‘The Case of the Missing Socks’

12 Friday Dec 2025

Posted by stevenjohnno in stories, Uncategorized

Tags

agatha christie, book-review, books, dog, fiction, funny, socks, whodunit, writing

The sun rose at 6.03 on the morning of 6th January 2026 and already the temperature is 26 degrees and climbing.

There was no wind to speak of and for all intents and purposes it looks like a normal summer’s day in Balmain one of Sydney’s inner suburbs not far from the iconic harbour bridge.

Inside their cozy terrace home the Rothchild family are sitting around the kitchen table gulping down bowls of corn flakes with vegemite layered with loads of butter on the side.

‘I bet you are excited about your netball final tomorrow morning Maddie?’ Amy Rothchild asks her daughter while she takes her empty bowl over to the sink.

‘I sure am mum’ replies Maddie replies chewing on her first piece of toast ‘With my super human shooting power and lightning footwork the other team won’t know what hit them.’

Across the table Maddie twin brother Marcus rolls his eyes ‘Netball is easy if you are tall and gawky but you shouldn’t last five minutes in a game of rugby league where you need to be tough and strong and run up and down the field, not stand in one spot waiting for the ball to be thrown to you, no wonder you are getting a little porky Mads.’

Before Maddie gets a chance to say anything Richard Rothschild holds up a hand ‘Marcus say sorry to your sister that remark was uncalled for ‘Sorry sis, I hope you win the game tomorrow and take home player of the match.’

With siblings there can be a fine line between love and intense competition.

After Richard leaves to go to work at his law firm and the twins have gone upstairs to change into their school uniforms Amy sits down to have a well earned cup of coffee and a cold slice of toast.

As she drinks her espresso Amy thinks about her family and how lucky she is to have them in her life.

Sure the twins who will turn 11 years old in May may bicker and fight every now and then but deep down there is a genuine love for each other.

Maddie the elder of the two by one hour is now a little tall for her age and she can be a bit gawky at times but she is a confident extroverted child with lovely long blonde hair and sparkling green eyes who loves to be the centre of attention.

Marcus on the other hand who despite his out burst at breakfast is timid and wary around other people so he spends a lot of time in his room playing video games but since he started playing footy last year Marcus is slowly starting to come out of his shell and unlike his twin he has wavy dark brown hair, green eyes and is of average height for his age.

At the kitchen sink washing up the dishes Amy pats her belly and smiles because she has a secret to share with Richard at their 11th wedding anniversary dinner tonight.

After kissing the twins goodbye, leaving them in the capable hands of their neighbour Catherine Richard drives Amy towards the harbour where they will celebrate their anniversary with family and friends.

‘Bugs and Hugs’ is a seafood restaurant located on the water with a stunning view of the opera house and luna park and it is famous for having the freshest seafood in town that includes of course huge Balmain Bugs.

The extended family eat until they are about ready to burst, around 9 o’clock things begin to wind down and after saying a final congratulations to the happy couple the last of the well wishers depart.

‘Alone at last’ Richard says ‘I can’t believe how fast the years have flown by and why you chose me of me to be your husband when you could have picked someone better looking.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Amy whispers ‘The first time I saw your smile and jet black hair across the room at university I was smitten, you reminded me of a Clark Kent who quickly turned into my superman.’

‘I might have to start wearing my underpants on the outside’ Richard laughs ‘But seriously Amy when I asked you out on our first date I thought that I had died and gone to heaven’

Leaving the restaurant the happy couple drive home hoping that the twins are in bed so they can celebrate their anniversary alone but when Richard pulls in the driveway Catherine the babysitter is standing outside the front door waiting for them. ‘What’s wrong Catherine? Did the twins play up more than usual?’ Amy implores the babysitter. ‘No, Mrs Rothschild ‘But Maddie had a bit of tantrum over a missing sock or something so I thought that I should warn you before you went inside.’

‘Thanks Catherine, come by in the morning and I will pay you for tonight.’

‘Mummy you know that i have a favourite pair of netball socks right?’ Amy nods her head even though she has no idea what her daughter is talking about ‘Just wear another pair to your final, after all it is just a sock what’s the big deal?’

‘WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?’ Maddie screams ‘I have worn the same pair of socks for eleven weeks straight and we have won every game and now i am supposed to wear another pair of socks for the final game of the year? The other girls will laugh at me, can’t you do anything mum?’

‘Honey I don’t know where your sock has gone to, maybe the tooth fairy took it by mistake. ‘Or’ Marcus says in amusement ‘Maybe your sock has been kidnapped by a rascally gang of thieves who are now all holding their breath after getting a whiff of your stinker.’

Amy and Richard struggle to contain smiles at their son’s strange sense of humour ‘Thank you Marcus for your input’ Richard smirks ‘But you aren’t exactly helping the situation.’

Marcus just shrugs his shoulders before returning to his video game.

‘See mum even my dorky brother isn’t taking my situation seriously.’

‘Calm down Maddie everything will turn out okay, you’ll see.’

But of course everything didn’t turn out okay because after missing two easy shots at goal in her netball final Maddie lost all confidence and was replaced and to make matters worse her team The Heat lost to their fierce rivals The Raptor’s 35-16.

Surprisingly Maddie was cool calm and collected on the way home plus Amy brightened everyone’s mood by stopping at KFC for a huge bucket of finger licking chicken pieces.

After devouring their lunch the Rothschild family all get changed into some ‘I wouldn’t dare wear these daggy clothes in public’ before settling down in front of the big arse TV to watch ‘Frozen’ for perhaps the 27th time.

Halfway through the movie Amy fills the washing machine with dirty clothing and as she does Amy is once again bewildered how a family of four can wear as many clothes as a small army in just a day.

As she loads the machine Amy notices the offending pair of netball socks and smiles ‘Come out nice and clean or better yet just disappear and become a part of the missing sock legend.’

An hour later after hanging out the wash Amy lays down on the couch for her customary 20 minute nanna nap to freshen up but as she snoozed Amy had a nightmare about a huge one eyed purple monster who went on a rampage killing children and stealing all of their socks and to make matters worse when she brought in the dry clothing one of the netball socks was missing

As she prepared dinner that night Amy tried to put the sock that had gone M.I.A out of her mind but she couldn’t shake the feeling that one of the neighbours with a sock fetish was stealing socks to satisfy their sick minds.

After the kids had finished eating they both went into their rooms letting Amy question Richard in private’ Honey, I know that this might sound weird but do you know anyone around here who has a desire to collect socks?’

‘No, but old man Jenkins two doors down likes to wear his wives dresses when he mows his backyard but as far as sock collecting goes nobody springs to mind, why do you ask dear?’

;Well, when i brought the clothes in earlier one of Maddie’s netball socks was missing and i know that I hung them both on the line so I am thinking that we should have a motion detector installed to catch the thief in the act.’

‘Amy don’t you think that you are overreacting just a bit because after all it is just the odd missing sock’ but after seeing the look of dismay on his wives face Richard’s demeaner softens ‘But if a motion detector will put your mind at ease I will look into it and have one installed pronto.’

‘Thank you Richard I knew that you would understand because knowing that someone is coming into yard to pinch some socks gives me the creeps.’

A technician arrives on Wednesday to install the motion detector sensor and immediately he has a feeling that the lady of the house might be a Karen in waiting ‘Excuse me Nigel but please make sure that the sensor picks up any slight movement in every inch of the backyard because I want to catch the sock thief in the act.’

‘Sorry Mrs Rothchild but that isn’t a very good idea because if I do what you ask any small animal like a mouse, cat or a possum crossing your yard will be spotted which means that the sensor light will flash a hundred times a night.’

‘I hear what you are saying Nigel but please do as I ask and make sure that you use the brightest light bulbs on the market.’

‘Sure thing Mrs Rothschild, I have the perfect lights for you out in my van.’

After fetching a couple of bulbs normally used to illuminate a cricket ground Nigel wanders back whistling an old Aerosmith classic ‘Bright Light Fright’.

The Rothschild family are all seated around the dinner table that night talking about their day while they eat when suddenly the motion sensor is activate causing them to dive for cover.

‘Holy crap’ Marcus screams excitedly ‘I think a freaking UFO just landed in our backyard.’

Running towards the back door Maddie hollers out ‘Hopefully E.T is onboard and wants to come inside to play.’

‘Come back here you two’ Richard demands’ Okay Amy what did you tell the technician to do?’

Sheepishly tells her husband that she told Nigel to install the brightest lights that he had ‘I guess he took me at my word.’

‘He sure did Amy, our yard will now surely be visible from outer space.’

Shaking his head Richard goes out and deactivates the motion sensor.

While the ruckus detracted the Rothschild family another sock has been taken from right under their noses.

Once the kids had settled down Richard calls Nigel who promises to come around in the morning in replace the blinding bulbs with more suitable replacements. ‘Please don’t listen to my wife, she has a bad case of the missing socks blues.’

‘I heard that’ Amy yells out from the living room.

Feeling a little sheepish Richard opens the fridge and pours a glass of Amy’s favourite wine from a cask as a peace offering but when the fridge door closes he notices a lone sock draped over a kitchen chair ‘What the fuck’ he whispers not wanting the kids to hear him swear.

After looking under the kitchen table Richard shakes his head in dismay ‘What are you doing in here Richard?’ Amy asks ‘I heard you pour a glass of wine five minutes ago.’

‘Jesus Amy, you scared the crap out of me, I was just looking for something that I misplaced earlier.’

‘Would it happen to be a sock Richard?

‘Well now that you mention, one of my socks I left fraped over a chair has gone walkabout.’

‘Lets not talk about socks anymore, why don’t we go into the living room and relax and maybe talk about trying another Karma Sutra position when the kids are asleep.’

‘Richard the last time we did that you ended up in hospital with a slipped disc in your back so no more Karma Sutra for me thank you very much.’

‘Missionary is nice but who knows what will happen honey bunch.’

‘What are you two whispering about over there? Marcus enquires from across the room.

‘I swear Marcus, you have the hearing of a bat but I was just telling your father that we should donate to the mission church down the street.’

‘Cool, I just thought that you might have been talking about sex that’s all.’

Richard and Amy burst out laughing ‘No son’ Richard replies ‘We are a Christian family who believe in abstinence, now it is time for bed and don’t forget to brush your teeth first.’

‘Come on Maddie, let’s leave before mum and dad alone they decide to some Karma Sutra Christian sex.’

‘Richard about our sock situation, did you know that socks have been mysteriously disappearing all over the world for hundreds of years?’

‘Yes Amy I have heard about the crazy cotton blend sock Bermuda Triangle but can we please talk about something else for a change?’

‘Do you think that I am crazy Richard? Because I will have you know that I will stop searching for the culprit responsible for the missing socks, also Richard did you happen to know that since we moved in here almost fifty socks have done the dipsy doodle, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it.’

‘Amy calm down, you are completely overreacting to a little issue and to tell you the truth I think that you should see your doctor and get a prescription for your mood swings.’

‘Mood swings? Amy screams loudly ‘That’s it Richard you go and perform your Karma Sutra Christian sex position’s one handed but don’t come crying to me when you do you back in again.’

‘I will sleep on the couch where I will get some peace and quiet not having to listen to your chainsaw snoring all night.’

Knowing that he has lost this argument Richard holds his head up and toddles off to bed.

After tossing and turning on the couch Amy decides to go and do something constructive but first makes herself a cup coffee while she decides what household chore to do first.

As she sips the soothing drink Amy’s eyes keep drifting towards the open laundry door where the washing machine of ill repute resides ‘Alright you evil machine, tell me where you have stashed all of my family’s missing socks right this minute because if you don’t I will tear you apart rivet by rivet.’

Leaving the dregs of her coffee behind Amy grabs Richard’s toolbox from a shelf in the laundry ‘Last chance, speak up now or be nothing but a pile of metal by days end.’

‘Daddy wake up, I think that someone is trying to break into our house.’

After a few more shakes Richard finally responds ‘What are you doing in here Marcus, I was having a nice dream about a woman who expertise was, well I will tell you more about it when you turn sixteen.’

‘Daddy stop talking and listen, someone is at the backdoor trying to break in.’

Sticking an ear up Richard clearly hears faint noises coming from the laundry ‘I think you are right Marcus, now go back to you room while I go out to the laundry to see what in the hell is happening.’

‘But Daddy’ a scared Marcus whispers to his father ‘What if it is a big monster trying to break in?’

‘Don’t worry son’ Richard whispers back ‘Monsters are usually inside already hiding in a closet or under a bed now go back to your room and don’t worry.’

When he reaches the bottom of the stairs Richard’s brain tells him that it probably wasn’t a very smart idea to tell his young son that a monster could be hiding somewhere in his bedroom ‘Sorry son, just close your eyes and think good thoughts.’

Knowing that he will need a weapon of some sort Richard picks up an iron poker from the fire place before he silently creeps towards the laundry’.

‘Come out you fuckers I know you in there someplace.’

Upon hearing Amy’s voice Richard quickens his pace to discover a laundry full of discarded washing machine parts and his wife looking frustrated and forlorn.

‘Amy what in the fuck are you doing? You woken up the kids and probably the next door neighbours as well ‘Now what do you have to say for yourself?’

Before Amy can reply approaching police sirens fill the night air ‘Marcus must have called the police’ Richard tells his wife ‘He was one very frightened little boy Amy, he thought a monster was break in but I reassured him that monsters don’t need to break in’

‘I will stop talking now but the police will most certainly will have more to say about having to respond to a false alarm.’

After the police leave Richard comforts his distraught wife ‘Everything will be okay Amy, you let the missing socks get to you that’s all, remember yesterday when you told me that socks have been disappearing for hundreds of years and in all of that time nobody has come up with an answer to the puzzle.’

‘But to put your mind I will arrange for a private detective to come around plus a tradie to put the washing machine out of it’s misery.’

Amy smiles faintly ‘Thanks Richard, it is only 4.30 so we could go upstairs and practice a few more Karma Sutra positions?

‘Sorry’ Richard smiles’ ‘But I tried the one handed position you suggested last night and I think that i have damaged a tendon in my elbow.’

Laughing happily the pair of love birds head upstairs ‘ARRGGGGUUUUHHH’

Amy jumps out of her skin but Richard quickly calms her down ‘Don’t worry honey, Marcus probably thought he saw a monster in the closet, you go and get ready and I ‘Captain Stallion’ will be with you shortly.’

Three days later just after the Rothschild had finished lunch when three louds on the front door startles all of them ‘My God’ Maddie laughs ‘It is the Police Marcus, they have come to arrest you for being the dorkiest dork in dorkland.’

‘Very funny Maddie’ Marcus responds ‘But seeing that you almost set our school on fire last week smoking in the girl’s toilets they will probably put you in handcuffs and throw away the key.’

‘Settle down you two’ Richard demands ‘Maddie your mother and I will be having words with you later on.’

‘Everybody, this William Watkins the private investigator who has come to help us with our sock problem.’

‘I am at your service Mrs Rothschild, now if you wouldn’t mind I would like to walk around your lovely home by myself because one never knows where a clue might appear.’

‘Of course Mr Watkins ‘My husband Richard and I plus our two lovely children Maddie and Marcus will wait for you out in the kitchen.’

With a small nod Watkins wanders away looking for clues beginning upstairs.

In the kitchen Richard and Amy giggle ‘Watkins is obviously ripping off Hercule Poirot from the Agatha Christie novels with his white suit, Panama hat, dyed black hair and fake moustache.’

‘It could have been worse Amy’ he could have come as Mis Marple.’

‘I am afraid that Miss Marple was unavailable today’ Watkins deadpans as he enters the kitchen.

Richard and Amy both turn a deep shade of red ‘Sorry Mr Watkins we didn’t mean anything by with our comments.

‘It is quite alright I assure you’ Watkins mutters from the kitchen window.

‘Would you like a cup of coffee William’ Amy offers.’

‘No thank you Mrs Rothschild but I must be off, your case has been solved.’

‘WHAT, but you have only been here five minutes.’

‘Mr Rothschild I only follow the clues and they have led me to believe that your missing socks are located in the dog kennel out yonder’ Watkins proclaims whilst pointing at the offending structure.

‘Scruffy? Marcus queries ‘But why would little scruff take our socks?

‘Well it is elementary dear boy’ and yes I know that that is a quote attributed to my detective friend Sherlock Holmes but I am sure that he wouldn’t mind me borrowing it for this case.’

‘Now would you all please follow me out to the kennel and I shall demonstrate my findings.’

Marcus has no idea what the weird little man is talking about but he does as demanded.

Hearing footsteps approaching Scruffy a small Scottish Terrier with a big attitude comes out to see who is intruding in his space.

‘Watkins bends down to let the dog sniff the back of his hand ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you’ Maddie pipes in ‘Scruffy is likely to jump up and rip your face off.

But Scruffy has taken a shine to Watkins and licks his hand in glee ‘Now Scruffy, I know that you have a huge collection of socks inside your abode but your kind owners miss those socks very much and would like them returned post haste.’

With a bark and a guilty look on his face the little dog runs into his kennel and quickly returns with a mouth full of socks and after a few minutes of running back and forth a total of fifty two misplaced socks lay on the grass.

‘How did you work everything out so quickly’ Richard asks ‘I knew as soon as I saw the little doggy door leading out into your backyard that the culprit was none other Scruffy.’

‘But why in the hell would scruffy take the socks in the first place?

‘Mrs Rothschild socks soak up a lot of sweat and when you and husband are out and your delightful children are at school scruffy quickly gets bored and lonely, he steals the socks because they smell of his family so when he feels a little down he goes into his kennel and the odour calms him down because in his mind he thinks that his family is nearby.’

‘The case of the missing socks has been solved but may I suggest that you give scruffy more attention and also buy another small dog to give scruffy some company.’

‘My bill will be in the mail, please pay promptly or I shall sick scruffy onto you.’

THE END.

I trust that you liked this story and if you did please leave a like or a comment and if you have the means please donate some money to help me on my quest to be a better author. Thank You.

‘Monsters Come In All Sizes’

07 Friday Nov 2025

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blood and gore, cannibalism, death, fiction, horror, knife, madness, rednecks, revenge, short-story, writing

It is another scorcher in southern Texas not far from San Antonio and ten year old Caleb Matthews is enjoying his summer vacation despite the heat and isolation.

With blonde hair, blue eyes and his favorite pair of faded blue denim dungarees Caleb from a distance could easily be mistaken for a modern day Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn but let me tell that this tiny farm boy from Texas is nothing like the two historical figures he is mean and cruel and is to be avoided at all costs and if you are unlucky enough to get close enough to look deep into his eyes you will see but darkness as black as black can be.

Today Caleb is wandering down a worn dusty track surrounded huge live oak trees towards a creek that meanders through the families large cotton ranch in Dripping Springs.

Due to the drought the creek is but a trickle, Caleb doesn’t notice cause all he wants is to sit in the shade for a while and hopefully a cricket or a cockroach will get close enough for him to snatch up and eat or take home to dismantle at his leisure.

Every now and then a tufted titmouse or a yellow kiskadee would swoop down for a drink but they to didn’t hold much interest for Caleb but just when he was about to head home for lunch when a kite lands twenty feet from with a bright yellow insect in its mouth.

Caleb’s skin tingles with anticipation when the bird dropped its meal on the bank of the creek which was a huge mistake because a young killer like Caleb doesn’t need a written invitation for a chance of a midday snack.

After scaring the kite away he bends down and picks up the struggling insect to devour but something about the black and yellow stripped bug stops Caleb, in his tracks.

After a closer inspection he decides to take his catch home so he shoves it into the bib of his dungarees before heading home.

Along the way the insect recovered from its ordeal crawls out but it doesn’t fly away instead the creature makes its way up before settling on Caleb’s bare shoulder.

At home Caleb is greeted by his ma who astonisably hasn’t noticed that he has a passenger on his shoulder ‘Caleb you really should wear your cowboy hat because after all we are in Texas and more importantly it will keep the sun off your face.’

Caleb nods in agreement as he swallows a bite of his bacon and egg sandwich ‘Okay ma i will but where is pa? I haven’t seen him for a couple of days now.’

He went over to Dallas to buy some parts for the tractor he should be home tomorrow, now take your lunch upstairs while I clean up.’

After picking up his plate Caleb turns back’ Ma why is it so cold in here i am covered in goosebumps.’

Feigning ignorance Mary responds’ Is it cold? Can’t say that I have noticed the thermostat must be broken, when your father gets back I will tell him to fix it.’

Once her son is out of earshot Mary mutters’ Fix it? what a laugh the only thing that that asshole could fix was a horse race and even than the dumb prick still lost.’

After making a cup of coffee Mary unlocks the walk in pantry and gazes happily at her naked dead husband silently swings from a meat hook bolted to the roof.

As sips her beverage the harried housewife sweeps her stringy brown hair back from her face than lets her mind drift back to the fateful day a week prior when her fourth husband Ronnie arrived home in a panic yelling ‘Honey I have lost everything at the races, you will have to sell all of your jewelry to keep the wolves from the door and I will sell my vintage car collection.’

Mary is in the kitchen washing the dinner dishes and after hearing what Ronnie had to say her eyes stared at the meat hook in the pantry left over from a bygone age.

When her husband runs into the kitchen wearing his best business suit Mary grabs him by the shoulders to calm him down’ Everything will alright Ronnie you’ll see, now tell me Ronnie how much do you weigh exactly? Bewildered Ronnie blurts out ‘what does that have to do with anything but if you must know I weigh 190 pounds or thereabouts.’

Mary who only weighs 175 pounds sizes up her target before she pounces on her husband lifting him up off the ground ‘Stop struggling Ronnie, sometimes you act like a little boy, you’d think I was trying to kill you or something.’

On entering the pantry Mary begins to run out of puff but after taking a few quick breaths she lifts her husband’s squirming body a few inches above the hook than with a mighty effort Mary slams Ronnie’s body down onto the meat hook.’ there Ronnie, now that wasn’t so bad after all was it? now you just hang around here for a while and i will go upstairs and ask Caleb if is his up for some chocolate ice cream and I bet he is.’

‘Goodbye dearest hang tight.’

After escaping the arctic freeze downstairs Caleb still a little worried about the whereabouts of his father strides over to the windowsill where his collection of insect body parts sit proudly.

Soon he is joined by the yellow jacket and all thoughts about his pa are put on the back burner.

Caleb is happy to see that the wasp has recovered after almost being devoured by the hungry kite and his smile widens when his friend takes flight again circling his room to strengthen its wings.

After looking over to make sure that his bedroom door is locked Caleb reaches under his bed and pulls out an old green hold all that he found hidden in an abandoned barn.

Expecting to find a shit load of boring papers or maybe some old vinyl records imagine the surprise Caleb had when he opened the bag to see three gleaming human skulls surrounded by packing material.

‘What you been up to Pa?’ Caleb wonders as he strokes one of the skulls tenderly ‘When you come home pa and when I am bigger we should team up and become one of the worst killer duo’s the world has ever seen.’

Downstairs Mary has got off the phone with an auctioneer who is in the process of selling her jewelry and all of Ronnies cars and when he said that the sale of the cars should have been done with Ronnie himself present Mary offered him a huge commission which quickly shut him up but Mary knows that one day will talk so when all of the money has been deposited into her account she will to pay him a friendly visit.

A couple of days later Caleb is sitting at the kitchen table a huge plate of scrambled eggs and a few slices of a weird tasting bacon substitute ‘Ma what is this bacon substitute actually made from?’

‘I’m not quite sure honey probably tofu or something but don’t worry if you don’t like it I will cook you something else but I must say that it is an acquired taste but the texture reminds me of a meal of spicy canine i ate in Thailand years ago.’

It takes Caleb a few seconds to understand what his mother just said but when he does Caleb races towards the bathroom as fast as his little legs will take him. ‘I am joking Caleb’ Mary laughs at her fleeing son but her face suddenly hardens ‘Toughen up Caleb or I will leave you here hanging beside your father.’

After returning from the bathroom Caleb tries to dodge his mother but she smiles sweetly and hugs him tight’ That joke was in poor taste Caleb and I apologize from the bottom of my heart.’

‘Now what are your plans this morning?

‘I was thinking that I would down to the creek and catch myself a huge bass or two.’

Without waiting for a response Caleb rushes outside grabs his fishing pole and wanders off towards the creek.

Just as he about to reach the track the wasp makes an appearance landing on his masters shoulder’ Hello buddy I thought that you were gone for good so welcome back.

Realizing that he hasn’t named the wasp yet Caleb thinks for a moment before remembering one of his pa’s favorite TV shows from when he was a kid ‘Welcome Back Kotter’

‘Come on Kotter lets go catch us a fish or two because I am getting mighty tired of eating the mystery meat that ma has been serving up lately.’

The water level of the creek is still too shallow for catching good sized fish but Caleb knows that further downstream is a big lagoon but it is mighty close to the neighbors fence line but it is a risk worth taking.

He just hopes that he doesn’t run into the pair of redneck cousins that live in a ramshackle shack located a mere 100 yards away as the crow flies.

Leroy Croce is an 18 year old albino with pink eyes like a rat but he is built like a sumo wrestler in training so he isn’t one to mess with.

His cousin Angus on the other hand is as skinny as a rake and stands an even 6′ with jet back hair that Caleb heard comes from a Native American who passed through town 14years ago leaving a stain on the earth behind him.

After baiting a hook with two juicy worms Caleb casts deep into the lagoon then sits back to wait but after twenty minutes he is getting mighty frustrated so he grabs his pocketknife and begins to sharpen the blade keeping one eye on his fishing line.

Once the blade is honed to perfection Caleb starts to doze off not hearing the freaky cousins as they sneak up behind him ‘Well well well Leroy this pecker head has decided that it is wise to fish in our lagoon, what do you think we should do with him’

‘Leroy has no idea what his cousin just said so he grunts a reply whilst struggling to stop his huge belly from dragging along the ground.

Angus is clearly the leader so Caleb focuses is attention on him and all the fear has gone that he had for Leroy and Angus is gone now that he has seen the pair up close ‘First off numb nuts you are trespassing on my families land and two I don’t take kindly to being threatened by the likes of you and lard ass over there, now fuck off back to your reservation so I can get back to my fishing.’

‘Whoa strong words little man now go sit on that log and open up because are about to suck on some prime indian cock.’

Pretending to be interested Caleb sits on the log making sure that his pocketknife is hidden from view ‘There you go boy get started before I kill you instead.’

‘Is that a turtle neck you’ve got there Angus because it looks like it is retreating back into its shell at a fast rate, maybe you should get your mama to coax it back out.’

Leroy erupts with laughter causing his belly to wobble like a huge tub of jello ‘Stop laughing Leroy or you can suck my cock after little man has finished.’

Yeah come sit next to me Leroy, I’m sure that this won’t be the first time that you have gobbled down on your cousin’s teeny weeny man bits.

Leroy’s jowls turn crimson with anger ‘ Angus you told me that when we were together that it was our own special secret so how does Caleb know?’

‘Shut up you idiot I haven’t told anyone.’

Now it is Caleb’s turn to laugh ‘I swear you two are dumber than a bag of rocks.’

Before the two cretins can react Caleb slices open Leroy disemboweling the huge redneck than he grabs Angus by the gonads severing them with one slice.

Covered in blood and gore Caleb calmly shoves the genitals down Angus’s throat ‘Suck on your own cock asshole.’

Leroy whimpers in pain crying out for his mama unaware that his insides are slivering on their own accord towards the lagoon ‘Sorry that it came to this Leroy but you left me no choice but on the positive side, you have never looked slimmer.’

Leroy offers a ghost of a smile before slipping away to the other side.

Angus is still alive when Caleb approaches his eyes pleading for mercy ‘You will get nothing from me Angus not even a goodbye.’

‘May the birds pick your bones clean after the bears and coyotes have had their fill.’

Caleb’s fishing pole is doing a merry dance telling him that a big fish is on the other end ‘Holy fricking hell’ Caleb laughs as he quickly reels his catch to the bank.

After making sure that he isn’t leaving anything behind Caleb bends down and picks up his huge black bass that must weigh at least 10 pounds.

A noise behind him startles Caleb for a second ( His first thought was that the cousins had come back to life) but he soon relaxes as he watches two big black bears dragging the cousins by the back of the neck into the forest.

Once past the danger zone Kotter decides to make an appearance landing on Caleb’s shoulder ‘You aren’t much of a bodyguard Kotter but I guess your time will come.’

Close to home notices that he is covered in gore and flesh and instead of wiping it off he puts a few pieces into his mouth and as he chews on the morsels Caleb realizes that he has tasted something similar recently but he can’t quite put his finger on it.

Kotter decides that it probably wise to stay outside for a while so he flies off leaving Caleb on hos lonesome to face the music but the youngster is beyond caring what his mother thinks anymore so after discarding the bass on the front porch he strides in ‘Sweet lord Jesus’ Mary shrieks’ Did you decide to wrestle a bear or annoy a honey badger Caleb and how in the hell do you think that I will be able to get those bloodstains out of those dungarees, I am not a miracle worker you know.’

‘Now lets out to the kitchen and you can tell all about your adventure.’

Caleb suddenly realizes that his mother is nuttier than a fruitcake but he follows into the kitchen where on the table sits a large green hold all.’

Seeing that her son is about to flee Mary grabs him by an arm and tells him to sit down ‘Don’t worry Caleb you aren’t in any trouble, now talk.’

‘Well me and Kotter were down by the creek’ ‘Hang on Caleb who in the fuck is Kotter? Mary bursts out laughing ‘Don’t tell me son but is Kotter your new imaginary friend? What happened to the last one? Did you disappear in a puff of smoke or run down a hole following Alice into wonder land?

Caleb gives his mother a stare that shuts her up real quick ‘Do you want to hear about my day or what?’

Mary nods her head and Caleb tells her how he killed the two cousins from next door with his pocket knife gutting one and castrating the other ‘Did you bring any meat home with you Caleb it would taste good in a stew.’

Yeah ma I did bring some meat home I caught a bass its out on the patio, I thought that we could eat it for supper tonight.’

‘We shall eat it tomorrow Caleb because I already have supper in the oven, you will love it i promise, I call it hamburger surprise.’

Caleb doesn’t reply because his attention has shifted to the green bag sitting proudly in the center of the kitchen table ‘Yes Caleb imagine horror when I went out to the barn to pay homage to my first three husbands who I cherished dearly only to discover that the bag containing their skulls was missing and lo and behold where do you think I found them Caleb? ‘That’s right under your bed beside your porn mags and also Caleb while you are here, tell me about the weird insect collection on your bedroom windowsill.’

‘Um I don’t know ma, maybe they flew inside one day and couldn’t get back out, then they most likely died from starvation.’

‘That will do for now Caleb now how about we have a small bowl each of my hamburger surprise and save the rest for supper?

As he eats Caleb smiles for the first time in weeks ‘this actually tastes good ma the meat falls right of the bone, Pa would love it.’

‘He sure would son but you know I think that there is a small piece of your father in every bowl.’

After he has finished eating Caleb turns to his mother ‘Okay mother where is Pa? And this time I won’t the truth.’

Mary ponders for a few seconds before answering ‘You asked for it Caleb so here goes, your father is currently hanging from a meat hook over in the pantry.’

‘So that is why it is always so cold in here? Caleb asks as he stares at the closed pantry door.

‘It is okay Caleb the dead can’t hurt you, go and have a look.’

With tiny steps Caleb walks over and opens the pantry door and silently stares at the mottled flayed body of his pa twisting on the meat hook ‘Oh my God I have been eating pa’s flesh all this time haven’t I ma?’

For once in her life Mary is lost for words but finally utters ‘Yes we have Caleb, now how about we have another bowl of hamburger surprise and talk about it?’

Caleb nods his head because even though he hates himself for it after tasting human flesh both raw and cooked he now has an appetite for more.

While mother and son eat the remaining casserole Mary outlines her plan on how to escape ‘Caleb you have murdered two people so the cops will soon come knocking.’

‘I told the ranch manager a few days ago that due to pa’s disappearance that I have forced to sell up plus i sold all of his cars and my jewelry so along with money from that and from the ranch’s sale we will have quite a tidy sum to survive on until we find our feet someplace else.’

‘Why did you do it ma? Why did you kill pa?

‘I didn’t kill your pa Caleb he committed suicide. ‘Yeah right ma am I supposed to believe that?

‘Believe what you want to believe Caleb but it is true I swear on the graves of my first three husbands.’

‘Last Tuesday I was making coffee when your father walked in and without a word he stripped down naked grabbed a kitchen chair and climbed up on it than he reached up grabbing the rafter in the pantry and with lighting speed he impaled himself on the meat hook.’

‘Bravo ma’ Caleb laughs clapping his hands ‘That a good story you should get a job writing for the San Antonio Times, now tell me the truth and nothing but the truth.’

‘You have always been a little too big for your britches Caleb but alright, your father’s eyes began to stray instead of keeping them on the main prize namely me so he had to go.’

‘Now go upstairs and take a long hot shower and afterwards he will feel refreshed ready to take on the world.’

As he showers a million thoughts swirl around Caleb’s brain but in the end he decides to stick close to his mother and see where their next journey takes them.

Early the next morning the duo pack some of their belongings in Mary’s Mercedes Benz station wagon turn back to say a final farewell to Ronnie Matthews than Mary idles the car down to the front gate.

After opening the gate Caleb buckles up ready for the next stage ‘Huh Caleb sit still and whatever you do stay calm, now don’t look but you have a huge yellow jacket on your left shoulder.’

‘I know ma, let me introduce you to Kotter the friendly wasp.’

‘If you say so Caleb, now lets hit the road but first I need to make a pit stop in town on a personal matter.’

Mary can’t believe her luck as she pulls in right out the front of Brett Furguson’s Auctioneer’s office ‘Hang tight Caleb, can I borrow your pocketknife for a moment I have a feeling that I might need it.’

Behind the reception desk sits Daphne Prine a skinny alabaster skinned 80 year old spinster who still sports a beehive hairstyle that was popular back in the 1960’s.

Good morning Daphne I just need to have a quick word with Brett for a moment if you please.’

Daphne purses her lips in distaste ‘I am sorry Mrs Matthews but Mr Furguson is booked solid until the end of the month and make sure that you make an appointment before you come back.’

‘Now don’t get a bee in your bonnet Daphne, let me have a look at your appointment ledger for this morning.’

Once Daphne reaches for the ledger Mary opens the pocketknife plunging the blade into the old bags hand pinning it to her desk.

Daphne’s mouth opens and closes like a goldfish but no sound comes out ‘I tried to be nice to you but you decided that rudeness was the way to go’ Mary scolds turning the ledger around ‘Well look here Brett is free all morning, so you are a liar as well as having no fashion sense.’

Hearing voices outside his office Brett Furguson comes out front to see what is happening and on seeing Mary he takes a step ‘Well look what the cat dragged in, what can I do for you Mary?

‘Well Caleb and I are about to go on a road trip so I need to make sure that the funds from the auction have gone into my account before we leave.’

‘The money from the sale of your jewelry was deposited into your account without any problems but Ronnie’s fleet of vehicles are being held in storage until I personally get an okay from your husband but all attempts to contact him have gone unanswered.’

‘So until I hear from Ronnie the sale of the vehicles will not proceed so please tell your husband to contact this office ASAP to discuss the matter so I am sorry but it looks like you have made a trip into town for nothing.’

Wearing a smug expression on his face Brett grabs May’s arm attempting to steer her towards the exit but then he notices Daphne slumped over her desk with a knife pinning her to it.

Forgetting all about Mary Brett rushes over to his and begins checking for a pulse ‘You crazy bitch, lucky for you it seems that Daphne has fainted, now stay where while I call the police.’

Mary has no intention of sticking around, instead she bounds forward frees the knife plunging it into Brett’s right eye killing him instantly.

Then Mary calmly puts a hand over Daphne’s nose and mouth until she too has died, then she sets fire to the office’s furnishings and carpet to destroy evidence.

Caleb is getting bored sitting around doing nothing, so his relief is evident when his ma finally appears ‘Time to get out of dodge Caleb before all hell breaks loose.’

THE END

Part two coming soon.

I hope that you liked reading this story and if you did please give it a like a comment and share with all of your friends and family.

If you wish to support me financially please feel free because my wish is to become a fulltime writer.

Thank You.

‘Are You Afraid Of The Dark?’

11 Friday Oct 2024

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

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Tags

badness, book-blog, books, dank, dark, darkness, family, fantasy, horror, kidnapped, miami, mineshaft, reviews, supernatural, worms

This story is about a small girl who was abducted back in 2004 and for some reason the perpetrator kept her alive in a dank place that tortured the soul of the innocent girl.

The darkness and loneliness are slowly but surely eating away at her sanity but 9 year old Jessica Campbell from North Haven Miami is determined to stay alive to make sure that the creep who took her away from her family will pay a heavy price for his crime.

It is now 2007 and Jessica Campbell is still hanging on by a thread…….

‘Hello is anybody out there?’

Jessica whimpers when she gets no reply, the cold and the damp are taking a toll plus the scant amount of food that her captor supplies her with every day or so is barely enough but the wish to escape to see her parents again is the driving force that keeps her going from day to day.

The darkness is so dense Jessica’s body clock has no idea if it is night or day plus the stench of her own waste is almost too much to bare but on the bright side Jessica’s hearing has improved immensely so the sound of water dripping nearby is music to her ears plus her amplified hearing makes it easy for her to catch cockroaches when they scurry within reach.

The crunchy critters are hard to swallow but the meat they provide her with must needed sustenance if she is to survive her ordeal.

Jessica knows that it must be years since she was put down in this hellhole with no one to talk to except the voices of her mom and dad telling her to knuckle down and come back home to them ‘I will and the asshole who took me pay with his life.’

‘God knows what I must look like’ the now twelve year old muses ‘I haven’t washed so I must stink like a mule, my hair is so long and full of tangles just like Cousin Itt.’

‘Okay thanks for phoning me Missus Campbell, I understand that it has been a distressing last three years for you and your family and I assure that I will do everything in my power to help locate your missing daughter.’

After ending the phone call Wendy Gatton an investigative crime reporter for the Miami Tribune Goggles the name Jessica Campbell to get more information on her disappearance.

32 year old Wendy is a tall white woman with short black hair who is known for her innate ability to write factual stories that have boosted daily sales of the newspaper but more importantly for Wendy her research has helped the local authorities solve heinous crimes.

Wendy spends every spare hour working the case and 48 hours later she believes she has uncovered enough evidence to run a full front page story on the case, now all she has to do is convince the papers crime editor to print her story.

She discovered that seven other young girls besides Jessica Campbell went missing in northern Florida and just over the border in Georgia between 2002-2004.

All of the girls have long brown hair and they were also taken outside of their schools at around 3.20 in the afternoon.

Is it possible that the authorities in both states haven’t been in communication with each other concerning the missing girls?

At 9am the next morning Brian Freebody the crime editor for the Miami Tribune strolls past Wendy’s desk on his way to his office wearing a custom made grey cotton suit and cowboy boots and today he is sporting a $500 hair cut. ‘Jesus what a show pony’ Wendy muses ‘One day he will trip over his ego and crash back down to earth with a thud.’

Wendy gives her boss fifteen minutes to settle in before knocking on his office door ‘Good morning sir, I have been working on a story for a few days and I believe that the public deserve to see it.’

Sitting behind his desk Freebody looks up at Wendy ‘That is good Wendy, just leave it here and I will peruse it later.’

‘Alright Brian but my story concerns a mother who’s daughter has been missing for three years, plus seven other young girls are also missing so time is of the essence.’

‘I am sure that your story will be of the highest quality like all of your other stories but I haven’t got time to read it right this minute because I have a meeting upstairs with the editor-in-chief Carly Simonson so go back work now and I will call you back in here later today.’

For the next four hours Wendy works on another story silently fuming that her asshole editor still hasn’t got back to her but then just on lunchtime Freebody calls her back into his office ‘Sorry to keep you waiting Wendy, take a seat, well I read your story and I have to say that it doesn’t reach your normal standard of journalism.’

‘What are you talking about Brian? It is a hard hitting story that lets the public know that maybe there is a serial killer in our midst plus the parents of all the missing girls need to know that they haven’t been forgotten and what about the newspaper sales my stories generate?’

‘I appreciate that Wendy but your story lacks substance, go and work on it and I might print your piece next week’.

‘Next week? It will be too late by then, Jessica Campbell and some of the other girls might still be alive.’

‘Get a grip Wendy, three years have passed since the girls went missing so the chances of any of the girls are still alive is less than zero.’

‘And Missus Gratton you seem to have forgotten that I am in charge here not you, now leave my office before you are put on suspension.’

Wendy is close to tears as she stands ‘I can see that you are upset Wendy so take the rest of the day off and think about your position here at the newspaper.’

After storming out Wendy quickly unlocks her car and drives out of the underground carpark in a huff but as soon as she hits the freeway Wendy realizes that she had left her story on Freebody’s desk but there is no way in hell that she will go back and grab it because Wendy knows that she might strangle the obnoxious prick of an editor.

Once home Wendy pours herself a glass of wine before booting up her laptop.

She can’t get forget Jessica Campbell’s mother’s pleading phone call yesterday, the distress in her voice was palpable and it left Wendy numb.

Sitting in front of her computer Wendy racks her brain for some inspiration but nothing comes to mind so she pulls up a map of Florida and Georgia and leans in close to really study the map where the kidnappings took place and immediately she notices numerous abandoned mines scattered around both states.

Feeling a little better Wendy phones Captain Michael Brady her police contact at Dade County.

”Well if it isn’t Wendy Gratton herself, have you won a Pulitzer Prize yet?

Wendy smiles ‘Not yet Mike, would it be possible to meet somewhere tonight? I am working on a missing person’s case and I really need your help.

After telling Brady all about how her editor refused to publish her story about Jessica Campbell and the other missing girls and her theory about the abandoned mines the pair agree to meet at Dolphins beach cafe at eight o’clock.

After locking her apartment Wendy walks over to a nearby news stand to buy a copy of the Tribune’s late edition but when she gets closer the headline ‘SERIAL KILLER?’ screams out at her.

‘Brian Freebody, this time you have gone too far.’

Tucking the paper in her bag Wendy makes her way towards the shoreline with her anger growing stronger every second.

Reaching Dolphin Beach Wendy strolls into the cafe and takes a seat at a table looking out at the tumbling waves but she doesn’t take in the pleasant vista.

When the waiter brings her espresso Wendy thanks him before laying the Tribune on the table than she reads the front page feature story and aside from a few minor changes the story is exactly as she wrote it ‘Just you wait until I get into the office tomorrow Freebody because the doo doo is going to hit the fan.’

A few minutes later Captain Mike Brady arrives, Wendy stands and gives her friend a hug ‘I haven’t ordered yet Mike, get what you want because I will be putting the bill on my work expenses card.’

They both order a cheeseburger with fries plus a pot of coffee and as they wait Wendy tells Mike about the missing girls ‘Jessica Campbell’s mother rang me the other day worried that her daughter’s case might have been forgotten so I told her that I would look into it.’

I am familiar with the case Wendy and I assure you that one of my officers is working on it but there aren’t that many leads to go on.’

Wendy grabs her cell phone from her bag and shows Mike the picture of the abandoned mines bordering both Florida and Georgia ‘I am aware of these mines Wendy but I haven’t got the resources to search them all plus and I don’t mean to sound callous but it has been three years so it would most likely be a recovery effort.’

‘I realize that Mike but couldn’t a K9 unit search the mines closest to where Jessica went missing because there are only four or five of them I think.’

Down in the mine shaft Jessica’s physical health has improved slightly because she has been able to catch plenty of worms, crickets and cockroaches to keep hunger at bay plus with all the moisture in the shaft Jessica has been able to quench her thirst but the darkness and the cold has sapped her mental strength significantly to almost breaking point.

The next morning arrives early waiting for Freebody to make an entrance and when he does Jessica is hot on his tail entering his office before he can close the door ‘Good morning Brian, do you remember yesterday when you told to ‘Think about my position here at the paper? Well i have taken your advice and I have come to the conclusion that I can no longer here as long as you are the editor, so I resign effective immediately.’

‘I will need a resignation letter plus it is customary for an employee to give two weeks notice.’

‘That is correct but it is also customary for a boss to give guidance and nurture an employee not stab them in the back and claim their work as your own.’

‘Oh, did I mention that I know Carly Simonson the editor-in-chief upstairs and your boss very well, we grew up together so maybe you should start cleaning out your desk.’

The look on Freebody’s face is priceless ‘I will leave my resignation letter on my desk Brian, bye for now.’

Wendy doesn’t bother writing the letter but she does send a quick email upstairs.

At home Wendy is busy packing her groceries away when her landline rings ‘Hello is this Wendy Gratton?

‘Yes, who am I speaking to?’

My name is Peter Robotham the crime editor at the Miami Herald, I hear that you might be looking for a new job?’

‘News sure does trave fast in this town but yes I do need a job.’

‘Carly Simonson rang me a few minutes ago and I vacancy for a crime reporter if you are interested.’

‘I sure am Peter, could I come to your office first thing in the morning?’

‘Yes that is fine Wendy, see you tomorrow, bye.’

Wendy can’t believe her luck but before she can pour a glass of wine to celebrate her phone rings again.

‘Hello Wendy just letting you know that I have a team and a K9 unit searching some of the old abandoned mines within a 20 mile radius from where Jessica Campbell missing back in 2004 plus I also informed the authorities up in Georgia of the situation and they promised me that they will look into it.’

‘But the best news Wendy is that the mine on Springmount Road has signs of recent activity and as we speak the K9 unit is moving in for a closer look.’

‘That is great news Mike I am on my way to the Campbell residence and I will stay there until I hear back from you.’

Trooper Donavan a young white man who has been part of the K9 team for six years holds onto his bloodhound’s lead as closes in on the mine ‘Slow down Marcie we need to wait for other troopers to arrive.’ but Marcie isn’t interested in waiting, she pulls Donavan forward for twenty feet before dropping to the ground beside some rusty sheets of corrugated iron.

‘Good girl Marcie, you have earned a reward now lets go play with your favorite toy shall we.’

A forensics team move in and quickly take photo’s of the iron and the surrounds especially the tire tracks and flattened grass area that the police units carefully avoided.

After forensics give permission the iron sheets are cleared away revealing a round wide shaft opening into the unknown.

‘Good job team’ Captain Mike Brady says taking charge of the situation ‘Lets shine some light down into the shaft to see if we can see what the dog reacted to.’

‘Fifty feet below Jessica Campbell is laying on the damp cold ground just waiting to die when she hears voices from above, opening an eye the teenager notices that for the first time since her capture she can see the sky above but when a bright light hits her face Jessica’s eyes burn so she cowers away into the darkness.

‘I don’t believe what I am seeing’ a rookie holding the light utters ‘There is somebody down there but she just moved away from the light but I swear I saw an old woman with long white hair.’

One of the troopers suggests that they bring in a helicopter ‘Might be dangerous with all of the trees around plus the power lines’ Brady responds ‘But I will put in a request, in the meantime call down the shaft and tell the person that we are here to help and she will be brought back to the surface as soon as we can reach her.’

After thinking about the situation Brady calls for a S.W.A.T team ‘Okay everyone a S.W.A.T team is on the way so prepare to assist, also the press will probably be here soon so keep them away and guys keep an eye out for any suspicious activity because the perpetrator could be watching us right this minute.’

Brady was 100% correct because just as he thought because the perp mingled with the journalists but unfortunately for Brady as soon as the S.W.A.T team arrived the perp slinked away unnoticed.

20 minutes later a S.W.A.T member is lowered into the shaft and he soon encounters a wild haired crazy eyed female making strange grunting animals noises holding a hand over her face to shield her eyes from the glare of the spotlight. ‘Holy shit, I might have a situation here.’ the S.W.A.T officer whispers to himself so to calm the female down he moves the light away from her face ‘Jessica? Is your name Jessica Campbell? Your momma is mighty worried about you so if you can come to me and I will take you home.’

After another series of animal sound’s the person slowly slides along the damp ground until she reaches her rescuer ‘Hold on Jessica, once I have tied to securely to myself we will go up into the sunshine.’

And with a quick tug on a rope the pair are pulled up towards the surface and when they appear all of the police break out in applause but they quickly step back at the stench aminating from the girl.

Jessica starts screaming when the sunshine hits her face ‘Jesus look at her eyes they are on fire’ one of the troopers gasps.

‘Cover her face for God sake’ Brady yells at the trooper ‘If you had been stuck down a mine shaft for over three years you would be screaming to, now put her in your cruiser and transport the child to General hospital ASAP.’

As soon as he knows that Jessica is in safe hands Brady calls her parents ‘Hello this is Captain Brady from Dade County can I speak to Lorna Campbell.’

‘Oh lord, please tell me that Jessica is alive and well.’

‘Yes she is Lorna but she is in bad shape as you can understand, she is unable to talk at the moment and mentally Jessica is very frail.’

‘She is currently being transported to General hospital so make your way there but when you see your daughter be prepared for a shock because you will not recognize her at first.’

‘My husband and I can’t thank you enough for not giving up searching for Jessica and how she survived is a miracle.’

‘Take care Lorna, I am mighty happy that you finally have good news but the person you should thank is Wendy Gratton because she is the one who pushed me in the right direction.’

Wendy and the Campbells hug in the middle of living room still not quite believing that Jessica has overcome her ordeal.

A week later Wendy visits the hospital and is led to an isolation room by a friendly nurse ‘Please when you enter make no loud noises plus the patient is unable to speak, she just makes weird grunting sounds so it would be best to remain silent.’

When the nurse opens the door Wendy is shocked at the sight of Jessica’s long silver hair and scaly white skin plus she has two large cotton pads covering both of her eyes and another strange thing is that two large flashlights sit on the table next to her bed.

Sensing that someone is watching her Jessica looks over towards Wendy who remains silent as her tears run down her cheeks.

Suddenly Jessica reaches up and rips the bandages from her eyes but this time Wendy can’t remain silent because Jessica’s eyes are now bright pink like an albino’s.

At the sound of Wendy’s scream the nurse comes rushing in ‘Oh sorry I should have warned you but I wasn’t expecting her to remove the bandages.’

Wendy looks at Jessica again and this time the girl smiles at her ‘I am glad that you are safe Jessica, now just rest and let the nurses look after you.’

Once they are outside the room asks the nurse about Jessica’s eyes ‘Will they return to normal and what’s the go with the flashlight’s?’

‘We had a power outage a few nights back and the patient went berserk at the sudden darkness so the doctor believes that the patient has Nyctophobia which is a condition where someone is afraid of the dark and concerning the patients eyes all I can say is that she will receive the best treatments available now I need to return to the patient.’

Wendy shudders as she walks away because Jessica’s situation reminds her of the poor girl in that old horror movie ‘The Exorcist.’

THE END.

Part Two coming soon.

I hope that you liked reading my story and if you did please leave a comment.

Plus if you have the means please make a donation so that I can become a fulltime writer Thank You.

‘Shadow Play.’

23 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

criminals, family, fantasy, home alone, mates, mystery, shadow, supernatural

The following story is about a young boy who has an unusual protector and guardian, his own shadow.

‘Mummy can I go outside and play with Pumpkin?’

‘It is really hot outside Caleb, just play inside and when it cools down you can outside okay?’

But mummy Pumpkin needs to go potty, plus I have been a good boy all day haven’t I?

32 year old Miranda Gaiman smiles at her sweet blond haired son who’s idea of ‘being a good boy’ is completely different to her own.

WOOF WOOF Pumpkin the family’s Irish setter pup lets Miranda know that he really needs to go outside.

Pumpkin immediately ran outside when Miranda opened the sliding down with Caleb hot on his heels ‘Not so fast mister, go grab your hat and I meant what I said ten minutes and back inside.’

It has been a scorcher in Sydney Australia this summer with the temperature hitting over 38 degrees most days so Miranda has a good reason to be watchful over her only child.

But this year the sunshine will put an unwanted spotlight on the Gaiman family.

A former international model who’s face graced the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan because of her tall slim figure and natural beauty and she also walked the catwalks of New York, Paris London and of course Sydney.

But now she is a house wife married to her childhood sweetheart Bruce Gaiman who also has a successful career as a lawyer specializing in international law.

Together the happy couple own a two story home just a short walk from Botany Bay where Caleb is a nipper at Kogarah Surf Club.

‘Five more minutes Caleb than come back inside and have a cool drink and when daddy comes home from work we might go down to the beach for a swim.’

Caleb who is a spitting image of his mother smiles back ‘Okay mummy can Pumpkin come to?’

‘Yes Pumpkin can come and don’t forget to bring the soccer ball back inside with you because you know what happened last week when you left it outside.’

Feeling his face turn bright red Caleb looks over to the neighbours house where the bane of his life a spotty faced, fat turd of an individual named Jeremy Poole lives.

Jeremy is two years older than Caleb so the bully uses his bulk to intimidate all of the kids at school and on his street but soon Jeremy will get down to size.

Miranda smiles when she hears Caleb and his dog playing happily but it is time that her son came inside to cool off so she walks over to the door but see stops short not quite believing what she is seeing.

Outside her son and a black shimmering figure are kicking the soccer ball back and forth while Pumpkin barks waiting for his turn.

AAAARRRRGGGGHHH the FUCKKKKKK Caleb almost jumped out of his skin on hearing the banshee scream and when he heard his mummy say the f word Caleb knew that he was in deep doo doo.

Caleb’s shadow returned to heel quick smart and in the end the soccer ball was once again left outside.

‘Well young man what do you have to say for yourself?’

Even though he knows that he was busted playing ball with his shadow Caleb decides to play dumb ‘What do you mean mummy?’

‘Don’t you dare give me your sweet innocent smile Caleb, now tell who you were playing with before I call the police.’

‘Why it was just Pumpkin mummy.’

‘Caleb I saw a black figure out there, now tell me who it was or there will be no ice cream or cake for the next three months.’

‘But mummy how am I supposed to grow up big and strong if I don’t eat any cake and ice cream?’

Picking up her phone Miranda pretends to call the police ‘Hello, yes my son was outside playing with a stranger and he want tell me…’

‘Hang up mummy please, it wasn’t a stranger it was my shadow.’

‘Your shadow Caleb? I wasn’t born yesterday now tell me the truth.’

On cue the shadow moves over and sits on a couch opposite Caleb.

‘See mummy it is just my shadow, everybody has one you know.’

For once in her life Miranda Gaiman is completely speechless.

‘Caleb when daddy gets home I will have to tell him what I saw today okay?’

‘I don’t understand what the big deal is about me and my shadow playing outside.’

‘Well honey your shadow has a special ability that nobody else has so you need to keep it a secret and promise me Caleb that you won’t tell anybody about your shadow okay?’

‘Okay mummy but Pumpkin knows but he can keep a secret.’

Seeing that her son has had enough for one day Miranda hugs him close ‘Everything is good Caleb now go watch some cartoons and I will bring you a drink and a blueberry muffin.’

Three hours later Bruce Gaiman walks inside swinging his briefcase but he immediately knows that something is wrong because normally Caleb would rush to greet him with a thousand questions but today his eyes are glues to the TV screen pretending that everything is fine and dandy.

‘Alright Caleb what have you done this time, tell me now or I will eat all of the food in the house leaving you nothing but Brussel sprouts and Broccoli.’

After a few seconds Caleb blurts out ‘I haven’t done anything daddy but my shadow has been a very naughty boy.’

‘Yes he has hasn’t he’ Miranda says as she welcomes her husband home ‘Why don’t you tell daddy who or maybe I should say what played ball with you this morning.’

Bruce has heard enough ‘Alright will somebody tell me what in the hell happened today because right now I feel like I walked into the middle of a loony tunes cartoon.’

‘Well Bruce you might won’t to sit down because what I am about to tell you will scare the living crap out of you.’

I don’t need to sit down Miranda just tell me.’

Knowing that his master might be in some trouble Pumpkin the terrier runs to the backdoor barking his head off.

Soon he is joined by Caleb who immediately notices his soccer ball has been pierced by an arrow ‘Shadow or no shadow I will make you pay Jeremy Poole, just you wait and see.’

Caleb has had enough of the bully next door who thinks that he can destroy someone else’s property without any consequences. ‘Think again a hole.’

Opening the door to go fetch his ball Caleb is almost bowled over when his shadow races out into the yard, snaps the arrow in half then throws the broken projectile back over the fence from whence it came.

‘Holy fricking hell’ Bruce gasps ‘Did anybody else see what I just saw?’

Bruce goes to say more but before he can his eyes roll back and he crumples to the floor in a dead faint.

‘I told you to take a seat Bruce but you never listen, Caleb why don’t you and Pumpkin go into your room for a while and take your shadow with you and I will take care of daddy.’

A few minutes later Miranda walks into Calebs room carrying a tray holding a pepperoni pizza and a can of Pepsi ‘Just me Caleb, your father is still in shock so he is laying down for a while.’

‘Caleb you aren’t in any trouble but can you tell me when this thing with your shadow first started?’

After taking a bite of pizza Caleb replies ‘I can’t remember exactly but a few weeks ago at school my toy car fell down a drain and when I went to grab it I couldn’t quite reach but than my shadow came to the rescue.’

‘None of the other kids said anything so I am pretty sure that nobody saw me.’

‘That’s good Caleb but you have to promise me that in the future you will control your shadow.’

Caleb wants to please his mummy but he knows that his shadow sometimes takes like it has a mind of its own or something.

‘I will try mummy but sometimes things are beyond my control.’

‘You are a good boy Caleb, try to stay focused and don’t let your shadow lead you astray.’

Miranda is worried for her boy maybe he will need to be placed in isolation somewhere for his own protection until Bruce and herself can come up with a solution that doesn’t involve the authorities who would most likely treat her son like a circus freak.

Later that while Caleb is dreaming about dinosaurs ruling the earth once again his shadow slides out of bed and guided by a night light that his boy uses to keep bad people away grabs a pack of itching powder from the dresser then the shadow floats out of the half opened window destination next door.

Jeremy Poole is laying on his back snoring like a chainsaw when the shadow enters his room.

First it opens an underwear drawer and empties half of the itching powder inside then it removes two shoelaces from the bullies school shoes and uses them to tie both of Jeremy’s hands to the bed posts.

Still not satisfied the shadow pulls back the covers and empties the rest of the itching powder all over the sheets before making a quiet exit.

Audrey Poole gets up early every day to prepare breakfast and pack Jeremy’s lunch in his school bag.

The president of the local neighbourhood watch Audrey couldn’t care less about people’s safety or the wellbeing of others all Audrey craves is the chance to stick her nose into other people’s business and make their lives a misery.

Just like her son Audrey is overweight and she uses her bulk to intimidate her neighbours but believe it or not deep down Audrey is a kind soul who just wants a little love in her life but at the moment she is going about it the wrong way.

AAAAARRRRGGGGGG The scream from upstairs startles Audrey, she runs up to her son’s room to find him tied to his bed yelling hysterically ‘What’s wrong Jeremy who tied you to your bed and what is that white powder all over your room?’

‘Please Jeremy don’t tell that you are taking drugs?’

‘Yes mother I have up here all night snorting cocaine with a bunch of hookers and they tied to the bed before we all had nasty sex.’

Audreys mouth forms a silent O and she covers her mouth in horror ‘Get real mum it is itching powder, someone must have broken in, but first can you untie me because I need to scratch real bad.’

Jeremy scratches furiously all over body irritating his skin and drawing blood in places ‘Quick Jeremy go jump in the shower the water might take the itch away.’

Next door Caleb has woken up in a bad mood because one it is another school day and two he will have to wait for the school bus at the same bus stop as Jeremy the prick next door. ‘Hopefully he has shit the bed and is stuck to his sheets for the rest of his life.’

Downstairs Caleb is greeted by his mother ‘good morning sweetie, me and your father spoke last night and we think that it would be best if you stayed home from school for a week or so until we have solved the shadow situation.’

Inside Caleb is jumping for joy but he puts on a somber face ‘If you think that is for the best than I will stay home.’

Thirty minutes later Caleb peers through the front blinds when he hears Jeremy’s front door slam shut and then lard arse appears and he doesn’t look happy, his school pants are half pulled down and his hands are inside scratching like crazy.

When the school bus appears Jeremy’s pants fall down to his ankles and all of the kids on the bus point and laugh at the quivering boy who has made school days hell for most of them.

Completely humiliated Jeremy turns around and trudges back home.

Caleb is laughing so loud Miranda walks into the room to see what is so funny ‘Why are you looking out the window and what was making you laugh?

‘Oh nothing mummy I was just waving at my friends on the school bus.’

‘Come and eat your breakfast at the kitchen table Caleb so we can discuss your shadow problem as a family.’

‘My shadow isn’t a problem mummy all of the other kids at school have a shadow following them around all day.’

‘Yes they have Caleb and I don’t mean to sound dramatic but you might be the only person on earth who has a shadow that seems to have a mind of its own and the ability to move around at will.’

Just as Caleb settles in at the kitchen table there is a loud knock on the front door.

‘Jesus who could it be this hour? It better noy be one of those religious freaks.’

Opening the door Miranda is confronted by Audrey Poole and her crazy son Jeremy ‘Just what I need’ Miranda mutters under her breath.

‘What can I do for you this fine morning Audrey? A brain transplant perhaps?

‘Sorry to bother you Miranda but broke in last night and tied Jeremy to his bed and covered him in itching powder.’

‘Oh my God Audrey have you called the police?

‘No not yet, but as you can see Jeremy can’t stop scratching which has caused him great distress.’

Jeremy is indeed hopping from foot to foot as his hands delve inside his pants seeking some relief but Miranda has little time for the bully ‘Oh and by the way young man you owe me $120 for the six soccer balls that you destroyed with your bow and arrow.’

‘You won’t get one cent out of me’ Jeremy sneers ‘your wimpy son can pay for them and he will pay big time for coming over to my place last night spreading itching powder all over my room.’

‘Don’t be so rude Jeremy’ scolds Audrey ‘Your room is fifteen feet off the ground plus all of the doors and windows were locked so don’t blame anyone without proof, I know that you are a bit itchy at the moment son so mummy will go to the chemist and buy a bottle of Calamine lotion and your problem will go away.’

‘Well if Caleb didn’t break in who did? asks Jeremy.

Good question Jeremy Miranda ponders, she knows that her son didn’t go anywhere last night but she has a good idea who did.

As she watches Audrey and her son walk back home Miranda finds herself feeling sorry for them both she hopes that one day they will find peace and happiness.

After being cooped up inside all day Caleb is going stir crazy plus his constant whining is beginning to drive his parents up the wall. ‘Alright enough okay’ Bruce says ‘I know that it is a pain in the butt not being able to go outside but what if someone sees your shadow running around and calls the cops? They would take you away and ask questions later.’

‘But I tell you what, go check the letterbox but straight back inside alright.’

Caleb happily puts on his shoes then calls out to Pumpkin ‘Here boy lets go out front.’

Next door Jeremy Poole is sitting on a chair near the front door hoping for a chance to confront the wimpy kid next door, he probably keeps a diary for Gods sake.

Slathered from head to toe in Calamine lotion Jeremy is still seething even though he no longer has an urge to scratch. ‘Come on Caleb, I am going kick your arse all way down the street.’

Just then Caleb appears causing Jeremy to spring into action ‘Well well if it isn’t Caleb Gaiman himself, ready to pick your teeth out of the grass.’

‘Holy crap’ Caleb wails, caught like a deer in the headlights Caleb doesn’t know what to do.

While Caleb and Jeremey are having a staring contest an old white Hilux van rounds the corner heading their way.

Inside a pair of local criminals named Dennis Miller and Scott Pritchard are arguing about which house would be an easy target.

The pair have been in prison a few times which has earned them the nicknames of Harry and Marv after the two bumbling thieves in the ‘Home Alone’ movie.

Marv is at the wheel not concentrating on the road, all he wants is a quick job so he and Harry can go down to the pub for a few beers.

Caleb only just manages to escape Jeremy clutches who is blocking his way back to the safety of home so Caleb takes off across the street so fast as he can.

Once across he looks over to see Jeremey about to run after him , then out of the corner of his eye Caleb sees a white van bearing down on Jeremey fast ‘JEREMEY NO GET BACK.’

Noticing the look of terror on Caleb’s face Jeremey finally notices the van and stops dead and the middle road.

Caleb’s shadow knowing that it is Jeremey’s only chance of survival flies across the road like a bullet knocking Jeremey to safety.

Caleb runs over to comfort Jeremey ‘You saved my life Caleb, I don’t know how you did but I would be dead if not for you.’

‘It was my shadow Jeremey, but you have to promise not to tell a soul, okay mate.’

Jeremey is in a lot of pain but he manages to nod his head before losing consciousness.

Bruce and Miranda quickly followed by Audrey Poole soon converge on the scene ‘Jeremey’ Audrey screams as she falls to her knees beside her son ‘Come on son wake up for mummy.’

Caleb hugs his parents ensuring them that he is unharmed ‘Jeremey is fine Mrs Poole but I think he might have a few broken ribs.’

Lifting up her son’s shirt Audrey gasps at the sight of a huge red purple bruise on Jeremey’s left side ‘Christ it looks like Jeremey has been hit by a cannonball ‘Bruce mutters as he grabs the teen’s wrist checking for a pulse ‘Don’t worry Jeremey an ambulance is its way.’

Did you see what I saw Marv?

‘I didn’t see anything Harry what did I miss?’

‘Jesus Marv pay attention, that little wimpy kid has a power and that power will make us more money than we could ever spend.’

‘Now sit tight while I go grab the golden goose.’

Marv has no idea what his partner in crime is talking about but he stays put.

Caleb walks towards the van hoping that he can thank the driver for his driving skills.

As he gets close the passenger emerges opening a sliding door beckoning him forward ‘Hey kid you did good today, do you want a snickers bar I have some back here somewhere.’

Caleb suddenly remembers his parents warning him about stranger danger so he steps back but suddenly a huge sack is pulled over his head before he is bundled into the back of the van.

When the ambulance arrives Miranda realizes that she hasn’t seen Caleb in a while so she scans the area whispering her son’s name.

But young Caleb Gaiman is gone.

THE END.

Part Two is coming soon.

I hope that you enjoyed reading my story and if you did please leave a like or a comment and if you have the means please make a donation so I can become a fulltime writer. Thank You.

‘Hands Of Vengeance’ Part Three’

13 Thursday Jun 2024

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

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Tags

blood, electric chair, horror, horror gore, murder, old sparky, prison, revenge, San Quentin

Before.

Elijah Pope a young black man with a few petty crimes to his name is casually strolling along Maple Street Orange county California enjoying the sun shine when suddenly he is surrounded by a dozen squad cars and hauled off to jail.

The date is 6th July 2011 and Elijah is shocked when a Detective informs him that he is being charged with multiple murders and will held in custody until his court date.

Elijah knows that he hasn’t killed anyone and doesn’t understand how the cops could make such a mistake but he is confident that when he stands trial the judge will throw out all charges against him.

A month later he appeared before judge Walter B Carruthers charged with murdering twenty people.

His defense lawyer Paul Drew seeing that the evidence against his client is overwhelming offers only token counsel letting the prosecution railroad proceedings and after a ten week trial he is sentenced to death despite proving that he was out of state when five of the murders occurred.

Judge Carruthers stated that the DNA evidence proved beyond doubt that he was guilty of the heinous crimes and the only suitable punishment was death by electric chair.

Pope in a fit of rage attacked his defense lawyer before being dragged away by four court marshals screaming ‘You haven’t seen the last of me Mr Drew and Judge Carruthers, I will come back from the grave and drag you two down to hell.’

As the courtroom clears a young man very similar to Pope in appearance pulls a hat down over his face before walking out satisfied with the verdict.

Twelve years later just before dawn on the 21st September 2023 after exhausting all avenues of appeal Elijah Pope is escorted into the execution chamber by a half dozen guards where he is quickly tied into the electric chair with thick leather bindings.

A guard snaps a meta skullcap into place and Pope looks into the viewing room to see who up to watch him die, he is pleased to see his parents sitting front and centre but his mood shifts when he notices Paul Drew his defense lawyer looking back at him ‘One day motherfucker you will die by my hands’ Pope promises Drew who steps back in fright.

‘Enough Pope’ Warden Ian Baldacci a crusty old Irishman proclaims ‘Do you have any more last words before you meet your maker?’

‘I am an innocent man Warden and if you kill me today i promise that i will come back and take you amongst others down to hades where they too will meet their maker.’

At 5 am Warden Baldacci waits for the prison chaplain to finish his prayers for the condemned prisoner then he flicks the switch causing Pope to thrash and buck around violently.

Smoke fills the confined space thankfully because it blocked his parents from what happened next to their sons body, both of his eyeballs exploded and his cranium caught fire but worst of all was when the leather bindings around his hands dug deep into his flesh.

Popes skin was half cooked which caused the bindings to easily sever both of his hands that fell to the ground with a thump.

At 5.22 Pope was pronounced deceased and soon he was put into a pine box along with both of his hands and loaded onto the back of a truck and driven down to a dank corner of San Quentin and buried in an unmarked grave.

Three months later on a moonless night a pair of hands break through the dirt covering Popes remains and astoundingly the skin on the hands are unblemished free from any signs of decay.

The hands quickly scale the wall of the prison, slither under the razor wire and fall down the other side free to avenge their owners execution.

Vengeance will happen come hell or highwater.

After waiting for a few hours the pair of hands hitch hike a ride on a sanitation truck.

Just on 8.30 the hands seemingly knowing where exactly to jump off their ride do the deed and land outside a large building then scramble to a small garden near the entrance.

Ten minutes world renowned orthopedic surgeon Edwin Rothchild takes a seat near the garden to smoke a cigarette and to his astonishment he notices movement then the pair of black hands emerge like an octopus from it’s secret garden.

A patient of his, Patrick Redman, lost both of his hands in a boating accident back in September but due to having A B Negative blood one of the rarest types of blood in the USA he has been unable to find a suitable donor.

Knowing that it was completely unethical Doctor Rothchild picks up the hands takes them upstairs to his office where he disinfects the hands takes a small blood sample before placing the hands in a sterile cooler.

Just before lunch he gets an email from pathology and the results are positive, the blood from the donated hands match Patrick Redman’s blood type.

Rothchild immediately organizes an operation for tomorrow morning and after a marathon procedure the hands were successfully attached and a month later Redman was released from hospital a new man even though he now had black hands on his white body.

Redman’s recovery astounds his physiotherapist who has never seen a patient rebound so quickly and two weeks later he is released from the hospital and sent home.

Patrick is grateful for his new hands even though they came from a black man, he continued to improve everyday and was looking forward to going back to work and visiting his parents in Virginia.

After stepping out of the shower a few days later Patrick notices sometime written on the steamed up mirror I AM BACK MOTHERFUCKERS-ELIJAH POPE.

Panicking Patrick wipes the mirror clean and after dressing he boots up his laptop and Goggles Elijah Pope. ‘What in the fuck? They gave me the hands from a dead serial killer.’

Looking at the offending hands Patrick shakes in horror because the black skin has crept up his arms just past his elbow and when he looks down below his boxer shorts and his skin there is now black just below his knees.

After downing a triple scotch Patrick lies down on the couch to settle his nerves and sleep off the booze but as he dozes his DNA is still being taken over from the DNA of a very dangerous man seeking vengeance for his unjust execution.

A week later Elijah Pope leaves the apartment leaving the memory of Patrick Redman behind.

Knowing exactly where is he headed Pope jumps on a bus which takes him within a half mile of his first target Warden of San Quenton Warden Ian Baldacci.

Inside his home Baldacci is soaking in his tub relaxing after another hard day when the bathroom day is kicked in and a vaguely familiar black man enters holding a metal toaster ‘Good afternoon Warden I hope that you have washed all of your sins away because I am here to avenge my execution.’

‘Remember me Warden?

‘Pope? But it can’t be I saw you die and I also watched while you were buried just to make sure that you that you were never coming back.’

‘Well here I am Warden to let you know that you executed an innocent man when you killed me that day.’

While Pope was talking he plugged the toaster into an outlet and without another word tossed the toaster into the soapy water than stood back and watched as his first victim on his quest died in a shower of sparks.

NOW.

Pope feeling hungry after the killing wandering into the kitchen and made himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and as he ate Elijah went upstairs looking for cash to and soon found $600 in a dresser draw.

Downstairs pope grabs the Warden’s car keys and his service weapon than he re enters the bathroom and after unzipping he unleashes a torrent of piss all over the burnt body floating in the tub. ‘See you in hell Warden.’

After washing his hands Pope looks into the mirror and is happy to see his own reflection looking back at him’ Welcome back Pope now lets go kill more of the fuckers who found me guilty and sent me to the chair for a crime I didn’t commit.’

While he drives the Warden’s BMW along Santa Monica Blvd Pope to careful to stay under the speed limit because the last thing he needs is to attract attention to himself.

He completely ignores the ocean views because his mind has gone back to the day when he was found guilty of murdering 13 young females when he could prove that he was out of state when five of the murderers were committed? Plus how could the authorities conclusively say that the DNA found at all of the scenes.

Slamming his hand against the steering wheel Pope knows that the only theory that makes any sense is that he has a twin brother that his parents never told him about but surely his parents would have spoken up at his trial if that was the case?

Elijah wants answers and he wants them now but than he decides that his parents can wait awhile because first he will visit judge Walter B Carruthers a man who seems to think that he is beyond reproach.

After he has taken care of the judge pope plans on killing his so called defense attorney who just sat in his chair ignoring flaws in the prosecutions case.

While pope’s anger rages 30 miles away at the Redman household his sister who has been trying to contact her brother for three days is inside looking for signs of a struggle or another reason why Patrick has gone off the grid and.

Wendy knows that Patrick still recovering from the operation where he received a double hand transplant should be at home convalescing so she calls 911 to report her brother missing.

But unfortunately the police will be searching for a person who no longer exists or does he?

Growing frustrated Pope doesn’t know where to find his next two victims but it is a weekday so maybe they are both at the courthouse but where in the fuck is the courthouse screams as he again slams the steering wheel.

‘The courthouse is located at 38 Scyamore Avenue Los Angeles in three miles takes the exit.’

Elijah cant get a grip on where the voice is coming from but he gets an instant boner that he begins to rub.

God the voice sounds as sexy as hell ‘Hey lady what is your name?’

‘I am Siri, ask me a question and I will answer it.’

‘Um okay, does a bear really shit in the woods?’

‘No sir they use the restroom at the nearest gas station and use groundhog fur to wipe their butts.’

‘Haha good one Siri, now listen carefully because this is a serious question Is my cock the longest in the county?’

‘I can’t tell from here sir, why don’t you stick it out the window and let the cops decide.’

‘Jesus Siri you have a sexy voice but you really need to develop a sense of humour.’

‘But enough with the small talk Siri, now how about you still me the quickest way to the courthouse and make it snappy because I have a killing to attend to and hopefully I will be able to kill two birds with one stone.’

‘Sure thing Shorty. in 500 yards take a left on Metcalfe Street’ Pope bites his tongue and turns as directed ‘In 300 yards turn left on Ridgeway’

Seething inside continues to drive ‘In another 800 yards turn into Oceanview Avenue.’

Pope can’t stay quite any longer ‘I will have you know Siri that the only thing short about me is my temper so please keep your opinion to yourself.’

‘You have reached your destination, now before you exit your vehicle please make sure that everything is in place because the last thing the public needs to see is a one inch man in full bloom, have a nice day.’

‘Jesus what a fucking bitch’ Pope snarls as he parks and turns the engine off.

Pope sits inside the stolen BMW for a few moments to get his bearings and scope out the courthouse.

After a few minutes Pope steps out into the midday sun leaving a full palm print on the windscreen just so the authorities know who they are dealing with, Elijah Pope is back and soon the streets of Los Angeles will glisten as the blood of his victims pools before flowing into the gutters of hell.

As he trots up the courthouse steps Pope’s face lights up when he notices his defense lawyer Paul Drew sitting on a park bench just metres away eating his lunch while reading a newspaper.

Pope doesn’t notice the carefully manicured flower beds as he walks down a gravel path because he hasn’t come for a picnic Elijah is here to inflict pain and avenge another who did him wrong.

‘Um excuse me but are the attorney Paul Drew by any chance?’

Drew looks up at the young black man standing before him who looks vaguely familiar ‘Yes I am attorney Drew can I help you with something?’

‘Yes I would like to discuss a case with you if I may?’

‘Of course but I am on my lunch break so just call my office and make an appointment and talk about any legal matter that you have.’

Taking a seat on the bench Pope looks into the eyes of a man who has no idea that his life is about to come to a grisly end ‘The case that I want to talk about happened in July 2012 and you were my attorney but you did little in the way of defending me, instead you sat back and let the prosecutor railroad my case and in turn I was found guilty of murdering 13 women even though i proved that I was in another state when five of the murders occurred.’

Drew lowers his newspaper and for the first time looks at the intruder and when he finally recognizes the man sitting a few feet away his bowels turn to water ‘My God Pope? It can’t be I watched you die in the chair and I saw your pine box lowered into the ground before the hole was filled in with dirt.’

‘Pope you were convicted because your DNA was found on all of the victims so there was little that I could do to save you.

Elijah can see that life has been kind to Paul Drew but it is about to get a whole lot worse ‘Did it ever occur to you that I might have a twin brother who would be guilty of the murders? Because being twins we would share the same DNA.’

Drew is growing increasingly anxious and continually wipes his palms on the crumpled suit pants that he has worn into court for over a decade than fitting his appearance because he looks a lot like the ‘smoking man’ character on the old X Files show Drew lights a cigarette to calm his nerves and work out a way that he can escape and warn the court guards.

‘Do you have a twin brother Pope?

‘Not that I know of but it is the only explanation because I didn’t murder anyone.’

Sensing that Drew is about to call for help Elijah leans forward begins to squeeze the attorneys throat ‘Sorry Drew you seem like a nice enough fellow but you sent an innocent to the chair and for that I sentence you to death.’

It takes five minutes but eventually Drew stops struggling and dies in Pope’s arms ‘Excuse me but what is going on over there.’

Pope spins around to see an elderly woman walking a small dog approaching him ‘Thank God you are here, I think this man is having a heart attack, can you ring 911?’

Thankfully the lady stops in her tracks to call for help and when the paramedics arrive a few minutes later to assist Drew he slinks away unnoticed.

A big crowd has gathered to see what is happening and Pope uses the diversion to walk up the courthouse steps in search of Judge Walter B Carruthers, the man who sentenced him to death and to his surprise Carruthers is standing on the top step a mere twenty feet away.

Removing a steak knife that he stole from the Wardens home Pope walks up the steps and without fear plunges the knife between the judge’s ribs into his heart killing him instantly.

Pope would have liked to have had a chance to look into the judge’s eye so that he knew who had killed him but it wasn’t to be it wasn’t to be instead he lowers the judge to the ground and screams ‘Please help me, I think he is having a stroke or something.’

When a few court guards rush over Pope stands back than casually walks back down the steps than turns around and looks directly into a security camera to give the cops positive proof that a ghost from the past is back to spill as much blood as he can.

Pope is smart enough to know that his run of good luck won’t last forever so he needs to find a place to lay low for awhile.

Warden Baldacci’s body was found by his housekeeper not long after his murder.

Esamelda a middle aged Mexican immigrant who has worked for the Mister Baldacci for over a decade knew something was wrong as soon as she opened the front door and smelt the odour of burnt flesh than the distressed woman followed the smell into the bathroom where she discovered her boss’s pink blistered body floating in the bath tub.

A squad car is the first to arrive, one of the uniformed officers walks around to the backyard to make sure that the perpetrator isn’t lurking around whilst the other officer is confronted by Esamelda who has been waiting outside. “Please hurry my boss is dead in bath tub and he smell bad.’

Not really knowing what he is walking into the officer draws his service weapon before opening the front door, as soon as he enters the smell of burnt meat hits him ‘Jesus it smells like someone has spit roasted a hog in here and forgot about it.’

After scoping out the rest of the house the officer goes back outside, closes the front door than he tells Esamelda that the house is now a crime scene and that she is not to enter under any circumstances ‘No worry me not go inside but officer boss’s car gone maybe killer take it.’

Detective Eric Robinson and his partner Marc Freed arrive on the scene quickly followed by people from the crime lab.

Robinson is a huge black man who has been on the force for almost twenty years, he was an excellent quarterback in college and looked set for a great football career but when his younger sister Sabine was found murdered Eric joined the police academy after college.

His partner Marc Freed is a new detective joining the ranks just a month ago, with pasty white skin and eye glass’s he wouldn’t look out of place at a nerd convention.

After speaking to the pair of uniformed officers guarding the front door Robinson and Freed enter the crime scene and they are soon joined by the medical examiner Melanie Brewster a young quirky woman with multi coloured hair ‘Good morning Detectives lets see what we have.’

‘Smells like a BBQ to me’ says Freed ‘My Papa used to make a mean pork roast when I was a kid.’

Immediately on entering the bathroom Dr Brewster points to all of the fingerprints covering the bathroom mirror ‘I bet that these prints will not match those of our victim, when my assistant arrives I will get him to canvass the whole house for more prints.

‘Of course we will need to eliminate the housekeeper and Mister crispy here but I have a creepy feeling about this one, leaving all of his prints on the mirror it is like he is taunting us.’

‘How do you know that the prints belong to a male Punky? Robinson enquires.

Brewster ignores the use of her nickname ‘Well first off I can’t see a female killing a man in his bathroom with a toaster, a woman is more likely to use a small pistol or spike a drink with poison plus our victim has been urinated on which would be easier for a man to do but I could be wrong and if I am I will gladly buy you a box of Krispy Kreme’s Bubba.’

Robinson smiles on hearing his old nickname from his college days. ‘Touche’ Doctor. could you please send some prints off to the lab pronto because the sooner that we caught this sicko the better.’

‘Will do and I will try to send you my full report by tomorrow at the latest.’

After saying goodbye to Brewster Robinson and Freed go outside to interview the housekeeper.

They find her sitting in her vehicle near the curb crying silently, she cringes away when she notices a huge black man approaching, then she remembers that she saw him enter Mister Baldacci’s house earlier so she exits her battered old ford to greet them ‘Hello policeman I hope you catch bad man soon’.

Robinson smiles at the housekeeper to reassure her ‘We will do all we can to find the perpetrator, now I am Detective Robinson and this is my partner Detective Freed, can I please have your name and the name of the deceased?

‘My name is Esmarelda Garcia and I have been cleaning for Mister Baldacci for a decade.’

‘Thank you Esmarelda now tell me all you know about your employer.’

‘Mister Baldacci was retired and lived alone ever since his wife Mary died in an auto crash back in 2020 and they have two children but I have never met them, I think they move down south somewhere.’

‘Mister Baldacci worked at San Quentin before he retire, He was the warden or something and his car gone, killer maybe took it?

‘What type of vehicle was it?

‘A shiny white BMW.’

‘Thank you again, now give Detective Freed your address and phone number while I go talk to the uniforms.’

Robinson asks one of the cops guarding the front door to start talking to the neighbours if they have seen anything and report directly to me if they tell you something important.’

After telling Esmarelda that she should go home Robinson joins Freed who is sitting in the driver seat of their squad car ‘Back to the bat cave Robin and step on it.’

‘Did any of the neighbours tell you anything useful Freed?

‘Most of them didn’t notice anything unusual but one did, he said that he saw the victim’s vehicle drive from the scene around 10.30 this morning so least we have a timeline of when the murder happened.’

‘Good work Freed, hopefully we can solve this case quickly, with all of the fingerprints left behind Brewster should be able to identify the perpetrator if he is in the data base and I would be mighty surprised is he isn’t.’

While Robinson is contemplating whether to ask Freed to pull over at Krispy Kreme so he could grab a tray of assorted donuts when dispatch radioed to inform him about a double homicide outside the courthouse on Sycamore.

Freed activates the lights and siren and heads towards Sycamore ‘Step on it Freed because I have a feeling that we will locate Baldacci’s BMW near the courthouse.’

They arrive to complete mayhem with people blocking the street trying to see what is happening, Freed jumps out as soon as he parks, screaming at a few uniformed Freed tells them to remove the rubberneckers from the crime scene then tape off the whole block ‘If anyone complains take them in for loitering.’

‘Good work Freed, now lets go see who our two victims are’ Freed follows his superior up the steps where a victim is laying under a sheet.

The Detective in charge confronts Robinson ‘Hello Bubba, Richard Hartly 45th precinct’

‘Hello Hartley, this is my partner Detective Freed, now has anyone identified the victims yet.?’

‘Yes’ Hartley replies pointing down to the blood stained ‘This victim is the honorable judge Walter B Carruthers and the other victim was slain just over there in the park, he has been identified as a local defense attorney Paul Drew.’

‘What about the murder weapon?

‘Drew was strangled and the judge was stabbed with a knife that was left beside the judges body, it was bagged and sealed as evidence.’

‘Plus all of the CCTV evidence will be collected and hopefully we will be able to identify the perpetrator, I can’t say much more until the medical examiner see’s the bodies and performs the autopsies.’

‘Thanks Hartley send me all of your notes and I will Doctor Brewster to do the same.’

After saying goodbye Robinson and Freed walk towards the park but Robinson stops in his tracks ‘Look across the road Freed and tell me that you see a brand new white BMW ‘Sure do partner but how do you know that it belongs to Baldacci ‘I don’t but I have a gut feeling about it.’

After returning to the squad car Robinson types the number plate into the computer ‘Well what do you know Robin the BMW does indeed belong to Ian Baldacci and Brewster we surely find a shitload of prints all over it and also we have a warden a judge and an attorney all murdered within an hour of each other.’

‘All we have to do is find a connection between the three men and when we do we will know who the killer is.’

Six miles away Pope is sitting on a bus heading south, he has no idea where he is going, all he needs is to find someplace safe to hide out for a while.

When the bus almost reaches the city limits of Santa Barbara Pope notices a small sign advertising a room for rent out front of a modest bungalow.

Alighting from the bus Pope walks back to the bungalow and after sizing the place up he walks up to the front door and knocks ‘Can I help you young man’ an elderly white lady asks from behind a locked screen door ‘Um yes my name is Ethan Pugh, how much a week to rent the room?’

‘$180 a week plus utilities but if you help me with the chores and drive me to different places once in a while you can stay rent free.

Once again Pope’s luck stands firm ‘Okay you have a deal, when can I move in?

‘Dont you want to inspect the room first Mister Pugh?’

‘That wont be necessary I trust you.’

‘Come inside young man, my name is Evelyn Carter, let me show you to your room.’

Pope follows the old lady down to the back of the bungalow until they reach a spacious room with a double bed and it’s own bathroom ‘This was my son’s room but Richard never made it home from Vietnam.’

‘Sorry for your loss Missus Carter, the room is perfect.’

‘After spending all afternoon trying to find a connection between the three murders Robinson and Freed have found nothing of consequence, even a sugar hit from a dozen donuts failed to provide an answer.

But just as they were about to head home Robinson’s cell lit up ‘ Well if it isn’t Doctor Brewster, I hope that you have some good news for me?

‘Well yes and no Bubba, first I have identified the killer through fingerprint and CCTV evidence and that evidence is 100% conclusive but here is the part that you won’t like, the fingerprints belong to a dead man.’

‘What are you talking about Brewster a dead man? There must be some kind of mistake?’

‘The prints have been analyzed a few times plus the CCTV evidence shows a perfect match to the dead man’s mug shot, the perpetrator is one Elijah Pope who was convicted of murder 2012 and he was executed at San Quentin on the 21 September 2023 and buried in the prison the same day’

Robinson can’t believe what he is hearing but he stays calm ‘Okay Punky, I need to exhume Pope’s remains and take a DNA sample to make sure that we are talking about the same man so I will send an email to the judge requesting an exhumation order post haste.’

‘Okay Bubba let me know when you get it and I will meet you at San Quentin.’

Two days later on a typical sunny Califorian morning Robinson and Freed arrive at San Quentin armed with the exhumation order and an hour later once the paperwork has been cleared they are driven down to a dank dark corner of the prison to find Doctor Brewster standing near a plot of ground waiting for the digger to start scooping the dirt from the grave.

Watched by the Warden and other state officials a pine box is brought to the surface and lowered to the ground.

At first no one notices anything unusual but then Brewster takes a closer look and notices that the lid of the pine box is splintered in the middle, Brewster calls the warden and Robinson over and the trio inspect the small opening ‘It is almost like something escaped from inside Pope’s coffin.’ the Warden gasps.

A prison trustee steps forward with a crowbar ‘Quickly man’ the Warden screams ‘Get that lid open then step back.’

Once the lid is removed everyone present inhales sharply because inside the pine box a pristine body stares back at them with unseeing eyes ‘How it that possible’ Robinson asks Brewster ‘He should be nothing but skin and bones.’

‘I don’t understand it either Bubba but have another look and tell me what you see.’

Robinson leans in ‘Holy fucking shit, the body is missing both hands.’

‘Well I guess that explains the fingerprints.’

‘Yes it does’ Robinson replies ‘But how did a pair of hands escape from being buried six feet under the ground and are now walking around killing people in the same body that is laying at our feet?’

Freed shakes his head while Brewster takes skin and blood samples than all of the onlookers walk away except for the digger man who once again lowers Popes body back into the dirt.

THREE MONTHS LATER.

Down in Santa Barbara Elijah Pope using the alias Ethan Pugh has settled in nicely at Evelyn Carters bungalow, the two opposites instantly clicked, Elijah has helped his elderly friend with her shopping done most of the work around the house and has even painted the interior walls cream.

Today Mrs Carter is seated in the backseat of her old Plymouth wagon giving Elijah directions to her garden club’ take the next left Ethan we are almost.’

Feeling a bit like Morgan Freeman is that old movie ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ he does as asked and pulls in to the curb ‘Thanks Ethan, Oh I have been meaning to tell you but the skin on the back of your neck has turned white, you might want to go to a doctor and get it checked out.’

Pope trying not to panic replies ‘Thanks Mrs Carter I will go to a doctor tomorrow, have a good time with your friends call me when you want to go home.’

When he arrives back at the bungalow Pope strips off his clothes goes into Mrs Carters room and stands in front of her full length mirror ‘Holy shit the motherfucker who got my hands must be reclaiming his body.’

Most of Pope’s body is covered in white splotches, even his hair is starting to straighten and turn light brown.

Elijah knows that he has to confront his parents before it is too late.

After throwing a few things into a travel bag Elijah runs out to the Plymouth Pope hightails it back to garden centre and calls Mrs Carter ‘Hello Evelyn, I need to get of town for a while, my parents are having a few health issues.’

‘I know all about your parents and how they let you down Elijah, Yes, I know your name is Elijah Pope, take my car and do what you think needs doing, you have been good to me and for that reason I will you a 24 hour head start before I call the police, goodbye Elijah.’

As Elijah drives towards Armadillo Texas Patrick Redman’s DNA continues to fight the foreign DNA that has invaded his body and even though the battle isn’t over right now Redman is winning the fight.

Michael Pope and Wendy his wife of forty years are preparing for bed when a knock on the front door startles them both, they don’t get many visitors especially at night so being the dutiful husband Michael who’s nickname is Fred because of his resemblance to Fred Flintstone strides over and opens the front door only to step back in bemusement ‘Who are you ? And what do you want at this hour?’

On the stoop stands a weird looking black man with a very bad case of vitilago ‘Hello dad, can’t you recognize your own son, it’s me Elijah and I am after revenge.’

Wendy who has been hiding behind her husband screeches in horror and would have collapsed to the floor if Elijah hadn’t rushed forward and caught her.

After making sure that his mother was okay Elijah steers her onto a couch and tells his father to go sit next to her ‘Is this some kind of trick’ Fred demands ‘ Because we saw with our own eyes Elijah die on the electric chair two years ago.’

‘Yes that is correct I did fry but now I am back.’

‘How could you sit there and watch your own son die when you both knew that I was innocent.’

‘What are you talking about? Elijah was sentenced to death because he committed all of those murders, the DNA evidence was irrefutable.’

‘Yes it was mother but I was out of the state when many of the murders happened but no one would believe me including my own parents.’

‘Now tell me and tell the truth do I have a twin brother?’

Michael and Wendy share a look between them causing Elijah to slam his hand on the coffee table ‘Tell me and make it quick because I am running out of patience ‘We didn’t lie to you Elijah’ Wendy whispers ‘You did have a twin but the nurse told us that he died at birth and your father and I believed her until just after you were executed when…’

‘Don’t say another word Wendy’ Fred cautions.

At the sound of the basement door opening a look of horror comes over the faces of Fred and Wendy Pope causing Elijah to spin around only to see a black man standing behind him brandishing a 38 special ‘Well well if it isn’t my twin brother Elijah, you are looking a little pale like you just escaped from your grave or something.’

Elijah has little strength left so he takes a seat on a couch ”So what name did our parents give you before your so called death but first tell me why you murdered all of those women and let your own brother go to the chair.’

‘You were the perfect scapegoat Elijah, I got away with murder while you crackled and fried on old sparky.’

”But I never even knew that you existed so why target me?’

‘Because we share the same DNA but mainly because you got to grow up with your own family while I got taken by a nurse and then sold for adoption to an abusive family who treated me like human garbage and do you know what they named me Elijah?’

‘Elijah hasn’t got the strength to reply ‘My name is Eric Ted Gacy, my adoptive parents, who I killed when I was about seventeen, name me after two serial killers so what chance did I have?’

‘But enough family bonding for the moment, how are you here and not still buried and why is your skin white except for your hands and also you even talk like a white man.’

‘The lord works in mysterious ways Eric, all I know is that my hands were surgically attached to a white man named Patrick Redman who lost his own hands in an accident but now my time is over Patrick is here ready to reclaim his body.’

Turning to his parents Elijah wishes them many more happy years together ‘And you Eric well you can burn in hell for all I care.’

‘No no no, I get to have the final word not you Elijah, now stand up so I can shoot you and send you back where you came from.’

Before anyone can say anymore the front door is kicked in by a rescue squad who storm in followed by Detectives Robinson and Freed.

Gacy is quickly cuffed and taken to a squad car outside ‘Did you get it all Elijah?’

Pope is too weak to respond instead he points to a cell phone sitting on the coffee table ‘Well done Elijah, now that we have your brother’s confession on tape he will go to prison for the rest of his life.’

Fred and Wendy are both too stunned to speak so Robinson fills the in ‘We caught up with Elijah before he arrived here and he agreed to try to get a confession.’

‘But how did you know that Eric was here?’

‘I didn’t, Freed and I thought that maybe you or your wife might say something incriminating but instead we hit the jackpot.’

A year later Eric Ted Gacy is sentenced to death by electric chair while Patrick Redman is fit and healthy happy to be back with his family and friends.

He loves cooking on the grill flipping burgers with tongs held by one of his black hands.

Over in a corner of San Quentin Popes remains settle down to rest for eternity.

Justice has been served.

THE END

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‘Squeeze the Clouds’

01 Monday Jan 2024

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

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australia, christian, drought, faith, farm, flood, poetry, prayers, rain, short-story, wishes

My family have been living off the land for over five generations breeding sheep for their wool on a remote farm out Mudgee way in the northern tablelands of NSW Australia.

Since 1860 we have produced some of the finest fleece in the state and living out here dealing with wild dogs attacking the livestock and flies that swarm around your face making being outside in the heat a complete misery.

It is almost Christmas 2020 and we are in the middle of a big drought and my daddy is struggling to water the sheep not to mention providing the precious liquid to the farmhouse.

All of the dams and waterholes are bone dry because it hasn’t rained out this way for over four years now and if it doesn’t arrive I am afraid that my daddy might have to sell the family farm and move into town that is about 200 kilometres away as the crow flies.

My name is Rodney Swain and I just turned ten years old, my family is hurting bad all because of the lack of water.

At school it is hard to concentrate when I am sad all of the time so every now and then I would wish that I could climb a giant ladder and reach up into the sky and squeeze the clouds until they cry but so far my wishes have gone unheard because when I get home the sun is still beating down baking the earth causing the once lush paddocks to turn brown which causes my daddy to buy feed for the sheep that only adds to the misery.

At night thunderstorms would gather turning the sky black with menace threatening to send down a torrent of rain and my heart would fill with joy as I waited for the rain drops to hit the corrugated roof on our house but just like always the clouds would soon disappear without unleashing a single drop.

The only sound that I heard that night was the sound of an old rusty air conditioner trying its best to keep the heat at bay.

My family really needs some rain to fill the water tanks, dams and creeks on our property but we aren’t the only ones suffering, every farmer in the state are battling to pay the bills and keep the wolves at bay.

I wish I could join two giant ladders together put them on top of three tractors and hopefully than I will be tall enough to reach up and squeeze the clouds until they cry a steady drizzle of rain.

Doesn’t God know that people on the land have suffered enough, all they want is a fair go and some bloody rain.

Every morning I wake up with my sheets drenched in sweat, why does summer have to be so hot?

I know that farmers rely on the sun to grow their crops to help feed the nation and provide their animals with grass to fill their stomachs but the last few years have been a living hell so please God give us some rain and I promise to be a good boy and help mummy with the dishes.

All we need is some precipitation to soak into the ground to help us keep our sheep alive and provide money to the farmers all over the region so they can feed their families and pay their suppliers.

For four years the country has been sweltering under heatwave conditions with the temperature again forecast to hit 43 degrees again tomorrow and the following weeks,

The weather lady on the TV predicts the weather with a smile on her face.

How can she smile when farmers all over are killing themselves because they can see no other way out?

All because the clouds refuse to yield.

Maybe if I join three giant ladders together put them on top of four tractors and park them on top of five barns I will be able to reach up and squeeze the clouds until they weep.

Another three months have passed and still the clouds refuse to budge.

All of the farmers around the region are strong working 16 hours a day seven days a week but this drought is a bastard and I believe that even the strongest will finally break if we don’t get any rain.

Maybe if I join four giant ladders together put them on top of five tractors that I will park on six barns that I stack on top of seven farmhouses than maybe I could stand up on tippy toe to reach up and squeeze the clouds until they burst.

Another month has passed without any rain.

Maybe if I join five giant ladders together put them on top of six tractors that I park on seven barns that I put on the roof of eight barns that I put on top of nine skyscrapers I can finally reach up and squeeze the clouds and make them cry a river.

All of my prayers and wishes have been ignored because still those arsehole clouds refuse to budge no matter how hard I squeeze.

Sorry about the swear word but I am extremely frustrated and please don’t tell mummy and daddy that I swore because then I would be sent to bed without any dessert and tonight we are having homemade apple pie.

That night I went to bed with a full belly but my heart was still heavy with sadness and it took me quite a while to fall asleep.

‘RODNEY’ I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard mummy hollering my name but I was even more startled to find myself on the roof of our farmhouse jumping up and down performing a rain dance.

‘Get down from there right this second young man or I will give you a hiding that you will never forget.’

I ignore my mother and begin to pray ‘Okay God this is your last fucking chance, if you don’t make it rain this second I will take you off my Christmas card list and I will also refuse to go to church for a whole year so get off your high horse and give the clouds a squeeze because they are right next to heaven so they should be in easy reach.

And do you know what?

The clouds turned black in anger and unleashed a torrent of rain that made me scurry back inside ‘Thank you God now you can go back and help other people in need.

Two months later.

Hey God me again, can you please stop the rain.

The area is completely flooded and our family home is almost under water so could you please stop what you are doing at the moment and tell the clouds that I am sorry for squeezing them so hard but enough is enough so please bring back the sunshine.

It hasn’t stopped raining for going on sixty days and I think I just saw Noah’s ark float by.

Please God we are desperate.

Yours Sincerely

Rodney Swain.

THE END.

Bush Pig

18 Saturday Nov 2023

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

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blood, boar, bush, bush pig, cutters, death, horror, knife, pig

‘Where in the fuck is the old fool, he should have been here an hour ago.’

38 year old Edgar Perkins the works manager at Grantchester meat works located in the northern tablelands, NSW, Australia is a bit peeved to say the least.

It is 42 degrees celsius on Friday afternoon and all Edgar wants to do is go to the pub and sink a few beers, have a flutter on the horses and maybe chat up Sally behind the bar but instead he is stuck at work at 4.30 waiting on a delivery of pigs.

A Yarrowitch local Edgar is built like a rugby front rower with a face bent out of shape from packing into far too many scrums but looks can be deceiving because Ed is as gentle as a lamb except if you get on his bad side because he will quickly put you back into your place or flat on your back if the need arises.

The frustrated slaughterman lights a cigarette as he paces around the holding yard but his mood brightens when he hears the sound of Mac’s old truck entering the meatworks.

‘Sorry Edgar but a had a hell of a time loading the truck this afternoon the damn pigs got spooked by a huge black bush pig that has been hanging around my place so in the end I had to sedate the animal and it took three people to drag it onto the truck and Edgar I don’t mean to be dramatic but this pig is one mean fucker so be careful when the sedative wears off because it has a pair of cutters that could inflict huge damage.’

Edgar doesn’t normally slaughter wild boars because of government health regulations but the meat would keep his dogs fed for over a week ‘I need to separate your pigs from the boar Mac so once we unload yours drive your truck around back and I will put the boar in its own pen.’

‘Will do Ed and I wasn’t joking about that bush pig he is a mean one so lets be careful okay?’

Around town the pair are known as Laurel and Hardy because while Mac is short and thin with brown wispy hair who usually wears a suit even though he owns a farm and his knee deep in shit most of the time while Edgar has always been big for his age and likes to take charge which causes people to label him a hot head but nothing could be further from the truth because deep down he is a big softie who would do anything to help someone in need.

After opening the tailgate twenty pigs happily trot out into a holding pen not knowing that their time on earth will come to an end.

In the back of the truck a huge black pig full of ticks is quietly snoring with his head resting on his front legs ‘

What are you worried about Mac mister ham hock here looks as gentle as a new born lamb.’

‘Don’t be fooled Ed that pig is crazier than a cut snake so put a bullet in his head while he is sedated than we can drag him out.’ Mister ham hock as you call him is the meanest critter to ever walk on earth and that includes the huge croc’s up north.’

‘Okay settle down Mac, now go drive us around back while I stay here and keep an eye on bacon boy.’

As the truck bounces along the gravel road the bush pig is shaken awake but the wily beast pretends to be still asleep just waiting for the right time to attack and rip the two humans into shreds.

When Mac returns he notices that Ed is crouching mighty close to the pig ‘Stand back Ed and go get your gun and put a bullet in the fuckers head before he wakes up and realizes that he is about to be smoked pickled and sent on a one way trip to sausage town.’

‘Don’t be such a pussy Mac while bacon boy is still dreaming about getting it on with miss piggy I want to check out his cutters.’

Edgar is a great mate and a pillar of the community but he isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed so he completely ignores his friends advice and creeps even closer to the bad tempered porker ‘I have been slaughtering pigs for over twenty years Mac so i know what I am doing but to put your mind at ease I will bleed him out before taking his cutters.’

When he hears the knife being removed from the sheath the pig knows that it is in eminent danger so with lightening speed he explodes into action.

Edgar manages to dodge out of the way but old Mac isn’t so sorry and he is quickly brought down when a cutter slices through the back of his leg but the pig isn’t finished with him yet.

It charges and rips Mac open from groin and stomach causing his entrails to spill onto the straw floor than to Edgar’s horror the pig begins to eat his friend alive gorging on the blood and human meat.

Mac screams for help but Edgar knows that there is little that he can do to save him, so he darts forward and plunged his knife into the belly of the beast but the pig didn’t even flinch instead it continued to gobble down huge chunks of flesh like it was dining at an all you can eat buffet.

By this stage Edgar was in a complete panic not knowing what to ‘God how could I have been so stupid? Mac warned me over and over how dangerous this pig was but instead I acted a fool and now my friend is dead.’

Edgar shakes his head to help him concentrate, he grabs his mobile phone from his shirt pocket to ring 000 but it slips from his grasp and lands with a thud which causes the pig to look over with cold black eyes than to Edgars disbelief it lowers its head and charges like a bull in the ring.

Edgar turns to run but he to is brought down but somehow he manages to hold the pigs head with his left hand but the pig quickly swivels and chopped down on his fingers severing four only leaving the thumb intact.

‘Jesus lord have mercy’ Edgar screams and thankfully this distracts the pig giving Edgar an opportunity to scramble away and for some unknown reason the pig instead of resuming the attack trots to the back of the truck down the ramp and makes its way towards the Gummel Gulf National Park.

Edgar can do nothing but wrap his injured hand with his shirt and ring the cops on his phone which he quickly located.

As he told the operator about his emergency Edgar stared at the pig running as fast as his little trotters would take him.

When it reached the edge of the scrub the pig turned back and porker and human looked at each other for a few seconds before the pig disappeared into the bush.

This bush pig now has the taste for human flesh and he likes it.

Hunting humans is about to become a blood sport.

THE END.

Part Two coming soon.

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‘Genie.’

25 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

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australia, bottle, bucharest, fantasy, genie, magic

My name is Brett Cline and I own and manage the best antique store in Sydney ‘Old Is New Again’ on Pitt Street in the heart of the city.

I am recently divorced after 30 years of marriage and to fill my weekends in I travel from different markets and garage sales looking for something interesting to sell in my store.

So after cleaning up after my evening meal on Friday night I got online and after a quick search I was delighted to find a garage sale only a ten minute drive away in Rose Bay.

I like garage sales because most people don’t know the true value of what they are selling and even now and then i came across a precious piece of jewelry or a valuable heirloom worth thousands of dollars for a few bucks.

I arrive precisely at 8am and already a few people are browsing the tables which hold the usual array of plants, kids clothes, kitchenware and bric a brac, I give them the once over but my eyes are searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

After ten minutes of fruitless searching I am just about to give up when I notice the neck of a slender green bottle sticking out from behind an old heater ‘This looking promising’ I say under my breathe but just as I reach for the bottle a hefty lady almost knocks me off my feet ‘Excuse me’ said lady snarls ‘But i was here first I deserve that bottle that you almost put your grubby fingers on.’

‘I think not Karen’ I say as I block her bulk with an arm ‘If you spoke to me with kindness instead of barking at me the bottle would yours now go away and annoy someone else.’

After asking the person running sale how much the bottle would cost me I walk out with a bargain having spent a miserly $3.

Outside the front gate I notice the Karen and she looks like she has been crying and I feel ashamed of the way I behaved inside so I race towards her car before she can drive away.

She notices me approaching and begins to sob ‘I apologize for my rudeness inside’ I say and go to give her the bottle ‘Here this belongs to you.’

‘No it doesn’t I pushed you out of my way so take the bottle home and don’t forget to give it a rub because who knows a genie might pop out.’

After saying goodbye to each other I walk over to my car and drive 30 minutes to my store to see how the sales are going but also to give the bottle a proper appraisal.

When I enter the store my business partner Casey Lamborne is busy helping an old gentleman with a purchase so I carry the bottle into the back office and quickly get down to business.

The bottle stands 40 centimetres and is inlayed with what appear to be fake rubies, sapphires, diamonds and is decorated with gold leaf.

As I examine the bottle I look out front to see if Casey needs any help but she is still occupied with the customer.

I first met Casey back in the 1990’s when we attended the same university and shared an interest in history and antiquities.

She is a few years younger than me with long blond hair and a great personality and now all these years later Casey and I have a strong business relationship.

‘What have you got there? I look up to see Casey standing in the doorway ‘Just an old bottle that I found at a garage sale this morning come in and tell me what you think.’

Casey sits down next to me and examines the bottle with a loupe for a few minutes than screams ‘Holy shit Brett, I believe that this bottle is thousands of years old and I think that the rubies, diamonds and sapphires are all genuine plus with the gold leaf this bottle has the potential to be valued in the high six figure range if not seven figures.’

Thank God I am sitting down because my knees are shaking ‘Are you sure Casey? hand me the bottle for a second because I think I saw something inscribed on the bottom of the bottle.

Casey hands it over along with the loupe’ and I look at the bottle from all angles and gasp ‘Yes the words are a little hard to make out but they say MADE IN CHINA.’

‘What’ Casey blurts out and than she sees that I am joking ‘Why you bastard I could kill you.’

When we both settle down I tell Casey that even thou I believe her it would be wise to get an expert opinion so I take a pic of the bottle an attach it to an email that I send to an old professor from my uni days named Alfred Pennyworth and I get a reply straight away telling me to put the bottle in the safe until he arrives.

Unlike his namesake from Batman who is a calm efficient butler the Alfred Pennyworth who just walked into my establishment is a bundle of nerves who dresses like a relic from the 18th century but most importantly he is a great friend and colleague.

‘So tell me more about this bottle of yours Brett.’

I tell about the garage sale and that Casey believes that the bottle is old and worth a shitload of money.

‘As I told Brett I believe that the bottle dates from the 9th century in the Baltic region of Europe and is made from pure jade with precious gem inlays and gold leaf.’

‘Sorry guys but i need to go’ Alfred says ‘My wife wants me to bring something home for dinner and I don’t dare be late.

‘Keep the bottle in the safe Brett and bring it to my office one day next week so it can be properly examined my me and a staff member who I trust completely but going by the picture that Brett sent me Casey could be on the mark but we won’t know for sure until the bottle has been carbon dated.’

‘I should be going to Brett’ Casey says as she stands’ I need to go shopping so come on Alfred I will walk you to your car.’

‘I say goodbye to my two friends’ Thanks for coming Alfred I will let you know what day to expect me next week, see you on Monday Casey.’

‘I will empty the till and tidy up a bit before I get going as well.’

‘Hey Brett’ Alfred calls from the front door’ Give the bottle a rub because who knows a genie might appear and grant you a wish or two.’

I lock the front door with Alfred’s words ringing in my ears because that is the second time today that someone has mentioned genie’s.

After tidying a bit and putting the till drawer in the safe next to the bottle I lock up to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Just as I reach my car to drive home Alfreds and the woman from the garage words are still revolving around my brain so I backtrack and re-enter my store where I quickly unlock the safe and put the bottle on my desk.

Opening the top drawer I grab a polishing cloth and begin to clean the bottle than I take off the stopper and peer inside but the bottle is completely empty ‘Jesus Brett; I mutter ‘Did you really expect a young blond genie to appear and grant you three wishes.’

‘I am still laughing when I notice a stubborn dirty spot just below the neck so I spat on the cloth and began to rub harder and harder and to my complete surprise the bottle begins to shake and a huge orange cloud emerges twirling like a mini tornado.

I wave my arms around and soon the cloud dissipates leaving behind a short balding genie wearing bright purple pantaloons with a matching turban.

We stare at each other for a few seconds before the genie proclaims ‘I am Blat master genie from Bucharest and I was born in the year 1146 but pray tell where are all of your sheep and goats?’

I can’t help but laugh at the absurd comment ‘My name is Brett the owner of this fine establishment and sorry but I don’t own any livestock and today is the 26th October 2023and you are currently in Sydney Australia.’

‘I have never heard of such a place but please tell me that you have a larder full of chicken livers and pigs feet?’

‘Sorry again but I could whip up a vegemite sandwich or perhaps you would like cheese on toast?’

Thinking that Blat wouldn’t like the Australian delicacy I quickly make some cheese toasties which Blat eats greedily.

‘Very nice but now to business, what is your first wish?’

I am suddenly nervous because I don’t want to waste any wishes ‘So Blat how many wishes do I actually get?’

Blat who reminds me of Mario from those Nintendo games ponders my question ‘Well Brett if you are my master for eternity I will grant you three wishes every five years but I warn you Brett that if after agreeing to be my master and than renege on the vow I will move heaven and earth to destroy you but enough talk what do you wish for?’

I want to tell Blat that I was really hoping for a hot young blond genie like the one in that old TV show and that I don’t want to be his master either but a shitload of wishes is hard to resist ‘Okay Blat I will be your master but I am still hungry so I will go make us some more food while I think about what my first wish will be.’

A few minutes later I return to the office with a tray of food and coffee to see Blat waving a small gold wand around ‘It has been quite a while since I granted my last wish so permit me time to hone my skills.’

‘Blat in what year did you actually grant a wish?

I can see Blat thinking inside his head ‘I believe that it was in the year 1399 give or take a hundred years.’

The two of us eat in silence for a few minutes and as I nibble on a vegemite sandwich I look around my office ‘Blat I have decided that for my first wish will be a brand new office space with all the mod con’s.’

Blat stands wiping his hands on his pantaloons and after a few deep breaths he begins to wave the wand around but nothing happens even after he tries again and again the office remains unchanged.

Not only do I get an old man genie but a genie who can’t grant wishes ‘Blat try crossing your arms and blinking or wriggle your nose a bit.

Blat gives me a murderous look ‘Please master I am a little rusty ’tis all.’

‘I am all out of ideas but after thinking what could it hurt I hand Blat his first vegemite sandwich ‘Here Blat try this sandwich it is full of yeast and tastes great and it might give you the energy to grant wishes again.’

Blat smiles and takes a huge bite and begins to chew but than his face turns purple and he begins to cough and splutter so I whack him on the back a few times to dislodge the food and soon enough Blat recovers ‘Did you try and poison me master because I am trying my best.’

I start laughing ‘No Blat that is usually the first reaction after a foreigner eats a vegemite sandwich but don’t worry you get used to the taste,’

Blat and I share a laugh but I am brought back to reality but a loud tapping on the front door and when I look out of the office door Casey stares back beckoning me to open the door.

I wave to tell her to give me a minute ‘Quick Blat back in your bottle I have a visitor.’

‘Sorry master but I have lost all of my powers and can not return to my former residence until I have fixed the issue.’

‘Fucking great. I mutter in dismay.

THE END.

Part Two coming soon.

Thanks for reading my story and I hope you enjoyed it and if so leave a like or a comment and if you have the means make a donation so that I can achieve my dream of becoming a full time author. Thank You

‘Wishing Well Hell”

04 Saturday Mar 2023

Posted by stevenjohnno in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

fantasy, goblins, kings, krone, murder, oslo, pixies, sprites, wishing well

Garth Loebell walks hurriedly down a cobblestone lane in the Norwegian capitol of Oslo.

The grey clouds overhead threaten to burst any minute so the slightly overweight teenager quickens his pace to avoid getting wet.

Garth arrives at the square in the centre of the city and before proceeding on his mission he stops and takes in his surroundings just to make sure that his mor isn’t in the vicinity because she has told him time again not to go anywhere near the old wishing well located down near the river Akerselva.

To say that Garth was desperate would be a huge understatement because since puberty hit thirteen year old he has become more self conscious about his looks.

With ginger hair a face full of acne and protruding teeth plus his reliance on thick black rimmed glasses to get around Garth has never been with a girl and he knows that eating nothing but junk food isn’t helping his quest for love but when Garth is nervous he eats so it is no surprise that before he approaches the wishing well Garth reaching into his backpack and pulls out a huge slice of cinnamon kake wrapped in brown paper.

With three bites the kake disappears and now full of calories and courage Garth calmly walks over to the ancient well and throws a coin into the water.

As his sinks to the bottom Garth whispers his wish’ Please i will do anything if you grant me just one wish.’

‘All i want is to be tall and handsome completely irresistible to all of the girls in my class.’

‘Oh and if it is not too much to ask could you please add another five or five centimetres to my, well you know, down there in my underwear.’

As he rushes off to catch a bus home Garth has no idea that his wish was heard loud and clear and that there is a good chance that his wish will be granted.

The wishing well was built by the vikings in the year 1649 to supply water to the surrounding villages and travelers alike and the well served its purpose well until the year 1817 when it suddenly ran dry.

A moat was built soon after and to this day locals and tourists have been throwing in coins silently wishing for wealth, happiness and a better future for all.

Down through the ages there have been stories of people disappearing after visiting the well and it is said that if you peer down into the depths you will hear the screams of the vanquished and if you listen i mean really listen you might hear the chatter of mischievous elves, pixies, goblins and trolls who have been inhabiting middle earth before time itself.

Garth arrives home just on sundown and tries slipping up to his room unnoticed but stops in his tracks when his mor enters the hallway wiping her hands on a dirty apron.

Trina Loebell is a striking woman with long blond hair who despite turning a month ago still has the energy to work fulltime at the local market and look after her surly son by herself after her no good husband Rami who walked out the door a week after Garth was born and never came back.

‘Go and wash up Garth, i made your favourite Reindeer with potet dumplings.’

Garth despite feeling down in the dumps suddenly realizes how much he loves his mother’ Thanks mor with iskrem for dessert i hope?’

When he finishes washing his hands Garth sneaks a glance in the mirror but only an awkward spotty faced teenager stares back at him ‘So much for that knulling wishing well. i wasted a krone for nothing.”

Way way way below the wishing well a collection of elves,sprites, pixies, trolls and goblins sit around a huge wooden table discussing climate change the weekly takings and other sundry topics.

At the head of the table perched on his throne sits an ancient wrinkly hobgoblin named Gyfiky.

GYfiky wears a faded purple robe that has been passsed down for over fifteen centuries and even though he want tell you his age if you asked Gyfiky is 327 years old next July.

He might be old but the old hobgoblin has ruled his kingdom for eons and he has no intention of stepping aside any time soon especially now with the trolls threatening a coup.

Casting an eye around the room the elder statesman asks a question that hasn’t been asked in years ‘So tell when was the last time that a wish from one of our generous donors was actually granted?”

The book keeper a young but wise elf named Itiass picked up a huge tome and begins flicking through the pages ‘Just a moment master.’ Locating the correct page Itiass continues ‘Well according to the book of wisdom the last person to have their wish granted was one Norji Nortstrom who asked for a flagon of brown dog wine back in, let me see, yes here it is 23rd January 1882, it was a Wednesday i believe.’

‘Well Itiass i believe the time is right to grant another wish before the clock strikes midnight, who in your humble opinion deserves to have some fortune?’

‘Well master earlier this afternoon a young fellow threw a single krone into the magical water and made a wish and i am sorry to say but this lad looked like he had been hit in the head with an ugly stick and then the perpetrator must have returned to hit him a few more times, the lad is a sorry sight.’

‘Very well Itiass grant the lad his wish and then make sure that the the rest of the coins are collected and secured in my vault for safe keeping.”

Itiass who stands just over two foot tall with a long black beard that almost touches the ground orders six winged sprites to take a barrow and collect the coins from the well then he runs a comb through his beard devouring any the mites and thrips that fall onto the table.

As he chews on the tasty morsel Itiass is completely unaware that the deep in the shadows a murderous old troll named Girisha has been watching proceedings with interest.

‘Why should that old fool have Gyfiky hold complete control of the underground when he and past generations of trolls have protected the kingdom for thousands of years’ Girisha growls ‘ The fools hobgoblin family are wealthy and well fed while the trolls are forced to beg for food and live in ramshackle hovels made from spider webs and bat skins.’

Girisha leans on his bent wooden staff as he waits for the sprites to return with the coins, he to has a long flowing beard but his doesn’t have any edible bugs entangled in the hair instead if you look closely you might see a dozen or so assassin dragonflies that on command will land on the victims neck and sever the carotid artery with a single bite.

A few minutes later the sprites arrive with the barrow full of coins and Itiass appears and after whispering a few woods the door to the vault swings open and the sprites get to work quickly stacking the coins on the shelves.

Girisha eyes sparkle at the sight of the coins and he is tempted to rush forward and grab a handful but he knows that he needs to bide his time and strike when his enemy least expect it and that will in a few months at the beginning of January when the vault will be full of coins after the gullible people throw in there hard earned krone’s and make a new years wish.’

At 3 am Garth is dreaming about running naked through the forest chasing three nubile females, as eyes his flutter he is visited by an assortment of pixies who hover over his body nipping and tucking, squeezing and stretching where needed.

Ten minutes later Garth’s wish has been granted and the pixies fly out the window in a sprinkle of gold dust.

At 7.30 Garth wakes with an urgent need to pee so he pulls back the sheets and hurries into the bathroom.

Still half asleep he attempts to pull back his foreskin only to discover that his foreskin no longer exists and sneaking a glance down there he also discovers that his willy is longer and that is when a bewildered screech was heard all over Norway and certain parts of Finland.

Trina Loebell rushes into the bathroom to see what the commotion is all about, she sees her son wearing his favourite pyjamas bent over in distress. ‘What is all the noise about Garth? Did you hurt your pee pee?’

Garth starts to giggle behind his hands but when he stands straight Trina stares at the figure before her. ‘Alright who are you? And what have you done with my son?

‘What are you talking about mor it is me Garth.’

Trina recognizes her son’s voice but it can’t be. ‘Garth is it really you? Where have all your spots gone?’

Garth looks into the bathroom mirror and can’t quite grasp what he is seeing, the ruddy acne scarred face is gone along with the buck teeth plus he seems to be about 12 kilo’s lighter.

For the first time in his life Garth can hold his head high like a normal boy and go to school without the fear of being bullied by the other kids.

‘It is a miracle mor, maybe now i will make the football team and Marika Rasmussen will finally let me take her to a school dance.’

Garth can’t contain his excitement anymore and after giving his mor a hug he quickly changes into his school clothes and runs down the stairs. ‘No breakfast for me today mor, the other kids at school need to see the new improved me.’

Trina is truly happy for her son but she also knows that there is nothing for nothing in this world, she knows that one day Garth will have to pay the piper, she only hopes that it won’t be a heavy price.

Her son obviously visited the wishing well despite her telling him over and over to stay away, Trina looks out of the window at the footsteps Garth left in the snow ‘Oh Garth what have you done.’

When Garth’s footprints disappear around a the corner Trina’s mind drifts back to the night of her 10th birthday.

After playing with her friends all day and blowing the candles out on her birthday cake Trina soon couldn’t keep her eyes open so her mor tucked her into bed at 8.30.

Despite being tired little Trina couldn’t fall asleep because the grownups downstairs are talking and she can’t quite what they are saying and being a little steaky beak she just has to know so she climbs out of bed opens her bedroom door and listens ‘I am telling you Andrea i heard voices coming up from that wishing well, it sounded like a thousand lost souls trying to find a way out.’

‘Don’t be silly Olaf it was most probably the folk inside the puben talking, the puben you just left be the way.’

‘I wasn’t drunk mor, the voices were definitely coming from down in the well, it should be filled in so the tormented can finally rest in peace.’

‘Enough Olaf now lets go to bed, who knows you might get lucky.’

Olaf quietly follows his wife upstairs but his mind is still fixated on what he heard coming up from the well two nights ago.

Hearing her parents approach Trina closes her bedroom door climbs back into bed and after a while she starts to dream about witches, trolls and goblins.

Over the following years Trina would walk up near the wishing well every now and then and listen for voices coming from the bowels of the well but all she has ever heard is the deafening sound of silence.

But now that Garth has visited the well the time has come to leave Oslo before evil descends on him, maybe a move down to Australia or New Zealand.

At 4pm Garth arrives home giddy with excitement ‘Mor you wont believe what happened at school today Marika Rasmussen the most popular at school said that she will go to the dance with me plus the coach of the football team said that he will give me a chance next week, i can’t believe how popular i am all of a sudden.’

‘Things are looking up for me mor, who said that wishes don’t come true?’

Trina no longer able to contain for anguish grabs her son by the arm ‘Garth how many times do i have to tell you to stay away from that wishing well? You are forbidden to go near that evil place do you hear me? Now go up to your room and do your homework.’

‘Your grandparents will be here soon and when they leave we will have a parent to son talk now go.’

When Trina’s parents arrive Garth runs down the stairs to greet them and they are both shocked at Garths appearance ‘Jesus Garth you look like a new person’ Trina’s mor blurts out ‘Are you drank a magic potion or something?’

Before Garth can respond Trina breaks in telling her parents that the food is on the table Dig in everybody while it is still hot.’

Garth when you filled your plate can you take it upstairs please? I want to talk to mor and pappa for a minute.’

Once Garth was out of earshot the three adults gave each other a concerned look before Olaf asks his daughter what is going on ‘Garth looks like a completely different person has he been on a gluten free diet or something?’

‘No pappa something a whole lot worse, he went and made a wish in that godforsaken well and now that his wish has obviously been granted i am worried about him because now he will have to pay a price for his indiscretion.’

Upstairs Garth eats his meal as he ponders his dilemma, the teenager knows that his mor is worried about about his new look and even though it is nice to be handsome and popular Garth makes up his mind to go back to the well after school tomorrow and retrieve the krone he threw in and rescind his wish if that is possible.

When Trina’s parents get back to their home they are still arguing about what they can do to protect their grandson ‘Elena enough that wishing well needs to be demolished brick by brick if need be so the people of Oslo can rest easy and whoever lives down deep underground will stay there where they belong.’

‘I know Olaf i agree with you but don’t forget that you aren’t twenty one any more so just call the politiet and let them handle it.’

‘Elena you know as well as i do that the politiet will do nothing about our concerns after all the residents have been complaining about the well for hundreds of years and all the authorities do is pass the buck from department to department but to put your mind at rest i will go see the politiet in the morning.’

The elderly couple embrace and wander off to bed but two hours later Olaf throws back the blankets goes back downstairs and after leaving a note on the kitchen table for his wife the weary old timer grabs a sledge hammer from his shed and begins the four kilometer walk to the city center.

As he strides forward Olaf knows that he should have done something about the well when he was a young man but he can’t let any harm come to Garth so he is determined to destroy the wishing well for once and all.

‘Wait up grandson’ Olaf stops in in tracks at the sound of Garth’s voice ‘You shouldn’t be up so late on a school night Garth now go back to bed and when you wake it will all be over.’

‘I am the one who foolish enough to throw a krone into that stupid well so i intend on getting the krone back and whisper that i no longer wish to have a wish if that makes sense, then hopefully i will be my old self again and all of our lives will go back to normal.’

‘This isn’t a game young man now i demand you to go home and let me take care of business’.

Garth shakes his head and starts the journey to Oslo one step at a time, Olaf realizing that his grandson is just as determined as him picks up the sledgehammer and follows.

Walking along the bank of the Akerselva river the pair arrive at the wishing well an hour later.

The clock on the council building strikes midnight but Olaf decides that it would be wise to wait another hour or so for the few stragglers to go home plus he needs to rest his body before he goes on the assault.

While his grandpappy takes a break Garth walks over to the moat surrounding the well and reaching into a coat pocket he grabs a pair of tin snips and quickly cuts a small hole in the chicken wire covering the water to protect the coins from thieves.

Garth tells himself that he isn’t really stealing he is just taking back what is his, rolling up his sleeves Garth reaches down into the frigid water and feels for the coins and finally his fingers touch something and after pulling his hand back out Garth is happy to see a shiny krone.

Not knowing if the krone is the same one that he threw in Garth never the less whispers a wish then he walks back over to his grandpappy ‘Well grandpap am i the old me or still the new me’?

Olaf can’t bring himself to tell his grandson the bad news instead he gets to his feet holding his sledgehammer and walks over to the structure from hell.

Deep down below the wishing well a sentry who has been gazing into her crystal ball monitoring the surface activity immediately notices a young human stealing coins from the moat and she also notices an old man sitting further away holding a dangerous implement so she immediately notifies her superiors to a possible invasion.

Sissiangy the sprite sentry flies around the small monitoring room nervously while she waits for her self proclaimed king Gyfiky to arrive.

Her small golden wings keep her small body afloat so she can easily go about her business just like a hummingbird drinking nectar to sustain its small frame but Sissianngy also knows that if Gyfiky is in a bad mood he would crush her into dust.

Gyfiky arrives with Itiass hot on his heels ‘This better not be a false alarm Sissianngy or your life want be worth living ‘

Gyfiky demands.

Sissiangy answers with the sprite language of clicks ‘See for yourself sire’ the nervous sprite answers pointing to the small crystal ball.

Gyfiky who stands two foot seven bends down and peers into the crystal and he isn’t happy with what he sees’ Itiass isn’t that young human the same one who’s wish was granted two moons ago”?

The book keeper also gazes into the crystal and confirms Gyfiky’s suspicions’ It is indeed the same person, why would he damage the moat and take a coin after his wish was granted?

Gyfiky doesn’t know the answer but he is sure that the boy and the old man are up to no good so he tells Itiass to send a posse to the surface to apprehend the pair.

‘I will find out what their intentions are and when i do they will be cast adrift on the river of purgatory for eternity.’

Olaf are completely unaware that their movements have been under scrutiny so they approach the well keen to demolish the well and go back home but they are in for a big shock.

Also Olaf is under the impression that the well was built stone that will easily crumble with a few hits by the sledgehammer but in fact the well was constructed from blocks of petrified wood that was harvested from an ancient forest that germinated whilst the dinosaurs still lived

It would take a nuclear blast to level the wishing well and even then the inhabitants below would still more then likely survive.

Garth tells Olaf to stand back ‘It should only take a few whacks to rise this monstrosity to the ground grandpap so cover your eyes in case you get hit by flying pieces of stone.’

The eager teen takes a few deep breathes then he swings the hammer with all of his might CLANG Garths bones rattle and his shoulder joint threatens to explode from its socket.’ Holy britte’ Garth screams in agony ‘This knulling well is built like a tank.’

Olaf concerned for the welfare of his grandson but his eyes are focused on the sledgehammer that has landed on the inner edge of the wishing well threatening to fall into the depths of hell.

But it isn’t the hammer itself that Olaf is concerned about ‘Garth listen carefully and do what i tell you, get away from the well as fast as you can, now Garth.”

Before Garth can move the creature that Olaf saw climbs out of the well beckoning the pair closer but Olaf and Garth have no intention of getting anywhere near the creature that is around two feet tall, bald as a badger and a body that looks like it was sculpted from green play doh.

Olaf and Garth turn around preparing to run but before they can take a step twenty winged seagull sized creatures whose bodies shimmer under the moonlight .

The pixies grab Olaf and Garth from head to toe and with minimum effort lift them up and fly head first into the unknown with Mr play doh hanging on to Garths shoelaces.

The terrorized pair scream in panic as they travel down a three foot wide tunnel lined with lichen and moss.

Thankfully when you travel at the speed of light you get to your destination fast and when they land in a crumbled mess ten minutes later.

Gyfiky in his purple robes looking every bit a nobleman kicks the humans in the legs then stands with his arms crossed waiting for them to gain conscience.

Just before he can deliver another kick the pair on the floor open their eyes but when Olaf and Garth see the creature standing before them they both quickly feign death but another swift kick from Gyfiky forces them to face their enemy.

They look at the creature taking in the weird rhinoceros like facial features complete with a horn and angry disposition.

At almost seven feet tall the creature looks at Garth with an expression of anger and disappointment ‘Well if it isn’t the boi who’s wish was granted my me personally and how do you repay my generosity? I will have you know that your wish was the first granted for over 150 years and you have the nerve to return and steal from my kingdom plus attempting to destroy hobgoblin property which is punishable by death by the way and who is the wrinkled old prune that you involved in your treachery?’

That is my grandpappy and if you harm him i will kill you with my bare hands.’

‘Silence’ Gyfiky roars ‘You have both been found guilty of all charges and come tomorrow you will be tied to a rodent nest and hopefully eaten alive in agony.’

‘But first i need to take care of another urgent matter.’

When the ugly creature walks away Olaf and Garth finally get a chance to take in their surroundings and are surprised to see thousands of tiny creatures flying and walking in a huge silver dome the size of six football fields.

Garth gets the attention of a passing elf like creature ‘Excuse but can you tell where in the knulle i am?

The elf doesn’t even break stride ‘You have arrived at Osyana Asari the kingdom of the hobgoblin.’

Girisha the old troll has again emerged from his hiding spot intent on taking advantage of the two pitiful souls arrival.

The distraction has provided him with the perfect opportunity to finally get his hands on the contents of Gyfiky’s vault because in his haste Itiass the pain in the ass book keeper has left the door to the vault slightly ajar.

Creeping closer Girisha is startled out of his wits by the sound of Gyfiky’s booming voice ‘You are so predictable Girisha you gruesome old troll.’

‘I set a trap and you walk right in like a blindman in the dark . tell how is your back these days ? Giving you any trouble?’

Girisha who’s backbone has more twists and bends than the Mississippi river doesn’t appreciate the hobgoblins brand of humor throws his wooden staff at the annoying rasshol.

Gyfiky has had enough drama for today so he raises both arms and fires threads of gold from his finger tips wrapping the troll in a golden cocoon leaving only his head exposed.

That should straighten a few kinks in your back Girisha but i should warn you that the more that you struggle to escape the tighter the threads will squeeze so relax and i will be back to kill you as fast as i can.’

Olaf and Garth are hungry and thirsty but most of all they need to get a message to the surface so that a search party can be organized so hopefully they can escape deaths clutches.

From out of nowhere Mr play doh appears from out of nowhere holding a clipboard ‘Gyfiky has told me to advise you will both be executed when the crimson moon reaches its zenith also have you any last meal requests?

When no reply is forthcoming Play doh continues ‘Perhaps sauteed caterpillar with scrambled frog eggs or maybe my personal favorite boiled salamander served on a bed of crunchy lizard toes?’

After they are taken to their jail cell Olaf and Garth fall asleep not knowing if tomorrow will be their last.

They both dream about their loved ones on the surface and hope against hope that they will be reunited some day.

THE END.

Will Olaf and Garth live to fight another day?

And also will Girisha the old troll escape and build an army of angry trolls?

Part two coming soon.

Please if you have the means could you kindly make a donation so that i can reach my dream of becoming a fulltime writer. Thank You.

‘Hands Of Vengeance’ ( 2 )

01 Sunday Jan 2023

Posted by stevenjohnno in stories, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blood, death, horror, murder, revenge, suicide

I have written a brief summary of the first instalment of this story but it would be best if you read Part One before continuing.

Elijah Pope was just 28 years old when he was put to death in the electric chair at San Quentin.

Since the age of eleven Elijah was constantly in trouble with the authorities, breaking into houses while the occupiers were asleep plus other assorted petty crime that earned him nothing but a few stints at juvenile hall.

When he was 23 Elijah was arrested for a series of murders that happened near his home in Manhattan.

At his trial Elijah sat in stunned silence when the prosecution told the court that DNA found at all thirteen murder scenes matched his DNA and Elijah was nonplussed and screamed out ‘I am a petty thief and i haven’t killed anyone, there must be some kind of mistake.’

But after meeting for less than three hours the jury returned and found Elijah Pope guilty of the crime and the judge sentenced him to death.

After countless appeals over three years on 21 August 2022 Elijah walked down the corridor towards the death chamber screaming that he was an innocent man vowing to come back and kill all of the people who have stood by and let him die.

After he was strapped into the electric chair Elijah was asked if he had any last words, looking over to his parents who sat holding hands in the viewing room ‘Mom Dad you have to know why my DNA was found? Do i have a twin brother that i don’t know about, talk to me please’ Elijah pleads but his parents remain stoic and silent just like they have ever since the day he was arrested.

Elijah blood begins to boil, he gives the onlookers a final glance and began affirming ‘I will be back all you motherfuckers and when i do none of you will escape my wrath.’

Warden Ian Baldacci who has been in charge at San Quentin for over twenty years says a silent prayer for the condemned prisoner then flicks a switch causing Elijah’s body into shocking spasms and soon the room is full of smoke and the stench of burnt flesh.

Poe struggles against the wrist restraints twisting his body violently, so violently that soon both hands can’t withstand the pressure and are severed and fall to the floor.

Elijah Pope is pronounced dead at 6.06 pm by the prison doctor.

An hour later after everybody has gone home or back on duty two orderlies appear pushing a trolley holding a cheap pinewood coffin.

The orderlies unbuckle Pope’s body and gently place him inside the coffin then the younger of the two is ordered to pick up the discarded hands which he does with a look of distaste.

The hands are placed on top of the scorched remains and then the coffin is placed inside a white van that the senior orderly drives down to the southern corner of the prison and soon the pine coffin is lowered six feet down into a freshly dug grave.

After the prison chaplain says a few words the hole is filled in and Elijah Pope is left to dwell in purgatory forever.

Four months later just before midnight the earth covering Pope’s grave stirs and soon a finger breaks the surface and surveys the area like a submarine’s periscope.

Satisfied that the coast is clear soon a pair of unblemished hands breakthrough the soil and scurry the fifteen yards over the perimeter fence then they scramble up the weathered stone drop down the other side then hide behind a dumpster until a means of escape comes along.

PART TWO.

‘For God’s sake Miquel can you stop smoking that shit here, what will the boss say when we return to base and the truck smells like a frat house.”

‘Calm down Jimmy it is only a small joint the boss won’t even notice.’

‘A small joint? It is the size of a cigar, wind the window down before i die from marijuana poisoning.’

Miquel Ferria a 39 year old Mexican immigrant and Jimmy James a native new yorker who celebrated his 60th birthday last Wednesday have been collecting the trash for over a decade and even though they might argue and bicker most mornings the unlikely friends get along well enough but when it is 4.30 in the morning tempers can fray.

Jimmy is a skinny white man who is counting down the days until he can retire while Miquel who is big for a Mexican is still thinking the night before where he and his wife Margita made love like a pair of lovestruck teenagers.

‘Snap out of it Miquel, lets finish our run as fast as we can so we can go home and have ourselves an early weekend.’

‘Good idea Jimbo now shut the fuck up so i can concentrate on driving this piece of shit.”

After driving six blocks emptying hundreds of bins the pair arrive outside San Quenton and they both say a silent prayer thanking the lord for letting live outside the walls and not inside trying to survive hell on earth.

Miquel parks the truck and lights up the joint enjoying the smoke distorting his brain ‘Maybe i should drive Miquel the last thing we need is for you to kill us both a week after Christmas.’

As the pair walk around the back of the truck to change positions neither of them notice a pair of hands scurry from a behind a tree and leap aboard clinging on tight to the running board a mere three yards from Jimmy’s scrawny neck.

Two hours later Miquel and Jimmy are weary and wired needing a caffeine and sugar hit so Jimmy parks outside a Wendy’s diner where they unwind with a large coffee and a dozen donut’s.

While the two trash collectors enjoy their down time the pair of hands jump down and just as the sun begins to rise they race across the road unnoticed and soon disappear in the foliage of a well maintained garden bed.

The garden is located on the western side of a huge building no more than ten feet from the main entrance.

The fingers of both hands intertwine hoping that soon they will obtain a host to help in their quest for vengeance.

Thirty minutes later an already weary doctor arrives to start his shift but before he goes inside Docter Edwin Rothchild a world renowned orthopedic surgeon decides to have a cigarette before starting another hectic day.

Taking a seat Edwin starts thinking about a patient of his who has been waiting for a double hand transplant for over six months now.

Patrick Redman lost both hands on a boating accident last August and despite searching all over globe a match has yet to be found.

.Unfortunately for Patrick he has the rare A B Negative blood type so finding a match has become very troublesome.

Edwin shakes the thought from his mind, stubs out his cigarette when something in the corner garden catches his eye.

Bending down for a closer look Edwin’s knees buckle and a tiny voice in the back of his mind tells him to forget what he saw before it is too late but against his better judgement Edwin tells the voice to mind its own business and shut the fuck up.

Not quite believing what he saw Edwin has a closer look and a pair of hands creep forward like and octopus from its secret garden.

Stealing a glance behind him Rothchild picks up both hands and places them gently in his coat pocket then casually walks into the hospital to start his shift at the Marin County General County.

Up in his office Edwin locates a donor organ cooler fills it with ice and gently places the hands inside but the hands have other ideas and spring from the cooler and start to climb up Edwin’s shirt.

Screeching in fright Edwin flicks both hands back into the cooler and quickly closes the lid.

When his heart rate returns to normal Edwin opens the lid an inch and quickly take a blood sample and sends it downstairs for testing.

After doing his rounds Edwin returns to his office and as he eats his lunch he checks for any new emails and immediately his heart begins to race again when he notices an email from hematology.

Clicking on the link Edwin is both glad and frightened when he reads the results, the blood sample is indeed A B Negative, now young Patrick Redman will have another chance to become a whole person again with two new working pair of hands.

After he finishes eating his lunch Rothchild phones Patrick Redman with the good news, spends the afternoon performing surgery then just after six pm he grabs the cooler and heads on home.

At his house Patrick Redman is ecstatic, after months of having his wife Maureen feed him and wipe his butt finally there is a ray of hope on the horizon.

Arriving home Rothchild takes a quick shower then pours himself a large scotch while he prepares a plate of leftover meatloaf.

His wife thirty years Catherine is away visiting her elderly parents in Oregen which is a good thing because Edwin knows that she wouldn’t approve of what he brought home in the cooler.

Staring at the cooler as he drinks a few more stiff drinks Edwin drags himself to bed where he spends a restless dreaming about a pair of hands going on a murderous rampage.

Waking early despite feeling like a steamroller drove back and forth over his skull while he slept Edwin rolls out of bed early ready to face another day.

Entering the living room he is glad to see the lid still in place on top of the cooler then after watching the morning news drinking his first cup of coffee for the day then he grabs his car key and the cooler and drives towards the hospital.

Normally unflappable Edwin is nervous as hell as he walks into the hospital because he knows that shortly he will perform a surgery attaching a pair of hands from an unknown source to his desperate patient which he knows is bordering on criminality but he took an oath to treat his patient to the best of his ability and that is what he intends to do.

He informs his colleagues that a donor was found over night and the hands are a perfect to his patient Patrick Redman who has been informed of the happy news and that his surgery is scheduled for 10 am tomorrow morning and that he is not to consume any food after 8 pm.

Brenda Fellows a tough nurse who has worked at the hospital for over 22 years is skeptical when she is told that a donor has suddenly appeared out of the blue. ‘Doctor Rothchild there is nothing in the system about this donor so i will need the donor’s name, his blood type and which hospital the donation is coming from.’

‘I will need all of this information so i can enter it into the data base so everything is above board, if i don’t receive this vital information by 1 pm then the surgery wont be able to proceed as scheduled.’

‘Of course Nurse Fellows why don’t we step into my office and i will give all the information that you need.’

Rothchild knows that he is currently walking on very dangerous ground, deep down he knows that what he is about to do is very wrong but after taking a deep breath he leads the hapless nurse towards a donor cooler sitting on his desk. ‘Really Doctor this is highly irregular.’

‘Lifting the lid exposing its contents Rothchild beckons Fellows closer and despite her misgivings she leans in for a closer look then before she can scream the hands spring forward wrap themselves tightly around and squeeze.

After their victim is no longer breathing the pair of hands jump down into the safety of the cooler safe in the knowledge that things are about to get a whole lot worse.

Patrick Redman arrives at the hospital two hours before his operation and after checking in he is told to strip naked to put on a white gown with an opening in the back.

Feeling exposed and vulnerable Patrick is allocated a bed, given a pre-op sedative and told to relax ‘It will all be over before you know it.’

After a marathon 14 hour operation Doctor Rothchild thanks the other members of the surgical team. ‘When done everybody as you saw the operation went smoothly, i expect that the patient will gain full use of his new hands in a matter of months.’

Later that morning Patrick wakes in the recovery room feeling a little woozy but his mood picks up when a nurse tells him that his procedure went well and after a few months of rehab he will be a new man.

After he left the surgical ward Doctor Rothchild took the lift up two flights then entered the janitor’s room where he had hidden Nurse Fellow’s body.

Throwing the body over his left shoulder he calmly walks over to the emergency door and kicks it open then he walks another ten yards and stands on the ledge five stories above the ground.

Clutching his passenger tight Rothchild steps forward into oblivion screaming ‘FORGIVE ME PATRICK I WAS POSSESSED.’

Patrick is still flexing his new pair of hands when a young doctor enters his room ‘Hello Patrick i am Doctor Gregg Wilson and i can see that you are making a speedy recovery.’

‘I sure am Doc but where is Doctor Rothchild? I was expecting to see him to drop in this morning while he was doing his rounds.’

‘Ugh sorry Patrick but Doctor Rothchild had to hum step out for a while but don’t worry about that i will be attending to you from now on and i have to say that i am surprised how well you have recovered from such a complicated operation.’

All of a sudden the donated hands start to gesticulate wildly and Patrick is startled to say the least ‘I am not moving my hands Doc they are doing it all by themselves.’

‘What in the fuck is going on? ‘I don’t know Patrick maybe you are having an allergic reaction to your new hands but and this is really weird but i believe that the hands are using sign language.’

After writing down what the hands had to say Doctor Wilson gives his patient a troubled look ‘Don’t keep me in suspense Doc what did my hands have to say for themselves?’

‘I have a deaf sister Patrick so i know sign fairly well and what i am about to say will be distressing but here goes ‘I AM BACK MOTHERFUCKERS AND I AM COMING FOR YOU ALL ONE AT A TIME. SLEEP TIGHT NIGHTY NIGHT.’

‘Who is back Doc ? I don’t understand.’

‘I don’t know what is going on either Patrick, just lie back and try to relax.’

‘After we run a few tests i am positive that a solution for your predicament will be found.’

After a fortnight and countless tests by numerous doctors who find nothing unusual Patrick is told they he will be ready to be discharged in a day or two but he is to report back to the hospital every week for his scheduled physiotherapy.

With a lot of help from his wife Maureen Patrick quickly settles into a routine back at his house.

His hands are strong and healthy with all of the physio and exercise and Patrick can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel and if all goes as planned maybe he will be able to return to his job and provide for his family properly.

After an intense workout Patrick has a shower to take the edge off.

He stands under the hot water for ten minutes washing away the sweat and plenty of painful memories then when he feels cleansed Patrick climbs out and dries himself with a towel and he is happy to see that all of his fingers are all in working order.

Noticing that the bathroom mirror has steamed over Patrick turns on the exhaust fan and as the mirror clears Patrick begins to clean his teeth then suddenly his right hand shots out and writes a message on the glass.

Patrick pulls his hand away from the mirror and reads ‘TIME TO KILL, VENEGEANCE WILL BE MINE’ ELIJAH POPE.

Wiping the words away before he leaves the bathroom Patrick knows that he is in deep trouble, it is the second time that his donated hands have taken on a mind of their own and left behind a cryptic message but first thing he needs to find out who is Elijah Pope.

After asking Mr Google for help Patrick is appalled to see that Elijah Pope was sentenced to death for of series of bloody murders and was executed by the means of the electric chair near enough to six months ago.

‘Just fricking great i have been given the hands from a convicted killer.’

That night as he sleeps the DNA from his new pair of hands continues to intermingle with his own DNA and when Patrick wakes up and rubs the sleep from his eyes.

He kisses his wife good morning ‘Morning sweetie would you like some bacon and eggs for breakfast?”

Maureen sits up and looks at her husband ‘Sure Patrick but your voice is different it is a lot deeper, are you feeling okay?’

‘And your hair is a couple of shades lighter, did you dye it last night.?”

Patrick doesn’t answer but admits to himself that he does feel different and not in a good way.

All he wants to do is go back to the hospital and tell Doctor Wilson and sever his hands and throw them into a furnace instead he walks into the kitchen and starts preparing breakfast and by the time the couple finish eating the bacon and eggs Patrick Redman now occupies a mere 5% of his body while Elijah Pope occupies the remaining 95%.

For all intents and purposes Patrick Redman no longer exists.

Elijah Pope went to his grave condemned for eternity but now he has a chance to make sure that all of the people responsible for the miscarriage of justice will pay a heavy price.

Ian Baldacci the warden at San Quentin prison is relaxing at home after another hectic day not knowing that his life is about to come to an abrupt end.

His wife of thirty years is away visiting relatives but before she left Joan kindly made of few meals and left them in the fridge so all Ian has to is choose a meal and put it in the microwave for a few minutes.

But Ian decides that the mac n cheese can wait a few minutes because he really needs to unwind because it is hard dealing with prisoners on death row who have little hope and no future so what he needs is to have a long hot bath and wash away the anguish.

As he soaks Ian can feel the tension float away and he vows for the tenth time to help Joan a lot more with the household chores.

‘Hello warden enjoying your bath? Startled Ian begins to stand up to confront the intruder but a solid punch to the throat sits him back down quick smart.

‘No need to stand on my account warden just relax and enjoy the last few minutes of your miserable life.’

Struggling to breathe Baldacci take a few seconds in an attempt to gain himself some leeway before he responds ‘Who are you and what are you doing in my house?’

‘You don’t recognize me warden? I can see your brain ticking over but let me give you some help.’

‘Remember back to earlier this year when i was tied to old sparky and then you flicked the switch and sent me on a one way trip to hell but i really missed you so i have come back to talk about old times.’

‘Pope? But it can’t be, i watched you die, you were pronounced dead by the prison doctor and i saw you placed into a coffin and lowered into the ground so go back from where you came from before and let me wake from this dream in peace.’

‘This isn’t a dream warden, now tell me, how do you like your toast light brown, brown, dark brown or burnt?

It suddenly dawns on Baldacci that the freak before him is holding Joan’s old two slice toaster he gave her as a birthday present back in 2015.

Pope plugs in his weapon of choice and asks the warden if he has any last words ‘Listen Pope or whoever the fuck you are just walk away and i promise not to say a word about you being among the living again.’

‘No can do warden, but let me repeat my question, how do you like your toast?’ ‘No on second thoughts there is no need to answer because i am pretty sure that you are a crispy burnt kind of fella aren’t you warden?’

‘Noooooooooo’ Baldacci screams as he tries to catch the toaster but he loses his footing in the soapy and immediately his skin peels away exposing a pink underbelly that jerks and jumps like a macabre puppet on a string before sinking into the supercharged water.

Pope walks away careful not to slip on the wet floor, he stops and savors the smell in the bathroom a mixture of boiled lobster and pork.

He closes the front door of the warden’s house behind him satisfied that one of the assholes who mistreated him is no longer walking this earth..

At 8 am the following morning a police cruiser arrives at the wardens house to do a welfare check after concerned neighbors called to complain about the stench.

Receiving no reply after repeated knocking a uniformed officer enters the premises and following the smell he locates the warden’s body floating face down in the bathtub.

Racing outside the officer calls in for backup before vomiting six breakfast burritos onto the manicured front lawn.

10 minutes later a couple of detectives arrive at the crime and after sidestepping the mexican offering they enter the house of horrors.

Eric Robinson and Marc Freed have been partners for just on twenty years and in that time they have come across a lot of grisly cases but what confronted them that morning will be permanently imprinted in their minds.

Robinson a huge black man standing 6′ 7″ surveys the scene and notices the toaster in the bath and at first glance it looks like a possible suicide ‘What do you think Marc suicide?’

Freed a skinny white man just six weeks from retirement isn’t so sure ‘I hope it is Eric because it will save us a lot of time not having to look for a killer but why the toaster when there is a hair dryer and an electric razor sitting on the cabinet within easy reach from the bathtub?’

‘Good point Marc lets seal the scene off from nosy reporters or neighbors and let the CSI people do their thing.’

Two days later the detectives our in their office doing paperwork when their boss lieutenant Norman Parsons enters holding a manilla folder that he throws on Robinson’s desk.

Parsons is a young upstart just 34 years old who has risen through the ranks faster than a speeding bullet. ‘Let me fill you in before you read the report but you won’t like what i have to say.’

‘DNA and fingerprint evidence was found at the home of warden Ian Baldacci and they match perfectly to one nasty individual named Elijah Pope.’

‘Elijah Pope’ Freed mutters ‘I know that name but i can’t for the life of me i can’t place him.’

Parsons jumps in before Robinson has a chance to respond ‘Elijah Pope was convicted eight years ago of multiple murders and sent to death row at San Quentin.

‘Despite pleading his innocence i ten different appeals he was electrocuted by the electric chair on the 3 April this year.’

What? Robinson screams ‘How can a dead man leave DNA and fingerprints six months after his death?’

Parsons hold up his hands to stop further outbursts ‘I have asked the commissioner to put in a request to have Popes remains exhumed but in the meantime go and ask Pope’s family if Elijah has a twin brother who might be out for retribution.’

Because of the weird circumstances the exhumation was fast tracked and under leaden skies the coffin containing the remains is brought to the surface loaded into a white van and driven to the medical examiner’s office.

Dr Winston Churchmill who has been working for the county around the same time that Noah started to build his ark pulls on a pair of gloves and orders that the coffin lid be removed and two younglings quickly bow to see command.

But Churchmill orders the pair to stand back ‘Well well well will you look at that.’

Everyone in the room lean forward and Churchmill continues Do you notice the splintered wood that was broken from the inside almost like the body inside was trying to escape.’

The coffin lid is dragged away revealing the skeletal remains, Churchmill does a quick examination and tells his rapt audience ‘Everything appears to be normal except for two minor details.’

Robinson and Freed who until point remained silent can’t stay quiet no more ‘Spit it out Doctor what are the minor details? Freed whispers ‘I am glad you asked Detective because it is really quite simple, the hands the deceased hands are missing.’

Sitting in the corner of the room Parson’s know that he needs to contain the news to this room before someone spills the beans because the last thing he needs is for the residents of New York city to start panicking and spreading unfounded rumors making the job of the police force even harder than it needs to be.

‘Listen up everyone what the good doctor has revealed is to stay behind these four walls and i warn you all if i hear a whisper about a pair of wandering hands roaming the city i will come down hard on whoever leaks any information understand.’

What Parsons doesn’t know is that the pair of hands have already found a host who at this moment has already located his next victim and Pope want stop until he has killed all of the motherfuckers who sent him to hell.

You have all been warned.

THE END

Part Three coming soon.

Thanks for taking the time to read this story and could you please make a donation to go towards my goal of becoming a fulltime writer Thank you Steven.

stevenjohnstonblog

~ Short stories about anything and everything

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‘Hands Of Vengeance’ ( 2 )

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