FANGED

Chapter Forty-Six

"What? Did you vamps run out of funds when you were remodeling?" I grumbled to the emptiness.

Facing the stairs once again, it was hard to imagine they even belonged here. Everything about the Compound had been top notch stuff, not even a speck of dust anywhere...but here, it was a different story. The sad carpet covering each step was dusty and worn, faded of any color, and frayed around the edges with big gaping holes as if something had been chewing its way down each step. Cobwebs hung down in long floating sheets like ghostly silhouettes dancing to a grim tune nobody but they could hear. Though I had no trouble seeing in the dark, it didn't exactly make me want to go up there. I was paralyzed with more fear than if I had heard a Justin Bieber song, and actually liked it.

Taking a deep breath to gather my courage, I immediately regretted it. It smelled of something dead mixed with must and mildew. "Probably dead rats and black mold," I groused under my breath as I carefully made my way up the steep stairs. Each one creaking and groaning ominously in protest with each step I took. There wasn't a hint of light. No safety nightlights...not even a sconce to hold a candle to light the way, but oddly enough...there were plenty of pictures in filthy, tilted frames lining the wall. Each held disturbing images of children with vacant expressions, large eyes surrounded with dark colored circles, playing in the yard out front of the asylum. A cold shiver ran down my spine. "Nice homey touch," I muttered, hastily making my way up the rest of the stairs.

At the top, I found myself back inside the creepy nuthouse...or...um...to be more politically correct, insane asylum. But seriously, I had to be nuts to be willingly standing back here again. Carefully, I tried to tiptoe my way across the dilapidated tiled floor. Hoping against hope I didn't step in anything disgusting. "Bubbles," I hissed out, keeping my eyes peeled for movement. "Are you up here?" I strained my neck muscles listening for any response, but none came. Drat. Where was that ungrateful murderous minion?

Unfortunately, my voice echoed through the vast open space, and spooked a swarm of bats, sending them swooping down out of the vaulted ceiling like a swarm of attacking fighter jets. "Augh!" I did what I hated the most. I screamed like a girl. Waving my hands in sheer panic to keep them from getting tangled up in my hair as they streaked past me, I ducked my head, and made a run for it. Charging blindly forward, I made a beeline for the first opened door I came across, and slammed it shut behind me. "Ugh," I moaned, shimmying and shaking as I ran my hands through my hair. "Bats are so totally gross!"

Wiping the last of the bat cooties and clinging cobwebs off me, I turned to see where I was at. I seemed to have ran into a nursery of sorts, if the crib made of rotting wood sitting in the corner was any indication. Slowly making my way over to it, I peeked in. Relief flooded my system at seeing it was only filled with tattered linens, and a threadbare stuffed rabbit that looked like it had a serious case of mange, and was missing an eye. I don't know what I had expected to see, but right now it wouldn't have surprised me if I saw Chucky himself sitting there asking me if I wanted to play.

"What are you doing here?"

For the second time in less than a few minutes, I screamed like a hillbilly girl on bath day. Whirling around, I came face to face with Courtanya. I was so damn happy to see her, I hauled her into a fierce hug. Immediately, she started flaying around cussing a blue streak as she tried to wiggle out of my grasp. But I hung on tighter than Hugo the Abominable Snowman did Bugs Bunny, promising to hug him, and stroke him, and cuddle him, and sing to him, and call him George.

"I found you at last," I chirped happily, swinging her around.

"Let me go you demented spawn of Satan," she hissed angrily, batting at my arms with her tiny fists of fury.

But she wasn't fooling me. I felt that small tug as she hugged me back just before she started whooping on me like a redheaded stepchild. Smiling to myself, I quickly dropped her in case she managed to grab a chunk of that creepy crib, and stake me with it.