Everybody's Back

Chapter 1

"We're gonna have to get off, in this rain?!" Howie began to laugh, "You're joking right?"

The driver didn't laugh.

"You're not joking?" Howie asked incredulously, "You expect us to get out in that?"

The driver smiled showing big white teeth and nodded, "There's an old place not far from here that will keep you dry. I'll walk you there and you can stay until I get the bus fixed. You all go pack you up some stuff and wake that youngun up," the driver pushed this information at them letting them know that staying on the bus was not an option.

"Pack some stuff? How long do you think it's gonna take to fix the... bus?" Brian might as well have been talking to himself because the bus driver had already disappeared up front.

"Come on," Kevin said.

In the bunk area everyone was packing things like umbrellas, flashlights, batteries, extra tee- shirts, water, snacks, sleeping bags, etc.

"Sleeping bags? Do you guys think we should pack sleeping bags?- I mean it's probably just a flat tire or something. We might just be there an hour," AJ shrugged.

"I don't know, lets just take them anyway, just in case," Kevin said rolling up his sleeping bag.

"Hey Nick! Nicky! Come on wake up, we gotta get off the bus," Brian was shaking Nick awake.

"Huh? Are we there already?" Nick asked groggily.

"No, something's wrong with the bus and we gotta get off," Brian started tugging Nick out of the bunk," I already packed your bag with a flashlight and stuff, come on."

"Huh?"

It was a short, but wet walk from the bus to the place the driver had wanted the boys to stay. The place turned out to be an old castle. An iron fence, weathered and sagging with age, wound around the villa grounds. The gate was swinging open offering a rather chilling invitation inside the grounds. From the gate, dangled a sign the Boys couldn't quite read. The rain had died down when they reached the castle, but the thick mysterious fog that surrounded the castle, had engulfed them as well. Funny noises came from inside the fog. Somehow they found the front door...

If Nick had been half asleep during their journey to the castle doors he was definitely awake now. The driver threw open the wooden doors to the manor and Nick's angry voice echoed off the walls.

"I can't believe this happened! This is the second time the bus broke down!"Nick yelled pulling leaves and tumble weeds out of his hair.

"That ain't my fault,"the driver said calmly, smoking his cigar.

"We're never gonna make the next show!"Brian was saying.

"That also ain't my fault,"the driver said.

Howie was dialing frantically on his cell phone trying to reach management or one of the other tour buses, all he got was static.

All the boys began to complain at once and the driver silenced them,"Look, the bus broke down. I'll get it fixed. Y'all just chill here."

"What??"there was an explosion of protests.

"Man I ain't staying here!"Brian was fussing.