Blood will run forever

"Oh wow" Zach Baker whistled softly, sitting in Bruno's living room, his wife Lauren at his side. Bruno and Angela had just finished telling their story of what had happened to them 2 nights ago. Madeleine, huddled in a separate couch, hadn't volunteered a word. She was too busy staring around, with wide, scared eyes. That thing could come back at any time, exact its revenge... Madeleine knew that ghosts, and malevolent ones at that, didn't particularly like to lose to humans. Madeleine could feel the thing's anger penetrating the room... and as if summoned, it appeared in the hallway, glaring and seething, unseen by any of the others.

Except that it wasn't making a move, seeming like all it could do was stand there and stare with malevolence. Madeleine felt a fresh wave of terror break over her as she tried to sink further into the couch, away from it's accusing glare. The thing started pulling faces, and pointing at not Angela and Bruno, but at their guests: Zach and Lauren Baker. Particularly Zach... the thing practically convulsed with fury every time it laid eyes on the back of his head. Making slit-throat signs to Madeleine, grinning for the first time... admittedly it still looked as ugly as its trademark glare. Madeleine immediately knew that the thing had a dangerous adversary... Madeleine's new ally.

"...so as I was saying" Lauren informed the frightened family, "we have to get approval from the Vatican for an exorcism. It's not a simple task. There are many rituals involved, none of them easy. And the criteria for exorcisms is extremely stringent. It will take further investigating in the mean time I'm afraid" she said softly, looking very concerned as she said it. Angela gave a quiet moan of dissatisfaction, while Bruno sat upright in his chair, fists clenched. Zach leaned forward, intent on smoothing the troubled waters. "There is, however, something we can do to maybe ease the impact of the spirits inside of this house" Zach smiled. Bruno seemed to relax slightly as Angela spoke up, "Yes please! What can you do?" Zach smiled for a minute before continuing, "well lets just say that we intend to do a more INTENSE investigation of these premises. Something that will require us to be on site at all times, with assistance from experienced personnel. In other words Bruno, me and Lauren are gonna need to suggest the idea of an extended slumber party. Remember how it was in high school with the girls?" Despite all of the tension in the room at that moment, everyone laughed. Even Madeleine cracked her first smile.



"Sweetie?" Lauren whispered softly in Zach's ear. "Yes honey?" he smiled, embracing his wife. "Just so you know, whatever happens here, I'll be there for you until the very end" she said, staring into her husband's eyes. Zach was about to return the sentiment in kind when he saw something that he hadn't ever seen in his wife's eyes. Fear. "Darling what's wrong?" he asked kindly. Lauren shuddered before continuing "we have dealt with many cases like this for almost our entire lives together, Zach." "Yeah we have, and we make a great team" Zach smiled, "if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be even halfway to where I am today." "Yes Zach, but there's something I need to tell you... about the spirits in that house!" Lauren blurted out, now visibly shaking. Zach, getting more and more worried, leaned in, whispering "what is it, my love?" "There was someone watching us today in that house, Zach" Lauren whispered, "and she's unlike anyone or anything I have ever seen. She was tormenting that poor girl curled up on the couch, what's her name... Madeleine? Yes, Madeleine. I seen the poor dear cringe against the couch, she looked like she was about to have a heart attack. That's when I looked in the mirror... and seen her. The woman. She worries me Zach! She is so, so full of hatred... she's going to cause problems, a lot of problems, as a polite way of putting it." Zach, though worried, embraced his wife and whispered "well maybe this is new ground for us... a new challenge. But we really need to help that family." Lauren's fears were somewhat quashed. This was her husband talking. No doubt he would have scores of ideas up his sleeve. Everyone would be okay.



Madeleine was having another sleepless night.

She hadn't left the couch. Angela and Bruno had taken to falling asleep on the floor, as a way of keeping Madeleine company. Zach and Lauren had by now virtually moved their stuff in, bringing along with them a peculiar little genius named John Seward, who could be described as having the emotions of an excited child. Turned out he was also friends with Bruno and Angela during their school years, always top of the class, though bottom of the social ladder. As Bruno had put it, Zach was one of the elite "cool" guys, while Bruno was a football jock who just so happened to have a brain. Both of them had stepped in to stop little Johnny being beaten up by a gang of basketball jocks, and the 3 of them were inseperable during high school ever since. There was no doubt that Johnny served as the perfect tech guy for paranormal investigations. The little wizard had a career as a Medical Technician behind him.

As Madeleine pondered all of this to try and wear herself out, little Johnny happened to be sleeping in a hammock in the loungeroom... Madeleine found it peculiar that he was the only adult male she had ever met to wear pyjamas. She admired the sleeping man for a few minutes before deciding to go outside for a cigarette.

She had just sparked up when a loud CLANG! shook her to her senses. Immediately awake, she looked around for a hiding place, finding one behind a large dog kennel that Bruno had built. A wave of terror took hold as she seen an omnious shadow loom up around the corner... she stiffened. She was wrong. There were 2 shadows. And voices attached to them. She was struck with a moment of curiosity, as the voices, although whispered, were clearly male.

The 2 men came around the corner. Madeleine immediately drew as far as she could into the shadows. These guys were dressed in suits and ties- very uncommon night time wear. Only criminals and lawyers wore suits at night. The guns in their hands seemed to confirm this. Madeleine stifled her hyperventilating as she strained to listen to the 2 intruders.

"... this was where her and I used to sit when the kids were all in bed" came the educated, yet gravelly whisper of the taller of the 2 men. "Shit Roman, that was a long fuckin' time ago" his friend, shorter and more solid, whispered, "and you still come out here? Why would you put yourself through that?" "Mikey, I've told you" the first man hissed, anger in his tone, an anger that sent the hairs on Madeleine's neck upright, "I will never go to my grave without knowing who killed them." "Yeah man I understand that, but... why all of the way out here? You won't find anything out here" the shorter man stated, a bite of impatience in his voice. "Actually Mike, we will" the tall man stated, with some anger and satisfaction. "Yeah, and how you know that?" the short guy known as Mike demanded. The tall man stood silent in the shadows, saying "just you wait and see Mikey..." Madeleine never saw it coming as the tall man suddenly sprinted towards her hiding spot and with one fluent movement restrained her and put his gloved hand over her mouth to stop her screaming.

Notes

My apologies, its very late i know... work was hell over xmas. thats all.