Tonight is the night we die

Chapter One

  Lilly gets back inside, holding her phone to let me see what it's all about. Cleo seemed pretty serious. As always. But what could make her look so serious this time ? It's not like anything else could surprise any of us at this point. I'm starting to feel numb to any news that comes our way. I sigh and rub my free hand on my tired face as the other one is holding the phone. I feel like the bones in my hands are starting to get shaped weirdly because of all the time I spend holding this bloody device. My eyes are burning and watery. I dry them with the sleeve of my sweater.

I wait for them to get installed around the table. I wish I could be there with them. We talked about it with Jake. We should be there with them. At least, I should. With one hand, I clumsily write "Duskwood" in the Google search bar of my computer on my desk. I know I'm only two hours away. I've already checked on day one where the hell this town was. Never heard of it before despite being this close to it. I guess it's one of these towns that you pass without ever noticing until you are forced to see it.

  I focus my attention back on my phone screen as Cleo starts speaking. I take a sip of water from my glass and choke as I see her pulling out a gun on the wooden table. Well, some news can still surprise me apparently. I cough multiple times, in my arm to be as quiet as possible. I can't tell if having a gun there is the best or the worst idea ever. I frown my eyebrows, getting a bit closer to the screen, spying on everyone's reactions to try and determine who brought it. Dan seems immediately to be the most comfortable with it and takes it to have a closer look. Why do I feel like Thomas has something to do with it ? Sometimes when he wants to help, he just fucks things up a little bit more for all of us. I'm started to get used to it, so it wouldn't surprise me :

  " This is not mine ! " Jessy says before we all notice a weird noise coming from another room. Everything has been way too calm during the last couple of hours, it can't be good. The Man without a face never stays quiet for that long. It sounds more and more like a phone as the group is getting closer to a bedroom. Hannah's phone is vibrating. Jessy takes it :

" Unknown number " she says, looking at everyone, trying to get the approval to answer the phone. My heart is racing and I freeze, incapable of moving an inch of my body. Barely breathing. I thought I would get used to his calls. When it was just words, it was easy for me to move on. It was even motivating me, to get him and make him shut up myself. But after seeing Jessy being attacked and Richy dying in front of my eyes... Every time being there, to watch and incapable of doing anything, it was different, it was getting serious and I was terrified to have to assist to another horrible event like that.

  Jessy answers and we hear his voice. My hand shakes uncontrollably and I can't help but see the image of Richy's lifeless body, looking right at me through the screen. I focus myself, grinding my teeth together as I try to keep it together and stop my hand from shaking so hard. I could not show my weakness to the group right now. I could not show them how truly scared I was of him.

  " I know where you are now ! You were too confident. You fell into my trap... I'm coming now... And then I'm going to end this. " Before anyone can react, pitch black ! He is here, he is already here ! I convinced them to go to that cabin and it's going to get them killed. And I will have to watch again. I get up from my chair like I want to do something to help them, eyes fixed on the screen, my free hand on my mouth. I can't do that, I can't do it, not again. I can't watch another phone call ending in blood. Cleo gets her lighter out and tries to calm everybody down :

" It's only a blackout, we already got one this afternoon. " She states. She knows how to keep her calm and I've never been more thankful for that.

 " I know where the fuse box is ! " Thomas adds before leaving the room. Lilly follows him closely down the stairs and I'm ready to see him, down there, his mask on, waiting for them and ready to give them no chance of survival. I take my hand away from my mouth, I want to say something, but what can I say "be careful " ? "Run, get out of there " ? "I did this to you " ? None of that would be useful. So I stay quiet and watch the scene happening in front of me, hoping for a stupid coincidence. Thomas switches the power back on and everything lights up. I let out a big sigh of relief as Lilly stops the call.