Hell over high water

The Pem creature snickered as they left. " Run my little friends. We have all the time in the world to play."

 

The second Roger giggled. He stood in the doorway, waiting for them to notice him.

 

She was with the man named Cain, and he set her on her feet.

"Come on," he said, taking her by the hand.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

 

"I don't really know. We're just getting out of here."

Cain looked over at Jean. "Where should we go? A random room?"

 

The image of an impossibly ancient man with sheets of sagging, liver spotted skin where eyes should be, appeared before all of them. "Not so fast my playthings," he said. "We haven't played my game yet." The face stared at Cain. "You judged the Reverend evil and murdered him." The face then focused on Mouse. "You believed him to be your savior. Who is right? Which was my deception? Was Pem a saint or sinner? Devil or deliverer? Who was right Cain or Mouse? If you had it to do over would you still act the same way?"

As the face faded, they all heard a sob. Huddled in the corner covered in blood was the Reverend Mordecai Pem. He looked up silently.

The ancient voice whispered in each of their ears. "There is one one this ship you should kill, but who?"

 

She looked at the eyeless Pem. She was mad and tired of this run around. This death and fear infested ship was starting to get to her.

“You’re a demon.” She said, “Demons can’t be trusted. How do we know you didn’t just take over Pem like Mouse said. Demons are natural deceivers, that much I know.” She walked towards Pem, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Our choice should be rather simple.” She said, looking at the others.

 

"Ms. Bequem, surely you're not saying we should kill the reverend!"

 

The second Roger pouted. They were all standing with their backs to him - the nerve!

The second Roger lunged forward, knife in hand. He bashed the reverend over the head with the knife's handle, just as he'd done to the real Roger not long ago.

 

Jean jumped at the Roger, and grabbed for the knife. She blade cut her hand she struggled to pull it from him. She thrust the blade away, tossing it for Mouse to catch. She caught it on the handle, quickly hiding it in her nightgown. She came down next to the Reverend, putting her body, shielding him from the Roger demon.

"No!" she barked, holding tight to her Rosary, "No, leave him alone!"

 

The second Roger winced, holding his head. He grimaced and bit his lip, looking around. His eyes drifted from Cain to Mouse, who he smiled sweetly at. He began to walk towards her.

 

Armel dragged, himself back his fear letting go of him, he had to get out he had to tell everyone what needed to be done. It would not be long until Roger and the real Pem got up and moved once more, the demon was in them there was only one thing that could stop them now.

 

"Get back, you demon!" Mouse shouted, grabbing a vase off the dresser. She would kill him in cold blood if she had to. She hadn't forgotten the lessons her own father had taught her.

Go for the throat, Mouse. Broken glass against anyone's throat will stop them.

Mouse broke the top part of the vase off by smashing it against the desk it had been standing on and waited for Roger to come toward her.

 

The second Roger stopped, looking at Mouse fearfully. He backed away, holding up his hands as if surrendering. He bumped into Cain on accident, jumping forward in surprise. He grinned sheepishly and looked around at the others with a "What? What'd I do?" expression.

 

Roger and pem are now controled by the demon as the undead

 

Leon sagged down against the foot of the bed in Mister Brown's room, the last of the alcohol having trailed down his throat quite some time ago. He began laughing a little to himself as he tipped his hat up with the end of his gun. Crazy things had been happening since he got on this boat. Things no one should see...things that shouldn't be able to be seen.

With a hard clunk he dropped to empty bottle to the floor and struggled to his feet. Silently, he grabbed his guitar and strapped it to his back.

"Probably not a good idea to be alone 'round here," he said to himself as he trotted out of the bedroom door in search of the others.

"Wheelroom seems like the place to be..."

 

Both Roger and Pem seemed to convulse then, their bodies writhing in pain as the evil presence overtook them. The others stared on in disbelief, and Mouse watched as both men began to transform into something bigger--more powerful--than the human beings they had once been. Their clothes ripped from their bodies as they grew in size, and then Mose remembered the book.

The book! Where is it?

It was still in Reverend Pem's room, she was sure of it.

"Ms. Bequem! We must find the book!" Mouse said, taking the older woman by the hand.

 

Cain hurried and followed Mrs. Bequem and Mouse.

"What book?" he asked, frantically loading his pistol and preparing to fire at the demons.

 

"The book that was in the safe," Mouse said. "The evil presence, it's coming from that book and we have to destroy it!"

 

All Leon really had to do was follow the screaming and yelling. It led him right to the hall where the two demonic versions of the Reverend and Roger were chasing down Cain and Mouse. Leon tipped his hat down at Cain who could see him standing at the other end of the hall.

"Howdy boys..." he said just loud enough to catch the Reverend and Roger's attention. Both the hulking shapes turned to face him.

Leon punched a gloved fist through the back of his guitar and pulled out a shotgun. He discarded the broken instrument and began walking towards the monsters.

"You know how we deal with monsters like you back in America?" He said to the hideous things that were now moving towards him. squeezed the trigger as the reverend lunged at him. The spray of projectiles collided with the reverend just below the neck, blowing the head completely off and spraying blood all over the hall. He trained his aim on the other monster.

"Just like we do everything else...we shoot 'em."

He unloaded the chamber of the shotgun again, hitting the demonic roger just below the waist, removing one leg and badly injuring the other.

Leon looked up to Cain and Mouse. "You two get outa here now...do what you gotta do. I'll make sure nothin' here follows ya." He threw the shotgun to Cain. "Its out, but it'll help if ya can find some ammo."

 

The Pem creature looked at Mouse and smirked. "Do you mean this book?" As it opened it's claw tipped hands, the book was resting in it's palm. Pem snapped his hand shut as yellow green flames licked out from the fist. As the creature opened his hand again, the book was gone.

 

"Leon! Shoot it!" cried Cain. He took aim and fired at the book, hoping to somehow destroy the demons by eliminating the evil tome.

 

The bullets flew into the space where the book once was. Pem pointed a talon at Cain. A sharp pain gripped his chest forcing him to drop to his knees. The gun dropped to his side. The Pem creature scooped up the tattered remains of Pem's jacket and pulled out the Revrend's hip flask.

"Have a drink Cain," he said, " it's a special brew. I promise, one sip and all your problems will go away."

A foul odor rose from the flask.

 

Cain gagged and coughed up blood. But this was one drink he was going to refuse. The angel and the devil on his shoulder both told him not to drink, and we going to listen.

"What do you want?" he asked weakly, fumbling to grab his pistol.

I gotta go to bed. You can control me, just don't kill me.

 

Jean watched from the sidelines not sure what to do. She looked over at Cain, who was obviously in trouble. She held on tight to her husband's rosary in front of her.

I know I don't believe in you God, but Henry sure did. Protect these people, if not just for their youth and innocence. She thought.

She didn't know who was talking to, frankly she didn't care. She tossed her Rosary to Cain, and quickly grabbed the dropped knife from the floor. She remembered it being in Mouse's nightgown. Must have fallen out. She ran at what use to be the Reverend, hoping she'd make her mark.

 

Mouse watched on, wondering if they would make it out of here alive.