Return to Century Hill

Description

Return to Century Hill – Mychael Black

Century Hill 2

After a disastrous Halloween at the abandoned Century Hill Sanatorium, Shannon Malone swore he’d never go back. That all changes when he realizes something followed him home. When things take a dramatic, terrifying turn in his friendship with Trey Mathers, Shannon knows something sinister is going on. A chance phone call leads him to Sean Jeffries, a priest and member of the local paranormal investigation group. Shannon joins the group at Century Hill, despite Sean’s protests, determined to find answers and put an end to the nightmare.

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EXCERPT:

“Holy shit…”

They pulled up to a stop outside a rusting gate overgrown with vines. To the left, set into the crumbling stone wall, was a discolored metal plaque, the words “Century Hill Sanatorium” barely readable. Beyond the gate, the hospital itself loomed. The white stone building towered over its grounds, imposing and sinister. Shannon shivered, barely noticing the headlights flash in the side mirror when the others pulled up behind them.

“Welcome to hell,” he muttered.

“Yeah.” Trey jumped when the truck started rocking and bouncing, then came laughter. “Goddamn it, asshole!” He glared out Shannon’s window at Darin. He flipped the fucker off and pointed at the gate. “Open it.”

Darin returned the gesture and went around to the front of the truck. He searched for a moment, then turned around and shrugged. Trey rolled down his window and stuck his head out a little.

“There’s gotta be a way to open it.”

“The call box,” Shannon said quietly.

“Huh? What good is that gonna do with no one in there to open the gate?”

“Just try it.”

Trey rolled his eyes and motioned for Darin. When Darin came over, Trey said, “try the call box.”

“You’re shitting me, right?”

“Just do it, man.”

Sighing dramatically, Darin stalked over to the rusting box with its front missing. He reached out slowly and pressed the button. “Uh… open the gate?” Sparks shot out of the box, and he hopped backward. “Holy shit! That thing’s still got juice?” His face lost its color when metal groaned and grated on metal. Stumbling back, past the driver’s side truck door, he stared as the gate opened.

“Voila,” Shannon said.

Trey didn’t answer. Soon as Darin was back in his car, Trey pulled forward onto the circular gravel driveway. He shut the truck off in front of the building. Vines framed the doors and crawled up the walls, disappearing into several windows.

“Well, shall we?” He grinned over at Shannon. “I swear: nothing will happen, man.”

Shannon nodded and got out.

Trey got out as well. Leaning against the door frame, he stared up at the dilapidated mental hospital. “So what did you say happened here?”

Allison, jacket in hand, stood beside the truck and glanced up. “Little bit of everything, I guess. Some nutzo doc experimenting, patient deaths—”

“Lobotomies, trepanning, shock treatment, forced sterilization, at least one forced abortion, hydrotherapy…” Shannon looked at each of them in turn. “Should I go on?”

“Jesus. What are you—some kind of walking encyclopedia of creepiness?” Jacque asked him.

Darin laughed and slapped Shannon on the back. “Lighten up, man. We’re just gonna camp out in the main room, drink, party, and fuck amidst all the ghosts and ghouls.”

Trey stepped back and closed his door. “Let’s get to it!”

Laughing, Allison led the way up the front steps and pulled out the set of old keys she’d swiped from her dad’s office. The old man bought the place not long after the movie came out in theaters. Allison unlocked the door and pushed it open. Paint cracked, and the right metal door gave way to blackness. For a moment, they all just stood there, no one taking that first step into the place they’d grown up hearing horror stories about.

“All right, kiddies,” Darin said, putting on his usual bravado. “Let’s do this.” He walked through the door. A few seconds later, Jacque and Allison followed him.

“You okay?” Trey glanced over at Shannon. Shannon nodded. “After you, then,” Trey said with a wave of his hand toward the door.

The effort behind that first step was more than Shannon wanted to admit. Already, he was sensing something, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. The place wasn’t dormant, in terms of spirit activity, but it wasn’t quite as active as he’d expected. He was relieved, to say the least. Maybe all he’d get was a sensation or two. It would be nice for a change to not have someone show him how they died.