The man cloaked in darkness didn't move or speak for a long moment. Alaire twisted in her chair, feeling her nerves begging her to run or strike him.
"They gave it to me," he said vaguely, "But only a recording. Who killed them?"
Alaire was taken aback. If her nightmarish memory served her correctly, that's when Thanatos arrived in all of his terrible glory. Alaire shivered, remembering his dark mass impersonating a human figure and the suffocating aura.
"I heard gunshots," he said.
"Matt had a gun..." Alaire whispered to herself, "We didn't know he was..."
"So Matt killed her?"
"Um..." Alaire bit her lip, "No. Who are you?"
He ignored the question. But Alaire had another, "And her... Do you mean Taylor?"
It was impossible to tell because his face was covered, but Alaire could feel that he was suddenly angry. The feeling was powerful and frightening. His arms shook and his breathing came out like a hiss.
"Did you kill her."
Alaire shook her head, not that he had any reason to trust her, "I swear I didn't."
"Then who!" he bellowed. His voice was loud and right in her ears. She cringed and wanted nothing more than to shrink away. He placed two large hands on her shoulders, his thumbs digging in hard enough to bruise.
"I need to know," his impersonating voice wavered.
Alaire gasped, "Why did you kidnap me for this? I already told you I didn't do it..."
"I heard gunshots, I know you had the gun," he accused.
"She didn't die from gunshots!"
"Who did?"
Alaire hadn't realized her breathing getting rapid. She tried to calm herself down before responding, "I... Shot Matt. I had to." That last part was for herself. Everyone was free to believe whatever they wanted, and she knew murder was murder. At the time it seemed like the only thing to do to save themselves.
"If you didn't kill her, and Matt didn't, then Aaron did."
Alaire's chest tightened. No! He wouldn't have, ever!
The man finally stood up, convinced, and looked like he was about to leave. Alaire panicked. What did he need to know for? That's what the cops were investigating, so why did this guy need to go to these measures by himself?
"Wait!" she begged, "Aaron didn't do it!"
The man growled, annoyed, "You can't tell me NO ONE did it."
"It was..." how could she explain Thanatos? No one else believed them about the creature being. But she didn't want to know what this man had in mind for Aaron if he found him.
"There was someone else there!" she cried.
"That's not what I heard."
And with that, he shut the door behind him. Alaire fought back tears of frustration. No!
*****
Macy literally had beads of sweat trailing down her spine. She hadn't moved from her spot in fear that the monster would hear her. Her eyes dared to examine it as it meandered through the room, sniffing hastily at the blood on the ground. Ethan was turning purple. Not only was he still hanging upside down, but trying to hold his breath as well.
The beast looked humanoid, standing on two legs. Except, it's flesh was missing. The figure glistened in the light from the exposed muscle and veins and gray matter. It stood at maybe six foot something, and its skull was ominously apparent, though it looked like someone had stepped on it, making it skinnier and longer than a normal rounded face.
It was the most disturbing thing Macy ever laid eyes on.
The breathing was the worst part. It sounded like it was gurgling on its own blood. The thing also gave off a nasty odor, like meat that's been out too long. Macy turned her eyes to Ethan again, who was slowly motioning with his hands. He was pointing back at the tool table. Macy knew the tools would make tons of noise. She almost sighed, but swallowed it.
Even as her limbs trembled, she tiptoed towards the tools, keeping her eyes on the beast. If it got close what should she do? Duck? Press herself against the wall?
All she wanted to do was cry. It was exhausting having to stay so incredibly quiet. Her heart skipped when she finally reached the table. Ethan just needed something sharp, so anything quick and easy to access would suffice, she nodded and reached for the small knife at the corner of the table.
As soon as her fingertips grazed the weapon, a scream startled them all. It was coming through the walls and sounded like a woman. There were others with them?
The scream shook Macy so bad that her fingers jerked, sending the knife to the floor, where it made a faint thud and clang.
The monster's heavy gurgling stopped.
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