Darkness Devours

Part 3

Mark froze in place trying to reason out why that had happened.  While Jack asked curiously over the phones speaker.  "What was that? Mark"?  Felix cried out sharply from upstairs.  "What the fuck?! Guys, not cool"!  Ryan and Matt replied in almost perfect unison.  "It wasn't us"!  Ken's voice sounded the closest to the top of the stairs as he called down to Mark, curiously.  "Mark? Was this your doing"?  Mark wasn't listening to anyone.  His eyes were fixed on the silhouette of something standing by the basement door.  The longer he stared at it the more its shape seemed to resemble a person.  It's facial features just weren't readable... but it appeared to be staring at him with amusement?  Mark didn't want to move or make a sound... not that he could.  He wasn't sure he was really seeing something there!  The specter took a single slow step toward him, speaking in a low deep menacing voice.  "Enjoy your stay, Mark".  Mark dropped his phone, backing up against the front door.  Ken called his name again, while Felix shot out louder in a panic.  "GODDAMNIT, MARK! ANSWER"!  Ryan and Matt chuckled at Felix's discomfort.  At least until they all heard Mark scream! 

 The rug yanked out from under Mark's feet, and the dark specter had lounged forward to grab his ankles!  A scream left Mark as he was dragged roughly down toward the basement door!  He tried to grab anything to keep from going... but there wasn't anything!  He could only claw at the wooden floor and listen to his friends thundering down the stairs calling his name!  The basement door flung open as Mark was pulled closer to it!  Desperately, Mark snatched the sides of the doorframe, fighting against the force that was pulling him in!  Ken was the first to reach him, snatching his arm just as he lost his grip on the doorframe!  Ken braced his feet against the doorframe, trying to pull Mark out with everything he had!  Felix and Matt started franticly asking what was going on, while Ryan quickly jumped in to help Ken.  Mark could feel something warm traveling up his body just seconds before a burst of warm air blasted up from the basement!  Ryan released Mark in surprise, and Ken lost his grip on Mark's arms!  Mark expected to hit the stairs, but instead he was flung back against the dirt floor of the basement!  Looking up just in time to see the basement door slam shut on his friends!  Laying still in the pitch black, Mark tried to control his racing heart.  Every breath he took was loud and his heartbeat filled his ears.  After what felt like minutes of pure silence, the same low deep menacing voice that he had heard from upstairs, spoke to him again.  Only this time he sounded like he was right in front of him... but Mark didn't see anything expect the darkness.  "You're going to help me, Mark".  Mark closed his eyes tightly hoping he had fallen asleep in the bed upstairs... but hoarsely whispered.  "What"?  The voice chuckled darkly, before whispering in a dark purring voice.  "You're going to get me out".  Mark shook his head slightly, unable to answer.  So, the dark voice piped up louder.  "You don't have a choice".  Covering his temples, Mark asked pitifully.  "Please, don't... I'm a good person".  The dark voice replied right against his ear with a hint of pleasure in its dark voice.  "Exactly".  Mark opened his eyes slowly, still expecting to see someone there... but there was still only darkness.  The dark force struck then without warning!  Flipping Mark onto his back and pinning his arms and legs down!  For the first time, Mark eyes adjusted to the darkness and he stared at the dark swirling smoke that held his wrists down, swallowing hard.  Out of the corner of his eye, Mark watched as more of that dark swirling smoke clustered above him.  Mark clenched his jaw shut and tried fighting against the pressure holding his wrists.  It was useless, though.  Whatever it was had more strength then he could ever hope for!  The large cluster of dark swirling smoke shifted, until long strands reached out for his face.  Mark kept his jaw locked, trying to turn his head farther away from them.  Not caring if he breathed in dirt!  However, the dark smoky strands forced him to look up at the large mass with the same strength that held him down!  Then to Mark's horror more smoky strands formed and forced their way into Mark's nose, ears, and eventually into his mouth when he began to scream from the pain of the insertion!!  Mark continued to scream out in pain, until the last of the dark swirling smoke slipped into his body.  Mark slowly rolled onto his side, coughing heavily.  He could feel a warm liquid coming up with every cough till it leak out the corners of his mouth.  His chest burned and his mind felt cloudy.  He wanted to stand up, but it felt like the room was spinning out of control.  It felt like he was suffering from the worst hangover in history... Resorting to laying very still, Mark forced himself to think about something still and pleasant to avoid hurling his breakfast...  Only to have his whole body go limp as he passed out from exhaustion. 

Mark jerked awake, finding himself back in his house?  He couldn't recall how he had gotten here... He wasn't even in his bed, he was on his floor?  Slowly rising to his feet, Mark headed for the bathroom to splash his face in the hopes of clearing away the confusion.  Leaning over the sink he splashed his face with the coldest water and rubbed his eyes.  Only when he looked at himself in the mirror... there was two of him?  One was his refection... while the other was behind him?  The second Mark grinned wickedly at him, saying in the deep dark menacing voice the dark specter had.  "Can you smell it"?  Mark straightened up as he stared at the dark version of himself in the mirror.  The dark version of himself looked away and made a show of breathing in deeply, before turning solid black eyes on Mark, adding with a sadistic smile.  "A strong pure soul".  Mark took a deep breath and slowly turned around to find the dark version of himself was right behind him now!  Staring into his soulless black eyes, the dark version grabbed his throat tightly in one hand!  His voice growing darker and deeper as he told Mark happily.  "A few feedings should change that"!  Mark gripped the dark versions wrist in both hands as he was lifted off the floor, watching his dark version grow two long fangs!  To Be Continued...