Brian blinked, well at least he didn't say I'm going to eat you cooked medium rare. Brian stayed where he was to be on the safe side.

Kevin laughed frivolously,"Oh don't be scared bloke, come here."

Brian took small cautious steps toward Kevin. Brian grimaced when he got closer to Kevin and saw the deeply imprinted scales and green skin on one side of his face. The other side of his face, was the one of his cousin's. Brian shook his head, If you had only let us try to leave when we had wanted to.

"Stir that mixture over there lad,"Kevin gestured to a glass beaker.

Brian shrugged and picked up the stirring rod.

"Gently now old chap, don't want it to get unstable. I'm still working on that potion you know," Kevin chatted with Brian as if Brian had just been there yesterday sitting in the parlor having tea and discussing things.

"Potion?"Brian looked at Kevin and looked back regretting ever glancing over. He couldn't stand to look at his cousin's ruined face.

"Oh yes, the one that is supposed to cleanse the evil and impure side of human nature out of ones system," Kevin said.

"Um... No Kev... You know that stuff doesn't work right?"Brian said.

"Kevin? Oh lad, you know that it is not proper manners for a boy of your age to be calling me by my first name, Dr. Richardson."

"Boy? I'm 21! And you're 24! Kev, snap out of it! You're my cousin!"

"Is that mixture almost done old chap?"asked Kevin ignoring Brian.

"You better not let him drink it Brian," said a voice.

"Yeah I know Nick, but how am I... Nick? Crazy mummy Nick? Man, I done already told you, that you ain't eating me today!"Brian whirled only to see nothing beside him where the voice had come from... But I thought....

"Pass that beaker here my boy,"Kevin held out a green scaly hand to Brian.

"Don't do it."

"Nick, where are you?"Brian demanded.

"Talking to yourself dear boy? Tisk, tisk, I'll have to tell your mother. I can suggest a very good doctor for you my boy. Now be a good lad and pass that beaker here."

"Toss it, man."

"What?"Brian was looking around.

"My beaker child,"Kevin shook his hand impatiently.

"What.. Oh... Uh... I think its unstable. I stirred too fast look.." Brian shook up the ingredients.

"Oh my, luckily I have spares."Kevin chuckled to himself," I am a scientist my dear boy! Now you just observe. I don't have any volunteers so I will experiment on myself." Kevin reached under his laboratory table into the cabinet. He casually swatted a rat aside and took out a red vile. He poured the contents in his chemistry set, let it gurgle with the other ingredients and poof. A pink puff of smoke, and liquid began to pour from a glass pipe into a wine glass,"Bottoms up old chap."

"Nice going hot shot! You've got 30 seconds to get out of there... Back door's open."

Brian watched his cousin drink the mess in horror, then he did as he was instructed, he ran for the exit. He could hear his cousins horrible moans and groans and glass breaking. Then he heard animalistic snarling and something getting up and beginning to run with pounding footsteps. Brian quickly made it to the back door and slammed it. He bolted it closed.

"Good work Rok, only next time when I tell you to drop something, DROP IT!"

"Nick? I'm through playing invisible man, where are you?"Brian was turning around in circles. He felt something cool on his back, he turned as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He slowly turned around to see Nick standing behind him, smiling. Nick dressed in the clothes he came here in. Red jersey, blue jeans, neat hair. Brian felt something strange about him, but still he was so happy to see him. He threw his arms around him. His arms met each other. Brian gasped and stepped away from his friend, who had lost his smile.

"I'm not really here Brian,"Nick said softly.

"But you are, you're standing right in front of me, but I can't touch you. Are you- you..?"

"I'm not dead,"Nick said firmly.

"Are you..?"

"I'm not a mummy- man either,"Nick said,"That's just a manifestation Chiros made."

"Chiros? Like Mexican food?"asked Brian scratching his head.

Nick gave Brian a "come on" look, "No, Chiros, as in demon of the house! He lured us here, Bri. He needed 5 young people and that's just what he got... Well, he hasn't gotten you yet."

"Five young people? Demon? Nicky, what are you getting at?" Brian asked.

Nick sighed,"It's hard to explain, Bri. I don't even know how I know this stuff. But this guy is like an old demon and this territory is his. There hasn't always been a castle here. He used to lure young children to these woods and he would take them and drain away their life force to feed his own, and they would become his followers."

"What?"

"Let me go on, hopefully it will make more sense this way. Um.. He made this castle after the years went by to lure travelers here, and he would drain their life force and he would take them as his own followers. Those people in the ballroom, the mummy girls, A.J.'s girlfriends, Howie's servants... All people taken by him long ago."

Brian sat down,"Keep on Nicky."

"He stopped getting travelers a few years ago. People started thinking the place was haunted and cursed and they boarded it up. Chiros had to find someway to get fed, or he would perish. He found a way, he went into the industry. He became a cab driver, he took the long way across the country side, had car trouble. People ended up here. He played a hitch hiker. He played a tour bus driver."

"To get us,"Brian said quietly.

"We've got til day break to get out Bri. It's basically an almost endless night in this place. That's why Kevin's watch was out of control, but there will be a day break. I think we still have time if you hurry."

"Hurry to do what?"Brian asked and looked at his friend.

"Hurry to get us out!"Nick said.

"You guys, but how do I... you're like?"

"We're alive. Well alive right now. Chiros has us locked downstairs in a room together. It's like we're sleeping and all dreaming those funky dreams we had last night. Except now they're real, and I think it's what we'll become if you don't get us out before time is up."

"So Kevin was right not to leave!"Brian said.

"We couldn't have left if we tried. He wants you Brian. You've angered him by getting away from him so much. He doesn't know I'm talking to you now, so you have an edge,"Nick's image flickered.

"Woa, are you ok?"Brian asked looking at Nick's image again.

"Yeah, it's hard work holding this together. I'm dreaming myself as a mummy, because Chiros is making me, but I'm also fighting to dream this too. Whatever you dream in this place is real, Bri!"

Brian stood up,"Ok, lead me to you guys."

"Chiros might be there Bri. It would actually be better if you just worried about getting yourself out. I can show you the way. Chiros never guards this exit, because it's virtually impossible to find- for someone who doesn't know where it is."

"No, Nick,"Brian said with a heavy sigh, and a sad smile, "I guess Kev and I really are related, we're both idiots who never do anything for our own good. Well, half the time anyway.."

Nick's image slumped a bit, with dread,"You sure?"

Brian gave him the look, and Nick sighed and shrugged,"This way Bri, but you can't say I didn't warn you, and I can't protect you."