The Midnight Within

Chapter 58

Kate could smell something burning and it brought her back to the damp dark hallways and wet, spooky, basements that held the huge furnace's they used to burn the bodies in. Sometimes they were still alive when they burned them. It was a smell she thought she would never get away from. Kate's eyes snapped open as the heat from the flames began to burn the wood she was under. Coughing she struggled not to pass out as she pushed the wood off her. Smoke and burning hay filled the air around her as she staggered towards the doors. She almost made it but fell when she hit someone on the floor. She was so weak it was hard to move and suddenly she realized she was staring into Zakk's open eyes. Sobbing she grabbed his hand and began to pray.

" Kate? Where are you? "

It was Mia, looking scared and holding her shirt over mouth as she searched for Kate or anyone else that might have survived. She knew she didn't have long but she had to try.

" Over here, " Kate lifted her head as Mia appeared next to them, her gentle hands grabbed Kate's arms and helped her stand up. " Daniel? Is he in here, "

" I don't know. " Kate coughed. " We need to get out of here. "

" Not leaving him. " Mia was looking away, her eyes unfocused. " I won't leave you. "

Kate wanted to slap her as she grabbed her arm and tried to drag her away. Mia resisted her, actually trying to move further into the burning barn and when she looked towards the stage she thought she saw a figure though the smoke. Her eyes locked on blacks as he spoke inside her head.

~ You can still save him. Help him, help us. ~

She didn't have the strength to do much more and the flames were getting hotter. " Mia! Stop! He's in your head. We need to go now! "

" No. I have to stay. "  Mia said as she tried to resist Kate's attempts to pull her away. 

" Not tonight sweet. "   He was a dark shape in front of them.  His strong hands helping Kate turn Mia away from Black.   "  Take her out. "   Rem's voice was soothing to her soul.  He pushed them away, towards the open barn doors. 

Suddenly someone appeared behind Black. It looked like a woman with long blond hair. She was not much more than a walking corpse of shriveled flesh and bone. Her green eyes glittered with malefic intent as she grabbed Black's head in her gnarled hands. He had no time to react as she tore his head from his body right before the roof caved in, covering the stage, black and the woman. In shock Kate barely pulled Mia to safety as the whole place collapsed with Rem, Daniel and everyone else still inside. 

Jessie was sitting on the haunted house's steps crying when she spotted Mia and Kate. Coming out of it Mia ran to Jessie, wrapping her arms around the girl before she looked at Kate.

" Are you ok?   Was that Rem? "  

"  Yeah it was.  He saved us. "  

" Did you see that? " Kate was looking back over her shoulder at the burning pile of boards. Had she really seen what she had thought she saw? Maybe it had been Daniel who had taken black out.

"  Can you stay with her while I go to the road? "    

" We should all go. "  Kate still felt very uneasy as she picked up the smell of rotting flesh, lots of it. 

" No Mia, please stay. " Jessie looked up in alarm. Fresh tears streaming down her face again she wanted nothing other than to be held and told that it was over.  " 

" Ok. I won't go away ever again. "

" Can I stay with you? "

" Me? You want to stay with me? "

" Yeah. Mommy's not coming home for a long time and Daniel's gone. I like Pat but she has too many dogs. "

Laughing through her own tears, Mia hugged Jessie tightly as they watched Kate walk away. She knew she should go with her but the pain in her legs was too much. She needed to sit and get Jessie warmed up, the little girl was freezing. She turned to the haunted house, opened the door and was greeted by four scared faces. Grinning she knew they would all be ok as she shut the door behind her, never seeing the shuffling shapes that moved aimlessly through the fog. 

Kate's whole body ached as she slowly made her way down the long snowy dirt drive. She kept expecting to hear sirens or see a police car but when she reached the road. She only saw a big black limo idling by the HAUNTED FARM sign. The tinted the window slid noiselessly down, revealing Jack's greasy smile. Flicking cigar ash out the window he sounded casual as he spoke.

" Everything ok up there? "

Kate could only stare at him in disbelief, her mouth hanging open. Had he really just asked her that? Could he not see the smoke? Hell she covered in blood and soot, how could he not know?

" They're all dead. " She wanted to smack the smug look off his face. " I need to get help, can you call for help? "

" I told them to keep that boy out. "

" What? Daniel didn't do anything. " She knew it was a lie, he had done plenty. It was very hard for her to think clearly, she knew she needed to get to the hospital, and to have someone check on Mia and Jessie.

" Then who did, " Jack's grin made her sick. He was so calm, making her want to scream in his face.

" Vampires. " It came out as a horse whisper. She knew she sounded insane but what else was she going to say?

" And Britt? "

" I don't know. Dead probably. "

Jack's eyes darkened and the grin slipped but did not go away. He took a long drag from the cigar, blowing smoke out the window.

" That's what happens when you run with trash. " He lifted his cane to the glass partition, tapping it to single the drive that he was ready to leave.

" Wait! " Kate cried as the big sleek limo pulled out onto the road.

" Where are you going? "

" Home, maybe you should do the same. " Jack lifted up his hand to the stunned woman, his face disappearing behind the smoky glass. In the distance she could hear the very fist sounds of a siren as the taillights of the limo shrank from view, leaving her alone on the side of the road.