Family of Devils

Wicked little things.

The waitress leaned up against the counter and sighed. “The monsters you’re all here to get rid of, that’s whom I’m talking about.”

Trish narrowed her gaze and looked at Dante. “Are you saying that the miners that died in the tunnels have come back to this town and started to kidnap children?”

Bethany nodded her head. “Yes, though I’m also sure that they are also the ones behind the disappearances of some of the town’s people.”

“Look, I don’t care if a few miners, hell I wouldn’t care if Hitler is behind this,” Dante said, and then leaned over the counter, his face blank but angry. “I just want to know where the hell my son is, so give me some goddamn answers I could use.” He growled, not even bothering with the fact that he declared Chris as his son.

“Screw this.” Marlo said, then reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

“No service out here.” Bethany told her. Marlo glowered at her and slide the phone back into her pocket. “Look, you wanted answers, I gave you answers. If there’s any one to blame here it’s Koret and his whole damned family.”

“Figures.” Marlo muttered. “But still, what the hell does this have to do with Chris?”

“Why the hell did these bastards decide to take anyone?” Bethany countered. “All I know is, a year ago they cleared out one of the old collapsed tunnels, and then people started disappearing. If you think this town looks like a shithole now, imagine it a little bit better with a few more people.”

“Then Chris was right in some way.” Trish mused. “When he said that the parents left with their kids, they were doing it because they were afraid that theirs would be taken like the others.”

The waitress shook her head yes. “Exactly, the few remaining people here are just grieving parents or spouses hoping their loved ones will come back.” She then bent down and began rifling through the countertops hidden depths, when she came back up she placed a professional grade walkie talkie on the counter. “This belonged to Cal’s son; he was a foreman at the mine and was the first to disappear.” She looks to the back and past the serving window at the cook. “He still turns it on every now and then in hopes he’ll hear his son calling him.”

                Dante and Trish looked at each other knowingly, Marlo reached forward and picked up the talkie and pressed the side button, only to hear bits of static, she set it back down and RoRa whined.

Bethany then wiped her eyes and stared at them. “When they take someone, they leave behind that persons most used possession, and I think that is your sons lighter at the window.” She said, and then pointed at the window, causing everyone to quickly turn to where she was pointing. Sure enough, a semi-shiny zippo lighter was on the outside the window, sitting on the edge.

Marlo’s eyes widened, she then bolted out of the diner and went to the window to pick it up. She stared at it in her hand, her face solemn and stony as she turned it over and clutched in tightly. She looked through the glass window and nodded her head at Dante and Trish, whose faces had turned cold.

Dante whirled around and reached across the countertop, then grabbed Bethany by her uniform and pulled her closer to him. “Where the fuck do they go when they take people?”

Bethany looked down sadly at the floor and placed her hand on his wrist. “None of us know for sure, but the best bet is the mine.” She then looked up into his eyes, a burning hatred behind her own. “But if you want better information, I suggest you go find that bastard Sephio, he was the one that ordered the collapsed tunnel be dug up, so start there.” She spat.