Power of the 8 Elements

Chapter Fifteen

 "Mom, can I ask you a favor?" I asked, entering the house.

"Sure, sweetie, uh...what is it?"

"Could you ask the principal to send our class on a field trip?"

"Where would you go on a field trip?"

"Just a place called the SCP Foundation."

"What the? Where'd you learn that?"

"I did research. The point is I heard they were suffering from an attack and needed help repairing. They could also teach us more about Cryptozoology. I could improve my grades."

"Would the SCP Foundation be okay with a bunch of high schoolers entering their premises?"

"If we're going to help, I suppose."

She sighed. "If you take out the trash, I'll ask them." She pointed at the the three large trash bags sitting in the corner. I rolled my eyes and grabbed two of them. I walked into the back yard.

"So what'd she say?" Lucifer said, landing behind me.

I turned around and saw his outstretched wings.

"I got you some macarons," Lucifer said.

I dropped the bag in the trash can and walked towards him.

"Thank you, honey," I said as he put his arm around me. "Mom said that if I took out the trash, she'd call the Foundation and the principal and plan something out."

"You think it's going to work?"

"Joe, it has to."

We suddenly heard a clatter and the hiss of a cat. We turned to the trash can to find it had overturned. It was lying on its side with all of the contents spilling out.

"Stray dog?" I suggested.

"A stray dog wouldn't make that much noise."

"Hey..." said a voice.

"Joe, did you-?"

"No."

"Hey..."

I began feeling a little nervous as Lucifer stepped in front of me.

"Let's go inside-" He was about to say before the same mysterious and cryptic voice interrupted him.

"Hey...stop a minute."

"Who said that?" I said.

"Stop a minute..."

"Back away," Lucifer said. He put his hand on my shoulder, and we began backing away from the house.

My eyes went wide as I noticed a devilish creature standing by the fence. It had fleshy, disproportionate dark brown, wrinkly, veiny skin that sagged around its face like a wet plastic bag practically hanging on to the possibly rotten muscle. I'll I could see was its head and some of its upper chest. Its shoulders sagged down like his arms—if he had any—were dead. The head looked like the head of an old man although it was very different. It had no eyes. There was nothing but an empty socket of empty blackness staring back at us.It had a rather large nose and lips. Its lips were dry and sagging as well. I held up my phone but struggled to take a picture since my hand was shaking madly.

"Stop a minute..." he said. "Stop a minute."

Half of me wanted to stop like he asked. To walk towards him and see what he wanted of us. The other half of me wanted to book it as fast as possible.

"Stop. A. Minute."

Lucifer closed the door, shutting out the creature's voice.

"It just...it just...it just freaking spoke. It's just FREAKING SPOKE!" I said.

"Calm down," Lucifer said. "What matters now is that we're safe. Do you have Thrax's number?"

"HE has a phone?"

"Yes! Send him the picture. He might recognize it. He knows every deranged creature like that, it seems."

"What if we sent it to Ava?"

"If Thrax doesn't recognize it, then we send it to Ava. Come on, let's get further inside and..." He sighed. "Try and get some sleep."

I pulled out my phone.

Thrax, are you an expert on deranged creatures?

Maybe...why do you ask?

Oh,  heck no! How are you guys still ALIVE?! Did you stop like he asked?

If Lucifer hadn't been there...I might've

If we get into the Foundation tomorrow there might be some info about it. A lot more than I can provide to you right now.

What should I do?

Tell everyone in your family NOT to go out into your backyard. I'll come over to your house on Saturday and we'll deal with it.

Thank you

Np

Anthrax POV

After Celeste and I ended our chat, I walked down the stairs and imagine my surprise when I found the Old Man, kissing Plague. I didn't care much for the Old Man or his shenanigans but if he was hitting on my best friend...the nerve of that monster.

The Old Man left while Plague closed the door and sighed.

"Oh, Thrax!" He said. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to have a few questions. WHAT THE FRICK WAS THAT, PLAGUE?! You're...dating him?!"

"I thought you didn't like him. What? Do you want him back?"

My eye twitched as I stared at him.

"Is that a serious question?"

Plague sighed.

"I don't like him...you know. He scares me."

I smiled.

"Looks like you and I have something in common."