Ash Return of the Beast

CHAPTER 37



That Evening…

9:05 p.m.

The sun was long gone but it was still a muggy 70 degrees outside. A half moon was floating in and out of a partial layer of thick clouds when Jason parked his car in front of Cowl’s home. He stepped out of the car and lugged his guitar out of the back seat.

Billy pulled up behind him, waved, and popped the trunk. He got out, went around to the back of the car and grabbed his bass. He looked around. “Rick’s not here yet, I take it.”

Jason shrugged. “Yeah. Probably still loading his drums into the van.”

“Wanna wait for him? Smoke a doob?”

“No. He’ll show up sooner or later. Let’s go in and get set up.”

“Rye’s gonna be pissed if Rick doesn’t get here pretty soon. Damn, it’s hot.”

“Tell me about it.”

The black window eyes of the old mansion watched them as they sauntered up the embankment toward the porch.

“Place gives me the creeps,” Billy said. “You’d think he’d at least have a friggin’ porch light on. I mean, look at that. The whole place is dark. Is he even home?”

They climbed up the porch steps, set their instruments down and noticed the door was slightly ajar.

Jason pushed the door another inch or two, poked his head into the dark and called out. “Hey, Rye. You there? It’s me and Billy.” He looked at Billy and shrugged, then called out again.

Billy left the porch and walked around the house to see if he could see a light in any of the windows. He came back shaking his head. “Place is dark as a tomb. Think we should go in? Maybe he’s asleep. Or drugged out or something.”

“Yeah. You’re probably right.” He gave the door a push but it wouldn’t budge.

“What’s the matter?”

“Door’s stuck.”

“What do you mean?”

He tried again. “I don’t know. I think something’s blocking it.”

“Let me try.”

Jason stepped back and Billy gave the door a nudge. “The f*ck?” He pushed harder and got it opened wide enough so they could squeeze in. “After you,” he said, stepping aside.

Jason moved forward and stepped into the darkened room. “I can’t see a damn th––shit!” He tripped and fell, landing on what he knew was a body. His own scream got stuck in his throat as the shock sucked the wind out of him. He scrambled backward, jumped to his feet and flew back out the door, his eyes wide with panic.

Billy leaped back. “What the hell––?

Jason grabbed Billy by the arm and pulled him down the stairs.

“Jesus Christ,” Billy said, pulling his arm free. “What is it?”

Jason explained between gasping breaths. “There’s a… goddamn… body… in there… laying… on the… floor.”

“What? Is it Rye?”

“I don’t… I don’t know, man. Too dark to see.”

“Wait here.”

“Where you going?”

“Got a flashlight in the car.”

Jason grabbed Billy’s sleeve and pulled him back. “Wait a minute. What if it’s not Rye? Or what if it is him and what if there’s still someone else in the house?”

“Shit. I didn’t think of that.”

They hurried back down to the curb. Jason pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and turned to Billy. “You got your cell with you?”

“Yeah.”

“You get hold of Rick and tell him what’s going on. I’ll call nine-one-one.”