Age

Chapter 5
Part 5

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Chapter Description: The group ponders what they witnessed,..,..

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Stan, Dr. Briggs, and Slim just stood in awe. They all stared at the moving mound of clothes that were once Tom’s. Stan was the first to react.

“Slim! Radio in reinforcements! Dr. Briggs, stay close!” Stan barked. Slim cooperated and pulled out his radio. Stan carefully made his way to the pile of clothes. The doctor followed him, making sure not to get in his way.

Stan knelt down next to the still moving pile. He slowly pulled off the shirt that covered the moving mass. He cocked his head.

“Is that.....Tom?” Dr. Briggs asked. He looked closer.

“I believe it is,” Stan confirmed, “Fountainum doesn’t work this fast does it?”

The doctor shook his head. “I have no idea what’s going on here.”

“That’s what scares me.”

Stan picked up the baby. He wrapped him in Tom’s shirt. He handed Tom over to Dr. Briggs. “I have the gun, so you’re on babysitting duty.”

Dr. Briggs nodded and took him. Stan headed over to Slim. Slim was cursing.

“What’s the matter?” Stan asked.

“I can’t get a signal. It’s like something’s jamming it. This is a satellite radio!”

“Maybe something is....” Stan muttered.

“What do you mean?”

Stan sighed. “Hear me out. What if the Fountainum was here because we expected it to be here?”

“Like a set up?” Dr. Briggs interjected.

“Sort of, this thing wasn’t born from Fountainum or anything else on Earth.”

“An alien? This isn’t a sci-fi book,” Slim replied.

“Not an alien. A ghost,” Stan suggested. There was silence. Tom was the first to speak.

“There’s no such thing as ghosts.”

“Don’t give me that crap! You’ve seen the evidence. There are countless accounts of paranormal activity all around the world. This might be a demon.”

“A demon that turns people into babies? Why doesn’t it just kill em?”

“It may need it to feed,” Dr. Briggs said.

“Feed on what?” Stan asked.

“Age. If this thing is supernatural, it may need something like age to feed. Maybe it adds the years it takes to its own, that way it can live forever. Who knows how long it’s been here?”

“What about the Fountainum?” Slim asked. “What about those high readings?”

“There are legends of demons capable of changing our perception on reality,” Stan began, “Maybe since we came in here expecting to find Fountainum, this thing made it so.”

“It reads our minds?”

“Looks like it. It may be jamming your signal. We’re gonna have to go back the way we came.”

“Alright Stan,” Dr. Briggs agreed, “Lead the way.”

Stan nodded. “That thing will probably attack us again. If this thing can control reality, we better be on our toes. It could be anything.”

Stan led the way back down the trail. Stan and Slim flanked Dr. Briggs as they walked, making sure he kept the baby safe.

It wasn’t long before Stan noticed a disturbing trend.

“Look,” Stan pointed.

“What?” Dr. Briggs and Slim asked in unison. They gazed in the direction that Stan was pointing towards.

“Clothes, piles of clothing everywhere,” Stan muttered. Slim reached down to touch it. Stan grabbed his arm. “I think I know what’s in there. You don’t want to uncover it.”

Slim cooperated and pulled his hand away. He continued to follow Stan.

Slim was being bothered by a mosquito. He swatted at, but it was determined. After a couple seconds of battle, the mosquito squeezed past Slim’s hand and stuck its needle mouth into Slim’s neck. Slim couldn’t move. A different scene passed in front of his eyes........

 

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