Chapter 33
5 years have passed and little has changed.
In the dead of night, Hanna approached her target. The rear of a two storey brick house, nestled in the garden. Heading towards the second bay window, beside the oak tree. A single yellow light glowed, like a beacon in the night.
Hanna, dressed in her usual leather jacket and black Hawaiian shirt underneath, tucked into her jeans. Black suspenders hanging off her belt, jeans, and combat boots covered in scuffs and dirt. The red cloth of her bandana peaking underneath her jacket.
She looked to the window and smiled at the light. With a quick jog, she leaped for the wall. Kicked off and flew to the tree, turned midway and jumped, hitting the house. With both structures so close together, she crisscrossed her way upward. Landing effortlessly on the window ledge. Hanna crouched low, peered inside and knocked on the glass.
Inside Persephone was sprawled on the bed reading a copy of “The Haunting of Hill House”. Upon hearing the knocks, she looked up and grinned. Throwing the book on the bed, she skipped over and ripped the window open. Leaning over and suggested with a knowing smile “Oh Romeo oh Romeo, ever heard of a dooreo?”
“No fun going the normal way” Hanna laughed. “Besides we are sneaking out, and door defeats the purpose”
“Sure, you ready?”
“Yeah, the others should be there by now” Hanna answered. She offered her hand with a “Shall we?”
“Don’t let me go” Persephone stated, as she took Hanna’s hand.
“Never” Han promised. She helped the blonde out onto the ledge. Suddenly Persephone’s feet slipped and she fell sideways into Hanna’s arms. “Woah” she spoke as she caught Persephone, wrapping her arms around the girl. "I got you"
The girls, so very close, caught each other’s gaze and all time seemed to stand still.
Hanna gulped. She pulled her gaze away first, peering over the edge, then back to Persephone with a cocky grin. “Hold on tight and don’t let go” she stated. With no further warning, Hanna lifted Persephone up and walked off the ledge.
With graceful flight, the pair crisscrossed back and forth between the house and the tree. Hanna landed first, then guided Persephone to the ground. She changed her grip from Persephone’s waist, down to Persephone’s hand.
“Are you sure about tonight?” Persephone questioned concerned.
“What’s the worse that could happen?”
In the depths of school bathroom.
Four friends gathered in the dark. A candle for each of them. They huddled together on the floor swapping ghost stories. Besides Hanna and Persephone, there was the pixie haired punk named Kelsey, dressed in black, leather jacket with a red flannel shirt for a belt and chains. Beside the punk and Persephone, was a goth woman named Danielle, dressed in witchy woven black dress, cloth robe overtop and crimson glasses, old bag of cloth beside her.
“I can’t tell if we’re stupid or cool” the pixie haired punk remarked, leaning back on her hands.
“About breaking in to a school or general?” Hanna joked.
The pixie haired girl turned to her and scoffed “Breaking in, I know I’m cool all the time”
“Hey what about us?”
“Sure your cool too”
The witch rolled her eyes. “Kit take this seriously!” she ordered. Running her straight black hair back. She relaxed her shoulders and reached into her bag, pulling out a crimson candle with the black insignia of the Dark Goddess Lilith. “This has to be taken seriously” the witch spoke. She lit the candle with an already lit candle. Then placed the unholy candle in the middle of the four. “With the utmost care”
“Oh please Addams I’m always serious!” Kit retorted.
The three gave the punk a disbelieving stare.
Kit laughed “Okay maybe that was a little stretched”
“Just a little?” Persephone laughed.
“Shut up you”
“Before we begin” Danielle interrupted. “do we agree whom the first urban ghost summon will be? Bloody Mary or Candyman”
“Still think Candyman will be better” Kit grumbled.
“Please, Bloody Mary is so much better then Candyman” Persephone dismissed.
“Is not!” Kit retorted. “Han, back a bitch up”
“I dunno, I’ll have to go with Mary”
Kit eyed her friends suspiciously, then scoffed loudly at Hanna’s unsure answer. “whipped”
Hanna performed a double take to the punk, reached over and playfully kicked Kit in the side. The punk laughed at Hanna’s retaliation. “Am not” Hanna dismissed.
“Please you so are”
Hanna kicked her again. This time, hard enough to send Kel falling onto her side, knocking her candle over.
“Ah! Addams did you see that!” The punk spoke, turning to the witch.
The witch rolled her eyes, picking up the fallen candle and placing it upright beside her Dark Goddess Candle. “I saw”
“wow I’m feeling the love tonight”
“I didn’t hit you that hard” Han laughed.
“Did too!” Kit whined playfully.
“That’s enough you two!” Addams ordered. “Don’t kick her Hanna!”
“What!” Hanna whined while Kit playfully stuck out her tongue.
Addams eyed the two best friends, watching Hanna grabbed Kit by the shoulder and pull her upright again. “We’ll start with Candyman”
“YES!” Kit cried out while Persephone whined “Oh come on!”
Addams rolled her eyes “My candle my rules” she declared.
“Does that even work?” Persephone asked.
“Of course, I summoned many demons with this candle. A little urban myth shouldn’t be a problem”
Persephone’s eyes widen shocked.
Hanna turned to Persephone, with a gentle smile. She grabbed her hand and reassured “she’s joking”. The blonde turned to her, nodding uncertain.
Addams laughed. “Whatever helps you sleep at night princess” Addams picked up her candle and swiftly stood on her seat. Moving towards the bathroom sink. Kit picked up the other Candles, moving them to the sink.
Persephone shuddered fearfully “If actual demon summoning is next, I’m leaving” she stated with a short-scared laugh. “I seen too many demons in this life, I don’t want to see anymore”
Hanna nodded, she understood where Persephone came from and declared “don’t worry you’re safe with me, I fought many demons in this life and more before I am through”
Persephone sighed content, tilting her head to her friend. “I always feel safe with you” she admitted, placing her hand on Hanna’s knee.
The compliment caused Hanna to grin and her eyes shifted to gentle gold.
A stern sound of clearing throat caused the girls to jump. They turned to their friends and found their friends watching them with sly smiles.
“If you two are done with the heart eyes, we got ghosts to summon!” the punk stated with a shit eating grin.
Persephone pulled away from Hanna, dropping her gaze, embarrassed.
Hanna chuckled. With a low sigh, she pushed herself upright and turned to Persephone, offering her hand. She pulled Persephone up and the two soon joined the others.
Gathered around the bathroom mirror. Their candles surrounding the basin edge. Addam’s unholy candle burned bright at the centre, sitting precariously on top of the tap.
Addams took a stand in front of the group, facing the unholy candle. She tilted her head down and closed her eyes. “We call upon you Dark Goddess Lilith, Mother of Demons, bless us with this summoning ritual and safe passage through the night” Addams prayed. She opened her eyes and faced the mirror. “Right lets begin”
“Candyman” the four spoke and the candle light flickered.
“Candyman. Candyman”
After the third time, the bathroom lights flickered on and off.
“Candyman”
Cold breath whispered behind Hanna. She turned around and found nothing, but darkness and a open stall door. She frowned, she knew all the bathroom doors were closed, she didn’t see any of her friends open this one. There was a shadow inside, thick veil of darkness that obscured everything inside. Hanna starred at the mass confused, then turned back to the mirror. She jumped at the sight of the fifth set of eyes reflecting in the mirror. Blood red and towering above them.
“Candyman” the group spoke. The lights flickered on and off again.
Hanna turned back behind them. No signs of the fifth person standing with them, but their eyes still glowed in the mirror. She turned to the mirror and harden her gaze. Her wing eye turned to the stalls wide eyed, glaring red at the shadow in the stall.
“Did it work?” the punk queried.
“Wait” Addams advised.
A few moments passed in silence, the lights continued to flicker on and off. None except Hanna seemed to notice the fifth set of eyes in the reflection.
“This is stupid” Persephone groaned.
“Hey let the old man haunt in peace, he’s probably on his way right now” Kit argued.
“Kit we’ll be graduating before he shows up”
“Still better then Bloody Mary”
“I beg to differ”
“girls!” Hanna whispered, with urgency in her tone. “we need to leave”
“Why?” the girls asked.
“Hanna what’s wrong?” Persephone asked concerned.
“We’re not alone”
The lights flicked on and this time, stayed on. The mirror reflection changed, their reflections replaced by the image of a hulking man with fur lined jacket, burned face, red eyes and bees buzzing on his body. He launched his hook hand forward. It burst out of the mirror heading straight for Addams.
Kit pulled Addams out of the way while Hanna pushed forward and caught his hand. Holding the hook up and away from the others.
“HOLY SHIT!” the punk cursed.
“Hanna!” Persephone called out.
“I’m fine” Hanna grunted. “Go, get out of here”
“I’m not leaving you!”
Addams shook her head, glaring at the ghost. “Well that was plain rude!” she complained, offended. “No hi, no threatening taunts, just straight into murder”
“Really Addams?” Kit complained surprised. “He almost killed you!”
“If he managed that I will haunt him until I break his mind, purely from the audacity”
Kit turned to Addams with adoring eyes and stated proudly “That’s my girl!”
Hanna struggled to shove him back into the mirror. She grounded her feet and gripped his wrist with both hands. His other hand crept out from the mirror and slid along the frame. He curled his fingers along the frame, then lurched his body forward. Hanna slipped, but quickly got back up and resumed trying to shove him back inside. The smell of his burned flesh filled the air, along with the haunting sound of those buzzing bees.
Persephone and the others reached forward to help. Each grabbing a hold of the ghost and shoving him back.
He laughed at their resistance. He tossed the girls off him. One by one they fell to the ground, lastly with Hanna. Free from this grip, he began crawling out of the mirror into reality. Kicking over the candles in his wake. Planting his knees on the basin.
Hanna raced to her feet, but was instantly captured by his burned fist wrapped around her throat. He pushed Hanna onto her knees beneath him. He leaned over and snarled wide revealing the several rows of rotten human teeth.
“NO!” Persephone shouted as she rushed for Hanna’s aid. She stole Addam’s book and began bashing the Urban Ghost’s head till he dropped Hanna. Then swung the book to his head, nearly falling back into the mirror.
He grunted and launched for Persephone.
Persephone whacked him in the face again. His head swiveled back and cracked against the side of the mirror frame.
He slowly pulled his head around to Persephone and growled.
Hanna dived forward and hooked her fist into his jaw. Then shoved him back into the mirror. Disappearing in the glass, leaving not a trace of his movement behind. Hanna turned to Persephone. Breathing heavily with a proud smile “wow that was cool”
“thanks”
Hanna turned back to the mirror and witnessed the ghost launch full body out of the mirror swinging his hook. The hook slammed into her left collarbone before she could react. He pulled her forward, slamming her face first into solid brick. Her nose cracked upon impact. He dragged his hook down and pulled out. Then backhanded Hanna, sending her flying across the bathroom and crashing through the wooden stalls.
“HANNA!” the girls cried out, terrified.
Persephone raised the book for another swing and was met with the Candyman’s elbow. She fell back against the stall and slid down to the floor.
Candyman crawled out of the mirror and hopped onto the ground.
Kit dragged out her baseball from it’s hiding place by the exist door. Armed, she sprinted straight to him. She landed one hit to the stomach and another to the head. “That’s for my friend asshole!” she swung again and hit him in the back. He fell to the ground face first. She pulled back and called out “You girls alright?”
“yeah” Persephone groaned. Turning to Kit and giving her the thumbs up. She looked to the left and started crawling to her feet, stumbling over to Hanna.
Kit turned to Addams. Finding her rampaging through her bag. “Addams?”
“Fine sweetie”
“Han you better not be dead!” Kit called out, turning to her friend.
Winded, Hanna lifted one hand and gave her the thumbs up.
“Good, that’s-Fuck!” she cursed, suddenly, jumping out of the way of a swinging hook to her feet. She stumbled back as Candyman pushed himself off the ground, shifting to her. “Stay down fucker!” she cursed. Kit started trying to keep the ghost away from her friends.
“Just keep him busy sweetie” Addams spoke.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t worry about me, just him!”
Meantime, Hanna laid on the rubble, trying to regain her breath. She looked down at her feet and found the shadow had moved. The looming ball of darkness stood watching Hanna. Like a bad omen. Hanna starred back, unblinking.
Persephone dropped by Hanna’s side. “Hanna” she whispered afraid. She pressed her hands against the wound.
A low hiss of pain and Hanna’s attention focused on Persephone.
Persephone smiled down at her. “it’s going to be okay”
Hanna smiled back and nodded. Suddenly she felt the angel within start to shake. Pushing hard against the new wound, as if trying to crawl its way out. Hanna bucked, biting back a scream as she felt the agonizing shakes under her skin. Widening the wound, skin cracking and stretching. “shit” she cursed. “not…now”
“It’s happening again?” Persephone stated concerned. Hanna turned to her and nodded. Persephone stared at her for a moment, then nodded “okay, it’s okay” she spoke. Removing her hand from Hanna’s chest, to gripping Hanna’s forearm. “I got you, it’s okay”
The wound expanded a full inch, blood spurted profusely from the wound soaking her shirt and skin. Then, as suddenly as it came, the angel within stopped moving. Then the wound stopped bleeding altogether.
Confused, Hanna peaked under her shirt and found no angel wing peaking out. She dropped her shirt and looked to Persephone. “it stopped?”
“Right okay, let’s get you out of here”
With Persephone’s help, Hanna was back on her feet. They started moving forward, Hanna kept a close eye on the strange shadow. The shadow watched them past, then started floating behind them. Filling the back end of the bathroom with darkness.
Their attentions soon drifted forward. They caught the sight of Candyman throwing Kit aside. Her body crashing against the back wall.
Hanna dropped her grip on Persephone, standing taller and staring down the ghost. “Help them out of here!” Hanna ordered. “I got him!” Hanna didn’t wait for an answer. She ran from Persephone to the Candyman while his back was turned. She ran and jumped last moment, kicking his back. Sending him flying face first into the bathroom wall.
While the others dragged Kit to the exist. Hanna threw herself back on her feet. Raising her fist up to the jaw level. Her angel wing creeping over her first.
Candyman got up, turned to Hanna. He sprinted to her swinging his hooked hand.
Hanna ducked under the first swing. Punching him in the side. Pulled back and punched him in the jaw, forcing his head to the right. Then again to the face, knocking his head to the left and body stumbling two steps. She walked close and forced her wings into his stomach. Hooking under his skin and dragging down to his belt, back out again. Blood bucketed out of his body, flooding the floor beneath their feet. His guts threatening to follow through. Hanna pulled her back straight and slammed her boot back into his chest. He flew backwards and cracked his head into the brick wall.
While he was down, she stormed forward. Forced her fist under his chin and wings buried beneath his skin curling around his throat. He gasped. Hanna dragged him across the tiles, raised him up and slammed his face through the sink. The sink crumbled under his body and he fell on top of the pile, with a heavy thud.
Behind her, the others worked on creating a Molotov cocktail. The punk lit the fuse while Addams stood up, welding the weapon.
“HAN GET BEHIND US!” Addams yelled.
Hanna stumbled back to them while Candyman struggled to get to his feet.
When the group were back together. Adams threw the Molotov cocktail. The glass burst under him and the flames kicked upward, the ghost was quickly engulfed in the wild flames. The pain sent him screaming to his feet and running to the girls. The girls sprinted for the exist.
Once the girls were out of the bathroom. The bathroom plunged into darkness, only the flaming ghost’s body was the only light left. He made it past the bathroom threshold. When suddenly, a human hand reached out from the darkness and pulled him back in. The darkness swallowed him whole and the school was filled with his screams.
Soon his screams cut short abruptly, leaving the girls in silence. Facing the darkness threatening to spill from the bathroom.
“What the fuck was that!” Kit cursed.
“We weren’t alone” Addams observed unphased.
“No shit, but we couldn’t be. We would have seen someone come in”
“They could have been there beforehand?” Persephone offered.
“No we checked”
Addams sighed, shaking her head. She started moving to the bathroom. “I’ll be back”
“No wait!” Kit stated, pulling Addams back. “What are you doing?”
“Getting my candle back”
“What about that thing? Get another”
“No chance, had enough trouble getting that the first time” Addams shock her head and turned to the darkness. “HEY YOU!” she shouted. Kit tried to shush her, but Addams merely shoved her back. Holding the fearful punk right behind her. “MAY I HAVE MY CANDLE BACK?”
No response came.
“Hello?”
“Are you still there?” Hanna called out. “Hello? Shadow?”
Yellow and red eyes appeared in the darkness. The punk screamed a fearful “NOPE!”. Taking Addams and Persephone hand before sprinting away. Persephone tried to reach out for Hanna, but missed. Leaving Hanna alone with the shadow and the glowing eyes.
Hanna wasn’t afraid of the shadow mass or the eyes. She stepped forward few steps.
The thing in the shadows started a slow walk for the outside world. First came the hand holding out Addam’s candle. The darkness peeled away slowly. Revealing leather jacket matching Hanna’s. Blood soaked clothes. Finally the body stepped out of the darkness completely. Revealing the stranger was Hanna. Nearly every bit of detailed matching Hanna and the clothes she was currently wearing, except for few minor differences. The demonic eyes and the razor teeth.
“woah” Hanna gasped.
The blood soaked body double grinned wide from one ear to ear, showing many rows of razor sharp teeth. The demon offered the candle again.
Hanna took the unholy candle back. “What are you?” Hanna questioned.
“What am I? What are you?” the double asked.
Hanna nearly answered, but was saved by the Punk sprinting back to Hanna. Dragging the hybrid away from the demon by the scruff of her neck.
The Demon laughed, waving the girls goodbye and once they left. The demon walked backwards into the bathroom, then it and the darkness vanished into thin air.
The group didn’t stop running till they reached the beach path between the town and the sand.
“What?” the punk groaned, breathing heavily. She dropped to her knees, struggling to catch her breath. “what the fuck was that?”
“Seems we summoned more then just a urban ghost tonight” Addams explained. Very intrigued by the turn of events. She stroked her chin and comment
“interesting”
“Interesting my ass, did you see that thing’s face?”
“No”
“It was mine” Hanna answered. Their attentions focused on her. Hanna shrugged, equally as confused as them. “I don’t know how, but that…it…it had my face”
Persephone looked at Hanna concerned, the Punk scratched the back of her neck confused and Addams looked to Hanna intrigued.
“Fascinating” Addams comment.
“How?” Persephone questioned her concerned.
“I don’t know”
Persephone frowned. She looped her hand in Hanna’s and squeezed tight. Once the woman looked up at her. Persephone smiled, then tugged her hand, pulling Hanna closer to her side.
“Is that blood?” the punk asked concerned.
The girls turned to Hanna’s shirt.
“Jesus Han” the punk cursed. She tore off the sleeve of her flannel shirt and marched over declaring “alright you know the drill, shirt off and lets see the damage!”
Addams wondered over, pulling out a flask of vodka and scrap of thick cloth.
Hanna obliged her request. Throwing down her jacket and unbuttoning her shirt halfway down. Hanna’s chest was stained crimson with a single oblong shaped gash. Stretched over her collarbone.
Addams started cleaning the wound while Kit prepared the sleeve into makeshift bandage.
Hanna felt eyes on her. She slowly turned to the left and locked eyes with Persephone.
“Least it’s not bleeding” the punk comment as she took over.
“Why is it so dark there?” Addams asked, gesturing to the darkness inside of the gash. “Is it infected already?”
“Hell if I know I’m not a Doctor”
“She needs stitches”
“By a Doctor”
Hanna’s attention snapped wildly to them. “No, no doctors!”
“Dude come on” Kit urged.
“No doctors, no hospitals!”
Kit shock her head “fine idiot, let’s go!” she smeared the blood on her jeans, cleaning them off her hands. She glanced up at Persephone, then back to Hanna. “Put your shirt back on sexy, we got shit to do!”
Hanna looked to her confused. Then to Persephone, just in time for the woman to turn away. She shrugged, buttoning up her shirt and throwing on her jacket.
Addams and Kit shared a knowing smirk before they began leading the group down the beach.
Unaware of the shadow Demon from the school Bathroom, watching their every movement. Particularly drawn to Hanna.