The Dark Place (#FrightFest2016 Gold Winner)

The Dark Place - Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Four

1

Tamicka was in shock. She had seen what The One Inside had done to the girl in the barn. She hadn't liked that girl but neither had she wanted that to happen to her.

Tamicka tried to convince herself that it had been an accident, that The One Inside had done nothing to cause the girl's death. She had merely tried to protect her. It was nobody's fault that the girl had lost her balance and had fallen from the ladder. Nobody but Tamicka's. If she had not been by the lake she would probably never have met the girl. She would still be alive and Tamicka would be at home with her father.

That's right! It's all my fault! I'm the only one to blame.

With that thought she turned away and drifted back into the Darkness.

2

There was a noise in the darkness. It was hard for Tamicka to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from or what it was but it was somewhere behind her and that was good. It meant that she was moving away from it.

As she continued deeper into the vast abyss the sound seemed to change its course. Tamicka hated it. It was giving her something to focus on and that was the last thing she wanted. She just wanted to drift away and become nothing again. But the sound would not let her.

It was gaining on her, not quickly but at a steady pace. She wanted to get away from it, to move in the opposite direction, but she had no control over anything while that sound was hunting her down.

It sounded like static, like something trying to break through the darkness and catch her. She wanted to move faster but she could not. The noise was still far off but it was over to her left, almost parallel to her position.

It was only a matter of time before the sound moved ahead of her, until it was almost directly in front of her. She needed to change course, to somehow put that dreadful sound behind her again.

The more she willed herself to stop was the quicker she moved toward the static. A faint pinhole of light was growing in front of her and as the light grew so too did the sound.

Ice cold gnawed away at where her fingers and toes should have been and she realized that she was coming back to herself.

Seeing through her own eyes again was strange at first, everything around her was blurred. She could feel something in her hand and her limbs were strained as if they were gripping onto something for dear life.

She was on the man's back and she could feel his hands wrestle against the legs and arm which were crushing the life out of him.

Tamicka tried to let go but she could not, she was not in control. The One Inside was in control now.

It was only as the knife drove into the man's head that everything became clear. The sight of the knife going into the man's temple, the sound of steel breaking through bone, was all too much for her and she wanted to be sick or pass out or both. It seemed she did not even have control over that.

3

Why? Why are you making me do these things?

"Go back and forget about what you saw."

Tamicka tried to take control but The One Inside was too strong for her.

Is this what you wanted me to help you with? To kill people?

"Go back into the darkness, you have done nothing wrong!"

Tamicka's vision blurred as she felt herself drifting back into the cold darkness. She knew that it was only a matter of time before she would give in to it but she was determined not to go without a fight.

You can't do this I won't let you!

"There is nothing you can do to stop me child. I have waited a long time for this moment. After tonight I will be back for good."

Tamicka was fading fast and there was little she could do against it.

Please don't do this. I don't want to kill anymore. I want you gone from me right now.

"You won't have to worry about anything at all after tonight. In the next few hours I will become stronger and you will be nothing. See, you are already slipping away."

Tamicka gave one last push to stay conscious, to fight against The One Inside but it was useless.

Please... please don't do this.

"But I must. The last one must die so that I can live. Tamicka, it's time for you to sleep."

Tamicka's fight was over as invisible tentacles took hold of her and dragged her back into the cold, dark void.

Author's Note

If you liked this chapter please give it a vote. It's easy to do, you only have to press on the star and that's all there is to it. Your vote will help push The Dark Place up the charts where it will make it easier for people to find and read. Thank you very much. :o)