From Darkness It Comes

Alone With Mr. Stark

"Take my keys," Darrin says, shoving them into Lisa's hand. "They will get you in easier and faster than whatever you have that gets you in."

"I don't like this." Mr. Stark rasps. "You should be the one to retrieve the blade. I don't trust this..."

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by Darren turning to face him with strong resolve in his eyes and a cool serious voice. "I do. It's you I'm sure about. She goes and I stay with you." Mr. Stark returns the cold stare but says nothing. Darrin twists his head to look at Lisa and speaks in a softer voice. "Go, but hurry."

Lisa takes off without any more of a reply but a nod. Darrin watches her disappear around the corner before turning back to Mr. Stark.

"Come." Says the old man as he passes through the door and into the small stone room behind it. "We will wait in here." Darrin looks around, as if expecting to see something watching, and cautiously follows.

The inside of the shed is actually just an entrance chamber of some kind of underground structure or tunnel system. This chamber is small and made of solid cement, with some pipes running along the walls and some kind of electrical box locked in the center of the far wall. Heading deeper into the hill is a long tunnel, along which the pipes cling to the wall into the darkness. There are also some old crates, a wooden wire spindle, and other assorted pieces of metal and wood wedged against the walls or stacked in the corners.

Mr. Stark strikes up a lantern and the small room glows in a bath of golden light. He places it on the spindle and closes the metal door to the outside. Darrin just stands there uncomfortably and watches.

After what seems like minutes of cold silence Darrin finally speaks in a slightly cracked voice. "Why me? What does any of this have to do with me?"

Mr. Stark tilts his head and looks out from under his dark hat, eyes blazing in the flickering light. Clearing his throat he slowly speaks. "It's your destiny. You are the only one. I have seen the signs and sought you out to fulfill this."

"Stop with all this destiny crap." Darrin's voice rises slightly with his agitation, but it is no longer wavering. "Speak straight with me Mr. Stark. Why me? What's going on here? I just wanted to have a nice time away from home and learn to take better pictures. Then you came along and everything starts to go haywire. Either you explain yourself or just let me walk out of here."

Mr. Stark frowns and turns away from Darrin. Moments pass before he moves and then a low voice breaks the silence. "Evil lives here. Always has. But there have been those who have been able to control or prevent it from breaking loose. There are signs that let those who know where to look know who these people are. I was led to you. You are the only hope alive right now as far as I can tell. But I really don't want to say more right now."

"I don't care what you want." Darrin is actually getting angry. "I'm not playing your game so you better tell me what I want to know or you can take all this destiny crap straight to hell."

Stark moved so fast Darrin never saw it coming, but suddenly he had the old mans withered face right up to his and was staring right into his deep cold eyes. The voice that came from him was not like any he has ever heard before. It was dark and distant. It put shivers up his spine and made beads of sweat start to roll down his forehead.

"Hell is already here. What's coming is worse. You will know this no matter what you decide."

The moment stands silent, all the air removed from the room, and neither of them make a move. The banging on the door makes Darrin jump, but Mr. Stark doesn't move. "Let her in."

Darrin doesn't reply in words, but turns to pull the door open. Lisa steps in looking slightly scared. She is holding an old ornate box, which she hands to Darrin, and moves close to him for comfort. Darrin raises the box in front of Mr. Stark and says, "So, it's here. Tell me what I need to know."

Mr. Stark takes it in one hand and grabs the lantern in the other. "Follow me and I'll explain." On that he turns and walks down the long hallway, taking the only light with him.

Lisa takes Darrin's hand speaks softly. "What's going on Darrin? This is scaring me."

Darrin squeezes her hand and starts to walk slowly to follow Mr. Stark with her. "I think we're all scared."

"But what's this about?"

"I think that's what we are about to find out."

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I."

Moments later they pass through another door and into a small, spartanly furnished room. Mr. Stark places the lantern on the table and waves them to sit on the cot. Cautiously they sit as he slowly lowers himself into a chair.

The old man carefully places the box on the table, but doesn't open it. After looking at it for a moment he raises his eyes to Darrin and says, "There are some things you need to know."