Drummer Boy - Back Into Hell Ch. 10

Only it wasn't Electra. It was Ellie, her blonde hair in disarray, and a forlorn look of heart-wrenching sadness on her face.

"Don't leave me, Jason," she pleaded. "I love you..."

Jason hesitated. Maybe because he was caught off guard. Maybe because Granny's mind-control protection was wearing off. Or maybe ... maybe because his one true heaven was calling out to him.

He never found out, because Granny tackled him, and then they were through the other portal.

There was no Thing in the Way this time. Just a tunnel of multicolored flames that seemed to go on forever.

At the end of the tunnel, Jason tumbled into his living room, with Granny landing top of him.

And towering over them was the squat form of Leanne. Her eyes were ablaze with crackling yellow sparks, while her hands were wreathed in clouds of misty darkness.

With a hard look, Leanne gave them a quick once over. She gave a little nod and said, "Alright, here goes."

The portal snapped shut. There was no longer any visual sign that it had ever been there. However, a second later Jason heard muted banging sounds coming from where it had been.

Leanne chanted for a long time, the same words over and over. The darkness flowed from around her hands, painting a cloudy smear in the place where there portal had been. Her eyes sparked, sweat streamed from her forehead, and darkened the armpits of the floral print shirt she wore.

Eventually the banging sounds grew fainter. And even though Jason heard her voice becoming hoarse from overuse, Leanne kept the chant going, until the pounding faded completely.

Only then did Leanne stop chanting, and took in a deep breath. When she released it, it was to blow at the cloudy smear in the air, which then vanished.

Leanne sighed deeply, adjusted her glasses, and looked at Jason.

"Welcome back, crumb cake," she said. "Now, let's tend to your girls."

To Be Concluded