Spirit Lake Ep. 1.41

Julie sat in her bedroom, the sound of people moving about the house an oddity to her ears. She had gotten so use to being alone, with only her memories to keep her company. Now there were people, actually living beings invading her space. It was an odd feeling. Part of her wanted to run into the hallway and scream for them to all leave, to leave her alone with her past. The other part took comfort in knowing that life surrounded her once more, and not just the ghosts of the dead.
She heard a knock at her door.
"It’s open." She looked up, her mind still in a slight daze.
Roy peaked his head inside the room, hesitant to enter. She nodded, and he stepped in.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He sat on the end of her bed next to her, his hands folded in his lap, his eyes taking in the familiar surroundings.
"I’m fine." She laid back, letting out a loud sigh. "How are you holding up? Heard the nurse gave you a pretty good beating."
"I’ll live." He grew silent, his eyes falling on her dresser.
She sat up, and saw that he was looking at Brian’s picture.
"You miss him?" His voice shook a little as he spoke.
"Yeah." She walked to the dresser, picking up the picture. She handed it to her cousin.
"It feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?" His eyes were glued to Brian’s face. "You weren’t there were you?" He looked up. "When it happened?"
She shook her head.
She had stayed on the dock, sunbathing with Carla when the guys took out the boat. At the time she hadn’t had a great feeling about letting Brian go, but how many other times had they all followed that same routine? Almost every weekend during the warm months it was hanging out on the dock or taking out the boat. Brian had practically grown up on that speedboat.
Julie sat down, taking the picture back.
"How did it happen?" Her fingers traced Brian’s face over the smooth glass.
"I don’t know." Roy looked towards the window, then the door, but never at her. "We were just hanging out, talking. Then Brian was at the front of the boat. We were moving, and I guess we must have hit a wave or something, because the next second he was gone." Roy paused, his hand gripping the bed spread. "Then the next thing we saw was a red cloud forming in the water behind the boat."
Julie knew the rest. She had seen Roy and Paul diving off of the boat, searching for Brian. She could remember the fear twisting in her gut as she watched, waited for her brother to break the surface, okay. He didn’t.
Paul had been the one to pull him from the water, and the first thing Julie had noticed was that her brother’s right arm didn’t look right. It seemed, from the elbow down, to just be a tangled, red mess of flesh. There was no hand, just this stringy flesh.
His head had been hit as well. The doctors said that was what had killed him. They had retraced his actions before dying for her parents, and she had been unlucky enough to overhear.
Brian had tried to block the propeller with his hand, but it hadn’t worked, and he had been pulled into the swirling blades, one of them connecting with his skull, cutting off the left half of his scalp and cracking his skull.
Roy stood, not looking at her.
"I’m sorry." His voice gave away the fact that he was crying.
"For what?" Julie reached out, placing her hand on his.
"I should have been watching him." He looked down at her, his face streaked with tears, his lips trembling. "I should have kept him from going out on the front of the boat. I was... I was to caught up in Paul. I wasn’t paying attention."
"Brian knew what he was doing. He wasn’t a little kid Roy. He was a teenager." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "So were you. It was an accident."
Roy nodded, but he couldn’t speak. He leaned down and kissed Julie on the forehead, then left the room, leaving her alone with the vivid memory of her brother’s death now newly refreshed in her memory.
She stood, placing the picture back on the dresser. She couldn’t take her eyes off of her brother’s face. The picture had been taken a year before he had died. He was only fifteen, she was seventeen. Still, he looked older. He had gotten so tall over the past year, and his face had seemed to fill out more, loosing the softness of childhood, replaced by the refined edges of a growing man. His brown hair had been long, falling in front of his face in strands, blocking his left eye from the camera’s view.
She left her room. It suddenly felt to small. She needed space, life.
She rushed to the main staircase, through the kitchen, and out onto the back porch.
The lake air hit her, and she realized she had been holding her breath. She let the cool, slightly humid breeze enter her, fill her lungs. Instantly she felt calm. The sounds of the lake, the birds and frogs, blocked out her thoughts.
She leaned against the wooden railing, closed her eyes, and let herself vanish into the dusk that surrounded her.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.40

William sat on Paul’s bed, examining his patient’s wound. He was glad to find that it hadn’t gotten infected, but it wasn’t healing as fast as he had hoped either.
"It still hurt?" William began applying a new bandage to Paul’s side.
"Not to bad." Paul looked out the bedroom door and into the living room where Roy was talking to Carla and Stephen.
"You need to keep physical activity to a minimum." William pulled Paul’s shirt back over the wound. "That includes sex."
Paul glanced at him, and gave a weak smile.
"We couldn’t help ourselves." Slowly he sat up, leaning his back against the large wooden headboard on the bed. "What are they talking about?"
"We’re all getting moved into Julie’s house, at least for the time being." William picked his black leather bag off the floor and started loading his equipment into it. "I’m going to get an ambulance to take you over there."
"Roy is coming?" Paul couldn’t take his eyes off his boyfriend, and the way Stephen kept touching his shoulder, or the looks he would give him. It made Paul’s skin crawl.
"Of course. He wouldn’t let you out of his sight for two seconds." William glanced over at the three people talking in the living room. "You’re going to hate this part though. Stephen’s coming to."
"Why?" Paul tried to lean over quickly, but was greeted instead by a stabbing pain.
"Take it easy! He’s just there for protection." William gently helped Paul get into a normal seated position.
Paul hated that he was in such bad shape. They were all stuck in a life or death situation, and at the moment he was of no use to anyone. God forbid they had to run from anything.
He knew Roy would be there for him, but after what he had put Roy through over the years he refused to be the one who got him killed.
"Great, we’ve got Johnny Wad protecting us." Paul crossed his arms over his chest, sighing. "I feel safer already."
"Jealous?" William smiled, his right eyebrow arching.
"Of Stephen? Of course not!" Paul tried to laugh, but he knew how forced it sounded. "It’s just... I led him around for so long, and I mean, yeah, now I want to make this a serious relationship, but..."
"Roy doesn’t love Stephen. He loves you." William patted Paul on the leg and stood up. "He has for years. Why do you think he put up with you for so long?"
"William," Paul looked the doctor right in the eyes. "Take care of Carla. Watch out for her. She’s strong, but not as strong as she thinks, and she’s stubborn, but she’s a good woman. Protect her."
"I will." William looked at Carla. "They’ll have to kill me first before they get to her."
"Don’t say that. They just might."
Paul and William’s eyes met, and they both knew they had to be ready to either die for the ones they loved, or watch them die. Paul was not ready to die, but he wasn’t going to let Roy go. Not now.
-*-
Julie opened the main gate and led the small procession of cars up the long drive towards the front door. She parked, and got out of her car.
She could see the sky changing from blue to a light orange and pink. It would be night soon, and she had a feeling that this night in particular was not going to be an easy one.
She opened the front door and let everyone in. She watched as Roy helped Paul up the stairs, his hand around his waist, taking each step slowly. Carla brushed past them, William right behind her.
Roxanne stood at her side. Her one small, bright red duffel bag slung over her shoulder.
"Never thought I’d get to sleep in a mansion." She looked around the foyer. "This place is huge."
"Tonight that may not be a good thing." Julie closed the front door.
Stephen would stop by in an hour after he set some stuff up at the station. Until then, the whole group was on their own.
She motioned towards the stairs.
"Go find a room."
Roxanne slowly started towards the stairs.
"Just not the last room on the left. It’s... it was my brother’s room."
Roxanne looked back at her and nodded, then made her way up the staircase.
Julie crossed her arms, her eyes closed. She sighed, rolling her neck.
She was sure this was going to be another long, sleepless night.
They were going to need coffee.

Double Episodes Today

I'm posting episode 1.39 today due to the fact that because of a commitment at work I won't be able to post it tomorrow.  Yay for double episodes!  Posting will resume its regular schedule friday.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.39

Roxanne stood at the sink, the water running hot. She could see little wisps of steam evaporate over the small plastic basin. She couldn’t seem to focus. Her eyes never seemed to stay on just one thing, and when they did the whole world seemed to just stop, vanishing into a cloud of white.
She shook her head, trying to snap back into reality, but it wasn’t happening. She was to tired, to frightened and to hung over to deal with any of this.
She looked in the mirror and frowned. Her make-up was smeared, and she had a nice sized bruise forming on her right cheek from her little fight with Harvey.
She was guessing that Moira hadn’t liked that Harvey had lost that round.
She closed her eyes, her hands gripping the side of the sink. The sobs started again, but the tears were few and far between. She just didn’t have anything left in her. She was so drained.
She had dealt with so much in Chicago, but nothing compared to this. She had seen violence, but nothing this brutal. She was in over her head, and all she wanted was out.
She took a deep breath, tried to calm herself down. If she didn’t get a hold on things she would go insane. She could feel her mind right on the edge, getting ready to let go.
She turned the water to cold, and waited for it to cool before taking a handful and splashing it against her face.
Blindly she reached, her hand grabbing for a paper towel. Instead she found her hand resting on a bare, human shoulder.
"Welcome to Spirit Lake, Roxanne." The voice was a whisper. "I hope you enjoy your stay."
Her eyes snapped open and she screamed. She expected someone, something to come at her, but all she saw was empty space.
She was alone.
She checked the stalls, but no one was there.
She couldn’t stay in that room, alone, for one second longer. Even though she could see no one, she could still feel something. She rushed to the door, grabbing the handle and froze.
A soft, warm breath hit the back of her neck, followed by a small sigh.
It was as if an electric bolt had shot up Roxanne’s spine. She pulled the door open, rushing into the bar.
She saw Julie doing the same thing at the front door.
Their eyes met, but they said nothing. They just walked back to their table and sat down. She could feel Julie’s hand grab hers, then give it a squeeze.
"I don’t really feel like being alone right now, do you?" Julie’s voice shook as she spoke.
"Not really."
"Good."

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.38

Stephen had told Julie the plan, his eyes begging her to go along with it. She couldn’t argue that it was a good idea, but she had to wonder if the Kramer Mansion was the best place for everyone.
Still, she agreed.
The storm was coming, Moira had told her that much, and after seeing what she had done to Harvey, and what Nurse Fitch had tried to do to her cousin, she knew Moira was making good on her promise. It would better if they were all together to face it, then divided and vulnerable.
Once Stephen had finished talking to her, she sat at the same center table they had all been around last night. Roxanne sat there, chewing on her nails, her face pale, her eyes bloodshot.
"You guys will be safe up there." She didn’t look at Julie as she spoke, and her words were mumbled because of the fingernail she had locked between her teeth.
"You’re coming to." Julie closed her eyes as the front door opened. The bright sunlight was making her hangover worse. "You’re part of this. Harvey made sure of that."
Roxanne looked at her, eyes wide. She shook her head, her brown hair swinging from side to side. For a brief moment she looked like a child.
"I didn’t sign up for this. Julie, I’m not from here. I got no ties here." Tears were welling in Roxanne’s eyes. "Why’d he have to come after me?"
"For those very same reasons you just listed. You have no ties. No one would think twice if you vanished." Julie didn’t know what to do to console her new found comrade.
Truthfully she was just as big a wreck as Roxanne was, at least on the inside. Her throbbing head and sour stomach just made it harder for her to express it.
"I could just leave." She pulled her finger from her mouth, the gnawed nail starting to bleed, and crossed her arms over her torso. "I could just pack up my things, and get the hell out of here."
"You know to much, and you know that. Moira would never let you go." Julie was starting to get frustrated. "Listen, you’re going to get yourself killed unless you calm down."
"Calm down?" Roxanne stood, the chair she was sitting in crashing to the floor. She pointed towards the window, right at the view of the library, where two police officers were taking pictures of Harvey’s body. "I don’t want to end up like that Julie. I don’t want to end with my guts wrapped around my neck, hung from some building, naked. I just want to leave."
Julie stood, not sure what to do. She grabbed Roxanne wrapped her arms around her.
Roxanne burst into tears, her body shaking. Julie gently ran her hand up and down Roxanne’s back, trying to calm her like a mother would calm her baby. It wasn’t working.
"I’m so scared." Roxanne’s voice was moist mess.
Julie sat her down, but kept her hand on Roxanne’s shoulder. The contact seemed to be working, but not quick enough. She was still a hysterical mess.
"We’re all scared." Julie’s voice was soft, sweet.
Roxanne looked out the window at Harvey’s body one last time, and then stood, walking towards the bathroom.
"You okay?" Julie stood, ready to run after her.
"I’m going to be sick." Roxanne didn’t look back as she spoke. She just pushed open the door to the lady’s room, and vanished from Julie’s view.
She collapsed on her chair, her head swimming. She could feel the alcohol sweating from her body. She wanted a hot cup of coffee and a shower so badly, but she was stuck in the Hub until the police said it was okay.
She needed fresh air. The bar was getting stuffy, and a few of the officers had lit up cigarettes, making the air near unbearable. She pushed past the door, letting the officer know she would just be outside. He gave her a look, but let her through.
She leaned against the worn wood side of the bar, the black paint was warm, absorbing the heat from the sun.
Main St. Was mostly empty, but it was still early. She was pretty sure that by noon the place would be packed. Harvey’s body would be gone, and all that would be left would be idle town gossip.
She looked out over the lake. The way the light reflected off of the slight ripples made it look kind of like tin foil. The trees surrounding the shore were bright green, lush. It all looked so peaceful, so beautiful.
She knew better.
A young couple walking by glanced her way, and at first she thought nothing of it, but then they kept watching her. The young man pulled a flower from his pocket and handed it to the girl. She sniffed it, and as the blossom touched her nose Julie felt her stomach knot up.
The young girl was holding a black rose. They both smiled at her, then kept on their way.
Suddenly she didn’t feel like she needed any more air.

A Call To Writers (Sorry About the Cheesy Title)

So, here is my little call to writers.  All you writers out there, I want you to start your own serial web novels.  Why?  So many talented writers go by never having anyone read their work.

Web comics have been doing this for years, and it is time for those of us who have writing talent to take a risk and jump into the deep waters that are blog publishing.

The other reason I want more people to attempt to write web serials... I want to see what you guys can come up with.  I would love to find a series out there and get hooked on it.  I would love to see the community grow, because I want to see what comes of it. 

So, my call to all you writers out there.  Create a serial web novel.  Do it however you want, about whatever you want.  Put it out there, and see if people react.  Stick with it.  Complete it.  Give it a try.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.37

Carla now found herself tucked in the back office of the Hub, a blanket around her, and cops milling about. Stephen Roberts sat in front of her, a concerned look on his face.

"Three murders in two days. What the hell is going on here?" He rubbed his mustache, his eyes on the floor.

"You wouldn’t believe me if I told you." She couldn’t look at him. She closed her eyes, wrapping the blanket tighter around her body.

"Try me." He stood and began pacing. "Carla, if you guys are in some kind of trouble let me know. I can help you. I want to help you."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, attempting to comfort her, but she could only pull away. She didn’t want to be touched, to even be looked at. She just wanted to curl up into a little ball and vanish.

"You can’t help us," she snapped. "This... thing that Harvey had gotten himself caught up in is powerful. More powerful than some small town police force." She stood up, pushing past Stephen, and out into the bar where the cops were questioning the rest of her friends.

He grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned and slapped him.

"Don’t touch me!" Her voice was a shrill shriek.

"Tell me what you know Carla. This town is going crazy pretty damn fast, and I need to know what’s causing it." He was screaming now, his face red.

Carla was shocked. Stephen looked genuinely scared. She was guessing he didn’t get many mutilated bodies in Spirit Lake. She stopped, then motioned her head towards the office.

Stephen followed her, closing the door behind him, locking them away from the rest of the world.

She had known Stephen for most of her life, but at that moment she wasn’t sure she could trust him. She knew how old the Black Rose Society was, and how deep its roots were, but right now she had to take a risk.

So she told him everything, every last detail. He sat there in stunned silence as she went on about the messages, and Charles Kramer’s diary, and seeing Harvey with Moira in the library.

He didn’t speak for a few moments, and she was afraid he was going to laugh, to tell her to knock it all off. She didn’t know what she would do if that happened. If Stephen didn’t believe her after what he had seen, then no one would.

"I don’t know what to do with that." His fingers went back to rubbing his mustache, his eyes darting around the room. "You’re serious."

"Do you think I would joke about this Stephen?" She leaned forward, looking right in his eyes, and when she spoke her voice was a low whisper, almost a growl. "Three people are dead. One of those people tried to rape Roxanne last night, and another one tried to take out Paul and Roy. I would not joke about this."

He met her gaze, but could only hold it for a few seconds. He stood, turning his back to her, his hands running through his hair, over his face. He turned, and she could sense his fear.

"Do you know where they are? Like, a headquarters or something?"

"I doubt they would advertise it, and it probably isn’t a good idea to tail Moira Clawson, considering she’s a psychotic, murderous witch." She could feel her face growing hot with anger. She knew the police would be useless.

"Then you all need to stay together. If she comes after you, you’ll be better in a group than alone." He glanced out the office door, into the bar. "Maybe you guys could stay here."

"I am not living in a bar for the rest of my life. Roy and Paul may be able to put up with it, but I can’t." She leaned back in her chair.

"Then what about Julie’s house. It’s big enough, and it’s gated." He looked back at her. "I could stay with you guys for tonight, maybe tomorrow, and we can have a police guard around you at all times." He sat down, closing his eyes, his fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I can’t believe I’m actually believing all of this. If it was anyone else telling me this... fantasy, I would have them committed. You, on the other hand..."

"Stephen, it’s not just me and my friends. It’s the whole town." She leaned forward, placing her hand on his knee.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.36

Carla had been the first one to see Harvey’s body. He had been strung up, his intestines used as a noose. He was dangling in front of the library, his swaying body blocking the big glass doors that led into the main lobby.

She didn’t know why she screamed when she saw him. He was a monster, in league with the enemy. Yet, he was still a kid, and what they had done to him.

His torso had been completely torn open, his insides spilling out. His face was cut, bloody. He hardly looked like himself.

Worst of all they had stripped him, exposing the twisted flesh that had once been a twenty year old college kid who had just gotten involved with the wrong people.

After she had screamed she had stood there, frozen in place, unable to run, to call the police. She was in shock. If they would do that to one of their own, what would they do to her? To her friends?

When she finally could move she ran back into the Hub and had thrown up. At first her friends had thought it was just a hang over, but then they saw what had gotten to her. Most of them followed her lead, and spilled the acidic contents of the last night’s drinking binge.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.35

Julie pulled into the parking lot of the Hub, and was surprised to find it deserted. The place was usually packed every night, tonight the whole town seemed to be dead.

She pushed open the door and found William, Carla and Roxanne all sitting around the center table of the bar, a bucket filled with ice and beer in the middle of them.

"You all look like hell." Julie pulled up a chair and sat down, pulling a beer from the bucket and twisting off the cap.

The cold, bitter liquid was exactly what she needed. She leaned back in her seat and looked her friends over.

"Well, we’ve been through it, so I guess that’s appropriate." Roxanne was the only one at the table smoking, her cigarette shaking between unstable fingers.

"She got attacked." Carla pretended to read the label on her bottle, avoiding taking a drink. "So did Paul and Roy. Nurse went crazy at the hospital."

"Is everyone okay?" Julie sat up, shocked at what she was hearing.

"No. A friend of mine was killed." William put his beer down, and began to rub his eyes. "This isn’t going to just go away, is it?"

"I don’t think so." Julie looked around but she couldn’t find Paul or Roy.

"They’re upstairs. Both of them are in pretty bad shape." Carla stood, heading over to the jukebox. "How about something happy? We could all use a change of mood, right?"

"Please." Roxanne took a long drag.

"I met your great-grandmother." Julie looked at William. "She looks mighty hot for her age, and she doesn’t seem to really like clothes."

Carla stopped dead in her tracks. She looked at Julie.

"Tall, long black hair, big boobs?"

Julie nodded.

"And bright red lipstick." Julie took a swig from her beer. "Moira Clawson is very much alive."

William sat up straight, nearly choking on his beer. His eyes met Carla’s, and Julie could sense that they knew exactly who they were talking about.

"The woman with Harvey." Carla’s hand went to her mouth, her eyes wide. "That was your great grandmother."

"I think I’m going to be sick." William got up from the table quickly and rushed towards the bathroom.

"What’s his problem? And what about Harvey?" Julie turned around to look at Carla.

Carla sat back down at the table, but she still seemed dazed.

"She was the woman we saw with Harvey in the library."

"You mean William watched his great grandmother getting it on with some twenty year old?" Roxanne stuck out her tongue, her face contorting in disgust. "That’s disgusting."

"So, creepy family moments aside, what do we do now?" Julie put her beer down on the table, and pulled one of Roxanne’s cigarettes out of the pack.

William walked back towards them, his face sheet white. He sat down, and followed Julie’s example, grabbing a cigarette.

"You know doc, those things are bad for you, right?" Roxanne slipped her pack off the table and dropped it in her purse.

"I got turned on by my great grandmother performing some twisted blood ritual in the public library last night. I think I deserve one cigarette." He lit up and took a small drag.

"We get ready to fight." Carla stood, walking behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. She poured her self a rather large glass, and tipped it back to, not stopping once to everyone’s amazement.

"I thought you didn’t drink?" Julie was starting to feel a little worried about her friend’s state of mind.

"I’m going to need a little liquid courage to do something as stupid as fight some ancient nymphomaniac who seems to like young men’s blood and the cool night’s wind between her legs." She poured herself another glass.

Julie walked to the bar and grabbed the glass from Carla before she could take a drink.

"Give me that." Carla reached for it, and Julie stepped back.

"Hell no. We all need a clear head." She looked at Carla, then downed the glass herself. She had to struggle to keep the whiskey down, but once it settled she slammed the glass on the bar. "So tonight we can relax, but once the sun rises, we need to get our act together."

"Aye aye Captain." Roxanne gave Julie a salute, then finished off her beer. "I’m going to need something stronger than this."

"I think we all do." William stood, walking over to the bar. "Hand me that bottle of Vodka."

"Try whiskey, it’ll put some hair on your chest." Carla handed him the whiskey bottle.

William shrugged.

"It’ll get me drunk, won’t it?"

Carla nodded, and William took the bottle, popping off the little serving cap, and took a big swig.

Roxanne was at his side.

"Save some for me."

Julie sat at the bar, watching her friends drink away their pain. Right now it felt like the only thing they could do. If they didn’t forget, at least for a few hours, she knew they wouldn’t be able to handle what knew Moira had coming.

-*-

Moira sat on her throne, Harvey at her feet. He was naked, quivering, huddled in a ball and crying. She couldn’t understand what he was saying, and every time he opened his mouth, a thick pool of blood would push past his lips and dribble down his chin.

He was pitiful.

She stood, kneeling next to Harvey, her hand gently stroking his back.

"It’ll be okay baby. Let me make you feel all better."

She took his head in her hands and rested it against her bare breasts. She could feel his warm blood dripping onto her skin, and his young, strong life force entering her body.

Harvey had failed her, true, but he would prove useful to her in other ways.

Her hand moved to his chest and gently stroked the smooth, hairless flesh.

"Yes, all better." She curled her nails, pushing them against the center of Harvey’s chest.

He howled as her fingers broke the skin and began to dig into his flesh. He tried to get away, but she grabbed his hair, yanking his head back.

She looked into those wide, terrified eyes, and smiled. He was crying, and yet, she could see that he was still excited by her touch.

"Just think, you are sacrificing yourself for me. What greater honor is there, really?" She yanked her nails down, ripping his chest open.

The blood sprayed out, covering her body. She dropped the twitching body that had once been Harvey Ridge, and stood, feeling his youth enter her, empower her.

Her followers watched, then when she turned, walking back to her throne, the pounced, surrounding Harvey’s lifeless body, getting what little of his life blood they could.

Moira sat back in her throne, her legs crossed, her body now bloodless. Her skin had absorbed every last drop.

Both her minions had failed tonight, but it had gotten the point across. Julie and her little friends now knew that the Black Rose Society meant business.

She closed her eyes, feeling her skin becoming taught, her muscles gaining strength. Oh how she loved being young and beautiful, and luckily she knew how to stay that way forever.

She laughed, the sound echoing through her crypt place

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.34

Roy walked into his bedroom, trying the best he could to be quiet. He could hear the soft sound of Paul snoring. He slipped into the bathroom, turning on the light once the door was closed.

He glanced into the mirror and nearly screamed. He looked horrible. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his skin was pale. He quickly took off the shirt the hospital had given him. The one he had been wearing was covered in blood, and had a nice sized cut on the side. Then he turned on the shower, not even waiting for the water to completely warm up before he slipped inside.

He scrubbed as hard as he could, washing away every bit of the night from his skin.

When he was done he turned off the light and tip-toed into the bedroom.

His body didn’t relax until he laid down, feeling Paul’s warmth next to him. He gently put his arm over Paul’s waist, curling up behind him. He felt Paul gently squeeze his hand.

"You’re home." Paul rolled over so they were face to face.

"I didn’t want to wake you up." Roy gently touched Paul’s cheek. "You settling in okay?"

"Of course. How many nights have I spent in this bed?" He could feel Paul’s hand on his side. "It was just odd not having you next to me."

They kissed, their bodies pressing against each other. He could feel Paul’s hand moving up his chest, stopping, carefully playing with his chest hair.

"I don’t think you’re in much shape for..." Roy felt Paul’s finger press against his lips.

"I think I’ll be okay."

They kissed again, their hands exploring each other’s bodies with care. It was almost as if they were making love for the first time.

For the time he and Paul were in bed, it seemed like the horrors that had transpired earlier that night hadn’t even happened.

When they were finished they both drifted off to sleep, still wrapped in each other’s arms.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.33

Julie stood at the closed door that led into Brian’s room. It was the only room she hadn’t looked in yet, and she knew that she had to go in, but she just couldn’t bring herself to open the door.

She didn’t know what would be worse, finding the room empty, stripped of her younger brother’s memory, or finding it exactly has he had left it the day he died.

She turned the handle, slowly, and heard the bolt click. She stopped, her body tensing, and closed her eyes, then pushed the door open. She turned on the light and opened her eyes.

Everything was just as she remembered it. His bed, his dresser, there were even dirty clothes thrown on the floor. The only difference now was that everything was covered in a fine layer of dust.

She stepped in, covering her mouth. She could feel her nose twitching from inhaling the dusty air.

It looked like no one had stepped foot in the room for years.

She walked over to the bed and sat down, looking at the artifacts chronicling Brian’s short life. The trophies he had won for swimming and basketball lined his dresser, and faded posters of bands who had long stopped performing lined his walls.

Gently she took the blanket off of the unmade bed and brushed some dust off of it. She held it to her nose. Brian’s smell was gone. It all looked the same, but it lacked the life, the essence of her brother.

She started opening drawers, fishing under his bed, under the mattress, in his night stand. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but she was pretty sure that what she was finding wasn’t it.

Other than a few dirty magazines and notes from friends, there was nothing.

She felt guilty disrupting the room, but she needed answers, and this place, this shrine to her dead brother, was the last place to look, at least as far as she knew.

She sat down at his small desk in the far corner of the room. His computer was still plugged in, but she was almost scared to turn it on. Who knew what kind of shape that thing was in.

She hit the power button, half expecting smoke and sparks to burst from the monitor, but instead she was greeted by a welcome screen, and a little bar telling her that the system was loaded.

After about five minutes the computer finally booted up. She grabbed the mouse and started clicking. At first she found nothing unusual. There was more porn, a few old term papers, and some music.

It wasn’t until she started going through some random files saved in his document folder that she found what she was looking for. It was a video file.

She double clicked on the little icon, and waited for the player to load. The video started playing, and she almost wished it hadn’t.

Brian was looking right in the camera, setting it up so that it was angled right on his bed. Then he got in, turned off the lights, and the screen switched to night vision. She started to fast forward.

At first Brian just looked into the camera, the filter making his eyes glow green, then finally he fell asleep.

Around the five minute mark she saw the bedroom door opening, and at first she couldn’t tell who it was, but when the figure sat down on the bed, she recognized the familiar face of her father.

He looked down at Brian, his hand stroking his son’s hair. Then he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small syringe. He gently pushed up the sleeve of Brian’s T-shirt, and stuck the needle into his son’s arm.

Julie’s hand went to her mouth. Her father had been steeling his own son’s blood.

When Charles was done he leaned down, kissed his son’s forehead, and left the room.

There was nothing else of interest after that, just Brian sleeping. Still, she couldn’t look away. It was one thing to see a picture of her brother, but it was another thing to see him moving, breathing, living.

She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Right at that moment she missed her little brother.

Her fingers reached out, touching the screen, wishing the cold glass would be replaced by her brother’s skin. She wished she could reach out, hug him, tell him how much she missed him.

The video ended.

Julie stood, taking one last look around the room.

She suddenly felt her chest burning with anger. Her father, the respectable Charles Kramer, was even more of a monster than she had thought.

He hadn’t been upset because Brian died. He had been upset because he had lost his own personal blood bank.

She stormed out of the room, not bothering to close the door. She raced down the stairs, nearly falling twice, and out the front door.

She couldn’t get out of that house fast enough. Once she was in her car she felt lost. She didn’t know where to go.

Where did everyone else go in Spirit Lake?

The Hub.

So... about Spirit Lake

I just finished writing the last episode of Spirit Lake. The series is a week shorter than I had planned (it's only sixty episodes), but I'm happy with it. Obviously it isn't like Fashion Victims, with it's rather grissly violence and more overt sexuality. Still, the series means a lot to me.

Spirit Lake is losely based on a series of stories that I wrote when I was younger (probably around junior high). I always wanted to do something with them, but every time I tried they always stalled. The original stories were closer to a Friday the 13th film with the Claw (I know, very creative) coming after a bunch of stupid teenagers. Finally I abandoned the idea, but it stuck with me.

While I was working as a Production Assistant on the Patrick Swayze series The Beast I made a pact with myself that I would start writing again. So I pulled out those old stories and re-read them. They were awful. I mean, I'm not a great writer now, but I was really bad in junior high. So, I looked over what I liked, and decided to keep it. I liked the town, Spirit Lake, and I liked the little bit of history I had built up in the stories. Then I threw in my own personal wants, such as having a gay romance be a story point, and a healthy dose of Argento style, and what I ended up with is what you are reading right now.

Then, every night after I got back from set I would sit down and write. I kept this up for a while, but work on the show got more intense, and my writing time dwindled until I, again, abandoned the project. Then I started Fashion Victims...

Fashion Victims was a big deal for me. That was the first time in a long time that I finished one of my ideas, and I did it while working on and off on Nightmare on Elm Street (2009). I was tired, I was cranky, but I managed to pump out the first full season. Then I realized I needed something to fill up space on Sudz until I could think up ideas for season 2. Hence Spirit Lake gets dusted off and chopped up into episodes. Hence some of the really LONG episodes. I was cutting 20-30 page chapters into five weekly posts.

Fashion Victims was always something that I planned on putting on the blog. Spirit Lake was not. I wrote Fashion Victims with the idea that the series would be fairly tame, I didn't think like that when I wrote Spirit Lake. Spirit Lake was something I never really planned for anyone to read (and while I don't believe many are reading, I know a few are). Still, finishing this, writing the last episode is a big deal for me. I was able to take something that I had held onto for years and build it into something complete. While my Sudz experiment isn't a huge success, it's enough to make me happy. It's making me write, forcing me to work with deadlines (I kind of pressure myself to not miss a posting), and most of all, it's really made me love writing again.

It's also taught me to pace myself. I want to do a lot of things, hence announcements for series that have yet to even be written. I've kind of learned to take one thing at a time.

I know it isn't great, but for me, doing these two series has been one of the best experiments of my life.

So! On that sappy note, I should get going. Now I have to buckle down and finally start writing season 2 of Fashion Victims. It is happening! Basically what I had planned for Raw is going to just get thrown into Season 2. Wish me luck... Cuz I'll need it.

Spirit Lake Ep 1.32

Roy sat in the waiting room, a bandage on his side, and a small cup of water in his hand. He still didn’t feel totally stable, but as the excitement around him died down, so did his nerves.

Detective Stephen Roberts sat next to him, sipping a cup of coffee. Roy was shocked that the detective could actually drink that stuff. It was usually either to hot or to bitter to consume, but Stephen was downing it like it was tap water.

"You know I’ll have to talk to Paul at some point, right?" His voice was gruff.

"Come by tomorrow." Roy looked out the window, towards his car. He wanted to just run out of there, get in his car, and jump in bed with Paul, but he knew that he was in no shape to drive.

"So if you knew Nurse Fitch was harassing Paul, why didn’t you come to me?" Stephen brushed some coffee off of his rather bushy mustache.

Roy always that Stephen resembled a seventies porn star, with his big mustache, his thin build, and that little bit of chest hair you could always see because he never buttoned the top few buttons of his shirts. Right now that bit of humor was the only humor Roy had.

"I didn’t think it was that serious." Roy sipped his water. "I told William about it, and he and..." He pointed to the body bag being wheeled out, "they had been keeping an eye out."

"I just want to know why she did it." Stephen put down his coffee and looked Roy right in the eyes. "What would drive that woman to go and try and kill your boyfriend?"

"She was crazy Stephen." Roy shook his head. "You’ve known Paul and I our entire lives. When have either of us done anything that would warrant... that."

Roy wanted to tell Stephen everything, but he knew that the police wouldn’t understand, or even believe them. Roy hardly believed it all, and he’d lived through most of it.

"You okay? Looked like she sliced you pretty bad." Stephen lifted Roy’s arm, taking a look at his bandage.

"It’s not to deep. No stitches." Roy noticed that Stephen’s hand held on to him for just a little to long.

Their eyes met.

Roy stood up, stretching, and finding any excuse he could to get out of the detective’s grip.

In between Chester and Paul, Roy had found himself hooking up with Stephen a few times. It had never been anything serious, at least not to Roy. He was hurting, and Stephen was willing. They had ended it peacefully, but right now Roy was getting the feeling that Stephen wasn’t as done with the whole affair as he was.

"I should get home. Paul is going to need his pain medication soon, and I have to open the bar." Roy’s eyes kept glancing at the door. "You need anything else?"

Stephen stood, his eyes on his feet. He ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair.

"No, not right now." He looked up, his eyes avoiding Roy’s face. "I don’t want things to be weird between us Roy."

"They aren’t." Roy reached out, putting his hand on Stephen’s shoulder. "I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll give Paul the heads up that you’re going to be stopping by."

"Does he know?" Stephen’s hands went into his pockets, and his eyes looked out the window.

"Probably. I don’t think it’ll bother him. He knows we’re friends." Roy started walking towards the door. "I’ll see you tomorrow."

He gave the detective a quick wave, and then headed out the door.

Before he could even get in his car he was stopped by the sound of William calling out his name.

Roy looked up to see the good doctor running towards his car, clouds of steam puffing from his mouth.

"Hey, don’t forget these." He held out a small bag, the little insignia for prescription on the front. "The two big bottles are for Paul, and the small one is for you." He leaned against Roy’s car, out of breath. "It’s something to help you sleep."

"Thanks." Roy unlocked his car. "You sure you don’t want to come to the bar later? Carla will probably be there."

"I think they’ll let me out of my shift early, so I might stop by." He crossed his arms. "I’m guessing she knows that our date was canceled on account of a homicidal nurse."

Roy laughed. The situation was so odd, so out of place in his life, that his mind just couldn’t take it seriously. Then he remembered that one person died tonight, and the reality started to set in.

They were all in real danger, and all he could worry about was his old flame hitting on him, and making sure that William and Carla got their chance at a romantic evening.

"Did you know him well?" Roy leaned on the roof of his car, his chin resting on his crossed arms.

"Yeah. I mean, not really well, but he was a friend." William looked back at the hospital, his shoulders dropping. "I don’t want to go back in there. Not tonight. Maybe not ever."

"Then don’t. Call them up and tell them that you need to take the night off to clear your head." Roy got in his car.

William stood outside for a few moments, then joined Roy.

"Drinks will be on the house." Roy started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.31

Paul had been glad to get out of the hospital, but he had just wished that Roy could have left with him. Now he found himself stuck in Carla’s battered up green truck, his soon to be ex-wife at the wheel, and she looked very unhappy.

"They couldn’t wait one night, could they?" She looked at him, her eyes burning. "You know I was supposed to go on a date with William tonight?"

"William" He hugged his bag closer to his chest, growing more scared of Carla than he had been of Nurse Fitch.

"Yeah, William, your doctor. I was supposed to have dinner with him tonight. It was nice, something to look forward to. Did it happen? No, of course not, because some psychotic cult decided they wanted to kill you tonight." She slammed her palms on the steering wheel then winced.

"Well, I’m sorry they tried to kill me." He kept his eyes on the road. One of them had to. He had already been in one car accident, and he wasn’t looking to repeat that incident.

"It’s not your fault." She rolled down her window, letting the cool night air in the cab of the truck. "For once it isn’t your fault."

He didn’t know how to respond to that last comment. He just sat there, looking straight ahead, his bag gripped against his chest. He could feel the outline of Charles’ journal through the fabric. It took everything in him not to just chuck the book out the window and be done with it.

That was what Nurse Fitch had been after. That’s what the Black Rose Society wanted. Part of him just wanted to give it to them, and then to run as fast as he could out of town, and away from Spirit Lake forever. The other part of him wanted to rip every member of that group limb from limb. They hadn’t just nearly kill him, they nearly killed Roy, and he couldn’t let that go.

"So, you and William?" He needed to change the subject.

"What about him?" Her hands tightened on the wheel.

"He seems nice."

"But?"

"But nothing. He seems nice. And straight." He giggled a little. "A vast improvement over me."

She gave him a quick glance, a sly smile on her face.

When they finally got to the Hub the parking lot was empty. Roy had told him that he was opening late so they could get Paul settled, and that Roxanne would be there to let them in, but when they got to the door they found it look.

Carla started banging on it, her little fists making the door shutter.

"We’re closed." A soft, feminine voice came from inside.

"Roxanne?" Paul got close to the door.

He heard a click, and the door cracked open. A small face covered in streaked make-up peeked out at them. She gave Paul a quick glance, and when her eyes settled on Carla she opened it.

"Sorry, I got a little visitor tonight." Roxanne laughed. "It was a friend of yours Carla."

They all moved into the bar, closing the door, locking it behind them. They didn’t want to take any chances.

"Harvey was here?" Carla took off her jacket and threw it one of the empty tables.

"Yeah, and I have to say, he is one horny bastard." Roxanne crossed her arms over her chest, and looked down at the floor. "I got him though."

"Is he... dead?" Carla put her hand on Roxanne’s shoulder.

Paul looked around. The bar was a wreck. There was broken glass on the floor and chairs and tables were knocked over. There was also a nice sized trail of blood that led from behind the bar, through the main floor, then out the front door.

"I don’t know." She looked Carla in the eyes. "He was really going to hurt me. You weren’t lying when you said he was crazy. He tried to rip my clothes off. His hands were all over me..."

"What did you do?" Paul pulled up a chair, his legs suddenly feeling weak.

"Bit his tongue off." She looked behind the bar. "It’s probably still back there."

"Well, I’m going to take Paul upstairs, but you hang around. I’ll help you clean up." Carla gave Roxanne’s shoulder a firm pat, then she turned to Paul. "You ready?"

He nodded and stood, the weight of his duffle bag making his shoulder ache.

Once they were upstairs, and Roy’s familiar sent filled Paul’s nostrils he could feel his muscles relax. He actually felt safe. He made his way towards the bedroom, sliding his bag under the bed. He sat, wishing Roy was next to him.

He would be soon enough.

"If you need anything I’ll be downstairs." She walked in, giving the room a look. "Just call my cell, okay?"

Paul nodded and laid down. His body ached with every movement. The night was finally getting to him. After Carla left it only took seconds for him to drift off to sleep.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.30

Roxanne sat in the bar, a book open in her lap, and a cigarette between her lips. She glanced up, and could see the sun setting behind the tinted window next to the front door.

She stretched, arm muscles aching from lack of movement.

Well, the day hadn’t been a total waste. She had met one of her favorite authors, and even got an autograph out of the whole thing. She knew Spirit Lake was the right spot for her. Julie Kramer was a sign that, at least for now, this would be her new home.

The front door of the bar opened slowly and a young man walked in.

"Sorry, we’re closed." Roxanne put her book down and stood, leaning against the bar.

"Just one drink?" The young man smiled.

"You don’t look old enough to vote, let alone drink." She laughed, lighting up a cigarette. "Come back when you’re twenty one."

"I don’t think I know you." He took a step towards the bar. "I’m Harvey, and you are?"

Roxanne froze. She had heard Roy tell Julie about what had happened in the library the night before.

"Look, Harvey, I told you, we’re closed." Her hand went under the bar, feeling for the bat that Roy kept there.

"Oh come on. Roy won’t mind." He took another step closer.

"Oh, but I do." Her hand wrapped around the bat’s handle. She pulled it out, letting it dangle by her leg, just out of Harvey’s view.

"No need to be so hostile." He was at the bar now. He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. He smiled. "I wonder what you look like naked." His voice was a whisper.

"Back off." Roxanne swung the bat, just missing Harvey’s head.

He took a step back, crouching down, his eyes watching her move.

"So this is how we’re going to play." He lunged across the bar, grabbing her shoulders.

Roxanne screamed, her hand swiping at his face, scratching his cheeks.

Harvey howled and fell back, covering his wounds. He crouched down on the floor. Roxanne leaned forward, looking at her attack. His shoulders seemed to spasm, and it sounded as if he was crying.

He looked at her, his eyes wild, his mouth contorted into a vicious grin.

"God you know how to turn me on." He lunged again, but missed this time, falling over the bar and onto his stomach.

Roxanne tried to run, but Harvey grabbed her ankle, yanking her down to the floor. He started to crawl on top of her, his hands grabbing at her.

"Get the hell off of me!" She tried to kick out, but it wasn’t doing any good.

He had her pinned to the ground, his hips grinding against hers. His eyes moved from her chest to her neck to her face, soaking in her image.

He leaned down, close, his breath was sour. He kissed her, and Roxanne had to hold back the urge to vomit. Instead she opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to enter, then clamped her teeth down hard.

Harvey tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let go. He smacked her on the side of the head, and Roxanne could feel the flesh between her teeth tear as the blow sent her head shooting sideways.

Harvey stood, screaming, blood pouring from his mouth.

Even with her head still spinning from the blow Roxanne knew this was her one chance to stop him. She kicked up, her foot connecting with Harvey’s crotch. While he was bent over, howling even louder she stood, grabbing the biggest bottle she could find off the shelf, and she brought it down on Harvey’s head.

The glass shattered as it connected with his skull, sending sharp little fragments of bottle and Vodka all over the floor behind the bar. Harvey stood for a second, stunned, then he collapsed, his face landing in the small jagged pieces of glass.

Roxanne stood up straight, wiping Harvey’s blood from her lips.

"You don’t screw with Chicago."

She looked around, trying to find something to tie the kid up with. She ran to the back room, throwing open drawers and cupboards. Finally she found a role of masking tape.

"Perfect." She grabbed it, heading back into the bar.

She looked a the floor, but Harvey was gone. All that was left was a blood trail that led to the front door, and out onto Main Street.

She wasn’t sure how far Harvey was going to get though. He was bleeding pretty badly, and she had done a number on his skull.

She grabbed her cellphone and dialed the police, but hung up before they could answer.

She had heard everyone talking the night before. She knew that whoever this kid was working for had ties in the town.

She ran to the front door and locked it.

She would wait till Roy got back. He would know what to do. If he didn’t then someone would. She hoped someone would at least.

-*-

Roy pushed open the double doors that led to the main hallway of the hospital. He just wanted to get Paul, and get the hell out of there. William was still at the front desk, filling out the rest of Paul’s paperwork.

When the door swung open he nearly screamed. Paul was on the floor, crawling towards him, and Nurse Fitch stood behind him, a scalpel raised over her head, ready to strike.

"Get away from him you crazy bitch!" Roy screamed, rushing at her.

She slashed at him, but missed.

All the noise had drawn a group of people at the other end of the hall. Roy wanted to scream at them, tell them to help, but he didn’t have time. He grabbed the nurse’s wrist and twisted.

She let out a shriek of pain, the scalpel falling from her hand. Roy took his chance, kneeing her in the stomach.

Nurse Fitch stumbled back, her hands clutching her aching gut.

Roy grabbed Paul and started to run for the waiting room.

"You’ll never get away!" Nurse Fitch was shrieking.

Roy turned and watched as she stumbled forward, slipping in a growing pool of blood forming around her feet. She bent down and picked up the scalpel. With a shriek she charged at them, scalpel raised above her head, eyes wide, an insane, blood covered smile on her face.

Roy pushed through the doors and found a gun pointed at his head. He ducked, dragging Paul with him. He covered Paul’s ears from the deafening gunshot.

He glanced back just in time to see the bullet rip through Nurse Helen Fitch’s skull, splattering the hallway in bits of bone and gore.

He looked up at the police officer standing there, shocked. He lowered his gun and took a step back.

Roy stood, helping Paul to his feet. William ran to them, checking them both over.

Suddenly Roy felt a sharp pain in his side. He looked down and saw a long gash cutting through his shirt. Apparently she hadn’t missed when she had slashed at him.

He looked up. William was tending to Paul, and everyone else was rushing around as if the world was going to end.

Suddenly the room began to spin. Roy leaned out, his hand just missing the main desk, and instead he found himself falling to his knees.

"Roy?" He could hear Paul’s voice. "Roy, what’s the matter?"

Roy tried to speak, but couldn’t. When he opened his mouth he felt the bile rush up his throat and out his mouth. It splattered on the floor.

He felt a hand on his back, and someone at his side.

"It’s okay." William was speaking. "It’ll be okay."

Roy wasn’t so sure about that.

He wretched again, but nothing came out. He could feel William’s hand moving in large circles on his back, trying to calm him.

He glanced, through tear blurred eyes, at Paul. He was safe, that was all that mattered.

"Lets get you stitched up." William was trying to help him to his feet, but Roy didn’t want to move.

"Please." Paul was crying. Roy could hear it in his voice as he spoke. "Please take care of him William."

Before William pulled Roy into one of the offices he looked back, and the image that greeted him nearly broke his heart. A blood splattered, weeping Paul sat there, clutching his black duffle bag against his chest.

"I’ll be fine." He whispered, but he knew Paul had heard him.

"You better be." Paul called over all the commotion in the hospital waiting room.

-*-

Julie stopped her car at the front gate to the Kramer Mansion. She put it in park, and stepped out, her shoes crunching on the loose gravel and stones. The street needed to be repaved, but there was no way she was going to pay for it. Still, it did a number on her car.

She leaned against the gate, looking up at the mansion. From this distance it looked like a matte painting from an old horror movie. It didn’t look real, hidden behind all those trees, the purple night’s sky glowing behind the silhouette of the place she had never wanted to call home again.

Julie suddenly felt like she wasn’t alone.

She turned, and standing behind her on the road was a woman, almost completely naked except for a black cloak she wore. The hood was down, revealing her beautiful face, her long black hair, and her shocking red lips.

"You should have left when you had the chance." The woman’s voice was deep, rich.

Julie took a step towards her.

"You’re the cause of all of this." She stopped. "You’re Moira, right?"

"I have been called that name in a long time." She smiled. A sudden gust of wind caught her cape, causing it to flutter behind her, revealing her body to Julie.

"You don’t look anything like your picture."

"Time can change people." Moira turned, walking back into the shadows, little slivers of moonlight breaking through the trees revealed her every couple of steps.

"It’s more than time." Julie was shocked at how loud her voice was.

Julie stopped, turning towards her, smiling.

"So much more." Moira pulled up her hood. "You should have left. It’s to late now, though. You and your friends will fall, and I will win."

"That’s what you think."

Moira didn’t speak. Instead she stepped into the shadows, vanishing from Julie’s view.

Julie fell back against the gate, feeling as if the life had been sucked out of her body. The fear finally decided to creep in, causing a cold sweat to break out on her forehead.

This was all very real. It was at that moment that Julie realized that not everyone would get out alive.

She slid down the gate into a sitting position, pulling her knees to her chest, and burying her face in her jeans. The tears came quickly.

She wasn’t crying for those she had already lost, but instead for those she knew she was going to loose.

She stayed there, leaning against the gate until the tears refused to come anymore. Then she stood, opened the gate, got back in her car, and drove up the long driveway, knowing now that running was no longer an option.

She could not abandon her friends this time. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she did that again.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.29

Paul stood by his bed, throwing his things into a duffel bag. Charles Kramer’s diary was buried on the bottom. There was no way he was going to forget that. He had a very strong feeling that book was the reason Nurse Fitch was so interested in him, and he wasn’t going to let her get it.

His legs gave out a shriek of pain and he sat down quickly, grimacing as the stitch on his side tugged from the sudden motion. He knew he shouldn’t be on his feet, but he just couldn’t help it. He couldn’t stand being in that room for one more second with that psycho so near by.

"Now you know you shouldn’t be out of bed." Nurse Fitch’s voice was a soft whisper.

The woman stepped into the room quickly, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Get the hell out." Paul tried to stand, but his legs didn’t want to work with him.

"Is that the way to speak to someone whose just trying to help?" The nurse stopped, crossing her hands over her rather large, sagging breasts. She took a step forward, picking up Paul’s chart. She glanced over it. "You’re so young, so healthy." She looked up at him, smiling. "You’ll be perfect."

Nurse Fitch threw down his chart and charged, her hands aiming for Paul’s neck.

He reacted as quickly as he could and swung his bag out, catching the nurse on the side of the head. She went sprawling, and crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the bed.

Paul was on his feet, the adrenaline kicking in, dulling the intense pain from the ripped stitch in his side. He threw his bag over his shoulder and darted for the door. He could feel the warm blood starting to drip from the wound.

He made it into the hallway, but his body caught up with him, and a shock of pain made him stumble. He screamed, falling to the floor.

He could hear Nurse Fitch getting up, groaning in pain. He couldn’t stay there. She would be after him in a second. He tried to get up, but couldn’t. So he did the next best thing. He started dragging himself down the hall, towards the large swinging doors that led into the waiting room.

"Help me!" He screamed.

Nurse Fitch entered the hallway, a small cut on the side of her face trailing blood down her cheek. Her hair was a mess, strands trying to escape the tight bun on the back of her skull. She smiled, pulling the scalpel from her pocket.

"I am trying to help you Paul." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. She giggled.

She slowly stepped towards him, her eyes locked on him as he tried to pull himself away.

"What the hell are you doing?" A young orderly emerged from the nurse’s station, and ran towards them.

When he was close enough Nurse Fitch turned around, her hand slashing through the air, the blade of the scalpel slicing a thin line across the orderlies throat.

"Stay out of this!" She shrieked.

When the young man fell to his knees, a red river flowing from his neck Nurse Fitch grabbed the young man’s shoulder, running her hand through the stream of blood.

She moaned, rubbing the red liquid on her face, her neck, her chest. She was lost in the throws of passion.

Paul watched on in horror as the young man fell to his side, his skin pale, his eyes wide. Nurse Fitch looked at Paul, her face painted in the orderlies blood.

"You’ll make me so pretty." She laughed. "Your youth, your vitality will be mine young man."

She took a step towards him, scalpel raised, ready to strike.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.28

William stepped into the library, the sudden blast of air conditioning making his body shutter. It was a vast difference from the climate of the library last night. It was almost like they had stepped into the rainforest when they had checked the place out, but today it was like entering the arctic.

Carla sat behind the desk, a stack of books next to her, and a bar code scanner in her right hand. She looked so wrapped up in what she was doing, her face completely blank, her eyes moving from one book to the next.

Still, in her stillness William was shocked by how beautiful she was. Her round, freckled face and her green eyes gave her a kind of youthful quality, but the lines around her eyes and mouth hinted at her strength. He had to hold back to the urge to rush up to her, taking her petite body in his arms and kiss her, to tell her that everything would be alright, and that he would protect her.

That would probably end up making her angry. Carla Russo did not strike William as the type of woman who liked being protected. He was pretty sure she didn’t need it any ways.

Carla looked up from her books and smiled.

"What brings you here?" She put down the scanner, and brushed her short red hair behind her ears.

"Just wanted to check in. Harvey show his face today?" William walked up to the counter, placing both hands on the cold linoleum surface, and leaned forward, taking the weight off of his feet.

"Not yet. I’m still waiting, but I think he’s going to avoid me for a while. I mean, after what we saw last night? He’s either embarrassed, or planning something." She sighed, leaning back in her chair and stretching. "I’m betting on the planning part."

"You really think he’s part of all of this?" William tried to keep his eyes on Carla’s face, and not on her bare stomach that was being revealed by her yellow tank top riding up as she stretched.

"Almost positive." She twisted, cracking her back. "I swear, next time could they just kill me? I feel like one giant bruise from that fall."

"Don’t say that." William stood up straight. "I don’t want you getting hurt again."

"How do you plan on keeping me safe doctor?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Leave town for a little while. Take a vacation." He knew he was going to get a royal tongue lashing for speaking his mind, but he couldn’t help it.

"William, I will never back down from a fight. Those bastards attacked me first, and I swear I am going to get them back." She stood, looking him in the eyes. "No one hurts me and gets away with it."

She turned walking towards her office.

"Please, if Harvey shows up call me." William had to speak up so he could be heard over the air conditioner. "Just in case."

Carla peaked her head out of the doorway.

"I’ll give you that one, but I won’t leave town." She smiled. "So, we holding off on the date until after this whole mess blows over?"

He had actually forgotten about asking her out. He smiled. The fact that she had remembered meant that maybe, just maybe he had a shot with her.

"I don’t know if I can wait that long." He thought for a minute. "How about I bring you dinner here tonight. It won’t be the most romantic setting, but at least it’ll be something."

"Sounds nice." She tapped the door frame, signalling that she had to get back to work. "Then I’ll see you here around seven?"

"Seven it is."

She slipped back into her office, and William turned, his mind clear for a few seconds. He actually had something to look forward to. Something to take his mind off of all the hell that seemed to be breaking out around him.

He pushed open the door, and into the warmth of the sun, a little smile on his face.

Now if only everything went smoothly until seven, and it might actually turn out to be a decent day.

He wasn’t counting on it.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.27

Julie walked into the hub to find Roxanne standing behind the bar, swinging her hips to the sound of Dee Snyder proclaim that he wasn’t going to take it anymore.

She had to suppress a laugh.

"Roy here?" Julie found herself screaming over the loud music.

Roxanne looked up, shocked, and obviously a little embarrassed. She turned around, reaching for the turn dial that controlled the jukebox’s volume. She straightened her hair, brushed out her shirt, and turned back towards Julie.

"He’s upstairs with William." She smiled, trying to catch her breath.

"Thanks." Julie headed towards the door that led up to Roy’s apartment.

"Hey," Roxanne yelled out. "You wrote Passion Fire, right?"

Julie paused, a little shocked to hear the title of her first book being said out loud. She knew she had a following, but Roxanne hadn’t really struck her as the reading type.

"Yeah." Julie turned, walking back towards the bar. She would catch Roy on his way down. Right now she suddenly felt like a beer and a talk of something other than murderous widows and blood rituals. "You read it?"

"Yes!" Roxanne reached under the bar, pulling out a tattered old paperback. "It’s my favorite book. I’ve read it like, a thousand times."

"Want me to sign it?" Julie leaned forward, holding her hand out.

Roxanne nodded, her face a bright light of excitement.

"You give me a beer, and I’ll give you an autograph."

Roxanne pulled out a beer and put it on the bar, then she handed the worn paperback to Julie.

They sat there talking for an hour about Julie’s book, and about how Roxanne wanted to become a writer.

"I even got a degree in it." Roxanne looked down at her feet, ashamed. "I’m still not very good though."

Julie was a little shocked to see such a tough looking woman turned into what amounted to a bashful child.

"Well, if you want, I can read some of your stuff sometime. Maybe give you a few tips." Julie took a sip of her beer.

"Really?" Roxanne’s eyes grew wide.

"Sure. It’s one of the perks of working for my cousin. You get free writing advice." Julie laughed.

In truth she couldn’t believe that anyone had thought her first book was any good. It was pure trash, but it had sold, and it had made a name for Julie at a very young age. So, while she was artistically ashamed of Passion Fire, it still held a special place in her heart.

"So what are they doing up there?" Julie glanced back at the little hidden door, covered by pictures from the bar’s past.

A big one of Chester Kamp was right in the middle. His big round face was bright red, his salt and pepper hair a mess, and he had a huge smile. Under his arm was a younger Roy, clinging to Chester as if he would never let go.

"They’re getting ready to move Roy’s boyfriend in tonight." Roxanne lit up a cigarette, then offered Julie the pack. "I guess some nurse at the hospital is acting kind of crazy, and Roy doesn’t want to leave Paul there alone."

"Can you blame him?" Julie pulled a cigarette from the pack and lit it up. "I mean, with everything that’s going on now?"

"Hell no! This town is a fricken insane asylum." Roxanne shook her head, ashing her cigarette into the large glass ashtray between them.

"Oh, I agree." Julie glanced around at the other pictures lining the walls, and was shocked to see that she recognized most of the faces. "I don’t know why I ever came back here."

"You needed answers. Good enough reason as any. Think about it this way, it’ll make one hell of book when it’s all over with." Roxanne laughed, a cloud of smoke bursting from her mouth.

Julie nodded. She was right about that. Although she doubted that anyone would believe it was non-fiction.

Both women turned at the sound of Roy and William entering the bar.

"Julie, is everything okay?" Roy’s face was red and tear streaked.

"Yeah, I just wanted to see how you were doing." She stood up from her seat. "Roxanne has been keeping me company. Turns out she’s one of my few fans."

"Your biggest fan." Roxanne was beaming. "She signed my book."

"You need to give her a raise." Julie crossed her arms, giving her cousin the once over. "I should be asking you if everything is okay."

"I’m fine. Just... been thinking about things." Roy used his palm to wipe away a stray tear that was running down his cheek. "Hey Roxanne, we’re going to be opening late tonight. I’m going to put a sign up, but just in case, can you hang around and keep the place locked up? I don’t want people here when he bring Paul in."

Roxanne nodded.

"No problem."

Julie glanced back at the picture of Roy and Chester. Her gut tightened with guilt. She hadn’t been here for him when he had needed her, and now she had brought a whole new kind of trouble down on top of him. She had to suppress the urge to run out of the bar in shame.

"I’m going to run over to the library to check on Carla. You know, make sure Harvey hasn’t done anything." William patted Roy on the shoulder and headed towards the front door.

"Harvey? That kid is harmless." Julie looked at William, confused.

"Yeah, not so much. Roy will fill you in." William opened the door to the bar. "Roy, I’ll meet you by my truck, okay?"

Roy nodded.

William left, the door slamming shut as a gust of wind hit it, making them all jump.

"So, Harvey?" Julie took a drag off of her new cigarette.

"Oh, you’ll love this."

Roy gave a weak smile and sat down at the bar.

Okay...

So, I'm going to finish Spirit Lake. Why? Well, I had most of the series already finished, and I kind of didn't want to waste it. Plus it gives me more time to work on Fashion Victims. So, Spirit Lake will be completed.

A little note to readers though. The rest of the series does get rather graphic. The violence is more extreme and there are going to be some love scenes (pretty safe stuff, but still). Just giving you all the heads up. Some of the stuff coming up is putting Jade's death to shame.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.26

Roy sat in the Hub, his fingers clicking on the bar. He knew the noise was annoying Roxanne, but he couldn’t help it. He was so antsy. After what Paul had told him last night, and what he learned from everyone else he just couldn’t sit still. He wanted to get the hell out of Spirit Lake, but he wasn’t going to leave Paul alone.

Roxanne walked over to the old jukebox, slipped a few coins in, and hit a few numbers. Pretty soon the bar was filled with the shrieking roar of eighties hair metal.

"What is this?" Roy covered his ears as the lead singer hit a note he didn’t think was possible for a man.

"Not a fan of my taste in music?" She walked behind the bar and grabbed a beer from the cooler. "Then get your nerves in order."

"Sorry." He grabbed her pack of cigarettes from the bar top and pulled one out.

"Hey..." She reached out for the pack.

"Consider it you repaying me for the change you took out of the cash register for the music." He lit up and smiled. "Don’t think I didn’t see.

He handed the pack back to her.

"How’s your boy toy?" She took a sip of her beer, grimacing at the taste.

"Scared. Just like the rest of us." He took a drag. "Why are you sticking around? I mean, you could heard everything yesterday. You don’t have any real ties here. If I were you would have packed up."

"Don’t know. I guess things are getting interesting, and I want to see how they end." She frowned, rubbing her free hand on her jeans. "Sounds kind of morbid, doesn’t it."

"A little, but..." He paused, taking a long drag and letting the smoke spill out, "I’m glad you stayed. You’ve really helped a lot."

Roxanne smiled, then in a quick movement reached out and hugged him.

"I hope this all works out for you guys." She gave him a hard pat on the back. "I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you. You’re probably the best boss I’ve ever had."

"Am I interrupting something?" William cleared his throat, making his presence known.

"Just a little boss and employee bonding." Roxanne let Roy go, and picked up a beer. "Want a drink doc?"

"I’m good." William looked at Roy, his face serious. "I want to check out your apartment and make sure it’s ready for Paul." He folded his arms. "You ready for tonight?"

Roy nodded. If he couldn’t get Paul out of Spirit Lake, at least he wanted to keep him close. Paul was finally starting to feel the same way for Roy as Roy did for him, and he wasn’t going to let some psychotic cult ruin that. He had already let Chester go, and he wasn’t going to loose Paul as well.

"You go with the doc." Roxanne put down her beer and picked up the list of alcohol stock. "I can handle things down here."

"Thanks." Roy headed out from behind the bar towards the door hidden in the back corner that led up to his apartment. "Follow me."

William did as he was told, and Roy led him up to his small apartment.

Chester had lived there before Roy had, and he wasn’t the cleanest person. Most people would have called the apartment a rat hole, but Roy had cleaned it up, made it liveable. It was finally starting to feel like a home, and Roy was terrified that he would have to abandon it.

"You okay?" William put his hand on Roy’s shoulder, stopping him in the living room.

"I’m fine." He couldn’t look at the doctor. "I mean, I’m as fine as can be I guess."

"I know why you’re doing this." William removed his hand from Roy’s shoulder. "I just don’t know if Paul is in good enough health to be here."

"It’s either this, or he ends up getting his throat cut by that nurse." Roy looked at him, tears welling up in his eyes. "I am not going to let anything happen to Paul. Not now."

William nodded, then headed into Roy’s bedroom. Roy stood in the living room, his hand over his mouth. He was trying to hold back the sobs, but they were coming to fast, to hard.

How many times had he and William been in the same situation when Chester was sick? Except then Roy couldn’t even see Chester, he couldn’t go near him, touch him, comfort him. Carla had thought William was being cold, but Roy understood. He hadn’t liked it, but he knew what position William was in.

Still, there had been that one night, right before Chester had passed away, when William had snuck him into Chester’s room. Roy almost wished he hadn’t gone. Chester was only forty two, but lying in that bed, with all the tubes in his arms and mouth, and the way his skin had gotten so pale was to much for Roy to handle.

It was that night that Roy had William test him, to make sure he was negative. Chester had always made sure they were safe, but Roy wanted to make extra sure.

Afterwards they had both sat outside of the hospital, in the cold winter air, not talking. William had put his hand on Roy’s shoulder, and that had been enough. He had been the only one who had comforted Roy.

William walked out of the bedroom, and Roy covered his face, trying to hide the tears.

"Flashbacks?" William walked up to Roy, taking his hand. "It still hurts, doesn’t it. Now you’re scared you’re going to loose another person you love."

Roy could only nod. The sobs were to strong for him to speak.

"Roy, I promise you, I will do everything I can to make sure that Paul gets better, and that he’ll be safe." He looked back at the bedroom. "You won’t need much, but I’ll bring a few things with us when we move him tonight."

Roy was shocked when William grabbed him, hugging him tight. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, but more of a gesture of understanding. Suddenly he felt guilty for not defending William when Carla had ripped into him at the hospital. She had no idea how much William had tried to help him before, and he hoped she knew how much he was doing now.

Roy could only muster two words.

"Thank you."

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.25

When Carla and William finally left the Hub the sun had already set. The cool wind blowing off the lake made her suddenly wish she had brought jacket.

William put his arm around her shoulder.

"You know what you’re getting yourself into?" He looked down at her, concern in his eyes.

"No clue." She laughed.

She looked out, towards the lake front, then over towards the library. The place had closed down hours ago, but she was surprised to see a light still on in the stacks.

She started walking towards the library, William following her a few steps behind.

"What’s up?" He caught up with her, but seemed to have trouble keeping with her quick pace.

"Harvey left a light on." She pulled out her keys, and headed to the front door.

Once inside she was surprised to find the building very warm and humid.

This isn’t normal.

She glanced around, but nothing seemed to out of place. The main computers were shut off, and as far as she could see, Harvey had locked the place up.

William stood next to her, his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"So..."

She stopped him, placing her hand up to his mouth. She heard something, a soft whimper from the stacks.

Harvey!

She ran, grabbing William’s hand, forcing him to follow her. She heard the noise again, and she let it guide her.

The Spirit Lake Public Library wasn’t a very large building, but that night it seemed like a labyrinth. Nothing seemed familiar to her.

She stopped just at the edge of the light, her body frozen in pure shock.

Harvey was sitting on one of the reading tables, his shirt open, his head thrown back, his eyes closed. A woman, older, stood in front of him, her hands on his shoulders, moving.

The woman was gorgeous. She had long, wavy black hair the fell to her shoulders, and her figure was full. She was naked, hiding nothing from Carla and William’s view. The only thing she had on was lipstick, a shade so red it seemed to burn.

The woman leaned forward, licking the side of Harvey’s face, her hand moving to his chest. One of her long nails dug into Charlie’s skin, and Carla could see a small trickle of blood fall down his smooth torso.

William was about to take a step forward, but Carla stopped him.

Harvey grabbed the woman, kissing her, his hands grabbing her body. She yanked off his shirt and scratched him, her nails leaving little red trails on his now bare shoulders. Her fingers seemed to dance in the blood.

The woman took a step back, her hands moving to her chest, rubbing the blood along her neck, and down her front. She moaned.

Carla took a step back, her arm knocking a book off of the shelf, causing a loud thud as it hit the floor.

The woman looked towards Carla and William. Carla half expected the woman to lunge at them, to attack. Instead she just smiled.

Harvey seemed to caught up in the moment to even notice that the people watching him had suddenly made themselves known.

The woman leaned forward and whispered something in Harvey’s ear. His head snapped in Carla’s direction, his eyes wide, his face a mix of anger and fear.

Carla grabbed William’s arm, and they both ran, making their way to the front door as quickly as possible. She didn’t wait to find out if either Harvey or the woman were after them.

Once they were outside the rushed to Carla’s beat up old truck and threw themselves inside. She locked the doors.

"What the hell was that?" William was panting, his face covered with sweat.

"I... I don’t know." Her hands clutched the steering wheel so hard it hurt. "It was like I couldn’t look away."

"I know." William’s breathing was slowing down. "Was that Harvey?"

Carla nodded.

"You would think he would turn the lights off if he was planning on doing something like that."

Carla’s back tensed. He had done that on purpose. He had wanted her to see, or maybe the woman had, but that little display was just for her.

She looked at William.

"We are playing right into their hands." Her voice was low, angry.

"Whose hands?" William was using his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face.

"The Black Rose Society." She slammed her hands on the wheel. "They’re part of this town."

"I don’t think Harvey is a widower." He put his hand on her shoulder, obviously a gesture to calm her down.

"I think it’s bigger than that." She started the car. "I think we all need to start watching our backs."

William only nodded, sitting back in his seat, his hands covering his lap. Carla glanced down, and had to suppress a laugh. She could tell that Harvey’s little display had gotten to William in a very personal way.

-*-

Roy sat in Paul’s hospital room, his hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder. Paul had fallen asleep about an hour ago, but when Roy had arrived, Paul was hysterical.

He had been right about Nurse Fitch. She was a danger, and his gut told him that she was connected to everything that they had been learning as of late.

William peeked his head in the room, Carla behind him, still standing in the dark hallway.

"Shouldn’t you be at the bar?" William’s voice was a whisper.

"I’m taking him out of here tomorrow." Roy stood up, walking to the doorway. His body was rigid. He wanted to hit the doctor. William had been the one who had left Paul alone, and it could have gotten Paul killed.

"He’s not ready. He’s still in really bad shape."

They all stepped into the hallway. Roy glanced around, making sure that they were alone.

"Nurse Fitch paid him a little visit today. She even had a present for him." He got close to William’s face. "A scalpel."

William glanced at Carla, and Roy could tell that it was finally clicking in the good doctor’s mind that his problem with Nurse Fitch had little do with her not liking his relationship with the Paul.

"Alright. We can check him out tomorrow night. He’s staying with you, right?" William’s voice was a whisper.

Roy nodded.

"Good, then we’ll set him up in your place. I’ll check on him every once in a while."

"I told you." Carla finally spoke up. "It’s infected the town."

William just gave her a quick glance, but Roy wanted to know what she meant.

"What are you guys talking about?"

Carla looked at William. It seemed like they weren’t sure they wanted Roy to know their little secret.

"Tell him."

Carla nodded, and filled him in on what they had seen at the library.

Roy stood there, stunned. His world was changing so fast that he wasn’t sure could keep up. Nurses were trying to kill Paul, Carla’s assistant was having kinky blood rituals in the stacks at the library, and someone was trying to poison Julie. It was all a little much.

"It looks like all hell is about to break loose." Roy was shocked by how grave his voice sounded.

"I think this is only the start of it all." Carla crossed her arms, and looked at William.

"If this is the start, then I’m scared to think where this will all end."

They stood there in silence, but suddenly the dark hallway felt less and less safe. He couldn’t be sure that anywhere was safe anymore.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.24

Paul sat up in bed, his side fighting him the entire time. He reached over towards the phone on the bedside table, and pulled it onto his lap. He dialed Roy’s cellphone number.

"Hello?" Roy’s voice was shaky.

"I just wanted to hear your voice." Paul smiled.

"Paul, I have a ton I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Are you alone?"

Paul glanced around his room. He had been lucky enough to get one of the few singles in the hospital.

"Yeah, I’m alone."

"Good."

Paul listened as Roy filled him in on everything that he had heard from Carla and William. Paul couldn’t believe half of what he was hearing. It was all so outlandish. It sounded like something out of old Italian horror film.

"So, how does this connect to Julie?" Paul cradled the phone between his neck and shoulder, and adjusted the phone’s base on his lap. His hips were still sore from the crash.

"We think her father may have been connected with the group somehow, but we aren’t sure."

The sound of Paul’s door creaking made him jump.

"I’ll call you back."

"What’s the matter?"

A chill went down Paul’s spine as Nurse Fitch entered his room. She didn’t smile. She just looked at him, her eyes unblinking.

"I have a visitor."

"Is it the nurse I told you about?"

"Yes."

"I’ll be there in two minutes."

Paul heard the phone click.

The nurse walked towards his bed slowly, a smile on her face and one hand behind her back.

"You seem to be recovering nicely." The nurse’s voice was sickly sweet.

"I am. I guess being a health nut paid off." Paul gave a small chuckle.

Nurse Fitch just shrugged.

"What are you doing in here?" A young orderly popped his head in the room. "You have rounds over in the ICU."

"Just checking up on one of my old patients." She gave Paul a wink, and then turned and left the room.

As she left Paul caught a glimpse of a small, shiny object in the hand she had clasped behind her back.

A scalpel.

Paul forced himself out of his bed, and moved as quickly as he could towards the door that led into the room. He threw himself against it, the door slamming shut under the weight of his body. He reached down and found the lock.

Click.

He hobbled back to his bed, his whole body in pain. He wasn’t letting her in again. He had gotten lucky once, but he knew she would be back.

The group Roy had told him about flashed into his mind. He suddenly wondered if Nurse Fitch had a husband, and if she did, if he was still alive.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.23

Julie sat in the Hub. The bar was closed, and looked rather depressing with it’s lack of rowdy customers.

Roxanne stood at the bar, a cloth in one hand, a cigarette in the other.

"What brought you to Spirit Lake?" Julie stood, moving to a sit closer to the only other person there.

"Needed a break from city life. This was the first town I could find that didn’t scare the hell out of me, and actually had work available." She put the cigarette out in an ashtray under the bar.

"Can I bum one of those off of you?"

Roxanne pulled out her pack and handed a cigarette to Julie, then lit it for her.

"Your cousin know you smoke?"

"I think he’ll forgive me for this one." Julie took a drag. "Things have been kind of crazy lately."

"So he’s been saying." Roxanne lit up another cigarette.

For a few moments neither woman spoke, just enjoying the cloud of smoke forming around them in the dark bar.

"Where’s Roy at any ways?" Roxanne broke the silence first. She placed the ashtray on the bar top.

"Probably with Paul."

"Paul?"

"His... well, I guess his boyfriend now. It’s kind of complicated." Julie suddenly regretted her words. She watched Roxanne’s face closely, waiting for the response to register. "You knew, right? That he was gay?"

Roxanne nodded, laughing.

"Don’t worry honey, I’m no bigot."

Julie sighed.

They fell into silence again, but it was short lived by the sound of Roy rushing into through the front doors.

"Julie, you’re here. Good. We have to talk." He sat next to her. His eyes glanced at the women’s cigarettes. "That is so tempting right now."

Roxanne put the pack on the bar, and walked towards the back shelf, checking for empty bottles.

"So, what’s got you all up in arms?" Julie turned her chair towards her cousin.

"This." Paul put her father’s journal on the bar. "Paul and I have been reading it. God, Julie, your dad was in to some weird stuff. Did you know he was stealing your brother’s blood? He talks about sneaking into his room at night, poking him with needles. I mean, Charles Kramer was insane!"

Julie looked at Roxanne, who did a very good job of pretending that she was minding her own business.

"It say why he was doing it?" Julie picked up the journal, flipping through its worn pages.

"Not yet. We aren’t done with it. That’s not all." He reached over the bar and grabbed a beer, taking a long swig. "There’s this nurse at the hospital. I got this really weird feeling from her. Like she wanted to hurt me, or Paul."

"Homophobe?" Roxanne looked over at them.

"No." Roy placed his beer on the table, and began talking to both women. "It wasn’t that. It was something else. She just had this darkness around her. It was weird."

Roxanne walked over towards them, leaning on the bar, her eyes wide with interest.

"You can read auras?"

"I don’t think so." He looked at Julie. "Have you seen anything like that? Or felt anything like that?"

"I haven’t been in town much, so no. At home I have, but I mean, that old house is just one big, bad dark aura."

"You know, I’ve kind of felt that. I mean, just a little. This town, there’s something dark here." Roxanne took a sip of Roy’s beer.

"I thought you said this town didn’t scare you?" Julie gave Roxanne an odd look. She wasn’t a big fan of the new age movement, and all this talk of auras was starting bother her.

"It doesn’t. Every town has a feel, and this one... it’s kind of cold. Like, there isn’t much life here. There are people, but... it’s hard to explain."

Julie understood perfectly. Spirit Lake was one giant soul trap, and it hurt like hell to get out of it. The fate was worse if you stuck around though. What Carla had told her was proof enough.

Just as she thought of her name, Carla walked through the front doors. Doctor Williams was right behind her. They both walked straight to the back of the bar, and Carla slammed a piece of paper down.

"Boy do I have a lot to fill you guys in on." She looked at William, then at each person sitting before her.

"Whose with Paul?" Roy’s eyes wrinkled with worry.

"A friend of mine. Don’t worry, Nurse Fitch won’t get anywhere near him." William placed his had gently on Roy’s shoulder.

"I don’t know. I don’t want to leave him alone." Roy started to get up.

"You can leave after you’ve heard what I’ve found, okay?" Carla handed Julie the article.

Julie listened as Carla and William began telling them about the Black Rose Society.

Spirit Lake Ep. 1.22

Carla sat on the examination table in William’s office, her heels clicking on the metal side of the table in a hollow, erratic rhythm.

William entered the room, his eyes on the chart in his hand.

"Well, we’re seeing a lot of each other lately, aren’t we Carla." William looked up and smiled.

"Bumped my head. I’ve been feeling kind of dizzy. Thought I should get it checked out."

She felt like a small child sitting there. She was half expecting him to bribe her with a lollypop while the nurse snuck up behind her to give her a shot.

Without speaking he reached behind Carla’s head, his fingers gently moving along the scalp. She shivered.

How long had it been since a man had touched her?

Great, I’m getting off on a medical exam.

"What did you hit your head on?" William looked her in the eye as his spoke, but his hands continued examining.

"A cement wall."

"Well, that will do it." He took a step back, picking up his chart, and began to write.

"I want to run a few tests, just to be safe, but I think you might have a mild concussion."

"How much?"

"Your insurance should cover most of it." He flipped a few pages. "Or not."

"The librarians got their benefits cut." She shrugged.

He crossed his arms, a worried look on his face. Carla didn’t like that. If the doctor is worried then she should be scared out of her mind.

"Well, I want to at least do an MRI. I don’t want you leaving here and then dropping dead because I missed something. Bad for business."

"I can’t pay for it." She hopped off the table, and started for the door.

"I’ll foot the bill."

She stopped in her tracks.

"William, that’s a lot of money." She turned, leaning against the cold wooden door. "It’s probably nothing serious. You said so yourself."

"Yes," he stepped towards her, "but you smacked your head on a cement wall, and I want to make sure you didn’t do any real damage."

"Then let me pay you back." She took a step towards him, and suddenly a wave of dizziness came over her.

He caught her before she hit the floor.

"How about dinner?" He led her back to the table and sat her down.

"Dinner?" She looked at him, confused.

"Yeah, I pay for your MRI, and you go out with me on one date." He crossed his arms, smiling.

Carla suddenly felt very self conscious. She folded her hands in her lap, her eyes falling to the floor, and her feet started kicking the side of the exam table again.

"Okay." She looked up. "No sex though."

"Agreed." He laughed.

He turned to leave, but stopped, bending over to pick up something.

"You dropped this." He handed her a small, folded piece of paper.

She grabbed the article and shoved it back in her pocket.

"Must of fell out when you caught me."

"Anything interesting?"

"You ever hear of the Black Rose Society?"

He looked at her, his eyes going wide.

"Not since I was a little kid." He crossed his eyes, shifting his weight from one foot to the next. "What are you looking into them for?"

"It’s a long story."

William nodded, and turned to leave the room.

"Did they ever... hurt anyone? I mean, they kind of vanished, so I’m guessing there was a reason for that." Carla was surprised by how quickly the words fell from her mouth.

"Turned out the widows and widowers all had one thing in common." William glanced at her as he was leaving the room. "They killed their spouses."

Carla jumped to her feet, running after William. The room started to spin the second she got up, but she fought through it, clinging to the door frame.

"How do you know that?" She grabbed William’s arm.

It was his turn to look ashamed.

"Moira Clawson was my great-grandmother."

She let go of his arm, a little to stunned to speak.

"Why are you looking into them any ways?" He looked her in the eyes.

"They’ve... well, someone who associates themselves with them, has been harassing Julie. They’ve been leaving notes and flowers."

William took a step into the room, but not checking to make sure no one was listening to them.

He closed the door quickly, but quietly.

"My grandmother and that whole group were a bunch of sick monsters. Tell your friend to be very careful, because if someone is following in old Moira’s footsteps then she, and you, may be in real trouble."

"I know."

He stopped, letting the dots connect in his mind.

"How did you hurt your head?" He reached out, his hand gently touching the bump on the back of her skull.

"Someone, or something, I didn’t get a good look at it, but they attacked me." She held up the article. "While I was looking for this."