6teen Fan Fiction ❯ 7teen: The Mall Demons ❯ Sleepless wonders ( Chapter 3 )

CHAPTER THREE

 

Jonesy and I drove in my car through the night.

 

It sure was great having my own car. Investing my money well from eight and a-half years working in a super comic store really paid off. Of course I didn't really use it as much as my apartment was just across the street from the mall.

 

This was the reason it was still in great shape, and I kept it well taken care of.

 

“So, where exactly does this, McAlister guy live anyway?” I asked.

 

“On the other side of the woods up ahead… just by the lake.” Jonesy answered. “Word of advice though… They say that too many years at sea made him a little lightheaded.”

 

“O-kay then…” I said.

 

The woods sure seemed a little foggy, and spooky. I didn't take off my shades, but I almost wanted to close the roof up, but Jonesy said it was probably just vapor from the lake. I wasn't so sure though, but I kept my cool.

 

A while later we made it to the lake where a large marble stone mansion. “Whoa.” We both said as we stared in awe at the huge house. “Man… I knew this guy was rich, but…” Jonesy didn't what else to say or how to put it.

 

“Come on, lets go.” I said.

 

We grabbed the coffee bags and made out way up to the front door. There no lights in the windows, and the cold wind was started to pick up a little. “Look… here's note.” I said.

 

The note read: “The back door is unlocked, and here is a map. Leave the coffee in the pantry, charged to the account of Captain. Jacob McAlister.”

 

“Seriously, man… I was kind of hopping he'd pay up front.” Jonesy said.

 

We walked around the house to the back way, and sure enough the door was unlocked, so we just let ourselves into one of the living rooms. “Okay… its says here the pantry's this way…” I said.

 

Suddenly, something bright caught out attention. There incased behind glass, like all my comics back at work, were very expensive treasures, and jewels. Far more expensive than the ones Jonesy sold in his shop.

 

“Where did all this loot come from?” Jonesy asked. “No wonder this dude's so rich.”

 

We made our way over to the pantry, and we did see some more treasures on the way, but the house was still all dark, and the wind's howling didn't make it any easier.

 

We made our way to the pantry and dropped off the coffee. The place hadn't looked like it had been used in years, and there was no one else who lived in the house. No servants, no maids… nothing.

 

We made our way back to the where we came in. “Man, I don't know about you but this place is starting to freak me out.” Jonesy said.

 

“Ditto.” I added. “Come on let's g-- AAH!!” I tripped on a chair leg and fell backward into a bookshelf, and the moment I made contact, the shelf began to spin around revealing a secret room.

 

“Mykan!” cried Jonesy. He followed me into the room which appeared to be the only one in the house lit. There were ship models, expensive paintings, and there was also an old man who was backing away from us in fear.

 

“P-p-please… don't hurt me!” he cried. “Please… I-I'm sorry I disturbed you!”

 

Jonesy and I shared a look of confusion. “Yo, boss… take it easy, it's me, Jonesy.”

 

The man, Captain. McAlister, calmed down a bit. “Oh, Jonesy… thank heaven.” he cried. “You brought my coffee I assume?”

 

“Yeah… my friend, Mykan here, he and I put it in the pantry.”

 

The Captain, breathed a sigh relief, and then nervously poured himself a small cup of brewed coffee. He really did look petrified, and he had rather large bags around his eyes.

 

“Oh, boys… please forgive me for my sorry attitude, but I'm… a little edgy.”

 

“Yeah…” I said. “Not trying to be rude or anything but you really look like you could use a little sleep.” I said.

 

The captain nervously sipped his from his cup. “Mmm… N-n-no, no, no. I couldn't possible sleep.” he cried. “In fact, I… I don't believe I've had so much as a catnap for the last three years.”

 

“Dude! That's sick.” Jonesy said. “Man, even as a kid, I knew when it was time for a snooze.”

 

I approached the shaken man. “So, where exactly did you get all this loot from anyways?” I asked.

 

“Oh, oh… I… salvaged it from sunken ships, or found it in my days as a treasure hunter. Most if it was even collected from the very ground that the your mall stands on now… but alas, I do not do that anymore, and yet… it is the very reason why I cannot sleep.”

 

“What?” Jonesy asked out of shock. “What the heck are you talking about?”

 

The captain explained that the treasures he had found near the mall were from old wanderers who traveled across the outback that once laid where the mall was, and died.

 

He simply just took all their valuables for himself to open up his shop and get incredibly rich. “If you think it is fun to slide a ring off a bony finger, or steal a necklace from a rotting skull… well it is not.”

 

As spooky and creepy as that was, that was not the captain's problem of why he couldn't sleep. He explained to us that he had been cursed for what he had done. “The moment I that fall asleep…” he paused. “I'm visited by…”

 

“…Demons!”

 

Jonesy's and my heart skipped a beat. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! By what?”

 

“Demons.” Replied the captain. “The spirits of the wanders who died on their adventures. Angry, dark spirits who come back to look for all the treasures that I took from them.”

 

He slowly sat in his being armchair by the fire. “They want to drag me back with them, to their shadowy graves as payment for taking their valuables. They aren't at rest… so they won't let me rest.”

 

He lay down in a daze. “It's when I sleep that they come. So as long as I stay awake, they can't hurt me… or anyone else who has become involved with my jewelry.”

 

“Okay… this is getting a little freaky.” Jonesy said.

 

We bid good night to the captain and then dashed for my car. “Man… that guy's gone squirrelly.” I said.

 

“Totally nuts.” Jonesy added. “Demons? Heh… who's he trying to kid?” We drove off into the night, putting the demon story out of our heads…

 

While inside… the poor captain was really getting twitchy. “If only I could stay awake.” He cried. “If only… I … could--” and he dropped off like brick.

 

Now that he was asleep….

 

Near the mall, the grounds near the parking lot began smoking wickedly as several dark figures emerged from the ground, and began to creep towards the still open mall.

 

While other demons began heading towards the direction of the captain's house. The were walking like zombies, sniggering and hissing as they proceeded forward.

 

Suddenly, the captain snapped his eyes open… and the moment he did the demons had vanished back from whence they had come. The captain was not trying to fool anyone. The demons… we're very much real…

 

…but nobody knew of them.