(click here for previous part) Blackout at Cherry Estates:  Part VI Michael was standing at the edge of an abyss.  He rocked on his heels, waves of vertigo crashing over his mind.  He put out a hand to steady himself and stifled a yelp of shock.  His fingers brushed against Catherine's jacket. At his touch, his girlfriend looked back at him in concern.  "Are you all right?" Sweat beaded on his brow.  "Fine," he breathed.  "Fine.  Just lost my

(click here for previous part) Blackout at Cherry Estates:  Part V They moved like kindergarteners, all linked hand-to-hand, Pat in the lead, Michael in the rear, Ashley and Catherine squeezed in the middle.  Pat held his flashlight out before them, cutting into the darkness like Moses parting the red sea.  Ashley still had her can of pepper spray on hand, but she kept that to herself.  The incident with Mrs. Watts had left her cautious.  Ashley had no way of

(click here for previous part) Blackout at Cherry Estates:  Part IV Pat slowly withdrew his hand from the impossibility that had drawn itself over the threshold like a curtain.  He held his fingers up to himself tentatively, as though he were apprehensive they would fall off or sprout tendrils or something.  But nothing happened. It was Catherine, rocking back on forth on the floor, who broke the silence first.  "Are we in Hell?" Pat seemed to seriously consider

(click here for previous part) Blackout at Cherry Estates:  Part III "Mrs. Watts?" Ashley called once more, in spite of her growing surety that the old lady was in no condition to answer.  If she remained in the lobby at all. The throaty, raspy breathing that had answered Ashley's calls grated like a cement mixer full of nails.  Ashley took a step back, unconsciously, and reached under her desk for the pepper spray that was her only form of protection.  She tu

(click here for previous part) Blackout at Cherry Estates:  Part II Monica Ellis had always had an irrational fear of the dark.  At least, that's what her friends called it:  irrational.  To her, it seemed perfectly reasonable.  For starters, it meant being unable to see where you were going.  That meant – at best – stubbed toes, bruised kneecaps, jammed fingers, or all of the above.  At worst...well...who could honestly say with complete confid