The Hunters: Paranormal many shots

Fright To Fantasy

Annie felt like a bomb had gone off inside her head. The world was going to end...like actually end. Hundreds of thoughts swirled in her head, each begging to come to the forefront. What about all the people on Earth? What about her friends? The few friends she did have hadn't heard from her properly in months. She had decided pretty early on that it was probably best to distance them from the world she now lived in. Her mother, although they still Skyped, didn't know much about it either. She knew about Jared and that they lived together but Annie had told her he was a waiter.

The inner turmoil must've been clear on her face because a soft hand touched her shoulder. She jumped, startled out of her panic to find Jared staring into her eyes.

"Everyone is going to die, aren't they?" She said.

Jared took a deep breath and waited a few seconds before answering. "Not everyone...but most people. We will have to start Armageddon."

Sariel stepped forward. "And how the fuck do you suppose we do that with The Horn barred from us?" He pointed upwards.

Michael held his hand up, silencing him. "I'm thinking," Was all he said. He began pacing back and forward, hands tucked behind his back.

Marcus stepped over to Annie and placed an arm around her shoulder, holding up a joint with his free hand. "Come outside and get fucked up, hun." He said.

Annie nodded, her head a dizzy mess, and let Marcus guide her outside. They sat down on the front steps where Annie placed her head between her knees and tried to gather herself. She heard Marcus clicking a lighter and then a gentle breath of air. Marcus took her unsteady hand and placed the joint between two fingers while he rubbed her back.

This was all too much for her. She had seen much over the last few months. She had killed a feral vampire, moved in next to a troll and even shaken hands with Jesus. But this, the idea that there were things out there that could possess God himself and even scare an angel...her world had become so much bigger whilst her mind had stayed small. The creature...this thing with a name so powerful hearing it might kill her...she didn't know what to make of it. And now the world was about to end. She lifted her wobbly hand to her mouth and took a long draw on the joint.

"Stupid question, but are you doing okay?" Marcus asked.

Annie heard a bark of mad laughter explode out her mouth. It sounded foreign to her ears, as if it came from someone she didn't recognise. "No, not even close. I mean, what the fuck am I supposed to do with that information? The end of the world is about to happen...started by a monster whose name my brain can't even register. On top of that, you guys have to go and kill some kind of parasite so powerful it possessed the most powerful being in the human mind. How do you even begin to process that shit?"

Marcus was silent for a moment. He seemed to be considering his answer, as if taking the time to process it all from the human eye. In the end he shrugged. "I don't know...but weed helps."

Annie laughed. In spite of everything, she laughed. She rested her head on Marcus' shoulder, grateful to have a friend with her. "Thank you," She said, softly. "I...I don't know how to deal with all of this."

Marcus rested his head on hers. "You don't have to. There is no law saying you have to try to process it. Let it stay insane. You were never meant to learn of this world, nobody is expecting you to understand it."

Annie took another draw on the joint, held it then exhaled. She could already feel her mind going hazy; blissfully numb.

****

She didn't know how long they were out there for. There were several roaches stamped out at their feet so they had definitely been there a while; although, that said, Marcus went through joints like Willy Nelson, so they could've been there for five minutes too. The door behind them opened and several of the brothers came out, followed by Thor, who had to twist and turn to get through the frame. He stepped out into open ground and stretched his back, several bones clicking, well...booming. He let out a deep, satisfied groan that shook the windows behind them.