The Red River of Hoxton

The Red River of Hoxton

         I sit alone. All by myself on the park bench. The air is chilly around me, as I watch the sun descend into the horizon. I watch the people, inspecting them. I've only just met these people, yet I already know everything about them. They jog past me, paying no attention to me. Not that it matters anymore, it's been years since anybody has even acknowledged my existence. You get used to it. I was born right here, in Hoxton. Raised in this town, in this very park, where I played with my friends. Things were good until the great famine of London in 1876. Businesses fell, families were torn apart, people went barmy and started fleeing the city. When I was only nine, right here in this park, I watched a nearby building explode. Howard and Lilabeth, my two best and only friends, burned to death. So many horrific memories lay within this park, but what better place to call home?
         Aside from all that, this is also my place of work. I spend my days watching people walk by. I study their every movements, documenting them, and reporting back to my boss. I wait for the perfect person. Sometimes, I can find up to ten people worthwhile per day. Tonight, the night of the incredibly rare Blood Moon phase, it is five. As I sit, I spot a group of young adults take seat at local tea shop. I study their faces, and within seconds, I've got their names. Dirk, Simon, Daniel, Rose and Marta. All between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-five. All average looking people, quite fit for their ages. They will suffice. For the first time today, I rise, and quickly wisp towards them.
         I approach them and begin circling around them. I choose Dirk to be the leader. He looks fearless. He's also the oldest and is most likely the one who drove the gang here. I get behind him, and whisper into his ear. "Your sister is in danger. Quickly, head to the church. Just follow the canal, I'll help you. Satana qui." Without a second thought, Dirk gathers his group of friends, and they travel up the canal. I hitch a ride on top of their car, and within minutes, we're at the church. We pull up slowly, approaching the eerie building with caution. I merely told them that Dirks sister was trapped, never mentioning what really awaits them down there. The gang exits the car, observing the broken, run down building that stands before them. Windows are shattered, sloppily covered with wooden beams. Tiles are damaged, some missing entirely. The building has been abandoned for decades. The young adults approach the building slowly, and I follow directly behind.
         You may be wondering why I've brought these five strangers to an old abandoned church. Well, this is where I work. My boss, Professor Oswald Mandus, works here. He runs a very strict organization. I know, it may seem odd, but Mandus is no ordinary man. He and I come from two different generations, but we've both suffered just the same. Lost loved ones at a young age, and had our families killed before our eyes. The pressure got to him, and he reached his breaking point. Demented, Mandus ingested a lethal amount of miscellaneous chemicals from the laboratory at the institute he used to teach at. The mixture he had created in his stomach drove him to insanity. He took in a large amount of Batrachotoxin, Strychnine, Sodium Cyanide, and Ethylene Elycol, and it made him a monster. The chemicals reacted in such a way that it practically made Mandus invincible! When the FBI tried to snipe him, a bullet traveled straight through his brain, doing nothing more than leaving a permanent scar. He's lived within the cellars of this church for ages, and he hungers for the flesh of other people to survive. It's a tricky business. It's hard to convince people to visit a church, but Dirk looks like he'd do anything for his sister.
         Dirk slowly and cautiously pushes open the front door of the church. It's old, rusty hinges creak loudly, scaring off the pack of crows watching us from the tree. We head inside, the shoes of the gang squeak against the rotted wooden floorboards. Once they've gathered inside, I slam the door shut, causing them all to jump in terror. Daniel grabs a hold of the door and tries to open it, but it wouldn't budge. I'm stronger than I look. Realizing what kind of situation they're in, the friends begin to regret ever stepping foot in hear. I can smell the fear that leaks out of their pores. It pleases me. I let out a deafening screech into Dirks ear, and his body shivers in fear. Realizing that the only way to go is down, the group and I descend down the stairs, to the cellar.
         As we climb downwards into the dark, Simon grabs his key ring, and detaches a mini torch. He shines it down the darkened corridor, but its aid is minute. We dive deeper and deeper into the earth. The stairwell seems infinite. The deeper we go, the darker it gets, and the thicker the air gets. I notice that Rose and Marta both have difficulties breathing, and Daniel is sweating up a storm. Simons torch struggles to pierce through the darkness anymore. I peek through the eyes of Marta, and notice how dark it truly is down here. It feels... unnatural. I snap back to myself, where night vision is standard. We reach the bottom. We stand, in pitch black, dead silence, with dense air uncomfortably squeezing us. I stare into the eyes of all the young adults I've gathered. Dirk, Daniel, Simon, Rose, Marta. I almost feel bad for doing this to them. But, then again, no I don't. I look up and shout, "Maestro! La cena arrivato!"
         I dash back and sit myself atop the desk against the wall and watch. The beast has awoken. I hear a loud metal noise, and Mandus unsheathes a dagger, breaking the dead silence. I know he too has enhanced vision in the dark, and I chuckle, preemptively knowing the fate of these children. Mandus winds up his arm, and throws the dagger towards Rose. It twirls through the air with such majesty, accompanied by the soothing sound of metal soaring through the air. Before the group can react, Roses life comes to a halt. The blade penetrates her eye, straight through the pupil, and sees itself out through the back of her skull, dragging her eye with it. The dead corpse of Rose collapses, and the room returns to silence. Faces of horror and disgust form on the faces of the rest, for the darkness is so pure, I don't think they realize what had just happened. I can't help but laugh. I breath towards the nearby light switch and flick it upwards. On come the industrial lights, turning on with a loud crack. The gang shields there eyes, stunned by the blinding light that obliterates the darkness. Once they readjust, they see their dead friend on the ground. Lifeless, with half of her face missing, splattered out on the floor behind her. In unison, they scream, loud with pure horror. Their friend, dead, in such a gruesome manner.
         They look up, only to see Mandus standing a few yards away. Mandus' body is grotesque. His skin appears seared and mutilated. A large chunk of his left bicep is missing, and he doesn't appear to have a lower jaw. His left hand is missing, and has been replaced by a pair of rust hedge clippers that he's jammed into his remaining arm fragment. He smells of soddened rot, and breathes heavily and raspily. The four remaining kids stare in fear. They're next. My boss has an odd way of dealing with people. He likes to be polite. He offers the friends a drink. He pulls a copper flask out of the hole in his chest, and grabs five shot glasses. "Come, take a seat" he warmly invites. Hesitant, the group stands still. "NOW!!" Shouts Mandus with a bloodthirsty anger. The gang jumps in fear and rushes over to the table he's sat at. The lot of them circle the table. Mandus arranges five shot glasses on a rotating plate, and pours a bit of Hoxtons Finest Whiskey in each of them. He spins the table at a high velocity, and whilst spinning, he drips a drop of a potent poison into one of the glasses. I stand behind Mandus, and watch as the group takes a drink. "Cheers" says Mandus.
         Bottoms up. They all reluctantly take a shot in order to spare their lives. With a loud gulp, they all swallow a shot of whiskey. I stare at them all intently. Who got the poisoned drink? All is silent. Suddenly, a cough. A cough from Mandus. He goes on a coughing spree, and begins to hack up blood. Oh no... not again... Mandus gasps for air, and collapses on the floor. Still as can be. The group of friends waste not but a second, and immediately bolt towards the exit. Daniel leads the group up the stairs, and all of them make it, except for Simon. He trips on a broken floorboard, and hits the ground with a loud boom. The air is so dense, nobody hears it except for me and Mandus. I pin Simon to the ground, and prevent him from standing. He squirms and struggles, but my grip is firm. Mandus arises, unharmed from his incredible acting scene, and grabs Simon by the leg. He takes Simons glasses and puts them on, making him look rather astute. He then takes his hedge-scissor hands, and drives them through the chest of the young man. He screams, trying to shove Mandus off of him, but his blood flows out of him faster than he can comprehend. Mandus grasps and rips the mans spine out through his chest cavity. Mandus stands, holding the full spine with the lower half of Simons skull still attached. He snapped off the lower jaw, and jammed it into his face to replace the one he didn't have. He bends over the limp and lifeless corpse of Simon and plants a kiss on his cheek. Mandus ascends the stairs and I follow in his trail.
         We reach the top, where we see Dirk, Daniel, and Marta, pounding at the door. There only escape, blocked off by me. Damn I'm clever. The windows have been permanently sealed off, and the long corridor of pews is not enough to keep them safe. Standing atop the altar, Mandus overlooks the church area. "Children, you have upset your lord. You've got sins to be washed clean. Let me show you the path to enlightenment. Together, we will wash away the wrongs you've done, and the blue water will once again flow through your veins." Mandus preaches to them. He jumps down from the alter, snaps his blades shut and screams "LET ME SHOW YOU THE LIGHT!!" as he makes a mad dash towards the children. I perch myself atop the chandelier to get a view of all the action. The group scatters, running in all directions. Mandus, unable to catch them, stands and observes their patterns. He waits patiently as the group runs around aimlessly, scared out of their wits. Before long, Dirk slows down, soon coming to a stop. His ears, eyes, and nose drip with blood. His tongue detaches and falls onto the floor. He screams, drawing the attention of everyone. Within seconds, his head explodes, as if a grenade had been planted in his brain. The decapitated Dirk flies backwards and hits the wall, his blood and brains splattered across the isles. Mandus and I laugh hysterically, and we begin the chase for the remaining two lads. Mandus chases out Marta whilst I pursue Daniel. Still holding Simons spine, Mandus throws it at Marta, and it cracks her right in the knee, knocking her onto the ground. Mandus grabs her, delicate, not to hurt her, and drags her to the altar. I wrap my arms around Daniel, and shove my fingers into his ears. I rub his brain with my whispers, and I lead him to the altar against his will. I shove him to the ground on top of Roxy, and hold them both against the cold, bloodied floor. Mandus punches himself in the throat, and he throws up acid all over the two friends. They scream, struggle, and try to fight it, but it's no use. Mandus strikes a match, and exclaims "WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?!" as he tosses it directly onto them. The fire lights up bright like the sun. The two children squirm, their bodies roasting, internals boiling. Mandus and I stand side by side, watching with joy. They let out one final scream, as they stop moving altogether. The fire roars and crackles, and we stare into it. The heat of the flames bounces off our face and dances on the adjacent walls.
         Mandus turns to me and slowly speaks "You did well, my son. I'm proud of you." I'm flattered. "Thank you, Master. Until next time" I reply, as I fly out the window, watching as Mandus returns to his basement. Come midnight, Mandus emerges out of the church and heads towards Regent's Canal. The Blood Moon flies high in the sky, adding a devilish red hue to the water. Mandus dumps what little remains of the five friends into the canal, and watches the blood blend right in with the light on the river. Nobody pays any mind, as red water is expected during the Blood Moon phase. The smell of death, however, remains and lingers throughout Hoxton, and spreads to the entire East End of London. The spirits of the young adults still roam around the area, sending chills into the spines of others. I have done my job well today.
         I suppose I've never formally introduced myself to you. Apologies. My name is Xezbeth. I used to be a human, back in 1883 at least, named Isaac DeWitt. I was murdered by my mother, just before she killed herself. I feared death, so I made a deal with Satan to let my soul live forever. He imbued my soul with that of a demon, and now I live to possess people and lead them to their death. It's a nice business, surprisingly. I reside here in Hoxton and lure people to Prof. Mandus to kill. We've become quite close actually, despite being two centuries of age apart. He's been my master for about thirteen years now, and together we've spilled enough blood to replace the ocean. Still, that's not enough. We will wash away all the good from this planet, and only the wicked will live.

                                                 Come join us.