Click on the image below for the audio book: 

https://youtu.be/K3PEsX6YO8E

Later that afternoon just as the nurse wheeled in a hospital tray filled with a congealed mess, he was relieved to find out that he wasn't going to have to eat it. 

As luck would have it, all the tests had come back negative. It really wasn't a tumor.

The strange doctor had spoken to them just before the tray had arrived, and had explained that as far as he was concerned it had been an isolated incident and that it was perfectly safe to take him home, he was also confident that after a full nights sleep Zach would be free to resume his normal activities. 

When his dads questioned the diagnosis the doctor alleviated their concerns by suggesting that   they keep a close eye on their son and should there be a repeat incident they could feel free to return him post haste, (he actually used that word), but since all the tests confirmed his diagnosis, that their son was a perfectly healthy teenage boy, then they could feel free to go home and celebrate a very happy outcome, and then he had done the weirdest thing and kissed both Matt and Chris on both cheeks after shaking their hands.

His dads took him home, and they celebrated his good health by ordered Chinese food and eating it on the living room floor while watching an episode of The Voice prerecorded on the PVR. His dads joked that no one in their right mind could resist the witty repartee of the lovely Adam Levine and the very sexy Blake Shelton -- The love hate bromance of the century.

Afterward, Zach's dads sent him to bed when they noticed him struggling to keep his eyes open. He gave them both a big hug that was returned with full gusto from both guys before he staggering up the stairs and literally crashed on his king size bed. He was asleep even before his head hit the pillow and dreaming about strange doctors and weird eyes watching him in the dark before he knew it. 

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Hours later . . .

Zach woke with a jolt. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach and for some reason he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. Every hair on his head was standing on end and a nervous shiver ran through his stiff muscles. He turned slowly to see that the red numbers on the alarm clock radio read 11:50 pm.

He tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but the uneasy feeling wouldn't go away and to top it off he was starting to shiver. His room felt like someone had just opened the window or a door to the October night. 

Reaching tentatively toward the bedside lamp he pulled the cord, and a dull glow lit the center of the room leaving the corners cast in dim shadows.

Zach's gaze did a quick sweep of the room just to double check he was indeed alone, but when he cast his eyes to the corner nearest the door, he felt his heart skip a beat just before it started madly trying to flutter all the way up his throat. 

He clutched his chest; it was the only thing he could think to do to keep his heart from beating a rapid retreat out of his mouth.

Oh My God! someone was in his room.  A dark figure lurked in the corner closest to the door.

Zach sat bolt upright in the bed poised for flight. "Who's there?" He called timidly across the darkened space, his eyes squinting in the dim light. Try as he may he could not get a better look at the menacing figure.

Was he dreaming, did someone break in, was it a friggin' ghost?! His mind reeled with the possibilities. 

He didn't know what to do. His mouth felt dry and his palms began to sweat. 

In his confusion, there was only one thing he knew for sure . . . in this craziest of moments . . . there was no way in Hell he was going to try to run past the thing. Was he too old to scream for his dads? 

Just when he decided that he was damn well not . . . his best friend Lauren stepped out of the shadows, and he nearly fainted with relief.

That's when he noticed her eyes where as big as saucers, and she started waving her hands in front of her frantically before urgently whispering in a hushed tone, "Zach don't scream. I can explain, but there isn't much time. They'll come for you at midnight."

He didn't know what to think, but he knew how to feel. 

"WHAT THE HOLY HELL Lauren! You scared the shit out of me," he ground out angrily. "What do you mean they'll come for me at midnight? Who's coming for me? "

Lauren winced and made a loud shushing noise as she waved her arms frantically, pleading, "Zach you've got to be quiet. We can't wake your dads."

"Please just trust me," she begged, looking around nervously before adding, "I'm not even supposed to be here, but I just can't let you go through this alone."

"Oh my God Lauren! You're scaring me, can you just please explain?" He reached a shaking hand out to her and she rushed over to clutch it protectively.

She whispered, "Maybe I shouldn't have come. I'm obviously not making you feel less scared," and laughed nervously.

Lauren reached out to reassure him and said with conviction, "Just know this: I won't let anything happen to you and I'm going to be by your side the whole time." 

With that being said she let out a nervous breath and turned to face the wall nearest his door like she was waiting for something.

That's when it happened, Zach could feel it dance across his skin. An electric hum permeated the dark space making all his hairs on his body stand up. He smelled the strange smell of ozone and swore he could even hear a crackling sound.

He clutched Lauren's arm in terror whilst feeling like an insult to men across the globe. He should be protecting her, but how could he, when he had no idea what he was supposed to be protecting her from?

With trembling limbs, he extricated himself from the bed clothes, thanking God above he'd fallen asleep with his clothes on. He was thinking he wouldn't want to have to fight in his boxers when a beam of light appeared on the far wall. He watched in fascination and abject horror as it grew until it was the same size as his actual door frame.

Lauren turned to him and pleaded, "Zach just let me do all the talking. Everything is going to be okay. I promise." But if that was really true then why was she placing him behind her protectively like Cam had done to Megan earlier today?

His knees nearly buckled with fear when two fully armed men dressed all in black, with guns in holsters, and knives strapped to their thighs, and effin' swords strapped around their waists entered his room through the magical doorway  -- wait what . . . MAGICAL doorway?

Ah shit, screw this! He thought, and tried with all his might to scream for his dads, but he could only mouth the words. He was horrified to find no sound came out.

Lauren stepped forward, and after waving her hand in a weird way, she stated emphatically to the now advancing menace, "I'm going with him."

The warriors remained unimpressed; stoically they blocked the door with their giant bodies and crossed arms, looking fierce as shit and ten times more intimidating then anyone he'd ever met, but to his surprise his best friend didn't back down. She stood her ground as she growled out, "Did you hear me? I'm going with him!"

The bigger and apparently gruffer of the two spoke up and growled back, "You know full well that the council won't approve of this."

When the other warrior came forward to whisper something in the gruff guys ear Zach tried to get in front of Lauren, but she threw her arm out like an overprotective mom at the mall and to his complete surprise he couldn't move. He was frozen in space and time.

Great! Not only was he dumbstruck, but now he couldn't move. And the absolute worst part about it was that he was pretty sure it was Lauren that had caused it. She was so going to pay for this later -- if there was a later.

His friend stood up to her full height, which was comically only slightly half of their gigantic frame, and jutting out her chin defiantly, she ground out through clenched teeth, "I don't care."

But no matter how brave she appeared, he saw the glimmer of fear in her eyes.

Her bravado seemed to sway them though and the gruff one said with a sigh," It's your funeral," and smoothly stepped aside.

The other one piped in and added, "She's a tough little nugget. She'll make a valuable addition to our ranks someday."

And as he swept his arm out in invitation, Zach found he could move again. With a sigh of relief he took Lauren's tiny hand in his and let her lead the way. 

Before cresting the frame, Zach's heart did a sick little flip flop in his rib cage, as a wave of fear crept down his spine and seemed to come to rest in the pit of his stomach. He had no clue what was on the other side of the door, but he had a really good idea . . .

. . .  he wasn't going to like it.

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This Chapter is dedicated to my greatest supporter right now. Thanks @Csteptoe. You're the greatest.

Hey readers thanks for reading and voting for Zach's story. Keep it up and keep following me too you are going to love where this story is going.

I hope you like the extra chapter today. I will upload another tomorrow as planned. 

*****IF YOU LIKED IT PLEASE VOTE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, and ADD TO YOUR LIBRARY*****

Much love 

From here on out things are going to get HELLA exciting for Zach and the gang. 

SO stay tuned.

You guys are the best.

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