EPISODE 1
THE DARK REALM
(SEANCE)
Some say, when you leave this world, you go to a dark place, a purgatory before you leave it for good never to return.
Some say that death cannot be cheated.
Once you die, you cannot comeback.
Thanatos will claim your soul.
But what really is Death??
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On the lonely road, a car speeds like it’s been chased; the driver drove hastily, entering a street and into a mechanic workshop stopping abruptly scaring the female attendant who was closing the workshop for the day.
A girl in her twenties alighted from the car and walked hastily towards the attendant.
“Hello please my car is faulty, can you help me?” she asked the attendant who was scared by the way she drove in.
“Am sorry we are closed for today” the attendant replied moving closer to her office while the girl entered the car shaking her boyfriend who was bleeding profusely.
“Look at me Nate, am going to get help. Don’t close your eyes, am going to get the car working and we are going to go far away without looking back. We can beat this, just stay awake for me please” she said holding his face; she couldn’t control the tears that gathered in her eyes. She blinked and let them flow freely.
Nate dragged his head up, fighting to breathe.
“Am bleeding Kate?” he said breathlessly while the attendant watched them clueless of what was happening.
“I know and am going to get us help, please don’t close your eyes, help is coming,” she said stepping out of the car.
“Hello, Is he alright?” the attendant asked worriedly as Kate walked up to her.
“Please, I beg of you to check what’s wrong with my car, it’s just stopped and I really need to move now,” Kate said ignoring the attendant question.
“Is he okay?” the attendant asked moving to where Nate was.
“Could you just check my God damn car” Kate shouted frightening the attendant.
“Okay, fine. I am not a mechanical engineer but I know a few things about car repair. I’ll check it” the attendant replied opening the bonnet of the car.
“Please just help me check why it isn’t working. I am really in a hurry; I have to get going and I can’t hang about nor stay here, please” Kate said wiping the tears off her face.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she said touching some part of the car engine. While doing that, Kate's phone rings; she answers the call and places it close to her ear.
“Kate its Juliet, where are you and Nate? Juliet asked over the phone.
“We are stranded, is Max okay?” Kate asked
“He’s dead” Juliet replied. Her cry could be heard over the phone.
“Oh my God, but the throne, he went to destroy the throne, right?
“He went but didn’t get to it. The monster got to him first and killed him” Juliet replied sniffing from the other end.
“But that’s the last thing we need to do and be free. He won’t be able to SEANCE again. Oh my God! If Max is gone that means we are next” Kate said with a shaking voice and dropped the call. She put the phone back in her pocket while the attendant looked at her before going back to what she was doing.
“Look, can you hurry up? I really need to go now”
“Your engine got a problem and it seems to be malfunctioning. Sorry for eavesdropping on your conversation, what problems are you mixed up in? The attendant asked as Kate's eyes widened.
“Well there nothing anyone can do now, no one can help us” she replied sobbing and laughed like a possessed lady.
In the car, Max fights for air, breathing hard and slowly, his face covered in blood. He takes in his last breath waking up in another realm: THE REALM OF THE DEAD.
“NO, NO, Kate, get me out of here, get me out,” Nate shouted. Everywhere was dark and he could barely see anything.
:
In the human realm, Kate roughens her hair, thinking rapidly.
“I think I know what to do, let me go get my tools,” the attendant said heading to her office.
Stepping into her office, she walked straight to the office telephone table and put a call through to the nearest hospital for an ambulance.
Kate looks at the car and saw that Nate wasn’t moving. She ran to the car and opened it, she checked his pulse and he was still alive, she spoke and called out his name to wake him up but he couldn’t hear her for the realm he was in.
Back at the realm of dead souls, Nate hears his voice and looked back to see his dead mother.
“You are back son, I’ve been expecting you,” she said with a mischievous smile.
“No”
“It’s so lovely to see you again son”
“No, I need to wake up; I need to go back, I can’t stay here,” he said shaking his head.
“Don’t you want to see me, again?”
“I do mum but am not here to stay”
“Your soul belongs to him now son. You gave it to him when you passed over, it’s his now, surrender to him” she said smiling.
“No mum, I only wanted to see you, am not ready to die” he replied
“That’s not your decision anymore, we will all have to surrender at some point. Now is yours” she replied closing the gap between them and stabbed him.
Nate coughed out blood in the human realm bowing down his head, dead.
His mother changed to a demon, it was actually the demon that had taken the appearance of his mother.
“Welcome to the underworld” he laughed devilishly.
Kate came out and called the attendant to hurry up, she entered the car and checked Nate pulse again.
“Oh no!” she exclaimed checking his pulse the third time.
He was cold as ice. She shoke him crying and pleading for him to wake up but he didn’t, he was dead. She laid him at the back of the car covering him with a blanket.
“Rest in peace,” she said stepping out of the car.
“Help me please” she shouted moving to the office the attendant entered earlier.
“Help, please”
She stopped half-way as a black figure passed her with an unimaginable speed. She looked back and didn’t see anything, it moved past her again and she looked back seeing nothing. Fear gripped her as she knew what it was.
It passed her and she looked up at her front, where it passed. Her eyes widened at the thing in front of her.
It was what has been chasing them ever since they came back from the ritual they did to see their love ones.
Before she was a figure, it appeared not to be a human but looked human. Its skeleton face was masked with red eyes; it looked like it had no life in it and as something that crawled out from the darkest part in the pit of hell. Clothed in a black robe, its red eyes shone menacingly.
“What are you?” she asked
“I am THANATOS” he answered with a spooky voice and stabbed her with the long sharp, curved knife he held.
The attendant who was on the phone conversing with the hospital ambulance attendant saw the scene but couldn’t see THANATOS, so she thought Kate stabbed herself.
“You have to get here right now, she just stabbed herself” she shouted on the phone, cut the call and rushed to where Kate was with her hands on the stomach where she was stabbed. She held her tummy, coughing out blood.
“Stay with me miss” the attendant urged her blocking her stomach with cloths to reduce the blood that oozed out. Kate's vision was blurry and she was struggling hard to breathe. Bending her head, she closed her eyes waking up in the dark realm.
:
“NO!” she exclaimed shaking her head vigorously.
She turned back and there stood the demon that stabbed her. She shoke her head as the demon ran towards her and stabbed her to death.
:
In the human realm, the attendant shakes and checks her pulse only to find out she was dead.
She couldn’t bear the whole scenario anymore; she stood up and ran out of the building.
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:
Five days later
Location: Briton University
Iris, a student in her twenties walked to the counselor's office and knocked gently on the door.
When she didn’t get a reply, she quietly opened the door and entered the office. Looking around the office admiring it; the wall was painted blue and the ceiling pink.
“Why would he choose pink, that’s a girl color,” she thought and shoke her head erasing the thought from her mind.
On the desk was a small glass with the name Mr. Sin written boldly on it.
“Sometimes I wonder why a parent would name their child SIN,” she said aloud sitting down on the chair opposite to that of the counselor’s waiting patiently for him to arrive.
“Maybe he reminded them of their sin or he was a sin” she smiled stupidly at her silly statement.
Few minutes later he arrived adjusting his tie while sitting on the chair.
He smiled looking at the small glass on his table, on which his name; Mr. Sin and his position; counselor was written boldly on it.
“You sent for me, Mr. Counselor,” Iris said looking straight at him.
“Yes Miss Iris, I sent for you”
“Okay, here I am”
“I have an important matter to discuss with you”
“Am on all ears” she replied stretching her hands.
“Well, the thing is that you have not been performing well in your line of course and I am really worried,” said the counselor studying her reaction as he continued.
“If you feel you can’t balance or cope with it, I’ll advise you to drop out on this course, like your brother did and cross-over to another course. Nursing is not a course you can play with, judging by your recent grades and behavior you may fail and repeat the course which I don’t want you to. I know you are still shaken about your mum's death but you have to let it go and find someone to share your problem with………...
“I get it, Sir, I messed up last semester and I won’t let it happen again,” Iris said cutting the counselor off.
“In case you need someone to talk to, I…..”
“Thank you, sir, but I won’t need it. I will like to take my leave” Iris replied cutting him off once more.
She stood up from the chair and went out slamming the door leaving the counselor in total awe.
She had always been his best student right from her college where he taught biology before he became a lecturer here. A few years later he saw her in his class where he taught biology 101, she picked up also as the best student in her course that year but she suddenly changed after the death of her mother and that got him worried.
“To hell with him, I hate people poking into my privacy and family life,” she said as she kicked the waste bin while coming out of the school.
“Calm down girl or you are going to bring down this school with your temper,” Jake who happened to be her department mate said smiling. He was very funny and was known for making fun of people when they are angry.
Iris shot him a glare and the smile on his face was replaced with fear, they were always scared whenever she shot anyone that glare because they know what would follow next.
Surprisingly she didn’t do anything to Jake.
“You are lucky that you’re cute” She stared at him for a while and turned around heading to her abode, leaving a stunned Jake with his mouth agape.
“This is absolutely not real,” Jake said and pinched himself.
“Ouch, it’s real. I am not dreaming, am not fucking dreaming” he exclaimed!
“You like her, don’t you? A pitch dark voice asked from behind.
“Of course I do”
“Well, she’s mine” the voice trailed off.
“Who the hell are you…!!? Jake paused when he turned and saw no one. He jumped up scared and ran like a man pursued by an evil spirit.
Iris waved at a cab which stopped right in front of her.
“Georgia’s close”
“That’s 10 dollars miss”
“Okay,” she said entering the cab.
The cabman ignited the car and set it in motion.
During the journey Iris was moody and the driver saw it on her face through the mirror.
“You look, moody miss, something bothering you?”
“Yeah, and it is none of your business. Just drive this god damn car faster and drop me home” she replied harshly.
“Am sorry miss”
“Just try and stop poking your nose into other people business”
“Okay miss”
Few minutes later the cab stopped right in front of her house. She alighted and brought out money to pay him.
“Here is your pay,” she said stretching the money to him.
“Don’t bother about it miss, the ride is free”
“What!”
“Yeah, you heard me right”
“Okay, thanks”
“You are welcome,” he said walking to his cab.
“Hey, about what happened earlier? Am sorry, I was really pissed off today” She said pouting her face.
“And you find me suitable to aggravate your anger on”
“I said am sorry”
“I get it, I was kidding. Off the record; the name’s Henry”
“Am Iris”
“You mean like the iris in our eye”
Iris made an angry face.
“Oh the queen is angry, who is going to save me from the wrath of the queen? Kill me, my queen, for I am not worthy of being your servant” He said while demonstrating which made Iris laugh.
“Rise Sir Henry of Camelot, your sin has been forgiven. She replied and they burst into laughter.
“That was funny, are you a comedian?
“Nay my Lady, I am a comedian”
“Bleep, you are damn funny,” she said admits laughter.
“I have to go”
“I wish you could stay, why not come in for a cup of coffee”
“I would like to but am late for an ordination.
“Bye, have a nice day, Lady Iris”
“Bye, Sir Henry.”
Iris turned and moved to the door where letters laid. She picked up the letters and opened the door leading to her room.
“It’s good to be home!” She exclaimed dropping her bag off her bed.
She brought out the letters and read through. They were letters from people feeling sorry about the death of her mum and expressing the sincere condolence.
“Condolence my foot, they hated her mum when she was alive and they had the gut to send a condolence message.”
“Screw them” she sobbed and drifted off in sleep.

She woke up later in the night, the room was in a little bit dark but the light from the headlamp illuminated the room.
Looking at the clock beside the headlamp, it was 8:00pm.
“Geez, can’t believe I slept that long,” she said uncovering the duvet.
“I stink, I have to shower”
She wore her slippers and was going to the bathroom when she stopped due to the faint voices she heard coming from the sitting room.
“We don’t usually have visitors. Who could they be? She asked herself.
She removed her slippers and wore her socks, then tip-toe to the door of the sitting room where she traced the voices to and eavesdropped on their conversation.
“Are you sure she is going to do this for us? The girl asked Jason, Iris's brother.
“Yeah”
“Where is she?
Iris barged into the sitting room interrupting the discussion.
“Do what Jason?
“Oh, you are awake”
“Who are these people Jason?
“Go to your room I’ll explain, let’s go,” he said as Iris led the way to her room.
“Explain, now” she requested immediately they got to her room.
“I tried too, I wanted to but you just barged in on us”
“Answer me, who are those people? She asked.
“I met them online; they saw some of my videos and said they had this idea”
“What idea is that? She asked staring intensely at her brother.
“You’re going to freak out if I tell you”
“That’s my problem, just spill the shit out”
“Okay, just keep your voice down. Barry lost his girlfriend, he was drunk and he mistakenly smashed a bottle on her head killing her, He lived his life wishing to see her one last time to apologies, while Ace wants to see her young dead brother”
“And how is that any of your problems? Are you trying to get yourself in playing a witch board game or what?
“Barry found this ritual online that if you let yourself completely pass on in death for a while, you would be able to connect with your dead loved ones”
“Jason, I can see you have finally lost it. Like what the Bleep!!!”
“It’s called SEANCE, people have done it before and it works”
“You want to see mum, right?
Jason stood still for a moment and replied “I want to do it for my video, Iris”
“Are you on drugs? Because only a drug addict would say such? Jesus; Jason, can you hear yourself”
“I thought it will be a cool experiment that would get a lot of views. I wanted to ask you if you will be there, we would need someone to film the whole thing”
“I get it, you’ve finally gotten crazy”
“You think I am crazy, don’t you feel sorry that mum died and I am getting a chance to see her and bid her farewell” Jason shouted.
“So it is to see mum. Do you think mum will be happy you came to see her in the realm of the dead?
“Do you think mum will be happy that you didn’t come to bid her farewell properly when there was a means of doing so, huh?” Jason asked.
“Fine what again do you want me there for?” Iris asked moving away.
“In case anything goes wrong, you will be the best person to help us with your expertise”
“Wait, what do you mean go wrong and expertise?” she asked

In the sitting room
“That’s how it’s done Iris, we would have to suffocate ourselves so we can die temporarily and pass on to meet them,” Barry said.
“You mean you guys practically want to kill yourselves for this experiment,” said Iris.
“Yeah and you will revive us” Jason replied
“Jason am not a doctor, am a trainee nurse”
“We are not actually killing ourselves,” Ace said.
“Then what do you call what you just described, blackout, huh. I can’t believe am having this conversation”
“That’s why we are doing it”
“We wouldn’t be doing this if we hadn’t done research on it,” Barry said.
“Jason this is crazy and you are actually considering filming them, you’ll go to jail”
“Am not considering filming them, I’ll be doing it with them?” Jason said making Iris laugh.
“You are kidding me right, I hope you are”
“Am not, Iris do this for me, do it for us okay. Please, if you don’t we’re just going to do it anyway, even without you”
Iris holds her head thinking deeply
“We leave in the morning,” said Jason retiring to his room.
:
:
THE NEXT MORNING
Iris walks to the kitchen and pours herself a cup of coffee, she sips it and Jason entered the kitchen.
“Good morning sis, I can see you are drinking coffee”
“Yeah, I will need it today” Iris replied
“Okay,” Jason said moving to his laptop
“Camera, check”
“Lights, check”
“Defoliate, check”
“What’s a Defoliate?” Iris asked
“I saw some girls using it online, said its good can’t help but try it out”
“Bleep Jason, you want to look sexy when you die”
“Yeah, not a bad idea”
Jason moves closer to his sister and stand in front of her
“Look, I am not just doing it for fun or for the fame or video. Am doing this to see mum one last time and bid her goodbye, it’s a risk worth taking”
“I don’t want anything to happen to you Jason”
“Nothing will happen to me, okay. Thank you for always been there for me; it means a lot to me. Alright come on let’s get going, we’ve only got a few hours” Jason said heading out.
They arrived at a church and alighted from the car walking into the old abandoned compound. Graves of dead people occupied the compound as it was a custom of the church to bury any members who dies, in the compound.
They believed that it would prevent wicked spirits and demons from distracting or confusing the spirit of the dead member from entering purgatory which is a gateway to the afterlife.
“Is this the place, because it looks scary?” Ace commented as to start a conversation since they’ve all been quiet since they left the house.
“Well I have a little question,” Iris said while Jason stooped and faced her.
“What is your question?”
“Why are we doing this in an old, abandoned God forsaking church? This place is creepy” Iris asked.
“Where do you expect we do it huh, in a public and risk looking like a physicist. Barry's research says all the partakers did it in an abandoned church and also Holy Mary will be here to pray for us if anything goes wrong?”
“Nice speech brother lets proceed.”
They walked to the church door with Jason leading the way, pressing the doorknob it creaked as Jason slowly opened it.
On a grave which faced the church front door stood a small spooky blackbird which looked malnourished, it stared at the teenagers as they entered the church and the door.
Its eyes shone red and it disappeared into thin air after the door had been shut.
Jason scanned the church, pointing to the alter he suggested they execute their plan there as a picture of Holy Mary was pasted there signifying she was watching them.
“Don’t tell me you believe in the myth that Mary is actually watching you”
“Come on, Pope always teach that Holy Mary is always watching and praying for us” Jason defended.
“Well if she is truly watching you she ought to tell you that this whole thing is a bad idea” Iris fired.
“Can we just carry on with what we are here for? Ace said moving to a chair which she sat on immediately.
Checking the camera, Jason sat in a chair in the middle of Ace and Barry.
“We are good to go,” Iris said recording them.
“Good day guys, its Jason your daredevil master. We are going to try a dangerous stunt, something I have never done before; we are going to the underworld to meet our love one but first, we have to die. Viewers discretion, don’t try this at home, everything filmed now is absolutely real, let the journey begin”
“I’ll go first” Ace volunteered.
Jason, with a big sack, covered Ace's face suffocating her. The same thing was done to Barry and Jason.
Ace struggled to set free till she passed out awakening in the dark realm. She walked about in the dark until she heard her voice, she turned towards the direction the voice came from and she saw her long-dead brother.
“Lance” she called
“Welcome sis” He replied with a smile.
“Am glad to see you; I never thought I would see you again?” She said hugging him tight.
“You are here now and we will be together always”
“I can’t stay Lance; I have to go back”
“I thought you came to see me, Ouch my head hurts” He winced in pain.
“What’s the problem?”
Ace steps back fearfully after seeing the skeleton-like creature. Lance stood and the creature talked.
“You can’t leave; this is now your home”
In the human realm, Iris watches the timer she had set at three minutes and had agreed to wake them up after the given time had elapsed. That of Ace rings and Iris administers oxygen to her.
“Come on Ace,” she said pumping the oxygen bag.
“HO!” Ace exclaimed breathing rapidly.
Barry woke up in the dark realm; he called out his girlfriend name Sophia.
“Am right here Barry?” She said and Barry looked back to see her.
“It’s so good to see you, Sophia, I’ve missed you so much,” He said moving closer to her. “Am so sorry for what I did”
“NO, don’t be, I missed you too,” she said closing the distance between them and they locked their lips, kissing each other hungrily.
She broke the kiss and began kissing his neck then deep her fangs into his neck biting and sucking his blood while he moaned in ecstasy. Barry timer also rings and Iris gives him oxygen.
“Ho, Ho” I am back.
“Remain Jason”
Down there in the dark realm, Jason walks about in no direction looking for his mother.
“I thought if you think of the dead person you want to see before you die, you will be able to see them or did something go wrong,” Jason said in thought.
“Jason” his mum called and he looked ahead and saw her
“Mum” he called, walking towards her direction. “Is that really you?” he asked
“Yes, it’s me, Jason”
Jason ran and hugged his mum tightly.
In the human realm Jason's timer goes off and iris pumps oxygen through his nose but he doesn’t respond.
“Come on Jason,” Iris said while Barry and Ace stared worriedly.
“Something is going wrong,” Iris said bringing out a syringe and a bottle.
“What could be wrong?” Barry asked
“Wake up Jason, please” Ace sobbed
“I don’t know,” she said draining the content in the bottle into the syringe and injecting it in Jason's arm.
“I’ve missed you so much mum, I didn’t get a chance to bid you farewell”
“It’s okay, you are here now and that’s what matters” she replied picking up a cake from the ground.
“I baked this cake for your birthday the night I died but I didn’t get to eat it with you”
“I couldn’t eat the cake the next day which was my birthday”
“I know, that’s why it’s here. Happy birthday, son” she said with a smile.
“Blow the candles,” she said.
Jason with tears in his eyes blew the lights and stared at the cake. Drips of blood fell on the cake and he looked at his mother's face to see her laughing as more blood dripped down on the cake.
“Mum” he called but she changed to something I can’t explain.
“You are not leaving Jason,” she said while he moved back.
It ran to him and he shouted waking up in the human realm.
“It’s me, Jason, take a deep breath” Ace instructed caressing his hair.
“Okay”
“That’s better,” Iris said feeling his heartbeat return to normal.
“Thanks, sis”
“Let’s go home”


******
The next day they gathered in the sitting room discussing their experience.
“Are you sure its mum you saw?” Iris asked
“Yes it was mum but she was different, sure it was her” he replied gulping down a glass of wine.
“The place was a dark…”
“Space, like a dark place,” Ace said completing Barry's statement.
“We all woke up in the same place but in a different dimension” Jason concluded.
“Before I left, Sophia became something else, a man” Barry said gaining their attention.
“Wait, what do you mean she turned to something else?” Iris asked worriedly.
“She started biting me, the fangs marks are on my neck,” he said showing them the marks.
“Dear Lord! I thought it was a lie. I had a similar experience too” Ace exclaimed.
“What!!” Iris exclaimed
“Lance, he smiled awkwardly and this thing appeared”
“What thing?”
“I don’t know. One thing I am sure about is that It wasn’t human” Ace answered taking a deep breath.
“What did it say?” Barry asked
“It said I couldn’t leave, that that was now my home”
“Bleep!”
“It didn’t want me to leave” Ace continued “it chased me and that’s when I woke up”
“This is so bleeped up,” Barry said gulping down the remaining alcohol in the bottle.
“Stop spitting out crap” Jason shouted.
“You saw it too, didn’t you?” Ace asked. “Answer me” she commanded.
“Look whatever happened when we were coming out of there was just an illusion; it was our minds messing with us, okay. We practically died guys; sure hell is going play with our minds. Go get some sleep and you will be fine” Jason said looking at each one of them before retiring to bed.
At night, Jason lies on his bed resting his back on the wall as he operated his laptop. He moved his leg and saw a blackbird with red eyes on the window staring at him. Frightened, he jumped off the bed and switched on the light but the bird was gone when he looked back. Recovering from the shock he sat down and brought out a bottle that contained pills of aspirin. He took a pill, swallowed it and retired to bed leaving the lights on.
Lynx Chemical’s was where Barry worked as a Lab scientist. He was mixing some chemicals when suddenly his radio which he placed a bit far from him stopped playing.
“Hey am listening to that,” he said but got no response.
“Mick, is that you?” he asked but still didn’t get any reply.
He stood up and walked cautiously to where the radio was, he turned on the radio but it turned off when he was going back. It happened the second time and he got scared.
“Barry” he heard a voice call his name.
“Sophia, Is that you?” he asked but got no response.
He heard a bird screech behind him; he turned and saw the blackbird. Quickly, he bent down and picked a rod but the bird had disappeared when he stood up.
“What the!” he exclaimed.
Ace sat in the sitting room drinking a cup of coffee. Her dad walked down from the stairs and sat beside her, caressing her shoulder.
“I checked your room but you weren’t there, what’s the problem?” he asked.
“If I tell you, you’ll think I am crazy” she replied.
“Tell me, am your dad.”
“Okay. I saw Lance. I did this ritual thing to see him” she said while her dad sighs. “It worked and I saw him”
At that moment Lance walks in with a cupcake and a candle on it.
“Look, dad, he’s here. He’s right behind you” she said and her dad looked back but didn’t see anyone.
“You are scaring me Ace, I can’t see him,” he said while Ace stood up and followed Lance to the staircase.
“Save my daughter Lord,” her dad said the short prayer before calling her name as he searches for her.
“You brought the cupcake I gave you on your birthday,” she said leaning on the staircase.
“Yes, sis. I missed you”
“I missed you too Lance”
“Here” he stretched the cake to her and she collects it.
“Thanks,” she said.
The cake started melting into the blood and she looked at her brother but instead saw the monster. She screamed moving back but her dad caught her.
“It’s me,” her dad said hugging her as she embraced him tightly. “Everything is fine, okay. Let me get you a glass of water” her dad said leaving for the kitchen. Once he was out of sight Ace picks up her car keys and walks out of the house into the garage. She ignited her car, setting it in motion and drove off to Iris's residence.

Ace slowly bring the car to a stop at the residence of Iris, she alighted from the car and knocked on the door which was opened by Iris who led her in.
“Hope no problem?” Iris questioned
“There is, I saw Lance” they are holding their head and sighed.
“I know am not crazy, he was right there, it was like I brought him back from the dead. It felt real, exactly how it was when we did the ritual”
“I know Ace,” Barry said. “I heard Sophia call my name but I didn’t see her”
“Wait, does that mean we are being hunted”
“I think you guys are just paranoid. You have been dreaming to see them and now you do, your mind is messing with you. Ace just go home, get a rest and you will be fine”
“This is not my mind messing with me Jason. This is damn real; Iris please say something!”
“I don’t know what to say or think, maybe Jason is right. Get some sleep and let’s see what happens tomorrow”
“Am not going back to the house alone, am scared and I saw that thing again”
“Saw what?” Barry asked
“That monster, I’m really scared. Can I stay here?”
“Sure, I don’t mind” She gave Jason a quick look and faced Ace.
“Come let me show you your room” she stood up while Ace followed suit while Barry left for his home.
At midnight, in the Ace room, she heard a bird screech and she woke up frightened to see the bird standing there at the window. It stared at her with its red eyes. At Ace back was Thanatos. She picked a rod that lay on the floor and followed the bird out of the window determined to kill it.
Iris took her laptop and searched on Séance. A list of Webpages opened and she clicked the first one which had a headline “FOUR TEENS DIE MYSTERIOUSLY AFTER A SÉANCE SESSION”. She browsed through the page and saw that which took place in the attendant workshop she also read they saw a blackbird in reality then Thanatos would appear to kill them. Moving down she saw another headline on how to stop death after performing the ritual. It read: The way to stop death is to trap Thanatos in your shackles, see a priest.
“Bleep is that all. Gosh”
The bird flew and landed on Ace's car in front of the house. She was about to hit it when she heard her name. Looking back she saw her brother and smiled.
“You are back”
“Yes sis, to take you”
“Wait, to where?”
“To the underworld, where you belong,” He said.
She looked up and saw the monster. She threw the rod at him like a spear but he disappeared and the rod flew across. Running to pick the rod, she tripped, fell and winced in pain, her leg joint dislocated. Thanatos appeared and looked down at her.
“What in the devil name are you?” she asked knowing it was her last minute on earth.
“I am Thanatos” the god of death. He answered with a spooky voice and stabbed her heart with his knife and disappeared. She screamed. Jason and Iris ran out. Iris ran to her and held her head up.
“No, no. Stay with me Ace”
“What happened here Ace? Who did this?” Jason asked.
“Than, tha-na” she said and died.
“Who Ace?” Jason asked shaking her vigorously.
“She’s gone, Jason. She’s dead”
“Bleep” Jason shouted.
Jason went to the garage and took a spade digging a grave in which they buried Ace afterward. The next day, Barry stops at their house after receiving a text from Jason to come over.
“I got your message, Jason. What’s the problem?”
“Ace’s dead man, she’s dead”
“What! How, when?”
“Last night, we heard her scream and traced her voice outside and saw her lying helplessly on the grass. She was stabbed”
Jason narrated.
“Did you see the killer?”
“NO, but when I asked her, she said Tha-na... but didn’t complete it before she died”
“She meant Thanatos,” Iris said
“Who is that?” Barry asked
“The one who killed Ace” Iris replied
“How do you know of this?”
“Well, I searched about the ritual you did and saw a lot of people had done it. Do you know that none of those who did the ritual are alive?”
“What do you mean?” Jason asked
“They all died, Jason. They all fucking died” she said hitting the wall with her fist which left a dent. “According to what I read you will see a blackbird with red eyes later on Thanatos will appear and kill you.”
“Oh shit!” Barry exclaimed “it was the one I saw yesterday when I said I heard Sophia called me but didn’t see her; instead it saw the bird I saw”
“While Barry talked, Jason saw the blackbird staring at him with its red eyes”.
“Jason am talking to you, have you seen this bird?” iris asked.
“NO, what bird, haven’t seen it” he answered but Iris says the worried look on his face.
“Jason, you have seen the bird right. Stop lying and tell me the truth”
“Fine, I saw the bird. What do we do now?” Jason revealed.
“We find a priest who is into spiritualism”
“And why are we doing that?” Barry asked.
“When I clicked on how to stop him, it said we have to trap him in our shackles and stab him in the heart with a cross”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know, that why we are finding a priest”
“I still don’t get why a priest is involved,” Barry said.
“Because it said we should find a priest and fortunately I know a priest who does just that. Let’s go pack our bags, we are leaving for Texas” Iris concluded and they all entered Ace car and drove home to pack their things.
The journey to Texas was quiet as everyone was deep in thought. Five hours later, Iris put the car to a stop and they all came down scanning the environment. A woman in her eighties came out of the house. A smile engulfed her face seeing Iris. Iris walked up to her and hugged her
“Iris, is this really you?”
“Yes granny, it’s me Iris” She answered hugging her tight.
They disengaged from the hug and Jason went closer to her.
“Hi, granny”
“My boy is now a man. Come here” she gestured for him to come closer, embracing him.
“Who is that? I don’t recognize him”
“He’s our friend and we need the help of the village old priest. Is he well?” Iris asked.
“He’s dead” she replied. “Don’t just stand here, come in?” she said ushering them in.
“We are doomed,” Barry said as they walked into the house.
Taking their seats, they were served food before Iris narrated the whole event and how their friend died.
“This is huge and bad” granny exclaimed
”That’s why we came here, granny. Please help us”
“You don’t go about messing with the dead realm. Anyway, like I said, the village priest is dead but his successor, father Henry is also a spiritualist. He should be able to help you”
“Where is he?” Jason asked.
“At the church”
“Does he live there?”
“Yes”
“Where is the church,” Iris asked further.
“Down the road”
“Can we go to him this night? Iris asked.
“Yes but it can wait till tomorrow, let’s go sit outside and talk for a while,” Granny said standing up while Iris helps her up.
“Thank you, dear”
They all went outside and sat around the fire, on the chairs which Iris brought out from the room. Jason made up a joke which they all laughed at. They talked and laughed, forgetting their worries when suddenly Barry heard a voice whisper his name.
“Yes Iris, what’s the problem?”
“What problem, Barry?”
“You called my name”
“No, I didn’t”
“Who then did?” He asked but heard his name again. They all became alert and silent as a graveyard.
The blackbird flew and perched on a tree close to them. It screech and Iris who heard the screech turn to the direction it came from and saw Thanatos coming towards them
“He is here,” She said.
“What do we do?” Barry asked, sweating profusely. The thought of been killed by Thanatos had activated his hormones.
Quickly, Jason carried granny and ran into the house followed by the rest. Iris missed her step while running and fell. She winced in pain and crawled fast after seeing Thanatos coming towards her.
“Am coming to Iris?” Jason said as he picked the door keys which lay on the table.

“Lock the door Jason” Iris shouted.
Thanatos took Iris by the leg and dragged her close to the fire and let go of her leg. He raised his knife to kill her but stop when Iris shouted.
“You foul spirit; you are not allowed to touch the anointed. I rebuke you” she said pointing the cross of Jesus she hung on her neck at him. He wailed spookily and Iris used the opportunity to run to the house. Jason, who had been watching the scene with Barry and granny, opened the door for Iris to enter and locked it immediately she got in.
Thanatos walked menacingly to the door, banging it hard.
“We are going to die!” Barry exclaimed.
“Not this night,” Iris said. She stood up and walked to the door, placing the cross she hung around her neck to the door.
Thanatos attempted to hit the door again but couldn’t. A barrier that looked like a mirage stops him from hitting the door. He hit the big table beside him with his knife and disappeared. The table cracked and broke into two.
“Go get some sleep Jason, I’ll keep watch,” Iris said.
“No, you get some sleep while I watch but first we have to treat your leg. Hold on let me get a water and a towel” Jason said leaving but stopped and turned to Granny. “Where do you keep your first aid kit granny? He asked.
“In the tallest wardrobe that’s in my room”, Granny answered while Jason went to the room to get the first aid kit.
He straightens the bones that were dislocated in Iris leg and applied a bandage to it.
“Done, how is it?” he asked while Iris stretched her legs in a conical way.
“It’s good. Thanks”
“Good night Iris,” said Jason. He kissed her forehead and sat on the chair opposite her, keeping watch. He looked at Granny and Barry and saw they were fast asleep.
“Good night Brother” Iris replied, lied down and drifted off in sleep.
:
The next day, Jason is woken up by a strange scent. He traced the scent to the kitchen where it came from. He saw iris preparing food and sneaked behind her.
“Am here for you, surrender?” he said with a spooky voice.
Iris held the iron plate and hit Jason and he shouted in pain.
“Ouch, it’s me, Iris,” Jason said touching the part of his head the plate hit”
“Jesus, Jason. You scared the Crap out of me”
“I know”
“Why did you pull such a stunt?” She asked.
“Come on, I was just kidding around” He replied.
“Well serves you right. Take, put pressure on it” Iris instructed and threw a small bag of ice at Jason which he caught and placed on the part which had gotten swollen.
“What were you doing here in the first place, apart from murdering me?”
“Your delicious food aroma woke me up” Jason replied with a wink.
“I’ll dish your food for you. Can you please get out of my kitchen?”
“Okay fine. I’ll be waiting”
At 12pm Barry and Iris came from the house and went to the car. Barry sat at the back seat while Iris sat beside her brother who ignited the car and drove to the church. They all alighted from the car after Jason had put the car to a stop and headed to the door. Iris knocked on the door and the door was opened, revealing a tall, handsome man who was in a priest robe.
“Henry!” Iris exclaimed.
“Hello Iris, what a coincidence. The name is Father Henry”
“Do you know him?” Jason asked.
“Of course I know him but it’s a long story” She turned to Father Henry. “We need your help”.
“Come in,” Henry said with a gesture leading the way to his office.
“Sit”
They all sat down and he stared at each one of them before adjusting his seat.
“So, what is the problem?”
“We are being chased by a monster,” Jason said but was interrupted.
“How is that possible?” Henry asked.
“We did a ritual to see our dead love one and we have since then been chased by this monster” Barry concluded.
“Wait, you did a ritual and now a monster is chasing you. Did the monster wield a long curved knife?”
“Exactly”
“Then you are in big trouble. You didn’t just mess with any demon, you messed with Thanatos; the god of death” He said doing a sign of the cross. He stared at them who didn’t comprehend what he was saying.
“I’ll make it easier for you,” He said and went to his shelf and brought a big book which he opened gesturing with his hands for the others to come closer.
In the book was a bold writing which was in the Greek language.
“It says Gods of the Earth”
He opened the book to the middle page and looked up at them.
“Thanatos is the god of death”

LAST EPISODE
“We already know that, can you tell us how to escape from him,” Jason said.
“Let me explain. Thanatos was the child of Nyx, the goddess of night. His brother Hypnos was the god of sleep. Hypnos caused people to fall into a deep sleep when their time on earth was expired and Thanatos would carry them peacefully to the underworld.”
“Then why is he after us? It’s not like our time on earth has expired” Barry asked.
“You breached into his world.” It’s like entering into a bank vault; the police will surely come for you.
“I searched who to escape death and what I saw we have to do is to lock him in our shackles and we had to use some materials like knife, candle, light, salt and a CROSS” Iris commented.
“Those are some of the materials needed to perform the ritual but the shackles won’t stop him”
“What ritual?” Barry asked.
“A protection ritual” Henry replied.
“You said the shackles won’t work, why?” Iris asked further.
“A long time ago, a mortal deceived him and locked him in his shackles; he won’t make the same mistake. Coupled with it, he is a god and you are no match for him” Henry said and paused. “The only way to stop him is to stab him in the heart with a purified cross”
“I’ll do it,” Jason said and Henry laughed.
“Why are you laughing?”
“You think this is a joke, you can’t because you have gone there before. Thanatos plays with the mind of his victims; we need someone who has gone there.
“I’ll do it” Iris volunteered.
“Let us get to work, luckily, I have all the materials we need” Henry concluded.
Henry went into the church store and got the items needed. He drew a big circle with salt and place candles around it. The lights off and everywhere became dark.
“He is here. Quickly get in the circle and do not leave the circle no matter what” Henry commanded.
He said and incantation and told Iris to lie down in the middle of the place of the candle in the circle. He then faced Iris.
“Take this cross, it's purified. When you get there, find his throne and destroy it. It will force him to do back. The cross will protect you”
“Okay I got it”
“Close your eyes iris”
Iris closed her eyes and Henry stabbed her. She exhaled her last breath and lay dead waking up in the underworld.
She looked around hoping to see a dead soul flying around but didn’t.
“This is not what I pictured the underworld to be,” she thought aloud looking for any sign of the chair.
“Welcome,” a voice said followed by an eruption of laughter.
“Who is there, show yourself,” she said.
Emerging from the dark was a tall dark man with bold dark eyes.
“Who are you?”
“I am HADES, the god of the dead and you dear are not going anywhere”
“Shit” Iris ran while Hades chased her.
“You can’t escape,” Hades said and laughed devilishly.
Iris continued running and fell in a deep endless hole.
Meanwhile, Thanatos walked into the church circling them while dragging his knife which made a loud noise. He couldn’t breach the circle. He stopped and made eye contact with Barry hypnotizing him.
Barry looked up and saw Sophia.
“Sophia, is that really you?”
“Who else would it be?”
“No, he's playing tricks on me”
“Barry stop, you are drunk, please stop. Drop the bottle” she said while the events that lead to her death played in Barry's mind.
“Stop” he pleaded.
“You killed me Barry, murderer”
“I can explain,” Barry said moving close to her. He realized he had crossed the line and looked at Sophia but instead it was Thanatos.
Thanatos smiled and grabbed Barry by the leg dragging him.

“Barry” Jason shouted making an attempt to save him.
“Don’t cross the line Jason” Henry shouted.
Iris woke up, with the cross in her hand and ran towards Thanatos. Thanatos upon seeing Iris let go of Barry and aimed his knife at her head. She bent down and slide then thrust the cross into his heart.
He screamed and dispersed into dust.
“You did it, Iris,” Jason said hugging her.
The lights came up and they smiled. Iris walked up to Henry and kissed his hand.
“Thank you Father Henry”
“Anytime Iris”
They bid Father Henry bye and went home. They narrated their experience to granny and laughed at the jokes Iris made up.
The next day, Iris came down from her brother's car and ran towards Jake who was close to the school gate.
“Jake, wait up” She called and went over to meet him.
“Good morning, Iris”
“Good morning, Jake”
“Hope you slept well?” Jake asked.
“For the first time in two days, yeah I did”
“Well that’s nice”
“It really is. Let us go, we are almost late for the first lesson”
“Okay,” he replied. Iris held his hand and they both stared at each other and smiled.
“Race you to class,” Jake said and released her hand, running to class.
“Hey, that’s cheating” Iris shouted running after him but stopped abruptly after she heard her name. She proceeded to leave again when she heard her name again.
“Iris” Hades called.
Iris felt strange and looked back. Her eyes widened as she saw Hades staring at her from a tree far away with a menacing smile on his face.
“HOLY SHIT!!!”

THE END.

Excellent piece, Elushinegoneiba. I was wondering if you'll like to write and get paid. If you're interested, please shoot me a pm. Cheers.

KaBabs1:
Excellent piece, Elushinegoneiba. I was wondering if you'll like to write and get paid. If you're interested, please shoot me a pm. Cheers.

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Elushinegoneiba:

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Please hit me up. writendearn@gmail.com