Wake Up - The End is the New Beginning!

Part-6

I paced across my hotel room swirling a glass of gin, lost in thought. Tomorrow I had a meeting with the Louisiana Bank to view the old school that Robert Jennings had looked into. When I told them I was interested in buying the place they were a little surprised, and when I heard there was next to no interest in the place, I was surprised as well. The house, albeit dilapidated and in need of repair, was beautiful. The woman I spoke with on the phone informed me that the school had become somewhat of a local spook story for the townspeople. It was shut down when the funding ran out, and a lot of the students and their families were really upset with how the local government had chosen to send them elsewhere rather than provide additional funds. After that it went on the market, but I guess no one felt quite right about taking something that had done such good for those children. Fast forward a few bad storms and no maintenance later and the place had become a paranormal attraction, although no real activity had ever been documented there.

I took a long sip of gin and gulped it down. I couldn't believe how accustomed to this shit I've become. While I wasn't much of a drinker before, I had always had a taste for whiskey. Now this is all I can drink.

The hotel room I was staying in was dark and musty. My bank account was starting to run low now that I've been living without income for more than two months, and I couldn't afford to spend lavishly. I thought about writing some prescriptions and selling them but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. While the money would be great to have, I refused to turn my back on who I used to be. Who knows? Maybe this school will offer some new information I could use to possibly kill ubloo. Kill? I shook my head. It's a fucking voodoo curse, how do you even kill something like that?

I put my hands against my dresser and leaned forward over my glass of gin, watching the ice cubes bobble and clink against the sides.

"Doctor."

It came from behind me. I spun around so fast I nearly fell, and my eyes had to adjust to the rapid movement. Before me, someone was beginning to come into view.

It was Andrew.

We stood there and stared at each other. He had on a plain black shirt and jeans. His hair was messy and tangled, and his once familiar bright green eyes were replaced by balls of pure white.

"Doctor, why are you here?" He spoke again.

My words caught in my throat, but finally I managed to push them out.

"I'm trying to find a way out, Andrew. I'm trying to beat it. I'm trying to beat ubloo."

Andrew slowly shook his head at this.

"You can't beat ubloo, Doctor. You can't." He said. "ubloo is always there, always waiting, always watching."

We stood in silence, my stomach churning in depression and nervousness.

"Well I have to try Andrew." I finally spoke. "I have to try, because I can't let this happen to someone else, I just can't."

And then I saw it. It slunk out of the shadows behind Andrew with slow, almost clumsy movements. Its skin was slick and gray, pulled taut against his body, and I saw every bone and muscle twitch and move as it hobbled over on its six long legs. It had to be at least six feet tall, probably more, and this was hunched down on its knees. Its big round head and those deep black eyes stared right into me. While it had no pupils I could tell it was watching my every move, examining me. The long trunk that dangled from its head swayed back and forth as it walked, as if it hung limp. It stopped just behind Andrew as he began to speak again.

"It will happen to someone else Doctor." His white eyes staring right at me. "There is only one way out now."

ubloo's trunk reached up and pressed itself to Andrew's ear. I then saw its long, thin black tongue emerge from Andrew's nose and he let out a shrill scream.