JC rested his head against the steering wheel and held his breath for a few seconds before slowly releasing it with a heavy sigh, trying to calm the nervous churning in his stomach. It’d started shortly after he left Lance’s house and had steadily grown. And puking in that gas station bathroom hadn’t helped matters much.
He had originally stopped after being on the road for about an hour to take off his sweatpants and fill the car up with gas. There had been about a quarter tank left, but he had wanted to be on the safe side. JC had been pumping gas when a channel opened in his mind, alerting him that Lance was trying to contact him. He put up some mental walls to blocks him from accessing his thoughts.
It’d been something he’d been expecting, at least on some level, because Lance always seemed to know if something was wrong even before all their connections started appearing. But that didn’t mean blocking him hadn’t been a hard thing to do. Because while JC believed he was doing the right thing by sacrificing himself, he knew he was going to miss them. He wanted nothing more than to forget about all of it and go back.
JC’s heart had begun to ache as he’d thought about how Lance must have been going out of his mind with worry as he probably tore the house apart looking for him, waking the guys as he did so. For the first time since he’d left the house, it’d really hit JC exactly what he was doing. Dying was such a permanent thing.
It was something that he’d thought about, especially when he’d been ready to summon the demon. But as he’d stood alone under the concrete awning of that gas station, in some small town out in the middle of nowhere, it finally hit him. JC had never felt as alone as he did at that moment, and the thought of dying alone, probably in some unimaginable way, and without the guys was more than he’d been able to bear.
Without hesitating for a second, JC had run into the grungy bathroom and fell to his knees in front of the toilet. The image of the guys finding his dead body had made him retch harder, causing his body to tremble from the force of it. About a minute later, he’d managed to settle his stomach enough that he’d felt he could stand without starting another round.
JC had taken a couple of minutes to get himself cleaned up and had splashed water on his face before he’d gotten back on the road with the lingering taste of vomit in his mouth. The nausea had been made worse with the nerves that’d steadily increased. It made his foot put more pressure on the gas pedal so he’d ended up at the cabin within forty-five minutes.
But now that he was there, JC wished he hadn’t driven so fast because he wouldn’t live much longer. Slowly he lifted his head and stared out into the pitch black woods ahead of him that were broken up only by the cabin that sat in between. It’d rained for the majority of the drive, but it looked like the storm hadn’t hit there yet. Though, if the rumbling thunder was any indication, it was on its way.
Knowing that he was just prolonging the inevitable, JC took one last calming breath before he turned off the ignition and opened his door. He felt uneasy once he stepped out of the car and shut the door. Everything that’d happened over the past year was going to end tonight.
Thunder reached his ears and made him jump in surprise. It was spooky being back there in the middle of the night without anyone else around. And it didn’t help that nothing had happened yet. JC had thought for sure that the devil would show up as soon as he set foot on the property. But there was nothing. Nothing but JC and the deafening silence that was interrupted by the occasional roar of thunder and clash of lightning.
He rationalized that maybe the devil didn’t know he was there yet, or was purposely delaying his death as one last torture before it did the deed. But it didn’t matter either way because it was enough to know that it would be over and the guys would be safe once he was dead. What difference did it make if he died right then or fifteen minutes later?
JC started forward, lost in his memories as he remembered the last time he was there. It’d been a happier time that was for sure, especially at the beginning. Lance had brought them there for a two week vacation since everyone was stressing about the new album, and the first week had more than put him at ease. JC hadn’t felt as free as he had that week in months. There had to be something said about poetic justice because it would figure the one place he’d found peace would be where it’d end.
As JC walked around back, he couldn’t help but stare at the lake. That was where it had to happen. It chilled him, but, at the same time, washed happy memories over him. The guys had spent a lot of time in it the first week of their vacation.
He could almost hear the rambunctious laughter and splashing as they horsed around, dunking each other. A small smile crossed JC’s lips as he remembered Chris paying him that favor one afternoon that he’d joined their antics. But nothing surpassed the memory of Chris chasing Justin to repay the dunk and mouthful of freshwater he’d received.
As the wind blew, whipping past JC’s face, it was almost like Justin had just ran passed him like he did that day only pausing for a second to say a quick hello. Chris had still been right on his heels and eventually caught up to him, pouncing on him. The two of them had wrestled on the ground like they’d done many times before on the bus and in hotel rooms only to have rolled right into the lake. Laughter bubbled in JC’s chest as he could picture them sputtering as they resurfaced, eventually sharing in the laughter. But then as quick as it came, it was gone in an instant, leaving him empty and cold.
The wind picked up speed, causing JC to shudder. He glanced over his shoulder at the dark cabin before letting his eyes wander the surrounding area. It still didn’t look like anything else had joined him yet. But he walked forward to enter the cabin, knowing that it didn’t make much of a difference if he was inside or not. The devil would find him no matter what.
JC turned the doorknob and the door creaked open. It kind of surprised him that it’d been unlocked, but he figured the owners must not be worried about break-ins since it was so desolate up there. As he stepped inside, he closed the door behind him and paused to let his eyes adjust to darkness of the house.
Immediately he began fumbling around, looking for a lamp or a light switch. Just then his knee smashed into something hard. JC reached out to touch it and realized that it had to be an end table or something like it because it had a lamp sitting on top. After a couple more seconds of groping, he managed to turn the knob that illuminated the living room with artificial light.
His eyes slowly wandered around the room as he remembered watching movies with the guys as they ate popcorn and made a mess. That was when he noticed there was a pillow on the floor, so JC bent down to pick it up and put it back on the couch. He stared down at the pillow in his hand, recalling when he’d used one just like it to whack Chris with when he and Joey had started that pillow fight that’d escalated to tickling Lance.
Just like outside, JC could hear the laughter ringing in his ears almost as if Lance were still lying on the floor laughing uncontrollably as he begged Chris to stop. Chris’d had a mischievous look on his face, or at least he had until JC used the pillow to get him to quit tickling Lance. JC was brought out of the memory as the pillow landed against the couch.
A sad smile graced his lips. They’d had a lot of fun there just like they always did when they were together. But that was before they’d known that some devil and its demons were after him and torturing the others in the process just to get to him.
A heavy sigh left JC’s lips as he wished he and the guys could’ve had more fun like that while they’d had the chance. It was his fault that they hadn’t been able to, especially in the past month. They had done nothing but worry about him and how to get him out the whole situation. But by taking himself out of the picture, it would leave the guys to eventually gain that happiness again. They’d certainly gone too long without it already.
Suddenly there was a loud noise that reverberated through the silence of the house, interrupting JC’s thoughts as it did so. He quickly realized it’d come from upstairs, so he abandoned the living room to check it out. As he climbed the stairs, it occurred to him that maybe the devil had finally arrived.
JC reached the top of the steps and noticed that all the doors were open except for one. And it just so happened to be the bedroom he’d stayed in. He slowly turned the doorknob and entered to find that it was empty. The devil wasn’t anywhere in sight, and JC wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or relieved. Dying scared the hell out of him, but it was worse waiting. He’d almost rather he just got it over with.
A gust of wind sent another chill down his spine, making goose bumps appear on his arms. JC frowned in confusion, wondering why he got another chill. That was until he noticed the open window. He rationalized that the storm must be picking up and the wind had blown the door closed, causing the noise he’d heard downstairs.
JC moved forward to close the window. As he pushed the pane of glass down, he was assaulted by the memory of Katrina dragging him out of his bed after rousing him from an exhausted sleep and forcing him to jump out the window. He could remember how terrified he’d felt because he’d thought for sure that he was going to die, but he’d lived through it. Thanks to the guys.
But there was no saving him this time. There was a good probability that the guys would come for him, but JC was hoping that it’d all be over by then. He wanted to die knowing that they would be OK, and that the demon attacks would stop.
A bolt of lightning struck nearby, filling the room with bright light for a second as JC turned from the window. And in that second, he thought he could make out two little boys coloring on the floor in the corner of the room. But as the light faded, so did the image.
JC didn’t think much of it as he crossed the room to leave and go back downstairs where it was a little more inviting. He paused in the doorway for a second, and it was almost like he was five again. All he could do was stand transfixed as his mother’s death played out in his mind’s eye.
It was exactly like Joey had said. His mother had begged and pleaded with the demon even though she probably knew it wouldn’t do any good. She had turned to him with a scared, panicked expression as she tried to order him to run away.
As JC remembered the way the demon had snaked its hand around her throat until she fell to the floor, he subconsciously walked out into the hall and stood in the exact spot that he had twenty years ago. Reality broke through the memory, hardwood floor replacing the dead body of his mother, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the spot that she had died. He couldn’t believe that he’d remembered after suppressing it for so long.
Slowly JC backed away, but still kept his eyes on the spot. He didn’t stop moving until his back hit the wall behind him and his legs buckled from underneath him, causing JC’s body to slide down the wall. As much as he’d said to the guys that he’d felt horrible for not remembering, now he wished he hadn’t because he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
JC’s surroundings through his peripheral started to blur. It was like he had tunnel vision. He was so wrapped up in the image of his mother’s dead body that it only vaguely registered in his mind that the guys were calling for him.
“JC!”
Lance made his way towards the living room and could hear the hurried footsteps of the other guys as they followed. They’d arrived just minutes before and hadn’t been surprised in the slightest to see that JC was already there. It’d been something that Lance had expected, even though he’d had a sliver of hope that they would catch him before he reached the cabin.
But what he hadn’t expected was a soft yellow glow that illuminated a window at the front of the cabin. Lance had thought for sure that if they hadn’t been able to catch JC before he got there, then there was no way he’d still be alive, especially since he’d had such a head start on them. When he saw the dim light though, it gave Lance hope that maybe they weren’t too late after all.
They’d grabbed their weapons, just in case, and were out of the car in a matter of seconds. The door had been unlocked, which Lance had been grateful for. It was something that was actually working in their favor so far. But as he and the guys stood in the living room and realized that JC wasn’t there, Lance couldn’t help but feel that maybe JC had stopped in for a minute but was outside by now.
“JC!” Chris yelled, his eyes wandering around the entire downstairs area. His eyes narrowed and he muttered, “Figures.”
Lance’s eyes tracked their way to the area that Chris was staring at. The landing of the upstairs was dark, but Lance’s eyes widened as he saw a shape. There was no doubt in his mind that it was JC.
Immediately the four of them rushed for the stairs. Lance took two at a time and managed to reach the top first. Subconsciously, he flipped the switch on the wall that he was next to. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust from the pitch dark to the bright florescent light. But when they did, his gaze fell onto JC who was sitting on the floor with his back against the opposite wall and his legs stretched out in front of him.
Before any of them could do anything, there was a loud clanging noise as Justin let his weapon fall through his fingers to the hardwood floor. He ran forward and threw himself onto the floor next to JC before wrapping arms around his older friend tightly. Tears fell from Justin’s eyes, but Lance knew that they were out of joy, not pain like they’d been earlier.
But JC wasn’t hugging Justin back. Lance frowned as he watched Justin tightly hold onto JC, and JC just sat there with his arms at his sides with a blank look on his face. It almost seemed like he was in shock again, but Lance quickly dismissed that thought.
JC was still alive, so Lance didn’t know what could’ve possibly sent him in a state like that. Besides, he looked sick more than anything else. His flushed face was accented by his glassy blue eyes. But that still didn’t explain why he hadn’t even looked at them yet.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Chris exploded.
Lance looked at him in surprise. The hall had been so silent as they watched Justin hug JC that his sudden outburst had startled him. It seemed to have startled JC as well because he quickly glanced at Chris before pulling his legs up to his chest.
“We busted our asses to get here! We thought we’d be too late, but here you are alive. And you’re just sitting there, refusing to even look at us!”
Lance glared at Chris. “Chris!”
Chris took a step forward and continued, “You’ve written us off, is that it? Or maybe, you can’t look us in the eye because you’ve become this manipulative bastard that we don’t even know!”
“Chris!” Lance shouted, stepping between him and JC. “Now isn’t the time for this. We need to get out of here.”
Justin gently pulled back from JC, but kept a hand on his shoulder. Heaving a heavy sigh, Lance knelt down on one knee next to JC. “C’mon, JC.”
Lance grabbed a hold of JC’s right arm and pulled on it as he started to stand to bring JC to his feet. On the other side, Justin was using the hand that was still on JC’s shoulder to help. But JC was dead weight. He continued to sit as Lance and Justin tried to pull him to his feet.
“This is where she died,” JC said quietly, staring at a spot on the floor.
“And we’ll die here too if we don’t get moving,” Lance replied, not really comprehending what JC was saying. His mind was solely focused on leaving before the devil and the demons showed up.
“Broken glass.”
Lance sighed as his grip on JC’s arm slackened, but remained there as he continued to kneel at JC’s side. “What?”
“She dropped the glass,” JC said.
There was movement out of the corner of Lance’s eye before his attention was focused on Joey. He had just crouched down next to Lance, in front of JC. “He’s remembering, Lance,” Joey said, matching the quiet tone JC had been speaking in.
“What are you talking about?” Lance asked, frowning at him in confusion. He wasn’t sure what Joey was trying to say.
“He’s remembering his mom’s death,” Joey clarified.
Lance released another sigh, but nodded in understanding. It made sense, and honestly, he wasn’t that surprised. He’d kind of figured that JC would remember eventually. But right now was a bad time for it.
“JC,” Lance started, moving so his head was in JC’s line of vision, “I want to talk to you about this, but not here. We can talk once we’re in the car, all right?”
There was no answer from JC, but Lance hadn’t really expected one. He nodded at Justin who still had a hand on JC’s shoulder to signal that they were going to pull him to his feet. It was hard because JC still didn’t move to help make the process easier. But after a couple tries, they managed to get him on his feet.
Lance looked over at Joey and Chris, making sure that they were ready. Nodding, he said, “Let’s go.”
Lance tugged on JC’s wrist and only made it a foot before his hand was shook off JC’s arm. He glanced over his shoulder to see that JC had done the same with Justin’s hand. “JC…”
“No,” JC said softly but firmly.
“JC, we need to go,” Lance said.
JC shook his head. “I can’t. I have to stay. It has to end with me.”
“To hell with this,” Chris muttered before he handed Lance his weapon. Both hands free, he stepped forward and roughly grabbed onto JC’s bicep.
JC tried to shake his arm free, but Chris had a firm hold. “What the hell are you doing?” JC asked, glaring at Chris.
“You’re leaving. Even if I have to drag your skinny ass out of here,” Chris said. He glanced at Joey, keeping his hold on JC’s arm even as he continued to struggle against him. “Help me out here, Joe.”
Joey didn’t say a word, but moved to JC’s left side and grabbed onto his arm with his right hand as his left still held his weapon. Lance didn’t even object as he watched the three of them move down the hall with JC struggling against them. He felt bad, but getting JC out of there was the most important thing.
Lance dropped an arm around Justin’s shoulder, and together they followed the other three towards the front door after stopping for a second to pick up Justin’s knife. JC continued to fight against Joey and Chris the whole way. They didn’t seem to be too fazed by it though because they easily lifted JC off his feet, causing him to kick at air as they carried him down the steps.
“Let me go!” JC yelled, punctuating each word with a kick. Not that it did any good. Joey and Chris were strong separately, but together…JC didn’t stand a chance. It was very easy for them to overpower him.
They finally made it out the front door and were about fifteen feet away from the car when a bony figure with red eyes appeared in front of them. Lance couldn’t help but stare at the being. Instinctively he knew it was the devil. It had the same eyes as the demons, but almost looked human.
He was forced to look away as he and the guys tried to make a run for it. Almost immediately the devil snapped its fingers. Before they realized what was happening, they were surrounded by four demons, halting them in their tracks.
“No one’s leaving here alive,” the devil said.
JC finally managed to shrug off Chris and Joey’s hands since their hold had slackened. He started to run forward, pulling Joey out of his shock.
“JC!” he yelled as he reached out a hand to grab the back of his shirt. But his fingers skimmed the material, and JC slipped through a gap between two demons towards the devil.
“JC!” Justin cried, trying to follow him. Chris had been watching the demons and saw one move in front of Justin. Without thinking, Chris pulled Justin back by the tail of his shirt just before he ran into the demon.
“Don’t hurt them! Please!” JC pleaded.
“It never ceases to amaze me that you humans can sell your soul for success and still care about other people,” the devil said, ignoring him.
“Leave them alone!” JC stepped forward. “Take me! I’m the one you want!”
Lance glared. “JC…”
Lance was tired of JC throwing himself in the line of fire. It’d been something that he’d done almost every time they’d run into the demons over the past few weeks, so it was to be expected. But Lance wanted it to stop. JC deserved to live as much as the rest of them, and he wished JC could see that.
The devil chuckled as its red eyes glanced down at JC. “Seems your friends don’t agree with you. But they can relax,” the devil said, its eyes moving to where the four of them stood. “I’m not going to kill you until I’m good and ready. I’ve waited too long, and I want to savor the moment.”
“You son of a bitch,” Chris growled.
“I’m just claiming what’s mine,” the devil said. “I should’ve just done it in the first place instead of getting that stupid woman who couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity I gave her.”
“You’re just mad that she wasn’t someone you could drag to Hell,” Lance said.
“But that doesn’t apply to your friend, does it? He’ll be going back to the pit with me,” the devil replied.
Lance glanced at JC who flinched at that, but didn’t say anything to contradict it. Not that he had expected JC to because it was clear that he felt that he was doing the right thing. He knew that JC was probably terrified to go to Hell, but was trying not to show it.
“You shouldn’t have risked your lives for some talentless idiot,” the devil said, drawing Lance’s attention back to it.
Joey exchanged a confused look with the others before asking, “Talentless?”
“He doesn’t have natural talent. It was given to him by me,” the devil said. “But look at it this way, killing him allows you to find someone who actually fits in.”
“JC does fit in. We’re nothing without him,” Justin objected, speaking to the devil, but staring at JC with compassion. Lance’s eyes snapped to him because he’d been pretty quiet throughout everything so far. But he figured he couldn’t stand there and let this devil belittle JC.
“Oh, come on. We’re all friends here,” the devil said with a smirk. “It’s OK to admit it.”
“Admit what?” Chris snapped.
“That you’re only here because you feel obligated. That’s the only reason you’ve put up with him as long as you have,” the devil said.
Chris crossed his arms as he scoffed. “Yeah, that makes sense,” he said sarcastically. “We’d risk our lives for someone we hate.”
The devil smiled knowingly. “But you do hate him.”
“No I don’t,” Chris protested vehemently.
“You’re angry at him. Even now I can feel it. You called him…what was it?” The devil paused as if it were thinking. It smiled as it saw JC lower his head. “Manipulative bastard? Sounds pretty hateful to me.”
“I was pissed, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care.” Chris’s eyes landed on JC’s face since his head was down. “JC, you know you’re like a little brother to me.”
“Does he? Is that how you treat your siblings? You don’t care about him, and you know it.”
Giving up on getting eye contact from JC, Chris boldly met the devil’s red ones. “Why would I be here if I didn’t? We wouldn’t have risked our lives if we didn’t care.”
“You hear that, JC?” the demon asked as he started to slowly walk around JC. “You’re the reason your friends are going to die. They’d be at home in their beds if it weren’t for you.
“Joey would be with his wife and beautiful daughter. But instead, he’s had to lie to them so he could stay and take care of your pathetic self. All of them did. And how did you repay them?” The devil stood in front of JC and an unseen force made him raise his head. “You took off in the middle of the night, knowing they’d follow you.”
There was a slight pause before the devil got in JC’s face and said, “It’s your fault they’re going to die here tonight.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Chris replied, finally meeting JC’s eyes. After nearly ten seconds, JC looked away.
The devil resumed circling JC. “That’s right. Don’t listen to him. You knew they were going to die. That’s why you tried to distance yourself from them and sneak out, isn’t it?
“You probably never once thought about what was going to happen to you. Selflessness like that is dead, but then, you will be too.” The devil paused just over JC’s shoulder and said, “Tell me, how does it feel to know that you’re sacrificing yourself to an eternity in Hell for four people who don’t care about you? At least not as much as you care about them.”
“Shut the hell up!” Chris shouted, fists clenched at his sides.
The devil nodded. “You’re right. We’ve wasted enough time.” Its glaring red eyes met JC’s terrified, sorrow filled ones. “You might want to take one last look at your friends. This will be the last time you’ll see them alive.”
Lance watched as JC’s watery gaze fell on each of them before locking with his. JC looked as terrified as Lance felt. It looked like the moment they’d feared was finally upon them.
“I’m sorry.” JC’s voice echoed in Lance’s head as a tear tracked its way down JC’s cheek.
Lance didn’t have time to respond because lightning struck nearby with a loud crack, opening the rain clouds as the demons closed in around them.
