Chapter 24

Part 1

“Yo, fam! It’s Jordie Mack…!”

“And Bobbie Mack!”

“Mack Attack, coming at ya’!” Both young men exclaimed in unison, placing their backs against each other and enthusiastically pointing at their cameraman!

“Tonight, we’re going to explore this section of the train yard that’s been abandoned for 10 years…” The older of the two brothers frowned at Jordie. “Hang on, let me redo that…”

“Jordie, come on! Gotta’ use better verbiage, bro!” Bobbie forked fingers through his perfectly quaffed, blonde hair, attempting to lift the voluminous swirled locks higher. In comparison, the younger Jordie’s similarly blonde hair was tame, sitting entire inches lower.

“I know, man! It’s just…” Bathed in the orange glow of dying lamplights, hulking steel carts spread out across the desolate gravel laden lot. Rust ate away at their bodies and rails, while weeds had overgrown to the point of absurdity, some nearly standing tall enough to glimpse through shattered windows on the passenger carts. The constant low buzzing from gnats encircling the two co-stars, and a nearly silent dark forest surrounding the train graveyard reminded Jordie Mack how isolated they were from society. Humid summer air clung to his skin, and insects repeatedly bit at his exposed arms under his designer t-shirt. Fortunately, their trusty cameraman was attentive, immediately spraying away any pests! “Thanks, BB. I hi-key hate this place.”

“Same.” BB, the cameraman, in his baseball cap and facemask hadn’t even broken a sweat. Jordie, doing everything in his power to avoid perspiring in the recording, was extremely jealous of the smaller man’s cool nature. “No complaining though. After the last video where we got that one weird animal on camera, channel views have been blowing up! Paranormal is in!”

“Right on, BB! Jordie, let’s get this paypa’!” Bobbie clapped his hands, hurrying the other two back into position! BB got back behind the camera fixed onto a tripod as the stars redid their intro. Speaking ad nauseam about their own merchandise and social media, Mack Attack finally began walking the train cemetery. Gnats hovered around the humming overhead lights, only seeming to bother Jordie. Bobbie, more prepared for the trek, rattled off facts from his phone as BB followed through knee-high weeds. Jordie was thankful when they finally reached a patch of gravel. The woods would occasionally call for attention with owls cooing, bugs buzzing, and deer sneaking peeks from around trees. “More like goblin’ these nuts! Right, bro?”

“Got that right, Bobbie!” Distracted and barely able to retort in time, Jordie inched closer to his brother, growing more fearful of the area as time went on. “A user on MiniVid said they saw a goblin, like a real one!”

“No. Fucking. Way!” Bobbie held for a second. “BB, you can censor that, right?” BB responded by throwing a thumbs’ up. “Can’t curse early in the video. Cool…ok, and back! I don’t believe it at all, but you guys all commented on our last video about that…what was it Jordie?”

“The Squonk! A smelly, ugly, little guy! Lil’ bro was in the background of our most recent video, so we ended up looking into it. We saw your comments, and you guys kept mentioning that lil’ bro ran in this direction, toward this place!” With a wide wave, Jordie showed off the train yard again. Forcing a smile as his sneaker landed in something mushy, skidding across the ground, the inflexible man nearly dropped into a split! “Bobbie, tell them about the witness accounts.” Pointing the viewers back in the direction of his brother, the other two continued their show, as Jordie quickly ducked out of view to check his grime coated shoe. (Shit man…was that shit?!) The gold and black colored sneakers had managed to collect an abundance of mud and grass, to his displeasure. (…Doesn’t look like shit, at least.) Relief that was quickly dashed as Jordie glanced beneath a train cart. A person, or more specifically, black loafers on a person, stood motionlessly on the other side of the cart. Jordie was stuck in place, his heart having to catch up to his brain as shock overwhelmed his body!

He shot up, dashing around to the front of the train! Rounding the corner; only a dark forest awaited. “Jordie, you coming?” Bobbie called to his brother, who sprinted back to his side! “Ho’! You made it back quick; bro. Check it out, lucky number 13! This cart was decommissioned after years of service.”

“Cut!” Clapping his hands in front of the camera, Jordie stepped in, frantically scanning the area! “Cut, cut, cut!”

“Bro, that was good! Why?!” Bobbie groaned, tossing his hair about in frustration.

“Were either of you back at the other train cart?” Jordie looked down at BB’s and Bobbie’s shoes. Bobbie wore a pair of brown boots, and BB, a black pair of sneakers.

“Cart? What’s going on?”

“The…uh…” Jordie retraced his steps in his mind, trying to point out which cart he was standing next to when seeing the legs, but couldn’t. “I think it was number 664…but whatever! Anyway, someone was there!”

“What? For real?” Looking to BB, Bobbie received a shrug, but he held up the camera, still recording. “Take us to where you saw them, this is good content!” Reaching under his shirt and into his waistband, Bobbie pulled out a handgun!

“Whoa! I didn’t know you were bringing that!” Jordie ducked behind BB, who backed away as well.

“It’s just for protection, bro. Show us where the person was, quick, quick!” Hustling, and retracing Jordie’s steps yielded zero results. Not only was no one found, even the cart he remembered wasn’t. “…Bro…”

“No, I’m for real! Guys!” Irked as it seemed they’d wasted their time, Jordie’s brother and cameraman stormed off. By the time Jordie caught up with the two, they were climbing onto the back of train cart number 13! “Whoa, guys, where are you going?”

A hefty padlock held the train door shut. “We want to get some shots from the inside. BB, hand me the bolt cutters.” Despite Bobbie using all his strength, the bolt cutters couldn’t break the rusted lock. “Wow! Strong as hell.”

“I’m starting to get the feeling we should just call it a night, it’s almost 1.”

“No way, bro.” Bobbie, rather tall and fit, BB, shorter and thin, pushing with all their strength into the bolt cutters couldn’t break the lock! “Ah! Shit man, why is this thing so strong?”

“Old metalworking. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.” BB laughed. “I bet there’s a trick online. Let me look it up.”

“Right on!” As BB scrolled through his phone looking for a trick to open the lock, Jordie kept scanning the area. He looked under the carts, on the sides, even peering over top, but they really seemed to be the only people nearby.

With the coast clear, Jordie began to question himself. (No way someone wasn’t on the other side, but…maybe I’m just getting tired or something.) Pulling one of many energy drinks out of BB’s bag, he sat on the back of the cart while absent mindedly fiddling with the lock. With a clink, the stubborn lock snapped open! “…What…?” Astonished, Jordie turned to both BB and Bobbie, still searching the internet and none the wiser. Compelled to sneak a peek, curiosity overwhelming his sense of danger, the inside beckoned Jordie…

“OK, so if we heat the lock up a bit, we may be able to…” BB happened upon a solution. Eager to attempt the trick he found online; he noticed one of his co-stars was missing. “Bobbie, where’d Jordie go?”

“Huh? He was right here, right? Bro? Where’d you go, bro?! Jordie?!” The two looked around, seeing hide nor hair of the missing member of Mack Attack. They inspected the door, thinking maybe Jordie had forced his way in, but the firmly placed padlock killed that idea.

Part 2
Jordie Mack opened his eyes, not sure when he’d closed them, not sure what he expected to see, but it wasn’t the inside of an abandoned train. Vision slowly adjusting, dingy navy-blue seats, moldy wooden floors, and rusted metal doors sat on either end of the dark cabin. “How’d I get here? BB?! Bobbie?! Yo, guys! Hello?!” Though he wanted to, his legs couldn’t draw enough energy to stand! “…Oh shit…I’m freaking out a bit. Calm down, calm down.” Speaking to himself, Jordie rapidly began to realize, there were no sounds or light penetrating the cart. Beside him was a window, blanketed with condensation so thick, the outside world looked lost to fog. Jordie recalled the lights overhead in the train yard being bright enough to illuminate the abandoned lot, yet no such glow reached through the glass. (I need to get out of here.) With all of his strength, Jordie pushed up off his knees, and tried desperately to stand up!

That surge of determination was swallowed up entirely by a snap current of malice. Sweat dried up on Jordie’s forehead, as did his lips. The room he stood in, so large even when his arms were extended, he wouldn’t be able to touch the walls, felt as if it’d shrunk down to crushing his shoulders. All at once, Jordie became aware of every single part of his body, down to his follicles. Something was watching. Even without looking, he could tell something was on the other side of the seat he was trying to stand up from, angered by his presence alone.

He sat back down. With his hands trembling, Jordie pulled out his phone and attempted to message his friend and brother. [Guys where R U?! I need help! Think I’m being haunted! No joke!] The message wheel rotated over and over until it failed. [Guys help! I’m seriously in trouble!] Again, the message failed to send. (I have to call someone…!) No signal. Jordie’s breathing became heavy, having to force air into his lungs. Cold air crept over his shoulders, embracing him with dread. “…Sorry…I’m sorry, I’ll do whatever you want, but let me go, please.”

Reasoning fell on deaf ears, as the icy presence drew nearer, and with a single phrase dashed his hopes. “…No…” Jordie frantically sprinted to the other end of the cart, feeling his heart pound in his chest as if trying to rocket through his ribcage! Fumbling past the seats, and falling to the ground nearly dislocated Jordie’s shoulder on impact, though he fought on with fear being the key motivator! Finally reaching the rusted door, he pulled with all his might, but the door remained sealed! Jordie slammed his fists, screamed, kicked, and cried, but no one came, except for that malicious aura. Each millisecond that passed by, the young man could feel the presence grow closer. Icy breath down the back of his neck, creaking boards from behind, and a shadow far too large for the cart ate up the wall, Jordie cried in fear!

“…Please someone, anyo-” The door suddenly flew open!

“I thought I heard something.” Before Jordie Mack was a man, roughly his age. “You need a hand standing up?” The man offered his hand, but Jordie was scared stiff, unable to even answer. “Don’t worry, it’s ok. Your friends are looking for you.” The man’s dark brown eyes fixated on the other end of the cabin. “Sorry about this!” Suddenly, Jordie felt the back of his expensive shirt tugged violently, launching him out of the cart! “Tell Anesha I’ve got this, ok?”

Part 3

Jordie rolled across the gravel, trying to stop himself but finding that incredibly difficult! When the young man finally slowed, he was in the middle of the train yard again! “Ow…that hurt.” He looked for cart 13 again, but it was nowhere to be seen, nor was his rescuer. The empty, silent train yard sat undisturbed. “That guy…who was he? He said to tell Anesha something. Who the hell is Anesha?” For a second, Jordie wondered, but then it hit him, he’d survived! “Gotta’ call BB and Bobbie!” Pulling out his phone and seeing full bars was a relief. All at once, tons of messages rolled in on Jordie’s phone! Texts from his brother and BB, all terrified and begging for him to answer back. “Wait…3am?!” While in the mysterious cart 13, somehow, 2 hours had passed! Jordie scrambled to call his brother’s phone and it connected almost immediately! “Bobbie, you there?”

“Jordie?! Bro?! Holy shit! Where are you?!” Screaming erupted from the phone speaker. “We been looking for you for hours, man! We thought you bounced!”

“I’m in the train yard still. You won’t believe it guys there was…a…” In a tattered blue dress, with arms and face marked by a mixture of reddish-purple gashes, a woman stared unflinchingly at Jordie. “…” His blood chilling to the point of his words freezing his throat, Jordie couldn’t reply to the panicked calls from his phone. Every part of brain screamed fight or flight. Flight won out ultimately when he noticed the light overhead pierced the woman’s semi-transparent form, leaving no shadow beneath her!

Realization that she was not alone donned on Jordie. More people, all silently gazing stood obscured by the train carts, peering around corners, from within the trains themselves, and over the lips of the carts! “Jordie! Say something, bro! Where you at? We’re on our way back to the yard, just chill if you’re there!” None of that reached Jordie’s ears as he’d already taken off running! With his sneakers not built to run over the rocky path, ultimately, Jordie was doomed to slip. Turning back to see if he was being followed, a pair of sunken eyes glared over his shoulders.

Jordie Mack screamed, fell, rolled, got back to his feet then tripped again! “Ow, fuck! What did I trip over…?” The night continued to baffle the young internet show host as the original target of Mack Attack’s investigation appeared! The squonk, sagging greyish-pink skin hanging down around its thick hooved feet, and wide tear leaking eyes; the pig and Jordie shared a moment. Both sat in amazement…until their gazes inevitably turned to the figures still chasing them! “Fuck!” Jordie didn’t waste another second and took off, with a new companion of sorts! “Huh? Don’t follow me!” He shouted as the squonk sprung along next to him, wheezing, yet keeping pace the whole time! The pig sized creature made a noise somewhere in between a whinny and a grunt, shedding copious tears when it peered back to the see-through people around them! “Help! Someone! Help!” Jordie screamed. Almost like it was mocking him, the squonk did the same. The two weren’t watching their step, and much like before, bumped into each other and tangled their legs! Jordie tumbled to the ground. “…What’s going to happen? Am I…going to die?” They were followed. Looking back up, Jordie saw the group surrounding him and the squonk. “…Fuck…”

The sound of gravel shifting under the weight of an approaching person caught his ear, but more so, another unfamiliar aura overwhelmed Jordie Mack. “My…so often am I to be greeted by louts such as this.” Velvety smooth delivery and confidence in her tone, Jordie was enraptured by the voice of a woman. “Lo’ it is my burden to bear.” She said, as the transparent people separated, allowing her passage. The instant Jordie laid eyes on her, style unlike he’d seen before, skin as pristine as a painting, eyes so strikingly brownish red they gleamed, and a face more beautiful than a Greek statue, he was smitten with Anesha.

Part 4

“And you are?” Unable to properly respond, Jordie was tongue tied. The young man stammered, beholding the beautiful woman before him. Her black clothes, all lined with luminescent purple stitching, and her long pointy hat humming with similar energy stood out. “Another dullard human, it would seem. It would also appear as though this too, was a waste of time. I honestly mustn’t allow Fate to make such assertions again.” Jordie was amazed; despite the several terrifying creatures around, the woman remained totally unfazed.

“Uh…” The see-through people, they didn’t move, or attack, they simply hung around, staring. “H-Hey lady, you should probably run. I don’t know why these guys stopped, but…”

“Be silent. I’m thinking.” Jordie did just that, but sheepishly stood up scanning the area. He felt something push into him from behind, and to his surprise, it was the squonk. “You have little reason to worry.” She spoke. “These are nothing more than unsent ghosts, wandering this area.”

“G-Ghost?! Seriously?!”

“…Why do all humans respond in such a manner?” Anesha referred to the spark in Jordie’s elated eyes. “Yes, ghosts. Unfortunately, if this is truly a den for spirits, then there must be a reason. This does not appear to be a battlefield. For this amount of people to have lost their lives here…”

Jordie suddenly remembered something! “Hang on, are you Anesha?” The last words of his rescuer reentered his mind.

“I am. How is it that you know of me?”

“Some guy…uh…he was this shorter dude, really long hair, kind of pretty, wearing a weird jacket with a big collar…”

“…Humans remain bizarre. That was Fate. Where is h-” Her question was answered almost immediately! The ground shook as gravel and earth was shot high into the sky nearby! As the rubble fell back to the earth, Jordie and the squonk covered their heads, while Anesha simply waved her hand. “Aside.” She said, blowing the chunks of ground, and a falling Fate, away from her. “Oh, you’re here.” In the commotion, neither person had noticed that Fate himself was launched up with the debris.

“That hurt.” Fate noticed both Jordie, and Anesha standing beside each other, but then more importantly to him, noticed the squonk! “Holy shit! Is that a squonk?!” Quickly getting to his feet, the itch of curiosity burned into a rash of obsession, wanting dearly to examine and feel the cryptid! “No way! I read about these! Did you know there are accounts of them dating all the way back to…” He was met with a disgusted and uninterested glare from Anesha. “…Oh right! Watch out!” Everyone turned back to the direction he flew from, just as another monster entered the scene.

Façade shattered; cart number 13 crawled into the yard with its front smiling. The warped visage of a wide grinning old man was bent firmly into the cart's front door and landing. The steel was twisted into a face, wrinkles and all, broken wood acting as the teeth, lights in the place of eyes, and all propelled by bent train wheels following no tracks. “What the fuck is that?!” Jordie Mack screamed in terror grabbing the squonk for security, who in turn, grabbed the young man back with its opposable ears.

“Anesha, this thing is a spirit possessing the train, right?”

“Oh! Perceptive!” Anesha clapped gently, and patronizingly.

“T-Thanks. Anyway, why is it so strong? What’s up with it?”

“Hmm…questions later. It seems to yearn for you, and the seed.” The train monster stomped toward Fate as the other ghosts floated away, disappearing from the scene.

“Wait, stop! Help! I’m freaking out here!” Completely lost in the moment, but understanding some of the terms used, Jordie and his new companion ducked behind the ever-confident Anesha! Pebbles and mounds of dirt flew in their direction; however, they were deflected by an, at first, unseen energy surrounding Anesha! “Whoa. How’d you do that?”

“Enough prattling. Stand within six feet of me, should you wish to remain unharmed. This barrier is powerful, but not very large. In the meantime, Bramble!” Purple energy swirled near Anesha’s platform boots, forming into…a dog! “You can send off these ghosts, yes?”

“Of course, My Lady!” Another grumpy old man face! That one, however was on the front of the chubby shar-pei at the woman’s feet; which didn’t matter to Jordie, he was still confused, scared, and a little intrigued.

“Fate!” Anesha yelled to the man who was busy weaving in between the abandoned carts being toppled over by the possessed cart 13! “That thing, you’ll need to remove it from its vessel! Once that is done, I will have Bramble send it! Do you understand?”

“OK!” He yelled back, leaping up on top of a rusty old cart. “I’ve got this!” Fate’s confidence and thumbs up was met with the ceiling of the train collapsing beneath him, and a groan from Anesha, red-faced with embarrassment.

“…Uh, are you some kind of spirit hunters or something?” Jordie asked, still cowering behind the witch.

“My boy, please. My Lady is maintaining a ward, and this barrier for your safety.” The weird looking dogman answered instead. “I am also assuming that she is preparing a spell should something go awry.” Anesha was, in fact, murmuring to herself under her breath.

Fate recovered and ran through the train as the possessed cart slammed into the train from the side! The cart toppled over, but Fate managed to escape through a broken side window as it tipped! Running along the side again, Fate jumped, launching himself over two other carts onto the ground. “You…come…here!” In a voice that blended into a train’s whistle being blown and a raspy man’s tortured wails, the monster called to Fate!

“It can talk? Of course.” Not giving the chasing monster a second to reach him, Fate dashed away! He was so fleet of foot that the gravel beneath his running sneakers was hardly disturbed! “I need to get it out of the vessel, huh? Hate to do, but only one way to get it done.” Fate continued his mad dash away, seeming aimless in his movements. Each time the lumbering monster seemed to have him backed into a corner, Fate would round a cart, leading the uncoordinated monster careening into another large body and be slowed down! The result was numerous broken-down carts being overturned and further destroyed! “I feel bad; those things are so cool!” He lamented, finishing his prep! Fate stopped, his sneakers sliding across the ground, and body primed! “OK…” With a deep breath, it ignited.

The seed pumped more energy throughout Fate’s whole being! His blood boiled, skin, eyes, and hair all burned with a glow, and he transformed into his heightened state! Even with the great distance that Fate had made from the group, Jordie still witnessed Fate’s transformation. His skin flashed from slightly tanned to a warm brown; long hair that’d been tucked into the back of his jacket burst forth into a wild silver mane, and his eyes flared with a fierce golden tint. The train monster roared closer, chasing the seemingly trapped Fate, who’s back was quite literally against the brick watchtower!

The creature slammed down its gargantuan metal body on top of Fate, sending chunks of earth all about! Jordie feared Fate had been crushed under the titan, but above, he spied something. Looking as if it was gracefully dancing with the moon as it’s backdrop, it was Fate! He’d leapt out of the way with such timing that all except Anesha were none the wiser! Noticing its prey was not beneath it, an overwhelming presence drew the possessed vehicle’s gaze skyward! Fear, unlike any it’d felt in life or death, wrought the monster’s soul, thus the train responded the only way it could, by attacking! “You! Stop!” Any hope of winning the exchange was swiftly snuffed out for cart number 13. Fate barreled down like a bolt of lightning, delivering a calamitous dropkick right into the beast’s metallic face! The force of the attack traveled down Fate’s legs, into the monster’s warped face, through its steel body, crunched the metal, shattering every window, and pushing the train down into the ground.

“Not enough! Fate, once more!” Anesha ordered! Fate landed, but the hobbled train gave chase once again, charging with reckless abandon! “End this!”

“…Right…” Another deep breath. Fate focused, on the monster’s face, panel teeth, shattered; bench jaw, displaced; one headlight eye, hung by a wire, plagued by hatred and lusting after the seed, desiring only his death. In tune with the flow of mana, his body moved on its own! A step forward, twist on the ball of his sneaker, Fate turned his back, and unleashed a thunderous spinning back-kick into the monster’s face!

All of the yard rumbled, the surrounding forest shuttered, and animals nearby fled from the explosive attack! Crunching metal and splintering wood folded inward around Fate’s leg, all the while he remained rooted in place. The monster had accordioned, slamming in on itself, and succumbing to the incredible power of that kick. Radio static and a dying train whistle squeezed out from cart number 13’s maw; the cart capsized and laid unmoving, defeated.

Part 5

The spirits slowly rematerialized around Anesha’s group. “Whoa! They’re back!” The feeling of security left Jordie as he inched closer to Anesha, but her stark glare over the shoulder made him feel he’d be safer alongside the ghosts.

She dispelled her barrier just as Fate yanked his foot free of the metal wrapped around it. “Hey!” He called, moving gingerly toward them. “All these spirits, what happened?”

Anesha pointed out all the ghost turning to look just past Fate. “I believe it will be simple to interpret.” Behind the transformed young man, a ghost, a man with a conductor’s hat and suit on, floated. The wrinkles and wide mouth resembled the train monsters, so it was clear he was the spirit possessing cart number 13. “Bramble…send them and let’s be done with this.” Done with the entire situation, Anesha took a seat on one of the overturned carts awaiting the conclusion.

“Right away! Lord in heaven, hallowed is your name, grant these lost spirits a road to walk, and a guide to lead them. All those who hear my voice, open your eyes, ears, and hearts to the beyond. Walk the path in which your life directed, leaving behind your worldly attachments!” Slowly, a soothing breeze crossed the train yard. Purple particles drifted up from the ground. Fate clasped his hands and began to pray along with the dogman, so Jordie quickly joined in. “Walk shamelessly into the next life. You are all deserving of rest, and have the right to escape all of your suffering of this plane. Pass on in peace, amen.” One by one, the spirits faded, all except for one. The conductor remained.

“Bramble, did you mess something up? He’s still here.” Fate pointed out, though an answer was readily given. Where all the others faded away with peaceful smiles, one of unbelievable grief befell the man as cracks, beginning at his fingertips, ravaged his translucent form. The fissures traveled up his arms, across his chest, neck, legs, feet, and face as he voicelessly wailed in agony! The crack then grew an intense red, glowing brightly as the spirit swatted at growing flames! “What’s happening?!” The spirit’s ethereal arms broke away, shattering into red particles, and slowly, the rest of his body followed. By the end, a pitiful face gave way to an orb, translucent red, and ultimately, faded away in an oddly scolding burst of air.

“…That spirit, whomever he was, has been deemed unworthy of a peaceful afterlife.” Bramble said, solemnly returning to his master’s side.

“Wasted time, truly.” Annoyed, crossing her legs, and sulking, Anesha pouted. “Not a single Magekin in sight, beyond myself.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Sorry.” Fate apologized.

“Regardless. We’ve other pressing matters. How are we to handle…this one?” With her finger pointing in his direction, Jordie jumped in his expensive sneakers.

“W-What d-do you mean handle? You’re not going to kill me…right?!” Jordie dropped to his knees, ready to beg! “Please don’t kill me! I don’t know what’s going on, but if I need to do something – anything, tell me! Do you want money? I don’t have much, but I can give you everything! I-I have an okay car, but it’s kind of beat up…just please—”

“Silence! Gods, you humans are so very irksome!” Anesha fumed! “Honestly…Fate, handle this one.” She leapt off the train and began walking away.

As instructed, Fate attempted a more relaxed approach. “Uh…What’s your name?”

“Jordie…Mack.”

“…Jordie Mack? Of Mack Attack?!” Jordie perked up!

“That’s right! Mack Attack, we’ll be right back!” He replied then stuck his signature pose, sadly missing his brother, and co-star, to place his back against. “Anyway, you a fan?”

“Yeah, well…I’ve seen you guys come across my recommendeds page recently.” Fate chuckled while fixing up his appearance. “Listen Jordie, I need you to do me a favor.”

“Sure dude, you guys rescued me!”

“Cool. Uh…mind forgetting about what happened here? Or…you know, pretending to forget?”

“But why?”

“Well…if you don’t, Anesha may kill you.”

“…Oh…”

“Yeah…” Message received. “Trust me when I say, it’s best to just do as she says.”

Jordie noticed, as Fate undid the reinforced collar of his coat to work those silver locks down the back of his khaki jacket, the ghastly scar on his throat. Spreading out across the man’s neck like tree roots, wrapping around the sides, and riding up to his chin, a seemingly old and devastating wound had left a life-long mark. (Did she do that to him?) Seeing that grievous wound put Jordie into an even more compliant frame of mind.

“That should do for now. But yeah, just promise that so I can try and convince Anesha you won’t blab.”

“Keep in mind, foolish boy, I will know if you open your mouth about this.” Storming back into the clearing, Anesha walked right up to Jordie, staring him directly in the eye! “Not only will I know, but I will also find you, and make you regret escaping with your life tonight. You will wish that spirit had devoured you, am I clear?” Despite Jordie being several inches taller than both Anesha and Fate, before them, he felt like a flea.

“OK…I-I got you…ma’am.”

“Good. Now, come along Fate. I grow tired.”

“OK. Uh…take care Jordie.”

“…Thanks. Oh!” With his brother’s words replaying in his mind, Jordie went into business mode for a split second! “Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel!” Spirits upped again, he yelled to Fate, limping after Anesha into the woods. The impact from that last attack had dealt the brunt of the damage to Fate’s knees and hips, so with his adrenaline petering out he was starting to ache.

“He was a pretty nice guy. Maybe I’ll actually sub to him.” Fate smiled, seeing no reaction from Anesha. Looking up ‘Mack Attack’ however, he noticed their sub count was…ten times his own group’s and it was mostly off of the squonk video! “…He doesn’t need my sub.”

Part 6

“Jordie!” BB, managing to outrun Bobbie, made it to his friend first! “Are you okay man, we were so worried!” Surprising his own star, Jordie blushed a bit at how serious his friend was. He pulled off the shorter man’s cap and began tussling his hair while openly laughing.

“Hahaha! You’re such a goof man, I’m good!” Jordie’s brother finally caught up too.

“Bro, what happened? Where’d you end up?” There was no good explanation for Jordie, so he winged it!

“Uh…I got lost?” He laughed, feeling the displeased looks of his team resting on that forced silly grin. Then another feeling rested on him, but not on his upper body, but his leg… “Uh… squonk?” His new companion had, in fact, stuck around.

Jordie Mack and Mack Attack had acquired a new member, but where they went from there is a story for another time. The story of Fate and Anesha, however, continues…

End of chapter 24