“Quick, salt the corners!” Michelle ordered as she staggered.
Hugo sprang into action and swiftly did as he was told. We all sank down, slightly stunned at how quickly activity had sprung up.
“Just the kitchen, living room, sunroom, dining room, foyer, and boathouse left,” Michelle quipped tiredly.
“I’m going to get drinks; we all need a pick-me-up,” Merrick stated.
“I’ve got some energy bars, Merrick. Can I have one, please?” Michelle asked.
Merrick headed into the kitchen, and we heard him getting glasses and running the faucet before he swore loudly. A glass shattered, and we rushed in to find Merrick in front of the sink with the smashed glass around his feet.
“What happened?” Jack demanded.
Merrick moved aside, and somehow, I wasn’t surprised. “That’s cliché, isn’t it?”
Thick, red blood came from the tap, not water. It splashed into the sink, making it look like a butcher’s drain. Merrick reached out with a steady hand and turned it off.
“We’re having bottled,” he stated. “Return to the dining room while I clean up.”
We slowly moved backward.
“The demon might have taken that as a taunt,” Michelle said, and I glanced over at her.
“Huh?”
“You saying that it was cliché, it might take that as a challenge,” Michelle explained.
“Too late to take my words back now,” I replied.
“Yup,” Michelle agreed.
“Can you feel that?” Jack demanded.
I nodded. The house seemed almost wired, electrified, and it scared the crap out of me. Although, had the demon played its trump card?
“The kitchen is next. There are too many potential weapons there. And it’s not the place we want a final battle in,” Michelle said.
“Gotta admit, I’m dreading that. Michelle’s right,” I agreed.
“I’d say to salt the thresholds first, but I don’t wish to be stuck with a rampaging demon with access to knives,” I quipped.
Merrick looked over at me and snorted. “No shit, that’s a bad idea!”
“Does anyone else think this has been too easy?” Jack asked.
A sigh left me. “I hate to admit it, but yeah. Considering what I witnessed, I expected more than this.”
Merrick was facing the kitchen, and he stiffened and straightened.
“Merrick?” I demanded, concerned.
“Red eyes are staring in here,” he murmured as his hand went to his waist, where he held his weapon.
I looked over and flinched. Several sets of eyes stared at us from the dark kitchen.
“That doesn’t bode well,” Hugo muttered.
“I think it’s trying to frighten us,” Michelle replied and drank from a bottle of water.
