In a dark place, a single candle lit up.
There was a coffin placed in the middle of the room.
A hand reached out from inside the coffin.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh" Sam wakes up in fear.
"It's just a nightmare, daddy," Peter said.
Sam looked at his son and smiled.
"Yes, honey," Sam said. "It's just a bad dream."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, dear," Sam said.
Sam sat up and stretched, then he turned to his son.
"Did you have a good sleep last night?"
"Yes, daddy," Peter replied.
"Better than ever." Said the man.
"What do you want, Death?" Sam asked.
"Why aren't you scared anymore?" Death asked.
"I don't care what happens to me," Sam replied. "I am happy with my family."
"Well, then we are in business. You see, we always wanted to contact you to join our organization, yet you never answered back."
"My answer is no."
"What?" Death asked. "I thought we were friends?"
"The only person I trust is my wife and my son," Sam replied.
Death sigh.
"We know what your dream is Sam Terzo, you want everyone on this earth to have your power to evolve the human race to understand each other and eliminate the evil in this world, isn't right? We know that you have done a great job in achieving that goal in your life, but there's still more work to be done, and we can help you achieve it. Your destiny has been chosen by all of us, and we will help you finish it."
"You will not hurt Peter or my wife," Sam said.
"That's not part of the deal," Death said. "We just want you to join us and help us accomplish our goals.
"But to be fair, there is already our leverage against you." The man is smug.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"Your wife and son are in danger, and for you to save them, you must join us."
"All I want is my family safe," Sam said.
"We will protect your family," Death said. "But you have to join us first."
"I'm not joining any organization," Sam said.
"Even though you can be the most powerful person on earth?" Death said.
"I'm not joining you," Sam said.
"What if we told you that your family will be safe with us?"
"They won't," Sam replied. "I will do anything to keep my family safe. Even if it means killing you."
"Hahaha," Death laughed. "Very well, Sam Terzo. I accept your challenge."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"When the time comes, you will have to choose between your own life and the life of your family. But remember that if you refuse to join us, we will kill them or break them apart anyway."
"Yet you can always read my mind to see if I was lying or not, can't you?" Death laugh.
"You mean I have no choice?" Sam ask.
"It seems like you don't," Death said. "Now, I must leave. I have a lot of work to do.
"You can try to resist," Death said. "But I have faith in you to make the right decision."
"Good luck, Sam Terzo," Death said.
The man disappeared into thin air.
"Father," Peter said. "Do you think he is going to hurt mommy and daddy?"
"Yes, I do," Sam replied.
"I don't want him to come back," Peter said.
"Don't worry, little Peter," Sam said. "I'll protect you from him forever."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Sam said. "No matter what."
***
After Sam left the room, Peter ran to his mother's bed. She was sleeping soundly. Sam had given her a sedative. That's so she wouldn't be frightened during her nightmare.
"Mommy," Peter cried softly. "Wake up."
His mother opened her eyes and smiled when she saw her son.
"Hi baby," Molly said. "You okay?"
"Yes," Peter replied. "I just had a bad dream."
Molly hugged her son and kissed his cheek.
"It's okay now, sweetie. I'm here," she said. "And Sam is here too."
"I'm scared," Peter whimpered.
"Shhh," Molly said. "It's okay. Everything is going to be alright."
"I don't want to die," Peter said. "Not without my family."
"I won't let that happen," she whispered. "Never."
Peter looked at his mother's face and smiled.
"Thank you, mommy," he said. "You're the best."
***
Sam heard his wife's voice coming from the living room. When he walked over to the door, he found her sitting on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands.
"Hi honey," she said.
"Hello beautiful," Sam replied.
"How was your night?"
"Same old thing," Sam replied. "Nothing new."
"Oh," she said.
"Be honest, what happens?" Molly demand.
"Sorry," Molly said. "I just had a horrible dream about us being killed."
"Me too," Sam lied. "I was thinking the same thing."
"Yeah, me too," she sighed. "I hate dreams like that."
"I was also thinking about how much I love you," he said.
"I feel the same way," she said.
"It's just that I'm worried," Sam said. "I don't want to lose my family."
"I know," Molly said. "I'm scared too."
"What if we die?"
"We won't," Molly said.
Sam decided to tell her what happened in the bedroom with Death.
"He came to see me again," he said. "This time he offered me to join his organization and help him finish his goals. If I refused, he would kill you and our son."
"Oh," Molly said. "That's terrible."
"The worst part is, he threatened to kill us if I didn't join him," Sam added.
"I want to kill him myself," Molly said.
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"There's something odd about the whole thing," Sam said. "It seems too stupid. If someone wanted you dead—"
"—he could have done it any number of times. Why now and why in such a stupid way?"
"Maybe he's not as bad as you think? Is this what you're getting at?" Molly ask. She had taken off her shirt; she was now standing beside the fire in the house with one bare arm across her breasts.
Sam nodded. "What did he say when you told him no, anyway?"
Molly shrugged. "He said he'd be back for me after dark." Then she added: "But I don't believe it. It's like he thinks we're in the habit of giving away our bodies to anyone who asks."
"Yeah," Sam agreed, The sight of Death's face had filled Sam with an unutterable horror—the very notion that some person or thing or force might possess a being who was worse than himself filled him with abject despair. But now, lying there helpless on the floor, Death had become to him only another victim of the strange and inexplicable forces that were taking shape against them.
"You know," Sam said, "we've got to get us out of here."
"I'm going to stay right where I am," Molly replied, "and maybe he'll go away."
"Not likely," Sam said. "Besides, we can't leave Peter here."
"Yeah," Molly said. "But—why do you think he wants to see us?"
"Dunno," Sam answered. "Maybe because he knows we're here. Maybe—"
"—Maybe he's a lunatic," Molly suggested.
"I wish I knew how they found us," Sam said. "We didn't tell anybody. There wasn't much chance of their finding this place even if we had, but we must have left some clue somewhere."
"Who would look for us, anyway?" Molly asked. "And even if somebody did find us, what could he do? You know the law."
"You mean all we can do is wait until nightfall and hope this man doesn't come back?" Sam asked. "I guess so."
They both lay down on the floor by the fire; it was hot and comfortable. After a while, they went to sleep. The last sounds Molly heard from Sam were the soft murmurings of dreams.
When she woke later she saw that dusk had fallen outside. The fire had died down again; the room was cold.
She made herself some tea and ate some of the bread and cheese they had brought along.
But then an envelope appears on the table. And what's inside shocks them to the Core. Photos of Sam and Molly's history of committing crimes, even as recent as the assault of Mr Master. Then there's a note saying that Sam and Molly will be arrested and tried and imprisoned and that they'll receive no mercy If he does not join the organization.
Then there's a final message from Death. He says that if they try to run, he'll hunt them down and kill them wherever they hide. He also threatens them with some kind of horrible death if they ever tell anyone about what happened to them today.
"This is just crazy!" Molly said. "How can he expect us to do anything when we don't even understand what's happening to us?"
"Maybe this is what Death meant," Sam answered. "Maybe we ought to follow his advice."
They packed up their things, including 6 boxs of slug shells alongside two 12 gauge shotguns and drove back to the city. Both of them and Peter were scared and miserable. They felt that they had been through a nightmare that the waking world could never match.
Molly began to wonder whether it wouldn't be better to forget the whole affair. Perhaps it was only the result of a series of coincidences or delusions.
After all, they had been careful to keep their movements secret. Hadn't they checked everywhere before they left their apartment? Hadn't they carefully locked the door and bolted it? How could they have been followed without leaving any trace behind?
"I don't know," Sam said."But we are left with very few options."
"Yeah," Molly agreed. "All we can do is go on pretending that we don't know what's going on."
"I don't think that's enough," Sam replied. "Death wants us to do more than that."
"But how can we?"
"It's obvious that we must fight back. We can't let ourselves be beaten."
"And how?"
"I don't know exactly," Sam said. "But we'll manage somehow. Somehow we'll beat Death. I promise you that."
"Oh, Sam, I hope you're right."
"How Brave and foolish... This is going to be a fun night!"Death looks from afar. He has seen many horrors, but nothing like this. Nothing like the two humans who have just come to him. No matter what they may have done, he cannot bring himself to hurt them. Instead, he calls someone else over to help him.
The other figure step through the darkness. They have black clothes and a strange white mask. It is the Skullet Tre.
"Well," Death says," What is it you want?"
"Nothing," the Skullet Tre answers. "Just need to talk to these people."
"Why?"
"Because I need to know what they're thinking."
"So you can torture them?"
"Maybe not torture them directly!" the Skullet Tre replies. "But I need to know what they're hiding."
"That's not possible. They aren't human. Even if they weren't crazy, You couldn't read their motive."
"But that's just the point," the Skullet Tre says. "These two aren't humans. They're something else. Something really weird. I don't know what, but I do know that whatever it is, they can't be human. Yet they fascinate me and make me feel compassion for them. Maybe we can do it as a job invite."
"You want to give them to us?"
"No," the Skullet Tre replies. "I want to put them in my museum."
"A museum of what?"
"Of course, of dead things."
"Dead things?"
"Yes. Dead things. Things that are dead. You know, like animals."
"What difference does that make?"
"It gives me an idea."
"An interesting one?"
"In a way. It's a long shot, of course. But it's worth trying."
"What is?"
"To give them to us."
"You know, I think I just get a great idea!" Death says. "I'll call the authorities and have them arrested."
"Don't bother," the Skullet Tre says. "They won't be there after tonight."
"Why not?"
"Because I will convince them."
"You?"
"Yes. I will show them what happens to people who try to run from Death. Tonight they're going to experience the true meaning of death."
"What are you going to do?"
"Kill them with their darkness."
***
Molly took a good deal of persuading before she finally decided to go along with Sam's plan. It was clear that she was still shaken by the events of the previous evening and the day before. She was afraid that she might change her mind and refuse to go through with it. As for Sam, he was as nervous as she was. Whatever they did, they knew that they were playing with forces beyond their control.
Finally, however, she agreed, and the two of them set out together toward the house on North Street. Sam was driving; Molly sat beside him. Peter, sitting in the back seat, looked pale and frightened.
As they approached the house, Sam slowed the car and stopped. After reloaded and armed with the shotgun, Molly was looking at the building with apprehension. It seemed to her that she recognised something about its facade and windows, yet she could not quite place it.
The front door opened as they came near. A small figure emerged. It was a boy, perhaps in their youthful years.
"Oh, Sister Molly, you came to visit me?" The boy said. He sounded cheerful and excited.
"Yes," Molly said. "And this is Mr Sam."
"Hello," the boy said. "Are you coming to play with me?"
"Not exactly, we know you are a vampire and I want you to help us kill some bad people who threatened our family."
"Me? Kill them?"
"Yes."
"Okay, I'll try."
Sam got out of the car and walked around to open the back door for Peter.
"What should we do?" Peter whispered nervously.
"I don't know," Sam answered. "I don't know what this kid is like or where he got the powers he claims to have. All I know is that we're going to need him if we're to do what we came here to do."
Molly climbed out of the car and stood beside the young fella. His name is Vincent, he was Finn Black's target once but the old man couldn't lay his hands on him so he befriend him, and sometimes bring young Molly to meet with each other. "He is a vampire and he has a lot of strange power. But he is also a good person. I think he will help us."
"Good," Peter said. "Let's go inside."
The two children and both Molly and Sam went into the house. As soon as they entered, the door slammed shut behind them.
"Welcome," said a voice that came from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Your time's is up, Sam Terzo." Said Skullet Tre. "You have played your games too long and now you must answer your choice, are you going to join, or do I have to turn your family into dead simple."
Molly without second thoughts aim her shotgun at Treat, yet the moment she is Within eye contact with Tre, Molly falls to the ground and twitches in horror, a visible trace of Darkness roams around her body, and her eyes are filled with fear and guilt and start to turn red. As if her guilt has taken shape and come out to haunt her.
"stop it! what are you doing to my wife?" Sam screams in anger. "Molly please stay with me here, you're going to be fine! I am here with you!"
" Just bring out her guilt that all, but I suggest you hurry and make up your decision or else she is not going to make it," Tre said with a Sinister tone.
"I—I—" Sam stammered. "I can't..."
"Don't worry, we know you are not a fool You have been playing your part well, but this is the end of the game. You can't win, so you must decide."
"I can't turn it in yet," Sam said.
"You can't?"
"No. I can't. Because—" Sam hesitated. "You're not worthy of my trust."
"Trusted?" Skullet Tre laughed softly. "You can't be trusted, Sam Terzo. If you could be trusted, you would have turned us in long ago. Think about it: You are still alive because we allow it. If you were truly evil, you'd have killed yourself already since my power is to control all darkness within all living beings. So you should be thankful that you are still alive."
"I know that. But—"
"But what?" Skullet Tre interrupted. "Do you think your new friend here will believe anything you say? Do you think he'll accept your story?"
"Yes," Sam said. "He will"
"Why?"
"Because he is a friend."
"For now," Skullet Tre said. "But he will soon lose his ignorance. When he realises that he has been tricked, when he sees the truth for what it is, then he will be lost forever."
"But—"
"Enough! You know the rules. There is no turning back. Now choose."
Sam looked at the Skullet Tre and saw that they are not smiling anymore. Their face was very serious indeed.
Sam lay his eyes on his family and Vincent and seemingly made up his mind.
"I choose...to join," Sam said.
The Skullet Tre looked at them both thoughtfully.
"Very well," they said at last and released Molly from the darkness that she had been suffering in.
"Is it over?" Molly asked while in a fragile state.
"Yes, we are going to be fine dear." Sam hugs his family tightly.
"So we're not fighting?" Vincent asked."We're joining?"
"Yes," the Skullet Tre said. "You are going to be our guests and you will enjoy it."
"How?" Vincent said.
"You'll find out," the Skullet Tre replied.
"Now relax, and we can talk about the details when we arrive at our headquarters." Skullet Tre. He opens a portal with his darkness. "Come on in!" Skullet yelled."
Then he pulled Sam and his family alongside Vincent into the darkness.
***
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