Hell over high water

Ms. Bequem sank the knife deep into Pem's thigh. A thick, tar like, ooze seeping from the wound. He turned slowly are smiled at the woman. Pem's mouth split like a jac o lantern revealing rows and rows of needle like teeth. The Reverend's neck suddenly stretched forward the needle fangs ripping a large chunk of flesh from her back.

 

She fell back, landing on her arms as the blood came rushing out. She held back the screams as she looked back at Mouse. Maybe if she could save the child’s life, the last of her life wouldn’t be wasted. She could feel her body weakening, and the pulsating pain in her body was transformed into a kind of Euphoria.

The movements of the others slowed to almost a stand still. She struggled to grab her purse from her gown, and pulled out the key that belonged to her chest. It had her treasures from most of her life in it. It contained every crucifix and bottle of holy water her precious Henry had spent years going around the world for. His treasures would hopefully become their protection.

She looked at Mouse one last time, giving her a smile. She threw the key, as the little girl caught it in her small hands.

“My chest in the study.” She said as her weakness became eminent. She paused momentarily, noticing the menacing look in the demon’s eyes. She knew her end was near. She also knew the little girl wouldn’t just let her go, she knew she’d have to prevent that.

“I love you dear Elizabeth, promise me you won’t avenge, you’ll run. Run.” She said. Her every word felt like a dream as she watched the little girl shake her head.

Her breathing was hard as she looked at the demon, “For a Reverend. It was imbecilic of you to pick the side you know will have to lose. You should know, God always wins.” She spit at him, and fell to the ground.

She looked at the Reverend in the eyes. She knew she was right for once. Her logic wasn’t getting in the way, maybe she did have some faith left in her last breaths.

 

Dana closed the door to the wheelhouse. He could hear everything - it didn't sound good.

There was a soft moan from behind him. He turned to see Roger squinting up at the ceiling, looking dazed. He grimaced, holding his head, and Dana rushed towards him.

The smaller boy touched his face, smearing the blood on his nose just a little bit. He looked at his hand, puzzled, and Dana dabbed his face with the blanket.

"How are you feeling?" Dana asked hopefully.

Roger stared at him, as if just realizing he was there. He was awake, which was good, but he didn't seem there. Dana ran a hand through his nappy, red hair, forcing on a sweet smile. Roger didn't respond.

 

The Pem creature's pure white eyes regarded Ms. Bequem for a moment. It craned it's neck until it was an inch from the woman. "Perhaps," the Pem thing purred, "but not today." Those were the last word Ms. Bequem heard as she released her finaly breath.

Mouse screamed. Cain and Leon swore.

The thing that was once Reverend Pem watched what no one else could see. Ms. Bequem's spirit rising. From somewhere deep inside the Reverend Pem gained a moment's control. He watched Ms. Bequem hug her husband and smile. The beauty of the paradise making her forget the horrors of the ship.

At that moment, Pem realized he was damned. All those years of searching forbidden knowledge had brought him here. Possessed and damned. In that moment, the last vestige of the Reverend Pem's humanity were burned away in a sea of hate. The creature turned to back to the remaining passangers and smiled. They would know his pain.

 

"...promise me you won’t avenge, you’ll run. Run.”

Mouse looked at Ms. Bequem, wanting to run to her, yet knowing that she mustn't. Bitter tears welled up in her eyes then as she watched the demon walk closer to her.

"I love you too," Mouse said, and turned to run, trying not to think of what was going to happen to the woman who'd taken care of her all this time. Their room wasn't far away, and soon Mouse was inside, frantically looking for the chest in the study. A covered cage buzzed with life, and Mouse wondered what sort of insects were beneath the dark colored cotton sheet.

Come on, come on, where's the chest?

She looked behind the desk, under the table next to it, and beneath the pile of dirty clothes Ms. Bequem had stacked neatly in the corner of the room. Still, she could not find it.

It has to be here somewhere.

The Pem thing entered the room then. "It has to be here somewhere," He mocked, laughing. "I know where the chest is."

 

Pem was gone. Mrs. Bequem was gone. Clair was gone. Roger was gone.

They were all gone.

Fighting to keep what was left of his sanity, Cain ran. And ran. And ran.

He had no idea where Mouse had gone, so he tried yelling for her, but he heard nothing.

The only thing he could think of was to find the book. If he could somehow destroy it, maybe that would destroy the Pem-monster.

"Where would he put it...where would he put it?"

Cain had already tried Pem's room, but where else would a demon hide a book?

The rosary hung from his neck. He never really believed in those types of things, but he figured right now he'd need all the help he could get.

"Dear God...help me find the book...help me destroy that...thing in there...and save everyone...and if you do...I'll never have another drink...ever...not even in heaven..."

 

More shouts. What the hell was going on?

Dana peered out just as Mouse rushed passed him. She was alone - that couldn't be good.

He bit his lip, glancing back at Roger. He'd gotten the younger boy to sit up, but he hadn't said a word. Dana worried if maybe the reverend had done some serious damage...

He hesitated. Roger was out of it, but he was bigger and strong than the little girl. And she was on her own - something must've happened to the woman that was with her.

That woman - Dana couldn't recall her name, but...she'd done so much for them. She couldn't be...

He shook his head. No time to think about things like that. He needed to do something to help.

"Wait here," he said to Roger, "Don't go out, don't open the door. Just wait for me."

After a moment's hesitation, Dana decided to leave the knife with him. The young woman's lantern still lay on the floor, broken in half. Dana grabbed it and followed Mouse to the woman's room.

He arrived, but just seconds too late. There was something in the room with her - something big and hideous.

What is that!?



Just down the hallway, Roger had wandered through the opened door leading to Pem's room. He saw Cain and stumbled towards him, gripping the knife tightly.

 

The Pem creature looked toward the doorway where Dana stood just as Mouse spotted the chest. It was lying underneath a floral patterned suitcase in one corner of the room.

"Ah! Look who it is!" Pem said, gazing at Dana. "It's the girly boy!"

"Shut up," Dana said. "You just shut up!"

Mouse was already across the room, pulling the heavy suitcase off of the chest. Her hands were shaking as she tried fitting the key into the keyhole, but finally she managed to open it. Inside there were crusifixes of various size and shape, some quite simple in design, others with elaborate ornamentation. In addition to these, there were several small vials of what appeared to be holy water. Mouse grabbed one of them and opened it, putting an index finger over the top to act as a cap--she didn't want any of the precious liquid to spill out as she ran toward the Pem creature.

He was walking toward Dana now, his back turned toward Mouse.

"You're a very foolish boy," the Pem creature said as Mouse approached. She lifted her finger from the top of the vial then and threw the water against his back.

"Die! Go back to Hell where you belong!" She screamed.

The Pem creature howled in pain as his flesh sizzled and acrid smoke rose from body.

"You bitch! You burned me!"

Mouse ran back to the chest and grabbed as many of the vials as she could hold and ran past the Pem creature. He was on the floor now, writhing in agony, but Mouse knew he wouldn't stay there for long. Whatever power the holy water held over him, it wasn't enough to actually kill him. At best it could buy them more time to find the book. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. At least they now had a weapon to use against the demon creatures. Mouse handed several of the vials to Dana.

"Here, take these! We have to get out of here and find the others. And somehow we have to find that book! It's the only way we're going to be able to kill the evil spirit."

 

As the holy water sizzled away, the Pem creature turned towards the doorway. The book wouldn't be that hard to find if they were truly clever. The creature turned towards 2nd Roger. "Then, " Pem said, "the real fun begins."

 

"One of them must be sacrificed during the ritual," the Pem creature said.

The thing that had once been Roger understood immediately what they would have to do in order to summon the beast.

"There is an altar in the room where the church services are held on this ship, and we will perform the ritual there," Pem said.

"At midnight," Roger said.

"Yes, my friend. At midnight."

 

Armel had managed to sliver away from the demon, it seemed most intent on spending quality time with its play mates, now there were some things that needed to be done. He took a lantern that was hanging outside a cabin and checked his pockets, ah yes there were matches smoking a past time he enjoyed. He gently laid his violin next to the door. There would be no more sweet music, no realise from what his parents wanted or from what the lurking evil wanted. He hurried down the halls into the galley there was a metal bucket there he filled it with water from a large keg and walked out of the galley careful not to spill any of the contents. He couldn’t help looking over his shoulder as he weaved his way through the halls. It was strange how small the party on the ocean liner seemed, there were more passengers weren’t there?

Into the ball room and the dead laid with staring eyes and twisted limbs. Endless moans had Armel struck with grief, this was all his fault. Arms reached out to him and several times he thought to stop and put some of these poor people out of there misery, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Armel was not a born killer. His boots were sticky clogged with congealed blood, the contents of entrails and stomachs. He was shaking, water was splashing from the bucket Armel tried to steady himself, the Pem creature couldn’t have done all this could he?

Oh no this was much worse, it was the deceased now controlled by the Unseelie. He hurried through a door and down a narrow flight of stairs. Beneath the engine room awaited. It stunk of charred flesh and crisped hair. Armel gagged at the smell. He forced himself to move though his mind screamed at him to stay away. It was hot down here the fires still burned bright casting dancing patterns across stained walls. He took his bucket to the fire and threw the contents over it. They still burned through a little dull now. He had to fetch more water. This ship could not be allowed back to land.


Armel is killing the fires and will soon move on to releasing all of the lifeboats. If you want off this rust bucket, something must be done!

 

The vials clattered to the floor, but thankfully didn't break. Dana scooped them up and got the hell outta there.

What was going on? What was that thing? He didn't know, but he really didn't care to find out.

These vials - whatever was in there was able to hurt the creatures. If they could hold them off just long enough to get to the lifeboats, they'd be saved.

Dana burst into the wheelhouse.

"Roger! Come on!"

But the room was empty. The first mate had been missing for a while. There was the charred thing on the floor and the blood-stained blanket, but no Roger.

Cold fear gnawed at the back of his mind. Roger couldn't have wandered off, could he? He wasn't well. The reverend, he'd done something to him. He couldn't do anything now - he couldn't protect himself if...

The blonde boy swore loudly, storming out of the room. Where the hell did he go?

The storm was getting rough. The whole world seemed to jump and jerk with the sea. The cotton stuffed in Dana's wound was all used up - it bled and stung like nothing he'd ever felt before. He began to grow dizzy and weak, but he refused to stop. He had to find Roger - he had to find him before those things did.

 

Mouse and Dana looked for Roger outside the wheelhouse, but not a trace of the red-haired boy could be found.

"What should we do?" Dana asked. Mouse considered his question, knowing that they needed to find the book even if they couldn't find Roger. Outside, the storm raged on as they heard a sound coming from down the hallway. Mouse watched as the doorway to the ballroom creaked open and a man emerged. He was tall, pallid, and began walking toward them with a stiff gait.

"Oh thank God, another survivor!" Dana said. "Sir, are you alright? We're looking for a boy who's been injured quite badly and--"

"Death," the man interrupted, drawing nearer.

Fear began threading its way through Mouse then. The man's face wasn't merely pale, it was ashen, as if all the blood inside his body had stopped pumping hours, perhaps even days ago. And there was something wrong with his eyes, too. Instead of having any distinguishable color, they held a milky white film that glistened under the lights of the hallway.

"Pardon me sir, but are you saying that my friend is dead?" Dana asked.

"Dana, he's not human anymore," Mouse said, as three more of the ashen-faced creatures emerged from the ballroom doorway--two women and a short, bespectacled man this time. They, too, began walking toward Mouse and Dana.

Dana stood, dumbfounded, as Mouse pulled on his hand. "Come on! We have to go! We have to find the book!"

 

Cain ran as fast as he could, frantically searching in every room for the book.

"Where would he keep it..." thought Cain. "There's got to be some logical place to hide the book...something...evil."

Suddenly he was struck with an idea. The number of evil, 666. Was there even a room 666? If there was, Cain reasoned, that might be where the Pem-demon hid the book.

"There is no room 666."

Cain spun around to see a young boy and girl. Their eyes were pale and distant, but they were staring at him. They were bouncing a ball back and forth.

"But the book is in the bar," the boy said, still bouncing the ball.

"The what?" Cain asked.

"Where you grown-ups drink beer," the girl said.

Cain began to sweat. But he knew they told the truth.

"Thanks..." He turned and began to head towards the bar.

Looking to his right, he noticed that the escape boats were out.

"No..." he whispered.

"What do I do?" he whispered.

The angel on his shoulder tugged at him. "You've got to find the book! Without it, they'll all die!"

The demon cackled. "No! Get out of here! Take the boats!"

Cain was still running. But, he knew what he had to do.

"I'm going to find the book!" he cried.

After a few minutes, he was at the bar. He ran behind it, and looked around the cabinets. Nothing so far...nothing...what was this?

He had found it. It was hidden under some shot glasses.

"Now I've just got to destroy it!"

Cain fumbled around for the knives and grabbed one.

"Here goes nothing!"

 

"You go find the book," said Dana, "I'll look for Roger."

Dana looked at the vials she'd given him - he didn't know what was in them, but it'd done some damage to that...thing. He yanked out the stopper in one and hurled it at the pale people approaching them.

A lot shriek, sizzling, a burning smell. One of the women staggered backwards, flailing and screaming in pain. Success!

Dana shoved passed her and raced down the hall, screaming his companion's name.


Roger had followed Cain into the bar, and was now walking towards him, knife in hand. He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but all that came out was a strained "Ah".

 

Mouse rounded the corner of the hallway just in time to see Roger enter the bar. His red hair was matted to his head in dark clumps where Pem had stabbed him and in his hand he held a knife.

"Roger!" Mouse shouted. Roger looked toward her, his face expressionless.

Then he walked through the door of the bar.

 

Dana heard Mouse call Roger's name and ran to her. She stood by the door to the bar, looking frightened.

"What happened?" asked Dana. "Did you see him?"

 

"Yes! We must go and find what or who he's after," Mouse said, creeping toward the doorway.

The Unseeley were already finding them, two coming up from a staircase at one end of the hall, and three more coming from the other end.

"But what do we do when they get here?"

 

The knife swung down and pierced the book.

Cain thought he say something the book writhe somehow, as if in pain, but he wasn't sure. He had expected it to scream in pain or vanish in a puff of smoke, or something more climactic.

But he did see the clouds clear away, and the bloody writing vanished from the wall.

"I...I did it!" Cain cried.

He looked over to see Mouse, Roger, and Dana not too far from where he stood.

Well guys, I've been kind of busy, but I heard that Gloom Kitty was going to shut this down, so I wanted to get some closure.

 

Dana spotted Roger and dashed into the room. He grabbed the smaller boy by the hand, stopping as the clouds began to clear away.

The dark-haired man from before yelled triumphantly. What just happened? Was it...was it over?

Not that easy. No way.

Roger cocked his head at the man, looking vaguelly confused. Dana began to lead him out of the room.

"Come on," he said to no one in particular, "Let's go."

 

The Pem creature screamed, shrieked, and bellowed. Its form slowly pushed through the bar's mirror. It looked deep into Cain's eyes and shrieked a final time before vanishing.

Dripped in sweat, breathing heavily Cain smiled. "It's over," he said.

"The devil's greatest trick was convincing man he did not exist," said a voice behind Cain. He turned to see Eyeless Pem smiling. "My greatest trick was making you think the book mattered."

As the image of Pem vanished, the bar caught fire.

 

Cain screamed and leapt over the bar, his coat catching fire. He tossed it off and rolled on the floor, putting it out.

"Damn!" he screamed, tears flowing down his face. He thought he had done it; he thought he had saved them. But now, there was really only one way to survive: get out.

And so, for the final time, he began to run, and run fast.

Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Cain charged through the twisting corridors of the ship until he reached the escape boats. Mouse, Roger, and Dana were entering one as he arrived.

"Hey! Let me on!"

 

Eyeless Pem stood at the end of the corridor calling Cain. "The Reverend Pem ... the real one ... is still here somewhere Cain. Would you leave him?" The sound of the Reverend filled the corridors. Eyeless Pem smiled. "Your choice."

 

Cain stopped, his foot hovering over the boat. Was it true?

"No..." he mumbled. The Devil always lied, he knew. But the memories of the kindly Pem who talked and drank with him came unbidden to his mind.

"Come on!" cried Mouse.

"Wait!" Cain called. "Wait just a few minutes. I've got to see if Pem is still there!"

He turned and ran, not knowing if he had just made the biggest, and last, mistake of his life.

 

The muffled sobs of the Reverend Pem came from behind a door to Cain's left. It was room 13.