shower door is shattered. Jagged glass litters the floor. The mirror is also cracked, like someone took a bat to it.
poker
Something about the bathroom disturbs you. (more than usual, anyway.) You leave quickly, shutting the door.
No one is here. The complete silence is starting the get to you. You almost wish the voices in your head would com
You leave the house and check the next one. Same story. Empty and silent. This time it looks like the living room had caught on fire. The couch is burnt and ripped open, the carpet blackened. Black marks like flame lick up the walls. A fireplace poker similar to yours is embedded into the wall. It's almost sunk halfway in at a downward angle. You give it a pull but it's stuck fast.
Upstairs reveals a crumpled note in what looks to be a guest bedroom on the nightstand.
they are coming
The writing looks hurried and one end of the shred of paper looks burnt.
Nicole and David are not here. With a sinking heart you leave to check the last house. You do not expect to find them.
The last house is a complete mess. Papers, trash, cans, beer bottles littered everywhere. The kitchen table looks like it has been hacked into pieces and then piled in the backyard for some reason. A bloody hatchet leans against one wall.
The stairs leading up have their railing smashed. The stairs themselves are stained with blood, obvious on the white carpet. The stairs in the other houses including your own were all hardwood.
You walk up. The master bedroom door is shut and locked. You consider smashing it open, then shrug. You don't think anything you want to see is on the other side.
"Well, it depends on whose side you're on," says a voice from behind you.
You spin around, adrenaline shooting through your system fast and hard. The tension that had been building finally breaks and your poker comes up in both hands, ready to swing. Your teeth are bared subconsciously.
Benny.
"Hey, man, been a while," he smiles at you, mirroring you.
You close your lips and lower your poker in disgust. "Fuck you," you say. Energy begins to drain out of you, back into your reserves.
Benny shakes his head and makes a tsking sound. "Now now now, is that any way to speak to your only friend?"
"I'm not your friend," you say, walking past him and back down the stairs.
"Maybe not," Benny says. Something in his voice makes you turn and look up at him.
"Yet," he finishes.
You give him the finger.
"Regardless, I'm now your only form of social contact, it seems," he continues, picking at his eye.
"I'll find them," you say.
"Oh? What if they don't want to be found?" Benny says. "What if David took Nicole and got the fuck out? What if he did it because he thought you were dangerous? What if he did it because you are?"
"That's not what happened," you say.
"Really? Then by all means, what's your explanation for the events that have recently unfolded? Face it, bro. You got ditched."
"No. Nicole wouldn't --"
"Nicole may be Queen Bitch of The Dark Alien Whatever, but she's just a little girl. David could have just grabbed her and left. You should be thankful to him for nursing you back to health first. Though, if we remember, he can't really take much credit in that respect," Benny smirks.
"God damn it. Go away. Leave me alone."
"No can do, bro."
"Then what the fuck do you want? Just to annoy me?"
"Me?" Benny looks innocent. "I don't want anything. I'm here because you want me here."
"Bullshit."
Benny giggles. The sound is like a hyena. "Oh, really? Think about it. Why, just a minute ago you were wishing for something to break the silence. Got a bit lonely, did you? Miss your Nikky? I admit I kinda miss her too. It's hard to find good pussy these days."
You raise your poker and take a step forward, up the steps.
Benny throws up his hands and grins. "Oh, man. Touch a nerve? Sorry, I didn't mean to set off your maternal instinct, honey."
You continue forward, gaining the top of the stairs. Benny is against the wall.
"Fine, take your best shot," Benny says, dropping his hands and folding them in front of him. "After all, it's your funeral."
**************************************
1. His head is at perfect swing level. Time to kill Benny again. Maybe this time he'll stay dead.
2. Lower the poker. It's time to talk.
3. Nothing good can come of interacting in any way with Benny. Turn around and leave. Ignore him.
**************************************
Poll
4 (66.7%)
Author
Topic: The Ends (Read 59261 times)