The Darker Side: Stories of Horror

251 Pages·2014·1.7 MB·English

by  Pelan

TheDarkerSide
RoC
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Darkside:HORRORFORTHENEXTMILLENNIUM
iii
THE
DarkerSide:
GenerationsofHorror
EditedbyJohnPelan
AROCBOOK
iv
PublishedbyNewAmericanLibrary,adivisionof
PenguinPutnamInc.,375HudsonStreet,
NewYork,NewYork10014,U.S.A.
PenguinBooksLtd,80Strand,
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FirstpublishedbyRoc,animprintofNewAmericanLibrary,adivision
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FirstPrinting,May2002
10987654321
Copyright©JohnPelan,2002Allrightsreserved
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v
CONTENTS
DoYouSeeWhatIFear?EdovanBelkom...1
DemonMeSimonClark...13
SpiritsoftheFleshSethLindberg...33
TheMisfitChildGrowsFatonDespairTomPiccirilli...45
PullBrianHodge...55
MamishkaandtheSorcererJessicaAmandaSalmonson...69
PetsJamesS.Dorr...77
TheLambPaulFinch...91
TheMannerlyManMehitobelWilson...113
vi
JustSomeoneHerMotherMightKnowMichelleScalise
TheOceanPoppyZ.Brite
TheOriginDavidB.Silva
AftertheFloodJoelLane
TheNightCityWilumPugmireandChadHensley
ThePlagueSpeciesCharleeJacob
TenBucksSaysYouWon'tRichardLaymon
ArmiesoftheNightJohnPelan
UnspeakableLucyTaylor
StandingWaterCaitlinR.Kiernan
GraveSongBrianA.HopkinsandRichardWright
TwentyMileAnnK.Schwader
AlltheWorld'saStageBrianKeene
vii
WhatGodHathWroughtRandyD.Ashburn...311
We'reAllBozosonThisBus!PeterCrowther...325
TheWhirlingManDavidNiallWilson...341
AsianGothicShikharDixit...355
HellCameDownTimLebbon...373
viii
JohnPelan
1
1
DOYOUSEEWHATIFEAR?
EdovanBelkom
Thingschangedafterthey'dremovedthetumor.
Ithadbeenaboutthesizeofagolfball,sittinglowinthebackof
hercerebrumnearthecerebellumintheareaofthebrainthatcontrols
sight.Shehadcomplainedofblurredvisionandheadachesformonths
beforeaCATscanrevealedthattherewasanabnormalgrowthbetweenthe
hemispheres.
Althoughtheproblemhadbeenidentified,ittookanothermonthoftests
andscanstodeterminethatthetumorcouldberemovedsurgically.By
thattimeithadgrowntoresembleaTitleistandhadcompressedthe
surroundingbraintissuetogether,pressingitdownintothebaseofher
skull.Sheblackedoutoften,sawdoubleallthetime,andspentthe
lastfewdaysbeforethesurgeryconfinedtoherbed.
Thenthetumorwasremovedandshewasfine.
Thatwasthewordthedoctorhadused.Fine.Otherdoctorslikedtouse
wordslikefullrecovery,survival,evennormal.Thereassuringwords
weresupposedtomakehergratefulforwhatthey'ddone,butshedidn't
feelgrateful.Thetumorhadbeenremoved,theblackoutshadstopped,
andtheblurredvisionwasgone,butshedidn'tfeelmuchbetter.
Shecertainlydidn'tfeelnormal.Orevenfine.
Foronethingshecouldseemorenow.Notfarther,orinthedark,or
smallthingsshecouldn'tmakeoutbefore,butmore.Thereweremore
colorsintheworld,areasofblueandgreenandorangefloatingonthe
airasifotherrealitieshadbeenlaid
2
downontopofourown.Shecouldseeotherpeople,too.Faceless
humanlikeformsofgrayandblackmovingsilentlyasshadowsbetweenthe
crowdsatthemall,ridinginthebackseatsofcars,andlingeringout
onthestreetinfrontofherhouse.
That'swhereshesawthefirstone.
She'dbeenlookingoutherlivingroomwindowlateonenightandnoticed
severaldarkfiguresmovingaboutonthestreetinfrontofthehouse.
Theylookedtobedressedinsomesortofform-fittingblackbodysuits
thatcoveredthemlikeasecondskin.Theirfaceswereobscuredaswell,
buttheeyesofeachwereclearlyvisible,notsomuchaspartofa
face,butasapairofeyessetwellbackinthedarkness.
Therewerefourofthefiguresoutonthestreet,movingfromcurbto
curb,seeminglypacingoutdistances,andpointingindifferent
directions.Theyappearedtobeconcentratingmostoftheirattentionon
thetreeacrossthestreet.Itwasanancientoak,withagnarledtrunk
thathadtobeatleastfourfeetaround.Thetree'sbranchesreachedup
totheskyandtoweredoverthesurroundinghouseslikeamother'sarms,
butthefourdarkfiguresseemedonlyinterestedinthetrunk.They
measuredupthetrunktoaboutfivefeet,pointedtothebaseofthe
tree,thenmovedtheirarmsasiftheyhadjustwitnessedatraffic
accidentandwerereenactingthecollision,usingtheirhandsto
representthevehiclesinvolved.
She'dassumedtheyweresomesortofspecialpoliceunitthat
investigatedaccidentsordesignedsystemstohelpimprovetrafficflow.
But,therehadn'tbeenanyrecentaccidentsonthestreet--andinfact,
shecouldn'trememberanaccidenteveroccurringinfrontofherhouse.
Andiftheywereworkingtoimprovetraffic,whyweretheydressedin
black?Roadworkersworebrightcolorsandcarriedlightssothey
wouldn'tberunoverbythetraffictheyweresupposedtohelpkeepmoving.
"Bill,"shecalled,"canyoucomehereaminute?"
Herhusbandgotupfromthelivingroomcouchandcameupbehindher,
puttingahandonhershoulder.
"Whatdoyouthinkthey'redoing?"
3
"Who?"askedBill.
"Thosemeninblackonthestreet,"shesaid,asifshewerepointing
outthenoseonhisface.
"There'snooneoutthere,"hesaid.Therewashesitationinhisvoice.
"Fourmen.Dressedinblack.They'remeasuringthings.Thatoakover
there,andthecurb."
Billwassilentafewmoments.Thenhegavehershoulderagentle
squeezeandsaid,"It'sgettinglate,hon.Maybeweshouldgettobed."
"I'llbethereinaminute,"shesaid,twistinghershoulderawayfrom
Bill'sgrasp."Iwanttoseewhattheydo."
Billsighed,said,"Okay,"andheadedofftobed.
Sheremainedatthewindow,watchingthedarkfiguresoutonthestreet.
Whenacitybusdroveby,sheinstinctivelyshouted,"Lookout!"onlyto
seeoneofthefiguresgetrunoverbythebus.Sheclosedhereyesa
moment,notwantingtoseewhathadbecomeoftheman,butwhenshe
finallydidopenhereyes,thefigurewasstillstandingthereinthe
middleofthestreet,lookingasunconcernedaboutthepassingcarsas
hehadbeenaboutthebus.
"Goodnight,dear,"calledBillfromthebedroom.
Sheturnedawayfromthewindow."Goodnight."Whensheturnedback
around,thefiguresweregone,thestreetempty.Wheredidtheygo?she
wondered.Orweretheyeverthere?
Sheclosedthecurtainsandheadedofftobed,hauntedbytheimageof
themanseeminglyrunoverbythebus,andchilledbyherhusband's
inabilitytoseewhatshecould.
Asshelayinbed,Billsnoringloudlybyherside,shewonderedifit
hadanythingtodowiththetumor.Howcoulditnot?Thetumorhadaged
her,shethought.Stolenawaythefewgoodyearsshehadleft.Shewasa
lotoldernowthanshe'dbeenatthestartofherordeal,andmaybe,
justmaybe,she'dgrownabitmorefoolish,too.Thatthoughtseemedto
allowhermindsomepeaceandshemanagedtosleepwelluntilmorning.
4
Shewasawakenedabruptlybythesoundofscreechingrubber,twisting
metal,andbreakingglass.Sheranfromthebedroomtoseewhathad
happenedandfeltherbodygonumbthemomentshereachedthewindow.
Therehadbeenanaccidentonthestreetinfrontofthehouse.Agreen
coupetravelingeastboundhadstruckaminivantravelingwestbound,
sendingitcareeningtotherightanddirectlyintotheoaktreeacross
thestreet.Therewassteamcomingfromunderthecar'ssmashedhoodand
thewomandrivingthevanwashanginglimplyouttheopenwindow,apool
ofbloodformingdirectlyunderherlaceratedarm.
Butthatwasn'ttheworstofit.
Thebackdooroftheminivanhadpoppedopenonimpactandasmallchild
layfacedowninthemiddleofthestreet.Therewasagrowingpoolof
bloodbeneaththechildaswell.
Thenext-doorneighbor'sdogwasoutinspectingthescene,sniffingat
thechild.Itwasabouttobeginlappingatthebloodwhenapassing
motoriststoppedandjumpedoutofhiscarandscareditoff.Theman
hadacellphonetohisear.
Shehopedhehadcalled911.
Shewouldhavedoneitherself,butshedidn'ttrusthertrembling
fingerstogetthenumbersright.
Thepositionofthecoupeandtheminivan,theroutethey'dtaken,and
thetrajectoriesthey'dfollowedhadallbeencarefullymeasuredbythe
darkfiguresthenightbefore.Theyhadmappedoutthecrashscene
beforeithadhappened.
Andshehadseenthemdoit.
Billcameupfromthebasementthen,stilldressedinhisbathrobe.
"Whathappened?"hesaidbeforehegottothewindow.Hepulledaside
thecurtainandgasped."OhmyGod,there'sbeenanaccident."
Sheshookherhead."Itwasnoaccident."
"Hello,"saidthepoliceofficer,tippinghishatpolitelyashestepped
intothelivingroom.
"Hello,"shesaid.
"Yourhusbandsaidyouknowsomethingabouttheaccident."
5
Shehesitatedamoment,thensaid,"Itwasn'tanaccident."
Thepoliceman'seyesgotwiderandhiseyebrowsarchedslightlyasifhe
weresuddenlymoreinterestedinwhatshehadtosay."Canyoutellme
aboutit?"
Shenodded,thensighed."LastnightIcametothewindowheretohavea
lookoutsideandIsawthesefiguresmovingaboutinfrontofthehouse.
Theyweremeasuringthingsonthestreetinrelationtotheoaktree.
ThismorningwhenIheardthecrashandcametothewindowagain,Isaw
thecarshadcrashedjustliketheyhadmeasureditout."
Thepoliceofficermadenotesinhisbook."Doyourememberwhattime
thiswas?"
"Justafterten.Myhusbandhadalookoutthewindowbeforehewentto
bed.Hedidn'tseeanything."
"Howmanymenwerethere?"
"Therewerefourofthem,butIdon'tknowiftheyweremenornot.It
wasdarkoutandtheywerealldressedinblack."
"Canyoudescribethem?"
"Theyweredressedinblack.Allblack,inskintightsuitsthatcovered
theirbodies,includingtheirheads."
Thepolicemanhesitatedandhisforeheadwrinkledinconfusion."Allblack?"
"That'sright."
"Anythingelseaboutthemyouremember?Anynoticeablelimps,
distinctivefacialfeatures?"
"Theyhadnofaces."
"Idon'tunderstand."
"Theirheadswereallblack,includingtheirfaces.AllIcouldseewere
theireyes.Buttheywerejustliketwolighterpointsontheirfaces.
Nothingdistinctaboutthematall."
AtthatpointshenoticedBillstandingattheedgeofthelivingroom,
hisarmscrossedandhiseyesinspectingthefloor.Howlonghe'dbeen
there,shecouldn'tbesure.
"Anythingelse?"askedthepoliceman,thetoneofhisvoicesuggesting
hehadlostinterestandwassimplygoingthroughthemotions.
"Yes,"shesaid."Whenabuscameby,itranrightoverone
6
ofthem,buthedidn'tseemtonotice.Itwaslike...likethebus
droverightthroughhim."
Thepolicemansighed.
"Mywife'srecoveringfromanoperation,"saidBill."Theyremoveda
tumorfromherbrain."
Thepoliceman'sfacelitupagain,butnotlikebefore.Thistimethere
wasalookofpityonhisface."Well,thankyouforyourhelp,Mrs.
Clarke."
Shehadtoaskthequestion,eventhoughshewasn'tsureshewantedto
knowtheanswer."Youdobelieveme,don'tyou?"
Thepolicemansmiled."We'llbefollowinguponalltheleadsweget
today.Haveagoodday."Hetippedhishatagain,andwasgone.
"Breakfast?"askedBill.
Shehadn'thadanother"vision"sincethenightbeforethecrashand
witheachpassingday,shewasmoreabletodismisstheepisodeas
simplyastrangeoccurrence.Perhaps,asherhusbandhadsuggested,
she'dbeenindesperateneedofsleep,orshe'dletherimaginationrun
wildatthesightofafewoddlyshapedshadowsoutonthestreet.
Whateverthereason,shewasfinenow.Fine.Thatwasawordher
husband,Bill,usedalotthesedays."You'llbefine,dear,"he'dsay
ifshecomplainedaboutaheadache.Or,"Everythingwillbejustfine
afteranap,"ifshefeltweakinthemiddleoftheday.Itwasalmost
asifhethoughtthemorehesaidtheword,themoreitwouldbetrue.
Forthemostpart,ithadworked.She'dallbutforgottenthecrashand
hadmanagedtoconvinceBillshewaswellenoughtogoshopping.She
didn'tneedanything,andshedoubtedshe'devenbuyanything,butafter
beingcoopedupinthehouse,gettingmorerestthansheknewwhattodo
with,atriptothemallseemedlikejustthethingtobringsomecheer
backintoherlife.
Billseemedaseagerasshewastogetoutofthehouse.He'dspendhis
timeinthebookstore,flippingthroughpicture
7
booksofoldwarbirds,andthenthey'dhavecoffeetogetherwhilethey
satonabenchandwatchedtheworldgoby.
Butthat'snothowitturnedout.
ShewascomingoutofWatchWorld,whereshe'dpickedupanewbandfor
Bill,whenshenoticedayoungmotherpushingastrollerdownthe
concourse.Thebabywasdressedinpinkandsuckedonabottlefilled
withjuice.Therewereballoonstetheredtothestrollerthatbounced
andbobbedontheairafewfeetbehindthem.
Andafewfeetbehindtheballoonswasafiguredressedinblack.
Sheimmediatelyrecognizeditasoneoftheshadowmenwho'dbeen
outsideherhomethenightbeforethecrash.Shestoppedwhereshestood
andplacedahandoverheropenmouthinanattempttostifleher
scream,buttonoavail.Hercrywassharpandshrillandpeopleall
aroundher,eventhoseseveralstoresaway,allstoppedtolookather.
Themotherstopped,too,andasshelookedaroundforthesourceofthe
scream,theshadowmanbeganmeasuringthechildinthestroller.He
seemedtopickherupforamomentasifgaugingherweight,andthenhe
measuredaspotonherthroat.
Shewantedtocryoutagain,chasetheshadowmanawayfromthechild,
warnthemotheraboutwhatwasgoingon,butshedidn't.Couldn't.She
wasparalyzedwithfear,asmuchforherselfasforthechild.Whatdid
thismean?Wasitagift,oracurse?Orhadtheyremovedpartofher
mindalongwiththetumor?
Shelookedagainatthemotherandchild.Theshadowmanwasgonenow
andtheyhadresumedtheirwalkdowntheconcourse.Still,herknees
feltweak,herhandstrembled,andsheneededtositdown.Therewasa
benchaheadandtotheright,nexttotheescalator.Shehurriedoverto
it,satdown,andbegantocry.
Peoplepassedherslowly,lookingatherwithamixtureofcuriosityand
pity,butnoonedaredapproachher.
Atlasttherewasahandonherarm.
"Whathappened?"askedBill.
8
ShelookedupatBill.Helookedmoreangryanddisappointedthan
worried.Sheconsideredtellinghimaboutwhatshesaw,abouttheshadow
manandthelittlebabythatwasdoomed,butsheknewhewouldn't
understand.
"Areyouallright?"heasked,slidingontothebenchbesideher.
"I'mfine,"shesaid."Ijust..."Shepaused,wondering,justwhat?She
tookadeepbreath."Ijustgotsadforamoment,that'sall.I'llbefine."
Billsmiled.Helikedthesoundofthatword,fine."Good,"hesaid,
givingherawink."Let'sgetsomecoffee."
TheygotupfromthebenchandheadedforStarbucks.
Itwastwodayslaterwhenshereadaboutitinthepaper.Achildon
theothersideoftownhadbeeninherbabycarrieroutinthebackyard
whilehermotherhungoutthelaundry.Thefamilydoghadalsobeenin
thebackyard.Thedogwasusuallyonaleash,butthemotherhadjust
beenplayingwithit,soitwasstillrunningloose.
Whilethemother'sbackwasturned,thedoggottooclosetothebaby
carrier.Aneighbor,whohadbeendigginginhisgardenandhad
witnessedtheattack,saidthedoghadbeensniffingthebabywhenthe
child'sbodyjerkedsuddenlyandafingerpokedthedogintheeye.This
appearedtoenragethedog,whichgrabbedthechildbytheneckand
thrashedbackandforthuntiltheneckwasbrokenandthechildwasdead.
Sheclosedthenewspaper,slidintobed,andweptfordays.
ThepsychiatristwasBill'sidea.
Hesatinhischair,legscrossedandanotebookonhisknee.Helooked
atherthroughapairofbifocalsthatsatlowonhisnose,givingher
theimpressionthathethoughtherproblemswerebeneathhim.
Shedidn'thavetoliedownonthecouch,butitmadeherfeelbetterto
doso.Thecouchitselfwascoldanduncomfortable,butwhenshelayall
thewayback,shecouldn'tseehimlookingdownather,andthatmore
thanmadeupfortheslightdiscomfort.
9
Heaskedherallsortsofquestionsandshegavehimallsortsof
answers.Mostlyshetriedtoexplainthechangesshe'dexperiencedsince
theoperation...herimprovedsightandallthenewcolorsshewas
awareof.Andofcourse,shetoldhimabouttheshadows.
Heseemedinterestedwhenshefirstbegantoexplainwhatshehadseen.
Heaskedquestionsthatatleastsuggestedhebelievedherandshefelt
thathereallywantedtoknowmoreaboutthisstrangephenomenon.
Andthenthingswentwrong.
"Isthereanyhistoryofdementiainyourfamily?"
"What?"sheasked.
"Anydementiainyourfamily?Arelative,perhapsonyourmother'sside,
oranyoneintheextendedfamily?"
"No."Sheshookherhead.
"Didyouhaveanyimaginaryplaymateswhenyouwereachild?"
"No!"shesaid,tryingtostatethewordfirmly,buthertremblingvoice
betrayedher.Thefainthopethathemightbeabletohelpherwas
fadingfast,leakingfromherbodylikebloodfromamortalwound,the
emptyspaceinherhearttakenoverbyanguishanddespair.
Shetriednottocry,butshecouldnotholdbackthetears.
"Perhapsthat'senoughfortoday,"hesaid,asifhefullyexpectedher
toreturnforanothersession.
"Thankyou,Doctor,"shesaid,almostoutofbreath.
"Getsomerest,"hesaid,pattinghershouldergentlyasifshewerea
child."AndI'llseeyounexttime."
Shetoldthesecretarythatinordertobookanotherappointmentshe'd
havetocheckherschedulewhenshegothome.Shenevercalledthe
doctor'sofficewhenshegothome,orever.Billknewenoughnotto
mentiondoctorsagain.
Shedidherbesttoignoretheshadowfiguresafterthat,butthemore
sheventuredoutofthehousetoliveatleastasemblanceofanormal
life,themorechancesshehadtoseetheminaction.
Likethepoliceofficershe'dcomeuponwhileoutfora
10
morningwalk.Hewasparkedinhiscar,watchingmotoristsstopatan
intersection,andwhilehewatchedthecarsgoby,ashadowloomedover
him.Theblackfigurereachedthroughtheopenwindowofhispatrolcar
andproddedathischest,firstwithanopenhand,thenwiththestubof
afinger.Dissatisfiedbywhatitfoundoverhischest,itbeganpoking
atthepoliceman'sforehead,settlingonaspotjustaboveandbetween
theeyes.
Sheknewwhatwouldhappentotheyoungofficer,andalthoughherheart
wasbreakingforhimandhisfamily,shedidherbesttolookawayand
ignorewhatshewasseeing.Shealsotriedtoavoidanynewsreports
overthenextfewdays,butshestillheardaboutthepoliceman,who
chanceduponadrugdealbeingconductedinthestairwellofan
apartmentbuilding.Theofficerhadbeenshotthreetimesbythedealer,
twiceinthechestandonce,fatally,inthehead.
Afterthat,sheneverwentanywherewithoutBillbyherside.Ifhe
couldn'taccompanyher,thenshedidn'tgoout,whichsuitedherfine
becauseventuringoutofthehouseseemedonlytodaretheshadow
figurestocrossherpath.Shewouldmuchratherstayhomeandwatch
television.
Butsooneventhatprovidedlittlerespite.Shewaswatchingagardening
show,whenthehostwassuddenlysurroundedbyagroupofshadow
figures.Thewomancontinuedyammeringaboutherroseswhileherskull
andarmswerebeingmeasured--mostlikelyinadvanceofsomegrisly
automobileaccident,orthebludgeoningbyaheavyobject.
Sheturnedoffthetelevisionandcradledherheadinhertremblinghands.
"Areyouallright?"askedBillwhenhecameintotheroom.
"I'mfine,"shesaid.Shesaidthewordalotthesedays,afterlearning
itwasjustwhatBillwantedtohear.
"Wanttogotothepark?"
Thepark,shethought.Itsoundedsopeaceful."Yes.Thatmightbenice."
"I'llgetyourcoat."
11
Itwasabeautifulsummerday.Familieswereouttogetherandyoung
coupleswalkedhandinhand.Forawhileshewasabletoforgetwhatshe
hadseen,forgetaboutitall.
Buttheywouldn'tletherforgetforlong.
Ayounggirl,nomorethanthreeyearsold,ranafteraballhermother
hadthrowntoherandshehadmissed.Theyounggirlcaughtuptothe
ball,trippedonit,andgentlyfelltotheground.
Asshelayonthegrass,ashadowfigureemergedfrombehindatree.It
seemedtobeinterestedinthegirl'sgenitals,pokingatthemwith
blackfingers,thenworkingatthatpartofthechild'sbodyasif
tryingtopryheropen.
"No!"shescreamed,risingfromtheparkbenchandrunningtowardthe
girl."Leaveheralone!"
Theshadowfigurecontinuedtoinspectthechildforamoment,butthen
itlookedup....
Lookedather.
Andforamoment,sheknewthatthegaphadbeenbridgedanda
connectionhadbeenmadebetweenherworldandtheirs.
"Getawayfromher!"shecried,stillrunningtowardthechildasfast
asheragedlegswouldcarryher."Leaveheralone!"
Theshadowfigureremainedwhereitwas,staringatherasifit