𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐈𝐌

『15』

      As Riley pulls to a stop outside the salt berrier her phone rings. She looks at the contact.

      ~Starfleet Captain~

      Riley glances at Jo and Ellen then answers the phone. "Hello?" The two Harvelle's watch as Riley's face contorts. "What? Did you all get out okay?" Ellen raises an eyebrow at her words. Riley sighs in relief. "Okay, good. Just lay low. I should be back in the afternoon if this goes as planned."

      Riley listens then nods. "Okay, I will." She hangs up and glances at the two women looking at her Riley lets out a breath. "It's a long story. Let's go." She grabs her gun and steps out of Bumblebee. After a moment the two Harvelle's follow.

      Riley looks around at the other houses and notices that all the cars are gone. "Frank must have scared them off. He's probably angry we're here." The lights in the largest house blaze brightly before bursting. Riley makes a face and nods. "I'll take that as a yes."

      She nods and steps over the salt line. "Remember, if everything goes to shit," Which it most likely will. "Run for the trees. Everything beyond that is past the salt lines." All three of them pull out their guns. "Okay, the original cellar used to be there." Riley says pointing to the main house.

      All three of them march at the house. "Let's show this asshole what it means to mess with Harvelle's." Jo and Ellen give Riley a look and shrugs. "What? There's more of you here than me." The two of them laugh lightly. A floorboard in the house creaks and Riley whips around, shot gun in hand.

      Franklyn stalks towards her but she fires off a rock salt round. He disappears. "Keep your guard up." Jo and Riley nod. The Winchester leads the way down the basement and Jo flicks the light switch. Ellen and Riley give her a look. She puts her hands up. "I thought it was worth a try."

      Riley chuckles and descends down the stairs. She can tell Jo is afraid. Whatever she the ghost showed her must have really rattled her.

      "Split up and look for the amulet." Riley says as she takes to the right. She knows damn well that the spirit is stronger on this side, but she can handle it.

      Riley uses her flashlight to search the floors and wall, looking for any sort of crack, or crevice where the amulet could be hidden. As she searches, she doesn't notice the dark mass sneaking up on her. It reaches out, wrapping it's hand around Riley's throat. She gasps and falls to her knees.

      Franklyn's burnt and disgusting form appears in front of her, snarling. Riley feels something think in the back of her throat and it begins pooling out of her mouth. Maple.

      The thick liquid closes up her throat and spills down her esophagus. Riley chokes as it fills her youngs. She looks up at Franklyn who pushes his hand on her head.

      Riley gasps, if even possible with how much maple is filling her lungs, as flashes of images fill her mind. A large man pushing someone over, pushing Frank over, into a large pool of maple. The smell of gasoline. Then fire. The pain is unimaginable and the fear stabs at Riley's heart.

     She knows what he's doing. He's killing her with his fear.

      Riley raises her head to look at Frank's spirit. "I've- Seen- worse-" Riley seethes. Bang! Frank disappears and Jo and Ellen rush to Riley's side. Riley lurches forward and vomits up an impossible amount of maple.

      "That's disgusting." Jo comments. Ellen scolds Jo, but Riley wipes at her mouth with her sleeve and nods. "No she's right. It is disgusting. I'm never eating syrup again." Riley sits up and continues to spit out maple. She catches a glimmer of silver under the stairs and points. "There." Jo looks over to it and runs under the stairs.