Part 2

The first thing she smelt was gas. Groaning she slowly raised her head to look around. The front windshield was smashed and a tree limb was sticking through the car. One of the lights were still running and it shone through the foggy night, lighting only a few trees that were in it's path.

"Emily, are you okay?" she heard Ryan ask and she felt his hand on her shoulder.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her hands were shaking as she raised them to her head. A headache was starting and she found the source of it. A bump that was caused when her head had hit the side of her door was raised up and blood flowed from a small cut.

"Troy! Miranda!" Ryan called rising so he could look at the front passengers. Troy groaned and Emily saw Miranda move her head. Relief flooded through her as both young people moved in their seats.

The next five minutes seemed like hours as Ryan and Emily helped Troy and Miranda out of the crushed vehicle. Miranda was scratched from the glass of the windshield and Troy also had a big head wound. Ryan had a few scratches also but to everyone's relief nobody had been seriously hurt.

Ryan ran a hand through his blond hair, trying to think of what to do next.

"A cell phone would do nicely right now." Emily muttered as she leaned against the car.

"We could wait until a car comes along, but this late, it might be awhile." Ryan said, looking at Emily.

"Why don't we just see who lives nearby?" Troy piped up.

"We don't even have a flash light." Ryan said, frowning at Troy.

"So. Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark."

Emily quickly got between the two young men before they started flying fists at each other.

"Look, Troy does have a point. There's bound to be someone that lives out here."

Ryan sighed but gave in. After making sure Miranda could stand and walk okay, the four started out on their search.

"Man, my head hurts." Troy muttered.

"Oh quit complaining. We all hurt." Ryan growled back.

"I..don't feel so good." Miranda muttered and a few seconds later she threw up in the nearby bushes.

"Oh that's gross." Troy said.

"Oh knock it off!" Ryan shouted. "You're the one that got us in this mess."

"Me?!" Troy shouted back, stepping closer to Ryan.

"Guys!" Emily shouted, running between them. "Let's all get along. We need to work together to get ourselves out of here."

That shut them up and they started off again.

"Look! I see lights!" Troy shouted pointing towards a light off to their right. "Looks like a building!"

At that moment, there was a flash of lightning and thunder rumbled across the dark sky.

"Let's go check it out." Ryan said, knowing all of them would rather be undercover then outside in a storm. The four trudged up the steep incline to where a ramshackle building stood. It was not a house but looked to have been a warehouse or office of somekind. As they neared it, the light they had seen disappeared and they were left standing in front of the house with only what was left of the full moon under the dark storm clouds, lighting their way.

"Someone's in there." Troy said, walking quickly up to the door. Before anyone could stop him, he was knocking on the wood door. His knock seemed to echo through out the house, giving Emily goosebumps. She didn't like the look of this place.

There was no answer for several minutes. To everyone's surprise, Troy tried the door handle and the door flew open, revealing a dark room inside. "Come on!" Troy said, a grin on his face and he disappeared inside.

Miranda eagerly followed and Ryan, giving Emily a sympathetic look, followed her in. Emily shuddered as the floor creaked under her feet and the smell was like an old closet that hadn't been open for ages. She could make out doors and a stairway ahead because of the moon spilling in through the open door and windows.

Troy was already bounding up the stairs, shouting, "Hello! Anyone here?"

Miranda was looking sick again as she sat on the stairs, her face pale.

"Troy! Come back here!" Ryan yelled but all he heard was Troy's footsteps going farther back into the strange building.

Emily swallowed hard, her nerves causing her to feel cold and very afraid. "I wonder..what this building use to be used for."

"I don't know. I've never seen it before." Ryan answered walking towards her. She felt his arm brush hers and she felt better knowing he was beside her. "Although, if it is the same one I've heard so many rumors about, I would rather leave now and not come back."

"Rumors?"

Ryan shrugged looking around. "It's nothing really. The whole town uses them for ghost stories on Halloween."

Emily didn't really want to hear them, but she asked anyway. "Tell me."

Ryan licked his lips. "Oh, well, one of them was that this brother and sister ran away from home and some say that they had come upon an old building and were never heard from again."

Emily shuddered again. She hated even watching horror movies, and yet this was looking more and more like one.

They stood there for several minutes, waiting for any response from Troy, but none came. "I'm not likeing this one bit." Ryan muttered after calling Troy's name again but just hearing his echo call back.

"Maybe we should leave." Miranda muttered, half out of it as she leaned against the stairway.

"We can't just leave Troy in here." Ryan said, concern for his friend showing in his face.

Suddenly Miranda sat up. "Did you hear that? It's Troy!"

"What? I didn't..." Ryan said but before he could finish, Miranda was up on her feet and bounding up the stairs!

"Wait! Miranda!" Ryan shouted, following her up the stairs with a reluctant Emily following behind him.

"Troy!" they heard Miranda shout and her voice was getting softer and softer as she got farther away.

"Miranda wait! We should stick together!" Ryan shouted again, running up the stairs even faster.

Emily heard something slam from behind her, but she was could only rush after Ryan, praying that Miranda didn't do something stupid.

Gasping for breath, she finally got to the top to see Ryan looking at her, his eyes wide. "I can't find her. She..she disappeared!"

"What? But..."

Ryan ran a hand over his face. "I don't know where she went. I..I got up here when her voice suddenly stopped."

"Ryan, I'm not liking this at all." Emily said, her body trembling in fear.

"I know." Ryan agreed. "Miranda! Troy! Where are you?" he yelled again yet there was still no response.

"Maybe..maybe their playing a trick." Emily muttered, not believing the words even as they came out of her mouth.

Ryan shook his head. "I don't think so. Something is not right about this building."

Turning towards Emily he whispered. "Like whatever happened to that figure Troy nearly hit?"

Emily's eyes grew big. "I forgot about that! I don't know."

"Then the light disappearing as we got here." Ryan continued.

Emily put a hand to her mouth. "Maybe..we should go for help."

Ryan nodded, looking one last time at the dark hall that Miranda had disappeared into. Grabbing Emily's hand, they started down the stairs when suddenly they heard an ear piercing scream echo down the hall!

"Miranda!" Emily cried and both of them ran down the dark hall in the direction of the scream. As they jogged down the hall, Emily felt herself clutching Ryan's hand tighter. Something was defiantly not right about this place.

The hall seemed to get lighter and Emily noticed small lamps lit the way as they went deeper down the hallway. Ryan stopped as they saw several doors on both sides of them. No other sound could be heard except the hard breathing by Ryan and Emily.

"Where are they?" Ryan said, anger and fright in his voice. Emily shook her head, feeling the same way. She wanted to get out of this place.

Suddenly there was an evil laugh that shook the walls, nearly causing Emily to fall to her knees. But Ryan steadied her and both teens looked around trying to find where the laugh had come from. Just then Emily gasped and pointed to a door that had suddenly swung open revealing a dark room. Ryan slowly made his way towards the open doorway, straining to see. Emily tried to steady her shaking hands as they got closer.

"Miranda...Troy..." Ryan called into the room but there was no answer. He crept into the room and ran his hands along the wall, trying to find a light. Emily did the same with the other side and she felt a switch hit her fingers. "Here." she said and flipped it.

The lights flickered and then flashed on and that's when she saw Miranda, her lifeless body hanging from the ceiling!

"Ryan!" she screamed, backing into the wall. Ryan was immediately by her side and she buried her face in his chest, gasping and crying.

Ryan face was white as he took in the gruesome scene. Her eyes and mouth were open, in a soundless scream. Blood covered her body and her clothes were torn and hanging off. "Come on, lets get out of here." he said to Emily as he took her out of the room. Slamming the door shut, Ryan sighed heavily and leaned against the door as Emily sank to the floor, trying to calm herself. It would do no good if she lost control and got hysterical.

"We...we had best find help." Ryan choked out after several minutes. Emily nodded, blinking away the tears. Ryan was about to help her up when suddenly there was a growl and two gray hands busted through the door, grabbing Ryan's shirt and arm.

Emily cried out and lept to her feet as Ryan quickly tried to free his arm. There were loud shrieks from in the room and the walls shook. Emily lept towards Ryan, clawing at the scaly hands, trying to get him loose. Finally, Ryan gave a strong yank and freed his arm. In one swift movement, he grabbed Emily's hand and took off down the hall.

"What was that?" Emily yelled as they ran.

"I don't know, but I'm not staying to find out!" Ryan yelled back. Emily had never run down stair so fast. The whole building seemed to be screaming in anger and the walls trembled as the shrieks got louder and angrier.

"Run faster!" Ryan called as they reached the bottom. The door should be just around the corner, Emily thought as she sped up to match speeds with Ryan. But to their horror, there was no door.

"Shit!" Ryan cried out as they nearly ran into a wall. "Where is the door?"

"I don't know!" Emily shouted, pounding on the wall. "It was here I know it!"

A gust of wind nearly slammed both of them against the wall and then everything was silent. Emily gasped, her eyes wide and her heart hammering in her chest as they stood there, listening for anything. But the building was silent.

"Something is not right." Ryan said, running a hand through his blond hair. Emily saw that part of his shirt was torn from their incident upstairs and then Miranda's lifeless face came into her mind.

"Oh god Ryan, Miranda is dead." she whispered, rubbing her trembling hands together.

"I know." Ryan said, walking over to her and putting an arm around her shoulders. "Look, we have to stick together from now on. Something is defiantly not normal in this building and we'll have to keep our heads in order to get out of here and get help."

Emily nodded. She knew he was right, but she had never felt this afraid before.

Ryan sighed. "First we need to find our way out of here." Taking her hand, they walked along the wall, trying to feel a crack or doorknob that would reveal their exit out of this place. But all they felt was old and chipping paint under their hands.

"Maybe if we find a window, we can break it and get out that way." Emily suggested as they searched the wall for a second time.

"That's right. There is a window upstairs." Ryan said, hope in his voice. Emily bit her lip. She didn't want to go back upstairs where Miranda's lifeless body was hanging. Ryan must have saw her pinched expression and he tightly grasped her hand.

"It will be okay, Emily. Troy must be running around here somewhere. Hopefully we'll find him upstairs, but if not, we will find that window and get out to get help. Everything will be fine."

Emily smiled her thanks and together they slowly walked up the stairs. Emily was surprised that the building wasn't pitch black. From somewhere light seeped in, illuminating their way. Emily could make out Ryan's blond hair in the feint light and it made her feel less scared to know he was here with her.

As they reached upstairs, Ryan cautiously walked down the hall. Emily knew her hand was sweating in his and she hoped he wouldn't mind but Ryan didn't let go and together they walked through the hallway. There was not a sound in the house, except their breaths. Emily crept closer to Ryan and kept a lookout behind them, not wanting whoever or whatever was out there to surprise them.

"My god, there are so many hallways." Ryan said as they stopped and noticed two different directions they could take. "It doesn't look that big from outside."

"Well, this place isn't what it seems." Emily said.

Suddenly a sound was heard to their left. "Did you hear that?" Ryan asked looking down the dark hallway.

"Yes." Emily answered, trying desperately to keep the tremble out of her voice. This place was getting to her and she knew she would have to use all of her strength to not break down.

"Want to go and see?" Ryan asked and Emily was grateful he asked for her opinion before they moved.

"I guess. I don't see that we have much of an option."

"That's true." Ryan said, forcing a small smile. Slowly they set off down the new hallway. "I wish I had a flashlight." Ryan muttered after a few minutes.

"Me too."

"This is some date, huh?"

Emily couldn't help but snicker. "Oh yeah. I won't be forgetting this ever."

"Me either."

Suddenly they felt a gust of cold wind hit them. Both teens stopped in their tracks as another sound came. This time it sounded like a wail of some kind and that unnerved Emily even more. "I..I don't like this way much."

"I know." Ryan muttered, looking around. "But we're bound to find a window around here somewhere. We just have to keep looking."

"We may have to..enter some of these rooms." Emily muttered, not liking that idea. She shivered just thinking of Miranda. Poor Miranda.

Ryan nodded but Emily knew he didn't like that idea either.

Suddenly there was a creaking sound, as if a door was being opened. Footsteps echoed on the floor. "Who's there?" Emily whispered.

"I..I don't know, I don't see anyone." Ryan whispered back. The footsteps suddenly stopped and a few feet away a door suddenly swung open. Ryan stepped back, shielding Emily, who ducked behind him with a gasp. Both teens waited but nobody appeared.

Slowly Ryan walked forward but Emily was now very frightened. "Ryan...I don't think we should.."

"What if it's Troy? We have to find out."

Emily knew Ryan had a point and uneasily followed him to the door. Slowly Ryan peaked around the door and a few seconds later, swung the door open wider. "Troy? Are you here?" he called into the room.

Suddenly lights flickered in the room causing flashes of objects that were laying in the room to look like monsters before the lights finally stayed on. "Did you do that?" Emily whispered.

"No." Ryan said and he stepped closer. "Troy?"

Emily stayed in the doorway while Ryan walked further into the room. She wasn't about to enter the room and wished Ryan would leave it. "Ryan..."

"I don't see anyone." he said, turning toward her.

Suddenly out of nowhere, an objected hurled itself at Ryan! Emily screamed as it crashed into Ryan knocking the young man to the ground. Emily noticed with horror that the object looked very similar to that of Troy. It had a human form and Troy's clothes, but the thing had horns growing out of it's head and very sharp teeth patruding out of it's mouth. The eyes were black and it was shrieking loudly as it attacked Ryan.

Ryan quickly reacted and kicked the thing off of him, sending it careening a few feet away. It growled angrily and charged again, barely giving Ryan time to get to his feet. Ryan dove out of the way as the creature dived for him, missing him by inches. "Here!" Emily yelled and Ryan turned to see a metal rod roll towards him. Ryan quickly picked it up and held it like a bat, ready for the creature to come again.

To their shock, the creature stood up and turned toward Ryan and Emily could tell it was indeed Troy!

Part 3