Brief and Crewsocks: Ghost Hunters

Chapter 10

It was not long before the boys found themselves in front of a rather plain building that seemed to be a business of sorts but lacked any major signage that a shop looking for customers might display. No advertising, no ostentatious displays.

Crewsocks looked over the building with notable trepidation. "Is this where the radar led us?" he asked.

Brief held his PKE meter up towards the building, the signal he was getting confirming what the radar in the SUV had told him. "Yeah—this is the place..."

No sooner had Brief taken a step forward than a sound emanated from the building. It took a moment for Brief to realize what the sound was though—it was the crying of a baby.

Crewsocks shifted uncomfortably and took a step backward, staring at the building with growing concern.

Brief turned to his partner with confusion. "Crewsocks—what is this place?" hearing the crying of a baby in a closed business was creepy enough in the gloomy atmosphere of the night but seeing his partner's concern put him more on edge.

"It's—" Crewsocks began before rolling his tongue around in his mouth and then swallowing hard, anything to prevent him from having to answer right away. "It's a prenatal clinic."

This took Brief by surprise and his gaze scanned the outside of the building before he found the sign that he had previously overlooked. It read 'Daten City Women's Clinic'. But how did Crewsocks know that it was specifically meant for prenatal care? He asked the other boy, "So then--..."

Crewsocks took in a deep breath before answering, "All night we have been facing the spirits of people who faced insurmountable frustrations and disappointments in life. But what could possibly be more frustrating and disappointing than having never been born at all?"

As if reacting to the simple presence of the two boys, the building began to shake and crack before them. The sound of the crying infant grew ever louder until it became almost deafening. The building groaned and shook before its roof and walls gave out, a giant unnatural black and red toddler breaking free from it as though it were an egg.

It was readily obvious to both boys that this was far more powerful than anything they had otherwise faced tonight.

"Shoot it!!" cried out Crewsocks to Brief, although both boys seemed to have their feet firmly frozen with fear as the giant gurgling baby made its way over towards them.

"I can't just shoot a baby!" Brief shot back, although he wasn't sure what else to do.

The baby swept its hand down at the two boys. Thinking quickly, Crewsocks leaped forward and held up his shield—not that it did him any good as he was batted away effortlessly and sent tumbling down the street. Sore and finding himself on his back, Crewsocks called out—as much to prove he was still alive as anything else, "I don't think it's giving us the same courtesy."

Snapping back to his senses Brief began to charge up his gun, but as the giant baby's hand came down towards him again, he found himself fleeing towards his SUV for cover. The baby quickly pursued behind him, its giant form allowing it to easily keep up despite its slow crawl.

Brief hid behind his car and looked down at his gun that was almost finished charging. The giant baby placed its hand on the top of the SUV, its palm enveloping the whole thing. When it placed its weight down upon it, the brand-new high-tech vehicle flattened with a sick, metallic crunch.

Brief screamed as he saw it destroyed right in front of him. "Oh, shit!! My truck!! My dad's going to kill me!!" His fear of his father's reprisal temporarily took hold of his senses and blinded him to the danger he was in. The shadow of the baby's other hand loomed above him and began growing darker.