Chapter 1

Something or someone was following Charlie; Had been for days now. Seemed close to a week...at least he thought so! Uneasy...he turned his head slightly to the left as he rounded the corner. Looking back over his shoulder he surveyed the area and hoped he was just imagining things. His eyes caught sight of a shadow a block down...projecting out from the street up against the side of the building walls! He ducked into the entrance of an old dilapidated doorway leading to a crumbling building.

An overhead sign, The Morrison Mortuary protruded out from the building and swung freely in the damp night air. Loose boards supported by ugly rusted bent nails kept the sign from crashing down on Charlie. What a place to die; right at the mortuary's door, he thought as he maneuvered himself away from the sign at the door's entrance and further into the building's vestibule!

He heard footsteps. Feeling a little brave...he poked his head out the entrance, and surveyed the street. Up and down his eyes searched, but saw no one. Nothing! Not man nor beast!  The vast emptiness made him almost want to leave his safe haven, as his mind told him...all was fine. However, the tingle starting to crawl up his spine...told him otherwise! 

Gaining confidence, he looked again. Trying to decide to stay or to take the leap of faith and go, he poked his head further out the door frame. He had to get home! He looked on in hope and fear. Charlie hoped it was just all his imagination, but, he feared it wasn't! The street was deserted except for the shadow that was projecting out from the building: and it seemed to be moving closer to Charlie, so close he could almost make it out. His eyes squinted, then widen. Squinted again…then widened, and stayed that way. He looked! The shadow was taking on the form of a …!

Charlie screamed! He screamed a long howling scream like that of an animal in severe pain: or mind-bending fear, or possibly in the throes of death. And to charlie, now death, was so much better...than the reality of having to name what his mind could not comprehend! In a state of shock, Charlie fell back into the vestibule and fainted! His mind just could not bear up under the weight of what he had seen! His fear would not allow it! 

He awoke to the smell of cotton candy perfume permeating from a teenage girl holding him up! She was the girl of his dreams. He could not believe his eyes! Where did she come from, he wondered, as he slowly tried to lift himself up and away from her fragile lovely arms?  He struggled to set up. A shock-wave shot through him like lightning when his cheek slightly brushed up against her cherry red lips! It was intoxicating! Forever in her soft arms was a place he wanted to stay.

It took a minute or two for him to come around. When he fully regained his senses, he realized that he was now outside on the sidewalk, with his head laying in his dream girl's lap. As he looked around, he realized the shadow was gone, at least he hoped it was. But, he also knew it could possibly still be lurking somewhere down the street; just waiting for the chance to pounce, especially now that he was out in the open, and helpless! He looked up and down the deserted street, and tried to remember...all that he wanted to forget! And the only thing he did  remember before he fainted was seeing the......!

October 2019...rough draft-work in progress

Updated Jan 30, 2023

Aujunai Charpentiair