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When Vaughn got back to the swamp he looked around but didn't see Jane anywhere.
Or Rory.
It was eerily quiet.
He called her name until he finally saw her, her head surfaced above the water in the distance. ”Vaughn!" She yelled, before going back under. Vaughn dove into the water, finding Jane and the two swam back to land.
"Are you okay? What happened?” Vaughn asked.
"I’m fine. Rory tried to kill me." Jane said.
”The Sheriff tried to kill me.” Vaughn said.
"This town.” Jane muttered, “We need to get out of here."
"No kidding." Vaughn commented sarcastically.
"We have to warn Scotty." Jane said.
“And get our van out of the swamp as fast as possible without Casper making us ghosts.” Vaughn said.
Jane and Vaughn turned to leave, when Rory appeared in the tree that was in the middle of the swamp. The two bandmates turned towards his direction.
"The swamp's tricky. I tried to warn you." Rory told Jane.
“You tried to kill me." Jane shot back.
Rory disappeared and reappeared in front of them. Jane and Vaughn both took a wary step back. Rory looked between them, before setting his sights on Vaughn.
“Jane.” Vaughn said, sounding wary and creeped out.
Vaughn and Jane started walking backwards, and Rory started walking towards Vaughn with a vicious smile. They turned to run, but they didn't get very far. Jane heard a thud and turned and saw Vaughn lying on the ground. She looked around but didn't see Rory.
Jane ran back to Vaughn and helped him up, "Come on." she said.
Only Vaughn didn't move. He stood there, examining his hands, almost like…
“Vaughn?” Jane asked warily, watching him.
Vaughn looked up from his hands at Jane and gave a smile. Only it wasn’t one of Vaughn’s smirks. It was cruel. Vicious.
"Rory." Jane realized.
“Hi." Rory drawled in Vaughn’s voice.
"Where's Vaughn?" Jane asked.
"Oh, he's in here." Rory said.
“Vaughn - If you can hear me - " Jane started.
“He can’t.” Rory stated cruelly, and lunged at her.
Jane punched him in the face, sending him half way to the ground. He stood back up and went after her as she turned and ran out of the swamp.
-
Jane ran down the road towards town, hoping to find Scotty so they could figure out a way to exorcise Rory from Vaughn. She thought he’d still be behind her, at a distance. But when she turned, she didn’t see him. “What - “ Jane wondered. She turned back around to start walking again, when she saw a tow truck driving towards her.
She vaguely saw someone who looked like Scotty in the driver's seat as the truck passed her. It kept driving for a few seconds anhd then abruptly stopped and started to back up until it was beside her.
“Jane?” Scotty asked.
“Scotty!” Jane said with relief. She opened the passenger side door and got in, closing it behind her. She looked at him, “We have to get to the swamp! We met this ghost named Rory - He tried to kill me and he possessed Vaughn!" She paused for a second and briefly glanced around, "Why are you driving the tow truck?”
Scotty hit the gas and started driving down the road, "Locals say the swamp’s evil. Wouldn't drive here. Blah blah blah. Vaughn's possessed? You guys met a ghost and he tried to kill you?"
"Yes!" Jane exclaimed, "He tried to drown me, until Vaughn saved me. Rory - He lied to us. And we met his mom - He wanted us to tell her about what happened to him... we were going to put up flyers - The whole town thinks he's missing. He changed his story - But he said he was murdered - And then Vaughn went to talk to his mom again. Rory asked me to stay with him, so I did. And then he tried to kill me - But Vaughn got back and saved me. He can control the swamp, I think. And Vaughn said the Sheriff tried to kill him - And now he's possessed and attacked me. And he was following me, but when I looked back he wasn't there."
“This town." Scotty muttered, “So ghosts can possess people? Great. Guess we should’ve seen that coming.”
“Apparently.” Jane said, “Wait. Rory said he can't leave the swamp."
"He can't?" Scotty asked.
"Yeah." Jane said and turned to Scotty, "He said that he tried to, but he can't. What if that includes who he’s possessing?”
"So, since Rory can't leave the swamp, that means if he's possessing Vaughn - Vaughn's body can't leave the swamp too?" Scotty asked.
"Maybe." Jane said.
“This is just a normal conversation we have now.” Scotty muttered.
-
They got to the swamp and saw Vaughn lying on the ground at the entrance. Not moving. They parked to the side and got out of the truck and ran to him.
“Vaughn!” Jane said.
"Oh, man!" Scotty said.
They kneeled down beside him and turned him over.
“Vaughn! Man, come on. Wake up.” Scotty pleaded.
Vaughn groaned and slowly opened his eyes, "What happened?”
“Prove it’s really you.” Jane demanded.
"Yeah." Scotty agreed.
“What?” Vaughn asked, “Why?”
“Rory possessed you. Prove it’s really you.” Jane said.
"That ghost possessed me?" Vaughn complained, standing up.
Jane and Scotty stood up too, and looked at Vaughn expectantly. Vaughn looked between them.
“Fine," he huffed. He pointed an accusatory finger at Scotty, “You. Backed over. My Gibson. Guitar.” Vaughn put his arm down.
A few seconds passed. Then Scotty said, ”Yeah, it’s him.”
“That was you?” Jane asked Scotty.
“It was an accident!” Scotty exclaimed defensively.
Vaughn glared at Scotty. He then put his hand up and started to rub his temples, “Getting possessed sucks." He put his arm down.
“I bet.” Jane said.
“He didn’t hurt you or anything?” Vaughn asked Jane seriously, looking at her with concern.
“No, he didn’t.” Jane assured him.
”Okay, good.” Vaughn said, "So, what happened exactly?"
"Rory possessed you, tried to attack me. I ran out of the swamp towards town, and ran into Scotty driving back here. But Rory didn’t follow me. He said he couldn't leave the swamp, I think that includes anyone he possesses too." Jane said.
"So he - What - Tried to leave the swamp and because he's stuck here he got kicked out of my body?" Vaughn commented.
"Yeah." Jane said.
"Freakin' ghosts." Vaughn muttered with disdain for Rory. “What would you have done if that hadn’t happened?” He looked at Jane and Scotty expectantly.
Jane and Scotty looked at each other briefly.
“Watch The Exorcist.” Scotty concluded.
“I don’t know.” Jane admitted.
“Thanks guys.” Vaughn muttered, shooting a forced smile their way.
“We would’ve figured something out.” Jane assured him.
“Yeah.” Scotty agreed.
“I know.” Vaughn told them, meaning it.
“So, you don’t remember anything?” Jane asked.
“No, I don’t remember getting possessed.” Vaughn said.
Vaughn then noticed the tow truck. He lifted his arm and pointed at it, while turning to look back at Scotty, “Why were you driving the tow truck?”
"Tow truck guy wouldn't drive here. Whole town knows it’s haunted." Scotty told him, "I had to commander it."
"Of course.” Vaughn muttered, putting his arm down.
“And Jane told me about the sheriff.” Scotty told Vaughn.
“This town.” Vaughn muttered with a sigh.
"What was getting possessed like?" Scotty asked, “Even though you don’t remember anything.”
"Yeah." Jane said, wondering the same thing.
But before Vaughn could answer, the Sheriff showed up.