Chapter 31: Exhumed Remains of a Reanimated Nature
“That’s just the personage of supernatural significance,” said Phoenie, “What else could it be?”
What else indeed! The idea that there could be more secrets hidden in this run-down slum only piqued her curiosity further. At last her moment of glory was at hand! (Hadn’t she thought that before recently? Something else to note down in ‘the book’…)
“Paranoia,” replied Theseus, “You idiots are all as bad as one another,”
“Nothing on the night vision,” said John, “I could try heat, but I severely doubt that will pick up anything,”
Katrina was taking auragraphic pictures, though. They would pick up all sorts of amazing things John would try and explain with his flawed science. It was only a matter of time before he was flummoxed for good and had to admit she was right. (If her intuition was right, tonight would be that night!)
The other key to the truth, Phantasia Celeste, didn’t look as eager to explore the ruins as Katrina. For some reason she was more inclined to stay downstairs with that paranoid schizophrenic, Dante Orpheus (quite why he’d been dragged into a serious paranormal investigation with his mental instability, she didn’t know). Phoenie pushed open a door and glanced back at the ethereal looking psychic.
“Are the two of you staying down there?” she asked, “I’m pressing on into the bowels of this mystery mansion. If you’re concerned, maybe you could meditate on—”
She’d turned around the check the contents of the room when the scream took an instinctual hold of her vocal chords. Andromeda and Katrina must have noticed the sagged grey flesh and bloodstained rags at the same time because they were screaming too. Even Theseus was terrified and uttered a string of foul expletives.
Run! That was the only option. Get out. Re-plan. Arm themselves. They stumbled out onto the balcony in unison, Phantasia and Orpheus standing oblivious below. Phoenie was about to warn them when she noticed another army of the frail-limbed monsters coming towards them. They’d never reach the stairs in time! They had to prioritise. Find another route. Another door. She barged through the closest, followed by her team, and hoped for the best.
They stumbled into the remains of a dining room, the door slamming behind them. A thousand years ago it could have served a large family or three but now all that remained was a broken table buried under a collapsed ceiling. But there was no time to take in minor details – they were right behind them. The door clattered and Phoenie imagined long fingernails clawing away at the decayed wood.
“We can’t stop here!” she said, urging her team onwards, “We need to find higher ground!” (They wouldn’t be able to climb. It was the logical option.)
The door crashed open and the figures flooded into the room. Andromeda and John fled for the other door while Katrina backed away taking auragraphs. Theseus slung himself between the group and their hunters, and then dug a powerful fist into the closest stomach. The figure keeled over but those behind shoved it aside.
“Damn, these guys are crazy,” said Theseus, taking cautious steps backwards, “Hell knows what they’re on, but I ain’t sticking around to ask ‘em,”
The group stumbled across a kitchen packed with rubble, though an adjoining hallway and then crashed through the first welcoming door. The gamble paid off – they were alone – and Phoenie breathed a deep sign of relief.
