Sing Me A Lullaby

X-Files

There it was. Every single one of the dead just there in a pile, all of them mangled to the point of being unrecognizable. Their voices overlapped each other, creating an echo in the empty space covered by this unholy shadow. I tried clawing my way out, running even, but I was suspended in mid air as it got gloser. I could smell the stench it gave off, the moaning it made, the rubbing of bones and loose skin.

"Scott Veil." My name came out with a sharp chorus of heavy breathing and moaning.

Their eyes or what I presumed was left landed on me, the light in them had dissappeared. "Why are you here?!" I shook violently and the voices soon surrounded me. I can't do this, I want to die. The stinging pain felt like fire ants all over my skin. My hands covered my ears in a futile attempt to block it off but to no effect. I was suddenly covered in flames, my body glowed like the sun, the shadows backed away and there I saw my saviour.

Jarad. A pail was in his hands and the usual casual demeanor he had was replaced with a scared one. "Scott? You good?" His voice came out quivering, he dropped the bucket and landed right beside me on his knees.

"You..you were shaking and screaming! I didn't know what to do." He whispered yelled to himself before breaking down, his hands wiped away at the endless stream of tears. A collegue of his came in, she looked towards both of us then the files and books all over the floor. Her eyes widened and she knew what was happening. Her hands clasp together. A prayer rolled off her tongue but it was nothing like I've heard before. She then suddenly stopped, everything had stopped, Jarad had shut up and the water dripping of me from before too stopped.

I felt something was very wrong, other than the fact the world just paused and tried getting up. I was held down by something, the weight of my own skin tripled. I couldn't describe in full the monstrosity that I saw at that very moment but I can very well try. The skin on its bones was ragged, the skull for a face and the insane stature it had felt odd, its whole body was a sickly pale green. Its hand raised up in one fluid motion, resting over me before a low howl erupted from it. I was struck paralysed with a fear, a fear I couldn't explain, it was a pacman with a cherry and I was the scared ghost at a corner. The broken jaw opened and a black mist came out, ragged breathing and screams that seem distant escaped.

"So the king has finally returned?" Its voice was raspy and ambigous

It was gone as fast as it arrived, everything resumed and I basically coughed up a lung. My throat felt and dry and so did my tongue.

Jarad had passed out, the girl from before was holding on to him. There was only one thing I could think off and that was to burn the records, all of them. The sudden urge and desire pounded away at my soul, anything to be rid of it, I was willing to listen to the voices in my head. The lighter was already in my hand, the flame kindled and I was ready to drop it into the forsaken text but was stopped by that girl.

"Don't! We've tried and it just makes things worst." She screamed

She turned her head to show me the burn marks on her neck, a reminder left by whatever that was. Jarad started coughing up water, like he had just drowned a minute ago. The water just kept coming, he was already turned over. It lasted for what felt like hours, his eyes were red.

"Please..save our town." His plea sounded void, he had given up trying.

I look back towards the files, it's hopeless, we're trapped, screwed, locked up with a death sentence. "What can we do?" I thought out loud. "What?" Jarad had spoken but he more of wheezed it out.

I lifted Jarad up with the help of the girl, who I found out to be a girl named Jessica. We were outside the library and everything was gone. Nobody, just an empty town in the middle of the night with the mist now being seemingly thicker than usual. I remember I had only woke up from yesterday like an hour ago, I felt exhaustion wace over me.

"You been here before?" I ask towards both of them hoping this isn't a new experience.

Both Jarad and Jessica look around the copy of the town, one things for sure, this isn't Ripbrook. "Never." Jessica answers uncertainly, Jarad groans and we eventually stop at that little coffee shop. The lights were dim but still allowed us to see more than enough. Jessica checks the counter for a first aid kit, while I tend for Jarad. His eyes look glazed. I take out my phone and check the time, it reads 9:05 p.m and the weather app is messed up. I open Jarads shirt and gasp at the sight, a black growth is spreading from his abdomen, not too big but a sizable chunk of his flesh looks like tar, very ropey tar.

I snap my fingers in front of him, while calling out his name. He only hums in response and nods off time to time. We're losing him, its taking him. Jessica runs in with a defib and pushes me out of the way. She charges it and presses the iron on Jarads chest, the shock jolting him but not enough to wake him. She repeats and Jarad rises only to throw up some black liquid, covering my white shirt.

"Nice aim." I spit out some of the goo and take off my shirt, the fabric desolves in moments. I look at Jarad as he just shrugs. He's better, well better than before atleast. I wouldn't say I'm ripped but toned fits more, I usually never take my shirt off unless at home or Ally wants action. Jessica has her phone now in her hand and tries to call but nobody picks up. We all try and nothing seems to work. After minutes of calling and recieving nothing, I give up and throw my phone at the wall, frustrated with myself and everything. Jarad taps both our shoulders to catch our attention, his finger raises and points across the street.

"Was that guy always there?" He asked and thats when we saw a person who was in black and white?