Two Lost Souls Ch. 01

"What is this, the Walking Dead?" the tall man chuckled. "Okay, is that you, Jerry? Is this a hidden camera show?"

"Shut the fuck up!" The short one shrieked, raising his hands and sending another gout of snot-yellow flames at the two new shambling coma patients near the doorway. Their bodies started to melt and waste away where the corrupting yellow flames clung. Still, the flames were not consuming the bodies fast enough in the small confines of the room.

The tall man gestured with his free hand, and the air near the edge of John's bed twinkled and a plateglass wall appeared. It completely divided the room in two. The possessed, flaming patients thudded into the glass wall and slowly beat their flaming fists against it.

"Luckily my wall isn't made of living flesh, eh?" The tall man smacked John's foot.

"They aren't dying!" The short man said, a look of horror spreading over his face. "Oh fuck this!" The short man brought his thumb to his mouth and tore the skin. Blood dripped from the wound onto the ground. With his other hand, he raised his forefinger and middle finger to his lips. He chanted a few obscene words, and as he did, the blood that had pooled on the ground spread out into a circle. He turned the fingers at his lips and pressed outward. The blood flared with the same yellow flames but went out when he slashed his hand to the side. The smell of burnt meat and iron filled the room. From the bloody smoke, a giant hulking creature emerged. Its fur was dull red, and bones protruded along its back and the crest of its head. Long, grooved black claws shot out of its gnarled fingers. It reared up on its hind legs and roared.

Five more possessed coma patients shuffled through the door. As the five joined the original three, the hellfire spread among them, filling the entire front of the room in a haze of dirty, piss-colored light.

The summoned demon dematerialized long enough to bypass the glass and charge in amongst the eight possessed coma patients. It was a creature of hell, but that didn't mean it was immune to hellfire.

It lifted one of the burning coma patients and ripped a flaming arm off, sucking at the bloody strips of skin and muscle. Hellfire rolled along the demon's body, seeking purchase on its constructed form. It wasn't entirely organic or living, but its form followed the same rules. It choked as bits of hellfire fell into its open mouth, but the demon was both too stupid and too eager for more blood and gore. It easily ripped another coma patient's body open. All that did was spray more hellfire over its body. The yellow flames clung like acid tar. Little holes and pockmarks formed in the weaker places on its constructed body. The remaining horde of possessed coma patients piled onto the demon becoming a billowing bonfire of snotty flames.

It was at that time that for no apparent reason the short man clutched his chest. His fat face reddened as he started to pant. A moment later, he slumped over dead.

Now the tall one was getting worried. His eyes watched the pile of hellfire, well aware what would happen if either the demon or horde prevailed. The demon was now free of its capture; sure it couldn't persist forever, but a year and a day was more than the ten minutes it would need to tear everyone in this room to pieces. The tall one wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of being corrupted by hellfire either. He tapped his lip and glanced down at the kid on the bed. As chance would have it — because he had been much too cavalier when enacting the glass wall — the wall he'd constructed had bisected the window in the room.

The tall man, whom was called Chaz by people who were trying to annoy him, valued his life much more highly than he valued power. Besides, this situation could still be salvaged to a modicum of profit, even if that profit was in social capital. He crafted a nice top hat from what remained of his gossamer. "I tip my hat to you, sir." He grinned and walked through the window. He wrapped the ambient light available around him and disappeared from view.

* * * * *

Danielle peeked back into the room. There wasn't much room for more bodies on this side of the glass wall. She'd seen more crazy shit in the past hour than she'd ever imagined. Yellow flames that devoured bodies but ignored wood? Giant, bloody ape that could disappear and reappear where it wished. She didn't mind sacrificing the coma patients to the yellow fire. To her surprise, both the ghost possessing and the owner of the body seemed to be enjoying themselves. It made sense. The ghost was suppressing any pain by virtue of the possession. Both were finally able to move around and be useful.

Belinda, the doctors, and security personnel were another matter. Yes, Belinda was mean and demanding, but Danielle wasn't ready to commit them. Instead, she focused on the black runes floating behind her eyes. If she concentrated hard, she could make them reappear when her eyes were open. She still had no idea what they meant. Each had a purpose, and she'd acted out of instinct when she'd called upon one of them to commune and empower the ghosts to possess the living. At least she could now distinguish that rune from the rest. Because the ghost and soul were in harmony, they moved with enhanced strength and endurance. At least that was the best she could come up with to explain why the yellow flames and assault with the ape-demon were going so well for her side.

However, it wouldn't go so well if that fat warlock was allowed to live. Both men were behind the glass next to John. She was horrified. What if they killed John? She refused to lose the person she loved after only getting an hour with him. What she needed was a way to take out one of the men. Maybe scare off the other. Glass walls were all well and good, but she suspected the heavy hitter was the fat one. Summoning a demonic ape and hurling obscene fire were much more dangerous than some glass. So she focused her attention on the fat one.

Something John had said struck her. She was his body. It made sense that whatever she was now able to do was tied to that. Her medical training kicked in as she assessed the short, fat man. Of course, given his splotchy skin and high BMI, he was likely having trouble with high blood pressure, cholesterol, or both. That would imply plaque buildup and, given his age, could very well be advanced.

What if she could just push the timetable up for the inevitable heart attack? Would that be murder or just premature fate? Now that was something she hadn't thought about. The word fate caused another of the black glyphs to stick out to her. She reached out with her hand and touched that rune. It flared, and she glimpsed into the man's fate. He was destined to die of a heart attack. Or at least to have one.

She reached further through that rune and tried to pull the future to the present. She visualized the overworked heart struggling as its mass increased. It had to grow bigger to push blood through arteries that had hardened and clotted around portions of the circulatory system. Yes, it was all too much. It was time to let all that work go. "You've done all you could." She said to the heart of the man. "It's time for you to rest."

The fat man clutched his heart. He pressed on his chest, gasping for air. He shook out the pain running up his arms and started to pant for breath. A few moments later, he slumped over dead.

There wasn't a gunmetal-grey ghost emerging from his dead body as she had thought it would. She felt the presence of something dark and heavy press down upon the spiritual world. Something equally dark and heavy like tar oozed from the body and disappeared. The presence retreated.

No longer bound by the compulsion and under considerable assault by the mostly skeletal coma patients, the demonic ape dematerialized. Danielle could still make out a hazy outline of its form. It descended into the floor. She worried it would materialize and start murdering patients throughout the hospital. On the other hand, she wasn't a demon slayer. She was a nurse, and her man was not doing well. Given everything that had happened in the past two hours —she thought, glancing at her watch — she had no reason to doubt that they needed to get to the Appalachian Trail at Greenwater Brook.

Based on the rate of consumption, Danielle gave the coma patients about twenty minutes before there wouldn't be anything left at all. She didn't want the ghosts to leave before the patients departed.

She sent one of the security officers to retrieve something to break the glass. The officer came back with the fire extinguisher. She was pretty sure it wouldn't work, but she had twenty minutes to kill. She looked at John resting peacefully in his bed. The tall man had disappeared while she wasn't looking. Of course, her phone was on the other side of the glass with her scrub bottoms.

She ordered the other security officer to help break the glass wall and protect John. Satisfied John was safe for now, Danielle padded back down the hallway in search of pants. She was surprised to find Amber watching from the end of the hall. Danielle waved and called out. "Hey, you should probably go."

"All clear down there?" There wasn't much shock, horror, or fear in Amber's voice. She still clung to the corner at the far hallway, watching the action near John's room.

"Yes, but, umm" — Danielle scratched her head and shrugged — "can you get me some bottoms?"

"You dirty slut!" Amber half chuckled and disappeared.

Danielle ordered Belinda to get a wheelchair, walked to the nurse's station, and sat bare-ass naked in one of the chairs. She called up maps on the search engine and plotted out the journey. Taking the Turnpike all the way looked like it would take only two hours. That gave them two hours to spare. Someone draped a pair of scrubs over the monitor. Danielle looked up to find Amber hovering over them.

"I'm coming. Don't even try." Amber held up her hands. "Don't."

This close up, Danielle could see the perspiration and strain on Amber. "We are all probably going to end up dead."

"I know." Amber took a deep breath and crossed her arms. She continued to fidget as she leaned on the computer monitor. "I know this is batshit crazy, but c'mon, our lives sucked before. I want in on this. Whatever it is."

"I think it's a bad idea."

"You need backup."

Amber was right. Danielle wasn't sure how to drag John into a car and along a mountain trail by herself. She could bring the possessed security guards. She just wasn't sure how long the possession would last. What happened if the guards broke free while they were driving there? Plus, unlike the coma patients, the guards were actively rebelling against the possession. There were just too many unknowns. Besides, she wanted to have someone along so she could talk through. She needed to think. Still, she felt guilty. What happened if more paranormal stuff occurred? Stuff she couldn't handle. Danielle couldn't protect Amber, hell she probably couldn't protect herself or John.

"C'mon," Amber said, holding up the scrub bottoms like a bribe. "You don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself." She brandished one of the security guards' batons and shook it for effect. "I took a few defensive fighting courses."

"Rape courses at school?" Danielle extended her hand for the bottoms. "Before I agree, take a look in John's room. I don't think you really understand what you are getting yourself into."

Amber giggled, clapped her hands, and tossed the bottoms to Danielle. She came around the desk and hugged her from behind. "Oh, I could hug you to death right now." She clapped her hands and skipped down the hallway.

Danielle started to feel light headed. It had started as a minor headache but had grown over the past ten minutes. It felt like when she used to starve herself to fit into her summer clothes: lack of food, the shakes, and hypoglycemia. She frowned in thought trying to remember when she last ate. It had only been a few hours ago, but she sent one of the doctors to grab food anyway. He couldn't really talk anymore, but that shouldn't be an issue.

Now more of the practical considerations settled into her mind. What would the authorities say when they watched the footage? True they needed only two hours to get to where John needed to be, but would that help if the authorities were on their asses? She found herself staring at her shaking hands. That's how Amber found her.

"Those yellow flames —"

Danielle's head snapped up, and she looked scared. "You didn't touch them did you?"

Amber snorted. "Are you kidding me? That stuff is ridiculous."

"Is there much left of the coma patients?"

"Just some of the larger bones." Amber walked closer to Danielle and knelt down at eye level. "Listen, I know this is crazy stupid, but Moms always told me to hold on to opportunities, because people like us don't get but one if that." Amber raised her hands and did a little circle. "Look at me. My life is going nowhere. I'm destined for shit. Maybe own my own trailer like Moms. School didn't change that, I just owe more money."

The doctor returned with her food: a plate of hamburger patties. Danielle sighed and grabbed one. Munching on it, she realized that none of the ghosts possessing the coma patients had returned to her. More to the point, none of the coma patients had returned as ghosts. Although her army was diminished, she felt happy that they must have moved on. She looked around for any more stray ghosts, but it currently looked like the ward was empty. Standing bare-ass naked, eating a hamburger patty was weird, so she finally put on the scrub bottoms.

"Okay, Amber, but if you die on me I'm going to haul your ass back."

Amber beamed. "Yes!"

The pair wandered back down the hallway to assess the situation. Belinda returned with the wheelchair, and the security guards stood idle near John's bed. The plateglass wall separating the room was gone. Nothing remained of the coma patients, either physically or spiritually. That only left her with the five ghosts possessing the guards, doctors, and Belinda.

She wanted to take them with her, but she didn't know what would happen when the ghosts left and they regained control. She issued a general order that the ghosts were to remain in possession until dawn and then try to find her. With the command issued, she felt the ghosts anchor to her. It was a psychic weight, but she got used to the sensation.

It was ultimately easy to get the guards to put John into the chair and escort them to the parking lot. She brought along one of the doctors for good measure. No one stopped them, but they did get a few odd looks.

Amber got her car, and they put John into the backseat. Danielle sat in the back behind the passenger seat with John's head lying on her lap. They stuffed the wheelchair into the trunk and sent the security guards to deter anyone from coming into the coma ward.

Danielle's only regret was that she didn't know where the IT people were. She did command the security guards to go back to the security room at dawn and try to mess up any evidence. She only hoped that the ghosts controlling them really understood.

According to her watch, it was 2:47 a.m. when they set out. Amber pulled up the GPS on her phone, and they were off. As they made their way out of the city, Danielle zoned out; the hamburger patty hadn't helped much. She combed through John's shock of white hair as she watched him sleep. His eyes popped open a few times but only for a moment. He would see her, smile, and then close them again. There was so much she wanted to ask him, and there was so much that Amber kept trying to ask her. She didn't have much to tell Amber, but she ran through what had happened. Amber pressed for details, but Danielle didn't have many.

"Shit," Amber cut through the most recent bout of silence. "Shit, shit, shit."

"What?" Danielle looked up from staring at John's face. "I told you I don't —"

"No, I'm out of gas. This doesn't make sense. I thought I'd filled up yesterday." Amber smacked the steering wheel.

"Obviously, you didn't."

"Hey, it could happen to anyone."

Danielle rolled her eyes. "If you say so."

"Look there's a truck stop up ahead." Amber nodded toward the blue sign they were just passing. Apparently there was also an Arby's, Burger King, and a Motel 8. "We'll be in and out."

Danielle glanced at her watch. It was already 3:20 a.m. She was starting to get nervous. Time kept getting away from them. "Okay, just hurry."

"I am, I am." Amber gunned it off the highway and along the outer road, pulling away from the highway and into the small outpost. Sure enough an Arby's was across the street, and a Burger King was a block away. The Motel 8 stretched between the QT truck stop and the Burger King.

Amber pulled in and bolted out of the car, ramming the gas hose into her tank. When she put her card in, the unit refused and asked her to prepay. "What the fuck." She glanced around and sprinted for the interior of the gas station.

* * * * *

A very tall man leaned against the cash register. There were two other men in suits near the ATM, which was right by the entrance. The tall man made an off-handed gesture, and suddenly Amber couldn't move. The two men in suits dragged her out of view.

"Well, Chazzy," — a girl said emerging from the shadows — "looks like these paper tigers are going to go down like little bitches."

The tall man sighed, leaning on his chin. "Well when they unleash a host of the damned upon you, rip your soul from your body, and cast you aside, I suspect you won't be so arrogant. Eric was —"

The young girl snorted. "Don't get me started with that fat ass. Munching on newbies is so gauche." She shook her finger at the tall man. "And I bet you were trying to get a piece of that action, werentcha?"

The tall man shook his head, "I would never. How dare you besmirch my honor so?"

"Oh, you mean we aren't talking about the Awakened from the coma ward anymore?" She shook her head. "Just wait until the Alchies find out."

"Miss Delphi, so glad you could join us. Mr. Anderson, thank you for notifying us of the breach." The new person was dressed in a dark suit like the other men who had carted Amber off. He was tall and handsome. Three more suited men entered with him through the other side of the building.

"Mason Henderson" — the tall man, sometimes known as Chaz and other times as Chesterfield Anderson inclined his head — "I am heartened to see at least your organization took this seriously."

"Any threat to the Veil, Mr. Anderson." The man folded a hand over his chest and half-bowed his head. "The youth in slumber, Miss Delphi?"

The young girl snorted. "Nothing but static."

"I am loathe to dismiss him outright, but in deference to Mr. Anderson's report and your divination, we will be concentrating our efforts on the Necromancer directly. The youth might be a familiar or a supplicant." Mason Henderson raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke into it. "Alpha and Bravo, you have clearance to engage."

Both team commanders acknowledged and deployed their men. At this time of night and on such short notice, they were working with just the local field office's SWAT team.

Mason glanced outside, watching Amber's car getting swarmed as SWAT members burst out of nearby tractor trailers. That didn't include the sniper on the roof.

Mason Henderson turned to the young girl. "Miss Delphi, please keep your oracle up and notify us should anything timely be revealed."

Miss Delphi curtsied and smiled sweetly. "Of course, Mason."

Mason Henderson nodded to the tall man. "Mr. Anderson, please wait in here. Due to your prior engagement, I suspect you would only add tension to the situation. Please do provide tactical support should the situation warrant it."