A musty odor emanated from the heavy drapes pressing in on him. He sidestepped for a glance at the edge. The curtains did their job, making it too dark to see much in the spacious room beyond. He slipped out of the folds and his eyes began to distinguished shapes. Beneath his feet was a tile floor with area rugs laid out ahead. Several couches were placed sporadically on one side of the room and a long table occupied the other. A stone fireplace split the middle where smoky embers puffed a sullen orange in the hearth.
A gentle snore rose from one of the couches and Scout noticed the lumpy form of someone lying there. A flight of stairs to the second floor climbed the wall to his left. Scout circled right, keeping his back to the draped windows, for a better feel of the downstairs layout.
He crept closer to the twelve chairs evenly spaced around the table, passing a china cabinet that contained a full set of unbroken dishes. Scout continued to the double doors at the far end where light fanned out underneath. He paused, listening for sounds of life on the other side. He heard none and pushed the swinging door inward, walking though fast and easing the door shut behind him. He glanced around and blew a sigh of relief when he found himself alone in a huge kitchen. A gallon jug of water sat on the countertop; he sniffed the contents before deciding it safe to drink.
An engine rumbled from behind the door to the garage as it pulled inside. Scout searched for a quick hiding place and found the door to the basement. Voices grew louder as they headed towards Scout’s position and someone on the other side rattled the doorknob. Scout took three steps down on the stairs and closed the door.
“I don’t really care about how tired you are,” a guy said, entering the kitchen. “That’s your one job. Don’t mess it up. I’ll find someone else to circle the house when I’ve got time. Now get out there and keep your eyes open.”
Scout recognized the cough of the sick kid from outside. He looked downstairs and saw nothing but a black void. His mind wrestled over his next move. Going into the unknown darkness didn’t sound appealing, but right now his options were dwindling.
“All right, Patrick,” the other kid said over his partner’s hacking. “Could we at least have some water?”
“Here, you can take this.” The water jug slid over the countertop. “Get out of my sight. I have to talk to Chase.”
“What do you have to talk to him about?”
“It doesn’t concern you. Now get the hell outside and don’t let anyone near the house!”
The kids on patrol slammed the door on their way out. Scout clenched his fist and contemplated the odds of taking Patrick alone. He didn’t know if that course of action would be possible without waking the whole house, but then the choice was made for him when the door swung open and a giant boot stepped on him.
“What the hell?” Patrick said.
With desperation lending him strength, Scout grabbed Patrick’s leg and yanked hard, hurling the big kid past him. Patrick’s head bounced off the stairs all the way down, vanishing as he fell to the bottom. Scout leaned against the wall, breathing hard in the silent aftermath. He stared into the darkness for any movement that might precede Patrick rushing back upstairs and dragging him below.
His imagination scared him to death, but the need to hurry and find Raven rallied enough of his courage to take the next step. Patrick was probably going downstairs to talk to Chase. More than likely, Raven was down there, too. Scout flipped open his shiny Zippo and used the flame to light his way.
He found Patrick sprawled out at the bottom of the stairs. Blood splattered the last couple of steps. Scout hopped over him to the carpeted floor and looked around. He shined his flame in every corner of the large room, lighting a couple candles next to unoccupied couches and assuring himself that he was alone. A stretch of hallway lay opposite the stairs, but Scout wasn’t prepared to go exploring just yet.
He tapped his shoe against Patrick’s boot and gained no response from the unconscious giant. Scout placed a lit candle on the bottom step and found a pulse thrumming slowly in Patrick’s wrist. At least Scout hadn’t killed him. He removed twine from his small backpack, and bound Patrick hand and foot. When he rolled him over he found a nasty gash on the back of Patrick’s head and blood seeping into the carpet. Using a clean bandage from his pack, Scout wrapped gauze tightly around the wounded head to stop the bleeding. Finally, he gripped Patrick’s arms and dragged him out of sight behind a couch. As an afterthought, Scout patted down the big kid’s pockets and took a set of car keys.
There was nothing to be done about the blood on the steps and the carpet. Scout brought a candle, shielded with his hand, and walked halfway down the hallway before reaching a pair of doors on opposite sides. One might lead to Raven. Another probably led to the lion’s den.
The door on his right was locked when he tried the knob, but the other on his left pushed open and he peeked inside. Sunlight cascaded down a steel window-well into the empty room. Scout left the door ajar for the added light and proceeded to the end of the hallway.
He entered another large room and lit more candles. Several loaded bookshelves lined the wall to the left. To his right, tall racks contained dusty wine bottles with their corks still intact.
Straight ahead, two doors were spaced ten feet apart, barred with two-by-fours. Scout grew excited, guessing that inside each room he’d find his girlfriend and the little girl. He chose the left first and lifted the board out of its braces. The door swung wide on silent hinges.
“Finally,” Catherine said from inside pitch-blackness.
Scout moved forward filling the big closet with candlelight. Startled by an unbelievable sight, the candle slipped from his hand, bounced off the floor and the flame winked out.
“Well that’s not very helpful,” Catherine said.
Scout flicked his Zippo and relit the wick. He stared at Catherine with her arms and legs tied to a large wagon wheel propped against the wall.
She waved her tiny fingers at him. “Please untie me. I really don’t want to roll out of here on my own.”
Scout placed the candle on the floor. He unsheathed his ankle knife and quickly sliced the little girl’s bonds. “Why did they tie you up like this? Did they torture you?”
“Hardly, I’m always getting tied to those things.” She wrapped her arms around Scout in a crushing hug. “I knew it would be you.”
For someone who had been living like a mushroom, Catherine still looked and smelled like sunshine He brushed back her blonde hair and kissed her forehead.
“We have to find Raven before the house wakes up.”
“Someone’s got a girlfriend. I’m jealous.”
Scout offered her a small grin. “She must be behind this other door.” He reached for the bar, but Catherine pushed his arm aside.
“Nice try, hotshot,” she said to the door. “Did you really think you had a fifty-fifty chance of getting him to open your door? I’ve been drawing him here ever since I felt his presence outside.”
Heavy thudding shook the bar in its braces. “Your little group won’t leave town alive!”
Catherine grabbed Scout’s hand and tugged. “Let’s go. Chase will eventually breakthrough and come after us.”
Scout asked, “Is he really some kind of demon?”
“Not exactly,” Catherine answered. “Demons have pointy ears and teeth.”
Scout stared in confusion and shook his head. “We need to find Raven, fast.”
Twisted laughter echoed from behind the door.
Catherine frowned and said, “Follow me.”
She led Scout back down to the middle of the hallway and the locked door. Catherine gripped and turned the doorknob, snapping the locking mechanism. She pushed the door inside and Scout moved past her, lighting the way with his candle.
Raven covered her head and screamed, cowering in the corner of another empty room. Scout approached her speaking gently, but her screaming only grew louder and more desperate. Catherine knelt next to her and with one touch to the head, Raven’s frantic cries stalled. After another moment, the girl’s eyes closed, her faced relaxed and she slumped over to the floor.
Catherine said, “You’ll have to carry her.”
Scout scooped Raven up and held her close. He followed Catherine to the stairs, through the kitchen and
