Nightmare Fuel: The Ultimate Collection of Short Horror Tales Page 11

  The hail of glass clinked on the floor and hit people to the outer circle of the terrified huddle. The thing slithered through the now windowless square hole. The mighty breeze propelled the tails of its jacket like demonic wings. Each and everyone began screaming. Some wailed on the door beckoning it to open, others crouched down and cried, and a very few questioned running for the pane-less window and launching through it. But the monster seemed unfazed by these actions, focused on one thing: Jason.

  His eyes hadn't stopped glaring at Jason since it was floating outside the window, several floors high. Now, the target being vividly clear, everyone fled Jason as if he had a contagious illness or smelt really bad. It was quite depressing that not one person chose to even attempt to protect Jason. What was even more shocking, was that Jason held a young boy. It would be fair to assume a man could hold his own, but when a child was involved you would think the human race would help save a child. But no, each was as selfish as the last. A disgrace to humanity, as they snivelled and shrivelled into corners. But Jason could kind of understand their feelings. The demon standing there was beyond horrifying. Red flesh, black heinous eyes, and claws that could render anyone fleshless in seconds. The thing took each step carefully, as if Jason was somehow dangerous. It was as if Jason was a lion or wild animal, and the monster was a hunter, being cautious to not provoke an attack.

  “Come here child,” it hissed.

  Then it hit Jason. This otherworldly being wasn't after him at all; it was after the child he held. Jason didn't know what to do. He wanted to protect the boy, but he doubted any efforts would help at all. This creature could kill them both in a heartbeat. Why did he want the boy? That was all Jason could think. In a room full of people of all shapes and sizes, it is the boy that pulls focus. Is it after food? Does it want something innocent and untainted by the sin that all adults are affected with after several years on the planet? Jason could make no sense of this. Then the boy turned to face Jason, and clarity came.

  It wasn't a boy after all, but a miniature demon. The same red skin and black eyes, but no claws just yet.

  “Come to me now!” the demon ordered, gesturing with gigantic claws.

  Jason stared into the eyes of the infant evil, as it opened its mouth with long sharp teeth, looking hungry. This forced Jason to let the young demon fall to the ground as he attempted to flee this freak show. The little monster looked beyond angry at Jason's betrayal. Jason had said everything would be fine and that he would keep the boy safe. How the fuck was I to know it was a tiny terror? Against its will, the evil boy was dragged to the clawed monster, the mighty claws being used as rakes. Given that the boy's real identity had been revealed, there wasn't even any guilty 'I should help, I should do something' looks. Everyone stared in shock and disbelief at this surreal, nightmarish scene unfolding before them. The kid was shouting in a foreign language as it was brought closer to the cloaked demon. The walls were shaking, and other windows that still had glass were cracking. The boy tried to chew through the claws, chowing down on them and gnawing with all the strength it had. But its captor remained unaffected by the attempt. Until the tiny creature was cocooned in claws from both sets of hands of the adult demon. It was caged, and furious. It still thrashed and bit, but nothing helped. Before anyone knew what happened, the kidnapper took its bounty through the window.

  People shot from their corners and various safety points to the window. The two were falling, headed for a painful collision with fatal concrete. But just before they made contact, a hole surfaced, showing amber flames and pools of blood and lava. Unimaginably pained screams echoed from this dent, tortured and helpless souls. The heat could even be felt from such a distance. And the cries made a few cover their ears or back away. But no sooner than the void opened, did it close. Without uttering a word, without moving a single muscle, it hit them what had just happened. The evil little monster had been taken back to hell, it had escaped. But now that everyone knew that was possible, would they ever be able to sleep again? Hell was real, and so were horrifying demons.

  The Traveller

  Thirsty and craving liquid refreshment, Will retrieved a plastic bag from the ice bucket of his basic hotel room and fled into the hall. Dim lights ran along the walls barely lighting the dreary hallway. A janitor was running a vacuum along the sick lime carpet as Will wandered down the seemingly endless corridor. Door after door, wall after wall, and photograph after photograph. Until he came to the end and turned into the small kitchenette where a vending machine and ice machine were located. After a quick fumble in his pocket Will slotted change into the vending machine and let a bottle of iced tea tumble to the bottom. He reached inside and neatly tucked it into his pocket and moved to the ice machine; a small silver box with hand imprints covering every inch. Will choked a black spout with the bag and kneed the release button. Ice gradually filled the bag with small frozen cubes making a loud crushing noise. Until it could hold no more and Will released his knee from the green button. He strolled back down the hall just as the janitor was dragging the vacuum into the elevator with him at the other end of the building. The black man wore blue overalls and was humming along to a song being played through enormous headphones. Will questioned how it was even possible he could have missed them. He continued down the hall and this time paid slightly more attention to the framed photography. Architecture, wildlife, travel, famous people and artistic paintings filled the tacky golden frames. The stretch of lime carpet and nauseating lined wallpaper made Will dizzy. The weak bulbs didn't help, giving the place an undeniably spooky vibe. In a hurry to get back into his hotel room Will hastened his pace. But as he reached the end of the hall the temperature seemed to drop. The stairwell door's glass window was even fogged over. He had gone oblivious to the cold temperature when first leaving his room. He scrutinized how it could have dropped so considerably in a matter of minutes. But Will was attired in nothing more than a baggy white t-shirt and blue shorts, so a sudden drop in any warmth should be easily detected. It was odd.

  Anxious to leave the strange corridor he slid a card into the slot and was met with a green light and a pleasant ding. The door fell open as he rushed inside and loaded ice into the bucket. The silver bucket was placed on a small mahogany table near the patio window, exposing a tiny balcony holding two cheap plastic chairs and a dirty table. The white table outside was covered in rings from coffee mugs and the occasional tea. Which explained why after a weekend of residence, he had yet to venture onto the balcony. Maybe it was the lack of hygiene, or it could be the questionable safety of its strength given the clear rust bronzing the floor and handrail. A searing sunshine broke through the glass and shed light onto the hotel's rooms contents. A small bed, table, desk and more sickening carpet and wallpaper. The interior designer must have been cheap. Each material looked not only inexpensive, but was marked with at least two various types of stains. All furniture was crammed into the small room with barely any breathing space.

  After seconds of debating a venture outside, Will had yet again decided it was safer inside. So he dropped ice into a mucky glass and began pouring the iced tea. Brown liquid grew until the bottle had emptied and the line of fluid was only millimetres from the top of the glass. He delicately lowered into a tiny padded chair and reached for a book at his bedside table; eager to enter a fictional world and leave reality behind. Pages turned as Will was engrossed in the binding, almost neglecting the glass of refreshment he had so badly wanted. So much so he'd risked running into the crazy lady. A woman with white untamed hair, a sun damaged complexion, and plenty of extra fat to go around. If that wasn't appealing enough, the hygiene was possibly worse than that of a homeless man. Sweat, bad breath, and a rotting followed this woman like a shadow. To top off the package, the old lady was intolerably rude with a quick temper and very little patience. Will had used the vending machine only days ago and met this abomination as she stood banging the machine. At first Will had assumed a bottle had got caught whilst being released
from the black shelves holding the drinks. He initially wanted to help the old lady, but that impulse soon faded. After a very abrupt and loud outburst, apparently money had never entered. Haggis, as she had informed, simply wanted to see if she could claim a freebie. After Will had suggested Haggis quit it before hotel staff came, an almighty rage had occurred. Profanities, threats and the occasional speck of spit peppered the rage-fuelled speech. This stranger had warned the fellow guest to 'back off', putting it politely. Otherwise she would 'fuck him up'. Will was painfully shy at most times, but confrontation was right up there with violence. He despised arguments and fights. Given this, he apologised and left the woman to her devices. The wailing had crept well into the early hours. Until men's voices had joined the ruckus, removing Haggis from her post and returning the scary lady to her hotel room. They warned her if she caused the guests any more disturbances they would have to kick her out of the hotel.

  That was the only downside to travelling. Nice neighbours weren't always a guarantee. In fact more often than not Will was cursed with every type of scum imaginable. An abundance of intimidating, selfish and angry individuals seemed to inhabit every hotel he visited. As if they got a newsletter informing them of Will's impending location.

  After a few hours of reading Will eventually grew restless. He was becoming stir crazy, but the hotel was in a remote location, nestled in a huge bulk of green. The nearest gas station in town was miles away. Will usually preferred it that way, but not this time. He craved for a nice town with a homey restaurant. Or a movie theatre showing the latest flicks. Even a bowling alley. Some form of entertainment to help pass the time. But truth be told, relaxation could never be achieved fully. This came from the fact that he was on the lam. Yeah, fleeing the hands of the law. Will wasn't a criminal, but the law enforcement officers practically forced him to testify against a drug lord who was known for taking out folk who ratted on him. Will wasn't eager to be one of them. So after hours of interviews, voice mails from officers and unexpected visits, all pleading him to put this scumbag away, he got the heck out of Dodge. It had only been a few weeks, but it felt like a lifetime. Days that adopted the feeling of years. Always at the back of his mind, worrying that one day, he would be found. Will was unsure if what he was doing was in fact illegal. Was this classified as obstruction of the law? In any case the question of crime hadn't been enough; Will wanted to leave. He never stayed at a hotel longer than a week, always keeping his location temporary in hopes of making it difficult to be found. He wondered if a life on the run was worth it. Avoiding human contact, sulking in the shadows, paying with cash, using a different alias at each hotel, practically becoming a ghost. Even worse, none of his friends or family knew. Will had a good life before being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A well paid marketing manager at an international advertising firm. A loving girlfriend, friends, and amazing family. Not one of them knew. They had tried relentlessly to get in touch through calls and texts, but they all went unanswered. They most likely thought Will was dead or had been kidnapped. Guilt crushed him every single day. Each morning he awoke to the sun shining, and in seconds his existence blurred into focus. A man on the run, nobody aware of the location, remorse choking him. Suddenly Gasping for air, he dared to venture onto the balcony.

  The patio door stuttered open as a bright beaming sun bore down. The rain had faded and wind had ceased. The sun was out in full force, making it hard to breathe. But it was much better than the hotel room. Will tiptoed forward, eventually clinging onto the handrail, feeling the crusty orange rust coating the metal pole. The view may have been void of civilization, but it was undeniably breathtaking. A huge forest of fresh green. Huge, thick trees, mountains reaching for the sky, small lakes being used by fishers, wooden cabins plotted in the terrain, and hikers travelling, exploring nature at its best. Will asked himself if it would be okay to hike. Most use it as a form of solitude, so surely there weren't too many people? The thought aroused excitement. Maybe a lonely life would be tolerable with Mother Nature as a continual companion. Will went back inside, leaving the patio open, and sat in the chair, pondering the thought of becoming a hiker. He weighed up the pros and cons, making a mature decision. This could be a change to find himself again. Endure a walk of passage. Then for the first time in a long while, Will smiled.

  ***

  Days later he was trekking through the wilderness, the air fresh and wind calming. It was liberating. After days of walking it was fortunate he found a small lake. Will was getting a little ripe to say the least. The miniature lake was surrounded by rocks and bulky trees. The sun glimmered off the lake magnificently, like glitter was sprayed onto the surface. The water was so clear that sand could be seen at the bottom, littered with a few pebbles and greens. Will immediately threw off his clothing and left his rucksack near a decent sized boulder and crept in. The cold water felt great, it soothed his sore and achy muscles. Limb by limb he was consumed gladly by the icy liquid. Until he delved underwater to rinse his hair and refresh his face. After a few seconds he bounced back up feeling alive. This was the best he'd felt in a long time, Will even started laughing. But when he stopped laughing, he noticed that someone else still was. An eerie chuckle wisped through the breeze and made Will uncomfortable. He didn't remember seeing anyone. Will twirled in the lake and did a once-over of the surroundings. Trees, ground, blue sky, boulders, rocks, woman – Wait, woman?

  At the other end of the lake was a beautiful red haired lady. She couldn't have been older than twenty. Luscious locks that travelled the length of the back. This girl sat dipping two slim legs into the pool, wearing green trousers. From the waist up she wore nothing but a small bikini, barely containing two large breasts. Will felt a stir in his groin. Which wasn't helped when the young girl noticed his ogling and smiled. She gave a very polite, feminine wave with a quick flick of the wrist. Will smiled back, suddenly aware he was naked. His cock was swinging free in the very clear water, just below his embarrassingly thick pubic mound. He wondered if she could see. But her eyes appeared to stay high with that heavenly smile plastered to her gorgeous face. It was then that this sublime female let the bikini fall onto the boulder she was sat on. Will's mouth dropped uncontrollably. The tiny swim piece fell and exposed two perfect round breasts. Will could see the nipples had hardened. Now he was powerless to stop it, his penis had gone from soft to hard in no time. It throbbed with yearning. Having gone too long without sex he was dying to shove it deep into her. He did feel a pang of guilt at the prospect of cheating on his girlfriend. Hoping she felt the same he waded over. But as Will did this he saw something odd. The trousers she wore were shiny. Which at first didn't alarm him as they could be leather or another glossy fabric. It was the fin at the end that was peculiar. It wasn't a pair of green jeans, it was a huge fin. A mermaid? Have I been alone too long? Will questioned his sanity as he gawked at the angelic beauty. He paused in the water and thought for a second. He questioned if this was dangerous or not. Mermaids were friendly, he thought. He hoped. But it was insane that a creature of fiction was right in front of him, smiling and waving, blessed with extraordinary tits.

  “Hey there stranger,” she said in a gentle voice.

  “Ummmm... hi,” Will responded, not sure how to handle the situation.

  “Could you come and put some lotion on me please?”

  Okay, this has to be a dream. Supermodel mermaids don't just throw themselves at me! Did I really just think that?

  Will was completely befuddled. The mermaid swished the tail as if it was normal to do so, a kind of come on technique. Will had to admit, he was aroused, which was concerning. Did he have some kind of fetish for fish? Then seemingly out of nowhere, came a school of fish. Red, small, all drawn to the large green fin swishing and swoshing in the water. She giggled at the little sea creatures fussing over the fin. Will felt happy. It was an undeniably strange sight, but one that brought joy regardless. Even if it turned out to be a dream, so far it was harmless. So he stood in the l
ake and enjoyed. That was until the mermaid's girly giggles became heinous. From innocent little girl to howling witch. The laugh changed in less than a second. At first mesmerising and captivating, now haunting and unnerving. But shortly after this drastic change in laughs, came another peculiarity. The fish turned simultaneously to face Will. His stomach dropped. Their eyes were glued to the man standing in the middle of the lake, gawking at their queen. They were no longer cute little fishies, but malicious water demons. Until it really dawned on Will what they were: piranhas.

  No longer than the realisation came, did the gang of toothy fish swim in a frenzy to the man they saw as a threat. Even worse, the mermaid didn't look worried or scared, but glad. This seemingly enchanting, otherworldly beauty had set the order to kill the man. When the reality of the situation hit Will, he ran as fast as the water would permit. He frantically waded through the lake, bouncing from foot to foot, swinging arms, crawling at water for more travelling leverage. The only sound that could be heard now was the bubbling of water. The rapid wiggle of small fins caused a thriving mound of bubbles to follow Will, tinged with redness. A hot lava moved closer and closer. But blending in with this noise was the gleeful shrieking of the deceitful mermaid. Along with clapping. The creature sat enjoying the show, applauding the heavily toothed minions. All the while Will struggled to breathe. His limbs were already aching from pushing against the water in an attempt to escape a no doubt excruciatingly painful death at the hand of hundreds of sharp teeth.

  The hungry predators were now only metres from their meal. You could almost feel their eagerness. Their immense desire to chow down. Whereas Will could think of nothing worse. The clump of boulders was getting closer to him, but so were the fish. He pushed and pushed, determined to survive. Will wanted to mangle the stupid bitch to death if he fled the clutches of the piranhas. Until he made contact with a boulder and launched up and out of the water. But not before two of them chomped onto his left foot. It was like a knife slicing through flesh that had been dipped in acid. Will yelped in agony. Which caused the evil mermaid to chuckle. I will kill that bitch! Will was horizontal on the boulder just aside the lake, shaking vigorously. But they clung on for dear life. The hectic shakes did nothing to release their grips. Even worse, the energetic jerking seemed to be digging their teeth further into the flesh. The bundle of fish that still remained in the water were leaping up and reaching for the foot. Each one took it in turns to pounce and reach for the bloody limb that had two of the faction attached. Will heard the splashing as each one fell back into the lake after a worryingly high jump. He clawed from the tip of the boulder, fearing one or more fish may join their friends. The boulder felt smooth against his belly as he lunged onwards, using his hands to bring him closer to land. Will's attempt to flee further did nothing to relent the piranhas. Still jumping, teeth exposed, jaws unhinged. Until he fell from the slab of rock.