Eyes In The Night

Not Getting Away

It was night.

John and Laura were on the couch. Deacon watched them as they unexpectedly fell asleep. He was also tired, but he knew he was coming. He knew time was running out and Face Mask could show any minute.

The lights were on. Every one of them in the house. John had the bat in his hand and his guns near by just in case. He knew it didn't work the first time, but he couldn't just leave himself unprotected.

Deacon flicked through the TV stations not sure what to do. He stopped when when he felt the urge to use the bathroom. He didn't want to go, but he couldn't hold it.

"Dad, I'm going upstairs." Deacon whispered to John, giving him a gentle shake. With the amount of medicine he's been taking, he was falling asleep easily while sitting on the couch all day. He wasn't waking up. He tried waking his mom whose eyes popped opened.

"Deacon, is he here?! What happened?!" She woke in a panic again. She covered the house with her eyes.

"No, mom, that's not it. I didn't want to wake you, but you said not to leave the room and I have to use the bathroom."

"Oh that's okay. I shouldn't have been sleeping. Come on, let's go."

Laura walked with Deacon upstairs. She kept a flashlight on her as she waited outside for him. It was midnight. She looked around into her room. The curtains were closed. The room was still. She could hear Deacon from the bathroom clear as day.

When she heard the faucet running, she turned to the door waiting for him to come out. That's when she noticed the bedroom lights went out. Then she heard a scream from the bathroom.

"Deacon!" She tried to open the door and it was locked. She looked to the crack at the bottom of the door and noticed it was dark. She banged on the door trying to get in with no results. She ran back downstairs.

"John! John, wake up! He's here and he's got Deacon!" She shouted to him. John seemed more responsive this time. His eye flickered opened just in time to notice the rest of the power cut.

He became fully awake and stood up. Laura quickly turned her flashlight on. She took it around the room scanning the space.

"Turn anymore than that, its over." Face Mask spoke from the shadows. Laura froze still with the light still on. John looked behind her and saw a figure by the front door. It was him

"Where's Deacon?"

"I decided to hold half the deal. In case you weren't able to complete it."

"I thought we agreed you'd take me not him."

"You have two unfinished contracts with me. If you produce Ella, the deals will be sealed under the condition of the second contract you offered. However, if you do not have her, I will finish out your first one with the boy. Since he was the original maker, I can do so."

"You never said that before! I told you I was taking his place. If you hurt Deacon, you'll be sorry."

"Is that a threat? Have you forgotten that threats do not please me?" Face Mask stood still. His head lifted slightly, but he did not move.

With the light facing away from him, John was still able to see slightly. He could see the long coat and pants. The regular red shirt and head cap covering his face. He looked like a regular guy, but he knew he was anything but.

"Just please give us Deacon back."

"I'll release him when you give me Ella." Face Mask extended his arm out. He waited with his arm stretched facing John. John stood staring back at him. His heart beat increased. He felt a throbbing pain from his injured eye.

"We found her online," John spoke slowly not taking his eye off him. "But she knew what we wanted and wouldn't agree to turning herself in."

"That's to be expected. And too bad for you."

"Doesn't it still count? We found her. We spent hours playing your game and got in contact with her. Doesn't that count?"

"This isn't some game of darts. You were to help me find her. I still don't know where she is."

"Let me get back online to ask her. Maybe you can track her like you track everyone else."

"I'm done making deals with you. I've spared you long enough." Face Mask lowered his arm and walked towards John and Laura. Laura was still turned the other way with the light. She turned her head to see what was happening.

He was there. Inches away from John. Laura fought back the tears as she took deep silent breaths. Her hand shook as she held the light.

John watched as he saw Face Mask approach him. Suddenly, he grabbed John by the neck.

"For someone who put up a fight before, you're being tamed tonight."

"I knew it was going to happen... why fight?" John spoke with the little air left in his lungs. His whole body was tensed. His shoulders were tight despite the pain. His eye was closed and opened it just enough to see the man before him.

Face Mask tilted his head to look up to John as he lifted him off the ground. John grabbed hold of his hand with his bad arm. He then used his remaining strength to quickly grab hold of Face Mask's cap and removed it.

"Laura!" He managed to say. She quickly turned and blared the light into his face.

Face Mask let his grip go falling to the ground. John also hit the ground coughing and gasping for air.

"He's down!" Laura shouted looking at him. He wasn't moving. He didn't say anything. He laid there as if he were dead.

John scrambled to his feet and slowly walked over to him. He looked at the mask in his hand then to him on the ground. His frozen state wasn't the thing that made his level of fear and anxiety rise. It was finally seeing what was underneath the mask.

The top of his head looked as if he had been burned. His eyes were so dark even with the light shining directly to his face. It didn't show reflection. His eye soles were completely blackened aside the red pupils that were pulsating.

"Is he dead?" Laura didn't want to get too close. She kept her arms outstretched to make sure he was being blinded by the light.

She followed what they told her on the game. She hoped they were right. They bet everything on this to be able to save themselves.

John leaned over the body. He listened for his breathing. He was so still he wasn't sure if he was breathing. He watched his eyes jump around. He wasn't sure if he was scared or not. He just kept watching him until Face Mask's pupils finally stayed still. Then he moved in them to John.

"How dare you."

"No, how dare you. Now tell me where my son is."