Night of Terror

Mae Kenneth didn’t really know what to expect. It was tall, almost angular even; one of the oldest buildings here in Lewistown, Montana. She’d seen it before of course, but not like this. With no moon and the midnight breeze that blew through her hair; seemingly melting it into its black midst. She glanced back up. The rusted bricks seemed to add to its haunting cover. With six floors, it seemed so small from across the street, but now, completely beneath it, it seemed to rise until it loomed above your very head, ready to crush and send you screaming to your mom. It was that scary. At fifteen, she wasn’t really all that scared. Her friends were with her. Well, technically, they weren’t actually with her. More like cowering around the corner of the building. But that was only Karla Wilson and Stacy Nikes; with their drunk boyfriends Nick and Mark Peddson. All sophomores like her except for Nick, who was older and wasn’t as into the drinking as his younger brother. Fortunately for all of them, Nick wasn’t drunk, yet. He had blonde hair, thick yet rich, with blue eyes that were deep and dark; while Mark had short wavy red hair that went with light green eyes. You heard her, red, but he made that look good. Both were tall, strong, built up. But Nick was bigger, taller.

She knew exactly why Nick was with Stacy and Mark with Karla. Karla with her curly auburn hair that somehow always sways perfectly down over her shoulders and Stacy with Barbie blonde locks that gave her that cool, collected look; both with icy blue stares that looked through you, like you weren’t even there. Matt and Mark were kind of just there to make them look good. Those too were positively the most dim-witted kids you’ll ever meet, seriously, but she thought their good looks could make up for their stupidity. That’s really all that mattered to Karla and Stacy.

Mae didn’t even know how they came to be friends in the first place. To be honest, she didn’t even think you could call them friends. Those two are the superficial types and she isn’t. They are in the ‘in’ crowd, if you know what that means, and she’s not. Not really. There was her, and then there was them. Then just out of nowhere they come up to her - acting like they own the world, twirling it in the palm of their hands - during lunch and ask if she wants to hang out with them. Naturally, she wants to hurl on them, has to hurl on them. No! Screamed at her, but of course, she said yes.

The dorky kids she sat with at the lunch table just stared at her in awe. C’mon, they aren’t that great. Okay, so they are. Well, to those kids maybe. The type who read during lunch and when no matter where you are, the only thought on their mind is, "I think I want to go to the library. I need to get some more books, five just isn’t enough. I wonder if my books came in the mail today." Yeah, seriously, that’s what they think. She liked reading as much as the next person, but really, they’re only books.

Staring back up, the building wasn’t all that scary. It was remodeled a couple years back but that didn’t really change anything. The windows were still foggy and tinted dark. It still had the dark, rusty brown color to it in its crevices. You’d never guess that the whole building used to be white. The inside wasn’t all that bad. Swinging doors at the front added some presentable atmosphere. There were two pairs. One set facing outside, so when you pushed through those you were standing in a warm box looking through another set of clear swinging doors into the lobby. Once you enter, the first thing you notice is a mule deer head – with a great set of antlers – above an office with clear doors and walls. The office has two more separate rooms off to the side. Or maybe you’ll notice the bear standing with paws extended on a platter with the sign Welcome carved in wood with intricate designs around the edge. None of this would surprise you if you lived in Montana, the middle of nowhere what so ever.

Straight ahead from the entrance are two elevators; one new, one old. The new one sits on the left with white doors and thick designs carved in. The older one is -- no doubt about it -- old. With a metal cage that guards it and red and brown wood behind that, it’s dark and mysterious. Way more fun to ride and race in, Mae thought.

On the left side of the lobby there is another set of clear doors that lead to more offices. Outside of those doors is a big open stairway that leads to the second floor. They’re white and marble, and wind gracefully around. The stairs after the second floor are not as pretty. You go through doors that lead to small, dusty winding stairs in small corridors that bring you to the floor above.

Rumors spread like wildfire once Rebecca Simon said it was haunted and there were Indian burial grounds underneath. Her mom works there in the restaurant on the sixth floor and she boasts she sees ghosts and fuzzy figures all the time. Other kids said some girl had a seizure in the lobby and died instantly. You’d think nobody would believe this stuff, but some did.

She heard footsteps come up, someone jogged. Turning she saw Kale Summers. The dark made him look different. Lankier, but strong, she could tell, from the forearms that stood out from beneath his rolled up button up shirt. His face seemed sharper; the dark gave him that appearance, his eyes almost black, matching his thick dark brown hair that fell across his brow and down his neck. She liked how he looked, she thought. She always had, but she’d never really had time to think about that.

He saw her standing alone beneath the building and trotted over. They’d been best friends since forever. Well, really, only until about three years ago. He’d been stuck sitting next to her in science class and since they were partners, they really had to communicate. She’d moved from Marshal, Minnesota and it had been Karla and Stacy who spread the rumor that she’s been arrested for stealing money from a deli, who ran from the police, got away, but was caught when she walked through the door of her own house; which was the reason she got the natural instinct to hurl. Kale never believed it. It was the first thing he’d asked her when he saw her sitting in the back of the class, alone with the lab table.

Mae had noticed how the other girls in the class looked expectantly at him, waiting for him to sit by one of them, or if he’d sit with his buddies. Instead, he’d seen her, walked back to her, and sat with her. She’d noticed how the girls glared at her and the guys shrugged it off like it was no big deal. "So did you really rob a deli?" He’d said, almost like he was testing her to say yes, almost like he knew she really didn’t. He’d stared and the class had gone silent. "So?"

She liked how he’d asked again, like he was truly interested. Her bangs had fallen in her face and she flipped them out of the way, looking around the room at the anticipated faces and putting on an arrogant and bold look. "Well, what do you think?" She’d asked. Kale had grinned and no one else was there. "I think not," he had stated.

"Really?" she’d dared, trying to look superior.

"Really." He had said.

"Well, you know, it’s not like you were there." She had grinned back, and the girls had been practically glaring lasers at her. Like they actually thought she’d disappear. It was no wonder she had no friends, but she was fine that was. That was when the teacher walked in and started the lesson.

Looking at him now, he brought those memories to her in a rush. She had eventually told him she really didn’t rob a deli, but he already knew. Naturally, she’d had her crush along with the others, but found it better to stick with friends. She didn’t think her skin could take actual lasers. He made it to her and her thoughts blanked out. Crap, she really didn’t need the fantasying and daydreaming right now.

"Hey Mae, you want to stay and play?" He grinned. Man, she loved it when he smiled.

"You know, I really hate it when you do that. This is like the millionth time I’ve told you; don’t rhyme my name like that." She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind; she could fantasize and daydream later. She tried to keep her tone strict, even, but it wavered and she cracked a half smile.

"Yeah, well, you know I’ll never stop."

"I guess you’re right about that." They both looked up and again and stared.