A few things. I apologize for my absence of the last few weeks. I've been traveling a good deal for medical reasons. Nothing serious at all, just a good 80 mile hike to the nearest doctors. Anyhow, not a lot of time to play online.
That said, I've also been writing for another website. Mostly posting older work that everyone here has seen. But I did enter their Halloween contest, a "horror competition." Oh, I don't think they were quite prepared for me. It was an anonymous entry contest using one of two .jpg images as a prompt with a 3000 words maximum. I read through the rules quickly, wrote up my piece and posted it. Um, yeah... I won 1st place, got a shiny badge to put on my profile and a $25 gift account to amazon.com to blow on books.
I like free money to blow on books...
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TITLE: A Stagnant Absolution
WORD COUNT: 2996
PICTURE: #1
The day was quickly disappearing behind the trees, the evening cooler than they had expected. Crystal zipped her fleece hoodie up tighter and stared out across the street towards the remains of the town. There had never been much here, not even decades ago, and both the elements and scavengers had scoured the place near bare. It was almost a surprise that the ruins of the village were even still left standing in the 21st century, that some modern developer hadn't bulldozed them all down for a nice gated community. The county sheriff had a hard enough time keeping delinquent youth out of the area, a stray beer can rattling past her feet as proof.
She turned at the sound of the red hatchback's trunk being slammed shut. Looking over, she saw Ben grimace towards the fading sun and check his watch for the time. Anna was fussing with the straps of her backpack as Eric lugged his own gear onto his shoulders. Dean, stoic as ever, simply lit another cigarette and peered off in the direction of the cemetery.
Crystal sighed and retrieved her backpack from where she had deposited it on the ground before her. Although just about everyone in Northeastern Ohio knew where the infamous failed town of Absolution was, she had never been here before. Strangely, even in an age filled with "Haunted Walks" and so-called "Ghost Hunters." no one seemed particularly interested in this patch of dead and deserted land. Of course, Dean and Ben had a theory on that, which had led them to begin their research on Absolution.
"Come on," said Dean. "We're losing light."
Leaving the car in front of the old decrepit church, the five of them wove their way through the wreckage of the cemetery. The gravestones had cracked and begun to crumble to dust, the Earth slowing reclaiming the land as the grass and weeds grew waist high. Even the few scattered trees among the cemetery looked malnourished and gnarled, as if the dead were leeching onto them simply to feel something, anything. Crystal idly considered this, and allowed thoughts of the intended plan drift through her head again. She was still not pleased.
The group crested over a small hill and came to the tree line of the forest beyond. The cemetery ran right up to the underbrush and then abruptly stopped. Now moving along the edge of the graveyard, the hill continued to slope down as the stone markers grew fewer and more spaced out. Finally they reached the corner of the cemetery proper as it connected with the forest. Dean grunted with approval.
"Might as well get out the flashlights," said Dean.
As everyone searched for their own device, Ben turned towards Crystal as murmured, "You okay?"
Crystal brushed her long white-blond hair back out of her face, and said nothing.
"Crystal?"
"I'm fine," she replied.
Ben frowned and turned to trail Dean into the woods. Crystal shook her head. She loved Ben, she truly did. But not only did she think this little expedition was a mistake, she was sick of him always following Dean's lead. Yes, Dean had made some breakthrough discoveries for the rest of them, and he did seem like the natural leader, but?
But Dean scared her, it was that simple. He was too committed, too fast, too hungry. It was one thing to sit around in somebody's basement playing with an Ouija Board, it was another thing to start practicing Enochian summoning rituals. She had seen some amazing things in the last year, and granted, there had been times thrilling beyond words. But in the last few weeks, it had taken a turn she hadn't felt entirely comfortable with. Nothing in particular, just an overall vibe.
"We're here," came a voice from out of the darkness ahead of her.
Brought short from her contemplation, Crystal hurried forward towards to the rest of them. Sure enough, just as Dean had promised, there lay the pond. More of a bog, some type of giant stagnant puddle, it was perhaps thirty feet across and surrounded by a plethora of lank vegetation. Scanning their lights across it, they could make out a thin film of scum on the water, tiny insects dancing on top.
"God, it smells like ass!" declared Anna.
The stench of decay was indeed present, that and something else; something Crystal couldn't quite place. This wasn't the idyllic pond she had envisioned, but then again, considering the tale Dean had told them went along with this location, she probably shouldn't have been surprised. Crystal stared at the water with apprehension, only to look up and see Dean stalking around the side of it with a predatory gleam in his eyes. Wonderful.
"Ben, are you sure about?" Crystal began, only to find that her boyfriend had disappeared with Eric to the other side of the pond.
"Everyone get your gear out and ready!" announced Dean.
Swearing to herself, Crystal began to unpack her things. For once, she hoped Dean was wrong about his information. At least she knew enough to screw things up without endangering anybody, should it come down to that. If things looked like they were getting a bit too out of control, she could pull the plug on the whole affair. Screw Dean and his power plays.
From her bag, Crystal pulled out her salt and her sand. She retrieved her set of candles and her athame, or ritual knife. To her right sat her bag of runestones, her Thoth Tarot, and I Ching. To her left sat her copy of their Grimoire, which contained elements of Wicca, Cabbalism, Enochian, Pentalism, Vodoun and various other systems of practice. Dean had incorporated just about everything into their studies, figuring that whatever would work? would work.
With everyone sitting spaced out around the pond on their now emptied backpacks, they prepared the spaces in front of them. Salt spilt, sand sprinkled, candles lit, everything. The night had fully enveloped them and the small flicker of the flames offered very little in the way of tranquility. No sounds were carried on the slight breeze that came through the trees, just the rustle of pages as Dean flipped through his copy of the Grimoire. Crystal gritted her teeth as he calmly announced what page they were to all read from, a rare Sothothian spell he had tracked down a few months ago.
As Crystal chanted the barely pronounceable words in unison with the others, she tried not to think about what they were doing. According to Dean's extensive research, the town of Absolution had died a slow, agonizing death. All manner of catastrophe had befallen the place, large and small, to both inhabitants and location alike. It was finally in 1956 that the last stubborn citizen had died in Absolution, his body not found for some months. But that was not the year that Dean had been interested in, no. He had searched back into the past of Absolution, looking to before the fires, the disease, the madness, the deaths. He had looked all the way back to 1922, and there he had found Isaac Ramsey.
At first it was nothing, the slightest shifting of the light's reflection off the skin on the water. Then the faintest wavering, then a ripple. Crystal's breath almost caught in her throat, but she knew that to misspeak at this point would be disaster. She kept chanting as fingers crept up from the murky water, reaching up as if they were clawing at the air. Slowly a whole hand emerged, then an arm. Faster now, a body rose from the depth of the pond, dripping with putrid water. Unbelievably, he was still dressed in immaculate condition, if soaking wet; a pristine black suit, complete with fedora. He was clean shaven, almost handsome with aquiline features. Isaac Ramsey peered at them all, darkly silent as they finished the chant. Then, with a nonchalant air, he tipped his head and removed his hat to let the water drain out.
"Uhhh?" Crystal heard Eric utter as they all stared at the spirit standing on the water in the middle of the pond.
This was unlike any ghost Crystal had ever encountered before. Not only had he seemed effected by his surroundings during the summoning, the water still dripping off him, but he looked so? vivid, so three dimensional. And yet, what else could this be but a spirit? You don't lay submerged for over fifty years without a bit of ruin to your wardrobe.
The form standing on the water politely coughed, giving them all a jolt, before asking in a clear tone, "Yes, what exactly is all this about?"
"Isaac Ramsey?" asked Dean, failing to keep the tremble from his voice.
"How can I help you, young man? I was quite busy being dead."
Crystal blinked rapidly. This was not going at all how she had pictured it. In fact, this was not going like any other séance or summoning they had ever done.
"Isaac Ramsey," said Dean. "You were a prominent business man here in the town of Absolution in the early 1900's. Significantly, you owned a small paper mill that employed a number of people from the town. However, in 1922 it was reported that your mill burnt down with you inside. Obviously, we have discovered that to be? false. We would like to know how it is you came to be here."
"Why?" asked Ramsey with a grimace.
This caused a number of murmured among those scattered along the pond ridge. In every case previously, any spirit called up always wanted to talked about their death, their life, anything really. This situation was getting stranger by the minute.
"You are bound by the Sothothian spell of resurgence. Our words brought you forth and it's our words you must obey!" Eric commanded.
Ramsey burst out laughing and Crystal felt herself go cold.
"Very well, I'll play along," Ramsey said still chuckling. "My paper mill did burn down in 1922, and I was indeed with in. You see, the honorable and respectable citizens of Absolution had taken the torch to my building. After making sure I securely inside, of course."
Shocked gasps came from around the pond as Anna squealed, "They murdered you?"
"In the mill? Well, they tried, my dear. The looks upon their faces as I strolled out of the flames was something I'll soon not forget."
"Wait, the? the fire didn't kill you?" asked Eric.
"Dear me, no," replied Ramsey. "My abilities and I are far more formidable than that. At the time, I was simply enraged at the disgrace I felt by their hands. That was what led to my ultimate downfall."
"You mean here, at the pond?" asked Ben.
Ramsey sighed. "It's where they dumped me. The whole process was quite? complicated. This land is still part of the church property, so it's consecrated ground. They assumed that would have an adverse affect upon my person."
"You're?you're a Satanist?"[/i} Crystal found herself saying.
Another stream of laughter from Ramsey, before he answered. "The First of The Fallen, Lucifer? Ah, no child? [i]My Master is far older, darker and more powerful than anything from Christian mythology."
"But you said the church property and?" tried Anna.
"I said that they ?assumed,' my dear," interrupted Ramsey, a smile on his face.
Crystal rocked back in her seated position and tried to gather her thoughts. Not only was this unlike anything they had encountered before, this was something more intense, more deadly. She barely heard Eric, Ben and Anna questioning Ramsey on the curse he had placed on the town as she considered what to do next. This had to end. She had to figure out a way to dispel the summons without releasing Isaac Ramsey upon them or creating a backlash of energies. Although she didn't know very much at all about Sothothian works, it seemed to display the same principles as any other traditional system. As Crystal's mind raced to think of a way to banish Ramsey, her eyes strayed across the pond and stopped on Dean with alarm. He had produced a small mortar and pestle set, the bowl already filled with something as he crushed it with the stone pestle mixer. He was chanting in hushed tones and staring reverently at Ramsey wide-eyed. A sudden, sure dread exploded in her.
"Dean, what are you doing? Dean? STOP!" screamed Crystal as she rose to her feet.
Even as the words came tumbling from Crystal's mouth, Dean bellowed the last syllable of his incantation and hurled the bowl along with its ingredients into the water. There was a splash and a burst of blinding light that quickly subsided. Crystal brought her hand back down from her eyes and looked out upon the pond. There, a subtle black flame crackled all across the surface, it's unnatural substance giving off neither light or warmth. Isaac Ramsey stood where he had been before, but now with his arms splayed out to his sides and head tilted back, as if he was basking in the sun's rays.
"What have you done?" whispered Crystal.
"Dean?" stammered Ben as he climbed to his feet.
"They're yours!" shrieked Dean from where he stood at the edge of the pond. "I brought you back, so? so you could teach me! You can be myMaster! But? but I brought them here for you!"
"Hmmm? I see, how thoughtful," Ramsey said as he strolled towards Eric.
"No, no? stay away!" screamed Eric as he tried to put up a protection ward.
With the gesture of his hand, Eric was beset by convulsions. His body began to twist, his muscles pulsate and skin bulge. Still, he did not fall as the dimensions of body grew grossly out of proportion. Then a single fly fluttered free from his gaping mouth. His flesh started to split open in draining gashes and all manner of insects spilled out. Flies, maggots, spiders, crickets, bees, everything. The glistening wet lump of meat that had been Eric collapsed to the ground, swarming with wings, antennas, and stingers. It had only taken moments.
Crystal felt the bile in her throat and found herself on her knees, ready to vomit as she heard Anna screaming. Anna was already tearing out of the woods back towards the cemetery. Crystal weakly brought her face up to see Ramsey watching Anna run off, his hand flat against his brow as if to shade it from the sun.
"Well," said Ramsey, with a click of his tongue. "We can't have that."
He made a chopping motion with his arm and Anna's screams were cut silent.
Ben scrambled over to Crystal and wrapped his arms around her, the young blonde sobbing as quietly as she could. The couple stared in terror at Ramsey as he scrutinized them for a minute, tapping his chin gently with his forefinger. Seemingly coming to some conclusion, he wandered over to where Dean was standing. Their former friend was near bouncing up and down with excitement.
"Have I done well, Master? Are you pleased?" Dean asked in a sycophantic tone.
"Yes, yes? indeed you have. ?Dean' is it?"
"Yes! Yes, Master." Dean replied with a large smile, bobbing his head in agreement.
"Come," gestured Ramsey, " To show my appreciation, allow me to give you your first taste of the power that I wield."
Dean took a tentative step out upon the water of the pond, it's surface still rippling with the aberrant midnight flames. Each step he took more boldly, each step further out and his face grew more alit with fervor. As Dean stood in the center of the pond, awash in the powers like a newly converted zealot, Isaac Ramsey stepped up onto the grass and turned to his disciple.
"It's? it's unbelievable, I never imagine such power!" exclaimed Dean.
"I know," replied Ramsey. "And I'm glad you enjoy it so much."
"Thank you, Master!" said Dean, beaming at Ramsey.
"Yes, because you'll be staying here."
With that proclamation, the dark flames went out and Dean began to immediately sink. He screamed and thrashed, tried to swim to the meager shore but held in place by the waters. Dean begged for Ramsey's help, screeched out promises and declarations of devotion. Ramsey watched it all dispassionately, just as Ben and Crystal watch in horror. Shortly, the last of Dean was swallowed up and the water as still once again.
Ramsey walked over to the couple where they crouched, cowering. He was humming something badly out of tune. Standing above them, he toed Crystal's box of Thoth Tarot cards and rolled his eyes.
"Come now, it wasn't as if I could actually trust him. He was willing to sacrifice his friends for a taste of power. Quite unsavory."
Ramsey reached into his inner pocket, removed a cigarette and a silver lighter. He ignited the end and inhaled deeply, a smile playing on his face as he exhaled. Looking back down at the couple, he began patting around at his various other pockets.
"You have no idea how long I've needed that. As you may have guessed, I couldn't leave my little prison without someone taking my place. Our Dean seemed like a worthy candidate. That said, I have been away for some time now, and I do believe I need an acolyte to instruct me on these modern ways."
"What?" tried Ben. "We? we're not going to?"
"Oh, there is no ?we,' young man. And ?she' doesn't have a choice. Ah, here it is! I knew it was in one of these pockets."
Ramsey leaned down and handed a small blade to Crystal. She spun, almost robotically to Ben, her eyes streaming with tears. Before he could even get a word out, her arm moved in a jerky motion and she stabbed him in the throat.
She stabbed him again and again.
rating: 12
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