Poveglia Island (GAC Story)

Eight

Zak sat on the steps outside the building, holding Lily in his arms for a long time. He knows that the demonic entity did this, but he still feels guilty for it. A part of him feels like he's responsible, while the other feels like it wasn't him. He had no idea which side to pick.

He stared out into the distance when he felt her move, grabbing his attention. Hearing a moan escape her lips, she opened her eyes, rubbing her forehead.

She looked up at him. "Zak?"

He nodded. "Yeah..it's me. Are you okay?"

"Well...my head hurts a little but I'll be fine." She said, sitting up in his lap.

"I'm really sorry for what happened back there." Zak said, giving her a sad look. "I shouldn't have hurt you."

Lily shook her head. "It wasn't you. It's okay, I'm not mad."

"I feel like part of it was, though."

"Well, it isn't. It was the demon bastard. Just be thankful it's over now." She said.

Looking down at the ground, he only nodded before she lifted his face up to hers.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. At least I'm not dead." Lily said with a smirk.

Zak chuckled. "Yeah..."

They stared at each other for a few more seconds before he made the move, placing a quick yet firm kiss on her lips just as they heard loud footsteps heading towards them. Immediately standing up, they saw Jackie running their way, panicking as she stopped by the doorway to the building.

"Jackie, what's wrong??" Zak asked, the two of them walking up to her.

"No!! Stop!! It's not real!!" She shouted.

"What's not real??" Lily asked, shaking her shoulders. "Hey! Snap out of it!"

Jackie gripped her friends shoulders tightly, breathing hard. Blinking a few times, she glanced up at them.

"Sorry....just....sorry." She breathed.

"What was that all about?" Zak asked.

"It was my dream...I was seeing it." Jackie began. "And...I'm just scared of it coming true and having it actually happen!"

"I assure you it won't." Lily said. "Where's everyone else?"

"In the fields." Jackie said. "It's also where I saw it..."

"That would make sense.." Zak said. "Well..just stick with us, and it'll be fine."

She rapidly nodded, Lily's arm around her as they headed back to where Aaron and Nick are. Crossing over the bridge, they saw them standing in the middle of the field.

"Jackie! What the hell was all the freaking out about??" Nick asked.

"She saw her dream in flash images." Zak said. "Mind you, it happened here."

"Oh..right." He said. "You alright now, Zak?"

He nodded. "Yeah...I'll be fine."

They decided to continue to investigate, wanting to get more evidence.

"Who made Jackie see those images? Speak up if you did!" Aaron shouted, the recorder in his hand.

Looking down at the ground, Lily saw something, picking it up. Noticing it was a doctors mask, she held it in the air.

"Do you remember this? Who used to wear it, what were they called?" She asked.

They felt a breeze go right through them, sending chills down their spine.

"My hair is standing up right now." Nick said, shining his flashlight on his arm.

"Yeah, same here, same here." Zak said. "Who just passed through us?"

Aaron stopped recording a few seconds later, playing it back. Listening closely, they heard Zak ask his last question before a deep voice came through.

"Whoa wait. Play that again." Lily said. Playing it back, her eyes widened.

"What's it saying?" Aaron asked.

She looked up at them. "It said 'uno di voi morirà'...it means 'one of you will die'."

Silence for a few seconds before Zak broke it.

"Oh..shit..." Aaron said.

"We have to keep going, guys. It's only a few more hours." Zak said.

They continued to investigate.

***

The sun was now coming over the horizon, just as the boat pulled up to the docks. They definitely got more things than before, some deep demonic voices, immediately assuming it was the spirit that possessed Zak. Climbing onto the boat, they all sat in the seats as the driver took them back the other way.

"That..was one hell of a lockdown." Nick said, running his hands through his hair. "I just wanna sleep all of it off."

"Agreed." Aaron said, glancing at Jackie. "Are you doing okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah...I'm fine now."

Leaving it at that, they came up to the docks again, grabbing their stuff as they headed off and back to the hotel, shaken up from all the events that happened.