Static Reflections: Book 1 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 36 - Nick and Richard: Teardrops

Chapter 36 - Nick and Richard: "Teardrops"

Scrambling around the room and preparing, both Nick and Richard were in a panic due to the news of Veronica's husband Jack's passing. Both animals knew that if they weren't quick enough, she could be next. They didn't even bother to turn the television off as they made a beeline for the exit.

Nick opened the door, and Richard followed him out, practically slamming it as he pulled it shut behind him. They quickly hurried down the hall, not wasting time with the elevator but opting to descend the stairwell at a rapid speed.

Bursting out of the cement tower, they hustled past the reception desk and out into the night, where dark gray clouds were gathering above, only illuminated by the light of the moon. Nick and Richard sprinted down the empty road, knowing the Wirey's house wasn't too far away from where they were staying. Their hearts were pounding in their chests, and they knew that what they were about to come across would haunt them forever.

Reaching the home, the pair wasted no time clambering up the porch and getting to the front door, finding it unlocked. Nick pushed inside, and they both ran down the hall to the room where Mr. Wirey was. The light in the hall seemed much too bright now.

"Veronica!" Nick called, taking out his Prism Pistol. "Are you in there?!" There was only loud sobbing from within, but it was definitely the female sheep. Richard grabbed the door handle and turned it, slowly pushing it open and finding it was dark inside. The light from the hallway cast behind them, painting their long shadows across the floor.

The first thing they noticed was Veronica, in her robe on her knees, crying into her arms on the bed. "Oh! Oh, Jack. God, no . . ." Nick immediately felt sadness prey upon him as his eyes scanned the rest of the room, looking onto the bed. He would never forget what he saw there.

The entire malnourished body of Jack was there; only it wasn't how it was supposed to be. The eyes on his head remained open, the mouth slightly agape as if he were about to scream at any moment. The colors weren't only white, but there were reds and pinks there too. Nick was certain that some of the things he was seeing weren't meant to be seen outside of the body. And that's because Jack had been cut into three parts, severed from the neck and then the waist, his guts spilling across the bed, and they were so real they almost looked fake to Nick. But he knew.

The hyena gasped when he took all of that in, turning away and beginning to shake. "R-Richard . . ."

"I see it . . . ." Richard said, stepping forward, somehow staying strong. "My gods . . . what could have done this?"

"I-I don't know. But it's definitely not a ghost, r-r-right?" Nick stammered, feeling some drool escape his lips. He kept shaking, knowing what was right on the bed there. His grip on his Prism Pistol was tight.

"Ghosts don't do this," Richard said. "We . . . need to call Disaster."

Suddenly, there was a sound from the left of the animals. It started as a low, haunting moan, then turned into a fit of sobs.

The crying.

Nick, Richard, and Veronica looked over at the wall, seeing the previously mentioned mask there. Now that they saw it closer, creepily illuminated by the light outside, they saw that it was in the shape of a sheep head. Not only that but there was a tiny glint from the light that revealed that a tear was falling from the right eye hole. The crying continued, and it was very apparent it was coming from the accessory.

"Wh-what is that?" Veronica stood up now, eyes wide.

In shock from everything he had seen, Nick looked toward it. "I don't know . . . ." He crept closer, holding his gun wearily. As he approached, the mask began spilling tears heavily. They released from the eye holes, trailing down the curves of the mask's shape and convalescing into a significant drop at the bottom, where it fell to the wood floor.