Young Writers Society

There are certain members of the human race who possess special abilities. These are the abilities to sense and perceive the supernatural, to tread in the paranormal world.

Willowcreek is a small town in West Georgia. Lately, there have been strange occurrences… people have disappeared… a small church burned down… and mysterious lights have been sighted at an old barn outside of town.

Because of this an investigation office has been set up. Their main focus is on the paranormal circumstances that surround Willowcreek, especially in relation to a certain group of teens…

These teens happen to be part of the Silver Bullet Club. Originally set up to help those individuals with their “disorders,” the club has since united under one common cause-to fight the dark forces that threaten their town. They meet at the high school, under the guise of a study group. Each member possesses his or her own, supernatural talents.

The story thus far:

Silas has arrived in town. A manipulative and cunning “priest,” Silas was responsible for the death of one of the club members, as well as many other slights against the citizens of Willowcreek in general.

Currently, he has employed the Paranormal Investigators Office to help him observe and gather information on none other than the Silver Bullet Club.

Meanwhile the Club, despite their best efforts to retain a low profile, are attending a concert in the town square where one of the members is performing. Little do they realize that they are about to be exposed by Silas, whose dark plans have further reaching consequences than anyone could have imagined.

It will be up to the club and its allies to stop him.

Where do you come in?

The Silver Bullet was a previous SB, but it has been reborn into this one. If you are joining new there is no need to feel left out… you will introduce your character on the night of the concert where they will encounter and join the former members of the SBC

Of course, you can always join as a Paranormal Investigator or a Snake Church member instead.

Slots are limited so sign up now!

The Characters:

Character Profiles:




Silver Bullet Club:
(Returning members will be given their own slot, there are six additional, available slots)


Paranormal Investigators:
(Returning members will be given their own slot, there are four additional, available slots)


The Snake Church:
Note: These are Silas’ henchmen, they do his bidding and act as antagonists. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re evil though, and they may even switch sides or betray the church!
(There are five available slots)


Other:


Our official start date is on June tenth. This should give everyone enough time to fill up the slots.

Get inspiration and talk about ideas with others on the discussion thread, which can be found here.

The DT is also the place to request which slot you would like to fill, or you can contact one of the managers via PM.

The countdown begins...

Silas---At the town square, night of the concert

Willowcreek was unnaturally silent the night of the concert. A mist had come in with the night, falling on the town square like a heavy blanket. The lights that surrounded the stage flooded into the bank of fog, bouncing off the water in the air and casting everything in a murky, golden glow.

Silas walked with an even, measured pace towards the center of activity. People were trickling in from the streets, pooling into a sizeable group of about a hundred. They were mostly young, in their teens or twenties. Their faces shone with a stifled excitement. The concert was a big event for such a small town. It seemed as if everyone who enjoyed hard rock was here. Silas ignored them as he made his way back towards stage. He hid himself in the shadow of a tree and watched as the concert started to get underway.

Feedback crackled through the air. The band was on stage and tuning up. Silas scanned the crowd and noticed, first of all, that the Paranormal Investigators were nowhere to be seen. Hadn’t he told them to be here? As he watched the crowd closely he was able to pick out a few of the members of the Silver Bullet Club who had decided to attend the concert. Daniel Nitram was on stage, silently running through chords on his bass guitar. He seemed zoned out, oblivious to the world around him. The mind-reading girl in the hat was there, hidden in the throng. As he scanned the edges of the crowd he noticed the demon girl and Eli warily walking towards the fringe of the audience. The boy moved slowly, guarding his stomach. Silas could tell he had been injured, and the girl was preoccupied with caring for him. He recognized no one else in the crowd.

He had expected the members from the Silver Bullet club to be here, but he had not expected for things to go this easily. Tonight would go smoothly, with or without the investigators here.

Silas had brought four demons with him, each tied to a snake. Colubra rested across his neck and shoulders while two coiled around his left arm and one curled about his ankle. He would only need four demons tonight, or so he planned. He could feel the scales pushing against his skin as the reptiles breathed and Colubra’s wet tongue as she tasted the air. The other three were content to sleep, but Colubra began to grow more excited as she sensed the number of people. Silas spoke softly to her as he waited.

“I expected to find you here.” A voice broke through the silence. Silas had sensed the approaching footsteps and was not startled. He turned and watched as Dakota, followed by the annoying man Cole, walked up to him.

“Ah, Miss Owens. You decided to come after all.” Silas said. “I can honestly say I’m surprised.” He nodded towards Cole. “Especially at you.” The investigator rolled his eyes.

“What do you need us to do?” Dakota asked. Silas motioned with his cane towards the edges of the town square.

“I’ve set up a barrier on the edges of the square, once activated it will seal everyone inside for a time. I need you two on the outside, in case something goes wrong.”
“Alright. Where’s the barrier?” Dakota asked.

“It’s nearly imperceptible. Looks for a small wooden cross in any of the corners where the sidewalk meets the grass.”

“Alright.”

For a moment the three of them stared at the fog, which only seemed to have grown thicker.

“I can’t believe people showed up in this soup.” Cole said.

“Will it interfere with your plans at all?” Dakota asked.

“Perhaps marginally.” Silas said. The noise coming from the stage grew louder, and the crowd bunched up closer towards it.

“I think they’re about to start.” Cole said. “We’ll keep an eye out then.” The two investigators left, vanishing into the mist.

An announcer blurted out some muffled words, and then the drummer started up. The beat carried the guitars, and soon the music was pulsing with the driving rhythm. The dampened atmosphere sent the beat resonating in the very air, and the crowd grew more excited.

Silas waited as the first song wrapped up. The time was drawing close, very close indeed. He reached down and touched one of the snakes around his wrist, and began to mutter a low chant.

“Vox anguis, venient cum timore. Silentio mergunt. Incido…” the words were drowned out by the wailing of the guitars.

But the spell was taking affect. The lights dimmed and dark tendrils of a smoke like substance were curling through the air. The crowd began to stir uneasily, glancing around them and trying to stare out into the dark. The band continued to play, but they had suddenly gone offbeat. Silas let the second snake on his wrist slither out onto the ground.

“Animis caperent, aperire januas.” People were screaming now, the music cut out completely. Silas couldn’t feel the effects of the demons but he knew what his victims were experiencing. A piercing pain that drove right through the center of their skulls, a terribly high ringing that froze them where they stood. They were bent over, grabbing at the sides of their heads. It was if the entire crowd has bowed forward as one. Now was his time.

Silas strode out onto the stage, still murmuring the incantation. “Deciet.” He spoke the final word and the viper around his ankle uncoiled itself and slid out into the crowd. This snake was perhaps the most important; as it would bend the minds of those who listened to him, incline them to accept what he had to say.

He emerged from the shadows and confidently moved to the center of the stage.

“Friends,” he began. “We have found ourselves at a time of decision. A crossroads lies before you. Heaven’s gate is closing and the doors of hell are waiting, open and looming in front of the unrighteous… you must choose now whom you will serve, what path you will take.” Silas spun his words skillfully, luring them toward him. Like clear, silver notes his voice fell and rose smoothly. He only had to bring them a little closer to his side, towards Colubra…

“Demons are among us.” He continued. “Do not deny the truth you find in your soul. They are here, and they await a feast of spirits.” He paused, then went on dramatically.

“The Snake Church will protect you from these demons. The Church is powerful and sanct, it only requires members in order to move forward. We are one. Become a part of the body and find solace from the dark.” He held out his hand towards the crowd.

“Come.” He said. “Join me, and we will fight them together. Do not fall alone.” Colubra had emerged from his suit-coat and now coiled brazenly in the full light of the stage lights. Her eyes glinted in anticipation.

“There is nothing to fear,” he urged. “Now is the time to come forward, to do what you know you should do.”

The first person moved towards the stage, almost robotically. The moment they stepped up onto the platform Colubra shot forward and sank her fangs into their arm. They barely reacted, and soon their eyes clouded with a black film. They were under Silas’ control now. Demons snakes connected their mind to his will.

Silas turned back to the crowd. “Who else will join me? The crowd responded, a few individuals turned to many as they slowly made their way towards the stage. Silas placed his hand on Colubra’s head as he watched them. That’s it… he muttered. Nothing to fear. Colubra’s coils tightened about his wrist as the next victim approached.

Silas smiled. “You see? All it takes is a little faith.”

~Akiza- Town square- Night of Concert~

"The stars are so beautiful." I look up at them.

Everyone had decided to walk since it was such a beautiful night. Sam was standing to my right, and Jonathan to my left. Andrea was on Sam's other side holding her hand.

"It is," Sam agreed.

I looked once again to the stars, smiling at them. The moment was so sweet, but so short lived as I sensed the change in atmosphere and looked around with a frown. Goose bumps rose on every inch of my skin, and I shuddered. The air around me felt clogged with negative energy, roiling in the air and spreading everywhere.

"What's wrong?" Jonathan asked.

"Somethings isn't...right." I tried to swallow the air too thick to go down.

Out of no where, a piercing pain struck my skull, magnified multiple times, dropped me to my knees in agonized growl. So much pain, and terror. Such intense terror. I curled in on myself and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it all out.

"Akiza!" they all moved towards me.

I motioned them all away. "Don't touch me!"

My lungs constrict so abruptly, I stop moving. The wind start up again, whipping so hard, everything bows at it's ferocity.The words flow from my mouth of their own accord.

"Vox anguis, venient cum timore. Silentio mergunt. Incido…" I gasp. "Animis caperent, aperire januas."

The last word spoke a whisper. "Deciet."

My eyes snapped open, the wind whipping so hard it would have knocked me down if I hadn't already been there. Every muscle in my body seized, causing me to moan. I look at them all through tendrils of my hair.


"Get off the phone and help me up!" I ground out.

Jonathan rushed over to help me. The pain was starting to fade, though I knew i'd feel it for days. I was soaked in sweat, my clothes cling to my skin. I was completely exhausted. I couldn't even keep my legs underneath me.

"Akiza, are you ok?" Sam stopped in front of me, touching my shoulder.

I took a deep breath to steady myself before standing up and shaking it off. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Andrea frowned.

Everyone's Anxiety and concern made my stomach Heave, but I held it together.

I mentally shook myself. "Let's get going. I have a feeling all hell is about to break loose, and it doesn't feel very nice."

"What's going on?" Andrea asked. "Nothing feels right. Why?"

"It's Silas," I say. "I'd know his work anywhere."

"Just freaking great." Jonathan mutters.

"Not exactly how I would phrase it, but that's one way."

What a great way for things to start out. Just freaking great.

Em~Concert

The sudden silence in the crowd makes me look up. I see Silas speaking on the stage, and I freeze. The eery cold creeps into my bones, and I'm frozen to the spot. I watch helplessly as Silas lures the crowd towards him. Then Eli's tugging on my arm, leading me to the others.

"We need to regroup," he says quietly.

I'm moving, but I feel...numb. Then Silas stops speaking and I snap out of it. I move swiftly around the crowd and to the rest of the group. Mentally checking that the new seal on... my other half, isn't weakening. It seems fine, but last time it broke in a split second. I find myself second guessing again whether or not I should've come. What if I'm only putting them in danger? I glance up at Eli, his side still hasn't completely healed. Can't say I expected it to be any better, I mean, I'd basically burned his torso with demon fire to heal an injury given by yet another demon. Not exactly what I considered was the best coarse of action but... there hadn't exactly been anything else we could do.

I let out an inward sigh. He shouldn't be here, he was still healing. But Eli's not exactly the type of person to change his mind so easy. Then again, neither was I.

When we reach our group, I see the rest of them preparing for what I can only assume will be an all out war. Of coarse, looking at Silas's growing army, I can only hope will be little more than a slaughter. Which I've noticed, hasn't exactly been growing as much in the past while. I look over and see Andrea, with her eyes narrowed in concentration.

Someone in the crowd catches my eye, if it weren't for the murderous look in his eye at a glance I would've thought he was... Chris. My mind fills with flashbacks and I flinch. I look back at Silas, and the image of Chris's broken body darts across my mind; this isn't a good idea. I can't let one of us end up like Chris, not again.

"Eli?" I say, my voice is faint, but I know he can hear me. "I don't think this a good idea." I pause, unsure how to phrase it. "What if...", but I don't need to say any more, I can see it in his eyes that he understands. His eyes... I'd never really noticed them before. They were... beautiful.

I realize I'm staring and I turn away, mentally kicking myself. What the heck was that? I mean, we're in the middle of a freaking war, or whatever the heck this is and I just out of the blue notice Eli's eyes? What the heck is wrong with me?

I look down at a small red flame dancing its way across my hands, and I begin remember just how much about me is wrong. Then again, I hadn't ever really forgotten had I?

Daniel Nitram- Night of the Concert- On the Stage.

The show seemed to be going well but inevitably old Murphy had to come for a visit and remind us of his law. I began to notice us getting slightly of rhythm and I turned to our drummer who looked confused as well. I noticed the audience seemed to be bowing towards the stage in pain and I looked at my fellow band mates confused as to what could possibly be happening. Then I saw him I knew he would have something to do with it, Silas Ardell. He took the stage and began to give a speech to the audience, "Friends,” he began. “We have found ourselves at a time of decision. A crossroads lies before you. Heaven’s gate is closing and the doors of hell are waiting, open and looming in front of the unrighteous… you must choose now whom you will serve, what path you will take.”

He was amassing an army to take us down he knew the club would be gathered here and what better time to strike. We would have to get away. I turned my focus to Silas. I had to get his focus on me and away from the fellow club members. "Hey Silas you scuz-bag not content with killing my friends and kidnapping them you have to ruin my show too?"
I removed the strap from my bass and held it by the neck like a literal ax.

"Foolish young boy the demon in you is clearly controlling you join me and I'll free you of it." I looked at him dumbstruck. This man thought his flowery words would actually affect me. "The fact of the matter is I have you and your little friends trapped and my own army. You may have dealt with Angel but how can you fight of mere human innocents."

Damn it, he was right I could just run around beating up innocent people. My electric pulse attacks ran the risk of killing one of them if I wasn't careful, and fighting this many being careful could be hard. I noticed some of Silas's slaves surrounding my friends I had to stay calm and think. It suddenly hit me I had to disable the snake Silas had biting people or disable Silas for now. I didn't have enough time to charge for electric attack before I ran the risk of Silas have enough of his mind slaves to contain me. I grabbed my bass tight and swung at the arm with the snake hitting it hard where the snakes head would have to be. "Kabong you freaky-demon jerk."

Silas grabbed his arm in pain and I took this moment to run to my friends bass guitar gripped tight in my hand. "Hey guys sorry about all this I just knew this would happen I'm sorry." I saw Akiza and pulled her close to me then turned to look at Andre, "So what's our plan from here?"

Vera Carmichael - Forest outside Willowcreek

Pain. That was the first thing that registered in Vera's mind. The bright white light flickering overhead - the only remnant of the destroyed lab, besides a few walls that still remained standing - irritated and stung her eyes. She could feel her head beginning to pound.

She gingerly touched her forehead, and felt the stickiness of something familiar. The red she saw coating her fingers when she pulled her hand away confirmed her suspicions. Blood.

She huffed a bit, and tried to think back. She could recall her name - Vera Rose Carmichael - and her age, and the current year. She normally carried a gun - she felt her clothes for it, and pulled out her faithful Beretta Cheetah - why did she normally carry a gun? How had she managed to conceal it, when she was in a high-security laboratory? She was at a lab - she knew she had been experimented on successfully, and this was part of her escape strategy - but how did she get here? She searched her mind for the briefest hint of who she was - who she had been - to no avail. She couldn't remember a single thing. There was only one thing that floated in and out of her blank mind. WillowCreek.

Frustrated with herself, she'd made her way out, not needing much stealth or sneakiness - the entire place had been blown open by her small "diversion". She'd switched the colors on the bottles of some chemicals that she had recognised as they took her back to her cell after they'd run tests on her and her new "powers", she remembered. The researchers and scientists, unaware, had used the chemicals, and had, for once LITERALLY blown up the lab.

It was easy enough, and required no skill whatsoever to get up and walk out of the facility - everyone within a one-mile radius of the place had been concussed, knocked out, or dead. After that, she headed for a net cafe, where she looked for WillowCreek. As the images and information about the town showed up, she felt a twinge of familiarity. Hoping someone there would remember her, she set off in that direction, stopping only to filch some clothes from a shop - she was as lacking in scruples as ever.

Now, she stood, waiting at the edge of town, in the shade of the trees. From her spot on this forest-covered hill, she could see an unusual amout of activity in the town square. Well, it was unusual for a town of this kind. She sighed to herself, pulling out the Cheetah, and camoflaging herself to blend in with her surroundings.
Let's see what this town has to tell me, she thought, smiling wryly.

Andrea Stoddard

This is why I said no, this is why I wanted to call of the concert, this is why I did not want this to happen. Silas used this as a chance to start enslaving the town, and now we had to get the bat out of hell and quickly. I ran hard and fast with Daniel.

"We need to leave, as soon as possible, Silas has us out in the open. We need to leave town, quickly!" I said

"Right," I silently thanked Daniel for not questioning me now.

The only people not affected by Silas' mind controlling spell are the members of the Silver Bullet Club, I don't know why or how, but they weren't. Everyone in the club made a run for it, the minds of the people in the crowd was strangely blank as I try to collect thoughts of who else might be unaffected, so far, my luck wasn't that good. I took a quick head count, Eli, Em, Daniel, Sam, John, everyone was here. Then I heard it, one mind thinking I heard her thoughts and I knew we had to get her away from here.

"Daniel someone is still thinking, I hear her thoughts!" I yelled.

"Where?" he said quickly.

"At the exit!" I yelled.

We ran further and we come across two people, they look almost alike, I could guess one was the mother and the other was the daughter. The mother was frozen in place like the crowd, she wouldn't move but the daughter was trying to make her move. She was unsuccessful though.

"There!" I said pointing at the daughter.

"Grab her and let's get out of here!" Sam said.

Daniel and Eli without second thought grabbed the girl, she saw us coming, but she didn't even put up a fight. Daniel hoisted her over his shoulder and we ran for the nearest parking lot where Daniel's car was, we couldn't all fit inside though. Crap. Luckily Daniel knew something about hot wiring cars, that's when I saw it. Bunches of people coming from the town square. We were working fast, we fit everyone into Daniel's car and with the hot wired SUV we made like rats and ran. The streets were very strangely deserted, but with everyone in town under Silas' mind control, it was no wonder.

Anna Evermore - Concert

Anna wasn't much for crowds, or for rock concerts. Her mother had carried her out here to make friends and for mother-daughter bonding, and both of them knew that Anna wasn't good at either. Still, the music wasn't that bad and the crowd wasn't that rowdy, and she found herself enjoying the cool night.

Anna flinched as a sudden scene unfolded in front of her, unperturbed by the people milling about and nodding their heads to the music. A man, his willowy dark frame moving through the oblivious concertgoers, gently touched the head of one of three snakes that curled around his body with his lips moving to words that Anna couldn't decipher. He walked towards the stage, one of the snakes slipping off and disappearing into the crowd as a tendril like black smog kissed people's ankles who soon after collapsed in a fit of agony, their screams eerily silent. The man was now on the stage, his mouth moving as he watched with an unsettling satisfaction to the suffering people below.

People started to move to the stage, mounting it and willingly letting the snake that wrapped around the man's arm to sink its fangs into their vein. Anna gasped as their eyes turned an oily black, and she felt her mother touch her elbow in concern. The contact somehow signaled the end of the vision, because Anna was back in front of the undisturbed concert near the exit with her mom.

"... Okay?" Her mom said, now reaching to touch her forehead. Anna blinked at her, gently swatting her hand away.

"I'm fine, mom. No, I don't need to go home and rest." Anna said absently. She was watching the crowd now, searching for the man that she saw. There was nothing out of the ordinary, people still going about their lives and her seeing it before they do so. No hint of the strange man and his snakes.

Three minutes later, her vision came true.

She watched as everyone but a cluster of people roughly her age crippled to the ground, holding and clawing at their ears and head. Anna caught her mother just before she stumbled, slowly lowering her to the ground and glancing around for help. No one was really standing except her and the other teenagers, who were pounding towards her.

"There!" One girl said, pointing towards Anna.

"Grab her and lets get out of here!" A boy yelled, and Anna watched as two other boys swooped her up, and she was too surprised to do anything when they actually did. They dragged her along and soon Anna was running with them, her arm still being gripped tightly and her green eyes wide with shock. They hot wired a car and tossed her in with them, speeding off into the deserted small town.

"Where are you taking me?" Anna asked, pressing herself up against the child-proof locked car door. She wasn't seeing any visions like she would expect in a time like this, and it had only been three days ago that they had officially moved. For all she knew about her abductors right now, they could be apart of a local gang or some occult where they sacrificed virgins. A flash of her mother came to her, and in a slightly stronger voice Anna said, "What's happening to those people?"

Eli--- At the Town Square

There was a heaviness to the air, and the thick fog was making Eli nervous as he and Em made their way towards the crowd in the town square. He scanned the faces in the crowd, trying to pick out the club members who were there. He was also kept an eye out for enemies.

The low voice of a bass guitar growled through the air, and Eli felt its sound in the back of his skull. He saw Daniel bent over his guitar up on stage, and as he hit another note Eli felt the ground vibrate beneath his feet. He felt a sudden twinge of sharp pain in his stomach and grabbed his side.

“Are you okay?” Em asked, looking up at him. Her face was framed in the haze of the stage lights, almost like a halo, and the glare made her eyes stand out with Technicolor vibrancy.

“I’m fine.” Eli swallowed and quickly turned back to watch the crowd.

For a split second he thought he saw the flicker of movement coming from the shadows by the stage, and became uneasy. He was looking for Silas, and he knew he would be here. But what Silas planned Eli could not say. The sheer piercing of the unknown was causing him to stand on edge, tense and nervous.

The music finally started, and Eli had to grit his teeth as his head started to throb from the beat.

That’s when he felt it. A tremor, a slight disturbance in the atmosphere. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and sensed that strange, ominous sinking of premonition. Things were about to go wrong. He knew it, because there were demons here. Four of them.

“Em…” he said, leaning forward. But suddenly there was a terrible ringing in his head, a sharp pain that drove straight through his brain. He caught his head in his hands and glanced around wildly. It was a demon, it had to be, because everyone was reacting in exactly the same way. But the pain in his head ceased as soon as it had come. Eli took his hands away and frowned at them. Had he just unconsciously destroyed the demon power that effected him?

Em touched his elbow. “Look.” She said, she too seemed unaffected by the power. Eli looked up and there, on the stage, he saw Silas striding confidentially towards the crowd. The music had long since faded out, and Eli wondered what Daniel was possibly doing. Silas was speaking, Eli caught the last phrases of what sounded like a spell and saw Colubra resting across Silas’ shoulders.

“Friends, we find ourselves at a time of decision…” Eli clenched his fists as the speech progressed and started to move towards Silas. Em caught him by the arm and shook her head. Eli frowned. Why was she holding him back? He glanced around. Where were the others? Why weren’t they doing anything?

Someone was on the stage now. He saw Silas’ snake sink its fangs into their arm and saw their eyes cloud over. They were possessed, he knew it when he saw it. Silas was building a Snake Church right before their very eyes. But there was a movement in the corner of the stage, and Daniel suddenly appeared. He swung his guitar down hard toward Silas’ head. The man turned and quickly blocked the blow with his arm. Daniel leaped off the stage and Eli saw Andrea running towards him and Em.

“What’s the plan?” Daniel asked. He was pulling Akiza along behind him, who looked pale and sick. Considering the state of those surrounding here, Eli wasn’t surprised.

“There are still people here who are thinking…” Andrea said. “We need to find them.”

Eli saw Silas pick himself back up from the stage. He pointed towards them and said something to the person who had been his first victim. The new members of the “Snake Church” started to come towards them, incredibly fast. Eli had dealt with one of Silas’ possessed before, and it had not been a pretty sight. He recalled being pinned to a kitchen table and a desperate struggle against inhuman strength.

“We need to get out of here… now.” He said. They took off at a run, when Andrea suddenly pointed up ahead.

“There!” she shouted. Eli saw a girl standing amongst the midst of kneeling victims. He ran alongside as Daniel promptly scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder.

They sprinted out into the street and headed over to a jeep parked on the side.

“Everyone get in.” Andrea said.

“whose car is it?” Em asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Daniel said as he ran around and popped the hood. Eli turned and looked back at the square. He saw something coming toward him from the shadows and barely had enough time to brace himself before a “possessed” threw herself towards him. Her eyes were wild and black. At least he didn’t recognize her.

She swung at him, fingers like claws, and he barely dodged. He tripped on the curb and fell to his knees. The Possessed rushed at him again.

There was a sudden flash of brilliant gold light, and when Eli looked up the girl was lying face down on the street, moaning. He must have used his power unconsciously… Eli looked down at his hand and sure enough, the runes had appeared on his left arm. He frowned.

An engine roared to life behind him and Eli jumped into the jeep as Daniel climbed behind the wheel.

“What was that?” Em asked.

“I don’t know.” Eli said as they gunned it out of town. Eli glanced behind him and watched the hoard of Possessed vanish in the fog.

“Where are we going?” he shouted, suddenly angry. “Why are we running away?”

“Be realistic Eli.” Andrea said sharply. “We couldn’t fight them off.” She said. Eli continued to look behind them. “Especially you.”

“What’s happening to those people?” The girl, who Eli had completely forgotten about, asked.

“They’re being possessed by demons.” Daniel said.

“Which we could have been preventing.” Eli muttered darkly. They drove on in silence, heading into the dark of the forest.

Daniel must have taken an off-road, the jeep was bouncing and rocking as it went over the bumps and dips in the road. The engine whined with effort---Things were only getting rougher.

“Where are you going?” someone shouted at him. Eli peered out into the mist and tried to see where they were. There was a certain shape to the trees, and strange rocks were lying all around. Eli suddenly realized where they were… by the ravine.

The jeep went airborne as it flew over the crest of the hill. Em screamed as they came crashing back down again, and Eli felt vomit rise in the back of his throat. What was Daniel thinking? They needed to slow down before he killed them all.

“Daniel,” Eli yelled. “Slow down! We’re next to the…”

But it was too late.

“Watch out!” someone shouted.

Something slammed against the side of the jeep, and the metal buckled and screeched. For an eerie moment the jeep was suspended in midair before gravity started to pull it back down. Then they were sliding down the steep edge… they were thrown about in the cab and Eli grabbed onto Em as they pitched forwards. Eli saw the dark shape of a tree branch rushing towards the window and pushed Em down as it collided with the jeep, tearing the window out and throwing glass everywhere.

Someone was screaming as the jeep rolled over upside down, Eli knew they would be killed, crushed by the roof of the car. No… He thought.

But the jeep crashed into a rock and spun crazily off to the side. And suddenly they had stopped, the vehicle lying on its side.

Everyone was breathing heavily in the silence.

“Is… is everyone okay?” Andrea asked. Eli was the first to move. He carefully climbed through the busted window and helped Em up after him. Everyone else followed, and besides being bruised and dinged up, no one seemed seriously hurt. Eli landed on the ground and stumbled off to the side where he promptly chocked up the contents of his stomach. Shivers ran up his spine as a new wave of pain hit him in the gut.

“Where are we?” Em asked shakily.

“At the bottom of the ravine.” Eli said. The six of them stood in silence as the hot metal of the jeep clicked and creaked as it cooled in the night air.

“Do you here that?” Andrea asked, looking up at the top of the ravine. Everyone held their breath and listened.

“Oh no.” the new girl said, and everyone turned towards her.

“What?”

“This isn’t going to be good…” she said.

Dakota Owens

"Hold the west side," Dakota instructed as she unclipped a gun from its holster and headed to their van.

"And what if I want the East?" Cole asked in his casual and irritating drawl.

"Then take the East side." Dakota didn't miss a step as she climbed into the driving seat and put a hand on the wheel.

"I'll take the West."

Dakota nodded and backed the van out of the parking lot; if they were remaining outside of this 'barrier' she wanted to have the van with her. A barrier. She knew they weren't meant to ask any questions, but how was Silas to create a barrier which couldn't be crossed? How was Silas to win over all of those people in the church?

The answer seemed obvious: Silas must have a power of his own. The preacher was using the very thing he abhorred those children for to- to what? Dakota didn't know and it wasn't her place to ask; it made her feel mildly uncomfortable, but she wasn't paid to ask questions. She wasn't even doing this for the money, she was doing this because she'd received a call from her father who had given Silas his full support. Whatever was done now, it was on orders direct from the boss: daddy's orders.

After parking the van a safe distance away, Dakota moved in to the East side and took up a position, though what Silas expected her to do with one gun against a group of power wielding teens was beyond her. Silas knew nothing of her own 'gift' and she intended for it to remain that way.

Of course, when she saw the car streaking off away from the parking lot, Dakota let out a soft string of swears and headed for the van. It was going to be one of those days.

Joey Lanyard

I met Silas in the woods.

I was pressing a dish cloth against the large gash in my head, staunching the blood, but my efforts were basically futile, and the drip kept going. I lost balance for a second and slumped over. When I rolled over and looked up, through my blurry eyes I looked up at his shadowy face, superimposed on the dark night, his figure darker.

“Joey,” he had said, the images of snakes fluttering around his form, shaking in the wind, “What do you want?”

“I want revenge,” I had said, hand tightening around the wash cloth, tearing my skin further.

He kicked me in the side of my rib cage and I barely felt the pain as he removed his steel toe from my torso. “And why do you want revenge?”

I coughed up blood and shuffled in the leaves below. His hand went up to tell me to be still and I complied. “Why do you want revenge, Joseph Lanyard?” Chris, I want to avenge Chris. “Say it out loud,” he scolded.

“Because Chris.” I forced out the words, both as biting as anything.

He kicked me again. And what happened to Chris? The question never left his lips, but was communicated to me through the fangs.

“Chris got it. He was in two freaking pieces.”

“Who did that to him Joey?” Who did that to him?

Now I was at the house, sitting on a couch, drinking a beer. Back in the good days, when I was allowed in the house. I was sitting, drinking, back when I could use the fridge. I saw Chris walk in, laughing, stuffing his keys back into his pocket, followed by them. There was the girl who looked like fire and the guy with the dark eyes, and the girl that stared at me, like she knew me.

Now I was at the funeral, tears dripping down my cheeks, standing over the casket that was half closed. The upper half of my brother was there. Chris, who looked like he was laughing in death, gloating at me. Saying, remember when I kicked your ass, Joey. Look at me now, tough guy, I’m cut in two and sleeping and you can’t even afford the rent cause you’re too busy drinking. Next to me, she walks up. The girl that looks like fire. I can see it even through my angry tears, her face wrought with misery. She turned her gaze from my laughing brother, ignoring his jeers, and said, “I’m sorry,” looking me in the eye. “Sorry for what?” She shook her head.

“They did.”

Who did? Again, through fangs, rather than vocal chords.

“The kids.”

A fire burned in Silas’s eyes, the only feature I could distinguish on him as leaned closer to me as I sprawled on the forest ground. “What are you willing to do to get what you want, Joey?”

A laugh escaped my mouth. These were all rhetorical questions. He knew well what I was willing to do.

“Anything.”

“Anything?” and I nodded feverishly. “Even be saved.”

I affirmed him silently, with my nod. “Even be saved,” my nod said.

“Praise him, then Joey, praise the snake!”

Yes, I breathed, in tongues of demons. Yes!

“You are saved, Joey. You are willing to do anything to get what you want!” I nodded again. “You will do anything to get what you want.

“Now, what do you want?”

I want revenge.

Immediately the snake released its fangs from my arm, and Silas extended a hand down to me. I grasped it, and with inhuman strength, he had me upright again.

***

By the time we reached town it was morning. Silas and I.

“We must warm up this town before we own it,” he said. “Are you thirsty?”

I am always thirsty.

First we went to the liquor store. Frank was behind the desk, and he had barely unlocked the place when we entered. We were the first customers of the day. When we walked in, Silas instructed me to get a cart. He commanded me to fill it up with as much as I wanted. As much as I could, actually. I immediately started pulling stuff off the shelves. Budweiser, Sam, anything. Hard liquor, boxes of wine. Anything.

Frank, when he noticed me, started to say something, but Silas reached him too quickly. There was a gasp, then Frank grabbed a cart and started helping me, grabbing stuff indiscriminately.

Silas watched as together we loaded alcohol into the back of Frank’s truck out front. When we were done, Frank handed me the keys and Silas motioned me to get in.

Before we pulled out, Silas leaned his head out the passenger side window and said, “Expect us back soon, Frank” Then he told me, “Drive.”

Next we went to Hunting Season. After a short discussion with Silas, the owner, someone I’d seen before, but never met, nodded his head and started to show Silas what he had in stock. We grabbed a couple dozen rifles, mostly semi-automatic and shotguns. We also took a few pistols, and several strong duffel bags of random ammunition, each one with “Hunting Season” printed on the fine leather side. The owner and me made multiple trips, bringing the rifles and the bags out to the truck and stuffing them in.

His shelves were all but cleaned out.

“This is what I love about small town,” Silas said as we pulled out of the gravel parking lot. “Places like that.” I said nothing, and my mouth never matched Silas’s grin. I didn’t feel like talking.

Somewhere along the road, we had to pull over to the side of the road, and the police officer approached hesitantly. He peered into the back of the truck, and in seeing the guns and booze, widened his eyes in surprise. But after one of Silas’s little friends nipped him a little, his calmed down. He pulled his sidearm from its holster on his belt and added it to our collection.

He stood on the side of the road and saluted to Silas as we drove away.

***

Silas’s plan was infallible. He explained it to me better than I could understand it. Now that we have supplies, and the church is being rebuilt, he told me, we need to win over the public, to let them be saved by the snake. First we would continue to warm it up, get more of the local businesses on our side. Fortunately he didn’t make me come with him when he won over the auto body shop and the hairdresser.

Silas was understanding. He knew I didn’t want to see my parents anymore.

Then, he said, it’s time to win over the ones in power. Once we have the elite on our side, anything is possible.

Thirdly, he told me, as I drove the pickup truck away from the Church’s reconstruction site, we convert the people. To get the best spread, we start with the youth, Silas explained. They get around the most, they see the most people. They are young, and healthy, and strong. We also get the people who work the day jobs, the younger adults who work in shops and as cashiers because of whim rather than ineptitude. And that was a lot of them, he said to me.

I had asked what the best way to convert all these people is. A concert, he told me. A hard rock concert. And he handed me the flier he had taken off a telephone pole.

Once we get them on our side, we give them their tools. The tools we confiscated from Hunting Season and Willowcreek Pharmaceutical.

Then and only then, Silas said, his voice rising in his sermon fashion, a voice that escalated in fiery presence to a small group of people every Sunday, will this town cease to be a small town and start to be a military state. A state in which we spread our demons, those of substance and those of spirit. A state in which the Silver Bullet Club no longer exists.

So, a few days later, we stood in the office of Mayor Downbrook, slightly crowded in. It was me, sideburns, the red haired man, the short one with the white eye, the mayor, and Silas. All of us but the latter two held long guns, angled at the floor.

The mayor’s eyes were clouded and dark, a snake wrapped around his forearm. “You realize that there is a change in leadership now, right, Mayor Downbrook?” He nodded.

“I am the prime minister now, Mayor Downbrook. And you are the queen. I am the board of shareholders and you are the CEO. Do you understand this, Mayor Downbrook?”

The Mayor kept nodding and Silas kept talking. “There is a new mayor in Willowcreek, Jim. I hope you understand that.” The mayor didn’t say a word, but merely stood up quickly, the snake dangling from his arm as he held it up to his forehead in a sickly salute. And then there was another nod.

I realized something that day. I never asked Silas what his last name was.

***

Now the exits of the town square were blocked with nebulously purposed barriers. We had an entire trailer on an 18 wheeler out behind the stage of the concert, amid the wires and managers. It was more of a small time thing, less than three hundred people showed up, but it was a fancy deal in a town like this. And it was exactly the kind of audience Silas had in mind. The community college students. The high school kids. The clerks who wore death metal shirts to work.

Everything was running smoothly. I had a gun in one pocket of my coat and a bottle in a paper bag in the other. The latter was gift from Silas. The former was one of my work tools.

The crowd was literally captivated as Silas spoke. “Friends,” he began. “We have found ourselves at a time of decision. A crossroads lies before you. Heaven’s gate is closing and the doors of hell are waiting, open and looming in front of the unrighteous… you must choose now whom you will serve, what path you will take.”

I had heard this before. I had internalized it as Silas practiced it again and again. The speech was perfect. All was going according to plan.

At once my head turned suddenly and immediately met the eyes of the girl who looks like fire. She noticed me, and a flicker of vague recognition flooded her eyes. She turned away quickly, but my gaze still held.

Voices rung in my ears, I had the urge to nod at every word Silas spoke. I wanted to shout and holler as if this was a regular sermon. And I kept thinking back to when I met Silas. In the woods. And I had been asked, “What do I want?”

And I had said, “I want revenge.”

Aldouis Wells- Willowcreek at the concert.

The show was about to start and I had arrived just in time. I walked through the fog consciously trying to make sure I kept both feet on the ground. I had tracked the name Daniel Nitram all the way to this sleepy little town it seemed to bare little to no significance. But, I knew nothing was ever quite what it seemed. From what my mom and dad told me Daniel was a magnet for the paranormal. According to them without Daniel half of the different clubs never would have formed. My mother was a seer and dad an item enchanter, how he had ended up a teleporter well neither of my parents were sure. All they knew was it was important that I find Daniel even if they weren't sure why. I slipped on the aviators I kept in my pocket. Aside from making me looking cool my dad had enchanted them to see certain types of seemingly hidden magic, and cause an aura to appear around others with supernatural abilities. I saw about ten auras total and one was on stage, I knew it must be Daniel.

As I drew closer I began to notice a huge barrier erected around the performance area. It seemed to let people in but if I had a bet not out. I noticed it formed a square around the area, it had been quickly erected and being maintained most likely by totems. My mother had taught me quite a bit about this sort of thing, I never thought it would actually come in handy. All I had to do was get rid of at least one totem and the barrier would be broken. I had decided though to wait and try and find out the barrier's purpose. I could hear the band well from outside of the barrier but began to notice something weird going on. One of the audience members that I had noticed gave off an aura took to the stage. Daniel seemed briefly stunned as the man talked, but suddenly snapped and hit the mans arm hard. As Daniel ran from the stunned older man to a group of some of the other one's with aura's he began to guess the purpose of the barrier.

As I saw Daniel, at least whom I assumed was Daniel, running towards a wall I knew what I had to do. I teleported the one of the corners of the barrier and found a wooden cross it had to be the totem. I kicked it shifting it slightly and destroying the barrier. As they escaped I noticed that the older man was turning the audience in to mind slaves of some sort. As soon as I noticed they had gotten away I slammed the totem back in to place. "Hah...neat barrier old man too bad it looks like you've trapped yourself now though." Whoever he was, he was powerful and it probably wasn't smart to taunt him. Too bad no one had ever that I was too smart.

The old man sent one of his mind slaves right my way and he easily stepped through the barrier, well shit. The guy wasn't any bigger than me heck he even seemed smaller, but shockingly he lifted me up with ease. That's when the old man decided to talk, "You may have helped them get away, but now you've only prolonged the inevitable." He walked down from the stage and towards me. "And now I'll take you under my control."

The big guy dropped me down and I scrambled to get to my feet. The old man was getting closer, thank goodness he couldn't move super fast. I stood up it was now or never to make my cool exit and try and catch up with those guys. "Hey old man what has too thumbs and likes making fools out of nut jobs like you." I hitched my thumbs and pointed at myself, "This guy." I chose that moment to teleport as far away from this guy as possible. I felt the familiar sensation and landed in a ravine somewhere.

At that moment a large vehicle came careening out of nowhere and right into the ravine, I teleported a few inches right before it would have crushed me. He began to see people crawling out of the car and quickly put his sunglasses back on, it was them the others from the concert. They quickly got back in to standing positions and were looking at each other. They all seemed okay but were looking up to the top of the Ravine one girl looked terrified and all of them seemed concerned. I knew I should announce myself, "Are you all okay?"

***************


Daniel Nitram- Bottom of a Ravine.

I immediately spotted the source of the voice and looked at him, my eyes weren't deterred by the darkness. The kid he was looking at looked odd with his curly untamed hair and aviator glasses on in the middle of the night, but he didn't seem to be one of Silas's possessed. "I guess," I said to him but who are you and what are you doing here."

"I'm Aldouis Wells, but you can call me Aldo like Waldo but without the W. And, I was looking for those people that were escaping the concert." Aldouis rubbed the back of the neck, "I came to the concert to find Daniel Nitram I saw him run off with you guys after leaving the stage. I've been looking for him for a while."

"Um...well Aldouis you don't seem to be one of Silas's men so I'll tell you," I looked at him pausing for dramatic effect. "I am Daniel Nitram." The response I got was an unexpected burst of laughter from the young man in front of me.

"He...heh...You're Daniel... ha...Nitram yeah right he's supposed to be like super old." He wiped the tears of laughter. "You're what 17 my parents told me Daniel was like this really wise guy that founded a bunch of support groups and clubs for kids with supernatural abilities."

I looked at him and my fellow club members whom all seem confused too, "Well I don't know about founding any but I am a member of one. The Silver Bullet Club." I gestured to each of us even the new girl. inevitably this made Andre snap.

"Daniel what are you doing how do you know we can trust this guy." She was fuming, "All we know is his name and that he knows something about your past. He could secretly be one of Silas's men." She looked at him puzzled the whispered to me, "I can't even get a true read on him, it's like his thoughts can stay in one place long enough."

Akiza chose now to speak up, "Andrea get off his case I'm sure Daniel has his reasons for thinking this kid is trustworthy." She looked at me, "right tiger?"

I looked at the boy and thought for a moment. I decided to announce to our other members including the new girl. "I have no reason whatsoever to trust you, but if you're in this ravine that means you're not in Silas's back pocket." I walked for and grabbed his hand in a firm shake, "and that's good enough for me.

Aldo looked at me beaming, as though he'd thought of something marvelous after I'd said something. "So ya'll are the S.B.C or adding a T for the The, you're T.S.B.C brilliant. Anyway we're stuck in this ravine for my I can teleport ya'll out of hear I need each of you to place a hand on my arms."

We all reached out and in the next moment found ourselves deeper in the forest but far enough away that the mob seemed far. I looked about and then directly to Andrea, "So what's our plan from here?"

Em-The woods

Teleportation is disorienting to say the least. I fall back against a tree and blink a few times while I try to figure out which way's up, and how to tell my right from my left. It passes quickly though. I'm at the back of the group where Andrea's talking, the calm in her eyes is missing, we have very little time to prepare.

Then Eli begins to lead us through the woods while I bring up the rear. I don't bother listening in on the conversation that goes around. I'm too distracted by the voice in my head that keeps repeating the same mantra over and over again.

This is your fault,

This is all your fault.

Maybe it's right. Maybe if I'd just stayed in my shackles and gave the Snake Church what they'd wanted they'd've left the others alone. Maybe. It's too late to know now, but that doesn't stop the hollow ache in my heart from spreading. I should leave, it wouldn't be hard to slip away and go back to the mob, let them take me. Then again, the probability of a negotiation with a mad man like Silas going anywhere wasn't exactly probable. Though, neither was our survival.

Andrea would've sensed me leaving anyway, I wouldn't have gotten far.

I'm wrenched out of my mental pit of despair by their increased conversation. I look up to see a cabin in the distance, it's old and a bit beat up, but it looks sturdy. I hover farther back while the others pile in. Someone yells "Whoohooo!" and I can't help but smile. At least one of us isn't a total pessimist.

The air's cold and dry. The crickets go silent, as if sensing my need for quiet. I sit down with my back facing away from the cabin and stare off into the forest. I never thought I could be this lonely; This numb. I sit quietly for a few moments, then I pull myself up and head back to the cabin. I can't let myself be consumed by this, they need me. That, and if I don't want Andrea to bite my head off, I should get back before they notice I'm missing.

I open the door slowly; wincing when it creaks. I don't think anybody notices it though, so I inch my way along the wall and listen in on the planning.

"-I hate to say this but, in order for this to work we're going to need a distraction," says Andrea. "One of you needs to draw Silas's attention away from the crowd."

"I'll do it." The words are out of my mouth before I can fully register what I'm taking on.

Andrea looks up at me; sizing me up."Okay then, now all-"

At the same time Eli says, "No." Andrea turns her attention to him. A faint look of irritation crosses her face.

Eli continues."Em's injured, she can't take on Silas-"

I glare at him."I'm fine. If anyone should be sitting this out it's you."

Eli opens his mouth to say something, but Andrea cuts him off. "Do either of you mind explaining to me what happened to you two during training?"

I glance at Eli, biting my lip. I remain silent. Please no, not now, anytime but now.

Joey Lanyard

There are five churches in Willowcreek. The Willowcreek Southern Baptist Church has the largest flock of all, with about three hundred weekly visitors, requiring that Reverend Jacobson does his sermon twice. It stands next to the post office in town, built on top of the historical first Willowcreek town hall.

Although almost as many residents of Willowcreek identify as Catholic as Baptist, those that attend mass at St. John’s at least once a week most of the time number only about two hundred mostly hung over or tired Irishmen and Poles. This one was built on sweat and donations and boasts the town’s biggest graveyard.

There is also a nondenominational Church that changes its name every decade, with a congregation of about a quarter hundred families. While less in number than the Baptists, these Born Agains get just as if not more fired up in their service, and the church was built on the interpersonal connections the founding families already had with one another. Without this community, if would undoubtedly cease to exist. About 150 patrons clock in to the First Methodist Church every Sunday. It was built atop Celtic Hill, the second most recent place of worship built in the working town.

The newest one is the Church of the Snake. And that one was built on me.

“We’re building the new snake church on you, Joey,” Silas had said. “’Upon this rock, I shall build my church.’ Do you know who said that?”

“Uh, Moses?”

“Jesus Christ said that, Joey.” His eyes were upturned as he sat in the half-built church. In the confessional booth. I had asked about the booze, and this was my answer. “And I am not Jesus. I do not represent God, Joey,” the preacher said. “Do you know what that means?”

“You represent Uncle Lucifer in the basement.”

His eyes returned to me and flickered. “Good. You’re catching on quickly. You see, you are my first disciple of the Church of the Snake, just like Peter was the first pope of the Church of Christ.”

“I’m honored, but what’s that got to do with the booze?” I asked.

“Well, you must realize that you’re no St. Peter. You barely know any religion besides what I’ve told you. You more represent the fundamental values that we will stand on. That means purity of the largest extent. The purity gained from washing thyself with alcohol.”

I thought I understood that. “So you can trust me as a symbol for the church because of my anger. And it’s all whitewashed by the slops?” He nodded assent, but I questioned again, “But why are we giving booze to everyone at the concert? Do you want everyone drunk to control them easier?”

According to Silas, I wasn’t giving him enough credit.

“We cannot just murmur a Latin dirge and make someone a Follower of the Snake, my son. We need to be able to baptize them.” He turned and neither of us could see each other’s mouths moving. We could only trust our solitude to prove who was actually speaking.

So why not grab a bunch of cases of bottle water to hand out?

Because only some water is holy, Joey. Only some water cleanses, and that is from the Pool of Conversion that lies not a football field from where we sit. Alcohol, however, from the beginning of its use has been known for its intrinsic cleansing properties.

So the booze ain’t for drinking. They’re gonna pour that booze on their heads after you make their eyes change.

That’s right, Joey.

So if the booze is for destroying their own souls, then what are the guns for?

Silas turned back to me, his lips curled into a grin as staunch as the one formed by his white collar.

“If need be, those are for destroying other people’s souls.”

***

I remember loading up that 18-wheeler behind the stage with sideburns, who I now know is Mike DeCrou. We loaded the booze of all shapes and sizes, put them in boxes so they wouldn't roll around and shatter. We loaded the guns, dozens of them, not packaged, but rolled up in blankets. There was cases of bullets of all calibers as well. The left over guns would be further distributed. The left over booze was always good for a cocktail of the Molotov variety. The people who attended this concert were going to be our missionaries, our evangelists.

Our foot soldiers.

Each convert would take their turn on the stage, then proceed to the truck, which we pulled up alongside the lighting. We’d give each person a bottle of “Holy Water” and send them back out into the crowd. The oldest, the toughest, the young men who looked like they could handle themselves, were also given a gun and some ammo.

We were hoping the guns wouldn’t have to be used. But they were definitely a good source of intimidation.

Now everything was going right. Silas was giving his speech, and I was in the moment. Unfortunately it only took until the second convert for trouble to happen.

Silas had told me and his other disciples to watch out for the Silver Bullet Club, who were sure to arrive. One of them was even playing in the concert.

And sure enough, they did arrive, and sure enough they caused trouble.

Slightly hypnotized by the Latin exuding from Silas’s mouth, it took a few seconds too many for me to rush back into my senses. The kids were in a group, sprinting off towards the barrier. I ripped my handgun from my pocket and was right in pursuit, gun hand over the heads of the kneeling crowd as I pushed through.

When I broke free of Town Square, I was confronted by the parking lot of the Clinic. It was obvious where the SBC was headed, as they were followed by several of the possessed. They piled into a Jeep, and I broke the chase, climbing into my new truck.

I revved the engine and the kids seemed to hear, speeding away.

I pulled out and was chasing them from an unfortunate distance, I could barely follow their turns. Left onto Main Street. Right on Airport. Straight through the light.

Finally they slid off the road, crashing into the underbrush of the woods. I heard a loud noise, that of combustion and bending metal. I quickly got out of the truck and ran into the woods, pistol in hand.

There was just enough light and it was just easy enough to track the course of the Jeep through the destroyed foliage and I came into sight of a narrow, and densely foliated ravine.

The jeep was nowhere in sight, presumably having rolled into the ravine, and what was there was the object the kids had probably smashed into, a newly feverless and dented van. Standing there were two people, a man and a woman. I couldn’t see who they were, so I advanced slower.

It was a standoff, them pointing guns at me and I at them. I aimed straight in the middle of the two. They say that this creates an illusion where both enemies think the gun is pointed at them.

They were pointing a flashlight at me, and then lowered their guns in relief. “It’s one of Silas’s guys,” the woman said. She pointed the flashlight at her own face, then at her partners. I immediately recognized them as the contractors Silas was hiring to track down the SBC.

I nodded and we both realized our error of not converging on the wreck immediately. The three of us ran to the edge of the ravine and shined the flashlight down on the totaled Jeep. No bodies or movements were visible. The crunches of leaves alerted us of people to our right.

The group of kids were standing by a tree down below, linked by their hands. Without thinking, I drew my hands up, and fired a deadly accurate shot at them right after they instantly disappeared. The bark behind where they were standing exploded in splintery disarray, yet the kids were nowhere to be found.

“Oh, jeez,” the woman said, obviously shocked. I had no reason to be surprised. I had experienced supernatural occurrences first hand as Silas’s viper gnawed on my arm.

We carefully slid down the edge of the ravine and approached the very spot where the Club was standing before their dramatic exit.

The skinny man held a strange piece of technology in his right hand, crouching in front of the spot. The light on the side lit up green and a grin broke out on his face, barely visible in the lightest hour of night.

“Trackable?” the girl asked breathlessly.

“Definitely trackable,” the guy replied in an almost bored drawl.

The woman shook my hand, expressing almost enough emotion to make up for my utter lack of it. “Dakota. This is Cole.”

I spit, respectfully, and said, “Joey Lanyard, Follower of the Snake.”

A frown creased her brow but she continued. “Well, Joey, there is some supernatural excrement that leaks no matter what in usage. Even in teleportation. Come with us.”

***

I sat in the window seat as Dakota drove the van and Cole stared at his little technological device. I guess magic is better than cookie crumbs for marking a path.

Eli---at the random cabin in the woods

The “shack” consisted of nothing more than a few slats of wood stacked on top of each other, leaning against a tree and the rock face of an enormous boulder. It had obviously been there a long time.

It felt like he had been here before.

Eli dragged behind Daniel, Em, and the others as they all headed for the cabin. Something didn’t seem right. Something didn’t seem right at all…

“Everything okay?” Em asked, staring back at him from a ways up the hill.

Eli turned and scanned the black trees behind them.

“No.” he said quietly. He looked at Em. “We have to go back.” Her eyes got wide at this.

“What? Why?” she asked.

“All those people…”

There was a long moment of silence.

“Are you coming?” Daniel called back.

Eli suddenly grew urgent. He caught one of Em’s hands and looked into her eyes. “Listen,” he said. “I know where we are. I’m going to go back. I’ll…”

“No.” Em said firmly. She shook her head. “You’re not running off on anyone… not again.”

“This is something I have to do.” He said.

“But you’re in terrible shape. You can’t fight, Eli. Not now.”

“I know. But I’m only going to investigate, to see what’s really going on. We have to know what Silas is up to.” He said. “Please, you have to let me do this. Don’t you understand?” he asked. Em pursed her lips.

“I’m coming with you.” She said.

“No.” Eli said, more loudly than he meant. “It’s better if I’m alone. I can’t… I don’t… I can’t have you taken away from me again. I…” I couldn’t forgive myself.

“What makes you think that something like that would happen?” she asked. “I’m a lot stronger now…” she added, “what if it’s you who doesn’t come back?” Em whispered.

“Then don’t come looking for me.” Eli said gravely. “Silas is too dangerous. It wouldn’t be worth it.”

Then he surprised himself by taking Em’s hand and pressing it to his lips. “Stay safe.” He murmured. “The others need you, stay with them, please.”

“Eli…” Em started. But Eli was already jogging off into the woods.