Hobbs Hollow

"The weather is turning to shite." Ben began. "We just finished a cold breakfast and we are looking for it."

"Tell them." The Scottish girl urged. "Tell them about the mine."

"You are right of course," Ben said and then cleared his voice. "The first shaft of the silver mine was dug back in the early nineteenth century. Even then the Crane family's influence on the town was growing. They married into the Hobbs bloodline to disguise their own tainted history. More on that later." He added before he continued. "The mine was quite successful and produced a fortune in silver, gold, and the red clay that christened the house and stained the hands of the miners. As the shafts closer to the surface began to play out, they dug deeper into the Earth. They dug too deep! It is almost like the dwarves of Moria in Master Tolkien's story. I don't have definitive proof, but the legend goes that they found a door." He stopped at this point and I could hear whispers but not make out what they were saying. Ben's voice returned shaking and unsure. "The door was made of a metal that none of the miners, engineers, or geologists could identify. They used explosives and blasted it open."

The file ended there. I looked at the time stamp on the next file and it is eight hours later. Why had they waited so long? Had something happened? Only one way to find out.

"We found it. The shaft they dug from beneath the house to the door. We have our holy water ready and I have gone back and strung a rope for an easier escape. We had to put our coats on because of how cold it is. We are going in." Ben stated as something whispered beneath his own voice. I played it back and listened. "We are going in... how sweet fresh meat." I paused it and realized I didn't have any rope to escape. I searched their supplies and no luck the rope wasn't there. I pressed play. "I've thrown the glow stick down as far as I can. It's yellow-green glow is only a bit reassuring. There is a soft cold breeze coming from the mine. I'm having second thoughts."

"Did you hear that?" Stacy asked her voice trembling with near panic.

"No." The Scottish girl said. "Wait... there is something."

A deep breathing can be heard. It is low and menacing. "Come on down!" A voice urges.

"Holy shit... what the hell is that?" Ben asks just before the screaming begins and the recording ends.

The rest of the files are corrupted and unplayable. I was lucky to get that much. I place the recorder in my pack and weigh my options. The panels in the ceiling are closed and more than likely locked into place so no getting out that way. I can see if there is another staircase up somewhere down here. If they family came down here, they must have built one. I headed down the left side of the hallway to see if there were steps that way. I checked the doors and found nothing.

"Fuck!" I cursed not wanting to be forced to heading to what had to be the opening to the mine. "Fine." I stated admitting defeat. "I am heading for what must be entrance to the shaft."

I checked the doors further down the right-hand side. They were clean and empty unlike how Ben had described them. The hall ended in an impressive iron bound door. The hinges looked like they were recently greased. Someone had been down here and not that long ago. The door opened easily and that worried more than squeaking hinges ever could. The chamber beyond was a crypt. The twenty-foot ceiling allowed for dozens of rectangular niches and in them coffins. Welcome to the Tomb of the Family Hobbs/Crane. All four walls were the last resting place to a member of the family.

"Joy." I growled as I pushed down my growing sense of panic. "I hear one single creak from any of you assholes and I'll burn you... hold on! Hold the fuck on! Why didn't this get burnt up?" I filmed all four walls including two doors. One was a heavy wooden door and the second was a second iron bound door but this one was chained and had a single heavy pad lock. "Which one leads to the mine? Surely they wouldn't chain the way up from this side."

I yanked the wooden door open and ten feet beyond the yawning mouth of the mine shaft. I slammed the door shut.

"Fuck you Crane!" I cursed as I walked to the chained door and set down my pack. I took out my lock pick set and went to work. "I am the fuck out of here!"

"Going somewhere?" A demonic voice whispered from the other side of the wooden door.

"Yep." I said as I reached in and grabbed five of the glass spheres. Spheres that were beginning to shine as the wooden door slowly opened. I slipped them into a pocket and continued.

"Don't be like that Forrester," the thing whispered as I focused on the lock. "We can have tons of fun. You are alone down here. The others have abandoned you."

"Good! That means they are safe." I growled as the last pin in the lock fought me. The temperature plummeted and my breath came in great heaving gasps as I willed my hands not to shake.

"Turn around Forrester." It demanded. "Turn around or I'll rip your entrails out through your asshole!"

"Since you put it so nicely... Jesus Fucking Christ!" I cursed seeing the unholy thing. "What the hell?" I asked as I felt my mind start to fray and snap.

"Aw, don't be like that," the amorphous abomination purred. "We can be friends." It said its voice changing to that of Benjamin Quatermass. "We'll make movies together."

"I... won't..." I stumbled as the power of speech seemed beyond me. I plunged my hand into my pocket and managed to grab a single glass orb. "Holy... water..." I moaned as I felt my mind slipping away.

"Idiot. The others thought the church was safe from my influence." It moaned as it reached out for me. I threw blindly as my vision began to fail. It shrieked as the glass struck and shattered spilling its contents onto the thing's unhallowed pseudo flesh. "Kill!" It screamed as I grabbed for more. I flung two this time and it recoiled as its outer layer burned and melted. I clapped my hands over my ears as it fled down into the earth.

"Escape." I muttered repeatedly. I kicked the wooden door shut. Somehow my hands still functioned. The smell of burned demonic flesh was nearly overwhelming. My sanity hung by a fingernail over an abyss.

"Tell me how you did it? Where did the holy water come from?" Olivia's voice called out of the swirling madness.

"I blessed it myself." I admitted. "I couldn't tell you before you might not have believed and then it would have been worthless." I stammered as I tried and failed to hold onto the lock pick. It tumbled from my nerveless fingers. "Damn it!"

"You are hardly priestly material Forrester." She continued. "How did it hurt that thing?"

"I may not be a godly man, but I believe. I know there is a god up there somewhere." I cried out only now realizing I was shrieking. "You got to have faith."

"Faith. You are pathetic!" Her voice changed as the demon's bulk settled against the other side of the wooden door. I heard it creak and groan in complaint. "I am regenerating Forrester! Once I do, I am going to skin you alive and while you are still conscious tear your heart out of your chest and eat it before you die. I'll wear your skin like a suit and parade around town with that stupid grin on your face."

"I got more holy water where that came from asshole!" I screamed as I picked up the tool and worked it into the lock. "Did you give Jolly Jack that Lament Configuration?"

"No, he found that somewhere else." It growled. "Besides, I hate competition."

"You are sounding better, why not stick your ugly mug out so I can paste it with a few spheres." I roared as I felt the pick click. I released the last pin and the lock opened. I pulled on the chains and yanked the door open. I pulled it shut behind me and stopped. I set the last two glass orbs at the bottom of the steps against the door. I lumbered up the steps lugging the camera in one hand and my pack in the other. I looked back once to see the shimmering water guarding the entrance to the thing's lair. It was just temporary but for now we could escape. I had to pick a second chained and locked door. I opened it and beyond the door was blocked. I pushed and to the surprise of the others I emerged from behind the grandfather clock just at the stroke of twelve. I dropped to my knees, took out a pair of glass orbs and set them behind the clock.

"Just in case." I whispered my voice to hoarse to speak much louder for now.

"Medici!" Cassandra declared surprised. "You are alive!"

"Why are you still here?" I snapped. "We need to go!"

"All the equipment is packed." Don informed me. "I'll take..."

"NO! Gods no! Can't let... Out! We need to get the fuck out of here!" I nearly screamed as noises began to filter down from the second floor. "Don't wait for me... Go!"

We raced out of the House of Chaythe. Olivia carried my video camera and Madison my pack. We reached the vehicles as the cries, screams, and wails of the damned carried out to the cars and vans. Cassandra seemed unphased by it all. The others however looked from me to Cassandra and waited for an explanation.

"Drinks are on me." Cassandra offered.

"You bitch!" Madison cursed as she cupped her hand and bitch slapped the blonde, but it had little effect.

Madison stormed off and as she walked away, I dug into my pack and grabbed three of the holy water orbs. Something the demon had said struck a nerve, that along with Cassandra's behavior made me think she was dead or worse.

"I could use a drink." I said as I removed the memory card from the video camera. "Worse than Shallowsea by light years." I stated the panic reaching terror level again. I had the glass spheres cupped in my hand and damn how they glowed in Cassandra's presence. "I hope I'm wrong." I said before I flung one of them straight at her face.

"What are you..." She said but the unearthly shriek caused instant panic. "Damn you Forrester!" It cursed as the fragile shell the thing had used began to melt. I lopped the last two at those glorious tits.

"Sorry love." I whispered as the holy water scalded it and drove it back into the house.

What had begun as a staggered run quickly devolved into it abandoning its puppet and slithering through the open door of the House of Chaythe. I hadn't killed it; I had only hurt it. I had revealed its weakness and for that I was at risk, would always be so from this moment on. I was on my knees weeping when they pulled me into one of the vehicles. I let go and fell into a troubled sleep. I woke in the backseat of my car. The soft vibration of the road was reassuring.

"He finally quit crying." Madison whispered. "What happened back there?"

"I didn't see. I was too busy running. Is he going to be okay?" Tori asked.

"Yes. He has to." Madison's voice shook as she fought back the tears. "He is the only family I have. He saved me from starvation, and I owe him everything."

"Speaking of owing him." Tori chuckled. "You think he'll still want to... you know?"

"Yes!" I croaked from my prone position. "That ass belongs to me!"

"Oh, thank god!" Madison exclaimed as Tori crawled over the seat and joined me. "Down girl! Let him rest."

"I will. I just want to hold him." Tori stated. "I got you." She said as she pulled me into her embrace. "I got you Forrester!" The thing's voice came from Tori's mouth.

I screamed as I woke up. I wasn't sure of my surroundings at first. I sat up in the huge bed in the King's room. The door opened and Madison stepped in. She looked shattered.

"Come here." I said and she raced into my arms. I held her close as she lost all composure.

"He's dead!" She wept openly. "He was such a nice guy!"

"Who?"

"Ted! His heart gave out. They are calling it a massive shock or aneurism. They won't know until they do an autopsy. I thought I would lose you too." She stammered. "Don't leave me!"

"I got you." I said feeling a small measure of strength. "Is everyone else okay?"

"Yeah. They can't find Cassandra through." She remarked. "They don't expect to until the fire is contained. The house is an inferno."

We got up and pulled the drapes away from the window. The tree line was a light from the blaze. Did it make it back to the mine shaft? Could the fire even hurt it? I got dressed and went down to join the few that had decided to stay. Ted's crew were waiting until they got an answer about his sudden death. Tori was helping the Widow out. She launched herself into my arms and I held her.

"I dreamt about you." I told her.

"Good things I hope." She replied wiping tears from her bloodshot eyes. There was a lot of that going on.

"Wonderful things," I lied.

"Shallow Sea?" Madison said. "You've mentioned it twice. What happened?"

"No, it is Shallowsea, as in one word. It was an isolated coastal city on an island not far off the British coastline." I began. "It is a smoldering ruin now, but back in its heyday it was really quite something..."