James shook his head once and looked up into the mirror, smiling for absolutely no reason. Absolutely none. After all, what reason did he have for smiling? Here they were, leaving college, the first place he had ever been free, and returning to that prison known only as home. His smile turned into a frown at the thought of that. Home, oh how he hated that place. He’s spent 18 years of his boring life there. Nothing ever happened. Absolutely nothing…
He shook his head again. Maybe it wasn’t that bad, but he still hated it. He’d give so much for something out of the ordinary to happen. But nothing ever would, and he’d just spend the next weeks bored out of his mind.
On that thought, he shut off the sink, and opened the door to the bathroom, joining his companions in that tin can on their trip back into hell…

Steven had sat on the train with his hands between his knees and an expressionate smile on his face. He had been very excited to come home and see his family again after the time he had spent in school. Sure, he had seen them only a few months earlier during the holidays, but something about the refreshing air of spring made it an entirely different experience that Steve had been awaiting since he had first come back through the gates of the university of nebraska when the holidays ended.

Harrowsburg was just as he remembered it to be, he throught to himself as the train had passed through the surrounding forestlands of the area. Of course, the railroad itself had been mounted on a risen plateau. The train itself was quiet constricting, a few high grade seats and an incadescent white radiated from the walls. It had brightened his spirited into a faded nothingless that seamless blended with those walls, and it left a deep pit in his stomach. Luckily there were plenty of thoughts to keep him happy, the thought of seeing his family again, driving his little brother and sister to the highschool in the town during the day....they had grown to be snobby and hateful little teenagers, his twin beligerrant siblings...but he still loved them.

For what they used to call a tiny little town, there was a hell of a lot to do.

He looked around the train car about him, a lot of these kids he went to high school with...the damn moody bastards. Well, he wasn't going to let them put out his good times, he had become better than they could ever hope to be when he left for college, and what a better way to show it than keeping a happy face?

The girl in the seat across from him, he remembered her from school, Elisa he tried to remember...

So, how's college treating you?

As he spoke, the loudspeaker boomed overhead, enlightening....or prehaps warning the passengers that their destination would be arrived to in about five minutes.

Home...Mark dreaded the word. His brother would be home from school as well and once again everything would become a competition. His parents, or more specifically his father would be waiting for him of course. His mother had died in a car accident a few years earlier, that ws the reason they moved to Harrowsburg. His father Jerry couldn't stand the memories that the house spawned. But that wasn't important to mark at that moment. He was concentrating on June. He hadn't seen her or heard from her since he left for school and he planned on finding a day or two during his week back to get in touch and hang out with her. She had been in his head since the first day they met in his sophmore year of high school, a beautiful blonde with bright green eyes and milky white skin. He could picture her in his head, those tight jeans in low cut shirts. He shook his head and tried to think of other things. They were approaching the station and he had to prepare. He tossed a few tylenol into his mouth as well as some acid reducers and sat up from his relaxed position. "This ought to be possibly the most horrible week of my life."

Home. Rest. Tylenol. those were the three things on Helen's mind as she tried to read her book. The book she was trying to read while waiting for the train to pull in. Law school had been hell so far, and all she wanted was some r and r. A break from nightmares tests. Her Mom would be waiting for her and her brother would be at home with her dad getting ready for her homecoming. Then she could get some sleep. She rubbed her temples then eyes trying to get rid of the throbbing. aloud to herself she mumbled. "Can't wait to get home."

"Elly! Elly, wake up! Santa came!" The beaming smile of Christina Bennett was the first thing to greet little Elisa that Christmas morn so long ago.

The young sprite's eyes shot open and swelled with joy; anticipation; childlike splendor. "S-Santa?! Santa came?! C'mon, Cwissy, let's go! Santa!" And so, Christina allowed herself to be led by the tiny grip barely able to encompass her fingers...

Elisa's eyes were focused on the window before her, where the landscape blurred past and cast shadows across her face in the light of the sun hanging high overhead. The curl of her lips fades as did the visions before her eyes, of days long past...

Her hands tightly pursed in her lap, she reached up with one hand to brush her chestnut hair from her eyes and slowly lowered it as the student beside her, Steven, spoke for the first time in a while.

Oh! I love it! Being able to help people is very rewarding, even through the long hours of the night. I've gotten a little homesick, however, which is why I'm glad to return home. I've really missed my sister...

...She's like a mother to me...

"Harrowsville station." There was an electronic chime and the doors opened. James stood up and looked at the group.
"Well, it seems we part ways here, I hope you all have a better vacation than I will." Then they stepped off the train.
The first thing James noticed was the lack of light, it was pitch black, the only light at all coming from the open train door.
"Uh, anybody got a light?" He figured a circuit breaker must've blew, shrugged, and started to walk. As he did, he noticed the floor seemed... wet. He shrugged it off, and continued walking. Then, with a horn, the trian's doors hissed closed, and the train began to go. Not five seconds after it had, there was suddenly a blast. James dove onto the floor and turned to see fire erupting from the car they had just been in.
"Oh my god... we were just on that train..." Then he looked down, at the wet floor, now illuminated in the ghastly light of the fire, to see it covered, not in water... but blood.
"What the fuck...?" He slowly rose and looked around, first at his companions, then at his blood covered clothes, and then around the station. and then, he heard a scraping coming from above them...

*Elisa was in a sunny mood, he had be able to tell when she spoke to him. It gave him comfort, a lot of people were usually pissed off to be going home for spring break where there was a nice beach to go to and lose your mind and responsibilites. Steven didn't really mind going home himself, there was plently to lose himself into anyway.

The train pulled up to the station and with a wheezing grind came to a halt. Steven quickly grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment and started toward the double sliding doors that marked the exit to the train. As he walked past the seats that harbored a few more of his classmates, and about the same time James, one peculiar student addressed them all he felt a slight pang in his temple. Something was wrong he could tell...and this was before he even got off the train. His fears were reaffirmed when he exited the train and found himself in a dark reality. Blood rushed to his brain and his heart began to pulse quicker and quicker as he began to realize everything that was happening...this wasn't Harrowsville at all, he must've misheard the train speaker, this had to be some other town, a slum or something...but then why did everyone else get off? As he turned to look back at the train, the door had shut swiftly. Steven slammed his fist against the window as the train flew away, it's lights flickering through the windows but it was to no avail.

Shortly after there was an explosion a good distance down the track, Steven shielded his face from the intense heat, but he seemed to be fine afterwards. He held down his hands to see James on the floor, covered in blood. He recoiled in shock

Oh my god! he exclaimed. What the hell was happening here? It looks like a group of people were murdered, maybe even hit by the train...but there weren't any remains anywhere. Steven's breathing quickened as he fumbled about in his pocket to find an old matchbook and lit a match, stratching so frantically he had half stratched out the design that had ordanded the matchbook "Heaven's Night". The light was faint, and there was no still wind to extinguish it...all the thoughts in his mind couldn't rationalize everything that was going on...but he was scared to death of it.

And then the screech came, what an ungodly sound....if he could even believe there was a god after seeing this. It piereced his ears and thrashed into his eardrum, causing him to duck. Though short, it was enough to unearth him and send shivers that rocked his feet. He could feel the sweat beading about him and rolling down his spine. Though in a few moments, it was over, and he had been able to catch his breath...everyone seemed to also share the same shocked expression from both this and the explosion...

Is....Is everyone allright? Steven asked, he turned to the small shack to the side of the group on this platform, which resembled a chopping block more than concrete....the thought of speaking to someone that just might know what's going on quickly flushed through his mind.

I'm going to check out that train station, someone else might be here...
A cold air flew over him as he remembered the screech...

A-anyone else want to come? With an unsure step, Steven had stepped toward the small room.

Her headache worsened instead of improving when the train finally came to a stop. Sighing she put her book in her overnight bag and got off the train with the others. Someone said something but she was too tired to notice. something was strange though.. It was too dark. Even though the absence of light felt good on her eyes it still felt.. wrong. The wrongness pressed her with every slightly splishing step she took, and her headache increased. Then there was a flash of light that shook the ground and sent her flying. For a few moments she went out. When she awoke her head ache was gone replaced with fear and a rush of adrenaline. The train had exploded. A wave of nausea sought to replace the head ache. She stood up only to see her self covered in dark liquid. She didn't want to know what it was even though she did.
"Is....Is everyone allright?" a man asked.. She knew her answer a profound "no" but could not voice it past the lump in her throat.
"I'm going to check out that train station, someone else might be here... A-anyone else want to come?" The same voice called. A large part of her knew that it not a good idea for someone to go off on their own but she couldn't bring her self to join him. She didn't want to leave the group.

"It'd be best for all of us to stay together." Mark was shocked, b ut he had to hide it. For all he knew his mind was making it worse because he was in such a foul mood and was being hindered by a few pain killers. "Lead the way old buddy of mine." Mark cracked his neck and realized he had left his bag on the train. "Oh boy, I'm out of Vikadin now."

Cody awoke in utter darkness. he lifted his hands up to rub his eyelids, feeling the tattered blankets rub against his skin.
"What the.." He muttered, propping himself up against the wooden head board behind him.
He pushed himself onto his feet, and immediatly proceeded towards the bathroom. The house was silent, and he couldn't help feeling fright from the confusion. He opened the door to the bathroom, finding its hinges harder to move around on. He massaged his cheeks, willing his mind to awaken. Finally, he flipped up the light switch.
"AAHHHHHH!!" His throat became tense along with his entire body. Coagulated blood covered the entire floor, riding up slightly on the walls. Bright red blood cycled from the toilet and faucet. He fell backwards in a mix of sickness and horror, grabbing for a support that was not behind him. He tripped over his legs and tumbled through the doorway, finding himself laying in gel-like..blood.
Hollering, he ricocheted back and forth throughout his house until he found himself on his door step. The streets were barren, and were in no condition to exist otherwise. He took a large heave, and fell to his knees.
The world had become a blur.

The whine and groan of metal filled Elisa ears, making all other noice inaudible, including the muffled intercomm. One could assume the train was approaching its destination, however something seemed off. The shadows that occasionally danced in the light of the sun were now all-encompassing, a darkness that tainted her very thoughts...

One thing became painfully clear when the train finally halted: this was not Harrowsville, not the town she knew. Worry and anxiety filled Elisa as she took notice of the others confusion as the perplexed group stepped onto the platform, wherein the train sped off the instant the last person stepped off. Incredibly off.

Just then, the screech of the wheels against the tracks as the train could be heard derailing, followed by the most ungodly blast ever heard. A burst of light and heat, and a concussive force that struck her directly in her chest. Elisa instinctively shielded her face with her right forearm and her torso with her left, but still she was sent toppling. Intense pain shot though her her right arm as it tore from impact with the jagged concrete platform; fortunately, this shielded her head. Elisa slowly turned herself unto he back and gave a quick glance around to notice...J-James, it was...lying motionless on the darkened ground, and...Helen barely upright, also covered in a dark fluid; Elisa's own arm was the same. Steven gave out a cautious call to ensure everyone was alright...a bolt raced through her mind just then: What do you think?! Another bolt: there was some bandage in her pocket. It was...when she packed. Part of her practitioner's kit...for whatever reason it found its way into her pocket. Her left hand dug into her pocket to retrieve the cloth wrap and bind her other arm, which was a practice in tedium.

D-Does anyone else need some bandage? I should have enough...

Steven then ventured that some of them should explore the desolate-looking train station. She looked upwards from her hunched position, the flickering light illuminating the tears streaking down her face. The idea didn't sound practical to her; too many of them were injured and of no use to the others.

Perhaps some of us should stay behind, seeing as we're all not in good shape... Her eyes shifted to Hellen as she said this... Anyone else going to stay here?

James surveyed the group, the looks on their faces refelcting what he felt inside. but he'd never been one to show emotion, and now wasn't the time to start. He didn't know what had happened here, but it obviously wasn't safe. Then he looked at Steve, who had mention searching the station. James nodded, then, realizing nobody could see in the flickering light offered by the burning train, he spoke up.
"I'll go." Then he clutched his ears as the scraping sound came again. It osunded like it was coming from the station's roof. "What the hell is that sound?" Then he looked to Steve and waited for others to volunteer.

Cody darted down the road, running in aboslute fright. He felt as though spiders were crawling up and down his back, and although he knew most of what he experienced was in his head, the atmosphere was simply too strong for him to pull himself together.
A small segment of his mind wanted the answers, yet the remainder only wished to live. He flew past a car engulfed in flames, and leapt over the body of a broken tree. His foot became entangled within the vines covering the wood, and he fell over himself onto the hard paved ground.
He could not muster any words, nor any complete thoughts. All of his ideas were cut off by the thought of being killed. With a great amount of trouble, he lifted his body up and onto it's feet.
For the first time since he had awoken, he spotted a faint flickering light ahead of him.
"The train station.." He muttered, his voice barley projecting at all.
His legs took him foward, as if they were not his own. A small flutter of hope erupted within his chest. Maybe, there would be signs of life there..
Maybe..

Steven rolled his head back has the group divirged on Steven's idea of investigating the train station. The males all wished to go and females wanted to stay behind...what good would it do to sit here in this dark, bloodied world?

The Screeching came a second time...Steven more of less ignored it this time around, despite the inhuman sound of it, he had grown a bit de-sensitized to this world quickly enough....at least he had been disalusioned enough to try and put a logical reasoning behind it.

It's probably some debris scraping against the overhang...

He was far more concerned with what he could actual see at the moment, this blood, everywhere, the world around him barely visable...the list of things that were just WRONG could go on for miles. His initial fear had turned to worry, and a lot of frustration...and he throught of his home. Is his family dead? Did this catastrophe reach out to his home, even? His family...were they dead? Would he have to live the rest of his life without them....if he even left this place with his life? The thoughts racing through his head gave Steven a pit in his stomach, and his mind raced in eagerness, to find someone, anything...just another person that was alive...so he'd know that the town was allright, that he was just dreaming or something, anything.

He took two steps away from the group, aren't they thinking the same thing? Do they want to just die out here? His voice was unsteady and Steven often had to restart his sentence, but after long delay he got around to scolding the group. Mark told him to lead the way...old buddy....Steve barely knew the guy....

We have to at least try to find someone, what if there's someone alive in there? What if there's someone that needs help?! You're just going to leave them?

Steven had grown fed up, and even a bit angry....women....

Forget you! He threw his arms forward and turned in the direction of the train station, at this point he didn't care if James or Mark was following him, he just wanted answers....


-----

The door to the station was heavy and groaned loudly as Steven pushed it aside, ignoring the rust that chiped onto his bare wrist which stratched and marked up his watch. Throwing the match he had earlier away, he placed both hands on the door with his shoulder and willed it open.

Anyone in here? He cried as he struggled to get the door open. When the deed was finished, a dissapointing air loomed over him, for the station was empty...in fact, it was as bizarre as the platform of the station. Though musty and even a bit nauseaiting he walked in, his sneakers tapping loudly against the metal floor....metal?

Didn't this station have some cheap ceramic tile the last time he was here?

What was wrong with this place?

He looked to the counter, where people normally purchased tickets, hoping that maybe someone was hiding under the counter...instead he was greeted with the site of a bellowing well on the other side, a pit that had no visable end...

What the hell is going on? He quietly muttered to himself, turning back toward the entrance, praying that the door wouldn't slam shut on him and keep him here. In his haste, his elbow knocked against a cylindrical item, it rolled down the counter and began to pummet into the hole. Steven leapted, his belly sliding over the counter, and he recovered it....investigating the rough steel surface and flat glass top, he had decided that it must be a flashlight.

Fiddling around with it, he flipped on the switch. As he turned the light from the hole upwards, he immediatly fell back with a short yelp....nothing monumental....but simply bizarre, as there was nothing behind the counter other than the hole, which was covered by a grate that resembled prison bars...what the hell purpose did that serve? A wall covered by a door? Useless....

Turning back toward the door, he went to see if James or Mark had come in or found anything, maybe the girls came too....though he was angry with them, he began to felt bad for leaving them behind while he had went into the station.....

he still felt bad as he heard that infernal scrape again....this time it was far off in the distance, not as local as it was last time....his frustration had began to subside and he exclaimed to anyone that could hear him...

Hey, I found a flashlight....but I don't think there is anyone in here.....

Helen narrowed her eyes. It figured two minutes after a train blows up leaving them all dazed and slightly injured in what looked closer to hell then a train station some man decides to rush off in to a God only knows how much worse situation alone. He didn't even wait for the other men. If this was a nightmare as she hoped it was, but knew it was not, this would be about the time when the creatures attacked him and they would hear his screams moments too late to do anything about them.
"Yea forget about planning and pooling our few assets. Running off alone is always a good plan. What if someone's alive? Judging by the blood that has soaked my shirt and the ground.. If anyone is alive there won't be anything any of us can do to save them.. Unless someone here brought along a hospital in their pocket?" There was a little bit of panic mixing with the sarcasm in her voice. After all she came home to avoid stress not get smacked in the face with a two ton load of it. She put a hand to her face only to feel a gash across her scalp that was sluggishly oozing more blood. "Oh great."

James followed Steve into the station and looked around. It just didn't seem right, where was the tile floor? Why were the walls bare save for blood splattered everywhere? In the light of their newlyfound flashlight, he saw a desk where it must have been sitting. There was a single drawer. He carefully opened it, and reached his hand inside.
"Ouch!" He pulled his hand back abruptly and slammed it into the roof of the drawer in the process. he looked around sheepishly as he nursed his hand, but, luckily, Steve was outside waiting for Mark. Jamnes reached in again, more carefully this time, and procured from the drawer a single, and apparently rather sharp, key. There was writing on a tag taped to it.
"B-17, hey Steve, doesn't this look like a key to one of the rented lockers across the station?"

You sure we should be digging through crap like that....

Steve looked to the ground, sighing....why the heck was James even asking him....he wasn't exactly the kind of person cut out to be a leader....

Yeah...sure, whatever.... He quickly muttered....
Let's go back for the girls, first though....

Mark...you coming?He spoke to the darkness.

Cody had snuck inside through the wide open doors. He scurried from section to section, willing his eyes to adapt to the darkness. His heart had suddenly back flipped.
Voices.
They were faint, but he knew they weren't in his head. He scrambled to his feet, and darted towards the sounds. He broke into a jet-fast run. He felt like screaming for help, but he could barely muster a breath. They were close, very close. He took two more steps only to realize he was right before them.
"Hello?" He said, his voice weak and raspy.

James whirled at the sound of the voice, fists clenched. He’d never fought before in his life, but he had no intention of getting caught off his guard.
“Who the hell are you?” He asked this with a threatening edge in his voice, hoping to mask from their unseen visitor the fear quickly welling up inside of him, threatening to spill out… “Tell me! Now!

"My name is Cody!" He screamed frantically, his body flying up into a rigid position. His eyelids stretched wide, but after a moment he slumped foward in exhaustion.
"I woke up and the town was like this. I don't know what to do..do you know what happened?" He forced his voice from his throat, finding himself almost immediatly sore.

"Who are you? TELL ME! NOW!"

Steven stopped waiting for Mark's answer and ran to James, who had apparently been in hysterics about the new visitor. He identified himself as a boy named Cody. What he said next was more important, he lived in the town, and when he woke up it was like this....


hope!

sweet, sweet hope! If he's still alive, then....then maybe others are too, like his family...

James! Calm down! He scolded to his compainion before turning to the boy.

...Cody, huh? I'm Steven....was there anyone else alive where you came from?

"N-no. Not from what I've seen so far. My family were nowhere to be found in my house, and aside from that, the neighboorhood was pretty barren.." His voice trailed off.
Cody felt a great deal safer. They had seemed to be as frightened as him, yet still kind. He let out a few light coughs, trying to clear as well as relax his throat. His hands were still up in a defensive position, he lowered them.
"How do you not know what happened? Do you live around here?"

James relaxed, but only slightly, to relax anymore would be impossible in his near hysterical state.
"We used to live here, we were returning from college, for spring break... and just found it like this..." he trailed off for a second. "Are you trying to tell me that this just happened... overnight?"

"I'm not sure." He said, his voice squeaking. "I would say yes, but I have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach that I slept longer.." His teeth chattered, clanking against each other within the silent darkness of the station. He felt so jumpy he could burst from the roof top.

No one was saying anything. no one was saying anything and the atmosphere really was not helping. As the first rush of adreniline was starting to fade felt her headache returning. She began to sit down only to realize what she would be sitting in and quickly stop. It was eerily silent. "Phst. Figures." She said aloud to break the silence. "Take their time, leaving us here without a light." She muttered darkly. Then she felt something brush her ankle. "aie!" She jumped and spun not seeing anything. "Just a rat.." She muttered with more hope then conviction.

The sky grew darker and the chilling wind bit more and more as dusk turned to darkness. The grungy feel of the abandoned station remained, however, and an unseen luminescence highlightd the edges of the puddles of blood smattering the floor. And to worsen a bad situation, dead silence was abundant; such conditions could drive anyone mad. Elisa wished to make conversation with Helen, simply to take their minds off the current circumstances, but her current preoccupation suggested that such comforts would do very little.

"Say what you want about the boys, but I'm sure they'll be back soon."

Just then, Helen screeched at the supposed presence of an unknown spectre. In panic, Elisa too rose up in a vain attempt to observe what had made Helen call out. Nothing could be seen.

"I sure hope they come back soon..."

Even though nothing could be seen, Elisa couldn't shake a sinking suspicion that sonething was indeed there. She called out that she would not be gone a moment and set off in the likely direction of the shade, becoming encompassed in darkness all the while. Small traces of black smudges could be seen creating a path amongst the grunge that was unmistakable for blood, but something was off; as Elisa continued forward, the concrete platform suddenly turned to tile. She was entering the station, though in the darkness only a staircase to her left was vaguely noticable. Perhaps this was where the boys had come...?

James didn't believe the newcomer's story for one minute, it just wasn't possible. however, befor ehe could go into, the air, still as death, was suddenly permeated by a shriek of terror.
"The girls!" James took off running in the direction of the train wreck, not caring if cody or Steve followed him.

Cody darted off, keeping up right behind James. He didn't know his destination, though to a certain extent he simply didn't care. Company, is all Cody needed to with stand his current emotions. That, and maybe a weapon.

Steven tried to throw out his arm and yell a precautious "wait!" as the two dashed away from the soft glow emitting from the flashlight, but he wasn't quick enough...where were they running off to? The girls couldn't have gotten too far....

Mark...you coming?He had repeated from earlier. No response, Steven whirled around to find an empty space beyond the door which he had just exited from...

Must've ran off too and I just didn't see him
Steven took his time when he was walking back, observing, calculating, unable to fathom what unearthly events must've transpired in this town. After about half a minute, he had arrived where the girls were, the other boys all enshrowed with shadow over them as Steven's light passed over them. Looked like everyone was there, he thought.

Are you allright? He asked calmly, this was the second time he had done so tonight...god, he felt like an idiot, leaving them alone like that. He didn't figure that all the boys would just come and leave them behind without even trying to convince them.

And then the anxiety crawled up Steven's throat again, his family, were they ok? One survivor had come, maybe everyone's families were just in hiding? Steven began to examine about the area, the gird-pattern streets and avenues that crisscrossed the quaint landscape of the sleepy village, the unfortunates living in those streets right next to all this noise....Steven couldn't even see as far as any houses, it was just a black void untouched by the safety of his light.

Was that one of your screaming? He asked. He intended to stay close to them the rest of the time they were here until they figured a way out, stay with the group, yeah...you can't lose if that happens, all six of us....there's no way we can lose....

A soft pitter-patter could be heard in the distance, footsteps? Running, maybe? Steven showed his light in the direction, the path which led to the large shopping center next to the station, the Harrowsville mall could be seen, an upstanding beacon against the drowned skyline of the town. The road was rocky and even seemed old as orange tape, traffic cones and warning banners were strewn across the sidewalks....

Was someone down there?

Cody glared at Steven's expression, making the pit of his stomach only feel more as though it would erupt. He tried to remain standing, yet it was no doubt not an easy task.
He wished he had a weapon, and in a sense felt like he needed one. The constant sensation of tingling up his spine and neck made him shiver every other minute. He wanted to run..wanted to leave..
"Should we explore..or find a way out of this town?" He muttered, enough for everyone to pick up the slightest bit.
He bent down and picked up a short metal bar that had been dented in several places. Deciding it was from the railing, he took a couple of steps towards the tracks in curiousity. When he spotted the remains of what was the train's cars, he drifted backwards and caught himself just as things had become blurry grey.
"Looks like we can't leave, from the train."

James caught Steve's gaze and looked down to the town mall, now somehow very ominous looking in this dim light.
"I think we should check there... if there's any survivors, it would be as good a place as any to find them... if not... we can always stock up on supplies, we might need them to get out of here." James then noticed that the scraping had ceased.
"Hey, where's Mark?" He looked around, desperately hoping he hadn't left them.

"You're right...."
Steven submitted, and few a few moments tried to force the thoughts of his family out of his mind as he started down the path. Most of the group had remained silent, and though Steven could still hear the footstep that he could most rationally pin on Mark, he was worryed about the group not following. Didn't they care if Mark was still around or not?

He turned back to the group to find many worn and scared faces...he was certain they'd only get worse. He tried desperately to cheer them up.

Heh...don't you guys want to stay in the light?

"I have a feeling if we stay here much longer we won't be able to enjoy the light we have." He paused, taking a coarse swallow. "Maybe we should . . go."
He wanted to open his eyes and realize he had become lost in a book again. Or dreaming a realistic dream. Yet, the pit of his stomach knew, it knew too well.

The trail before Elisa led deeper and deeper into the abyss, fading into the darkness all around her. She would have continued following it to God knows where had she not heard the racket of multible footsteps and saw the violent flicker of flames near where she had once left Helen. Fortunately, it was not too far off; Elisa ran full-sprint back to the group, almost tripping herself in the process. Though slightly out of breath, she hoped no one would notice her stupidity for going off alone. I-It was just...something drew me...

Some of her fly-away hair one again obstructed her vision, and a shock of pain bolted through her wounded arm as she unwittingly tried to move it. The group packed themselves tightly together...well, the group here, anyway. Where was Mark?

Their feet cautiosly travered the unkempt asphalt of the streets, using the traffic cones and tape as guides and markers, should they need to find their way back. Back? Back to where?

The building loomed before them, and the sign reading "Harrowsville Shopping Center" was visible. However, so was the fact that the doors were sealed shut and were quite rusted. It didn't look like they'd enter this way.

"Shit, we won't be getting in this way." The doors were practically rusted shut. How the hell could that have happened in a matter of months? He look around. Then he noticed the area where the stores recieved shipments.
"Hey guys, let's try over there, it looks like those doors might be open." James began to walk over to an abandoned cargo truck, unable to shake a feeling of dread as he did so." And then the scraping started again...

*Steven walked forward, the group behind him, though small was competant and he began to trust both James and Elisa, and though he had never met Cody in his life, he had begun trusting him, too. As the bastion stood defiantly in the dark abyss with a dull neon glow the group's entrance had been blocked by a door sealed with rust. James hinted at another path, guess he knew the layout of the mall better than Steven, may have worked their in the past or something.

Steven followed behind as James made his way toward an abandoned truck, well...hopefully abandoned in the hopes that the garage doors to a storage warehouse be open. Beckoning to Elisa with his free hand to come...he wouldn't leave her alone again. The teen's steady breathing pushed the flowing light up and down slowly.

He blinked, and in that moment he could feel a distinct lightheadedness about him, and his world began to become dark. He tried to flail his light around in an attempt to keep his sight focused as James walked past the light, Elisa behind him. He had felt like he had fallen and all were passing over him. His panicked mind caused a layer of sweat to cake his brow as his breathing became hurried and deep.
He wasn't near the mall anymore, he wasn't even outside...this was darkness he lay in now. Flipping the switch on his light he realized that it was useless, it would not turn on.

And yet, deep in the confines of the darkness, he heard a little girl speak to him.

You deserve to die here, you never gave me a chance you bastard.

What was that voice? What....what are they talking about?

Pig

Steven tried to hide in himself as the voice kept whispering at him...the same phrases over...he began to blither and choke....

and then it was over....the screaching had brought him back...and he was right where he had been, with the group......Elisa behind, and James in front, Cody was somewhere there....he breathed quietly twice, bringing himself back to phase, and began to march onward, hoping to find Mark as well as shelter.

James cautiously crept up to the large entrance, unable to shake a perpetually growing feeling of dread. There were footprints in the still earth beneath his feet, Mark's perhaps? He peeked around the corner, into the large room, stacked crates forming ominous, labrnyth-like walls in the dim light. The light from the flashlight, illuminated the opposite end of the room, and he walked towards a small table it had revealed... until something ran across his field of vision, darting into the light and then back into the shadows... James' heart nearly leapt into his throat. Frantically he scanned the nearly pitch black room, but saw nothing.
"Mark?" He backed up, felt the table with his hand, and felt around. finally, his hand found a single opject, a boxcutter. Then there was a rustling sound, not two meters next to him...
"MARK?" But it was not Mark, and in front of him rose up something like nothing he'd ever seen, even in his worst nightmares...

The fluttering gleam of the flashlight scarcely illuminated the group's surroundings to make the decrepent maze of both toppled and standing shelves, littered with assorted foodstuffs and goods, visible; even so, it was near impossible for any of them to navigate within the darkness. The group began to call out for Mark, each attempt echoing within the deserted halls. A faint murmer was the only reply.

Just then, a shadow darted in front of their view ... the form was only vaugely human, and limped suprisingly quickly on what seemed to be three limbs. Once light could finally penetrate its form, it rose in an almost painful fashion before James, now wielding a boxcutter. Its right arm was sewn against its body in a very hodgepodge fashion, and several stitches had been torn to leave grotesque scars against its matted skin; its hand was much more loosely fashioned to its chest, and would periodically resume struggling for freedom. Even more sitiches connected a seemingly segmented torso to two atrophied legs. A further inspection of its legs revealed the reason for abstract stance and movements: its right foot was completely missing; a rather poorly repaired stump, almost artificial looking, was all that remained. Its left hand was also missing, fortified by the stichings that ran across the rest of its, for lack of a better word, body. But the most grotesque feature of this abominantion had to be its head, or alltogether lack of one. All that remained was three loosely connected strips of flesh vaugely resembling a neck, which was the source of its gutteral hissing.

Elisa could not help but shriek in horror as the grotesque figure rose before them, and one single thought raced within her mind: protect yourself. Her attention spun to the table at their side where James had drawn a boxcutter from, but to no avail. The only object seemingly left was a torn piece of paper of no use to her now....

Cody stumbled backwards, unable to run away. The figure before him was an abomination, something that Cody had not even glimpsed at in the worst of his nightmares.
Realizing he had kept the metal bar from the station with him, he clamped the weapon tighter within his fist. His breathing became quick, yet hoarse. The hairs on the back of his neck had become so rigid, he was sure they would fall off.

Use it!

He told himself, over and over. The weapon was within his control, the lives of his group was in his control! He had the potential..

..He could not move..

The twisted, sutured defilement before James stumbled towards him, limping along on its disproportionate legs. He simply stood, in denial, for just a moment, until it swung at him with the stup of its left arm, hissing loudly. He ducked slightly too late, taking a hit to the side of the head. He hit the metal floor, hard, and slashed at one of the impossibly thin legs with his blade. The creature moaned and collapsed onto his legs, trapping him, thrashing ith its free limb as it did so.