Screaming Schemes - Tyler Locke

The Missing Pieces of the Past

The next thing Charlotte knows, she, Kinsey, and Tyler are in Ellie’s head with Ellie as their navigator. They follow the adult into the basement of her mind. “We got back from the caves later that night,” Ellie says, “and tried to get some sleep after opening that black door. That’s when it started with Lucas.” They enter the room, looking at the young teenagers sleep peacefully.

Then Charlotte notices someone rocking a baby next to young Ellie. “Is that…”

Ellie nods. “Ashley Orion.” The redhead stares at her mother and what she assumes is her older sister. “She hadn’t been there with us when we opened the door. Those cookies that Rendell is absolutely devouring were made by Ashley while we were gone.”

Before Charlotte can ask more questions, the scene plays out in front of them. “Just hand it over, Mark,” Lucas whispers. She hadn’t even noticed the two boys - much less that they were so close.

“Hey, shh, be quiet,” Mark replies, “everyone’s asleep. What do you want?”

Lucas’ voice grows louder, waking a few of the others. “Hand it over. I know you have it.”

“What are you-”

“Lucas?” Young Ellie mumbles.

Mark is being backed into the corner by him. “What is wrong with you?”

“Give me the Omega Key,” Lucas demands.

The others have started to get up. Ellie asks, “Lucas, what’s going on?”

“He’s acting crazy,” Mark says.

“I know you have it,” Lucas repeats.

“Dude, just calm down-”

Lucas’ hand closes around Mark’s throat. Chaos follows instantly. People are yelling for Lucas to stop. Rendell tries to help but is caught by Lucas’ other hand, forced to his knees as he winces and his arm starts to bend in a way it shouldn’t. Another young woman - Kim - races toward Lucas with a pair of scissors, causing him to drop Rendell. He pushes her to the side with no effort at all, sending her flying in the wall with a sickening crack as she crashes to the floor, unmoving. Ashely sets Peyton down carefully and tries to shake Kim awake but Charlotte can see the signs on her mother’s face: she knows her friend is dead and she can hear the screams as another kid is murdered by Lucas’ hand. She barely rises to her feet before Jeff’s body hits her legs. She tumbles to the ground, barely avoiding Peyton’s carrier, and turns around only to be met with a fist to her face.

“No screaming,” Lucas tells her as she collapses and her nose bleeds faster than it should. “I wonder if you even knew what you were.” Charlotte notices then and there that her mom’s chest isn’t moving at all.

The redhead focuses on Ellie. “He killed my mom?”

Ellie is hesitant before she nods a little. “She wasn’t breathing. But then… she woke up. I still don’t know how.”

As the scene continues to play out in front of them, Charlotte’s brought back to her mom’s lessons: if her mom is dead… then this is when Peyton took over as the Banshee. When one Banshee dies, the power of a Banshee moves to the closest host available. There are a few things one needs in order to be a host - a list Charlotte doesn’t have memorized but knows that Peyton had them all. This is the switch. This moment is where Peyton’s life changes.

And then it happens.

Peyton screams. The lights above Lucas shatter. The other people yell in surprise. Rendell slams a bottle against Lucas’ head. He continues until Peyton stops screaming. When that moment passes, he falls to his knees and stares at what had just happened, looking at his hands with wide eyes. Ellie runs to Lucas’ side. Ashley’s eyes flutter open, causing Charlotte to frown. Peyton is passed out cold. Erin is rocking back and forth. And in the midst of everything, a small voice questions, “Rendell?”