Before we begin I'd like to thank each person for their efforts in the threads that inspired the story. So this is kind of an acknowledgments section.

Forgiveness is (not always) Divine - ladyinwaiting - Thank you for your help when I was U2U'ing you about this thread. Awesome work here ladyingwaiting, thank you so much.

Are Ouija Boards Evil? - wonderworld - Thanks for the really scary information on Ouija boards wonderworld!

hollow earth? interesting links - infinite - A most interesting idea infinite and very good links to some pertinent information!

Are mirrors portals to another dimension? - sylvie - One of the coolest ideas I've heard of. This one was good. Thank you sylvie.

ATS Hunts For The Missing Thunderbird Picture - ravenshadow13 - ravenshadow, I believe I know where the picture is!

Well I'm sure I was inspired by some others that don't readily come to mind but these were the ones I was working with. Thank you for the inspiration.




[edit on 21-8-2009 by jackflap]

I live my life like theres no tomorrow. And all Ive got I had to steal. Least I dont need to beg or borrow. Yes Im living at a pace that kills...

Cleat strained his eyes to see further up the road. The car he was driving in had only one headlight, and the high beam feature just didn’t work. There were no street lights here, and he was sure that no one even knew about this forgotten dirt road. Cleat drove carefully, trying to avoid the numerous mud holes and broken tree limbs.

“Are we there yet?” The moron in the passenger seat was talking again. “What the hell is wrong with you? I told you we gotta find the place, didn’t I? Can’t you see me trying to drive, you idiot?” Cleat snapped back. This guy was just too much. Now Cleat wasn’t any kind of a genius or anything but he knew that this guy was just plain dumb. His boss had insisted that Cleat take him to tie up some loose ends on one of his business deals and now Cleat wished he hadn’t made him take him along. That guy just needed to shut up.

Karl didn’t mean to be annoying. He just wanted to get this over with. His boss had taken his picture and told him that he could have it back when he was done. It was important to get his picture back because his Dad had given it to him. His Dad wasn’t around anymore but his Dad’s boss was and that was who he looked to for direction now. His Dad told him that it was the only picture like it in the whole wide world and that he should take extra special care never to lose it. Karl cherished the picture and couldn’t wait to get it back. He was only twelve when his Dad had given it to him.

He remembered back to that time when he was young and his mother told him that he had to do something. It was something that he had to do or he would never amount to anything she had told him. She put him in front of a strange board with letters and numbers on it. There was another piece to it too. It was a kind of heart shaped thing and it had a glass lens in the middle of it. When you put your fingers on it, it would move to certain letters and numbers and spell stuff. You could ask it stuff too. He hated that thing. It would always call him awful names and tell him that he was going to die. It would tell him horrible things about himself that made him ashamed and afraid, but his mother would make him spend hours at that board. Day after day, night after night he would watch the heart shaped thing tell him all about himself and his parents too.

He begged his mother to let him get away from the board but she told him that he couldn’t. “Not until you rise above what they are telling you Karl. Not until you beat that thing. You listen to that board Karl. You listen to it and you think about it. It knows all about you and you had better listen.” She would say. So Karl would cry uncontrollably and listen to the awful stuff that it told him. He didn’t remember how long he had been doing it, but one day his fragile mind had fractured. He had no idea that his mind had split. He remembered nothing of the other personality that had become a part of him, but he did remember finally getting away from that board and that was good enough for him. It was then that his Dad gave him the picture, and told him that he had done well. He needed that picture back, so he really wanted to get this job done.

The body they had dismembered was in the trunk. It took up two large heavy duty contractor bags that were closed tightly with duct tape. There was supposed to be a cabin coming up soon. The cabin was close to a lake and there was supposed to be a wood chipper there. Cleat’s boss had told him that the gas can would be right by the wood chipper. This was all well and good but Cleat started thinking that this cabin didn’t even exist. He hardly thought they were even on a road anymore.

“Hey, Cleat, did you see that?” His moronic partner asked. He was pointing to the vanity mirror on the passenger’s side sun visor. “I can’t see anything you imbecile! I’m trying to drive here, would you just shut up!” Cleat hollered back at the simpleton. Karl slumped down into his seat and began twiddling his thumbs. Karl would try to be quiet now, but he liked mirrors and saw stuff in them sometimes. He tried not to look anymore.

From the corner of his eye, Cleat could see the twit playing with his own fingers sadly. Maybe the dunce finally got the message. Cleat watched the road intently as it snaked between high banks of dirt and trees. It all looked the same to Cleat and he started worrying. What if his boss had sent him to the wrong place? He would have to leave that mess in the trunk wherever he could because he wasn’t about to drive back out of this hell hole with it. He wasn’t even sure he could get back out of this place for that matter. He wondered how many miles they had driven into the woods and worriedly looked at the gas gauge. They still had a quarter of a tank. Cleat hoped it was enough to get them back to a gas station. Why did things always seem to go wrong? He was getting more annoyed by the second and that jackass in the passenger seat was no help at all. Oh, Cleat would give his boss an earful about this.

Where do we go from here...Faith is a fading fear...Life is a waiting room...I hope they don't call me soon

The roadway, if you want to call it that, turned right and Cleat navigated the turn with precision. The single headlight illuminated a run down shack that seemed to appear out of nowhere. This was a good thing. This must be the cabin that his boss had told him about. Cleat pulled the seventy seven Pontiac Bonneville up close to the broken front steps and turned off the ignition. The single headlight dimmed in response to the abrupt loss of power, and then the engine rattled and finally breathed its last. This place seemed suddenly familiar to Karl but he didn’t know why. He just tried to keep quiet.

“Alright, let’s get a look see. Come on.” Cleat was already opening his door as he used his other hand to grab the Maglight on the seat beside him. Karl opened his door and they both went up the precarious steps and pushed the slatted wooden door open. A lone wooden table sat in the middle of the space. The only other obvious feature was a framed elongated mirror mounted on the wall opposite the doorway. It was very dirty. Karl noticed the mirror right away and really wanted to check it out. “I’m gonna go around back and see if the wood chipper is there. Come on.” Cleat turned and began walking around the dilapidated cabin.

In the back of the cabin, about twenty yards away, a lake glimmered in the moonlight. A large yellow structure was visible in front of the lake and Cleat knew that it must be the wood chipper that his boss said would be there. “Alright, it looks like we’re in good shape. Let’s go get the groceries.” They both turned and walked back to the trunk of the car. They each dragged a bag around the shack and positioned them in front of the wood chipper. “Now let me see.” Cleat began circling the machine looking for the gas can. “Do you see a gas can anywhere?” Cleat asked the nit wit. “I don’t see anything. Maybe it’s inside. I’ll go in there and look, ok?” Karl offered. He really just wanted to see that big mirror. This was the first intelligent thing Cleat heard from this character all day. “Sure, here take this, I’ll wait here.” Cleat was pleasantly surprised and he handed him the flashlight.

Karl walked back to the front of the cabin where he went up the stairs. The door was still open and he walked in with the aid of the flashlight. He pointed it to all the corners and didn’t see a thing. The only thing in here was that table and that mirror, there was no gas can. He quickly turned his attention to the mirror and walked slowly toward it. He could see his own reflection more and more as he closed the distance. The mirror was dusty alright, but he could still see himself. It was a beautiful mirror. He could see himself and something else. What was that anyway? Was there something in the cabin that he didn’t see before? He looked harder and began seeing more things. He began seeing things that he remembered all too well. What were those things that seemed so familiar to him? He could almost hear something now. “Skylon, where are you?” It whispered.

Cleat couldn’t believe how peaceful it seemed here. He found himself wishing he could just lie back in the grass and watch the stars, but he did need to get out of here just the same. What was taking that half wit anyway? He hoped he had found the gas can because it sure as hell wasn’t out here. Cleat saw the beam of the flashlight rounding the corner of the cabin now. “Oh, please have the damn gas can you dummy.” Cleat whispered to himself.

The devil appeared like Jesus through the steam in the street. Showin' me a hand I knew even the cops couldn't beat. I felt his hot breath on my neck as I dove into the heat

Skylon walked towards Cleat. He knew exactly what to do. His Dad and the others told him how to take care of business here. He wore a slight smile and couldn’t wait to get started. “Balls! Do I have to go in there and find it?” Cleat said loudly as he realized the dingbat didn’t have the gas can. Skylon stood five feet from Cleat now and waited.

“Well? You didn’t see any gas can or what?” Cleat asked. “No, no gas can. Just the table and the mirror are all that’s in there.” Skylon offered as a matter of fact. There was something different about this guy now. It didn’t sound like the same old wing nut that Cleat had been with all day. It sounded like a different voice altogether actually. Cleat felt a shiver go up his spine.

“Hey, you know what?” Skylon asked. “What?” Cleat asked as he backed into the side of the wood chipper. “This guy had it coming, didn’t he?” Skylon questioned Cleat as he drew his right foot back and kicked one of the bags containing the dismembered remains. It made a soft thud and toppled slowly over. “Yeah, of course. I mean the boss told us. Right?” Cleat answered uncertainly. This was definitely not the same simpleton he had been enduring all day.

“Well, you’re right. He did have it coming and I don’t feel one bit sorry for this hump. You know who I feel sorry for, Bill?” Skylon asked. This set off alarm bells in Cleat’s mind. He didn’t tell him what his real name was. Even his boss didn’t know that. Cleat swallowed hard as thoughts raced in his mind. “Who…who do you feel sorry for?” Cleat asked nervously because he was now more afraid than ever.

“That little girl. You know the one. The girl that was playing in her front yard that day when you took her. Do you remember that?” Skylon was told all about this event. Cleat felt sheer terror. Nobody knew about that. The police had given up looking for her years ago and everyone seemed to just accept the fact that she was gone, and Cleat had managed to convince himself that it really wasn’t his fault. I mean, this was how he was made after all. Cleat hadn’t realized it, but he had begun to wet his pants.

“You know what else? I feel sorry for that little boy you offered a ride to when you were just eighteen. Now that kid, I feel sorry for. How about what you have buried under the crawl space of that house you are in, Bill? Ever feel sorry about that?” Skylon asked nonchalantly as he began to speak louder. “Shall I go on, Bill? Shall I go on about those things that you do when you think you are all alone? How about that silly nickname, Bill? How did you get that name? Shall we discuss these things, Bill?” Skylon asked innocently.

Cleat stood in sheer terror. How did this guy know all this stuff? He looked at Skylon, his mouth open, not being able to say a word. To Cleat, the guy began to take on a different appearance altogether. Cleat was sure that his arms were longer now and he was taller. Suddenly Cleat was aware of all the evil things that he had done in his lifetime and it all came crashing in on him at once. He began to sob like a baby and it made him even more ashamed. He was suddenly at the mercy of this guy and all Cleat wanted was for it to just end. He fell to his knees and began telling Skylon everything that he could never speak about before. It felt good. This guy understood everything Cleat was saying. When he had finished he was still crying uncontrollably.

“Yes, all very awful things. I mean, why would a human being do such things to another human being? I submit to you that you must not be human Bill. That is my conclusion. So why would you cling to this reality if you do not belong? Why continue this masquerade Bill? You really don’t belong here Bill. You belong somewhere else and I can set you free Bill. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ll set you free.” Skylon soothed Bill as the wood chipper began to slowly chug to life and it drowned out the sound of Bill’s sobbing. Cleat heard the wood chipper starting, and to him it sounded wonderful.

Love of two is one. Here but now they're gone. Came the last night of sadness. And it was clear she couldn't go on. Then the door was open and the wind appeared. The candles blew then disappeared. The curtains flew then he appeared...saying don't be afraid. Come on baby...and she had no fear And she ran to him...then they started to fly

“Yes, I know. I know and thank you.” Cleat was still crying uncontrollably. To Cleat, this was the best thing that could’ve happened to him. He finally let someone know what had been deteriorating him from the inside out for all of his life. He felt free now and he was thankful. He was thankful for this all knowing god man to be here with him. This god man knew him. He knew him all too well and he offered Cleat peace. This must be god and he was offering Cleat a chance to escape his self made prison.

“Go ahead and climb in Bill. It’s all you really need to do now. Go ahead, because I am here and I will set you free.” Skylon said in his deep, dark voice. In Skylon’s mind he concentrated on Bill climbing into the wood chipper. He projected these images into Cleat’s mind unrelentingly and Cleat began to realize what he had to do. He could see it as plain as day now. This was his way out and this guy was the only one who understood him. Where had this guy been all of Cleat’s life?

Cleat stood up and faced the intake chute on the wood chipper. He was afraid but he knew it would be alright if he could just listen for once in his life. He prepared himself to just dive in and end it quickly. He composed himself and began to breathe deeply as he visualized how he would get this done.

“No, no Bill. Feet first, and slowly. Can you see now?” Skylon offered as he projected the images into Cleat’s mind ever more forcefully. “I, I can’t…I mean, I will. I will do what you say. I will.” Cleat started crying uncontrollably again. He grabbed the chute with his hands and lifted his left leg into the square chute. He then used his arms and his supported leg to heft his right foot into the chute. He felt as if he was a child again; ready to try the slide for the first time. This was it. Bill would be free soon. He hesitatingly slid his legs down into the chute and immediately felt a wicked burning sensation as the rusted blades chopped mercilessly at his feet and he began to get drawn deeper into the blades a step at a time. Cleat screamed in pain and horror as he twisted his head and strained his eyes and hands towards Skylon. Fresh bone and flesh began splashing on the surface of the lake like hail.

Skylon was in full regalia by now and it was the last thing that Cleat saw before he was consumed by the wood chipper. Skylon unfurled his enormous bat like wings wide and cackled demonically into the night sky. He stopped suddenly and quickly stretched his blackened hand towards Bill as if he was making a last minute decision to save him, then pulled it back again and continued laughing.

Karl stood in front of his boss. It was a bright new day and he would be getting his picture back now. He couldn’t wait. He didn’t remember the events of the night before. He just remembered being back at his motel as the sun began to rise. He knew that the job had been done though. That much he was sure of. Those two bags were put into the wood chipper just like his boss had said. Everything was fine. He often forgot those things that didn’t matter anyway. Details and stuff just weren’t his thing.

“Great job Karl, here’s your picture. Keep it safe now and don’t spill anything on it.” His boss said as he handed the picture to Karl. Karl gazed at the picture. It was amazing.

His dad was in the picture with his boss and some other guys. There was an enormous bird like creature with them. The bird was standing with its wings open and all the guys, including his dad were standing on either side of it. In back of them, the exterior wall of the old cabin he had visited so many times acted as a backdrop. It seemed as though the bird was protecting them all with its massive wings.

He loved this picture and his Dad forbade him to show it to anyone except his boss. He remembered his Dad telling him that they took the picture when they found this great secret underground world. His dad told him that he could find that world too. He told Karl that soon enough, he would find it. His dad told him that the people there were protecting him. Just like the bird was protecting everyone in the picture. Karl couldn’t wait for the day that he would find that place. He tucked the picture into his his front shirt pocket and left happily.

Excellent post my friend Keep it up. Glad you are part of the Crypto Chronicles. Excellent read starred and flagged all the way! Running with the Devil

holy cow dude. Looks like you will be winner of this contest too lol

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I enjoyed your story Jackflap although it scared me. Good Luck to you in this contest. I feel you have a great imagination. Respectfully, Magantice

Good Grief, Jackflap! This story made my blood run cold.
Running with the Devil!

It's..gripping.
..and surprising.

And very, very good. Excellent entry. I'm sure you will do very well in this contest.

Chilled me to the bone my friend. I now have one more reason to avoid wood chippers at all cost, The Devil might show up and talk me into getting inside.

It's a great read and a great story. I hope you do well in the contest.

Just had a chance to read this now Jack...
DAYUM..I mean..DAYUM..
Words fail me..and that's unusual.