Chapter 170

Will turned around and the world moved in slow motion around him. About ten feet away from them, there he stood. Ghost. Denis. The man responsible for all the pitfalls in his life stood ten feet away from them, the sunlight glinting off the barrel of an ornate silver gun. How could he have been so careless?
“Surprise,” Ghost sang.
“How…” Will began to ask.
“How did I get so close?” Ghost finished. “Without anyone noticing. Hmm…” he used the gun to scratch his temple for a moment and then pointed it back at them. “I’m the monster in the dark. The one under your bed. The one your parents warn you about. Oh wait… your parents wouldn’t warn you about anything. They’ve been trying to sacrifice you to the darkness for years,” he said with feigned contrition.
“What do you want?” Will asked. His eyes darted around, looking for the captain or any signs of the security he promised them. But there was no movement.
“Looking for your back up?” Ghost teased. “I took care of them.”
Sabrina gasped.
“The captain?” she squeaked.
“That old windbag?” Ghost laughed. “He’s bleeding out somewhere. Maybe his people will find him. Maybe they won’t.”
“No,” Sabrina whimpered, burying her face into Alex’s chest.
“I know it’s me you want,” Will said, putting his hands up. “Let them leave and I will go with you.”
“Will, no!” Emma said, grabbing his arm. “Please don’t.”
“It’s not just you I want,” Ghost took a few steps closer. They backed up, huddling into each other. “I want you to suffer. I want to watch you lose everything you love, and then you belong to me.”
“We could take him,” Alex whispered.
“If we distract him, and then rush at him, we could do it,” Spencer agreed. “We’d have to be fast, though. But we could do it.”
“No,” Will shook his head. “The girls could get hurt.”
“What if we did it?” Jess asked.
“He wouldn’t expect that,” Sabrina whispered. “It would throw him off.”
“Let us try,” Emma whispered, her body trembling.
“No,” Will said through clenched teeth. “He’ll kill you.”
“What are you whispering about?” Ghost tightened his finger around the trigger. “It’s making me nervous. You don’t want me to be nervous.”
“Enough of this game,” Will asserted. His hands were still up, and he walked forward. “This is between you and me. So, let’s settle it, Denis.”
Ghost’s eyes narrowed and his face warped into a twisted mask of anger and indignation.
“Denis died a long time ago. My name is Ghost.” He walked forward and put his gun right against Will’s forehead. The girls yelped in fear at the sudden movement. Alex and Spencer were rigid as terror gripped them as well. “And I am here to haunt you.”
It happened in slow motion. Ghost’s arm moved from Will towards Emma his finger tightening even more around the trigger.
“NO!” Will jumped at Ghost and pushed his hands towards the sky. The gunshot went off into the air, the sound like a thunderclap in all their ears. They all screamed, ducking for cover.
“Get in the car!” Will yelled as he wrestled Ghost the ground. They rolled around, fighting for control of the gun. Will did his best to keep the gun pointing up, but Ghost was right. Denis was gone. The man in front of him was stronger and his singlemindedness reinforced that strength. Will used his free hand punch his opponent in the face.
“Mmm,” Ghost smiled, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “I almost felt that.”
“Fuck you!” Will shouted, struggling to get control of the gun. A blow to his abdomen took the wind out of him.
“I always wanted to know what it would feel like to hit you. I’ve got to tell you… it’s better than sex.”
“You’re fucking twisted,” Will grunted.
“You don’t know that half of it.”
“We can’t leave him,” Emma cried, as she watched them struggle. “Every second we just stand here, Will is in danger!”
“I’ll call 911!” Spencer yelled.
“No wait!” Jess said, pointing to something coming towards them in the distance. A small crowd seemed to be rushing at them.
“This is the police! Denis Ratcliffe, you are surrounded! Put your hands up!”
The announcement distracted Will for a second. Ghost used the opportunity and got Will in a chokehold from behind and pressed the gun to his temple.
“Don’t move another step! I’ll blow his fucking brains out!”
“Oh God!” Emma screamed. Hot, thick tears blurred her vision and fear attacked her body. Alex held her up as she almost collapsed. “Please! Please don’t hurt him!”
From behind the wall of officers, emerged Captain Whitlock. His torso was bandaged with blood soaked wrappings. He held his side, his face was scrunched with pain, but he was still trying to protect them.
“Captain!” Alex, Sabrina, and Spencer called out in relief.
“All of you get in the car!” he shouted to them.
“No one moves!” Ghost shouted. “Or he dies!” Ghost grabbed Will by the hair and slid the gun down to his neck. Will took shallow breaths, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. “I’ve seen this moment in my dreams,” Ghost said into Will’s ear. “For years, this right here is all I’ve wanted.”
“How does the reality live up to the dream?” Will taunted.
The barrel of the gun caressed Will’s face before settling against his neck again.
“It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Seeing you like this, completely at my mercy… like I said, it’s better than sex.”
“Are the snipers in position?” Captain Whitlock whispered to one of the officers.
“Yes, but they don’t a clear shot,” the officer answered.
“Tell SWAT to move in. We have to get this under control. Someone is going to get hurt.”
“Yes sir.”
“Denis Ratcliffe,” Captain Whitlock said into the megaphone. “You are surrounded. Put the gun down and put your hands up! There are trained snipers at the ready with you in their sights. It’s time to give it up. You’re done.”
“I’m done?” He asked, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “I don’t think so. Our story doesn’t have an ending yet.”
“You’ve got to know there’s no way out for you,” Will said. Adrenaline sparked like an electric current in his blood. “Let them go. You can have me. You can kill me, I don’t care. Just let them go.”
“No!” Emma cried out again. “Will!”
“Hmm,” Ghost mused. “She really cares about you. I knew someone like that once. Someone who promised to love you and only you in the sunlight… but at nighttime she would find herself underneath me in my bed.”
“Shut up.”
“Oh, does that still hurt? Does that still sting? Or maybe you’re afraid that this one will do that same. Maybe I could steal her away, the way I took Grace from you.” The gun pressed further into Will’s skin.
“Emma isn’t like her,” Will strained. Ghost pulled harder on Will’s hair. A tactical team moved into place. More guns were pointed at Ghost. The atmosphere was tense, making the air feel heavier. They all struggled to breath as terror and dread choked them.
“No,” Ghost said, “I don’t think she is.” He looked over towards Emma, his face distorted into something like a smile. “Hello, Emma. It’s lovely to meet you.”
“Go to hell!” she screamed.
“Ooo, feisty,” he said with delight. “It’ll make it all the more fun when I take her for myself.”
“You will not touch her!” Will seethed. “There’s no way you’ll make it out here alive. You know that don’t you?”
“Oh, I have no intention of leaving this. I know I’m going to die. But I’m going to ensure that my last act on this earth will be ensuring your demise.”
“Then just do it already. Why drag this out? Just get it over with and kill me.”
“How simple. You’re going to suffer the same way I did. You’re going to watch as I take away what you love most.” As fast as lightening, the gun moved from Will’s neck and arched towards Emma.
“NO!” Will roared. The officers moved in to restrain Ghost. Alex jumped in front of Emma to shield her… but none of it was necessary. Will was faster, jumping in front of Ghost, taking the blast in the chest.