1

The Creepypasta Collection Edited by Chris W.

All of these stories are credited to their original authors.
The Art of Jacob Emory Peterdivine
Mr Widemouth perfectcircle35
The Willow Men vel
The Smiling man blue_tidal
The Quantum Man The Silicon Lemming
Mason melissaurus
Prey John R.
The Lurkers Chris W. 2013.

All Authors who are not credited on this page have remained anonymous or have
not given their names.

This book is not to be sold in part, or full, without permission

from the original authors, and the publisher.

This book is dedicated

to all who love a good scare.

A Note From the Editor

I have always liked the horror genre. It never ceases to amaze me
how the written word can force a person to sleep with the lights on.
This feeling has followed us since childhood, and still remains inside
us. The Horror genre has thrived in culture for hundreds of years, and
still manages to pass the test of time.
I encourage you, to read this book alone, on a rainy night. Get a
blanket to keep warm during the cold. Turn all of the lights off, and
then you will be prepared. Keep one thing in mind: It is only a book
Its only a book
-Chris W.

Table of Contents
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR ................. 4

I DONT SEE HIM ANYMORE ............ 89

TULPA ............................................................. 6

THE SMILING MAN ................................. 94

SELF PRESERVATION ........................... 13

THE PORTRAITS ...................................... 97

TEDDY .......................................................... 15

THE LURKERS ........................................... 98

THE ART OF JACOB EMORY .............. 18

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................... 101

MR. WIDEMOUTH ...................................... 24

RESOURCES ............................................. 101

THE COUCH ................................................ 29

THEY COME ................................................ 32

SLENDERMAN ............................................. 38
MORGANS CORNER ................................. 40
THE RUSSIAN SLEEP EXPERIMENT ..... 42

HUNTSVILLE CAMPING TRIP ............ 49

THE WILLOW MEN ................................... 55
STRING THEORY ...................................... 59
PREY ............................................................. 65
MASON .......................................................... 71
THE QUANTUM MAN ................................. 75
CABIN FEVER ........................................... 77
WHITE WITH RED ................................... 85
FIRE ............................................................. 87

my double again, and explained that

Tulpa

if I got bored or restless, instead

Last year I spent six months

of moving around, I should

participating in what I was told

visualize my double moving around,

was a psychological experiment. I

or try to interact with him, and so

found an ad in my local paper

on. The idea was to keep him with

looking for imaginative people

me the entire time I was in the

looking to make good money, and

room.

since it was the only ad that week

I had trouble with it for the

that I was remotely qualified for,

I gave them a call and we arranged

first few days. It was more

an interview.

controlled than any sort of

daydreaming I'd done before. I'd

They told me that all I would

imagine my double for a few

have to do is stay in a room,

minutes, and then grow distracted.

alone, with sensors attached to my

But by the fourth day, I could

head to read my brain activity, and

manage to keep him "present" for

while I was there I would visualize

the entire six hours. They told me

a double of myself. They called it

I was doing very well.

my "tulpa".
The second week, they gave me a
It seemed easy enough, and I

different room, with wall-mounted

agreed to do it as soon as they

speakers. They told me they wanted

told me how much I would be paid.

to see if I could still keep the

And the next day, I began. They

tulpa with me in spite of

brought me to a simple room and

distracting stimuli. The music was

gave me a bed, then attached

discordant, ugly and unsettling,

sensors to my head and hooked them

and it made the process a little

into a little black box on the

more difficult, but I managed

table beside me. They talked me

nonetheless. The next week they

through the process of visualizing

played even more unsettling music,

that day, I talked to the

punctuated with shrieks, feedback

researchers about it. "You're using

loops, what sounded like an old

the thought-form to access your

school modem dialing up, and

subconscious," they explained. "You

guttural voices speaking some

knew on some level that you were

foreign language. I just laughed it

wrong, and you subconsciously

off - I was a pro by then.

corrected yourself."

After about a month, I started

What had been creepy was

to get bored. To liven things up, I

suddenly cool. I was talking to my

started interacting with my

subconscious! It took some

doppelganger. We'd have

practice, but I found that I could

conversations, or play rock-paper-

question my tulpa and access all

scissors, or I'd imagine him

sorts of memories. I could make it

juggling, or break-dancing, or

quote whole pages of books I'd read

whatever caught my fancy. I asked

once, years before, or things I was

the researchers if my foolishness

taught and immediately forgot in

would adversely affect their study,

high school. It was awesome.

but they encouraged me.

That was around the time I
So we played, and communicated,

started "calling up" my double

and that was fun for a while. And

outside of the research center. Not

then it got a little strange. I was

often at first, but I was so used

telling him about my first date one

to imagining him by now that it

day, and he corrected me. I'd said

almost seemed odd to not see him.

my date was wearing a yellow top,

So whenever I was bored, I'd

and he told me it was a green one.

visualize my double. Eventually I

I thought about it for a second,

started doing it almost all the

and realized he was right. It

time. It was amusing to take him

creeped me out, and after my shift

along like an invisible friend. I

imagined him when I was hanging out

was with my constantly. The

with friends, or visiting my mom; I

researchers approached me one day

even brought him along on a date

after my shift, and asked me if I'd

once. I didn't need to speak aloud

stopped visualizing him. I denied

to him, so I was able to carry out

it, and they seemed pleased. I

conversations with him and no one

silently asked my double if he knew

was the wiser.

what prompted that, but he just

shrugged it off. So did I.

I know that sounds strange, but

it was fun. Not only was he a

I withdrew a little from the

walking repository of everything I

world at that point. I was having

knew and everything I had

trouble relating to people. It

forgotten, he also seemed more in

seemed to me that they were so

touch with me than I did at times.

confused and unsure of themselves,

He had an uncanny grasp of the

while I had a manifestation of

minutiae of body language that I

myself to confer with. It made

didn't even realize I was picking

socializing awkward. Nobody else

up on. For example, I'd thought the

seemed aware of the reasons behind

date I brought him along on was

their actions, why some things made

going badly, but he pointed out how

them mad and others made them

she was laughing a little too hard

laugh. They didn't know what moved

at my jokes, and leaning towards me

them. But I did - or at least, I

as I spoke, and a bunch of other

could ask myself and get an answer.

subtle clues I wasn't consciously

A friend confronted me one
picking up on. I listened, and
evening. He pounded at the door
let's just say that that date went
until I answered it, and came in
very well.
fuming and swearing up a storm.
By the time I'd been at the

"You haven't answered when I called

research center for four months, he

you in fucking weeks, you dick!" He

yelled. "What's your fucking

It wasn't until the next

problem?

morning, when I was checking out my

black eye and cut lip in the

I was about to apologize to him,

mirror, that I remembered what had
and probably would have offered to
set me off. My double was the one
hit the bars with him that night,
who'd grown furious, not me. I'd
but my tulpa grew suddenly furious.
been feeling guilty and a little
"Hit him," it said, and before I
ashamed, but he'd goaded me into a
knew what I was doing, I had. I
vicious fight with a concerned
heard his nose break. He fell to
friend. He was present, of course,
the floor and came up swinging, and
and knew my thoughts. "You don't
we beat each other up and down my
need him anymore. You don't need
apartment.
anyone else," he told me, and I
felt my skin crawl.

I was more furious then than I

have ever been, and I was not

I explained all this to the

merciful. I knocked him to the
researchers who employed me, but
ground and gave him two savage
they just laughed it off. "You
kicks to the ribs, and that was
can't be scared of something that
when he fled, hunched over and
you're imagining," one told me. My
sobbing.
double stood beside him, and nodded
his head, then smirked at me.

The police were by a few minutes

later, but I told them that he had

I tried to take their words to

been the instigator, and since he
heart, but over the next few days I
wasn't around to refute me, they
found myself growing more and more
let me off with a warning. My tulpa
anxious around my tulpa, and it
was grinning the entire time. We
seemed that he was changing. He
spent the night crowing about my
looked taller, and more menacing.
victory and sneering over how badly
His eyes twinkled with mischief,
I'd beaten my friend.

and I saw malice in his constant

and a half months in, two

smile. No job was worth losing my

impressively men grabbed and

mind over, I decided. If he were

restrained me, and someone in a lab

out of control, I'd put him down. I

coat jabbed a hypodermic needle

was so used to him at that point

into me.

that visualizing him was an

I woke up from my stupor back in
automatic process, so I started
the room, strapped into the bed,
trying my damnedest to not
music blaring, with my doppelganger
visualize him. It took a few days,
standing over me cackling. He
but it started to work somewhat. I
hardly looked human anymore. His
could get rid of him for hours at a
features were twisted. His eyes
time. But every time he came back,
were sunken in their sockets and
he seemed worse. His skin seemed
filmed over like a corpse's. He was
ashen, his teeth more pointed. He
much taller than me, but hunched
hissed and gibbered and threatened
over. His hands were twisted, and
and swore. The discordant music I'd
the fingernails were like talons.
been listening to for months seemed
He was, in short, fucking
to accompany him everywhere. Even
terrifying. I tried to will him
when I was at home - I'd relax and
away, but I just couldn't seem to
slip up, no longer concentrating on
concentrate. He giggled, and tapped
not seeing him, and there he'd be,
the IV in my arm. I thrashed in my
and that howling noise with him.
restraints as best I could, but
I was still visiting the

could hardly move at all.

research center and spending my six

"They're pumping you full of the
hours there. I needed the money,
good shit, I think. How's the mind?
and I thought they weren't aware
All fuzzy?" He leaned closer and
that I was now actively not
closer as he spoke. I gagged; his
visualizing my tulpa. I was wrong.
breath smelt like spoiled meat. I
After my shift one day, about five

10

tried to focus, but couldn't banish

one, and I was the thoughtform. He

him.

encouraged that line of thought at

times, mocked me at others.

The next few weeks were

terrible. Every so often, someone

Another thing that I pray was a

in a doctor's coat would come in

delusion: he could touch me. More

and inject me with something, or

than that, he could hurt me. He'd

force-feed me a pill. They kept me

poke and prod at me if he felt I

dizzy and unfocused, and sometimes

wasn't paying enough attention to

left me hallucinating or

him. Once he grabbed my testicles

delusional. My thoughtform was

and squeezed until I told him I

still present, constantly mocking.

loved him. Another time, he slashed

He interacted with, or perhaps

my forearm with one of his talons.

caused, my delusions. I

I still have a scar - most days I

hallucinated that my mother was

can convince myself that I injured

there, scolding me, and then he cut

myself, and just hallucinated that

her throat and her blood showered

he was responsible. Most days.

me. It was so real that I could

Then one day, while he was
taste it.
telling me a story about how he was
The doctors never spoke to me. I

going to gut everyone I loved,

begged at times, screamed, hurled

starting with my sister, he paused.

invectives, demanded answers. They

A querulous look crossed his face,

never spoke to me. They may have

and reached out and touched my

talked to my tulpa, my personal

head. Like my mother used to when I

monster. I'm not sure. I was so

was feverish. He stayed still for a

doped and confused that it may have

long moment, and then smiled. "All

just been more delusion, but I

thoughts are creative," he told me.

remember them talking with him. I

Then he walked out the door.

grew convinced that he was the real

11

Three hours later, I was given

them were aliases. Even the money

an injection, and passed out. I

I'd received was apparently

awoke unrestrained. Shaking, I made

untraceable.

my way to the door and found it

I recovered as much as one can.
unlocked. I walked out into the
I don't leave the house much, and I
empty hallway, and then ran. I
have panic attacks when I do. I cry
stumbled more than once, but I made
a lot. I don't sleep much, and my
it down the stairs and out into the
nightmares are terrible. It's over,
lot behind the building. There, I
I tell myself. I survived. I use
collapsed, weeping like a child. I
the concentration those bastards
knew I had to keep moving, but I
taught me to convince myself. It
couldn't manage it.
works, sometimes.
I got home eventually - I don't
Not today, though. Three days
remember how. I locked the door,
ago, I got a phone call from my
and shoved a dresser against it,
mother. There's been a tragedy. My
took a long shower, and slept for a
sister's the latest victim in a
day and a half. Nobody came for me
spree of killings, the police say.
in the night, and nobody came the
The perpetrator mugs his victims,
next day, or the one after that. It
and then guts them.
was over. I'd spent a week locked
in that room, but it had felt like

The funeral was this afternoon.

a century. I'd withdrawn so much

It was as lovely a service as a

from my life beforehand that nobody

funeral can be, I suppose. I was a

had even known I was missing.

little distracted, though. All I

could hear was music coming from

The police didn't find anything.

somewhere distant. Discordant,
The research center was empty when
unsettling stuff, that sounds like
they searched it. The paper trail
feedback, and shrieking, and a
fell apart. The names I'd given

12

modem dialing up. I hear it still -

almost everyone who had been in the

a little louder now.

vicinity of Mississippi when the

meteor went down had been
hospitalized. Their symptoms were

Self Preservation

similar to those that a corpse

If youre reading this, then I

experiences during decomposition.
am hopefully long gone. Its been
Ten people had already died, mostly
two months now since the meteor
the elderly and the very young.
struck Mississippi. There was a lot
Scientists and geneticists from all
of public interest in it,

over the globe were working

astrologers and the like all

frantically to try and find a cure.
gathering around for a look. They
Being smarter than the average
took samples of the rock and
bear, I gathered some supplies and
shipped them all over the world to
prepared for an epidemic. Years of
museums in every country. Hell, I
being paranoid beyond reason were
almost made a trip to have a look
finally about to pay off.
myself, but I had an interview with
a potential employer. If he hadnt

The news the next day had a

called me up the previous day, Id

lighter tone. A Chinese scientist

be dead now. Three days later,

had worked out that the meteor had

after the initial hype died down,

contained an alien strain of

the news reported nothing on the

bacteria that slowly broke down

meteor for a couple of days.

flesh tissue. The scientist also

remarked that the bacteria were

The next thing I heard about it

only affecting humans. He had also

was when I got home from the pub

worked out that if a victim
and turned on the late-night news.
consumed a living being, such as an
I was just in time to catch a

insect, it would delay the

breaking news article. The worriedprogression of the bacteria, giving

looking reporter informed me that

the scientists more time to figure

13

out a permanent cure. Anyone who

bay. Victims all over the world

thought they might have contracted

were claiming that the insects were

the infection was to eat as many

no longer working. People were

live creatures as they could. The

starting to catch small mammals and

reporter also explained that the US

eat them.

Army was attempting to contain the

As the days went by, people were
infection.
slowly eating larger and larger
They failed.

animals. The first reported case of

cannibalism was, ironically, the

Anyone who has read Stephen

last broadcast made. The
Kings book, The Stand, will have
anchormans hair was falling out
an idea of how the bacteria made
and he was missing three teeth. He
its way around the world. It passed
nervously told America that there
through the air, but to catch it,
had been a reported case of
you had to be near someone
cannibalism in Southern Europe. He
infected. Because the symptoms took
also said that there would be no
between three to five days to kick
further broadcasts. All survivors
in, people didnt realize that they
were to lock themselves in their
were infected. In a week, Victus
house and not let anyone in.
Somes Disease, as it had been
named, was global.

For the next week and a half, I

watched the infected shamble up the

I had barricaded myself in my

street, knocking on doors. One of
house, with towels and blankets
my neighbors, a couple of houses
stuffed into every crack. I had the
down from me, was stupid enough to
TV tuned to the news all day and
open the door. Three people dragged
night. The scientists had not
him out and started biting his
predicted that the bacteria would
flesh. They started with his arms
adapt to the infected peoples
and legs, trying to keep him alive
efforts at trying to keep it at

14

for as long as possible. They were

decided to lure someone into my

crying as they ate. Their meal was

house and attack them. It sounds so

shrieking in pain, and the three

wrong writing that out, but I dont

people eating him were apologizing

want to die. And Im so hungry.

furiously through mouthfuls of his

Im sorry. Im so, so sorry.
arm. I dont think they were unable
to control themselves; it looked

Teddy

more like they were disgusted by

what they had to do to stay alive.

My sister had a teddy bear, a

scary teddy bear. I do not know

They tried to break into my

why, but it creeped me out. It was
house five or six days later, but
just so disturbing to me. The thing
my barricades held. They were
had eyes that looked so real. It
outside, begging me to let them in.
was as if it was made from a real
Just one bite. Please, be
bear and its face was just blank
generous. I listened to their
and unsettling.
pleading all night, too scared to
sleep.

I first started to get weird

feelings about the bear when my

I suppose I should explain why

sister first got it, she was only a
Im writing this. Im infected.
baby at the time, and I was about
Yesterday I coughed and lost a
4. We had a dog, you see, and he

canine. I spent the night pulling

had a habit of eating things so my

out my teeth, easing them out one
mother always had to put it up on
by one. It didnt hurt; they just
the small cabinet in the corner of

slid out, like pulling up carrots.

the hallway upstairs. Every time I

Anyway, as I was saying, Im
went up those stairs, I saw that
infected. The bugs have stopped
creepy bear suddenly glare around

working, and all the wild animals

the corner at me, as if it was

have long since run away. I have

watching me. This wasn't the weird

15

part; it started to get really

started beating normally again. I

weird about 5 years later: at the

sat there staring at it for about a

age of 6-7 my sister had lost

minute. When I needed to yawn, I

interest in the bear so my mother

closed my eyes. I opened them to

just threw it in the old toy

see the teddy sitting closer to my

cupboard, the only problem was that

bed. At this point, I was really

the cupboard was in my room.

freaked out. I started to move back

to the wall and looked around to

When I was 9, old enough to stay

see if there was any sign that
on my own and go to bed without any
anyone had come in. When I looked
assistance, every night I would get
back to see the teddy on the end of
into my bed at night and turn my
my bed, I was so startled that I
lamp off. This is when it got
almost fainted from fear. When I
scary. As I was getting some sleep,
blinked, it had gone. I looked
I suddenly remembered Mum putting
around. To my relief, I saw no sign
that teddy in the cupboard; I
of it.
slowly turned to look over across
my room to see it through the

I sat my head back down on my

glass. My heart suddenly stopped as

pillow hoping for some sleep. Then

I thought about the horrors the

I opened my eyes. It was above my

plush had caused me, but at the age

head, staring straight down. I

of 9, I wanted to grow up and lose

screamed as it lunged down at me. I

my fears so I just shook it off and

will never see a bear the same way

put my head on the pillow.

again. A few years later, after

years of horror, I burned it; I sat

When I got up to pull my sheets

in enjoyment as the bear was turned
on a bit further, I noticed
to smoking ashes in my fireplace.
something that would scar me for
life: there sat, at the end of my

I have lived my teenage life

bedroom, the teddy. My heart

through adolescence; the only thing

16

I could remember that was in any

blank eyes. It was beyond

way similar to my bad experience

imagination, like something from a

was when I watched Trainspotting.

horror movie. My fears could not be

That fucking baby scene shocked me

contained and whatever that bear or

so badly but other than that, all

demon possessing it was, it knew I

was well.

was scared. I threw it in the

garbage and put a cinder block over

When I turned 19, I was about to

the lid as I slept in my bed that
move into my new home. I had been
night, content and feeling a little
given the keys to the house and was
more secure. I woke up that night
ready to set up my furniture. After
and checked the time. 12:00.
hours of carrying, I carried the
final box from the removal truck

I heard a sound in the kitchen.

into the front door and shut it

I walked there, and noticed that

behind me. I turned to go into the

the outside door was wide open.

kitchen and put it on the table. I

Muddy paw tracks lead into the

opened it to see a cabinet. I took

kitchen. I saw that one of my

it out, walked into my new living

knives was gone from the holder and

room and placed it in the corner,

then I heard something creeping

stared at it and thought to myself,

behind me. I hightailed to my car

I don't remember packing this

and drove. I looked in the rear

cabinet. I didn't really care that

view mirror and saw its face. It

much as I had just moved into my

was holding a knife. I slammed the

new home.

brakes. It flew through the front

windshield, stood up, and stared

I walked back into the kitchen

right into my eyes. I felt as if it
to grab my television and brought
was pulling me towards it. The only
it into the living room when I saw
thing that would be coming towards
it. The teddy, it just sat there,
it would be my two front wheels. I
staring at me with those realistic
rammed into, it felt a slight bump,

17

sighed in relief, and drove. Not

the kind of guy you could never

even a minute after, I felt as if

take notice of. This isnt to say

something was cutting at the bottom

he was a bad kid, in any sense-

of my car, then my car grinded to a

many people in this town thought he

halt. I went out to check it: there

was the most reliable person for an

was a slash through my fuel tank. I

odd job in the state- but he never

ran for dear life to the nearest

really excelled in anything. He was

hotel to stay at. The only one was

the living proof behind the

a mile away. I ran with every few

statement, jack of all trades, and

feet it was just one foot behind.

ace of none. Most of this was due

Once I got to the hotel, I fell on

to his lack of will. He dabbled in

the bed with exhaustion. When I

damn near everything this town

woke up...

could offer him, automobiles, radio

operation, store management, what

It was at the end of the bed

have you, but he never stuck with
anything. His friends and workers

The art of Jacob Emory

went after him about it a number of

times, but everybody got the same

Ghost stories? Nah, we dont

have anything like that around

unsatisfying response: It just

here. We DO have the story of

wasnt enough. Needless to say,

Jacob, but thats about as close as

any friends he kept were either

youll get.

very patient or never spoke of the

matter altogether.

You really want to know? Well,

It was probably inevitable, and

Im not supposed to tell you, but

all right, just no interrupting. I

then, that Jacob would leave to go

dont have the patience for it.

abroad. I dont remember where he

went, but I think Gertrude down the

How to describe Jacob Emory

street knew before she passed on-

well, I guess you could say he was

youll have to scout someone else

18

if you ever get curious. In any

It dropped, and rested on the

case, no one even tried to stop

border of the paper, like a stone.

him. Everybody thought that a

It didnt leave the paper, but it

little travel would stamp the

acted out on it, sort of like an

ambition out of him, or else feed

old movie projector on a screen.

it until it was no longer an issue.

Son, I know how crazy that
Hell, we even gave him a sendingsounds, and if you feel like
off party, which I thought was
playing skeptic, then you can leave
pretty nice of everybody.
an old man to his craziness, but I
So anyway, he was gone for six,

know what I saw, even if everyones

seven years? Cant remember. Youll

been hushing it up, and that stone

have to check with someone else

he drew dropped. Jake even passed

about that, too. Anyways, he came

around the paper, and as it was

back, eventually, and he had

being passed, it rolled around as

changed, obviously enough. He was

the paper got tilted. None of us

amiable, energetic; all smiles all

had any words for it- Hell, what

the time, and we all quickly

was there to say? - But he

learned why. He showed us a

continued drawing demonstration

souvenir hed brought back- a solid

after demonstration for us, stick

black stick, the length of a pencil

figures in various pageants and

but the texture of chalk. We all

plays doing everything from

wondered why on earth such a simple

fighting each other to making

thing would prompt such a spring in

perfect human pyramids, and we

his step, until he gave his

all thought it was incredible. That

demonstration. He took a piece of

was all the go-ahead he needed- he

paper, and with this stick- God,

announced that he planned to put on

theres got to be a better word for

shows to pay for rent and food,

it- with this stick, he he drew a

where he would draw anything the

crude circle.

crowd members wanted. THAT we

19

talked to some length about, and he

jump up and down and whatnot to get

eventually convinced us that it

peoples attention. His first show

would be safe, his drawings

mustve gotten nearly sixty or so

ethical, the practice lucrative and

people, probably a lot more than

unique, and the attention would not

that.

go anywhere outside of the towns

And his shows were fantastic.
borders.
Someone would shout out a scene
Poor Jacob. If Id not been so

from a play or a comedy sketch, and

swept up in the moment, I mightve

Jakes hand would fly over a white

read the signs right then and

wall like a bird. Hed been holding

there, and saved the sorry son of a

back when he made that stone,

bitch by snapping the terrible

thats for damn sure. His

thing in half. But I was younger,

illustrations were all spot-on, and

we all were, and we saw no problem

he could make an incredible human

with encouraging him with what we

figure in minutes. Come to think of

all saw as an incredible experience

it, I dont remember any of his

to be shared with everyone else.

scenes lasting more than ten

Now, he didnt have any big radio

minutes to make. They were all

or television connections, mind

really well-done scenes, too- not

you, and the Internet wouldnt come

only could you see a knight charge

around for another decade, so he

a castle, Jake would draw the

did what all people on a shoestring

castles interior as well, like a

budget do- he advertised his show

wedding cake split down the middle,

with fliers. Fliers might not mean

so you could see the knight scale

anything to you city-folk, but in a

the walls, fight his way through

small town, they gain a fair

levels to the dungeon, fight back

glance-over from time to time, and

out with the princess, and make a

whats more, Jacobs managed to

leaping jump off castle parapets

stick out by having little figures

onto his getaway horse all in

20

complete silence. Not realistic,

A month or two passed, and

no, but that was part of the

Jakes audience grew like a

appeal- none of us went in there

wildfire. Nearly everyone in the

expecting something real. When a

town paid to see Jakes art in

scene or a sketch was finished,

action, and he had to rent out

either the characters would leave

larger and larger places for them

off a wall or hed cover the wall

to sit. He now didnt stop after

with white paint. This was good, in

one scene was done- he moved

a way- it gave these shows a time

directly on to the next, put on the

limit, so that when hed finished

next blank space on the wall,

with all of the four walls in the

sometimes to the intriguing effect

room, everyone knew the show was

of causing scenes to mingle, which

over until the paint dried.

the crowd loved. The subject matter

got more wild and immoral, the

Jake, meanwhile, was changing in

monsters got more bizarre and
a bad way. Id mentioned that upon
creative, the fighters using more
his return, hed been extremely
impossible weaponry, all for the
energetic. Well, that energy, that
sake of the crowds interests. Jake
vitality or fervor or whatever you
got steadily more indulgent, which
want to call it, it never left him.
we figured was from the money, and
Not for an instant. Far from it, it
he became a drinker and a womanizer
seemed to grow in him, and he
(neither of which got rid of that
enjoyed it all too much. His eyes
vitality, by the way.) Some of
grew wider, he slept gradually less
those women claimed that theyd
over time, his statements and
woken up in the middle of the night
opinions more radical and frenzied,
to see him scribbling with that
and though he never was a pushover,
stick on a drawing pad, a gigantic
he was starting to make people
grin on his face, and while most of
nervous in his company.
them said that theyd assumed he

21

was drawing them in the nude,

thought of him, and he eventually

theres rumors that one or two of

obliged.

them got glances at that notepad.

No sooner had Jake finished
Those anonymous few supposedly said
connecting the final two lines on
that those drawings absolutely
his coat, than every single
werent nude pictures, but neither
character, across the vast,
of them, whoever they are, will say
expansive wall, all stopped and
what he was drawing. Dont bother
looked directly at that
looking for the notepads or fliers,
illustration. Lovers stopped
though; theyre all gone now. Im
kissing, clowns stopped laughing,
getting off-track; point is, he was
robots stopped fighting pirates,
hitting the bottle, and thats
everything stopped and looked at
important, because it was that
the Jacob-illustration. The crowd
drinking that would eventually ruin
died almost instantly- I remember
everything.
Jakes face at that moment, pale
On the night of one of his

white, full of terrible

performances, as he walked in front

comprehension at his mistake, and

of his cheering crowd, it was

looking desperately for the cans of

immediately apparent to everybody

white paint hed forgotten to put

that he was completely drunk. I was

out before the show. Everyone else?

in the front row, and I could smell

They were looking at the fake

the bourbon on him from ten feet

Jacob.

away. The show started, he went

That Jacob reached into his
through a bunch of sketches and
jacket pocket, pulled out a black
scenarios the crowd recommended,
stick of his own, and as we all
when at the end someone asked that
watched, drew a door. He pushed on
he draw himself. Everyone cheered
his side and the door swung open,
the idea, I guessed theyd been
wondering what his creations

22

allowing him to walk through onto

brought the government, which

the floor of the auditorium.

hushed up everything. They took the

fliers and any art Jake had made,

The rest was an absolute hellish

and swore everyone to secrecy or
pandemonium. People screamed and
else life detainment. The fire was
ran for the exits as Jacobs
blamed on a cigarette in the
characters, both those currently on
garbage during a basketball game,
the wall and those which had
and we all eventually went on with
previously left before being
our lives. Jacob was made to never
covered up, ran out of their own
have existed.
exit, throwing pies, shooting
lasers, blowing fire and poison and

In retrospect, I realize

the impossible. I was near enough

everything. Jacob hadnt been

the exit to escape, and gave only

creating illustrations.

one backwards glance. The scene

Illustrations dont move, much less

will haunt me forever.

act or attack-theyre just images

people see, shadows made to look

Jacob Emory was being dragged by

like real things. Jacob had been
his creations, kicking and
making life- actual thinking things
screaming, through the door his
in some alternate dimension, using
copy had made.
a power that was never meant to
fall to mortal hands. He got drunk

The auditorium burned down,

obviously enough, but I have no

on his power. His punishment was

idea how many characters escaped,

probably well deserved.

what happened to the fake Emory, or

Incidentally, the government
how many people died. The fire
screwed up on two different
brought the fire department from
accounts. They did a damn good job
the nearest cities up to over a
silencing everyone, but proof
hundred miles away- they in turn
remains. The ruins are still there,
brought the police force, which

23

you know, the auditoriums ruins. I

This town doesnt have ghost

hear theyre going to start

stories.

reconstruction soon, which will

wipe out any remaining evidence

Mr. Widemouth

someone can definitely see, but I

During my childhood my family

went back there once, several years
was like a drop of water in a vast
after the fire- just once. Amidst
river, never remaining in one
the rubble, covered in ash, I saw
location for long. We settled in
something squirming. I looked
Rhode Island when I was eight, and

closer. It was Jacob Emorys hand

there we remained until I went to

on the wall. Exactly like it had
college in Colorado Springs. Most
been three years ago, (sweaty but
of my memories are rooted in Rhode
calloused, I remember,) but it was
Island, but there are fragments in
constantly flailing, as if the body
the attic of my brain, which belong
it was supposed to be attached to,
to the various homes we had lived
was still writhing in flames.
in when I was much younger.
That was mistake number one.
Most of these memories are
Number two was those creations.
unclear and pointless chasing
Like I said, I dont know how

after another boy in the back yard

many escaped, nor how many the

of a house in North Carolina,

government agents found and caught,

trying to build a raft to float on

but I will say only this- Those

the creek behind the apartment we

tall grass meadows on the outskirts

rented in Pennsylvania, and so on.

of town? Dont go into them. Ever.

But there is one set of memories,

You were asking about those white

which remains as clear as glass, as

figures youve seen at night,

though they were just made

right?

yesterday. I often wonder whether

these memories are simply lucid

24

dreams produced by the long

leaving my room barren. My mother

sickness I experienced that spring,

brought me ginger ale and books

but in my heart, I know they are

several times a day, and these

real.

served the function of being my

primary form of entertainment for

We were living in a house just

the next few weeks. Boredom always
outside the bustling metropolis of
loomed just around the corner,
New Vineyard, Maine, and population
waiting to rear its ugly head and
643. It was a large structure,
compound my misery.
especially for a family of three.
There were a number of rooms that I

I dont exactly recall how I met

didnt see in the five months we

Mr. Widemouth. I think it was about

resided there. In some ways it was

a week after I was diagnosed with

a waste of space, but it was the

mono. My first memory of the small

only house on the market at the

creature was asking him if he had a

time, at least within an hours

name. He told me to call him Mr.

commute to my fathers place of

Widemouth, because his mouth was

work.

large. In fact, everything about

him was large in comparison to his

The day after my fifth birthday

body his head, his eyes, and his
(attended by my parents alone), I
crooked ears but his mouth was by
came down with a fever. The doctor
far the largest.
said I had mononucleosis, which
meant no rough play and more fever

You look kind of like a Furby,

for at least another three weeks.

I said as he flipped through one of

It was horrible timing to be bed-

my books.

ridden we were in the process of

Mr. Widemouth stopped and gave
packing our things to move to
me a puzzled look. Furby? Whats a
Pennsylvania, and most of my things
Furby? he asked.
were already packed away in boxes,

25

I shrugged. You know the toy;

After my mother delivered more

the little robot with the big ears.

books and soda at the usual time,

You can pet and feed them, almost

Mr. Widemouth slipped out from

like a real pet.

under the bed and tugged my hand.

We have to go the room at the end

Oh. Mr. Widemouth resumed his

of this hallway, he said. I
activity. You dont need one of
objected at first, as my parents
those. They arent the same as
had forbidden me to leave my bed
having a real friend.
without their permission, but Mr.
Widemouth persisted until I gave

I remember Mr. Widemouth

in.

disappearing every time my mother

stopped by to check in on me. I

The room in question had no

lay under your bed, he later
furniture or wallpaper. Its only
explained. I dont want your
distinguishing feature was a window
parents to see me because Im
opposite the doorway. Mr. Widemouth
afraid they wont let us play
darted across the room and gave the
anymore.
window a firm push, flinging it
open. He then beckoned me to look

We didnt do much during those

out at the ground below.

first few days. Mr. Widemouth just

looked at my books, fascinated by

We were on the second story of

the stories and pictures they
the house, but it was on a hill,
contained. The third or fourth
and from this angle the drop was
morning after I met him, he greeted
farther than two stories due to the
me with a large smile on his face.
incline. I like to play pretend up
I have a new game we can play, he
here, Mr. Widemouth explained. I
said. We have to wait until after
pretend that there is a big, soft
your mother comes to check on you,
trampoline below this window, and I
because she cant see us play it.
jump. If you pretend hard enough
Its a secret game.

26

you bounce back up like a feather.

The following morning Mr.

I want you to try.

Widemouth arrived holding a small

box. I want to teach you how to

I was a five-year-old with a

juggle, he said. Here are some
fever, so only a hint of skepticism
things you can use to practice,
darted through my thoughts as I
before I start giving you lessons.
looked down and considered the
possibility. Its a long drop, I

I looked in the box. It was full

said.

of knives. My parents will kill

me! I shouted, horrified that Mr.

But thats all a part of the

Widemouth had brought knives into
fun. It wouldnt be fun if it were
my room objects that my parents
only a short drop. If it were that
would never allow me to touch.
way you may as well just bounce on
Ill be spanked and grounded for a
a real trampoline.
year!
I toyed with the idea, picturing
Mr. Widemouth frowned. Its fun
myself falling through thin air
to juggle with these. I want you to
only to bounce back to the window
try it.
on something unseen by human eyes.
But the realist in me prevailed.

I pushed the box away. I cant.

Maybe some other time, I said. I

Ill get in trouble. Knives arent

dont know if I have enough

safe to just throw in the air.

imagination. I could get hurt.

Mr. Widemouths frown deepened
Mr. Widemouths face contorted

into a scowl. He took the box of

into a snarl, but only for a

knives and slid under my bed,

moment. Anger gave way to

remaining there the rest of the

disappointment. If you say so, he

day. I began to wonder how often he

said. He spent the rest of the day

was under me.

under my bed, quiet as a mouse.

27

I started having trouble

I followed him to the beginning

sleeping after that. Mr. Widemouth

of a deer trail, which ran through

often woke me up at night, saying

the woods behind the house. This

he put a real trampoline under the

is an important path, he

window, a big one, one that I

explained. Ive had a lot of

couldnt see in the dark. I always

friends about your age. When they

declined and tried to go back to

were ready, I took them down this

sleep, but Mr. Widemouth persisted.

path, to a special place. You

Sometimes he stayed by my side

arent ready yet, but one day, I

until early in the morning,

hope to take you there.

encouraging me to jump.
I returned to the house,
He wasnt so fun to play with

wondering what kind of place lay

anymore.

beyond that trail.

My mother came to me one morning

Two weeks after I met Mr.

and told me I had her permission to

Widemouth, the last load of our

walk around outside. She thought

things had been packed into a

the fresh air would be good for me,

moving truck. I would be in the cab

especially after being confined to

of that truck, sitting next to my

my room for so long. Ecstatic, I

father for the long drive to

put on my sneakers and trotted out

Pennsylvania. I considered telling

to the back porch, yearning for the

Mr. Widemouth that I would be

feeling of sun on my face.

leaving, but even at five years

old, I was beginning to suspect

Mr. Widemouth was waiting for

that perhaps the creatures
me. I have something I want you to
intentions were not to my benefit,
see, he said. I must have given
despite what he said otherwise. For
him a weird look, because he then
this reason, I decided to keep my
said, Its safe, I promise.
departure a secret.

28

My father and I were in the

onto the main road. He gave a

truck at 4 a.m. He was hoping to

pitiful little wave good-bye, steak

make it to Pennsylvania by

knife in hand. I didnt wave back.

lunchtime tomorrow with the help of

Years later, I returned to New
an endless supply of coffee and a
Vineyard. The piece of land our
six-pack of energy drinks. He
house stood upon was empty except
seemed more like a man who was
for the foundation, as the house
about to run a marathon rather than
burned down a few years after my
one who was about to spend two days
family left. Out of curiosity, I
sitting still.
followed the deer trail that Mr.
Early enough for you, my

Widemouth had shown me. Part of me

father asked with a hint of

expected him to jump out from

sympathy?

behind a tree and scare the living

bejeesus out of me, but I felt that

I nodded and placed my head

Mr. Widemouth was gone, somehow
against the window, hoping for some
tied to the house that no longer
sleep before the sun came up. I
existed.
felt my fathers hand on my
shoulder. This is the last move,

The trail ended at the New

son, I promise. I know its hard

Vineyard Memorial Cemetery.

for you, as sick as youve been.

I noticed that many of the
Once daddy gets promoted we can
tombstones belonged to children.
settle down and you can make
friends.

The Couch

I opened my eyes as we backed

Ok, disclaimer: To the very best

out of the driveway. I saw Mr.
of my knowledge, this story is
Widemouths silhouette in my
true. I don't expect to convince

bedroom window. He stood motionless

you - truth be told, I've had a

until the truck was about to turn

29

hard time coming to terms with it

and most of our furniture was

myself. Clich' as it may be, I

second-hand.

really am a rational person, and,

It was the middle of the day.
if not for this, I would probably
The summer, hot, boring. I was
be the most stone-faced atheist
playing marbles by myself on the
you'd ever meet. But, after much
thin carpet beside the huge, old,
internal struggle and debate, I
flower-patterned-couch. Mom was
have come to the conclusion that
down the hall in the kitchen, and
there are things in life that
Dad was at work.
simply can't be explained with
reason, at least in the form in

Why I was trying to roll marbles

which we know it. Logic, for all

around on the carpet I don't know -

the trust we place in it, is really

we had a perfectly good linoleum

nothing more than a candle, all too

floor, after all. But there I was,

easily snuffed out. And when it is

swishing the marbles back and

gone, we are left alone in the

forth, happily bouncing them into

dark, and everything we would scoff

each other. Then, in my overzealous

at by daylight suddenly becomes

enthusiasm, I rolled too hard. My

very believable.

favorite marble - the clear, rubyred one, zipped into the dark space

All right, before I wax too

under the couch and was lost.
melodramatic, here's my story.
Damnit. Dad wasn't home, and he
I was very young; only 4 or 5,
was the only one strong enough to
at most, before either of my
move that huge old couch for me.
siblings were born. It was just
I'd have to get my marble back
Mommy and Daddy and I, living in
myself.
our little house in Great Bend,
Kansas. It was very quaint. We were

I reached my hand under the

a young family, without much money,

couch, tentatively at first, then

30

deeper. Encountering no marbles, I

I got up, walked down to the

pulled my hand out in

kitchen, and told my Mommy what had

disappointment.

happened.

Then, a hand reached out from

Why didn't I run screaming, or

under the couch back at me.

at least run? I don't really know.

All I can say is, I was a little

I remember the image vividly,

kid; a hand reaching out from under
and I suspect I always will. It was
the couch at me didn't seem like
a slim hand, with tapered fingers that huge a deal. I hadn't yet
a woman's hand. It was gnarled and
learned what was and was not
wrinkled, as if aged, and it was
permissible in reality. I had no
dead black. Not black as in
worldview.
African, black as in dead. Of
course, back then; I didn't know

Mom was skeptical, but walked me

that corpses blacken as they

back to the couch and explained how

decompose, so I didn't know what

I was probably imagining things.

the black meant.

She even reached her hand under the

couch to convince me that nothing

The hand reached out to me as

was down there. Later, Dad lifted
far as it could, which was just up
the couch up for me, and the only
to the wrist. Then it retreated
thing under it was, of course, my
under the couch. Then it emerged
missing marble, plus a few more
again, this time pushing with it a
marbles I didn't even remember
little crumpled up, plastic bag
losing.
with a logo on it I didn't
recognize. It waited, as if

But here's the scary part...

expecting me to take the bag. Then,

For years, I remembered this - I
when I didn't, it pulled the bag
even developed a weird fantasy of
back under the couch and was gone.
little hand-people living under the

31

couch, and I, in my childlike

rid of the couch within a month of

innocence, believed that they would

my story.

catch me and take me away if I ever

But here's part that truly
reached into their domain again.
frightens me, even to this day. The
Then, as I grew older, I wrote the
part that I have to try so hard to
memory off as a dream I had had as
get out of my mind some nights
a child - cute, but silly.
still haunts me. Remember that bag
Then, a few years ago, I

the hand pushed towards me? I've

recounted the story to my mother.

never forgotten the logo that was

on it. And, recently, (as in a few

She gave me a funny look, and

years ago), I saw the same logo
told me she remembered it, because,
again, on what looked like the same
after all, she had been there. She
type of bag, in a hardware store.
told me that she remembered me
coming to her in the middle of the

It was a bag of utility razor

day and telling her about the hand

blades.

under the couch, and remembered

being highly disturbed by my story,

They Come

since I was an extremely quiet,

There's no doubt about it: We

well-behaved kid who didn't ever
fear rain. We wear our trench
lie.
coats, and our umbrellas, and all
Then she told me about the couch

that, to avoid getting hit by some

itself. According to her, she and

lousy droplets of water.

Dad had gotten the couch from the

But what is it that makes us

estate of an old woman who had

fear it? It's not something we

actually died on it. This was the
learn, it's something deep, which
first time I had heard about this,
resonates within us.

but it sure explained why they got

32

An inexplicable repulsion

faintest idea. You see, the cities,

towards getting ourselves wet

the huge metropolis has not always

during a downpour. It is not a

been there. Mankind has been living

learnt fear. It's instinctive.

in nature far more than it has been

living in the cities. That is why

Instinct; its small word for

we still have the instinct to fear
such a huge idea.
the rain.
I've lived in the countryside
It is not the smell of earth,
for 4 months now, and am now back
dirt, bacteria, plants... it's
in the city.
their smell. They come out in the
rain, and they seek to mate.

The neighbors used to tell me to

nail the windows shut for about 2

But they cannot hold their own,

or 3 weeks right after I started
for they must retreat hastily, as
living there, but it was the
soon as the rains give in, and the
beginning of the summer, and with
water stops.
all the heat of the sun, I wasn't
going to do something as stupid as

I didn't nail my windows shut,

that. At least, I thought it was

and as soon as the rain came, I

stupid.

started hearing it. Have you ever

heard the tiny, almost unnoticeable

You know that smell, the one

hum or high pitch that TVs make
that rises just before the rain
when they are turned on? Have you
starts falling on you? In the city,
ever felt a pressure on your chest
people will always say it's the
when a low-pitched beat is heard?
smell of watered earth. Of the dirt
Those are the things that filled
getting wet. Of bacteria, and
the air, with that smell, and those
plants receiving the rain. But the
high and low thumping moans.
people have never been in the
country, and they haven't the

33

It's the smell they follow. I

came an entire legion of those

came home a bit wet, for the rain

things, 300, 400, maybe.

started on my way home. I started

Thoughts of monkeys running up,
hearing those noises, some time
towards high rocks, and climbing
after I entered my house. Then the
trees came to my mind. These are
scratching on my door began. I went
the things we've feared since the
to check it through the window, and
dawn of time.
what I saw was horrible. What at
first looked like a giant worm was

After a while, the macabre sight

in fact a humanoid thing, with it's

became something I couldn't stand.

lower body being one long leg or

The noise was so much I couldn't

tail. Its small, atrophied arms

sleep, and the things were so ugly

were strong enough to allow them to

and disgusting, yet I could not

crawl, slither. And its face, it

stop watching.

looked like it had been petrified,

Soon, I saw the old stray dog

the only thing that looked like it

that always wandered around. It was

was in use was its nose. It moved.

a dirty dog; it must have been 15

And as soon as I got close to the

years old. He was too old to run,

window, it's face shifted towards

too old to live. They grabbed hold

me. The window was slightly open,

of his paws, one, two, three,

and now I know it turned because it

five... The dog started howling,

could smell me.

and tried to bite one, then the

It moved towards the window, but

other. Soon, they overpowered the

it wasn't strong enough to pull

poor animal, and then... It

itself up inside, and I had enough

happened. From their chests came

time to close the window. Soon

out a sting. One, two, three, five,

enough, it turned, trying to sense

they all started stinging the poor

the smell. My odor. And after a

beast. After that, they all turned

while, more came. From the hills

to see towards the East. Then they

34

started crawling, as fast as they

some honey, and meat, but told me

could, towards the plains. They

if I wanted to live, I should stay

disappeared as fast as they came.

for the night. I remembered the

last night, but I still hadn't made

The dog lay motionless. It

the connection of rain and
seemed like parts of him breathed.
monsters, so I declined the offer
At intervals, parts of his body
and hurried back, while the farmer,
pulsated. Then, suddenly, the dog
behind me, yelled I should stay if
jumped to his four, and looked
I valued my life.
renewed. It started running like it
was a young pup. Then it went

The rain started midway towards

running towards the plains, and

my house. I was wet within the

disappeared from my sight.

first 10 seconds of rain, and it

was a real downpour.

When morning broke, I took nails

and wood planks and nailed my

I felt the smell of "rain" once

windows shut. Not even one hole was

more. And then I heard the sounds,

left. I even checked for other

once again. The high-pitched noise,

holes in the walls, the door. God,

the low thumping.

I was starting to get paranoid.

I wet my pants when I saw the
I left the house to get some

first of those things crawling

groceries from the neighbors. They

towards me. It's nose, lihigh-

had their own farm, and had a lot

pitchedye, moving towards me.

of things for sale, but we're

I dropped what I was carrying,
talking farms here. The distance I
and ran for my life. Even though
had to travel was about a mile or
they crawled, they were pretty
two to their house. When I got
fast. I was beginning to lose my
there, black menacing clouds were
breath, when suddenly, once again;
near. The neighbors were cold and
the image of monkeys climbing trees
quick; they gave me eggs, milk,

35

came to me. I remembered: it could

stopped. The exterior turned to

not lift itself through my window!

stone.

I realized I had a small hope for

As soon as that happened, I
surviving this, but I had some
heard the clamor of those things,
hope.
stronger and more penetrating than
While I was running, I turned to

ever. I saw that the one thing,

see left and right, all I needed

which tried to stab me, was now

was something above the ground;

writhing, like it was in pain. I

Something that they couldn't climb

didn't hesitate for one minute, I

up to. The farmer's barn! I could

felt rage within me, and so I

see he left his old wood ladder on

started to kick it. Then I stomped

the side of it. All I had to do was

its head in. I ran up the ladder

set it up, climb it, and then raise

and then I raised it towards me, up

it so they could not follow. It was

on the barn's roof.

heavier than I thought, but I was

I don't know how I managed to,
truly terrified of what would
but I fell asleep. The next
happen if I didn't raise it. When I
morning, the farmers wife waked
had put it in place, one of those
me, and she was yelling. She kept
things, faster than those of its
asking why I was there.
kind, tried to stab me with his
sting. I could see it like I was in

I put the ladder, went down, and

slow motion. I grabbed the sting

found a little stone ball... and

with both hands, while the thing

the skeleton of a dog, with its

kept trying to nail me with it. An

skull bashed in.

egg came out of it, while I tried

Why had I never seen those

to keep it away from me. I pushed

things until now? Why did this

the thing to the side, and the egg

happen only in a place like this?

fell to the ground. It started to

move and pulsate, but then, it

36

It all came to me. The "egg",

when the infected dog dropped the

the rain, the smell of wet

egg?

people... what about those flashes

They beat on the door, they
in my mind? Those memories are of a
slammed their bodies against it,
time, long gone?
and they kept moaning and
The people around here, the

scratching, hitting and weeping,

environment around here, it's all

smelling my fear. However, the rain

very much like the one it was some

stopped quickly, and they ran away.

thousands of years ago. The only

I am writing this now, because
thing around here that's changed is
I'm scared of them. I came back to
the houses. It's the only "new"
the city, but maybe I should have
thing. And those memories of the
let them take me.
past came to me because this
thing... it's a primal fear. We

Instead, I've brought this

have been running from the rain and

plague with me, back to the city.

water for so long, even when we

They are on the other side of my

were un-evolved chimps, we ran from

door, and it's raining outside. It

it... and ran from the ground as

has been for a long time.

well.
Because even now, even though we
I left that place as quickly as

don't know about them...

I could. I only spent one more

Deep inside, we still fear them.

night in those plains. I heard

those screams and thumps. This

Oh God, the rain won't stop.

time, they came for my house, and

It's been 3 days, and I'm beginning

my aroma alone. I had killed one of

to lose it.

their eggs. I knew it was because

They claw the door, and I don't

of this, how else could one explain

know how much more it will resist.

that entire ruckus that happened

37

They are taking it down. They

cup kept her occupied, but as the

smell my fea-

dark liquid boiled, she had nothing

left to keep her mind from
wandering off. The chill returned

Slenderman

and she couldnt help but glance

The following is a witness's

behind her to the front door. It
reencounter of their incident with
stood there innocently enough, just
The Slender Man
like always. The deadbolt was still
in place and she could see nothing

After waking up with a jolt, the

girl laid in bed a few seconds

amiss with it. Turning back to her

longer. Reaching over to switch on

coffee, she did her best to forget

her bedside lamp, she tried to

about the feeling.

remember exactly what had stolen

With her cup in hand, she
her sweet slumber away. When she
started back towards her bedroom.
couldnt, the brunette swung her
As she walked by the front door,
legs over the side of the bed and
she decided that a quick glance out
heaved herself up. Checking the
of the peephole would help calm her
time on her phone, she snorted when
restless thoughts. The chill
she saw it was midnight: the
worsened with each step she took
witching hour. Knowing that sleep
towards the door and further away
would only evade her, she left her

from the safety and warmth of her

bedroom for the kitchen, a good cup

blankets. She pressed her empty
of coffee on her mind.
hand against the cold, metal door
and took a deep breath before

As she passed by her front door,

leading her eye to the peephole.

a chill spread like liquid fire

down her spine. Its only winter,

At first, she could only see an

she told herself, focusing again on

inky blackness and somehow seemed

the coffee plan. Measuring out

to swirl in itself. When she

scoops, water, and preparing her

38

blinked in surprise, the void

flee and the gut feeling to not

melted away. She wished it hadnt.

turn her back on the door. When the

In its place, there stood what she

door jolted, the urge to flee

could only guess was once a man.

overcame her and she slipped in the

The limbs were long and inhumanly

burning liquid as she tried to make

awkward, with bulky joints

it back to her room.

branching off into several arms,

She knew deep down that she was
not unlike the branches of a tree.
trapping herself in a corner, but
The creature was draped in a black
she had to get away from the door.
suit, somehow making the thing more
The girl was halfway down the
nightmarish to her. The icing on
hallway when she heard the
the proverbial cake, however, was
previously locked door creak open.
what passed as the hellish things
She screamed and slipped into a
face? It was as though her mind
wall, cracking her chin on it and
blurred the ghastly visage to spare
stunning her.
itself further shock and horror.
After that, there was only
She shoved herself away from the
blackness.door with the hand still pressed
against it. The scalding mug of

Nicole? a warm, male voice

coffee fell, the liquid burning her

snapped the woman out of her

bare legs as she fell backwards and

trance. As she turned around, she

tried to crawl away from the door.

was met by one of her sisters

She knew, somehow, that her mind

doctors. She nodded, not sure if

hadnt been playing tricks on her.

she should say anything, or even if

As she crab walked away from the

she could find her voice if she did

door, she watched as tendrils as

have something to say. That

black as the void itself snake

morning, she had gotten an urgent

around through the cracks. The girl

phone call from the hospital,

was trapped between the instinct to

saying that her sister, Lindsay,

39

was there. Before they had even let

As Nicole walked into her

her see her, the doctors had

sisters hospital room the first

pulled her off to the side and

time, she thought she had spied the

insisted that they talk to her

silhouette of a man in the window.

about what might have happened.

That, she knew, was impossible. Her

Phrases like self-inflected and

sisters room was on the third

assault had been thrown around

story of the hospital.

and Nicole felt her mind reel.

Morgans Corner

She still hadnt fully

understood what they had been

AUTHORS NOTICE: Many of you

saying until she saw Lindsay with

have most likely heard similar

her own eyes. Her little sister had

stories like this in the past. The

a bandage wrapped around her head,

reason I wrote this is because It's

covering both of her ears as well

always been a story I've heard

as her eyes. They said it was to

growing up, and I thought writing a

keep her now deadened eyes from

spinoff of it would be interesting.

drying out and to try to keep

I could have sworn it was only a

infection out of the wounds Lindsay

local legend. I suppose that's been

had made to her ears. The doctors

proven wrong. Anyway, here you go.

had guessed that either she or

My boyfriend Steven and I said

someone else had jammed a pencil

our goodbyes, and we got into his

into them to keep her off balance
car ready to leave the party. It
or to deafen herself against
was about 11 o'clock at night and

something. There was the mix of

pitch black outsideso dark you

first and second degree burns on
could hardly see your hand 3 inches
her hands, legs, and feet, from
from your face. It was rather

what was assumed to be the coffee

chilly that night, for it was the

her neighbors found slipped all
beginning of spring still yet. The

over the entry to her apartment.

40

wind was blowing ferociously, trees

for the rest of my life. "Sheri.

swaying, crashing their leaves into

Whatever you do, don't leave the

others. We were about 20 miles away

car." "But-" I attempted to reply.

from town, on the overgrown low

"Don't leave the car." He said

populated area just outward. Often

again even more stern than the

through the blackness we were

first time. His eyes locked on mine

encountered with a sudden turn,

coldly for a few seconds, so I

threatening to throw us off of the

decided maybe it would be better if

road into nearby trees.

I were obedient.

Fortuitously we survived those

My mind began to change as time
turnsbut just 10 miles away from
went by. 30 minutes. An hour passed
town our car ran out of gas. We
by still with no sign of him.
were still rather far away, with no
houses or manmade structures

The atmosphere I was in was so

anywhere within a 2-mile radius. It

very eerie- Wind whistling, trees

reminded me of a jungle. Steven

all around hiding who-knows-what in

pulled the car to the side of the

the darkness behind. About an hour

road. Neither of us owned cellular

and a half since he left, I began

phones at the time, and we were in

to hear a noiselike something was

need of help. "I saw a gas station

just barely tapping the roof. "Tap

just a mile back. I'll be right

Tap Tap" I was at the same time

back." He said, pulling himself out

curious and frightened to see what

of the car. I was concerned about

it was, but my beloved boyfriend's

himand I'm sure he felt the same

voice echoed in my mind. "Whatever

about me. "Are you sure you'll be

you do, don't leave the car." I

okay? It's dark, and who knows what

decided to wait until morning and

kind of things are out there. Let

try to get some sleep, but I wasn't

me come with you." The next words

sure how much I could get with that

he told me would replay in my head

noise coming from the roof. Soon

41

enough though, I drifted off

The Russian Sleep

without even realizing it&nbsp In

Experiment

the morning I saw that my boyfriend

Russian researchers in the late

still wasn't back yet- My mind was

1940s kept five people awake for

racing with thoughts of what may

fifteen days using an experimental

have happened to him. I noticed

gas based stimulant. They were kept

that the tapping hadn't stopped,

in a sealed environment to

and since it was daytime I decided

carefully monitor their oxygen

to disregard what my boyfriend had

intake so the gas didn't kill them,

said and go outside.

since it was toxic in high

concentrations. This was before

I would live to this day

regretting not listening to him. As

closed circuit cameras so they had

I stepped outside and turned around

only microphones and 5-inch thick

to shut the car door, my jaw

glass porthole sized windows into

dropped at the sight, which I saw.

the chamber to monitor them. The

I saw my boyfriend hanging upside

chamber was stocked with books,

down- his legs were tied to vines

cots to sleep on but no bedding,

from a tree that was right next to

running water and toilet, and

the road. His entire stomach was

enough dried food to last all five

cut open, forming a pool of blood

for over a month.

on the roof of the car. And his

The test subjects were political

hands His hands were just barely

prisoners deemed enemies of the

touching the roofmaking the

state during World War II.

slightest
Everything was fine for the
"Tap Tap Tap"

first five days; the subjects

hardly complained having been
promised (falsely) that they would
be freed if they submitted to the

42

test and did not sleep for 30 days.

attempting to scream but was only

Their conversations and activities

able to produce occasional squeaks.

were monitored and it was noted

The researchers postulated that he

that they continued to talk about

had physically torn his vocal

increasingly traumatic incidents in

cords. The most surprising thing

their past, and the general tone of

about this behavior is how the

their conversations took on a

other captives reacted to it... or

darker aspect after the 4 day mark.

rather didn't react to it. They

continued whispering to the

After five days they started to

microphones until the second of the
complain about the circumstances
captives started to scream. The 2
and events that lead them to where
non-screaming captives took the
they were and started to
books apart, smeared page after
demonstrate severe paranoia. They
page with their own feces and
stopped talking to each other and
pasted them calmly over the glass
began alternately whispering to the
portholes. The screaming promptly
microphones and one way mirrored
stopped.
portholes. Oddly they all seemed to
think they could win the trust of

So did the whispering to the

the experimenters by turning over

microphones.

their comrades, the other subjects

After 3 more days passed. The
in captivity with them. At first
researchers checked the microphones
the researchers suspected this was
hourly to make sure they were
an effect of the gas itself...
working, since they thought it
After nine days the first of

impossible that no sound could be

them started screaming. He ran the

coming with 5 people inside. The

length of the chamber repeatedly

oxygen consumption in the chamber

yelling at the top of his lungs for

indicated that all 5 must still be

3 hours straight, he continued

alive. In fact it was the amount of

43

oxygen 5 people would consume at a

The chamber was flushed of the

very heavy level of strenuous

stimulant gas and filled with fresh

exercise. On the morning of the

air and immediately voices from the

14th day the researchers did

microphones began to object. 3

something they said they would not

different voices began begging, as

do to get a reaction from the

if pleading for the life of loved

captives, they used the intercom

ones to turn the gas back on. The

inside the chamber, hoping to

chamber was opened and soldiers

provoke any response from the

sent in to retrieve the test

captives they were afraid were

subjects. They began to scream

either dead or vegetables.

louder than ever, and so did the

soldiers when they saw what was

They announced: "We are opening

inside. Four of the five subjects
the chamber to test the microphones
were still alive, although no one
step away from the door and lie
could rightly call the state that
flat on the floor or you will be
any of them in 'life.'
shot. Compliance will earn one of
you your immediate freedom."

The food rations past day 5 had

not been so much as touched. There

To their surprise they heard a

were chunks of meat from the dead
single phrase in a calm voice
test subject's thighs and chest
response: "We no longer want to be
stuffed into the drain in the
freed."
center of the chamber, blocking the
drain and allowing 4 inches of

Debate broke out among the

researchers and the military forces

water to accumulate on the floor.

funding the research. Unable to

Precisely how much of the water on

provoke any more response using the

the floor was actually blood was

intercom it was finally decided to

never determined. All four

open the chamber at midnight on the

'surviving' test subjects also had

fifteenth day.

large portions of muscle and skin

44

torn away from their bodies. The

ripped off and eaten over the

destruction of flesh and exposed

course of days.

bone on their finger tips indicated

Most of the soldiers were
that the wounds were inflicted by
Russian special operatives at the
hand, not with teeth as the
facility, but still many refused to
researchers initially thought.
return to the chamber to remove the
Closer examination of the position
test subjects. They continued to
and angles of the wounds indicated
scream to be left in the chamber
that most if not all of them were
and alternately begged and demanded
self-inflicted.
that the gas be turned back on,
The abdominal organs below the

lest they fall asleep...

ribcage of all four test subjects

To everyone's surprise the test
had been removed. While the heart,
subjects put up a fierce fight in
lungs and diaphragm remained in
the process of being removed from
place, the skin and most of the
the chamber. One of the Russian
muscles attached to the ribs had
soldiers died from having his
been ripped off, exposing the lungs
throat ripped out, another was
through the ribcage. All the blood
gravely injured by having his
vessels and organs remained intact;
testicles ripped off and an artery
they had just been taken out and
in his leg severed by one of the
laid on the floor, fanning out
subject's teeth. Another 5 of the
around the eviscerated but still
soldiers lost their lives if you
living bodies of the subjects. The
count ones that committed suicide
digestive tract of all four could
in the weeks following the
be seen to be working, digesting
incident.
food. It quickly became apparent
that what they were digesting was

In the struggle one of the four

their own flesh that they had

living subjects had his spleen

ruptured and he bled out almost

45

immediately. The medical

had. In the process of preparing

researchers attempted to sedate him

the subject to have his organs

but this proved impossible. He was

placed back within his body it was

injected with more than ten times

found that he was effectively

the human dose of a morphine

immune to the sedative they had

derivative and still fought like a

given him to prepare him for the

cornered animal, breaking the ribs

surgery. He fought furiously

and arm of one doctor. When heart

against his restraints when the

was seen to beat for a full two

anesthetic gas was brought out to

minutes after he had bled out to

put him under. He managed to tear

the point there was more air in his

most of the way through a 4-inch

vascular system than blood. Even

wide leather strap on one wrist,

after it stopped he continued to

even through the weight of a 200-

scream and flail for another 3

pound soldier holding that wrist as

minutes, struggling to attack

well. It took only a little more

anyone in reach and just repeating

anesthetic than normal to put him

the word "MORE" over and over,

under, and the instant his eyelids

weaker and weaker, until he finally

fluttered and closed, his heart

fell silent.

stopped. In the autopsy of the test

subject that died on the operating

The surviving three test

table it was found that his blood
subjects were heavily restrained
had triple the normal level of
and moved to a medical facility,
oxygen. His muscles that were still
the two with intact vocal cords
attached to his skeleton were badly
continuously begging for the gas
torn and he had broken 9 bones in
demanding to be kept awake...
his struggle to not be subdued.
Most of them were from the force

The most injured of the three

was taken to the only surgical

his own muscles had exerted on

operating room that the facility

them.

46

The second survivor had been the

importance the surgeon had a pen

first of the group of five to start

and pad fetched so the patient

screaming. His vocal cords

could write his message. It was

destroyed he was unable to beg or

simple. "Keep cutting."

object to surgery, and he only

The other two test subjects were
reacted by shaking his head
given the same surgery, both
violently in disapproval when the
without anesthetic as well.
anesthetic gas was brought near
Although they had to be injected
him. He shook his head yes when
with a paralytic for the duration
someone suggested, reluctantly,
of the operation; the surgeon found
they try the surgery without
it impossible to perform the
anesthetic, and did not react for
operation while the patients
the entire 6-hour procedure of
laughed continuously. Once
replacing his abdominal organs and
paralyzed the subjects could only
attempting to cover them with what
follow the attending researchers
remained of his skin. The surgeon
with their eyes. The paralytic
presiding stated repeatedly that it
cleared their system in an
should be medically possible for
abnormally short period of time and
the patient to still be alive. One
they were soon trying to escape
terrified nurse assisting the
their bonds. The moment they could
surgery stated that she had seen
speak they were again asking for
the patients mouth curl into a
the stimulant gas. The researchers
smile several times, whenever his
tried asking why they had injured
eyes met hers.
themselves, why they had ripped out
When the surgery ended the

their own guts and why they wanted

subject looked at the surgeon and

to be given the gas again.

began to wheeze loudly, attempting

Only one response was given: "I
to talk while struggling. Assuming
must remain awake."
this must be something of drastic

47

All three subject's restraints

continuously; the mute subject was

were reinforced and they were

straining his legs against the

placed back into the chamber

leather bonds with all his might,

awaiting determination as to what

first left, then right, then left

should be done with them. The

again for something to focus on.

researchers, facing the wrath of

The remaining subject was holding

their military 'benefactors' for

his head off his pillow and

having failed the stated goals of

blinking rapidly. Having been the

their project considered

first to be wired for EEG most of

euthanizing the surviving subjects.

the researchers were monitoring his

The commanding officer, an ex-KGB

brain waves in surprise. They were

instead saw potential, and wanted

normal most of the time but

to see what would happen if they

sometimes flat lined inexplicably.

were put back on the gas. The

It looked as if he were repeatedly

researchers strongly objected, but

suffering brain death, before

were overruled.

returning to normal. As they

focused on paper scrolling out of

In preparation for being sealed

the brainwave monitor only one
in the chamber again the subjects
nurse saw his eyes slip shut at the
were connected to an EEG monitor
same moment his head hit the
and had their restraints padded for
pillow. His brainwaves immediately
long term confinement. To
changed to that of deep sleep, then
everyone's surprise all three
flat lined for the last time as his
stopped struggling the moment it
heart simultaneously stopped.
was let slip that they were going
back on the gas. It was obvious

The only remaining subject that

that at this point all three were

could speak started screaming to be

putting up a great struggle to stay

sealed in now. His brainwaves

awake. One of subjects that could

showed the same flat lines as one

speak was humming loudly and

who had just died from falling

48

asleep. The commander gave the

nocturnal haven where we cannot

order to seal the chamber with both

tread."

subjects inside, as well as 3

The researcher paused. Then
researchers. One of the named three
aimed at the subject's heart and
immediately drew his gun and shot
fired. The EEG flat lined as the
the commander point blank between
subject weakly choked out, "So...
the eyes, then turned the gun on
nearly... free..."
the mute subject and blew his
brains out as well.

Huntsville Camping

He pointed his gun at the

Trip

remaining subject, still restrained

I went camping about three

to a bed as the remaining members

weekends ago in the Huntsville

of the medical and research team

national forest in Texas. 3 friends

fled the room. "I won't be locked

and me that came home for the

in here with these things! Not with

weekend, they are all in college

you!" he screamed at the man

and usually we all get together at

strapped to the table. "WHAT ARE

least once a year, old friends from

YOU?" he demanded. "I must know!"

high school. For the camping trip

The subject smiled.

we planned to go backpacking deep

in the forest, live off of fish

"Have you forgotten so easily?"

that we catch and animals that we

The subject asked. "We are you. We

can trap. We have been doing this

are the madness that lurks within

for a while in Texas and in

you all, begging to be free at

numerous places, Arizona, Colorado

every moment in your deepest animal

(if anyone is familiar with the

mind. We are what you hide from in

Spanish peaks there), New Mexico,

your beds every night. We are what

so were pretty much used to

you sedate into silence and

anything youd encounter out there.

paralysis when you go to the

49

It was my turn to pick where we

starts screaming for us to follow

went camping, so I chose Huntsville

him, and runs off.

(more accurately its

We all get serious and go follow
Huntsville/New Waverly). So we
him, not knowing what the problem
drive up there, park our car in a
was. We start to hear a faint
camping park spot, and start
scream and crying in the distance,
walking off into the forest. We had
in the direction we were running.
some laughs along the way, everyone
It was pitch black away from the
catching up with each others
camp and Mike had the only flash
lives. We walked until it started
light (we left ours at the camp, he
to get dark and set up camp where
had his from his trip taking a
we stopped. Everyone gathered wood
piss), so at this stage we didnt
to make a fire and we set our tent
have much choice but to follow the
up. And we do what we always do:
light, which was frantically
try and scare each other with weird
pointing here and there in front of
stories.
him.
Around this time we started to
The scream gets closer and Mike
smell something very faint. It was
starts to slow down. We then notice
noticeable, but not overbearing. We
a ratty old cabin that looked like
couldnt put our finger on what it
it was abandoned, except for a
was, so we just carried on. Mike
faint light that we could see from
had to go piss and he walked off in
one of the old mildew covered
the forest. A second later he come
windows. The crying was intense:
running back, piss all down his
whoever it was couldnt breathe
jeans like hed missed really bad.
enough to let out a full yell. We
Immediately we all crack up and
all followed Mike up to the front
throw some jokes at him. Then we
door and we could all hear the
noticed that he was white as snow
and trying to catch his breath. He

50

crying from inside. As soon as he

started to shake, punch, kick,

knocked on the door it stopped.

cuss, you name it, and then took

off towards the camp.

We all waited and heard really

heavy footsteps walking fast to the

None of us wanted to be

door. There was a giant slam

separated so we all ran close

against the door and the sound of a

behind him. We caught up to him and

bolt unlocking. Then nothing. We

grabbed him and set him down. The

waited for a bit, knocked a few

fire was dying out so I grabbed

more times, but still nothing

some nearby wood that we collected

happened. We walked around the

added it to the fire. My hands were

house (there was no fucking way any

shaking and I had to do something.

of us were leaving each others

I went back to Alex and we all

side) and noticed a window, which

tried to calm him down. He wouldnt

was a good way up. Alex took a deep

he kept screaming and was breathing

breath and said asked us to give

so hard that he eventually fainted.

him a boost so he could see inside.

All of us are terrified now, and
Mike and me lifted him up to the
we all kept the fire high until
window. We watched him brush away
sunrise. Periodically Alex kept
dirt and webs from the window and
waking up, screaming just like
place his face close to the window
before. By sunrise he was up and
to try and see something.
looked catatonic, just mumbling to
There was a quick beat. Then

himself and whimpering.

suddenly he breathed in fast and

Mike and me decide to go look at
let out a loud scream. Then he fell
the cabin now it was daylight. We
back from the window, screaming
searched where we thought it was,
bloody murder the whole way. We all
except there was nothing there
tried to calm him down but he was
Nothing at all. The indistinct
hysterical. We went to him but he
smell from last night had now grown

51

into a very strong smell of

the water was moving too fast for

something dead, something stale. We

us to cross it. Alex started to

headed back to the camping site.

scream again, yelling at Mike for

When we got there we found Alex had

taking his time packing up the tent

chewed into the sides of his face

when we could have gotten out of

and swallowed so much blood that he

here. This went on for a while

was throwing up. John was at his

until we finally convinced Alex to

back, and he looked like he was

calm down and tell us what

about to die from exhaustion. I

happened.

guess we all looked that way, I

He said as soon as he put his
just didnt notice until I saw his
face to the glass, a face on the
face. Alex said, quietly, that we
other side did the same thing, and
need to leave. Now.
started to smile really big. It had
We all started to pack up the

dark eyes and a dark mouth which

tent. It started to rain really

was much bigger then Alexs, as the

heavily (it was about noon) and the

smile got as large as it could. A

sky started to grow really dark.

giant shadow behind it swung

Alex started to go into a panic. He

something down and sliced its face

went and grabbed a large stick and

off. The face was stuck to the

yelled at us to leave it and leave,

window, and he said it started to

now, or hed knock us out and drag

laugh quietly as it slid down.

us out of there himself. Mike

Mike, still pissed off (and though

started to yell at him, and they

he wouldnt admit it, beginning to

started to fight. We broke it up

get freaked out), started to argue

and finished packing, and then

with him again. We eventually

started to make our way back. After

started to follow the creek for a

a little while we arrived at a

way to cross.

creek we had crossed the previous

day, only it was flooded over, and

52

We then started to see toys

wanted to go home. Mike says to all

floating in the creek. They were

of us to fuck off, do our own

really old toys, old Barbie dolls

thing, he doesnt care anymore, and

and baby dolls. This wasnt like

this is all bull. We start to hear

any old trash floating in the

hundreds of the same sort baby doll

creek, though this was a lot of

as before, laughing, whispering and

Barbies, a lot of baby dolls. One

trying to sing. We start to move

washed towards the side and Mike

forward past the cabin, all of us,

picked it up. It had some kind of

and kept pushing forward. We

voice chip that was dying and

smelled something dead in the air,

started to say some gurgling words

something stale. It was the same

we couldnt understand, followed by

something as before. We started to

its sad excuse for laughter. Then

hear something crying, and

it sounded like it was whispering.

something screaming. We kept on

We thought the batteries must be

going. We eventually crossed the

dying, he threw it down.

creek and left the woods. We went

back to our vehicle and got in. Its

We kept going, and the sun was

pitch black, and we drive. We are
starting to set. Alex was freaking
about to get on the 45 to Houston
out more now, and was whimpering
but the road is under construction
and breathing heavily. We all
and cant be accessed. It points to
started to see shadows move behind
a detour. As we head towards the
trees, something we all called BS
detour it seems to be small, bumpy
on until we all were seeing it. It
dirt road going into the woods.
was barely light out and we stop as
we see the cabin right in front of

We then see a young girl come up

us. None of us knows what to think.

to us. She looks like she was in

Mike says, This is bullshit, Im

trouble, young and pretty. She

going in there. Alex tries to stop

approaches the passenger side door

him. We all do, all of us just

and she looks like shes really

53

drugged up, or beaten up. Alex

to eat supper with him he just

doesnt roll down the windows, nor

watched me, strangely, when I was

does he open the door. She reaches

sitting down. He didnt say a word

for the handle and he immediately

the whole time. I kept asking him

locks it. She puts her face on the

Whats wrong? He just slowly

window and starts to smile really

shook his head.

big. We floor it, Alex starts to

When I was leaving to go home I
cry and scream and we are all
turned to wave. He had black eyes
breathing heavy. We finally cut on
and an open mouth like he was in
a street that takes us to the 45
pain. When I started to walk back
and we take it the whole way. When
he shut the door and bolted it. I
we get back to my apartment
stayed there knocking and knocking.
everyone doesnt know what to say
Nothing. I called him, and his
and we all break apart and go our
phone was disconnected. I even
separate ways.
called the police. Halfway through
Mike messages me later and says

the questions they were asking me

he is going to go back. I try to

the connection started to fade into

convince him not to and all he does

static. I could hear a faint

is say it was our own minds that

mumbling, singing and laughing.

were screwing with us. I think he

Mike has completely vanished.
just went to prove to himself he
There is not even a record of him
wasnt scared. I can smell that
being alive. When I call Alexs
stench everywhere now. I dont go
house they talk to me like Im some
out anymore, I just stay in and
salesman. They say they dont know
dont answer the door. Last week
any Alex and to please stop
everyone I met was acting really
calling. The person who tells me
strange, people that I knew for a
that is Alexs mother. I cant get
long time and total strangers. My
ahold of John. Someone knocked on
own dad, when I went to his place

54

my door and when I went to look I

tended too and then it sounds like

saw a face completely covering the

a baby doll whose batteries are

peephole and a giant smile started

dying. My phone has been ringing

to form.

now and its Alex telling me things

in a language that I have never

I called the cops again and

heard before, nor could even manage
instead of it turning into static
to repeat. I kept getting emails of
they got really strange. Sir, are
pictures of black and small
you affected by any drugs at the
colorations, now I cant even
moment? No. Are you coming home
access my email. Someone knocks on
anytime soon? Excuse me? Come
the door, and then they slam
home. and the phone call ended. My
against it. I hear the bolts
mail slot swings every now and
unlocking one by one and I run to
then. Someone is sliding pieces of
make sure to lock all of them back.
baby dolls through it. I try to
call people now and all I can hear

Then, I sit down and begin to

is static and bad baby doll noises

cry. . . .

and this crying and screaming. My

TV is busted but when I go to piss

The Willow Men

I can hear it on. I might be going

Theres a local legend where I

insane.
come from. Theyre simply referred
Whoever lives above me started

to as the willow men.

to scream in pain and crying deeply

Theres hardly a need for the
recently. I hear giant footsteps
law enforcement in this town. The

from their apartment; I hear bangs

willow men take care of all that.

and something falling to the
Every single step taken, every word
ground. From the neighbors to the
spoken, every drop of blood spilt;

right of my apartment I hear what

the willow men know about it before

sounds like a baby that never gets

anyone else. Believe me, anyone

55

that has invoked the wrath of the

gurgling noises, which only served

willow men has gone missing without

to infuriate me. I grabbed an iron

a trace.

skillet that had been pre-heating

on the stove and took a swing at

Thats why when I realized what

her head. A wet crack followed the
I had done it was too late. The
impact and while I didnt need to
willow men were coming.
keep going I did.
She just wouldnt shut the hell
I lost count of the number of
up. No matter what I said and what
times I hit her but I had a good
I would do she was just hysterical.
deal of blood on me. What was left
She kept pacing about the house
of her head was being held together
screaming. She said she found this
by thin particles of bone and blood
and that and knew I was cheating on
continued to rush out. I dropped
her. Shed ask me who it was and I
the skillet to the floor with a
told her she was crazy. I guess I
loud clang. I wish remorse could
wore that excuse out. After a
have followed so I wouldve felt a
while, I couldnt take her damn
least a bit human but it didnt. I
voice anymore. Id walk room to
was just happy to be rid of her.
room and shed follow me. When we
With a grunt I picked her body up
got to the kitchen I had my fill.
off the floor and hoisted it unto
my shoulder. Her face hung next to

I reached for the first knife I

could find and jammed it into her

me, dead eyes staring with

throat. The face of anger and

conviction. I could only chuckle.

sorrow melted into one of despair

As soon as I got outside, I dropped

and disbelief. The crimson fluid

the ragged heap onto the ground and

ran freely all over her blouse and

went to find a shovel. Thats when

she dropped to her knees,

I knew they were watching.

scrambling around on the floor. She

clawed at the tile and made

56

I could hear the whispers from

under cover of darkness and I

the woods and in the corners of my

wasnt going without a fight. I

eyes I could see them staring

stole away into the house and

intently at my every move. Whenever

prepared. I pushed couches and

I would look up to the woods I

dressers in front of doorways. I

would find only gnarled trees

nailed wooden boards haphazardly to

staring back at me. I knew they

cover all the windows. As the sun

were there. It was dusk by the time

crept underneath the horizon a

she was good and buried. I was

great trepidation settled in the

drenched in sweat and it had made

pit of my stomach. Was it honestly

the bloodstains on my clothes

nerves? I hated to think it was

expand and turn orange. I looked

such a powerful fear that I would

back up to the woods and I saw them

start breaking into an ice cold

peering from behind the trees;

sweat. I loaded up my shotgun and

long, gnarled faces with hollow

reached for a bottle of whiskey. I

eyes and gaunt figures. I could

forced down a mouthful and then

only half see the faces as they

another and slammed the rest of the

chose to hide behind their precious

bottle against the wall in

trees but they were there.

frustration.

Watching, whispering
One door I left open. It was the
What are you staring for,

back door that stared out to the

bastards?! You heard her! I had to

woods. I put a chair down in front

do it, I yelled at them.

of it and sat, shotgun in my lap.

They were still staring at me; the

Was I expecting a response? I

willow men. We stayed staring at
dont know. They just continued to
one another for three days.
watch me from behind the trees. I
Eventually, exhaustion began to get
spit on the ground and threw the
the best of me and I started to nod
shovel down. They would come for me
off. I tried desperately to keep my

57

eyes open. For a foolish second I

heavy breaths. I shook damn near

propped my head up with the shotgun

uncontrollably and found it

so that it wouldnt fall. I snapped

impossible to keep the gun steady.

back to reason and lifted my head

I began to calm down when I
high. Last thing I wanted to do was
didnt see anything outside and
shoot myself. Had I known what was
began to return to my post when I
coming I probably should have.
stopped dead in my tracks. I felt
I pushed myself to stay up for a

tears well in my eyes and something

few more hours. The day came and

began to push up and out of my

went and it was the dead of night

throat. The willow men were peering

before I knew it. They persisted

from around the doorway and the

behind the trees. I began to

sides of the house. I froze staring

rationalize that if I closed my

at their gnarled up faces and

eyes for a second, I could have

branch-like hands. I had to do

enough time to open them while the

something. I pulled the gun up and

willow men were coming at me so I

fired off a round. It managed to

could take a few down. Smiling I

take out part of the doorframe but

did just that. Of course, its

it missed any of them altogether. I

difficult to tell how long you were

popped open the shotgun and madly

asleep. Could be a second, could be

grasped for a fresh shell in my

for days. I opened my eyes again

pocket. I successfully reloaded it

and found I was still sitting in my

and lifted the gun back up.

chair with my shotgun in my lap. I

The willow men continued to look
snapped up when I saw that the
at me from where they had been. I
willow men were no longer behind
took careful aim this time and
the trees. I flipped out and held
fired once more. Another shot hit
the shotgun up, darting around
the doorframe this time although
barrel first. I took a few steps
closer to the willow men. I fumbled
outside and tried to control my

58

for a third round and as I did, I

Id ever seen. Their trunks were

saw a large shadow cover me.

small and looked just like leather.

Looking up, the willow men were

The earth around them was red and

upon me. I screamed and closed the

moist yet where I was being dragged

barrel down on my thumb effectively

was dry, rugged land. I looked up

severing it. Immediately after

to the canopy and wish I hadnt.

that, I lost all consciousness and

Skinless corpses hung down, bloods

collapsed.

dripping freely to feed what I now

knew were flesh-bound trees. My

When I awoke, it was ice cold.

screams were swallowed by the dark
My vision began to return to me
and my throat gave out, hoarse from
slowly and I could feel that I was
the strain. In the silence, I heard
being dragged. My heart sank when I
a faint moaning.
looked around. Darkness stretched
as far as the eye could see and I

I looked around to see if there

knew I was in the deepest part of

was someone else here for some poor

the woods. Where my thumb had once

bastard who suffered my same fate.

been was black and swollen and had

To my horror, I discovered the

managed to numb up to my forearm.

source of the moans. The bodies

My ankles were in severe pain too

hanging on the branches of the

but I didnt know why. When I

trees were all still alive. Soon, I

looked, I saw that they had been

too would have my flesh torn

clearly snapped and the willow men

asunder and be damned to hang up

were dragging me by my feet. I

there and feed the hungry willow

began to scream as loudly as

trees. There was nothing I could

possible for someone, anyone.

but accept my fate. The willow men

had me.

All I did was cause more willow

men to appear and watch me from

String Theory

behind the strangest willow trees

59

Have you ever had an experience

There were three or four thick

that suggested someone else was in

twine strings in my room. They

your house, and just thought, I

crisscrossed between the walls

dont wanna know and left it?

around my bed, one attached to the

Sometimes, fear of the unknown just

door. No way would I have missed

seems like the preferable option

them before; I should have tripped

than facing a real, concrete

over them. They were tied to pins

danger. Normally its nothing,

in the walls, which had also not

though. One time, the beeper

existed before ten seconds ago.

function of my wireless house phone

Nobody could have been in my
went off, when I was the only one
room while I was in it, let alone
home. It could only be called from
set this up. It was early, and my
the living room. Another time, I
brain wasnt processing correctly.
swear someone took some change from
I simply discredited the sight,
my desk. Theyre all probably just
untied the strings and left for
slightly disconcerting tricks of
school, leaving them balled up on
the memory.
my desk.
But what would you do when
It didnt get any better later.
something truly suggestive happens?
Outside my house there were
Would you run, or just ignore it,
hundreds of them, tied between
like I did?
houses, around cars, across
Last Monday was a normal day. I

streets This had to be some super

got up, brushed my teeth, changed

elaborate prank. One of those

into school clothes All little

hidden camera shows, or a comedy

parts of my morning ritual. It

improv blog. They had gotten

seemed like it would be another

everyone else to play along too;

totally un-noteworthy day, until I

passers-by were tangled in them,

saw the strings.

tying them to objects they were

60

walking towards and away from, as

book. She didnt seem to notice,

if they had been and were

instead simply disregarding the

continuing to follow the course

book completely, letting it drop to

laid out for them.

the floor without a moments

hesitation.

I nervously continued my journey

to school. On the bus, every except

Um. I leaned down, picking up

me was tied to the door. At school,

her book and placing it back on her

groups of friends were tied to each

desk. She took no notice.

other; teachers were tied to their

Well, if thats how were gonna
desks and boards. Oddly enough, at
play it. I smiled, trying to look
this point all I could wonder was
playful, but really just trying to
why I had been left out.
hide my nervousness. I bundled all
When my friend Lucy sat beside

the strings attached to her

me in first period, she simply

together with one hand, then pulled

plunked her bag down on my lap and

them all free. She blinked, turning

rested her chin in her hand,

to stare at me.

looking right past me to the window

Holy crap, Martin. Youre like
outside.
a ninja or something.
Hey Lucy.
Ive been sitting here for
No response.

maybe ten minutes. I smiled again;

relieved my friend had finally

Come on, I didnt expect you to

noticed me.
be in on this too.
Where did all these strings
She sighed and started taking
come from?? She gasped, seemingly
books from her bag. All the books
noticing for the first time. I
were tied to her hands. I grinned,
assumed you were all fucking with
and yanked one of the strings off a
me

61

She stood up, backing into a

like it suddenly didnt matter to

corner. No one else in the class

them. It didnt exist.

noticed.
I showed her the street outside;
They werent here just a minute

there were twice as many more

ago! Do you see them too?? Her

strings than when I came in this

tone made it clear she was

morning. We carefully picked our

genuinely scared.

way through the tangle, making our

way to a nearby coffee shop. Not

No. Didnt you-. I was

particularly grand, I know. But
interrupted by my teacher slamming
what would you do in our situation?
the door behind her. Everyone
As I said, fear of the unknown
except Lucy and me murmured a good
sometimes seems like the safer
morning, and still, no one seemed
option. On a few occasions, I
to pay either of us any notice.
suggested we untie a few more
People have been ignoring me all
people. Lucy was opposed to it,
day. I said to Lucy, before
remembering how terrified shed
turning to our teacher. Hey! Dumb
been.
bitch! You cant teach for shit!
In the coffee shop, we grabbed a
No reaction.
couple of sandwiches and drinks
from the fridge. We found a table,

Im getting away from all this

shit. Lucy pulled a few strings

untied all strings attached to the

aside and left the class. I

chairs, and sat down. We both ate

followed, and surprise-surprise, no

in silence, both of us too scared,

one else noticed.

both of us distracting ourselves by

watching the strangers in the shop,

We wandered the corridors,

oblivious to the strings. After

leaving and entering classes as we

twenty minutes, Lucy spoke up. Now

saw fit. Whenever we untied a chair

shes gonna take that sandwich.

or book from someone else, it was

62

She said, pointing at a woman

When we turned onto Lucys

across the shop. Sure enough, she

street, she stopped, her mouth

walked to the fridge and took the

falling open.

plastic wrapped sandwich she was

What now? I broke the silence,
tied to. She pays for it and
my voice sounding surprisingly
leaves. She did so, according to
small.
the prophecies of the strings.
That guy doesnt intend to pay. I

Look. She pointed outside one

watched as a man took his coffee

of her neighbors houses.

and ran out of the store, the two

I saw it clearly, and Ill take

servers just looking too

my memory of that moment til the

exasperated to go after him.

day I die. A little dark imp, maybe

This is horrible. She

three feet tall, walked along with

whimpered. Lets go. Please.

its knuckles on the ground, almost

like a monkey. It had two bulbous

Outside wasnt much better.

yellow eyes taking up about half
Everyone just followed the strings
its face, and no mouth or any other
instructions, going about their
facial features. It was holding a
daily lives. Lucy announced she was
hammer and a ball of twine, which
going home to sleep this off, and I
it was letting out behind it.
agreed to walk her home. She only
lived ten minutes away.

It walked quickly and quietly

from the front door of the house to

Away from the busier part of

the mailbox. It stopped, hammered a
town there were fewer strings. It
nail into the side of the box, and
was nicer; we could pretend it
tied its string around it. It
wasnt happening.
turned to face us, and stopped when
it spotted us.

63

My bottom fell out even further

where it came from, but it seemed

than it had already been, but it

for now I was stuck with only yes

just stared with a look of surprise

or no questions.

and curiosity. You could almost say

Do we even have free will?
it was the more frightened one.
Suddenly, it beckoned to us with

It just looked at me, almost

its tiny hand.

sadly. I immediately felt sick to

my stomach, and couldnt bear

I looked at Lucy, she hadnt

looking at the little monster
moved. I looked back at the imp,
anymore. I grabbed Lucy, who had
which stared at me. I halved the
been listening to our exchange, and
distance between us, and then
now sat on the curb with her head
halved it again. This wasnt fear
in her hands.
of the unknown anymore; it was fear
of this little guy. Didnt seem

Come on.

like anything to be scared of. When

We entered her house, and I made

I was a meter away from it, it

her a cup of tea. When I found her

extended its hand.

in the living room, she had untied

Uh. Hi. I shook it. It nodded

her dog and was curled up with it,

in approval, blinking its massive

crying. I set the tea down and sat

yellow eyes up at me.

beside her.

So youre the ones in charge of

Im so scared. She whispered

the strings? It nodded eagerly. I

after a good ten minutes of

called Lucy over, but she stayed

sobbing. I didnt answer. I

where she was.

couldnt.

There are more of you? Another

Im going to sleep She mumbled

nod. I wanted to ask it so many

suddenly, and was under within the

questions, about what it was and

minute. Sleep was starting to sound

64

pretty good all of a sudden, my

southeastern rural Kentucky. Its a

eyelids suddenly felt like they

small town with its people sparsely

were being weighed down.

peppering the mountainsides to and

fro. Its the type of town where it

I collapsed to the rug, and the

isnt exactly unusual to find
last thing I heard before I fell
neighbors bartering for goods with
asleep was the scurrying of several
livestock, living off what the land
sets of little feet nearby.
provides, and making do with what
theyve got. It is here that my

I felt much better the next day,

as if the whole affair had been a

father was raised. It is here that

dream. Id probably have believed

my father raised his family.

that if Lucys mother hadnt awaked

My father was a proud man;
me that morning, wondering what I
short, barely 57, but stout. He
was doing sleeping over without
was a mountaineer, carpenter, a
permission or something.
survivor, and a hunter, but mostly,
he was proud. He instilled in me

Over breakfast, Lucy asked me

why I looked so pale and nervous. I

all the virtues that I believe in

turned to her and smiled, mumbling

today. Hes the type of man that

something to her about feeling

would give you the last dollar to

sick.

his name. The type that would go

hungry to make sure his children

But the truth was, I was scared

were fed, and there were times that

because I couldnt see any strings,

he did. I suppose I should clarify

and was wondering whether my

that I grew up in poverty. No doubt

actions were truly my own.

there were those that were worse

off than me, but times were hard
nonetheless. My father worked

Prey

intermittently, mostly in

My story takes place in a town

construction. There were few homes

youve probably never heard of in

65

within the community that my father

himself. Long before the sun would

did not at least help with. He

rise, my father would grab his

built our house from the ground up,

light and head out. He would follow

dug out the basement, and leveled

the mountain stream before turning

the land with little more than a

off onto one of the many mine roads

shovel, wheel barrel, and the

that littered the terrain. One such

helping hands of my uncle and two

road ran by an old graveyard long

older brothers. Our house sat on a

since forgotten by the rest of the

hillside, in a leveled alcove; the

world. Some headstones there dated

yard stretched on for what seemed

back to the onset of the 19th

like forever, ending at a fresh

century.

mountain brook where the woodland

I recall one night my father
lied beyond.
decided to go spotting. For those
He spent a lot of time in those

of you unfamiliar, spotting is a

woods hiking trails, digging

common practice amongst Appalachian

ginseng, hunting, and otherwise

hunters (perhaps amongst hunters in

passing time. The mountains

general, but I do not hunt so I am

provided our family with many

not sure). The hunter will set out

necessities. Our water was pumped

before sunrise, taking a light and

from a mine near the mountains

little else. The hunter will then

peak. Our food consisted mainly of

proceed to shine the light, much

game and livestock. My mother is a

like a spotlight, in hopes of

wonderful cook. She had a fondness

catching a glimpse of an animals

for chicken which we raised. My

eyes. You see, the eyes of an

father, on the other hand,

animal are luminous; and in

preferred game. No stranger to the

complete darkness when the light

culinary arts, my father was adept

passes over them they will shine.

at preparing a variety of dishes,

This is a method of establishing

all of which he tracked and killed

good hunting venues. On this

66

particular night, my father broke

waited. When I finished the level

tradition and decided to take his

he smiled.

shotgun with him on his spotting

Pause it. I need to check the
expedition. This decision, I would
forecast, he told me. I obliged
later learn, saved his life.
and he changed the channel. He
It was a warm spring night. I

watched as the forecaster rambled

was always a night owl, so when my

on about the weather and seemed

father stirred, I was still awake

content. Not giving rain for

and playing my Super Nintendo. It

today. Thats good. He turned to

was not a school night, so I was

me and smiled again. Okay. You can

greeted with his ever-present

go back to your game. Im going

smile. Hey big man, he chimed.

out. Ill be back in a while, tell

Youre up late.

your mother Ill bring home supper.

Tonight, were going to have

I want to beat Mario, I told

rabbit. He kissed my forehead and
him, my eyes leaving the screen
stood. I smiled at him as he
long enough to see him tying his
rounded the hallway corner to our
boots. He didnt reply, he just
front door. I listened to the door
smiled and rubbed my head as he
shut and to the clunk of his boots
passed me on his way to the gun
as he made his way off the porch,
cabinet. From it, he removed his
down the steps and through the
customary 12-gauge shotgun, some
yard. His steps faded in the
rounds, and a miners light. The
distance. From this point on, I
light, I recall, strapped to his
cannot vouch for the validity of my
forehead and attached to a rather
tale, but I can tale you that the
large battery that he hung at his
man who returned was not the man
waist. He then made his way to the
that left. Make no mistake, my
couch and sat next to me. He
father did return; but he was a
casually lifted the TV remote and
changed man. He never spoke much of

67

that night until after I had

right. The trail on the right lead

started college. This is his story.

up the mountain to the mine. This

is where we drew our water. It

Like most other nights, he

passed by the cemetery where the
headed up the mountain via a trail
rabbits were said to reside. He
that ran alongside the brook. The
continued to follow the stream
air was still and warm and the moon
until making his way to the
and stars shone bright. There were
cemetery.
no clouds, and the forecast was
clear. The sound of cicadas and

Upon his arrival, he skimmed his

crickets filled the air. He made

light back and forth across the

his way along the trail

plots. If there was a warren here,

intermittently shining his light on

the rabbits were definitely not

either side of the stream. He

being very active tonight. He

walked along the stream until he

trudged amongst the plots until

reached a fork in the path. To his

finally deciding to move on. He

left was his customary turn off,

walked back to the trail and

further up that trail was an old

stopped. He could go back along the

slate dump. Above it was a derelict

stream trail and to the slate dump

coal shoot. He shined his light

at the very least, he thought, he

along that trail and contemplated.

could cover grounds he was used to

He had been talking with his

hunting. Instead, he decided to

hunting buddies and they had

follow the trail further. He had

mentioned a sweet spot near the

been walking for a little more than

graveyard. A warren of rabbits had

fifteen minutes when he noticed a

apparently taken residence near the

strange phenomenon. The light from

abandoned cemetery, and they had

the moon and stars was completely

all had good fortune when hunting

gone. Clouds covered the sky and in

there. My father thought on it for

the distance somewhere there was

a moment before turning to the

flash of lightning. He counted the

68

seconds to the thunder. The sky

him. He stopped again, and so did

roared a moment then fell silent.

his echo. He shined the light

There was no rain. He silently

around him again, in all

observed his surroundings, shining

directions: down the trail, into

his light on either side of the

the trees, and even into the air.

trail. He paused for a moment

Nothing.
longer, and then trudged on. As he
walked he noticed something else.

There was absolutely nothing

Very faint, and very rhythmically

there. He carefully observed his

his footsteps were echoing. This

surroundings. It was then he

was unusual. If youve ever been in

noticed another trail, not three

a wooded mountain, one thing youll

feet from him on the other side of

notice is that the mountains are

the brush. Silently, he began

excellent listeners and seldom

devising a plan. He decided that he

repeat what theyre told. It was

would begin walking again, and when

then the silence consumed him. The

the echo recommenced hed take

cicadas, the crickets, and the owls

another stepbut hed stop. If it

they were all hushed. My father

were his mind playing tricks then

stopped and shined his light around

the echo would stop too. He turned

him. He saw nothing and after a

up the trail and continued along

moment he continued along the

his way. Within moments the echo

trail.

re-emerged. He waited until he was

confident it the time was right,

The echo was silent for a moment

and he steppedand stopped mid
then started up again. With every
step. His foot was barely an inch
crunch of my fathers feet, he
from the ground.
could hear a crunch simultaneously
hit the trail behind him. Someone,

*CRUNCH*

or something, was following him.

Deliberately and furtively stalking

69

The sound resonated through his

flashnothing. There was absolutely

being and sent shivers down his

nothing there. He shined the light

spine. He spun around and shined

all around him. There was no sign

the light again only to be greeted

of anything passing through the

by darkness. He turned back up the

brush, no sign of anything walking

trail and quickened his pace. This

along the trail. My father, an

time the strides did not mimic his

expert hunter, could find no trace

own. They were faster and louder.

of the thing that was stalking him.

It dawned on my father at this

He shined his light further up the

point that he had pissed it off,

trail and saw something. A

whatever it was. He loaded his

buildingthe old coal shoot that

shotgun as another plan developed

was just above the slate dump. He

in his mind. He decided to step

bolted for it. He could hear its

through the brush to the trail on

strides coming up fast behind him.

the other side. There he would wait

He turned into the coal shoot and

for it to pass him, and he would

dove in. The shoot collapsed around

turn the tides. Without hesitation

him, sending him pouring down onto

he cut off his light and stepped

slate and rock. He quickly made his

across the brush and waited in

way to his feet and shined his

darkness. The sound of its strides

light towards the shoot, shotgun in

continued up the trail before

firing position. He could hear it

stopping what sounded like mere

moving fast up the trail. He heard

feet away. Then it crossed through

it hit the coal shoot. The shoot

the brush, coming to a halt beside

thundered and trembled under its

him. His stomach sank and he

weight, but my father couldnt see

fumbled for his light. He could

anything. He blindly fired, pumped,

feel eyes burning into his skin,

and fired again and again. The boom

boring holes into his brain. The

of his shotgun echoed throughout

light came on with a sudden

the valleythe sound matched by a

70

roar that made the hair on his neck

After my father passed, I left

stand. The shoot was silent for a

the house empty. It didnt feel

moment. Then he heard its strides

right taking it when he had built

bolt in the opposite direction. It

it from the ground up. But then I

made its way up the mountain

met the woman who would become my

towards the mine. He listened for a

wife. We married after I graduated

long time. Silence.

college, and now shes pregnant

with my son. I brought my family

He got home around noon. He was

back here, to raise them where I
beaten up pretty badly from his
was raised.
fall. He never said a word. My
mother attempted to console him,

But I write this now because I

and he silently looked at her. His

am afraid. Each night I do a quick

eyes filled with dread and his

sweep of the property. I check the

ever-present smile gone. Not long

house and then I check the yardand

after that he and my mom separated.

each night I can hear my footsteps

The court ordered that the house be

echoing beyond the fence.

turned over to me upon my 21st

birthday. I returned home to find

Mason

him sitting on the porch, shotgun

It was a dark and rainy day in

beside him. He had long since
February when I was hit by a small

erected a security fence around the

red pick up. February 15th. I was

property. He told me his tale and
told I flew 15 feet before landing
he told me that he continued to
smack on my head. Apparently the

hear it. When he walked to his

driver was drunk and didn't see me

mothers or when he trimmed the
crossing.
hedges and mowed the lawn. He could
hear it following him. Ever

I don't remember that day at

presently, it stalked him. Hunted

all.

him.

71

Four weeks I slept, in a coma

Eventually, my doctor would

that many feared I would never come

break our quality time and give me

out of. I was placed in a ward of

the low down on my injuries and

children and teens with major

what the healing process would be

bodily harm or disease. My roommate

like. He told me that when I was

was a boy named Mason. I never did

hit, not only did I give myself a

find out his last name. For the

nasty concussion, but my legs were

time in which I slept, he found out

also broken in my oh-so-gracefully

bits and pieces of me from my

landing.

various visitors. My favorite

They said I had a 60% chance of
color, what music I liked, and
ever walking again.
other random things.
We became close instantaneously.
The day I woke up, I was
The nurses would laugh and say we
showered with love and attention
already looked like an old married
from my family and it took me
couple bundled up in bed watching
almost an hour to realize the
whatever soap opera happened to be
presence of the boy lying in the
on television. Mason would just
bed beside me. He flashed me a
flash me his trademark grin while I
lopsided grin and quietly went back
blushed and buried my face in his
to the book he was reading.
chest.
Eventually I was left in peace
We both had our good days and
and after about 20 minutes of
bad ones, Mason and I. On a
mental debate, I spoke up and asked
particularly tough day of treatment
him his name. His voice was smooth
for him, we both lay together with
and low and never failed to make me
him trembling in my arms. I'll
shudder. We spent the rest of the
never forget the feeling of his
evening playing 20 questions and
soft hiccups or the knot at the pit
becoming familiar with each other.
of my stomach. I finally got up my

72

courage and asked him the million-

make him get better faster, but he

dollar question.

just shot me his smile that

instantly made me melt and wiped my

He had Hodgkin's disease. I

tears away.
don't think either of us slept that
night.

60%. Mason had a sixty percent

chance of beating his demons, the

While my legs were transitioned

same as me.
from casts to braces, Mason's
chemotherapy began. However,

On May 12, I was officially

without fail, when I'd come back

released from room 104. I would

frustrated or in tears over a

walk with a limp most likely for

difficult session of therapy, he'd

the rest of my life. Every other

be there to comfort me with

day I would visit Mason. Each time

soothing words and reruns of I Love

I would leave we would take a

Lucy.

picture together. Over the months I

could compare our first picture and

Over the weeks, the chemo began

our most recent one and see how
to take its toll. His brown curls
much he was deteriorating. It was
thinned to almost nothing, dark
heartbreaking.
circles took permanent residence
under his eyes, and his skin turned

August 17 was the first time I

as pale as snow. As my legs grew

lost him. Overnight a high fever

stronger, the day I was released no

had broken out and his heart

longer seemed like something to

stopped for 4 1/2 minutes. Those

look forward to.

were the worst minutes of my life.

I sat outside his room in an

The day we decided to shave his

uncomfortable plastic chair
hair was the day I broke down. I
watching the nurses I knew all too
told him I would do anything; give
well scrambling back and forth
blood, bone marrow, anything to

73

attempting to save his fragile

mother's car until we arrived at an

life.

old cabin my family would stay in

during the holidays. Mason and I

I didn't leave his side until he

couldn't be any happier. I don't
squeezed my hand, winked, and told
care that I'm on the news every
me to go home and take a shower.
night, or that every cop in the
county is looking for me.

After that, I vowed I would

never let him leave me alone again.

All I care about is being with

Mason forever.

I guess the odds weren't in

Mason's favor for by the time

Even if his flesh is crawling

Thanksgiving came around, he was
with maggots and beginning to peel
almost a skeleton. But I didn't
off his bones, Even if the smell
care.
off his rotting cadaver never fades
from my skin. His lips are still

He confided in me that night,

accepting the fact that his time

warm at night and he often whispers

was almost up and promising to wait

sweet secrets into my ear before we

for me on the other side. I begged

sleep. No one, not the police,

him not to go, but he just lightly

doctors, or anyone else can ever

shook his head and rubbed soft

separate us. I'm ready for them

circles into my back. He wasn't

when they come.

going to survive to see Christmas.

I made sure to bring the
sharpest scalpel I could find when

That was two months ago.

we left the hospital.

No longer being able to bear to
But until then, I'll lay in

see him hooked up to all sorts of

machines, we decided to steal away

Mason's arms, or at least what I

in the night together. I bundled

think were once his strong

him up and we drove away in my

74

appendages, and we'll talk all

Felix had jumped at the

night until he takes me away.

opportunity, because he was young

and headstrong. In his early

We'll be together forever.

twenties and brilliant in the field
of quantum mechanics, he was

The Quantum Man

relishing the opportunity to apply

the usually theoretical aspects of

Jonathan Felix sat back in the

chair after affixing the final

his craft to a physical medium. He

electrodes to his skull. He is

gave the final thumbs up to the

currently reclined in one of the

techs behind the safety glass, and

most expensive private scientific

they activated the first stages of

investments in the world, and today

the machine. A microphone in the

was the fruition of his, and many

room relayed his words as the

others, efforts. The aim of the

process started.

project was to open a human beings

If I have seen farther than
mind and allow them to perceive one
others, it is because I have stood
of the spatial dimensions above the
on the shoulders of giants.
mediocre three.
Imitation was the greatest form of
flattery, he thought with a grin.

The actual result was still a

point of contestation, but it was

The chair reclined back until it

suspected that the individual would

became a flat table, and a large

be able to study all possible

rotating dome lowered down to
universes that could be created
encompass his entire body. Within
from his actions, and then choose

the dome, there was a complex

the one that he wished to follow. A

crystalline structure lining the
man whose every action would be
inside. He focused on the facets of
perfect as he had already witnessed

the crystals, and noticed that they

the results.

had started to morph, shifting in

75

ways his mind just could not

corner of the table. His head

understand. He started to feel

twisted to a sickening angle

light-headed and dizzy.

Reset
His sight was suddenly filled
The doctor turned to walk away,
with explosions of light, and his
caught his ankle on a trailing
body started to spasm. Reading his
cable, tripped forwards, and then
health signs in the control room,
was grabbed from behind as Felix
the engineers instantly halted the
threw himself from the chair,
operation. A medic ran in checked
stopping him inches from the table
the vitals of Felix, and was
corner.
pleased to find a weak, yet
consistent heartbeat.

Felix collapsed and threw up.

His hands shaking, he realized that

Felix opened his eyes a couple

he had just perceived two universes
of minutes later. He looked up at
and had actively chosen the one he
the doctor and suddenly jerked up
wanted. He smiled at the doctor.
as he realized where he was.
I did it! I can see them I can
What happened? I dont feel any
see them all
different
Felixs smile faded.
The doctor smiled and patted him
on the shoulder

He now saw two new universes,

both the same as far as he was

Any landing you can walk away

aware. Suddenly, a third, a fourth,
from, right?
a fifth blossomed in his mind. He
The doctor turned to walk away,

could suddenly see all of the

caught his ankle on a trailing

possibilities that he was capable

cable, tripped forwards, and

of, some he didnt wish to see. His

cracked his forehead against the

mind began to fracture.

76

Felix grabbed the medic and in

His eyes blurred for a second,

an act of unnatural rage plunged

then started to turn yellow and

his thumbs into the poor

shriveled. At the same moment his

attendants eyes

hair changed to the purest white.

Felix in his final moments became

Reset
aware of a magnitude of universes
Felix looked despairingly into

bearing down on him, and he would

the eyes of the medic and started

have to live through every single

to scream, refusing to stop even

one. His grip slipped and his mind

when bubbles of blood foamed around

was lost to the abyss.

the corners of his mouth

Reset
Reset

Cabin Fever

Felix grabbed the table leg and

Part I: The Situation

forcefully head-butted the corner,

only achieving his goal of

Stranded in the middle of

shattering his skull on the fourth

that colorless gray period that

strike

one gets in the deepest throes

Reset

of winter, cabin fever was

starting to set in. The only

Felix sat on the floor

experiencing all the potential evil

signs of life on the outside

that he was physically capable of.

were the headlights of the

His body shook as he moaned sobs of

drivers brave enough to take on

horror. He grabbed the collar of

the dangerous, otherwise dead,

the medic and drew them face-to-

roads. Natures makeshift

face.

bridges, made up mostly of

TOO FARTOO FAR he screamed

broken tree limbs, fallen trees,

77

and downed power lines were

wide blackout and it had been

everywhere and posed a great

like that for days. Perhaps as

threat to those stupid drivers

many as two weeks had gone by

who wanted to go Dog-knows

since the last pulse of

where. Even more dangerous was

electricity had faded.

all the black ice. By day it was

For me, Spencer Princeton,
present yet avoidable. By night
the small town of North
it was deadly and it blended in
Brookfield seemed unreachable
perfectly with its environment;
from the threshold of my front
Black on black on black. It was
door. The ethereal blackness
like some cold, heartless
that covered the whole town was
chameleon out to and hell-bent
so alien. There was a
on showing people their maker,
mysterious, omnipresent
or lack thereof.
hostility to it. I said goodbye
Life on the inside wasn't

to my family who, understandably

much better. Here the only signs

so, had left me in charge of

of life were the dancing candle

looking over the house while

flames and out own slowly

they looked for a shelter that

beating hearts. It was as if we

wasn't filled to capacity. As

were all living in the colonial

soon as they faded into the

era, surviving by the light that

night I knew I was alone.

emanated from the candle that

Cut off from the rest of the
cast an eerie glow. There was
world there was nothing to do
nothing but such to keep us
but write and read. In the
company. We were all in the
deepest pits of the realm of
darkest shadows cast by a townhorror I could only lay still

78

and have fantasies of my darkest

natural calm I sidestepped and

dreams, bursting through some

stepped over the bodies of

psychic wall into reality. There

people I once knew. In this

were whispers within the

alien world it was only I and

crackles of fire: Demons within

the dead to keep me morbid

the shadows. Dancing. Enticing

company. In a blinding flash of

me.

light and a deafening burst of

sound the dream world is brought

Part II: Paranoia

back to light. Brought back to
That night I had the most

life. I watched in awe as the

horrible nightmare as sleep

dead stood up in a flurry of

dominated over my physical and

stiff, cracking, primitive

mental will. In my dream I saw

movement like a butterfly

nothing other than the decay and

flapping its wings in front of a

rot brought on by some worldwide

stop-motion camera. Completely

disaster: Some unknown,

unaware of me they all began to

apocalyptic cataclysm. From

partake in an orgy of life of

within the deepest dungeons

sorts. They lived through death

inside my mind, I envisioned

in the most macabre way. The

myself walking the dark streets

walking dead mobbed the streets

of my town, which sat dormant

and marched, en masse, into

and days dead, past all the

oblivion and into the darkness

blackened houses, all the store

beyond.

fronts that were left only to

I wake up and feel even
the stray cats to rule, and past
deader than the walking corpses.
the rotting corpses that
Plunged into darkness deeper
littered the street. In my most

79

than my dream, a sudden,

I found the matches that

inexplicable fear washed over

would deliver me from the

me. Paralyzed with fear I sat,

darkness and keep me safe. Keep

unwillingly, and let my eyes

me alive. As I walked alone in

adjust to the darkness. I looked

my house I saw from the corners

over and felt so stupid as the

of my eyes the shadows

realization hits me that the

retreating to the corners and

candles went out while I was

creases created by the walls.

asleep. I got up to find the

Always surrounded, my heart rate

matches and a new terror crawled

accelerated as I turned to keep

up the nape of my neck.

the demons at bay, in turn

making myself vulnerable. With

Not able to shake the feeling

my flame dancing wildly I could
of being watched I made haste to
think of nothing other than how,
get into the kitchen. Checking
with every more I made, I'd run
over my shoulders as I went, I
the risk of the flame blowing
expected to be confronted by
out. Then I'd be really fucked.
some unspeakable terror stalking
me from behind. The shadows
played with my psyche and
Laying on the couch in a
horrifying demons formed out of
fetal position and sometimes
the anonymous shadows that
twitching as the whispers grew
mercilessly enveloped the house.
louder and louder, I gave up on
The shadows reached out to me.
resisting the beckoning calls of
They spoke to me. They beckoned
the living blackness within the
to me.
shadows. Still continuing to
increase in volume the voices

80

rose to a grand crescendo,

grew louder ever so gradually.

nearly screaming into my ears.

Walking down the hall the hairs

My head was in a vise of noise

on the back of my neck stood on

and the clamp was pressing

end as if acting as the sentries

against my temple, ready to

against some unknown adversary.

crush my skull at the slightest

I passed by rooms filled only by

change in decibel level. Then,

dusty furniture, the darkness,

as suddenly as the nose started

and the unspeakable evils that

it stopped.

had been plaguing me. The demons

were in my house and there was

Part III: The Call

no denying it. The thought of
Intrigued and relieved at the

sharing my home with these

sudden peace that befell the

beasts, only to be tormented day

house, I propped my head up with

after day, deeply disturbed me.

a couple of pillows. With my

Despite my state of shear terror

head up and my ears perked an

I casually walked down the

incessant ringing in my ears

hallway at a slow pace so as to

developed. The noise came at

keep my calm and not attract

one-second intervals. Once

attention to myself. In front of

Mississippi ring two Mississippi

the home library I stood at the

ring three Mississippi ring.

threshold debating whether or

Jesus Christ it was the phone.

not to answer the phone. Taking

The power grid must have gone

the step in I could almost feel

back online while I was in the

the shadows caressing me. A

grip of... some mental

sense of weightlessness came

breakdown. Slowly making my way

over me as if I was suspended in

up the stairs the phone's ring

some ethereal dream... again. I

81

walked toward the desk on which

under the noises I could hear

the phone sat and, with my hand

You and me being repeated over

mere inches over the receiver I

and over again, You and me...

stood still as if waiting for

just You and me.

something to happen. I picked up

the receiver.
The ultimate realization hit
me like a cement truck. The
Hello? I asked.

power wasn't back on. When I

walked down the hall and through

Nothing. The only sound that

the house not a single light
came out was the subliminal
flashed. Random times did not
humming of dead air.
blink on and off the faces of
Hello?! I demanded as I

the electronic clocks. I wanted

became more and more irate.

to throw up. It felt like a

brick wall had just jumped me.

Nothing. Then... in an
The phone rang again. I feared
explosion of sound that almost
picking it up. I did so
made me drop the phone, the
nonetheless. Nothing. Static.
sound of static and
Tongues.
unintelligible rambling deafened
and dazed me temporarily. The

You and me.

static died down to a low rumble

I didn't bother putting the
almost instantly but the phantom
receiver back on the hook. I
caller speaking in strange
turned to walk out of the room
tongues still spoke as loud as
and admit defeat. No dice. The
he did just seconds ago. From
door to the library slammed shut

82

in my face. With a surreal calm,

instant everything snapped back

depressed, stoicism I tried the

to where it had once been. Then

door know. To my surprise it

the doors, that were just

opened without any problems. I

seconds before ajar, started

did not want to exit the room

violently slamming open and

though. I waited for someone to

closed by themselves. It was as

come up the stairs and face me.

loud and violent as any twenty-

I waited to see someone at the

one-gun-salute. From the

end of the hall suddenly

darkness of the threshold of the

materialize. I waited to feel

doors I could see faces, blacker

the icy hand of death come up

still, peeking out whenever the

from behind and wrap themselves

doors opened. Open, face, slam

around my throat. No such thing

shut, and repeat. The whole

happened.

ordeal was like some fucked up,

sadistic, psychotic, demonic
whack-a-mole game that lasted

Part IV: Visions

for what seemed like hours.

After an unbearably long

In front of me the hall

diminuendo the entire situation
stretched in length as if I'd
halted, as if someone stopped
been walking for miles on end
time itself in its tracks.
and suddenly stopped. It
stretched and at the end a black

My heart was pounding in my

void materialized from the

and my blood was pumping as fast

collective shadows congealing

as possible. I jumped up to the

into one mass like a blood clot

door and quickly closed it

obstructing an artery. In an

behind me. I was not going out

83

into that hallway even if my

bottom of the staircase I was

life depended on it. The

face to face with another

adrenaline was coursing my veins

horrifying entity. Its face and

and I hardly let out a pep as a

palms were pressed up against

figure suddenly materialized

the glass which made it look

outside of the second story

like a bloated, boorish, beast.

window. Staring through me with

Anything other than its face and

eyes that were almost invisible

hands were invisible when put

to my naked eye, I watched as

against the night outside. Its

the being, darker than the night

eyes were as black and soulless

itself, back up and repeatedly

as its skin was pale. A

rammed into the windowpane

disturbingly wide grin revealed

trying to break through. I guess

teeth that were a disgustingly

I would leave the library after

rotted mix of greens, yellows,

all.

and blacks. Its short, quick and

shallow breath instantly

Running through the hallway,

appeared on the cold glass and
constantly looking over my
almost as rapidly disappeared.
shoulder to see if anything was
giving me chase, I quickly

I speedily turned on my right

turned a sharp right and

heel and sprinted down the first

descended down the stairs

floor hallway past windows which

carefully placing my steps as to

were occupied by similarly

not fall down. It wasn't so

terrifying monsters. I stop as I

hard. Anyone so uncoordinated as

almost run into a wall. Feeling

to fall down a flight of stairs

all of their eyes on me I slowly

surely deserves to die. At the

turn to face the beasts. Every

84

single one of them looks at me

back on. The lights are all on

with a primal, greedy, ravenous

and for the first time in days

hunger that chilled me down to

the clocks tell the time. I

the marrow. Everywhere I moved

sighed a long breath of relief.

their eyes and their eyes only

I relished in the light. Then

would follow. I screamed and

with the return of electric life

they found sadistic delight in

the return of my family followed

my suffering. Their breath

in close suit.

fogged up the glass as the

Not telling anyone of my
demons breathed more and more
ordeal I walked into the living
rapidly. Their fists and palms
room and shut off the lights
hammered against the glass as
happily anticipating the
they drool and rave and chant as
comfortable flow of the
they awaited their preys
television. As the light goes
surrender.
out my jaw dropped as all the
Part V: The Nightmare Ends

demonic horrors congregated

around the living room windows.

Drowning in noise and shear

I was pale and frozen by fear.
terror I closed my eyes and
My parents looked at me and then
block my ears and scream. Above
outside the window and asked...
my shrill cries I hear a
humming. A brilliant radiance

What do you see? There's

burns through my tightly closed

nothing out there.

eyelids. I opened my eyes to see

nothing but pure whiteness and,

White With Red

as my sight adjusted, nothing

beyond the windows. The power is

85

A man went to a hotel and

What he saw was a hotel

walked up to the front desk to

bedroom, like his, and in the

check in. The woman at the desk

corner was a woman whose skin

gave him his key and told him

was incredibly pale. She was

that on the way to his room,

leaning her head against the

there was a door with no number

wall, facing away from the door.

that was locked and no one was

He stared in confusion for a

allowed in there. She explained

while, was this a celebrity? The

that it was a storeroom, and

owners daughter? He almost

that it was out of bounds. She

knocked on the door, out of

reminded him of this several

curiosity, but decided not to.

times before allowing him

As he was still looking, the

upstairs. So he followed the

woman turned sharply and he

instructions of the woman at the

jumped back from the door,

front desk, going straight to

hoping she would not suspect he

his room, and going to bed.

had been spying on her. He crept

However the insistence of the

away from the door and walked

woman had piqued his curiosity,

back to his room. The next day,

so the next night he walked down

he returned to the door and

the hall to the door and tried

looked through the wide keyhole.

the handle. Sure enough it was

This time, all he saw was

locked. He bent down and looked

redness. He couldnt make

through the wide keyhole. Cold

anything out besides a distinct

air passed through it, chilling

red color, unmoving. Perhaps the

his eye.

inhabitants of the room knew he

was spying the night before, and
had blocked the keyhole with

86

something red. He felt

Fire

embarrassed that he had made the

I am followed by fire.

woman so uncomfortable, and

It sounds really, really

hoped she had not made a

weird, I know, but its true.

complaint with the woman on the

Every house, every apartment

front desk.

Ive ever lived in has burned to

At this point he decided to

the ground. Even strangerits

consult her for more

predictable. If I lived

information. After some gentle

somewhere for six years, six

quizzing and the promise that

years after I move out it goes

the explanation would go no

up in flames. Its not exact,

further than him she finally

but its close, usually accurate

said "Well, I might as well tell

to within two or three months.

you the story of what happened

in that room. A long time ago, a
man murdered his wife in there,

Its true. Im not sure when

we find that even now, whomever

I noticed the pattern for the

stays there gets very

first time, but it's always been

uncomfortable. But these people

there. When I was just a kid,

were not ordinary. They were

right after I was born, my

white all over, except for their

family lived in an old house

eyes, which were red."

behind my grandmothers house.

We were there until I was two,
when we moved. I remember
visiting my grandmothers at
four, watching the smoldering

87

embers of the little house and

around two years, so it happened

the curling smoke rising into

when I was thirteen. It was an

the air. Old wiring from the

old house, a very old house.

50s finally gave out.

What I remember most was its

shape. We called them shotgun

From the shack, we moved to a

houses, because you could fire a
farm. We werent well off enough
shotgun from one end and it
to own it or anything, but we
would pass all the way through
did run it for the local doctor.
to the other. One room after
The farmhouse wasnt that big,
another, all in a straight line,
and most of my childhood
built as needed. It was,
memories come from the cozy,
honestly, very old and dry. Im
family setting it engendered.
not surprised that the heating
Here, I remember Christmas,
stove in the front room sprung a
Thanksgiving, birthdays. I think
leak on the tenants after us.
of it whenever I think of back
home. We lived there from when

Other than where Im at now,

I was two until I was nine, when

the only place left is my

the doctor we worked for died.

parents current house. When

At fifteen, it burned, an old

they asked me why I was moving

tree struck by lightning

all my stuff stored in the

sparking off the blaze.

basement out, I didnt have the

heart to tell them, so I made up
some excuse about having my old

The third house I lived in

books and stuff closer to

was the second to burn to the

college. I didnt know what else

ground. We only lived there for

to say.

88

When I turned nineteen, I

I Dont See Him

moved out of my parents house,

Anymore

and went to college. Before

I used to see him often.

renting the house I live in now,

Well, I guess I shouldnt say

I stayed in an apartment in the

him, more like it. Then I moved

city. I shared it with a couple

away, to another state, another

of assholes that seemed nice

city. I dont see it anymore.

enough before I moved in.

Not physically, though it creeps

Everyone knows the type. Won't

through my mind in its swooping,

pay their bills on time. Eats

slinking way. It goes high up in

whatever they can lay hands on.

the air one moment, then sliding

It got worse and worse until I

across the ground the next, over

made up my mind. When I'd

and over and over, its limbs

finally had enough, I left. We

propelling itself forward.

were four months into a one-year

The mere thought sends ice-

lease. Now I'm just keeping an

cold shivers running down my

eye on the news. Waiting for the

spine. It used to watch me, but

sparks. A gas leak, a stray

it cant anymore. At least, I

match Sooner or later, they'll

dont think it can. I wouldnt

burn.

be surprised, however, to wake

They always burn.

in the early hours of the day

when the sky is still dark, and
look to my window to see those
eyes, those teeth, see it smile
that awful smile. I hope Im
dead before that day arises. I

89

hope Ive seen the last of that

I think they did have something

monster.

important to say: Something

very, very important.

When I was little, I lived in

a small suburban neighborhood.

I saw it for the first time

It isnt the kind youre

when I was eight years old,

probably thinking ofbig, white,

during the summer. It was very

uniform houses all lined up in

hot that season, unusually so

perfect rows with green lawns

compared to all the summers Ive

and two garage doors. No, my

had since then, so Id stayed

neighborhood was much older. It

inside most the morning. Then,

was built sometime in the

after lunch, my father hooked up

fifties and every house looked

the sprinkler we used for our

different, but most had started

garden in our backyard. I

to fall apart. The people living

excitedly got into play clothes

there were hardworking and

and rushed outside, into the

honest for the most part, and

blinding sun. Those were the

their long, hard lives showed on

days, those innocent days in the

their faces. No one really

sun where I played without a

talked to anyone else. That was

care. I had no idea I would soon

one of the only things I didnt

be missing them. So, I was

like about that neighborhood. My

outside, running and laughing

mother always said the neighbors

and jumping through the cool

just liked to keep to

spray of water when I saw it.

themselves, that they had

At first I didnt notice itit

nothing very important to say,

was just a rustle in the bushes.

anyway. Looking back on it now,

Then it was the crack of a

90

branch and I looked up.

curled claws grew from bony feet

Somethings omething dark moved

and long, slender fingers. Its

through those leaves. Something

arms were gnarled, the joints

as black as midnight, yet it

bulging under twisted muscle and

shimmered when the sun hit it.

skin. Skin that was black and

It ran--or galloped, to this day

rubbery stretched thin over

I'm still not sure what to call

whatever bones the beast had. It

itfrom a small forest behind my

caved in at odd places and

house, leapt over my neighbors

almost looked as if it were

fence, and disappeared from my

rotting. Still, when it crept

view. I was curious, so I chased

through the sun, patches

it.

glistened gray and blue, as if

it were made of some kind of

The pavement burned my feet,

foreign glass.
but I didnt care. I watched,
along with a few other

Then there was its face. The

neighborhood children, as the

skin was the same, stretched

creature swept in and out of the

over an oblong oval skull that

shadows of trees, making its way

jutted out in the back. Its eyes

down the street. It was large,

were sunken deep within its

probably about eight feet tall

head, large and round and

if it stood upright, though it

hollow. They glowed a weird

never did. Instead, it stayed

white-yellow; one Im sure

hunched over, its hind legs

doesnt have a name to this day.

curled up at its sides, the

Really, it wasnt even glowing.

knees protruding grotesquely

It was more of a pulsating,

past its torso. Large, white,

ever-present light that seemed

91

to come straight from some

before. I suppose I thought it

nonexistent soul deep within the

was just some species I had yet

monsters core. It always seemed

to learn about in schoolI wish

to smile. Its mouth was

thats all it had been. Then our

stretched, like its skin, far

parents called us back inside

across its face. You know the

for dinner and we grudgingly

expression, grinning ear to

obeyed, not wanting to get in

ear? It was literal in this

trouble. Im not sure about the

case, each corner reaching each

other kids, but I never quite

side of its face, where ears

forgot about the creature Id

would have been if it had any.

seen. I got preoccupied with

Within this smile were two rows

other things, sure, but its

of pure white teeth, long and

image was always in the back of

sharp. In fact, each tooth was

my mind. It was burning there,

so long, it could never close

waiting for me to remember it

its mouth. The sharp tips just

late at night while I tried to

clacked against each other as it

drift off to sleep. It got its

skulked around, waving its head

wish.

slowly from side to side, as if

That night I was lying in bed
sniffing something in the air. I
with my covers pulled up to my
use to find this silly, since it
chin, despite how hot I was. The
had no nose. Now the thought
nightlight across the room
terrifies me.
barely gave me comfort from the
We kids just watched it in a

thoughts of ghouls and ghosts

sort of dazed amazement, never

hiding in my closet or under my

having seen something like it

bed. Then the beasts image

92

slipped into my thoughts. I

its face in two, white teeth

gripped the covers. It hadnt

glistening with saliva, gleaming

scared me before, yet Id been

eyes seeming to pull every fear

mere feet away from it. But now,

from my conscious and

after having the image sit in my

unconscious to the surface. I

mind all day, my brain

screamed. By the time my parents

registering its unworldly

rushed into my room, it was

appearance, I started to fear

gone, no traces of its existence

it. It was bad, and I knew that

left behind. They said it was

now.

just a nightmare.

Then I heard a tap. I froze.

It wasnt just a nightmare.

Another tap. I didnt dare move.

I never saw it in the daytime
Then there was another and
again, but I saw it every night.
another and another. It was at
After a week I stopped
my window. I could hear its long
screaming, I just cried silently
claws scrape across the glass,
in my bed. Then, after another
hear its razor-sharp fangs as
week, I stopped crying. It knew
they clicked togetherI could
I was scared; I wasnt going to
hear its breathing. Heavy,
give it the satisfaction of
husky, in and out, in and out it
seeing me tremble. It wasnt
went. Finally, I could no longer
until it found the lock on my
bear it. I tore my eyes from my
window that I was truly
night-light and gazed through
terrified. Ill never forget the
the dark room towards my window.
clunk the lock made when it had
It smiled when it saw me. An
been moved for the first time in
impossibly huge grin that split
years, or the waning screech of

93

the window as it slid open, or

I cant even remember the

the heavy breathing at my

country.

bedside. Ill never forget those

eyes as they gazed at me from
beyond my covers. It knew I was

The Smiling Man

scared. It thrived on that.

About five years ago I lived

It wouldnt leave me alone.

downtown in a major city in the

Everyone says I went crazy, but

US. I've always been a night

I didnt! It just wouldnt leave

person, so I would often find

me alone! I hardly ever slept,

myself bored after my roommate,

my hair started to fall out and

who was decidedly not a night

I always looked tired. My

person, went to sleep. To pass

parents put me here, in this

the time, I used to go for long

psychiatric hospital. Its a

walks and spend the time

nut house, thats what it is!

thinking.

Im not crazy! Its been years-I spent four years like that,

years. The nightmares still

happen when I do sleep, so they

walking alone at night, and

keep me here. I suppose I like

never once had a reason to feel

it better this way, though.

afraid. I always used to joke

After all, the monster cant get

with my roommate that even the

me here. You know, the funny

drug dealers in the city were

thing is I cant even remember

polite. But all of that changed

where I use to live. I cant

in just a few minutes of one

remember the state or the city

evening.

94

It was a Wednesday, somewhere

pass me by. The closer he got,

between one and two in the

the more I realized how

morning, and I was walking near

gracefully he was moving. He was

a police patrolled park quite a

very tall and lanky, and wearing

ways from my apartment. It was a

an old suit. He danced closer

quiet night, even for a

still, until I could make out

weeknight, with very little

his face. His eyes were open

traffic and almost no one on

wide and wild, head tilted back

foot. The park, as it was most

slightly, looking off at the

nights, was completely empty.

sky. His mouth was formed in a

painfully wide cartoon of a

I turned down a short side

smile. Between the eyes and the
street in order to loop back to
smile, I decided to cross the
my apartment when I first
street before he danced any
noticed him. At the far end of
closer.
the street, on my side, was the
silhouette of a man, dancing. It
was a strange dance, similar to
I took my eyes off of him to
a waltz, but he finished each
cross the empty street. As I
"box" with an odd forward
reached the other side, I
stride. I guess you could say he
glanced back... and then stopped
was dance-walking, headed
dead in my tracks. He had
straight for me.
stopped dancing and was standing
Deciding he was probably

with one foot in the street,

drunk, I stepped as close as I

perfectly parallel to me. He was

could to the road to give him

facing me but still looking

the majority of the sidewalk to

95

skyward. Smile still wide on his

I was so shocked that I stood

lips.

there for some time, staring at

him. And then he started moving

I was completely and utterly

toward me again. He took giant,
unnerved by this. I started
exaggerated tip toed steps, as
walking again, but kept my eyes
if he were a cartoon character
on the man. He didn't move. Once
sneaking up on someone, except
I had put about half a block
he was moving very, very
between us, I turned away from
quickly.
him for a moment to watch the
sidewalk in front of me. The

I'd like to say at this point

street and sidewalk ahead of me

I ran away or pulled out my

were completely empty. Still

pepper spray or my cellphone or

unnerved, I looked back to where

anything at all, but I didn't. I

he had been standing to find him

just stood there, completely

gone. For the briefest of

frozen as the smiling man crept

moments I felt relieved, until I

toward me.

noticed him. He had crossed the

And then he stopped again,
street, and was now slightly
about a car length away from me.
crouched down. I couldn't tell
Still smiling his smile, still
for sure due to the distance and
looking to the sky.
the shadows, but I was certain
he was facing me. I had looked
away from him for no more than
When I finally found my
10 seconds, so it was clear that
voice, I blurted out the first
he had moved fast.
thing that came to mind. What I
meant to ask was, "What the fuck

96

do you want?!" in an angry,

commanding tone. What came out
I ran too.
was a whimper, "What the fuu?"
I ran until I was off of the
Regardless of whether or not
side road and back onto a better
humans can smell fear, they can
lit road with sparse traffic.
certainly hear it. I heard it in
Looking behind me then, he was
my own voice, and that only made
nowhere to be found. The rest of
me more afraid. But he didn't
the way home, I kept glancing
react to it at all. He just
over my shoulder, always
stood there, smiling.
expecting to see his stupid
And then, after what felt

smile, but he was never there.

like forever, he turned around,

I lived in that city for six
very slowly, and started dancemonths after that night, and I
walking away. Just like that.
never went out for another walk.
Not wanting to turn my back to
There was something about his
him again, I just watched him
face that always haunted me. He
go, until he was far enough away
didn't look drunk, and he didn't
to almost be out of sight. And
look high. He looked completely
then I realized something. He
and utterly insane. And that's a
wasn't moving away anymore, nor
very, very scary thing to see.
was he dancing. I watched in
horror, as the distant shape of

The Portraits

him grew larger and larger. He

There was a hunter in the

was coming back my way. And this

woods, who, after a long day

time he was running.

hunting, was in the middle of an

97

immense forest. It was getting

increasingly uncomfortable.

dark, and having lost his

Making a concerted effort to

bearings, he decided to head in

ignore the many hateful faces,

one direction until he was clear

he turned to face the wall, and

of the increasingly oppressive

exhausted, he fell into a

foliage. After what seemed like

restless sleep.

hours, he came across a cabin in

a small clearing. Realizing how
The next morning, the hunter

dark it had grown, he decided to

see if he could stay there for

awoke -- he turned, blinking in

the night. He approached, and

unexpected sunlight. Looking up,

found the door ajar. Nobody was

he discovered that the cabin had

inside. The hunter flopped down

no portraits, only windows.

on the single bed, deciding to

explain himself to the owner in

The Lurkers

the morning.

The sun was beginning to set

as he was leaving the convenient

As he looked around the

inside of the cabin, he was

store. Crap! he yelled to

surprised to see the walls

nobody. His voice echoed across

adorned by several portraits,

the hills. He climbed into his

all painted in incredible

Cadillac, and took off into the

detail. Without exception, they

woodlands.

appeared to be staring down at

It was this time of day when

him, their features twisted into

those things got you. It was the

looks of hatred and malice.

time of day when the sun has

Staring back, he grew

lowered past the horizon and

98

turns the sky a blood red. The

from the cabin. It was crouched

shadows of the trees stretched

behind a bush, and kept its gaze

over the narrow road. He was in

on him. That was the moment when

such a hurry now, that he didnt

hope seemed like wishful

check between the trees for

thinking, and death seemed

things that werent shadows. He

almost definite.

turned his headlights on. The

There was only one option, so
shadows were closing in, and if
he slowly reached behind the car
he didnt get home before they
seat and picked up his rifle. He
did, he would be risking
opened up the barrel, and saw
everything.
there was no ammunition. The
The porch lamps could be seen

worst was happening, and the

from his car now. He should have

odds werent in his favor. He

felt better, but the fear of

slowly opened the car door and

what might happen lingered at

stepped out.

the back of his head. The

He was surprised that the
driveway was surrounded with
thing wasnt already approaching
shadow. This shadow, however,
him. It was still crouched
was unusually dark. It kept the
there, and remained the evil
lamps at bay. Then, at that very
presence it was. He walked to
moment, he saw the thing.
the trunk, and cautiously pulled
It was dead, really dead.

out his keys. The fear

Despite that, it stared at him

intensified, and he was

with spiteful eyes. Then, he

beginning to shake. He turned

felt a cold sweat come over him.

the key and opened the trunk.

The thing was four or five yards

The box of shells was at arms

99

length. He opened it, and loaded

getting nervous. He made it to

the gun.

the bathroom door: the source of

the noise. He reached for the

Still shaking, he held up the

doorknob, and opened the door.
rifle, and aimed the sights
between the things eyes. He was

The same figure he saw

beginning to pull the trigger.

before, was hunched over the

The voice in his head screamed

bathtub. It was chewing on a

too easy. He was about to

bloodied carcass. He was too

release the bullets, when the

frightened to move. Despite the

thing quickly stood up. It

noise he made, the thing did not

walked over the bush, and

move. It was still hunched over.

quickly approached him. The

That moment later, it stood up,

thing held out its arms and

and climbed out the bathroom

covered his eyes.

window. He looked at the things

meal in disgust.

He woke the next morning. The

sun shined through the windows

Before he could run, he

of his home. He sat up in bed,

noticed something. The arm of

and looked around. Blood was

the body it was eating had a

splattered all over the walls.

ring on it. He looked closer at

He felt a chill. He got out of

it, and felt a rush of horror.

bed. There was a noise coming

The ring was his.

from a room down the hall.

He slowly walked down the
corridor. The noise increased in
volume, and he was really

100

Acknowledgements

Resources

I would like to thank the

"The Creepypasta Wiki."

many authors of these stories.

Creepypasta Wiki. N.p.. Web. 2010 -

Their time and efforts have been

2011 - 2013.

put to good use. I would also

like to thank Mr.CreepyPasta,

<http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/
Creepypasta_Wiki>.

whose readings are excellent,

and bring these stories to life.

"Creepypasta Index." The

Creepypasta Index. N.p.. Web. 2011
- 2012 - 2013.

The people of the Creepypasta

<http://www.creepypastaindex.com>.

Wiki, index, and creepypasta.com

Pasta, Mr. Creepy, dir. Mr.

have all helped greatly to help

Creepy Pasta's Storytime. Film.

me discover great stories, and

2011 - 2012 - 2013.

inspire my own. I give my thanks

to all of you.

<http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCree
pyPasta>.

101