~ Different ~

~ prologue ~

prologue

The street was silent before the sound of a woman screaming was heard throughout the night. Her terrified scream echoed down the road and lights flickered on as people peeked out their windows and poked their head out the door. The small-town folk of Aberton, Kentucky waited in silence for the screaming to stop.

Once the screaming had stopped, sirens could be heard in the distance, someone had called the cops. People stand inside and look out the window as three police cars and an ambulance glide by on the deserted streets. The people wait in their homes with bated breath.

The sound of doors slamming shut loudly and red and blue lights flicker farther down the road. One family, of three, stays hidden in the living room of their home. The father of the house peering out the window as the mother holds their eldest son close to her chest.

"Erik, please. Stop looking out there. We are better off keeping to ourselves." The mother calls to her husband. Their son whimpers as another police car speeds by and pushes himself closer to his mother.

"Alexis, sweetie, I just want to see if I could be of any use." The mother rolls her eyes and cuddles her son closer to her.

"What? With a police investigation?" she pulled her son close and shielded her sons ears, "I have a feeling it was Ms.Davidson. You know what her and her son do? It's a sin." Alexis hissed. Erik sighed and turned to face the two people he loved most in the world.

"That's just a rumor. They don't worship any demons or whatever. I swear, the neighbors Christianity is getting to you." Erik turned back to the window and peeked out again.

"Well, at least try to be nice. You know how much they love that religion. They worship from sun-up to sun-down." Alexis said before smoothing her sons hair.

"Momma, are they gone?" Timmy, their son, questioned. The topic change slowly easing the tension in the room.

"Yes sweetheart. It's alright." Alexis and Erik were silent as their son hopped upstairs to bed.

"I wonder-"

"What do you-" They glanced at each other and Alexis quietly laughed.

"You first." Erik said with a sideways grin. His wife rolled her eyes and stood beside him as they stared out the window.

"What do you thinks happened?" Alexis asked quietly. Erik sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"No idea, darling, no idea."

~

The next day the family had just settled down to a simple dinner of green bean casserole. Their son was making aeroplane noises and giggling to himself. Alexis was setting the table as Erik settled down in his usual spot at the dining table.

"Mm, smells delicious." Alexis smiled as Timmy bounced in his chair.

"Thanks." She took her seat and loaded up Timmy's plate, Erik filled his plate as well.

"Momma! Can I play with Xavier tomorrow? Please, please, please?"

"I'll have to speak with his parents first," she turned her head to Erik, "Hear anything about last night?" Alexis asked as she filled her plate, Erik took a bite of casserole before answering..

"As a matter of fact, yes. The boys at work said that Mrs.Davidson was found dead in her home. Her son was upstairs huddled in the corner. You know how she was found dead? Upside down with her-"

"Erik!" Alexis hissed, her head nodding towards Timmy who was pushing around his food glumly.

"Right, right. Sorry." The rest of dinner was silent.

~

Later that evening, as Alexis was doing the dishes Erik entered the kitchen to finish the conversation.

"Now don't ask me who told my buddies, but she was found in her living room tied to the ceiling. Her eyes wide open and long cuts going all the way down her body. The coroner said that major organs were missing from her body, can you believe that!?"

"Oh my god. That's awful. There's going to be a funeral right?" Alexis stared at Erik with wide eyes.

"Rumor is that all her relatives are dead, except for her uncle who is stuck in jail in the Maldives. So, there's no one to pay for it." Alexis shook her head and made a 'tsk'-ing sound.

"What about her son?" Erik shrugged and leaned on the counter.

"Yet to be determined. But her son was odd. A few screws loose. No friends at school and pretty low grades- hell, he hardly went to school!"

"How do you know that?" Alexis asked. Erik grinned at her and simply said,

"Timmy told me." Silence enveloped the kitchen before Erik spoke up again.

"Y'know, there was one other thing. You know her son?" Alexis nodded and turned to look at Erik, "He was covered in Mrs.Davidson's blood."