Shocked

                   The woods by the lake seemed different somehow. Perhaps the stillness in the air or the shadows that danced on the forest floor from the old pines that grew there. Maybe  the dense fog that hung to the surface of the lake as if trying to smother the life that was in it. Jake wasn't sure what, but something  was different. It was a feeling that sank into him right down to his soul sending goose bumps down his arms.          He and his brother Don had come here to do a little hunting and fishing, giving the two a chance to catch up .
         
         Don was a sight for sore eyes. Being his younger brother by nearly 2 years, Jake had always looked up to him, like little brothers generally do. They had parked their car on the road and hiked in. Due to engine trouble on the tug that Don worked on, they had gotten a late start and now the moon hung in the sky casting just enough light through the trees to dimly lighten their footsteps down the overgrown path.

         The ‘Old Shack' as they had called it from childhood, looked just the same as it did when their father brought them here the first time. Weather worn planks in the walls held up a rusting tin roof. It was a wonderful site and brought back fond memories. Two plain glass windows on opposite sides were crusted with years of dirt. Stepping through the slab door that creaked on rusted hinges as it was opened, reminded them why they rarely came up here. The dirt floor, the charred old cook stove  blackened with soot, a couple of benches and a table were all that was in it.

                   "No Holiday Inn ,huh?" Don commented over his shoulder to Jake as he set the lantern down on the table.

         After relocating a family of mice that had taken up residency in the stove, Jake found enough wood to start a fire  to warm  up some stew and coffee. Don set up the cots that they had packed in along with tackle boxes, rods, rifles, hunting knives and the essentials. After eating and talking for what seemed like hours they fell asleep.

         The sun found the brothers dressed in camo gear hiding in a makeshift deer blind. Here next to the lake, they waiting on dinner to walk up and have a morning drink but being newly reunited, the two regressed quickly to their childhood and began picking at one another. Soon they making enough noise to scare off the Devil himself, as well as any thirsty deer.
         Neither fired a single shot all morning so around noon they decided to give up and go fishing. Walking back to camp, they changed from hunting clothes into shorts and t-shirts. Grabbing their rods they raced back to the lake where they had much better success at fishing. By the time the sun was giving up its place to the moon, they had enough fish to fry up and eat well.

         On the way back they talked and joked. Don told Jake about his new girlfriend and how bad she was in bed. Jake told Don about his troubles and dreams.

         "Sorry I didn't visit" Don started "I really meant to."

         "I know, It's alright, I was fine.          Do you think about mom and dad?" Jake asked during a moment of silence.

         "Yea, I really miss them" Don replied quietly setting his plate down staring off into his memories.

         "Me too, me too" Jake managed to get out fighting back the emotions that were tearing through him.

         They left the fire going in the stove to fight off the nights chill and settled down on the cots for the night.

         "Night bro, Damn glad you could make it this weekend. I've missed you."

         " Me too little brother, wouldn't have missed it for the world" Don pulled the sleeping bag over his shoulders trying to get comfortable. "G'night!"

         The gentle glow of the fire left an orange glow in the room stretching the shadows eerily across the room. The creaking of the door brought Jake from a deep slumber into a semi conscious state. Assuming it was his brother going out to relieve himself, sleep overtook him once again bringing a fitful sleep full of nightmares and visions of the past.


The suns beam found its way through a hole in the wall and into Jakes eye. The robust smell of strong coffee floated through the air of the little room. The birds were chirping outside in the trees and from his cot it seemed to be the start of a beautiful day. Stretching out the kinks in his muscles from lack of the soft bed he was used to, he saw Don still in bed.

                   "Must have gone back to sleep" he thought

                   "Hey Butthead you up yet? Hey!" He said louder trying to get his brothers attention. Don didn't move. Reaching over he grabbed his foot remembering how don hated having his feet messed with. Still Don didn't move.

         Swinging his feet around, rubbing the nights sleep from his eyes he stood up and stretched again.

                   "Hey you want a cup or not?" he asked. Again his brother still didn't move.
         
         He reached over grabbing Dons shoulder rolling him onto his back. Terror ran through him as he saw the jagged hole in his brothers chest. The look of fear and anguish of his last living moments still locked into the glazed over eyes of his brother. Stumbling back in shock Jake fell backwards landing on the ground. That was when he saw it. His brothers heart was pinned to the dirt floor with his hunting knife next to his brothers gore stained cot.

" Not again....no not again."

A bone shattering laugh echoed through the room drowning out Jakes screams.



Chapter 2


         The florescent lights glowed in the hallway illuminating the tile floor and sterile walls. The strong smell of antiseptic hung in the air. 

                   "Dr. Rohm?" the voice shook the man from the trance he was in
                   " Yes" he said turning around to face the direction from which the voice came from.
                   " I'm Dr. Kann" he began raising his hand to shake the older mans "I will be taking over Mr. Dancers case."
                   "Nice to meet you" he responded taking his hand. Once again turning to stare out the steel screened window.
                   "How's he doing? Kann asked picking up the clip board from where it hung on the door.

                   "Have you familiarized you self with the case?"
                   
                   " Yea, pretty much, white male 20 years of age, found running through the woods half naked holding a hunting knife with his brothers blood on it babbling about he's come back or something, they couldn't make out much of it."
                   
                   Turning to face the new doctor" so you have read the police report, good but not enough. Lets get some coffee and I'll fill you in on the rest." the older doctor replied grimly. The lines in his face growing deeper.

         After getting their coffee they retired to a table in the corner of the cafeteria. A man of his mid fifties, Dr. Hans Rohm looked more like he was in his mid eighties with eyes that looked as if they had seen a hundred years worth of horror. His back humped at the shoulders from years of lifting patients now made his 6 foot frame look five and a half now.
         Dr. Dale Kann had just graduated medical school specializing in mental health. Being the youngest in his class at the ripe old age of 25, he had graduated top of his class with honors. Hans looked his colleague over smiling remembering when he was younger and could sleep at night with awaking to some horrific nightmare.

                   "Sorry for being sharp back there, this one is kind of personal"

                   "Oh? How so?"

                   "Have you read his medical record?"

                   "Not all of it just the highlights"
                   
Looking into his coffee hoping to find the answers that had been eluding him, Hans looked the young men in the eyes. Dale noticed the sudden change in the old doctors face, the sadness and blank stare of a man remembering.
                   "Remember back 7 or 8 years ago the Valentine Killer?" he started
                   "I think so...Wasn't he the one that cut hearts out of his victims?" remembering the media attention that was generated.
                   "yea that was the nut bag, the media never knew that he raped the women he killed AFTER he killed them, well when Jake was young his parents were 19 and 20 on this guys TO DO List. Jake saw the whole thing, he made him watch."

                   "Damn, that poor guys been through hell then" Dale stammered shaking his head.
                   "That isn't the half of it, he told Jake that if he told the cops anything he would come back for him and Don. After the bastard was put in prison he found out where Jake lived and began to send him letters of how much he enjoyed killing his parents and what a good piece of ass his mom was and that he was going to enjoy killing Don even more. Even went into detail. Well as you can imagine this sent Jake over the edge and he was admitted here, he was 15. I was his doctor then."
         Dale sat back in his chair, astonished at what he heard staring blankly at the Hans.
                   "You've been his doctor for....5 years?!"          
                   "Yup, seems longer, He was released a few months ago, seemed to be handling it finally. Now he's back. I saw the crime scene photos, It was just like Mesinger had described many years ago.
                   "You don't think Jake did it do you?" the young doctor asked.
                   "HELL NO WHAT IS THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" The old man yelled standing up fast enough to send his chair sliding across the floor on its back.
                   "I...I..didn't mean...I am sorry..." Dale replied realizing he had offended the gentleman.
         Calming down Hans picked up the chair glared at the people staring at him and sat back down.
                   "I know, but it makes no sense at all, the only prints that was on the knife was Jakes and.......Mesinger!"
         "That can't be he was fried....4 years ago!"