When The Dead Calls Two...

Source

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This is the second part of a series. Find the first here

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The door opened into a long narrow passage illuminated by dim blue lights. There were framed pictures and painted symbols littering both sides of the wall. And it seemed to go as far as the eyes could see. Frank walked in front, followed closely by Sarah. They didn't say a single word to each other. But each could almost hear the other's heart beat nervously...

Frank glanced sideways at the pictures and symbols as he moved. He hadn't seen any of the symbols here before, they were strange and they looked complex. But he recognized some of the faces in the framed pictures; his uncle, his grandfather, a distant cousin he used to know as a child, some of his dad's old friends. Then he winced with realization; apart from the fact that none of these people smiled in these pictures, they all had something else in common. They were all dead.

The very last frame had his mother's picture in it. He didn't know her that much, he had been told she had died giving birth to him. But he had seen many pictures of her over the years, and she had smiled in all of them. This was still her quite alright, though she looked nothing like the mum in the pictures he had grown up to know. This person was more like a stranger. But worse, she seemed to be staring straight into his soul. He tore away his eyes with unease.

The end of the passage opened into a mini sized room, built like an office. It was even more dimly lit than the passage they had just taken. Frank and Sarah walked in and stood side by side at the middle of the room. They both looked unsure of what next to do.

"I knew you both would come"

They turned abruptly, momentarily startled by the new voice. Out of the shadows of one end of the room, a man emerged. From his build and the way he had sounded, he couldn't possibly have been more than 40. He planted himself in front of the still silent Sloans.

"Hi, I'm George, Dr. Sloan's advocate and personal adviser. I see that you both found my instructions."

Frank wanted to say that it was difficult not to, considering it was probably really his father's instructions. Which of course, always came with a caveat. But it was Sarah who answered.

"Yes, we got the cryptic messages. And I got the supposed pot of rare seeds which turned out to be the ashes of my dead divorced husband."

George frowned slightly. As he did so, the dim light of the room made his features seem quite older than he was.

"There was little else of an option." he said slowly. "I do hope you would get to understand soon why I couldn't afford to publicize things yet."

"What now?" Frank cut in.

George looked at him for a moment then turned around. "We go down." he said. "Someone is waiting to see the both of you."

Then he walked to the opposite wall, and felt around for something. He must have touched a button, for the wall slid open, and the inside of an equally dimly lit elevator came into view. He stepped in and turned around to look at them. After a moment's hesitation, Frank and Sarah joined him.

George touched a small button on the wall by his side, and the wall slid back into place. Behind the wall, in front of the three of them, was a large symbol. It was the same symbol that had convinced Frank and Sarah that they had to come back here. Three large eyes stared at them from the symbol, and they couldn't look away.
As the elevator started its descent, Frank and Sarah were pulled towards the symbol, feets off the ground, chests forward. Their eyes were drawn shut, but they still saw the symbol staring at them. Then the elevator halted abrubtly, and both staggered to the floor. Frank helped Sarah up as the door in front of them slid open.

The light that pierced the otherwise dark elevator blinded Frank and Sarah momentarily. They didn't notice as George walked past beside them and waited outside. Frank felt like he had left a part of him above as they descended. He felt somehow, like he was in some way incomplete. They both stepped outside dizzily, their hands covering their eyes to prevent the light from completely taking their sight.

Then as slowly they adapted to the conditions of the new surroundings, they both stiffened.

Frank's mouth hung open and his hand dropped to his side. He felt like something non-physical but heavy had hit him within. And all the foundations and beliefs of his life shattered before his eyes.

Sarah stood bent low, one leg slightly in front of the other, her hands on her knees. She tried hard to understand what she saw, but reason failed her. She simply remained motionless, her breathing laboured but consistent, her eyes riveted on the figure in front of her.

In the middle of the room stood a bed, a lifeless naked body of Dr. Andrew Sloan lying on it. In front of him, with a towel in her hand and a small bowl of water beside her, looking as alive as ever, was Dr Janet Sloan. Frank's dead mother...

She was smiling at her two visitors...

THE END...?

#SladenSpeaks

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Grab your bed covers, the dead are calling for you...

Okay, so I started a series, a creepy one at that. Phew!

Well, I'll need some major motivation to continue, so let me know what you think...

#SladenSpeaks

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