Flash Fictions

6

 "Hurry up, will you?" Maisie complained.

"If you would be patient, then I could focus," Stevens said. The satisfying click of the door unlocking met their ears. They opened the grand door of Chief Bloom's mansion.

Stevens pushed in front of Maisie, locating the security system panel near the kitchen in a matter of seconds. He disarmed it so quick it was if he had done it before, and that fact settled a bit uneasy with Maisie. However, the unease faded as the two entered the living room of the killer.

"We need to find the cellar. From what Laura's shown, the hairs are behind a locked door," Maisie said. She began to head towards the hallway, but a figure walking into the living room stopped her. Colliding with the figure, Maisie flew backward.

"I knew you two would come," Bloom said. His low voice drilled waves of worry through Maisie's bones. The silver gunmetal shining in the last rays of the sunlight only made things worse for the two partners. Slim fingers trailing over the bullets, Bloom loaded three bullets into his Revolver.

Stevens large body blocked Maisie from Bloom. His warmth battled the rigidness of the cold mansion, and Maisie saw him straighten up. Hands inching towards his gun, the cop used his other hand to shield Maisie.

"Put the gun down, Bloom," Stevens said. Anger weaved through each of his words, and Maisie felt weak as he stepped forward. Her breath clogged her throat as Bloom aimed his gun.

"Why the hell are you in my house, Stevens? Is there something wrong?" Bloom said. A slick smile plastered itself on the man's lips. The Chief's finger inched towards the trigger of his gun.

"You know why we're here, you son of a bitch. Put your gun down before I stop you myself," Stevens said. His hand remained Maisie's arm as he slowly revealed his gun to the killer. Bloom did not even flinch at the sight of Stevens' firearm. He almost seemed calmer to Maisie, as if he knew something they did not.

"I know what you're thinking. Why am I here when I was scheduled to be out of town?" Bloom started. His slick words seemed to wrap around Maisie's worry. Each word suffocated and squeezed her thoughts like a python constricting its victim. "I decided to postpone all my vacations until I stopped whoever was on my tail."

Stevens became stiff as he backed up even closer to Maisie, blocking her vision completely. One of the only things she could see was the white fabric of his shirt, but she could hear everything around her. Heavy breathing from the two men cut through the room. The tension in the air was so thick it influenced each of Maisie's thoughts.

Everything slowed down as the trigger on the gun was pulled. Maisie's eyes watched as the silver bullet flew across the room. The sound of the shot shattered her eardrums. Blood splattered across her pale face, and the crimson liquid stained everything in the room. Both guns dropped, but only one hit the ground.

The supportive hand on her arm fell limp as Stevens' body collapsed to the ground. Red stained the front of his shirt as his body lay motionless, his labored breathing breaking the silence that filled the living room. Maisie's legs gave out from under her as she fell next to Stevens. The hands of the girl shook with panic, and the training in first aid her mother had given her came as second nature. She tore off his shirt, using the cloth to apply pressure on the wound.

Stevens' glazed eyes stared at the ceiling as Maisie's tear ducts welled. As he took a breath, blood filled his throat. The cop coughed, and he gasped for air as the oxygen left his lungs. His body caused Maisie to search for his wrists. The faint pulse relieved her, but she knew that Stevens did not have long.

"You have five seconds before I-" Maisie started. However, her words slurred as something pierced through her right shoulder. The impact threw her back against the wall. But, the young girl was oblivious to the pain and stress her body was under. Her finger trailed to the bleeding hole in her shoulder as her other shoulder was struck. Maisie's eyes widened as the crimson liquid spread throughout her shirt, and her head felt light as she collapsed to the ground.

Everything was still. Opening her eyes, Maisie found that she was no longer in the same living room. This version of the living room was black and white, and it was lacking Bloom and Stevens. However, Maisie knew she was not alone.

Laura stood in front of her. Several other girls behind Laura were nearly identical. They had the same eyes, hair, and gash across their necks. However, some were taller, while others were smaller and much younger. The only spirit looking at Maisie, though, was the spirit Maisie was most familiar with. The spirit's face was coated thick with concern, and it was if Maisie could almost hear her labored breath. She moved towards Maisie as if her movements were those of a choppy stop motion film. Laura pressed her cold hands against Maisie's shoulders.

"Breath," Laura commanded.

Maisie gasped for air as she was thrown back into reality. The holes on her shoulders healed, though a slight pain still lingered. Reds and greens of Bloom's living room left an impression on her eyes, and Bloom's hunched figure startled her. Hands coated with blood, the killer faced his back to Maisie, holding his fingers into the light. Shine from the fluid on his hands made Maisie's stomach flip, but she forced herself to calm down. She was not going to allow a bit of blood intimidate her like it had before.

Bloom had a gun. Stevens had a gun. The only option seemed to be to fight with earthly weapons. Maisie could not shoot a gun, and she knew she was no match for a grown man who knew how to.

A thought crossed her mind as if it were a ray of sun piercing through a dark rain cloud. It was dangerous, and it scared the hell out of her. Maisie knew that executing the plan could kill not only her but everyone in the room, and she was betting on that.

Her eyes shut as she focused on the heavy blanket of negative energy in the room. As she rose, the room faded to the spirit realm. Laura was with the other spirits, and Maisie could feel the power coming from the murder victims. They were stirring and restless, so Maisie walked to them first.

Maise grabbed Laura's arm, and the whole atmosphere seemed to change. She allowed her negative energy to flow into Laura, and the other spirits clumped to get some of the energy as well. Maisie felt lighter as the other spirits grasped onto her negative energy, sucking it out of her body and mind. Some of the spirits were unfamiliar, and Maisie could feel how evil and powerful they were. Some she knew, like Laura. Regardless, all the spirits were angry, and they would be willing to take it out on anyone.

The undead swirled around Maisie as the spirit realm began to fade. The solid spirits stayed as the living room appeared. All eyes turned to Bloom as Laura raised her right hand, and the spirits flocked over to the Chief. Books fell off tables and candles were knocked over as the room met its destruction. A fire ate away at the walls and curtains. But, the flames grew around Maisie and Stevens. The hot fire refused to touch either of them.

Screams from Bloom shattered through the tense silence as a cut slashed into his neck. Blood spurted into the air, covering the unconscious Stevens and conscious Maisie in another coating of thick blood. The spirits remained spotless as Bloom began to choke on his own blood. Maisie could see the bones from his neck from how deep the cut was, and her stomach twisted with the urge to throw up. The spirits, unfazed, howled as the light in Bloom's eyes disappeared.

Maisie closed her eyes once more, dragging the spirits back into the spirit realm. They clawed at the floor as they thirsted for more energy. The thick odor of burning flesh engulfed Maisie's senses. She noticed that Laura and the other spirits of Bloom's victims were gone. Fire had seemed to destroy the hair, along with a majority of Bloom's home, and Maisie knew she had to leave.

Coming out of the sense, she grasped her colleague. Stevens was breathing, but he was knocked out cold. Wrapping her hands around him, Maisie hoisted her and Stevens up. The smoke from the flames stung her eyes as she walked out the front door of the mansion, not looking back.