667

*Note: Johnny is Five years younger instead of three

Halloween 1995

At eleven Johnny hadn’t been out on Halloween night since he was six. When his friend Luke had been abducted and murdered behind an abandoned house at the edge of town. While adults were sympathetic his older brother, Mark, never gave him any peace. Mark was sixteen and now spent his Halloweens getting hammered at graveyards with his stupid friends. Their parents were across town at a costume party and Johnny was already in his pajamas with almost every light in the house on and every lock snug in place.

He had been in his room strumming his bass trying to settle his nerves but until the sun rose on November first he knew he would be a nervy wreck. He padded downstairs listening for a baby or a lullaby and knowing he would hear nothing. His stomach had been sending conflicting messages for the past few hours, sometimes it was hungry and other times it threatened to make him dry heave. He was on his way to settle the issue once and for all with a bowl of cereal when something creaked. He froze on the landing, heart thudding so hard it rattled his entire body, and listened for the sound to come again. A soft squeak coming from around the corner from the kitchen. One foot stepped back on the stair, his entire body primed and ready to run if the sound came any closer. It came again, no closer and no louder, but he backed up so both feet were on the steps.

From around the corner a man with nails driven through his head and sickly yellow eyes leaped at him. He screamed and tried to run up the stairs but the monster grabbed his foot and dragged him down and put a cloth over his eyes and tied his hands back. A familiar, cruel laugh ended his moment of panic. “Mark, what the fuck! Let me fucking go!” he shrieked twisting and thrashing. Mark laughed again and picked him up and carried him through the house. Cool October air caressed his bare arms and slipped inside his shirt chilling his torso. “Let me go!” he kicked and cursed and screamed at him until he was dumped in a carpeted abyss and the trunk closed on him.

When the trunk popped open again he started screaming for Mark to let him go. Now there were more voices laughing at him and someone grabbed his feet to keep him from kicking. “I’m fucking telling mom you son of a bitch!” he was the baby after all and when mom found out what Mark was doing he would never be allowed out of the house again. Mark batted his head, “You do twerp and I’ll give you a reason to be afraid of the dark.” He growled. Something in the air changed. Instead of exhaust there was the sour damp earth, moldy leaves and something else that made his stomach churn. “Mark? Mark let me go.” His voice shrank and his heart began to hammer, not out of anger, but from fear. He thrashed with more force when the Mark started going up steps. The rotting porch boards creaked. A long rusted door hinge screamed as the door was pushed open. He was dumped on the floor and the door slammed shut again.
He worked his hands out of the loose bindings and tore the blindfold off. The foyer was unchanged; the grandfather clock still maintained the nine o’ clock hour, decades of dust grayed everything. He scrambled to his feet and threw himself against the door. “Mark, Mark let me out!” he screamed. Salty tears burned his eyes and the musty air caught in his throat. “Mark let me out!” he sobbed.

*~*~*
Matt, Jimmy, Brian, and Zack had been hanging out in the deathtrap called 667 for almost an hour waiting for Mark to snag his little brother. Jimmy was the only one who knew Johnny and told the guys he was a total dork. What eleven year old didn’t go out on Halloween night? Everyone knew his friend had been killed five years ago when he was six but they caught the guy. Some freaky pedophile that lived a couple blocks over. The guy was going to die in prison with two life sentences under his belt.

Matt and Jimmy were hanging out on the upstairs landing when a cursing bundle was dropped through the door. Matt covered a laugh and pulled his swamp monster mask down. Jimmy had the Scream mask, his tall frame made it twice as scary. Zack was somewhere in the basement or something with his face painted bloody and Brian was prowling around the sitting room in a wolf mask. Matt’s smile faded when Johnny tore out of the makeshift handcuffs and hit the door hard enough to rattle the frame screaming for his brother to let him out.

Matt pulled his mask off again and tossed it behind him when the kid, too small for his age, started to cry. “Fuck this.” He muttered. This wasn’t fun, this was straight up cruelty. Jimmy pulled his mask off too. “I figured he would freak, but not like this.” He whispered. Matt nodded and felt around the dusty carpet for his flashlight. “Johnny, hey Johnny calm down.” Jimmy called softly. The kid yelped and sank down against the door shaking and whimpering. Matt found the flashlight and clicked it on and they made their way down the creaky stairs. “Johnny, relax, hey kid it’s okay.” Matt said when they got to the bottom. Johnny curled against the door red faced and trying to breathe and scream at the same time. Matt handed Jimmy the light and pulled him away from the door. His body shook and his breathing stayed unpredictable even when Matt established that he wasn’t a ghost but a living breathing person. “It’s okay Johnny, there’s nothing here okay. They’re just stories okay.” He murmured. Johnny shook his head violently but was still too upset for words. “Jimmy, find Zacky and Syn.” Matt asked. When the lanky teen’s footsteps kicked up a trail of dust on the runner Matt pulled Johnny’s quaking frame close, “Hey, hey you’re okay. Just breathe.” He murmured stroking his fingers down the back of his neck.

Johnny started to catch his breath and jumbled words began to come through his raspy breaths. Matt ran his hand down Johnny’s back and tucked his head under his chin, “Breathe buddy, we’ll take you home.”

“She kills the baby, she kills the baby, she kills the baby.” Over and over again Johnny mumbled quaking in Matt’s arms oblivious to his comforting words. Brian and Zack’s voices came down the hall, “What’s up Matt?” Brian called. He sounded a little put off, Jimmy probably only told them they weren’t scaring Johnny. Matt pulled Johnny closer, “We’re not…we can’t do this to him. He’s a fuckin’ mess.” He said quietly. Brian’s annoyed expression dropped as soon as he caught sight of the red faced boy clinging to Matt. “Shit, what happened?” he kneeled next to Matt, “Hey Johnny, hey, can you hear me?” Brian asked. Johnny’s wide sightless eyes continued to leak tears and his mantra never ceased. “Maybe we should take him to the hospital.” Zack said worriedly. “We need to get him the fuck out of here and kick Mark’s sorry ass.” Jimmy said.

From upstairs there was a soft sound, like someone shutting a door. Johnny became deathly still and quiet, his thin fingers dug into Matt’s arms. His heart thudded so hard Matt could feel the beat in his own chest. “Whoa, hey, Johnny breathe.” He whispered holding the boy closer. “It’s just the wind, it’s been doing that all night.” Jimmy soothed. Thunderous, striding footsteps walked across the upstairs and Johnny began to tremble, his breathing hitched and stuttered. “What the holy fuck?” Jimmy yelped jumping up and searching the darkness above. Brian and Zack’s flashlights searched the stairs, “Who’s there? Mark, quit being a dick your brother is scared enough.” Brian barked. The steps hit the stairs hard enough it should have shaken dust off the banister but aside from the noise nothing was disturbed. “Mark!” Zack yelled. The steps continued down and when there should have been legs in their flashlight there was nothing. Not even footprints in the heavy dust. The steps hit the landing and thundered across the floor rattling the grandfather clock’s rusted gears. The study doors flew open banging against the wall and immediately snapped shut again jangling the glass.

“Wh-what just happened?” Zack breathed when the house stilled. Johnny had a death grip on Matt and his breathing began to go on the fritz again. “You guys we gotta get him outta here before he has a heart attack.” Matt said hugging the boy closer.

“You think…you think that was Old Man Tillotson?” Jimmy whispered staring at the closed study doors. Matt shot him a glare he didn’t see. Brian shook his head, “It’s just a story Jimmy, someone’s just trying to fuck with us.” But his voice wavered. “Who? A fucking Hollywood special effects team? I don’t know if you noticed but that was a little more than a soundtrack.” Jimmy shot back. “Guys knock it off you’re just making it worse.” Zack scolded. Warm tears fell on Matt’s shirt and Johnny’s terrified mantra started up again. Matt tried to calm him down but the kid didn’t seem to hear him. “We need to go, now.” He said giving up and pulling Johnny to his feet with him.

“The hell is he saying?” Jimmy asked looking away from the doors. “She kills the baby.” Matt said, “he’s been saying it since he got here.”

From the darkness upstairs a baby began to cry.

Johnny’s head shot up and his body quaked, beginning at the knees and vibrating up his spine until his teeth chattered. Matt handed his flashlight to Jimmy and with a grunt hoisted Johnny into his arms. “Fuck, he’s kinda heavy.” He panted. Johnny’s little body shivered and his words sped up until they were a blur of syllables and panicked breath.

A soft lullaby drifted down from the darkness.

Johnny became rigid and still as a rock in Matt’s arms. The voice came closer, like the woman was coming down the stairs. Johnny screamed. Matt almost dropped him, the piercing shriek still rang in his ears long after Johnny pushed out of his arms and ran for the back of the house. The woman’s voice was close enough it could have been only three steps from the landing. Three flashlights lit the floor and the hem of a black dress appeared. The black so complete it absorbed the light. No part touched the floor, no feet stepped daintily across the carpet but the voice was there. And then it was gone, out of their light and heading for the back of the house.

Matt’s hands shook and the bitter copper taste of pennies lay thick on his tongue. His breath came in short pants and he had the sick feeling in his stomach he had just missed death. Like when he and Jimmy had been messing around on the boardwalk and he’d almost fallen over the side into the churning ocean two stories below. “Oh Christ.” He whispered. Jimmy was the first to move, tearing off down the hall screaming Johnny’s name. The others snapped out of their trance and darted after him also calling for Johnny.

Johnny screamed, a high wild sound raw with fear. “Johnny!” Brian yelled breathlessly. Johnny’s scream changed direction, coming closer and he flew around the corner from the sitting room into the hallway. Matt caught him and hugged him turning his back to the soft lullaby coming from the sitting room. “We’ll get you out, Johnny.” He promised. Johnny’s body shook with his labored breaths, his skin was icy. Johnny pressed flush against him, like he could crawl inside his skin and be safe that way. The voice came around the corner and it sounded like he was trying to scream again but couldn’t get enough air to do it.

“Hey you crazy bitch,” Jimmy yelled, there was a crash of something hitting the wall and the lullaby stopped. In the sudden silence Matt gagged and swallowed the crushing fear that washed through him. A cold sweat broke across his forehead and down his back. He looked over his shoulder and wished he was home in his pajamas watching some B-movie horror marathon. Three flashlights illuminated the splinters of whatever Jimmy had thrown and hovering a couple inches above the mess was a black hole, a silhouette of a woman in a turn of the century dress. The shadow absorbed the light, reflecting nothing and seeping from it was cold menace. Brian took a jerky step back and threw up the pizza they’d had before agreeing to this stupid idea. Johnny’s head was buried in his chest and he was thankful the kid couldn’t see this she-demon. “You’re not getting him.” He whispered, his voice shook and his teeth clicked together as terror shook his body. “You’re not getting him.” He said again. There was a low hum in the air and rumbled through the soles of his feet and up through his body. It grew louder and louder until it became a low roar and an enraged shriek blasted his ears adding to the rumbling.

“Run. Fucking run!” Zack yelled. Matt spun Johnny around and shoved him forward, “Run.” He barked. Johnny stumbled and then flew down the hall after Zack and Brian. The air chilled around him until he could see his breath. His stomach churned and it felt like his lungs had been filled with cotton. Something colder than the air passed him and noxious fear dropped him to his knees and he threw up. He staggered to his feet again, “Johnny!” he gasped. The boy whirled around and Matt held his arms out. With the sudden stop and change in direction the blackness slid past Johnny but not before opening four scarlet lines on his arm. The boy staggered and flew into Matt’s arms whimpering and shaking. “Stay with me, Johnny. You got to keep your shit together, you got me?” he said fiercely. Johnny’s teary eyes met his and he dragged the kid down the hall to the back of the house again. “The back door’s unlocked. It’s how we got in.” he panted. Footsteps and panicky breaths came up behind them. “I don’t fucking know where it went.” Jimmy panted. They ran into the sitting room and the heavy china cabinet flew across the room. Fingers wrapped around Matt’s ankle and he went down hard with Johnny and the thing blew over their heads and smashed the tea table to splinters. “Go, go, go!” Brian yelled dragging them both up and running for the kitchen. Looming in the doorway the blackness waited. Matt pulled Johnny behind him and backed up. The sitting room doors slammed shut and the rusted lock shrieked into place. Johnny clutched his shirt, his small body quaking against Matt’s back.

The blackness glided forward and from the left a piece of the tea table passed right through it. “Hey you poor whore!” Jimmy yelled hoarsely. A blast of icy fear brought Matt to his knees and his breath caught in his lungs. The shadow disappeared and a second later Jimmy flew across the room and smashed into the wall hard enough to rattle the windows. Matt grabbed Johnny’s cold hand and pulled him to the kitchen.

He hit the back door and bounced off landing hard on his back coughing. Scrambling to his feet again he spun the broken knob and tried to bully it open but the heavy wood stayed snug in the frame. Johnny pulled and kicked at the cellar door and then backpedaled into Matt when the shadow glided around the corner. Matt put himself in front again sandwiching Johnny between himself and the wall. “Fuck. You.” He spat. He was shaking so hard the words barely got out of him. Behind the shadow Zack ducked into the kitchen and in the beam of his flashlight another crystal knob glimmered across from the old stove. The shadow edged closer and Matt swallowed the fear laden bile sneaking up his throat. “Why the fuck you still here, huh? You that pathetic? You kill your baby and the guy still doesn’t want you, how come you can’t take the hint, huh? Nobody loved you while you were breathing and nobody wants you now.” He snapped. The shadow stopped and again the overwhelming, instinctive terror made his knees weak. “Run Johnny, run to Zack.” He whispered. The shadow shot forward enveloping him in darkness and the terror doubled, tripled.

Johnny ran out from behind the bigger kid just as the shadow surrounded him. His high screech of pain and fear locked his body up again and he fell to the floor. He couldn’t move, memories of Luke’s scream layered over the sounds around him now. He couldn’t move. Two sets of hands dragged him up again and then there was yawning darkness ahead of him. “Come on Johnny, we can get out on the roof.” A voice said. And then he was in the darkness and stumbling up rickety stairs. Crazy flashlight beams lit the rotting wood and the door at the top Johnny turned the knob and fell against it and when it swung open fell on the dusty carpet. Hands dragged him up again. “Jimmy, break the window.” Someone yelled.

“Brian? Where the fuck are you going?”

“I’m not fucking leaving him! Get Johnny out of here.”

“I can’t.” Johnny whispered shaking. Someone grabbed him around the waist and dragged him to the window and he struggled against the hold. “No! She kills the baby!” he said panicked. Just because he left didn’t mean they were safe. She’d just go after the youngest in their group. The dragging stopped and a gentle hand went through his hair, “It’s okay Johnny.” He whispered. And then he was off the floor and being shoved through the window onto the rotting roof. The carpet of moss was slick with dew and he started to slide down the steep pitch. He grabbed desperately for any handhold on the slime and then his feet were in space and the rest of him followed with a terrified yelp.

He hit the ground with a jarring thud that knocked the air out of him. He lay in the tall weeds breathing in the sour earth before scrambling to his feet and backing away from the looming house. Inside a soft lullaby started again and he ran for the road.

He couldn’t believe he made it to the road with as much as he fell. His palms were raw and his shins and knees would definitely be swollen and painful in a couple hours. He finally fell and instead of sharp glass or sticks his face kissed the blacktop. He staggered to his feet again and ran down the empty road. His stupid brother and whoever else was long gone. His foot dropped into a pothole and he went down hard slamming his chest and head into the pavement. His head spun and throbbed and the crushing fear came back. He pulled his legs up to his chest and started to cry again. Four more kids were dead and it was his fault, again. If he was braver he’d go back into the house and let her take him too. Instead he curled up on the cold blacktop and cried.

*~*~*
Once Johnny was out the window and sliding down the roof Zack turned his attention to getting Brian and Matt. From downstairs the lullaby started again and his stomach curdled.

He was the baby.

Jimmy stepped in front of him, “Go Zacky.” He whispered. Zack shook his head, “I can’t. If I leave it’ll go after Matt again.” God, he was sick. The cheese pizza sloshed uncomfortably and his cold hands shook. He focused on Jimmy’s back trying to control the panic welling up inside him. “Brian.” Jimmy called as the singing ascended the stairs.

“I’ve got him! The back door’s open, fucking go!” he yelled. There was the shriek of a door being forced open and Zack turned and dove for the window. Jimmy scrambled out behind him and they went sliding down the mossy roof to the weeds below. Zack landed hard and pushed himself to his feet running as far as he could from the house. Jimmy broke a trail through the sticks and litter behind him. “Brian!” Zack yelled. “Over here.” The answering call came from the left and they tripped and jogged their way over to him.

Brian had Matt cradled in his lap, the bigger kid was unconscious and bleeding. A gash across his temple sent blood black as an oil slick down his face and his shirt was shredded, the tatters bloody. Brian held him close and stared at the house. Zack followed his line of sight and let out a strangled sound taking a step back. The shadow hung in the doorway, a silent black hole cutout straight from hell. “Zacky come on, we gotta find Johnny.” Jimmy said his cold fingers wrapped around his wrist pulling him back.

“Fuck. You.” Zack whispered at the shadow. He helped Brian heft Matt up never taking his eyes off the demon in the doorway. The shadow faded until only the feeling of menace lingered. “We should burn this place to the ground.” Jimmy muttered.

They made it to the road, Zack and Brian panting hard, and found the place deserted. “I’ma beat the holy hell outta Mark.” Zack growled. “He’s probably at home fucking hiding under his bed.” Jimmy bit out. Matt made a small sound and Zack and Brian gratefully set their load down. “Matty, Matt. Can you hear me big guy?” Brian asked softly. Matt’s eyelids flickered and opened but his eyes stayed unfocused and then he jerked up shooting his hands out in front of him. “No!” he screamed. Zack and Brian grabbed him and quieted him. “You’re okay Matty, we’re out of the house. We’re okay.” Zack murmured. Matt hyperventilated in his arms and Zack nuzzled his head. “It’s okay. We’re finding Johnny and getting the fuck out of here.” He kissed his unbloodied temple and cradled his head against his chest waiting for his panic to subside.

“We need to take him to the hospital.” Zack murmured using his long sleeve to wipe some of the blood off Matt’s face. Brian gave him an incredulous look, “And tell them what? A ghost cut him up? Yeah, that’ll go over well.” He ran a hand through his hair tugging at the black strands. Matt curled closer to Zack shivering, “We can think of something. We can’t leave him like this.” Zack argued. Matt raised his head a little and a round of violent shakes went through him. “Not deep.” He whispered hoarsely, “just scared.” Brian and Zack stared at each other and then at the shaking boy in Zack’s arms. “Fuck. Fine, we’ll get him cleaned up but if it’s bad he’s going to the hospital and we’ll make something up.” Zack said.

“Bri, keys.” Jimmy asked holding out his hand. They had parked a couple blocks away with everyone else so the cops wouldn’t get suspicious of a fleet of cars on a dead end street. “Find Johnny.” Brian asked getting his arms under Matt’s shoulders again and getting him up. Jimmy jogged away with the keys tinkling in his hand.

*~*~*
Johnny woke up choking on a scream and a gentle hand smoothed down his arm. He sat up and looked around the unfamiliar room. A nice TV, a leather recliner, and he was stretched out on a matching couch wrapped in a fleecy blanket. “Wh-where am I?” he stuttered. An older kid with warm brown eyes and damp wild black hair looked down at him. “My place.” He remembered that voice and he shivered lying down again. Twice now he’d cheated death and he began to shake harder until his teeth chattered. The older boy pulled him further up on his lap and hugged him against his chest, “You’re safe.” He murmured. Johnny pressed close and tried to slow his breathing. “Is he okay?” That voice Johnny was too familiar with. Jimmy. One of his brother’s stupid friends, he loved to give him hell, just like his stupid brother. He cowered closer to the friendly boy hoping Jimmy would give him a break just for tonight. The boy’s head bobbed, “Yeah, you get hold of Mark yet?” he asked. Jimmy made a low sound, “Probably a good thing he’s not fucking answering.” He growled. Johnny chanced looking over his shoulder at his tall tormentor. He had an ice pack on the back of his head and ambled over to the couch. Johnny hid his head again and trembled. He really didn’t want to deal with Jimmy tonight.

“Chill out Johnny, I’m not gonna mess with you.” Jimmy murmured. The couch moved a little as the tall boy sat down near his feet. “I won’t let him mess with you.” The friendly boy said. Johnny uncurled some and closed his eyes content to let the friendly boy protect him from Jimmy. He stiffened a second later and looked over his shoulder again at the room. There had been four boys in the house with him. Anxiety twisted his stomach and he started to shake again. Had she gotten the other two after he left the house? Would they find them like they had Luke in the weeds behind the house ripped apart? He started to hyperventilate and the friendly boy held him close, “Hey Johnny, relax. You’re safe.” He murmured reassuringly. “Wh-what, I, what about.” He couldn’t ask it. He didn’t want to hear they hadn’t made it out. Tears stung but he was too scared Jimmy would say something to wipe his eyes. Friendly boy wiped away a stray tear, “Hey, you’re okay. Johnny what’s wrong?” he asked.

“Matt and Zack are fine, Johnny.” Jimmy said quietly. He stared at the tall boy trying to read his azure gaze. There was no glimmer of humor only quiet concern. “They’re okay. Matt’s in the shower and Zack, for some ungodly reason, is at his house looking for a horror movie.” There was a hint of dry humor in his voice at the mention of Zack but that was all. Johnny unclenched his muscles and lay his head down again certain all four were safe. Friendly boy stroked his arm again until his eyes started to grow heavy. “My name’s Brian, by the way.” The boy murmured.

A/N: Happy (early) Halloween! Candy for all! I’ve got chocolate, gummies, hard candy. All kinds, take your pick ^_^
Love and hugs and hot cider for reading and reviewing <3