The dusk filled with the ghostly echoes of wolves hiding away in the woods. Ossie opened his eyes begrudgingly.

"Faye, you won't believe the dream I just had. It was completely bonkers." He spoke groggy as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. The tips of his hair brushing against them as he tried to recalibrate his eyes. They were wet. As was the rest of him. "sorry I've gone and sweat up a storm it was so bad." He sat up and ran his hand through his hair, he still felt very drowsy, what time was it?

"Ah, your finally up! Got quite the bed HEAD chap."

Ossie's eyes grew wide; he suddenly wasn't feeling so tired. The familiar voice he recently dismissed as a nightmare insisted in joining him in reality. He took a long look to each side, only to find that trees had replaced all his furniture and belongings. A dim dark eerie light shining through. He looked down at his hands in disbelief, if only he wasn't there. Matted straw clung to him in its dampness, resilient as he tried to brush it off on his pants. Though he wished it wasn't, there was no denying that his ordeal of torment was his new life.

Jacks hat spun on his collar to gaze at him.

"Anyone ever tell you that you blabber in your sleep Cap'n?"

"Once before, yes." Ossie shook his head; he couldn't believe he was still in this situation. How many times could he lay his head to rest only to awaken in this dark fantasy. At least the sky finally showed signs of letting up on the night, giving day a chance. Maybe with it, it'd bring some luck. The storm looked as though it had finally settled, a scattered assortment of grey clouds the only remains on a navy blue back drop. Most of the stars had retired as well, settling into their final resting place.

"Well Cap, here she is. Feast your eyes on O'l Lorn Mansion, in the flesh."

Ossie gazed upon the decrepit structure that stretched upwards into the sky. A light mist shrouding the top, as if it needed help looking more blood chilling. Jack was right, it was a mess. Drooping roofs that threatened to cave in, warped walls, doors that hung from there hinges, dangling as if their life depended on it; yes, the place was a disaster. The curb appeal alone was enough to make any master house renovator cry; no doubt the inside would hold greater challenges. Ossie examined the yard as the wagon creaked up between two rusting gates, being swallowed by vines. The very plant life seeming to have a desire to drag down any memory of the Lorn family. The yard was covered in weeds, not even graced with uniformity, as it only contained spontaneous patches of dead grass, the rest of it dirt. He was surprised to see it didn't have any tombstones sticking out, all it was missing was its own personal cemetery. They must have kept it out back, he joked to himself. Yes, judging by its looks it couldn't be anything but haunted. An eerie howl rang through the night once more, though this time closer than before.

"Well sir it's been a pleasure, but this here's your stop. If ya still think you're up to the task. If not, now's the time to turn tail cap?

"Well Goldwyn's aren't known to back down. I think I'll be fine thank you."

The cart came to a stop and Ossie climbed down, his feet partially sinking into the mud. Great. He flipped through his wallet looking for a bill to hand Jack for all his trouble. He usually kept it decently stocked, generally having one of each bill on his person. The exception this time being the hundred-dollar bill that he had gave to "Cristopher Walken" previously.

"This cover it?" Ossie asked, presenting a Fifty.

"Well gosh captain that's mighty fine, but there's no need to pay me."

"I insist."

"Well okay if ya insist'n and such I'll happily take it." Jack swiped the money with his bony gloved hand, depositing it into his metal tin. Ossie taking note that it was empty, once full of biscuits now a tiny empty coffin; except for the fresh payment he had deposited. He couldn't shake the ominous feeling he received when Jack acquired his tribute, fresh visions of Charon coming back to him. Was he more like the undead ferryman, or the headless rider of sleepy hollow, it was hard to say. He remembered the little treasure box had been filled with cookies when Jack had offered him one. When had Jack eaten them all? He couldn't recall him swallowing a single one.

Ossie jumped in shock. Jacks steed reared up fussing in its bridle.

"There, there." The conductor whispered, attempting to comfort the black horse. He used one hand to caress the beast while using the other to maintain control on the reigns.

"Well somethings got old Styx spooked, guess it's time for us to HEAD on back."

Figures Ossie thought, this man is just full of coincidences... "Do you have a business card? You know, should I need a ride back?"

Jacks shoulders shook violently, his hat threatening to fall off as his laughter escaped into the creeping dawn. "What? Like a calling card captain?" he snickered some more trying to contain himself. "Don't worry. When your time comes, I'll be back for you."

An uneasiness crept across Ossie, as the mist grew thicker around them. The very ground seemed to steam from the fresh rain. There was the snap of Jacks reigns, the braying of Styx, and then the ghostly cart creaked off. Ossie watched as it slowly trudged off through the mud.

"Oh one more thing-" Jacked stood up to yell facing him. "say hi to all the spooks for me would ya Cap'n?" He let out another cackle. Unaware of the trees that longed to reach him. Ossie had opened his mouth to shout a warning, but it was to late, the low branches had found what they were searching for. It took him with such force that it was as though the tree advanced on him, and not the other way around. He took a step preparing to aid Jack, freezing instead, as the top hat removed itself from its person. It landed in the mud rocking slightly before coming to rest in front of his feet. The hat lay on the dank earth, every bit as hollow as its owner.

"Blimey! That was a close shave. Wouldn't wanta do that again, almost darn near lost my HEAD!" Jack continued his acts of hysteria doubling over, putting one hand on his knee. Ossie failed to see the joke, there was no humor to be found. There was no pun. You couldn't lose what you didn't have. That nagging mystery that had surfaced upon meeting him had finally been solved. Jack Hollow stood atop his black wagon, laughing hysterically; and the horseman was headless.

Ossie wanted to blame the mist, that dreary fog that hung around, clinging to his very being, but the facts were too much to ignore. His eyes screamed to him, that what he was seeing was true. He stared frozen, even after Jack had disappeared. His laughter and empty top hat, was all that remained of the phantasm. Than all grew quiet.

He was alone, left to wonder, to stare in disbelief. So that was what he did for a solid five minutes, until his knee grew sore and his back begged him for better rest. Sleeping in that headless horseman's hearse had made his body ache. No surprise this grim rider's carriage failed to rejuvenate him. It was time to retire and find a warm place with a bed. Ossie turned to face the mansion, Lorn Mansion. That's when he heard it. That stalking howl. It was sharp, menacing, hostile, but most notable of all it was closer than before. A figure emerged from the mist that emanated from around the mansion.

"Hello."

The person ignored him, or at least what he assumed was a man did.

"Excuse me, my name is Ossie Godwyn."

The image shifted and Ossie's heart sunk. Why? Why, was he seeing these things? Was there no end to his hallucinations, to his phantoms. The person crouched down moving on all fours, perhaps it wasn't a man, maybe it wasn't even human. It could be possible he was imagining things. Ossie weighed the odds of pretending that it was normal, maybe if he did, it would become so.

The creature cautiously stalked closer.

"Sir are you okay?"

Its response was a grunt, or was it a growl. The two entered a standoff each sized up the other. To Ossie it appeared human, but not human. To the unknown creature he must have appeared as easy prey. It lunged towards him. He took a step back and then a second. Maybe it was a person who was injured and needed help, crawling to its rescuer. It could be some young hooligan playing a prank. Or maybe this lupine creature could turn out to be just as kind, and unusual as everyone else he met that night. If he stood his ground, it'd be likely that it'd back down. No. It would certainly kill him.

Ossie spun around in an all-out sprint. He ran down the trail that had lead him to that pestilent house, stumbling through mud. The adrenaline was the only thing propelling him forward, that and the will to live. He chanced a frantic glance back, the beast was closing in on him. It appeared to run half hazardously on all fours, that or it tripped just as he did, only it was much better and faster at recovering. Ossie slipped, twisting as he made his way to the ground, but managing to catch himself last second. Not taking time to correct his course he simply headed straight, dipping into the woods. any direction that wasn't his pursuers would do at this point. He ran recoiling off trees, a hectic pinball in a forest of uncertainty.

He had aspirations of reconnecting with Jack but instead became hopelessly turned around. He stumbled on, not sure where he was heading, but anywhere was better than there. He no longer looked back, he no longer knew if it still followed, his own breathing and crashing was drowning out any other noise he might have heard, dimming his senses.

He had to know, Ossie turned his head to look over his shoulder, he grunted as a tree caught him. He tried to regain his footing but the mud had designs of its own. Ossie hit the ground rolling, his grasping hands finding only mud and slippery objects. None of which he could keep hold of. Finally, he slid to a stop. Most of his body felt damp, his right side however, felt drenched all over again, a noise rushed through his head. No, crashed. He was dizzy, sore, disorientated. All to the point that he wasn't even sure if he hadn't hit his head. Ossie scanned upwards to where he had taken his spill. It was a steep hill with enough rocks to make it possible.

The noise in his mind continued, it felt as though he was half submerged. He turned his head, a torrent of water pouring down on him. He gasped for air, straightening his body as best he could, trying to keep his neck above water. He had landed himself in a creek. The stream pulled at him, longing to ferry him to another world, the night's heavy rain invigorating its hungry spirit.

A calm despair found its way into his mind, the mud bed was soft at least, almost comfortable. He gazed upwards into the trees. Strangely relaxed for the first time in what was a stream of peculiar and unsettling events. Then something caught his eye. A small glimmer of gold. It appeared to be some sort of handkerchief that twinkled as it rustled in the wind.

A howl broke the water, and with it, all serenity. He looked up just in time to see the man sprint away from where he had previously watched. Perhaps looking for a safer way down to claim its victim. Ossie wondered what would be worse as the current tugged on him, drowning or being eaten alive. Both thoughts scared him but there was little he could do. He was powerless. Yet somehow this eased him. The lack of having to be responsible, of having no choice seemed... liberating. His eyes closed, as his body became weightless, a floating sensation filling his whole being. Aww, it would be drowning.

There was the rapid scuffling of feet, and the rush of water. Would he sink, or would he be ripped from his liquid captor and torn to pieces? A long howl hung in the air somewhere above the surface, and what Ossie thought might have been braying. Just as well, how fitting to be greeted in this river by Styx. He could feel himself slipping out of consciousness. Maybe he did hear it. Jack did say he would be back... when his time came.

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Breaking the trance. As I write this, I assume not many have come this far. id like to thank all who have and those who tried. As always, don't forget to comment and interact with each other or myself. Feel free to share your thoughts on the chapter, did you like it, hate it, want to drown me over it? (If you read you understand that reference) But really, all feed back is appreciated ;) hope I get the chance to welcome you back.