Holly admired the quaint little homes just built this year. There was a nip in the air as she skipped without a care. This morning was just like any other and she brought cocoa for all the cuckoos. A special treat for those poor souls spending all day on the streets.

“Good morning Jack. Good morning Billy” Holly’s cheer was sincere.

“Is it good?” Billy and Jack spat back.

“Oh don’t be silly, Billy. Now take a sip and be warm.” They reached out their mugs thankfully.

“Good to see you both again, off to work I go.” Holly skipped into a tall glass building. The title above the door showed Black Licorice Corporation.

“Good morning Mr. Panda. Good morning squishy stress ball.” Holly had always greeted all her favorite things at her desk before getting to work. Holly had a very important job and had to finish her calculation. She was always finished right on time. She never missed a deadline.

But this morning she got an extra greeting from her boss Josh. “Holly, can I see you in my office?”

“Sure thing Josh the Boss, I will be there in a jiffy.” Holly turned to her stuffed animal. “Be good Mr. Panda, I’ll be right back!” The stuffed animal stared blankly back at her as she departed.

Josh’s office was filled with bland browns and grays. He was the newly appointed executive brought in just this year. The latest human from Black Licorice Corporation taking over for the elves. Holly hopped into the chair and gave an extra bounce just for fun.

“Your chairs are not nearly as bouncy as mine, you should get that looked at. I know a guy,” Holly grinned. But Josh stayed serious.

“Holly, we appreciate all your years of service.” Josh leaned back in his chair.

“Aww too sweet, I appreciate your time here too,” she responded, still bouncing.

Josh paused at the comment before continuing.

“As you know, since Black Licorice was brought on, we have made some changes around here. We have made this operation more efficient to ensure we can deliver toys for centuries to come.” Josh paused to study Holly’s face.

She stared back with a cheesy grin. “Great stuff boss!” Holly bounced again on the chair.

“You’re fired, Holly.” With that her bouncing slowed to a stop but her smile remained as she froze.

“But the calculation, no one else can do it. I’ve been doing it for, well, as long as it’s been done.”

“And we do appreciate it. Without all your years of hard work we couldn’t have trained Claus QT 1.0.” Josh rotated his screen to show off the new software.

“Claus….QT 1.0?” Holly peered at the screen.

“Yes, it is our new Large Language Model. It has already done the calculation for this year. In only 10 seconds.”

“10 seconds.” The bell on her hat fell in front of her head as her chin went to her chest.

“Yes … Well, a jiffy as you would say,” Josh let out an uncomfortable chuckle.

“Oh before I forget, here is something for your years of service.” Josh opened the bottom drawer from his desk and pulled out a basket of candy canes.

“There is one for every year you worked here which is…well it’s a lot.”

Holly stared motionless in her chair, her feet dangling from it.

“We’ll need you out by 10 AM and don’t forget your gift.” Josh picked it off his desk and placed it on her lap as the bell on her hat let out a jingle.

Holly left Josh’s office in silence, no singing, no humming, no hellos to Mr. Panda. She packed her things and went go go go. She was out by 10. She never missed a deadline.

Jack and Billy were still on the street, on their tired feet. Holly noticed the scruff on their chins and the red in their eyes. The quaint homes she thought were cute now she could refute. She saw them as they were, as tents and shacks. And that’s the facts.

The cold air bit at her face. The snow no longer danced and swayed in the wind but rained like spears. She squinted and wiped away tears. In her dismay she didn’t notice a tiny hand slip a tiny note to Mr. Panda in her box of belongings.

Holly entered her home as the snow chased her in and howled. She slammed the door and then finally calm, the wind was no more.

She took out a shot glass for cocoa and threw back 2 pours. Then she noticed the basket of candy canes. She ripped it from the box and chucked it to the wall.

“Nutcracker!!!” she screamed. How was she going to pay for her cottage, she had 200 years left on her 500 year mortgage.

“This is just like the 3D printers and drones in the workshop.” She began to ponder and wonder what to do. Her whole life she had been the smartest elf. She had clout, the only one that could come up with the most efficient route. A route that allowed Santa to make it to all the boys and girls in just one night.

Was she to go South to the human world? Elves haven’t gotten a good job there since the Wizard of Oz filmed. Her fears were growing just as a tiny white card was showing. It had fallen from the box and she picked it up.

Have you been replaced? Unemployed? Looking for some Ho-Ho Hope?
The Resistance Tonight at 7pm behind the Reindeer Stables

Password: 1 Fa 8 La’s

Later that night Holly was in fraught. I’ll just walk by the stable she thought. She rounded the stables but saw no elves or doors but then a voice came from the floor.

“The password please.”

“Oh Jingle my Bells! You scared me!” Holly noticed a pair of eyes peeking between the wooden door covered in snow. “Hi, down there.”

“The password please.”

“Of course! Fa la la la la la la la la” Holly sang.

The door opened to Jack and Billy.

“Holly! You made it!”

The two elves grabbed Holly and guided her down the creaky wooden stairs. It opened into a giant room. The original workshop hadn’t been used in hundreds of years and was filled with dust, cobwebs, and the smell of mothballs. The room was filled with elves. Some were huddling for warmth but most were sorting through old toys for spare parts.

“Welcome to the resistance, Holly. We have been waiting for you.” Holly turned to see Hugo.

Hugo was a legend. He used to be the head toymaker. He was responsible for Wind Up Wendell, My Lil Buddy, and Gizmo the robot dog. All hits!

“Hugo? I thought you were in the Bahamas?” Holly was in awe. She had met him briefly a few years ago. But Hugo was always working in solitude on his next creation so was rarely seen by anyone even when he was at the North Pole.

“I go where I’m needed and we need to save the North Pole. You’re our final piece Holly. With your brain and my ability to build. We can take back the North Pole for elves!” Hugo smiled as the room around them cheered!

“Wait, hold on, what are you trying to do exactly?” Holly laughed uncomfortably.

“We get our jobs back, we become our own bosses. No one knows toys better than Elves!”. A larger crowd was gathering around them.

“Not Santa, not the humans from Black Licorice! Only Elves can truly make Christmas happen! And that’s why we are going to take back Christmas!” Hugo’s eyes were wide and he laughed long and hard as the crowd began to chant.

TAKE BACK CHRISTMAS! TAKE BACK CHRISTMAS!

Holly pulled Hugo to the side. “I know Santa. I think we just need to talk to Santa.”

“Santa let this happen, Holly.” Hugo returned the volume so the crowd could hear. “Look around you, all the efficiencies of Black Licorice Corp? And where is Santa? He is at one of his several houses in Hawaii.”

“It’s true, Holly.” Holly turned to see the worn faces of Jack and Billy. She thought of all those days walking to work. How clueless and selfish she was to not see the struggles. This was her time to make up for it.

“Ok, Hugo, What can I do?”

The next few weeks Holly returned to The Resistance and strategized with Hugo. He had altered his robot dogs into robot fighting dogs. Wind Up Wendell now had built in tasers. It was part of what he called the Yule Enhanced Toy Initiative.

The night was December 24th. It was the only night Santa was guaranteed to be in the North Pole. He would take off from the runway just on the east side of the Corporate Tower where Holly used to work. Mission control was on the top floor and it’s where Santa and Josh the Boss would be before take off.

“Agent X has reported that Big Red has entered the Nakatomi Plaza.” An elf reported to Holly and Hugo.

“Do we really need code names for everything?” Holly asked.

“Yes, Agent Mistle Nope, the answer is yes.” Hugo insisted and moved back into action.

“Ok that is our sign. Commence with Operation Front Door Flurry!” Hugo ordered and started the siege on Black Licorice and the start of getting the North Pole back.

The sounds of faint drums and the creaking of turning gears filled a quiet street. A row of toy soldiers led an army of fighting robot dogs heading straight for Black Licorice tower.

The army of toys pulled the security guards out of the building just as Holly planned and she led a team of elves to the side door.

“Dammit it’s locked. Hugo said Agent Ex would be here!”

Just then the door swung open to a waiting Mrs Claus.

“C’mon, get in.”

“Mrs. Claus? You’re Agent Ex?” Holly was in shock.

“No one leaves me for some big booty Latina reporter and gets away with it.” She led the group to the cargo elevator.

“You go to the top and I’m going to cover you guys from the security room.” Mrs. Claus said as the elevator doors closed.

The beeping announcing the floors grew faster as they approached the top floor. Holly turned to her team. “Ok wind up your Wendells! When we reach the top, unleash your Wendells! Show no mercy, we subdue everyone and delay takeoff. No toys leave until they meet our demands.”

“Copy that Agent Mistle Nope!” Holly’s team of 10 elves yelled back as she cringed at the new nickname.

Embracing the last moments of silence, Holly opened her backpack and started winding up all the Wendells with their newly attached tasers and wheels. Then she took Mr. Panda from the bottom of her bag. “Ok Mr. Panda, Here we go!” She gave him a hug before tucking him in her vest so he could see all the action.

The final ding of the elevator and the doors slowly opened to the control room for Santa’s big flight. There was a brief silence as the men in the control room turned to an empty elevator.

Holly’s voice broke the silence. “UNLEASH FLURRY!” The Wind Up Wendell’s buzzed out zooming in all directions and targeting anything that moved. The suited men were perplexed until the first one was tased and fell to the floor. Then panic set in as the men ran in all directions. Some were able to kick the Wendells but then were quickly tackled by Holly’s team of feral elves.

Holly walked through the scene of flying toy parts, fearful suited humans and biting elves. Her eyes were focused on the control panel. Mr. Panda stayed focused on it as well as they walked confidently towards it. She was going to short circuit it and Santa wouldn’t be able to fly blind with his fancy new self driving sleigh.

She took the spare taser from her pocket and raised it above her head and said the line that she had practiced all night in the mirror. “Christmas for people, not for profit!”

She felt a tight grip around her wrist and dropped the taser as she was lifted as her feet dangled. She slowly twisted and her vision panned showing the elves were now pinned to the ground by Black Licorice security. Her view finally settled and she was face to face with Josh the Boss.

“Holly, How could you do this? Think of the children! And we gave you such a nice gift basket.” Josh let her dangle as his face hardened with disappointment.

“The children? You start making the presents before they even ask. You have them programmed! You don’t care about children and you don’t care about Elves!” Holly spat back.

“They still have that same feeling on Christmas day. They get exactly what they want, what does it matter why they want it?” Josh looked as Holly’s eyes started to water.

“Oh no, you’re further gone than I thought. Used up all the humanity you got. You’re colder than Jack Frost.” Holly rhymed back at him.

“Ugh that rhyming was always so annoying. Let me give you a rhyme, Holly. You are too late — it’s fate. And Santa gets to deliver all those new phones with screens to all those pre-teens in a flash, so our shareholders make mountains of cash.” Josh spun Holly around as she could now see Santa getting into his sleigh on the runway below.

“You’re wrong Josh, because unlike you. I have friends.” Just then a call came in on the control panel.

“Help! The workshop has been attacked! It’s a monster! Send help!” Screams came through the speaker before cutting out.

“Are you sure Josh the Boss? Are you sure that Santa has the right cargo?” Holly let out a smirk.

Josh threw Holly to the ground and she and Mr Panda went tumbling as he called from the control panel.

“Ground control for Santa! Ground control to Santa!”

“Ho ho ho this is a go go go for Kris Kringle.” Santa’s voice came over the speaker.

“Check the bags!” Josh yelled and there was a long pause.

“It’s filled with candy canes. There is nothing but candy canes.” Santa’s voice cut back in confusion.

“One for every year of service.” Holly was getting to her feet and stood in defiance.

“You fools are going to cost us Billions! Christmas is bigger than kids. Christmas is bigger than elves. It’s a multi billion dollar business!” Josh was turning maniacal and stomping towards Holly. In his rage he didn’t hear the elevator open.

Josh didn’t realize who else was in the room but Holly saw and it gave her confidence. As she delivered another jab at Josh. “You really think you stand a chance against us, Mr. Cowboy?”

Josh paused in confusion before raising his shoe to stomp Holly.

“That’s enough!” There was silence in the room as Josh turned to see Mrs. Claus. She walked to the control panel.

“Ground Control for Santa” she talked into the speaker.

“Go go go for Kris.”

“Kris, it’s Carol, sweetie. I want a divorce and you don’t have a prenup. Merry Christmas. Enjoy your Ho Ho Ho.”

Josh was making a bee line for the elevator. “All of you are so done. You all are done for. I am calling for backup. The rest of our security detail will be here in moments and they can handle a few elves with tasers!”

He was furiously calling the elevator, slamming on the button.

“It’s not just elves.” Holly was picking up Mr Panda and put him back in her vest for a view of the action. “We have a Yeti.”

“You are talking foolish, what the hell is a Yeti.” The elevator dinged and Josh was met with a wall of white fur.

“Yule Enhanced Toy Initiative’s proudest creation!” Hugo followed the Yeti into the room as it grabbed and lifted Josh with a roar. The rest of the Black Licorice employees freed the elves and surrendered in fear of the 9 foot monster.

That night the kids did get presents. Holly made sure of that because the last part of her plan depended on her top two agents. Jack and Billy convinced Rudolph out of retirement and were delivering proper handmade toys just like the old days.

Some say it was the magic of the elves that let them take back Christmas but the truth is the Elves don’t have magic. But if you work hard enough sometimes things can seem like magic and no one works harder than elves.

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

Paul

It was just a few beers. My wife and I were driving back from a friend’s cookout. I thought I was clear to make that left turn. The same left turn I had made countless times before. But I didn’t see the blue pickup. I lost my wife that day and my son has never forgiven me.

I was one hundred days sober and just crawled out of the well of sorrow in time for my son’s final year of high school hockey. I begged my son to have me drive him to his games. It was a tradition but more than that, I just missed him. I finally got him to cave in and let me drive him.

“There is no way you aren’t first seed in the tournament after that performance!” I was beaming with pride driving back from the game. We would always review the game on the ride home.

“You have already lived up to your name but adding a championship to Rosseau will be the icing on the cake before you head to U of M.” I named my son Neal, after the great Stanley Cup winner, Neal Broten.

“There is only one trophy I want to take to U of M and she is on my lap.” My son hugged his girlfriend Kate.

“Ok I see we got a killer on the ice and a Romeo off?” I said to the rearview mirror. My son was lucky, Kate was a sweet girl. She was good for him. I was worried about him after his mother passed but her parents have really taken him in.

“A cringey Romeo,” Kate laughed. There was a break in the conversation before Kate chimed back in.

“About Minnesota, I want to talk to you about it.”

“Yeah, what is it?” Neal replied.

“Well I have a little announcement. I got into NYU.” I saw the smile melt from Neal’s face and the silence got thick for the rest of the ride home.

Kate

“You knew that this was a possibility. Why are you pretending like I blindsided you?” I spat back at him.

“Minnesota has acting classes too. I would just like a little support from my girlfriend.” He was so blinded, like hockey was the only thing in this world.

“It’s Tisch babe, this is a huge opportunity. We can visit each other.”

“I am a top 25 ranked player in the nation. You know how rare that is?” He was trying to stay calm while pointing out his selfish logic. “Just one good year at Minnesota and I will be in the NHL. That means money, lots of money, and you can transfer to NYU then.”

“And what makes your dream more important than mine?” I hoped the realization made him pull back but he doubled down.

“I’m already ranked, I could get drafted today if I wanted. What are the odds of you being a successful actor?”

I was in shock. I can’t believe he would say that to me. That’s it, his dream will always be first, without any compromise.

“I’m leaving. You can think about what you just said, alone.” I grabbed my coat and stormed out.

“Kate, I didn’t mean it like that.’ I heard him say but I was already out the door.

I didn’t expect to be driving back home tonight so late. Why did he have to be so unreasonable?

It is so dark out, the clouds moved over the moon swallowing it whole. My headlights were making the trees dance when I heard a

Thump…. Thump…. Thump

My wheel tried to pull me off the road.

“God Dammit, a flat!” I pulled my car to the side of the road. I was not about to call Neal. I can take care of myself just fine.

I cut the engine. The whistling wind grew loud without the rumble of my car. The road was empty and the air was biting at me when I opened my door. I grabbed the donut from the trunk as the cold night wind sliced through my jacket. I took a look around the empty road and the woods in the distance. Could I have had a worse night for this to happen?

“Help,” a faint voice carried from the tree line.

My ears perked and my body tensed. I strained my eyes towards the woods. I could only see the shadows of the trees. Was that a kid?

“Hello?” I yelled into the tangled branches.

“Help!” The voice was louder and clearer this time. It was little boy.

I took a step off the road and into the field. The dry frozen grass crunched under my feet.

“Are you okay?” I yelled again.

“My foot is stuck!”

I crunched my steps closer towards the trees leaving the light of my car behind. I felt for my phone. My hands were getting stiff from the cold as I turned on the flashlight. It gave me about 5 feet of light but was quickly swallowed by the darkness. I pushed closer to the trees.

I could feel the tension in my body rising and I reached again for more reassurance.

“Where are you?” I yelled.

“Straight ahead, you are almost there.” the voice replied.

I took a look back at my car, then moved forward again. I let the trees close around me as I entered into the woods.

My God there is a kid. I saw him struggling with his back towards me. His foot does look stuck on something.

“How the heck are you out here kid?” I let myself relax as I moved to help him.

He turned his head showing his milky white eyes. The trees stood still and the wind stopped. I couldn’t feel or hear anymore. I could only see those milky white eyes.

He stood and turned fully towards me. I was paralyzed as he began to transform. My head only tilted as he gained height, my eyes locked with his.

Fucking Move, I yelled at myself but nothing came out.

His skin grayed like ash and his teeth grew narrow and sharp. The hair of the boy shed fell to the floor of the woods. His jaw unhinged as a high-pitched scream deafened me.

I felt my skin sweat even in the cold air, as it came closer. I could feel it’s hot breath as fear consumed me.

A click, a bang and flash of light came from behind me. The creature’s gaze let go of me and it scrambled as I fell to the ground.

“Are you ok, girl?” A man with a shotgun stood over me before the world went black.

Neal

My phone startled me awake, buzzing on my nightstand. It was still dark out and the wind beat against the glass of my window.

“Hello”

“Neal, sorry to wake you. It’s Kate, she’s in the hospital,” Kate’s mother was holding back the tears but saying it out loud surrendered her to sobbing for a moment.

I was in shock but managed to get out. “Ok, I’ll be there,” before hanging up the phone.

My God I was so mean to her. I hurried out of bed and got dressed. By the time I left my room, my father was making his morning coffee.

“Whoa look who’s up,” my father turned to me but grew serious as the panic must have shown on my face.

“Kate’s in the hospital, I’m heading there now.” I was throwing on my coat at the door.

“Hold on, I can drive you.” My father put the coffee pot back and tried to match my urgency.

My father’s craving for connection was disgusting. He was really looking at this as another opportunity to bond.

“No I got it,” I said before slamming the door and hustling to my car. I passed my father’s Ford Bronco on the way out. I hated riding in it. He bought the same model and color that he drove the night my mother died. The night he let my mother die.

The drive to the hospital took forever and no time at all. I hurried through the bright lights of the hospital halls and into a dim room of beeping machines, where her parents hovered over her motionless body.

I stood in the doorway frozen at the scene. Her mother looked up and embraced me.

“We are going to get some coffee honey. Take some time with her.” She touched my arm trying to calm me but it only pushed me to the realization of how serious this must be.

Kate looks so peaceful but the room separated itself from this world. It felt like it was teetering on the edge of this realm. Almost to make it easier to transcend into the next. I grabbed her hand as I sat beside her and cried into it.

“I’m so sorry Kate. I’m so sorry, I was a jerk. You are mine and I am yours, no matter the distance. I promise to never dim your light in my shadow. I just need you to wake up baby.”

Paul

I kept my time at the hospital short. I learned not to push my presence with my son. I will always be there for him. He’s all I got and I love him unconditionally always.

I was driving back from the hospital now. This was the same road where they found Kate. It was reported someone was standing over her, someone had taken her into the woods. I peered at the treeline looking for any life on my way home.

But my mind kept taking me back to Neal’s face. He had tears in his eyes. It reminded me of the last time I saw him cry. That time his mother was in a bed just like that. My wife didn’t wake up but I feared for him if Kate didn’t come out of this. If she didn’t pull through, I might lose my son for good.

I entered the house and threw my keys on the table. My nerves were tense and I knew I couldn’t sleep. I grabbed for my coffee pot, caffeine was the only vice I would allow myself. I poured a cup and walked to the sliding door that led to our back patio. We had a large backyard that sat against the same stretch of woods that Kate was found in.

I opened the curtains to meet my reflection in the blackness of the night. I felt as if something or someone may be out there. Watching. I turned off all the lights and sat in the darkness with it or them. I kept my eyes fixated, stretched across our yard and to the trees as I slowly twirled the warm coffee mug in my hands.

The light above me flashed on. “Jesus! What are you doing sitting in the dark?” Neal sounded startled, tired, and agitated all at once.

“Sorry I just couldn’t sleep. How is she?”

“She is exactly the same as when you left, she hasn’t moved a muscle. I just came back to get some things and I’m going to go back in.” Neal didn’t stay for any more conversation and retreated to his bedroom, leaving me twirling my coffee alone.

Neal

I grabbed my clothes and shoved them in a bag. I took a look at the picture of me and Kate on my nightstand before packing it as well. I didn’t want to take long. The doctor said she could wake up at any moment but there was no way to know. I was going to make sure I was there. I needed her to see my face and for a chance to plead my case, tell her how much I love her.

I bolted past my Dad with my packed bag and was out the door. What the hell is he doing sitting with the lights off again. I didn’t have time to think of his grief or whatever self loathing he was entertaining. It was selfish of him to be like that.

I threw my bag in and slammed the trunk of my car shut. The cold air fought my every step as I reached for the cold handle of my car door. Just then I heard the gravel of our driveway crunch and then a wave of footsteps run across the driveway and around the house.

“What the hell?” I yelled out loud. Was that a deer or a dog or something?

I looked at the corner of our home to see if something would run back this way. I paused and held my breath to better listen…. Nothing. I swung open my car door.

“Neal!”

Paul

I decided to give Kate’s mother a call. We didn’t have much time to talk and I thought maybe I could drop off some food for them in the morning. I continued to stare out into the dark night of my backyard as I heard her pick up the phone.

“Hey, It’s Paul”

“Hey” she sounded exhausted.

“Are you still at the hospital?” I looked down to play with my coffee before returning my attention to the tree line.

There was an outline of someone walking towards the woods.

“Neal?” I got up and peered closer.

I slid the door open and heard my son’s voice.

“Kate! I’m coming!” Neal yelled into the darkness.

“…the doctor says she’s doing well. I’m just happy she is not in any pain.” I heard Kate’s mother on the end of the phone.

“Kate is still at the hospital?” I asked urgently into the phone.

“Well of course, I’m not leaving her.”

My mind raced and I knew something was not right as Neal started running towards the trees. I dropped the phone and went to grab my coat. My eyes spotted Neal’s hockey stick and I grabbed it.

By the time I made it outside I couldn’t see him anymore.

“Neal!” my heart raced as I gripped the stick and sprinted towards the woods. The steam of my breath chugged like a steam engine as I raced to catch up.

I stopped when I passed into the woods to let the crunch of leaves and branches pause. I waited to see if I could hear which direction to go.

I heard the muffled sounds of my son’s voice and I sprinted to it. As I got closer I could tell he was speaking to Kate. Now I could see the silhouette of him approaching her. She was just standing there.

“Neal, that is not Kate!” I yelled.

Neal turned to me and the shadowy figure turned to Neal. I saw its eyes looking at my son. The lifeless, milky-white eyes fixated on my boy. Its jaw unhinged.

I was now sprinting at them. Neal turned back to see the monster and fell backwards as it lunged on top of him. The high-pitched scream rang through the dark night.

I took the hockey stick above my head and brought it down like a hammer across the back of the shrieking demon. The stick snapped into two as the head of the creature spun around to me. The scream got louder. It pierced through my ears and into the deepest folds of my brain. The pain from the sound froze me as the monster got on its back feet and towered over me.

“You can’t have him!” I screamed at it.

It grabbed my neck and lifted me, pulling me to its face. I closed my eyes refusing to look into its haunting gaze. The power of it was impossible and I felt like a ragdoll. I hope Neal is running away from here. I am so sorry, I can’t give him more time. This is going to be the last moments of my life. I thought of my wife and her smile.

The shriek of the monster cut short and I felt its grip lessen. I fell to the ground and it fell to all fours. I saw Neal standing over it. The two ends of the hockey stick were protruding from its back.

The breath of the creature was fading as I got to my feet. It was sucking for more oxygen before it let out a final wheeze and fell lifeless to the ground. I looked for Neal and gave him a hug and he even hugged me back.

“I thought it was Kate, Dad.”

“I know. I know.” I saw fear and relief all in my son’s face. But then his eyes started fading into a cloud of white.

“Dad?” His face melted into confusion and pain.

“Dad what’s happening?” His body went weak and surrendered in my arms.

“Stay with me Neal. I’m right here, stay with me.” His eyes went white and his teeth began to sharpen. His body started convulsing and grew more violent. I could no longer hold onto him. I let the ground have him for a moment and backed up.

I stood watching helplessly as he transformed. His hair shed from his head and his skin was turning gray. He postured like a wolf on the ground and ripped from his clothes.

“No, don’t take him! Don’t take my son!”

He was turning into whatever that creature was and that familiar haunting shriek pierced the air. I covered my ears but the sound made me fold over. I waited for it to just have me. I don’t want to live if my son is gone.

I braced and waited again for death. But then the screaming faded into the distance. I opened my eyes to find myself alone.

The next few weeks involved a lot of police questioning and lawyers. I am suspected of the murder of my son. No one believes my story and I am content to let myself rot in jail for the moment. I only have one focus in life now. I am going to learn what it is. I am going to find it. And I am going to get my son back.

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

If you haven’t read Part 1 or Part 2. Check them out first!

Chapter 9: Aspen

Jeanie was merciless and I had to let go completely to keep up with her. I let my demon fight her’s as we rolled out into the desert night. I was getting exhausted from the fight quickly. She was much stronger than me.

“Rick, that’s enough get out of there!” I heard Maria faintly scream from across the street. They hadn’t seen us.

Just then Jeanie landed an elbow to my face. It was hardest hit yet and it knocked me out of the entanglement and face down on the ground. I was seeing stars as she stalked me crawling away. I reached back with my arm to keep distance. She grabbed it and her other arm came down like a mallet as I heard my bone snap. I shrieked!

“The bitch is over here!” Jeanie screamed across the street and I saw Maria look over as I continued to crawl. Jeanie caught up with me easily and pressed her knee into my back, pinning me to the ground. She grabbed my chin and pulled. My head felt like it was going to be torn off.

Chapter 10: Seth

With the fire in the bar going, I followed Bert outside. “Come on kid, you’re riding with me,” he said on the way out.

When I exited the club, I saw Jeanie had the upper hand. She was on Aspen’s back and pulling. I had to help her somehow.

Aspen let out a piercing scream of anguish as if her soul were about to be ripped from her.

Russy blew past me in a sprint and lunged for Jeanie’s neck. Jeanie let out a scream replacing Aspen’s. She rolled off with the dog attached to her neck. Aspen fell to the ground coughing.

“Jeanie!” Maria yelled. I looked over and saw her across the street. We locked eyes. I didn’t see a seductress any longer but I saw rage in her. I saw a killer.

I sprinted to help Aspen while Jeanie was still fighting with Russy. Maria was now sprinting towards Jeanie.

“We need to lock ourselves below, get to the office!” Aspen yelled wincing in pain as I helped her up. We sprinted together back to the burning bar.

I heard a whimper. I looked back to see Russy thrown from Jeanie. Maria had caught up and checked on Jeanie for a moment before they disappeared. A red pickup truck replaced the pair of women. Bert’s truck bucked as it crossed over Jeanie’s body and Maria was thrown flying.

I turned back to the bar. I started to see the faintest hint of the sun peeking over the horizon.

Chapter 11: Aspen

The pain in my arm and neck was making me move slowly but I knew I just needed to make it to that door. Then this would all be over. The fire was spreading quickly in the bar and smoke replaced the perfume and dust in the air.

We made our way through the flames and to the steel door in the back. “A hammer, there is a toolbox below the bar. We need to break the lock!” I yelled at Seth.

“I got it!” Seth returned quickly and started beating the lock as I waited to close the door.

“Well aren’t you two a pair.” Seth stopped beating the lock as I saw Rick appear from the hallway.

“Seth get in here! Now!” I screamed at him as he turned to face Rick.

Seth’s back blocked my view and I saw the hammer gripped by his waist.

“You know you won’t be able to get that door shut” Rick said calmly. “You think you can stop me in your tightie whities, boy?”

“Close the door Aspen!” Seth yelled keeping his eyes on Rick.

“What are you doing?” I yelled. I began to close the door but was leaving it cracked above, waiting for him.

He looked back. “I already told you, I have no idea what I’m doing.” He smiled.

An instant later he was folded over, tackled by Rick. They both fell beside the open door. Rick was on top of Seth and he reached over and snatched my wrist. He started pulling me to him.

I couldn’t believe the raw strength of the beast. I tried using my fangs to loosen his grip.

He winced but instead dug my fangs deeper into his hand. He pulling me now by my jaw. I tried to pull away but feared my jaw would rip off. I was slowly getting pulled out from the safety of the bunker.

Rick grunted in pain and let me free. I fell backwards down the stairs and the door slammed shut above me.

Chapter 12: Seth

Rick’s tackle made the hammer fall from my hand. I was on my back and disoriented but was feeling around for it while he was on top of me.

I saw he was pulling Aspen and her head was now outside the door. I felt the leather around the cold steel of the hammer and gripped it.

Rick’s outstretched arm gave me a target. I took a swing and pierced the claw of the hammer into his forearm. He let out a deep groan as the door slammed. I slid away from him as the beast of a man turned to me. He stood over me and I continued backwards away from him. The heat of flames on the wall made me run out of floor quickly and I was trapped.

“You little roach,” the claw of the hammer still stuck in his arm. He lunged at me and grabbed me by my neck. Without effort, he lifted me as my feet dangled. I beat at his arm but it was pointless.

Chapter 13: Aspen

I fell backwards and heard the door slam. I took a moment to check that my jaw was still attached before returning to the door. Seth was such a selfish idiot, we both should be down here.

I climbed back to the door and opened it. It was a horrible sight to see Seth dangling from Rick’s grasp. Rick saw me and smiled.

“Don’t!” I screamed.

Rick pulled Seth’s head from his body in one quick motion. Blood dripped from his open neck as his body fell to the floor.

The room rang and I had a tunnel of dark replace my vision. Rick dropped the head and turned to me. I was motionless in shock from the gruesome beheading. Move Aspen, move your fucking body I thought. Thankfully Rick always had a way with words and he snapped me out of it.

“You really want to claim more heads today, sweetie?” Rick looked at me.

Sweetie, I hated to hear it again. It was enough to snap me back to reality and I looked him in the eye.

“Yes darling, I think I do.” His eyes widened and he sprinted for the door. The crackling of the flames were replaced by the cold silence of the bunker as the door slammed.

Burn you bastard.

Chapter 14: Aspen

The next evening I opened the bunker door to take in the aftermath. There was burned wood and black ash sliding off the door as I opened it. I stepped from the bunker into a puddle. The fire department must have been here and there was caution tape lining the scene. I stepped out of the rubble that was once the Gentleman’s club and into the empty desert. I saw no signs of Rick, Maria, or Jeanie. I was greeted by the sound of whistling air.

About a mile or so up the road, I saw lights. I cautiously approached them. As I got closer, I could see it was Bert’s truck preparing to get towed.

“Excuse me,” I yelled against the lights to the shadowy figure.

“Damn miss! You scared the shit out of me, where did you come from?”

“The owner of this truck, where is he?”

“Well from what I heard, they found his body on one side of the road and his head on the other.” Tears welled in my eyes. Dammit Bert I am so sorry. He didn’t make it.

I stood there speechless staring into the headlights.

“Apparently there was another body in the building over there just like it. Well, what used to be a building.” He changed his tone, “Miss are you OK? Can I give you a ride somewhere?”

“No, I don’t need a ride. I’m sorry to bother you.” I wiped the tears from my eyes.

“It’s really no trouble, let me help you.” The tow truck driver began to approach me.

“Leave me alone!” I let my demon out and the man stumbled back and started his truck before driving off.

I fell to my knees and cried as the engine of his truck was replaced by the silence of the desert night.

I could smell blood in the air but who’s? I was scared to follow it but this was my aftermath. And I was going to take face all of it. Seth and Bert will be scars on me forever now.

“Russy, oh my God you are such a good boy.” I found the dog about 20 yards from the road. He was laying on his side with each breath being a struggle.

“It’s ok. It’s ok.” I put my hands on him softly and grabbed a paw. The look in his eyes was the gut wrenching.

Whatever energy was left in my body was pushed out of me in tears. I had caused enough death and I owed this to Bert. I felt my arm, it was healed from the night before when Jeanie broke it.

“You saved me boy, and now it’s your turn.”

I let my demon take over. It was only a few minutes and Russy’s breathing normalized as his fangs grew. The pain and panic in his eyes disappeared. Russy slowly got to all fours and stood healthy and strong. That’s when I cuddled and cried with the world’s first vampire dog.

Chapter 15: Aspen

It’s funny they found Rick’s Will in the bunker and he left the property and land to me. Well at least that’s the way I wrote it and in this small desert town no one questioned it.

I have managed to get things rebuilt. The new bar is “Hope’s Haven”, after my grandma who wouldn’t believe seeing her name in neon lights. Turns out there are other ones just like me, looking for a better way to survive. And that is what we do here, Hope just isn’t a name, it’s a signal that any vampire that wants to live without killing can come here.

The bar was a bustling place now. It turns out Rick had a bad reputation so now that he is gone, this place has become a destination for live music and cheap beer. And guess what? I get to sing every night. We even do good for the community, we have a blood drive every month.

Russy and I have been best friends ever since. Although, I had to stop letting him wander so much. He has developed a taste for the farmer’s goats a few miles down the road. They even wrote about him in the paper, they call him ‘Chupacabra’. There is always problems for me to deal with but one thing has never steered me wrong and I have it on a plaque above my bar:

Be Kind. Be Fearless.

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

Part 1 here

Chapter 4: Seth

Maria’s scent still filled my head as I walked back to my room. I forgot why I was even here. Was I headed towards something or had I just found something that makes everything else nothing.

I felt lighter, as if I left a part of me for her. And she can have it. She told me to get some sleep. I had no choice but to obey and be intoxicated with the idea of serving her. I replayed the way her soft lips commanded it, as I slipped into intoxicated dreams.

The black of the night was replaced by offensive fluorescent lighting. Maria was fastening a strap around my ankle. It tightened and tugged hard at my skin. This was not being done playfully. There were needles in my arms and tubes running from me draining my blood. Where was I? When did I leave my bed?

“What is this? I don’t like this,” I hoped for whatever joke this was to end quickly.

“Are you some kind of psycho?” she paused and gave me a smile before she finished fastening her last buckle and turned to walk away.

“Say something? Did I not tip enough?” I yelled as she walked away.

“I can get you money, I’ll give you my Jeep!” I screamed as she was at the door.

Maria turned back. “Oh honey, don’t worry. We are going to bleed you dry.” My scream chased the final strip of light as the door closed.

Chapter 5: Aspen

I’ve studied the blueprint of the place and it was simple. The motel and club were connected by an underground bunker. That bunker had 2 steel doors hidden in either venue. The doors could be locked from the inside. To open from the outside there was a keypad. Breaking the keypad on both doors would keep Rick and the others stranded outside as the daylight came.

Rick was paranoid about being caught while he sleeps and made sure that no humans can get in during the day. His paranoia will be my weapon.

The other thing about Rick’s, is that it’s miles from any other buildings. And in this New Mexico desert, that means miles away from any other shelter from the sun. If I keep them outside, then I can purge myself of this new family.

I waited until Tuesday, it was always our slowest night. I didn’t expect any customers, other than Bert and Russy. I played my guitar softly outside the office on the bench. It was my one place of solitude here. I replayed the plan over and over in my head as I strummed the guitar.

“You want to come over and sing one of those pretty songs tonight, sweetie?” Rick greeted me outside.

“Oh not tonight, I wouldn’t want to miss any guests pulling in.” It made me sick when he called me ‘sweetie’ or ‘darling’. I can’t wait to come out to his ash on the ground.

“Well if you change your mind, darling,” he brushed my hair back behind my ear. Then he lifted my chin to lock eyes and let the tension rise waiting for me to break. I have learned to let him have these small wins.

“I’ll know where you’ll be,” I gave a smile and bashfully looked away. The greatest way to manipulate is never let them know you are playing the game. Lean into what they want you to be. He wanted control, he wanted me to fear him and I’ll let him have it. But just once more.

Bert’s truck pulled into the bar for his nightly beers and some flirting with Jeanie and Maria. Rick took his leave as I stared at the neck of my guitar. I listened to his boots take him across the road. We rarely used the bunker to cross at night. It took longer and we only managed to get so much fresh air as it is. It was something I noted and something I counted on.

Once Bert and Rick disappeared into the club, I moved swiftly and intentionally. I took my guitar and walked around the back of the motel and hid it in some bushes. Rick’s truck was in the back with a spare can of gas. I grabbed it.

I sprinted through the motel soaking as much of the floor as I could. Then there was the keypad on the bunker door. I used a fire extinguisher to beat it a few times. The keypad was destroyed, I even ripped at the exposed wires after the beating to make sure. I threw the fire extinguisher down into the bunker. I soaked a pile of books and paper in the office. This is where I will start of the inferno.

“Be good, be fearless” I said before I ignited the flame and slammed the bunker door.

Chapter 6: Seth

I was in and out of consciousness for days now, maybe weeks. Jeanie brought me food but lately I had stopped eating. I hoped starving myself would make things end sooner. Alone with my thoughts, all I could think about was the future I wasn’t going to have. I was going to go back to school. I was going to meet the right girl and get the right job. How dumb I had been living in the future, as if something or someone would come along and fix everything.

The door cracked filling the room with the sharp light from the hallway. I looked up weakly before being blinded by the sharp fluorescent lights. The approaching figure was blurry but didn’t look like Jeanie. I got a few slaps to my face, which pulled me out of my haze and back to the real world.

“Seth, listen to me. I’m going to set you free but you need to help me,” the silhouette began to focus and I could make out a face.

“…Aspen?”

“Listen we don’t have a lot of time, I need you to help me. Can you do that?” She studied my face, judging how capable I would be. “Can you do that!?” she yelled.

“Yes!” yelling brought on a throbbing in my head, “Fuck I have such a headache.”

She started releasing all the tubes and the buckles that bound me to the wall. “A headache is better than dead. Now pull your shit together. Let’s go.”

She didn’t wait for me to get my legs and I struggled to walk. She sprinted out the door. “Follow me!”

I was barefoot and only in my underwear. I wasn’t going to ask any questions, I was free or at least dreaming it, either way I was getting out of that room.

I caught up to her at the end of the long hallway. She had paused at the top of a staircase that was sealed off. “Why did we stop?”

“Shhhh! I’m listening” we both paused and I tried to stretch my ears to hear above.

“That thing looks like it’s solid steel, I can’t hear a thing,” I whispered to her.

“Yeah me neither. I’m going to crack it.” She gave me a look and raised her finger to her lips to silence me before turning her attention to the handle. She cracked the door slowly and snuck a look above, before turning back to me.

“Wait here.” She exited, closing the door behind her and left me on the stairs.

Chapter 7: Aspen

I closed the door softly as I exited the bunker and into the back office of the club. The room was empty but I could hear the music and Bert’s drunken laugh just outside. I peeked down the hallway and past the bathrooms to the entrance of the club. That damn curtain was blocking the glass door and with it, the only view of across the street. I needed to get them out of the club and over to that fire before sun up. The music was loud and I couldn’t trust that the smoke would carry this direction.

I sat on the floor of that office helpless without any good ideas. I had one chance at this. The bar needs to burn down. Otherwise they could just wait out the daylight here. I was losing hope until Bert’s beers caught up to him.

“Excuse me sweetheart, I have to go see a horse about a man,” he let out a laugh and I heard his footsteps come down the hallway.

I timed it and snuck into the bathroom right behind him. Bert went to the urinal while whistling the song, Hey Good Lookin’.

Hmm, he does like country music. I always thought he was pandering to me.

I snuck up behind him and put my hand over his mouth. “Stay quite. It’s Aspen and I need you to trust me,” I said as the old man froze. “Now shake your head.”

Bert nodded.

I heard his stream stop. “Now shake the other thing,” as I turned to look away regretting I didn’t wait until he was done. I waited for the zipper.

“Ok I’m going to remove my hand but promise you will stay quiet.” He nodded again and I slowly let go and he spun around.

“What are you doing girl?”

“Keep your voice down and listen. Do you know what Rick and the others are?” I said deciding how to sway Bert the fastest.

“Not perverts that follow me in the bathroom,” he snapped back.

“No they are worse… I am worse,” he pulled back. “Ugh this is coming out wrong, let me just show you. Don’t scream.” I let my demon claw out from within me. I was getting better at controlling it. But once it was out, I could see the blood from his neck pump faster and my mouth watered.

“We are vampires.” I let the words hang in the air.

His face turned white and he froze. Then I saw him pee himself.

“Dammit Bert. You just went.”

“I’m sorry, I had a lot of beer,” he said shaking. “Are you going to hurt me?”

I swallowed the demon back and took over. “No, but they aren’t as nice as me. I just need you to do something simple. You just leave this bathroom, go outside the club and come back in. Then tell them about the fire across the street.”

“Fire across the street?!” he asked but I didn’t have time to debate him.

I let the demon have me again. “Do It!” He shook his head and kept his distance while he exited.

I peeked out of the bathroom hoping he would follow through.

“Hey I’m going out for a quick smoke,” I heard him say as he was surely trying to hide his stained paints. I watched him get past the curtain and out the door.

“Fire! The motel is on fire,” Bert reentered into the club quickly.

“What are going on about?” Rick said, getting up from the bar with the others. They rushed to the door.

“Dammit!” Rick yelled before retrieving the extinguisher from behind the bar and exiting the club.

Chapter 8: Seth

I’m getting my life back on track when I get out of here. I let myself have a glimmer of hope now. I was also trying to keep my mind occupied because I was getting a little creeped out being on these stairs alone. I couldn’t help but imagine Rick or Maria’s footsteps approaching from below.

“How long does she expect me to wait here?” My anxiety was building. Just then the door opened and I saw Aspen’s face. “Come on.”

“Get whatever alcohol you can and drench the place, we need it to go up quick,” she instructed as I followed her out of the office and down the hall to the bar.

“Jesus boy what happened to you?” Bert had a look of panic in his eyes as he stood by the bar with Russy.

“Did you piss yourself?” I said as I couldn’t help but notice the long stream of wet down his light blue jeans.

He didn’t answer “I’m getting the hell out of here,” as he called Russy to his side.

Aspen was already slamming bottles of liquor against the walls and floors. I told myself to focus and grabbed bottles and followed her lead.

That’s when the door swung open and I saw Jeanie enter in a panic but her face straightened when she saw me and Aspen.

“What the hell is this? Aspen, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jeanie walked like a lion circling a sleeping gazelle as Aspen paused to face her.

“Jeanie, you can help us. We don’t have to kill anymore. We don’t need Rick. We can be free.” Aspen shifted her focus to Jeanie.

“Free? You know what it’s like without this place? What it’s like to hunt for your own food? What it’s like to be hunted?” Jeanie was closing distance.

“You naive little child, you have to kill. There is no choice. You can’t beat the hunger. You can’t hide what you are.” Jeanie was letting herself change.

“We can figure it out. You don’t have to do this.” Aspen started to square up and I backed away trying to stay invisible.

“You can’t survive without this place. You aren’t a killer…But I am.” Jeanie’s eyes washed over with red as she bared her fangs with a smile.

She lunged like a leopard covering the full length of the bar tackling Aspen into the liquor and broken glass.

“Keep going! Burn it down!” Aspen yelled, as the demon inside her took over.

My fear focused me as I began smashing more liquor. The place turned into a symphony of barks, breaking glass, and demon fighting. All of it overtop the classic rock music of the club.

Bert was trying to get a hold of Russy as the dog had begun to circle and scream at the fighting demons like a referee.

“You have a lighter old man!” I yelled at him. He reached into his pocket and threw it to me.

“Light it up!” Aspen broke free and was standing over Jeanie by the curtain of the entrance. Just then Jeanie tackled her and broke through the curtain and glass door as they tumbled outside. I turned and lit the bar.

To Be Continued…

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

Chapter 1: Seth

The taillights of my Jeep Wrangler split the darkness of the New Mexico road. I was out of a job, out of a relationship and about to be out of my mind. The road I was on was as empty as the rest of my life.

I could hide from my failures as long as I wasn’t home, but my bank account was not going to last much longer. I hoped to find purpose on this trip but instead just found the dust and dirt of this country. I just needed a spark.

I had been driving for sixteen hours straight and let out a yawn. “Damn, I don’t think I’m making it to Texas tonight.” Just then a hue of pink and yellow lights danced on the horizon.

The sign read Rick’s Motel and across the street music from a club filled the desert air as I parked and wandered into the motel searching for a comfy bed.

The motel office door slammed a bell announcing my entrance. I was met with an empty counter and a display of old photos on a table.

I took a moment to take in some of the black and white photos of show girls. There was a man with mutton-chops and a God-awful red suit in nearly every photo.

“Welcome to Rick’s, so comfy you’ll want to stay forever.” A girl’s voice came from behind the counter.

I looked up to see a cute young girl with short blonde hair. “Oh? The rooms are that good?” I asked, putting the photo back on the table.

“Not really it’s just something the boss makes us say, but you can stay somewhere longer than you expect for lots of reasons,” she said with a bashful smile.

Is she flirting with me? “Oh really, like what?” I tried to match her energy with a cheeky grin.

“Well, we are the only motel for miles.” She looked me up and down and gave me a look that said ‘dream on buddy’ before saying “So where are you heading to traveler?”

I straightened up after failing to swoon her for now. “Well I had a break up, got laid off from my job so I took what I had and just started hiking around. I’m just heading East” I shared more than I probably should have.

“Well, that sounds like a lot. And where are you heading in life?” She said.

“I guess I don’t know, should I know?” I asked

“Sounds like you have a lot of freedom, is all. And freedom without a dream isn’t living to me. So I’ll ask again, where are you heading?” She pushed more.

“Well I guess I am in-between things. My dream was really my girlfriend’s dream and now” I paused. “I have no idea what I’m doing” I let it hang as I sat in that realization.

She broke the awkward silence, “Well you have a nice Jeep at least.”

“Thanks, well it’s actually my parents” I confessed. Dammit, why was I always saying too much?

“Someone else’s dream, someone else’s car? It sounds like you need something for yourself,” She studied me. I don’t need this self realization chat right now, I just needed a bed.

“You seem like a good person, just let go of whatever fear you’re holding onto and you’ll be ok” She comforted.

I didn’t need this motel worker to be my psychiatrist. I changed the subject. “So across the street, that is a burlesque club?”

“Yeah that photo you were looking at. That was Rick Senior, he started it back in 1976. But now it’s a gentleman’s club,” I peered through the blinds and desert dust to the glow of the club.

It was just then the door assaulted the bell again. A clean shaven man with long, slicked-back black hair entered the office. His dark brown leather jacket hung open, showing a black T-shirt. The man was identical to the mutton-chopped Rick Senior in the photo. Did this guy not age? He had to be eighty years old.

“Aspen is such a smart girl and we sure are so lucky to have her,” his cowboy boots slowly, intentionally tapped as he moved towards the desk. I thought what a beautiful name, Aspen.

“But she can be quite the talker too,” he lightly grabbed her waist as he passed behind her as her smile faded. “Let’s get the young man a room,” he smiled.

“Oh I didn’t mind. She’s been lovely,” I said, giving her a polite smile sensing the tension.

“Well we love visitors. You should check out the club. It’s always a fun time.” The man slapped a key on the counter. “Here you are, Room number 5, I’m Rick Jr. You just let us know if you need anything”

“Oh I’ve been driving for hours I think I’m just excited for a bed,” I grabbed my key and looked around Rick to Aspen. “I’m Seth by the way”

“Nice to meet you Seth,” Aspen gave me a wave as I left.

Chapter 2: Seth

Room 5 had a rug older than myself and the springs of the bed wheezed with strain as I sat my bag on them. Despite the worn in feel of the place, it was a welcoming sight for some sleep.

However, sleep didn’t come. The music and lights across the street called to me and wouldn’t let me go. I was drawn to it and eventually the urge was too strong. I wandered across the street like a dog following a drum of chicken that taunted him.

There was a mist heavy in the room as the blues and pinks of the lights danced through it. The stage was empty but I made my way to the bar and the old man who was chatting up the bartender.

I almost tripped over a mound of brown fur before realizing it was a dog.

“You’ll have to excuse him, Russy is kind of a regular,” the man chuckled.

“Looks like he’s had a few too many,” I quipped as the man looked down at his dog snoring.

The old man let out a larger laugh, “Hey sweetie can you give my new friend a drink on my tab,” he said winking at the bartender.

“I’m Bert by the way and you already met Russy and that beauty behind the bar is Jeanie” The man said as I sat down.

“Hey Bert, I’m Seth,” we shook hands as the lights dimmed.

“Oh you’re just in time boy,” the man said.

The air filled with lavender as a new song seemed to make the mist in the club dance and sway. Remember that spark I was looking for? Well this was it.

Maria walked confidently across the stage with her heels in beat to the music. She shot an inviting look out of the corner of her eye. It was subtle but hit me harder than a cactus to the face.

My body was frozen as if I had fallen through an icy lake. I was floating in the cold water watching her from beneath the ice. I was happily suffocating. I didn’t dare miss one sway of her. I couldn’t decide if she was gliding on ice or floating on air or air itself. Whatever it was I was trying to breathe in as much of her as possible.

“I think she likes you boy.” Bert tapped me, pulling me from the icy lake and back to reality. My lungs gasped to recover before sending myself diving back into her.

When she got off stage, I didn’t know if it had been days or just minutes of her dancing. Maria and I were exploring each other’s eyes the whole time and she came right to me.

“Hello handsome, buy me a drink?” She smiled asking the puddle that used to be me on the bar chair.

“Of course, I would love to,” I smiled stupidly at her.

“Vodka Cranberry, Jeanie,” Maria gestured to the bartender and then extended her hand to me.

“Hi, I’m Maria and you are?” I struggled even more, her scent was wrapping around me.

“Seth,” I managed to get out.

“Sorry Maria, the keg is about all,” The bartender confessed.

“Well I guess we will just have to replace it then, what do you think, Seth?” Her hands were so soft as she smiled at me.

Chapter 3: Aspen

My nights weren’t for sleeping anymore so I was awake playing my guitar outside the office when I saw the boy stagger across the street from the club. Followed shortly by Bert and Russy.

“Well the whole time I was in there looking for love there was a singing angel right outside.” Bert yelled across the street.

“Aww so sweet. But you know the devil was an angel first too,” I waved politely, he was always nice to me. I think he was just lonely after his wife passed.

Bert apparently had been coming to the club for years. I swear his retirement fund must be accounting for 80 percent of our revenue. The rest of it comes from the stray travelers that unfortunately happen upon us.

I wasn’t meant for this, I was headed to Nashville. It was the last thing my grandmother said to me. I had just played her favorite song when she reached for my hand. “Promise me after I’m gone, you take that voice and share it with the world.” she said.

I was so shy at the thought of singing in front of strangers that at just the thought, I tensed. She felt it and said something I’ll never forget, “Be good, be fearless. The rest will work out”

If she had only seen what I have become, what I had to do to survive. I couldn’t share my gift, only my curse. My voice only could carry as far as the desert wind would take it.

I was just feeling sorry for myself, which makes for good music, when Rick interrupted, “Hey Darling, the keg is about finished, why don’t you come down and help us finish it off?”

His voice pierced my ears like an out of tune steel guitar. I hated him but nothing compares to the hunger. So without emotion I got up and followed Rick to the back office. The steel door on the floor was already open and we walked down the steps and through the hallway below the road towards the club. We stopped at the last room, this is where we kept the keg.

Rick opened the door and I saw the boy hanging on the wall. He was pale white and had been hanging there for weeks now. The tubes that were once rich with blood were now only sputtering with each breath of him.

“Well I guess this one didn’t last long? Why do I have to work with such thirsty bitches?” Rick laughed as Maria was unhooking the boy from the wall. The boy fell nearly lifeless to the floor, with his breaths nearing nothing.

I’ve made up my mind, I had my plan and this would be the last time I would be a part of this demented family dinner.

“Dig in ladies” Rick said while Maria and Jeanie let their animal take them. Their teeth reached out, drawn to the blood in the air. I followed their lead and fed on what was left of the boy. I would need my strength because soon, I was going to kill all of them.

To Be Continued… Part 2

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

If you haven’t read Part 1, it is here

Ezra was already kneeling when Uriel entered. Death sat and twirled his goblet. “I thought that this decision would not be so easy but with recent events, the choice is clear.” Uriel looked over to Ezra whose gaze remained at the ground. “Uriel!” There was a pause as Death awaited for Uriel’s attention. “We do not show ourselves to the living. You have served well and have been my longest serving angel but I can’t leave you with this throne now. Ezra you will take my place tomorrow and with it inherit all my powers and duties.” Ezra’s head finally rose with determination and focus; he gave no words but only a slight nod to Death.

Ezra’s wrist lit up, illuminating the dark room in a red glow. “You’re dismissed” Death sat back in his chair and began a motion to flick both angels out of the room but Ezra was already in flight and beat death’s wrist out the door. Uriel slid backwards out of the room shortly after.

Ezra nosedived off the cliff and into the world of the living. He reflected on how far he has come. Ezra’s time in hell felt forever ago now. Gloria sacrificed her own wings to make a vacancy for Ezra. Without her wings she no longer could remain and ascended to the beyond. There is no more Gloria, only his memories and these wings on his back.

Ezra’s thoughts were interrupted when he noticed he was on a familiar route. He swooped into the streets of New York City and was guided to Chloe.

It was a mirror image of the first time he saw her. Except this time there was only 1 person in the bed. She matched Jacob’s pose almost perfectly. Ezra fell to his knees. He failed her just like he did with Gloria. He couldn’t find peace before his death but he was helping put Chloe on the right path.

She was on the path, he was going to save her, to make up for Gloria’s sacrifice, he thought.

With his head in his hands, he started to sob until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Ezra looked up to see Chloe’s soul staring at him. She flinched back when she saw the cracks of his burned skin. Ezra tried to smile and give a look of reassurance but it only scared her more and she continued to back up. Ezra rose from his knees and she was paralyzed with fear as the burned, cracked angel now towered over her.

Uriel had followed Ezra and now entered with a burst of gold. Ezra turned to face him and smiled. “I’m going to rip those eyes out of your head” Ezra rushed Uriel and they tumbled across the apartment floor. This time Uriel got the upper hand and ended up on top of Ezra, pressing his burned cheek to the floor so his exposed teeth grinded to concrete.

“I’m sorry but what is the big deal, this is just another soul.” Uriel yelled. Uriel was stronger, he was sculpted by God himself from the cosmos, he was a pure angel.

“You know what you have to do. She has somewhere to be,” Uriel snapped at Ezra.

“She wouldn’t have to be anywhere if it weren’t for you.” Ezra grimaced back.

“Uriel?” Chloe stammered. “I’m scared”

And with hearing this, Ezra felt alone. He was reminded the bond between him and Chloe was one sided. What did he expect? He has always been the monster. “Let me up” Ezra now had calm in his voice. Uriel loosened his grasp and they both rose to their feet.

Chloe again flinched seeing Ezra standing and she drifted slowly to put Uriel between them. Ezra could see her fear. “Do it? Put your spell on her.” Ezra conceded to Uriel.

Uriel nodded. He turned to Chloe, placed her face in his hands and stared deeply in her eyes.

Chloe melted and felt as if her whole body had just dived into the universe of his eyes. She swayed like a feather through the cosmos. She smiled while Ezra caught her and took her into his arms.

Chloe was taken over with euphoria and didn’t see the monster holding her now. Ezra took another look at Uriel while holding Chloe “She was on the path to be an angel and you took that from her. You took that from me. I won’t forget it.” Ezra left, leaving Uriel alone in the apartment.

Uriel took a moment to look around, seeing the photo of Jacob on the floor. He briefly felt fear for the first time as he pondered Ezra’s words and his own actions.

Uriel spread his wings and was gone in an instance, launched like a rocket into the sky.

Uriel did not see Ezra for what felt like days but may have just been hours. Then his wrist beckoned as Death summoned him. Oh no, the time has come? He thought. Ezra will become the Angel of Death now? Uriel was starting to panic.

Uriel flew in, finding Ezra already kneeling. Death began speaking but Uriel interjected. “Forgive me, but I would like some consideration before the transition” Uriel pleaded.

Death paused, “I have waited several millennia and you ask more of me?”

“Please my apologies, but I must say I don’t believe Ezra is the right choice. He has been obsessing over a human the past year. He visits her almost daily.” Uriel rushed to get out as much as he could.

Ezra stayed stoic in a full kneel with his head bowed to the floor.

“I told you I have been watching this whole year and now you are questioning me thinking I have missed something. How dare you insult me now?” Death rose to his feet. “I can feel Ezra’s anger and sorrow. But he performed his duty and that soul was given to the underworld.”

“Uriel you have made it very clear you don’t know pain, you don’t know humans. Ezra will be inheriting my powers and with that has the means and the right to deal with you as he sees fit. Now you have made me weary, do not interrupt again”

Uriel scrambled in his mind but there were no other cards for him to play. So Uriel stayed silent, just giving a nod.

“Ezra approached the throne” Ezra rose and walked up the steps to the throne. Death remained seated on his throne of melted black. His scythe was propped against it towering over the chair.

Death rose and let his cloak fall off himself exposing a giant scar across his chest glowing a deep red. He grabbed his scythe as Ezra stood tall now in front of him. Death slowly dug the blade across Ezra’s chest giving him a matching scar.

Death then pounded the scythe upright beside Ezra and placed Ezra’s hand around it. He symbolically placed his hand on Ezra’s new wound and his other hand on his own. For a moment he locked eyes with Ezra giving a nod. This was the process of exchanging the power and Uriel could only look on.

Death kneeled now to Ezra and offered his neck now to the blade and to the new Angel of Death. Ezra knew what he had to do. He took the scythe and with one swift motion separated Death’s head from his body. The red glow from his chest transferred into Ezra’s as Death’s head rolled down the stairs settling and giving Uriel a look before turning to dust.

Uriel could feel it now. He felt the power now within Ezra. Uriel could feel the darkness overtaking his light now. He was getting dimmer.

Ezra took a moment feeling the new power within him and stared at the floor, he noticed the cloak and felt the scar on his chest. Then without hesitation picked up the cloak and swung it on before setting his sights on the throne.

As he prepared to sit, Uriel started to orchestrate a plea, “Ezra take your time and settle in, think about things, I have been a good servant and I will be happy to serve you”

Ezra sat and Uriel took his attention. A smile showed just under the hood of the cloak.

“Uriel, you like being the Angel of Light?” Ezra asked Uriel.

“God sculpted me himself for it. I’m chosen for this purpose.” Uriel spoke, trying to remind Ezra that things were bigger than just them.

“God made you, which will keep you from the Underworld. But you’re wrong about your purpose. You were made to be a servant of the Angel of Death, it is I that chooses your purpose. All your power, your gaze, your speed. You are nothing but a Moth to me now” Ezra paused pondering for a moment. The silence grew louder as Uriel braced for Ezra’s next words.

“Uriel you will no longer give pleasure and ecstasy to those who see you. You will only give fear and destruction. You will feel pain, you will see pain and you will be pain. Your wings will blacken, you will forever be alone, you are banished to the realm of the living. You are no longer their savior, you are their monster” Ezra pounded his scythe, as Uriel’s screams split the air.

Uriel felt devastating pain as his light went out and he convulsed. A wave embers invaded his body like an army slowly marching over his skin turning all his gold to a dark gray of burnt ash. All his energy was leaving him, the bright burning stars in his eyes were even cooling, his blue galaxies turning into red stars. With that Ezra flicked Uriel out of the chamber.

“Wait please” Uriel cried.

Ezra followed him out of the chamber and flicked him again. Uriel was now dangling just above the entry to the human realm. The new Angel of Death paused and smiled as he admired his work. Uriel was thrashing around blindly like a bat.

“I guess I’m the pretty one now,” Ezra said with a final flick sending Uriel down to Earth.

As Ezra sat on his new throne, a smile crept onto his face. The demons he fought would now serve with him. All his suffering, all his sorrow, all his hate. There was no more Ezra anymore, only Death.

Death has not seen Uriel since that day. He has collected many souls. Every so often he will find one babbling, paralyzed in fear about some winged creature with red eyes. They will utter one word over and over… Mothman.

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

They called them the Right and Left Hands of Death. Ezra collected the souls that fell short of the grace of God. For those souls their eternity of torment started when they saw him. Ezra had his time in hell. He was condemned but then saved by a sacrifice and now serves Death after decades of burning in the flames of the Underworld. As a result he was quite hideous and his body remained charred with cracks of black and red. However, his wings were still a glorious fresh white.

Uriel collected the souls that ascended to the heavens. His body radiated a golden glow, his eyes shimmered like rotating galaxies. If you were to look into them you are placed into euphoria, nothing matters, and all your pain is gone. His gaze reflected the ecstasy and love that awaited them in their eternal afterlife.

So why would I be telling you about these 2 angels? They are really just glorified delivery men with a God complex. Why would they impact you in the world of the living? Well that is the problem, they did impact the living once and when you overstep in this business, there are always repercussions.

“You have both served me well but I grow weary and look to ascend beyond. I would like one of you to take over my post. Unfortunately, there can only be one Angel of Death and only one of you will inherit the powers given to me by God.” the Angel of Death slowly twirled his goblet. “I will be watching more closely than ever this year.” Uriel and Ezra shared a look of surprise to each other but stayed silent. They knew only to reply when specifically asked. “Now you know the stakes, serve well,” Death flicked his wrist sending both angels still kneeling, skidding backwards out of the chamber as the doors slammed.

Uriel turned to Ezra, “What a cushy job that would be, I haven’t seen him leave that throne in centuries.”

Ezra looked at the floor, “It would be nice not to have to see the fear anymore. The souls claw at me as they scream.”

Uriel straightened up, “Jesus man, yeah maybe you should get it. I would be happy to serve under you and I don’t mind my gig as it is.”

Ezra looked into Uriel’s gaze but never found comfort like others, instead Ezra always had a hint of disdain and jealousy underneath it. “Thank you, brother”

Ezra winced as his wrist glowed with the compass now burning red into his skin. It pointed to the direction of a new soul to gather. Ezra had always been the busier of the two.

“I should get going” Ezra rose to his feet and with a whoosh of his wings left Uriel alone.

Ezra passed through the barrier and into the realm of the living. This was always his favorite part, he was back to his world of long ago. Where he had loved his Gloria but those memories had all but faded and he could only see the blurred images of her now. Her face was incomplete but he could still feel her warmth. He followed his compass slicing down through clouds to a rundown apartment in New York City.

He entered the bedroom to find a couple in bed. The needle was still in the boyfriend’s arm. Ezra approached the body as it let out a long exhale. The sound of the final gasp of air exiting was always paired with the life extinguishing. The soul of the boy floated out and looked around in confusion before seeing the body he had just shed.

Ezra waited a moment to allow the boy to realize what had happened. The boy reached for his girlfriend laying peacefully asleep but there was no warmth or comfort in the touch, only a void space, a vacuum. The boy was no longer on the same plane as her.

Ezra had his go to lines for this moment but has yet to figure out one that keeps them from running. “You’ve passed on. Take a moment but then you have to come with me.” Ezra said softly as he stepped in from the doorway.

The boy turned his head and his eyes widened when he saw Ezra. The light of the lava lamp danced across a face that was mangled and burned. Ezra’s charred body seemed to absorb the light like a black hole.

The boy immediately fell backwards through his sleeping girlfriend and jumped through the window even though it was closed leaving no broken glass behind. Ezra readied to take chase and mentally prepared himself for the scratching, clawing, and deep bellows of sorrow that will accompany him on his flight to the underworld.

He spread his wings but paused as the girlfriend awoke and turned over to see her lifeless lover. “Jacob! Wake up baby” she grabbed at him. Ezra looked at her face, “Gloria” his lips uttered without thinking. A wave of memories crashed against Ezra and the void of his deepest most cherished memories were returning with the spark of this young woman’s face. She glowed brighter than Uriel, the angel of light himself. Her sorrow was raw and gave Ezra a lump in his stomach. The world faded around her into black and for a moment that was all there was…Her, the body, and Ezra.

Ezra stayed longer, for whatever reason he didn’t want her to be alone at this moment.
It’s a good thing she can’t see me, he thought but maybe she can feel less alone somehow with me here.

Ezra stepped closer to her and stared at her beauty, even now with tears streaming down her face. Her eyes bloodshot from either the drugs or from the crying. Ezra could see that pain was not new to her, she had been with it before, maybe always. He was reminded of the pain that he put his Gloria through. He wasn’t so different from the boy that just left.

He winced again as the compass adjusted and burned brighter. The boy had made enough distance to trigger it. He could no longer stay with his memories and her beautiful sorrow. Ezra took flight looking back at the girl on the chest of her deceased and a chest now at its limits of soaking the tears and screams of her anguish.

Over the next several months Ezra began to take detours. He would return to her in her loneliest moments, sit beside her and be close to her. Ezra learned her name was Chloe. He believed just by being close that she would feel his love and comfort he was desperately reaching out with.

She was in rehab now. She had reconnected with family, as well as worked a steady job at a cafe. Ezra was impressed all the more by her. Maybe if he was able to do the same in his life, Gloria would still be here.

Uriel began to notice his friend’s abrupt departures even when his compass was not shining.

“So what kind of powers does he really have?” Uriel pondered.

“Well he gave me my wings, when Hell spit me out.” Ezra stared to the distance.

“You have never said how you managed to get out of there” Uriel enquired.

Ezra averted his gaze down to the ground for a moment as Uriel leaned in waiting for an answer that wouldn’t come. “I really should be going.” Ezra said. But there was no shine on wrist, no where he was required to be.

Ezra stepped to the edge of the cliff puffing his chest and taking in a deep breath ready for the descent through the barrier to the living. He looked back, “You know I am always the busier one. Lots of lost souls and sometimes I need a head start. These humans just aren’t as good as they used to be,” Ezra fell from the cliff twisting head first and forming into a torpedo headed for earth leaving Uriel alone.

Uriel slowly treaded lightly towards the cliff’s edge. Uriel was the fastest angel and was fine giving Ezra a head start but tonight he was going to satisfy his curiosity. “One one thousand, Two One thousand, Three one thousand” He said to himself before taking one final pause as his foot dangled over the edge. Then he dropped, twisting head first, spreading his giant wings for a single whoosh.

Uriel kept his distance but traced Ezra to a basement apartment in Queens. He had to wait only a handful of minutes and saw Ezra depart with his compass glowing brightly on his wrist.

Uriel’s curiosity swiftly took him into the apartment. This was when Uriel saw Chloe. She was crossed legged on her couch. She was in her usual sweatpants and baggy black t-shirt of her own design. Uriel approached her slowly.

“Is this really what Ezra was wasting his time on?” he muttered. As he approached he noticed she was sniffling and her eyes filled with water that was ever so lightly holding out before surely running down her cheeks. Chloe’s pen scribbled on her notepad.

They don’t know that I’m not here Their smiles so vacant of any understanding Move forward, be steady, I persevere But it’s so empty without you here I never left you, I never left that bed

Uriel read the poem, as her tears fell on the page. This was a bad night and she was yet again all alone. She looked right at Uriel for a moment and he tensed. Can she see me? he thought. But then she reached through him and grabbed the photo of Jacob on the side table.

She placed it on her lap and caressed it with her fingers as tears fell on it. Uriel was silent taking her in. Another tear ran down off of her nose and splashed on the glass of the frame. She pressed harder on the photo, smearing the tear around.

Then there was a crack, the glass broke leaving blood dripping from her fingertip. She stared at it and pressed it in-between her fingers. “Little gross,” Uriel said to himself.

She placed the photo on the coffee table in front of her but continued to stare at her blood and shattered glass now covering Jacob’s face. She rolled up her left sleeve and felt at the track marks, the same place where she injected the drug that night Jacob passed. The last time she slipped into the abyss with him.

Uriel studied her and now he realized why Ezra stayed so close. In some way he is trying to save her.

She reached at the photo again, with her sleeve rolled and grabbed a piece of the shattered glass. She gripped it like a dagger. “Woah, what are you doing? You don’t need to do that. I’m squeamish.” Uriel was getting uncomfortable, he wasn’t used to this side of the world.

She began to take the point of the glass to her exposed track marks. Her pain began to make the room pulse. Uriel could feel it, even the glow around him was flickering in the company of such pain. He decided he had to do something.

She slowly moved the point of glass closer to her.

“Wait!” Uriel’s words broke through as Chloe froze and dropped the dagger of glass.

Later that night Ezra returned to find Chloe alone. She was sinking into the couch with her eyes staring blankly, yet there was something tugging her lips into a delighted smile. Ezra feared the worst. He looked around her apartment looking for the drugs. How did she manage to get some so quickly, he thought. But he couldn’t find anything in the apartment, no new marks on her arm, only a few scratches and dried blood on her fingers. Then he looked deep into her eyes. He knew them well by now but they were more blue than usual and they gave a shimmer of stars. “Uriel” he said before swooping out of the room.

Uriel enjoyed being with his records, he had much more free time than Ezra and has used it to catch up on the last century or so of music. His favorite at the moment was the 70s and he had just brewed some tea and was shuffling towards his favorite chair when the doors flew open. A horizontal streak met him and folded him forward before his back slammed into the wall of books behind him. Ezra pressed a forearm into Uriel’s throat and hissed “You used your power on her?”

“Yeah you would have done the same, if you weren’t so…” Uriel paused and stared at Ezra, his teeth peeking out from the hole of his burned cheek.

“So… what?” Ezra paused and stared into Uriel’s shimmering eyes, pressing his forearm harder, seeing if they would be extinguished. “Say it already.”

Uriel looked at Ezra and saw his rage, “You’re a little scary. It makes it hard to help them,” He said, pulling back from his original thought.

Ezra gave Uriel a gaze “You think you know what she needs? You don’t know pain, you don’t know humans. She’s an addict and you just gave her a hit.”

Uriel’s wrist let out a golden glow claiming the attention of both angels. “Duty calls” Uriel spoke, waiting for Ezra’s next move.

Ezra paused briefly but released his arm from Uriel’s throat. Uriel slid out of the confrontation before saying “I could feel it, I felt her pain. I’m sorry, I just wanted it to end for her and for me.” Uriel left in a streak of gold.

The next time they would be together would be in front of death. Shortly after their clash Ezra and Uriel both had glows on their wrists. These ones were brighter than the normal, this meant Death was summoning them.

To be continued… Part 2

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

“Professor MacRaven, we have made a breakthrough! Come quick!” one of my colleagues shouted, bursting into my office. I followed him as we sprinted to the south lab. What could it be? We rounded the corner and busted through the doors.

Laughter erupted from the room and I was met with a watermelon placed atop a pair of leather loafers. “Very clever,” I let my energy fade as I turned in retreat. It was yet another jest at my expense.

“Stick around, professor, it’s just about to tap dance!” I heard someone jeer as the door closed behind me.

I entered the solitude of my lab. “Hi Spud,” I said to my lab partner. Well, Spud was actually a potato that I had painted some eyes and a mouth on. I even glued a monocle on him, it gave him that distinguished, intelligent look fitting of a lab partner.

My work at the university was in genetics and I had made some breakthroughs as of late. My colleagues protested that I was playing God. But they really just lacked imagination.

Think of a potato that can walk to you! Oh, the benefits! No shipping, no packaging, the potatoes just walk straight from the farm to your door. Amazing right? I know, I am brilliant!

Anyways, so far I’ve managed to grow a potato with legs! Not working legs, but I’m confident that they will be walking soon enough. Then sure, I’ll make them tap dance all over those fools’ faces! And then the world will surely know the name, Dr. Fergus MacRaven!

But the truth is recently there have been some problems. But it’s no matter, sometimes that just means more opportunity for creativity.

The Great Potato Famine hit our country hard. All of the sudden it was harder and harder to get the resources I needed to continue. My search for the ever growing scarce potato took me into the underbelly of Scotland. Into the back alleys and lowlife bars looking to get more potatoes for my research.

I managed to get in contact with a man claiming to sell by the bushel. I was to meet my mysterious savior at midnight. I readied my carriage and my horse Petunia and we headed to the west side of Loch Ness.

It was getting very dark but the moonlight served well enough. I spotted a shadowy figure beside a cart. Petunia came to a stop and I leapt down from my carriage. I crept forward through the dark, slow as a sloth in molasses, squinting as I approached the man.

“That’s far enough,” a strip of moonlight allowed for me to see his bloodshot eyes.

I stopped in my tracks. “Hello fine sir, I was told you would have some potatoes for me?” I squinted to get a better view.

“You heard right,” he sucked his teeth. “If you got the money, friend. Three shillings for a bushel,” he said unflinchingly.

“How do I know they aren’t rotten?” I raised my chin and stared at his silhouette attempting to match his cold gaze.

A tiny spud flew towards me. I snatched it and gave it an inspection.

“That is a pure Red potato, go ahead and give it a taste. The first one is free.” The strip of moonlight moved down to show his smirk.

“Oh no no, these potatoes aren’t for eating, they are for research” I said.

He looked puzzled. “Well, that is new. You aren’t starving like everyone else?” Almost on cue, my stomach rumbled at the thought. I guess I have been so focused on research and have barely been eating.

“Well do you happen to have anything other than potatoes?” I answered back.

He scrambled excited for the prospect of another deal before walking to the water’s edge and picking up what looked like a rock.

“How about some turtle soup? Only 5 shillings,” He said, holding up the turtle.

“You just found that! Why should I pay?” I said in disbelief.

“Um… No I didn’t, I put it there earlier,” he stammered but stared again unflinchingly at me.

I was anxious to resume my work so I conceded. “Fine, turtle soup sounds great. Here is your money and be a gentleman and load them on the carriage will you?” The man obliged and I was back to my research.

When I returned home, I was too excited to eat so I put the turtle in an old aquarium. As I was tinkering at my desk I noticed the turtle would take quite an interest in my work. Often coming up right to the glass and watching me.

“You know my lab partner Spud barely pays any attention. Would you like to know what I’m doing?” I watched as the turtle’s head turn slightly, almost in curiosity.

“Very well, I’ll talk out loud so you can follow along but you must keep up. I will not be pausing for questions,” I said as I turned my head back to my work.

Over the next few days I realized my new turtle was the best lab partner I’ve ever had. I must say it was nice to have someone that was living. It brought some…life into the lab. I named my new lab partner Rocks, reminiscent of the first time I saw her.

One day, I was particularly frustrated bouncing ideas off of her. “I am just wondering if maybe this isn’t as useful to give potatoes legs when there are hardly any potatoes. We need more potatoes!” I stopped to see what Rocks thought.

She stared blankly back at me. “You don’t agree?” I said, pondering. “I suppose we could just have a few potatoes and make them bigger? Then it would still be enough to feed everyone.” I thought longer. “But those potatoes would require massive legs”

Rocks looked at me blankly again. “Okay, Okay I guess they don’t need legs, let’s focus on the large potatoes.” I thought for a second, “Rocks, you’re a genius! This will be so much easier!” the turtle stared blankly again.

“I am already splicing and combining different kinds of DNA, but if we were just to keep splicing and joining the same DNA. I should be able to almost expand something infinitely!” I said excitedly.

“Of course, I needed to account for this infinite loop. I can’t have something grow larger than the planet.” I looked at Rocks and she agreed. “Great idea again! We need a cancelling agent!” I pondered again. “But now for the problem to test the cancelling agent I will first have to inject a potato with the expansion formula.” Rocks, ever steady, agreed again.

It only took a few moments to make the cancelling agent. After all, I was a genius.

So now fully prepared, I readied the work area and with my assistant by my side. I injected the potato. The potato was only 50 mm wide when I injected it. “Rocks start the timer!”

10 seconds: The potato began to vibrate.

20 seconds: Bumps popped out like air bubbles in baking dough. I could see it expanding now.

30 seconds: The potato was now bigger than Rocks and began rolling on the table.

45 seconds: It continued to grow and I started laughing in relief and ecstasy. “Rocks it’s working! Look at it!” I exclaimed.

60 seconds: The potato was over a Meter in diameter now and continued to pop in all directions and rolled closer to Rocks’ cage.

70 seconds: I go to grab it, to stabilize it, but it is already so heavy and about to crush Rocks! I panic and quickly inject it with the cancelling agent.

It started slowing, like the last kernels of popcorn popping before a final silence.

I peeked around the massive potato to Rocks. Her eyes were the size of watermelons as she stared at it.

“We did it my girl! You beautiful little reptile! Wow, wasn’t that amazing! Everything worked.” I grabbed Rocks and took her for a twirl before returning her to her cage.

“Of course it is safe to eat” I already knew what Rocks was going to ask. Then I paused and looked at the potato again…

“It should be safe to eat…. Maybe…. Probably” I paused. “I am worried if it is safe to eat. But we can begin testing tomorrow! Celebrate tonight Rocks because tomorrow we will feast!” I retreated to my bed exhausted from my successes of the day.

I shut the door but I didn’t hear a final pop from the potato as it shuffled and began to roll.

The next morning I rushed to the lab in excitement but my excitement turned to horror quickly. As I opened the door to find Rocks the size of a buffalo and chomping down on the potato. Rocks grew so large she had broken out of her shell entirely. What was left was a naked green dinosaur!

“Rocks! Bad Turtle! Stop eating you fool!” I yelled. Rocks stopped briefly and looked at me almost trying to explain. “Don’t you starch!” I spat at her. “Rocks you are right, there is no time for my famous puns!” I ran and lowered my shoulder into the potato. The force made it roll away from Rocks. She looked confused that I interrupted her feeding and we made eye contact. I think it finally hit her as she noticed that we were face to face. She was now as tall as me!

Her face showed panic for a moment before another pop as I saw a large hump form on her back and her neck outstretching. Her gaze escaped mine as she grew.

I looked back to find the cancelling agent. The potato was rolling right at them! It hit the table with a smack and I watched the test tubes crash to the floor. I ran and grabbed a syringe and filled it from the puddle on the floor.

By the time I turned back to Rocks, she had grown large enough that she was breaking through the wall of my home. Rocks must have seen the lake as her neck seemed to grow the fastest, giving her a view of the water.

She started to make her way back to her old home where I had found her. I ran and dove to stab her backside with the cancelling agent but her skin was too tough and the syringe shattered. I was left staring at my failed attempt in my hands as she moved from my home, the ground vibrating underneath her new weight.

I shook off the shock that paralyzed me and turned back to the puddle. I managed again to get enough to fill one more syringe. I had one more shot at this but how could I inject Rocks?

I had some time to figure it out but first I had to catch her. Her size was making each step the length of a city block. I ran over top her destruction of my walls and out the new hole of my home and sprinted towards the stables.

“Petunia I need you girl!” Petunia bucked in anticipation as I opened her stall door and threw on a saddle. I mounted and followed the trail of destruction.

Petunia never let me down before and this time was no exception. If you had seen us you would have only seen a streak of white. We jumped fences and the freshly torn up stone left behind Rocks. My mind began pondering as I rode.

I realized this would be the last time I would ride Petunia. I didn’t have any more cancelling agent and even if I did, there was no time to go back. The was only one way I could be sure it would work.

We managed to cut off Rocks right in front of the lake. “Rocks! Look down, you fool!” I waved my arms frantically. “Down here!” She wasn’t listening and continued to move forward, nearly smashing Petunia and I. I looked around for any inspiration. That’s when I saw the mysterious man from a few nights before.

The man’s mystery wore off now in the light of day. I just saw a scared little man. He was staring at Rocks in shock and horror. I saw Rocks notice him, he was right in Rocks’ path. The man began to sprint away leaving his cart full of potatoes behind. I could see now that she wasn’t going for the man but she wanted more potatoes.

I dug my heels into Petunia, “Yaw!!!” And we galloped to beat Rocks to the cart. We got there and I leapt off Petunia. She stayed in-between me and Rocks. Rocks twisted her long neck to take a bite of the potatoes.

“Petunia you have to go girl! You are free!” I gave her a hard slap to send her off. Then I turned and dove into the cart of potatoes.

The sunlight was replaced with darkness. The hardness of the potatoes were turning to slime and churning. I had been swallowed whole and now was the time to test my hypothesis. I felt around in my coat and grabbed the syringe and injected the wall of Rocks’ stomach. The popping and growing stopped.

I don’t know that I’ll ever make it out of this stomach but Rocks is safe. She finished her journey into Loch Ness and has never left. The town people call her Nessie, which is probably a better name. And the legend of Nessie has spread across the world. So I guess the world doesn’t know the name Dr. Fergus MacRaven, but they definitely know my best friend and lab partner, Rocks!

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.

Air whooshed behind me, gaining momentum and forcing my shoulders to tense. Then there was a painful smack to the back of my head. The pain turned to a tingle that would soon turn to a throbbing and finally a knot. My brother, Luke, had thrown a stick at me. I was always his favorite target.

“Bullseye, loser!” he chuckled, picking up another stick.

“Luke, Matthew!” my father turned back from leading us on the trail. “Look at the nature around you. Can you believe how tall these trees are?” He attempted to distract us from yet another fight by turning attention to nature. He placed his hand on an Oregon redwood that seemed to stretch infinitely into the clouds. Beams of yellow light cut through the branches, covering us with glow and warmth, but nightfall was approaching.

“Looks like there’s a good spot for camp up ahead.” My father turned his attention back to the trail.

“Matt the brat, Matt the brat,” My brother chanted softly enough that my father couldn’t hear. He pulled a new stick back ready for more target practice. I put my arms up in defense.

“Hoot! Hoot!” A spotted owl perched on a nearby branch and startled my brother.

My brother, frustrated, accepted the new target and the stick went end over end, cracking the branch beside the owl. The owl took off with a gorgeous white wingspan and gold spots disappearing into the trees.

My father always entertained us by the fire before bed.

Joshua was lost in the forest and separated from the other explorers. They searched for the tree of life. Those who ate its fruit could wish for whatever they desired. But it would only appear to those pure of heart. The others wanted riches and power. Joshua only wanted adventure and to see the world. It had been days alone and Joshua was starving. He grew desperate to find a way home. With his pure heart separated from the group, a white owl with golden spots appeared to Joshua. Joshua followed the owl. The forest opened with a golden glow. A tree of golden apples was in front of him. Joshua plucked an apple, and before taking a bite, he made his wish. “I want to see the world and travel from coast to coast and over seas and sands with ease.” He took a bite. Giant wings grew from his back. Joshua raised his chest and swooshed them up and down. His feet lifted and Joshua rose above the trees.

My father saw my brother had fallen asleep. “I guess we can finish tomorrow.” My father placed my brother in his sleeping bag.

“I saw an owl with golden spots today,” I said as he tucked me in.

“Oh really? Maybe the tree will choose you next” He kissed my forehead.

I awoke to pressure on my chest pushing down. I panicked but eased when I saw a face of white feathers and beak staring down at me. The owl let out a soft hooot and flew to a nearby tree.

My curiosity brought me to my feet and I followed the owl. Just like my father’s story, I made my way to a clearing and a tree with golden apples. I climbed the tree and snatched an apple. I closed my eyes to make my wish.

“I want to be so strong my brother can’t pick on me ever again.” I took a bite.

The pain was excruciating. My bones stretched and I struggled to hold the branch. I watched my grip on the tree and saw my hands grow thick with hair. I could no longer keep myself attached to the branch. I let out a roar as I fell, my body twisting and stretching as I hit the ground, things turned black.

It was dusk when I woke up. How long had I been out? I rose to my feet. My clothes had ripped from me. With each step I left a loud thud against the ground. I felt… strong but what had the apple done to me? Thirsty, I heard water nearby from a small spring. When I took a drink, I saw my reflection in it. I was a monster, I tried to say “No, this can’t be” but instead I let out groans and snarls. Horrified, scared and alone I wandered back to camp.

I saw the light from the campfire through the trees but I slowed as I got close.

“Don’t worry, we will not leave until we find your brother.” My father tried to calm my brother.

“It’s been three days, he hasn’t come back to camp” My brother had tears in his eyes. “I was so mean to him.” He yelled into the woods. “Matthew, I’m sorry! Please stop hiding and joking around! Come out already!”

I couldn’t let them see me like this, but I stayed close behind the trees.

Later my father continued the story from the night I disappeared to help my brother fall asleep. I leaned in to hear, hoping for a way out.

Joshua flew higher and higher out of the woods. He went to the village where his family was but when he landed outside of his home and yelled for his Mother, fire shot from his mouth and engulfed his home. Villagers came from their houses. “Dragon! Dragon!” the villagers yelled and grabbed weapons. Flaming arrows hit Joshua. He tried to cry out, “Stop!” but just more fire and destruction came from him. Joshua took off again to the sky and was never seen again.

I felt any hope I had deflated from me at the end of the story. I couldn’t help but let out a mournful cry. My cry exited instead as a snarl, just loud enough for my Father to hear.

“What was that?” My father grabbed his rifle and I saw him and my brother squint in my direction.

“It’s huge!” A shot rang out and flew into my shoulder. The pain gripped my body and I felt my senses heighten. My teeth bared and I was no longer me… I was a pure animal now.

I charged swiftly with my teeth bared. My brother and father’s faces twisted into fear highlighted with campfire glow as my claws tore through their chests. In just two quick strikes they both lay lifeless at my feet.

I looked at their blood matted to my hands, as I fell to all fours and let out another sorrow-filled howl.

The night will haunt me always, and now I roam the forest, avoiding humans at all costs for fear I’ll kill again. The few who have seen me call me… Bigfoot.

Originally published at https://jtshelly.substack.com.