Part 3

She covered her mouth in a silent cry and Ryan's eyes grew wide, his mouth partly open in shock. Troy grinned, showing shiny sharp teeth. Raising his hands Emily and Ryan could see something coming out of his fingernails! Ryan swallowed hard when he saw ten very sharp claws appear. They were about 10 inches in length and looked like they could tear through anything.

"Troy..." Ryan finally found his voice. "Troy, it's me. Ryan. I know you are still there. Come on bud, speak to me."

Troy kept smiling though as he admired his long clawed hands, acting as if he didn't hear Ryan at all. Emily slowly crept into the room, another metal rod in her hand. She was friends with Troy but if he attacked Ryan, she would have to use the weapon on him.

"Come on Troy. Snap out of it. I'm your friend. Ryan." Emily could hear the fear in Ryan's voice and she raised her rod higher, knowing her hands were shaking like leaves.

But Troy was not Troy anymore. The creature growled at Ryan and suddenly lept at him! Emily cried out as Troy collided with Ryan, causing both boys to fall to the ground. Ryan pushed Troy away, careful of the sharp claws that swiped at him. But Troy was not going to give up that easily. He howled and grabbed Ryan's leg, stabbing the claws into him! Ryan cried out as he collapsed to the ground and now it was Emily's turn to react. She cried out and swung the rod with all of her might, connecting with a sickening thud into Troy's shoulder. Troy screamed and shrank back as Emily quickly grabbed Ryan's arm, trying to get him to his feet.

But Troy suddenly seemed to realize that Emily was not all that powerful and he howled and charged! Emily screamed and tried to move but Troy had the speed of an animal and he rammed into her, flinging her into the wall. Emily was barely conscious as Troy turned from her and came toward Ryan. The young man had just grabbed his weapon as Troy charged again. Ryan lept away and sent the rod crashing into Troy's back. The creature howled in pain but made a u-turn and attacked Ryan again! The claws ripped at Ryan, tearing his clothes and skin. One swipe cut into Ryan's neck and another into his right shoulder. Ryan knew he was no match for this thing but tried to fight for his life. But Troy was too fast and strong and with a mighty lunge, knocked Ryan down, and before Ryan could rise, he had lept onto him, pinning him down.

"Troy...please.." Ryan said between breaths, praying that he could talk some sense into this thing that was Troy. But before he could say more something flew at Troy, connecting with his head. The monster shrieked and fell off of Ryan. That's when Ryan saw Emily, standing beside him, metal rod in hand. The monster growled but Emily knocked the rod into him again. The monster groaned and then collapsed, blood running down his head.

"Oh...oh god..." Emily whispered, dropping the rod and stepping away. Tears sprang to her eyes and her hands covered her mouth in horror.

Ryan forced his bleeding body to stand and he quickly grabbed Emily and hugged her, holding her close as she sobbed. Her body trembled terribly and Ryan prayed that she wouldn't go into shock. "Shhh, please Emily, everything will be fine."

"I..I killed..I killed Troy.." she gasped and Ryan hugged her tighter.

"That wasn't Troy." Ryan said looking back and seeing the monster that had Troy's face and body, laying dead on the floor. "Troy was gone before we saw this thing. You rescued me."

Emily slowed her crying and pulled away to look at Ryan. "We have to get out of here." she whispered and Ryan nodded. Together they walked out of the room, not looking back. It was just the two of them now.

Emily shivered as they stepped out into the dark and gloomy hallway. This can’t be happening. I have to be dreaming, Emily thought but she knew she wasn’t dreaming. The cold she felt was fear and Ryan’s hand holding hers was real. She knew she was shaking uncontrollably but she couldn’t help it. She was living a nightmare and there seemed to be no escape.

“We…we’d best keep going. There has to be a window up ahead.” Ryan said quietly beside her, obviously also feeling shock and disbelief. Emily could only nod and numbly she followed Ryan down the hall, not really caring where he took her.

Suddenly the floor began to shake! The walls rattled and a great moaning seemed to scream at them, getting louder as it got closer. Ryan quickly looked back but neither he nor Emily could see what was coming after them.

“Run!” Ryan shouted, nearly yanking Emily off of her feet as he took off. The floor shook violently and the walls seemed to crumble around them, the small lights popped, sending glass and wire down on them. Wood seemed to fly at them and Emily cried out when one board hit her in the arm, nearly sending her crashing into Ryan and sending both of them to the ground.

The crying and moaning was getting closer! Wind from somewhere pushed against them, as if trying to stop them from going forward. “Come on Emily! We have to fight it!” he yelled against the howling wind and cries.

Suddenly something burst through the wall behind them. Debris flew at them, one board knocking Ryan to his knees. Emily ducked as another board barely missed her head.

“Let’s go!” She yelled, helping Ryan to his feet. But as they turned to keep running, a dark object loomed in their path! Emily gasped and Ryan pulled her near to him, both teens in shock at the sight before them. It wasn’t a person, but it was in the shape of one. It towered over them and it’s body was covered in a black cloak, it’s face a black hole under the hood. A deep laughter came from it, shaking the whole building.

“You will never escape. Nobody does.” It said, pointing a long and bony gray finger at them.

Ryan grabbed Emily’s arm and backed her away from the being, both young people uncertain as to what they would do now. The creature laughed again and suddenly the walls seemed to come alive. The wood boards seemed to twist and move and come after Emily and Ryan! Emily cried out and ducked quickly as one board suddenly threw something at them. The object embedded itself into the wall and Emily saw that it was a nail.

Ryan suddenly saw a small opening where the creature was standing. “Emily, Go!”

Emily saw the opening and didn’t have to be told twice. She bounded at it, rolling through it and when she was on the other side, stood up quickly to see the being growling in anger as it came after her. “Go!” she heard Ryan shout and only after a moment’s hesitation she forced her tired and weak legs to run down the hall. She heard Ryan’s running footsteps behind her and she ran faster. Where she was running to she didn’t know. All that she knew was that the creature was behind them and catching up quickly, it’s angry cried following them.

Just when Emily thought they would never make it, something caught her eyes up ahead. A light was falling across the wood floor from a small window! “Go go!” Ryan shouted behind her, seeing their escape root also. When Emily finally reached the window, she quickly tried opening it but to her horror it was stuck! “Oh god, Ryan it’s stuck!” she yelled as he caught up with her. He looked behind them to see the black object coming after them, it’s black mass of a body hovering over the floor.

Ryan quickly shoved Emily out of the way and rammed his shoulder into the window, ignoring the stab of pain as his shoulder met the hard glass. He heard a creak and rammed it again. This time he felt the glass give. Emily was shouting his name, telling him to hurry and using all of his strength, he rammed the window again. This time the glass gave way, pieces of it falling to the ground. Taking his hand, he quickly jabbed the rest of the glass out and helped Emily crawl through. The being was now upon them and made a grab for Ryan! But Ryan was too fast and he was through the glass and outside before the creature could grab him. They heard the being scream in anger as Emily and Ryan quickly scrambled down the roof. It was a ten-foot drop but neither cared and both jumped as the creature caused the whole building to shake and tremble from under them.

Emily cried out as she landed hard on her feet, sending her to her knees. Ryan landed beside her and quickly helped her up. They looked back to see the whole building crumbling as the dark creature tried to get them. Both took one look at the house and then turning to look at each other.

“Let’s get out of here!” Ryan said and they took off running. Rain soaked them as the earlier storm, that had arrived before they had gone into the building, let loose it’s torrents. But they didn’t care. They just wanted to get far away from the building before whatever was in the building got them. Finally they saw the road up head but they didn’t stop running until they reached Troy’s crushed car. Once there Emily sank to the ground, her earlier adrenaline gone and the pain, relief, and weakness came crashing down on her. She started sobbing, not caring what anyone thought. Ryan didn’t say a word as he sank down next to her and wrapped her in his arms, letting her cry. They were alive and that was all that the two teens cared about.

Six Months Later:

“Go Ryan Go!” Emily cried out and jumped up in the bleachers as Ryan dribbled the ball towards the hoop. The time was going and Ryan had to use all of his skill to get past the other team. At the last second, Ryan jumped up and threw the ball towards the hoop. The crowd gasped as the ball agonizingly hit the hoop and rolled around the metal rim. Just as the buzzer rang, the ball fell into the hoop – winning the game for the Mustangs!

Emily screamed and shouted with the rest of the school as the team down below cheered and whooped, patting Ryan on the shoulders and back, all knowing he won the game for them. People started leaving the gym and Emily eagerly went with the crowd, anxious to see Ryan and congratulate him.

As she reached the floor, people were everywhere and she couldn’t see Ryan anywhere. Standing on tiptoes she desperately tried to see the tall young man. “Looking for me?” a voice said to her right and turning, Emily saw Ryan grinning at her, sweat covering his face and body, his blond hair tousled but eyes gleamed in happiness.

“Oh congratulations Ryan!” Emily cried and hugged her boyfriend. He laughed and hugged her back then quickly kissed her on the lips. Emily thought she heard several girls gasp but she didn’t care as Ryan started backing away as the rest of the team left the gym to get changed. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Emily nodded and left the gym, going over to Ryan’s blue Camero to wait for him. As she waited she couldn’t help but start thinking of the past year. She knew Ryan still missed Troy and Emily felt the same way. It had been morning before a cop came by to see the two teens nearly dead, wet, cold and shivering in each other’s arms. They had been rushed to the hospital and when they were well, they told the cops what had happened. Of course the police didn’t believe a word and when they went looking for Troy and Miranda, they never found the house. It was gone and only an empty space was left where it had once stood. Emily and Ryan had been questioned numerous times but the police didn’t have a case. Only after six months was the case put away, never to be looked at again.

Emily and Ryan began to date. Ryan was never the same again and Emily knew she wasn’t either. Ryan still played Basketball, but he hadn’t gone out with his buddies ever since the incident. The only time he went out was with Emily. She knew that they would probably never get over the incident but after seeing many psychics she felt like she could cope with the world She was snapped out of her memories when she heard Ryan calling her name. She smiled and he hugged her, pressing her body against his. Without a word, the two got into Ryan’s car and he drove off down the road, no destination really in mind. They only wanted to be together and reflect on the past…and the future.

But neither of the young people saw a dark object blot out the sun as it looked down on their disappearing car. A wicked laugh seemed to shake the earth as it slowly followed the car.

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