Whispers in the Shadows
Vol IV
By
Alan James Keogh
This work may not be copied in it’s entirety. Short samples may be used as long as credit is given to the author and a link to the authors website is given.
Smashwords Edition
© Alan James Keogh, 2011. All rights reserved
Table of Contents
Downstairs in the Darkness
Release
Scientific Progress
First day at the Office
The Greatest Assassin
The Perfect Couple
Fierce Competition
Thirst
Finding Prey
There are Worse Things
The Perfect Evening
Summer Vacation
Repairs
The Waiting Room
The Royal Disease
Final Preparation
Don’t Tell
Family Connection
Sacrifice for Love
The Carousel
Downstairs in the Darkness
It was so dark, inside the room, so very dark, she was alone. Completely alone or at least, that’s what she hoped. There were noises, in the darkness, noises that her mind changed to great hulking beasts and terrible slithering creatures. Nothing had touched her and though she had begun believing that they were only noises and nothing more, the longer she stayed in the darkness the more plausible it was that there was something in there, toying with her.
She didn’t know how long she was in the darkness. She was thirsty and hungry, but the hunger faded. The thirst remained but it became less and less. There was no food or water in here. She had looked, groping blindly along the ground and walls hoping to feel a bottle or a jug. She knew it could be drugged but she was beyond caring, yet there was nothing. She had gone into her memories, with nothing else to do and reality and fantasy began to blend together in one heady blur. Did she really slap Manny in the face when he tried to kiss her? Or was that just what she wished she did. All her memories seemed to be warping and shifting. That witty response, was it always there? Didn’t she storm out, humiliated and covered in tomato sauce only to realise exactly what she should have told him when she was driving home, trying not to cry and failing miserably. She knew the rest of the night she had spend having a shower and then sitting, feeling sorry for herself, with a glass of wine and some trashy television.
She missed showers. It was a strange thing to miss she knew, when she had no food or water, but she was feeling grimy, her hair greasy. She loved showers before, the hot, cleaning water was so soothing, no matter what was wrong, she had always felt better after a shower, the water washing away her worries and fears, drying off with a big soft towel and finally changing into warm pyjamas and nice, soft socks.
It was strange, the things you can miss. It wasn’t her friends and family, oh, at first, she had missed them too, but now they were fading; all she wanted was a nice warm meal, a cold glass of water and a long, hot shower.
Something was moving, she could hear it skittering away and there, that noise there, was that it, gnashing its teeth together. What if it was going to attack her? Obviously it had some skill of hunting in the dark, otherwise she would have encountered it before. Maybe there was a small hole somewhere that allowed it to crawl through. A direct line for this room that rats could crawl through. She moved slowly along the wall, waiting until she reached a corner, then wedged her back against it. There, now it couldn’t attack her from behind, unless of course, it could climb walls.
Her
fear was beginning to abate and now she was just tired. So very, very
tired. Slowly, she bent forward and rested her head on her knees and
began to drift off to sleep. She woke with a start, a loud screeching
noise was bouncing off the walls, growing louder and louder and
suddenly, she was blinded by a thin shaft of bright, white-hot light.
She squinted and gasped, trying to see something, anything without it
hurting. She thought she saw someone, a man maybe, standing there
when the door opened. The shriek turned to a deep grinding as the
door slowed its opening, she could hear him moving. God what could
she do? Talking to him wouldn’t do any good and he was probably
going to kill her anyway. She took a deep breath, getting ready. Her
eyes flashed open briefly, trying to see as much as possible. She
knew where the door was, she hoped. Launching herself from the
corner, she ran as fast as she could, pushing out at where she
thought the man was.
Her hands connected with something heavy and
soft, there was a short, sharp gasp as he doubled over in pain. He
hadn’t expected her to run, good, it gave her more of a chance.
Her vision was starting to clear, she could see things now without the dull throbbing pain. Trying to move quickly, she closed the door on him, pushing and straining, almost begging it to close faster as it scraped across the concrete floor before it finally closed, locking him in. behind the door she could hear vague shouts, so the bastard must have heard her screaming. She turned the lock, then realised he might have a key himself. There could be a keyhole on the other side of the door. She didn’t remember one, but she might have missed it. There was a bar leaning against the wall and, seeing its slot, she inserted it, barring the door. He might be able to unlock it, but he wouldn’t be able to open the door with that bar.
Her vision began to spin, she felt dizzy, taking great whooping breaths, she leaned against the wall and slowly slid down it, trying not to pass out as her vision faded again, bright sparks of black and red shooting across her eyes. She rested for a few moments, then shakily stood. First thing she would need to do was get the hell out of here.
She was in what appeared to be a basement, a long metal table was in the centre of the room, four heavy cuffs lined the corners and a large strap was draped across the middle. The table had thousands of tiny little holes and, beneath the table, the floor slanted downwards, towards a drain. That must be where the bastard was going to kill her.
She moved past the table, trying not to look at it or the table of knives that was nearby, the stairs were steep and made from old wood, she climbed them slowly, out of breath by the fifth step. She was weaker than she had thought. At the door she paused. What if he wasn’t alone? What if he had someone else he did this with? She didn’t know where she was, she got lucky once but maybe they were playing with her, maybe it was part of their game and someone was waiting, just behind the door to grab her from behind. Her hand rested on the knob while she tried to decide what to do. She couldn’t stay in the basement forever, taking a deep breath, she twisted the knob violently and exploded through the door, intending to startle anyone waiting. She didn’t have strength, but she could get lucky again.
The large kitchen was empty, she spun around, looking for anyone. The kitchen was warm and bright, painted in neutral tones. She didn’t know how long she would have, he could still have a partner who wasn’t in the house. She could hear the faint dripping of water coming from the tap and her dry mouth ached with each noise. Looking around furtively, she went to the tap and turned it on, cool, clear water rushed forward and bending over the sink, she put her mouth onto the stream, drinking greedily.
The cramps hit her quickly, clenching her stomach and forcing her to grip the counter, the sound of the rushing water covered the noise of her vomiting. She heaved until there was nothing left and groaning, wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked around the kitchen, through the cupboards before finding a mug and carefully, she filled it. After rinsing her mouth she took a slow, experimental sip. When her body accepted it, she drank some more until the cup was empty, as she was drinking her second, her stomach remembered it was hungry and she checked the fridge. She needed something, anything. Reaching in, she moved things around, taking bits here and there, a slice of ham, a chunk of chicken. Each one tasted so amazingly fresh, she tried to eat slowly and choose soft foods, but her hands and mouth moved separate to her mind, grabbing anything that looked good and taking a bite out of it.
It didn’t take long for her to feel full, though she ate little, she felt like she had just eaten the largest meal of her life, and, taking a small bowl of grapes, she closed the fridge and popped one in her mouth. It‘s cold juices tasting so sweet, she ate them as she explored.
Feeling a little calmer, she looked around the kitchen, then stepped into the living room. There were a few pictures of people she assumed were friends and family, she looked at them for a few moments, trying to figure out which one he was. He seemed to live alone, there were no pictures of a wife and husband, or children. Good. That meant she had time to think. At first, she was going to call the police but, she paused as she was going to dial. What would happen if she called them? He could get arrested but then what? Spend the rest of his life in prison? There were worse things that could happen, maybe she could think of them.
Something was bothering her about the pictures. She had seen them somewhere before, but she couldn’t’ quite figure out where. Back in the sitting room she looked at them for a while, trying to figure it out. Picking up the frame, she looked at the back, then opened it carefully. The picture fell out and floated to the ground. It was the picture that came with the frame, they must all be for show. She smiled as her plan started to form.
She had been missing for three days, she had tried to think of something to tell everyone and eventually just decided that she was really sick, delirious with fever, that’s why she didn’t call or answer the phone, it was the best thing she could think of. Really, what else could she say, anything else wouldn‘t be that believable, she considered saying she went on an impromptu trip, but she wouldn‘t have gone without telling people and it would have made them suspicious. People looked a little unsure, but they accepted it eventually and soon it was completely forgotten.
It had taken her a few weeks to complete her plan, but it was worth it. She had sold her apartment, which wasn’t that difficult, it was an easy sell, in a good area and had slowly moved her things into his house, visiting her new neighbours and telling them how she just moved in and was renting. She emptied the house, she didn’t want any of his things still there, at least not where she could see it.
Transferring his bills into her name had been a bit more difficult, but she managed, she couldn’t allow him to use the phone of course, just in case, but he gave her all the details she needed, and any he didn’t know were easy to find, he was quite organised, keeping all his bills and records in a large filing cabinet. The lock was more for show than any security, easily broken. Now that she didn’t have to pay the mortgage on the apartment, she could easily afford the bills coming in, she was lucky he had paid off his house quickly. Of course he wouldn’t want the bank repossessing the house and finding his little playroom downstairs.
The house was big, and very well sound proofed, she couldn’t hear any of the noise he was making and of course, he eventually settled down.
She found out that he had installed video cameras into the room, so he could watch the people he had down there. He told her she was the first, but she didn’t believe him.
Sometimes she watched him when she was stressed out, or needed to unwind after a long day. It was satisfying, seeing him down there in the dark. She visited him once a day, giving him a small amount of food and water, just enough to survive, and nothing more. She didn’t speak with him after their first chat, she had learned a lot about him then. Almost too much, sometimes she worried he might escape, but he had built the room well. Sometimes she wondered if she should have called the police but it was too late now, so instead, she just left him alone down there, alone in the darkness.
Release
The candle cast flickering shadows about the room as the flame grew and shrunk on the whims of the light breeze. He had electric lights but he preferred the candles, they felt more authentic somehow. The candle was large and old, covered in drips and twists of wax that had slowly covered the sides and base, turning the plain candle into a fantastic, twisted sculpture.
The desk was cluttered with a multitude of items, but although cluttered, there was still plenty of space for him to work with. Right now, he was writing in a journal, chronicling recent events, he liked the tactile sensation of the pen against the paper, it forced him to slow down, organise his thoughts before he committed them fully to paper.
The room itself was small, most of the space taken up by the desk, a small window would provide a small amount of light during the day, but right now it only peered out into darkness. The window was open, allowing a slight breeze to enter, carrying with it the noises and smells of the night. Cars stopping and starting, a few lonely bird calls, drunken raucous laughter, couples screaming at one another. He enjoyed the noise while starting to work, it helped him along, then, once he was fully concentrating, it all just fell away to silence.
The door was closed to ensure he wasn’t disturbed, the others in the house were not too respectful of boundaries, but they understood what a closed door meant. He could be touchy about his work, this they found out after he had reduced a previous roommate to tears when she burst through the door, wanting to tell him of something trivial. It was the first and last time he was disturbed while there.
He considered putting up something creepy, like a taxidermy animal, or something dead in a jar but decided against it, it was too extreme and they’d just think he was weird. He didn’t want to bring suspicion upon himself if anything started to happen, as he expected it would. He was transforming himself, or at least, trying to. Sighing, he put down the pen, then glanced out the window, trying to see anything in the darkness outside, the window faced onto an alley, giving him the uninspiring view of a brick wall during the day and a blank canvas during the night. Sometimes it was soothing, other times it scared him, convinced that, if he looked at the window, he would see someone staring back. He knew it was ridiculous, after all, he was on the second floor, but it didn’t stop the fear being there.
He closed his journal, then blew out the candle, reaching over casually he flicked on the light and started to pack some stuff from his desk into his bag, seemingly grabbing objects at random, zipping the bag closed he tested it’s weight, then slipped the strap over his shoulder, standing, he glanced around the room, making sure everything was in place, then left, carefully closing the door behind him.
He passed his housemates without saying anything, they were watching the TV and probably wouldn’t have noticed anyway. It was colder outside than he expected, his skin rippled with goosebumps as the door closed behind him, he considered going back for a hoodie, but then decided against it, walking would keep him warm, besides, he would be warm soon enough.
As he walked through the streets, he looked at those he passed, wondering why they felt the need to go out every weekend and get so drunk they couldn’t remember any of it. He never understood it and never took part in it, he couldn’t see the attraction. He passed a young woman vomiting, while leaning against a wall, one of her friends was muttering something to her, the other looked the other way. All around him people were shouting and screaming creating a general roar in which only occasionally snippets of actual conversation could be heard. His roommates would normally be out like this, but tonight they were too hung over. He ignored it all and picked up the pace, trying to look at nothing in particular. He had been caught out once or twice while walking by drunk guys looking to start fights over something trivial, he’d never been hurt and was able to easily slip away from the confrontation but the thronging crowd still made him nervous. He had places to be and didn’t want to be delayed.
He crossed over towards the park and slipped inside the gate. The grass was cold and the dew coating it began to soak through his runners, making the ends of his jeans heavy, he walked though the grass quickly, no doubt there were couples somewhere nearby, hiding in the darkness, unable to wait until they reached somewhere more suitable, but that didn’t concern him. He knew where he was going and it was infrequently, if ever, visited by others. Though it was dark in the park he didn’t need his vision, he had walked the route countless times over the past few months and could easily walk it blindfolded without stumbling once. It was a thirty minute walk once you entered the park and he tried to keep the pace brisk to stay warm, he was beginning to regret not bringing a sweater or something heavier. Still, it would all be over soon.
The
trip was uneventful, though wild animals called out and things
rustled in the bushes, he ignored it all, focused on his goal, he was
safe, nothing could touch him.
He pushed passed a few branches and
entered the hollow, it was warmer here and drier, he shrugged off his
backpack, letting it hit the ground with a dull thump. He couldn’t
see them in the dark, but the trees gnarled surfaces were carved with
thousands of tiny, intricate symbols and shapes, he had carved each
one over the last few months.
He’d stumbled across the hollow accidentally, but he knew instantly it was a place of great power, a place of great power that was waiting for something to unleash it. He knew that once the power was released he would be rewarded and after his long research, tonight was the night it would be set free. He still wasn’t entirely sure what it was, only that it was powerful and it would grant him his desires. He kneeled beside the bag and started to unload its contents, carefully spreading everything out in front of him. The books were all very specific about the layout, it had to be just right or it wouldn’t work. Some suggested that failure would result in him being trapped for ever, he had sometimes thought he saw faces in the tree bark and had thought it was just his imagination until he read that.
Everything was laid out in front of him, six white candles, anointed with blood and arranged in a straight line, the skull of a magpie, a silver necklace, the knife, and a ruby.
He lit the candles in the correct order, then started to chant. He had wondered at first, why the rituals took so long, surely it would be beneficial if they were quick, there was less chance something could go wrong, but he realised soon after that the longer it is, the more time there was for someone to stop it. There would of course be forces that would work against him, that is why he chose to do it during the night, less chance for someone to wander along and screw everything up.
The
ruby began to glow softly, like an ember, he would need to make a
flesh offering, each book suggested different things, but it was
clear that the flesh had to be his own.
The air took on a
thickness, it was difficult to breath, almost like breathing syrup as
the hair on his arms stood on end, the hollow was filling with power,
he could feel it bubbling through himself and flowing through
everything. It was going to work, he knew it was. He smiled slightly,
then stopped chanting, time for the flesh offering, he picked up the
knife and brought it towards his arm, steeling himself for the task
ahead.
He gasped as he felt the knife pierce his flesh, the blade he was holding dropped to the ground as the knife was twisted, it had been buried deep into his back. Blood soaked into his t-shirt and ran down his back. He felt it being ripped from his flesh, he shuddered, then collapsed, groaning in pain, unable to move, someone grabbed his hair and yanked it backwards, exposing his neck, the blade glowed softly in the red light of the ruby, before it cut deep into his throat, a dark fountain of blood erupted as his artery was severed. He tried to breathe, choking on his blood, his body shuddered, then jerked before falling still.
He took a cloth from his pocket, then wiped the blade. He was quite lucky really, he hadn’t planned to kill anyone tonight, but then he saw the boy entering the park, it was too perfect. He glanced at the paraphernalia the boy had laid before him, then dismissed it. He left the candles burning, he didn’t care if they set fire to anything. He had left no evidence of himself behind, that he was sure of. Normally he would dispose of the body somehow, but the death would be chalked up to something else if he left it in the park. Crazy homeless man no doubt, perhaps a mugging gone wrong. He smiled, then left the body, whistling in the darkness.
The police released a statement the next day, though it was promptly ignored. Everyone already knew what happened to Brock, he’d been grabbed by a satanic cult to be used in their ritual. People complained about the hollow, how they knew for years there was something going on, but did anyone listen? It stirred up a brief frenzy, but in time, the fears diminished and people moved onto the next scandal.
Beneath the earth it sat in its prison and waited, it had been so close. It had not felt anger like that in years, to have its release so cruelly ripped away, it looked at the walls, the deep gouges and holes it had created, it had raged for days but it was no use. It was trapped, but it would have its freedom.
Scientific Progress
Angela stared at the puddles before her, trying not to vomit, the room was filled with a sick squelching sound as each puddle shifted slightly, it’s noise faint and barely audible over the moans and screams. The puddles were swirled with brown, red and a pinky colour, the colour of skin. The puddles differed in their stages so she could see the slow process at its different stages. Some were even still human. The puddle nearest to her only had a head left, its eyes rolling wildly as it begged for help. Those who still retained their arms and legs were chained down to prevent escape, once they progressed far enough the chains would become useless. Shuddering, Angela turned and left the long room, she had been supposed to walk through and examine them all, but she couldn’t.
Dr. Johnsen smirked at her after she came out of the room, only a minute or two had passed, typical of a woman. “Don’t worry, few people are able to handle it.” Angela shook her head, she was still pale and her hand was still clasped over her mouth as her stomach rolled and broiled, she felt slightly faint but forced herself to stay conscious. She was in the room with the monster that created those things. God only knew what he’d do to her if she passed out. “As you saw, or perhaps you didn’t notice, each cell is given a liquid diet, designed to give them enough surplus energy.” “Why are they conscious?” Angela’s voice was muffled, her hand still obscuring her mouth, “the results are so much better when they’re awake than when they’re unconscious. Besides it allows us to monitor them better, we can ask them questions and, if they need something, they can ask for it, not that they do much other than scream.” “Couldn’t you silence them somehow?” “We could, but then what would be the point in that? They’d still suffer, we just wouldn’t be as aware of it.” “That’s exactly the point. Workers will be more willing if they are not fully aware of what they are doing.” “My dear girl, people will get used to anything, given enough time, even the general population wouldn’t object to this if they knew about it for awhile. Think of all the atrocities that no one ever objected to. The human race are equipped for survival, they will coo and sigh over things that are unfair and unjust, but it takes a rare person to be able to rally the world in such a way that it will stop.” “At least give the workers ear plugs or something.” “Well, that won’t be necessary for now, it is only me and a few others and we are all used to the noises by now. Was there anything else you wanted to see before you left?” “No, I’ve already seen the labs so that should cover it.” Angela stepped forward and shook the doctors hand, “it was a…pleasure to meet you.” She shuddered inwardly and, as his dry, warm, hand clasped hers she hoped to never see him again.
The doctor smiled, it had been a good visit overall, she didn’t pry too much, if she had, she might have found his extra experiments, that’s why he tried to get her to room 12B as quickly as possible, the sight usually unnerved people and it derailed her thoughts, all she was concerned about was leaving. Besides, had she stumbled across anything, he was powerless to stop her. Of course he could kill her or add her to the experiments but the cameras would show she never left and he couldn’t take a chance she wouldn’t report him immediately. So far everything looked quite positive, he would get his extra funding, and the question hadn’t been raised of human rights. The last inspector harped on about that for a while, it’s wrong, they deserve better and so on, all so boring and dreary. The last the doctor had heard about the inspector was that he was convicted of murdering his wife and sentenced to death. The people used were criminals, the dregs of society, oh at first they started with the homeless, prostitutes, other unsavoury characters and, it had worked, but not as well, they were the early days, there were still mistakes made, they brought new problems with them, most of them riddled with disease. Prisoners were the perfect choice. There were two types, the common criminal, they could enrol in the programme, if their name was called they joined, if not, they got three years off their sentence, the other were those sentenced to death. They didn’t have a choice. If people were to be present at the execution, the criminal was given a deep sedative and looked dead to all, if there were to be no witnesses, they were merely reported as dead. It was all very simple. Once the sedative wore off there were no ill effects, most of them were the perfect specimens, healthy, in good shape, disease free. Really, the suffering they went through was deserved. He could administer pain medication without negatively affecting output, but where was the fun in that? The people in room 12B deserved the pain they went though.
He leaned forward and hunched over the reports, the output was getting stronger, they were refining the process, soon they would be able to supply proper power, not just to the building, but to larger areas until eventually there would be no degradation, it was his hope that one or two people would be able to supply enough power, all they would need were nutrients. The human body is very inefficient, but the converters more than made up for it. Mental energy seemed to be boosted by the process too, soon he’d try to tap into that potential power, but first he wanted to refine the process further. The bodies melting, for lack of a better word, was an unfortunate side effect, caused by the degradation of the body, the process destroyed the tissues connection to one another, it fell apart slowly, turning to sludge, though the most important organs remained intact until the end, allowing the subject to live or at least, survive. The newest subject was doing well, the degradation had set in, but at a reduced rate, the first subjects had already gone at this point, even his most recent ones were degenerating at a faster rate. It was a good sign, progress was being made and he was on the right track.
Pushing the papers away from him, he stood, then left his office, he wanted to check on the subjects, do his rounds. It wasn’t really necessary, there were technicians that would do it, but he liked looking over them, it filled him with pride and just a little fatherly love. After all, he created them and he was the father of an entirely new branch of science. He would be remembered until the last dregs of human life are extinguished. Of course when this all comes out he will probably be painted as a monster, whether he is still alive or already dead, but once the emotions die down, after a few years pass he will be hailed for the genius visionary that he truly is. He swiped his identification card and waited to gain entrance, there was a faint hiss as the door unsealed itself, turning the handle, he pushed through.
He smiled as the noise reached his ears, to others it would be the screams and cries of the damned, but to him, it was the sound of progress. As he walked down the lines of subjects, he stopped to look at their vital signs. Everyone was doing well, except Subject K, she would be gone soon, they’d have to get her cleared away quickly once she died. The degeneration the process caused meant they rotted quickly, it was a biohazard both to the people and the subjects, besides, the stench they created when they rotted was horrendous, thick and metallic, meaty and faintly sweet. As he passed by, an arm weakly grabbed at his leg, followed by an incoherent gurgling, he kicked his leg free and continued on, then paused. The subject looked at him, its arm waving weakly. The doctor picked up the chart, this was their youngest subject, sentenced to death for a triple rape homicide, at only 15. The doctor had expected big things, but the results were disappointing. He looked disdainfully at the thing before him, then replaced the chart and continued his rounds.
It was getting late and he would be leaving soon, he’d check in on them one last time before he left, almost like a father, peeking through the door and making sure his children were in bed. It had been a very good day, not long after the inspector left, he got a phone call, he was approved for his grant, another twenty million, that was enough funding for him to make dramatic improvements, plus, he could use some of that to purchase extra supplies for his other work. Those other experiments were doing well too, the young woman he had downstairs had managed so far to live for almost a year with no chest, he had removed her ribs, exposing her insides, yet she still lived on. She had a remarkable immune system, no infections or anything. He thought perhaps he would give her pneumonia and see it’s effects on the lungs first hand, though it would be done more out of interest than for any scientific advancement. There would be others he could experiment on. Another of his toys was doing well too, he had removed the eye from the ocular cavity, very carefully of course so as not to damage or sever anything, and much to his delight, the man could still see. He planned to try to develop artificial eye stalks, it would be quite useful for soldiers in combat, all he needed was to create a flesh tunnel, one that could be controlled either through machine or by the subject himself.
He stretched slightly in his chair, then stood, grabbing his coat. he would do a quick run through of the subjects in 12B then head home. The room itself carried a subtle stench, one that clung to your clothes and skin, he had ceased to notice it, but was aware it was here. He had a few sets of clothes that were only worn in the room and showered immediately when he got home, he kept his work clothes separate, the smell would cling to everything. Even his car had begun to pick it up. He would have to get it professional cleaning soon, he didn’t have time to give it the cleaning it would need.
He pushed through the door and had a quick glance around the room, there were no alarms beeping or lights flashing, everything was in order. He strolled around them all, making sure everything was still attached, everything was normal until he reached Subject K, she had moved. He bent down to look at her closely, he would get one of the others to don a suit and move her, he didn’t have the energy, nor the inclination. He stood, then stepped backwards, his foot sinking into something soft, making a squelching noise. Whatever he stood on moved, sending him off balance, he waved his arms wildly, trying to stay upright, before falling forwards, landing on Subject K, his face landing in the oozing puddle she’d become. Using his hands he boosted his body up, retching, fluid covered his face, giving it a sheen, he tried to push himself upright, so his feet could find purchase on the floor, but the goo underneath him kept shifting, undulating slightly. He glanced behind him to see what had tripped him and saw one of the others behind him. That was impossible, it had been attached to wires, tubes, alarms would have sounded. He tried to get up faster, they shouldn’t be able to move, it was impossible. He felt Subject K shift again beneath him, his arms slipped from under him, once more sending him face first into her folds, he turned over, spluttering, trying to get the liquid out of his mouth, it was bitter, acrid. He coughed as some of it entered his lungs, he struggled again to stand but again, failed. Subject K started to writhe, the folds growing and folding over him, pinning him against her. The other subject began to move, slowly, and lurching, sliding over his legs and body before finally covering his head, just before it covered him, he opened his mouth to scream, it joined the screams and moans of the others before being cut off as the liquid flesh oozed into his mouth, forcing itself deep into his throat. His eyes rolled wildly in his head before the subject covered him completely.
First Day at the Office
It was easy enough work really, boring, but easy enough. It was mostly busy work, sort out these files, really it should have taken her only twenty minutes but she dawdled at it and they were thankful. She knew that they wouldn’t have any real work for her to do, at least not yet. She had been just dumped in their laps and they still weren’t entirely sure what to do with her, so she shuffled pages occasionally and looked out the window. They’d given her an office to work from, at least for today, it was all temporary, the person whose name was on the door was away and it seemed as good a place as any to put her. If no one could see her or observe her, they could all pretend she was working hard. She glanced at her watch, almost time for lunch, afterwards, she might tell them she’s done sorting the files, maybe wait for a bit first so they’ll have something ready.
It was such a nice morning, but the day seemed to be dull and grey, dark heavy clouds had rolled in and covered the sky in a thick layer, still, she didn’t mind too much as long as it didn’t rain while she was outside. There were plenty of places she could get to from here without getting too wet, but going home would be a pain. She pushed the thoughts from her mind, after all, it was no use worry about it, either it would rain or it wouldn’t and there was nothing she could do. Her watch beeped the hour and she stood, grabbing her bag and quickly glancing at the table to see if there was anything she needed to bring with her, seeing nothing, she stepped outside the office and went to find Alicia.
Everyone was bent over their desks, working on something obviously important, the entire office was filled with the sound of clacking keyboards, murmuring and the occasional shrill call of a telephone. She moved through the hall, past the large open area, looking for the hallway that lead to Alicia’s office, which was proving to be more difficult than she thought, the place was confusing, everything looked the same. Still, she’d get used to it eventually. She stopped a flushed woman who seemed to be rushing somewhere, “sorry, I’m looking for Alicia’s office?” “Uhh, yeah, sure, it’s right down there, second left, then a right.” “Thanks.” The woman had already rushed passed and didn’t glance back. She followed the directions and found the office, she knocked gently, then after waiting a few seconds with no answer, she turned the knob.
“Sorry to interrupt, I was just wondering if it’s ok that I go on lunch?” “Hm? Oh yes, Jenny wasn’t it? Yes, that’s fine, you can take your time, we’re not that busy today.” A man shouldered passed Jenny and dumped a pile of papers onto Alicia’s desk then scurried away, “Tom, hang on a second” she sighed, he was already gone. “Do you want me to bring you back anything?” “No, that’s fine, enjoy your lunch.” Jenny stepped from the office and closed the door gently behind her. They were swamped and they couldn’t spare anyone to train her at the moment, she officially started yesterday but they asked her to hold off for another day, then forgot to ring her to tell her not to bother coming in until Monday, but by the time she found out, she was already in the office.
The rain seemed to be holding off, though a cold wind had begun to blow, not knowing exactly where she should go, Jenny went left, remembering she had passed some food places along there, she had planned to bring some food with her, but had forgotten in her rush to leave the house. She didn’t want to be late, still, she was on time this morning and though they had no real work for her to do, she hoped they noted her punctuality.
The area seemed to be quite empty, though it should have been full of people milling about, going about their day, especially now at lunchtime, she expected most places to be full, but most of them seemed fairly empty, she wondered if maybe there was something on today, maybe most of the businesses were off or some big deal was happening. She wandered down the road slowly, taking her time, just as Alicia had told her, she wanted to drag lunch out as long as possible. Eventually, she came across a place that looked nice, going inside she was greeted with a pleasant warmth and the tantalising smell of food. Choosing a table near the window, she sat down and glanced at the menu, ordering a coffee when the waitress came over.
In
the end she chose lasagne, after having a lengthy debate with herself
between it and Caesar salad, eventually settling on the lasagne
because it was a cold day out and it had always been a comfort food
for her.
She sipped her coffee while looking outside, half wishing
she had brought a book with her, though she didn’t think she would
need it. She had hoped she would have found someone to go to lunch
with but today had been no day for introductions, everyone giving her
a half-hearted glance to show they were vaguely interested to meet
her before going right back to what they were doing. As the food
arrived, so did the rain, spattering against the window as the first,
hesitant drops began to fall before the clouds unleashed their
torrent. As she ate, the rain seemed to grow steadily worse, the dull
roar filling the small café, Jenny nursed her coffee when she was
done eating, she didn’t want to have to walk back in that, there
were some awnings covering part of the way, but the wind was causing
the rain to fall in a slant, there was nothing she could do unless it
miraculously stopped, though it looked like it was down for the day.
She paid for her food and drink, then stood at the door for a few
moments, trying to drum up the nerve to go outside, the waitress’
looked at her pityingly as she opened the door and dashed outside.
The rain was shockingly cold and almost instantly she was drenched. She had dressed for warm weather and her coat was thin, after running for a few seconds, she gave up and decided to walk, after all, at this rate she couldn’t get any wetter, besides, Alicia might just tell her to go home. She had brought her gym bag with her so she could change into a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt, sure it wouldn’t make the greatest impression but she’d be dry.
The rain had plastered her hair to her skull, her clothes had become slightly translucent and clung to her, drops of water rolled down her face in thin rivulets. She felt alive, walking in the rain, it was refreshing, though cold and she was free to splash in the puddles, something she hadn’t done since she was a girl. Jenny made her way back slowly, enjoying herself, smiling and laughing as she splashed through puddles and held her face up to the rain.
A puff of warm air blew over her as she opened the door, causing her to shiver, now she was out of the rain, she was colder than she had been before, she looked at the reception desks, smiling, expecting some form of rebuke or joke, but instead, there was silence. The desks were all empty, pulled out of her thoughts and reverie, she noticed how silent it was, the phones weren’t ringing, there was no idle chatter. She glanced around to make sure it was the right building, then crossed to the elevators. Maybe they got lunch a little later than everyone, or they were running late.
She stepped inside and looked back across the lobby, there was a puddle where she had entered and a trail of water leading to the lift. She looked down at herself and saw that she was in the middle of a growing wet patch on the carpet. She pressed the button for her floor, glad that the doors were closing, the reception area felt weird, creepy with no one in it. She’d go see Alicia, tell her she was drenched and ask if it was ok to change. She doubted Alicia would say no, but it was better to ask, she didn’t want to get in trouble about the dress code or anything.
Stepping outside the elevator, she paused, then looked around, there was no one here either, the entire area was empty. Turning away from the desks, she went to Alicia’s office, wondering if maybe it was a half day or something, she knocked on the door and opened it slightly, peering in. it was empty too. She opened the door fully and stepped inside to make sure. Confused, she closed the door, maybe Alicia forgot to tell her that everyone was going home early, she was distracted and busy after all. Maybe she left a note for her. She went through the winding hallways and found her temporary office, everything was just as she left it, there was no note or explanation.
She returned to the open offices, looking around her as she went, then, she went to the lifts, after all, no one was here, she might as well go home and ask about it tomorrow. The car park was next door, but there was no direct entrance to it, it served a bunch of the offices in the area. She stepped out of the lift into the lobby and went to the large glass doors. The silence was starting to unnerve her, maybe it was some kind of trick or something? A prank on the new girl but they wouldn’t go to such trouble for something so juvenile, she’d been in the building almost twenty minutes now, surely they wouldn’t stop working for that long. The sound of her high heels bounced off the walls and reverberated around the room, almost like they were following her. She reached for the door and pulled it, expecting it to swing open, it shuddered as she pulled, she stopped, smiled at her stupidity, then pushed. Again, the door didn’t budge. She tried it a few more times, then went to the next one. She tested each and each were locked. She looked around the lobby, the water was gone so maybe the janitor had mopped it quickly and left, locking her in. no matter, it was a pain, sure, but she’d get out quickly, she had the contact number for the employment agency, they’d be able to rouse someone to let her out and, if worst came to worst, she could always ring the police or something, they’d be able to break the locks for her.
She reached into her bag, rummaging through the contents, her search became frantic as she realised the contents of her bag were wet, not just wet, but drenched. She took out her phone and pressed a few buttons. Nothing. It was dead, probably water damage. Well, that was just great. Her waterproof bag wasn’t so waterproof after all. She scowled out the window at the rain, really. It was all the rains fault. If it hadn’t been raining, she wouldn’t have dawdled so much in the café, her phone wouldn’t be dead. She hadn’t memorised the agencies number. She crossed the lobby again, going behind the reception desk, picking up the phone, she wondered who she should ring, there might be a phone book in the draw or on the computer or something. She put the receiver to her ear, expecting to hear a dial tone, there was nothing but silence, she pressed a few buttons, hoping that there would be some noise, something to let her know the phone was still working, but there was nothing. She placed it gently back into its cradle and wondered what she should do. She could always break the window, but how do you explain that?
Maybe they turned off the power to the secretary desks after they closed, she pressed the on button on the computer and there was nothing, she sighed, that must be what it was. She opened the drawer beside her and rummaged through it half heartedly, hoping to find a rolodex or a phone book, something. After a moment, she closed the drawer and sighed, before going to the lifts again, once she was upstairs she could ring someone and just get the hell home. She was cold now and tired and all she wanted was a hot shower before changing into pyjamas and just lazing around for the rest of the day. She decided that she would definitely get takeaway as the lift doors slid over. As she pressed the button, she realised she was all alone in the building. What if the lift stopped? She’d be trapped all night. What if the power went out? There would be nothing she could do, it was only three o clock now, she’d be stuck the rest of the day and all night, in this tiny room. The lift stopped on the fourth floor, cutting off her train of thoughts. The doors slid open and she stepped outside, glancing back at it distrustfully. She’d take the stairs down.
She
picked up the first phone she came across and found it dead too. She
slammed it down in frustration, this was getting ridiculous. Where
the hell was everyone and why the fuck weren’t the phones working.
Jenny tried a few others before marching back to Alicia’s office,
surely her phone would be working. What if someone tried to ring the
company? They couldn’t just turn everything off. There would have
to be at least one working phone for messages. She barged into the
office, the door hitting the wall, she winced. The bang of the door
was the loudest noise she had heard, she turned, hoping to god there
wasn’t a mark in the wall. She didn’t think there was, but it
helped calm her down slightly. She shouldn’t let her emotions get
the better of her, she’d be home soon, looking back and wondering
what the hell had come over her. She picked up the phone on Alicia’s
desk and it too was dead. She put the receiver on the desk and sank
into Alicia’s chair. She jumped slightly as her cold clothes were
pressed against her skin. She groaned, then put her head on the desk,
trying to figure out what the hell she should do. There were
different businesses on the floors, but chances were they all turned
the phones off. The lights were still working so they were on a
different grid. She could always try and find the switch, but she
could be searching for hours. The logical thing to do, or at least,
it seemed to her, was to wait by the door and see if someone was
passing by, she could shout and scream and hammer until they noticed
her and then she could get them to get help and, if no one came along
by 7 or so, well, she’d just have to break the doors down. She was
cold and tired and sure as hell wasn’t going to spend the entire
night trapped in this place. As she had been sitting, the door had
been closing slowly, it thudded lightly against the doorframe and
came to a stop, as Jenny stood, resigned to a long night, she glanced
at the door and froze. There was a smear of blood across the back of
it. She moved closer, carefully, just to make sure it wasn’t paint.
It wasn’t.
She moved the door slightly and the blood gleamed
dully in the light, it was still fresh.
She stepped back, her heart beating wildly, trying to keep herself calm, she took a deep breath and decided there was no way she was waiting, a chair through the doors, then straight to a police station or a building with people, whichever she saw first. There was café’s nearby she could duck into and she’d call the police from there. First things first, she had to get out of the building. She didn’t know where the blood had come from, but maybe there was something going on, terrorists or something. They might have rounded everyone up and brought them to a higher floor. She glanced into the hallway and started to move towards the lifts, then paused. The stairs would be faster, but what if they were waiting there. She was trying to decide which to take when she realised the water had been mopped up. Oh god. They knew she was there. They knew someone else had come into the building and they knew she was on the 4th floor. Why the hell did lifts have to have those little readouts above them. They didn’t help anyone.
Which to choose? They could be waiting on the stairs, but equally, they could stop the lift anywhere between the 4th floor and lobby. She could try hide but they’d probably find her and kill her, just for fun. Shit. Shit. Shit. What the fuck was she supposed to do. She edged back and forth between the two, trying to decide when she heard a thump. Like something falling. She looked around wildly, trying to figure out where it came from, it sounded like it was near her temporary office. What if it was someone who had escaped? What if they were hurt? But what if it was a trap? Could she leave someone there if they were badly injured? They could be dying. After a second, she decided she could. The faster she was out of here, the faster anyone who was injured could get medical attention.
There was another thump, then another. It sounded like something large was moving slowly. She looked down the corridor, toward her temporary office, the door was still closed, whatever was in there was there when she had checked it a few moments ago. She jumped as something touched her shoulder. She whirled around wildly, trying to see everything at once. She was still alone. Her heart beat wildly, the steady drumbeat filling her ears. Stairs it was. They were faster and her veins were coursing with adrenaline, if she met anyone on the way down she could try push passed them or something. If she could just get to the windows, even if she couldn’t break through, if she could throw something against them, someone might see it and call the police. She started towards the stairs, then heard the thump again. The stairs were passed her office. What if whatever was in there came out? She looked around, trying to see if there was a weapon, but there was nothing obvious. She went through the draws at desks and came across a scissors. It wasn’t the greatest weapon but it could stab someone and cause some damage. She now noticed the subtle wrongs in the room. A few drops of blood on desks, an overturned chair, pages on the floor. She wondered if maybe she should try throw a chair through the window, they would get someone’s attention, but whose?
Something touched her shoulder again, she swung wildly with the scissors, her arm sliding through air. Another thump. She looked around the room, trying to figure out where someone could hide. She’d just have to risk going past the office. She’d just have to take it at a run. She moved towards the corridor, trying to be quiet. She froze as maniacal laughter filled the office, echoing off the walls. She tried to figure out where it was coming from, but it seemed to come from everywhere at once. It grew louder before stopping suddenly, mid laugh. There was a slight, childish giggle, then silence.
Oh
god. Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Where were they? What had they done
to everyone?
Someone grabbed her from behind, wrapping their arms
around her, she shrieked and tried to break free, writhing and
wriggling, trying to blindly stab at whatever was behind her. They
pushed her forward, driving her into the wall. Fingers wrapped
through her wet hair before grabbing her scalp and driving her head
forward. Once, twice, three times.
The fingers disappeared from
her hair and the crushing weight was lifted, she was woozy, her mind
sluggish, she turned, swinging the scissors, trying to get the
bastard. She screamed, it tore at her throat, clawing to get out.
Then she stopped just as quickly, the sudden silence jarring and
heavy. There was blood everywhere, all over the walls, the floor, the
desk. Bodies were piled in the corner, some rested against their
desks, slumped over.
She saw footprints in the blood, leading down corridors, they were her footprints. She was covered in blood. Oh god. She’d walked through it, she’d touched it. Her hands were sticky and red. She dropped the scissors, forgetting about it entirely. She stared at the bodies, trying to comprehend them. What had happened? How the hell had she missed them all? What had killed them? It couldn’t have been one person, it couldn’t. she fell backwards, leaning against the wall, trying to breathe, the air thick and heavy with the smell of blood. She breathed deeply, trying to clear her head, the thick stench invading her lungs, she retched, then vomited. She shakily wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then turned and vomited again. Jenny vomited until there was nothing left in her stomach, then dry heaved, long strands of mucous hanging from her mouth. She had to get out of here. She had to get away. They must have knocked her out, then posed the bodies. How long was she unconscious for? She glanced at her watch, it said it was 3.15. That meant she hadn’t blacked out. She watched as the hand moved, it was still working, but it couldn’t be right. She looked down at herself, she was covered in blood, it was everywhere, her clothes, her hair, her skin.
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