Nightscape

14

The basement was so full of junk that Max couldn't tell if anything had been disturbed, but this had been the source of the noise. And who or whatever had been making a racket in the house, had come down here… he was nearly sure of that.

"Let's all stay together," Max said, leading the group around the basement. Old bicycles, furniture, a boiler… but no Isabel and no Kyle. "I think we've been led down here," he said.

"I think you're right, Max," Liz said.

"1 have the same feeling, but why lead us around?" Michael said.

"That's what ghosts do, they try to scare you," Maria said.

"Okay, let's say it's a ghost… a big, mean, nasty ghost. Why the wild goose chase? Why not just strike us down with its ghostly powers?" Michael asked.

"A trap," Liz said.

"Or it's trying to separate us," Maria said.

"Why bother, if the ghost is powerful enough to take on Isabel and Kyle? Why does it care if we get separated?" Michael said.

"Because people are more scared when they're alone," Maria said.

Max nodded. There was something to that. Had the person they were after been leading them in different directions to try to pick them off one at a time? "It makes sense," Max said. "As far as we know, Isabel and Kyle were both alone when they disappeared."

"Ghosts, Max?" Michael said, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"I think Maria is onto something. We need to stay together," Max said. Then he spotted another partly open door, hanging in toward the basement. "There," he said, pointing.

"If you guys are right, that door could be leading us into a trap," Michael said.

"Maybe, but even if it is a trap, it's the only lead we have to Isabel and Kyle and whoever might have them," Max said.

"It seems like this ghost is staying one step ahead of us," Michael said.

"Then we'll have to be very careful," Max responded, throwing the door open. It led to another staircase that led up to steel doors. "I think it goes outside," he said.

"Max, let me go first," Michael said, trying to push forward.

"No," Max said, holding back his friend with one hand. "Stay behind Liz and Maria." When he got to the top of the stairs, he pushed against the double steel doors. At first

they didn't budge and he pushed again, this time with his shoulder, prepared to use his powers if they didn't give. But the doors swung open once he applied some pressure and Max's momentum carried him several steps outside. He barely kept to his feet on the muddy ground.

"Max!" he heard Michael shout.

Then his friends were next to him.

"You were saying about being careful?" Michael said.

Max looked around. They were in the rear of the house, near the garage, where they had parked the van. The steel doors must have been for deliveries, maybe even for coal when the house was built.

"At least it stopped raining," Liz noticed.

Max saw that she was right. In fact, the night had gotten pretty clear. There were still clouds in the sky, but he could see stars, and the nearly full moon gave them enough light to see.

Scanning the grounds, Max took in the large pool, which was empty except for a few feet of dirty water. There was a tennis court, a field, and the remains of a garden with a large fountain in the center.

Once again, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was playing with them. And whoever he was, he had Isabel and Kyle. Too much time had passed already; he had to do something now. He had to act before it was too late for Isabel.

Something flashed behind the fountain. Max knew instinctively that this was it. Then he was moving, with Michael and Maria on his left and Liz on his right.

"What was it?" Michael asked.

"I saw someone in the garden. We're going to stop this

right now," he said. He told himself this would turn out all right. He would make it all right. He would not fail Isabel again, not in this life.

Max and the others reached the fountain and saw what looked like a hooded and caped figure disappear behind an overgrown bush. Angling around it, Max couldn't see anything but a jumble of weeds and plants he. couldn't identify.

"There," Michael called, pointing to movement in a hedge maybe a hundred yards ahead. Max nodded, and the group headed in that direction. They had to dodge a maze of plants, and more than once, Max felt something scratch his arms.

They reached the hedge, which, Max realized, marked the outer barrier of the garden. There were no breaks in the hedge, and they wouldn't be able to get through it easily. The growth was thick, and the hedge was nearly three times his height. Maybe the person we're chasing knows a hidden passage through it, he thought. Or maybe it can just walk through solid objects.

Maybe Maria was right. Were they dealing with a ghost? Or a spirit? Was that idea any stranger than his own existence as an alien-human hybrid? If this was a spirit, Max sensed it was evil. Was it more powerful than them? It probably had Isabel and Kyle, so it wasn't powerless. On the other hand, it had not tried to take them all at once, so there might be some limit to its powers.

Max waved his hand and two sections of the hedge parted, making enough room for them to pass through two at a time. On the other side of the hedge, they stared out at an open field maybe two hundred yards across and

ending at the bottom of a tree-covered hill.

The hooded figure was about halfway across the field when Max caught sight of him. He and the others immediately started after it. "Liz, is that who or what you saw in your vision?" Max asked.

1 think it might be," Liz responded.

"Michael, stay with Liz and Maria," Max said, racing into the lead.

He could hear Michael's complaints, but he would not let the thing they were chasing get away. Not when Isabel's life might depend on him ending this now. Max was quickly closing the gap between them. Max was less than fifty yards behind whatever it was when the figure stepped into the trees at the bottom of the hill. From that point on, Max had a difficult time tracking the figure in the trees and heavy brush. A few seconds later, Max was at the tree line himself. He felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around to see Michael staring at him. "We agreed to stay together," Michael said.

"You're right," Max said, as Liz and Maria caught up. Together, the group headed up the hill.

"You're not getting into the spirit of this democracy thing," Michael said.

"Sorry," Max said. "I thought I could get him."

"We'll all get him," Liz said.

Max nodded. They were stronger together. "Anyone see anything?" he asked.

No one responded, but as they got closer to the top of the hill, Michael said, "I see him."

At the top, the figure stood still for a minute and stared down at them.

"Hey! Stop!" Michael said. For a moment, the figure seemed to be listening. It remained still, watching them. Then it disappeared from view behind the top of the hill.

Max kept himself super alert, watching for any signs of the figure. Michael turned to Max. "This feels like a trap, Maxwell." Max nodded. He felt the same thing. They had been playing the figures game up until now. He or it had led them through the house and out here.

"Should we just walk into it, then?" Michael said.

"Yes," Max said, keeping his voice low. "He'll think he has us, but we have a few surprises of our own." Max wondered if Isabel had even had a chance to use her powers on the figure.

"Do you think our powers will even work on ghosts?" Michael asked.

"If it really is a ghost, we'll find out," Max said.

"The way I feel, I wouldn't want to be that ghost right now," Michael said.

"I know what…," Max began.

"What are you guys talking about?" Maria asked, leaning forward.

Michael turned to her and said, "Advanced military strategy, nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about."

There was a loud smack, and Max didn't have to turn around to know what caused it.

"Kidding," Michael said, raising his hands.

When they were near the top of the hill, Max stopped the group and said, "Let Michael and me get a few paces ahead."

"Wait," Maria said.

"We're better able to deal with a threat," Max said.

"You know, alien powers and all that," Michael added.

"Liz, you and Maria will have our backs," Max added. Liz nodded, and he knew she understood.

"Okay, we'll check out the top, make sure he doesn't get by us," Max said.

The girls nodded as Max and Michael took the last few steps. Leaning down, they peered over the top of the hill, which was actually a peak of some sort. The hill on the other side looked steep.

"Careful, we don't know how far down it is," Max warned.

"Max?" Liz whispered from behind them.

"Nothing yet," Max said, getting up slowly as Michael did the same. He took a few steps forward, scanning the area for any sign of the figure. He took a few steps down the other side of the hill, when he felt Michael grab his arm. Then Michael pointed down the hill with one hand while he grabbed a tree with the other hand.

Max immediately saw what Michael was pointing to. This side of the hill was much steeper, more of a cliff than a hill, leading down to a good-sized stream at least a hundred yards down.

"What is it?" Maria said from behind them.

"Don't come up here, it's very steep," Michael said.

"Yes, it's very dangerous," a voice said from Max's right.

His head immediately pivoted to see the figure they had been chasing standing less than twenty yards from them. In the dim light, Max couldn't make out any of its features, especially with the hood partly covering his face. But it was a he… Max could tell that much from his voice.

"We want our friends, right now," Max said, his voice firm.

"Max?" Liz called, as the girls came close enough to see the figure. Max waved his hand and they stopped, just on the other side of the hill's peak.

Then the figure took a few steps toward Max and Michael.

"We don't want any trouble," Max said. "We just want to take our friends and go."

"You shouldn't have come," the figure said.

"In a minute you're going to wish we hadn't," Michael said. He was about to explode, Max realized. They couldn't afford that now, not until they had Isabel and Kyle safe. After that, all bets would be off.

The figure laughed, the sound high-pitched and unpleasant. Then it began to cough. When it was finished, it pulled back its hood to reveal its ruined face.

He's sick, Max thought. No, not sick, it looks like he's… dead. With his peripheral vision, Max saw Michael jump slightly at the sight and heard both Liz and Maria gasp. He felt a crawling revulsion himself. Was this person dead? Was he seeing a ghost? Or something worse?

"Hey, freak show," Michael said. "How about you tell us where our friends are and we don't hurt you." The creature just stared at them. "We're not impressed by your tricks or your scary mask. We're not afraid of you," Michael continued, taking a step forward and raising his right hand.

The creature was silent for a moment and seemed to be sizing them up. "Too bad," it finally said. "You should be."

The creature raised its own hand, and Max felt something grab him, something he couldn't see. Then he was

stumbling forward, down the side of the hill. He heard Liz scream, and then he was flying through space.

Liz felt something touch her and shove her backward. Her arms went pinwheeling behind her, and she knew she was going down. Then Liz hit the ground and rolled to a stop, her face pressing down in the wet leaves and mud. Turning her head, she saw Maria close by in the same position.

"Maria," she said. Her friend immediately turned in her direction and nodded. She seemed okay. "Michael!" she cried, starting to get up. Then something caught Maria's eye, and she looked forward and screamed. Liz pivoted her head and saw the creature heading toward them.

Liz thought that whatever it was, it looked too real to be a ghost… but it didn't look alive, either, since its gray flesh was literally falling off its face and hands. The hood and cape just made it look creepier. About five paces away, the creature stood, looming over them.

"What did you do to Michael?" Maria said. Liz was surprised to hear anger in her voice, not fear. Liz felt the same thing. She saw Maria starting to get up, and did the same.

"Don't worry, you will be joining him soon," the figure said.

There was a flash of movement, and a rock hit the creature on the forehead with a thud, then dropped to the ground. It was immediately followed by a good-sized piece of the creature's forehead.

The creature howled, and its hand immediately went to its head. Liz grabbed for a stick, took two steps forward, and swung at the creature. It turned at the last instant and tried to duck, but it was too late.

The stick struck it in the side of the head, bouncing up

and off the skull and… Liz noted… taking a chunk of hair and scalp with it. The creature fell onto its back and gave another howl of surprise and fear. Liz didn't hesitate; she turned and grabbed Maria's hand. "Come on," she said, pulling her friend away from the creature and toward the house.

"What about Michael and Max?" Maria said, resisting.

"I think they're okay," Liz said. She was nearly sure of it. Once before, when Max had died, she had felt that event as certainly as she would had it happened to her. Now, she thought Max was all right. He was probably hurt after his tumble down the hill, but he was alive.

She saw the dazed figure behind them start to struggle to get up. "Come on, we need to lead it away from the guys."

They ran down the hill. Liz turned around only once to make sure the creature was behind them. He was, and she was glad to see that he was moving slowly. They had hurt him.

What kind of ghost gets hurt when you hit him in the head? Liz wondered. It didn't make sense, but there was no time to think about it. She and Maria were on the open ground and sprinting for the house. She didn't have a plan, except to give Max and Michael time to get their bearings. If they were hurt, Max could heal them. Then they could come and deal with the creature and find Isabel and Kyle.

As they reached the back of the house, Liz spared another glance behind her. The creature was following, more quickly than before. They had less than half a minute's lead now. Liz considered heading around the house and leading the creature away entirely, but she

didn't like the way he was gaining. She felt their best chance lay inside. There, they could move around and try to hide in one of the mansion's many rooms. The creature would waste valuable time looking for them… time that Max and Michael could use.

So when she hit the back door, she flung it open and pulled Maria inside. Then she turned an ancient deadbolt to lock the door, and the two girls headed for the kitchen. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath, and Liz realized the house was deathly quiet.

"What's the plan?" Maria asked. Her friend was scared, but Maria was keeping it together. She had come a long way since the day Liz had first told her the truth about Max, Isabel, and Michael. That made sense, because Liz had come a long way too.

"We stay away from him," Liz said.

"What, like hide?" Maria said.

"We need to buy the guys time," Liz said.

Liz could see fear on her friend's face, but this wasn't fear for herself… it was for Michael. And this fear didn't make Maria weaker, it made her stronger. Liz could see that in Maria's eyes, along with the worry.

"I really think they're okay," Liz said, praying she was right. "Come on, we'll hide upstairs. It's too open down here. We only have to give the guys a few minutes. If that thing searches the house for us, it will take a while. And if he comes upstairs, we'll run down the opposite stairway."

"You call that a plan? Run and hide?" Maria said.

"Best I could do on short notice," Liz said.

"Okay, but this way, I want to get something." Liz nodded and followed Maria through the house. When they

reached the fireplace, Maria went to the small rack nearby and picked up an iron poker. She handed it to Liz. Then she took one for herself.

Maria smiled and said, "So we can give Frankenstein another surprise."

Liz nodded again as Maria headed toward the curving front stairs. Images from her vision sprang to her mind. She considered heading through the house and taking the back stairs, then she dismissed the idea. For one, it would take more time. Secondly, in the vision, Maria had been running from the other direction. For now, the front stairs were safest.

Maria led the way up the stairs, holding the metal poker firmly in one hand. The girls moved quickly, trying to make as little noise as possible.

As they neared the top, Liz was unnerved by the fact that they could not hear any more noise. It is somewhere in the house, Liz thought. And it knew the house very well, much better than they did.

The second they stepped on the landing, Liz heard a crash downstairs. The sound came from the bottom of the stairs, somewhere in the living room. Without a word, Liz and Maria sprinted down the hallway. He knows we're up here, Liz thought. The house wasn't safe now. Maybe they could make it down the back stairs and then outside again. There were plenty of woods out there.

They crossed the hallway in seconds and started to slow down when they reached the other side, preparing to head down the stairs. Liz was in front, and they were about ten feet from the end when the creature came up the stairs.

The girls stopped dead, and Liz had to stifle a scream when she saw it with its hood off in the light of the hallway. How can anything that looks like that still be alive? she thought.

Maybe it isn't, her brain answered.

Maria took a few steps forward and raised her poker. "This is for my boyfriend," she said, bringing it down hard.

Watching her, Liz raised her own and got ready to swing it, but it got stuck in the air. Liz saw that Maria seemed frozen in space.

"Don't worry about your boyfriend," the creature said in a gravelly voice. "I would worry more about yourselves."

Suddenly, the poker in Liz's hand got too hot to hold. She let go at the same moment Maria did. Both pieces of iron hung in the air for a moment, then shot across the hallway, imbedding themselves into the wall.

Liz heard screaming and realized that one of the screams was hers. She didn't wait to see what happened next. Simultaneously, she and Maria turned around and ran.

Time seemed to slow like it did in a dream… or a vision. Then Liz realized why this moment seemed familiar: It was her vision. Maria was slightly ahead of her and sprinting down the hallway with a monster behind her.

Liz wanted to scream for Maria to stop, but then what? There was a monster behind them. And Liz had no illusions: This monster was deadly. Their only chance was to keep going, to get away. But she had seen that in her vision, and she knew how that dream ended for Maria.

Liz ran for her life.