6
OLD FRIENDS
Almost a year had passed since Brandon was found in the alley Halloween night. Eventually he was returned to his parents, but during that time many questions were left unanswered. The investigation and search for Cliff Elkins turned up nothing, but continued despite Doug's claims of seeing him murdered that night. With no one to back up his story, investigators and family members kept the door open that he would be found. But after a year, the search was only maintained at a high level by family members.
Through the year, Doug never wavered in his account of what happened. He told anyone who would listen of how Brandon was going to kill him and that he too saw Cliff being murdered. Brandon was questioned in every way possible, from every angle possible, about his whereabouts during the two weeks he was missing, and about the night in the alley. He claimed only to remember being taken by a man who never showed his face. He didn't remember anything else about those two weeks or about that night in the alley. With no evidence, and nothing else to go on, doctors and authorities released Brandon to his parents and put him under a schedule of mental evaluation and therapy.
Doug felt alone and betrayed during this time with no one believing him, and grew worse mentally, slowly pulling away from his parents and the world around him. He began having nightmares of that night, and his vision of The Mangler returning to kill him. After six months of visits to a psychologist, he wasn't getting better. He was becoming more frightened. He knew he was not crazy, and felt everything he had, and was experiencing, was very real. He was regressing because no one believed him.
He and Brandon were not allowed to correspond unless it was in a controlled, monitored setting. This never worked, as Brandon continually told Doug that he didn't remember anything. Frustrated by the same story, Doug refused to go to the sessions. Instead, he tried to talk with Brandon in other ways, but it never worked out. He didn't trust Brandon, but he knew that Brandon was the only other one who knew the truth.
While Brandon's mental health seemed to improve, Doug was getting worse. His nightmares of The Mangler coming to get him scared him and drove him to a more reclusive and dangerous state of mind.
The brand new, five-story, medical complex was a very high-tech looking building with blue-tinted, mirrored glass. It was smaller than the original hospital that stood there for over sixty years. This new business model brought three different levels of care all rolled into one. The first floor was administration, with floors two and three used as a ultra-modern assisted living area. The fourth floor was used as a hospice, and the newly opened fifth floor was a mental health facility, with the claim of 'The Newest in Technology and Healthcare'.
A smaller building accompanied the main one and was used as a registration hub for the three different services offered at the new facility. The complex looked nothing like the old hospital, and most people around town were excited about the new jobs created by this new business.
Eleven months passed with no murders and no serial killer found. Life was just about back to normal. Cliff had been missing so long that his family were the only ones who had not given up hope, but Doug knew the truth. He knew that there was no need to search for the missing boy. No one believed him, but he knew that Brandon knew the truth, and knew much more than he was letting on. He was acting innocent and Doug hated him for it. The Mangler was tormenting him, and Brandon was the only one who could help him.
Having given up on trying to get his parents or the doctors to believe him, Doug decided to wait for the right time to confront Brandon. Doug knew there was nothing wrong with him. But feeling separated and alone from the rest of the world drove him further into being reclusive and non-responsive to most of his parent's and doctor's questions. He knew his parents were planning to get him more help, which meant new questions by new doctors.
His plan was to confront Brandon and try to shake him up, maybe get him to admit something, anything about that night, or even better, something about The Mangler. He knew that he could catch him before he got home from school.
October was nearing, and the cooler temperatures gave the town a more festive vibe. Things were beginning to return to normal and even the new medical center had the entrances decorated for Halloween.
Doug no longer went to the same school and skipped the day so he could surprise Brandon between school and home. His anger, since he decided to force Brandon to tell the truth, was building all week. He knew that Brandon was fooling everyone, but he wanted to know if The Mangler still had hold of him, or mentoring him, teaching him how to kill. Doug felt that they were waiting for Halloween night to start again. He felt that he was going to be their next victim. The words, 'Anyone who sees me must die!', rang in his head for the past year. He was scared, but not so afraid that it would stop him from trying to find out the truth.
Doug waited down the street from Brandon's house. The sun was high and bright in the sky and he stood under a tree near some bushes. He knew Brandon's route home—to cross the street and head up the sidewalk—a block down from his house.
The paint shined off the rounded top of the yellow and black bus as it turned the corner up the block. Doug moved from his position and walked quickly to a nicely trimmed set of bushes along the sidewalk. The well-kept bushes stood at least six feet tall. He had plenty of room to hide and wait for Brandon.
The air brakes of the bus locked into place and dust blew out in all directions from underneath.
Doug peered through the thin branches and small leaves as four or five kids exited the bus. Brandon made his way down the steps carrying a backpack strapped over his shoulder. He was on a phone call as he crossed the street. The call ended, and just as Doug had guessed, Brandon walked his way. Doug got in position, his heart began to race faster; he wiped the sweat from his face.
As Brandon got within few feet, Doug jumped from his hiding spot and finally stood in front of his ex-friend.
Brandon stopped, and his surprised look brought a smile to Doug's face.
“I finally get to talk to the guy who ruined my life,” Doug told him.
Brandon remained silent, only looking at the obviously agitated boy in front of him.
“I've been waiting for a long time to get to talk to you.” Doug stepped closer. Brandon didn't move, holding his ground. “Do you know everyone thinks I'm crazy? The people at school, the doctors, and my parents, they all do. They think I'm making this all up,” he told him, now standing only a couple of feet away.
Brandon looked around and finally spoke. “They thought I was crazy at first, too,” Brandon told him, trying to show that they were going through something in common. He could see the angry look in Doug's eyes. “My memory started coming back and things got better.”
“Your memory hasn't remembered the truth. Why don't you tell the truth?” Doug asked, his voice more agitated. “Why did you lie to the police?”
These were questions that, early after it happened, Doug did get to ask Brandon before they went their separate ways for mental rehab. Brandon as he did then, and did now, claimed to not remember anything.
“I didn't lie. I was kidnapped and don't remember anything about the time I was gone.”
“That's a lie!” Doug said loudly.
“It's the truth.” Brandon no longer felt intimidated by Doug as he did in the past. He stood his ground. And while he was only partly lying. He was telling the truth about not remembering a lot of it, most of it was a blur. The one thing that he would never tell, and had fooled everyone about, was him being mentored by Coleman. He did remember that. He didn't understand or know how he was able to enter the supernatural world and be brainwashed. The one thing he did remember was Coleman telling him he would spare his life if he took his place in the real world and continued his legacy. He also remembered being scared, but, once he accepted the killer's demented request, the fear left him, with everything else becoming nothing but a blur. He knew that he would show up and tell him when it was time to kill next. Pa
rt of the reason that he was able to mentally recover faster than Doug was that he had not been contacted, visited, or had any visions of the Coleman in the past year.
“No it's not. You're a liar. You have everybody fooled, but I know better,” Doug said, very close to yelling now.
An older woman across the street, hearing Doug's outburst, stopped raking her leaves and looked over at the boys.
Brandon shook his head, disagreeing.
“I know all about The Mangler killing anyone who sees him. Me and you are the only ones who believe it. He has stalked me since last year.” Doug's anger and frustration for answers, turned his face bright red.
Little did Doug know that Brandon was trying to protect him. He didn't know why, but for some reason, The Mangler had not killed Doug.
“I'm trying to forget about everything that happened at the hospital. I need to go,” Brandon said, trying to walk around Doug.
Doug moved in front of him, fists balled at his side. Brandon could see the tension in his face.
“I need you to tell everyone the truth and quit making them think I'm crazy. I know what I saw,” Doug said.
“I have to go,” Brandon said, once again trying to get past Doug.
Doug pushed him. The blow rocked Brandon's chest and moved him back a couple of steps. He turned to run in the opposite direction, but Doug was too fast and attacked him from the back, grabbing him by the shoulders and dragging him down.
“Hey! You boys stop!” yelled the woman from across the street.
Doug was bigger than Brandon and easily overpowered him. He hit Brandon in the back with his fists, paying no mind to the woman who had dropped the rake and was now at the curb, getting ready to cross the street.
“You're gonna tell them the truth!” Doug yelled. He turned Brandon over and used his weight to hold him down.
Brandon was almost out of breath, but raised his arms trying to throw him off.
Doug's tightly clenched fists pounded down on Brandon's chest and then on his face, his eyes crazed.
“Stop! I said!” The woman was almost to them.
Brandon blocked most of Doug's punches, but one finally slipped through, solidly landing on his nose. As his fist connected, blood exploded. The dark red liquid flowed immediately over Brandon's face. Doug paused for a brief moment, as if surprised by his work. Seeing the blood flow gave Doug another adrenaline rush, and he raised his fist high above him. Brandon threw his arms to the side.
“Come on! Hit me again,” inviting Doug to do more damage. “You can't hurt me,” Brandon said, laughing through blood-filled gums and teeth.
Doug paused, shocked that Brandon wasn't afraid of him. He was breathing heavy as he brought his fist down.
The end of the metal rake crashed against the side of Doug's face, forcing him to draw in his fist and fall to his left.
“Leave him alone!” she shouted. “Quit hurting that boy.”
The blow stunned Doug as he looked up at the woman. She prodded at him, forcing him off Brandon.
“Go on. Get out of here,” she told him, holding the rake like a spear. “Are you okay?” she asked Brandon.
Brandon laughed louder, still lying on his back, blood running down the sides of his face.
Doug wanted one more shot at him. He wanted to hurt him real bad. He grabbed the end of the rake and pushed it, forcing the woman back. She lost her balance and fell backward into the street. Her head slammed on the asphalt with a sickening thud.
A car honked and swerved, barely missing her. The one behind it didn't have time to swerve and the driver slammed his brakes. The tires screeched to a stop only a couple of feet from her.
The boys' attention was momentarily taken by the woman's close call. Brandon was the first to refocus and quickly turned and grabbed Doug, pulling him to the ground. And just as fast, he rose and straddled Doug before he had time to get up, pinning him with his knees.
Brandon reached to his back pocket and pulled out a small knife that he carried for protection. He smiled as he took his time unfolding the blade. He didn't want to kill Doug, but now he wanted to hurt him bad.
Doug's heart raced, his breathing labored with the weight of Brandon on his chest. His bravery, all but taken now.
Brandon raised his hand above him, knife gripped tightly within it.
“Hey!” the man from the car yelled.
As if Coleman was guiding his hand, Brandon brought the small knife down and the two-inch blade sunk into Doug's upper chest, near his shoulder. Doug cried out in pain as Brandon pulled the blade out and raised it above him again.
The man had a running start and dove at Brandon, hitting him in his side, the momentum carrying them both over Doug and to the ground. The knife fell from Brandon's grip and the man got to his knees and held Brandon on the ground.
Three other people either walked up or stopped their cars to help. A young woman dressed in hospital scrubs knelt over the woman in the street. A small amount of blood was beginning to form under her head on the asphalt surface. Another man came to Doug's aid, while the other helped subdue Brandon.
A police car arrived first, quickly followed an ambulance and fire truck.
The knife wound to Doug's chest was not deep enough to do any major damage. The doctor told Doug's parents that the wound in his chest was in the best possible place. Doug would be okay.
The older woman wasn't as lucky. Despite barely missing being run over by a car, her head slamming into the road knocked her unconscious and gave her a very severe concussion. She was being kept in a coma with hopes that the swelling in her brain would go down enough to take the next step in her recovery.
Police took Brandon into custody and charged him with aggravated assault. He was held in a juvenile detention center.