The Devil and I

Louise pushed the door open creaking as she did so. She walked cautiously through the house she walked into the seating area her breath lingered in front of her like steam on a cold winter's day. The room was filled with people sitting, they looked frozen still like they were no longer alive, and she turned quickly walking briskly out of the room.

She found herself back in the hall way she walked into a room on the far fight of the hall way, she flicked the light switch on emerging light from the light bulb that hung from the ceiling. A bath, toilet, and sink with a mirrored cabinet above it hung on the wall she must have walked into the bathroom.

She felt as if someone was in the room with her, watching her she looked round up at the light where a person hung from the light fitting by a rope stung from there neck knotted tightly. There head flopping lifelessly to one side blood seeping away from there mouth, guts spewed every where. Louise switched the light off quickly making her exit back into the hall her heart pounding.

Her eyes scanned the hall of many doors which one to choose hoping the next wasn't as bad as the last. She spotted a door on the far left of the house hoping that there was nothing hidden behind it she walked carefully over to it, opening the door she walked in the room. At the end of the room stood a single bed it felt a lot warmer in this room almost like a furnace. She went further into the room walking over to the bed where a girl sat. This room seemed okay nothing had popped out scaring her half to death. Yet!

'Hello.' Louise said. Her voice shaking nervously.

The girl turned her head looking over at Louise with her blood red eyes, cuts over her face. 'Leave this house or you'll end up like me and everything in this place.'

Louise fled out of the room and out of the house into the street where everyone was fighting. Louise began to wonder what sort of place the stranger had brought her too.

She turned suddenly there was a gun pointing at her head from a distance.

'You're next!' Someone shouted.

She had to get of there she turned running from the up brawl in the street. A shot was fired, many bullets missed her by inches but the last catching her leg. Blood gushing out of the wound down her leg she limped ignoring the pain. She ran into the forest which began to become very dark the deeper she found herself in it. Running passed trees bearing faces upon them screaming out.

Louise looked round zombies were following her through the forest she had to get out of there or they'd have her too.

She ran the zombies still following her. She came to a set of fleur de leys styled gates at the end of the forest, but where did the lead? She stood still looking at them swearing to her self that she'd saw them somewhere before, but where? The gates opened Louise walked in anywhere had to be better than where she was. The gates closed behind her at least the zombies weren't going to get her now, but would something else?! She walked through the waste ground headstones come into view as she walked deeper through the waste land she walked passed rows of headstones realising that she was in a grave yard, but why? It started to get hotter the further she walked passing millions of headstones walking over graves eeving hoping that nothing was going to grab her and pull her in. A light lit up the bottom of the grave yard she'd finally reached what she'd been following. A single coffin stood underneath it. Louise walked cautiously over to it. She stood over the coffin, why was it there standing on its own with no other coffin besides it?

She struggled, pushing off the lid. A corpse laid there she curiously lowered her hand into the open coffin the frail bony hand grabbed hers. She looked at the corpse screaming silently. Its eyes as dark as death itself.

She stared at the corpse as it pulled with him as she struggled to break free from its grip.

'NO!' Louise screamed.

'Lou! Lou! Wake up!' Chris said nudging her.

'Wha, Wha?' Louise said stirring groggily her eyes slowly opened.

His perfect blue eyes shone in hers she hadn't long met him, yet she felt so drawn to him. They'd met at college and shared many weekends together.

'You okay babe?'

'Yeah fine.'

'You sure you seemed to be doing a lot of screaming.'

'Yeah fine just a bad dream.'

'You can tell me about it you know.'

'I know.'

'I love you.'

'I love you too.'

He pressed his lips on hers kissing her.

But things hadn't always been this good between them she'd took an instant disliking to him on first sight and his friends well she wouldn't have classed them as friends just the opposite.

Chris looked up and over at the butch male surrounded by his friends laughing and joking drinking. He and Louise had called it a day as they were going to different colleges he'd tried so hard to apologise for the dark Halloween night that they'd snuck into the graveyard, but she had found it hard to trust in him after that night he had promised her that it would never happen again and begged her to not leave him. The more time they spent together the more she felt it wasn't working though he had tried his hardest for it to, but his friends had become more important to him and he had tried so hard to steer her away from Sasha cause she was just too weird and everyone was talking about her even him. She had told him that she'd never do that they'd been friends forever and she wasn't about to change that for anyone especially him.

They'd both gone into the cemetery with Kayleigh, Blake and Arron with a few of the others they were scared they all knew that yet chose to open that casket after they'd begged them not to.

The eyes glowed as the three girls screamed running away Blake and Arron running after them their friends trying to catch up. 'Hey wait up.'

'Go away.'

'Come on Lou it weren't real.'

'It sure as hell looked real.'

'Well it weren't we thought you would find it funny too.'

'You set us up?'

'Yeah!' he laughed.

They crack came hard across his face.

He placed his hand on his face. 'Gee Lou it was a fucking joke it's Halloween gee you were always up for a laugh they were just red lights on a skeleton.'

'Your such a prick Blake we're done.'

'But..'

'Come on Sasha, Kayleigh, you were both right tonight was a mistake. I wished I'd've listened.'

They walked away dead staring the friends. 'Lou come on it was a joke.'

Her middle finger went up as they walked briskly away. Unaware that they were all being watched.

He'd tried so hard to make it up to her he'd twisted her arm to not leave him and to start again. She'd agreed though she was very reserved about whether or not he'd do it again. He'd stuck to his word and hadn't. But she still felt uneasy around him they'd argued the day they had ended it. Chris had stood watching and had stood back he'd find this girl again and make sure he got to know her.

'Who you looking at Chris to seem a million miles away.'

'Him.'

'Oh him. That's Blake Conway he's a rugby player, bit of a prick if you ask me.'

'How come?'

'He thinks he's it, you know him and his friends took some girls into the grave yard on Halloween and dug a grave up and opened the casket the two girls screamed and ran he never stopped laughing about it and how dumb they were to believe that there was an actual live skeleton in there.'

'So what happened to the rest of them?' Chris asked curiously.

'That's Ayden Dormston and there other friends, they were there too. The girls who went in with them who knows word is him and his better half called it a day a while ago the other one I'm not sure guess she's around somewhere.'

'Guess our paths will cross one day aye.'

'Guess so I best be going Chris I have to meet my bro soon.'

'Sure Jai I'll see you soon.'

'You will. Just tread carefully.'

'Oh I will.'

Chris walked away with an evil glint in his eye, smiling eerily. He'd found the first of the friends that he'd been searching for. Blake was about to get a big shock.

Footsteps crossed Chris's path, his eyes followed the dark haired male.

He knew exactly what was going to happen. He followed the male down the street.

Blake heard footsteps coming towards him he turned, a tall figure continued walking behind him, hood covering his face, he turned back and started walking faster, his heart racing, beating faster and faster almost popping out from underneath his ribs as he turned the corner.

The dark dressed figure appeared from behind the darkness of the next corner. 'Blake.' It said eerily. Ghostly. In a girl like voice.

'Lou is that you?'

'Yes it is.'

'Wow I haven't saw you for years how are you?'

'I'm fine.'

'Come here so I can give you a hug.'

The dark dressed figure strode casually over to making sure he stuck to his plan, I mean how thick could this male be?

Blake went to place his arms around the stranger who he thought was his old girlfriend, but had no idea who this stranger was. He hadn't seen Louise since they called it a day before their exams had began. This was his chance to tell her how sorry he was and how glad he was to see her again, how much he'd missed her.

The dark dressed figure grabbed Blake by the scruff of his neck, pushing him up against the wall.

'What's up Lou? I know you and me daint part on good terms cause everyone was laughing about the night in the graveyard and I'm sorry but it was really funny.' He laughed. 'I'm sorry but your faces were a picture maybe I should've kept my trap shut.'

'Maybe you should.' The dark clothed stranger said. The stranger pulled off his hood.

Blake looked at the dark haired, blue eyed male looking straight back at him. 'Who the fuck are you? You're not Louise.'

'Ten points for having a brain!'

'What do you want?'

'Where's the rest of you're friends?'

'I don't know.'

'LIAR!'

'I don't honest. I aint seen them.'

Chris squeezed his hand round Blake's neck delving into his jacket.

'What are you doing? You can't look in there.'

Chris raised his eye brows looking dead at him, pulling out photograph. His eyes fixed on it. 'Who are these people then?'

'I don't know.'

Chris squeezed tighter. 'I'll ask you again.'

'I don't know.'

Chris dug his nails further into Blake's neck. 'Are these your friends?' He asked shoving the photo in Blake's face.

'Yes.'

'Where are they?'

'I already told you I don't know. That was took at the end of school aint seen them since then.'

'Are you sure?'

'Positive.'

'Are you sure?' Chris repeated.

Chris's eyes glowed a deep red colour, he looked at Blake whose face had turned a ghostly colour.

'I'll find them and when I do they'll be sorry.' He said twisting hid nails further into Blake's neck his bones crunched as he did so.

Chris pulled his nails out of Blake's neck and walked away. 'Oh thanks for this I'll keep it as a memento.' He said slipping it into his pocket as he disappeared into the darkness.

A blonde haired male walked passed a row of shops on the high street, it was getting on for midnight. A pair of blue eyes followed him. 'Arron.' The voice shouted girlishly.

Ayden stopped almost froze, he turned to see who was behind him in the darkness. 'Sasha.'

'Yes.'

'I'm so glad to see you, you can't begin to imagine just how sorry I am for what happened that night. Blake thought it would be funny to take you and Lou in there and scare you half to death we all thought it was cool you didn't and I'm sorry and I'm sorry we all laughed at yo and Lou but it was funny.' He laughed. 'I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?'

'Well they say past is past.'

'I'm glad we got that sorted out, come here.'

The dark figure walked towards Ayden. The stranger was going to follow his plan through to a T this time make the thick shit believe that he was actually the girl in the photograph. Arron rapped his arms round the dark clothed person. Who rapped there arms round Arron.

'Maybe we can put all of this behind us and start all over again.'

'O don't think so not this time.'

Ayden felt a sharp stabbing sensation to his spine. He pulled away looking at the dark clothed person in front of him. 'What's up Sasha ? I thought you said past was past.'

'I lied.' Chris said pulling his hood off his face.

'Who the fuck are you?'

'I'm your worst fuckin' nightmare as your friend found out.'

'You killed Sasha?'

'Close, but not close enough.'

'Lou.'

'Getting warmer.'

'Kayley?'

'Getting hotter.'

'Blake.'

'Spot on.'

'No!'

'Oh Yes.' He replied digging his nails further into Ayden's flesh. 'And if you don't tell me where to find the others I'll kill you too.'

'I don't know.'

'Guess what.' Chris said.

Arron looked at him his eyes glazed with fear.

'I don't believe you.'

'I don't honest'

Chris twisted his nails through Ayden's ribs each one splintering as he did so. 'I don't believe you.' He said ripping out Arron's heart squelching, dripping with blood. 'I'll keep this. Maybe I'll show your friends one day.'

Chris walked casually away as Ayden's body dropped lifelessly, silently to the ground.

Louise pushed the door open creaking as she did so. She walked cautiously through the house she walked into the seating area her breath lingered in front of her like steam on a cold winter's day. The room was filled with people sitting, they looked frozen still like they were no longer alive, and she turned quickly walking briskly out of the room.

She found herself back in the hall way she walked into a room on the far fight of the hall way, she flicked the light switch on emerging light from the light bulb that hung from the ceiling. A bath, toilet, and sink with a mirrored cabinet above it hung on the wall she must have walked into the bathroom.

She felt as if someone was in the room with her, watching her she looked round up at the light where a person hung from the light fitting by a rope stung from there neck knotted tightly. There head flopping lifelessly to one side blood seeping away from there mouth, guts spewed every where. Louise switched the light off quickly making her exit back into the hall her heart pounding.

Her eyes scanned the hall of many doors which one to choose hoping the next wasn't as bad as the last. She spotted a door on the far left of the house hoping that there was nothing hidden behind it she walked carefully over to it, opening the door she walked in the room. At the end of the room stood a single bed it felt a lot warmer in this room almost like a furnace. She went further into the room walking over to the bed where a girl sat. This room seemed okay nothing had popped out scaring her half to death. Yet!

'Hello.' Louise said. Her voice shaking nervously.

The girl turned her head looking over at Louise with her blood red eyes, cuts over her face. 'Leave this house or you'll end up like me and everything in this place.'

Louise fled out of the room and out of the house into the street where everyone was fighting. Louise began to wonder what sort of place the stranger had brought her too.

She turned suddenly there was a gun pointing at her head from a distance.

'You're next!' Someone shouted.

She had to get of there she turned running from the up brawl in the street. A shot was fired, many bullets missed her by inches but the last catching her leg. Blood gushing out of the wound down her leg she limped ignoring the pain. She ran into the forest which began to become very dark the deeper she found herself in it. Running passed trees bearing faces upon them screaming out.

Louise looked round zombies were following her through the forest she had to get out of there or they'd have her too.

She ran the zombies still following her. She came to a set of fleur de leys styled gates at the end of the forest, but where did the lead? She stood still looking at them swearing to her self that she'd saw them somewhere before, but where? The gates opened Louise walked in anywhere had to be better than where she was. The gates closed behind her at least the zombies weren't going to get her now, but would something else?! She walked through the waste ground headstones come into view as she walked deeper through the waste land she walked passed rows of headstones realising that she was in a grave yard, but why? It started to get hotter the further she walked passing millions of headstones walking over graves eeving hoping that nothing was going to grab her and pull her in. A light lit up the bottom of the grave yard she'd finally reached what she'd been following. A single coffin stood underneath it. Louise walked cautiously over to it. She stood over the coffin, why was it there standing on its own with no other coffin besides it?

She struggled, pushing off the lid. A corpse laid there she curiously lowered her hand into the open coffin the frail bony hand grabbed hers. She looked at the corpse screaming silently. Its eyes as dark as death itself.

She stared at the corpse as it pulled with him as she struggled to break free from its grip.

The sound of the phone woke Louise.

'Lou, Lou wake up.'

'I'm awake already.'

'Phone.'

'Who is it?'

'Chris.'

'Tell him I'll be there in a bit.'

'Sure.' Louise's mom replied before talking to Chris on the phone 'She'll be with you in a sec.'

'Thanks.'

Louise pulled herself up out of bed, getting herself dressed. She dragged herself out of the bedroom and into the hall, she picked up the receiver. 'Hi.'

'Hi. Sorry I woke you I know yo probably haven't had much sleep but couldn't wait till tomorrow.'

'That's okay.'

'Is it okay if I come around yours?'

'Yeah sure.'

'I'll see you in a bit.'

'Okay.'

'Bye.'

'Bye.' Louise replied replacing the receiver.

'So are you seeing him today?' her mom asked curiously.

'Yeah he's coming round in a while.'

'Okay. Well I'm off to work don't get doing anything I wouldn't.''

'I wont'

'I'll be back late so make sure you eat.'

'I will bye mom.'

'Bye Louise.' She said closing the door behind her.

The knock on the door alerted get, she pulled her weary body up answering the door. 'Gee babe you look like shit.'

'So do you.'

'Lack of sleep.'

'Snap. Come in.'

'Thanks.' Chris replied walking into the house.

Chris followed Louise into the living room, he looked around the room. 'On your own?'

'Yeah, mom's gone out.'

'Oh right. Well at least we can get to know each other better.'

'Yeah.' Louise replied. 'Would you like a coffee?'

'Sure.' Chris said slouching onto the sofa.

Louise returned into the lounge, she placed the mugs of coffee onto the table.

'Thanks.' Chris said smiling. 'Come and sit down.' He said tapping the empty space besides him.

'Okay.'

Louise sat down nervously next to Chris, he draped his arm around her, a cold shiver made its way down her spine.

'What's the matter?' Chris asked curiously.

'Nothing. Just cold.'

'Why didn't you say.' He said, pulling her closer to him, hugging her. 'Is that better?'

'Yeah.'

'This is nice just sitting here with you, cuddling you, it just feels right don't you think?'

'Yeah.' Louise replied closing her eyes.

'Lou wake up!' Chris said nudging her.

She slowly came round 'Did I fall asleep?'

'Yeah.'

'Sorry.'

'It's okay.' Chris said pausing. 'So what did you dream about?'

'Nothing.'

'Oh okay....shall we go out for a bite to eat?'

'Sure.'

Chris and Louise are sitting in the restaurant.

'So tell me about yourself.'

'There's nothing to tell.'

'Sure there is, there's got to be.'

'You already know my friend is that's all there is to know.'

'There's got to be more to you than that.'

'Okay me and Sasha went to primary together we clicked first day and we've been freinds ever since. We both decided to go to college we didn't expect to get onto the same one.'

'And meet me.

'Yeah.'

'So any deep dark secrets?'

'No why?'

'Just asking, just everyone has skeletons locked away.'

'Well I haven't. Guess that makes me a square!'

'No you're just perfect the way you are.'

'So what about you?' Louise asked. Quickly changing the subject wishing not to bring up the past, and what happened in the graveyard a year ago.'

'Well, me and Jodas are like brothers we lived next door to one another we have no secrets we tell each other everything.'

'What do you mean everything?'

'Everything, no secrets.'

'What about me?'

'You mean me and you?'

'Yeah.'

'Everything that happens between you and me is between us and that's the way I'd like it to stay. I want that part of my life all to myself.'

'Oh. Okay, so there's no deep dark secrets?'

'No what you see is what you get.' He lied knowing what lay behind the mask he wore.

Chris walked Louise home after the restaurant. He leaned over placing his lips on hers kissing her. He pulled away. 'So have you any plans after college ends?'

'Not sure Uni maybe.'

He smiled.

He pulled away. 'Come on we've only got an hour to kill before college and we all know how long it takes you to get done!' he smiled.

She shoved him playfully he took almost as long as her and they were usually running late even if they were up on time.

They pulled themselves up each taking turns to freshen up and change into their jeans, tee - shirts, under garments and trainers, Louise talking that little bit longer as she applied make up at the beginning of every college day or when they went out on the tiles.

He looked at her and smiled he was so lucky to have someone that understood him as she did, she just needed to let him in a little more than she did, after all they'd been dating for six months now and spent every weekend together, why didn't she trust him enough to let him a little closer to her? 'So are you ready?'

'yeah.'

He took her hand and opened the flat door leading her out locking and closing it behind them. 'so you up for today?'

'i guess.'

'so we still meeting at lunch?'

'yeah me and Sasha are meeting for a coffee first.'

'oh that's the geeky kid right?'

'she's not geeky just misunderstood. It's her family background not her, her parents live in the sixties and thinks she has to too.'

'Don't she get a say in how she looks?'

'No. Her parents are so square she'll even tell you that. She's a type of kindred spirit she believes that you have your own voice and opinions, but she keeps her distance from all that involves pain.'

'she should meet Jodas he's sort of the same.'

'maybe.'

'ask her to come out with us this weekend I'll call him.'

'doesn't he come here?'

'when he can be bothered yeah.'

'sounds appealing.'

'maybe if he had something to come here for then he would.'

'you really think that he'd like her?'

'who knows just give it one shot twist her arm dress her if you have to.'

'okay I'll ask, but I'm not promising anything.'

'sound I'll text him I'm sure he'll be glad to get out of the hell hole.'

'I thought he had his own place?'

'he flat shares with friends they're a little weird.'

'oh.'

'well I'll talk to you at lunch okay. Don't forget to talk to your friend about it.'

'i won't.'

He kissed her quickly loosing her hand. 'i'll see you at lunch babe.'

'Sure.'

'bye babe.'

'later.'

They veered off to the left and right of Darlington College a large complex with over five hundred rooms it was how they met getting lost through the winding corridors that were at least three miles long.

She opened the door to the conference room, the seats on tears like in the cinema, a girl with glasses rimmed to her perfect bone structured face wearing an oddly coloured jumper waved at her. She smiled walking up to the back of the room. The girl wore those really weird purple kick flares and adidas gazelles. 'so you finally made it on time?'

'yeah. Sasha.'

'yeah.'

'i want to ask you something.'

'right everyone settle down.'

'maybe later.'

She smiled.

The two friends walked out of their seminar a little heavy headed. They walked into the cafeteira for a coffee and a cake, they sat down. 'so what did you want to ask me.'

'what are you doing this weekend?'

'nothing why?'

'how's about you come out with me at Chris.'

'i don't know Lou.'

'please Sasha he's inviting his friend.'

'i can't.'

'why not?'

'mom.'

'tell her your staying at mine i'm sure she'll be cool.'

'i don't know Lou i'm not really sure. It's just.'

'look i'll lend you something okay.'

'but the guy.'

'chill okay see how it goes.'

'but me and guys don't mix.'

'you never know you might with this one.'

'i don't know.'

'please Sasha you never let your hair down just one night okay.'

'okay.' She sighed.

Louise smiled hugging her friend. 'thanks you wont regret this.'

'i hope not. '

'you wont.'

'can you loose me now you're suffocating me.'

'sorry.' Louise said dropping her arms from round her. 'we'll choose something really nice i swear no one will recognise you.'

She smiled unsure she'd never been out before and especially where boys were.

'come on we best be getting back.'

'yeah my head hurts.'

'mine too only an hour left.'

They pulled themselves up throwing their rubbish into the bin on the way out of the cafeteria.

Chris looked up and smiled as he spoke on the mobile. Louise returned his smiled walking over to him. They kissed cheeks. 'right i'll see you then bye.' He ended the call slipping his mobile in his pocket.

'so who was that?'

'Jodas.'

'so what did he say?'

'not much just wanted a few details on your friends took a little arm work but he's coming.' He looked at Louise. 'did you talk to your friend?'

'yeah.'

'what she say?'

'same she took a little persuading, but she agreed to come. I hope it don't go wrong Chris what i remember of this guy he aint going to dig on her.'

'i'm sure he will with your help.'

'and after? What if he sees her for who she really is?'

'chill babe he knows what to expect.'

'so are we meeting you there?'

'yeah give you girls chance to do what ever it is to change your whole fucking appearance.'

'i'll try my best but i aint promising a miracle.'

'i know.' He pulled her close. 'just enough for her to get noticed aye.'

She smiled unsure she could even do that. He pressed his lips on hers kissing her. He moved away. 'so are you finished now?'

'yeah.'

'you fancy coming back to mine?'

'i can't I have an assignment due in for tomorrow.'

'an hour babe.'

'okay but i have to be back before six.'

'sure come on.'

He took her hand and they walked away. He closed the door to the flat, turning pressing his lips on hers kissing her erratically. He pulled her into the bedroom undressing kissing hungrily falling to the bed making love.