The Dark: Chapter Four

Kelly leans over and shouts something in your ear. The music's as loud as a bitch though and so all you hear are the words "think" and "hot".
You give Kelly a puzzled look that lets her know that you’re stuck somewhere between lost and really lost.
Sighing, Kelly leans over again. This time her lips brush against your ear.
"I said 'I think she's hot!'"
Kelly points in the direction of the drinks table.
Your eyes follow the length of her arm to where she is pointing. Standing next to the drinks table is none other than Fifi Payton. Tall, big breasted and beautiful.
Who also happens to be a lesbian.
People have waited for her coming out party for ages but she seems pretty determined to hold it off for as long as possible.
Well, she is sleeping with the captain of the football team. That must have some privileges, right? And it’s not like Reggie Stafford really minds. Fifi is easily the hottest chick in school. It's only more points to Reggie for hitting that.
"You do know that it’s rude to point don’t you?"
"Not if the person knows that you’re watching them." Kelly says cockily.
If Fifi is aware of an audience, however, she isn’t letting on. Holding a cup of something yellow with a few flecks of blue in it, she appears to be completely engrossed in the music. Her eyes are closed, her body slowly swaying to the thump-thump of the beat.
"She doesn’t exactly look like she knows you’re watching." you point out.
Kelly just smiles.
"Oh, she does."
You sigh. Kelly has obviously made up her mind. No matter what may, she was going to get lucky tonight.
You both watch Fifi in silence for a bit. You can understand where Kelly is coming from. Fifi is like a spell, a magical force you can’t get away from.
"Fifi's the one who invited me, you know."
Kelly says this sedately. You glance over at her. The girl is whipped.
And although you honestly doubt the truth of Kelly's admission, you still decide to play along.
"Then go over there and talk to her." you say.
Adjusting the Yankees hat sitting on top of her head, Kelly tells you that she just might.
"Go for it." you say and give her a little shove to drive the point home.
Kelly flashes you a quick smile and then sucking in some air, struts across the room.
"Get me another drink while you’re over there, will you?" You shout after her. She doesn’t hear you though and you don’t really expect her to.
Go Kelly, you think and take a sip of your beer.
You watch as Kelly approaches her swaying goddess. It takes a moment but Kelly manages to get Fifi's attention. You see Fifi's features light up when she realizes who it is. She throws her arms around Kelly and gives her a lengthy hug.
They are soon engaged in an animated conversation and it’s not long before you start to think that maybe Kelly had been telling the truth about Fifi inviting her after all.
You turn away; try not to make it look so obvious that you have nothing better to do than watch Kelly set her ball into motion. You can’t help it though and soon you find your eyes back on the couple.
With a stray glance, Kelly catches your eye. Then getting Fifi's ear, you watch as she points in your direction. After a moment Fifi nods and then collecting a couple of fresh drinks they walk over to where you are.
Kelly pulls you in for a hug.
"Be nice." She tells you and gives you a warning pinch just in case you didn’t get it.
You give her a grimace that lets her know that you got it loud and clear.
Then all smiles again, Kelly asks Fifi if you two have met before.
Fifi shakes her head saying that she's seen you around but doesn’t think that you’ve actually ever met.
"Well in that case...” Kelly goes on two introduce the two of you.
"Pleasure." Fifi says, beaming over at you.
You smile briefly.
"I'm sure it is."
The smile on Fifi's face fades considerably. Shooting you a warning look, Kelly makes a move to kick start a conversation. One that after only about thirty seconds you realize does not interest you. Your mind begins to wander. So do your eyes.
After a moment they lock onto a red jacket.
You know he's going to come over even before he takes a single step. Working the room, he steadily moves towards the three of you. Kelly and Fifi don’t notice him until he's no more than a foot away.
"Hey."
Fifi flips her hair out of her face, over her shoulder. Only slightly glancing over at the new arrival.
"Hey Reggie...what are you doing here?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
Fifi turns and gives Reggie her full attention for the first time. Looks him up and down as if she she's trying to decide on something.
"I'm talking."
She cocks her head to the side.
"Your turn."
Reggie smirks. Glances over at you and Kelly.
"With them? How much have you had to drink, Phee?"
You’re used to such slights and so you just ignore it. Kelly, however, was part of the in-crowd once and so still finds it hard to swallow such insults which she thinks are reserved only for the likes of you. Not that she would ever say that to your face
Kelly speaks up to say something but Fifi grabs her arm and digs her nails into it, quickly cutting Kelly short.
Raising her cup Fifi waves it in front of Reggie's face.
"Obviously not enough to leave with you, Regg. Now beat it."
Reggie shrugs, his smirk seeming to say something like "You'll be back".
"Suit yourself," he says, turning to leave.
"All I'm trying to do is do you a favor." He throws over his shoulder
"Save you some embarrassment."
With a swagger that makes you want to break your bottle on back of his head, Reggie saunters off.
"You okay?" The question is directed at you.
You nod.
"I'll live."
"You?" Fifi asks Kelly.
"I will be as soon as you get your nails out of my fucking arm." Kelly breathes through clenched teeth.
"Oh my God, sorry!" Fifi exclaims letting go of Kelly's arm.
"Baby, are you okay?"
Baby? You think. Okay...
"I'll be fine. Just never, ever do that again." Kelly says rubbing her arm. The nail marks look nasty. Like they were about thirty seconds away from breaking skin. That must hurt like a bitch, you say to yourself.
"How about we go outside?" Fifi offers.
"I’ve got a car. Some wicked tunes too."
Kelly looks at you pleadingly. This is her chance.
Sighing, you tell the two of them to go ahead.
"What about you?" Fifi asks.
"I'll be fine." You tell her.
"I'll just...drink some more beer or something."
"You can do that in the car." Fifi insists.
"Now come on."
You shrug in resignation.
"Okay."
Turning, you give Kelly a look that says ' at least you can’t say that I didn’t try'.
Rolling her eyes, Kelly let's Fifi take her by the hand.
"Let's get out of here." Fifi says and pulling Kelly by the hand, heads for the door.

The Dark: Chapter Three

Its your senior year in high school. A few months before graduation. The night of Spencer's party. You're not popular but you've still been invited. Well, sort of. You find a flyer plastered to your locker. Bright pink, it is hard to miss. After reading it you start to crumple it up. So what if it's going to be "The wickedest shit this side of hell", its not like you're going to feel welcome there. They'll probably just shut the door in your face anyway.
Something, however, stops you from throwing it away. You don't know what, maybe it was fate and so instead of tossing it in the trash can like you know you should have, you uncrumple it, smooth it out on the thigh of jeans, fold it nicely and stuff it in your pocket.
When you get home you go straight to your room. Do your homework. Try to forget about the flyer that is burning a hole in your pocket. Its a losing battle, however, and so after reading the same line about fifty times you pull out the flyer. Smooth it out on your desk.
"The wickedest shit this side of hell!!!" it proclaims. Something about that riles you. Makes you want to turn up just so that you can dare them to shut the door in your face.
And what if they do? you ask yourself. What then?
You try not to think about. Try to force the stupid notion of going for some stupid party out of your stupid head.
Crumpling the flyer you toss it in the general direction of the wastepaper basket without really aiming. It bricks. you're not really surprised.
Swiveling in your seat you plan to crack the books in earnest when the sound of your name barrels up the stairs and slams into the bedroom door. Getting up you walk over to the door and jerk it open.
"Whaaaat?"
"Phooone!"
Shit, it's probably Kelly, you think. You already have some idea of what she is going to say and have no desire to hear it.
"Tell who ever it is I'm not home!"
"Its Kelly. She says its pretty urgent!" is the prompt reply.
You roll your eyes. "Urgent" to kelly is a night out without a new outfit. she probably wants to come over and get that white Yankee fitted she has bugging you about. But whatever.
You tell your mom that you'll take it.
Swiping the handset from where it sits on the small table in the corridor you put it to your ear.
"Have you heard about Spencer's party?" Kelly asks without preamble.
"And hello to you to." you say.
"Shut up and answer the damn question."
You walk back into your room and shut the door behind you. Briefly catch a glimpse of the bright pink ball sitting next to the wastepaper basket.
You lie.
"No." you say and sit down on the edge of your bed.
"You're kidding me, right?"
"No."
"God, you're such a spaz." Kelly says,
"Anyway, we sooo like have to go."
"We're not invited." you point out, even if it isn't necessarily true.
"I am." Kelly counters, who seems to have an answer for just about everything,
"And I'm taking you with me."
You sigh. Tell Kelly that you're doing homework. That you have an assignment thats already two days late, that-
"Shut up." Kelly says cutting your feeble explanation short.
"I'm coming over, you're dressing up and we're going for that fucking party. Kapeesh?"
You know there's no wriggling your way out of this one and so you reluctantly agree. Resign yourself to the inevitable.
Fucking Kelly, man, you think. The queen bitch of the strong arm.
As you hang up the phone, you try to shake the queer feeling that you have. Like something is about to go seriously and horribley wrong. Its just nerves, you tell yourself. It's just your mind trying to play tricks on you.
You toss the phone onto your bed. Walk over to your closet.
Trying to ignore the tremor in you hands, you look for something to wear

The Dark: Chapter Two

"Don't look at me. Just don’t look at me. Just look right through me like you always do. Get someone else to answer your stupid question."
But she does look at you. Her gaze piercing like she can see right into the depths of your soul. You sink lower into your seat.
"How about you," she says. gazes down at her class register. After a moment, however, she frowns, she cant seem to match your face with a name.
With a dismissive wave of her hand she gives up.
"You, sitting behind Miss Tanner. Would you like to give us an explanation for this phenomenon?"
Several heads swivel in your direction. Your face starts to feel hot. Your mouth suddenly dry.
The entire hall is suddenly quiet. everyone is waiting for you to answer. To hear what the class weirdo has to say.
You mutter your answer. The hall is so quiet that it carries easily.
"No? You don’t even want to try?"
You catch a few people snickering. Not openly but one of those hand over mouth numbers. Beads of sweat pop up on your forehead like a rash of pimples.
Dr. Stevens seems rather amused.
"What's your name?" She asks. Crosses her arms in fashion that let's you know that the lecture was not going anywhere until you answered her question.
There are more snickers. These ones more open. you are turning into a freak show.
Dr. Stevens holds up a hand. Tells them to let you answer.
Trying your best to ignore the snickering and the sweat running down your back, you manage to.
Opening a file, Dr. Stevens begins to rummage through some papers. After a moment she finds what she is looking for and straightens up. She reads out your name and then a percentage: %93. Your paper was the most impressive she had read in years. Which, to her, seems quite odd seeing as you have just been placed on academic probation. You did write this paper, didn’t you?
She waits for a few moments but then realizing that you’re not going to give her a forthright answer, Dr. Stevens flips through the term paper. Finding the place that she's interested in, she begins to read from it. first one paragraph, then another. She doesn’t stop until she reaches the bottom of the page.
"I couldn’t have written it better myself." She says looking up from the paper. And according to her, you have already answered her question. And then some.
The queer looks you are getting make you sink even further into your seat.
Dr. Stevens gives the paper to someone in the front row. Tells them to pass it to you. She wants to see you once the lecture is over.
You glance at your watch. That was in about half an hour.
When the paper finally lands on your desk it is fairly crumpled and a number of cruel comments have been scribbled in the margins by the people whose hands it has passed through.
You peer at it. The hand writing is definitely yours but you have no recollection what so ever of writing it.
Catching the person sitting next to you peering over your shoulder in an attempt to look at your paper, you crumple it into a ball and let it fall to the floor.
The paper scares you.
Because, to you, the paper asks more questions than it answers.
One thing was for certain, however, he was becoming stronger. Bolder. There was no way to control him.
You think of what he did to Jason. No, what you did to Jason.
You have to stop it, you realize. But to do that you have to go back to the beginning. To where it all began. And that's what scares you more than anything. Even more than knowing what it is capable of. Because when all is said and done, going back will only lead you to one place. To the place where you would have to come face to face with your worst enemy, your worst fear...yourself.

The Dark: A Short Story

Prologue


There is a place I sometimes go
Where the river of time does not- can not flow
Where there is no yesterday, today or tomorrow
but only the present-
Only now.


There is a place where I sometimes stroll
A place void of all presence but my own
A place where my angels and demons no longer battle for control
for my demons are the lords of the domain.

Where is this place?
This place where I lose myself
Where I find myself
Where I feel free to be the creature I fear to be anywhere else.

This place is a space deep within-
Deep within myself
But not only a place but an entity
An animal, A savage
A living breathing thing that lives to feed on my weakness
Swallowing it whole
filling the hole that it creates

So this place, this entity
this...this savage
what does it call itself?
If it does indeed call itself anything.

You know it well
Do not pretend as if you don't

It calls itself...

The Dark.




ONE


The blood on your hands frightens you. Its as red as a beacon. It seems to scream "I did it! I did this to him! It was me!"
You close your eyes. Try to block out the memory of Jason's screams, his pathetic pleading as you plunged in the knife again and again.
You start to shake. you're going into shock you know you are. but you also know, however, that you cant allow yourself to. The course of events that have been set into motion; that you have set into motion will soon lead someone to the small cottage that you now stand in. You had to make sure that when that happened you wouldn't be there. Nor could the body. You had to get rid of it- and fast.
Steadying yourself, you force yourself to take a step towards him.Careful not to tread in the river of blood that acts as your guide.
You tip toe around the bed. You're barefooted and so when the heel of you foot catches the bank of Jason's blood you slip. almost fall but catch yourself with flaying arms before you splay face first into it.
A few more steps and he comes into view. His face is unrecognizable. Swollen and coated in a layer of blood. You had pounded his face in pretty good. The butt of the knife acting as your bludgeon. The two gaping holes that had been his eyes are aimed at the ceiling. As if in his last moments Jason had prayed to the God he had always claimed didn't exist.
The bludgeoning had come before you had taken out his eyes. before you had taken the sharp end of the knife to him.
Your still perfectly functioning eyes avoid Jason's empty sockets. veer down to the remains of jason's stomach. You had opened him up like he was a can of sardines. Pulling at his insides like you had been tugging on a rope. You had done it while he had still had breath left in him. so that he would feel it.You had wanted him to hurt, to scream out, to beg for mercy. He had done all three.You had made sure of that.
Your eyes move again
Jason's legs, you notice, are splayed out in utterly impossible directions. the stumps where his feet are meant to be still oozing blood. The main source of the crimson river that surrounds you.
As you take in the scene you retch. Double over and retch again. After a second, you vomit all over your feet and jeans.
catching your breath, you straighten up.
The sour stench of you vomit mingles with that of Jason's exposed stomach acids and you wrinkle your nose in disgust. You wipe your mouth on the sleeve of you shirt. wipe your forehead with the back of your hand. A single bead of sweat trickles uncomfortably down the small of your back.
The sound of the moving second hand of the clock that sits a few feet away explodes in your head like a hammer against an anvil. The seconds are passing, The Dark no longer keeping them at bay, no longer blocking their passage for you.
I can't do this. you tell yourself. I cant fix this...I cant.
But you must, you know you must and as you spot the axe lying abandoned a few feet away, its tip kissed with blood, you know what you have to do.

One. Two. Twenty-Six.

It's been one year, two months & twenty-six days since i killed my father. Motivation- revenge, for all the years of neglect. For turning up one morning (it was hot & dusty, i remember that much) expecting me to be his buddy.
I stabbed him. 13 times. Not that day, no, the anger didnt come until much later. Months later. It may have even been a year later. But it did come. Suddenly like an ejaculation youre not yet ready for- without any warning.
When he invited me over dinner, i had already decided that i was going to do it. I didnt know how but i remember that even then a knife had seemed particularly inviting. I had always thought that if i ever had to kill someone, that would be the way to do it. It made things personal. & as sure as blood runs red, this was definitely personal.
I waited until he was in the shower. He told me to keep an eye on the rice for him. I was thirsty for blood & jumped at the oppotunity to be in the kitchen amongst all those knives.
I found the perfect blade. The perfect length. The perfect shape. I remember thinking to myself that, "if there really is a god, he must be the devil."
I didnt have to wait long. He was a man. & a practical one at that. He got in, did his business & got out.
He passed me on his way to the bedroom. My eyes following him every step of the way. I'm sure that if he had taken the time to look in my direction, he would have known instantly that i had murder on the brain.
The door closed softly behind him. I waited a moment & then removing my hand from where it rested beneath the cushion in my lap, the handle of the knife already plastered to my fingers, i got up..