The dreamer of hell

I'm not really sure how this happened to me of all people. I mean I can honestly say that I'm not the luckiest guy in the world, which in a lot of ways would explain some things. But this? This was to fucked up even for me.

Now before I get to the end of this, allow me to go back to the beginning. My name is john holts and I am a paranormal investigator, some time psychic and according to some folks, full time drunk. I live in what I lovingly refer to has a second hand shack which consists of one room a futon. A wood stove for cooking and a genuine outhouse in the back. My great uncle left this to me when he died, which was fortunate for me because I just gotten evicted from my former residents and I didn't need a dime to dwell here.

OK now that I'm done with the pitiful introduction, allow me to explain how I got here. I was on my way to San Antonio to visit some old friends. I'd driven about half the state of Texas before I realized I was hungry and my car was about out of gas. So spotting a local truck stop, I pulled in.

I got seated at a booth with a view of another restaurant and hotel across the highway. The waiter came by took my drink order and went on his way. While I waited for my coffee, I scanned the room, looking at all the people around me. I noticed one person in particular. A child. Well a young boy in particular. Couldn't be no more than eight to ten years old. What set me off about him was the way he was dressed. He had has what I can best describe as a 1940's boys outfit. Complete with suspenders, little bow tie and newspaper boy hat. The fact I didn't see any parents with him also seemed odd.

I was just about to grab the attention of one of the waitstaff, when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw an elderly woman looking at me. He's here for you, you know? Who? I asked politely, thinking this was one of those religious types who try to convert you right on the spot. Why Nathaniel of course, she replied has she nodded towards the boy I'd seen. Knowing that I'd become a somewhat celebrity for some of my cases, I figured maybe he was a fan and said so. Oh no no she said smiling. He's here for your soul john, and he'll get it before your pancakes hit the grill. What the fuck I said out loud. I hadn't even mentioned what I was going to order, so how this crazy old lady knew this was weird. I think this conversation is over I said rather rudely and jabbed a finger towards her as an added exclamation point. All the sudden she started laughing. Low at first. Then building up like she just heard the best joke of all time. I got up out of my booth and slowly backed up, wondering if this crazy broad was gonna attack me. She looked right at me and I knew for some reason that shit was about to get ugly. He's come for all of us, she screamed. But he wants you most of all johnny boy, he wants to feed off your flesh for eternity. He'll wear your head like a crown in the pit of sorrow he calls home. With that her eyes went wider than any normal human, turning blood red. Her mouth stretched back like those weird Instagram smiles. Revealing mangled but sharp teeth. I started to turn and run, and tripped over a damn chair and immediately embraced the carpeted floor with my face. I turned around and sat up quickly to defend myself against a possible attack, but there was no one there. No crazy woman. No odd little boy, and no truck stop, hotel or anything. Just me on my ass on the road beside my car, in the middle of the dessert.

What the hell I screamed to the sky. You could've let me get the fucking coffee at least. I stood up and opened the drivers side door. On the seat was a folded piece of paper. I grabbed it, read the contents and about pissed myself has I dropped it. All it said was, “your pancakes are almost ready johnny boy” signed Nathaniel. Awe fuck me sideways I thought. What the hell did I just drop into? I pulled myself together, got in the car and pulled back onto the highway.

I was about two hours from my destination, when my cell phone rang, the little window said Bexar county sheriffs department. Hello, can I help you I asked. Yes sir this is sheriff don puller over in San Antonio. Is this john Holt? Yes it is I replied, what can I do for you sheriff? Do you by chance know an Nelda may Francine? He asked. I thought about any and all faces I knew that direction for a couple of seconds. No I'm sorry to say I don't. May I inquire has to why you called with this? My curiosity getting the better of me. Well, sheriff puller started, we found her body in her home this morning after her neighbors complained of a stench. Oh that's tragic I said, but what does this have to do with me? Well see now that's the thing Mr Holt, we found your business card on her person. That's not so weird sheriff, lots of people come across my cards everyday, I stated matter of fact. There was silence for a few seconds. You ever know of anyone shoving your business card in their eye Mr. Holt. Can't say I have sheriff, I said stunned. I'll be in town in about an hour. Very good Mr. Holt, we'll meet at the station if that's OK. Sure thing I said. Oh one more thing he started. Yes? She had pancakes on the stove written out in the name “Nathaniel.” my foot stomped the accelerator. Make it half an hour sheriff, has I flew towards my destination.

I pulled into the sheriffs station parking lot with about five minutes to spare, got out of the car and walked a brisk pace up the stairs and through the double glass doors. A young officer raised is head from the front desk. Can I help you he asked. Yea, is sheriff puller here? I was told to meet him. John Holt is my name. He looked at a list, then said yes sir, he's waiting for you down in the morgue. Just take the elevator there he pointed. Thanks kid I said has I turned towards it.

Stepping through the morgue doors, I immediately saw the sheriff and what I guessed was the mortician. Sheriff puller I inquired extending my hand for greeting. Yes sir Mr Holt he said grabbing my hand and giving it a hardy shake. And this here is Dr Whitmore. I shook her hand and said how do you do ma'am. Fine considering the circumstances, she said dryly. Well let's get down to it then shall we I said has I looked at the covered body next to us. The doctor pulled the sheet back and for a second I was frozen. It was the crazy old woman from the truck stop. Suddenly the sheriff said, “i thought you said you didn't know her?” I snapped outta my daydream. She looked like someone I saw in a dream long ago, I said partially lying. He looked at me for a second, then said, yeah I do that sometimes too. He laughed. Hey doc he said turning towards her, you don't suppose that means I'm psychic, does it? The only thing you can predict Mr puller, is where your getting your next bacon burger from she replied tartly. Well I guess that's true he said smiling.

I looked at the empty hole where the dead woman's eye should have been. You have that business card I asked. The sheriff turned towards the counter behind him and grabbed a Ziploc bag. Right here he said handing the bag to me. I looked at the card through the bag for about a minute. There's a possible thumb print on the corner I said, pointing to the back side upper right corner. Do you think we can get it lifted? Well bloods hard to work with the sheriff said, but we'll see what the lab techs can do. OK, sounds good I replied. Oh and there seems to bee some very fine print down at the bottom here. See if your crew can see what it says. The sheriff grabbed the bag back from me. No problem he said. Has he walked to the door, I heard him say, :just wait till I tell the missus that I'm working a case the john Holt. I smiled and shook my head slightly. Well doc, is there anything else I need to see? Yes Mr Holt has a matter of fact there is she answered. I was just waiting for the sheriff to leave, cause he gets a bit freaked out on some things. I know the feeling I said under my breath. What? She asked. Nothing ma'am nothing at all. Show me what you got. She reached towards the face of the old woman and pried the lips back exposing a row of sharp teeth. I'd say she was an avid meat eater, I said jokingly. She was a vegetarian Mr Holt, she replied dryly. And the teeth were filed to a point sometime after death. Then there's this she said pulling back the lid to her other eye. I wasn't shocked to see the blood red orb staring at the ceiling, but didn't say a word. That's unusual I stated, did a vessel in her eye rupture? No Mr Holt, from what I can tell there was no eye there at all. It's just a ball of blood. How the fuck do you figure that? I asked. Because Mr. Holt, in the other socket there are no nerves, no connective tissues, nothing to say that an eyeball should even present. Pretty much I'd say that if this blood ball over here busts, it'll look exactly like the socket over here. With that she tapped the blood ball for emphasis and I knew she was right. It rolled like one of them old water beds. How is that possible? I asked. How could she even get around if she looked like that?

I reached in my jacket for my phone so I could take a couple pics, when I heard a familiar voice. That's because johnny boy, we can smell fear, we can smell your fear. Holy shit the old woman was alive I thought has I looked up and saw she was indeed. She had her skinny arms wrapped tight around the doctor, which one might think loving and kind had it not been for the fact of the one blood eye staring at me while it licked the back of the docs head. The doctor looked at me terrified mouthing the words “help me god please.” the creature stopped what it was doing has if it heard the cries for help, smiled with those needle sharp teeth and replied. My dear, what makes you think god hears your pathetic attempts? Without waiting for a reply the creatures mouth stretched back like a python about to swallow its prey, got about halfway over the doctors head and clamped it's mouth shut. I turned for a second only too look back and see the doctor half headless, shudder in a death twitch then fall to the ground.

I was about to make a run for it when the sheriff burst the doors with his gun drawn. He fired and hit the creature right in the middle of the forehead. Despite seeing an exit wound the size of my fist, thing only smiled and started to walk towards us. AIM FOR THE FUCKING EYE DON! I yelled. No problem he whispered smiling. With that he aimed, squeezed the trigger, and fired. The eye blew apart like a burst pipe, spilling over the creatures face and body. It started writhing in pain has the blood from the wound acted like an acid, melting anything it touched. Soon it to dropped to the floor twitching has the acid blood did its work. We both stood there for a couple of seconds before the sheriff turned to me. Can I ask you a question Mr. Holt? Sure thing don, what is it? Is it always this exciting when you're on a case? He asked half jokingly. Not always I replied, looking at the carnage that just hit this city. I didn't think so said the sheriff. I think that bacon burger and a couple of beers is calling me john, wanna join me. Yeah let's go, I could use a breather I said has we walked out the doors. Yep me to o sheriff puller said, me too.