Sean. Book I: The Screamroom

Chapter 1: At Last!

Manchester, England. 1946

          It was a warm Thursday morning in the middle of summer in Manchester. The weather was perfect. Everyone was happy now that the war was over, but Andrew was uneasy. He was walking to his friend Sean's house. Sean's mother had sent him a letter and asked Andrew to come over. She hadn't said anything else. He hadn't seen Sean for a long time. He hoped something wasn't wrong, but Sean had always been a bit... strange. Since the "incident" anyway.

          When Sean was only a lad, he got into an argument with his father, and his father ended up punching him. Knocked him out cold. Sean's mother got a divorce afterwards. When Sean woke up he claimed he had had a vision while he was unconscious. He was never the same. All he cared about was finding what he saw in his vision, but there's no way it existed. Also he wasn't quite... right in the head.

          Andrew made it to Sean's house. He walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. Sean's mother, Cassandra, opened the door. "Oh Andrew! Thank you for coming! Come on in." Andrew stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He took a seat on the sofa.

          "So Cassy, why did you want me to come over?" Andrew asked. "And where's Sean?"

          Cassandra replied, "Actually, that why I wanted you to come over. Sean's locked himself in his room. He's been in there for a month, and I haven't heard a word from him. I'm afraid he's starved or killed himself." She looked like she was on the verge of crying. "I thought maybe if he's still... alive in there... he'd listen to you. Your his only real friend."

          "Don't worry, Cassy. I don't think he'd commit suicide. He cares too much about his "Second Realm." I'll see what I can do." Andrew said. "You stay here."

          "Okay." Cassy said.

          Andrew got up and walked up the stairs to Sean's room. "The hell have you been up to?" he muttered to himself. He tried to the doorknob. Locked, sure enough. He pulled a toothpick and a pair of tweezers out of his pocket. He stuck them in the lock and proceeded to pick it. After a good five minutes he finally managed to pick the lock. He opened the door.

          Sean sat on criss-cross-apple-sauce on his bed. His black hair was a spiky, greasy mess. He had black bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, and he had a bottle in his left hand. "Hullo Andrew. It's been awhile! Sean said. He held up his bottle. "Care for a glass of whiskey?"

          Andrew walked over to Sean and took the bottle. He looked inside. "Sean this is water! It has been ever since you... never mind. Why the hell are you locked up in here?" 

          "Well that explains why it was so bad." Sean said. "I don't really have a reason for locking myself in here."

          "Then why in bloody hell did you do it?! Your mother's worried sick!" Andrew said exasperated.

          "Couldn't tell you. Also, how did you get in?" Sean asked.

          "I had to pick your lock, Sean!" Andrew said.

          "Oh good, your learning some useful skills."

          "Useful skills? I'm a successful businessman. You've been locked in your room for a month! You live with your mother!" Andrew said.

          Sean had dozed off. "Sean!" Andrew said. Sean jerked his head back up.

          "Yes?" Sean asked.

          "How long has it been since you last slept?" Andrew asked

          Sean thought for a moment. "Couple seconds." he said.