A/N: I know I said I wasn't going to do anymore of these, but they're good writing practice. This is a scene from The Screaming Staircase, starting with Lockwood and Co. on the screaming staircase. It's from Lockwood's point of view.

Thank you Flames and Fairytales for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lockwood and Co.

Chaos. Complete and total chaos.

I raced down the stairs, pulling Lucy behind me. George stumbled close behind. All around us the screaming rose, coming from the steps, the wall, everywhere. The noise itself was so loud that it was all you could hear; it invaded your head and filled your mind, bringing pain, pain, pain. It was so loud, so disturbing, that it made me want to die right then and there. The only thing keeping me sane was Lucy's hand, a look of absolute terror on her face, and George stumbling behind me, hands clenched over his ears.

Down we stumbled, the deafening scream continuing. Dark shapes rose from the shadows, but all I could focus on was going down the stairs. Finally, we collapsed in a pile at the foot of the stairs. The screaming hadn't stopped, thought it may have quieted the tiniest bit. I was face down on the floor, but I heard Lucy gasp.

"The monks," she said. "It's the monks they killed here!"

I rolled over and jumped to my feet, feeling something wet trickle down the side of my face. Across the room was the well, a pitch dark hole surrounded by stones, and there next to it was the poor Fittes boy. He was only skin and bones now, and his neck was twisted at an odd angle .

The screaming continued, but I tried to block it out. I needed to get George and Lucy out of here, alive. Lucy hopped to her feet as I pulled George up.

"Find the Source!" I shouted at them. "It must be here! Somewhere in this room!"

They stumbled in opposite directions, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark hand reach for George, shadowy ropes hanging from its wrists. I snatched a salt bomb and desperately threw it, and the arm shrunk back.

We scattered around the room, searching for anything that could be a Source. It was no good. The room was empty; the only exit was the staircase.

Silhouettes filled the room, reaching for us. We threw everything we had, to no avail. They were too many, too powerful. We were running low on supplies and energy.

Lucy was moving slowly, looking half dead. George was frantically swinging his rapier around wildly. I racked my brain trying to find a solution. There was always a way out, there had to be. We would not die here.

But it looked like we would. George had collapsed to the floor and had his arms covering his head, trying to protect himself. And Lucy was stumbling toward the well, a blank look on her face.

No. I knew what she was thinking. I felt the hopelessness too. But she wouldn't die, not while I was still alive. I struggled toward her, but she was determined. As she stepped over the edge, I used the last of my energy to throw my arms around her waist and pull her back.

"No," I frantically told her. "No, Lucy! That's not the way it's going to be." Whatever, happened here, the well was not the answer.

Or was it?

"Matches!" I shouted to Lucy. "Give me your matches! And your chains, too!" I fumbled with my belt. "I want the extra iron, and any silver seals you've got. Come on, do it! We're being dumb! The well's the Source, of course it is. That's where the Visitors are!"

My shouting seem to snap Lucy out of her trance. She grabbed her chains, seals, and matches as I took out my last flare. The big, industrial-strength one with a long fuse to give you time to get away.

I cut the fuse so it was just a tiny nub. "Take it!" I shouted, shoving the flare at Lucy. "Light the end!" I fought my way toward the well and threw all our chinese and seals into the hole. Then I grabbed the lit flare from Lucy.

"Run, Lucy! Get to the stairs!" I didn't wait for her to move, but stumbled to the well. The fuse was almost gone.

George was still curled up, surrounded by Visitors. Lucy was frozen behind me. With the last of my strength, I threw the flare into the well.

For a moment everything froze. I met Lucy's eyes. Then a second later, the world exploded in a burst of light.

I'm sorry, George. I'm sorry, Lucy, I thought. Then everything went black.