Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Horror

By: Michael Speicher

   Chapter 1
       Matthew Stevens opened his eyes, closing them again immediately his head was pounding. Where am I? He thought. He sat up and opened his eyes again ignoring the pain that was shooting through his head. It felt like someone was driving railroad spikes through his brain with a sledgehammer. His mouth was dry and he had a horrible taste in it which he was very familiar with after all he was an alcoholic. He swung his feet out of bed and glanced at his digital alarm clock it was 3:41 pm. Beside it was an empty bottle of 151 rum and a half-empty pack of Newport red 100's, no wonder my head hurts Mathew thought. His room was small and to him pretty cozy. He had a single bed a nightstand and his dresser. Beside his bed was a stand-in closet with no door. He had a drunken episode one night and got pissed off at his girlfriend Suzanne, which leads to him ripping it off the hinges. It was a sunny summer afternoon and the sunlight doused his room with rays of light shining through the cracks in his blinds, which were white and now were stained a nasty yellow from his nicotine habit. He went to place his head in the palm of his hands and froze in complete horror. His hands were covered in blood. He leaped off the bed and ran across the hall to the bathroom. His head was filling up with horrible images of him getting wasted and blacking out, which he did often. He hit the light switch blindly and gazed into the mirror. Oh god!, What have I done? He thought. His heart was pounding fast, he was sweating profusely. His face was streaked with blood, his white T-shirt was also covered in blood, it was also in his jeans. He couldn't help but think that he looked a lot like Jane Levy from that movie Evil Dead where it's pouring down blood and she's drenched from head to toe in it, of course, he had nowhere near as much blood, but it was pretty bad. He slapped himself hard on the right side of his face. This has to be some kind of fucking nightmare he thought. He tried to remember what happened the other night and the harder he tried the more his skull felt like it was going to split open and he would watch in the mirror as his brains oozed onto the floor. He opened the medicine cabinet behind the mirror and grabbed the bottle of aspirin. He took eight of them. He turned on the water in the stand-up shower to the left of the mirror. He stripped down and got in.
       Chapter 2
         He got out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. He remembered being at the Akron/Canton airport but after arriving there it was just a blank like someone snipped a piece of his memory like a picture out of a magazine. He turned around to leave the bathroom and noticed what he hadn't noticed before. The hallway was covered in bloody footprints all the way to his bedroom and back down the hallway to the staircase leading to the dining room.  An image filled his head of him arguing with Suzanne and him grabbing a kitchen knife from the drawer and stabbing her repeatedly. He discarded the thought just as fast as it was there. I wouldn't do that, no way. "What the fuck is going on!?" Mathew didn't even realize he said this out loud. He started down the staircase. He didn't even bother going to his room and getting dressed. That was far from his mind. It was racing out of control... He was a lot of things but a killer was not one of them... Was it? He pushed the thoughts out of his head, even though he had a feeling he was walking into his worst fear. He crept down the staircase following the gruesome blood trail all the while traveling as quiet as a mouse. His palms were covered in sweat. He couldn't believe this he was following a blood trail in his own house. As he got to the bottom of the stairs his jaw dropped to the floor and his face went deathly pale. His glass dining room table was turned over and the sun coming through the windows made the shattered glass on the wooden floor glimmer, which was putting a rainbow-colored effect on the walls. Laying next to the table was a woman on the floor in a spoon position with her head facing her back. Her eyes were open and rolled to the back of her head. Mathew wanted to go check her pulse but he could not get his legs to move. His mind kept telling him that this was all a nightmare. He would soon wake up to his alarm clock in a cold sweat. " Bullshit! " He screamed out loud and covered his mouth what if the neighbors heard; that wouldn't be good. He knew this was no dream. His eyes shifted to the bloody footprints coming out of the kitchen and leading to the steps. Come on Matt, you got to move your ass. He told himself that at least ten times before it got through. Finally, his left leg gave in first and he was inching across the dining room floor to the lady in the Navy blue shorts. Her eyes were like white eggs just staring blankly at him. He leaned down beside her and hesitated before checking her pulse. He realized that he didn't know her and she didn't seem to be bleeding; probably a broken neck by the looks of her. He placed his fingers on her neck and had them there for a minute then he jerked them away with a quickness. His mind was grasping for a thread to cling too. This lady was D-E-A-D- dead. I'm going to spend the rest of my life in prison... That was Mathews last thought before the world started to sway and fade in and out. Darkness took over and his body hit the floor right beside the lady in the navy blue shorts.
         Chapter 3
          Mathew's eyes flew open and he had to stop himself from screaming. He was staring right into those white lifeless eyes of the lady in the navy blue shorts. He sprang to his knees so fast you would have thought he was Barry Allen from those DC comic books. He got up casually and walked into the kitchen. Nothing could have prepared him for the bloody massacre that snapped that last little thread that was keeping his mind from freaking out, and so... He began to scream. There was a man in a pool of blood; his face was completely crushed in and one of the man's eyeballs was laying across his cheek or rather what was left of his cheek. Matthew couldn't help himself he began to gag, then he dropped to his knees dry heaving. He was on all fours with his head up looking at the man with the smashed face in pure disbelief. "Come in here and have a seat and we shall chat." The voice came from out of the living room, he thought. But did it or was the voice in his head? The voice sounded deep and menacing, could he create a voice like that? He didn't think so. The house was quiet, too quiet. He got to his feet and slowly left the kitchen walking into the dining room which leads to the living room. It's the killer! This hit him like a steel-toed kick to the balls. He jerked back and realized that he was still butt naked. As he entered the living room he noticed the man on the couch right away, he was not trying to hide. He was wearing a black suit with a blood red tie he had a black fedora hat on and a huge smile on his face it seemed to swallow the whole thing. The man motioned for Matthew to sit down; which he did on the Lazy Boy across from the sofa, as he did this he crossed his legs so his penis was no longer visible to the man in black. All the sudden he felt very vulnerable. "Most humans at least have the decency to dress for their company." Matthew noticed he said this, but his lips did not move he was speaking to Matthew in his mind. Matthew felt like there was a chunk of food caught in his throat. He couldn't get his words out. Finally, he said. "Wh- what do you mean humans?" The man in Black ignored the question and continued. Still not moving his lips. "Either way it doesn't matter, what matters is you complete your end of the bargain!" When he spoke bargain in his head. Mathew could have sworn on his mother's life the man in Black's eyes flashed red. "What bargain?" Mathew asked, and it sounded like his voice was miles away. The man in Black looked at him like he was stupid. "Why the bargain for what you call your life Matthew." And he laughed in such a wicked way it reminded him of Skeletor from He-Man and the Masters of the universe. Kids Saturday morning cartoon long gone with the cruel tides of change. The man in Black stood up and when he did he was towering over Mathew. Then he began to change; his skin started boiling it was the best way he could explain it, his skin was bubbling and popping with steam coming out of it and then it started dripping off him until only his skeleton was left.
         Chapter 4
         Matthew was frozen in place, he couldn't move or speak, no matter how hard he tried his brain just backfired like an old worn out car. In front of him stood a massive 7 or 8-foot skeleton. Its eyes were as red as Rubies and they seemed to be peering into his soul. It spoke but only in his mind as its eyes continued to gaze upon him. "You humans mistake me all the time Mathew. I am Death!" As he spoke a black robe appeared out of thin air and covered the Skeleton. Matthew noticed that his skull was not human either. It had sharp teeth more shark looking than humans, and it had horns on the top of the skull that poked through the robe. Then out of nowhere, the Scythe was in his hand and he gave that wicked Skeletor laugh. Then he continued his gaze and chat. "You killed these people because I made you, it was there time... I've already told you your time was soon!" He walked across the room more like hovered. Then said. "You humans think killers are born, I create killers to help with my tasks, everyone and anyone could kill at any time. I am the harvester of souls... Your only purpose is to live and die!" Death was towering over Matthew right now his eyes were blazing inside there sockets. Matthew could not control himself, he realized he was crying and pissing all over his Lazy Boy, Mathew was scared for his life.
         Chapter 5
         Death floated back over to the sofa and sat back down. Mathew felt like he couldn't breathe, he was hyperventilating. Death continued. "Stop!, You humans disgust me!" When he said stop, Mathew stopped instantly like Death was in control. "Power, money, you all thrive on it. Waste your whole lives chasing it, the money you created it's meaningless!" Deaths eyes lit up again like sockets of fury. Mathew finally got the courage to speak. He asked, "why me? And what do you mean it's coming to me soon?" Death looked through him it seemed then he replied, "you saw the lady under the table  I'm sure, her name was Rhonda Crow, anyway she would have been dead in 8 months; brain tumor. The guy you beat in the kitchen- Mathew cut him off and stood up and screamed, "you killed... You Fucking killed him!" Death stood up and was towering over him again, Mathew cringed up he could smell the burnt flesh it was making his eyes water. Deaths eyes were like burning sun's and Mathew could feel the heat on his face. "In the end I take everybody. As I was saying the guy in the kitchen his name was David Doser; his life was over in a couple days... Semi truck accident." If he could smile Mathew could tell he would be smiling. Death got inches from his face but Mathew had to pull away the heat and stench were unbearable. "My friend I take you tomorrow; double homicide which leads to suicide." Death went into another fit of Skeletor laughter. And Mathews world went dark for the second time.
         Chapter 6
         Mathew woke up in the Lazy Boy sprang to his feet and went to the dining room. He thought it all was a dream, but there laid the lady in the navy blue shorts. Just as dead as she was before. Was Death a dream? Am I going crazy? He didn't have a clue. He walked back to the kitchen and did what he always did when he didn't know what else to do. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. He chugged it down and grabbed the twelve pack of Budweiser. "It's the King and me tonight." He said out loud and headed up to his room being careful to step over David... He stopped and bent down and searched the body, in the back left pocket he found a brown leather wallet, he took this with him to the room. Mathew stepped into his bedroom and threw the Budweiser on the bed with the wallet. He went over to the stand in closet and grabbed a T-shirt 
and jeans and got dressed. He then sat on the bed and drank his beer. He opened the wallet and said "holy shit!" Sure enough, plain as day on the driver's license it was a picture of the guy he assumed because in the mess downstairs he couldn't make out his face. David Doser was his name... He dropped his beer on the floor but picked it up quickly so he didn't lose much. Party foul he thought. How would he know the guy's name unless Death was real? Or was he just losing his marbles? He said he only had one day to live; what time was that? He put the bottle to his lips and let another one slide down just like an ice cold cup of water. Then he reached into the twelve pack and grabbed another bottle. "Well, I'm sure as fuck not going to kill myself." He said out loud to no one at all. He looked at the clock on his nightstand it read 7:15 pm. It's got to be the same day he thought. What am I going to do with the bodies? He didn't know. He was ready to call and turn himself in, what was the point. No one would believe he was visited by Death. They would laugh and call him crazy... Wouldn't they? Well, of course, you are crazy; a voice in his mind said out of nowhere. "No I'm not crazy," he replied out loud to it. He laid back in bed continuing to drink his beer. Slowly but surely the beers began to disappear down his throat. And Mathews world went dark for the third time; only this time he dreams.
         Chapter 7
         In his dream it's foggy, he's walking but it doesn't feel like he's walking; it feels like he's floating. He starts moving faster-gaining speed. The fog starts to clear and he realizes he's surrounded by tombstones. It's dark the only light he has is from the moon and stars in the sky. Standing in between two tombstones is Death. He points a bony pointer finger at Mathew and says. "Your time is now! Look!" He points to the tombstone on his right. And it reads: 
         Mathew Stevens
             Born: February, 3rd, 1978. Died: February, 2nd, 2018. A Worthless Drunk.
             In the dream, Mathew looks at the second tombstone and it reads Su-
             Then all of a sudden he's on a plane staring out a window at the moon when a man in a black fedora sits down beside him looks at him and says "Mathew Stevens get off the plane, it's not your time, you and I are going to make a bargain." As he says this he smiles and Mathew can see his dagger-like teeth showing in the moonlight then his eyes flashed a crimson red.
             Mathew's eyes open and he's laying on his bed, his dream is fading away like they mostly do. But he holds on to a little. He looks at the clock it reads 8:42 am. He gets up and can't seem to shake the fact that it's supposed to be his last day alive. His dream keeps haunting him, A worthless drunk. He feels like he has not done enough he isn't ready to die. He heads out of his room and travels downstairs, he ignores the bodies paying them no attention at all. As he enters the living room he notices in front of the sofa on the coffee table is a jar of razor blades. What the fuck he thinks this is madness. He sits on the sofa and waits for Death to come for him. And he does.
             Chapter 8
             Mathew sits and waits patiently he is not planning on going easy and for sure not going to do it himself if he can help it. He needs Suzanne... But she is on a trip with her girlfriends and he doesn't want to bother her. But god does he miss her and the thought of never seeing her again breaks his heart. Then his mind wandered off to a very disturbing vision. It was of Suzanne coming over to his house a few days later and not only finding the lady in the navy blue shorts and Mr. No face but also finding him kicked back in the lazy boy with both his wrists slit in a pool of blood. No, he decided he could not let that happen. All the sudden he needed a smoke, and they were upstairs on his nightstand so he got up and traveled back to the dining room and past the dead lady in the navy blue shorts he got almost up to the stairs when he heard her speak. "I've given you the tools to do your deed so do it already!" He watched in horror as her mouth moved like a puppet her eyes where still in the back of her head. Then she gave that wicked Skeletor laugh... He bolted to his bedroom he was on the verge of a heart attack forget suicide. He got into his bedroom and slammed the door shut. He then proceeded to the nightstand and got him a smoke from the pack of Newports. After hitting the cigarette a few times he felt a little calmer, for the life of him he couldn't remember the last time he had one. He always imagined the end for him would be some hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of machines fighting to breath. It sure as shit was not the grim reaper coming to kill him or forcing him to kill himself. He jumped, there was a loud noise downstairs, it sounded like someone stomping on the floor. Death is here and he's trying to get my attention, he reached in his nightstand drawer and grabbed his mace one of those little canisters that went on a keychain, he had gotten it for Suzanne last spring when she was working closes at the Mcdonalds up the road. He shoved it into his pocket and headed downstairs to learn his fate.
             Chapter 9
             As he walked down the stairs and crept past the lady in the navy blue shorts he expected her to start talking again but she just laid there with her glossy whites showing. He got to the living room and of course, Death was standing in front of the sofa eyes blazing as usual. Mathew stared at him with a panicked look, he couldn't help it he was scared shitless. He reached into his pocket for the mace he was shaking badly. As he went to pull it out. Death did his Skeletor laugh inside his head which seemed to echo off his skull. His razor sharp teeth stuck out like a sore thumb, he spoke in Mathews' head and his voice was deeper more menacing. "Just what do you think that pest spray will do for you? You think it's going to burn my eyes and stop me from breathing?" He gave another wicked Skeletor laugh and stepped into Mathews elbow space. Death held his Scythe out to Mathew and said. " No, my friend you will do it with this." Mathew backed away from Death and said. "I will not kill myself, you can't make me!" Deaths eyes where so bright red that Mathew thought his eyes retinas would fry. "Take the Scythe and finish your part of the bargain!" Deaths voice shouted in his head. There was a spark in deaths eyes, and Mathew realized he was no longer in control, Death had mind fucked him and completely taken over.
             chapter 10
             Mathews' arms reached out and grabbed the scythe from Deaths grasp. Even though he was screaming and fighting madly to try and stop himself. It was completely useless Death had won. As his arms raised the scythe to end it all he couldn't help but drift off to him and Suzanne cuddled up in bed laughing and giggling watching Mrs. Doubtfire. God Robin Williams killed that role he thought. He would miss Suzanne. He brought the Scythe down swinging it like Babe Ruth hitting one out of the park. The blade of the scythe cut straight through the robe like butter, severing Deaths spinal cord right at the base of the skull. His head hit the floor with a loud thump. Mathew dropped the scythe and stepped back he could not believe what had just happened. Mathew watched the skull, Deaths skull laying on the floor, it was starting to rejuvenate skin and hair its nose and mouth and cheeks all where forming back like he was a makeup Artist going to work. As everything began to take shape he noticed that he was looking at his face on Death now and it spoke but not in his head. "Thank you, Mathew." Then Deaths eyes went dark. Mathew's heart was beating a mile a minute, sweat was pouring out of his pores. God, he felt so hot he was burning up. He took a step back and started looking at his hands and arms, his skin was boiling it was bubbling up and popping. Steam was coming from him he ran through the house screaming tears where streaming from his eyes his teeth burst into his mouth... He dropped to his knees and started throwing up blood then it switched he started throwing up his organs. His eyeballs burst in their sockets. He stood up and slushed through the pile of goop that was his skin. Until he was standing in front of the scythe. He reached down and picked it up. Mathew was no more, so Death hovered away.
                  The End.
                  01/10/2018