Nightmare
Date: 6/27/98
From: marcos1

~~~~~

Jeb Hawkes stood in the shadows. The full moon was beginning to peep from behind a group of dark clouds. He heard the crunching of leaves, someone was approaching. "Nicholas," Jeb Hawkes asked. "Is that you?"

"Yes," Nicholas said softly. He was wearing his top hat and coat. His face reflected a loss of sleep. "Is everything ready for later tonight?"

"It is Nicholas," Jeb replied. "But you do remember that nothing is to happen to Carolyn?" His eyes narrowed. "That is part of our deal. If anything should happen to her...I swear Nicholas...I'll find some way to destroy you...if I have to knock down the gates of Hell."

Nicholas looked off into the distance. The sound of a dog howling echoed thru the woods. "Jeb, nothing will happen to Carolyn or Maggie." He paused thoughtfully. "Don't you think that I'm worried about Maggie. Jeb, there are large forces involved with this...much more powerful and evil than you and I."

"Maggie," Jeb said. "I hadn't thought about her. She will be there too...at the party?"

"She will be there," Nicholas replied. He felt a chill run thru him. He was worried. Could 'they' be trusted to respect his wishes?



~~~~~



Mrs. Johnson prepared the table. She brought out the bowls of salad, glasses of tea, and soda for David. The dining room at Collinwood was lit with candles. Sarah Johnson hummed a tune. She was feeling very happy and full of thoughts. This was a party to celebrate David's fifteenth birthday and everything should be just perfect. Barnabas and Julia had recently been married. They seemed just right for each other. Maggie was engaged to Nicholas Blair. Maybe he wasn't so bad. After all he had helped my Harry, get out of trouble. She shook her head. There is just no way that my Harry would have done any of those dreadful things in Boston. Exposing himself at a bus stop? That just wasn't my Harry. But Nicholas had managed to get him released. And all he had asked for in return was that I put this small statue on the dinner table tonight. She looked at the horrid looking statue. It was some kind of monster with six arms and a strangely shaped head that mainly seemed to consist of large rows of teeth. It seemed to be molded out of clay. Nicholas said that he wanted it on the table for good luck, that he cared about the Collins family. Oh, well, what could it hurt?

"A toast to the new bride and groom," Roger Collins said smiling. "Julia and Barnabas, I wish you many years of happiness." He paused clearing his throat. "And may your marriage turn out better than my two have. At least your Julia is not a witch or a bitch." He added corrosively.

"Julia is very special," Barnabas said, his eyes smiling. "But this party is about cousin David. David is fast becoming a young man, soon his thoughts will turn to the ladies."

Carolyn laughed. "You don't seem to know him very well, Barnabas. His thoughts have been about girls for sometime. Just look under his bed at that collection of magazines." She snickered. "And those magazines aren't about cars."

David blushed. He seemed to getting up from his seat. But then Barnabas added, "erotic magazines are very interesting." He glanced over at David. "Cousin, you are welcome to come look at my collection of Pink Lady magazines at the Old House, anytime. The female form is a very beautiful thing."

"Thanks, Cousin," David said smiling. "I am getting older. Soon I will be getting my drivers license." He glanced over at Roger.

"Soon enough, young man," Roger said sipping his wine. "But first you have to get a job. That was our understanding."

"I heard that Bob Rooney is looking for a dishwasher at the Blue Whale," Maggie Evans interjected. The sound of the phone ringing came from the drawing room. Elizabeth Stoddard got up to answer it.



"Thanks so much, Maggie," David said excitedly. "Father, that sounds good. Scotty Hartle has a 1970 GTO for sale. If I got the job at the Blue Whale..."

"We will talk about this later," Roger said. Mrs. Johnson came in the room carrying a cake lit with fifteen candles. The chorus of 'Happy Birthday' started through the room.

Elizabeth came back into the room. "Carolyn and Maggie, the phone call was for both of you. It's Nicholas, apparently Jeb Hawkes has been found."

"Jeb Hawkes is dead," Roger said angrily. His eyes narrowed. "What is Nicholas up to...he knew that we were having this party?"

"Jeb...my Jeb is alive," Carolyn said sobbing. "Mother, where is he? I must go to him." She got up from her chair.

"Nicholas said that he's at the House By The Sea, Blair House," Elizabeth said. "And he insists that Maggie and Carolyn go there at once."

"All right," Maggie said. "Carolyn let's go. I'll be happy to drive you."

"I don't like the sound of this," Barnabas said, his eyes widening. "Maybe I should go along."

"No, it should be all right," Maggie said. "Really, Barnabas, Nicholas has changed. He is a very sweet, caring man." Maggie and Carolyn walked out of the room.

"David," Julia Hoffman Collins said, looking at the cake. "Aren't you going to blow out the candles and make a wish?"

David closed his eyes. Thoughts of a beautiful girl riding with him in the white GTO filled his mind. He blew out the candles. Then the other candles in the room suddenly went out. The room became pitch black. A bright spark came from the small statue on the table. The statue began to grow, quickly becoming so large that the antique wooden table broke under it's weight. And between the row of sharp teeth that lined it's mouth, a portal opened--a portal to Hell. Horrible things walked thru the portal and grabbed the party guests one by one. Barnabas fought with his very soul. But the creatures were too strong. They took the party guests thru the portal into the lake of fire and torment. The portal closed and the statue returned to it's normal size. The candles in the dining room were burning again. But the room was empty. David, Roger, Barnabas, Julia, and Sarah Johnson were gone.

Several months passed, Maggie and Carolyn were down at a Florida beach. They were watching their two husbands build a sand castle. "They are just like two little boys," Maggie said smiling. She noticed a pained expression on Carolyn's face. "I'm sorry...you are thinking about David aren't you?"

"What could have happened to them?" Carolyn asked sadly. "It was a good idea to go on this trip. But I still can't get my family out of my mind."

"Maybe we'll never know," Maggie said, as she watched Nicholas and Jeb building the castle of sand.

A package sat by the door of their motel room. It had been delivered by a man dressed in black. It was a small brown box containing a small statue, a statue with six arms and large teeth. It waited for the two couples to return. It was hungry.

The End