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Consequences

An excerpt from The Haunting of Antioch

By Patrick O'ConnorPublished 3 years ago 10 min read
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Consequences
Photo by Nathan Wright on Unsplash

“Explore the abandoned hospital, Jordan said. It’ll be fun, George said. I’m surprised Henry went along with this… he pisses himself just walking out of his parent’s basement if the lights off.” Jessica grumbled as she walked down the dark hallway. “Nobody said anything about monsters. I am so going to kill all three of them when I get the chance.” Jessica paused, and sighed. “Well, if the monster doesn’t kill them first.”

As Jessica turned a corner, she saw a nurse walking in the opposite direction. Stepping out from the corner, Jessica cleared her throat to get the woman’s attention. “Excuse me?” Jessica called. The woman kept walking. “Excuse me?” Jessica called louder. The woman looked up and smiled. “Oh, sorry, I can get lost in the charts sometimes.” the woman chuckled as she turned to walk to join Jessica. “How can I help you?”

“Actually, I’m looking for my friends. We seem to have gotten separated somehow. Is there any way you could help me find them?” The woman’s smile grew “Of course! I’m Doctor Gilboa. Can you give me a little information on them?” Jessica hesitated, “Well, they’re three boys, about my age. One is tall, about six feet, brunette, annoyingly confident. The second is slightly shorter, dirty blonde, always spouting random pop culture references. The third is about five foot five and is best described as looking like a scared puppy.”

“Ah, I know just who you’re talking about. Follow me, they’re actually waiting for you.” The doctor said as she turned around and started heading back the way she came. “Really? Jessica said, surprised. “All three of them?” Doctor Gilboa laughed, “Oh yes, they have been quite patiently waiting for you!”

Jessica followed Doctor Gilboa down the hall and turned the corner to the left. “Here they are!” Doctor Gilboa announced happily, pointing through the window they were standing in front of. “Right where I left them!”

“Wait, I’m confused.” Jessica said when she looked through the window. “These aren’t my friends.” Jessica turned to look back at the doctor. “And, you’re gone. Where the hell did you go?” Jessica looked in every direction, but there was no sign of Doctor Gilboa. “Nope, still no such thing as ghosts.” Jessica said as she turned back towards the window. “She must be trying to mess with me. Probably ran into Jord… an.” Looking through the window, Jessica took a closer look at the babies on the other side and the names on the cribs holding them. “Jordan, George, and Henry. Funny. I wonder how long it took for the guys to set this one up.”

Jessica shook her head and started to walk away. Just as she passed, Jessica heard the click of a latch as the door to the room creaked open. “Guys?” Jessica asked as she opened the door a little more. When there was still no response, Jessica shifted to be able to see into the room. “What is happening?” Jessica whispered. Instead of the nursery, Jessica only saw a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling over an otherwise empty room.

“You just had to go down the hallway and be Miss Monster Hunter, didn’t you?” Jordan’s voice came from the darkness across the room. “Jordan?” Jessica asked as she stepped into the room. “What’s happening? Where have you been?” Jessica took another step. “I was right behind you. I tried to warn you. The lights told me something was going to happen.” Confusion crossed Jessica’s face. “The lights? I promise you, nothing was happening with the lights. Even George agreed!”

“I tried to warn you, and what happens? The party got split up.” Jordan continued softly, ignoring Jessica’s reply. “Jordan, what’s going on? Why are you just standing there in the darkness? Is this some sick joke to try and scare me?” A slight tremble crept into Jessica’s voice. Something about how Jordan was speaking didn’t sit well with her. “You don’t believe in ghosts, right Jessica?” The question didn’t surprise Jessica. “We’ve been over this. No matter how many pranks you planned here, no, I don’t believe in ghosts.” she replied realizing that even she could hear the hesitation in her reply. “Why are you staying in the dark? Come over here.”

“If you don’t believe in ghosts, then how do you explain me?” Jordan’s voice drifted out of the darkness as he slowly stepped into the light. As Jordan became visible, the door to the nursery slammed shut behind Jessica. “NO”, Jessica gasped at the sight. “What happened to you?” Jessica fumbled for the keys, but they weren’t there.

“What does it look like, Jessica?” Jordan began. “That thing that took Henry found me and gave me these wounds. Three deep cuts straight down my chest and stomach.” Jordan said pointing to the tears in his shirt. “Oh, and you can bet that they hurt.” he continued, lightly touching the wounds. “Don’t worry, it didn’t hurt for long. I went into shock almost immediately.” Jordan looked up and stared into Jessica’s eyes, the lifelessness coming from Jordan made Jessica shudder. “Where?” Jessica asked. “Of all places, right outside the chapel. Don’t worry, the irony isn’t lost on me.” Jordan shrugged. “Wait, how is this MY fault?” Jessica snapped, a sudden rush of anger filling her with energy.

Jordan’s head tilted slightly. “All we had to do was turn left. But no, you insisted on straight. When the lights came back on, I found myself alone. I turned back, thinking that George probably ran back to the morgue. He was always predictable like that; always going back to the places he knew instead of exploring more, even in the games.” Jordan started walking towards Jessica. “You, I assumed, kept going. You can handle yourself better than George can take care of himself. That’s what you always want people to believe, right? That you’re totally in control?” Jordan’s voice rose as Jessica backed against the door and tried to wiggle the door handle. The door was locked. “I don’t know what to tell you. What do you want me to say?” Jessica started to tear up.

“I don’t want you to say anything. Words won’t bring me back to life. I just wanted to make sure you knew that it’s your fault that we’re dead.” Jordan said, stopping a few feet away from Jessica. “We?” Jessica asked, the question getting caught in her throat.

“Oh, yeah, it got me too.” George’s voice came out of the darkness to Jessica’s left. “Bit more gruesome than Jordan though; disfigured and all.” George said as he stepped into the light. His head bent and twisted at the neck, Jessica gasped as she started stepping backwards to keep distance between them. “Bent leg, even my arms are a bit funny. Guess it’s fitting since I always thought it would be cool to be a zombie on The Walking Dead. Now at least I look like one.” George said, reviewing his injuries. “How?” Jessica whispered.

“Well,” George started, looking back at Jessica, his right foot noticeably bent and dragging behind him while he walked, “when the lights came back on, I heard a snarling, so I ran. Like Jordan said, I tried to get back to the morgue. At least I knew the area and figured I could try to maybe hide in one of the cadaver drawers.” Jordan looked from Jessica to George. “Well, not the one that the knocking was coming from, give me some credit!” George cried before returning his attention to Jessica as tears started pouring down her cheeks. “It sounded like the creature was getting closer faster, so I made a rookie mistake and hit the elevator button. The bell dinged, the doors opened, and like a dumbass, I looked behind me to see if I would be safe, and fell. The elevator wasn’t there… Horror 101. If you’re going to use an elevator to escape, always check to see if the elevator is there.” George shook his head in disgrace. “Guess I’m not as good as I thought I would be after years of watching this stuff.” Looking up again, George caught Jessica’s eyes, “Still, can’t deny that it would have ended differently if you hadn’t been so stubborn and demanded we follow the monster’s growl.”

“Don’t forget about me.” Henry’s voice came from between Jordan and George. “You even got a second chance to save me, and couldn’t.” Jessica shook her head. “I tried,” she said through her tears as she backed against the nursery glass, “I did everything I could.” Henry stepped into the light, “Yeah, but that clearly wasn’t good enough. I’ve seen you win track meets. You really couldn’t get to me faster EITHER time?! I mean LOOK at me! That creature bit off my right arm and half of my stomach!” Henry yelled. “Clearly, I wasn’t important enough for you to move even the slightest bit faster.” Henry continued with venom in his voice.

“I’m so sorry..” Jessica whispered as she started sobbing. “Sorry won’t bring us back, Jessica.” Jordan added. The three boys started walking towards Jessica. “You could have moved faster. It’s like you wanted me to die.” Henry spat. “No.” Jessica said as she slid to the floor. “All we had to do was go left. I know I’m not the leader type, but you just wanted to be a hero. Look at where that got me.” George added. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want this to happen.” Jessica sobbed. “Well,” Jordan finished, “are you just going to sit there crying, or are you going to at least give us the decency of looking at the consequences of your actions?” Jessica shook her head no, repeating the words “I’m so sorry.” as she sobbed. “Look at us Jessica.” Jordan continued, raising his voice until he was yelling as Jessica’s heartbeat seemed to join it, pounding louder and louder. “Jessica. Jessica. JESSICA!”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Jessica cried curled into a ball with her arms over her head, tears streaming down her face. The pounding grew louder and more rapid, as a crash came overhead and glass showered over her. “Damn it Jess, get up!” Henry yelled as he reached in and grabbed the collar of Jessica’s jacket. “Henry?” Jessica whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. “What are you still doing on the floor?” Henry yelled. “They’re gone, let’s go!

“I thought you were dead.” Jessica said as she wiped the tears from her eyes and stood. “It’s this place, it gets in your head and plays on your fears.” Henry said as he helped Jessica over broken glass where the window used to be. Plus, don’t think you’re that lucky. There are plenty more years of me disappointing you to come.”

“But you were gone, that monster got you, how did you get out?”

“Trust me, I may be a scaredy cat, but if I’ve learned anything from it, fear is a great motivator.” Henry said. “Come on, Jordan and George are waiting for us at the exit.”

Henry turned and started jogging. Jessica quickly followed behind. A few minutes later, they came up to George standing next to Jordan, holding an exit door open with his foot. The morning light poured in, the stark difference in light making the doorway look like a portal to another dimension rather than one that led outside. “Ready?” Jordan asked. “More than ever.” Jessica gasped. Jordan pushed the door open wider and held it as the other three went through. As soon as Henry passed, Jordan followed right behind.

Shoving the door swiftly behind the friends, Jordan breathed a sigh of relief as the sound of a bolt sliding into place resounded through the crisp air. “Let’s go.” Jessica said, never looking back as the hospital grew smaller in the distance.

supernatural
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About the Creator

Patrick O'Connor

I often end up not being the one that writes my stories. My characters do. They always find ways to surprise me.

I started with quotes, which turned into poetry, and now I'm working on novels.

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