Demon In My View

Zack caught up to his friends, pale and shaky, he felt like there was something behind him, but every time he looked he only saw the long unkempt drive.

“Zacky what the hell? You look like…you look like you saw a ghost or somethin’” Brian gave him a weird look and glanced over his shoulder at the brown lawn and spindly shrubs that fought to over take it.

“I dunno, I was looking for somethin’ to throw at Matt, and I found this bracelet…” he looked over his shoulder again and shivered, something was watching him, something that didn’t like him.

“So what you scared yourself?” Matt was walking backwards watching him with an amused expression.

“Yes, no…I don’t know, I just had this feeling that I didn’t wanna be there anymore.” Zack waved it off, but still felt the something watching him. The shadowy trees they were under abruptly cut off and the foreboding structure of ‘Wenley’s Sanitarium’ rose up before them.

In the 1900s ‘Wenley’s Sanitarium’ was like Caesar’s Palace for the insane, but now, the glossy white paint that had covered the immense building was weathered away revealing the gray stone underneath. The shiny windows that patients could sit and look out of were broken out, leaving gaping, black holes, like eyes in its façade. In a few windows ripped and faded curtains danced lazily in the blustery wind, beckoning the group to come in.

“Holy shit, no wonder people think this place is haunted.” Brian stopped almost mid-stride and stared at the mammoth institute.

“Zack, I take back everything I said. You have every right to run screaming back to the car at any time.” Matt stared up at the decrepit building almost fearfully.

“Do we have to go in?” Johnny huddled close to Brian and anxiously scanned the underbrush around them. Jimmy moved behind Zack and the cold, hateful presence that was stalking him abated and was replaced by the drummer’s warm, protective aura.

“Well I’m not bored anymore; let’s go back to the car.” Jimmy wrapped an arm around Zack and held him against his chest as he gazed up at the gray building; a nervous laugh rippled through the group. Zack again tasted fear as he stared at the Sanitarium, he moved closer to Jimmy and wished he and Johnny had stayed in the car. The thought of Johnny made Zack turn to search out the bassist, he found him hiding behind Brian and looking back at the shadowed path they’d come from.

“We’re seriously getting pictures done in there.” Matt moved further back into the group.

“I’m with Jimmy, let’s go wait for the people at the car.” Brian started to back away from the building, but Johnny didn’t move.

“Too late, here they come.” Johnny muttered darkly, the rest of the group turned as one and saw the large crew of cameras and people on their way down the dark path.

“Oh dammit.” Jimmy muttered, he let go of Zack and watched the group get closer.

Once they were inside the building really wasn’t that creepy, granted there were piles of windblown trash and leaves in every nook and cranny that would scuttle across the floor and scare the daylights out of everyone; but all in all, the place wasn’t too bad.

They were still stuck on individual shots, like they had been for an hour, for some reason the cameras refused to operate on any consistent basis. Zack sighed and say on the dusty floor, he was bored, still a little jittery, but bored. They other guys were a few feet away lounging against the wall, Brian trying to stay awake, and Jimmy, he had taken it upon himself to make Matt laugh every time the cameras decided to work, making the already long and frustrating day all the more painful. Johnny was the only one who hadn’t lightened up; he stayed glued to Brian and continued to look around fearfully.

Zack glanced over the cavernous room that was the front entrance and his eyes landed on somethin he hadn’t noticed before. There was a flashlight lying next to a box of camera stuff only a few feet away, he looked over at his friends, they weren’t paying attention to him; Zack looked down one of the dark hallways that branched from the front hall and back to the flashlight. He stood and debated for a moment, he could still feel the hateful presence watching him, but he had decided on the way in it was just his imagination. Yet he still hesitated, the episode with the bracelet not quite forgotten, he mentally scolded himself for being such a wuss, and deliberately walked over and grabbed the flashlight. He turned down the hall and hesitated again, he looked back at his oblivious band mates and down the inky black hallway, with a deep breath he clicked the light on and walked resolutely into the darkness.

A/N: Gotta love Christmas Break, I get so much done ^_^ I know these two chapters are short, but I think the upcoming part deserves its own lil’ place. The next chapter should be a little longer and definitely creepier…