Chapter 8: The Waking Nightmares
The house was quiet in the dead of night, the only sounds coming from the soft rustle of papers and the occasional creak of the floorboards. Exhausted from their relentless search, everyone had finally succumbed to sleep. The air felt heavy with tension, as if the house itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
Jason was still asleep on the couch, his chest slowly rising and falling as he rested in Sarah's arms. She had drifted off as well, her head resting against his shoulder, their bodies curled together in a moment of peace that felt too fragile, too temporary.
Then, without warning, a loud, bone-chilling noise shattered the silence.
A bang reverberated through the house, like something massive crashing against the walls. The sound jolted everyone awake—everyone except Jason, who remained still, lost in whatever deep, troubled dream had taken hold of him.
Damion, Daniel, Emma, and Taylor all scrambled to their feet, their eyes wide with panic as they scanned the room, searching for the source of the noise. Sarah blinked groggily, her mind still foggy from sleep, but her heart raced with the sudden surge of adrenaline.
"What was that?" Daniel whispered, his voice tight with fear.
Before anyone could answer, they all saw it.
Standing in the doorway, its towering frame casting a shadow across the room, was the same demon that had attacked Jason earlier. Its red, soul-filled eyes glowed in the darkness, and the blood-stained teeth and claws glistened with a deadly hunger. Its body was a twisted mass of black, dripping with malice and the scent of death.
Sarah's breath hitched as she recognized the creature immediately. "It's the one," she whispered, her voice trembling. "The one that attacked Jason."
The demon took a step forward, its claws scraping against the floor with a sickening sound. The group instinctively backed away, their eyes locked on the creature. Fear pulsed through the room, but no one dared move. They had no idea what it would do next, and none of them were prepared to fight it—not without Jason.
"Don't… move," Damion whispered, his voice tight. "Wait and see what it does."
For a long, agonizing moment, the demon seemed to size them up, its soulless eyes scanning the room. Then, without warning, it lunged.
The demon moved with terrifying speed, its claws extended as it aimed directly for Taylor. She barely had time to react, her eyes widening in terror as the creature closed the distance in a heartbeat.
But before the demon could strike, there was a blur of motion—a streak of red that appeared out of nowhere.
Jason.
In a flash, Jason was standing between them and the demon, his hands wrapped around the creature's arms, stopping it in its tracks. His eyes burned with a fierce red glow, the same fiery intensity Sarah had seen earlier. Despite his wounds, despite the blood loss, he held the demon in place, his grip like iron.
The demon snarled in frustration, thrashing wildly in Jason's grasp, but it couldn't break free. Jason's strength was unnatural, far beyond anything the others had seen from him before.
"Jason!" Sarah called out, her voice full of worry.
Jason didn't respond. His eyes were locked on the demon, his expression hard and unyielding. It was as if something inside him had taken over, something that refused to let this monster hurt his friends. The flames of his power flickered at the edges of his vision, ready to ignite at any moment.
For a brief second, it seemed like Jason had the upper hand. But then, another shadow moved in the darkness.
Another demon, equally as monstrous and twisted, appeared behind Jason with lightning speed. Before anyone could shout a warning, the second demon kicked Jason in the back, sending him flying across the room. His body slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, and the impact left a crack in the plaster.
"Jason!" Sarah screamed, rushing toward him as he slumped to the ground, momentarily dazed.
Damion, Daniel, and Emma all stood frozen for a second, the shock of seeing two demons in their home overwhelming their senses. The room was filled with a suffocating tension, as if the walls were closing in on them.
The first demon, now free from Jason's grip, roared and advanced on the group again, its claws gleaming with deadly intent. The second demon loomed behind it, watching with cold, calculating eyes, as if it were waiting for the right moment to strike.
Damion's fists clenched at his sides, and he exchanged a glance with Daniel. They had no choice. With Jason temporarily out of the fight, it was up to them to protect everyone else.
"Get ready," Damion muttered, stepping forward, his body tense. "We're not going down without a fight."
Daniel nodded, his face pale but determined. "If we're going to die, we're taking these things with us."
Emma stood behind them, her hands trembling but her eyes sharp. "We have to hold them off until Jason wakes up. He's the only one who can fight them."
The first demon lunged again, this time at Damion. With a burst of desperation, Damion ducked under its swing, narrowly avoiding the lethal claws. He grabbed a nearby chair and swung it at the demon with all his strength, smashing it against the creature's head. The demon barely flinched, but it bought them a few precious seconds.
Sarah knelt beside Jason, her hands shaking as she tried to rouse him. "Jason, wake up! Please!"
Jason's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he seemed disoriented. But then the pain hit him, and he winced, his body screaming in protest. Despite that, he forced himself to sit up, his gaze locking onto the two demons advancing on his friends.
With a grunt of effort, Jason pushed himself to his feet. His body ached, his wounds still fresh, but he couldn't afford to stay down. Not now.
His eyes glowed red once more, the power within him stirring as he stepped forward, ready to face the demons again.
"We're not done yet," he growled, the fire in his voice unmistakable.
The demons snarled in response, their twisted forms crackling with dark energy. This fight wasn't over—not by a long shot.