What Lies Beneath

Chapter Sixty: Soulless

Karen flung her fists at the shadows praying that something would happen. She still didn't know how her powers worked, but that didn't matter. She just needed to will them into action.

Where Wyatt's fists would pass through the wisps, Karen's made contact. With a crack of her knuckles against once sturdy bone, the figure that stood before her flew through the air with ease. Karen's worried frown broke way for a long-lost smile. They were going to win.

Wyatt watch Karen from the corner of his eye. She was struggling so much, but then without warning she swung at one of the shadows and sent it flying through the air like a rag doll. It was in that moment that he found himself both happy and depressed. He was glad that Karen could fight back using her ability, but at the same time he knew that he was worthless in this situation. His power consisted of talking to animals, how was that an asset in any battle?

Everything in him screamed for him to give up, that he wasn't any use to them. He was a hinderance and nothing more. Sophie had insisted that their powers would save them, but how could his powers do anything when there weren't any animals around?

His thoughts battled his will to fight as he thoughtlessly swung at the shadows, never once making contact. They came at him in droves. He was the weakest link and they all knew it. They were like mindless animals following every silent cue and instruction from their master.

Wait! In the time it took for his last thought to process in his already exerted brain, he finally came to understand what Sophie meant when she told him to be creative. They were like animals!

Excitement consumed his being. He could fight back, well at least theoretically. Pushing all his doubt and worry aside, he settled his fists by his side and whispered the word, "Stop." It was a simple command and one he didn't actually think would work, but with the p sound still fresh on his lips, every shadow around him halted. A giant smile cracked away at his persistent scowl. He was useful after all.

Charlie cackled at every gesture Sophie made with her hands. No matter how many times she would send them flying back, they would manage to come back at her with equal or greater force. She could hear Karen fighting behind her, and Wyatt's soft whispers, but still she worried that it wouldn't be enough.

The villainous laughter coming from their enemy met each hopeful thought that would appear in her mind. She didn't want to lose, but more importantly, she didn't want to see her friends die.

Turning away from the shadows that were more a distraction than anything else, Sophie focused all of her attention on Charlie. He stood in the back of the room a smile painted on his dark face. He was nothing more than a clown, all the fake smiles in the world could not hide the evil that lurked within him. Anger fueled every step she took towards him, every flick of her arms as a shadow tried to stop her. She wasn't going to let him get away with this.

His gaze shifted around the room until it landed, disinterested, on her. With a sigh, Charlie pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on. Even in the darkness, Sophie could see the fire burning within his eyes. A fire of made of hate and ready to consume all that stood in his path.

"Tell me Sophie, do you know why the house chose you?" His voice had a sing-song quality to it. The words were like knives stabbing her from the past. They were a remnant of a conversation from a different time.

"I know more than you ever could." She didn't care what he had to say. She didn't care about her purpose in this house. What she did care about were her friends.

"Oh, come on. I think it's an interesting reason." He was toying with her now. Throwing the bait out and waiting for her to snatch it up. Instead, she threw her arms out and sent him flying back into the wall. Without a second thought, he stood and brushed his hands along the sleeves of his shirt. "Tsk, tsk. I was trying to be nice to you, but now that you've gone and done that-" He stopped his sentence there as he motioned for his shadows to converge upon her.