The Aliveagainers

1 - Dawn

Slivers of darkness swirl around me as the ghost drifts slowly along the bar. I'm hidin' beneath the splintered edge and when the inky threads touch me they burn cold, like nothin' so much as the feelin' of snow on your skin.

Worse than the sickly chill is the sound.

I can hear its teeth chatterin' and taste the metal in the air. It's a sour and mournful flavor, one that sets your mind runnin' with dark thoughts. Even after so many days, it's enough to almost make you gag and I bite my hand and pray I don't choke.

Their chatterin's so hard to understand, but it seems to fill a room like they're talkin' from everywhere all at once. Every now n' then I might catch a word or two. The one that nearly found us yesterday was a lady one, all black and floaty like the rest but I swear I heard her mutterin' and cussin'.

Where is she? Who took her?

A glass crashes to the floor and I flinch. The Aliveagainer stops whisperin' and I'm wonderin' has it heard me or did the stupid ghost just go and spook itself? I tighten my grip on the spray can, check the lighter in my left hand. I lay myself as flat as I can go, craning' my head up yet not wantin' to look.

I don't want to see them terrible eyes. Dark pits, black and far-away empty like deep wells. But all at once they glow with this strange light. Like starin' at an eclipse. You can turn away and close your eyes but them holes glimmer on; twistin' and burnin' in.

It keeps whisperin' but I can tell it's driftin' to the other side of the bar. The sound unravels around me, bouncin' around the room and creepin' into my ears. Ain't no way you can stop that noise from gettin' in hour brain. The whispers seek you out all snakelike and relentless.

You took her; you stole her, you always-

I clench my teeth. Look my way and I'll spray you dead, you hear? Course I'm thinkin' to myself, talkin' in my own head like I did when I first started my sentence. Tough talk, big words. All bark, no bite. That's me down to a T. Ain't stupid enough to talk aloud. Don't need to learn the same lesson twice.

I leave the whisperin' to them.

And then it's quiet again. My ears ring but I know there ain't no noise. Some sorta dead silent echo. It hangs in my head and I know I gotta not think about it, gotta distract myself away or it might just ring more and more and leave me there tremblin'.

Now a total nothin' seems to drape around me, cold and empty. I don't make a noise. I don't move. I dont breathr. I don't even blink my eyes. I'm all frozen up, silent and still. You may as well just pack me in a bag and zip it right up.

I wait a moment more. I relax my hands a little and they throb. I've been clenchin' the can so tight the skin's turnin' white on my knuckles.

Breathin' in deep again I brace myself, I slowly creep up around the bar. It's one helluva mess here, like the wildest party ever went down. Chairs are turned over and there's trash all over but I know it weren't from no finals game. If only.

I step out and walk across the floor. I keep my eye out for broken glass. I left my shoes with him. My feet are ice cold in my five day old socks. But that's better than shoes. This hotel got too many floorboards and they got some good hearin'.

Across the room I see a door. Sign says "Employees Only". I dash across as quiet as I can. The room is empty and I make it fine. There's a window here with the curtains drawn. Sunlight spills in, lightin' up the room, but it's a sick and pale sorta light. Almost like the days themselves is startin' to fade away.

I touch my hand onto the curtain fabric. I feel a sudden desire to look out but I hold back. It faces to the hotel parking lot. Last time I looked there from the room it was full of them all floatin' and flyin' around.

One night I was lookin' out and suddenly one turns right up and looks right at me. Like right in my eyes. I swear it felt like you just threw me in a frozen lake, my heart just about stopped then it beat again so fast I thought it might explode. I'd ducked down, for sure it'd come up and get us. I'd spent the night there, half curled up, waitin', finally wakin' up with a helluva sore neck and back from crouchin'.

I grab the handle of the door, usin' my hand as best I can with the lighter. Should I open it quick or slow? Quick means I can be ready but probably would make some noise. Slow though... Could set me right into one.

I look around the chaos of the room spread out behind me. How did this happen? And why? This don't feel like somethin' we're goin' recover from, not anytime soon. The second day some folks I was with were talkin', tryin' to argue or agree on whatever it was that happened. One older guy had just up said Every man for himself. He was gone in the mornin'. Safer in small groups, or on your own.

I'm used to bein' on my own. Got used to it these past few years. It's easier this way I tell myself. No one watchin' over you, no one to worry about. Maybe I should just go, get outside, and make my way off. I'm sure I could hole up somewhere safe for a while, I know a few places. Faraway places where ain't no one hardly ever goes.

But then the boy's up there. He's tucked away, waitin' on me. If the good ol' army swung in they'd find him, get him outta there. He's alone, sure, but he's safe. Well, mostly. There is her. But... I'm not sure what to make of her now. She's different now. She's changin'.

I can't leave him. Not with her. The thought of leavin' him makes me sick. I can't believe I even thought it. Or maybe that's just me. I'm the one you can't count on; the one who leaves people when they need 'em most.

From somewhere outside comes a muffled noise and it shocks me back to the present. Can't believe I've been daydreamin' here of all places!

I put my hands up on the door, the wood is icy cold and the chill spills into me. The room around me seems to look larger and larger and my stomach turns in knots. There's such a feelin' of badness here. I place my ear up against the wood and I listen.

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From the Author

READ CHAPTER 2 FOR A CHILLING HORROR EXPERIENCE

Thank you for reading Chapter 1 of The Aliveagainers. What do you think might be through that door? What are the Aliveagainers and where have they come from? And who is the boy the protagonist talks about?

All these questions will be answered - but many more mysteries will be uncovered as you continue. I look forward to you accompanying me on a dark and haunting adventure and I really appreciate your votes and comments. Thank you!