Simon "Ghost" Riley oneshots

Evil Dead x Taskforce 141 Ep-3

Episode 3- The first Sign

The forest swallowed every sound.
"Ghost!"
Your voice echoed through the towering pines before disappearing into the darkness.
No answer.
Only the beam of your flashlight cut through the thick woods as you pushed past dripping branches.
"Ghost!" Gaz shouted from somewhere to your left.
"Lieutenant!" Soap called from farther down the trail.
Price's calm voice crackled over the radio.
"Report."
"Negative," Gaz answered. "No sign."
You tightened your grip around your rifle.
Ghost wouldn't disappear.
Not without saying something.
Not without reporting in.
It wasn't like him.
Something was terribly wrong.
Hours passed.
The sun had disappeared behind the mountains.
Darkness settled over the forest.
Rain began to fall again.
Cold.
Heavy.
The five of you searched every inch around the safehouse.
Nothing.
No footprints.
No blood.
No signs of a struggle.
It was as if Simon Riley had simply...
Vanished.
Soap lowered his rifle.
"This doesn't make any sense."
Price's jaw clenched.
"We keep looking."
You stepped back into the clearing surrounding the cabin.
The black SUV sat exactly where Ghost had left it.
One crate still lay shattered on the muddy ground.
Its contents were scattered across the rain-soaked earth.
You stared at it.
Ghost would never leave equipment behind.
Never.
Your heartbeat quickened.
Something moved.
You froze.
A figure emerged from between the trees.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Walking slowly toward the cabin.
"Ghost!" you breathed.
Everyone turned at once.
There he was.
Simon Riley.
His tactical clothes were completely drenched, clinging to his muscular frame as though he had climbed out of a river.
Water dripped from the hem of his shirt.
From his gloves.
From the edges of his skull mask.
His boots left muddy footprints with every step.
But...
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Lieutenant!"
Soap hurried toward him.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Ghost didn't answer.
He didn't even look at him.
He walked straight past.
Gaz stepped in front of him.
"Ghost?"
Nothing.
No reaction.
His breathing was slow.
Mechanical.
His visible eye stared ahead without focus.
As though...
He wasn't seeing any of them.
Price stepped forward.
"Simon."
Still nothing.
Ghost brushed past the Captain's shoulder and continued walking.
No salute.
No report.
No acknowledgment.
Not even a glance.
A chill crept up your spine.
You had known Ghost long enough to recognize discipline.
This wasn't exhaustion.
This wasn't shock.
It was...
Absence.
The cabin door creaked open.
Ghost entered.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the wooden floor.
Up the stairs.
Down the hallway.
A bedroom door slammed shut.
Click.
The lock turned.
Silence.
Soap blinked.
"...What was that?"
Gaz looked just as unsettled.
"I've never seen him ignore Price."
Price remained silent, his eyes fixed on the second floor.
The muscles in his jaw tightened.
"Something happened out there."
Your thoughts drifted back to the strange leather-bound journal.
Without saying a word, you hurried into the storage room.
The dusty shelves stood exactly as before.
The enormous book still rested where Soap had returned it.
You picked it up.
It felt...
Heavier.
Almost as though it resisted being moved.
You carried it into the living room and laid it across the table.
"What are you doing?" Soap asked.
"I need to see something."
The old leather creaked as you opened the cover.
The first few pages contained the same horrifying sketches.
Ritual circles.
Twisted creatures.
Ancient symbols.
You turned another page.
Then another.
Your breathing stopped.
A detailed illustration stared back at you.
It showed a man...
Standing alone in the rain.
Head lowered.
Water pouring from his clothes.
Dark smoke curled around his body.
Beneath the drawing, more symbols covered the page.
Only one sentence had been translated into English.
"The chosen host returns marked by the forest."
Your fingers began trembling.
"No..."
Soap leaned over your shoulder.
"What is it?"
You silently turned the book toward the others.
Gaz's face lost all color.
Price stared at the illustration.
The figure looked exactly like Ghost.
Drenched.
Silent.
Changed.
Soap swallowed hard.
"...That's impossible."
You continued reading the faded translation beneath it.
"The first stage begins with the voice."
"The second with the return."
"The third..."
Your heart pounded.
"...The vessel wounds itself willingly."
The room fell silent.
A scraping noise interrupted your thoughts.
Scrrrrraaatch...
Everyone looked upstairs.
The sound came again.
Long.
Slow.
Metal dragging across wood.
Scrraaaatch...
Soap frowned.
"...Ghost?"
No answer.
The noise continued.
Price reached for his pistol.
You grabbed the book again.
Hands shaking.
Frantically flipping through its pages.
There.
Another illustration.
Your breath caught in your throat.
The drawing showed a man sitting on the edge of a bed.
Head lowered.
Holding a knife.
Deep cuts covered his arms.
Blood pooled beneath his boots.
The translated text beneath the illustration read-
"The host opens the flesh so darkness may enter deeper."
Your stomach dropped.
"Oh no..."
The words escaped as little more than a whisper.
"No..."
You looked toward the ceiling.
The scraping continued.
Your voice cracked.
"No, Ghost..."
Price's expression hardened instantly.
"Move!"
Everyone sprinted toward the staircase.
The book slammed shut as you left it on the table.
Your boots thundered against the wooden steps.
"Ghost!" Soap shouted, pounding on the bedroom door.
No response.
"Lieutenant!" Gaz yelled.
Only the scraping answered.
Scrrrraaaatch...
Price grabbed the doorknob.
Locked.
He slammed his shoulder against the wood.
It didn't budge.
"Again!" he barked.
Soap joined him.
The door shuddered under the impact.
Inside...
The scraping suddenly stopped.
A heavy silence settled over the hallway.
Price looked at the others.
His voice was low.
"Stand back."
He took one step away from the door.
Raised his boot.
And drove it forward with all his strength...
CRASH!
The lock splintered.
The bedroom door flew inward.
And whatever waited for them inside made every one of them freeze.