Available Darkness Season 1

and footsteps above.
    He screamed, “Help!!!!” while kicking and pounding at the casket. He could feel a set of souls above him, oozing life force. One of them was an Otherworlder, meaning he had even more life force for John to absorb. John’s hands began to ache and twitch in anticipation of feeding.
    So close.
    It was only when he heard digging that he remembered who was above. It was Larry and Adam.
    Thank God.
    He prayed for a quick death. That the sun was high in the sky and he would die immediately. Anything to end this hunger.
    After a bit of digging, the ground around him began to shake.
    What’s happening?!
    He squirmed in his box, panicking at the thought that the earth around him was about to crush him. Instead, however, the casket was rising. Adam must’ve been using a raise earth spell to bring the coffin closer to ground level. But why?
    What the hell are they doing?
    He could now hear Larry and Adam better, could feel their warm bodies. He longed to feed on them. Closed his eyes, smiling at the thought of sucking their lives from them.
    John shook his head angrily, trying to clear the thoughts.
    “Do it!” he screamed out, kicking the casket. “Kill me, now!”
    He heard more talking. Adam was reciting another spell.
    “What are you doing?!” John cried out, his throat raw and dry, echoing in the small confined space.
    Adam kept talking, his voice muffled on the other side of the box. John paused, holding his breath, trying to hear the words Adam was saying. Then he recognized the spell — a mind wipe.
    What the fuck is going on?
    “Hey!” John shouted, kicking the casket again.
    No response.
    “LARRY!!”
    Still no response other than Adam’s steady recitation.
    His hunger rolled over and stood up, threatening to split his entire body in a wave of pain.
    Why are they wiping me?!
    They’re supposed to be killing me!
    What are you fuckers doing?!
    He kicked harder, pounding the casket.
    A loud thunk came from above as someone slapped the top of the casket. It was Larry; John could sense his signature.
    Yes, he’s gonna open the slider, let the sunlight in, and end my misery now. Please, do it quickly, Larry. Don’t hesitate. Just do it.
    As Larry did whatever the hell he was doing, John felt the man’s energy beckoning him to feed. It hurt to have food so close, yet just out of reach. He wasn’t sure how long he could take it before he lost control, broke free, and fed off both the men.
    “Come on!” John screamed, kicking again. “Hurry up!”
    “Calm down, calm down,” Larry called out as he slid the slot in the top of the casket open.
    John was shocked to see the night sky above them.
    “What the hell is going on?” John cried out, panic swelling in him again. “It’s supposed to be daytime! Why are you opening the slot at night?”
    “Sorry, John, I have to do this,” he whispered.
    “What? What are you doing, Larry?”
    “It will all make sense later,” Larry said, slipping a paper through the slot, “Put that in your pocket. You’ll need it when you wake up.”
    “What are you talking about when I wake up? ” John screamed, agitation, confusion, and panic twisting his insides, “What the hell are you doing? You’re supposed to be killing me, Larry!”
    “Put it in your pocket,” Larry repeated, “you’re not going to remember anything when you wake up. You’ll need this.”
    “What the hell?”
    “Put it in your pocket, now!” Larry snapped, “We don’t have much time.”
    John pushed the paper down into his pants pocket. Fear mingled with rage and hunger for escape.
    Suddenly, his hunger outweighed his desire for death.
    The men above, their life forces so powerful, called to him.
    “Let me out!” John screamed, punching and kicking at the box. “Kill me or let me out, Larry!”
    Adam finished reciting the spell, then called to Larry, “I thought you said he wanted us to do this.”
    Silence swelled as John listened for Larry’s response.
    Gunshots punctured the night like thunder.
    Two shots and a thump as Adam screamed out and fell to the dirt.
    No!!
    “Larry!!” John screamed, “What the fuck did you do?!”
    Larry fired another shot into Adam, and John felt the man’s life slipping away into the void.
    “What are you doing, Larry?!”
    Larry didn’t respond.
    “Answer me! What’s going on?!”
    Larry leaned over the casket again, his eyes meeting John’s, though he said nothing. The kindness, compassion, and humor were absent