THE RITUAL

It was midnight in a dark street. A red mist loomed around in the atmosphere. Whispers filled the air. Something felt off, something felt...evil.

A stray light reflected on the street to reveal the ground littered with motionless bodies of men and women covered in blood.

A deep, dark, husky cackle broke through the silence.

"Hahaha, at long last, my men are complete! Arise my soldiers! I release your souls from bondage into these fresh bodies! Consume their spilled blood and take it as an offering to refresh your souls! Arise! Arise!! Arise!!!"

The bodies suddenly began to move. Making ungodly sounds, their bones cracked as they got to their feet. Their eyes were a brimming bright red. They foamed at their mouths like wolves ready to hunt.

They were monsters. Zombies blessed with evil new souls ready to do the bidding of their Master.

"Yes! Now our mission shall be begin! To take over the world! To destroy Egyptia!!!" The dark man said.

He turned around and a light reflected on his face to reveal the face of Jason. It was Jason but it didn't look like Jason. His eyes were deep red. His voice was distorted and his face was contorted into the most sinister smile.

He was covered in blood from head to toe. He put his finger on the ground, collected a little blood on it and licked it. He was pleased with the taste.

"We will break their skulls and drink their blood and the blood of their children!" He shouted beating his chest as a sign of a promise.

The demon soldiers let out a roar after him in solidarity. They were ready for battle.

Suddenly Jason began to choke and so did all his soldiers. They collapsed to the ground and passed out.

................

It was morning in the little house Jason lived in with his mom.

The sun pierced through his windows and straight onto his eyes waking him up.

'Ow! Why does my body hurt again?' He asked himself. Then his mind went to Why his body usually hurt him in the mornings. He immediately opened his eyes to examine himself.

His body was perfectly clean. No blood, no stains, just smooth, glowing dark skin. He found that he was in underwear which he didn't exactly recognize but I mean it was much better than waking up soaked in blood.

He stretched out his hand to get his phone on his nightstand. He dialed Cleo and waited for her to answer with a huge smile on his face.

"Hey Ramen!" She sounded just about as excited as he did.

"Another night without an incident. I really think we got a hold on this now." He said excitedly.

"Wow, me too Ramen! I don't know if it's just our sheer will power to suppress the evil or what, but whatever it is, it seems to be working." Cleo was proud.

"I think I know what it is Cleo. I think it's the fact that we're not just facing it alone now. We have each other and that's what makes us stronger." Jason said.

His happiness was obvious even over the phone. He was so powerful he was suppressing and ancient curse and also had the girl of his dreams by his side. What more could he want?

"I think it's that too." Cleo purred over the phone.

"I'll see you later then. Goodbye Cleo."

"Okay then Ramen sweetie. Bye."

Jason got out of bed to start his day. He felt deeply happy as he climbed down the stairs for breakfast. His mom was in the kitchen preparing it all.

"Hey mom." Jason said. His smile was very bright and his mom Martha noticed it immediately.

"And what are you all smiley about? Hmm?" She said in a happy tone.

"Did Cleo finally say yes?" She smiled at him.

"Mom!!! Come on! I don't wanna talk about that." Jason cringed and laughed.

"What? I've been noticing your morning calls and don't think I didn't notice your little house visit. You weren't even full recovered but yet you felt like you needed to see her urgently or your heart was really gonna stop for good." Martha joked.

"Mom!!!!! Stop it!! Yeah I have a thing for Cleo but that's about all I'm gonna say to you on that topic. I got errands to go get ready, so bye." Jason said preparing to leave.

"Okay honey, just remember to take these to your grandpa. I'm glad you remembered him. Look at you looking out for your extended family members. Oh....my little boy is all grown up now." Martha said, eyes beginning to tear up as she fanned them.

"Haha...sure I'm a good boy."

Martha packed a giant cooler filled with different kinds of food for her father-in-law and gave it to Jason.

"Tell him it was packed with much love." She said smiling.

"Sure mom."

Jason gave his mom a kiss on the cheek and took off to go find his grandfather.

He needed to know what happened to the Mijer. Who they were, where they were and why exactly they were messing up so badly with their job. His current only lead was his grandfather who abandoned the artifact in the house a long time ago.

Jason knocked on the door of the old house where his grandfather lived. It was quite a rickety looking place.

The door opened and an old man holding a stick came out to meet him. "Yes sir? Who are you?" The old man said.

"Oh my name is Jason and I'm your grandson." Jason said standing up straight and smiling.

"My grandson? I don't have a grandson! You're just here to steal my newspaper aren't you? Yes you're a thief!" The old man became even more shaky as he spoke.

"No, no sir. I'm your grandson!" Jason was beginning to get worried about his grandfather.

"My grandson? Herman is that you? Herman! My son! Welcome home." The old man gave Jason a hug suddenly accepting him into his arms.

'Oh no! My grandpa's not okay. He clearly has dementia.' Jason thought to himself as his hopes all crumbled under this new challenge of dementia.

'How am I supposed to get the information we need now?'