Beware The Midnight Man

Chapter One

I remember the way the driveway shone with every flash of lightning illuminating its wet surface. I remember the sounds of the rain slapping the siding of the house. I remember the faint fear that I felt bluing in the pity of my stomach, fear that the power would go off or a tree would get struck with lighting outside, the fear that a little storm can generate. I didn’t know the fear that I could feel. I didn’t know what kind of storm was coming and I didn’t know that it would be leaving more then burnt trees in its wake… I didn’t know how willingly I was stepping into my worst nightmare…
           

“Mel? You ok?” Jillian stares at me from down the hall her face shaded with darkness.
            “Yea… why?” it doesn’t come out very reassuring.
            “You’ve been staring out the window for like five minutes… your being weird. Come back and watch the movie… he’s asking for you.” She says with a taunting smirk. I give one last glance to the dark swirling rain just outside Jillian’s parent’s cabin, more like mansion, and start towards the roars of laughter coming from the den.
            “There she is!” Carter get up from his seat on the big cushy couch and starts towards me, “you’ve missed some good stuff.” His smiling eyes meet mine, his warm brown irises hold my gaze. Behind him a low budget horror movie sends prerecorded scream sounds echoing through the big room. A blonde runs down a dully light hallway, unrealistically red blood cakes her slutty outfit.
            “I don’t see how you guys can watch this crap…” I say as Carter pulls me down till I’m practically sitting on his lap.
            “It’s not crap Mel… why do you have to be such a downer all the time?” Chase teases next to me.
            “I’m not being a downer I just have taste. This stuff isn’t scary, it’s laughable. It’s a couple of slutty girls and asswhole guys running away from homicidal doctors in an abandoned hospital. I’m almost rooting for them to get butchered.” I say, I’ve had my fill of half-assed scary movies from netflix for the day. We have been watching them ever since the thunder started.
            “What would you like to do then miss cynic?” Petey hums from his pitch on the arm of Jillian’s chair. “If we’re all boring why don’t you come up some great ideas, hum?” his words dripping with sass.
            “Well I’m not trying to be cliché or anything, but we have an empty house and a couple bottles of coconut rum…”
            “But Mel, that has to last us the whole week.”  Carter says in my ear.
            “Why? They have stores here right Jillian?” I say a little apprehensive myself at the answer to the question. When I agreed to go up into the woods for senior week instead of the beach I didn’t realize it would be like leaving civilization entirely.
            “It’s like a 45 minute drive, but yea.”
            “There ya go… now who knows some good drinking games?” I say as I jump up and retrieve the bottles from the kitchen.
            “Oww! Lets play never have I ever!” Petey coos with excitement.
            “Ok great since it was your idea Petey you get to go first!” I say as I pour five small cups of the sweet smelling liquid.
            “Never have I ever been arrested.” Petey starts. We all take a suggestive look at Chase. He takes a big gulp out of his cup and doesn’t feel the need to elaborate. Jillian is next to go.
            “Never have I ever given head.” Jillian says with a smirk. We all take a suspicious look around the group. Petey takes a small sip of his drink, no one is surprised. Chase looks at me apprehensively.
            “What? I haven’t!” I blurt.
            “I find that hard to believe…” Chase says with a chuckle.
            “I honestly haven’t jerk!” I say giving Chase a shove. His rum sloshes around threatening to spill. “What about you Jillian? Come on bottoms up!” I tease.
            “Nah, Jillian’s too much of a little saint for that believe me I’ve tried.” Chase mumbles. However Jillian gives Chase a little guilty look before taking a sip from her drink. The room erupts with laughter.
            “It was before we were together…” is all Jillian can say before Chase shuts down. I can see that Chase isn’t about to take his turn.
            “Alright my turn then! Never have I ever… had sex.” I say loudly. Carter shifts uncomfortably next to me.
            “You picked a real keeper Carter! Maybe you can visit her at the nunnery.” Chase says.
            “Shut the fu*k up.” Carter says his face beginning to flood with color. He takes a sip of his drink and gives me a odd look I can’t quite decipher. Chase and Jillian take a sip of their drinks.
            I loudly clear my throat breaking the heavy silence in the room, “Ok your turn Carter.”
            “Never have I ever…” he says beginning to contemplate what to say, “, seen a dead person.”  My throat begins to close up as I look around the room nearly everyone takes a sip muttering something about a dead relative at a funeral or something. They all begin to look to me questioningly. My heart is pounding in my ears, if I take a sip I’ll have to explain. I can feel my heart hammering, I don’t know what to do. Then the lights over head sudden flick off. The rain still pounds the walls and the thunder is more frequent. The storm has won leaving us in darkness.