The Horror Within

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We huddled at the front of the boat as we watched the event building burn. Hearing the screams and shrieks of everyone inside broke through the night. We saw the lights from the emergency services coming up the hill but knew that they would not get there in time and the building would be smoke and ash. The police on the boat looked on in horror while the people inside the event building ran around as they tried to find a way out. Standing next to  the officer asked, "How did you both escape?"

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My boyfriend said, "Honestly sir, we don't know."

The officer looked at me and asked, "Can I ask you why you were there?"

Looking at the officer I said, "I inherited the hotel a little over a year and a half ago."

The officer looked at me and said, "You may want to start at the beginning."

He lead us to the wheel house and we sat down with him. I said, "Eighteen months ago I was working at a small store in Central Florida and my boyfriend worked for a asphalt company. We had just pulled up to our trailer and saw a man in a suite sitting at the table we had outside."

Charles said, "I asked if we could help him and he gave a smile and said I am sorry I did not have your phone number I am looking for Andi Greene."

"I introduced myself," I said. "He told us that he was a lawyer representing my great uncle. As I am adopted I knew I could have family out there. He asked if we could talk. We sat at the table with him and he explained the circumstances of my birth. My biological Mom came from a wealthy family but my biological Dad was a local fisherman. My Grandparents did not agree with their relationship. Mom and Dad eloped and moved into town away from my Grandparents who owned the hotel then passed it to my great uncle. My great uncle did not agree with my Grandparents and when he took over he hired my Dad to be a fishing and tour boat operator. My parents still lived in town for their privacy but mom worked in the office and they were off on the weekends. When Mom became pregnant with me they hired an older maid at the hotel to watch me while they worked. One day an ice storm came out of no where when they were coming home from the hotel. The maid called the hotel when they did not show up on time. She even gave them time due to the storm. My Great Uncle called the police and they started searching and the maid stayed watching me at the house. The next day they found my parents bodies. The ice storm caused them to go of the road and fall into the frozen river. My Uncle hired the maid as a full time nanny and we moved to the hotel. But the Nanny had concerns over the environment and my uncle's friend had a daughter who could not have children. They came up to the hotel and she fell head over heals for me. Her and her husband wanted to do an open adoption but my Great Uncle insisted that it be closed. He provided them a stipend every month for my care and they were the best parents until they died when I turned twenty one."

The cop gave me a side look and asked, "How did they pass?"

"My parents were on their way out to visit and the plane they were in was hit with a ice storm," I said. "All twenty passengers and crew passed away."

"I am sorry Andi," He said. "So what else happened."

Charles spoke up, "Hearing the news and family history he gave Andi a bit of time to take it all in. When she was a little better he told us her Great Uncle had passed away and she was the last living family member and she inherited everything. Everything included her parents house in town which he paid off and kept. He told us that there were offers from groups to buy the hotel but as of now she received an inheritance from him, her parents and the hotel estate. Andi got really upset and went inside. The lawyer asked if we would be home the following day. I told him we were both off and he said he would come by after lunch the next day to go over everything."

The cop sat there and said, "Did he come back the next day?"

"Yes," I said. "He came by and asked me if we would at least like to see the hotel and my parents home before we made a decision. Andi agreed and we used some of the inheritance money to pay our rent and live for a while. I took a leave from my job as did Charles. We flew up here to Alaska and went to my parents and my home first. Staying at the house we come to fall in love with the town. We drove up to the hotel the second week we were visiting and walked the hotel with the lawyer."

Charles said, "After we toured the hotel Andi and I decided to go back to her parents home and talk about our future and what a move like this could mean to us. We learned that the hotel needed a new head of maintenance and Andi wanted to work in the office and learn about the hotel from the bottom up."

"We called Mr. Jankins and told him we were going to take the plunge and move to Alaska. We went home and closed out our home packing only what we wanted to bring to the new house," I said. "We flew home on May 3rd of last year. Within two weeks we had sold what we were not bringing with us and soon had our SUV packed up and we did a road trip to come to Alaska."

The officer asked, "Then?"

Charles gave a short laugh and said, "What do you mean then?"

The officer looked at us and said, "We need to know everything that happened until this point."

Looking the officer in the eyes I said, "You will never believe us."

The officer held my gaze and said, "Andi I have been the Sheriff in this town for close to forty years. I have seen things that I never thought I would. I see the marks on you both and I believe you were targeted as well but you have to be upfront with me."

"Fine," I said looking back at the event barn and said, "The creatures in that event center are not human."

"What are they then," He asked.

Charles looked up and said, "They are ice demons and those demons not only killed her family but her uncle and we are guessing a lot of other people as well for the last one hundred years."

He took out his phone and said, "Shut the road and do not let anyone near that barn."

Charles and I looked at each other and I said, "What the fuck."

The Sheriff held up his hand and dialed his phone again and said, "Chief you were right. Get your boys and keep that fire burning."

Charles looked at the Sheriff and asked, "Sir what is going on?"

Telling the officer to bring the boat to the town dock he said, "Kids I believe you. Not only do I believe you but those things killed my wife and son. We are going to town and then are going to your house. Then you can tall me the rest of what happened."

We got to the dock and I asked the Sheriff, "What about the guests at the hotel. We need to get them out."

"We have police going room to room now," He said. "If there are survivors we will be bringing them down to the town and will be keeping them in a shelter."

We docked and I heard various calls on the radio that they found some people who survived the attack on the hotel and some deceased. Sighing I climbed up on the dock and we got into the chiefs cruiser and went to our home. When we got in the house Charles started the fire and the wood oven and made some tea. When we were settled in dry clothes there was a knock at the door. Opening the door the local chief was standing there with some of the elders.

We sat down in the living room and the Sheriff said, "We left off that you were on your way from Florida."

Charles said, "On our way up here we decided to make it a vacation for us. But the trip was weird even before we left town. We were at a local gas station filling up and one of the towns Voodoo leaders came up to us. We knew him from events around town. He gave us each a talisman and asked us to keep it on us. When I asked why he had told us we will be fighting something dark and since he couldn't come to Alaska its the most he could do to protect us."

I said, "I thanked him for his protection and we left town. As we were getting ready to go on the highway a huge storm came up and we ended up having to wait at a gas stop. That threw off our entire schedule but we still made due. While waiting at the gas stop we heard a lot of truckers say they never saw weather like that and we questioned if we were doing the right thing. But when the weather got better we headed to north Florida. We had planned to go to a random hotel on the way to our first stop in New Orleans. We found a hotel in Santa Rosa Beach and checked in for the night."

The Inuit leader said, "You say beach? Did something happen while you were there?"

Charles said, "We got to the hotel around six at night. We checked in and washed up. The hotel was having a food truck rally so we went down to have dinner. When we got downstairs the air began to chill. It was so cool that the hotel started fire pits and bon fires for people to warm themselves. I even ran upstairs to get jackets for Andi and I. We went out to the lot where the trucks were and the wind got progressively stronger."

I said, "Charles and I saw a few trucks we like and we decided to divide and get food. Then we were going to go up to our room and eat. Charles went o a pizza and Mexican truck. I headed to everything slider and deserts for you. As I was waiting for my sliders I felt like I was being watched. As I walked to the desert truck I saw an older woman following behind me. There was something off with her. Have you ever saw someone that made you feel like you were in danger. This eighty year old woman made me feel that way. 

I was going to find Charles and skip desert when a couple came up to me and said, "There you are. We have been looking all over for you." 

The woman gave me a big hug with her back to the woman. She whispered and told me, "You don't have to believe me but I see people for who and what they really are and that woman is a monster."

Hugging her back I said, "Thank you."

Then I said louder, "I thought you both were getting food. I was going to get Charles and I desert to go with our food and head to our room."

Her husband smiled and said, "Well we have not got our food yet but lets get desert first. I saw Charles at the boa truck. I will get him while you ladies pick out things that are sweet."

Charles picked up the story, "He came and found me and explained the situation. We went to get the food. Milly and Andi got desert and drinks. Herb and I joined them inside the lounge with the food. Herb explained that him and Milly hunted the monsters of the world and that Milly can see a monster's true face. They said the woman who had a face like a storm all white with flashes of what they thought could be wind. They warned us to be very careful and gave us their phone number if we ever needed help."

The Inuit leader asked, "Did you ever call them once you got here?"

"Yes," I said. "They helped us on the phone and were going to come out next week after they were done finished helping a coven fight a demon."

The Inuit leader nodded and said, "Did anything else happen?"

I said, "No. The following morning we met up with Herb and Milly. Milly told us that they took care of our problem and said if we have any other issues call them and they would get the nearest hunter we are near to help. They had never seen a creature like her but they said that she hated warmth and that they made sure she could not bother us again."

The Sheriff got a phone call and went into the kitchen. We sat drinking our tea and when he came out the Inuit leader said, "Bart what is going on?"

"The guys are saying they are hearing the voices of people who have died Mackie," He said.

Mackie pulled out his phone and when whoever he called answered he said, "Keep that fire burning hot."

He listened for a few more seconds and said, "Son listen to me. I know your hearing the voices of our loved ones but remember our loved ones are no longer here they are trying to escape and they are the ones that killed them."

Bart sat down and said, "So you left the hotel the following morning?"

I said, "Yes. After breakfast we checked out and started towards New Orleans. As we traveled the day was beautiful and we had no further incidents until we were on the outskirts to New Orleans."

Charles continued saying, "Andi was sleeping in the passenger seat of the car and I had stopped to get gas. When I came out I saw young boy looking at the loaded truck. Seeing him I said hello and he walked over to me and handed me a piece of paper. After he handed it to me he took off running."

Bart asked, "What did the paper say?"

Charles said, "It said that there was a dark shadow over us and advised us to see a voodoo priest for protection. It gave a phone number and a address."

I said, "When Charles showed me the paper I laughed and said even with what is happening it is probably a tourist thing. We went to our hotel to settle in and rest. We had planned to stay there a few days and wanted to explore. After we rested we headed out to dinner and again when we went out of the building there seemed to be a chill in the air. We went inside and called Herb. We explained that we are having the same occurrences and could use some back up. Herb told us to get room service tonight or delivery and he was sending help."

Bart asked, "when did the help arrive?"

Charles said, "The Hunter arrived later that night. He said he had an appointment for us to meet a voodoo priest the next morning and while we were under the priest protection they would hunt the next monster."

I said, "it felt like a weird bad dream. But I could not wake up from the dream."

Mackie nodded and said, "Those are the worst. With these creatures they seem to build that up."

Andi Greene- Main

Charles- Boyfriend

Mr. Jankins- lawyer

Sheriff- Bart

Mackie- Tribal chief

Herb/Milly- Demon hunters