"You're going to want to put that away," Gerald tried using his stern detective voice.
"That would be a false statement, Detective," Thanato's voice sounded from the old man's lips. Gerald heard it many times in the last several hours, and still, it made him question everything he thought he knew about hell. What other demonic beasts lurked on this earth? Thanato's voice whispered - and yet sounded loudly in Gerald's ear; like being in an empty room with the demon's words surrounding and closing in.
The white hooded and possessed henchmen stood frozen at their stations, except Kellor who paced back and forth, checking the faces of Alaire, Ryan, Dylan, Genessee, and Ethan, and Aaron who hadn't stirred.
"We can start with Pinky," Kellor grabbed a handful of Genessee's hair. She yelped, and the knife was put to her throat.
"Stop!" Gerald shouted, "You won't get away with any of this. I told them where we are."
Kellor paused, "You did, did you...? That's breaking the rules." He released Genessee who glared up at him with her huge chocolate eyes. Instead, his attention turned towards Ryan.
The steps Kellor took before standing in front of Ryan were in slow motion. Gerald felt the panic rise in his chest, but Ryan's face was surprisingly calm - meeting Gerald's eyes with a sad half smile.
"I hate cheaters," Kellor hissed and slashed the knife across Ryan's exposed throat. The blood splattered onto the pure white snow.
Gerald's vision along with his other senses malfunctioned. He shouted for Ryan, and everyone close to Ryan screamed as the blood continued to fall. But Gerald only heard a dull ringing in his ears. Alaire starting flailing against their captors, and soon all of them had to be restrained by at least two white hoods.
Kellor wiped the knife clean with his fingers, "Did you really think I hadn't planned for that?"
The old man, unfazed by the bloodshed, moved into the area of the drawn symbol - right in front of the torch. Now, Gerald and Thanato's puppet were on both sides of the artifact. Hot tears welled up in Gerald's eyes as he recovered from the shock, but not a moment from the terror was spared. The blood collected in the snow from Ryan started getting pulled into the center as if the torch had unexplainable magnetic powers.
As soon as Ryan's body sunk to the ground, Gerald's hearing returned. Alaire's screams sounded horse and pierced his ears. The detective couldn't form words, but his mind scrambled for several escape options. His eyes darted all around him - he was still tied up with little chance of getting out on his own, the kids were going to be slaughtered one by one, but help was coming. They just needed to buy more time.
"Bastard ... What do you plan to do to cover all this up... I'll kill you for what you've done," Gerald growled.
"I'm already dead," Kellor said, "And I'm playing with a few ideas. Alaire and Aaron already look suspicious considering they never found Taylor and I. Maybe they get caught this time. And the poor detective who trusted Aaron as a comrade turned into their next victim. But don't worry, you'll survive. For a long time."
As Thanato.
*****
She still had the gun. Alaire couldn't believe no one thought to search her. Both of her arms were held behind her back, so it was impossible to reach. But watching the detective's partner die... She had to do something fast!
The gun could be her only chance. These people were practically zombies, but if zombie rules applied, then shooting them in the head should stop them for a while - or for good. Alaire already had the adrenaline she needed - now she had to act.
She stilled for a moment, letting her assailants relax their hold, and that's when she struck. All she needed was to get one arm free. She turned her head and bit into one of the hands holding her arm. The skin and blood were cold and unsettling, and for a split second, she worried it wouldn't hurt them at all. Thankfully, the white hood released her instantly, grunting at the wound.
One second, that's all she had to grab the gun.
Her fingers fumbled in her jacket, searching, while every one's attention turned to her. Gerald seemed to catch on and started shouting at Kellor to distract him. She ripped the gun from her clothes and aimed it straight up.
The gunshot silenced everyone.
Her bullet went through Jacob's head; they met briefly when they were all trying to escape the Thanato Project together. He'd been killed by tiny insects eating his insides - and face. She hardly recognized him now.
She made quick work of things - sloppy, but effective. Being in range made head shots easier and she was able to free Dylan and Genessee. Ethan took the opportunity to start fighting as well - wriggling himself free and punching a white hood.
Kellor came for her, knife swinging, and it cut her across the arm. She bit her lip, but readied the gun for his head, "Put it down," she warned.
"You know that won't stop me," Kellor insisted, but still he hesitated, "This is a useless attempt."
"... I'm getting pretty sick of you talking," Alaire pulled the trigger, once, twice - three times, "That's for Ryan. For my friends. And this one is for me."
It was sickening feeling so satisfied by one's suffering, but Alaire shook it off and stole the knife from the now headless body of Kellor. First, she cut the rope on Aaron's hands. He was still unconscious and looked terrible. The strange grayness to his skin and the oozing black cuts made her stomach knot up.
Dylan was wasting no time in beating the crap out of the remaining white hoods. He and Ethan both. Genessee disappeared and ran back the way they came. Good. Hopefully, she finds the street in time for the police.
"Ethan, Dylan, get out of here!" Alaire shouted, "Get to the road! Help is coming!"
Ethan nodded and took off after Genessee. Dylan, however, continued to fight, even finding a rock and smashing one of the enemy's faces. It was enough to make Alaire cringe, but after being threatened, people were capable of terrifying things.
"Alaire!"
Gerald called from his stone prison. She hurried over to him and began cutting at the ropes,
"Alaire..."
"I'm almost done," she said.
"Alaire."
"What!" she snapped. Gerald looked like he was about to be sick, "The old man is dead."
Neither of them knew what that could mean. Did he spontaneously die? Did the weird transfusion take place? But Gerald was still fine...
Either way, the old man lay on his side, pale - almost blue. The ground beneath them started to shake. Alaire hugged the rock to keep from falling. Dylan stumbled and latched onto a tree while the remaining white hoods fell into the snow.The symbol in front of Gerald howled, actually howled as if it were a person. It's dark imprints thickened and sunk deeper into the earth. The lifeless and fallen white hoods along with Kellor erupted into a black sandy mist. It happened so suddenly, making Alaire gasp, and she watched as the black contents were sucked into the symbol.
"What's happening?" Alaire's heart pounded, making her insides sore.
"Alaire!" Gerald's eyes grew wide, "It's Aaron!"
Behind her, Aaron was now on his two feet. His eyes completely black.
