Town Darkness

Chapter Three

"How is it so dark out there... and so quickly. It can't be night already." Mark looked out the windows of the station into the black abyss that seemed to swallow the town whole. "We need to find some flashlights, and hopefully a map, although a radio to call for help would be the best thing to do." Matt said, while flipping the light switches on for the station. Flickering, dim fluorescent lights illuminated the dirty, disheveled room. Papers were strewn about the checkered linoleum floor, as wooden desk drawers hung open, and cork boards held papers on the walls. Ethan looked out the window, seeming to sense movement outside. His instincts were telling him that danger lurked just beyond that door, he could almost see them... the beasts, the terrible nightmares.

"We should look around, for anything that can be used for protection... like weapons." He said, rubbing his hand against his pant leg absent-mindedly. Mark turned to him, "And how would you know we would need weapons, because that seems oddly specific." Ethan's heart skipped a beat, he was never good at lying, but to keep his friends safe, he had to. They were already in enough danger as it was. He stuttered slightly, "I... I don't know... I just have a feeling."

Mark took on a more accusatory tone, raising his voice slightly. "Oh, so just like I have a feeling that you're not saying everything. You know... I think you know more than you're letting on. That crazy lady knew you, how does she know you, hmm?" He moved closer to Ethan, threatening, causing Ethan to stumble backwards a bit. "I think you know what's going on here, but for some damn reason, you won't tell us! I think!-" Jack went between them, creating some distance and cutting Mark off. "Mark, listen, we're all on edge here, and we're all scared. We all want to go home, but we can't go pointing fingers and placing blame. I really don't think any of us know what's going on here, Ethan is just as scared as us, he's in the same boat. So calm down."

Mark backed off and huffed in frustration, glaring at Ethan. "Now that the pissing contest is over, I think we need to look around for things we may need. We can take one of these tourist pamphlets they have, I'm sure it has a map on it, it's our ticket out of here." Nate said, grabbing one of the pamphlets off the main desk. "Flashlights and weapons, those should be in the armory. Mark, Nate and I can grab any weapons that are useful and hopefully flashlights. Jack, Felix, and Ethan, maybe try to find a radio room around here, or anything that can be useful or explain what the hell is going on here." Everyone nodded in agreement, splitting off into their groups and beginning their search.

Ethan's group walked around the station, trying to find a radio room. Guilt festered in the pit of his stomach, but the less his friends knew, the safer it would be. That's what he mostly believed, but there was a small part of him screaming to tell the truth. But, did he even know the entire truth? After a while, those memories seemed to blur and fade, like a dream that a person tries to recall as time goes on. At some point, that's what this place and what had happened to him seemed like, a dream he couldn't completely recall. A burning sensation began to rise in his throat, causing him to cough once again, black droplets staining his hand once again. He could feel his temperature rising more, as sweat beaded on his forehead.

They walked down a dimly lit hallway with three doors, trying the first two, the doors wouldn't budge. "Damn it! It's locked." Felix sighed, jiggling the knob of the first door. Ethan tried the second door, no luck. "This one is too." He covered his mouth, coughing again slightly, earning a concerned look from Felix and Jack. "Are you ok, you don't look too well." Ethan nodded, a slight look of doubt flashed on Felix's face before turning his attention to Jack and the third door. "Well... third times a charm, let's hope a bit of Irish luck works here." The group held their breath in anticipation as Jack reached his hand out, turning the doorknob of the final door. An audible click sounded as the door creaked open on squeaky hinges. They exhaled. "Thank God, it worked!"