Remnants of the Past

Jinxie

Jinxie

“Howdy, my name is Jinxie. Take a load off, I got a story to tell ya. The tale gets a little hairy in parts, so you might want to cook ya up some popcorn. The first thing I’m a needin to tell you is that I’m an innocent, darn what they call it, bystander in all this. Didn’t do nothing wrong and no evil ever fell from these hands. It’s all cir….cum..stan …cial crap they’re putting on me. Now, let me check my watch, gotta make sure I got time to tell you the whole story. Wouldn’t want to leave ya hanging.”

“Who are you and why the hell can you talk? Is this just a nightmare? “

“Na it’s all real dude. And I told ya, my name is Jinxie. Now you just sit tight and I’ll fill ya in.”

“Please let me go. I don’t want to die!”

“Die? Who said ya was gonna die? See I done told ya, I got a bad rap. I’m gonna make ya famous. Ya getting to be part of my story. I gave ya the most comfortable seat in the house.”

“This is not real! This is not real! When I open my eyes it will all be gone!” said Jeffery with terror written on his face. He was a twenty year old man who until thirty minutes ago had been out partying with his friends in the woods by the railroad tracks. It was the local hangout for the illegal weekend drinkers. His one big mistake was to not use the buddy system when he took a leak. Right about now, his friends were passed out from their overindulgence.

“Ha Ha I’m still here. I love this game.” Jinxie said pressing nose to nose against his victim. Jeffery was startled as his eyes flew open and a scream bolted from his lips but the white gag Jinxie hurriedly stuffed in his mouth held the scream in place.

“Are we done playing now? Cause I’m gonna need to get to telling my story. I’ll take the gag off if you behave.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Just listen, bud. I’m bout to tell ya all that. My name is Jinxie now, but come a long time ago I was just Kewpie. About nineteen hundred twenty something. I liked that name. People be thinking I was cute when I had me that name. Jinxie just conjures up some bad ideas,don’t ya think? Knock, knock are ya listening? Might have to tighten up them ropes some more to make sure ya payin attention”

Jinxie grabbed Jeffery’s hair pulling it towards him and smashing the man’s head back against the pavement. Jinxie wanted to emphasis his point of needing a captive and involved audience. Jeffery snapped to attention as the throbbing pain in his skull overtook him.

“Why me?”

“Cause I got ya that’s why. Us Jinxies, are oppor… tun..ists. Gonna have to forgive me, I tend to lose my words sometimes. Still working my way through that Webster book of big words. Ya know which one I mean? Oh never mind, back to the story. Gonna listen now,right?”

Jeffery nodded, as best he could from his hogtied position.

“Back to me being Kewpie. I was just a sittin on a shelf mindin my own business. It was at this county fair thingie. I was one of the prizes, Imagine me a prize! The gamer guy used to pick me up and throw me in the air when he was trying to get people to play his game. Never once dropped me but ol’ Jinxie here, was scared s***less. Ha Ha hear that, I made a joke? In case ya was wondering I don’t do them gross bodily functions. Anyway, this cute little blonde girlie comes up to the table wantin to play the game. Not a penny on her, but she was a beggin the gamer guy with her eyes. It was a slow day, so the old softie let her take a try. Idiot even helped her and she got the ball in the hoop Next thing I know the brat is askin for her prize. Gamer boy gives me to her. Instead of sittin comfy on a shelf, now I’m all a sudden being pulled and tugged on by sticky, wet five-year old.”

“Please, let me go?”

“We ain’t done with the story yet. Besides we got our own games to be playin. That gamer dude taught me how to have fun. So ya hang on, we’ll be getting there,” Jinxie, the oversized maniacal doll threatened.

Jeffery wiggled against ropes, but stopped as the gravel beneath him shifted. He could hear the bits of rock falling to a destination far below him.

“Where am I?”

“Only Jinxie knows. So, this snot nosed kid carried me away from the only home I known. But the gamer dude was watchin where she took me. He followed us to the playground causin he liked that brat for some reason. Kept talking bout how pretty she was. Had to have him some of that. Made Jinxie’s stomach turn. He did some mighty bad stuff to that girlie. Next thing I know, the brat is lying there bloody and dead. Got red goop all over me. Gamer dude didn’t even take me home. Before ya know it cops are crawling all over the place. They called me Jinxie doll instead of Kewpie doll. Put me in a plastic bag and tagged me. Ended up on a evidence shelf for ten years. Jinxie didn’t deserve no jail. When they tore that prison down some cop took me home for his girl. Never heard if they caught gamer dude. ”


“This has nothing to do with me, please let me go.”
Jinxie kicked the loose dirt into Jeffery’s eyes. His painted smirk turned downward into a grimace as his eyes filtered out red and smoldering rays of anger. The beams burned the flesh of the man tied to the railroad tracks. Jeffery screamed with no gag to hold in the agony.

“Ya making Jinxie mad.”

“My friends will hear.”

“Na, they’re sound asleep. So, the cop gives me to his daughter. She carried me everywhere. Wasn’t so bad, I kinda liked the kid, but then she got herself hit by a horse and buggy. Runned her over in the street, smashed her all up. I bounced out of her hands and almost got smashed myself. Took her crumpled body away but left poor Jinxie in the street to fend for myself. Til some nice lady took me home and cleaned me up. I call her momma Jinxie but she died awhile back. So I’m on my own. But she taught me some things. Ran a little voodoo shop, she did. Lived my life there pickin up all kinds of tricks. Momma fixed me up with special powers. Jinxie can make people wish they be in hell. We made a good life, momma and I, settlin scores for people. What you think about my story so far, boy?’

Jeffery was openly crying now, knowing his future looked bleak. Jinxie scoffed at the man as he pounced on Jeffery’s abdomen knocking the wind out of him.

“Momma had no time for sissies. I told ya my story was a good one. Poor Momma, got done in by other voodoo people outa spite. She was a getting too powerful in their eyes. Jinxie just runs around now carrying on her work. I take care of myself and sees to it that I have me some fun! Been part of the most famous murders ya ever done heard of. Nobody looks at Jinxie as bad. They just leave me lying there and I move on. Got me the life! See Jinxie gonna make ya famous. I might just write me a book one day. Took me out a newspaper ad one time, selling an original kewpie doll. Jinxie is in mint condition, don’t ya think? Anyway, I had people lining up to be my next victim. It was great but Jinxie has to keep movin around these days, cause those voodoo people were catching on. Can’t be too careful. Now, time to finish this story.”

Jinxie thrust a large knife into Jeffery’s right thigh, causing the man to scream again. Jinxie laughed. His momma had taught him to enjoy the terror of his victims. He pulled the knife out forcefully and randomly stabbed the man repeatedly in random locations, making sure to reserve the vital organs. He wanted him to be alive for the last part of the story. The yelps of pain from Jeffery, enthralled the doll causing Jinxie to jump for joy. Jinxie checked his watch. It was almost time for the 3 a.m. freight train and a smashing ending to his story.

Word count 1475