Chapter 6
After the previous days practice session, Elliot would have been looking forward to a nice long sleep, he still had to get his bike back, but it was locked up so he was in no real rush.
Those plan however, ended when he realised he still had school
“Hey bellend.” Elliot woke up to see his twin standing directly above him.
“What?” Elliot groaned, wiping away the drool that had been forming at the corner of his mouth.
“God. I’ve been yelling.” Isla said and gave him a kick on the shins. “Mum’s been calling you. We’re rammed down there. She can’t drop us off, so get your sorry butt out of bed. I ain’t missing the bus ‘cause you were too lazy.”
“Rammed?” He was still half asleep. But he thought he’d heard that part right.
“Yeah you retard.” Isla said, and with that she obviously gave up and headed back downstairs.
Elliot stared for a second, then gathering himself, he turned on his phone to check the time. Eleven o’clock. He groaned, check in was at seven, meaning that he’d overslept for over an hour, his Mum would kill him. It was probably why Isla had not come to get him sooner.
A text message appeared on his screen.
Have you seen the news?
It was from Owen.
Elliot stared at the message, blinking at the bluntness of the message.
No. What news?
“Hey dickhead, are you trying to get killed or what?!” Isla’s voice came from the other side of the door. But Elliot wasn’t listening, his attention was back on his phone where the response had come back.
It was a link to a local news article.
Another Teen Goes Missing in Local Town
Elliot stared at the headline, reading and re-reading it. A knock came from the door. But Elliot ignored it and turned his attention to the article itself.
Following the events of Thursday 5th June, where 13-year-old Daniel Mason disappeared from a local hospital. BBC news correspondent have been made aware of another disappearance from the same town. 14-year-old Declan Philps was reported missing to police by his parents after he failed to return home from a local youth football practice last night.
Declan, who played football with the previously missing Daniel, was last seen around ten in the evening, walking along Highcroft Lane by CCTV cameras on Monday 9th June.
Daniel Mason, who was found two days after his disappearance, gives hope to those wishing for a speedy return of his friend.
BBC News has contacted local police for comment. Lincolnshire Police have opened an investigation into these disappearances and are asking locals for any information they may have.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, Lacie Johnson, will hold a meeting at the local church hall on Wednesday 11th June, to answer locals’ questions on the investigation.
Elliot slumped onto his bed, taking everything he’d just read. First Danny, now Declan had gone missing, two of his teammates had been targeted.
You read it yet?
Elliot tried his best not to fumble his response.
Talk about it at school.
Pocketing his phone, he finally made his way out to see just how busy they really were. He very quickly found out.
The corridor outside his room was jammed with people. All hauling their excessive luggage towards their respective rooms.
“What the hell?” Elliot said to himself as he watched on. Never, in all the time that they’d been here, had he seen that many people in the hotel.
As he rounded the corner to the reception he saw that the cues were going out the door, all looking around at the scenery, whilst his Mum, who looked like all her Christmases had come early, tried to get them checked in as fast as possible.
“There you are, Elliot.” Amanda said and called him over. Despite looking completely worn out by the customers, Elliot had never seen his Mum this happy before. Not since she’d bought this place anyway. “I can’t drop you off at school. You’re just going to have to bike it today.”
“But?” Elliot tried to start, he didn’t have his bike.
“Please don’t argue back right now Elliot.” Amanda said and before Elliot could do just that, her attention returned to the customer right in front of her.
Needless to say, by the time that Elliot managed to get to the bus stop, the bus had long since left. His twin had done nothing to try and delay the driver from leaving him behind. So, he resolved himself that he would be walking to school, which was over an hour away.
Cursing both himself for spending too much time reading that article, and his twin for not at least stopping the bus for a little longer. He began the long walk, excuses for his lateness already forming in his mind.
He however, had not even reached the end of the road when he saw an all too familiar car pull up alongside him. Elliot didn’t need to look inside to see the angry face of Mr Reed to know who it was.
“Get in.” Mr Reed said.
“Think I’ll walk thanks.” Elliot responded. He’d nearly died the last time he’d ridden with this man, and had no intention of doing that again.
“Just get in the damn car.” Mr Reed said, and added, as if in a compromise. “If you get in, I’ll get your bike for you.”
This at least sounded like something close to a deal. So, looking around to make sure that nobody he knew was watching, he dumped his school stuff in and hopped inside.
The ride to the football ground was a lot less hairy than the ride back. Mr Reed was at least choosing to stick to the speed limits, and didn’t run any red lights.
“You saw them then?” Mr Reed said as they turned up the long road that led up to the football ground.
“What?” Elliot asked, his mind was still on the news of Declan.
“Those guests.” Mr Reed declared loudly, slamming his fist on the dashboard. “I knew it. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy. It is already working to undermine my work in rooting it out.”
“You mean.” Elliot started. Now that he came to think on it. They had all been way too happy. Not one of them had complained about waiting in line. No-one had uttered a protest at the fact that it had only been his Mum at reception. And none of them had seemed at all bothered that they would be sharing their holiday space with the owner’s family.
“Yeah. Those guests. They’re doing the creature’s bidding. Unwillingly of course, I’d wager they’re possessed. But it sent them to disturb the peace I need to do my work here.” Mr Reed explained as he pulled over, and Elliot saw, mercifully, that his bike was still there, and that it looked to be in one piece.
As Elliot exited the car and rushed over to get his bike, he realised how vulnerable he was right now, when he came to train here, or play games. The football ground was the last place that anything bad could happen. Now though, with the pitch empty and clubhouse shut up, it was eery as hell.
After stowing his bike in Mr Reed’s boot, they were once more tearing back down the road. Not as fast as the night before, but not far off either.
“Did you see the news about Declan?” Elliot asked nervously.
“Yeah I saw it kid. Why’d you think I didn’t want you walking to school on your own.” Mr Reed said as he turned a little too quickly back onto the main road. “The creature had to expend energy in possessing so many of your hotel’s new guests that it was clearly hungry. Two kids in a week though. That shouldn’t have happened. That first kid.”
“Danny.” Elliot interjected, he didn’t like the way that this man was trying to dehumanise those that had been attacked.
“Yeah him.” Mr Reed said batting away the concern like it was beneath him. “Well. Danny should have been enough to sustain the creature for a month, even with the power needed to possess gods know how many people.”
“Why is it targeting kids?” Elliot asked. “I mean, a kid goes missing its headline news. Why would it want the attention if it’s in hiding.”
“Because you’re far too gullible for your own good.” Mr Reed said, slowing down to let a police car pass. “The creature knows the risk, but calculated that it’s worth it. The creature survives on its victims’ life force. The more the victim has, the longer the creature can go between feedings. Kids, filled with hopes, dreams, have a much tastier, for want of a better word, life force than adults do.”
“Is that why Danny looked like a zombie.” Elliot said. He checked his watch, just gone eight, maybe he’d manage to get to school without getting in any more trouble than he usually was in.
“Yeah. That’s what happens when the creature gets you. That boy, well he was an empty shell, he looks, and maybe even talks like the kid he once was. But that part of him that made him, him. That part is gone, ripped away by the creature so it may continue grasping at life.” Mr Reed explained.
“Is there any way to get them back. Like, will Danny ever be himself again?” Elliot asked, they were coming up on his school now. He could see it, rising like some dystopian hellscape directly in front of him.
“I don’t know kid.” Mr Reed said. “It might be that when I kill it, it’s more recent victims’ essences may return.”
That day at lunch, Elliot chose to fill Owen in on nearly everything that was said, both in the car, and in Mr Reed’s hotel room.
“So let me get this straight.” Owen said through a mouthful of food. “The thing that’s taking our teammates isn’t human.”
“Yeah.” Elliot said with no confidence whatsoever, now that he was having to defend this position, he understood how mad it sounded.
“Do you know how mental that sounds, mate?” Owen said, finally managing to swallow his food.
“Yep.” Elliot responded.
“Okay. Let’s say you’re right, right.” Owen said quickly and quietly, as if he felt like he’d be thrown into an asylum by association to Elliot alone. “This creature. Witch, or whatever you want to call it. Who are they. I mean. Danny and Declan wouldn’t have just run off with a crazy old hag would they?”
“No.” Elliot agreed.
“So that means that it must be someone who knows them. Someone they trust enough to think that they’re friendly.” Owen said vocalising both their thought processes.
At that moment the bell rang, temporarily ending both their thought processes.
The sound of chairs scraping against the wooden floor was like nails on a blackboard for Elliot, and in his attempt to block out the sound, he completely missed his name being called.
“Come on.” Elliot said before Owen could say anything and they joined the throng heading for the doors.
“Hey Elliot.” A voice behind him called. Elliot turned around, and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Skyla Hunter, a girl in the same year as him and one that he had a crush on, running towards him through the staff putting tables away.
Elliot opened his mouth, closed it again, opened it, and then realising that he was probably looking like a fucking goldfish, closed it once more.
“Hi Skyla.” Owen said, sounding bored and clearly sensing that Elliot had been temporarily struck dumb.
“Yeah, hi.” Elliot said managing to find his voice once more.
“I overheard you talking about what happened to Danny and Declan.” Skyla said.
“Yeah.” Elliot said, slightly crestfallen that the reason that Skyla had come over was not because of him, rather that she was interested in what had happened to their teammates.
“So, what’d you know?” Skyla asked.
“Not much.” Elliot said. He was fine with talking about this stuff to Owen, because he knew that his friend would at worst, only laugh at him. But if he told Skyla, a girl he’d had a crush on since he’d first arrived at this school, about the weird shit going on in his life, then being laughed at was the least of his worries.
“Didn’t sound like much.” Skyla responded, taking out her phone. “Just give me something. I’ve been trying to find out info on this, but anytime I get close, weird shit happens.
“Wait. What weird shit?” Elliot asked, dropping his guard slightly.
“I dunno. Every time I find a website that isn’t just giving the government line, it keeps getting blocked.” Skyla said, showing a picture she’d taken of what was obviously her laptop screen. On it was a picture of a padlock, along with the words.
SITE TRAFFIC BLOCKED BY THE BALDWIN INSTITUTE.
Bellow that, a phone number was added to get in contact of the person thought that the site had been blocked by mistake.
Elliot and Owen stared at the picture.
The name rang a bell for Elliot, like he could have sworn he’d heard it before, but just couldn’t place it.
“Is it government?” Owen asked, finally taking his eyes off the picture.
“No idea. I tried searching this Baldwin Institute. But I’ve got nothing.” Skyla said, sounding annoyed that her journalistic instincts were being thwarted by the ultimate big brother. “So, what’d you have?”
Elliot looked over at Owen, trying to ask his friend whether or not he should tell without actually asking.
“Not much. Honestly.” Owen said.
“But. What we err, suspect, that this kidnapper isn’t human.” Elliot said.
This went about as badly as he first suspected. Skyla looked at him with hatred in her eyes.
“Jesus Elliot. If you’re going to treat me like an idiot. Then at least don’t try and lead me on in the first place.” Skyla said before shoving past them both.
“Skyla, wait!” Elliot shouted, but too late. She was gone.
“Well.” Owen said looking at him. “That went well.”
