Where death treads

Where Death Treads

Derek and Douglas were very adventurous in their youth. They had decided it would be a good idea to visit the legendary haunted house within their own neighborhood. Unbeknownst to them, the previous owners of the house had practiced black magic and dark arts. By practicing such things, it marked the house as a nexus straight to Hell that allowed demons to pass freely to the living world.
Once inside the boys would sit in the back room of the house. This is the room that proved to accumulate the most paranormal activity.
They would stay nearly half the night, hear merely a few bumps and scratches and leave. They wanted more, they craved it.
"Tonight?" Derek said to Douglas. Derek wanted to experience something greater. He had wanted some sort of encounter, ever since he heard the "stories". The very idea that they might experience something in the actual living world, ate at his brain, and gnawed at his thoughts. He could not let them go until something happened. He did not care what. The paranormal was such an adrenaline high, that it was nearly orgasmic to him.
"I guess. I have nothing else to do." Douglas, a bit younger then Derek, had grown up a bit disturbed due to his alcoholic father. Douglas was always looking for a way out. He was always looking for something better to do, even if it was going out to an abandoned house in the middle of the night, on one of the hottest summer nights. None of that mattered. Scared? Yes. He was always a little scared of the paranormal, although reluctant to admit it. But to get out of the house, this would be something he would do any day, especially with his best friend.
That night was a bit different than the other times they had gone. Sitting inside the house waiting on something to happen it seemed darker than usual. Heat rose up within the room and they both felt it. A few hours later, they had gotten tired. Exhausted even. They had only heard a few noises. Nothing more.

"Ready to go?" Douglas asked.
"No." Derek responded. "Every time we leave about this time of night, we always wonder if anything else would have happened, had we just stayed. No. Tonight we stay to see if anything else happens."

The room in which they sat was like sitting next to a furnace. It omitted heat so much throughout, that it was suffocating.
Long hazy moments of blur and then a loud crash!
"Did you hear that?" Douglas asked. The answer was obvious as Derek's face lit up with fear and excitement.
"Yes, but what did you hear exactly?" His voice stumbled as he whispered.
"I just heard a loud crash." Douglas said.
Derek remained quiet, and a bit perplexed.
"What?" Douglas questioned.
"Nothing. I'll go check it out."
"No tell me first. You know you have to tell me."
"Well... You did not hear like, a loud scream that sounded like a demonic baby? Or something." Derek's voice tapered off at the end.
"Uh... No." Douglas said with a fear stricken face. He curled up his knees and whispered They can't touch me
Exploring the gateway, in this house, had become their summer activity. Even if most nights were very boring, Douglas was still just happy to have a friend again no matter what they did. Earlier that day, Douglas, had been boasting about how "no demon" could ever touch him, because his mother had been very religious, and so was he, to an extent. But he was stating that his mother, would say a special prayer for him every morning, so he was very positive that no demon, could ever touch him.
Derek had already gotten up to go look around, aside from the sound he had heard. As he had made it to the living room area, Douglas looked up from his knees and saw a shadow in the doorway. The shadow stood tall just like Derek. Maybe it was Derrick, Douglas thought to himself. It was very dark after all.
"Derek?" Douglas whispered fearfully. No answer. "Derek?" Douglas asked again a little bit louder.
"What?!" Derek kind of sounded annoyed.
"Where are you?"
"I am still in the living room."
"So...You're not standing right in the doorway?" Douglass asked.
"No!" With a bit of shock and determination Derek reassured his friend. "Here I come buddy."

The room grew cold and the shadow took a step. Douglas just sat facing it. The shadow then even knelt down on one knee, in the same manner that Derek would have done. A crooked finger outstretched toward him, and Douglas was too afraid to move. It touched him.

"You alright buddy?" Derek said as he was actually in the doorway now. The shadow had disappeared.
"Yeah. Can we go home now?" Douglas asked with terror in his eyes.
"Sure man." Derek craved more, but he knew it might not get much better than this tonight anyway. He helped his friend up, and they exited the house.

They were too horrified to be separated, so they both went to a friend's house. The mutual friend welcomed them in for the night, without question. They slept in the living room.

….

The air had become crisp and cool in the mid-morning. Derek slept on the floor on an old futon mattress as Douglas slept on the couch. Derek had drifted into a very deep sleep. It felt like hours had passed when he awoke. He could still see Douglas on the couch. In the corner of the living room by the door, there stood a generic coat rack. A dark shadow crept from the wall. The shadow soon manifested into a more solid being. It wore a long-hooded cloak. It was death. Death glided across the floor to Douglas. He studied him for a moment, then floated over to Derek. Unable to move, he was paralyzed by his own fear. Death took out one hand and materialized an over-sized old leather book with wooden latches and a wooden spine. He scans through thousands of pages in a mere second. He then points to Derek. He then places the same finger on a page, scrolls down the page, then over to the next page, and scrolls halfway down it. Death found Derek's name. Then with a heavy thud of his skeletal finger, he taps twice to signify that his time had come. The book disappeared, Death materialized his scythe. Swiftly, Death swung the scythe toward Derek and at the very last second Derek truly awoke.
He gasps for air, choking, as he composes himself. He takes one hand to his forehead. Then Douglas rolled over. He sleepily looked up at Derek and asked,
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Derek had finished composing himself just enough for the response. "I'm fine. Just choked on a gnat that flew in my mouth. Go back to sleep bud." He laughed, a fake yet believable laugh. He made Douglas chuckle as he rolled back over and went back to sleep.
Derek was truly okay, but he did not want Douglas to know about the dream he had, not yet. He wanted Douglas to sleep a bit more before telling him. He also wanted to gather his thoughts more. He sat back, reminisced quietly as he contemplated his dance with Death.