Chapter
1
Pain
etched his brow. His eyelashes flickered. A pulsating light pierced
his dilated pupils. His lips were stained a deep rouge. His skin
stretched across his cheek bones threatening to tear. He laid there.
Still
Chapter
2
I had always wondered
what it was like to be trapped in a deep sleep. What it would be like
to roam ones mind aimlessly. I suppose today I got my wish.
When I woke up today I
had awoken something deep within me. Something fierce and
threatening. Without realizing it I poured myself a glass of orange
juice and had consumed the entire glass within seconds. I felt
ravenous and yet sick. Sliding my hand into the bread bag I pulled
out a slice of bread and popped it into the toaster. This would have
to do.
On the way to the door
a creek echoed in the hall. I spun around but found I was alone.
Shaking my head I pushed the paranoia back down to the pit of my
stomach and continued on. I am always alone. Why would there be
someone there? I thought.
There was a dull ache
in my right temple. I had probably smashed it without thinking off
the bedpost or something of the likes. Or maybe there was a cancerous
tumor starting to eat its way through my flesh to expose its obesity
and grotesque self. Pulsating like a heart and oozing a pink cream
like substance. I chuckled to myself at the thought. If only.
Chapter
3
I slammed the door as
I always did when I had to get up at 5:00AM. I thought the neighbours
appreciated it. Of course that’s probably why they glare at me when
I come home every evening or never clean up their dog shit off my
lawn, or their own shit for that matter. The shot gun would fix that
I suppose but I'm afraid I'm just too far North for that.
Passing by the dull
houses which aligned the unfortunate street I lived on I kicked a few
misguided rocks. Walking was the pits but it made me keep on the
boarder of being morbidly obese, just under in fact. Of course if you
asked any of the people in this small town they would tell you they
are surprised I didn’t float away. Under their breath they would
add “of course I wish he would.” The place I was going was only
about 37 blocks from my house. Only.
Maybe I should skip
the rest of the way? Or I could just continuously give the
neighbourhood the finger and frown, that would downsize the amount of
calories that where in that single toast I ate I'm sure. I’d much
prefer that anyways.
Billyjanedoefuckhead
passed by… Bill for short. “Hows the genital warts coming along
Bill?” I asked sarcastically. He scoffed and brushed by hitting my
shoulder on the way. I spun around “oh baby you know how I like it”
I taunted. His retort was something along the lines of “fuck off
and die”. I told him I’d be glad too with a devious smirk.
A black cat crossed my
path, I called out to it and knelt down to stroke its shiny fur. It
purred loudly and nudged my hand. “How’s it going Thirteen?” He
meowed in response. I continued on my way. His name wasn’t really
Thirteen I just thought it was ironic that everyone thought he was
bad luck. Might as well make him double trouble right? At least that
was my logic.
Chapter
4
Finally I had made it
to my destination. Across town, skid row, if you will. This is where
I worked. What’s my job you may be wondering? I shoveled shit for a
living. Alright I suppose that’s a bit unfair. I make sure all the
“precious” people in my town have fresh grass to lay every year.
Rich sons of a bitches. Instead of you know taking care of their
lawns yearly they decide every spring to just lay new slabs down. If
you don’t participate in this ritual of sorts, you’re shunned.
I'm sure you can guess where I fit into this town by now.
It’s not so bad, the
job I mean. I'm alone most of the day except for when the boss comes
along to sniff the grass and chew on the tips of each batch. It’s a
fetish I'm sure of it. Not much goes into making grass, the basics
stuffed with a shit ton of non organic chemicals but no one knows
that. As long as it looks good who cares right?
Seven hours a day I
spend there. It seems like seconds. Just turn on the auto pilot
switch. Today was a bit different however. I slipped out of my street
clothing, noting I need to get some new underwear at some point,
moths plagued this town. Maybe it was the new revelation in the
Bible. I zipped up my work jeans and slipped on a loose old Rock T
shirt I had deemed a work shirt just to annoy the people I worked
with. They hated anything that had to do with anything. What else was
new though?
I tapped a scuffed
boot on the side of my locker to close it and headed for my work
station. Injecting chemicals into grass seeds was not how I
envisioned my future. Though I suppose we never really envision
ourselves become prostitutes or burnt out abused wives. Life’s
tough and we never seem to end up where we want to be. I guess
halfway is better than no way at all. Sometimes I wonder if I’d
prefer no way. Seems like it would give you a lot of opportunity to
choose whatever way you wanted, but that’s another story.
The day went by
smoothly enough. I got in my quota of injections and I'm sure the
boss got in his quota as well, not quite the same however. I also got
my fill of blank stares and dirty looks, it’s to be expected when
you’re the towns black sheep. Even the low lives on skid row seemed
to look down upon me. I paid them no heed however. What did I care if
I didn’t fit in to their world? I didn’t want to anyways.
Chapter
5
Strangely enough on
the way home I caught a glimpse of my favorite person. His name is
Luke. His hair fell just below he's shoulders and shimmered a rustic
colour in the day light. Most people would mistake it for a dull
brown but often many don’t see the intricate beauties in small
simple things. His eyes were an olive shade with a splash of sage
streaking outwards from the pupil. He was a fairly thin man but very
tough. You wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alleyway that’s
for certain. He moved swiftly and yet with manly grace.
Much
like myself, he was an outcast. Neither of us fit in this town and
yet we stayed. Maybe we were drawn to the oddities in life. Maybe we
enjoyed being alone and feared. Maybe we were sick fucks trying to
weave webs of entanglement to capture the strange and unusual.
Regardless of why we were here, the fact of the matter is that we
are.
I’d
never gotten a chance to talk to him for more than five minutes. He
is 3 years older than me and extremely Antisocial. He never attended
anything that wasn’t mandatory and hardly ever attended functions
that were. He's lucky he had graduated high school though I'm sure he
was smart enough. You know you’re an outcast when you don’t even
belong with the outcasts in school.
Isolation
was something we both had in common. It’s too bad he didn’t care
enough to realize we were one and the same.
Chapter 6
Sighing
I climbed my front steps and unlocked my door. The key assaulted the
lock harshly and made the other keys dance and smash together.
Turning the handle I stepped inside. A feeling of dread washed over
me. There was probably something I had forgotten to do and now it was
fermenting beneath the kitchen sink. Mutating into something hideous
that would wander the night and devour innocent victims with ravaged
claws and hunger beyond ones imagination.
I
ran my tongue along my bottom lip and bit down with excitement. I
pulled the cupboard door open nearly yanking it off its hinges. I
knelt down. Disappointment sank my stomach in a pool of acid. I
kicked it closed and walked to the fridge. Staring in blankly I
pulled out some leftovers and tossed it into the microwave. Man’s
best friend.
After
I was finished eating I sat on the couch to vegetate. I pictured my
brain boiling in spinal cord fluid sparking without ignition. My
cerebellum dissolving and my skull bleeding red tinged puss. I
pressed the power button with a callused finger and switched off the
idle lamp. It sizzled. It must have burnt out just as I had switched
it off. I shrugged.
Flicking
through the channels I found nothing of interest. I decided to call
it quits. It was getting late anyways. Almost 1:00 AM. Just as I had
gotten up to head to the bedroom a knock sounded at my front door.
Curiosity made my stomach flutter and a tingling sensation danced
along my spine. I glanced at the time once again to make sure I
wasn’t mistaken. 1:00 AM it was. I tiptoed towards the door nearly
skipping with excitement.
Chapter 7
I
opened the door cautiously and stood in the doorway stunned. “Uh
hi, I know we haven’t really talked all that much but um I was
wondering if you could, may I come in?”
“Sure…”
I stated. I shook my head ruffling my hair. “Come on in Luke.”
“Thanks.”
I
lead him to the couch. He sat down heavily. The chair he had chosen
appeared to swallow him whole. Its black surface made his pale skin
stand out however. His jaded eyes gleamed. He blinked a few times
hard. I noticed his extenuated eyelashes and found myself staring
intently.
He
glanced up just then. “I'm sorry for intruding at such a late hour,
but I figured you were still awake. A night owl right?” He chuckled
lifelessly.
“Yeah,
I suppose I am. What can I do you for Luke?” I questioned
“Ah,
well you see.” He paused. “This is strange I guess, though maybe
you wont find it quite so.”
I
listened intently trying to gauge his actions and emotions. He looked
run down yet there was a spark of life still left in his eyes.
Tension seemed to line his shoulders and he sat awkwardly. Maybe it
was the dull lighting. I cursed the lamp light for burning out. Only
the light of the kitchen lit the darkened room.
“Sorry
about the light.” I said without thinking.
He
tilted his head for a moment, confusion etched his brow. He only
nodded in response.
“Do
you think our minds work as one? I mean to power something bigger
than us. All of us put together would be a powerful force.” Luke
noted.
I
glanced at him as I genuinely thought about his question. “I
suppose, but we are all so different how is it possible we would be
able to control something without having conflicting feelings and
wishes?”
“But
aren’t we all the same when it comes down to it? We are creatures
who are savage. Blood thirsty beings that will stop at nothing to
obtain what we desire.”
“We
all have our basic human instincts of course. I'd like to think we
have evolved, if only slightly, enough to push those desires beneath
our skins for the duration of our existence.” I murmured.
“Hmmmm”
was Luke’s response.
Distantly I gazed out the window. I was lost in thought for a few moments.
“Why?” The single word slithered between my lips and out of my mouth reverberating against the cold bleak walls.
I felt dazed as though I was on some powerful sedatives. I fought to
keep his eyes open though it was still early in his eyes.
I had forgotten Luke was present until he shuffled in his seat
uncomfortably startling me to my senses. Luke’s sharp eyes
pierced me with his gaze.
Slowly I felt myself begin to drift. The lids of my eyes sluggishly
closed as if they were doors in a horror movie creaking shut. My lips and throat suddenly became dry. My limbs lay lifelessly beside my body. I sunk into the couch my breath became shallow. Finally I drifted into a deep sleep.
Chapter 8
He
felt as though he could not control his body when he awoke. His eyes
fluttered open on their own and he noticed his vision was blurred.
His eyelids refused to respond at any attempts to squint or blink
them. Panic struck him hard like a fuel injected fire furiously
burning its way through his insides making him break out into a cold
sweat. Why am I unable to move any part of my body? He thought
helplessly. Bile climbed his throat threatening to spill over his
lips, down his chin and drip grotesquely to his chest. My lips.
He thought. They don’t feel the same, they feel as though they
are not mine. Foreign. He attempted to wiggle his fingers.
Nothing.
Distantly
he heard a moan. It sounded like it was coming from inside of him. He
heard Luke’s voice. “Jeff are you awake?” Jeff winced. You’re
talking too loud Luke he thought. He felt his body rise from the
couch and shake something. What am I doing? I didn’t tell my
body to move and what am I shaking? He thought frantically. A
second ago I couldn’t control any part of my body what’s going
on? He felt dizzy and as though he was floating instead of
walking. His body jutted forward, stopped sharply and swayed from
side to side. Am I drunk? He pondered curiously.
Finally
his vision sharpened. His pupils contracted and dilated slowly as if
one was turning the focus on a camera. What he saw shocked him beyond
belief. He saw himself.
Chapter 9
A
cold and distant look in his eyes sent shivers down… whose
spine? He wondered. Surely not mine. His mind was racing
attempting to digest the carnivorous seed that had planted itself
deep within his brain tissue.
He
bit his lip. “Ow!” Luke mumbled. Jeff had been able to take over
Luke’s body for just a moment. Surprise loomed over his mind.
I'm
sorry he thought hoping Luke could somehow hear him.
“Its
okay, but… what’s happened?” Luke questioned.
I'm
not sure… Jeff thought.
Luke
began to sweat profusely. “It’s happened Jeff… It’s really
happened.” He feverantly spoke. His words skipping over another
much like a game of leap frog once played as a young child. His mind
boiled and sloshed around in the attempts to gain control and
understanding of the situation presented.
Jeff’s
mind was equally twisted into tangled up knots. Tugging at the roots
making them ache and bleed as the flesh tore the more he thought.
Chapter 10
A
distant cackle rang in their ears. The front door swung open slowly
yet hard, riding the hinges and making them spark. A powerful stench
filled the air and knocked Luke’s body back. He stumbled and
gripped the mantel tightly. His pink flesh turned a sickened white.
Veins erupted in his arm shattering the muscle and soaking the bone
in hot liquid. Pain registered in the depths of his eyes. Despite his
efforts he stumbled to the ground and laid there. Still.
Swirls
of smoke lingered inches above the hardwood floor. Slowly a darkness
crept into the hall. More cackles could be heard. They came from deep
within this creature and escaped its throat acidicly. The creatures
voice rang out stinging their ears.
“What…
have we here?” The creatures voice was foreign and the words were
spat out awkwardly with a ripe amount of deviousness. It was a mere
whisper however it struck both the men slithering down their spines
and eating away at their intestines.
The
cracking of bones could be heard as the creature stepped closer.
Jeffs body lay limp and lifeless. The creatures head tilted slowly
and disjointedly as its hollow eyes took in the sight. A rumbling
rose beneath the creature’s tattered robe.
Jeff
thought he could see a smirk upon the creature’s thick grey lips
but his mind refused to believe. He slowly ran his eyes along the
creature’s body. This took great courage but somehow Jeff mustered
it. The creatures robe flared open at the neck and down its chest.
Jagged scars could be seen along its chest that seemed to be dancing
as though they too were alive.
The
creature stood quite tall however it appeared that the creature had
no spine and so it leaned back a bit too far for Jeff’s liking. Not
that he liked having this creature show up at his door of course.
The
smoke encircled and licked at the creatures legs. A foul wind
fluttered the tattered hems of its robe. A loose frayed rope clung to
the creature’s waist though it did not hold the ensemble together
as well as Jeff would have liked.
Finally
Jeff’s eyes, or are they Luke’s? Jeff wondered. Rested at
the creature’s hips. The creature was indeed male. Jeff could not
take his eyes off of the creature’s grotesquely large cock. Though
it was paled a light grey the veins throbbed a shady pink. It was
fully erect as though the creature got quite a bit of excitement from
this game he was about to play. It peaked out from beneath the robe
mockingly. The tip seemed to dance in tune to a silent song.
The
creature followed Luke and Jeff’s gaze. A horrifying laugh built
and spilled out of the creature’s mouth.
“Is
it to your liking?” The creature spoke in a husky voice much
different from that of its voice only moments ago. The creature
opened its mouth and ran its slimy black tongue across its fangs. It
pressed hard against the sharpest of them and cut open its tongue.
Blood oozed out and dripped down his chiseled chin.
Chapter 11
At
that moment skittering and scattering could be heard in the distance.
It rumbled and got louder. Something’s coming Jeff and Luke
thought simultaneously. Around the corner came the first of many.
Rotting
corpses crawled on their backs. Their bones disjointed and
splintered. They moved quickly as though with purpose, like they were
being called upon to rise from the depths of hell. From the most
gruesome and ghastly corners spawned from curdling blood and the
flesh of the innocent as feed. Fluid oozed out of every orifice and
dripped mockingly on the hard wood floors.
Their
tongues darted out feasting on each other. Their cold hollow eyes
examined Luke and Jeff’s souls. Slithering they came closer. A few
of them stayed behind and eagerly glanced up at the creature, they
must have been waiting for their cue, I'm not sure since I was much
too busy staring intently at the others climbing on top of my
lifeless body. Their rotten flesh caressed my skin. Their nails dug
in and drew beading strands of blood. The lapped at the wounds with
their snake like tongues tongues. My clothes began to mold and
crumble to my sides off of my body.
Finally
I lay there naked. The creature took two strides to reach my body. He
looked down mockingly. A fierce laugher bubbled deep in his throat.
Cackles could be heard from his minions and the two sounds collided
erotically with one another. It was like sweet torment to my ears.
Blood rushed through my body pumping rhythmically.
The
creature lifted his arm slowly. A boney hand outstretched through the
tattered robe. He ran a razor sharp nail along my cheek. The minions
backed away and hissed in unison. The creature’s eyes darted around
piercingly. His finger continued down my neck and across my chest.
The palm of his hand rested against my chest directly over my heart.
A slow pain crept into my mind.
Luke
began to breathe heavily, his pulse erratically racing. In my mind I
could feel these things Luke’s body was feeling. We were
desperately entwined with no hope and at the mercy of this creature.
Slowly I began to feel my body die. My organs churned flipping upside
down and inside out. My stomach was yanked by my intestines and
swirled into a neat ball at my body’s core. My veins began to burst
under immense pressure. Every orifice began to bleed a lethargic red
river oozing out and pooling in the empty crevices. Muscle spasms
made my flesh crawl and twitch.
My
body was crushed into a small triangular shape that fit in the palm
of the creatures boney hand. He looked at his work in what seemed
like mock despair. Blood mixed with stomach acid and other various
fluids leaked between his fingers and fell perilously to the floor.
His tongue darted out and tasted my crushed body. I felt a shiver
lurch through my spine. How is this possible? I wondered. How
is any of this possible? My mind countered. I sighed.
Chapter 12
Luke’s
body shivered violently. His mind seemed to be taking all this worse
than mine. I tried to sooth Luke, why I'll never understand. “Luke
I'm not sure what’s going on but calm down we can’t show him we
are fearful, it gives him pleasure. Too much in fact.” Luke’s
breathing slowed as though I had gotten through to him.
“I
know.” Was his only reply.
The
creature flung my triangulated body against the wall and swung
abruptly towards Luke’s body. He took a giant step towards us and
knelt down all in the same movement. This startled Luke and he sank
deeper into the couch. He had regained some control of his body it
appeared. “Run.” I screamed inside Luke’s head. He stayed put,
apparently transfixed on the creatures gaze.
“So
it is you, Attila” The creature spoke in awe. Luke and I were both
confused beyond belief.
“I
killed your body. I've killed so many my Master, looking for you. So
many tortured indignant screams I bore to find you.” It said.
“Why
didn’t you call for me?” The creature said with a sudden flash of
rage. An extremely hurt look etched the creatures features.
Suddenly
Jeff saw what the creature had meant and knew exactly what to do.
Jeff gained control of his friends body and spoke aloud. “It is I.”
Jeff paused for a moment. “You needed to prove yourself, it is why
I did not call. I should chastise you for you’re irrational
thoughts.” Jeff spoke. For once in his life his found sounded
sturdy and sure. “My Master, I-”
“No.”
Jeff stated firmly. “My body is no use to me now and I do not
desire another.”
“I..
I'm sorry my Master.” The creature stammered.
“You’ll
pay later. This body will have to do. I've left my memories in the
other body you’ve been so quick to destroy. You’ll have to
explain quite a bit to me again.”
“Of
course my Master. I'm terribly sorry. Please have mercy.”
“We
shall see how much mercy you deserve. Now, let me get used to this
body.” Jeff stood up and used Luke’s body as his own. This took
amazing strength both mental and physical. Luke was helping some. I
think he knew where I was going with this. Or at least I hoped. Jeff
stretched Luke’s arms and bent each knee a few times, he also threw
in a couple knuckle cracks just for performance purposes.
“Master,
you’ll have to terminate the creature inside of this body.” The
creature said softly.
“I
do not wish to quite yet. He is at bay, do you doubt my power?”
Jeff said in mock anger hoping it would convince the creature.
“Of
course not Master, no… never.” It hurried to convince.
I
nodded. I boldly took a step towards the creature. I knew what I had
to do.
“Your
body. Its mine. I want your body.”
“You…
my body?” The creature said shocked. Id tipped him off balance.
Perfect.
“Yes.”
I said simply.
“Yes.”
The creature replied. It looked down and to the side. Of course I
couldn’t take this creatures body. It had me all wrong. I have and
continue to have no idea how I was still living after the creature
destroyed my body. But I did. I gripped the mantle with one hand.
Slipped it across 5 or 6 inches and grabbed the cast iron poker that
I always kept up there because I was too cheap to by a stand. With
all my strength and Luke’s too we swung. The poker smashed into the
creature’s temple and dug in. I yanked it out and drew it back
again but there was no need. The creature’s body slowly slipped to
the floor. It landed on its knees and sunk slowly into the floor
boards. Ash became of the creatures skin and seeped into the cracks
in the floor boards. All the minions skittered away.
Chapter 13
Luke
and I were left in an empty and hollow house. The sound of the night
screamed loudly in our ears having been muted for what seemed like
hours but was only 13 seconds. Time is a strange thing. I
thought fleetingly. “Indeed it is.” Luke responded to my
thought. “Indeed it is.”