It Travels with Them

Chapter Four - You've Got to be Kidding Me

I run out of the building with Tyler and Michael following close behind.

"What's going on!?" Tyler yells.

I don't answer.

I run into the trees behind the Motel and to the lake.

After a bit of weaving and dodging I reach a hill and slide down it, still on my feet. Ahead of me I see two people on the bank of the lake about to jump in.

"Hey!! Stop!!" I yell at them. They turn towards me.

"Don't go into that lake!" I stop in front of them.

"It's dangerous."

"Wait, what?" One asks.

The other points out to the lake, "Jerry is still out there!"

I look out at the lake and see someone swimming then, suddenly, they disappear.

"Shit!!" I yell.

I rip off my boots and jacket and toss my gun to Michael, who just arrived. "Cover me," I say and dive into the lake.

I swim, fast, to where the person disappeared. I take a deep breath and dive.

Under the surface it's dark and murky but I'm still able to see movement, I swim to it. Then I see him, the guy, Jerry apparently, and the Kelpie.

Jerry was fighting it off furiously but he couldn't last much longer. I shoot forward and bring out my knife, stabbing it. I motion for Jerry to swim away and he does. I turn back to the monster brandishing my knife as it swims erratically around me. It attacks, grabbing my left leg in its fang-filled mouth. Wildly I stab at it again getting it off of me and I swim upwards. I gasp when I hit the surface but, just as quickly, I'm yanked under again by my left foot. I twist and wrap my arms around the beast's slimy neck as it bucks and thrashes, letting go of my foot. Bubbles come out of my mouth as I quickly drag the knife deep into its neck finally killing it. I watch blood flow out of it's greenish equine body for a moment then painfully swim upward. I breathe in deeply when I reach the surface and swim back to shore. It's slow going and I can feel myself getting weaker and weaker as my life-blood drains into the lake. I can finally touch the bottom but collapse, not able to continue. I hear splashing as Michael runs out and drags me onto the bank.

"Holy shit. Tyler!"

Tyler runs over finished caring for Jerry.

"What—? Oh my god." He crouches by my leg and Michael starts ripping pieces off his shirt. Together they do their best to bandage my leg and foot. After they finish Michael picks me up bridal style and Tyler grabs my boots and jacket. Together, they run back to the Motel, with me in tow; trying not to pass out. I move my head around a little but stop after a moment.

Then, I black out.

"Alex... we... are... s-still... hhhhhhere."

My blood runs cold, I know that voice. The voice in my nightmares. The voice of the demons. They speak to me, whispering, muttering, growling. All the combined voices of Hell screaming in a horrifying melody, a nightmarish cacophony.

I try to cover my ears, block out the sound, but I can't move.

"We... will... fffff-find.. you..."

I start to cry, fear closing my throat so I couldn't even scream.

They laugh. A blood-curdling sound, like hundreds of nails on chalkboards.

"You... c-cannot... hhhhhide..." a strange static-like sound interrupts the voices as if they lost connection, "Hhhybrid... fffreak..."

I shiver, the hate in those last words is almost tangible. But what are they talking about?