It had been an hour since we had left Rory's kitchen and all this time I could see Rick sitting by my side, or rather I should say – sleeping, in the car, with spittle dripping down his mouth. I was just admiring the innocence on his sweet little face. The kid had just eaten a week's food from his uncle's money and now he was enjoying a peaceful sleep beside me.
Ha!
I wiped away the dripped off saliva from his chin with the full-arm sleeve of my jacket and then leaned back on my seat, gripping the steering wheel.
Now what? Or rather... Where?
I pondered a bit and then decided to go on a long drive along the countryside with my sleeping nephew by my side and started driving slowly, enjoying the weather.
It was a beautiful weather, with the sun hidden behind thick cloud cover and soft breeze flowing, giving a chilling and calming effect. At a distance I could see a man beating a kid with a cane, probably his son. He may have freed some chickens, seeing their ordeal, or would have messed up the milk on the table or something like that – a typical childish mistake. That part of the city was infamous for its cases of child abuse. I frowned at it but decided to drive on. Obviously, I didn't have any right in interfering in their family matter – not even a provisional one. Shifting my glance further I could see the mountains of the vast countryside. It appeared so marvellous. I leaned a bit against the window, resting my right hand on the frame and driving with the other when –
'Heyya buddy!', a voice called out from a distance. I looked up in the direction of the call, which was some meters to the right of my car. Seeing the man made me thunderstruck. I couldn't believe my eyes. I applied the brakes and made the car come to a halt all of a sudden. It still didn't hinder the slumber of my little baby nephew. I stared at the man with amazement. I was still in disbelieve what my eyes just saw. The man was standing with a bottle of beer in his hand, calling out to me.
'You coming or not?', he asked me with a familiar smile on his face and then turning to his left, he started walking away. I stepped out of the car and started following him, filled with astonishment. He started walking fast on the road, in the direction opposite to the front of my car. I also increased my pace and then suddenly it appeared as if I entered into something, I could sense it and my fear was approved. The air around me started getting darker slowly.
The sky was getting darker with every passing second. The roads were starting to disappear slowly, starting beneath my legs and then spreading forward. I couldn't see the man either but at that point it was impossible for me to move even an inch in any direction. I could not see anything beneath my legs! Not only the road but also the trees, the grass, the houses with cars lined up in front of them, the giggles – of some kids playing at some distance far away– all of 'em disappeared. Suddenly there was deafening silence all over the place. I could not help but sway my hands in the dark in search of some prop.
It was when I noticed a silhouette in front of me. Then some light started to take shape in the room. It was yellow – probably the light of fire. Yeah. It was fire. It was the light from a pile of burning candles, placed on a table. With the light I could now see the wooden walls of a closed room. Planks of wood started forming under my feet, making up the floor. The room was not appearing to be eery though. It was a small cabin which was well furnished with a beautiful wooden round table with four chairs set up around it. There was also a pile of books stacked well in a pair of shelves. Adjacent to the candles was a vase with a bunch of flowers, increasing its appeal. Although the cabin looked magnificent in its own way, but still an unknown fear was building up in my mind.
It was when I saw the man standing in front of me, facing the wall. He turned back slowly and looked up at me. Finally, in the faint light of the room, I could finally have a clearer look of his face.
'Oh, my God! How? How is it possible?'
My suspicion was correct. It was Larry standing in front of me, giving me an evil grin. Horrified, I tried to run behind but my face hit hard against the door as I turned around, making me fall hard on my back. I stood up and started banging myself hard against the door to break it open. I went on banging it hard with my arm and then by kicking it, yelling almost all the time. But all my shoving and howling went in vain. It was fixed there as if it was not actually a door, but that portion of wall was designed to look like a door. I leaned on the wall with disgust and then turned back to Larry – or whoever it was – rubbing my hair in nervousness. The grin had changed into gloom and then his face started burning starting from one of his ears. I gasped a bit but was just standing there firmly, unable to think what to do – petrified. Half of his face had burnt and I could see that half-display his skull.
'You... You did it to me', he said pointing his finger at me.
'Wh-what?'
'It was because of you I died, Liam'
'I couldn't help –
'You could! You could have!', he screamed. 'You never loved me. You always wanted me dead'
'No no no Larry. It's a lie! I had always loved you, my friend'
The fire on his face was spreading.
'What's happening this to you?', I asked, baffled. He moved closer to me, making me retreat a bit.
'It's all happening to me because of you Liam. I am in terrible pain. Free me. I beg you'. There was literally pain in his voice – I could sense that well. Deep and painful.
'I can't understand what you are saying. Oh God you were dead. How are you standing in front of me?'
The fire was spreading more and more.
'Save me Liam. Save meeeeee!!!!!—'
Finally, the fire had spread all over his face. The skin had gone. It was just flesh and bones now. He became silent, with his head dropping down.
'Larry?'
No response.
'Hey Larry!', I squealed, jerking him.
This time he looked up, jerked forward and pushed me hard. I flew back and crashed upon the fake door.
'Yield!'
'W-what?', I asked, getting up on my feet.
'Surrender your soul before me!'. He moved forward and got hold of my neck.
'Lea-lea-leave me, you jerk'.
His grip was tightening, making me to choke more and more. I was gasping for breath. I started to run my eyes across my vicinity in search of some weapon to set myself free. The look on his face was terrifying. The evil grin had yet not gone, but broadened. Finding nothing to arm myself, I screamed with pain and mustering up all my strength – kicked him hard on his muscular thigh. He lost his balance for a while and that made both of us fall down – with me coughing and gasping for breath. He stood up and then squealed again, 'Yield, you moron!'
'I won't!' I screamed at the top of my voice; with how much energy I could gather.
Larry, or the corpse (I don't know what exactly to refer to it), started to move forward again to me but this time I leaped to get away from his direction when he jumped at me, and got to the table. He fell down and then looked up to me. Realizing he was going to fling himself upon me, I got hold of one of the candles and when he came up to me, I dashed that candle right into his right eye – or to be exact – right socket of his terrifying skull, which had a strange fire burning it. Two tiny balls of fire it seemed. He screamed, moved back and groaned in pain. He twisted his wrists and juddered his pectorals before becoming calm again. The then he fixed his glance on me with his left eye and started to cackle loudly.
'Oh you fucking moron!', he exclaimed.
'What?... What's there to laugh at?', I asked frighteningly.
He sighed a bit and moved up his right hand to reach the candle. He clenched his fist over the candle and pulled it out, giving out a soft groan. Throwing down the candle, he moved back and started strolling across the room.
'Hmm... I see. You know what, Liam... You're really a tough nut to crack. It was actually very easy getting into your friend'. He exhaled and then continued, 'But you...'. He pointed at me. '... You have my respect, Liam. Out of all my victims, you are the toughest. It will really be fun, playing with you'
I was still standing there, dumbstruck.
'Ha! Don't worry, Liam... I will get you... Till then –'. He fixed his glance upon me again. It was when I noticed the colors of the flowers in the vase started fading. They were fading fast and were getting blackened and wearied. They were becoming tougher and then the petals fell down with a muffled cracking sound. I looked up and then saw that corpse right in front me.
‘Jeez!’. I gasped with shock and retreated a bit.
‘I suppose you should have pulled up the handbrake’, he said.
‘What?’, I asked with surprise.