Michael and Kathy got out of the car, still staring at the empty spot that used to house the town of Cloven Hills. Kathy clung to Michael tightly as if to reassure her that he would not disappear unexpectedly too. Michael voiced what Kathy wanted to say so badly.
"How? How did-" Michael asked to no one in particular. He faltered. How could a good-sized town just vanish into thin air in a matter of a few hours? Michael was very sure they had reached Cloven Hills. They passed the welcome sign and Jeff's Corner Stop. Jeff. Maybe he was still around. Michael grabbed the still stunned Kathy and pulled her towards the store.
They crashed through the door with Michael yelling, "Jeff! Jeffery! The town, it's-" Michael paused, drinking in the condition of the store.
While the outside had looked more or less alright, but the inside was a far cry from the outside's appearance. The shelves were all smashed to bits, products spilled all over the floor. Tins, cartons and glass bottles were all crumpled, trodden upon or plain destroyed. The few notices and pictures were ripped or missing pieces. The counter where Jeff and his customers always hung around to chat or barter had disintegrated to piles of wood fillings and splinters. The cash register lay on its side, metal structure all bent out of shape.
The worst aspect of the store was the body.
Well, it was not really a body. Like the store, the body looked as if it had been thrown into the meat grinder, taken out by someone and to piece it together but threw it all away in resignation. Revoltingly, the head was intact. Michael gagged.
It was Jeff. His cold face was in disbelief, as if he could not believe who his killer was. At least, that's what Michael thought. Jeff's eyes were missing. The head sat on a large pool of blood and gore. Scraps of skin and sinew were strewn about it, creating a macabre wreath. Michael heard puking. Kathy must have lost her cool. He took a tentative step forwards and was rewarded by a sickly squish. Michael lifted his shoe and saw he had stepped on one of Jeff's missing eyeballs. Now he joined his future wife in puking.
When they both regained their composure, Kathy gripped Michael and whispered, "It's horrible, j-just horrible." Michael held her hand to reassure her. " He shakily said, "We'll ring the police. Even if they don't believe us about Cloven Hills they should know about this, this scene." He waved at Jeff's body. Kathy nodded fearfully. Hands holding each other, the two stumbled out of Jeff's Corner Stop.
To be met by a figure standing right behind them. Kathy gave a small scream and stepped back. The figure was clad in a long tattered cloak with a hood that obscured his or her face. Their eyes were visible. They were a dark, glowing black which managed to be seen. The hood turned to face Kathy's direction. A voice that was neither male or female emanated from the darkness of the hood. It muttered, "Sleep."
Kathy crumpled in Michael's arms. Michael screamed at the figure, "What did you do to her! Did you kill Jeff? The town? I'm bringing you to the police!" Before the young man could go any further, the figure mumbled, "She is not needed. You shall come with me. Michael felt an unseen force suddenly propel him up. And up. And up. The figure rose with him. Michael screamed Kathy's name as her limp figure laid sprawled on the ground.
Just as Michael was about to lose sight of his childhood friend and fiance, Kathy's head exploded in a shower of blood and brains.
Michael screamed himself raw. He tried to struggle, to reach out to the cloaked figure and kill them. He strained further, fingers just brushing the tattered ends of the cloak. A blast rocked him back and he blacked out.
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