Lone Survivors

XIV (Welcome To Horrorwood)

The Toshi we knew was gone.

The next stop on the Trinity of Tour took us to Grand Junction, Colorado. Toshi brushed us all off, refusing to even acknowledge his duties. When asked, his reply was "Get me when its time to sell merch, until then fuck off". Kambria stared after him in shock, tears running down her face. Her best kept secret, a three-year relationship with Toshi Adachi now up in smoke. She started running a fever an hour later. Andy offered the back room of his bus without a second thought.

Toshi and Kambria were not our only casualties of Grand Junction. Chris Cerulli too had been struck down. Once everything got set up Nadine and I walked down main street searching for a restaurant that had some decent chicken noodle soup. Spencer came along, his intentions were to protect us on the off-chance Paul showed up.

"How can you not be freezing?" Nadine looked between Spencer and I. We were both in just leather jackets, blue jeans, him in boots, and me in my slip-on VANS. I had gone between moments of extreme heat and extreme cold. Our friendly neighborhood demon explained I was in transition. If I fought against the corruption, a feat only handful accomplished I would come out of it unscathed. If I gave in, we would essentially be looking at the end of the world.

"We've endured colder, right Koala?" Spencer put his arm around me. The resurrection of my oldest nickname made me roll my eyes.

"Indeed Spencie." I teased seeing his eyes narrow.

"As adorable as you two look, let me remind you I've been married a few years and can smell bullshit from a mile away. What's going on?" Nadine stopped crossing her arms over her chest. I glanced at Spencer and even at his reflection, so far, the circle of those who knew about the plan to free Satan (we were assuming that's who their master was) were myself and Ice Nine Kills. Nadine could be trusted; this was coming from someone with major trust issues. Spencer dared a glance over his shoulder the question hanging in the air.

"Oh, why the Hell not, what's one more?"

"Um hello? Earth to Koala and Spencie?" Nadine tapped her foot impatiently.

"Do you believe in the supernatural?" I asked.

"Not really." She shrugged. "Why?"

"What we're about to tell you may seem hard to believe at first but we have plenty of proof." I began.

"Just do us a favor, don't scream and run." Spencer's eyes flashed black. "It'll get him excited."

"It's true." His reflection put his hands over his chest. "You know me so well."

Nadine's eyes widened, looking between Spencer and his reflection. I gave her the shortened version, how there were twenty-eight, well twenty-six of The Surviving Twenty-Eight on tour, how we were marked by demons that the media called The South Street Slayer and one by one we were being broken, recruited to join the cause. She looked unconvinced until Spencer let the demon take control. She screamed, booking it back to the venue.

"You can handle yourself?" His eyes were bright with a predatory gleam.

"Just don't eat her." I pulled out my phone, googling a soup place.

"I am insulted. If you insist, I'll be on my best behavior." He chuckled vanishing into thin air.

I rolled my eyes following the g.p.s. to a local deli ordering two large containers of chicken noodle soup. I reached into my pocket gripping the rosary tight in my hand. I had to believe, no needed to believe that Kambria could fight this. She is the first friend I made on this tour. She became my first confidant outside of Spencer. While I waited for my order, I watched the news. They were covering Paul's escape from custody and the death of my Aunt Caroline.