Things That Go Bump In The Night: UB/CP Edition (Posting 4 Stories A Day)
Options
Comments
-
ACTORS PT2
She grabs me by the hand, and drags me out of the kitchen and towards the stairs. Not that I mind too much, of course, I mean, this is Katie-? -Gilbert we're talking about here. You remember her, right? Like, the single hottest girl in our year? Now she's ? as ? and pulling me towards a spare-bedroom. I'm not complaining. So, anyway, she's blabbering away and sipping from my beer, and her giggling friends are looking on from the door to the lounge.
Then we're in the bedroom, and she's kissing me, hard, and I can taste the alcohol on her tongue. When she pulls away, she runs her fingers through my hair, then rests them against the wound on my temple, gazing at it with what I think was supposed to be an empathetic expression.
“Oh, Dave...” she says. She probes at it, experimentally, and pain shoots through my head like a camera-flash. I see the Jester, reflected in the dark glass of the window, and suddenly I begin to sweat. I stagger back a little from her, but she grabs me by the shoulders. She starts to ask questions about how I'm feeling, but I'm not listening. I'm inspecting her face, the proportioning of it, the gentle slope of her freckled nose, and the way her hair frames it all so perfectly. Too perfectly.
“Where's Katie?” I ask.
“I'm right here!” she laughs “What are you talking about?”
My fingers curl about the handle of the knife. The Jester stops laughing.
It's easier than it might seem to flee a party, covered in blood. Everyone is ? , and nobody will remember ? the next day. The hard part is actually cleaning oneself up. I showered twice, then burned the clothes I was wearing and put on my hunting gear. The padlock on my dad's bedroom closet is a polymer piece of garbage from Walmart, so I lever it off with the knife. The shotgun is exactly where I remember it being. In fact, I don't think it's been moved since Pete and I took it out to shoot cans in the quarry outside of town, that one time in Spring. I grab it and stuff my pockets with shells. My head-wound starts to bleed again. The Jester flickers in and out of the corners of my vision, but every time I swing around to face him, he's gone. Then there's a click, and the light comes on.
“David?” says my Old Man. I turn around, a half-formed explanation dying on my lips as I look into the eyes of a man that is most certainly not my father. My jaw works, as though trying to chew a particularly rubbery object, and tears sting my eyes. Pete and Katie were important to me, sure, but now I was looking into the eyes of a man desperately trying to imitate the only family I'd ever had. A seasoned actor, no doubt, but not my father. The Old Man steps forward, wiping the oil from his fingers on his already grimy overalls. His face, lined and cracked like old leather, is pinched with some emotion. Concern? Fear?
“David?” he says, again. He reaches for the gun in my hands.
“Where. Is. He?” I snap.
“Wh-what?”
“Why are you doing this!? What have you done to him?”
“Son...” he says.
I shoot him once, in the chest. He tumbles away from the cupboard, sending the bare bulb above my head into a wild, hangman's dance at the end of its string. As the actor lies, quivering and ? on the floor, I crouch beside him and unsheathe my Dad's knife. I can feel rage—feel hatred—overwhelming me and forcing my hand towards his chin. I can't see the Jester, but somehow, I just know he's behind me, peering intently at the dying man on the floor. The Old Man stares past me, into the creature's empty eyes.
“Let's see who's under that mask.” I snarl. The knife flickers in the waltzing light.
So, I lie low for a while, after that. Or at least, I try to. I visit friends in town—friends that I thought I could trust—only to find the actors one step ahead of me every time. Ricky, Brian and even Mira, who I've not spoken to since she dropped out of school last year. Every time, they try to talk me down, telling me to, “turn myself in.”
The one pretending to be Ricky slammed the door in my face, and I was so sure I heard the real Ricky screaming from inside, that I chased after him. After I'd dispatched the fake, I searched the whole house, but to no avail. Now I think back to them—the way they try to trick me. It's “for the best,” they tell me. They plead so convincingly, and I start to think that maybe the only real thing about them is the fear that I cause when I fight back.
But even if I want to turn myself in, I can't. I know it's a trap. Brian had his TV on, and while I was holding him down and trying to find the seam on his mask, I saw Sheriff Moore giving a press conference. Turning me into a monster with honeyed words. Making me the enemy of all the townsfolk. I sunk the knife behind Brian's ear, then got up and turned the TV off. I saw the outline of the Jester, reflected in the screen in the fraction of a second it took for the light of the picture to fade, but he wasn't there when I turned around.
Anyhow, you know Sheriff Moore was a good friend of my Old Man, right? Used to rock it up to our house for coffee when he was supposed to be on highway duty. I'd know an imposter when I saw one. The knowledge that I'm on my own, here, is strangely comforting, though. Me against them. I don't know what's happened to the folks in my life. Don't know how far the rot goes—how many people they've replaced. But it's all or nothing, you know? I'm going to keep killing them until the Jester stops laughing. Keep killing them until I've gotten to the bottom of all this.
Look, you've been real patient, and I gotta thank you for that. The reason I've contacted you is this: what with all those cops buzzing around, and all my close friends and relatives... well, you know...
Long story short, I crossed state lines, and I'm in town. Two minutes away, actually—in that coffee place we went once, remember? Sure you do. Anyway, I'm on my way over, now. I just need a place to lay my head for the night. I know we've not seen each other in a long time, but I was sure I could trust you not to be one of them.
...I can trust you, can't I?
Anyway. I'll be over in a second.
Bye. -
I had to stop posting for awhile the stories where starting to fck with me
Went jogging with a knife twice expecting the smiling man to pop up smh -
It's finally my eighteenth birthday, thank ? . In just a few months, I would be going to study at a Japanese university in Tokyo. I've been obsessed with everything Japanese for as long as I can remember. My Japanese is okay, but not great. I hope going over there will help my Japanese. Plus, Japanese people are gorgeous. That's just a bonus.
"Happy birthday, Aiden!" my mother said as she walked through the door. She had a golden box in her hand that looked Japanese. Oh my ? , was that my gift? Please tell me it is. It looked antique.
"Here's your birthday present, sweetie," she said warmly, "I bought this at the antique shop down the road. This box has quite a story to it, as well. Have you heard of Amatsu-Mikaboshi?" she asked.
"Yeah, that's the Japanese deity of evil. Why?" I asked, confused.
"Well," she began, "legend has it that this box belonged to a cult in Japan trying to summon him. The cult was very famous in Japan, but one day their meeting place was burned to the ground with them all in it. This was the only thing that survived the fire. Nobody knows who or what started the fire."
Mom, why would you give me a box that belonged to a cult trying to summon a ? of evil? That's like bringing me a Satanic relic and going.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONEY. ENJOY THIS RELIC OF THE DARK LORD, SATAN. WANT SOME CAKE?"
"Thanks, Mom." I said, trying to be as happy as I could. I took it from her hands and I was surprised. It was extremely light and covered in a gold and white design. It was actually quite beautiful. It had the characters for "Evil" etched into the top. I tried opening it, but it wouldn't open. What the hell?
"Oh, yes," Mom said, "it's locked. The man who ran the shop told me that the box chooses who can open it. It last belonged to a boy in Mexico."
"Why'd he get rid of it?" I asked. Obviously he had to have a reason to get rid of something this old and beautiful.
"The owner didn't know. He got it while he was in Mexico on vacation. He said the boy just gave it to him and said that he didn't want it." she said.
"And you don't find that strange at all?" I asked.
"Oh, honey," she laughed, "those are just legends. You don't need to listen to them; they're just for fun." she said as she looked at the clock. "Oh my ? ! Honey, I have to leave, or I'll be late for work and my boss will have my head. When I get home we'll have cake and open the rest of your presents. I love you." she said as she kissed me on the forehead and walked out of the room.
Hmmmm, this box was intriguing. It had a hell of a legend, too. The box chooses who can open it, my ass. I was gonna find a way to open it. It was so light it probably had nothing in it, but it's worth a try. I got up and sat it on my desk and walked downstairs, went outside, and got in my car. I was going out to eat with my friend and then headed to his house for a while for my birthday. My mom doesn't get home until about ten anyway.
~Later that night~
It was about eight o'clock when I got home. I walked inside, took off my new leather coat, and hung my keys up. ? , tonight was so crazy. I actually had my first kiss; it was amazing. Yeah, I know, eighteen years old and just now getting my first kiss. It was so worth the wait, though. It was from my friend, Eric. He was the first one I came out to back in eighth grade and he's been my best friend ever since. We didn't do much other than the kiss, we watched movies and cuddled on his couch. This love thing was great. Suddenly my phone in my pocket vibrated. I pulled it out and saw it was from my mom.
"Hey, honey! I'm sorry, but I won't be home until one AM or so. A guy came in with a heart attack and we have to perform an emergency operation. Your gifts are in the closet and your cake is in the fridge. Be home later! Love you!"
Just great, I kind of wanted to have my birthday with my mom. My father passed away from brain cancer about five months ago and I'm an only child, so I kind of wanted at least someone here. Oh well, I'm used to being alone. At least I spent the night with Eric. I might as well open the rest of my presents.
I opened the rest of my presents and they were pretty nice. I got some new jeans, a phone case, some shirts, and some money. I went to the fridge to get some cake. Yes! She got ice cream cake! I love ice cream cake. I cut a slice and dang, it was the best ice cream cake I had ever eaten. It was late, I guess I should take a shower.
I took off my clothes and started the hot water when I heard something weird. It sounded like a type of chanting. I figured it was our ? head neighbors and just ignored it. While I was in the shower, the only thing I could think of was that box. Why would someone try to summon Amatsu-Mikaboshi? From the myths I've read, he wasn't evil in a Satan sense. He was a dark form that led people to be destroyed in a physical and emotional sense. He would drive you crazy with ? or greed until you eventually destroyed yourself. Later on, he became related with evil creatures in a slave like relation ship, but I still don't understand why someone would try to summon him.
I got out of the shower, dried off, put on my clothes, and went to my room. I sat on my bed and opened my laptop when I noticed that I had a new Facebook message. It was from Eric.
"Hey, Aiden. I wanted to be the last one to wish you happy birthday. Tonight was so amazing. I guess it's obvious that I like you a lot, haha. To be honest, I've liked you for a long time, but I've been too afraid to say anything because of how you might react. I like everything about you. Your intelligence, your good looks, your pure heart, your hilarious personality, everything about you is perfect to me, even the way you walk. Can you call me when you get this? I want to ask you something."
I started to blush when I read that. I've liked him for a while, too. This has honestly been the perfect night.
I ran to my cell phone, dialed his number and waited for him to answer. I was so nervous as to what he was going to ask me.
"Hi, Aiden." he answered.
"Hey, Eric. You wanted me to call you?" My heart was pounding a million times a second.
"Yeah, well I guess you read my message. I wanted to know if we could take it to the next level. You know, date. Will you be my boyfriend?' he asked.
-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PT2
"Of course I will." I answered. The sheer bliss that ran through me at that moment was ineffable. "Hey, do you wanna come over? I know I just left your house, but I kind of want to be with someone right now." I said. I don't know how to explain it, but I was afraid. That box was still on my mind and so were the legends.
"Yeah, I only live like five minutes away. Are you okay?' he asked, worried.
"Yeah, just get over here soon, please."
"I'm on my way." The phone cut off. Thank ? , I was really creeped out tonight.
I walked over to the box and examined it carefully. This thing was beautiful, why was it creeping me out so much? I looked around the box for a way to open it. There were words etched into the bottom of the box, too. They were in a mixture of Japanese and Korean and Latin. Huh, that's weird, thankfully I'm a polyglot. All of the words flowed together, in a sort of a rhythm. When I finished reading it off, I heard a click. The top of the box had clicked open. Okay, now that's super creepy. Inside of the box was a piece of paper. I picked up the paper and it had English writing on it. Huh, I guess they tried to make it diverse.
"Thank you." That's all it said. Wait, what? "Thank you", that's it? I read over it about ten times when I suddenly heard a knock at the door.
"It must be Eric, thank ? ." I said. I put the piece of paper down and closed the box. I walked down the stairs and opened the door.
"Aiden!" He said with a happy smile. Something wasn't right. I mean, it was him. It was still the same tall, blonde, blue-eyed guy, but something was different. "Why don't we go upstairs? I'm here for you now."
"Yes, please. Let's go." I told him.
We walked up the stairs holding hands. I just needed to relax. They were just stories. They aren't real and I have my boyfriend now. I'm okay.
We got to my room. He walked over to the box and eyed it very carefully.
"Wow, that's a very pretty box. Was it a birthday present?" he asked, picking it up.
"Yeah," I said. I know Eric, he normally wouldn't care about anything antique. What was up with him? "It apparently belonged to a cult in Japan trying to summon a ? of darkness."
He smirked. "Ah, that's all nonsense." He put the box down and looked at me. "I'm here for you." He began to lean in to kiss me.
The kiss was heavenly. He then pushed me onto the bed and started taking off his clothes. Whoa, whoa, whoa, I wasn't ready to have sex yet. We hadn't been dating for thirty minutes.
"Eric," I said pushing him off, "we haven't been dating for long at all. I don't think I'm ready for sex."
"Come on, babe. Just relax and let it happen." he said, trying to rip my clothes off. What was he doing? He would never do that.
I pushed him off of me. "Wait, just let me go to the bathroom first." I said. I had to go and figure out was going on.
"Alright," he said, "hurry back."
I got up and went to the bathroom. I pulled out my phone to check the time. It was only 10:00. I guess I still had to time if I decided to have sex with him. My mom said she would be home at one. Suddenly, I got a text. From Eric. Why didn't he just come to the bathroom if he needed me? I opened the text message.
"Aiden, I'm so sorry. My parents won't let me out of the house this late. Please don't be mad. I love you so much. Are you okay? I can come over tomorrow. I promise."
My heart dropped. No, this can't be happening. Eric was in my room. At least, I thought he was. Who was in my room, though? It did make sense, though. The person who was in my room wasn't acting like Eric at all.
I slowly crept toward my room and cracked open my door very slightly. I saw him holding the box. Suddenly, his eyes turned black and a long, serpent like tongue extended from his mouth. He, it, whatever it was started to lick the box.
What was going on? Oh my ? , were the legends true? Aiden, think. Think back to every myth you've ever read. What was Amatsu-Mikaboshi's weakness? DAMN IT, he's barely mentioned it anything. Well, salt and water are purifiers in Shinto. It's worth a try.
I walked slowly down stairs and went into my kitchen. I filled a water gun up with purified water and got a container of salt. Please let this work.
"What are you doing, Aiden?" a voice said behind me.
Chills ran through my body. I turned around. "Oh, um, I have a cut in my mouth and I was going to rinse it with salt water."
He looked at me, he obviously didn't buy it. "You know, it's dangerous to lie." He said as he started to walk toward me.
I began to spray him with water and threw salt on him. Wherever it hit, his skin burned. "WHO ARE YOU?" I shouted.
His voice turned demonic. "Evil." he said with a maniacal laugh.
He ran toward me with superhuman speed and knocked me out. When I woke up, I was in my basement. All four of my limbs were tied up. Then I saw him.
"You know, Aiden, I guess I don't need this form anymore." he said. Then he began to shift into a creature. It stood like a human, but was covered with fur with razor sharp teeth. "My real name is Tomohisa." it said.
"Please," I begged, "let me go. Why do you want me?"
"We need you, Aiden. We need you to be our vessel."
"We?" I asked, when suddenly, more of those creatures walked down the stairs. They all looked exactly like him.
"We need you to be a sacrifice for Amatsu." he explained. "Don't worry, we'll make your death very slow and painful." it said.
Tomohisa grabbed a dagger and started to carve markings into my body. The only thing I could do was scream. The pain was unbearable.
"Shhh," Tomohisa said, "you're really giving me a headache."
Suddenly, Eric walked down the stairs to the basement.
"Hey, you didn't reply to me text so I snuck ou--- WHAT THE HELL? AIDEN!"
"ERIC!" I yelled. No, please no. He was going to get himself killed.
"? HIM." Tomohisa yelled!
"ERIC! QUICK! WATER AND SALT DO NOTHING TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY. TRY MIXING THEM TOGETHER AND SPRAY THEM WITH IT." I yelled.
"SHUT UP, YOU ? ." Tomohisa yelled.
Eric ran up the stairs, hopefully doing what I said. Please, let him be okay.
"You little human," Tomohisa began, "you know, we've been searching for a vessel for decades. I'm sure the rest of my minions can take care of your little lover. Do you have any question before you're sacrificed?" he asked.
"What happened to where you guys met? How was it burned down." I asked. I was trying to stall because I found a sharp point on each side of the table I was tied to. I knew I could cut my way through.
-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PT 3
"Ahhh, that. Well, obviously people weren't happy with what we were trying to do." he began. "Nobody wanted a ? of darkness summoned. So, they burned us down. I placed a spell upon that box, though. I made it to where anyone with a pure, but corruptible heart, could read it and open it. I had all of the cult's souls put into the box when the place burned." He explained. Yes, I was almost there. "I've been waiting for this day. Now, it's time. Time for you to die and the master to be summoned."
Yes, I got the last knot cut. I ran as fast as I could upstairs. I couldn't fight Tomohisa myself. Eric had the salt water, maybe he could help.
I got upstairs and I saw Eric. He was alive, but he was beaten up.
"It worked." he said. "They're gone."
"Good, we have one left. The master." I said.
"? !" he yelled.
Then Tomohisa walked up the stairs. "It looks like the rest of the cult is gone. Go ahead, ? me. I really don't care anymore. The ritual can't be performed without the entire cult. I'll meet the master in the afterlife." he said.
Eric threw the water at him and he evaporated.
"It's over." He said with a smile. "It's over."
I grabbed him and hugged him as tight as I could. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my back. Eric stabbed me.
"Eric...... w-why?" I asked.
"Dumb human," his voice began to change, "you think you can ? us with salt water?" Then he morphed into his real form, like Tomohisa. He then threw me to the ground. The pain was too great. I couldn't even speak. Then, the rest of the creatures appeared in front of him. Including Tomohisa.
Tomohisa opened my pantry and threw Eric's destroyed body onto the floor. "Time for you to join him." He said. Tomohisa walked over to me and whispered into my ear.
"Happy birthday." He then stabbed me in the heart and everything went black. -
CAMP OMEGA PT 1
I was about twelve years old when my parents sent me to that ? hole. They were so determined to get me to camp. Not just that camp but really any camp. I took it as code for “We’ll-be-at-work-all-week-and-we-don’t-trust-you-alone”. My parents showed me the brochure, it actually looked kind of fun! The picture on the front of the brochure had slides, activities, and really anything that a twelve year old kid would want in a camp. It was pretty legit. The kids all seemed to be having fun in the picture. I kowtowed to the idea and eventually gave in.
I remember it like it was yesterday. Camp Omega in the foothills Virginia in some small town. It was like any other camp, bunks to sleep in, campfires at night, and friendly counselors. Looking back on it, maybe too friendly. At the time I thought that they were just being friendly because it was their job. I have never been so wrong.
Camp was fun at first, though the activities were a bit odd. We had to make these dolls that looked like us. Mine had straw for hair and blue button eyes. Then we had to make these bracelets with our names on them. Everything was personalized which I expected from camp. We had campfires and shared our feelings until we knew each other pretty well. There were about 25 other campers and 15 councilors. One camper stood out to me, her name was Jeanette. She was nice and didn’t talk too much. I was shy too so we connected easily through enjoying the silence.
It was the last day of the weeklong camp. I was so happy to be going home the next day, camp was fun but I missed home. We sat at the fire with everyone including the counselors. I wasn’t sure if it was the fire but they looked different. The looked familiar but their faces were pale as ghosts. I shrugged it off and listened to the next activity.
I wish I didn’t.
We all had our dolls that resembled us. I held mine in my hands and tried not to look at it, as its blank blue button eyes stared into me. “This represents the old you. The you before camp” The lead councilor said to all of us. Then they had us throw the dolls into the fire. I watched as mine was engulfed in flames, snapping and popping as the fire consumed its canvas skin. “You are a new person now.” The head councilor told us.
After the doll burning they told us there would be a goodbye ceremony and dinner. Two of the councilors led us back to the cabins and told us to pack our stuff. They explained that the celebration ceremony was at the nearby barn on the edge of the property. The other councilor left so it was just one with us. His name was Scott. He was always nice and had good jokes. He waited at the fire pit as we all gathered our things. He was acting weird as I sat next to him waiting on everyone else. He was staring into the fire silently, with a disturbed look on his face. “I love you.” He muttered once we were all assembled. I didn’t know whom he was talking to so I assumed I misheard him. “I love you guys and I’d do anything for you.” He said clearly so we all heard it.
We all looked at each other with confused expressions but it was a nice gesture and we said that we loved him too. He smiled and got up “We’re ready.” He stated and led us through the forest to the edge of the camp. It was dark and the air got thicker. I was excited for the ceremony. I was ready to leave and go home where there was cable and internet. I’ve had enough of the outdoors.
We suddenly exited the woods and the barn loomed in the darkness. All of the camp councilors stood around it in a circle with torches in hand. I felt my stomach drop. I knew something wasn’t right as they ushered us all into the barn.
It was an old rickety structure, I’m sure wasn’t up to any building code and I was also pretty sure we shouldn’t be in there. The councilors stepped inside and formed a circle around us, closing the door behind them.
-
CAMP OMEGA PT 2
The head councilor broke from the circle and stood before us. “Jeanette Lewinski please come forward for your departure.” She said, we all looked uneasy but Jeanette stepped forward. I was happy for her; maybe she would get a ribbon or something cool to take home.
The councilors moved from the ring around the barn to a ring around us, all the while holding their torches. I could feel my heartbeat quicken as they came closer, and closer.
And stabbed Jeanette in the neck.
She didn’t scream and suddenly it was sudden pandemonium as the counselors threw their torches at the walls of the barn. I didn’t notice that all of the councilors had long serrated knives with them. I tried to run but the barn was starting to go up like a match. Kids were running around screaming before being stabbed by the counselors.
“We have to get out of here!” I screamed before running straight into Scott.
“Carl, don’t you want to stay for the ceremony?” He asked me, his eyes seemed to appear pitch black and he wore the most sadistic smile on his face.
I punched him in the gut and ran past him out of an opening in the barn. I had never run that fast in my life. I looked back briefly. ? I wish I never looked behind me. I could see black figures, silhouetted by the light of the fire, running about screaming. Some stood still, with their arms out, accepting the stabs by the counselors.
I heard chanting of some sort, at first I couldn’t make it out but it grew louder:
“We know what’s best for you, we love you.”
Over and over again. The sight of Jeanette’s last breath as her mouth filled with blood flashed through my mind and I ran.
I ran into the forest, my heart beating in my ears like a drum. I didn’t know where I was going. I was just running in the direction that we came from. The chanting followed me. “We know what’s best for you, we love you.” It repeated like a broken record, over and over.
The glow of the inferno lit the property dimly so I was able to come out the other side where the cabins were. I looked behind me again; I could see the brush moving and the chanting growing louder. How did they find me? How did they follow me?
“We know what’s best for you, we love you.”
I ran faster but I felt a hand tug at my shirt. I fell and it fell with me. I looked back to see the councilor, he had my ankle in one hand and a knife in the other. His eyes were empty black pits and his skin was white as a sheet. I screamed and kicked the knife out of his hand with my other foot. That loosened his grip a bit and gave me time to get back to my feet and run towards the exit.
The sign reading “Camp Omega” stood hauntingly above the entrance. I ran straight through it. The footsteps behind me stopped as the councilors did. I looked behind again, and there they stood. Looking trapped inside of the campgrounds stood all of the councilors. Still as stone. As if they knew they couldn’t cross the gate.
It started to rain and that’s when they put their hoods up. I didn’t even notice the hoods and robes before. Even in the dim light I could tell they were blood red.
“We know what’s best for you, we love you.”
They chanted again. I started to back away slowly, my eyes wide in terror as they pulled their daggers out again. I thought they were going to throw them at me. Part of me wanted to run and scream but the other was transfixed on the scene playing out before me.
In unison they raised their bloodstained knives and stabbed themselves in the necks. Blood spurted everywhere. I could see it mix with the rain as it flowed down their necks and they fell.
All I could do was scream and run down the dirt path into the little town. It felt like weeks that I ran until I found the town and the police station. Relief washed over me as I entered the wooden doors. I must’ve looked like a mess. My hair was matted with a mixture of sweat and rain. I probably had blood on my hands. I looked down at them.
They were clean. The rain must’ve washed the blood off. I walk to the front desk as calmly as I could where the secretary looked at me. She had a shocked expression on her face as if I had just risen from the dead. I assumed it was because of my disheveled appearance.
I explained everything to her. The camp, the councilors, what they did; everything. She looked shocked and gave me a glass of water. “Do you want to call your parents Carl?” She asked me.
“Yes please.” She gave me her phone and I called them up. I’m surprised they could understand me since I was choking on my own tears and snot that ran down my face and into accumulated into my mouth. They came as quickly as they could to pick me up. An hour later they arrived at the police station. I was so relieved that they found me that once I got in the car I closed my eyes. I felt safe.
I must’ve fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes we were in an unfamiliar place. I blinked a few times; we were parked in front of a brick building that loomed gloomily overhead. It was then that I realized something. The woman at the police station, how did she know my name? I never told her.
“Where are we?” I ask with apprehension, my parents look back at me with sad expressions.
“Son, we’re at a mental institution. We’re worried about you.” My father stated flatly. My jaw fell open.
“You don’t believe me?” I asked.
“Carl, you’ve been missing for a week now. You showed up at a police station in this small town ranting about some camp with murderous councilors.” My mother stated. I was silent trying to process everything.
“Carl, we know what’s best for you, we love you.” They chanted in unison.
