When The Light Goes Out

Chapter - 32 Finale!!

Monique shakily dialed 911 and tried to calm herself as she waited for someone to pickup on the other end.

In the living room, Terrence was staring down Patricia. Despite whatever he believed, he knew at that moment he was looking at a man's face but he could feel a woman's presence. It was beyond creepy. "Whatever you think you have with Mo' it's over," he said to break the stifling silence. "You aren't gonna be able to hurt anyone else including her."

Patricia just looked on with an expression of pity. "I never much cared for whatever the others for had with that woman. Whatever it was, all of that is irrelevant now. The beast will come and he will remove the impure."

"What are you talking about?" Terrence asked. 

Kevin's body folded over as another personality took over. Terrence took tentative steps back as the very bones of his body rearranged and he could see the muscle building on his frame. He ran to the kitchen and grabbed Monique's arm. "Let's go- right now!" 

She was too afraid to ask what was happening but she followed him back around to the living room and out the front door. Terrence made sure she locked the door then took her to the elevator.  As the doors closed they witnessed the emergence of The Beast through her apartment door. He slammed through the door, sending pieces of wood flying everywhere. Monique hugged Terrence tightly as the doors closed. 

"I can't believe you were dealing with that by yourself," he said as he held onto her. "Why?"

"Barry was nice to me," she whispered. "The others were nice to me too. I just wanted to help."

He stroked her head. "I know, but it's gonna be over soon."

Upon reaching the first floor they ran outside and jumped in Terrence's car. He started it up and rolled up the windows. "We'll stay at my place for the night until he's gone."

As he pulled out and into the road, something heavy hit them from above. Monique screamed and covered her head. A hand reached into the window on Monique's side and Terrence sped down the road, switching lanes quickly and rather haphazardly to try shake him off.

"You have to be kidding me! This guy is still hanging on. What the hell is he?"

"I think this is the beast the others were talking about," Monique said. "They were taking the girls for him."

"So, what? Is he after you now because there are no girls?"

"I-I think so."

Sirens whirred behind them as several police cars were suddenly in hot pursuit. In any other circumstance he may have been uneasy with so many cop cars behind him, but it was relieving in their current situation. The sound of straining metal was heard and then screeching tires behind them. Terrence glanced in his rear view mirror to seat what was happening. 

"This guy just flipped a police car," he exclaimed. Cars were piling up one after another behind the assaulted vehicle. "This is ridiculous..."

The beast was nowhere to be seen but Terrence's urgency did not go away until they reached his apartment and were both inside, safe and armed. He had a small hand gun with plenty of ammo and knives. "Never thought I would have to use these all at once," he said as he rejoined Monique in his bed room. There was only one way into the room and they had barricaded the window and bathroom door. If they were being honest with themselves it still didn't feel like enough.

Terrence handed Monique a bottle of water. "So there was no sign of this kind of crazy other than the fact that he had multiple personalities?"

Monique shot him a look. "It was stupid, okay, I get it."

"I'm sorry, but, yeah, it was."

"Just so you know, most people with this disorder are not like this. This is completely of the charts."

"I'm sure you did your research," he said. "Do you think he'll  be back?"

She shrugged. "I hope not..."

A loud bang shook them from their thoughts and Terrence brandished his gun. "If he comes in here he's not getting past me."

Monique held tightly onto the knife she had. They could hear footsteps ascending his stairs. They were hurried, stomping steps- running really. Then the door shook violently as the beast threw himself against it. Once, twice. He punched through it and tore the wooden door apart. Terrence opened fire and the bullets hit their mark. He stopped for a moment, leaned against the door then suddenly ran in, tackling Terrence and grabbing his face.

"No! Stop! You're killing him!" Monique screamed. 

But he wouldn't stop and Terrence hand released the gun. Monique took her chance and used her shaking hands and plunged the knife into his back. He let out a pained roar and released Terrence. "Why are you making me do this?" she screamed. "I just wanted to help you! Look what you've made me have to do, Kevin. Dennis! Barry!"

She was crying as she felled back away from him as he crawled towards her, his breaths heavy and pained. He grabbed her by the throat and she plunged another knife into his arm. "I wanted to help you."

He looked angrily into her face stained with tears. His expression softened and she could see Dennis there now. A tear fell from the corner of his eye as he slowly released her and hugged himself.  Blood stained the sheets and colored his torso crimson. His breathing was even more ragged. "I...I didn't...I didn't want it to happen like this..." He looked up at her. "I told you to stay away."

"I'm sorry. If you..." She took a deep breath but it did little to calm her. "If you're in control then you need to get away from here. You have to go because you will be in trouble when Terrence wakes up. I have to call an ambulance."

"Barry...says he's...sorry," Dennis said through gritted teeth.

"So am I."

Monique couldn't let him go like that. She washed him off as quickly as she could and put him in one of Terrence's casual shirts then helped him to the door. "Promise me you won't get into anymore trouble like this, Dennis."

"I promise."

He hobbled off into the night and she hurried back to Terrence's side. 

Sitting in the emergency room with Terrence gave her a lot of time to think. Monique sat in a chair beside Terrence's hospital bed. The events of the prior night were still fresh in her mind. Both her and Terrence were checked out and the police were contacted. They had searched his house and of course they found no one but they had plenty of DNA evidence since he had bled all over the sheets. There had never been a more exhausting night.

She learned her lesson nonetheless. You can't everyone and not everyone wants to be helped. 

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A/N: And there we have it. I hope it was a satisfying ending for those of you who have been reading this since the beginning when i was actually updating. For those who recently picked up this story thanks for the reviews and I hope this ending flows well into the previous pace and chapters. 

Thanks for reading!!!