“Hey Bryan! I gotta go.” said Chris as he walked away clutching his backpack.
“Later, dude.” I replied as I watched him rode away on his bike.
Chris and I were both high school juniors. He had been my best friend
since 3rd grade. We knew each others secrets. But not this one. No one
can know.
It was late in the afternoon, after school hours. I stayed a little
longer than usual. I told Chris I needed to finish my Chemistry workbook
in the school library
I wanted to make sure every single one of my classmates had left for
the day. I crept away to the woods just behind the school and huddled
under a tree. I waited for him. From behind me, someone covered my eyes
with his hands. “Tell me quickly what I’m wearing?” With my eyes closed I
said. “You’re wearing a blue shirt and a pair of jeans. Your hair is
pushed to the right and you’re wearing a watch.”
It was Bradley and he started laughing so hard. “How could you have known that, stalker?”
“Because I saw you this morning and during lunch. You dork!” I responded.
Bradley was in 12th grade, a year ahead of me, and one of the
smartest students in his group. I loved everything about him, from the
way he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to the messy hair that fell
over his sleepy eyes.
I moved close to him, uncomfortably close. I can smell the sweet,
tart flavor on his breath as he sucked on it. I started to run my hands
gently from where his collar met his skin down his shoulders, then
halfway down his arms and back again.
I pressed my lips to his neck in gentle kisses. Bradley reacted by
leaning his head sideways and exposing more of his neck for me. I could
feel his temperature rising. Then I moved under his chin kissing my way
up to run my tongue over his lips.
He pushed me away, to arm’s length, holding me by the shoulders and staring into my eyes. “We can’t be doing this anymore.”
My hands clasped his face gently. “Every time I think we’re okay you
go and pull a stunt like this. Stop pushing me away. I love you, you
know.”
I kissed him this time, harder, winding my fingers into his soft
waves and pulling his face closer then I slid my hands around his waist
as he slid his hands around my neck.
Then quickly we took off our clothes, there was no time to undress
each other. We were both standing naked in the woods, in the Arizona
sunlight.
Then we started making love in the middle of the woods.
Finally, we were exhausted. He leaned back against a tree and I laid
with my head on his chest. I felt his heart beating against my chest. It
was so strong just like him. I let my hand ran through his hair as his
head laid on my shoulder.
Then Bradley stood up, walked to his clothes and put his clothes back on. “I really can’t keep doing this with you, Brian.”
“Doing? Doing what?” I asked
He rolled his eyes.”Oh, cute. You know darn well what we’re doing. We can’t keep doing it, okay?”
“Because…?” I sighed in a rather theatrical way.
He walked towards me. “Because we don’t know what we’re doing, that’s because.”
“I love you. I don’t know what that entails, but I love you enough
that I will do whatever it takes.” I said, hearing my voice shake.
“For fuck’s sake Brian. We’re brothers! We have to stop” He was angry
his voice sounded like the loudest crackling boom of thunder.
He gripped my wrists tight and quickly turned around; his eyes blazed
red in anger as he shook me hard once and pushed me away from him. I
stumbled back but caught my balance.
As Bradley was walking away I jumped on his back and kept punching him in the head and hitting him in his back.
“Fuck you! Fuck you!”. I screamed at him repeatedly.
I felt his hands wrapped around my neck. Choking me. I tried to pull
away. I fought so hard against him, but to no avail. He shoved my head
to the ground.
As I struggled my right hand managed to grab a branch and I held on
to it with all my stregnth. I swung my elbow back against his chest so
hard that he let out a shriek of his own.
I got up as quickly as I can and hit his head using all the strength I
could muster. The branch made a loud thud and blood went everywhere. A
steady stream of blood was flowing down from his head.
He began to shake, frantically.
I was standing naked and bloody and holding the bloody branch in my clenched fist. Once again, I was breathless and panting..
“What did I do?”. I was mortified then I started crying hysterically.
I laid there next to him
Choke
I woke up alone. Searched the house but nobody’s home. I ate. Went to shower. I grabbed my computer and sat on my bed. Then I started to feel something weird. Like someone was watching me. Little did I know, something was creeping out from under my bed.
Then it grabbed me from behind me. I can’t see his face or he has no face. He’s all black, like a shadow. He threw me into the bed. He then started to choke me. I’m losing my breath but I can’t die without a fight.
So I grabbed him to his neck and I mustered all my strength. I kicked his stomach and we rolled over. Now I was sitting on top of him. I, quickly, grabbed the scissors right on top of my night table. I stabbed it relentlessly. His blood was spewing out all over me. Then it stopped moving. It was dead. It looked broken and it was bleeding like a shattered beast.
I walked up to the mirror nearby and I looked deeply into my reflection. The splatter of blood still dripping. From my face to my chest to my stomach. It was all over me. I was breathless. I pulled up into a mysterious half-smile. “Oops! I made a mess”
Had I ever seen a liquid of this kind before! A goo, green and ugly, almost covering me from head to toe. At first I had thought the liquid to be blood, the naturaly secretion of biodegradable life.
I glanced suspiciously over a shoulder at the beast I had just slain.
WHEERE DID IT GO?
The floor was puddled with the same slimey green, but the black beast had poofed from the scene like a solem whisper on a noisy shore.
I pulled myself toward the bed. I had had the temporary victory, by stabbing the beast with the scissors, but now I stood in my dark room feeling like an exposed lamb, prepared to be sughtered by something behind its intellect.
My Hand reached out for the chord to the overhead lamp. I was just centimeters from the metal string, then like electromagnetism between two magnets, my fingers inched closer and closer, but simultaneously, somehow against the forces of nature, the fingertips were repelled more and more.
From the thin night rays from the bedroom window, I could see the outline of my bedroom, in shadows. Oh no. Dread dripped into my veins at what I saw as my hand was suspended there, time frozen, my body in concrete catalepsy, the black beast entering my skin, engulfing my being.
Twisted
Dawn. Rachelle is running into the woods. Barefoot. Her face is flushed and her dress is stained with mud.
She’s running as fast as she can, not minding the painful scratches
the twigs are giving her. There are a few visible scratches on her arms
and feet. The leaves rustle as she passes through it. She’s breathing
heavily.
Meanwhile , a pair of feet wearing a hiking boots are running and heading uphill into the woods. The man stops, reaches out and manages to grab hold of a tree branch beside him. He’s panting and gasping. As he holds tightly to a tree branch, blood drips from his palm and crawls down from the branch down to its roots.
“No one escapes. Do you hear me? No one! You’ll die in agony!” the man shouts so loud it echoes and rumbles like thunder.
The forest is now shrouded in thin fog and darkness .
Rachelle hears him. She, quickly, hides behind a tree. She then scoots on the other side of the tree and creeps to get a better view. But this time, the man has left. She walks as fast as possible. As she looks around, the place is pitch black and she can see nothing. Suddenly, a cold wind blows. It chills her to the bone. She stands hugging herself against the cold. Then, she feels something moves across the distance. She runs, hurriedly, towards a tree almost hugging it. Later, she leans behind a tree, furtively peeking around. When a pair of hands tainted with blood grabs from behind her. She tries to scream but she cannot. She cannot breath.
Rachelle- a 19-year old college student- is lying on her bed, moaning in her sleep. She, then, wakes up sweating and panting, she has had a really bad dream. It is quarter past midnight. The only light in the room is moonlight streaming in through the window with a curtain flapping in the wind as though there is wind blowing through it. She reaches for her glasses beside a lampshade on her bedside table and wears them right away. She tries turning the lampshade on. The light from the lampshade comes on and then goes off. She , then, notices the cool wind coming into the room, she gets out of bed and closes the window. Suddenly, she hears a noise coming from outside the room. As if someone or something falls off to the floor. Slowly, she nears to the door and opens it.
Rachelle leaves the bedroom into the darkness outside it. She is tiptoeing her way from the bedroom to the lounge. She makes sure not to make any noise. Upon reaching the lounge she turns the light on and then she stops and looks around her. Nothing seems unusual so she decides to go back to her room. Just when she is about to walk away. Something moves from the hallway leading to the kitchen. Very carefully, she walks towards the kitchen.
As soon as she reaches the kitchen, as if on cue, lights go out. Rachelle panics. Quickly, she takes the cook’s knife out of the knife block near her. From her peripheral vision, she sees a movement from the lounge. Breathing heavily, she starts walking back to lounge while her right hand continues to grip the knife.
Rachelle tries to reach the light switch in the darkness. Suddenly, from behind her a pair of hands tainted with blood grabs her. One hand covering her mouth while the other one wraps around her belly. She fights back, ferociously. Then, they both fall to the floor.
In a dim-lighted room, a naked man with his hands tied up is seen. His face dripping with blood and sweat. An image comes out of the dark corner of the room. It’s Rachelle. Her eyes flash with anger. Her right hand gripping the knife. Slowly, she walks toward the man.
“You piece of shit! You think you can escape from me?!” Rachelle said, ferociously, as she moves closer to him.
“No one escapes. Do you hear me? No one! You’ll die in agony!” Rachelle screams.
“Let me go, please…” whispers the man, his voice pleading.
Meanwhile , a pair of feet wearing a hiking boots are running and heading uphill into the woods. The man stops, reaches out and manages to grab hold of a tree branch beside him. He’s panting and gasping. As he holds tightly to a tree branch, blood drips from his palm and crawls down from the branch down to its roots.
“No one escapes. Do you hear me? No one! You’ll die in agony!” the man shouts so loud it echoes and rumbles like thunder.
The forest is now shrouded in thin fog and darkness .
Rachelle hears him. She, quickly, hides behind a tree. She then scoots on the other side of the tree and creeps to get a better view. But this time, the man has left. She walks as fast as possible. As she looks around, the place is pitch black and she can see nothing. Suddenly, a cold wind blows. It chills her to the bone. She stands hugging herself against the cold. Then, she feels something moves across the distance. She runs, hurriedly, towards a tree almost hugging it. Later, she leans behind a tree, furtively peeking around. When a pair of hands tainted with blood grabs from behind her. She tries to scream but she cannot. She cannot breath.
Rachelle- a 19-year old college student- is lying on her bed, moaning in her sleep. She, then, wakes up sweating and panting, she has had a really bad dream. It is quarter past midnight. The only light in the room is moonlight streaming in through the window with a curtain flapping in the wind as though there is wind blowing through it. She reaches for her glasses beside a lampshade on her bedside table and wears them right away. She tries turning the lampshade on. The light from the lampshade comes on and then goes off. She , then, notices the cool wind coming into the room, she gets out of bed and closes the window. Suddenly, she hears a noise coming from outside the room. As if someone or something falls off to the floor. Slowly, she nears to the door and opens it.
Rachelle leaves the bedroom into the darkness outside it. She is tiptoeing her way from the bedroom to the lounge. She makes sure not to make any noise. Upon reaching the lounge she turns the light on and then she stops and looks around her. Nothing seems unusual so she decides to go back to her room. Just when she is about to walk away. Something moves from the hallway leading to the kitchen. Very carefully, she walks towards the kitchen.
As soon as she reaches the kitchen, as if on cue, lights go out. Rachelle panics. Quickly, she takes the cook’s knife out of the knife block near her. From her peripheral vision, she sees a movement from the lounge. Breathing heavily, she starts walking back to lounge while her right hand continues to grip the knife.
Rachelle tries to reach the light switch in the darkness. Suddenly, from behind her a pair of hands tainted with blood grabs her. One hand covering her mouth while the other one wraps around her belly. She fights back, ferociously. Then, they both fall to the floor.
In a dim-lighted room, a naked man with his hands tied up is seen. His face dripping with blood and sweat. An image comes out of the dark corner of the room. It’s Rachelle. Her eyes flash with anger. Her right hand gripping the knife. Slowly, she walks toward the man.
“You piece of shit! You think you can escape from me?!” Rachelle said, ferociously, as she moves closer to him.
“No one escapes. Do you hear me? No one! You’ll die in agony!” Rachelle screams.
“Let me go, please…” whispers the man, his voice pleading.
Unhappy Birthday
Robert was clearing the vault located at the near end of the office. He
was dressed in suit and tie. He looked very anxious. He was sweating.
The hair on his forehead was sticking down with sweat. Robert was
breathing, heavily. He was putting cash and some documents inside a
duffel bag seated right beside him. The room was quiet only the humming
air con can be heard. To his surprise, the phone on his desk suddenly
rang. He did not answer the phone; he just looked at it while slowly
zipping up the duffel bag. Then the call went to his voice mail. His
wife, Veronica, left a message to his voice mail.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart!” Veronica sounded excited and nervous.
Right beside the phone was a picture of Robert and Veronica, looking very happy and content.
“Can’t wait to see you tonight. I’ve been trying to reach you on your cell phone.” Veronica was wearing a sleeveless charcoal gray dress that fell to just below the knee.
“I guess it is dead. Just making sure you’d be home by 8 o’clock.” Veronica was standing in front of a full- body mirror cradling the telephone receiver between her ear and shoulder while trying her black stiletto shoes on.
Robert turned off the light, slowly closed the door and left. The room was pitch black only the light coming from the phone on his desk can be seen.
“I prepared a little surprise for you. I’m sure you’re gonna love it.” Veronica was combing her hair in front of the full body mirror while speaking on the phone.
“Anyway, happy 35 th birthday. I want this night to be special for you. For us.” Veronica paused and stopped combing her hair. She, then, sat on the bed. Her eyes were glistening with tears. She’s about to tear up.
“In the past few months or probably years. I haven’t really notice. We’re always fighting. We scream at each other. We hurt each others emotions. I don’t know how and when it started. I don’t want to know anymore. I just want us to start all over again. I want to be happy again. I miss being happy -with you.” Veronica sobbed, uncontrollably and hung up the phone.
Robert’s car was parked a few meters away from their house. It appeared very dark; every single light was turned off. Robert, quietly, sat motionless inside his car. He stared at their house with a blank look on his face. His hands were on the steering wheel.
Robert caught a glimpse of himself in the rear view mirror. He looked at his fingers grasping the steering wheels and saw his wedding ring. He took it off and placed it in the glove compartment. His duffle bag was on the passenger seat. He noticed the gate opened up. Veronica came out of the gate and walked towards Robert. She’s smiling and giggling. As soon as she approached the car, Veronica knocked on the passenger seat window signaling him to bring the car in the garage. Robert stared at Veronica for a few seconds and shook his head. Veronica gave him a puzzling look.
Robert got out of the car and faced Veronica’s direction.
“Stop it Veronica! We’ve talked about this. I’m leaving you.”
Veronica came storming in towards him. She placed both her hands to Robert’s face.
“But, we can fix all these. We can be happy again just like before. Today is a good start ..." Veronica began to plead
Robert pulled away from Veronica and held both her hands, tightly. Her efforts seem wasted
“Let’s not use my birthday or any other occasions for that matter to insist what is not right. We keep going in circles. It is not working and besides it is not worth it. I am not happy anymore.” Robert snarled cruelly at his wife.
“Let’s give it another try. Let’s keep trying, Robert. I know we can still save this marriage. We can still be happy.” Veronica pleaded.
“Are you even listening, Veronica? I can’t do this, anymore. Not with you.”
Robert tried to go back to the car but Veronica stopped him.
“Where are you going? You're just gonna walk away from me for some tramp?” Veronica hissed angrily, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
“To hell, away from you!” Robert screamed
“You want to leave?! Leave! But you’re not taking anything with you. All these things you have are from me. I turned you into somebody. If not for my money and influence. You are nobody!” Veronica’s face flushed with anger.
Robert walked out from Veronica towards the gate. Veronica got inside the car breathless and sobbing. She, then, noticed the duffel bag on the passenger seat. She unzipped the bag and saw the cash and documents inside it, surprise to see the cash and started reading the documents. When Robert noticed Veronica reading the documents inside the car, he ran back towards the car.
“What the fuck are these?! Are you trying to steal from me?!” She screamed at Robert
“No Veronica. I was ...” Robert said calmly, shaking his head.
“You prick!” Veronica had gotten increasingly angrier.
“You would have to kill me. I’ll sue you. You’ll rot in jail.” she continued, the threatening edge still in her voice.
Robert pulled out Veronica from the car through its window. Veronica tried fighting back and screamed. But Robert was strong enough to grab her out of the car and covered her mouth. Veronica didn’t give up. She slapped him and grabbed his hair, repeatedly as much as she can.
Robert strangled Veronica to death. When Robert realized his actions had inadvertently killed his wife, it horrified and confused him. Suddenly, he didn’t know which step to take next. Robert heard a vehicle was coming their way. Immediately, he putted Veronica’s body inside the car and drove the car into the garage.
Robert closed the gate and carried her lifeless body to the house. Robert was unable to open the locked door. He searched the key to his wallet but it wasn’t there. He placed Veronica’s body to the doorstep and hurriedly, went to his car to get the key. Then, Veronica started moving. She’s gasping for breath. As soon as she’s able to open her eyes she saw Robert standing to her right side where she’s lying. Robert was unlocking the door knob. And then he saw her coming back to life. Very quickly, he strangled her once again. She wanted to scream but she cannot. Robert’s hands were holding her neck too tight while he’s trying to lift her. She tried her hardest to reach for the door knob. Finally, Veronica reached the door knob and opened the door. And then she died.
The door opened, widely. Lights turned on. It was Robert’s biggest surprise of his life. There were about 20 people- family and friends- waiting for him to enter the house. Veronica gathered these people to greet him on his birthday. Complete with party hats, balloons, blow outs, noisemakers, confetti and a banner with his picture on it that said “Happy Birthday, Robert.” Every one of Robert’s guests saw him squeezing the life out of Veronica. Then, there’s an awkward silence.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart!” Veronica sounded excited and nervous.
Right beside the phone was a picture of Robert and Veronica, looking very happy and content.
“Can’t wait to see you tonight. I’ve been trying to reach you on your cell phone.” Veronica was wearing a sleeveless charcoal gray dress that fell to just below the knee.
“I guess it is dead. Just making sure you’d be home by 8 o’clock.” Veronica was standing in front of a full- body mirror cradling the telephone receiver between her ear and shoulder while trying her black stiletto shoes on.
Robert turned off the light, slowly closed the door and left. The room was pitch black only the light coming from the phone on his desk can be seen.
“I prepared a little surprise for you. I’m sure you’re gonna love it.” Veronica was combing her hair in front of the full body mirror while speaking on the phone.
“Anyway, happy 35 th birthday. I want this night to be special for you. For us.” Veronica paused and stopped combing her hair. She, then, sat on the bed. Her eyes were glistening with tears. She’s about to tear up.
“In the past few months or probably years. I haven’t really notice. We’re always fighting. We scream at each other. We hurt each others emotions. I don’t know how and when it started. I don’t want to know anymore. I just want us to start all over again. I want to be happy again. I miss being happy -with you.” Veronica sobbed, uncontrollably and hung up the phone.
Robert’s car was parked a few meters away from their house. It appeared very dark; every single light was turned off. Robert, quietly, sat motionless inside his car. He stared at their house with a blank look on his face. His hands were on the steering wheel.
Robert caught a glimpse of himself in the rear view mirror. He looked at his fingers grasping the steering wheels and saw his wedding ring. He took it off and placed it in the glove compartment. His duffle bag was on the passenger seat. He noticed the gate opened up. Veronica came out of the gate and walked towards Robert. She’s smiling and giggling. As soon as she approached the car, Veronica knocked on the passenger seat window signaling him to bring the car in the garage. Robert stared at Veronica for a few seconds and shook his head. Veronica gave him a puzzling look.
Robert got out of the car and faced Veronica’s direction.
“Stop it Veronica! We’ve talked about this. I’m leaving you.”
Veronica came storming in towards him. She placed both her hands to Robert’s face.
“But, we can fix all these. We can be happy again just like before. Today is a good start ..." Veronica began to plead
Robert pulled away from Veronica and held both her hands, tightly. Her efforts seem wasted
“Let’s not use my birthday or any other occasions for that matter to insist what is not right. We keep going in circles. It is not working and besides it is not worth it. I am not happy anymore.” Robert snarled cruelly at his wife.
“Let’s give it another try. Let’s keep trying, Robert. I know we can still save this marriage. We can still be happy.” Veronica pleaded.
“Are you even listening, Veronica? I can’t do this, anymore. Not with you.”
Robert tried to go back to the car but Veronica stopped him.
“Where are you going? You're just gonna walk away from me for some tramp?” Veronica hissed angrily, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
“To hell, away from you!” Robert screamed
“You want to leave?! Leave! But you’re not taking anything with you. All these things you have are from me. I turned you into somebody. If not for my money and influence. You are nobody!” Veronica’s face flushed with anger.
Robert walked out from Veronica towards the gate. Veronica got inside the car breathless and sobbing. She, then, noticed the duffel bag on the passenger seat. She unzipped the bag and saw the cash and documents inside it, surprise to see the cash and started reading the documents. When Robert noticed Veronica reading the documents inside the car, he ran back towards the car.
“What the fuck are these?! Are you trying to steal from me?!” She screamed at Robert
“No Veronica. I was ...” Robert said calmly, shaking his head.
“You prick!” Veronica had gotten increasingly angrier.
“You would have to kill me. I’ll sue you. You’ll rot in jail.” she continued, the threatening edge still in her voice.
Robert pulled out Veronica from the car through its window. Veronica tried fighting back and screamed. But Robert was strong enough to grab her out of the car and covered her mouth. Veronica didn’t give up. She slapped him and grabbed his hair, repeatedly as much as she can.
Robert strangled Veronica to death. When Robert realized his actions had inadvertently killed his wife, it horrified and confused him. Suddenly, he didn’t know which step to take next. Robert heard a vehicle was coming their way. Immediately, he putted Veronica’s body inside the car and drove the car into the garage.
Robert closed the gate and carried her lifeless body to the house. Robert was unable to open the locked door. He searched the key to his wallet but it wasn’t there. He placed Veronica’s body to the doorstep and hurriedly, went to his car to get the key. Then, Veronica started moving. She’s gasping for breath. As soon as she’s able to open her eyes she saw Robert standing to her right side where she’s lying. Robert was unlocking the door knob. And then he saw her coming back to life. Very quickly, he strangled her once again. She wanted to scream but she cannot. Robert’s hands were holding her neck too tight while he’s trying to lift her. She tried her hardest to reach for the door knob. Finally, Veronica reached the door knob and opened the door. And then she died.
The door opened, widely. Lights turned on. It was Robert’s biggest surprise of his life. There were about 20 people- family and friends- waiting for him to enter the house. Veronica gathered these people to greet him on his birthday. Complete with party hats, balloons, blow outs, noisemakers, confetti and a banner with his picture on it that said “Happy Birthday, Robert.” Every one of Robert’s guests saw him squeezing the life out of Veronica. Then, there’s an awkward silence.
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