Minutes Before Dark

By Brandi Sparks

Kelly wakes up one morning in a dark place. She's been kidnapped by her old high school friend, an eccentric named Matthew. He knows that Kelly is a psychic and wants her to help track down his missing girlfriend. Kelly has long forgotten about Matthew but memories of her friendship with his girlfriend begin to resurface as she leads him down a path where they both don't want to go....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trellis Publishing
• Release date: Jul 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201027186

Book preview

MINUTES BEFORE DARK

BRANDI SPARKS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MINUTES BEFORE DARK

CATCH THE WITCH

BLOODSHOT

THE DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND

THE SANDMAN

SCENE OF THE CRIME

Kelly Easley opened her eyes to find she was bound to a hard, wooden surface. Her head pounded the same as her heart in her chest. Her vision blurred against the remnants of the blow she received in the back of the head which resulted in her being here.

Wherever here was.

The space was wide open and smelled of rotted wood and old fabric. The ground beneath Kelly was hard concrete long stripped of the flooring. There were still remnants of the glue used to hold down whatever material lie upon it at one time.

Somewhere water could be heard dripping overhead. Wooden beams and pillars were all that remained of the skeleton of the building Kelly knew felt so familiar but she couldn't place how she knew it.

She attempted to struggle to loosen the ropes responsible for holding her fast against what she now recognized as a wooden beam. Her backed arched in a painful angle in an attempt to get free.

The memory of how she had gotten in such a state was still all but lost. She was walking down the sidewalk towards her car following a board meeting at the real estate agency in the city only to feel something hard hit her from behind.

So you're finally awake? A man's voice echoed in the darkness.

Who are you? What do you want from me? Kelly cried out as she struggled. Fear clutched her breast at the familiarity of the scene unfolding before her. Please, don't hurt me. Don't kill me. I don't have anything too valuable but you can have my wallet, watch or purse.

Kelly rambled on trying to pursuade her captor not to harm her.

Shut up. I'm not going to hurt you. As a matter of fact, you're going to help me.

Help you? How?

The man stepped out of the darkness revealing himself to be someone Kelly knew very well. Her childhood friend and former fellow student in high school, Matthew Berkshire stood in front of her.

Her eyes grew wide in disbelief. She'd thought him dead as did many of the other former graduates of Stonewall Hills High School. She'd never forget the announcement the principal made in regards to the horrible car accident responsible for taking the famed star of the basketball team from them just before playoffs. What was the most strange was he seemed not to have aged in all the years since she'd seen him last.

His hair was still cut short in the attractive bedhead he used to wear that resulted in his being one of the most sought out boys in the school. The clothing he wore was in the fashion of what a young man would wear at nineteen or maybe twenty-one.

All in all, he was the spitting example of time standing still.

Matthew? I thought you were dead! We all did!

A chuckle escaped his lips as he began to pace the floor. Funny thing, I don't really remember much about the night of the wreck. But as you can see, I'm far from dead. Now, about how you're going to help me.

Kelly attempted to look away as Matt took her jaw. He continued. I happen to know you have a rather unique gift, Kelly. No wonder things didn't work out back in our high school days.

Kelly grew lightheaded. Her jaw clenched closed, her eyes tightly shut. Somehow he managed to find out about her. A secret she'd long tried to hide. I don't know what you mean.

Oh, please. You know what I'm talking about. You're going to use those gifts to help me find my girlfriend. She's disappeared. Her phone's been disconnected and she's not at the same address. I'm guessing she must have moved after I was gone. Matthew released Kelly's jaw.

The ropes loosened around Kelly's wrist, falling to the floor. A cold feeling ran over her body, making her skin rise up in goose flesh. She watched as Matthew came to stand before her.

From his pocket, he pulled out a pure, black handgun. Do as I say and you won't be hurt, okay? I'd rather not have to use this since we do have a history together.

With a forceful push, Matthew led Kelly to a car waiting outside. She got into the driver's side; he in the passenger's seat. The gun held erect to her side.

Matthew, why are you doing this? How did you find out about me? Kelly started the car. Her questions an attempt at getting her friend to calm down.

After Sherry disappeared, I looked up a few old friends. Funny how rumors get around on social media, right? Turns out our little local psychic has been using her gifts to cheat. Must be nice to know which houses are going up on the market first. He grinned a wickedly mischievious grin.

Are you trying to blackmail me? They don't work like that. I barely understand them myself. Matt, don't do this. You don't have to. Why not just go to the police? Kelly stammered as she pulled the car out of the abandoned parking lot of the old store in the shape of a barn.

The building brought on a memory Kelly long thought she'd forgotten. The memory of when she'd first realized she had the gifts she had. Now she knew where she was. Matthew brought her back to the town they grew up in.

A place Kelly hadn't been since her parents passed away and she'd graduated college.

****

Okay, stop here. Matthew ordered. The gun dropped as the car came to a halt in front of the police station. You're going to go in there and see if they have any files on Sherry or her case.

The building was closed for the night. At this time, the only one who would be on duty would be the receptionist and a few spare officers in case the local college kids decided to get drunk and play mailbox baseball. It'd happened to Old Man Judd a few times back in their high school days.

Matthew, there's something you need to know, Kelly began only to get cut off and shoved out of the door.

They walked up the stone stairs towards the glass doors. Kelly opened them to find Beatrice Wilkins, the daughter of the former receptionist sitting working on the computer.

She still looked the same with her curly, red locks tied in a rather loose ponytail. Her glasses reflected the monitor in front of her.

Upon noticing Kelly, Beatrice stopped typing and looked up at her. Well, hush my mouth. Kelly Easley, is that you?

Yes. It's me. Kelly's face flushed red. How've you been? I hadn't seen you since we graduated.

Beatrice smiled a wide smile. I've been alright. Decided to stay here once my dad's health went south.

What the hell do you think you're doing?! How are we supposed to find Sherry if all you two're doing is chatting? Kelly could hear Matt growing more and more angry behind her.

Kelly looked over her shoulder covertly to keep Beatrice from getting too confused. Matt's fists were balled at his hips. The gun remained in the pocket of his jeans. She was so distracted, she wasn't able to focus on Beatrice going on about her failed attempt at college or how much she hated still being in such a small town.

In attempt to keep Matt from getting anymore angry, Kelly politely interjected. Do you happen to know what happened to the school after they closed it?

I think it's still there. From what I understand, there's not really any plans in the works to do anything with it just yet. Guess the mayor wants to see if it's really worth the town's efforts to salvage. Beatrice said before attempting to go back on her rambling.

Kelly thanked her and told her she was glad to see her again and then turned to leave without another word.

****

The hell was that! You didn't even ask anything about Sherry! Are you trying to get yourself shot, is that it? Matt yelled in the small confines of the car. He pushed the barrel of the gun in Kelly's side.

Matt, one way or another, I'm going to make you understand what's going on, okay. If you want to shoot me, shoot me. Otherwise, listen to me. Once again, Kelly was cut off with more yelling.

The night was brisk with the promise of yet another fall rain. The colors of the leaves this time of year always meant so much to Kelly. She recalled when she and Matt, Sherry, and a few others all got together to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and then go trick-or-treating like the characters did in the movie. The tradition carried into their teenage years out of pure fun.

Kelly stopped the car in front of the school. It was late in the night and she knew she only had a short amount of time to make sure she got her point across to Matt. She only hoped she could last through her own pain stabbing at her heart.

Where are we? Matt asked, only to stop as the sight became more familiar. Is this the school? Why is it so rundown and abandoned?

Without a word, Kelly took Matt up the stairs and into the main hallway. The principal's office lay on the right just as they walked into the double glass doors now littered with dust and some flora which had begun to grow.

The whole place seemed almost ethereal.

The nurse's office door swung open on a loosening latch aged and rusted by years of neglect. Kelly could almost hear the voices of the students as she walked through the halls.

The sound of rubber skidding across the floors as the shuffles of multiple sneakers belonging to students who were running late were almost fresh in her mind as if it had only been yesterday.

Matt walked ahead of Kelly into the hallway leading to the science rooms. A giant glass case with multiple trophies from all of the teams in the school lay behind it, mounted on redwood now rotting at the edges and chipping away.

The once treasured player of the basketball ran his hand over the glass, a look of confusion melted the anger as his eyes scanned the photo of his team. They'd won the championship the year of his accident as an homage to him.

Kelly, what's going on? I'm really confused. Why is the building so torn and neglected? Matthew's voice trembled as his eyes met hers.

They closed the school after the class of 15'. So many people began leaving the town they didn't see a reason to keep it open. The mayor began to lose hope the town would even survive so they just left the building and closed the district. Now, kids go to the next county to go to school.

15? Wasn't that three years after us? Matt questioned. His face now dripping with sweat and crimson from the rage welling its way back up inside of him. He ran his hands through his hair and walked away from the case.

Kicking at the remnants of a brick on the floor, he cursed multiple times under his breath. Kelly only watched in pain as he paced. Her memories once again plaguing her already fragile mental state.

****

In high school, they'd nearly taken their friendship further and become a couple. Each one knew how they felt about each other long before they even began life as freshmen.

Matt's dreams were to obtain a scholarship through his basketball career and become a doctor so he could leave the town as soon as possible. He and Kelly spent many hours almost every Friday just talking at the local coffee shop so she knew his dreams as well as he did.

She wanted to attend college to learn how to work in real estate in the city and gain a nice steady life for her future husband and children. However, soon, Kelly became aware of certain gifts she had. Dreams became visions. Visions became reality and eventually, unknowingly, she began to push Matt away.

Somehow, Kelly managed to keep her secret even from her