Disclaimer:
Hi again. This is actually my third fanfiction but I decided to post it before I posted
"Seek and you shall find - Part II" I still haven't finished filling in the gaps and typing that one.
This story has absolutely nothing to do with my first two. It also doesn't have to do with the Manhattan Clan or any other gargoyles introduced in the "Gargoyles" Series either. So I guess I don't HAVE to give credit to Disney or Buena Vista but without them I wouldn't be writing about ANY Gargoyles.
Anyway Stephen King definitely deserves the credit. I recently read his book (The Girl who loved Tom Gordon) and saw a gargoyles' story. The characters are the same and so is the foundation of the story. I have no intention of publishing or
getting any profit from this. I saw a story inside the one I read and practically HAD to write it. Hope you guys enjoy. And I think I'm getting better at writing with each story. At least I certainly hope so.
Thanks once again to JEB for posting this. Comments welcome. E-mail address Asoleil@aol.com
 
 
 

Note: I start my story right after Patricia takes the wrong path in "The little girl who loved Tom Gordon".

She kept walking but the further she went the less familiar everything looked.

She almost turned around to walk back the way she came ... but didn't. She kept

thinking 'What if she was on the right path?' 'Mom and Pete are probably just

ahead, just walk a little further. What if I go back and end up missing them? ' By

the time she decided maybe she should go back ,it was too late. She realized she

didn't know HOW to get back. Trisha stopped walking , just take a breather.

Nothing is going to get accomplished by panicking . Finding the absolute silence

unnerving she started talking to herself out loud. "I'm not lost. I just have to find the

path again. That's easy , there must be a million paths out here right? I just have to

find one that's all". She looked around again, her eyes widening in fear. " I'm not

lost", she repeated suddenly not so sure at all. Her stomach began to feel queasy ,

like a million butterflies fluttering around and trying to get out. She began to walk

again not back to the fork in the road but continuing in direction she was headed

earlier. She looked around again, hoping for anything familiar anything at all.

Nothing just trees and more trees. Why did she never notice how big

this forest was before. Trees, trees, trees and more trees. Damn and Blast.

Her chest felt as if it was constricted, like someone to a vice and was using it to

squeeze her lungs tighter and tighter. Trisha's stomach continued to swim. That

feeling you get just before you vomit. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think and

every step she took felt weighted down. Just one thought was repeated over and

over in her mind and the further she went the more persistent the voice became. I'm

lost, I'm lost, I'm lost , over and over like a chant, I'm lost ,I'm lost.

Once when she was younger she had wandered away from her mother. Just for an

instant before she was found but even then it was scary. This was that feeling

multiplied a thousand times over. It had begun to get darker. ' How long have I been

out here?' The mosquitoes circled around her head, hands, arms , anyplace they

could, getting thicker and thicker as the day wore on. She waved them away

almost unconsciously. Suddenly she had the feeling that someone was watching

her. She stopped walking and looked around carefully. " H h hello?" she asked her

voice betraying her fear. She desperately wanted someone to come out and find her

.... yet at the same time she didn't want some stranger out here with her.

Sometimes people weren't nice or helpful they were just plain sick. Since before

she could talk she was taught Strangers equal danger; Don't talk to

them; get into their cars; or take anything from them. "Is anyone there." she

called out her voice a little bit stronger . " I'm lost. Can you help me? Please is

there someone there?" A bush began to shake gently and she took and involuntary

step backward. The light had faded to a grayish hue , making it harder to see. Her

hands began to shake and she took another step backward as an ear appeared.

Soon the whole rabbit step out of the bush , for that was what it was. She exhaled

deeply , not even realizing until that very moment that she even had been holding

her breath. It came out in a barely audible whimper , a cross between her extreme

relief and disappointment. She giggled to herself , a sign of her sheer exhaustion '

with my luck today. Somebody probably will find me ...........a complete Psycho.' It

wasn't really funny at all.

CRACK
Her head whipped around . What was that? And so close.
CRACK
Again! Where was that coming from? Her heart beating faster and faster , pulse

racing. She looked towards her left, finding the culprit. She had wandered a little

too close to a tree and her backpack had brushed into it . Take down the dead

branches with a crack. She started giggling again, uncontrollably. This all was just

too much. Kids get lost all the time right? They'll find me. 'Who are you kidding' a

cold little voice spoke up from inside her, ' No one's gonna find you. You're going to

stay out here until you starve , die of thirst or are eaten alive. Whatever comes first

really.' "YOU Just Shut up!" she whispered harshly to herself " I'm gon gon gonna

be fine. They'll find me" Her legs began to quake and she sunk to her knees onto

the wet ground her back supported by a tree. She crawled up into a fetal position

and did the only practical thing she could think of at the moment. She cried.
 
 
 
 
 

Eventually Trisha cried herself to sleep . It was pitch dark by now , the moon

partially blocked by all the trees. The only sounds that could be heard were the

occasional hoot of an owl , the chirping of crickets and breathing. The soft

regulated breathing of Trisha and ............. of another. The special thing. The thing

that had been watching her earlier and wondering what was this strange creature

that found her way into the the heart of the forest. His forest. And what should her

do about her? The thing watched her for awhile more and then slowly lumbered

away.
 
 

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPP BBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPP

the steady mechanical beating of a helicopter. And the sound of her mom bellowing

over a loud speaker "TRISHA .CAN YOU HEAR ME? WHERE ARE YOU?

PATRICIA!!!!!" "I'm here I'm right here. Mommy I'm right here Come and get me .

Please I don't like the woods anymore. I hate the woods." Unheedingly her mother

passed right by her still screaming her name. "No no no no. Don't go I'm right here.

I'm here. Mommy please. " The voices got further and further away. The passed

her. She was never found.
 

"I'm HERE. I'm HERE!!!!" she screamed shrilly . Nine year old Patricia

McFarland awoke shaking and streaming with sweat from that nightmare and

straight into a real one. She sat up. It took her a moment to realize where she was.

Not the safe confines of a bed but the cold unfriendliness of the woods. Something

was crawling on her skin. She looked down and was horrified to find her normally

smooth skin a valley of bumps and hills. A swarm of mosquitoes, noseeums, and

every other kind of biting bug there was had apparently attacked her during the

night. Her eyes were nearly swollen shut from crying and bug bites. She felt, sore ,

lonely , scared, and extremely tired. And to top it all off she was hungry, starving

actually. A burst of inspiration hit her and she remembered her backpack. FOOD!!

Yes! She grabbed her pack and dumped the contents onto the ground.

A walkman, 'I forgot I brought that' , her poncho ............ There: A tuna fish

sandwich, a pack of Twinkies, a boiled egg and potato chips (a rather small bag of

potato chips), A large bottle of water and a bottle of Surge. The only upside to this

horrible day, only it wasn't just a day now was it? She had spent the whole night

out here. They should have found her by now. 'But the won't Trisha. The only thing

that's going to find you are the maggots that'll feed on your dead body', the cold

voice spoke up savagely. The image of just that suddenly presented itself and for a

split second she believed it wholeheartedly. "You Just SHUT UP!!" she screamed,

shivering from the thought. A crow that had been roosting on the tree above her

took off in flight, shouting a loud angry caw at her before going. Trisha looked down

at her lunch, the swirl of her stomach feeling less like hunger the longer she stared

down at it. She could still see the cold, slimy little bodies squirming around her.

She could almost feel them. little creatures made of nothing but an eternally

hungry mouth and a white body. Trisha shuddered again and clasped her hand over

her mouth. She rushed up ,flinging the contents of her backpack off her lap. She

stumbled about 20 feet before vomiting over everything. She shivered again and

stood up, careful not to get any of it on her. She reached up and wiped the sweat

off her face. Her forehead felt hot and sticky. She shivered again only this time she

didn't think it was out of disgust. AHCHOO. A sneeze racked through her body.

Great. She had a cold too. Trisha sat back down next to the tree, leaning her back

on it. She looked at the food again and opted for water instead. She gulped down

half the bottle before she realized if she was going to be out here awhile she'd

probably need to stay on rations.' but I don't want to stay here any longer, I want to

go home' she thought. " Now Just stop that" she whispered to herself harshly. "

Listen to yourself, sitting here and feeling sorry for yourself." She sighed and took

on a calmer tone. "What did they tell me to do if I ever get lost? Ask a policeman

for help. Yeah right that applies" She snarled " Find a telephone." she sighed " That

won't work either. What else?........... Water leads out people. Where did I hear that

one before? Doesn't matter there's no water around here." She looked around her

again feeling extremely depressed. She dumped her lunch back into her pack "I

don't think I'm going to be able to eat this right now." she said out loud to herself.

Besides, even the thought of walking anywhere was ludicrous. Somehow just

talking out loud to herself though made her feel better. It made her feel

more.......there. Trisha took her poncho out of the bag and placed it behind her

head as a makeshift pillow, Grabbed her walkman and turned it on. At first nothing

but static.' Please let it work, Please let it work, Please let it work.' she prayed

silently. Right now it was the only contact with the outside world that she had.

PSSSSSST PSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTT PSSSSSSSSTTTTTT

She shook the cord and banged on the bottom. PSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTT more

static. "Come on you stupid thing. Just let one thing go right. Please!!" She hit it

again harder this time. ".....partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 73. This is.." '

OH thank you' she thought tears welling up in her eyes again. She sat and

listened to her radio for a good three hours before she fell to sleep

" I'm sorry Mrs. McFarland..." " It's Ms. Andersen now." Patricia's mother broke in

sadly " Ms. Andersen then..... There still isn't any sign of her. We're going to

expand our search tomorrow morning to include a 8 mile radius. I doubt a child

could walk that far. We should be able to find her...." " What do you mean you're

starting the search again tomorrow? My little girl is not spending another night out

there. Do you hear me!!!!" Ms. Andersen screamed up at him, being at least 4

inches shorter. " Lady calm down. I realize how you must feel...." " You don't know

anything. She is not spending one more single night there. NOT ONE!!!!" she

grabbed his hand and tried to wrestle the flashlight out of it. He grabbed it back and

yanked his hand away. He was hot and tired and really didn't feel like dealing with a

hysterical parent. " If I have to go out there and look for her myself..."

that's when she burst into tears Her ex-husband crossed over to her and wrapped

his arms around her shoulders, pulling her close. " OH God. My baby..." "

SHHHHH. it's ok. she'll be fine. we'll find her." She closed her eyes and laid her

head on his chest, holding on as if her life depended on it as the sun slowly sunk

and it's light faded away.
 
 

Trisha woke up again later that night. Feeling even worse, if that was possible. The

bugs were back and in full swarm . She swatted them away and put her poncho

on, that should protect her for awhile. At least the moon was out , it wasn't totally

dark. After a moment of contemplation Trisha decided that maybe that _wasn't_ a

good thing after all. The moon's light changed the real world into a scarier shadow

version of itself. The trees seemed to take on their own personalities. Dead

branches jutted out to grab her. Plants turned into ghost people ever watchful. And

the worst thing was that feeling had returned , the feeling that someone [or

something] really was watching her. "Patricia Elizabeth Mcfarland stop that right

now. There is no one watching you. " ' but isn't there Trisha?' the cold voice asked. '

are you absolutely sure about that Trisha, 'cause I don't think you are . I don't think

you're sure at all. I think deep down you know someone's watching you, watching

and waiting Trisha, waiting 'till there's no chance for you to escape. Waiting for just

the right moment to attack. waiting Trisha . Watching and waiting to ...." " You shut

up you just shut up you stupid dirty little bastard. THERE IS NOTHING OUT

HERE!!! DO YOU HEAR ME THERE IS........."

CRACK

The sound of a branch breaking echoed throughout the woods like a gunshot. Her

voice faltered and the rest of her sentence came out as a barely audible squeak.

'its probably just a chipmunk , like before ,no reason to get all worked up.' ' a

chipmunk at night Trisha? now you know better than that. It's the thing . Its coming

to get you , it's waited long enough.' the cold voice spoke up again it's voice

sounded vaguely sad but underneath that facade Trisha knew it was gloating. Look

who was right all along Trisha it said. Who told you it was coming? The smugness

and gloating wasn't the worst part though. The worst part was that deep down

Trisha knew there really was something out here. No voices coming from inside her

telling her this was so just a clear feeling . Something was out here with her.

Watching and waiting , Trisha, watching and waiting. That was it, she panicked .

There was a ___thing___ and she wasn't going to just sit there and let it eat her.

She bolted like a frightened deer running from a pack of dogs. Running faster and

faster without paying heed , faster than would have been possible under other

circumstances. What was it they said, Fear was a great motivator? Her

lungs began to scream, heaving in ragged breaths. Legs pounding against the

ground pushing off with each step wanting to take off, fly out of this god forsaken

hell hole . Get away Get away her mind chanted Get away get away. Run, Fly. Get

away. And that's just what she did. Her legs begging to stop pleading with her this

was insane just stop . Broadcasting their need throughout her body as a Sharp

throbbing pain but still she ran on. Dodging branches , plowing through bushes,

tripping over rocks . She just barely escaped the savage jab of a low hanging errant

branch. That would have more than hurt. She was past caring. She ran and

ran.................straight into the thing she was running from.
 
 
 
 
 

The creature sat up straight, looking about her. Just assuming it _was_ a her of

course. He had been watching her for awhile now but except for it's soft breathing it

made no other movement. Until now. He moved back into the shadows. All of a

sudden she began screaming , it startled him and he subconsciously took a step

backward. Crack. Oops. Quite inadvertently he had stepped on a dead branch. He

snapped his head back up to check on her reaction. Where'd she go? The creature

had disappeared. Wait no there she was he could still hear her tearing through his

woods. What was that crazy thing doing? Someone could get hurt with all that

thrashing about. Coming in here and disrupting the peace. The nerve. He'd show

that creature a thing or two yet. He grunted and took after her.
 
 
 
 

-----OOOFF--------
She collapsed into a heap at the creature's feet, or rather claws. This was it. No

more energy to move Trisha's body just gave up her mind screamed at her to

continue to move to defend her, to scream to do something anything it didn't matter

just as long as she did something. Her body screamed right back , you do it then

we quit. Her body won. She wanted to close her eyes and juts lie there, wait for

death and not have to watch it. Instead her eyes were drawn up to the creature in

front of her. It was that sick primal obsession to meet a tragedy head on. Many

people experienced it everyday, you drive by a car wreck, and you just have to

look. No matter what you're doing you just had to look. Trisha just had to look. Not

that she could tell much the dim light didn't make that possible. The creature had

the essential things necessary to be an acceptable monster of course. Fangs to rip

out your throat, Razor sharp claws to rip out everything else. It of course had a

humanoid look to it , all good monsters looked somewhat human. It made it better

to relate to , if you could relate to your demon it was scarier. Trisha had learned

this from personal experience. It also had a tail , to hold it's quarry down while it

gutted it of course, and wings. Wings? Why would it have .... oh yes of course the

better to find you my dear. It looked to be a dark shade of blue , just the perfect

color for camouflage at night. Trisha contemplated all this in a sort of amusing half

dream state. She nearly laughed out loud because of the irony of it all. For not the

first time since this whole thing started, Trisha began to wonder if she was losing

her mind. One card short of the deck; a few short of the six pack , all six cans

short to be exact, Ship 'er off to the funny farm mate an' 'ere' mind the return ticket.

She thought all this over, heart pounding , body unresisting just waiting for the final

blow to come.' So this is how a rabbit feels' she thought, ' no control over anything

you just sit and wait for that inevitable blow to come. That's it if I get out of here I'm

becoming a vegetarian.' The creature bent down closer to her seemingly trying to

figure out what to do now. ' Maybe it's other victims moved more .' she thought

'Well sorry buster you're gonna have to take me as you see me. And I hope you

choke afterwards.' It grunted , almost sounding like it was clearing its throat. Then

it did the one thing Trisha was least expecting. It asked how she was. "Huh?"

"I asked how are you" it said again speaking slowly. " ok" she

mumbled back. " Well you certainly don't look it" It said leaning forward to get a

better look at her. He (for she was certain that was what it was ,a he) sniffed at her.

And then coughed. " Don't smell to good either." Much of her lost composure was

regained in that one statement . Would your potential murderer tell you, you stink

before he killed you? She thought not. "You don't smell to good yourself buster." he

seemed to be thinking about that statement before he replied. " What are you? "

He asked. "What AM I?" she asked back incredulously. " Yes. What is your kind

called? You resemble a thing my mother called a been. Although I always thought

they were bigger. Is that what you are? A been? A hyyooomen been? " He asked

stumbling over the words. " A been? oh you mean a Being, A Human Being. Yes

that's what I am. " " I thought so " he replied smugly " I knew that's what you were

when I first saw you." she smiled back a little . " What are you ? " " I'm a gargoyle"

he replied drawing himself up to his full height proudly. " Couldn't you tell?" " I've

never seen one before. Well, live ones at least . I've seen plenty of the other kinds."

He looked confused but instead of explaining what she meant she decided to

change the subject. " Are there anymore of you?" " There can only be one me,

silly. Just like there can only be one you." " No I meant do you have any family or

friends like yourself?" His face fell " No. My Clan was murdered while I was still an

egg. I am the last of my kind here. My mother.........she died awhile back." " I'm so

sorry." " You human being are none to blame. You don't seem yet big enough to

harm a flea." she got the vague sense that he was teasing her but ignored it.

" You are going to get bigger aren't you? " he asked almost mockingly " Of course I

am. I'm just nine I'll get bigger. How old are you? " she asked . He acted alot like

her older brother Pete who was not quite fourteen. She bet that this...........gargoyle

wasn't much older. " In human years I'm 15 . In gargoyle years I'm 30. " 'I knew it.

teenagers they're all the same.' she thought but she said out loud, " What's your

name? Mine's Patricia but everyone calls me Trisha. I like that better." " My kind

don't have names, but if you want you may give me one. " She brightened up at the

idea. " Ok, yes. umm.... let me see something good. How about.....no. I've got

it...... no." Trisha's face squinched up in her effort to think of the perfect name. He

looked on amusedly." What do you think of Aquarian? " " Aquarian? Why that?"

"Well your skin's a dark blue like the water and it's really the best I can do right

now. I'm so tired." As soon as she said that she realized that in fact she was very

tired. " I kinda like it. Aquarian. It has a mysterious ring to it. Yes that's who I am

now. Aquarian." She smiled . "I'm glad you like it." " Would you like to rest now

Trisha?" " Actually I really want to go home." " So go there. " " I can't. I don't know

how it get out of here. I've been wandering for ...." " Two days actually. I was

wondering what you were up to. I thought you knew where you were going", he

answered for her. " So then you know how to get out of here? " " Of course, this

forest is my home. I'll show you how to get out if you'll follow me." He reached out

his four taloned hand towards her offering to help her up. She grabbed on to his

hand and slowly and painfully made her way to her feet. " Are you all right?" he

asked concerned. " Yes. I....it just..hurts that's all. I guess I ran to far. " "Here let

me help." He pulled her whole body up into his arms and cradled her like a baby.

He then began walking towards a tree. " Hold on tight for a few seconds ok?" Once

he was sure she really was holding tight he let go and sunk both hands into the

bark of the tree, climbing up it until it could no longer hold their body weight." What

are you doing?" " Well if I'm going to have to carry you anyway, this ways faster."

He put his arms around her again and spread his wings.

He jumped off the tree and into the night air. " Oh my gosh," she gasped," We're

flying." " Gliding actually. I can't really fly like birds do but I guess they're similar

enough." After all that had happened to her this was by far the most extraordinary

thing........and she fell asleep.
 

____________________________________________________________________
 

Patricia yawned and stretched , nearly tumbling out of his arms as she did so. "

Whoa." he yelled " Don't do that while I'm gliding. You'll end up getting yourself

killed." It was still night but getting brighter. It must have been about 3 in the

morning by now. " Aren't you tired? " she asked. " I'm ok. besides we're almost

there." " Where are we headed?" " Well you wanted to get out of here right? So I'm

taking you to the FOREST RANGER, at least that's what he calls himself. All night

I hear him talking to someone you can't see on a machine that rings, "This is the

forest ranger...". He's another been at least. " " You mean Human Being,

Aquarian." " Right sorry. " " This is great. I'll be home by morning. " Her face fell as

she realized something." What about you?" he looked down at her " What do you

mean, what about me?" " Well what are you going to do? Not stay here. And by

yourself." He grinned at her like she was a silly little child. " Of course I'm going to

stay here. The forest is my home. Maybe I'll go in search of others like me....I was

planning on doing that before you came. It would be nice to have someone to talk

to. But if there is truly no more of my kind left , I'll return here. When you get bigger

little been you can come visit me again." she grinned back at him " I'd like that.

And it's Being Aquarian, Human Being." " Right Human Been. Well we're here." He

landed outside of a huge log cabin. He was right the word Forest Ranger was on

the door. "Well I guess this is goodbye." " Nope only see you later. You're coming

back to visit one day right?" " Right. I promise I will." "Good. Off you go been."

She reached up and knocked on the door. She heard someone bustling around in

there. " I'm coming " he yelled out to her. She made a decision right then, she'd

tell them everything.............everything except about Aquarian. She didn't want her

new friend to turn into some sort of science experiment. No she wouldn't tell them

about gargoyles, the world wasn't ready..........not yet. She turned back around to

look for him but he was gone. She smiled, no she wouldn't tell them......... but she

would come back.
 

The End
 

That's it I hoped you liked it. The book is really good. "The girl who loved Tom Gordon" by Stephen King. It's one of his less scary books and there's no gargoyles........but no one's perfect.