Chapter 28

It's 9 pm, and most parents return, followed by some adults who didn't come to the first half of the Halloween festivities. Jonathan comes back:

"Jace, Johan." They both smile at him, "Nia is here; she's playing darts" Jace gives Jonathan a smile.

"Much obliged." Jonathan heads inside, joining Nia in a few rounds of darts; Jace and Johan go inside once everyone arrives. The party continues late into the night, at 11:30 pm. Jace and Johan are approached by a small group of people:

"We're gonna call it a night; thank you for having us."

Johan smiles, "It was no problem; thank you for coming."

"We were wondering if you could unlock the door."

Johan furrows his brows, "Unlock the door? It's already unlocked."

They shake their head.

Johan thinks for a moment, "I guess it stuck?"

" Perhaps let us out through the front?"

Johan stands. "Come with me; sometimes you got to beat the door a bit, then it will open. Sorry about this. I have Sam coming next week to replace these old back doors." he shakes his head, "I am terribly sorry. I forgot to grease the hinges." Johan approached the back door. He double-checks that the door is unlocked, then kicks the door near the hinges and handle and tries to pull it open. He groans, "I'm sorry, let me try one more time. It's just we would have to destroy the haunted house if we want to get to the main doors, and people are still using it."

"It's okay, we understand," a woman says with a kind smile.

Johan kicks at the door again, but nothing. Jace approaches, "What's up?'

"I forgot to grease the door hinges, and it's stuck, "Johan says, slightly annoyed with himself.

Jace looks at him, "It's not your fault; it's mine.." Jace thinks, grinning slightly, then shakes his head, "Because you asked me to, and I forgot, let me try."

"Ok, I'll go clear a path and unlock the front doors, "Johan turned to others, "Wait here, I'll come and get you; I don't want anyone to get hurt as I make a path."

They nod, and Johan smiles, "Thank you, and I'm sorry," he hurries off to the main room.

Jonathan and Nia go over, "What's going on?"

"The door is stuck,"

Nia looks, "Let me give it a try."

"Wait, how about this door?" Jonathan points to the one leading to the back of the church.

Jace scratches his head, "Good idea, I forgot about that one."

Jonathan goes, and he sees it still unlocked; he gives the door knob a twist, and he kicks at the hinges, and the knob of the door as Nia tries the other door, "Nothing! It won't budge!"

"This won't either," Nia adjusted her skirt, "Thank god I wore shorts."

Jace looks out towards the main room; he stops the music, "Sorry, I'm turning it off for a moment. Johan? Did you get the front doors open? Can we head over there?"

He waits, but only silence answers him, "Johan?!" he walks over to the entrance door, but just as he does, Johan enters, gripping his throat; he tries to speak as blood gushes from his mouth and the slit in his neck.

Jace eyes widen with no hesitation he rushes over, tearing his jacket. Trying to securely tie the cloth around Johan's neck. Jace pulls out his gun rushing into the main room, and Nia follows after instructing everyone to stay put. Jace tightens the cloth around Johan's neck. Applying as much pressure as he can"

"Hold on; I got you; just hold on ok." Jace fights back the tears

Johan looks Jace in the eyes; he weakly smiles, raises his hand caressing his face, and with a gurgled tone"Love..you.." Johan eyes become dull, and his hand drops.

"Johan? Johan, please wake up, "Jace picks him up, holding him close as he sobs, " Johan, please." he looks up, seeing the lights on in the main room; he hears Nia and Jace tearing down the rest of the tents. He stands and goes to the kitchen, grabbing his hidden gun. He comes out into the main room, "Aizen! Where are you?!" the tears silently flow as sadness, hatred, and anger fill his eyes, "Where are you, bastard?!"

Jonathan goes over, seeing Jace's hands coated in blood:

"I know you lost Johan, but you must calm down. You need to keep a clear vision and be conscious. We both know this guy is not human, and he is dangerous. We have people to protect." Jonathan stares Jace's in the eyes, gently helping him lower the gun. Nia comes over, "Jonathan is right, and you know this. Please calm yourself," she says in a gentle, sympathetic voice.

Jace's hand violently trembles, and he falls to his knees, dropping the gun. Jace cries as he tries to calm down and straighten himself out; Nia picks up the gun. She stands, her eyes widening, "Jonathan.."

"What?" he turned around to see what she was looking at, "When? How?"

The haunted house of Dante's inferno, Seven Deadly Sins, was gone. The props were replaced with real dead bodies and were now the scene of Hieronymus Bosch's The Seven Deadly Sins."

Jonathan turns back around, facing the cafeteria. "Check the guest!"

Nia nods, going back to the kitchen, seeing Johan's upper body covered by someone's jacket.

Jonathan looks down at Jace, "Come on, Jace, get up." He reaches down, offering some help, and gets him up; Jace lets out his last sniffle.

Jace stands, gripping his head; his body wobbles as he stagers a bit; Jonathan supports him.g

"I feel a bit dizzy; I think I cried a bit too hard..."Jace falls to the floor unconscious; Nia comes in, "What happened..." she falls to the ground unconscious.

"Nia? Jace...?"He grips his head; it feels airy, and his vision blurs as he finds himself collapsing into unconsciousness.