Dark Souls and Dark Minds

Chapter 1

A/N: There's a kind of vivid description of a dead body in this chapter, so please proceed with caution if that bothers you.

Rain pounded unceasingly at the windows of the car, the sound akin to someone banging on a drum. Jack Kelly stared at the water flooding down the window in torrents, his expression despondent as he contemplated where he was going.

Miss Medda Larkin eyed him in the rearview mirror, her dark brown eyes full of concern. "We're almost there, honey. Only a couple more miles."

Jack grunted in response, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally as he continued to avoid eye contact and stare out of the window. It had been raining like this last week, too. On the day he went to visit his mother.

Jack was soaking wet by the time he reached the church, his hair so wet that it was plastered to his skull.

Entering the graveyard to the right side of the church he wove in and out of the rows of graves, his feet traversing the familiar path with ease. Finally, he reached the small stone in the back corner of the yard. His mother.

Kneeling down in front of the grave Jack ran his hand over the words inscribed on the stone. Jacqueline Marie Kelly. 1974-2012. May She Rest Always At Peace. Taking off his backpack and setting it on the ground in front of him Jack unzipped it and reached inside, pulling out a small bouquet of tulips which looked decidedly worse for wear after being stuffed inside a small bag all day. Jack didn't seem to mind, however, and he set the flowers on the grave with a loving smile.

"Heya Mom," Jack said softly after a minute of silence, his voice barely audible above the sound of the rain falling. "Happy birthday."

The grave didn't answer but Jack kept talking, as sincerely as if his mother had truly been standing before him. "I got a B on my math test today, and Cassidy talked ta me a little at lunch." He paused, trying to think of more things to say. "Mr. O'Malley told me that I could probably get a scholarship ta art school if I submit a portfolio by April 23rd, and I think I'm gonna do it. Dad hasn't gotten drunk at all this week, an' he remembered ta give me money for lunch today."

Jack's eyes suddenly grew dark at the mention of his father, and he gripped a fistful of grass tightly. "Dad told me somethin' else last night. He-he told me he's gonna marry Erica, in September." Jack choked back a sob as he suddenly burst into tears. "He's tryin' to forget you, Mom, even though he won't admit it!" he exclaimed. "He's tryin' ta make it seem as though you never existed!"

Jack sniffed and lowered his head as tears ran down his face, his voice suddenly a whisper again. "I wish you was here, Mom."

As Jack spoke those fateful words something in the air around him changed, and he could feel all of his anger, sadness, and fear draining out of him and into the ground. Even the rain seemed to have quieted ever so slightly.

A half-decomposed hand suddenly shot up out of the ground in front of him, the smell of damp earth and rotting flesh accompanying it. Jack jumped up with a scream, clutching his backpack to his chest and shaking with shock and pure terror.

His mother was crawling out of her grave. As Jack watched, rooted to the spot in horror, what was left of her left hand and arm appeared followed by her shoulder and part of her chest. A few seconds later her other arm shot up out of the ground followed by her head, torso, and legs.

Jack watched as his mother writhed on the ground, clearly in some kind of pain. "Mom?" he managed to squeak after a few minutes.

His mother's head shot up in response, and Jack nearly passed out. Her face was half rotted flesh and half skeleton, like something out of The Walking Dead. Her eyes were the worst, though, in that she had none. Pitch black eye sockets glared up at Jack, no possible recognition present in them.

Jack swallowed hard, feeling himself begin to shake even more violently. "Mom is that you?"

His mother growled a low, inhuman growl, and suddenly Jack's fight or flight response kicked in. He suddenly knew that whatever this thing was it wasn't his mother, not anymore. And so he finally turned and ran, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Jack ran until he reached his house, and then he ran inside and up to his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Jack stayed in his room for three days, refusing to leave even to get food. And then, in the evening on the fourth day, they came for him.

Jack was jolted back to the present when the car rolled to a stop and Miss Medda killed the engine, looking over at Jack with a cheery smile that seemed out of place in this situation. "Welcome to Pulitzer Academy, Jack."

Jack didn't respond, he simply stared up at the building's imposing facade with an unreadable expression on his face, his mouth hanging open ever so slightly.

Pulitzer Academy looked more like a Medieval castle than a school, with turrets and gargoyles jutting out from what looked like every possible surface. It looked cold and uninviting, and Jack suddenly felt like he was being watched.

Medda chuckled at his expression, opening the door and getting out of the car holding a big black umbrella. "I know, it takes some getting used to. I think you'll like it inside, though. Come on!"

Jack wordlessly opened the door and got out of the car, not trusting himself to speak. Miss Medda walked over to him and held the umbrella over his head, shielding both of them from the rain. "Come on, I'll walk you inside. The others are having dinner now, so it's a good time to introduce you."

Jack followed close beside Miss Medda, an uneasy expression on his face. "The others?"

Medda regarded Jack with an amused expression. "You didn't think you were the only student here, did you?"