Who's Afraid of the Dark?

Dr. Greggs let out a long sigh as he looked at Charlotte, cackling as she rocked back and forth. “Nine go in, one comes out. The end, the end Doctor.” Her blue eyes were stormy as she looked at him, her lips pulled back into a sickening smile. As Dr. Greggs looked at her there was a knock on the door.

He stood, making his way over and opening the door to a pair of men in white coats. He sighed, looking at them and biting hi lip. “I suppose the police sent you?” They nodded, the taller one speaking.

“Lottie Tomlinson is very sick. And since the first seventy-two hours have already passed we have to assume those kids are gone doctor.”

“You don’t know that.” He snapped. “She’s the only one who knows what could have-”

“We found a body.” The short one said. “Well, a skeleton that is. We think it was Horan.”

“A skeleton? That’s impossible…”

“We ran the dental records and it is, indeed, Niall Horan. However from the state of the bones he appears to have been there for at least a hundred years.” The doctor shook his head, looking at the pair of men.

“That castle should be destroyed.” He whispered. “It should be burnt to the ground and the grounds surrounded with massive walls so no one can ever get in again.”

“Well that’s not up to us sir. It’s up to the owner.” The short man snapped. “Now please hand over Lottie Tomlinson.”

“Why aren’t her parents here to get here?” Dr. Greggs pressed. “One of their children is missing and they aren’t here to save the other?” At the men’s silence the light bulb went off in his head. He backed up slightly, looking at them. “You told her parents they were both missing.”

“The Tomlinson’s are under massive amounts of stress right now. They don’t need an insane daughter on top of everything else.” The taller one said.

“That’s not your decision to make for them! This is a cover up isn’t it?” He slammed the door in their faces, running to the phone as Lottie simply looked at him, her head cocked to one side. He picked it up, desperately dialing the police, but the line was dead. His eyes grew wide as he turned to Lottie, who was giggling. “What did you do?” He demanded.

“The white coat men cut it before they shot the others.” She said, giggling darkly. “Just bam bam bam! They were dead on the floor.”

“What?” He asked. “How do you know they were killed? That’s impossible!”

“They all screamed doctor, especially the pretty lady with her hair all tight on the top of her head.” Lottie smiled again as the doctor gave her a look of terror.

“Who are you?” He asked simply.

“We can’t play if the white coats take me away.” She whispered. Just then there was a loud banging on the door as the men started trying to break the door down, screaming for Dr. Greggs to let them in or he’d be arrested. He knew that it was just a matter of time before he was shot as he turned to Lottie.

“I have to get you out of here-”

“They’re everywhere doctor.” She said darkly. “There is no way out.” She then extended her hand to him, smiling. “Unless you come with me.”

“And go where?”

“Nine go in, one comes out.” She murmured. “Léim Uí Bhanáin.”

“Lottie, that castle is hundreds of miles away in Ireland.” He said, however as the knocking got louder and louder he swallowed nervously.

“Nine go it, one comes out. One comes out to save the doctor.” She murmured, her eyes locked on his. He looked at her hand, reaching out hesitantly as she smiled. “Pray for sunrise to escape, that’s what nine did Doctor. They wanted the sun to rise again. They all got what was coming to them.”

“Lottie please, what happened?” He whispered. She giggled again, smiling at the doctor.

“You have to see for yourself.” With that she grabbed his hand and the lights in the entire building went dark. After a few seconds the door gave way and flashlights scanned the room, but there was no mistaking what the two men saw.

The doctor and Lottie were gone.

As they stepped further inside they could have sworn they heard a voice, small and childlike, softly singing.

“Nine go in, one comes out. One comes out to save the doctor. Going back home to the brick and the bones, taking new friends with us. Louis, Anise, Harry, Liam, Ember, Zayn, Sophie, Niall, Lottie, Dr. Gregg.”

As the men stood there they felt a cold shiver slowly move up their spines until they could feel cold, small hands on the back of their necks, slowly starting to squeeze.

“And as for the white coats they all will be dead.”

As the bodies of the two men crashed to the floor Lottie's giggling filled the room, a sickening, chilling noise as the men laid on the floor, their heads twisted into unnatural angles.

"Nine go in, ten stay behind. That's the end of the line. The lovers, the friends, the brother all say goodbye and there they will stay until the end of time.”