The Crimson Ritual

Chapter 3

“We’re sorry, the number you’re trying to reach is not in service at this time. Please hang up and try your call again.”

“Dammit.” Tyler growled and pressed the end button on his cell phone.

Would it kill Pogue to turn his phone on for once in his life?

Tyler re-dialed the number and waited as the line started to ring again. He waited for a few seconds and then heard the annoying female voice saying the number wasn’t in service again.

“He’s still not answering?” Reid asked a few feet away, digging out some clothing from his dresser.

“No.” Tyler sighed and closed his phone. “I’m getting worried.”

Reid shrugged. “Ah don’t be. He probably just turned it off like he does every night.”

“Yeah I know.” Tyler sighed as he sat down on his bed. “I just have this weird feeling all of a sudden.”

“It’s probably nothing Tyler. You know how Pogue gets...” Reid said as he lifted his shirt over his head.

“Yeah you’re probably right–” Tyler’s voice broke for some reason and a light blush settled on his checks.

For some reason he always acted this way whenever Reid was undressing. He couldn’t stop his eyes from gliding over the tight skin of Reid’s back. They was his muscles strained as he moved with the black arms of his tribal tattoo on his shoulder slowly expanding.

Tyler blinked and shook his head. He really needed to stop this. It wasn’t normal.

(What do you know about normal anyway?)

“Well, I’m gonna take a shower, you gonna try his number again?” Reid pulled out a old pair of jeans and grabbed his towel off his bed.

Tyler blinked and quickly gathered himself. “I think I’m just gonna go over there. Just to make sure.”

Reid rolled his eyes. “Dude, I’m telling you it’s nothing. He’s probably in another one his moods and doesn’t want to talk to anyone of us.”

“Well, I have something I wanted to ask him anyway.” Tyler replied and walked over towards his desk in search of his keys.

“Alright, whatever.” Reid said as he gathered up his shower stuff and left their dorm room.

Tyler sighed when he heard Reid’s footsteps fading and grabbed his jacket off it’s hanger. He didn’t bother locking their door since Reid was only down the hall, and made his way towards the main staircase.

He passed a few people on the way down to the fist floor, none of them made any eye contact with him and Tyler tried not to let it get to him. Hardly anyone noticed him anyways, unless he was with Reid and that was only because the two them were in trouble again.

He jumped down the last stair and headed down the long hall towards the lobby. His steps slowed slightly when his eyes located Aaron Abbot and his usual group of friends. Tyler swallowed slightly and continued walking, trying not to look at them.

Aaron didn’t even noticed him, a fact that Tyler was always grateful for. Aaron never noticed him unless he was either with Reid or Caleb anyway and the always surprised him.

(After all, if it wasn’t for you Aaron wouldn’t have that lovely scar on his forehead.)

Tyler shook his head and sped up his pace, hoping that his memories wouldn’t catch up with him. That night at Nicky’s... all the ear-shattering screams... it was all his fault.

He pushed the large wooden doors open and begin following the gravel path towards the student garages.

*************

Pogue whimpered quietly as he tightly hugged his arms around himself.

He was so cold. He shivered violently and tried rubbing his hands up and down his chest, his lungs felt like they were on fire because the air around him was so thick.

He raised his head and looked around him. He was back in the stone-walled room again, except this time none of the candles were lit. He tried looking for the hooded figure only to discover that he wasn’t there, Pogue was complete alone in the dark, empty room.

“Hello?” Pogue looked around him, trying to find the dark figure. “Hello –”

All at once the room was filled with bright light and Pogue was forced to shield his eyes in the crook of his arm. After a moment, Pogue raised his head and blinked until his surroundings came into focus. No longer was he in the dark stone room. There was white all around him, the floor, the walls, the ceiling.

After a further study of his surrounds, Pogue soon realized that he was standing in a hospital.

“We can’t beat him.”


Pogue frowned. That was his voice. He turned his head and gasped at the sight that awaited him. It was himself laying up right in a bed. Tons of machines surrounded his bed and countless tubes where fed into his arm but none of the that was his main concern at the moment.

It was person kneeling over the bed that got Pogue’s full attention.

(Caleb?)

Pogue’s chest tightened again. It was Caleb.

“He’s more powerful then you can imagine.” The broken version of himself spoke from the bed, his voice scratchy and worn.

Caleb leaned closer. “Don’t worry about that.”

“We can’t beat him.”

Caleb didn’t reply, he only stared down at him and forced a small smile.

“Get some rest.”

Pogue watched as the second version of himself slowly close his eyes and fall asleep. Caleb smiled at him once more before he stood up and left the room. Still entranced, Pogue tried to follow him but an unknown forced kept him rooted to the spot.

(Caleb...)

Pogue looked back down at himself laying in the hospital bed and realization soon dawned on him. This was a memory, his memory, that would explain why he was literally looking down on himself and why he couldn’t follow Caleb, no matter how much he wanted too.

This was his memory after all... this was the last time he ever saw Caleb.

“Pogue.”

Pogue groaned and touched the side of his head. That voice sounded like Caleb’s.

“Pogue!”

Pogue’s vision went blurry as intense pain shot through his skull, like someone just hit him with a lead pipe. Caleb’s voice grew louder.

“Pogue you have to stop him! Please!”

“Stop it, Stop!” Pogue screamed and fell to his knees.

“Pogue help me!”

“Stop!”

Tears started running from his eyes as the pain grew more intense and soon he collapsed onto the cold ties of the hospital floor.

*************

“Pogue.”

Pogue groaned. Every part of his body was in pain. His back felt like it was on fire, he couldn’t move his right leg and there was still a painful ringing inside of his skull.

“Pogue wake up!”

That voice...it sounded familiar, but whose was it? Pogue tried to open his eyes but it was futile. His eye-lids were just too heavy at the moment.

“Pogue!”

The voice grew dispirit and Pogue could feel someone shaking his shoulder firmly. It took all of Pogue’s strength to muster up a strangled groan to signal that he was still alive.

“Pogue, please open your eyes......dammit.”

Something warm pressed against the side of Pogue’s head, judging from the small size he guessed it was a hand. It gently rubbed the side of his forehead and after a few moments, more warmth quickly spread through Pogue’s whole body.

It was remarkable, the sharp pain in his skull slowly went away, the burning sensation on his back quickly faded and was replaced with a gentle warmth that stayed inside of his body.

He found the strength to open his eyes and when they fully focused, he studied his surroundings. He was in a drainage ditch off to the side of the road. His bike laid a few feet away from him, and there was a long trail of yellow body work that led from the center of the road towards it.

“Pogue?”

Pogue slowly moved his eyes until he was looking at the person standing over him. It was Tyler.

“Tyler...?”

“Thank god.” Tyler sighed loudly. “Thought I lost you there for a minute.”

“What...happened?”

“I should be asking you that.” Tyler huffed as he tried to help Pogue sit up. “I was just driving by and saw pieces of your bike littered all over the place. Did you hit something?”

Pogue thought for a moment, trying to recall what happened. He remembered talking to Reid and Tyler before he left the campus and he was heading home when...

“Caleb.”

Tyler frowned at him. “What?”

“I just saw Caleb.”

“You what?” Tyler blinked.

“I saw Caleb, that’s why I crashed.”

“You saw Caleb?”

“Yes, he was right there!” Pogue groaned and pointed at the road.

Tyler looked over his should at the spot that Pogue pointed at. “Caleb was right there?”

“Yes!”

Tyler was quiet for a long time before he turned his gaze back on Pogue. “How’s your head doing? Looks like you hit it pretty bad.”

Pogue frowned at him. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“Pogue, you hit your head really hard. You were probably just seeing things.” Tyler replied. “Now come on, let’s get you off the side of the road before you become complete roadkill.”

Pogue nodded quietly, still staring at the spot on the road where he saw Caleb. He knew he wasn’t imaging things, Caleb was really there. Pogue was sure of it.

“Okay, we’ll do this on three.” Tyler said as he slung Pogue’s arm over his shoulder. “One, two, three–”

Tyler stood up and slowly pulled Pogue on his feet. He continued holding on to him, making sure Pogue’s leg could support his full weight.

“How’s your leg feeling?”

“It’s okay I guess, I think I can walk on it...” Pogue trailed off when a thought dawned on him. “You healed me didn’t you?”

Tyler looked at him shyly and nodded. “Yeah, I did. I couldn’t get you to wake up any other way. You’re not completely healed but I tried to patch you up as best as I could for now.”

Pogue summoned up enough strength to smile. “Thanks Tyler.”

“You’re welcome.” Tyler replied as he helped carry Pogue towards his jeep.