The shadows of our town

chapter 14: the aftermath

Carla sat huddled on the couch in Melissa's dim living room, her mind swirling with the memory of Thomas—his eyes black voids, his voice twisted into something unrecognizable. The group was scattered around the room, each of them reeling from the events at her house. The demon had won, and it had taken Thomas.

The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional creak of the house settling or the distant rustle of leaves outside. No one spoke, their fear too raw, too close. Carla's chest felt like it was going to cave in. She couldn't keep it inside anymore. She couldn't stand the thought of them leaving Thomas behind.

Taking a deep breath, she stood, her hands trembling at her sides. "We can't just sit here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Adam looked up from where he sat slumped in an armchair, his eyes bloodshot. "What are we supposed to do, Carla? Did you see him? That wasn't Thomas anymore."

"Don't say that!" Carla snapped, surprising even herself. She paced the room, her fists clenching. "He's still in there. I know he is. The demon hasn't won yet. We can save him."

Melissa, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a blanket around her shoulders, shook her head. "Carla... you saw what happened. We're not equipped to deal with this. Lydia warned us."

"Lydia doesn't know everything!" Carla said, her voice rising. Tears brimmed in her eyes as the words tumbled out. "You don't understand—he's more than just some friend to me. I... I love him."

The room went silent, the weight of her confession sinking in. Adam straightened, his brow furrowing, while Billy's eyes darted to Carla in surprise. Melissa gave her a look of quiet understanding.

Carla's voice broke as she continued. "I've loved him for as long as I can remember, and I was too scared to say it. Now he's gone, and if we don't do something, I'll never get the chance to tell him. I can't lose him like this."

Adam sighed and rubbed his temples. "Even if we wanted to, what's the plan? We tried the ritual, and look how that turned out."

"We find him," Carla said firmly. "We find him and we try again. There has to be another way."

Billy hesitated, but then he nodded slowly. "She's right. We can't just leave him like this. He'd never abandon us if the situation were reversed."

Melissa glanced between them, her eyes wary but resolute. "If we're doing this, we need to be careful. We can't afford to make another mistake."

"Then it's settled," Carla said, wiping at her tears. "We're going tonight."

The Hunt for Thomas
The group armed themselves as best they could: flashlights, a knife from Melissa's kitchen, and a baseball bat Billy had found in her garage. Carla stuffed a jar of salt into her backpack, remembering how Lydia had said it could repel the demon, at least temporarily.

They piled into Melissa's car, the silence heavy as they drove toward the outskirts of town. The streets were deserted, the faint glow of streetlights barely piercing the oppressive darkness. The air seemed thicker the closer they got to their destination—an abandoned factory on the edge of Closville. It was a place none of them had been before, but somehow Carla just knew they'd find Thomas there. She could feel it in her bones.

The factory loomed ahead, its windows shattered, its walls covered in graffiti. The wind howled through the broken structure, carrying with it an unnatural chill. The group climbed out of the car, their breaths visible in the cold night air.

"Stay close," Melissa whispered, clutching the bat tightly.

They entered the factory cautiously, their footsteps echoing on the cracked concrete floor. The air inside was even colder, and the shadows seemed to move on their own. Carla felt her heart racing, her hands trembling as she gripped the flashlight.

"Do you hear that?" Billy whispered, stopping in his tracks.

Everyone froze. A faint, guttural growl echoed through the space, sending chills down their spines. The sound was followed by the unmistakable scrape of something heavy being dragged across the floor.

"He's here," Carla said, her voice barely audible.

The group moved deeper into the factory, their flashlights cutting through the darkness. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, and Carla's heart leapt into her throat. It was Thomas—or what was left of him.

His body was twisted and hunched, his eyes still those same black voids. The demon's influence was palpable, radiating off him like a dark aura.

"Thomas!" Carla called out, her voice breaking.

The figure froze, tilting its head as if recognizing her. For a brief moment, she thought she saw a flicker of the real Thomas in his expression. But then the demon surged forward, its twisted voice snarling, "You shouldn't have come."

Billy swung the bat, but Thomas was faster. He grabbed Billy by the arm and hurled him across the room with inhuman strength. Billy hit the wall with a sickening thud and crumpled to the floor, unmoving.

"Billy!" Melissa screamed, rushing to his side.

Carla's heart pounded as she stepped forward, holding the jar of salt in front of her. "Thomas, please! I know you're in there! Fight it!"

The demon hesitated, its movements jerky and unnatural. For a split second, Carla thought it might work. But then it snarled and lunged at her. She threw the salt in its path, and the demon recoiled, letting out an unearthly scream before retreating into the shadows.

"Grab Billy!" Adam shouted. "We have to get out of here!"

Melissa and Adam hoisted Billy between them, and the group scrambled out of the factory, their breaths ragged as they stumbled into the night.

The Aftermath
Back at Melissa's house, they laid Billy on the couch. He was breathing, but barely. Melissa hurried to grab her first aid kit, while Carla sat by his side, tears streaming down her face.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Melissa worked quickly, cleaning a gash on Billy's forehead and checking him for other injuries. "He's hurt, but I think he'll be okay. He just needs rest."

They took turns watching over him through the night. Carla stayed by his side, clutching his hand and silently praying for him to wake up.

Finally, just before dawn, Billy stirred, his eyes fluttering open. "What... what happened?" he mumbled.

"You're okay," Carla said, relief flooding her. "You're okay."

Melissa knelt beside him, checking his pulse. "You're lucky. But you need to take it easy for a while."

Billy managed a weak smile. "Guess I won't be playing baseball anytime soon."

Despite the faint humor, the room remained heavy with tension. Carla glanced at Melissa and Adam, her resolve hardening.

"We almost lost him," she said quietly. "We can't let this happen again. We have to save Thomas. No matter what it takes."

The group nodded solemnly, their shared fear eclipsed by a growing determination. The fight wasn't over—not by a long shot.