The Town that was Never There

After driving for a while, the team came upon where the town should be, however this is nothing as they remember. Instead of the tall buildings and clean streets the town is littered with debris and old burnout collapsing buildings. "Guys." Drew said as he looked upon the rubble. "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know, let me check something." Sam pulled out her phone to see if she had a signal, she did but only a faint one. She scrolled to her search engine and typed the same of the town in. Luckily, the sign she remembered seeing the name of the town earlier when she first entered it. She continued to read as Terry drove on, arriving at the hotel they stayed at before.

The building was nothing more than a dusty shell, a frame of charred wood and rusty warped metal. "Did you find anything Sam?" Drew asked, concerned by what he was seeing.

Sam just silently continued to stare at her phone. Her fingers touching the screen scrolling as she read.

"Sam?" Drew asked again, only louder in an attempt to snap her out of her trance.

Terry just sat in the driver's seat looking at the rumble outside. He did not turn the van off, fearing that it would not start like last time and they would be caught in another creepy situation.

Sam finally spoke. "It says the town was burned to the ground a hundred years ago." She explained. "Apparently the same cult that committed mass suicide, burned the town on the same night. People never rebuilt the town because they felt that it was cursed, I don't know what's going on, but this appears to be the real state of the town, what we saw before was an illusion. We were most likely in the demon's trap as soon as we entered town."

"So, the priest, the clerk, and the cop?" Drew asked.

"Yeah they most likely all died a hundred years ago and were trapped in some sort of loop by the demon." Sam said.

"Terry don't want no part of this place anymore!" Terry said as he got out of the van. "Now where the hell is the damn camera so Terry can get the hell on up out of here?!"

"I guess he is scared again." Sam laughed.

"Yeah, to be honest I am too." Drew said. "Let's go help him find the camera." Saying that Drew exited the van and Sam followed him. They followed Terry into the building and looked around. The lack of a roof and sunshine provided them with plenty of light to search.

Terry found the Camera off in the corner of the room. "Found it!" He yelled as he picked it up.

"Wait if the camera is out here, does that mean this is where we really slept?" Drew asked aloud.

"Please don't ask those questions." Sam said. "I really don't want to know the answers. The thought of myself standing naked in an open room acting like I'm taking a shower does not amuse me."

"Good point." Drew replied. "Let us not speak of this again."

"I agree." Sam said. "Alright let's head out!" She yelled as she turned and headed back to the van. Drew followed along with Terry who was now carrying the camera.

They got back into the van and started driving back to the highway. Eventually they reach the exit to get back onto the highway, however the exit is blocked. Barricades, and signs saying [Dead End] and [No Entry] block their path. "These weren't here before, right?" Drew asked.

"No, they weren't Drew." Sam replied. "But I guess they were, I don't know. Everything is so confusing, just how much influence over this area did that demon have?"

"Regardless we need to move these out of the way so we can get back on the highway." Drew said as he opened his door. Terry opened his as well and the two of them went to clear the path for the van. After an hour of intense labor trying to move the barricades an unwelcome sight greeted them from behind. A state trooper pulled into the grass near them with his lights flashing.

"Just what do you boys think you're doing?" The trooper asked as he got out of his cruiser. "Can't you read the signs?" He took a closer look at their van and noticed the logo to the television show that they hosted. "Oh, I see. You bunch are more of them paranormal investigators. Odd though I normally catch your kind trying to break into the area, not break out. So, I am to assume you all went to that ranch and town?"

"Well it's a long story really." Drew started.

"I will take that as a yes." The officer said as he pulled his gun and aimed it at the men. "You are under arrest! Drop down to the ground and place your hands behind your back." He noticed Sam in the van and yelled at her as well. "You in the van exit slowly with your hands up!" He picked up the radio on his chest. "I got three spook chasers here trying to leave the quarantine zone, I need a containment unit and a tow truck."

The radio answered back. "Roger that. Sending a containment squad and a tow truck to your location, estimated time of arrival, fifteen minutes."

The officer turned his attention back to the trio. "So, was this your stupid idea, or your studios?" He said. "Not that it matters, we have a strict protocol in place about anyone who enters that area and attempts to exit it. Of course, you three are the first we have ever seen exit it, which is why we are going to have a nice long chat back at the station."

"Sorry guys." Drew said. "I didn't know this adventure was going to turn out like this. First the demon, now the police. I don't see how this can get worse."

"Stop fucking saying that!" Sam yelled. "Every time you say that it gets worse!"