Don't Open the Door... Chapter 5

Derek held tight to Sarina. He needed to know how the evil that was with in him was sealed in the shed. Somehow he knew that with out the knowledge he sought, he and Sarina would die.

"He will see us now, both of us, Derek, that I can not stop. It is nearly dark and you need to close the door to the shed before he can get out again."

"If you were talking to him then he is already out, Sarina."

"No, he could only be partially out in the daylight. That means that he can only harm me."

"Why Sarina, why can he only harm you? How are the two of you connected?"

"When Grammie came back and found us in the house, she sent your parents on to their rest. She gave them the assurance that you would be taken care of. By that time, the evil had already begun to take you. I had been able to hold it off for a little while but it was too strong for my craft."

"Your craft?" Derek could feel himself being pulled back to the night it all happened. He watched as Sarina changed from a grown woman to a young girl of ten. She smiled at him as he watched her. She had her hands open, palms upwards, moving what appeared to be a tiny replica of Derek, back and forth. He could see Grammie standing near the door. "I can see you now, Sarina. We are where we always seem to go but we never get any further."

"Tonight we will, Derek. We will finish this or die trying. Keep remembering. Live it again as you go back. I won't leave you ever, Derek. I never have."

Derek closed his eyes and let that night replay itself for him.

"Derek, come stand next to me while Sarina tries to push away the evil. Grammie has raised her good and strong. She can defeat this creature that I created if she will concentrate. She has the same strengths that I do plus."

"How can she have more, Grammie? You are older than she is."

"Yes Derek, but Grammie never knew love for someone like Sarina knows with you. Your love for one another will grow through the years. It will be your life saving if you allow it to be."

Derek heard himself cry, felt the pain inside of his soul. The pain, slowly turning to hatred and anger. "He took my mom and dad, Grammie!He killed them and they had done nothing. They were good people."

"That is how the creatures of hell survive, Derek. They feed on the good souls for there is no fulfillment for them to take souls already bad."

Suddenly Derek felt a surge well up inside of him. The anger was no longer funneled towards the creature that was holding Sarina. Even as she cried out in pain, Derek turned from her and faced Grammie. She stepped back when she saw the look in his eyes. Never had she seen such hatred in her life. She tried to shield herself with her hands but he was too fast.

"You!!!!!!!!" Derek screamed at Grammie... "You created this abomination! It is your fault that my mother and father are dead! I hate you, Grammie! I don't care if it hurts you or not!" His hatred turned to pain and he touched Grammie with his hand. She fell backwards, dark circles where his hand had touched her, burned in to her skin.

"No-o-o-o-o-o Derek." The voice was tender and weak. He spun around and looked at Sarina, her face bloodied by the creature that held her. "Do not let it win. The only way for it to live is to destroy you and I together. It doesn't want Grammie to interfere and wants you to hate her. Please listen to me before it is too late for both of us! I need you to understand it all. I can not put it in the shed by myself. I need Grammie to help me!"

The creature suddenly tossed Sarina's tiny body away as if she were nothing more than a rag doll. It was beside Derek in less than an instant. "She doesn't understand, Derek. It wasn't her parents that were killed. Yes, I killed them, true, but that is what I do. Grammie knew that. She knows the darkness that is her craft. I can end your suffering if you will simply give all of your anger to me. Let me take it away for you. It will only hurt for a minute."

Derek felt the saliva from the creatures mouth drip on to his shoulder. It burned him and cooled him at the same time. He looked at Grammie and then at Sarina's body, crumpled next to the door.

"Derek, listen to Grammie. It can not hurt you right now. It is the manifestation of your anger. It is you, Derek. Fight it. If not for me, then fight for Sarina. She truly loves you and will for ever after, but she needs you right now. Push the creature. Help me put it in the shed. Once it is inside, it can never hurt you or Sarina again."

Sarina crawled from the floor and sat beside her Grammie. She took Grammie's hand just as the creature stretched it's arm out to Grammie. Sarina screamed as she watched the skin from her Grammie peel away under the creatures swipe of it's talons. Sarina looked at Derek.

"This, Derek... this is how we can defeat this creature. Look at me, Love, see me. Truly see me now. I have never left your side."

Derek looked at Sarina as the creature took the last of the skin from Grammie. Somehow, she continued to fight. She wrapped her arms tightly around it's body. "Push, you two, push as hard as you can. He will fall into the shed."

"No, Grammie, it will take you too. I need you, Grammie."

"Child, I am already dead and you do not need me." There was a deep sorrow in Grammie's voice. "I have shown you the way to survive. My time here is gone but know that I love you both. Once inside, remember Derek, Don't open the door. If you do, it will come back and kill you both. Push now, push, and end my pain!"

Sarina took Derek's hand and held it in her own. She kissed him once again. Not like a child kisses but like adults kiss. Derek felt her love and then he felt something else. Suddenly, he understood. Before nights end, he would destroy this creature for ever. Together they pushed hard. The creature screamed as if in pain. Derek saw the door to the shed open. He watched Grammie pulling the creature towards the opening. As he and Sarina pushed harder, the creature and Grammie disappeared in to the abyss of darkness that was the shed. The door slammed shut and locked itself.

"We did it, Sarina... we destroyed the creature." Sarina stood near the window. She stared at the shed. The night fell completely outside. She knew what was coming next.

"No Derek, we did not destroy it." Derek watched as she began to age. She changed until she was right where they were when the first night came. They were adults again. Derek saw the darkness now too. "We can not go back again, Derek. You have seen all there was to see. Now you know what the creature took from me that night. I gave my everything to save you. Now, tonight, you must find it in yourself to give the same to save me. I love you, Derek, and pray you love me enough to win this battle."

As Derek looked at Sarina, her body slowly fading away, he knew he would fight for her. He would beat this anger and hatred that was inside of him. And then... the shed door exploded open. Derek saw the creature come out of the darkness. Saw what it truly was. The creature was Himself, a mirror image except dirty and foul. Blood dripped from it's hands and an evil smiled covered it's face. And then it hissed... "I have come for you, boy. Once I devour you, I am free to roam the earth. Come here and let me taste your hate!!!!"