Town Darkness

Chapter Seven

       "I'm not sure how to begin explaining this, considering. That there are some blank spots in my memory. But I remember this town, I've been here before... I lived here when I was a boy. I was different from everyone else though, I could do things and knew things that they couldn't. They were afraid of me... I remember that. I was almost like a... a radio I guess you can say, a radio for things that weren't exactly on this plane of existence." 

        Shock spread across the faces of the others, along with confusion. "What do you mean by that, that you're the equivalent to a human ouija board?" Nate asked, a hint of fear in his voice. "In a sense, I guess." "Then how come it hasn't happened to you in all the time I've known you?" Mark questioned aggressively. Ethan sighed, "Because it seems to only happen here, where there's more Darkness in a single area than there should be." 

        "So what, the town's always been like this then?" Felix asked. "No, the town was relatively normal when I was born here, it was normal, until...-" He drifted off, his gaze becoming distant, trying to recall when this had happened. He couldn't remember how or when the Town got swallowed completely by Darkness, he could only remember escaping, and knowing that the Town was gone. Everything in between was hazy.

       "Ethan?" Mat waved his hand in front of Ethan's face, pulling him back to reality. "Sorry... the Darkness makes things really hazy." "Well thanks for story time, but that doesn't get us anywhere with our plan of getting the hell out of here!" Mark said frustratedly as he began coughing, stifling it in his elbow. 

        Ethan eyed him curiously, "So how long has that been going on? I know why the Darkness is affecting me as fast as it is, but how is it affecting you at the same speed?" Mark looked dumbfounded, and taken aback. Jack grabbed Mark's arm, seeing the black blood splattered on it.

       Shock spread over everyone, Mark included.  "Why didn't you tell us this, how are you being affected too? För i helvete!" "I... I didn't know, I didn't know it was affecting me."  Ethan scoffed, "So much for forcing me to say what I know, what about you huh? This is what's called hypocrisy Mark.  So why don't you tell us what's going on with you, get it all out in the open while we're at it, just expose every dirty little secret." 

       Mark retaliated angrily, "My situation doesn't concern you or anyone here! It is entirely irrelevant to what we're dealing with.  What we should deal with, is where the fuck we're going to go when we get out of this damn station!" 

       He began to breathe heavily, his voice taking on a deeper, darker tone as wind seemed to stir around him.  The shadows on the floor curled and moved, taking on random shapes as a red aura began to surround him. 

       "My Darkness is my own problem, you've done nothing but give us excuses and stories, then pointed your hypocrisy towards me.  I will get answers out of you... even if I have to drag it out of you in the most painful way possible!"  Ethan stood his ground as the lights began to flash.  "Mark, man, calm the fuck down!  Where the hell is all this coming from?" Jack and Felix stepped in front of Mark, trying to calm him down.

       "The Darkness affects us all differently, I guess for him, it makes him an insufferable, arrogant, and temperamental jackass!" Ethan spat, enraging Mark even more.

       Jack and Felix moved to hold Mark back as he struggled against their grip.  He broke free, charging at Ethan and lifting him by the collar of his shirt, his teeth bared in a snarl as his eyes glowed a deep crimson.  

       "You’re going to tell us what you are, or else." Mark snarled, holding and unfazed Ethan.  He smirked, his eyes returning to a dangerous blue as he spoke cooly.  "You... first."  A strong, invisible force pushed Mark away from Ethan and onto the floor.  "We need to get out of here, the longer we stay, the worse we'll get.  I promise I will explain everything after we leave… if we're still alive by then." 

       Mark's rage seemed to dissipate, his eyes returning to their normal soft chocolate color.  "If I say everything, then you have to as well, Mark."  Mark nodded, "Okay, you're right… I'm sorry for attacking you, I'm scared, we all are and I know this is barely the tip of the iceberg.  I, no we want to get out here.  I hate who I'm becoming here."