| “Derek?” One of the frat brothers called out. I got the sense the morgue was huge and the question asked should have echoed through the large chamber. Instead it sounded as if he had yelled it into a pillow. The sound was swallowed up, much like his friend. “Jed let me see your flashlight.” I asked sticking my hand backwards. I was trying to keep an eye on the hooded girl as she walked deeper into the room. I felt the cylinder as he slapped it into my hand. I immediately turned it to where the girl should have been. She had vanished as completely as Derek had. “Anyone know the girl’s name?” I asked as I pushed in deeper into the room using the flashlight to probe even further. “What girl?” Grace asked. A chill like an icicle held in the hand of a dead man dragged up my back. (Which seemed appropriate considering our surroundings.) “The girl with the hoodie, haven’t seen her face yet.” I answered Grace, hoping that just maybe she was a very unobservant person. “This is ridiculous are you purposefully trying to scare us?” Pete’s mom asked. “Me? Are you on the same damn tour as I am? I didn’t create that black mass or make a frat boy levitate.” I almost yelled, okay if I’m being honest almost shrieked, luckily I clutched a little harder to my man-card. “Fraternity.” One of the frat boys said off to my side. “What?” I asked. “We prefer fraternity not frat, would you call your country a,...” “I get it.” I said holding my hand up, “there are kids here.” “You’re not pulling our leg about this girl?” Jed asked. I shook my head solemnly. “She’s as real as anyone here.” I added, I purposefully reached out and touched Jed’s arm just to make sure, he didn’t look too pleased about it. “We’re leaving!” Pete’s mother said. We all jumped when we heard banging from the far side of the room. “Let me out of here.” Drifted over in muted volume. “Derek?” Frat boy 2 asked (I don’t care what he said about shortening the name.) “Jeets help man!” Came a little louder. I swung the flashlight over to a row of gleaming chrome. “He’s in one of those.” I said as we looked at the body lockers. “No way man, I ain’t going over there.” Jeets moaned. Peter ran over before his mother could stop him, he pulled the handle to open the door and then pulled out the tray. Derek looked like the first prop of the day as he sat up, he was far too pale and shook too much to be human. “Hellll....helll....helllllp me.” He was chattering. We were all almost as frozen, as he was, us figuratively, him literally. (Did that need explaining?) “Cool! He has ice on his hair!” Peter said as he touched the man’s head. “Peter don’t touch him!” His mother shrieked, I think she ripped my eardrum in the process. “You don’t know where he’s been.” “Never have truer words been spoken.” I said to her, not believing I was agreeing with her. Jeets and Frat Boy one who was also known as Reginald finally rushed over to help their friend. Alan who finally seemed to be getting his legs back under him was leaning up against Goth although she seemed none too pleased with the burden. I had my light on Derek as his ‘brother’s got him down, I was watching their movements when something else grabbed my attention, something had moved inside the locker Derek was in. “There’s someone still in there.” I said as I held the light higher. “Or something.” Jed said as he grabbed my arm and kept me from advancing although I hadn’t moved and was unsure if I was going to. Peter swiveled from watching the frat boys to looking inside the tray. “Gee mister there’s nothing in there, I think you’re letting this place get to you.” He said a smile beaming across his face. I wanted to pinch his cheek...hard. (The darling boy.) “Shut the door.” I told him as Jeets and Reginald got their buddy down and were as masculine as possible rubbing him down to get some heat into him. “For God’s sake, help him.” Grace said as she wrapped her girth around the boy sharing her heat. Normally Derek I think would have been embarrassed right now he was extremely thankful. “There’s the exit.” Jed said pointing across the room, he had dipped my light down so he could orientate the map. “That leads out?” I thought I had asked it, but maybe I had just been thinking it. Peter’s mother seemed to be the one that had voiced the question. “What’s that noise?” Triple S asked. “Please be the ice cream man.” I said. Jed was looking at me strangely. “I said that out loud again didn’t I?” I asked him. He nodded. I swung my light to the tapping, okay scratching but tapping sounds WAY less terrifying. “It’s coming from the lockers.” Peter said. This time he headed back to his mother without her incessant barking. ‘Smart boy.’ I thought. We were once again a huddled mass as the scratching increased, it sounded like metal shavings were being ripped off the inside of that door. Then the door handle popped free, the clang as it fell to the ground was all the impetus I needed. “Time to go.” I told the group. “I second that.” Jed echoed. | 
4 comments:
I am just addicted to the Zombie Fallout series. Can't wait to read more from this author.
Vivien
deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com
I love a good combination of creepiness and humor! The Spirit Clearing sounds exactly like my cup of tea. :)
Thanks for the post and the giveaway.
Love this haunted blog tour...really spooky...you rock, Mark!
Loved it all. If my son ran off during that I'd have freaked out. I hope we find that the lil boy is the hero.
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