Haunter 1: The Shadow of the Haunter

25. Backstab

I sat up in bed, not sure what had just waken me. The next thud shook the whole house. I jumped out of bed and scampered to the hallway. There was only one reason why Kujo could be doing it: Brandon was too close to him. I was halfway down to the first floor when Amy ran out of her bedroom, calling out for me to stop. I didn't, and I heard her hurry after me. I stormed into the kitchen, expecting to find him out the door or something like that. An icy chill ran down my back when I found the backdoor wide open. What the fuck?

Then I saw the basement door open too, and heard Brandon's voice from down there, calling Kujo out.

"Show yourself, demon!" he cried at the top of his lungs.

What was wrong with him? Was he crazy?

"Brandon!" I called, sprinting to the basement doorway.

The stairs were in complete darkness, and I was forced to slow down and put my hands on the walls to keep from missing a step. I could hear the noises of boards hitting the boiler. Meaning Kujo was keeping his promise not to attack Brandon.

"That's all you can do, you fucking son of a bitch?"

I was a few steps away from the end of the stairs when I clearly heard the growls. Jesus! Kujo had never been so loud. A box fell and crashed on the floor, apparently filled with glass objects that shattered into a thousand pieces.

"C'mon! Come out and face me if you dare!"

"Brandon! Stop!" I cried, running into the basement.

Brandon was near the central pillar, yelling and sprinkling water all around him, while Isaac filmed everything on one of their handheld cams with a big IR light attached on top.

"Stop!" I repeated, hurrying along the left wall toward the corner. "Kujo, please! I got this!"

"There you are!" he yelled, coming at me to cut me off halfway to the corner.

I stepped back, because he looked and behaved like he was completely out of his mind, but he got to me in a heartbeat. The moment he grabbed my arm to stop me, it was like an ultrasound wave blasted through the basement, making the windows rattle and the floor shake. Isaac fell on his butt with a cry of sheer horror as the neatly-piled boxes started flying across the room, from the corner toward us, and a long furious growl filled the air.

Out of pure instinct, I pushed Brandon away and crouched down, covering my head with my arms. It was like a wind of pure fire went through me, brushing Brandon's side and throwing him down to the floor.

"NO!" I cried, before a rush of excruciating pain knocked me out.

I didn't lose consciousness completely, but everything that followed was a blur. I heard a long moan that sounded like my name, hurried footsteps all around, loud voices. A moment later, somebody was carrying me up the stairs to sit me at the table. A man cried, other men argued, cabinets opened and chairs were pushed out of the way, doors slammed closed. I felt gentle hands trying to take my flannel off and a suffocated cry.

"Kujo," I was able to mumble, trying to cover my eyes from the bright light that filled the kitchen, that hideous, paralyzing pain burning my belly, my back and my arms.

"Easy, Fran, don't try to speak."

That was Amy, very close to me. I felt around for her hand and grasped it.

"Kujo!" I repeated, doing my best to ignore the pain.

"Later, my girl. We need to take care of you first."

My sight was getting clear again, my head too. I brushed Amy off and grabbed the table for support to stand up. Before anybody could stop me, I felt my way toward the basement.