Ash Lake

Ashes fell like rain. The black flakes stuck to the window in globs, mixing with the dew to form globs of black goo. Marcus released a heavy sigh. He tried to see the conditions outside, hoping that his route would be open, but to no avail. All he saw was grey. He turned away from the window and looked joyfully at the photo sitting on the shelf next to the window. There sat Sawyer, his beloved, with her long brown hair and beautiful green eyes. Next to her was the daughter Marguex, always smiling and always happy. Marcus sighed again. Only twelve more hours and he would be out of this rotting cabin. That is if this ash storm holds off long enough for the chopper to get through. He slowly closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

Boom! A sudden smash woke Marcus from his meditation. He spun around swiftly to see nothing. Just an empty kitchen and a table. There on the table sat a calico cat. Her name was Kandy and it was Marguex’s pet. Well it was supposed to be. She in her childish age left the taking care of the animal fell to Marcus and as such Kandy decided she preferred his company. Hence why she tagged along. The cat meowed constantly. Marcus patted her on the head and was met with a coo from Kandy. However, his focus was not on the cat but the hallway. There was a strange presence. Something unseen. Something not real. Yet there was something. He slowly walked past Kandy and into the hall. The cat dutifully followed him.

As he walked forward, the room grew deathly quiet. Only the tap, tap, tap of his heavy boots on the hard wood flooring and the wind howling through the trees. The few wisps of air that made it through the cracks did not call his attention. Marcus' focus was on the opposite wall where a small shadow danced in the dimming light of the lantern. It danced like a little daemon with a forked tail, bouncing and spinning in jest to the lonely man. A wisp of air flowed by, screaming his name in a familiar voice. He turned fast only to see blackness in a dim room. His foot fell onto something gooey, but he dared not look as his heart began to race, not sure as to what was happening right now. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, he had after all been here alone for some time. Soon he will be out of here, just have to hold out a few more hours. Then he will be free…

He stopped mid thought as a tapping broke through. It became louder with every successive tap in a pattern. Tap,Tap TapTaap TaapTaap TaapTapTaapTap TaapTaapTaap TaapTaap TapTap TaapTap TaapTaapTap TapTapTaapTap TaapTaapTaap TapTaapTap TaapTapTaapTaap TaapTaapTaap TapTapTaap. His mind swirled thinking what all the taps could mean. He used his scientist mind to decipher, yet the moment before he could a crash shook him. He ran towards the sound to discover a tree branch had smashed the window in the living room, sending a swirl of grey and black ash into the room, followed by brisk air. Marcus forced himself to calm down, lowering his breathing. Then the tapping started up again.

He slowly turned to look at the hallway he came from. Nothing was there. He called out to the darkness. Nothing. He called again in desperation. Nothing, not even the howling of the wind. He turned back to the window to be met by a scared Kandy and her claws. The cat swiped and slashed at his face, slicing through his skin. With effort, Marcus pried the cat off of him and ungently toss her across the room. The cat deftly landed on its feet and walked away. Marcus spit blood from his cut lip and cursed the cat. He would not be taking her home after that little stunt. “Oh what a pitty” called a ghostly voice. “What a pitty.” Marcus’ eyes widened only to be stung by the pain. He desperately wiped them. Clearing them of the red liquid. When he opened them again, what stood before him made him freeze.

“What a pitty.” The ghostly figure said again. It was black and grey, corporeal and yet fully there. His ghastly smile was slight only barely hiding its delight. “You had such potential.” The figure raised it hand to reveal long silver nails that glistened in the lantern light. “What a pity.” It said as it brought the nails down across the face of Marcus. The force of which brought him down to the ground. At first it was just the force, then it was the stinging of his skin followed by the blood that poured onto the ground. He screamed into the floor, as the pain overwhelmed him. Rolling over, he saw the creature raise his hand again and come crashing down. This time it was met with wood. Marcus rolled away and then got to his feet. He looked at the creature which just howled. Without a second thought he ran to the door with his full force and just ran into it, bursting out into the ash storm.

The white and grey landscape looked beautiful. It was almost peaceful as the ash fell all around him. In his panicked mode he could not enjoy the beautiful peaceful site, instead he bolted away from the house in desperation. His feet crunched under the inches of ash, sticking to his feet, slowing him down. Yet he continued in desperation. Even when he fell and the ash filled his wounds, causing more stinging, more pain, he pulled himself up and continued onward. Only the water stopped him.

Marcus plowed through an ash bank and fell into the lake. Cold murky water engulfed him. The cold bit him sharply as he flailed around. By some miracle he was able to breach the surface, but only for a moment. The weight of his wet clothes caused him to sink below again. As the water flowed around him, his eyes adjusted to the brown murky water. Sediment and ash floated in a torrent around his face. Nothing could be see more than a few feet away. His feet hit bottom where he lingered for a moment. Even in the murkiness, there was a slight peace to the scene. A scene that was promptly shattered with the arrival of the ghostly creature that furiously jetted towards him.

In a panic, he kicked off the bottom and toward the surface, only to be caught in the stomach by the full weight of the creature. It sent the last of his air out of him in bubbles that immediately escaped to the surface. Marcus spun in the water. He was able to catch himself only to have no idea where up was. His lungs burned as panic set in. He spun in either direction, both looking for the surface and the creature. In a quick decision, he made a break for one direction, hoping and praying that it was the right one. How much distance he covered he was not sure, as the murkiness of the water remained the same, until he suddenly burst from the water. He jealously breathed in the air and ash. Filling his lungs again. But only for a moment. A tug on his leg and he was pulled into the water again, and met with a horrid face that smiled at him with a wicked smile. The two stared at each other. In that moment, Marcus could feel that there was a connection, that the two were one. The creature bellowed bubbles and followed it up with slashing Marcus’ face repeatedly. In desperation, he kicked and swung at the monster until all his energy was used up. Slowly the water around him turned red and then black.

Marcus awoke on the shoreline half covered in ash and half soaked from the small waves of the lake. His head was pounding and his lungs burned. Somehow he with the last of his strength, he managed to lift himself up to his feet. His heavy eyes slowly focused on the scene before him. It was not the peaceful ash covered land from before, no. Instead the forest surrounding him was engulfed in flames. Red flames flickered from tree to tree, leaving no area untouched. Except for the cabin. The rundown cabin remained unburned and it called to Marcus. He slowly dragged himself towards it, limping and hobbling. A flaming branch crashed beside him, but he paid no mind to it. His attention was squarely on the cabin. Before long he reached the wooden door and unceremoniously pushed the remaining pieces in. They fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Crossing the threshold, he stepped into the black. The flames outside illuminated the cabin to its full extent. Blood covered the walls. It was his, he thought. From when that creature slashed him. He went on believing this fantasy until he saw a hand coming from one of the doorways. There was no emotion inside of him as he nudged it with his foot. The hand moved slightly but in a non living way. Again with no emotion, he thrusted the door open causing the body to roll into full view. The green dull eyes looked at him, forever stuck with panic. It was Sawyer. He just blinked showing no emotion. Her body was slashed deeply with a thick pool of blood underneath her. Marcus just turned and walked deeper into the house.

A soft whimper caught his attention and he slowly moved towards it. There was no fear, just a sense of determination. He came to the end of the hallway, where a pink door stood. The whimpering could be heard coming from behind it. He grabbed the burning hot door knob and twisted it. The metal scorched his hand, but he paid no attention to the pain. He was determined.

The door unlatched and he swung it open. Before him laid a man. Blood pooled underneath him. Marcus did not even bother to look at him. If he had, perhaps he would not have gone further, but he did not. Instead he went in the direction of the whimper, to the closet. He licked his burned and cracking lips. A sense of satisfaction was filling him. He would finally have his prey. In a instant he threw open the closet, to find a blood covered little girl, crying and whimpering. Little Marguex looked up at him with fear.

He did not know why, but in that instant he turned around. When he did he stared at the dead man in the room. His brown eyes looked at Marcus with pain and fear. They were dead, but they were Marcus’. In fact, the whole face was Marcus’. Confusion filled him as he looked at himself laying on the floor. He turned back to Marguex, only to find a full mirror. In it was the ghastly creature. Its face was hideously scarred. A wide smile was cut deep into the face. He grew cold and dark. In fury, he slashed the mirror sending shards of glass everywhere, and causing the little girl to leave her hiding place. As she cowered, anger grew inside of him. The need to punish. The desire to kill. He was determined. He could feel the long metal nails on his hand. He could feel how well they fit in his hand. How good it felt. The soft whimpers and cries of Marguex filled his ears. He loved that sound. Slowly he raised his hand, the nails shining in the flickering flames. He licked his lips, ready to make the final blow. That is when the cabin collapsed. Sending flaming beams and boards crashing down. The ensuing flames devoured all in its wake.

Outside the flames crackled and smoke billowed from the ruins of the cabin, as ash fell like rain.