Grandfather's House

Grandfather's House
"I want to be your partner." That was what the tall, dour man had said in Noah's office three weeks ago. He hadn't said his name, hadn't brought any references she could verify. He'd just stood there waiting for her response. Her first instinct had been to throw him out...but she needed a partner. She also needed to find the poacher. Companion pets were being stolen, wild pets were being over-hunted. And now someone had turned up missing. No one else would help.

She had to admit he was a good idea. He had the appeal of a slug but he was an expert in tracking. He also had connections and he was the one who discovered rumors of the house where this poacher might be staying...deep in the sticks, in an area that many thought to be haunted. No one had been there in years.

"Why do bad guys have to be so predictable?" she whispered to her companion. They were both crouched just behind the tree line as the sun set, casting long shadows over what looked more like a mansion. It was a Victorian edifice that seemed to have been spewed up from the earth, covered in creeping vines. The windows were boarded up, the wrap-around porch was falling apart...the place looked completely abandoned. Warren put a hand on her shoulder to quiet her. There was no noise in this place, it seemed wrong to break the silence. He looked down at Noah and then pointed off to the left side of the house. The doors were almost smothered in ivy but there was, barely discernible, a cellar.

Noah shook her head. Trap, she mouthed and pointed to the front door and then to the barred windows. Unless they were being watched from somewhere in the clearing, no one would see them walking up. They might as well go in through the front. Warren frowned at her... unfortunately, it wasn't very effective. She was getting used to it. And anyway, she was the leader so he didn't get to make the big decisions.

Warren sighed. They both straightened up and checked their gear. Since they were dealing with a potentially dangerous opponent they had both suited up before closing in. They both had bullet- proof vests spelled to protect them from fire and lightning and pants made with enchanted fibers that would protect them from a biting pet. They had also brought mage staffs and Chuckles.

Chuckles was a Death Angel lunaris and was probably the best pet to help them. If someone had been killed in that house he would know. She knew he was reliable and she knew that he loved Warren but it didn't stop her from getting the creeps every time he was around.

The catlike creature swooped down to meet them as they started to cross the overgrown lawn toward the front porch. All was still as they made their way up to the house. Together, Noah and Warren slipped up the stairs, moving as quietly as possible. Noah took a place to the left of the door and Warren the right. Chuckles eased up to the door and pressed his head against it, listening. Eventually he shook his head. He couldn't hear a thing.

Warren met Noah's eyes and arched a brow. She took in a deep breath and gave him a brief nod. And he smiled. He never smiled.

The towering man stepped away from his position and thrust his booted foot at the door handle, kicking the entire door in, to the sound of screeching wood. Light began to hiss and spark from his staff as he rushed in, followed by his snarling pet. Noah cursed and ran in behind him, gripping her weapon as the warmth of magic spread from her hand to its tip and flared into life.

She found herself standing in a living room...what was left of it. All of the furniture that had been here was destroyed. Spider webbing covered every surface, from corner to corner and ceasing at the base of a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. It was not normal webbing...the strands were too thick, the webs too large. It was everywhere. Warren was standing next to the shattered remains of a table, scanning the room. Noah could see nothing except for the broken furniture and...were they? Yes. They were. Cocoons. "Warren.." she hissed, when suddenly they both heard the sound of footsteps above. Or maybe something heavier, shaking the entire ceiling. Then nothing.

"Chuckles," the man said, ignoring her. The lunaris picked his way over to the staircase, fluttering up a few steps and closing his eyes. His ears turned this way and that, searching. He looked over his shoulder to his trainer, looking confused. Normally he could sense the presence of recent death but it was clear that something was interfering with his ability. Warren's lip curled in anger and he crossed to the stairs.

"Warren, I don't like this!" But Noah had no choice but to follow...she didn't want to be left alone here. There were doorways leading to what had to be the kitchen and other rooms but it was clear her partner had no interest in searching them. "We're not going to find a poacher here! Please!" She struggled up the stairs as he led the way, keeping an eye out behind them as they left the first floor behind.

"The webs are old," he replied as they climbed. "But something is here. And if there is, we're going to deal with it." Her face burned with anger but she needed his help. It stilll made her ill to admit to herself that he might be right, though. They had to check this out...so all she could do was follow him.

The two of them, with their lunaris, made it to the second floor and came to a set of double doors. They looked at each other in the light from their staffs and Noah nodded. Once again Warren grinned and kicked in the doors...but what they found was more than either one knew how to deal with.

They found themselves in a dining room, lit by candelbra and a hanging chandelier with what seemed like thousands of candles. A family sat at the table, a couple that looked to be in their forties, a little boy...and the missing camper. They were in the middle of eating dinner, a tremendous spread of food. What Noah found very disturbing were the two open places at the table and the fact that no one looked alarmed with their sudden appearance.

Warren and Noah exchanged glances as what must be the wife lifted a hand and gestured for them to enter.

"Do come in," she said in a kind, motherly tone. "You poor things, I'm sorry that no one was down to greet you, we wanted to make sure to have a place ready." She waited and when neither ranger moved, she sighed. "Really, dears, it's alright. We're not upset. Come, there's plenty for both of you!"

"We're looking for a poacher," Noah said at last. "And...him." She looked at the camper...his name was Mitchell. She remembered that from the family that had come to her for help. To see him alive, after everything, was just too confusing for her.

"There's no poachers here!" The woman's husband smiled. "We own the land around here. We haven't seen a soul recently except for this young man, lost in the woods. We took him in and have been helping him recover...haven't we, Mitch?"

"Yeah...these guys have been great." Mitchell grinned up at them. "I'm sorry if I caused any trouble... I was dehydrated and everything, but David and Anne really helped me."

"There, you see?" David beamed as Noah and Warren both stared. "Now, come and eat with us. You must be famished." While the adults talked the little boy just sat, staring at them with solemn eyes. Noah looked at Warren, who looked wary. Slowly the two sank down into the empty chairs, leaning their staffs against the wall behind them. Chuckles laid down next to the weapons as if to guard them, every hair bristled. The strange couple ignored him.

"Your furniture..." Noah said as the woman, Anne, served her a plate of food. "Downstairs, everything's broken. There's webs." She looked to Warren but he might as well have been a stone. He wouldn't speak.

"Oh, that," David said. "I'm a photographer. We do themed photo shoots...those are just decorations that we haven't cleaned up yet. My wife helped...she's amazing, isn't she?" He lifted his cup as a toast and took a long sip while Anne blushed.

Noah could think of nothing else to say. After dinner, the little boy, Daniel, cleared the table and deposited the dishes into a chute that went down to the kitchen.

David invited them to stay the night...Warren was set against it but Mitchell insisted that everything was fine. Eventually Warren seemed to give up the fight, although it was clear he was not happy about it.

It felt like her head had only just touched the pillow, like she had only just fallen asleep, when Noah was shaken awake. A hand covered her mouth to smother her scream. She had opened her eyes to Daniel only inches from her face, holding a candle.

"Please, you have to come with me!" he whispered, genuine terror in his voice.

"Why?" Noah asked, righting herself as the boy gestured for her to grab her staff, which she had brought with her.

"Because they're not my parents and you'll die if you don't," he answered. Adrenaline rushed through her system, helping to stir her up as the first bolts of magic rushed into her fingertips.

"Warren?" she asked.

"Mitchell is getting him," the boy answered and gestured for her to come to the door. She went outside with him as Warren's door opened. Out he came with Mitchell and Chuckles, staff flaring into life.

"There's not much time," the boy continued as they followed him. "It's too late for us...but you two can still escape."

"Too late for you?" Warren asked...this time he guarded their rear as they made their way down the staircase and into the dining room. Where everything had changed.

The table where they had been seated was stained and covered in dust. The chairs were also ruined and stank of mold. None of the lights were lit. And two things guarded the way out.

They were Carnage Phantos, the creatures that had taken the forms of David and Anne. They both screamed at the sight of Mitchell and Daniel helping the rangers to escape.

"You've been such naughty boys!" one of the Phantos shrieked in a voice twisted and mutated with rage. "Grandfather will be so disappointed!" She lunged at Noah and Warren but Chuckles attacked with a blast of magic and claws. The two of them crashed into the table as the David Phanto roared.

He didn't have a chance to come to his wife's defense. Warren struck first with a blast of lightning, followed quickly by a burst of light from Noah's staff. They were frightening, they were terrible, but they were only Phantos. The battle was over quickly and the two rangers looked ready to rest, but Mitchell and Daniel wouldn't allow it.

"It's not over yet," Mitchell insisted, urging them toward the doors. "Their grandfather is here. He'll make you stay forever..." And as they started down the steps, they could see for themselves who Grandfather was.

Waiting for them was an enormous spider. It was a Purple Eater Arak, bigger than any that Noah had ever heard of. She felt sick with fear but had no time to recover. As soon as it caught sight of them, the beast shook with anger.

"My family," it moaned. "What have you done to my beautiful family?" It moved to one side as it stared up at them. "Daniel...I thought you knew better. And Mitchell..." Something that looked like saliva dripped from its fangs. "You will have to go back to your room!" As it said this, Noah leaned against the banister to keep from fainting. Daniel and Mitchell...they were ghosts. The Phantos had kept Chuckles from seeing it. Grandfather came for them and Warren immediately cast a Fire spell at him. The Arak's scream seemed to shake the whole house as Chuckles descended the stairs, slashing at the monster's eyes and spewing an acidic spray from his mouth.

"MOVE!" Warren yelled, but the two remained locked in combat, the spider scrambling away from his swift adversary, lifting his massive forebody and stabbing at the cat, fangs gleaming with venom. Finally he knocked the lunaris across the room and caught him up in webbing. Grandfather turned on the humans but Noah was ready, casting an ice spell that froze two of the beast's legs. Grandfather continued to scream as Warren practically flew down the steps, casting another ice spell. The Arak twisted and writhed but was frozen nearly solid. The man pulled a sword from a sheath at his back, ending the monster's life in one stroke.

All that was left now was to free the much-weakened Chuckles from the webbing. The monster was dead. Noah turned to the ghosts, which had cringed at the top of the steps and who only now would come down.

"Thank you," Daniel said. "He would have done it to you, too...made you all stay." He looked around the broken living room, looking relieved. "Now that he's gone...we can go home."

Noah felt tears burn in her eyes as Mitchell walked up to them as well, his smile so gentle. She thought of his parents, sobbing in her office. He wrapped her up in a hug, though the warmth that must have been some sort of preservation spell was wearing off.

"Tell them I love them," he whispered in her ear. He reached out to shake Warren's hand as well, giving Chuckles' head a pat. "He really is an angel."

The two ghosts stepped away from them. Mitchell put his hands on Daniel's shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze as they both started to fade.

"Good luck finding your poacher," Mitchell said, his voice coming from all around them. "Thank you..." And they were gone.

"Let's go," Warren murmured. "He's right. We still have to find the poacher." As they left the house, tears dripped down Noah's cheeks. When they reached the treeline Warren reached out with his free arm and patted her shoulder.

"You know...we make a pretty good team," she whispered.

"Yeah," he replied, smiling down at her. "Yeah, we do."

THE END