CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lance entered the dank, dimly lit hallway, trying not to breathe the stale air. Puke green walls, peeling paper, beat-up doors, and rusted gold indicated the building was not in current use. Wick found a way to sneak us in here. He knew he couldn’t keep me in a public building.
Water dripped in the distance. Plop. Plop. Plop. “Hello?” Lance, whispered. His only reply was the faint sound of his voice echoing throughout the empty atmosphere. Fear tingled inside his bones. It wasn’t the kind of fear that generated from the known, but the unknown. What lay waiting around the corner? What watched him behind the closed doors? What crouched patiently in the stairwell?
Lance took five slow steps, listening intently. Nothing. At least, nothing he could hear.
A message was scrawled across the wall at the end of the corridor. Written in black, it read:
CONGRATULATIONS INNOCENT. YOU REALIZE THIS IS ALL PART OF A TEST. THIS WHOLE, BROKEN DOWN HOTEL IS RIGGED WITH DEADLY TRAPS, SHADOW MEN, LOST SOULS, AND VEHENEMOUS GHOSTS. GOOD LUCK SURVIVING.
Lance’s knees shook. Something pitter-pattered behind him. Lance froze, the hairs rising on the back of his neck. Who is it?
He whirled around.
Nobody.
Sighing with relief, Lance turned to face the message.
Wick grabbed his throat, shoving him into a chair. “Hello Lance. Enjoy your escape? Did I raise your hopes?”
Lance massaged his sore skin. “Wick, please, let me go! I honestly can’t tell you a darn thing about the gem!”
Wick grinned wickedly. “That’s where you’re wrong. While you were unconscious, I tapped into your mind…and received an incoming message. This girl you’ve been communicating with, she tried to reach you. Lance, why didn’t you mention you had ESP?”
Lance raised his eyebrows. “I don’t have ESP! What girl?”
“Oh, Lance, you mean to say you don’t remember when you were a child…”
“Those were stupid dreams! She was imaginary!” Lance practically shouted.
Wick chuckled. Thanks to Ramona, he knew Lance possessed half of the gem. Sure, Wick could take it now and put Lance under his power. On second thought, it would be so much fun to torture him first…
“Lance, the game is very simple. Figure out two things: where the gem’s located and how to get out of this hotel. If you do, I’ll grant you your freedom. If not, then I’ll still keep the gem, and your soul belongs to the Master. Got it?”
Lance grit his teeth to keep from screaming in frustration. “That’s not fair! You’ll win either way!”
“Lance, don’t forget your place.” His nails sharpened into talons as he scratched his index finger along Lance’s throat. “It’s dangerous to forget your place. Did I give you a choice in the matter? You are, I believe this is the phrase, between a rock and a hard place. Good luck.”
“No!” Lance yelled helplessly before Wick vanished.
Shivers rippled through Lance. He was alone. And he didn’t know where to go. After listening to the terrifying silence and letting his eyes dart back and forth, Lance made a feeble decision.
The elevator. I’ll ride to the first floor. At least I’m not staying here.
Safety lay in movement.
Lance walked quietly, turning the right corner of the u-shaped hall. Every muscle in his body tensed. He found himself listening for the faintest noise. But excluding the thump of his footsteps, the hotel floor remained deathly quiet.
Except for that slight humming…
La…la la…la-la la…la-la-laaa…
Lance gasped, his breath quickening. He desperately wished there was some kind of weapon nearby. He felt vulnerable to whatever waited behind the walls.
La…la la…la-la la…la-la-laaa…
“Little girl,” he whispered, “Where are you? What do you want?” A small giggle replied, and the humming stopped.
Lance continued walking, almost ten feet from the elevator. Suddenly a door creaked open on his left.
Lance jumped against the opposite wall. He unknowingly chipped at the peeling wallpaper, watching the door creak open wider.
Cccrrreeeaaaakkkk…
A young girl, about 12, appeared. She wore a frilly white dress with a pink sash and bows. Lace socks and pink Mary Jane shoes were buckled on her feet. A pink ribbon tied her long brown hair.
Lance gulped. Her pale porcelain face was set in a solemn stare, gazing upon him. He couldn’t look into her eyes. They weren’t eyes, but dark pools of ink.
She grinned. “La…la la…la-la la…la-la-laa…” She spun around, showing off her dress. “It’s beautiful, don’t you think? Mama gave it to me. It’s lovely. I look just like my little doll. Would you…”
She stopped, her expression turning from happiness to fear. “Wait! I heard something. Is papa…”
Lance turned and ran down the hall, afraid of the child. Something about the girl possessed a sense of impending evil. Wick’s message taunted his mind. Was she a ghost? Was this a fatal trap?
Yes.
He glanced behind his shoulder briefly. A large man, faceless, stood behind the little girl, grasping her shoulders. She started crying. “No! Help me! Don’t leave me! Papa is angry with me! He says I’m spoiled and I shouldn’t have taken the present! Mama’s crying and she says he’s been drinking! She used the last of his liquor money for my birthday! Help!”
Lance watched the evil spirit caress her cheek. “Now baby,” he slurred, “You have been a thorn in my side for far to long. I brought you into this world, and now I’m going to take you out!” He raised a knife.
Lance watched in unspeakable horror. He knew she was only a ghost, but the cruelty was too much to bear.
What kind of twisted trap has Wick set up for me?
Lance turned and ran at lightening speed toward the rusty elevator. The girl’s screams echoed across the halls. Doors flew open in all directions. Cold gusts rippled Lance’s clothes, and before he realized it, he began screaming too.
Throwing himself against the elevator, Lance tried hard to ignore the young girl’s father floating closer.
Lance frantically pushed the button. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. “Open! OPEN!”
He looked to his right. The little girl clutched his wrist, icy fingers numbing his skin. Blood stained the front of her dress. “Why didn’t you save me?”
“No!” Lance shouted, yanking away his arm, watching her father come closer. The elevator lights lit, and a low rumble vibrated along the walls.
Lance pried at her fingers. “Let me go!” All the doors shut and opened again, deafening his ears. The lights slowly faded.
When the girl finally released her grip, Lance whirled against a table. Her father stood five feet away, holding the gleaming knife. “Now you can join my Sarah.”
The elevator bell rang. Lance immediately wished he’d never gone to the elevator. A mild burning churned inside him, his stomach becoming a hollow pit.
He held his breath.
The elevator doors slid open…
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Johnny sat outside JC’s hospital room, fidgeting impatiently. He’d managed to contact Chris on his cell phone. Chris agreed to hop onto a private plane, bringing along two friends (he didn’t mention their names).
Joey was unavailable.
The doctor appeared, his posture rigid and his expression grim. Johnny expected the worst.
“Mr. Wright,” he began, scratching his nose, “Mr. Chasez has gone into a coma. I’m truly sorry, but the smoke inhalation…”
Johnny blinked, disbelieving. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m afraid I am. I’m terribly sorry…”
“You’ve already said that!” Johnny snapped. “What are his chances?”
“Low.”
***
THE ASMODEOUS DIMENSION
Randall cornered Justin on top of one of the sand dunes. The sky swirled into colors of purple and black, streaked with red lightening.
Christopher and Joshua climbed up the left, James and Joseph on the right. Justin saw he was cornered. Looks like the chase is over.
Randall sneered. “Now what are you gonna do?”
Justin considered the facts. It’s a battle between good and evil inside my soul. Maybe I should combat this the way JC and Chris defeated the Fear Chamber in Whispers.
Joseph twisted Justin’s arms behind his back. “Think about it Justin. All men are inherently evil.”
Justin turned to face him. “Then Jesus came and rescued us. You can do a lot of things to me, but you won’t make me into one of you!”
Randall’s eyes blazed. If Justin held onto his faith, then what he said would be true.
Suddenly Justin saw a faint shadow running towards him. “Justin! Justin! I’m here!”
Although faint, Justin instantly recognized the voice. “JC! How’d you…”
“Two Lost Souls sent me to this awful place after they set fire to the tomb!”
Joshua let out a low growl, half-hiss and half-snarl.
He slowly metamorphosed into an unspeakable beast. His Lost Soul form. James, Joshua, Christopher, and Randall followed.
Justin scrambled beside JC. “We’ve gotta get away!”
“How?!”
Before they had time to think, the Lost Souls lunged at them. Justin dodged, rolling down the sand dune. JC struggled under the monster’s strength, twisting his neck to avoid dangerous claws.
Randall flew towards Justin at the foot of the dune. Justin jumped to his feet, running across the dessert. Each of JC’s screams tore holes in his heart, but he kept running. Randall flew over his head and blocked Justin’s path. “It’s over curly.”
Randall hook punched Justin in the jaw, sending him sprawling. Luckily, Justin relied on response rather than reaction, quickly recovering to front kick Randall in the chest.
JC eye-gouged James. James howled, releasing his grip to cower. Springing to his feet, JC sprinted in the direction of Justin and Randall’s fight.
Joseph and Joshua began baying with mournful, hideous howls at the sky. Lightening struck at JC.
Screaming, JC threw himself to the side. Electricity sent shocks throughout the ground. A tingling sensation pierced his skin.
He knew what he had to do to rescue him and Justin. It’s the battle between good and evil in our souls. Justin and I are both Christians. Jeez, out of everything we have done, the one thing we haven’t is call out to God! Of course!
God rescued them from Whispers. He could certainly do it in the Asmodeous Dimension.
JC realized Justin was growing weaker by the second. Randall continued to withdraw energy from him.
JC licked his lips, praying in his heart. God, our savior, rescue us from this horrible place! Please help us! PLEASE!
This time a warm, fuzzy feeling overtook JC. He felt light-headed, as if sedated. Justin noticed it too.
The demons’ anguished cries evaporated into dust as a comfortable darkness covered the two men…
CHAPTER TWENTY
Chris, Ramona, and Andrew huddled around each other in the private plane. A steward brought them their cokes.
“Ramona,” Andrew prodded gently, “I need you to try to contact Lance again.” Ramona shuddered. “I’m afraid.”
Chris squeezed the coke glass. “Please?”
Ramona swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Chris and Andrew were right. It was the only solution.
Closing her eyes and taking deep breaths, Ramona willed herself into Lance’s mind.
Acknowledge me Lance…Can you hear me…Come to me…It’s okay…I’m here…do not be afraid…
Ramona drew in her breath, an intense fear enveloping her senses. She felt cold. A dank smell entered her nostrils. She was staring fearfully at an opening elevator shaft. Two presences were close. Ramona wanted to run, wanted to flee from this horror. She knew she had entered Lance’s mind.
Lance…I’m going to help you…tell me where you are…it’s Ramona…
***
Lance paused, temporarily forgetting his terror. Actually, he wondered if the fear hadn’t been split in half mentally, as though he were sharing it with someone else.
A voice echoed softly in his ears. He closed his eyes, picturing a beautiful Hawaiian woman reaching out to him.
Lance…my name is Ramona…we’ve known each other since we were kids…
For the first time in twenty-two years, Lance decided to communicate.
So Wick was telling the truth…are you really trying to help me…
Yes Lance…I’m with Chris and Andrew…where are you…
In an old apartment complex in New Orleans…Are my brothers okay…
I’m with Chris…Stay away from Joey…he’s…
What…
Ramona’s face disappeared, replaced by Wick’s. Nice try Lance!
Lance desperately willed Ramona to return to his mind.
What…what Ramona…Joey’s what…
Nothing.
Then Sarah’s father pulled out the knife, poising it at Lance’s stomach. Lance choked on a scream.
The elevator doors opened a little wider…
***
Ramona was thrown out of her trance, smacking into a wall next to Chris and Andrew. The plane had shook violently, nose-diving at a steep angle. Objects shifted to the right side toward the cockpit.
Andrew was stuck in his seatbelt, practically hanging upside down. Chris was pinned against the wall by a chair. Ramona’s stomach somersaulted. She slid down beside the cockpit door, banging her head. All three were screaming.
A loud explosion rocked the plane. Window glass shattered as flames sprouted from the engines. Soon the entire area was engulfed in black smoke.
Chris wedged himself out and banged weakly against the cockpit door. What the heck is the pilot doing? Has an engine ruptured? Why isn’t he radioing for help?
The door flew open, the pilot’s corpse collapsing onto the floor.
Wick stepped out. Despite all the havoc, he stood upright, please with his job.
“Thought you might enjoy an exciting ride. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!”
Wick vanished. Andrew, Chris and Ramona were coughing constantly. Their eyes watered unbearably. Their skin, dampened by sweat, seemed scorchingly hot.
The left side of the plane was then entirely engulfed by flames. The plane continued nose-diving, taking another sharp turn.
The three were flying upside down, smacking into the cockpit. Objects from above slammed into their bodies.
Through his blurred vision, Chris could see towering flames and a plane torn to pieces. Ramona was sobbing. Wind blew in their faces.
We’re all gonna die from the crash, if not the fire.