86 Short Horror Stories Zahid Zaman Š all rights reserved 2016. DynamicInk09. First published in Great Britain 2016. Copyright Zahid Zaman Š 2014. Zahid Zaman asserts the right to be identified as the author in accordance with the copyright Design & Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. This book is sold as accepted or
published under the conditions that no part is reproduced, stored, in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any binding or any cover other then in which it is published without the express permission in writing of the publisher/author and without a similar condition including this condition been imposed. Bound and printed in United States.
By Zahid Zaman Screams From The Asylum Torment The Asylum The Dark Gift Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 1 Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 2 Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 3 Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 4 Dark Horizon 1200 Pick Up Lines DNA Wars A Long Way To Fall End Times Heroes Of The Darkness: vol 1 Heroes Of The Darkness: vol 2
Nightscapes vol:1 Nightscapes vol:2 Nightscapes vol:3 My Story: an autobiography and battle with schizophrenia Ten Scary Nightmares A Novella: A memoir Of a Mind Cult Deprogrammer A Memoir of a Modern Day Psychiatric Hospital Under The Darkness
Table Of Contents 1) A Long Way To Fall
2) The Immortality Serum 3) The Inhumans 4) We are Legend 5) The Night The Demons Came 6) The Set-up 7) Digital Reality 8) End Times 9) My Story: An Autobiography and a Battle with Schizophrenia 10) DNA Wars 11) Dark Horizon
12) The Dark Gift 13) The Asylum 14) Memoir Of A Mind Deprogrammer 15) Telepaths 16) Rampage 17) The Set-up (short version) 18) The Soul Demon 19) The Spider and Immortality 20) Wizards 21) Zombie Nightmare
22) The Wiser 23) The Stealers 24) The Robots Rebellion 25) The Light Within 26) The God Stone 27) The Book 28) Stranded 29) Runtime 30) Nightfall 31) Just one more kick 32) Hunted 33) Eternity 34) Dead time
35) Tulia Bellona: The Serial Killers Daughter 36) The Super-zombie 37) The Son Of Satan 38) The Invasion 39) The Game 40) The Almanac 41) Split minds/split worlds 42) Resident 43) Moonlight Sonata 44) Jack And Jane 45) Gone Potty 46) Elixir
47) Dark Heart 48) The Witches Sabbath 49) The Storm 50) The Somewhereman 51) The Meteorite 52) The Haunted library 53) The Deep Dark Place 54) Strange Occurrences 55) Sally Anns' Room 56) October 31st 57) Man Hater 58) Imaginings 59) Glynnis The Demon And
Jack 60) Digital Reality(short version) 61) Cold Christmas 62) Voodoo And The Writer 63) Beware The Sat Nav 64) The Day Of The Invasion 65) Night Of The Winged Demon 66) Room 13 67) The Captain And The Sea Gulls
68) The Man In The Cave 69) The Ring 70) Vial Of The Genome Soldier 71) The Tag 72) The Cellar 73) The Demons Gateway 74) The Post Humans 75) Dream Racer 76) Werewolf Of Yellow Stone Creek 77) The Virus 78) The Kidnap
79) The Blood 80) Six Silver Bullets 81) Second Life 82) In Hell 83) Beware The Weegiboard 84) Beware The Son Of War 85) A Dispassionate Eye 86) Waking From A Dream
A Long Way To Fall
Zahid Zaman Š all rights reserved 2010.
DynamicInk09. First published in Great Briatin 2010. Copyright Zahid Zaman Š 2010 Zahid Zaman asserts the right to be identified as the author in accordance with the copyright Design & Patents Act
1988. All rights reserved. This book is sold as accepted or published under the conditions that no part is reproduced, stored, in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or any binding or any cover other then in which it is published without the express permission in writing of the publisher/author and without a similar condition including this condition been imposed. Bound and printed in United States.
By Zahid Zaman Screams From The Asylum Torment The Asylum The Dark Gift Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 1 Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 2 Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 3
Ten Macabre Tales Vol: 4 Seven Macabre Tales Vol: 5 Dark Horizon 1200 Pick Up Lines DNA Wars A Long Way To Fall
This is for my family.
A LONG WAY TO FALL Last Year
My legs dangled over the edge of the twenty-five storey building. I sat looking down on a city of darkness, ready to throw myself from the top. The cityscape below was peppered with tiny lights. It was Halloween, but there was very little trick-ortreating going on. This year wasn't like last year, when I'd spent the holiday in America with my girlfriend. This was England and the police, and some of the less well-off elderly residents saw 'trick-or-treating' more as aggressive begging than children enjoying the Holiday.
As I thought about my girlfriend, a slow tear fell from my left eye and into the darkness below. I had loved her; she had been my lover and my best friend. Then she had left me; just two weeks ago. It had been hard. Why is life so unbearable? I'm in my final year at university. One more year and then I will be qualified, and then I will be able to join the human race as a
fully paidup member, once I find a job. I
will find a job. Things aren't that bad. M black skin didn't bar me from getting into university and it won't stop me getting a job‌but‌sometimes it's hard. I looked up at the inky black sky which was pinpricked with thousands of small stars. The sky was comforting, I felt it took away all my problems and made me feel how small they actually were, but when I looked back down at the city below they didn't feel small. A prolonged truck horn blared. The sound tore into me without mercy, an echo that refused to go away. Hell outing me to the world, laughing at me, triumphantly calling as below drunks
exchanged profanities with a lorry driver. I thought about my plan. Am I really going to do it? Am I really going to throw myself off the top of this twenty-five story building? Go through the list one more time. Age twenty-one, psychology undergraduate with one year left to go, handsome by all accounts, excellent grades, excellent in
terms of physical health, mental status
debatable, what did the shrink call it, functional depressive. Has whole life in front of him, bright, bright future. Everything to live for. Except I don’t see it. I can’t see the future at all. I put my shaking hand into my pocket and take out my Mirtazapine. They move like puppets on someone else’s strings. It’s been like this since…Since forever. This thing I call my life. A functional puppet. I don’t own it either. I put the pill in my mouth; sip my cola and swallow. There, that should do it. I smile; I won’t be able to commit suicide tonight with the anti-depressant running through my veins.
How useless is the drug my psychiatrist has given me? It hasn't stopped my dark moody thoughts. How useless is the whole world around me. And why hadn't she understood? I'd never told her about my childhood, that was too painful but I had told her some things. More than I'd ever told anyone else. At first I thought she had understood but then she'd grown impatient. She had wanted sex–not
excuses-
but I wasn't ready. How could I tell her about the secret buried in my past, a secret so dark it still haunted my nightmares.
#
It was night. The hospital was quiet. I was half asleep and I think I heard the door to my room open and shut quietly, ever so quietly. I lay dwarfed in the single bed my legs barely reaching half the bed’s length. The moonlight seeped in through the only window in the room. felt the blanket of my bed lifted and then a sharp stinging pain in my arm.
As I lay in a semiconscious state, I felt my pyjama top slowly unbuttoned. The hands were soft and gentle but there was something about them‌something slimy. They roamed, caressing... # "Excuse me." I looked around and saw a girl who stood in the orange glare of the roof's security light. "Do you mind if I sit up here for a while?"
"No, its okay," I said, slipping my pills into my pocket. She was pretty, about 5'6 with thin and straight, black hair down to her neck and a white t-shirt which hugged her body, and faded blue denim jeans. The thing that struck me most about her as she walked out of the semi-darkness was the paleness of her flesh. Her face and arms were porcelain white. She sat down next to me; flashing a bright white smile and I saw deeply into her wide grey eyes. My pulse suddenly quickened and I felt my temperature rise. I knew I was blushing.
"It's so nice up here," she said, looking at the lights below. "I used to come up here all the time before, but I don't any more." "Yer‌I like it up here too." I said, casting her a sideways glance. "It's so peaceful." We sat in silence for a short time; just staring at the night below. "What's your name?" I asked, noticing the ghostly orange shadows, which her form cast onto the roof.
"Louise," she said with sadness, "Louise Hulbert." Louise Hulbert? Where had I heard that name before? It was familiar but I couldn't quite place it. It didn't matter it would come to me. #
I tried to breathe but felt myself choking My lungs were out of air, something moved up and down burning the back of my throat and making my eyes water. "Oh God‌Oh God," I heard whispered again and again.
I tried to move my body but couldn't. I knew something was wrong, very wrong indeed. My arms had no strength; the only thing I could do was lie there and endure it. I waited for it to end‌ Eventually I was able to breathe again. That was the first night of many. # "I know things can be hard sometimes," she said looking straight down "but you
must never give up. One day you will have the happiness you deserve." I looked at her, that was strange a thing to say to a stranger you've just met. It was as if she knew what was on my mind. I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. "My girlfriend left me," I said angrily "Two weeks ago, she just threw away all the memories we shared together like they were nothing and left." Tears blurred the lights below. "I had a boyfriend‌," she paused "but I left him behind." "Oh‌where are you from?"
"I'm from down South originally." A tear fell from her eye into the darkness and in the semi-orange darkness, I saw, glistening tear tracks running down her face with a supernatural twilight-esque glow. "But I like it up here," her voice, steady and even.
"My girlfriend‌," I muttered "There were things I couldn't tell her about myself." "I hid things as well from my parents, my friends and even my boyfriend."
"What did you hide?" "Oh‌just the way I was feeling," she wiped her eyes, "I didn't tell them what was on my mind." "Was it really that bad?" "My grades were falling with every assignment...I just couldn't concentrate." "So what did you do?" "I started coming up here like you," she paused, thinking. "And just watching the city below."
"What course are you on?" Silence‌ "Do you know that on Halloween, all the ghosts of the dead are allowed to roam free?" "Yer, but that's just rubbish. Nobody believes in ghosts. Don't tell me you're a ghost," I said jokingly. I stretched out my hand and touched her arm, it was soft and warm. I let my hand rest there for a second. She looked at me with her wide deep almond shaped eyes and smiled.
"I have to go in a short while‌my time is almost up," she said. "Do you have lectures in the morning? God, you should have been asleep hours ago." I paused unsure whether or not to make the joke and then I did. "No wonder you're failing your assignments." She didn't laugh. "Eternity is a really long time to spend alone," she said in the saddest voice I had ever heard. My mirth suddenly vanished as I thought about my own suicide bid. Louise Hulbert? Where had I heard that
name before and then it hit me. My mouth fell open and I felt the drum of my heart beat in my ears. I remembered the name. When I'd started my course two years ago, the story had gone all around campus. A girl named Louise Hulbert had killed herself –thrown herself off a building. The same building I was on now. I looked at her and slowly, ever so slowly she turned her head towards me. Her eyes were bloodshot and so indescribably sad.
"Eternity is a really long time," A tear ran down her cheeks, "don't do it, please don't do it," she said. I thought about the hospital and burning tears sprang up on my cheeks. We stared at each other in the orange glare of the security light, tears running down both our cheeks. I leaned towards her and hugged her. Her skin was soft and warm under my hands. "Forgive and forget," she whispered in a broken voice. I felt an unbearable pain in my heart and closed my tear stained eyes and screamed as the memories came back.
Suddenly I felt her heat dissolving. I opened my eyes and found myself hugging empty air. All the pain the memories were gone. I laughed a joyful timeless laugh. It was as if a giant weight had been lifted from of my shoulders. I heard her soft sad voice whisper back to me. "Eternity is a really long time to spend alone‌"
LOUISE'S STORY Louise sat atop the twenty-five storey building ready to throw herself from the top. Tears streamed down her cheeks like a small river and her mascara had run but she didn't care‌she didn't care about anything anymore. She was in her final year at university, one more year and then she'd be qualified. I wish I was dead.
She felt wretched and miserable. Nothing mattered in her bleak empty world any more. #
Louise had met her boyfriend the first day back at university, and fallen head over heels in love. Little did she know he would turn out to be a two timing slime ball. Two months after meeting him she had given herself to him, to her it was a big thing as all her religious and spiritual
morals had screamed against it but she had been in love To a quite Christian girl like Louise morals and her faith mattered, they mattered a lot; ever since her grandmother had taken her to church as a little girl and taught her how to pray, on her knees with her hands in a steeple and her eyes tightly shut. She had prayed then, prayed with all her heart. "Please make mummy better, please God make her cancer go away," and it had worked, mummy's cancer had gone away and Louise's faith from that day
had been cemented like an iron girder on a bridge, nothing could shift or dent it. And then on her first day back at university she had met him and fallen in love. For Louise her faith was everything to her. # "I love you. I will never leave you Louise," he said staring deeply into her eyes as they sat on her bed in the dim light of the bedside lamp.
I'm so nervous and excited. They kissed and Louise felt a wave of passion sweep over her. She felt so hot and sweaty like nothing she had ever felt before, his hands roamed; caressing and feeling her body lighting little sparks of beautiful sensations in her brain. He was experienced and Louise found it hard to resist his masculine charms but she tried. "Stop," she said drawing her flushed red face back and away from his, he just leaned forward pressing his body
against hers even more tightly. "Please stop‌" but her voice faltered‌
To her it was the best experience of her life. To him Louise didn't know this at the time but it was just another lay. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear and they made love late into the night. He kissed her all over her body and her mind swooned. This was pleasure like she had never experienced before, she had laughed and smiled then, feeling so happy.
Their lovemaking had been noisy and the bed shook with each and every movement, her boyfriend put the music on and a simple love song came on the radio. Never break my heart…say you will never leave me…never break my heart… At the song her boyfriend had laughed even louder and then something happened that made Louise laugh just as loud and long, her neighbour next door was banging on the wall.
"Quiet it down in there!" came the muffled voice through the wall. "I'm trying to get some sleep." It was the best night of Louise's life and she had given all of herself to her boyfriend, her love, her faith and her virginity. So Louise was devastated that when she awoke in the morning to find he was gone. Without a word. Louise looked around for any signs of him and then she saw the note on the table next to the lamp. A
note she would later wish that she had never found. "Every holes a goal. Every goal is a hole. You were an easy lay. Never call me again you dirty whore." At first Louise, couldn't believe what she had read, she read it several times to make sure what it said. Oh my God! Tears streamed down her cheeks hot and burning. She was horror stricken and devastated and instantly in that
moment hated herself for giving herself to him so easily and completely but she had known him for two months and yet to her it felt like a whole life time. That was the beginning of the end of Louise's world. A few weeks later Louise went to the sexual disease and health clinic. She had had her unpleasant tests and now waited for the results. The wait was agonizing. She wished she’d never met that jerk now.
A woman came out and asked Louise to go with her. Louise followed her to a room and sat on a material cotton chair. "Louise, I'm afraid I got some bad news for you. You've caught an infection. Not a serious infection but an infection none the less," "Oh no!" Louise burst into tears. "What infection have I caught?" she asked through bleary tear-stained eyes. # "Mum, I brought you some flowers," said
Louise as she walked into the hospital room and looked at the shrivelled and shrunken thing of a woman that used to be her fit and energetic mother. The cancer had returned. Her mum lifted her hairless head and tried to smile but the effort was too much and her head fell back onto the pillow again, her eyes listless. The radio was on low. This is it. She isn't going to make it‌
Louise sat on a chair next to her mum's bed, she held her hand in her own. Such a small, weak, fragile hand. It was clammy against her skin. Suddenly her mother seemed to awake a little. "Louise? Louise are you ok‌is something wrong dear? You don't look yourself." Louise suddenly felt tears in her eyes for her mother and herself, her mother who cared about her so much even now that
she was at deaths door she was more concerned about her little daughter. "Nothing’s wrong mother," Louise lied "I'm fine. Honestly I am," she said her voice sounding fake to her own ears. Her mother lay back again the effort to sit up and talk too much for her. The song finished another song came on. Louise listened to it as she smelt the sickly smell of disinfectant and disease.
Never break my heart…say you will never leave me…never break my heart… Louise couldn't stay any longer, she kissed her mother and left, tears in her eyes. I can't bare see my mother like that, no way not like that… She had prayed again in church that day, on her knees eyes shut tight, hands in a steeple, like she had done when she was a little girl. Her hard worn face set in an expression of resolute
determination and piety but God had abandoned her. Maybe for my sin‌ Her mother didn't live too long afterwards. Her shame and guilt from losing her virginity to a two bit slimeball and the death of her mother took their toll. She started sleeping late and getting to classes even later, her grades started to slide. She just couldn't concentrate.
She started at nights going up to the roof of her flat building and just staring at the night. Life is just so unbearable‌I can't cope‌I just can't cope. Tears flowed done her face night after night and she took on a dishevelled sunken appearance. Her only company as she sat atop the flats was the roofs yellow security light, it cast dark foreboding shadows of her form onto the roof. And then it happened. It didn't come as
a surprise, she knew it would happen but still she had been hoping against hope that it wouldn't. Her teacher, Miss. Hope had called her into her nice plush office. "Take a seat, Louise. Louise some of the other students have noticed you're not been yourself lately," "Uh..Hu?" Louise managed to mumble. Whets this all about?
"Louise, your grades have tumbled over the last few months, I know its been hard on you the death of your mother, but has anything else happened?" "Like what?" Louise asked. "I don't know anything at all?" "No. Nothing, I'm just upset at the death of my mother," Louise lied. "That's all." "Well Louise, I'm afraid I got some bad news for you, you failed your exams, you going to have to repeat the year," Louise didn't show any emotion. "Ok"
she said quietly. "Louise, I feel you need a little help coping with everything, so I've made you an appointment with the counsellor. Louise didn't keep her appointment with the counsellor, she didn't need their help. She wasn't any fruitcake.
Next thing I know they will probably put me on medication. And all for what? I fell in love with a slimebalI. My mother died of cancer and I've failed my exams and will have to repeat a year.
Another year in this hell hole of a life… I can't take it…I just can't take it… A person can only take so much and when a heart is broken so many times, nothing can put it back together again– nothing! Louise's heart had been broken beyond repair and she knew there was no way back, nothing could fix it. There was only one way out. Suicide. At the thought of it Louise's heart jumped with joy, peace, bliss, a way out
of her nightmarish hell that had become her life. Even still it wasn't an easy decision, no matter how desolate and desperate someone is, the thought of ending one's own life isn't taken lightly, especially someone as pious and holy as Louise used to be. But God has abandoned me, and now I reject him in return.
So slowly night after night, as she sat her resolve strengthened and it was then that she met him. He was tall and broad shouldered with jet black hair and seemed to have a tenderness that Louise had rarely seen before. They went out for a few weeks. I can't trust him. I will never be able to trust another man as long as I live. When he tried to kiss her she withdrew, when he tried to hold her hand or touch her she withdrew again. Louise knew it
was unfair to put all her hate onto him but she couldn't open up to him. He seemed to understand and wasn't fazed by her lack of affection and Louise in her heart loved him all the more for it, but for her it was too late. He was poetic too, and she would always cherish the poem he had written for her. She took the crumpled piece of paper out of her jeans pocket and read it now in the glow of the roof’s yellow security light.
Wanting you I feel so sad and lonely. Wanting so much for you to be there. To help you through your grief which you're at a loss to share. I really do care. Your life destroyed through the abuse of days gone by. Your happiness all gone dried up and dead.
Like a zombie you walk through life I know deep inside wishing to be alive instead. Like a schizophrenic with anhedonia, unable to feel the smallest thing. All the love and joy I could bring. Time will heal. I have an illness which isn't real.
But you were never a fiction of my imagination. I am still burning with infatuation. Carve your name into my heart. I Am still waiting for my life to start. I hope it does before I'm old and decrepit. Unable to do the smallest thing.
This insipid insidious feeling creeping up on me like a stranger in the night.
So sublime and difficult to fight. End. My heart has been broken too many times‌just too many times‌ It was Halloween. The autumnal night sky atop the flats greeted her with a cold bite and shrill sound, but Louise didn't feel the cold, she didn't feel anything. She was in another place, a place so deep in her mind it was as if nothing mattered.
It was like as if she was in a trance. She remembered the song on the radio: Never break my heart…say you will never leave me…never break my heart… Burning hot tears sprang up on her soft white cheeks. It is too unbearable…just too unbearable… She jumped. The ground rushed up towards Louise, she welcomed it with open arms. She
welcomed the release death would bring from her torment. The air rushed through her hair, the sightless windows now dark with blackness flew pass her with incredible speed. She had no regrets. Louises body hit the pavement below. There was intense pain for a second and then it passed. Louise found herself surrounded by white light and doctors and nurses all rushing around her, “I.V,” someone shouted. “We losing her,” a woman’s
voice in her early thirties. Blackness swallowed her. Louise awoke she was in a warm soft bed. She heard the beeping of medical instruments, her eyes opened painfully. She was in a side room, the letters ICU were on the door. It was so quiet for a hospital, and yet it was a hospital. A nurse came in “Louise, you’re awake, why miracles will never cease,” said the old nurse. “Louise, you’re got a visitor, do you want to see them?” Louise just nodded. And then he walked in, tall, broad shouldered with rich jet black hair and a tenderness which Louise was in awe of.
“Louise, I can’t believe you actually survived such a long fall,” Louise suddenly felt embarrassed and sad all at the same time. “Life’s never so bad that you have to end it,” he said. And Louise suddenly realised he was right but at the time she had been so depressed and acted. I pray god will forgive me for attempting to take my own life. Jack held her hand in his, she looked up into his eyes. “I love you,” he said and she knew he meant it. Right there and then she couldn’t bring herself to say it. “I…do like…you Jack,” she said,
she saw the smile shrink a little but the eyes held so much warmth. The nurse was back and whispered something into Jack’s ear. “I have to go now,” he said sadly and Louise suddenly felt sad and once he left went back to dozing. He returned the next day with some fruit and Lucozade. “Louise,” he sounded worried. She looked up at him, his face pale and drawn, and his hair lanky and wet, he’d been in the rain. It was odd how she noticed all these little details now. “Louise, this is very important, listen to me…” She focused on him and sat up.
“Jack?” she asked suddenly concerned, “what is it?” “We must leave…” he looked worried, very worried. “What?” she asked “We got to go, now,” “Why?” “I can’t say here, there isn’t enough time. All I can say is if he finds you, he will kill you.” “Who?” she asked back sitting up, “Why me?” “Because of something you did.” “oh no…”
Jack pulled the curtain round the bed. “Quick get changed there is no time,” Louise slipped on her jeans and top. The nurse came in “What’s going on here?” she asked “We got to go,” said Louise. The nurse stood back obviously concerned but too worn out herself to try and stop them, one nurse for about 14 patients, she must be run of her feet no wonder she’s not trying to stop us. Suddenly a wind started to blow throughout the ward. “Oh shit!” he’s here Jack said and Louise sensed the fear in his voice. He grabbed her by the hand and almost dragged her towards
the exit in the other direction of the wind. They exited the ward onto the corridor and down the stairs, behind them they heard shouts and commotion and a metal bowl falling onto the floor. They made it to the ground floor and headed to the car park. Jack’s Mazda x5 was parked near the front of the car park. They got in and Jack put his foot down. As they exited the car park the hospital doors suddenly flew open, and Louise couldn’t believe her eyes, there stood against the hospital doorway was a demon, 6 foot tall and blazing with fire.
Tendrils of flames could be seen coming of the demon. “Oh my god!” screamed Louise. “Don’t worry, Louise, I will protect you.” She looked him then, “Who are you?” she asked him. “Me I’m Jack.” “Jack who? What are you?” She looked frightened and anxious, “What are you,” she said a little less loudly. “I will explain everything,” he turned right, Louise saw the road sign for the motorway. “Just give me a little time and let me get away from the demon.” “Where are you taking me?” “I’m taking you as far away as I can from the demon,”
“and as to your question, I’m an angel,” Louise suddenly laughed, “An angel,” she said. “yes, I’m here to save you,” “Why?, why me?” “Because of something you did,” “Louise just went quiet,” thinking about her past. Soon they were heading east along the motorway, the rain falling against the car window, the dark night outside trying to get in. There was a kind of pleasant
monotony to it. Louise seemed to fall into a light sleep. An angel! Louise dreamed about Sophie, her sister, her now dead sister. She would always remember that fateful day when Sophie had passed away. An accident is what had been reported to the police, no one knew then about Louise’s secret. Not even her parents, but Louise had more than one secret. She awoke. Which one is Jack referring to? “What did I do?” She asked guarded. Jack laughed a short little laugh, “Still the same Louise,” he said “still trying to get away with things,” “What exactly do you mean?” She was stressed now and her breathing
strained “ I’m Christian,” Jack looked at her then. A calm knowing look. Were those tears she saw in his eyes? He looked the other way. Louise suddenly regretted all the bad things she had done. I’m going to hell, she thought. “Not if I can help it Louise, I’m your guardian angel.” He is really handsome, Louise thought looking at the ripped muscles under his sports top.
Suddenly Louise felt tired and exhausted, “How long until we get to where we going?” she asked “Not long, we running low on fuel, I need to make a stop at the next petrol station.” He paused only one problem, “I got no money.” “I haven’t either,” said Louise becoming more alert. “Look in the glove compartment,” she did inside was a gun. “I will fill up and you make sure we get the petrol.” Louise was suddenly apprehensive, she had never held a petrol station up before. “I thought you are supposed to be protecting me.”
“If it’s the only way to get you away from that demon is to hold up a petrol station then take your pick.” “Ok I will do it “ said Louise resolutely. The rain increased until it was hitting the car with force, Jack put his window wipers on full. Louise looked behind her into the darkness thinking the demon was out there somewhere and after her. And she suddenly felt a deep love for Jack and what he was doing for her, she wanted to confess her secret, she was about to confess, she even started to
say “Jack…” but then he pulled up onto the motorway petrol station. She took the gun from the glove compartment and headed into the store. It was one of those petrol stations where you have to pay before you get your fuel. Louise walked into the petrol station her brown hair hanging limply and he pale face looking worried and drawn in the bright light of the store. “Hehe, get a bit wet did we,” said an old man from behind the counter who seemed to be perving at Louise. Louise didn’t like him, but there was something about him, he stared at her from behind
dark sunglasses. There was no one else in the store, “Press the switch on number 3,” she said drawing her gun. The man’s attitude changed instantly. He pressed the switch, and stared back frightened “Please don’t shoot.” Louise heard the petrol pump machine kick into gear and waited breathlessly, then she heard another car pull up onto the forecourt. Shit. The machine had only been going for 30 seconds she had to act fast. Should I hold the newcomers hostage, or hope we got enough to make it to the next stop and fill up there. Taking hostages
was dangerous, someone could get injured or worse. She walked out hiding the gun under her t-shirt. She walked as fast as she could, suddenly she heard the sound of a shot gun been cocked and something whizzed past her shoulder, and she started to run. Flinging her arm backwards with the gun, and there it was the split second choice fire back, kill or be killed.
She fired, two shots and then she was at the car and flung open the door and got in. Jack was already in the drivers seat and now put his foot to the floor. She watched the cars petrol gauge going up, breathless and shaken. A quarter, a half and then it stopped. Damn will it be enough to get us to the next stop? Jack looked at her and he smiled, you did it! What? You did it Louise you held up a petrol station. “I think I just killed someone” she said. Jack was silent. “you did Louise,” is all he said and Louise saw something drop from his eye into his lap.
Tears. “How do you feel about the person you killed Louise,” he asked. Louise was shocked by the question but couldn’t let it go and thought about it.
How do I feel? It was wrong I know that but people do what they have to survive. “Is survival all that matters then,” Jack said, she knew “he had read her mind.” Now it was Louise's turn to get emotionally upset,
“Sophie…” she sobbed. “You remember, her death wasn’t an accident was it Louise,” “No.” she thought no one knew but now here was Jack reading her mind and yet he is here to protect me? “Why is that demon after me,” she asked “Like I’ve already told you because o something you did.” Louise was quiet again, deep in thought Sophie… “I know about Sophie Louise, don’t worry I’m your guardian angel, I’m goin to help you the way you’re going to help my brother on top of that building.”
Louise started to sob again, poor Sophie her twin sister, who died at 18, two years ago. “She’s not dead,” “What, she is” “She survived, she knew what was going to happen and made preparations. I’m taking you to see her now.”
Louise knew she was dead after all she had her heart beating in her, there was no way anyone could survive
without a heart. “you’re lying she’s dead,” Jack just gave her a look, what those dark sunglasses held behind them she would never fathom. The harsh rain continued to pelt the car window. “you will see,” he said, “And now bac to the guy in the petrol station, do you think what you did was right?” “My life was in danger I needed to get away from the demon, and he shot at me first, although it’s not right. What choice did I have?” she shot back. “You always have a choice Louise, even if that choice is only to die.”
Louise gave him a baleful look. She saw he was turning off the motorway onto a slip lane. The car slowed down but instead of carrying on into the city he turned right down an unmarked country lane and within thirty seconds pulled up outside a large old mansion. “Come on lets go meet your sister-Sophie, I m sure you got lots to talk about,” Louise suddenly felt ill, her sister had been dead now for some two years and her death was connected to Louise’s dark secret.
They got out of the car and headed towards the mansion, the darkness surrounded them all sides, the rain came down heavy and cold, the mansion stood in front of them, an old Victorian building and which seemed empty and devoid of all life but then louse noticed a light in an upstairs window. And a few moments later the door was opened by Sophie, looking just like she remembered her, not a day over 18. “Louise, come in,� Louise entered and they embraced, Sophie was warm and smelt of summer flowers.
Louise knew she was cold and smelt of cold rain and sweat. “Dear sister, its been too long,” Sophie said “Yes too long Sophie,” Louise said back knowing full well that her sister could not be alive otherwise she would be dead. “I am very much alive, just like you are,” “How can this be,” “I don’t know but why don’t you tell me why you find it so hard to believe I am alive.” She said as they sat down in the sitting room sofa next to the fake log
fire, which gave out enough heat to make them all feel happy to be indoors. “I’m just going to use the men’s room,” said Jack and left them. A maid bought a tray of tea and biscuits and they settled down to drink and talk. Louise was on edge, the tea and biscuits relaxed her somewhat but still she was nervous and she had good reason to be, her secret. If my secret is real and not imagined there is no way I can be here with Sophie. Louise remembered their holiday
together to Greece, they were just a few hours form their flight home and they had been walking along the balcony of the apartment and somehow Sophie had fallen over in her drunk stupor and hit the hard floor five stories below. So….how could so Sophie be here now, unless I am dreaming or dead. “I feel like I’ am dreaming or dead,” Louise said “ you’re not dead and you’re not dreaming.” “Then how can this be happening.” “All will become clear dear sister in good time,” Louise felt a shudder run up her spine.
“So the last time we were together was on that fateful day two years ago in Greece, right?” “Right,” “What happened that day isn’t clear to me, can you fill me in on it please…”Sophie queried Louise took a deep breath, sudden tears coming to her eyes. Sophie continued, it was the day that you had a
telegram, you’d been feeling ill all week.” “yes, well…um…we were both drinking on the balcony in the day and somehow you leaned over the wrong way a little too much… and you know…” she let it hang in the air not finishing the sentence. “Oh I remember now it’s coming clear to me,” Their eyes met. Jack re-entered the room. “Listen Sophie we got to go, we got police looking for us and they likely to search all the area for our car,”
Louise was relieved to be getting of so lightly, withou it really going where she didn’t want it to go. “We going to meet again,” Sophie said sadly “It won’t be as pleasant.” Louise didn’t say anything, just closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Soon
they were outside by the car, the rain still falling, the moon shining spookily through the clouds, and the wind
howling restlessly through the trees. They both got in glad to be in the safety of the car from the cold of the night. Jack set off, “Do you like philosophy Louise.” “I don’t really care for it,” “Not even if its relevant to the self?” “what do you mean?” He followed the sign for the motorway. “Why do we do the things we do even if they are evil.” “I don’t know I never thought about it, I guess we do what we have to do to stay alive.” She paused looked at him a second noticing his rippling muscles underneath and continued “Or to get
what we need at a certain time in point.” “Or is it,” Jack said “That people are evil, we are the things that are evil,” “Yer but why,” asked Louise, as he entered the motorway. “why are we evil, is it because god made us like that or do we choose to be evil,” “Why pass the blame onto God, why not just accept that we are flawed.” Louise was silent, she knew what he
was getting at. My secret. Oh God why did I do it? Am I dead? Am I dreaming?
Who is this Jack and what is really going on? “who are you?” she asked suddenly suspicious, “I told you who I am, I’m Jack you’re guardian angel,” “Where are we going?” “You will find out. It’s some where you never been before.” “Great I feel reassured now,” Jack looked at her then, her pale drawn face, lanky brunet hair which hung down to her chest, red nail polish, black sports top and jeans. He smiled his kindest smile and something in both of them seem to melt. They both settled into their own
thoughts, the dark night flashing by like there was no tomorrow and the constant drum beat of the window wipers and pelting rain. “Where are we going now?” Jack was silent a long time and then he said, “ to see the weaver,”’ Louise was curious, but too tired to question Jack any further about it. She just lay back in her seat and rested and all too soon she had fallen asleep.
#
She was in a dark room, there was an old woman in the room, spinning on an ancient spinning wheel which creaked and groaned as it spun, faint light of a dying sun seeped in through the one square glassless window of the anceint hut. The woman suddenly stopped the spinning wheel, and lifted a pair of scissors, “This is the life of your sister which you cut short.” She cut the piece of string. Louise’s heart cried out in anguish. “and this is your life which should have been cut short, the woman held the scissors to it...paused...and then let it go. Then she picked up both peices of string and twirled them together , and cut them both. Then she
picked up small stick which she dipped into a small pot and glued one of them together, which one-her or her sister Louise had no way of knowing. Louise was transported again to the day her sister died. They were on the balcony, laughing drinking, drinking a little too much and then her sister had stumbled nearly over the balcony, Louise moved forward, her sister was suddenly alerted, but too late. Louise watched her fall, sudden tears stinging her eyes. Her sister lay sprawled five stories below her head at an impossible angle‌dead.
“Dead?” said an evil menacing voice which sent goosebumps up her arm and a shiver down her spine. She turned towards the apartment away from the balcony. “Dead?” it queried again. There standing in the doorway was a creature made up of pure fire. About six foot tall and burning brightly and making Louise feel hotter than a oven. Louise had to get away, the heat would kill her she knew if she stayed near this creature for long. She backed up against the balcony. There was a table next to the balcony just in arms reach and on it was a large vase filled to the brim with water. Do I dare?
“I didn’t do anything!” she screamed at the fire demon. “Your sister is dead,” said the demon quietly. Tears sprang to her eyes once again. “I know,” she said simply. “I’m coming for you.” Jack where are you now, she thought. “Louise! Louise! Wake up!” “What…whoa…” “Louise we’re there,” Louise opened her eyes.
“I was dreaming,” she said wiping crusted lumps from her eyes “Jack I‘m glad you’re here to protect me.” Jack opened the car door, “Come on,” he said, Louise struggled out of her seat and Jack continued, a little more gently, “come on Louise…” They were in a small town, Louis knew this from the look of the houses and run down buildings and businesses, there were no high rise buildings, and Louise could see this by looking at the skyline. Safety, safe here she thought. “ How long will the demon take to find me here?” she asked. “Not long,” Jack replied with a smile and she suddenly felt scared. Who
really is this Jack, can he really be trusted? They walked up to an old house, next to a derelict house and boarded up house. The street was silent not a sound, just the noise of a light pitter patter of rain. They entered the house, Louise watching Jacks muscular back from behind and his posterior, and there was no doubt what was on her mind. Jack switched on the central heating. Within an hour the old two bedroom house was very warm and pleasant to be in. They both relaxed slightly. Jack
went to the kitchen and Louise followed, the cupboards were stocked full with food, Jack fixed them both a light salad and a tall glass of milk to wash it down with. After eating, they sat discussing their lives, Louise keen to know everything about Jack but he remained mysterious only revealing little snippets. And yet he seems to know everything about me…Louise thought “Why did you do it?” Jack suddenly asked. Louise was shocked, he’d asked her point blank, why she had done it. “What?” she tried to play dumb but knew it was no use, Jack was an angel after all, so she came clean, or as clean as
she could come right then. “I got a telegram a few days before, and I’d been feeling ill for several weeks,” tears came to her eyes. “God loves you Louise.” Jack stared straight at her, “that’s why I’m here to help you.” “How can you help me I already did what I did.” “Everyone can be redeemed.” “Even me?” “Even you if God wills it.” “ok tell me what I have to do.”
“I can’t you, will know, when the time comes.” He looked at her and smiled, she smiled back noticing his rippling muscles under his shirt. “What’s that supposed to mean.” “It means what it means.” “For an angel your not bad looking,” said Louise changing the subject and talking about something more interesting to her. Jack looked at her and laughed, “you’re not coming onto me, are you Louise,” he teased. “I might be, mr angel,” she said not knowing his surname. They stared at each other, in a long mutually erotically seductive stare, Louise knew what she wanted right then
and so did Jack, except she was still drained from the excertion of escaping from the hospital, and the petrol station, and the shock of seeing her sister again; even though she had slept in the car, I’m utterly exhausted she thought. Jack got up from the sofa and sat next to her on her sofa, her legs stretched out on the sofa, her head resting comfortably on the arm rest and her eyes staring up at the ceiling and her breathing steady. All the impetus of her desire had suddenly vanished in second. Forget this she thought I need
to sleep. His head leaned down towards her face and his mouth touched her mouth. Their tongues met, Louise was utterly exhausted but she was enjoying the moment. Their tongues probed deeper and deeper and that was the last thing she remembered as she passed into dreamland again. # She was on the balcony with her sister again, but this time things were different. She had received the telegram this morning, she’d read it from beginning to end, she had just days to live. Her heart had been in her mouth. She had just passed her a-levels, and had her whole
life in front of her, just eighteen. The news that she only had days left to live and there was her twin sister and her parents, without a care in the world for her. Admittedly she hadn’t told them about her condition, they were too busy running their own lives. Her twin sister Sophie was besotted with her boyfriend and her parents were tied up with work. So really she had no one to confide in, but more importantly she didn’t want to die. How could she? She was just approaching her prime.
She had thought up of the plan that morning, she didn’t really have time to think it through. All she knew was that she wanted to live more then she wanted anything else in the world, even if that meant… She felt incredibly hot, like in an oven and then she knew he was there again. Murderer echoed the demons words round the hotel front. She turned and faced it, her legs feeling weak and her skin burning. There was a table next to the balcony just in arms reach and on it was a large vase filled to the brim with water. Do I dare? “I’m sorry, oh God, Sophie. I’m so sorry…”
She heard something in the background, a mans voice, “Louise wake up!” but it was very faint “Break the connection Louise!” she was been shaken. The demon stared at her with its red baleful eyes which were like its whole body covered in flames. “you will lead it straight to us.” She suddenly felt the demon searching her mind, she felt its razor sharp awareness scanning her in her stupor. Five seconds, ten seconds, twenty seconds. The voice was getting more urgent. “Louise!” she felt a hard
slap and suddenly awoke. Jack was looking down at her. His breathing rapid, his eyes worried. “What did you say to him?” he asked. “I don’t know.” “Its too late to leave now, we need rest, but as soon as first light we need to get out of here.” Louise was slightly more alert now after her slumber, and in the heat if the moment she reached up and placed and her arm around Jacks next drawing him down towards her. They kissed, long and passionately, he’s a good kisser she thought. Jack didn’t resist and lay on top of her. They both undressed each other…
Neither of them stirred for some time, even the first rays of sunlight to pierce through the curtains wasn’t enough to awake them, as they lay entwined together on the sofa. At midday they both awoke and fixed themselves something to eat. Louise was in the kitchen looking in on the garden, she had used to live in a similar designed house to this one and recognised its layout. The garden would lead to the alley which would lead to the street. Jacks car keys to his Mazda x5 were on the kitchen top.
Everything seemed at peace with the world for now at least she thought, praise God for small mercies. That second there was a loud knock at the door. Louise froze, the demon she thought as Jack went open it. She ran into the hallway as Jack opened the door. The demon stood there, red baleful eyes, tendrils of flames coming of it. It saw her and lunged for her, Jack stopped it, pushing it against the wall. The flames were burning Jacks body, “Go!” he shouted “I can’t hold it for long, Louise sprinted for the kitchen and picked up the keys, and exited the garden into the alley and the street
outside. She looked at the house and saw the demon rising from the floor and Jacks inert body. She got into the car and put her foot down. She relaxed slightly thinking that she had gotten away. Then to her horror of horrors she saw car speeding towards her in the rear view mirror with the demon inside. She took over the car in front which was doing 30 miles an hour and followed the signs for the motorway. But no matter how fast she went the demon seemed to be right behind her. Then she was on the motorway and
speeding away, the demon also put its foot down in its blue Nissan micra. Other drivers stared in amazement and shock as the demon drove the Nissan micra as if it was possessed. She weaved in and out of traffic, but the demon stayed right behind her. She thought about the way she had seen Jack and stinging tears came to her eyes, he’d been on the floor comatose with the demon on top of him. The demon drew alongside her, this is for you Jack she whispered as she spun the wheel and rammed the demons micra, there was a loud noise and it flew into a car on its left. At seventy miles an hour, she
saw the demons car shoot up into the air somersault a few times and then come to a stop. Within 3 seconds she’d left it and her feelings for Jack behind. Survival is all that matters. Her idea was to drive as far and fast as she could, put distance between myself and the demon that will make me feel safe, if not safe itself she thought. She looked at her petrol gauge it was just under half way full, she drove and drove until the petrol started to disappear. And then she started to look for a place to spend the night. Just one problem she thought, I don’t have any
money for a room, I’m going to have to spend the night cooped up in this car but in my frail state‌I really need someone looking after me. It was starting to get dark, she pulled off the motorway and into the nearest town. She drove around until she found what looked like a quiet street to park in. She pulled up and got into the back. # She was dreaming again. They were on the balcony, she saw herself moving towards her drunk sister with speed. Watching it all from a third person perspective. Her sister was hanging
half over the balcony, she reached out her arms, the ethereal self of her cried out “Nooo!” but there was nothing she could do, her hands pushed at her materiel self, but they went through. Her materiel self didn’t even see her, it was as if she wasn’t there. She saw her sister fall downwards. Dear sister… Why did I do it? I just wanted to live so badly. I had a right to live didn’t I? she asked in her mind but there was no answer. Yes I had a right to live but I shouldn’t have done what I did.
The hairs on the back of her porcelain like neck suddenly stood up on end at the sound of the voice and she felt hot beyond belief. “I am her vengeance. I am your retribution.� She looked at the demon standing just in the shadows of the apartment, its red baleful eyes penetrating her, boring deep into her mind, seeing where she was. Red tendrils of flame licked out from every inch of its body. She knew the demon was near and more importantly it knew where she was. There was a table next to the balcony just in arms reach and on it was a large vase filled to the brim with water. Do I
dare?
There was a knocking sound, knock – knock, “What..?” Louise said sleepy eyed and unsure where she was. “Louise, it’s me Sophie.” She tried to look through the misty window but couldn’t so wiped it with her arm, Sophie stood there peering in. “Let me in.” “How did you find me,” “Open the door” “How did you get here,” “Louise open the door it’s me Sophie,” there was the click as Louise
opened the passenger front side door. Sophie slid in. “Sophie, I m sorry. I’m so sorry…you don’t understand there’s a demon after me.” Sophie looked away, “I do understand,” her voice was low and sad. “What do you mean? How?” “I sent the demon for what you did,” she paused, speaking so low it was barley audible, “Or more accurately God sent it on my behalf.” Sophie was weeping and Louise started to cry also. “You killed me,” she said simply. ”you killed me.” “Sophie I’m so sorry. I would do
anything to turn the clock back,” “I know why now.” “I was dying, I had a serious heart condition, I had barley days left to live… I received the message in the telegram that morning.” She looked straight at her sister “I needed your heart to live.” “You destroyed my soul the day you murdered me, pushed me over the balcony.” She stared at louise with anger and sadness burning deep inside her “ and then screamed “You killed me.” Louise looked down and hid her face, “Look at me,” she shouted, Louise
couldn’t do it. “This was your last chance, you killed me just like you killed back at that petrol station. The old man with the glasses, he’s in a coma, you better pray he doesn’t die because if he does there’s only one place you’re going!” “I got to go now, but i bet you the demons near, I can feel him, take my advice sis and pray to God, pray he sends Jack back to you to you to save your soul.” Sophie got out the car -slammed shut the door and disappeared into the night but before she could even draw breath,
Louise saw something orange and fiery making its way down the road in the cars rear view mirror. Oh God this can’t be happening! She offered up a quick solemn prayer meaning it from the bottom of her heart and jumped into the front passenger seat and started the car. Shit! The street she had chosen ended in a dead end. She did a three point turn and saw the demon slowly walking towards her car. It was twenty metres away, fifteen metres away, ten metres away and then she saw something fall from the sky. “Jack!” she screamed in ecstasy, Standing in front of the demon barely
ten metres away was Jack, angel wings sticking out of his back, bright and brilliant gleaming broad sword in his hands. The demon reached to his back and pulled a thick heavy broad fiery sword. They circled each other, the demon swung wide and hard, Jack blocked, stepped in and swung his sword down and up, nearly decapitating the demons feet but he jumped back in time. The whole block rumbled as a train stopped at the train station two blacks away and Louise’s brain started to tick, her car couldn’t pass the blockage at the
end of the street but she could, should I abandon the car and make a dash for the train, she looked at her watch, the next one will be here in five minutes. Swords danced in spectacular arcs of fire and steel, the noise of steel against something hard and otherworldly rang out loudly now that the train had passed. The demon suddenly swung the blade low, and Jack jumped to avoid the blow taking of his shins, he swung for the demons head but it blocked, we are evenly matched thought Jack. They exchanged more blows, but still neither of them could see a way through the others defence, after about a
minute of heavy blows. Sweat started to drip from Jack, but the demon was otherworldly and hadn’t tired at all. Louise looked at her watch, there were only three minutes until the next train and they would need about a minute to run the distance to the train station. The demon swung at Jack who stepped backwards, and it swung again before Jack could retaliate, Jack was forced backwards once again. His back was against a wall, he had nowhere else to turn. It looked like he was in serious trouble, Louise started the car and put her foot down the car leaped from where
it was and slammed into the demon, pinning him under it and dragging him with it. Louise got out the car and said Jack “Lets go! the next train will be here in 2 minutes." Suddenly Jack clicked and slid his sword into its holster on his back and they started to run to the end of the street towards the train station. Two blocks, one block, almost there they both thought and then the train came rolling in. They ran as fast as they could, the doors were sliding shut and Jack who had overtaken Louise just made it and a second later Louise entered the late night empty carriage.
The train doors shut closed with a reassuring thud. They looked at each other and embraced. “Louise!" Jack exclaimed. They heard a loud shriek which sent fear running up Louise’s spine and made her put her hands on her ears. The train hissed as it started up again and moved on. They both took deep breaths. They had outwitted the demon again. “We are almost there Louise,” “Almost where?” “The endpoint, what this has all been about.”
“What has this been all about?” “You will find out very soon but I guess you’re already guessed.” “I got a pretty good idea, it’s about me isn’t it and my sister.” “You will find out soon enough,” “How much further is it?” “Not far we nearly there.” They sat down on the seat and settled down and waited. Louise had horrible visions of the demon landing on top of the train and punching its way through the roof. They both relaxed slightly as the train sped down the railway tracks. After a little while Louise said “Thank you for
helping me again, you've saved my life again!” “It’s ok, thanks for helping me back there, when you did." “It’s ok, you saved me too.” Louise suddenly looked scared, “What’s going to happen to me when we get there,” Jack looked worried, “You will find out soon enough" he paused “you must believe in yourself to get through it” The journey lasted another agonising forty five minutes.
Then the train hissed to a stop and Jack said “We’re there.” When they got off the train, Louise was shocked at how run down and distraught the town looked, the lights were smashed and the street was in semi darkness, there were overturned cars, and fires could be seen burning in the distance. Shots rang out in the distance. “What the hells happened here,” asked Louise. “There’s been a race riot,” said Jack he looked sad and distraught. “Not much further now, this way,” he said walking towards the church tower in the distance. Louise started to follow.
Louise walked through the dark streets, afraid and frightened even with Jack beside her. The church tower loomed up ahead in the distance. Whats happening to me? She thought. As they walked along she saw someting flash out of a side alley and screamed louder then she had ever screamed in her life. The dog looked almost as frightened as her and ran of in the opposite direction as fast as it could. Jack laughed “not scared of your own shadow are you?” he asked amiably. “Scared of my shadow, no certainly
not,” she said back with a smile even though she didn’t feel like smiling. They entered the church yard and then stopped in front of two large pyrymidal shaped gravestones, next to each other. “Now what?” asked Louise, “Now we wait.” “Wait for what.” “You will see.” They waited some time, and Louise’s nerves were beginning to get more frayed. The night grew colder and the clouds slowly passed on leaving a sky filled a billion stars, all bright and cold a the solid earth underneath.
Then Jack suddenly became alert, “he’s here” he said and then louise saw the demon a bright yellow flame man walking tall in the dark cold night. They stood by the gates, the demon and Sophie, and then slowly walked up towards them –just at that moment the pryrimdal graves started to glow and an oval shaped portal seemed to appear in each one. The demon continued to walk towards them. “The one on your right leads to your death and the other one leads to
your sister’s death,” said Jack. The demon and Sophie were getting closer and closer. Then the demon was drawing his sword and charging at Jack. Jack blocked and shouted “Louise make your choice,” Louise stood confused and uncertain whilst the demon and Jack fought around her. the clash of steel rang into the night. Sophie stood some distance away watching the battle. She didn’t look angry or vengeful but small, weak and frightened. My own dear sister, I killed her. Louise thought. Then Louise seemed to have two flash backs one after the other. She was on the balcony again, her sister
drunk and falling on the balcony wall, then she lunging and pushing her over. Her sister falling in slow motion, then she looked away as her sister hit the ground beneath with a crunching sound. The demon was there, she could feel its heat. There was a table next to the balcony with a vase filled to the brim with water in it...dare she? She picked up the vase and threw it. It smashed onto the demons arm and water splashed onto the demon, it screamed...
Louise was in the hut again in the dark room, and she saw the woman cut a string, and the room went black. Louise found herself in the graveyard and Jack was fighting for his life, “Quick Louise please make a choice!� Louise saw her sister standing in the darkness some of her features visible, tears were streaming down her sisters face. Louise stepped into the portal on her right. She found herself spinning and falling. Eventually the spinning stopped and she found herself in her warm soft bed at home. Her parents had gone work, her sister was at college. A thought came to her then, which sent
fear running down her spine, Am I dead? but how can I be here in this bed if I were dead? She looked at the calendar on the wall, October 31st. There was something very important that she needed to do, tonight and do it she would. # This Year I'd been waiting over a year to see her
again, the saviour of my life. A day hadn't gone by when I didn't think about her and how she had been so concerned for me; a stranger she had never met before, and yet at the same time I cared for her so much and wondered, what a hell she must be in, to be alone for all eternity. Wanting to see her again had driven all thought of suicide from my mind. Just one more time. From the first instance of seeing her I knew there was something special between us. She had saved my life and given it new meaning.
Love. I would see her again and now I had worked out a plan to be with her for all eternity. I looked at my watch; 11:50. I prayed she would be here soon and now that the time was approaching –I could feel the sound of my own heartbeat- like a giant drum.
Soon to be stilled forever. I watched the seconds tick by like hours. My breath coming in short gasps. Would she look just the way I remembered her? She had become immortalised in her ghostly ethereal beauty –never to age ever again- to live for eternity but to live alone, could that be called an existence at all.
Hell. Nothing but hell to live forever with no company except the few and fleeting people she met on Halloween.
"I have been sentenced to be alone for all eternity for my sin." A few words echoed from the shadows. I turned my head and knew she was there. I got up form the edge of the building "I've come to save you my love." "No, you don't understand what you are doing. To wander the world alone." she stepped out of the shadows. "I want to be with you for all eternity.
There is nothing here for me in this world." She came closer. "Sit down with me a while," she said sitting down on the edge of the building and letting her legs dangle, "my time is short, but let me explain," she said. "No! Let me explain," I said "my parents are long dead, there is nothing for me in this world. I have no family, no friends – just my textbooks and my Bible - to keep me company. I know it is an unpardonable sin, but I want to be with you more then I've wanted anything else in my entire life."
"You don't know what you are saying!" Her eyes narrowed in anger "I spend everyday except Halloween hiding from demons that would torment me. They hunt me like a man hunts a rabbit, and when they catch me they burn my skin with their stinging whips." "All the more reason for me to be with you, to help you fight against them, to release you from your hell of loneliness," I looked deeply into her eyes making my point earnestly and with all the pent up
emotion of the last year held at bay and in check –just about. I wanted her now more then ever. Now that she had told me what a hell she was in, I wanted her even more than I had wanted her at the beginning of the day. "No. I can't condone you doing what I so foolishly did three years ago." "But you want me; I know you need me –to rescue you- from this hell," Once again just like on that night one year ago, I saw her tears on her soft
white cheeks fall into the harsh brutal darkness below. "There was a time when I would have agreed with you, to release me from my hell," she wiped her tears and turned her head towards me –staring with her deep cavernous blood shot eyes deep into mine. "But now I cannot condone it, there is a darkness which has sprung up in me, deep within my soul. You see I now know why I did what I did."
I hung onto her every word trying to understand why she didn't want this one deep wish of mine, to be with her for all eternity to come true. "God has forsaken me from his love, not only for what I did but for what I am," she paused and I heard the click in her voice, the emotion which had been buried for so long now coming to the fore. "And what are you?" "Evil, only an evil person could be forsaken from God's love, and now, I know that is exactly what I am."
"No, you can't be, if you were truly evil, you wouldn't warn me of the sin I want so badly," I clenched my hand and noticed my knuckles had turned white in the orange glare of the roof's security light. "You saved me from that sin, last year, and now I've been thinking about it everyday since. I want to save you from the hell of loneliness, from the torment of not having anyone to speak to. You see, you and I are the same, we have both been tortured by this world."
Louise resigned her head as if in despair, as if not wanting to hear what she was been told whilst at the same time desperate for some love, affection, or even just company to break her bleak empty existence. "I have warned you. The choice is yours but always remember after the sin you will be far from God's grace." I looked at my watch; 12:00 midnight. This is it. Now or never. I gripped the low wall on which I sat as hard as I could and stared at the darkness below. A darkness not half as
dark as I had sensed in Louise or the darkness which I now felt encroaching on my soul. Her words echoed in my mind. You will be far from God's grace. Then I remembered the words she had whispered to me last Halloween. Eternity is a really long time to spend alone.
Then I knew what I had to do, and do it I would. "Please God forgive me for what I am about to do," I leaned forward. I felt a hand grab me from behind and saw it was Louise. She smiled, I smiled back and I suddenly knew I wouldn’t commit suicide tonight or ever. THE END
ZAHID ZAMAN
The Immortality Serum Zahid Zaman © all rights reserved 2010.
DynamicInk09. First published in Great Britain 2010. Copyright Zahid Zaman Š 2010
Zahid Zaman asserts the right to be identif as the author in accordance with the copyr Design & Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved.
This book is sold as accepted or publishe under the conditions that no part is reproduced, stored, in a retrieval system transmitted in any form or any binding or cover other then in which it is published the express permission in writing of the
publisher/author and without a similar con including this condition been imposed. Bound and printed in United States.
This is for my mother
ZAHID ZAMAN
The Immortality Serum
Jack drove through the night to get to his destination. The road flashed passed him speed and he drove without – thinking about his journey and how he had gotten now to wh he was – oh Claire, tears came to his eyes –if only we hadn’t got addicted to that poison didn’t dare think about the even deadlier poison that Claire had got addicted to. The poison that had nearly led to their deaths several times over and had them no wanted by the police and mafia in several towns over. His thoughts turned again to and how he had first met her. How excited been and how out of this world the sex ha been. They had been going at it all the tim
had been the most blissful time of his life. Claire is so awesome he thought and the returned to his eyes. And now this… What has become of us that I now must resort to is this…this… he couldn’t bring himself to name it but knew what it meant –an end. An end to him and Claire. Oh God! I lo Claire so much but this is something whi simply must do. He saw again the bodies the dead people in his mind, and they haun his nightmares, their unknown names and sightless eyes. His conscious – that blasted thing that lurked at the back of his mind wouldn’t let him rest. It had grown and gr until now it was a huge beast which could
controlled and so here he was – driving late at night to the destination which would free all his guilt.
#
Jack was top of his class when it came to biochemistry, and he was sure to roll into as soon as he finished his dissertation. Th
if he ever finished it, God I feel so stress The constant late nights and day in day out of exerting his brain was getting to him no He’d spent the last 7 hours working and time now was 4 am in the morning and the longer he spent the less he seemed to understand. Fucking dissertation!
He was stuck on an enzyme 111 it had something to do with the cytoplasm in the nucleus and the way it combusted and reus energy. It was his favourite topic, he belie held the clue to eternal life but everyone spoke to about it thought him mad. He was using it as the main research article in his dissertation – the search, a cure to progeri He imagined the noble prize he would rec
for it without truly thinking about all its implications for instance, the drain it wou take away from the national health service The way that no one would have to go thr suffering of progeria. Suddenly in the dead of night the old grandfather clock started to chime, 4 in the dead of night. Fucking grandfather clock
stopping me doing my work, I will teach thought, he got up and went to the cellar a got a hammer. I am so close and this fucking grandfather clock is trying me. It’s probably possessed by the spirit
dad, the good for nothing downright nas loser! He swung the hammer once. “Get out!” he shouted striking it with th hammer “Get out!” Get out!” the commotio drew the attention of his flatmate's who ca down and saw him striking the clock with hammer, bits of brass and paint lay on the floor. The glass shattered with an ear pier shriek as if the grandfather clock was protesting its indignation at been treated viley, he struck it again and again….he did remember much about the ambulance arriv with the police and taking him away as he to fight them. So incensed and outraged ab him obtaining the secrets curing progeria been put in jeopardy by the spirit of his fa who had possessed a grandfather clock.
#
The time spent at the psychiatric hospital him time to reflect and gather himself toge and he started thinking about his childhood the psychiatrist had told him he had conco a ‘fantasy childhood’ he couldn’t remembe days and months he would spend away for his real parents as they rowed and argued front of him, mostly over his brother, poor Timmy and his horrible disease. The coun
times they had locked Jack in the cellar w food and water. In the cold and dark. Instead he saw a childhood filled with happiness. Trips to the park and ice cream and lots of fun and games and friends. It here just when he felt most distraught then he met Claire and it looked like the begin of turning his life around, she wasn’t slim petite but had a fuller curvaceous figure w shoulder length black hair and pale beauti complexion. He’d met her one day as he'd gone for walk around the grounds. She’d asked him a light and a conversation as well as a cigarette had been sparked but more importantly the glimmer of interest and a of tomorrow. He went for walks often to be free of
stultifying environment of the ward and to her – Claire. His new love interest. They talked often and found enjoyed each others comp They spoke about how they both had ende there and what they intended todo when they left. "I hope to go back and finish my dissertation." Claire just smiled "It was working on that that got you in in the first place," "I know but I’m so close to a cure for disease my brother Timmy died of." "You mean that horrible speeded up age disease...God that must have been a nightmare for you and your family.” She lo at his trainers noticing the mud that had go
them as they walked across the grass in th light drizzly rain, and thinking how much
own life the muddied trainers reminded he For heavens sake your life isn’t that bad a grip she thought to herself.
"Yer progeria, it is a nightmare,” he pause and Claire noticed his eyes held more mo then they had a few seconds ago. "So, when you come up with this cure, will be rich right?" "Right, why’d you ask that?" "Oh no reason," said Claire with a smi
Jack had been instantly attracted to Cla but he didn't know if she felt the same abo him but he was desperate to find out. "Then all I need is someone to help me spend my hard earned money," and it was turn to smile. Claire liked his easy going manner and sense of humour and Jack like Claire’s straight to the point no nonsense manner. "Where is your brother now?" Claire a Jack just went silent, and then he said, "I to go and visit him at the cemetery after I out."
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