Status: new story B)

It Comes in Darkness

Chapter 5

All 3 of them stood but none were willing to be the first one to pass the open gate that hung wide, but remained uninviting. After a few long moments of unsettling silence, Liv burst through the gate.

Doing his best to cover his fear, Casey exhaled softly, puffing up his cheeks as he exhaled. He hoped that after all this, their effort to find Ryan hadn't culminated in ending up at a surging power station in the middle of the desert at midnight.

Picking up the shotgun, John made sure it was loaded and began to head past the gate before Casey roughly caught his arm and pulled him back.

“Huh-uh. You leave that in the car. There's enough of us if you need it you can come back for it.” He was nearly whispering.

“Why not keep it handy? Just in case something is already wrong?” Gripping the gun tighter, John tried to not automatically go on the defense but he felt more comfortable the closer the gun was.

“Because it's more likely that we run into a fucking person trying to service this place than we run into anyone else and startle them into calling the police because three trespassing assholes burst into private property in the middle of the night pointing a god damn shotgun at them.” He was practically hissing now. The frustration no one was listening to him was making him question why he came.

“No, he is definitely bringing that.” Liv's pointed finger gestured to the gun. “He can keep it down but it's coming. Let's go.” She turned her back to them, no longer interested in their metaphorical pissing contest.

John held it tighter to his body but again headed into the power station and passed the chain link gate.

“Okay then,” Casey sounded exasperated, his footsteps landing heavily. “Why do you hang on every word she says but ignore me?”

Shoulders dropping, John whipped around. “With all due respect, Case, I didn't come for you. I came because she said she'd feel better if I would, so I did.” John's face was almost touching Casey's, a dare for him to keep it up. Casey was tall, but John was bigger.

A scrupulous look crossed Casey's face. He suddenly felt sold out. “Of course you did.”

Suddenly Liv stomped back to them and grabbed both of them by the sleeve of their shirt and pulled them closer to her. “Look, if you want to stand her and bicker like children then just get back in the fucking car and I'll let you know when I'm done, alright?”

A rift between these two friends was the last thing wanted on her conscience, especially if it broke up over an honest attempt to do something good. They seemed to relax but the tension was still thick between them.

“I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to come off as if I was dismissing you.” John conceded.

Casey nodded. “I'm sorry for provoking you.”

Nodding, Liv gestured with her head towards the building. “Let's go check things out now, yeah?”

“Yeah.” The boys said in quick succession of each other.

Most of this place consisted of things Liv knew she couldn't name. Transistors, generators. She didn't know the difference, but it was full of what looked like metal frames and coils connected by wires. They hummed so strong it felt like a bass string being played close to her ear. Eventually she figured it would give her a headache.

It seemed a lot bigger from here than it did from the car and all three of them stuck close together with John in the middle with the shotgun low, but in both of his hands ready to be fired.

“Look.” Liv pointed down to the ground where it looked like something had been dragged along the ground. The tracks were spotty and cut off in patches of dirt and rock. It was hard to see where they ended up.

“No, I want to go back, I don't like this.” Casey said quietly. His voice wavered and Liv knew he was scared.

“Okay then go back.” She told him. “Did you want to go back too?” Ditching her wasn't something she expected John to do, but honestly if he did, she would understand. She actually did feel thankful that he had came. She was really thankful that he was the most supportive between the two and suddenly she felt sad she had maybe risked his life, especially since he was kind enough to trust her.

As if he could read her thoughts he shook his head. “No, I'll stay.” Turning to Casey, he pat his shoulder. “You can go back. No shame.”

Except for Casey, he did start to feel ashamed. These two were pulling forward with the plan and he wanted to tap out. “No, I'm sorry, I'll stay.”

Liv smiled at him and inched closer. “We're okay. We're alright.”

After about a minute they reached the building. As they approached the lights seemed to flicker more wildly and there was a sound none of them could describe.

“What's that sound?” John mouthed silently.

Listening to the sounds, Liv looked at them both. “Sounds like dogs? I can't tell.”

The sound may have been a dog, but it would have had to be a big dog. It was big enough it could have been machinery even, but the rumbling felt dark and foreboding. None of them liked it but none of them could pinpoint what the sound would be. It felt something like a growl and thunder but it was definitely too quiet for thunder and the sky was so clear you could see every star floating in the sky like glitter.

“That's definitely not a dog.” Casey said.

After a moment of clutching her stomach and Liv once again decided she'd be the first. Even though she had a jacket on, she started feeling a chill and was sure that she would stay cold until she was back in the car and it was just one more reason to hurry up, see what was there and leave.

It was obvious nothing was around the perimeter at the bottom. There was one locked door and it was too quiet to be the source of the sound.

Creeping silently up the stairs, the boys didn't follow her until she was already about half way up. The upstairs level had a solid concrete railing. You wouldn't be able to fall off unless you went over the top.

Reaching the top level, the growling sound was louder and closer. Whatever it was was definitely up here. Liv looked down and motioned for the guys to hold their position on the stairs. Slowly she peeked around a corner to the right but the sound got farther away. Must mean its on the other side. Liv motioned to them that she suspected there was something on the other side and slowly crept towards a corner of this upper level walkway.

As her heart pounded in her chest, she carefully peeked around the corner but the air escaped her instantly and she gasped. There was something on top of another person. She couldn't make out what it was but it was wet and looked like it was covered in tar, sludgey and glistening. It didn't quite look skeletal, but it was possible it could have at some other point. Clutching at her chest, Liv heard John start yelling.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!” He yelled, his mouth wide open.

Casey was no better, his eyes were wide. “Holy shit...”

None of them understood what this was, but it was soon apparent that it was dangerous. It's head snapped up at them and that growling shook through the cement.

Liv only caught a quick glimpse of the creature's broad distorted body before Casey pulled her away. Its eyes were hollow sockets, but its face definitely looked like a human skull.

Losing track of it, all three of them ran as fast as it was possible back towards the car, their hearts suddenly racing but their stomachs filled with lead.
She watched John look behind them, the gun in hand and screaming to be fired, not that it was a guaranteed way to stop whatever they had just seen.

Casey clutched Liv tightly inside his arms and to his body. “Liv what the fuck was that?? What the FUCK was that? Where are your keys?” His panicked voice bubbled out of his mouth and tripped.

“I...I don't know!” Liv started frantically feeling her pockets for her keys before she felt them.

Halfway back to the car a voice rang out.

“OLIVIA!!!!!!”

It was Ryan's.