Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Catman

Tick, Tock...Midnight Strikes The Clock...

*******************

"This place is so old, even the spiderwebs are outdated!!" Tommy fussed, brushing a combination of dust and a tangle of spiderwebs off of himself.

Both he and Eric had taken the upstairs second story while Gene and Paul stayed downstairs.

"Having a bad night, buddy?" Eric asked, chuckling.

"Are you kidding?!" Tommy replied sarcastically. "I'm having the time of my life!!"

"Stay positive, Tom Cat!!" Eric said. "Like Paul said, it could always be worse!!"

After removing the last of the "souvenirs" he had acquired, Tommy then continued his trek; soon finding himself in the hallway while Eric had seemingly disappeared into another room.

"Ow!!" He then yelped in time with the thud of running into something. "Stupid Grandfather clock!!" He fussed, looking up and finding what he had run into. "Wait...Grandfather clock?!" He then realized and repeated. "In an old run-down shack?!"

Studying the gorgeous and stately piece, Tommy couldn't help noticing the near-perfect condition it seemed to be in; given the rotting and dilapidated state that the old house and everything else that remained within it were in.

Its gold dials, turning gears, and swaying pendulum all glittered proudly in the candlelight's glow against its polished oak frame.

The antique Roman Numeral face looked back at him as Tommy then noticed the hands were ten seconds from striking midnight.

"Right on time too..." He said, checking his own watch and seeing that it was indeed the time that the immaculate clock displayed.

Something else then caught his attention as he looked up to find a black crow seated atop the crown of the Grandfather clock.

"What the-?!" Tommy asked, recalling the crow from when they were with the fortune teller.

With a quick and piercing cry, the crow flew toward The Spaceman as the clock then struck midnight.

"AAAHHH!!!" Tommy screamed, swatting at the crow while the clock began its series of chimes of bells.

Hearing the commotion going on in the hallway, Eric figured it best to go and see what his best friend had gotten himself into this time.

Turning, he then heard the chiming and the bells of the clock as they continued.

A familiar fire suddenly began to tear through him as he immediately knew what was about to happen.

Fighting against it at first, his efforts soon proved useless as he was forced to give in to the unknown and unseen power seeming to control him.

"Here kitty, kitty...time to play..." The same malicious voice from before taunted him and rang through his ears, laughing evilly and mocking him in his struggle.

Falling to his knees, Eric's muscles began to flex and twitch; returning to twice their size.

His hands on either side of and holding his head, he could feel the stinging pierce of his fangs ripping through his gums as he then let out a primal roar.

His chest heaving with his now angered and vengeful breathing, his razor-sharp claws gleamed briefly in the lightning's flash coming through the window of the room he was still in.

Lifting his head, he smiled wickedly; an evil and menacing laugh escaping his throat.

Getting to his feet, the platform of his boot tamped out the flame of the candle he had had earlier in one step as he headed out.