Chapter 8 scares Me.

[tempered-rose.livejournal.com]

Title: What Hides In Plain Sight Will Get You in the Shadows, Part 8
Characters: Martin Kelly/Conor Coady
Summary: Martin Kelly gets teased about his tolerance for all things supernatural. But does he have good reason to be afraid?
Words: this part: 1,020; Total: 11,471
A/N: I’m late again! D: Back to regular programming [hopefully] tomorrow. But I hope you guys like it just the same :) As always, this is dedicated to my Louie and all those that have followed this story from the beginning. Thank you <3 This part is shorter, but uh...well....I figured for this part it's a good thing it's shorter and not longer.
Previous Parts: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven




Martin’s rosary was fixed solidly around his neck as he leaned back against the headboard in his bedroom. Conor leaned against his side as they watched television together. Martin had his arm wrapped lightly around his shoulders. Conor had told his mother that he was staying over at a mate’s and that’s why he wouldn’t be home that night. Martin had felt a little relieved that he wouldn’t be alone and happy that Conor would stay over.

They had spent all afternoon out and away from Martin’s house and had only come back when Martin couldn’t stand to leave Macsen on his own anymore. Sure enough, as soon as he’d gotten home, Macsen had had the urge to go out and Martin didn’t blame him. Conor and Martin’s dog had played about a little outside before coming back in.

Once both of them had come in and they’d eaten dinner, Martin and Conor began to “prepare” his house. They had run to the store earlier and had bought several things. Conor had gone upstairs and had put a slew of nightlights all the way down the hall and in every room. Martin had put Bibles in every main room he could find. They had stopped at a Christian bookstore and had found several little figures of crosses. He’d put them in every room as well.

Martin wasn’t going to take any chances.

So far it had been a quiet night. Even though he knew that, Martin was still worried that something would happen to ruin the calm.

Conor yawned and shifted closer to him to rest his head on Martin’s shoulder with his eyes closed.

Barely turning his head, Martin watched as Conor kept his eyes closed and his breathing slowed. He felt a smile begin to tug at the corner of his lips when he looked at Conor’s face. He’d been absolutely wonderful today. He had listened when Martin had gone into further detail about what had happened ten years ago. Conor hadn’t looked at him as if he’d gone mental or did he make any jokes like the other lads had done.

Conor had been more mature today than they had been since learning about his belief. Martin loved him just a little bit more for that.

By the time Martin looked back over to the television, it had switched off.

He swallowed stiffly but tried to ignore his fears. Very quietly, he whispered to the room.

“Thanks for that. Was just going to nod off anyway.”

Martin carefully pulled Conor closer just a little. He tucked the younger boy gently against his side as he closed his own eyes. It wouldn’t have surprised him if he had another few scratches in the morning for his cheek.

He shifted lower in the bed and let out a slow breath. Conor’s warmth and steady, rhythmic breathing helped calm his mind just enough to let him get drowsy. He was better than any glass of warm milk or sleeping pill. Even if Conor did like to steal blankets and use you for his own personal pillow. With a half-smile on his face, Martin closed his eyes and fell asleep.


A little after three, Martin stirred awake.

He had shifted a little when Conor had moved off his arm. Martin was still more asleep than he was awake, but he could already tell his arm was going to fall as much asleep as Conor still was. He could already feel the tingling in his arm when he moved it to lay across his stomach.

He was almost asleep when he heard something that sounded like a footstep in the hallway.

Martin laid still and continued to listen for anything further. When he heard nothing, he settled back down to sleep.

It wasn’t until four more similar sounds continued down the hallway did he sit up.

Macsen had heard them too and began to growl quietly at the bedroom door. Martin watched his dog as the growling lowered tone and became more intense. He swallowed hard and carefully slipped out of bed and walked over to stand behind Macsen.

The nightlights that Conor and he had put into the hallway that afternoon revealed nothing apart from normal shadows. But Macsen could see something and Martin trusted him.

“What do you want from me?” Martin whispered harshly.

Nothing moved or made any noise, apart from Macsen’s growling. The growl continued to grow in intensity.

“What do you want from me?” Martin asked a little louder.

Behind him, something clattered in the bathroom. He jumped and Macsen released a bark before switching back to the growl. Martin turned and started for the bathroom. He looked back over his shoulder while he switched on the bathroom light. If he didn’t know any better, the shadows in the hallway had gotten just a little bit darker.

Martin quickly turned back to the bathroom and at first saw nothing immediately out of place. He frowned, wondering if he’d heard anything at all, when he looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes widened in fear as right before his eyes, something began to scratch at the mirror.

He quickly looked back to the bedroom and saw Macsen. The dog hadn’t changed his behavior at all and Martin turned back to the mirror.

Right at eye level, a letter began to form. Martin watched horrified as a y began to be scratched into the mirror. The few seconds he waited for the rest of the letters felt like a lifetime. But soon enough an o and a u followed.

He swallowed hard and held the cross of the rosary in his hand.

With narrowed eyes, he looked back at himself in the mirror.

“You can’t have me. Not this time. I’m not doing this again.”

From somewhere in the rest of the house, perhaps it had been in the hallway or perhaps it had come from downstairs, Martin heard a noise that sent a cold chill down the back of his spine. He swallowed but that still didn’t take away the thought that he could hear someone laughing.