All Nightmare Long Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Sherry wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked up at the boy standing beside her. "I can't believe Andrew is dead. I mean, what the hell?"
The boy, a gangly dark haired fellow with brilliant white teeth placed an arm around her shoulder. "You had a thing with him, didn't you?"
Sherry sighed. "No, not really. I mean, like, we both liked each other, but no one said anything, and we hadn't kissed, or anything. You know, we never got together"
"Yeah, I know" the boy, Jason, replied. "First Penny, then Andrew? Stuart said they drowned in their sleep. What's with that? Did you guys hear anything?"
The five teens were sitting at a small street side café in the main strip, a tray of frappes on the table in front of them. Jason had his arm around Sherry, comforting her, the others just all sat, faces drawn, eyes red rimmed, expressions bleak.
"Stuart is Andrew's neighbor, right?" asked one of the girls.
"Yeah, Shell, he is. And his mom worked with Daniel's mom. He said that the ambulance, fire crew and cops were there at like, two a.m. Andrew went to bed, then drowned while he was asleep. There was so much water it leaked through the bedroom floor and started an electrical fire in the basement. Smoke alarms woke them all up."
"Dude that is so whack!" Shell exclaimed. "Daniel's crush, and now his best friend. Both drown in their own beds while they slept!"
"Are we next?" Sherry lifted her large, doe like eyes to regard her friends. "I was Penny's best friend. Am I next?"
No one answered her.
"Is this like that old sucky movie where that gross guy kills the teenagers in their sleep?"
"You think Daniel's gone Freddy Kruger on us?" Jason looked at each of the frightened faces at the table. "Really? I mean, listen to yourself…"
The dark girl to his left leaned forward, her elbows on the table. "Hey, you guys know me, you know I don't believe none of this supernatural special effects urban legend shit. But the thing is, two of our friends just drowned in their own beds while they slept. So you tell me" she lifted her hands, palms up "If Daniel hasn't gone Kruger, then what the fuck is happening?"
Silence greeted this question.
The five kids all looked at the table, the sky, their hands, anything to avoid eye contact with the others.
After a moment the last of the boys, Mark, a tall, heavy set young fellow with bright green eyes reached forward and grabbed a frosty glass from the tray and slurped it noisily, sucking the straw so hard his cheeks were a concave shadow.
He looked up at the four sets of eyes regarding him with surprise. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I aint never sleeping again!"
Dean paid the waitress as she sat the three cups of coffee on the pressed metal table and he picked up his mug, the plain black liquid smelling like nirvana as he sipped it noisily, too hot to take a good mouthful.
"That's them" Alison nodded towards a table where five young teens sat, each nursing a frothy beverage in a tall, handled glass. "My brother's friends that were at the lake that night. That's them"
Sam turned in his seat to see the kids behind him. "Great. But, um, what do we do? We can't follow each one and keep them safe"
Dean stood, holding his coffee. "No, but I have an idea" He looked at Alison. "Do the kids know you? Can you introduce us, make it a little easier for them to trust us?"
"Why wouldn't they trust you? I mean, you're FBI?"
Dean raised his brows. "Well, coz we're gonna ask them a few pretty crazy things. Be a bit easier if they see Daniel's sister is with us"
"Yeah. Sure. I guess" She picked up her coffee and followed Sam to the table with the kids.
"Hey guys. You all know Alison, Daniel's sister, right?" Dean pulled an empty chair up to the group as the children looked at each other in confusion.
"Me and my partner here, we have something to tell you guys that might sound a little crazy"
Sherry leaned forward. "Crazier than our friends drowning in their own beds?"
Dean gave her a strained smile. "Well, actually, that's exactly what we needed to talk to you about"
-0-
Dean hung up the cell and placed it on the table. "Alison said the funeral is day after tomorrow. Cremation. No organ donations. Should all be over then"
Sam hooked a fork full of salad and nodded. "She okay?"
Dean leaned back in the booth. They had decided to eat at the bar, even though they knew Alison had taken the night off to be with her family. "Okay as she can be, I guess. So as soon as we're finished here I'll call her and we can meet up at the scout hall"
"Babysitting teenagers for the night. Not what I had in mind"
Dean lifted his beer glass. "Well, we got tonight, and tomorrow. As long as we keep the kids alive I don't care. They better not play any of their music though. I may let them get dream drowned if I have to listen to any of their thumping dub step crap."
"Nope, strictly pizzas, video games and sleeping bags. You should fit right in"
Dean smirked. "Except that I'm a guy in my thirties hanging out with sixteen year olds."
Sam chewed his mouth full of salad, a smile forming on his lips as he swallowed. "Dude, do you realize you're old enough to be their father?"
Dean looked shocked. "Really? Dude, you need to never say that again. Ever"
Sam laughed.
"I'm serious, Sammy boy. Never again want to think about that one"
Sam laughed harder.
She rested her head back on the rolled up towel, the warm bubbles soothing and caressing her body, easing out the tensions of the last few terrible days.
She had her head phones on, not the little pink ear plugs, but the full cover your ear, drown out any other noise mo-fo pair her uncle had given her for Christmas.
She stretched her toes out and closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of Christina Aguilera singing about how hard life can be when you're beautiful and talented.
Sherry sighed. She would have to get out soon, those FBI guys were going to make sure they were all safe tonight, though her parents thought they were holding an all night memorial to their lost friends.
She felt something brush passed her belly and she swiped at it. Must be the wash cloth drifting in the bath water.
It flittered across her stomach again, and this time it lingered a little more.
She moved a bit to make the water carry the wash cloth away, but it swirled around her bosom.
She gasped as the pressure increased, and realized that it actually felt, well…
It felt like a hand.
Her eyes snapped open.
She could feel the hand, touching and caressing her breast. She looked down but couldn't see anything except the thick coating of bubbles.
She felt her breast, and there was nothing there.
But there it was again, this time her other breast, and at the same time another had caressed her down there.
She gasped and pulled her headphones off, sitting straight up in the bath and scooping the bubbles aside.
There was nothing there.
Only her in the bath.
Even the wash cloth was still hanging over the tap.
The caressing grew stronger and she grabbed the sides of the tub to pull herself up and out of the bath.
She tried to scream, but her breath was caught in her throat, she could make no sound.
She felt the hands clutch her around her waist, even though she could not see them.
They held her tight, pulling her down, pulling her under the water.
Her skin was indented in the shape of the hands, and try as she could, she was unable to break free, they were just too strong.
One hand left her waist and she felt it grab her forehead, pulling her face under the warm water.
She struggled, her eyes wide open, one arm on the side of the tub as she desperately struggled to lift herself up, the other clawing as her skin, trying to grab the invisible hands and release their deathly grip.
She clawed at her belly, at her head, scratching deep grooves into her own skin, but not able to find the ghostly fingers that held her fast.
Held her tight.
Held her down.
Held her under the water.
She bucked and struggled, she fought with all her waning strength.
Until she could hold her breath no more, and opened her mouth to draw in a desperate lungful of air.
And got only water.
Cold, brackish lake water.
With her last coherent thought, she was sure she saw Daniel, his face drifting only inches above hers…..
[ Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Epilogue]
M A S T E R P O S T