The Sick Truth

Chapter 7

          Danny sunk down into his bed, headphones blasting music into his ears. Breaking Benjamin was screaming their words into his head and blocking out everything else. It had been a year and a half to the day since he had spoken with his beloved Molly. No matter how hard he tried to contact her, she ignored him every time. There was nothing more he could do. So he gave up. He reached over to his nightstand and popped the cap off of his medication. A few anti-depressants and he was off, somewhere in his dream land, he was with his Molly, and she still loved him.

          He didn’t care what happened to him anymore, Molly was in California, probably relaxing on a beach surrounded by guys. He was sitting in his room with nothing left. Soon though, he would be strong enough to end it all. He wouldn’t have to live with the insufferable silence anymore. The only thing he could do was commit suicide.

          There was a loud knock at the door, Danny slowly swung his legs over the bed and trudged over to it. He didn’t even have time to open the door before it flew open. There, he saw a fiery headed girl with deep blue eyes, and tear-stained cheeks. She reached out her hand and more tears escaped her eyes.

          “Danny, help me. Help me! Please! Find Jason! Help. Me. Please!” Her wind chime voice echoed through the room and then her image faded. Just as he was about to dismiss himself for being crazy, he smelled her. Pomegranate and vanilla, a scent she mixed herself, so it was unique.

          Danny booked it out the window, into his truck and sped off to Bristol St. Jason would be working. The minute he pulled up to the shop, he could see the smoke billowing out the windows. Danny got out, slammed the door and got his ass over to the door as fast as he could. It was locked. He could see Jason lying in the back of the garage. He put his elbow through the glass and unlocked the door. The keys still in the lock.  He reached Jason and dragged him by his feet out of the sweltering room. He loaded him into the pickup and sped off, trying to get as far away as he possibly could. He drove up to an old motel pulled into the lot, parked and ran over to the glass windowed counter.

          “Listen. I need a room. My friends hurt, so I need a medical kit. I can’t bring him to a hospital and nobody can no we were here. Got it?” Danny swiped the cash under the hole and took the keys. The man came around with the kit and then helped him to carry Jason into the room.

          Fixing Jason up was easy to the Hell of the next 3 days. The owner of the motel had moved them into the basement to hide the pain induced screams of Jason. Josh had called numerous times, but to no avail. Danny wouldn’t pick up the phone.

          Jason lifted up his head, opened his eyes and blinked away the blurry spots in his vision. He inhaled hot air, rubbing against the raw skin of his throat. He cautiously turned to the nightstand next to him, careful not to irritate his burned flesh. He reached for the glass of water but at its icy touch to his dead skin he dropped it, screaming in fury and pain.

          Josh rushed into the room; in 3 seconds flat he had a rag wrapped around Jason’s hand, to stop the searing blisters from bleeding. Then he picked up the glass and mess of the water, not forgetting to get another glass for Jason; which he then had to hold as Jason gorged himself on cool water.

          “Jason, where is Molly? What’s going on?” Danny muttered, he was in no mood for games.

          “Go to the old diner. The one you and Samantha used to go to. If you drive 10 miles north and take a right there is a field. Drive across the field and to the woods. There is a jeep trail that will lead you to a house. It’s an old Victorian. Everything on the property is overgrown and dead. There is a shed in the back. It has a ladder. Go down the ladder and you will get to a system tunnels. Molly is in a holding cell, unconscious. Get her out of there and don’t get caught. If they catch you, they will not hesitate to kill you. But they will do so much worse to Molly. You have until the Witching Hour.” He spoke hoarsely and then closed his eyes as he finished. Danny hurried out of the room and to his truck.

          Driving to the diner was easy, finding the road north was simple. Once Danny got to the field he snapped off his head lights and attempted to drive across to the jeep trail. Danny managed to reach the trail with some success and slowed to a crawl as he approached the house. He could see the shed in the back. He stopped the car and got out, careful as to make the least amount of noise that he could manage.

          He went around the edge of the woods and crawled on his belly to the shed. He undid the latch, opened the doors and snuck inside. Danny moved the door over where he suspected the ladder to be. The moment he inhaled a stinking smell of rotting flesh made his stomach churn and it took all the strength he had not to vomit right then and there. He took in a breath filtered with his shirt and then scurried down the ladder, ready to look for his precious Molly.

          Molly opened her eyes to the sound of footsteps she had grown accustomed to over the last week. She looked up to see the Hag in all black, the amulet around her neck swirling.

          “Well lookey here. Good evening Molly. Do you know what time it is? It is half past 2. Which means the Witching Hour is nearly upon us. Tell me, are you ready to die?” Her voice simmered with venom but was bittersweet. She smiled at Molly who spat at her with disgust.

          “Let’s get this over with.” Molly groaned and stood up. The Hag unlocked the cage and escorted Molly out. And then she heard it. Someone stifled a gasp. The Hag turned her head and that was when Molly pulled the knife from her belt. She dug it deep into the Hag’s throat and slid it. The she grabbed the amulet and ran to the direction of the noise. She turned the corner expecting to see Jason, but waited for her caused her jaw to hit the floor.

          “D-Danny…? What are you doing here?” Molly’s voice quavered as shock, anger and pain filled her eyes.

“Molly, Jason was attacked. I came here to save you from whatever this is. We need to leave. So you can hate me later, after we get back home.” Danny responded at first quietly and then with sharpness Molly had never heard before.

          The firebrand girl got into the truck following the boy in black. They arrived at the motel later than planned. Danny opened the door and Molly ran inside to the couch, but what was waiting for her caused a painful moan to leave her lips.

          Jason was gone, and there lay a letter, her name on the envelope.